White Space

I just finished a post on Gary and my dance blog entitled white space; specifically, the space between notes in music or the space between dance steps, and how both are not empty, but meaningful and profound.

Then, as often happens, I contemplated about how white space applies to other art forms. Since I draw, I’m acutely aware that sometimes too much going on can ruin a painting; there has to be “white spaces” in order for what’s important to stand out and to give the viewer resting places.

My thoughts drifted to writing. Stories need “white spaces” too. All conversation or action scenes can be tiring. Conversly, too much description is sometimes boring.

If action and conversation are the notes, then perhaps settings and explanations are the peaceful white spaces in between. The trick is knowing where to put them in, and sometimes, when to take them out.

And understanding that one person’s white space will always be another’s yawn. :-)

Whazzup?

I really like wazzup, as in hey dude, wazzup? I also like meh. It totally captures that lackadaisical feeling, as in how are you doing….meh. For me, slang is the embodiment of language’s fluidity. And English is one of the most fluid languages ever. And weird and odd.

As a comic once said, why do we park on a driveway and drive on a parkway? Why put a comma before “too” at the end of a sentence but not after “also?” (Although the “too” rule has changed in some people's mind…the last editor I had said I could do either way but I must choose. Another example of fluidity.)

I’m reading a book that is fascinating but probably one of the most pompous I’ve ever encountered, so I will not be naming it. The author traces the history of words and how they’ve changed over the years. That’s the fascinating part. The not so great part is his belief, stated strongly and often, is that some words are better than others, and when in doubt use a fancy one.

I don’t agree. When I hear someone using a “fancy” word it’s almost as if that person is looking around to see if I “got” that it was fancy. Inside I’m thinking yeah, I heard it, yeah you’re smart, and do you want me to ask what that word means so you can explain it to me?

This author thinks writers should do the fancy. I disagree even MORE with that. In my opinion, a writer’s job is to take the reader somewhere else. If a reader is forever puzzling over a word that takes him or her out of the story that’s not good. As a reader myself, an interesting word now and then is fun. A skillful writer can use the word in context so the reader can figure it out. But more than a few and my attention wanders.

I try not to do this and I never mean to, but I’ve been admonished for using a word someone might not know and I’m glad my editors pointed it out. After all, I’m writing for my readers as much as for me. And I don’t want them to say huh? or worse, feel stupid because they don’t know the word.

I don’t celebrate illiteracy, but I also don’t laud the reverse. If I’m choosing, I’d much rather spend time with an interesting person with a 6th grade education that a PhD with a case of intellectual snobbery.

But in the end, I guess that’s what makes people so fascinating. After all, that author I’m reading would make a great character. I might have to kill him off in the first chapter, though. :-)

Doin’ The Happy

Maybe not “doin’” lately. Attempting.

I’ve written several posts about being happy and what it takes to choose this state. This particular post is about tests. Life tests. And how that impacts one’s happiness.

My husband Gary has been going through some trying times; in short, he just left a terrible working environment for greener pastures. It’s been, to say the least, a stressful time. And although I don’t pretend for a minute to have gone through anything close to what he endured, I suffered right along with him. There is something very horrible about watching a loved one in pain.

My happy quotient took a nose dive. Nothing seemed as bright or shiny. Nonetheless, Gary and I still managed to do things we enjoyed and we didn’t let it affect our relationship.

It did, unfortunately, severely affect my writing. I know there are many who write best during sad or angst-filled moments. I am not one of those. I need peace, a beautiful space, and happiness in order to create. I did write a bit, but my heart was elsewhere.

But…if writing is my career you Just Do It no matter what. Easier said than done if your career is based in artistic expression. What I decided to do to move myself forward in housekeeping. I researched new markets. I did some individual marketing. And I at least contemplated my new book and made some decisions about that. As the expression goes, life happens. If you are a writer, you have to develop solutions that keep you in the game no matter what the universe throws at you.

The good thing is all your experiences, both good and bad, can be fodder for stories. Maybe I will never use this exact event, but the pain I saw my husband go through I will never forget, and will translate, I hope, into authenticity the next sorrowful scene I write.

Being able to connect with humanity is what writing is all about. In this case “connecting” was very painful. But I came out the other side stronger than ever. And hope, strength, and optimism are things I always put into my stories.

Indiana Authors & Illustrators

Another quick marketing post. Don't know if all states have them, but Indiana has a website for their children's authors. Since I've written several YA books I wrote and asked if I could be listed, and after filling out a form they posted my books.

Here I am. :-)

http://childrensauthors.in.gov/index.php?page=madden,%20kelly

Also a great place to find fellow writers close by.

I've been doing a lot of marketing research lately and I thought I'd give a shout out to, in my opinion, the BEST place a writer can go to find publishers, agents, and advice. This site states very clearly who are the bad guys and the good guys. Wow. A place that actually looks after writers. It's free too. When I make it big they will be getting a donation from me.

My only wish is that the listings would be done by genre, but you can still find what you need by trolling through, letter by letter.

http://pred-ed.com/pubagent.htm

Hyacinths For The Soul

If of thy mortal goods thou art bereft,
And from thy slender store two loaves alone to thee are left,
Sell one, and with the dole
Buy hyacinths to feed thy soul.

Moslih Eddin Saadi, Gulistan (Garden of Roses)

This poem is a favorite of my mom’s, and I love it as much as she does. To me it means humans not only crave beauty, we need it to survive as much as food and water.

I’m reminded of a story I read about women in refugee camps. What did they want almost immediately after being fed? Lipstick. I don’t think that desire is frivolous. They wanted a small bit of glamour in the midst of terror and chaos. Beauty, after all, is a marker of our humanity.

Today I was one of the millions watching the royal wedding. I know there are contradicting opinions on the validity of royalty, but for me, this wedding was a hyacinth.

The setting was breathtaking. William and Katherine were the very essence of romance as they walked down a tree-lined red carpet. When the angelic voices of young boys serenaded them with a centuries old chant, my eyes filled with tears. As a writer, suddenly the images of Arwen and Aragon flashed into my head. I realized where Tolkein must have gotten some of his breathtaking imagery. His iconic settings were likely inspired from the lush English countryside and historic events like the one I observed today.

And books are certainly hyacinths for the soul.

In times where beauty can be rare and where many suffer, hyacinths are more important than ever. Yes, the wedding was expensive; so was our presidential inauguration. There are other expensive and controversial pursuits, such as space missions, the world-wide maintenance of historical sites and museums, and the Olympics. I believe all of these are hyacinths. They are examples of humans at their very best.

But perhaps more importantly, they give us hope that there will be a future for humanity, one filled with more hyacinths that we can possibly imagine.

Writers and Cats

I know it's a stereotype, but this site is so cute I couldn't help it. :-)

http://writersandkitties.tumblr.com/