Storyteller's Keep

Critiques That Blob-i-fy

A friend recently survived a harsh writing critique.  It got me thinking about the power some critiques have to transform a productive writer into a drooling pool of goo.  Writers, like actors, tend to put so much of themselves into their work, any perceived negative word can maim and sometimes even kill writing careers.   This makes me sad, because there are many really good writers that either give up or become so self critical they can no longer function.  Because of it, there are entire worlds we will never get to explore.  Heroes and villains that we'll never get to love or loathe.  Laughter never laughed and tears never shed.  How awful for the rest of us. 

I don't have a problem with negative or highly charged feedback.  I haven't for a very long time.  I did when I was very little, but I learned early on to ignore the negativity and hear the "intent" behind it.

One particular stepping stone in the thickening of my "critique armour" comes to mind. 

I was privileged to have one of the best high school basketball coaches in womens sports (IMHO).  I continue to benefit from having know this man.  Newt was a tough coach.  About as hard as they come.  He made many of the girls well up and/or angry with his harsh criticism, including me.  We had two choices. 

Choice #1: "See" his passion for what it was (a genuine love for the game and desire to see a small-town group of girls achieve their potential and outperform teams from much larger schools) and "hear" what he was saying -- so we could learn from it and improve.

Choice #2:  Whither and shrivel up until we died a horrible and painful death. 

I consider myself lucky.  I learned.  And the rewards I got for learning will forever hold a place of honor in my heart.  Thank you, Newt!

Hard critiques can be tough to take.  With the hope of saving entire worlds and universes from crumbling, I encourage writers to try to "ignore the harsh and focus on the intent."  It's not always easy, I know.  Pay attention to the actual words, not the passion with which they are delivered.  Bear in mind, some critics might simply be in a cranky mood when they are writing (or delivering) a critique.  And some critics genuinely believe they are helping you become a better writer (a.k.a., successful) by providing such heavy-handed feedback. 

A key lesson I've learned?  Surviving a harsh critique is 95% perception of what's lurking behind the curtain of that harsh critique.  Choosing to believe someone is dragging you over hot coals because they love and care about you and WANT you to be successful makes for a less bitter pill to swallow (even if it really isn't true).  It's similar to getting up to speak publicly and picturing the audience in their underwear or riding rubber duckies with clown noses on.  Same concept. 

Choose.
Ignore the harsh.
Hear the words and intent.

Also... and I CAN'T emphasize this enough.  YOU control your work.  YOU control which feedback you want to take and which you decide to ignore and discard.  YOU control your growth and progress in the writing craft. 

My dear friend, Debbie Mumford, reminded me that if you receive several similar comments, you should probably pay attention, but if you get one from a lone voice from somewhere beyond the right field fence, it's your choice whether you want to listen and change your work based on that feedback.  She goes on to say, "watch for *who* is critiquing. A SFF-oriented person will often not care for the voice of a romance writer, where your romance reader will be delighted by it."  Great points!!

As I told my friend, your voice is unique.  You will never please everyone.  Never.  You could be the best writer in history and you will still not please everyone.  Someone will always be right there, eager to tell you what you should have done differently to make it perfect.   

So, WRITE on, everybuggy!  I want to go adventuring in your unique worlds and universes.  I want to dance with your heroes and thwart your villains.  Don't let a harsh critique keep you from becoming the writer you were born to be!

From Bee to Muse in 90 seconds...

I've been thinking a lot about the shift that must happen from my worker bee brain to my creative muse when I sit down to work on my books or short stories.  This is not an easy shift for me.  It never has been.  I think, in part, because the two are vastly different from each other and the time I devote to my worker bee brain is greater than my creative muse.  

When I go searching for my creative muse, after too long an absence, I'll sometimes find her in a pouty mood.  Sometimes, she doesn't want to come out and play.  Sometimes, she hides where I can't find her.  In order to coax her out, I often have to resort to bribes -- a trip to OMSI or the zoo, a good book, some quality TV/movie watching, a walk in the park so we can watch the local hawks hunt, a trip to the ocean or mountain, etc.  It's like having a 3 year old.  I hate it when the gap between me and my creative muse diverges to the point where I can no longer just look over my shoulder and see her, playing with colorful legos or finger painting.  When I start to lose her to the shadowy depths of my mind.  When she stops commenting regularly on things.  When she stops laughing. 

