Listen. Listen.

This short piece is so right on about why we write, why we must write:

http://querytracker.blogspot.com/2010/12/listen-listen.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+QueryTracker+(QueryTracker.net)

'The Art of Full Indiscipline'

'The Art of Full Indiscipline'

This article I've linked to, in its entirety, is very inspiring. Of course, Dr. Mukherjee's underlying creative expression is researching cancer and what might cause it and, therefore, keep it at bay. But still, how he wrote his book, using cancer as a kind of character in his weave of stories, is very inspiring as well. I found his "art of full indiscipline" quite illuminating as a way to write.

Not everyone is able to set aside specific hours per day to write (or pursue any other creative endeavor, for that matter) but can commit to focusing some time toward that creative pursuit every day, no matter how seemingly small that time is. I'm a firm believer in this as a basic philosophy: the way we get to the top of the mountain? Just keep putting one foot in front of the other. And never stop. Until you're at the top of the mountain. Enjoying the view. Then you can scope out a higher mountain. If you want.

Susan M. Botich

Susan M. Botich

Reference my link to elance.com 
http://www.elance.com/s/edit/susanmbotich/resume/

Home Improvements

Working on a lot of home improvements, lately. It's exhausting but feels good to do them, see the progress. Getting rid of stuff we don't really need, cleaning out the junk. Whew! Sore muscles but it's worth it!

Changes and dealing with them

I was scheduled to play a cafe concert in Minden last Saturday and it got canceled last minute due to the city wanting to repave the parking area of the Minden Plaza where the concert was to be. At first I was disappointed but shifted gears about it, sent out emails letting friends know the change and canceled the news events ads. Then David and I went for a day-long ride on his Caponord (motorcycle for two), up to a beautiful area in the Sierra, walked by a healthy river, through meadows, watching the critters and birds...It was glorious. Rejuvenated and relaxed, it was a good day. And much needed.

SCBWI Writer's Retreat

The SCBWI Novel Immersion Retreat last weekend was great! I met a lot of great people - writers, editors, a delightful agent (Michael Bourret with Dystel & Goderich Literary Mgt), worked on ms. and learned quite a lot. Connected with folks I haven't seen in a long time. All around excellent weekend!

Writers Retreat this weekend - yahoo!

This weekend I will be attending the northern Nevada Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI) Novel Retreat in Tahoe! I'm looking forward to seeing friends there and, of course, meeting new ones - hopefully an editor, agent or both! It's always a very intensive experience attending any writers conference but this one will be even more focused than most, I think. It's all about refining your novel. I'm looking forward to the feedback from the editor or agent who will be critiquing my first pages. That's always a learning experience, too. I probably won't post again until after the weekend. Until then...

YA novel, Amulets of Nanda

Got back to work on a YA novel I'd started a while ago - "Amulets of Nanda." It's fun to start another book project but also scary. Must keep moving forward, though. Where else?

Feminism - the true stories

susanmbotich

April 28th, 13:38

 

Check out this great talk by Isabel Allende at a TED conference. Right on!

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/spa/isabel_allende_tells_tales_of_passion.html

The Blood-Red Pencil: Dialogue is Not Necessarily How We Talk

The Blood-Red Pencil: Dialogue is Not Necessarily How We Talk

The stuff that gets in the way

Dug trenches over the weekend with hubby and son. Dirty, achy-breaky, sweaty work. Accounting/office work today. Tomorrow, got to restock groceries and run errands. I'm fantasizing about when I'll get to practice some music and write and/or edit my novel, The Dreamer. But it could be worse, so...I'll keep smiling.

Editing vs. writing

Just finished helping a friend with her ms. Sometimes even the most talented writers need that second pair of eyes. It's a great work, I think, and I really enjoyed wearing the editor's cap for that one. It's an inspiration to see how even a superb work doesn't come out of the gate without some fixin' needs. Like some famous author said, "Writing is truly rewriting."

In honor of National Poetry Month, a poem (a pantoum)

In honor of National Poetry Month, I thought I'd post one of my poems (a pantoum):

First Spring Rain

As soft as if a sigh,
rain falls on this window,
whispers from the sky,
while finches sing away the snow.

Rain falls on this window
as if a lover's touch,
while finches sing away the snow,
releasing winter's clutch.

As if a lover's touch,
find droplets wash this glass,
releasing winter's clutch
on soil, stem and grass.

Fine droplets wash this glass.
Sprinkles bead then spill
on soil, stem and grass
with mesmerizing skill.

Sprinkles bead then spill
whispers from the sky
with mesmerizing skill
as soft as if a sigh.

Starting a new blog

I tried doing a blog a couple years ago and never got into the swing of it. I was too busy working as a freelance writer and business partner at the time. I really let it go. So, now I'm going to try it again. We'll see how useful it becomes.