Since January

My blog entries have once again been side tracked. Life gets in the way of writing – writing gets in the way of life. It is a delicate balance. I have actually written quite a few things lately. The newsletter for the dermatologist I work for. Our first quarterly issue will be e-mailed to hundreds of his patients in March. I’ve also been putting bi-weekly posts on his Facebook page, researching various things he is interested in, and doing updates to his web page.  I also wrote a lovely (and very well received) eulogy for my grandmother. She lived to be 105.5 and had a wonderful, full, well loved life. I’ve also been in the throes of polishing, buffing and making beautiful the first chapter of Stars Bright. It has now been submitted to a contest. I don’t really care if I win the contest (though it would be nice), but I’m really hoping for some constructive feedback. I’ve also been gearing up for a pitch session in May and giving my query a going over. This will be my first ever pitch session. Again, it will be a bonus if she requests anything. I’m doing it for the experience and to get my feet firmly on the querying path.

Questions- semi-colon or no semi-colon? The last sentences of the above post I originally wrote:

Again, it will be a bonus if she requests anything; I’m doing it for the experience and to get my feet firmly on the querying path.

Is it better as one long sentence or two?

And just for the fun of it – here’s a picture of my chickens on a snowy day

Happy Writing!

Must we kill the Angel in the House?

I recently read The Virginia Woolf Writers’ Workshop, Seven Lessons to Inspire Great Writing by Danell Jones. In one of the chapters Ms. Jones, drawing from Virginia Woolf’s extensive journals and writings, points out how Woolf thought that writers, especially women writers, needed to “be prepared to kill a cruel, destructive creature named the Angel in the House. That selfless, giving caretaker…, who always puts everyone else’s needs ahead of her own; who thinks her own work is not important.”  That statement jarred me. To me, in 2012, it seems a bit of an extreme act, but when Woolf was writing (she lived from 1882-1941) for a woman to even have thoughts of doing (let alone actually acting upon those thoughts) something other than caring for the home was radical. Woolf had to teach herself and those around her that it is okay for a woman to focus on her needs and her goals. I am fortunate, and I hope most women in the western world are too, to be in a relationship of equals, a partnership where my dreams and desires are supported and fostered just as I support and encourage Mr. W’s goals and ambitions. 

I think the key to any work, any life, in the 21^st century is balance.  Create, lead, invent, manage, or work in something that speaks to your heart, something in which you have passion about while tending to those in your sphere of care and concern. Many creatives must fit the work of their heart and hands into the routine of life that demands money for shelter and substance. The creative person must jealously guard the moments they schedule for creative pursuits- tapping at the key board early in the morning before the house arises, sketching ideas for a new design during the lunch hour, or Friday nights spent at the easel.

My advice, don’t kill the Angel of the House, instead:

·         outline the needed and desired tasks and goals

·         prioritized the list

·       delegate among the household or workplace

·        let go of the unnecessary

·       develop a schedule that (baring an emergency) you stick to each day

It is okay to be selfish with your scheduled creative time. It is also okay to, at times, put others need ahead of your own.

In what ways have you made time for the pursuits of your heart? 

Are the important people in your life supportive? 

Have they always been that way and if not how have you educated them on the importance of your creative work?

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this subject.

Creating Villains - Part III

Here are some of the villains from my childhood.

       

I know not very threatening, unless you're the Road Runner, Laura Ingalls, or Captain Kirk. I've never gone for the supper scary stuff in tv, movies or books. One night, when I was about 10, I flipped on late night tv. The Exorcist was playing. I started watching it, not knowing it was a horror movie. I got so scared I turned it off,  went to bed, and
started to cry. My dad heard me. He turned the t.v. back on and we watched the rest of the movie.The whole timed he pointed out the special effects and cinematic details that go into film making. He was a smart and patient man. He knew if I (and he) were to have any peace that night (and probably many nights to come) I has to see the final outcome to the demon possession, but at the same time he took the horror out of it.

