Roland Yeomans's Blog, page 105

IWSG post: HOW MUCH ARE YOU WILLING TO INVEST IN YOUR DREAM?

http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/about-us.html

KEEP A JOURNAL:

If you want to write, you need to keep an honest, unpublishable journal that nobody reads, nobody but you. 

Where you just put down what you think about life, what you think about things, 

what you think is fair and what you think is unfair. 


READ:


You need to read. You can’t be a writer if you’re not a reader. 
It’s the great writers who teach us how to write.
Don't tell me that you don't have time to read.   
This is like a man starting up Mount Everest saying that he didn’t have time to buy any rope or pitons.



WRITE:

Write. Just write a little bit every day. Even if it’s for only half an hour — write, write, write.

Let the writer take up surgery or bricklaying if she is interested in technique. 
There is no mechanical way to get the writing done, no shortcut. 
The young writer would be a fool to follow a theory. 
Teach yourself by your own mistakes; people learn only by error. 
The good artist believes that nobody is good enough to give him advice. 
She has supreme vanity. 
No matter how much she admires the old writer, she wants to beat him.
What did Joss Whedon say?  "You either HAVE to write, or you shouldn't be writing at all."


LISTEN TO NEIL GAIMAN:

“Start telling the stories that only you can tell, 
because there’ll always be better writers than you 
and there’ll always be smarter writers than you. 
There will always be people who are much better at doing this or doing that – 
but you are the only you.”


TAKE THE TIME AND EFFORT TO BE AWARE:

Becoming a writer is about becoming conscious. 
When you’re conscious and writing from a place of insight and simplicity and real caring about the truth, 
you have the ability to throw the lights on for your reader. 
He or she will recognize his or her life and truth in what you say, 
in the prose pictures you have painted, 
and this decreases the terrible sense of isolation that we have all had too much of.
Try to leave the Ivory Tower School of Writing -- 
do not write about Man.
Write of A man ... or A woman ... 
trying to make sense of their lives, lost dreams, failed loves.
"Listen" to the stories of the lives around you.  
For it is in them that you will find the roots of your own novels.

START WRITING NOW:
Start writing right now. 
Don’t write it right, just write it –
and then make it right later. 
Give yourself the mental freedom to enjoy the process, 
because the process of writing is a long one. 
Be wary of “writing rules” and advice. Do it your way.

Ignore critics. 
Critics are a dime a dozen. Anybody can be a critic. Writers are priceless.

Go where the pleasure is in your writing. Go where the pain is.
 Write the book you would like to read. 
Write the book you have been trying to find but have not found. 
But write.


LEARN TO LISTEN TO YOUR INSTINCTS:

Learn to trust your own judgment, 
learn inner independence, learn to trust that time will sort the good from the bad – 
including your own bad.
Every writer knows fear and discouragement. 
Just write. 
The world is crying for new writing.
 It is crying for fresh and original voices and new characters and new stories. 
If you won’t write the classics of tomorrow, well, we will not have any.

How much time do you put into writing each day?

MARK TWAIN'S GUIDE ON HOW TO BE A SUCCESSFUL AUTHOR

The ghost of MARK TWAIN here:


Want to be a successful author?
Well, first off, children, do not be put off by criticism!

Why listen to the comments made by famous folks about the same book:

"A  book so bad that it gives bad books a bad name."
Salman Rushdie

"The intellectual equivalent to Kraft's Macaroni & Cheese."
Stephen King

"A best-selling primer on how NOT to write an English sentence."
A.O. Scott (New York Times)

The book?  THE DA VINCI CODE!





There are two kinds of writers:
literary (poor) and commercial (books people actually read!)

Literary writers

 are the ones who write dry, thoughtful books that try to illuminate "the human condition", "the human experience" or "the human heart". 

These books tend to move at a slow pace,

 so that the author can stick some preachy bits in and you won't really notice 

because he just spent three paragraphs describing a daffodil or an entire chapter on a turtle crossing the road. 

