Untitled Journey: A Writers Life

Some days I just can’t help but look back on this writing journey that I ventured into, initially for leisure, indulging a youthful passion of the arts that captured most of my teen years.  Thinking back now I can remember ever so clear the pull that a well written book would hook me into, taking me far away from the sometimes fickle on-goings of teen angst, moodiness, and peer drama.  It was during my teen years that I also explored my hand at writing, slightly and privately of course.  That was until a class assignment gave birth to the possibility of pursuing something greater one day from my love of reading.

Turning in a sort of rogue freestyle essay, one that I can’t exactly recall the nature, content, or even topic of at the time, only that I had stayed up way too late writing, revising, editing, and yes tweaking each and every detail of, until I finally fell asleep with a proud glow of accomplishment after the final sentence lay penned. A few days later everyone received their graded essays back, but mine had a “See me after class” written in red at the bottom of it.  Nervous doesn’t even describe what ran through my mind at seeing those words at that time.  But what followed was a shot of unexpected.

Though I had fallen in love with my short literary work, I never dreamed that anyone else would, or even see potential in the scribes of a then shy teen.  But hearing the amazed and encouraging words from my English Lit teacher was beyond inspiring for me.  Having someone praise my creativity that I truly had no idea that I had and also advise me to pursue writing in my college years ahead was the moment that set me loose on my writing journey.  It was more than liberating at that time, it was the day that I opened myself up to embark on this writing journey.  Though I have strayed throughout the years, my writing journey is always and has remained a constant in my life. For me, quite simply put, it’s my writer’s life, the untold, still unfolding, yet to be reached destination that I remain hopeful of reaching one day.  But until then I’ll faithfully remain on this sometimes rocky, yet always  colorfully winding writing path, where the end will serve as the ever fateful vines of my vast new and ever branching writing beginnings.

Writer’s Time Table: The Dream, The Reality, The Ultimate Truth

Being an aspiring writer has always posed far too many questions, challenges, and at times left me plagued and perplexed as to how the true at heart writing souls get their dreams penned and gifted to the world of readers. Usually a timetable is set at some point, where goals and deadlines play an integral role in the make or break success of your work. I know for many of us it starts with a not so simple dream, one that shapes into the reality that we strive to create and share with others. It’s our coveted ideas and the scope of mindset, determination, and passion that we each put behind it that I feel truly defines a mere dream from the possibility of becoming a reality for many writers alike.

But at the end of the day, for me that is, the ultimate truth that will be left behind isn’t about the level of fame, monetary or best seller type creds bestowed to me as a writer.  But by whether or not I stand by that initial dream enough to power through any and all of life’s setbacks or obstacles in order to see the reality of the dream take shape.   And for this still aspiring writer, I just had to drop a few lines, maybe more so for myself than anything else, as a reminder that my dream, while still ongoing, is very much more than just a dream, but an ongoing reality of MY own making.

Into The Eye of The BrainStorm

Now that the month of June has made its sneak appearance marking the halfway point of the year, I decided that it’s time to revisit an old friend of mine quaintly and quietly known to me as draft city. I’m a little ashamed to say that my first and only complete story that I penned well over 2 years ago has been MIA in my writing community since its birth. Sure I’ve done the customary trial visit every now and then to the lands of spell check, start and stop proofreading, and of course the always drop in to the pit stop of revision alley. But in all honesty, I can’t say that I’ve invested as much time, effort, and devotion to truly making a go at this particular story. Now this is my baby, the story that once had me writing, scripting, and all but pre-selecting a cast to bring my story to movie life a few years back. Yet these days all I seem to be about is creating/building an entirely something new. Which in actually is not so new.

I’ve embarked upon a round trip to the writers gateway reading “Welcome back to the land and art of Brainstorming.” It carries the potential to serve as a writing gateway in reaching a creative destination towards potential untapped ideas, as I map out my subsequent journey to fulfilling my not so empty writing dream. So I got to say that I’m looking forward to seeing which twists or subsequent turns this “lost” story will spin out as I polish up the old, and collect upon the new ideas in revamping my way yet again into the eye of the Brainstorm.

