Yes, even the best design needs editing. However, over editing can be the death of your creativity. If you are like me, then you are in trouble. I like to write spontaneously and I can write a whole chapter easily in one sitting, but that is where the danger comes in - in the editing phase. I am like an editing addict. I just can't stop once I start.
Take the following sentence as an example:
Wicked Wanda wafted, waving her hands in ironic agony, as she screamed "Yellow Zonkers to you all".
I might start my editing by correcting any spelling mistakes (witch I did before I aloud this too be printed). Next, I fixed the verb tense mistakes. But the reel dance begins when I consider changing the way the parts of the sentence are ordered.
Waving her hands in ironic agony, Wicked Wanda screamed "Yellow Zonkers to you all" while wafting. I tell myself that sounds better but a few seconds later, I feel the knead to make changes again - something just is not right.
Wicked Wanda really was in pain, her hands were killing her, and she screamed at everybody in the room some nonsense about Yellow and Zonkers and oh yes she was wafting the whole time.
Now I might think that the problem of Wanda screaming might be solved but perhaps this is too wordy.
Wicked Wanda hands were in pain, everyone could see this, and they understood why she screamed but they could not understand why she was wafting.
And so it goes until hours later, I either give up the task or I get the dog to choose the best one (note - because the dog seems to be the last person I have asked about this.)
(the dog is no help - he liked them all - in fact he ate my story)
But I saved the original on the computer - so it is the original I will go with.
So save yourself time with editing and get the dog to do it. Or be satisfied when the publisher tells you their editor will make the changes.

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subtitle - don't tell your family you want to be a writer

I know that the urge will come to you but don't give in to it. I know that you want to be affirmed by those closest to you. I do not care if you have written the next great American novel - do not show it to your family.
Very few families believe that anyone can make a living by writing. Most families view writing as on a par with joining the circus or being a mime. Actually, they might hold the latter two with a higher esteem. So even if you are great and this is apparent to your family - they will try to talk you out of a writing career or even writing as a hobby.
The worst woodcarver is given more encouragement than most writers, simply because woodcarving can be put on the wall and shown. Try that with a novel.
No, there simply isn't much about writing that most families can understand.
Worse still, most family members think you have cast the worst character in your novel as them. They see things you the author never thought of.
Example: "That guy in the last scene who shot everybody - that's me isn't it ?
That woman who killed her children and then cooked them - that's me isn't it ?
That four headed monster with the tentacles - that's me isn't it ?
Yes, they really believe that you are out to get them, to show the world the horror of them, your family members.
But to tell the truth - they are right. I am out to get them - after all they were ones who told my I stink and I will never make a dime.

That is the question that I ask myself as I listen to Billy Collins reading a poem he composed after he read another poets work. Mr. Collins was  poet laureate of the USA once and that means he is a well read and accomplished poet. He however, did not like the words of the other poet and he used these words to make a witty and thoughtful poem called - well I forget what it is called but you get the point, right?
I did. After hearing Billy words on YouTube today, I found myself with three poetry books in hand and I was also viewing a poetry website for clues too - all at the same time. It worked. I started writing a poem which I titled the Waves of Heaven. I did like my first version of it but I think I will make it a finished product tomorrow. Or the next day - The point is I was able to find inspiration from the works of others. This is a perfectly acceptable thing to do - as long as you give the other work some credit for inspiring you and as long as you do not copy large chunks of the others work (or even small chunks). You want to make your stories and poems works that reflect you - your feelings or your ideas. I just finished a chapter of a story which was inspired by a novel I was reading. I did not like the start of the novel - I felt the hook was loose and vague and not very entertaining. As a reader, I was disappointed. I could do better I said to myself. Prove it, I answered back. Four pages later, I felt I had won the argument. I called in my wife to judge and smart woman that she is - she sided with my version. Much more exciting she said.
I am still basking in the glow of that praise.
That is my second lesson of this post:
Take praise wherever and whenever you can get it - there is never too much of it no matter how good you are.
I must go steal, I mean, inspire myself further - books to read. Bye for now.

