The Day Unfolds at My Feet

My internet provider's server was down all day yesterday. Of course, I thought it was all about me and didn't think to check their website with my phone.

I went to a much-needed therapeutic coffee at Cafe Luna early in the morning. I was able to write and did some reading too. Then two women, about my age, and just about as badly dressed, sat down at the table behind me. And, oh joy, they were writers talking about writing. Specifically, about how difficult it is to make time for writing. I didin't mean to eavesdrop but my darn hearing just won't tune anything out. Even though I was trying to get a new scene down on paper, I could also register their complaints and concerns. I'd like to meet some fiction writers here in Longmont, but haven't had the time to figure out how. The only fiction writing group that promotes itself meets on Saturdays and that won't work for me.

The most interesting part of the day happened in the evening around 9-ish. We were watching an episode of Game of Thrones when there were knocks at both the front door and the back door. There were Boulder County sheriff deputies standing there. They were trying to serve a warrant on a woman named Valerie. The deputy at the front door showed my daughter a photo of a woman in her 40s with bleached blond hair and a ravaged face. To the best of my knowledge, this fugitive from justice has never lived in this house, but I don't know for certain. We got a court document addressed to her last year, but returned it with a note explaining there was no one named Valerie here. What a hard way to live a life.

The entire day stretches out at my feet. I have plans to visit my horse, and I may take my sidekick out to lunch since she doesn't have preschool today. My energy is returning and the house is not in too bad a shape. It's almost time to begin the season of yardwork hell so I want to get the house organized. Call it spring cleaning. I pruned and worked hard on the yard last year and, as a result, it looked horrible. I'm going to try to stick to pulling weeds and watering this year, and maybe things will go better.

I need a couple of hours of uninterrupted computer time then, voila!, I can send one of my favorite short stories back out into the world, hopefully to find a home in a nice modest publication.

This was in the yard of an art studio in Florida. Art is certainly subjective.

I would title this: Soul of an Writer Who Never Found Time to Write

How to Become a Fiction Writer: Theory # 8903

Begin writing. Write every day. Don't judge, just write. Keep some sort of a journal. No one will see it, unless you decide to share it with your friends. (Don't!)  Write every day until a writing habit is formed.
Freewriting is all about writing on and on until you silence your inner critic and you start to write for the sole purpose of putting words on paper. If you want to know more about freewriting, google it. If you want to write fiction, you'll write a lot of crap before a wonderful thing happens. You quit trying to "write like you're trying to write like a writer", (which is a major insult you'll understand later if you don't already get it) and you'll find your voice. Your writer's voice.

Read. Read fiction. Notice why you like what you like, and why you don't like other stories. Meet other writers. If there isn't a group you want to join, start your own. An ad on Craigslist and on coffee house bulletin boards will start the ball rolling. (avoid cliches like "start the ball rolling" whenever possible.) Our group in Boulder is a good one and could use some more dedicated writers.

Writers are awesome, unique people with a different way of interacting with the world. Come join us. I wish we lived in a world where the pen is mightier than the sword, and in a world where the written word is honest and true. The way our society is manipulated by journalists is depressing and, sometimes, horrifying. Don't use your skills as a writer to join the dark side even if it offers you lots of cash.

Not all writers drink.

It's easy.

Friday is My Favorite Flavor of the Week

Today was Coffee With Some Writers Day. I already have a thing about Friday because it heralds the arrival of the weekend. It's psychological and not a concrete thing to be happy about, but it works for me, and I know I'm going to be happy about something at least once a week. Win win.

I feel more enthused about writing after indulging in some shop talk with other writers. I came home and started working on the rewrite of my book. Page one. Sadly, I only got as far as the header and the first line.

But one person said the nicest thing to me today. He said all of us, at coffee, have strong personalities. I asked for clarification that I was included as someone with a strong personality. He said yes. I'm so damn flattered! I like the idea of possessing a strong personality. I've felt faded away and invisible for years (with occasional outbursts of obnoxiousness) so this sounds like good news. Fridays are so awesome!

If I was a bird, this is what I'd look like.

Are You a Writer?

Author Tom Bird was asked, "What is a writer?' at one of his workshops. Seems like a no-brainer to me, but I find that people don't want to identify themselves as writers because they're not published. Get over that hang-up about publication people! Here's what Tom Bird answered: "The difference between a writer and someone who wants to be a writer, is that writers write." Good answer, Tom. I've been saying that for years, but I'm not a published writer so no one listens to me. (much)

I learned a new word this morning. Mentation. The definition is "mental activity, thinking" and "the process of using your mind to consider something carefully".  Apparently, it's used more in medical evaluations than for common usage, but I like the sound of it. (The patient may have some diminished mentation because she thinks she a writer but has never been published) I'm going to go right out and do some more mentation this afternoon.