Discovery
I did not find myself
in the bottom of a glass
The burn to numb poison
and all the untethering promises
she made
I did not find myself in
the narcissistic hearts
parading in poets' clothing
promising ideas of my self-worth
while making me kneel before them
I did not find myself
by losing pounds
or cutting hair
or searing the wrinkles of
a thousand laughs away
I did not find myself
by giving my love and my years
away to those who only wanted
to own me
collect me,
objectify and fantasize
who never gave credit to the soul within
only loved
the pretty, fading paper
I found myself beneath
the starlit sky, high up
in a meadow between mountains
cold and alive
brave and scared
breathing deep as though
it was my first air taken
I found myself in tumbling footfalls
one after another, up and down
careening not controlled
alonside pain
pacing with anxiety
but listening to my own heart
beating out
you can
you can
you can
I found myself in the holy land
of pine needles
and mocking bird cries
silent stage, calm in a chaotic world
and herons in silent coasting flight above me
communing with their soul's solitude
in search of quiet shores
I found myself between pages
and tattooed in ink
words and ideas and truths
unknown to any other heart but my own
learning that,
without meeting requirements first
I am enough
I am brave
I deserve love
I found myself in the faces
of women I've raised
to listen to themselves in ways
I am still learning
I found myself in their beautiful complexity
knowing I would never allow them to be hurt
in the ways I have accepted hurt for myself
I am finding myself
and it has taken a lifetime
I just hope
I can take my heart
and lead her away from the dark
I hope I can find myself
in time.
Good morrow sweet readers. Today I’m going to talk about the importance of names in your fictional writing. Every writer has a process, and some of them are very organic while others are tortuous. I have been in both of those phases. Sometimes a character is just who they say they are when they pop into my head. And even if I wanted to change the name, I couldn’t. Sometimes the same character goes through an evolution of two to three (to seven–jesus, Elle Sullivan) names before the right one lands.
So how do we do it? Well… Here’s a bullet list because… we love bullet lists. Keep in mind that a character can be named for one of these reasons or for a combination of them.
Naming your character with meaning
This is where we get into the baby name sites and books and start with a meaning and back search what names correlate. I’ve done this a lot with my more urban fantasy/paranormal characters. I’m pretty sure none of my readers go around looking up the name and finding the little easter egg of their arc and purpose matching up. I do it more for me.
Naming your character Regionally/In Situ
Naming your character something that originates from their homeland, family, or region. This is important in some cases, to ‘show’ the reader a little bit about who they are by where they came from (like dialect but in a word).
Naming your character with sound
I think this is especially important in childrens’ and middle grade books. Lemony Snicket, Severus Snape, Skippyjon Jones. Not only does it make it more fun to read outloud but if you do your job right, you can intonate character with name. Severus Snape, ‘esses’ like a snake on your tongue.
Naming your character in tribute
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this when it is done out of love and respect. My grandma Emma became Em. I even inadvertently wrote in a dear friend’s mother, Carmen into Back to the 80s. I know a Jamie, and love the name and fella but since it would be weird to write him as the MC, I made sure it was ‘Jameson’ in Composing Laney. I’ve used friend’s last names or nicknames. Sometimes its a way to pay tribute to them and be a little lazy.
Naming your character for foreboding
Gage in Pet Cemetery. Hodor from the Game of Thrones. Damien in The Omen. Even Remus Lupin, gave us some insight into the direction of the character. You can either spoil plot twists with this one or make your readers stop mid page to gasp at your cleverness. The trick is subtlety and not thing more than the name away before the twist. It could even be that an evil name (Severus Snape) is actually not attached to a villian.
Well, there you go. A few ways to start thinking (and probably overthinking if you’re like me) about how to name your next character. For a few more resources, check out the list below. Some of these are way more in depth than I like to go, some are fun and you can just keep spinning the wheel until the right one comes up. Good luck out there.
I took a little break from the interconnected world of social media this week, but despite that little vacay, I’m still not feeling up to par. At first I thought I was approaching burnout. That I needed a reset. But the truth is, after self-reflecting…I’m past the point. So far past, that I’ve built up a whole township on the far end of it. I think for the last year I’ve been operating in the midst of burnout…just digging myself deeper into a hole of meeting demands I had no energy for. And now, I’m, smack dab in the middle of my own little cavernous oubliette.
