Lucinda K. Porter: A Writer's Blog

Where Would I Be Without Poetry

2012-01-21T12:44:00.000-08:00

Any healthy man can go without food for two days -but not without poetry. ~ CharlesBaudelaire

I need poetry, and I try to read at least one poem a day. My current favorite sources of poetry are Poetry 180 and More 180, edited by former U.S. Poet Laureate, Billy Collins. Some of the poems from the books are included along with some that are not, on the Poetry 180 website. Click on “How To Read A Poem Out Loud.” Then pick a poem, perhaps #144, “Smell and Envy” by Douglas Goetsch or #180 “Break” by Dorianne Laux. Read it aloud. Read it again. Then ask yourself if you can go without poetry for two days.

Link to Poetry 180

On the Wings of Molly Fisk

2012-01-14T16:33:00.000-08:00

One must be drenched in words,literally soaked in them, to have the right ones form themselves into theproper pattern at the right moment. ~Hart Crane

I have been feeling a bit sorry formyself. My life is a bit too full of hepatitis C writing, with too littlepoetry. This week Molly Fisk spoke at SierraWriters and I felt revived. A poet extraordinaire, even her voice is pureprose. Listening to her was like coming out of a coma and discovering I was in heaven allalong. Inspired, I have been writing poetry—pseudo-poems, actually. (Kind ofsounds like the bacteria, pseudomonas—oh my, does medical jargon stick to me?)

Regardless, writing prose andreading her poetry bring sweet respite.

Travel Writing and Resolutions

2012-01-07T13:31:00.000-08:00

Keep a diary and one day it'll keep you. ~ Mae West

I spent the holidays exploringAustralia and New Zealand. When I travel, I entertain fantasies about travelwriting. I see myself writing while I am exploring, in restaurants, at bedtime,sending off articles, and then planning my next trip. The reality is that I amso in the moment that I don’t want to break the travel experience by writing oreven taking a photo. When I get a chance to write it is an insanely plain diaryentry that barely captures the highlights. The truth is that I am no travelwriter. At best, I am a travel reader. So, if you want to read a really goodbook about Australia, I recommend Bill Bryson’s In a Sunburned Country.

The other thing that dogs mewhen I travel is the aching desire to write more. I make all these unrealistic resolutionsabout my writing, resolutions that fall away like dangling prepositions. Sohere is my new resolution—no more resolutions!

Craving

2011-12-15T06:00:00.000-08:00

Writing a book is a horrible,exhausting struggle, like a long bout of some painful illness. One would neverundertake such a thing if one was not driven on by some demon whom one canneither resist nor understand. ~ George Orwell, "Why I Write”

I do not agree with GeorgeOrwell. Writing the book is the easy part—marketing the book is an entirelydifferent matter. I seem to be permanently plugged to the computer, obsessedwith social media, blog tours, and building my author platform. Here is the problem–when I am immersed in technology, I am not immersed in writing. It feels like Iam ignoring a basic need, like someone who craves vegetables but eats junk foodall day.

Of course, no one is driving meto do this—it is a privilege, actually. I get to do this because I have a book.Promoting Free from Hepatitis C is achoice, not an obligation. I believe I will get into a rhythm, and I’ll be backto writing in 2012. And yes, probably complaining about that too…

I am traveling the rest of thisyear, so this is my last blog post for 2011. Hope 2012 brings joy, peace, andlots of creativity.

Procrastination

2011-12-04T13:41:00.001-08:00

Procrastination is thethief of time. ~ Edward Young, Night Thoughts

Note: this line also appears inCharles Dickens' David Copperfield

Quite frankly, I like writingway more than marketing. Writing is smooth sailing compared to the world ofwidgets, mailing lists, book promotions, etc. My “to do” list has more words onit than my average magazine article.

On the other hand, the book gotoff to a good start – keeps selling out of Amazon. Reviews and remarks havebeen incredibly kind, but really what I want most is to get back to writing thenext book.

