It's been a busy week and I'm doing research on the inside of my eyelids. I'll be back next week. I have a blog post half written. you might like this one, so come back.
good luck with your writing---see you next week
Sunday, March 31, 2013
I'm Doing Research
by Keith N Fisher
It's been a busy week and I'm doing research on the inside of my eyelids. I'll be back next week. I have a blog post half written. you might like this one, so come back.
good luck with your writing---see you next week
It's been a busy week and I'm doing research on the inside of my eyelids. I'll be back next week. I have a blog post half written. you might like this one, so come back.
good luck with your writing---see you next week
Friday, March 29, 2013
It's Finally Spring!
by G.Parker
Yes, spring has finally showed it's head in Utah. It kind of makes me worried for this weekend, since March was rather mild, but the weather men all say it's going to be a lovely Easter weekend, so perhaps that old saying doesn't really hold any water...
Which makes me laugh to think about it. My husband was talking to someone the other day and said "6 of one, half a dozen of the other." They had no idea what he was talking about.
I find it interesting how the old phrases and silly remarks from our grandparents have not carried onto today. Our daughter will say stuff like "fiddlesticks" at work (1, because she doesn't swear; and 2, because she likes saying goofy things) and her co-workers think it's hilarious. They've never heard the words.
My husbands grandmother used to always say stuff like, "for crying tears in the sink." My father-in-law used to say "Goodnight nurse!"
I'll bet you grew up with phrases or sayings you could relate to as well. I think we've all heard, "no sense crying over spilled milk," or "Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater."
Discovering the origins of these phrases or tidbits have been interesting. My husband loves to tell about the baby in the bathwater bit. If anyone wants to know, comment and I'll mention it next week. ;)
Phrases and thoughts like these are something that are handed down from one generation to another, much, like the original story tellers did. However, stories change and grow with each telling, until the current generations knowledge of it is totally different from what had been the original story. It's one of the reasons that Nephi needed to take the brass plates with him. Man's word of mouth is not as reliable as the written word.
That's why what we do is so important. We help keep things fresh in mind, we keep things true to form, and we can add or change with keeping a copy of the original. Writing is an art form, and all of you are artists.
I hope you have a wonderful artistic weekend. See you next week. ;)
Yes, spring has finally showed it's head in Utah. It kind of makes me worried for this weekend, since March was rather mild, but the weather men all say it's going to be a lovely Easter weekend, so perhaps that old saying doesn't really hold any water...
Which makes me laugh to think about it. My husband was talking to someone the other day and said "6 of one, half a dozen of the other." They had no idea what he was talking about.
I find it interesting how the old phrases and silly remarks from our grandparents have not carried onto today. Our daughter will say stuff like "fiddlesticks" at work (1, because she doesn't swear; and 2, because she likes saying goofy things) and her co-workers think it's hilarious. They've never heard the words.
My husbands grandmother used to always say stuff like, "for crying tears in the sink." My father-in-law used to say "Goodnight nurse!"
I'll bet you grew up with phrases or sayings you could relate to as well. I think we've all heard, "no sense crying over spilled milk," or "Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater."
Discovering the origins of these phrases or tidbits have been interesting. My husband loves to tell about the baby in the bathwater bit. If anyone wants to know, comment and I'll mention it next week. ;)
Phrases and thoughts like these are something that are handed down from one generation to another, much, like the original story tellers did. However, stories change and grow with each telling, until the current generations knowledge of it is totally different from what had been the original story. It's one of the reasons that Nephi needed to take the brass plates with him. Man's word of mouth is not as reliable as the written word.
That's why what we do is so important. We help keep things fresh in mind, we keep things true to form, and we can add or change with keeping a copy of the original. Writing is an art form, and all of you are artists.
I hope you have a wonderful artistic weekend. See you next week. ;)
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Waiting in Publishing
by C. Michelle Jefferies
I went to the dentist office yesterday afternoon. My tooth was broken and I expected it to be pulled. My son had had a tooth extracted a few months ago and the total time it took was about twenty minutes.
So I sit in the seat expecting for it to take about the same time.
Wrong!
Three hours later I was finally able to go home after being numbed three times. and having massive trauma inflicted on my mouth.
Why am I telling you this? Because like dentistry, the writing and publishing world is not for people who are impatient.
While some people can actually write a manuscript in thirty days, most people take months if not years to write it.
Some authors work day jobs others take care of house and home first. For others its a hobby instead of a career.
Even when you finish the manuscript, then comes another long process. The revising and editing of the beast, er I mean story.
This process can take years in itself especially if it's your first one. Especially if your not a full time writer. This isn't a one time thing either. I don't know anyone who edits once and then starts to submit. This process takes many passes over the book, and for many different things.
Once the book is polished you must send it out to your beta readers and then apply their opinions of the book to your draft. (or ignore them if they don't jive with your gut instinct.)
Then you do the hard technical line edit.
Once all these passes and edits are done then you start the submission process and that in itself can take years.
Once it is accepted expect to wait another few years for the book to be edited given a cover and printed so it can hit the shelves.
Or, even if you self publish its going to take a while to format the e book, design a cover or find a cover, and to get the book in print. This is of course after you've paid for a professional edit to make sure the book is as perfect as it can be.
All in all one book can take years to get ready.
The Moral is, if you don't like waiting, Don't become an author. Or at least sate your need to write on a blog, writing poetry, or flash fiction. :)
The path to wisdom is not always straight.
I went to the dentist office yesterday afternoon. My tooth was broken and I expected it to be pulled. My son had had a tooth extracted a few months ago and the total time it took was about twenty minutes.
So I sit in the seat expecting for it to take about the same time.
Wrong!
Three hours later I was finally able to go home after being numbed three times. and having massive trauma inflicted on my mouth.
Why am I telling you this? Because like dentistry, the writing and publishing world is not for people who are impatient.
While some people can actually write a manuscript in thirty days, most people take months if not years to write it.
Some authors work day jobs others take care of house and home first. For others its a hobby instead of a career.
Even when you finish the manuscript, then comes another long process. The revising and editing of the beast, er I mean story.
This process can take years in itself especially if it's your first one. Especially if your not a full time writer. This isn't a one time thing either. I don't know anyone who edits once and then starts to submit. This process takes many passes over the book, and for many different things.
Once the book is polished you must send it out to your beta readers and then apply their opinions of the book to your draft. (or ignore them if they don't jive with your gut instinct.)
Then you do the hard technical line edit.
Once all these passes and edits are done then you start the submission process and that in itself can take years.
