Anju Gattani's Blog - Posts Tagged "writing"
Energy
I've often wondered where writers get the energy from to continue writing the books of their heart?
Writing can be emotionally draining, tiring and sometimes the blank page stares at you waiting... waiting... waiting for something to happen. And when the words don't come, you start thinking you're losing it - the mojo to write, right?
And then you meet people who believe in your books and your writing the way you've momentarily forgotten to do so yourself. You wake up, you open your eyes and you realize....
You are a writer. And the energy to believe in this comes from those around you.
Writing can be emotionally draining, tiring and sometimes the blank page stares at you waiting... waiting... waiting for something to happen. And when the words don't come, you start thinking you're losing it - the mojo to write, right?
And then you meet people who believe in your books and your writing the way you've momentarily forgotten to do so yourself. You wake up, you open your eyes and you realize....
You are a writer. And the energy to believe in this comes from those around you.
Social Media
OK... I admit it took a while but I just figured out how to connect Twitter and FB so that when I tweet it's on my Author page only... and not on my profile page.
Kristen Lamb's book got me up and going to figure it out now. There's still a lot to do and understand by I'm taking baby steps and hopefully will get there soon.
Writing and rewriting a book was hard enough... but now to have to do all this? Hmmm... what next?
Kristen Lamb's book got me up and going to figure it out now. There's still a lot to do and understand by I'm taking baby steps and hopefully will get there soon.
Writing and rewriting a book was hard enough... but now to have to do all this? Hmmm... what next?
Back to Book II
Hi,
Back to work on copy edits of Bk II in my 'Winds of Fire' series and I wonder how much longer this is going to take? I feel like I'm reading and evaluating the meaning and necessity of each sentence again with a microscope and wondering why I hadn't done so before.
Obviously, because I was writing at the time. Now, I'm editing. And I need a different pair of glasses to 'see' the written word with.
The good thing is the pace and momentum of the story is as I had last left it, over a year ago. Dialogues, pacing, characters, setting and narrative seem to be OK... so onward I go!!
Back to work on copy edits of Bk II in my 'Winds of Fire' series and I wonder how much longer this is going to take? I feel like I'm reading and evaluating the meaning and necessity of each sentence again with a microscope and wondering why I hadn't done so before.
Obviously, because I was writing at the time. Now, I'm editing. And I need a different pair of glasses to 'see' the written word with.
The good thing is the pace and momentum of the story is as I had last left it, over a year ago. Dialogues, pacing, characters, setting and narrative seem to be OK... so onward I go!!
Dark Circles
Hi,
I'm looking at myself in the mirror and wondering where all those dark circles around my eyes came from. Was it from reading? Writing? Or rewriting? I'm not sure because the division between each becomes blurred when you've gone over the same book so many times.
What's worse is when you're reading your own work and wondering "How could I have written that?" or "How did I not see those mistakes in grammar, run-on sentences and more?" My list goes on.
Which explains why the edits are taking longer than I expected. I can see more. Understand more. Which requires more focus and attention... and dark circles - are those the proofs of a good writer?
I don't think so. Because one thing I've learned so far is that easy reading means HARD WRITING. So it's back to the edits and wearing my dark circles again!
I'm looking at myself in the mirror and wondering where all those dark circles around my eyes came from. Was it from reading? Writing? Or rewriting? I'm not sure because the division between each becomes blurred when you've gone over the same book so many times.
What's worse is when you're reading your own work and wondering "How could I have written that?" or "How did I not see those mistakes in grammar, run-on sentences and more?" My list goes on.
Which explains why the edits are taking longer than I expected. I can see more. Understand more. Which requires more focus and attention... and dark circles - are those the proofs of a good writer?
I don't think so. Because one thing I've learned so far is that easy reading means HARD WRITING. So it's back to the edits and wearing my dark circles again!
Point Of View
Hi,
So life's been extremely hectic this last month with family over from India. I was hoping to have edited at least 100 pages of the 2nd book but I'm nowhere close to that.
What I did manage to successfully do was rewrite 1 scene which had no Point Of View. After 9 years - no 10 years of professional writing, (more actually) you'd think I'd know that a POV is missing in the work! Well, obviously I didn't because I didn't think it was needed? Because I didn't realize it? Because I didn't see it? Because I was blind?
