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The Comfort Cup of Coffee

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I love sci-fi and monster movies, not so much people killing people, but more the fantastic kind – werewolves, mummies, aliens, vampires …. One thing these movies have in common is the cup of coffee that the desperate people who have run for their lives decide to have once they have found shelter, a safe place for a brief time, until the ordeal starts again. It never fails, whether in an abandoned building, a hut, the middle of the forest, or a cave, they manage to make that cup of coffee that seems to bring comfort, somehow. This is one of my favorite moments in a movie, so much, that sometimes, I run to the kitchen and make a cup of coffee for myself, as if I too, am being comforted, and inside the movie. Besides, I happen to love coffee so much, that any excuse is good enough to have that extra cup. Why am I writing about coffee? Well, because we all need that moment, or what I call “the comfort cup of coffee.”

We need to have that moment of peace, of feeling safe, of stopping all the running we do and coming to a halt – to meditate, ponder, and reassess our direction. We need that cup of coffee (whatever that may be for you) to help us reenergize and keep going. One thing I have understood is to take that moment when I seem to need it – it makes a difference in what follows next. Whether your cup of coffee is time alone for yourself, a much-needed vacation, a weekend or day off, a sabbatical, a walk in the woods or the beach, or time well spent with people you love and have not seen for a while … it doesn’t matter what it is, because it is personal, and the result is always “feeling better,” “re-energized,” and “strong.” Timing is also different for everyone; you will know when it is time for that comfort cup of coffee.

Food for thought – What represents that cup of coffee in your life? Have you ignored the need for it? Why? What happened as the result of not having it?

Watercolors Friday – Inspirational Blog

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Today, I want to share an awesome blog that many of you might know, but the more the merrier, and it is the blog of Jack Canfield, and you can find it here . It is a blog full of inspirational and motivational energy, and tons of good tips to live a more positive and happy life. Through videos, articles and goodies, Jack Canfield manages to awaken readers.

If you are not familiar with this blog, take a look; you won’t be disappointed, and you will gain so much by reading or watching some of his videos. It is truly a treasure, and one to be shared, so if you love it, keep sharing! And since today is Watercolors Friday, let’s celebrate Mr. Canfield, and Happy Solstice and Watercolors Friday to YOU! Don’t forget to watch the Super Moon tomorrow, the brightest and biggest moon of this year.   I will try to get some pics to share with you 🙂

 

On Writers and Money

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Question book

Question book (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This may seem an odd topic, but it is one of the most annoying questions I get asked, directly or indirectly by people I know, and by strangers. It is asked as soon as the topic of my writing or books comes up. Besides annoying, I find it intrusive, and a lack of good manners. It comes in many forms, but the root of the question is the same. And the person’s goal is to know if I make money as a writer and how much. Here are some examples of the same question.

  • Are you making a living at it?
  • How much money you make?
  • Is it easy; do you sell a lot of books?
  • How are you doing with it?
  • I see a lot of people publishing books; how easy is that, is there money in it?
  • How long does it take to make it?
  • What else you do to pay the bills?
  • One can’t survive on that, right?
  • I hear the book business is not doing to well; all those book stores closing, right?
  • Oh, do you make good money?

I can go on an on giving you examples of the same question worded directly or indirectly.  When I think about it, the people who ask this question do not understand what writing entails, and most likely, they have a paycheck mentality.  I bet that for most writers who are serious and take their craft to heart, money is the last thing in their minds when they are writing.  Yes, we all want to make a living at doing the thing we love most; this is how it should be. We should all make a living this way, doing the things we love and are passionate about, but most people don’t. Most people don’t understand when someone’s passion goes beyond monetary compensation, or even fame/recognition. I bet that the majority of dedicated writers don’t care about money or fame; it is a byproduct of their love and effort while writing.  However, to be fair to all sides, there are those who write with the hopes of becoming e-book millionaires or gain fame and recognition in the field. Besides, there is nothing wrong about making lots of money and being blessed doing what you love and serving people. To me, writing goes beyond monetary compensation and fame (as a primary goal), and while I hope to one day do exponentially marvelous, that does not mean that I would love the craft more for it, or less if I don’t.

So by now, you are probably thinking what my answer is when I am asked. It usually goes along these lines –

  • I am very happy doing what I do, how about you?
  • I am lucky and blessed to work doing what I love.
  • I don’t price my passions; do you?
  • The day money becomes my story, that day I will stop writing.
  • I let the faeries worry about that part, while my Muse works on the most important one.
  • I am well.

And so along those lines it goes, usually the probing stops there.  So feel free to use those lines if like me, you get annoyed by the question. If you paint, are an artist, or live your passion, most likely, you will be asked the question many times. Some people don’t mind it, some people do, and it has nothing to do with how much money you make. Feel free to comment on the topic, how do you feel about the subject of money and writing?

Awesome Blogs that I am Loving Right Now!

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From time to time, I like to share a post about some blogs that I am enjoying and recently have gotten to visit more often.  Topics range because I like a variety of content. Here are five favorites that I have enjoyed reading more recently.

