Quotes to contempate & inspire

Victor Hugo:

"It is from books that wise people derive consolation in the troubles of life."
"Each man should frame life so that at some future hour fact and his dreaming meet."
"Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent."

"One is not idle because one is absorbed. There is both visible and invisible labor. To contemplate is to toil, to think is to do. The crossed arms work, the clasped hands act. The eyes upturned to Heaven are an act of creation."

Dorothy Parker:

"I don't care what is written about me so long as it isn't true."
"This is not a novel to be tossed aside lightly. It should be thrown with great force."
"The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity."

"I'm never going to be famous. My name will never be writ large on the roster of Those Who Do Things. I don't do any thing. Not one single thing. I used to bite my nails, but I don't even do that any more."

E. M. Forster:
"We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us."

Logan Echolls, Veronica Mars:
"I thought our story was epic, you know? You and me. Spanning years, continents. Lives ruined. Bloodshed. EPIC."

Ocsar Wilde, Portrait of Dorian Gray:
"Be warned in time, James, and remain, as I do, incomprehensible; to be great is to be misunderstood."

W. B. Yeats:
"Think where man's glory most begins and ends and say--my glory was that I had such friends."

Lester Bangs, Almost Famous:
"The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else when you're uncool."

The Simpsons:
“A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man.
(It’s a perfectly cromulant word.)”

And finally, to sum up:
"I might repeat to myself slowly and soothingly, a list of quotations beautiful from minds profound - if I can remember any of the damn things." (Dorothy Parker again)

Just Do It

When I realized not to listen to what people thought I was capable of, is when I started writing. It was all up to me to decide what I could do. No longer did I want to listen to the negative voice in my head. Why couldn't I write? I didn't have an answer so, I just started writing.

I noticed a similarity in the people closest to me who have been successful in getting what they want. Boldness and tenacity. They don't seem to ask themselves if they can do something, they just do it. I guess that's the quote I should live by. Apparently Nike knows best. "Just Do It."

My closest friend, Liz has influenced me to not question myself. She has a houseful of kids, caring for two parents and still finds time to explore career options. She's opened an imports store which is now closed, but that doesn't matter, because she tried it. She's opened a dance studio, been a cheer coordinator and a pageant organizer. She'll never look back and say what if. I'm sure she never asks herself if she could do it, she just does. Sitting on the sidelines is not an option. We need to be bold to really be something.

My mother is another example of boldness and tenacity. In her failing health, she never questions how sick she is, she just assumes she'll get better. She just won't quit. She lets everyone know that she's still in control. If this is the way we live our lives, things will happen.

So we need to make it known what we want and just do it. I'll question my writing, but I'm not going to question whether I should be writing. Hopefully someday I will be published, but for now I'm satisfied to just write.

Influential Generations

"If you can dream it you can do it." -Walt Disney. I spent an entire summer reading a very large biography on this man, this man, who would lose touch with the world around him to provide us with quality entertainment. Sometimes his priorities were a little off but he nonetheless profoundly influenced me. So thanks Walt.

Also my Grandfather's words echo in my mind every time I think about my writing endeavors. When I was fourteen years old, he told me that I can be anything I want. Anything. When he passed away two months later after several bouts with bad health. Those words have forever changed me. I strive to live by his example and take literally all the wonderful things that man taught me. I love him so much that my heart hurts just writing about him. It is my grandfather's legacy that keeps me writing.

Words to work by

When I am stuck on one project, I remember a line from a conference: “What else are you working on?” Picture books are so easy and so hard to write and the stack of impersonal rejections is staggering. If I put all my hopes and dreams on the Magic Dragonfly and she flits from one slush pile to the next for several years (decades?) waiting will be an exercise in frustration. I get enough exercise! So I keep tweaking Victor Javalina and Danny Lion and Tuk-tuk the Lemming. More than that I keep asking myself: what else am I working on? This week is was the Bush Dancers in the Outback! Tomorrow – what else?

A Writer's Fantasy: Please Come True

Even though most writers would like their stories to be enjoyed by almost anyone who picks them up (that of course is a fantasy us writers like to conjure up), for the most part, we do have an imagined reader in mind. I've always been taught that a writer must always know their audience. And with that bit of knowledge, I hope that I produce books that my audiences will fall in love with.

When I write about boogers and boys having adventures at camp, I image my books being passed under the table in school, or a group of kids huddled in the corner of the library laughing their butts off at a particular line or passage that has totally cracked them up. The disapproving teacher Mr. Micheals or Librarian Robin (who both happen to be successful writers),walks up to them and tells them "shhh", because they are giggling loudly and uncontrollably, and are disturbing the class or the quiet atmosphere of the library. If they are in a classroom, the teacher Mr. Micheals may have to confiscate the book to regain order (He will only return it several days later, once he has read it, and has rushed out to the bookstore to purchase his own copy). If the naughty readers are in the library, after her third warning, Librarian Robin may ask them to leave. Of course they are welcome to check out the book, but please don't fight over it. The dispute is settled as all matters of importance are handled between the group of friends; a game of rock paper scissors.

