Giving Thanks

By Cheri Chesley

Happy Thanksgiving! Hopefully, if you’re here, then you’ve already stuffed yourself with all the delights of the day. I know I love to read blog posts on a full stomach. :)

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I wanted to spend a little time on the things I value most in my life. And share an experience with you.

My little family is the most wonderful, amazing little family ever. We have our ups and downs, but when we pull together nothing can stop us. Right now, everyone is pulling together to help make my writing career a success. What defines success is different for everyone. We’ve clearly defined it within our family, and we’re working for it.

As the mom, this is hard for me. My mind set is that I have to do everything I can for my family, not have them do all they can for me. I know it turns out that we all have to make sacrifices, but at the same time I just want them to know how very much I appreciate what they do for me.

I’m sure we all have at least one friend or writing acquaintance in our circles who doesn’t have the support of their family. I know I’m blessed; I can’t imagine having that struggle.

Last Thursday, my books arrived in the Cedar Fort warehouse in Springville. I found out Friday morning. Since the kids got out of school early on Friday, we drove from Tooele to Springville to pick up 25 copies of my book. The feeling I had when I first saw my book, when I held it in my hand—indescribable.

I’m thankful for that, too. :)

Talents and Gifts

Today at church we had a lesson about talents and gifts. The teacher had us look up scriptures about talents. We learned that everyone has been given talents and gifts, that we are given gifts that are different from one another, that we are responsible for our talents and are under condemnation if we do not exercise and increase them, and that talents are given to bless the lives of others.

I naturally thought about this lesson in respect to the talent of writing. It seems to me that there are many different types of writing talents. Some people write beautiful poetry. Some write great novels. Some people are talented in writing short stories. Some are gifted in grammar and punctuation. While many of us strive to develop skills in many different aspects of writing, we probably will be better at some than we are at others. We don't have to be good at every aspect of writing because we can help each other. That's what a community of writers is all about and we can grow and improve together.

If you are like me, there are days when you question whether you have any talent at all. Here's a quote by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf that should encourage you:

You may think you don't have talents, but that is a false assumption, for we all have talents and gifts, every one of us. The bounds of creativity extend far beyond the limits of a canvas or a sheet of paper and do not require a brush, a pen, or the keys of a piano. Creation means bringing into existence something that did not exist before--colorful gardens, harmonious homes, family memories, flowing laughter.

 You are a creative, talented writer. You have a gift from God. It is your duty and destiny to write the words only you can write. It is your mission to improve the world by using your talent and sharing it with others. Your words do make a difference.

Now, go conquer the world!

How Was Your Week?

By Keith N Fisher

I’ve been feeling selfish and self-centered this week. Those are feelings, not conducive to my writing. If I were participating in NanoWriMo, I would be failing my goals. As it is, I’ve fallen behind on my blogging projects and my novels.

Normally, locking myself away would be good for writing, but I’ve started a new work schedule. I’m back working the graveyard shift, and I’m having trouble keeping my days straight. I missed a dental appointment because I assumed it was Wednesday when it was really Thursday and I went to bed thinking my appointment wasn’t until the next day.

Okay, enough about me and the onset of old age. Seriously, though, When you work nights, it’s hard to feel a part of the rest of the world. Schedules get out of kilter, and you spend a lot of time with your self. Time to consider what you want to be when I grow up.

So, It’s Saturday, and I thought I had more time to write this blog. I’m trying to penetrate the fog of writer’s block and think of a topic that will delight and inspire you . . .

I attended the Utah County, League of Utah Writers meeting the other day. Tristi Pinkston taught about self-editing and explained some of the reasons why humans write like we do. I’ve been blessed to be in a critique group with her. She can see the humor in ever split infinitive or dangling modifier.

Also, this week, I’m grateful for our new bloggers, Cheri and Karen, they are breathing new life into this venue and helping writers overcome the struggle. Take a moment to thank them for their efforts.

Well it’s almost the time to rejoin the realm of the night creatures. I have to get ready for work. When you hear that bump in the night, don’t worry. It’s only me trying to navigate the unfamiliar surroundings of a new job.

Good luck with your writing—see you next week.

Head Above Water

by G.Parker

Okay, so last week I was all positive and enthusiastic and headed on into the NaNo sunset.  Groan. Then this week hit.  It's been crazy from Monday on, and I also got sick last week just after I posted...so no writing Friday or Saturday because my brain just wouldn't work.  It was so strange to sit in front of my computer, stare at the screen and wonder what in the heck my characters were supposed to be doing.

Ugh. 

But, yesterday I was able to catch up.  It's been great, but I think the thing has taken on a life of it's own.  I realized yesterday that one of the characters isn't doing what she's supposed to be doing at all, and I'm worried that I've twisted things enough that the ending won't be possible.  And then I've discovered other aspects that will feed on each other and make a whole different story than I envisioned in the first place.

Isn't NaNoWriMo fun?

If you are keeping track, there are several people who have already reached their goals.  One of my writing sites has a list of the participants, and there is someone who has already written 100,000 words.  That totally blows my mind, because the idea of writing that fast in so little time makes me wonder if his computer keyboard is fried or not.  I know mine would be!  

There was a pep talk this week from Chris Batty, and he mentioned that he had a couple of friends doing the challenge that had finished.  It was his contention that if you've written 50,000 words before the middle of the month, then you aren't taking the challenge seriously.  This isn't meant for you.  The whole point of Nano is to revel in the writing experience, enjoy the feel of the words flowing from your fingers, and the stress of trying to reach word count goals.  I liked that thought, and I'm glad that I'm part of the average lot.  I guess we can't all be over achievers, right?

Well...thanks for taking a break and reading.  Now get back to work!

Do You have a Critique Group?

By Cheri Chesley

Last week, I was finally able to attend a session with my LUW chapter’s critique group. It. Was. Amazing. I can’t even tell you how wonderful it was to have them tell me what was wrong with my first chapter.

I know that sounds strange. But, really, I mean it. My chapter was missing some key points that only someone with fresh eyes (and no history of the characters) would notice. Essentially, if this book gets published and is sitting on a shelf and some person picks it up—would they find it interesting, or would they just be confused?

Right now, one of the books I’m reading is book 3 in THE SISTERS GRIMM series. Within the first chapter in both books 2 and 3, the author spends almost three pages revisiting the history of the characters. I realize this series is for a younger audience, but it seems ridiculous to me to spend so much time on reminding the reader about what’s happened before.

I’m really happy to have my critique group, because they pointed out to me that, in my book—the second of a trilogy—there is no history at all. This left most of them confused about what the action was all about. The other thing was that they had no sense of setting, which is an issue for me. They knew the action was happening inside a castle, but what are the characters wearing, what does the room look like, etc—all a mystery.

Fortunately, I left room in that first chapter to make additions like these.

So, do you have a critique group? How often do you meet? Or do you critique each other via email? I’m curious to know how other authors make it work.

