Get Creative with Writing

Christmas Dreams

2012-01-05T20:25:00.000-05:00

The following was written December 25, 2011:

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Day seems like an odd time to pick back up on this blog, but I have a couple of good reasons for doing so tonight.

The first is that I’m not at home. I’m in Las Vegas visiting my in-laws for the holiday, and right now I’m trapped in our borrowed townhouse with a sleeping toddler while the merrymaking happens elsewhere.

The second is that, as I was leaving Uncle Tony and Aunt Mary’s house, my husband’s cousin mentioned that the label on a jar of jam made Uncle Tony think I was on the web.

“I am online,” I said, “just not for jam.”

Then, of course, I explained about my blog. Then I had to admit how long it had been since I’d posted anything. And then, of course, I actually thought about how long it had been since I’d posted anything. Or written anything. Or done much of anything at all with my freelance career. And I felt guilty.
So, I have motive and opportunity. That’s why I’m writing a blog post on Christmas night, even knowing I won’t be able to post it until I get near a wireless connection.

It’s not that I haven’t been doing anything. I have a three-year-old daughter and a four-month-old son, either of which would consume a big chunk of any day. I’m still on church council. I still work two days a week at the local newspaper. We still have a gelato business. It’s the holiday season, so I’ve been shopping and planning and baking whenever those other activities allowed. Yet something was missing. I only vaguely realized it until I had a random conversation about jam (and conserves and marmalade, but that’s not really important right now). Writing is a part of my life, a part of who I am, but I'd more or less given it up.

Unnecessary guilt is always bad. (There’s a theological discussion about what guilt might be necessary, but I’ll not get into it right now.) Guilt can be a good motivator, though. Tonight is caused me to tuck my girl into bed and then sit down and draft out an article idea I’ve had in my back pocket since September. It felt good. Yes, it was crappy and unfocused but, darn it, it felt good.

We all have dreams. For you, that dream may or may not be to write. It doesn’t matter. Sometimes life gets in the way and we place those dreams aside. When we do that to ourselves, we can feel guilt. It can be destructive, debilitating. Or, it can make us get off our rears and realize our dreams, if only a few steps at a time.

That’s a lot of rambling for a small point. This Christmas and into the new year, give yourself a gift. Give yourself the gift of a dream realized, one day at a time.

Happy 2012!

Where I've Been

2011-09-29T11:23:00.000-04:00

I know, it's been months since I posted anything on this blog. Those who follow regularly or who friend me on Facebook will have some idea of what happened. For everyone else, here's the newspaper version.

Frank Joseph Di Salvo II

Carmelo and Andrea Di Salvo of Heppner announce the birth of a son, Frank Joseph. Frank was born at Good Shepherd Hospital in Hermiston at 3:06 p.m. on Sunday, August 21, 2011. He weighed eight pounds and was 21 and a quarter inches long.

Frank joins older sister, Moira, age three. Grandparents are Frank and Pam Di Salvo of Cheektowaga, NY; Lucille Di Salvo of Buffalo, NY; and Dexter and Corinne Miles of Heppner.

New baby and big sister probably won't allow for a regular blog schedule for some time to come, but I'll get back to posting as I'm able!

Wednesday Update on...Saturday -- 5/7/11

2011-05-07T15:59:00.000-04:00

Oops, looks like some more days got away from me somewhere.

Well, it was another week of no fiction writing...only news, news, news.

I got smart after having to stay at the paper till 6:30 last Tuesday. This week I planned ahead, checked emails from home, and did an interview on Saturday. I also drafted the article on Saturday. Sure, doing it off the clock basically meant I didn't get paid for it. I gave myself a byline for the article and photo, though, and got out by five both Monday and Tuesday. I call that progress! I also think the article was a higher quality than it would have been if I'd been writing it during the deadline crunch. As it stands, it's a piece on which I'm happy to have my byline for the world to see. (And, since layout is also my job, it got placed above the fold on page one...heh heh heh...)

The down side of the week is that WRITERS' Journal posted the results for their Science-Fiction/Fantasy contest. I didn't make the cut, not even as an honorable mention. Time to take another look at Baggage Claim and then pick the next market to assail.

Writer's group on Tuesday was good! Only three of us showed--Pat, Leland and myself--but that made for a more intimate, productive session. We finally seem to be hitting our stride as a group. Now I need to make sure I start writing something to have critiqued every week; that's surely the difficult part right now.

My cold and cough continue to linger, as does Baby M's. Her ear is still inflamed, even after two rounds of antibiotics. I have an upper respiratory infection that's making life miserable and for which I can do nothing except use a Neti Pot. Other than that, life is not so bad.

There's my news. Happy, um, Saturday!

Currently reading Shadowmarch, Volume 1 of the four-book Shadowmarch trilogy (yeah, you read that right; that's a Tad Williams trilogy for you). I've read both this and Volume 2, Shadowplay, before. This second read-through is a refresher before tackling the final two books, which were finally released. Seven- to eight-hundred-page books, but I'm willing to immerse myself in them again. 'Nuf said.

(By the way, this set is classified not just as fantasy, but as cyber-punk. I suppose that's related in some way to steam punk. Can anyone tell me what in earth those two genres are? Time for more research reading!)

There Are No Rules

2011-04-28T10:37:00.000-04:00

Feel like you need HELP as an aspiring writer? Check out Jane Friedman's post on why people offer help to writers, what help writers really need, and where to get legitimate help.

There Are No Rules

Wednesday Update

2011-04-27T11:53:00.000-04:00

Here I am, having missed my Monday update on yet another week. It looks like working on Mondays and Tuesdays will have to call for a change in my blogging schedule...again. For now, that means updates on Wednesdays and something on Fridays. I'm far behind on my blog reading, so Friday's will probably feature more reflections and rambling and fewer blog roundups.

Yesterday saw the end of my second work "week" on my own at the paper. I still like the job, but it often feels like trying to drink from a fire hose. I arrive on Mondays around nine, usually to more than 100 emails. My first task is to filter through and find the actual news amid all the spam and junk. Then I spend the rest of the day editing that news.

Tuesday mornings hold my trip to the courthouse for their news, along with any leftover editing and interviews. Then I have the afternoon to lay out the editorial portion of the eight-page paper (that means I lay out everything but the ads and classifieds). I'd love to get a jump on layout, but it hasn't happened in the last two weeks.

That's why I haven't yet left the paper before six on a Tuesday. I walked out the door yesterday at 6:30, half an hour late for my rescheduled writers' group. Good thing I only have to walk a block.

I'm not complaining. (Fooled you, eh?) The work is exhilarating if stressful. I'm sure, though, that it will calm down once I get a better grasp on the routine. I may never leave at five, but I hope to make 6:30 a thing of the past very soon!

In other news, the past week contained a wicked cold from Wednesday on, followed by frantic Easter preparations on Saturday and, of course, church and our big family gathering on Sunday. Then back to work on Monday. I gave an excerpt from my NIP to the writers' group last week, and received good, positive feedback last night. I'm grateful for their support of someone who usually come late and leaves early! Now that Easter is out of the way and I'm over all but the last remnants of this cold, I'm trying to get a grasp on what I have to do for the rest of this week.

And the fire hose keeps pumping.

Happy Wednesday!

Connections -- Part 4

2011-04-20T10:03:00.000-04:00

Finally, what you've all been waiting for: part 4 of my series on connections.

Connections in Writing

And what exactly do connections have to do with writing?

As writers, our strongest, most creative writing comes from the connections we bring to life through our words. Our characters can’t live in a bubble any more than we can. The more connections we give them, the richer and more meaningful our writing will be.

Yes, sometimes writers delve into lives that seem to have no connections. It’s never quite true, though. Look at some exceptions that prove the rule.

The boy who lived in a plastic bubble had no physical connections, but he had relationships, connections of the heart.

In Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game, Ender had the lonely life of a leader, with no true connections. None except his sister, Valentine, who remained his anchoring connection to all that was good in the world.

In The Count of Monte Cristo, Edmond Dantes seemed to have no connections, living a life stripped of everything except revenge. Yet he did have connections…connections of pain and vengeance to the people of his past, connections of loyalty to those who served him, and a blossoming connection of love to Haydee.

Our characters and events can’t exist in a void. They must be connected. They must be connected to their worlds, to themselves and to each other. They must connect in some way to our hearts. When we succeed in that, we form one more connection..a connection with our reader.

Monday Update -- 4/18/11

2011-04-18T10:21:00.000-04:00

It's amazing how much two days can screw up an established schedule.

I had my first week of work at the newspaper two weeks ago. My trainer, Autumn, was great. She was patient and thorough. I still left week one with feelings of panic, as if I'd definitely bitten off more than I can chew.

I think I already posted my to-do list for the rest of that week. Wednesday--dentist. Thursday--ultrasound and five-hours of errand running. Friday I took a break to spend some time with my daughter, who hadn't been feeling well. That left me Saturday to be productive and "Git 'er done."

Saturday at 3:30 AM, Baby M woke with an ear infection.

It caught us off guard, without even the basics like children's Tylenol. Living in a small town, we had to wait until the grocery store opened at 7 in order to get Tylenol and OTC drops. Too bad they didn't work. Of course it happened on a Saturday; that meant a trip to the ER later that morning. That got it straightened out and Baby M on the road to recovery. It also left my husband and I feeling like we'd been used to wipe the floors.

Sunday was calm, a church and TV day, with Baby M recovering but still acting the part of a clinging vine.

Last Monday and Tuesday saw my second week of training at the paper. I left those days feeling nervous about taking over the job on my own. Absolute panic abated, though, and I feel confident I can do this with minimal screw-ups.

Wednesday saw the three of us (hubby, daughter and myself) on an all-day shopping trip. Looking back, it was a mistake to drag Baby M along. Guilt made us do it. The day seemed much longer than 8 hours.

Thursday was clear during the day. WOW! However, the evening was consumed by a 4-hour council meeting in the evening. Friday and Saturday were gelato-churning days. Sunday, Baby M was a monster in church. 'Nuff said.

Today will be my first day solo at the paper. By tomorrow, I'll have a better idea if I can edit and lay out an 8-page weekly on my own.

Sorry for the long, boring update. That's my last two weeks...full of activity and emergency, but with little progress in writing or publishing. That's what happens when you live life. Life gets messy. It gets sidetracked and makes you take crazy detours. When you see the sun shining on your two-year-old's hair, though, it somehow all becomes worth it.

Happy Monday!

Connections -- Part 3

2011-04-14T10:04:00.000-04:00

Sorry I've missed almost two weeks on this blog. Part of that involves general busy-ness and part is due to a very sick toddler. I'll try to get out an update this coming Monday but, for now, here's the next installment of my "Connections" series.

Connections in Our Lives

Whether we choose to acknowledge our connections, we all have them. We have family, friends, coworkers, activities, or events that have touched us. Our lives are suspended in a series of relationships and interactions. Some are good and some are bad, but they all work together to form the reality we inhabit. It may sound egocentric to say it, but we all sit at the center of our own web of connections, the associations that tie us to the world.

We often don’t realize they’re there until we start looking for those lines of gentle tension that tie us to others. They are felt but not often seen. They are silk-thin but strong as steel. With enough work, we can sometimes sever connections. Like any good spider web, once broken they cannot be repaired; they can only be re-spun over time.

Most of all, we cannot live without connections. Some people might think they do. A sense of isolation may make those glistening threads invisible to us. If anything, though, they are negative connections that still bind us, sometimes adversely. They may be connections of pain, abuse or abandonment. Those are connections that are better off being severed and, if possible, re-spun in a different way.

No matter how painful our connections, though, we never exist in a void. A life truly without connections would be humanity misfired, a terrible aberration of what we are meant to be. Because we are meant to be connected.

Next week: Connections in Writing.

Currently Reading:

So far so good on this Biblical-archaeology novel. I'll let you know for sure when I'm finished!

Recently Read

2011-04-03T21:23:00.000-04:00

I've decided to keep my followers up-to-date with my reading as well as my writing. First up: The Kitchen God's Wife by Amy Tan.

I'll be honest; I found this book incredibly depressing. (Depressing? I went through reams of tissues every time one of Winnie's children died.) That's probably because I'm from the strictly escapist school of novel readers. Regardless, it was well-written. The voice fits the characters, telling the story with authenticity and occasional humor. The writing style is unique and intriguing, and the story is interesting (albeit depressing). I'd recommend The Kitchen God's Wife on the basis of the craftsmanship alone. If you like a dose of realism with your reading, though, you'll probably enjoy the story as well.

Monday Update -- 4/4/11

2011-04-03T19:34:00.002-04:00

Yes, I'm a day early this week. In view of this Monday's crazy schedule, though, I thought I should get this out while I can.

An hour or two after posting last week's Monday update, I got a call from the newspaper where I'd dropped off my resume. After a short interview that afternoon, I left having been hired as the Heppner Gazette-Times' new part-time news editor. Tomorrow is my first day. How it goes will have to wait for next Monday's update.

According to the paper's owner, David Sykes, the position has less to do with writing than line editing and layout. That's fine, though. It gets me back in the workplace. I get to earn money and keep design skills I may otherwise have lost over time. Most importantly, the knowledge that I have to be away from home two days a week has already made me value my time at home more...both for freelance work and for spending time with my daughter.

Part of the proof of this is that I got off my duff and got my Woman's World short story in the mail. High time I got something else out there! Now I have to wait "one to six months" to see if I made the cut. It might be a bit much to expect my first time querying them, but it would sure be nice!

I didn't write much this week. I did manage a very short post for Lessons from the Shadowland in time for my April 1 deadline. I also did some editing and pulled an excerpt from my NIP to share with the writer's groups on Tuesday. That's if I get there. I went last week, but with Baby M in tow. She calmed down toward the end, but I don't think I'll try it again. No babysitter, no writer's group.

I also spent some time uncovering the desk in my office/toddler's room. While not directly related to writing, a cleaner writing space will surely be more conducive to productivity. The room needs more work, but I'm feeling proud of myself for finding the desktop.

Otherwise, I have a busy week ahead: Two days of work, one Bible study, writer's group, a dentist appointment, an ultrasound and, somewhere in there, a couple of visits with an old friend who's in town for the week. Writing? Hmmm...

I think that's it for this first Monday in April. Happy Monday and happy writing!

Ramblings, Reflections and a Blog Roundup -- 4/2/11

2011-04-01T10:47:00.004-04:00

Again, Friday has come too quickly. That's my reflection for the week. So, let's dive in.

I love this post by Mary over at KidLit.com. It's funny, hard-hitting and inspirational... everything I needed for a swift kick in the pants Monday morning. Check it out and see if it affects you the same way.

Creative Confidence

Mary Glickman writes a guest post for the Guide to Literary Agents "How I Got My Agent" feature. Her tale of enduring 40 years of rejection before landing her first deal on her 7th novel... well it's inspiring, and makes my whining seem pretty insignificant.

How I Got My Agent -- Mary Glickman

Rachelle Gardner had a couple of wonderful posts on what a fiction editor looks for. They are not the posts I chose for this roundup. Instead, I honed in on a topic with which I can relate, the "quick no." If you've ever been discouraged about how quickly agents and editors say no--but how slowly they say yes--you may want to check it out.

Why "No" Comes Quickly...But "Yes" Seems to Take Forever

My husband and I self-published a book, but the sales have been... Well, let's not talk numbers. That's why Joel Friedlander's post on getting book reviews for self-published books caught my eye. Maybe it will catch yours, too.

How to Get Reviews for Self-Published Books

Write with TLC has some beautiful insights into the power of words, as well as what happens when words and actions don't match. Of course, she also does an excellent job of applying that lesson to the writing life!

Beautiful Words Seduce, But Actions Commit

Finally, Michael Hyatt gives some tips for dealing with something every writer has experienced. Yes, he has 24 methods for getting out of a "funk."

24 Hacks for Getting Out of Your Funk

Happy Friday and happy writing!

Connections -- Part 2

2011-03-30T12:01:00.003-04:00

Last Wednesday I looked at human connections. This week I delve into connections in logic and events.

I think it perhaps is the writer in me, or maybe that pesky remnant of my left brain, that looks for logical connections between events and people. Sometimes, also, illogical connections. What do I mean?

What is the connection between weather and mood, mood and action, action and reaction?

When I see a behavior, an event, or even a natural phenomenon, I start looking at the cause and effect relationships. I don’t mean in an algebraic sense. I’m terrible at math, especially algebra proofs. I do love, though, sorting out the factors that lead people and animals to behave as they do.

If my friend lashes out at a friendly barista when she makes a simple mistake, is it in character or out? If out of character, why did it happen? Is my friend having a bad day and, if he is, then why? Is it a personal problem, Seasonal Affective Disorder, or a problem with medication dosage?

When earthquakes and tsunamis start ripping through the earth at a startling rate, I wonder about that rate. Is there a cause and effect relationship within the earth's plates that causes a ripple effect (um, yes, pretty sure there is)? Does the earth go through this cycle every several hundred years, or is this a sign of the coming end? Or have things been this bad all along, and we just didn't have the technology to spread the word?

And what about the connection between such disasters and the humans who endure them.? The people of Japan show amazing fortitude in the face of calamity. In other places, such events would lead to looting and rioting. What is the connection between events and reactions? What deep recesses of the soul lead some to amazing heights of courage and others to the darkest depths of human behavior?

Maybe I’m wrong about this being something writers examine in particular. Perhaps this is another trait all humanity shares. I’m not sure it is, though, because I often find myself getting sideways stares when I start asking why people behave in certain ways under not-so-certain circumstances. These, though, are the questions that drive my thoughts…who, what, where, when, how and why.

Next Wednesday, the role of connections in our lives.

Monday Update -- 3/28/11

2011-03-28T13:00:00.002-04:00

After suffering a major relapse last Wednesday, I again find myself pulling my hair out over how little I accomplished and how far behind I am. I was so ill last week, I simply forgot about the writer's group on Tuesday. They probably don't expect to see me again.

Here's what else I haven't done; I haven't:

Trimmed my short romance to Woman's World requirements,
Written the Shadowland post for my last deadline (with another deadline coming at me on Wednesday),
Marketed any of the tips or fillers I have lying around,
Written outlines or drafts for miscellaneous ideas,
Done anything with my children's books,
Worked on my NIP,
Journaled, or
Much else.

I did take a bit of a plunge last Friday. Thursday, I opened our local paper (a weekly that comes out on Wednesdays). I scanned all 6 pages and, for the first time in months, looked at the help wanted ads. That same paper, the Gazette-Times, is currently looking for a part-time news editor.

I wasn't on the hunt for a job. I wasn't consciously seeking an opportunity. But...part time? Two days a week? News editor? I dropped off my resume on Friday.

I haven't heard back one way or the other yet. It has only been three days. I imagine that, even in a town of 1,300, there's some stiff competition. I'm praying though, and have all fingers and toes crossed.

In some ways I feel like this may be a sign of insanity. After all, I purposely try to work from home in order to raise my daughter myself (versus having a daycare do it). I don't feel I need more on my plate right now; I'm busy enough.

In other ways, I feel I'm going to seed. This job, if gotten, could be what I need to give me back a bit of my edge. Besides, we need the money.

So, there's my situation for the week. How's everyone else doing this last Monday in March?

Ramblings, Reflections and a Blog Roundup -- 3/25/11

2011-03-25T11:50:00.002-04:00

I can't believe it's Friday. I imagine I'm not alone in that thought.

It seems strange to me to think in those terms since I don't have a Monday through Friday, 8 to 5 kind of job. Being a mom is more like a 24/7 job, while trying to squeeze everything else in around the edges. Still, years of dealing with a 9-5 environment has left me with the continuing urge to measure weeks in five-day units. So, another week has passed.

