Writing, a Solitary Pursuit - or is it?

I've heard people say that writing is a solitary pursuit. You do it in front of a computer or notebook for hours at a time, you don't talk to anyone except the imaginary voices in your head, and you don't let anyone read what you've written until its done.

Hello, that sounds like most ordinary 9-5 jobs!

But while all of that is true, writing isn't actually all that solitary. Or it doesn't have to be.

This weekend I spent a lot of time with my author friends around town. We hobknobbed about the national RWA meeting and what changes we wanted to see in our own local RWA chapter. We traded editing and writing techniques.

Another friend was having trouble getting a character to be more sympathetic to readers and we talked about it until she was able to find the missing ingredients. Another friend helped me build a website, here, which is so important for every author these days. And Mr. SM helped me find how one story I'm writing, The Navy's Ghost, fit into the paranormal world I've created for all my other stories.

Writing might be a solitary pursuit when you're actually doing it, but the stories come out stronger and better when you can connect with other writers and people who give you a different perspective. Without the help of all these friends (CR Moss, Shannan Albright, RM Sotera, Natascha McIntyre, Beverly Preston, Mr. SM), my stories wouldn't be nearly as good or ready to show to the world.

Having other authors as friends also allows you to broaden your understanding of the trade and craft of writing. They have experience you don't and you can learn from their mistakes and successes. You can also meet more professionals within the publishing world. The more people you know who are successful in this world, the better for you!

I've received invaluable help and advice from my author friends. If you're an aspiring writer, don't hide yourself away from everyone. The most interesting writing out there is always about people, and the more people you know and learn from, the better your writing will be. Good luck!

Six Sentence Sunday - care of Shannan Albright

Have you read anything by my friend Shannan Albright? She's a paranormal romance writer and she very happily writes about vampires, werecreatures, and even Arthur and his knights! :)

Each Sunday on her blog, Romance You Can Sink Your Fangs Into, she posts Six Sentence Sunday. These are six sentences from her current writing project. I thought it was a great idea, so I borrowed it.

My current project is The Bone Flute and here are six sentences to get you interested. Rain Szep, the heroine, just found out her grandmother died and left her an inheritance:

“Did I hear that right? You get fifty grand if you get married? Otherwise, all you get from your granny is this box?” she scoffed with sympathetic surprise.

“Sounds like it,” Rain agreed, staring at the box on the table.

“What’s in it?”

“I don’t know.”

Wanna know what's in the box? Stay tuned and happy reading! :)

Happy Independence Day!

Today is the day! The day when people "blow shit up" like the Navy SEALs and everyone cheers. It's the day of really appreciating Firefighters everywhere, both on duty and off, and a day to sit back and relax. The fight is over for another year. Back to the grindstone tomorrow; but today is for being grateful for the reprieve.

I'm not terribly patriotic except when it comes to Independence Day. It gives me a chance to reflect on the opportunities and freedoms I enjoy living here, and I'm grateful for them. I'm grateful for the right to complain when I don't like something the government has chosen to endorse or do. I'm grateful, as a woman, for the right to vote, speak out, govern, and work in any profession I wish to pursue. A hundred years ago, that wasn't the case in this country; it still isn't in several countries around our world.

Of course, I like the great piles of food; turkey dogs, chicken burgers, krumpli salat (Hungarian potato salad), tart lemon bars, thick creamy Mississippi Mud, and chocolate wine; and the kicking back with friends on this day. I also really like the fireworks. In Las Vegas, the fireworks displays are larger than life and there several shows explode on the Strip and around the valley. Heck, you can stand outside and watch your neighbors shoot off displays just about as large as those from the Casino Resorts in town.

In my house, the master bathroom windows face south toward the Strip and every Independence Day, my husband sets thick fluffy towels on the marble and invites me in with him to watch the fireworks displays on the Strip from our bathtub. The A/C keeps us cool and the lights brighten the (usually) clear sky.

This year we have a lot of humidity (for us) and there are clouds filling our valley. It will be interesting to watch the fireworks illuminating the cloud cover in brilliant splashes of colored light. I'm sure it will look like Las Vegas is experiencing party-colored bomb blasts from space!

I hope your Independence Day celebrations are safe and full of wonderful family and friends. I hope your loved ones are home safe, and you are able to really enjoy your freedoms this year!

I know I will! :)