NaNoWriMo, anyone?

Hello, my fellow writers.  How has NaNo been treating you thus far?  After a lot of debate, I have decided not to partake in NaNo this year.  The novel I am working on is very similar to my daughter in that it will not be held down by schedules or any type of orderly constraints.  So, I decided to do the November Chapbook Challenge from the Writers' Digest site instead.  It is a poem a day for thirty days, and I am thoroughly enjoying it.  There are daily prompts to get your poetry gears turning.  If you haven't heard of it, I suggest you check it out! 

Anyway, I just felt like sharing my day five poem today.  Read and enjoy.

Sunday Morning

I caught a glimpse of your love today,
concealed in your stoic presence.

It wasn’t the love that twirls children
like helicopters, whirling from tall maples,

or the love that bears shrieking when
the home team loses the puck;

it was the warm squeeze of your fingertips
as you blanketed my frozen toes

on your way to the kitchen, reminding me
the lighthouse still glimmers over hazy waters.

Happy NaNoWriMo!

Chapbooks, Collections, and Poems... Oh my!

Lately I've been pondering the idea of submitting a collection of poetry for publication, because let's face it: I clearly do not have enough going on and what's another writing project, right?  But seriously, I have wanted to publish a chapbook since I was about sixteen years old, I just didn't know how to go about it.  I still don't, really, but I'd like to think I'm closer than I was all those years ago. 

Anyway, I have been revising and gathering some of my favorites that seem to coalesce well enough.  I am an avid fan of the Poetic Asides Blog on the Writers' Digest site and frequent it more times than I'd like to admit.  I was checking a new post the other day and saw one of the editors has begun a series titled, "Assembling and Submitting a Poetry Collection"- what are the odds?  He has found a publisher for his collection of poetry and has decided to share his experience with the world.  I highly recommend checking it out if you are in the market for some poetry publishing advice.

All these publication ponderings have me itching to share my writing with the world, so I decided I'll share a few pieces of my own on the blog in hopes that it will ease the super scary transition to submitting a complete work of fiction or poetry.  So read, comment, or just pass right on through...

This is a series of senryu I wrote while sitting in the waiting room of a hospital:

I wait in the room
where waiting is implied;
a tissue-laden limbo

Intensive care;
vulnerability that
opens at the back

Reconciled beneath
the many wires and machines,
lies his spirit, marred.

                      Amy Glamos

Just Take It Bird By Bird...

I have read many books on writing, as a way to procrastinate the actual writing part of writing a book.  Some of them were a complete waste of time.  Others were pure gold and I would like to share one of those treasures with you all today.

If you are like me and feel you would almost rather throw yourself in front of a bus than face the overwhelming fear of rejection and failure in your writing, you should read this book.  It speaks to the insecurities in all of us as writers and as people.  The book is called Bird by Bird, Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott.

   

What I love most about this book is that there is an entire chapter called "Shitty First Drafts" and the next chapter is "Perfectionism".  The most difficult obstacle I have faced in my writing and still struggle with today is the fear.  The overwhelming anxiety that I am not good enough and have no business pretending to be.  I'm not sure if I've alluded to my personality enough here, (I've probably beaten you over the head with it by now) but to shorten a very long laundry list of quirks, I am a perfectionist.  Through the course of finding my voice as a writer, I have come to the realization that perfectionism is a distraction from reality.  It's like a blindfold that prevents you from seeing the truly marvelous mess of life.  Somewhere down the line, I made the very convoluted decision that the possibility of failure was much too scary and not even worth the effort it takes to put myself out there.  Miss Lamott explains it much better than I do:

"Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people.  It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life, and it is the main obstacle between you and a shitty first draft.  I think perfectionism is based on the obsessive belief that if you run carefully enough, hitting each stepping-stone just right, you won't have to die.  The truth is that you will die anyway and that a lot of people who aren't even looking at their feet are going to do a whole lot better than you, and have a lot more fun while they're doing it."

She goes on in more detail, but I'll let you discover it for yourselves in the book.  This mindset is so detrimental to achieving success as a writer, and I continue to fight it on a daily basis.  If you have even the tiniest bit of self-doubt, which a lot of writers do, check out this book.  It might change your perspective.  At the very least, it will give you valuable insight on writing and life.  Happy Easter, everyone!

I know why the caged bird sings... do you?

At the risk of sounding a bit cliche, I must share one of my absolute favorite poems of all time.  Maya Angelou really does hit the nail on the head when it comes to life lessons, in my opinion.  I rediscovered this poem not too long ago and it has stuck with me.  I find it pertains to the place I am at right now, both in writing and in life.  So read, if you like:

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings

The free bird leaps
on the back of the wind
and floats downstream
till the current ends
and dips his wings
in the orange sun rays
and dares to claim the sky.

But a bird that stalks
down his narrow cage
can seldom see through
his bars of rage
his wings are clipped and
his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings
with fearful trill
of the things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill for the caged bird
sings of freedom

The free bird thinks of another breeze
and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees
and the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn
and he names the sky his own.

But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams
his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing

The caged bird sings
with a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for

the caged bird

sings of freedom.

Up to this point in my life, I have been coasting.  Yes, I have accomplished things.  Yes I have been busy with getting married, having kids, moving out of state, blah blah blah.  But to my own standards, I have been putting along comfortably, taking no risks and therefor reaping little benefit.

Well, it's time to change all that.  This poem really struck a chord with me because I think one of its main themes is the importance of living life to its fullest and appreciating the opportunities we are given.  It's time to sing like a free bird and strive for excellence!

Now, if I could just finish this novel...