Write what scares you.
Write what gets you excited.
Write about Who you are.
That's what needs to be at the heart of everything you do. If it's not - then no one is going to care if you wrote a clever bit of dialogue. Because people want something *true*, an authenticity that they can feel in your words.
We live in a time when it's a click away to get somewhere else. The question people should always ask themselves is "Why should someone take the time to read what *I* have to say?" You should be leaving bits of yourself on the page, a trail of truths that people can follow back to something that will be more than "that was OK - what's next?"
***
Things on my mind at the moment (in the spirit of "talking about the things that scare us"):
I'm worried about my niece. She's transitioned into "the real world" and doesn't seem to be handling it well. I know that most of us went through a period of trying to figure stuff out, and stumbling around. But hers seems far more pronounced. I've tried reaching out numerous times, but she says she wants to talk about it in person and then cancels every time we're supposed to get together. I hope she does have some good people that she *can* talk to - but I know at least some of them have been giving her some really bad advice.
^ Is part of what I was talking about a few days back about having the "Dad brain". Discovering that I was worrying far more about someone else's future than I was my own. Which, in turn, is also a worry - because am I just assuming that I'm at "where I'm going" and the biggest change to come is eventual death? That's a terrifying notion.
Speaking of death - I went to a funeral on Sunday. Full confession: I didn't really care for the person who died. But she was important to people I *do* care about. She always seemed so "blah". Not really interesting at all.
But listening to the people talking at the service - there just seemed to be so much more. Stuff I had no idea about.
Everyone has those. Every single person you encounter. Everyone you pass. You are a minor player in *their* story as much as they are in yours. That's not only important for writers to remember, it's important for *people*. I had momentarily forgotten. Which is normal. We don't tend to keep that in the front of our thoughts. But that service really brought it home.
I wonder what people are going to say about me? I wonder how many people are actually going to show up?
***
In the worst transition ever - "speaking of showing up" - if you didn't show up last night, here's what you missed:
We have a new member of the 100 Weeks Club: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/967458.html
Week 4 Results: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/967722.html (There will be a Sudden Death Write-Off Tonight!)
There's a new Topic: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/968050.html
and a Work Room: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/968415.html
There's nothing to fear there.
But what IS keeping you up at night?
Write what gets you excited.
Write about Who you are.
That's what needs to be at the heart of everything you do. If it's not - then no one is going to care if you wrote a clever bit of dialogue. Because people want something *true*, an authenticity that they can feel in your words.
We live in a time when it's a click away to get somewhere else. The question people should always ask themselves is "Why should someone take the time to read what *I* have to say?" You should be leaving bits of yourself on the page, a trail of truths that people can follow back to something that will be more than "that was OK - what's next?"
***
Things on my mind at the moment (in the spirit of "talking about the things that scare us"):
I'm worried about my niece. She's transitioned into "the real world" and doesn't seem to be handling it well. I know that most of us went through a period of trying to figure stuff out, and stumbling around. But hers seems far more pronounced. I've tried reaching out numerous times, but she says she wants to talk about it in person and then cancels every time we're supposed to get together. I hope she does have some good people that she *can* talk to - but I know at least some of them have been giving her some really bad advice.
^ Is part of what I was talking about a few days back about having the "Dad brain". Discovering that I was worrying far more about someone else's future than I was my own. Which, in turn, is also a worry - because am I just assuming that I'm at "where I'm going" and the biggest change to come is eventual death? That's a terrifying notion.
Speaking of death - I went to a funeral on Sunday. Full confession: I didn't really care for the person who died. But she was important to people I *do* care about. She always seemed so "blah". Not really interesting at all.
But listening to the people talking at the service - there just seemed to be so much more. Stuff I had no idea about.
Everyone has those. Every single person you encounter. Everyone you pass. You are a minor player in *their* story as much as they are in yours. That's not only important for writers to remember, it's important for *people*. I had momentarily forgotten. Which is normal. We don't tend to keep that in the front of our thoughts. But that service really brought it home.
I wonder what people are going to say about me? I wonder how many people are actually going to show up?
***
In the worst transition ever - "speaking of showing up" - if you didn't show up last night, here's what you missed:
We have a new member of the 100 Weeks Club: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/967458.html
Week 4 Results: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/967722.html (There will be a Sudden Death Write-Off Tonight!)
There's a new Topic: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/968050.html
and a Work Room: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/968415.html
There's nothing to fear there.
But what IS keeping you up at night?
Profile
therealljidol- LJ Idol: a writing rollercoaster with iffy brakes
Comments
A thing I'm working on is not overthinking things. Overthinking, for me, leads to all sorts of fear and doubt, both of which is ultimately unfounded.
I'm vacating my house next week for some repairs which puts my kitchen out of commission. Truth to tell, I'm apprehensive because I'll be doing this alone. Intellectually I know there's nothing to fear; OTOH, the reason for it is to preserve a key room in my childhood home.
