Monday, February 15, 2010

Personal Gold

So we spent Saturday one hour away in Vancouver visiting friends in town for the Olympics. I'd assumed that today's post would be about the athletes & trying to be the best. Motivation, achievement, practice... Um, not at all.

The best part of Saturday was not the Olympic hubbub. It was seeing old friends. And the best part of seeing old friends was sitting in a hotel overlooking a park and having coffee and tea and talking and feeling comfortable and feeling a shared history and knowing that we were a group of four people hoping the best for one another.

What does that have to do with writing? I felt nourished, centered and focused. But then we drove away to this new place where we share history with no one.

I'm joining a writers group here and will be attending the northwest SCBWI conference this spring. I Skype weekly with my main crit partner & have met fantastic new readers through the blogosphere. That's doing the right thing. That feels good...

But I do want to remember the simple power of relationships. Those people who may not write but do believe in us. They're vital. My nieces get adamant about YA books I should read. My younger nephew and niece both suggest topics and characters. Friends listen. My partner gives me space. It's all part of the mix that helps me fill notebooks and gets me to my laptop. I'm grateful for everyone.

Some writers may be called to be isolated artists. No judgment. Very cool if that's what works. But people are for me.

And you?

Photo from one of this week's walks. Beneath where we're staying. Don't know what the red thing is. Bumps in the distance are the Canadian Cascades (I think).


Monday Meeting: Goals for the week of 2/15/10:

YA novel
  • Incorporate feedback from 3 new readers
  • Make timeline for conference submissions
Middle grade novel
  • Revise 2nd chapter and send to writing partner
  • Make timeline for conference submissions
YA novel #2
  • Add synopsis to computer
Strengthening the center
  • Meditate at beginning of day just before starting to write (I need to pay more attention to this...)
  • Two walks in nature

11 comments:

  1. I think it's pretty clear that I hate people.

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  2. Robert--every time we watch the Olympics, I tell the kids that it is very close to where you moved. Except that I'm really not that composed. I jump up and run over to the TV, and jab my finger at the map. "Right there, right there, Robert's there!" I yell. Or, maybe something right in between those two descriptions...

    Thanks for the nice session today. I hope I was helpful. This cold is clouding my brain. Good luck on centering yourself. You definitely live in the right place right now. Congrats on all the wonderful connections. I think that you aren't going with the flow, but are making it happen, after all.

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  3. Nice. This is a good reminder. I had a weekend where I reconnected a little with folks I needed to and you're right it feels very important. Thanks.

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  4. Sounds like the perfect weekend! I just emailed you my thoughts on your YA novel, I hope I did an okay job. Red thing or not, it's a beautiful shot. I wish I lived near a beach. Sometimes I like to be around people, but I also need alone time to rejuvenate. Sounds like you have a good balance. I admire people who can meditate.

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  5. Jonathan - I'll take you at your word... but you've got way too much incredibly cool energy to hate people. Refreshing skepticism perhaps...

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  6. Heather - Hope school vacation week is going well. Thanks for this morning's meeting. On making it happen... I still think my heart is a better driver than my head. Good things are happening, though.

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  7. Hi Tina - thanks, and if it feels important, than it is important, yeah?

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  8. Charlie - Thanks for the novel comments! Very helpful. Was in a cafe - where I emailed you from - then we drove a friend home who lives on an Indian reservation - part beautiful, part depressing, but I felt lucky to be there.

    Anyway, now I'm leaving for a movie & will email you tomorrow about comments. They're very helpful, btw. Thanks again!

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  9. Some beaches aren't worth living near.

    http://www.city-data.com/forum/attachments/michigan/35990d1234459931-saw-magnificent-lake-michigan-winter-yesterday-ludington-north-light-1.jpg

    Just saying.

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  10. WOW. From college, I do remember Lake Michigan in winter - ice twisted trees cracking in the wind, mini icebergs clunking... All that white, all that severity... good for writing, maybe? White like paper or the blank screen... a chill to the core that keeps one focused on what's essential (um, yeah, maybe warmth is the essential...)

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  11. Thanks for understanding my perspective...it got to 33 degrees today!!!

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