Critiquing Isn't for Me

Word for the Day: Ugh

I'm not posting a picture today. Sorry. Couldn't find one that inspired me. Today I want to write about critiquing. I volunteered to judge entries for a contest in our local chapter. I want to help and encourage. However, I'm bound to a stupid numbered scoresheet. Sure, I can make comments, but putting numbers on a writer's work really is hard. I don't want to discourage anyone, but I have to act like an editor in order to help them.

I'm so wishy-washy when it comes to critiquing anyone else's work. Don't know why, but I've learned one lesson. I will never judge another contest. No way. Hate the numbers. Have I said that before? Well, I do.

My friend and I get together for lunch and we talk about writing. We brainstorm and talk about things that have us stuck. We toss around suggestions and that works for me. So, even though it's a rainy day, I'm off to shower and get ready to have lunch with my friend. I'll deal with the numbers later. Ugh.

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Doom, Despair, and Agony on Me...

Deep dark depression, excessive misery...

I remember those words from a skit on the Hee Haw television show. A rather funny segment where they sat on a porch and sang funny lines about the tragedies in their lives. There are a lot of people who live their lives this way. They talk about all the bad things that happen to them, worry excessively about the bad things that will happen tomorrow and the next day. And no matter what suggestions you give, they are shot down with reasons that won't work. How easy to get caught up in that negativity and become depressed yourself!

Last night I picked up a booklet I received from Guideposts. The title is "Expect a Miracle--Make a Miracle Happen". I realized how true this is. Miracles occur every day. They may not be as spectacular as the Red Sea parting, but they exist! We just have to open our eyes to see them.

Expect a miracle--make a miracle happen. What a wonderful motto to live by.

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Doctors, Self-Diagnosis, and When Not to Listen

For the past week I've had pain in my jaw from where I had the shots from the dentist. This is not common. Usually in a day or two the pain recedes. The pain has been intermittent, worse in the morning. Yesterday my ear on that side began to ache. I had a headache and pains shooting up the side of my skull above the ear. At times it felt as if I were on an airplane and my ears needed to pop. Afraid to go out of town and get sick, I gave up when hubby insisted I see the doctor. Not wanting to miss work I went to an Urgent Care facility.

My experience with the doctor: He looked in both ears and said he saw no infection. Without looking further or asking any other questions, he said the problem was most likely caused by allergies. He said he would give me two prescriptions, Biaxin as an antibiotic and a steroid pack. That's it. He left, sent the nurse back in with the prescriptions and I was dismissed.

Do you see a problem with this? I sure do!

I know I have allergies and I could feel my sinuses clogged, but no infection seemed to be plaguing me. Just the weird pain.

I know I have a problem with TMJ. The left side of my jaw pops when I open wide. So, I came home and forced my mouth to open wide. It hurt. I continued until I heard it pop. I moved my jaw a bit open and closed and from side to side. Before going to bed I took ibuprofen.

This morning my jaw hurt really bad again. I did the same thing with my jaw and now the pain has lessened. I still have aching in my jaw/ear but I believe ibuprofen will help. I've researched TMJ and I'm sure that's the real problem. TMJ can cause headache and stomach upset. I've had both recently.

I am not going to fill the prescriptions given by the doctor. I will take Mucinex for the congestion and allergies and ibuprofen for the pain in my ear. Then I'll call the dentist and have them look at my mouth. After all, the pain started after that brutal session.

Bottom line, it pays to do self diagnosis and do it BEFORE going to see the doctor. With the insurance companies and their policies, doctors are running people in and out of their offices in a constant stream, and writing prescriptions without doing any diagnosis. Please be cautious. After all, it is your body...and your money.

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Write the Ending...

I've heard other writers suggest writing the ending before you actually reach that point. That troubles me. Since I am a "seat of the pants" writer, I have no idea how the story is going to actually end! I want to be surprised...I think. But, I have gotten stuck in manuscripts with no idea of who the villain is or how to conclude the story. So, what does that tell me? Should I write the ending?

