Creativity: Balancing Passion & Madness

It is a truth universally acknowledged that writers dream of, speak to, and argue with their characters. 

Likewise, those characters beg for more scenes and better dialogue, preferring to do so when their creators are engaged in other endeavors. Like sleep. Or the occasional shower.

No wonder everyone thinks we’re crazy.

The process of creation exalts and exhausts writers. It encroaches on sleep, social lives, hobbies, day jobs, and everything else. We become emotionally involved with our stories, weeping when we inflict pain on our characters and cheering when we lead them to overcome the obstacles in their way.

The challenge of balancing passion and madness is something we all must face.

Like all creatively inclined individuals, P.T. Barnum of Barnum and Bailey's Circus saw the world differently and sought to share his vision. Public disapproval, familial troubles, and monetary struggles haunted his career, but in the end, Barnum was revered as a showman and businessman who established an enduring legacy.

I close my eyes and I can see 

a world that’s waiting up for me, that I call my own. 

Through the dark, through the door, 

through where no one’s been before, but it feels like home,

They can say, they can say it all sounds crazy. 

They can say, they can say I’ve lost my mind.

I don’t care, I don’t care, so call me crazy.

We can live in a world that we design.

‘Cause every night I lie in bed, the brightest colors fill my head.

A million dreams are keepin’ me awake.

I think of what the world could be, a vision of the one I see.

A million dreams is all it’s gonna take.

Oh, a million dreams for the world we’re gonna make.

(A Million Dreams, The Greatest Showman, 2017)

During his career, Barnum toured the country and gave lectures on “The Art of Money Getting.” In his biography P.T. Barnum: Every Crowd Has a Silver Lining, Tom Streissguth states, “[Barnum] advised listeners to follow their vocation, concentrate their energies, and advertise. (p 78)

That’s the essential difference between passion and madness. 

Instead of pursuing dreams in a haphazard way, creative individuals:

a. follow where their education and training leads, acquiring more training and expertise as needed, 

b. focus on their goals, expending their best energies to achieve them

c. develop and adhere to sound marketing plans

At one time or another, we all dream of easy success. 

However, dreams only become reality when we put in the work required. Whether we are afraid or overly eager to step onto the world’s stage, we each have a story that the world is waiting to hear. 

I see it in your eyes. You believe that lie that you need to hide your face.

Afraid to step outside, so you lock the door. But you can’t stay that way. …

You cannot be afraid.

Come alive, come alive.

Go and light your light, let it burn so bright.

Reachin’ up to the sky and it’s open wide, you’re electrified.

And the world becomes a fantasy and you’re more than you could ever be,

‘cause you’re dreamin’ with your eyes wide open.

And we know we can’t go back again to the world that we were livin’ in,

‘cause we’re dreamin’ with our eyes wide open.

So come alive.

(Come Alive, The Greatest Showman, 2017)

In walking the fine line between passion and madness, we must be a little fearless. 

We must play to our strengths, identify our weaknesses, and move forward with purpose and passion. How well the world receives our message is not a matter of chance or good fortune, success is a direct result of careful consideration, planning, and hard work. 

So, “go and light your light,” my friends. The world is waiting.

The Writing Retreat: Take Two

60,000 words has come and gone. Will this actually be a novel? Will I even finish Book Three? A well-timed Writing Retreat might just make all the difference . . .

Beautiful Park City, Utah

Our Writing Retreat last year helped me finalize Midnight Sisters for publishing this year. It was also one of the best weekends I had last summer. Fun, interesting, and just busy enough. So this year when the girls asked if I wanted to participate, I jumped right in. I had reached 50,000 words in my current WIP, which is the length Becoming Beauty weighed in at, and I had also reached a critical point where I wasn't sure what to do next.

Mermaid tails keep toes warm. It's true.

As you may know, I'm not a planner. Well, there are times that being a pantser really leaves me in the lurch. And this was one of them. I'd been adding 10,000 words a week throughout July and had more than doubled the length of my novel. I planned to add as much as I could during our Writing Retreat and then browse the manuscript from the beginning for ideas of how to reach the end. I put in about two days writing and added about 5,000 words and gained some direction at last.

