Tag: Darla

  • Starving Artist

    I was at a restaurant the other day with my partner when the wait turned into a longer ordeal than anticipated. I was not really surprised, as it was a new place. My first instinct happened to be leaving, too, but I didn’t want to be a spoilsport.

    So we waited. We waited for a table, we waited for service, then we waited a ridiculous amount of time for mediocre food. Somewhere during the period between sitting down and getting served, I was asked why I wasn’t writing. There is always some sort of writing material on my person, even if it’s a cheap pen and a scrap of paper. I don’t feel right without it.

    But do you know why I wasn’t writing? Because I was hungry. The old belly grumbled way too determinedly for me to focus on any kind of storytelling.

    I thought that was a funny sort of blessing. Of all the big issues that plague countless poor, blocked artists, my issue happens to have been a very brief one with biology.

    So, what stops you from writing or drawing or whatever it is that makes you feel personally productive? I doubt it’s your appetite for protein and carbohydrates. Do you suffer guilt over other things you think you “should” be doing? I say, go feed that creative hunger! Stop being a starving artist. Your whole being will thank you.

  • Thursday Thirteen

    Today is the day for random lists. Please stop by and comment if you enjoyed:

    A. Catherine Noon

    Darla M. Sands

  • The Lady with Dust Bunnies in Her Hair

    The gal in question wrote to an animal welfare website where folks tell how they discovered a beloved pet, often found languishing in a shelter after being heartlessly dumped. Her story stood out, though. This goodhearted person wrote that the poor cat spent his initial two months “with me hiding under the bed.” What? An adult woman spent two months under her bed?

    It’s a sad tell on misuse of the English language that it took me a few moments to realize that the cat hid, not the woman. Should I expect a preposition to precede the subject of a verb? Of course not. Yet that was exactly how I interpreted her opening sentence. Why did she even add the words “with me”? Where else would the animal have been, an ocean freighter?

    After reading the sentence, I find myself particularly grateful for demanding school teachers. I also have a constructively perfectionist mother who instilled a strong respect for precise grammar and punctuation. I’m far from perfect, to be sure, but my problem is more along the lines of capitol versus capital and the like. All the same, I think it’s time to pick up an edition of “Eats, Shoots & Leaves” by Lynn Truss. If nothing else, the intrinsic humor and a foreword by delightful author Frank McCourt will make the informative read well worth the time and money.

    Instead of worrying about perfection, however, I’d definitely rather read these types of heartwarming stories. And that goes for fiction, too, so happy writing!

  • Thursday Thirteen

    It’s time for Thursday Thirteen lists again!  Enjoy:

    Sand Castles ~ Turning Japanese

  • Blessed Being

    One thing the Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron has taught me is that I am very blessed with wonderful parents. Exercises meant to deal with issues like poisonous people in our lives, unhealthy attitudes toward a higher power, and financial issues have all pointed toward their nurturing, positive examples. A phone call Saturday night only reinforced that.

    Dad called to see how things are going. Often asking after my writing despite his disinterest in reading fiction stories, he expressed amusement over my various projects, none of the ones mentioned even involving writing, to the point I didn’t give him a chance to talk about himself much. Mom, for her part, could have complained endlessly about a broken rib. She didn’t, not even with a chronic disease adding to the mix. How can I complain after that?

    Instead, they inspire me to do things like email a favorite author. If I don’t hear back, I’ll presume he’s busy. Odds are, I will hear back because he’s already proven himself to be courteous and grateful, but my world won’t be shattered if he’s too busy. I have too much knowledge of the many more important things in life.

    So, while this is an intensely personal post, it’s also short. I just couldn’t resist sharing. Hopefully, I can hear about some similar joy in your life today. Blessings to you and yours!

  • Flash Fiction Friday

    In the mood for a break?  Enjoy a short read!

    Sand Castles ~ A Very Good Day (NC-17)

  • Thursday Thirteen

    Join us for random fun!

    Darla M Sands

  • Writer’s Block or Artistic Balance?

    A few recent evenings and weekend afternoons have given me the perfect opportunity to work on my fiction WIPs. To my surprise, that didn’t happen. The sense of urgency to tell stories wasn’t there.

    I think it’s a combination of things. For one, I’ve decided not to break my neck to get published at this time. Honestly, the pressure to work 40 hours a week for a regular paycheck is too great. I can’t see doing that, writing, AND promoting myself to the satisfaction of publishing houses, e-book or otherwise. So I’ll hone my craft and keep feelers out for the right opportunity. Can you read my optimism? I’m happy to find it there.

    In the meantime, Friday night I watched a movie. Saturday and Sunday mornings, I devoured an e-book and pecked a little at a new story. Sunday afternoon found me setting up Thursday thirteen blog posts for weeks into the future. That felt good and I enjoyed some random research.

    Last night, fully intending to tell story, I instead read another m/m romance. This bit of fluff wasn’t as substantive as the one last weekend but left me with a warm and fuzzy HEA. That’s never a bad thing. So, I’ve decided not to beat myself up.

    Rather than feeling blocked, I sense a balance against the extensive creative output that flowed for weeks prior. I hope you can say the same, and wish you the best on whatever creative input or output you enjoy! It will be interesting to see where my instincts lead tonight.

  • Thursday Thirteen

    Happy Thursday! Please stop by for some random fun.

    Darla M Sands

  • Cruel & Unusual ~ An Artist’s Trials

    Honoring my commitment to follow “The Artist’s Way” from beginning to end, I opened my copy of Julia Cameron’s guide Sunday afternoon. Never quite knowing what to expect from these highly spiritual messages, I had been warned of a week in which artists are advised not to read, particularly for pleasure or to waste snippets of time. Well, I discovered that this is it, week four.

    I didn’t foresee that being a tremendous hardship, not for a mere seven days. It came as a surprise to discover just how often I grab a book when settling down to some mindless physical task. Discovering this addiction to the written word has become my first real epiphany through the Artist’s Way and made me want to examine the habit more deeply.

    I remember that the tendency started before I could even decipher the English alphabet. My mother likes to remind me how her little girl would sit on the potty training seat flipping through a catalog or magazine, admiring the neat lines of print as much as the pictures. At the breakfast table, the outside of cereal boxes became as much a staple as the contents. When finished with whatever interested me, I would consume the ingredients list. This appetite always seemed like a good thing, and it is. However, I do understand the goal of abstinance.

    By resisting a constant stream of input, we stop sedating the creative mind with others’ thoughts and ideas. Already, the AW exercises received more attention this week because they gave me something to do besides open the novel I’m currently reading. I actually enjoyed undertaking those assignments and hope this might inspire a new level of commitment to Ms. Cameron’s process.

    As I am composing this on Monday, we shall see how the rest of the week goes. I passed two difficult tests so far, restraining myself from pouring over what two talented colleagues have recently composed. One of these treasured individuals didn’t know about this temporary restriction and actually emailed story snippets for something to brighten my workday. She graciously understood my reason for not being able to read, which is turning out to be a real trial!

    It’s just a good thing I didn’t read “The Artist’s Way” any earlier than I did on Sunday. Being forced to set aside Kimberly Gardner’s novelette “Phoenix Rising” halfway through would have truly been cruel and unusual punishment.