tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-181490762024-03-13T13:27:10.647-06:00Through a Glass DarklyHeidi A Wildehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15154433131897961031noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18149076.post-16966443142845453322020-05-29T03:34:00.003-06:002020-05-29T03:34:54.334-06:00Audio Book Tour for The Secret Sisters Club<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #d5f4f5; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Twelve-year-old BFF’s Ginnie West and Tillie Taylor, want to be sisters. Ginnie's widowed dad plus Tillie's divorced mom could equal a lifetime of round-the-clock girl talk and slumber parties. Too bad Dad vowed to never marry again. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #d5f4f5; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Ginnie and Tillie come up with the perfect scheme to change his mind: ‘Operation Secret Sisters’ (aka OSS). After all, if they can’t get Dad to move on, Tillie can’t move in.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #d5f4f5; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">When Monique isn’t writing, you can find her playing taxi driver to one or more of her 12 children, plotting her next novel, scrapbooking, or being the “Mamarazzi” at any number of child-oriented events.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #d5f4f5; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Even though she realizes there will never be enough hours in any given day, Monique tries very hard to enjoy the journey that is her life. She shares it with a terrific husband, her dozen children and 3 in-law kids, eleven granddarlings, 5 cats, and many real and imaginary friends.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #d5f4f5; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">She is the author of five published books (and several unpublished ones) and is in two anthologies. You can find more about Monique and her works at: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.moniquebucheger.blogspot.com&source=gmail&ust=1588065819002000&usg=AFQjCNEEAD4wg8QUXtEDdU65zFVGAs1OsQ" href="http://www.moniquebucheger.blogspot.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">www.moniquebucheger.blogspot.<wbr></wbr>com</a> </span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;">~ <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Monique-Bucheger/193789017310198" target="_blank"><span style="color: #990000;">Facebook</span></a> ~ <a href="http://moniquebucheger.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #990000;">Website</span></a> ~</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;">~ <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/MoniqueBucheger" target="_blank"><span style="color: #990000;">Twitter</span></a></span></b><b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;"> ~</span></b></div>
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<b>The Secret Sisters Club is a heartwarming story about friendship, horses, familial love, and all the joys and problems that go with them. Two best friends want to become sisters and so they set out to make it happen by setting up Tilly's Mom with Ginny's Dad. The road to sisterhood does not run smooth, however.</b></div>
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<b>Monique has created distinct and lovable characters set in a vibrant farming/ranching community. They have understandable problems and resolve them reasonably. This is very important to me when reading a book, having characters remain true to themselves and the world the author created. Monique has Baby Bear pacing, nothing dragging, nothing rushed - it's juuust right. While this book is slotted for middle-grade, it definitely has appeal for all ages. I recommend you crack open a copy and meet these people for yourself :)</b></div>
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<b>Or better yet, get your copy on Audible! Hillary Straga's narration makes Monique's wonderful story sparkle and really come alive with her nuances and varied voices. Her diction and articulation loses nothing at 2x speed, which is generally how I listen to Audible books. The entire experience was highly entertaining and had me laughing and crying throughout.</b></div>
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<b>~Heidi A. Wilde (me ;) )</b></div>
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<b style="text-align: center;">To view our blog schedule and follow along with this tour visit our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/275641843437760/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #990000;">Official Event page</span></a> </b><br />
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Heidi A Wildehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15154433131897961031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18149076.post-79894355224657018112018-01-10T11:02:00.000-07:002018-10-10T11:10:38.063-06:00A Gamer's Guide to QuittingWhen I was first asked to submit a post about knowing when to quit your goals I had mixed feelings. Aren’t we supposed to never quit? “Winners never quit and quitters never win” and all that? But the more I thought about it, and read other people’s thoughts on the subject, the more I realized that there are quite a few instances where quitting is actually the right thing to do, and that it doesn’t mean you have failed. I love playing games of all sorts, board games, video games, computer games/MMOs/etc, you name it; and as I was pondering how best to talk about the circumstances when it is okay to abandon a goal a few gaming correlations came to mind. Stick with me here, and I’ll share five examples of when quitting is the better option.<br />
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1. <b>Your quest log is full and/or you’ve out leveled the area you’re in.</b> In order to make room for more level appropriate quests, you need to abandon some whose rewards are minimal because your level is too high. If you made a goal in your 20s and you’re now in your 30s but have yet to accomplish it, chances are that the goal just doesn’t fit your life now. You’ve grown past it. It’s hard to let go sometimes, especially as we’ve been told so often that quitting equals failing. If you’re only hanging on to this goal because you don’t want to be labeled a quitter, but it’s not actually going to give you anything in return, it’s time to let it go to make room for goals that are more appropriate to where your life is currently heading.<br />
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2. <b>Your raid group cannot defeat a certain boss.</b> Every week you and your friends group up to try their hands at the new raid boss (big level character that takes many people to defeat), but just can’t seem to do it. Perhaps it’s time to look at your equipment, your understanding of the boss mechanics, your understanding of your own class abilities. In other words, you’ve set a goal for yourself that you don’t actually have the tools to accomplish. There’s nothing wrong with setting aside a goal for a time when you are equipped to complete it, or of simply dropping it completely.<br />
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3.<b> Overcomplicated Quest line whose benefits are not worth the effort. </b>You heard about a quest that sounded pretty cool, but when you get into it you discover it has 36 mini quests and you need to complete them all before getting any rewards, and the reward you do end up getting is a piece of junk. Are the developers trolling you? I would say this example would be when you set a goal for something you thought would be simple, but discovered it would take much more time and effort than you thought. Now, there will still be goals that are worth pursuing even if they end up being more complicated, but that is something you will have to decide for yourself. Is the end reward what I thought it was going to be, and will it be worth my effort? If not, then don’t waste your time. There are plenty of other quests in the game 😉<br />
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4. <b>Limiting Quest Line.</b> There are some quest lines that open up relations with certain factions, but by doing so you become hated by/closed from interaction with an opposing faction. You need to find out which faction will give you the benefits you want and can use. Does a goal of yours cut you off from interactions that would be more beneficial than the ones brought about by that goal? This would be a time where dropping a goal would be appropriate. Again, you are the only one who can decide which benefits are best for you, but don’t be afraid to let one go just because you’ve invested time into it if there is a better goal for you out there.<br />
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5.<b> Misleading Quest Line.</b> Either a quest line looks like it will lead to a certain perk (new mount/companion/area), or you were told it would, but you find out once you get into it that it doesn’t. It’s not uncommon to set a goal with a certain outcome in mind only to find out that working on the goal is actually taking you in a different direction. If that direction is not something you want, don’t feel bad about letting go of this goal. Just because you start something doesn’t mean you have to finish it if it is going to work against you in the end.<br />
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These are just a few things that popped into my head while contemplating this topic. I hope you were able to get something out of them whether you are a gamer or not. There are a couple of other thoughts I had that I want to hit on before I end.<br />
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The first one is about mindset. Sometimes being too focused on results can be a detriment. Enjoying the process, the journey, and focusing on that will bring more joy. The Bhagavad Gita (Gandhi’s ‘spiritual dictionary’) states “Those who are motivated only by desire for the fruits of action are miserable, for they are constantly anxious about the results of what they do.” A goal should have you thinking more about ‘getting better’ than ‘being good’.<br />
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Secondly, if you are contemplating abandoning a goal, I want you to ask yourself a few questions. Why did you set the goal in the first place? Do you still have the same reasons for completing it? Do you want to quit merely because it is harder than you thought it would be? Or is it that the effort involved is too great compared to what you will actually obtain from completing it?<br />
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Make a list of honest pros and cons for quitting. Only you can know what’s best for you and what will make you happy. Get rid of goals that don’t bring happiness and fulfillment. Executive coach Steve Robbins said, “The people who had the least extraordinary lives were the ones who managed to adhere closest to their plans.” Lives change, circumstances change, so don’t be afraid to dump any goal that isn’t working for you anymore.<br />
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This is another guest post for the Fictorians. You can see the original posting <a href=http://www.fictorians.com/2018/01/10/a-gamers-guide-to-quitting-heidi-a-wilde/>here</a>.Heidi A Wildehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15154433131897961031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18149076.post-72719393186504124602016-08-06T22:12:00.001-06:002016-08-06T22:12:24.324-06:00Guest Post on FictoriansI was asked to do another guest post for the Fictorians' blog this month. It was quite challenging this time as the subject matter was 55-word stories, a format I'd never heard of before. After doing the post I think I'll keep fiddling with the 55-word format. I knew it was going to be difficult, but I didn't realize how fun it would be as well.
