New Words to Live (and Write) By.

~When you give up, and when you quit you are letting the haters win.~

~The road to success is made of many small steps, rather than one giant leap.~

~One word at a time…One word at a time…One word at a time…~

~Writer’s block is the result of under-confidence, rather than not having anything to write about. Take a break, and write a list of top 10 things you can do, or the achievements you are most proud of…If you come up with ten (or more!) Start writing again.~

~Don’t let anybody tell you “You can’t…” they’re probably only saying that because they can’t.~

~To paragraph John Lennon, “(Writing) is everybody’s business…it’s only the publishers that think THEY own it.” ~

~Don’t let anybody tell you “But no one wants to read about ____________.” How do they know? People tend to make grandiose statements, and speak for everyone else when they really only should speak for themselves. Nobody should ever speak for all of the readers in the world–people’s tastes vary when it comes to art. Tell your own story the way you want to tell it. Be true to yourself and to your artistic abilities.~

~Surround yourself with positive people. Let them lift you up. Listen to only positive thinkers. The “Negative Nellies” will drag you down if you let them.~

~Chose your mentors wisely. Foolish people will claim themselves as experts even if they’ve only done one thing right their whole life. The internet is full of “self-proclaimed experts” and less than 25% of them actually know what they’re talking about and/or are worth listening to. (there’s a whole separate blog post on this topic next week). What may work well for some may not be the right path for you. Look at the most successful people, take ONE thing they have done and try that out…Talk to educators (real educators) in the field, and get feedback ONLY from people you trust and respect. Again, chose your mentors wisely. ~

~Time is valuable. Take any spare moment you have and WRITE.~

~Read every day. Read mostly in your own genre, but read anything that interests you. Read non-fiction as well as fiction. Read good books, and even skim through bad books. Be a critical thinker and reader. What you like and don’t like about the work of others can help you make critical decisions about your own works, your own storytelling, and style.~

~CONFIDENCE is about more than reading a bad book and saying “I can write a better book than that.” CONFIDENCE is reading a great book, and saying “I can write a book as good or better than this one!”~

~Don’t pigeonhole yourself. We tend to do that with genre, and even with style. So many authors (and soon-to-be authors) go around saying “I only write paranormal romance,” or “I only write literary fiction,” when we should feel free to expand. If your muse is guiding you toward horror, don’t ignore it. If there’s a poem on your heart, write it down. If you don’t want to be known for doing “XYZ thing” then use a pen name, but by all means free that creativity! Maybe you can incorporate it into your own writing somehow, or do a side project…or write some stuff just to write it, without publication. Do not ignore your muse.~

~Formula fiction is a lot like filling out “Mad Libs.” I avoid it at all cost.~

~ The market is fickle. A few years ago we were mesmerized by a boy wizard, then it was vampire love stories, and now the trend is distopia… But epic fantasy has never really gone away, nor has romance, or mystery. As I’ve said before, don’t chase trends, don’t write for the market. Write what YOU want to write, and your books will be more likely to stand the test of time.~

~Feedback is vital, but don’t let your manuscript dwell in the “feedback basement.” That’s when you’re so afraid (or insecure) about your current project that you are trapped in the feedback/revise/feedback/revise/feedback/revise treadmill. At some point, your story is good enough and publish/submit worthy. Have the confidence and knowledge to know (yourself) when that is without relying on someone to TELL YOU when that is.~

Off Topic Tuesday: Ten Most Creepy and/or Depressing Story Songs

I know this topic is overdone by many a blog, so here I am weighing in with my 2 cents on the topic (and maybe approaching it from a slightly different angle).  Story songs have been around forever…

Some are enjoyable little ditties we can sing along with, or cringe at how corny they are.

Others…? Well they make us want to weep, hide under the covers, or just drown our sorrows in cheap whiskey…

These are those songs for me. my own personal list of the ten most creepy and/or depressing story songs (in no particular Order).