I suffered a relapse of the cold I thought I was beating. So, not much got done besides the basics. By the basics, I mean feeding and clothing my family (barely) and...well, that's pretty much it.

Enough about my life. That can all be said in my Monday update. Here's what I found in my Google Reader this week.

A question about the use of real place names turns into an answer about not giving into distractions on Rachelle Gardner's blog.

Keep Your Eye on the Ball

On the same blog, guest blogger Mary Demuth weighs in on 7 Ways to Be a Professional. Since this is something I work hard at (yes, despite apparent flaws), I thought it worth including in this roundup.

7 Ways to Be a Professional

We've all heard the slogan, "Write what you know." What if you want to write about a place you've never been? Write It Sideways has a great post on the topic, complete with pros, cons and helpful advice.

7 Tips for Writing About Places You’ve Never Been

When I first started reading Mary's post at KidLit.com, I thought, "Yeah, I've heard this before." But her post on matching detail and syntax to content turned out to be insightful and worth the read, even if you simply consider it a reminder.

Mimetic Writing

T.L. Cooper has an interesting post on priorities and the workaholic in her over at Write with TLC.

The Workaholic in Me

This last one has nothing to do with writing. As a frustrated travel addict, though, I enjoy reading Ryan's posts on his thoughts. It doesn't hurt that he's an old college friend. Anyway, this post from The Savvy Traveler was well-written and worth the read. And maybe it does apply to writing, if you bend your mind enough.

What's the Nature of Your Travel Addiction?

That should be enough to keep us all busy. I continue to battle a cold, so I know I missed tons of great posts this week. My apologies to the authors of those posts; I'll catch you on the next go-around! Till then, happy Friday and happy writing.

Connections -- Part 1

2011-03-23T12:07:00.001-04:00

I look for connections everywhere.

I don’t know if it’s my rural upbringing, my writer’s mind or some human trait we all share, but I follow the thread of every person I meet or event I encounter to see how it connects with other people and events. I do this as a person, but also as a writer. That’s why I’ve decided to write a short series of posts on the subject. I’ll write about connections with people, connections with events, how connections shape our lives and how those connections shape our writing.

First up, connections in humanity.

Human Connections
I believe it is, in fact, a very human endeavor to examine the connections between ourselves and others. Whether we’re raised on a wheat farm in Oregon, an Italian neighborhood in the Bronx or a village in Botswana, all of us find something satisfying in establishing connections between ourselves and others.

Whenever you hear of a person-centered event in your community--a birth, death, wedding, accident or arrest--what is the first thing you do? If your family is like mine, you look for relationships. "Ah, yes, so and so who’s getting married is the son of this person who was related to that person who was a next door neighbor of the other person, who is--of course--a second cousin of such and such."

Like any good “Six Degrees” game, you eventually end up with a connection. Maybe it’s a familial connection. Maybe it’s not. In any case, you get close enough to establish that person’s place in your world. They are no longer simply a disembodied name. They are someone who, no matter how convoluted the path, is firmly fixed in your reality. You have a connection.

Next Wednesday: connections in logic and events.

Monday Update...on Tuesday?

2011-03-22T12:20:00.003-04:00

I have a cold. That explains in part why I'm a day late with this weekly update.

This past weekend was Heppner's Wee Bit 'O Ireland celebration, one of the two biggest events in our small town's year. For me, that mainly meant making sure the local stores were stocked with plenty of gelato. That translated into hours spent churning those dozens of pints...only to turn around this week and realize I need to start all over again.

Throw in a funeral on Wednesday and a few church obligations, and my body was ripe for the cold virus my niece and nephew brought to us during the middle of the week. Saturday, the day of the big festivities, saw me with sinuses ready to burst a nose leaking like a faucet. My darling daughter was not much better off.

It took me three days to re-enter the land of the living. Three days is a pretty good record for me and colds, but seemed interminable when combined with an active 2-year-old and my pregnancy-enforced absence of meds. That's right...no Nyquil, Dayquil, Robitussin. No meds.

So, not a lot of writing got done this past week. That doesn't mean nothing got done. Remember that short story I wrote a week or so ago? I wrote it with Woman's World in mind, and last week I emailed them for their fiction guidelines. I received a response yesterday. For those who are interested, I'll post their fiction guidelines below. From what I hear, it could take several attempts to break in; the number of submissions they receive is phenomenal. They pay pretty darn well, though, especially for this economy, so it's worth the effort.

As for tonight's writer's group...I've missed the past two weeks and I'm not sure how I'll feel about it tonight after a day playing catch-up. We'll see how it pans out.

WOMAN’S WORLD
FICTION GUIDELINES

Romance guidelines:

We buy contemporary romances of 800 words. Stories must revolve around a compelling, true-to-life relationship dilemma; may feature either a female or male protagonist; and may be written in either the first or third person. Characters may be married, single, divorced or widowed; should be down-to-earth (no yuppies or jet-setters); and their dilemma should be poignantly or humorously conveyed. Please think carefully about a story's setting, mood and plot, and tell the story with interesting action and dialogue. (Every sentence, paragraph, and scene of the story should deliver more information about your characters and their situation and/or briskly advance the storyline).

We are not interested in stories involving life-or-death matters, nor are we interested in fluffy, flyaway-style romance. When we say romance, what we really mean is relationship--whether it's just beginning or is about to celebrate its 50th anniversary. The emphasis in our stories is on real life-which is why we do not buy science fiction, fantasy or historical romance.

We pay $800 per romance and retain First North American Serial Rights for six months after publication.

Mini mystery guidelines:

We purchase short "solve-it-yourself" mysteries of 700 words--a count that includes the narrative and the solution. Stories should be cleverly plotted, entertaining cliffhangers that end with a challenge to the reader to figure out whodunnit or howdunnit. The solution to the mystery is provided in a separate box.

Robbery, burglary, fraud and murder are acceptable subjects, but spare the readers any gory details or excessive violence, please! We are also not interested in ghost stories, science fiction or fantasy.

We pay $500 per mystery and retain First North American Serial Rights for six months after publication.

IMPORTANT NOTES!

Manuscripts should be double-spaced in legible size type.

Where to send manuscripts: Fiction Editor, Woman's World, 270 Sylvan Ave., Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632. Indicate Mini Mystery or Romance on the envelope.

How to send manuscripts: (1) You must include a Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope to receive a reply. Manuscripts not accompanied by a SASE will be discarded. Note: A #10 SASE is necessary not just for a response, but for your contract if we purchase your story. (2) Please DO NOT fax or e-mail manuscripts--because such submissions do not include SASEs, we have no means of responding to your submission.

Get to know us: Please familiarize yourself thoroughly with our romances and mini mysteries before submitting your work.

Be patient: Because we receive a tremendous volume of manuscripts, our turnaround time may range from one to six months. If you still have not heard from us after that time, feel free to re- submit your manuscript. Please do not call or write us to inquire about a manuscript's status.

Ramblings, Reflections and a Blog Roundup -- 3/18/11

2011-03-17T17:45:00.004-04:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day/Erin go bragh! (one day late) and Viva San Giuseppe! (one day early). Yes, two saints' days right in a row...and both celebrated by my family in honor of my part-Irish heritage and my husbands mostly-Sicilian background. It's interested when beer, corned beef and cabbage meet wine, pasta and sardines. In this melting post that is the U.S. of A., though, sometimes traditions get meshed in the most interesting ways! (But no, we don't usually have all that on the same day. Gross.)

Okay, enough of the rambling part. On to the week's interesting blogs. Here they are:

Do you favor long blocks of text or lots of white space? Check out the nuances of empty space at Write It Sideways.

How and When to Use White Space In Writing

I've been trying to unplug more lately, but sometimes a piece of technology makes me say, "Wow, that's cool." That's what happened when I found out about the new iPhone app, Broadcastr. Jane Friedman shares a bit about it over at There Are No Rules. True, I have no access to the app, since I don't have one of them new-fangled phones. Still, it's cool. What do you think...an amazing new tool for writers or, as my mom says, "Too much technology"?

Share Your Stories Using Broadcastr

Rachelle Gardner has not one, but several posts bursting the myths writers believe about agents and publishing. Short and to the point, they're worth checking out if you're new to the publishing arena. Here's the link to the most recent:

Myth Busting -- Our 3rd and Final Day

Mary over at Kidlit.com has an interesting post on using the first-person POV with a narrative that's more third-person appropriate. Don't know what that means? Neither did I. Her post makes a lot of sense, though, and makes me want to take another look at the narrative in my first-person POV WIP.

Third Person-Style Narration in First Person

Are you thinking about self-publishing--or already have--and wondering how that would affect your chances of getting published in the world of agents and the big 6 houses? Jessica at BookEnds, LLC addresses a reader question on that topic in one of her most recent posts.

From Self-Pubbed to Contract

I've been struggling whether to gear a certain story idea toward adult or YA. That's why I found this post at Adventures in Agentland so helpful. It's actually about voice, not POV. Check out the full post at:

YA vs. Adult: what's so different, anyway?

As a spot of inspiration, here's Michael Hyatt's perspective on how to face adversity...not to ask "Why did this happen?" but "How can this make us better?" See some other questions Michael Hyatt offers to reframe a negative situation.

Seven Better Questions You Can Ask in the Midst of Adversity

Finally, I'll share a post from Laura Campbell at Writing Unleashed. Why? Because I identify. Laura details her recent experience with ending up in the writing ditch and then getting back on the road. Anyone here who can't relate? I didn't think so.

Getting Back to My Writing

There are plenty more great posts out there, but I'm going into Google Reader overload. So, until next week, happy Friday and happy writing!

$.99 Kindle Book!

2011-03-17T14:02:00.003-04:00

Just a quick note to let everyone know we lowered the price of Creative Marriage Proposals to only 99 cents on Kindle. It's an experiment based on news of some books that are selling well at that price. We also finally realized that no sales at 99 cents doesn't cost us any more than no sales at $6.95.

So, if you've thought about checking it out but were deterred by the price, now is the perfect time!

Click here to go to Creative Marriage Proposals on Kindle.

Monday Update 3/14/11

2011-03-14T13:58:00.002-04:00

On this first Monday after the time change, I'm feeling a sense of overwhelm. It could be leftover exhaustion from the time change. (Though, with a toddler who doesn't care about clocks, that part is probably all in my head.) It might have been the 3-1/2 hour council meeting last Thursday, the minutes I have to review and the letters I have to write. It may be the gelato that needs churning or the quilting I need to do this week.

Yes, that's probably it. That's probably also why, as I try to gather my thoughts and launch into this week, my brain offers me less introspection and more of a to-do list. I'm sure I'll get things sorted eventually; I just hope it doesn't take me till Friday to do it.

That said, here's a writing update: zip. Yes, as you may have gathered from that partial to-do list, I didn't get a whole lot of writing done this past week. I did take the time to research some publications. The next step is to actually write and send to said publications. Plus, two weeks have flown by, and I find myself faced with another Shadowland deadline tomorrow. Since I haven't even gotten as far as writing a title for it, this should be interesting.

All that says one thing to me. I need to get off the Internet and back to work!

Happy Monday and happy writing.

"Your Focus Needs More Focus"

2011-03-09T12:32:00.002-05:00

Our satellite provider recently gave us a weekend preview of some movie channels. That gave me the chance to watch (most of) yet another movie I'd missed in the theater...The Jackie Chan version of "The Karate Kid."

Okay, I liked it. Yes, it was a remake, but still... I'm a huge Jackie Chan fan, and this role shows a different facet of his character. It also seems Jaden Smith may have inherited his parents' mad acting skills. If nothing else, it was worth watching for the breathtaking views of China.

Those who have seen it will probably remember the scene on the pier, right after they climbed the mountain to drink from the spring. Dre was anxious to try what he'd seen an advanced Kung Fu master do on the trip up. When Mr. Han tells him he needs to work on his focus, Dre replies, "I'm focused." Milliseconds later, Mr. Han has a startled Dre hanging inches from the cold water. Then comes the line I loved.

"Your focus needs more focus."

I can't say for sure what the writers, directors and Chan himself might have meant by that line, but I know what lesson I got from it. Dre was focused. He was focused on the end result, on his vision of himself as an invincible Kung Fu warrior. That's good as far as it goes, but it's not enough.

Dre lacked a focus on the here and now. His aspirations were good, but he needed to focus on the present, on each move and principle that would take him where he wanted to go. Without those, he could focus on his dream forever without moving any closer to it.

I think the same problem of focus can hinder writers. It may not be that I'm not focused. I may be very focused on the fame or wealth I believe writing can earn me. The thoughts of movie rights and book signings might claim all my waking thoughts. Yet, to even have a shot of getting there, I can't focus solely on the prize. I have to focus on the writing.

Dre had to focus on movement, on anticipating his opponent and shutting out distractions. As writers, we need to focus on the art, on developing plots and themes and characters, on crafting descriptive prose or breath-stealing poetry. Then we advance to focusing on the technical skills of getting published: how to connect with editors and agents, how to write query letters and cover letters, and the legal aspects of rights and contracts.

When we have a grasp on that, we can think about fame. Maybe. Having made our writing and marketing skills second nature, we can consider some of the perks of success. Then, and only then, may we be ready to charm the snake.

Monday Update 3/7/11

2011-03-07T11:35:00.001-05:00

I have bandwidth issues.

We have satellite Internet, and that means that we have a limited amount of bandwidth we can use each month. When we get near our limit, they shut us off. No overage charges. No rollover. Just Internet silence until our bandwidth allotment builds back up. The other day, my father informed me that we were entering the danger zone. So, if I go silent for a few days, it means we've used up our Internet for the month and I haven't made it to the library.

The joys of rural life are many. Internet service isn't one of them.

Otherwise, I have good and indifferent news this week.

I attended my first meeting of the Heppner writers' group last Tuesday. It also turned out to be their first meeting. It lasted two hours but turned into more of a chitchat session than a serious discussion. There was no critique, though the possibility is open for critiques in the future, when members feel more comfortable. I'll be skipping the meeting this week, not because I've given up this quickly but because I have a hectic schedule over the next four days. I do hope, though, that the group turns into something more productive in the near future.

On the up side, I didn't know all that when I prepared for the meeting last Tuesday. Anxious to have something of my own to critique, I finished the short story I'd started the previous Saturday and gave it a quick brush-up. It's still in rough form, but the first part is done. Now it's all refinement. Then then the hard part...marketing. Since I wrote the story with a specific publication in mind, I'm hoping that might turn out to be the easy part this time!

That's it for this week. Happy Monday and happy writing!

Ramblings, Reflections and a Blog Roundup -- 3/4/11

2011-03-04T15:07:00.001-05:00

I'm behind on my blog reading. Yes, again. Speed reading through 100 miscellaneous posts isn't the best atmosphere for producing a meaningful blog roundup. I've done my best, though, and I hope you enjoy the results.

First up is Nathan Bransford's take on the author Facebook account. I included his post because I've been thinking about whether I should split my writing life from my personal life on Facebook. My main motivation, honestly, is that I don't want to reach a point where I have total strangers viewing my daughter's pictures. When I think of maintaining three, or even four, accounts, though, I start feeling lazy. Then I convince myself that I'm already overworked, and I put it off some more. What do you think?

Facebook for Authors - How to Get Started

Over the past couple of months, I've become a certified manuscript hoarder. That's why Rachelle Gardner's post, "Cant Hit Send?" hit home with me. Can you identify?

Can't Hit Send?

Here's one I missed from several days ago: T.L. Cooper talks about slow walking to an epiphany versus the blunt approach. Most of us have been there, wanting to jump to the point but knowing the point is best made by letting the other person see it for himself. See how it applies to life as well as writing.

Epiphanies & Storytelling: The Slow Walk Or The Blunt Approach

Okay, most of us know better than to tell an agent or editor that our mother or best friend or child loved our story. But what about an actual focus group? Mary Tackles that question with brutal but helpful honesty on Kidlit.com.

Focus Groups and Teens Opinions

And this post by Fun Mama...well, it's just interesting. Or not. You decide.

Edible Wild Plants -- A Few Resources

Happy Friday and good writing!

My Name is Andrea, and I’m a Write-a-holic

2011-03-02T10:48:00.002-05:00

Caveat: True addictions are a serious issue, and I have no desire to make light of addicts or the struggles they and their families face. This topic is purely for the sake of analogy.

The other day, I overheard my father confide to someone that he thinks my mother has a reading addiction. After all, seven books in one month is beyond the realm of reasonable consumption.

Fortunately, I’m pretty certain reading is a non-lethal addiction. If it weren’t, I’d have ODed a long time ago. His comment did get me pondering another topic I’d already been noodling.

Is writing a drug?

No, it’s not. Not according to the obvious definition, anyway. But is it addictive?

Yes, I think so.

I’m no doctor or counselor, but I know some of the basics of addiction. Based on my limited knowledge, let’s look at some of them.

Addictions don’t usually happen overnight.
A strong addiction requires repeated exposure to the substance or behavior in order to take hold. This may take a few days to several months, depending on the individual, but most don’t develop addictions after trying something only once. They simply like it enough to try it again…and again…until they’re hooked.

You don’t become a serious writer overnight. You have to try it, like it, and try it some more until it gets under your skin.

When you’re addicted to something, you can’t get enough.
An addiction demands increasing doses for a diminishing return. The less you do, the weaker the hold the activity has over you. The more you do, the more you want.

I can’t speak for other writers, but this is how it is for me: the longer I let my writing sit unvisited, the less desire I have to pick it up again. The more I write, the more I want to write. The more I write, the more it consumes my thoughts, firing my brain with ideas until I have to sit down and put them to words.

Decreased use can lead to a life without the addictive behavior, but you always have to be careful.
You can cut an addiction from your life through rehabilitation or new learned behaviors. At the same time, you need to be careful about exposing yourself to the behavior in the future, or you’ll probably fall into the same patterns again.

As I said, the less I write, the less I want to write. It doesn’t take all that long before I’m almost comfortable not writing at all. Almost. As with all true addictions, it only takes a taste to stir the old passions and fire up those receptors. A true writing addict never “used to be a writer.” At best, you may be a “writer in recovery.”

Sure, my analogy has its limitations. True addictions are destructive to addicts’ lives on mental, physical, emotional and relational levels. With the exceptions of writers like Poe and Hemingway, most writers I know about are pretty balanced…except for that niggling little desire to pick up a pen or pluck at a keyboard. Few writers let their craft destroy their families, their social lives or their non-writing careers.

Here’s my point, though. Unlike most behaviors, writing is something to which it actually helps to be a little addicted. The road to publication is tough, it’s lonely and it’s often unrewarding. If you don’t have an inner drive, a desire for the art for its own sake, it can be easy to give up. I for one, could stand a little more addiction to my writing (and a little less addiction to sugar and chocolate, but that’s a separate topic). Anyone else feel like forming an addiction?

Monday Update 2/28/11

2011-02-28T11:52:00.001-05:00

I have a confession. I've done more quilting that writing in the past week. In some ways I have a good excuse...the quilt is a gift with a deadline, and I want to get it done in plenty of time so I don't have to stress at the last minute.

That does nothing for my WIP, though.

At the same time, I did take a wonderful little side trip into fiction-writing land on Saturday. I found myself exhausted but sleepless during my daughter's naptime. That itself was frustrating, but I actually had a story idea gel while I was staring at the ceiling. So, I got up and managed nearly 500 words before it was back to 2-year-old land. Now, if I can only get the end to gel as well as the beginning. It's high time I got another story polished and into the marketing mill.