<br>
<br>To read the post on Fictorians, <a href="http://www.fictorians.com/2016/08/05/thank-you-baby/">click here</a>.
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<br>Those of you who know me know that short fiction is not my strong suit, but it is a goal of mine to really get to the heart of a story and cut out the nonessential fluff. The 55-word story format is new to me so I did some research and found many personal sites and even an article in Family Medicine written in June of 2010 by Dr. Colleen Fogarty, a writer and a family physician. In her article she states “These stories… have been used to teach family medicine faculty development fellows. Writers and readers of 55 word stories gain insight into key moments of the healing arts; the brevity of the pieces adds to both the writing and reading impact.”
<br>
<br>The article explains what goes into a good 55-word story and recounts one session of a writing seminar Dr. Fogarty held for other physicians and included the stories they wrote in the 15 minutes she allotted them. The familiarity of the subject matter and story components coupled with seeing their results inspired me to experiment on my own.
<br>
<br>The night I found the article I had been called to an emergency C-section. It was one of many I’ve been called to over the years, but after reading that article I thought it would be a perfect story for a first attempt. With any emergency there is stress and anxiety and then enormous relief when you have a good outcome.
<br>
<br>
<center><b>Thank You, Baby</b></center>
<br>
“I need help in here!” the nurse called before running back to the patient’s room.
<br>“We’re losing the baby’s heartbeat with each contraction. Is the cord wrapped around his neck?”
<br><i>Please, baby, be okay.</i> They’re the only words in my mind. Every time.
<br>A cut.
<br>A tug.
<br>Overwhelming anxiety.
<br>A cry.
<br>Relief.
<br><i>Thank you, baby.</i>
<br>
<br>After that article I visited many blogs where people had posted their 55-word stories to see if I could get a feel for the form and rhythm. There were many that affected me, some that I found myself thinking of days later, and some that just made me roll my eyes. I went back to the ones that stuck in my mind to figure out why they had had such an impact and to hopefully be able to learn from them.
<br>
<br>Truthfully, the invitation for this post scared me and my initial (knee jerk) response was to decline, especially since I had never heard of this format before. But no improvement will occur without effort and a challenge, so I accepted. I’m very grateful for this opportunity to share what I’ve learned and created. I hope you will be able to take something of value away from my post.
<br>
<br><center><b>The Storm Caster</b></center>
<br>I feel the storm’s power surging through me. It’s explosive.
<br>I stand arms outstretched while the wind, my wind, wreaks havoc.
<br>I could tear the trees from the ground; send them crashing into houses nearby. I could…
<br>
<br>Then I see my neighbor laughing at me through his window.
<br>Ahh, I remember.
<br>
<br>I’m an ordinary man.
<br>
<br>
<br><center><b>Relaxing</b></center>
<br>I step into the hottub with a contented sigh. Sinking under the water briefly,
<br>I wet my hair and face, then float.
<br><i>How relaxing!</i>
<br>Slowly, the water thickens. To my horror it seeps into my mouth and eyes, but leaves my nose free.
<br>
<br>Minutes pass.
<br>The last thing I feel: two fingers covering my nostrils.
<br>
<br>
<br>Although it was difficult for me, I feel like I've improved ever so slightly with just these three examples. I'm going to continue to work on this. I'd love to hear from you. Try out the 55-word stories for yourself and post them in the comments! Until next time.
<br>
<br>Nanu nanu
Heidi A Wildehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15154433131897961031noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18149076.post-12782326775266904662015-06-14T22:00:00.001-06:002015-06-16T20:22:12.514-06:00June 2015 Ramble: Strengthening Your Writing During RevisionsInitially you're just trying to get your thoughts out of your head and onto the page. First drafts are far from perfect, so how do you go about turning your word vomit into gold? How do you make your prose sparkle and pop? That is the topic of this month's <a href=http://writers-ramble.blogspot.com/2015/06/most-effective-revision-techniques.html>Ramble post</a>. My fellow Ramblers will be giving their personal tips on how they refine their drafts into pieces they are proud of. Check out their posts as well and feel free to leave a comment. We love to hear from you!<br />
<br />
What do I do to strengthen my writing? I'm glad you asked! This post has forced me to take a closer look at my work to find out. I've discovered a few things about myself which is always exciting for me. I'm going to detail three main questions I end up asking myself as I'm reading through a draft.<br />
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<u><b>HAVE I USED ALL MY SENSES (INCLUDING THE 6th)?</b></u><br />
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To help draw your reader into your world you need to surround them as completely as they are surrounded in this world. I take a look at the scene and ask myself how it smells, what sounds do my characters hear, what do they see? Is there anything for them to touch or taste? I also ask myself if there is anything in the atmosphere or aura of the scene that my characters would pick up on. A sense of foreboding? Of peace? Are my characters perceptive? I can show that by describing what they do and don't pick up on. After deciding what their senses are perceiving I have to choose which are the most interesting to detail. I also scan to ensure I'm giving all the senses a chance to shine in a balanced way throughout the piece.<br />
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<u><b>HAVE I PAINTED A CLEAR PICTURE?</b></u><br />
<u><br /></u>
Have I conveyed the images, feelings, and information I needed/wanted to? After filling up everyone's senses I need to make sure I've said what needed to be said and not got lost in the beauty or minutiae of the scene. I tend to over describe on a first run through. I believe it is to make sure I know what all of the details are as I'm generally a discovery writer. When I go back over my writing I look for areas where I've used imprecise or imperfect language, or described something multiple times as I worked out the best way to describe it. This happens frequently for me as I'm getting my thoughts onto the paper. I have to ask "Have I buried the flow in too much or imprecise description?" I search for those vague words and repetitions and replace them with more exact and concise wording. It is a delicate balance between detail and clarity.<br />
<br />
<u><b>DOES MY DIALOG SOUND NATURAL?</b></u><br />
<u><br /></u>
Depending on the piece I may start with this question, but generally I like to ensure the stage is set before I rework my dialog in case something in the scene description would find its way into the conversation. The easiest way to gauge the naturalness of your characters' speech is to read the conversations out loud. Are your characters using phrases and vocabulary that makes sense for them? Do they have their own distinct voices? While you shouldn't skimp on dialog tags and sacrifice clarity, you should strive to make each character's speech unique enough to be able to leave off their names and still be able to identify them. I use this as more of an exercise than a goal for the final product, however.<br />
<br />
There are many ways in which you can strengthen your writing and as you go along you'll inevitably discover more and more. These are just the three main areas I like to focus on to increase the clarity and entertainment of my work. What do you look at in your own writing? What do you notice about other people's work? I'd love to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment below!<br />
<br />
Until next time: Nanu Nanu!Heidi A Wildehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15154433131897961031noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18149076.post-72572141629932350222014-06-24T18:56:00.001-06:002015-06-14T22:09:32.271-06:00June 2014 Ramble: Making Time to Write<div class="MsoNormal">
In this month’s Ramble we discuss making time for writing. This is something I struggle with every
day. It makes no sense, really. Why do I avoid and back-burner something I
enjoy so much? I've recently made a three-part plan to deal with my
avoidance issues. If you find yourself avoiding your creative pursuits, perhaps this will help you as well. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Identify and Deal with Distractions</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For the longest time I didn’t actually realize I was letting
myself be distracted. Or worse, that I
was the instigator of my distraction. I
decided to keep a little notebook with me for a couple of weeks to jot down
what I did instead of writing. Any time
I thought “I should go write for awhile” or “Oh, I need to work on my ___
project” I started paying attention to what I actually did next. Any negative, discouraging thoughts as well
as what came to mind as alternate activities.
