Susan spanked me--not literally, verbally--but it did the job. She took me to task for not responding to everyone's comments.
I apologize. I did wonder if that was part of blog etiquette, but I failed to follow through and find out. I have no excuse for not responding. So sorry, I'll be better about it in the future.
2/15/09
2/13/09
Heroes & Heroines
I. AM. STOKED.
Tami Cowden is coming to town tomorrow. She's presenting a workshop sponsored by my old RWA chapter, Romance Writers Ink. I quit the chapter at the end of last year since the direction of my writing is moving away from romance and is heading toward a different genre, Urban Fantasy. That said, I'd be stupid not to take advantage of her presentation of her 16 master archetypes. Yes, the book is labelled Heroes & Heroines and it seems to be geared toward romance, but, as I've mentioned in other posts, I firmly believe in cross-training. A writer who thinks there is nothing left to learn is not very far sighted (How very PC of me, hm? Normally, I would have said, stupid, but I didn't).
There is ALWAYS something to learn and discover.
I just wish I had time this last week to reread the book. I bought it about seven years ago and read it then, but haven't picked it up since then. *sigh* Isn't that the way it always works?
I did manage to skim through it and there is a buttload of info. Even if you don't write romances, you can still read how your main protagonist will react to other personality types.
Write on!
Tami Cowden is coming to town tomorrow. She's presenting a workshop sponsored by my old RWA chapter, Romance Writers Ink. I quit the chapter at the end of last year since the direction of my writing is moving away from romance and is heading toward a different genre, Urban Fantasy. That said, I'd be stupid not to take advantage of her presentation of her 16 master archetypes. Yes, the book is labelled Heroes & Heroines and it seems to be geared toward romance, but, as I've mentioned in other posts, I firmly believe in cross-training. A writer who thinks there is nothing left to learn is not very far sighted (How very PC of me, hm? Normally, I would have said, stupid, but I didn't).
There is ALWAYS something to learn and discover.
I just wish I had time this last week to reread the book. I bought it about seven years ago and read it then, but haven't picked it up since then. *sigh* Isn't that the way it always works?
I did manage to skim through it and there is a buttload of info. Even if you don't write romances, you can still read how your main protagonist will react to other personality types.
Write on!
2/11/09
Ahead of The Game
Everything in life is a game.
Losing weight is a game. (and no, standing up so the calories run out your feet doesn't count)
Dealing with your coworkers is a game.
Manipulating your child into NOT having nightmares is a game.
And writing is a game.
The key is to learn the rules and then bend them when needed. (yeah, I know I'm gonna get flack for this)
1) Losing weight: instead of eating five tortilla chips break one into five pieces. Salsa is zero calorie, so you get five times the satisfaction from on tortilla chip. Or do the fork technique while eating salad, dip the fork in salad dressing then spear the lettuce. The dressing is the last taste on your tongue when you pull the fork from your mouth. After eating the salad, check the little pot of dressing. I usually use 1/5 of it.
2) Coworkers: if you butt heads with someone, avoid them. Simple, huh? If you must work along side, keep it business only, until you get home then bitch about it to your wife. (yeah, been there, recently) Or my trick, be so obtuse that you didn't know someone was being snippy to you. ;-) yeah, me again.
3) Manipulating kiddo: Sometimes the kiddo decides she's going to be scared about something. Time to replace that 'thing' with a new story. Invent a story or simply lie *gasp* to the child. Shoot, we started the "you're going to college brainwashing" when she was an infant. At 8, she knows she's going to college.
4) Writing: is the biggest game out there. True, you need to learn how to write, that's why there are the so called 'rules', which are really guidelines, but you also need to learn punctuation, grammar, and structure. Once you learn the rules BREAK THEM. Rules make for a very sterile story. The only way to learn your voice or writing style is to expand your horizons.
I've struggled with writing for years up, learning grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, until last summer. Then I got it. Don't get me wrong, I still have my personal list of rules that I follow, but I had to realize that if I'm going to get rejected I want to be rejected for my own story, and not a compilation of other people's opinions, which is subjective anyway!
Am I still getting rejected? Hell, yes! Because . . .
writing is a game.
Write on!
Losing weight is a game. (and no, standing up so the calories run out your feet doesn't count)
Dealing with your coworkers is a game.
Manipulating your child into NOT having nightmares is a game.
And writing is a game.
The key is to learn the rules and then bend them when needed. (yeah, I know I'm gonna get flack for this)
1) Losing weight: instead of eating five tortilla chips break one into five pieces. Salsa is zero calorie, so you get five times the satisfaction from on tortilla chip. Or do the fork technique while eating salad, dip the fork in salad dressing then spear the lettuce. The dressing is the last taste on your tongue when you pull the fork from your mouth. After eating the salad, check the little pot of dressing. I usually use 1/5 of it.
