Sylvia May's Blog, page 5

Reading to Write

It seems that I have been on a hiatus with my blogging, having not posted anything at all last week. The truth is that I’ve also been on a hiatus from writing fiction. Since I finished the manuscript for my second women’s fiction novel, I’ve not written anything new. What I have been doing is reading.

Over the past two months, I’ve read fourteen novels. It feels a little bit as if I’ve returned to the pre-author me, where reading was my number one activity. I have noticed, may even have mentioned it before, that when I’m immersed in writing fiction I feel less than inclined to get caught up in someone else’s fiction. I certainly am interested in the books, and take them to bed with me to read before turning the light out. Inevitably my eyes will drop shut before I’ve barely read two pages. Not so for April and May. I’ve been gobbling up the stories and reading well into the late hours, not falling asleep in the middle of a paragraph.

However, while my fingers have been idle, my mind has not. In addition to reading so much these past couple of months, my imagination has been running wild with ideas for my next project. Whenever I do something that is “mindless,” such as washing dishes or walking or showering, ideas burst forth for stories and characters. Eventually I know I will narrow in on one of those ideas and get to work.

Does that mean that reading is my muse? That getting caught up in others’ stories sparks my own imagination?

I guess I’m not so much taking a hiatus from writing, but stoking my creativity. Hopefully, once I settle on a project and get into it, I’ll still keep reading. At least a page or two each night…

 

 

Our Beautiful World

One of my Facebook friends posted this photograph on Facebook. It was taken by Canadian astronaut, Chris Hadfield while in space. He posted it on Twitter (something I don’t use so don’t really know about).

My first reaction to seeing this photo was one of awe and pride. This is the island that I currently call home. I love the turquoise blue waters that surround it, the flora all over the island, the charm of the narrow curving roads and stone walls. Seeing it from space, Chris Hadfield wrote, “Bermuda is beautiful, both above and below the sea.” He is so right–I have been diving among the reefs that surround the island, and yes, they are as beautiful as the island on which I ride my scooter.

This photo prompted me to Google other photographs that Chris Hadfield posted from space. They are amazing. I am filled with a sense of wonder at how our world looks from such an vast distance, and am immensely grateful that Mr. Hadfield has a Twitter account!

Are we not fortunate to live in a time where the technology exists so that we can all have a birds eye view of our amazing world?

Judging writing

Recently I had the privilege of judging an essay contest for an organization called Passports to College. The essay topic was: “Think about what it means to be a man of honor. Describe the values your mother has instilled in you that empowers you to be an honorable man who contributes to society?” The writer of the winning essay will receive a scholarship that is to be awarded at an annual mother-son brunch held in June.

The entries were varied in writing style and content, but every one of the young men who submitted an essay had a unique and powerful story to tell. As a judge, I used a rubric by which to assess the essays, taking into consideration the introduction and conclusion, main points, organization, style and mechanics. This helped to break down the scores on an even plane, making it easier to rank them. However, some of the categories are subjective, which didn’t make it easy at all!

Going through this process made me think about how we judge novels and what we base our enjoyment and satisfaction on when we read. I am both a writer and an avid reader, so I find this topic very relevant. Whatever I read has to draw me in almost immediately. If it doesn’t, my interest wanes and I stop. Even the driest subject matter, if handled artfully, can hold my attention, but the writer must ply his(her) talent to make it interesting and engaging. If I get caught up in a story I forget about all the mechanics because the narrative completely draws me in. However if, while I’m reading, I am distracted by poorly written sentences, or characters that are shallowly depicted, or irrational plot progression, then it does not take me long to discard the book.

I keep that in mind when I write my own fiction. Obviously I don’t want readers to discard my book. I want them engaged and reading every page to the end. So when I write, I also have to wear a reader’s hat. I have to judge my own writing and be blunt in my assessment.

Back to the essay contest. Some of the essays submitted were very engaging; others were not. However in my opinion, writing what is in one’s heart and submitting it for public reading takes a lot of courage. So although only one of the entrants can win the contest, in my mind all the boys who entered the contest are winners.

Making Music

I have recently joined a recorder ensemble. Every Tuesday at 6:00 pm, we meet in a church and make music together. Our numbers vary from week to week, but in total there are fourteen of us. We’re an eclectic group of different ages and abilities, and our instruments cover the four basic ranges of recorder–soprano, alto, tenor, and bass–making harmonious sounds that bring smiles to our faces. We play music from the Elizabethan times all the way through to the Beatles and Abba. You’d be amazed at how good Eleanor Rigby sounds when it’s played in harmony with twelve recorders.