I wrote them all down. These were
my road blocks. Sometimes they were
previous commitments, sometimes they were just things to take up my time.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I noticed that the things on the list were things that I did
quite often and I thought, “Well, no wonder I’m not getting my writing done!” Being aware of them was my first step; next I
needed a plan to counter them and keep myself on track. I went down the list and figured out why each
item was a distraction and whether I should take time for these things (other
creative pursuits, social obligations, etc) or if they were purely distractions
and not benefiting me in any way. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Make a Schedule</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Once I identified how my time was being spent when I wasn’t
paying attention, I sketched out a schedule for two weeks. (My work schedule is 6 nights on, 8 nights
off now, so my time is spread out differently during the six than it is during
the eight.) I have found that Google Calendar is very easy to use and has Day,
Week, 2 Week and Month views depending on how detailed you want/need to be.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The only way I ever get anything done is if I put it on my
schedule. The more detailed I’ve made my
schedule in the past (and followed it!) the more productive I’ve been. So I made a master schedule for my 14 day
work cycle and do you know what I found?
I HAVE TIME TO WRITE! It was a
thrilling and terrifying discovery to make.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Take Responsibility and Be Accountable</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Huh, I have time to write, who would have thought? Now that I had this enlightened perspective,
I needed to take responsibility for it.
Take ownership of it; after all it is My writing career. In order to get from “I really need to write
at some point” to “Wow, I’m actually writing every day!” I had to start treating
my writing like the second job it’s supposed to be. My current employer won’t pay me if I don’t
show up, and neither will all my ideas and characters amount to anything if I
don’t show up for my writing. BIC HOK (Butt
In Chair, Hands On Keyboard).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Breaking up your writing into bite sized chunks and techniques
to stay on track is a discussion for another post, but I will say in order to
continue to write once you’ve found you have the time for it involves having
goals, rewards and accountability. Even
if it is only to yourself, you need to set it up so that you are enough. It is usually easier (for me at least) to be
accountable to someone I trust outside of myself to keep me on track, however.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
What should you take away from all this and the <a href="http://writers-ramble.blogspot.com/">other
articles by my fellow Ramblers?</a> If it’s
important to you, you’ll find time to do it.
We all have the same 24 hours in a day and we are responsible for how
those hours are spent. Make a
concentrated effort in discovering what works for you, develop a plan and stick
to it. We’re all in this together. Seriously, we are. I’d love to hear how you’ve made time for the
things that are important to you.
Comment below!</div>
Heidi A Wildehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15154433131897961031noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18149076.post-10656847504131958922014-05-17T07:06:00.000-06:002015-06-14T22:09:14.835-06:00May 2014 Ramble: It All Comes Right in the EndHave you ever finished a book, put it down and sighed? Was it a sigh of exasperation, or one of contentment? Perhaps it was one filled with regret because the story had ended. Maybe it was a sigh of pure joy because you felt empowered and changed. What is it that gives us these varying reactions at the end of a tale? What kind of reactions do you want your readers to have? What kinds of endings do you as a reader find most satisfying and have you ever paused to figure out why?<br />
<br />
Many ingredients are used in the art of storytelling, many things to consider at each stage of your story. This post is going to discuss what makes an ending satisfying. There is a difference between happy endings and satisfying endings. A story doesn’t have to end happily for it to be satisfying to a reader. So what does it need to be?<br />
<br />
The first thing you need to consider is any promises you have made to the reader throughout your story. It is a good idea to keep a list as you are writing of the different agreements you’ve entered into. Notice what you’ve shined a light on, where you have led the reader, what events you have set in motion, etc. You don’t need to wrap up every scenario and subplot with a pretty bow, but you do need to understand what you’ve led the reader to expect, what you’ve set them up for, and deliver it. <br />
<br />
That in no way means to be staid and predictable. What most readers expect is a logical resolution, in whatever form you may have in mind. Have as many twists and turns and upsets as your story can safely and logically handle, but realize what expectations you are building in your reader.<br />
<br />
People read for myriad reasons, but in some way it generally comes down to an emotional payoff. Deliver an ending with the emotional payoff that your reader is looking for. How do you know what your reader is looking for? Well, if you write mysteries it’s a safe bet someone who picks up your book is looking for a mystery, n’est pas?<br />
<br />
This leads into the next item to remember. Be mindful of your genre and audience. If you are writing a mystery, then you’d better solve the crime by the end! In a romance readers expect the main characters to get together eventually. Epic fantasy is an interesting genre; readers expect wonder and struggle and heroism, etc. This may span across more than one book. Each book needs a satisfying ending even if the main arc of the story has not been resolved, the minor arc of that book needs to resolve. The protagonist may have lost his magic which will lead into another quest of getting it back in a second book, but by sacrificing or overextending himself he thwarted the immediate threat. <br />
<br />
Your ending/resolution should never come out of left field. If you are planning a twist or desire a surprise ending, you need to make sure you have left enough bread crumbs throughout your book that your reader can say, “How did I not see that coming? All the clues were there!” and not, “Uhhh… what??” A wonderful example of this is the movie The Sixth Sense. If you haven’t seen it, watch it and you’ll understand what I mean.<br />
<br />
While most readers can handle (and sometimes thoroughly enjoy) mind bending endings, they don’t like being tricked or cheated. It isn’t wise to write a mystery leading the reader toward the butler, then the husband, then the neighbor only to end it with the culprit being a character only introduced at the end. ‘<i>Oh ho! I’m so clever! You didn’t see that coming, did you?</i>’ “Of course not! You made me invest my detective skills into figuring out which of the characters you’d actually developed had done it. Boo! I’ll not read you again, and I’ll tell all my friends!”<br />
<br />
There are as many ways to end a story as there are stories, but as long as you remember to keep your promises; deliver an appropriate emotional payoff; abide by the rules of your genre; and have enough foreshadowing and subtle clues to ensure your ending is logical, authentic and makes sense, your readers will be satisfied.<br />
<br />
I’m curious to know your opinions about satisfying endings. Which stories have had your favorites? Which stories have left you feeling unsatisfied? Leave a comment with your thoughts :)<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Heidi A Wildehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15154433131897961031noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18149076.post-25654440906370214242014-02-12T05:03:00.000-07:002015-06-14T22:08:53.412-06:00February 2014 Ramble: Why Do You Write?Any time someone asks the question “Why do you write?” I hear the following quote in my mind:
“I write because I must. It's not a choice or a pastime; it's an unyielding calling and my passion.”