I'll just say ALL OF THE ABOVE! But when I did see what was missing, it was like an insight. Starting over.
So come tomorrow, I return to the ms. and since there's a 2nd scene which needs deep thought and extension into the whole story arc... the recent exercise might just prove its worth! But then I have to think and rethink again, right?
I can't wait to get back in! But I think I'll spend tonight getting my feet wet by just thinking about it!
So life's been extremely hectic this last month with family over from India. I was hoping to have edited at least 100 pages of the 2nd book but I'm nowhere close to that.
What I did manage to successfully do was rewrite 1 scene which had no Point Of View. After 9 years - no 10 years of professional writing, (more actually) you'd think I'd know that a POV is missing in the work! Well, obviously I didn't because I didn't think it was needed? Because I didn't realize it? Because I didn't see it? Because I was blind?
I'll just say ALL OF THE ABOVE! But when I did see what was missing, it was like an insight. Starting over.
So come tomorrow, I return to the ms. and since there's a 2nd scene which needs deep thought and extension into the whole story arc... the recent exercise might just prove its worth! But then I have to think and rethink again, right?
I can't wait to get back in! But I think I'll spend tonight getting my feet wet by just thinking about it!
Starting Over...
Hi,
Writing a new book is like starting over. You're nervous. Unsure. Hesitant. Even with a road map, you're still not quite sure where you're heading with this. Well, perhaps you might not be.
But I am.
I'm returning to a story I started in 2008/9 and then left for a while. I tried to pick it up again in 2011 but had to abandon it for a year. The road map pinned to my board has faded. The story is a huge mush of fuzz. Now here I am, in 2013 trying to pick up from where I last left off.
Trying is the key word here.
So where do I start?
At the beginning? Of course, right? The only thing I have going for me right now is the main character. She lives and breathes with me everyday. Funny thing is her plight has suddenly become mine! Anyway...
Well, here's the problem. I'm reading the story from the beginning but am mentally *locked* in the time-frame where I paused mid-way in writing the first draft. That's about 1/2 way through the story. At the time I had to pause to complete the research, understand what-on-earth the story was about and more. The pause became a huge interval and I now find myself locked in 2 time spaces.
1. Where I last left off, mid-way, writing the original draft.
2. At the beginning - trying to remember what the details of the story and secondary characters are.
And I'm stuck in both places.
What on earth should I do?
Writing a new book is like starting over. You're nervous. Unsure. Hesitant. Even with a road map, you're still not quite sure where you're heading with this. Well, perhaps you might not be.
But I am.
I'm returning to a story I started in 2008/9 and then left for a while. I tried to pick it up again in 2011 but had to abandon it for a year. The road map pinned to my board has faded. The story is a huge mush of fuzz. Now here I am, in 2013 trying to pick up from where I last left off.
Trying is the key word here.
So where do I start?
At the beginning? Of course, right? The only thing I have going for me right now is the main character. She lives and breathes with me everyday. Funny thing is her plight has suddenly become mine! Anyway...
Well, here's the problem. I'm reading the story from the beginning but am mentally *locked* in the time-frame where I paused mid-way in writing the first draft. That's about 1/2 way through the story. At the time I had to pause to complete the research, understand what-on-earth the story was about and more. The pause became a huge interval and I now find myself locked in 2 time spaces.
1. Where I last left off, mid-way, writing the original draft.
2. At the beginning - trying to remember what the details of the story and secondary characters are.
And I'm stuck in both places.
What on earth should I do?
Writing - Not The Lonely Journey
Hi,
Writing is a lonely journey. Haven't we been hearing that for ages? I have. I still do. And I live the lonely journey.
I don't have a water cooler where I can hang out with colleagues at break. I don't have issues I can discuss with people at work either. The only *people* I work and deal with are those in my head. If there's a problem only 2 people can solve it.
Me.
Or
The character in my head - also Me.
But there are many ways to break the loneliness and squeeze some zest in your life.
Critique partners - they're absolutely wonderful to work with I hear. And the best part is you don't always have to write the same genre to be compatible. Your resumes can be as distant as the ocean from the sky and it doesn't matter.
Then there's lunches, coffees (at the local Starbucks or Seattle's Best) where you can share and complain that your story isn't quite going where you want and be assured that life is good!