1) Angie Baby–Helen Reddy
This song has given me the creeps since I was a kid. Rightfully so. The haunting, weird melody only makes it more creepy.
It’s the story of a weird, anti-social girl who is apparently “touched” (insane) and is kept out of school because she is a danger to herself and those around her. She listens to the radio all day…in her room. A nasty vouyer decides to do more than just peep at her, and breaks into the house intending to rape her. But…he disappears.
TO add extra creepiness to the story the fate of the boy is rather obscured in the lyrics, and everyone has their own existential POV on what happened. I always thought Angie hit him over the head with the radio, and killed him and has his body hidden somewhere in the room.

Apparently Angie was not only “touched” but had magical powers (a la Carrie), to unleash on evildoers…and that was the real reason she was kept home from school.

However, Ms. Reddy herself has been known to say “She turned him into a sound wave.”
While the author of the song Alan O’Day (and others) have stated that she turned the tables on him and shrunk him, holding him hostage in her radio.

2) The Night the Lights Went Out In Georgia–Vicki Lawrence, (and later covered by Reba McIntire)
While not as ambiguous as Angie Baby, this song also has a haunting melody and is equally well-sung female narrator. It’s more depressing than scary (unless of course you live in the south where they hang you first and ask questions later). It’s a good song, but it has always kind of depressed me.
The narrator tells the story of her Brother who just returned to town, and stopped to have a drink with his so-called friend Andy. Andy then proceeds to callously tell the Brother that his wife is cheating with not only some guy named Seth, but also with Andy himself. (Why Brother doesn’t just sucker punch the schmuck right then and there is totally beyond me…other than the fact that it would make for a very short song).
The story goes on to say that the Brother went and got the shotgun his father left him, and headed to Andy’s house where he saw small footprints…and then found that Andy was already dead.
In perhaps the most swiftest version of criminal injustice and police corruption in folk music history, the sheriff arrests him and hangs him ASAP because the judge wants to get home to dinner.
They hang the Brother without realizing that the footprints were too small to be his. They belonged to his little sister (the Narrator). And, if they had held off and gave him a real trail the next morning, then the sister would have had time to confess that SHE had killed both Andy and the cheating wife, whose body she had hidden somewhere.
So, the judge has “bloodstains on his hands” for hanging an innocent man.
Some also mention that (according to the Reba video) Andy was the sister’s fiance, and possibly the sheriff, “backwoods Southern Lawyer,” and the judge were all sleeping with the hussy wife whose body was never found.
Just depressing, when you think that she couldn’t save her brother from the corrupt, unscrupulous lawmen.

However, in the music video that plays in my mind whenever I hear this song the sharpshooter little sister frees her brother from the noose, and they both ride off into the sunset…. Ah, creative license.

3). Hazard–Richard Marx
Clearly, this was his version of the Night The Lights Went Out…
Love triangle/cheating, corrupt sheriff, murder mystery, and haunting music.
Strangely enough, there’s just as much ambiguity as Angie Baby.
The video shows that they have no evidence to believe the narrator killed “Mary” even though he saw her in the car with another guy, so they rule the death a suicide. Totally depressing.

4.) Coward of the County–Kenny Rogers.
Scary (the verse about rape), melancholy, depressing, and filled with “WTF?”
Tommy’s jailbird father, who apparently has rage issues warns him “not to do the things I done.”
Meaning, don’t go around starting fights. Tommy must have took this to mean “don’t stand up for yourself, ever.”
Once again, an old folksy country song reveals small-mindedness in a southern town. And, because Tommy refuses to lose his cool, they assume that he was a “coward.” Talk about a rush to judgement.
Apparently, This leads the town thugs “Catlin Boys” think they have the right to bully him, and his girlfriend Becky who they rape. THIS finally makes Tommy realize not to take his father’s words too literally, and apparently he proves what a man he is by finally standing up for himself and kicking a little Catlin ass, until “not a single one was standing.” Yes, a happy ending but the rape lyrics always give me the creeps.
Still though, thoughs bullies got what was coming to them…and Tommy proved that the town was wrong about him.
Yet, I race for the dial on the radio so I can change the channel before I hear the lyrics “The Catlin boys came callin…” *shudders*

5) The Wreck of The Edmund Fitzgerald–Gordon Lightfoot
A very sad song, that actually is about a true shipwreck. I literally get a lump in my throat, whenever I hear this song, especially when I hear the lyrics “The church bell chimed till it rang twenty-nine times
For each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald.”