― Elizabeth Reyes<br />
<br />
I write because I must. If I don’t write, how will anyone else know these fantastically odd and incredibly charming people that populate my mind? If I don’t write, how will I keep my head from exploding? I imagine words as being paintbrushes with unlimited colors on their pallets, or an endless supply of clay. It thrills me to see worlds and peoples take shape under my fingers.<br />
<br />
I like the feeling of my mind expanding when a new perspective shows itself. Or when a phrase I’ve heard a thousand times before (or never) sparks a new life in my brain. I admit I enjoy the romantic notion of sitting at a computer, a cup of tea steaming while the clickity clacking sounds of brilliance being unbound issue from my keyboard. Perhaps surprisingly, I will also admit to enjoying the pacing, agonizing and hair tearing of brilliance being a bit bashful (Which, let’s be honest, is usually more frequent than the former idyllic scenario).<br />
<br />
Writing is a hundred different games I can play with myself. I like the solitary aspect of an activity that’s purpose is, in essence, to connect. I’m a bundle of contradictions and in writing I find a balance between them all.<br />
<br />
I’m going to end this post with a rather long quote because I agree with each line and didn’t want to shorten it. Feel free to leave a comment and tell me why you write.<br />
<br />
"I write to find strength.<br />
I write to become the person that hides inside me.<br />
I write to light the way through the darkness for others.<br />
I write to be seen and heard.<br />
I write to be near those I love.<br />
I write by accident, promptings, purposefully and anywhere there is paper.<br />
I write because my heart speaks a different language that someone needs to hear.<br />
I write past the embarrassment of exposure.<br />
I write because hypocrisy doesn’t need answers, rather it needs questions to heal.<br />
I write myself out of nightmares.<br />
I write because I am nostalgic, romantic and demand happy endings.<br />
I write to remember.<br />
I write knowing conversations don’t always take place.<br />
I write because speaking can’t be reread.<br />
I write to soothe a mind that races.<br />
I write because you can play on the page like a child left alone in the sand.<br />
I write because my emotions belong to the moon; high tide, low tide.<br />
I write knowing I will fall on my words, but no one will say it was for very long.<br />
I write because I want to paint the world the way I see love should be.<br />
I write to provide a legacy.<br />
I write to make sense out of senselessness.<br />
I write knowing I will be killed by my own words, stabbed by critics, crucified by both misunderstanding and understanding.<br />
I write for the haters, the lovers, the lonely, the brokenhearted and the dreamers.<br />
I write because one day someone will tell me that my emotions were not a waste of time.<br />
I write because God loves stories.<br />
I write because one day I will be gone, but what I believed and felt will live on.”<br />
― Shannon L. Alder
Heidi A Wildehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15154433131897961031noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18149076.post-90896187814525664112014-01-06T23:00:00.001-07:002015-06-14T22:08:36.645-06:00January 2014 Ramble: Resolutions and PromisesThis month in the Ramble we have decided to make our writing goals public so that they are out there and you all can help us be accountable. Kind of us to volunteer you, wasn't it? :) Without further ado, here are my goals, dreams and aspirations for the coming year (in no particular order).<br />
<br />
1. Submit to Writer's of the Future First Quarter (to begin with).<br />
<br />
2. Begin publishing the series I started in NaNoWriMo 2013 (more news on this later).<br />
<br />
3. Write an effective fight scene (I love watching various fighting styles, but I haven't figured out the art of writing them).<br />
<br />
4. Have something to submit to my writing groups at least every other month.<br />
<br />
5. Write for an hour every day.<br />
<br />
6. Keep a dream journal again.<br />
<br />
Goals can be big, small, long term or short. They can be about the craft itself or about an end product. All that matters is that they fill you with excitement, motivation and inspiration. Take a few moments and think of what you really want to accomplish this year and write it down. Leave it in a comment if that helps! You kick my butt, I'll kick yours - how does that sound? :)<br />
<br />
<br />Heidi A Wildehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15154433131897961031noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18149076.post-80541955849372912442013-12-11T00:25:00.001-07:002013-12-11T00:25:55.594-07:00Time to Wake Up<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">I had
a dream today that I knocked on my door. The me I should be answered.
The one who writes every day. The one who exercises every day. The
one who lives in the house of mine that is organized the way I want it
to be. I felt sad and out of sorts. I told her that she should wake up
and leave me in the dream since she knows how to actually live my life.
She just smiled and shook her head, "It is you who needs to wake up."
And so I did. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"> I can't stop thinking about it. It -is- time I woke up.</span>Heidi A Wildehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15154433131897961031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18149076.post-89643758335353642562013-11-22T16:16:00.003-07:002013-11-22T16:18:24.697-07:00Guest Blog post on The Fictorians!Check out my <a href="http://www.fictorians.com/2013/11/22/the-solitary-life-of-a-writer/">guest post</a> on The Fictorians!Heidi A Wildehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15154433131897961031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18149076.post-61742925092381787672013-11-17T04:50:00.000-07:002015-06-14T22:08:09.069-06:00November 2013 Ramble: What Traveling Has Taught Me About Writing<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This month in the Writer’s Ramble we
discuss Outlining vs Discovery writing, Plotting vs Pantsing, Architects vs
Gardeners. However you are used to classifying these two creation styles
they boil down to the same two categories. Do you like to plan out your
novels and short stories or do you prefer to let your stories tell themselves?</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">At heart, I am a pantser – I
like to sit down, start typing and see what comes out – even the way I travel
could be considered pantsing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve gone
on trips with my family as well as with my old job as a travel agent where I would
wander off, discovering what the cities had to offer; wherever my feet took me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had so many adventures that were not in the
tour books, it almost seems unreal. I collected so many wild stories, it became a joke in our family. "Well of COURSE that would happen to Heidi..."</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Much of the writing I’ve done has
come about the same way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I let my
fingers wander and end up running into characters and situations I’d never
dreamed of, but which ended up being just what the story needed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A discovery writer, a pantser, is a more
organic writer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You kind of sit back,
let things grow as they will and if it turns into something useable? Great!</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">However, as my traveling habits have evolved,
I’ve come to appreciate having a basic plan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I found I could see more of a place and not miss out on things that I
know I enjoy by doing a little research and having a game plan in place before
I arrive in a new city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Outlining,
plotting, planning – these are all new things to me in my writing life as well. </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This month for <a href="http://www.nanowrimo.org/">NaNoWriMo</a> I decided to try my hand
at plotting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Okay, I’ll be honest, it
wasn’t a conscious decision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My sister
was brainstorming with me about a series of books I’d gotten an idea for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the end of the session, we had two of the
ten books pretty well plotted with rough ideas about the other eight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d never done that before.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It feels good to know where I’m
going with this story, and that there are nine other stories waiting to be told
once this one is done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d gotten
familiar with the characters before I started writing them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just as researching a city made me feel more
like I was coming home than venturing out into a unfamiliar and foreign place,
so has plotting out this series made these characters feel more like family
than strangers I need to get to know.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">As a writer I’ve come to the
realization that to be my best I need to be both a plotter and a pantser,
depending on what the situation calls for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I still leave myself time in my travels to do some wandering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I leave myself open to adventure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If my characters want to take a left when I
want them to take a right, I’ll go along with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You never know where a wrong turn will take
you – until you make it.</span></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">(I’ll let you in on a little
secret.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This blog post was completely by
the seat of my pants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hadn’t thought
about the correlation between my thoughts on travel and my thoughts on writing –
until I wrote it out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My advice is to be
focused, have goals and an end game in mind, but keep yourself open to the
