Wednesday, July
23,
2008
"Lexophile: Lover of
Cryptic Writing"
HUMOR FOR LEXOPHILES
This was sent to me last year, and I
just found it this morning. It gave me a laugh--I
hope it will brighten your day too.
I
wondered why the baseball was getting bigger. Then
it hit me.
Police were called to a day care where a 3-year-old
was resisting a rest.
Did
you hear about the guy whose whole left side was cut
off? He's all right now.
The
roundest knight at King Arthur's round table was Sir
Cumference.
To write with a broken pencil is pointless.
When fish are in schools, they sometimes take
debate.
The short fortune teller who escaped from prison was
a small medium at large.
A thief who stole a calendar got 12 months.
A thief fell fell broke his leg in wet cement. He
became a hardened criminal.
When the smog lifts in Los Angeles, U.C.L.A.
The dead batteries were given out free of charge.
A dentist and a manicurist fought tooth and nail.
A bicycle can't stand alone; it is two tired.
A will is a dead giveaway.
Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.
A
backward poet writes inverse.
A
chicken crossing the road is poultry in motion.
If you
don't pay your exorcist you can get repossessed.
Show me a
piano falling down a mine shaft and I'll show you
A-flat miner..
The
guy who fell onto an upholstery machine was fully
recovered.
You
are stuck with your debt if you can't budge it.
A
calendar's days are numbered.
A boiled egg
is hard to beat.
He had a photographic memory which was never
developed.
Those
who get too big for their britches will be exposed
in the end.
When you've seen one shopping center, you've seen a
mall.
When she saw her first strands of gray hair, she
thought she'd dye.
Santa's helpers are subordinate
clauses.
Acupuncture:
a jab well done.
Monday, July 22,
2008
"Give Your
Characters YOUR Secrets"
I'm always reading articles on
writing with your original voice and writing
honestly, so I read Rob Parnell's article
"Baring Your Soul: a Writer's Guide" with
interest. It's about having the guts to write
honestly about what you think, how you feel, what
you've done, and who you are.
After I read Rob's six exercises (see
below,) I couldn't help thinking that the answers to
these questions would make great traits and
backstory and fodder for your villains and quirky
characters in your novels.
Do go and read the whole article, but
here are the questions. Copy them into your writing
notebook or your idea file, then take time to answer
them--honestly. I plan to!
1. Write
about the worst thing that's happened to you.
Get it all out, every feeling, however low, every
nuance of how it went down, who was to blame and how
much you hate the people or events that caused it to
happen.
2. Write
about the most horrible thing you've ever done.
It's easy for us to write about nice things and the
good in ourselves but we hide from our other, darker
side. No more - write down the most nasty vicious
things you've ever thought or done. Don't be afraid,
you don't have to show them to anyone - but you do
need to purge those demons and get them out on
paper.
3. List your
crimes/sins in detail. All of us are a mess
of good and bad. The facade we present to the world
is an amalgam of what we want others to see. We all
have bad thoughts and evil moments - it's how we
deal with them that makes us who we are. Get it all
out in the open.
4. Name your
enemies and describe them. Really try to
get inside the people you don't like - describe
their physical appearance but also try to imagine
how their minds work -and what they think about -
especially about you.
5. Write
about your embarrassing habits. Leave no
stone unturned. No matter how bad, write about the
things you wouldn't mention to a soul. Write down
exactly what it is you enjoy - or hate - about those
private little things you do when nobody's looking.
6. Write
about your secret prejudices. We all have
them - thoughts and notions that we know are not
quite politically correct or acceptable, even to
ourselves sometimes. But get them down on paper,
explore your logic behind them and how they shape
your more conventional notions.
Friday, July 19,
2008
"Regain the
Passion--Part 3"
(First
read "Regain the Passion"
Part 1 and Part 2.)
How to Regain Lost Passion
If you were passionate about your writing in the past,
but haven’t felt that way for a long time, there is a
definite sadness mixed in with the lethargy. It feels
like falling out of love, and in a very real sense, it
is. Can you stir up the fires of passion for your
writing? Can you fall in love with writing and your work
again, when all seems dry as dust and just as tasteless?
Yes!
Surprising Sources
Years ago, I struggled with this question, slowing
becoming afraid that the boredom and apathy were
permanent. I tried to muster some enthusiasm for my
book-in-progress, whose deadline was fast approaching,
but to no avail. It wasn’t the book manuscript itself. I
knew it was finely plotted, with well placed clues and
plenty of tension. The problem wasn’t in the
manuscript—it was in me.
I found the answer to the problem one cold, snowy
morning, and it came from the most unlikely source: my
dog. We’d had freezing conditions for several days,
cutting short my walks with Rhett (my black Lab.) I
chained him outside for the day, then hurried back
indoors. Playtime was cut short—it was just too cold and
windy for me. I paid little attention to Rhett during
that week, although I’d loved him passionately since
bringing him home from the pound ten months earlier. As
the frigid week wore on, and the weather stayed
miserable, I began to resent having a dog. I hated going
out in the weather to his snug dog house, carrying water
often because his dish froze over. I became apathetic
about Rhett—he was getting to be more trouble than he
was worth.
Then one day the sun came out, melted the snow, and
temperatures soared. I put Rhett on his leash and took
an hour-long walk, complete with Puppy Biscuit rewards
for correct sitting, heeling and staying. When we got
home, I chained him outside near his food and water,
then stayed to play. I petted, I stroked, I laughed, I
cooed. (If you’re not a dog owner, you may need to gag
here.) Anyone watching me that morning could see I had
regained my passion for owning a dog.
Simple Formula
I’m sure you see the parallels. Regaining passion for
your work can be accomplished the same way:
A. Pay attention to your work. Think about it when
you’re not at your desk. Mull over your theme. Ponder
plot points. Have mental conversations with your
characters.
B. Take care of your work. Feed it with quotes and good
resource books. Do in-depth research and interviews.
Immerse yourself in your subject matter.
C. Spend time with your work. Daily, if possible. If you
want passion to ignite in anything (a relationship, your
work, a hobby) you must spend consistent—and
sufficient—time with it. We understand this principle in
romantic relationships, but it’s just as true with your
writing.
Don’t Settle
Part of the enjoyment of being a writer is the pure
passion and pleasure of setting words on paper. Don’t
settle for ho-hum, apathetic work. Instead take the
necessary steps to revive your passion for writing. Do
it as often as necessary to keep that spark of joy
alive!
Wednesday, July 16,
2008
"Regain the
Passion--Part 2"
(
Read
Regain the Passion--Part 1 first.)
When does passion flourish? Under what conditions?
First, a writer’s passion is generally at its highest
point when life is going well. (Big surprise!) When
relationships are smooth, health is good, there’s enough
money to pay the bills, the writer is following a
healthy diet and getting sufficient sleep: these are the
optimal conditions. Whatever is draining your passion
needs to be attended to, thoroughly and persistently.
Unfortunately, this doesn’t always bring back the
passion. It simple sets the stage, giving yourself the
optimal environment for your resurrected passion to
grow.
Habits of a Passionate Writer
How do you recognize passion for writing? Yes, it’s a
feeling, but it’s so much more. Each writer will exhibit
certain habits when she is being passionate about her
writing. These habits are individual and personal. Take
a moment to make a list of habits that (to you) marks a
writer as passionate.
To me, a passionate writer:
A. writes, almost daily
B. listens, observes and thinks—alert to her
surroundings
C. carries a notebook everywhere to jot down
impressions, descriptions and ideas
D. journals—daily, if possible
E. is focused—begins and continues her writing with
energy
F. reads other good children’s books, both current and
classics
G. keeps up with professional reading
H. shares her enthusiasm at conferences and workshops
(but doesn’t over-schedule such events so they don’t
interfere with writing).
I. leads a more secluded life than the average person,
in order to nurture and explore her talent
J. is physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually
healthy.
K. Most of all, passionate writers are 24-hour-a-day
writers. Even when washing dishes or cutting grass, the
passionate writer’s work is close at hand, on the edges
of her mind. Everything she does is writing-related and
life-related, so that her work and her life are
inseparable.
