Have you ever had to hear about someone's back problems? Your eyes glaze over and you nod sympathetically as they go on and on and on, having to listen to every pathetic detail; the accident, the suffering, the medication, the incompetent doctor, ... Meanwhile, you secretly hope a national crisis breaks out (earthquake, tornado, bomb, anything!) just so you can be excused from the pathetic whining.
Then the worst happens. YOUR back goes out. You slip a disc or strain a muscle and end up flat on your own back for six weeks. It's agonizing to go to the bathroom, to lift an arm, to shift your leg. And you just have to talk about it. You want to share your experience, earn some sympathy and understanding from your friends, coworks, or anyone who makes the mistake of asking "How are you?"!!
Karma.
For years I've been reading about writer's block - causes, solutions, creative exercises. Magazine articles, entire books even, about overcoming an author's worst nightmare.
Yada, yada, yada. Just sit down and write, yawns I ...
Then the worst happened. To me! Total brain freeze. For the past two weeks my fingers have been immobile. Creativity turned off. What's happening??
Insomnia, family worries, kids, husband, dieting, lack of exercise, no sex, too much sex: What's causing it?
For the first time ever, I cannot write. No blogging, no shorts, no work on my novel, no poetry - I'm not even READING (which is SO NOT like me!) I can't be tapped out, can I? Kaput? Two shorts published and no more? Writing career over before it even began?
Next week I'm going on vacation and I hope and pray this little bout of brainalysis is finished. Maybe I just need a few days of sun, fun, and good wine.
Wish me luck ...
~ Wylie
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Sunday, June 11, 2006
Poetry, Songwriting, Getting Emotional
Where have I been - shame on me. I hate it when my fave blog sites remain unchanged for more than a week and I've just violated my own pet peeve. But here's the thing ...
I've been using my creative energy to write poetry. I used to do it quite a bit as a hobby (before my aspirations of becoming a writer). In fact, I have poems dating back to junior high, about the time when those hormones began to kick in! I posted a smattering of them on my website and I can see the childish rhyming of my earlier work develop into the mind-boggling symbolism in the more recent. It's a cathartic experience and I would urge any writer to use the medium to get in touch with their creative soul.
Segway into songwriting ...
What are song lyrics but poems with a chorus? I sent a song to Nashville Music Productions to see what they thought and they put 'Cold On Me' to music. It's a bit too "country" for me (think Tammy Wynette circa 1972) -- I had more Gretchen Wilson/Shania Twain country/pop in mind when I wrote the lyrics, but what the heck. It's got a catchy little chorus that I can't stop singing! It will now go on a compilation CD and get sent to market (fingers crossed).
And finally, a comment on writing ...
I'm currently working on an erotic/romantic short that was meant to be an exercise in dialogue (to hone my skills), of approximately 3000 words. WRONG! It's now 6000 words and I keep having to set it aside because I get all teary and emotional when I write. Is that normal? Lucy, my heroine, is unwed, pregnant and facing an uncertain future and when I write her scenes, I feel as though I'm channelling her. She's alone and terrified and I tear up whenever I try to describe what she's going through. I would love to know if other authors go through this. Not sure I'll be able to finish it!
For now,
~ Wylie
I've been using my creative energy to write poetry. I used to do it quite a bit as a hobby (before my aspirations of becoming a writer). In fact, I have poems dating back to junior high, about the time when those hormones began to kick in! I posted a smattering of them on my website and I can see the childish rhyming of my earlier work develop into the mind-boggling symbolism in the more recent. It's a cathartic experience and I would urge any writer to use the medium to get in touch with their creative soul.
Segway into songwriting ...
What are song lyrics but poems with a chorus? I sent a song to Nashville Music Productions to see what they thought and they put 'Cold On Me' to music. It's a bit too "country" for me (think Tammy Wynette circa 1972) -- I had more Gretchen Wilson/Shania Twain country/pop in mind when I wrote the lyrics, but what the heck. It's got a catchy little chorus that I can't stop singing! It will now go on a compilation CD and get sent to market (fingers crossed).
And finally, a comment on writing ...
I'm currently working on an erotic/romantic short that was meant to be an exercise in dialogue (to hone my skills), of approximately 3000 words. WRONG! It's now 6000 words and I keep having to set it aside because I get all teary and emotional when I write. Is that normal? Lucy, my heroine, is unwed, pregnant and facing an uncertain future and when I write her scenes, I feel as though I'm channelling her. She's alone and terrified and I tear up whenever I try to describe what she's going through. I would love to know if other authors go through this. Not sure I'll be able to finish it!
For now,
~ Wylie
Thursday, June 01, 2006
CONTEST - ENTER HERE
To celebrate the upcoming release of my short erotic ebook, Bella Fiore (Chippewa Publishing LLC), I'm holding a contest.