It sometimes feels like I'm shifting between two entirely different people.  It makes sense.  I'm accessing and using different parts of my brain.  The signals are following totally different pathways.  In some ways, it is a different person. 

The trick is to find a balance that enables me to meet my worker bee expectations, yet, allows my creative muse to be nurtured and included, so she doesn't start to fade.  It's not easy.  It's kinda like gardening.  You have to constantly tend to make sure weeds and other pests don't destroy your crop.  And, there are other obligations outside of worker bee and creative muse that can negatively impact, too.  I have to play every day or risk losing her to bordom. 

And so, I am committing to spending a part of every day in my creative muse's shoes (whether they be keds, cowboy boots, snow shoes, clown shoes, whatever).  I am committing to feeding her a healthy dose of dreams and magic every day.  The scientist in me is curious to see how this will impact my worker bee self.

Finally, for those (like me) who get awesome ideas in the shower, check out the AuqaNote (via LikeCOOL).

Have a great day, everybuggy!!

dallas clayton

My big'sista pointed me to Dallas Clayton's site (thanks big'sista).  His Awesome Book is delightful and inspiring.  I find it a refreshing ray of rainbow-light in our troubling time.  And, I love the foundation he started, too.  For every one book sold, he donates one book to someone in need. 

But, I have to say, I think I love many of the poems he publishes on his blog a bit more.  I hope he converts them into T-shirts or another book or even cards, soon. 

Anyway, if you're feeling a bit down and need a pick-me-up, I encourage you to visit his site.

Another thing that draws me to Dallas Clayton is that he's self-published.  He started out writing a book for his son and it snowballed into a huge thing.  Because he self-published, he has complete control.  Instead of just visiting book stores, he visits schools, libraries, hospitals, etc.  I love that!

Regardless of the route I go (self-publishing vs. normal), I am going to make sure I find a way to make it a positive, giving back adventure.  Thanks, Dallas! 

The Future Of Media

Found a link to this film on JA Konrath's blog.  It's timely as I've been considering "self publishing" and ebooks as I move forward with this fledgeling writing career of mine.  The film is good at explaining what copyright infringement is and why, with the current structure of the internet, those trying to stop it, can't.  It also asks the question, "why would we" or "should we" try to stop it? 

Once again, I find I'm torn.  The "slow-to-adopt-because-I-can't-keep-up-with-all-this-changing-technology" part of me feels pretty overwhelmed.  The "forward-thinking-I-work-at-Intel-technology-geek" in me says, heck ya!  We need to innovate!  We need to creatively problem solve!  We need to reinvent ourselves!

Right now, I'm considering two things.  Should I self publish?  And, if I do, should I employ DRM in a "doomed-to-fail" attempt to restrict people who pay money to read my stuff from sharing it with themselves or others?  Right now, although I'm far from settled, I'm leaning toward, "Yes" and "No."

Let's start with "Do I self publish?"  My big sista and I had a great conversation about this over the holiday.  She pointed out (and I agree) that you have to ask the question, "What you want to accomplish by publishing?"  Let's see...Do I want to make oodles of money?  Do I simply want to have my voice available to be heard by anyone willing to listen?  Do I want to see my name on the cover of a book?  There are many reasons one takes up the "to be published" quest.  The trick is to ask the questions and, when you know the answers, find the best fit. 

For me, it's not about making oodles of money, although, I admit I wouldn't be opposed.  It's not about seeing my name on the cover of a book, though again, it will probably be cooler than I expect.  It's about telling a story I'd like to hear and having someone other than my mom or sisters read it and hopefully enjoy it, too.  I don't need millions of people to read it.  A few would be perfectly fine. 

Strangely enough, though, when I started to ask the questions, something else emerged.  A need to control.  I want complete control over what I put out.  I want complete control over things associated with my name.  Not that I'm surprised by this, but it did give me pause.

Now, on to "should I restrict users from sharing once they've purchased?"  Honestly, I know I can't really anyway.  So why even enter into that battle?  It would take far too much energy.  Energy better spent on writing more stories and finding more creative ways to get people to want their own copy of my work.  Besides, I'd rather have a share attitude anyway.  It's more positive.  It's better karma and all that.  But, I completely understand why some people safeguard their intellectual property.  Again, it comes down to a series of questions, what the final goal is, and what configuration is the best fit to achieve them.

