Why EF Jace Writes

I met EF Jace over at AQC.  So now EF is welcome as a guest on The Write Time where she will let us all know why she writes. 

Why do I write?

Why, is there some alternative I haven't been told of yet? Writing, I have found, is the only outlet for the creativity and sometimes flat out weirdness that my muse insists on vomiting forth when she gets drunk on my imagination. I mean, yeah, most fantasy writers will say that they love to immerse themselves in an alternate world. Floating islands, unheard of magic, dashing rogues and smooth tricksters, it all sounds so enticing and really, so much more sane to say instead of the truth. And the truth my friends, is that my characters won't shut up otherwise. The bad guy keeps monologuing, the lovers' steam is fogging everything up, and ghoulish horrors silently lurk, waiting to strike.

My mind doesn't stop moving or turning over an idea. Dialogue, action scenes, key points to a plot I haven't yet figured out are all mixing around in there and just begging me to do something with them. On top of that, the act of writing is exhilarating. I can't think of any thrill-seeking sport that can elicit the same feeling writing does. I can assume (as you'll never catch me doing it) jumping out of a helicopter with a cleverly roped up shower curtain between you and a certain pancake-esque future can provide for one heart-pounding, head-spinning, lungs-in-your-throat and tingle-in-your-pants moment. But it's just that, a moment. A single, transient moment of excitement that, in order to relive it, you’ll have to rely on your fading memory. No such dilemma exists with writing.

From the moment you sit down to the keyboard, typewriter, pen and paper, voice recorder, whatever, that's when the excitement starts. Even if it's veiled by difficult scenes and uncooperative characters or speed bumped by writer's block and lack of inspiration (as they can be two different things), it's all still part of the adventure. Banging your head on the keyboard, downing your fourth cup of coffee followed by a shot of Redbull, and highlighting paragraphs or pages of work then staring at the 'delete' key is as integral - and as exciting - as double-checking your buckles and straps and what have you before you make that jump.

As for the jump itself, that's when you're sitting there and experiencing that fight blow-by-blow with Main Character McGee. When you feel just as angry during that argument with Antagonist-guy or as flushed when MC McGee brushes hands with That-Guy. When hiding in the floorboards of the tavern listening to Antagonist-guy monologue his evil plan of evil to his minions gives you the same nervous lurches in your stomach as your character. There is nothing comparable to knowing you have the ability to give this story a happy ending where you'll sing and laugh along with the characters, or crush hopes and dreams, making you cry along with them.

But what really gives writing the winning point, is that when all is said and done, when you've got that scene or chapter or entire novel hammered out, when Antagonist-guy has been defeated by MC McGee and they live happily ever after with That-Guy (or if the exact opposite happens), it's still not over. Because when you sit down to read it again, whether for editing purposes or just to reaffirm how damn good that scene was, you get to experience it all over again. And not just the excitement or fear or sadness along with the characters but the line-up of emotions you went through while writing it. That frustration when you were absolutely convinced that one scene was going to be the death of you and the jumping up and down and taunting of your computer screen when you finally do get it (no? is it just me that does that then?).

In short, I'm addicted to writing. It's a drug that's free, fairly without side effect - if you don't count lack of social skills and, at times, questionable hygiene ethics - and so very, very, good.

I want to thank Dean for allowing this off-the-wall and mildly verbose writer anywhere near his blog! Feel free to check out my own blog at Verbose Veracity and my twitter @EFJace!

On Being Productive

I got an e-mail a few years ago about someone who was going to mail a letter, but first they were going to finish washing the car, but had to go inside to get the car keys, and saw the remote and needed to put it away, on the way there they saw a can of coke and needed to put it away before it got knocked over, and saw their glasses, and ….

At the end of the day they can’t find the remote, didn’t remember where their glasses were and the bills still weren’t paid, but they were tired, and had been busy all day, but nothing seemed to be done.

Have you ever started the day with great big plans on all the things you want to accomplish before you collapse into bed at the end of a day and think, wow, what a great day?  Then at the end of that said day while brushing your teeth you look in the mirror and wonder, what happened, all the great ideas just didn’t happen today?