Here's the final part of the some the best advice I've gleaned on how to make memorable villains.

PART III

A MIRROR – often the villain will reflect the hero’s flaw back at himself and shows what could happen if the hero fails to solve his problems. A villain can show “…what could happen [to the hero] if they gave into the temptation that rests within all heroes’ hearts. And it is the hero seeing their own darkness reflected in the villain—and the villain seeing the remnants of their virtue in the hero—that causes such killer chemistry” Think Darth Vader and Luke or even Laura and Nellie. [http://www.omnivoracious.com/2012/09/creating-villains-and-heroes-with-killer-chemistry.html]

HERO OF HIS OWN STORY – “The villain is the hero of his own story.”

“Heroes, by their very nature, have to REACT to trouble. Villains get to CREATE it.  They’re active, they have plans and plots and all sorts of schemes up their sleeves.  The villain has a master plan, and the hero’s job is to stop them.” [http://www.scott-tracey.com/2010/03/26/how-to-create-a-villain/]

“A worthy adversary is —a smart, wily, dangerous creature who tests your protagonist’s courage and prowess. Stupid, bumbling characters are good for comic relief, but they make lousy villains. The smarter, more invincible the villain, the harder your protagonist must work to find his vulnerability and the greater the achievement in bringing him to justice.” [http://www.writersdigest.com/writing-articles/by-writing-goal/improve-my-writing/3-techniques-for-crafting-your-villain]

Which villains have stuck with you from your childhood days? 
Today, who is the villain you just love to hate?

Creating Villains part II

POINT OF VIEW – “no one sees themselves as mean or evil or bitchy or insane or stupid. Your villain won't either. To him, his actions and his logic are perfectly justifiable.” [http://www.writing-world.com/fiction/villains.shtml]

“Consider the standard motives like greed, jealousy or hatred. Then go a step further. Get inside your villain’s head and see the crime from his perspective. What looks to law enforcement like a murder motivated by greed may, to the perpetrator, be an act in the service of a noble, even heroic cause.” [http://www.writersdigest.com/writing-articles/by-writing-goal/improve-my-writing/3-techniques-for-crafting-your-villain]

“…In the real world, people rarely think of themselves as evil. Most of us imagine ourselves to be good people, or at least people whose circumstances in some way excuse their less savory actions. When you look at real-world figures who have done the things to which a mastermind villain might aspire--Alexander the Great, Attila the Hun, Hitler, etc.--I don’t see any evidence that any of them doubted the rightness of his actions. His behavior made sense to him within the context of his worldview.” [http://www.omnivoracious.com/2011/10/smarter-faster-meaner-richard-lee-byers-on-writing-mastermind-villains.html]

ADMIRAL QUALITIES or PRINCIPLES – a villain often has a redeeming quality or two, devoted to her little brother, an avid recycler, a highly competent boss or a hard working employee. “Did you know Ted Bundy didn’t like to steal cars that were uninsured? He thought it was cruel.” [http://wildrosepress.us/publisher/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1641&Itemid=203]

Who are some of your favorite villains- those characters you just love to hate?

Can you guess the female villains pictured above? You are a real sci-fi geek if you get the last. 

I GET TO WEAR SCRUBS

Terrisa, office manager for Dr. Hinckley, a dermatologist, called last Wednesday afternoon.  “I have one question I forgot to ask you…” She asked, I answered and then she said, “With that we’d like to offer you the job.”

ME – REALLY? I got the job!

Yeah, sure I applied for the job. I knew they liked me at the interview. I also knew that I had NO experience working for anything other than hugs and kisses and eternal joy for the last twenty-four years.  

Do I want to work outside the home? No. I love being home. I want to write and decorate the house and work in the yard. But at this point, though Mr. W says I don’t have too, I feel strongly that I must work. There are strange twists happening in the national economy and we have some added expenses by way of medical and mission with our kids. 