adventures of the unknown. It’s a wild ride, enjoy it!)</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">What are your thoughts about these
two different approaches to writing? Leave a comment with what works best for
you!</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Nanu Nanu </span></span></div>
Heidi A Wildehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15154433131897961031noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18149076.post-67523936519003791632013-09-30T17:42:00.000-06:002015-06-14T22:07:38.850-06:00September 2013 Ramble: The Hero's Journey Part 1<span style="font-family: inherit;">Over the next few months in our Writers’ Ramble we will be discussing and dissecting a story structure developed by Joseph Campbell in his “The Hero with a Thousand Faces”. You may be more familiar with it termed as “The Hero’s Journey”. Campbell determined there were 17 stages of this journey and broke them into three main sections: <b>Departure</b>, <b>Initiation</b> and <b>Return</b>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This month we will be discussing the five elements of the <b>Departure</b> phase. I will be covering Refusal of the Call. Check out our <a href="http://writers-ramble.blogspot.com/">main blog</a> for my group’s take on the other stages.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Refusal of the Call</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">"Refusal of the summons
converts the adventure into its negative. Walled in boredom, hard work, or
'culture,' the subject loses the power of significant affirmative action and
becomes a victim to be saved. His flowering world becomes a wasteland of dry
stones and his life feels meaningless - even though, like King Minos, he may
through titanic effort succeed in building an empire or renown. Whatever house
he builds, it will be a house of death: a labyrinth of cyclopean walls to hide
from him his minotaur. All he can do is create new problems for himself and
await the gradual approach of his disintegration." (Campbell p. 59)</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0pt;"></span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>
</b></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In a story that follows the Hero’s Journey, it is common to be presented with a situation that calls for a specific Hero. This is generally a world or a people in peril or conflict. Events unfold that make the Hero aware of the conflict via <a href="http://writers-ramble.blogspot.com/">The Call to Adventure</a>. How the Hero responds to the Call sets the tone of the story. It is quite common for a Hero to initially Refuse the Call; this builds tension and shows the Hero to be relatable and human.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">There are many reasons a Hero would Refuse the Call:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span>
<br />
<ul><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Luke Skywalker refuses to go to Alderaan with Obi-wan because he has chores to do and a responsibility to his aunt and uncle and their farm. </span></li>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sherlock Holmes will refuse a case until some bit of evidence presents itself as a sufficiently intriguing puzzle worthy of his great intellect. </span></li>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the Matrix, Neo refuses the Call numerous times because of his initial disbelief in the Matrix as a whole and later in himself as a Hero. </span></li>
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<![endif]--><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Fear of the unknown and a fear of what they
would be giving up by leaving home are also common reasons for refusing</span> .</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">When a Hero
Refuses the Call, three paths open up, though they share the same road for awhile:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First, they can struggle for a time, but
eventually something (usually very personal and tragic) will happen that
outweighs their objections and they finally Accept the Call and the Adventure
begins! Luke Skywalker’s home and family were burned to a crisp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“There’s nothing left for me here.” Let’s go
save a Princess!</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Second, the
Call follows them everywhere they go, as Calls are wont to do, but the Hero
keeps slipping the noose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually,
the Call stops playing the nice guy and the Hero is caught in a trap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Take Jonah and the Whale.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are some Calls to which there is no
escape. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Third, because
they have been chosen by the powers that be for the specific task, their life
will be plagued by misadventures until they give in (as was shown in paths 1
and 2) but by continuing to Refuse they will be forced out of the role of Hero
and into the role of Damsel in Distress or Villain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They will either need to be rescued by a Hero
who Accepted the Call or become the Villain in another Hero’s story.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">There are
times when a story works best with a Hero who jumps at the Call, but generally
it is more interesting and satisfying for a reader to have a Hero who is
reluctant, shows fear and weaknesses and who at times has to be beaten over the
head with the Call before they accept it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Of course, you can go too far with this, but the payoff a reader gets
once the Hero overcomes their resistance to the Call is usually in direct proportion
to the amount of fight the Hero put up initially.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">There is a
variation to the Refusal of the Call that some call <a href="http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CantStayNormal%3e">Can’t
Stay Normal</a>where an old Hero has forgotten or given up their powers, deliberately or otherwise. They get
tired of their life of adventure and just want something Normal.
Eventually they get it, but once they have a normal life they either
miss their Adventure and want it back or they are enjoying their normal life,
but the Call will not leave them alone. They have a destiny to fulfill, dangit! The world needs saving again!
<br />
<br />
If you are writing a story that follows the Hero’s Journey, does your Hero Refuse the
Call?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d love to hear how, leave me a
comment! </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">:)</span></span></span></div>
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Heidi A Wildehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15154433131897961031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18149076.post-16376869897238823282013-05-30T05:57:00.000-06:002015-06-14T22:07:20.865-06:00June 2013 Ramble: Where Do Characters Come From, Mommy?My writing group’s topic this month is “How do you create your characters?” As with most of our topics, our answers will be different. I decided to go through a few of my projects and jot down how I ended up with the characters I have and see if I could find a pattern ;) And what do you know, I did!
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<b>Love in all Directions</b> – I thought it would be fun to have a regency quartet with four brothers who go by North, South, East and West. So I came up with names that would shorten to those nicknames and then I started seeing their faces and feeling their personalities. Then they told me about their parents and their childhood traipsing around the known world. Each born in an area corresponding with their directional names. Things took off from there.
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<b>Seven Spires</b> – I had some names that I wanted to use and an idea of a world. Once I got the world more concrete in my mind I saw where the different characters fit into it. I started by filling out a character sheet and writing a prologue for each of the seven main characters and a couple pre-prologues of their ancestors. As I wrote they became clearer and told me more about themselves.
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<b>Fork in the Road</b> – I had an idea of an inventor and his creation rattling around in my head for a long time, but it wasn’t until NaNoWriMo that I actually fleshed him out. Again, I just kept my fingers typing and he came to life – along with his rival and love interest.
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<b>Perfect World</b> – I had a basic plot idea that mulled itself around my mind until <a href="http://www.helpwolverton.com/">Dave Farland’s</a> Writer's <a href="http://www.davidfarland.net/writingworkshops/">Death Camp</a> last November. I talked with him about it and that conversation shaped the overall story/theme enough that I felt excited to sit down and write it. As I went more details filled themselves in.
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I guess what it comes down to for me is that I’m a discovery writer. I start out with a name; a picture/piece of artwork; a concept or idea of a world and then sit down and let my fingers do the discovering. I have found more often than I can count that I’ll write something a character does or says and think to myself in passing “Hmm… wonder why they did that?” only to discover a few days or weeks later “Ohh! That’s why!”
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When I was younger I would think about my characters a lot more before trying to write them. Too much, in my opinion. I’d obsess about their hair, their clothes, their mannerisms and never get around to actually writing about them doing anything. Once I decided to just write and see where it took me, I got a lot farther and I still discovered their hair style, clothing preferences and their mannerisms.
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This will not be the way for everyone. Some people are not discovery writers in any sense of the word and so my way of doing things will seem crazy and inefficient to them. And that’s okay. You just need to figure out how –your- process works and work it!
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I’d love to hear about how your little darlings are brought into your worlds. Leave me a comment below! Until next time, dear reader. Nanu Nanu.
