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Sunday, August 1, 2010
Ron Weasley Shares Something Brilliant
Harry Potter is always teaching me something new, no matter how often I read the books or watch the movies. Just like some fans who can find real life advice in Trekkie or Twilight life, I find mine in the wizarding world. I don’t think this is very unusual. Writing has always been a form of magic for me.
Harry and I have some similarities. He was 11 when he discovered he was a wizard; and I was 11 when I discovered I was a writer—it was something I was good at, looked forward to, realized I could make a living at. There was magic, I discovered, in the written word.
Today, though, it was Ron who taught me something. As I was working on my manuscript (not like the wind, but at least open), I had Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone playing on the TV in front of me. It was just at the scene where Ron plays the life-size wizarding chess, as the three of them are trying to intercept Snape to keep him from getting the Sorcerer’s Stone. Ron realizes he must sacrifice himself to win the game; and Harry protests.
Then Ron says this little gem: “It’s you who has to go on, not me, not Hermione. You.”
You may now be thinking, I really wish Hellie would lay down the crack pipe and blog like a normal person. What does a children’s movie have to do with anything, let alone that line?
Only for me, it means: In the goals of your life you truly want to succeed at, you are the person who must accomplish them. Your friends are there to help support you, but they can’t do the work for you. If you want to be a truly great writer, then you’re going to have to write. You’re going to have face the Voldemorts of your manuscript and battle through them—only you can conquer them. Your friends are there to cheer, defend, boost, and encourage you through thick and thin—their presence is invaluable to you as a writer; however, you are the only person who is actually going to be able to finish your novel.
Facing Voldemort by yourself is a bitch of a thing; and there are some surprises, like you discover the trouble you were expecting (Snape) is actually someone else (Quirrell). You might even discover something most surprising of all: the person you thought most against you (Snape) was for you all along. In the end, always you discover, it was your magic that pulled off the impossible—it was your magic that finished the book.
Okay, so how is everyone’s writing going? Any particular challenges anyone wants to talk about? As friends, we’re all here to encourage and cheer you into facing your particular Voldemort. How many people are excited like me that the RWA conference is over and the blogs will be busy and active again so we can get our HOA running properly? I can’t wait to read Terri and 2nd’s blogs this week where they talk about the conference (or at least I hope they’ll be talking about it!)
Harry and I have some similarities. He was 11 when he discovered he was a wizard; and I was 11 when I discovered I was a writer—it was something I was good at, looked forward to, realized I could make a living at. There was magic, I discovered, in the written word.
Today, though, it was Ron who taught me something. As I was working on my manuscript (not like the wind, but at least open), I had Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone playing on the TV in front of me. It was just at the scene where Ron plays the life-size wizarding chess, as the three of them are trying to intercept Snape to keep him from getting the Sorcerer’s Stone. Ron realizes he must sacrifice himself to win the game; and Harry protests.
Then Ron says this little gem: “It’s you who has to go on, not me, not Hermione. You.”
You may now be thinking, I really wish Hellie would lay down the crack pipe and blog like a normal person. What does a children’s movie have to do with anything, let alone that line?
Only for me, it means: In the goals of your life you truly want to succeed at, you are the person who must accomplish them. Your friends are there to help support you, but they can’t do the work for you. If you want to be a truly great writer, then you’re going to have to write. You’re going to have face the Voldemorts of your manuscript and battle through them—only you can conquer them. Your friends are there to cheer, defend, boost, and encourage you through thick and thin—their presence is invaluable to you as a writer; however, you are the only person who is actually going to be able to finish your novel.
Facing Voldemort by yourself is a bitch of a thing; and there are some surprises, like you discover the trouble you were expecting (Snape) is actually someone else (Quirrell). You might even discover something most surprising of all: the person you thought most against you (Snape) was for you all along. In the end, always you discover, it was your magic that pulled off the impossible—it was your magic that finished the book.
