Annual Celebrations

So, an hour before I officially begin my 49th year, I have decided to post this miscellaneous blog entry. Maybe I should say “Random entry”. Or, “Rambling”. (Dang, I wish I could keep those straight. XD)

What is it about celebrating an annual event? Could it be our need to know how much real time has gone by? How long one has enjoyed, or maybe endured, as one view differs from others, a particular union?

Now, don’t get me wrong: I get excited when the calendar shows one of the myriad of events, even some with which I disagree the base reason for (mainly the professed religious happenings). I look forward to telling someone else of my personal celebrations (like “Today’s my Birthday!”), and join in the acknowledgement of their admitted dates of note, even if internally I would rather offer condolences or sympathy (marriage, children).

Again, don’t take that wrong- I love kids. Even had a hand in making one. ONE. However, I feel the world is extremely overcrowded. The current incidents on display on the news channels (As in TV. I know some still get their information this way. I know it) or posted on multitudes of different websites shows the general public is, for lack of a better cliché, well on the way to hell in a hand basket. And the basket gets to come back to get more.

However, most everyone looks forward to their own personal celebrations every year. From New Years ("What was your Resolution?" To slap down the idea that most people could follow through with one all year long. Had they wanted it so, it would already be so. Maybe.) through to the next New Years' Eve. All the dates which spark excitement or regret are marked, watched for, and anticipated. On the particular day, they may be heard saying, "It's just another day." If that's true, why is it marked, watched, and anticipated?

I wonder if anyone has delved into what began these rituals? (If the pondering is too much, head on over to Google and type in the celebration concerning you and see what you get.) Probably. Not I, though. No, not I. I just like to hypothesize. Even make up my own little stories to explain them. I am a fiction writer, after all. No one said I had to be exactly correct. I think the corresponding phrase is, “Poetic License”, even though it ain’t poetry.

I’ll sign off now. Hopefully, I have given someone else the thought. I just hope it doesn’t drive them mad thinking about it, or they might get mad.

Until Later, from the deepest part of my mind- That part which has been emptiest longest. It’s where most of the inane, inconsequential nonsense usually ends up.

…and, as I say on my other blog, “Write On!”

Wondering How…

 

Well, well, hole in the ground. Deep subject for such a shallow mind.

It has been a really long time since I have graced this blog with an update. I guess you could say I’m keeping with a sort of tradition here, but I have posted to my other blog, on average, at least once a month since initiating it around the same time as the last one here. {Having just reviewed, I find that most have been more than that. Except last month.}

That said, let’s ahead with the reason I am here today:

Last night, I tried to put some words down to continue on my Barbarian book. A group is in route to the Ruler of the Kingdoms to be offered the quest of rescuing his daughter from the bad guy.

I opened the program, pulled the proper document, fingers poised at the keyboard… nothing. I re-read what I already had, went back a chapter, tried again. Nope. So, I closed that, opened my Sci-Fi story (No relation to the Sc-Fi poem posted earlier here)… still a blank.

I closed the program, slightly flustered, and pulled out my sketch pad. No idea what I intended to try to draw (if one could consider what ends up on the page a drawing), but just wanted something creative to happen. I did get a couple of things down, and even looked somewhat discernable.

Then, I got out my “character sheet” of something still in the extreme idea section of works; a prequel, if you will, of “The Barbarian”. I am still in need of naming many of the wizards, as well as their respective assistants and the kings of each Kingdom. ((In “Barbarian”, the Twelve Kingdoms are under one ruler, but in this prequel, they are all independent.)) I realized I need a name generator. There are many options, of course, but I did not have my web browser open last night.

To make a long story short (too late!), I figured I have a little thing called writers block. I’ve heard horror stories about some who have had it for years, some who’ve never experienced such a thing. Perhaps it is a malady only reserved for those who lack the self-confidence in their works. I know I have often said that if there were someone next to me egging me on to get more written for them to read… But that’s neither here nor there. What to do about the present situation?

