Thursday, June 4, 2009

A Bit of Randomness Before the Big Trip

Kimberly Derting put me onto the challenge over at Purple Clover's blog: 42,000 words by the end of July. I love the name, too. JuJu (for June and July). Isn't that clever? And now I have a new tag to differentiate this one from my last Word-A-Thon.

So I'm still doing the 15,000 before the end of school. I just need that kind of short term kick in the pants, but I'll be trying for the JuJu challenge too. And there are lots of people over there doing it. I so love being a part of a community!

*****

I was talking with my husband yesterday about my wrestling with the idea of being a Christian writer (as opposed to be a writer who happens to be a Christian). I was thinking maybe I should find some other Christian writer/bloggers to follow and befriend. It's that community thing, you know? All I know about publishing and books is the mainstream stuff. And most of the great people I know now are YA writers (yay you!! I love reading YA! And I think you guys are the most incredibly creative people EVER!). But shouldn't I know some people in my own genre?

Turns out, every random blog I looked at seemed very...um... not me. It's like being in high school again and trying to fit in with a different crowd. I was reminded why I didn't start out saying I wanted to write Christian fiction to begin with. I was worried I'd have to stop being me and start being someone else - speaking a different language and acting a little less...well...me.

And then my husband said the most wonderful thing. He said, "You don't have to be like them. That's your thing. You're forging a whole new path. You'll be like the Beth Moore or the Chuck Swindoll of fiction writing. And all kinds of people who didn't find the kind of writing they liked before, will find it in yours."

Okay. Best husband ever? Even if you don't know who Beth Moore of Chuck Swindoll are, you get the idea, right?

And those other friends who write Christian fiction will come more naturally, someday. Like the way I found Nicole O'Dell. Or rather, she found me. She's a MG/YA author (of course! Am I the only one who's not??), but a Christian one, and I think she's pretty cool. :)

*****

My coffee does not taste as good this morning. Something's off with it.

Okay, that was totally random...

*****

I am not fond of feminists these days. Who came up with the brilliant idea that women can have it all? Who decided we could actually do it all? You know, all those ambitious women looking at men with their high powered suits and prestigious jobs and said, "Hey, women should be able to do that too!" neglected to see that those men weren't also doing dishes, cleaning bathrooms, vacuuming, making three meals a day, folding load after load of laundry, helping with hours of homework, and carpooling.

No offense but trying to "do it all" is driving me crazy, not to mention sleepless. And I don't even have a full time job.

I try to view writing as my job. The kids are in school: I write. I try not to let other things interfere. I attack it with the perspective of "If I had a full time job I couldn't just not go to work because I needed to pick up milk at the store and party supplies." But sometimes, there just isn't time to write, clean the house, pick up milk and decorate for a party all in one day.

I honestly don't know how you people out there with full time jobs you actually have to go to regularly do it. I don't know how you feed your family and keep them in clean clothes and still work, let alone find time to get writing in there.

I admire you more than you can imagine.

*****

Now I am going to go try to get a few pages written before I pack for New York. I leave tomorrow morning!!

Next post will probably be lots of photos. And most likely a story that involves mishaps, getting lost, and dangerous subways. And possible agent stalking in the city.

You never know!

14 comments:

  1. I may not write it currently, but I love Christian fiction and have been a big fan of it for at least ten years. I love that as a genre it's finally growing.

    There are an abundance of Christian fiction writers out there in cyberspace!
    Try:
    http://www.eileenastels.blogspot.com/
    http://jessicanelson7590.blogspot.com/
    http://sherrindak.blogspot.com/

    Agent - http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  2. I don't think you have to write the same genre to connect just as long as you're writing. One of my mentors actually writes general fiction leaning towards women but her advice has been invaluable.

    I also agree with the feminism thing. Do women really feel like they need it all or are they just pressured to feel like they do.

    I've read Jessica Nelson's blog, it's really good.

    Have fun in NY.

    ReplyDelete
  3. MeganRebekah - I will definitely go by those blogs! I think that is the better way to find them than trolling around indirected! I know there are fabulous people out there!

    (I do read Rachelle's blog, and I like her very much)

    Patti - Of course you're right. My writing group has a vast array of genres and we all mesh very, very well. I wouldn't want it any other way! At some point, too, writing is still writing, no matter what genre.

    I suppose I was thinking more in terms of networking, people who have experiences with Christian agents and Christian publishers, in case I need advice! :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Heidi, you'll blaze your own path, I totally believe that. There are people out there waiting for books like yours!

    As for the "having it all" problem... geez. I know. It was a good idea in theory but a few decades on, it's not working as well is it should have.

    I'm preferring not to think of it that I, a woman, can have it all, because I don't want it all. I just want the choice. Problem is I'm not sure if I really do have that choice!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Heidi - I admit the feminist slam was a bit tongue-in-cheek.

    I do so like having choices. I love being able to write. Under a girl name.

    I loved growing up thinking I could be anything I want to be, and telling my girls the same thing.

    But you really can't have it all. At some point you have to choose, or to choose to do some of it less than exceptionally.

    Someone on TV said last week, "Women have everything they ever wanted, and are not happier because of it."

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm a Christian who writes, but not a "Christian Writer".

    I think it's a great idea to find writers of similar tastes though.

    ReplyDelete
  7. "It's like being in high school again and trying to fit in with a different crowd"

    You nailed it. That's exactly how blogging feels to most people (or at least, I think so :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. I was going to suggest Jessica Nelson's blog, too. She is a Christian writer, and it appears that a lot of writers who comment on her blog are also Christian writers. And I don't know how women who work do it all. I worked parttime while my husband was still in school when I entered motherhood, and it was hard. I definitely didn't even THINK about writing until my husband finished school, got a job, and now I just work when I want to...(a couple times a month to maintain my sanity). Anyway now that I am pretty much a fulltime mom, I feel like I have time to write...and really, I hardly feel like I have time to write because being a mom is so busy. I am in a like mindframe as you. How do they do it??!?

    ReplyDelete
  9. AW man, you should have said something about the wordathon thing to the group!

    *Is so sad to have missed her chance*

    I understand what you're saying, though, like Holly: It is like high school sometimes, isn't it?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oh gosh, a word-a-thon sounds so good right now. This WIP is challenging me like nothing before.

    I'm glad you're working things out. Just keep writing and worry about the labels later.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Woops! Just re-read the OP. Guess I missed out on JuJu too.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I'm with Heidi Hick- blaze your own trail! Personally "christian writing" (in quotes, meaning the typical norm) repels me because of its tendency to be a message disguised as a story, and usually not disguised very well. I have no more interest in that than I would budist fiction or jewish fiction. It feels manipulative. Just an alternate viewpoint. :)

    Someone who writes good fiction, and has a strong belief system that they live-- that is different. It's bound to percolate through their work, but not in a manipulative way. :)

    As for feminism the "having it all/ doing it all" perspective was thirty years ago. Now it's more like, "women have choices, and are not second class citizens."

    ReplyDelete
  13. Heidi, you wouldn't be content following someone else's lead, you'll forge a new path.

    Hope you had a great time in New York!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Wow! You guys are awesome!! And there are new people here, too. I'm waving at you out there!!! Hi!

    The days in NYC were more than awesome, but I am in a tailspin trying to get back into routine. A new post is coming soon... but not today.

    I was at the end of my writing rope this weekend, so I really needed to hear y'all. How do people write without the awesomeness that is the blogging community? truly - y'all give me the push to go on when I'd just rather curl up and give in.

    YOU ROCK!

    ReplyDelete