Writing Off the Grid

The other morning as I went for a run, I had to battle gusty winds that would, later in the day, cancel certain flights to the East Coast. Although I ran along a fairly flat surface, it felt like I was running uphill. It was also the day after I’d participated in a 10K race, and my legs were still burning. Despite my determination to push on, the winds got the better of me. After 1.5 km, I did a U-turn and headed home, feeling somewhat defeated.

The day, however, wasn’t all doom and gloom. The short run had me pumped, and once I was showered and dressed, I sat down at my desk to write. October 31, 2017 was my self-imposed deadline to complete the rewrite of a novel-length manuscript, and momentum was on my side. By the time I broke for lunch, the rewrite was done. The journey felt at times long and lonely, but I had finished something. And that felt good. Amazing, actually.

But not running as far as I’d wanted, finishing the rewrite … these are teachable moments along my artistic journey. I try to keep myself open to such lessons in the hope that they will guide me in the future, help me to move confidently in the direction of my dreams. I’m reminded that not all days go smoothly, or have a natural ebb and flow. Some days (I like to believe it’s most days, really), writing seems easy and everything flows. Other days spiral out of control — procrastination reigns, life interrupts and I feel stuck, like I’m going nowhere fast.

To keep the momentum moving forward, this is what I do:

Write Daily: No matter where I find myself in the world — Vancouver, London, Mainz, at home — I make time to write. Sometimes it’s an hour, other times it’s only twenty minutes. But I write. And writing daily keeps me current.

Don’t Take “No” for an Answer: Every artist knows that rejection is part of the process. As a writer, I’ve learned the importance of persistence. Sometimes I’ve had to submit a piece of writing many, many, many times before it was accepted for publication. But I believed in the work, in the story, so I became even more determined to find the story or essay a home with each rejection letter I received. I don’t let rejection overwhelm me. I let rejection be a muse.

Finish Something: Sometimes I’m overwhelmed by so many ideas that it’s tempting to toss aside the current work-in-progress and plunge straight into a new idea. What I’ve learned to do is keep notes on new ideas and keep them for a rainy day. Finishing something — a novel, a short story, a blog post — feels good. The completed project offers reassurance, when doubt lingers large and heavy, that I am in fact on the right path. I’m reminded that I have heeded the call of what it is I feel compelled to do in life. Finishing something reinforces — in the face of rejection and the resulting doubt about my talent that may manifest — the artist in me. The finished novel or short story says, loud and clear, “I’m an artist, hear me roar!”

Godsends: It’s important for me to be surrounded by people who support and encourage me. I call these friends my godsends, spread out across North America and Europe, who are friends to me and my writing. Godsends send an e-mail or call to say how proud they are of me. They reach out to me (without asking) at a time when I need encouragement the most. They are, as Julia Cameron puts it, a “believing mirror” whose support is constant.

Believe: I believe in myself and my talent as an artist. I believe that I can do great things, that I will succeed. And that belief holds me accountable, sends me daily to the page.

These five things help to set me up for success. And that’s why I take to heart the words of Audre Lorde: “When I dare to be powerful — to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.”

Have you finished something lately? How did that make you feel? Do you have “believing mirrors” in your life? When was the last time one of them reached out to you when you needed encouragement the most? Do you believe in yourself? Are you doing the one thing you think you cannot do? Let me know in the comments section below.

It’s Monday morning, and I returned a short time ago from my run. Since my vacation at the end of September that stretched into the middle of October, I’ve been getting up around 4:30. (All my life I’ve been, bon gré mal gré, a morning person.) I love the quietness of that time of day when I can actually hear myself think. Getting up early, I start the day by writing my Morning Pages, then head out for a run. In the middle of September, I was inspired by a colleague (he’s completed the Iron Man Triathlon) to challenge myself more when it came to running. I’d been in a “rut” of putting in four-kilometre runs. Working slowly but steadily, I increased my distance from four to ten kilometre; the latter has now become my minimum running distance.

At this point, maybe you’re asking, “What’s the point?”

The point is this. For me, there are a lot of parallels between running and writing. To improve in both, you have to show up regularly. Depending on my work schedule, I run four to five times a week. I write every day. There are days when I don’t feel like writing or running, or when the writing feels stale or that I’m running uphill. There are days when I don’t feel like I have the courage, or the will, to carry on. There are days when I doubt my talent as a writer and my ability as a runner. I forget just how far I’ve come over the years.

My runs the last two days weren’t easy. My legs felt like lead about midway through, and there were moments when I considered stopping and walking the rest of the way home. But I didn’t. I dug deep and kept going. When I think about giving up, when I’m not sure I have the courage to go on, there are certain quotes that inspire me and keep me motivated. Today, I wanted to share a few of them with you:

“The world belongs to those who think and act with it, who keep a finger on its pulse.” – William R. Inge

“Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.” – Gail Devers

“The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams.” – Oprah Winfrey

“If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one.” – Dolly Parton

“To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.” – Anatole France

Now, I’ve already chased away my Monday morning blues. I’ll be brave and keep on doing what it is that I love to do. What about you?

