It has been an exciting roller coaster of a week. Not much in the way of updates you have not already gotten so Clyde is chomping at the bit. Grab a cuppa and settle in. The fans are blowing away the last of the rain.
Updates
Traffic has been a bit like an EKG around M3. The up and down motion is directly attributable to those I have not seen because they always come from my comments on their blogs and comics. I have bitten by another WP bug: The Spaminator. My comments are being held for moderation all over WP.
Occasionally, I get stuck into moderation on off-WP sites because of the speed at which I comment. It is not unusual for me to leave three comments in less than one minute, which drives most comment plugins to the belief I am a bot. I snicker because speed has been used to classify me as a machine since I was a teenager.
If you managed to find your way here via social media (which is where most of my traffic is generating at the moment), do check your spam folder to see if I am still caught in the net. Thank you to all those who answered my email to release me.
International!
I am excited to know I have had sales in Australia! It is the first other English speaking country where T3 has been offered and bought. My first European sale was in Portugal! I may be scraped off the ceiling by anyone. Really.
Next
Just so it is set in stone…the deadline for the release of Mantra for a Muse is the last day of this month. I should be ready to turn it over to layout by early next week. There are some fast and fanatical bloggers and artists helping me create a trailer for the book. The cover art will be complete as soon as I know how many pages the book will be in total. It. Is. Beautiful. If I have said it before, I am compelled to say it again:
M3 has the most talented audience in the blogosphere.
Bar none. To say I have been humbled is a gross understatement. When I asked for you to give me reviewer quotes for the back of Mantra’s book, what you have had to say has taken my breath away. If you want to give me a quote for the book, leave your name in the poll (so I know where to reach you). Some of them will be featured in the trailer! Subscribe to the channel to be notified when the trailer hits the air: http://www.youtube.com/user/RedofM3
Right Turn, Clyde!
M3 vets know of the undercurrent of identity which runs through the veins of this blog. Many of you have come to know me not only as the non-spambot captain, who routinely turns off the “no smoking” sign, but as a complex person. Whether or not your were here for the initial unveiling, or have picked up your impression through any number of revealing posts on M3, one thing about me becomes crystal clear: I am multi-faceted.
I have heard, more often than is comfortable, I am the kind of person people would like to have met long ago, yet at the time in their life when they feel I would have been most beneficial, I would have been completely unapproachable. Let’s put it another way: They could have used my (perspective, chutzpah, strength), but it would have scared them into not attempting to meet me.
I always ask the same question: Why?
I need it, but…
All buts are cracked.” ~ Red Dwyer
Why do we walk away from the things which are good for us when we recognize them? We know precisely what is causing the suction in our lives, and we intentionally walk in the opposite direction from what would plug the hole where our souls are escaping.
Or worse? We tangentially engage, seek advice on how to plug the hole, play with the cork, use it to fish without a worm and go home to clamp the hose over the hole.
Poop in a Group
The first time I wanted to go on vacation from M3 (January), I asked for guest posts. I got zero volunteers. I went to some really powerhouse bloggers, who are also powerhouse friends, and asked specifically. The ones who had time constraints, I understood their negative answers. What floored me?
I can’t hold a candle to you.”
My response? Yes, yes. I know. I should not Friday Follies someone I ask for help; however, my response was…
The only reason my poop is in a group is because I keep the turds in the punchbowl.”
One of the biggest perils of living virtually is there is only so much which is feasible to reveal online. It is not the place to air some things, as we all saw in yesterday’s Friday Follies. Regardless of how perfect someone’s life may seem, they are still just as human as their readers. No matter what a shambles someone’s life may seem, they still have everyday victories worthy of celebration. Where we have to stand to view it all is in the middle.
Talent
Another left-handed compliment I routinely hear is You are so good at this. Not to seem completely ungrateful:
If I had not figured it out by now, I should have long since given up.”
Oodles of you have known me on a plethora of platforms. You know I am irascible at the drop of a hat. Fortunately, very few of you have been my quarry. On the other hand, part of the main reason what hits the pages and posts looks as it does is experience. Not discounting genuine talent, many of the professions which serve us very well are less about talent and more about practice. I have known really good plumbers, but I would never conceive to say they had an innate talent for plumbing. “Oh, you snake that drain as though you were born to remove feces from pipes!” Yeah, see, it even looks as stupid as it sounds.
It is part of what keeps the meters on M3. To be completely honest, my bios are slightly off when they mention millions of words. When surveyed, most people consider “millions of words” to mean at least one word over one million and less than two million. In fact, the plurality of “millions” as it is used to describe me means “more than one without upper limit”.
Every time I have sat before a screen to calculate how many words I have written, I have run against the upper limit of most measuring tools. Even the million word meter here only goes to 999,999. In Mundania, most people cannot conceptualize more than 1,000,000 words. My best estimation for intentional writing (not comments [which can be novellas in their own right], personal letters or email) weighs in around three million. I fall back on the adage:
Practice makes perfect.”
Confidence
This is the one I have the hardest time decrying. My observations to date of confident people has been their liaisons. Although the confidence building list begins and ends with “you”, without the four in the middle, many people who are good continue to fail. Want some proof? Remember the book I was going on about up top? The reason the book is going to be born is…
YOU
Despite having scribbled rhyme on every scrap of paper, shopping bags, receipts, index cards, legal pads, napkins and occasionally my hand for the last 20 plus years, nearly none of it met with any modicum of acceptance. While the derogatory remarks were not discouraging enough for me to stop, they were sufficient to keep me from overexposing the poetry. I knew I liked it, but I was not willing to listen to more poking and nitpicking of it. I would venture the last section had something to do with it…practicing. Overall, the major difference is not a change in style.
