You know a story has been rattling around in your brain. TODAY is the day you will find time to sit down and write the first sentence, the first page. But you say, “I can’t get going. I can’t write it. Where do I start?”
Sit down and write an essay about yourself. Write down everything you’ve always wanted to say…but couldn’t or wouldn’t.
Somewhere inside that essay are the bones (the outline) of your short story, your stage play, or your novel. It may not be even a whole sentence. It may be just a phrase. So look closely, as it may be hiding in plain view.
Don’t worry about what will follow. The story will lead you. If you are very lucky, your characters will take over and tell you their story.
‘It begins with a character, usually, and once he stands up on his feet and begins to move, all I can do is trot along behind him with a paper and pencil trying to keep up long enough to put down what he says and does.’ William Faulkner
“Writing is a Tryst with the imagination and a love affair with words.” Unknown
“The reader, the book lover, must meet his own needs without paying too much attention to what his neighbors say those needs should be.” ~ Teddy Roosevelt
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‘As a writer, I marinate, speculate and hibernate.’ Trisha Sugarek
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Watch for more interviews with authors. November: Horror writer, Kevin J. Kennedy, December: Marc Cameron, writing for TOM CLANCY
Don’t worry about a story that you haven’t finished. It’s okay to let it ‘rest’. There have been times when I have had three books waiting for me to finish. Just the other day I pulled up my GAN (great American novel) and realized that it had been ‘resting’ for over a year. Life and other stories had gotten in the way.
The good news is that it’s only about 50-75 pages from being a completed first draft. And, I am looking at it with fresh eyes. What a difference that makes. It’s almost like reading someone else’s work and I am revitalized and eager now to complete it and begin rewrites.
BTW, I am calling Song of the Yukon my great American novel, not out of ego but very much with tongue in cheek. Rather it is my largest effort today and took the most research, blood and sweat. As of this writing it is finished (with countless rewrites and edits) and published.
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“Books are the carriers of civilization. Without books, history is silent, literature dumb, science crippled, and thought and speculation at a standstill. I think that there is nothing, not even crime, more opposed to poetry, to philosophy, ay, to life itself than this incessant business.” Henry David Thoreau
“It is a funny thing about life; if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it.” W. Somerset Maugham
“Ignorance is the night of the mind, but a night without moon and star.” Confucius
“Writing isn’t a calling, it’s a doing.” T. Sugarek
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Watch for more interviews with authors. November: Horror writer, Kevin J. Kennedy, December: Marc Cameron, writing for TOM CLANCY
Writers! Jump-start your day with more Monday Motivations!
Build up to writing the great American novel. Maybe that’s what is stopping you…the idea is so daunting. Remember there is no one great American novel. There are just writers trying to tell great stories. Start with a short story. Or a piece of poetry. I find ‘story-telling’ much less intimidating that way.
“There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” Ernest Hemingway
“what matters most is how well you walk through the fire” Charles Bukowski
“I always try to be a learner.” Nikole Hannah-Jones, Pulitzer-prize winning writer, Professor UNC, contributing writer for the NY Times.
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‘As a writer, I marinate, speculate and hibernate.’ Trisha Sugarek
Lillian Hellman (Author of The Little Foxes and Children’s Hour) once said, “Nothing you write, if you hope to be any good, will ever come out as you first hoped.”
As a writer, that has happened to me over and over. In the early days of my writing, I was appalled that the story was going somewhere that I had not planned for. The characters would lead me down paths I had no intention of going down or writing about. Now I accept this strange phenomenon that happens not just to me but to other writers as well.
A glaring, or perhaps glorious, example of a story taking an unexpected turn was when I was writing Women Outside the Walls. My plan for the storyline was that this would be a cozy little story of three very different women coming together while visiting their men in prison.
A third of the way through this project, Charlie, while sitting in the prison’s visiting room, jumps up, grabs Kitty, and, holding a shiv (knife) to her throat, takes her hostage. I sat at my keyboard and wailed aloud, “No! No, you can’t! I don’t know anything about hostages……or hostage negotiations!” Too late! He’d already dragged Kitty to the back wall, and pandemonium had broken out. The prison went on emergency lockdown, and there was nothing I could do! There I sat at my keyboard, dead in my tracks.