6) The Ballad of Sweeney Todd (The Demon Barber of Fleet Street)…
And, basically the whole entire musical. When I was a Theater & Dance major in college, I watched it on A&E Starring Angela Landsbury. But, even before act 1 Scene 1 had ended, it had given me the absolute creeps (to the point where I couldn’t bring myself to see the film staring Two of my favorite actors, Johnny Depp and Alan Rickman).
It’s depressing and creepy at the same time, as it sings of the man who had everything taken from him by (once again) a corrupt judge who exiled him on false charges, just so that he could lure Sweeney’s wife into a rapacious trap. THe innocent man returns to town as “The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” whose specialty is an extra-close shave, in which he slits his victims throats…and he’s anxious to shave a certain judge and avenge his family.

7) All the Young Girls Love Alice–Elton John
I have to admit that I love the upbeat rock song by Sir Elton, which features his excellent piano playing. However, the lyrics tell of a teenage lesbian, whose so-called friends only use her…and she dies a sad, lonely death in the subway.

8) The killing of Georgie–Rod Stewart
UGH! Again this song is way too sad. A song about a young, starstruck man who became the “toast of Broadway” and sadly met his demise at the hand of gay-bashing thugs.
I haven’t listened to this song in decades…because I can’t. It’s too morose and depressing, especially in the “part 2″ version where Rod croons “Georgie, Stay…Don’t take your breath away.”

9) Ode to Billy Joe–Bobbie Gentry. Truly depressing, eerie, and disturbing song about teen suicide. Like Angie Baby, the song is often debated and speculated about. What was the thing that was thrown off the bridge before Billy jumped? Was it an an actual baby or was it a rag doll? was it a suicide note? An engagement ring? Was it something related to him being bi-curious? Does it even have anything to do with why he jumped?

What adds to the creepiness is the blaze’ manner in which the parents of the narrator handle the news of the death of the boy that “had no sense.” And, her mothers implicating that she knew of her daughter’s closeness with Billy.

10) Teen Angel can you hear me?–Niether know nor care who this is by.
There are no words to describe how deeply I LOATHE this song. Not only because it’s depressing, but because IMO it sucks beyond belief. Sad to think what passed for music in the ’50s.

So how about you? What story songs do you find sad, depressing, unsettling, or just plain annoying?

~KC.

The Success Indicator

Reblogged from My Everyday Power Blog:

• 

We are what we say, show, do and feel. How we stand, the tone in our voice, our levels of energy - all represent how we 'show up' in the world. How we carry ourselves is how the world see us, but most importantly how we see ourselves.

Upon seeing this image I had the following questions:

What are some of our most frequent words and phrases?

Read more… 71 more words

Very well said. :) Also, well depicted in this graphic.

V. I Will Live This Day As If It Is My Last. (part I)

I will live this day as if it is my last.
I will finish this book/this chapter/this rewrite today rather than postpone it for tomorrow.

In short, I will do today’s work TODAY.
Tomorrow’s work belongs to tomorrow.

No longer will I procrastinate, especially with my writing.

Procrastination is another bad habit of mine that I have no choice but to break if I even hope to gain success.

“I will form good habits and become their slaves.”

You never know what tomorrow may bring…
You could wake up in the morning, and be too sick to work on your current project(s).
A storm could knock the power out, and you’d be relying on very little battery juice left in your laptop/tablet/phone.
The internet could be down…
Any number of things could happen that would interfere with your writing/productivity time.