Since this is the last day of the month, I find myself again faced with my first-of-the-month deadline for my Lessons from the Shadowland blog. I have the title written. Does that count?

Finally, my husband brought home some good news over the weekend. Last year, I'd searched for signs of a writers' group in the area. Finding none, I'd assumed there were none within the 50 mile radius that I considered reasonable. I was wrong. There is, in fact, a group that meets on Tuesday evenings at the local diner. Now all I need is a babysitter--and I'm volunteering my father for this role--and I'm set. Peer critiques, here I come!

That's it for this week. Happy Monday!

Ramblings, Reflections and a Blog Roundup -- 2/25/11

2011-02-25T14:03:00.002-05:00

I'm way behind on my blog reading, so the following are a mere sampling of the many great posts that have come out over the past week. Even today, it's difficult to tear myself from the snowy vista outside and focus on...anything. (Yes, I did get outside to play in the snow with my two-year-old. Chilly heaven!) Hopefully, I'm not posting what you've already read. Enjoy!

~ ~ ~ ~

This post by Rachelle Gardner may not offer much comfort for people who--like myself--are beset by self-doubt and lack of assurance. It's good to be reminded occasionally, though, that it may not be about you. Publishing is competitive. Even a good book can be beaten out by a better one.

The Talent Here Is Ridiculous

Here's a break from the usual writing and publishing advice: the physical effects of writing, brought to us from Write It Sideways.

Protect Yourself from Writing's Physical Hazards

Rafael Yglesias' guest post on There Are No Rules blows away what writers have been told about cliches...and a few other truisms.

Cliche's for Aspiring Writers

Nathan Bransford weighs in on what the future could look like for bookstores, now that a big contender like Borders faces bankruptcy.

Do Record Stores Point the Way of the Future for Bookstores?

I don't necessarily agree with Natalie Fischer's hatred of prologues but, hey, she is an agent. Maybe we should listen to her.

Why I Hate Prologues

Whether you're a tech geek or are simply looking for a better way to get organized (and who isn't?), you might like Michael Hyatt's take on the Evernote software.

A Better Filing System for Public Speakers (and Writers)

Happy Friday and happy writing!

Enter Author Stage Right

2011-02-23T13:01:00.002-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, I watched (most of) Iron Man for the first time. Yes, I’m behind in the Hollywood scene. Having a toddler and living with your parents will do that. Anyway, one of the highlights for me was Stan Lee’s traditional appearance. I know, it’s geekiness unleashed. I can’t help it, though. Stan Lee…M. Night Shyamalan…Alfred Hitchcock…Stephen King…I get a kick out of directors and writers who slide themselves into the story in sneaky little ways.

That’s not to say I’d be a fan if they inserted themselves in the story too much. I’d be much less thrilled if Stan Lee entered the story as Iron Man’s full-time mentor instead of a passing comment on the stairs.

Movies, of course, are an entirely different case from books. If an author inserts him or herself into a book overtly, it’s rarely charming. (I’ve never actually read a book where I found it anything but annoying, but I’m leaving open the benefit of the doubt.) On the other hand, I’ve never read a book where an author placed himself in a cameo similar to the names I mentioned above. It might be interesting to see how that worked. Hmmm…

It’s a different story when the author successfully inserts her own thoughts into the characters’ thoughts and opinions. I happen to think Shirley Rousseau Murphy does it well. You know they’re her thoughts, but they fit so well with the characters, you only notice the insertion if you think about it. Again, though, it only really works if the reader happens to agree with the characters. Too much opinion, I think, will turn the reader off if world views don’t happen to align. I know it’s happened when I read other books in the past.

Then I think of writers like Orson Scott Card, who disassociates himself to a sometimes astonishing degree. I just finished his novel, Enchantment. In it, the protagonist is a Ukrainian Jew who spent the first decade of his life in the USSR. As I read the book, I found myself wondering at times, “What happened to the author to make him dislike Christians so much?” Then I pulled myself back to reality and remembered that the author is a Mormon who was born in Washington State and now lives in North Carolina. He doesn’t dislike Christians; he successfully associated with a character who distrusted them, often with good historical reason. It was brilliant, and I admire him for introducing me to another worldview that made me examine my own.

When it comes down to it, though, we all insert ourselves into our writing to some degree. It’s nearly impossible not to. We are our writing. Our writing reflects, if not our entire personality, then some facet or some angle of ourselves that can’t help reflecting onto the pages of a story. We may not be our characters. We may not even like our characters. They may not hold our opinions or share our Myers-Briggs personality type. Still, something of the writer remains.

So, maybe I don’t have to make a cameo in my own work. None of us do. My work is me. Your work is you. That’s more than enough.

Monday Update 2/21/11

2011-02-21T12:42:00.004-05:00

I wouldn't say I had a meltdown last week. I did check out of life, as much as life would let me. Not that life ever lets anyone check out completely, but I sure tried. So, having missed my Wednesday and Friday posts, here I am back at my Monday update.

Having said that, it won't come as a shock that I didn't do much in the past week. That doesn't mean nothing happened.

A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that I didn't make the cut in a contest I entered. Of course I was disappointed. What caught my attention, though, was the fact that the editors of the On the Premises contests offer a critique to non-finalists for only $10. My family's budget is tight, but I know a good deal when I see one. Since this wasn't the first go-around for this particular story, I clenched my teeth, sent in the money and waited.

The critique came over the weekend.

First, they were nice. Any fears I had of having my ego shredded and left for the literary vultures dissipated as I read not just the bad news about my entry, but also the good. The issues, they said, were minor. The story simply had enough minor issues to keep it from making the finals.

Second, they were helpful. The critique was concrete, balanced and actionable. I was left feeling that the story needed work, but that it was work I could do to create a better, more publishable piece. They also--intentionally or unintentionally--made my ponder myself and my attitude as a writer.

What am I talking about? For instance, they said parts of the story were overwritten, as if I felt the reader wouldn't get it unless I spelled it out. Is it because I look down on my readers or assume they won't get it? I hope not, but it's worth considering. It may be that I'm writing to the lowest common denominator and ignoring the readers who would, indeed, "get it." If that's it, maybe I should stop. Perhaps I shouldn't write to anyone else's level, but only to my own.

Another thing I noticed about myself was the desire to justify when the critique suggested I needed more background concerning why the character felt as he did. Oh, they got how he felt, they just didn't understand why. I immediately started pointing out (to myself) the experiences I'd had or people I'd known that prompted my character's behavior. Of course it was clear why he acted as he did! Then I remembered a question a professor once asked me: Was I going to follow around every piece of writing I ever published so I could stand over my readers' shoulders and explain the nuances to them? Um, no. Guess I'll just have to give my readers enough info to begin with. That means I can't be lazy with my writing. It means I'll have to live outside my head and view my stories through others' eyes. Bummer.

So, critiques--good ones--can tell us things about ourselves as well as our stories. I haven't acted on this particular critique yet. Some of their suggestions require additions or changes to the plot, which needs time and thought on my part to do well. I can immediately implement the things I've learned about myself, though. Hopefully, my writing will be the stronger for it.

Monday Update

2011-02-14T10:32:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentine’s Day!

I have no rejections in my mailbox to ruin my spirit of love today. Of course, no acceptances or publication news, either. No news is good news right now, though, so I’m happy.

I may not have news, but I am in a bit of a quandary. Here’s my question:

Do I join the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) or not join?

The $89 dollar fee for the first year is pretty steep when held up next to my family’s budget. That’s not entirely the issue, though. Nor is it an issue of ROI (return on investment). I know the SCBWI offers valuable resources for anyone serious about entering the world of children’s publishing. And that’s the question.

Am I serious enough to warrant the $89 membership fee?

Am I serious about going full-bore into picture book writing in the next year? Am I serious about joining specialized critique groups? Am I serious about querying agents and/or publishers? Or, will I find my self-resolve tapering off midway and sputtering to an inglorious halt, $89 the poorer?

Will I have the physical stamina throughout my pregnancy, followed by carrying for both a newborn and a three-year-old? Is it even realistic to expect myself to? Should I put it off for a couple of years and work on getting piles of manuscripts polished before entering the melee? Or could that be cowardice talking?

So, you see, it boils down to a different question. Not, “Is the SCBWI worth the money,” but “Am I worth the money?”

It’s not a question I’m up to answering today, but it’s a question worth asking.

Any thoughts?

Ramblings, Reflections and a Blog Roundup

2011-02-11T11:12:00.004-05:00

I really appreciate this post by Suzannah at Write It Sideways. Most of what she said matches my situation exactly, right down to putting God first and family second (despite Michael Hyatt's post below). I often look at other freelance writers, at the huge amounts of time they seem to spend writing, and feel like a slacker for only stealing moments here and there when church and family allow. This year, though, I realized that, if God and family come before my writing, I have to act like it! Her post is an important reminder to me to keep my priorities straight and not be ashamed for putting my faith and family before any extra income I might earn from writing.

Write it Sideways -- Getting Your Life & Writing Priorities in Order

I can identify with the village idiot metaphor In Davey Jank's guest post on the Rants and Ramblings blog. In fact, what I felt interning with a translation team in Namibia often seems nothing compared to how I feel trying to learn my way around the publishing field. It seems like it should be easier because I at least know the language...right? Personally, I can't wait to find a copy of the Janks' book.

Rants and Ramblings -- The Migration of the Village Idiots

Nathan Bransford's posts have been getting shorter, but he pulled through today with a great post on the striving nature of the writing life.

Writing, Striving and THE GREAT GATSBY

Jessica from Bookends, LLC tells authors about where subjectivity starts and ends when an agent reads your work.

It's All Subjective...to a Point

Over at KidLit.com, Mary's talking about the role tense plays in successful writing. Does it matter? And why does it make us so...tense?

So Tense About Tense!

I posted this one on Facebook, but it's worth sharing here. It's Thomas Nelson CEO Michael Hyatt's take on why leaders, especially, (but maybe everyone?) should place themselves second on their priority list. (That's right after God and in lieu of last place, in case you were wondering.)

Where Do You Put Yourself in Your List of Priorities?

T.L.Cooper delves into her inner psyche with her post on using memories--even bad ones--to write strong fiction.

Avoidance, Memories and Fiction

Finally, a post from a writer who isn't new to the blog scene but is new to my RSS feed. Laura Campbell lays open the process of becoming a writer in her honest and compelling look at her own journey as a fiction writer.

Writing Unleashed -- A Punch in the Face: Rewrites Are a Bitch

With so many good blogs by writers, agents and publishers, I know I missed some gems. I hope you enjoy these offerings from my own Google reader, though. Until next week, happy reading and joyful writing!

Of Viruses and Viciousness

2011-02-10T17:24:00.003-05:00

I meant to post something yesterday, but my weekly schedule got thrown out of kilter. Here’s how…

The day before yesterday, my husband’s computer got infected with malware. I had productive plans for Tuesday afternoon. Instead, I launched into hours of cursing and hair pulling as I tried to exorcise Security Shield.ink from my hubby’s laptop. More than once I wished I had a time machine to go back and keep him from clicking on that fatal link.

By 7:30 PM, none of his programs were responding and I had nothing to lose. I restored the HP to an earlier version of itself…the Windows version of the time machine I’d wanted. So, one time machine and two eradication softwares later, Carmelo had his laptop back, complete with the PowerPoint presentation he needed today. He looked at me with relief, and then asked the crucial question.

“Why do people create viruses, anyway? Just for the heck of it?”

I nodded, but the truth is, I don’t know. I’ve always supposed the creators of viruses are like vandals, delighting in their power of destruction. (That also seems to be the conclusion Dick Francis came to in his novel, Driving Force.) I don’t understand vandals of any kind, though. I’ve never felt the desire to wantonly destroy another’s property, livelihood or life’s work. I have to imagine that, in the case of malware creators, there’s an element of delight in their own cleverness. Not many have their skill with coding. So, they do it because they can.

Such an attitude enrages me. Yet it’s also a reminder that we all need to guard how we use our gifts. Anyone with verbal skills, written or spoken, may sometimes be tempted to use those skills to cut down their enemies. I’m not talking about fighting for social justice or standing up for your beliefs. I’m talking about taking it a step further and using your words to cut people down, to humiliate them or ruin their reputations. Think it’s not possible? Arthur O’Shaughnessy knew it was. In his “Ode,” he wrote,

With wonderful deathless ditties
We build up the world's great cities,
And out of a fabulous story
We fashion an empire's glory:
One man with a dream, at pleasure,
Shall go forth and conquer a crown;
And three with a new song's measure
Can trample an empire down.

Here’s another way to look at it: “With great power comes great responsibility.”

The ability to use words to influence is a wonderful gift, but also a great responsibility. It’s a gift that we, as writers, need to guard carefully. I, for one, welcome the reminder to guard against spreading any viruses with my words.

Monday Update

2011-02-07T12:35:00.005-05:00

Not much news on the writing front this week. I received another rejection in my email inbox last week. On the upside, it was a contest, and the publishers said there were 169 entries. Those are long odds for making it into the list of finalists. Of course, there's always the niggling question of whether I didn't win because there were that many brilliant stories entered, or if it was simply because mine stank. I'm holding out for multiple flashes of brilliance in the upcoming results.

I keep telling myself that all these rejections will eventually lead to one big acceptance. When I worked (briefly) in sales, we expected to get 20 sales from ever 100 queries. Let's hope that sales law of averages holds true for freelancing. At this point, one in five sounds like a pretty good average to me.

On a brighter note, I read a wonderful post on Write It Sideways. Julie Duffy's post, "Short on Mental Space?", spoke to me as a mom struggling to be a writer...or is that a writer struggling to be a mom? Anyway, if you're struggling for mental space, check out Julie's guest post.

That's it for this Monday. Have a happy and fruitful week!

MFA Confidential -- Snowpocalypse

2011-02-03T11:46:00.000-05:00

I can't believe it's already Thursday! Time flies when you're busy and harassed by a two-year-old. I've found lots of good blogs going through my reader today, and may post more later. To start with, though, here's a real gem from Jessie Morrison in Chicago.

Writer's Digest blog - MFA Confidential

As a writer born and raised in rural Eastern Oregon, I identify with the photographer from Idaho. When you're surrounded by nature, you don't view it the same way as someone in the city does. You don't take it for granted; that's not what I mean. It's always there, a part of your internal makeup rather than something to be documented from an outside perspective.

Yet, perhaps Jessie Morrison's reminder for city folk does apply to us ruralites as well. We all need the occasional reminder of nature's power. We all need to take a perspective check once in a while. And, yes, a snowstorm is perfect writing weather.

Ramblings, Reflections and a Blog Roundup

2011-01-28T10:56:00.003-05:00

This week has been unproductive for me. Not a total loss. I managed to fight off the pregnancy hormones and insomnia long enough to draft another picture book idea, send a query for a list article and draft a post outline for my Shadowland blog.

All in all, though, my creativity has felt something lacking. Oh, that’s right. Sleep.

That’s the long way of saying I have no earth-shattering news. I have, however, found several great blog posts that fellow writers might find interesting.

The first up is Christina Katz’s post, Write for the Joy of It. As I read Christina's thoughts, I realized I don't write for the joy of it. I used to, but somewhere along the way I switched to writing for publication. Now, there's nothing wrong with wanting to see our work published. At the same time, the change in mindset has robbed me of much of the satisfaction I used to get from writing.

The moments in my life when I've felt most alive have been when writing fiction, yet I've sidelined much of my fiction for more immediately "practical" work. I'd already begun feeling that this was wrong. Christina's thought's helped me confirm that. Check it out at:

Write for the Joy of It, Not for Overnight Success

The second post comes from Jane Friedman's blog, There Are No Rules. Guest blogger Michelle Ward asked the question, Are You a Renaissance Soul? I find, to my delight, that I am. If you can't settle on one project for long, if you move from interest to interest...you're probably a Renaissance soul, too.

While I think most writers can identify with Ward's post, it applies to many creative types. The wonderful thing about Ward's advice is that she gives us permission to be ourselves and to use seeming weaknesses as strengths. You can read more here:

Are You a Renaissance Soul? Use It to Your Advantage

Finally, I read two different posts about what writers do--or should do--when agents request revisions. Both are on agents' blogs, but while one was from the agent viewpoint, another was written by a client. I didn't find either overtly biased. For me, they provided food for thought as I look ahead to when I will (hopefully) be in a position to deal with the issue.

Check out the thoughts of Rachelle Gardner's guest blogger, writer Keli Gwyn, in The Revision Decision. Follow it up with the agent's view from BookEnds, LLC as Jessica Faust explores More on Author-Agent Relationship.

Until next week, happy reading and joyful writing!

Japanese Woman Is Bestselling Poet, Age 99

2011-01-26T12:36:00.002-05:00

Photograph: Ho/Reuters

My beloved professor, Marv Kananen, used to tell his writing class that you're not a rookie in writing until you're 40. Based on this story, his estimate might have been conservative. For those of us who get impatient wondering when we'll achieve some measure of success, here's a shot of inspiration:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/26/japanese-woman-bestselling-poet-99

“But It Was Research, Agent Smith!”

2011-01-24T12:44:00.001-05:00

A few days ago, on her blog, MFA Confidential, Jessie Morrison brought up the topic of weird Google searches. It wasn’t a new idea to me. I’ve frequently suspected that if the government really is monitoring the Internet, I’d have a S.W.A.T team showing up at my door any day now. In the course of our research, writers need to find details for the strangest things. Some of mine include:

C-4
handguns
automatic weapons
Chicago street map
the Congo
Laos
common Swahili phrases
medical marijuana laws in Oregon
Swedish surnames

Definite cause for government paranoia there. Hopefully, showing a judge manuscripts and story outlines would get me off the hook in a trial.

You can visit MFA Confidential for Jessie’s list of her own weird searches, which include yurts, popular gymnasts of the 1988 Olympics and Judas steers. You can also see what other commenters might post. Meanwhile, feel free to share some of your own weird searches here!

A Toddler’s--and Writer’s--Epic Journey

2011-01-21T12:24:00.003-05:00

The other day, my two-year-old daughter took me on an epic journey. In her terms, she was going “Up high to see the man (fan).” In Mommy terms, it was a hike to a decrepit analog TV antenna, a half mile as the crow flies but considerably more when factoring in the 45-degree slope.

Baby M tackled the journey with single-minded determination. The shortest distance between house and “man” was a straight line, regardless of barbed-wire fences (two, each crossed twice), canyons (one, steep) and large rocks (numerous). As an out-of-shape thirty-something, my course would have been somewhat more meandering. I might even have worked up to the trip in stages, a few feet each day. Thanks to Baby M, though, we reached her objective in less than an hour.

I admired her devotion to her goal, just as I admire writers--and other professionals--who know and strive for their goals with the same intense concentration. What about those whose path is more meandering, though? What about the writers and artists who are working toward their goals but choose to take the scenic route to get there?

Which one is right? The strenuous but direct path? Or the more relaxed but longer path?

I know my answer. What’s yours?

(Oh, and in case you’re wondering, my answer is, “Yes.”)

MFA Confidential -- Does Anyone Use a Notebook Anymore?

2011-01-18T20:48:00.001-05:00

Those who follow my blog may remember that I wrote a post called "The Long and the Short of It" about longhand vs. shorthand a few months ago. Here's someone else's take on the topic, from MFA student Jessie Morrison:

http://blog.writersdigest.com/mfaconfidential/Does+Anyone+Use+A+Notebook+Anymore.aspx

There Are No Rules - An E-Publisher That Specializes in Original Short Works

2011-01-18T12:10:00.001-05:00

If you write novelettes or essays, you might be interested in this new e-publishing trend...Italian e-publisher 40K, who specializes in shorter works. Check out Jane Friedman's post of Livia Blackburn's interview with the publisher.