It took me four months researching hostage negotiations before I could resume working on my novel. I had not the faintest clue as to how I would finally resolve this room being taken, hostage. And I want to stop here and thank the federal and state hostage negotiators who assisted me in my research. While they would not share any of their techniques, they agreed to look over my story and tell me where I was off base. They allowed me to send them this segment of my novel for them to critique and assisted in keeping my portrayal accurate. Before you COs jump all over me about the gun, I did take dramatic license with that.
I have learned to anticipate and enjoy it when the story takes on a life of its own. It’s my fondest wish to become, simply, the ‘typist’. When my characters take control and tell me the story!
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Watch for more interviews with authors. September: Culley Holderfield. October: Simon Gervais for ROBERT LUDLUM, November: Kevin J. Kennedy, December: Marc Cameron, writing for TOM CLANCY
Jennifer’s first home in Guatemala ; a one room hut.
My plan was to stay in El Remate for three months, visit several Mayan sites, and write my second book. In that time, I was “adopted” by a local family, made a bunch of friends, connected with Guatemalan shamans (and participated in several traditional ceremonies) and began sponsoring the education of a couple of the local girls. El Remate quickly became more “home” than “vacation spot.” I extended my rental by another two months, and, just as I was getting ready to leave, bought a piece of land, drew out plans on graph paper, and gave them to one of my new Guatemalan friends to build my house.
While my house was being built, I traveled to Japan, Cambodia, and Thailand, and then loaded all my belongings on a cargo ship and moved to Guatemala. I had taken a few trips to Guatemala during the construction process to pick out materials and see how the house was coming along, but it was an entirely different experience walking into my completed house for the first time. I felt as if I were truly home since every aspect of the house is a reflection of me. Unlike most houses in this area of Guatemala, my house was a two-story home with lots of windows. Painted off-white, it had a terra cotta red Spanish-style roof and a small, secluded patio in front. A handmade wooden door painted slate blue with black iron decorations
Participating in a Mayan shamanic ceremony for rain in Chuarrancho.
opened up into a small foyer from which you could see the entire first floor – kitchen, dining room, living room and an office that was defined by some half walls to give it structure. Tucked in the back corner off the kitchen was a half bath. The Spanish feel continued in the house, with terra cotta ceramic tiles in the kitchen and bathroom and ceramic wood tiles in the other spaces. I had selected a sage-green color for the kitchen cabinets and black concrete for the countertops and island that separated the kitchen from the dining room.
Jennifer at a Mayan archeological site.
The floating staircase with a metal railing that mimicked a tree with branches and leaves that I had drawn out for the builders was a new concept for them, but they had stepped up to the challenge. Each concrete step with a hardwood top was anchored to the wall, giving the impression that each step was lightly floating above the other. The master builder also happened to be a metal worker, and he crafted the railing himself. At the top of the stairs was a meditation space, and then a short walkway to the master bedroom suite – which took up the rest of the second floor. A large sliding door in the bedroom led to a second-floor balcony that ran the entire length of the back of the house.
Visiting a shop in Lake Atitlan.
Set in an undeveloped area of the jungle, the house was remote enough from the village that I had complete privacy but was close enough that I could easily visit friends or go to the lake. It was also remote enough that there wasn’t any electricity available, although running water was. Solar panels on the roof, connected to storage batteries that were housed in my bodega, provided all of the energy I needed to run my house. I loved that my house was powered by the sun, and therefore green and caring for the jungle that I was living in.
My yard was filled with trees, plants and flowers, and hummed with the energy of the jungle – toucans, parrots and hummingbirds were easily spotted, as was the family of howler monkeys that used the trees as part of their “food highway” through the jungle. A whole host of other animals also made the area their home. One day an ocelot even ran through my yard! Relaxing in my hammock on the second floor balcony off my bedroom quickly became a favorite pastime, since I was at tree-level with the birds and monkeys and could not only watch them, but also feel as if I were part of the jungle.
Jennifer with other shamans after Spring Equinox ceremony at Uaxactun.
I quickly got into a routine and filled my days with consulting and shamanic work; writing; planning for and hosting an online radio show; volunteering at the local library and children’s center; and spending time with friends. To this day, my home in Guatemala is my sanctuary and fills me with peace.
If someone had told me that I would quit my job, build a house, and move to Guatemala prior to my accident, I would have laughed at them. But that’s how these life-changing moments work: they throw you for a loop so that you look at everything differently, and they put you on a different trajectory than you could have imagined. In retrospect, my accident was a gift. It allowed me to truly get to know myself and what I am capable of and gave me the opportunity to experience life in a more authentic way than I ever had before. Oh, and do it while wearing six-inch heels!
