DAYDREAMING

I was born first of five children. I have lived up to the stereotype of first-borns. I've always been an overachiever--in school, in competitions, on jobs and in life. I was out in the world first in the family (and in the first month of the year), and I wanted to remain ahead of the pack in all ways. Having said that, I also became easily bored in classes and was branded a daydreamer very soon by teachers. They never understood why or how I loved to lose myself in new worlds created in my young mind.

Non-creative people even now don't understand me. They think if I profess to be a writer, I should have my hands on a keyboard at all times. Even when I edited a company newsletter, the bosses expected me to be writing, editing or interviewing all hours of the day. Woe to me if one of them walked into the office to find me staring aimlessly out the window. I have longed to tell people who do not write (or paint in oils as my husband does) that part of the art process is to think about the craft, to research the subject, to muse on the words (or image) I want to finally appear on that screen (or canvas). Artists need time to daydream.

Today I hiked to the park around a small pond a half mile from my home. Pad and pen along with my lunch rode in the backpack. I walked around the pond, made note of the wildflowers in bloom after a winter of nice rains, then found a picnic bench near the playground to have lunch. As I've told you before, one of the best ways to obtain ideas is to eavesdrop and today I had that opportunity while enjoying he sunshine. Listening to the conversations of young mothers discussing the best places to shop for clothes for their toddlers and the angst of taking children with you to the gym, I found myself smiling, remembering, comparing their lives to mine at the same age. With the lovely sound of childen's laughter as they play, my mind wandered to thought of what I can do with tidbits I'm hearing.

I've made notes on the yellow pad beside me, jotting down ideas and creating a list of names. Quinton. That name has a nice ring to it, does't it? Max is cute in his pint-size soccer outfit and the freckles across his nose almost match his red hair.
My mind shifts to the need to draft an essay for this blog on thinking--free thought--daydreaming. And I realize I must be honest: I have never lost that habit that drove the teachers nuts--I am still a daydreamer.

Sometimes our best writing comes when we aren't physically moving that pen across paper or clicking away on those keys. When we are between projects, blocked in that sagging middle of our book or story, or hit a point where we are undecided about where we go from here (whereever we are in our work), we have permission to NOT WRITE.

Let our minds wonder, let the thoughts drift along, skip from idea to idea, even snooze a bit. Creativity can rise up from doing little else but embracing the art of daydreaming.

READING TO CATCH UP

I have been reading several issues of writing magazines and writing newsletters I subscribe to. The pile had reached the "falling over" point so I realize I need to do something. I usually do a quick glance through the issues upon receipt, see if there is any "dated" material I need to address (guidelines, contests, etc.)and make notes if I observe a good topic for one of my upcoming creative writing class lectures. It's finding the time to get back and read them from cover-to-cover that is the problem.

I won't discuss here the older issues but thought I would give you some encouraging words about a couple of the latest issues of magazines you can find on your favorite bookstore shelves. There's nothing worse than having someone gush over an article they read in a magazine that, for all nonsubscribers, has left the face of the earth.

Though I have subscribed to the two major writers magazines (The Writer and Writer's Digest) forever it seems, for many years in my opinion "The Writer" outperformed WD. It offered so much of a variety for all types of writers, not overly heavy on the side of fiction that I found true at that time with WD. I learned so much about writing in all genres; I had not ventured out to submit poetry since I was in high school but by reading the wonderful Poetry column each month, I grabbed my courage and off some of my verses went. The rejcctions came as we all know but then there was the day I received the first acceptance of a poem. I give "The Writer" credit for that sale.

The April 2008 issue is an excellent example of what "The Writer" has to offer. Up front you will always find lots of tidbits of the writing world in general, author information, short lessons in some phase of writing, and possibly a new market. This particular month the major articles offer assistance to many different types of writers: Scare the heck out of your readers--and other horror-wriiting tips is an example. I have seldom attempted to write horror but G.W. Thomas (author of more than 400 pieces) had given me a nudge to try. Ray Bradbury's article from a 1961 issue offers lessons in keeping and feeding your muse, still timely today. "How to Write a How-To" is a lesson in learning how and what to write in this category. Short story writing, fiction success, agent and writer's conferences are discussed. There is a wealth of helpful information in this, and each, issue.

