Writer Wednesday!

Today, you can view my interview at J.C. Martin's blog Fighter Writer! I'm so glad she agreed to interview me, and I hope you'll check out her blog! :)

Also, a HUGE thanks to everyone who helped critique my query!! You're help was much appreciated! :)

Query Revisited!

Okay. I revised my query and I got this:

Barren Reed, a pirate and notorious enemy of the government never thought searching the Orient for his father’s treasure could kill him. Though, the agonizing voices in his nightmares, pleading for his help should have been a clue.

Motivated to search for its whereabouts, Barren will uncover a bitter feud between his parents, and what he originally thought to be treasure, is actually a cursed device.  Barren’s mother, an Elf, skilled in the magic of dark arts, forged a gift for her lover, Jess. Suspecting him to be unfaithful, she warned him of a curse that would be enacted if he did not return to her. The curse would lead his family to face untimely deaths. Not heeding the warning, Jess retuned only once to bury the gift in the Elvish soil of Aurum, allowing the curse to corrupt and kill Barren’s kin slowly.

With his father already overcome by his mother’s curse, Barren’s wife, closest friend, and entire kin slowly being consumed by the evil device, he will stop at nothing to see this long-time feud end. There is only one problem—if Barren destroys his mother’s device, the curse will pass to him in its entirety, and kill him. Barren must make a choice—cease to exist himself, or watch his world waste away. 

Okay, suggestions? One thing I wasn't sure of was if the voice of my character was in here enough. I mean, I write from third person POV and have several characters who are at the forefront of this novel. I feel like this answers some questions posed last time. 

Any help is appreciated! :) 

I'm off to write an essay...blah!

QUERY HELP!

Okay everyone, I'd like your help! Over the Summer I posted my query so that my blogger friends could help me revise it. They were AMAZING! Then, I read From the Query to the Call by Elana Johnson and got this letter:

CUTLASS is a 117,201 word young adult fantasy novel.
Barren Reed, a pirate and notorious enemy of the government, never thought searching The Orient for his father's treasure could kill him.

For Barren, it isn’t greed that motivates his search for the treasure, but his nightmares, which seem to be telling him something vicious lies in place of Jess’s so-called “treasure”. His fears turn out to be correct when he discovers the treasure is cursed and may kill, not only his wife and closest friend, but his entire Elvish race. Barren must destroy the treasure before everyone dies, but there is one problem—the device cannot be destroyed without killing its assailant. Barren must make a choice—cease to exist himself, or watch his world waste away.

Please notify me if you are interested in reviewing my complete text. Thank you for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you.

 It has been my favorite so far, but I'm afraid it isn't captivating enough. My goal is to move from no responses to at least requests for partials.

I am frightened. I fear that because my book does not fit this very paranormal-romance themed YA trend, it will not be appealing to anyone.

I think those books, however, are marketed to girls, and that mine should be directed to boys--initially.I had a thought last night that it might be a more....plausible read for middle-grade (I'm not sure if it's entirely market- focused?). I don't study that market, however, so I don't know. Also, I don't feel like my book quite fits. Perhaps it is right in the middle of YA and MG?!

I don't know. :( But yesterday half of me lost hope entirely and the other half just wants to keep fighting.

So here is me fighting.

Critique? Please!

Dead Computer...

I have terrible news. My one month old computer died. :/ It won't be alive for a couple more weeks. I'm going to try as much as possible to get to everyone's stories and to do all my campaign challenges and blogfests. I PROMISE!!

It only died because my internet schedule is packed. Go figure!

Much love,

Ashley

Campaign Challenge!

Okay! I am actually proud of myself! I wrote this during class (along with another poem due at midnight). hehe. I'm not great at flash fiction, but I liked this! And I hope you do, too. Here were the rules for Rachel's first challenge:

Write a short story/flash fiction story in 200 words or less, excluding the title. It can be in any format, including a poem. Begin the story with the words, “Shadows crept across the wall”. These five words will be included in the word count. 

