4th of July - Making the Memories Count in Your Writing

Cleaning up after the big day!

Are you?

After you're finished, get to work writing! You know you're just aching to talk about what your grand-daughter said, or explain how your main character may just eat chicken just like your nephew.



I always find it interesting (and I feel quite blessed by the way) to be able to use the people I love in the stories I write. Sure, I may use just bits and pieces of them but my life and those whom I love make up a great portion of what I write.

How about you?

When was the last time you really looked at a holiday such as the 4th of July, and really let it speak to you? Maybe the scene translated into a non-fiction story or a chapter in a book. Perhaps you decided to look at your husband, or daughter, or granddaughter, and really get into the heart of the matter.

Characters are real people after all, not just cut-outs of our favorite people. They have feelings and issues, and ways of speaking, and ways of dressing. They have things they like and hate, and places they want to visit.

Why not use the 4th to get your next book going?

Stand for Something or Fall for Anything

Last night I had the opportunity to say these famous words, at least famous in my own eyes.

"If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything." Peter Marshall



I love this quote, not only because it's true, but because it makes me think about what I'm standing for. When it comes to my writing do I expect the best from myself?

No, I don't need to be perfect, but I need to stand for what's true in myself as I write.

I don't write what's popular just because it is, or use phraseology that appears to be the 'norm'. I stand for something. I have discovered that there's always a niche who enjoy what I write and appreciate the clean language that I deliver.

A big part of the reason I've gone out on my own is that I'm not pressured into taking out or putting in what someone else thinks is important. Sure, it's always great to hear and sometimes take another's advice, but I feel I need to stand for something when it comes to my writing.

Who else will?

Consider for a moment, writing goals. Without writing goals, a writer may find that they're spending their time on other less worthy pursuits. Without some sort of writing direction, an outline if you will, a writer may find their dream has fallen from their grasp.

What do you stand for? Write it down. Post it somewhere where you'll see it daily. And stick to it.

Eating Chocolate Cheerios: Writing What You Love Even if Others Don't Like It

This morning I decided on one of my favorite cereals for breakfast: chocolate Cheerios. At the same time, I began talking about my writing to my daughter, and the talk evolved into those who
don't appreciate what I write.

(No, these are not chocolate, but they are good)

Quite frankly, I started in on a person I know of who doesn't like my books. This person has never said she doesn't like them, but I 'feel' it every time the subject comes up; sort of a wave of frozen ice and steel.

She hasn't bought one of my books and she has never said why, but I have a sneaking suspicion it's because I've self-published. What book out there that's self-published can be any good, right?

And it made me think of Cheerios. Not everyone likes Cheerios, and not everyone likes chocolate Cheerios, although I think they're pretty good. I buy them and eat them first next to Life cereal. If someone were to walk up to me today and tell me that they couldn't stand the stuff, I would keep eating them anyway.

It's just their opinion after all, and why should I get upset over someone else's opinion?

In the writing life, as in boxed cereal, the time will come when someone will not like your work. They may have never even read it. They may have never even glanced at it, but they will be firm in their opinion that it really isn't any good so why bother?

And when that day comes, I hope you will take your favorite cereal from the cupboard, pour that ice-cold milk, and distribute yummy bananas all over it, because that's what I did.

And you know what?

I feel so much better.

Writing What You Love

Since we're at the tale end of February, and along with it Valentine's Day, I wanted to put in an arrow or two for writing what you love.

Years ago, when I first began writing, it appeared that I had to write certain genre's so that my career would take off. Romance was a big deal then, maybe even more so then than it is now; even westerns were peeking out from behind the covers.

But I didn't want to write romance and I didn't want to write westerns.



I wanted to write real life stuff, or at least, as real life as I could make it. I wanted to write a mainstream novel; something many would read.

Ultimately, I wanted my first book to be on the best-seller list, whatever best-seller list that was.

Now I know better.

It took some nudging, but after a few years I realized that I needed to write what I loved, and even, what I read. I also believed that I needed to write what I knew.

And though I still believe this last scenario to some extent, the writer in me is happy to go online to retrieve information not currently stored in my brain. And so, although my settings are either places where I've lived or places I've vacationed, I still do that needed research, as we all should if we want our book to be as authentic as possible.


Writing what you love is sort of like going on vacation anyway. You prepare all of the needed items like research, a computer, your brain flowing with ideas, an outline, and whatever else you believe you'll need, into the suitcase called "My New Novel," and get ready to move forward.

Have a glorious time!

Kathryn