  1. http://simpletombornhigh.com/ – I am enjoying this blog very much. Simple Tom brings something new every day, and he lives with zest and passion. You will certainly enjoy his joyful style, which is contagious 🙂
  2. http://gallivance.net/ – I enjoy this blog because it brings you a lot of visual impact with beautiful pictures of their travels, but the information is brought in a very real way, personal and entertaining.
  3. http://sheslosingit.net/ This blog is very informative and inspirational, if you are trying to get fit and live a better life.  The information is brought to you in a fun and real way, and you get to experience the blogger’s journey too.
  4. http://oldworldgardenfarms.com/ If  you visit my blog, you know about my love for farming and my intentions to move to a rural setting and start doing just that.  I love this blog and it has tons of how to do projects, and will certainly be very helpful in the near future.
  5. http://michelleproulx.wordpress.com/ I love the blog of this young writer. It is full of punch and energy, as well as videos and pictures of some of the most interesting moments of her journey. She always makes the topic fun and to the point.  You will enjoy it very much.

There are many more new blogs (for me) that I am enjoying, and some awesome blogs that I have read for some time. Maybe I will share those oldies on another post.  I hope that you get to visit these and enjoy them as well.

How to Stay Balanced When You are Upside Down

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A triangular prism, dispersing light; waves sh...

A triangular prism, dispersing light; waves shown to illustrate the differing wavelengths of light. (Click to view animation) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Today, I didn’t want to write about my novel or a writing topic, but instead, I wanted to write about what I was inspired at the moment.  So I asked my Muse, what do you want me to write about today? The title you just read came to mind, so that is what I am writing about this instant.

As someone who has known what this means, I can tell you that it is not easy to hang in there when everything has flipped upside down at one point in your life.  When your world hangs the opposite to your focus, it is easy to be discouraged, throw the towel, and just hang for eternity.  I think that hanging a bit is fine because you need to rest to fix your focus.  You need to rest emotionally, physically, and spiritually, as well as in the material state.  So give yourself time to just be, and let your broken spirit rest.

Once you have rested and pondered on your misery, the moment to make a decision knocks at the door of your heart, and you know that this is the time when you decide to pick yourself up and fix your focus, or maintain a state of hanging, sinking slowly into a deep hole.  Whether the contents of that hole is depression, sadness, anger, hopelessness, inertia, hate, laziness … and many other things, it is different to each individual.  However, when you are hanging upside down, after the rest, you will hear that knock, and you will have to answer.  Whether you start pulling at that rope, lifting yourself up slowly, and appreciating how the image comes back to focus bit by bit, or let the rope go, it is up to you.  One thing is for sure, you need to balance yourself to be able to pull that rope and getting yourself back up.  How is it possible to balance yourself when everything around you seems to be spinning out of control and you hang but by a leg?  It is not easy, but it is possible.  This happens when you rest and give yourself time to focus.

  • First, you need to recognize that you need help – whether from a professional or a best friend, and of course yourself.  Whether you can do this on your own, or need help is personal.
  • Second, you need to recognize that there are no blames in this process.  I truly believe that we are responsible for our own choices, and no one is to blame.
  • Third, you think about what you believe as truth in your life and make a commitment to yourself.
  • Fourth, you learn to view the world upside down for a while, and ponder about it.  What you discover about it may surprise you.
  • Fifth, you learn what your priorities are, and decide to make them your priority or not – knowing that there will be consequences to your decision (positive or negative).
  • Sixth, you accept to deal with those consequences understanding the process.
  • Seventh, you do this slowly, one step at a time.
  • Eight, you remain true to your beliefs and priorities when you start to fix your focus.
  • Ninth, you will discover that some things from your old upside down world, do not go into focus no matter how hard you try, so you will have to let those go, otherwise you will stay out of focus in some areas.  In this process, you will learn to say no.  You will learn that you will have to accept that you cannot please everyone. You will also learn to weigh which opinions matter more to you – others or yours.
  • Tenth, you must accept that no one can live your life but you, and that you cannot live your life according to other’s ideas of what your world should look like.  You have been given a responsibility to manage your life (a gift) and live it as well as you can; however your truths and priorities will guide you here.
  • Eleventh, this is when you start feeling that the image in front of you is just an image, and what matters is how you feel about it and how you live your life in this quasi upside down world.  You make it as straight as you want, and you do it one step at a time, balancing yourself in the process – checking from time to time your beliefs, truths, and priorities.
  • Twelfth, the realization that you are always in control hits you, and suddenly, even that you might be still pulling yourself up as you pull on the rope slowly, trying to straighten your world and fix your focus, you can see that the view upside down and in between is as ugly or beautiful as you make it to be, and that there is always a prism changing colors.

This is what I had to write today.