Inspiring Thoughts From Job and Spencer

Today at church our bishop read from the book of Job, a passage which I had never recalled hearing before. I had a hard time finding it once I got home, but with the help of my husband, I found it and I'd like to share it with you.

"Oh that my words were now written! Oh that they were printed in a book! That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!"

I was amazed to discover that Job was one of us. He wanted his words to be written in a book. More than that, he wanted his words written with an iron pen and lead into something permanent, like rock.

Here's another quote I found today, this one is from President Spencer W. Kimball. He wrote these words in 1977.

"We are proud of the artistic heritage that the Church has brought to us from its earliest beginnings, but the full story of Mormonism has never yet been written nor painted nor sculpted nor spoken. It remains for inspired hearts and talented fingers yet to reveal themselves. They must be faithful, inspired, active Church members to give life and feeling and true perspective to a subject so worthy. Such masterpieces should run for months in every movie center, cover every part of the globe in the tongues of the people, written by the best artists, purified by the best critics."

I believe President Kimball would be pleased with some of what has been written and portrayed on the big screen about Mormonism since 1977, but I also believe that there are still many, many misconceptions about the Church in the world, and it is up to people like us to make a difference. I know not all LDS writers are going to write about the history Church, but hopefully our works are filled with truth and light. There are many ways we can share truth with the world.

Back to Job for a moment. The verses I quoted above are Job 19:23-24. In the next two verses Job gives us a clue as to what he would write about if he could write in a book, or if his words could be graven in stone. Here's what he says, and it's probably familiar to you:

"For I know that my redeember liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God."

Maybe we can find time in our lives to follow Job's example and, through our written words, share our testimony of Jesus Christ with the world.

Have a good Sabbath.

The Wayfarer

By Keith N Fisher

I grew up during a time when nobody locked doors. Well, we sometimes locked the house, before leaving on a trip or extended visit elsewhere. We didn’t worry about picking up hitchhikers, and beggars were truly needy.

Whatever the cause, the world has changed. We lock everything, even if we’re only going to be gone for a second. We lock the door in traffic to prevent carjacking. We’ve learned that I’ll work for food isn’t always true, and hitchhikers can be a threat. There is one, however, who beckons.

When I think back, trying to analyze how we got to this point, I come up with many factors. Not the least of which, is our media addiction.

I know many people will take exception, but when we were kids, we looked to the media for direction. Hairstyles, dress, and even our taste in music was influenced by those we watched, read about, and listened to.

The funny thing is the fact that it’s always been that way. In the late nineteenth century, Brigham Young addressed the problem of young women following the trends from back east. In answer to it, he and his peers created the Young Women’s Retrenchment Association. It was the forerunner of the Mutual Improvement Association in the LDS Church, and is now simply Young Women’s and Young Men’s.

The point here is that even in the isolation of Utah in the eighteen hundreds, media influence was prominent in shaping our society.

Now, before you start thinking I’m condemning the media, you should know I’m a writer. I want to be one of those influences.

Today, we take our cues from myriad sources. Each one adds another piece to how we think, feel, and act. No, I’m not suggesting we’re sheep following every would be trendsetter, I’m suggesting it has an effect. Even if it only influences our reaction to a man holding a sign asking for a ride. But, there is One, Who beckons.

We live in a scary world because we made it that way. We watch a scenario played out on a TV crime show, and lock our doors against that ever happening to us. We see plenty in real life, too. How many of you have seen a person holding a sign saying, I’ll work for food and noticed the food donations, hidden away so the person can pursue the real purpose of panhandling money from sympathetic souls. After all, there is one, who beckons.

Then there is the person in need, whose car breaks down but we don’t dare stop and help because we’ve heard stories of people being carjacked, or worse. One day, I figured I could use all the good karma I could get, so I helped a couple of guys and was struck by their gratitude. The inference in that is clear. Very few of us will stop and help. Now, if the truth were known, I had second thoughts. What if they pulled a gun and stole my truck?

As writers, we must be careful. The proverbial Pandora’s Box was opened long ago and can’t be closed. What we choose to write, however, can be a haven from the storm. In a world with highly dramatic TV programs and books that offer more of the same, we can’t ignore all of it in our writing. Much of what we write will echo the media or we won’t be read, but we can control where the emphasis is placed, and to what extent we pursue the negative.

You see there is a Man, a Wayfarer, who beckons us to take him in. He struggles to strengthen our hearts. He will provide shelter from the storm, peace in a trouble world. He can use our help. Every writer, actor, and newspaperman has been given a talent. We can use that talent to follow the crowd, or we can do our part to enrich our brothers and sisters.

Good luck with your writing—see you next week.

Second Week Down

by G.Parker

I guess I've declared myself the NaNoWriMo correspondent for our blog.  It wasn't intentional, but that's what I'm living right now, so that's what I write.  So, we enter the third week, with people going strong.

I've been able to stay on top of things so far.  I gave you all the numbers last week on what needed to happen to keep going with my goal.  I've been watching some of the others in our group (of Authors Incognito) that I'm writing buddies with, and let me tell you, some of their numbers are inspiring.  I'll think I'm doing good and can relax, I'll look up their numbers and realize that I'm way behind them.  Literally.  Ugh.  It's down right frustrating.

But it's a good thing, because it helps motivate me.  I don't need a lot of motivation during this time, because just knowing I can accomplish the 50,000 words keeps me going.  Fortunately my family has been really patient and last Saturday I even got things done around the house!  It was amazing.

I think week three is the hardest though - it's where you realize your story might be struggling, or you might hit a wall with a scene, etc.  It gets into more of the nitty gritty than just writing.  So, if you are one that needs someone cheering you on and motivation, well, here goes.  

"YOU CAN DO It, YES YOU CAN!  Beat my numbers, who's the man?  ....or something like that.  Grin.  Have a good week!

Does This Happen to You?

By Cheri Chesley

I posted on Writing Fortress this week about my well of ideas never running dry. In fact, there’s never a time when I don’t know something I could be writing about. It’s daunting, since I have no idea how I will ever make the time to get them all out of my head.

That’s not to say everything I write is for publication. I had to write some things to purge my soul—others are so atrocious they’ll never see the light of day. But, once I write them down, they release my mind. And I can be free to work on the next thing.

Here’s the best example of what I mean: In 2007 I was certain I had the perfect book. I submitted said book to a publisher. But while waiting for a response, something odd happened. One particular character would not leave me alone. He was with me in my dreams, in my waking hours, always demanding that his story be told. He’s the villain. And he was upset that I had chosen to end the story with him losing out on what he’d wanted.

Silly me, I tried to reason with him. In my mind. Yeah, I know it sounds crazy. Finally I sat down to tweak the ending of the book. I barely got it finished before hearing back from the publisher. They accepted it! Hooray! (BTW, they never got around to working on my book and offered me a contract release in 2008, which I accepted. And I’m so glad I did.)