When I begin writing a new story, I always have an idea of who my characters are, the main plot, conflict and how I believe the story will end. How I get there is the surprising part. My characters lead me into new situations and exciting adventures along the way.

I suppose writing the ending wouldn't be a problem. But I just can't do it. Why? Because as I venture along in the story, I get to know my characters much better. I feel their emotions and it becomes easier to show them in action, building always to the climax. So, even if that elusive villain doesn't show himself or herself until the final pages, the stakes will be so high that the climax will explode with emotions and action. Writing the climax is when I'm embedded so deeply into the story that I can't be torn from the keyboard.

I suppose I do write the ending...in my head. But I could never capture it on paper until I reach...The End.

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Happy Fourth of July to My Friends in USA

Enjoy the long weekend! I have to work today, but I'm off on Monday. So looking forward to a nice long weekend.

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Mental Blocks or Writing Blocks?

It started the day I knew my mother would move in with me. I hit a mental block about my writing. I chalked it up to having way too much on my plate. So, I stepped back and allowed myself some time to "take care of personal business."

Along the way, I'd open my manuscript, edit/write a page or two, get excited about the project, and... Something would come up and days/weeks would pass without my looking at it again.

Did I have writer's block?

No. A mental block is not writer's block. In fact, I've said this before. I don't believe in writer's block. I do, however, believe in mental blocks. Our internal editor entangles issues and fears in our brain that have nothing at all to do with our abilities, and the result is shutdown.

Case in point: I invited some dear friends to dinner. Having eight kids, trust me, I've never had a problem with cooking for anyone. But, after planning the menu, I stalled. As the day drew nearer, I couldn't imagine cooking anything. Everything seemed wrong. Inadequate. I even started searching the internet looking for menus. What happened to me? A simple cook-out meal should not be something to stress over. I had to dig deep for the answer. As a child, I never felt anything I did was "good" enough. My mother, bless her heart, wanted more for me than she'd accomplished. Unhappy with her lot in life, she alternated between being jealous of my accomplishments and pushing me to do more. Now she's living with me again. My mind is struggling with the confident adult and the incompetent child. Thus, I hit these mental blocks.

Opening my manuscript every day is mandatory.

How about you? If you think you have writer's block, maybe you should look deeper inside and ferret out the real problem. Only then can you overcome the obstacle.

Oh, yes. We had a great time, good food, laughter, and bonding with our friends. And, my manuscript is moving right along.

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Weaving Romance, Suspense, and Inspiration...

...is not easy to do. How do you get the correct balance?

My latest manuscript is challenging me. I have a great conflict. The characters have gripped my heart.

But, when I thing too hard about getting the right balance of everything, it stops my progress. That dratted inner editor keeps whispering in my ear.

So, what to do? I decided to try something different. I'm going to finish the book focusing on the romance and development between the characters as they deal with the mystery/suspense that has drawn them together. I'm not comfortable with quoting scripture as some authors do.

Maybe I shouldn't classify my romance as an inspirational. True, my characters are christian, but I want them to be real people, not cardboard christians that I see in a lot of inspirational books.

Guess that means this book may never get published. But...it will get written, and when I'm finished, I can sing, "I Did It My Way!"

Have a great day. Thanks for stopping by.

How Do You Get Your Ideas?

I see this question asked over and over again by writers, readers, and aspiring writers. I've always found this hard to answer when I'm asked this in an interview. So, I did some introspection to try and find out what it is that gives me a story starter.

As I've proclaimed many times, I'm a true pantster. If I plot and outline, you can just bet I won't ever write that particular story. There's something about the process that freezes my brain and stifles my creativity. So, what is it that gives me the idea for a story? It's a mood, a feeling, something I absorb into my mind when I look out the window of my office or my car.

