Got writing excuses? Welcome to the club, but can we ban together and pledge to work on squashing those excuses? I do so much better when other people push me. I stick to a diet if it's a competition, and I get pumped up to walk when my neighbor asks me to walk with her. I'm all about supporting fellow authors in their pursuits and hope you will now raise your hand and repeat after me:
1. I will not say I don't have enough time to write. No one has enough time, but if writing is my passion, I will find the time and get it done. I don't have to look hard to find plenty of time-suck activities that would free up writing time if I dropped them, or even cut back.
2. I will stop saying it's a lost cause, that I'll never be any good, so why work so hard. Seems simple, my writing won't improve if I don't keep working at it, but I have to give myself a regular reminder that EVERYTHING is a work in progress, including me as a writer (and a person).
3. I will not blame negative feedback on a "stupid beta who doesn't know anything." Everyone is entitled to their opinion, even if I don't like it. Blaming the messenger doesn't get me looking deeper into my work for flaws.
4. I will not let some rejections or contest losses break my spirit. There is no excuse for giving up a dream.
5. I will stop saying I can't write without candy nearby. The unavoidable sugar coma always slows me down anyway, and wait...scratch that. We all need at least one, right?
September 01, 2010
August 26, 2010
Writing Candy #2
It's time for Writing Candy, where I press together my two favorite past times, writing and eating candy! I'm off candy right now and feeling half crazy from the detox. If I can't eat any, at least I can write about it. My candy for this installment is the "Taste the Rainbow" goodness of Skittles. Rainbows make me think of my 7th grade meteorology class and our lecture on ROY G BIV. (For those who don't remember, that's red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet.) To better myself as a writer, here are some of the things I strive to include in my day while eating Skittles. (Back when I was allowed to eat Skittles. Who am I kidding? My detox will likely be abandoned by the time you read this.)
R-Eat a red Skittle and read, read, read! I'm usually reading at least 3 books at once. My current trio includes a YA contemp, a piece of classic lit-tra-ture, and a thriller. I try to read something out of one book per day, whether it's a paragraph, or half the book.
O- Eat an orange Skittle and orate. Reading my work aloud makes a difference, and I'm talking about using character's mannerisms, accents -- everything. Those perfect (in my mind) sentences pop up their ugly troll heads when I start reading. I'm left tripping and stuttering, wondering who the heck wrote that piece of...
Y-Eat a yellow Skittle and YELL! I geta little very frustrated at times, and a good yell helps me get the creepy crawlies out of my system. You know what I mean, those things crawling around your brain that sound like words, good words, great words, but your brain holds them hostage and you can't get them down in the right order. A good yell can unscramble them, or at the very least keep me from feeling like I want to stab myself with a pen.
G-Eat a green Skittle and GO! I have to remember that thing called writing and actually do it. Get off my email, Twitter, Facebook, even all those wonderful blogs, and just write. When I power down from everything else, it's a miracle! I get real work done.
B-Eat a blue Skittle and brainstorm. I like to come up with several ideas, open documents for all of them, and write a sentence or two to get them started. It's a good way to let my thoughts take a detour when I feel bogged down by my WIP.
I-There isn't an indigo Skittle (which is just wrong), but to celebrate the I, the word is improvise. I get stuck on scenes, characters, dialogue, EVERYTHING, just like all writers do at times. When this happens, I improvise. I play the what-if game with the problem I'm having and write notes on the what-if's. After I look at my possible solutions, one of them is usually a winner. (Until I go back to O)
V-Eat a violet (okay, purple) Skittle, veg, and promise. Sometimes a good 30 to 60 minute veg is necessary, even crucial, to getting the thousands of thoughts fighting in my head to stand at attention in a nice straight line until it's their turn. After my veg, I promise to get right back to work and quit eating candy.
Okay, back to work now and I swear that was not a Skittles bag you just heard rattling...it was Twizzlers.
R-Eat a red Skittle and read, read, read! I'm usually reading at least 3 books at once. My current trio includes a YA contemp, a piece of classic lit-tra-ture, and a thriller. I try to read something out of one book per day, whether it's a paragraph, or half the book.
O- Eat an orange Skittle and orate. Reading my work aloud makes a difference, and I'm talking about using character's mannerisms, accents -- everything. Those perfect (in my mind) sentences pop up their ugly troll heads when I start reading. I'm left tripping and stuttering, wondering who the heck wrote that piece of...
Y-Eat a yellow Skittle and YELL! I get
G-Eat a green Skittle and GO! I have to remember that thing called writing and actually do it. Get off my email, Twitter, Facebook, even all those wonderful blogs, and just write. When I power down from everything else, it's a miracle! I get real work done.
B-Eat a blue Skittle and brainstorm. I like to come up with several ideas, open documents for all of them, and write a sentence or two to get them started. It's a good way to let my thoughts take a detour when I feel bogged down by my WIP.
