This weekend I attended the Moonlight and Magnolias Conference hosted by the Georgia Romance Writers of America. My writing friend and I managed to survive our trip of four plus hours with little incident (uh, well there was that weird pick up line by an unwashed person in McDonalds and a strange toothless person who quite liked my buddy and a wild animal chaser running across the freeway, but I am happy to report no lives were lost during the incident.... but I digress--come on a road trip with us one day and have fun).
But here's the deal: all these adventures are worth the end result for me. First, I bond with a fabulous writing friend as we discuss our writing, life, and the universe. Then I get to hang out with amazing authors, writers and workshop leaders. And I get to celebrate the MAGGIES.
So first up, I attended the workshops. Allison Brennan doesn't plot and I LOVE her for that!! But what I really love is this wisdom: write YOUR story YOUR WAY. Michael Hauge's workshop was about plot and structure and the hero's journey and I learned so much my head ached by the end of the day. But here's what I really learned beyond my ah ha moment about the ying and yang of the conflict of false ego running from true essence as revealed by relationship with another who sees one for who she/he is inside: I learned to BELIEVE I DESERVE TO WIN.
My epiphany. My story. My end result. Someone else might have another one. But this was mine. I own it.
Finally, goal setting with Kelly Stone. Hmmm. I always set goals, so what could I learn? But I learned I had limited my goal setting. I set them by the year and break them down. Now? Oh, wow. I set them by 20 years, by 10 years, by 5 years. I want to see what it will taste like. It will be good. It will change. It will be fluid. But it will be good. Why? Because it is MY STORY TOLD MY WAY IN MY TIME AND I AM STOKED.
Okay, so I am on a conference high. And on a little *ah, I got a first place in the Emerald City Opener Contest and a second place in the same contest* high. Yeah, and I might have had a bit of chocolate. Oh, some champagne. Oh. Yeah. Some dancing occurred, too. All good.
But at the end of the day, here is what is really wonderful. I have a fortune cookie fortune in my jewelry box that I have kept for quite a while. It says: YOUR ABILITY TO FIND THE SILLY IN THE SERIOUS WILL TAKE YOU FAR.
This is my VOICE! Seriously. I mean it. A cookie fortune has pegged my voice in a nutshell. Or perhaps in a cookie shell? Whatever. This is me. This is my voice. This is my story.
I have the ability to find the silly in the serious, and it will take me far.
Oh, and if you want the lucky numbers? I can be bribed with dark chocolate and champagne.
7 comments:
Awesome. It always feels good to find some clarity. I'm glad you guys had such a great conference!
Yes! It was awesome!! I wish you could have been there with us.
The day I made my confirmation, a fortune cookie told me to be kind to pigeons because someday there will be statues of me.
Let's see how we get on :D
I believe you and need to get together when I go visit Europe again. Did you keep the fortune, Ellen?
:D
Christine, enjoyed meeting you. It was truly a special weekend. Good luck incorporating everything we learned into your writing process.
Posting pics of the conf on my blog today and probably Thursday. Lots of them.
www.marleydelaroseauthor.blogspot.com
Marley, so glad you commented today! I will go check out the blog for pictures. I can't believe I didn't take ONE picture. But I had a lot of fun at the M&M and it's always nice to meet the people I know in the cyberworld.
Best of luck to you in all your writing endeavors!
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