Friday, June 18, 2010

WIP: ME

We hear all sorts of terms whirling around the writing world: plot, marketing, pitches, and yes WIP. I have a few WIPs--emphasis on in progress--started. Whenever an idea pops into my head, I start a new folder on my handy-dandy laptop. 


If I'm lucky, I'll fill the folder with a skeletal outline. Other times, a sentence or two summary is all I'll do. I flipped through those folders the other day, not realizing how many I'd accumulated. They're primarily YA and MG, but I had a few first reader ideas that I'd foldered-all-up.
I mentioned yesterday how I have a hard time being me at times. So it got me thinking ( light bulb momentabout the real WIP in my life: ME. Do I have folders in my head holding my experiences, no matter how grand or minute? Of course I do. And I'm not simply referring to memories. I mean the place in my psyche that's grown over the years because of my surroundings, my choices, my hopes, dreams, fears, or heck--love of mustard. We all have them. (u may be a ketchup lover, sorry.) I've discovered that I yearn for them, sometimes consciously, other times not so much.


I also have a folder in my head I call my sticky note. It's the place where all the unmentionables or issues I'd rather avoid go. (note the sticky note above...Ah...) 


Got one of these? 


Well Ana, my MC does. She'd do just about anything to avoid thoughts of her missing mom and her empathic abilities, to the point of endangering herself. Instead of facing her sticky note horrors, she decides to investigate the local Hybrid (snooty lycan/energy vampire) and call him out. Eh...probably not the best idea. But hey, she stopped thinking about her mom...for a bit.


I've decided to step out and try to give you more of me the person as well as the writer. That was just a glimpse. I'm definitely not known for posting my work online. Only exception to that stiff rule is my writing communities like YAlitchat or Inkwell. But the ladies and I over on Oasis for YA have decided to start offering up bits of our work for critique in hope to help others.


And  yes, Writers' Ally may even see a bit of my work too. A snippet here; a frayed end there. I'll be writing in the voice of one of my characters, mostly Ana I'm sure. 


Would that scare you off? Using my examples to work through issues we all have? Would 'proceeding with caution' be too much?


So do you think your psyche influences your writing, too? Or can you separate yourself from it all. Are you a WIP like me?


***Want to meet a fantastic young writer who is going places? Check out part of my interview with teen writing sensation Riley Carney over on Oasis for YA!! Second half to come soon. And don't forget to check out my girl, Kay's contest. 200 words of wooing and smooching. 

17 comments:

  1. My psyche definitely plays a role in my writing. It's hard to separate the two. At least, I haven't figured out how to do that yet. ;)

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  2. I would LOVE to see more of YOU on here.
    xoxo

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  3. No question that my psyche (psycho) plays a part. Ego too. In fact I write a lot of stuff that is based on my own experiences, then I add something paranormal or kung-gu or whatever to make it cool. Don't tell anyone though.

    I too would love to see your writing up in this piece, but I'll understand if you decide not to share too.

    Today's guest blogger is Faith Hough.

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  4. Sheri,
    I definitely let ME out when I write, and usually, I spill all over the pages. I think it adds authenticity to the writing. IMO - of course!

    I enjoy your blog, your posts, and I would love seeing your work. Please do share!

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  5. I'm pretty sure that there's a part of me in every character I write ... not sure if that's a good or bad thing ...

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  6. I know part of me comes out in my writing. I agree with The Alliterative Allomorph, I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

    I love the idea of you using your writing to help others. I also like your idea of seperate folders for each new idea. My system is much less effective, I just scribble something in my notebook and half the time forget about it.

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  7. so, so true. sometimes it's hard to distinguish between ourselves and our work, isn't it?

    great post, love!

    have a fabulous weekend!!

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  8. I just have to say that as a ketchup lover, this post offended me.

    I think that indescribable element of what makes us ourselves is what flavors all of our characters and breathes life into them.

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  9. Oh, it's me all right! So me it's scary! The first book wasn't, neither was the second, but for some reason, I totally came out in the third. Funny thing, it's the one I like most! ;-)

    ~JD

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  10. I love the idea of thinking of yourself as a WIP - certainly that part of me that is a writer is writer-in-progress. I think I need a big sign, preferably in YELLOW over my workstation: WRITER-IN-PROGRESS! :)

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  11. please please please share your work! That would be so cool!!!

    And you're so right about the me=WIP thing. Sometimes I think writing helps me tie up the loose ends in my head and sometimes it just makes more lol :)

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  12. I think it would be great if you shared your work. I think we all learn from each other!

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  13. Would love to see more of your work. And yes, my psyche played a major role in my first book. Sadie had many of my qualities (only was bolder and cooler), but if I wondered what she'd do next, I just had to look inward. This WIP is harder because Wren is a very distinct person and I love her, but she isn't me at all.

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  14. there is no doubt my psyche plays a part in what I write. Every character I create has something of me in them - even the not so nice ones.

    and we are all works in progress, I think. nice post, Sher.

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  15. I love your yellow sticky. I definitely feel like one, sometimes a harried, crazy one when life gets too crazy.

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  16. @Susan, I love that!! That's great.

    @Natalie, Yeah I like the sticky note analogy.

    @Marcy, thanks cheeky.

    I really do consider myself and evolution in the making. ";-)

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  17. Aren't we all WIP's - whether we realise it or not?

    My characters are ALWAYS based on people, kids and animals I have known/know! I have been known to add elements of myself in my plump middle aged female characters...:)

    Definitely want to see a lot more of you and your work.

    Am a great mustard fan, too!

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