(On Friday we'll talk about practical
ways to get the passion back.)
Monday, July 14,
2008
"Regain the
Passion--Part 1"
Has
this ever happened to you? You’re half-way through a short
story revision, or the rough draft of your novel, or the
research for a biography—and without warning, you lose your
desire for the project. The passion evaporates. You feel
lethargic, sad, and brain dead (or least oxygen deprived).
You put your writing away for a few days, hoping it’s
hormonal or a phase of the moon or post-holiday blues.
However, when you dig it out again, it’s even worse. It
doesn’t grab you. You’re sure it won’t grab anyone else
either! It’s boring. It goes back in the drawer.
Unfortunately, over the next few weeks, the situation
worsens. Lethargy turns to apathy. Boredom turns to dislike.
You face the fact that, for some reason, you’ve lost your
burning desire to write this story—or maybe even write
anything at all. And without the passion, why bother to
endure the long hours, the potential rejection of your work,
and the low pay? Once it’s lost, how do you recapture your
passion for writing?
What is Passion?
The question is summed up well by Hal Zina Bennett in
Write from the Heart: "How do authors connect
with that passion, bordering on obsession, that drives them
to finish even the most ambitious writing projects in spite
of seemingly insurmountable handicaps? What is the secret
creative energy that the world’s best writers can apparently
zap into action the moment their fingers touch their
keyboards?"
Some say this passion is tied to how meaningful the writer
feels his work is. He feels passion when what he is sharing
is deeply meaningful. He may lose his passion when his
writing turns into what will sell, what the markets dictate
are current trends, and what pays the most money. Eric
Maisel in
A Life in the Arts says, "The most salient
difference between the regularly blocked artist and the
regularly productive artist may not be the greater talent of
the latter, but the fact that the productive artist
possesses and retains his missionary zeal."
Most writers would agree that a passion for writing involves
enthusiasm, excitement, drive, and a deep love for your
work. This passion makes writing a joyous occupation. It
makes time fly while "real life" is shoved to the far comers
of the mind. It’s being in the flow, enraptured in the
present moment. For some, it’s being aware that they’re
writers twenty-four hours a day.
Why Does Passion Dissipate?
Passion can spring a leak after too many rejection slips,
too many critical comments from spouses or reviewers or
critique partners, and too many crises to handle in your
personal life. Passion can also die when you repeat yourself
in your work instead of exploring new avenues of writing.
Lack of passion can be caused by chronic fatigue. "Fatigue
and the accompanying blockage also come with living the sort
of marginal life that artists so often live," says Eric
Maisel. "The effort required to put food on the table, to
deal with an illness without benefit of a hospital plan, to
pay the rent, to get a toothache treated, to attend to the
needs of a spouse or children, can tire out the most
passionate and dedicated artist."
Friday, July 11,
2008
"How Do You Measure
Success?"
I'm
a sucker for daily reminders from various websites. I
get writing reminders, fitness reminders, and blog
notices. Today in a couple of fitness emails I realized
the solution to a writing problem I have this morning.
First, there was an email from
SparkPeople on
getting fit called “Success is an Attitude.” A woman
wrote: "I plan to lose
50 pounds over a year. I am not setting myself up for
any big disappointments by trying to lose too much too
fast. Every day is a new day. Every day can be a
successful day." Smart lady, I
thought.
Then I read an article from
Runner’s World
about
“The Ten Rules of Weight Loss.” The first rule said,
"To lose 10 pounds of
body fat a year, you need to eat 100 calories less per
day. Cutting too many calories from your daily intake
will sap your energy level and increase your hunger,
making you more susceptible to splurging on high-calorie
foods."
Ah-ha! Do you see a parallel
with writing? I sure do. My natural tendency (like this
week) is to grit my teeth, buckle down, and write 5,000
words every day for two weeks to finish a project. Who
am I kidding? I can maybe keep up that grueling schedule
for several days, but soon I’m depleted, with back and
head aching, and I want to eat everything in sight and
vege out through a couple of chick flicks. Then it takes
me a week to make myself write again, thus averaging out
my writing to something like 1000 words per day. Why not
just write 1000 (or 500) easy words every single day?
That would be a breeze! They’d add up, I wouldn’t get
that familiar neck and hip pain from sitting too
long—and I would meet the deadline.
I need to take the attitude of the lady who planned to
lose fifty pounds by losing one pound per week. What was
it that she said? That way
every day is a new day. Every day can be a successful
day.
Wednesday, July 9,
2008
"(Writing) Life Interrupted"
Last
night, after a satisfying two days of writing and being
right on track with a deadline this week, I got some
news that threw my tight schedule out the window for
five days. I woke up at 4 a.m. thinking about what to do
and putting in some extra prayer time. Then, when
checking email, I received a
Google Alert,
those little email notices that tell you when someone
has mentioned you somewhere online. I clicked through
and found a post by my former writing student,
Myra Johnson,
called "When
Life Interrupts." Yes! Terrific article--and good
ideas in the comments section as well. I had to smile at
what Myra had written about me. In part she said,
"She’s an expert in working through the interruptions!"
I thought Hmmmm... If I was such an expert,
then I could stop floundering as I tried to reclaim in
my writing schedule for the week.
Sometimes we only need to be reminded
about what we already know. Then we need to
apply what we know. Feeling a
bit silly, I opened my own book,
Writer's First Aid and read a
few chapters in the "Getting Started" and "Work
Habits That Work for You" sections. I came across a
couple ideas to help me get back on track quickly
today--before any more time is lost. Thanks for the
reminder, Myra! Life IS
interruptions--so let's deal with them.
Monday, July 7,
2008
"My Own Worst Enemy?"
Over the long holiday weekend, I had
a chance to catch up on some reading. Craig Harper's
motivational blog had a couple thought-provoking
articles: "Overcoming Self-Limiting Beliefs"
Part 1 and
Part 2. As I looked at my life and my office, I
realized that it was filling up the last few years
with things I never expected to be a part of my
life: exhaustion, an extra ten pounds, unfinished
writing projects, hobbies let go... Sounds
depressing, doesn't it? Oddly enough, it's also the
happiest time of my life. I'm starting to wonder if
I thrived in the past on stress and adrenaline.
While I don't miss being driven, I'd like to have
the drive back! Why had so many parts of my personal
and professional life seemingly gone backwards?
According to the self-limiting beliefs articles:
We all have core beliefs. Things
which consciously or not, we have made to be truth
in our mind. Some of those beliefs serve us well and
are positives in our lives, while others simply get
in the way of our potential and our possibilities.
To a large extent our beliefs dictate our behaviours,
which in turn determine the type of results we
produce in our world. In many ways our beliefs
become our reality. Even if only in our mind.
Something
clicked as I read this. I was producing many
different results in my life lately, results I
wasn't particularly pleased with. What was I
believing now that was different? What ideas were
dictating my more lax behavior in so many areas?
Definite food for thought and journaling. Is this
happening in your life as well?
Here are
(Craig Harper's) five great questions to ask
yourself about your beliefs:
- What
is my belief about this particular issue?
- Where
did that belief come from?
- Does
it empower me or limit me?
- Is it
based in logic or emotion?
- Do I
need to change it?
Part 2 of his article describes the
ten lessons he learned from changing his defeatist
beliefs. See if they don't resonate with you too. They
did with me! I'm going to be giving a lot of thought to
this idea in coming weeks--and how I can apply it to
various areas of my life, including my writing career.
What areas of your life would you
like to see changed?
Be
transformed by the renewing of your mind. (Romans 12:2)
Friday, July 4,
2008
"Facing Your
Creative Fears--Part 3"
(First read "Facing Your Creative
Fears," Part 1 and Part 2.)
A Writer's Job Description
Susan Jeffers wrote a book some years ago called
Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway. The title
says it all. It's okay to feel the emotion of fear;
it doesn't mean we have to turn tail and run. If you
study enough Eric Maisel creativity books, you'll
come to believe that the anxiety is actually good,
that it's pure energy at your disposal, ready to be
harnessed for your creative work. Think of the fear
like electricity. You can electrocute yourself with
it, or channel it so that you light up a whole city.