If you want to give yourself an added challenge (optional), do one or more of these:

• end the story with the words: "everything faded." (also included in the word count)

• include the word "orange" in the story

• write in the same genre you normally write

• make your story 200 words exactly!

Here is my entry. I used orange in my story, and wrote in the same genre I normally write. I could only get to 198 words! :/

This is about my favorite, Cove Rowell. You all probably know what he looks like, but here's a picture:

Now, here's the fiction:

Canice's Betrayal

Shadows crept across the wall. The sun was rising. Pieces of orange light peaked through the window. Cove sat on the edge of his bed, knowing today would be a day of death.

He had never seen this betrayal coming. His father had taught him to trust no one, that treason was punishable only by death. His father had lived by those words, and so would Cove.

Cove grasped his sword and headed up stairs, loneliness grasped at his heart—today the one he had trusted most would be put to death. He already had an explanation for the incident. On deck, he broke through the morning light—a halo of dawn surrounded him. His father turned to him, a smirk on his lips.

"Only a day to Maris."

Cove walked up to his father, the smirk faded from his face.

“All treason is punishable by death,” said Cove. “You made me Captain upon your betrayal. Now I take that title.”

Cove did not wait to hear his father's plea--he could see the guilt in his eyes.

The blood of his father was warm on his hands, and the man who taught him of treachery was dead.

Hope you liked that! :D 

<3 

It's Raining Questions!!

 My first Campaigner Challenge should be up sometime today...I'll have to do it when I can manage because I have class until 8 tonight, and a poem to write for class due by midnight. So...we'll see how this goes! :)

I was tagged in two (making a total of three) games of tag! yay!!
This time by lovelies Amber Clites and Cortney Pearson. These were great questions guys!

Here are Amber Clites  questions:

1.  Pantser or Planner?
I do not plan my books out...hate outlines!

2.  Favorite book, movie, and TV show?
That would be The Lord of the Rings, The Lord of the Rings, and New Girl.

3.  Would you rather have free Starbucks for five years or free itunes for life?
....man. Itunes. Starbucks is fattening.

4.  What inspires you more, music or visual (ie: photography, scenery, etc)?
Music.

5.  Are you also addicted to Pinterest?
No...I signed up and then everyone started following me and I was like...why????

6.  The question for the ages, Edward or Jacob?
Eww. I'll take Aladdin. :)

(Yes, I added the beard. See THIS POST for details)


7.  Would you rather be able to talk to animals or to be able to speak and understand any language?
Speak and understand any language!

8.  Would you rather be kidnapped by terrorists or abducted by aliens?
Aliens. Def Aliens.

9.  What is the genre(s) that you write for?
YA Fantasy!

10.  *Warning stolen question* If money were no object, where would your dream vacation take place?
Hehe. Idk if I answered this...umm. Probably Italy at the moment!

11.  Did you cry in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part two?  Was one of the times when Dumbledore asked Severus, "After all this time?" and Severus responded, "Always. "  And if not, are you sure you have a soul?
Bahaha. Best. Question. Ever.
Yeah, I try to hide my crying though.



Now, Cortney Pearson's  questions!

1. Plotter or pantser?
NO OUTLINES!!!

2. Who is your favorite character and why?
Cove. He's everything I want to be...except for a man. I don't want to be a man.

3. Name two things within arm's reach.
Aladdin and backpack.

4. If you could go back and do anything over again, what would it be?
Ehh. Nothing. I think everything happens for a reason!

5. Date with a celebrity--who would you pick?
Ben Barnes.

6. What is your favorite song?
Uhh. Don't have a favorite song, really. It all depends on my mood.

7. What genre do you write in?
GO YA FANTASY!!

8. What's your favorite thing to do other than write?
I'm boring at the moment and all I do outside of school work is write. Yep.