Still, this character was not satisfied. Finally, utterly at a loss, I sat down and wrote an alternate ending to my story. Seriously. In it the bad guy wins, he gets the one thing he prizes above all else, and I wrote him into old age. At last, the voice in my head quieted. I’d done it.

I don’t ever plan on putting that alternate ending anywhere but on my flash drive. I guess you can say it’s something I did entirely for myself. Because I wanted peace.

So, what do you guys to when your characters don’t leave you alone? Or is this just something that happens to me? :)

Never Too Busy

Have you ever been so busy that you didn't have time for anything more? That's the way I felt last night. After all, I am getting ready to take a plane to Colorado Thursday morning. Who has time for anything else?

Still, I wasn't too busy to notice the dog pacing the floor, smelling under the coat closet door. Her ears perked up and she continued sniffing. I stopped what I was doing and took the time to watch. Sydney had never acted this way before. She must be on to something.

No writers, no matter how busy, can ever resist a mystery. Carefully I opened the closet door. I was sure something was going to jump out at me. This isn't an ordinary coat closet. It doesn't just hold dozens of coats, but it has five tables, and 20 folding chairs, some step stools, lawn chairs, rock salt, a shovel, and the family garbage (where else do you put it when you have a dog who loves dragging stuff all over the house?)

The dog started sniffing the floor, so I pulled out the garbage can and put it into the kitchen. That gave her a little more room to move. She crawled under the row of folding chairs and backed back out. I pulled out a couple of card tables, and continued to watch the dog running all over, sniffing everywhere.

By this time, it was getting interesting so I called to my granddaughter to come watch. The dog was hilarious as she ran from one table to another and back to the closet. This is one distraction that I needed. It was fun watching, and I was in no hurry to get this show over.

After a short time, my granddaughter and I started taking the chairs out of the closet and stacking them against the wall in the kitchen. We then pulled out the larger tables. When I cleared that area of the closet, I walked to the back of the closet and lifted up a pair of long coveralls that were hanging to the floor. Sure enough, there was the culprit. It was a tiny, darling gray mouse.

Alexia and I closed the door on the dog and mouse and expected Sydney to do her job. There was no noise, nothing, except silence. We waited and still nothing. My daughter came to pick up her daughter and almost freaked out when we told her there was a mouse inside the closet.

Unwillingly she took the broom and agreed to keep watch. I opened the door and the dog escaped. My daughter told me she thought I should take everything else on the floor out of the closet so I started pushing and handing things to her. Every time I picked up something, I expected to find the little creature hiding beneath it. Everything was out of the closet, and it had disappeared.

Just at that moment, my daughter screamed and she went running after it with the broom. I was right behind her, but we never did catch that critter. Evidently, it had hitched a ride on one of the lawn chairs. Now it's somewhere in my house. Annette's sure she smacked it good with the broom, but there was no body.

Annette and Alexia’s adventure was finished and they hurried on home. For me, it was another couple of hours before I, armed with a caulking gun, and mousetraps had the little closet back in order. Now it’s time to get busy and get back to real life.

Are you a Mull-It-Over Writer?

I find that I like to mull things over. I’m the kind of person who, before saying something important to anyone, will rehearse over and over exactly what I am going to say. I even rehearse what I will say on the phone or what I will write in an email. I work over the words in my head until I get them exactly how I want them.

I do the same previewing with my bigger writing projects. Sometimes I will think for days or months about a particular chapter or even an idea for an entire novel. Then, when I finally sit down to write, it flows easily and quickly from my brain through my fingers and onto the blank page. It looks easy, but I’ve already spent hours and hours deciding in my head what I will write and how I will write it. 

The downside of this kind of writing is that I am really not so good at writing on the fly. I was in a workshop once where the presenter gave us a writing prompt and then gave us about 15 minutes to write a short story. I was completely frozen. I had to write something, but I had no time to mull the words over before I wrote them down. After staring into space for several minutes, I finally wrote something down, and it was probably okay, but I know it was not my best work.

I think it’s probably a lot like playing the piano. Some people are really good at sight-reading and can sit down and play a piece of music they’ve never heard or seen before. Others have to practice and practice before their playing sounds decent. But, I found in my limited piano-playing career that the ability to sight read well can be learned. You just have to do it often. I’m sure the same is true of writing.

 It would help me to do more off-the-cuff writing. It would really come in handy in situations like the one I described above.

So, which are you: a mull-it-over author or an off-the-cuff author? Whichever you are, stretch your writing muscles by practicing the other way of writing for a change.

Switching to Common References

By Keith N Fisher

Did you see The Wizard of Oz? When I was a kid, I watched two or three times and didn’t know it was in color. It was big entertainment on television for Thanksgiving, but we didn’t have color TV.

When that movie came out, color was expensive and it was an untried medium. The producers made the decision to show the Land of Oz scenes in color, I assume, because it was a fantasy world. The effect was marvelous but there was a downside, too.

One problem was in the translation. In my case, I didn’t get to see it in a theater, so I didn’t see the color effect. Another downside was the transition back to the real world. It went from a brilliantly beautiful land of color back to a drab, colorless world. It makes you think that Oz is a much better place than real life.

The latter downside isn’t really a problem. It’s normal in fiction. As readers, we want to visit fantastic worlds and meet heroic characters. The first downside, however, is a big problem.

How many times have you watched a movie or read a book and been lost? I admit, there have been many times for me. I’ve found if I don’t watch or read carefully, I miss the premise and the plot gets lost in the translation. There are other books that never explain the premise, though. In those cases, I shake my head and feel cheated out of the time it took to read.

Writers can be strange. We live in a world of our creation. Real life is often interrupted by a thought that leads to a plot twist or character quirk. Then we make mental notes to use it in our next writing session. With all the consideration that goes into drafting, writing, and editing a book, we have the premise down pat. Nobody knows more about our creation than we do, but the reader hasn’t been there before.

When The Wizard of Oz switched from black & white to color and back again, it was an innovative and magical effect. But it was lost on a generation of the television watching audience. When a kid living on a farm in Nebraska reads your book about the mean streets of New York, he’s going to need some reference that helps him relate. Especially if he’s never seen a television.

I know the odds of that are slim, but the point is valid. Your audience can’t enjoy your book if they can’t relate.

I’ve enjoyed a few obscure books lately. I say obscure, because I loved them, but others didn’t. When I analyzed the reasons, I discovered a common reference I shared with the author. I could relate in a personal way, but others couldn’t.

Don’t let your book go on the obscure list. Get help from proofreaders and try to imagine all the potential readers. Ask yourself, will they understand?

Good luck with your writing—see you next week.

It's a Numbers Game

by G.Parker

If your whole focus in life is a number, then you're priorities are probably out of whack, right?  Well, perhaps, unless you're doing Nano.  Since the whole point of NaNoWriMo is the end number, it's the one time during your writing career that you are focusing solely on the numbers at the end of the day.  

