Living in "the Zone"

Finding time to write is never easy.  I have recently returned to the workplace (part-time) and although the work is stimulating and rewarding, it does interfere with my writing. I sympathize with those who are holding down a full-time job, supporting a family and still trying to find time to write.  My hat goes off to you!

Writers are a strange breed.  It's sometimes easier for them to retreat into the fantasy worlds of their own creation and miss what's happening in the world they actually live in.  Sometimes I find myself so lost in thought that I am oblivious to conversations happening all around me   Other times I find myself looking at life from a distance as an observer instead of immersing myself in the activity of living the moment.  I don't like to be disturbed when I'm "in the zone". 

But I've matured...a nice way of saying I've gotten older...and priorities change. I'm spending more time with my grandchildren and I am amazed at how quickly they change.  I don't remember my own children changing so fast.  How did I miss those moments?  What else have I missed?

I wish life would give us "do-overs".  There are a few things I would do differently. For starters, I wouldn't take life so seriously.  I would laugh more and not dwell so long on past hurts. I would be more patient and understand that both children and adults go through phases in their lives when they need support, guidance and understanding and that the best course of action is not to judge, but to listen. However, to really listen one must be present in the situation...not just physically, but emotionally.  And that means leaving the "zone" and reentering the real world.  The fantasy world will always be there, but time in the real world is fleeting.  I don't want to miss another minute of it.

Loose Ends

It seems that I have spent my whole life tying up loose ends. Once I think I’m finished, I see something else that needs to be done before I can say that the job is complete.  This obsession with loose ends often impedes my ability to finish a task.  I find it difficult to walk away knowing there is something left undone.  I find myself constantly revisiting past projects to improve and make them better by tying up one more loose end.

On the other hand, I sometimes find that the amount of work required to tie up all those loose ends, is so daunting that it is easier to give up on a project rather than tackle the task.  I’ve never thought of myself as a quitter, but I admit that there have been times when I backed away from a job or even a promotion because there were so many unknowns and loose ends.  I was too discouraged to even begin!

But the old adage is true: “Every journey begins with a single step.” I took that step when I wrote and self-published my first book. I knew nothing of publishing and I was reluctant to turn the whole process over to someone else without knowing what I was getting into.  So I closed my eyes and took a deep breath and forced myself to take that first step. I asked questions.  I made mistakes. I learned.  I am by no means an expert, but I am no longer terrified.

Now I find that the more I know, the more I need to know…more loose ends!  It is so easy to get caught up in the details that I lose sight of the goal.  Lately, I have immersed myself in learning the ropes of marketing myself and my work. I have spent hours researching and building a following on social networks.  I have developed press releases and promoted myself at book signings and book clubs. As a result I have neglected the most important and joyous part of being a writer…writing!

After publishing my debut novel, I still wake up in the middle of the night thinking of ways to make it better. I’m trying to stay focused on my next project, but I am haunted by the loose ends from my previous work.  I know that at some point I will revisit it and republish a second, improved edition for no other reason than to bring some closure to those loose ends.

As I near the resolution of the plot for The Stone House Legacy, I am consumed by the amount of loose ends that I have left dangling. There are so many details that need to be flushed out and explained before this draft is complete that I have allowed myself to become paralyzed by inaction. The task is so overwhelming that I have been unable to move forward. I have even contemplated giving up on the whole idea.

I have come to this critical decision point so often in my life. Looking back, I see that there were many times when I gave up on something when taking a single step forward would have gotten me moving again. I believe I have a story to tell. I believe that it will not only be entertaining, but insightful. I believe that the story will not be told unless I tell it. I think I am ready to take that next step. Wish me luck!

Blog Tag: How I Write

Let's have some fun! 

If you're reading this blog and you like to write whether it be a diary, travel journal, blog, poetry, fiction or nonfiction, why not share your process with others by answering these four questions and pass it on! If you don't have a blog site of your own, then answer the questions right here in the comment section at the end of this one.  I'll post it for you!

What Am I Working On? I am currently at work on my second novel which will be the first in a series following the lives of the family of Simon Kingsley. This novel takes place in Indiana during the turbulent early years of the 1960's. A young minister and rising star on the evangelical stage takes a stand against civil injustice and brings the wrath of the John Birch Society down on his career and his family.

