Decisions! What a Process!

Decisions! What a Process! by Debra H. Goldstein

I hate making decisions. You might think that’s funny considering all the years I sat on the bench as a judge. The reality is that weighing the law and the facts of a case to issue a ruling was often easier than it is to decide what restaurant to eat at and what to order when I get there. The lack of importance or relevance of where and what I eat is what probably makes that kind of decision harder than those that involved people’s lives.

 

Making decisions in writing come with a different kind of difficulty. There aren’t cut and dried rules to apply because the tropes of any genre can be bent. Authors, unlike judges, aren’t reacting to an existing fact pattern. Instead, they create the narrative. This is accomplished through characterization, pacing, setting, voice, point of view, and plotting. When all of these things come together perfectly, everything flows allowing any determinations to almost seem predestined. The key is when they don’t merge well.

 

That’s when the decision-making process comes into play. Which element must be changed? What words should be cut? What needs to be added? What will make the piece work best for readers? These questions are perplexing. Finding answers to them is gut-wrenching.

 

For example, in my present work in progress, I spent several chapters in the beginning of the book slowly introducing the characters. Minor twists led to a big bang on page 200. That seemed too late, so I cut my favorite funny chapter, merged two chapters, and moved the big twist to page 100. The pace and tension have improved, but something seems to be lacking because of not having the opportunity to know the characters better. I’ve asked the characters for guidance, but unlike most times, their voices are silent. It is frustrating to have the sense that something is off but be unable to pinpoint what the defect is and how to cure it.

 

Yet, as a writer, I know I need to gather the facts as I did while I was on the bench and, in this case, apply my internal compass to make my own law that will dictate the outcome of the book. I only hope that my decision is not to put it into a drawer.

 

Authors, have you ever had this conflict? Readers, have you ever wished an author made a different decision about their work? 

The Writer's Perspective on Health, Happiness, and Prosperity by Debra H. Goldstein

The Writer’s Perspective on Health, Happiness, and Prosperity by Debra H. Goldstein

January begins a new year of dreams and hopes, but it is also a time for personal reflection. When I think about my family and friends, I wish them only health, happiness, and prosperity for 2020. Being honest, I’d like the same for me – but these thoughts take on different interpretations when one is a writer.

Health – We all wish to be healthy in the sense of no illnesses, injuries, or other personal calamities. Consequently, we are told to eat healthy, avoid alcohol and tobacco, exercise regularly, and get plenty of sleep. Writers? They fill the smoke-filled bars at conventions. Often, they eat on the fly because they are immersed in a project. They work in a solitary environment where they rarely leave their computers (which, by the way, is a good means of developing carpal tunnel syndrome from typing/ eye strain from not blinking/ neck and shoulder pain from poor keyboard posture). Finally, sleep and exercise go out the window when a writer is on deadline.

Happiness – Joy in the little things brings smiles to most people’s faces, but writers?  We are happy when people buy our books or tell us they like something we wrote, but we cringe at bad reviews, sales numbers that don’t meet our expectations, and when fans and friends don’t show up at signings. One writer, on deadline, compares the days she is immersed in writing to being in jail. I don’t find that a particularly happy image, do you? Or how about those instances when an idea is impossible to grasp or if it does invade one’s brain, it doesn’t work?

Prosperity – If prosperity is counted by the dollars earned or a declaration of being a New York Times Bestselling author, prosperity is the gold ring most writers can only dream about.

So, why do writers write? It certainly isn’t because it brings us pure health, happiness, and prosperity. No, after much reflection, I think it is because we must. We hope readers are happy with what we produce, but readership isn’t our primary purpose in spending our time writing. Although it may not be obvious, writers obtain health, happiness, and prosperity from the joy of sharing ideas through the written word. … and every now and then from reader reactions. Tell me, what about you? Why do you read and how does it impact your health, happiness, and prosperity?

Wonderment and Writing

Wonderment and Writing by Debra H. Goldstein

The art of writing is both a joy and a business. On the days my ideas and words flow, I forget time and experience a state of euphoria. Unfortunately, the need to deal with finances, promotion, social media, and other tasks often dulls my creative abilities. When that happens, I get angry for not writing. Last week, I failed to write one word. I planned to, but things didn’t work out – even when there was an opportunity and time to write.

I was on a cruise to Alaska with my family. We ranged in age from five to seventy-five. I wasn’t the youngest, but I wasn’t the oldest, either. The five-year-old reminded me of one of the most

important axioms for a writer – never lose the sense of wonderment associated with the passion of writing.

With her eyes wide-open and her parents, aunts and uncles, or grandparents trailing her, she explored every nook and cranny of the ship. By the end of the trip, she was able to tell us her three favorite things: “I can walk everywhere without having to sit and wait in a car; I can go to the pool and find friends anytime I want; and, best of all, I love the buffet.”

Being one who is not wild about a buffet, except for late night ice cream or pizza snacks, I was surprised she ranked it as her favorite thing on the ship. It was only after watching her walk from station to station picking out exactly what she wanted that I realized how wonderful the variety of food choices seemed to her. She only selected a little from here and a bit from there, but she knew her options were unlimited – and she relished that experience.

Writers begin with the ability to go in all directions, too. Unfortunately, deadlines, business needs, and even occasionally allowing oneself to become pigeonholed into a certain writing style, can make a writer forget to hold on to the sense of wonderment. I’m guilty of sometimes losing the joy and excitement I usually associate with the passion of writing – what about you?