Hello Everyone,
It is the first
Wednesday of the month, and IWSG Time.
IWSG is a writer
support group created and led by Alex Cavanaugh. It is a big help to many of us
who do not mind sharing our insecurities, our successes or giving encouragement
and help to others.
So, if you are
interested and would like to join, the link below will lead you directly to us:
My report:
Submission
September 2017
None
Rejections
Rocky
Mountain Fiction Writers Anthology – Turn the Lights On –
Death – a poem in
the Rattle Poetry Contest
Outstanding
Submissions
Three poems to the
Lascaux Review – Still Outstanding
IWSG Day Question: Have you ever slipped any of your personal information into your
characters, either by accident or on purpose?
Writing that has breath has personal elements of the author within his or her story. That is a point blank statement that I believe in.
Fantasy stems out of the desire to imagine, Romance out of a yearning to be
loved, Sci-Fi out of the need to explore the universe, and I could go on an on
with the different genres. Whether non-fiction or fiction, books that inspire encourage, and books that motivate force people to step out and go for their dreams. The personal element about the author bedded within his or her story pushes the reader out of his or her comfort zone and into the writer's way of thinking and challenges the reader to reconsider his or her own life decisions.
Thus, when I looked at the IWSG question, have you
ever slipped any of your personal information into your characters, either by
accident or on purpose, I had to say yes. However, I don't slip it in. I
do it intentionally.
My books, whenever, I get the first one
published, (and I'm smiling when I confess this) have something to say. My characters see the world through my eyes and what they grasp
and how they experience and deal with life is the sum of the total experience of what I think, believe, and how I handle the circumstances in my own life.
Wishing all of you a lovely October, and this
Georgia girl says be careful as you walk through this month.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat Garcia
And thank heavens that we have the opportunity to hear and see your voice Patricia - the world is richer for it. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Susan. I feel the same about you and what you have to say through your writing. Keep up the great work, my dear.
DeleteShalom aleichem,
Pat G
What a sweet lovely post Pat. I like you push my feelings on theme out to the world too. I have to write my heart and soul into my work. I believe in my characters. I wish you much continued luck on your writing :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Erika. I wish you too lots of success. I totally believe in my characters too.
DeleteShalom aleichem,
Pat G
Exactly! So much truth in your post. Thank you. Keep writing. You have a gift.
ReplyDeleteJQ Rose
Thank you, J.Q. Your last sentence means so much to me. It was good to hear it coming from you a writer who I admire.
DeleteShalom aleichem,
Pat G
Sorry to hear about the rejections. Keeping my fingers crossed for you for those outstanding subs! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Madeline. I'm going to keep submitting. A breakthrough is coming. I just don't know when.
DeleteShalom aleichem,
Pat G
Well said, Pat. We all hope our books do just that for our readers.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much, Alex.
DeleteShalom aleichem,
Pat G
I love your answer to the monthly question!
ReplyDeleteI think that the deeper you dig, the stronger and more authentic the story.
Thank you for a lovely post, Pat!
Thank you, Michelle. That's my opinion also. The deeper you dig, the stronger and more authentic your story.
DeleteShalom aleichem,
Pat G
You keep plunging forward with your authentic self and I'm applauding. A Great post, my Dear Friend!
ReplyDeleteThank you my dear friend. Hope you are doing fine.
DeleteShalom aleichem,
Pat G
Intentionally. Me too and it feels so right. :-)
ReplyDeleteAnna from elements of emaginette
Thank you, Anna. I believe authentic writing reaches the hearts of people.
DeleteShalom aleichem,
Pat G
Yeah, it's def on purpose! I love this month.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jennifer. Wishing you a lovely month of October.
DeleteShalom aleichem,
Pat G
"Writing that has breath has personal elements of the author within his or her story."
ReplyDeleteI agree. If there's nothing of us in our words, they'll surely sem a little empty.
Thank you, Patsy. My feelings too. if you want to reach people, your writing has to breathe life.
DeleteShalom aleichem,
Pat G
Pat, you hit the nail on the head. Sorry about the rejections. Readers can feel your passion. Wishing you a great October.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Diane. I wish you a great October also. Fall is a beautiful time of the year.
DeleteShalom aleichem,
Pat G
Perseverance - This is how I would see you writing about your characters. I say that because you plow through,get to the most intimate form of a thought and use that to share an experience, emotion or action. I think that most writers are biased when it comes to developing characters and scenarios.
ReplyDeleteI am working on a novel now and find I need to people watch frequently to help me with some of these characters, as they are not who I am. I struggle when I proof a chapter, as I see me slip back into the action or reaction. (Sigh! Re-work!)
All the best to you!
Thank you, Liz. You can do it, Lady. Keep editing. I don't even count how many times I have edited my present work and I'm still doing it.
DeleteShalom aleichem,
Pat G
It would be difficult to write without putting a piece of ourself in a book wouldn't it, Pat?
