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By

Michele L. Tune

“A person who is master of patience is master of many things.”

That’s the quote you see on that little piece of paper on the plate below…

Photo Credit: Me

I think the universe is screaming at me. Ludicrous, you think? Don’t jump to conclusions. Seriously. As I can, I’ve been making time to update the links in my old posts. I started at the beginning and am working my way backwards, up to now (because I just moved from Blogger to WordPress, for anyone just tuning in). I came to this post about patience.

Check out what I said at the end of that post:

Patience is a virtue (I believe) all successful writers possess. Dig deep and find patience. It’s in there!

Yes, I wrote those very words!

This is what happened when I got up from editing that post to find something quick to fix for lunch: I was digging in the cabinet and found a box of fortune cookies. I never really take those little fortunes to heart, but I love the taste of those cookies! I broke a cookie and started nibbling. I just laid that little ole piece of paper on the counter while I went searching for something to actually eat.

Imagine my surprise when I decided to pick that fortune up and read it! The quote at the top of this post jumped out at me. I just had to take a picture of those cookies on the plate with my fortune displayed. Coincidence?

I’ll admit, I’ve never been the most patient person. Some people think I’m very patient; others think I have zero patience. But it’s crazy to think the universe is screaming - ok, maybe not screaming - the topic of patience to me.

Weird.

What a strange day I’ve had, writing the cyber highway!

Oh, and in case you’re wondering, I did not eat all those cookies!

By

Michele L. Tune

Photo Credit: moose_076

As this day, October 16th, approached, I began to panic. I had a deadline for a story, and just couldn’t seem to get the right feel, the right flow of my words. It seemed the harder I tried, the more chopped up and butchered my story became. I stepped away from the manuscript for a couple of days. I didn’t read it. I thought about it. I tossed ideas around in my mind, but I left it alone.

Last night, I sat down at my computer determined to have a date with my teasing muse. She dangled bits of inspiration just out of my reach for days! But she finally showed up. We danced for hours last night. She stimulated my mind, tickled my creative nooks, and told my fingers where to land on the keyboard.

Before I knew it, I had finished one story… then two… then a third that I hadn’t even considered before! I’m pleased with our date. It turned out well–much better than I could have imagined.

With the deadline, I felt like an hourglass was looming overhead and sand of golden hues was quickly spilling through the tiny passageway. As the last granule of sand made its way down the narrow tunnel, I hit Save. Thank you, muse, together we make a great team!

May you have the next dance with your muse, and may your hourglass work in your favor as you write the cyber highway…

By

Michele L. Tune

Photo Credit: dinosrock123

Julia, this post is dedicated to you!

You may have noticed in my recent comments, Julia said this:

“- my Muse was sighted impersonating Elvis at the Holiday Inn! There’s hope!”

To which I replied, “You should be a comedian! ha!”

Upon further thought, I meandered along the cyber highway once again stopping at the free dictionary to get a feel for the word “muse”.

As a verb, muse means:

As a noun:

A state of meditation.

According to the Thesaurus, as a noun:

muse is the source of an artist’s inspiration; “Euterpe was his muse.”

And, when used as a verb:

muse reflects deeply on a subject; “I mulled over the events of the afternoon”; “philosophers have speculated on the question of God for thousands of years”; “The scientist must stop to observe and start to excogitate.”

Julia, you really got me to thinking. What exactly is my muse? Hmm…. Let’s see…. Well…. Um…. I think I might have many muses. Why not? Can’t we have many muses? Shouldn’t we have many muses?

As a verb, I guess I could say my muse overwhelms me in the still of the night, when silence reigns and inspiration leads to many manuscripts.

As a noun, I’d say my many muses are my parents, my grandparents (although deceased, my memories with them bring endless inspiration), friends, the sun, the sky, my thinking tree, Spring, Fall, (my two favorite seasons), extended family, perhaps even a stranger who says or does something to spark my thoughts, my second grade teacher for telling me: “Michele, when you grow up, you’re going to be a writer!”, my friend, Renie Burghardt, other freelance writers who have “made it”, Maya Angelou, Becca, Rebecca, Amy, a “non blogger friend, Michelle,” and yes, even you, Julia–you inspired this very post! I could go on, as I find inspiration for stories by just living and breathing and paying attention to what/who is around me.

There are days I wonder if my muse is on vacation, though. Sometimes, even as my favorite time for writing (late at night) envelops me with its peace, I stare at a blank computer screen simply too tired and uninspired to type even one solitary sentence. Not necessarily because I’m clueless about what to write because the possibilities are endless. Sometimes the mind just needs a good rest. After all, it works awfully hard for us!

But, there is always hope. With each new day (or night), there is a new opportunity for us to steal away and create with our words and do something no one else can–leave a piece of our heart with our readers.

