Writing v. Running

Writing is a lot like running. They’re both a lot of hard work.

Running: I have to self-motivate myself to get out there and put one foot after the other and I can't let myself stop when I'm tired. I have to work at doing a little more every day--if I want to improve.

It’s the same with writing. I have to sit down and put the pen to the paper – or (more truthfully) my fingers to the keyboard.

It’s so easy to find excuses not to do it. It being running and/or writing. It's a simple thing to stay home and curl up with a good book or turn on the tube to watch a movie but instead I strap on my running shoes and get outside (in that good old—cold--Portland rain) to climb those hills, run those miles, and prepare for the upcoming race.

Writing: I have to walk away from reading that book, turn off the t.v., and sit down at the computer, if I want to get my own words down on the page and not just read the ones someone else has written.

Writing and Running: You have to put in time, energy and work, if you want to improve.

Running: I can’t just go outside and expect to run a marathon…of course I can work toward it. Improving my pace, endurance and cardiovascular ability, come with time, exercise, and strength. And I am working hard to get stronger--a little more every day.

Writing: I can’t expect to write the next great novel – not without putting in time, energy, and effort to perfect my craft. And, I have to work at dialogue, character development, tense, pacing, and plot.

Both, Running and Writing: are a lot of hard work. But, they are also fun, rewarding and energizing.

I love to feel the light drizzle on a cool day as I make it to the top of a hill I haven’t been able to climb before. And, I want to do a little dance with every chapter I finish.

Mom always used to tell me, “Anything worth having, is worth working for.”

I'm working at them both: Writing and Running.

Martin Luther King Day - 1.15.29 to 4.4.68

My favorite show of all time is It's a Wonderful Life with Jimmy Stewart.

What does that have to do with Martin Luther King, Jr. Day?

Well the entire premise of that old movie is that one person can make a huge difference in the world and impact the course of history simply by doing the right thing.

Today we celebrate more than a man, we celebrate an entire movement. Martin Luther King, Jr. was so many things. He was more than a Reverend or a Doctor, he was a brilliant, well-educated man who was also an eloquent writer and one of the only nonviolent activists I remember living in my lifetime. He made a huge impact on the world while preaching that people can make a difference without violence in the world. He was only 35 years-old when he received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, and donated his prize (more than $54,000) to the civil rights movement during a tumultuous time in the world.

"...I am in Birmingham because injustice is here. Just as the prophets of the eighth century B.C. left their villages and carried their "thus saith the Lord" far beyond the boundaries of their home towns, and just as the Apostle Paul left his village of Tarsus and carried the gospel of Jesus Christ to the far corners of the Greco-Roman world, so am I compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond my own home town. Like Paul, I must constantly respond to the Macedonian call for aid.

Moreover, I am cognizant of the interrelatedness of all communities and states. I cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." (excerpt of Letter from Birmingham Jail)

He lived in a volatile world. This was the era when Robert Kennedy was assassinated and John F. Kennedy. But, still he stood up for what he believed in.

He was in Memphis, Tennessee in support of striking garbage workers when he was assassinated, standing on the balcony of his hotel room.

Progress on the DIE...t Front

I weighed in on Sunday and had lost 4 pounds!!! in one week. Of course last week I'd gained 3.6 pounds, so really it had to be a lot of sodium that caused the gain/loss, so quickly. The net result was really only 4 ounces lost, in a two week period. Much more acceptable from a health standard point-of-view. But I'm just glad to be back on the right track.

Weight Watchers has been keeping me on track(ing). ;)

I ran 7.5 miles straight on Saturday, that couldn't have hurt my weight loss program. But then I had to have a little chocolate, finish off some candy canes that were still sitting around the house, and have a few Valentine candies (which are now sitting around the house-and, yes, they are already in the stores). You know growing up in a family with nine kids, I learned not to let anything go to waste.

Mom never threw anything away. Somehow she always found a way to use everything. Waste not-want not was a favorite saying of hers. So instead, of throwing it away, (it being those candy canes) or letting it go to waste. . . it still goes to waist (mine) :(

It's soooooooooooooooooooooooooo hard for me to lose weight because I love food so much.

How 'bout you? Are you having trouble with a few extra pounds put on during the holidays?

EARTH-FRIENDLY FRIDAY

My old garden furniture rotted and fell apart. It was partly my fault for not covering it but it was really the Portland, Oregon weather that I blame: wet, wetter and wettest year I remember. That type of weather is really only suited for DUCKS! And, it might have been a good year for those quack-attacks but my garden chairs didn't fair so well. You see, water soaked wood has trouble surviving. But, lucky for me, I have a husband who loves working with his hands whenever he can get out from behind that desk he works behind all day.

And, it's so nice to have a handy guy around the house. Plus, we both love to go to Rebuilders to pick up old wood that would have been thrown away if it wasn't recycled. Then Lars sands it, and goes to work repurposing that old lumber.

Look at one piece of his handiwork.












Do you ever repurpose old items? Tell me about it in the "comments" section. I'd love to "read all about it" :)

Penguins

And, I'm not taking about shooting decoys. Nope, I'm talking about crafting. We writers craft with words but some people use other mediums, like clay.

Don't you just love to roll words around in your mouth and then put pen to paper and create. Well, you might want to take out some dough and/or clay and cut it and mold it. Shaping a little blob into something is so much fun. If you haven't done it for a while, pull out a package and play.

It's good for the creative juices.

My daughter has made about ten little birds, Penguins. Here's a couple that might help inspire us writers in more ways than one.

PROPHECY by Ellen Oh

Ellen Oh, better known to her blueboarder and blogging buddies as ELLO is the author of the newly acquired and, what I am sure will be, the wildly successful Dragon King Chronicles, which will be Books for Young and “more mature” Adults.

