Blogs by j.d. daniels on AuthorsDen.com

AuthorsDen.com Join | Login

Where Authors and Readers come together!

SIGNED BOOKS AUTHORS BOOKS SAMPLE CHAPTERS AUDIOBOOKS eBOOKS STORIES ARTICLES POETRY BLOGS NEWS VIDEOS SUCCESS TESTIMONIALS

Featured Authors: Donald Beaulieu, iFrances Altman, iPeter Jessop, iCheri Clifton, iJames Harvey, iRobert Wood, iMaryAngela Nangini PhD, iGary Caplan, iMichael Gorton, iJill Eisnaugle, i

Home > Blogs

Popular: Books, Stories, Articles, Poetry Authors: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

j.d. daniels

Follow Me

· Contact Me
· Books
· Articles
· Poetry
· News
· Stories
· Blog

· 28 Titles
· 37 Reviews
· Share with Friends!
· Member Since: Sep, 2003

j.d. daniels, click here to update your pages on AuthorsDen.

Blogs by j.d. daniels

Me--On Writing
9/11/2010 6:50:28 AM

My thoughts on my passion
Me, On Writing by j.d. daniels

As a woman needing to develop her wilder, independent nature, writing was my method for growth. I’d free write in my journal or quickly write a poem or a short story and constantly ask: Who am I? Have I grown as an independent woman? What further work do I have to do? I’d get others opinions, more interested in what they thought the piece was saying, than their close proofreading skills. Then I’d rewrite and rewrite, all the while focusing on personal transformation while reawakening an imagination that had suffered through the years.
My non-fiction process, however, was and is, different. The biography I wrote was important to me because: 1. It fulfilled a desire to capture the story of a woman I admired. 2. The process of research and organization necessary was proof I could write something using the rational side of my brain that was not “self” or “free form” based. And, 3. Writing a proposal and receiving a grant from the Iowa Arts Council helped validate my place as a writer, something that was important for me at that time.
As a creator of novels, my work often began with a character or an image and a question. For example, once in Turkey I saw a deformed man with the face of a movie star on the street. He was walking using his balled up fists as feet. His back was curved toward the sidewalk, but his face was raised to the sun. I asked: What would it be like to be that person’s mom or him? Each day, I’d put down a sentence and see what happened. No plot outline, no sense of where I was going, no pointed exploration of a theme. Go with the flow was my motto. Such a high I’d get and still do with this process. I’m a big believer that through process characters evolve, as do humans.
For years, I purposely did not study my craft. Oh, I read of course. Like all writers, I’m an avid reader, but I didn’t want to be influenced by anyone else’s style, so I did not study technique. Craft , I decided, wasn’t important. Putting words on the page was. That was enough. Gradually however, I came to believe that as a serious writer, I needed to know what I was doing, so if I chose, I could break the rules, something I advocate—rule breaking and free flow. I’ve been studying the craft of writing fiction and non-fiction for some time now. By doing so, I believe I’ve become a stronger writer and certainly a better editor.
As the years passed, a fellow writer and friend suggested we write from prompts and see what happened: “Oh, I can’t do that,” I assured her. That sounded too mechanical. Well, guess what? She won the discussion and she was right. It’s an excellent tool for a writer. Now, I use prompts often. So I’ve changed. I continue to learn. Learning is exhilarating.
I live my passion. I’m a lucky woman.

