C.L. Schneider's Blog: Heading Down the Yellow Brick Road, page 3

The Weight of Stars

I’ve always had a thing for stars. Though my back yard here in NY never feels quite dark enough for stargazing, where I grew up in the Midwest was ripe for it. My mother was a bona fide night owl—something she most definitely passed down to me. In the summer, we would go swimming (just the two of us) in the wee hours of the night. Floating in the water, soaking up the peacefulness, we would stare up into the sky, looking for shooting stars and daydreaming about what might be out there. The view from my sister’s farm was even more breathtaking. Black and brilliant at the same time, I remember thinking it was like seeing into forever.

Since hitting that ‘publish’ button, stars have taken on a whole other meaning.

Authors, particularly us newbies, tend to crave feedback. Not only do we want people to enjoy reading our stories as much as we enjoyed writing them, we want to feel like the blood we shed on our keyboards was worth it. We wait, not so patiently, for someone to fill in those dastardly little shapes. And then they do.

One star is unthinkable, so we won’t even discuss it. Two opens up the flood gates of insecurity. Three we can live with; happily most of the time. Four makes us grin ear to ear. And five has the ability to make us jump around the room like little kids on our birthday. Of course, words often arrive with the stars. Good, bad, and in between; reviews linger, leaving an impression in our minds like the bright trail of a comet streaking across the sky.

Lately, I’ve read a lot about how doubt destroys more dreams than anything else. It’s important to write for yourself. It doesn’t matter what anyone says, just write. On the flip side of that is the argument that it’s crucial to please your readers. Write for the fans because you can’t afford to disappoint them. I know I’m new at this, but I have to believe there’s a happy medium.

Writing under the pressure of pleasing everyone else will quickly sap the fun and enjoyment out of your writing. Especially since we all know: we can’t please everyone. A person could go insane trying to tailor their story and their characters to satisfy all of their reader’s wants and critiques. Pouring over your reviews, picking apart every word, trying to make sense of why your life’s work wasn’t someone’s cup of tea, is a sure confidence killer. Been there. Done that. Kicking myself for still doing it.

Yet, ignoring the stars and discounting your reviews is equally foolish. After all, a story is just words on a page until someone reads it, and I’m grateful every single time someone does. In my opinion, the key is to not get weighed down by the occasional, heavy stars, but to look for the constellations; consistent patterns of constructive criticism and negative comments. If enough people are addressing the same issue, then there’s a good chance you might need to address it, too.

In our society, a star can symbolize many things, including honor, achievement, and hope. For a new writer, it’s important to remember that every star means you’ve reached someone. You’ve put your creation in someone’s hands—just like you always hoped. And that’s an honor, and an achievement, all in itself.

Book Launch Guest Post

I was asked to guest post this month at The Writing Desk. It's a short piece on what inspired me to write and how I approach a story.

The Writing Desk is a great resource for writers and a good place to find new authors.

Please stop over and have a look.
http://t.co/mE4ADgdgI3

New post here "The Weight of Stars" coming soon...

Setting Fires in the Rain

There’s an indie band that I’ve been following for some time out of Chicago. The title song of their latest CD, “Set Fire”, has nothing to do with writing. I imagine it’s about a relationship, as most songs are. But the first time I listened to the lyrics, one particular phrase stuck out. “I set fires in the pouring rain.”

Immediately, I thought: This is what I’ve been doing for years.

We all have pursuits and dreams. They’re fun to think about. They keep us going. But turning a dream into a reality can feel very much like setting fires in the rain. For me, it was about squeezing it in, staying up to all hours of the night, scribbling in a notebook when the laptop wasn’t handy, always knowing there was something else I should be doing; housework, playing with the kids. Always feeling like an invisible fish in an endless ocean of incredible talent.

Still, I kept swimming. The rain kept falling. And I kept setting those fires. I’m not sure why. My dad always said I was stubborn as a mule. Maybe that’s what happens when a dream is in you so strong that the idea of not doing it just doesn’t exist.

The song goes on to say:
“I will not fall. I will not fade. I will never turn away.”
“I’ll try harder. I’ll reach farther. I’ll find a way.“

For some, the motivation to keep going, to reach farther, is clear-cut. For others, like me, it’s an undefinable itch. Either way there are no guarantees. We spend endless hours shaping and re-shaping all those characters and worlds in our heads into something we can be proud of—and then revising it ten times—without a single assurance. Giving up would certainly be easier. It just wouldn’t be as much fun.

We're Not in Kansas Anymore

So, this is my first blog. I’ve had a lot of ‘firsts’ lately; my first tweet, my first follower, my first request for a signing—my first sale. Publishing my first novel (yep, there’s another first) has been as rewarding and exciting as I'd always hoped it would be. But it’s also been humbling. The entire experience has reminded me that, hard work and persistence aside, the stars saw fit to align themselves for me. It’s shown me how fortunate I am to have so many good people in my corner. It’s a corner that’s more crowded than I ever realized, and I’m grateful.

The holidays are past us now. It’s the start of a new year. We’ve made our resolutions and to-do lists for all that we hope to accomplish. Since blogging is on the top of my list, for the last few days, I’ve been wondering what I should blog about.

My writing process and inspirations seemed like a natural place to start. I thought I could talk about my characters, or what kind of progress I’m making on the next chapter in Ian Troy’s life. I could even divulge some non-plot-spoiling information or dialogue from book 2.

But today, I’ve decided that all those things can wait. What’s the rush? I’m just getting started on this extraordinary, new journey. I want to enjoy every twist and turn. There will be other blogs, and other books to blog about. And I’ll fill you in on all of it—just as soon as I’ve stopped squealing over my first review.