Therefore, we must do what we can to take advantage of every spare moment we have TODAY. Carpe Diem!

Carpe Diem! Gather ye Rosebuds While Ye May!

Take advantage of every spare moment that you have today! Every moment of peace and quiet is writing time, productivity time, and study time. Every uninterrupted second I will put toward work, and work joyfully.

I will treat each day in this matter.

For tomorrow is it’s own new day, and will be full of its own work and accomplishments.

Seize the Day! Live each day as if it is your last.

IV. I am Nature’s Greatest Miracle

The title of the post sounds really boastful; but bear with me…I am not a braggard by any means.
I do however believe in having self-confidence, and embracing your own individuality.

Nobody else can write the stories I write, in my own voice. My writing voice is unique to me. My story ideas are a part of my own unique imagination. Some things may be inspired from other authors, or derived from a similar concept. However, they are my stories told the way only I can tell them.

I am a unique individual, and my writing shall reflect that…

To reiterate what I’ve said in This post, I shall be true to myself, my voice, and my style.

They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but copying and mimicking is not. Furthermore, too much “copycat” writing and “borrowed” themes causes some authors to sell themselves short. I shall not risk losing credibility, nor diluting my brand by doing what so many others are doing. I don’t believe in chasing trends, because “that’s what’s selling now.” Nor shall I let my own unique voice be drowned out by the echo of others.

Tell your own unique story, in your own voice the way that only you can tell it.

III. I Will Persist Until I Succeed

Some of you may think I am some “Newbie” author who had just started writing within the past year or so, with the release of Wishful Thinking.  That assumption would be wrong.  

I have been writing for most of my life; and writing has been my career choice for over half of my life.  

Always, I write under the mantra I Will Persist Until I Succeed. 

I have been persisting that long in my ongoing uphill climb to success. And my journey is not over yet. 

Sure, there were times I had to put my writing on the back burner in search of a steady, well-paying “Day Job”.  There were times when I thought I was better off writing as a hobbyist rather than a professional author.  But no more.  

I will persist until I succeed.  

Persistence pays off.  I may not be JK Rowling, or Suzanne Collins,…but I believe I will find my success–my own successs–At the end of this road of hard work, enduring sales slumps, periods where i cannot find an affordable editor and have to shell out more than anticipated or find an affordable alternative, a so-so review of a “just okay” book, and the sneers of others who for now are doing better than me.  But I will succeed.  And my success is my own unique reward for hard work. 

And, I will succeed.  Failure=giving up.  Quitting is for the weak.  I am not weak. 

Don’t ever give up your goals, your dreams, or doing what makes you happy.

Persist until you succeed, and let each day teach you something new in how to achieve those dreams.  

Persist until you succeed. 

~K. Crumley 

 

II. I Will Greet Each Day With Love in my Heart.

Why do I write?
More specifically why do I pursuit a career in writing fiction?

Am I in it to get rich and famous? Maybe even be dubbed the next J.K. Rowling? Nice dreams…but no. That is not why I write.

Quite simply, I write because I love it. I love to write, and am in love with the whole process of writing and publishing from beginning to end. It is my passion.

A very wise woman who I respect, and fellow writer and poet once told me “You have to love what you do for a living…”
And she is right. I’ve had a lot of unpleasant jobs with bad career decisions, and have learned to steer clear of those. A day job (especially for a writer) is a necessity, but the more pleasant a day job you have the better off you are.
I like retail, and have really enjoyed retail loss prevention…
But more than that, I love writing.

As I focus now (more so than ever) on making writing my full time career, I am writing with a new fervor each day for minimum 2 hours…and before I know it those 2 hours have become 4…then 5.

I Start each day doing something that I love.

And, it has changed my attitude and outlook for the better.
Suddenly, I don’t mind the rest of my tasks so much.

Dishes, laundry, even Algebra homework.

And when I’m all done with my other daily tasks, I just might find time to write again.

