On a Guest Post From Melanie Macek

First, I want to thank RS Emeline for the opportunity to guest blog. Thanks! I’ve only been blogging for approximately three months, so this is still new for me.

Left to choose my own topic, I was lost. So many things I wanted to talk about with you all. What tipped the scales was a Facebook conversation with my cousin’s husband, who is also an aspiring writing. He sent me a quote about internal editors. And since I’m working on an extensive edit of my manuscript, the topic seemed fitting.

I didn’t even know I had an internal editor until I participated in NaNoWriMo for the first time last year. A motivational video from the great people that run the organization told us to tie up our editors, put them in a corner and kick them if we must; but whatever you do, don’t listen to them and just write.

HA! I said to myself. Just write. Easy for them. There was no possible way anything decent was going to come out of my brain, pass through my fingertips and onto the screen. Once I finally let go of my self-doubts and reservations (somewhere around day 9), magic happened.

I just wrote. I wrote furiously. I wrote until my eyes crossed, my head pounded and there was no possible way to get a decent 5 hours of sleep before work the next day. 

My husband now dreads the month of November because he knows I will be glued to my computer, furiously pounding away on the keys and spending, as he says, his hard earned money on enough caffeine to get me through the month. 

Chocolate or coffee work equally well. Hot chocolate, even better.

So why, do you ask, is this important? Because all of us face some sort of detractor, an editor of sorts trying to conform our dream to their mold. Whether it be ourselves, a family member, co-workers or even some random person; we can’t let them “edit” us away from our desire.

If your desire is to write, then write. Even if you write on a napkin during your lunch break. Tuck it into your pocket or purse and save that idea for later. Just don’t forget to take it out of your pocket before the clothes hit the washer, though.

Over the last nine months, I’ve found it easier to let go and write. One thing that helped was I owned the tag, writer.

When someone asks if I’m published (as if not being published doesn’t make you a writer), I answer “not yet”. Because I will be. Maybe not as soon as I would like or how I anticipate, but it's a goal.

 Is that the only reason I write? Nope. Once I let go and took myself seriously as a writer, it has become my passion. There’s really no stopping it now.

To all of you aspiring toward your dreams; turn off the internal and external editors. You might be amazed at the results.

Thanks again, RS Emeline for letting me sit in on your blog today. I’ve enjoyed it.

Melanie

Melanie Macek is an active member of Romance Writers of America. She recently completed her creative writing degree and is actively pursuing being published, though love of writing is the driving force to write. Secretary by day; at night, she can be found at the keyboard when not spending time with her husband planning their next vacation (great book ideas everywhere!) 

You can contact her on her blog at www.featherpenstartandreams.wordpress.com and on Twitter @MelDFMac  

On Guest Blog from J.T. Selene

Recently, I've been weighing the ideal childhood. I've thought about my life as a child, and the lives of the children around me. What would make their life better? What would make it worse? Will they look back and regret their youthful years? Or will those years be filled with laughter and joy? Beyond those musings, I suppose my greatest curiosity is what I would consider to be a good childhood.

As a child, my life's watermarks were far from happy times. They were made of hardships, sadness, and anger. They were made of emotions no child should have to deal with. The watermarks were made of life-long battles and annual tears. Superficially, I would say this is no childhood anyone should experience. I would say it was a childhood made to drag down the weak and build up the strong. The after-affects of such a childhood would depend on the individual.

When I weigh these difficulties of the past, I also consider the good moments—the laughter, the smiles, the giggles, and the tickles. I think about those who made a difference in my life. In one way or another, they caused some of the happiness I experienced. When I weigh the difficulties, I meditate on the easy moments. I become conscious in the good and the bad. I needed both of these to make it to the present.

Knowing this, I ask myself, was it a good childhood? Was it the best I could have had?

To the first question, I answer “no”. It was not a good childhood. In fact, it was far from “good”. It was borderline “bad”. There were cherish-able memories;but for every positive, there were two negatives. On the same note, however, it was the best I could have had. Without it, I would never be strong. I would have never beaten my naïve idealism. If I had a different childhood, my current life would have changed as well. If I had the “ideal” childhood, I may not be my ideal individual.

In this way, I consider a good childhood to be one that creates a beneficial individual to society and to oneself. Without the downfalls, there would be no lessons learned. Without the perks, there would be no motivation through the hardships. They go hand-in-hand, these “good times” and “bad times”. They create a childhood, and they create the person.

Whether or not there are regrets in the end is up to the individual. It's based on outlooks and worldviews. Things could be better, but they could also be worse. We are where we are. If things were meant to be different, maybe they would be. If we want to be in another spot in life, it is up to us to get us there. It has very little to do with childhood and very much to do with self-creation and motivation.

I believe our childhoods are our building blocks, but we are our foundation. In the end, “we” is all “we” have. I am all I have. You are all you have. Everyone dies alone and lives together. Our childhood merely gives us the start. It is up to us to finish.  

Follow J.T. Selene on Twitter

Catch J.T. Selene blogging at Opinions, Thoughts, and Shot Glasses. She blogs about life, family, and her observations on the human condition. If you stick around a while, you might even be offered a drink. 

On A Guest Blog from K. K. Sierra

I was recently told a story. A man and a woman had been married for fifty years.  Since retirement they always had lunch together.  As the man sets the woman’s sandwich in front of her she bursts into tears. Baffled her husband asks what is wrong.  She sobs, “Why do you always give me the heels?” Stunned he replies, “Because they’re my favorite.”

All those years, he had been giving her what he considered to be the best part of the bread, sharing his favorite part with her. In a world so incredibly full of selfish behavior we often assume the worst of people.

Assumptions are easy to make and can be so damaging. There is a reason expressions like, “assume – makes an ass out of you and me” and “assumption – the mother of all eff-ups,” exist.

I think the biggest and worst assumptions happen in relationships.

·         Does your husband work hard to support your family? Do you tell him how much you appreciate it? Or just complain about how little he helps with the kids/pets/house?
·         Do you think your wife/girlfriend is beautiful? Do you tell her? Or just assume she knows? 
·         Do you have a friend who is always there for you? Who is interested in the things you do and how you’re feeling? Are you there for her in return? Does she know how valuable she is to you?
·         Are you proud of your child’s accomplishments? Do you give them specific reasons? Or only a cursory “proud of you son?”
·         Do your parents run you around for soccer games, music, and to see your friends? Do you tell them thank you and mean it? Or do you think it’s “their job?”

The saying, “there is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving,” is true until the time you’ve given all you have to give. Even the most altruistic person does not give for nothing. They’re looking for something in return. Anyone who says different is a liar. At a minimum, they’re looking for the light of hope; the knowledge that something they’ve done has made life just a little happier for someone else.

My advice for today, don’t make assumptions. If you’re unsure about someone or something, where you stand perhaps, ask. And if you’re the person who’s been asked, show enough consideration to respond. Don’t make assumptions. Life’s too short. Make sure the people you love, know you love them.  Thank those who make sacrifices for you. If someone inspires you, pass it on.