The fear/energy is the same. Writers need to learn
how to use this creative fear energy wisely.
Do It Today!
Don't stay frozen. Tackle those fears. Start small.
Celebrate each baby step taken as a victory. Don't
hesitate to ask people for advice and encouragement.
Study books. Listen to audio tapes. Read articles.
Make banners or posters for your office. Leave
Post-It notes on your computer. Use every means
possible to remind yourself that you can conquer the
thing that you fear. You've conquered fears in the
past, and you can do it again! Don't let fear stand
between you and the writing career of your dreams.
Wednesday, July 2,
2008
"Facing Your Creative Fears--Part 2"
(First
read Part 1 of "Facing Your Creative Fears.")
3. Third, if your fears are real,
face them squarely and deal with them. Do you
really lack sufficient writing skills? If so, enroll in
a course. Study writing books on your own. Analyze the
books you love best to see how those authors did what
they did. Take a public speaking course if you want to
be a storyteller or give talks for groups. Take an
assertiveness course or get help for your codependency
if nasty family members really are holding you back from
trying. Work to improve, but don't get caught in the
"perfection trap" by accident. "It is indeed important
to strive for excellence in creative endeavor," says
Thomas Kinkade. "It's important to grow in skill,
improve technique. But if we make a god of perfection,
we risk pushing ourselves into a creative desert. We're
afraid to try because we're afraid we won't be good."
"But I am afraid!" you say, terror creeping in around
the edges of your voice. I know you are. I'll tell you a
secret. We all are. We wear masks to hide it, but we all
deal with the fear of writing. How? We learned, finally,
to do the writing afraid. We learned that fear didn't
have to stop us, that most things we could go ahead and
do whether we were scared or not. We research, even if
we're afraid our idea is overdone. We write rough
drafts, even when we're afraid the whole thing stinks.
We submit to publishers, even though we're afraid that
editors cringe when they spot our name on a manuscript.
Of course, the magic finally occurs. After many, many
repetitions, the fear disperses. It almost disappears.
Just don't imagine that you can eradicate all your
writing fears. As Ralph Keyes wrote in
The Courage to Write, "Finding the courage to
write does not involve erasing or conquering one's
fears. Working writers aren't those who have eliminated
their anxiety. They are the ones who keep scribbling
while their heart races and their stomach churns, and
who mail manuscripts with trembling fingers."
(Come back Friday for the final words
on this topic.)
Monday, June
30,
2008
"Facing Your Creative Fears"
“Every tomorrow has two handles,”
Henry Ward Beecher once said. “We can take hold
of it with the handle of anxiety or the handle of
faith.” All our writing tomorrows give us that
very same choice. Do we face our blank computer
screens or empty tablets with fear or with faith?
Faith encourages us and spurs us on. Fears
paralyze—and need to be dealt with. Writing anxiety
comes in many forms and develops for a variety of
reasons. If we harbor writing fears, how can we
identify them, eliminate them, then regain faith in
our writing tomorrows?
Dealing with creative fears generally involves a
three-part process.
1. First, identify the fears.
Otherwise you’re only shadow boxing. What are you
afraid of? That your ideas are stupid or overdone?
That you don't have the talent to be a published
writer? That your friends or family will ridicule
you when they find out what you're trying to do?
That you'll be rejected? That you'll be wasting your
time, that being a writer is just a dream that will
dissolve in the face of reality? That you'll never
be more than a mid-list author on the brink of
oblivion?
Writers have many fears, and this takes many new
authors by surprise. “It's a vital thing to remember
both as creative people and those who have the
opportunity to nurture the creativity in others:
Creativity requires courage!” says Thomas Kinkade in
Lightposts for Living. “It takes
courage to push ourselves off center, to think in
nonstandard ways, to journey outside the ruts. It
also takes courage to resist the pressure of those
who very much prefer to walk in those
ruts.”
2. Second, if your fears are just myths,
debunk them. Write down and study your list
of fears. Will your husband/wife really laugh at you
for wanting to write? Do you really not have any
talent? (What about your writing teacher or critique
partner who loves your stories?) Will you really go
insane like all the famous writers you've read
about? (Well, actually, you might. . . just
kidding!) In
The Courage to Write, Ralph Keyes says,
“All writers must confront their fears eventually.
The sooner they do this, the better their work will
be.”
Besides, if you don’t, you’ll go from blocked to
frozen, then give up. Quitting is failing. While
none of us may ever totally conquer our writing
fears—and some experts say that this writing
“anxiety” is actually indispensable writing
energy—we can rise above the fears sufficiently so
that we can work. And in doing the work, day in and
day out, the fears begin to dissolve. They become
like the monster we were so sure, as children, that
lurked under our bed. After enough years of NOT
being eaten alive at night or being grabbed by the
ankles when we jumped out of bed, we finally
concluded the monster was in our imagination and
forgot about it. Most of your writing fears will do
the same thing IF you face them and feel them—and
write anyway.
(Come back Wednesday for practical
ways to deal with the fears.)
Friday, June
27,
2008
"Joining a Work in Progress--Part 2"
(First read
"Joining a Work in Progress" Part 1.)
How to Critique
Encourage as well as offer criticism. It means walking a
fine line, but you must have this crucial balance if
you’re going to join and remain in a critique group.
Encouragement is so important in a career that is, at
least initially, filled with rejection. So when you join
a critique group, remember that you are part of a
support group, and some members will require more
support than others. Unless you already know everyone in
the group on an intimate level, hold back from talking
too much at first. Some members will want tough, “no
nonsense” critiques and “skip the fluff.” Others need
their constructive criticism wrapped in extra layers of
cotton to dull the effect. Don’t assume that people in
the critique group will all respond to criticism the way
you would.
On the other hand, when you are critiqued, don’t be
touchy. Defensiveness is a HUGE waste of time. If you
don’t agree with someone’s critique of your work, don’t
spend time defending it. If it didn’t work for that
reader, it didn’t. That doesn’t mean you have to change
a word, but don’t argue about it.
Works in Progress
Secondly, the manuscripts you will be critiquing are
also works in progress. If you are critiquing book
manuscripts, that can be especially confusing. For
example, when I joined one group, I was sent the middle
chapters of several novels-in-progress, I had no idea
what came before, so it was hard to critique. Was the
plot building naturally? Were the characters behaving
believably? I had no idea.
I would suggest, when joining a critique group, that you
ask each writer for a one or two paragraph summary of
what’s already happened in their book so you’re up to
speed. Otherwise your critique can be less than helpful,
and possibly irritating. (For example, you may think a
minor character is described in too much detail, when in
fact, it was revealed earlier to be the story’s villain
who plays a key role. Every time something like this has
to be explained to you during the meeting, it eats up
valuable time.)
Do’s and Don’ts
Be sure that your attitude is really one of caring, even
when you don’t like the manuscript. Point out the good
spots and strengths you found first. Then give criticism
so that it’s constructive. Get your points across
without being overly harsh or critical though. Find the
balance! Be more quiet than normal the first critique
session as you watch how other members handle this
sensitive issue. However, you do need to learn how to
express constructive criticism in a way that it can be
received. Be kind in your criticism. At the same time it
is important to the writer to hear everything, not just
the praise. Otherwise how can they improve? Give them
something to go home and work on so the critique time is
productive.
Critique groups are valuable, and finding a good one
already “in progress” is a joy. With a few common sense
tips and attitudes, you’ll slip in without making a
ripple (instead of creating tidal waves.) In a few short
weeks, it’ll be as if you’d always belonged.
Wednesday, June
25,
2008
"Joining a Work in Progress--Part 1"
One piece of advice new writers hear
is “join a critique group!” They’re immensely
valuable in today’s publishing climate where editors
have so little time to edit and shape manuscripts.
