And all that drafts

I’m swimming in drafts.

I don’t say drown for the truth is that I know what I’m doing now. The knowledge I acquired through those years of learning the craft of writing is like a life jacket, so I float for I have tons of things yet to learn. But this doesn’t change the fact that I created a pool of drafts and dived into it for quite some time.

Voice of the Soul

I have this thing. 

I love loud music. And when I say loud, I mean maximum volume while the same song is playing on repeat and I write. This is my thing and I have missed it so much.

On writing: Burnt out

There comes a time when life seems upside down. When you suddenly stop doing the things that you love to do. For me, that’s reading a book or finding some time to write a few sentences for the book I’m writing.

So, I’m there, at that part of my life and I feel hanging in the air, but as the blood floods my brain, I realize the reason.

Shooting the Characters

There's this thought in my head, one that I cannot easily dismiss, and I happened to think about it while rewriting that second draft of my book.

Why do we torture our characters this much?

On Writing: Struggle

There was a book on my shelf for quite some time now. It waited since it was more different than those I’m used to read. The title was: Daily Rituals: How Artists Work. 

Until I woke up one day and I told myself: It’s time! I do want to know how artists work. I do want to know, and maybe I’ll find myself a bit related to some of the rituals, I’ll read? Maybe?

On writing: Deadlines kill creativity

When I’m planning to write or edit or when I set a deadline or something, I know for a fact that I WON’T make it! It’s like when I’m trying to make plans, little goblins surface from their underground caves just to make sure that I'll miss that deadline.

And they always win!

Did you ever wonder why this is happening?

I can’t find a logical explanation but I know some ways to stop the goblins! We will get those chapters done! Here’s how:

Made of stardust

"We are made of stardust …"

That is how a quote began on Goodreads some days ago and I found myself stopping there, mid-sentence and reading again the same words. We are made of stardust but the magic that gives us life is different.

On Writing: Show me some teeth

These last few months, I'm rewriting the second book of a story I started years ago and so far it’s been like child's play. I created a new Word File and since I knew where the plot is heading, I wrote chapter after chapter and created a new story. It was wonderful and easy and I felt so powerful and happy that I foolishly let myself believe that I would finish it up in a blink of an eye.

Yesterday though things got an unexpected turn.

On writing: Castaway

It came like a wave, as it usually does, and I gladly let it wash over me and carry me away like a raging river. I took a deep breath and let the water guide me until my lungs screamed for air.

When I surfaced, I didn't find myself in the cold, pale waters of a river but in the vast, deep blue waters of an ocean. And in the back of my mind I knew that I had swum in these waters before.

A Letter to You

Dear self,

Sometimes I know that you just let it go. You're tired, maybe your head hurts or you are not in the mood, and you think: I'll do it tomorrow there's no harm done.

And tomorrow comes and passes by so fast and you're still lost somewhere between life and responsibilities that you barely realize that another day is over. You lay in bed, thinking that you'll do it tomorrow and without even acknowledging it you're in a loop.

On Writing: Find your voice

Winter is coming as the temperature falls, the need to stay home and write warms my heart and makes me think about my stories. And when I think about my stories a mixture of happiness and melancholy envelops me and my heart sinks. 

I've written four books and God knows how many stories I keep pushing in my subconscious, letting them grow and mature like good old wines. So what do I do when I'm not writing? I'm rewriting, editing and working on my stories again and again and then even some more.

On Writing: Stay focused

I feel an emptiness in my chest right next to my heart and I know it's because its wounded. It aches and the pain travels across my body but I didn't mean for this to happen! Yes, I am the one to blame but I am also the one who can actually do something about it.

I've been trying, for I would be dammed if I didn't, but as long as I try to fix this, I fail, and the wound in my chest grows bigger and bigger. Lately the pain increases by the hour and I fear that the hole next to my heart will grow so big that will swallow it entirely.

Why do you write?

What writing means to you? Why do you write?

I want to know your story, your thoughts about writing. Do you write? Do you want to write? Do you keep a diary, do you write down your inner thoughts and secrets? Do you write a book? Many books? Why?

I follow so many talented and passionate people around the world, I read posts, opinions and advices about books and stories and plots. We write all day, we write tweets, posts, we write on Facebook walls, and I want to know ... why do you write? What urges you to do it?

On Writing: Rewrite it

So this it it, guys. The Hard Stuff.

Don't let yourself be fooled by editing. Be extra careful because time is precious and we do need so much time in order to properly write that book we have in our mind! 

When you finish that first heart-aching draft, and let it aside for a month or two, it's time for rewriting. Yep, rewriting and then editing because it's not the same. It ain't at all!

Seriously, editing can go on forever but now I know why! And I won't do this anymore!

Rewrite and then edit and maybe you'll have a book that you can proudly say it's finished! I'm heading that way.

Here's the thing. 

My beautiful Cassandra

I have an announcement to make. It's one of those words that until you've said them aloud is like dreaming. Like a fantasy because it's so dreamy that you have the urge to pinch yourself while you secretly pray not to wake up from this dream. I pinched myself and the dream was still there so it's not a dream but a dreamy reality.

So here it goes.

Bombard

It's happening again!

Oh, I'm telling you it's here, slowly forming, developing and keeps me up at night. I lie in bed and instead of going to sleep I feel a wave of emotions running through my veins, and I'm telling you, it's not the blood that keeps me alive these days.

It's beautiful, new and makes me edgy so I want more, I can't help it! I'm addicted!

A new idea is haunting me!

On writing: Guts and Stardust

So, I was reading about motivation, about the ways to keep you focused on your writing, about the self-discipline of writing and stick to it. There are tons of things we know we have to do, we've read them again and again, some we have tried some we are still trying to do. Establish a routine, say no to sudden invitations from friends when writing is on schedule, make a schedule, close your door and let the chaos outside, read, create your writing space.

On writing: The Loop

It's a loop. I'm convinced now that it's a loop and I freaking like it! So now that I know it for sure I have a statement to make: Writer's mind works in a loop!

We think of a story, we are hooked on the idea, we write it, we edit it, we rewrite and re-edit it and then we think of a story, we are hooked on the idea and you know how that goes, right?

Think Out Loud: Writing Melancholy

This is Think out Loud. It’s a weekly meme created to help bloggers break out from the blogging bubble. The rules are simple. We post whatever we want and let people know what’s in our mind. Visit the creator on Thinks Books and join too. It’s so cool to share your random thoughts.

On Writing: Running out of fuel

I'm sure you've heard what they say about writing and reading, right? If you don't have time to read, you don't have time to write. What they don't say though is this: if the book you read don't inspire you, then writing is dragging.

I don't know if it's just me and my bad mood for reading, but recently the books I choose don't have that sparkle of inspiration I need. Thank God I read Gone Girl and there was a wildfire to keep me going, but now that the book has finished, the smoldering fire is not enough. I feel like I'm running out of fuel.