Making music has always been important in my life. Those who know me, know that I made a career out of teaching it, until I moved out of Canada and was no longer allowed to be gainfully employed. Still, music remained a part of me. Every one of our homes has had a piano, and seldom a day passes when I don’t play something on it.

But with all the moving about that we’ve done over the past several years, my music-making became a very solitary activity. Until I joined the recorder ensemble, I hadn’t realized how much I missed having an active musical life here in Bermuda. There is something inspiring about sharing the musical experience and collectively creating it.

I’m not sure what motivated me to bring along my alto recorder when we moved to Bermuda, as I hadn’t played it for many years. We discarded or stored most of our possessions before relocating, wanting to take as little as possible. I can’t explain it, but something in the universe made me pack my recorder among the things we brought with us.

I am glad I did. It’s helped me to bring music back as a focus in my life, and adds to the joy I derive from playing the piano. I once again have musical friends who understand what it’s like to experience the need to make music. Tuesday evenings have become a highlight of my week.

Blog Topics

I’ve committed to blogging twice a week: On Tuesdays I blog about some aspect of writing and Thursday I blog about pretty much anything that strikes me. For the most part, I’ve stuck to my self-imposed schedule. However I have to say that some days, coming up with a topic for this blog is not an easy task. You’d think that as a writer my brain would be full of ideas, but no. Often  I find myself staring up at the ceiling or at my computer screen with a blank mind.

So today I thought I’d blog about how hard it is to blog regularly, having to be eloquent when you just can’t think of anything to say. With the prevalence of social media, the life of a published author has changed. Now we no longer merely write books; we also have to write blogs. And those much more frequently and more immediate than our novels, which are ongoing projects. We are told that we must maintain our online presence. That is why I blog twice a week, even when I can’t think of what to blog about.

Do you have a topic you’d like me to address in this blog? Questions you’d like me to answer? If so, leave a comment and I’ll try to accommodate.

By the way, do you like my “Wordle” at the top of this blog? I spent a few minutes coming up with that before writing this. Just another task avoiding activity available for free on the internet!

More Hours in a Day?

I am fortunate to be the type of person who tries all kinds of activities. And I am fortunate to live a life where I have the time to try all kinds of things.

But wait, do I? Lately I find that there just aren’t enough hours in the day for me. Of course, I need hours each day to write. It’s my job, after all. But in addition to that, I want to play piano and recorder, paint another watercolour, finish reading my current to-read book, complete that cross-stitch and that knitting project, sort out my thousands of photographs, organize my recipes, chat with friends and family who live far away. Then there are my volunteer responsibilities and exercise and cooking and cleaning and grocery shopping. Oh, and golf and kayaking and diving and hiking and…

I think back to the period in my life when I was a young mother, running a household of five, going to school full-time, then working, driving kids here, there and everywhere, helping with homework and fun activities, making meals from scratch, and still finding time to dabble in hobbies…I was a supermom. How did I have time to do all that, not to mention the energy?!

I know time management is the key and I used to be a master at time management. Not any more. I find that as I’ve gotten older, my energy wains with the setting sun. My ability to focus has gone haywire (is there such a thing as middle-aged A.D.D.?). The day passes and I find myself wondering where the time went. I nod off in the middle of reading a chapter. Do I really have to slow down and do less just because I’m getting older? I don’t want to!

So I’m thinking, if I could just have a few more hours every day, maybe I could accomplish all that I want. Or maybe what I really need is to plug into a super-size battery! What about you? Could you do with a few more hours in a day?

Writing is Homework?

I recently read a quote on Facebook that resonated with me:

“Writing is like giving yourself homework, really hard homework, every day, for the rest of your life. You want glamorous? Throw glitter at the screen.” ~Ketrina Monroe

We all have an image in our minds of the glamorous life of a bestselling author. Book launches with champagne, schmoozing with famous people, our books selling all over the world, movie deals, large royalty cheques…but the reality is that writing is hard work. And that glamorous life? Most authors I know don’t live it.

Most of the time, to me writing truly feels like homework. Many people who don’t write, don’t understand how hard it is to plant oneself at the desk every day to do it. They think I have a cushy job with flexible hours and freedom. To be sure, a writing career does have flexible hours, but nothing gets written if I don’t actually do it. Obvious, right?

So why do I continuously get invitations for coffee or two-hour long phone calls or requests for yet another volunteer task? Maybe it’s because I’m a pushover and readily say yes to coffee, happily stay on the phone, and am eager to help out. However, at the end of most days I berate myself because I did not accomplish what I had hoped to in my writing.

