The Writer's Satisfaction Survey Results

The results are in for my most excellent, totally unscientific sample of you, my marvelous readers. Thirty-four of you condescended to answer my impertinent questions. Here is what you (and I) said.

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56% of us work full-time for someone else or own our own business.
12% are full-time stay-at-home parents with children under 14
6% write part-time for income
with a smattering of other situations

12% don't fit into any of the dozen categories I provided. Perhaps you are living off lottery winnings?

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Chocolate is the number one fuel for our creativity, with coffee following in second place. 29% of you state that your own determination is the only thing that keeps you going. I am definitely *not* in that category.

In the "other" responses you replied:

* chocolate soy milk (which I also love but let's face it, it's the chocolate that makes it yummy)
* your new dog
* water
* whatever is in the fridge
* the urge to create
* writers' groups.

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Nearly 1/3 of us spend 11-20 hours a week on writing-related activities, with 12% spending 31-40 hours.( I presume that is the same 12% who won the lottery, or perhaps the vampires? No, actually you are the really dedicated ones.)

We freely admit that we don't spend our whole writing time actually putting words on the page. The percentage distribution was fairly evenly spread between 25%-75% for most of us, with 50% as a happy median.

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1/3 of us feel that we are "Halfway there" to meeting our writing potential, with a little more than 1/3 "Growing by leaps and bounds." 12% are "Right where I want to be."

The vast majority of us (62%) plan to publish traditionally, nearly 1/3 plan to publish in a magazine or anthology, 24% are just writing for ourselves and 21% plan to self-publish.

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As far as our frustration level goes, 35% of us are "Somewhat or Very Frustrated" with our ability to complete writing-related tasks, while 35% are "Somewhat or Very Pleased," and 29% in the middle. A nice little bell curve there.

We do better at completing non-writing related tasks, with 50% of us feeling "Somewhat or Very Pleased" and only 27% "Somewhat or Very Frustrated." Your houses must be cleaner than mine. I think I took this photo just before having company. I am certain I took everything off the table, dumped it in a laundry basket and hid it in the basement.

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More self-discipline was cited by half of us as something that would help us be more productive, indicating that we are a conscientious bunch who don't blame other people for our problems.  Other things we chose include fewer distractions during our writing time, less stress and feeling more confident in general.

I intentionally left "more time to write" out of the answer choices because I knew everyone would pick it. I was not surprised to see it show up in several of the comments. A couple of you would like to quit your day jobs and just write full time. I used to think that too, but now I've changed my mind.

I mean, at least now I have a reason to get up and get dressed in the morning, rather than lounging all day in my pajamas and hiding from the mailman. Plus, people have to be nice to me or I won't help them design and analyze their surveys. Um, yeah. That's part of what I do for a living.

SO... WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN???

The "Hole" is what I hoped it would be... a place for writers at all different stages of their development to hang out. On average, we are.... average. We aren't as frustrated or dissatisfied as I expected. We see ourselves as growing and improving, and strive to be more disciplined. We have goals, but are also willing to follow our own courses.

I am "Very Pleased" to be part of such an awesome bunch!

 Here, have a cup of tea and a sandwich on me.

Sunday Snapshot

It's time again for a Sunday Snapshot of your work in progress.  Post the last paragraph or several lines of dialogue that you wrote. It doesn't have to be perfect. It doesn't even have to be good. It just has to be yours!

The more, the merrier. I love reading snippets of what everyone else is writing.

Here's mine:

She caught one last view of the house as she drove away. A normal, white colonial farmhouse set in a diorama of green created by spreading trees and a ten-foot-high arborvitae hedge. Bright clumps of red and yellow mums sat on the porch, smiling at her through the rain.  She had no idea if she’d ever see it again.

"God Told Me to Write This Book"

Do you ever hear people use that line? Does it make you cringe?

Religious people in publishing have a bad rap, as we do in just about every other industry, for two reasons.

1. We tend to be idealistic and naive, at least at the beginning, and not realize how we sound to others, nor that God might not intend for that particular book to be published, but for us to go through the exercise of being faithful and obedient in writing it.

2. We don't realize how many times before that line has been used to excuse bad writing and demand favor from agents and editors.

As a newbie, struggling to find even a mustard seed of confidence, I wondered why I should bother to do something that has nothing whatsoever to do with feeding the poor or winning souls, yet the story consumed me. I would lose myself in writing for days and weeks at a time, then guiltily abandon it to catch up with other things. I could not find the balance; it was all or nothing.

I have cried out from the bottom of my soul, weeping and wretched, for God to turn off my imagination. I wanted to "die" creatively so that I could function more effectively in other areas. I've given up on that request, the answer is clearly "No, you have to figure this out and do it."

I started this novel by sitting down and making myself write something. Anything. Just to write. That was in February of 2007. Soon it will be the fifth anniversary of that day.  The book is a mess. Not plotted, not planned. An organic growth of characters and storyline. I have written umpteen queries, none of which are close to useful. I've done an outline in retrospect. I've completely re-imagined my fictional world and characters twice. I am about to start another major revision.

Why bother? Why not just abandon it as a learning experience and do something else? Because this morning, when I got up to make my coffee, God stopped me in the kitchen, just as he stopped me Friday morning on my way into work, and many other days in the past five years.

"Finish the book," spoke that soft, knowing in my soul.

Instantly I push back. "Is that really You, or just my subconscious desire to escape the drudgery of my daily routine into a fantasy of importance and self-fulfillment?"

Infinitely patient pause.

"Finish the book."

Panic surges. "Technically it is finished. I wrote 'The End.' Do you mean really finish it for publication, because I don't think anyone will like it and I know I don't have time to promote it. You know I'm barely managing all the other things I have to do."