Since I don't write on Sundays, that cuts out about 4 days of writing right there.  As I take Thanksgiving day off, that's another one.  If you divide 50,000 by 30, you get 1667 words a day.  If you don't write some of those days, that number goes up.  Like subtract 5 from 30, you get 25.  Divide 50,000 by 25 and you get 2000.  That's a pretty solid figure. 

Simply put, I  need to write 2000 words a day to make the goal of 50,000 words by November 30th.  It's actually pretty doable, I find it pretty easy to write that many words in a day.  For some reason, when I figured it out on Monday, it came up to a higher number, but that's okay, I'm still way within range.  My number as of this morning was 7317 words.  I'm a bit behind, but I haven't written for today and since tomorrow is Saturday I can catch up.  

How are you doing?  Run out of chocolate yet?

Perspective

By Cheri Chesley

Sometimes we have to get hit in the head with a brick to remember what's truly important. We focus on a goal, work toward it, and--sometimes--forget why we set these goals of improvement in the first place.

In a word? Family.

Because that's what is really important. Not how many books we publish, how many stories we right, how big our contract is.

This week has been one of reflection. A few other words to describe it are: terrifying, tragic, painful, nightmare-like, horrifying, too awful to be real, etc. It's the kind of week I snuggle my kids closer and thank God for the wonderful family I have. And pray. And fast. And plead.

On the up side, I'm getting tons of real-life experience for my novels. And you thought I just wrote fantasy. ;)

VOTE TODAY!

By Darvell Hunt

Today I'm going to post a simple reminder for those who live in the good ol' U.S. of A.:

GET OUT AND VOTE TODAY!

That is all.

Gearing Up for NaNoWriMo

Good Sabbath and Happy Halloween!

How lucky I am to be the one to blog today, and not because it's Halloween. Oh, no. It's because tomorrow is the first day of NaNoWriMo. If you, like me when I first heard the term, have no idea what NaNoWriMo is, let me share with you. It stands for National Novel Writing Month, meaning November.

So, how does one celebrate, or at least observe, National Novel Writing Month? Why, by writing a novel, of course! As ambitious as that sounds, many writers actually do take up that challenge and some up the ante by imposing rules like, it has to be finished by November 30, be at least 50,000 words long, and you can't do any re-writes. Wow, talk about a challenge!

Personally, I plan to dust off my much-neglected work in progress and make some progress on it. I am not going to set any word count goals, which may be a little cowardly of me. Instead, I'm going to go on a writer's retreat for a few days and see what I can get done. If I'm feeling really adventurous, I might just start a new project and run with it.

So, set your goals. You only have a few hours left before the advent of NaNoWriMo. You'd probably better raid the kids' trick-or-treat bags and secure yourself a stash of chocolate to sustain you. Best of luck to you and happy writing!

Drawing from My Reserve

By Keith N Fisher

I used to drive a pickup with two gas tanks. Rather than fill both tanks (too expensive), I kept five dollars worth in the back tank. That way, I’d always have enough in an emergency. I could run out and switch to the reserve in order to get to a gas station.

One night, I filled the front tank and went to a meeting at the church. When I came out I couldn’t get the truck started. I tried everything but couldn’t figure out what was wrong. Finally, I switched tanks and drove home on my reserve. I discovered later, the pump in the front tank had malfunctioned. I was glad I had the reserve to run on.

In my writing this week, I hit a wall. I’m writing the ending to a sequel and I have three different ways I could go. The end is clearly set in my mind, but I’m not sure how to get there. It’s frustrating because I’m so close to the finish. Also, I’ve been preparing the first book for submission, but editing doesn’t give me the creative boost I get from free writing.

Like my second tank, I have a project file on my hard drive. It’s full of books in different stages of development along with ideas and drafts. Like switching tanks, I wrote a great chapter for my next work in progress. I went back to editing with my creativity renewed. Now I can figure out what to do with my story.

I think we all have plot ideas and outlines in our heads. We can use them as a reserve like my gas tank. Developing those bits and pieces of plots can help whenever the creative juices stop flowing, and progress slows down. Besides, it’s nice to have a reserve when an editor asks what else you’re working on.

Good luck with your writing—see you next week.

Anticipation

by G.Parker

The final countdown is here.  

I mentioned to my daughter that NaNoWriMo started next week and she was so excited I thought she was going to jump up and down.  She has even been planning for it, which surprised me.  I thought she'd forgotten.  That tells you that anyone who has done this madness gets it in their blood and remembers it from one year to the next.

I'm excited.  I think I've figured out what I'm going to be writing - the next book in my series I've written about three women and their lives.  I've been getting the first one ready for it's proof copy - the one that I finished for NaNo two years ago...It's no longer free, but I'm still going to get it done.  I want to hold that proof copy in my hand.

You may not have heard, but one of NaNo's own has gotten a contract with what he wrote last year.  It's pretty exciting when one of us makes it with the 30 day effort.  Unfortunately I didn't create the link while the article was being promoted and I can't think of the man's name - so he had his 15 minutes of fame, I guess.  But the point is, that those who do, eventually succeed.

It's important for you to know you can do it to.  There are thousands of people who participate in this craziness, and from all around the world.  They have begun to include classrooms, encouraging teachers to use it as a creative tool.  There are writing groups all across the nation that meet at the end of each week, commiserate, brain storm and write together.

It's like a huge support group that you never knew existed.

So if you haven't signed up, get to the site and give it a try.  You'll never regret it.

Seizing Opportunities

by Cheri Chesley

Last week, I got the kind of email new authors dream of. An indie bookstore owner was inviting me to their week long signing extravaganza. The catch? The event happens about 2 weeks before my book is actually out.

Disappointed, I emailed her back (knee-jerk reaction--I seriously have to work on that) and said that, while I'd love to participate, I don't have a book for them to sell. Feeling dejected and left out, I went on with my day.

Then my thinking wheels started turning. Duh! Pre-sales! Exposure! What am I doing turning this down?!

Just to be sure, I emailed my publisher's publicist and she gave the thumbs up, so I emailed the owner back and said--hey, I'm a dork, but can I have a space anyway? Can you do pre-orders for customers who want them?

She said sure! They'd love to do preorders for my book, and they'd love to have me there.

Since then, I've had two other similar opportunities come my way. One is a fundraiser at a home school academy. Think about it. These are kids you usually can't reach by doing school visits because they're doing their schooling at home. But, in SLC, there's actually a place where home schooled kids are taught in classroom environments by a collection of parents. Score!

The other is at the local Elks Lodge. I imagine I won't see as many kids there, but I will have access to parents (you know, the ones who buy the books).

I'm still in the learning process, but I wanted to share my experience and demonstrate--through my own trial and error--that we have to seize these opportunities when they arise. I'm spreading the word about my book through three different communities and counties even before the book is even out. That's a blessing.