 

Why I Chose to Self-Publish in 2013

/ inkspeare / 6 Comments

The decision to self-publish did not come easy to me, neither did it come after tons of rejections, since I stopped myself from sending queries, after sending one.  I realized that more than anything else, I had to define what I wanted out of my love for writing, before going forward.  I knew that I was not doing it for money (for most writers, there’s none in it), or to become a famous author one day … One thing that I knew for sure was that I loved to write, and it seemed that I could do that forever, if the opportunity to turn that passion into a career path presented itself.   Why choose to self publish without even making a real attempt at publishing a novel by going through the usual channels and motion?  It all came down to Creative Control.

Having control over the entire process, and not having to depend on others to decide how or when the story came out matched my working style, work ethics, and personality.  In addition, I never understood why someone who never gave birth to the story would understand it in a deeper level, enough to change parts of it (I’m not talking here about fixing gaps, and other valuable efforts/work of editors and the traditional industry in general).  I wanted the opportunity to craft the entire project, learn from it, and grow from it and with it.  The decision to self-publish was clear only after I understood that all I wanted was to have creative control if writing was going to be something that I would want to do for the long run, and possibly for the rest of my life.

I was aware that it would be a long, slow and tedious process, tons of work, and an exhausting venture, that is, if I was going to do it the right way, and not in a hurry to publish in digital or in print.  The need for getting published fast was not even an issue, when I considered the facts and information.  However, the need to control the process, the schedule, the dates, the story, the deadlines, the art, the release … and all the other issues that go along with it was what I seem to long for the more  I thought about the issue.

I have read about self-published authors who after selling many of their books successfully, have signed up with a well-known publisher.  I totally understand the need of having people taking care of the small details, sites, emails, and putting together a book … all that is a ton of work, and very difficult to do for one person, especially if that author has become a best-selling author; besides, it robs from the main purpose, which is writing the story, and many more stories to come.  So while creative control is a wonderful concept, it doesn’t come easy, and in an ideal scenario, the best of both worlds would be the “perfect balance,” if there is such a thing.  For now, I am very happy to have found my “balance” for the moment, and that is to have been able to understand and finally, make the decision of releasing my piled up novels in 2013.  In doing so, I go with the confidence and peace of mind that it is the right path for me and the decision has not been rushed by any external factors.

Are you unsure of which path to take with your writing endeavor?  Are you torn between traditional venues and the rapidly evolving self-publishing industry?  Is this the only thing stopping you?  For me, it was, but once I understood what I wanted from my writing, the path became clear.  Ask yourself this question, “What do I want from my writing?”

The Next Logical Step

/ inkspeare / 6 Comments

What is the next logical step?

This is a question that I have learned to ask myself, although I don’t consider myself a “dead logical” person all the time. Yes, from time to time I let my mind dream and soar through illogical paths and fantasize about the not so probable but possible, and the totally illogical. However, when it is time to get serious about making decisions, I listen to my mind, then to my heart, and then ask – What is the next logical step? Most likely, I will find the correct answer; however, turmoil starts when the mind and the heart are pointing to different solutions. Then I must ask again, What is the next logical step, and why? This usually dissolves the turmoil, and an agreement between mind and heart takes place.

In relation to my writing and deciding which route to take on publishing my novels, which have been pilling up waiting for the turmoil between mind and heart, and current reality to dissipate, I have asked myself this question by the end of this year. Part of my reluctance to publish, besides having to decide which venue to take – traditional route (agent) or self-publishing, was that I will be relocating to another state, but the move has been postponed for a while, and that affects the way I would do marketing for a particular area (thinking local of course). So this is what has happened between mind and heart, in respect to this important decision.

MIND – “You should go the traditional route, and find an agent. The self-published stigma is still out there, although things are changing fast and the publishing industry is undergoing a revolution.”

HEART – “You know what you want but won’t admit it; self-publishing is what you long for, and what matches your work ethic and personality very closely.”

MIND – “Once you self-publish, there is no going back; it is done, out there, and cannot be undone. Besides, you will join the chaos, and will end up in the same pile – garbage or not, it is one big messy pile right now.”

HEART – “What if you do? What if you don’t?”

MIND – “Giving the current situation, the change of tide, your likes and dislikes about the whole thing, what is the next logical step?”

HEART AND MIND – “The next logical step is to decide, either way.”

A compromise is agreed between Heart and Mind, and ONE query (only One) is sent. Immediately, Heart and Mind agree on something.

HEART AND MIND – “Oh, I wish I hadn’t sent that query; it wasn’t what I wanted to do. I hope it never gets answered. Oh, I see now.”

Queries are stopped from going out and soon, there seems to be no dilemma, there is no sense in sending a query, that is, when I am not sure that the right path is traditional publishing.  Later on the right path emerges – Self-publishing is the right path for me.  For me, the right way to do it was to come to a halt, to be able to go on.

I am probably one of the few people who has decided to self-publish without sending out queries (well, I sent one), and feels good about it. Therefore, I am planning to publish my novels this year, hopefully with a few months apart in between, date pending and will be announced soon.

If you have reached a crossroads, why not ask yourself, “What is the next logical step?”