Have a great evening, everybuggy!

Melt

Yesterday, I was fortunate to have some photo-adventuring time.  Camera in hand, I explored the delicacy of warming temperatures after a freeze.  Taking time to "see" the world around me always make me feel so alive and blessed to be here and able. 

In keeping with "share and share alike," here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure.

I like this first one because it really conveys the transition of melting ice. 

 

I got lucky on this one.  The timing was such that I caught the sunlight through the pines and being reflected in both water and ice. 

Have a great week, everybuggy!

Writer's Regression

My big'sis loaned me "Conflict, Action, & Suspense - How to pull readers in and carry them along with dramatic, powerful storytelling," by William Noble.  For me, this book has been fantastic!  It is filled with examples (I like pictures!), which my visual-learning brain needs. 

While reading it, I've found myself pondering how far my writing has come (a lloonnnggg way - grin) and (gulp) how far I have to go.  Sometimes, it feels like a regression of sorts as my ego comes to terms with the (seemingly) ever-widening gap between where my ego thought my technique was, where it actually is, and where the technique of... say... a Stephen King or Herman Melville, Ursula LeGuin or Octavia Butler is. 

Irregardless of what my ego believes, I genuinely WANT to be that good.  I WANT to do "right" by the stories in my head and by the people who read them.  I WANT to entertain and never have my readers feel like I've wasted a few hours or minutes of their lives -- time they will never get back. 

But, sometimes, doubt wears my resolve down.  I worry I may never be anything remotely close to "that good."  There are moments where I throw my hands up and ask, "Why am I doing this?"  and "Why not abandon this hobby for an easier, more relaxing one?"

Maybe someday in the future, I will be able to that, but right now, I can't.  For me, it isn't really a hobby -- its a journey of self-discovery and one I enjoy too much.  Even if I never reach "that good," even if I never publish one sentence, I like to write -- painful as it is, sometimes. 

And it's not just the writing I like.  Its also the community.  My fellow writers and readers, the agents, publishers, and editors.  I like this community!  I like following the process of writing from all of these different perspectives.  I like reading about and sharing in the struggle and seeing the selfless support.  I like reading about the successes and how day-to-day living contributes to it all.

And, so I push on, ego kicking and screaming.  I strive to grok writing technique and integrate that knowledge into my ever-growing/evolving writer's toolbox.  Although I receive no end of goading from my ego, I'm thankful I'm not so slack of brain to believe I can simply write something and the heavens above will part to allow angelic music to flood forth over the earth, sending the masses to their knees in homage to my supreme talent.  Heh heh.  It's good to be humble, isn't it? 

Have a great day, everybuggy!

Sunlight & Green

With the PNW in perpetual gray for several days straight, I thought I'd share some pictures I took in the early summer this past year.  Both breathe life and sun.  Hope you like them.

I call this first one, "Electric Green."  I don't know... I look at it and think "electric current of lifeforce."  It's energizing!  It reminds me of my own lifeblood, flowing through my veins.  Pretty amazing.

This next one is one I captured at a community garden.  This one in particular, with our current gray weather, is just the sort of thing I need.  The way the sunshine mingles and dances between the petals... I love it.  Nature inspired!

Have a great day, everybuggy!!

What a morning!

Woke up this morning and saw a coyote out back, hunting for breakfast.  This one is a beauty.  I love watching these adaptive creatures move and listening to them communicate across great distances.  Wow!  What a way to welcome the day.

Torn Over E-books

I wrote this in response to Louise Marley's blog post titled: Amazon Sucks Up To Literary Agents, but decided to make it a blog post, instead. 

I shocked myself the other day.  I was walking to my car after work, pondering our new products and technology and how easy things are becoming, when I caught myself thinking, "I should just buy an e-reader and replace all of my books with e-books."  (Of course, this will never happen.  It could never happen.  Like most writers, I have a rather large library.  It would take me years.  And I have some old books that are so out of print, I'd have to scan them.)  The reason it shocked me was because of how normal it felt -- like breathing or eating -- not at all cutting edge or rebellious.  Has our culture shifted so much, where a woman, raised in a rural, redneck community, could actually feel like it's perfectly normal to download an e-book off the internet instead of going to the bookstore and buying a physical book? 

