Threshold

Radical Writing Advice: Who Are You?

There is much advice floating about for writers. So many conflicting viewpoints about the best way to publish, to write, to edit, to create your platform. To do just about anything related to authors and their work.

I'm not calling anyone out or setting up a gripe session about what is right or wrong. No, that's not what I do. Or try not to do.

I know there are confident people in all professions who have no doubts about who they are and what they want to be. Be now or when they grow up. They know this is the path to follow and some are sure that others should follow in their footprints. And they may be right. Or are right, for themselves and for others. And certainly we want to learn from those who have succeeded in what we want to do. Writing is no different in that way.

When I'm talking about writing, I mean all writers and authors, playwrights, poets, novelists, memoirists, and so on. I certainly have a pile, or several piles, of books about writing, on writing, on how to write, for writers and by writers. And many of them are very good. Lots of advice.

So, with all this advice, with people whom we admire suggesting different and sometimes opposing ideas. Sometimes, there might be a little confusion. Sometimes, while we might strive to be like a famous author or editor or blogger or comedian, we might also lose sight of ourselves. Maybe that's okay. No, what I mean is, that's okay if that's what you want to do.

I've been struggling in trying to follow the path of the "famous" or at least well-known in big-time writers and local writers, too. I've been looking at those who seem to know what to do, or at least that's the persona or the platform they've built and it seems to work for them.

But in this process of following advice, I've discovered that I've lost a bit of me. Have you done that, too? Maybe you haven't and that's awesome. Truly. But I have.

I appreciate the hard work and wise words of writers who are living that dream. Who are writing successfully and telling us how they did it. For the pioneers in social networking and blogging and platform building who give us advice. All worthy and to be noted. Yes.

And I appreciate that we are individuals and have our own ways.

What I'm proposing is that we look at who we are and decide how much of that we are willing to let go of in order to be like that writer we admire. Why are we letting go of that thing we do which is a little off the beaten track? Should we? And can we? What is the cost in the long term of undoing a part of who we are?

I'm not saying that sometimes it's not a good idea to alter or improve or put away a piece of us - if that thing is not working. If it's habit and not our truth. If it's not in our best interest and doesn't bring us abundance and joy and a sense of our place in the world.

This is sticky stuff to wade through.

But in the end, as writers, isn't it our voice we're promoting? Isn't it our words and our way of storytelling we're using to promote our craft, our characters, our novels?

So, back to the example of me: if I try to keep my blog "professional" and clean up what I'm saying - or only write things directly (read : blatantly) related to writing - then I'm leaving out where I came from on my blog. I'm leaving out important information about my writing process, which may or may not be relevant to other writers.

I feel like I'm talking in circles here a bit. But I also think this is important.

For some writers, having that platform *is* who they are. They want an angle, a perspective or genre with a slant to be known for; and that's good. Some writers want to be known for their author persona and that's good. I'm not saying it's not okay. But I am saying that we first have to know who we are and how we want to be known. Then seek out the advice and footsteps of those who fit our style.

Just like some people seem to be naturally born sales reps, some of us aren't. Some people are born with the ability to be a chameleon and morph to fit the current trends, some of us have a hard time masking who we are. And there are all of the in-betweens, of course.

I think what's important is to know who you are as a writer. What parts of you fit with that? What do you want to improve or lose or enhance? Then do that. I am not Denise Mina nor do I write like her. I am not Natalie Goldberg and don't strive to be her, though especially some of her earlier writing books were inspirational. Even my mentor and the excellent writer and faciliator and teacher, Ariel Gore - I am not her nor can I be.

Find what is true for you. Follow that.

That's what I'm hoping to do. And I'll start right here. I love doing the Razor's Edge prompts on Fridays and the Radical Writng Advice early in the week and will continue to do so. But I also miss writing about adventures and found prompts and walks and even the mundane at times. These all inform my stories.

Find you and write with her. Look inside and ask what your heart wants you to do; then do that.
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Razor's Edge for 3/30/12

This week feminist poet and activist Adrienne Rich died. Her poetry and her strength and her determination were an inspiration to me and many others. It is a loss. And I'm glad that I know her work, even though I never met her in person. A loss and an inspiration.

Her death and some other events in my life right now have me thinking about this period of change. I'm looking ahead, toward what I want and figuring out what that means; feeling the loss of a friendship and grieving; remembering joy and good moments and wanting more of those; wondering about the significant events some friends have been going through or are still in the midst.

And writing. I think about writing. About my writing community. My writing goals. The creative non-fiction (memoir) manuscript revision which is going slowly. The novel revision put on hold to finish the memoir. Short stories and flash fiction and essays waiting to be sent out; especially now that I only have one active piece floating in the world. Many ready to go; I just need to find or decide where to sent some of them.

This week's Razor's Edge is about loss and re-vision. Think about something you lost. Or someone. It doesn't have to be a major loss. But it could be. It could be a goal achieved, which can sometimes result in a loss of focus when the task is done - a kind of "what now?" Or it could be a misunderstanding with a friend which led to the end of the friendship. Or the death of a pet, a parent, a sibling. You didn't get the job, you got the job but now there's not enough time for making art. Pick something.

And then think about one thing you'd like to do: to accomplish or experience.

Where is the intersection of those two things: the loss and the desire? Can one lead to the other? Or where is the commonality?

 If it helps, make a list of 7 - 10 things. See which holds the most power and then write. For 10 minutes. And if you find yourself stuck - and you might - just write whatever is in your mind. Even if it is a repetition of "this is stupid" or "why am I whining" or "I'm so over this." Just keep writing.

