Insecure Writer's Support Group: Post 1

  My biggest insecurities as a writer stem from what I've read on "How to be a Great Writer."  There are a few key "must-do's" in order to remotely consider yourself publishable.  

                                                     1.  Write everyday, specifically on your work in progress.  

                                                          (.5-1 hour 7x a week)

2.  Read regularly and re-read to study and learn from those who have succeeded.  (.5-1 hour 7x a week)

3.  Build your platform through Facebook, Twiiter, Pintrest, and other forms of social media.  Start a blog and post a minimum of twice a week.  (.5-1 hour 7x a week, 1-2 hours 2x a week)

4.  Study your craft.  Take a writing course.  Make sure to do your homework.  (4-6 hours a week)

That doesn't sound too bad, right?  I mean if you're dedicated you should have no problem.  Well, I'm dedicated, but I also need to:

1. Work 40-50+ hours a week (I have two jobs barely paying the bills.)

2.  Eat three meals a day (15 minutes minimum three times a day seven days a week)

3.  Get eight hours of sleep each night (56 hours a week)

4.  Get in 30 minutes of cardio everyday (says my doctor.)

5.  Drive to commute (1 hour a day minimum, public transportation is not an option)

6.  Spend enough time with my family that they know I exist.  (about two hours a day.)

        If I commit to all my writer's duties and my personal duties (notice I did not include entertainment or time with friends) that is 78% of my short work weeks.  (So I might be able to make it work.)  But when it comes to my long work weeks,  I would need at least an extra fifteen minutes to my 24 hour day.

So what is an insecure writer to do?

1.  Prioritize (and writing should not be at the top of the list unless you are single, unemployed, and have no friends.  Would you rather be a great writer or a great loved one?)

2.  Manage what time you have.  Carve out a chunk of time for writing related things, but don't expect to do it all.  Do a little of each.

3.  Enjoy writing and "Hope for the best, prepare for the worst, and take what comes with a smile."

      I added this youtube video I found through Writer's Digest.  In some ways I feel like the little pink guy, but I at least know and understand what the other character is saying.  I may never be a great writer because of some of my flaws and time restraints, but I should at least be better than this over-confident guy.

Make sure to support other writers at http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/p/insecure-writers-support-group.html.

SSS 7/29/12

     Welcome to another Six Sentence Sunday!  I have been frustrated beyond all heck about my lack of writing time so hopefully you'll enjoy this tidbit.  It may or may not make it into my final manuscript of The Mythical Male, but I'm plugging along.  

    Here's the background you'll need to know:  Ziki Juxly (the first one to speak)  is from an all-female settlement on the moon and a few day prior to this she met a supposedly mythical creature during her earthcation -a man.  Tovi has taken her into his home for the remainder of Ziki's trip to show her what earth is really like, but they had a bit of a spat about whether or not it was a good idea for Ziki to attend the party of one of Tovi's lesser acquaintances.  Of course she went anyway, and in this bit she is about to learn the definition of "hangover."

            “I feel awful.  In more ways than one."

            “Well you’re hung-over for one, and two, you got the crap scared out of you in the most horrifying experience of your life, and three,  you barfed all over me.”

            “Thanks for the reminder,” Ziki said with every ounce of sarcasm she could muster.  “You know this means I’m moving my stuff back into your guestroom for the rest of my vacation, right?  As soon as I get over whatever illness this is.”

   I hope you enjoyed my six sentences!  Make sure to check out other great writers by clicking the Six Sentence Sunday icon above (or to the right.)

Under Reconstruction

        I recently read an article about the use of photos on blogs and will be removing any pictures that are not mine from this site. All previous blogs will most likely be a bit less appealing but copyright safe. I recommend you check out http://www.roniloren.com/blog/2012/7/20/bloggers-beware-you-can-get-sued-for-using-pics-on-your-blog.html for some important information about copyrighted photos. Please be patient as I reconstruct my blog and find public domain pictures to use.  Thank you.

Six Sentence Sunday 7/22/12

       
          Happy Sunday everyone!  Hopefully I'll get a chance to read all the posts today, but my time is even more limited than normal.  This Sunday I'm posting six sentences that I just wrote.  I mean that quite literally as I just spent the last few hours continuing my work on draft one of The Mythical Male. I hope you enjoy this bit where I just left off.  
        Tovi (the "Mythical" male) and Ziki (The girl who recently learned it's no myth) are in the middle of a rather passionate make-out session near the pool when Tovi's conscious gets the better of him...for a moment.

             Tovi stopped suddenly and rolled off her.  “I can’t do this,” he said as he gasped for air.  "It's not right."

            “Please, don’t stop,” Ziki said as she climbed onto him, desperate to be touching him in some way.  She pressed her lips against his and gently nibbled his lower lip.  He gave in. 

They exchanged tongues in a passionate rage, pressing their bodies against one another.  Their suits came off, and just as Ziki thought they couldn’t possibly be any closer, they were.  

  

  As always I welcome your comments and I hope you'll check out all of the great writers at Six Sentence Sunday.  I would also like to take this opportunity to shamelessly ask you to check out some of my other posts and give me some much needed feedback. Thank again!

Understanding Situational Anxiety Papilloma Virus

            There is an epidemic spreading across the United States and even around the world.  Its origin differs from case to case, but everyone has the potential to be affected by it.  

