Christmas Eve Musings

Mom took this picture a week ago from our living room.

The fire is blazing in the fire place as we play sappy hallmark movies on the TV. My mother and I baked a German cheese cake, which is light and fluffy and only a little sweet. The baking has caused the house to fill up with the smell of lemons. It's all intoxicating enough to lull me into dozing on the couch.

I've been bad about writing notes for my book since I went north. It's hard to stay motivated around the holidays. Especially with all the lovely cooking that is constantly being pumped out of the kitchen. It's enough to put a girl in a permanent carbohydrate induced stupor. Despite the holiday slow down I've continued to work on a side project for Musa, which I'll pick up again tomorrow night.

For now I will simply reflect on all that I am thankful for as a writer and editor this year. I am thankful I have a family who supports me while I'm on transition towards my new career. Without Celina Summers and Brandie Tarvin I would not be growing as a writer or having this amazing opportunity with Musa Publishing. My family is comprised of some of the most amazing story tellers I know and I will always be inspired by their tall and fantastic tales that lead me to the industry. I'm thankful for the brush I had with Michelle Bardsley (a romance novelist) a few years ago and the guidance she gave me then.

I have plenty to work on for the next year including finding a writing group and reading through the brand new sixteenth edition of The Chicago Manual of Style that is sitting under my Christmas tree. My mother and I know our gifts to each other, but we wrapped them and put them under the tree anyway. Forging a path forward for the new year is something I'm enthusiastic about. Leaving a string of ink, type, and graphite trailing behind me in ever greater volume.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

When Should You Give Yourself A Break?

Today I went to SFWA and started reading from the writing tips section of the Information Center page for Authors. The first article I read was The #1 Rule of Everything by Steven R. Stewart. His basic message was that you will never be able to keep up with all of the "should do's" that the writing and publishing industry will throw at you. At least, not if you want a life.

Patrick Star from Sponge Bob Square Pants.

He talked about his anxiety and depression with writing and how, even though he had won an award, he still didn't feel like he was doing enough. Mr. Stewart is a published author and is a member of the SFWA which means he had to have three short story sales, one novel sale, or one professionally produced full-length dramatic script. He's walked the walk and knows what he's talking about.

I, however, am new to writing. I'm working on it day by day, page by page. I'm just starting to fill my days with "should do's" of my own. I'm writing this blog, doing my page a day of writing, am trying to find a writing group, and read in my free time as well. Though, I will admit, the television tends to skew my focus and steal me away from the work I could (and probably should) be doing. The point is I have only one published short story. That story is published in Ferris State University's 2011 PRISM compilation and wouldn't count towards the SFWA.

I am at square one.

Finding my voice is something I should work on more than anything else. The humor I talked about just a week ago seems to have left my veins. It's fun to stay on the light side, but when it's forced it can be draining. I'll learn to use Bryce's lessons when I need to. To lighten a dark situation by pointing an over-sized spotlight on the middle of every day life shenanigans.

Once I find that voice and have a published piece or two; then, maybe, I'll relax. I'll take a chill pill put up my feet and take a week off. Until then I don't think I deserve a break. like Patrick in the picture above I want to cross off that nothing from both my To Do list and my Completed Works list. There's far too much for me to learn to sit idle. Currently I have some notes that are calling my name.

Happy Writings!