Exposed Sunday: Switching Gears for the Art

You can thank paranormal romance writer, Jami Gold for this one.

Last Wednesday, she did a wonderful guest post (for PW Creighton) regarding when writers get The Block: Creative Outlets - Giving Our Muse a Different Playground to Play In

This is something I've been doing for a long time. Some might say (particularly my husband) that I've been distracted with Other Things (always the capitals for such a monumental avoidance), but really, this is clearly just another trick to get my muse to think about Writing, once more.

"Raining Joy" mixed media

As a child, I remember having a corkboard littered with sketches and free-handed copies of comic strips I liked (Peanuts and Cathy being my favourites, but I seemed to like the detailed illustrations of children's books the best; I was particularly proud of drawing I did of the giraffe on the cover of this book when I was nine or ten. I wish I had saved it). In school, I was the only girl in my grade who was known as the "artist" (normally, it was only the boys who drew). I sculpted with clay, once I learned how to sew I made doll clothes (poorly!), despite my serious lack of fashion sense, I rocked the 70's Fashion Plates like nobody's business. (I would later join the SCA and make decent garb, huzzah!) I also sang, did backstage theatre work since college and I still putz around with photography.

Years ago, I learned how to knit and I love knitting socks - nearly obsessed at one time. I suppose I could return to that obsession easily, if I weren't up to my eyeballs in Other Things.

My latest craze in other a-MUSE-ments (see what I did there?) is Artist Trading Cards, or ATCs for short. It's another medium that I can turn to when I'm not feeling particularly wordy. I actually stopped writing (gasp!) for years and kept to my knitting and ATCs, thinking I was never going to make anything out of it, so why bother? I could still be creative and do something.

Funny thing when you tell yourself "I'll never do that (again)" - sometimes you have to eat your words. If you're lucky, it's something that you should be doing and the Universe slaps you around a bit until you drag out your notebook(s) and pen(s) and story ideas start bubbling up inside your brain, demanding to be paid attention to.

"Two by Two" collage/mixed

When I couldn't write, however, dragging out my coloured pencils, fancy paper, random scraps (called ephemera by the ATC pros I traded with), beads and whatever else I had lying about to create "pocket-sized art" for my own entertainment was the way to go. They are simply cards made out of old playing cards, regular card stock, fabric, Plexiglass, wood - you name it - that are sized 2 ½ X 3 ½ inch (64 X 89 mm). They should fit this as close as possible, but I have cards that go over a bit, due to the embellishments added. The standard to keep them this size is to make them easy to store (like in baseball/collector sleeves). They are meant to be portable, of course.

They are trading cards, which means there are groups all over the place who are willing - in some cases desperate - to trade with other ATC makers. A quick Google search gives you access to groups galore, explaining how to go about trading and what folks were looking for, etc., etc. It's great fun and I have a binder filled will cards I've traded with fellow artists from all over the United States, Canada and even some from Scotland.

"Better World" I'm also a Firefly fan - Ni hao!

Long gone are my drawing days, but I do make the attempt every so often, as you can see. I mainly do collages/mixed media - anything to avoid drawing. I have done origami and abstract images, cutting and pasting pieces of paper with glitter and feathers and who knows what else! Somehow, words would creep into my ATCs and I would be moved by words, first - either as inspiration for the ATC I was working on or something to enhance the ATC overall.

I have a series that I've been toying with for a few months (!) where I considered writing some flash-fiction on the ATC, itself. I'm not sure how far I'll get with those, particularly now with my focus being on actually writing, but I'm still interested in the idea. I just have to find that slice of time to allow for it to happen.

The magic of this is that while I'm doing these Other Things, stories start to bloom in my mind and then I'm rushing to find me some paper and a pen before I lose the idea!

Your turn! What other non-writing hobbies do you have? How do you tease your muse out of Writer's Block? Have you learned how to channel your creativity down other paths? Has it helped and inspired your stories at all?

Wednesday In Progress: Late Nights, Open Windows

Last week I lost my job. Y'know, the one I always complain about on Twitter. I no longer have that problem, but a host of new and shiny ones - like, getting another straight job (preferably not in hell). I'm not homeless just yet - but I would like to avoid that scenario as much as possible.

Strangely enough, this has given me ample amounts of free time to write (of course). What have I been doing? Well, household chores and job hunting - and very little writing. I am not as shocked with this revelation as I thought I'd be. Sad that I haven't made the time to write for the past week and a half, but not shocked.

What I've also noticed is that I am less a morning person and much more geared to write during the nighttime. Then it's mostly quiet (the interstate is basically right outside my balcony, so there's always that subtle roar which - in my best attempts - I can turn into the sea crashing) and I don't have animals meowing in my face or whinging to get taken out to pee. Everyone (including the spouse) is asleep and I have the place to myself. Finally.

Oh, I'm tired. I've still tried to keep my schedule to what it was - up at five every morning, breakfast and lunch taken care of for both of us and then the rest of my day, whatever that means. Mostly, it means tending to our pets, making sure I job-hunt, and keeping up on the laundry and other cleaning so we don't look like we live in a hovel. Don't anyone ever believe the lie "housework isn't real work" because it's worse than that - it's demanding physical labour and you don't even get paid for it and vacation/sick leave is non-existent.