About Jennifer B. Monahan Jennifer is a business strategy consultant, shaman and coach who helps people all over the world live purposeful lives that not only bring them more joy and freedom, but also help them make the impact they want on the world. Her first book, “This Trip Will Change Your Life: A Shaman’s Story of Spirit
Jaguar
Evolution,” chronicles her experiences meeting and training with a Mayan shaman in Mexico and has won six literary awards, including two first-place Body, Mind, Spirit Book Awards and a 2017 National Indie Excellence Award. Her second book, “Where To? How I Shed My Baggage and Learned to Live Free,” describers Jennifer’s time living in a thatched-roof hut in Guatemala and then travelling to Cambodia, Thailand and Japan. It has won seven literary awards, including Winner in the 2019 Beverly Hills Books Awards and Silver Winner in the 2019 Nautilus Book Awards.
She is a regular contributor to Medium.com and Sivana East, has had articles published on Inc.com and MindBodyGreen.com and has a podcast, Living A Courageously Authentic Life, on BlogTalkRadio.com. She is in the process of writing her third book, a handbook for people looking to define, create and live their courageously authentic life. When not traveling, Jennifer splits her time between Guatemala and the United States. You can find Jennifer at SpiritEvolution.co.
My weekly BLOG features INTERVIEWS with best-selling AUTHORS! May: Jenny Colgan, June: Don Bentley writing for Tom Clancy, August: Veronica Henry, October: Life Coach, shaman, author, Jennifer Monahan, November: Susanne O’Leary. To receive my weekly posts sign up for my
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Happy anniversary, ‘A Writer’s Take’ Blog. Six+ years of trying (hopefully) to find relevant and interesting topics (motivation, poetry, interviews, reviews, books, how to write a play). And then writing about them. I can’t believe I have found this much to write about.
Once or twice a week without fail! When I looked back to 2012, my first blog surprised me ….it was about lighting someone else’s candle.
I recently received this critique/note from a fellow author and fan.
“Trisha! Thank you for including me on your blog. It is one of the nicest I’ve ever been on. Often, a blog is laid out clunky or the pics don’t go with the interview. This is top notch. I have the Wolfe Pack sharing it on FB and am proud to sent it out to my readers. Great job on a great site. What a personal piece. I don’t think I’ve every had anyone go to this length to show my writing and my life as a writer like you have. Thank you so much, Trisha!! Manning Wolfe
We writers can all agree that writing is a lonely job. A comment once in a while keeps me going, helps me to write that next post. Manning reached out and
lit my candle.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Looking Back: One Candle Can Light Another…My first post May 6, 2012.
‘ A good friend called me the other day; He was reading my book of poetry, Butterflies and Bullets. He’s a very accomplished pianist and songwriter. He went on to say that while reading my work he kept hearing music in his head. And could I give him permission to use my poetry for lyrics. What a compliment! He said he was especially taken with, “Hair-cut…Two Bits”, about a down-and-out cellist, gambler and barber in New Orleans.’
MY BLOG features INTERVIEWS with best-selling AUTHORS! April: International adventurer, writer, Tal Gur. June: Manning Wolfe. July E.K. Ecke. August: Susan Mallery. Coming this winter: Jayne Ann Krentz (Amanda Quick)
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‘A stunning new journal with more instruction and extra tips about writing fiction, stage plays, and poetry.’ Midwest Book Review
The newest in a series of Journals/Handbooks. For new and experienced writers alike, this Journal offers more instruction,
tips and more hand-picked quotes by other authors, actors, playwrights, philosophers, and poets. Meant to inspire the creative mind. A handy size that will fit in a backpack or tote.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
How To Begin
How To Develop Exciting Characters
How To Tell A Story
How To Write a Stage Play
How To Write Poetry
How To Write Haiku Poetry
To purchase: click here
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MY BLOGS feature INTERVIEWS with best-selling AUTHORS! Did you miss the past few months? September: Dylan Callens. October’s author was Donna Kauffman. In November we say hello to Rita Avaud a Najm. In December we will be saying hello to English mystery writer, J.G. Dow.
