Being Writer: On Writing as an Art Part II--- There's no App for That

If you read Part I of this little shebang, you'll remember me saying that I have a bad habit of trying to save the world, even though I've known that I can't actually do that. It's impossible.

After talking with Molly (it was a great convo. You should totes check it out. I cut out all the irrelevant bits. Now go read it!), I realize that saving the world isn't really my job. My job is to live. To learn. To teach others what I've learned. To do. To do some more. To live some more. And then, just like Finals, I'm DONE.

Guess what I learned this week? I learned that it's okay if you wake up and discover that you don't like the writing process. It's okay to not be a writer. It's okay. As Molly said, you've got to love the process to be a part of the field. But if you don't, that's okay. You can find a process you do love, and you can work your butt off until you're where you're destined to be.

Because writing is an art. It's a science, too, if we're working off of Molly's "art: creation:: science: discovery" analogy. Writing is about the creation of worlds. The discovery of truth. The combination of both, used to make connections with real live people and to express an appreciation for the genius that is mankind. God is SO good sometimes. Because I get all kinds  of excited when I think about how awesome He made us to be. We all have something genuinely special about us. Something we can excel at. Something we can work hard for. But it all comes back to creation and discovery. Man has a NEED to create and/or to discover. Think really hard about what you want to do in life. Tell me this isn't true.

And guys. Writing has BOTH of these! My toes are tapping as I type this because it makes me so happy that I've discovered why I love this field so much. I'm an artist. I'm an ARTIST. Because I love to create, but there's no WAY my mind could be at peace if I weren't learning and telling everyone about everything I learned as the knowledge came to me.

An artist isn't hindered by too many boundaries except for those set forth for them by the size of their canvas. As a writer, I have so many platforms. My canvas could be as small as a Hallmark card or as big as a blank Word document and all I have to do is fill it.

Mentally, I think artists suffer from copious amounts of self-doubt. What if I'm not good enough?... What if my work isn't good enough?... Artists share SO much of their minds--- of their souls--- with the world that it's hard for these doubts to keep at bay. In fact, I hear they never really go away. But the difference between a writer and an author isn't publication. It's perseverance  Writers are just as much of an artist as an author is--- we're just undiscovered yet.

And like all undiscovered artists, we should be working fervidly to hone our craft. To get better at the skills in which we know we could improve. We need to KEEP. GOING. Life doesn't end with rejection and neither does passion. Or skill. Or time.

The longer it takes you to realize you're an artist, the longer it's going to take for you to take your art seriously. You don't have to be the best writer to have a story to tell. But you will have to invest in your craft--- some artists use pens or paintbrushes; you might have to invest in freelance editors, find critique partners, take some classes, or conduct a bit of research. But don't think you don't need these tools (here's a post or two on the "tool" matter for further reading). You're an artist. Remember? Start acting like it. Do what all good artists do and practice. Embrace the journey. And remember that it's okay if you find out you don't love the process. Writing's a ride you got on all on your own; you really can unbuckle your seat belt and get off at any time.

Happy Writing,
Deserae
P.S. Arianna is no longer doing WanWc with us. :( BUT we need to welcome Laila! She's our new team member and I'm beyond glad to have you on board, Girly. :)
P.P.S. You can still become an Ninja!

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Prerna- Woot! I hope you found the most awesomest CPs to look after that manuscript of yours. I'm so rooting for you, Lovely!

Laila- Thanks for sending again, Love. And also, thank you! I take my song choices vair seriously. Lol! I think, originally, the email just went to my junk mail. Sorry, again, but I'm glad you're with us now. :)

Being Writer: On Writing as an Art Part I--- Thanks Molly

A long time ago, I said I was going to do a series called "Being Writer." In the first Being Writer post, I talked about the secret to writing a novel (SPOILERS: there isn't one). But I never did any more posts after that. Go figure, right? This is ME we're talking about.

