And Sometimes the Answer is...

GOOD NEWS!!!

That was the subject line of an email I received last November.

I knew who sent it, and I knew what it was about, but I could barely open it.

It seemed a bit surreal.

After all, I’d waited for this particular moment for a while.

Okay, a long time.

The picture book in question had gone through about 10 months of revision with my acquiring editor.

But that’s not what I mean by “long time.”

The truth is, I’m pretty sure this entire process began when I was 10. That’s when I wrote and illustrated my very first “picture book.”

Alas, the writing was wanting and the plot was thin.

And then there were illustration issues. 

The turtle character I could handle. A rock with appendages — piece of cake. But the frog dude? Now, that was a lot of leg to deal with.

Trust me, you can only hide your amphibian behind a leaf so many times before even a 10-year-old realizes that a book is DOA.

The project was abandoned. And from then on, I left the illustrations to the professionals.

Fast-forward another decade or so, and I was starting to submit manuscripts in earnest.

But the YES did not arrive.

Sure, the stories were likely lacking. But I’m pretty certain that the main reason for all of that rejection was the sad fact that my acquiring editor hadn’t been born yet.

And then he was.

Of course he had to navigate through teething and walking, reading and writing, and all the rest.

He did it with flying colors — especially that reading and writing part.

Then he spent 10 months helping me make my little book the best that it could be so that he could take it to an acquisitions meeting.

And only then...

after all of that...

could he type the words I’d been waiting for:

GOOD NEWS!!!

Yeah, it took a long time...

But not quite as long as the Cubs.

And YES! It was worth the wait.

PROMPT:                         “Never, never, never give up.”

~Winston Churchill

Happy New Year!

Yes, I know. This baby New Year is already 28 days old and cutting teeth. What’s more, I’ve read a recent article suggesting that most of you have given up on your writing resolutions by now.

Now that’s just sad.

So maybe it’s time to regroup and give yourself a restart.

An awesome theme song might help...

You Gotta Be by Des'ree, Kelly Clarkson’s Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You), or Always Look on the Bright Side of Life by Monty Python are all excellent choices. However, I do NOT recommend Waiting Around to Die by Townes Van Zandt, or Beck’s Loser for obvious reasons.

A Statement of Awesomeness comes in handy, too...

Something like Writing for the Wide Screen in 2016, Novels, Art, and Caffeine for 2016, or I’m a Creating Machine in 2016 could be just the ticket to set your wonderful wheels in motion. 

Personally, I’m Plotting for Dopamine in 2016. Clearly I find it hard to resist wordplay that combines my love of both writing and psychology. And yes, I am well aware that I’m the only one chuckling right now. But I do digress...

Please note that if your 2015 Statement of Awesomeness was... well, awesome, then there’s certainly no shame in It’s What I REALLY mean in 2016!

So let’s restart this New Year the right way right now!

Here are FIVE TIPS to make the awesome part guaranteed: 

1. Say YES to RESOLUTIONS! Even though New Year's resolutions get a bum rap, our friends in the Journal of Clinical Psychology note that those who make them are actually 10 times more likely to successfully change their behavior than those who do not.
2. ACTION is your friend. Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Get action. Do things; be sane; don’t fritter away your time; create, act, take a place wherever you are and be somebody; get action.” While his words should not be confused with the post-Teddy phrase “get some action”... his sentiments remain spot on. ACTION, whether you're taking it or getting it, is always a good thing.
3. FINISH! Vow to finish something this year... and this something can be ANYTHING... even an anything as humble as a haiku. Just finish it. And while you’re finishing, remember this as well – DONE IS BETTER THAN PERFECT. If the last line of that haiku has one extra syllable that you just can't seem to shed — I do not care, mon frère. Call it done, grin, and move on.
4. Then there’s the first cousin of DONE IS BETTER THAN PERFECT, affectionately known as LATE IS BETTER THAN NEVER... just like this post... ahem. See, it’s true.
5. Finally, if you can remember only one of all the tips I’ve mentioned, please let it be this one — STAY IN THE GAME. It doesn’t matter what we’re talking about here – resolutions, goals, dreams, desires, or life in general and specifically – STAY IN THE GAME. It’s always worth the ride.

Bonus Tip: Through it all, BE NICE TO YOURSELF. And if you happen to get to a point where you’re spouting a bunch of F words like failure, frustration, or face-plant, remember that a new year can begin on any given day at any given moment —

even this one right now.

PROMPT: Art is not just what we do. Art is who we are.

Yes, my friend, your LIFE is a work of art —

so, make it a good one.

And here’s a little extra motivation that cracks me up and never gets old.

Independence Day

Today is a great day to declare your independence…

from adulthood.

Come on, just for today.

Trust me, there is no better way to boost your creativity…

Just ask any kid about his or her missing homework, and you’ll be blown away by imagination and inventiveness!

So get out the hula hoops, beach balls, and super soakers —

It’s a great day to PLAY!

PROMPT: WHEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeee!

A Mission in Two or Three Editions

Are you trying to build a writing habit?

