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Possible Worlds

Possible worlds

PM into AM.....still writing.

Just because you can doesn't mean you should...... Or so I tell myself. Is anyone familiar with the law of diminishing returns? That situation that occurs (usually after a drink late at night) where the more you think you're putting into something, the less you get out of it?
In fact, if my calculations are correct, my deficit could be measured in acres; and that's real English ones with cow-pats and everything. The truth is that when setting out on any enterprise there comes a point, (admit it, it happens to you as well), where you actually believe that you are terrible; things are getting so low that a new below water line level will have to be invented to take into account the mind bending, hand numbing awfulness of it all.
Creativity is a thing that operates within the same framework as the rest of life......
It may be romantic and rather glamorous to write a great poetic work at 3am; but it might be better..... but I admit, less glamorous to get some sleep. "What!" I hear you cry, "My inspiration strikes me and I find my true Muse." Naturally, under such circumstances indulge said Lady Muse, but then unwind with something less demanding and more mundane. It is the old ghost of "Writer's Block" that seems to follow some of you round like the undead, and rob you of the sanity that you so readily cast aside when venting your creative steam at some insane hour of the night (err..... Morning). Perhaps it is time to admit that you might be tired, stressed or in need of a really good cup of tea/hot chocolate/herbal infusion.
So before you attempt to shoot me for doing the job of pointing out the bloody obvious, think about how you regard your creative life? Is it part of life? All of life? An indecent obsession? A career? A hobby? Or none of the above?
I'm in the "Part of life/Obsession" Camp myself. That is because I have other things like sleep, shopping, work and sock washing that actually need doing. I would love to be in the "All of life/Career" group, and therefore be less obsessive, but no less devoted. In fact I think that the aspiring writer is the MOST obsessive. After all, you are hoping for your "Big Break". That event in space-time that you will mark the passage with copious amounts of treats and excited screeching. I want to feel that feeling too, but there is a mountain of writing, editing, angst, social networking, and Writer's Time Lag between you, me, and our respective success stories. It isn't helped by the knowledge that a lot of the people that are the most sympathetic to your fellow writer's plight might all live in different time zones. You can be supportive, but in a time travelled/city never sleeps kind of way. It is rather exciting I admit, to sit and your computer doing the maths with who-is-awake-in-the-world-right-now, as long as you do actually spend time resting your bones at some point.
When I am Famous I will come back and visit.......
"It won't change me". Nuts!! Of course it will. Apart from the smug satisfaction that you have now made it; will you actually have any more or less regard for the great undiscovered out there? You may become their inspiration, dispensing the story of how you did it far and wide, you may be humble or self assured or just SO happy it drives all your relatives to ask you not to say anything at family dinners; they want to get in there and tell the story first!
But then, with a wistful glance will you look back on these days and remember what it was really like? The retrospective view is the one I know I would prefer. That point where we can get all mushy and think of how things used to be..... secret chocolate binges and all.
What I hope is that we will get a hold of what made us better than ordinary; and that thing that drives us deep down will still live inside us somewhere. Even if you have a better set of steak knives, or are able to drive a car with really weird metallic paint work and not worry about the insurance; you will still be you. That mad, creative, obsessive, wonderful person with a fountain of ideas, and a truck full of hangups. All those things that you then turn into words, words and more words........
The first Rule of Writing is.......
Actually there isn't one. I don't think so. Apart from grammar and spelling and so on. And sentence structure, and context, and story arcs, and character, and plot...... and......
I think that you might leave it all aside and understand the art of writing, the soul of it. Your passion that is like no one else's. You cannot tell me; I cannot tell you how it should be. Only that it should BE.
I can do one thing: recommend that you don't give up; oh, and if you get stuck try a dose of NanoWrimo. Yes I know, that's Two Things. I am not a Rule person. I am not even a think outside the box person....
Shh!!! Only admit this at 3am.

There is no Box......

I WRITE THEREFORE I AM

I am not usually so concerned with the rest of the world. But is has come to my attention, in between intense bouts of editing that some people out there in the multiverse; otherwise known as the Internet simply do not believe it is possible to write, proofread and edit a book well.
I have something to say about this:
It comes in two parts:
PART ONE The one where I tell you that this is possible and why.
PART TWO: The one where I tell you why I think we don't believe it.