I don’t have sunlight, or stars to navigate by, and the walls are much too steep and slick to entertain hopes of climbing out. So…I’m going to sit here, in the dark for awhile. Contemplate my purpose. My next move, if any.
Here’s a poem I wrote months ago. Seemed appropriate on a day such as this. A week. A month.
Last Day
If this is the last of my days
will I have done enough?
loved enough?
Fought enough?
smiled
and danced
and kissed enough?
Did I hold their hands long enough?
Did I forgive?
Did I let go so much
of this useless weight?
to travel light into the next world?
What are the chains I regret most?
The lack of wonder in my eyes
a boredom with the world
a seeing through of everyone's angles?
Or is it the rusted and heavy links
cutting in tetanus scrapes
boring out the sinking pit
dark nemesis, regret?
That I was unkind
to myself.
That I gave away heartbeats
to the undeserving?
That I don't remember
the last time
I told you
that I loved you?
If this is the last of my days
will I have done enough?
Loved enough?
Fought enough?
For them?
For myself?
Look at us, surviving (nearly?) another summer, a Camp NaNoWriMo, and one of the most interesting and invested writer’s strikes in a while. I’m so proud of those on picket lines and, though I still produce my blog, I do so for the other writers out there, and for my own sanity. That being said, if you’re a writer, artist, (struggling or not) or simply someone who believes in the arts, keep your eyes and your voices raised. This battle is one that is fought on every screen, newspaper, and blog post. Support all of our artists and dreamers. Because creativity is not just the source of our humanity, it is the building blocks of our survival. Engineers build bridges but someone must first imagine the bridge. You know what I mean? Survival takes all the bright and brilliant we can offer as species, so support all the bright and brilliant with a living wage, and do not pay into the corporate machine.
Okay–let me just….step down from that…soap…box (grunt). Now! Where was I? Well, I’ve been promoting and reviewing and doing all sorts of extraneous writing/marketing fluff, so today I wanted to get back to writing and talk about PROCESS.
If you’re a writer, I know you own at least three to 50 books on writing. And every single one of those offers you advice, usually from someone who “made it” in the world. We could say “experts” in the field. And where, yes, there are some constants that should be paid attention to (the book won’t write itself, you do have to put in the time, no its not easy, yes you will fail…repeatedly) I want you to take my advice (Ha! hypocrite!) on these few things…
Why take my advice? I’m not Stephen King, or Dan Brown, or Robin McKinnley, or Connie Willis…Who TF do I think I am? Well, beyond the fact that I’m a pretty average writer, with a good community, and an interesting background…I care. I actually care about your success as a writer (see above rant about artists and creatives).
And the thing about us, is that no single writer is in the same life or head space as the next. Stephen King isn’t raising two toddlers and working full time. Connie Willis isn’t supporting a family of seven with a night shift job. I’m not trying to cope with dyslexia or ADHD… We are all on a similar journey but we’re not all wearing the same shoes. Some of us may not even have shoes. And it may be night. And there are wolves chasing us…okay…back on point…
PROCESS ISN’T AN ABSOLUTE: No singular way to write is the RIGHT way to write. (that’s a lot of goddamn ‘right/writes’) Write everyday, write in the morning, write at night, sit in the chair and don’t come out until you’ve got 5,000 words…NO. There’s absolutely no truth to any of this. While, you do have to write (to be a writer) how and when are defined by your life, your energy, your day, and your ability. And ALL of those factors continually change (especially if you’re a parent or care giver, work multiple jobs, have learning challenges or are facing mental health crises). SO–your process is your process and it might look like 15 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes at lunch, and note taking during your kid’s practice, and daydreaming in the bath. Which leads me to the next absolute.