Once it is accepted expect to wait another few years for the book to be edited given a cover and printed so it can hit the shelves.
Or, even if you self publish its going to take a while to format the e book, design a cover or find a cover, and to get the book in print. This is of course after you've paid for a professional edit to make sure the book is as perfect as it can be.
All in all one book can take years to get ready.
The Moral is, if you don't like waiting, Don't become an author. Or at least sate your need to write on a blog, writing poetry, or flash fiction. :)
The path to wisdom is not always straight.
Saturday, March 23, 2013
It Was Tough
By Keith N Fisher
We buried my mother in law this week. I’m still sorting the issues. I learned that God will forgive almost everything, but we must forgive everyone. Christ’s atonement covers everything, but we must leave it to him.
I also learned there is a heavy end on a casket. I didn’t want to be a pallbearer, but who else? That’s another issue, but I actually chuckled as I limped over to wait for the casket. Without getting specific, I’m having trouble walking on level floors but it’s really hard on uneven surfaces. We stumbled over headstones and carried that casket up a hill. Why they parked the hearse downhill from the grave, I’ll never know.
As you might be able to tell in the picture, I almost dropped the casket. Then I fell backward from the platform. My wife caught me, but it took awhile to recover from the trek.
On the way back, I asked the funeral director if there was a heavy end to a casket and he confirmed there is, and I had it. It doesn’t matter though, there were only two young men. The rest of us were old guys. The task of being a pallbearer should be left to young Grandsons.
After the funeral my writers mind took over and I plotted a scene where dropping the casket actually happens. I know, it’s been done before, but my scene was serious drama.
Good luck with your writing—see you next week.
We buried my mother in law this week. I’m still sorting the issues. I learned that God will forgive almost everything, but we must forgive everyone. Christ’s atonement covers everything, but we must leave it to him.
I also learned there is a heavy end on a casket. I didn’t want to be a pallbearer, but who else? That’s another issue, but I actually chuckled as I limped over to wait for the casket. Without getting specific, I’m having trouble walking on level floors but it’s really hard on uneven surfaces. We stumbled over headstones and carried that casket up a hill. Why they parked the hearse downhill from the grave, I’ll never know.
As you might be able to tell in the picture, I almost dropped the casket. Then I fell backward from the platform. My wife caught me, but it took awhile to recover from the trek.
On the way back, I asked the funeral director if there was a heavy end to a casket and he confirmed there is, and I had it. It doesn’t matter though, there were only two young men. The rest of us were old guys. The task of being a pallbearer should be left to young Grandsons.
After the funeral my writers mind took over and I plotted a scene where dropping the casket actually happens. I know, it’s been done before, but my scene was serious drama.
Good luck with your writing—see you next week.
I'm Coming, I promise
By Keith N Fisher
I just got off work and havent posted a blog. I'll be back later to post one. have a great day
Friday, March 22, 2013
Once Again...
by G.Parker
It's the media's fault. Sigh. I really have to stop finding soap boxes, because I simply can't avoid standing on them. And they should be made of cardboard so they collapsed a lot sooner. You know, like before I stick my foot in my mouth.
You see, it's all the fault of an article I read in the Deseret News. I know, again, here she goes...like, does she do anything other than read? Hey! I write...usually. Just can't keep from reading, okay?
But anyway, it was pointing out that several of the former Disney youth stars had decided they wanted to shed their goodie goodie image and after starring in a rather dubious television series, they are now in a risque movie that even the media is saying it's risque. I just don't understand that mind set.
There have been several actresses that have gone that route. May I mention Meg Ryan? Ugh. But I find it interesting that the men don't feel that need. I guess the men don't really care, and they don't usually have the goodie goodie image in the first place...they are generally called 'clean cut'. It doesn't take much for them to shed that either.
I mention the media again, because films are written by screen writers. Since we are writers, and I'm sure there are some of you that want to be screen writers, then this applies to you. Heads up. We can make a difference in the media. I remember talking with Richard Dutcher back when he had produced God's Army and his disappointment in the screenwriting abilities of the LDS membership in general. He had hoped that the success of the movie would bring fantastic scrips out of the woodwork. When that didn't happen, he became somewhat disillusioned with us, and I think that was the beginning of the end...
Anyway - many comments have been made that society and the media has become soooo off beat and lurid in what they are shoving in our faces. And people are paying to see them!! Which makes them produce more, and everyone knows that supposedly an R rated film makes more money than PG-13...though I believe everyone feels the same as I do that PG-13 is not all that clean anymore. Sigh.
So...I'm off my soapbox now. Just remember when you are going to a movie, what kind of industry you are supporting. And if you are a screenwriter, just think of the influence you might be able to wield by what you write.
We are needed people. Desperately. So get those fingers moving! ;)
Have a good weekend and try not to freeze. It is March, right?
It's the media's fault. Sigh. I really have to stop finding soap boxes, because I simply can't avoid standing on them. And they should be made of cardboard so they collapsed a lot sooner. You know, like before I stick my foot in my mouth.
You see, it's all the fault of an article I read in the Deseret News. I know, again, here she goes...like, does she do anything other than read? Hey! I write...usually. Just can't keep from reading, okay?
But anyway, it was pointing out that several of the former Disney youth stars had decided they wanted to shed their goodie goodie image and after starring in a rather dubious television series, they are now in a risque movie that even the media is saying it's risque. I just don't understand that mind set.
There have been several actresses that have gone that route. May I mention Meg Ryan? Ugh. But I find it interesting that the men don't feel that need. I guess the men don't really care, and they don't usually have the goodie goodie image in the first place...they are generally called 'clean cut'. It doesn't take much for them to shed that either.
I mention the media again, because films are written by screen writers. Since we are writers, and I'm sure there are some of you that want to be screen writers, then this applies to you. Heads up. We can make a difference in the media. I remember talking with Richard Dutcher back when he had produced God's Army and his disappointment in the screenwriting abilities of the LDS membership in general. He had hoped that the success of the movie would bring fantastic scrips out of the woodwork. When that didn't happen, he became somewhat disillusioned with us, and I think that was the beginning of the end...
Anyway - many comments have been made that society and the media has become soooo off beat and lurid in what they are shoving in our faces. And people are paying to see them!! Which makes them produce more, and everyone knows that supposedly an R rated film makes more money than PG-13...though I believe everyone feels the same as I do that PG-13 is not all that clean anymore. Sigh.
So...I'm off my soapbox now. Just remember when you are going to a movie, what kind of industry you are supporting. And if you are a screenwriter, just think of the influence you might be able to wield by what you write.