And writer groups are even better. What better way to put some sanity back in your life considering you're writing fiction, dealing with *people* that don't exist and have to solve the problems in your head (which aren't always real by the way)! Just knowing that there are more of you out there makes it all sane again.
And I found a new one today. Joining community groups - whether it's fitness classes, a favorite past time you share with others or just hanging out with other people who share a similar interest. It may not add to your writing but it will add to your voice and perhaps, even, find a solution for the voice in your head.
Writing is a lonely journey. Haven't we been hearing that for ages? I have. I still do. And I live the lonely journey.
I don't have a water cooler where I can hang out with colleagues at break. I don't have issues I can discuss with people at work either. The only *people* I work and deal with are those in my head. If there's a problem only 2 people can solve it.
Me.
Or
The character in my head - also Me.
But there are many ways to break the loneliness and squeeze some zest in your life.
Critique partners - they're absolutely wonderful to work with I hear. And the best part is you don't always have to write the same genre to be compatible. Your resumes can be as distant as the ocean from the sky and it doesn't matter.
Then there's lunches, coffees (at the local Starbucks or Seattle's Best) where you can share and complain that your story isn't quite going where you want and be assured that life is good!
And writer groups are even better. What better way to put some sanity back in your life considering you're writing fiction, dealing with *people* that don't exist and have to solve the problems in your head (which aren't always real by the way)! Just knowing that there are more of you out there makes it all sane again.
And I found a new one today. Joining community groups - whether it's fitness classes, a favorite past time you share with others or just hanging out with other people who share a similar interest. It may not add to your writing but it will add to your voice and perhaps, even, find a solution for the voice in your head.
Life - the real roller-coaster
Hi,
Saturday, March 30, was a special day in my life as an author. I was invited as the Chief Guest to the North South Foundation's annual event at Georgia State University - a series of academic competitions for kids (spelling & geography bees, essay writing, public speaking, math...). I was asked to speak to the attendees and their parents and judge the public speaking and essay competitions.
I didn't know what to talk about and we'd just returned from our trip to Orlando, Florida - home of the roller-coasters, 3-D simulation rides and mountains of fun! Switching gears to the competitive atmosphere was a kick in the behind - a wake-up call to the life of every struggling writer and author.
Competition.
It's there from the first word we write, to the last word in the last chapter... From the moment we start submitting queries, partials, full manuscripts to agents to rejections to final publication of the novel... I've been through it all, like many of you, and I didn't know what to share with these bright minds with a future sparkling ahead.
I knew one thing - I had to be positive.
So I talked about the momentum of roller coaster rides I took that week, and how I lost my voice during the thrill of the rides. I talked about what competition brings out in each one of us as an individual and how winning the trophy doesn't determine success or failure. Competitions bring out the best in us and give us a sense of achievement no one can take away. They give us skills that won't lessen with time or deteriorate from lack of winning the 1st place. Set-backs are stepping stones to success.
"Life," I ended "is a roller-coaster. Enjoy the ride!"
Saturday, March 30, was a special day in my life as an author. I was invited as the Chief Guest to the North South Foundation's annual event at Georgia State University - a series of academic competitions for kids (spelling & geography bees, essay writing, public speaking, math...). I was asked to speak to the attendees and their parents and judge the public speaking and essay competitions.
I didn't know what to talk about and we'd just returned from our trip to Orlando, Florida - home of the roller-coasters, 3-D simulation rides and mountains of fun! Switching gears to the competitive atmosphere was a kick in the behind - a wake-up call to the life of every struggling writer and author.
Competition.
It's there from the first word we write, to the last word in the last chapter... From the moment we start submitting queries, partials, full manuscripts to agents to rejections to final publication of the novel... I've been through it all, like many of you, and I didn't know what to share with these bright minds with a future sparkling ahead.
I knew one thing - I had to be positive.
So I talked about the momentum of roller coaster rides I took that week, and how I lost my voice during the thrill of the rides. I talked about what competition brings out in each one of us as an individual and how winning the trophy doesn't determine success or failure. Competitions bring out the best in us and give us a sense of achievement no one can take away. They give us skills that won't lessen with time or deteriorate from lack of winning the 1st place. Set-backs are stepping stones to success.
"Life," I ended "is a roller-coaster. Enjoy the ride!"
