The Writer's Mailbag: Installment 196
Spring Busts Out
The cherry blossoms are in full display around our town. They are absolutely stunning, of course, same display every year, you know what to expect, but when it happens it still forces you to slow down in the car and gasp.
The odd thing about cherry trees, or so it seems to me, is that they bloom seemingly overnight. It’s like they all wake up on a particular date, in the middle of that night, and in the morning every single cherry tree in the entire city is in full bloom.
That’s what the creative process is like for me. I’ll be bebopping along, doing my thing, and suddenly, out of nowhere, an idea for a short story or novel pops into my head, like it’s been there all along, dormant, but it just decides to erupt into my consciousness on that particular moment. And like the cherry blossoms it is a beautiful moment for this old writer. I’m still blown away that I am a writer, that I do this for a living, and that people actually find value in my words.
Blah, Blah, and Blah!
Happy Easter to you all. Let’s do this!
Hp and Editing
From Eric: “As for editing and HP. Do you think their format and standards for featuring are helpful for discipline?”
Eric, I think it must help some people, right? There are some very undisciplined writers out there, judging from comments I’ve read. It can’t hurt them to follow the HP format, can it?
You are, of course, talking to the King of Discipline, thank you very much. LOL I didn’t need HP’s help with discipline, but they have been helpful to me with following a particular format in my articles about social issues, and even in short stories. Their format prevents me from falling into bad habits and sacrificing quality when I’m in a hurry, so for that I’m grateful.
Flawless but Boring
From Mary: “Bill, I'm happy that in spite of your busy schedule, you keep doing this. I always learn something or feel encouraged when I read the mailbag. I sometimes wonder why there are some novels or stories that are flawless but they make you go down into boredom when you read it. Do you think it reflects the inner state of the writer?”
Honestly, Mary, I think it’s because there are some very boring writers who do not have a certain flair which captures the attention of readers. Especially now in a world where self-publishing has made such a huge splash . . . my God there are some very average, mundane writers out there self-publishing.
But, in truth, I’ve read some of the “classics” and been bored beyond tears. Who determines that a book is a classic, by the way? Who sat down one day and decided Bronte is a “must-read” for everyone, or that Russian guy with a name I can’t spell? My good Lord, reading “War and Peace” is like taking a handful of valium. And that’s a classic????
I’m only partly jesting, of course, but I have wondered, at times, how some classic novels ever “made the grade,” and who the hell decided they were timeless. I understand some people do love “War and Peace,” or “Crime and Punishment,” and I’m sure they have great reasons for it.
But not me!
Too Many Ideas Follow-Through
From Emese: “Great mailbox, as always, Bill. Too Many Ideas Syndrome, I have it, and I do what you do with it: write it down, in a new Word doc. Or write it down in a notebook. But, I rarely ever go back to any of them. So my question is: how, or when, do you 1. find time for, 2. remember to do, 3. feel like developing any of these ideas. Granted, what you do might not work for me, but I'm curious because this happens to me all the time. I am cluttering up my house, my computer with the ideas that are waiting to be developed, it is starting to get overwhelming.”
Emese, there was the “Before 2018” period of my life, and the “After 2018” period. In the Before Period, I would have my week scheduled out with Thursdays and Fridays set aside for creative writing. It was then that I would go into my brain’s storage shed and pull out one of those ideas waiting for my action. Now, though, I seem to be awash in freelance writing gigs for customers, and overwhelmed by my duties in farming, so those creative writing days have been sacrificed for the common good. Now they just sit in a corner collecting cobwebs . . . a sad sight indeed!
To answer your question, back in the day of creative production, I would set aside particular times and days when the only thing I did was pay attention to those ideas . . . it helps to be disciplined, by the way, and determined to follow through with that plan. There were times, pre-2018, when nothing else was allowed to interfere with that writing, not family, not phone calls, not chores, nothing!
I doubt that was very helpful but it was, at least, truthful from my standpoint.
Best wishes!
Traveling and Creativity
From Pete: “Do you travel very often? I ask that because your character in “Resurrecting Tobias” traveled all over the country, and it seemed like you had visited those same places. Do you feel traveling helps a creative writer?”
Pete, with regards to “Resurrecting Tobias,” I only wrote about places I have visited or lived in for a time. I wanted to write from a certain place of authenticity, so I limited Toby’s travels to cities I knew fairly well. Since I’ve seen thirty-eight states, lived in four, and visited often maybe ten, I have a few to choose from when writing stories. Once I decide to write a chapter in a particular city, I refresh my memory by calling upon Google maps for street names and accurate orienteering.
