Posts Tagged ‘the writing life’
How do you renew and refresh yourself? What are the kinds of activities that supercharge you?
Most of the writers I know write a lot. Most write daily.
The creative professionals I know are doing it all, all the time—writing, creating, supporting other creatives, marketing, honing their craft, etc., in addition to living a full life. Demands continue to expand. Many creative professionals I know are skirting the edges of burnout.
A few years ago, I decided to stop waiting for week-long vacations to take a break. Those kind of vacations are great, but for me they usually only came once a year. And, by the time I went on them, I was so mentally and physically fatigued that I usually spent a chunk of it in bed or sick. A bummer! Also, I found myself putting so much emotional energy into ‘having a great time’ that it put unrealistic expectations on the trip.
New research suggests that shorter breaks throughout the year may leave people feeling happier and more productive.
When friends recently invited me to hang out with them, for a few days, at the beach, I jumped at the chance.
I also did something rare for me. I didn’t bring my computer. This was huge! My computer and I are usually inseparable. I’ll often bring it along on a vacation to do creative work. My amazing partner, Tim, was the one who suggested that I take a break from writing on the computer
Take a break from writing on the computer? The suggestion almost caused heart palpitations. He is a wise man, however, and I decided to follow his suggestion. I old schooled it—bringing a journal and some books.
I love being outdoors in just about any kind of setting, but the beach is the place I unwind the best.
Three nights and four days was a great gift. Hanging with friends, playing games, taking long walks and doing nothing was a balm for my body, mind and spirit.
Filling up the creative well is an important component of living a creative life.
This daybreak beckoned to me. I spent some time drinking in the morning light and then grabbed my journal and started writing.
An amazing flan to end a great day at the beach.
Key Lime Krush, Purple Rain, the Slim Shady and Butterfinger Bash were some of the offerings at the suggestively titled ‘Wake N Bake’ Coffee and Donut Shop. If you’re ever driving through Carolina Beach, check them out.
More offerings from Wake N Bake.
As it turned out, by taking a few days off, I was able to break through on some writing projects that were stuck. I even plotted out what I hope will be a coquel (yes, I made that word up) to my current sci-fi novella, Reenu-You. Our imagination gets all fired up when we experience new things and get out of our typical schedule!
I have never hunted for ‘ghost crabs’ before but a friend suggested we do it one evening. It was so much fun! We flashed our lights on this guy.
Do you have a short break coming up this summer? Where are you going to stock your creative well?
I admit it. Growing up, I wasn’t a fan of Wonder Woman. I didn’t read DC comics and wasn’t in love with the television show. Some of this was due to the fact that my younger sister, Melissa, adored WW. And, of course, the unwritten rules are that older siblings can’t ever like what the younger ones do. It’s just not cool.
Plus, I saved all my girl crush energy for The Bionic Woman, who although is not a classic superhero, captured my imagination with her brute strength, grace, style and humor. And I enjoyed the show’s sci-fi theme. Plus, she wore real clothes while she kicked butt. I also always believed that in a fight, the Bionic Women could totally take Wonder Woman. I still have my first Bionic Woman doll, although she is missing a foot!
So, all this is to say that I was not expecting to completely fall head over heels for the new WW movie. Tim and I went to see it this week and we both really enjoyed it. As many critics have already pointed out, the film subverts some of the taken for granted superhero themes. It is a mother and daughter story, a collective empowerment story, an ensemble story and a female coming of age story, all rolled into one.
The action in the first twenty minutes of the movie is absolutely thrilling. It is thrilling to see women, strong women, stand up for what they believe in and defend themselves. Usually female viewers watching action adventure and/or superhero films have to contort themselves into identifying with the strength and perspective of the male lead characters. It was nice to not have to do that with WW. I could go again just to see the first fight scene, it is that well-choreographed! It’s not that we haven’t seen kick-ass heroines before, but WW feels different. The kick-ass heroines are usually singular, surrounded by a male team and often not the leaders of the team. And, they sometimes apologize or are ambivalent about being strong. Not the case for WW.
Diana isn’t an anti-hero, she is compassionate and becomes wise by the end of the film. Yes, she’s gorgeous (and at times I found myself wondering why all the Amazons were lacking any body hair), but the camera shots and visual cues about the actress’s body weren’t gratuitous.
Maybe WW is striking such a powerful chord in the US because as many of us believe, collectively women have recently suffered some pretty significant cultural, political and legal setbacks. Those of us fighting and advocating for gender equity need continued courage. And, of course, the fact that the film was directed by a woman is another milestone.
The Amazon theme also holds a special place in my heart as I have an anthology, titled Amazons edited by Jessica Salmonson in 1979, that a male friend gave to me in college. The writers in the collection reimagine an “amazon heritage” using some of the historical record to tell new stories. I was so inspired by this book that a few months later, I coaxed some to friends to help me make an Amazon costume for a Halloween party. That book turned me on to ‘feminist science fiction’ in college which led me to Ursula Le Guin, Marge Piercy, Octavia Butler, many others and then my own writing path.
I’m hopeful that with the release of WW, young girls and boys can find awe in and enthusiasm for a new superhero.
I hope someone I know will throw a Halloween party this year, so I can start working on an Amazon costume!
*this post was inspired by writer, P.K. Tyler’s Facebook post on WW.
Those are my thoughts. Have you seen the film? What’s your take on it?
Flash Fiction: What The Slots Hold
Posted on: June 5, 2017
This 248 word story appeared last year in Thing Magazine. Last year was a breakthrough one in that I felt much more ease writing flash pieces. Writing them was a great comfort when I needed a break from longer projects. I’ve always been fascinated by the character of Lady Luck. We can trace her origins back to Roman times and the concern over the idea of human fate. I borrowed some of this history and played with it. I love this little vignette and hope I get to return to find out how Lady Luck and her cousin fare.