You may be fortunate to find a group with an opening
and be invited to join. Unless you’re prepared,
however, your critique group experience can be
useless or even painful. If you step on enough toes,
you could be asked to leave the group. To avoid
that, follow these tips so you can join a critique
group and make it work for you.
Group in Progress
When you join a critique group in progress, you’re
joining an established “family.” The group itself is
a growing thing, and adding you to the group changes
the dynamics. You, the new kid on the block, need to
fit in without creating unnecessary disruption for
the group. Remember: the group has been functioning
very well without you, and you’re not there to
revamp it.
First, don’t assume anything. Ask what length your
manuscript should be for the sessions. In one new
group I joined, I assumed (for some reason) that
about 2,000words (or a book chapter) would be a good
length. I emailed the manuscript to each member a
week before the scheduled meeting. Within a few
days, I was surprised to receive from the other
members manuscripts closer to 500-600 words. I had
unknowingly asked them to spend four times as long
critiquing my work as everyone else’s. I was
embarrassed, and some of the members were put out.
Also, don’t assume you should (or should not) bring
a manuscript for critiquing at the first meeting. At
one group I did not bring a manuscript the first
time, thinking I hadn’t yet “earned the right,” and
was told in no uncertain terms that I wasn’t allowed
to critique anyone that day since I hadn’t put my
own writing (and ego) on the line. So, after moving
to another town and joining another critique group,
I dutifully took a manuscript with me, only to
discover that I was expected to just listen the
first time. (I didn’t last long there!) So don’t
assume anything. Ask the group ahead of time for any
rules they have about how the meeting is run. It
will save awkwardness and hurt feelings.
Attendance
Don’t join unless you can be at all the meetings
(except for true emergencies.) A good group member
is dedicated. If you expect to give thoughtful
criticism to someone’s novel, then you must be there
to hear it all.
(On Friday I'll talk about the nuts
and bolts of joining a group in progress and getting
up to speed with their work.)
Monday, June
23,
2008
"Career Planning: Who, Me?"
Most of us are too busy trying to
juggle our writing, day jobs and families to think
much about a career planning strategy. We're focused
on trying to either break in or keep up with
contract deadlines. I got a jolt today by a lengthy
(and excellent)
post by agent Chip MacGregor that made me
realize how important it was to have a career
plan--and review it often. If you're fortunate
enough to have Chip for an agent, he goes through
these career planning steps with you. He was kind
enough to outline his method, though, for anyone who
wants to see it. Even without an agent, I'd suggest
tackling these questions and strategies on your own.
In Chip's own words:
My contention is that
some agents pay lip service to "helping authors with
career planning," but many don't really have a
method for doing that. (From the look of it, "career
planning" to many agents is defined as "having a
book contract.") I have a background in
organizational development -- the study of how
organizations grow and change over time. And during
my doctoral program at the University of Oregon (Go
Ducks!), I served as a Graduate Teaching Fellow at
the Career Planning and Placement Office. That
experience allowed me the opportunity to apply the
principles of organizational theory to the
real-world setting of those in the arts who are
trying to make a living.
Chip talks with his
clients to discover answers to the following
points--and many others: Who is the author--what's
her message, her platform, and her experience with
the media? What are the
author's significant life events and
accomplishments, strengths, gifts, and burdens?
What's important to the author? How does he define
success? What does she need to change? What do they
want t0 accomplish? Chip talks with his clients
about personal organization. Every author needs a
TIME to write, a PLACE to write, and a GOAL that he
or she is writing toward. Do they have a plan in
place? Do they have a writing calendar, so they know
what and when they are working on each project? He
encourages authors to create a budgeting calendar.
(See his
blog for the steps on how to create one.) Then
Chip and his client make an actual writing plan for
the next two years and the next five years that
matches up with their life purpose. Does it maximize
their strengths? Is their spouse in agreement with
it all? What's the point of all this discussion with
a client? According to Chip:
These things all work
together to create a career map for an author.
Various documents are derived from this information
-- a writing calendar, a budget, a wish list, maybe
a statement of purpose. But my goal isn't to get an
author to write some grand purpose statement -- my
goal is to help an author create a workable plan he
or she can use to move forward in the career. I aim
to keep writers results-focused.
The second half of
Chip's blog talked about making a writing
budget--the nuts and bolts of figuring out how much
income you need, where it's going to come from (all
possible sources,) and what to do to get it. You'll
want to study this too.
Even though I went through a branding
course and made a budget and wrote down goals
eighteen months ago, I need to go through Chip's
questions in writing again and see where I
am--and if I'm still headed in the right direction.
We can take career detours without meaning to--and
at such a pace that we barely notice. Answering the
career planning questions can help you get back on
track if you've veered off. I was accustomed to my
budget needing constant revision, but I hadn't
realized my career plan probably needed updating
too.
Does your plan need revision too
(meaning anything from tweaking it up a notch to a
major overhaul in time and attitude)? What parts do
you find most challenging in creating such a plan?
Are you able to follow through on your plans? That's
where the rubber meets the road!
Friday, June
20,
2008
"Ageless Wisdom--Part 2"
We hear endlessly about how much
easier it was to get published and make a living as
a writer years ago. Is that a misconception too? Jim
wrote, “Were I starting over, I’d know that, before
I could hope to earn a living writing, I’d have to
serve a long apprenticeship.” Even so, it was
simpler then, right? There were quiet, well behaved
“Leave It to Beaver” families that made writing so
much easier. Maybe. Maybe not. Jim’s experience
sounded very familiar: “I would set aside some time
each day for writing and adhere rigorously to my
schedule,” he said. “I’d make sure of privacy; I’d
go into the garage, a shed, or out under a tree.
When I decided that writing was the only career that
would ever satisfy me, I was working full time in a
factory. But I allotted two hours every night for
writing.”
Hmmm. Those “good old days” don’t sound
much different than the present days. Of course, the
“odds of making it as a writer” were certainly much
better back then. Writers in the ‘50’s weren’t
discouraged (like we are today) by being warned that
only 5% of the authors in America make a living at
writing. Or were they? Kjelgaard wrote that if he
had it to do all over again, “I would not fear
competition as such. The very loose statement that
there are millions of aspiring writers in the United
States means merely that there are millions who
write an hour a week, an hour a month, or even an
hour a year. But only a very few work hard enough to
become professionals.” I would venture to say that
it’s just as true today.
One Shocking Difference
By and large, the advice in that 1956 Writer’
Digest is just as applicable today as it was
then. I think we can stop harking back to the good
old days.
Not everything was the same in 1956 however. In
“letters to the editor,” I found a lengthy apology.
A magazine had folded without paying for all the
articles it had accepted. The editor (who had quit)
apologized profusely to writers who were cheated out
of their money and offered to do whatever he could
to help them collect! Oh, and the name of the
magazine that cheated the writers? Honest to Pete,
it was called Frauds & Rackets!
Wednesday, June
18,
2008
"Ageless Wisdom--Part 1"
At
a recent retreat, several writer friends were waxing
nostalgic, longing for the “good old days” of
publishing. Back then it was easier to get
published. Back then it was common to have
editorial attention and hand-holding. If only we
could go back, they lamented. Well, recently I had
a rare chance to time travel back to the “good old days”
and see what a writer’s life was like 52 years ago . . .
Writing Circa 1950’s
While sorting donated books and magazines for a library
book sale, I came across a real treasure: a 1956
Writer’s Digest. Priced at 35 cents, it was a
far cry from the large glossy print magazine or colorful
web site of today. I wondered if any writers in 1956 had
envisioned the e-zines and e-publishing of today, the
huge publishing conglomerates, writing with computers,
or the differences in pay scales. (I found references to
one-tenth-cent, quarter-cent, and half-cent-per-word
rates!) The rates might sound puny, but a quick glance
through the market listings showed that most magazines
still paid on acceptance.
Ahhh, I thought, another world. I was
eager to read the articles next, to see what “wisdom of
the ages” was dispensed for such a different writing
world.
The more things change...
