My Favorite: Quote

 

If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. There's no way around these two things that I'm aware of, no shortcut.” ~ Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

I've read many quotes about being a writer. The above is one I can heartily agree with. Some writers say they don't have time to read. Granted, writers with full-time jobs, families, a life are limited on time. But, if you don't read, how do you grow? How do you recognize the common tropes in your genre? The language?

I read for pleasure before I go to sleep. Many different genres, even some I won't ever write (like military thrillers). During the day, I read for business--social media, how-to articles, the business of being a writer. In between, I read for my book group. That's where my reading interest is really stretched. We read biographies, historical pieces, poetry, a lot of nonfiction.

The second part of King's quote seems simple. If you're a writer, you write. I write blog posts, responses to Facebook posts, promotional tweets. Those are easy. Writing on my current work-in-progress is not.

I hit a wall. I know I have to get past it. Or write around it. Or delete the scenes and start over. 

Aarrggh! 

(That was me, tearing out what little hair I have.)

I know that once I get going I'll be on a roll. What's keeping me from doing just that? Good question. Fear? Procrastination? Laziness? A little of all three.

So, it's back to more advice: BICHOK (butt in chair, hands on keyboard)

My Favorites: Quote

 

credit: Goodreads

If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. There's no way around these two things that I'm aware of, no shortcut.” ~ Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

On Monday, I wrote that I was resurrecting my blog. If you’re a follower, you’ve already seen that. I’m going to dedicate Fridays to my favorites—books, movies, quotes, food, whatever.

Today, I’m sharing a favorite quote. My son and son-in-law are huge fans of Stephen King. I don’t do horror or anything scary, but I admire Mr. King’s career. His book On Writing is excellent. Of all the advice he shares, the above quote is right on target.

I’ve heard people say “I don’t have time to read.” When those people are writers, I wonder how can you not read? Reading is filling the creative well. When we read in the genre we write, we learn the expectations readers have. We learn the language.

Just as writers say they can’t not write, I say I can’t not read. Every year, Goodreads offers a reading challenge. You indicate how many books you’ll read for the year and GR keeps track. I first signed up for the challenge because I wondered how many books I read each year. In the past two years, I’ve read over 100 books each year. To Goodreads it doesn’t matter if the book is 400 pages or 28. Either way it counts as 1 book.

I can’t say I’m surprised that I read so many. The past two years have been difficult, and reading helped me escape. I immerse myself in a story and forget (for a little while) the challenge Life throws my way. I read mostly fiction. My local book group makes sure I stretch my reading interest, so I’ve read poetry, historical true stories, biographies, as well as literature. Lately, I’ve been reading thrillers. You know, those edge-of-your-seat, stay-up-all-night-reading stories. I love a good cozy mystery and give me a science fiction romance to carry me out to the stars.

One of the reasons I read so many books over the past two years is that I haven’t been writing. My creative energies pretty much disappeared. I’m back now, trying to write each day. You could say I follow half of Stephen King’s advice. Now, I need to follow the rest.

Who's For Dinner? with Maureen L. Bonatch

Author Maureen Bonatch is here to share with us her idea of a great dinner partner. All right, Maureen. Tell us.

There’s no doubt about it. I’m a great, big scaredy cat.

While growing up I never watched, or read, anything frightening—let alone terrifying. I immersed myself in the wholesome stories of The Little House on the Prairie, or Sweet Valley High, and then slowly weaned into a world of fantasy with the Lord of the Rings series and Madeleine L’Engle.

That was, until I found Stephen. Stephen King, that is.

I refer to him as Stephen to my friends and family, as if we’ve met before and are good friends. In my mind, I’ve known Stephen for what seems like forever. Yet I’ve never had the pleasure of actually meeting him, or having him for dinner.

Although quite different from my usual choice of reading, from the moment I read one of his novels, I was hooked. At dinner I’d explain to my literary idol about how I began devouring his horror stories and begging for seconds more thoroughly than the lovely meal we would enjoy. I’d avoid ordering pie for dessert due to thoughts of his novel, Thinner, written under his pseudonym, emerging in my mind.  

Then I’d ask him about his story, The Stand, and what inspired him to re-release it as an even longer uncut story. The only book I’ve ever read a second time. Technically, it was the new extended version so it wasn’t the same book, but it came close enough for me—a person who has way too long of a TBR list to re-read a book. I’d chuckle and share with him how since the day I hefted that massive tome of a novel, I’ve been unable to look at a crow without thinking of Randall Flagg.

I’d like to listen to his replies and see if his responses sounded as seamless and believable as his unbelievable storylines. Then I’d inquire what promoted him to insist upon a cameo appearance when his novels were made into film, and how it felt to actively participate in one of his stories.

I’d shake my fist in jest, and politely demand he explain his rationale for almost always breaking the unwritten writing rules by infuriating the reader with a cruel ending. Yet it never chased this reader away, but instead left me begging for more.