Start every day with love in your heart.
Do something that you love,
Spend time with someone that you love…

And the rest of the day will seem that much brighter.

~K. Crumley

I. Today I Begin a New Life.

“Failure will no longer be my payment for struggle.”
Here starts the first of my blog posts inspired by one of my favorite books, The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino.

If you haven’t read the book, I highly recommend it…

I’ve really felt the need to re-read this book, considering that my writing career has been on a downward spiral due to procrastination, lack of confidence, and paralyzing insecurities. Let alone the lack of marketing (which I think correlates to my lack of confidence, as well as my lack of money.)

Sometimes you just need to start fresh.

This is that time for me.
Do things differently–do things better. Put my days of mediocrity behind me; start anew.

It’s never too late to start fresh.

It’s not–and never shall be–too late to revive and resurrect my writing career. It’s never too late to breathe new life into old stories, long neglected and half-written on my laptop’s hard drive and on my flash drives. It’s never too late to do things better the next time, with the next book and the book(s) after that. Nor is it too late to set new goals, and work toward achieving them.

I will start by forming good habits and becoming their slaves as the first scroll instructs.

For example, getting up each morning and writing at least 2,000 words. I will make that part of my daily agenda, and will no longer slack off in doing so.

Also, I have already formed a good habit of reading each night; craft books in addition to books in my genre of Fantasy.

This is my pledge to myself, and to my writing.

I challenge you all to do the same…make a new good habit, and stick to it. Whatever that habit may be…And whatever goals you may have in your life, I wish you all luck in reaching them.

I hope you continue to read the rest of the blog posts in this series, and appreciate those of you that follow this blog.

~K. Crumley

Good Morning World! “Today I begin a New (Writing) Life.”

Last Lenten season I read The Didymus Contingency by Jeremy Robinson.  Quite an enlightening story.  I really enjoyed it.

This year I’m re-reading Og Mandino’s The Greatest Salesman in the World.  I will also be blogging about the 10 principles of success, and showing how they are applicable to writing (and whatever your career may be). 

The first post in this series will be tomorrow…I hope you’ll check I out.

My Own Top 5 Superbowl Half-time Performances

I feel like I missed out, when I was in my teen and even Pre-teen years. Superbowl half-time performances were never as “cool,” hip and modern as they are now. During the 70’s and 80’s half-time shows were performed by University marching bands, and Up With People. Occasionally, someone like Carol Channing or Tony Bennet would show up.
I missed out on seeing a Duran Duran half-time show. And, it wouldn’t be until years later that I’d get to see U2. That being said, I really enjoy the new hip, pop and rock themed Superbowl Half-Time shows (some more than others…).
That being said, here’s the list of my top 5 Superbowl Half-time performances.

1. U2

Without a doubt, one of my all-time favorite bands. Their performance was like a real rock concert. Most importantly, they were themselves—or should I say that Bono was himself, not one of his on-stage personas.
Plus, they sang some of my favorite songs by them and the 9/11 tribute was tasteful and very touching.

2. Diana Ross

The original Diva in all her divine glory! I found it very exciting when she went up in the helicopter to Take Me Higher/I Will Survive. The lady is a class act!

3. Michael Jackson

What can I say…it was just so Michael.

4. Beyonce’

Fantastic! Beautiful and talented Beyonce’ Knowles performed her most popular songs, reunitied with Destiny’s Child (Fellow “Angels” Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland), and finished with the touching song Halo. I actually had to get up and dance right along with her!
I also really liked the “Pepsi Fan-made Count down!” That was a really cool twist.

5. It’s a tie! Between …
Black Eyed Peas, Slash, and Usher

Fast-paced, eclectic, and energetic! No less than what I’d expect from the Black Eyed Peas.

…and Sting and No Doubt!

Somehow that is just the right combination!

I know a lot of people would disagree with my list, but these are just my picks for faves. I’m sure you have your own. If not for subjectivity, and different taste the world would be a rather boring place.