Tina Haapala, Excuse Editor

Add caption Writing is a struggle. Just because we love it doesn't mean it's always easy. We know this. There are times, however, that getting back to our writing is more difficult than others. My friend, Paula Bruno, has been a storyteller all of her life, and has enjoyed spending time with her own words, creating fictional worlds to visit and analyze for years. But lately, she feels as if she's in a bit of a rut (although many of her recent blog posts  are extremely inspired and heartfelt, in my opinion). And while I feel it's my duty to tell writers they must continue on their journeys no matter the roadblocks, the truth is, there are times when it is certainly understandable to pull over, and catch your breath. I offer space in my blog to my fellow writers (that means you!), and Paula sent this to me when I had asked the question in our writing group about what excuses they make when it comes to writing: I've had a rough two years.  After a year long...

If you work on deadlines, either from your employer, client, or self-imposed, you have probably figured out your “racing” style. You may be best writing under pressure, forced to open up the creative muse with mere minutes left to submit your work. You may have learned that kind of pressure puts you at a complete standstill. Writer SK Walker said on my Facebook page recently, “This is creativity, not boxing chocolates on a conveyor belt”. So instead of the pressuring procrastination, you keep a slow and steady pace, arriving at your deadline rested and on-time. I'm not here to say what is best, I'm here to remind you to discover what works best for you. I recently finished up a “bootcamp” program at my local YMCA. It involved some running , in the almost brutal North Texas heat. The last day was the big hoo-rah, as we were scheduled to take a 4 mile run. I think about 100 people had signed up for the class 6 weeks prior; there were 10 of us for that final run. ...

Recently, I had the opportunity to “get away from it all” and participate in a casual writer’s retreat.  A month or so ago, a few members of my writers group decided it would be a great idea to pick a weekend to head out of town and into the mountains so we could write, write, write!  Most people thought that was a fantastic idea and were all in; after all, isn’t that what we dream of, just some time where we are free from the distractions that are keeping us from achieving our writing goals? However, by the time we were signed up and ready to go, only 3 of us made the trip. Those distractions? Those are called life.  I am just grateful that I was able to rearrange my life in order to go, and I hope the others in my group will be able to make it another time (because there WILL be another time), or they will be able to use the lessons I learned from the retreat in their everyday writing lives. So, whether you are heading to a cabin in the woods, or sneaking in a f...

I recently survived 5 days in the French Quarter. I say survived because I thought I would burst at some point from the rich food, the tasty drinks, and the just plain fun of the whole experience.  I was overloaded with lots of music, and quite a bit of history, too, since my friends and I took in a few museum tours.  This was my fourth trip to the area, and when I am there, I am just bombarded with evidence of creativity that’s all around us, but especially in places like this. I attempted to tweet some of what was going on around me, but I found the multi-tasking a little too difficult. I just wanted to experience the moments. And by the time I made it back to the Inn, I was exhausted. I am not discouraged though. Just because I couldn’t get all the thoughts and ideas running through my head down right then doesn’t mean they haven’t set up camp somewhere in a corner of my mind, biding their time until they’re needed.

"The Help" by Kathryn Stockett is a book filled with lessons about race, tolerance, and class. However, weaved throughout the story of Skeeter, Aibileen, and Minny are nuggets of wisdom about the writing process. It is, after all, a celebration of previously unheard voices sounding out on the written page in a time when most were trying to keep such words silent. Isn't that what all writers are trying to do? Get our message heard? So,in my next few posts, in honor of the release of "The Help" movie, I wanted to share some of the inspiration I found in this story of a book that struggled to make it into the world. Lesson One: Dedication Sure, we all know of the obstacles put in our way when we want to write. I don't have the time. Or, what would my family think if I shared our secrets? In order to even begin building the book, Skeeter had to convince Aibileen to help her. That was the first of many hurdles that race and class position would create. On...

During my "buzz-session" at the OWFI conference, I talked about how important it was to not squander the time and money spent on conferences, classes, and coaching. The frugal part of me related it to a gym membership. When I am paying an annual or monthly fee, I want to get my money's worth! Say I pay $50 a month. If I go 3 times a week, it's like paying about $4 each time; but if I go 5 times each week, I get the same gym benefits for only $2.50 a visit! What a bargain! I get healthier and can be a cheapskate at the same time! Here are a few hints to help you get a healthy impact from your already spent conference dollars: Start immediately. I met one writer who actually skipped a few of the Saturday sessions because he was so inspired to write and attempt to fill a whole in his novel. That may be too soon for most of us, but the idea is sound: Get moving before the afterglow starts to fade. If one of your goals was to get back into the habit of writing, do...

Image from Flickr Ahh.. the first blush of a new love: the excitement, the intensity--you are swept up, head over heels, crazy for...your new writing project. Do you imagine spending sweet time with your new love, exploring your heart in ways you never thought possible? Do you predict the two of you enjoying time between the covers--of a beautifully crafted book? Or...will your grip on to your new obsession last for just a short while, only to be tossed it to the side? Are you taking a "friends with benefits" approach to your writing? Today's Excuse: I like it, but I can't put a ring on it. Excuse Editor Tips: Transforming Your Writing Fling to the Real Thing Notches On Your … Pencil Are you skipping from project to project, writing each off because the next idea may be better? Even if you hear one of them calling you back, you ignore it and rationalize that if it was "the ONE" you would have known by now. Not that you gave it a chance. Limit you...