9. What's the coolest thing you've ever done?
Become a Gates Millennium Scholar. Go me!

10. Where is the coolest place you've ever been?
IRELAND. <3

11. What is your favorite quote?

Right now, this one: 

But I also like: "Beauty is genius; is higher, indeed, than genius, for it needs no explanation." Oscar Wilde.

Since I already tagged people, I'll set out a list of questions and whoever wants to answer them, may. You can comment or post on your own blog! Tell me if you answer them on your blog, I'd like to read them!

1. What is the most random question you've ever been asked?
2. What was your BEST Halloween Costume?
3. Do you like socks? I know people who are afraid of them!!
4. Do you get halfway through writing a book and then go, "Maybe I should feed my characters..."
5. Do you try and plan out what your future book cover will look like?
6. Are you afraid libraries are going to disappear with all these e-books?
7. Aside from writing, in what other ways are you creative?
8. Do you like 'ice-breakers' (not those mints, but those games you play in meetings/colleges/camps)? 
9. Did you cry all the way through the movie UP?
10.What is the best thing about the genre you write?
11. What's the worst thing about the genre you write?

Overview

Well, I'm attempting to take on full-time blogging. I realllly want to be more involved online with writers and I decided the only way to do it, is to comment, blog and get involved in blogfest contests and whatever else I can dive into.

Now, why isn't this easy? Well, anyone who has followed me knows I'm a college kid. I also graduate in May but must complete my 19 hour course load first! Which I will do, :)

Anyway. To get organized aside from my school planner:

I now have this:

This is my blog schedule. I actually set it up for March, and wrote everything I have to do for the rest of February in the margins. I'm so excited!

One my list of things to do are part of the Campaign over at Rachael's Blog.

Header image and thumbnail photograph by

 Hugh Lee and licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

 http://www.flickr.com/photos/sahlgoode/

K.T. Hanna over at The Scribble Muse has begun this awesome campaign to get people motivated to finish their goals. If you'd like to sign up, head over there and check this out!

My goals are as follows, but unofficial (only meaning, I may add to this).

• Come up with something cool for my "Blog Anniversary"!

• Edit my short story for Cove and Sara

• At least finish editing half of Flintlock (this will be about 200-250 pages)

• Finish all school work and related Graduation/Graduate things 

• Visit more blogs and plan more posts 

Yep. I made these super quick after an exam on Tuesday.These are all things I've been intending to get around to do, and have kind of accomplished some, but if I have this goal in mind and a support group, nothing's going to stop me!

I am also going to participate in the A-Z Challenge!!

My attempt at a theme are my characters/places. I might have to kinda tweak that a little considering I don't want to give a ton away!

Then there is the "Got Green?" Blog Hop!

You can stop by Mark Koopmans blog to learn more about it!

I hope this gives everyone some more awesome things to participate in! As for me, I'm off to study. Yay exams. :/

<3

Connecting to Characters

My friend posted this on my Facebook the other day and I thought I'd share it with everyone because I loved this quote.

Recently, I've been doing a lot of tests (Myers-Briggs and Strengths Quest). These are used for job searching. Basically you figure out what kind of person you are, what skills you possess based on how you answer questions. Some of my results weren't surprising. For instance, I was Futuristic. Other things did surprise me, though like being a Maximizer and a Strategic.

Maximizer means I am a leader, and Strategic says that I have a distinct way of thinking, a special perspective on the world at large. It says I see beyond complexity and always ask “What if this happened?” to navigate my way through things (A lot like writing works!). 

 One part of me is also called "The Giver" -- a person who looks out for everyone, but really has to work at setting aside time for themselves.

I started to think about which characters were like different parts of me. As writers, parts of us break off and form other characters. The other day I found myself wanting to be more like Cove than Barren. 


Barren is very caring, but he's also always worried about something. He doesn't really think the worst, but he always tries to predict as many scenarios as possible so he's not disappointed. 

Cove is always optimistic and always  seems to know where he's going and what's going to happen. He's a leader. 