Perhaps something unforeseen loomed up and snatched your day from you.  Something urgent derailed where you were heading.  Those things do happen.  Life happens when you are making other plans. 

However, (there is always a however, isn’t there?)  However, more than likely you sidetracked yourself.  Something caught your eye and sapped that productivity you were so game at the start of the day.  Someone left the TV on.  (Okay, you turned on the TV) just watch the news, and then….  Three hours later you wake up and say opps,  I gotta get this done…..

Or check e-mail, then twitter, then……    An hour and a half have been gobbled up.

Angry Birds

I’ll do a quick check on…..

You get the idea.  All these gadgets that have news, info, etc can and often do eat up our time.  Someone posted on their blog that they were not going to post as much on their blog, or spend as much time in the forums, or tweet because they wanted to get more of their things done and they found that the time on the internet was taking away from the time they wanted to spend on other things. So they were going to shut down the blog for a while.

I’ve read a few other bloggers saying they were going to cut back to do other things as well.  I took a week off a few weeks ago myself.  So yes, we set priorities, and sometimes some of the fun things we enjoy doing have to take a backseat to something that has a higher priority.

So here are a few tips to stay on track.

1.  Check e-mail once a day.  Yes I know the new phone chimes every time something arrives in your inbox, but set up a time to do e-mail things and stick to it.

2.  Pick one or two TV shows if you need down time in front of the TV.  Then shut it off.  Or if you have that DVR or TIVO or whatever, record the show and watch it on your time frame.  You can fast forward through the ads and watch the show in less time.

3. Set a time limit for your “break”  I’m going to play this computer/video/whatever game, but I’m only going to play for x minutes.  Or to this level or what ever.  Then shut it down when you reach that point.

I think you see where I’m going with this.  Recreation and breaks are great.  They are needed.  But too often we indulge and spend more time in those areas and never get what we really wanted to do done.  There are reasons we put off doing those other things and I’ll talk about those reasons next week, but in the meantime work on that self discipline and set up your limits so you can increase that productivity.

What are some of the things that chew up your time?  Any tips you’d like to share?  What works for you, or what doesn’t?

Why do I write Speculitive Fiction?

Joyce over at Yesternight's Voyage poised this question to me.  So I answered her question on her blog.  Go check it out.

And to go with why I write I also am proud to place the Speculative Fiction group member badge on my blog.

Also Calista Taylor has done another blog interview over on Mac Wheeler's Blog.  You can check that out as well.

Now to work on Thursday's Time Tip...

Thursday's Time Tip: Focus on goals pt 3: Daily Goals

In all my research and work on getting to where you want to be I've come across this idea for happiness and fulfillment.


The narrower the gap between where you are and where you want to be, the greater your contentment, fulfillment, and happiness.

Again I'll look at the sporting world.  All the effort and long hours training pays off at the end of the race.  You beat your best time, or, you win!

That moment, that instant the athlete crosses that mark you can see the elation on their face.  Mission accomplished.  You see it on the football field, you see it on the track.  All the hard work paid off.

Everyday has a challenge.  Everyday we are working towards something.

Today I want to discuss the daily goal.  Why is getting an A in economics going to help me with dance?

Each day is filled with things that need our attention.  Life is full of distractions.  How do we get the things done that matter most?

Look at the long range goals you've set for yourself.  What can you do today that will start moving you in the direction you want to go?  Look at your mid range goals, is there something you can do today to set those in motion?

I like to make a list of things that need to be done.  Then I go back and give the items a priority.  Then I start on A1 and then go to A2, then later B1, then perhaps get to C4 later in the day.  A are important items, things that are important.  (One day we'll discuss important vs. urgent and yes there is a difference).  B Items are important but not needed right now, and C items are nice but they can wait.

So if you are writing, a goal for writing would have an A priority.

I love big projects, but my current life situation doesn't allow for big blocks of time to devote to the big projects, so I find I have to do a few things a day.  Nibble at it.  Eventually it gets done, not the way I prefer to do things, but the important part is it does get done.

So each day take a look at things and find at least one thing to do that will get you closer to where you want to be.  There is just a great feeling about checking things off that list.  Each check mark is one step closer to that finish line.