Today, I was flipping through my archives and saw my Dear Writer post. I almost teared up reading it, just because of the relevance it held with what I was going through today and how it still rang true. I still have those same sentiments. I still want to save the frickin' world. But I've known for a long time that I can't. And last night I went to a friend's apartment for a "Finals are Over, Let's Celebrate!" get-together.


I think I had the most awesome conversation EVER before I left for the night.


I'll tell you why this post is split into two parts. First I have to tell you a story, and then I have to make a point. You see how much time that could take? Days, maybe, and that's if we're lucky. Instead, I'm going to talk to you about what Molly and I discussed here. If you're still interested in my actual point after that (or just wanna skip) go on over to Part II.

Molly is probably a genius. I say this because she was helping me let go of my fear of failing my friends without even knowing she was doing it.

We were talking about art. Molly's an artist. As we were hanging out in her room, I was looking around and saw a painting she'd done hanging on the wall, and without thinking, I'd said, "I wished I were better at art. My mom told me I could be, once, if I had just practiced. Like normal children."

The "like normal children" part was my own invention. Though my mom does think me strange, she'd never compare me to the other children... And Molly wouldn't either. She said, "Well, see, that's the thing I've learned. I often say that an artist has to be in love with the process of drawing or painting or whatever... Not exactly in love with whatever the finished product might be, but in love with every stroke, and every little line, and every second that goes into the process of creating a finished product." (Molly also likes to emphasize things. We are kindred spirits--- either that, or I'm just remembering our convo with lots of imagined italics.)

I told her I understood. "I'm a writer," I'd said, "not published or anything, but I love writing. Every word, every rejection, every painful and excruciating sentence--- I love it. The process of it I mean."

"There you go!" she exclaimed. I agreed with a loud clap and a laugh that almost woke up her sleeping roommate. And I was so excited about where this conversation was going that I went on to include an example about food. I love food, I'd told her, but I hate standing in a kitchen, over a stove, in front of raw ingredients that are nowhere near as delicious as the finished meal.

"So I don't cook," I finished.

"So you probably aren't going to be a chef," she agreed. "But that's okay! It really is! Because some people love the process of cooking. I hate to cook, but I love to bake. I like mixing and pouring and putting things into an oven... And the process you love might be baking,or drawing, or writing, but whatever it is, that's what makes us go one way or another... That's what really separates the ones who are destined for a field from those who might dabble or look on or even just appreciate it... It's all about the process that speaks to us."

My mind... BLOWN.

I've always known that I was strangely obsessed with the process of becoming a published author. Whenever anyone asks me, "Oh! So you're a writer! Are you going to be published?" I laugh at them and say, "Hopefully, one day! But what I really want to do is intern at an agency... I just want to work with books for the rest of my life, wherever that might be."

AND NOW I GET IT. Now, I know why I wave around my rejections like the American flag and enter contests up the wazoo and carry around "BrainBooks" with a pen slipped through the spiral AT ALL TIMES... I get it. I am a frickin' writer. But I'm not only a writer--- I'm a writer destined for the field of writing. I may never be an author but I love the process too much to quit the field. It's my passion. It's my place. It's my home, in a way. It's where I feel the most free and the most happy and the most secure if that makes any sense at all.

And because of this, I've found my own art. Writing. IS. An art.

We writers forget that sometimes. We forget that we're not just "writing novels"--- we're creating. And discovering. Molly went on to tell me she loved art and science. "'Cause if you really think about it," she'd said, "since the beginning of man there's always been this... compulsion to create. This need to discover."

She thinks that's what art and science are. Art is creation and science is discovery. But writing is both. Both creation and discovery.

