When To Stop Writing

A few days ago, I finished rewriting on my contributions to The Writers of the Desert Rose Cafe Anthology. I sent my revisions to the members who collate the contributions into the final manuscript. The volume will be turned over to Acorn Book Services for formatting and uploading to the marketplace for e-books. (Hopefully in December.)

I received a couple of specific criticisms from the publisher on two of my pieces. However, I revised almost every story, including my biographical paragraph.

After re-reading the pieces multiple times, I wanted to yank out several of my entries because now I hate them. I don’t want them published under my name. They aren’t perfect. They aren’t mature. They bore me. Some are pablum.  Pablum suggests simplistic writing.

I tell myself. “This is a first effort, so the stench of the amateur shouldn’t surprise anyone.” That’s my scared self speaking.

I’m delighted that the editor suggested changes to improve stories. Consequently, there are two or three pieces I think deliver entertainment for the reader. Satisfactorily. Worth the price of admission. Maybe leaving the reader curious about what comes next from this author.

And I grew. As an author. As a wordsmith. As a human being. As an experimenter.

Striving to make something excellent is good, to a point.  Sometimes a writer rewrites and rewrites, seeking perfection in a piece. But there  does come a time to stop: stop reworking, stop criticizing, stop touching up. At that point, it’s time to publish and let the chips fall where they may. It’s time to face the music.

Am I ready for the commercial press? Book buyers will vote. Readers will tell me.

If my collection of work is a screw up,  I hope a reader is brave enough to spell out specifics for me, not just the critique “I don’t like it.”  It’s the “I don’t like it because. . .” that helps me improve the next time.

Good For What Ails You

One of my favorite bloggers is T from aslongasimsinging.wordpress.com. He explores man’s inner workings and darker moments with finesse and clarity. Further, he is a damn good writer.  A masterful wordsmith.

Anyway, while reading a recent post (http://aslongasimsinging.wordpress.com/2012/07/06/adventures-in-paradise/#comment-1649), I came across intelligent advice for almost any situation where one is experiencing loss, consternation, indecision, pain or any other strong internal conflict.

T says:

When you can walk it off, do. But when you can’t, rest up first. Have yourself a good cry. Get well. And then walk.

Although this advice was given in the context of making one’s way through the roadblocks in the life maze, I find it is also helpful to me as a writer. I have been rejected, demeaned, frustrated, confused, scared, burned, broken and any number of other paralyzing traumas over the course of my writing career. In the past, some of these situations or feelings made me lay down my pen for months or years at a time.

Always I was able to resurrect my desire to create through doing something akin to the advice shared by T’s character. Maybe his technique can work for you next time something strangles your creativity.

A Nice Example of Karma

Author Timothy Hallinan is a nice guy. See him at www.timothyhallinan.com. He is the kind of author who likes helping newbies reach up and grab the bottom rung of the professional ladder. It’s not beneath him to lend a helping hand.

On his website, he has a summary of his year. What I’d like to point out is not only did Tim have a good year professionally, he also had a good year as a humanitarian. I’d like to think the two are connected somehow in this great cosmos of ours. That’s karma at work.

Taken from Tim’s web site:

“It’s been quite a year so far.

THE QUEEN OF PATPONG, the fourth Poke Rafferty thriller, was nominated for two major awards, the Edgar and the Macavity.

I finished and put online the second book in my ebook series of Junior Bender Mysteries, LITTLE ELVISES.  This one was a lot of fun to write, and I hope it’s also fun to read.

It was my pleasure to contribute a story to BANGKOK NOIR, a collection of stories set in the Big Mango – written by some remarkable storytellers, and for a great cause—taking care of Bangkok’s poorest children.

And finally, moved by the ongoing tragedy in Japan, I edited an e-book collection of original short stories by twenty of our finest mystery writers.  SHAKEN: STORIES FOR JAPAN went online for the Amazon Kindle on the three-month anniversary of the disaster.  We’re all proud to have made a small contribution to putting people’s world, and their lives, where possible, back together.”

My hope is that I, too, will use my skills, influence and/ or success to help others. My thanks to Tim for being a role model.

 

Lesson: Photographing Bambi Ballet

Flying Reindeer?.

Click on the link. Please take a moment to read the tactic used by the author to capture this real life Bambi Ballet. For authors who wish to sell magazine articles, acquiring photography skills can enhance your earnings. A friend of mine sells articles to several sailing magazines. She has learned to be a good photographer. Now she sells photographs with her articles. Consequently, she has doubled her earnings.

The “Flying Reindeer” author talks about animal photography and a trick he learned on the fly. It’s a simple tool to add to your writer’s  tool box.

A Golden Oldie Re: Tim Hallinan

Re-posted from Dream Station, first written in March 2010:

Real Tools for the Writer at Tim Hallinan’s Blog Cabin

     A friend told me about the Tim Hallinan web site at http://www.timothyhallinan.com/. Click on “The Blog Cabin” to find an abundance of information from writing tips to getting published to learning the hard way in the real world of making a living as a writer. Kudos to Tim for putting the information out there for the rest of us! It’s great stuff.