2) Coworkers: if you butt heads with someone, avoid them. Simple, huh? If you must work along side, keep it business only, until you get home then bitch about it to your wife. (yeah, been there, recently) Or my trick, be so obtuse that you didn't know someone was being snippy to you. ;-) yeah, me again.
3) Manipulating kiddo: Sometimes the kiddo decides she's going to be scared about something. Time to replace that 'thing' with a new story. Invent a story or simply lie *gasp* to the child. Shoot, we started the "you're going to college brainwashing" when she was an infant. At 8, she knows she's going to college.
4) Writing: is the biggest game out there. True, you need to learn how to write, that's why there are the so called 'rules', which are really guidelines, but you also need to learn punctuation, grammar, and structure. Once you learn the rules BREAK THEM. Rules make for a very sterile story. The only way to learn your voice or writing style is to expand your horizons.
I've struggled with writing for years up, learning grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, until last summer. Then I got it. Don't get me wrong, I still have my personal list of rules that I follow, but I had to realize that if I'm going to get rejected I want to be rejected for my own story, and not a compilation of other people's opinions, which is subjective anyway!
Am I still getting rejected? Hell, yes! Because . . .
writing is a game.
Write on!
2/10/09
Wheel of Fortune tarot card
Over a year ago I started a daily drawing of a single tarot card. For the most part I started doing this as 'research' for a characters. Yup, hubby thinks I'm weirding out on him, but he's the one who bought me the cards for Christmas! I told him to get over it and only start worrying if I collected crystals and burned incense.
. . . hm, maybe I need to shopping at the local New Age store, or pull out my undetectable poisons book and leave it next to my computer. BWAHAHAHAHA. Dude should know by now not to mess with a writer.
Anyway, when I pulled that card excitement tingled through my body. The tide is turning, change is on the way.
Yeah, Riight.
Reality check to self. I sent out about 9 partials/queries last week. This card meant the form letter rejections will start pouring in.
Of course, the mail was late, like it is every Monday, and it wasn't until after the kiddo's gymnastic class that I had her get the mail.
Lo and behold! One of my SASE had arrived from FinePrint. I took a deep breath and ripped it open.
Dear Author--
Yep, I think the Wheel of Fortune card certainly pegged it yesterday!
As I wrote this blog I was shuffling my cards for today
GREAT--I just drew THE DEVIL. I've Never drawn the Devil before. I looked up the meanings. Hm, one of the meanings is bondage--maybe I need to start writing Erotica's involving bondage instead of UF. What do you all think? No? That's not what they meant?
Oh, well, shit happens.
Write on!
. . . hm, maybe I need to shopping at the local New Age store, or pull out my undetectable poisons book and leave it next to my computer. BWAHAHAHAHA. Dude should know by now not to mess with a writer.
Anyway, when I pulled that card excitement tingled through my body. The tide is turning, change is on the way.
Yeah, Riight.
Reality check to self. I sent out about 9 partials/queries last week. This card meant the form letter rejections will start pouring in.
Of course, the mail was late, like it is every Monday, and it wasn't until after the kiddo's gymnastic class that I had her get the mail.
Lo and behold! One of my SASE had arrived from FinePrint. I took a deep breath and ripped it open.
Dear Author--
Yep, I think the Wheel of Fortune card certainly pegged it yesterday!
As I wrote this blog I was shuffling my cards for today
GREAT--I just drew THE DEVIL. I've Never drawn the Devil before. I looked up the meanings. Hm, one of the meanings is bondage--maybe I need to start writing Erotica's involving bondage instead of UF. What do you all think? No? That's not what they meant?
Oh, well, shit happens.
Write on!
2/9/09
Do YOU Have What It Takes?
I often wonder about this as many of my unpubbed friends can attest to. I'm certain they have gone through the same thing, over and over . . . and over. It's sort of cyclic and hormone related.
And, believe it or not, I think even published writers wonder about it, too.
Do you have what it takes to become a full-time writer?
True, I'm mainly concerned with writing a good novel at a relatively decent speed that I'm hoping some publisher will pick it up. Whereas the published author wonders if this book will be better than the last one. Deadlines, edits, copy edits, proposals are the proverbial Sword of Damocles hanging over the author's head. Multiply that for the authors who write for different publishing houses and/or genres or have two-three books coming out in a year. Yikes!
No wonder some 'inferior' books get published by normally stellar authors.
Even when I go through a period where I wonder why I write and if I'll ever get published, I always think of those authors who have been writing DECADES before they got published. There are a few of them out there. And you know what they all have in common:
PERSEVERANCE.
Timing and luck also play a part, but I don't have any real control over those factors.
I CAN control what I write and how much I write daily.
