Let"s Create

Since I was a small child, I was told we are put on this world to create, or to love one another , or to take care of things and people who cannot take care of themselves.

It depends on what you believe as to which of these things is the most important. In a perfect world, it would all be relevant.

Today I want to talk about creating. Everyday someone says to me, "I could never write a book," how do you do it? Then they look at me in disbelief when I tell them, "I'm not quite sure."

It's true. Most of my ideas come from a snippet of a recurring dream, a piece of a conversation, or a thought I can't get out of my head. Usually, for sanity's sake, I write it down.

The funny thing is, once I write it down, it goes away. I don't have the dream anymore. I can think about other things and I can't always remember the way the conversation, I obsessed about only moments before, actually went.

Now here is the odd part, (if that isn't odd enough). I have absolutely no idea who will be in the book, what the plot is or how it will end. I sit down at my computer with a cup of coffee (decaf, I am hyper enough) and begin to type. To get started, I read the last paragraph I wrote the day before. Then my mind is off  and running. People pop into my imagination and I see them with great detail, even down to the mole on their cheek.

If I stick to it, no one gets sick, the dogs don't have to go outside, the room isn't too hot or cold or a dozen other things to interrupt my train of thought, I spew out a story. Sometimes stories take weeks, others take months and one even took a year.

Enter, my friends and family and even my families friends. I need readers. At this point, I am convinced the reader thinks I am illiterate. My work needs comma's, periods, quotation marks, different paragraph breaks and on and on. I only want to know about the content. Is this a story line you could get into.

I mostly get, "Wow,you're weird!"  "Whose brain  comes up with this stuff.?" 

The Springfield area has several writers groups, Sleuth's, Ink Mystery Writers, Ozark Romance Authors,and The Writer's Guild to name a few. Believe me, these people are as weird as I am. Maybe they are a little more mainstream weird ( yes, it is possible).
Wanda Fittro wrote about an abusive relationship and I swear, you would think you were in the room.
Tierney James writes  (among other things) a series about a housewife turned spy. It is so believable, you wonder what the lady next door did last night. Lisa Medley writes of Space Cowboys, Alien love, and Reapers, (the grim kind). Beth Carter writes romance novels that are raising in the ranks.
VJ Shultz will surprise you every time with her short stories, password journals and coloring books. Shirley McCann will scare the beegeebees out of you. Before you know it you are sitting with your back to the wall so no one can walk up behind you. (I wanted to say McCann can, but thought better of it.)

If you paint, draw, care for the sick or elderly, cook, garden, or a thousand other things , you are a creator.

Stop by and tell me about your passion.

http://susankeeneauthor.com                    https://www.facebook.com/susanskeene1/

Should you share your ideas and dreams?

      Should you share your dreams and ideas ?

I say NO. Have you ever met a true dreamer? You know, one of those people who always has a great idea for a book or a story. Maybe they have an invention that will make housework easier. I know a guy who had an idea for a steam piston to more a car. The car had a battery. The battery had a water reservoir that dropped water on the piston the piston went down and the next drop of water made the piston rise again.

He had that idea fifty-years ago. It never went anywhere. Now when he comes up with an idea folks say. " Is that anything like the water piston?"
It is not only the ridicule, but the skepticism and resistance that is created when your idea or dream hits the air.

Does that seem silly to you?

Not to me.

I am what is known as a panster writer. In other words, I get an idea. Perhaps it came in a dream or was sparked by something someone said on TV or in a conversation I overheard. It could be as small as a couple of words or a big as proven concept.
When I sit down with that story line, I have NO idea who the characters will be, where the story will go or whether it will be a novel, a novella or a short story. Not all of my ideas become anything. Some of them are nine or ten pages long. They lay in a drawer in my desk until I get back to them.

Some of my friends and colleagues are plotters. They sit down and write down the entire story line. They know the principle characters, the beginning and for the most part, (except for the actual words they will use), they know the middle and the ending.

I know that works because some of these people have ten or more successful books out there.
So do those of us who fly by the seat of our pants.