The point of these books is that the author is actually quite a bit smarter than you 

and has something to say about your life even though you two have never ever met.

Of course most folks these days are a few French Fries short of a Happy Meal,which explains why 

E.L. James and Stephine Meyers 

have the kind of money that gets you a private island on which to hunt people who think they're on a reality show. 


Being an  old newspaper reporter, I know that "Don't get too close to a story" has forever been the mantra of ethical journalism 

and, consequently, no one in America has uttered it in the past hundred years. 

All of which points a big neon arrow with the word "problem" flashing inside it at one question: 

how can you be objective about humanity if you are yourself human?


The answer is "isolation". 

History's greatest literary minds have all been locked away from normal human interaction (if any) 

by layers and layers of madness, misanthropy, and manic-depression. 

(I just love Alliteration!) 

Addiction, depression and destitution are history's hallmarks of genius, don't you know?

Why, it is a bedrock fact of Wikipedia that all great artistic geniuses were insane, addicts or had Mrs. Bates for a Ma.


 The recipe for literary genius is 

1) a consistent outsider status, 

2) above average intelligence and 

3) a thorough grasp of whatever language you are writing in; 

unless you're one of those dang Rappers, in which case you can play the culture card anytime someone tries to correct your grammar! 

You listening Kanye?


Oh, you want to be a successful COMMERCIAL writer?

Well, children, why didn't you say so?

What you need for that is:


1.) INACCURATE HISTORY

Those adorable Vikings, bare-chested, all good looking, all swoon worthy.  

Naw, they t'weren't smelly, toothless, and rape mongers!


2.) TWO DIMENSIONAL CHARACTERS

Prose puppets that will spout dialogue no self-respecting morons would spout.

Characters so mind-dead that they will gleefully walk into a trap, following arrows painted in blood on the walls


3.) MORE TWISTED SEX IN 30 PAGES THAN HAPPENED DURING THE ENTIRE REIGN OF CALIGULA

Readers these days don't just want to be witnesses to orgies.  

No, children, they want to participate in them so throw in as many jaw-dropping details as you can 

with kitchen utensils if possible ...

especially the egg-beater!


4.) WRITE THE SAME BOOK OVER AND OVER AGAIN

It worked for Dan Brown, Charlaine Harris, and George R.R. Martin.  It will work for you!


IF ALL THAT DON'T WORK:
The thing about this here literary success is that it tends to not be a conscious choice.

 Sometimes it's inspired by radical political ideals (like Tolstoy), 

other times it's a reaction to your high-functioning psychosis (two words: Love, craft),

 or sexual deviance (Mary Shelley and her super-famous poet hubby, Percy, were known to have sex on her mother's grave),

 or jealousy over your awesomeness (Ernest "hunting elephants from a plane while drunk" Hemingway).

Uh, oh, children, 

the ghosts of Lovecraft, Mary Shelley, and Hemingway are heading my way.  

The Mississippi is calling to me!  Bye for now!
 

WHAT WILL BE THE LAST THING YOU DO THIS NEW YEAR'S EVE?

What will be the last thing you do this New Year's Eve?

Or if it has passed, what was it?

What will be, or was, the last meal for you in 2017?



STRANGE NEW YEAR'S EVE BELIEFS
1.) IF YOU DON'T KISS SOMEONE AT MIDNIGHT, YOU WILL BE UNLUCKY IN LOVE ALL YEAR


2.) EMPTY CUPBOARDS MEAN THEY WILL STAY EMPTY ALL YEAR

I wonder if that goes for empty heads as well -- which would explain the politics of this last year!


3.) OPEN ALL THE DOORS JUST BEFORE MIDNIGHT

That is to let out the Old Year and let in the New Year will all its promise.

All the Democrats across America are not only flinging open all their doors tonight, but their windows, too!


4.) EAT 12 GRAPES AT MIDNIGHT

One for each month -- that is just in case you do not like cabbage and black-eyed peas!


5.) NO LOANS TONIGHT

A full wallet seems to give promise for a full bank account during the New Year!