The key is to tough it out. Keep writing. If you want to give the submission phase a break, by all means do. Actually in this economy it will be rough selling. But don't discount it. I'm hearing many first time authors are getting a shot. Shoot, many authors are wondering if publishers will be buying their option books or simply 'downsizing'. Look at it this way--signing a first-timer is cheaper than paying the higher advances to the published author. It's the same way companies hire fresh-out-of-college workers and part-timers over more experienced, and expensive, workers.
So that's what I'm doing--writing.
Write On!
And, believe it or not, I think even published writers wonder about it, too.
Do you have what it takes to become a full-time writer?
True, I'm mainly concerned with writing a good novel at a relatively decent speed that I'm hoping some publisher will pick it up. Whereas the published author wonders if this book will be better than the last one. Deadlines, edits, copy edits, proposals are the proverbial Sword of Damocles hanging over the author's head. Multiply that for the authors who write for different publishing houses and/or genres or have two-three books coming out in a year. Yikes!
No wonder some 'inferior' books get published by normally stellar authors.
Even when I go through a period where I wonder why I write and if I'll ever get published, I always think of those authors who have been writing DECADES before they got published. There are a few of them out there. And you know what they all have in common:
PERSEVERANCE.
Timing and luck also play a part, but I don't have any real control over those factors.
I CAN control what I write and how much I write daily.
The key is to tough it out. Keep writing. If you want to give the submission phase a break, by all means do. Actually in this economy it will be rough selling. But don't discount it. I'm hearing many first time authors are getting a shot. Shoot, many authors are wondering if publishers will be buying their option books or simply 'downsizing'. Look at it this way--signing a first-timer is cheaper than paying the higher advances to the published author. It's the same way companies hire fresh-out-of-college workers and part-timers over more experienced, and expensive, workers.
So that's what I'm doing--writing.
Write On!
2/6/09
Writers: Psychotic Nutjob or Talented Artist
My family thinks I'm a nutjob . . . .uh, don't go there, people!
But I really don't care what they think, which is part of the problem. Yeah, I do have my moments where I use the shock factor (as hubster calls it) on them as I talk about killing a character, or inventing an animal, or having my faeries live on the Aurora Borealis, or wishing I had a brownie to clean up the house, but they don't understand me, and I have now become firmly implanted in their minds as a nutjob. My side of the family is chocked full of "engineers", "medical personal" and you know, "scientists". If you can't see, hear, smell, yadda, yadda, it ain't real. I used to be one of them, a med tech, and worked in a hospital for years, but now I'm different and they don't know how to categorize me.
The only people who understand me on my side of the family is my SIL, considering I have 8 bros and sis's that isn't saying much. She's supportive and helps me brainstorm through my writing problems and, I like to think, knows who I really am. Hubster and DD tolerate my quirkiness. Hubster is a network IT director, so he's firmly in the category of "engineer's" even though he doesn't technically have an engineering degree--it's the mental state of mind that I'm talking about here. They really felt a part of the writing process when they helped my brainstorm my children's picture books. I need to write a few more Peter stories, but I digress. It's the Urban Fantasy's that have them rethinking the nutjob situation.
On the hubster's side of the family, my MIL understands, sort of, she's an artist. So she understands different visions, subjectivity, and how you pour yourself into a work only to have it rejected. I still think she thinks I'm an oddball, but she doesn't really mind. Now, my Bro-in-law is interesting. He understands. He totally drives me nutso, not the same a nutjob mind you. He is a creative computer dude. And this may be why he drives me crazy--we are very similar--GAK! Brain overload, brain overload! Yeah, after knowing him for 18 years, I just figured this out. . . talk about my swift brain synapses.
Even when you find like minds, writing is still a lonely business. Only you can trust your vision and be true to yourself . . . even if everyone around you thinks you are a total nutjob.
So, what is the difference between a writing nutjob and an artist?
--a publishing contract.
You bet your sweet tookus it is. All is forgiven if you manage to get published. That means you are somebody. Someone took a chance on you, therefore you have talent.
Until that day, and probably even after, I'll remain Crazy Aunt Margaret, the nutjob.
Write on!
But I really don't care what they think, which is part of the problem. Yeah, I do have my moments where I use the shock factor (as hubster calls it) on them as I talk about killing a character, or inventing an animal, or having my faeries live on the Aurora Borealis, or wishing I had a brownie to clean up the house, but they don't understand me, and I have now become firmly implanted in their minds as a nutjob. My side of the family is chocked full of "engineers", "medical personal" and you know, "scientists". If you can't see, hear, smell, yadda, yadda, it ain't real. I used to be one of them, a med tech, and worked in a hospital for years, but now I'm different and they don't know how to categorize me.