We are needed people. Desperately. So get those fingers moving! ;)
Have a good weekend and try not to freeze. It is March, right?
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
So you want to write a series?
by C. Michelle Jefferies
Or a Trilogy.
There's a few things you need to think about as you start on this grand adventure.
Does the series or trilogy have a plot and character(s) arc? If so, good. If not what are you waiting for? There needs to be characters and plot issues that span the whole set of stories. You can't just have three different stories and lots of different characters and call it cohesive.
Similar but opposite. You can't just write one long story and break it into three parts and call it a series either. Each book has to have its one separate plot and character arcs.
Not just the good guy either. the bad guy needs an arc as well as motivation for being bad.
Details! Draw a map, or the floor plan or what creatures and characters look like. Store these drawings, pictures on your computer or in a hardbound notebook of some sort. Nothing like having a character change eye color, or names or something else in the middle of the second book.
In that notebook or document, write names dates and details. don't rely on your memory to do it for you. I promise you it will fail you and you will be scrolling through your previous MS for information. Also keep the important details in this place as well.
Lastly, have fun. A series or trilogy gives you some freedom you don't have in a stand alone. More room to develop characters and large complicated plots. Just remember a little problem prevention saves you a lot of trouble in the long run.
Or a Trilogy.
There's a few things you need to think about as you start on this grand adventure.
Does the series or trilogy have a plot and character(s) arc? If so, good. If not what are you waiting for? There needs to be characters and plot issues that span the whole set of stories. You can't just have three different stories and lots of different characters and call it cohesive.
Similar but opposite. You can't just write one long story and break it into three parts and call it a series either. Each book has to have its one separate plot and character arcs.
Not just the good guy either. the bad guy needs an arc as well as motivation for being bad.
Details! Draw a map, or the floor plan or what creatures and characters look like. Store these drawings, pictures on your computer or in a hardbound notebook of some sort. Nothing like having a character change eye color, or names or something else in the middle of the second book.
In that notebook or document, write names dates and details. don't rely on your memory to do it for you. I promise you it will fail you and you will be scrolling through your previous MS for information. Also keep the important details in this place as well.
Lastly, have fun. A series or trilogy gives you some freedom you don't have in a stand alone. More room to develop characters and large complicated plots. Just remember a little problem prevention saves you a lot of trouble in the long run.
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Mothers, Monsters, and Writing with the Window Open
By Keith N Fisher
One of the last times I talked with my mother in law was confrontational. She accused me of turning my wife’s affections away from her. I rose up on my haunches and tried to point out how controlling she had been over the years. I tried to address her problem instead of convincing her that I had nothing to do with my wife’s opinion.
I don’t want to make you suffer through an airing of all the dirty underwear. Just let me say, it was difficult. Now, my mother in law is gone. After five years of suffering from Alzheimer’s, she went home. I’m surprised to feel regret.
Have you ever noticed that men address the problem rather than deal with emotions? I battled with logic for years and alienated many people. I always wondered, why can’t people just use logic? During the last five years, I’ve learned that people, (especially women), don’t want to fix it. They just want to vent their feelings and get empathy from their companion.
Since I started writing about women, for women to read, I’ve made a lot of progress. I don’t mean to say I’m perfect, I still leap for a solution to the problem, but I’m getting better at listening. I deal with emotions and try to impart empathy.
Some might accuse me of becoming a better woman, but I think I’m becoming a better man. I wish I’d learned this lesson before my mother in law got sick. I’ve been compiling pictures for a slideshow as part of the funeral, and it’s hard. I keep wondering how the vibrant young girl became the woman she was. I hope that she’ll forgive me of my insensitivity.
On a lighter note, many of you know I like to write in the cab of my truck. It’s kind of fun to watch a snowstorm while you work on the next plot twist. Lately, however, we’ve been having some great weather where I live. It’s even better to write with the window down. Especially after a winter like we’ve had.
Good luck with your writing—see you next week.
One of the last times I talked with my mother in law was confrontational. She accused me of turning my wife’s affections away from her. I rose up on my haunches and tried to point out how controlling she had been over the years. I tried to address her problem instead of convincing her that I had nothing to do with my wife’s opinion.
I don’t want to make you suffer through an airing of all the dirty underwear. Just let me say, it was difficult. Now, my mother in law is gone. After five years of suffering from Alzheimer’s, she went home. I’m surprised to feel regret.
Have you ever noticed that men address the problem rather than deal with emotions? I battled with logic for years and alienated many people. I always wondered, why can’t people just use logic? During the last five years, I’ve learned that people, (especially women), don’t want to fix it. They just want to vent their feelings and get empathy from their companion.
Since I started writing about women, for women to read, I’ve made a lot of progress. I don’t mean to say I’m perfect, I still leap for a solution to the problem, but I’m getting better at listening. I deal with emotions and try to impart empathy.
Some might accuse me of becoming a better woman, but I think I’m becoming a better man. I wish I’d learned this lesson before my mother in law got sick. I’ve been compiling pictures for a slideshow as part of the funeral, and it’s hard. I keep wondering how the vibrant young girl became the woman she was. I hope that she’ll forgive me of my insensitivity.
On a lighter note, many of you know I like to write in the cab of my truck. It’s kind of fun to watch a snowstorm while you work on the next plot twist. Lately, however, we’ve been having some great weather where I live. It’s even better to write with the window down. Especially after a winter like we’ve had.
Good luck with your writing—see you next week.
Friday, March 15, 2013
A Little History With Our Food
by G.Parker
Inspiration comes from the strangest sources.
Anyway, they had an old copy of Little House on the Prairie Cookbook by Barbara M. Walker. I vaguely remembered hearing about it and perhaps seeing it once before, but haven't had a chance to really look at it. I picked it up and the first paragraph says:
"Laura Ingalls Wilder was born in Pepin, Wisconsin, in 1867. In 1932, when she was
sixty-five years old, she wrote her first book, Little House in the Big Woods, a lightly
fictionalized account of her childhood days in her first frontier home."
I read that. And then read it again to make sure I'd read it correctly. The woman was 65 when she wrote her first book! The knowledge that this amazing woman started so late and spent ten years writing about her past and selling thousands of copies made my heart pound.
Anything that shows how successful an author was helps me get excited about my possibilities. (Of course, one has to be writing consistently and getting things edited and then out to publishers to get there, but that's another story for another day, lol.) But just think about it. How many people have you heard about how they didn't start writing until they were retired, or they didn't start painting, or they waited till...
