Of a certain age.

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I got the news this morning that my grandfather has passed away.  He was the last of my four grandparents…all of whom have died within the last six months.  They were all of an age…all in their 80’s.  Still, eighty-odd years is not all that long a time, is it?

I remember each of these people as vivacious persons…individuals with opinions and hopes and goals.  It is difficult to understand at times that they are all gone, off of the earth, away.

Death always reminds us of how fleeting our time really is.  It makes me hope to leave a lasting imprint on others while I can.  And, as cliche as it may seem, it beckons me to share my affections outwardly with those in my life, to say you are special to me while I can.

Thanks for reading my blog, dear reader.  I hope your day is lovely.

Courting rejection?

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Flush with some recent success at placing short stories in various journals, I have committed that I would work on the novel.

But I keep delaying…outlining, thinking up dialogue, working on settings, tone, characterization, structure, plotting, the list goes on and on. In the end, it’s all a tactic for not getting on the bus.

Reading Steinbeck’s journal, I realize I’m not alone in this. A writer I know recently commented that she fears not finishing her work: I fear not starting. Especially since I’ve had some things accepted, there’s a sense of not wanting to screw things up, not beckon failure and rejection.

Last night, I took out some of the index cards I’ve been using to outline the book. Time to pin them up above the computer and do it…write the thing.

Steinbeck’s Monterey and Writing.

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This weekend, we made a quick get-away to Monterey. I was reminded of how relaxing the coastal drive is, and it was made even more beautiful by absolutely *perfect* weather.

Cannery Row and the various signs and images of Steinbeck all have a certain romance for me. I was excited because I picked up a copy of East of Eden, which I’ve only read parts of before. But, even better…I bought something called The East of Eden Papers…essentially it’s Steinbeck’s personal letters to his editor at Viking Press, along with his musings and notes about the craft of writing.

I started the Papers last night, and was blown away. Steinbeck was, of course, a truly talented writer, but this glimpse into his preparation and practice of writing is fascinating! It’s almost like a writers-workshop…but infinitely better because he never intended that it be made public.

I’ll post more about Steinbeck, I’m sure. Reading his work and his thoughts on his work is inspiring.

Dreamstorming.

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I’ve taken to brainstorming for 20 minutes every night: ideas, settings, dialogue, mannerisms, etc., for the novel.

Then, I go to sleep.

So, I’ve had some intense, vivid dreams these last few nights, leftovers from the brainstorming sessions.  I’m trying to capture these dreams in the morning when I wake up, but it’s not easy: we’re talking STRANGE dreams here.  I’m hopeful that I can glean something from them to help with the book.

As Thoreau said: Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.

The hard stuff.

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My kids’ pediatrician has a saying, “What is easy becomes hard.  What is hard becomes easy.”

He’s referring to things like having your baby in a crib versus letting your baby sleep next to you.  It’s hard to let a baby “cry it out”–but it becomes easier.  If you let your baby sleep in the big bed…that’s easy for a while (no tears!), but it becomes hard when they are big enough that they are taking up a lot of space.  Think about this concept in relationship to pacifiers–easy at first, but it can be hard to take a pacificer away from a four year old!

So, I’ve used this notion as a guiding principles when it comes to child-rearing.

But, I realize it has a place in my own life, as well.  From self-control in eating, to writing on a regular basis, to cleaning the house…what is hard becomes easy.  Taking the easy way out will eventually demand it’s payment.

You’ve got to (re)work.

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The piece I recently submitted to The Rose and Thorn was just accepted. This was a story that I wrote and re-wrote, and re-re-wrote. In some ways, it scarcely resembled the original story, but it was infinitely better for all the time I put into it.

Moral: When a story isn’t coming together, if you don’t love it…don’t trash it. Put it away, come back to it. The more inspired pieces will be salvageable, and you may be able to make a little magic out of it.

Ready, set —

~ maryjunebrown ~ 4 Comments

Well, I got a couple more short-story acceptances over the weekend.  This was great news, and frankly, it’s the shot from the gun.  I’ve been listening for it: the sound of, “on your mark…get set…” write that novel.

And the cool thing is:  I AM ready and set.  So, here goes.

Wish me luck!

Keeping on keeping on.

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I received word this week that something I submitted will be published in The Boston Literary Magazine.  I’ll post the link once it’s up.

I sent my work there as part of a new rule I have: for every rejection, I must tweak my work (if needed…usually it doesn’t…I’ve only sent the piece if I feel it’s as close to perfect as possible). Then, I make myself send the piece out to two more places.

The reason I do this is two-fold: it keeps your energy from faltering and from staying poised on the rejection.  And two, I’m learning more and more that rejections are sometimes about opinions or about unsuitability for a market:  your work will get published if it is good and you keep sending it out for review.  It will eventually resonate with someone and voila! … you get an acceptance.

Don’t you love how I make it sound easy?  It may not be, but the pretense keeps me going.

Resources for writers.

~ maryjunebrown ~ 1 Comment

I recently sent something, a short story, to the ezine The Rose and the Thorn.  This is such a great place, not just for the quality fiction you’ll find there, but also for some very good resources on the craft of writing and other resources.  Articles there include topics such as  setting (and maintaining) writing quotas and why submissions are rejected, from an editor’s point of view.  Check out:

http://www.theroseandthornezine.com/Suggestions.html

http://www.theroseandthornezine.com/Resources.html

To sleep…perhaps to dream.

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I was reading an article on “writing prompts”–things writers use to get them started when facing a blank page.  One of the major themes of prompts is essentially ‘what is your fantasy?’

It made me think of a common “fantasy” I have with some of my married (with kids) friends.

A girlfriend of mine and I can go on and on about the deliciousness of a weekend spent this way:

All alone, in a great hotel with a beautiful lobby and a well-stocked cocktail lounge (with comfortable, deep chairs).  Think the W Hotel.  Three whole days without any demands, sleeping in as long as you like on 1,000 thread-count sheets.  Lounging about all day in the hotel room, with the only thing looming ahead being the spa treatments you’ve got scheduled for the afternoon.  You can read, sleep, or watch whatever T.V. programs you want, nobody is with you, so nobody cares.  When you are hungry, you meander down to the outdoor Italian cafe that is (conveniently) a block down the street from your hotel, and order a glass of Sauvenigon Blanc or perhaps a Syrah.  Your dinner of fresh pasta tossed with sweet tomatoes and garlic arrives just as the sun is starting it’s slow descent into the ocean that is (also quite conveniently) right in front of you.

Can you tell yet that I’m enjoying writing this?   Here’s more:

The next morning, after sleeping in until 10:00 and taking a long, hot bath in the huge tub, you get in your rented little convertible for a trip to the charming downtown to do a spot of shopping.  Of course, your body has become, overnight, long and lithe, so that everything you try on fits wonderfully…okay, now I’m entering the realm of unbelievablity.

But, the fantasy is fun.  Try your own fantasy.  What would you do with a weekend and a few thousand dollars?