Yep. I finally know how I'm getting to the end! And if it took a lot of snacks, ice water on standby, a couple of pool and hot tub hours, and countless quiet writing hours, I'm glad to do it! Our Park City weekend also included evenings on the town and a Saturday shopping spree at the outlets. If you haven't figured it out, I love ALL of those things.

Book Three will probably take another year to complete, edit, and polish but it's much closer to the finish line than before Writing Retreat 2017. Carry on, my writerly friends, and remember that there's power, inspiration, and strength in numbers. Also, geekiness.

Stop Talking. Start Writing.

There seems to be a recurring theme in my world these days.

I'm currently on vacation with my best friend and guess what was one of the first things we did? We talked about writing. 

Did we talk about what we're writing?

Nope.

Did we talk about how much we've written?

Nope.

Did we discuss our upcoming projects or how excited we are about them?

Nope.

We talked about how we should be writing, how much time we wish we had spent writing, and all the other things we've been doing instead.

Sound familiar?

While growing my Twitter following, I've encountered some newbie writers who are in the same boat. (Names have been omitted in order to protect the dear, sweet, writers. If by some strange twist of fate they are actually reading this, bless their dear, sweet souls, because I've got a truth bomb or two to drop.) 

Here are their the account descriptions:

I'm an aspiring author with a bad case of lazy. Currently writing a couple of novel series and a few screenplays.

I want to reply, Kudos on not calling yourself an aspiring writer! And for actually getting the job (or several jobs) started! Keep it up, Sunshine!

Here's another:

Hey guys! I'm a fiction writer who dreams of getting published; feel free to throw some inspiration my way!

I want to ask what's standing in her way. Is she waiting for the right time to publish? Is she waiting for a big, shiny contract? Those are pretty tough to score. And there are always strings attached. So if writers want to publish their stories, they need to get smarter and find the path that's right for them. 

Boom. Inspiration.

Here's my favorite account description:

Follow me as a I try to complete a novel I've been working on for the last seven years.

I want to comment on that, but I can't decide just how brutally honest I want to be. Which of the following would you suggest?

a) What's your timeline for completing this novel? Another seven years? Because YIKES.

b) Do you expect to see a return on your investment? Because you'll need to sell a ton of those puppies to break even after you've committed a decade to the project. Again, YIKES.

c) Obviously this project is going nowhere. Set it aside and find something you are truly passionate about finishing. And guess what? You'll have published that novel before you could have ever finished this one. 

I've known writers who couldn't give up on that first novel and/or publishing contract and insisted on pursuing it instead of moving on. The truth is we are better writers today than ever before and the stories and characters we develop will be more complex than they would have been several years ago.

On the other end of the spectrum is my amazing friend Jo Ann Schneider. Jo and I published our first novels the same year. However, in the time that I've published two Young Adult fairy tales, Jo has published seven novels, two novellas, as well as collaborating on a couple of short story anthologies. Did I mention that they're all in different genres?

Now that's smart. Jo not only talks about writing, she gets the job done. Her Facebook feed shows some awesome stuff these days. Here's what she shared last week:

Thursday:

Hey Jagged Scars fans. I'm on a mission to write a rough draft of book 5 between now and July 6th. It's only going to be about 80,000 words. That shouldn't be a problem, right? I started yesterday. 

Here is my progress report for today. Time for a snack.

Beginning word count: 5,015

Ending word count: 12,023

(Sarah's math says: 7,008 words on day one!)

Friday:

Hey Jagged Scars fans, here's my daily report:

Beginning word count: 12,023

Ending word count: 21,576

21,500 words down, only 60,000 to go!

(Sarah's math says: 9,553 words on day two!)

Saturday:

My goal was 25,000 words this week. Got a little more in. One week down, two and a half to go.

Beginning word count: 21,576

Ending word count: 26,610

(Sarah's math says: 5,034 words on day three! 21,595 words written in one week!)

She's amazing. If I wrote like that, my 50,000-60,000 novel would already be written. But I've let life get in the way. I've let distractions (like those blasted idiots who are supposed to be fixing my AC but still haven't done so) get in the way of my summer writing goals. 

So here I am, pulling up my big girl panties and saying it loud and proud:

I'm finishing another novel this summer. 