If the conversation was going well, I’d probe a bit about just how personal Lisey’s Story might be, and if he wrote this envisioning what might happen after his own demise.

As dinner wound down, I’d hint how much I’d love an invite to his writing room, as if it might provide a peek into the recess of his mind and how he successfully inspired me to seek the extraordinary in the world for my own stories.

I’d dip my head and push into line with countless other writers and tell him how his book On Writing inspired me to gather courage and pursue my own writing dreams.

I’m still a wimp. I jump at anything that goes bump in the night. But would I like another ruthless, extraordinary, horror story from Stephen?

Yes, Please. I’ll have second helpings.

About Maureen:

Maureen writes stories in the beautiful state of Pennsylvania that boast laughter, light suspense and something magical in the hope of sharing her love of finding the extraordinary in the ordinary world. She writes Paranormal Romance and Fantasy.

Contact Information:

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Maureen-L.-Bonatch/e/B00KHY1KK8/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mbonatch

Website: http://www.maureenbonatch.com

Newsletter:  http://eepurl.com/1AV4L

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maureenlbonatch

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3103486.Maureen_L_Bonatch

Moon, Mist & Magic (Anthology)

Anthology Blurb:

Get ready to be enchanted by mythical beasts, magical creatures, and moonlit nights. Enjoy your favorite author, and perhaps discover someone new, in these five fantastic tales of paranormal romance woven with moon, mist, and magic… ​   

Witch You Were Here, by Maureen L. Bonatch

Lucy is a witch with a successful business righting magical mischief. A call for help from her high-school heartache, Shane, prompts Lucy to manage his magical mayhem herself. No longer a nervous, hormonal, teenager, Lucy takes the case to force an apology and bury her past humiliation. To her surprise, Shane insists he couldn’t forget Lucy—because she hexed him ten years ago. Will Shane and Lucy put their past behind them, or will the spell prove permanent?

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GIQMIZY

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/moon-mist-magic-abigail-owen/1123908724

Chapters: http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/moon-mist-magic/9781311482594-item.html

iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/moon-mist-magic/id1123193347?mt=11

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-ca/ebook/moon-mist-magic

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/641184

Maureen, what a delightful dinner that would be. If you ever do meet Stephen in person, after you gush like a fangirl, please tell him I really enjoyed his book On Writing, too. Best wishes on your newest release.

Books are Magic

I can’t remember when I started reading. It seems like I've been reading all my life. Books transport me into places I’d never visited or ever will visit. Through the magic of books I can visit Rivendell, Hogwarts, Camp Half-Blood. I can go back in time to Regency England or travel on a starship to alien planets.

Until I read a recent blog post by Jeannie Ruesch on Writer Unboxed, I’d forgotten that not only reading but writing is magic, too. In her post, Ms. Ruesch quotes from Stephen King’s On Writing: “Writing is magic, as much the water of life as any other creative art.”

That quote sparked this post. Writing is magic. Characters pop into our heads, some fully formed, others only give us sneak peeks until we write their story. Sometimes they hint at a major road block to any type of relationship. Others are blatant about it. Digging into their pasts, making them open up can be quite a challenge. Non-writers may question this. You’re the writer. You made up those characters. Why don’t you know what they’re thinking? As many writers have discovered, characters don’t always behave the way we expect them to. They take on a life of their own and force us to listen to them. Secondary characters demand their own story. Villains insist they have good reasons for what they do. We grouse about that when it doesn't fit into our plans because we forget it’s magic.

While writing, we can enjoy a sunny Caribbean beach while it’s twenty below outside or a mountain retreat when everyone around us suffers through ninety degrees with ninety-nine percent humidity. The best time of year and location for our stories seem to flow from the story itself. While we are writing, we shut out the here-and-now and are transported to that place and time. That’s magic.

The spark that leads to a story can hit us in the middle of the night, while driving, or doing laundry. A first scene. An opening sentence. They seem to come out of nowhere. We have no idea why. In the middle of writing the current book, especially when we’re stalled, a strange character will pop up, saying I’m more fun, write my story. I used to call that my Muse talking to me. Now I think it’s magic.

Writing is a job. Like most jobs, we start out all bright-eyed, full of enthusiasm. After a while, the job can become onerous. The crunch of deadlines. Hours spent in promotion when we’d rather be writing. Great ideas fizzle out. Stress from outside sources undermines our creativity. Throw in other roadblocks and we forget what we knew in the beginning. Writing really is magic.

I’m too much a wuss to read Stephen King’s fiction, but On Writing is fabulous, a must-have for any writer, and an interesting read for non-writers. In her post, Ms. Ruesch recites other lessons she should have learned from that book. Like her, I’d forgotten them. I’m especially glad she reminded me about the magic.

Now if I could remember which unopened box that book is in, I would reread it.