Write What You Know

I'm pretty sure I've touched on the topic of "write what you know" before. My apologies if this post seems repetitive (I hope not!), but a scene I'm currently writing reminds me of this little dictum.

So, you claim you haven't experienced enough things to write about? You can't write about a character jumping off of a bridge because you've never done it?

I've never jumped off of a bridge either, but I can still pull from my experiences to aid in writing such a scene. Writing what you know isn't just literal (though it can be in some instances)--if that were the case, I definitely wouldn't be writing fantasy! Even if you think your knowledge and experience is limited, you have a lot more to use than you realize.

No matter our experience, we all have emotions, and different situations bring different emotions. It's these emotional experiences we need to tap into when writing. Emotions are what we know.

How do you think having to jump off of a bridge into rushing water to escape from a rabid pack of unicorns feels like? You think you might be afraid? Maybe even nervous? I sure would! You'd have to make the decision to risk being skewered by the oncoming horns or risking bashing your head on the rocks below. I'm sure you've had to make a hard decision between two bad choices in your life. So you take what you have experienced and translate it to the situation you're writing about.

Emotions are important to have on the page, they bring your characters to life. And you know emotions. Every human does. So you can write what you know. And don't forget that!

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Some updates.

Sorry for the delayed blog post. I'm still trying to find a balance between tending to the baby and writing life. She is not making it easy by changing up her patterns every couple of days. My first child was so much more predictable! Hopefully, I'll manage to blog once more this month.

I did get some writing done in January though. I play the game Valley of Unicorns, and they ran a short story contest, so I managed to write up a 4000 word story. To view it, you need to register, so it's understandable if no one wants to do so. But if you do decide to register, follow the link to read "Winter Wishes", which is under my forum name, Jadeunicorn.

Also, I finally received my rejection from Harper Voyager for The Mind Behind the Mind. I'm sad it wasn't accepted, but I'm still pleased the novel made it to the final round. It will find a home one day, or I'll make it a home (after I write the other two novels in the trilogy)!

And don't forget about Writing Quest - February. I am still running the event monthly, and they can always be found on my Facebook page.

Happy reading and writing!

UP NEXT: Writing with an Infant

Happy 2014!

I really did want to update in December, but two more struggles with mastitis made things difficult (I am still finishing antibiotics from the last case). My Little Green Girl will be two months old this Sunday. It hasn't been easy, but I can tell as the days pass, her fussiness fades a bit more. I see enough smiles now from her to lighten my heart and make me more optimistic that I'll be able to write more soon (and that these darn infections will stop). I can't be too hard on myself, as even writers deserve a bit of maternity leave, no?

Perhaps it's the new year that has me more optimistic and less anxious. I always love the feel of a clean slate when one year ends and another begins. Of course a new year brings new goals, including writing goals. And I always have new goals at the beginning of each year!

Right now, I'm going to enjoy the next month with my newborn and focus on getting and staying healthy. Though, I hope to write a scene for Seeker of Dreams that just wants out. Writing even a little helps keep the writing gears oiled. Last month I finished writing my pregnancy journal--all writing counts!

Come February though, when Mama's Little Green Girl is three months old, I'll be picking up the pace again, at least on weekends, while my sweet husband wrangles the two kids. Right now, there is no rush to complete something. A little at a time will show progress. That might change if I'm offered a contract, of course. Then things will need to go a little faster instead of a slower easing in, and well, frankly, the housework can just suffer if something as wonderful as that happens.

Speaking of contracts...the last update on the Harper Voyager website stated that they are down to 295 manuscripts. I have yet to receive a rejection, so I assume The Mind Behind the Mind is still being considered! I feel privileged to have made it to the final round, and it will be the final round. I should know one way or another by the end of the month. My fingers and toes are crossed, and if I am offered a contract, all other writing plans will probably go out the window since I'll be elbow deep in edits on The Mind Behind the Mind. If I could only be so lucky. ;)

However, since that is still up in the air, my main focus starting in February will be revisions on Dead As Dreams. I'm also hoping to write and revise another handful of short stories, maybe even indie publish a couple by the end of the year. "Dancing in the Wind" needs some company. Oh, and I plan to blog twice per month at least.

Ah, that's enough about my current tribulations and my plans for the year.

What goals do you have for 2014?

NEXT UP: Write What You Know

Complications

So, life keeps throwing roadblocks in my way.

I figured I'd at least post an update of things, but by the looks of it, I'll be on hiatus from blogging for at least another month--by mid-November I should be back to more regular posts at least.

I developed some pregnancy complications. Several weeks ago, I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. This diagnosis has not only stressed me out to no end, it's also consumed a lot of my time trying to monitor my sugars, time meals perfectly, count carbs to make sure my sugars don't spike, and have to schedule three times the amount of appointments I originally needed to schedule. If I wasn't going for a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean), perhaps I wouldn't be quite so stressed. But I can't be induced for a VBAC, and the doctors will only let me go so far due to the diabetes--in other words, going overdue isn't much of an option, unless I refuse another c-section and decide to go overdue anyway, but part of me thinks that would be selfish since my goal is to make sure baby arrives healthy.

Of course all of this has brought my writing to a halt. I'm attempting to focus on my health (exercising is a must as well, and it's so hard to walk with all the creaky pains of pregnancy) and baby's health first. There will be time to write after baby is here--no snickering. Babies do take up time, but it's easier to plop baby into my husband's arms and go to another room to write for an hour than it is to take a break from her being in my belly and blocking my ability to utilize insulin!

I do intend to critique a little--I have something on my plate this week that needs to get done. This is mainly so my brain keeps functioning at more thought-provoking levels. ;)

Six and a half more weeks to my due date, but I'm hoping she decides to arrive a couple weeks sooner than that! I have to get the revisions of Dead As Dreams finished!

Oh, I do have one bit of good news. Harper Voyager has reduced their pile of submissions from their open call in October 2012 to 550 manuscripts (out of around 4500). I sent an inquiry to make sure I didn't miss a rejection in the e-mail ether. They confirmed that my manuscript is still under consideration. It feels good that The Mind Behind the Mind has made it this far. I count myself lucky, even if I do eventually receive that rejection. So, yay!

Otherwise, that's my update. I hope to at least plan out some posts before I start posting again so I have a good idea of what I'll be writing about over a decent span of time. Until then, happy writing and reading!

NEXT UP: In all likelihood, a birth announcement. ;)