6.) NO TEARS AT MIDNIGHT

Lest you have a year full of sadness.



HERE IS MY WISH  FOR ALL OF YOU TO HAVE  MORE SMILES THAN TEARS  THIS NEW YEAR!

SUPERSTITIONS OF NEW YEAR'S EVE

 Although many of us do not admit to it, we do believe or follow some superstition at one time or another.

Knock on wood?  

I do, usually have to resort to knocking on my head, the universality of plastics you know.

Have you known people to stop a dog from howling to prevent death or 

to get married on a rainy day to insure a long and happy marriage?

 New Year’s Eve also has its fair share of strange myths and weird superstitions 

that are followed by many around the world. 

Here are a few:

1. No sweeping on New Year’s day.  

They say that it is an ominous act and can sweep away the good luck of the entire family.

Well, why not? Anything that keeps you from the nasty chore of cleaning is welcome, right?


 2. Wearing new clothes on New Year's Eve.

 They believe that it ensures a constant supply of new clothes for the whole year to jazz up the wardrobe.


 3. No empty pockets
 
There are people who insist that one should take care to avoid wearing a dress with empty pockets on New Year’s Eve 

since it may be a sign of very low or no income in the year to come.


4. Say no to chicken
 
If you cook any chicken dish on New Year’s day, you will have monetary troubles for the rest of the year.
 
So now you know who is responsible for all your financial troubles this year… 

Colonel Sanders!


5. Don’t do laundry
 
They say that if you do your laundry, you will certainly wash off your luck or will face a year of hard work. 

Even more ominous, doing laundry on this day is also associated with facing a family member’s death.
 
What can I say? These myths sound like work-relieving fun to me!


6. Don’t cry, honey!
 
The wise men (and women) say that one should not be miserable on this day and neither should one cry because that depression will follow you in the year to come.

So, wipe away those tears and be happy! After all, it is a new beginning.

  
7. Be Scrooge on New Year's Eve!

You should not give your cash, ornaments, precious items or other valuable things to anyone

 on the first day of the year because it may be a sign that wealth will be flowing out in the entire year. 

So, hang on to your cash until January 2nd!

  
8. Make noise and hang a lemon at New Year's Eve.

Have you ever wondered why there are fireworks on New Year’s Eve? 

It is to scare away the evil spirits and evil thoughts. 

Even hanging a lemon in the doorway helps in warding off bad spirits.

* The First Foot of New Year has a whole post coming soon here. 


Do you know of any New Year's Eve superstitions?

SO THIS IS TODAY

So this is today ...

   and I am both happy and sad, wondering how that can be.

This photograph of Chief Big Foot left dead and frozen in the snow 

will forever be etched in the minds of American Indians

 as a reminder of the inhumane treatment rendered to their ancestors by the federal government.



Estimates are some 300 men, women and children were killed at the Wounded Knee Massacre today in 1890.

It need not have happened.  

But hate looks the same as everyone else until there are no witnesses.

It is important to always remember what happened by the hands of evil men 

because evil men still exist today. 

Even now, there are evil people who spew out hatred against others 

who may not be their same race, color or religion today.




MY FRIEND AND COLLABORATOR, ROBERT ROSSMANN has a new web page out: http://www.robertrossmann.com/

Now available on cdbaby.com

A CHRISTMAS CAROL by Charles Dickens, recorded live by Robert Rossmann. 

Soon to be out on audio by Robert as well:                            He  just finished Chapter 5 
of his new production for me.