At this point in my college career, I really want to be like Cove because I'm not sure what's going to happen. It was easy when I graduated from High School--I was going to go to college, everything would be okay for four years. That four years went by so quickly, I hardly remember most of it. Now I'm going through all sorts of scenarios trying to figure out how my decisions will impact my future...Graduate School? Library Science? Job Search? Career Field?...and I just want one decision (which I will end up making) that I'm optimistic and confident about. 


Then I realized, after contemplating what pieces of me make up both Barren and Cove, that I would be okay...because though I worry and come up with all these scenarios, I'm going to pick one. One that I'm going to be the most confident in...and in the end, I'm not going to know how all those other scenarios play out...maybe they would all lead me to the same place. 

So, Barren and Cove are only two of many characters trying to come together and be...me. 

At the moment, I'm applying to Graduate School for Library Science and Information Technology, looking to enter the job market, and editing my books. I'm excited. These past few months have been so confusing...but I think I finally figured out some things!

<3 

Is It Getting Hot In Here?

 ARGH! This was hard to choose. And, believe me, I'm not one for having a lot of kissy love scenes, but my favorite couple is Cove and Sara, so I knew I wanted to give you a scene from their story. Cove and Sara have that wonderful connection, the one where you just KNOW they are in love, you don't need all their kisses. This is the continuation of the previous post on EMOTION for the I'm Hearing Voices Blogfest. You can find that HERE!

      “After everything you would think that?” she asked. “We would talk of our futures, early into the morning, Cove! And you still thought I didn’t want to see you?" 

“If I had married, what would you have thought?” he asked. Sara wanted to respond, but she couldn’t say anything—she knew how she would feel. Hurt. Lost. Angry.

            “I heard of your engagement on the day I returned from sea. It was the worst news I had ever heard. You have no idea how I felt—no idea!”

            He was angry—the pain of her abandonment had built for so long. He barely let himself acknowledge how much it bothered him. Until now. Now, Sara was the one who would receive all his anger, and the only one who had his love.

            “You didn’t even try to explain! You avoided me every chance you got! And don’t say I never tried to speak to you—plenty of times I invited Ben to my home in hopes of seeing you and always you were ill, always you had some excuse! Do not say I never tried Sara! The whole time you stayed with him, you were miserable and I was left to wonder why. Why? When I had always loved you.”

            Sara stared at Cove for a long moment, her body shook with the knowledge of his adoration and love. She moved to close the gap between them quickly. Her lips touched his, he was lost. He pulled her to him, his fingers locked in her hair. His lips moved against hers clumsily but hungrily—so long, he had wished to taste the sweetness of her lips. She was warm; the fire of her body fueled her kiss, her passion.

There you have it. Maybe not as steamy as you'd hoped, but that's my type of love scene! lol.

Happy Valentines Day!!! :D

Origins Blogfest!

 DL Hammons, Alex J. Cavanaugh,  Katie Mills , and Matthew MacNish are hosting this awesome blogfest! I got to this last minute, but I felt like it was super cool and I wanted to be a part of it. I can't wait to read everyone's origins! 

Well, I’m pretty sure most of you know The Lord of the Rings motivated me to begin thinking of writing as something I could do for the rest of my life. But it began a lot earlier than that.

I guess I could start in the second grade when we were allowed to write stories for the school library. I’m not sure how many I wrote, but I know I loved doing it. I also got to illustrate them. It was a few years later (around the fifth grade) that I read and illustrated another story. I loved this one for some reason. I think because it was my own creation. It was about two princesses who were twins (I like twins, I’m a twin) who ate pie for breakfast and there was this evil witch who wanted them dead. Somehow they outwitted her, but I can’t remember how. 

Periodically after that I would pull out paper sit, staring at the page, wondering why I had pulled out paper in the first place. My body was telling me to write, but I wasn’t sure what I wanted to write. Usually, I just worked on handwriting (I had great handwriting then. I do not now). When I entered the eighth grade I had to begin essay writing. I dreaded it, but as it turned out, I was pretty good. My teacher even asked that I transfer to Honors. Christmastime came and I had to read 700 pages for my Reading Log so I went to the library. My friend had checked out the biggest book (it had to be the biggest book in that library) which was The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. I wanted it. It had a lot of pages. All that was left on the shelf was The Return of the King, but I knew my brother had The Two Towers at home. I decided to check out The Return of the King with the idea that I wouldn’t read The Fellowship of the Ring. Crazy? Yes. 

It was the best idea ever. I had a crazy obsession, but I had a new motivation. I wanted to write my own books and I finally knew what I wanted to write—Fantasy. I had a starting point and soon began to tap away on my computer. Night after night I wrote on a book, not really knowing what I was doing, but I figure I could learn from reading LotR, The Hobbit, Narnia, and other books I never knew existed until after LotR. I feel like sometimes I sound crazy because I attribute so much to this book, but without it, I’m not sure what would have happened. I will never know because it’s been nine years and I’m a writer. 

TAG! YOU'RE IT!

Elizabeth Seckman tagged me in a game of tag! So fun!


 Here were her questions:

1. Favorite Christmas present?
My boyfriend got me a kindle this year! I love it.

2. Cat person or dog person?
Dog! My Jaspy is in the sidebar. I wubs him. He's my mommy's dog, but he loves me, lol.
Here's some cuteness for you!

3. What's your biggest pet peeve?
When I can hear people chewing their food. Drives me crazy!

4. If you could hire only one...would it be a driver, cook, or house keeper?
Drive. I hate driving!

5. Date with a celebrity...who would you pick?
Ben Barnes...<3 He's all over my blog, but here's why I love him:

 Yay!! Prince Caspian!

6. Favorite drink?
Oolong Tea!

7. Favorite holiday and why?
Tough...I'd say Christmas because I love lights and decorations!

8. Scariest moment in life?
Umm. I'm not sure actually.

9. Kindle or paper book?
Both. If it's a really good book, I want a real book.

10. If you could only get one tv channel for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Uhh. Which ever one New Girl comes on.

11. If you could have only one...which would you pick...perfect weight for the rest of your life or 1 book on the best seller list?
1 book on the best seller list. Totally. I work out everyday already. lol.

Now, I'm going to tag 11 people, I think some new followers are perfect! That way, I'll get to know you all better!
Gina   - This Is Not Your Blog
Megan - Find Joy in the Journey
Clarissa Draper 
Jess - Write. Skate. Dream.
Emily Moir - Rantings of a Writer
Kelley Lynn - Between the Bookends
Rachel Mary Bean - Writing On The Wall
Leigh Covington 
Karina Lawrence - Silver Linings
Miranda Hardy 
Clare - Clare Dugmore Writes

Now, these are my questions for you guys!

1. Writing or reading, who is your favorite character and why?
2. What's your favorite color?
3. Your favorite book-to-movie movie? (lol).
4. Favorite book?
5. Do you have a pet? If so what kind and name.
6.Aside from writing, what's another hobby you enjoy?
7. Have you ever visited another country? If so, where did you go? 
8. Have you ever went sky diving or bungee jumped or something crazy like that?
9.What's one word you would use to describe yourself?
10. What is something you have to have on you at all times?
11. What's your favorite website? (Maybe writer's resources?)

Books We Love

I just found this blogfest today on Rebecca Kiel's  blog! It was so awesome, I went ahead an joined so I could tell everyone about the book I love. I'm sure you all know, but for some reason, I've been dying to read it again! Here we go:

Yes, I love The Lord of the Rings. And I cannot wait for The Hobbit to come out! The trailer looks so awesome. (You could argue The Hobbit is a part of The Lord of the Rings, making it a series!)

AHAHA!!!

Anyway, I love in books, when you can't pick your favorite character because you just love them all! That's how the Lord of the Rings is for me. I read them out of order, I don't know how I understood anything because I was like 13, but after that, my reading level was ridiculous and I couldn't read anything but classics and the like.