NOT ALL WRITING IS WRITING: WTF does that mean? Well, daydreaming, is writing, downtime with a movie that inspires you, is part of writing. Getting a good night’s sleep and going for a walk are all parts of the writing process. The human brain is not meant to be stimulated the same way for hours on end. It’s complex, it needs variety. It needs challenge, it needs downtime. Nearly every writer I know has said…”It wasn’t until I took a break, and a walk that I got through that problem.” You can’t bash your brains against a plotline and hope the hole gets fixed. Being a writer is in large part being a shiftless daydreamer. So don’t discount the times you’re not in the chair clacking away.
ONLY YOU SET YOUR LIMITS: This is both to the advancement and detriment of your craft. Someone says you should write 2000 words every day, but you are struggling to get 700, or maybe you’re throwing down 5000 words in one afternoon and don’t write for a few days…You are responsible for the ‘rules’ you make about writing and only you know the best possible route. I have a lovely friend, brilliant, funny and talented, who struggled with her first book, until she realized that she didn’t need to write every day. And that night writing wasn’t her thing and that she had to ‘let’ herself be okay with what her brain and her heart needed on whatever day the universe was giving her. Brav-Fucking-O I say to that. How many of us ascribe to preordained writing gospel only to be disappointed that we are failing that particular process? And what happens when we get discouraged? We stop writing. We fall into self-blame, and defeatism, and a general giving-up on ourselves and our work because we’re not a ‘real writer’. KNOW YOURSELF, TRUST YOURSELF. GIVE YOURSELF THE TOOLS, SPACE, and PROCESS YOU NEED.
Well, that’s all I have for today. Get out there, or go inside, sit down or walk around and take voice notes. Take a bath, take a walk, spend three hours at a desk, or fifteen minutes at a coffee shop. Just write. In the best way you know how.
Just a friendly reminder that my writing partner and I will be at Totally 80’s Pizza here in Fort Collins for our book (Back to the 80s) launch, next Tuesday (August 1st) at 6 pm. There will be prizes for best 80s costumes, giveaways for trivia, and books for sale! Also, we’ll be rocking some utterly disgusting neon so… come and at least laugh at me. Maybe buy a book while you’re there. (AND enjoy some pretty good pizza and all the amazing nostalgia that Totally 80’s offers)
The book release for Granting Katelyn is the same day as Back to the 80s, and since I can’t be both morose and Scottish and 80s Retro Bright at the same time, I’ll be hosting that launch in September. Stay tuned for details on that and a possible get together after the signing.
That’s the news that’s coming up soon. I’m currently making arrangements for a book tour up in Wyoming in November (may the road and weather gods smile on me) and so far only have the set date of November 21st at the Saratoga Branch of the Public Library. I will have all three of The Sweet Valley Series Available (signed) and will give a little talk about the books, the characters and how the state shapes great stories. More of that to come.
But–because I don’t just want to sell you books (in neon and blue eyeliner nonetheless) here’s a little flash fiction piece to entertain. It’s, as Monty Python would say, something completely different. Enjoy!
Demon-O’s
The day I summoned the demon was a normal Tuesday. I’d been reading the back of my cereal box, as usual. Milk dripping from my bottom lip as I tried to decipher the answer of the puzzle, by reading the letters upside down. My lips spattered sugared milk, through the white bubbles as I muttered and remuttered the words. Finally convinced, I shouted them out a third time, in fluffy robe victory. And there, before my eyes, sprang up from a tear in the fabric of time a blackened corpse, tattered wings, and one broken horn. It’s eyes bored into my soul as he asked, in gravelly tones.
“What is thy bidding, master?”
The milk dribbled down the front of my batman t-shirt and soaked into my robe from my agape mouth as I tried to reason with the smell of brimstone among the vanilla, frosted sugar bombs (now with extra marshmallows!)
“I—Do I know you?”
“You have called upon me, on this day, to aid in the wreck and ruin of this failing world.” Its voice rose in melodramatic glee. I put my spoon down and considered.
“Well, I hadn’t thought about that just yet. I haven’t even finished breakfast—” The demon heaved in deepening breaths, stoking up the fire of destruction that glowed like coals being blown on inside the empty cavern of its exposed ribs.
“What is thy bidding?”