I'm already a third of the way done at over 20,000 words. Another 10,000 words (which I knocked out in one day last summer) and I'll be halfway done. I can do that, right? 

A life lesson that both Jo and I have learned is that as soon as you publish a novel the first thing your readers will ask is:

When will the next one be out?

Every author wants to say, Holy Heck, Greedy Gus! I just got this one out and it nearly killed me! Can you give me a second?

What we should do is express our gratitude for their support. We want them to be invested in us and all we do, right?

These are the people who will pay our bills. Or at least pay for the occasional pedicure.

As I continue down the road to fame and riches (or just regularly pampered feet), I welcome you to come along on the journey. Here's to finishing my first draft instead of just talking about it!

A Call to Arms. A Call to Love.

I believe in the power of good women united by common goals. 

I also believe in the power of kindness and love to reach those goals. Recently, Open Thought Vortex Magazine invited me to share my thoughts on feminism during Women's Empowerment Month. I was pleased to share the following:

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Feminism gets a bad rap. The term has been twisted to convey something far different than its original definition:

1.  the theory of political, economic, & social equality of the sexes

2.  organized activity on behalf of women's rights & interests

Basic. Elegant. Yet somehow feminism has become associated with radical behavior, extremely liberal opinions, and pointing the finger of blame at men, politicians, society, etc.

I’m a 40-year-old woman from rural Utah who teaches kindergarten and writes Young Adult novels. I refuse to support action that harms, demeans, or degrades others whose sex, age, political views, or religion differ from mine. And since today’s predominant strategy for promoting women’s rights is shouting your grievances at the top of your lungs, I tend to distance myself from it. The kindergarten teacher in me can’t see the difference between that strategy and the kid who declares himself (or herself) King of the Jungle Gym and enforces his (or her) claim through a series of playground scuffles.

I’ve seen my fair share of intolerance. I live in a particularly diverse area in Northern Utah where there is often tension resulting from differing political standpoints, religious beliefs, and even warring gangs. Local Pastor Monica Hall stated, “[There is] a natural tendency to draw distinctions and define each other. Definitions such as: she is Muslim, he is black, she is Presbyterian, he is Latino, they are Mormon, etc. . . . Such definitions can draw boundaries of who WE are and who THEY are. These boundaries can be dangerous. They can be dangerous when we use the boundary of division to ignore human needs.”

That’s my main issue with feminism. When we paint ourselves as victims and everyone else as aggressors, there’s no one left to explore solutions to the common problems we face.

Actress Emma Watson had plenty to say on the subject. “If we stop defining each other by what we are not and start defining ourselves by who we are, we can be much freer.”

In my classroom alone, I encounter bias, misconceptions, and intolerance. Kids already have a lot of baggage by the time they step into my room.  I do my best to employ a practice that reaches hearts, souls, and minds. It’s called Love. Love and Listen.

If all we do is scream about the world’s injustices, nothing will ever change. But if we take on our noble role as women who lead, nurture, teach, inspire, and uplift, we can effect change.

Author Norah Ephron summed it up beautifully. “Above all, be the heroine of your own life.”

That’s what I want. That’s MY prime goal as a feminist, to be the best me I can be and to bring as many women, girls, mothers, and sisters along with me as possible.

Author Francesca Lia Block said, “Just like any woman . . . we weave our stories out of our bodies, some of us through our children, or our art; some do it just by living. It’s all the same.”

I effect change in my classroom and in my novels, with my students, friends, and family. I stand up for what I believe and I refuse to hide who I am. I am a woman and I am powerful. And I believe in the power of love and kindness.

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Thanks for dropping by, my dears! If you'd like to read more women's empowerment, revisit The Making of a Woman or pop over to OTV Magazine and peruse the March 2017 posts. And please leave me your thoughts on womanhood and feminism in a comment below. Go forth and be awesome, my friends!

#Shakespeared

The Utah Shakespeare Festival is one of my favorite summer getaways. Short of purchasing a ticket across the pond, there's no better way to dip your toes in Shakespeare and/or get thoroughly #Shakepeared.

This summer, Henry V, wasn't enough. It wet my appetite but didn't satisfy. A thick volume in the gift shop called The Friendly Shakespeare piqued my interest and set me on the path to discovery. 