The Library

2011-11-29T07:53:00.001-08:00

Whatever an author puts betweenthe two covers of his book is public property; whatever of himself he does notput there is his private property, as much as if he had never written aword. ~ Gail Hamilton

When I wrote Free from Hepatitis C, I imagined it in retailand web-based bookstores, but I did not think about it in that most venerableinstitution—the library. A librarian at the Iowa City Public Library ordered acopy and sent me the card catalog link. This small act sealed my belief that Iam an author.

Click here to go to a link for the Iowa City Public Library card catalog.

Surviving a Misprint

2011-11-19T12:43:00.001-08:00

A poet can survive everythingbut a misprint.~ Oscar Wilde

Waiting tosee my book, to hold it, had aspects much like the anticipation I experiencedduring pregnancy. When the book arrived (Freefrom Hepatitis C: Your Complete Guide to Healing Hepatitis C), I sat down, beganreading, and found a mistake. I misspelled someone’s name in theacknowledgements. There it was in black and white and all the joy flew out ofme.

I will spare you the conversationthat went on in my head—it was not pretty. It was poetic if you think thatsaying the same four-letter word repeatedly counts as rhyming. After a fewminutes of ranting, I pulled myself together and decided to talk to someoneabout it in the morning.

The next morning I knew I wouldsurvive this. Mistakes happen and no one would die over this. I have madeerrors as a nurse, and those are tough to deal with; fortunately, those errors wereminor ones. As for the misprint, I would apologize to the affected party and Iwould continue to write, despite the risk of exposing myself, as I really am—a humanbeing.

The book is on Amazon if youwant to see what she looks like. I will not point out the mistake.

Torture

2011-11-14T15:19:00.000-08:00

No author dislikes to be edited as much as he dislikes not to be published. ~ Russell Lynes

Here is what torture looks like: My book has been published. Amazon has already sold out of its pre-ordered copies. Other people have seen and held my book – everyone who got an advance copy or who pre-ordered on Amazon. My agent got hers. And here I am, wondering what this book will feel like in my hands, what it will smell like, and if I will love it. It’s like giving birth but not getting to hold the baby yet.

Here is what the book looks like: Free from Hepatitis C

The Devil Made Me Do It

2011-11-04T12:12:00.000-07:00

Being an author is having angels whisper in your ear - and devils, too. ~ Graycie Harmon

In September, my publicist (I love saying “my publicist” – a term that I wasn’t even aware existed until fairly recently) sent pre-publication copies of my book out for review. The goal is for the reviews to come out in early December, just after the book is released. One copy went to a colleague who works for the same newsletter for which I write. Last week I spent an entire day with her and she didn’t mention the book once. I did not ask her about it, respecting her right to do her job honestly and unhampered.

However, there is this thing that happens when you know that someone has your book – you want them to read it and you only want to hear good things. This is a huge risk, because in general, many people will not read or like my book.

I could not stand it anymore, and I wanted to know the truth. In short, I succumbed to the voice of the devil whispering, “ask her.” I figured if she didn’t like it, I wanted to know sooner rather than later. So, I asked her, and she liked it and all is well.

Eventually, I will run into someone who doesn’t like it, and I need to be prepared for this. After all, the point is not whether people like the book – it is whether they find it helpful. What good would it be if people liked it but it didn’t help anyone? I think my ego can stand some criticism.

Prenatal Publication Syndrome

2011-10-28T17:57:00.000-07:00

Publication - is the auction of the Mind of Man. ~ Emily Dickinson

I am starting to feel like a pregnant woman who just felt the baby drop. The book will be out in 5 weeks, and in this case, a premature birth would not hurt the baby and could help the mom. I am asking all the questions a mom would ask, such as “will I love it?” and “will it be OK?” I am starting to think about details like, “If someone asks me to sign it, what will I write?” A book about hepatitis C does not lend itself to, “Have fun reading the book.”

Gosh, the book isn’t here yet and already I am thinking about nursery schools…

My Affair with TED

2011-10-22T09:44:00.000-07:00

Writing is a socially acceptableform of schizophrenia. ~ E. L. Doctorow

When talking to the dog, myhusband referred to me as “Our Lady of the Perpetual Computer.” This simplestatement speaks volumes. First, it points out where I spend the bulk of mylife. Second, it strongly hints that my husband grew up as a Catholic. Andfinally, it appears that my incessant attention to the computer leaves the dogas the only able-bodied being in our household left for conversation.