"Just finish it. Trust Me."

So, I am going to finish it, if only to get the Creator of the Universe off my back.

God told me to do it.

Things I learned about Writing from Disney World

Winnie-the-Pooh  and me. We both like honey and trees.

My family and I recently returned from our first trip together to Disney World. It was awesome. Mid-January is a great time to go. The parks are not crowded at all. (Shhh! Don't tell anyone.)

Offerings to a Tibetan statue

It was torture, however, in that I did not have good wi-fi or 3G coverage, and so was basically cut off from the Internet. I also couldn't write, as travelling with kids and crowding into one hotel room doesn't leave much time for writing, let alone privacy. But I did have plenty of time to muse as we walked through the various parks and waited in line for rides.
 
What really impressed me was the power of the imaginary world created in each area of each park. I think it was most noticeable to me in the Animal Kingdom as we moved between Asia and Africa, and in the Magic Kingdom between Tomorrowland and Adventure Land.  I recalled from years ago that the rides had lots to keep you interested while you were waiting in line, but it seemed that things had gotten even more engaging since I was there last in 1995.

Perhaps this is because my work-addled brain was desperate for amusement, or perhaps it's because I look at everything now through the eyes of a writer.

What struck me over and over were three things:

Character
Plot
Setting

That is what drives each tale, each area, each ride. Tigger is bouncy, Pooh is sweet, Jack Sparrow raunchy and brave, C-3PO pompus and silly.

There are AT-AT's searching for rebel troops among the redwood forests of Endor. Immediately you have plot and setting. Just add a few troops and a young ewok, and there's your story.
Or in our case, a couple of young Jedi.

The last night we had dinner in the Norweigan Castle. I was in absolute Heaven!

We did not know that this was the"Princess Dinner." Belle, Cinderella, Aurora, Snow White and Ariel (minus fins) all found their way to the table. The boys were absolutely mortified and refused to have a picture taken with any of them.

I have to give Cinderella credit. She really tried to engage our two young princes.

"Will you help defend my castle?" she asked.

My son stared down at his plate. "I'm sorry. I have business with the Vikings. I can't."

THAT is the power of story, folks!

A Fresh Start

Whoa! It's January. How did THAT happen?

I am so very glad that 2011 is over, I can't even tell you. It was a way too depressing and frustrating year for me, especially in that while I did technically finish my novel, it is a long way from being in publishable form. It needs a ton of editing which I have not the heart to do, frankly, but am working my way up to it.

Things are always so much easier in the first draft. Which is probably why Nanowrimo is so popular.

But I am determined not to lose heart. My goal is to finish my novel and be ready to pitch it at the Lehigh Valley Writer's Conference this spring. May the agent I choose not fail to show up as she did last year. But that was good, because the book  wasn't ready.

Working full time really cuts into the whole creativity gig. As do migraines and a massive interactive online fiction obsession. I have done just about everything I can think of to do with my characters and I feel like I've written six books. Look at me, I'm J.R.R. Tolkein! 

Anyway, I need a new project. A fresh start. I have a vague idea of one. My goal this year is to FINISH "THE GOLDEN GRYPHON" for good. For better or worse, it needs to be done. Out of my life. Will Faldur and Marenya end up together? The world will never know if I don't wrap it up.

And to write at least two short stories. It's been a looooong time since I wrote a story.

What about you? What fresh starts - or overdue endings - do you have in mind for this year?

(The Mayans were just kidding, by the way. The world will not end so yes, you do need to pay your taxes. I'm just sayin'.)

In Defense of Mentors

My writer's group has been working through the Hero's Journey in our discussions. Last week we talked about the mentor character, and several people lamented that the Mentor always withholds essential information.

Having had some experience writing mentors lately, I have to step up and defend the mentors from unfair villification.

The mentor seems like he or she knows everything because he has to. After all, the secret to leadership is to act like you know what is going on at all times, even if you don't, but not to commit to anything unless you have good information. So, mentors come across as irriatating know-it-all's, but that is often not the case.

I feel sorry for the mentor, actually. Think of all the responsibility. Not just the burden for developing the hero from  hapless youth with unmet potential into a the defender of truth and goodness, but quite often the responsibility for keeping the whole realm from falling apart until he is ready to save it. Mentors must get very little sleep. Like anxious mothers, surely they hide their own fears until the wee hours of the night when no one else can see them weep and rail, then act like a wall of strength when the sun comes up or the monster awakens to threaten their young.

Mentors also get sacrificed in the middle of the plot, because the Hero has to do it by himself. So, off with Obi-Wan's head! Into the abyss with Gandalf! Thanks for everything, but your usefulness has ended and it is time to be replaced.

Sort of like the professional world, now that I think about it. (!)

Anyway... Be kind to Mentors. Remember that they, too, are struggling to fulfill their potential.

Heroes and Heroines, recall that one day soon you may well be in their shoes, and that you, too, might be cast into the abyss to make room for the next generation.

Sunday Snapshot

Okay, everyone, it's time for a Sunday Snapshot! Post the last paragraph or several lines of dialogue that you wrote.

It doesn't have to be perfect. It doesn't even have to be good. It just has to be yours.


Here's mine, written on the incredibly low-tech 3"x5" memo pad I found in my purse while sitting at the natural history museum waiting for my son yesterday.

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She left him dripping and went inside for a couple of beach towels from the laundry room off the kitchen.

Callan knows Velyan? What the hell is he doing here? Stalking me?  She came back out and handed the towels around the shower door.

"Come in the kitchen when you're ready."

"Thanks." His voice was low, rough. As if he didn't use it much.