Category: The Writing Life

Everything Has A Story

On By Robert EvenhouseIn The Writing Life4 Comments

It’s been almost three years now since I’ve had a space to write. My two daughters took precedence over a writing area and this, alas, left no room for a desk or study. Now, however, the time has come for a writer retreat to take form in the basement of my fine new abode, and I am thrilled beyond words.

As I unpacked the items that would comprise this writer’s retreat I thought of the essentials. Books? Of course. A desk? A must have. Lamp? Yes indeed. However, as I pulled out a few other items from long forgotten storage in my garage, memories of when I bought these items or the individual who gave it to me flooded my mind. I realized these belongings, though second hand and quite old, have stories of their own to tell.

The first item I would like to draw your attention to is in the top right corner of the photo. It is a picture of two warships. I know it might seem silly to have a couple of random war vessels plastered on the wall, but these are not random. They are not mere warships but, rather, photos of two ships my deceased grandfather Robert Evenhouse served on during the Korean Conflict.

The next item that might (or might not) catch your eye is that simple black chair that sits in front of the desk. That belonged to my grandparents when they managed an apartment complex. They bought this chair, and an identical one, after my grandfather had a stroke. It exudes comfort and I am grateful to have inherited it.

Now, onto the prized possession of that plain light colored desk I use to compose my stories. That my dear friends cost me $85.00. Why would you pay $85.00 for a desk that you could probably buy for $30.00-$50.00? Simple, I was swindled by a salesman at a second hand shop. I have absolutely no clue as to what thinking at the time. I wager I was just too excited to have something to write on, apparently no matter the cost.

The last item, but not the least, is the futon. “Anyone make that mistake?” As Jim Gaffigan jokes, “There is never enough fu in the ta. It’s like sleepin’ on a grill.” This beauty was purchased eleven years ago and has served as a couch and bed in my dormitory at collage, the first couch my wife and I ever had, and is the current bed for my in-laws or sister-in-law to sleep when they visit.

All things travel.

All things have a history.

And, therefore everything has a story to tell.

Keep Writing,

Cheers,

Bob

Are You A Writer or A Blogger?

On By Robert EvenhouseIn The Writing Life6 Comments

Sit down for a moment writer. Pour your tea or coffee if you must, but let’s take some time to reflect.

Survey the last week. Think about the time you spent writing. Whether this has been a productive week for blogging or working on your book, or journaling, it does matter. But I challenge you place that time in three categories: Book, Blog, Personal.

Okay. Now, think about this question: What do you spend the most time on?

I find that a lot of times how we spend our time is who we are. But, in our mind we pretend we are something else. I know I do. If I take this survey of my writing time I see that I spend more time working on my blog and less time working on my novel. Albeit, the fun part of the novel is over. Now it is editing, writing proposal pieces, and gathering names for agencies and agents.

I write this blog post to recommit to my novel. To give it not thought, but time.  After all, what is a writer’s platform if he has nothing to share from it?

Write this weekend my friends.

Cheers,

Bob

Books About Writing That Shaped Me

On By Robert EvenhouseIn The Writing Life4 Comments

There are books in my past that acted as guideposts. These books both encouraged and directed my writing. There are many books about writing and I am sure I have just scratched the surface.

The Art of Fiction by John Gardner. John was a a prolific teacher and writer. While I don’t care much for some of his writing, his book about the craft is one that I’d recommend to any writer. Why? Because it is not a how to book. He defines levels of literature, discusses truth, basic skills, and writing as a dream. Meaning, writing should be a vivid dream, and so vivid that the reader does not want to wake up. I would purchase this book for the writing exercises alone.

On Writing by Stephen King

On Writing by Stephen King. This book is part memoir part instruction. Listening to his struggles from poverty to a multimillion dollar best-selling author. It is not a book about getting rich, but more a book about giving everything to your craft. He did make millions, but he worked his fingers to the bone doing it. If you want to know how dedicated a professional writer is, read this book and do what it says.

Bird By Bird -Anne Lamott. This book is mostly memoir. However, the title was given based on a conversation Anne heard between her father and brother. Her brother was given an assignment for school. It was a study of birds and he had to report on several species. He’d waited weeks to complete it and now it was due the next day. His father told him not to think about the large looming task, but to take it bird by bird. Her father was a writer and knew that to write a novel you look for the next word, not the whole book.

What books to you like? What books put you in the writing mood?

Cheers,

Bob

Use Your Writing Talents To Better The World

On By Robert EvenhouseIn The Writing LifeLeave a comment

Writing is for the writer. Albeit writing could also be for ones family (providing a small bit of money), but most would agree their spouses or children do not get much out of writing besides perhaps a saner you.

I believe no matter what you are good at, you should use that talent or gift for the better of others and the world.

Here are a few ways you can enrich not only you but also the world around you through writing. If you can think of more ways please post below.

  • Write an article or blog for a non profit you believe in at no charge.
  • Write thank you notes. Not exactly a riveting idea, but stop and think for a moment. When is the last time you said thank you in a profound way?
  • Write a note of encouragement to someone who is struggling to let them know you are thinking of them or praying for them. Not some cheesy half-hearted attempt, use your creative mind!