So, I’ll be a part time office assistant. I’ll do the typical medical office assistant stuff with the added l designation of “social media specialist”. Yep, I get to make sure Dr. Hinckley is properly and dynamically connected throughout the internet world.  All the stuff I’ve been learning about building a platform, creating a brand, connecting with an audience to help further my writing career I get to also apply to a medical office. I think it is cool how information and skills (though minor I feel mine are) can translate into an entirely other field. 

Some things I love about this position:

- It is the only job I applied for and I got it like that [snaps fingers]

- It is part time four days a week four hours a day

- It is medical, but most patients aren’t contagious

- It is a friendly harmonious office with no gossip or cattiness

- I get a lanyard and name badge

- I get to wear scrubs with my name embroidered on them

Have any of you gone to work after a long stay at home?

How did you balance all your responsibilities?

What were your greatest challenges and biggest joys?

[here is a link to the doctor's website, no I'm not on it yet, next week I get my hands dirty fixing up the website http://www.hinckleyderm.com/]

Creating Villains, Part I

PART I

DISCLAIMER – “The creation of a truly villainous character can become especially intense. Try writing about them in smaller chunks than you ordinarily would. If you don't take a small break every half-hour or so, you may find yourself absorbing a portion of the villain's negativity, which can affect your relationships with the people you care about”  [http://www.wikihow.com/Create-a-Credible-Villain-in-Fiction]

Disclaimer 2- everyone writes as if the villain is a “he” feel free to substitute “she”, some of the best villains are female ie: the White Witch in Narnia, Bellatrix Lestrange

 

DEGREES OF VILLAINY – The genre you are writing in will dictate the type of villain you create. The degrees of villainy range from the nosy next door neighbor to the psychopathic killer to the mastermind wanting to take over the world and many levels in between. Pick a style that is a good balance to your hero. “Your villain has to have enough power, of whatever nature, at his disposal to make him a credible threat to your hero… David wouldn’t have gotten nearly the press he did if Goliath had been 5’9” and asthmatic.” [http://www.magicalwords.net/really-i-mean-it/how-to-build-a-villain-by-jim-butcher]

BACKSTORY – every villain needs one, even if the reader does not see their whole story. You as the writer need to know where the villain came from.

“Think about what happened to make that character the way she is. You may never share your villain’s life story with your reader, but to make a complex, interesting villain, you need to know.”  [http://www.writersdigest.com/writing-articles/by-writing-goal/improve-my-writing/3-techniques-for-crafting-your-villain]

Consider these points while keeping in mind that villains are broken:

-What motivates him?

- Why does this particular desire drive this character?

- Is there anything that would satisfy this desire?

                Ask yourself:

                                How far would you go to achieve this goal?

                                What if you didn't care who you hurt?

                                How would you rationalize your actions?

-What traits and talents must he have to perform his role in the story?

-What additional traits, talents, or back story should I give him to create the sense that he is a real person and not just a cog in the plot machinery? 

 -What would make him interesting? [http://suite101.com/article/creating-memorable-villains-a43842]

EIGHT MONTHS

The last eight months have held a lot of changes for our family:      

                                                        

-In April we found out we were being transferred to Utah from Oregon

-We finished the remolding the master bath of our Oregon house and got it sold in the required three months

-We found a home to buy in Utah

-Moved

-BAM and BLM sold their condo and moved in with us. ALW finished his semester of college and moved in with us. Eight people now live in the house.

-WRW enrolled full time in at high school and NAW enrolled in an online charter school thus putting an abrupt end to our twenty years of home schooling

-A change in Church policy is letting HMW go on a mission now, having just turned 19, instead of at age 21. She leaves for New York January 9^th.

-We have found doctors and are progressing in getting ALW the jaw surgery we have known for ten years he will need to have once he stopped growing.

There has been many twist, turns and challenges, but even among all the chaos there is an overriding feeling of peace with us.  Though we don’t really know why we are to be in Utah and all the different opportunities being here has presented to us we do know it is part of a larger master plan. We feel the hand of Providence guiding us and are grateful for His presence.

What has helped you through big life changes?