Pearls of Wisdom, Part II

There are many pieces of wisdom used on the internet in signature blocks. While many people use their signature block as his or her own private advertising space to direct someone to a website, a blog, or advertise whatever they may be promoting, it is not unusual for a favorite quote to be included. Some relay sage advice, some deep philosophical revelations, some are used to share a smile through humor. Some interesting ones I have come across recently include:

"They say a picture is worth a thousand words.
But let me tell you, a story is worth a million pictures."
~Randall Ingermanson

This is a wonderful observation. Stories play out in our heads, like our own private showing of a movie, not filled with the special effects of Hollywood, but of marvelous descriptive passages that allow us to create the scene and see the details of the story.

If you think you can, or if you think you can't, you're right.
~Henry Ford

Here is another insightful observation for your consideration. Have you ever heard of the theory of self-fulfilling prophecy? Does this quote not cut the reader to the quick ~ if you think you can you are inspired to try and continue trying until you accomplish what you set out to do. On the other hand, if you tell yourself you cannot accomplish the task at hand ~ if you lack the self-confidence to achieve your goal, you often tend to (unconsciously) hold yourself back assuring that you do, in fact, fail to accomplish the task at hand.

What lies behind us and what lies before us
Are small matters compared to what lies within us.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

and a comparable

It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.
~Dumbledore

Even in literature such as Harry Potter, we receive sage advice.

And, along the lines of fantasy comes one of my favorite quotations I have seen in a signature block, an excellent example of imagination and humor.

Meddle ye not in the affairs of dragons,
for thou art crunchy and good with ketchup.

The final quotation I will leave you with is particularly applicable to those to whom the Muse whispers,

"The first chapter sells the book. The last chapter sells the next
book."
~Mickey Spillane

May your Muse always whisper in your ear, encouraging you. Just a thought…

NaNo Update

November is National Novel Writer’s Month and the challenge of this event is to put pen to paper and write a novel of 50,000 words (or more)…in thirty day period (gulp).

The gauntlet has been tossed and the challenge has begun. I used to think of myself as organized, able and willing to rise to any do-able challenge. Yes, I am one of those who see the goblet as half full. There is still time to complete the task at hand. Hope springs eternal. Chin up. Captain, I’m giving it all she’s got!

I am the card carrying president of Procrastinators Anonymous. It takes precious little to distract me into a tangent of going in exactly the opposite direction of whatever I am supposed to be doing. I also firmly believe I am very likely ADD and OCD and a plethora of other alphabet acronyms that I do not have the attention span to remember.

I am an idiot. I must have been insane, not only to agree to this , but to actually tell people about it. Please, take my advice; do not EVER, under any circumstances, say this out loud to anyone. Do NOT tell anyone you have committed yourself to this or you, too, will suffer the curse. Everyone you know that you have mistakenly told your plans to step up to this challenge will call, at least six times each, the first couple of days. “How’s it going?” “How far have you gotten?” “Do you think you’re going to make it?” Loved ones, well meaning as they might be, tend to hover, reading over your shoulder as you type away. “….Mom, I missed the last chapter, scroll up so I can catch up, ‘k?” Everyone walking by or driving by your house—or anywhere within a three mile radius will feel the need to drop in and “catch up”. People you have lost touch with and have not spoken to for ten years will literally choose this time to call and catch up.

Well, in spite of it all, I have managed to write 30,000 words of my novel and still have two weeks to go. I may just make it Betwixt and between the interruptions and my overly compulsive idiosyncrasies to go back and change something that bothered me that isn’t quite right yet Granted, there is still a lot that is going to need re-writing and editing once this is over, but sometimes the need to fix something just doesn’t stop screaming until I go back and fix it. Yes, even the crummy chapter I deleted and re-wrote now… .

I have mixed feelings about this experience. I think my tendencies to go back to change something is making this harder on me, but, I have to admit, this is keeping me focused on the book and definitely moving forward. I still think when you worry about the word count you sacrifice some of the quality for quantity. Just how much, though…? That is the question that will be answered when I begin the editing and re-write process. The other side of the coin is, I am amazed at how focused I have been and most of what I have written is a viable part of the story I am telling. Wow. I am reminded of the saying: "Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon!" Stay focused. Keep writing. May your Muse be with you.