Pornography: To Write It or Not to Write It.

The American College of Pediatricians has posted an article about the Impact of Pornography on Children. The article also cites studies that show a negative impact on young adults and adults alike. No one is unaffected. Please take the time to read it, to ponder how to protect our young people, and to commit to being a force for good in what you write.

In the article, Miriam-Webster is cited as defining pornography as "the depiction of erotic behavior (sexual display in pictures or writing) that is intended to cause sexual excitement".1 

Consumption of pornography is associated with many negative emotional, psychological, and physical health outcomes.2

You can write whatever you want. But before you do, read this article. I know the lean is not toward clean or proper romances, but when we understand how pornography (written or in pictures) affects our society, maybe it's time to take a stand. Stand with me for clean literature, for novels that don't need sex to sell, and against this erosion  that is so readily available.

There is a wonderful book listed in the Resources, Good Pictures Bad Pictures by Kristen Jenson and Gayle Poyner, available that you can read with your children that gives them tools to deal with exposure to pornography. 



1 http://www.acpeds.org/the-college-speaks/position-statements/the-impact-of-pornography-on-children; "www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pornography Accessed 6/4/15"

2 http://www.acpeds.org/the-college-speaks/position-statements/the-impact-of-pornography-on-children

Advice from Author of The Book Thief

It's easy to hand out advice, to play cheerleader, to pretend I know something about the craft of writing. But what if it came from someone who had actually published a best-seller, a book made into a movie? Enter, Markus Zusak, author of The Book Thief, in an interview by Sarah Kinson.

His advice? 

"Don't be afraid to fail. I fail every day. I failed thousands of times writing The Book Thief, and that book now means everything to me. Of course, I have many doubts and fears about that book, too, but some of what I feel are the best ideas in it came to me when I was working away for apparently no result. Failure has been my best friend as a writer. It tests you, to see if you have what it takes to see it through."

The secret to writing according to Mr. Zusak?

"The best ideas come to you when you're sitting down, working. That's when most of the breakthroughs occur--simply by doing the work. If someone wanted to be a runner, you don't tell them to think about running, you tell them to run."

So if you're gearing up for National Novel Writing Month (affectionately referred to as NaNo or NaNoWriMo), get your outline (even if it's a very rough sketch), your meal plans, and your calendar ready. If you're not, set a goal to write every day, even if it's just 100 words. This is a marathon, not a sprint, and you have to get moving if you want to reach the finish line. 

Write On, my friends! 

Lofty Goals

"Shoot for the moon. If you miss it, you will still land among the stars." --Norman Vincent Peale

Well, here goes, I'm shooting for the moon:

BMO HARRIS PHOENIX HALF-MARATHON

Sometimes we have to set our goals so lofty that we cannot escape the work that goes into it every day. I know that if I want to run (or walk, as I am doing) a half-marathon (or even a full), that I have to commit to an exercise regimen six days a week. It's okay to miss a day here or there, but never two in a row.

Writing isn't any different. If we want to write that novel, we have to commit to writing a little bit every day. SO much easier said than done. Life gets in the way sometimes. But you know what? Every day except Sundays and the occasional day I have an early appointment, I am walking 3-4 miles. My husband goes along too, he's my walking Accountability Partner. If I'm tired or don't feel like walking, he's there, encouraging me to put my shoes on and get out the door. (I love our long walks, so it's a pretty easy persuasion).

Find an Accountability Partner for your writing. Set personal goals. Do a little every day. Make it a habit. Our writing group has a goal of 2300 words before we meet again. It's only 100 words a day (excepting Sundays). Easy peasy, right? But if I want to reach it I have to change my ways and start writing just a little every day. I'll be reporting to my APs, my group, and here on my blog. Would love to have you join me. Leave a comment and let me know what your goal is. As always, Write On my friends!

The Dress (Mid-Week Post)

Short post today, but thought I'd post the wedding dress for those who wanted to see it. (You will also see why I'm a writer not a photographer.)

Of Weddings and Blessings and Getting Things Done

I grew up in the sticks. One gas pump at the small country store. If you didn't want to cook, you headed to the saloon. My mom and dad, in their wisdom, joined 4-H and dragged us along.

It was awesome. I learned about raising chickens, working with leather, art, and a variety of other things. But one of the best things my mom taught me was how to sew. Until last Halloween, I hadn't sewn anything in a long time. I'd forgotten how much I love it. You can see the project at my post on Creativity.

My daughter is getting married and the dress she fell in love with was way outside my budget. I looked at the dress and knew I could make it. I spent hours gathering what I needed. One thing I lacked was motivation, another was a block of time. (Does that sound familiar with novel writing?) My mom, again to the rescue, came to stay and has been my task master, reminding me we have a dress to make and helping me sew and fit it and stay on task.

Who helps you stay on task? If you don't have an accountability partner, find one. They make a difference when you need that extra push.

It Most Definitely IS Important

Is what we do as writers really that important? It's like a stone skipped on water or simply thrown to the middle of the lake. We cannot know the far-reaching effects of our labors. I would argue that we absolutely don't, and shouldn't, write for that reason, but it is for that reason we cannot give up. We must tell our stories and I want to share this because I think we sometimes forget. Write On, my friends, and thank YOU Dean Koontz for reminding and inspiring us to not give up.

Recently an email came through from Publishers Weekly which contained the following from Dean Koontz:

Efficiency

Efficiency: n the state or quality of being efficient (Random House Webster's)

Efficient: adj performing or functioning effectively with the least waste of time and effort

Take a good look at this envelope. I got it in the mail last week. What is so utterly bizarre about that? Check the date I mailed it. August 2014. It took over a year to be returned to me. Seems a little inefficient to me. But maybe I'm wrong. Maybe the French post decided to walk it to the ocean (Pacific or Atlantic, take your pick, it really doesn't matter), then handed it to a sailor who had decided to break some world record for sailing a dinghy around the world, sticking it in a bottle (just in case, you know, it gets knocked overboard). Let's say that was good planning on the sailor's part and eventually it drifts ashore somewhere in the Americas (North or South, either works). A Canadian Goose (I went with North), liking the color, picks it up in his beak (evidence near the stamp) and flies South for the winter. The other birds became jealous and in order to protect himself, he flips it at a white milk truck. Only it isn't a milk truck, it's my mail carrier. Hooray, it finally finds itself back on my desk. 

If I asked any one of those people/geese if they could improve the process, what would be their response? What would be your response if I asked you if you could improve your writing process, trim some things, make the process more efficient? 

Is there an area where you spend too much time? (research, FB, email, games--I'm guilty of a few of those on any given day). What can you do to make your writing time (or even your 'free' time) more efficient? Commit to one little change. Even if it's tiny. And, as always, Write On my friends.