How Does My Writing Differ from Others of Its Genre? I write literary fiction set against the culture and isolationism of the Midwest.  I like to look at the present through the lens of the past to see what patterns emerge and what behaviors seem to repeat themselves through the generations. I'm working on finding a comfortable balance between internal and external conflicts so that the action of the plot does not get lost in the character's internal struggles.

Why Do I Write What I Do? I write to clarify my own thinking. I started this blog to explore my own past and discover some answers to questions that had haunted me throughout my life.  That part of the blog turned into my first novel, Windborne.  Now I write to discover ways to hone my craft. I use it to explore how characters might react in certain situations.  But most of all, I write because I love it!

How Does My Writing Process Work? I've written several blog pieces about this so I won't bore you with a rehash. The best way to describe my process is "gasps and spurts"! The story comes together in pieces like a jigsaw puzzle. I write and rewrite as I go along. It's like traversing a maze.  Sometimes I think I'm on the right track only to run into a dead end.  Then I have to back track and start over in a new direction.

There you have it! Your answers don't have to be lengthy or filled with intellectual insight.  Let's just have a conversation and see what happens. You can also reach me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/wandadehavenpyle  or Twitter at https://twitter.com/pyle_wanda.  I look forward to hearing from you!

Preview: The Stone House Legacy

I'm often asked about my writing process.  When do I find time?  How do I discipline myself to sit down and put thoughts and ideas into words.  I know that most writers will tell you that they set aside a time period every day to write, but my mind doesn't work that way.  

I am a verbal processor.  I need to talk things through and actually hear my own thinking before I can write. So I tend to bore my friends and family with my ideas while I figure things out.  I find that the conversation stimulates my thinking and gives me a new perspective on the theme. I'm always rejuvenated and more motivated to write after these conversations. And the writing is better!

Therefore, I am asking for your help!  Posted below is a link to the first two chapters of my new novel. It is the story of a young minister who is a rising star on the evangelical stage in the early 1960's.  But when he challenges the violence and chaos of the times, he places his career and his family in grave danger. (Still working on the "elevator pitch", so could use some help here as well!)

Click on the link below to view the Preview and leave your feedback. I am especially interested in your reactions to the characters and the initial plot conflicts.  In other words, does it entice you to want to read further? Any help will be sincerely appreciated!  Thank you.

https://www.createspace.com/Preview/1147030

Jigsaw Stories

How do stories come together?

Some writers prefer to work from an outline, others like to free-write in search of a story line.  I liken my style more to a jigsaw puzzle.  Anyone who has ever worked a jigsaw puzzle will tell you that we always begin with the frame. The frame has clear cut edges and often outlines the setting of the picture.  Once the frame is in place we begin looking at the larger images of the picture, seeking out patterns and lines that continue or complete the image. Finally, we fill in the details that add depth and complexity to the picture.  These are often the most difficult pieces to find. They are usually very similar in appearance with only subtle differences in size and shape.  It takes a discerning eye to discriminate and determine where each piece fits to complete the picture. Leave one piece out, no matter how insignificant it may seem to the larger picture and the puzzle is unfinished and disappointing.

In Windborne, the frame of the story is the basis of the setting in the rolling Kansas Flint Hills.  The setting is a constant throughout the story as each generation interacts with it based on the culture of the times. The larger images are the characters that move the story forward through their actions. The details are the nuances that form the theme and central ideas in the story.  This is where the writer employs literary devises such as symbolism, imagery and irony to add depth and complexity to the story.

In The Stone House Legacy, the frame is the story of the past. Since the frame in this story is used to hold together the picture of the present that is the heart of the novel, I have employed the use of a Prologue and Epilogue to define it. This time, the plot takes center stage as the characters struggle to overcome the major conflict in the story. Since this is the most important element in the puzzle, it is critical that the action of the plot builds so that each minor conflict leads to the major crisis. The reader must be brought along with the rising action. Once I have satisfactorily built the plot, I can go back and supply the details that give the story its dimension.

 I have a lot of work to do!  Stay tuned to follow my progress!