Archive for the ‘Writing’ Category
Unsettled Times
Folks, the times, they are unsettled. (OK, Bob Dylan, it isn’t. But it does happen to be true.)
We have unrest here in Wisconsin, as there’s an important trial going on in Milwaukee that, depending on its outcome, may set off another round of riots and looting and fires. (Last year, I wrote a post called “Milwaukee Burning” about that, I believe.)
We have unrest throughout the United States for various reasons. Some comes down to how our politicians continue to make the same mistakes, whether they’re Republicans or Democrats (right now, the GOP is in the barrel over their mishandling of Trumpcare, otherwise known as the AHCA), some because of the bombastic nature of our current President, Donald Trump (a man Hillary Clinton quite correctly called “unfit” due to Trump’s willingness to shoot from the Tweet at any hour of the day or night). Some is because we’ve possibly forgotten we have more in common with each other than not…
But I think a lot of it is because too many people are working jobs that are below their ability levels. They’re not making the money they need to pay their bills, much less have any sort of decent quality of life. Way too many people work so many hours, they barely see their children, spouses, or any of their friends, all because they’re trying hard to stay ahead of their bills.
This is called “income instability.” It is not easy to deal with. At all.
Historically, when things like this happen — too many people either out of work entirely or working too many hours for too little money — we end up with a great deal of unrest.
Or, as I put it above, unsettled times.
It’s not easy to live in such times. There’s a lot of inequality out there, whether it’s income inequality, racial inequality, the fight for LGBTQ rights…and then, so many people are so very, very exhausted, they come home, aren’t able to think as well as they would if they had enough time to see their family and friends and decompress a little.
I’m wondering if this — the overarching inequity people can’t help but see — is why the folks in our society seemingly are more likely to get angry and stay angry.
And then, we have a media that likes to push sensationalism, and only rarely talks about what binds us together. (That does not sell papers. Or buy ads for TV programs, either.)
So we hear only that people don’t agree. That they don’t get along. That maybe we shouldn’t, that our “tribe” doesn’t get along with theirs…that only Democrats/Republicans/Libertarians/Independents/fill-in-the-blank are worth talking to, and no one else need apply.
What I know, though, is different.
I have friends from all walks of life. They are all interesting, funny, special people, who have something worthwhile to say, and worthwhile to share.
Yeah, to some of them, I’m a “token liberal,” one of the few they can tolerate. And to some, I’m too conservative for them, not nearly liberal enough.
But I’m always, always myself.
That got me to thinking…if I can handle all these different people doing different things, saying many different interesting things, why is it that we can’t get it together as a society? Are we too big, too monolithic, to admit to individuality any longer?
I don’t know.
What I do know is, whether we live in unsettled times or not, we have to keep doing our best. And since we’re here on this Earth for some reason, we may as well try to learn from one another rather than insist ours is the “one, true way” (hat tip to author Mercedes Lackey).
So, this week, try hard to listen to someone you don’t normally think is worthwhile. See if there’s even one grain of anything you can agree with, and then talk civilly and with amity about the rest.
Who knows? You may make a new friend.
A Note about PrideFest…and CHANGING FACES
Folks, it’s been a while since I wrote anything about my most troublesome, yet rewarding book to write — that being the LGBT fantasy/romance, CHANGING FACES. (Fantasy only in that it has angels, really. But whatever.)
As PrideFest is going on in Milwaukee this weekend, I thought now was a good time to remind people that CHANGING FACES is available. What better time is there to celebrate romance regardless of form than PrideFest? Especially when one of the couple is of non-standard sexuality?
(Yeah, I’m going to use it as a tie-in. Sorry. But I hope you can forgive me anyway.)
While I’m not LGBT, I’ve always supported my friends and colleagues who are. I hope I was faithful to the struggles a gender-fluid person who always used the female pronoun might have, and about the unusual situation two angels put her and her boyfriend into. All because their love refused to be denied.
So, there’s romance, there are angels, there’s lots of other good and interesting stuff going on…and it’s only ninety-nine cents as an e-book.
(Yeah. Ninety-nine cents.)
Please go check it out, will you? And if you think you’d like it, please buy it, read it, and most definitely review it, as I need all the help I can get.
Time Waits for No One…
Folks, I’ve had it up to here with mortality.
I’ve lost my husband. I’ve lost my best friend. I’ve lost my grandmother, my uncles, my aunt, and numerous other good friends way too early.
But I’m not the only one.
Other friends of mine have lost sisters, mothers, fathers, brothers, best friends, you name it.
We’re all here for a short time. I’m not entirely sure what we’re supposed to do with that time, other than love one another and develop our gifts and talents as much as we possibly can.