I did the same thing in my first novel, “The 12/59 Shuttle From Yesterday to Today,” by the way. Being a fairly lazy writer who doesn’t like research, this just seems to make sense to me. Now you know the real truth: I’m a lazy researcher!
Do I think traveling helps a creative writer? It certainly can’t hurt a creative writer. I think the more life experiences you have to call upon, the more interesting and authentic you will be in your writing. The same can be said about holding jobs. A creative writer who has had thirty jobs during their lifetime has more to draw from than someone who has only had three jobs, don’t you think? And those experiences inevitably end up in their novels.
So yes, I think traveling helps a creative writer. Do I think it’s necessary? No, but it certainly can’t hurt!
April Is Busting out All Over
Flowers and trees and spring animal births and WOW! Spring is such a cool time.
Need inspiration? Pull yourself up off the couch and go for a walk. Spring is out there waiting to inspire you. All you have to do is show up and pay attention. Hell, go to a farm and watch all the babies romping around. Very cool indeed!
Thanks to all who showed up in the Mail Room this week. You are all greatly appreciated!
2018 William D. Holland (aka billybuc)
“Helping writers to spread their wings and fly.”
Comments
AUTHORGlad to hear, Rajan, I'm not alone with that opinion. Thank you sir!
Bill, I certainly agree with you on "timeless classics" like these. I have never been able to go beyond a few pages of either.
- AUTHOR
Thanks Lawrence. I was a history teacher, so yes, the Russian time period is important when reading Crime and Punishment...but my God that, to me, is boring writing. lol
Bill
I'm sure that others have already told you 'who the Russian guy was" but it was 'Dostoyevsky" who wrote crime and punishment!
Read what was being written at the time, and you'll see why they were considered 'classics'
I've just tried to read Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, and it was hard going even though she writes in a very similar pattern to what most writers use today, and I just can't stand 'Breaking bad' (reference the first video clip) but found myself realising what the guy was talking about was totally 'spot on' and on every page of my books (as well as yours) Great points here.
- AUTHOR
The readers do all the work, Audrey! I'm just along for the ride, but thank you so much.
love,
bill
- AUTHOR
It's popular with me, Larry, so at least you have one person in your corner. :) Thanks buddy!
What would we writers do without "The Mailbag"? I absolutely love Mondays! It blows my mind, just how many questions keep coming up. You are the man!
Thanks, dear Bill, for all your help.
Love,
Audrey
I guess it's not the most original of opinions, but Spring is my absolute favorite.
- AUTHOR
Thanks Alyssa! I love the Japanese cherry trees but you are right, you gotta be quick to see the blooms.
Finally someone who agrees with me on the "classic" idea! Haha! The cherry blossoms are beautiful! We have a Japanese Cherry Blossom tree in our front yard and I love when it blooms. The problem is that it only lasts for a few weeks. Great installment!
- AUTHOR
It was bound to happen, Jo! Sooner or later reality was sure to interfere with my precious schedule. :)
One of the most encouraging things for me that you've said in is that you finally admit you've let other things in to your schedule. I like an orderly life, and accomplish much that way, but I so often let other things (like grandchildren and travel) interfere with that. As much as I enjoy writing, I'm always allowing other things to interfere.
- AUTHOR
Love the washing machine story, Bill! I've done the same thing.
Thanks for always being here,buddy!
- AUTHOR
Heidi, if I could send you some warmer temps I'd do it now. It has to turn to spring there at some point, right? Crossing my fingers for ya!
Hi Bill. Interesting week for the mailbag. At one time I would write down ideas on a little cheat sheet that I carried around with me. Then it went through the washing machine and that was the end of that. Now I create a word document with the idea or a possible title for the article and save it until I have the time to return to the article. Of course finding the time can be a problem. Anyway, have a great week.
- AUTHOR
Thank you, Agusfanani! I appreciate you!
- AUTHOR
Too funny, Linda,although some would disagree with us about the classics you mentioned...but I'm with you.
- AUTHOR
I love your exclamation, Mary, "what was I thinking???" I've had similar moments.
Hoping your week is fantastic!
- AUTHOR
I'll have some thoughts on that next Monday, Rasma....hopefully they will help you.
I just want to say thank you Bill !
Late to the Mailbag party. Busy start to the week! Not complaining.
Re: Classic? Like you, I've struggled to understand or appreciate many of the so-called classics. I think part of it is due to them being written for the time they were written in. The themes might be timeless, but the perspective may not be.
Well, it's a typical April here in Chicago. We're supposed to get some snow tonight. Glad you're seeing cherry blossoms.