So, go for it. :)

Time Marches on

by C. LaRene Hall



This year has certainly passed quickly. I can't believe it's already winter. The sad thing about that is I haven’t accomplished near as much this year as I had planned. Where has all the time gone?

Do any of you feel like I do? Has the year passed too quickly for you? Did you reach all your goals? Did you write your novel? What are you going to do for the next two months?

Are you already looking ahead to the New Year? I am. Maybe you are thinking that it’s too soon to start thinking about that. For me, I’m anxious to leave this year behind. It’s brought many trials to my life and many new challenges. I’m hoping that in the next two months things will start to even out, and life will somehow become a little bit more normal.

I’ll be gone a lot during November, and maybe even some of December, but by January I’ll be back here full swing. For me I’m glad that time marches on.

Guest Blogger Stephanie Humpreys

Stephanie Humpreys lives in Alberta with her husband and three children. She spends most of her time writing. Finding Rose is her first novel.



From the back cover you read - On his deathbed, Rose Sterling's father asks her to consider Miles Crandall as a suitor. Then Rose is sent to live with an uncle in Spring Creek, Montana, far from her carefree life with her family in Utah. Miles is returning to his hometown of Spring Creek to set up a medical practice, so Rose is certain her being sent there is a setup. Yet Miles doesn't seem interested in her, and after Rose falls ill in Montana, he seems content to act as her physician and friend. When Rose captures the attention of Miles's younger, flamboyant brother as well as the town sheriff, Miles retreats even further from any attempt at courtship.

I loved this book from the first page until the very end. All the characters seemed so real and it didn’t take long for me to care about what they were doing. Rose and her brother Sean had a close relationship, and I could almost hear him telling her, “You don’t marry someone to help him. You marry someone who is equally matched to you.”

My heart ached when Rose had to tell her family good-bye. I can’t even imagine how I would feel if I had been sent far away to live with strangers. Rose encountered many different challenges and adventures. She met and helped many new friends. It took her a long time to realize that she couldn’t marry someone who didn’t share her beliefs and someone she didn’t love. She would rather be an old maid than marry without love in her heart.

Now for the blog from our guest Stephanie

Just Wait Until You See Amazing

Yesterday I played the piano for my daughter when she sang in church. She has had a sore throat and cold over the last week, and as we were practicing Saturday night she was concerned that her voice would crack and she wouldn’t do as well as she usually does. Still, she was confident that she would do fine. Her vocal teacher told her that she already has “very good” down pat and now she has to work on being amazing. But even if she has a less than stellar performance, as long as she puts in her best effort, the audience will still love “very good”.

How often do we do something well, but won’t share with others because it isn’t amazing? When working on a manuscript, I can edit for months and still feel like the words just aren’t cooperating with me. The temptation to hide it in a drawer and never let anyone see it is always there, yet I know that letting the story molder away in a corner defeats the purpose. I write for others. There is nothing more satisfying than hearing something that flowed from my pen has touched someone’s life and got them thinking. That hidden away manuscript doesn’t help anyone, especially me.

I often have to bite my tongue when someone tells me about a scene in my book that they particularly loved. So often the first thoughts in my mind are how I could make it better, because let’s face it, nothing is perfect. When I step back and think about the comments I’ve received, I realize that the stories I tell can touch people’s lives despite their imperfections.

It’s like my daughter’s singing. To most of us, her voice is amazing – clear, sweet, strong. Yet she hears the word that didn’t come out exactly right or the note that didn’t get held as long as she wanted. Despite still having much to learn about the voice and how to use it, she always brings a wonderful spirit into the room when she shares her talent. The rest of us wish we could sing as beautifully.

It’s interesting being imperfect. There is always something new to learn, a different technique to try, a mistake to fix, and a new skill level to reach for. I think if I wrote the perfect book every time, the process would lose something and become boring. For me, part of the joy is the learning I do along the way. I keep reminding myself, if our audiences love our “very good,” just wait until they see amazing!

Rough Road Ahead - Use Caution

My husband and I were driving down I-15 near our Utah home a few weeks ago and I saw a sign posted just before a section of road construction that read, "Rough Road Ahead. Use Caution." I got all excited and pointed it out to my husband, who couldn't figure out what all the fuss was about. I told him I was excited because it was so metaphorical. It could be applied to life. I wanted to go back and take a picture of the sign, but then realized it was an electronic sign and I'd have to take two pictures and that would kind of ruin the effect. So, I didn't.

But let's ponder that thought for a few minutes. Rough Road Ahead. Each of us have rough roads ahead of us. How do I know? Because rough roads are a part of life, and because we have chosen a rough career which seems to be at the mercy of the whims of society and technology. Nobody escapes rough roads.

What cautions should we take? I think the best caution is to be prayerful every day. If God is with us, we can face anything. We can face derision, rejection and self-doubt. Another caution is to remember who we are. We are children of God. He wants us to succeed and He needs us to help further His work in our day. He needs us to be true to our heritage as his offspring.

I have been studying the lives of the Mormon handcart pioneers. They experienced many rough roads on their journey towards Zion. Many of them did not make it. Some turned back. Some died along the way and some died after the arrived. Those who made it to the end were often quoted as expressing the idea that if they had it to do over again, they would. The believed the prize was worth the cost. They found God in their extremity. Our rough roads are our best teachers.

I hope we can all follow their example and face with caution and courage life's rough roads.

Have a good Sabbath.

Ventriloquism

By Keith N Fisher

Do you remember Charlie McCarthy? He’s one of the most famous dummies in history. His controller, Edgar Bergen, provided a voice for Charlie that was funny and thoughtful. Burgeon did it so well, many folks were almost convinced Charlie, and his cousins, were real.

As writers, we’re charged with finding our voice. At conferences, in books, and in critique group, I discovered what voice is. If we compare the writing of famous authors, we’ll find examples. Such as: A paragraph written by Kurt Vonnegut, is vastly different than Mary Higgins Clark. Also, there is JK Rowling versus Ernest Hemmingway.

The difference isn’t in the genre alone or even writing style, it’s the way the author said things. The words they used, and the way those words are arranged. They are distinct like personality. Of course, If that personality spawns catch phrases, or situations that turn cliché, many readers get tired of it and move on to other books.

A few years ago, a new writer gave me a portion of a book to critique. I was honored but quickly discovered errors in formatting. The writer had broken many of the rules we follow in our craft. I began to make notes on the pages, but about halfway into it, I realized I wasn’t correcting mistakes as much as I was restructuring the sentences. I was adding my voice, instead of letting the writer use her own.

Many ventriloquists, like Edgar Burgeon, can cast their voice across a room and make it appear to come from something or someone else. Like the ventriloquists, I found myself putting my words into another writer’s manuscript. I was changing the voice in the name of editing.

Often, we get good feedback from our critique group and others. Even though I sometimes argue, I’ve learned to trust my group. There was a time, however, before I found my voice, when an edit like the one I mentioned above, would’ve set me reeling. I would’ve tried to match the voice of the editor. Since then, I’ve learned a good editor doesn’t mess with voice. They point out grammar errors, and suggest formatting changes.