And, OH, did I get the attention of my writer self!  Not only because of the potential for companies like Amazon to undercut everyone else, but also for the bookstores that may whither and die unless they find a way to reinvent themselves when e-books finally take over (yes, I said "when" not "if").  I have friends that own and work at some of these bookstores.  I love to hang out at these bookstores for hours and hours.  What could I be thinking?! 

Working for Intel, I am constantly bombarded by what new technology is lurking just around the corner and how it can "improve" the lives of our end users.  I believe one e-books future model may end up similar to the iTune music &  iPhone applications at 99 cents a pop, model.  While this trend toward e-books could be bad for writers, publishers, and booksellers alike, it could also turn out to have some benefits.  For example, it might open up new markets.  And more people might be willing to buy a book at 99 cents. 

As I alluded above, it's not a question of "if" it will happen, but "when."  We writers need to remain aware of what's happening, keep our business/marketing hats tuned in, and our creative problem-solving skills honed.  I worry for the smaller publishers, booksellers, and bookstores, but am hopeful some creative soul will come up with something clever to keep them in business. 

Being the optimist I am, I hope this trend toward e-books will ultimately be positive.  Being a writer, I'm certainly white-knuckling.  Being a techno-geek, I'm hopeful and excited.  Put all of these divergent perspectives together, shake a bit, and I find I am really torn.  Part of me welcomes and (dare I say it?) even looks forward to the potential of e-books and part of me cringes.  After all, I like having a physical book, especially a leather hardbound, in my hands as I sit in my rocker before the roaring fire, cat in lap, tea in hand.

Keep it real, everybuggy!

Wings Of Creation Released!

This is a plug for the "Wings Of Creation" book release, yesterday (see Brenda's post on it).  If you are looking for something good to read, I encourage you to read anything Brenda Cooper has published.  She's a great gal, a supportive writer who pays it forward, and just generally all-round cool. 

Check it out, if you get a second.  And, don't you just LOVE Stephan Martiniere's cover?!  Beautiful! 

Brenda will be reading from her new book at Seattle's University Bookstore this Friday.  See Brenda's Website for more info.

Have a great day, everybuggy!!

I'm alive...

It's been WAY too long.  I AM alive, but I've had the whirlwind of a summer.  Too many projects and not enough time to do everything I'd like.  Between working for Intel, ripping out carpets, constructing furniture, etc., I've had no time to get online. 

I HAVE, however, taken a couple pictures, here and there.  Here's one of my neighbor's sunflowers.  I just love the color and patterns. 

Have a grand day, everybuggy.

Happiness is.....

I had to share this shot I got of Rocky, the Rock Star.  He just loves to run and I love to watch him.  He's so playful and fun! 

I still owe y'all some ant pictures and Maryhill shots.  No I haven't forgotten.  No sir!  No ma'am!  No way!  The age-old excuse of work is all I got.  I'll get some more up soon. 

Have a great day, everybuggy!

Better Late Than Never -- Maryhill Museum Pics

Here's a couple of shots from a recent camping trip I took with some of my dear friends to Maryhill.  I'll be posting more shots over next weekend, but wanted to get some up because I promised I would and I'm delinquent.  Work has been crazy... that's my lame excuse and I'm sticking to it. 

SHAMELESS TEASER:  I have creepy swarming ant shots to share, too!  Come on back if you want to be creeped out and have nightmare ant dreams.  Not to be confused with nightmare "Aunt" dreams. 

First off, I must confess.  I went in expecting the typical small town museum and I was looking forward to taking in the local stories and legends.  When I stepped past the cashier and into the main room, I stopped.  Jaw dropped to my knees, I took in the amazing works before me. 

I admit, I am completely blown away by this treasure of the Gorge.  I can't believe the calibre of work they have!  And it goes on for three whole floors!  Wow.  I'm already planning my trip back to spend more time taking photos.

Okay, enough gush... let's move on to the photos.  Here's my parting shot of the museum.  I like the lighting contrasts I got on this between the tree and the building.  And, I think the sky is kinda nice, too.  Summery, for lack of a better discription.

Next, we have one of the residents of Maryhill.  Maryhill is home to a number of peacocks, which makes it fun to visit and wander the grounds. 