Writing is competitive and for the individual. Stop for a moment today to use it for someone else.

Cheers,

Bob

Why do YOU blog?

On By Robert EvenhouseIn The Writing LifeLeave a comment

I have been a whining moaning writer. Time has been my Enemy. Outside, I have been calm and collected. Inside, I am frustrated, tired, and utterly spent. Which made me reflect, why am I even blogging? I could be working on my novel! I want to be a writer and it is hard to both build a platform and work on a novel.

However, the question much closer to the heart of all of this is: When you strip all of the craziness of life away, if you could stop for a moment and evaluate what is important, what is worth the precious currency of time we all carry in the pocket of our days?

I am a writer I tell myself, that is why I am writing. I am building my platform. But, I am married and have young children. Cindy and I have been married for seven years and I wish that to continue for the rest of my life. Clara is eight months, soon to be nine months, and June is capable of conversation. Do I want to be one of those distant husband or father figures so virtuously engrossed in my own little writers’ world that I put my dreams above them?

True, the answer is obvious. My kids and wife mean more to me than my job and my writing and even my life. But, I still want to write. There’s just too little time for it in this season of life.

When I heard about Ray Bradbury’s death and some of the things he used to do, like write for hours at a time EVERY. SINGLE. DAY., it made me wonder what his life was like. He had children. He was married. With all of the other obstacles that come up in life he still found that minute morsel of time for his dream.

Every person’s life has seasons. Perhaps this is my writer’s Winter. I cannot wait for the writer’s Spring!

Find some time this weekend to write my friends. I shall try and do the same.

Cheers,

Bob

How Often Should You Write?

On By Robert EvenhouseIn The Writing LifeLeave a comment

Happy Tuesday. I am proud to announce that the internet quandary has been resolved and I have the ability to post once again, look out!

Since my hiatus from the blogging and writing world over the last few weeks a question came to mind. How can I call myself a writer if I am not writing? Which brought to mind another question. How often should a writer write and still be allowed maintain that glorious namesake of “Writer” with a capital W?

I wrote a post a while back about warring between time spent on my platform (here) and time spent on my novel. What happens when you are too busy to do either?

I know I am the king of “If you can’t find time to write why not cut out some sleep and just catch up on that later.” Well, Bob, I can’t cut out sleep because I can’t count on the fact that there will be sleep in my future! (Take that haughty Bob).

Some of my “Greats”

Which brings me to my question for today’s blog. How often should writer’s write? When you consider the Greats, (whatever authors work resides on your bookshelf, I presume) how often did they write? In my mind I consider them super heroes, writing from dawn until dusk and even all night for months or years at a time.

However, how unbelievable it might seem, I am certain there were times when they did not write too. Times when they had to focus their efforts on their clerk duties or when there were papers to be graded.

How long does it take until you get that twinge of guilt and shameful thought of, well, I should probably get back to writing? I am there and will certainly remedy it this week. If you are here I hope you do too.

Cheers,

Bob

Living The Writing Life

On By Robert EvenhouseIn The Writing LifeLeave a comment

Earlier this year I read Annie Dillard‘s book The Writing Life. I have to say I both liked it and didn’t like it as it described the grand thrill and depressive solitude of those who cannot help but write. I am not sure how often I will revisit it because it was confusing at times as the writing life often is but, it talked a lot about being alone.

The Writing life is an honest book. It is also a depressing book. It is true that no one can produce a work for a writer and it can indeed be a lonely road. However, as I dig into this life more and more I begin to understand that writing cannot simply be done while sitting in a cabin in the woods on some lonely Isle. The writer retells life and in order to say something about living to those who live the writer must live. Though, I understand it is difficult for the writer to come out of their shell even when surrounded by people.

The Artist’s Way

A few years ago one of my friends introduced me to The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. I would define it as an artists guide to help unfold the creative process. The workbook contains various exercises that refill your creative well. For those who have not read it and practices the exercises It may sound silly, like some secondhand self help book but, they work, and they work really really well. I would recommend it to any one who has a desire to paint, sculpt, write, or do something otherwise creative.

However, this book also is about being alone. What I find troubling is that we want to remain relevant as writers. We want to speak out and say something to the wide world, but we do it from the desks, studies, and coffee shops with ear buds in.

So, how do we do this writers? How does the writer maintain a balance of life and solitude so they don’t slip to the brink of loneliness or neglect their craft?

Cheers,

Bob

The Writing Life: You Never Know What You Might Have

On By Robert EvenhouseIn The Writing LifeLeave a comment

Since I challenged myself to write 500 words three weeks ago, I did not miss writing an entry on a single weekday. Until, alas, last Thursday morning.

I was in my daughter June’s room and we had just finished playing with some of her toy animals. I usually slap  together a blog in the wee hours each morning before departing for work. For what was the first time in a long time I wrote the entry the previous evening and brought the laptop into June’s room to do a bit of light editing before I rushed out the door. What I discovered after the night of usual broken sleep was horrifying.

