Birthday reflections
Birthdays are good for you – the more you have, the longer you live.
Happy birthday to me.
No – it’s not one of the BIG ONES (that comes next year).
Birthdays are a good time to reflect on the year just completed. What kind of a year did I have? When I look back over the last year it has been one of some big highs and deep lows.
Highlights:
- My first trip overseas last December and January (see my travel blog).
- Trekking in the Himalayas
- Seeing Mt Everest up close (20km is close when you walk in those mountains).
- Getting some fabulous photos on my new digital camera (see my photo gallery)
- Getting my three blogs up and running and getting steadily increasing traffic (hi everyone)
- Getting some of my short stories published
- Accomplishing more writing this year than ever before.
- The depth of the relationships developed in the Bible study group I lead.
Lowlights:
- Being diagnosed as diabetic earlier this year
- Struggling for months to adjust to this diabetic life (a work in progress)
- My wife having two serious operations this year
I won’t dwell too much on the lowlights. I struggle with the wise advice to accept such things and confidently say, “This too shall pass.”
There is so much to look forward to, including the exciting potential of my blogs, some writing projects with great promise and the freedom to explore other possibilities, including the prospect of further travel next year.
Doing the writer’s sigh
Recently I have done the writer’s jig a few times. This is when I get a story or poem accepted for publication in a magazine. It is in the form of a little celebration dance around the room, accompanied by a yippee or three.
Sad to say, I did the writer’s sigh a few days ago. Another rejection letter in the mail. [SIGH] I’d done all the right things (write things???) too.
A few writing hints:
- Read the publisher’s guidelines and follow them carefully.
- Read the magazine you are submitting to in order to understand their style and the type of stories or articles that are used in that publication.
- Edit your story – make it as good as you can – rewriting as needed.
- Read your story aloud, watching out for phrases and sentences that sound wrong or clumsy.
- Submit your story, article or poems.
- Go on writing new material.
- When you get a rejection, print out a fresh copy and send it off again.
Remember –
- read every day
- write every day
- take time for yourself every day
Who do you write for?
I guess that title should be more correctly written: “For whom do you write?” but that sounds too stuffy.
It is a question I don’t think I’ve spent a great deal of time thinking about. Do I write for some nebulous person who happens to be a conglomerate of many readers? Do I write to satisfy the editor of a magazine so my story or article will be published? Do I write for the readers of this blog who regularly leave comments?
I’m not really sure.
One thing I am certain about, however, is that I definitely write for myself. The satisfaction I derive from the creative process is worth the many long hours at the keyboard. I also like the warm glow I get when a piece works, or a story turns out far beyond my expectations. Coming back to something I wrote decades ago and getting a glimpse of a younger me, wow – that’s worth it.
It is almost trite to say, because it has been said so many times by some many writers, but I really HAVE to write. Not being able to write is like not being able to breathe. It is so much a part of who I am.
A recent article by Liz Strauss on Successful Blog has made me rethink this issue. Perhaps there is one person who is more important than me when it comes to my readers.
Link:
- Writing for that one most important reader: that curious, clever, intelligent individual.
- Successful Blog – Liz Strauss writes about many interesting topics.
The Citadel of Dreams
“When you start, the world of publishing seems like a great cathedral citadel of talent, resisting attempts to let you inside. It isn’t like that at all… there’s a great, empty warehouse out there looking for simple talent.”
Alan Garner
When you start out on the writer’s journey the citadel seems daunting indeed. The path to the front door is hard, long and twisted. It may even be overgrown with thorns and weeds in places. Finally you reach the main – the only – door. It appears heavy, solid and securely locked. The windows are too high to climb through. There is no-one there to open for you. You keep knocking; hollow echoes within are the only result.
You sit down on a nearby rock. Should you return home? The only path open seems to be to go back and pick up the pieces of your old profession. As your sinking heart realises this unpalateable truth, you reach into your bag and fondle the bundle of paper sheets. Your much loved, carefully crafted poems, those stories born from your innermost passions, that novel chiselled out of life’s hardships; are they just items destined to be dust gatherers?
Underneath the many papers you find, at the very bottom of your travel bag, a long forgotten book. Torn, dirty pages and a tattered cover. Loose leaves, food and drink stains and the odd crumb. The title is faded but you know what it says: “The Citadel of Dreams: how to become a writer.”
This much loved book was your constant companion for many years as you honed your craft. You followed the instructions to the letter. Strange then that, as you turn the pages, you realise that you had neglected the final pages. As you read the final paragraphs you are aware that you haven’t completely followed the last instruction:
“Persevere: even the strongest door eventually gives way to those who keep on knocking.”
You turn again to that rock solid door… and knock.
And that mighty door swings gently on its hinges… and you enter.
Doing the writer’s jig
5 Comments »25th October, 2006; Category: The Writer's Life
Yes – it’s happened again.
A magazine arrived in the mail a few days ago with another of my short stories published. This is the first time I’ve managed to get published in this particular magazine which makes it extra special. The publication is only quarterly, somewhat smaller than most and the editors are extremely selective with the content. Competition is rather fierce for the limited space.
And mine was the only short story chosen for this issue. Wow.