Next, we journey indoors.  These next two shots are some of my favorites of the day.  The first is a detail shot of one of the many chess sets.  The chess set collection is quite large!  And, since I love chess, I was in heaven.  This is one reason I plan to go back to spend more time.  I really want to take my time absorbing the detail.

Finally, a boy and his dog.  You know I had to get a shot of this beautiful sculpture.  The looks captured.  The obvious shared friendship and loyalty depicted.  Remind me of anyone?  (smiling)  Perhaps.

The other thing I like about this last shot is the scupture in the foreground.  Taken together, these two pieces really capture the diversity of works that are housed in this remarkable place. 

Have a great rest of the week, everybuggy!

Another Frakkin' Spider Picture

I know... you are all probably sick and tired of my spider pictures.  But, I truly can't help myself.  Maybe an intervention is warranted?  Maybe I need to be kept in a darkened room with no sound?  Hmmmmm.... (ponders)

Well, here is the latest of my newest neighbor.  I captured the angry one again, yesterday morning.  I got the camera in low and snapped upward toward the sky, which provided awesome rear lighting of the body and those legs, which adds a translucence that is a little on the creepy side.  The head looks skull-like.

Hope you enjoy!  Tomorrow, I'll post some photos from our trip last weekend to Maryhill museum.

We are having a crazy rainstorm rolling through the area today.  It's permeating everything and I just love the smell, sound, and feel of it.  Wish you were all here with me to enjoy it!  Mmmmm....

Happy Friday, everybuggy!

The one that got away...

I wonder if spiders tell there own fish stories.  Only they'd be bug stories, I guess.  Fiercely articulated (imagine eight legs and eyes going crazy with the telling) stories of big, juicy bugs that managed to escape, once caught and poisoned. 

This tale is one such.  It is a tale of a big, dumb human on an photo adventure and completely oblivious to the subtle struggles all around her.  Kneeling down to take, oh, I don't know, about 1000 more shots of the neighbor's flowers (now, hold it right there -- they are stunning, alien-like flowers.  All right?  They deserve to be recorded for all time.  From every possible angle!)

The human, barely conscious enough to be breathing, is poking her big, black, invasive camera in and around the flowers, in search of the perfect color combination  -- hoping to get good bokeh.  She stumbles upon a bee.  The bee is not moving.  Is the bee dead?  She pokes the bee with a big piece of bark dust.  She takes a picture.  She pokes again with the same big piece of bark dust.  She takes another picture. 

Yup. Dead.  But... well... the bee doesn't appear to be dried out and still appears flexible.  (ponders for a moment)  Well, it must have just died.  

The human pokes the bee some more, dislodging the dead bee from the beautiful flower so she can get a better picture.  The bee starts to come free, but gets hung up by something.  

HUMAN: HOLY CR&%#*@! (no translation)  A white spider hiding in the flower!  It's fangs are imbedded deep in the bee's abdomen!  

SPIDER: SON OF A R%$(Q*#^ (again, no translation)  A big, dumb human!  MUST... KEEP... HOLD... OF... DINNER...  KEEP PUMPING VENOM... CAN'T GIVE UP... COME ON FANGS!  DON'T FAIL ME NOW!!

The human, compelled and intrigued by the carnage and jazzed by her luck, starts snapping away from every possible angle she can.  "Must focus.  Must focus.  Thank you, universe!  Yeah!  Give it to me spider!  Beautiful!  That's it!  Work it.  Work it.  Poor bee.  Flex those fangs!  Yeah, baby!"

The human get's too close.  The bee is abandoned.  The spider must survive this photographic attack to poison and suck out the blood and marrow of the unsuspecting another day.   Yet, the human is not finished.  Bee or not, the spider is a find!  Oh, and I forgot to mention... spiders are one of her favorite subjects.  Can you tell?

To set everyone's mind at ease... I was equally amazed when the bee recovered and flew away of its own.  It'll have a tale of its own to tell! 

Happy Friday, everybuggy.  Time to pack for my trip. 

Red...

As the fourth of July draws closer, I thought I might start posting some color-relevant photos to get us in the mood for blowing things... errr... celebrating the holiday with friends and family.  