Back To Basics: A Writers Journey

Okay so I’m a little ashamed to say that it has been around a month or so that I haven’t written/or read any piece of literature in my all but nonexistent free time outside of work and family duties.  Though it has not been for lack of trying, bad book selections, or the almighty dry up of creative writing flow. I must say that once again it has been my lackluster taboo of writing/reading drive that has left me a bit on the dry side of inspiration/motivation as of late. In the past I normally have at least been able to sneak a few stolen moments for myself to at least brainstorm a few chapters or even just take to reading a book or two that I usually keep tethered to my Kindle.  Yet this month of May has been all but uninspiring for me to say the least. I’m hopeful that my feeble acknowledgement by way of this blog post will serve a higher purpose for me, or at the very least serve as a way to get my butt back in gear and back on the writing and reading bandwagon.

But I’m thinking that maybe a trip back to writing and reading basics might be in order for someone like me. Someone who, while completely in love with books, writing, and all that a good sound story has to offer, yet still craves having a hand in paving their writing/reading journey. As the first half of the year is moving swiftly behind us, I feel the need to devise a plan of attack to getting back on my writing track. A creative kind of “Keep It Simple” strategy, one to help foster daily writing/reading habits back to a viable routine for me. Of course making and setting aside a respectable amount of time to bring my pursuits back into a plausible reality will pose a task for me. But deciding to make the effort will be the first true step.

And so as we approach the half way point of 2015, I am making it my mission to seek out ways to bring my first loves (reading/writing)back to the spotlight. (And by the way I’m convinced that books need readers as much as most of us readers/writers crave the inspiration that the literary world affords us).

So to anyone else going through the writers/readers sporadic dry spell just know that you, my friend are in good company, and NOT alone.

Classic Inspiration

Fresh off of my very first Agatha Christie novel I was left floored by just how much I have to learn and perfect to advance in my writing game.  Though I was more than familiar with the Great Agatha Christie, I was completely taken and floored by her precision and creativity in the land of mystery and suspense.  It was an old school lesson in writing greatness,  This was a  woman who could capture an audience and wrap them around the finger of any of her tales. Brilliance doesn’t even sum up what I was left with after reading only a few of her classics, I was introduced into just what solidified her as a mystery classic writer.  Her heart, soul and, writing Ingenious kept me more than intrigued and borderline hungry in my pursuit as a writer in what makes one an inspiration in the writing craft. Ms. Christie definitely delivered the wow factor in her works and has imprinted on me the importance of leaving behind that spark, if not that little something great foundation to readers and writers yet to come. Definitely a hands down, bow down moment to her as one of the late GREATS!!!!

Novelty Classics of Mystery

On my momentary hiatus of all things YA, NA, and fantasy fiction, I have found myself taking a step in a different genre direction. It’s one that isn’t entirely unfamiliar to me. But it’s definitely a genre of books that I haven’t ventured into in quite a while (I’m talking middle school throwback). I remember the first time that I came across the book series Encyclopedia Brown and of course Nancy Drew. I can recall all too fondly of the rush of excitement that I felt trying to decipher clue after clue that would point to the culprit masterfully hidden within each book. So I decided that the land of crime drama/Mystery would be right up my alley. But as much enjoyment I know could be found by taking a trip down my childhood memory lane, I decided that I would take on a more “seasoned” author of mystery. One that is indisputable in her legacy of delivering upon scenes masterfully crafted of murder, intriguing characters, and secret after secret that carefully plays out filtering the plot until the very end. I am speaking of the brilliant Agatha Christie.

The Mysterious Affair At Styles encompasses every bit the perfect writing formula for bearing its imprint of a classic “who dunnit” novel. Ms. Christie paints a deep-seated plot created of enigmatic characters, detail driven scenes, and will keep you guessing as to who truly committed the crime of murder until the very end. My very first book by this author kept me up reading way past bed time (which is not such a forgiving thing for those of us day jobbers).

Taking on this classic, one written before my time, yet I couldn’t help but find myself every bit wrapped up in the story as if it were written just yesterday (even though the wording and language did trip me up a time or two). See this is the true power that books can wield to readers of all generations. Even those of us who only tiptoe outside our reading comfort zone on occasion. Sticking to what you know is natural for many of us, but what I want to highlight with this post is that whether it’s with books, reading, or writing, I’ve found that there is usually nothing to be lost and everything to be experienced in taking a trip down an unfamiliar lane from time to time in the vast land of books.

Spring Forward To Your Next Read

With daylight savings under our belt and Spring only a few days away, it seemed only fitting to reassess my Goodreads reading challenge to make sure that I’m on track (or at least not too far behind) in my 2015 reading goals. Taking note of the books I’ve read thus far, I’ve decided that since Spring is the season of anew, that I’m going to step out and take on a book (or maybe series) outside of my usual YA genre comfort zone. Old School Classic maybe? Or maybe something crime drama, science fiction or contemporary romance? There are just so many relevant and worthy genres to choose from. And while there is NEVER such a thing as too many books, I can’t help but feel blown away while perusing all the literary works of past and current authors in print. And I can honestly say that it does my writer’s heart good to see so many of their dreams, persistence, and dedication to their ideas and craft on display and shared with the world. This is why I decided to expand my reading mind. This is why I journeyed to venture away from my customary love of all things YA and dive into the amazingly unpredictable world of books in general.

Long live the true love of just reading to book lovers everywhere.

Keeping Up With Goodreads: A Reader’s Life

Almost two months into this newest year, I am one and a half book series on target in meeting my book goals for 2015. While I am still in pursuit of my writing goals, my reading goals are what seem to be taking shape, nicely I might add. I guess for me it appears to be a round trip of what’s familiar that is keeping me focused on the passion of my bigger picture. Books. Though a writer at heart, I find myself at a standoff off of with my hearts truest desire. Writing. (Sorry, but a too good to be true story/plot will forever be my comfort.)

With Goodreads, reading and writing pursuits seem to go hand in hand.

So I must ask, What comprises or helps keep you up with your reading and/or writing life these days?

The Scope of Setting Reading and Writing Challenges

Almost through the first month of the new year and I can’t help but feel a triumphant sense of personal accomplishment in having already read four books towards my reading challenge I set for myself on Goodreads. This year I actually set a somewhat conservative and VERY attainable goal of the number of books and series that I hope to diverge myself into. For me this was completely strategic. Discovering and engrossing myself into the world of reading books has always been an all too easy habit that I have found for myself, diving into on far too many occasions….yet the act of actual writing has proven itself as a lost art on me for the past year or so.

It has really proven itself a challenge for me to set, find time for, or even worse just in developing and keeping an habitual time each day, set aside purely for writing. My writer’s drive and passion are still intact, pre-set to overdrive. In fact, the more I read, the more amped I find myself ready to put pen to paper to create my own literary tale for the world. Yet for the life of me I can’t figure out why I’m still stuck on an unfinished manuscript that has been in the works of the “revamped” stage for seemingly forever. This new year I’m suddenly trying to scope out any ideas for how to get back into the writing groove.
Though a challenge in itself with work and family obligations, realizing my writer’s dream is still a plausible possibility, right? While I’m no stranger to the challenges that life sometimes carries your way, seemingly taking you farther away from your aspirations and pursuits with each passing day. At the moment I can’t help but feel the threat of my stagnate writing becoming a life regret that has the power to haunt with regret.

But I’ve decided that even with this flicker of momentary defeat, I can’t let it settle in and take root. I must push on and pound the writing pavement by any means and creative avenues, no matter how great or small. Getting back to my writing shall undoubtedly continue to be a challenge, but not one flagged in the impossible. Write something everyday. Anything no matter how good or bad? Right? I’ve decided that this just may be the strategic shovel to dig myself out of the slump I’ve placed myself in. And what better kickoff than with the self challenge of posting regularly to this blog. It was after all my beginning platform to connecting and sharing a few random words and thoughts with the world when I first took the NanoWriMo challenge a few years back. And I can’t help but feel the surge of potential and promise each time when I put out a post on this little blog that still stands strong for me as I pound out word after word, pulling myself back into the writing game tonight. I’m thinking, yes it will continue to be a challenge, but one that is both welcome and accepted

1st & Down: Reading Game In Play

I just finished my first book of 2015, book one towards my reading goal made towards achieving this new year and it was magnificent. Yes the book series that I just started was immaculate, but the truth be told, it was the actual kick off to my 2015 reading goal that has left me more than antsy for all the GREAT books and works that are sure to comprise this new year. I can also attest to wanting to play catch up on various stories that I left behind in 2014. What books, authors, or sequels are you most looking forward to storming the scene this new year?