I’m going to try to write something every day while I’m sick and indeed while the lockdown continues. On my last post I told ya that I am indeed fighting a virus that’s in my lungs though I have not yet been tested. I’m hoping by Wednesday when our closest drive up testing center opens, I will be feeling much better. If not I will likely go over and just confirm it or rule it out and go from there.
Losing my voice a little, with breathing treatments I breathe okay but if I talk a lot will get short of breath. I’m a fighter though and no stranger to battling illness so I am girded for battle, My spirits are high. (I get knocked down but I get up again, ain’t nothing gonna keep me down!)
Yesterday I talked a bit about, well, a lot of things. I went back and edited where I said women are pushed down like other ethnic groups, didn’t want to make it appear as if I think I have ANY idea what it is like to be a woman of color. I do not and cannot imagine. The only thing I have experienced that would come close would be the times I have been treated badly as a woman, for being a woman. Not the same thing, of course.
I thought, as I am a writer and this is my blog and one might assume I may occasionally talk about writing, that I would do so today.
I am planning (as soon as I get to feeling stronger in the lungs, etc) to do a couple of videos on writing, talk about some of the things I’ve done in the past, helping other writers, and my best tips and advice for the person who says, “Hey, I think I want to write a book!” I meet people who tell me that all the time and I offer what advice I can and will even help them along the process if they decide to proceed. (I will share some good tips here and now for any interested, to whet the appetite.)
Gonna share the number one first thing I ask such a person: What are you reading? Who are your favorite authors? How much or often do you read? Just like you go to medical school to learn medicine before being a doctor or study as a plumber’s apprentice before becoming a plumber, (you see where I’m going) if you never read, you’ll never be a writer. It is absolutely the best study of writing there is.
There are other skills you will need such as a better- than- working knowledge of spelling and grammar and vocabulary. People try to tell me often that they are writers but sometimes when I look at their work I can’t get through it, can’t even finish reading it because it is soooo bad in the area of spelling and/or even knowing how to correctly punctuate and put a paragraph together. I guarantee you that no publisher is willing to work with such a person. Put in the work. Study. If you don’t want to take classes, study books. Read, read, and read some more. Take note of how they do it. Emulate what they do. Increase your vocabulary constantly.
I say again, you cannot be a writer without putting in the work, just like anything else.
Another thing I have run across a lot, is someone coming to me who has an amazing writer’s imagination, and they tell me their ideas and I can spot it immediately. But then, they have no idea how to put those ideas on paper. (I refer them back to the advice above.) Some have asked me to do the work for them. That’s not how any of this works. If you want it bad enough, be willing to put the time in. Practice, practice, practice. I often agree to read other’s practice writing and attempt to advise. There truly are no easy shortcuts just like there isn’t with anything worthwhile. And it should be said that there are those with a natural talent and affinity for it (I was one) and it will be easier for them to do this work. It’s always easier if it comes more naturally and if you’re passionate about it.
I hope this gives you food for thought and that if you are a person interested in writing at all, you will tune in when I get my YouTube vids up. I will post everywhere when that happens.
Still struggling with getting along with people on Facebook who are deep into conspiracy theories and do not believe this virus is real. I know so many people affected in one way or another and have a dear friend who lost a son. I know it’s real and have zero tolerance. And because I have no love for the Trumpster, that makes it very hard for me to be on Facebook. I’ve just had to start blocking people. Some that I dearly love, even. Cuz I just can’t. He lost me the very first time he opened his mouth and when I heard his description of women, I nearly vomitted. I lost all respect for him long ago and do not get the hero worship that is taking place over there on the right. Be Republican if you want to, but this I cannot understand and never will. If this puts you off me, sorry, not sorry, do what you’ve got to do. Enough said about that, but here is where I will (only occasionally) post my opinions on such things.
If you have any questions on writing, please ask! On this site you will see my books that are still in print listed, they are also available on Amazon. My two most recent are Transcendant (dystopian fiction), and Heart of Courage, a poetry compilation of my poetry with three other poets that I know personally and love dearly. My other books were written between 2009 and 2013 I believe, but these two are most recent. I have a couple of projects I have started but seem to be drawn a lot into my art these days and smaller projects like poetry and short stories and I plan to do another book of poetry when I have enough gathered. I also list some of my acrylic-on-canvas paintings here on my site (see the tabs at top).
Gonna rest my noodle for a bit. I hope you are all well, and for anyone battling any kind of illness, stay strong, my heart goes out to you.
And hey, while you’re isolating, READ. 🙂