I captured this dahlia at a friend's house this past weekend.  I've been slowly learning more about how to tweak photos in Photoshop Elements and honestly?? I don't think you need anything beyond this pretty powerful tool.  I know.  I know.  There are some people out there wondering what I'm smokin' and where they can get some, but I've not yet found a compelling reason to upgrade.

I blame Howard Rosenberg.  Howard, now a regent at UNR, was an art and film professor when I attended.  A teacher you either love, because you "get" and are "awe-inspired by" what he is trying to do, or loathe, because you think he's a crazed lunitic who's sole purpose is to make your life a living nightmare, he has a fiercely devoted following among the many, many students who have had the pleasure to attend UNR during his career and had the priveledge of having him as a professor.  I really can't say too many good things about the man.    

Having survived my first class under him with relatively few scrapes and bruises, I signed up for all of his classes.  Whatever he offered, I took -- even if it meant I had to audit it.  He pushed all of us harder than any other teacher ever has.  He challenged us to excel.  He mined our true potentials like an overly strict but loving parent.  He forced us to fail and learn from our failures.  He showed us how to turn those failures into successes.  He taught me more about the harsher realities of life than any single person ever has.  He prepared me.

One of the most useful things he taught me was while taking one of his art classes.  (I'm pulling the wagon train back around to the topic at hand.  I swear.)  He insisted we use cheap (translation: "the crappiest") supplies to create our (tongue in cheek) "masterpieces."   His reasoning?  If we could learn how to produce quality products using crap, we'd be able to succeed no matter what supplies we had on hand.  So, I learned to make do with what I had.  I learned how to push my inadequate tools to unexpected (and delightful) heights.  Pretty darned amazing life lessons there! 

Thank you, Howard.  Truly. 

And so, here is my latest "no-further-than-the-backyard" photograph.  Taken with my "point-and-shoot" Sony Super Steady Shot camera and tweaked with Photoshop Elements.  Hope you like it!!

Have a great day, everybuggy. 

The weekend is almost upon us!  There will be camping and this weekend is Portland's Pride festival, which I am attending with my big'sis.  Yay!!  I expect to have many outstanding photographic opportunities present themselves this weekend! 

More Pictures...

I didn't realize how exhausted I was!  I woke Saturday morning, thinking it was only around 8AM and it was, in fact, 1130AM.  Whoa!  But, I do feel much better.  I slept in today, too.  Taking a weekend off to relax.  My first weekend without working on work or on the yard.  My body certainly needs it.   

In order to fill my "share and share alike" quota, here's some more pictures I've snapped over the last week.  Hope you enjoy 'em.  This first one is called "Hasta Burst."  I caught it while walking around my work campus.  The way the flowers form and push outward is pretty amazing!

Next up is "Electric Blue."  Not a very original title, but it fits.

This one is called "Spindle Mush."  I giggle every time I say it.  It would be a good title for a kids book.  Heh heh.  It caught my attention while walking to my car after a day of softball and I had to shoot it.  I love the delicate gills and texture and the contrast of color against the green grass. 

I was lucky enough to capture this little creature in action.  I'm sorry to say it, big'sis, but they had a party while you were on vacation.  I couldn't stop them.  This one was doing Iris.  The police were called in.  

And here is another Iris.  When I look at this one, I feel like I'm staring into infinity.  And, I guess, on some level, I am.  I'm reminded of the string of miracles it takes to create life.  It puts things in perspective, doesn't it?  That's one of the things I love about photography.  As I explore and study subjects, I can't help but stop and think.  Kinda scary, huh? 

Have a fabulous week everybuggy! 

Thunderstorm Pic, etc... as promised.

I managed to capture one good shot of the crazed cloudscape yesterday as the thunderstorms pushed through our area.  This was one of those "once every five years" storms and it actually caught most off guard.  It was a spectacular storm and I spent much of it perched on an upstairs window sill with the window flung open. 

Here's a shot of the cloudscape.

Stunning and humbling, 'aint it?  Here's another shot I took a couple days ago. 

I call this one "grass ridden."  A pitiful attempt at a clever "play on words," I couldn't believe I was able to catch a shot of this amazing creature.  I love the lighting and texture of the shot.  Pretty cool.

More tomorrow as I'm fighting to keep my eyes open and losing something fierce. 

Have a great weekend, everybuggy!

It's been too long.

