Unconventional Wisdom
September 18, 2005 by A Slice of Orange in category Archives tagged as CyberTalk, Gina Black, Motivational
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard the advice “give yourself permission to write crap.” I always thought it was good advice until tonight when I really thought about it. I realized I don’t want to write crap. Ever. So, why should I need permission to write it? How easy for that permission become a self-fulfilling prophecy, eh?
So, how ’bout I never do that because I want to write brilliant stories that edify the human condition and make people laugh and cry. What if I gave myself permission to write those instead? Would I be more likely to live up to that?
I bet I would. For one thing, there’s power in positive thinking. For another, it becomes an affirmation. Who would want an affirmation about writing crap? Exactly!
I know the advice-givers don’t really think they’re being negative, they think their advice is freeing. That after the crap comes out, the good stuff will follow. And perhaps that’s true. But why is it that we feel freed up by the negative? Why can’t we sit down at our keyboards and plan on writing something so excellent our computer breaks out in a smile? Is it somehow easier to write crap?
I think not.
It is, however, easier to see our writing as not measuring up than to see it as fabulous. Writers—especially new ones—often compare their work to that of other writers, even trying to emulate them on occasion. That will never do. Just as we have our own fingerprints and underwear, we have our very own voices. It’s finding that voice by writing and writing and writing some more that our prose becomes brilliant, and it becomes brilliant because it is ours, with our very own vision, issues, and spin on things.
So I challenge you…next time you sit down at the computer to write…oh you’re there now?…in that case, close your browser, boot up your writing program and decide you’re going to write some of the best stuff you’ve ever written. And then do it.
Gina Black
A Visit with Emma Holly and Susan Elizabeth Phillips
August 20, 2005 by A Slice of Orange in category From Our Archives tagged as Author Interview
OCC just celebrated “Awesome August Here are the details of the day from a Program Director’s POV:
We had Emma Holly visit us in the morning, and this five foot dynamo gave a workshop that made several women start fanning themselves from the sheer HOTNESS of the content. That was a first for me in my time as Program Director and I really enjoyed her tips on sexy writing. She gave us many tips to spice up our scenes and first piece of advice was to “get in touch with our kinks,” so Ladies and Gentlemen:GET BUSY!
Emma kept making me laugh because she’d get the steam level to rising, then she’d pause, glance at us, take a lo-o-o-ng sip of her water, and pick up where she left off. Her comedic timing was dead-on funny. She gave two of her ARCs (advanced release copies) away as door prizes and I don’t know who won them but I certainly hope that one of those people will loan their book to me when they’re done. I don’t know if I can wait until October 4th to find out who did what to who.
The Board of Directors changed tactics and strategies all day, almost as fast as America West changed Susan Elizabeth Phillips’ flight schedule! (Herein, she’ll be referred to as SEP to save typing.) We started lunch thinking we’d see SEP at about 12:30 and by the end of lunchtime, this Program Director was wondering if SEP would EVER get to California. We updated the membership over the next hour, “plane is delayed, plane left, etc.,“ until finally the plane arrived and I heaved a sigh of relief. It was the first time I’d ever been happy to have my phone ring in the middle of a meeting.
I spoke with SEP and she told me that “I didn’t even need to introduce her. She’d have her notes in her hand when she stepped out of the car and she’d just run in and start talking”and darned if that isn’t exactly what she did—another first for me in Programs. God she gave the best talk! Diane Pershing told me afterward that she rarely takes notes and SEP had her scribbling away.
We found out that Susan is a “seat of the pants” writer, that she has a tremendous fear of the blank page and that it takes her about a year to write each book. She doesn’t take a break in between books. She gave us tips on writing subplots, flashbacks, how to fix scenes and many, many more “million dollar” tips.
If anyone missed getting a handout and would like one, just send a note to us on the Craft Loop or email me privately and I’ll forward it to you. Susan gave me more in 40 minutes of talking that I ever knew was possible. And she told me four times that we were the most organized group that she’d ever seen.
Thanks to everyone on the Board who zigged and zagged with each change to the schedule and to all the OCC members that stayed on site and waited for SEP so we could give her a tremendous welcome!
The last tidbit I wanted to add about August. Susan Elizabeth Phillips told me that OCC members have the best collection of shoes that she’s ever seen. I thought that was pretty amusing and wanted to encourage you all to bring that fancy footwear to Conference next year so you could have a built in conversation opener .
So, August was awesome and I am on to planning the September meeting with Michele Scott and Leanne Banks. Michele’s talk is on “Getting Your Foot in the Door” and Leanne will be talking about “Developing the Relationship Between the Hero and Heroine.” I especially can’t wait for the brainstorming session that Leanne is conducting later in the evening during the guest reception. I hope to see you all volunteering at the September meeting so you can be part of that.
See you next month!
~ Jen Crooks
Featured Books
FOREIGN RELATIONS
A foreign woman is dead, two countries want her forgotten. Detective Finn O'Brien wants justice.
More info →