So, be encouraged, Julia. If you have to, kidnap your muse away from the Holiday Inn!

What do you think, folks? Do you only have one muse? Or do you totally feel uninspired? Think about it, perhaps even leave a comment, and may you find your muse as you write the cyber highway!

Reference:

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/muse

By

Michele L. Tune

Photo Credit: albertawoodrow

It brings so many different feelings to the table, yet so many people insist on being “the R word”.

For example, here’s a list of a few emotions that result when in the midst of “the R word:”

1. Frustration
2. Hurt feelings
3. Anger
4. Rage
5. Hard feelings
6. Stress
7. Headaches
8. Miscommunication
9. Resentment
10. Lost friendship(s)
11. Lost freelance writing opportunities
12. Editors that have no desire to work with you
13. A bad reputation

Ok, I know you’re dying to know what “the R word” is…. It … is… (drum roll)….

RUDE

I trotted across the cyber highway to the free dictionary, and here’s what “the R word” actually means:

• lacking in refinement or grace
• lacking civility or good manners

Which reminded me of an article Amy Derby had published in Writing for Dollars newsletter a while back–Manners Matter for Freelance Writers. In this article, Amy shares her feelings and opinions and even reactions to how she handles RUDE freelance writer’s submissions. It’s amazing the audacity writers have had in their first emails to her!

Please tell me you would never approach an editor with a haughty attitude, like you’re the best writer in the world that doesn’t have time to wait a few weeks (like the rest of us) for a reply from a busy editor.

It just seems everywhere we look, listen, or turn these days, rudeness is overwhelming. From road rage, to men knocking women silly as they shove past them in their attempt to barge through the door first, its like chivalry is forever lost. Where are the courteous gentlemen anyways?

Honestly, I was clueless as to what I was going to write about for Writing the Cyber Highway readers. A friend of mine actually inspired this post. I shared my “blank page frustrations” with her today via email. I also shared a few other things, especially about an event that happened yesterday where the person just showed NO common courtesy, whatsoever.

In her reply, my friend spilled the beans about a few of her experiences with rude customers. She runs a family business, and often receives phone calls getting all the blame for things the customers themselves have failed to do or take note of. She suggested I discuss rude things that have happened to me, things I’d never myself do–like making someone wait all day and never showing up!

Blogger/writer friends, I do hope you don’t present yourself (online or off) in a rude manner. What does it accomplish? There are writers that have missed the awesome opportunity to work with Amy Derby simply because they forgot their manners, for whatever reason.

Friendships are ruined, feelings are hurt, and bad first impressions (which can never be recreated) are etched in stone. I just personally think that “the R word” should never raise its ugly head, especially when approaching an editor, or anyone, for the first time.

Even after you’ve known someone for a long while, you don’t have to be rude. EVEN if they are rude to us–EVEN if they mistreat us, we don’t have to “stoop” to that level and join them, right?

I truly believe with all my heart one of the biggest reasons I’m finding more and more writing success, is the fact that I’m nice. I’ve even had editors reply in an e-mail that I’m the nicest person they’ve “talked to” all day!

Kindness, courtesy, respect, genuine concern, sweetness, and patience goes a long way, you all. I think employers, editors, publishers, and mankind in general, are starving for a wholesome, considerate person to pass through their day.

Make a great first impression, and you may just hang around to become a full-time writer! Stand tall, smile, dig deep, and find the goodness that surely lays within each of our hearts–and run from “the R word” as you write the cyber highway (with extra kindness and a smile!)….

By

Michele L. Tune

Amy Derby has tagged me for the Random 8 Meme.

According to Amy, here are The Rules:

1. Link to your tagger and post these rules.
2. List eight (8) random facts about yourself.
3. Tag eight people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them).
4. Let them know they’ve been tagged by leaving them a comment on their blogs.

Here goes!

8 Things That Make Me,Me:

1. When I was a kid, my parents owned a pet shop. On any given day, it was the norm for me to allow albino rats and/or mice to crawl all over me (they really are beautiful creatures!). I had a pet frog named Fred when I was growing up. I also had a pet lizard like Amy, but I can’t remember his name. ;’-(
2. I don’t like to drive.
3. I make killer banana nut bread.
4. I love to watch “The Biggest Loser”–New episode tonight!
5. I love Paula Deen, Rachael Ray, and Oprah.
6. I’ve always loved that song “You Light Up My Life”.
7. I still remember the theme song to the Brady Bunch!

There, I did it! Now, I tag:

Julia Ward
Becca
Rebecca Laffar-Smith
Misti Sandefur
Sue Fagalde Lick
Georganna
Deborah
Dana

Have fun writing the cyber highway!