Home Sweet Home by Mary Dutta

Christopher Nolan’s epic modern retelling of The Odyssey has received overwhelmingly positive reviews. There are some people, however, who take issue with the film’s spin on the protagonist’s motivation and how it departs from the original ancient Greek version. Nolan presents an Odysseus shaped by trauma and his guilt over how his actions have violated the core values of his society. I found it an interesting modern approach, but I also would have been happy if the movie had stuck to the story’s roots and focused on the concept of nostos, or homecoming.

The desire to return home is universally relatable, and a character motivation that rings as true today as it did in Homer’s time. Think of The Wizard of Oz, which takes Dorothy and her companions on a journey rife with hurdles and dangers. At the heart of it all is the belief that there’s no place like home, and our heroine will never stop striving to get there.

A pining for home underpins true stories as well as fiction. That was underscored for me on a visit to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House in Buffalo, New York. Darwin Martin, the millionaire businessman who commissioned the home, had a rough childhood involving the death of his mother, family separation, financial struggles, and devastating loneliness.

Fast forward a few decades and Darwin is a Buffalo business titan building his dream house. According to the Martin House docent, the early trauma surrounding his family situation motivated Darwin’s dream of a perfect home, one where his scattered family could reunite, and an idyllic haven for his wife and children.

So common and resonant is the desire for home that I’m surprised I’ve never used it as a character motivation in one of my own short stories. My characters want lots of different things—revenge, money, justice, freedom--but none of those things have been in the service of nostos.

It’s an interesting omission in my own writing, and one that I think it’s time to address.  I’ll get right on it as soon as I get home.

Can you relate to the power of home? 

 

Quick Motivators When You Don’t Feel Like Writing

By Heather Weidner

 It’s March, and the weather is finally getting warmer here in Central Virginia. I can’t wait to get outside. I love the spring weather, but sometimes, it’s harder to keep my writing routine on track when there are so many distractions.

 Here are few ideas that might help you get motivated or moving when you don’t feel like writing:

• Get up earlier than normal to start your writing session. Sometimes, it helps if you finish earlier in the day when there’s still time to do something else.
• Editing/revising is the hardest part for me. I really have to focus (and stay focused) to make sure all the changes are made. I usually reward myself with a social media break, a walk outside, or a quick research break (scrolling through the internet) after I hit a milestone.
• Get a good, noise-cancelling headphone set. It’ll block out the world, and you can listen to your choice of music. (I have playlists for every mood (and type of writing task. This is my playlist of songs about writing.)
• Keep small pieces of chocolate or other favorite treat on your desk for writing sessions. It’s a great pick-me-up, and it’s a nice little reward.
• Keep some tactile toys on your desk (e.g. stress balls, Slinkies, or fidget toys) for a quick break. Sometimes, these help while you’re working through a plot hole.
• Take an exercise break when you need to get up and stretch. There are plenty of chair yoga and chair stretch videos online to get your endorphins going.
• If you have a pet, take a puppy or a kitty break. Sometimes, a burst of activity can get you moving again.
• Get your phone or your camera and go out and take some pictures. You can always use them for your blog or socials.
• Work on another creative project. This will engage your brain and your hands.
• Write some notes or emails to family and friends. It’s a great way to keep in touch, and it kickstarts your writing.
• Start a celebration journal and keep a log of your milestones and successes.
• Find an accountability partner who will help you stay on track.
• Take a 10-minute tidy-your-desk moment. You clear your thoughts and get a clean desk.
• Create a reward jar. When you reach a milestone, you get to pick a treat.
• And don’t forget to celebrate when you hit your milestones or make your goals.

 What do you do get yourself motivated?

Through the years, Heather Weidner has been a cop’s kid, technical writer, editor, college professor, software tester, and IT manager. She writes the Pearly Girls Mysteries, the Delanie Fitzgerald Mysteries, The Jules Keene Glamping Mysteries, and The Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe Mysteries. 

Her short stories appear in a variety of anthologies, and she has non-fiction pieces in Promophobia and The Secret Ingredient: A Mystery Writers’ Cookbook.

Originally from Virginia Beach, Heather has been a mystery fan since Scooby-Doo and Nancy Drew. She lives in Central Virginia with her husband and a crazy Mini Aussie Shepherd.