Instead, I exposed the poetry to different people. While I have been known to have the marketing ability to sell freezers to Eskimos, selling my own products has often been far more difficult. One saying really hit home when the M3 Readers began engaging and feeling and responding positively (even when it was heartfelt introspection) to my poetry:
Until next time,
~~~~~~~~~~
Have you every fallen prey to comparing yourself to someone else without all the information? Have you tried some of the techniques from C is for Confidence? How can you make a positive influence in someone’s life to help them overcome the but?
A bit of business: If you are interested in participating in the book and/or trailer with quotes or art, please take the poll. It will close tomorrow evening. After you comment, go enter for a copy of Red Tash’s Troll or Derby. Link just under the million word meter (upper right sidebar).
Alexandra Heep
/ August 5, 2012I find it very hard to believe you got nitpicked on your poetry. After reading yours, I hesitate to even share mine. Oh, I won’t stop, but what you said about intimidation about guest blogging (it’s why I did not volunteer either) could certainly apply to your poetry too.
Alexandra Heep recently posted..If It Fits …
Red
/ August 5, 2012It did apply to a certain degree. It was not so much I felt it was unworthy, but those I exposed it to were (I now know.) elitist and believed my revival effort was as ill-conceived as it was ill-timed. Sticking to traditional, albeit non-Shakespearean, roots is often unpopular with the “in” crowd. It is a striking example of telling editors where to step off.
And there is absolutely zero reasons why you would not make a terrific guest blogger. Zero. xxx
Alexandra Heep
/ August 6, 2012Poetry is a fickle thing. I stopped writing for a long time because of the traditionalists as well. Well, I had no “proper” English education. We did have an English lit course, but it did not cover Shakespeare, nor Poe, nor anything like that.
I would love to get a proper English education, but it’s not feasible at this time. However, that has not stopped me from writing.
I go by the motto “I think, therefore I am,” but it took me til almost middle age to figure that out.
Alexandra Heep recently posted..If It Fits …
Red
/ August 6, 2012Pish tosh on the “English education”. I had literature professors tell me I could not write paragraphs. I also had lit profs tell me I wrote far in excess of my age (and well past the point of when I was in primary school). What I learned of the great poets was it is all a matter of opinion. Stay tuned. “The Great Bard” will be making an appearance tomorrow.
BuddhaKat
/ August 5, 2012Many kudos, Red for your internationality!!
4 of 6 points relying on someone else’s view/take/opinion/mood for your confidence level. You really do challenge yourself, don’t you!?!?!?
I loved the confidence test graph. And the seven D’s above!!
You remind me of someone (oh, yeah, me) starting with the most critical when asking for “review”, handicapping yourself by asking someone strong in the field you have decided to avoid (Shakespearian, eg?) knowing full well on what their reviewer opinions will be based.
Personally, I like irascible, a trait that gives one character.
I also enjoy that you speak of the strategies we don’t often realize are as important as they are (ie infrastructure of book setup, true deadlines, etc).
Now that I have rambled, I also think one of your strengths is speaking your heart and your mind, and, as noted by Sue Dreamwalker, you always come through with support, or even just acknowledgement and appreciation to every and any of us that choose to share, comment, or whatever with you. Even the trolls!!!
I am eagerly awaiting the release of your Mantra musings…
hugs and more hugs, Red…
🙂
BuddhaKat recently posted..The fullness of Friday is filled with Fractals…
Red
/ August 5, 2012Feel free to snag the 7 Ds. Turns out, as irony is so sweet, those who critiqued the heaviest have no credits to their names…still. I have also learned to better weigh those who support than those who detract.
Yes, I am often the one pointing out the sequoia planted firmly before the forest. Some of the obvious things to me, I have come to realize, are not so obvious to others. If I can point them out, especially to someone who has not made the trip yet, I should be able to save some people a few hairs, wrinkles, vats of vitamin C and a modicum of sanity 😉
Fab to see you today, Kat. {HUGZ} Red. xxx
Derek Mansker
/ August 5, 2012Practice does not make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect. – Vince Lombardi — I guess that would mess up your adage to fall back on, wouldn’t it.
Derek Mansker recently posted..Worry Less, Live More
Red
/ August 6, 2012As I am not practicing field goals (as I recall that Lombardi quote), I think my version of practicing is working 😉 Thanks for stopping by, Derek. *giggles*
Friggin Loon
/ August 5, 2012Congrats on sales Down Under…..tough market 🙂
Friggin Loon recently posted..Hey Boo Boo
Red
/ August 6, 2012Only because I think those who make the news cannot read it!! Don’t you have a “Friggin’ Bad Parents” tag or category???
tess kann
/ August 6, 2012I LIKE irasible you. By the way, nice banner. I haven’t been around regularly for a while now but always, always enjoy visiting you.
tess kann recently posted..I Was Born This Way
Red
/ August 6, 2012I am so glad you do! You know I love when you drop by. One of my fairies made me the beautiful banner from one of my profile pictures. I think it is grand. <3
Matt
/ August 6, 2012Congratulations, Red! Don’t let your critics bother you. As far as I’m concerned, you write beautiful poetry, and I really enjoy reading your poetry…
Matt recently posted..Does Money Buy Happiness?
Red
/ August 6, 2012Oh, thank you, Matt. After some of the lovely things which have been said about the upcoming book, I am determined to leave the critics behind to languish in whatever fuels their negativity. So very good to see you tonight in your afternoon! Red.
MJ Logan
/ August 7, 2012Hi Red,
Trying to catch up again after a weekend of driving.
Mike
MJ Logan recently posted..Merry Go Round
Red
/ August 7, 2012Hope you got some rest. I am in need. My sleepometer is nearly empty.