This picture currently represents nothing to me. But it could be my inspiration for a story.
I have several ideas banging about in my head waiting for me to expound upon them. I was hoping that I could meditate and in my meditation visualize these ideas forming a plot - sort of a Tetris for stories - with pieces of plot floating in a and fitting next to each other.
But every time I meditate, I get the urge to write and every time I write I get the urge to meditate. What is this writer to do?

I thought it might be a good idea to put some ideas down here and see if they make any more sense to me. So here goes:
One idea is about a spiritual teacher and his/her pupil. Another idea is about an adventure story involving mysterious happening and solving those mysteries.
Another idea is to take an old story and polish it up into a finished product.
Normally, I write very well in the stream of consciousness mode but I never write a finished product. I want to do that now. I just don't know what story to start with.  I have a concept of a woman on the run learning secrets (magic) as fast as she can because she needs this magic to save her life. I think this might work but it is a lengthy product - novella at the shortest. I think this is something I can do - I will call it the woman of the wind. And now I even have a cover art - just have to get permission.
I think I have solved my dilemma. All thanks to this blog. Thank you blog.

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Call it the look in your eye when you stand in front of the mirror. Call it the way people are acting all around you. Call it the wind always being in your way. Whatever you might call it - I call it Krazy (with a capital K as in that is not the way its supposed to be).

Today was supposed to be a light and easy day full of rest relaxation and more than anything else - sleep. But from the get go, today has been that way. From the five minute visitor at 2 AM to the ten o'clock session with the karate kids, today has been crazy. Not choatic but crazy. I am tempted to get in the car and drive, somewhere, anywhere just to get some quiet - enough serenity to be creative. But that would be crazy or carzy.

What I want to do is show people who wish to write that even on crazy, carzy days there is opportunity to write. That is why I am here typing in this blog, pretending that there are not several people running around me, trying to get me to pay attention to them. I am like the three monkeys combined - I can't see them, I can't hear them and I definitely won't talk to them. So they don't exist, right ?
And pretending that they don't exist is how I am able to make this posting coherent. (I hope).
There is still the smell of bleach on my hands, the result of my intervention upon a washing machine disaster in the making. My legs are still crossed due to someone's two hour visit to the washroom. (Currently in progress) Yet I persevere.
The picture above might not convey the essence of craziness, but it is the best I was able to come up with after my first seven choices failed. I think that when I finish this posting, I will get in the car, cry, and then drive to nearest public toilet - that is if I do not get pulled over for Carzy driving.

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My pages are what I call my warm-up exercise for writing. The idea is to write three double spaced pages on the computer putting down anything that comes into my mind. The idea behind this exercise is to clear the mind of the clutter that blocks the creative juices and also to get my mind and fingers used to typing. I do this exercise as soon as possible in the day. I find that if I do not do this exercise - I do not write.
So for the last few weeks I have made myself write pages everyday.
The results have been promising. I have gone from not caring about writing (I would be better off dead) to wanting to write blogs and poems and stories every day.
But in the last three days the form of my pages has changed (I think for the better). I used to write my three pages alternating from being preachy (I am right, the world is wrong) to just being crabby (the world is wrong and I am too). Occasionally, I would write nice things but not too much.
Three days ago, I decided to change the tone of my pages. I would no longer write what came to my head - I would write as if I were actually writing a real piece of writing. I found that it was easier to keep my attention fixed on the three pages and I did not suddenly want to watch the grass grow (or whatever distraction seemed cool at the time) (usually these distractions stop distracting me as soon as I get up from the desk that I am writing at). (I wonder why).
So I feel like a new man and the sky is bright with the light of a new day. I think I might be on to something but you never know. I will keep you posted as to what happens over the weekend with all its myriad distractions.

Yesterday I was run ragged, that is to say I was tired. I could not get to the library which is where I normally type in this blog. I thought I might be able to do this at home but I was wrong. I was a victim of my own routines.
So I thought I might talk about how to make time to write today.
Excep[t that I fell asleep trying to think of something to say.