Summer is here.  It's gotten hot too quickly here in the Pac NW.  I've been working long hours and trying desperately to get my veggies planted.  This means finalizing the planting beds.  I've constructed raised beds in some boxes, which needed a place to live and I'm now doing a raised bed that is lined with those stackable cottage stones.  The tomato plants will live here.  I'll post some pictures as soon as I get 'em finished.  Whew!

Here's a couple shots I caught recently.  Ya know...to tide y'all over. 

This first one was taken on my way to work.  I took the longer, scenic route and was blown away when I came around a lazy curve and found this!  Seeing natural scapes like this sure put things in perspective.  Wow! 

Next came this shy little spider.  Iris are up and blooming all over the place.  What a great place to hang out!

Have a fabulous weekend, everybuggy!!

Visualizing Characters and Setting

Cross posted to: Red Rocket

Work on the rewrite of my short story came to a screetching halt today because I couldn't "see" a how a couple of key characters worked together.  (Remember the bats I've been researching?)  Lord knows if I can't see it, my readers certainly won't.

The first thing I did to get past this roadblock was review the images and sketches of bats I'd gathered.  I still couldn't see it.  Recognizing the need for my system-building brain to work on the problem, I left my desk and went downstairs. 

I did the dishes and laundry.  I cooked myself some mac and cheese.  I took the dogs out for a walk.  Eventually, I returned to my desk, but I'd made little progress.  My imagination was churning away, but there were gaping holes in critical areas that I couldn't solve simply by thinking hard about it.  

Knowing I had to iron out the details and seeing no other choice, I pulled out my sketch pad and started drawing.  The image below is what I came up with -- a VERY quick and rough sketch of one of my bats.  I need to change the face and body because it's not quite how I see these characters in my mind, but the main structure is there and by doing the sketch, I've solved my key dillemma.  (See the little slits in the wings at the waist?  That's all I'll say...grin)

Which brings me to the meat of this post.  I'm a VERY visual person.  While I'm writing, I have to "see" characters and setting in my head in order to tell the story.  If I can't see it, I stumble around, like someone lost in a darkened warehouse full of junk without a flashlight.  It's frustrating and it can really hurt! 

So what do I do when I can't "see" it?  I'll either try to draw it or go looking for it!

Now I recognize that not everyone is comfortable drawing.  I'm not suggesting you need to.  In fact, one of my favorite techniques is going through magazines, scissors and gluestick in hand, and creating collages.  These eyes, another's lips, this sweater, etc.  And, it's never too late to make visual adjustments, either.  As an example, let's take Sargent's lovely portrait... 

When I found this, I already had my main character strongly rooted in my mind's eye.  However, looking at this lady, I realized I didn't have my main character's eyes right.  These eyes have been rendered with a depth and wisdom my character's eyes lacked.  (They've since been corrected.)

One of the benefits of searching through images is that your muse may find nourishment in the most unlikely of places.  Take this image, for example...

This Michael Geissler visual came from Jim Gurney's latest monthly "Art By Committee."  It's screaming to become a short story.  I've saved it for later.  (It's my dessert for finishing my rewrite this weekend.) 

This technique also works for sussing out setting.  When I'm struggling to put myself in an enviornment, I'll search out images of similar places.  For example...

Isn't this lovely?  Look at the light bouncing off the tables.  Can you feel the temperature of the room? 

I'll sit with these images for awhile.  I may turn on some background music that fits.  Before you know it, my muse has been transported.  She'll sit amongst the characters and listen to them tell their stories, which she'll pass along to me.

So where does one find inspiring images?  I'm a regular lurker at art blogs like Gorilla Artfare or Gurney's Journey.  You might go to your local library or bookstore and crack open some art books.  You can do Google or Flickr images searches.  Another great strategy is to get your friends or family to dress up in a costume and pose for you.  Artists do this all the time... why can't writers?  You might visit places that fit what's in your mind's eye.  Don't forget to take a camera and snap tons of pictures, including the details (salt and pepper shakers, lamp shades, local signs, the three-legged dog, etc.)!  

Finally, when you have your character and setting images in hand, sit with them for awhile.  Really look at them.  Climb into them and explore.  Then let your muse go!  Happy writing, everybuggy!

For a list of illustrator sites and posts I recommend, please visit my Illustrators Toolbox: Sites and Posts I Recommend.