Okay, so how is everyone’s writing going? Any particular challenges anyone wants to talk about? As friends, we’re all here to encourage and cheer you into facing your particular Voldemort. How many people are excited like me that the RWA conference is over and the blogs will be busy and active again so we can get our HOA running properly? I can’t wait to read Terri and 2nd’s blogs this week where they talk about the conference (or at least I hope they’ll be talking about it!)
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42 comments:
Conference? There was a conference?
I'm not sure about my latest challenges, other than in a conversation with my agent I discovered that I write erotic romance.
Hahahahahahahahahaha!
Fooled her!
Now, I must work on writing the next book while she moves forward on selling this one.
Great blog! I surely felt the touch of friends this week and the biggest enemy, who I will speak of on Friday...
I think that if you want something badly enough, then you have the power to dig deep and find that little extra that pushes you slightly beyond your natural limit.
Like in a fight or flight situation, for a short time the mind can shift to fifth gear and the muscles can achieve a power that is beyond anything obtainable in the gym.
Or the athlete striving for Olympic gold, with the finishing tape in sight, and a lifetimes ambition within reach, he can dig deep and find that extra spurt that takes him beyond his personal best. Then exhaustion sets in for a while as the body and mind recover.
When the chips are down, its all up to you. Though as Helli says, a little help from your friends can help prepare the way.
Nice blog Helli. You deserve a new Fire Bolt. :D
I'll be happy to see the blogs and the boards back to normal too--and to read fewer comments in 140 characters or less. I was in danger of becoming addicted to tweets.
I am not a risk taker by nature, but at some point a writer has to take the risk of putting her work out there to be read--and perhaps rejected--by agents, editors, and readers. It doesn't matter how many people say the naysayers are rejecting a ms. not a person, rejection hurts. For most of us, pieces of our selves are woven into the fabric of our books. How can someone saying, "Sorry! These pages into which you've poured your time, your energy, your very self just aren't good enough" not be personal? So, for me at least, Voldemort, is just sending my work out to be judged. I'm feeling a bit sick just writing about it.
Good morning, all. I am ready for everyone to be back from the conference, and for things to be back to "normal". It was fun to "watch" the GH/Rita awards on Twitter (gotta love instant gratification--LOL)
Hellie, you are SO right about it being up to us individually to accomplish our goals. I realized the other day I've spent this entire year doing revisions, and I was wondering if I'd forgotten how to draft something NEW, in a new manuscript. So that's what I worked on yesterday. It felt good, but I also felt a little rusty. LOL
But you're exactly right about magic being involved. I love that part. :)
2nd, NICE TRY but don't think you're getting out of sharing all the wisdom you gleaned from the conference. (I am confused about the "erotic romance" because if that's not what you write, what do you think you write?)
Q, I think I might have gotten the gist of the athlete analogy, but keep in mind, my idea of an Olympic sport is sitting on my couch, eating whipped cream from a can as I watch North & South (*sighs* Mr. Thornton!) for the 30th time. I could definitely use a new firebolt though.
But what I think you're saying is: Suck it up already and cross the damned finish line. Is that what you're saying, darling?
Janga, you're right--I do feel like I've weaved a piece of my soul in things I've written; and having that effort judged as defective can't be anything less than personal. (Very Voldemort.)
So happy to read things in more than a 140 characters. Okay, not that I was hanging out at Twitter anyway...but it's the principle of the thing.
P.S. Donna, very exciting you're writing something new! You'll get into it soon--and we can't wait to hear more about it when you're ready to share. :)
Donna, I do appreciate INSTANT GRATIFICATION. Of course, I think it's THAT issue that causes me to stop writing as well. I want the instant gratification that whatever I'm putting forth will be perfect, will be "SUPERSTAR!", will be exactly everything I hoped it to be.
Actually this is another reason it's a good thing I never had children. If a book is like one's child, here I am pinning all my expectations, hopes, dreams, et al, on the poor thing and being pissed off when it doesn't meet these things. I'm surprised my book doesn't have to go to therapy...
Thanks, Hellie. It's a story about the brother of the hero in the book that's out on sub now. It's fun and it makes me laugh. I drafted a scene yesterday and it felt good to do it.