Heidi A Wildehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15154433131897961031noreply@blogger.com0Mesquite, NV, USA36.805530999999988 -114.0671899999999836.703802999999986 -114.22855149999998 36.907258999999989 -113.90582849999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18149076.post-25957984787428960592013-04-30T22:37:00.000-06:002015-06-14T22:06:41.493-06:00May 2013 Ramble: What Inspires You?This month my writing group’s blog discussion is about Muses and Inspiration. Where do ideas come from? The answer will be different for everyone. It’s important to keep yourself open and always searching; there’s an idea hiding in every nook and cranny of this world. They are just waiting for the right person to find them and bring them to life.<br />
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Now, let’s get personal… Well, allow <i>me</i> to get personal. I have found that inspiration will hit me over the head without warning in the strangest places and so I make sure to always have with me a way of recording these assaults. The program I have found most useful is <a href="https://evernote.com/">Evernote</a>. I’m not going to go into a sales pitch, but I do recommend checking it out. It’s an app that syncs between your phone and computer and you can make notes via text, email, voice recording or your camera. I’m not letting any idea get away from me!<br />
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I remember driving home from work right after I’d moved to Portland, OR. I wasn’t familiar with my new city yet and got lost. As I was at a stoplight, looking around for something that would tell me where I was and where I should go, I caught sight of an exchange that I wish I had had a video camera with me to record. A man was stretching his legs while his car was being filled (you can’t pump your own gas in OR – I felt like a queen when I would go to get gas :) ) and a woman was walking down the street.<br />
<br />
He watched her approach with an expression of awe, but lowered his eyes when she turned in his direction. She looked at him with interest and a small smile, but turned her head away when he looked up. This exchange carried on for the entire time it took her to walk past him. They took turns watching each other, but looked away before the other could see they were being studied. I was across the street, but I could almost see little strings tethering them to each other. Even after she’d passed she kept turning back to look at him and he watched her until she was out of sight. He shook his head ruefully and got into his car. I wanted to scream at them, their whole relationship flashed in front of me and I couldn’t believe they’d just let it slip by.<br />
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So many different ideas exploded in my head during the exchange, even now, 12 years later, I remember it clearly. The ideas born on that day are still with me, getting mighty impatient to be used, but they haven’t abandoned me. Before the light turned green, I scribbled it all down in a notebook I had with me.<br />
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Recently, I was driving to my current job, not lost this time, watching the sun disappear behind the mountains. The way the sun’s rays got caught in the hazy clouds hanging around the top of the mountains made me think of a person’s fingers reaching up under a sheet, making peaks and valleys. I made a little Evernote and later that night wrote a scene for one of the projects I’m working on.<br />
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What inspires me? Everything. What speaks to me? This world and all its possibilities. What inspires you? I’d love to hear; leave me a comment! :)
Heidi A Wildehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15154433131897961031noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18149076.post-20841658115854162662013-04-01T23:16:00.000-06:002015-06-14T22:06:16.272-06:00April Ramble: Which Point of View is Right For Me?One of the first things you need to decide when starting a writing project is what Point of View (POV) you are going to use to tell your story. There are reasons for choosing each one and there are benefits and drawbacks to each as well. Let’s start with a brief over view of your choices. There are three basic perspectives to choose from: 1st Person, 2nd Person and 3rd Person.
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<b>1st Person</b> – This is the most intimate POV as it tells the story from inside the head of your character with the use of I/me/my/mine in their speech. You can weave a tight, confined – even claustrophobic – tale with this perspective. This can be a benefit or a detriment, depending on how you use it and what goal you have for your story. (This year I have undertaken my <i>first</i> 1st person project and so far I love it.)
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Your reader will get to know your character very well, their thoughts and feelings, their understanding of the world and the situations they are in. You need to keep in mind exactly what your POV character would know and not include anything that they would not (this applies to all perspectives). This can sometimes land writers in a bit of a pickle if they need to convey a bit of information that their POV character would not know. There are different ways of dealing with this and it can become a ‘make or break’ point for a writer. Use your imagination and creativity, but please avoid employing <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deus_ex_machina">deus ex machina</a>. :-D (That is a topic for another blog.)
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rashomon_effect">The Rashomon Effect</a> is something I’ve recently learned about and has become something I would like to try – either as a writing exercise or a final project. Basically, it is multiple first person accounts of one event by various people who were involved in or witnessed the event. It underlines how people’s perspectives color everything they see and how unreliable eye witnesses can be. I think it would be a fun way to both get to know your characters and to tell a story, however.
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<b>2nd Person</b> – Involves the use of you/your/you’re/etc. Where you will see this POV used most often is in blogs, textbooks/instruction manuals and Choose-Your-Own-Adventure books. It is possible to write a story in 2nd person, but it would be extremely difficult. My knee-jerk reaction to being told what to do leads me to believe I would not be a fan of a book told in 2nd person. I loved the CYOA books because I made the decisions that brought me to different parts of the book, but a book that was constantly telling me what I was doing and thinking without any input from me would not be a book I would stick with for very long. I think that would be a common reaction and the reason only certain types of avenues use 2nd person.
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<b>3rd Person</b> – Probably the most common POV used. The terminology used with this POV involves he/his/she/hers/it/its/they/them/theirs/etc. It is separated further by two subcategories: limited and omniscient.
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<b><i>Limited</i></b> - This is the perspective that most people use and most are familiar with. It follows one character at a time, telling the story from their perspective – much like 1st person, but taking a step back from the I/me/my’s. You still need to keep in mind what this person would and wouldn’t know and show things through their specific tinted glasses. You are <i>limited</i> in the information and experiences you can convey by the character you choose to use.
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There are ways to work around the limits of Limited. One example is in the Harry Potter series, which is told almost exclusively from Harry’s POV. Rowling created the invisibility cloak and the pensieve to be able to give the readers information that Harry would not have had otherwise.
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George R. R. Martin and Rick Riordan (to name two examples) use 3rd person limited, but switch the POV character between chapters. This is limited because readers still only experience the story through one character’s perspective at a time. This helps convey more information and tell more of the story than you would be able to if you stick with one character.
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<b><i>Omnicient</i></b> - These stories are told from an all-knowing view point. Readers are able to know everything that is going on with all the characters in a story. There are different ways to go about this, but the most common is to have a narrative voice (re)telling the story. They know everything and so readers get to know everything.
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Whichever perspective you choose, make sure it is the best fit for the type of story you want to tell and that you follow the rules that go along with the particular POV. If you aren’t sure, try writing scenes from different characters perspectives and different POVs. It won’t take you long to discover which feels right to you.
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Do you have a favorite POV? Do any of them frighten/intimidate you? Tell me about it in the comments section :)
Heidi A Wildehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15154433131897961031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18149076.post-23991412335344405492013-02-28T16:34:00.003-07:002015-06-14T22:07:02.072-06:00March 2013 Ramble: Writing TeasersA couple of weeks ago I attended <a href="http://ltue.net/">LTUE</a> (Life, The Universe and Everything), a speculative writing symposium. The difference between a <i>conference</i> and a <i>symposium</i> was a little confusing to me, but since they stressed the word symposium, I wanted to get a better idea of what it was that I was actually attending. After looking on various websites and comparing definitions, I have come away with the idea that symposiums have a more narrowed field of discussion. LTUE is not just a writing conference, but a symposium on speculative (sci-fi, fantasy, horror, paranormal, etc) writing. <a href="http://www.comic-con.org/">Comic-Con</a> and <a href="http://www.dragoncon.org/">Dragon*Con</a> are conferences where a wide (and ever widening) scope of topics are discussed and presented. With that bit of business out of the way, let’s get on with the narrow topic of discussion for this blog post: writing teasers.<br />
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Howard Tayler, the author/illustrator of <a href="http://www.schlockmercenary.com/">Shlock Mercenaries</a> presented this topic. For those of you who don’t know Howard, you are missing out. He is a very knowledgeable, talented, – very funny – man. Here are some of the main points that I gleaned from him, in between the laughter.<br />
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• <b>Know your audience!</b> – This is important in every aspect of writing and writing teasers is no different. You have to know who you are writing to in order to know how to make it entertaining and irresistible.<br />
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• <b>Pick the most interesting part/character <i>near the beginning</i> and start there.</b> – If you don’t get to what you promised in the teaser within a reasonable amount of time you run the risk of the reader saying, “Hey! I wanted to read about X… where is it?! Dumb book, grrrr! *wallthrow*”<br />
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• <b>Don’t give away any major plot twists or reveals, give them just enough to whet their appetite for your book.</b> – Let them know what kind of book they are holding. The theme/voice of your teaser should match your book. (Promise fulfillment was a theme that ran through many panels.)<br />
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• <b>Ask yourself why someone should read your book. What comes to mind first is a good place to start.</b><br />
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<b> </b>
• <b>Writing teasers and writing books takes different skills sets.</b> – Some authors are great at writing teasers and some are not. It is a skill that needs to be honed along with the rest of your craft. As with all writing – practice, practice, practice!<br />
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• <b>There are certain things that you as an author cannot say about yourself or your work.</b> – “This is the best epic fantasy since <i>Lord of the Rings</i>!” and “Mary Sue is the next J.K. Rowling!” are good examples of things you can’t say about yourself. If someone else says them, rock on, but no statements of quality like this can come from you.<br />
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Howard took a volunteer from the audience and for the rest of the discussion we worked on writing their teaser. It was extremely informative and I feel better prepared for when the time comes for me to write a teaser.<br />
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Stay tuned for more posts containing raindrops of wisdom as I relay what I learned from the other panels I attended.<br />
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Nanu Nanu
Heidi A Wildehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15154433131897961031noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18149076.post-82084979822752398762013-01-30T22:47:00.000-07:002015-06-14T22:06:52.062-06:00February 2013 Ramble: Writing GroupsI have been fiddling around with being a writer for at least two decades, but I’ve only gotten serious about it the past year or so. Part of my process of “getting serious” included looking for a group of strangers who I could share my writing with who would give me honest, constructive feedback. My family and friends are great support, and I’m not saying that they think everything I write is gold, but I wasn’t sure I could trust their opinions because they know and love me (so I thought if they liked what I wrote it would be mostly because they liked me).