There Are No Rules - An E-Publisher That Specializes in Original Short Works

Kidlit.com · How Soon Do I Query Again?

2011-01-17T12:36:00.000-05:00

Here's a post from Mary at Kidlit.com on how frequently you should query. While it's specifically aimed at picture book queries--and that's why I devoured it and intend to read it again--it's valuable for novels and other query types as well. (For those who write YA and MG novels, you might consider following Mary's blog...that seems to be what she's looking for right now, and she offers lots of valuable insights from a children's/YA agent POV.)

Kidlit.com · How Soon Do I Query Again?

Any Comments from the Peanut Gallery?

2011-01-14T12:09:00.004-05:00

I’ve been blogging for several years. It’s only as I’ve gotten increasingly serious about my freelance writing career, though, that I’ve started studiously following other writer’s blogs. In the process, I’ve discovered a few things about blog comments.

First, bloggers notice comments. I know I do. I suppose that most small-time bloggers like myself are thrilled if someone simply comments, regardless of what they say. Bigger, busier bloggers notice, too. They notice who comments, how often they comment, and the value of their comments. They see and they remember. When they remember, it can sometimes produce good returns for savvy commentators.

Second, there are savvy and not-so-savvy ways to comment. Nathan Bransford recently blogged on the art of commenting, including advice on placement, strategy and content. Yes, if you want to get noticed in a positive way, there’s a correct way to comment.

Third, you can glean wisdom from comments. When I read a compelling post--say one that has 50 to 100 comments on it--I can’t help reading through the comments. Chances are, I’ll glean bits of wisdom that stretch far past whatever blurb the author originally wrote. It widens my horizons and, sometimes, also lets me know I’m not alone in my thoughts.

Hopefully I wasn’t the last one to board this particular train. I would like to think this topic is a fresh and interesting for you as it was to me. All I can say is…any comments?

Agent POV Roundup

2011-01-13T18:42:00.002-05:00

All right, maybe two posts isn't a roundup. Still, these are a couple of interesting posts from the literary agent's POV.

First is author and former agent Nathan Bransford's take on what standardization of terms means to the future of literary agents. It may not be good news, if their expertise is no longer needed to negotiate contracts. On the other hand, is standardization of terms any better news for writers? Read his post and give me your thoughts:

Nathan Bransford -- The Greatest Challenge Agents Will Face

The second post is from current agent Natalie M. Fischer. In it, she shares some pet peeves that land queries in her circular file. Check it out:

Adventures in Agentland -- It's QUERY Season!

Enjoy!

There Are No Rules - The Evolution of How I Use Twitter

2011-01-12T11:44:00.000-05:00

As a writer who doesn't have Twitter as part of my platform, I found Jane Friedman's post on the subject interesting and thought provoking. How do you Tweet?

There Are No Rules - The Evolution of How I Use Twitter

Writer’s Digest - Orson Scott Card Q&A

2011-01-11T13:49:00.000-05:00

I was shocked and saddened to hear that Orson Scott Card recently had a stroke. I pray for a quick and full recovery for this outstanding science-fiction writer. Not only is Card a talented fiction writer, but he also offers the very best advice for writers in any genre. (That is, advice you can use!) If you're not already familiar with his work, check out this interview from Writer's Digest:

Writer’s Digest - Orson Scott Card Q&A

More Thoughts on Thoughtful Writing

2011-01-11T13:19:00.000-05:00

While I haven’t received any negative reactions to my previous post on thoughtful writing, I did want to clarify a few things.

I got to thinking that some things I said may have come across as saying that some writers don’t deserved to be published, or even that “bad” writers get published. That’s not what I meant. No, as far as I’m concerned, the mere fact that a writer is published means he or she did something right. Certainly, anyone with a traditionally-published book under her belt is doing better than I.

Sure, there are different calibers of published writers, but it’s not so much a matter of good or bad as it is a matter of good, better and best. In my opinion, the best writers are the thoughtful ones, the writer’s who put time into thinking through their writing and then sitting down and crafting it to fit that thought. They are the writers who challenge and inspire us, who cause us to think new thoughts in new ways for the first time in our lives.

And that can be exhausting.

I don’t know about anyone else, but there are times I settle for less thoughtful writing that allows me to take a break from all the other work my brain has to do in a day. So, I might even go so far as to say that there is a place for less thoughtful writers. A couple of my favorite writers in the romance genre are in this category. Their books contain no great new thoughts, but I return to them again and again because they offer lighthearted entertainment in a writing style that I find appealing and easy to read. Also, while their work may not offer new insights into the human condition, they do offer characters and settings that begin to feel like a second home, a place where I am welcomed with a warm fire and a good tale no matter how long my absence or how short my stay. Yes, there’s a place for that in the world.

Nor am I claiming to be one of the “best” writers. I know I’m not the best. One of my great fears as a writer is that I’m not even good. That’s not reason to give up, though. That’s when the thoughtfulness kicks in, the drive to develop the craft and be better and better every day.

Maybe you and I will never be the “best” (or maybe we will!). If we thoughtfully strive for that goal, though, we may someday be the best possible version of ourselves. And I think that’s the best thing possible.

Thoughtful Writing

2011-01-07T13:05:00.001-05:00

Over the past few days, I've been pondering what aspects go into truly brilliant, creative writing. Of course, there is no magic formula. Several aspects work together to make a great work of fiction. Good writers have some. Great writers have many or all. When I ponder what sets the foundation for an enjoyable and thought-provoking piece of fiction, though, I have one answer...thought.

It seems obvious, but I can't help thinking it's often overlooked. You can immediately tell the difference between a thoughtful author and one who didn't quite think things through. The latter makes you feel, vaguely, as if you might have read this book before. The former makes you say, “Wow! I wish I’d thought of that!”

I first stumbled onto the concept a couple of weeks ago when I read an old review of one of Orson Scott Card's books. The reviewer stated that Card was as always, "…above all, a thinker." What a supreme compliment. Better yet, a reading of one of Card’s works reveals the truth behind it. In my brutally honest moments, I know I’ve never thought deeply enough to come up with ideas like Ender’s Game or the Oversoul from Card’s Homecoming Saga.

That’s not to say you can’t overthink things. Every writer reaches a point at which he needs to gather those threads of thought and start putting them on paper. Otherwise, where is the use in all that thinking? It’s personally gratifying, perhaps, but not all that useful. On the other hand, it’s those stories that I’ve pondered deep and long before writing that shine more brilliantly than the rest.

Thinking. Pondering. Exploring the many aspects of the human condition and ruminating on news ways to present them. It’s a vital part of creativity.

What are your thoughts?

Challenges for the Present and Future

2011-01-05T12:05:00.003-05:00

Twenty-eleven scares me a little. All right...2011 scares me a lot.

In my last post, I shared my major goals for the coming year. They seem like quite a mouthful to me right now, especially considering I'm still trying to finish up obligations from 2010. Still, they should be doable, right?

As I face this year, though, I do so with extra challenges. Not only do I have to structure my days around a recalcitrant toddler, forging ahead as a writer mama, but now I must also face the additional work of being a pregnant writer mama.

You read that right. We have a bun in the oven! (Wow, I hate that cliche. Why did I use it?)

It's a joyous occasion, an event my husband and I have wanted for a while. It carries with it, though, a whole mess of new issues.

I know there are supposed to be hormones to make me forget what it was like to be pregnant and deliver a baby the first time...but I haven't. I remember every bit of physical and mental discomfort I can expect between now and August 15. So now I face my 2011 goals as I also hurdle:

Constant hunger
Occasional nausea
Incessant exhaustion
Numerous bathroom trips
Extra loads of laundry from missed bathroom trips, plus
Many more symptoms that I won't name right now (you're welcome)

I can do it. After all, I worked full time during Moira's entire pregnancy. Should be a snap. Or not.

One thing I know is that I will need help. I'll need support and I'll need grace and I'll need patience. I'll need those things from my family, my friends and from other writers.

Anyone else out there who has struggled not just with being a writing mother, but a pregnant writing mother? Feel free to share you challenges, your stories, your tips and advice. Please! I need all the help I can get.

New Year's Resolutions: 2011 Edition

2011-01-01T13:36:00.003-05:00

Every year I insist on making plans. Not resolutions, exactly, but yearly goals. They rarely come to pass--or at least not completely--but I make them anyway. Without them, I feel adrift in a sea of possibilities and eddying currents that pull me this way and that.

Imagine my chagrin when I pulled out last year's goals and found them largely unfulfilled. My novel draft is uncompleted. I wrote a short story, but not the one on my goal sheet. I didn't exercise three times a week (ha ha ha ha...!), I came within two pounds of my goal weight but failed to reach it, and my toddler remains un-potty trained.

That doesn't keep me from making more goals for this year. I've tried to slim them down and make them realistic. And, as a form of accountability, I'll post some of them here. Here they are:

2011 Yearly Goals

Fiction Writing:

1. Detailed outline of A Place in Time
2. Rough draft of Journey Home
3. Write Onancock short story
4. Continue marketing unpublished works; send each out at least once

Nonfiction Writing:

1. Finish Draft of Lessons from the Shadowland: Cat
2. Detailed Outline of Lessons from the Shadowland: Toddler

Freelance:

1. Find markets for Adam Miller piece; submit 4 queries/articles
2. Write and market at least 12 small pieces: tips, fillers, list articles, how-tos

Picture Books:

1. Submit at least 4 queries for Feet on the Farm
2. Polish Scarf book
3. Finish Gelato Shop draft

Reading:

1. How to Research Historical Novels
2. Finish First Draft in 30 Days

Of course, I have other goals relating to family, gelato, health and spiritual growth...but those are none of you business, right? Right.

Okay, I've shared mine. What are some of your goals for 2011?

Characters

2010-12-09T11:25:00.003-05:00

Need some character inspiration? Look around you! Yes, characters are all around us, every day, as Jennifer B. Fields says in her blog post, "Characters in Your Midst."

Check out Jennifer's insights and start looking for that characters that surround you every day.

Publication News

2010-12-08T11:18:00.000-05:00

My short romance, "Drain Damage," came out in The Storyteller this month. I got my copies in the mail yesterday. Can we say "e-x-c-i-t-e-d"? Yes, we can!

You can explore The Storyteller at http://www.thestorytellermagazine.com/. If you want to read the story, though, you'll have to buy a hard copy of the magazine either online or at your local bookstore.

Happy reading!

Infrequent Posts

2010-12-04T11:04:00.003-05:00

I've been feeling guilty about how long it's been since I posted anything here, and now I'm doubly convicted by Rachelle Gardner's latest post, "Blogs We Don't Like."

I know I'm guilty of at least two of her bullet points:

→ A writer whose blog has irregular and infrequent posts.
→ A blog that is really unfocused and doesn't know what it's about.

Some days I wonder if I should even have a blog. I have the best intentions about keeping up with it (and you know what they say about those), but paying work or my daughter always seems to slip in and come between me and regular posts. Plus, I can't believe I actually have a significant following waiting for my every word. (Actually, I have Google Analytics, so I know I don't.) And, finally, I don't feel I have anything earth-shattering to say that isn't being said better on a dozen other blogs.

Some of these are valid points. Some may be my own insecurities working against me. Here are a couple of questions, though.

1. How much does it bug you when writers don't post regularly or frequently?
2. What other blog faux pas irritate you?

And, most importantly,

3. What can I do to improve this blog? What topics would you like to see, and with what frequency would you like to see them?

Drop me some comments!

Fears and Failures

2010-11-17T12:11:00.003-05:00

On literary agent Nathan Bransford's blog, he says,

"Writers are by nature intense creatures. I really believe people who are creatively inclined tend to experience life, well, more intensely than other humans.

Combine that with trying to break into or stay afloat in a tough publishing business, and the writerly pursuit is not without its fears and anxieties."

He then goes on to ask what his readers' greatest fears are as writers. As I thought about fears and writing, I pondered a few lines I read yesterday in (oddly enough) Gene Edward Veith, Jr.'s The Spirituality of the Cross. Yes, it's a theology book. Bear with me. Veith says,

"Another ploy of the devil is to pry the person out of his or her calling. ... Thus, there may be the temptation to quit: to get a divorce, to leave one's children, to quit one's job, to give up writing or making music or whatever talents one has. ... Bearing the cross in vocation often involves the sense that one's vocation is worthless or futile." (page 112, emphasis added).

I know I've experienced my fair share of fear as a writer...fear that I won't be able to capture the thought or plot I have in my head, fear I'll never get published and fear no one will like what I've written even if I am published, to name three. Fear is strong, and often paralyzing. Think about what Veith said in relation to that, though.

True, some people try to write who probably have no vocation (calling) to it, but let's assume you do. Is there something you should be saying as a writer that will go unsaid if you submit to your fear and never get it out there? How miserable will you be if you leave your vocation as a writer and try to live as something else?

So, here's my modified version of Bransford's question: What are your biggest fears in writing, and what are they keeping you from accomplishing in your life today?

There Are No Rules - Ultimate Blog Series on Novel Queries (#2)

2010-11-09T18:41:00.000-05:00

This is the second of three posts on novel queries by literary agent Jane Friedman. Number 3 hasn't been posted yet, but be sure to go back and read #1. Valuable insights into an agent's mind!

There Are No Rules - Ultimate Blog Series on Novel Queries (#2)

Rejections from an Agent's POV

2010-11-08T18:41:00.004-05:00

For those writers who are seeking agents, this is a wonderful blog post by literary agent Rachelle Gardner. No, it's not an inside track to an acceptance. (I know you were hoping!) And no, maybe it won't make those rejections feel any better. At least now you know there's (probably) a human being behind that rejection letter. Keep that in mind and don't let it ruin your day!

Here's the link:

http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/2010/11/rejection-isnt-fun-for-us-either.html

Ramblings and Reflections

2010-11-03T14:59:00.002-04:00

It seems I haven’t written anything for this blog in a while.

I have the worst of all reasons. I’ve been in a slump. Yes, an unproductive, self-pitying, paralyzing slump. I suppose it happens to the best freelancers as some point or another. At least, I hope it does. I’ve done little writing. What has managed to emerge from pen and PC has been gut wrenching and, well…blah.

I have been thinking, though. Sometimes I think too much. Yes, sometimes I need less thinking and more writing! Some of this particular thinking has gelled some productive results for me, though.

Ever since blogging on Christina Katz’s purity of intention prompt, I’ve been noodling that idea in my foggy little head. What are my intentions? What drives me? Where do I want to be in a year…five years…ten years…twenty? What things, if I never accomplish them, will leave me bitterly regretful?

As a result of all that introspection, I’ve come up with three areas I absolutely want to pursue.

Fiction. Fiction is my first love both in reading and writing. Fiction, more than any other writing form, sets my nerves tingling and my blood humming. It gives me an emotional high that few other things in life instill. Yet, in my everyday routine, it is the writing form that most often falls to the bottom of my to-do list.
Devotional. My faith defines who I am; it’s only natural to share that with readers. I’ve delved a little into devotional writing on my Lessons from the Shadowland blog. It’s tough going as I realize more and more how little I actually know or understand, but I’ve realized it’s something I want to continue, to dig deeper into my faith and cause others to do the same.
Child Lit. I started out with one random picture book idea that seemed good (and has been dismissed by six agents so far). Once the floodgates were opened, though, I saw that there might be more than one, or even two, picture books in me. I’m now polishing a second text before seeking representation and roughing out a third. I love reading with my two-year-old, and I think I have my own stories to share with her…and with children everywhere.

The big question that remains is whether I should concentrate on making headway in these three areas exclusively or whether I need to continue with other projects—marketing, editing, tips and how-tos—in order to pay the bills while I slowly plod along toward my dreams.

Question status: asked but unanswered.

Personal Perspective: Birthdays, Cats and Patience

2010-10-20T15:12:00.003-04:00

It’s almost my birthday.

That makes it the perfect time to post something on Christina Katz’s topic of the week…patience.

It’s common to associate youth with impatience and, conversely, age with wisdom and patience. I feel I’ve been running backward on the treadmill.

When I was a small fry, I seemed to have a limitless supply of patience. I was known--much to my parents’ chagrin--for taming any feline within a mile radius. It didn’t matter if they were strays, barn cats, feral felons, whatever. I eventually had them all eating out of my hand. Yes, literally. I didn’t manage that by sticking them on a schedule. I did it through hours of patient kindness.

It was the same with any childhood pursuit. I spent hours on anything that fascinated me, whether it was playing pretend, drawing, painting, music, walking or writing. Even my mother commented on my patience. It wasn’t a matter of rigorous character development, though. Patience came easily

When I obtained my M.A. at the ripe age of 24, I still felt patient. I was going to take the world by storm with my writing. It would happen soon. I could wait that long.

Taking the world by storm, though, gave way to a steady job that paid the mortgage. Months slipped by, then years. I grew older. A couple of short stories were published. The world remained untaken.

It was then that my patience began to wane. I started seeing that my supply of time was not limitless. With each passing birthday, I saw more of it slip away. Someday, it would run out. Where would I be when it did? What would I have accomplished? What would I leave behind to show my path through the world?

A professor told me once that you’re not a rookie in writing until you’re 40. I hope to heaven that’s true. If it is, I still have time left to be patient.

I still have time…if I’m not hit by a bus. If I don’t get cancer. If a tsunami doesn’t wipe me out. It’s more than my biological clock that’s ticking. Not only do I see my natural years floating by, unused; I’m also faced by my own mortality. My sister was 41 when she died. Was she still a rookie? I don’t think so.

I know patience is important. It’s true more so now than when I was taming tabbies and writing adolescent poetry. I know the need for quiet stillness in which ideas can develop, the need to let stories percolate and not send them out in the world before their time. I know the need to sit through one to six months in patient activity while waiting for an agent to respond.

As I enter mid-30s territory, though, I find it more and more difficult to truly be patient. I don’t want to be a 40-year-old rookie. I still want to take the world by storm. And, as another birthday prepares to fly by, I’m running out of time.

So, before my birthday on Saturday, I take a deep breath and consider the future. Seven years until I’m 40. Seven years to work on my writing. Seven years to get myself in shape for the major leagues. Seven years to be patient. Seven years?

I don’t know if I’ll last that long.

Dan Blank Interview with Christina Katz

2010-10-18T13:30:00.001-04:00

Check out this internet interview with Writer Mama Christina Katz:

http://wegrowmedia.com/how-to-become-a-successful-writer-the-christina-katz-interview/

Para What? A Little Writing Theory

2010-10-18T11:18:00.003-04:00

I found the following verbatim on--of all places--an online RPG forum. Thanks to Australian player Bratzoo for sharing!

A paraprosdokian (from Greek “παρα-”, meaning “beyond” and “προσδοκία”, meaning “expectation”) is a figure of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected in a way that causes the reader or listener to reframe or reinterpret the first part. It is frequently used for humorous or dramatic effect, sometimes producing an anticlimax. For this reason, it is extremely popular among comedians and satirists.

Some paraprosdokians not only change the meaning of an early phrase, but also play on the double meaning of a particular word, creating a syllepsis.

- I asked God for a bicycle but I know He doesn't work that way so I stole a bicycle and asked for forgiveness instead.

- Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.

- Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.

- The last thing I want to do is hurt you. But it’s still on the list.

- Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

- If I agreed with you we’d both be wrong.

- We never really grow up, we only learn how to act in public.

- War does not determine who is right – only who is left.

- Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

- The early bird might get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.