The only disappointing news I have to share is that this novel isn’t scheduled to come out until the Summer of 2012 and then only the first of three of her books will be available: The Prophecy. And if you’re looking for strong female role models or characters you should be waiting with bated breath for this book.

“PROPHECY is about Kira Kang, the only female warrior of the Saulabi Army and a bona fide demon slayer”

Tell me that doesn’t whet your whistle for more—I’m only surprised it took so long to get published. And, I’m hoping Ellen will tell us all about her writing journey and how she felt when she knew she’d finally made it.

But first, a little bit about my blogging buddy:

Ello, as I’ve come to know her, grew up in NYC and moved down to the Washington, DC area to attend law school at Georgetown University. There she met her future husband who convinced her to stay and now she has 3 smart, funny, beautiful girls who keep her on her toes. They, along with her parents and her sister, are the nucleus of the awesome support she needed to become a writer.

But, I have a few questions I want to ask, so sit back, grab a cup of coffee and listen or “read all about it”.

What inspired you to create such a strong female character in The Prophecy:

Growing up my Dad always told me that I should never let anyone put me down or tell me I couldn't do something just because I was a girl. He said being strong isn't just about physical strength, it was about being strong mentally, spiritually, and being smart. He taught me to be tough, maybe a little too tough. I was always fighting, always in trouble. My parents used to joke and call me Xena, Warrior Princess. Of course it didn't help that I had nearly the same hairdo at the time. So it wouldn't be a surprise that I would write a strong female character. How could I not?

Where any of her characteristics derived from your own strong will to overcome obstacles (of course I’m sure you’re not fighting demons—maybe just slow tourists when they come to your town)?

Absolutely. Kira is reviled in Prophecy for being different. She looks different and she has a very unique talent. She can smell demons. Being perceived as different is clearly something I can relate to. I grew up dealing with a lot of racism. It's funny because I grew up in NYC where there are a lot of different minorities and cultures. You would think it would be more tolerant but instead the racism was in your face. Very different from where I live now, where I find that racism to be more covert and subtle. Racism can insidiously strip away a person's self worth. I had to fight that all my life and learn to appreciate and respect who I was despite the racial slurs and terrible acts of prejudice.

How did you ever come up with such a setting for your story?

I studied a lot about ancient Korea and found it fascinating so I knew that I wanted it to be the backdrop of my book. And also to weave in Korean myths and legends.

Can you tell us anything about the next two books?

It's a surprise!

Do you hope teenage girls will be inspired to become stronger (again not fighting demons) because of your book and more willing to face challenges in life?

I know that part of why I wrote this book was because I have 3 girls myself and I want them to know that girls can do anything that boys can do, and do it better. An important theme of my book is the idea that nothing is impossible. There are always naysayers in life, but we can't let them put us down. Don't believe the words of other people, only believe in yourself and what you can achieve if you set your mind to it.

Can you tell us about your writing journey?

It was long and boring and at times very treacherous. But I made it!

Were there any challenges you faced in the publishing arena?

I talked about this in my LIfe is Good post. How I had so many people tell me that no one would be interested in a book about ancient Korea. In fact, I remember being in a writing class and this one male writer began to harangue me about how no one would ever publish my book because it was too oriental for western sensibilities. Bad enough he used the term "oriental" which I dislike, but he publicly mocked me for wasting my time and not understanding the American marketplace. I wish I still knew him only so I could rub this in his face. Yeah, I don't turn the other cheek very well... I admit to wanting to go up to him and say "How do you like me now?"

What advice would you want to give to budding writers?

If you truly believe in your story, then don't give up. But make sure you truly believe in it. Prophecy was my third book. My other 2 books may never see the light of day for good reason. I knew I had to put them away. It would have been a waste of my time to keep working on them. That recognition of when to put something away and when to continue to fight for it, is important as a writer. When I wrote Prophecy, I knew it was different. Here was something I really believed in. That I was willing to fight for. I never gave up on it because I knew it had great potential. I'm really blessed to have found both an agent and an editor who saw that same potential and loved my book as much as I did.

GO FROM FAN TO FANTASTIC

Twilight casting director Lana Veeneker is putting on a webinar for anyone out there that wants to transform their lives. She says you can go from being a Fan to being Fabulous!

Here's a little more about the webinar:

"Shapeshift Your Life in 2011"

Here's what she has to say:

"Has The Twilight Saga inspired you to follow your own dreams? Did it ignite in you the desire to transform your life? Are you ready to step into a bigger version of yourself in 2011?

Learn how to unlock your hidden potential by working directly with Lana Veenker, one of the casting directors of Twilight, who has helped countless actors realize their goals and is now setting out to help others do the same.

Lana has developed an online workshop to teach everyday people how to accomplish extraordinary things. In just three sessions, you will learn how to:

* Choose and set goals
* Identify and overcome obstacles
* Define your true calling
* Attract the resources and people who can help you realize your dreams
* Apply the four keys to achieving your goals
* Discover insider shortcuts to success
* Re-craft your self-image
* Identify your unique value proposition
* Multiply your creative power
* Plan for long-term success

This online workshop, presented in English, will allow Twilight fans from around the world to take advantage of this exciting and unique opportunity.

Price and dates of the workshop are to be determined. For now, we are gauging interest, so that we can offer you the best possible experience.

Are you ready to shapeshift your life?"

She has a short survey she'd like to have you fill out but you need to do it quickly. Once the details are set in stone, you'll be given the opportunity to register.

If you're interested in attending a live workshop in Portland, Oregon, let her know! There may be an opportunity to work with Lana in person on your goals for 2011.

She'd love to hear from you!

So check out the Survey here. It's never too late to be what you might have been. George Eliot