So please, remember that time doesn’t wait for anyone.
That’s why you have to make the most of today.
Don’t wait. Use your talents, use your mind and heart and body and spirit, and cherish your family, your friends, and all your loved ones as much as you possibly can.
Do everything you can to make a positive difference, while you still have time. Don’t let anyone put you off; don’t let anyone tell you that the small things you can do on your own won’t ever matter.
Because that is a lie. And you need to remember that.
Mind you, there’s a lot about life that really frustrates me. But one thing I know is true:
Time waits for no one.
So do your best today. Love your best today. Create your best today.
And never stop trying, loving, or creating. (Because the day you stop is the day you lose. Guaranteed.)
Summer Approaches…How to Get Your Writing in Anyway
The summer rapidly approaches. We creative types are going to have to fight against the hot weather, sandy beaches, and the urge to go on vacation in addition to all the other stuff that gets in the way of writing and/or creating.
So, what’s to do?
Here’s a few strategies that may help you continue to work on your writing and/or other creative activities, in no particular order:
Write when you get up.
This particular idea sounds a bit antithetical, especially to me, because I hate mornings. (I am a well-known night owl who may as well have been born a vampire, as that way I’d have a very good reason not to like mornings.) But even I have occasionally managed to write in the morning; the trick here is, if you wake up with a strong idea, don’t wait around.
Just start writing, and see where your imagination takes you.
Write in the in-between times.
You know how, in every busy day, there are a few “in-between” times? Like when you’re waiting to go in for a doctor’s appointment, or when you’re waiting for a bridge to go up (I live on a city with many waterways, so that’s a real concern here), or when you’re just waiting, period?
Bring a pad with you. It can be a tablet, an old-fashioned wired notebook, or anything else…the important thing here is, you jot down some notes about your writing if you get one during one of these in-between times, so you don’t forget.
Write after dinner.
So, you’ve gotten through your busy day. (Or you gave in, went to the beach, swam and biked and ran around — or at least sunned yourself for a while.) You’re back home, you’ve just had your late meal, and you’re getting a bit tired.
Push that tiredness to the side as best you can, and go write for a bit.
.The trick here is, just give yourself the permission to write. Do whatever you can to get that writing and/or creative activity in, and you’ll find a way to get it done.
(You just have to trust me on this. OK?)
What do you do to get your writing in during the summer? Tell me about it in the comments!
Preparation Is Key
Folks, I recently played a concert with the Racine Concert Band, and I was struck by the difference good mental preparation made in my performance.
When I was younger, I never thought about this at all…I figured if I’d done the work, learned the pieces, my instrument was in good repair and I had a good reed, that’s all I needed to do. But preparation doesn’t stop with the mechanics of playing music; it actually starts there.
Because I have hand problems now, I have to think a great deal more about what I’m going to do, whether it’s with music, writing, or anything else. And what I’ve found is that if I put myself into a calmer frame of mind and tell myself I’m going to do the best I can, and not beat myself up beforehand because I can’t do what I once was so easily able to do, I come pretty close to being able to do what I used to do so effortlessly.
Now, I did prepare for big moments on stage, of course. I mentally played through solos, recitals, various high-profile gigs…so this mindset is not totally alien to me.
I’d never thought about it with a run-of-the-mill concert before, though.
So, as I was thinking about this, I wondered if it might help my writing, to stay in that same mindset as best I can. Just the belief that I can do it may make a difference on a bad day…and we all need that, whether we realize it or not.
Granted, I write on different days for different reasons. Sometimes I am writing an intensely emotional scene and I need to be able to feel that. Staying detached under such a circumstance won’t work.
But the belief that I can affect my own outcome a little…that is worth having.
You see, the biggest threat to creativity is the belief that it doesn’t matter. That who you are, that what you create, won’t ever make a difference to anyone.
We creative types have to have at least a small bit of an ego to take up a creative profession; otherwise, we’d get ground to powder quickly, as creating against strong headwinds is not for the faint of heart.
So, just for today, I want you — and me — to believe one thing:
It does matter.
What you do, what you create, what you are, all matters.
Don’t let anyone tell you different. And keep doing whatever you need to do, in order to be your best self.
Writing, Hand Issues, and More Frustration…
Folks, you probably have noticed that I haven’t written a blog in nearly a week.
There is a reason for that. Three of them, to be exact: Hand issues. Frustration. And lots of editing.
My writing has taken a big-time backseat to all of this.