As I thumbed through the yellowed magazine pages,
however, I was surprised by a number of things. First
were the numerous ads for co-operative publishing and
subsidy publishing (or vanity presses). For some reason,
I had assumed they were a plague of the ‘90’s and early
21st Century writing world, an answer for the age we
lived in where it was so difficult to sell a manuscript
to a “big name” publisher or even a small press.
My second surprise was a full-page ad on the back of the
magazine for a bookdoctor, something else I had believed
to be the result of present market realities.The ad
read: “Sure, you’re going to be an author. But right now
you are having ahard time making folks believe it!
Friends and neighbors regard your literary ambitions
with a quiet smile, but members of the family are less
subtle. Not only are you getting no help from them—you
aren’t even being encouraged. One day you’ll show ‘em.
But what can you show until you have a published book?
And how can a book become publishable in today’s
selective market without professional counsel?” Sound
familiar? Every word of this book doctor’s ad is just as
true in 2008 as it was in 1956!
A Writer’s Life in the Good Old Days
My biggest surprises came in an article called “Roses
and Thorns” by Jim Kjelgaard (a juvenile writer). He
reflected on his 25 years of writing, which had begun in
the early depression years. It would be hard to find a
writer whose experiences were further removed from mine
than someone who began writing after the crash on Wall
Street. Or would it?
I was shocked to find out how much we had in common. For
example, Jim’s thoughts on writing only when inspiration
strikes sounded identical to the advice I gave a new
writer last month. He wrote of “the grueling discipline,
the long hours spent over their typewriters” that was
required. He called writing “an exacting job that often
requires many more hours of hard work than most jobs. .
. All the successful writers I know are successful
mainly because they work hard,” not because they only
wrote when inspired. Not any different today.
At least a writer could publish in a variety of genres
back then: fiction, nonfiction, essays, slice-of-life
stories, western short stories, mystery short stories.
There were so many more publishers of fiction, both for
books and for magazines. And yet, doesn’t this 1956
advice sound very familiar? “There are few writers who
can play the field all their lives,” Kjelgaard writes.
“For most of us, it’s just a way of learning what we can
do best and, more to the point, like best. I sold at
least 500 stories and articles to all types of
publications-from ¼ cent-a-word pulps to 50 cent-a-word
slicks before I decided that juveniles were for me.” So
specialize and write what you like best? Advice that is
right on target today.
(I'll add some more on Friday about how hard it was to
get published in the "good old days." You'll be
surprised.)
Monday, June
16,
2008
"Book Buyer's Paradise"
If
you buy as many books as I do (for yourself, your kids,
or your grandkids), you'll want to know about this FREE
online source. It has a lot of great features, including
a wish list you can create so they can let you know when
a good deal pops up on any particular book. (I just may
buy up a few of my out-of-print hardcovers for the
grandkids while I'm at it.) Here's the info:
BookFinder4U is a FREE service that
searches
130 bookstores, 80,000
booksellers and 90 million new & used books worldwide to
find the lowest book price in A click! At Bookfinder4U,
our goal is simple: to provide you with a book search
and price comparison service that is Comprehensive,
Objective and Easy to use. We also have an
out-of-print book search
system to help you find rare & out-of-print books.
By becoming a valued member, you can also enjoy
the following additional features:1. Create and share
your
Wish List, keeping track of
the books you're interested in. Set
Price Alert and you won't
miss any more deals. Also create
Tags to organize all your
favorite books.2. Write store reviews and book reviews
and join our ever-growing community. 3. Enjoy your
personalized
Search History
and get better searching experience. 4. Best of all,
everything is absolutely FREE.
Friday, June
13,
2008
"More Words of Wisdom"
I've
enjoyed reviewing my own computer monitor sayings this
week, as well as reading those you've shared. Here are
the last ones for a while:
Suzuki: "Our mind always follows our breathing."
If you're tense during writing and either hold your
breath or hyperventilate, your writing will show it.
Your mind will freeze while you hold your breath, or
bounce around aimlessly while you hyperventilate. So
breathe. Deeply. If you're a rapid breather
when stressed, deliberately slow down your breathing.
Your mind will follow your breathing, becoming regular
and functional and calm, a helpful mental state for
productive writing.
Keep on starting, and the finishing will take
care of itself. This is especially helpful to
repeat over and over when writing a book. Looking ahead
at all the research to do, or all the chapters to write,
can be daunting. So daunting, in fact, that you're
blocked and can't get started. So don't worry about
finishing. Don't even think about how much you have left
to write. Just start. Today. Tomorrow. The next day.
Keep on starting, and the finishing will take care of
itself.
This too shall pass. Cast your burden upon
the Lord, and He will sustain you.
Psalm 55:22 This is good for dealing with
rejections, bad reviews, writer's block, and hearing
that your friend (the one who doesn't write as well as
you do) just had her book optioned for a movie and she's
being flown out to Hollywood to oversee the script
writing. These are all burdens that will weigh down your
writing if you try to carry them yourself. Get rid of
them.
If any of these bits of wisdom struck a chord with you,
copy them down and tape them to your computer. Find
additional reminders that fit your own personal needs,
tape them to your monitor, and repeat them to yourself
when stuck. It's simple, but it works!
Wednesday, June
11,
2008
"More Words of Wisdom"
On Monday, I posted a few sayings that
are taped to the edges of my monitor. Here are a few
more...
THE SENILITY PRAYER: "God, grant me
the Senility to forget the people I never liked anyway,
the good fortune to run into the ones that I do, and the
eyesight to tell the difference." Perhaps you have
to be over 40something to appreciate this one, but it's
so true. Forget the fight you had with your spouse or
child that morning. Forget the hard feelings you have
for that writer who sold her first novel that you know
isn't half as good as your novel that just got rejected
the fourth time. Spending much time and energy on people
who upset you emotionally will drain the energy needed
for your writing. (Take it from someone whose pen name
is N. Abler.) Forget them and move on!
Transformation comes from the inside out.
Pasting wings on a worm does not make a butterfly.
We want our writing to fly, but sometimes it crawls
around on the ground, or at best, limps along. Pasting
wings on it—using more colorful verbs, using
cliff-hanger endings—won't change that story into a
butterfly if the basic idea is—well—wormy.
Transformation comes from the inside out. We may have to
sit with an idea, get inside it, get to its core,
discover its real theme, before the transformation can
take place. But pasting wings on a flawed story (like a
flawed relationship) will NOT make a butterfly.
A Snoopy cartoon shows him typing on top of his dog
house. The thought balloon over his head says,
"It's exciting when you've written something that you
know is good!" Occasionally, we write something
that truly sings. We re-read our stories, when suddenly
phrases (sometimes whole paragraphs!) jump off the page
and we're stunned. Did I really write that? we
think. Yes, it's exciting when you've written something
that you know is good. Enjoy the excitement. Know that
there's more good writing where that came from.
Please continue to share your computer monitor wisdom
with me--either here or in an email. I love it! I'll
post the last tidbits on Friday.
Monday, June 9,
2008
"Words of Wisdom"
You can tell a lot about people by
how their homes are decorated. I've discovered you
can tell just as much about writers by how their
computers are decorated. Until I recently replaced
my monitor, I hadn't noticed how covered it was with
bits of writing wisdom. But as I removed the little
sayings to tape to my new monitor, I re-read and
re-learned the writing wisdom there. So, from my
computer to yours, some writing words to live by ...
I haven't lost my mind; it's backed up on
disk somewhere. This bit of wisdom is for
the days when my computer, which I love second only
to God and family, is acting up. When your computer
crashes while you're sending e-mail or conducting
online research, you feel like you've lost your
mind. When you've stared too many hours at your
blinking cursor, you can feel as if you've lost your
mind. When you've had to re-start your story after
sixteen interruptions, you're sure you've lost your
mind. But never fear: it's backed up on disk
somewhere!
Be tough at the core, easy at the edges.
This wise saying is for negotiating with editors.
You must know your bottom line. What's most
important to you? What is non-negotiable, and where
can you be flexible? In dealings with editors, be
firm about critical issues, but very easy to get
along with where your edges touch theirs. My
daughter is the epitome of this wise saying, being
sweet and soft spoken and adjustable in many
things—but she has a backbone made out of pure
steel.