There are as many solutions offered as there are people to offer them. I know I have posted at least once somewhere that one helper is to do some “free writing”. In fact, I have posted some right here on this blog. (Look for “Recent Ramblings”)

In other words, if you, too, are having difficulties getting your writing done, or even getting motivated to do whatever it is that thrills you, you are not alone. Not only have real people, even famous people, as well as ones who have made a fortune helping others lift the fog of indecision and (perhaps) feelings of coming up short on the acceptance chart, been through some sort of the same thing, but there are loads of others who feel that way right now.

So, just try to put something down if you write, scribble a doodle if you draw, drive a bunch of nail into a random piece of wood if you build. Whatever you can think of to just do something. Who knows? Maybe the distraction could be your greatest concept…

 

Wishing you the best, and hoping you wish the same for me!

So, here we are in 2013. A brand new year, with brand new opportunities to try to accomplish all that we dream of. Right? WRITE??

Okay, I am still proving my inefficiency with keeping current with blogging, as well as Twitter, Facebook... Some may say, "At least you are consistent with the inconsistency." 

I have been wondering, and thinking about asking someone, about "Guest Blogging". Having someone come onto my blog and posting. I wonder if it would get more traffic, at least temporarily, to visit. Maybe some would comment, not only on the guest post, but give some of my others a read and let me know their opinions.
 I guess, reality would be whether or not I actually want opinions like that. I mean, I started this blog out as a platform to get 'me' out there; to introduce myself as a new and aspiring writer. I guess, after a year or so of irregular posts, very few views and even less comments, I just began posting nonsense. Just to have something to post.

So, I got an email today. An offer of a guest post. I really want to go ahead and accept, have the guest post and link to drive more traffic and maybe get noticed. But then I realize that it could really get me noticed. I mean there would have to be at least some who would follow the link and see his post, and, naturally, glance at some of my previous posts. What a conundrum: Do I or don't I really want people to read what I have posted here? Should I make a completely different blog site wherein I post only my writings (none of which have been published, let alone finished) and get a guest post on that one? Decisions, decisions...

I'll give it some thought, hope someone gives an opinion, and come up with an answer; hopefully soon. Until then, dear reader(s), auf wiedersehen.

Back Home Again

Well, we have been gone from home a little more than a week, but are now back. There was a gathering of family, my Ma’s Sister’s to be exact, that we had been invited to. We travelled to Otwell, AR, just outside of Jonesboro, and there, through the week, arrived about 37 others to feast and congregate. I must say, being a loner and preferring time alone, it turned out being almost overwhelming. I had the privilege of meeting some people I had not known before, and met others that, so I’m told, I knew when I was very young. To my mind, most all were new faces. Names and relations got passed along, some I could remember, others not so much. Sometimes my memory, or lack thereof, really causes me embarrassment. So, in the 8 days there, I was convinced to eat much more than I am usually comfortable with, met with more people than I can remember meeting in such a short period, and had the opportunity to play with some young cousins (probably more than I should have, given my back problems). In all, I must say it was an experience. Yea, that’s a good word for it.

Something New

I am trying out a new Windows program called “Windows Live Writer”. It is, or so it says, made to enhance blog posts. Also, one can post pictures and videos through the same program. We shall see…

 

Hickory dickory dock, someone knock off my block...

Howdy all! The current time is 1:25 AM, just one week before Halloween. This will be my second here in glorious Grenada, MS. Can you feel my excitement...(yawn). 

Well, as of my last post, I did get the Barbarian story submitted, and my instructor seems to have liked it. I sent him 1933 words, and after the suggested changes, it edited to 1963 words. I would love to post it here for anyone who happens by to enjoy and/or comment on, but if I hope to submit it for publication in a magazine, it has to be virgin material. I can, however, offer it up to any who comment and leave me their email address. For free. Yes, you heard me: FREE!!!! I just need more people to read  (and hopefully like) some of my stuff. Who knows; maybe an influential person will want to see more and ask for other stuff I've penned.   It could happen...

