Just Put Your Big Girl Panties On, and Take It.

Alas, I have started running again after my last hiatus of, well, simply doing nothing. I pulled out a 5K today, surprisingly, and feel okay, I guess, as I type this especially since its a million degrees outside. Dinner tonight? Protein fruit shake, no sugar added. I am NOT on a diet. I just eat healthy. Don't let me bore you, though...

My last critique group faded away and has since left me with a bad taste in my mouth for other writers. How pretentious they all are! Am I this way? Hmmmm....

Last Saturday was a blessing. I attended a new critique group like it was my first day of Kindergarten--so excited yet curious and nervous. I received some promising reviews i.e. lack of conflict, in which I can make this new piece work, so maybe there is hope for it after all. You have to remember, everyone is not going to agree. All writers and editors have different genres and most importantly, different styles of writing. I consider my style very unique, and it sometimes irks me when people line edit me. (Just kidding, it always irks me.) I am also slightly irked that anyone would assume that I do not edit my work before showing others. Believe me, I do. My major in college is editing. But I'm not perfect. Point is, don't line edit me! Believe me, my final will be more polished. But I put my smiley face on, because its me that will submit it, no one else, and you'll never know. Just because people tell you something, doesn't mean you have to follow it, but if enough people agree, they might just have something. (And I'm not including line editing in this "something", point in case Cormac McCarthy. He rarely uses commas and runon sentences are his specialty.) Punctuation and word choice is just merely a "guideline" of innundated, mainstream writers in order contain creativity.

You may not agree with what people say, and just because they say it aloud, doesn't make it right! Bottomline, I am, however, using most of the critique given at this last meeting, because it really was, well, helpful. I can't deny. Line editing....hmmm....some I can do without.

And in the end, just put your big girl panties on, and take it.

Maybe next post won't be so boring. I'm bored typing this.

Inspiration?

It's been about a year since the last time I wrote anything--anything at all--poetry, shorts, novel, stream of consciousness--anything--much less submitted a piece for publication, or even workshopped an old piece. (Does this blog count? No.) Nothing but heartache, sickness and disillusionment has followed me since my last publishing, and with lack of inspiration, this leaves me, well, uninspired. So again, as today's events unfold and crumble, the thickness in my chest grows stronger, pulsating like a migraine, though a little more south of the chin. One would hope that in every story the grand finale results in a happy ending. But reality is everchanging, never satisfied with the status quo and travels within the dips and ditches along the road of life. And such is life for hope may bring wildflowers and dandelions along the path. But will my story have this happy ending? I don't know, but when this chapter ends, please let me know.


On another note, such enigmatic events will probably leave you to much imaginations. I have all of these thoughts and plots and characters and setting in such detail in my head, spinning, discombobulated, jumbled up in idea and reason. So one day when this brain of mine releases it's noose of words and language, I will finally be free.


I attended a reading last night of writers who are revered, and all of which, I admire separately for each individual contribution to my own technique, style, skill. These are my mentors, for they are award-winning artists in my own community as well as nationwide. Their words, like sweet syrup to my soul, are my music and make my ears sticky sweet. These writers are storytellers of years and years, and just hearing authors such as these read their own words is impressive, indeed. Good God, if this doesn't inspire me now, I don't know what will.