It’s the holiday season and if you’re anything like me, you’re busy. In fact, you’re probably more busy than I am because I don’t have children. I have a book due February 2 and it’s overshadowing the Christmas season. But it’s not the deadline’s fault, it’s how I write. I fast draft a very ugly novel, then I rewrite. Almost from scratch. I layer and fine tune, change and deepen. I write fast but nevertheless, it takes me awhile to think things through. To figure things out. To take the norm and turn it upside down, inside out. Friday my husband and I are taking off for Tennessee to be with my family over Christmas. It’s going to be loud and wild but I cant wait. But when I calculate […]
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Four Gifts No Writer Can Do Without, Part 2: Passion
Let’s face it. Working at something you’re not passionate about is agonizing. Each moment you spend trudging through feels like you’re dragging a ball and chain. Most people abandon the pursuit out of self-preservation. When you lack passion for something that you don’t enjoy, it’s not really so horrible. You can work around it. For example, I hate to do housework. I am more passionate about root canal than mopping floors. I dread it. But, I could hire a reliable maid to get that job done for me. But what happens if you’re not passionate about what you love and feel called to do? What if you want to be a published author and you aren’t passionate about your writing? That’s a recipe for disaster. Just like falling in and […]
Read the RestFour Gifts No Writer Can Do Without, Part One: Confidence
You may have never thought of it this way but confidence is a gift. Here’s how I know. Not everyone has it. Some folks, particularly writers can do the exact same thing. One gains confidence and the other has anything but. There is nothing like facing something in your writing career feeling confident. The good news is that you don’t have to sit and hope that someone will wrap some and put it under the Christmas tree for you to open on Christmas morning. You can give yourself the gift of confidence. Here’s how: Look for and acknowledge the improvements you make. You’re not getting worse at writing. You’re getting better. Even a small improvement should stand out in your mind. Don’t compare yourself. Comparing yourself to a Pulitzer Prize […]
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Finding the Truth of Your Character
Watching an interview with Brad Pitt on Inside The Actor’s Studio, an acting student asked, “What are your processes and how have they changed?” Pitt wisely answered, “My processes is always changing.” He talked about the journey of discovery, of finding truth. As an actor, or in our case, writer, grows and changes, they should be able to hone the process of finding a the heart of a character, of discovering the truth. Pitt went on to say, “Find a moment of truth and the character will come.” This is a profound truth for all of us who deal in character. Find the truth of your character and let it breathe, let it come. Let it shine on the page. We talk a lot about processes and tools here at […]
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