Was anyone else able to pick a favorite from LotR? Or do you like LotR? lol.

Oh, and also, I'm going to join Rachel Harris's  Platform Building Campaign! I'm really excited, and a bit overwhelmed. Recently, with my 19 hours of school, job search and all, I've been trying to blog way more than I have in the past. I think this will be a great way to connect with everyone and I'm super excited! Just hope I can keep up! yayayay!

<3

Ashley

I'm Hearing Voices Part 3!

First – THANK YOU to everyone who has stopped by my blog, and THANK YOU to everyone who has posted such wonderful pieces of their stories!! I’ve enjoyed all of them, and I hope you enjoyed mine! :D 

Now, first I thought I was going to do something with Sia and Aran, but I’d be giving too much away, I think, and I had really wanted to do something with my favorite characters, Cove and Sara. 

Here they are: 

 

Okay, here's our last challenge: 

February 10th - Friday - Emotion Flash Fiction: Emotion is the engine of a story. Pick an emotion and in a flash fiction piece of 250 words MAKE us feel it! We want to connect with your character. This will be a challenge in 250 words. 

I guess you could say my emotion was anger...maybe pain? Maybe pain can be a sub-category of anger? Lol.

            “How could you think I would want him?” asked Sara. Her voice startled him—she sounded angry.

            Cove looked at her. “You are going to marry him,” he said. “What else should I think?”

            “He asked my father, Cove,” his heart beat faster when he heard her say his name. “There was nothing I could do to protest. My father said I’d be stupid to resist his advances.”

            “You swore you would never let your father decide your marriage,” said Cove.

            “You weren’t there to care who I married,” said Sara, almost bitterly. “Your father came to dinner—my parents discussed our marriage. Canice said you weren’t the settling-down type. He said you had no desire to marry. I had no reason to wait for a man who did not love me.”

            Cove stood at that moment.

            “And you believed that?” he spat rage.

            “What was I supposed to think? You didn’t come back for a month and never came to see me after.”

            “You were engaged, Sara! It wouldn’t have been appropriate and as far as I knew, you had no desire to see me anymore. If I had married, what would you have thought?” he asked. Sara wanted to respond, but she couldn’t say anything—she knew how she would feel. Hurt. Lost. Angry.

            “I heard of your engagement on the day I returned from sea. It was the worst news I had ever heard. You have no idea how I felt—no idea!”

P.S. After reading others, I realized, I failed at this. LOL. 

I'm Hearing Voices Blogfest! ..Part 2!

February 8th - Wednesday - Dialogue Introduction: Have two characters introduce each other using only dialogue—no backstory, no internalization, just dialogue between the two. Max 250 words.

This was tough! I thought I was going to give you something from Cutlass, but it seemed easier to give you something from my WIP, and that way, I wouldn't be giving anything away! Here you go! 

“Should I introduce myself?”

“I know you—Prince Aran. You are here to kill me.”

“I see my brother has already told you of me.”

“Since you’ve been trained to kill me, I gather I have no need to introduce myself,” replied Sia.

“Indeed,” said Aran. “I would know the woman who struck fear into the hearts of my people.”

“Your people? Have you no recollection of what your father did to my people? Do you know how many of my people are left on this Earth? There is only me! One, because of your people!

“My people did not make the decision to kill the Arethia!”

“Some of them did, and all of them must pay,” said Sia. “You call me Soulless, your father raises his son to be my assassin and yet you do not stop and think about the ruthlessness of your father or the soldiers who massacred my people!”

“So why aren’t you trying to kill my father, the one who organized it?” hissed Aran.

“I will have his head,” snapped Sia. “But would you expect to live quietly if your entire race was taken from you?”

“No,” replied Aran. “And I won’t stand by and watch you kill innocent people—my people.”

