#IWSG Strategy for Relieving Tension

It's time for another Insecure Writer's Support Group blog posting. IWSG was created by the awesome ninja captain Alex J. Cavanaugh, and you can find a list of all the other members of the group here

His awesome co-hosts for the July 6 posting of the IWSG are Yolanda Renee, Tyrean Martinson, Madeline Mora-Summonte , LK Hill, Rachna Chhabria, and JA Scott! 

JULY 6 QUESTION: What's the best thing someone has ever said about your writing?

 

I will answer this question at the bottom of my blog post for today.

 

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Stress and tension are a normal part of a writer's day. If it isn't a novel's character running amok or a scene refusing to be visual enough to interest a reader, then chances are the point of view has become skewered. When I received my edited work-in-progress back from the editor, red marks ran rampant. Along with comments about cliches and over-used words, several pages featured such comments as "talking heads" and "need more scene setting."

At times like this, it is always good to have a strategy for relieving tension. Sometimes jumping right back into writing works for me, especially if it involves composing a fun blog post. If a particular activity helps to relieve stress, all the better. In this case, I combined the two by writing about an activity that helps me reduce tension.

When Life Gives You Blood Oranges

Iced tea lemonade on the lanai - what a great way to relax! At times its just old-fashioned lemonade or fruit juice. But last time I mixed up a batch, I decided the preparation might make an interesting blog post. The tart lemons, lime, and blood oranges would certainly present a colorful picture story.

With the fruit at room temperature, I rolled each lemon and the lime across the table to “loosen” the juice inside. Then I used my manual hand-squeezer. If you have one of those electric juicers (lucky you) then you can probably skip this step.

Oranges, especially blood oranges, are soft enough and I don’t roll those, just slice them in half and squeeze. (The first time I cut open a blood orange and saw the deep red color of its pulp, I almost dropped it!)

In my hometown cookbook, I found an old recipe from 1951 that suggests combining 3 ¼ cups of cold water with ½ cup of lemon juice, then sugar to taste. Everyone has their own preferences and a nice variation on regular sugar is honey, or even ginger ale for a fizzy drink.

 

Whatever your method, just remember: If life gives you lemons, smile because you can use your pent-up energy to create something of value. I convert my stress (usually computer related) into character conflict that drives the next scene of my novel. Or fix my "talking heads."

 

When life gives you lemons, what is your strategy for relieving tension?

 

JULY 6 QUESTION: What's the best thing someone has ever said about your writing?

 

 

I'm not sure if this answer quite fits the question, but it tickles me when someone says how much they like the protagonist in my mystery series. I have grown quite attached to Pepper, and a compliment about her is considered a compliment to me.