2nd!!! Whoo hoo! Just working and playing on Ancestry.com. That's my deal these days. I've gotten HUGE, good feedback on an adoption article/ entry I wrote for Dearadoption.com. I'm excited about that!
Funny thing about funerals, you always learn something new about the person. I don't want any eulogies, or speeches. My theory is the less said the better. (Wink) What I'd really like is if the people who care get together for a good meal and enjoy each other's company. There's not enough time for that these days. We all need more of it.
So, today I'm heading off to my hearing aid place. Have to have my molds remade because of the weight loss. My advice to anyone needing, or wanting to lose a significant amount of weight: start saving because your going to have to replace your wardrobe several times, including shoes -I've gone down a size - everything will need to be replaced. Don't let that deter you though because it's an absolute great feeling. Loss is all kinds of gain!
Yeah, me too. She seems really busy though - between work and hanging out with friends. Then again, she also spends *a lot* of time posting things on social media, and a lot of those are about dealing with depression, followed by pictures of a new tattoo. (she's been adding to them every couple weeks and *definitely* tying them together with her depression - that's not just me over-analyzing, which I was worried I was doing until she said something - it's her saying they are tied together) She's trying to find herself - which is something *everyone* goes through, I just want to make sure she realizes that she's not as alone in this as she feels sometimes.
Hey Gary, thanks for that first bit
when I read the topic the first thing I thought of was this scary thing that's been floating around in my brain that's been wanting to be written and then the second thing I thought was that it was still too scary and I should just take a bye this round, but now I think I have to write the thing.
LJ Idol is a legacy that I have no doubt will be mentioned at your funeral. I've been an active participant for less than 20 weeks worth of seasons and been transformed as a writer because of this amazing community
I'm really glad to hear that - and that you are going to push yourself in your writing.
Not sure if Idol will be mentioned. I guess it depends on who shows up - and how long from now it is. :)
Three people on the edges of my life (parents of friends) have passed away over the last few months ... that's certainly affected my writing lately, though I did not realize that until a friend pointed it out to me.
For my funeral? I'd want people to remember me with laughter.
LJ Idol has definitely changed how I write and challenged me. More than once, I wrote about things that either scared me or made me uncomfortable.
I'm glad to hear that! That's what *should* be happening!
"For my funeral? I'd want people to remember me with laughter. "
I just hope they aren't pointing at me while they are doing it! ;)
Help her stick to her guns, whatever those guns happen to be. It may rescue her now, and it will help her later in life.
Especially when that "wrong crowd" is also family, who doesn't really want her to succeed, but rather "stay down" with them.
I'm sorry your niece is struggling right now. Hopefully she'll get together with you and you guys can talk.
". I'm not sure I'll go that route, but those little nuggets of ideas are pestering me to be written. We'll see."
There's no "we'll see" - what something NEEDS to be written, that's what *should* be written. Those whispers in your head know what's up. :)
(Note: the ones saying "Kill Gary", ignore those ones. They are FAKE VOICES from FAKE NEWS sources.)
Or he was. Last night I was asking him about hte prompt, because the song it comes from makes it sound like the line is from Catholic doctrine, and I've never heard it before. I wondered if it was from some piece of liturgy or something I had just missed. While we were talking he said, "You know I haven't been to mass for almost two years now." He left the church. It kicked me in the gut in a way that I can't really articulate yet.
Keeping me up at night? I swear to you I've had only a handful of decent nights sleep since November. I have to figure out how to get ok with the state of the world. Or the fact that I have no control over it.
Geez. Serious GR. Someone throw a spit ball or something.
I never even found time to read or comment on ANY entries last week and here are already on a first Green Room of week 1.
How did we do this back in the day?
Oh right, we were younger and there also wasn't FB, Twitter, Insta, Tumblr, Blicker, Glogger, Roatger, Stab, Blink, Whip, Coat, Tree.
Anyways... I apologize to everyone for not being on the ball.
Marshmallow guns! I brought 'em!
Also, a marshmallow crossbow - they shoot the big ones really far!
Arm yourselves and let the sweet, fluffy ballistics fall upon you! (Open mouthed, if you enjoy a delicious treat!)
I'm sorry things are hard with your niece. It's good you check in with her, and even though you haven't met in person yet, it's good you keep trying and that she knows you care. :)
Yes, funerals are like that. Even my own grandmother, I wasn't there for her funeral, but I learned that she had way more family than I even knew (we're so spread out, it's impossible to keep track of all the cousins, nephews, nieces, more cousins five times removed, etc etc). It was good to learn she had so many more people than I ever knew who supported her and loved her.
As for what's keeping me up at night - caffeine mostly. I have been drinking coke with my late dinners, and then that only exacerbates my night owl tendencies! Of course I wasn't doing anything constructive with my awake time, but doing some much needed vegging out after long days. So there's that. Tonight I had water instead of more coke, so I'm making healthier choices and that is a good thing.
Take care.
Btw reading this GR made me wonder whether it will be good to open up about the scars that I hide ;) So yeah, thanks for these bits of tips. They helped me last week as well :)