WordSisters

Category: The Writing Life

  • How I’m Overcoming my Resistance to Social Media—One Writer’s Insights

    As a writer, I am constantly torn between writing (which I actively enjoy) and marketing via social media (which inspires considerably less enthusiasm). Yet, if I want to discover more people who are interested in this blog and who might want to read my memoir one day, I need to make friends with strangers. Social media helps me do that. But what’s the right mix of social media activities? How do I keep up with my current friends while meeting new ones?

    Screen Shot 2014-02-21 at 10.20.25 AM

    By nature I’m a social person. I visit with a number of people—phone calls, lunches, dinners, book group, writers’ group. I enjoy our in-depth interactions immensely. I like the time spent on half-hour phone calls, two-hour meals, and conversations about books or writing. But the high-quality visits leave me with less time for social media.

    I know I should find more time to post on Facebook, Goodreads, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Instagram, or learning some new app—but when? As a reality check, I made a list of all the stuff I try to do every week. I impressed myself. Wow! I am busy. But so are a lot of people, yet they make time for social media. Certainly I can squeeze in a few more hours per week.

    Unfortunately, social media moves fast and needs daily or even hourly attention. Since I check Facebook only twice a week, Facebook assumes I don’t care enough, so these days, I only get updates about five people.

    Pinterest holds no interest and I’m way behind on Goodreads.

    Although I keep up with LinkedIn, until now, I’ve reserved that channel for the other side of my writing career—marketing communications.

    Performance anxiety has kept me from Twitter. Even though I write for a living, headlines and short text aren’t my strong suits. I write l o o o n n g text. How will I ever manage being clever and interesting in 140 characters?!? I am somewhat encouraged to discover that Joyce Carol Oates, who’s the epitome of a busy prolific writer, was also a reluctant tweeter.

    I’m glad to engage acquaintances intellectually. I’ve got a ton of opinions about politics, books, and life in general. I like learning new things and exchanging ideas—maybe that’s the key. Perhaps I need to think of Twitter as a playground of ideas, commentary, and 140-character conversations.

    After reviewing this inventory, I realize that like Dan Blank (a great resource for writers) maybe I need to focus—let go of a few social media options (Facebook, Pinterest) and concentrate more on others—start Twitter, give Goodreads another try, and introduce my business friends to my blog via LinkedIn.

    Please share your insights about social media—what do you like to do and why? What works for you?

  • Where Are You Most Creative?

    Some writers may be able to write anywhere—but I’m not one of them. I have a few key requirements:

    I need to be assured that I’ll be left alone for a while.  If the house is full of family who might pop in at any time with a question or request, I have trouble focusing on the scene in my head that I’m already struggling to envision. I’m easily distracted and soon I’ll wonder about whatever I was asked—if they’re going to Target, will they remember to buy milk? Equally distracting is the peevishness I’m likely to feel—really? Can’t I even be left alone for an hour? That’s why writing before everyone is awake often works or writing when my husband is the only one in the house.

    The place doesn’t need to be perfectly quiet, but I can’t listen to music.  It’s too interesting and soon I can’t hear the words inside my head. Ambient noise is OK, though. The dull roar of a coffee shop is fine. The sound of my husband practicing guitar doesn’t bother me. People laughing or kids squabbling in the distance barely register.

    Physical comfort matters. If I feel a chilly draft or sweat trickles down my back, I’ll lose concentration. Similarly, if my chair is uncomfortable, a niggling twinge will gradually become an insistent backache. At that point, I’m done.

    But aside from these basic features, some places simply have a better vibe than others. Some times it’s history. If I’ve written well and easily one place, I’m apt to go back to it. And usually there’s some appealing quality of light—bright daylight that energizes and cheers me or cozy lamplight surrounds and comforts me.

    I’ve returned again and again to these places:

    P1030545Lebanon Hills Park, 15 minutes from home – Halfway down the hill overlooking the lake, I set up the lawn chair that lives in my trunk during the warm months. I bring my laptop, a bottle of iced tea and a snack, and I’m set for a few hours. When I need to stare into space, the lake shimmers before me. Sunlight filters through the trees, and periodically as partial shade turns into full sun, I slide my chair out of the sun. I’ve written and revised large chunks of my memoir here.

    My bright back porch in warm weather and my sunny family room in cold months.

    Most coffee shops  . . . as long as I won’t run into anyone I know!

    Where does the muse find you?

  • Yippee!!! My Book Is Done!

    I just pressed “Save” and declared it done.

    Screen Shot 2013-10-03 at 12.06.26 AMIt seems like a lightening bolt should fork across the sky. Or the aurora borealis should glow tonight especially for me. But nothing like that happened. If I’d ever pictured this moment, I might have thought it would call for Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” or champagne. But instead I’m just quietly pleased. And tomorrow I’ll get up and go to work.

    Perhaps a more accurate statement is that the book may not be done, but I’m done with it.  I have written it to the best of my ability, and now I need to be done with this project begun in 1997. Wow.  Until I did the math I didn’t realize that this memoir (working title: Colette’s Legacy) has been part of my life for 16 years. First it was notes about a memory I couldn’t shake, next a sketchy first draft I set aside for years, and since 2009 (drafts 2, 3 and 4), I’ve made a lot of room for it in my life. I’ve worked on it nearly every weekend and on many of my days off. I’ve taken classes, worked with writing coaches, and shared it with my ever-so-patient and supportive writing group.

    I’m proud of myself for finishing it, but I’m also relieved. In the coming weeks, it may feel odd not to have it occupying my thoughts and my time. But right now, I feel so much lighter.

    After this last revision, the book is definitely better. But is it good enough? I don’t know. I can’t tell anymore. Some days, I don’t even like it. Other days, I think, hmmm. This is pretty good—better than I remembered. I do know that it’s as good as I can make it. Colette’s Legacy is a workplace coming-of-age story set in 1979. My memoir recalls a time when combining a relationship with a career wasn’t a given, and it honors the way Baby Boom women changed the world of work and family. What I don’t know is if anyone (besides 20 or so friends and family members) will be interested in reading it.

    But whether or not to pursue publication is a decision for another day.

    Today, my book is done and I’m really happy about that.