As a source for inspiration, there nothing better than Shakespeare. The plays, from comedy to history, are a superb mix of drama and humor, truth and fiction, prose and poetry, romance and tragedy. Reading or viewing Shakespeare will expose you to:

Heroes who act like villains and villains who act heroically. Prince Hal from Henry IV exemplifies debauchery and heroism as he treads the path from from ale house to throne and prince to king.

So when this loose behavior I throw off,
And pay the debt I never promised,
By how much better than my word I am,
And like bright metal on a sullen ground,
My refomation, glittering o'er my fault,
Shall show more goodly and attract more eyes
Than that which hath no foil to set it off.

Real emotion woven throughout the tales make hundreds of years old feel familiar and relatable. Jealousy, fierce loyalty, true love, infatuation, self-interest, humility, hopelessness. Duke Orsino from Twelfth Night drowns in melancholy due to unrequited love, and like many of us, he wallow in it.

If music be the food of love, play on,
Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting,
The appetite may sicken, and so die...

Relationships of all types--both healthy and unhealthy--are explored. Fathers and daughters, mothers and sons, husbands and wives, sovereigns and subjects, siblings, and the best and worst of friends. Prospero, the magician and one time duke in The Tempest, does much to ensure the happiness of his daughter Miranda.

I have done nothing but in care of thee,
Of thee, my dear one, thee, my daughter, who
Art ignorant of what thou art, nought knowing
Of whence I am, nor that I am more better
Than Prospero, master of a full poor cell,
And thy no greater father.

Some of the most delicious banter ever written. Like a tennis match where each hit is efficiently lobbed back. Petruchio and Catherine in The Taming of the Shrew and Benedick and Beatrice from Much Ado About Nothing come to mind. I'd love to gift my lovers such wonderful dialogue.

Beatrice: I wonder you will still be talking, Signor 
Benedick, nobody marks you.
Benedick: What, my dear Lady Disdain! are you yet living?
Beatrice: Is it possible disdain should die while she hath 
such meet food to feed as Signor Benedick?

Shakespeare is timeless. His plots, intrigues, epic romances, and tragedies draw us into another world. From Romeo, Romeo to Out damned spot! he captures our imaginations and feeds our need for both beautiful language and wonderful storytelling.

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If you need a bit o' inspiration, there's always some new interpretation to explore. Here are a few of my new and old favorites (complete with links to Amazon):
The Friendly Shakespeare: A Thoroughly Painless Guide to the Best of the Bard, by Norrie Esptein.
The Tempest, featuring Helen Mirren as Prospera
The Hollow Crown: The Complete Series, featuring Tom Hiddleston as Prince Hal/Henry V
Much Ado About Nothing, directed by Kenneth Branagh
A Midsummer Night's Dream, featuring Rupert Everett as Oberon & Michelle Pfeiffer as Titania
Twelfth Night, featuring Imogen Stubbs & Helena Bonham Carter

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What are your favorites? Leave me a comment and tell me your true feelings about the Bard. (Be warned that if you loathe him entirely, there may be mocking...) I've also embedded links to my own posts on being #Shakespeared through the post. Happy clicking!

Humor & Inspiration: All The Awesomeness

It's been a pleasure hosting so many writers this year. I've learned from each and every one. And I will certainly be doing this again!
For your viewing pleasure, I present, the Humor & Inspiration Features in their entirety:

Author, editor, and overall amazing human being Lydia Thomas explains why there is no way on this green planet that she will write your memoirs. And why you should just walk away when someone says, “I have this amazing idea for a book! You’ll make millions!”

Brilliant mommy blogger Cathy from Prairie Wife in Heels shows there's no such thing as The Idyllic Country Life. (Especially with a houseful of little ones.) But when you're a City Girl turned Country Mama, there are ways to inspire and spread understanding in the world of women.

Annoyed with autocorrect? Gifted author and blogger Anne Goodwin
shares the fun (or outright challenge and frustration) of dealing with words that behave like toddlers. Anne inspires and causes laughing fits in equal measure. And she'll only make you slightly worried about double-checking your posts before you publish them...

