MY LIVING NIGHTMARE

Daughters:     Mom?

Nurse:            She’s been like this for a while.

Daughters:     What’s wrong with her?

Nurse:            When she was brought in, she kept 

                       mumbling

                      “Gotta keep editing. 

                       Gotta keep editing.”

Daughters:     What do you mean? Edit what?

Nurse:            What we got out of her was that she’s written a book and wants to get an agent.

Daughters:     So what’s holding her back?

Nurse:            It’s a condition some authors are afflicted with, especially new and unpublished authors.

Daughters:     What’s this condition called?

Nurse:            Writerphobia.

Daughters:     Writerphobia?

Nurse:            In layman’s terms—fear of rejection and ridicule.

Daughters:     Rejection and ridicule from who?

Nurse:            Every agent in the world.

Daughters:     Is there a cure?

Nurse:            Not that we know of, but every now and then when we turn on the TV it calms her but only for an hour or two.

Daughters:     Have you tried the Hallmark Channel?

                      Their stories are sweet and soothing. If she binge watches them maybe it’ll distract her enough and we can convince her to get the hell out of here.

Nurse:            It’s worth a shot.

Daughters:     Is there hope?

Nurse:            Don’t know. She’s got the worst case we’ve ever seen.

Daughters:     Does she need anything from us?

Nurse:            Hugs, kisses, coffee, and sometimes a shot of tequila.

Daughters:     Poor mom. **sighs**

So?

Do you suffer from Writerphobia?

Always,

Em-Musing

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AND THE WINNER IS. . .ME!

This post is part of the monthly blog hop/therapy session known as the Insecure Writers Support Group, 

August 7 question:  Has your writing ever taken you by surprise? For example, a positive and belated response to a submission you'd forgotten about or an ending you never saw coming?

Actually, yes!

I had been working on a short film...

It was my first time writing a screenplay...

The project took more than a year...

Getting stalled in funding.

One day I saw a competition in Writer’s Digest...

And I thought, hmmm? Why not give it a shot?

After getting the “OK” from the producer...

I entered the screenplay in the “script" category.

Weeks went by...
Months went by...

Nothing...

I figured, oh well, it was my first screenplay...

What were the odds?

But then...

I got the notice...

While I didn’t win any of the “places” first, second or third...

I did get an honorable mention...

My name was listed in Writer’s Digest...

And I got a 20% discount on the magazine for one year.

Not bad for my first go-round.

And you? 
Ever write a screenplay? Or wanted to?

Always,

Em-Musing

DISTRACTER THINGS

We writers always have distractions, don’t we?

Social media, chores, going down the rabbit hole of research...

Me?

The dark.

Why?

Locals around here say...

If the night jungle is quiet...

And not a sound can you hear...

Then the jaguars are roaming...

Looking for a meal.

But this also holds true...

For dark early mornings...

Which is when I like to write...

4:30 to be exact.

First thing when I wake up...

I let my dog out...

Sometimes the jungle is quiet...

Kinda eerie.

Praying, I go back inside to write...

I’m deep into my W.I.P when...

My dog starts barking...

Then other dogs in the area are barking...

I run out the door with a high-powered flashlight...

Searching to find what my dog could be barking at....

When suddenly my dog takes off like a bat out of hell!

It’s too dark to be the monkeys, or the iguanas, or ...

Could it be a...?  

  

Trust me...

It's very distracting ...

Wondering if my dog is becoming a jaguar's meal.

And you?

What distracts you when writing?

Always,

Em-Musing

P.S. Chai did come back, as always, but in the seven years living here two friend’s dogs weren't so lucky. 

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YOURS MOSTLY TRULY

This post is part of the monthly blog hop/therapy session known as the Insecure Writers Support Group, founded by the one and only, Alex J. Cavanaugh. 

July 3 question: What personal traits have you written into your character(s)?

My W.I.P. series titled:

LOVE IN THE TIME OF WRINKLES

Is based on a true story—mine of course...

So of course it includes all my personal traits...

The good, the not so good, and the—please forgive me!

When I sent it to an editor...

She replied back, 

“It reads more like a journal.  And while it’s interesting, it’s not engaging.”

“But it’s about me. What really happened.”

“Many writers think their lives are interesting, however that doesn’t always mean it is interesting to readers.“

While I wanted to defend my manuscript (my life)...

I got it. I knew what she meant.

“So should I write it as a memoir?

“Not unless you’re sure that the characters in your story will like how you’ve portrayed them. They may have different memories of how an event took place. Many authors have faced the wrath from a friend or loved one.”

“So should I scrap the whole thing?”

“No. The story is good; your writing is good. Why not write it as fiction based on a true story. That way you’re not limited. You’ll have liberties. And free to ante up the humor being that the genre is humorus women’s fiction.

So I did...

And I am.

So”

How about you?

Do you put your personal traits in your novels?

And if so - which ones?

Always,

Em-Musing

THE TROPIC OF MEXICO 1

GENERATION Y - WHY?

I’m working on a project with a millennial...

EH!

Why Eh, you ask?

Because I don’t like how millennials communicate...

Specifically professional communication.  

I first met him at a Starbucks. We had a great conversation...

But now it's communicating via texts..

Loooooooooooooooooooong texts! 
Why not face-to-face anymore?

So I decided to call him. No answer...

So then I left him a voice text message... 

Hours went by before I got a response. 

So I switched to emails where I really could express my thoughts...

But they took up to a day for a response. 

So maybe you're wondering if I've ever suggested video conferencing... 

Yes, once. But it was clumsy going over small details of the project.

OK, fine... 

I can deal with all of these...

But I draw the line... 

With long winded text conversations. 

I just won't do it anymore! 

After a week of scrolling his long text messages...

I sent a short text to this millennial...

Insisting on meeting him in person again... 

Gheeze!!! 

His negative vibes almost overheated my iPhone... 

You'd've thought I had asked him to drive cross country...

When it's only cross city... 

Only five miles...

And there are three Starbucks along the way...

We could've met at any one of them. 

Is it me? 

My age? 

My stiff thumbs? 

But communication for business via texting... 

Is thumbs down for me. 

(unless it's a quick- runnining late, or don't forget the file etc., etc.)

What about you? 

Thoughts? 

Always,

Em-Musing