“You think those people will bow to you? The middle child? Notice how cleverly your father raised his children—Caiseal, the youngest, sent to kill me. Sent to his death! And you, raised to be my equal, raised to be sent to his death.”

That's it! Don't forget to check out Angie and Cassie Mae's blog for their own blogfest posts, and a completely list of the participants! Everyone is so awesome! 

I'm Hearing Voices Blogfest!

I wasn't sure what the 250 word limit meant--like 250 word limit per question or for the whole thing, so I decided it was for the whole thing. lol. Here it goes, this was hard to write because this is an evil character. 

Characters on the couch: Have one of your characters answer the following questions (to make this work to your benefit, choose a character who is the hardest for you to write :) Max 250 words (Not including the questions—only the answers).


**This Character's name is Dominique Esquivel

1.          What is your biggest vulnerability? Do others know this or is it a secret?

a.       I have no vulnerabilities. I watched my father kill my mother and then he abandoned me so that he may pursue a life of piracy. I became immune to human emotion, fearless, and careless. Humanity deserves death; therefore, I do not fear death.

My lack of vulnerability is more the secret. Being mortal, being man, it is assumed I would possess such…vulnerability naturally. Men die by my hands learning I have none.

2.          What do people believe about you that is false?

a.       That I am a respectable man. Appearances are everything—men and women look at me and expect I am of superior birth. They take refuge in this false belief, and I can manipulate them at my will.

3.          What would your best friend say is your fatal flaw? Why?

a.       I have no friend or a flaw. Perhaps, if I had a friend, he would say I was too lenient in the punishment of my father—and at my age of desertion, I would have agreed, but I have plans for my father before his death at my hands.

4.          What would the same friend say is your one redeeming quality? Why?

a.       Redeeming quality? I’m sure by now you have no though in your mind that I have a redeemable quality.

5.          What do you want most? What will you do to get it?

a.       I want my father dead, but like I said, I have plans for him to accomplish a larger means...I have a precise plan for him. He won’t see his death coming.

**sorry for the typos guys! I knew I had to save this under an automatic post or it would have been 9pm before it got posted!

Also, make sure you check out everyone else's blogfest posts! You can go to Angie and Cassie Mae's blogs to find a list of names who also entered the blogfest and read some AWESOME interviews!

Insecure Write Support Group

Today, I want to talk about language. I brought this up in a previous post, but I thought it seemed like such an insecure thing, that I wanted to dedicate this post to it.

Tell me the difference in tone in these two sentences:

1. "I am a writer"
2. "I want to be a writer"

Did ya guess?

One sounds a little less confident, right?

Here's a little background: Writer number one and two are both writers. Number two doesn't associate her writing with 'being a writer' she associates 'being a writer' with publication. Therefore, she sounds insecure.

Writer number two is me. Isn't it interesting that you aren't considered a legitimate writer most of the time because you're not published? Now, in a writing community, we're all treated equal. In the world out there, however, you're not taken seriously until you can say, "I'm getting published" or "I AM published!"

The only comparison I can think of is this: Relationships. Yes, relationships. A few of my friends have been in longer relationships. I will never catch up to their time because as the years go by, the years they are together gets longer. They will always say, "Oh, you'll learn, you haven't been together long enough." My question is, when exactly are we going to be together long enough to be accepted as a legitimate couple? See, their idea is, all relationships experience the same stresses. I disagree.

This is the same with writing when you face society. First, you're not legitimate until you're published. Once I'm published I won't be good unless I make a lot of money at it. Then, if I don't, my career choice will be considered a failure. This is to society, keep in mind.

But to me, as with my relationship, they don't have to be like everyone else's career or relationship. I want to write because I love it. I AM a writer because that's what I want to be. And my boyfriend is not like everyone else's boyfriend.

So, what am I trying to say after all this? Well, I'm going to become proactive in attempting to say "I am a writer" when I'm telling people about my career choice. In fact, I started my career 9 years ago. I think I'm legitimate enough!