Have a terrific week!
Bill, here's a P.S. to the comments I left yesterday. I can't for the life of me see how some of the "classics" became such. As you said "War and Peace" is absolute torture. (When you have to keep a notebook of references to clue into the names and interconnections of the characters, there's a problem). Silas Marner. Canterbury Tales (in the original English, OMG), A Moveable Feast (couldn't get past the 2nd chapter), The Old Man and The Sea. At least we can't blame these on self-publishing.
I wonder what English Lit majors will be reading as "classics" 100 years from now? Certainly not my recipes.
I have some books upstairs that have won countless awards, and I just can't get through them. I keep asking myself, what I'm missing.
I have a folder on my desktop that has ideas in it. I go in and have a sort through and pull out ones which have no chance and usually exclaim, "what was I thinking?"
I hope that rain doesn't knock off all those cherry blossoms for you. I miss having seasons, especially spring.
Have a wonderful week.
- AUTHOR
Thank you Ann! War and Peace was painful...Crime and Punishment ultra-painful...thank God I'm not Russian! LOL
The rains are returning my friend. I hope warmer temperatures arrive before I'm too old to appreciate them. :)
Happy Tuesday to you as well
bill
- AUTHOR
Thank you Frank! That means a lot to me.
Thank you for another mailbag. Now that I have finally come forth with my first self-published book of poems what are some other things I can do to be sure to get the word out? I have a FB page for the book, I have it on Amazon and an author's page and an author's page on Goodreads. I have also done the usual round of social networks and my own poetry blog and on sites on which I write that have nodded their go-ahead for making my announcement. I didn't appear to do it right for HP so I deleted what I wrote here. Is there anything I have missed for my book so far Poetic Thoughts Fly?
- AUTHOR
That's one reason I love the Mailbag so much, Kristen. There is always something in it for everyone as we pick each other's brain.
- AUTHOR
No worries, Venkatachari M. I appreciate the gesture and will eagerly read your book once it arrives. In the meantime, blessings to you always.
- AUTHOR
No insult at all, Lori, and my feelings aren't hurt. I just thought I'd use a different one on a whim. I'll go back to the original photo next week...and I would never shoot you, so no worries. :)
- AUTHOR
Now that is hilarious Flourish! I'll have to try that sometimes. Thanks for the laugh.
- AUTHOR
Linda, come on down to Olympia and I'll be glad to take you out to the farm to play with the baby goats.
- AUTHOR
MIzB, here it is the crows. They will decimate a cherry tree of its fruit in a matter of a couple days, and they are damned loud while they are doing it. :) As for the videos I find them silly. Maybe you and I are the odd ducks at the party. Maybe there are a lot of readers out there who watch all of the videos. Must be nice to have that much time?
Great mailbag Bill. I loved how my question had a follow-through from another hubber. I'm so glad spring is finally here.
I love the Spring time and I love your mailbag. I agree with you about some novels; I haven't even attempted War and Peace because I know I won't like the story, let alone the trudging through that it would involve! However, each to his own... Bronte, on the other hand - but only Jane Eyre.
I'm getting a feeling throughout hubpages, of Spring and hope and new ideas for writing; it's so refreshing.
A tantalising Tuesday to you, bill!
Ann
- AUTHOR
Good luck Barbara! Snow should not be allowed in April.
- AUTHOR
LOL...Linda, Bev and I were talking about that last night. People will be moving here in droves.
As for Steilacoom, is that like rolling up the sidewalks? LOL
- AUTHOR
Great points made, Brian! You put into words perfectly the process I do mentally...thank you for your eloquence.
- AUTHOR
My pleasure, Dora. Glad you enjoyed it! lol
- AUTHOR
Thank you Ruby dear friend. Good to have you back. You have been missed.
- AUTHOR
You are too funny, Clive! That had me laughing.
- AUTHOR
That's why I include that picture, Manatita. I know people find it amusing and we all need a laugh. Happy travels, my friend.
- AUTHOR
Well Happy Easter then, Bunny! lol Thanks Pop!
- AUTHOR
Thank you Emese, and good luck with that suggestion of mine. What works for one may not work for another, but it's worth a try.
- AUTHOR
Great question, William, and hopefully I'll have a great answer for you on Monday. In the meantime, pray for a warming trend.
Thanks once again for sharing your insights... It feels good to come back to your mail bag and see that I'm not alone in having answers just sitting at the tips of my fingers... well done my friend... Frank
This is one more interesting mailbag, Bill, with very useful information and tips for writers.