It was terrible. I have no idea what creature got a hold of my laptop that night while I was sleeping (perhaps it was my cat Bandit) but they destroyed the perfect gem of a blog I composed the previous evening. I remembered nostalgically, as I sipped on my peppermint tea, that it was a brilliant work, a post worth showing the world. Then, as I looked at the sad sad piece, I saw nothing of worth and nearly deleted the entry altogether.

A Happy, But Tired, Morning

My wife Cindy helps with my editing and, because I desperately need it, I shoved the computer in her direction to get her thoughts. She scanned the page with her blue eyes then looked at me with an apologetic smile.

“What do you think?” I asked knowing the answer.

“Well”, she said twisting her mouth in dissatisfaction, “It’s bland.”

I nodded, closed the computer, and went to work.

Now, someone once told me that the first three days of the work week tend to be high traffic times for blogs. If there is anything trendy or worthwhile to post, post it then so as to get the highest hits possible. This was my reason for not posting that day. I thought, hey, what’s the point? Thursday doesn’t matter. I’ll post tomorrow.

Then, in a flash, it was Friday morning and I had written nothing. I had the draft of that blog from the previous day, and no time to write something new. So, I spiced it up a bit, put in a few anecdotes, and clicked the publish button. I think it was still loading when I raced out the door.

By the end of the day, it was my second highest traffic day for my blog, ever. So the reason I put this post on a Monday morning is to encourage you, writer, to put yourself out there this week.

If you have a novel on the shelf, dust that baby off and start sending it to agents! If you have an idea for a blog, or an article, get started on it. If you have an opportunity to do something great don’t sleep in and don’t let it go to waste. For, you may never know what you might have. It might be nothing. Or, perhaps, it might be something unexpected. Something that in return receives, not that canned rejection letter, but one that says, “We are thrilled to inform you that…”

Come on. Let this be a good week for you, writer. Get devoted to your craft.

Cheers,

Bob

Where Do Ideas For Novels Come From?

On By Robert EvenhouseIn The Writing Life11 Comments
A Sudden Storm

Ideas from novels can arrive from anywhere. They can come from reading, lectures, true life experiences, or anywhere. I’d like to share the two sparks that started my novel below.

If I’m honest, my first novel began a long time before I had a desire to write. The first moment of inspiration came when I was throwing a softball around in preparation for a softball game at my parent’s church.

It was a magnificent day like most Michigan summer days. A slight breeze was in the air. It was not too hot or too cold, just perfect. No one mentioned the weather. I had no clue that it might change and I get the feeling none of my team members who tossed the ball around with me had an inclination of what was to come.

In what seemed like less than an instant the sky was dark, then from beyond the horizon of tall maple trees came a deafening roar. It was the sound of gallons of rain drops falling from the blackened clouds above.  Lightning forked across the sky and I ran and dove into my car just as the immense rain drops clattered on pavement and pummeled my car with such force I thought it was hail. I imagined what it would have been like were there no cover at all and how the cold heavy drops would have felt had they pummeled me instead of my trusty Chevy Cavalier.

This sudden unannounced storm would be the first ingredient that would ignite my novel.

The second happened a few years later.

My friend Matt suggested that I read a book he had just finished. It was a book of popularized history call How the Irish Saved Civilization by Thomas Cahill.

How the Irish Saved Civilization

I picked it up and immediately I was hooked. As I read, I came to a part where Mr. Cahill talked about the viking raids on monasteries in Ireland and the surrounding countries. It sounded terrible. I imagined the monks in the sack cloth robes gardening in the beautiful summer morning. Then just as the change of the weather I experienced a few years before, the countryside would be filled with enemies that rushed forward from the undergrowth and cut down everyone in the monastery.

When thinking back on my first novel, The Tale of Calelleth, I realize that there are many things that formulated the novel in my mind. These are the first two experiences that I can remember that cemented the idea of an enemy showing up unannounced. It has since changed from a faceless pure evil to something more complicated, but the storm and Mr. Cahill’s book forever impressed upon my mind the idea of this horror that some in the tangled history of the planet had to live through. They had no refuge as I did in my Chevy Cavalier.

So how about you, reader? Are there any particular experiences or things that you have read that were the seeds to a novel you are now working on?

Cheers,

Bob

500 Words A Day For A Week – Complete

On By Robert EvenhouseIn The Writing Life2 Comments

Good morning. Yesterday was the last session of 500 words a day for a week (of the official challenge not of me trying to write!) I was not sure what to expect when I began a week ago. I had no stomach for my story and I wasn’t sure it was something I wanted to do at all. I felt that my appetite for writing was gone.

I am pleased to say that I don’t only have a great start but as I stated before, I look forward to the next opportunity to write. Below I wanted to post what I was able to accomplish this last week and also mention that if I continued on this path that I would be able to complete the first draft of this novel in little more than 5 months.This may not seem like a fast pace, but my last novel took me about 6 years.

Words before 500 word challenge 1252 = 2.5 pages

Words after 500 word challenge 4546 = 15 pages

If I continue this for 4 and a half months, I would finish in about 5 months.

If I increased this to 1000 words a day it would be 2.5 months.

Imagine that, finishing a novel in 2.5 months!

I would like to say thank you to my readers for following this challenge. It was a tremendous encouragement.

Cheers,

Bob