Well everyone, I've started writing again. I decided to go back through my science fiction novel to make it the best that I can. Hopefully the process will improve my my skill and maybe one day I can even get published.

Who knows? Certainly not me. Today I write and re-write. I will keep at this until I have something that really works. Something that people want to read and can't put down.

There are several authors' work that I feel that way about; Anne McCaffery, Elizabeth Moon, Nora Roberts as J. D. Robb, and S. L. Veihl. If they can do it, maybe I can too.

I attend a critique group regularly where I present my work. It is difficult to tell if what they enjoy is my gift for expressive reading or the actual work. It's really hard to tell.

I want to take a writing course, but how do I know which one to take? And can it really teach me what I need to know? I often think that a mentor would be more helpful, but how does one get one of those. Any suggestions?

If anybody out there has a suggestion, I would love to hear from them.

J

It's been a while since I have posted. The truth is that I have been afraid to write...anything. Here's the truth. I recently received a critique and I felt completely discouraged.

It is extremely hard for me to sort out what is 'good' critique from a style preference. After struggling with the comments I finally determined that about 30% of the critique warranted my attention the rest may not have been valid. But the result for me was discouragement. After that I developed a 'fear' of writing. Afraid that I can't write. Afraid that I won't write.

I talked to several friends that they all said that I can either keep at it and eventually succeed or I can throw in the towel. After all, very few people make it anyway. I would really like to be one of those few, so I guess it means that I'd better keep at it.

I'm committing, once again to the process; re-writing old pieces and making them better and writing new pieces and making them my best. I don't doubt that I'll get discouraged again. I just trust that my good friends will continue to tell me the truth and give me a swift kick when I need it.

J

It's December already. I had no idea the year would pass so quickly. While everyone around me is making Christmas plans and buying gifts, I'm trying to find time in my schedule, and space in my mind, to write.

The greatest hurdle for me is to find the space in my mind. The work I is very emotional and stressful. By the time I get home each evening I am thoroughly spent. I manage to check my email, prepare dinner and eat it, and search for ways to unload all that my mind has encountered. So when am I going to write?

I try to get something written regularly, but every night is not possible for me. Some days I'm doing well if I can manage to cook food to eat, let alone write. Other days I manage to get a few lines in. Writing after I get in from work is almost always more than I can manage.

I started a project, one that I am still commited to, only to find out I should have been working on another one. Carolrhoda is actively seeking YA science fiction and fantasy with a deadline of November 30!! Of course I would be working on the other project rather than the sci fi one. And of course I only found out two days before the deadline. So once again I am singing the publishing/writing blues.

Well, I guess the answer is to just keep writing. Sooner or later I have got to have the right piece finished at the right time.

J

Thanksgiving day has come and gone and Christmas is upon us. Every writing prompt or contest has to do with the holidays. I imagine that there is some belief among quite a few people that the holidays inspire creativitiy. But not for me. I can never think of a thing to write about. It seems that I am stymied at every attempt at such a prompt.

I neither believe that there is too little nor too much conflict surrounding the subject. It's just that every story I come up with feels trite. My imagination just goes flat.

Ask me to write about things that aren't or things that could be. Then my brain begins to zoom. Sparks fly across the synapses. Nerve endings sizzle. I love thinking about possibilities or even impossibilities.

I wonder what it is like to be suspended within a cloud, to harness the raw power of thunder, to ride on the rays of the sun, or trap the wind within my hair. Haven't you ever imagined yourself doing the impossible? Shape-shifting, teleporting, whispering into the mind of another or using the mundane in extraordinary ways.

These are the shapes of things that race through my mind.

J

Good morning and Happy Thanksgiving! Wow, another year. I have so much to be thankful for. Friends and family who love me and encourage me. A good mind, although since menopause the memory could use a little help. My health, give or take a cold here or there. Countless blessings! I pray that each one of you is blessed with all of the things you need and many of the things you want.

The first thing I do when I wake up each morning is look out of my bedroom window and enjoy the beautiful mountain view. It often brings me peace and revs up my imagination. That's where many of my stories are conceived.

The mountains in the distance become landscapes for other worlds. The squirrels bouncing in the trees become aliens with unknown talents. And those pesky woodpeckers are actually employed by terrorist cells delivering messages through ancient Morse Code.

I love writing and imagining. My mind is free to roam where ever it will. It is ruled only by the rules I set for it. My secret...? There are no rules.

Today's plan is to write, eat chili (my husband hates turkey), gorge myself on Dr. Pepper and sunflower seeds, and top it all of with cheesecake. What are your plans?
J

It looks like I am able to find my own blog intentionally and consistently. So, I will begin the true journal today.

I began writing several years ago. I thought it would be fun and that it couldn't be too hard. After all, I have a doctorate. It couldn't be harder than that, could it? Boy was I wrong. I thought I would start with picturebooks, something easy. Wrong again! I soon realized that my 'voice' isn't right for it. Then I moved on to middle grade novels. Better, but not quite a match. I thought I'd try young adult and found a really good fit. So I began writing a young adult science fiction novel.

It took me about nine months to complete. Then I did edits and rewrites, with the help of my critique group of course. I submitted it for critique to a group of writing professionals at this year's WorldCon. I got fairly good feedback, but...I soon realized what I thought was a finished product was a really good draft.

What I am learning is not only the craft of writing, but also the discipline of writing, sans the arrogance of the intelligent. Boy, do I have a lot to learn.

What about you? Please feel free to comment. I look forward to hearing from you.
J

What an interesting way to begin. I'm starting in the middle instead of the beginning. This is partly because I don't know where to begin and partly because there seems only to be a middle and no ending.
So here goes. I had planned to begin posting here some time ago, but I couldn't find my blog. I still don't really know how to get to it, I just happened to find it by accident. I'm not really sure that I am actually posting.
None of this has anything to do with writing or young adult fiction, but when I can focus on writing and not on finding this, I promise to post something of interest, to me at least.
I hope to be able to find this place again soon
J