Post a Comment

More Blogs by j.d. daniels
• Reading/Book Signing for Through Pelican Eyes - Thursday, March 13, 2014
• Launch Party for Through Pelican Eyes - Thursday, March 13, 2014
• Release of Through Pelican Eyes - Thursday, March 13, 2014
• New Blog Post - Thursday, March 13, 2014
• New Website - Monday, February 17, 2014
• Writer Talk - Wednesday, January 15, 2014
• Writer's Fear - Thursday, January 9, 2014
• 2nd Edition of The Old Wolf Lady: Mawewa Mepemoa - Wednesday, January 8, 2014
• Sweets and Words - Tuesday, January 7, 2014
• Art Inspiring Poetry--My recent experience - Monday, January 6, 2014
• Through Pelican Eyes - Sunday, January 5, 2014
• Robert Stein Endorsement for Mystery - Saturday, January 4, 2014
• THROUGH PELICAN EYES ENDORSEMENT - Saturday, January 4, 2014
• THROUGH PELICAN EYES - Sunday, December 29, 2013
• Prairie Wolf Press Review - Saturday, November 9, 2013
• Issue 71 of Doorknobs & BodyPaint - Wednesday, September 4, 2013
• Istanbul - Tuesday, September 3, 2013
• Say Yes Review - Monday, August 26, 2013
• Audio of Prairie Light Bookstore Reading - Saturday, July 27, 2013
• Say Yes as ebook - Tuesday, July 16, 2013
• Say Yes as ebook - Tuesday, July 16, 2013
• A Book of Poetry a Best Seller? - Tuesday, July 9, 2013
• Prepping for a reading - Wednesday, June 26, 2013
• Poetry Reading - Wednesday, June 19, 2013
• So Much Fun - Saturday, April 13, 2013
• Island Visions - Friday, April 12, 2013
• SAY YES Released - Thursday, April 4, 2013
• Say Yes - Saturday, March 30, 2013
• Release of SAY YES - Thursday, March 28, 2013
• Release of Issue V of Prairie Wolf Press Review - Wednesday, March 20, 2013
• Interviewing Crab Fisherfolk - Tuesday, March 12, 2013
• ArtPoems 2013 Performance & Dance Alliance - Saturday, March 9, 2013
• Poetry/Dance - Thursday, February 21, 2013
• Prairie Wolf Press Review - Thursday, February 21, 2013
• Sleuthfest Sarasota - Wednesday, February 20, 2013
• Sleuthfest 2013 in Sarasota - Wednesday, February 13, 2013
• Free Reading of Cozy Mystery Chapter One - Wednesday, February 13, 2013
• Short Story Publication - Monday, February 4, 2013
• Through Pelican Eyes: Chapter One - Tuesday, January 29, 2013
• Through Pelican Eyes - Sunday, January 27, 2013
• Poetry Publication - Saturday, January 12, 2013
• PEN Women - Saturday, January 12, 2013
• Reading in Swisher - Saturday, October 13, 2012
• Travel and Writing - Saturday, October 13, 2012
• The Waiting Game--Why? - Wednesday, August 15, 2012
• PNWA Conference - Saturday, August 4, 2012
• PNWA Conference - Saturday, August 4, 2012
• PNWA Conference - Saturday, August 4, 2012
• New Story Publication - Sunday, June 3, 2012
• PEN Women - Wednesday, May 23, 2012
• Prairie Wolf Press on Facebook - Saturday, April 21, 2012
• Prairie Wolf Press Review, Issue III - Wednesday, March 21, 2012
• Poem Publication - Monday, January 30, 2012
• The Making OF... - Monday, November 28, 2011
• Electronic 2nd Edition Publication - Monday, November 14, 2011
• Issue Two of Prairie Wolf Press Live!! - Saturday, October 29, 2011
• The Old Wolf Lady - Wednesday, October 19, 2011
• Myopia--a short story - Sunday, October 16, 2011
• Prairie Wolf Press Review News - Sunday, October 16, 2011
• Poetry Publication in riverbabble 19 - Wednesday, June 22, 2011
• In Secret Kept - Monday, June 6, 2011
• Mystery is done!! - Saturday, April 30, 2011
• Poets & Writers Directory - Saturday, April 23, 2011
• The Matlacha Mystery - Tuesday, April 19, 2011
• Release of New Online Journal - Tuesday, March 22, 2011
• Blue by Lou Aronica - Friday, February 4, 2011
• Poem Publication - Sunday, January 30, 2011
• Writers Life: December 4th - Saturday, December 4, 2010
• Writers Life: December 3rd, 2010 - Friday, December 3, 2010