The only people who understand me on my side of the family is my SIL, considering I have 8 bros and sis's that isn't saying much. She's supportive and helps me brainstorm through my writing problems and, I like to think, knows who I really am. Hubster and DD tolerate my quirkiness. Hubster is a network IT director, so he's firmly in the category of "engineer's" even though he doesn't technically have an engineering degree--it's the mental state of mind that I'm talking about here. They really felt a part of the writing process when they helped my brainstorm my children's picture books. I need to write a few more Peter stories, but I digress. It's the Urban Fantasy's that have them rethinking the nutjob situation.
On the hubster's side of the family, my MIL understands, sort of, she's an artist. So she understands different visions, subjectivity, and how you pour yourself into a work only to have it rejected. I still think she thinks I'm an oddball, but she doesn't really mind. Now, my Bro-in-law is interesting. He understands. He totally drives me nutso, not the same a nutjob mind you. He is a creative computer dude. And this may be why he drives me crazy--we are very similar--GAK! Brain overload, brain overload! Yeah, after knowing him for 18 years, I just figured this out. . . talk about my swift brain synapses.
Even when you find like minds, writing is still a lonely business. Only you can trust your vision and be true to yourself . . . even if everyone around you thinks you are a total nutjob.
So, what is the difference between a writing nutjob and an artist?
--a publishing contract.
You bet your sweet tookus it is. All is forgiven if you manage to get published. That means you are somebody. Someone took a chance on you, therefore you have talent.
Until that day, and probably even after, I'll remain Crazy Aunt Margaret, the nutjob.
Write on!
2/4/09
GAK! No Clue What to Post!
I realized about ten minutes ago that I forgot to post to this blog. I have one blog, how the heck could I forget about it? Thus, the GAK!
Okay, I've been a little busy this week, not writing my new story, but getting LC ready for the ABNA contest. I figured that as long as I was messing with it, I'd snail mail about 8 agents I haven't foisted this story on yet.
Of course, in the final hour, I decided to change the heroine's name. No one liked the acronym Puck, and over time, I got over myself and decided to change it. I changed it to Devin.
Yeah, yeah, it could still be a boy's name, but it is also Gaelic for defender. I liked it.
Now I had to do a 'find and replace' in my manuscript, synopsis and pitch. Find and replace is EVIL, pure and simple. Oh, I've had dealings with F&R and I've lost every single, freaking battle.
Oh, no, it isn't as simple as find Puck, and replace it with Devin, because it would place Devin in the middle of any word that has Puck in it--any word. So you put a space before and after and approve each and every change--oh, and don't forget to do the space thingy with the replacement word, because then you get a bunch of ,Devin . Then you have to leave out the space in front and not behind for the times when the name begins in a sentence, and go through it all again.
This isn't too bad with the synopsis and pitch, but when you have 350 pages, it becomes time consuming. After all this, you must check it once more to see if you missed anything.
So I finally subbed my entry to the ABNA and realized that I'd missed the beginning word change in the manuscript that I had downloaded.
CRAP!
Luckily, the contest allows you to fix things until the deadline. So I fixed and now I'll forget about it because I really, really doubt that I'll make the next round, but it is good practice.
How do you feel about entering contests? Do you worry about them or just forget about it and move on?
Write on!
Okay, I've been a little busy this week, not writing my new story, but getting LC ready for the ABNA contest. I figured that as long as I was messing with it, I'd snail mail about 8 agents I haven't foisted this story on yet.
Of course, in the final hour, I decided to change the heroine's name. No one liked the acronym Puck, and over time, I got over myself and decided to change it. I changed it to Devin.
Yeah, yeah, it could still be a boy's name, but it is also Gaelic for defender. I liked it.
Now I had to do a 'find and replace' in my manuscript, synopsis and pitch. Find and replace is EVIL, pure and simple. Oh, I've had dealings with F&R and I've lost every single, freaking battle.
Oh, no, it isn't as simple as find Puck, and replace it with Devin, because it would place Devin in the middle of any word that has Puck in it--any word. So you put a space before and after and approve each and every change--oh, and don't forget to do the space thingy with the replacement word, because then you get a bunch of ,Devin . Then you have to leave out the space in front and not behind for the times when the name begins in a sentence, and go through it all again.
This isn't too bad with the synopsis and pitch, but when you have 350 pages, it becomes time consuming. After all this, you must check it once more to see if you missed anything.
So I finally subbed my entry to the ABNA and realized that I'd missed the beginning word change in the manuscript that I had downloaded.
CRAP!
Luckily, the contest allows you to fix things until the deadline. So I fixed and now I'll forget about it because I really, really doubt that I'll make the next round, but it is good practice.
How do you feel about entering contests? Do you worry about them or just forget about it and move on?
Write on!
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