I am now in process of writing the next part of "The Barbarian" (tentative title) for Assignment 9. It will be up to 3000 words as well, and I am one third the way there. It is due by the middle of November, so I cannot take too long on it.

Anyway, I'll leave it at that. I'll try to "Tweet" the link again tomorrow. Let us see if I get more views and maybe some comments. If this is your first visit, please read other posts, and let me know what you think, even if you think I'm the stupidest blogger around. 

Fear, anyone?

Yes, it has been a while. I admit, as I have said before, I am not real good at this blogging thing, nor with Twitter, Facebook, MySpace... Should I go on? Nay, I digress. 

This post is on fear. Some people deny having any kind of fear in their lives. Most, however, admit to at least one kind or other. But the fear I am talking of is the purely unjustified kind. Irrational. Unfounded. Phobic, even.
I, myself, have many such, but the one foremost in existence right now is " fear of rejection". Allow me to explain:
As some may already know, I have two stories in process; a Fantasy/Adventure called "Barbarian Tales" and a Science Fiction called "Challenge of The Velah". In both, I have just over 13,000 words, and most who have read them state they are quite good. Now, I do not flatter myself by saying they would be 'Best Seller' material as-is. 
Problem is, I have stalled out on both of them. I know kind of where I want them to go, and popular suggestions are that the word count should total, at the very least, 50,000 words or more to achieve novel length. (Okay, there is another fear; Inadequacy) When I first learned this, I felt overwhelmed. I thought I did well getting the word count I had, and then I find I am less than one third through. Wow.
I have gotten hold of one of Robert E. Howard's "Conan" books, and through trial and error copy-and-paste, found it had some 21,000 words. Now, I realize his works were made, what, seventy-five years ago? More or less. Plus or minus. So, I am left to wonder: are times really that much different? "Well, yeah," you might say. "I mean, movies back then were maybe an hour long. The folks in today's world have the need for more information." And yet, a lot of the writing advice I see tells one to edit, condense, not over explain so as to give the reader a chance to discover some things for themselves. So, how does one get so many words and please the "writing suggestions" of those who are supposed to be helping? 
Again, I digress. We're talking about fear here. What I have come to suspect is that I have subconsciously halted my writing. Perhaps my brain (yes, both brain cells, when they are not playing 'superconductor) figures that as long as the work is not finished, I will not have to submit it, therefor evading the inevitable "Sorry, we are not interested at this time" response. 
I have always battled the rejection fear, and have dealt with so much rejection in my life that I should be used to it. So why the fear? I mean, no one goes through life being consistently accepted and never rejected. Everyone has been rejected at least once. (HA! At least one hundred times would be an understatement) So, again, why the fear? 
I have a few short works that I have tried submitting to online magazines. I have been rejected each time. No explanation, just refused. No encouragement to revise and resubmit. I hear tell that there are some rejection notices which offer advice on what needs changed, or why the piece was rejected. This remains to be seen as far as my experiences. Yes, I understand the hundreds, even thousands of items pass through a given submission desk and there is no feasible way for all of the rejected items to be analyzed and commented on. Hopefully, one day someone will look at some of my writings and tell me exactly what I am doing wrong. Or what I can do do finally get a work accepted. 
Well, I will leave you with that for now. I am still hoping to post more often, but I figure that as long as I am, apparently, the only one visiting this blog, all is for my eyes only. Looking at my stats, I have one subscriber, and two people commenting on what I put here. Kind of like my website, www.johntmherres.com for the most part only has comments from family and people I know. How I would love to see a favorable comment from someone I have never met, or asked to visit. Hell, I'd even welcome constructive criticism from a stranger. Oh, well. I guess if it is meant to be, it will happen. 

Peace! Till Later; enjoy what life has to offer.