Friday, January 3, 2014

Writing Women

Along with other things, I am a female writer, and I have trouble writing women characters. It’s bothered me for some time. I can write multi layered male characters, heroes, villains, sometimes both living in the same person, but not women. Why?

As a strong, independent, self-reliant woman, it’s always been a mystery, until this very moment.

I just realized the reason I’m having trouble at it – it’s because I feel like I’ve been having trouble being one. Like I try, so hard to be strong and independent, that I feel like I’m not a character I’d want to see, sorry, not see, but believe.  That, men, given their role in society from the beginning of time, as being warriors and hunters, bread winners, fighters, heroes are predetermined to be interesting characters. But, women being these things are rare in comparison, and me, myself, achieving these things – honest to God, it’s exhausting. I feel like so many women are bad asses and carving out the way for the rest of us, battling the bullshit and fighting, fighting, fighting, ALWAYS to be heard and seen and taken seriously. I feel like it’s my duty to chin up and make them proud, but Lord, most of the time, I’d much rather stop trying to push myself and just sit down and watch some trashy TV. I just feel like I’m not allowed to.

So why would I want to watch/read a female character like that?


Wait a sec, why wouldn’t I?

Thursday, January 2, 2014

My New Year's Wish To You

In this New Year, May you….

Find the beauty in simple things.

Spend time with lovely people that laugh with you and not at you.

Don’t miss a moment being busy trying to capture it. You can’t see everything going on around you thru the screen of your phone.

Get recognized for your hard work. Speak up if you must – but not too often, no one likes a braggart.

Find a moisturizer that does what it says it does. And not break the bank trying to find it.

Find 3 killer outfits that make you look freakin’ awesome, but also look like you just ‘threw it together’.

Rip one epic fart, when you are all alone and no one walks in right after.

(and while we’re on the subject) Never find yourself glued to the toilet, wondering, ‘what the hell did I eat last night?’

Quit bitching until you do something about it. I don’t care what it is, crappy roommates, need new glasses, hate your job – not one more negative word until you take the first step in changing it.

And finally, do something silly. Because, honestly, no one really cares what you do, no one thinks about anyone that much to care, and if they really find it necessary to poke fun at you for doing something you enjoy, f*ck ‘em. They probably only find joy in making fun of people, anyway, so who cares?  But don’t call me if you rob a bank or something, I’m not bailing your ass out of jail for your own bad judgment.


-- Cher Lytle

                                                                                   



Moments Of Clarity

I get a really odd moment of clarity every day. I mean, it’s really lucky that I get one at all, and for that I totally appreciate it. But I’ve narrowed down the moment and what I get bombarded by.

The moment is: As soon as I am aware I am awake, laying in bed – you know, right before you decide ‘Alright, I gotta get up’ and it ends as soon as I speak, hear anything (besides background) or drink coffee. It lasts throughout feeding the cats and making the coffee, because I can do those things in my sleep, as soon as my mind purposefully engages, it’s gone.

What is it: Freakin’ everything. A better way to do something, things I meant to get done yesterday, things I need to get done today, a new idea to write, an interesting camera angle or a cool picture to take, add ‘this’ to that recipe and it will make it better, this is what you should say in that email you’ve been struggling with, here are 18 titles you’ve never thought of, you need to get ‘this’ done before you do that other thing you really want to do, check out these 5 websites. Seriously, it’s everything, at once.


I have learned to write things down quickly, especially those that stick out like a bell ringing.  But it’s not everything going on in the noggin. I’m almost afraid if I were to tap and able to write everything down, what it would be.