Kate G. Jameson

Sharing is Hard

My stomach has been in knots the past two days. I sent my short story to a small group of friends on Friday and I’ve been waiting to hear their feedback.

It’s been excruciating.

I know what you’re thinking. “You’re a writer, Kate. The reason writers produce content is for people to read it, right?”

And that is a very good observations. But that doesn’t make it any easier to send out something I’ve poured hours of time and large portions of myself into and get feedback. After all, how can anyone else love it as much as I do?

Usually when I pose this sort of struggle, I give advice and encouragement of some sort, but I am at a loss. For those of you who have had similar experiences, how do you deal with nerves like this?

Until next time, fellow wonderers.

Be Careful What You Ask

I am a writing major. And I get questions about that choice. A lot of those questions are unintentionally rude. I recently found a list of annoying questions English majors are asked, and they all apply to writing majors as well. Here’s the link if you’re curious (http://tinyurl.com/ocq6mxx).

Normally I don’t mind the questions. Some of them are standard ones, asked of most college students. But some of them are just insulting. Let me explain my least favorite questions and comments.

“That sounds so fun!” I am not in college to have fun. I chose my major because I want to make a career out of writing, not because I had a whim. I am extremely dedicated to honing my skill.

“Do you ever have any homework?” or “You must have such easy classes.” My course load is actually pretty heavy. You try cranking out multiple essays a week, keeping up with assigned readings, and still finding time to do personal writing. Writing is a skill that has to be practiced, just like any other.

“How are you going to make any money with that?” Probably my least favorite question. Ever. Let me just say that my major doesn’t just focus on creative writing. I major in professional writing. That means I know how to write news articles, scripts, web content, and business content. Yes, I also write short stories and novels, but that’s not all. Anywhere you see words, someone wrote them. And I have the ability to do that.

So next time you meet a writer, think before you ask questions. I understand that they can come from genuine curiosity, but sometimes it feels condescending.

Until next time, fellow wonderers!

A Goal Met

Friends, I have done something. Something I have never done before. I am so excited to share it with you, and so proud of what I’ve accomplished.

I have finished a project. A writing project. A non-school related writing project.

In other words, I finished the first draft of a short story I wrote for a contest. It’s a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I still have a lot of work to do editing it, but I have finished something that wasn’t homework.

I know this is a short post, but I really wanted to share my accomplishment with you all! I will be submitting it to a contest soon, so I’ll let you know how that turns out.

Until next time fellow wonderers!

Why I Retell Stories

As a writer, I’ve been working to find my niche, the area where my writing falls. I work on fantasy and historical, but would also like to write contemporary and mystery stories. I’ve landed on the conclusion that I like to retell classic stories.

Now, as one of my professors is fond of reminding us, there are no new stories. Every story has elements of previous ones. What I’m talking about is retelling fairy tales and other classic legends like Robin Hood and King Arthur. I love taking an old, well-loved story and bringing it to life in a new way. The challenge is finding a unique angle, a new twist on the story. It’s a difficult but rewarding experience.

Let me walk you through my process. As I’ve mentioned before, I’m working on a book that is based on Cinderella. I was first inspired to write it when watching the musical version of the story when I was struck by a thought: What if Cinderella didn’t want to go to the ball?

It was such a different idea that I had to write it down. Over the next few months I mulled it over. Why wouldn’t she want to go to the ball? Is it because she doesn’t want to get the prince? Because she is happy with her situation in life?

So that’s how the idea formed. It grew over time. I had to figure out why my Cinderella didn’t want to attend the ball. In most stories, she was the orphaned daughter of a nobleman who was forced into servitude by her evil stepmother. In my story, her titled father tries to control her and her stepmother is quiet and gentle. She is independent and wary of other people.

I’ve heard story ideas described as ingredients rather than seeds, and it’s a comparison I like. A lot of people seem to think that ideas just need to be planted and watered in order to flourish, but in reality, you have to combine various ideas in new ways to get a creative dish. It’s more work than inspiration.

I hope you’ve enjoyed a peek into my creative process.

Until next time fellow wonderers!