When you’re in need of a little dose of inspiration or motivation, what do you do? Do you have a favourite quote or quotes that you turn to? Let me know in the comments section below.

Failure isn’t the end of the journey. It’s the beginning.

And life is a journey, and doubly so if you’re a writer, painter, musician — anyone who loves to create or who’s living a life that allows them to follow their passion. I’m a writer. I may not make my living as a writer (not yet, anyway), but I write every day. It doesn’t matter if I’m at home in Toronto — Milan, London, Hong Kong or Saskatoon — I write. Every day.

Writing is, without a doubt, my calling. Heeding the call, I started submitting my short stories, essays, poems and novel-length manuscripts for publication as a university student. Some were accepted for publication while a lot were not. In early 2011, I hit the literary jackpot, or so I thought. A publishing house had accepted the manuscript I’d submitted to them, and I was ecstatic. I’d worked hard on that manuscript. I’d edited it, re-edited, and edited some more. I had asked others to read the manuscript, took their feedback seriously and made the necessary changes. The publisher’s biggest beef with the story was the head hopping. I was breaking POV rules all over the place. I made the corrections, sent the manuscript back and waited. When the book launched at the end of 2011, I hoped (naively) for success the likes of Stephen King, Danielle Steel and other successful writers. Boy oh boy, was I in for a rude awakening.

Freestyle Love, my debut novel, didn’t become a bestseller. Far from it. It barely registered on any type of scale. Reviews came in — some good, some not so good — and I really didn’t know what to think. I’d worked long and hard on the book. I believed (again naively) that I’d done things right. Wrong!

Five years later, when the book rights reverted to me, my publisher and I parted ways. That didn’t surprise me. I wasn’t a bestselling author. I was a barely-selling author. But I was still writing, and that had to mean something. It meant I wasn’t ready to give up. Only this time, I decided to self-publish my next novel, The Flowers Need Watering (now available on Amazon).

High Stakes

I knew the stakes would be high after deciding to self-publish. When it came to editing, I knew I had to be just as meticulous as a traditional publisher. Now I was the publisher. And to stand any chance of commercial or critical success, I had to make sure I could offer the best book possible to readers.

I learned a hard lesson with Freestyle Love, one that I wouldn’t repeat with The Flowers Need Watering. I learned the importance of a professional editor. So I started doing research. Initially, I balked at the cost, mostly because, at the time, I didn’t know what type of editing I needed. After a lot of searching, I sent an excerpt from my manuscript to thEditors.com (they edited the sample free of charge, and that gave me an opportunity to see the editing service they provided before committing to them). When the edited manuscript came back, I was blown away. I’d found the person who, I believed, would help me bring out the best book possible.

Dave Taylor is a fantastic editor who looks at the characters’ behaviours and how that impacts the story: “Malachi’s Father – Very sympathetic character during his death scenes. I think again you could show a little more from him in the scene where Malachi comes out.”

Although sometimes it “hurt,” Dave is always bang on about when a scene, or an entire chapter, can be cut: “Having read the next chapter, I definitely feel you can cut this one. What you can do is simply SHOW the interaction between Melinda and Susan at the end of the next chapter as described below.”

Dave’s comments are not only encouraging but on point. His insights helped me to tighten the plot, create engaging (although not always likeable) characters, and a better book overall.

Why I Keep Returning to thEditors.com

This is what I love about working with Dave:

1. His Editorial Report: I love the detail included in his editorial report (in addition to his comments in the manuscript). He touches on all the big-ticket items — character and plot development, structure, continuity, story arc, theme development, repetition and plot holes. He doesn’t point out just what’s not working, but also what’s working well.

2. Manuscript Comments: I know the impression I want each character to make on the reader, so it’s great to see, through Dave’s in-manuscript comments, when I hit the mark and when I don’t. And as our author/editor relationship grew, our language became more and more relaxed and to the point. We knew we both just wanted the book to be the best book it could be. Here are a few of Dave’s comments (some of them made me laugh out loud) regarding the characters in my next book:

• “LOL … immediately comes across as a pr*ck.”
• “He is not likeable at the moment to be honest […]. But he will have to do something to make up for this and you’ll have to give Cole some backbone as he is a complete doormat at the moment.”
• “This guy is a straight up asshole lol (sorry). I will say I’m enjoying the read all the same; it’s good to have characters that evoke emotion in the reader.”

3. Timeliness: Dave is in contact with you while he’s editing the manuscript, letting you know about the progress he’s making or if life events have set him back a bit.

4. Availability: Dave is always available to ask questions of clarification as you’re working through the rewrite based on his feedback. Again, he’s always quick to respond.

Whether you’re thinking about self-publishing or want to go the way of traditional publishing, having your manuscript professionally edited is key to your success. When you reach the point when your manuscript is ready for editing, I highly recommend that you contact thEditors.com. Let them help you bring out the best book in you. I know I will!

“Love each other dearly always. There is scarcely anything else in the world but that: to love one another.” – Victor Hugo

Thanksgiving is a time to be grateful for family, friendships and all the many blessings in our lives. When I look at everything that is happening in the world — mass shootings, genocide, the hate people have for others, countries besieged by civil wars — I am grateful for my country, my freedom, and all the wonderful people in my life.

As we celebrated Thanksgiving here in Canada yesterday, I watched as my partner’s family imploded. An offhand comment led to a shouting match, accusations from years of pent-up emotions and tears. One person stormed out of the house vowing never to return. A son ruthlessly and repeatedly disrespected his mother … in her home. A cousin tried to play mediator. I intervened long enough to defend my partner when he came under attack, then walked away. I wouldn’t let myself be dragged any further into family issues that existed long before I’d met my partner. Let’s forget about who’s right and who’s wrong; in this situation, there is fault on all sides.

Yesterday’s events made me sad and, in many ways, demonstrated just how cruel we can be to each other. Yet they were a reminder of the fact that we have the power to create the world we want to live in. We can choose to be nasty and mean to each other, or we can choose a path to reconciliation and forgiveness. We can choose to stomp on each other, or we can choose to build each other up. We can choose to let love triumph over hate.

Amidst the craziness of this world, we need more love, more kindness, more humanity. Let us choose to love one another and build each other up.

As autumn settles in, I also change up my routine a bit. I love the cool, crisp mornings and head out for my run while it’s still dark. I’m averaging about ten kilometres now on my daily run, so by the time I reach home night has given way to day. Watching the sunrise peel away the darkness offers hope for the day ahead.

In today’s world, hope is something that I am desperate to hang onto. The recent mass shooting in Las Vegas, the attacks in Edmonton and France — and the many other incidents that have cost innocent people their lives and injured scores of others — break my heart as they reveal man’s [constant] inhumanity towards man. But I refuse to let them break my spirit.

Because for all the darkness in this world, there is light. There are good people doing good things to help the people around them — not for praise or recognition — but because they are committed to making this world a better place. And what they’re doing is so important because this world needs more love, more peace, more selfless acts of kindness. Through their actions, they’re changing the world. And in the words of Nelson Mandela, “We can change the world and make it a better place. It is in your hands to make a difference.”

So Give Thanks

Here in Canada, we’ll celebrate Thanksgiving on Monday, 9 October 2017. Although I give thanks every day (my daily gratitude list), this morning especially reminds me of the need to be grateful and to give thanks. And I am grateful for this life, for my family, for my friendships (past and present) and for the wonderful blessings bestowed upon me each day.

As I climb the mountains in this life and traverse the valleys, I am grateful for the courage to keep on keeping on each day. I am grateful because, through the good times and the challenging times, this is what I’ve learned (or relearned as the case may be):

Change is constant. That means that each day I have to get up and be ready for the unexpected. I do not always know, or cannot necessarily foresee, all the challenges that will be thrown at me. I can only do that which is within me. And, so, there will be times when I pray, “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference.”

Do what it is that you love to do. My day job pays the bills, puts food on my table and shelter over my head. But it is my writing that makes my heart sing. So each and every day, no matter where I find myself in the world, I write. It keeps me focused. When I’m writing, be it a short story, novel or blog post, I know (as my good friend Adrienne reminded me) that I’m doing my best to “stay grounded in your conviction that you’re doing what you want to do and feel called to do.”

Love life. We live in an age where it seems like it’s not just easier, but more the norm, to criticize, deconstruct, than to try to build something up, attempt to see a silver lining. It takes a lot of energy to be negative all the time. It almost becomes a state of mind, and it is, quite frankly, unattractive. Maybe that’s why I do my best to lead a positive life. I smile and laugh a lot, which seems to be contagious. I guess I’ve learned to not take myself, and life, too seriously but to try and simply enjoy the journey. I remind myself of the blessings in my life — my partner, family and friends, my job, my writing and other artistic endeavours. I try to focus on what really matters to me, and that, in turn, allows me to see the beauty that is this world.

Be grateful. In 2013, after reading Rhonda Byrne’s The Magic, I started keeping a gratitude list. Every morning I count my blessings, listing ten things — no matter how small — for which I am grateful. Counting my blessings, I see that, even in the midst of chaos or uncertainty, life is beautiful. My gratitude list always puts a smile on my face.

On this bright, October morning, I am thankful for the god-sent blessings — in friendship, in life, in work — that keep flowing in my direction.

Grateful, I am, to be alive.

How do you show your gratitude for this life? Let me know in the comments section below.