Sometimes we forget the simple things. We get caught up in plot complexity or getting a manuscript sold or finishing a book on deadline. Seems to me this quote captures the simplicity and beauty of what we do as writers:

Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind. - Rudyard Kipling

I actually just finished my novella - yay!!! Since I’m one of those people who loses momentum if I don’t write for a few days, I’ll soon need to start a new project. That involves sitting down and writing a first chapter. Once that’s done, I can figure out the plot and character then go back and revise. That’s pretty much how every project starts for me. I’ve tried to do it other ways, like sitting down and plotting out everything before writing a word. Didn’t work. My process is my process.

There’s a quote from E.L. Doctorow that captures that initial writing feeling and environment for me. All writing, actually:

“Writing is an exploration. Your start from nothing and learn as you go.” -E.L. Doctorow

It’s tough to have writing motivation at this time of year. There’s so much going on with parties and gift wrapping and shopping…I’m exhausted just thinking about it. Remembering that writing is my dream job helps. It takes work, but it’s worth it. Eleanor Roosevelt said it best:

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.

That quote just makes me smile.

All around us is news about tough times in the publishing industry. Publishers are struggling in these tough economic times. That means some authors are in trouble and many unpublished writers are worried their time will never come. It’s easy to get disillusioned. But, you know what? Don’t. Remember that this is a cycle and keep writing. Listen to NYT bestseller MaryJanice Davidson when she says:

I’ve got a folder full of rejection slips that I keep. Know why? Because those same editors are now calling my agent hoping I’ll write a book or novella for them. Things change. A rejection slip today might mean a frantic call to your agent in six months.

Hang in there and keep working.

I remember getting advice from an author back when I was unpublished. She said something along the lines of: if you want it - deep down in your gut want it - and are willing to work at it and understand the harsh truth that being published is not something you’re entitled to but, rather, is something you have to earn, you’ll likely get published. For some reason, that advice has always stuck in my head. I thought about it the other day when I came across a quote by Phyllis Whitney. She said:

You must want to enough. Enough to take all the rejections, enough to pay the price of disappointment and discouragement while you are learning. Like any other artist you must learn your craft—then you can add all the genius you like.

Seems to me the authors are saying the same thing. I concur. Want it enough to take all of the bad stuff, knowing that achieving the good part is not a guarantee.

There are all sorts of things that can derail your focus and your enthusiasm for writing. Part of being successful is learning how to ignore all of them. One of the less obvious problems is what I call the falsely concerned friend issue. This is the person (or persons) in your life who tries to sound helpful and encouraging but who really is trying to break your confidence. I’ve been extremely lucky in this regard, but I have writing friends who have experienced this nasty treatment from people they once trusted.

I found this quote from Mark Twain that addresses the issue:

Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.

Bottom line: Remember to surround yourself with people who support you and your dreams. This career path can be hard enough without that added stress.

I just returned from the Romantic Times Convention. For me, the best part of a conference is in talking with people - readers, authors and aspiring writers - about books and the business of writing. I actually spoke in two workshops at this conference. Both were directed (mostly) at unpublished writers. We talked about craft issues and general ideas about time management, writing and process. Very interesting stuff. Some folks clearly were working hard at getting published. Others wanted to sell but were hitting roadblocks - some of their own making. Something about all those conversations made me think of this quote by T.E. Lawrence:

All people dream; but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recess of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity. But the dreamers of the day are the dangerous people, for they may act their dream with open eyes to make it possible.

Acting on the dream. Seems to me that may be a big part of the difference between those who reach their writing goals and those who don’t.

I’m pretty passionate about this subject…

People often say they don’t have time to write. I just don’t think that’s true. Unless you’re Kate on that reality tv show on TLC called Jon & Kate Plus Eight - the woman has twins and sextuplets and an adorable hubby who’s a bit of a goof - you have time to write. I could give you example after example of how authors are writing and getting books in under incredible odds. There are many times I wonder when people sleep, but I know the real answer is that they somehow find the time to get it all done.

I explained it this way to someone the other day: if you were told your kids or spouse or a loved one could only get what they need (whatever that is) if you did X. You would make time for X. You would work in X whenever you could. You would make X a priority. Why? Because it’s for someone you love and you would find a way to make X happen.

Why isn’t the same true for a passion you have? Why can’t you make your writing as much of a priority as you would make X?Your goals are just as important as those of your kids, spouse and loved ones. Really. You would do it for them. Do this for you. You are important too. Write.

There are all sorts of things that can derail us when we’re writing - family, health issues, work, time commitments, rejection…and the list goes on. You don’t have to look for these issues. They’re everywhere. I’m thinking the secret is to work around them, over them and through them.

I recently read an article in my local paper, the San Diego Union-Tribune. There was a front page story on writing workshops and how writers handle setbacks. When talking about rejection, there was a reference to a rejection received for Anne Frank’s The Diary of a Young Girl. It went like this: “…a dreary record of typical family bickering, petty annoyances and adolescent emotions.”

Just imagine if that rejection had been the last word on Anne Frank’s diary. In other words, keep plugging along. Keep believing, writing and submitting. Don’t let the distractions and potential derailments win.

And some writing days are about cutting words instead of adding them…

Part of the challenge here is to keep everyone focused on writing and meeting writing goals. I got a reminder this week that sometimes the words need to be down paper before you can figure out if you’ve written your book/manuscript correctly. See, my editor called and asked me to re-send a copy of my November release, HOT AS HELL (Brava), via email so it could go to the copyeditor. Rather than just hit send, I read through my precious one more time. After all, I’d written a single title and novella since I turned this one in.

[Can you see where this is going?]

In reading, I discovered I didn’t accomplished what I wanted to in the last third of the book. It was fine and probably the best last third of the book I could write months ago when I wrote it. But I could write a better last third of the book today. Having stepped away for a couple of months, I could see where I went off-track. I knew without my editor telling me that the book needed an overhaul if I wanted it to be the best it could be (and I did want that). So I re-wrote 110 pages from scratch. Started Sunday night and finished this morning. [An exhausting process I don’t recommend.] The net result is the book is two pages shorter, but it’s 100% better. Less is more in this case.

Some days taking deleting words (maybe even re-starting) is the answer. The trick is not to get caught up with revising and re-writing the same words over and over again. Keep perspective and your eye on the end goal. You want the words on paper and you want them to be the best words you can do, but sometimes you can’t see what works best until it’s all out there available for you to review and edit.

Write then revise. It’s a good mantra.