Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Questions I Ask Myself: Part Two


Taking a break from All in a Day’s Thought’s regularly scheduled I 8 Wednesday in order to bring you round two of Questions I Ask Myself…

Question One:

I did the jig when I read literary agent, Rachelle Gardner’s question last Friday.
What's more important? Being happy with your work, or getting it published?

Answer:

The comment I left on her blog…Digging my work. Hands down.
I didn’t worry about being judged when I wrote my answer. Of course I want to be published and I’m going to work my tazakis (not sure what those are, but I felt like making up a word) off in order to get my books published.

I enjoyed this question. I like how it challenged my thoughts and motives. I like how I didn’t feel like I had to answer it in any way other than what felt right and real at the time.

If I could expound upon my answer I’d simply provide this quote:

“Let the beauty we love be what we do.” ~ Rumi

(If you haven’t had a chance to read it yet, the comments are fascinating. So many of them made me think of my One Question Fridays –my interest in how people come to conclusions.)
Question Two:

What makes you angry? What fires you up and grates on you? What issue or social crisis, etc. scalds you like a hot iron branding a horse?

Challenge:

If you’re a writer, write about such things. You might surprise yourself how powerful your voice will come across. If you are a person (I’m going out on a limb, but am guessing most of you fall into this category) do something about the issue or social crisis.

*learned recently one of my favorite short stories is going to be published in CFOM in October
**photos by flickr

26 comments:

  1. Those are good questions to ask.
    It is amazing how the words can flow out of us when something inspires us to share a part of ourselves without even thinking.

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  2. Congrats on getting a story published!
    And I so agree with you that we need to write something we feel strongly about and then it comes out in our writing. Otherwise, I think we are cheating ourselves of really writing the best we are capable of. AND finding our voice.

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  3. Congrats on your story publication, Wendy! I'm so happy for you.

    I could write an entire book on what angers me. I won't. But I like the idea of allowing passion to fuel your gifts.

    You are so clever.

    Love,
    Jen

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  4. Wendy, this is such wonderful reading. I'm going to ask myself more questions.

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  5. Awesome! Another talented writer being showcased. God is awesome! :O)

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  6. Congratulations on the upcoming publication of your story! Did you change your profile picture? It's very, very nice!

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  7. You are asking to me a heart question, a question which spans the land of the discontent and the content.

    You go, girl! Meet you on the other side!!!

    It will be a blessing to read your story!

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  8. Congrats about your short!

    Wendy, I agree. It so easy to get caught up in what we think we're supposed to write, but we have to write what makes us happy, what we feel. I think we owe it to ourselves, and our eventual readers.

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  9. CONGRATS on your short! :)

    Love,
    Lola

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  10. Woohoo! Congratulations on getting your short story published! Woohoo!!

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  11. Congrats on the story!
    Good questions. I def. think we should write about the things we're passionate about.

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  12. Congrats on the story.

    I'm trying really hard not to get angry about things I can't control.

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  13. I DID enjoy Rachelle's post on Friday. I really like what I write, but would love to reach an audience. So I was wishy washy and on the fence. About my pot boiling over it would have to be injustice done to children or mother's. I'm still a mama bear in that way. ;) *still loving the new pic!*

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  14. Great questions, Wendy! I read Rachelle's post too, and I love it when I'm forced to think (as opposed to cruise-controlling my way through the day) :)

    People who smoke on the beach are what's grating me right now. I hate stepping on nasty cigarette butts or trying to enjoy the blue sky and ocean while inhaling secondhand smoke! :P

    Congratulations on the short story - that's awesome. And I LOVE your new pics! So beautiful!

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  15. Look at your lovely new pictures and template :)

    And, you are right. Most of us started writing because it spoke to our souls and gave us joy. The desire for publication came later (at least in my case). So, we need to remind ourselves of why we do what we do and go back to that whenever we feel overwhelmed.

    good thoughts, Wendy.

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  16. Congrats on the story publication -- yahoo!

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  17. Yeah, on your story!! That is so exciting. Blessings**

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  18. Congrats on getting that story published. Remind us when it comes out so we can go and check it out.

    What gets me angry? Child abuse. It is an issue close to my won heart and it never ceases to fire me up.

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  19. Jennifer, Sometimes those are the most powerful and yet fragile words. Delicate almost in their power.

    Yeah Terri, Same page now? Rachelle's post today made me think of our convo. recently.

    Jeanette, I need one of you for my pocket so I can just pull you out and get uplifted from time to time. That's what you do. Thanks!

    Kathy, I probably ask myself too many, but I enjoy it. I grow from it.

    Diane, Thanks. I feel a little funny, it will be my third short story published in CFOM, but every single one is an honor and I really love this one.

    Lynn, Thank you & yes I made some changes to my photos.

    Meet you on the other side, Patti.

    Janna, I think the best stuff comes out when we do that. Otherwise it's forced. Obviously paying attention to market is important, but writing for the market...not so much my way.

    Thanks, Lola. I read that aloud...Love, Lola. Man, that has a ring to it.

    Erica, I can't wait to meet you. The fun we will have coming up with strange animals alone. ;)

    Yeah, Jessica. I agree. Passion breeds intriguing and powerful stories.

    Patti, Yeah, I didn't think how maybe firing people up about their angers might not be so good. I guess I just meant that I believe in the power of story and all a writer can accomplish by expression.

    T.Anne, You should get yours taken. I know you are beautiful. No doubt there. Mama bear here as well. I get you with wanting to reach an audience. I'm so there too, it's just I find whenever I try to write for others, with others in mind my words deflate and do nothing to impress me.

    Beth, I grew up with parents who smoked and I remember pouring perfume on my hair before parties so I wouldn't reek of it. Oddly enough I think that might be one smell of my dad's I'll miss...

    Tess, Thanks, woman. Sure, I want to be published badly. Bad-ly! But, I never want to compromise what I'm writing just to be published. If I don't enjoy what I'm writing and reading my own work...something is wrong. Going back to the love of it. That, as with all things will incite perserverance.

    Graceful, I like the yahoo. I haven't read that in a while, other than the website name.

    Karen, Blessings right back at ya!

    Tabitha, I will remind indeed. I'm glad to be connecting with you.

    Child abuse pisses me off too.

    Today was a day for the books. Child lodged a Lego piece way up her nostril. Every nurse possible came to shine a light in her nose, to ohhh and ahhh over the event. Dr. dislodged it.

    All is good in love and snot.

    Sleep
    breathing
    well.

    ~ Wendy

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  20. Congratulations on the published story! That's such great news. I didn't see that post by Rachelle Gardner, but what a great question. It's a nice reminder to write about what we feel passionate about.

    Thanks for stopping by my blog!

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  21. Congrats! Even if you didn't become the famous writer we all know you're destined to be, you could be a model. :)

    Blessings,
    Susan

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  22. This is a good idea! I hate injustice. Hmm, maybe I do need to write about it.
    Blessings,
    Karen :)

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  23. Congrats on your story being published! And I LOVE that question about what makes you angry, and how we should write about that. That makes so much sense, but I've never thought about it before.

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  24. Congratulations on the story being published. That's wonderful!

    I really like the idea of asking myself questions. I think it's important to know why you do the things you do.

    As for writing about what angers you, I always try to insert a little injustice or three in my tales to deal with. I don't want to be preachy by any means, but I do like to make people think.

    Jen

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  25. Wendy, congratulations on your publication! May it be the seed that inspires you to write for yourself.

    I remember the book "Writing Well" by Zinsser and it encouraged writers to write for ourselves, to be happy. If we do that, we will write something worth another person's reading.

    Thanks also for spending time over with me at Faith Barista.

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