What The Slots Hold
Lady Luck came to claim her own in Atlantic City. She stalked past the drunk, slack-mouthed men at the blackjack tables. A cocktail waitress holding a platter of drinks looked up, screamed and ran. Casino alarms blared and men that from her twenty-five foot height looked like children, ran toward her from every corner. They yelled and fired their guns at her. Annoyed, she plucked coins from her dress, dropped them and watched as the golden disks smashed the men’s heads.
With a magical ax given to her by Ares, she hacked at the row of the garish Greek Gods slot machines. As she worked, she remembered the handsome face of the mortal she had met so long ago. A secret visit from Olympus to see the earthly realm had tempted her. She, a daughter of Aphrodite, a natural lover, fell so easily for his charms. He said he would build palaces where men would whisper her name. She might never have known that her magic was stolen, corrupted, used to kidnap others, until she overheard a joke about casinos by Zeus. She would show both gods and humans what happens when Lady Luck is angry. The last blow split a slot machine in two. In a burst of orange light, her cousin, Fortuna appeared. They hugged. She threw more coins from her dress and watched as they sprouted legs, arms and hands holding daggers and chased the remaining humans.
Taking Fortuna’s hand, Lady Luck said, “Vegas next.”
Over the next few months, I’ll share reviews about the incredible authors I’m reading in the Book Smugglers Publishing family. I am truly honored to have found a press that is publishing fantastic authors and that values diverse and underrepresented voices in speculative fiction. I’m glad to be in their family! I am enjoying reading so many writers that are new to me. I just finished the novella, Keeper of the Dawn, by Dianna Gunn. Dianna’s was the first novella released in the Book Smugglers Novella Initiative. Dianna will also join us here for an Author Q&A during the summer.
REVIEW
Have you ever wanted something so badly, trained for it, dreamed about it, devoted yourself to it and then it got snatched away? How does one recover when this happens? These questions swirl around Lai, the main character in Keeper of the Dawn. The story begins when she is a young girl training to become a priestess. The training is grueling and can prove fatal. In her society there can be only one priestess and because of her heritage (her grandmother and mother were priestesses), people assume it will be her.
The story is an outer journey as Lai struggles to find a way to serve her goddesses when all looks lost and she faces many obstacles. It is also a great inner journey as Lai’s growth involves exploring her values, believing in herself and being vulnerable.
Keeper of the Dawn is set in a thoughtfully designed and complex second world fantasy. I love this culture and her portrayal of strong and complex heroines. The writing is detailed, vivid and compelling. Her writing reminds me of the work of Elizabeth Moon. Another thing that I think is really cool and interesting is the way that Gunn explores asexuality and the complexity of relationships. This, I think, is a relatively new area of character exploration in young adult fantasy.
Ms. Gunn is a talented writer. I think most fantasy readers will find this story engaging. I definitely want to read more of her work!
Read her her essay on inspirations and influences for Keeper of the Dawn.
Race, Culture & Politics: Why Hair Matters—I’m Featured on John Scalzi’s ‘The Big Idea’
Posted on: May 11, 2017
I’m was so happy this morning that I probably started running around in circles, like this pug:
Why?
Because today I’m featured on John Scalzi’s blog in his ‘Big Idea’ section. He selects science fiction writers, with new books, to write about the ‘big idea’ that is connected to their work.
I get deep talking about why hair matters, racial legacies, questionable beauty practices, what it meant to grow up being told I had “good hair” and how those themes inspired my new novella, Reenu-You.
It was an honor to be chosen for ‘The Big Idea’. I loved having a chance to share my passion discussing the intersection between hair and culture with his audience.
Read the essay here and feel free to leave a comment on his site!
The Panama Writing Retreat: An Invitation to Unleash Your Creativity (And Get Something Done) This Summer
Posted on: May 10, 2017
Dear Creatives,
Have you heard about my Imagined Futures: A Transformative Writing Workshop in Panama?
This workshop is your opportunity to leave everyday life behind and get away for a week to be fueled, renewed, focused and coached by me to WRITE* without ANY distractions!
It’s amazing to think of how much writing you could do, isn’t it?
Just imagine what this workshop in a retreat setting, and the extra resources, will do to help you make PROGRESS on the writing that is most important to you.
I am leading the Imagined Futures workshop from July 2-6. And, then I am staying another week to do my own writing!
You can come for my workshop specifically or just come to write (or create in another medium) through the Summer Artist Residency.
Imagined Futures will draw on speculative fiction ideas for its inspiration (in keeping with the broader them of the program). However, writing in any genre will be welcome.
Think about it…Meals are prepared for us, we’re right on the beach, there’s structured and unstructured time…and great exercises. We are going to Time Travel with our past, present and future Writing Selves!
This workshop is hosted by Creative Currents Artist Collaborative. Creative Currents Artist Collaborative is an Atlanta-based, internationally focused arts organization whose mission is to widen and deepen public engagement with the arts and cultures of Africa and the Black Diaspora. They do this by connecting artists, scholars and arts enthusiasts with exciting and varied arts-based cultural experiences. They offer a year round roster of cultural trips and workshops, of which the 2017 Creative Currents Summer Artist Residency is one.
Join me in Panama, and make 2017 the year your creative work gets DONE!
Let’s do this together.
Check out the details here. Feel free to email me with questions: mtb@creativetickle.com
*the Summer Artist Residency encourages artists of all kinds to apply.