The grey clouds swirled angrily, silently, looking as if God had burned the sins of yesterday, casting them to the winds.  Meilori hugged my arm.   I looked down, watching her silently, effortlessly holding my universe together.    Sometimes I can feel my heart straining under the weight of all the lives I’ve taken.   Then, I look into her slanted eyes, jade quarter moons waiting to rise, and the world makes sense again.I looked away from her as if she were the sun.  Yet, I still saw her, like the sun, even without looking.  Love is like that.“Beloved,” she sighed.  “One day your compassion will be the death of us.”I nodded.  “All my futile efforts to make the world better: a dream, a dream … that most like will end in nothing, leaving me where I laid down.”I bent my head, kissing her soft lips lightly.  “But I wish you to know that you inspired it.”Meilori turned wet eyes away from me, and Sammy said from behind us, “I reckon that in a sense, Lady Meilori, we are all each other’s consequences.”“Just so,” she murmured.  “Just so.”Meilori sighed, “We cross our bridges as we come to them and burn them behind us, with nothing to show for our efforts except a memory of the smell of smoke, and the heat at our backs.”
MAY YOUR NEW YEAR BE EVEN BETTER THAN YOU WISH IT TO BE!

HOW TO MAKE PEACE WITH THE SHARK OF REJECTION

YOU CHOSE TO SWIM IN  SHARK-INFESTED WATERS

We all did when we became writers.

You don't step into the ring unless you can take a punch

But you will be knocked down more than you will win.
That's just the nature of the business.
The key is to find the strength and will to get back up.

In 1923, Babe Ruth held the record for ...
HOME RUNS in a season
HIGHEST BATTING RECORD
and
He STRUCK OUT more times than any otherMajor League player that season.
He said:
"It's hard to beat a person who never gives up."
"Every strike brings me closer  to the next home run."
"Never let the fear of striking out  keep you from the game."


Ray Bradbury started out young as a writer --at 12,writing on the only paper available:Butcher's Papersince it was the Great Depression.

He kept on getting rejected. 
 He promised himself that he would quit if he could not sell a story by the 500th rejection.
You guessed it: 
he sold a story on his 500th attempt.
"You have to learn to take rejection, not as an indication of personal failing, but as a wrong address."
Ray Bradbury said:
"Man has always been half-monster,  half-dreamer.
Once you understand that, then you can write a full story."


Writing is not a sprint.
It is a marathon.
And you win a marathon by always moving forward.
And enjoying the race doesn't hurt either.
Listen to the wisdom of Ray Bradbury and grow as a writer:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARLENE!

Today is Marlene Dietrich's 116th birthday!

Before GHOST OF A CHANCE ...


http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0097Z99YM
there was a ghost in the night.
{Image courtesy of Google}
It was that moment between waking and dream. I was sitting on my apartment terrace. The night spoke to me in its velvet silence.

Owl happily was not speaking my name. He perched on the cypress branch opposite me, studying me as I was admiring him.

Brother raccoon scurried in the bushes below, carrying some prize in his front right paw.

My cat, Gypsy, twitched her tail on the window sill, the mysteries of ages whispering in her half-closed, green eyes.

My own eyes were heavy. Too many miles driven. Too few hours slept.

I put the period to the last sentence of my blog post about Marlene Dietrich with the troops in the front lines during WWII:

**
One afternoon after VE Day, she was walking through a little French village. All around her was rubble, and she couldn't understand why 

-- all the buildings along the street were still standing with curtains blowing frilly and snapping clean-crisp in their windows.

Then, she looked through one of the windows to see that there was nothing behind it. 

The fronts of the buildings were still standing, but everything behind them had been destroyed. 

There wasn't a single living person past the false fronts of those caricature buildings.

Only one lone doll lay forlorn in the rubbled middle of nothing.

With her face cupped in trembling hands, she stood in front of that window, weeping silently, refusing to be comforted ...

"... for there is no comfort for the dead," she whispered.
*** Beside me a husky voice intoned, "Keine Komfort für die Toten."

I went cold and still, sliding my eyes as far to the right as they could go without moving my head. My mouth became salt.

Marlene Dietrich.

In a frilly black night wrap and not much else.

She was perched over the top of a wavering, insubstantial leather chair like a cougar ready to strike.

"You write so beautifully of me. Why?"

"Y-You were brave, selfless -- entertaining the troops on the front lines with a death sentence from Hitler on your head."

I cleared my fear-thick throat. "People have forgotten that."

She reached out and stroked my cheek with chill fingers of mist.

