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Yes, We Can!
Boy, oh, boy, am I glad Obama is being sworn in today. I’m so ready to have another bleeding-heart, liberal democrat leading the free world and pissing the Republicans off. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like I think W was the worst president we ever had. I really don’t. I’m just tired of him; as I think most of us are, especially the bleeding heart democrats. I’m ready—and forgive if you’ve heard this one—for some change.
Anyway, a few weeks ago, with the start of the New Year and the rush for resolutions, I wasn’t ready. I was gearing up for my move and my job title reclassification; recommitting to the gym and trying not to eat entire bags of mini-Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. With the New Year, resolutions are so absolute. Black and white. You do them, or you don’t. And you usually don’t, which is why people hate making resolutions. People want to see the results of their newfound commitment right away. Thirty years of eating cake, and you want to drop fifty pounds in one week. Yeah, that happens.
This is why I like Obama’s change, whatever it’s going to be, because he’s already assured us it’s probably going to be at least two years down the road before he can untangle the Gordian knot W has left him. He’s in this for the long haul. There will be days he does his job and there will be absolutely nothing that shows for it, except for some headlines that probably link him with some more corrupt governors or something similar. But he’ll keep at it. He has motive; he has a dream. He does believe the world can be a better place.
So what can a writer learn from Obama?
Well, first, the bleeding heart stuff is not completely without merit. Having empathy for your fellow man makes you a better writer. You can draw more convincing characters, richer, fuller, and clearly motivated characters. Compelling characters are why we read books and watch movies/shows.
Second, you’re going to work hard, but nothing is going to happen overnight. This is the era of technology and microwaves. I can have a hot burrito in less than a minute, but writing and publishing a book—and forgive me if you’ve heard this one—takes a bit longer. I mean, it takes like 5 million burritos. We need to harken back to an era before…well…just before. Think pencils. Think Laura Ingalls Wilder. Instead of thinking your book is like a microwaveable burrito, think of it as a field of wheat. There is a lot of work that goes into a field of wheat; and even once you get the field of wheat, there is a lot more work to getting that wheat to market (separating the wheat from the chaff, the whole bit). And guess what, then you get to do it all again when you’re done! Have you seen what farmers make for all their acres and acres of wheat, all that time they put into it? About the same as writers makes pounding out those pages, editing, critiquing, and ferrying out to editors and agents. We can just do it in air-conditioned surroundings, while eating bags of mini peanut butter cups.
Third, being calm and having a plan is probably going to get you further than just shooting from the hip all the time. I don’t mean a plan for your book. Sin, sit back down; I’m not going to make you storyboard again. Although having a plot and an outline for your book probably will get you further than not having one, many writers get by with just a one-line premise and a couple of unruly characters who won’t leave them the hell alone. But even more important than story outlines, I think, is having a plan to finish your book, to polish and promote it. I don’t know about you, but time is flying by so fast, I am waiting for the sonic boom. Obama only gets to do his gig for sure, for four years. He’s probably already got those four years mapped out. He’s finally got the opportunity to do the job he’s always wanted to do and he’s going to make the most of it in the time allotted him. We should do the same. Not everybody gets to be a writer; make the most of it. Deadlines aren’t always evil things. Sometimes they’re the necessary evil.
There are other things, but I don’t want to come off as Obama’s biggest fan. I mean, we’ve also got: be the change you want to see; be your own biggest supporter; surround yourself with other like-minded professionals; exercise your body and mind so you can work hard at your job; and remember as much as you may love your job, family always comes first. But you know all those things as well. I don’t need to spell them out for you. Besides I need to wind this up so I can start working on my own change. That’s right, I’m gonna become Laura Ingalls Wilder. I still have that dress somewhere, from when I was kid and tried to dress like her. (Gawd, that picture was hideous.)
Happy Inauguration, guys. What are you most looking forward to with this new administration? Anyone else a Laura Ingalls Wilder fan (of the books, TV show, or both)? What else do you think we could learn from Obama…or farmers? How’s the JaNaNo going for everyone? Anyone broken their New Year’s resolutions yet?
Books by the Crew
27 comments:
PS, random comment above....
I've already got an eye twitch. I will refrain from further comment.
Morning Captain! :)
Thanks to everyone who stopped by to see Anna yesterday and thanks again to Anna for coming by!!
I love the links you make with real life and writing. I stand in amazement, as always.
From this administration? I'd like us to be more realistic than idealistic. Frankly, though I admire the Republican tendency to cling to ideals, I tend to believe they are based more on some rose-tinted version of what they think the US was like in the 1940s than what I see around me in 2009. I'd like to see us come up with policy that deals with what's really happening and not what we wish would happen. (ie, abstinence education versus real sex education and pregnancy prevention or actual help for teachers and less focus on test scores via No Child Left Behind).
*steps off my soapbox*
JaNaNo.... Well, I started out intending to work on my contemp, wrote about 5K words on it, and then I had to follow my muse to the paranormal project that has been haunting me. So, I just finished plotting that out last night and writing the synopsis. I'm hoping, with another week of tweaking, I can start writing next week. :)
Oh, I'm sure it's an automatic response blog add on that sends out a comment to blogs with certain criteria today.
Not you, Sin, the first one.
Why's your eye twitching? From storyboarding?
Marn I'm so glad you've had some ideas for the paranormal! Congrats on it haunting you and pushing you down until you write on it.
From comments of Obama. That's why my eye is twitching. I'm sick and tired of him already being referred to as the greatest president to ever step on the lawn. *eye roll* please. The man hasn't done anything yet but backpedal.
*sigh* And now I will refrain from anything else. Politics make for nasty comment conversations.
Thank you! I think it's going to be ok.... I need to work in a couple subplots, introduce some later ideas, and generally make sure my pacing and organization are on target, but I think it's good. I think I'm going to like writing it.
Though it's way darker than anything I've ever written before. Way darker.
Oh! You're probably right. I guess we're not the only folks mentioning the inauguration today, huh? LOL!
*grin* I love darker than you've worked on before. That's going to kick ass.
Yeah, I like him, but I'll reserve judgment on whether he's the savior everyone is painting.
I just hope that in the meantime we swing back closer to the middle of the road.
I live for Sin's eye twitches. I wrote this blog last night, knowing she was going to spit pea soup at me. *LOL*
But yes, politics makes for some nasty conversations. Which is why I asked what you hope the administration does, whether we get it or not is a different gig. I no more think Obama is the only man who can possibly lead us out of this economy than I believe Bush is the lone guy who sent us here. Untrue on both counts. But I think we can learn things even from people we don't like.
I hope so.... I'll send the first chapter if you want, when it's ready for you to see....
Marn, so glad to hear you're writing...and I think the contemporary bit was a good practice. At least you won't be in the midst of your historical or paranormal again, thinking, Gosh I wish I'd decided to pick contemporary. Now you know. *LOL* Sometimes it's just better to know.
No resolutions to break. No eye twitching either. I am excited for today, and truly wish President Obama all the luck in the world and access to a very large shovel. The inspiration factor alone has got to be worth something---let's hope we can all pitch in and right the ship of state (not to be confused with the RWR, which should never be righted and will never be wrong).
Oh good, a Sin rant. *rubbing hands together*
Hellion says: "I no more think Obama is the only man who can possibly lead us out of this economy than I believe Bush is the lone guy who sent us here. Untrue on both counts. But I think we can learn things even from people we don’t like."
I agree.
Frankly, if nothing else, I'll enjoy Obama's state of the union addresses. The man can speak.
I know you just love to get a rise out of me. Wait until I pull the soapbox out tomorrow. I wasn't going to but now it's on the runaway locomotive headed straight into the ship. Of course, my soapbox will be of a different nature.
Hells, it is better to know sometimes. :) I think it's strange that I set out two years ago to write a historical, then the paranormal stuff eeked in to it despite my efforts to keep it out and now I'm going to write a straight paranormal when I never ever would have expected that from myself.
Maggie - here here!!
Ah, but to watch all the excitement! I have a friend whose 17 year old daughter is there. Imagine! And she'll be dancing at one of the balls tonight, in a pair of shoes I contributed! My small effort toward the trip...
It's history, whether you adore the man or not. And that aspect is so sweet. To be alive to witness this...
Resolutions? Mine are still in some shape. I kept them nebulous enough. The writing is tottering along...
I like to write about the belief people can have in themselves, despite the obstacles. If nothing else, perhaps that is the lesson to be learned from today's oath taking.
Can't help it...left coast leaning happy dance, fist in the air! Whoohoo!
OK, I'm better now. Time to get to work writing!
I'm very excited about today. His speech was amazing. As Marn says, the man can speak. Will he fulfill all his promises? I have no idea. But I have faith that he'll try and do it with an open mind. It may be naive, but it's the Pollyanna in me I guess.
I think my resolution was to continue to think positive. It's taken some serious hits in the last week. I'm holding on but by the thinnest of threads.
I watched him get sworn in. It's probably the first inauguration I've ever watched, that I've actually cared about. He does give great speeches. If his political career fizzles in 4 years, he could always go to pulpit.
I enjoyed his ideals expressed in his speech, but whether they can be accomplished is another kennel of dogs. Obama inspires, there is no doubt, but his dreams and ideals for America require a lot of work from the rest of us--and many of us would rather be cynical and prove ourselves right than pitch in and prove him right. His ideals and agenda also require putting aside their self-made agendas and deciding what is better for the Bigger Picture. That is clearly a hard thing for our Congress to do, esp when it might mean they won't get re-elected.
It's interesting. Only time will tell. In the meantime, I don't think it'd hurt to be a little more helpful to our neighbors when we can.
ITA about the putting aside differences and agendas thing. The bottom line is, no president can get anything done by himself. I don't have as much faith in the rest of Washington as I have in him. But my fingers are crossed something good will happen.
There is enormous hope and expectation resting on Obama's shoulders but I fear that no man can reliably divert the world toward good times.
To expect it is rather like asking king Canute to stop the tide coming in. It would take a woman president to do that! *grin*
We all wish him well though and if anyone can tweak the rudder in the right direction he looks the one to do it.
So Sin is aiming to break the sound barrier on a soap box tomorrow.I will be on the top deck wearing my water wings....just in case!
Hey, he's taking over such a mess... If he believes that hard work will get it done, I can believe that hard work will get it done. Even if he does have balls instead of a glittery hooha! ;)
I'm breakin' out the good stuff, crew! Spiced rum, all around! If yer unhappy, drown yer sorrows. If yer pleased as peaches, party down! Rum goes with all a' it!
Likely our last sweet summer in the midst of winter days here. Walked along the beach, waves crashing in with a change in the weather, sun baking me face... 70 degrees. I know, I know, but don't hate me because I live in paradise... Find a better reason!
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