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I was also looking for something I could be accountable to. A writing group only works if people are submitting their writing, so to stay active in a group I would also have to stay active in writing. The third reason I’d decided on finding a writing group was to improve my critiquing skills (which were pretty non-existent a year ago). I wanted to be able to read more critically, not to point and laugh at typos or author errors, but to understand what makes a good story better and how it can go wrong.
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So, there are my reasons: accountability/motivation and a desire for unbiased critiques. I suppose it’s a sad state of affairs when I feel I can trust a bunch of strangers over my loved ones, but I think we can all understand that feeling. The members of my writing group did not stay strangers for long, but the trust I have in my group members hasn’t changed. I’ve gained valued conspirators, a better understanding of story structure and a sense of forward momentum.
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Now, on to a few tips you should keep in mind when debating joining a writing group. First, figure out your reasons for wanting a group. Each writers group will have different dynamics and structures and you need to find the one that works the best for you. This is not the one where you necessarily feel the most comfortable and the best about yourself. It is also not going to be the one that makes you seriously consider suicide after each meeting. I would suggest somewhere in the middle where you feel safe and challenged. Having members that are at a slightly higher level than you is also a good idea to help you stretch and improve your abilities.
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Second, make sure you are ready to accept (and where applicable, apply) criticism. No one can tell your story like you can, but there is always room for improvement. Once you decide on the story that you are going to tell you need to listen to your group’s comments to make sure you ARE telling the story that you want to be telling. I’m not saying to make every change that is brought up because then it will no longer be your story. One rule of thumb that I’ve heard on more than one occasion is if you hear a comment once and don’t agree with it, it’s okay to brush it off. But if you hear that same comment over and over, even if you don’t agree with it, it is something to consider. It is pointing to a problem section; somewhere along the line what you were trying to say and what you actually said became two different things. You may not want to fix it in the way people suggest, but fix it you must.
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On the whole I have found my writing group experience very beneficial and am looking forward to using it more fully to become a better writer as well as a better critiquer.
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<br />Heidi A Wildehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15154433131897961031noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18149076.post-5660060886508374722013-01-29T03:51:00.000-07:002013-01-29T03:51:13.233-07:00Changes and Moving ForwardHello all!
It's been awhile, I know. I have some great news though!
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<p>1. I attended <a href=http://ltue.org>LTUE</a> last year and met a group of people who were interested in forming a writing group. Through various additions and subtractions, our group has stabilized and we meet every Tuesday night over Google. With work being crazy and other issues, my attendance has not been the greatest, but I have had a great time and gotten wonderful insights. We have decided to launch a group blog where we each post on a monthly topic. Tonight we will be discussing our first submissions and getting it posted by the first of February. It will just be a snippet on that site with a link to our respective personal blogs. If you were able to follow that jumble you should be coming to the conclusion that - Yes! I will be posting here at least once a month! *waits for the cheers to die down* So in a few days you'll see my first group post telling why I joined a writing group.<br>
<p>2. Last May I attended <a href=http://www.superstarswriting.com>Superstars Writing Seminars</a> and met a lot of wonderful authors, aspiring authors, editors, etc. I am going to be attending it this year as well and a few people who will also be attending decided to form little critique groups to get to know each other better as well as get more words on paper/screen. Split into groups of 4-5 we post ~1k words to our livejournal uhh... journals and then read and comment on each others' posts. So that gives the double blessing of me having to write at least 1k words each week as well as getting valuable feedback. I'm stoked!
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<p>3. I have been driving from Mesquite to Las Vegas for work 3+ times a week for two years now and I am well and truly sick of it. All that time wasted!! At first I thought I could use the 1.5 hr drive to "write" into a recorder and be productive, but it hasn't worked out as I wanted it too. I think it's mostly because I'm afraid of speaking my thoughts out loud. I've always been better at writing/typing them out. I will admit that I probably should have forced myself to become comfortable with that medium instead of wasting so much of the last two years, but it's all muddy water under a broken bridge now. SO, what is #3 about, you ask? I've decided (after months and months of debating with myself) to move to Vegas. It's not a permanent move because I don't really like Vegas, but it will allow me more time for daily workouts and writing. I'm hoping to have a place settled on in the next week or two and then just get 'er done. Enough time has been wasted and I've been miserable for too long. I don't know why it has taken me this long to light the fire under me as I know that nothing lifts my spirits more than a big life change, but there it is.