And when I said I'd spent the entire year on revisions, I meant 2010, not twelve months. :)
LOL about your book having to go to therapy. We do put a lot of pressure on them, don't we?
Great blog, Hellie. You know I love some Harry Potter and I'm fond of HP analogies.
I am going to blog this week about this, but my biggest issue right now is getting the emotion in my plot, weaving the relationship in my story. I am going right now and trying to really dig deep in my characters. It's hard. And I'm getting a little discouraged. :(
I can't wait for the conference blogs. I need a little inspiration right now. :)
I've pretty much given up writing for now. This opening it up and staring at a blank word document with the cursor blinking in front of me is driving me mad. It will either come to me or I'm not meant to do this. Oh well.
And I did love this blog. I enjoy your blogs because they aren't like everyone else's. You always find something to relate to writing. You're brilliant.
Donna, don't have to justify time to me. In fact, you justifying time to me only makes me jealous and bitter. *LOL* "She's only been revising 8 months? That's it?"
Marn, exactly--I need some uplifting conference stuff to motivate me! Sounds like you do too. I always find the emotion the toughest--being I prefer the light and fluffy fun dialogue to anything--but digging deep and making real emotion (instead of pulling the punches) is definitely worth it. Readers can always tell when you pull your punches rather than surrendering to the emotion. I always hate surrendering because I always think when I do, the emotion is going to come across as overblown and false and funny when that was not my intent. Putting real emotion into words feels like you're walking naked onto a stage to recite poetry. You feel like an ass. But apparently the readership appreciates Assdom.
LOL -- you're gonna kick me in the n*ts when I say those were pretty much agent-requested edits/revisions.
*runs away really fast*
For two different books.
Sin, you need a drink. What is this attitude? Do I need to club an undead monkey into civility?
Helli: But what I think you’re saying is: Suck it up already and cross the damned finish line. Is that what you’re saying, darling?
*cough* In my haste this morning I seem to have given you the wrong lecture! I quite see that muscle power is not awfully relevant to wielding a pen or a mouse. I had intended to discuss magic and the power of the mind, but English athletic success reported on the radio seems to have influenced my thoughts.
Reminds me of the absent minded prof who turned up with the wrong lecture. Everyone was expecting a talk on 'phase space singularities' and when the first slide showed pictures of butterflies they all incorrectly assumed it was about some variant of the Lorenz 'butterfly' singularity. Happens to the best of us! *grin*
I think your interpretation is pretty close. :wink:
Donna, yeah, Keep Running! (Having a 50 First Dates flashback. Please excuse.)
And who doesn't appreciate Assdom?
Okay, no time to really dig in here. Love this blog. You basically repeated LaNora's speech from the conference only nicer and with the great HP tie-in. (BTW - Mary and Steph were hitting the HP park yesterday and Steph text me last night they got wands and drank Butterbeer and loved it!)
Now, I've no idea where I am with the writing except I need to revise like the wind. Which is why I'll be really grateful if my brain returns from whatever planet it's on. Oh, but the agent was super-excited about my NEXT MS, which is still in the plotting stage. So I need to revise like the wind, then plot, write and revise even faster.
I'm gonna need more coffee.
Q, we are all gifted toward certain analogies. Most of mine are HP related; yours are athletic or science related. I have a better chance of following the athletic ones, regardless that I'm as athletic as a tortoise.
Though I love the story about how the people in the audience, upon seeing the wrong slides, still assumed they were the slides for the presentation and totally went with it. I love how that works.
Bo'sun, good thing LaNora was your keynote speaker when your list is such as it is. Only someone like LaNora, or who wants to follow in LaNora steps could do such a thing. But I know YOU can--so kick ass, my friend, kick ass!
How funny my blog was NICER. *LOL* Nice is so not a word associated with me.
Hellion...well, I was thinking I wrote fantasy with strong erotic elements...
Potatoe/potatah...I know.
I hope I can dig some inspirational thoughts out of the week... I'm having my normal "Did I waste a week at conference with nothing to show for it?" moments...