Join me in Part II of this dialogue if you want to hear my final thoughts on this topic. No reservation required to come on over. :)

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams..."
-Henry David Thoreau

Love,
Deserae

BrainBook 2: Kiwis and Things

After a really hectic week, it was nice to go through my second BrainBook again in order to pick out some things for you guys to see. If I'm being honest, this was probably my favorite one to write because it was the thing that gave me hope after the whole Stage Crew ordeal. It forced me to focus on my dreams and on my stories, and honestly? If it weren't for BrainBook 2, a lot of interesting ideas I had would have been lost. This BrainBook is filled with optimism and it was here that I started analyzing writing as a craft that produced a book as its art. The summer before my senior year, I needed something to keep me hopeful, to keep me going. And between God, my little sister, searching within myself, and writing, I was able to make it through okay. Instead of talking again, I'm just going to post a BUNCH of pictures. Feel free to ask me questions about anything you see and be sure to look for the Commenting on Comments section if you left a response on the last post.
EDITED TO ADD: I've also been adding the Table of Contents so you can see what other pages I haven't included. If you want to see those, just ask! And if they're not too private, personal, or AWESOME BLOSSOM as my sister would say, I'll gladly snap a pic and show it. :)

Lots of love,
Deserae

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Sonal- Thank you, my dear, for thinking my taste in music is lovely! I like songs that have something to say. Usually, positive things, so I hope you love the groups as much as I do--- most of their music is equally amazing. :) Love ya much, and I ADORED your latest post. How inspiring, Love; thank you so much for sharing.

Dear Writer...

Dear Writer,

Thank you for reading this. I hope it finds you well, and I hope you're reading it with an open mind. I also hope that you haven't been completely jaded by the realization that this dream of yours comes with a price. I hope that you haven't given up the gun just because you realized that there's a difference between a dream and reality.

Exhibit A

I am frustrated, Writer, and there are some things that we must talk about. Exhibit A (read from the bottom up) showcases some of these frustrations, but I want to expound upon them. Not everything can be said in 140 characters or less.

There are things you must know. First, you have to understand that if you're writing, you're doing it because you want to. It's not because you're expecting this to be the easy road to millions. You're not doing it because there is some mythical force or literal figure for-cing-you-to-DO-this. The thing that bothers me is that writers are creating myths--- dilusions--- that this is not something they signed up for willingly. Repeat after me: I am writing because I want to.

Exhibit B

Secondly, you have to realize that you must stop. Stop putting yourself in that place that convinces you that you're never going to get there. Stop telling yourself that every rejection means you're not worth anything; start learning from them(see Exhibit B). Stop hurting your chances at creating something great by dwelling on one thing horrible. Stop hurting yourself by pretending you can't become more. Stop limiting yourself by REFUSING to become more (Exhibit C).

Thirdly, you must know that writers write. Writers. Write. And they don't forget this fact any day of the year. Sometimes, we express this by writing thousands of words in a day. Sometimes, by writing hundreds of words. Sometimes we express that by writing one hundred words. Or a letter. Or a poem. Or a quick line here or there.

Exhibit C

But lastly, I want to make sure you understand you have every right to turn in the towel. You are always, at all moments, entitled to change your mind. To go after a new dream. To make a change in your life if that's really what you want to do. But you are NOT, under any circumstances, allowed to be a coward. You're not allowed to run away when your manuscript gets to a point that's a little tough, or when your faith in yourself is dwindling because you're comparing yourself and your accomplishments to those of others, instead of focusing on your visions, and your dreams.

It's okay to be frustrated sometimes. To angst and to whine about these frustrations to the only people who'll really understand--- to a bunch of other writers.

Exhibit D

But it's not okay to let the whining steal your joy. To let the bad spots make you lose sight of the fact that they're just dots in a picture of awesome. To let laziness cloud your judgement. To lose momentum long enough for it to become your excuse.

Because the thing is, Writer... YOU are your ONLY excuse. You are the only thing stopping that shining idea you have from becoming a finished product. You are the only person who doesn't believe that the thing you're working on isn't worth working on, and you're the only one who could change that if you wanted that fact to be different. Exhibit D showcases my BrainBooks. The reasons for my own writerly sanity. Tune in this Sunday, and I'll show you, Writer, the ways of The Book. But until then, find your own sanity. You are not alone, Writer, so please--- do me a favor--- and stop pretending that you are.