Rockstar Terry Tyler, who's an author, blogger, book reviewer, and about seven other super cool things, gives us a crash course on inspiration. And yes, when you write character-driven novels, you draw inspiration from life. Nutty strangers on the bus beware!

Wise words from blogger and massage therapist Kaley Tallman! Kaley urges us to abandon the comfort zone in favor of pursuing the good life. So get comfortable, grab your favorite beverage, settle in for a spot of inspiration, and get ready to make your life amazing!

Avid readers turned writers? Yes please! If you need a good read, this is the one to peruse! Heidi Doxey, editor, writer, and blogger, shares her favorite reads, which all happen to be by British writers. Like they do for her, they'll inspire you and keep the laughter flowing. 

Carol J. Hedges is one of my favorite people, even though we've never met. Mentor, author, and fashion savvy super gran Carol takes on the subject of the comments people make when they find out you're a writer/author. Carol will train you to handle it with grace and humor.

Awesome author, blogger, and mama Allison Maruska takes on the subject of Quit Days. (You know, those days when you want to throw in the towel and drown your sorrow in a package of Oreos?) How do you deal? Allison walks us through the steps back to sanity.

Colleen M. Story, author, editor, and ghost writer takes on the subject of writers with (and without) personalities. 
Are writers with personality a dying breed? (Don't worry, Colleen's got plenty of personality and she urges all of us to strut our stuff as well.)

Tamara Copley has been writing and illustrating since the dawn of time. She shares her opinion on the importance of humor in writing. And the issues when humor is mishandled and/or badly done. Also, STAR WARS!

Sarah E. Boucher (that'd be writerly, authory, bloggery me) chats candidly about the ups and downs of the writing world. It's all about finding the funny, my friends! And developing a sense of humor so we can laughing in life's face instead of crying into a carton of Ben and Jerry's.

Our caboose Jenniffer Wardell brings up the rear! An accomplished fairytale romance writer, Jenniffer talks about humor, life, everyday heroes, and a new type of story that doesn't feature heroines with superhuman abilities. Sounds amazing. right?

There you have it, friends! All the awesomeness in one handy place! Thanks for participating, ladies! Nothing but love for you! If you'd like to follow any of my featurees on social media, follow the link their posts. Happy internet stalking!

Humor & Inspiration: All The Best Jokes

Jenniffer Wardell:
Author, blogger, Fairytale Aficionado

You know when you think the train has passed but it just keeps going instead? Well, I wrapped up the Humor & Inspiration Features and began preparing my sum-up post when I received Jenniffer Wardell's email. So, meet our surprise caboose!

Earlier this year, Jenniffer approached me about featuring her new release Dreamless. And since it's a fairytale romance I couldn't be more pleased to introduce it (and her) to you! FYI Jenniffer is an author, blogger, and fairytale writer. A huge thanks to JoAnn Schneider for connecting Jenniffer and me. I have a feeling we're going to have a gooooood time! (And Dreamless is already on my TBR list!)

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Life is pretty funny.

How it's funny, of course, depends on circumstances. Sometimes it's slapstick comedy, a whole routine that unfolds while you're trying to get ready for work in the morning, wash a dog, or find your keys. Sometimes it's satire, something so absurd a part of you is amazed it's actually happening (the current presidential election is a good example of this). Sometimes it's a sly, carefully executed joke, a subtle plan that you get to watch unfold with a smile. And sometimes, it's one of those days where you laugh because the only other option is to hit something.

It's one of the things I love most about life, how even when things seem to be at their worst there will be some small thing that will always come along and make me laugh. Even if it's just me, laughing at how melodramatic my despairing thoughts have gotten, there's always a moment that breaks through the bubble of stress or sadness and lets in just a little bit of light. It's not terribly dignified, no – humor works best when you're not trying to hold onto your pride – but it's enough to keep me going. 

 

I look for that humor in stories just as much as I do in life, and even when I can't find it I know it must just be lurking around a corner somewhere. If my utterly average, mundane world is enough to keep me entertained, then your average fictional world must be absolutely bubbling with it. Imagine a knight without enough time to get ready in the morning, tripping over a bucket and waking up the entire castle as he crashes to the ground with a metallic clang. Or a witch who just needs one, simple little ingredient for this very important spell, but the only place she can get it is from her neighbor who's held a decade-long grudge over a cookie exchange that went horribly, horribly wrong.