My Travel Bucket List

I’ve always had the urge to travel. Before college, I traveled around the States on vacations and visiting family. I left the country once to travel in Canada. Once I got to college, though, the travel bug that had been previously been quietly biting me began to gnaw more fiercely. It began with a semester abroad in Ireland. Then a missions trip to Liberia. Now I can’t get enough of international travel. So I’ve made a list of places that I want to go in my life. I’ve only included places I’ve never been, not places I would like to return to.

1. Greece. Greece is the center of the ancient world. As someone who loves history, I can’t think of a more exciting place to visit. Seeing historical sites and cities would be a dream come true.

2. England. It’s one of those places that most people want to visit. Closely related to American culture and home to some of the most incredible authors, England is a cultural center of its own. Plus, British accents.

3. Australia and New Zealand. Yes, they’re two different countries, but in my mind they would be the same trip. There’s no real educational value to these places, mostly a desire for beaches and fun. And maybe a trip to Mt. Doom as well.

4. Egypt. Like Greece, Egypt played a strong role in history and has an incredible culture. I would love to experience it firsthand and see the pyramids.

5. Brasil. I’ve never been to South America, but I know that Brasil boasts some spectacular scenery. I think it would be a lot of fun to explore there.

6. China. China has a culture so different from my own, it would be so interesting to experience it. I would love a chance to explore its rich history.

7. Greenland. It’s a little obscure, but Greenland has always intrigued. A halfway point for many of the early settlers of North America, its culture is unique and largely unchanged.

8. France. I studied French in high school and learned a lot about the language, culture, and art of the country. I’d love to see the sites in person, instead of just on a screen or page.

9. Italy. Is food reason enough to visit somewhere? Because that’s the main reason I want to visit Italy. I love Italian food.

10. Denmark. There’s no real reason I want to see Denmark. It just sounds like it could be fun.

So, what places do you want to see? Comment below and let me know. Maybe it will be somewhere I can add to my own list.

Until next time fellow wonderers!

Pride vs. Vanity

This is an issue that I as a Christian writer have been struggling with. As Christians we are called to be humble, that pride can be dangerous. As a writer, I am often called upon to promote my own work. I often find myself putting my ideas or work down, saying that “it’s not that great” or “not to be full of myself or anything, but….”. I have wrestled with the idea of taking pride in my work, but not bragging or taking more credit than I should.

In thinking about the difference between pride and vanity, I can’t help but remember a passage in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, where Elizabeth’s sister Mary gives her opinion of the two. “Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us” (Pride and Prejudice, page 27).

It raises a good point. Pride focuses more on the things a person does, while vanity is more about the person. Pride says “Look what I’ve done” while vanity says “Look at me”. Still, it can be hard to justify pride as a good thing.

To a certain extent, people in general need to take pride in their work and talents. This can contradict the teachings of many churches. Not that I think that humility is bad; I simply think it can be overstressed, especially when ignoring the positive aspects of pride. As a teacher recently pointed out to me, we are all gifted by God and we are responsible for honing and using that gift. To downplay those talents and skills is disrespectful.

It still isn’t easy as a writer to pitch an idea to someone. You are essentially saying “Here is my story. You should pick it over everyone else’s because mine is better.” That is very hard for me to do. I want to downplay the things I think are well done, but at the same time, I want to point them out and say “Look at that! Look what I did!”

Part of the solution is realizing that my talent is God-given. He gives me the words to put on paper and I can’t take full responsibility for them. However, I can take credit for practicing, honing my skill. I take the time to develop my craft and I am proud of the progress I have made. Talent can only take a person so far; you have to be committed to developing that talent and using it well.

I know that this doesn’t provide an easy answer. It’s not something I can do, and I doubt I’ll every fully figure it out. But for now, I’ll work on my attitude about my work. I’ll try to be proud without being vain. And I will do my best to keep my work at a level that deserves that pride.

Comment below with something that you are proud of doing or accomplishing. I won’t be posting this weekend, as I’m going on a retreat.

Until next time fellow wonderers!

