I thought I'd blogged about this before, but I can't find that blog in the past six months of posts, so if I've already complained about this please forgive me. I'm having serious angst about my current project which is a memoir about my time in vet school. At first I was going to leave out all names and not even mention which vet school I attended, but more experience writer friends said, "No! You must name names!"

Maybe making everything anonymous made it seem more like a fictional story, but now I'm kinda freaking out about putting my actual, real life experiences out there for all to see. How could readers not judge me and my life decisions? In the book I often refer to myself during this time of my life as a "proto-human," but even so. I'm afraid that instead of the closure I wanted from this book, I'll get new scars (spoiler alert: vet school was emotionally scarring).

I'm also concerned about fallout from people and events mentioned in a less than rosy light, even with the preface that all events are to my personal recollection only and tainted by the corrupting influences of emotions and time. Oh well, maybe I should just stop whining and finish editing the thing. Who knows if it'll even get published anyway.

Keep Writing and Edit On.
I Write, I Edit, I Write Again. Witness!
We're Making Better Words, All of Them, Better Words.
I Write to Burn Off the Crazy.
A Good Day Writing is a Day Writing.
It Puts the Words on the Page or it Gets the Hose Again.
Just keep writing...just keep writing...writing, writing, writing!
Writing is Magic.
The First Rule of Write Club is You Talk About Write Club.
If You Aren't Writing, You Aren't a Writer.

So, since my lasts post was kind of a downer, I wanted to post a really inspirational post today. But then some a-hole hacked my Instagram account. I haven't even posted on it for over 2 years, so it wouldn't be such a big deal except this comes just about 2 weeks after my FB and Amazon accounts got hacked. Seems like some people have found something productive to do during the pandemic! :P And I just read this morning about more a-holes using this pandemic as political leverage. I'm just done with people this morning, really I am. So my sincere thanks to all those rotten apples out there spoiling the world for the rest of us. I hope karma really is a B@#$%! To everyone else, have a great weekend!

Keep Writing and Edit On.
I Write, I Edit, I Write Again. Witness!
We're Making Better Words, All of Them, Better Words.
I Write to Burn Off the Crazy.
A Good Day Writing is a Day Writing.
It Puts the Words on the Page or it Gets the Hose Again.
Just keep writing...just keep writing...writing, writing, writing!
Writing is Magic.
The First Rule of Write Club is You Talk About Write Club.
If You Aren't Writing, You Aren't a Writer.

If there is any silver lining to the current situation, it may be getting our time back. No errands to run, no events to go to, and for some, not even their day job. Now you have what you always claim to have too little of to devote to writing, time. And what a writing prompt. Did any of us ever think we would live in times with "social distancing?" Maybe this is mother nature's way of telling the world to slow down, stop being busy, and remember what's important.

Need more inspiration?: nanowrimo.org/what-is-camp-nanowrimo

Keep Writing and Edit On.
I Write, I Edit, I Write Again. Witness!
We're Making Better Words, All of Them, Better Words.
I Write to Burn Off the Crazy.
A Good Day Writing is a Day Writing.
It Puts the Words on the Page or it Gets the Hose Again.
Just keep writing...just keep writing...writing, writing, writing!
Writing is Magic.
The First Rule of Write Club is You Talk About Write Club.
If You Aren't Writing, You Aren't a Writer.

A beekeeper is in the ER with an allergic reaction to a bee sting.

Nurse: Where are your hives?
Beekeeper: Down the road a few miles on my in-laws farm.
Nurse: [Gives beekeeper funny look then begins to laugh.] No I mean your hives.
Beekeeper: [Flushing with emberassment.] Oh, on my legs, chest, and neck.

Two woman are driving in a car.

Woman 1: Oh, did you hear? The construction on that overpass has been halted because they found underground mines at the construction site.
Woman 2: Mines! From what, who? The Michigan militia?
Woman 1: Um, no. Like old iron mines.
Woman 2: Oh...I thought you meant land mines...