With regard to that too many ideas issue, I already informed you that I keep them in my blog as drafts. And, it is my habit to visit my blog every alternate day to look at statistics and to take a glimpse of those drafts. I may not get the inspiration to turn it into a post always. But, once in ten or twenty visits, I get the spark to turn one of them into a published post. I hope Emese can do something like that.
And, now, sorry for the delay in your copy of my book on Economics. There are payment issues as my card gets declined for foreign payments. Anyhow, it will reach you in a few days.
Great mailbag. You know, I've been greatly disappointed at some of the classics, being bored out of my gourd. I suppose it's subjective, a matter of taste. I hope I'm never boring as a writer. I'm not likely to be an award winner but please shoot me or at least tell me if I'm ever boring.
I hope I don't hurt your feelings Bill, but I much prefer your original mailbag photo if your desk and computer. But I'm always delighted to chuckle at your toilet bowl photo. It.makes me feel I'm in good company with someone who has a slightly twisted sense of humor.
BTW, I'm enjoying the cherry blossoms as well as all the bulb flowers and forsythias (called forcynthias in my childhood).
There’s a role for flawless boring texts like classics and government regulations and that is lat at night for the insomniac. I used to read the Congressional Record, government regulations and relevant case law in my field and it worked so much better than other sleep aids.
In Michigan we are still going to get snow again. Seeing these lilac bushes make me jealous. They are beautiful. Thanks for the good advice.
The cherry blossoms are appearing where I live, too. Spring is a wonderful time of year. I'd love to watch baby animals romping around! Thanks for yet another edition of the Mailbag.
Bill, lucky you, you have cherry blossoms to enjoy, we have ole boring Bradford pears. My little cherry tree in the yard has baby cherries already, so I got some bird netting. The darned birds got them all last year.
I agree that travel definitely gives credence to writing. I've read stories that the writer must have researched the physical details and gotten some wrong. We had an HP writer who used to hop websites and rewrite their travel advertising into travelog hubs. I figured out what he was doing when he labeled a photograph as something at Riverfront Park in Little Rock when it was actually at the Old Mill in North Little Rock. Caught him red-handed, I did. That's why I'm not confident about researching a city for a fiction story. I would hate to make that mistake.
And HP's love affair with videos! I'm sorry, but rarely do I ever watch a video that someone uses in a hub. I don't have time. I came here to read and write, not to watch videos. Sorry, just had to get that off my chest.
Yesterday was very warm, today was chilly, and tomorrow heavy rains are moving in. We are just getting our tender little garden plants out, and hubby is making one more attempt at hydroponics. LOL Hope you have great weather this week, my friend.
Bill, I apologize for jumping in so late but did you know that an entire town can close up shop for the day? Yup, the little burg of 6,000 that I call home just 30 minutes north of you turned off the power at 7 am and didn't bring it back on until late in the day. Now mind you, this was all planned. We were alerted 2 months ago that the power outage would occur but in this century of internet and connectedness, it sure put a crimp in my puff pastry.
I look forward to every Monday mailbag, and really enjoyed the questions and answers about HP and the editorial process, boring writers, and travel/getting those creative juices flowing.
But, that brings me to one complaint. Gosh darn it, you've enticed everyone in every other part of the country to come here. Apparently, this is the only place on earth where Spring has finally sprung.
It's normal and natural for a writer to have a plethora of writing project ideas. Your technique for capturing fleeting notions with a few notes in word-processing documents is a sensible suggestion. I use WorkFlowy to store notes to myself of writing project ideas.
Since a writer just naturally dreams-up for more ideas for writing projects than he-she will ever have time to develop, the writer confronts these decisions: Which project(s) shall I develop next? Which projects shall I mull and ponder in the back of my mind for now, until I'm ready to choose re each to develop it or forget it? Which project ideas have the potential to spark my interest years hence? Which writing project ideas have little potential or are not that interesting to me, so that whatever notes I have so far are best deleted and forgotten?
The result of making those choices is 5 drawers, files, or categories: Done and submitted or published; In Progress; Pondering; To Consider Again in a Future Year; Trash Bin.
The consequence of not making choices is getting overwhelmed by the ever growing accumulation of writing ideas.
Bill, I have decided that the answer to the "Flawless but Boring" question is a classic. Thanks again for helping us sharpen our writing tools.
Was I surprised to see that you were still writing the mailbox? NO!! And you do help so many of us. Thank you Bill..
Cherry trees are alien seeds billy...I have one and it is scary. almost like it has eyes and ears.
Beautiful flowers. So my Invocation to Spring was worth it after all. I love your story about the cherry blossoms. They just appear! ha ha. I suppose you can say that they are early and fast risers.