- Evening news is where they begin with ‘Good evening’, and then proceed to tell you why it isn’t.

- To steal words from one person is plagiarism. To steal ideas from many is research.

- A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. On my desk, I have a work station.

- How is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?

- Some people are like Slinkies … not really good for anything, but you can’t help smiling when you see one tumble down the stairs.

- Dolphins are so smart that within a few weeks of captivity, they can train people to stand on the very edge of the pool and throw them fish.

- I thought I wanted a career, turns out I just wanted pay checks.

- A bank is a place that will lend you money, if you can prove that you don’t need it.

- Whenever I fill out an application, in the part that says “If an emergency, notify:” I put “DOCTOR”.

- I didn’t say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you.

- I saw a woman wearing a sweat shirt with “Guess” on it…so I said “Implants?”

- Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet?

- Women will never be equal to men until they can walk down the street with a bald head and a beer gut, and still think they are sexy.

- Why do Americans choose from just two people to run for president and 50 for Miss America?

- Behind every successful man is his woman. Behind the fall of every successful man is usually another woman.

- A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.

- You do not need a parachute to skydive. You only need a parachute to skydive more than once.

- The voices in my head may not be real, but they have some good ideas!

- Always borrow money from a pessimist. He won’t expect it back.

- A diplomat is someone who can tell you to go to hell in such a way that you will look forward to the trip.

- Hospitality: making your guests feel like they’re at home, even if you wish they were.

- Money can’t buy happiness, but it sure makes misery easier to live with.

- I discovered I scream the same way whether I’m about to be devoured by a great white shark or if a piece of seaweed touches my foot.

- Some cause happiness wherever they go. Others whenever they go.

- I used to be indecisive. Now I’m not sure.

- I always take life with a grain of salt, plus a slice of lemon, and a shot of tequila.

- When tempted to fight fire with fire, remember that the Fire Department usually uses water.

- You’re never too old to learn something stupid.

- To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and call whatever you hit the target.

- Nostalgia isn’t what it used to be.

- Some people hear voices. Some see invisible people. Others have no imagination whatsoever.

- A bus is a vehicle that runs twice as fast when you are after it as when you are in it.

Examples of quotes:

* “If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the precipitate.” — .
* ”I belong to no organized party. I am a Democrat.” —
* “She got her good looks from her father, he’s a plastic surgeon.” —
* “I’ve had a perfectly wonderful evening, but this wasn’t it.” —
* “One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got in my pajamas I’ll never know.” —
* “Outside of a dog, a book is man’s best friend. Inside of a dog, it’s too dark to read.” —
* “I want to die like my father, quietly, in his sleep—not screaming and terrified like his passengers.” —
* “I haven’t slept for ten days, because that would be too long.” —
* “I’m a heroine addict. I need to have sex with women who have saved someone’s life.” -
* “You know, I’m sick of following my dreams, man. I’m just going to ask where they’re going and hook up with ‘em later.” -
* “I like going to the park and watching the children run and jump around, because you see, they don’t know I’m using blanks.” -
* “When I was 10 I beat up the school bully. His arms were in casts. That’s what gave me the courage.” -
* “I discovered my wife in bed with another man, and I was crushed. So I said, ‘Get off me, you two!’” -
* “If I could say a few words, I would be a better public speaker.” —
* “If I am reading this graph correctly, I would be very surprised.” —
* “Mark my words. No, Mark, I really need my words.” —
* “If all the girls at Vassar were laid end to end, I wouldn’t be surprised.” —
* “It’s too bad that whole families have to be torn apart by something as simple as wild dogs.” —
* “Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes, that way when you criticize them, you’re a mile away and you have their shoes.” —
* “I can picture in my mind a world without war, a world without hate. And I can picture us attacking that world, because they’d never expect it.” —
* “On the other hand, we have different fingers.” —
* “The face of a child can say it all, especially the mouth part of the face.” —
* “Whenever you read a good book, it’s like the author is right there in the room talking to you, which is why I don’t like to read good books.” —
* “Somebody told me how frightening it was how much topsoil we are losing each year, but I told that story around the campfire and nobody got scared.” —
* “Broken promises don’t upset me. I just think, why did they believe me?” —
* “I believe in making the world safe for our children, but not our children’s children, because I don’t think children should be having sex.” —
* “I blew a speaker in my car the other day. Yeah, I think he was a… motivational speaker. It left a bad taste in my mouth but I feel a lot more positive.” —
* “I felt guilty once, but she woke up halfway through”—
* ”You can always count on Americans to do the right thing – after they’ve tried everything else.”—
* ”It has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except all those other forms that have been tried.” —
* “If you are going through hell, keep going.” —
* ”I never thought I could shoot down a German plane. But last year, I proved myself wrong.” —

Going All In

2010-10-04T16:48:00.000-04:00

This piece by Benjamin Percy has some beautiful advice to all writers, fiction or nonfiction. (The link below is to Jane Friedman's blog, but the piece was originally published by Glimmer Train.) Makes you wonder, "What am I holding back?"

There Are No Rules - Don't Ration Out Your Ideas

The Long and the Short of It

2010-09-21T20:35:00.002-04:00

In honor of today's topic, I'm writing the first draft of this post longhand.

Do you draft in longhand or on a computer? The answer isn’t as obvious as it may sound, nor is there a right or wrong answer. I do both. In my creative process, different projects call for different methods. Different writers have different processes. I continue to be surprised, though, by how many writers have never considered writing a draft in longhand.

Yes, it’s time-consuming. That’s part of what I like about it. Maybe it’s a form of rebellion against the speed of life that came along with the computer age. Regardless of my deep-seated psychological motives, though, there’s something earthy and connected about picking up a pen or pencil and putting words to actual paper…the old-fashioned way.

Let me share a bit about why I draft in longhand versus computer. You can draw your own conclusions from there.

Computer:

For me, the computer means two things…typing speed and editing flexibility. When it needs to be done quickly or when it needs to be edited on the fly, the computer is my course of action. I type:

When I have the words in mind verbatim. If the project is short and simple, and the words have already gelled in my head, then I type.

When I have to do it fast. If it’s a quick-turnaround project in which speed matters more than eloquence (rare, but it happens), then I type.

When I know where I’m going but not how to get there. If I can’t seem to stick to my outline--or don’t have an outline--then I type (and copy and paste, and copy…).

Longhand:

Longhand works best for me when I’m working on something that requires thought, meditation or purposefulness. Examples in my own work include devotionals or works of fiction. I draft in longhand:

When I want to unplug. Computers are wonderful for ease of use, but they also hold multiple distractions. If I refuse to be distracted, then I write longhand.

When I want to be portable. This may sound ridiculous in an age of laptops and iPhone apps. I don’t have an iPhone, though, and I find it impractical to tote a laptop on every errand I run. So, if I want to be flexible in my workspace, then I write longhand.

When I want to brainstorm. Darnit, sometimes sticky notes and mind maps are just the best outlining tools. When I need to think outside the box, then I do it longhand.

When I want to engage my senses. I find longhand an earthier, more tactile experience than I do typing. I don’t know why; it’s not, really. We’ll just call it a personal preference, not true for everyone. I do know it allows me to connect to both physical sensations and emotions. The scratching of a writing implement is also quieter than the clack-clack of computer keys. If I want to listen to the whispers of the world around me, then I do it while writing longhand.

When I want to engage each word. I type more quickly than I write, so writing with a pen or pencil obviously slows me down. If I want to notice each turn my thoughts take and each individual word I write, then I write it longhand.

I end with the same caveat as at the beginning…people are different, and different things work for different people. Drafting anything in longhand might turn out to be a disaster for you. However, if you’ve never written a piece in longhand, I encourage you to try it. Sit under a tree or beside a crackling fire, take pen in hand and simply write. You never know what vistas you’ll discover when you’re not gazing at a computer screen.

There Are No Rules - How to Score a Traditional Deal After Self-Publishing

2010-09-09T16:19:00.001-04:00

For other self-publishers out there, this is a great Q & A on self-publishing, marketing and selling to a traditional publishing house. It proves you have to get creative, not just with writing, but also with marketing! Check it out:

There Are No Rules - How to Score a Traditional Deal After Self-Publishing

Published Clip

2010-08-30T14:21:00.002-04:00

On the news front:

In March, I sent a tip into Country Woman's reader Almanac. My dazzling and insightful tip on drying hats appears in the October/November 2010 issue. Check out the mag to see my name in (very small) lights!

Personal Perspective: Purity of Intention

2010-08-28T18:42:00.005-04:00

Last week in The Prosperous Writer, Christina Katz wrote about purity of intention. I confess that I was going to let this writing prompt slip by. I told myself I was too busy. I told myself I was too tired from being sick and taking care of a sick toddler. I told myself it’s gelato season, and I just have to realize I don’t have as much time to write right now. Then I realized I was actually scared.

I realized that not because of what Christina Katz wrote (insightful as it was), but because of a blog response by T. L. Cooper on her blog, Write with TLC.

I’d like you to follow that link and read the whole post. In case you don’t, though, here’s a snippet that grabbed me.

As I begin to look at where I spend my time and energy, I feel a little disappointed in myself. Over the years I’ve taken on more and more responsibility because I feel like I have to. I feel like it’s expected of me. I feel like I “owe” it to other people. I agree to help friends and acquaintances even when it interferes with my goals. I agree to take on one more chore or run one more errand to make my husband’s life easier. I agree to add one more thing to my day because “it’ll only take 5 minutes.”

I don’t know if this is a common human malady…or common to women…or common to wives and mothers. Whatever the case, the desire to please other people has always driven far more of my actions than it should. The result is that I am in constant motion yet rarely feel I’ve gained anything in my struggle to be a writer.

After reading Christina’s post earlier this week, I pulled out my submission tracking sheet and took a look at it. The kick to my gut was that I haven’t actually submitted anything since June. WHAT!?!? JUNE?!?! When, how, why did that happen? I know I’ve been doing. In fairness to myself, I’ve been churning out marketing materials for clients. That was never where I wanted to focus, though. So, again, what happened?

The problem is that my purity of intention has slipped…a lot.

Cooper also talks about spending too much time with people who drain her creativity. I meet--and live with--far more creativity suckers than creativity boosters. Personally, my father has always been a creativity-sucker of nearly mythic proportions. Living under the same roof with him, even as a 32-year-old wife and mother, establishes a constant dampening effect on both my energy and creativity. (After all, wouldn’t enough “get a real job” hints get to anyone after a while?)

Okay, so I mentioned that I was scared to tackle this subject. Yes, just plain chicken-livered. That's because, deep down, I realized I'd lost my purity of intention. I just didn't want to admit it to myself. We usually have to face our fears in order to deal with them, though. That's true whether you have a a fear of spiders or a lack of purity!

I don’t know what to do about creativity-sucking relations. I do now realize that I need to dig out and refocus my own intentions and purify them until they’re crystal clear and sparkly-clean. If I want to be a marketing copywriter, my energy goes there. If I want to own a gelato business, I need to focus on that. If I want to write articles, that’s what I need to do. If I want to write novels, I need to spend time with my plot and characters. Will one help with the other? Maybe. If not, out it needs to go. Easier to say than do, of course. A fact, nonetheless.

At this point, I’m so mired in non-writing obligations and commitments, I can’t even see my way clear to get shed of them. With some work and clarity and prayer, though, I may have an answer soon.

I’ll keep you posted.

Personal Perspective: The Best-Laid Plans

2010-08-18T20:16:00.003-04:00

Things don't always go as you plan.

For instance, I planned on working while I was on "vacation." A professor once said there was no such thing as a vacation for a full-time freelancer, because everything is an opportunity to discover new writing topics. I took that seriously. So, for our two-week trip to see my husband's family in Buffalo, I took along my novel hard copy, my general-purpose notebook, my note-taking notepad, my journal, my laptop, my USB cord and my flash drive. I had visions of Internet connections in hotel rooms and friendly libraries. I pictured myself saying, "No, I really can't watch the movie, I have work to do," with firm conviction. I imagined side trips to discover new and interesting topics for magazine articles.

I might as well have spared my car the extra load.

With three twelve-hour driving days in each direction (yes, that equals SIX days on the road, just like the song), a toddler, normal in-law craziness, a jam-packed activity schedule and time-zone lag (yes, it happens even without jets), it was all I could do to keep from blowing my lid.

I did make it back to Oregon on schedule. That left me back on track to drive to Milton-Freewater and shoot some photos for an article I'm trying to sell. It was a wonderful day, with a more relaxed drive than I've had in recent memory, a fascinating conversation and the chance to sit through a free folk concert. I planned to give myself the following, and last, day off, and get back to it full force on Monday.

Then I came home and came down with a cold.

The speed and severity of the onset were for the record books. Got home from Milton-Freewater: fine. Three hours later: sniffles that had nothing to do with the movie I was watching.

Again my plans were laid aside as I spent the next several days getting over a pretty nasty cold. Here it is, Wednesday, and I'm only just beginning to form coherent thoughts that don't involve Kleenex.

And, you know what? There weren't fifty phone-message from editors who wanted that story only if they could have it three days ago. My clients weren't irate at the two-going-on-three-week setback in their project. No one shot themselves because one of my four blogs wasn't there for them to read. The gelato is still getting made. (Okay, so I had to don a dust mask and drag my diseased carcass into the kitchen to accomplish that, but who cares.)

The earth is still here, serenely spinning away.

Given the fuzzy nature of my thoughts right now, this blog post doesn't have a profound point. If it leaves me--and perhaps you--with one thought, though, it's that the world doesn't actually stop if we do. We (writers, women, mothers, humans) don't often give ourselves permission to hop off the hamster wheel and actually sit still. If we push it long enough, though, God and nature will force downtime upon us. It may not be as we would have envisioned...or planned...or preferred...but it will happen.

So, don't be afraid to take a bit of hiatus before you've reached that breaking point. If your best-laid plans are anything like mine, the globe will still be twirling when you get back.

Slipping out of the Time Stream

2010-07-26T19:59:00.003-04:00

I received another rejection today. With it, the editor provided some valuable feedback to improve the story. The notes were, quite frankly, things I should have caught myself. Nothing like a polite rejection as a reminder not to get sloppy! So, my thanks to the kind and talented assistant editor who read my latest attempt at the sci-fi/fantasy genre. I shall polish and send it out again!

As I try to live and work through a hectic week, preparing for a “vacation” to Buffalo, NY, it’s difficult to keep my thoughts in focus. Doing anything in a straight line is impossible. It reminds me, though, of a topic I’ve been meaning to cover for some time.

Do you write chronologically? That is, do you sit down with a blank piece of paper, begin at point A and write in logical sequence until you arrive at point B?

I used to. In some cases, I still do. When it came to writing a novel, though, I was stalled. I tried everything--outlines, flow charts, mind maps--everything but letting myself slip out of the time stream. (And maybe self-discipline, but that’s another story.) I finally came to the point where I realized that holding myself to a chronological writing order was inhibiting my progress. If I finished a scene and didn’t have a clue what came next, I stopped. I never allowed myself to skip a scene, or a chapter, or several chapters. There I stayed. As a result, I am the proud owner of about five novel beginnings, but no middles or ends. Then, nearly three months ago, everything changed.

You see, I don’t think in straight lines. Since I don’t edit this blog as rigidly as most of my work, you may have noticed!

I’m not unique in this; many people don’t think in straight lines. My progress from A frequently passes through C and D and maybe F before I get anywhere near B. Since I don’t think in a line, it’s difficult to make myself write in one. I have a long-standing habit of cutting and pasting as I write, in an effort to make my work come out as something another human soul can comprehend. For some reason, though, I always tried to hold myself to a timeline in my fiction, never straying from the A to B progression.

Nope; didn’t work.

About three months ago, I finally gave myself permission to jump around. (And to write a crappy first draft, but that’s another story.) Hey, I didn’t feel like writing chapter two after I was done with chapter one? By all means, work on chapter five! Write the end before I’d written the beginning? Made perfect sense!

If you happen to think in straight lines, just the thought of mayhem like that is giving you a nervous twitch. If you don’t, though, the thought may be liberating. It was for me. Sure, I’ll have a heck of a mess to work with when I go for draft number two, but that’s okay. In the 2009 Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market (Writer’s Digest Books), Donna Gephart says, “…every writer knows a good book isn’t written—it’s rewritten” (page 21). You can edit out the rough stuff, but you can’t edit what didn’t get written in the first place. Or, as Donald Vaughan said (same reference as above), “It’s a whole lot easier to revise a bad page than a blank one.”

Not every method works for every writer. Find what work for you. If using your outline and writing from end to beginning works, then do that. If you realize you work best without an outline, then throw that out, too. The point is, if sticking to a certain idea of the “right” writing method has been keeping you from writing at all, then it’s time to throw it out and create a method of your own.

Anyone up for a little time travel?

Personal Inventory: Busyness

2010-07-15T20:30:00.004-04:00

I’ll admit it. I’ve been terrible about posting to this blog lately.

I have the perennial excuse. I’ve been busy.

Of course, the word “busy” covers a wide gamut. It could mean everything from raising eight kids while running a business and writing a bestseller, to engaging in a year-long solitaire tournament with myself.

Since most of my efforts are of the long-term kind rather than the instant gratification sort, I do sometimes feel I’m spinning my wheels in an endurance marathon to nowhere.

Seriously, though, I’ve been busy. What have I been up to?

I’m not raising eight kids, but I am raising one two-year-old…the always busy and sometimes whiny Baby M. Motherhood…check.
I am a partner in a two-person gelato business. Dormant during the winter months, summer sees it swamp me under an obligation that sucks away at least 10 hours a week, often more. Running a business…check.
I’ve spent the last year looking for an agent for a picture book manuscript. A couple of months ago, I finally received a helpful reply. Did you know that concepts as characters make crappy stories? I didn’t. That particular book is now on the back burner. No, that’s not a euphemism for the literary glue factory. It’s more like, “Great bone structure but needs a total makeover.” So, now I’m researching kids lit markets and working on a new picture book, in rhyming pentameter, no less. (No, not iambic pentameter; I’m not Shakespeare, after all.)
I’m working on a novel. Since that mostly happens between the hours of 5 and 7 AM, though, that doesn’t really contribute to my busyness during the day. It does have a great deal to do with my constant state of exhaustion. That makes everything else take longer so, hey, maybe it does contribute. Writing a bestseller? Ah, what the heck…check.
I’m not playing any kind of tournament with myself, though I will admit to a time-sucking fondness for The West. (Please don’t take it away; I finally have the complete Indian outfit on World 1!)

Other than that:

I recently conducted a profile interview and now have the article written and the query with a regional publication. I also have a couple other articles, some tips and fillers, and several short stories out and about.
My freelance editing and copywriting continues. Right now that means a steady gig that requires two 500-word articles and two press releases every week.
I have this blog, a biweekly devotional blog, and two family blogs.
I have meals to make, laundry to do, bills to pay, a house to help clean and a garden to tend.
I decided to make Christmas gifts this year. Why did I do that to myself? Oh, that’s right; I’m a masochist.

Wow. Looking at it on my computer screen, I realize I actually am busy. Sometimes it seems like an excuse. On days when I feel I’ve gotten nowhere, it feels quite futile. And, looking at that list, I still wonder, where has all this gotten me?