Is that your story? Is that how you are going to be remembered? I figure my kids will tell stories about mom doing NaNoWriMo and then never doing anything else. Sigh. I'm determined to do better this year, in fact I have to or my hubby is going to take DirectTV away and I won't get to watch as much of the Olympics as I want...(it's a bet we had).
I just thought that perhaps this knowledge, this little tidbit might be a bit of inspiration for you. The little prod to get you going.
Now get back to writing!!
See you next week.
Saturday, March 09, 2013
It's a Good Day for It
People think we’ve had unusual weather this year. I listen to news casts and comments and wonder. Some people claim global warming, others claim the opposite. Still more critics point to biblical prophecy. I’ve been pleased.
It’s true, there have been weather issues in the area where I live, but it’s happened before. Floods in places where towns didn’t exist twenty years ago, are not indicators of climatic change. The floods have happened before, but nobody noticed.
Don’t misunderstand. I’m a great believer in the changes in the polar ice cap, but we’ve had a normal weather year where I live.
Outside, currently, the wind is blowing. The sun is shining, and there’s mud in the fields. In other words, It’s March.
As a child, I was taught that March was the month for flying kites. I remember days, however, when the wind blew so hard, it ripped my kites apart. Those were days when I wanted to enjoy the sun, but the wind forced me to wear my coat. It was early spring.
In those days, when I couldn’t fly a kite, I tossed a newspaper in the air and watched it play in the breeze. I lived in a place with few houses, so the paper soared for miles. Today would be a good day for it.
In my life, I’ve seen many cycles of nature. The rabbit population increases and the coyote population follows right behind. The rabbits decrease, and the coyotes die out. It’s all part of the circle of life, like in the lion king. Part of those cycles has been an increase of spiders and garden pests because of warm winters.
Our cold winter, this year, will take care of the majority of my garden slug problem. It’s been hard to deal with the extended cold periods, but I remember waiting for the school bus in sub zero weather and everyone complained. There were also periods of fog that brought excitement to our neighborhood. It was fun for a group of kids to hide in plain sight.
Learning to live with the weather was easier for us kids. Now we are older, we forget the paths we’ve been down before. We go from the box we live in, climb into another box and drive to the box where we work. We complain about road conditions and forget the romantic mystery of a fresh fallen snow.
Take time to remember. Get out of your box and enjoy the diversity. Don’t worry about the weather. Did you ever slide down a hill on your back, making tunnels in snowdrifts? Revisit the weather fun of your youth. Whatever it was, It’s a good day for it. Of course, if you spent your childhood in front of a computer, you have a whole, new, world to explore.
Good luck with your writing—see you next week.
Friday, March 08, 2013
It's Totalled
by G.Parker
Ever discover that what is on the surface hides something worse underneath?
We're often told to not judge a book by it's cover. There are many good books that have covers we would pass by if given the choice. There are many books you pick up thinking it looks very interesting, only to find it's full of filth or awful writing. It has gotten to the point where you can rarely trust what you see.
This is also true of cars -- something we discovered this past week. Two weeks ago, our daughter slid off the road in that snow storm on Saturday. Not only did she slide, apparently she hit the wires and girders and stuff that divide the lanes going north and south on the interstate. The tires were flat, a light was hanging out and she thought it was going to cost a lot, but it was fixable. We were just thankful that she wasn't seriously hurt and that she hadn't hit another car. They towed it to our neighborhood auto repair shop and we figured we'd get an estimate in a week or so. She'd be out of a car and we'd have to juggle things, and well...life goes on.
The auto repair looked at it on Monday, we got a hold of insurance peoples, and after a week of communication, we were told that the car was a total loss.
Come again?
I mean, really. If you looked at it from the left side, there was nothing wrong with it! It wasn't till you looked at the right side that you saw any damage, and even then, I wouldn't have thought it was that bad. It was pretty funny, they had put the spare tire on the front to see if they could move it, I guess. It looked kind of pathetic when we went to clean it out.
Apparently the damage was more than was visible to the uneducated eye.
Such is also the case in covers for a book. At first glance, you either think, 'yeah, that looks interesting,' 'ugh, that's not something I want to look at', or 'that doesn't look very interesting.' It's only with the judging refrain going through my head that I even force myself to pick up a book from time to time and glance at the blurb on the back. This is the reason that authors sweat so much over their covers. These are an essential item.
I particularly worry about my covers, as I write romance more than anything. Most of the romance in the stores (I should point out grocery stores, lol) have the kinds of cover that make you blush and want to cover everyone's eyes. I want to make sure my covers are not an embarrassment to anyone, and would be nothing I'd be ashamed to hand out. I love the covers to Josi Kilpacks cooking mystery books. They are fun and you know from that cover that the insides have food and mayhem.
So - a word to the wise: Be careful what you put on the cover of your book. You want it to be something that people are going to desire picking up and looking through. You want it to be enticing.
You want your book to be read -- it's the whole reason you wrote it!
So, give it some thought. Do your homework, and get that book published!
Ever discover that what is on the surface hides something worse underneath?
We're often told to not judge a book by it's cover. There are many good books that have covers we would pass by if given the choice. There are many books you pick up thinking it looks very interesting, only to find it's full of filth or awful writing. It has gotten to the point where you can rarely trust what you see.
This is also true of cars -- something we discovered this past week. Two weeks ago, our daughter slid off the road in that snow storm on Saturday. Not only did she slide, apparently she hit the wires and girders and stuff that divide the lanes going north and south on the interstate. The tires were flat, a light was hanging out and she thought it was going to cost a lot, but it was fixable. We were just thankful that she wasn't seriously hurt and that she hadn't hit another car. They towed it to our neighborhood auto repair shop and we figured we'd get an estimate in a week or so. She'd be out of a car and we'd have to juggle things, and well...life goes on.
The auto repair looked at it on Monday, we got a hold of insurance peoples, and after a week of communication, we were told that the car was a total loss.
Come again?
I mean, really. If you looked at it from the left side, there was nothing wrong with it! It wasn't till you looked at the right side that you saw any damage, and even then, I wouldn't have thought it was that bad. It was pretty funny, they had put the spare tire on the front to see if they could move it, I guess. It looked kind of pathetic when we went to clean it out.
Apparently the damage was more than was visible to the uneducated eye.
Such is also the case in covers for a book. At first glance, you either think, 'yeah, that looks interesting,' 'ugh, that's not something I want to look at', or 'that doesn't look very interesting.' It's only with the judging refrain going through my head that I even force myself to pick up a book from time to time and glance at the blurb on the back. This is the reason that authors sweat so much over their covers. These are an essential item.