My reliance on the computerleaves me feeling schizophrenic. It is both a necessary tool and a distraction.This morning I was looking up a quote and moments later, I was watching TEDvideos. (If you don’t know what TED is, I don’t know if I am conferring a blessingor a curse by telling you about it. TED is amazing, but very distracting.)

Writing demands completefaithfulness to its craft, a faithfulness I willingly betray on a regularbasis. I guess you can say I am having an affair with TED.

Interruptions

2011-10-13T09:34:00.000-07:00

Writing is a way of talkingwithout being interrupted. ~ Jules Renard, Journal, 10 April 1895

This quote is true, that is, aslong as I don’t interrupt myself. When I lose my determination to stay focused,I am continually yielding to distraction. This is like having an innermonologue that is actually a dialogue between myself and my interrupting self.I don’t like to be interrupted by my husband, so I suppose I should stoptolerating my own interruptions!

To illustrate my point, here is a little humorous distraction:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oHBG3ABUJU&noredirect=1

Coaching

2011-10-07T16:14:00.000-07:00

Writing is utter solitude, thedescent into the cold abyss of oneself. ~ Franz Kafka

A writer I greatly admire issurgeon Atul Gawande. He wrote an interesting article titled Personal Best for the New Yorker (October 3, 2011). Gawandenoted that top athletes and singers have coaches and wondered why otherprofessionals, such as surgeons, didn’t have coaches. Few of us will reach, letalone sustain peak performance, so why don’t we get help?

I attend writing seminars andread books about writing, but I don’t have a writing mentor or coach. My excuseis that taking time to learn about writing takes time away from writing—anexcuse that is flimsy and ridiculous. I am open to having a coach, and althoughI am not actively pursuing one, I bet one will drop into my life as soon as Iput the period at the end of this sentence. Do you have a coach, and if so,care to recommend him or her?

Here is the interview with Gawande (This link will take you to the entire New Yorker article): http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/09/29/pm-the-benefits-of-having-a-career-coach/

Nearing the Summit

2011-10-01T11:15:00.000-07:00

A man will turn over half alibrary to make one book. ~ Samuel Johnson

This week I read a pdf versionof my book, Free from Hepatitis C. I actually printed the entire pdf, punchedholes in the pages, and placed them in a binder. It is thrilling, to see theresult of my research, writing, collaborating, and revising. The frighteningpart is ahead when I get the reviews. For now, I am relishing the glossy cover,the typeset, the weight of the pages, the ISBN number, and the fact that I am finished.

Crafting a Book

2011-09-24T11:30:00.000-07:00

There is no mistake so great as the mistake of not going on. ~ William Blake

I am pondering the above quote by Blake. Did he mean that if we don’t makean effort this is really the biggest mistake we can make? Or, did he mean thatquitting is the biggest mistake we can make? They are more or less the sameconcepts, although I can see more value in quitting than I can in not starting.

Today the thought of abandoning my second book seriously crossed my mind. Iam so close to being done that it would be foolish to not finish. However, Iknow that writing the manuscript is not the hard part—revising, publishing andmarketing the book takes much more effort. I entertained the thought ofquitting for about five seconds. Then I went back to work.

The solution to quitting is to write. Word-by-word, sentence-by-sentence,healing and a book take shape.

Death Announcements and the Internet

2011-09-09T19:38:00.000-07:00

Writing is both mask andunveiling. ~ E.B. White

I am in a quandary. I rely onemail, the Internet, and social media. I see the value of these cyber tools,even if I sometimes feel more like a slave to them than a master. However,today I was caught off guard when I read an email telling me of the death of adear friend. Her death was there, in a brief email, just below the subjectline. The subject line was simply her name. I know this is the way we announcedeath these days—I myself have done this. It is no different from a newspaperobituary. However, there is something cold about words deliveredelectronically, whether via a Facebook posting, or even this blog. Perhaps itis the fact that reading words on an electronic screen lacks the warmth ofpaper. Or that it would be more comforting to learn of someone’s death from alive voice. I don’t know. What I do know is that I am doubly sad. Bereft overthe loss of my friend and heartbroken to witness the hard cold facts this electronicage brings to us.