It’s gotten me two rejections, one of which I mentioned in my last post. The other waited in my inbox this morning. That’s good news. I now know one more publication that wasn’t a fit for that story.
It’s gotten me more familiarity with the kids lit world, which has stripped away some naiveté about what it takes to publish a picture book.
It's gotten me a 2-year-old who thinks she's a children's book illustrator.
It’s gotten me a short story acceptance, which came in the mail yesterday and which I’m going to have framed. Yes, look for my name in print come fall.
It’s gotten me a great conversation with a fabulous musician.
It’s gotten me the knowledge that I’m not Superwoman, nor do I have to be.
It’s gotten me absolutely no immunity to the effect of seeing a SASE in my mailbox.
It’s gotten me the assurance that I have something to offer the world, that I actually do know how to stick with this, that I can keep hammering at the door until it opens, that I can be a contender.

And that means it’s given me quite a lot.

What has your busyness given you?

Another Shameless Plug

2010-07-03T13:00:00.002-04:00

Our book, Creative Marriage Proposals, has been featured on the Canadian blog, "Candid Conversations." Quebec blogger Cliff Tooher conducted an email interview with Carmelo and I about the book and our experience writing it. You can check it out here.

Reality? Really?

2010-06-30T11:16:00.004-04:00

I received (another) rejection in the mail today. It comes at a bad time emotionally, but I remind myself of what I've learned in sales, which is the same thing Ann Hyman wrote about in the July/August issue of Writers' Journal. That is, every rejection is one step closer to an acceptance. Maybe I'll write more about that when I'm not feeling so...well, rejected.

Yesterday my husband and I went to see Knight and Day for our anniversary. It was a great flick, highly enjoyable and fast-paced, and completely unbelievable. It got me thinking more about a topic that's been on my mind lately. The nature of reality.

I'm not talking about quantum physics or anything here. What I am talking about is the reality we each experience every day, as well as the reality we portray through our writing. Every person's reality is different. The real difficulty, of course, is to portray--communicate, establish, get across--your reality in a way that is meaningful and comprehensible to your audience.

When I was in college, my boyfriend at the time came to visit me in Eastern Oregon for a week in August. He is Japanese, as in actually from Japan, so let's just say there was some culture shock. While he was here we went to a nearby American Indian art gallery. He stopped me in front of a certain painting. I don't remember the whole painting, but I remember it showed a treeless horizon, a brown slash of hill cutting across a flat blue sky. It was an accurate artistic representation of landscapes I've seen hundreds of times here in EO. Toppo, though, pointed to the painting and said, "Before I came here, that would have looked fake."

The reality he came from was not my reality. My everyday was his fake, my understood was his bizarre.

So what does this mean? Do we have to write not only about what we know, but also only about what our audience knows? Of course not! Talk about limiting your readership. What it points to, though, is the need to carry your readers into your reality with you.

I don't have Orson Scott Card's On Science Fiction and Fantasy (Writer's Digest Books) in front of me, more's the pity. It's packed in a box in storage somewhere. I do remember that he, and many other writers, emphasized the need to create a reality that your readers are willing to enter, to keep it consistent within itself and believable within its own context.

When I watched Knight and Day, I was willing to suspend disbelief and invest myself in the plot. Sure, James Bond and Superman combined had nothing on Roy Miller, but the plot pulled me in and made me accept it within it's own context. Tad Williams, a fantasy writer, wrote The War of the Flowers and made me believe in changelings and an industrialized version of Faery. In The Wild Road, Gabriel King showed a world in which animals, domestic and wild, traveled primal highways at super-normal speeds...and had me believing it so much, I checked my backyard for primal animal off ramps.

All this rambling is to say that, no matter what you write about, you have to take your audience with you. Everyone has different tastes. Some are willing to suspend disbelief more than others. Readers of speculative fiction make it a habit to suspend disbelief quite a lot, but all readers have to do it to some extent whenever they pick up another person's words. Whether you're a verbal artist painting a rural Oregon landscape or a horror writer scaring your readers with a megalaturtle, you have to pave enough of the road so they can follow you. It's not enough to say, "This is my reality; believe it." You have to make it real for them, too.

Easy, huh?

Writer as Gardener

2010-06-19T11:12:00.000-04:00

The other day I made a salad from the first of this year’s lettuce. This particular lettuce was a bit special, because it was volunteer lettuce. For those who aren’t gardeners, “volunteer” plants are those that seem to sprout and come up on their own…useful plants that grow in neglected corners or pop up in the middle of cultivated rows. They’re beautiful, tasty surprises; the fruit of labor you haven’t actually performed.

But that’s not quite accurate, either. The lettuce that has scattered itself throughout the garden didn’t come there completely by accident, nor did it pop into existence from nowhere. (Mendel disproved spontaneous generation centuries ago.) In years past, myself and my mother scattered seeds and weeded and watered lettuce plants to produce leafy harvests. Hard work has gone into that garden. The volunteer plants—though they seem to come from nowhere—are really the result of that hard work in years past. The lettuce plants that so delighted us this year sprang from dormant seeds we had planted but long ago forgotten.

And why am I writing about volunteer plants on a writing blog?

Sometimes in a writing life, writers experience happy accidents…emails with work offers from seemingly out of the blue. Phone calls that display new horizons. Chance meetings that open previously closed doors. Often, writers see these things happen to other writers and get lettuce-green with envy. Why does she get all the good luck? we wonder. Why can’t I get a lucky break?

Why does volunteer lettuce grow in my garden but not in yours?

In writing, as in gardening, there is no harvest without labor, no vegetable that doesn’t spring from a seed. The seed may have been planted long ago and forgotten, but it’s been there, waiting for the chance to grow and bear fruit. If you can’t understand why you’re not getting any breaks, think about the work you’ve put into it. You don’t get long-term results in two weeks. You don’t get a harvest without planting and watering and weeding. You don’t get assignments without queries. You don’t get book deals without books…or, at least, book proposals. The query you sent out months ago may come back with surprising results, long after you’d given up and moved on. That won’t happen, though, if you never sent it in the first place.

If you’re serious about this writing thing, start examining your cultivation methods. Are you scattering seeds wherever you go, or are you sitting back and waiting to be “discovered”? If it’s the first, the harvest will come…eventually. The second isn’t likely to provide much lettuce, volunteer or otherwise!

So, what are you doing to cultivate your writing career today?

Creative Marriage Proposals Update

2010-06-18T10:12:00.002-04:00

Creative Marriage Proposals is on KINDLE! Check out Amazon.com's Kindle Store to grab a copy today...only $6.95.

If you'd like paperback format instead, we have a special offer for you. You can get 10% off (that's $13.85 instead of $15.39) through June 30th. Just go to lulu.com and enter SUMMERREAD305 at checkout.

Happy reading!

Stories: Find the Fascinating in Everyday Life

2010-06-11T10:16:00.002-04:00

Stories are everywhere.

I was reminded of that fact when I went into the bank recently to open a savings account for Baby M. In her information gathering, the woman helping me asked where Baby M was born.

“Norfolk, VA.”

“And where were you born?”

“Here in Heppner,” I said, with my usual disclaimer, “when the hospital still delivered babies.” (They haven’t delivered babies in my hometown hospital for 30 years. That’s all I’m saying about that.)

“Oh,” she said. “Me, too. I was a switcher.”

“Ummm…a what?” I mumbled.

“One of the babies who was switched at the hospital up here. Did you hear about it?”

I had. In fact, I heard about it when the story made national news about a year ago. I was way more than a day late and a dollar short in my discovery, since a reporter from the East Oregonian broke the story first. Still, I was fascinated to find myself sitting across a desk from a woman who, quite literally, grew up in the wrong family.

(Oh, and I’m not making this up. You can read the story here.)

While I may not be able to dig any submissions of my own out of this tale—or a book, since the reporter is now working on a manuscript—it still served as a reminder that ideas really are everywhere. How many times during the course of a day, a week or a month do we interact with people who have marvelous, wild or just plain unbelievable stories? Is it the bank teller? What about your hair dresser? Or the young man sitting next to you on the bus?

Sometimes I feel I just don’t have enough good ideas. Not enough fodder for the mental grist mill. After an encounter like I had today, though, I realize that’s just an excuse. It’s an excuse I won’t believe any more. I won’t believe it when I hear it from my own lips and I won’t believe it when I hear it from yours. Instead, I’ll recognize it for what it is…a career-killing combination of lack of imagination and laziness.

Stories like Kay Rene’s are a wonderful jolt. They’re a reminder to dig a little deeper into our own lives and the lives of those around us. If you think you can’t be an author or a journalist because you can’t come up with ideas, you need to give yourself a good slap...mental or physical, whatever does the trick.

Because stories are everywhere. Sometimes they fall into your lap. More often, they require energy to dig up and dust off. Either way, they’re right there. They’re in your own history. They’re in your next-door neighbor and the girl who babysits your kids. They’re in the banker sitting across the desk from you.

Go out and find some stories today.

Time Lost and Found

2010-06-09T20:07:00.002-04:00

Not a long post today.

I was flipping through the April issue of Sunset magazine in the dentist's office this morning. It's a publication I don't subscribe to and don't usually pick up, since the destinations and decorating tips are usually far outside my budget. Anne Lamott's essay, "Time Lost and Found," may just make me a more frequent reader.

Perhaps you read my recent post, "Time Changes...Nuthin'." I felt this essay went along with that theme perfectly. It's well worth the read.

Are You Committed...or Should You Be?

2010-06-03T19:10:00.003-04:00

In my last post, I mentioned time’s ability to change absolutely nothing…at least, not unless accompanied by some kind of effort or forward motion on our part. I now realize I left out an important component.

Commitment.

How committed are you to your writing career? Committed enough to get up at 5:30 in the morning to glean an hour or two before the kids or hubby get up? Committed enough to put down the how-tos and actually write? Committed enough to risk rejection by sending that writing to an editor? Committed enough to…

You get the idea.

For years, I didn’t have that level of commitment. It was far easier to work an eight-to-five I loathed than to risk my mortgage by gambling on my talent and self-discipline. Far easier to plop on the couch after work and turn on the TV “just for a few minutes.” Far easier to give in to exhaustion and hit the snooze button every morning. Far easier to go to lunch with coworkers (wet or otherwise) instead of spending the time researching markets or writing for them.

It wasn’t talent I was lacking. That sounds arrogant, but it’s not. Moderate talent combined with hard work and endurance can survive in the writing business. Dozens of published articles and books prove that (okay, just my opinion). It wasn’t self-discipline I lacked. Not completely, anyway. I grew up on a farm, and I’ve spent much of my life getting work done without supervision. No, I lacked commitment. Committing to my writing career felt like stepping off a ten-story cliff, and I wasn’t ready to do that.

In this week’s The Prosperous Writer newsletter, Christina Katz compared the writing life to a relationship. True, and more. For me, making marriage vows to my husband of almost eight years was the easier of the two commitments, even though I’d known my writing habit at least ten years longer. In a way, that’s understandable. Committing to another person only requires faith in them; committing to a career in writing takes faith in yourself. I’ve never been good at that.

Commitment takes courage. Commitment takes faith. And, once you’ve taken that ten-story leap, commitment takes the daily struggle to work through disappointment, to find points of compromise, to turn around and send that query out again instead of running back to the retreats where you used to find solace. Remember Jane Kirkpatrick’s definition of commitment as a banking term? “To make a deposit against which you can later draw.” Commitment means showing up, day after day, to put your pen to paper, fingers to keys, and an investment into your life.

So, before you can put the time into writing, you need to commit to your writing. Only you know how much of a commitment you can make. The level isn’t the same for everyone, because everyone’s dream is different. Without that promise, though, you never will find the time. Not consistently and not for long enough to matter. Until you commit, your writing is only a dream. And you can’t take that to the bank.

Time Changes...Nuthin'

2010-05-31T20:58:00.004-04:00

“They say that time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.” ~ Andy Warhol

That’s the quote I have at the top of my time management matrix. I’m not a big fan of Andy Warhol in general, but those words are truer than I’d like to admit. I spent years thinking I would write when my proverbial and ethereal ship came in. I would write when I was able to stay at home with the kids, when I had my own writing space so I could concentrate, when I wasn’t exhausted from putting in my eight-to-five (see my post on perfectionism and procrastination!). Most of all, I would write when I had time.

Maybe you’re like that. If so, I have tough news for both of us. We’ll only have time when we find time.

Notice that I don’t say “make” time. We each start out with the same golden 24 hours in our day. Some of us have the balance reduced right from the opening flag by work, school, kids, parents and other unmoving commitments. That doesn’t mean it’s time to put it off and wait until we have More Time. That’s a death knell for a writing career. We will always have commitments pulling at us like a creative rip current, tugging us into the depths of “someday.” And as the Steve Miller Band said, “Time keeps on slippin’, slippin’ into the future…” (Thanks to Lobug for reminding me of that song!)

I was vaguely aware of this concept at the beginning of the year, when I promised myself, “No excuses.” It really hit me in the gut when I heard Jane Kirkpatrick speak at the beginning of April. Jane began her first novel when she was still working full-time with a significant commute and a working ranch on the side. She wanted to write the book, but when did she have time? She ended up asking herself, “What am I doing between four and seven [A.M.]? Nothing.” So, Jane began setting her alarm and getting to her computer by five each morning.

I couldn’t possibly, I thought.

A couple of weeks and a little more desperation later, I heard my own alarm go off at 5:30. (No, I haven't quite found Jane's commitment level yet.) I told myself I was crazy, but I got up and rattled off a couple of pages in longhand. A month and a half later, I’ve written several thousand words in that same tired longhand. I haven’t written as much as I would have liked. I certainly haven’t finished the book. I have, though, written several thousand words more than I would have if I hadn’t jumped in with both feet kicking and arms flailing.

“They say that time changes things…” Time changes nuthin'. The only thing that changes with the mere passage of time—time without any activity or effort—is that you have a lower total of time left on your lifetime balance sheet.

“…but you really have to change them yourself.” If you want to see progress over time, you need to take that balance of time and wring every available moment from it. Maybe you already get up so early that an earlier alarm is impractical, but where else can you wring silver minutes from your day? During lunch? Kids’ nap times? Right after dinner? Right before lights-out? If you look hard enough, there will most likely be some window of opportunity where writing can really happen. It may not be my hour-and-a-half; it may be a half an hour or fifteen minutes, but it exists. Grab it today and GO!
...

Perfectionism: A Love/Hate Relationship

2010-05-20T18:08:00.001-04:00

Many writers have a dash of perfectionism in their souls. That’s a good thing for a professional writer. If you don’t have some urge toward perfectionism, you may end up turning in sloppy work. If you turn in sloppy work too often, you won’t be a professional writer for long. Perfectionism isn’t always your friend though. There are times it can become your enemy just as much as your ally. Here are some ways perfectionism can work both for and against you in your writing.

When Perfectionism Works against You: Procrastinate Yourself out of Business

Perfectionism is one of the two main causes of procrastination. (The other is hoping the work will go away if you ignore it long enough.) If you’ve never completed a writing project of any length, you may not realize you are a perfectionist. In fact, if you’ve never completed a writing project of any length, you are almost certainly a perfectionist. If you are a perfectionist, you may recognize some of these symptoms. Perfectionists will procrastinate because they:

Don’t feel at the “top of their game” right now…they’ll do it later, when they feel better.
Don’t feel this is the optimal time or place to write…they’ll wait for a time with fewer distractions or inconveniences so they can do a better job.
Need to let the idea gel a bit longer (to perfection)…like another two years.
Won’t start something because they don’t feel they can do it perfectly…I can never be a Steinbeck, so why bother?
Find lovely rabbit trails to keep themselves distracted from their main task…to do a really perfect job on this, I need to research that and complete such-and-such first.

Does any of that sound familiar? Then you’re a perfectionist procrastinator.

While I’m sure there’s lots of psychoanalysis we could do here, the only real cure is to just write. That’s all. Just write. Give yourself permission to be less than perfect and start spitting words out on the page. You can always go back and edit. First, you need to conquer your perfectionism and simply do your job.

And that leads us to…

When Perfectionism Works for You: Polish Until It Shines

While there is absolutely nothing wrong with a first draft full of flaws, few editors—or readers—appreciate a final version that they can’t decipher. Once you’ve spewed verbal mayhem all over the page or screen, it’s time to go back and edit until it shines. This is where perfectionism works for you. A person who doesn’t have an eye for detail will do an adequate job. The perfectionist is able to use his mental fine-tooth comb to sweep out the bugs…the adverbs, the split infinitives, the clichés and weak description and all the other little critters that give editors the creepie-crawlies. This is the time to give your perfectionism free-reign. Only one caveat: at some point, editing and polishing have to end. If they don’t, you’ve reverted back to procrastination. So, maybe I should say, give your perfectionism free reign with a deadline. Yes, that’s better.

I could say a lot more on the subject. Instead, I’ll let myself consider this post finished, and direct you to a little essay I found quite helpful and entertaining, by Stanford philosophy professor John Perry. Here it is:

http://www.structuredprocrastination.com/light/perfectionism.php

Enjoy and…write! Today!

Emotion and Experience: Laying It on the Table

2010-05-13T21:26:00.004-04:00

“To be able to reproduce a feeling so that others could recognize it, and perhaps understand it for the first time, one had to have some idea of what it felt like in reality. To show that one knew meant revealing what one had felt. Revealing oneself too nakedly did not come easily to a private man, and if one did not reveal oneself, one never became a great actor.”*

Dick Francis wrote those words about the art of acting. I think he knew of what he spoke; I think he spoke from personal experience as a writer. Think of the writers you admire, of the great writers whose work you have read. If they grabbed your soul…how did they do it? Did London hold back when he wrote The Call of the Wild? Was it comfortable for Emily Bronte to write of the darkness within Heathcliffe? Did Dumas check his experience at the door when he wrote of Edmond Dantès’ quest for vengeance? Probably not.

That doesn’t mean they experienced every minute detail they wrote about. It simply means they experienced enough to pass on the realistic, gut-wrenching flavor to the rest of us. It means they were willing to expose themselves enough to let us see that reality. To whatever degree their work was inspired by their own feelings, something of those writers is in those characters. That’s what makes them larger-than-life; that’s what makes them great.

Let’s try an example closer to home.

I have a history of depression. (How’s that for laying it on the table?) It’s a “mild” form of the disease, so I’m not nor have I ever been suicidal, but I have been in some very dark places. It was that emotion, that experience that I poured into my very first short story, Grace. I also consider Grace my best story to date. It won first place in a MOTA contest and received honorable mention from Writers’ Journal; it was published both times. When someone asked me how I could portray my character’s suicidal depression so well, I was nonplussed. It was simple. I could show it because I knew it.

Not that I consider myself a London, Bronte or Dumas. I’m not even a Francis. The principle, though, is the same. That piece of work shone brightly because I knew the darkness about which I wrote…and I was willing to show it.

It’s not comfortable to bare your soul to the public. You leave yourself open to criticism, rejection, anger and psychoanalysis. If you want to take your creative writing to a higher place, though, that’s what you have to do. I’ve used examples in fiction, but it’s true for almost any writing form…fiction, poetry, essay or feature writing. If it’s something other than the bare bones, if it’s a piece that allows personality or opinion to reveal itself, then you’re taking a risk. And it’s in taking the truly great risks that you experience the truly great rewards.

*Smokescreen; Dick Francis. Simon & Schuster, New York; 1978. Page 82.
...

Is the Editor Always Right?

2010-05-07T11:30:00.002-04:00

I used to work for a hospitality company that had the motto, “The customer isn’t always right, but the customer is always the customer.”

What does that mean? When you’re faced with a demanding, unreasonable client who wants something that’s not even remotely your responsibility—or who wants to pin you with something that’s not your responsibility—you don’t have to knuckle under and give that annoyance her way. Most of us have met those types at some point…the restaurant diner who wants to move this particular two-top across the restaurant so he can sit with his friends, the MBA who wants to change ad copy so it’s *shudder* convoluted and grammatically incorrect, the franchisee who wants a marketing assistant fired because an email contained the wrong link. The list could go on. Unreasonable demands don’t have to be met.