If you get an edit that attempts to change your voice, don’t let it throw you. Ask a trusted friend if they think the edit corrects voice or if it really is needed. If you’re trying to find your voice, picture yourself telling the story to a large audience. How would you tell it? What words would you use? Grammar and formatting can be fixed later. Express yourself and before long, you will find your own way.

Good luck with your writing—see you next week.

Decisions, Decisions

by G.Parker

I mentioned last week that NaNoWriMo starts soon.  This causes stress, whether I like it to or not.  You see, my whole body just begins stressing out -- the heart rate increases, my stomach feels a little off and I feel anxious that I won't get all the words in.  I didn't think it was that difficult, I mean, I've been doing this enough years that it should be old hat by now, but I guess the whole deadline thing never wears off.

Then you have the decision as to what to write.  You see, the rules are this must be a new piece of work.  You can't continue on something you've already started.  It can be outlined, and the characters fleshed out, but the body of the work can't be started until November 1st.  

Most years, that's not an issue, but this year I haven't got a foggiest what to write.  The couple of story ideas sitting on my hard drive don't fill me with inspiration, though I'll probably end up using one of them if nothing else grabs me.  I just like it better when I've got things fleshed out rather than a vague idea.  (Which is really a switch from when I first started writing.)

I think it's funny.  Authors generally have no lack of ideas for stories - everything inspires the thought of "what if".  But for now, the muse is asleep or getting ready for a long winters nap, and I've got to get it woke up before he's totally gone.

Any suggestions?

The Platform continued

By Cheri Chesley

This is a continuation of last week's POST, in case you missed it. Here's where the heart pouring really comes into play.

The public library. For so long, the only real source of books for many people. But, it also became a haven for some. I was one of those.

Growing up, I had it kinda rough. (who didn't?) The truth is, home was not a safe place for me or my friends. And they lived too far away to visit. But, being young, my options were limited. So I started walking. I'd walk within a 1.5 mile radius of my house in any given direction. Sometimes I had a little money, and I'd go to the store, or to the local fast food place, and kill time. But one of my favorite places to go was my local public library, specifically the Acacia Branch of the Phoenix Public Library system.

It took me about 15 min to walk there. And, nearly every afternoon, there was an old man sitting in the chair by the door with his nose in a book. I never stopped to wonder what he read. I wanted to get to my books. I can still remember how it smelled, the old card catalog, the shelves I would frequent for my old favorites. I can even remember the distinct sound of library silence.

I loved that place. Being able to go there saved me in so many ways. It's one of the things that kept me on my writing (and reading) path. I want it to stand forever for the people who come who were like I was then.

And there is the platform. The public library. In the digital age, where everything we need to research can be found on the internet, and we can buy books with just the click of a mouse, how long do you think the public library will last? I know in recent years they've had a remarkable drop in visitation. If it wasn't for the computers most libraries installed to provide internet access, many may have closed already.

I worry about this. I want to do something about it. Call it a passion.

Guest Blogger Tristi Pinkston

Tristi is an LDS fiction author with five published novels – Nothing to Regret, Strength to Endure, Season of Sacrifice, Agent in Old Lace, and Secret Sisters. I’ve read all these books and I can assure you Tristi is a talented writer. She’s a stay-at-home mom, homeschooler, and media reviewer. She also works as a freelance editor.

Now for her blog –


Who Are You Really?
By Tristi Pinkston

“I have to find myself.”

This is an expression we hear all too often, generally in connection with a break-up of marriage or the quitting of a job. The speaker is unhappy with their circumstances and feel things would be so much better if they just “knew who they were.” Feeling the need to start over, they leave, hoping things will improve in their next relationship or job.

There are some basic, eternal principles that go along with this search for self. I’d like to share them with you today, and then relate them to your writing journey.
1. You are a creation of your Heavenly Father, complete with a personality, destiny, and the talents you need in order to fulfill that destiny. Just like we would not send our children off to school without shoes or a shirt, our Heavenly Father has seen to it that we have everything it takes to be successful. But like the child who takes off his un-cool warm sweater as soon as he’s out of his mother’s sight, we need to decide to use those tools to our benefit and that of those around us.
2. God never created anything that wasn’t of the most infinite worth, and that includes you. There’s no such thing as “the good people” and “the castoff people.” Each and every individual who walks the earth is of utmost value. You may not feel it at times, but you are worth every bit as much as Nora Roberts, John Grisham, or any other author you admire.
3. We can’t run away in search of self—those questions will just come along with us. We need to face them, head on, and make the realizations we need to make in order to find peace. This is not to say that if you’re in a bad relationship, you should stay, or that you should remain at the unsatisfying workplace. Sometimes those are changes that need to be made, but make them for the right reasons.

As authors, we each have something to say. We tend to downplay our own contribution to the world—“Why would they want to read my book, when there are so many others out there?”—but the reality is this: if you didn’t have something of worth to say, you would not have been inspired to say it. That, to me, is where stories come from—inspiration. It’s our spirits’ way of saying, “I am here. I want to share. I want to touch the lives of those around me.” Don’t ever look at your talent and think that it’s not important. I’ve seen too many talented authors give up their dreams because they fear no one will respond positively to what they’ve put out there. Fear never will feed your soul.

So, who are you? You are a person of tremendous eternal value, and you’ve been sent here with a job to do. That job is to share your thoughts, your feelings, and your deep, internal convictions with others. You’ve been given a tool to use in your quest, and that tool is your talent. Now shine it up and come out swinging!
 

Fifty Years is a Long Time to Be Married

Good Sabbath to you.

This weekend has been a very meaningful one for my family. Today is my parents' 50th wedding anniversary.

My siblings and I are spread out, living in five different states. I happen to live in the same Utah town as my parents, as do two of my siblings, but the other five drove and flew in for the surprise party (that's eight kids, in case you didn't do the math). My parents had no idea we were scheming up a party for them. One of my sisters-in-law baked a wedding cake to match the one my parents had at their reception and drove it in from Nevada. A sister in Kansas collected letters from every member of the family. A brother in Colorado put together a slide presentation from the past 50 years of family living and another brother put together music from the 40's and 50's to play at the party. My niece, who just became an official wedding planner did the decorations and I baked 4 pans of enchiladas for the 30 guests.

Mom and Dad had the surprise of their lives when they discovered all eight of their children came to town to celebrate their anniversary. The party was a big success and Mom said if she'd planned it herself she wouldn't have done anything differently.

There is nothing like being with family. Friends come and go but family is enduring. Everyone in my family loves to laugh, and when we're together someone is always cracking a joke. It got pretty goofy towards the end of the evening, but it left a warm after-glow. We had the usual sibling rivalries growing up, but now, as adults, we are great friends and enjoy being together.