Travel and change of work do tend to help writers, yes, although not necessary for the avid reader with a creative mind. Off to Kenya for 3 months on Thursday, perhaps I'll write a piece when I get back. I love your toilet bowl and it is usually a joy to see it, as there are always laughs. Have a great day, Bro!
If you are lazy, I'm the Easter Bunny!
- AUTHOR
There is always hope for you, Peg! You've got the ability; now all you need is the time.
- AUTHOR
Mike you wore that carriage out, but I'm glad it brought you to us here at HP. Thanks my friend and Happy Easter to you.
- AUTHOR
Melissa, I swear, we are in the greatest location in this country. We are a northern state that has moderate weather, and that is pretty unusual for sure. I love it!
Happy sledding on this April 2nd! lol Thanks Melissa!
- AUTHOR
Interesting point, Mary, about too much is damaging. That certainly is not my problem as I have not traveled nearly as much as you have.
- AUTHOR
Thank you Nikki! I hope you see some warmth soon. In the meantime, keep writing my friend.
Blessings to you always!
- AUTHOR
A creature of habit, Eric. It's the first thing I do every Monday morning, and unless I have a bird emergency, I can usually hit that time. :)
- AUTHOR
Janine you guys have had about the worst spring weather imaginable. The snow and cold just won't stop on the east coast. I'm very sorry! Cross your fingers. It has to stop sometimes, right?
Happy Spring, Bill! Those cherry blossoms are gorgeous! Great photo.
Thank you for your answer. It makes sense, I like the idea of setting aside at least one day a week for developing the stories already started. I'll try that.
I know it won't work in the summer when school's out; I can say no to other chores, etc, but not to my kid... she's still more important. But when she's in school, I'll organize my week like that, I think I can. Thanks for the idea. Hope you can get back to your "before 2018" creative writing days soon. And enjoy springtime :)
Wow, Bill. I'm impressed. Cherry blossoms! The ground is covered with three inches of snow here in PA. What's up with that? Snow and cherry blossoms aside, you've given us another great mailbag. Maybe a question for next week - have you ever written a short story and wanted to develop it further. maybe into a novel? If so, how did that work out for you? I have several short stories that I'd like to take further, but they seem to be stuck as short stories, nothing more. Any thoughts?
Happy Monday Bill - I traveled all over the world in the back of a carriage before I started writing. (a little joke) People have come to expect the mailbag bright an early on Monday morning.
Absolutely love those cherry blossoms and you're right, I would gasp at their beauty. Your photo is awesome. Our high school concert chorus traveled to Washington D.C. and Virginia during the cherry blossom festival. The trees were amazing.
I'm thrilled that you said traveling and having held many jobs helps in the creative writing process. There's still hope for me, then!
Happy Easter Monday Bill! Wow, I wish I could see those cherry blossoms, they sound beautiful! We were on our way to a nice spring--until we suddenly hit a snag and the weather turned cold again. Several inches of snow awaited Easter morning. Not very nice for outdoor egg hunters...ah well, spring will get here eventually.
Have a great and productive week!
Wish we have warm weather here. We're holding camp in a hotel in Toronto as we still have no water in our place with the lake still frozen. Funny, I was just talking with our grandson about a book on Russia he brought to Cambodia once and having few books there, I read that boring book forever.
About travel and experience, you underlined creative. I have visited and worked in so many countries but the experiences sort of overwhelmed my creative spirit that it wanders off each time I start to write about any of those. Sometimes, too much can be damaging.
Wow,, loved your spring season Bill,, bit jealous too as here in London it’s so cold,, seems like Christmas holidays.
I think nature has fooled us here in April.Still waiting for warmth of sun :(
Your questions and answers session is as great this Monday as always been.Loved reading them all.
Keep it up my friend, you’re doing a very good job.
Bless you and your wife & enjoy your spring.
Wonderful indeed. Down here in the coastal desert our trees are just starting to bud. I guess they get lazy. It has nothing to do with temperature. The tug of the moon maybe?
Just as a matter of interest. I can set my watch by your publishing this series at 6:30 every Monday. I can assume a justification for that, but what is yours?
Aw, man please send some of your spring time weather here for good now. Yesterday for Easter was 65 degrees and spring-like. Got so chilly overnight and is 35 degrees with about an inch of snow falling every hour now. Plus, my girls are on Spring Break from school this week. But looks more like Winter vacation here. Seriously, Bill I would think it was April Fool's Day today as this is truly got to be a joke with snow in April for us! But Happy Monday to you and so hoping that we warm up for the rest of the week after this.
74