I sat back, considered for a moment. One should always think clearly when presented with the opportunity for rampant destruction. I picked my spoon back up, tapped it in the air before, folding my hands in my flannel covered lap.
“Well, I—I do have some laundry needing folded.”
The demon stared at me, head cocked to one side, a bit of ash fell from its one decaying horn, dirtying my carpet.
“Laun–dree?” its voice croaked.
“Yes. Definitely.” It was my most hated chore. If I had someone at my beck and call, I wasn’t going to waste the resource on a world already destroying itself when I had three good sized piles waiting on my bed to be folded.
The demon’s boney shoulders shrugged up to its ears, clawed hands rose up in the in the universal gesture meaning ‘what in the fresh hell is wrong with this guy?’ and a disgusted look turned its mouth and stony forehead down.
“We do not fold laun—dree.”
“Are you or are you not at my bidding?” I glowered back. The demon grumbled and a hot coal fell from its grinding teeth.
“I am.”
“Well, then. Laundry first, world domination second.” As though versed in the obstinate language of teenage defiance, the demon threw its clawed hands up into the air and rolled its glass-like eyes skyward.
“This is bullshit!”
“Whatever! Get the chores done first and then I promise we’ll go find some havoc to wreak!” I argued back. You may not know but demon sighs are punctuated with smoke and spits of sparks that float on for seconds. Still, to his credit, he trudged up the stairs all the same, even if grumbling all the way.
“And don’t forget to separate the delicates!” I poured another cup of cereal into the bowl and looked at the answer again. I’d misread it. Thrice perfect times over.
Good morning, my fellow readers and writers. I hope that this blog finds you well. If you’re participating in NaNo, I hope it’s going well. If you’re just trying to survive the summer, I hope you’re surviving. If you’ve given up society for a cabin in the woods, you won’t get this blog but I am happy for your new and quieter lifestyle.
I’m recently back from a trip to Japan and still trying to adjust to the time and the ‘normalcy’ of my life. If I could tell anyone to do anything that would influence, affect, and change their lives, I would tell them to travel. Especially to a country where you don’t speak the language. Especially to a culture half-a-world away from your own. Become a stranger. Become a wanderer. That’s where you find the kindness and humanity in life, and the excitement of getting lost outside of your comfort zone. Traveling this way helps you to understand that the best lessons come when we are at our most vulnerable and humble. Also, America really needs to step up their toilet game and their vending machine capabilities.
A quick note that I will be trying to do a couple of virtual write-ins this month for NaNo, on my social sites, so follow me here: Facebook for more info on that. I’m sticking to Sunday afternoons from 2 until 3 for the rest of the month and a final one on Monday the 31st from 5-6pm. If possible, I may be able to give you some prompts, answer a few questions, and give encouragement. I’ll have to see how that all works as I’ve never done it before.
Also!!!! I’m getting to release two new books August 1st (whew, she’s a busy bee!) Granting Katelyn, the 2nd book in the Sweet Valley Series will be out along with my stand alone, sweet comedy romance Back to the 80s. You are able to preorder those through 5 Prince Publishing and online at Amazon. The Back to the 80’s book will be launched into the world at a totally rad party hosted by Totally 80’s Pizza here in Fort Collins, August 1st, at 6pm. We’ll have games, books, some readings, and maybe even trivia. Love to see you there. I’ll get you details on Granting Katelyn’s Launch as they progress.
Stay curious out there. Keep writing. And get yourself some sun and a couple of lazy naps in if you can.
I hate to admit how long it takes me to finish a book. I love to read, and if I had like ten more hours in my day I would do it all the time. I’ve started carrying around my e-reader (don’t hiss at me you physical book-philes, I love both versions but that tech is a lot easier when the page counts are high, to tote into a doctors appointment) in an effort to spend those free moments lost in worlds instead of lost in the spin of social media doom scrolling. And I’m not surprised to find that the more I read, the more I want to read. But the last book I read, I finished in under a week, so I know it was good.
My last book that I finished was The Serpent and The Firefly by Courtney Davis. Now, it’s kind of hard for me to be unbiased. One, because this beautiful little book shares a release date with Raising Elle (so they’re like fraternal, romance novel twins), and two, because I really love Courtney as a person and as an author. So I’m going to do my best to give you a good, honest rundown of the book.