Now, as for the hand issues? I have tendinitis in both hands and wrists. (Until recently, I was told this was carpal tunnel syndrome, but now, the diagnosis has been revised.) Typing is painful at the moment. Using my arms at all is painful, too. I’m going to hand therapy, using heat, ultrasound, and doing various exercises, all so I can continue to use my hands as best I can.
Why am I so worried about my hands? (This may seem basic, but please bear with me.) Without my hands, I can’t work. As being an editor pays most of my bills, I need to do this despite the pain.
That’s why writing, for the moment, is taking a backseat, even though I don’t like it much. I just can’t concentrate on my stories right now, because everything I’ve got is going either into the hand therapy, my editing, or just living day-to-day life.**
In addition, I have another concert to play in a week and a half with the Racine Concert Band as a saxophonist. My part won’t be very difficult; I will have no solos, I will not have any exposed parts, and I will be someone that most people won’t even realize is playing. Yet the conductor and other members of the band would notice if I didn’t show up, and thus I’m going to go and do my best.
Even though it hurts.
I’ve persisted through a lot in my life. I’ve endured divorces, deaths, health problems, financial distress, floods, earthquakes, and probably a number of other things I’m forgetting right now. So you can assume I’m going to persist through this obstacle, too.
Do I wish things were easier right now? You’d better believe it.
But I’m glad I can still type. I’m glad that I can still play my saxophone, even if it’s not at the level I want, even if I don’t have solos anymore, even if for the most part I’ll probably never again be someone most people in the crowd think about when they go see a concert.
I’m doing what I can. I have to take comfort in that.
No matter how frustrating I find this situation to be, I will not give up.
I just have to pick and choose my spots for a while. That’s all.
——
**Note that I am still thinking about my stories. I have written down some prose notes. I have talked with other writers, and am doing what I can to re-read the works in progress, and keep going as best I can with my thought process overall. I know that my mind never stops working, so maybe being hindered will eventually produce some better, richer, deeper stories…one can only hope, right?
How to Wait Out “Life, Interrupted”
Folks, I continue to be in a holding pattern due to what I’m going to call “life, interrupted.” As there’s a lot of stuff going on here that I can’t talk about, I’d rather talk about my coping strategies to deal with all the stress (the “life, interrupted” stuff), in the hopes that if one of you ever has a similar situation, maybe you’ll remember that you’re not alone.
I want to write every day. Most of the time, I have a lot of other stuff to do, including editing, trying to help family, supporting friends, taking care of my health, and so forth. Writing is very important, so when all these other things crowd it out during a crisis, I get extremely frustrated because I’m not able to do very much due to the circumstances at hand.
What do I do to try to combat this frustration?
Mostly, I wait it out. Once the stressful situation passes, I can do more.
But how I wait it out may be of interest.
If I get a story idea, I write it down. I write down whatever I have, which usually is the idea itself, maybe a bit of dialogue or description, and a potential title. These things help me go back and figure out what it was that so captivated me, and actually work on it later.
In addition, I think a lot about my stories. I don’t just say, “Out of sight, out of mind.” Instead, I think about what I want to do next. What seems to be going on with my stories. What needs to be done, and how am I going to go about doing it?
So I at least stay in the mental frame of mind that I need to be in, hoping I can get a few minutes here or there to work on it.
Finally, I try to be good to myself and realize I’m not staying away from my writing because I’m slow, stupid, or anything like that. It’s that I truly am under stress and just cannot devote enough time to get writing done at such a time. (Big stressors include people in the hospital, myself undergoing medical tests, being sick to the point all I can do is sleep, etc.)
Why do I mention the last part? Because I really hate not doing anything. It annoys me something fierce.
But sometimes, the best thing you do to help yourself is to rest. Once you rest, you should have enough energy to do what needs to be done…and at the top of the list for any writer (not just me) is writing.
My view is simple: If you need to rest, do it. If you are under stress, admit it. And if you can do anything about your writing at such a time, including planning, thinking hard about what to do next, or actually getting some words written, count that as a major victory.
And then, when the big stressor passes (as big stressors invariably do, one way or another), get back to work on your work(s)-in-progress.
That’s what works for me.
So, what works for you as a coping strategy to deal with stress? Tell me about it in the comments!
When Life Gives You Lemons…
You all know the saying, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade?”
Sometimes, that lemonade can be sour, even bitter to the taste. But eventually, you will learn to tolerate that taste…and you might even begin to crave it.
Why?
Because it means you’re still trying. It means you haven’t given up. It means you know, deep down in your soul, you are doing everything in your power you can to make the world a better place.
You might be wondering what brought this on.
I’ve been dealing with a family health crisis this past week, and I’ve been running back and forth to the hospital. While I’d rather be doing just about anything else, I’m very glad to do this.