Below is a piece of music for you to listen to. while you think about it, or while you write. It is just under ten minutes long, so it could also serve as your timer.

Write.

photographs:

Dot at the Till on the Willamette, photo by Andie O-oh

Neighborhood Writing Prompt Scavenger Hunt 2009, "Lost," by Dot

View from the Hot Tub, Nye Beach Sunset, 2011, by Dot

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Something to Ponder

Not too long ago I discovered explodingdog. I don't remember the first cartoon I saw or where or why it attracted my attention. But it did. I think it was a tweet by a writer. Something about the picture resonated. So I went to Sam Brown's website and found more.

A couple of days ago, the cartoon below showed up on a search for something else. It has stayed with me. It resonates, too.

See if this one speaks to you. And if not, go browse Sam's drawings. There will probably be something you like. Or maybe not. There are more drawings over at Daily Dot (not me, another Dot, I guess) and Sam's work can be found on other scattered websites.

Thank you, Sam Brown!

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spoken word artist's New Year video

From Gagnez

Happy Blue Full Moon

It's New Year's Eve where I am. Some places have already rolled over to 2010 and it's New Year's Day; I have just under 2 1/2 hours to go. Tonight at work someone told me it was a New Moon and a Blue Moon - a rare occurrence. I tried to find the significance of that or some interesting folklore - but didn't. If someone knows some, I'd love to hear it! All I really found was that the idea of a "blue moon" being the second full moon in a month may have been a misinterpretation or may have been a quote taken out of context from an off-hand comment made by a writer in an article. While I couldn't find any specific significance of the Full Blue Moon on New Year's Eve (or any other time, except for around Easter, when a priest used to tell the people which was the real full moon to determine the date of their celebration).

And, while on the subject of the pending New Year - the topic of "resolutions" comes up, of course. A writer I met in Oaxaca in December '08 had a wonderful post about this topic. She said it very well, so I'll share an excerpt and you can click on the link to her blog to read the rest. It's worth the click and time to read!

From Shell at "A Cabin in the Woods":

"Resolute

I hate New Years Resolutions. They are phony set ups designed to manipulate us in to gung ho conquer the world mentalities that result in our crashing and burning. Think about New Years diets – total set up. For two weeks we will lace up our sneakers, walk with purpose for 20, 30. 50 minutes, eat Special K or 100 calorie soup three times a day, and suffer in silence at our internal lack of willpower. Then, we go to lunch with friends and “slip” – its all down hill from there. That is, until the spring when the “get ready for swimsuit season” influx begins again. The same goes for New Years decisions to quit smoking, clean out the garage etc… It’s not that these things don’t sometimes work. They do. But I would argue this has much less to do with the New Year drunken (on food or wine) proclamation than the time just finally being
right. .... "

(click on "Resolute" to read the rest of the essay.)

Yes, this year I think I will follow her lead and focus on my hopes and dreams, rather than resolutions. I have already resolved to be more active and more fit. It's time to follow my dreams and let my hopes instruct me.

Thank you, Shell, for your insight (as "unacademic" as it may be deemed, it is powerful and what we need to hear ... right on!).

coming to a screen near you?

I went to the premiere of "Papers the Movie" tonight with a couple friends. It was a moving story and very well done. This is an important issue that I will admit to being rather ignorant about prior to learning about the film a month or so ago.

This film is the story about undocumented students and what happens to them after they turn 18. They have no papers, so they have difficulty getting into colleges (are turned down by some flat out - no questions asked), getting jobs, can't get driver's license, and so on. Are deported. Are held in detention. This young people are born here in the US or come here as very young children with their parents. They grow up here, are educated here, are Americans, and yet, on their 18th birthday they become "illegals."

This is an important film and they did a nice job. They have a few more local showings scheduled and are taking it nationwide. They have been accepted into a couple film festivals and have applied for more.

Check it out. "Papers the Movie". Go if you can, when it comes near you or you are near a showing.
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not-quite-lucid dreaming

So it seems that I actually *d0* compose stories while I sleep. Or something. (There was a discussion a couple weeks ago in the forums of a writing workshop I'm doing which was about writing while sleeping.)

I vaguely remember the following conversation - or part of it - with my partner in the early morning hours. Early morning for me, since I didn't go to bed until about 4AM - and I know that some people are getting up, or, gasp, already up and dressed, at 7AM. But not me, today. Anyway, my partner had the idea to write down "our" conversation and give me the transcript later.

So here's how the conversation went - remember that I was acting, and in the moment believed myself to be, awake and coherent - :

me: I forgot to get her weight (pause) her measurements. What's-her-name Green. I need her weight.

S: why?

me: For the rocket stuff. (pause) I don't know why. I'm just supposed to get it.

S: You're not making any sense.

me: ... I (pause) ... [snore]

It's a sign of stress when I start having these half-conscious conversations. I don't have transcripts of the previous ones, but do vaguely remember a couple of them. One, I was typing on my partner's back and talking about some filing and reports that needed to be done (this was in the early process of realizing I needed to not be at the job I had at the time). The earliest one I remember was early in my relationship with S; I was trying to get my step-son to stop eating and then throwing up cookies and chopping up the counter with a butcher knife (the little guy was actually fast asleep in bed; I was a new step-parent and was totally unprepared for the role).

Lucid dreaming? No, just processing events of the last couple weeks. It was just funny to have the actual transcript, and to remember that we had a conversation, and that I was partially conscious and it felt so real in the moment. And S has great delivery and timing - so hearing her read it back to me was a part of the smile I was given this morning.

It is also a note to self that there is a stressor in my life right now which needs acknowledgment and/or attention.

Paper Beads Through Lace Curtains
photograph and beads
by Dot.