IWSG - Inspiration & Struggle

Time for the May IWSG!

Created by Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writer's Support Group exists for writers to give and get support. Anyone can join. Simply click on Alex's name and put your blog on the linky list, then post on the first Wednesday of each month.

The co-hosts this month are Joylene Nowell Butler, Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Meka James, Victoria Marie Lees, M Louise Barbour.

The optional question this month is: When you are working on a story, what inspires you?

Music and a walk are go-tos. Of course, a good book or movie can also be inspiring. Another author's success can be inspiring. Lots of things!

As far as insecurities, I'm struggling right now. When life things are rough, my creativity takes a nosedive. But I was so productive while working on Happy Ghoulidays II, so I'm hoping to get back there. I had several trips and it's the end of the school year (and I have a senior, so it turns out it's a LOT!), so I'm trying to give myself a break until the end of May. Not to say I'm not going to write or edit at all, just that I'm trying not to punish myself if I don't get as much done as I feel like I should.

Short version: I'm looking forward to things normalizing!

And I did get through initial edits on the horror comedy, so I have gotten something done. Some of my problem is probably that my focus is on edits, and they are my least favorite part of the process.

I also think I need to figure out a time/way to get out of the house to write. My hours at work increased, and I sit in this chair so much of the day that when it comes time to write I just want to shut my brain off instead and put the laptop away. I'm sure plenty of you can relate.

Subject change!

This upcoming Saturday, May 6, I'll be a spotlight author at Mountain of Authors, which is put on by the Pikes Peak Library District. It's one of my favorite events. It used to be there would be two panels then a keynote speaker, but it changed for a while because of COVID, just as everything did. I was excited to see that this year they're bringing back a panel in addition to the keynote speaker! I've been to events where authors were second class citizens, but this event has always treated its writers so well.

And bonus: it might just give me that energy I'm missing, spending time with fellow writers.

What are your insecurities lately? What inspires you? What's your favorite writing event?

May you find your Muse.

Conversational Prompts

I'm back from vacation! It was fun, my first time going on a trip with friends. We drove up to Moscow, Idaho to visit one friend's son at college there, then back down through Montana and Wyoming. I only snapped a couple photos of a sunset one night, as we weren't really sightseeing. I do wish I'd photographed the canola fields in north-western Idaho, though. They were flush with bright yellow flowers (the canola).

Trouble

Moon over Pocatello, Idaho

Pocatello Sunset

While on vacation, I didn't get any writing done. However, I got several ideas based on conversations we had. There are gems in everything we experience, buried there, waiting to be discovered. Now, only one of the ideas was directly based on something discussed. The rest were weird random jumps in thought that were triggered by an idea or even misunderstanding of an original topic. Point being, anything can be fodder for stories. Conversations and observances, reading writing by others, and just plain writing, which can spurn other ideas as you work. I'm excited to get started on some new story ideas. First, I have to resubmit something I got a rejection for yesterday.

Today is back to work. Or, as we sang while rolling into town: "Back to life, back to reality." Back to the grind. I'm hoping to have some Chihuly art photos to share on Wednesday with the links, and I'll likely do more links than usual to make up for not posting last week.

What was your last vacation? Ever taken a road trip with friends? Where'd you go?

May you find your Muse.

What Inspires You?

Different people are inspired by different things. One person's raucous ball game may be another person's rainbow. Some people love a rainy day, while others only bloom in the sun. Some people leave a party hyped up; others leave a party exhausted and unable to do anything else.

I would love to hear what inspires you. And I don't necessarily mean in writing. What inspires you overall? What makes you want to run out and do something artistic, or something you love? Does attending a musical make you want to write a song? Does a gorgeous sunset inspire you to go on a photo tour? Does going to the zoo inspire you to go out and help wildlife? Does a stirring speech push you to action? Does a movie with an awesome set of parents and kids involved make you aspire to be a better parent or to have more fun with your kids?

And, yes, I'd still love to hear what inspires your art, specifically, what makes you want to write, but I don't want to limit it to that. We're inspired to do a lot in our lives, and it isn't always about art.

On a side note, how are you doing with your monthly goals? If you're doing NaNo, how's that going? If you're not, do you have personal goals you're reaching for this month?

I spent Sunday setting up a new laptop since my old one crashed and burned a long time ago, requiring me to do a weird Twister-like contortion to keep the power cord from moving whatsoever so the computer wouldn't die on me. Plus, it would randomly stop reading the keyboard or the mouse (not at the same time, one or the other). It would overheat if I had to use the video card at all. It was a hot mess.