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sandra. Yes, it would be very difficult to write without me putting a piece of myself in my books.
DeleteShalom aleichem,
Pat G
Even if the characters and plot line have nothing to do with our lives, the story has to come from someone, so in that sense, yes, every story is personal.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Tamara. I don't think that every story has to be personal but there is an element in every story that catches the reader and causes him or her to live in the world of the author. It is a small essence and it is a part of the writer that slips into what he or she creates.
DeleteShalom aleichem,
Pat G
Thanks for stopping by my blog.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I don't think I could keep aspects of myself or my life out of my writing unless I was writing something I didn't care about.
A lovely October to you too.
Thank you, Toi. I too wish you a lovely October. it is one of my favourite months.
DeleteShalom aleichem,
Pat G
Hi Pat,
ReplyDeleteMissed your last post but still have it. Backed up since the lyme went for my eyes. Love this observation. My fiction characters always have something of me in them but not intentionally. Characters that have parts of my family and friends--the good parts is intentional.
Hello my dear friend,
DeleteI hope you are doing much better. Thank you fro coming by. My fiction characters have something of me in them too regardless of whether they are male or female.
Love this! We are who we write! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jemi. Yes indeed. I believe that too.
DeleteShalom aleichem,
Pat G
"My characters see the world through my eyes" - how true!
ReplyDeleteThank you for coming by Olga. For me, that is true. My characters observed the world through my eyes and that is what my readers get when they read a story by me.
DeleteShalom aleichem,
Pat G
I'm still waiting for my first book to be finished, so I know what you mean about the wait for things to work out. Just keep putting yourself out there and it will come.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Chemist Ken. Good luck on your book project too. We can do it. Don't give up.
DeleteShalom aleichem,
Pat G
Another great post, Pat. For the record, I'm single and plan on staying that way, and I don't write romance. I think there's a connection. ;)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Raimey. I am smiling at your comment. Things can always change.
DeleteShalom aleichem,
Pat G
Every character of whom we write must of necessity spring from our knowledge of similar persons in our life, right? :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you Roland. I tend to think that. Believable characters stem out of our experience.
DeleteShalom aleichem,
Pat G
I don't do it on purpose but I think you're right in that it's impossible not to inject yourself. Have a lovely October.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Susan. I can say for myself that movies would not be good movies if the actors do not submerge themselves in their roles. I think and believe authors do the same.
DeleteShalom aleichem,
Pat G
I believe that we do insert part of ourselves into our characters, since we only really see the world through the prism of our own outlook. No matter how broadly we may think we are looking at a subject, or widely we think we may traverse the landscape, we are still just. . . a person with a viewpoint, and that is what interests most people when it comes to a story that captures our imagination. Thank you, Pat for a thoughtful post on this. <3
ReplyDeleteThank you, Viola. All I can say is Amen and Amen. What you have said is exactly what I believe too.
DeleteShalom aleichem,
Pat G
Great post!
ReplyDeleteDB McNicol, author
Thank you, Donna.
DeleteShalom aleichem,
Pat G
I'm with you on this. We are part of our work no matter what that work is and we are also a reflection of the work we do.
ReplyDeleteViola put it nicely too.
Lee
Tossing It Out
Thank you, Lee. I so agree, we are a reflection of the work we do.
DeleteShalom aleichem,
Pat G
I totally agree! I think there's even unintentional elements of ourselves that go into our writing as well. We can't help but put parts of ourselves in our writing.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lynda and so it is. We can't help but put parts of ourselves in our writing.
DeleteShalom aleichem,
Pat G
I'm with you--I don't see how one could write anything better than a corporate profits report (trying to think of the most soul-less writing!) that didn't have some part of oneself in it. After all, part of what we are doing is, as you say, trying to say something that matters to us. Even when we're "just" writing genre fiction.
ReplyDeleteKeep breathing and submitting work--that's the important step!
—Rebecca
My IWSG Post
Thank you, Rebecca. I don't plan on stopping breathing anytime soon. So as long as I'm breathing, I will keep submitting. I know the breakthrough will come.
DeleteShalom aleichem,
Pat G
I agree. I like you do it by intention so are aware. My thought is if stories come out of your mind thru imagination or research then they are pieces of your thoughts therefore some part of you is there even if brief. Great post. Juneta @ Writer's Gambit
ReplyDeleteThank you, Juneta. Yes, I agree. I would even say that a ghost writer cannot avoid putting a part of his or herself in a book. It's there whether they want to recognise it or not.
DeleteShalom aleichem,
Pat G
"The personal element about the author bedded within his or her story pushes the reader out of his or her comfort zone and into the writer's way of thinking and challenges the reader to reconsider his or her own life decisions." Love that!
ReplyDeleteI think it's impossible not to add a bit of ourselves in the books. If books are like our children, then we leave a little DNA stamp on every one.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for dropping by Karen.
ReplyDeleteAll the best.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat G