Graveyard Shifts, Dreams and the #6...horror story or another success story?

Toni, in an awesome, very inspiring post wrote: ' Sometimes you have to find your own motivation'. (Click here to view her post.)

And it got me thinking... what really motivates me to write? It's something I've always dreamed about since I can't remember... so forever.  I've always wanted to be an author. I started drafting and outlining stories as soon as I could write (and I've kept those little scribbles too). But lately, life's kinda gotten in the way and laundry has trumped the writing. Screaming kids have demanded more attention than my keyboard, computer and writing dreams. Hmmff..

I came across the success story of Brandon Sanderson who was chosen to continue Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series (phenomenal series by the way!) after Mr. Jordan passed away. Mr Jordan left copious notes for his remaining books and Brandon Sanderson was chosen to continue his work. Brandon Sanderson struggling student to six time New York Times Best Selling Author journey is a classic one. AND we always LOVE to hear these kind of successes!

Brandon started writing behind a hotel front desk during the graveyard shift. He worked midnight to 5am giving him many quiet hours to just write. His first goal was just to write 6 books. Why 6 you ask? I took his reasoning and story from BYU Magazine article written by Krista Holmes Hanby:

“I once heard that your first five books are generally bad, and so I determined I would write six at the very least.”

He did go on to write eight books during his five year graveyard stint. His sixth book was Elantris and sat on an editor's desk before it was rejected.

Again and again Sanderson was told that his books would never sell because they were too long or too moral. But he was determined. “At the end of the day if you told me, ‘You will never get published,’ I would have still written the books,” he says.

He persevered and now:
Little did the haggard student know then that in a mere eight years, he would publish not only Elantris (in 2005) but 12 more novels, including his acclaimed Mistborn series and the middle-grade Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians series—as well as the final three books of The Wheel of Time, by epic-fantasy writer Robert Jordan.

Brandon also gives this advice to fellow writers:

“There are a lot of writers who are better than I am who are not successful,” he says. “It’s a measure of luck, perseverance, and providence.”

And how to deal with writer's block:

“Sit in a chair and write,” Sanderson says.“Ignore this thing they call writer’s block. Doctors don’t get doctor’s block; your mechanic doesn’t get mechanic’s block. If you want to write great stories, learn to write when you don’t feel like it. You have to write it poorly before you can write it well. So just be willing to write bad stories in order to learn to become better.”

I love to hear of triumph through hard work and NEVER giving up. I did a lot of cutting and pasting from the article and I recommend reading it in it's entirety. Please click here.  Very good read and guaranteed to give you that get up and go with renewed determination!

So what's my motivation? I'm going to write another book. I've written 5 books which have been rejected a million times. Well, it really seems like that many. But, this next one could just be the one! The one that gets me published! The one that makes my dreams come true. I just gotta keep going! And so should YOU!!!

Motivation Monday

What no quote?
Nope.  Not today.
But it's Motivation Monday, don't you have to have a motivational quote?
Nope.
Why?
Because I said so, that's why....

Because sometimes you have to find your own motivation.  Anyone who reads our little blog on a regular basis may have started to feel a theme coming on of late.  Yep, I am talking myself into being brave and attending a writer's workshop.  So lucky for you, the way I talk myself into it is by lecturing others about finding their motivation, and believing in themselves.... well read the last few posts and you'll get the idea.

SO.... back to finding your own motivation.  I decided, while researching who will be at the writer's workshop I am attending, to go back and find the article that changed the way I looked at writing. (which happens to be a post by a someone who happens to be a guest speaker at the very workshop I am attending - can we say "holy sweet mother of excited Toni!!"???)

I read the post again tonight, and I must say I still love it!  It explains everything, especially that all important word of "craft" (which for any non-writers, is flung around like a literary cuss word no one truly understands)

So here ya go.  This is my motivation

Thanks to Molly O'Neill for making everything click for me!!!

Motivation Monday - PLUS fun news!!!

"To the degree we're not living our dreams, our comfort zone has more control of us than we have of ourselves."
- Peter McWilliams



Having control of your dreams is a lot easier said than done.  Especially when following your dreams involves getting out of your comfort zone - WAY out of your comfort zone, like so far out it should be called Tonis-going-to-have-nervous-breakdown-just-looking-for-someone-eat-lunch-with.  But that's what I'm doing.  (Getting out of my comfort zone AND yes, I will be looking for someone to eat with every day, at every meal, for a week)

The first week of March I will be attending a Writer's Workshop in Pennsylvania.  The Highlight's Foundation puts on several workshops throughout the year.  I am super excited to be attending one that concentrates on Middle Grade novels. (Oh, and my dream editor will be a guest speaker for 2 whole, glorious days - and I pinky promise not to gawk and stare like the editor-stalker I am!)

My love for middle grade books started with my oldest son, who bless his heart, said he couldn't find any books he liked to read.  I was naive, alright very naive, and said something along the lines of, "Well why don't I write a book for you?"  That was three years ago.  I have worked on this novel periodically over the years never wanting to give up on it because the characters are all family members - it means the world to me.  SO after finding out about this workshop I applied and got accepted, only to be denied a scholarship.  BUT I was surprised  humbled, and extremely excited when my family offered to help.    

So I am going despite hating to fly, despite having every doubt I've had in my life crawl back into my head, despite being nervous around new people, despite dreading the find someone to eat lunch with thing - despite it all I am throwing myself head first into the most nerve wracking thing I've ever done - wanna know why???

Cause if I keep telling the world (or the 12 people who read this blog) to follow their dreams, but ignore my own, then what kind of blogger would I be?

After the Great Critique...

So as you may know, Toni and I recently put our our big girl pants and went to the Great Critique sponsored by SCWBI.  It was a wonderful opportunity for local writers, great and small, to mix and exchange ideas. We met in an exquisite, old 1910 craftsman style church and coffee house with dark boiserie and beautiful stained glass in the great room.  It would be a great scene for a story! Hmmm...

Unfortunately, we were not in the great room but the basement...maybe a little foreshadowing for a critique.  Like with all learning experiences, this was really tough!

You work so hard on a project, pour your heart and soul into your manuscript, present your best work yet...only to have it all torn apart. It was a very heart wrenching and humbling experience.  My ears are still ringing with comments such as:

"This is not a picture book"
"The problem I have with your story is ..."
"You totally suck as a writer and should quit right now!"

Ok I made up that last part. Criticism is very hard to take graciously.  Susan Uhlig offers some great advice on how to deal with "your baby is ugly" comments. Here is a link to her website. 

After the critique we need to move on even if we are limping just a little bit. The bad stuff may linger a little longer but then comes the brilliant gems of great advice.  Comments sincerely intended for the improvement of your manuscript. And then there is the giant learning steps and ah-ha moments which make the critique agony so worth it!

I'm so glad Toni and I went. We came out a little beaten down but a little wiser. Toni has something amazing in the works and I can't wait to see how her story develops and improves. I think this is going to be the manuscript that makes Toni a published author! Good luck Toni!

Motivation Monday

"Friendship makes prosperity more shining and lessens adversity by dividing and sharing it."
- Cicero

For the first time ever, I went searching for a quote.  There was something I needed to say.  And that is....

THANK YOU!

Thank you to my friends who always believe in me, no matter how difficult my dreams are to attain.  Thank you to my family who always lend me a hand when I fall.  Thank you to my kids for never telling me dinner sucks....

Seriously though, today I am so thankful.  I am very excited and extremely humbled that when I thought I wouldn't be able to attend a writer's workshop (that I really, really, really wanted to attend) people stepped in with not only ideas and money, but encouragement.  Everyone has made this moment shine bright.  You have a taken a moment of adversity, divided among yourselves until there was nothing left for me - but hope.

I love you all - and thank you, THANK YOU for always believing in me!