Expanding Your Boundaries as a Writer

Whew. Thanks 2014.

Life is an exciting ride and as the calendar flips, I like to reflect. New Years is always an interesting time for me. I usually have a lot of emotions; gratitude, relief, anticipation, excitement. 

I wrote my longest book to date this year, and am now expanding it further. It reminds me of what it must feel like holding the reigns of one horse vs an eight-hitch team. There is beauty and purpose in both, but the two experiences are different. That is a lot of power in your hands, waiting to be channeled.

I'm really loving expanding my boundaries as a writer. Not only in story length and all the plot and character adaptations that entails, but also including more of my environmental/nature-loving side. I'm also exploring going deeper with my characters and their emotions. Let me tell you, that's a trip. Characters are as rich and deep as you take the time to explore. They are there, patient, waiting for you to get to know them more. Waiting for you to then share that with the reader. 

The more confident I become as a writer, the more I am able to push those boundaries, to get to a place where I feel comfortable taking myself beyond my previous comfort level. Writing is dynamic stuff. :)

How do you expand your writing boundaries?

Writing: as dynamic as a shoreline
Long Beach, Pacific Rim National Park, Vancouver Island, Canada

Happy Thanksgiving, twice

As some of you know, I am an American Canadian. Besides paperwork, that means all sorts of goodies. Like celebrating both Canadian and U.S. Thanksgiving! A delicious holiday full of gratitude and good times. 

Saskatchewan (more than Grey Cup Champions!! Go Roughriders!!)

Last month I was in Saskatchewan spending Canadian Thanksgiving weekend with good friends and their extended families. Our extended families are 3000 km away, so the 9 hour drive to Saskatchewan was relatively wee and loads of fun. I walked through cleared frosted fields at sunrise, watched geese fly overhead and waterfowl putter on slough ponds. I ate and drank, celebrated the abundance of the season and great company. 

Horses and Helicopters

I also got on a horse that gave me the opportunity to get my head screwed on straight. Horses have that effect on me. Nearly always, right before I get on a horse, whatever energy that is just below the surface that needs to come out bubbles up. Then the horse waits patiently as I have my epiphany or release before I hop on. Horses are magical like that. Like helicopters, horses get me all fascinated and excited, but there is a serious side to them, too. They both offer me opportunity for perspective and usually release, too.

Celebrate the Process

This Thursday is U.S. Thanksgiving. As much as I love turkey, we're going to celebrate with one of the salmon we caught this past summer on the Pacific Ocean fishing trip we did. Again, something to be thankful for. That trip rocked! And it has the added energy of eating food that which we have procured ourselves. There is a connection, a satisfaction and tapping into something universal when we pay attention to, respect and honor our food. Whether you are cooking, gardening/farming, fishing, hunting or ranching, celebrate it. As for the eating, savor that experience, too. It keeps us ticking . . . so we can write more! And everything else we do, too. :)

Happy Thanksgiving.

PS, Pumpkin pie with the salmon? Sure, why not. ;)