Can You Keep a Secret?

My husband's late sister, Lena Faye used to say "If you don't want something told, don't tell me." I have two secrets. One I let slip a few times, only because I didn't realize it was a secret. But now I do and I won't tell another soul until it's time. The other I was told today. And I haven't shared it. Cross my heart, I haven't. I won't until my friend says I can. And when I finally get to, I'll tell those secrets to you. 

Secrets can be a wonderful storytelling tool. When I go to schools, I tell kids don't talk out your stories or you'll never write them. Pretend the paper is your best friend and you're telling that friend a secret.

Discipline

I'm training to walk a half-marathon.  In case you're wondering, that's 13.1 miles.  The most I'd ever walked before was six miles. I figured if I could ever reach mile seven, I'd be certain to reach mile thirteen. Saturday I walked seven miles. Now how do I feel about that assumption? Seven miles is not 13.1 miles. 

Finishing a novel is not so different than trying to finish a half-marathon. You start off with a big idea and much like a first short training session, your enthusiasm carries you for a while. It might last for a paragraph or a few chapters, but eventually the joy of the process turns into dread. You wonder what was so great about that original idea.

At risk of sounding like a Nike ad, this is where the tough get going. Stick with your story. How? Show up. Grab your pen. Move it around the page until your squiggles become words.  They may not be the words you'll end up using, but soon the right words will be there. Just because you showed up. 

Olive Oil, Vinegar, and Writing

A few days ago my dear friends,  Jennifer Archer and Charlotte Goebel drove over from Amarillo for a visit and a writing retreat.  Even a mini-retreat can ignite creative juices. We did several timed writings, discussed our current works, and shared titles of books about our craft.

Late in the afternoon we decided to take a break. We justified our getaway by turning the short journey into a writing exercise--find a person who inspires a new character. Instead of heading for our intended destination--Starbucks, we somehow ended up at a shop, tasting olive oils and vinegars.  On the ride back home, we realized we'd been charmed by the same person.  We made a pact to each include a character in an upcoming story loosely inspired by her. I can guarantee you our characters will be different. Because that's the way inspiration goes. We each filter what we experience through our own lenses. 

Why Bother?

A broken irrigation well can make a gardener ask, "Why bother?"

Here's why:

Life's interruptions can cause any creative person to ask the same question about her pursuits.  If we look around with an open heart the answers are there.

Who is this?

Sunday marked the 20th anniversary of the day I started writing--June 15, 1994. I celebrated the day at Traders Village, a huge flea market in Grand Prairie, Texas. For some reason I bought this, justifying to myself that one should purchase something to remember such an occasion. Now as I study him perched on the top bookshelf of our library, I wonder, who the heck are you?