The Weight of Stories

2011-09-02T15:59:00.000-07:00

As for my next book, I am going tohold myself from writing it till I have it impending in me: grown heavyin my mind like a ripe pear; pendant, gravid, asking to be cut or it willfall. ~VirginiaWoolf

Virginia Woolf may have been agreat writer, but I disagree with her sentiments expressed in the above quote.I don’t know when she made this remark, or if any book was written after shesaid this. What I do know is that Woolf was a year older than I am now whenshe committed suicide. Instead of a story “growing heavy in her mind like aripe pear,” her pockets were heavy with stones as she waded into the RiverOuse. In short, she, not the book, was gravid.

I think she got it wrong. I am afollower of what Anne Lamott calls, “shitty first drafts” (from Bird by Bird). Writing takes shape forme, like a sculpture. I start with a blob of words, and whittle away until Ihave a recognizable form. After awhile, a natural beauty emerges, born from atrust in the process and the words that glue the thoughts together. If I waiteduntil a story was heavy in my heart, it would be a long time before I’d getanything written.

Which style calls you—Lamott’sor Woolfs? If it is Woolf’s, stay clear of water.

Cleansing

2011-08-26T12:42:00.000-07:00

The wastebasket is a writer's best friend. ~Isaac Bashevis Singer

Getting rid of clutter can help my writing or distract me from it. There are days when I need to write, but the pull to procrastinate is so intense, that I find myself thigh-high in cleaning my office rather than knee-deep in a good composition. Maturity and experience have taught me that there is a time to organize and a time to ignore this urge. This weekend is a time to organize.

I just had a burst of good writing, and the floodgates are open. It is time to discard what I don’t need any more. It feels like I am restoring a river, letting it stream through my world once more. It feels like I am cleansing my writer’s soul.

Toastmasters

2011-08-19T17:25:00.000-07:00

If you can speak what you will never hear, if you can write what you will never read, you have done rare things. — Henry David Thoreau

One of my favorite activities each week is Toastmasters. People think it is about speaking, but it is so much more than that. My writing has improved tremendously because of Toastmasters. Not only do I write speeches, but I am learning organizational and listening skills. Meetings are a virtual breeding ground of material. You can check out a meeting for free and it is a lot of fun.

Rejection

2011-08-13T16:40:00.000-07:00

I wrote for twelve years and collected 250 rejection slips before getting any fiction published, so I guess outside reinforcement isn't all that important to me. ~ Lisa Alther

I have been thinking about rejections lately. Author of The Help, Katheryn Stockett, received 60 rejection letters before she found someone to buy her book. (Here is a link if you want to read more about this.) I am not that tenacious. However, if I think about it, I was probably rejected far more than 60 times, if I count every time I didn’t submit something because I rejected it without the work ever leaving my hands. This is the worst rejection of all. When writers reject their own stuff, they are rejected by an unpaid, rank amateur.

Write or Die

2011-08-06T20:16:00.000-07:00

Find out the reason that commands you to write; see whether it has spread its roots into the very depth of your heart; confess to yourself you would have to die if you were forbidden to write.

~ Rainer Maria Rilke

When I don’t write or can’t write, I feel saddled with ennui, but would I die if I were forbidden to write? I don’t think so. Now if I could not read, that might send me to an early death. If I couldn’t read, I could probably thrive listening to NPR or viewing segments of TED.com, but a single power outage would be my demise. This probably explains why Rainer Maria Rilke got where he got and why I am sitting here writing insignificant blog entries.

For some inspiring diversion, check out TED.com

Inside or Out?

2011-07-29T17:39:00.000-07:00

In between discussions about raising the debt ceiling, world hunger, and how to increase awareness about hepatitis C, I am pondering an imponderable. Should the period and the comma go before or after the quotation marks? I am serious. Apparently it isn’t as cut and dry and issue as I had believed. For interesting and enlightening edification, read Ben Yagoda’s article in Slate.

I don’t really care where the punctuation marks go—just tell me the right way and I will do it.

in the meantime I am boycotting punctuation marks

ee cummings was on to something