Do you want to be a writer who gets things DONE?

Well, look no further.

Have I got a super-secret, never-fail motivational method just for you.

All you need is…

Elvis.

No, I’m not talking about the Hunka Hunka Burnin’ Love Elvis.

I’m talking about THIS Elvis —

The one who just gave you your new mantra.

Download it from iTunes, program it into your morning alarm, blast it in your car, use it for your workout…

Every day, every day, every day, every day you’ll write the book.

Guaranteed.

PROMPT: Whatcha gonna do today? Yeah, I thought so.

A Book

June 30, 1997

That’s the date that Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was first published in the UK.

A book that, indeed, seemed magical —

taking on a life of its own and providing the inspiration for

Movies

Fan clubs

A line of (apparently) defective wands

Websites

Apparel

The unprecedented sale of vomit and booger flavored candy

Video games

Action figures like Ron Weasley with detachable broomstick

Books about the books of the series and their profound meaning for feminists, Christians, Muggles, etc. (The U.S. Library of Congress currently lists over 100).

And an entire theme park!

Now that’s a LOT of inspiration…

And a lot of Galleon.

The estimated worth of the Harry Potter Franchise as of January 1, 2014 is well over 24 Billion dollars (yes, that’s BILLION with a B).

And then there’s something simple and free —

In King’s Cross Station of London, I waited in line for 20 minutes just so I could do this:

Yep, pose with half a shopping cart…

Just like the kids from Japan,

those students from Norway,

that family from Brazil —

and all the other folks who laughed in different languages.

But laugh we did,

understanding one another perfectly…

Humble Muggles of the world

enjoying our moment

of magic.

Never underestimate the power of a book.

PROMPT: How will your book change the world?

Oh, yes it will.

Never doubt that for an instant.

Get Messy!

This year, my graduation post goes out especially to my daughter.

Congratulations, Grace! 

Here are a few things to remember as you head out into this great big beautiful and marvelously messy world...

Endings can be orderly.

Road races have those clearly marked finish lines, and runners cross them fist-pumping.

Students march up row by row alphabetically to receive their diplomas.

Even death can be tidy — some folks simply slip out quietly in their sleep.

Beginnings are another matter.

Beginnings are never nice and neat.

Every runner’s first steps were nothing but a series of face-plants and pratfalls.

All of this week’s graduates started in kindergarten chaos.

Births — my goodness!

They are MESSY and LOUD!

Nobody here on the planet just tiptoed in without SOMEBODY noticing.

So, maybe you've just ended…

some schooling

or an old job.

And now you’re taking your first steps…

in a new location

or a new career.

Maybe you’re simply starting a project

or a novel.

Whatever beginning you are just beginning…

here’s a friendly reminder just for you —

Every GREAT start is SLOPPY,

MESSY,

And LOUD!

It can even be CONFUSING and CHAOTIC

or full of FACE-PLANTS and PRATFALLS.

And isn't that wonderful to know?

So haul out the finger paints, mud, and whole wheat flour.

Make wild clumsy leaps and fall without grace (even if your name happens to be Grace).

Really egg it on —

The messier the better!

And it will be the start of something GREAT —

Guaranteed!

PROMPT: Make the messiest, most awful, first draft imaginable. I mean seriously. Make it so bad that your EYES would blush from shame if they ever saw it published.

Now THAT’S a great beginning!

And you can bet your bottom dollar that ALL GREAT books began exactly this way.

Crow Wisdom

Bliss

The crow does not know

That he is not beautiful

That he cannot sing

There’s a crow in the tree outside my window. He is preening with pride and cawing with conviction. He has Mick Jagger swagger and audacity in spades. He takes one look at the double negatives tucked within my haiku and says, “You got that right, Sugar.”

He knows he is beautiful.

He takes his rightful place in the choir.

And he does not give a biscuit what people think of his art…

Nor should you.

Often when we attempt a creative act, we run smack into fear. Fear that our art will not be good enough. Fear that we are not good enough. Fear of what others may think.

But here’s the rub. That kind of fear isn't real. He’s a man with no fashion sense on a stick in a field — his grubby straw hands just get in the way of what you are meant to do.

And you are meant to do something wonderful.

I know without a doubt that everyone is here to create some amazing something.

How do I know? Place your hand on your chest. Do you feel that thumping? Some folks will try to tell you that that is your heart driving blood through your veins. Yeah, I know all about their theories. I say it’s something different.

I say what you’re feeling is the amazing something inside of you that wants to be created. That special something with the soul of a crow — beating its wings against a cage made of bone. It knows it is beautiful. It knows it can sing… or write… or paint — you name it, it knows. And it does not give a biscuit what you think other people will think if you set it free.

Set it free!

Okay, now I’ll climb down off my soapbox before I break a tibia.

PROMPT: Do it.

Just Write

In all my work, I try to say —

'You may be given a load of sour lemons,

why not try to make a dozen lemon meringue pies?'