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<p>Stay tuned for monthly postings that I hope will be educational and edifying :D Nanu, NanuHeidi A Wildehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15154433131897961031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18149076.post-71422001895641435732013-01-27T12:29:00.000-07:002013-04-12T12:33:02.982-06:00Rainy Desert Teachings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAIClNGWBzMHllYaZh8rMmkLqim-q3gRDZpgVIDK9mCKiwKlqHTzKjbez7He2ZMLTpApv6XU9VrwPDmRzE6D7C78tkqgrgiFNkrwwEQMoC9wWiZp9h0Q6R_jd65lNaho2DMAeK/s1600/Rainy+Desert+Teachings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAIClNGWBzMHllYaZh8rMmkLqim-q3gRDZpgVIDK9mCKiwKlqHTzKjbez7He2ZMLTpApv6XU9VrwPDmRzE6D7C78tkqgrgiFNkrwwEQMoC9wWiZp9h0Q6R_jd65lNaho2DMAeK/s320/Rainy+Desert+Teachings.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">Driving
through the desert after the rain on my way home this morning seeing
how green everything is, I had two thoughts: The desert doesn't waste
time in showing gratitude. And it is quick to forgive a drought and get
on with its life, beautifully. I need to be more like the desert.</span></span><br />
Heidi A Wildehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15154433131897961031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18149076.post-10547090125983836782012-03-06T22:31:00.002-07:002012-03-06T22:48:24.113-07:00Writing Prompt 3-6-12My Writing Group starts each week with a writing prompt. (We just started meeting two weeks ago and I got the time zones mixed up last week so I missed the prompt...) I decided to post my responses to the writing prompts - just because!<br /><br />This week we were to write from the perspective of a character whose vision was obscured by some thing (whatever you decide) and let the reader know where they are/their surroundings. Make sense? Someone wrote from a character whose eyes were gouged out, one wrote from a character with one eye... and this was mine...<br /><br />*******************************<br /><br />The old man inhaled deeply and coughed, the dangerous aromas from the street that had crept in through the window made his eyes water. Sulfur and rotten cabbage mingled with stagnant pool of water left by the rain the night before. All the freshness from the rain had been baked away by the heat of the afternoon. Swallowing the lump the scents had brought to his throat, he made his way to his favorite chair. It wasn’t a pretty chair, but that made no difference to him, it was comfortable and it was familiar. The most familiar thing in his small, two room world. <br /><br />Running his hands along the arms, he lowered himself into the crevice years of sitting had created. It molded to his back side perfectly. His rough fingers snagged on the rougher fabric as he brushed them down to the smooth wooden handles at the ends of each arm of the chair. He sat, and waited in silence just as he did every day. Waiting for … he no longer recalled what he was waiting for, but he had waited so long it wouldn’t make sense to stop now. And so he waited, in the familiar, stinking silence.<br /><br />*******************************<br /><br />After writing this I had a snapshot of my old man with cataracts in his ratty comfortable chair and in his silence and it sort of drifted away from me and yellowed. I wondered where this idea was going to go and if I was going to leave it alone and let it stay where it was. Which led to the thought "Where <span style="font-style:italic;">is</span> it? Where <span style="font-style:italic;">do</span> my unused ideas go?" I pictured a many-roomed building (house? prison?) where they were all sitting, standing, pacing, screaming, growling and crying. And then that idea began to drift away and occupy a room in this building as well.<br /><br />I really need to crack the whip and finish one/some/them all!Heidi A Wildehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15154433131897961031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18149076.post-42059045269446313932011-08-10T01:44:00.003-06:002011-08-10T01:47:31.642-06:00New Look - for the blog, not me :PI really like this new look. That's all :) I might think of more to say later, but really... I love this layout!! It's kind of creepy around the edges, but mostly I just think it's awesome. I might write a story about what comes to mind when I look at it that won't make sense if I ever change the layout again, but yeah, I think I might. I have to go buy laundry detergent now.Heidi A Wildehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15154433131897961031noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18149076.post-73967085100262783152011-07-20T19:42:00.002-06:002011-07-20T19:44:46.759-06:00I Wore You For A SeasonI wore you for a season, but you were too large.<br />I didn't know what to do <br />with all the bits and pieces of you.<br />I drown...<br />In your eyes<br />In your lies<br />In all the ways you said goodbye.<br /><br />*****<br /><br />Little poems/whatevers speak themselves inside my head sometimes. I liked it, so I'm posting it :)Heidi A Wildehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15154433131897961031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18149076.post-91218690583734382942010-03-16T00:15:00.002-06:002010-03-16T00:25:19.546-06:00The Ultimate FantasyHello all you out there in the ether...<br /><br />A thought just occurred to me that made me chuckle. The Chipmunk movie came to mind just now for irrelevant reasons and I realized that as a child I hadn't had a crush on any of the chipmunks. I wanted Dave. This led me to think about my first movie star crush: Nicolas Cage's "Hi" from Raising Arizona. Then I pondered on the Twilight books/movie and neither Edward nor Jacob really did it for me. I wanted Charlie, Bella's Dad (if I had to choose).<br /><br />Strolling down memory lane, visiting my old crushes and 'hmmm's I thought, "Wow... I'm kind of boring. I didn't have crushes on the magic people, or the ones with special powers. Amidst all the fantasy, I crushed on the real guys. Odd." Then I realized... I'm not down to earth; I'm not realistic. I've been crushing on the biggest fantasy of them all! An honest, decent guy.<br /><br />*grin* Just thought that was humorous.Heidi A Wildehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15154433131897961031noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18149076.post-79328453005644315242010-02-01T23:01:00.002-07:002010-02-01T23:05:08.170-07:00Thoughts on a Lonely SundayI found these while wandering through my documents folder. I know exactly why I wrote them. The why isn't important now, I just thought I'd share them to whoever might stumble by my blog :)<br /><br />Words left unsaid...<br />Can't be regretted later<br />Will never show you how things could have been<br />Unanswered questions<br />Feeling hopeless<br />The never ending redundancy of my life<br />Another parting kiss<br />Another forced smile<br />Should I regret?<br />Would I cease to exist if I lose my regrets?<br />Will there ever be anyone I should trust?<br />How will I know?<br /><br /><br /><br />Familiar, repetative depression.<br />The world flurries by, but I'm underwater<br />Drowning on my tears<br />My Oblivion continues to elude me.<br /><br /><br /><br />She made up the bed<br />Her movements quick and efficient<br />Erasing traces of you<br />Perhaps now I can sleep.<br /><br /><br /><br />The stink of your cigarettes in my hair<br />The taste of you in my mouth<br />The echo of you inside me<br />And you drive off, so carefree.Heidi A Wildehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15154433131897961031noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18149076.post-72505807225675568492010-01-18T00:57:00.000-07:002010-01-18T00:58:18.139-07:00An exercise in writing...Last June I decided that I would write for 10 minutes every day to get me in the habit of writing every day. That lasted for one day. :P Oi... I was looking through some of my other writings tonight and found my "Daily 10 Minutes" folder. I opened it up to find one lonely file. I read through it and it seemed a little weird to me. I remember the scene in my head, but I don't really recall writing it. I think I just closed my eyes and let my mind drift while my fingers did their thing.<br /><br />It isn't fabulous writing, the Daily 10s aren't expected to be I wouldn't think... but it was kind of interesting. Maybe I'm the only one that will think so, but I'm going to post it anyway. Let you have a glimpse into my inner psyche :P<br /><br />"My breath reminds me of the tide rushing to shore in the middle of the night. No other sounds around, no other light in the darkness but the moon shattering on the flecks of water. Calm, peaceful, serene. There is a hint of a mystery as well, perhaps a feeling of foreboding inching in, how can it not? I sit in the chill early Spring air and gaze at the stars to quiet my mind. Something in the back will not be quieted.<br /><br />I want to be alone, but it seems someone else has been seduced by the call of the waves. I wrap my shawl closer around me as a chill raises the hairs on my arms. Not from the breeze, but from the silhouette of the figure drawing closer. This isn't how I wanted my night to go. Why must there always be some figure to disrupt my solitude? Why can't night be the calm peaceful place I need it to be? I am comfortable with my aloneness, I prefer it. But he refuses to leave me alone.<br /><br />I dream and he is there, a shadow in the background, a constant presence. I don't know what his purpose is, but he scares me. He takes many shapes and forms, but in the end it is the same. Dark hair, pale skin, dark clothes, dark eyes. Do I not know how to draw a villain any other way? Does he have to be a villain? There is always a sense of disquiet in me when he is near. A nervousness I can't explain or dispel. He stalks me.<br /><br />The coolness of the night sharpens, the breeze once welcome now scraping against my skin. The sand beneath me no longer comfortable. He's stopped his progression, just standing there watching me. The moonlight bleaches out all shades. Everything is black and white. Everything is grey. I try to get up, but find I cannot. Does he know I am writing about him? Is he smirking at my fear?<br /><br />A part of me wonders what would happen if I were to approach him, but another part knows. We've spoken before. We've touched. We've touched in ways I cannot explain, even to myself. I don't want to understand. The unknowing is frightening, but I'm terrified to know. Who would I be if he went away? I breathe. There is a faint whispering, scraping in the sound.<br /><br />I have been here so many times before. This beach, this night, this man. I should know the steps. I do know the steps, but each time I am afraid. He raises a hand toward me and I shrink back as much as I lean forward. My heart is cold, icy. So are his fingertips. His face flashes before my eyes, full of hate. I don't understand. What could he hate so much? His finger points to me, and I know. I hate it, too.<br /><br />Looking down in the darkness, the black white grey world, looking down I don't see an icy cold heart. I see a dark sucking hole. Soon I begin to fold inward, being pulled into the void, sinking inward with nothing but bleakness. The scene is too bright, too dark. Nothing is as it should be. The black water, the grey sand. The black sky, my grey hand. He stands there smirking."Heidi A Wildehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15154433131897961031noreply@blogger.com1