Be Better / Happenings In The Outhouse 26-June-2020

My heart hurts.

A few weeks ago, I stayed off of social media completely for an entire day.  It felt so good to do so.  All I see are negativity and to completely stay away from it was heavenly.

Of course everyone seems to view their opinion as correct and not hateful.  It's always the other side.  Let me speak to them for a moment.  Please take a step back and be honest with yourself.  What do you hate?

I have lived through many Presidencies in the United States, and I have NEVER in my life seen such hatred toward our current President.  Yet these same people who HATE him preach that we shouldn't hate people who are different than them.

Hypocrites.

And, of course, these hateful people are the ones who seem to dominate social media and the news outlets.

Wipe the slate clean.  Learn to be better.  Toward everyone.

Yes.  I said it.  Be better.

First completed story of 2020 / Happenings In The Outhouse 19-June-2020

2019 was abysmal for writing/publishing.  I published a short story in May and then a novelette August.

2020 hasn't been much better, as I charge ahead with so many new normals it's making my head spin.  But, as of this past Sunday, I completed a short story.  It's around 5,000 words and my plan is to submit it to the Writers of the Future contest.

The story has an interesting genesis.  My youngest daughter was looking for this drawstring bag, getting a little frantic as she couldn't find it, and then she found it near where she was looking--albeit beneath a small pile of clothes.

We had a conversation about it afterward . . . and, well, not to spoil anything but needless to say this story appeared, nearly fully formed.

I also dedicated the story to her too.

Not everything needs an explanation / Happenings In The Outhouse 12-June-2020

Writing a decent story means, at times, that you may be walking a fine line between a well-paced story and one that drags.  Well-paced doesn't necessarily mean fast-paced.  Have you ever read a book or watched a movie/TV show where you found it difficult to stop?

That's good pacing.  And the best ones blends fast and slow pacing very well.  It would do you well to study how it was done.

A few weeks ago, I decided to watch all eleven Star Wars movies back-to-back, in chronological order by the events in the movies, not the release dates.  I started with the three prequels, then Solo and Rogue One, and of course the original trilogy and finished off with the sequel trilogy  Now, before you ask, I didn't watch them straight through without any sleep.  Lord no!  But it was interesting how quickly I moved through the first movies--including the prequels--and by the time I got to the final sequel movies, I found it difficult to watch for too long.  In fact, it took longer to watch the final trilogy than the others.

Then I discovered why.  Pacing.

Even Rogue One and Solo didn't suffer from a pacing problem.

If you view the sequel trilogy, there is a problem with the characters having to explain EVERYTHING.  True, there was some explanation in Phantom with the whole midichlorian thing when it came to the Jedi and Sith, but it was done quickly, in passing, and then we moved along--well, some were upset by it and still are to this day.

Remember.  Not everything needs to be explained.  And mindless banter just for the sake of banter only drags the story along.  Not that dialogue needs to be eliminated.  If you want a lesson on dialogue, read anything by J. D. Salinger.  Especially his other stories.

Watch one of your favorite movies or read one of your favorite books.  I can almost guarantee you that the pace of the story doesn't suffer.  Events don't always have to be explained in great detail.  Even Tolkien didn't explain a lot of the events in Lord of the Rings.  Neither does Rowling and George R. R. Martin, when it comes to their worlds.

Please leave something for the imagination.

I Get To Write / Happenings In The Outhouse 05-June-2020

I'm lucky.  I feel blessed.  I get to write.  I don't sit down daily and say, "Well, I have to write."  The "have" sounds like something I'm dreading to do.  Nope, I sit and say, "Yes, I get to write."  See the difference?

Writing is something I love to do.

Some people love to tinker on old cars.  Some love to put their woodworking skills to good use.  Some love to read.  Some love to talk.  Some love to sew.  Some love to care for children.

Be grateful for what you have.  Others may not be so blessed.

Whenever you're starting something, change your mindset from "I have to . . ." to "I get to . . ."