            Situational Anxiety Papilloma Virus, or SAP, is a naturally occurring entity in humans but normally exists on a small scale.  Like many symbiotes in the human body, different triggers can set off an imbalance that grows exponentially until the condition becomes serious.  

            Symptoms of SAP include irritability, sleeplessness, mild depression, over-planning, and in rare cases twitching.  Some people recognize SAP right away and seek treatment immediately while others don’t notice until the symptoms are pointed out to them.  Some remain in denial as the disease festers and takes over.

            Although there is no cure for Situational Anxiety Papilloma Virus and prevention is not always possible, remission is possible.  SAP treatments include yoga, massage, spa therapy, medication, psycho-therapy, and faith.  

            If you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms of SAP, get help. Have that worry-wart removed before it gets too big!

People who found this article helpful also read: Cyanotic Scrotum Syndrome: Does Your Man Have It?

Six Sentence Sunday 7/15/12

            

        Another Sunday, another six sentences.  I made major headway on draft one of my WIP The Mythical Male and have decided to finish the story before I do any revision.  Therefore I'm not very excited to share what I've got but I figured this part wasn't half bad.

        After some quiet chewing Tovi asked, “So is there anything the article didn’t cover that you’d like to know?”

       “Yeah actually, if earth dwellers don’t donate eggs and put them together to grow in a capsule, then how do you procreate?” Ziki asked.  

         Tovi stared at her blankly for a second. 

         “What’s the matter?” She asked. 


     I hope you enjoyed my six.  Make sure to check out other great writers participating in Six Sentence Sunday .

Calling in busy.

Dear reader (if you exist),
I'm sorry I am unable to post any kind of article or short story today.  I have been working on my novel recently as well as working 50 hour this week so I have didly squat to post on here.  For now, please enjoy this adorable picture of my brother's cat.
Sinceraly,
Samantha Paige

Six Sentence Sunday 7/8/12

Welcome to another Six Sentence Sunday!  I hope you enjoy these six sentences from what is currently chapter one of my WIP.  My main character is pondering some of her favorite semi-believable myths:

For one, she was a firm believer in moon-flyers, she swore she saw one while camping with her mother as a young girl.  She also -until this assignment- enjoyed reading the evidence about how humans used to have ten digits on their feet until “evolution deemed the most lateral toe obsolete.”  

            The most hilarious tale was the pre-digital moon landing.  It supposedly took place in the year 1212 Pre-Settlement Era, as if any space travel was possible with computers that ran on mere megabytes. 

 

            Then there was her favorite myth:  the male.  The idea of such a creature was both frightening and intriguing.  

         I hope you enjoyed my six!  Make sure to check out other great reads at Six Sentence Sunday.

The Anti-Muse

I’m settling into the easy chair by the TV and the only sound I hear is the gentle hum of my computer and the purr of my sleeping cat.  I pull up my latest work-in-progress and a few sentences in, I hear it: The anti-muse.

Unlike the soft and sweet whisper of the muse, the anti-muse yells with a raspy voice of steel wool that will rip into your heart and tear out your hopes and dreams.

“You fool!”  He screams.  “You’re no writer. You’re just a simpleton trying to put words together into sentences no one wants to read.  Just look at your blog.  Zero readers this week.  ZERO! ZILCH! NADA! No one wants to read your rubbish,” the anti-muse snides.

“So I’m in a bit of a slump,” I say.  “But anyone can write.  It’s just putting thoughts into words with a little creativity.”

“Anyone can write garbage!” He replies. “And let’s face it; you have the creativity of a white crayon on white paper.  Just read the trash you have so far.  I don’t even know which incompetence I should point out first!  You used their instead of they’re, the whole scene is unrealistic, and your characters have no personality!”  The anti-muse says as he guides my attention to each fault in my writing.  

“I see what you mean but…”

“You couldn’t sell a well-researched essay to the richest slacker on earth! Let alone sell a novel to a reader.  You should have stuck to the wise advice ‘write what you know’; which in your case means nothing!”  He says as he rips deeper into my soul.

“I just thought this would be an interesting…”

“Well, it’s not!”  He interrupts.  “It’s less interesting than your grey-clad algebra teacher with the monotone voice.  I mean seriously! Where is this plot going anyway?  I know. It’s either going nowhere or it’s going straight to….”

“STOP IT! JUST STOP IT!”  I yell back.  “It’s a draft, D-R-A-F-T, draft.  It’s supposed to be rough!  Yes, I have a long way to go on it, but I’m just starting to get my ideas down.”

“Isn’t this your third draft?” He gives as a rebuttal. “Shouldn’t you have it down by now?”

“No!  I’ll probably revise it a few more times, get it critiqued, revise again, and keep repeating the process until you shut up.”  I say. “Now leave me alone!  I need to write some more garbage.   For all you know it could turn into gold once it’s refined in the fires of revision.”

Six Sentence Sunday 7/1/12

Happy July!  Here are six more sentences from my WIP The Mythical Male.  In this section, Tovi is enjoying his morning off of work and his Personal Computing Assistant is ruining his good mood.  

            “Weather report calls for severe storms in the evening.”

            “Way to wreck my mood, you stupid computer! I guess I better make the most of the sunshine. Baseball sounds like fun.”

            “You said yesterday that all your friends are working today.”

            “Do I need to start looking for your power switch, Dexter?”

            “It’s located in the compartment behind my screen.”

I hope you enjoyed my six sentences.  Make sure you check out other great six sentences at Six Sentence Sunday.