Okay, people (ladies), step away from the guy in the big fuzzy busby. Put your cameras down. Take off your tiaras and gowns. The royal wedding is over. Everyone, back to work!
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sew, its bin a few yeers since i started righting my book, and I'dhave to say that their hav been severl improvemnets in my writting. Mostly because of Microsoft Word, because if it didnt have all those red and green lines coloring my papre, Id have 400 pages of the above.
ARRG! I can't write like this anymore--my brain's hurting. But it is true. Word can help a great storyteller with marginal grammar skills tighten up his craft a bit. Of course, then there are all those pesky homonyms to deal with... Will it ever end? Easier to write a book when you have lots of ideas and average writing skills, than to have no ideas and excellent writing skills. Then again, it's easy for me to say that since I don't have anything published yet. Gimme a minute, I'm getting there. Don't be misled by the blog title. I'm not trying to get all philosophical on your ass, it's a legitimate question of mine. What the heck am I?
Okay, I know who I am: Husband, stay-at-home Dad, eater-of-much-peanut-butter, and aspiring writer. But when do I get to actually say to people, when they ask me what I do, "I'm a writer." I try to stay as modest and as humble as I can, although saying this might read as being the opposite. After all, you don't say to people "Hey, I'm humble." You just are. You live it. Having said that, I want to be careful to not seem too "all-that-and-a-bag-of-chips" to people who don't know me. "Oh, you're a writer, eh? What have you written? Nothing? Ooo, some writer you are." I tweeted about this the other day: when do I get to call myself a writer? It hit me last week when I went to the dentist after several years of neglect, or anytime I fill out a survey, or questionnaire and that inevitable question pops up: Occupation, or Job, or Work. I've never put down writer. I guess I don't feel like I've earned it yet, having never actually sold anything. I've written a book, not many can say they've done that, but it's not ready to submit. So, is that the criteria: books sold, or number of books written? ASPIRING WRITER just doesn't have the same ring as WRITER. I am writing stories. I work everyday writing those stories. But for now, I guess I'll just have to keep telling people that I'm struggling to become a writer. "With great mediocrity comes great humility." Maybe that will be my quote until I've achieved what I believe needs achieving before I can self-gloss myself WRITER! Just when I start to get back on track and focus on the finish line, this happens. This always seems to happen at crunch time. It's a love/ hate relationship for every Canadian would-be writer: NHL Playoffs!
I'm almost finished my website (finally) and the cover design for my first book is starting to look like an actual book cover, but the intense tug-o-war from hockey drafts and "who should I pick first" thoughts dancing in my head are hypnotizing me. HELP! I just want to get it all done! Can a red-blooded Canadian boy unplug at this time of year? Tough, very tough. But can I, maybe, put on hold all my hard work I've done and try to regain the momentum I've been riding these last several weeks when the playoffs are done? Sure--I guess. My wife might really kill me this time if I do, though... What it comes down to is my unbelievable 180 turn in philosophy and, more importantly, work ethic. If I don't become successful with my writing, if millions of people don't become familiar with J.P. Kurzitza and his stories, I can deal with that--gulp. If writing has taught me anything, it's how to prioritize and maintain discipline ( and shun family members). Two (and-a-half) essential ingredients to writing successfully and writing consistently. So, I'm sorry, NHL Playoffs. Sorry, NFL Draft. Sorry, pairs-figure-skating. I've got the internet and a bazillion ways to update and check scores. Oh, and I've got work to do. Welcome, all, to my site and to my blog. It's been a rough and wacky couple of weeks to say the least. I finally completed my first book (yet to be revised), I'm still in the process of finishing off this bloody website, and I'm having some fun getting my book cover designed... by me, as well.
Too much all at once? Probably, since I'm not a web programming expert, or an accomplished graphic artist. Now I understand why authors like to outsource these types of jobs. I haven't written a word since I started all this. It's my fault for more than likely biting off more than I can chew, but I'm a perfectionist and, frankly, just because you may be a "professional" in your chosen field, I still think I can do it better. How's that for cocky and arrogant, eh? Until next time, or should I say next free moment. BACK TO TOP |
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