DIY MFA Prompt #6, Resistance?

Have you had a time when resistance served as your creative compass and pointed you toward a particular project? 

It's so easy to give into resistance. Find something else that's "more important" to accomplish. In the many years I've been working on "Blue Rose," many other stories have tried, some successfully, to get on paper. In this case, even though my creative compass pointed away from "Blue Rose," I grew and learned a lot that has, and will continue to serve, the needs of "Blue Rose."

I start almost all stories on scratch paper. When I decide it's worth expanding, I transfer it to my writing program. To date, I'm still using yWriter. It has served me well these past 10 years.

Since the beginnings of "Blue Rose," "Ten Little Gator Eggs" was published, the first chapter of "Blue Rose" won third place in a writing contest, I was a stringer for the South Dade Newsleader, I wrote for familyshare.com, took a writing course, of which many of the stories were published in various publications, and was a member of a writing group.

All of which could be considered "resistance" as they took away from finishing "Blue Rose." I made it a goal to finish "Blue Rose" 2016 and then 2017. I finally finished the 35 chapter, 88+ scenes, 102,000 word novel. A long ways from the original 45,000 words transferred from paper to computer.

I was thrilled to accomplish my goal. My next step is to get it to publication. So, it's going through editing to catch errors in grammar, word usage, and understanding. To date it's been edited to chapter 5. Only 30 more to go.

Now I'm working on honoring my reality. I've been separated from my husband for almost 4 years helping my mother and father. My father died the end of May and my mom is ready to move in with my sister. I began packing my stuff in North Carolina to move back to Florida. In the process of packing I found out that a cyst, discovered in my chest 11/24/2017, is growing. A previous thoracic surgeon told me it needed removal, but then after is shrunk a bit, decided to just watch it. Six months later is larger than before it was discovered. So I'm getting ready for surgery to remove it.  So, in the next three weeks, I hope to edit at least 6 chapters. In between I'll be getting a bunch of pre-op tests and finishing other tests my doctors want done before the surgery. Hmmm, honoring my reality is trying to get in the way.

I'm doing my best to keep calm about my creative compass pointing, once again (to a point), away from "Bllue Rose." Without my health, I can't continue to edit and meet my publication goal for "Blue Rose."

So, here's to the creative compass leading us where we need to be and not necessarily where we want to be.

Want to join us 500+ authors on Facebook as we 'Word Nerds Unite' and participate in this challenge? It's never too late. Even after the fact. Click here.  While you're here, check out the live, and not so live, broadcasts.

Don't forget to stop by "Ten Little Gator Eggs" and Botanical Aquaponics on your way.

  Presently reading:

diyMFA by Gabriela Pereira, Jacquelyn Mitchard
Time and Again by Jack Finney

Sylo by D.J. MacHale (this series holds a special place in my heart. The character Tori Sleeper is my daughter.)

Recently finished:

Dark Witch by Nora Roberts
It Cannoli Be Murder by Karoline Barrett
Conquering Hope by Kionne L. McGhee
The Host by Stephanie Meyer
Prophecy of the Dragon by Mike Shelton (waiting for his next book)


Aquaponics update:

Uncovered the system and planted lettuce and more strawberries. Check out Botanical Aquaponics to see the uncovered system.