Today, the sky is dark, there is a breeze blowing the trees, and lone bird sits on a wire. No cars are moving, nothing else is stirring. This pulls my mind into a scene of being all alone. I feel a woman who is at the depths of despair over something that has happened or is about to happen. Then I begin typing out what emotions I'm feeling and believe it or not, scene develops. My story builds around this scene. I don't yet know where the story might go, but I do have a deep-rooted awareness of my heroine.

There's nothing magical, nothing formulaic, just a dumping of what comes into my brain. Hmm, perhaps that is magical to someone who plots.

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I Am An E-book Author...and Proud of It

Sometimes I'm made to feel like a second class citizen because I am published in e-book format. Never mind that my books are also available in print. If I don't meet the standards of receiving an advance royalty, I'm not considered published by certain writing establishments. However, I'm considered published when it comes to entering any of their contests! Catch-22.

But, it doesn't matter. I write because I love to write. I love reading reviews and getting email from people telling me how I touched them with my stories. That's my goal. I don't do what I do to become the next NY Times Best-Selling author. I don't long to make tons of money and get world recognition for my books. I write because I can't NOT write. I enjoy telling stories. I love creating a book and the feeling it gives upon completion. Release day for me is exciting and scary. Just like it is for every "recognized" author.

However, with the economy changing and technology changing, the e-book is becoming more and more recognized, especially among the younger generation. I love reading e-books. They don't take up precious space in my house, and I can still hold my ereader in my hand and take it to bed and read. I can pack it when I travel without adding weight to my luggage.

Here's an interesting blog by Michael Hyatt, CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Click to read

What? We Have to Pay the City for the "Right" to Operate an Alarm System?

I am on my soapbox today. In our alarm monitoring bill this month is a license application. We need to have a license from the City of Columbus in order to have our home alarm system. What's with this?

We paid to have our system installed twenty years ago and we pay each month to have it monitored. Now we learn that we also have to pay the City of Columbus a licensing fee of $35.00 every two years in order to be able to use it! I'm really angry. BUT, if we don't pay it, then we cannot have the alarm system. We could go to court if we don't register.

So, what's a person to do? Our taxes pay for the police and fire personnel, we pay for our alarm system, we pay a monitoring system, and now we also have to pay the city for the "right" to use it?

Argh! It's not the amount of money involved, it's the principle. I'm ticked. Especially since our mayor wants to tear down the city center mall and build a park. In light of the economy, WHY? Is this why they are now trying to collect license fees for alarm systems that have been installed for over twenty years? The lady at the bureau said that the law has been in effect since 1987. So, why is this the first we've heard of it?

I'm ticked...really ticked.

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Economic Stimulus Plan--One Writer's Opinion

I'm really tired of looking at one more so-called economic stimulus plan. Come on, people. Remember, if it seems too good to be true...then it is too good to be true. Our government is already deeply in debt, just as the rest of most Americans are. Debt has become our downfall. I'm not a Republican, and I'm not a Democrat. I'm an American, who believes in working for what I want. I don't want anyone to hand it to me. But...if I have a loaf of bread and my neighbor is hungry...I will give half a loaf to my neighbor.

In my opinion it is time to get back to basics. Back to where we "cared" about our friends, our neighbors, our communities. When did we become so greedy? One of the ten commandments says we shouldn't covet our neighbor's house, wife, servant, ox, donkey or anything else that belongs to our neighbor. But then the devil dangled a credit card in our faces, and we learned that we didn't have to have funds to purchase what we wanted. We could have something bigger and better than our neighbors. Easy! We could charge it. Our country backed the idea and more and more Americans fell into the trap. The more we had, the more we craved. And the debt kept piling higher and higher. Eventually, it had to catch up with us...and now it has.

Why should we expect government to "bail us out?" If they do, that means the government goes even deeper into debt. So, are we expecting government to hand us our lives back on a silver platter while our country plunges deeper and deeper into the mire? How much more before it collapses?

Economic stimulus package - who pays for this ultimately? Aren't we just adding one more charge on our already overextended credit?

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