Then there’s that second part of the motto. “…the customer is always the customer.” Even when demands are unreasonable or just plain outrageous, this person is still your client, the lifeblood of your business. Regardless of his behavior, you should treat him with courtesy and respect. You should also set aside the manner of the assault and examine the request to see if it has some legitimate basis.

So, what does this have to do with editors?

As a writer, editors are your clients. Read that again. Editors are your clients. Yes, you have a target audience, but editors are the ones who buy your work and make sure you get paid for it. On those occasions—rare, I’m sure—when editors come to you with changes, what’s your response? You may be so desperate for work that you don’t even think about the changes; you just make them. If you’re like many writers, though, the fact that you’re being asked to change anything about your masterpiece of creative writing raises you blood pressure and your temper. And it’s at those times that writers burn bridges.

I sometimes fill assignment gaps by writing through online sites like Demand Studios. Such sites often hire freelance editors to edit the copy. They’re quick, low-paying assignments that provide writing practice and a little extra pocket money, so my stories usually get accepted without a peep. Recently, though, I had an editor who had a string of comments for every 75-word paragraph. There were comments about phrasing and wording, comments about citation and one comment that I took as a personal affront to my faith. It was tempting to write a scathing reply and find another venue for that particular article. Instead, I logged off and let it rest for 24 hours.

I eventually talked myself out of high dudgeon and back into common sense. I reworded where asked, fixed a typo (oops!) and ignored the supposed affront to my faith. The only place I didn’t budge was in the citations, where I knew I was in line with standard practice. I explained that to the editor—politely—my article was accepted and I got my fifteen bucks.

Yes, that little story has a point. I could have burned that particular bridge and lost not only fifteen dollars but also some great Internet exposure and some of my professional reputation. If I’d gone far enough, I could have been banned from the site. Would it have been worth it? No. Plus, I’m a believer in the principle of behaving in small matters as I would in large. If you can manage to deal gracefully with a few small-time copy editors who may actually have a bone to pick with the world, you’ll find it much easier to work with major players who are simply trying to do their jobs.

Finally, here are a few facts to put things into perspective:

Editors are the gatekeepers. Like it or not, they are what stand between you and publication in that particular venue. They also talk to each other. Burn too many, and you’ll soon find your career in ashes.
Most editors didn’t get to their positions by being unprofessional or unreasonable. They have jobs to do and they’re doing them to the best of their ability. A request for a change is not a personal assault.
Editors are busy. If they are willing to ask for changes instead of tossing your work in the recycle pile—especially if you haven’t signed a contract—that’s a sign that they see some potential. Take it as a compliment and work with their suggestions.

...

Flexibility

2010-04-23T13:49:00.004-04:00

I apologize for the gap between posts. Our household had a cluster of misfortune recently, including not just a funeral, but a lack of Internet connection, a sick cat and a sick me. That, though, leads to the topic of this post.

Flexibility.

It’s a small word, but a difficult feat…and it means so much to both your personal and writing lives (if you manage to separate the two!).

One of my clients recently emailed me and asked about copywriting versus editing, and if I’d be willing to look at a half-and-half kind of job. “Just wanted to know specifically what you do and do not do,” she finished.

Did I tell my client to go jump in the lake unless she could clearly define the perameters of her current project? Of course not. So, what did I tell my client?

“I’m flexible!”

I don’t talk much on this blog about the editing and writer-for-hire sides of my career. Hey, they help pay the bills, but they’re not glamorous. At times, the work is deadly dull. Working with clients, though, has helped hone the same professionalism I need when dealing with, say, editors. Flexibility is one of the traits that comes in handy. When a client, or an editor, comes to me and says, “This piece is okay, but it’s not what I’m looking for,” do I stand my ground and insist that my way is best?

Only if I want to end my career as a bitter writer grandma whose blog is her only writing gig.

Or, do I say, “What changes do you want? I can have them to you by Friday!”

Heck, yeah, that’s the way to do it!

If you’re a member of a family—especially if you’re the mother of that family—you’re probably already good at flexibility. Certainly, Baby M has taught me loads about flexibility. Life also has a way of throwing fast pitches at you to see if you can either catch them or be flexible enough to dodge. Here are some personal examples from my past week:

You've maxed out your bandwidth allotment by spending too much time blogging, so the Internet at your house is down indefinitely. Is it:

“Bummer! Guess I’m off to the library!” or

“Darn, a whole week lost!”
You get a severe stomach something in the middle of an already-hectic week. When you recover, you’re weak as water. Is it:

A day snapping at your family because you’re angry at how weak and unproductive you are, or

“Now I have an excuse to sit and cuddle my daughter!”

There’s a place for rigidity…in your morals, in the values you hold dear, in supporting and defending your loved ones. The trick is to separate those moments that call for the strength of the oak from the much more common moments that require the elasticity of a reed. Try to stand firm at the wrong moments, and you may find yourself snapping instead. Try it in your career, and you’ll be snapping without a paycheck!

Personal Perspective: Amazement

2010-04-12T10:29:00.003-04:00

The word of the week is "amazement."

I've been thinking of amazement for a couple of reasons. First, I pondered it as I watched the awe with which Baby M approaches life. She finds limitless wonder in everything around her. A blade of grass is as marvelous to her as a tulip in full bloom. A wasp is as fascinating as a box full of baby chicks. Her new discoveries excite her so much, she wants to share them all with whoever happens to be near her.

Second, I realized last night how quickly life can be snuffed out. I'd been pondering the topic of amazement for a couple of days. When I heard of the death of a family friend last night--she was only in her forties--I realized again that death can visit anyone at any time and invite them to take the journey to the other side. If death can come at a moment's notice, we have all the more reason to live every moment of life with a spirit of amazement.

It's a life lesson. I'm posting it here because it's also a writing lesson. How often does our writing become stale because our perceptions become stale? Does your writing carry with it a sense of awe at new discoveries, or is it, "Just the facts, Ma'am"?

So, this post is accompanied by a challenge. Try, just for this week, to view everything around you through the eyes of a toddler. Imagine how it looks to someone seeing it for the first time. Experience the amazement. I'll do it too.

Let's see if we can imbue our writing with a sense of amazement.

Jane Kirkpatrick on "Hardiness"

2010-04-06T10:46:00.003-04:00

Last night I had a chance to listen to writer Jane Kirkpatrick at a local women’s dinner. For those who don’t know, Jane is a Christian novelist who writes about the lives of historical women. She’s also “local” to Eastern Oregon…she and her husband have a ranch out of Moro, in the brakes of the John Day River. Jane has published 19 books and has two more getting ready for publication.

Because of the crowd, I didn’t have time to do more than introduce myself and drop a business card, so I didn’t have time to ask her some of the questions I’d prepared. I did draw many gems from her presentation, though, and I’ll share a few here. Even though Kirkpatrick was speaking generally, much of what she said can be applied straight to the writing life. Go figure…she’s written 21 books!

One of the things Jane does in her writing is look at people who have undergone difficulties and dig into the difference between those who let the difficulties shape them into something better and those who simply become cranky. The quality she uses to describe the admirable people is hardiness. According to Kirkpatrick, hardy people understand:

Commitment
A hardy person makes a commitment and sticks to it. To make a commitment is to make a promise, but it’s also an old banking term that means, “To make a deposit against which you can later draw.” When a person—whether a pioneer woman or a writer—makes a commitment, then Providence moves.

Control
Hardy people understand what they can and cannot control. We often can’t control our environment, but we can control our attitudes. People who control their attitudes do so by getting clear on what matters, having the courage to act, increasing their curiosity about what works and what doesn’t, and increasing their compassion toward themselves and others.

Challenge
Everyone faces challenges at some time in their lives, but hardy people face their challenges and look for ways to make the worst possible into the best possible. To draw the strength to do this, they return to their goal…their commitment.

Community
Hardy people understand that they can’t do it alone. They need each other. A point that struck me was how often we forget that when we allow family, friends and colleagues to do something for us, we aren’t the only ones being served. We give when we allow others to do for us. So why are we so afraid to ask for help?

Coping
Kirkpatrick had a wonderful metaphor for this. If you’re as tool-challenged as I am, you have no idea what a coping saw is. Jane had one with her and showed us how it works. A coping saw is used to fit things into tight places. The blade is both strong and flexible, and can change direction quickly without a lot of friction. The blade can also be removed from the handle, put through a hole, and then reattached on the other side. That is, it can go through, not just around.

Aren’t those wonderful gems? I hope you can take something away today and apply it to your own writing life. And, if it gets too difficult, remember something else from Jane.

“You don’t have to write a novel [today]; just pen the first paragraph.”

Stillness

2010-04-01T11:14:00.003-04:00

Earlier this week I made the time to take a walk with my daughter. It was a wonderful bonding experience, wandering down a dusty cow trail in Eastern Oregon and picking spring wildflowers. It also reminded me of an important aspect in the life of a writer…stillness.

Sometimes we forget the need for stillness in the writing life. When you take the leap from hobby writing to professional writing, quiet time is often the first thing to go. If you have kids, or some other full-time job, you’re even less likely to make room for stillness in your life. People and pets demand your attention, deadlines loom large, and a myriad of professional and private commitments pull you away from any semblance of personal time.

It’s a mistake to let it happen, though. There are a couple of reasons.

First, sanity. If you’re an extrovert, you may be able to go long stretches without needing quiet space to recharge. If you’re an introvert like many writers, though, that periodic space bubble is a necessity. It keeps you balanced. It keeps you from biting off the heads of your friends and family. Make room for stillness and not only will your feel better, your loved ones will be ecstatic.

Second, creativity. When you make a living from writing, it’s tempting to feel the pressure to keep the pen on the paper constantly. That’s not always a good thing. Sometimes you get so busy writing that you don’t take time to think about what you’re writing. A little space and quiet, without focusing on your current projects, may provide you with fresh insights. Yes, a little stillness can inspire breakthroughs when you least expect them.

Everyone’s needs are different. Five minutes of quiet may suffice, or you may be so burned out that you need an entire day without voices in your ear. Decide what works for you. Don’t consider it an indulgence. Consider it an investment in peace of mind and creativity.

Today I challenge you to find some time for stillness. Take a walk, pick some wildflowers, go window shopping. Take some time to recharge your batteries. Your family and your writing will thank you.

Personal Perspective: Balance

2010-03-24T13:05:00.005-04:00

In The Prosperous Writer this week, Christina Katz challenged writers to think, and blog, on the topic of balance. It’s not a topic I approach with any kind of authority. I can’t give advice to anyone else on how to balance their lives…their work, their kids, their spouses and their laundry. I’m still working on that myself. I have learned in my short career that balance is different for everyone. Still, “balance” is the last word I would use when describing my life. It’s all or nuthin for this WAHWM. At least, that’s how it seems.

On days when it’s just me and Baby M, with no reinforcements forthcoming, I enter a writing void. It’s difficult to concentrate with a 22-month-old climbing my leg and waging war on my computer. I’m lucky if I get to jot down some notes and check my email while she’s napping. Then, when help arrives, it’s all writing, all the time. Baby M is an orphan, my parents lose their youngest, my husband is widowed and (greatest of horrors) the bed goes unmade. No balance there!

Yet, I’ve become glad of those zany days when there’s no backup plan. On those days—when my husband is teaching in Portland, when my mom has her church quilting group, when my dad makes himself generally scarce so he won’t get recruited to babysit—I get a chance to regroup and reconnect. Those are my sewing days, my baking days, my cleaning days, my days to spend time with Baby M and not feel guilty about the work I’m not doing. In their own way, those “unbalanced,” writing-less days restore balance to my life. Without them, I’d be one burned-out writer mama.

Balance. It’s a work in progress. I’m finding it though…one writing wasteland at a time.

Book Sale!

2010-03-23T15:48:00.002-04:00

Time for a shameless plug. Lulu.com is letting us have a sale on our book!

Now through the end of March, purchase Creative Marriage Proposals and enter IDES when you check out to get 10% off.

Don't wait...this sale really does end soon!

Wondering what you'll get? Here's a snippet from our Holiday & Seasonal Proposal section.

Ice Skating

Rockefeller Center or the frozen pond out back…gliding across the ice with the love of your life is romance incarnate. The best part is, you don’t have to be an Olympic caliber skater for this proposal to work. Whether you’re Fred Astair on ice or skate best on your butt, you’ll be able to sweep your girl off her feet with this breathtaking setting.

Here’s what you’ll need:

An ice-skating rink, indoor or out, public or private
Ice skates for both of you (make sure you know her shoe size!), or assurance of available skate rentals
A thermos of hot cocoa or coffee if there’s not a coffee shop nearby
Extra hat, gloves, scarf and even jacket for her, just in case
A blanket, in case you need to huddle together for warmth

To do this properly, surprise her with the idea of an ice-skating date. You can show up on her doorstep, skates in hand, or mention it when you just “happen” to be near a viable piece of ice. Either way, get her there. If she’s not a good skater, you may have to beg or cajole. If she’s not dressed warmly enough, you’re prepared for that! Just make sure she knows it’s not her skill on the ice that matters; it’s your desire to be with her and hold her hand.

Of course, your own skating skill may play some part. If you have talent on the ice, it won’t be a problem to turn and kneel without falling over. If you can’t manage that, well…pull her down with you and opt for a less conventional proposal pose. We really don’t think she’ll care.

Celebrate your engagement with a cup of hot cocoa or an extra-hot latte.

Book Feedback: Writer Mama

2010-03-21T20:31:00.003-04:00

All right, I've finally finished Writer Mama by Christina Katz. It took me longer than my usual speed-of-light reading pace because I actually tried to do the exercises Katz supplied at the end of each chapter. All right, I fudged on some of them. Having made it though the whole book, though, I can now give it an unequivocal thumbs up as a resource for aspiring mothers-who-are-writers.

If you have studied writing and/or journalism, you can consider much of the content something along the lines of a thorough refresher course. Even with an advanced degree, some of the chapters served as a dash of cold water to get me out of daydream mode and back into writing mode. If you don't happen to have a degree in journalism, the insights will be a godsend in starting your career.

Katz writes in an easy-to-understand manner and is thorough in her advice. My favorite part, though, was the exercises I mentioned above. You can read all the books you want, but none of them will help you establish your career unless you sit down and write. The exercises in Writer Mama urge you to action and provide clear, gradual steps for breaking into freelance journalism.

If I had one beef, it's that she paid little attention to writer toddler mamas who had to move in with their parents because they're flat broke and their doctorate-holding husbands can only find jobs at local grocery stores...but I guess she can't be expected to cover everything!

Writer Mama. Buy it. Read it. Use it.

Make Your Writing a Full-Sensory Experience

2010-03-18T15:57:00.002-04:00

Do you use all five senses when you write?

Most Americans are visual people. We see people's points, look at problems from every angle and read between the lines. That's not so bad. After all, you want you writing to be visual, right?

While it's true that you do want your writing to paint a picture for the reader, never neglect the power of using all five senses to draw a person into the scene. Let's take a scene from a romance novel, for instance. Imagine you're writing a scene between your hero and leading lady. You describe the look on the hero's face as he gazes at the love of his life, the stormy blueness of his eyes, the cleft in his chin. You add that he sees a tear trickle down her cheek. Wonderful! Now, what about the other four senses? Let’s see what you can do with those.

Hint: If it helps, close your eyes in order to focus more intently on the non-visual aspects of the scene. Ready? Go!

Sound
Sit still for a moment and listen to the sound of your breathing; focus on how it sounds to you. How are your characters breathing? Is the hero’s breathing ragged and hoarse with emotion or exertion, or is it deep and calm, comforting? Now broaden your scope. What sounds linger in the background, mostly unheard? If the setting is a castle bailey, you may hear the ring of a blacksmith’s hammer, he clucking of a chicken or the sound of a hoof on stone. A more urbane setting may include the tinkle of wine glasses or the showering notes of a harp. Immerse yourself in the sounds and then write them into the scene.

Smell
Focus on your nose for a moment. First, let yourself take in the smells around you right now…the scent of a cooking meal, the espresso-scent of a coffee shop or the smell of lilacs through an open window. Now focus on your scene. How do your characters smell? Do you smell sweat or perfume? What about their environment? Hone in on their surroundings and small what they smell. Are the scents harsh and intrusive—does the smell of horse manure waft from a nearby stable—or does the fragrance of flowers add to the emotion of the moment? Follow your nose.

Taste
If your scene contains food, this is easy. Does the heroine taste the seductive flavors of strawberries and champagne, or are they dining on wild game charred over an open fire? Focus on the taste. If it helps, find something similar to taste for yourself (always a good excuse to have champagne in the middle of the day!). If your scene doesn’t include food, open your mind to other taste possibilities. What about that tear that trickles down the heroine’s cheek…does it run onto her lips, where she tastes the salt? Did the hero just get in a fight? A cut lip could leave him with the metallic taste of blood in his mouth. If your mouth is watering right now, you’re on the right track.

Touch
Touch is explosive and emotive. As he reaches out to cup her face in his hands, how do his hands feel on her face? Are they rough and calloused from working long hours, or are they the smooth hands of a rich nobleman? Does he run his hands over her hair? What does it feel like? Is it smooth and well-coifed, or is it a riot of tangles because she’s been playing the tomboy? Whether your characters are dressed in silk, homespun or buckskin, focus on the feel of the material against the skin. Now add the weather. Are their faces kissed by a warm sun or blistered by tropical heat? Are they standing in a light rain or drenched and shivering in a torrential downpour? Think about every texture in the scene and how it might play into the emotion you’re trying to convey.

Once you take the time to focus, it’s easy to see how the use of all five senses can enhance any scene. Don’t imagine, either, that this only works for fiction. Whatever your writing genre, make it a full-sensory experience for your reader. You will boost your readership and leave them coming back for more!

eBook Available

2010-03-16T11:16:00.004-04:00

All right, I haven't been great about updating this blog lately. That doesn't mean I haven't been busy! Our new eBook, Creative Marriage Proposals, is now available in ePub format for those with eBook readers. Enjoy!

Download for only $7.95 at http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/creative-marriage-proposals/8507922

When the time comes to pop the question to that special someone, you want to do it up right...but how? With panache, of course! This book of creative proposals provides all the ideas you'll ever need, along with helpful tips and a healthy dose of humor. So don't stress about coming up with that perfect proposal...we've done it for you.

Our Book

2010-03-02T18:41:00.004-05:00

I've dropped hints over the past couple of months that my husband and I are collaborating on an e-book. Yes, I've spoken about my progress and my frustrations, if not my hopes and fears. Well, it's done! I posted a more-or-less finished project on lulu.com yesterday, and Creative Marriage Proposals is now available to order in its print version or as a download. What's it about?

When the time comes to pop the question to that special someone, you want to do it up right...but how? With panache, of course! This book of creative proposals provides all the ideas you'll ever need, along with helpful tips and a healthy dose of humor. So don't stress about coming up with that perfect proposal...we've done it for you."

I'm excited to have this book finally online. More than anything, it's gives me a sense of completion and progress...and do I need progress right now! If you'd like to check it out--and maybe buy it for yourself--here's the info.

Creative Marriage Proposals: How to Pop the Question...with Panache!
ISBN-13: 978-0-557-34713-1
Lulu.com ID #8429324
Paperback $15.29
Download $7.95

Collaborators

2010-02-22T20:00:00.003-05:00

As a writer, you may someday be in the position to write with a collaborator. Collaboration can be refreshing in many ways…it takes off some of the burden of creativity and allows you to gain fresh insight into your work-in-progress. It’s always nice to bounce ideas off a second brain and find new ways to make your project—book, article or paper—grow and live. At the same time, you need to be aware of the pitfalls of working with a second (or third or fourth) person.