Why?
It means my family member is still alive, still fighting, getting better and doing whatever is possible to improve her health.
That’s a good thing.
See, the connections I have with my family and friends are essential. I want them to be happy, healthy, and to enjoy life to the fullest.
But no one can do that while sitting in a hospital bed.
Even though this week didn’t go at all according to plan, I’m glad that I was able to do something to try to help those who are important to me.
One final thought:
Sometimes, it feels like we’re not doing very much during a crisis. This is very human, but somehow we need to throw those feelings to the side.
Why?
Because self-forgiveness — which I’ve discussed before — is essential at times like this. We are not saints, and we can’t expect ourselves to act as if we are. All we can do is be ourselves, try our best, and do whatever we can to make life a little better place.
Including visiting those who are ill (if they’re up to visits), talking with them, and letting them know we care.
That’s what’s important.
Don’t lose sight of it. (Please?)
Dealing with Disappointment, Part the Nth
Folks, I know I’ve written about dealing with disappointment before. It’s one of those fundamental things that everyone has to face from time to time; we will be disappointed in something, even if it’s something tangential to us like the performance of our favorite sports team. (I’m looking at you, Milwaukee Brewers.)
Right now, I’m feeling discouraged, disappointed, however you want to put it, in nearly every aspect. And it’s hard to create that way; it’s hard to even function.
My energy level is not there, and I’m fighting hard to get it back. (Yes, my doctor knows about this. I get to see her soon.) My drive is not there, either…it’s almost as if I’m having a life crisis (I won’t say “mid-life crisis,” as I have no idea how long anyone will live, much less me).
So, what can I do about it?
Mostly, I remind myself that today may be bad, yesterday may have been bad, too, but tomorrow can still be different.
Yeah, I may never be known as a writer. (I knew that when I got into this field.) All I can do is control what I can, which is to write the books I feel compelled to write, keep working on my craft, and hope I touch at least a few folks with my stories so they’ll maybe remember them past the moment they’re read and consumed.
So, even though today’s one of those days that turning my face to the wall seems like the right action, I’m not going to do it.
Nope.
Instead, I’m going to keep trying, even if it’s slow; even if I have to rest more; even if I need to take more breaks; even if I have to adjust my diet again and cut out every processed food (I hope I don’t have to go that far, but it may come to that)…and I’m going to try to keep my friends in the loop, ’cause that’s important.
So, I deal with disappointment, roughly, by trying to get through it and remembering we all have days like this.
And so long as I keep trying, I cannot fail…because I refuse to allow myself to fail.
How do you deal with it? What tips and tricks would you like to share?
Tell me in the comments.
#SundayBlogShare: When Writing Is Like Gardening…
Folks, I recently took part in the Authors in Bloom blog hop, where the subject was either gardening or recipes. I talked about how I don’t garden (because I’m bad at gardening), but that got me to thinking…isn’t writing like gardening, too?
Think about it for a moment.
In farming, you get your plot of land, and you make sure it’s fertilized before you plant anything. Then you put your initial seeds in the ground and wait.
But in writing, this is when inspiration strikes, or when you first get an idea you can’t ignore. You get as much down as you can, knowing tomorrow you will keep building on your idea as you see fit.
So, you have to water, nurture, and weed your garden, just as you have to water, nurture, and weed your writing. (The weeding, in this case, would be self-editing.) Both are long-term projects that require a great deal of time, effort, and understanding in order to get anything done, and if you make a big enough mistake, your garden (or your writing) will not turn out the way you’d hoped.
Fortunately, you can correct your big mistakes with some forethought, nine times out of ten. And that tenth time, where you can’t, you can use for future reference as a guidepost of “what not to do,” so you still get something out of the experience…albeit not what you’d hoped for in the first place.
But life is like that, isn’t it? We don’t always get what we’d planned on. (In fact, we get what we’d planned on so rarely, it’s a miracle any of us still plan. But I digress.) We have to roll with the punches, whether it’s too much rain (too many distractions or life-interruptions), too little rain (not enough time for ourselves, maybe), too much fertilizer (we edited too much out), too little fertilizer (we haven’t edited enough)…the list goes on and on.
How do we grow anything worth eating, then? (Or how do we write anything readable?)
I think it’s a matter of trial and error on the one hand, and sheer bloody-mindedness on the other. We keep working at it until we find a process that seems to make sense, and then we go with that. And if one way doesn’t work, try, try, try again until you find a way that does.
That, to my mind, is how gardening and writing are alike.
What d’you think? Tell me about it in the comments!
Barb Caffrey's Blog 