Prizes to be won -
a gift certificate for Chippewa Publishing, free copies of Bella Fiore, and an autographed copy of the Black Lace anthology Wicked Words 7, featuring a Wylie Kinson erotic short entitled Cavern in the Green.
Enter now! Go to www.wyliekinson.com
Must be 18 years or older to enter.
Good Luck!
Prizes to be won -
a gift certificate for Chippewa Publishing, free copies of Bella Fiore, and an autographed copy of the Black Lace anthology Wicked Words 7, featuring a Wylie Kinson erotic short entitled Cavern in the Green.
Enter now! Go to www.wyliekinson.com
Must be 18 years or older to enter.
Good Luck!
The Color of Passion, Book Reviews, no more T.V., The Big Bang Theory
The Color of Passion - the beast has grown! I typed 'final draft' (didn't learn my lesson, obviously) when the story reached 21,000 words. Then I stupidly (let me repeat, STUPIDLY!) sent off the first three chapters to an epublishing company. Two days later, I reviewed those same three chapters and almost died - one really obvious continuity issue and a glaring mistake (hair is coiffed, not a quaffed - duh!). WHY, WHY, WHY did I send the submission at two in the morning? WHY, WHY, WHY didn't I wait until morning, when my eyes weren't clouded over and I could reread it again? Because I am an idiot. And idiot with no patience, common sense or aptitude. Shame on me ...
Now I sit and await inevitable rejection.
Book Reviews - I found a really neat site while doing my 'blog' homework (Yes, I truly believe that searching for and reading interesting blogs will enrich my life - and help my own pathetic blog entries. BTW, my time is limited so I traded in housework for blog time. Ask my kids, if you can find them amongst the dust bunnies.) Anyway - I found this site written by a university student (Eng. Lit, I think) who enjoys romance/erotica and gives the funniest, scathing reviews I've ever had the pleasure to read. She is absolutely hilarious in her honesty. She even reviews the cover art. Her site is refreshingly non-pedantic! Check out http://www.dionnegalace.com/books/
NO MORE GOOD TV - part of me is glad, oh so glad, that the great t.v. programs have signed off for the season so I can finally get some work done. On the other hand (thank God we have two hands or life would be so one-sided!) I already miss rushing the kids to bed so I firmly plant my ass on the sofa in time for Lost, House, and Grey's Anatomy (oh Denny - I still miss you!). And with The Sopranos bailing out next week - I've no excuse to not peck away at my keyboard and produce a new book. Or, God forbid, do housework! It would be so easy to get caught up in the drivel they broadcast in the summertime - but I refuse pay homage to big brother's victims or the people who think they can dance. They really should put all reality programs (except for A.I.) on in the summertime only.
The Big Bang Theory - no, not that one. Not THAT one, either! The Big Bang Theory is the working title of my new book - destined to become a novel - (that's more than 60,000 words for those keeping track) about a friendship that turns into love. Sounds boring when put that way, but it'll be sweet, and sexy. I'm already 9,000 in so there's no trashing it now.
Keep reading,
~ Wylie~
Now I sit and await inevitable rejection.
Book Reviews - I found a really neat site while doing my 'blog' homework (Yes, I truly believe that searching for and reading interesting blogs will enrich my life - and help my own pathetic blog entries. BTW, my time is limited so I traded in housework for blog time. Ask my kids, if you can find them amongst the dust bunnies.) Anyway - I found this site written by a university student (Eng. Lit, I think) who enjoys romance/erotica and gives the funniest, scathing reviews I've ever had the pleasure to read. She is absolutely hilarious in her honesty. She even reviews the cover art. Her site is refreshingly non-pedantic! Check out http://www.dionnegalace.com/books/
NO MORE GOOD TV - part of me is glad, oh so glad, that the great t.v. programs have signed off for the season so I can finally get some work done. On the other hand (thank God we have two hands or life would be so one-sided!) I already miss rushing the kids to bed so I firmly plant my ass on the sofa in time for Lost, House, and Grey's Anatomy (oh Denny - I still miss you!). And with The Sopranos bailing out next week - I've no excuse to not peck away at my keyboard and produce a new book. Or, God forbid, do housework! It would be so easy to get caught up in the drivel they broadcast in the summertime - but I refuse pay homage to big brother's victims or the people who think they can dance. They really should put all reality programs (except for A.I.) on in the summertime only.
The Big Bang Theory - no, not that one. Not THAT one, either! The Big Bang Theory is the working title of my new book - destined to become a novel - (that's more than 60,000 words for those keeping track) about a friendship that turns into love. Sounds boring when put that way, but it'll be sweet, and sexy. I'm already 9,000 in so there's no trashing it now.
Keep reading,
~ Wylie~
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