When I begin to think, I begin to sink.
Sometimes we writers think too much.
Obviously, we need to think, but sometimes we do
ourselves more harm than good. I know. I speak from
years of experience. Whether it's second guessing
yourself about a writing project, or trying too hard
to read between the lines ("What did that editor
really mean by 'it doesn't meet our present
needs'?"), thinking too much can sink our writing
ship. We can be fired up about an idea, have the
story half finished, then begin to take our stupid
thoughts too seriously. (You know the ones. They say
things like, "Why are you wasting your time on this
piece of drivel?") Stay afloat in your writing by
refusing to over-analyze everything.
That's just a bit of my computer
wisdom. I'll post more later. What do YOU have taped
to the edge of your computer?
Friday, June 6,
2008
"Twenty Reasons to Go on a Writing Retreat"
The last few posts I've talked about
writing retreats and recovering our creative spirit.
There are many fine books on organizing retreats,
but I've been enjoying Judy Reeves' book
The Writer's Retreat Kit because
it is so practical. It can be used by someone with
oodles of time and money--or a writer with no
money and little time at her disposal. The kit
has "themed" retreat ideas on most of the big cards,
but the first card simply lists "Twenty Reasons to
Go on a Writing Retreat." I won't give them all, but
here are a few to get you started...
*To renew your creative spirit
*To change your perspective
*To unkink the coils of your brain
*To fill your empty cup
*To rest
*To read
*To write
Do you want
to go on a writing retreat? What are your
reasons?
Wednesday, June 4,
2008
"Alone Again--on a Retreat"
My attention was caught just now by
two quotes printed on the inside of the "retreat in
a box" called The Writer's Retreat Kit
by Judy Reeves. I've been reading bits of it for
several days now, planning my own mini retreat and
perhaps setting one up with writer friends. This
"box" of ideas is just perfect for those of us who
crave a retreat but might be hampered by monetary or
health concerns that make it more feasible to stick
close to home.
I opened the box and read the first
quote: "During
sessions of solitude, periods of silence, or 'time
retreats,' we shun life's chattering distractions
and simply notice what is left: ourselves."
(Helen Cordes) My first reaction was to think,
"Total joy!" My second reaction coming close on the
heels of the first was, "Hmmmm...do I really
want to face myself with no distractions?" I've
noticed this past year that even when tired and run
down, I stay too busy with distractions (most of
them good and/or helpful to others.) It's been a
difficult writing year in some respects, with a
publisher going into hiding (literally) with the
money they owed me, some projects going belly up
when an editor lost her job, things like that. If
you stay in publishing long enough, these things
just happen. But without pausing to digest those
disappointments and a few others, I'd just pushed
ahead faster and harder. Maybe this past year I'd
avoided resting and retreating because I had some
things I didn't want to face... things that might
surface in solitude. Food for thought anyway.
The other quote left me feeling
hopeful though:
"With the rest of the world pared away, a clear
vision of long-buried beliefs and dreams takes
center stage and anything seems possible."
(Margo
Rabb) That's one of the best reasons (in my opinion)
for making time to slow down. In the rush-rush of
living life and "being there" for others, we so
often lose sight of those original dreams. A
retreat--and the solitude that accompanies it--just
might resurrect those dreams! It's certainly worth a
try.
Monday, June 2,
2008
"Retreating with Friends"
Retreat...
Just saying the word is soothing. While it is taking
some planning and shifting of events, I believe later in
June I'll be able to carve out three days for a personal
writing retreat. Given the price of gas, though, I'm
looking seriously at Judy's ideas for how to do a
retreat at home. It takes a bit of planning and
preparation, but infinitely do-able! (I'm referrring to
the book I've blogged about lately,
The Writer's Retreat Kit: A Guide for Creative
Exploration and Personal Expression by Judy Reeves.)
After I do a mini retreat on my own, I'm thinking about
trying one later in the summer with a writing friend or
two. This quote from her book is what got me to
thinking: "For some of
us, much of the joy of going on a writing retreat comes
from spending time with other writers. Who else truly
understands our need for solitude, our particular
quirkiness, our mutterings and frustrations, our joys
and disappointments? Who else speaks our language and
comprehends the nuances of our silences? Other writers
are our creative soulmates, kindred spirits, members of
the same tribe. Not all writers, mind you, but those
particular few whom we've come to know and love and
trust with our tender hearts. Going on a writing retreat
with a few chosen others, or a single best
writer-friend, can deepen our connection with one
another and with our writing."
Doesn't that sound
heavenly? What about you? Is there a favorite
writer-friend that you'd enjoy having along for a mini
retreat of one day or two? If you had it at someone's
home, it wouldn't have to cost anything. They could even
go home to their own comfy bed at night. Retreating from
9-5, with plenty of time for writing exercises,
solitude, journaling, talking, eating, walking (and
writing on your novel if you felt so moved) would be a
rejuvenating experience with the right people. I'm going
to give this some thought and see what my writing
friends think!
Friday, May 30,
2008
"Writing Retreats Re-Defined"
Most
of us have preconceived ideas of what a "writer's
retreat" would look like for us. Anything outside that
box (we think) just wouldn't fill the bill. That's what
I believed, until I continued to read the book I've
blogged about lately,
The Writer's Retreat Kit: A Guide for Creative
Exploration and Personal Expression by Judy Reeves.
She challenges writers to think of retreats in other
ways--and thus to see the possibilities around us to
create such retreats. Chew on this quote for the weekend
and see what you come up with.
Much as I believe that the
idea of a writing retreat will always include Time Away
Alone (I expect secluded mountain cabins or private,
distant seashores will also remain in our writer's
mind's eye), I also believe it is possible for each of
us to create other, less extensive writing retreats that
can refill and restore us, that can be containers
enabling us to produce new work and to open us to
creative expression and that allow us to dip into the
solitude we need to communicate with our inner selves.
*Consider that a
writing retreat is not necessarily a place,
but a concept.
*Consider the word retreat not as a noun
but a verb.
*Consider time not as a measure in length,
but in depth.
*Consider the idea of being alone not as being distant
from people but as not allowing others to intrude on
your solitude.
In other words, let loose all those
old ideas about what is necessary for a writing retreat
to be "real," and open your mind and heart to another
way of giving yourself this gift of love.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
"Retreat Time: Is It Possible?"
I'm
still reading my "retreat in a box" kit called
The Writer's Retreat Kit: A Guide for Creative
Exploration and Personal Expression by Judy Reeves
that I mentioned last week. I am contemplating the
following--and what it might mean.
A writing retreat
isn't just about the time spent writing.
Perhaps equally important as the time spent writing is
the time given over to nourishment... For many writers,
a retreat is a time for reconnecting with nature, for
long walks in quiet woods or beside a restless seashore,
for rowing on a lake or canoeing on a river. We long for
a soundtrack of birdsong or trickling creek, for the
lazy sway of a hammock beneath a shading tree, for a
rocking chair on a generous porch, mint tea, a glass of
wine or fresh, sweet water within reach. We want someone
to bring us lunch. A retreat is a quiet place (except
for the birds or maybe the profound purring of cat on
lap), and when the time is right and good
and when we are ready, it is writing.
After my next deadline is met in
mid-June, I am seriously considering giving myself this
"gift of time" that such a retreat would take. It
wouldn't have to be expensive--or even cost anything at
all. I live near a pond and greenbelt area to walk in, I
have a porch with a swing and three rockers, and I can
fix the tea. It's the time that will cost
me--time away from people and expectations and
deadlines. Right now, after so many years of writing to
deadline, I can barely fathom what it would feel like to
retreat like this and not write until I really felt
called back to it.
But oh! What an idea!
Monday, May 26, 2008
"Memorial Day, 2008"
Happy
Memorial Day, everyone! For every military man or
woman--including my daughter, Laurie, deployed in Iraq--we
love you and are so proud of you. To see
and hear something that will stir your very soul, turn
up your sound and click
here:
Friday, May 23, 2008
"Let's All Say Ahhhhh..."