• Writers Life: November 27th - Saturday, November 27, 2010
• Writer's Life, Nov. 20th, 2010 - Saturday, November 20, 2010
• Writer's Life: Nov. 19th, 2010 - Friday, November 19, 2010
• Postrejection Reflection... - Thursday, November 18, 2010
• Story Acceptance: Doorknobs, Issue 60 - Wednesday, November 17, 2010
• Mystery - Tuesday, November 16, 2010
• Writing Today - Monday, November 15, 2010
• She Writes - Sunday, November 14, 2010
• The Old Wolf Lady: A Biography - Saturday, November 13, 2010
• Prairie Wolf Press: A New Home - Wednesday, October 27, 2010
• Call for Submissions - Sunday, October 10, 2010
• Waiting - Saturday, October 9, 2010
• Iowa Center for the Book - Tuesday, September 14, 2010
• Me--On Writing - Saturday, September 11, 2010
• Call for Submissions - Wednesday, September 1, 2010
• Doorknobs & BodyPaint: Two More Stories - Friday, August 27, 2010
• Prairie Wolf Press - Sunday, August 15, 2010
• riverbabble 17 - Tuesday, June 29, 2010
• New Online Literary Journal to Launch - Tuesday, June 22, 2010
• Pelican Totem: A Response to the Gulf Disaster - Sunday, June 20, 2010
• Published Essay Online - Friday, June 4, 2010
• Doorknobs & BodyPaint - Thursday, June 3, 2010
• Three New Flash Fiction Publications - Saturday, May 29, 2010
• Inspiration - Friday, May 14, 2010
• Four Queries Sent Out - Wednesday, May 12, 2010
• St. Martin's Books/Hillerman Mystery Contest - Wednesday, May 12, 2010
• The Royal Palm Literary Contest - Wednesday, May 12, 2010
• riverbabble, issue 16 - Tuesday, February 9, 2010
• Short Story Acceptance - Tuesday, January 26, 2010
• A Question About Editors - Saturday, January 23, 2010
• My Secret - Monday, January 11, 2010
• Doorknobs & BodyPaint/Issue 56 - Tuesday, December 1, 2009
• Writer's Mania - Tuesday, December 1, 2009
• One down, Second in Progress - Sunday, October 25, 2009
• A first--A Novella - Friday, September 25, 2009
• Three New Story Publications - Tuesday, September 8, 2009
• The Andre Dubus III Story - Monday, September 7, 2009
• A New Must Read - Monday, September 7, 2009
• Flash Fiction Publication - Friday, August 28, 2009
• A Must Own - Friday, August 21, 2009
• Returning to my Writing - Thursday, August 6, 2009
• Northwest Writers Conference - Monday, August 3, 2009
• Northwest Writers Conference - Saturday, August 1, 2009
• Writers Conference - Tuesday, June 9, 2009
• Dearest, I Am Going Mad Again - Wednesday, May 27, 2009
• Orhan Pamuk - Wednesday, May 13, 2009
• That's all--it helps - Thursday, April 23, 2009
• Many Lives/Many Masters - Saturday, April 18, 2009
• Full Synopsis Horror - Wednesday, April 15, 2009
• Agatha Christie - Tuesday, March 31, 2009
• Doorknobs & BodyPaint Fantastic Flash Fiction - Tuesday, March 24, 2009
• David Foster Wallace - Friday, March 20, 2009
• Working at finding my zone - Tuesday, March 3, 2009
• How do you keep fit? - Saturday, February 21, 2009
• Acceptance of Two Stories - Thursday, February 19, 2009
• Query/Synopsis Writing - Wednesday, February 18, 2009
• The Agent Search - Monday, February 2, 2009
• A visit from an old friend... - Tuesday, January 6, 2009
• First Paragraphs - Sunday, January 4, 2009
• The Bookseller of Kabul - Friday, January 2, 2009
• Bringing in 2009 - Wednesday, December 31, 2008
• Are you a writer? - Monday, December 22, 2008
• Are you a writer? - Monday, December 22, 2008
• Giving up Control - Saturday, December 20, 2008
• Advice from Poet Jane Miller - Friday, December 19, 2008
• Motivation for Novel Writing - Saturday, December 13, 2008
• My Revised Manuscript - Friday, December 12, 2008
• Manuscript Progress - Tuesday, December 9, 2008
• Gulf Coast Writers Workshop - Saturday, November 15, 2008
• Relocation & Routine - Thursday, November 13, 2008