I particularly worry about my covers, as I write romance more than anything. Most of the romance in the stores (I should point out grocery stores, lol) have the kinds of cover that make you blush and want to cover everyone's eyes. I want to make sure my covers are not an embarrassment to anyone, and would be nothing I'd be ashamed to hand out. I love the covers to Josi Kilpacks cooking mystery books. They are fun and you know from that cover that the insides have food and mayhem.
So - a word to the wise: Be careful what you put on the cover of your book. You want it to be something that people are going to desire picking up and looking through. You want it to be enticing.
You want your book to be read -- it's the whole reason you wrote it!
So, give it some thought. Do your homework, and get that book published!
Tuesday, March 05, 2013
A stellar opportunity
by C. Michelle Jefferies
Most writers conferences are going to cost you something. Some are under a hundred others are hundreds of dollars. Regardless of the cost, I am an advocate for Conferences. I love the classes, and workshops. I love the bookstore. (my TBR list is huge) I LOVE the feel of being there in the same place as other writers. People who get why I appear both a little overboard crazy and reclusive at the same time.
Trust me its worth the time and money to find one and go. Or if you've found one, go repeatedly.
If you are in Utah and are itching to go to a writers conference for a great price you're in luck. Write Here in Ephiram is this Saturday and its FREE. Yes you heard me right. FREE. Its on the campus of Snow College and there will be classes, and hands on workshops. There will be authors and a bookstore. And DOOR PRIZES! The best thing is there's no tuition. Just your gas money your lunch, (which you can brown bag it if you choose) and money for the book store.
I will be teaching my Master Chapter Outline class, my Story Structure class, and my Martial Arts and Weapons in Writing class. Twice! I will be excited and exhausted by the end of the day. If you want a solid plan for writing a book come to these classes. with these two methods I have been able to write approximately 50K words in a month for the last three manuscripts. the system works for me it might work for you.
The path to wisdom is not always straight
Most writers conferences are going to cost you something. Some are under a hundred others are hundreds of dollars. Regardless of the cost, I am an advocate for Conferences. I love the classes, and workshops. I love the bookstore. (my TBR list is huge) I LOVE the feel of being there in the same place as other writers. People who get why I appear both a little overboard crazy and reclusive at the same time.
Trust me its worth the time and money to find one and go. Or if you've found one, go repeatedly.
If you are in Utah and are itching to go to a writers conference for a great price you're in luck. Write Here in Ephiram is this Saturday and its FREE. Yes you heard me right. FREE. Its on the campus of Snow College and there will be classes, and hands on workshops. There will be authors and a bookstore. And DOOR PRIZES! The best thing is there's no tuition. Just your gas money your lunch, (which you can brown bag it if you choose) and money for the book store.
I will be teaching my Master Chapter Outline class, my Story Structure class, and my Martial Arts and Weapons in Writing class. Twice! I will be excited and exhausted by the end of the day. If you want a solid plan for writing a book come to these classes. with these two methods I have been able to write approximately 50K words in a month for the last three manuscripts. the system works for me it might work for you.
The path to wisdom is not always straight
Saturday, March 02, 2013
More Than Subplots
By Keith N FisherI read an article in Writer’s Digest that made me feel good about my writing. It was called building subplots from multiple viewpoints. It talked about the problems of having too many subplots, and I thought of my novel, The Hillside.
I got the idea for the book from the guest journal in the bed and breakfast room where I stayed once. Some of the guests use those journals to tell about themselves, and their experience at the B&B. I considered a book, that would be like the Love Boat or Fantasy Island combined. I felt it would be a great story, but I didn’t want to write it.
After trying to convince others, I felt compelled. There were several stories and they needed to be written. I began to draft. I almost quit, when I realized how difficult it would be to keep all the POV’s straight. Still, I persevered. The one thing all of the arcs had in common was the bed and breakfast. It was my grounding point. I ended up with thirteen main characters, and six different points of view.
Not all the characters interact, but the owner of the B&B knows them all, and she cares about them. After several chapters, I realized I had been writing several different books, and I had to make an intersecting time line to keep track of what came next. Eventually, I had to list each character on a whiteboard along with what scenes still needed to be written. Finally, I had to organize each chapter so everything fit together. I attached a picture of my spreadsheet. Each POV has a different color.
At one point, I re-wrote a story line to start it sooner. Another problem was finding plot holes where a character talks about something that hadn’t happened yet in the other story line.
In the Writer’s Digest article, the author talks about the problem of shattered focus. Readers complain that it was hard to keep the characters straight. Without really trying, I think I succeeded in writing individual characters. You will love some of them and hate others, but they are separate. A good test, is to ask yourself is there enough depth in that character to sustain a sequel to their story?
All things considered, I think I wrote a great book. After reading the article, I feel good about the end result. I wrote the story I didn’t want to write and even my critique group liked the characters.
Good luck with your writing—see you next week.
Friday, March 01, 2013
The Media Is to Blame
by G.Parker
Okay...that title might offend some, but I think it's true. I was listening to a radio broadcast last week and they were talking about the robbery at a Belgian airport. The uniformed, black hooded robbers took off with 50 million dollars worth of diamonds. Authorities figure it had to be an inside job because there was a slim window of opportunity to pull it off. The radio announcer stated that it was pretty cool they got away with it and that perhaps they should go interview George Clooney.
Now I realized as I was listening to that, that our society has shifted it's moral compass quite a bit. And part of it is the media's fault. Take the movie Ocean 11, from which they were joking about George Clooney. That movie celebrated robbery. Of course, my husband says anyone who steals from a casino is doing a Robin Hood, but that's beside the point. It's still wrong.
But much of what we read and see in the media promotes such behavior. Many of our recent movies suggest that is the only way to be rich.
Sadly, we are writers, we are part of the media. But hopefully, we can be part of the cure. I'm sorry this is a short post, but I don't have the time to dedicate that I would if I could. Just thought I'd leave that thought with you for the weekend.
Which part of the media do you want to be part of?
Have a good one. ;)
Okay...that title might offend some, but I think it's true. I was listening to a radio broadcast last week and they were talking about the robbery at a Belgian airport. The uniformed, black hooded robbers took off with 50 million dollars worth of diamonds. Authorities figure it had to be an inside job because there was a slim window of opportunity to pull it off. The radio announcer stated that it was pretty cool they got away with it and that perhaps they should go interview George Clooney.