With all my love,
Deserae

P.S. Sharing is caring so if you haven't checked out this post with a bunch of cool linkamajiggies, then go DO so. And also, here's something about THE SECRET PROJECT. It's not much, but on Valentine's Day, you'll love me.

Commenting on Comments

Karly- The cover is DEFINITELY awesome, and I think I will go for it. Thanks, Love, for chiming in. Let me know about YOUR Nerdfighter escapades! 

Being Writer: How to Write a Novel

I've been to a lot of book signings, I've read a jillion blog posts on the "secret writing formula," and I've heard authors say this a million times: there is no ONE way to write a novel. "There is no formula," they'll say. "Writing is different for everyone, the process can never be nailed down--- it's only what you make it. I can't tell you how to write your book."

But it's all lies, I tell you. There IS a secret formula. "And the secret ingredient," I tell you, "is that there IS no secret ingredient!"

Rewind.

There IS a secret formula.

Check!

But there IS no secret ingredient.

That's right.

Because you know the formula--- you knew it before you even sat down to write your novel. But tonight on Jackson Pearce's live chat, Carrie Ryan (author of the Forrest of Hands and Teeth series) said something I think will change your life as a writer forever. And, of course I'm going to bait you a little longer before I repeat those words as they were repeated to me.

The truth? Writers write. The big idea of BEING WRITER is that little you with all of your big hopes and aspirations--- YOU are willing to put something IN so you'll get something OUT. And it may not surprise you to know that the thing you're putting into this Writer Stew are the words that you want forever associated with your name.

The "Secret" Formula for the best pot of Writer Stew in the world:
YOU + IDEA + BLANK PAPER + SPILLAGE OF WORDS ONTO THAT PAPER = A NOVEL

Congratulations! You now know the first part of being a writer--- Writers write, and if you're going to be a writer, you're going to write, too.

Carrie Ryan's words are just one in a million examples that authors realize this important truth. She said, "Write. You need to put words on the page how you want them to come out, and you need to find your voice and passion." And Julie Kagawa (author of The Iron Queen) really solidifies this by reminding us that "All authors started exactly where you are right now."

Remember this, Writers; part of being who you are is producing the best piece of work you possibly can--- by producing a product that you wouldn't mind representing you to the whole world. But to get to the end you must first begin. Remember that there is no "secret" ingredient; there is only you and the page before you, what you do with it is a matter of choice, but please promise me you'll attempt to do something.

Tune in tomorrow for the next chapter of BEING WRITER. Good night, All!
~Deserae McG

Being Writer: A Series on Writing

I pride myself on two things: being a writer and being a thinker. Being a thinker doesn't make you a writer, but as a writer, inherently, you've got to be something of a thoughtful person. And no, I don't mean "thoughtful" as kind here; I mean thought-full--- full of philosophies, opinions, and ideas that mold who we are on and off the paper.

So in the spirit of being one who thinks and one who writes, I think I will write something encouraging to you all, in the form of a four part series called BEING WRITER, a lesson (or a reteaching, rather) on what makes us writers in the simplest form of the word. This isn't called BEING AUTHOR--- this series isn't professional and it's not going to get you published. What it is going to do is encourage you. Motivate you. Slap you around a few times and then slap you again. Remind you that writing is a way of life (and sometimes, life, itself) before it becomes a career. BEING WRITER is about you; it's about all of us individually and collectively. And the four pieces that I'm going to elaborate on starting Monday of next week (Feb. 7th) are the four things that I've been meditating on for the past week or so as I attempt to understand who I am in this relationship I've invested in for the past who knows how many years of my life. Writing starts with you and starting Monday, I am going to reveal my thoughts on how to ensure that your foundation is set before, during, and after you set out to write that first draft.

Projects keep me going, People,
Deserae McG

P.S. The official schedule for BEING writer looks like this:
Monday: How to Write a Novel
Tuesday: Why we Write and What Inspires Us.
Wednesday: Handy Dandy Notebooks
Thursday: Who we be  
And guess what! Tomorrow's Friday! Check back in for the first installment of my short story blog series!