In the last two years, Writer's Digest has caught up (though I still lean toward my old favorite many months). They have become more new-writer friendly while still showing their professionalism. One of my favorite segments of the April 2008 issue is the Writer's Workbook. They have broken this down into different genres: Fiction this issue is addressing Attributive clauses (the case for said); Nonfiction discusses the writing of personal essays; if, like me, you never heard of a shape poem, the Poetry workbook will explain; and the newest thing in marketing terms is "platform." If you think it has something to do with trains or shoes, you need to read the Marketing part of the workbook.

"Writer's Journal" has been a part of my writing education for many years now. I have never had any personal contact with Leon Ogroske, editor, but I know somehow from this magazine that he runs a tight ship. I have spoken to Janet Elaine Smith, the columnist of Marketing Helps, on the phone and have read three of her books--she knows her stuff. There are columns on screenwriting, poetry, vocabulary, computers, and, one of my favorites, photography techniques. The editor offers numerous contests; I've entered and never won but always read the winners. In the March/April issue there is an article everyone who is thinking of self-publishing should read: "I Don't Think We're in Kansas Anymore." And "Making the Word Count/Reduce Word Count Without Sacrificing Content" is worth the price of the magazine.

I have had a few romantic short stories published but don't consider myself a romance writer per se. However, I read romantic suspense (my love for mystery always wins out), am interested in the new books coming out and who the authors really are, so I subscribe to "Romantic Times Book Reviews." It is not just a magazine of book reviews however. In those interviews of authors you will learn what to do and not to do while writing, seeking publication or promoting your work. There is also an area of the mag called: Your Path to Publishing, ProseOnProse. In this issue, the writer addresses "Writing Multicultural." Showing readers how to make character choices, what point of view to use, avoid stereotypes and how to write from your heart with your imagination set free is all there. In this same section, a published author critiques the first three pages of an aspiring writer's work. I always learn something I can use in my own books from this. So, don't snicker at someone you see reading Romantic Times.

Have I convinced you to read these managazines? Yes? I know you will learn from the time spent. No? ??????

Never mind. It's time for me to get back to reading.

PERSONAL DEADLINES

As writers we should all work to deadlines. If we freelance for others, we definitely have deadlines. I do a column for The Storyteller Magazine and I have deadlines for each column entry. That keeps me on course. In fact, I attempt to write several of these columns, or all four for the year, and submit them in one batch. This year, I haven’t done that. The next issue will have my first column for 2008; I have emailed the editor my topics for the other three columns and they have been approved but I haven’t written them yet.

It’s fine to have deadlines from editors or publishers but what if you aren’t selling? What if you are writing that book you always wanted to produce—you don’t have an agent or publisher so there are no deadlines. If you want to be more productive and efficient in how you work, you should also be setting some deadlines of your own.

We will take my column as an example. Let’s say that I haven’t written the next column and I need to get it into the mail by Wednesday noon. Since I’ve left it for the last minute without a deadline of my own, I am going to have to spend tomorrow writing, editing, proofreading. I have left myself no time for letting it “sit” for a week or so to go back with a fresh eye for mistakes/content. I have not set a proper deadline for my work.

Instead of waiting until the last minute, I need to be tough on myself. The next column is due in April. I have set aside time this week to write the first draft; I’ll let it sit for that week; then on March 17 I will reread, edit, change, whatever it takes to complete a finished product and it will be ready to mail out no later than March 24—with time to look over it again.

If you are writing a book, set deadlines for completing that next chapter or a certain number of pages. We have all heard of writers who say they sit in the chair until they write five pages or a thousand words; that’s a deadline they have set for themselves; that’s how they produce a book.

There are benefits to being tough with yourself. You certainly get more work done. It will probably be better work that you normally do. You will also feel better. You’ll feel better about getting more done. And you’ll feel a greater sense of accomplishment after meeting not only an editors/publishers deadlines but your own.

So I’m off to work the next column tomorrow. I just have to decided whether it will be “You’re Never Too Old,” “Forever Words (Your Journals Read by Millions?), or “A Thousand Words (Using Photographs to Enhance Your Work).”