A LITTLE OF THIS
This year has been one wild and crazy ride for me, and it seems it’s time to share just a little bit. The year began by purging my house of a lifetime collection of possessions, and by the time my husband and I were done in April, about two thirds of all we owned had been donated or sold. We also sold our house with no intention of moving into a traditional home or apartment. We moved onto our 35-foot sailboat. My husband retired in May, and our next step was to start our RV hunt, which did not go as smoothly as anticipated. Actually from the time we moved onto the boat, it seemed we had one challenge after another. But I won’t bore you with the details. Maybe another time. In July, we settled into our 43-foot RV just across the way from our boat. A beautiful setting. Yet, the challenges continued. We believe this month will be the last month of getting the creases out, and we can finally settle down and start traveling in November.
Did all this have an impact on my life as a writer? Oh yes. Big time! And even now that I’m finding my way in this new lifestyle, there are still challenges like inconsistent Internet, which drives me crazy. But, getting up each morning and looking out at the lake with our boat’s mast waving hello sooths my soul and all is well. I must also say that I’ve never seen so many beautiful sunsets in such a short time. Life is good.
In the midst of my madness, I was invited to write a guest post on maintaining your health as a writer. It took me a while to get around to it but it is finally here!
This month, I’m honored to share that Colleen Story is featuring my guest post HOW TO BALANCE AN OUT-OF-CONTROL WRITING LIFE on her blog and in her newsletter, WRITING AND WELLNESS: Putting the Power of You Behind Your Best Creative Life. I hope you’ll take a little time to read it and ponder the balance or lack of balance in your writing life. Thanks to Colleen for inviting me to be her guest.
A LITTLE OF THAT
Writer friends often express their struggles with rejection and the temptation to throw in the towel. So, I’ve been trying to post inspirational quotes here and there. I share a few of them below.
If you are thinking about or feeling like giving up, don’t do it! Hold your ground. “Victory is not won in miles but in inches. Win a little now, hold your ground, and later win a little more.”
– Louis L’Amour
“I have missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions, I have been entrusted to take the game’s winning shot . . . and missed. And I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why . . . I succeed.”
– Michael Jordan
“Perseverance is not a long race: it is many short races one after another.”
– Walter Elliott
“Fall seven times, stand up eight.”
– Japanese Proverb
I like the following quote because it not only applies to us as writers, but it applies to the stories we write as well. Think about it. . . . “If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn’t lead anywhere.”
– Frank A. Clark
This brings me to . . .
WHY ARE CHARACTER ARCS IMPORTANT?
In most picture books, the main character doesn’t just wander through the plot. They move through with purpose. They overcome challenges. And most importantly, the plot changes them. They learn from the events and challenges that the arc builds, and this is how they arrive at a satisfying conclusion/resolution. The tension and emotional core that the arc creates show the reader that the story is worth reading. It makes the reader care about the character and shows them why the story matters.
Whether fiction or nonfiction, if you’ve been told your story needs more arc, or it needs more tension, or it needs more heart, or it needs more focus, my Art of Arc picture book writing course will help you find what your stories need to take them to the next level. And it only costs as much as one professional critique.
Enjoy putting more balance in your writing life!
Huge changes for you but it sounds like it will be wonderful! We sold everything and moved to Spain 2 years ago, not without problems. But in the end, it was worth it. Hang in there. Love the quotes, especially the last one. Thanks.
Darlen, Thanks so much for your encouragement and for stopping by to read and comment!
Gonna read that blog post for sure & I’ll share this one, Alayne. Here’s to righting your ship. Big adventures.
Thank you, my friend. So appreciated, Kathy.
What an exhausting but also exhilarating time for you! I’m glad you’re feeling good about it all. Will check out the health post in a bit. 🙂
Thanks, Teresa. You are such a sweetheart. GROCK!
What a year of transitions it’s been, but those sunsets must be so restoring. One day I’d love to live on a boat too!
Thanks, Sylvia. I’m trusting that next year will bring more of a sense of normalcy. I’m looking forward to the winter because we have some nice plans. The sunsets have been special – the stars too. Had great views of the meteor shower! And for us, the resort we’re staying at is kind of like Cheers – we’ve had our boat here for 7 years – so everybody knows our name. Sometimes, we feel like celebrities 😉 So, it feels like home, which is a really good thing.
Great post, thank you! And your new life sounds wonderful!
Thanks for stopping by and commenting, Carleen. The new life is an adventure for sure. And it is wonderful in many, many ways.
What an adventure! Hoping the creases iron out for smooth sailing. Thanks for sharing, Alayne
Ha! Now that’s a writer. I should hire you to write my pitches, Tracey 😉 I love how you summed it up so succinctly with “Hoping the creases iron out for smooth sailing.” Brought smiles. Thanks!
A change is always met with some difficulties. Those obstacles are there and we just keep growing as we go. Inspiring post, Alayne. Best wishes as you and hubby journey your new path.
Thanks so much Charlotte. I do love how we can see the story and character arcs in our own lives, if we look.
Alayne, thank you for this post. Once again, you’ve inspired me. I loved the quotes and hearing how you’ve persevered amidst adversity. Best of luck to you and your husband. I hope you’ll enjoy your new adventure-filled life together… where ever the roads (or waters) may lead.
Thank you, Doris. I’m so glad that I inspired you. Thanks for your well wishes, too!