I-There isn't an indigo Skittle (which is just wrong), but to celebrate the I, the word is improvise. I get stuck on scenes, characters, dialogue, EVERYTHING, just like all writers do at times. When this happens, I improvise. I play the what-if game with the problem I'm having and write notes on the what-if's. After I look at my possible solutions, one of them is usually a winner. (Until I go back to O)
V-Eat a violet (okay, purple) Skittle, veg, and promise. Sometimes a good 30 to 60 minute veg is necessary, even crucial, to getting the thousands of thoughts fighting in my head to stand at attention in a nice straight line until it's their turn. After my veg, I promise to get right back to work and quit eating candy.
Okay, back to work now and I swear that was not a Skittles bag you just heard rattling...it was Twizzlers.
August 22, 2010
Dogapalooza-2010 Sheltie Rescue Picnic
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| A few of these aren't Shelties, but all are welcome! |
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| A tiny little guy who loves to play chase. Go Colts! |
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| Somebody figured out where the hamburgers were cooking! |
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| The chef made a lot of friends. |
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| Yellow bandanas mean we're up for adoption! |
For more pictures, bios, and recent updates from their fosters, go to http://www.sheltie-rescue.org/
August 20, 2010
A Shot In The Arm-Writer Style
Dear Writer Friends,
Yesterday, I got a real shot in the arm (tetanus), and well...it hurt! Today I'd like to give you the kind of shot in the arm that keeps you going and makes your day better. We all go through good times and bad, and I'd like to think we are there for each other to uplift as well as celebrate. Here's a quote that I hope helps you today if you've received a rejection recently, feel like your writing is suckish right now, or generally feel like this whole writing thing just isn't working out how you planned:
"What can any of us do with his talent but try to develop his vision, so that through frequent failures we may learn better what we have missed in the past."
Happy writing to you all! Never give up!
Michele
Yesterday, I got a real shot in the arm (tetanus), and well...it hurt! Today I'd like to give you the kind of shot in the arm that keeps you going and makes your day better. We all go through good times and bad, and I'd like to think we are there for each other to uplift as well as celebrate. Here's a quote that I hope helps you today if you've received a rejection recently, feel like your writing is suckish right now, or generally feel like this whole writing thing just isn't working out how you planned:
"What can any of us do with his talent but try to develop his vision, so that through frequent failures we may learn better what we have missed in the past."
William Carlos Williams-poet 1883-1963
Happy writing to you all! Never give up!
Michele
August 14, 2010
Writing Rituals...No Blood Involved
Every writer has a ritual, whether they know it or not. Some rituals are the planned obsessive kind, like an athlete wearing the same socks for every game, while others spring up without our permission. My personal ritual came about without planning. This funny thing happens whenever I start a new project -- the first and last lines pop into my head. I may have no idea what will be in-between those two lines, but the beginning and ending always come. A recent chat with writer friends brought up this topic and they were fascinated by my ritual. My response was, "Doesn't everybody do that?" I got the look and figured that was a no.
Soon after our discussion, I conducted ascientific random poll. No surprise, there's the usual music in the background, I need my coffee answers, while for others it's time of day, sitting in the same spot, using color-coded index cards, eating certain snacks, or even the same breakfast for those early bird writers. But the ritual that still has me scratching my head, is not being able to write a word without a title. Wow, I would never get one sentence strung together if I couldn't start without a title. A speaker at a recent conference said he must write his rough draft long hand...as in pen and paper. Writer's cramp, anyone? This is me bowing down to anyone who can hand write tens of thousands of words.
So tell me, writer friends, what are your writing rituals? I'm curious to know what gets you in the writing frame of mind.
Soon after our discussion, I conducted a
So tell me, writer friends, what are your writing rituals? I'm curious to know what gets you in the writing frame of mind.
August 09, 2010
A 3-Day High -- My MWW Conference Top 10
The Midwest Writers Workshop Conference is over (boo-hoo), and what a time I had! I met wonderful people from all over the country, attended some great workshops, and learned more than I could fit in one blog post. Narrowing down my top ten favorites was hard, but here is what I learned, observed, and filed away for the future.
1. Marcus Sakey's 6-point plan for writing suspense is awesome, and according to one attendee, so is his hair. During a Q&A, she asked him if they could trade, followed by another attendee who asked him about...let's get back to the 6 points:
A. Tell a story-Your MC must start with a conflict, go places, and face obstacles.
2. From agent Dr. Uwe Stender (TriadaUS Literary Agency): Never promise one story in a query or synopsis, then deliver another. Agents immediately feel duped. Let me give an example: Pretend you pitch a thriller which turns out to be a chick-lit/paranormal/sci-fi hybrid that you don't want to try and explain...you know, cause once they read it they'll understand. <----Don't do that.
3. Some people have a lot more guts than I do...like the woman I met who registered late, had no pitch session, and wrote in her name on the bottom of the list. Dang, I was in awe, but knew my weenie self couldn't have done that. I signed up ahead of time (the old-fashioned way). She did do the pitch and got a request for her ms, which proves the "no guts, no glory" theory.