Now I realized as I was listening to that, that our society has shifted it's moral compass quite a bit. And part of it is the media's fault. Take the movie Ocean 11, from which they were joking about George Clooney. That movie celebrated robbery. Of course, my husband says anyone who steals from a casino is doing a Robin Hood, but that's beside the point. It's still wrong.
But much of what we read and see in the media promotes such behavior. Many of our recent movies suggest that is the only way to be rich.
Sadly, we are writers, we are part of the media. But hopefully, we can be part of the cure. I'm sorry this is a short post, but I don't have the time to dedicate that I would if I could. Just thought I'd leave that thought with you for the weekend.
Which part of the media do you want to be part of?
Have a good one. ;)
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Change Ain't Easy
By Keith N Fisher
Saturday morning came and I had no article to post. Sunday Morning, I was exhausted, and still nothing. "But I’ve been sick all week," I said. The real problem is changing schedules, along with life adjustments.
I used to have a specific time on Thursday when I wrote my blog post. Then, I posted late Friday night. It was a schedule that worked, but things change. I haven’t had Thursdays off for awhile.
Some of my more conservative friends might be surprised to hear me say, change ain’t easy and sometimes it’s excruciating. We all know, however, true growth cannot happen without trials and the changes that come from them. So here I am on Sunday night, writing an article.
I noticed something at work the other day. Two women wore jewelry that included a skeleton key in the design. One was a real skeleton key, the other used the image of one. They brought back memories of my grandmother’s house. The old locks on her doors used skeleton keys. Some of the doors in my parent’s house had skeleton keys too.
The image brought back feelings and memories I hadn’t thought about in years. I remember when Grandma started locking her doors when she went away. Up until the 1970’s she never locked them. She hid a skeleton key on the back porch. Later she had the outside locks changed.
In my reverie, I realized the wealth of knowledge contained in my head. I can use my familiarity with those keys in my writing. I began to wonder what other objects would dredge up memories I could write about.
What objects do that for you?
Good luck with your writing—see you next week.
Saturday morning came and I had no article to post. Sunday Morning, I was exhausted, and still nothing. "But I’ve been sick all week," I said. The real problem is changing schedules, along with life adjustments.
I used to have a specific time on Thursday when I wrote my blog post. Then, I posted late Friday night. It was a schedule that worked, but things change. I haven’t had Thursdays off for awhile.
Some of my more conservative friends might be surprised to hear me say, change ain’t easy and sometimes it’s excruciating. We all know, however, true growth cannot happen without trials and the changes that come from them. So here I am on Sunday night, writing an article.
I noticed something at work the other day. Two women wore jewelry that included a skeleton key in the design. One was a real skeleton key, the other used the image of one. They brought back memories of my grandmother’s house. The old locks on her doors used skeleton keys. Some of the doors in my parent’s house had skeleton keys too.
The image brought back feelings and memories I hadn’t thought about in years. I remember when Grandma started locking her doors when she went away. Up until the 1970’s she never locked them. She hid a skeleton key on the back porch. Later she had the outside locks changed.
In my reverie, I realized the wealth of knowledge contained in my head. I can use my familiarity with those keys in my writing. I began to wonder what other objects would dredge up memories I could write about.
What objects do that for you?
Good luck with your writing—see you next week.
Friday, February 22, 2013
What Characters Would You Pick?
by G.Parker
I read an article today at KSL.com that talked about characters your daughter should grow up with. It was specifically 12 characters, and broken up into ages. I thought, really?? It made me think about the books I read when I was young, and I decided to make up my own list, because the author left off some of mine. I'm not breaking it up into ages, because I read most of them before I was 16, and I don't remember when I first started reading. ;) Some of the books actually influenced my desire to become a writer.
Here it is:
1. Laura Ingalls - Little House on the Prairie series. I loved each and everyone of these books! They were excellent, made even more so by the fact that it was based on real life. I thought it showed real grit, determination, and amazing strengths. Perhaps she wasn't mentioned because she was an actual person and the article was about fictional characters, but hey.
2. Anne of Greengables. - Okay, they listed this one, but it can't be helped, she is a great character. She has spunk, intelligence and beauty. What more could a girl ask for?
3. Jo March - Little Women. I loved this book. This is one I read several times. I also love the movie version with Susan Sarandon as Marmie. Great characters and family examples.
4. Rebecca Randall - Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. I loved this book, though I read it soooo long ago that I don't really remember the plot or story line. I do remember that I liked the main character though.
5. Sarah Crewe - The Little Princess - I still have a copy of this...I read this at least once a year for many years. Talk about bravery and true integrity. I love the line "just because I don't look like a princess doesn't mean I don't need to act like one." sigh.
6. Polly Pepper - The 5 Little Peppers and How They Grew - this is such a classic. I have the original one that I got when I was little. It's falling apart and no one could read it now, but I loved the love and kindness in this book.
7. Mary Lennox -The Secret Garden She was another character I loved. I read this book over and over as well. Bravery in the total unknown...that was Mary.
8. Menolly - The Dragon Singer. Okay, so this book series probably wouldn't be considered classical, and perhaps she's not the best heroine around, but she was pretty brave and had loads of courage and determination to develop her talents, even when all odds were against her.
9. Jane Eyre - Jane Eyre. This was such a tragic story to me. I read this one over and over as well. I then started writing my own versions...
10. Kit Tyler - The Witch of Blackbird Pond. They mentioned this one as well, but what can I say? Another classic character and classic book.
11. Anne Frank - the Diary of Anne Frank This was another book that got me writing. I loved the story of Anne and how she had such bright spirits in the face of such darkness.
12. Meg Murry - A Wrinkle in Time - Madeline L'Engle. I write the author's name on this one because it's such a unique name and bears mentioning. Her books were a genre of their own. I loved her character Meg, and many of her other ones. The Arm of the Starfish is another great.
Well...there you have it. Who would be your recommended heroine for an example to young women? I'd love to hear.
I read an article today at KSL.com that talked about characters your daughter should grow up with. It was specifically 12 characters, and broken up into ages. I thought, really?? It made me think about the books I read when I was young, and I decided to make up my own list, because the author left off some of mine. I'm not breaking it up into ages, because I read most of them before I was 16, and I don't remember when I first started reading. ;) Some of the books actually influenced my desire to become a writer.
Here it is:
1. Laura Ingalls - Little House on the Prairie series. I loved each and everyone of these books! They were excellent, made even more so by the fact that it was based on real life. I thought it showed real grit, determination, and amazing strengths. Perhaps she wasn't mentioned because she was an actual person and the article was about fictional characters, but hey.