"It is not important for the world to remember me -- only that I did not forget myself when I was needed."

"And words like that are why I write of you."

Marlene fluffed my hair with ghost fingers. It tickled.

"Do you know what they call you in the ShadowLands, liebling?"

"N-No."

"Sänger von Träumen -- DreamSinger."

"I - I don't understand."

Her ice blue eyes hollowed. "One day you will."

In ghost whispers, she murmured, "Death and love."

"What?"

"I thought I knew them, liebchen. I was so sure. I died. Then, I saw life with new eyes."

She leaned forward, her eyes suddenly sparkling. "See you in your dreams, liebling."

And like a cloud robbing me of sunlight, Marlene was gone. I was alone. Well, not quite.

Gypsy was in my lap, yawning. It takes a lot to shake up the granddaughter of Bast.
***

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED?

Have you ever watched an action movie and asked yourself:
"What would that REALLY do to a person?"

Sure you have.  
Me, too.
Take two Holiday favorites.
Here are the answers to that question for them:


Ouch, right!?
And here are the answers for a third:

Talk about Christmas miracles!
What movies do you wonder about?

CHRISTMAS: Someone With Skin On

CHRISTMAS THOUGHTS

Black Friday.  Cyber Monday.
We celebrate Christmas but often not from a Christian perspective.

If people enjoyed giving and receiving gifts, 

it might make Christmas healing in some way.

But most do not.  

Many feel obligated to spend too much for too many.

Is it because we have forgotten to be thankful and filled with awe at the gift of Christ, 

at the gift of our being able to love even if we do not feel loved?



A young boy kept coming out of his bedroom during a lightning storm 

to stand at his parents' bedroom door.

"No need to be afraid, honey," said the sleepy mother.  "God is with you."


"I need someone with skin on," he sobbed.

We all do at some point in our lives.  
Perhaps that is why God came to us wearing a human body --


 to give us someone with skin on.

But what if we do not believe in Christ or any God during Christmas?

For one month out of 12, 

Christmas Season gives so many a chance to bless those around us 

in ways that warm not only the receiver but the giver as well.

Giving someone a needed gift is like giving them a fragrant rose.  


Some of the perfume stays with you.
If for one month out of the year, 

we find ourselves remembering the magic and innocence of childhood dreams --


Christmas has still given us a special present.




WISHING ALL OF YOU  A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVE and its MAGIC of THE THRESHOLD

There are moments that happen that change how you look on life and on what is and is not possible.    You are never the same afterwards.  
 The Nativity was one of those times.

 There is even a word for this situation: “Liminality.” 
“Liminality” is the word for the threshold moment: 
from the Latin root limin, meaning the centerline of the doorway.
  Liminality is the moment of crossing over. 

It describes the transitional phase of personal change, 
where one is neither in an old state of being nor a new, 
and not quite aware of the implications of the event. 
All the stages of life include liminality. 

Life is nothing but moments of crossing over. 

Liminality is why we celebrate Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve but not other holidays’ eves.



We celebrate Christmas Eve 


because Jesus is traditionally thought to have been born at midnight.  



And we celebrate New Year’s Eve because midnight is when the year changes. 




Christmas Eve is a threshold moment.




We can choose to stay on the other side of the moment, 


refusing to enter and accept what gifts await us.



After all, for most of the world there is still no room in the Inn for He who breathed the world into existence.



Christmas Eve is the time to reflect on what awaits us beyond whatever threshold we choose to cross ...


to reflect on what thresholds we thought would always be there but now are gone, 


along with the mortal hearts that waited for us beyond them.



Whatever you believe, 


it can be a healing thing to take Christmas Eve to reflect on all the gifts given to you this past year


and on what needs exist in your surroundings that you can be an agent of healing by meeting. 



Christmas Eve revives the wonder of childhood 


where snowflakes sing on their way down to the ground, 


where faeries ice skate on bird baths, 


and magic waits for us to open the door of our hearts to let it in.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVE, MY FRIENDS!