So what am I getting at?
I'm saying this, telling your dreams, ideas and stories dilutes them. There is always someone out there who doesn't think you can do it, and they don't mind telling you your storyline, invention or dream is unrealistic.

I say "Good." The more fantastic, the more 'out there' the more exciting it is.

There are exceptions to every rule. I have a sister how loves every idea and dream I have ever had.
If I tell her I am stuck, she tells me to let it stew in my brain a few days and it will work out.

Most people aren't like that. Most people don't write, don't take a chance on an invention and still do things the way their parents did and their grandparents before them.

And NO, I am not saying the entire world is not adventurous. I am saying those of us who are, are a minority.

When I go to the Ozarks Romance Authors meeting and listen to the successes and hear the readings of those talented people, I sometimes forget this kind of person is not a majority.

The next Saturday, I join the mystery writers from Sleuth's-Ink. Again, I am flabbergasted at the imaginations and tenacity of those folks.

Here is my point. Yes, I do have one.

Don't spend your time talking about what you want to do. If you have a book or a story in you, write it. If you want to paint a picture, paint it. Don't dilute your dreams by sharing them. Develop them, nurture them. Be the best you can be.

Along the way, drop by Amazon or your local book store and explore these local authors with huge talents. I am sure to leave someone out. I will apologize in advance for any oversight.
Tierney James, Wanda Fittro, Cat London, Shirley McCann, VJ Schlutz, Lisa Medley, Beth Carter, Tina Riffey, Pat Elliott, Sharon Smith, Yvonne Erwin, Cara Bristol, Lisa Wells and Sharon Kizzah- Holmes, and Tattered Wings, by me.

This is only a small sampling of the talent in the area. Branch out, read some new authors.

I invite you to leave your thoughts and comments regarding this post.
Susan

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art

  One doesn't usually think of Bentenville, Arkansas as a cultural hub. Well, in some ways they should. Bentonville has several things to see that make the trip worth while.One is Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. It is a great place. If you can think of an American artist, he or she has work displayed on the walls or  in one of the beautiful galleries. I saw paintings by James Henry Beard, Andrew Wyeth, Edward Hopper, Jamie Wyeth, Andy Warhol, Fredrick Remington and Georgia O'Keefe and perhaps another hundred I haven't mentioned.


The grounds are impeccable. Crystal Bridges sits on top of Crystal Springs , thus the beautiful bridges and outdoor areas. It sits on 120 acres with several walking paths, a place for outdoor concerts and public venues.


There is no admission fee. Walmart pays for everyone to see the exhibits. But it is still a money maker. The gift shop is an eclectic collection of hats, shirts, purses, jewelry , books and miscellaneous sundry that will keep you occupied for hours.


There is a restaurant called Eleven. It is in a long corridor with massive windows on each side and a wonderful view of the grounds from almost anywhere. How was the food? There in lies the only problem I see with the entire place. You must stand in line to order and your food is brought to the table. No problem there. My discontent was with the food itself. I most likely would not have fussed about the price had the cuisine been palatable. My friend and I ordered shrimp and grits. I had just seen it made on the food channel and it was gorgeous. Not so with what we were served. They said the grits were from War Eagle Mill. My friends, they were not grits. It was chicken scratch and I know that because I have been throwing it to my chickens for years. It was cracked corn, and it wasn't cooked properly. This gruel was too thin to chew and too thick to swallow. It came with shrimp, four of them, with tails on. Not a problem if the grits are thick enough so the shrimp don't fall into the bowl and make for some pretty sloppy eating.


My other friend (yes, I have more than one) ordered chicken and waffles. Again, it wasn't anything to write home about. It was two small slices of waffle with a small piece of fried chicken between them. One reason she ordered it was because it boasted jalapeno maple syrup. No one could taste the jalapeno and there wasn't enough of it to taste anyway.


Okay, do you feel like you have just watched an episode of Chopped?
Well, I was sorely disappointed by the food.
Would I go back? Absolutely. I would even spend the night somewhere so I could further explore the museum and Bentonville's Town Square and the 21C hotel and art museum.
What I would NOT do is eat at Eleven again.