While getting my Outlook set up, I managed to hit a button that said "Delete All Emails in This Folder." Problem being, I didn't want to delete all the emails. I wanted to delete one email (it had imported all almost 8000 emails I hadn't deleted from the online Gmail version of the email), and I pushed the red "x." Only...I didn't notice it said it would delete ALL the emails. Yeah. Who knew that was even an option. Apparently, it just gives me that option while in the midst of importing with IMAP, because I haven't seen that button since then.

I had a bit of a heart attack, because those deleted emails didn't show up in any of the other folders, and when I logged in online, it showed that everything had been cleared out of there, as well. In short, I was screwed!

Many hours, rants, and borderline panic attacks later, my email made the sound that signifies emails received. When I pulled it up, those emails had magically appeared in the trash folder. It was insanity! Thankfully, it looks like everything's there, so it's just a matter of sorting through 8000 emails to get them reorganized. Totally doable compared to the horror of having lost all my emails.

So...I didn't get any writing or editing done Sunday. That was just one small part of the day, but it really signified the kind of day it was.

HOWEVER, I got writing done the two days preceding Sunday, and I'm not actually disappointed in not writing or editing yesterday. I don't have a 50,000 word goal for the month, just overall goals (you can see this post if you want to know what my goals are for ShaNoShoStoWriEdSubMo), and I'm doing just fine. Friday, I eked out a little time to add some wordage to Novel #2 (1230 words added) and to research some things for said novel. Saturday, I started a short story and got 2541 words written to it. I think I will add another 1000-1500 words to it before it's finished. Today, my goal will be to get some editing on Novel #1 or a short story.

So, what inspires you? How are you doing with NaNo or your monthly goals? What do you wish would happen to inspire you?

May you find your Muse.

Returned, Refreshed, and Setting Some Goals

Hi, all! I'm back from Oregon, where I had a lovely time, though I must say that I am officially too old, broken, and sleepy to sit in a car for 21 hours straight. I routinely made that drive years ago, but I'm thinking this was my last straight-through shot.

I got to act like a twenty-something, enjoy some time with my mom and my two youngest siblings, who were 4 and 5 1/2 when I moved out to get married, see friends and family I often go years without seeing, sight-see and take tons of photos (over 800 by the time I got home--yes, I'm a photo slut). We extended our time at the beach and cut time out from later in the trip to do so. I got a short story written, got a few ideas for others, and best of all, I got to forget my troubles for a little while, pretend they didn't exist. It was nice.

Though I did miss my hubby and my babies. And my bed. And my laptop. And you guys, of course!

Now I'm back, refreshed (after a couple days recovering from the drive), and eager to jump back into my writing. Unfortunately, I have a whole lotta' work to catch up on, seeing as how I was gone for a week after just having come off five weeks of school and investing all of my attention into that class. I came back to find my test date waiting for me. It's not until October. Ugh. I'm a fan of just getting things over with, but hey, now I've got over a month to study (and obsess, and worry, and forget details, and, and, and...)

Back to that eagerness to get back to writing. Did you guys see the results of the Hugo Awards last night? I'll be honest. I had forgotten they were going on, but then an acquaintance posted a picture of his shiny new Hugo Award, so I went to check it out. Reading through that list of names, all the categories, I was inspired. I've been letting work, volunteer work at that, take the place of my writing time. I can't let that happen anymore. Yes, I'll still do my jobs, and I'll do them well, but I will also set aside time to write. My kids started school, and I can now create a schedule for myself.

So here's a little non-New Year's goal setting: I will create a schedule that provides for time to write and time to exercise. I've gotten out of shape while battling depression and doing an awful lot of sitting at my computer, sitting in meetings, sitting in the car, sitting, sitting, sitting. Work the body, work the mind. Once a week I will go somewhere other than home to write. I will make time to go on hikes when I can, because I enjoy them, and because I always find inspiration while out hiking and/or walking. I will finish Wendigo Nights. I will submit short stories for publication. I will take my writing seriously.

What about you? How are you feeling? Where's your inspiration level right now? Have you looked at your goals for the year, examined them, adjusted them for your current needs? What's looming over your head? Work deadlines, writing deadlines, test deadlines? Are you making time for yourself? For your writing? 

May you find your Muse.