So......
ONE
I write because I want to. I write things I want to write about. I write because it is my passion. I write because I love it. I write because....... you get the idea.
Now tell me, does everyone do those things? Write for passion, love, and what not?
I'm guessing that most of you will deny the fact that sometimes you write because you have to. It might be a simple matter of economics, or pride, or just to keep up with what is popular. But I think it does have a bearing on what happens after that.
You may be good, bad or downright terrible, but you write right?
So then....... Well, if you have poured your heart into something, you will want it to be sent out into the world with the best possible chance of being accepted by others. So what do you do?
EDIT of course.
But who does the editing?
Is it YOU?
SOMEBODY?
NOBODY?
A PUBLISHER?
I am in favour of editing. Please don't tell me I spell things wrong, I'm using British English; so I spell in my native way as well. I use the structure, vocabulary, and cultural meaning inherent in the language of my birth. Even my region, county or town. I am a product of a culture and an inheritance which I love and am rightly proud. I believe that we should uphold our own culture and place of origin in our writing. SO when I edit, I edit for me. With the exception of a few, I believe that the best person to say what my book should look like in the end is me. I am not ignorant, or arrogant in saying this. I have the faculties of any well read person. I spot errors in a text just as certainly as any reader would. The population of Readers (who I greatly respect) are not removed from me in any way. They read books, so do I. I write books, they may not. Or they may not do it YET.
I wish for a truly encouraging atmosphere of respect for the culture of writing. I want one where writing is respected and not demeaned by anyone. A place where the cheats and the charlatans who feed off our inadequacies are put out of the picture (Exit: Vanity Publishers, Nay sayers, and Critics).
PART TWO: Why we don't believe it......?
Yes, I know that a lot of people on the well meaning sea of the internet say that you need to get someone else to edit your book. But I ask you this: have you ever attempted to edit it yourself? If you don't do it, you won't get better at it. If you never try, how will you ever know if you can?
It wasn't so long ago that there was a terrible discouragement for ever writing a book.... as if people who wrote stories were the "Special" people.... exceptional souls who were destined for greatness. And look how it has changed!! But now the last bastion of the traditional idea of publishing, that someone else takes your creation and makes it better must die a similar death. There are bad editors and good editors, just as there are bad writers and good writers. But let the readers be the judges. Let us not create barriers for those who seek the light. Those who desire to make visible the images of their imagination; to carve out of that hard unyielding rock the dream they have had since they were small children. To be a real writer!!
To be honest I think that all writers, published by self/traditional/other means are real writers. But do they love it enough to give it a proper send off? Is there quality to the edit? Is there care, love, attention given to it? Are you happy with the finished product? I am a purist. I totally Do-It-Myself. I do not say that that is the only way. But it IS a way. It is valid, respectable and good. My work reaches the reader. I love my stories, my characters.
I care about the end result. Yes; that comma may be in the wrong place. I know... that in a text of 139,000 words there may be a couple of obvious typos.... maybe. Then judge me. Are you going to also judge the traditionally published books who have the same things? With all their teams of people wholly dedicated to produce a work worthy of you, the reading public?

So..... If you read a book, and spot an error; what do you do?
I am guessing that if it is traditionally published you will forgive them... after all it's a great story right?
A self published book should not be judged in any different way. The reader deserves a good read. The writer owes it to the reader to offer the best of what they have. The difference is that, in a self published work the writer is responsible for the end product. We are throwing ourselves open to the public in a way that no traditionally published writer can. It is not a matter of the quality, but in the end who is deemed responsible for what it looks like.
I think you need to accept responsibility for your own creations and say "YES, IT WAS ME." No excuses.
There is your motive to become a better editor.... a better writer..... a better reader.
Believe it. Do it.
PUBLISH.

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Don't Judge a Cat by its Cover.

Just because I'm a Cat doesn't mean you're smarter than me!
Or perhaps you thought I was actually human? Well yes.... okay, you got me. But the reason cats do not type is because their supposed "Owners" won't let them on the computer.
A measure of intelligence is not whether you know what something is but what it knows itself to be.
A smart cat.... or a human for that matter might just decide not to tell you.
When the world is about to end then, and only then will we know who was really wise....
There will be some surprizes, I think.

In Memory of Imagination.

I remember being a child. I remember the bright white clouds and the sky arc above me. I believed in angels because noone had told me to doubt.
Where does it end? Why do we regret? The things that make us who we are are not the things of the world....they are the things that slip with somehow believed shame through the cracks and gaps of life. If we call it that.... where is your faith on what is possible? Where is your faith? Not a cold stone place full of stiff adults....No. But that bright dancing glowing iridescent feeling that makes you fly while you stand still.
There is always time to throw off the "grown-up", that sensible, cold, worldly logical being that strangulates your soul.
So when I find my time, at the end of my time: I remember Angels, I laughed and cried and lived and embraced life....
The story lives in the telling.
The little child is you and me, is all of us. If we want it to be.