My parents provided a wonderful home environment for their children. They were a united front. I really had an ideal upbringing. They raised us to be independent and hard-working. We girls learned homemaking skills and most of us started working at age 16, even though most of us didn't drive before we graduated high school. That tells you how much taxiing my parents did. They also provided us with music lessons and we had a little family band.

Being married for 50 years is a big deal. Doing anything for 50 years is a big deal, but with so many marriages dissolving so quickly, those marriages that endure ought to be even more applauded.

This doesn't have much to do with writing, but maybe it can serve as a reminder to us about the importance of our families. Don't neglect them. They won't always be around.

Happy writing.

I'm Trendy

By Keith N Fisher

I watched part of a documentary on PBS the other day. It made me think about my life and evaluate the whole of it. My sense of humor kicked in, and I discovered I’m on the cutting edge of a trend.

I was born at a time before modern educated scientists discovered fancy named causes for genetic defaults, and family tendencies. I always suspected there were certain genes that made one family unit more prone to certain things, while people with other genes had different inclinations. Environment played a part too, but now I’ve learned there is a group of perfect people who claim to know all the secrets and if the rest of us don’t follow their example, we have no hope of ever being happy.

By now, you’re probably wondering what I’m getting at, and I’m trying to figure a way of telling you without appearing to solicit a response from you. Also, I don’t want to offend my dear friends who have found their perfect way to live.

You see I was a fat kid. There! I said it. From my earliest recollection, I was always bigger than my peers. It came in handy, though, while playing football and wrestling, and people learned I was not to be messed with. As I grew up, I gained and lost weight. Sometimes, I exercised, sometimes I didn’t. Life went on.

On the television program I referred to, the narrator tallied huge numbers of Americans who were overweight. That makes me trendy. As a kid, I was out of the ordinary. Now I’m part of the movement. Did you ever hear Barbara Mandrell sing the country music song, I Was Country, When Country Wasn’t Cool? That’s how it feels to be on the cutting edge.

I could live with having so many people join my trend, but the narrator also pronounced a death sentence over us. It seems I’m one of the walking dead. One person said that anyone 100-lbs or more, over normal weight was morbidly obese. Then, that person proceeded to tell us what a healthy lifestyle should be like. Did you catch that word, morbidly? I wanted to ask her what normal is?

In the nineties I practiced a stringent program of diet and exercise. I did pretty well, but I noticed that others did better than me. Still, others weren’t as successful. The reason, I discovered, was because everybody’s metabolism is different. That means there are no, all inclusive, lifestyle directions we can follow. I think, however, if you eat healthy and exercise, you will happy, but you have to determine what that means for you.

As writers, we hear a lot of advice from teachers, mentors and other writers. There are many tried and true routines for writing, but just like diet and exercise, there isn’t an all-inclusive method that works for everyone. If you are struggling, I suggest you take the advice that works for you, and file the rest for future reference.

I had a friend, growing up, who could eat all the wrong foods, all the time. He never gained an ounce. In fact, he remained the same size into adulthood and is still thin. I envied my friend, but over time, I learned that some things came easier to me, than to him. In like manner, I know writers to whom, writing seems to come easy. Rather than begrudge them their talent, however, I celebrate my opportunity to learn from them.

I can discover the good or bad ways of my craft. I take heart in knowing I don’t have to follow any example, besides there are things I might do better than them. Both in writing, and in life.

Good luck with your writing—see you next week.

Fall is In The Air - and That Means NaNoWriMo is Back!

by G.Parker

That's right, all you insane writing people, it's that time again.  Time to sign up for NaNoWriMo and commit to 30 days of writing feverishly.  

For those of you who don't remember, NaNoWriMo is National Novel Writing Month.  This is the month of November, and you have 30 days to write 50,000 words.  Or, basically, a novel.  

This will be my sixth year of participating.  I can't believe it's been so many years.  I wish I could say that it's been productive and I've published all of the novels I've written, but I can't.  sigh.  I can say that I've come up with several books that have promise, so it's a good thing.

Many of us on Authors Ingognito are participating in this project, and we encourage you to do the same.  If nothing else, it gets you writing daily (because trust me, you don't want to get behind on your word count) and sometimes it keeps you writing after November is over, which is the whole point anyway.  I'm still trying to figure out what it is I'm going to be working on, but at least I've re-signed up and am ready to go.

How about you?

The Fiction Author's Platform

By Cheri Chesley

You're going to love this. I'm going to do my best to pour my heart out, and still keep it brief. I'm a writer, after all. (here's where I pull out my superhero cape and triumphant music plays in the background)

But, really, I'm just me.

As being a published author has changed from the secluded form hunched over a typewriter in a cabin in the woods, the way an author presents himself/herself to the world has also changed. Once upon a time, if you were a nonfiction author you had to be an "expert" in your field. That could be used as your platform, or your basis on why you wrote the book you wrote. If you wrote fiction, well, then you could just write books.

Not so. If you think about it, you'll realize several fiction authors have platforms. Usually it's a broad one that doesn't require much attention. As a fiction author, I can stand for literacy. I can promote reading wherever I may roam.

But, for me at least, it's more than just reading. As we fought in Heaven to preserve our right to choose, I believe we should have the right to choose what we read. Have you ever wondered, when you encounter a child or adult who says they hate to read, if they really dislike the process or if they just haven't found the book that resonates with them? I have.

My son, wonderful and brilliant, could not get through the Harry Potter series. But he loved, loved, LOVED the Percy Jackson books. This kid is dyslexic. He identified with Percy. AND it improved his reading skills, his articulation and his read-aloud ability. If you put Rick Riordan in front of me right now, I'd probably kiss him in gratitude for what his books have done for my son. My son who hated reading.

There's another aspect to my platform, but I'll get to that next week. :)Oh, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!

Change of Seasons

by C. LaRene Hall




I’m sure not many writers are up and about in the early am (unless they have school kids or work) because most of us are still awake during the witching hour. That’s when we do our best writing.

This morning after opening the blinds at 7 am, I could see the wind rustling the golden leaves of the tree in the front yard, and my first thoughts were, “Its autumn.”

I took time to look towards the eastern mountains, and was actually glad that the sun hadn’t poked its head up past them yet. Today I could drive to work without the sun blocking my view. On my short drive, my thoughts turned to the book that I’m currently reading. It’s a wonderful story and covers about a two year timeframe. There have been a few scenes about snow, and rain, but nothing significant about the different seasons.

Then I thought back to the stories I’ve written and realized that sometimes I start out describing in detail the beginning scenes, but often as the story progresses, I forget to write about the weather and beautiful sights along the way. When was the last time you read a story that as time progresses the author describes the different seasons?

I love all four seasons that Utah experiences, but autumn is my favorite. I know the stories that I’ve written would be so much better if I had remembered to add these changes as they come about in the life of my characters. There aren’t many days in my life that I don’t ponder and look at the beauty surrounding me. Surely, my characters feel the same.