Retreat Into Writing - Five Reasons to go on a Writing Retreat

I've been enviously reading about and hearing about friends going on writing retreats, but the first time I looked at a retreat to see what the pricing was, I suffered a little sticker shock. I realize a good retreat is well worth the funds, and that they go toward the venue (in some cases--some charge separately for the venue), the food, materials, and whatever professionals are there to teach you, but I have a hard time spending money on myself.

I keep looking them up and coveting them, but I decided to choose one and set myself a goal to save up and go to one, not this year, but in the not too distant future. Next year? Not sure. I hope so!

The one I chose is one of several run by a specific person. Page Lambert is an author, a creative coach, and an editor, in addition to facilitating three writing retreats per year. She lives here in Colorado, and I'm excited to say that she'll be coming down to the Springs to speak for Pikes Peak Writers this month (May 21!!). I can't wait! I've heard great things from other people who have heard her speak, so I'm looking forward to her talk. (If you're in a position to come to Colorado Springs for her workshop, click on May 21 above and see what her topic is! I'd love to see you!)

In getting to know Page, I read up on her writing retreats. She leads one into Peru, one is a river rafting trip (this fall), and the one I want to go on is at the Vee Bar Ranch (Literature and Landscape of the Horse). That particular one was recently featured in the Casper Star Tribune, while her river rafting trip was featured in O Magazine in 2006. The one at the Vee Bar Ranch is a week long, you get your own horse, and you split your time between writing and riding. Really, I'd like to go on any of them, but this is the one that's really caught my attention.

By Seth.zeigler [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons

Since I have a hard time justifying spending money on myself, I figured I'd look at how writing retreats can benefit me, and why I deserve to go on one (eventually), and drag you guys along with me. Plus, there's probably a few of you out there that can help convince me. Right?

What a Writing Retreat Can Do For You:

1. It can get you away from home and the distractions you find there. Sure, I can go to Starbucks or somewhere like that, but that's a short-term thing, and it's still too easy for me to realize there's something else I can be doing and run back home. I still have to do the usual stuff before I head out, and when I get home. In other words, my personal distractions are looming over me when I try to go somewhere outside my house for the day. I'm inclined to get online and get non-writing work done if there's free wi-fi (so I often avoid places with free wi-fi). But when I left home for a weekend to go to my brother's Navy graduation, I was so excited about one feature of my hotel room: my desk. Yes, I was pathetically excited about that sucker. There were no kids, I'd told people I was away and wouldn't be doing any work-work, and I didn't have a phone with an internet connection to check emails and such (now I do, sigh). That meant the evenings when I was there by myself could be all about writing. This tiny little space and me. The freedom I felt was tremendous. Not from my family, but from the constraints I put on myself, the pressure I feel to be good at any work I'm doing, to put it first. I got a break from that for one weekend, and it showed. Guess which story I finished out there? The one that just got picked up for a magazine. Yeah. Imagine what a person could do with a week away that's dedicated to the writer in you.

2. Education. Each of the retreats I've looked at over the last few months has featured different resources and instructors. All offer something, some specifically themed, some not, to make the retreat worthwhile for those attending. It isn't just about writing time (well, probably some are), but about experiences, training, and education. You can learn a bit about writing then immediately put it into practice. A conference lasts a weekend and teaches so much. A week long retreat can teach so much more, while in an often more laid back atmosphere, where you aren't running from workshop to workshop, session to session.

3. Feedback/Critiques. Some, not all, retreats offer feedback of some sort. A space to share your writing and get tips to improve it. I keep hearing how important critique groups are, and here is a way to get immediate feedback over the period of your stay. If it's not offered in the larger group, you can always buddy up with someone and offer to critique for them if they'll do the same for you. And who knows? You may leave there with a critique partner you can email back and forth with.

4. Inspiration. There are many sources of inspiration on a retreat. For one, being around other creatives always inspires me, even if it's for two hours at a lunch or an evening event. I leave conference every year wanting more, needing to write, processing gazillions of creative thoughts that sprang up because I was in that mental space required to be creative. A week away, surrounded by other writers, would certainly inspire me in countless ways. In addition, for me at least, getting back to nature, back to the basics, always gets those creative juices flowing. Riding a horse out on the range, learning how to care for a horse, viewing the gorgeous surroundings on the ranch. All of those things appeal to me, to an ignored part of me that yearns for more of that type of experience. And then, of course, if you've got an accomplished facilitator/instructor, you'll be inspired by them. I know that I look at what Page Lambert has accomplished and am already inspired.