Keep Writing and Edit On.
I Write, I Edit, I Write Again. Witness!
We're Making Better Words, All of Them, Better Words.
I Write to Burn Off the Crazy.
A Good Day Writing is a Day Writing.
It Puts the Words on the Page or it Gets the Hose Again.
Just keep writing...just keep writing...writing, writing, writing!
Writing is Magic.
The First Rule of Write Club is You Talk About Write Club.
If You Aren't Writing, You Aren't a Writer.

This year let the new year come with a new world of possibilities instead of resolutions. I feel like resolutions are things that ultimately stress us out, so instead I choose to face possibilities in 2019 instead of resolutions. May your possibilities be endlessly motivating and move you to new heights this year!

Cheers

Keep Writing and Edit On.
I Write, I Edit, I Write Again. Witness!
We're Making Better Words, All of Them, Better Words.
I Write to Burn Off the Crazy.
A Good Day Writing is a Day Writing.
It Puts the Words on the Page or it Gets the Hose Again.
Just keep writing...just keep writing...writing, writing, writing!
Writing is Magic.
The First Rule of Write Club is You Talk About Write Club.
If You Aren't Writing, You Aren't a Writer

So, welcome to 2018. The new year finds me breaking new ground with my writing. I have sent my first query letter to an agent (2 actually, woohoo!) and am putting together my first author resume for the Isle Royale Artist-in-Residence Program. These experiences remind me that as a writer, I should always be expanding my writing in some way. Joining panels at conventions and talking about new and exciting topics is one way of doing this. Also, making new networking connections. Trying a writing contest or a new writers group can also keep you on your writerly toes. Even if you don't have anything to pitch right now to an agent, work on an elevator pitch for your half-finished novel. It will be great practice for later. I guess what I'm trying to say is this: there are lots of experiences of being a writer other than writing. Try some! :)

Keep Writing and Edit On.
I Write, I Edit, I Write Again. Witness!
We're Making Better Words, All of Them, Better Words.
I Write to Burn Off the Crazy.
A Good Day Writing is a Day Writing.
It Puts the Words on the Page or it Gets the Hose Again.
Just keep writing...just keep writing...writing, writing, writing!

So, you've heard this before, I'm sure, but despite the millions of books on Amazon, the writing/publishing world is actually a very small place. I had a recent experience that highlighted this for me personally. I was participating on an author panel at the Barnes and Noble in Brighton and spoke with another author there who's friend is a literary agent. One week later, I'm attending an event for authors at the Ann Arbor library and who should be one of the featured speakers but the literary agent friend! I was like, "Hey, I know that guy!" Anyways, my point is two-fold: 1) Networking as an author is crazy important, and 2) Don't burn bridges!

Focusing on point one, getting yourself out of your sacred, sequestered writing space and meeting other authors can be incredibly beneficial. I'm not saying that you won't ever get published if you don't network, but becoming part of a writing community keeps you in the loop with what is happening in the publishing world both locally and globally. Also, once you get to know other authors they may be able to introduce you to publishers, literary agents, editors, cover designers, or other people that could be very helpful for your writing. It's also just a great experience to sit around with a group of other authors sharing in each others triumphs and woes, discussing what is happening in the publishing industry, and getting fresh ideas about things like marketing and staying in the creative zone.

Point two is that because the world of writing and publishing is so small, news spreads like wildfire. This can be a good thing like in cases where a certain publisher is screwing over their authors, but can also be a bad thing if you let your frustration on being rejected by one publisher dictate your Twitter post. Also, bad-mouthing other authors or their work gets around, especially if it's done on social media. Even though the internet seems like a huge ocean and one little rude comment seems like a drop of water, just one person seeing that post can lead to another and another and then eventually someone you might want to read your work. Disrespectful comments can bias a publisher or agent against taking you on as a client, so just keep that in mind and maybe hold your tongue.