Even
when life is going well, the writing pressures, the
marketing, the waiting, and the deadlines can make you dream
of taking a writing retreat. For several years, I've had on
my book shelf a "book in a box" called
The Writer's Retreat Kit: A Guide for Creative
Exploration and Personal Expression
by Judy Reeves. I've looked longingly at it
several times and read some of her ideas of creating
writer's retreats lasting from twenty minutes to several
days, depending on the time and money you have available.
This time, though, I'm not going
to sigh and put the book box back. I'm going to delve deeper
into the retreat idea and try some of the experiences. I
have no logical reason to feel as burned out as I do, but
when I read the following opening page, I let out a big
Ahhhhhh! I bet you will too. Judy writes:
Getting away: the wish and
dream and fantasy of every writer I have ever known and, I
expect, of nearly every writer I will ever meet, except for
those rare and blessed souls who are lucky enough, or
determined enough, or rich enough, to already be "away."
What is "away"? It is someplace else. It is the place
that each of us craves, and when we close our eyes, comes to
us in all its wooded shadiness or vast, unending blueness.
We visualize a mountain cabin; a cottage by the sea; a
secret, hidden monastery; a wide-decked, windowed,
pillowed, sweet-smelling, abundant, nurturing, solitary
place where there are no "musts" or "have tos" or "shoulds."
No dishes to do or phones to answer or
children/mates/partners with whom we must interact. No set
time to start or stop, to wake up or go to sleep. No
television. No email. No deadlines. No place to drive to. It
is simply a place to be.
"Away" is generally where we long to be as we arm wrestle
the elements of our daily lives to make time for our writing
and for that private and soulful part of us that we long to
be with but so often set aside.
It is not that we don't love our lives; we do. Mostly. And
we love the people in our lives — family and friends — and
the work we do that allows us to afford the lives we mostly
love. What we want is to get away for a little while. We
don't want to just go on vacation, but to a place we go
alone, or maybe with a few like-minded souls who also want
to be alone, but in an alone/together way. To renew and
refresh and explore and create and refill. To retreat. And
to write.
A writing retreat.
I'll be sharing more about this
idea--and my experiences--in the coming days and weeks. I
expect to emerge from my retreat experiences a new woman!
(Well, at least a refreshed writer...)
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
"Contact Made Easy"
Do
you have trouble receiving email from people who try to
contact you through your website? Me too--until now. You
may be generating a lot more email from your website
than you think--you're just not receiving it.
I've had a personal
website for years, and I have two
more
websites for book series, but I've had the same
problem with them all--until recently. At a
writing
conference at Mt. Hermon in March, one tech-savvy
gal explained the problem--and the cure. For reasons
unfathomable to me, those mailto: links
often don't work. They try to generate default email
programs that won't send the email. (I know they don't
work--I've asked numerous friends to send me an email
from my websites. Only ONE email got
through out of six.) Important email from friends, fans,
book buyers, and event planners often don't get to you.
Hopefully, that problem is a thing of the past. And the
fix is FREE. Instead of using a mailto:
link, get a free "Email
Me" form.
I Googled "email forms" to find several choices, and I
settled on
EmailMe.com because it was very easy to use. I chose
the simple, standard form, but when time permits, I may
go back and tweak the colors and fonts. It was so easy
to install! And it even makes sure that you have a
"thank you" page link so the person knows their email
went through.
I love when I find things that make life
easier--especially when the process is fairly painless
and free.
Monday, May 19, 2008
"New Website Up!"
Over
the weekend I created a website specifically for my
Boarding School Mystery series. I hope you’ll take a
look at it and let me know what you think. The four
middle-grade mysteries should be in the bookstores
within a couple weeks. Although I have resisted the
marketing push talked about so much lately, I have to
admit that designing simple websites is getting easier.
I use
FrontPage, self-taught with the free online
tutorials, and each time it is less intimidating—and
faster. Someday I may have a professionally designed
site, but for now, I’m glad to have it up and running!
Friday, May 16, 2008
"Frog Hunting"
Does
anyone else feel the constant push-pull between their
commitment to writing and their commitment to their
families? I was just talking about this yesterday with
another busy writing friend. We're both empty nesters
now, and we both expected to spend endless hours writing
every day. Take out the hours needed for website work
and other book promotion (speaking, teaching workshops,
signings, etc.) and, in theory, there are still about
five hours per day to write. If you exercise, then make
it four. Four would work, as long as you spent evening
and weekends reading about the craft of writing and
reading current books in your genre.
Hmmm...
Where's family fit in? Although my kids are grown, I
have two girls living in this town and both my
grandchildren. I love spending
time with them more than anything else. I want to invest
in their lives--and they're just plain fun to be with!
The point of all this?
I have two deadlines that I am behind on. I've put in
tons of hours on both projects, but they are coming
along more slowly than I'd anticipated. Even so...today
I'm quitting early and taking my grandkids (ages 2 and
5) down to the pond to go frog hunting. It's rained
three times this week, and the tiny half-inch frogs
should be hopping!
Could I get more writing done if I stayed in my office
this afternoon and evening? Yes. Do I feel guilty about
the fun I'm going to have with my grandkids, or the
bonding time this evening, the hugs and kisses, watching
an episode of "Little House on the Prairie," and popping
popcorn? Not one bit!
Work hard at your writing, yes--but don't let it mix up
your priorities.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
"Avoiding Publisher Scams"
Nearly every month I hear (in person or
by email) from an author who's been scammed by a new
publisher or a very small publisher. Before considering
an offer from a new or small press, I'd recommend
reading HOW
TO TELL IF A NEW OR SMALL PRESS IS LEGITIMATE on the
Write4Kids website.
I agreed with everything she said in this fine article
until the last line. She wrote: "It's not possible
to follow all these steps, of course, if the publisher
is new and hasn't produced its first list. In that case
you could ask to contact some other authors or
illustrators the publisher is working with, and get
their impressions of the company. By and large,
most new publishers are legitimate, sincere and
dedicated professionals, and are not a bad risk for the
author or illustrator. These people will not
object to your researching the company. Those who do
should be approached with caution."
I sincerely believe that if a new company objects to you
contacting its authors and illustrators to research
them, then you should not approach them at
all. It's no different than the Don Juan
who objects to you wanting to meet his family and
friends before you marry him. If they have nothing to
hide, they'll be happy to have you research them. If
they've got something to hide, run (don't walk) to the
nearest exit. (I speak from experience here--I got
scammed last year and lost $5,000 owed me. It didn't
matter that I had a contract and they had my full
manuscript either. At one point the publisher got very
upset that I had talked to another of their authors. I
should have taken that as a big red flag and backed out
early.)
Monday, May12, 2008
"The New Foreign Language"
My son-in-law knows that I'm always
looking for free programs online, so when he finds
things of interest, he sends them along. I realized last
week that I now knew (and sometimes spoke) a foreign
language. "Do you use Weebly or Zillow?" I was asked.
"No Weebly yet, but I do Zillow. I'm also learning to
Twitter, but I'm not sure if I need to Jott yet."
Confused? Then check out these free services--and you'll
be speaking the new language fluently in no time!
Jott: With a
free account, Jott converts your voice into emails, text
messages, reminders, lists and appointments.
Weebly: Create a
free website and blog, host it for free, easy to create
and maintain, even host your existing domain for free!
Zillow: Wonder what
your house is worth? Type in your address--or anyone
else's--and get your home's worth, an aerial photo of
the neighborhood, the real estate values of homes in the
area, and much more. Great free service for house buyers
and sellers.
Twitter: Another
social networking site that's free and easy to use.
"Twitter is a service for friends, family, and
co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the
exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple
question: What are you doing?"
Good luck!
Friday, May 9, 2008
"Do You Need Inspiration?"