Those are the stories I always wanted to hear about. There are plenty of books about dignified heroes doing serious, important things, and many of them tell very good stories. But I wanted the characters who knew what it was like to embarrass themselves in front of the worst possible person and somehow survive the experience, or have to do battle with something as mundane as paperwork or not being able to find a spot to park their horse.

(Speaking of horses, can you imagine what it would be like having to go into work on something that can actually argue with you? And literally throw you onto the road if you annoy it too much?)

So when I couldn't find the stories, I wrote them. Because if life can be funny, then fiction should be, too.

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Jenniffer Wardell is a fantasy author and general fairy godmother-at-large. She's always on the lookout for witty dialogue and a well-earned happily-ever after.

Jenniffer Wardell's Blog

Facebook Author Page

Jenniffer's Twitter Page

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A word about Dreamless, Jenniffer's newest release:

For most princesses, a sleeping curse means a few inconvenient weeks unconscious followed by a happily-ever-after with their true love. Seventeen-year-old Elena's curse, however, was designed without a cure, which means that she's getting a century-long nap for her 18th birthday whether she wants it or not. After years of study she's still no closer to finding a cure, even with the help of an undead godfather and an enchanted mirror-turned-therapist. With only a year until the deadline she's learned to accept her fate. Sadly, there's one prince who doesn't seem to have gotten the memo and who’s continually trying to activate the curse so he can be the one to wake her up again. Only slightly less annoying is Cam, her new bodyguard and former childhood acquaintance who disagrees with Elena at pretty much every turn. When the curse threatens to come early, however, they both realize that fate is a lot more complicated than they'd ever imagined.

Dreamless is available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

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Just imagine I'd appreciate a gal who enjoys twisting fairytales...oh yeah! Thanks for dropping in, Jenniffer, and best of luck with Dreamless. Sounds amazing!

A big hug and a sloppy smooch for all my readers who've stuck with me this year. It's been such fun! Stay tuned for the promised sum-up post where I reveal the ins and outs of running author features and explain why I am definitely doing this again!

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Missed one of our Humor & Inspiration featured authors? No problem! Click away my darlings and happy reading!

Lydia Thomas: No, I Won't Write Your Memoirs 

Prairie Wife in Heels: The Idyllic Country Life 

Anne Goodwin: When Words Behave Like Toddlers 

Terry Tyler: Art Inspires Life

Kaley Tallman: Abandoning the Comfort Zone

Heidi Doxey: British Book Invasion

Carol J. Hedges: So You've Published a Book...

Allison Maruska: Four Steps Away From the Cliff

Colleen M. Story: Writers with Personality

Tamara Copley: The Magic of Humor
Sarah E. Boucher: Beating the Blaaaahs

Humor & Inspiration in Writing: Beating the Blaaaaahs

Not Mary Poppins...
Practically Perfect anyway!

Hello, faithful readers! Welcome to the final installment of the Humor &Inspiration Features. Over the course of several months, we’ve laughed, we’ve cried (ish), and we’ve learned together. I have loved sharing the stage with writers, bloggers, and authors and discovering what inspires, uplifts, and keeps them going.

But today I’m taking back the reins! That’s right, it’s my turn to talk about what keeps me from calling it quits, chucking my laptop off the balcony, and heading out bar hopping dressed like a nun. (I don’t have a nun costume. Will my trusty Mary Poppins get up do?)

In case you didn’t know, I’m an educator by trade and a writer just for the fun of it. I’m equally passionate about both careers. (Also chocolate and Chris Evans. But that’s another post...) I’ve spent 13 years in the classroom and have been a writer forever. Fairytales are a special weakness of mine. I read them, watch them, write them, and freak out when they’re done well. But enough backstory, on with the show!

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My life is a beautiful mess. I won’t be brave and wax on about how I LOVE everything about my life and I NEVER have meltdowns. Because I don’t. And I do. (Imagine the big, messy, snot-faced meltdowns that make your eyes feel like sandpaper. Yep, that happens.)

And guess what? It happens to all of us!

Even Britney...

Life isn’t easy for anyone. And certainly not for writers.