• Wow! So Cool! - Sunday, October 19, 2008
• A New York Reading - Sunday, October 5, 2008
• A New Independent Press Venture - Sunday, October 5, 2008
• Seattle Retreat - Sunday, August 24, 2008
• Another Kindred Spirit Emerges - Wednesday, July 23, 2008
• Parched - Sunday, July 20, 2008
• Iowa Summer Writers Workshop - Sunday, July 20, 2008
• The Waiting Game - Tuesday, June 10, 2008
• I put the manuscript in the mail!! - Friday, May 23, 2008
• Send me Good Energy - Tuesday, May 20, 2008
• Waiting for the Manuscript - Thursday, May 15, 2008
• Keeping the Faith - Tuesday, May 13, 2008
• Relocated - Thursday, May 8, 2008
• Getting Closer: Conquering the Pain Body - Friday, April 25, 2008
• Enemies - Monday, April 14, 2008
• A Must Read - Tuesday, April 8, 2008
• The Jewel I took away from the Book Fest and Conference - Sunday, April 6, 2008
• Naple Press Club Annual Authors & Book Fest - Thursday, April 3, 2008
• Second Web Page - Saturday, March 29, 2008
• Multiple Scars Excerpt - Friday, March 28, 2008
• Revision--again and again - Thursday, March 27, 2008
• Iowa Summer Writing Festival - Tuesday, March 11, 2008
• Oprah's Bookclub - Tuesday, March 11, 2008
• Progress - Monday, March 10, 2008
• Naples Press Club Writer's Conference - Thursday, March 6, 2008
• Getting Closer - Friday, February 29, 2008
• New Member of Mystery Writers of America - Monday, February 25, 2008
• The Revision Game - Friday, February 15, 2008
• Exercise Partners - Tuesday, February 12, 2008
• Matlacha Writers Group - Tuesday, February 12, 2008
• The AWP Conference Revisited - Monday, February 4, 2008
• The Literary Lion - Monday, February 4, 2008
• Want the Perfect Valentine's Gift? - Tuesday, January 29, 2008
• Call for Reviews - Saturday, January 26, 2008
• The AWP Conference in New York - Friday, January 25, 2008
• Reviews for Multiple Scars - Sunday, January 20, 2008
• Amazon Breakthrough Novel Contest - Wednesday, January 16, 2008
• New Writer's Group - Sunday, January 13, 2008
• Work-in-Progress - Sunday, January 13, 2008
• The Traveling Writer's Life - Saturday, December 1, 2007
• AWP Conference in New York - Tuesday, November 27, 2007
• The Old Wolf Lady shelved at Prairie Lights Bookstore - Wednesday, September 5, 2007
• The Writer's Life - Monday, June 18, 2007
• The Naples Book Festival - Sunday, February 25, 2007
• Sara Williams` Seminar - Saturday, February 17, 2007
• Naples Writer's Conference - Monday, January 29, 2007
• The Florida Writer's Association - Monday, January 29, 2007
• Florida's Creative Coast Weekend - Monday, January 22, 2007
• A Goal Accomplished - Saturday, December 9, 2006
• I've never known a writer - Wednesday, December 6, 2006
• Bloody Hell & Under the Hawthorne Tree - Wednesday, November 29, 2006
• Two New Stories Published - Tuesday, November 21, 2006
• La Push Inspiration - Saturday, August 19, 2006
• Doorknobs & Body Paint Online Journal Acceptance - Saturday, August 19, 2006
• Directory of Iowa Artists & Performing Groups - Friday, July 21, 2006
• Razor Sharp Guidance - Thursday, June 22, 2006
• Iowa City Library Book Appearance - Saturday, May 27, 2006
• Women's Archives Collection: The University of Iowa - Saturday, May 27, 2006
• Writing Coach/Editor Extraordinaire: Suzanne Kelsey - Saturday, May 27, 2006
• Author! Screenwriter! by Peter Miller - Saturday, May 27, 2006
• Poetry Acceptance: Poetry in Public - Wednesday, April 5, 2006
• Cape Coral Florida Public Library - Sunday, January 15, 2006
• I Sure Hope You're Joyce - Sunday, January 15, 2006
• Pine Island Writing Seminar - Sunday, January 15, 2006
• Coffee Talk - Wednesday, September 14, 2005
• It's Out There! - Monday, May 2, 2005
• The Old Wolf Lady - Friday, April 1, 2005
• Upcoming publication - Tuesday, February 1, 2005