Happy Friday, all! Yes, I do keep meaning to blog more often (and will acheive that goal one day!) but for now, it’s doing good at 2x/week. And the sun is shining, the birds are chirping, it’s beautiful outdoors and I’m like a cat scrambling to get out there myself.

Today’s topic…artistic life in the trenches. Whether you’re a writer, painter, photographer, filmmaker, musician, etc. – – it helps to have a support system. I’ve been fortunate to be part of several writers groups in my area, but I think it helps to go beyond our comfort zone. If you’re a writer, try to meet some photographers, painters, musicians, filmmakers.

Artists are everywhere. We just have to look for them. Several times per week, I go to a nearby cafe for lunch to write. It’s about 5 minutes from work and the tables/lighting/setup are conducive to writing away without too much hubbub all around. Since my face has become familiar, the staff asks me what I’m writing on, what I write, etc. (I use an Alphasmart Dana – best thing in the world!) One waiter there is a musician and it’s wonderful to hear how his music is coming along when I see him. He keeps me in good Diet Coke supply and wishes me luck on my writing. These are more than simple exchanges; they keep us going and let us know that we’re not alone.

This helps when the bullets start whizzing over our heads or crises occur. Knowing there are other artists in the trenches too is not only comforting; it’s one of the best gifts I can imagine.

I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have encountered artists in a variety of fields. A filmmaker is able to help me see things in a visual way, how certain ways of editing a film can quicken the pace or heighten the tension in scenes. My current manuscript has some filmic pieces, and having another type of artist’s feedback besides a writer is helpful. Same thing goes for painting. Knowing someone who paints on a regular basis helps me understand how they approach their art. I find value in this as a human being and as a writer.

Artistic life in the trenches gets to the best of us, but remember–we’re not alone.

Now, go write your little hearts out!

Elaine

Writers are an odd bunch, and I’m happy to consider myself part of this group. We create imaginary friends, then put them into a tangled web of conflict to watch them break free. We devise the best ways to kill someone, woo someone, attain that Holy Grail and just plain survive this puzzle known as the human condition.

While writers know each other’s strange behavior patterns, the general public tends to not always understand how much bliss we feel when the muse is smiling. I’ve been known to write in cafes, headphones in and music going, an endless supply of Diet Coke a few feet away. When a scene begins to unfold, my fingers will dash across the keyboard as I giggle and smile. This generates a few glances from people sitting nearby.

On occasion, depending on the scene, I also bounce. (Only a little bit; it’s not like I become Tigger reincarnated.) This generates bizarre glances. And then there are times, like 2 weeks ago, where I’m listening to a phenomenal song and writing an emotional/gut-wrenching scene, and I start crying as I’m typing. This generates concerned glances.

Leading into today’s post…those behind the scenes, the immediate friends/family of the writer who know and accept our strangeness, and don’t become afraid when we do things such as:

* Asking off-the-wall questions at random times. Grocery shopping, driving somewhere, waiting in line. “Do you think a fireplace poker would kill someone, or just disfigure them?”

* Leaving the house, saying, “I’ll be back later, I’m going over to Annie Oakley’s house so she can point her guns at me.” Read archive topic on book research and Annie Oakley here.

* Listen to a song over and over again because it’s the one song which opens the vein of creativity for the muse. FYI, family members are great w/my music habit, though I usually wear headphones. On one occasion, I had the speakers on and was playing a song over and over because it was soooo intensely powerful at placing me right in the scene that I was writing.

It took family until the 30th time to become a bit irked, which isn’t bad in the scheme of things.
Conversation went like this:
1st time song plays: “That’s a pretty song.”
5th time song plays: “Nice. Who’s it by?”
20th time song plays: “Uh huh.”
30th time: “Are you still listening to that depressing chick music?”

So, if you’re a writer, thank those around you who don’t commit you to the loony bin. If you know a writer, accept their strange quirks and know that they may talk about random things at random times, but they really do have a point. There’s a method to the madness, as they say.

Happy Friday all,

Well, I had this really hilarious post ready to do today–and my brain power just isn’t catching on. Post is going to have to happen later in the weekend. But, I won’t leave you hanging!

Check out some youtubes of cool writers –

Ray Bradbury (2 min) – speaking on writing and passion over the years

Neil Gaiman (1 hour) – master craftsman of words

More later!

Hi all,

Just a quick post to talk about the incredible power of music. While I know not everyone likes to write to music, I still wanted to share this for those that do. These 2 songs have been immensely powerful as I am filling in the details/polishing up the prologue of my fourth manuscript.

Every book tends to have a different soundtrack. Some songs work better to write scenes with certain characters. Right now, even though there are no Irish themes in my current work in progress, music by The Pogues is a wormhole straight to the muse as I write one specific character’s scenes. I tried listening to them while writing other characters. It didn’t work. Hey, I don’t question the muse. I just court her when she shows up. If The Pogues works for one character and other music/randomness works for others, that’s what I’ll do.

But for this prologue…the 2 songs below ROCK. If you can write to music, and you have any kind of intense, emotional, or heart-wrenching scenes to write – – these 2 songs have done wonders for me. Wanted to share with you. There’s a link so you can listen to a preview on Amazon.

Enjoy, and go forth with wherever the muse might take you!

Bring on the Wonder by Susan Enan featuring Sarah McLachlan

Feel It Now by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club