Disagreements regarding project directions are always a danger. A few ground rules put in place from the start can help sideline this problem, but even the most agreeable of partnerships may encounter a common dilemma that’s much more difficult to resolve. What is it?

The Slow Poke.

If you find yourself finishing sections ahead of schedule, only to watch deadlines fly past with no word from your partner, you’re working with a Slow Poke.

When saddled with this kind of partner, it’s easy to assume the person is slacking and purposefully blowing off deadlines. This thought tendency only grows as frustration increases. Be aware, though, that there can be more than one reason a collaborator doesn’t pull through for you.

They’re not used to working with deadlines. It’s true. Some people, especially those who don’t work as freelancers, may not be used to hard-and-fast deadlines. Journalists are taught respect for deadlines, with phrases like, “Cross this line, and you’re dead.” The same isn’t true for everyone. If your partners aren’t used to setting and keeping deadlines unless they have someone standing over them, you may have to be the whip master…at least until you can convince them of the real-world consequences of missing a deadline.
Their hearts aren’t in it. Sometimes it’s a simple case of ennui. This project may rev your engine, but what about your partners? They may have caught the fever in the beginning, but lost interest once the first flush of excitement passed. If you can, find ways to draw them back into the process. You may need to revamp and include aspects that recapture their interest. Maybe they have too little responsibility, and need more. If this fails, it may simply be time to let the partnership dissolve (if that’s up to you).
They’re overloaded. Due to human nature, this is the last pssibility many of us consider. If you’re working with serious professionals, though, it’s the first place you should look when your partners fall short. Don’t start out by blaming them for not “giving their all” and for failing to work 25/7. Sit back and consider. Is 25/7 what’s required if your collaborators want to juggle their responsibilities and this project? If so, is that a fair expectation? No. It may be that they misjudged and took on too much, or it may be that you saddled them with extra responsibility without asking. Either way, you may have partners who are about to crumple under the strain. Find a way to relieve your colleagues of some of the burden; cut their part in the project or work around their schedules. If that’s impossible, it may be time to cut them loose and hold off collaboration until a calmer time. If handled correctly, it will be a cause for relief rather than hard feelings.

When talking about the failing of others, of course, it’s also good to hold up the mirror once in a while. If you’re in a collaboration and sense frustration from your colleague, check yourself. Are you the Slow Poke? Have you lost interest, overloaded yourself, failed a deadline? If so, put yourself back on track and save your partner the trouble!

Washington Stonehenge

2010-02-09T12:34:00.005-05:00

This past weekend, I escaped to a weekend women's retreat in Molalla. The retreat was wonderful, but short on writing time. On the way home, though, I did stop at the American Stonehenge, which sits overlooking the Columbia River by Hwy. 97. As you can see below, I let my attempts at artistry get the better of me!

Stonehenge, in Maryhill, WA, has been sitting on that hill for 80 years. It seems strange to build a replica of Stonehenge overlooking the Columbia River, but it's actually a war memorial in memory of the Klickitat County soldiers who died in WWI. The builder, Sam Hill, was a Quaker pacifist who visited the English Stonehenge in 1918. When told that the site had been used for human sacrifices (which probably isn't true), he said, "...the flower of humanity is still being sacrificed to the god of war." He returned home and started construction on the cement, full-scale replica that same year. It was completed in 1930.

Stonehenge from across the parking lot...or do I mean the "car park"?

Yes, I warned you about the artistry!

More artistry.

The view east from inside the monument.

The view of the Hwy. 97 bridge across the Columbia to Biggs, OR.
...

Monday, Monday

2010-02-01T11:17:00.003-05:00

This post will involve some rambling. I'm never at my best on Monday mornings, and this one is especially cheerful so far.

I vaguely remember my husband chuckling as he kissed me goodbye this morning...something about Baby M having taken off her diaper in her crib. Well, yes she did. When she cried to be picked up this morning, there was a special urgency to the sound. I soon found out why. Her diaper was off, her blankets and sheet were wet, and she had urine on her nightgown and herself. Lovely!

I put her in the tub and asked my mom to watch her while I stripped the crib. (Since she's nearly 21 months she doesn't need constant supervision, only frequent checking.) From upstairs, I heard a commotion and frantic crying. Oh no! I thought. She's fallen! She's tried to climb out of the tub and fallen and cracked her head open! I'm such a horrible mother!

Once downstairs, I found Mom holding Baby M, who was wrapped in a towel and still crying as if her life was ending. No sign of a split-open head. Turns out, my mother walked in to check on her and found both Baby M and Missy (the cat) in the tub. Whether the cat fell or was pulled, we don't know. Missy, of course, was scrambling to get out. In the process, she sliced one of M's feet with a claw. Between the scare and the scratch, Baby M thought she'd been had.

That was all about an hour ago. M finished her bath, and both Missy and Baby M are now dry. Mom and I put salve on M's foot, and she seems no worse for wear. I'm exhausted....and my day has only started!

To make this post at least partly about writing, here's an update. Okay, so I finished the rough draft stage of my client's novel. Yay for me! I'm now waiting on word from him to see if he wants me to do a final edit or if he thinks it needs more construction. My opinion is that it needs more construction, but he's the man with the money and I have plenty of other projects to work on, so I'm not pushing.

The self-imposed deadline for the e-book my husband and I are writing has blown past as of midnight last night. The really awful news, of course, is that the book isn't done. The good news is that I met my deadline plus some! Yes, I finished my allotted sections and took some off his hands. That makes me feel good, even if the overall deadline-blowing doesn't. It's obvious Melo wasn't in journalism class when my professor explained deadlines. Put succinctly, "Cross this line, and you're dead."

Can't be too hard on the my husband, though. He is working 40 hours a week, plus gelato, plus writing. On the other hand, I changed urine-filled sheets this morning...what is a fair trade-off, really?

Story Book Reader Distractions

2010-01-25T19:23:00.002-05:00

This morning I found myself still distracted by a vicious (yet strangely satisfying) confrontation last night. It kept replaying…you know how it goes. “Oh, I wish I’d said this.” “Darnit, I should have told them that!” Built-in distraction. I could feel my blood pressure rising.

Fortunately, I managed to get my head on straight and start in on the second-to-last chapter of my client’s book. Oh, so close to completion! Still, distractions were abundant. Twenty-month-old Baby M insists that she is the center of the universe. I can’t quite argue with that, since I feel much the same about her. She brought me an electronic story-book reader that had somehow fallen into two pieces. Being the wonderful mommy I am, I not only fixed it, I also screwed off the cover and replaced the batteries.

What was I thinking?

I’m now inundated with an electronic female voice telling me to “Please insert a book to begin. Please insert a book to begin. Please insert… Please insert… Please insert a book to begin.”

In vain, I searched for one of the Sesame Street books made for this demonic invention. Nothing. Nada, Zilch. They’ve vanished. Yes, all of them. So, as I try to concentrate on plot and tension at the climax of this novel, I find a blue-and-yellow My First Story Reader shoved across my keyboard with the insistent reminder, “Please insert a book to begin…”

Where’s that screwdriver?

Ideas

2010-01-19T11:57:00.001-05:00

Ever read a book or watched a movie and said to yourself, “Wow, I wish I’d thought of that!”?

Last night I watched the movie Julie & Julia…based on two true stories. It was a good movie but, more importantly, it brought to mind the concept of ideas.

Julie’s idea was inspired. She didn’t realize it would create the furor it did, launching her into a semblance of fame that was then compounded by a Hollywood movie. She was simply looking for a project to finish, something to give meaning to a career she saw as stalled, at a standstill. Her idea worked because it was original. It connected with people on a basic level. Julie was a normal woman, just like millions in the country, connecting with her idol and giving her life meaning through the act of cooking. What’s more important, she carried through to the end. She moved her readers.

Ironically, her success has probably created a surge of “copycats,” people who are now trying to make their way through some other cookbook, or some other kind of book entirely, blogging about it and hoping to achieve the same success. Maybe I’m wrong about that, but if I’m right…they’ve missed the point.

Great ideas are difficult to come by. Sometimes it takes a happy accident. More often, it takes intense dedication, insight and just plain hard work. Because of that, people who come up with those great inspirations (and who follow through with them) deserve the glory the ideas bring to them.

It’s far easier to copy another idea, to become a mere shadow of someone else’s great work. I’m not judging. I’m the first to admit that I have few, if any, truly original ideas. Most of my ideas can be summed up as, “…like this book crossed with that book,” or “…something like that author, but with elements of this author over here.” It makes me a little disappointed in myself.

If you write them well enough, you can pay the bills with unoriginal ideas. If you take familiar elements and rearrange them artfully, you can create a readership. Until we manage to capture our own brilliant concepts, we may have to be content with that. Bills do have to be paid; you can’t go bankrupt because you only want to write original ideas. That doesn’t need to keep us from trying harder.

I, for one, want to strive for even more. I want to strive for that “Ah ha!” moment, that idea that makes the reader say, “Wow, I wish I’d thought of that.”

On Track, or Derailed?

2010-01-14T16:01:00.005-05:00

After my last post, I made a concerted effort to get myself back on track. As a result, I went through several days of wonderful productivity. I both set and met writing quotas every day. Even Tuesday, which was filed with fighting cats, cranky toddlers and renegade horses in our yard, saw me exceed my writing goals.

Perhaps I got cocky. Whatever the reason, yesterday blindsided me. Now, I understand that a 20-month-old doesn't understand my need to work, or to focus on anything other than her. My question is (men, especially, pay attention):

How can an adult with reasonable brain capacity not realize I cannot simultaneously carry on a conversation and write a book?

Anyone?

Yes, it's a snarky question, brought about by intense frustration yesterday. Since last night was bell choir night, desperation moved me to make the 45-minute drive a couple hours early and hole myself up in Starbucks. A soy, no-water chai latte helped my mood tremendously, as did the ability to finally finish my daily chapter for my client.

Today, I'm back on track. I've already finished that daily client chapter, and now look forward to two hours of toddler nap time in which to write a mere seven pages on my own project...three to make up for yesterday plus the four scheduled for today.

All right, maybe yesterday's damage is irreversible. I'm still basically on track, committed and making progress. What more can a WAHWM (Work at Home Writer Mom) ask for?

Distractions

2010-01-07T19:26:00.003-05:00

This has been a lost week. Right now I'm surrounded not only by my own 19-month-old (who, yes, has the ability to surround me all by herself), but also by my brother's 3- and 5-year-olds, who are here while their mother recuperates after the birth of their younger brother. I thought my daughter created mayhem; I now vainly wish for that level of noise and distraction. It sounds like a peaceful oasis compared to the sound of three toddlers running in circles pulling two chatterbox phones and a pushing a stroller. It doesn't help that the weather is below freezing and foggy, so I can't usher them out the door and lock it behind them.

I've accomplished no writing this week. As I said...a lost week. I'm used to blocking out a certain level of distraction--phones and conversations in an office, the subdued clatter of a Starbucks or B&N, even the sound of heavy machinery--but I have no idea how to focus with this whirlwind around me. It seems the only time to accomplish anything is when the monsters--uh, I mean children--are asleep...but how to cope when their naptimes and bedtimes leave me looking for my own pillow? So far, Writer Mama offers no clues. I tell myself I've worked 8-12 hours a day before, that I've had experience soldiering on without a two-hour naptime. It doesn't help. That pillow and blanket, in the peaceful serenity of a briefly quiet bedroom, is too tempting.

Focus, I tell myself. Exert self-control. Unfortunately, such self-talk doesn't work any better in this instance than it does with chocolate brownies.

I know I'm not the only mother attempting this. Any helpful suggestions?

Scary Queries

2010-01-03T12:54:00.002-05:00

What makes the idea of writing a query letter so frightening to writers? After all, we're writers...we should have no problem writing a simple letter. Yes, a letter on which hangs the fate of a particular story or article, but still just a letter. It's ridiculous that a professional who can write anything from a noir comedy to a how-to on installing a smoke detector should break out into a sweat at thought of a one-page synopsis. The wealth of instructional articles and books on the subject, though, shows that we are, indeed, afraid and desperate for a solution.

For me, the thought of writing a query brings chills and a sense of nausea much like the flu. Just the thought of writing one of those beasts makes me feel like going and lying down. I've even been known to pass up a publication that requires a query in favor of one that wants to see the article. Yes, now you know my deepest writing secret. I'm a query coward.

Not that I haven't written several queries--some of which were actually successful--but the process has lost none of its terror. For some reason, writing a cover letter, though difficult, doesn't bring the same sense of horror and helplessness. I suspect it's because I harbor the insane hope that, even if my cover letter is crap, the editor will glance past it and be wowed by the dazzling article behind. (I never said I wasn't delusional.)

Nor have several years experience in writing and editing marketing copy helped me bridge the gap from selling a product to being able to sell myself.

Yes, selling myself. That's what we're all selling when we write and send a query letter, a cover letter or a story. I think, at the heart of it, we're not afraid of editors rejecting our ideas. We're afraid of editors rejecting us. Of course, to any serious writer, it's the same thing. We are our ideas. At the same time, that's where the ego comes in. Why should we have to sell ourselves? We are writers; we are brilliant. Our work shouldn't need selling. It should shine like a beacon, drawing the editor to itself like a sci-fi tractor beam. How dare the editor need a query?

Still, it's just a letter.

A New Direction

2010-01-03T12:45:00.002-05:00

I've been thinking a lot lately about the format and direction of this blog. Not that this is an issue of international importance...I've been getting the feeling that I'm the only one who reads this rag of a blog, anyway. Since that's the case, though, I can do what I want with it. Right?

You see, I received a copy of Christina Katz's Writer Mama for Christmas, and I've been slowing making my way through it. In it, she suggests blogging for idea generation and exposure. But, I thought, I already have a blog. I just never post anything. After thinking about it for a few days, I decided I needed to transform the blog I already have into a format on which I'll actually post. Imagine!

So, from now on, Get Creative with Writing will look less like a semi-annual writing instructional and more like random ramblings with the topic of writing at their center. So, yeah, more like most of the blogs that exist today.

Enjoy!

On the Premises #2

2009-12-07T11:36:00.001-05:00

Here's a mini-contest from On the Premises. I'm thinking about taking a stab at it...what about you?

--- MINI-CONTEST #10 ---

STICKY NOTE

The goal of mini-contest #10 is to imply/evoke a complete
story with just a short note written by someone, to someone.
Make sure the note specifies whom it is addressed to, and who
signed it. (You don't have to use the word "signed.") Make the
note no more than 30 words long. With only 30 words to work
with, you'll have to make a lot of decisions!

Here's a dull example to clarify what we want entries to look like.

Sarah:

I bought milk.

Dan.

Remember, use no more than 30 words, and that includes the name(s) of the note's intended
recipient(s) and the name(s) of whoever's signing it. (So the example above is five words
long, not three!)

WORD COUNTS: Except when spelling out numbers, hyphens count as spaces.
"Half-baked" counts as two words, but "twenty-seven" counts as one
word because it could be rewritten as "27."

Deadline: 11:59 PM Eastern time, Thursday, December 31, 2009.

Prizes: $15 for 1st, $10 for 2nd, $5 for 3rd, publication but no money for honorable
mentions.

Send entries to Entries@OnThePremises.com and put MINI-CONTEST
in the subject heading, please. One entry per author.

Finally, remember to put your contact information in the body of your e-mail and attach
your mini-contest entry as a .doc, .rtf, or .txt file. (No .wps files! We can't read
them.)

Creative Writing Spark #2

2009-08-01T11:21:00.003-04:00

Here's today's premise:

You've just moved to a new city and are unable to go home for Christmas. Feeling lonely, you decide to go into the office on Christmas Eve, where you find a co-worker...doing what?

Have fun!

Creative Writing Spark

2009-07-18T17:02:00.002-04:00

To go along with the last entry, I've decided to periodically give you premises of my own to help you generate story ideas. On that note, the first premise is:

While house sitting for friends, you discover something unexpected on their property.

The first sentence could go something like:

"I couldn't believe my eyes..."

Feel free to post a comment letting me know what you think of this new feature, and telling me how it helped (or didn't help) your writing!

On the Premises

2009-07-15T11:20:00.002-04:00

Some time ago, I wrote about using starter sentences to spark writing ideas. I recently ran across On the Premises, an online magazine devoted to a particular writing contest.

How does it work? Several times a year, On the Premises opens a contest to stories based on a story premise…supplied, of course, by their magazine. The premise for the current contest is:

THE PLAN

One or more characters have a plan. They think it's a good plan. Are they right? That's up to you, but whether the plan is brilliant, stupid, or anywhere in-between, something goes terribly wrong when the characters try to execute it.

Even if you don’t enter the contest, imagine the possibilities for using that premise to spark your own writing. Your story could be about a bank robbery, a wedding proposal, a surprise party or a battle. Think of anything that requires a plan, and write about it. Of course, I do urge you to enter the contest if you write a story based on their premise…the deadline isn’t until September 30, and it offers a cash prize, a chance to be published and the chance at a critique if they reject your story. (Yes, they actually critique some rejected stories, a valuable service few magazines offer these days.)

If you are interested in their contest, by the way, here’s some more info.

Write a creative, compelling, well-crafted story between 1,000 and 5,000 words long that clearly uses the premise.

Deadline: September 30, 2009, 11:59 PM Eastern Time.

Prizes: 1st - $140, 2nd - $100, 3rd - $70,

Honorable Mention - $25.

All payments in US dollars.

Between zero and three honorable mentions will be published.

No that you have another story idea, go forth and write!

Pedal to the Metal

2009-06-09T18:55:00.002-04:00

It's great to talk about creative writing techniques and tools, but what about an audience? Everywhere I turn, I hear about how tough times are economically. I've also seen it proven in my own immediate family. How much good does brilliant prose do you if there's no one to read it?

Don't get me wrong; the better your writing, the better your chance of getting published. Still, in these times, it doesn't hurt to put the pedal to the metal (uh-oh, cliche alert!) and dig up some work for yourself. Here are a few websites that have helped me:

http://ezinearticles.com
This site doesn't pay for articles, but it does provide exposure. There's a lot of trash on the site (in my opinion), but real quality will stand out. You may wonder why you'd bother if it doesn't pay. Remember...exposure! Mainly, it allows you to put links in your bio to direct readers to your website, if you have one, where you can sell them your services. I'm not actively submitting to ezinearticles.com right now, but when I did, I saw a real uptick in my web traffic.

http://www.elance.com
This one is my favorite. Elance.com hooks up service providers with service seekers. It's a bit of a hassle to set up an account, but well worth the trouble. You can create a free or paid account. the free account limits the number of projects you can bid on, but it's good for a start. Yes, you have to bid on posted projects but, trust me, writing a good proposal will only sharpen your creative writing skills! You also get paid real money in a secure environment, since they offer an escrow service.

http://www.demandstudios.com
This one is new to me, and I haven't actually found work through them yet, but it looks promising. There is an application process. Try it out and tell us what you think.

http://www.guru.com
Others may have a different opinion, but I wouldn't bother with this site. They offer a free membership, but most jobs seem restricted to paid members. If you have different information, please let me know and I'll be happy to put in an addendum!

Of course, you don't want to give up on the traditional creative writer's mainstays of literary journals--and tradition methods like finding them through the Writer's Market--but sites like these can provide a boost to your income if you're a struggling writer.

Best of luck!