Because who likes rejection? Especially rejection piled on top of rejection? It’s definitely not the group of folks who claim to be more introverted than any other group on the planet. (Except maybe hermits.) Incidentally, it’s the same introverted group (not hermits) that’s expected to peddle their wares in person. Like at book launches, signings, books sales, and other author events. Where other people will be.

Anyone else see the flaw here?

I rectify the situation (and save my sanity) by Finding the Funny in life. Like a pearl in an oyster or a rainbow after a spring shower, it's always there. Like a kindergartner in an enormous mess he created himself.

Finding the Funny in Life, Love, & Whatnot

Look for the funny in your career. My job is hysterical, annoying, and uplifting all in the same five-minute period. My students are BRILLIANT at making me bust a gut. And yes, I can’t think about my pathetic life or problematic manuscript when children are being funny in my world. It just ain’t possible, my friends. (P.S. If your working life is completely tragic and regularly makes you feel like pitching yourself off the balcony, it’s time to choose another path. Be brave. You deserve the best.)

Actual shoes. Actual kindergartner. Good times.

 Look for the funny in your love life. I never date. (Seriously, I’m THIS awesome and still on the market.) It’s probably because I find men completely baffling. But man, I have some good stories because of my itty bitty love life (or lack thereof). I choose to laugh at the crazy things that have happened rather than blubbering over what hasn't happened. (And yes, those crazy things will find a home in my novels someday. Also, Oreos are a balm to my soul.)

Boys are weird. We like them anyway.

Look for the funny in your writing life. There are always funny things about being a writer. People treat you like a weirdo, or worse, once they hear you’re a writer, they give you the “oh, I should have known” look or the “I always knew there was something off about you” look. We can be offended or choose to turn our less than savory experiences into really good books and blog posts. 

And whether it’s intentional or not, every writer has penned something completely ludicrous while trying to be lyrical. Those gems, like “her eyes rolled to the ceiling” can really lighten up a bit o’ bland writing session. Laugh and then fix it, my friends. (Please, in the name of all that is holy, fix it before I'm forced to mock you!)

My sense of humor continues to save me in the writing world. 
Don't be afraid to laugh at yourself, my friends. (Also, don't be afraid to laugh at other people and the ridiculous situations they put themselves into. Just don't do it in front of them.) And yes, keep those laptop and mobile devices from becoming airborne. You'll need them to document all the funny you find.

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Sarah E Boucher:
Author, Blogger, Educator

Sarah E. Boucher is obsessed with fiction, romance, and all things fairytale. Her first novel, Becoming Beauty is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, or books & things. (And these days it's only $4.99 on Kindle!) 

Sarah's second novel, a twist on The Twelve Dancing Princesses, will be released later this year. 

Sarah can be found practically anywhere if you look hard enough!
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Facebook
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Thanks for reading my friends! It's been a pleasure to share the stage with so many gifted writers. And I plan to do it again soon. For the time being, my time will be sucked up with end-of-the-schoolyear doings and editing my second novel. Stay tuned for behind-the-scenes coverage of the self-publishing process (snippets of the photo shoot for my cover, editing gems, etc.).

If you missed any of the Humor & Inspiration Features, feel free to check them out:

Lydia Thomas: No, I Won't Write Your Memoirs 

Prairie Wife in Heels: The Idyllic Country Life 

Anne Goodwin: When Words Behave Like Toddlers 

Terry Tyler: Art Inspires Life

Kaley Tallman: Abandoning the Comfort Zone

Heidi Doxey: British Book Invasion
Carol J. Hedges: So You've Published a Book...
Allison Maruska: Four Steps Away From the Cliff

Colleen M. Story: Writers with Personality
Tamara Copley: The Magic of Humor
Jenniffer Wardell: All the Best Jokes

And a hearty thank you to all my amazing participants! You're amazing, ladies! 

Humor & Inspiration: The Magic of Humor

Tamara Copley:
Writer, Educator, Blogger

Welcome to the last stretch of the Humor & Inspiration Features! We've had laughter, wisdom, plenty of inspiration, and a fair amount of snark. (You're welcome, my darlings.)