I missed LaNora's speech, but from what I heard about it...yeah, you nailed it without the energy of wipe off the tears and get back into the ring stuff. I think. As I said, I missed it.
Awesome blog, Hellie! I totally got the whole Harry Potter thing, er, Ron thing. And I've never seen the movies or read the books. NO, don't shoot me.
Anyway nobody can have your passion about your writing, so it has to be you!
I'm just about half way through rewrites on my Western. I'll be so glad when they are done.
Huh. I could swear that the Fantasy people don't like sex in their stuff, mucking up their fantasy. I mean, I assume they have sex, but not in detail. And I think you're a detail gal. So yeah, I think you're more erotic romance than "fantasy with strong erotic elements"--but then again, I like "erotic romance" because it says what you are in fewer words so it sounds more sure of itself. If you have to explain yourself in a paragraph, it doesn't have the same pull.
I can say, "I'm a person who likes to put sentences together on a page into organized paragraphs, detailing the life of a couple people who are very interesting and are suddenly pulled into a problem they didn't account for, but it all works out in the end and they fall in love." Or I can say, "I'm a romance writer."
I'd stick with simple and easy to remember, if I were you.
Don't panic. You're not being labeled. You can write whatever you want. Let the people selling your book label it.
Hello Renee! Congrats on the rewrites! (I miss Westerns!) Don't worry--an alarming amount of crew members have neither read nor seen the movies. At least you got the gist of the blog--so that's what matters. Don't you hate when people make an analogy and the point is missed entirely?
Now that the first half of the last book's movies is coming out in November, prepare yourself for more HP blogs than usual. Instead of once every four weeks, now it'll be every other week, I'm sure. I've been watching clips about the movies on line. So awesome.
I always like the juxtaposition of fantasy and fantasy.
I mean one is fantasy...ala Lord of the Rings, Narnia, etc.
The other is fantasy ... ala Hugh Jackman in a hot tub, Jack Sparrow and a Caribbean beach, etc.
2nd, I can see how you'd bring both fantasies together! But keep in mind, bringing in people from both sides of Fantasy is a lot like putting Democrats and Republicans together in the same room. Technically speaking, there isn't that much difference between them--but try telling them that!
High fantasy people will always view their chosen love as literature...but low fantasy or middle ground fanatasy? Really aren't the problem children when it comes to getting along with everyone...
Yes, I am the slut that is bearing the mutt children...
Well, mutant children...
Does that make you a slutant?
ROFL!
Lovely Post Hellion and very much like the Nora Keynote...except without the profanity!
LaNora cussed like a sailor? Really? What was it? Sit your ass in the chair and write the fucking book? Was that her advice? *LOL*
I don't think she dropped the F-bomb, but she threw in 'ass' a couple times (maybe more) and people applauded everytime. Which is when she said, "You just like that I'm cursing." LOL! Next to the old phrase "Call a spade a spade" in whatever reference book that might be in, is a picture of Nora.
Slutant. I like that. I need a new button...
You are also a button slut, Chance. :) I mean that in a good way. LOL
Is there some post-partum depression after the conference? It seems like the energy levels are kinda low -- I would think it's hard coming back to reality.
Chance and Bo'Sun wore me out at the conference so I'm recovering! :)
Brain isn't making fully formed thoughts yet.
Chance and Bo'sun are like that, Scapey, they'll wear anyone slick. *LOL* Tuesday will be here and everyone will be on their game again.
Thank goodness it's not just me. No energy to think. No energy period. I'm not nearly as bad as I was after San Fran. That timezone thing kicked my ass. I'd be a little better if my flight hadn't been delayed last night.
And I was independently wealthy and didn't have to be the gatekeeper of every dang thing in this office.
If y'all ever get a chance to enjoy Scapegoat drunk, you must do it. LOL! She's hysterical! (Though she's a name dropper, so watch your toes. ;) )
Well, she does know everyone...which can be helpful when you want to meet everyone...
Yes, I'm exhausted, want to cry all the time. Or sleep.
I love my CAPTCHA code... FAMP. I must make up something for this...then...a button.
great words of wisdom. Thank you!
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