I wouldn't mind an open window to this; Trillium Lake at OMG o'clock

My husband told me Tuesday night that he wants me published. He wants me happy to fulfill my dreams. This is my chance - my open window - and not to waste it. I'm a little afraid as to what it's going to do to my sleep schedule (especially as I'm still trying to get a straight job) but I'm being productive, at least.

So, here I am. Got my window open, listening to my faux-seaside and typing out my tale as fast as my fingers can fly across my keyboard. (now say that three times fast)

Your turn! When do you feel most productive? Have you been able to adjust your schedule or do you have a work-around? Did you learn how to change your schedule to fit your life/pursuits?

Wednesday In Progress: Soppy Over Scrivener

(...And no, this isn't a paid ad or endorsement of anything. These are my own observations and opinions - and photos - as always. Take from it all what you will.)

A while back, I mentioned how I was always late to the party. I really am.

Books probably not written using Scrivener - pity!

After years and years of hearing about this supposedly "awesome program for writers" called Scrivener, I finally downloaded a 30-day trial. Yesterday. I think not having my own laptop, my virtual writing and research space (if we want to get fancy) contributed to my hesitation to try this out, but yesterday - in the middle of my utter frustration with my straight job dealings, the copious notes I have littering not only my trusty never-leave-home-without-it-notebook, this laptop (several Word documents, a few Notepad files and I also use Open Office), I decided I really need to consolidate this mess.

I can't remember who it was on my Twitter feed, but someone mentioned how well they were able to organise themselves with Scrivener and bang out their story. Well, being that me without an outline is akin to me walking around town without pants (comfortable, though not appropriate and completely useless and distracting), I figured another tool in my writing arsenal wouldn't be a bad thing.

So, I downloaded the trial version (30 nonconsecutive days of usage) and even though I've only used it for a few hours thus far, I think I'm in love. I have webpages of info, character sheets and snippets of story all in their variously useful places - and I can drag and drop if I find them a better place! I have house plans! Actual images so I don't have to remember or pour through my notes/text as to whether or not I put the kitchen in the south or west of the house (not that it will matter to my readers, but just in case). I still need to have faith with the importing of documents, though. I'm so used to things not working between programs (though advertised as if it were as easy as Scrivener makes it).

I have 30 days to test everything out (but I'm probably going to buy it this Friday).

Your turn! Have you tried Scrivener? Like it? Hate it? Found something better? What writing tool can you not live without?

What Are You Afraid Of?

So, I realise I'm a little early for Halloween - but it was actually Michelle Muto's Facebook status that inspired this post (So, thank you, Michelle)!

Currently, I am writing/researching a project which involves monsters. Well, I'm writing about monstrous creatures in any case. A while back (as I was getting ready for bed), I was getting some ideas and sorting out scenes in my head, some of which involved these monsters attacking my main character in her bedroom. Naturally, that exact moment would be the perfect time for my brain to go into overdrive and imagine those monsters sitting in my bedroom, waiting until the lights were out to attack me. It took me about an hour before I could relax and stop scaring myself stupid.

When I was a child, though, I was deathly afraid of dogs. It was all my mother's fault, really. In order to coerce me into bed (and stay there throughout the night), she would warn me: Don't get out of bed or the scary dog will get you and my imagination would suddenly see two red eyes in the darkest corner of my room, just waiting for the chance to snap if I dared leave my bed. Only during the desperate bladder-bursting moments did I, too.

That fear of dogs went well into my adulthood (I'm actually a cat person). Didn't take me too long to overcome that fear, at least, knowing that my fear was really unfounded. Besides, how can anyone be afraid of this face?

A face everybody should love: our pirate dog, Bonny

I'm sure as I continue writing my monster story, I will have irrational moments where I may have to check under my bed/in the closets before going to sleep.

A few years ago when Ju-On was playing in theatres, we went - despite my aversion to scary things. I had nightmares for an entire year. I'm hoping writing this story won't be as bad because, ultimately, I figure I will finish this story in five books. That's a long time to have nightmares. Yikes.

Your turn! What sort of things scare you? Are they irrational fears from childhood? How did you overcome them or are you still afraid?

Techno Party - Fashionably Late

Late to the technology party, as usual. I'm always late to any party, really.

This weekend I got myself a new toy: 500GB laptop with a 17" screen and, boy howdy, is it beautiful. Bear in mind, I haven't had a personal computer since 2003 or so (maybe a little earlier). Oh, well, let's be honest: I have a beautiful green iMac that's been the best darned paper-weight and closet-stuffer since 2003. I probably could fire it up right now and use it, but not online. Well, I think the better half would have a stroke if I tried to drag that lump out of storage, especially with my new and shiny toy.

My iMac's CD drive is completely shot and it's more hassle to upgrade/deal with now, especially with my new and shiny toy. See the theme, here?

