Timothy J. Pruitt's Blog, page 142

iPainting The Penguin Burgess Meredith

Today’s iPainting from the classic Batman series is one that I am very well acquainted with. The reason that the Penguin is my favorite villain can be narrowed down to two words, Burgess Meredith.

The Essence Of Writing

Erma Bombeck, a very famous humorist from the sixties to the nineties, was also a Mother. When her children were young, she did not have a lot of time for writing. Because of this, as ideas came to her, she would write them on napkins, and stick them into a drawer. When the kids were asleep, she would write. The Essence of Writing is not to fashion your lives around it, but to fashion your writing around your life.

Writing is important, I believe in both making time for it, and using tools to allow it to happen. What you do not have to do, is to allow it to take over your life’s focus. I say this to remind all of those who have the desire, but not a great deal of time. It’s another reason I’m an advocate of 500 words, it’s a workable template.

Templates have flexibility built in, some days you won’t get 500 words, but other days you’ll write double that. As a parent of a two year old I can reassure you, I completely understand the time and schedule challenges you may face. Writing is only one facet of your life, and it should by no means take over it.

When fit into your life and not the other way around, like a diamond’s facet, each section betters the others. To do this, you can build in practices that help facilitate your writing. In addition to the 500 words a day, there are other ways to keep your writing active.

One is the practice of banking your ideas. I believe each writer should have three bins, one that is future ideas, a bin of pieces that are being written in various stages, and finally a bin for those that are being edited or polished.

The practice of continuing to read something, even if you can’t spend the time on a whole book. Any reading, whether other sites, audible books, magazines, shorter books, and other sources, it keeps new ideas flowing in. As water boils, when ideas stir the pot, your own ideas will bubble up to the surface.

In addition to that, have conversations. Talk to your spouse, your children, your friends, loved ones, and acquaintances. Multiple pieces that I have written started out as a random item in a conversation. This is one of those ways where writing can compliment your life rather than distracting from it.

Whether writing or not, communication with your loved ones and the people around you is productive to new and existing relationships. It will strengthen your relationships, which speaks to your peace of mind. A writer who is at peace, will enjoy writing more, as well as gaining ideas that can be used in their writing.

The essence of something relates to it’s intrinsic nature. If your writing is serving you, it will have an obvious value which will lead to more writing. If you are serving it, the wages are too costly.

The Essence of Writing should be to impact lives in a positive way, beginning with your own. It will have obstacles, and be rewarding, but don’t stress the challenges. You can complete your writing journey and avoid the pitfalls along the way.

Sketch Inktober Crispy

Today’s Inktober word is Crispy, and when I think of Crispy I think of bacon.

iPainting Batman King Tut

In keeping with the classic Batman theme, here is King Tut from the series played by Victor Buono, and a special Bat cameo.

Writing Four Days

We are four days out from the beginning of Nanowrimo, or the National Novel Writing Month. If you have been writing each day since we started talking, you’ll have at least 3,500 words. If you write for the next four days that will be another 2,000 words. Even if you miss a day, or have missed a day, you are ahead of the starting point of November 1 in this case.

If you haven’t started writing yet, you still have four days until Nanowrimo starts, so you haven’t missed anything. The truth is, you can begin your book any day of the year, and it will be the year you wrote your firs book. My question is, why wait? Now, there are some books that can only be written in their season, but until you try you won’t know.

If you have dreamed of writing a book, or if you tried to start and got sidetracked, here are some tips to help you either start, or to re-start. First, if you’ve started, and discarded it, I would suggest sitting down and jotting down both the idea, and what you liked about it. For now, don’t spend time on what didn’t work, that’s fixable later.

Second, if you stopped but didn’t discard it, get it out and revisit it with fresh eyes. Even if it has problems, or needs to be rewritten, it will give you a jump start on the next phase of writing. I’ve had ideas that didn’t work in various forms for years, but because I kept them in a drawer, eventually they worked when they were in season. A very wise man taught me you have to know the season.

Third, if you want to write, but don’t know what to write, ask yourself what book you would like to read. Almost immediately, you’ll at least have an idea of the genre, and it can be a pointer. If you say I like mysteries, but I don’t want to write fiction, then ask yourself what type of non fiction book you’d like to read. Knowing what types of books you like to read, will give you an insight into who you want to write for.

