A Person's Perceptions Are As Individual As Their Fingerprints...

If three different people were to read the same story, more than likely you would get three different perspectives on that story. This is what happened last Friday evening at the writer's group I belong to. I read a piece I had written for my Nonfiction Magazine Article class, which had been well received the evening before in my class, by the instructor as well as other class members. The goal of this writer's group is networking, and helping each other to become the best writer's we can be. One of the activities at the meetings is for anyone who wishes to, to read their work aloud. After the reading other members can either verbally critique what had been read, or write their critique on an index card, meant for the writer's eyes alone. I never read the critique's at the meeting. I will usually wait until I am home and settled in for the night. I like to savor the good one's, and to decifer the one's which I am not clear what the person was trying to say. I had quite a few critique's Friday. All different perspective's, some made no sense whatsoever, other's appreciative of my writing and honest story telling. I write nonficiton primarily. So they are not only commenting on my technical writing skills, but also my opinion or style of writing has come under scrutiny. There are those who totally do not get what the piece is about and they can be the most critical and downright nasty. How what I've written is being percieved is like night and day from one person to the next. It's as individual as a person's fingerprints...to each his own...

Put Away for Safe Keeping...

Have you ever put something away in a specific spot for safe keeping, and then when you need it you cannot find it? I have (I use the word "have" loosely) a file folder full of poems, essays, and other pieces I have written over the last 11 years, and I am unable to lay my hands on it. Over the last few years I have come across it several times and always put it away so I wouldn't misplace it. Ha! A lot of good that did me...it's been misplaced. My house is not that big and I have turned it upside down looking for my folder of written work. I am just hoping that the last time I ran across it I didn't toss it out in frustration while decluttering my home. Some of my best writing, I am eager to find it. Wherever it may be, it definitely is safe...safe from me...

To the Scrap Pile...

Well, I am scrapping the essay I wrote. After class Thursday evening I decided to take it in a different direction. My brain is doing loop de loops! I have so many topics I want to write about, but I can't seem to collect my thoughts on anything specific. I need to get them out of my head, onto paper or computer, then I will be able to focus on one idea at a time, enough to actually write something! I am a total procrastinator, and it's got to stop. I love writing. I love reading about writing. I love talking about writing. I love listening to others talk about their writing. It goes on and on...but I need to be disciplined with my writing time and devote a specific time frame to just writing. Everyday. No surfing the internet, no talking on the phone, no sitting in front of the television, set my alarm and get up in the morning. These crucial adjustments are desperately needed, or nothing will take place on the blank page (or screen) that sits before me.

A cluttered mind definitely makes for a tough road to writing...

Not the Perfect Fit After All...

Come to find out the magazine I thought was the perfect fit for my essay, isn't. You have to actually live in Austin, Texas where the magazine is published. I discovered this, not in my 3 inch thick writer's market book, but online at the magazine's website. I suppose it is a local Austin publication so they want people who know the area, the people, etc... Oh well, I will find a "perfect fit".

Today was an awesome day at church. The pastor gave an amazing message. Love it when you leave church feeling better than when you went in.

The weather is quite warm today. Almost too warm for this time of year. I am looking forward to a nice quiet evening because of this "heatwave" we are having though. The little guy has run himself all day today, so I know he will be asleep in no time after his bath and dinner. Speaking of which I better go get dinner on the table...

Extreme Conditions...

Wow! Just 3 days ago it was below freezing...today it is in the mid 70's! How the weather can so fast is beyond me. Listening to the forecast on the news last night, it will be back down to 40 by the end of next week. I seriously think I was the one person (who I know) enjoying the snow and cold this past week. I have a pair of mittens on my knitting needles for my preschooler, a new hat on a second set of needles for my college son, and a new hat going for my husband on yet a third pair of needles. Yes I am a bit of an over achiever when it comes to projects. I usually bite off more then I can finish in one season, but these are relatively small projects I will finish for sure.

My query letter was not as well written as I had hoped. Got to class Thursday night and it was pretty much torn to shreds by the critique's I received from my fellow classmates. Don't get me wrong though, I was very thankful for all the constructive criticism. I am taking the class to learn. I was thankful, because had I sent it off in the current state it was in there definitely would be no editor in their right mind who would ask me to send them my finished essay/article. I learned a valuable lesson, always read whatever you write, out loud to yourself, before you even think of sending it off to an editor. That, and edit it about 50 times so it is as tightly written as possible! I have to write the query again, but will be able to do so with a bit more knowledge of how to do that, than I had before. So I say thank you to my fellow writer's...

I am Stuck...

I've got to write a query letter for my writing class, for an article I haven't even written yet. I'm finding it very difficult. I may have to write the article then the letter. It's like writing fiction for me, writing a letter about something that hasn't been written yet, and I am no good at fiction writing. We had dinner with friends (three other couples) last night. It was fun, but I had this writing assignment in the back of my mind the whole time...ugh! I love the class though, and am learning a lot. There is more to nonfiction publishing than I realized. However, when it is broken down step by step, like is being done in this class, it makes it all seem possible. I would not have known where to start on my own otherwise. Thursday, a few people had their query letters and read them aloud. It was quite intimidating. They were all very well written. This week we are finishing those up, and are to send them to a magazine editor. The next assignment is the article that was proposed in the letter. This is the easy part of the assignment in my opinion.

On the home front, we are supposedly going to have a significant snowfall here in the next couple of days. I hope we actually get a good amount of snow, that will stick around for a few days. What usually happens is a little snow, then immediately after rain follows melting it all. When you have a little guy who just wants to play in the snow you wish for it. I think I will set up my writing area this evening. I'll post some before and after photos if I do.

I'm off to write a query letter...wish me luck.