—   Maya Angelou

  

Today we’re celebrating Maya Angelou, a writer who had the good sense to be born in National Poetry Month.

When you consider that she’s achieved international success as a poet, memoirist, novelist, educator, historian, and filmmaker — there’s obviously a whole lot there to celebrate!

So, what exactly is her secret?

Well, Ms. Angelou reports that even though she lives in a fine, large home, she rents a hotel room in town. She’s had all of the paintings and decorations removed from the space, so it’s a lot like the blank page all writers must confront each day. In fact, the only items she keeps in the room are a dictionary, a thesaurus, and a Bible.

Every morning she heads off to her hotel writing room at about 6:00 in the morning. There, she uses only ballpoint pens and yellow pads to write for about six or seven hours.

So within those hours, does everything that spills from the pen of this award-winning honorary doctorate recipient effuse perfection?

Of course not.

As Maya puts it:

"What I try to do is write. I may write for two weeks ‘the cat sat on the mat, that is that, not a rat.’ And it might be just the most boring and awful stuff. But I try. When I’m writing, I write. And then it’s as if the muse is convinced that I’m serious and says, 'Okay. Okay. I’ll come.'"

She also says:

“I wrote some of the worst poetry west from the Mississippi River, but I wrote. And I finally sometimes got it right.”

And here’s my favorite:

“Of course, there are those critics — New York critics as a rule — who say, ‘Well, Maya Angelou has a new book out and of course it’s good but then she’s a natural writer.’ Those are the ones I want to grab by the throat and wrestle to the floor because it takes me forever to get it to sing… It must look easy, but it takes me forever to get it to look so easy.”

There you have it — Maya Angelou’s recipe for success.

So celebrate her birthday today by whipping up a batch of it for yourself —

Create your own special space, and then…

Just write.

PROMPT: If life has handed you lemons, use them to create a fine meringue pie or pound cake. Remember, it’s ALL material. Then try making this your new daily mantra — just write, just write, just write. And before you know it, those words of yours are bound to sing…

just right.

Calling All Fools

“It is difficult to get the news from poems,

yet men die miserably every day for lack of what is found there.”

~ William Carlos Williams

Yes, you can actually DIE (miserably!) from poetry deficiency. Take it from William Carlos Williams who was not only a brilliant poet, but a brilliant physician, as well.

That’s right, good old Dr. Williams prescribed poetry.

And although it's been over 50 years since he died (blissfully!) at the age of 79, the world hasn't heeded his poetic call to action.

Case in point — most of us were required to learn the techniques of cardiopulmonary resuscitation in high school health class, but do you recall a unit on life-saving poetic procedures?

Neither do I.

And while defibrillators have become standard equipment in sports facilities, shopping centers, entertainment venues, office buildings, transit centers, and schools, I have yet to see a clearly marked box of emergency poems in any of these locations.

Imagine how many lives go unsaved.

Well, my friends, that is about to change.

Welcome to the new CPR — Cardio-Poetic Recitation.

This revolutionary method requires one poem, an audible speaking voice, and clear articulation with heart-felt enthusiasm...

Apply liberally to any miserable person as often as necessary.

It is up to us to put the new CPR into action, and there's no better time than April, National Poetry Month. 

So, please carry a poem with you at all times —

the lives of miserable people everywhere are in your hands.

Bonus: In honor of the National Poetry Month / April Fools’ Day combo, I dug up this little ditty foolishly attributed to both Alexander Pope and Samuel Taylor Coleridge. While we don’t know exactly who gets the credit, we do know that it is the best-ever response to a critic. So, if anyone gives you trouble this month, be sure to have it on hand...

Sir, I admit to your general rule

that every poet is a fool.

But you yourself may serve to show it

that every fool is not a poet.

PROMPT: Be a poetic April fool and embrace National Poetry Month! Challenge yourself to write a poem each day. I do, and I find that it's a great way to super-charge the creative process. Whether you jot just three lines or twenty, the practice is certain to open your heart and mind. What’s more, it practically guarantees that you won’t die miserably! 

Also, be sure to get your new CPR certification by carrying a poem with you at all times — and with today’s technology, it couldn't be easier. Go to Poets.org to get the poem-a-day app or email subscription. So much depends upon a red wheelbarrow… and YOU.

Seuss on the Loose!

Horton: The Early Years

All I ever need to know, I learned from Dr. Seuss –

1. Fun is good.

2. The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.

3. A person's a person, no matter how small.

4. Don't grumble! Don't stew! Some critters are much-much, oh, ever so much-much so muchly much-much more unlucky than you!

5. Step with care and great tact. Remember that Life's a Great Balancing Act.

6. Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.

7. From there to here, from here to there, funny things are everywhere!

8. You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.

9. Why fit in when you were born to stand out?

10. Will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed! (98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)

PROMPT: Yesterday was Theodor Seuss Geisel’s 110^th birthday — but it’s never too late to celebrate! So…

Plan a party – bring the cats,

without or with their stripy hats.

Then make and serve some tasty schlopp.

But be a love – don’t hop on pop.