Keep Writing and Edit On.
I Write, I Edit, I Write Again. Witness!
We're Making Better Words, All of Them, Better Words.
I Write to Burn Off the Crazy.
A Good Day Writing is a Day Writing.
It Puts the Words on the Page or it Gets the Hose Again.
Just keep writing...just keep writing...writing, writing, writing!

Blah, blah, blah, platitudes and reminders of how this year is a brand new year filled with opportunity and possibilities, etc.

Keep Writing and Edit On.
I Write, I Edit, I Write Again. Witness!
We're Making Better Words, All of Them, Better Words.
I Write to Burn Off the Crazy.
A Good Day Writing is a Day Writing.
It Puts the Words on the Page or it Gets the Hose Again.
Just Keep Writing, Just Keep Writing; Writing, Writing, Writing...

So today while at the dentist's office, mouth numb and full of cotton, I was thinking about life experiences in the context of being a writer. I feel that one must always be on the lookout for experiences that may come in handy in later stories.

For example, had I not had a crack in my tooth, I might never have been able to adaquately describe the maddening non-feeling when the inside of your ear is numb, or the sense that your tongue has turned into a two-headed slug in your mouth when only half of it is numb. Without today's experience I might not know that not only does the anesthetic numb the tooth, gum, cheek, and tongue, but also the lip, ear, and face all the way to the temple.

There was also the blind terror just before the dentist touched the drill to the tooth for the first time followed by the paler, steady fear of the anesthesia abruptly failing and releasing the excruciating pain that I should be feeling. Not to mention the bitter iron of blood mixed with the clove taste of the anesthetic tinged with the stink of burning tooth.

Afterwards, the fear of the anesthesia not working morphs into a dread that feeling will never return to my face. And now anxiety creeps in as feeling returns. Will the old pain come back with it? Will there be new and worse pain from the procedure? Did something go terribly wrong? Is my dentist a closet sociopath?

See, lots of future writing fodder.

For more random thoughts on writing check out:
http://publishedramblings.weebly.com/the-whimsical-ramblings-of-a-confused-michiganian/old-stories-revisit-and-revamp-or-recycle
OR
Perhaps an episode of the podcast I Should be Writing.

Keep Writing and Edit On.
I Write, I Edit, I Write Again. Witness!
We're Making Better Words, All of Them, Better Words.
I Write to Burn Off the Crazy.
A Good Day Writing is a Day Writing.
It Puts the Words on the Page or it Gets the Hose Again.
Just Keep Writing, Just Keep Writing; Writing, Writing, Writing...

So, the good news is that I was a NaNoWriMo winner this year! The bad news is that I've been swamped with things that should have been taken care of during NaNoWriMo since then and have sorely neglected this blog, for which I apologize. One thing I wanted to say in the blog I've been meaning to write for the past two weeks is that now is the time to reflect back over your writing in 2016 and prepare for 2017. What did you kick butt at this past year (Miles From Manistique)? What do you wish you'd done? (Finished editing my YA novel) If you didn't finish your NaNo novel, what is your new deadline for finishing it? (February 1st) Do you want to try to write more short stories next year? (1/month) Do you want to go to more writing workshops next year? (No, but subscribe to Writer's Digest) What do you want yourself as a writer to look like in 2017? (Agent?)

You don't have to plan out all of 2017 now, but try to get a general idea so you can hit the ground running January 1st. If you're not ready to set goals yet, that's fine, but a least think about some goals you might want to set. For instance, one of my goals might be to write a couple of blog posts ahead of time such that it is less likely for me to miss weeks. ;)

Keep Writing and Edit On.
I Write, I Edit, I Write Again. Witness!
We're Making Better Words, All of Them, Better Words.
I Write to Burn Off the Crazy.
A Good Day Writing is a Day Writing.
It Puts the Words on the Page or it Gets the Hose Again.
Just Keep Writing, Just Keep Writing; Writing, Writing, Writing...