The Myth of Strong Female Characters

I recently read an interesting article (http://www.newstatesman.com/culture/2013/08/i-hate-strong-female-characters) about the double standard set for female characters in literature and media. I find it rather disturbing that we have to characterize female roles as ‘strong’, as if it weren’t inherently implied like with men. I won’t use this blog as a soapbox for a feminist rant; I simply want to raise awareness for the way that female characters tend to fall into one of two categories: the damsel in distress, or the token team member who can keep up with the boys, yet plays no major part in the story. In some cases, the women who are supposed to be ‘strong’ are so violent, they could be considered abusive. All for the sake of establishing that they can ‘keep up with the boys’, that they don’t need to be rescued.

I hate this type of character the same way I hate the stereotypical goofy sidekick or the sensitive male hero. Like the article says, you can’t fit any character into a simple box and expect them to fit comfortably.

One of my favorite authors, Shannon Hale, often tweets about the growing trend of male protagonists. Men, especially young boys, are less likely to read a book with a female main character, while girls have no preference. But there is no rule that says books about girls are for girls only, simply society saying so. Instead, we should encourage boys to read books about girls to better understand the people who make up half of the world.

I tried not to make this a rant, but it’s something that truly bothers me. Instead of making our female characters strong, we writers need to focus on making them real. Human beings are complex creatures and the characters we write should reflect that.

Until next time fellow wonderers!

Update on Me

Hi all! As you may know, I am now back at school! I thought you might like a quick look at what classes I’m taking and such. So here’s a quick overview of what my life will look life for the next three months. I’m taking five classes, most of them writing.
I’m taking a Freelance Writing class that I’m really excited about. We’re going to be spending a lot of time writing and editing pieces we’ve worked on. One of our assignments is to write at least 750 words daily. It doesn’t matter what we write, as long as we do. I’ve been trying to get into the habit of writing daily, so this is really quite perfect. We’re going to work in all types of writing, from blog to fiction, short stories to devotionals. I’m really looking forward to widening my area of experience.
I’m also taking a class called Writing Online, but my professor said it’s more like a literary citizenship class. We’re essentially going to be building our platforms, or our online presence. We’ll be working with our social media sites and blogs, so expect to see some changes here in the next few months!
Most writers choose other literature classes, but I’m taking Performing Literature. In that class, we are focusing on analyzing text and presenting it orally, using both voice and body to convey the meaning. I think this will be invaluable to me as a writer, to look at how words are conveyed and interpreted.
One of the classes I’m not quite so excited about is Layout and Design. It focuses on a computer program called InDesign. We will be designed various things throughout the semester, starting with our own resumes. While incredibly useful, I have a tendency to struggle with things related to technology, so we’ll see how well this class goes.
I’m taking another computer class as well, a computer science course. I haven’t actually had the class yet, so I don’t know exactly what to expect. It’s a general education course, so I imagine it won’t be too overwhelming.
That about sums up my classes. Other than that, I have a job that keeps me occupied, as well as extracurricular activities with my wing and the other people in my major. I think I’m going to enjoy the next few months.
Until next time, fellow wonderers!

Daily Habits

Whenever I make a daily To-Do list, there is always one item I include. Regardless of the day of the week, the homework load, or how tired I am, I remind myself I need to get it done. And it is never done. I put in on my list day after day, check it off, and put it on again the next time I make a list.

Writing.

Well, duh, you’re probably thinking. You’re a writer. Today I want to emphasize a piece of advice I have heard from almost every author I’ve heard give advice.

Write. Every day. Even if you don’t want to. Even if you don’t know what to write about.

Now, I won’t get into the debate of whether writer’s block really exists, but I will repeat what I’ve heard countless times. Writers improve their craft by practicing it. The only way to improve is to write consistently. It doesn’t have to be the next great novel, or even something you plan to publish. Simply getting into the habit of writing often will help you produce more, publishable material.

It is so hard to commit to writing every day. I struggle with it. But I’m working hard to make it a habit. I journal, I write stories, I work on my book, I write devotionals, I blog, and I free-write. Variety helps new ideas flow.

So for you aspiring writers out there, keep going. Get your thoughts on paper; don’t wait for them to ‘fully form’. That won’t ever really happen unless you start writing. So get to it!

Until next time, fellow wonderers!