Let's Talk with Debra H. Goldstein
Let’s Talk with Debra H Goldstein
July 22, 2021
Saying Nothing in Five Hundred Words or Less
by Debra H. Goldstein
When you already write a minimum of four blogs a month (Booklovers Bench, the Stiletto Gang, Writers Who Kill, and It’s Not Always a Mystery) and then, as part of the promotion of a book that just released, create content for at least thirty more, it sometimes is hard to come up with a fresh idea. There just doesn’t seem to be anything new to say.
But, for a writer, that’s a cop out. The reality is that, to paraphrase Ecclesiastes, there is nothing new under the sun. I read that to mean that everything that happens, every idea we have, every word we write, in some way is a recycling of what has come before.
Considering the greatness of words in the Bible and in the many works by bestselling and just starting writers, I believe that to be true. We each simply put our own slant on stories and ideas from the past. Today, as I write this, I think I’ll recycle Seinfeld and admit that I’m going to write about nothing in five hundred words or less.
Or, maybe I did say something. For a chance to win a copy of Four Cuts Too Many, what do you think? How does the replaying of ideas impact you in your life or when you’re reading? (print winner must have US mailing address)
Posted in Let's Talk, with Debra H. Goldstein • Tags: BLB Discussion, Debra H Goldstein, Four Cuts Too Many, Let's Talk, Saying Nothing in 500 words or less | 33 Comments
I absolutely loved how you used Ecclesiastes for a reference and honestly that makes so much sense. What an encouragement! I’m an aspiring writer and it’s easy to let all the doubts creep in but this has truly lifted me up. Thank you so much for that. This is why you are one of my new favorite authors. I absolutely love your books. They’re witty, relatable, and I completely adore the critters! Thank you for saying what I so badly needed to hear.
Sarah,
Good luck with your writing. It is easy to let the doubts creep in…but also to plow though them. Thank you for the compliments, too. Made my day.
Frankly, I’m amazed that you (and most of the other BLB authors besides me!) have the energy to pen all that extra content in addition to writing your books. Re: blog posts, I have tried recycling myself before, but only when it’s been many years since the original piece appeared. And, mostly, it doesn’t work well. I think of blog posts as ephemera — perfectly fine for their posted time but not to be revamped/rewritten/upcycled, though possibly reread simply for nostalgia’s sake. Yes, I agree, there’s nothing new under the sun…it’s just how you spin it anew!
Sometimes repeating works…but with updating.
I love this post! This is one of the issues around the release of a new book. I love the jazz and buzz of a Virtual Blog Tour, but it demands a LOT of original content. I start several months ahead gathering blog ideas so that I’m not staring at a blank page.
Even with starting early, I find there comes a moment, usually not related to the tour per se, that I ahve to take a deep breath to find something new.
How does the replay of ideas impact my life or when I’m reading? Thinking over the passages of the Bible including Ecclesiastes the replay of ideas impact my greatly and more so when they’re put into practice. However, the replay of ideas can instill doubts you need to push away. Always try to have a positive attitude it helps.
Love your book cover, title, excerpt.
Would love to read and review in print format
I like your mention of doubts, because those negative thoughts often do get in the way ….
That is why ‘Character Development’ is so important. How and why a character does something and how each character is connected to every other character is what makes the difference in life experiences. That goes for living and mentally created individuals!
Exactly right.
I agree that there’s nothing new under the sun, but the cool thing is that each of us are unique. When we put our experiences, skills, and lens over any topic, we come up with a slant that is our special voice. I’m so grateful that you can give 20 authors the same topic and all would write something different. This is what keeps readers coming back for more and more. We all want the familiar mixed in with something new.
That said, I’m in awe of how many blogs you can post in a month. I always struggle with thinking that my unique slant isn’t very interesting. lol.
When the words flow, it works. When not… but you are right, we each write differently.
I can imagine how hard it must be to come up with new (or new recycled) ideas for stories!! I find that, when reading mystery series, no matter how much the main characters stay the same, it’s the adventures they get into that change, and that’s what makes them fun to read.
Exactly.
This week I had the opposite problem. I suddenly realized that I had my monthly post for Stiletto Gang scheduled for yesterday. At 10pm Monday night I was at the computer pecking away to get something written and posted. Only it turns out the post isn’t scheduled until next Wednesday. Luckily, the person who was scheduled for yesterday caught my goof, and Debra (thanks again!) updated the date before I was even aware of the problem. I think we all need personal assistants to help keep our lives straight!
I know I do… and it was no big deal.. You’ve had a lot on your plate and that was something I could mindlessly do.
How you put your own spin on an idea is so much more important than finding the elusive new idea! We have the original sources for Shakespeare’s plays, but that doesn’t take anything away from the brilliance of his writing.
Exactly right… nor from the derivatives of his plays.
Debra,
This post hits home since I’m in the very position you’re writing about. I find recycling and updating works lots of times, but I’m grateful that new ideas crop up, too.
Even the recycled has new ideas within it…. and if a part of the commentary touches a nerve, it’s a home run.
I’m amazed how authors come up with new ideas or put a new spin on things. Trying to do all these blogs has to be a challenge. As a fan, I love it!
And we love having you read our words… whether new, recycled, tired, or energized.
This turned out to be a deeper response than I thought I would write… Almost everything in life is an art, from storytelling to painting to conversation and so on. Sticking with the art comparison, an artist selects from every shade and hue to create something that has meaning to him/her. The subject material is interpreted by the artist from a mental or actual image and rendered into solid form for others to view. Good art makes people slow down, stop even. It engages them on several levels, even if they say why they really like or dislike the piece. As I “paint with words” I strive to communicate my ideas in a fresh and relevant way. Whether it be a blog, short story, novella, or book, word art is something I’ve poured myself into in a thoughtful way. I keep at it until it feels right, that’s how I know it’s art, even if the ideas and words are recycled.
beautiful analogy
I need to replay my own blogs right now because I’m out of ideas. Or maybe I’m too distracted by other tasks. Kudos to you for keeping up with four group blogs plus your blog tour!
Thanks.. and believe me that knowing you… it is merely too many things with the new move, etc.
I am not an author so I cannot completely understand how difficult it is to come up with new ideas for stories or for articles. Having written college papers and poetry I do remember sometimes stumped to come with something to write about. It can be rather frustrating and sometimes I just needed to take a break.
And that break can make all the difference for re-energizing
Debra, how timely. This month I was bothered by the fact that I couldn’t come up with a blog topic and finally said to myself, well write about not being able to come up with a topic. I love your newsletter and am inspired by your ability to keep coming up with ideas, recycled or not!
Darlene, thank you…… sometimes nothing is a lot to say.
I love how it brings back things that I may or may not remember from earlier in the book. I know as I get older, my brain does not retain the information that I once knew. Thank you for the opportunity. God bless you.
We all have that issue… think of it as a computer overload
Thank you all for your comments … and for being patient with me while I took a few days off to re-energize. The winner of this month’s DHG Let’s Talk is Tammy King. An email has been sent to her to see if she prefers a paper or e-version of the book. Watch for more giveaways in the future and don’t forget to enter our vault contest in August.