I'm pleased to introduce today's guest, Tamara Copley. Not only is Tamara an accomplished writer, educator, and blogger, but she has been my friend since the Dawn of Time. (I remember an illustrated version of Superhero Cats in Funkalicious Space Suits she created in the early 90's.) Tamara possesses a rare blend of highbrow humor (think puns, lots of puns), amazing writing talent, and a sweet nature. Basically, there's no one better to tackle the topic of bringing the funny to your manuscript.

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Sparkle

A good story requires great characterization with clear motivation, and a meaningful plot. A stellar story requires all that plus humor. I compared good books I’ve loved over the years to the Percy Jackson and Harry Potter series. These series have a sparkle many others lack because of humor.

Ting! Pearly whites aren't enough though...

Unfunny vs Funny

Let’s look at the Star Wars series. Movies 1-3 flop in part because all humor is focused in Jar Jar Binks, a buffoonish character who frustrates because he is a cheap shot for the kids and because he’s not funny to many adults. Meanwhile, dialogue and banter are often absent throughout the rest of the trilogy. Therefore, the only humor distracts from rather than enhances the storyline. Lacking their comedy relief, the other two movies don’t try to be funny. The lack of humor makes them fall flat and feel untrue to the original trilogy.  As with many movies, we watch them once and walk away.  

Somebody order a moody broody hero?

Entertainment should be fun. It should not feel like work to read a novel or watch a movie. 

What works in the Star Wars series? Movies 4-7 work because of humor. The Ewoks and the comedy duo straight man and chubby funny man, C3PO and R2D2, provide comic relief, but others provide humor as well. Even the simple, ubiquitous line, “I’ve got a bad feeling about this” becomes humorous when handled right. Han Solo and Leia are both serious throughout the series, but they exchange banter and zingers on a regular basis that carry the movies with their humor and charm. Audiences still chuckle over, “You stuck up, half-witted, scruffy-looking nerf herder!” and Han’s winning response, “Who’s scruffy-looking?” These lines are funny because they’re a combination of familiar and unexpected. 

Beep bo beeeeeeep! (So adorable, right?)

Dialogue with humor provides magic for the original trilogy, and Force Awakens recaptures that, both with BB8, the quirky droid, and others.  [Spoiler alert]. Audiences see an entire village massacred then we get Poe Dameron’s line, “You speak first or I speak first?” to relieve the tension. One of the funnier scenes is the one in which Rey rescues herself using the force for the first time on a storm trooper played by James Bond’s Daniel Craig. Two serious characters make a funny scene while being serious because what happens there is so unexpected and straight-faced. Humor arises from fresh dialogue between intriguing characters with no “comedy relief” characters required. 

Your Turn

In most writing, humor is critical to the enjoyment of the reader. Humor doesn’t have to be constant or laugh-out-loud, but it should be present. It adds sparkle and fun. 

Boom, baby! Go forth and make it sparkle!

Entertainment is why most writers write and most readers read. Adding humor to a situation can make an otherwise somber story more enjoyable. Humor makes a reader care and helps carry the message into the reader’s mind and heart. 

Everyone’s brand of humor is different. Find yours, and your story will take on more magic and charm. 

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Tamara Copley has been writing since grade school. She has several published works in the academic realm and has garnered awards for short stories, children's books, and poetry. Currently, Tamara teaches English for Brigham Young University Idaho and is preparing her first novel After the Dream for publication. She lives in northern Utah with her husband, children, and too many pets to count.

Connect with Tamara Copley online:
Author Tamara Copley Facebook Page
Author Tamara Copley on Twitter
A Writer's Reflections: Author Blog

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Thanks for sticking with me friends! The finish line is in sight. If you'd like to revisit the other Humor & Inspiration posts, please do so!

Lydia Thomas: No, I Won't Write Your Memoirs 

Prairie Wife in Heels: The Idyllic Country Life 

Anne Goodwin: When Words Behave Like Toddlers 

Terry Tyler: Art Inspires Life

Kaley Tallman: Abandoning the Comfort Zone

Heidi Doxey: British Book Invasion

Carol J. Hedges: So You've Published a Book...

Allison Maruska: Four Steps Away From the Cliff
Colleen M. Story: Writers with Personality
Sarah E. Boucher: Beating the Blaaahs
Jenniffer Wardell: All the Best Jokes

Happy reading!