Ambition

So last time I talked about failure, this time I would like to talk about ambition. 

Ambition is what drives artistic people.  It turns our dreams into our reality.  It takes ambition to put what we see in our brains onto the paper and out into the world.  Of course, we say we make art to reflect what we see around us, to process our lives, to find beauty in the world, blah blah blah.  Don’t believe what we say.  Artist are mostly show offs.   *We want other people to acknowledge our work. *   I didn’t say praise, mind you.  Art for beauty’s sake and art for shock value are the same.  We want a reaction from others.  Because we’re all needy like that. 

I am guilty of this.  My main reason to write is because I got the stories.  I got a head full of them.  I have a laptop full of half finished work, notebooks with character sketches, and a half a million ideas floating through my head.  But I write them down to share with others.  I want a reaction from mankind. 

Which leads me to my word of the day: ambition.  It takes a lot of it to be a PUBLISHED writer.  If I want others to read my work, I’ve got to do the work of not only writing it, but marketing it too.  I’ve done very well for myself so far.  I have a half a dozen or so stories published and a beautiful (if neglected for awhile) blog.  I’ve got a Facebook and a Twitter.  I’ve sent out submissions by the 100s.  My next adventure?  A youtube channel.  I’m going to read my work to the masses. 

So, this being my second blog post in two days, I’m going to say I’m back on track.  My ambition is showing itself after a four month nap. Welcome back readers!  Check in every Tuesday and Thursday.   I will update, with bonus posting every once in awhile.  I guess since this is a Friday, this is considered a bonus post.  I feel like I’m just making up for lost time. 

Enjoy your weekend!  I will be at a family camp-out all weekend.  I look forward to this party every year.  Monday I’ll spend recovering.  By Tuesday, I’ll be up and running (and blogging!) again.

Photo credit unknown. 

Failure

Failure. 

Nobody likes the feeling.  Yet, we’ve all experienced it.  It is so hard to get up and get started once you’ve lost sight of your goal.  When the enchantment is gone, it’s hard to bring it back.  But here I am, trying to conger the magic again. 

I’ve been gone from my blog since April.  Right at the beginning of the A to Z challenge, I just…left.  What happen?  Did I get kidnapped by aliens?  Was I working on some super-secret project?   Could I have forgotten my blogger address???  What happened to Rebecca???

Uh… no.  I don’t have any kind of good excuse to why I gave up.  I have a few poor excuses.  First, I picked doing collages for the A to Z challenge.  Bad mistake.  A collage can be time consuming.   26 collages are VERY time consuming.  I did three.  Then we went on vacation.  Somewhere between sliding down the water slide and stuffing myself full of over-priced dinners, I gave up on those damn collages.  When I got home, after a week, I felt bad about giving up on the A to Z challenge.  So I just kind of gave up on writing.  It’s not a smart choice or a good one.  But it’s the choice I made.

What did I do during all that time?  I homeschooled my kids.  I worked.  I hung out with my friends, cooked huge dinners, and swam in the pool.  I took up running.  I wasted a lot of hours on Facebook.  Did I think about writing?  A little.  In all honesty, it was easier to put it out of my mind.  It was something I would do tomorrow.  Or the day after tomorrow.  Or next week. 

Now it’s August.  My work has suffered.  A lot.  Every month, every week, every day I don’t hammer away at this, I lose.  So today, I picked myself up and said.  “No more excuses.  No more failure.”

I am writing once again. 

Caitlin's Journal from Tuesday, December 8th

Collage made from crayons, watercolors, markers, buttons, magazine clippings, and tags from the Hello Kitty beach towel I bought last summer.  

I think this is a page from a 12 year old's journal.  At least, I felt like a 12 year old when I was making it. 

Bernadette's Journal from Monday, October 13th

The page from Bernadette's Journal from Monday, October 13th. 

In case you are wondering, yes I do make all of the collages featured during the A to Z challenge.  This one is created from crayons, oil pastels, paint, magazine clippings, wall paper, and watercolors.

Andrea's Journal from Sunday, October 16th

The page from Andrea's Journal from Sunday, October 16th. 

Last year, the A to Z challenge was a blast.  I posted 26 different 100 word stories including "A is for Apple," "B is for Benjamin's Book," etc.  So what am I doing for A to Z challenge this year?  I decided on posting Visual Journal pages.  These are selected "journal" pages from 26 different people I have created.  Of course, because it is the A to Z challenge, all of their names will start with the day's letter.  At the end of this, I will post a story that will included all 26 characters.  Think of it as a glimpse into my characters' private lives.  Ohh, sneaky.  :)

I hope you enjoy these collages and I welcome you to come back everyday to see the new ones.  Remember I am a night owl, so almost everything will be posted late in the day.

Hope your own A to Z blogging is going well!

First Acceptance of the Year. I am celebrating!

Remember this post? 


I do.  I know what it's like to feel rejection.  I also know the sweet pleasure of getting accepted for publication.  Wooo!  I got my first acceptance letter for the year this morning at 8:14.  I am so happy.  It just made my day.  This is my eleventh story to be published.  I am ecstatic. 


The story they picked is called "The Present."  It is a story about a very bored gentleman and the power of education.  I had the idea for this story when I read about Frederick Douglass,  a leader of the abolitionist.  Douglass was taught to read by the wife of one of his slave owners.  When I read that statement, a story formed in my mind.  It will be in the Spring 2012 edition of The Helix Literary Magazine.  You can see their website here.  They are an awesome publication.  I encourage you to check them out.  I am honored to be featured in their magazine. 


My goal for 2012 is to have twelve pieces published this year.  That is double what I did last year.  I hope I can make it in time!  One down, eleven to go.

2012 Countdown

Stories Published: 1

Stories written: 3

Stories submitted: 100

Stories rejected: 27

More art

And another peice, from this year.  I call this one "confusion" and is made on paper with crayons, color pencil, water color, markers and oil pastel.  This picture is a little blurry.  I will try to take a better one tomorrow.