BY OCAL, clker.com

5. Relaxation. There's nothing like leaving behind your usual rigors. It's why people like vacations. Even a vacation that involves physical work is a break from the daily grind. And this goes back to number 1, above. Getting away from all the things on that honey-do list, those to-do's that seem to pile up with no relief in sight, is divine in and of itself. For moms, when we're home we're always on. There's cleaning, homework help, making lunches, packing backpacks, bathing kids, feeding the family, doing laundry, reading to kids, helping in the classroom, so on and so forth. Even when they're in bed, I'm dealing with something, preparing something, thinking about something I need to do the next day. And every one of us has the same sort of thing. Dads, non-parents, everyone. It's work, or it's parenting, or it's volunteering, or it's family, or it's a combination of these and a billion other things. We all need to get away some time.

I don't know if I talked you into a retreat, but it's certainly sounding good to me. The one I want to go to is in June, so no way for me to save up in time for that, but maybe next year or the year after. I know Page has been doing this for 17 years, and I can only hope she'll keep doing it for many years more.

Something else I'd love to do some day is maybe put together a retreat for Pikes Peak Writers. And I can't do that until I've experienced it and seen it from the other side, right? RIGHT?! Or is that just what I'm telling myself?

Can you tell how badly I want to go to do this??

Have you been on a writing retreat before? Did you like it? What did you like/not like about it? What would be your optimal writing retreat? Did you see any benefits I didn't mention here?

May you find your Muse.

What's Inspired You This Week?

I went out for one of my late-night walks last night and came across a young teen boy, too young to be out walking after midnight.  He hid behind a tree until he realized it was just some chick (that's me), and then he headed on his way in the opposite direction of where I was heading.

We were on opposite sides of the street, so I didn't get a good look.  I couldn't describe him to police or identify him in a line-up, but I could pick out the things I was able to see and extract possible reasons he was out walking at this time of night.

The Mundane: Perhaps he was just on the way back from a friend's house after sneaking out to play video games.  Mom said no more Halo 3, but Jack's mom was cool with it, and even baked them cookies while they played.  

The Naughty: He was drinking with some friends at the park (which was the direction he was coming back from).  Having been given the cold-shoulder when the bottle he'd spun landed on Amy, his one true love, Ben took a different sort of walk of shame home, the sound of malicious youthful laughter ringing in his ears.

The Spiritual: A remnant spirit, walking his final walk, doomed to repeat it for eons to punish the serial killer who ended his young life.  When did it happen?  His clothes were fairly timeless for the last few decades: jeans and an over-sized white t-shirt.  Could his killer still be alive?

The Magical: School is starting, so maybe he was just a young wizard, sneaking out from his reluctant family's home to catch the double decker spirit ride to the train station.  A wink of glass tells me he was wearing glasses.  Harry, that you?

The Evil: Tired from a long evening of torturing small animals, young Mordred strolled home, visions of doing the same to humans on his mind.

The Supernatural: Confused as to why it hadn't waited for a full moon, Sam quickly walked home after returning to human form.  Luckily, he had managed to get his clothes off before changing to his lupine form, so he was able to get dressed and not look too conspicuous.

The Vengeful: Lucas walked with triumph, mixed with trepidation, having finally taken his stepfather's life in revenge for years of ill treatment.  He stuck to the shadows, heading to Jake's house to climb back into his sleeping bag and solidify his alibi.

The Epic: Cast into a time not his own, John felt naked without his mighty sword.  He bravely marched ahead, wondering what these large metal behemoths were, sitting so squat and placid on these strange stone pathways.  Were they oracles?  Would they come to life at any moment?

The Other-Wordly: Jujemon, short for his alien name, which is unpronounceable in Human, studied the strange planet he'd just landed on.  Weird green things danced and swayed in the wind; a humanoid being walked past; tiny space ships littered the landscape, grounded for some unknown reason.

What has gotten your creative juices flowing this week?  What do you think my young friend was doing out on a Sunday night after midnight?  Were his intentions good or evil?

May you find your Muse.