Guest Blog by Mary Greathouse

Mary Greathouse is a city girl (OK, she’s really a small town girl) who moved to the farm and has only partially adjusted. She misses people, stores and cleanliness.

Mary has published a book - Family Record Keeper that is a family record organizer and personal journal for parents, grandparents and children. It’s a place for you to keep all of your important personal family records from babyhood through senior citizen years.

Family Record Keeper contains pages for: Personal information, education, resume of life experiences, Identification records, medical records, things you'd like your family to know, immunization records, military, financial records, employment, religious activities, marriage and family organization & activities, youth activities, and scouting records.

Now for her blog -

I kept putting off writing this blog because there was always tomorrow. Then I ran out of tomorrows.

`I finally came up with something that I thought was fantastic. I had it all planned out in my head.....stories, details, witty little analogies.

Then I lost my mind.

Well, not really lost my mind. I am still capable of giving someone a piece of my mind. But I did lose my train of thought. Totally.

I am the writer of non-fiction, specifically local and personal histories. Actually, I think that history is NOT non-fiction. After my writing experiences, I believe that all history has an element of fiction.

After gathering stories and facts for my histories, I began the work of putting them together in a logical, complete written form. That is when I discovered that the stories had holes in them, sometimes very large holes.

When a person tells a story, he puts it in his own context. He knows the background well but he keeps that part in his head. The listener (or reader) probably doesn’t have the same background so he fills in the blanks with his own experience. And thus, history becomes a mixture of true history and created history.

That brings me to the subject of writing your own history or memoirs so you can fill in all those holes with the facts as you remember them (not always accurate either.)

A memoir is “a person’s written account of his own life; an autobiography.
Will Rogers put it a little more pithily: "Memoirs means when you put down the good things you ought to have done and leave out the bad ones you did do."
[Marshal Pétain "To write one's memoirs is to speak ill of everybody except oneself"]
Mary Greathouse “A history book gives dates and facts, but a memoir evokes memories and emotions. It connects us to the reader.

In days of yore, only generals and prostitutes wrote memoirs. I don’t know who read the general’s memoirs, but the prostitutes had a vast audience eager for their exciting tales.

Today, anyone can write a memoir. Movie stars wishing for a few more seconds of fame, politicians seeking a bigger voting audience or an ego boost, and everyday people just wanting to tell their stories.


I think most of us ordinary people write our memoirs so that we can connect with our families and friends. We want to pass on to them who we are and what we value. Mostly, though, we think our lives are not important enough to write down, so the next generation is left with the job.

They go about it with the best of intentions, and the worst of knowledge. Bits and pieces of stories that they remember Mom and Dad telling, differing greatly from the stories their siblings remember. That makes my case for writing our own stories. Who do you want telling your story? (The answer isn’t as obvious as it sounds. I have avoided telling my kids about my early dating years so they have come up with a pretty amazing romantic life for me. My version is truer, but theirs is funner.)

Why should we write our memoirs at all? Here is a short list
-To connect with those around you including your descendants
-To relive the memories
-To pass along your heritage
-To pass along your values
-To give your posterity a firm foundation
-To leave your testimony in words and acts
-To iron out differences

The son of a WWII veteran talked his father into writing his autobiography, The father had been emotionally distant for all of his son’s life. In writing the memoirs, the son learned of his father’s horrifying experiences as a prisoner of war in Japan. Finally he understood the emotion pain of his father and why he had not been available to his son for all of those years. They were able to become closer as they worked together and discussed those long lost years.

-As therapy.

Sometimes we just need to get things out of our systems and the only way to do it is to write it down. This is valuable purpose for writing a memoir, but it might not be something you will want to share. Someone reading these entries may not understand the background and circumstance and may misconstrue what you say.

There is more to writing memoirs, but this is enough for one blog. Thanks for listening.

American Fork Arts Council Writers' Conference

Good Sabbath to you!

Yesterday I spent the day at the American Fork Arts Council Writers' Conference. They hold one of these conferences about every 6 months, but this was my first one. And, it was great!

I enjoyed the workshops and talks by published LDS authors. One of the workshops I went to was about writing non-fiction. It was taught by Caleb Warnock and Annette Lyon. I went expecting to hear about writing non-fiction books and they covered that somewhat, but it really was more about writing magazine articles. Several interesting points were brought out, of which I had been ignorant.

1. The market for non-fiction is much more open to new writers than that of fiction.
2. The slush pile for non-fiction articles is much smaller, so your chances of getting published is much greater.
3. Magazines, including obscure trade magazines, are hungry for clear, cleanly written, well researched articles.
4. Unlike fiction, the non-fiction writer doesn't have to create a following or "get their name out there" before making money from their craft.
5. Although it is non-fiction writing, the elements of good fiction writing are still applicable, particularly creative, narrative voice and having a beginning, middle and end.
6. The turn-around time to get published is much shorter for magazines than for novels, the typical amount of time between submission and publication being about six months.
7. You can write non-fiction articles while you're working on more extensive projects. For example, you can write some articles and get some money to pay for Christmas.

If, like me, you haven't thought about writing non-fiction articles, it may be worth your time to look into it. A good place to start is www.ratracerebellion.com

Good luck to you and, happy writing!

My Brief Visit to the Mountaintop

By Keith N Fisher

I did two days of job workshops and a licensing test this week. Finding time to write and do the things that refresh my soul was difficult. Do you sometimes envy those poor souls who sit on mountaintops? I mean the metaphorical gurus who escaped society and wait for someone to make a pilgrimage to ask the meaning of life. Those guys have nothing to do but ponder the important questions and impart their wisdom.

During busy days when I try and carve out writing time, I do envy them. It seems, however, that whenever the planets align themselves just right, giving me time to write I worry about the future and taking care of the necessary things of life. I long for time with nothing to do but write.

I’m sure retirement (if I can ever afford it) will be a nightmare of epic proportions. Unless I can inherit a box of cash and have all my obligations taken care of.

With that being said, I carved out a morning to write this week and things fell in line. My characters formed a committee and pushed away my worries. We wrote several chapters on the sequel to The Hillside. Now, I have 85,477 words and I only have three or four chapters left to write.

I tell you this, not to brag, (well, maybe a little) but to express my gratitude for the opportunity of artistic expression. Can you imagine life without something to fulfill your need to create?

Some people fill the need by building empires. Some dream of the perfect heist, then after they get caught, they dream of the perfect prison break. I get to do all three in the pages of my manuscript. I’m grateful for the blessing of writing and this week, I’m grateful for the morning when the planets aligned, and I was able to write.

Maybe someday I’ll be that guru sitting on the mountaintop of my front porch or a camp trailer near a lake. I’ll rise in the morning and make perfect paragraphs. Then, if someone comes asking the meaning of life, I’ll hand them the scriptures, and go back to writing. Then when I finish the scene I was working on, I’ll give my visitor a cup of hot chocolate and talk about life.

Good luck with your writing—see you next week.