The latest advice blog smashes into being, crushing all before it!
I Lorenzo Samuel am busy working on my output of writings, specifically another short story of speculative fiction, some might say science fiction. This one concerns a young woman who for some reason or other believes fervently that she is a herd of caribou. Her belief stems from the fact that she dreams of this herd every night; she has identified with it.
The story revolves around her attempts to get a usurious loan in order to feed the 500 or so beasts in the herd. Why does she need to feed them? you might wonder. Don't they eat grass? Don't they forage if only in her dreams?
Okay, wonder away. The tale will appear in another book of short stories, tentative title: "Mother Eve." Purchase the first book, "A Storm of Flowers" to get a sense of theme, i.e., the controlling idea that lies in most of my work. Hint - the theme has to do with women as leaders of the free world. Don't believe it? Well, change your point of view if you dare..
I am putting into fruition what I've learned through study of the technique and art of writing. I study daily as well as write. This feeds my speculative nature. Currently I'm studying a small book named, "Writing a Woman's Life" by Carolyn G. Heilbrun. I've already learned some valuable lessons from it. It chronicles some of the contributions of women who have burst the bonds of wife and lover trappings.
My library of books on writing include in addition to the one above, "Story" by Robert McKee, "The Magazine Article" by Peter Jacobi, "Finding Your Writer's Voice" by Bria Quinlan and Jeannie Lin, "Poetics" by Aristotle, "Writing the Breakout Novel" by Donald Maass, "The Elements of Style" by Strunk and White, "Mastering Suspense, Structure and Plot" by Jane K. Cleland, "Techniques of Fiction Writing, Measure and Madness" by Leon Surmelian, and "Eats, Shoots & Leaves" by Lynne Truss.
I would like to expand the time in a day. 24 hours seems hardly enough what with the day job I need for money, my domestic duties, and taking care of the house and property my wife and I own. Still I write and study technique if only for a short while each day. I learned years ago that the little you do adds up. Say your work effort equals 100% to complete a project of writing. If I'd keep putting off the task, at the end of my procrastination time I'd still have 100% remaining.
Suppose I took that tiny portion of time I have each day, say TV time of the 1/2 hour I allot myself, and put that into my writing. Further, let's suppose that I can complete 1/4 of 1% of the entire task each day. At the end of the month I would have done 30/4, or 7 and 1/2% of the entire job done. That leaves 92 and 1/2% yet to do. Which is better, 100% remaining or 92 and 1/2%?
The moral is, a little done is better than nothing done. Goes for finance, exercise, and most of life. There you go. Bet you didn't expect a humongous tip. Oh yes, discipline is required. It's only a piece of cake if you do it.
Example: I wrote this blog in 3 sittings. If I'd kept putting it off until I could make enough time to do the entire job, it would still reside only in my mind.
Now that I'm setting aside the tiniest bit of time each day and NOT MISSING ONE DAY, the next thing is write faster. Let it be a garage bin full of garble. That's what revision is for. Who knows though, what I wrote may be perfect. Blessings and miracles do float around, you know. I won't count on them however. Too lazy.
Here's what I am wishing for: my study will inculcate into my being. My voice and technique will burst out of me like the 1812 Overture with full cannonade. I will look at what I just wrote, and it will be perfect. It will be exactly what I meant, and readers will understand from it what I meant. A miracle will have happened.
Actually, one can apply this to anything. Good luck to me. Better luck to you.