Category: Resistance

Limits Are Not Limitations

Posted on by Joel D Canfield

[image: hit the wall” width=”222″ height=”128″ class=”alignright size-full wp-image-3742]After 7,000 miles, a good chunk of it in a single week, I am spent. (I realize all my posts lately seem to be “life lessons from Joel’s traveling and how it affects his work” and now that we’re settled, er, settling, watch for real life genuine content again soon.)

(Aw, this is real live genuine content. It applies to your art and mine. Just watch.)

I finished the text for one book. Editing is in progress, but slowly.

Sue’s business life changed significantly for the better, opening new possibilities for us. Still, it’s change. Even good stress is stress. Try having a child. Most glorious event in human life. Also on the short list of most taxing, physically and emotionally.

Am I behind on this, that, and the other thing? Yup.

Am I frustrated about it? Nope.

… more … “Limits Are Not Limitations”

The Clash at the 23rd Mile

Posted on by Joel D Canfield

[image: and the winner is” width=”222″ height=”181″ class=”alignright size-full wp-image-3719]Marathon runners hit a wall of physical failure near the end of the race. The will may be strong, but the human body has limits, and one of them arises at about 23 miles of constant forward movement. Issues with glucose and other chemicals I don’t know the names of shut the legs off, make the arms refuse, turn the trunk to oatmeal.

I don’t know if it’s that my allergies are especially bad (curse you, California plant life!) or the broader concept of approaching the senior discount at the movie theater, but I’m tired. We have 2,152 miles to get home, and I’m tired. Today we drive from Newport Beach to Surprise, Arizona. Not a bad day for us. Six hours door to door. We’ve done 16 at times. But I’m tired. I’d stay right here except that I’m 2,152 miles from home. I keep hearing The Clash doing Should I Stay or Should I Go? except the answer is obvious.

Nearing the end. That’s one of the times Resistance is strongest. … more … “The Clash at the 23rd Mile”

Resistance vs Reality vs Reasonableness

Posted on by Joel D Canfield

[image: is it about the work or is it about the wrench thrown into it?]Homeless, wandering the desert, the intrepid writer of Chandleresque cozies inched toward the final chapter of his book.

There he’d been, plugging away, over 4,000 words a day, when the house he lived in was sold, with circumstances forcing his family to move out and plan for a month-long “workation” in only 5 days.

They did it, and drove south.

It was warmer than he likes in Phoenix.

He picked up a cold in Santa Barbara.

He’s generally been busy enough, disrupted enough, tired enough to stop writing for a while. Wouldn’t be entirely unreasonable, right?

One of the places Resistance shows up is at the end of a project. … more … “Resistance vs Reality vs Reasonableness”

After the Storm There’s No Time to Relax

Posted on by Joel D Canfield

To stretch that anchor/storm metaphor:

After the storm has passed the crew can’t take a break. First order is damage assessment and vital repairs.

Once the fires are put out, literally or metaphorically, the ship still needs sailing. A myriad little things need tidying up.

If the crew takes it easy after the storm they condemn their ship.

… more … “After the Storm There’s No Time to Relax”

Forge Ahead Unfettered

Posted on by Joel D Canfield

After 3 days with no posts you’re probable wondering where I am.

I am in New Mexico. Tucumcari, to be exact. Fascinating as that must be for you, the story behind it is a lesson in how balance and moving forward go hand in hand.

We knew when we moved in a year ago that the house we rented was for sale. After 3 years on the market (in a seriously “buyer’s” market) we weren’t concerned, especially as seasoned nomads.

Last Wednesday we got the message that the house sold and the new owners wanted to move in April 1st. While the landlord is only required to give 28 days notice ours made a special effort and gave us 35.

The challenge was that we were leaving on this Arizona/California trip 5 days later, and won’t be back until after the final date. … more … “Forge Ahead Unfettered”

Write with Your Heart, Edit with Your Head

Posted on by Joel D Canfield

[image: fountain]Writing has to flow, like water. Writers thirst.

Imagine, though, if you were dying of thirst (you are, you’re a writer) and the person holding the hose kept shutting it off so they could adjust something. Spurt of water; shut it off, adjust. Spurt of water, shut it off, adjust.

You’d strangle ‘em, screaming “Just give me the water!”

That’s what your heart is doing when you write slowly, methodically, with your head. Because you don’t write with your head, you write with your heart. You edit with your head.

No one but you will see your unedited words, so don’t worry about whether they’re perfect.

Because if you worry that they’re perfect, nobody but you will ever see your words, period.

How Long Does It Take to Write 1,000 Words?

Posted on by Joel D Canfield

[image: time . . . creeps . . . slowly . . . along]This week, for me, the answer is either 28 minutes, or 5 hours.

Earlier in the week I challenged myself to write 1,000 words as fast as I could type on each of my two mysteries. No pauses, no editing, don’t even think too much. Just type like mad.

I averaged 40wpm on each of them. Less than 30 minutes each to add another 1,000 words. While I only commit to 15 minutes of writing each day, I have a target of 1,000 words per novel.

One hour to do all the writing I needed to do for the day. Not bad.

Yesterday didn’t go so well.

… more … “How Long Does It Take to Write 1,000 Words?”

Writing in Public: A Silkworm Instead of a Parachute

Posted on by Joel D Canfield

[image: happy landings!” width=”222″ height=”164″ class=”alignright size-full wp-image-3493]A guitarist I once knew said he had a friend who wanted a band to play at his anniversary party.

I said “Take the gig, and we’ll put a band together.”

He blinked a couple times and said “I find your level of confidence disturbing.”

Since I grew up (at the age of 43) I’ve often leapt from airplanes with a silkworm instead of a parachute. It lends immediacy to the task.

I chickened out just a little and didn’t tell you about this until I was 11,000 words in, but I’m writing another light mystery, a 1,000-word chapter at a time, over on my personal blog. It’s called A Long Hard Look.

I have an idea where the story will go, just as when you leap from an airplane you’re fairly certain of your destination.

Getting there in one piece, though, is not a foregone conclusion.

Art is Love: The More You Give Away the More You Have

Posted on by Joel D Canfield

[image: bucket at the well]Since I’ve started a daily routine of writing come what may, I’ve noticed something.

The more ideas I spit out, the more I have.

In the past week, I’ve written 1,000 words a day on the sequel to Through the Fog. Another story forced its way into my head, and I’ve managed 1,000 words a day on that one as well.

The past few Februaries I haven’t participated in February Album Writing Month. But this year I’ve had so man song ideas I can’t bottle them up. Four written and recorded with another well on the way. Since I spend the 3rd week of every 3rd month writing 3 songs with my buddy Terry, I’ll be doing that whether I push for 14 songs at FAWM or not.

The well doesn’t run dry, it refills itself. The more art I create, the more wells up to be created.

You Need a Writing Habit

Posted on by Joel D Canfield

Hey, before we start, I don’t want you to miss this opportunity because today, Friday January 31st 2014 is the last day to register free for Publishing Bones, a support site for writers. Go register at http://publishingbones.com/free-registration.

Willpower will not keep you writing. The most powerful tool to keep you writing when writing gets hard is a habit.

A writing habit is the single most important thing you can do for your writing.

[image: photo http://www.sxc.hu/photo/673861 by Maria Luisa Gutierrez http://www.sxc.hu/profile/cornnius” width=”200″ height=”263″ class=”size-full wp-image-3379] habits: they’re where it’s atHabit.

Not schedule.

Not support.

Not tools.

Not free time.

Not passion.

Not a contract.

Habit.

Here are the best books I know which explain why, and tell you how to create habits. … more … “You Need a Writing Habit”