I love urban fantasy and The Serpent and The Firefly checks so many boxes. From the description and back cover, I couldn’t have predicted how beautiful a world Davis was going to build. She does it in a seamless style that brings readers into a dark little underworld, glimmering on the edges of our reality. I love the variety of characters she brings in (interesting but not overwhelming) and hope that she expands on some of the groups of supernaturals in later books (I’m totally into the angel angle, and I want more nymphs!) Her main character, Jade, is thrown into an unexpected position of power, after having her magic hidden for years. Luckily, she has sexy and not quite trustable Baal, giving her some guidance. Not without cost, as he’s using her to regain his rule in hell. But I love the way she shows him tripping over his desire and need, the more he gets to know the adorable and floundering Jade. And let me be clear…I’m not a huge snake fan, but there are some scenes with Baal that made my little toes curl and think about the advantages of a forked tongue…ahem….moving on.
The chemistry between the two main characters is palpable and there’s a lot of good tension building that made me shake my fist every time they had a ‘nearly there’ moment, but the relationship they forge in the end is worth the wait and I love especially watching Jade’s progression from a timid woman in witness protection, to a full-on goddess who saves not just our world, but two other realms as well.
Davis’s writing is crisp and she gives her characters wonderful personality and dimension with dialogue and just enough description. She builds her worlds beautifully without smacking you over the head with too much narrative. Its a quick read but a lot of story happens in those pages. I’m definitely looking forward to her next series out in August, starting with The Vampires of Atlantis. For more info on Courtney and her books visit her at her website, or on her author page at 5 Prince Publishing.
Next week is poetry, then a little homage to a new challenge that I hope you’ll join me in for July.
Distance
There is a particle of smoke in the air
a memory of a tragedy
carried from miles away
from a place where someone's world
was lit on fire
and nothing but the traveling ash
remains
now an infinite shudder
rippling across the world
of their universe, destroyed
muted with the distance
into one particle
and I wonder
who is tasting my tragedy?
on some distant shore
does someone lift their nose to the breeze,
close their eyes inhale and think
There's a bit of heartache in the air
I wonder who's world burned down
I hope they're okay.
I hope I'm okay
Guilt
Someone said to me today,
not all guilt is bad
she said,
you feel guilt
because you stood up
for yourself
because you showed someone
that you matter too
that this guilt is learned
when we constantly put others' happiness
in front of our own
we feel guilty
for not giving away our light
to help them shine
we feel guilty
for not allowing them
to dictate our actions
out of fear for their feelings
but this guilt
should be unlearned
and maybe the true source of the guilt
should be reimagined
that we feel guilty
because it took us so long
to stand up for our own heart
I don’t know if you are suffering the lull of longer days and stifling summer heat. Maybe this is your season and you’ve got no complaints. Whether your basking in the golden glow or changing your third sweaty bra of the day with a curse, I have a little challenge to keep you motivated even when the lethargy of July hits hardest.
You all know I’m a huge fan of November’s novel writing challenge, but this is the first year I’ll be participating in their Camp NaNoWriMo. The organization offers two camps each year (April and July) to help keep writers inspired throughout the calendar months. The camps, however, offer a little reprieve from the high-word count pace of November. The rules are simple, during camp months you get to set any word count goal you want and are allowed to work towards any project. Say you have a first draft that you’re ready to get cleaned up, through the camp conversion chart you can estimate how many ‘words’ you would get through your editing endeavors. Or say you want to get a jump start on a new Vella project (ahem–I’m working on it!) you could put out a goal of twenty episodes at 1,000 words a piece and as long as you’re logging your progress towards that, you’re nailing the challenge.
I realize you don’t have much time to prep, like you might in October, but I think the beauty of this challenge is that it’s a lot more lackadaisical and banging out a simple outline or bullet list of your goals might be just enough to get you started. Begin with a project in mind, pick a reasonable word count, page count, or chapter goal (reasonable means it has to still be a challenge, so don’t slack off–but don’t discourage yourself with something you can’t reach in a month–especially with kids at home) and pin it up by your work space to keep yourself honest and inspired.
