Saturday, March 9, 2013

I don't measure up

Have you ever felt like that? I feel it all the time. I'm inexperienced, un-higher-educated, and I lack the communication skills necessary to deliver an award-winner, knock-your-socks-off novel (that of course someone will want to make a movie out of.) I dream too big, and my reach falls short. My glass is always half-empty. Then...

I get an e-mail like this: You ruined me! I read When Love is not Enough and ever since I finished it I can't read anything else!  Nothing interests me!  I must have 50 books on my kindle still to read and I start one and then just go back to WLINE. 

I got this at just the right time because I was feeling inadequate, uninspired, and deflated. I had hit a roadblock. I was writing Names Can Never Hurt Me and I was going strong when this feeling of dread hit, like it was somehow a boring story. I don't want to be boring. The answer isn't always "add more action" because sometimes the story doesn't include a car accident or a random shooting. How do I add "action" to a true to life account of a person's day-to-day existence? Nick's struggle is identity related. (this is rhetorical) I didn't know how to carry the story. I have some ideas but lacked the time to write them this week.

Bummed, I picked up The Locker Room and reread it. Dumb idea! I will NEVER write as good as Amy Lane. Her attention to detail blows me away. Then I thought, "I can't write like that!" How do I expect to get anywhere when there are writers that just do it perfectly?

That e-mail came at the right time because it got me thinking about WLINE... When Love is Not Enough for those unfamiliar with my acronym. (Sadly, I even doubt my usage of the word acronym like I used it wrong.) Thinking about WLINE, and then the sequel which is still with a publisher for consideration, led me to think of book 3, and Darian! Darian is the focus of book 3. LTLTA... Love, Trust, and Learning to Live Again. Darian's story has been sitting for a while now at 14k. I think I have been totally inspired to pick it up, set "Names" aside, and write the emotionally gripping story of my most broken character!

So thank you, reader, for taking the time to e-mail me. I need encouragement sometimes because this writing business is hard. Too many good writers to count and I feel all too often how much I do not measure up.

All for now, I gotta go!

Have a great weekend.

Wade

4 comments:

  1. According to Merriam-Webster.com, an acronym is defined as:

    "a word (as NATO, radar, or laser) formed from the initial letter or letters of each of the successive parts or major parts of a compound term; also : an abbreviation (as FBI) formed from initial letters : initialism"

    So your abbreviation "WLINE" could either be called an acronym or an initialism. Suffice it to say, your use of the term "acronym" is correct.

    In other words, don't be so damn hard on yourself!!

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  2. THANK YOU!! I'm am glad you are checking in and commenting on the things I KNOW NOTHING about! So, thanks again. :)

    ps: I am always hard on myself! ;)

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  3. I like your blog and I'm tempted to read your books but I'm put off by the 1st one listed "My Roommate's A Jock" including a swearword I associate with rubbish, on the cover. Silly cos I'm OK with oaths and curses in a book, but I prefer covers to look professional like the other ones do.

    Just a point for your next book cover, little things count. :-)

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    1. I like input. Sometimes I can change things when readers give me an idea of what they don't like. I'm glad you like my blog. Sometimes I think that no one reads it. hahaha. I know some do, but when no one comments it makes me wonder. Most of my "comments" are left on Goodreads because I have this hooked up to stream it (is that right) over there.

      Read my books or not. It's okay. It depends what you like to read. If you don't like m/m romance then I'd rather you not read them. "Jock" is funny, but some people don't like the POV shifts. I'm learning from those comments. "WLINE" is very emotional. Again, it has POV shifts, but less people have a problem with them in WLINE. I have excerpts on my website. Read those. If you think, "yeah, not for me!" then you saved yourself money and time.

      :)

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