Author: amywestphalcreates

It’s worth what you paid for it.

Will you remember me tomorrow?

This advice is for busy mommy heads, or just parents, adults in general… People. People with the attention span of a gnat, or anyone that heard an ice cream truck and ran for it mid-sentence or missed their exit because they were hitting a sick high note in the grand acoustics of their vehicle. We are all busy with something aren’t we?

If you’re like me, the best ideas come to you at the worst times. If you have a great idea in the middle of the night or anywhere else….Write it down! Type it, find a napkin, your hand anything at all, especially at night when you’re trying to fall asleep. No matter how life changing and magnificent it is, you will forget in the morning. And you might hate yourself for it.

This concludes Amy’s Bad Advice for this week. Heed my friends, Heed.

Cheers. Amy

Lets talk about constructive criticism.

Constructive criticism is a respectful, actionable suggestion for improvement. Its purpose is to draw attention to something that could be done better, or to draw attention to a solvable problem. It is best to give constructive criticism when it is asked for. And possibly if it is offered, and only given when the offer is accepted.

Constructive criticism isn’t criticising for the sake of your own vanity or to be deliberately unhelpful. That is destructive criticism. The main difference is how the “crit” is delivered. Although both ways are meant to oppose or challenge you, being destructive is hurtful, unnecessary and makes you look like a petty asshole.

Coming from an art background, constructive critiques are the most valuable resource you can have. Your peers can guide you, shape you, help you rise or hold you back. In an industry that is subjective, it’s helpful to learn how to offer criticism in the right way.

Sometimes critique is easy, you have a definite thought and passion to help the recipient improve, that’s awesome. But it doesn’t always work that way. So how do you remain tactful and helpful when the work is horrible, or helpless? Is it best to pass and shut up? That depends. If you are tasked with critique that someone has asked for, I feel it’s the responsible thing to respond honestly. If you are appalled by the work, focus on what would make it better, not why you hate it.  All of this seems very obvious doesn’t it? Like common sense? I wish it were, I’ve been on the receiving end of some pretty harsh criticism, and I felt horrible about it, not only about my work, but about the person who gave it to me. I lost respect for them. They didn’t leave their baggage at the door and lost all credibility with me and some of the group.

So, constructive criticism, what it isn’t is your opportunity to make someone look bad or to make yourself look better. If you are driven to do either, you may have some soul searching to do.

Never let anyone dull your shine.

Thoughts my WP’s? Been on the giving or receiving end of destructive crit? How did you cope?

Tell me all about it. I love it.

Cheers, Amy

image- Golden Gate Bridge at night

Oil on canvas by me.

How to pick a title for your novel.

The title of my first novel, although still tentative of course since authors don’t necessarily have the power of veto, is Capture The Tide. But it was not always so.

Through the years I have gone through a dozen titles, each time returning to the same one. Which incidentally is not this one. So how do you choose a title? Or working title?

This is what I suggest:

First, finish your book. Duh. Then sit and really wrap your head around the message of your work, the essence and soul of it, then make a list. This is sort of an emotional, cathartic type thing that will butt up against my next suggestion. Which is to look up books similar to yours. Look in your genre, subgenre, age group, ect… Whats selling? What’s hot? This gives you an objective viewpoint to create a second list of titles.

Now you should have 2 lists to work from. From there you can narrow down your choices reflecting on whether you want to focus on figurative meanings or literal meanings. Does your novel work with a single title? A noun? Or do you need a more poetic phrase?

Mine is a little of both, and I hope it stays.

What does your rose smell like?

Cheers, Amy

Abstract oil on canvas by me.

The art of leaving on a high note by George Costanza.

Simple but excellent advice when building your brand. Whether you are a lifestyle blogger, writer, whatever. Always leave something in the queue.

Work it.

Happy Labor Day!

Amy

My life hasn’t been very writerly lately. Which is a bummer for blogging since my blog is supposed to be about my journey to get published.

But now that I’m thinking on it, I just need to make my non-writing more writerly. And I shall do it without my dashing, fedora-tipping facade.

Not writing daily makes me feel adrift. For so long I couldn’t separate myself from my book. It was the all encompassing, everything of my being. It would weave itself like fine threads through every few moments of my day. Bathrooms are the best, where else do you hide? Between meal prep for a dozen kids, diapers, outdoor play, reading and sing-a-longs I’d write notes on paper towels, my hands, my phone (if I could spare a few precious moments of bathroom time) and I would write, write, write. Compusive, tight knit, heavy with thought notes. My characters would have conversations in my head, blog posts would write themselves…Sigh.

I’m searching for that place again, searching desperately for those brief moments that spill words, carving them into my existance again because that’s what writing is. It’s essential. I’m a writer whether I’m writing or not because I want to be. It calls me and It’s there waiting for me when all the shit is sorted because I will it to be so.

And that feels writerly. Write on writers.

Cheers, Amy

Self portrait: oil on canvas by me- writer, painter, soccer mom, kindergarten and 3rd grade mom, daycare provider, and stager and cleaner of house we are trying to sell at the worst time humanly possible so that our kids can have a backyard to play in.

Light streams through my plexiglass walls like molten fractals of violent sun.

Days of nowhere and smudgy hands shake my world and all is lost.

Go ahead and stare.

Splinter me down by a single delicate toe and I’ll articulate my arms to bygone melodies.

I’ll spin and spin until the blackness falls and my head bows to the floor.

Go ahead and dance pretty girl.

Tap the glass and close the box for I am none of those things.

Cheers all! This one’s for everyone who needs reminding that they are welcome to tell themselves to fuck off!

We are our own worst critics…

Write on writers! I’m gonna.

Amy

Painting: oil on canvas by me.

It’s worth what you paid for it.

Never fall victim to one of these classic blunders:

The most famous of which is, never get involved in a land war in Asia–

but only slightly less well-known is this: Never go against a Sicilian when death is on the line!

This concludes Amy’s Bad Advice for back to school week. I think we can all agree that this is solid advice from a well-adjusted character in an epic piece of literature. Thanks Vizzini!

Advice from William Goldman, The Princess Bride.

What’s the most inconceivable thing you’ve heard or been advised of recently? I love to learn….

Cheers, Amy