2. Anne of Greengables. - Okay, they listed this one, but it can't be helped, she is a great character. She has spunk, intelligence and beauty. What more could a girl ask for?
3. Jo March - Little Women. I loved this book. This is one I read several times. I also love the movie version with Susan Sarandon as Marmie. Great characters and family examples.
4. Rebecca Randall - Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. I loved this book, though I read it soooo long ago that I don't really remember the plot or story line. I do remember that I liked the main character though.
5. Sarah Crewe - The Little Princess - I still have a copy of this...I read this at least once a year for many years. Talk about bravery and true integrity. I love the line "just because I don't look like a princess doesn't mean I don't need to act like one." sigh.
6. Polly Pepper - The 5 Little Peppers and How They Grew - this is such a classic. I have the original one that I got when I was little. It's falling apart and no one could read it now, but I loved the love and kindness in this book.
7. Mary Lennox -The Secret Garden She was another character I loved. I read this book over and over as well. Bravery in the total unknown...that was Mary.
8. Menolly - The Dragon Singer. Okay, so this book series probably wouldn't be considered classical, and perhaps she's not the best heroine around, but she was pretty brave and had loads of courage and determination to develop her talents, even when all odds were against her.
9. Jane Eyre - Jane Eyre. This was such a tragic story to me. I read this one over and over as well. I then started writing my own versions...
10. Kit Tyler - The Witch of Blackbird Pond. They mentioned this one as well, but what can I say? Another classic character and classic book.
11. Anne Frank - the Diary of Anne Frank This was another book that got me writing. I loved the story of Anne and how she had such bright spirits in the face of such darkness.
12. Meg Murry - A Wrinkle in Time - Madeline L'Engle. I write the author's name on this one because it's such a unique name and bears mentioning. Her books were a genre of their own. I loved her character Meg, and many of her other ones. The Arm of the Starfish is another great.
Well...there you have it. Who would be your recommended heroine for an example to young women? I'd love to hear.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
The Stove Analogy
So...I'm gonna share with you a conversation I had recently (like today recently) with fellow LDS Writers Blogck blogger (who has gotten pretty busy) James.
so how's your writing coming?
Yes,
that's the idea. Right now, I've got my stove pretty full. I could add
another pot, but that means the ones on there would suffer.
So...what am I pointing out here? Well, James and I spoke pretty well inside of the stove analogy. What is the stove analogy? Well, it's this concept that many stories use. Let me give an example (and yeah, gonna use a soap opera).
On any given soap opera there are around 30 characters that are deemed as "contract". (FYI, contract is higher than recurring.) Now, a soap airs 5 days a week. It wouldn't work to have 6 characters a day, but out of those 30, more than likely 6-12 actually have a storyline going on. Example: Bob is searching for Sue, who was kidnapped by Joe. But Bob has Daria with him and she is secretly in on the plot and sabotaging his attempts to find her. In any given month of 20 episodes, this storyline is probably shown in 18-20 of them. These four characters are deem frontrunners or the frontburners.
But some of the other characters in the show may have gone through a major storyline recently. Like Dave has just gotten off trial for Sam' murder as it was finally proven that Alexis did it. Now Dave and Donna can be together again. So Dave, Donna, and Alexis are deemed on the back burner.
Now, this is a soap opera, so Sam, despite not having a contract, is not actually in the garbage, but is probably in the freezer for when they decide to use his character again.
Well, this analogy can work for projects. Like a stay-at-home-mom (very important job, imo), who is trying to write a book while sewing oldest child's costume for the school play and planning a much needed vacation.
Writing sometimes get like this. As authors we have our kitchen with unlimited ingredients. We have something on the front burner, our current WIP. Maybe we have a WIP and a book with an agent or publisher or about to come out. (Or all of the above if you're Jeff Savage.)
Many of us have things on the back burner simmering because we can't give them much attention for one of a variety of reasons.
And then there are the old projects that sit in a freezer waiting to come back out. We don't forget about them, we're just trying to figure out the right time to throw them on the stove.
How's that for a confusing analogy?
Alien abductions are involuntary, but probings are scheduled.
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Author bling
by C. Michelle Jefferies
Bling, swag, stuff.
Whatever you call it. It's the stuff that you hand out to, and display for your readers. It's supposedly there to help promote and remind the reader of who the author of the book they just bought, or want to buy is.
What am I talking about? Bookmarks, business cards, promotional items, etc.
To be honest, you don't need it. However, if you want to be remembered, chances are this kind of stuff will help. It's a way to remind someone who is interested in your work who you are and what you wrote.
One thing to think about when ordering bling, is what you wrote and are promoting, VS what you will write in the future. Imagine it this way. If you are going to write a series of books with the same feel, ordering a thousand business cards in the same style might not be a bad idea.
If you write five stand alone books in quick succession, ordering a thousand business cards with your first book cover on it is probably not a good idea.
Or if you're like me and run the gamut of genre between futuristic suspense to middle grade non fiction, book specific items are not the best idea for most of your stuff. I also imagine that some promotional choices can and should be made based on the amount of money you have to promote your books. I honestly can't go out and buy new stuff like banners for every book that I am producing. Nor do I want to. What's the point of having a closet full of items for past books?
On the other hand, book specific book marks are a good idea. Whenever someone buys a book you put a few in the book, or in the envelope or sign them and hand them out to people who don't buy your book but look like they might be interested later.
If you are displaying your book(s) at a conference or signing it's a good idea that the table reflect the book. Even if you have to split the table and use two themes. Another option is to create a general look that does well with all of the books offered. I imagine it might be as hard to do as it seems. Unless all of your books reflect your theme or genre.
So in retrospect this is what I think should be done in regards to extra stuff.
Author general:
Banners, signs, business cards, e-mail signatures, author pictures, author bios, website themes, (unless you are doing separate websites for every book, genre etc.), display tables and how an author presents themselves, all need to be more generic.
Book specific:
book marks, book related giveaways, things like pens, key chains, pins, decorations for tables and for launches, can be more specific.
Authors note: these promo items can also be ordered in smaller amounts and still be affordable. However, spending lots of money on large items for every new book can cut into profits that could be used somewhere else.
The path to wisdom is not always straight
Bling, swag, stuff.
Whatever you call it. It's the stuff that you hand out to, and display for your readers. It's supposedly there to help promote and remind the reader of who the author of the book they just bought, or want to buy is.
