Art

Day 4 – Awesome WordPress Bloggers

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Today’s post is about Beautiful Desolation by Cliff Burns.  This blog is a great blog to follow, but if you are contemplating self-publishing and want to hear it from the best, head out here.  Cliff Burns went independent more than 20 years ago, when this was unheard and it was tabu.  He tells it like it is and he is not a fan of bandages or patches.  So if you want to see what the indie writer’s life is like visit Beautiful Desolation.

The blog is also visually attractive and well-organized, which I always like.  Cliff Burns takes pride on his work and takes it very seriously, as you can see by reading the blog.  The fact that he shares his expertise and years of work with us is a blessing, and even if you are not contemplating going independent you will learn much from the author.

This blog is valuable and more so inspirational in the sense that agents and editors don’t make you as a writer; it is not the end of your career if you get rejection letters – if you truly care about your writing strive to perfect it.  I have a long way to go  in my writing career, and I love to learn from someone who has walked the long road, and is kind enough to remove a few rocks and boulders with the information and example offered through  Beautiful Desolation.  Check it  out, it is an awesome blog!

Day 3 – Awesome WordPress Bloggers

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A serene landscape photography

Image via Wikipedia

Today, I dedicate this post to Picture a Poem – Connetta.  If you love poetry this is one awesome WordPress blog, as you will find it a treat.  When you visit Picture a Poem, you are welcomed with a beautiful picture and a poem that corresponds to it, so not only do you get the story visually, but in beautiful and inspiring words as well.

I love this blog because it actually stimulates my senses and serves as therapy to me – I enjoy the visual part of it, the glorious scenery and creative pictures, but I am also touched by its poetry.  Connetta’s blog relaxes me and gives me a sense of peace and delight.  Its style is refreshing, serene, and simple.  I love the way the blog is organized, the colors, graphics, and the way you navigate through it.  If you ever need to get inspired and delight your senses, head out to Conetta’s blog and you will emerge not only inspired but refreshed.

If you like poetry, you will like Picture a Poem and even if you are not a fan of poetry, you will enjoy the visual aspect and simplicity of it.  This one is a winner in my book.

Wrestling with Your Characters

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Tapping a Pencil

Image by Rennett Stowe via Flickr

I’ve had a hard time writing my novel for the past couple of days – not because I was not in the mood to write, or because I was procrastinating, but because every time I sat down to write the next chapter, I got off the chair and did something else.  Now, that may have sound as procrastination, but I knew that was not the case.  I decided to think about it some more.  Why did I turned back once I decided to write that next chapter?  It puzzled me and annoyed me as well.

Pondering about the issue, I discovered that I was having an issue with one of my characters.  Yes, as weird as it sounds, this character had grown strong and had taken over, behaving and reacting differently from what I had planned.  Opening that computer file to write meant having a writer’s confrontation with my character.  This presented an issue that I disliked to ponder – had I lost control of my novel?  Was I being intimidated by one of my characters?  I had to ponder about this even when I did not like the idea.  I did.

My findings were very interesting.  I had to admit that I was wrestling with this character from the beginning of the story, like it or not.  The problem is that it is my main character.  This issue presented another bigger issue – should I stop writing the novel, should I continue wrestling, or should I listen to this character and give in to it?  In this case, is her.  Well, I needed to decide, otherwise my story would be frozen indefinitely.  I did.

I realized that I had to go back to the beginning of the story and try to understand this character’s reasons.  I decided to look for the moment when the writer-character conflict started and understand the why.  This is my compromise with her.  To some of you, this may seem bizarre and a bit “cuckoo” but it is the compromise I had to do to continue writing the story.  I agreed to put my writing aside until I go back to those chapters and realize my issue with it – after all, it is my issue, and not the character’s issue.  I created it, and I am having the problem; or is it a challenge?  Does that mean that after all, I am in control of the story?  Well, I cannot answer that until I find out, and that is another post.

Steampunk Inspired

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I love the Steampunk theme; it is a mix of Victorian Gothic with futuristic elements, which I find so appealing to the senses and imagination.  I love it in stories, movies, art. and even some apparel and jewelry (yes I do own some).  Steampunk screams adventure and romance, but also the darkest side – the fallen of humanity.

Thinking about this, it occurred to me that writing Steampunk is not easy; I’m not sure I could do it, although I have never tried.  The creation and elaboration of that kind of world requires a lot from the imagination.  Unlike writing in the present or writing from a historical perspective, Steampunk presents a different challenge to the writer.  The writer must create a world that has elements of the past, present and the future, and at the same time mesh in the characters, but doing all that while being true to the characters.  In a way, it is similar to writing fantasy, but in my opinion more challenging, since you can just take off with your fantasy world, but in Steampunk, you still have to abide by some “past-world rules.”

If you are a Steampunk writer I invite you to comment about the challenges that you have faced as a writer while creating that world.

The Rebellion of Characters

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A public domain image of Frank Thomas' Golden ...

Image via Wikipedia

When I set out to write my first novel,one of my main characters rebelled.  I had planned for this character to be and behave a certain way – geeky, fun, and second to the female of the story.  I began to write the story, and immediately I felt resistance from this character.  Since it was my first novel, I found this amusing, interesting, and thought to myself, “what the heck, it is just one of the characters.”  Little did I know, you should never treat a character as “just one of the characters,” and he showed me that.

My character took the lead, presented himself strong, and the total opposite to what I had planned – a hottie, smart, with a soft side and a dangerous side as well.  I let him be, and I am glad that I did that.  The result was amazing to me, he shaped the story, but did not in any way opaque the main female character.

I could have gone with my original intention and fight this character all the way to the end of the story; however, I was at the perfect stage of experimentation.  I learned a lot, and I have to thank in part this character.  My point to this post is to let yourself experiment, and don’t be afraid of letting go of a preset order of chapters, characters, and outline.  Write with love, enjoy it, have fun.

The Ageless Artist

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Sketch of W. Somerset Maugham.

Image via Wikipedia

This morning I read a post on Facebook that quoted someone – “… no artist should be allowed to live after he’s 40.  By then a man has done his best work, all he does after that is repetition.” Of Human Bondage,” W. Somerset Maugham.

My reply to the quote itself was,  “Those are such foolish words, inspiration and art are ageless.”

If that was true possibly half or more of the greatest works in history would have not come to be.  Art and Inspiration are ageless, simply because they come from within, from the heart, the soul, and the deepest crevices of our spirit.  The artist inside you is ageless and ready to create when the need and instinct to create makes it inevitable for Art to be born.  Whether artists realize it or not, their art comes from their deepest desire to become creators themselves, and from the spiritual connection between their humanity and their soul.  When you create a piece, there is more than the aging carcass at work; the shell is just the instrument to make art real, art relies on the artist to become, but it is.  Many artists may have the same idea, but it is expressed in different ways and takes its unique form; therefore, becoming art.  In that sense, the artist is ageless.