The winner will turn the book in late because he couldn't quite part with it just yet (He will pay the fines of course). Librarian Robin looks at him disapproving, because the pages are crumpled since he slept with the book, and some of them are stuck together by a mysterious looking goo that happens to look a lot like boogers to her. He would smile sheepishly and ask her when does the newest book by Urania Smith come out. Librarian Robin informs him that she, Urania Smith, also writes fantasy for older people and has a new book out now, but her newest middle grade novel won't be out until next month. She also tells him that there is already a waiting list for that particular title. He is disappointed because he doesn't think he can wait that long, but agrees to sign his name to the waiting list anyway. While signing, he notices several familar names already on the list. The friends he beat to get the book he'd just returned! He wishes he could scratch their names off the list, but that nosy librarian is watching him like a hawk.

While leaving the library he sees two teenage girls laying down on the grass in front of the library reading. Their shoes are off their feet and they are totally engrossed in their books. He's curious about what has them so distracted and draws near enough to get a better look at the titles on the books. He freezes, shocked. He notices the name of his favorite author, Urania Smith, written in fancy letters below the titles. He moves along, but remains in awe at how she can write books for an ordinary kid like him and for silly teenage girls too. Then he remembers something the librarian had said when he'd checked out the book about a month ago: "Urania Smith is one of the most talented children's authors out there today."

He feels a tingle creep up his spine. Man, he can hardly wait to get his hands on her new book.

Twilight (Pirate) Moms

Please forgive me for my post not being as well-thought out as some of my fellow bloggers or written anywhere near as eloquently. I'm in Florida balancing two small kids and an agenda of Disney World, Sea Aquarium, Indian villages, and sand castle building.

There is a category of young adult fiction these days that appeals strongly not only to teenagers, but also to adults. Harry Potter and Twilight, of course, both made the crossover in a huge way, but I know a number of women who pick their reading material predominantly from the young adult shelves. And, it’s not because they are researching whether or not a book is appropriate for their children.

Most of their choices do seem to have a supernatural theme. (Shiver, Fallen, Hush Hush are favorites.) In other words, they are not picking the typical high school, Jill cheerleader books. But, what they do seem to like, aside from the fantasy, is the Romeo/Juliet aspect, good triumphing over evil. Age-old story lines with new twists. Good old-fashioned escapism with a great plot.

I guess my ultimate dream is to write a novel that is picked up by both teenager and mom. (Yes. I am writing for a female audience. Sorry, J.B.) That said, I also would like it to be something I wouldn’t mind my teenage girl (if I had one) reading. I'm not aiming to be edgy, just to wrap people up in a fantastic tale. Make them fall in love with my characters. Is it too much to ask that production start on Team Johnny and Team Gavin shirts?

And, if that's too tall an order, at least my own mom will read it and like it. (Or at least tell me she does.)

Perhaps I should go continue trying to make it out of my first chapter.

Imaginary Reader

Imaginary agents, never let you down, when all the others turn you away they’re around.

Imaginary readers never disagree, they always care, they’re always there when you need, satisfaction guaranteed.

Sorry, I was paraphrasing this really old song by Atlanta Rhythm Section that the phrase “imaginary reader” made me think of. The person for whom I imagine I am writing changes. If working on a picture book, I often imagine if my pre-school son would like it or if it is more problem-solution, I think of elementary students with whom I used to work, if it would be useful in some of their situations. If working on the YA (possibly adult) stuff, I have a vague imagining of an adolescent girl reading it, hoping that she would find the protagonist inspiring--to be independent and confident and not terrified of making a mistake, finding at least part of her identity before tying it to someone else. I purposely try not to imagine my adolescent self as the reader! Sometimes I do worry about friends or family reading it or parents of my son’s friends or former students because of language/violence/sexual content. Then I think how unrealistic that would be since I would never reach that broad an audience and I don’t ask friends or family to read anything I have written. whew.

It’s a big contrast from writing my grad school thesis, which I imagined just our professors and some classmates reading. When we next submitted for symposium I imagined the professors from other schools reading it. Then we won and were asked to submit for publication. I didn’t really imagine the journal editor reading it, just took her notes, and then did feel anxious about social workers, some of whom had participated in the study, across the state reading it. It was exciting that the participants would be able to see the results but a bit nerve-wracking opening ourselves up to questions regarding research methodology, statistical analysis, or the conclusions we drew.

If I write something I know I will bring to critique group, I only briefly consider my fellow writers reading it. That used to be scarier, but now I look forward to it because it’s so instructive and people want you to have good work. They bring different perspectives to the table--the funny part is when one person really likes how you did some specific part and another person wants you to change it completely. It’s really helpful when more than one person has the same reaction to a part of the story. Seminars and courses have taught me how to imagine editors and agents as the readers, and some editors and agents maintain blogs with great tips about what they look for. I think the writer takes that into account more when revising, not when writing the story originally, unless given a specific assignment from an editor.

More and more, I imagine myself as the reader. Sometimes my actual self just wants to throw it all out, but authors at workshops have suggested to never throw out anything you have written. Come back to it and maybe parts of it will work for you. So I try to imagine my future self reading something I wrote and deciding it wasn’t as awful as I initially thought, in fact, it might be something I could work with. Don’t censor yourself. I also ask myself if what I’m writing is something I would enjoy reading, if no one else ever saw it. Is it something I would go back to and read again or keep adding to? This question becomes important because I really don’t know if I do want to try to get my stuff published. (How Salinger of me, minus the previous literary credibility.) I do have that sense of once it’s out there, you can’t change it anymore. And then, of course, the imagined reader becomes real.