Today I thought I would do something different - post a picture. So I used the Flickr pictures that are available and came away with this one on the left.
I do not know what is it is (it looks a crystal) but that is why I chose it. I wanted a picture that looked good and had no apparent idea (in my mind at least) of what it was. I like the mystery involved in deciding what could the picture be of.
I think one of the real good exercises for me is to write about a picture like this. What kind of a story can be constructed by this picture. What kind of mood ? A better picture might be of a person - then a storyteller could maklle up a story about this person's pose or look. But mostly today, I was in the mood to try something different, so I chose this picture because it looks nice and does not seem to have any meaning.
I think that pictures in doctor's offices are like that too. They look okay but don't seem to inspire much meaning.
To me, a good story needs to have both - good looks and meaning. The meaning can be like an aftertaste - something that kicks in after the story is read. Something that makes the reader reread the story - something that makes the reader think twice. However, a story does not have to have a deep meaning to be entertaining. I believe that a story needs to be above all else - entertaining enough. This means that if you are writing a deep and heavy emotional story, you must have enough entertainment in it to keep the reader reading. That takes talent and drive and that is what separates the real writers and storytellers from the want-to-be's.

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The advice came from R. Crumb:
If you want to be good at illustration - draw everyday twice a day, and then do more drawing in your free time. This truth can be extrapolated to include writing.
If I want to be good at writing - I need to write in all forms as much as I can stand (and then I need to practice even more).
I know that sounds a bit obsessive but the alternative - what I have been doing in my previous writing life - writing once a week - is not good enough.
This is why I do my writing blog. This is why I post these stories and poems here on this website - It is all part of my practice. It is all part of me trying to get better at my craft.
I write because I love writing. I love crafting a story, hooking the reader and telling a timeless tale. I love evoking emotions - I love bringing out in the reader ideas and feelings that they thought impossible. I love showing people that the world is always more than they thought it was.
I started this entry yesterday when I was feeling low on energy. Today I feel full of energy and desire to write. Today I am full of the muse. Today I want to practice some more. Hopefully, a couple of stories and a couple of poems too.

She bent over to me as I sat at my desk - her blouse was provocatively half unbuttoned. "I can teach you," she whispered into my ear. She pursed her lips and gently blew over the surface of my face. Her scent of lavender was all around me, pulling me to her lips. "I know all about hooking." she whispered. I was young, eager, and ready to learn. In the course of the next hour I learned and learned. 
One of the first lessons that I tell my writing students is about the hook. The hook of course refers to the reason (or lure) why the reader of your story needs to read further. The hook can range from a word to a whole paragraph. It can even be a whole first chapter - it depends upon the writer.
 I, myself, prefer to use multiple hooks. One can be the first paragraph with the next few paragraphs setting up a larger major hook. Even if the I am writing an essay or a blog - there is need to keep the reader entranced. The first paragraph here is a hook. I am teasing the reader, dr0pping hints as to what is to follow.
"There is so much to learn," she sighed as she puffed on her cigarette, "but today you have done well. I think I will teach you more tomorrow." I raised my hand to protest. "My dear teacher," I sighed muskily, "I am ready to practice what I have learned again."
She smiled and put out her fag. "Then let's get to it." she said huskily.

Yes, today I must try to come up with a good hook for my new story. The problem is the beginning has two letters (postal letters) to be read. I think that I need to install a premise - such as the person reading the letters - tell why she needs to reread these letters. I think that the letters alone will not be a good enough hook. And so that is why I am practicing write hooks in this blog.
Suddenly, there was a noise coming from the front door of the apartment. A key was turning in the lock. She gasped "Oh my God, I think my husband is home!" True to her words, a man opened the front door and announced "Honey, I am home!" in a loud voice.
The hook makes the reader what happens next. Some readers are savvy enough to skip the educational parts but most are not and that is what I am counting on here - that you will keep reading. In the short story, the hook is essential to keeping the reader engrossed (or not bored). The key to good writing is to keep the reader engaged.

Sadly, this afternoon affair, had to come to an end. I had no idea she was attached to another but to be honest I did not care. The bedroom window was already open, as it was a hot day and she was fast enough to dump my clothes after me out the window. Luckily, there were enbough bushes for me to dress but unluckily they were thorn bushes. Still I was feeling no pain. And that semester, I did get an "A" in creative writing.

I had learned my lessons about hooking. Always have a backup plan and an escape from the perils in mind. I still using her lessons in my writing to this very day.


Not a true story but hey it kept you reading unti