What are some things you do each day that help you achieve things?  How do you plan your day?  What have you found that works best for you?  I'd love to hear your ideas as well.  I too am learning and am always willing to try new things.

Keeping Those Resolutions

New year, fresh start.  This year is going to be different.

Yes, we all say these things, and start with good intentions, but then life keeps coming and the same old issues plague us and soon all the resolutions are discarded and we kick ourselves for not being stronger, more disciplined, or what ever else comes to mind.

The reason most of these New Year's Vows fail isn't because we give up on them.  They fail because we don't help them to succeed.

Let em explain:  I've planted many a garden.  In the spring I till up the yard, I go to the store and get the seeds, I plant them, I water them, then I get busy and the weeds take over.  Most of my gardens end up a mess.  I've had some successes, but for the most part they don't do well.

We all have habits, and routines.  When we make a resolution to stop smoking, or lose weight, that calls for a change in habits.  We have to decide what is going to take place of the action we've been doing.  Losing  weight calls for change in diet, exercise and sleep.  So when that next doughnut is sitting there and you pick it up and eat it you say, "I'll start tomorrow."  Or "Well I blew that resolution, oh well."

Find a way to get healthy snacks in reach.  Eat smaller portions of things.  Start eating right, then add exercise.  Slowly things will change and the goal to lose weight starts to happen. 

I know I've oversimplified this.  The secret to keeping those resolutions is making small changes in your life so you can.  You want to, you said I will do such and such. Make that commitment to yourself and hold yourself to it.  Replace the thing you want to stop doing, with something you want to do.  That is the secret to keeping those resolutions.

So write the book, lose that weight, stop smoking, start exercising, start reading, turn of the TV and tune into life.  Whatever it is you wanted to do, go for it. 

What is it you want to change and do better in 2012?  What is your game plan?  What do you think?  I'd love to read your thoughts on this.

Have a great 2012!

Guest blogging and guest bloggers

Writing is no longer a solitary endeavor.   True, the writer has to take the time to write the story, and only the writer can write it.  However with the internet and on line communities and workshops and blogs, and books and, and, and....  The writer is no longer all alone.  Several months ago I joined an online community: Agent Query Connect.  I was under the false impression my book was ready to query and publish so I was looking for an agent and stumbled upon this writer's forum.  I joined.

Life hasn't been the same since.

I participated in a writing marathon last summer and learned a lot of things about my book.  Now I'm in the process of rewriting.  (That isn't nearly as fun as writing fresh and creating, but hey writing is work after all, at least some aspects of it.)  

So chat groups, critique partners, Beta Readers, and the local writer's groups all play a part in helping the writer improve his/her craft.  Yes, all this takes time, but the sharing helps so much.  After all the story does come first.  I love all the help I've found with my writing, and I think I've given some good advice to fellow writers as well as I try to give back.  It has been great to rub virtual shoulders with some wonderful writers in the forums and chat rooms.  If you haven't joined any writing groups or forums you really should think about finding one and participating.  It will help with your writing. 

So one of my favorite places in the forum is the Speculative Fiction Group. (Fantasy, Science Fiction, Horror, Paranormal, and other genres that explore with demons, magic, future, past, alternate realities, other dimensions, I think you get the idea.) 

So the Spec Fic group is doing a blog jump this month.  Members are writing guest posts for other members.  So I'll be posting links to other blogs this month as I try and help my writing friends with their blogs.  I also invite them to share their ideas here on The Write Time.  So, hopefully, January will be a great month to stop in and see what is going on with guest bloggers and links to other blogs where I'll be a guest as well.

Here is to a wonderful start of 2012.  May you achieve all you hope to do this year.

Taking time to smell the roses

I'm taking time to smell the roses.

Family coming in from out of town, so I'm off to catch up on things.  Setting priorities is always something I worry about.  However, family is near the top if not at the top of the priority list.  So I'm going to practice what I preach and put some things on hold in order to take care of other things.

Sometimes you have 10 lbs of potatoes and only a five pound bag.  Priorities help you to decide which potatoes need to go into the bag.  I'll discuss this in two weeks as well.  In the meantime everyone have a Happy New Year. 

Next week I plan on posting about new years resolutions, and the week after that weekly goals.

Have a prosperous and happy new year in 2012.