As the youth coordinator for Writing Heights Writers Association, I’ll be creating a group for my teens to participate. It’s a much lower pressure contest and still has a lot of the same benefits, mainly building good writing habits along with some fun swag at the end. If you’re interested, or you know a writer who could benefit from a little mid-summer pick-me-up, visit their website: Camp NaNoWriMo and register today.
Hit me up here or on social media and let me know what you’re project is and if you’d like to connect via the organization’s site. I’ll also be running some virtual write ins during the month.
Hey kids. If I hadn’t mentioned it before, a lot of what I’m talking about this week (and last) I learned from a great class at the Wyoming Writers Conference a couple of weeks ago with William Missouri Downs, a screen and play writer with years of amazing experience. If you have the chance, check out his work. His class has been on replay in my mind so I thought I’d share the good stuff.
Last week we did a little basic housekeeping when you’re trying to foster a more creative life. This week, we’re going to go a bit deeper into what creativity is and why, sometimes, it can be hard to grasp.
First of all, creativity is not something you’re generally born with. There maybe certain individuals who seem to have an easier time being creative, but for the most part, anyone can become more creative. Because, at the root of creativity, is the ability to open your mind to new possibilities and new solutions, and that starts with a few things:
Be curious…about everything. Read articles and blogs on anything that grabs your interest. Give yourself space to wonder and research, even if it’s about the mating habits of the Pygmy Sherbert Moth of Southern Cambodia. Learning about different and strange things will actually help your brain spark ideas and forge connections that you might not have before.
Learn how to concentrate. It seems counter intuitive that creatives are able to sit and focus for long periods of time (maybe its that stereotype of the flighty artist, flitting around the room on several projects) but being able to concentrate, uninterrupted, leads to alpha states which leads to ‘flow writing’. And it also keeps you working at a problem until a reasonable solution is found. Think of it as mental stamina, and we all could use more of that.
Set aside time for your art and PROTECT YOUR SOLITUDE. I don’t think more needs to be said, except that it also means being able to be alone, and creating boundaries (even with the people you love) to protect your writing space. When people in your life ask what they can do to help, be honest and ask for alone time to write and create.
Look for options long after others have given up on a problem. Explore all angles and possibilities. Even the ridiculous and absurd solutions–find those and play, because one thing may lead to another, to another, eventually to the right thing. Whether it’s a plot hole, or a crisis resolution, be open to the strange and impossible. Being stuck is an opportunity to do something different, to get your head completely out of the box.
Take chances and accept failure as part of the process. Failures lead to knowledge and knowing you will fail means you take every opportunity as a chance to learn more about what works and what doesn’t without judging it or yourself too much. Safety is not a place you learn anything.
Have several different interests. Yes you’re a writer. But you’re also a yogi, or a bat tamer, or a bee keeper or a circus performer. Spend time learning and growing in as many places as you can. We should all actually strive to be Jacks and Janes of All Trades. After all, the whole saying is that “a jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.” This goes back to making those strange and creative connections between things and solving problems outside of the normal lanes of knowledge.
Be persistent, write every day without fail. Meet your deadlines (other people’s or self-imposed), without fail. Yes, yes, I know there’s a lot of writing advice out there. And some people don’t write everyday and they’re perfectly happy and successful. I think writing everyday is not so much a direct line to your success in the field, so much as it’s an investment in yourself and a way to give back to your time, your space, and your own sanity.
There are plenty of exercises you can find in books and online to help boost your writing creativity but the habits above will help you cultivate a lifestyle where your brain can do what it was born to. And that’s, create.
Be willing to throw outrageous suggestions and ideas up on your board and not make judgements. Free flow new ideas out on a page without looking back as they land. Then give yourself an hour or a night and come back to it. Even if none of them seem viable, they may lead to different avenues that will be your next great idea.
Well, that’s the short, short version. I hope you have a creative week and feel free to email me here on the site if you have any questions or just want to chat about writing.
Sarah Reichert Author 