Xbox-Controller by OCAL, clker.com
Bottle by OCAL, clker.com
Floating Ghost by OCAL, clker.com
Secretlondon Wizard S Hat by lyo, clker.com
Psycho Icecube by Kelly, clker.com
Werewolf by OCAL, clker.com
Poison by OCAL, clker.com
Longsword by OCAL, clker.com
Alien Eyes by OCAL, clker.com

Life Goes On - Take Inspiration From It

It's surreal to be mentally engulfed by one particular thing, and then to look up and realize that everyone else has other things on their minds, and that they are continuing on, completely unaware that you've stopped and are just standing there staring at everyone else as they move past you at a frenetic pace.  While I was stressed out about this fire (the Waldo Canyon Fire, for those just happening along), even before being evacuated, I'd go to a different part of town and no one seemed to be thinking about the fire so much.  I'm sure they were, but they weren't even looking up at the mountains.  No smoke stained their nostrils.  Yet, you walk around in my area and all heads are tilted up, watching those mountains for any sign that danger might be on its way.  We've come to a place where we can block out the smell of smoke.  It's taken for granted that our chests, throats and eyes will be irritated, that we likely have our valuables and mementos stored somewhere easily accessible in case we have to flee again. 

When this whole section of the city was on mandatory evacuation, I drove down the Interstate, which had become the line of demarcation.  On my right side, it was a ghost town, save for fire trucks and police cars.  Garden of the Gods Road was empty, a condition I've NEVER seen it in, even in the middle of the night.  Helicopters and airplanes flew in circles, diving then climbing steeply after dropping their water or slurry onto the fire.  Smoke rose, flames consumed, and it looked and sounded like an active war zone. 

To my left, though, a shopping center was packed with cars.  The regular ol' hustle and bustle went on, as if nothing astronomical had happened.  Because, you see, it hadn't to them.  Their lives were normal, albeit a little more acrid and stinky, probably a bit sadder and more stressed than usual.  After all, these mountains belong to everyone in this town, and no matter where you stand, they are burning.  It impacts everyone, but not necessarily in the same ways.

If this were a science fiction film, it would be aliens up in them thar' hills, stealing our resources, viciously zapping any living thing that dared pop up on the slopes of the mountains, possibly experimenting on the people and animals they picked up, in order to find their weaknesses.

If this were a natural disaster movie, it might be a volcanic eruption occurring in long dormant volcanoes.  Or a fire.  Cuz' that's a natural disaster, too.  They ever made that one?  Maybe they will now, considering most of the west appears to be in flames.

If this were a romance, some young couple would have been drawn together at one of the many shelters, having lost their homes.  They would help each other through this tragedy, finding love along the way, though maybe the crabby, but uber-protective, big sister would disapprove.

If this were a horror film, perhaps this would be the aftermath of burning a killer sasquatch out of the mountains after a murderous carnivore spree through the foothills of Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs.  He stalked his victims home from Garden of the Gods Park, ripping them to shreds and taking their heads as trophies.

If this were a sci-fi/horror mix, the fire itself might be the monster, but what controls it?  After all, it has been repeatedly said that this fire is not behaving like any other fire, ever.  Could it be a living creature?  A declaration of war using some mutant agent?

If this were a mystery, some cocky detective would be interviewing witnesses about something unexplained, the fire background setting.  Or we'd be following the fire inspector around to find out who had committed arson.

You can get story lines anywhere, in any situation.  Fear and tragedy don't shut that off.  Some might keep that creativity going in the midst of it, while others, like me, might see those stories a bit more once in a relatively safe place.  I know one person was posting about writing about the possible sources of the fire while waiting to be evacuated.  I wrote a piece of poetry while sitting at a Chick-fil-A, the smoky hills visible through the windows, as my children played in the playplace, having been stuck indoors due to the excessive amount of smoke.  That was the day I came home just in time for the firestorm and subsequent evacuation.  I didn't write a word while in exile, but I'm betting others wrote plenty.

Life is fodder, for those of us who write, or draw, or sing.  The creative souls within us absorb all of these things that happen to us, churn them around, make them our own, and then regurgitate them in whatever fashion fits us best.  In the meantime, those around us see things completely differently, even if they share our creative souls.  Each person experiences each thing individually and uniquely.  Sometimes it means they aren't suffering the same thing, but sometimes it means they are just suffering differently.  Either way, life goes on.  We make it what we want to make it, or maybe what we have to make it. 

How about a writing assignment?  You don't have to share it, though you are welcome, either on here or on your blog, or you can just share the experience that comes to mind.  Think of an event that has had a significant impact on you.  It doesn't have to be negative, just significant.  Write a poem, a piece of flash, or a short story about it.  Twist it if you want to, or try to write it as close to the truth as you want.  It's your personal event, to do with as you please.

May you find your Muse.