My Writer's Block

Since Druid Derrick is unfinished, I haven't talked about it much. Not since March before last has there been a post about this story. In fact, there hasn't been much work on anything new for quite some time. Promoting my book, being social, building a fan base (I hope), not to mention my personal life and a couple Facebook games I spend way too much time playing, tend to get in the way of actual writing.

I have thought about this book a lot, in fact one scene plays through my mind over and over. When I get there it will pour out of my mind like water from a faucet. But first I have to get there. You see, I have a dilemma. Writer's block, to me has always meant that I'm trying to push my character in a direction he really doesn't want to go. Should I continue to claw my way past this, or should I do some rewriting and make some rather major changes?

My character is in a relationship that started out as a measure to protect her life. Though there is plenty of love, anything close is, and always will be, impossible. To further her protection, she needed a name change and a location change. To hide the danger from her family and friends they got married, but my character isn't a Christian so I thought it only proper they have a Druid Joining as well. This is where I'm having my problem.

Since the relationship, marriage not withstanding, will always be distant, should I go ahead with the Druid Joining or not? Or should I go back and rewrite the whole relationship, tone down the love or even make it only a friendship, make her an object of protection only and no marriage at all? That means I'll have to think of another way for her to have a name change and another reason for her to move to the other side of the country.

Derrick goes to great lengths to be neutral in all things. He sees it as his duty to protect his grove and all the secret, sentient citizens within his reach - the centaurs village, the entrance to the dwarf and gnome caverns and the dryads that people his grove among others. With a few exceptions, humans are not included under his protection. One woman and her daughter are the majority of those exceptions. A police detective and his partner are tolerated, but only if they don't intrude too far or push too hard.

Shortly before this latest relationship, the one that's giving me so much trouble, Derrick has been going through an emotional roller-coaster, and maybe it's too much for too long. I suppose I could have him simply change his mind. What do you think? There is a spell on his place still in effect that prevents anyone from telling lies. It would work on him too.

Currently, I've decided to read through another of my works, and then I think I'll read through the last part of this one and see what I can do. Any suggestions would be most welcome. I would even really welcome someone who has the time to read through the whole thing and give me some feedback. There's nothing like another pair of eyes behind a different brain.

Prince in Hiding, Book 1 of Making of a Mage-King

Young Sean Moselle, sixteen years old, was leading a very normal life until the night his mother died mysteriously. He was just starting to function again, after a fashion, when his father died a year later, so very close to the anniversary of his mother's death. Before he could grasp it all, he was thrust into a whole new life, a life one only finds in movies or in books, a life filled with knights and warhorses and even a few damsels in distress, though not from any dragon. No, the 'dragon' in this case was his uncle, an uncle he never knew existed, in fact, his whole past wasn't really his past. Oh sure, he did all the things a kid growing up in New York does, mostly, but it was all a cover, and he never knew a thing. His father, Elias Moselle, wasn't really his father. His mother, Analeace, wasn't really his mother either. His real father was the heir apparent of a kingdom somewhere else, and his uncle had had him killed. His mother was so close to term that she didn't survive the escape, leaving the infant Sean alone in a strange land with an odd collection of bodyguards.

Young Sean wasn't just the rightful king of this strange land somewhere far away, he was very magical. As a product of some careful breeding, he was supposed to be very powerful indeed. He was handicapped though. Most children begin to learn how to use and control their magic around the age of six or seven. Sean was ten years behind; he had a lot of catching up to do if he was ever going to reclaim his throne.

But it wasn't the throne he went back for, nor was it the power that went with the crown. Only a small part of his reason for going back was revenge against the man who had deprived him of the family and the life he should have had. No, he went back to save the people from the so very evil dictator who sat on the throne. He was the only person who could stand a chance of pulling it off.

Ok, I know (now), this is so very cliche, but then again, this is pretty much where the cliche ends. Sure, he gets the crown, but it certainly didn't come around at the end of a long, glorious battle. No, it happened so quickly, so easily, that no one knew anything had changed. It wasn't until he started undoing his uncle's damage that word got around. But this is reaching into book 2. And along through book 2, we discover that Sean is on a much larger quest, one he can't puzzle out. Not only is he driven to undo the destruction his uncle went to great lengths to foster, but he was driven to get it all done 'in time'. In time for what, he didn't know. By the time we reach book 3, Sean is driving himself, and those closest to him, to near insanity as his nights were riddled with confusing dreams and his days were spent pushing his magical limits to the max. What is this bigger goal? Well, maybe I'll give you a hint, but only if you ask. But if you're at all diligent, the answer is on my website.

Prince in Hiding is coming out in October. Are you looking forward to it as much as I am?

What is Social Media to you?

Social Media – just what is it? According to my dictionary, ‘social’ is considered an attribute. It is ‘of or relating to rank and status in society.’ It is also ‘relating to or designed for activities in which people meet each other for pleasure.’ ‘Media’ is actually the plural form of ‘medium’ – I didn’t know that – it’s increasingly more familiar usage is in reference to television, radio, newspapers and the internet – generally regarded collectively. So, taken together, social media could be people getting together via the internet either for pleasure or to attain rank and status.

Now that we have analyzed the definition of ‘social media’, what exactly does it mean? I’m on Facebook and as of today I have 789 friends. Granted a goodly number of them are friends because I play a couple games and having Facebook friends make some aspects easier. Regardless of why they are friends I always welcome new friends into my corner of the world. It is my hope that they will take a look at my profile, and then maybe they will dig a little deeper and take a look at my fan page.

Now, I do things every day in an effort to keep some aspect of my writing visible (hopefully I’m not spamming everybody’s wall – if I am, no one has told me so), but that’s not all I do. I try very hard to be sociable. I scroll down my main wall in an effort to keep up with everyone. I am also a member of several blogging groups and I browse through them too, all at least once a day and sometimes twice.

I am also on Twitter. I confess, though I go to Twitter every day, it’s only to advertise, though I do keep track of any mentions and answer any messages, if I get any. If any of my tweets get re-tweeted, I make sure to say thanks. I mean, good manners, especially on line, are very important. I spend a little more time there during the winter. There’s #FollowFriday and #WriterWednesday, and I really should participate. It’s part of being social.

I also have three blogs, this one, my blog novel, and one about my personal life, where I hungrily await any comments.

I also belong to a few other writing groups. Throughout all of this, it is my greatest hope to make real friends, or at least as real as the internet will allow. I like to think I live by the Golden Rule. I do to, and for, others as I would like to be done to, or for, me. Oh sure, I'd like to 'improve my rank and status' in our society, but I see that as a byproduct of making friends.

I love to write, and I’ve combed the internet in an effort to become a better writer. I know the struggle to get a story onto the ‘paper’ on your computer. I’m more than willing to share what I’ve learned, or my interpretation of it all. I’ll happily direct you to a source upon asking, but I’ve a list here to the right, and on my website, I happily give credit to whoever for whatever tip I’ve listed.

Something I like to say all the time is ‘There’s no such thing as a dumb question.’ Never be afraid to ask me anything. I’ll tell you what I know and I’ll also tell you if I don’t know, then I’ll try to find the answer. After all, if you don’t ask questions, how are you going to learn?

This is how I define and use ‘social media’. What do you do?