What am I talking about? Bookmarks, business cards, promotional items, etc.
To be honest, you don't need it. However, if you want to be remembered, chances are this kind of stuff will help. It's a way to remind someone who is interested in your work who you are and what you wrote.
One thing to think about when ordering bling, is what you wrote and are promoting, VS what you will write in the future. Imagine it this way. If you are going to write a series of books with the same feel, ordering a thousand business cards in the same style might not be a bad idea.
If you write five stand alone books in quick succession, ordering a thousand business cards with your first book cover on it is probably not a good idea.
Or if you're like me and run the gamut of genre between futuristic suspense to middle grade non fiction, book specific items are not the best idea for most of your stuff. I also imagine that some promotional choices can and should be made based on the amount of money you have to promote your books. I honestly can't go out and buy new stuff like banners for every book that I am producing. Nor do I want to. What's the point of having a closet full of items for past books?
On the other hand, book specific book marks are a good idea. Whenever someone buys a book you put a few in the book, or in the envelope or sign them and hand them out to people who don't buy your book but look like they might be interested later.
If you are displaying your book(s) at a conference or signing it's a good idea that the table reflect the book. Even if you have to split the table and use two themes. Another option is to create a general look that does well with all of the books offered. I imagine it might be as hard to do as it seems. Unless all of your books reflect your theme or genre.
So in retrospect this is what I think should be done in regards to extra stuff.
Author general:
Banners, signs, business cards, e-mail signatures, author pictures, author bios, website themes, (unless you are doing separate websites for every book, genre etc.), display tables and how an author presents themselves, all need to be more generic.
Book specific:
book marks, book related giveaways, things like pens, key chains, pins, decorations for tables and for launches, can be more specific.
Authors note: these promo items can also be ordered in smaller amounts and still be affordable. However, spending lots of money on large items for every new book can cut into profits that could be used somewhere else.
The path to wisdom is not always straight
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Getting A Boost at LTUE
Good morning—It’s Saturday, and I’m at LTUE. I had to mortgage the farm to get here, but I’m here. With all the belt tightening we’ve had to do, I couldn’t afford it, but to tell the truth, I wasn’t sure I wanted to come.
It’s been hard to network with successful writers lately, and I just didn’t feel like it. I needed to get away, however, so I came.
It’s been great. I’ve seen presentations that reminded me why I started writing. There have been many fresh, new approaches to teaching the same techniques such as Deren Hansen’s, Verisimilitude, presentation. Look into it.
Last night I participated in Donna Milakovic’s, Professional Networking in the Publishing World, class. She reminded me of all the things I used to do, without thinking, to make friends and increase my network. I needed that class.
Through the weekend, I’ve been having discussions that bring an old debate back into my mind. So I resurrected an article I never posted.
Traditional Publisher or Self-Published E-book?
Am I just being Lazy?
No, this Article doesn’t debate the best method. I lost that argument a long time ago. I’m convinced that some writers will do whatever it takes to get a quick buck, or launch a career. Even, if it hurts the industry in the long run. The genie is out of the bottle now. Book prices will never come up. No, this article isn’t going there.
When I started writing, before I got serious about it, the publishing world was a different place. Large houses were still taking submissions by the authors, although they preferred dealing with agents. Authors were reclusive types who didn’t do much self-promotion.
After getting serious about the craft, rejections began to pile up. Doubting myself was easy, but I knew if I could get published, validation would come. There were easy ways, during that time. They were called vanity press and subsidized publishing. The idea was to self publish your book. After all, if you believed in your story . . .
I never had that kind of money, and I held out for the publisher of my dreams. Several manuscripts, and many rejections later, I’m still waiting.
Many of my friends have gone the E-book route. Some of them do very well, even though they don’t make large amounts of cash. They saturate the market with books written by them. Members of my critique group try to persuade me to self publish, but I keep holding out.
Having a publisher can be like being under the wing of protection. It can also be aggravating. Self-publishers take all the risk and do all the work, but they don’t have to share the profit. Still, having a contract with a publisher says something about me. It says I’m good enough for traditional book selling. It also qualifies me for membership in certain author’s groups.
So, what do you think? Should I stop submitting and get all my books ready for self-publishing? I’m I just being lazy? It is easier to be rejected, than to push a book through from beginning to end. Marketing becomes your all-consuming pastime, but it’s the same with a traditional publisher. The days of the reclusive writer are over.
To add angst to my dilemma, I’m a former world champion Dutch oven cook. I’ve been invited to submit a cookbook, but fiction is my passion. I want to be a fiction writer who also writes a cookbook, rather than a cook who also writes fiction.
So, I sit at the edge of effectiveness. Many of my friends are passing me by. I need to get off my duff and write the cookbook.
LTUE 2013 has given me new hope. I have several stories almost ready for submission, one in critique group and another at the publisher. I’m on the brink of a promising career and my cookbook? It’s on the way.
Good luck with your writing—see you next week.
Friday, February 15, 2013
Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks...
(This post was originally dated June of 2006. It's another opportunity to revisit thoughts from the past...vacation is almost over...;) Enjoy!)
by G.Parker
Ever feel like stretching your abilities as a writer is like teaching an old dog new tricks? I think most of us feel that way. You have written a certain way for so long, changing something about it is automatically the wrong thing. It’s scary. It’s the unknown.
When we take writing classes or attend seminars, we are taking that chance. I attended a writing conference once with the idea that I wasn’t sure what I was going to learn. I felt I had pretty much polished my abilities and was just biding my time until a publisher snatched up something I had produced. What a big head, huh?
Boy, did my eyes get opened. It was as if someone had dumped me in a pool of cold water and told me I’d been swimming the wrong way. It was as if my eyes were forced to see all the things I had been ignoring about my writing that needed to be changed, or could be changed to make it better. We can always use information and advice. That is something writers always seek, if my association with writers bears out the rest of them. We are always seeking for better ways to express ourselves, or better information to add fact and foundation to our plot.
Knowledge.
Knowledge is the key to all writing, and what separates great writing from the poor stuff we occasionally find. The books we have all picked up after reading and thought, “Gee, I could do way better than this!” You can. And if you are doubting yourself, it just takes exposure and practice. Like everything else.
It’s like trying to teach an old dog new tricks. Sometimes it just takes a bigger and better treat. What kind of treat drives you? What is it that will take your writing to the next level? Just something to contemplate as you write. Are you writing the best you can? Or could a seminar or class be something you need to kick-start the next association that gets you noticed by an editor or agent?
I don’t think any of us are too old to find out.
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