Unlikable characters

It's interesting the things we read.  I've been reading a book the last few days that isn't my favorite.  It has been tempting to put it down and not finish it, but I've invested enough time in it that I feel obligated to see it through.

If you read the title of my blog you will know why I'm not too fond of this book: unlikable characters.  I read and keep hoping these characters will stop and start making different decisions.  But, so far, my hope has been vain.

I know that when writing, the characters I create should be flawed.  However, they still need to be likable enough that you can look past those flaws or at least accept them.  

In real life this is a tricky thing.  We should love all men, but with some that is harder than others.  And unlike a novel, it's not appropriate to just discard them because we don't like them.  There is also the concern that we might be the unlikable character.  That is definitely a sobering thought.  I suppose the only way to deal with these concerns is to turn to another book - the Good Book.

Maya Angelou said, "While I know myself as a creation of God, I am also obligated to realize and remember that everyone else and everything else are also God's creation."

Do What You Love

A few days ago I was part of a community service event.  It was held at a local college and brought together students as well as faculty.  I found myself working beside a young man, an English literature major as it turns out.  We talked as we worked and I found it hard to contain my excitement about being a writer.  I truly love this!

I think about the ups and downs of writing novels or articles, and honestly the downs aren't really downs.  There may be set backs, like struggling with how to resolve certain plot points or reaching the right person to interview, but they just aren't that big of a deal.  I love this too much to let it get me down.

There are many aspects of my life that are similar to my writing.  I love my family and I love my faith.  So, it's no chore to work on these things as well.  Sure, there are set backs, but that's part of life isn't it?  (I find when I'm doing something that I don't love it's time to ask why I'm doing it in the first place.)

The flip side of this can be true as well.  There are things that I just have to do, like the dishes, for example.  As long as I have to do it anyway, I may as learn to love it.  Over the years that's what I've learned to do.  I actually don't mind doing dishes these days.

Life is just too short to not love what it's about!

Impatience and Timing

Those of you who follow my blog will know that I recently finished writing my first novel.  So, I've been working on book number two, and I've got to say, it's an elusive little creature.  Just when I think I've got the right direction and feel for it, I look at it again and think maybe not.  I've even considered abandoning this particular idea in favor of one of my others.  Which brings me to my title.

One of my other ideas is actually my very favorite idea.  I like it better than the novel I just wrote and better than the one I am attempting to write now.  Whenever I grow disappointed in my current efforts, I toy with writing this favorite idea.  But, and here's the important part, I'm not ready to write it yet.  I don't want to write it and not do it justice.  I have heard of movie makers having this same sense about a movie that then became their magnum opus.  

And so, I retreat to my other ideas, working to hone my craft, to practice and practice and practice, knowing that one day all of this will pay off.  One day I will be able to write that book, and hopefully you will see why I had to wait and why the waiting was worth it.

We live in a society that does not much regard delayed gratification.  We want it all and we want it all right now!  This is short-sighted and will not serve us well.  That is what I remind myself when I grow impatient, when I threaten to butcher what should be and will be, eventually, a wonderful story.  It was the story I was born to write, but just not yet . . .

I'm up to two!

This week I received my second rejection from a publisher.  Woohoo!  I'm not disappointed.  I suppose I should be, but I just can't quite work up to that.  I know I have good company - J.K. Rowling, John Grisham, Steven King, etc.  I still have hope, and hope is essential in life.

I imagine if it were my twentieth rejection I might not feel so chipper, but it isn't.  So, I'll keep on trying.  It's also nice to have other writing options where I am receiving positive feedback.  That helps too.

Today is a day that speaks of hope.  The sun is shining.  The grass in peeking out from under the snow.  The bicycle is coming out of the garage.  We all need hope.  Even the weather and the world around us know this.