I have actually not written any fiction for several weeks and am disappointed in myself. So today, I’m turning a new page. Today I’m going to be an author again. I’ll begin practicing the word “no” and approach my writing as a job. It’s not my homework, it’s my work. A portion of every day I will sit at the computer, won’t answer the phone, close down my email, and write.

Yikes, I’d better get to work!

Charge it!

Today I fly to Canada to visit my kids. (Yay!) It will be a short visit, only three nights, so I’m travelling light.  I packed last night and was happy to find that everything I need for this four-day weekend fitted into my small carry-on suitcase. Toiletries I didn’t need because I’ll be staying at my daughter’s house and in her bathroom is a little basket with “Mom’s stuff,” so all I put in the suitcase were clothes. Socks, check. Underwear and pyjamas, check. Three shirts, check. Pants, check. Fifteen minutes of organizing and I was all set.

Satisfied with a job well done, I took a cup of tea and my book and parked myself in a chair, ready to spend a quiet couple of hours reading before heading to bed. Suddenly I remembered something I’d forgotten to pack. Chargers!

Do you find these days that when you travel anywhere, you always need to take a Ziploc bag filled with chargers and cords? One for the cell phone. One for the computer. One for the e-reader. One for the iPod. Oh, and let’s not forget the charger for the camera, and the cord to load the photos onto the computer. We are wired for everything from reading to talking to entertaining ourselves, and it would be a sad day for me if something ran out of power and I was unable to charge it.

I hate to admit it, but I’ve grown dependent on my electronic gadgets. It would probably be good for me to just visit my kids and not take any them with me. Bring a print book instead of the iPad. Leave the laptop at home. Heck, even leave the cell phone at home.

Yup. It might be a good idea. Maybe the next trip…

Reading and Writing

From the time I was a child, I’ve been a voracious reader. I’d read anywhere, anytime. Never would I leave the house without a book in my purse. First thing in the morning and last thing at night, I’d have my nose in a book.

Of course, life has a way of getting in the way of passions. Work, kids, and household chores tended to interfere with my reading time somewhat, but that didn’t stop me from plowing through several books a month.

…until I became an author. I don’t know exactly why, but when I’m in the middle of working on a novel, my inclination to read diminishes, if not disappears entirely. I theorize that it’s because my brain is so wrapped up in the characters I’m writing about that it can’t spend time on other characters. Or perhaps it’s because all my energy is spent on writing so there is little left for reading. Maybe working through a plot of my own makes me not want to be influenced by another’s ideas. Whatever the reason(s), the number of books I’ve read in the past few years is small. (But I did publish three!)

Currently I’m in a bit of a hiatus from writing. The manuscript for my second women’s fiction novel was completed weeks ago. Book 3 of the Lucy Arlington mysteries is with the publisher. And while I  have another novel started, I’ve not been inclined to work on it.

But guess what? I am reading voraciously. I’ve polished off three and half books in a week! So I guess I have to be content with reading between writing. And maybe my novels will be richer for it.

Origami and health

Those of you who follow my Facebook posts are aware that for 2013 I have set myself the challenge of folding an Origami shape every day. This was prompted by the gift of a Page-a-Day Origami calendar from my daughter, in which every day presents a different project using the preceding day’s page. Having committed to posting my daily creation on Facebook, I am compelled to follow through on my challenge each morning.

I have long been intrigued by this craft of paper folding and am amazed at the beautiful items that can be folded from a plain piece of paper. Working through this calendar is a great way to learn, as in January it introduced very basic folds and gradually has been progressing into more complicated ones. My self-imposed origami challenge has become a part of my morning routine, and I am proud to say that as of today (March 28th) I have been able to fold every item but one. (Yesterday’s ocean, comprising 76 folds nesting within one another defeated me, but that hasn’t deterred me from continuing to fold and crease.)

I have discovered that, not only do I have fun folding paper into creatures and other shapes, but the process calms and centres me. Some days there are so many items in my schedule that I start the day with my brain whirring. Yet once I begin folding the paper, I become relaxed and grounded. Who knew that origami could be therapeutic?

The idea intrigued me so I Googled it. I found that therapists have indeed realized there are health benefits to origami. Not only do the fine motor movements provide physical therapy to people with hand injuries, but Origami can help people with low self-esteem, anxiety, ADHD, and other psychological conditions.

As for me, I enjoy the daily challenge of folding a new shape, and the fact that when I have done so, I am ready to begin my day with a calmer mind.