Madeleine L’Engle {Herself}
is a book of reflections on the writing life, excerpted
from the works of one of our finest writers. In this
volume you will find hundreds of Madeleine L’Engle’s
most illuminating statements about writing, creativity,
and the writing life, including material from her
workshops and speeches that was never published before.
L’Engle was the author of more than 50 books, including
the Newbery Medal-winner
A Wrinkle in Time, the
American Book Award-winner
A Swiftly Tilting Planet,
and the inspirational book for writers
Walking on Water. In ten topical
sections,
Madeleine L’Engle {Herself}
mixes marvelous pointers on technical craft issues
with her reflections on the mystery of writing. Read a
page each morning before you write, or (if you’re like
me) sit down and read straight through it, then go back
and savor each page’s gems.
Wednesday, May
7, 2008
"Another Classic Writers Book"
If You Want to Write
by Brenda Ueland is a classic, and one of the very best
books for writers ever written. I had forgotten how good
it was until I re-read it over the weekend. Frankly, if
you can only afford to ever buy one writing book, get
this one. It’s that good. Brenda Ueland said she had two
rules she followed absolutely when writing: to tell the
truth, and not to do anything she didn’t want to do.
This shines through in her best-selling classic that has
already inspired thousands to find their own creative
center. Carl Sandburg
called this book “the best book ever written about
how to write.” I’ve read dozens of writing books, and
this is one of my two all-time favorites. I need to
re-read it about every six months. Find a copy for
yourself today.
Monday, May 5, 2008
"What's on YOUR Book Shelf?"
I'm often asked what writing books are my
favorites--and which I recommend. There are hundreds, but
this week I'll highlight a few that I read and re-read for
inspiration.
*******
Writing from the Inside Out by
Dennis Palumbo is about “transforming your psychological
blocks to release the writer within.” It’s not a how-to book
with rules and formulas, but it provides valuable insights
and practical tools for the working and/or would-be writer.
It covers all the things that can (and have) stopped writers
in their tracks: procrastination, doubt, fear of failure,
loneliness, envy, the rejection blues, keeping your
perspective, burnout, commitment to your writing, and other
daily struggles of writers. You can tell when a book for
writers has been written by an author who has actually dealt
successfully with these issues—and
Writing from the Inside Out is
definitely one of those books. Palumbo has some of the best
suggestions I’ve read for dealing with “real life” and
maintaining your writing life in spite of it. Perhaps
because he is also a licensed psychotherapist, he hits the
nail on the head when it comes to dealing with these
issues—and he manages to inject a good dose of humor with
it!
(First
read "Regain the Passion"
Part 1 and Part 2.) 
(Read
Regain the Passion--Part 1 first.) 
Has
this ever happened to you? You’re half-way through a short
story revision, or the rough draft of your novel, or the
research for a biography—and without warning, you lose your
desire for the project. The passion evaporates. You feel
lethargic, sad, and brain dead (or least oxygen deprived).
You put your writing away for a few days, hoping it’s
hormonal or a phase of the moon or post-holiday blues.
However, when you dig it out again, it’s even worse. It
doesn’t grab you. You’re sure it won’t grab anyone else
either! It’s boring. It goes back in the drawer. 
I'm
a sucker for daily reminders from various websites. I
get writing reminders, fitness reminders, and blog
notices. Today in a couple of fitness emails I realized
the solution to a writing problem I have this morning.
First, there was an email from
SparkPeople on
getting fit called “Success is an Attitude.” A woman
wrote: "I plan to lose
50 pounds over a year. I am not setting myself up for
any big disappointments by trying to lose too much too
fast. Every day is a new day. Every day can be a
successful day." Smart lady, I
thought. 
Last
night, after a satisfying two days of writing and being
right on track with a deadline this week, I got some
news that threw my tight schedule out the window for
five days. I woke up at 4 a.m. thinking about what to do
and putting in some extra prayer time. Then, when
checking email, I received a
Google Alert,
those little email notices that tell you when someone
has mentioned you somewhere online. I clicked through
and found a post by my former writing student,
Myra Johnson,
called "When
Life Interrupts." Yes! Terrific article--and good
ideas in the comments section as well. I had to smile at
what Myra had written about me. In part she said,
"She’s an expert in working through the interruptions!"
I thought Hmmmm... If I was such an expert,
then I could stop floundering as I tried to reclaim in
my writing schedule for the week. 
(First
read Part 1 of "Facing Your Creative Fears.")
(First read
"Joining a Work in Progress" Part 1.) 
At
a recent retreat, several writer friends were waxing
nostalgic, longing for the “good old days” of
publishing. Back then it was easier to get
published. Back then it was common to have
editorial attention and hand-holding. If only we
could go back, they lamented. Well, recently I had
a rare chance to time travel back to the “good old days”
and see what a writer’s life was like 52 years ago . . .
If
you buy as many books as I do (for yourself, your kids,
or your grandkids), you'll want to know about this FREE
online source. It has a lot of great features, including
a wish list you can create so they can let you know when
a good deal pops up on any particular book. (I just may
buy up a few of my out-of-print hardcovers for the
grandkids while I'm at it.) Here's the info: 
I've
enjoyed reviewing my own computer monitor sayings this
week, as well as reading those you've shared. Here are
the last ones for a while: 
Retreat...
Just saying the word is soothing. While it is taking
some planning and shifting of events, I believe later in
June I'll be able to carve out three days for a personal
writing retreat. Given the price of gas, though, I'm
looking seriously at Judy's ideas for how to do a
retreat at home. It takes a bit of planning and
preparation, but infinitely do-able! (I'm referrring to
the book I've blogged about lately,
The Writer's Retreat Kit: A Guide for Creative
Exploration and Personal Expression by Judy Reeves.)
Most
of us have preconceived ideas of what a "writer's
retreat" would look like for us. Anything outside that
box (we think) just wouldn't fill the bill. That's what
I believed, until I continued to read the book I've
blogged about lately,
The Writer's Retreat Kit: A Guide for Creative
Exploration and Personal Expression by Judy Reeves.
She challenges writers to think of retreats in other
ways--and thus to see the possibilities around us to
create such retreats. Chew on this quote for the weekend
and see what you come up with. 
I'm
still reading my "retreat in a box" kit called
The Writer's Retreat Kit: A Guide for Creative
Exploration and Personal Expression by Judy Reeves
that I mentioned last week. I am contemplating the
following--and what it might mean. 
Happy
Memorial Day, everyone! For every military man or
woman--including my daughter, Laurie, deployed in Iraq--we
love you and are so proud of you. To see
and hear something that will stir your very soul, turn
up your sound and click
here:
Even
when life is going well, the writing pressures, the
marketing, the waiting, and the deadlines can make you dream
of taking a writing retreat. For several years, I've had on
my book shelf a "book in a box" called
The Writer's Retreat Kit: A Guide for Creative
Exploration and Personal Expression
by Judy Reeves. I've looked longingly at it
several times and read some of her ideas of creating
writer's retreats lasting from twenty minutes to several
days, depending on the time and money you have available.
Do
you have trouble receiving email from people who try to
contact you through your website? Me too--until now. You
may be generating a lot more email from your website
than you think--you're just not receiving it. 
Over
the weekend I created a website specifically for my
Boarding School Mystery series. I hope you’ll take a
look at it and let me know what you think. The four
middle-grade mysteries should be in the bookstores
within a couple weeks. Although I have resisted the
marketing push talked about so much lately, I have to
admit that designing simple websites is getting easier.
I use
FrontPage, self-taught with the free online
tutorials, and each time it is less intimidating—and
faster. Someday I may have a professionally designed
site, but for now, I’m glad to have it up and running!
Does
anyone else feel the constant push-pull between their
commitment to writing and their commitment to their
families? I was just talking about this yesterday with
another busy writing friend. We're both empty nesters
now, and we both expected to spend endless hours writing
every day. Take out the hours needed for website work
and other book promotion (speaking, teaching workshops,
signings, etc.) and, in theory, there are still about
five hours per day to write. If you exercise, then make
it four. Four would work, as long as you spent evening
and weekends reading about the craft of writing and
reading current books in your genre.