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On the home page, enter your email address. Thanks! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is just one class of adults wanting to learn to speak and write English, in Argentina! The professor is a long time friend, Mariana Falco. She and her colleagues graciously hosted me, when I traveled to their University several years ago. We keep a vibrant friendship going.
She expressed a wish to use my newest book, How To Write Creatively, as a toolin her classes. I was honored to comply.
These Argentinians are some of the most gracious and warm people on the planet. Once in a while one of the students will send me something that they have written. I always respond. Like recently, someone from the class (pictured here) sent me a letter about wandering along a stream in the autumn. It read like poetry so I tweaked it and returned it back (via Mariana) in poetry form. That spurred a young 7 yr.old from next door to draw a picture for me of how the ‘poem’ spoke to him.
And so the river of creativity flows!
Argentina Special Dinner
Autumn
leaves fall, carpet of colors
i walk by the river,
lazy with autumn’s ebb
a tree in silhouette shade,
creates a six legged creature
creeping along
its branches move
on the breeze
Mariana…second from the right. During my trip to Argentina!
of a cold day
Mariana in center. Fulbright teaching assistant at St. Mary´s College
MY BLOGS feature INTERVIEWS with best-selling AUTHORS! Did you miss the past few months? Johan Thompson (South African author) joined us in April. June: Mehreen Ahmed. July: Janet Macleod Trotter, author of Tea Planter’s Daughter and in August we say ‘hello’ to Cheryl Hollon.
HATS!!!
This morning was typical…as an indie author. Wearing many, many hats! There’s a hat for writer, blogger; one for editor, proof reader, and publisher.
Check emails for that BIG break! A Hollywood film Co. wants to make my book into a movie, a ‘big-name’ Publisher stumbled across my novels and wants to publish me. Nope! Not yet!
Next, Edit and proof the short play I’m working on….rewrites, rewrites, rewrites, rewrites,….did I say rewrites? Submit edited play to my publishing platform and wait for the proof to be approved or for more changes.
Work on my book of poetry and get it launched onto Amazon.com
Work on postings for my Blog. This is a job that doesn’t go away if you want to be considered someone with ‘viable content‘ by the search engines.
and after all those chores are complete……….Do some creative writing……..never neglect this! Write Every Day!! Also found time to write 10,000+ words of book #12 in a true crime series.
“I’m not saying all publishers have to be literary, but some interest in books would help.”~~ A.N. Wilson
“Contrary to what many of you may imagine, a career in letters is not without its drawbacks – chief among them the unpleasant fact that one is frequently called upon to sit down and write.”~~Fran Lebowitz
“Writing is Not a Calling. It’s a Doing!” Trisha Sugarek ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MY BLOGS feature INTERVIEWS with best-selling AUTHORS! Did you miss the past few months?
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I stumbled across this wonderful graphic (by Sudio Sudarsan) of a ‘writer’s ice berg’. Not many people, aside from we who write, know this world. It’s lonely, scary, humiliating, and painful. It’s also uplifting, soul filling, mind stretching and wonderful.
I count myself the luckiest of women that I developed my craft and didn’t give up when people said, ‘no’. I am the most fortunate of writers to have realized that the process has to be planted in good soil, watered, and given lots of sunshine. Even when I am writing from a dark place.
We writers should never sit back and say, ‘I have arrived. I don’t need to grow anymore. I am at the top of my game.’ If you’ve read any of my interviews with really famous authors, they aren’t smug….far from it…they are striving to be better just like you and I are. I’ve found in my interaction with these authors that the more successful they are…the humbler they are.
“I’m writing a first draft and reminding myself that I’m simply shoveling sand into a box so that later I can build castles.” Shannon Hale
“As a writer, I marinate, speculate, and hibernate!’‘ Trisha Sugarek
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You know a story has been rattling around in your brain. TODAY is the day you will find time to sit down and write the first sentence, the first page. But you say, “I can’t get going. I can’t write it. Where do I start?”
On the home page, enter your email address. 
Don’t worry about a story that you haven’t finished. It’s okay to let it ‘rest’. There have been times when I have had three books waiting for me to finish. Just the other day I pulled up my GAN (great American novel) and realized that it had been ‘resting’ for over a year. Life and other stories had gotten in the way.
and receive your ‘Monday 
A glaring, or perhaps glorious, example of a story taking an unexpected turn was when I was writing Women Outside the Walls. My plan for the storyline was that this would be a cozy little story of three very different women coming together while visiting their men in prison.
search engines. 