Fourth, if you know what you want to write, but are struggling with how to start it, there are a few tricks here. One is to write a conversation with two people that are talking about an event that already occurred. You are basically starting the story at the end and working backwards. This will work whether it’s a fiction title, or two people speaking on the impact of 9/11 on our history. You can find your voice through the voices of a two sided conversation.

Another option is start the story in the middle of an event, then you have both a point to reach back to, and a point to go forward towards. For example, the central person in the story being in the middle of a conflict, and tell how they got there, as well as how they get out. A soldier in the middle of a war is an example of this.

What is important is this, you have something to share, and though it can be challenging, it is very doable. I know one man who wrote his book in only three weeks time, you can write a lot in just a few days. So writing four days out from Nanowrimo, are you excited about telling your story? If you are, then I can guarantee you it’s a very exciting journey, and I’d love to be a guide on your journey.

Sketch Inktober Spark

Today’s Inktober word is spark, isn’t it amazing what one little spark can bring to light?

iPainting The Bookworm Strikes

Earlier this year, for Batman Day, I posted a story that featured the Batman villain Bookworm. It was called The Eye Of Gotham. In keeping with the last few days, here is a new iPainting featuring The Bookworm.

Writing And The Corral

On this date, Wyatt Earp and Doc Holiday participated in the Gunfight At The O.K. Corral in 1881. What does that have to do with your writing journey, quite a bit actually. Did you know it only lasted for thirty seconds? Did you know Wyatt Earp wasn’t the main figure of the gunfight? He was there, but his brother Virgil was Town Marshall. Plus, it wasn’t actually at the O.K. Corral, but on Fremont street six doors away.

Again, what does all this have to do with writing? Because it became famous, not due to the reports of the Earp family, or the Clantons, but a writer named Stuart Lake. The book he wrote was used as the inspiration for John Ford’s movie My Darling Clementine, and the 1957 film Gunfight At The O.K. Corral. Lake would also write for movies starring Gary Cooper, Walter Brennan, and Jimmy Stewart.

One writer’s version of the story is the one that we all know. You may or may not be a fan of westerns, but I’m sure you see the impact words can have. By now in your writing journey, a little of the excitement may run the risk of wearing thin. If you’re asking yourself why you’re writing, or how you are going to complete it all, or why keep writing 500 words a day, think of this.

While your words may not spawn movies and television, it will affect both your loved ones, and the people you write for. What you have to share is important enough to keep writing, even on difficult days. Your story can make such a difference in other’s lives.

There is also another lesson to learn from Stuart Lake’s writing. While he did write some fictional works, what he is most famous for whether loosely or not, was based on a real event. He took a 30 second occurrence into the definition of the old west for generations.

It shows that there is power in our words. The Bible says that life and death are in the power of the tongue. What you say and write does matter. It also shows that your story doesn’t have to be one that has never been told, but your version. I don’t mean you should take the liberties of some western tales, but that you can tell your version of something that matters to you.

Another example is the western movies we all remember. Many were based on some small event that sparked an idea. All you need to turn a spark into a story, is to steadily fan the flames of your writing. You do this by consistently continuing to write. It won’t be as exciting as A Gunfight At The O.K. Corral, but it could end up just as timeless.

Faithful And Kind

Psalm 145:13 (ESV) “… The LORD is faithful in all his words
and kind in all his works.”

I love this verse, and I’m so thankful that God is faithful, but also that He is kind. It is more than enough that He is faithful, but the fact that He is kind speaks to His goodness and His care for us. It reminds me of a recent message from Bishop Spencer McCool Sr where He mentioned God’s kindness to us, even when we were sinners.

I’m so thankful for His goodness, His faithfulness, and His kindness. It would have been more than enough to experience salvation. It would have been more than enough to be filled with His Spirit, and called to His service, but He blessed me with a beautiful family, and a wonderful home.

Throughout my life, whether in a season of blessing, or a season of challenge, God has been kind. I can always point to His goodness and kindness in my life. I have not always understood the season, but I’m so thankful The Creator knows both it, and how to kindly lead me through it.

Perhaps you need some kindness in your life today. Whether you are a believer, or you are yet to be, let me share this with you. You will not only find salvation at Calvary, you will find kindness. He will heal the broken-hearted, free those who are bound, and make each life sweeter because He is both faithful and kind.

Sketch Inktober Connect

Though I’ve only rode on a couple to my knowledge, I have been connected to trains since I was a child. Today’s Inktober word is Connect so I thought I’d feature this little sketch.