Next up is the one...the only, Huntley Fitzpatrick. She is here today to talk to us about her biggest writing challenge.
I did a lot of thinking about my biggest writing challenges….
The easy answer is time, and that nagging sense that there is never as much as I’d like there to be, never enough for me to spend the whole day writing as I’d ideally do without the household turning into chaos and the laundry never being done and all those endless not very fascinating tasks that keep life going smoothly falling into disrepair.
The harder answer is comparing. I’m a lifelong dedicated avid reader, and it is a struggle not to read the latest great YA and think “Wow…I will never be that good.” It is easy to tell my children that comparisons are odious and we always lose when we compare. It’s harder to remember that myself.
I think the hardest thing of all is being brave about writing, writing the deep and difficult things. We all have a tendency to protect ourselves, but the best writing, I think, is about not doing that—writing from the heart, from your deepest loves and your darkest thoughts and your toughest times. It took me a few completed novels before I got that.
Here is one of my favorite quotes about writing: “within the world of books there is no censure. In discovering books, you became free to explore the full range of human motives, desires, secrets and lies. All my life, people have scolded me for having an excess of feeling, saying I was too sensitive—as if one could be in danger from feeling too much instead of too little. But my outsized emotions were well represented in books.” (Betsy Lerner, The Forest for the Trees).
I’ve echoed this quote from Roald Dahl so many times because it is so true…. "So Matilda’s strong young mind continued to grow, nurtured by the voices of all those authors who had sent their books out into the world like ships on the sea. These books gave Matilda a hopeful and comforting message: You are not alone."
We lovers of words and stories all know this. My hardest job is remembering it.
The easy answer is time, and that nagging sense that there is never as much as I’d like there to be, never enough for me to spend the whole day writing as I’d ideally do without the household turning into chaos and the laundry never being done and all those endless not very fascinating tasks that keep life going smoothly falling into disrepair.
The harder answer is comparing. I’m a lifelong dedicated avid reader, and it is a struggle not to read the latest great YA and think “Wow…I will never be that good.” It is easy to tell my children that comparisons are odious and we always lose when we compare. It’s harder to remember that myself.
I think the hardest thing of all is being brave about writing, writing the deep and difficult things. We all have a tendency to protect ourselves, but the best writing, I think, is about not doing that—writing from the heart, from your deepest loves and your darkest thoughts and your toughest times. It took me a few completed novels before I got that.
Here is one of my favorite quotes about writing: “within the world of books there is no censure. In discovering books, you became free to explore the full range of human motives, desires, secrets and lies. All my life, people have scolded me for having an excess of feeling, saying I was too sensitive—as if one could be in danger from feeling too much instead of too little. But my outsized emotions were well represented in books.” (Betsy Lerner, The Forest for the Trees).
I’ve echoed this quote from Roald Dahl so many times because it is so true…. "So Matilda’s strong young mind continued to grow, nurtured by the voices of all those authors who had sent their books out into the world like ships on the sea. These books gave Matilda a hopeful and comforting message: You are not alone."
We lovers of words and stories all know this. My hardest job is remembering it.
Huntley's grounds:
“One thing my mother never knew, and would disapprove of most of all,
was that I watched the Garretts. All the time.”
The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, numerous, messy,
affectionate. And every day from her balcony perch, seventeen-year-old
Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them…until one summer evening Jase
Garrett climbs her trellis and changes everything. As the two fall
fiercely in love and stumble through the awkwardness and awesomeness of
first romance, Jase’s family makes Samantha one of their own—even as she
keeps him a secret from her disapproving mother and critical best
friend. Then the unthinkable happens, and the bottom drops out of
Samantha’s world. She’s suddenly faced with an impossible decision.
Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?was that I watched the Garretts. All the time.”
A debut novel about family, friendship, first romance, and how to be true to one person you love without betraying another.
To celebrate Huntley would like to give 1 lucky person a copy of My Life Next Door!
This giveaway is International!
All giveaways this month end on October 7th.
Hi Huntley, nice to meet you. I find that time is a big challenge all the time. The house is always chaotic lol.
ReplyDeleteWriting regularly is a huge challenge for me. :(
ReplyDeletemy biggest challenge ...removing myself from wonderful books ..I can so easily forget that children last longer if you feed them !!! LOL
ReplyDeleteMy biggest challenge is trying to fight panic/aneixty attacks as they hold be back from doing things.But it does mean i read alot as i dont go out.
ReplyDeleteAt the moment its trying to keep our head above water till my husband gets a job :(
ReplyDeleteGood grades! I'm at med school! So is really difficult to keep up sometimes but I do really want to become a doctor! (Ileana-rafflecopter)
ReplyDeleteNot getting distracted or discouraged.
ReplyDeletereach my challenge reading of my books :)
ReplyDeletestaying sane while my mother is ill.
ReplyDeletethanks for the giveaway :)
Keeping my grades up and balancing work at the same time.
ReplyDeleteNot getting discouraged :]
ReplyDeletestay strong and live my life with out fear.
ReplyDeleteTrying not to be as shy as I am.
ReplyDeleteKeeping my house clean with a 2 year old.
ReplyDeleteTo be strong in every situation!
ReplyDeleteMy biggest challenge is managing my time. I want to read, but I have to work and do homework too!
ReplyDeleteGetting up in the morning to go to school -.-
ReplyDeleteTrying not to be such a perfectionist and just chilling. I think that is why I like to read- I can just relax and let go.
ReplyDeleteTime is always a challenge.. I have to find time for everything and sometimes is stressful but sometimes I have enough free time to enjoy something I want to do.
ReplyDeleteMy biggest challenge is to contain my anger. I'm an emotional person and I tend to hurt the people I love if I'm angry. I never get physical, though (thank God!) but I usually said bitter words which I regret later >,<
ReplyDeletemy biggest challenge is to managed my time between, work, study, read novel and watch movie
ReplyDelete-Lilian S
One of my biggest challenges is to keep faith and confidence in myself.
ReplyDeleteOne of my biggest challenges is to remind myself that i can change and i need to accept myself.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the giveaway!
Demitra Giote
I have ptsd, bdd and bipolar/mania my day to days can be pretty harsh.. i need to always try to take things one day at a time.
ReplyDeleteMaking my dreams come true is a big challenge for me lately because I've become aware that I can die absolutely every moment in my life, and if I do without accomplishing something... Than life won't be all I lost.
ReplyDeleteI get sick often, so I miss lots of things because of it.
ReplyDeleteTo graduate from college and get a job!! It's difficult to find one, so I'm really hoping to find something after I graduate..
ReplyDeleteTo motivate myself to do some projects that I have been putting off forever.
ReplyDeletemy big challenge is stop eating junk food and live more healthy
ReplyDeleteMy big challenge is managing my time between my daughter and my friends, iam a single mother..
ReplyDeletethanks for the chance
Be healthier, read more books, study more!
ReplyDeleteMy challenges right now is just trying to get through the personal problem my family is facing but I do hope that we can get through it :)
ReplyDeleteGoing out of my comfort zone
ReplyDeleteRight now, to pass my driver exam
ReplyDeleteI'd like to move to Canada and finish my college there.
ReplyDeleteI'm naturally a stressful person, and have to constantly calm myself down from having an all-out panic attack. Another one would be just meeting people in general. I'm terrified of just walking up to someone and saying hello even.
ReplyDelete