I still don't own a cell phone. That may change next month, but we'll see.

these hands know maniacal typing, the Neo knows pain

Anyway, this was all to facilitate better and easier writing and research on my part. Even now, the bulk of my writing will stay on my Neo (holy crow, someone's dyed theirs...interesting) for ease and the negative distraction it has by comparison to the laptop which is my biggest issue with working on a laptop in general. Give me a wifi connection and I'm lost for days hours doing research. Yeah. Research. I don't have that luxury on my Neo, so I can work.

So, yeah - another step in my writing life. More tools; shiny, distracting tools.

Your turn! What tools do you have? What have you done to keep the distractions to a minimum? Are you late to the party, too, or are you usually hosting it?

Wednesday in Progress: Short Stories Are Gold

Holy moly. An entire month of being offline (PC decided to go wacky and then it was the Nightmare Best Buy commercial) and I'm going to try and figure out this "regularly blogging" thing. Bear with me.

me writing my masterpieces, duh

So, we're going to try a new format for this blog. Wednesdays I'm going to share the wisdom of all those fabulous writers I follow on Twitter and Facebook and compile lists of helpfulness - if only for myself, but I think it will be generally useful to anyone out there reading. (I don't hear crickets over my streaming radio...)

Currently, I'm up to my eyeballs in a lot of changes/upgrades. I'm hoping to move to my own webspace in a few months, I'm working on a massive story (that I'm hoping to write in a series of 5 books), and I have a handful of stories/story ideas that are being shuffled around and tweaked whenever I have a moment. That and there have been a few life-changes that have affected us, too. It's exciting, scary, hectic - you name it. Good times.

Here we go:

I like Ryan Casey's Short Stories: Four Reasons Why You Should Write Them. Especially with the ebook popularity and a number of new products hitting the market just in time for the holidays, short stories are a fantastic medium for ebook formats. Take ten or fifteen minutes and you can have your literary fill with a nice, compact tale - in between waiting in a queue at the grocery, waiting for your next appointment, or even your lunch break (provided you don't spill your food on your eReader).

Kris Noel has great for advice on the Three Act Structure - basics every writer should follow, regardless if you're writing a novel or a short story, or a movie script! It's a great little poke in the brain if you're having trouble with the pacing of your story.

Lastly, a fun little video: Vonnegut Advice: Short Stories I personally really enjoyed Slaughterhouse Five, but I didn't get past that one book of his - and he's written tons of short stories! I think I'm going to have to devote one of my weekends to reading a few. Plenty of great, simple advice - but I like (and I need to remind myself constantly) of #4 Every sentence must do one of two things - reveal character or advance action. I also like #6 Be a sadist. Sweet.

My hope is in between all of my longer fiction, I will be able to share a few bite-size morsels that you can enjoy. There are dozens of starts floating about in this brain o'mine...

Your turn! I'd like to hear from you. What advice do you have to share about writing short stories? Do you write them at all? Have you tried? What was the last short story you've read?

But Getting Paid for Fan-Fiction Is OK

Well, I haven't died. This is good.

I have been busy with Life (which mostly involves my straight job hell, which I tweet about often) and everything else that isn't Writing. Sad, I know.

I had been throwing around a few blog ideas (because, y'know, I'm actually trying not to forget how to write - there is that fear) and when it was announced that Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series was going to be on TV, I had a bit of a shock. She hates fan-fiction. Like, enough to rant about it for three separate posts. Really.

So, I think my question here is directed to all those who write - published or not - how could you give a "fan-fiction policy" and expect them to follow it? And not alienate your fanbase? I know I'm rehashing old stuff, but again - it's the fault of the news. Congratulations to Ms. Gabaldon and I hope the fans think Moore does the books justice (he/they probably won't) - but isn't this a paid form of fan-fiction? He at least got permission and not the rambly, hate-spewing, semi-paranoia she doled out.

I think if I ever get so popular to have fan-fiction written about my characters (though it may totally squick me out), I'm going to run with it. Count it as further evidence that I have inspired folks to be active and creative, instead of merely being a spectator. Those folks just watch TV.


Note: If you're unwilling to click on the links, I must - at least - post her outrageous policy. She's entitled to her feelings and anyone with a shred of decency should respect her requests for not sending fanfic to her, and she should nail folks to the walls who try to make money off fanfic from her books. To equate fanfic with breaking into her house or - better still - sleeping with her husband goes off the deep-end. She doesn't have to read any fanfic - she doesn't have to read anything she doesn't want to, but to ban certain folks (she's not doing the adaptations for TV, that's going to be another writer!) from writing fanfic? That she thinks fanfic is illegal? Nuts. (I'd say "Loony Toons" but I don't want Disney after me, either...)

FAN-FICTION POLICY
You know, I'm very flattered that some of you enjoy the books so much
that you feel inspired to engage with the writing in a more personal way
than most readers do. Both for legal and personal reasons, though,
I'm not comfortable with fan-fiction based on any of my work, and
request that you do not write it, do not send it to me, and do not
publish it, whether in print or on the web. Thank you very much for your
courtesy and consideration.

So, what do you think about fan-fiction? Do you think I'm nuts being willing for other people to mess with my characters? Would you allow it? Do you?