4. From agent Suzie Townsend (Fine Print Literary Management): Synopses are evil, yet necessary. (Yes, an agent called them evil! She's on our side, guys.) In answer to my question about writing a YA with a male MC and getting it published, she explained that it's possible, but tricky. A boy as an MC must be balanced, but swoonworthy, because the majority of YA readers are girls. They have to be able to connect with him. Swoonworthiness noted!
5.Try to meet as many people as you can (i.e. stay on site). Drat, I missed the Saturday lunch, and apparently there was a lively discussion at one table amongst some paranormal writers who claim to really see and hear ghosts. I had to pick that day to feed my Penn Station craving. *headslap*
6. Yes, you should have your pitch ready before you get to a conference. I was asked by an agent to give one on the spot during lunch. After I pushed aside my shock and choked down my salad, I actually did it, and OMG, got a request!
7. From agent Amy Boggs (The Donald Maas Literary Agency): It's okay to do a comparison pitch, just don't compare your book to one of the biggest biggies. (You know, like Twi-something and H.Potter...I know my code is hard to crack, but try.) I always thought comparisons should NEVER be done -- lesson learned.
10. Don't be afraid to ask questions, even if you think they are dumb. The writing community is one of the most supportive and generous groups of people you will ever meet.
The Midwest Writer's Workshop Conference is one of the best, in my opinion. Give them a try next year! Conference dates for 2011 -- July 28-30.
1. Marcus Sakey's 6-point plan for writing suspense is awesome, and according to one attendee, so is his hair. During a Q&A, she asked him if they could trade, followed by another attendee who asked him about...let's get back to the 6 points:
A. Tell a story-Your MC must start with a conflict, go places, and face obstacles.
B. Make things worse-No matter how bad things are for your MC, add another twist.
C. Make your reader uncomfortable-The reader should care about your MC.
D. Tension comes from personal stakes-Your character must have something to lose.
E. EVERY character in your story must want something.
F. Make the end satisfying-The reader should feel it couldn't end any other way.
This is a very brief description of what we learned over several hours. Marcus Sakey is a knowledgeable and engaging speaker. Loved this session!
This is a very brief description of what we learned over several hours. Marcus Sakey is a knowledgeable and engaging speaker. Loved this session!
2. From agent Dr. Uwe Stender (TriadaUS Literary Agency): Never promise one story in a query or synopsis, then deliver another. Agents immediately feel duped. Let me give an example: Pretend you pitch a thriller which turns out to be a chick-lit/paranormal/sci-fi hybrid that you don't want to try and explain...you know, cause once they read it they'll understand. <----Don't do that.
3. Some people have a lot more guts than I do...like the woman I met who registered late, had no pitch session, and wrote in her name on the bottom of the list. Dang, I was in awe, but knew my weenie self couldn't have done that. I signed up ahead of time (the old-fashioned way). She did do the pitch and got a request for her ms, which proves the "no guts, no glory" theory.
4. From agent Suzie Townsend (Fine Print Literary Management): Synopses are evil, yet necessary. (Yes, an agent called them evil! She's on our side, guys.) In answer to my question about writing a YA with a male MC and getting it published, she explained that it's possible, but tricky. A boy as an MC must be balanced, but swoonworthy, because the majority of YA readers are girls. They have to be able to connect with him. Swoonworthiness noted!
5.Try to meet as many people as you can (i.e. stay on site). Drat, I missed the Saturday lunch, and apparently there was a lively discussion at one table amongst some paranormal writers who claim to really see and hear ghosts. I had to pick that day to feed my Penn Station craving. *headslap*
6. Yes, you should have your pitch ready before you get to a conference. I was asked by an agent to give one on the spot during lunch. After I pushed aside my shock and choked down my salad, I actually did it, and OMG, got a request!
7. From agent Amy Boggs (The Donald Maas Literary Agency): It's okay to do a comparison pitch, just don't compare your book to one of the biggest biggies. (You know, like Twi-something and H.Potter...I know my code is hard to crack, but try.) I always thought comparisons should NEVER be done -- lesson learned.
8 From Jane Friedman of Writer's Digest: Heck, I wouldn't even know where to begin. Do yourself a favor and SCOUR her blog from top to bottom. http://blog.writersdigest.com/norules/
9. A writer's conference is like a box of chocolates, you never know...wait, I didn't mean to put that down. Never mind.
10. Don't be afraid to ask questions, even if you think they are dumb. The writing community is one of the most supportive and generous groups of people you will ever meet.
The Midwest Writer's Workshop Conference is one of the best, in my opinion. Give them a try next year! Conference dates for 2011 -- July 28-30.
August 04, 2010
I'm Not A Librarian, But I Play One on TV
At the beginning of every school year, the call goes out for parent volunteers. Parents groan, throw away requests for help, and dodge the school faculty even if it means diving into the bathroom or running to their cars. (I swear I haven't done this...much)
I'll admit going on field trips isn't my favorite, and if I volunteer in the classroom the teachers tend to offer me the messiest craft possible or ask me to help their most unruly group of kids with a "big" project.
Last year was different, sorta. I did go on field trips and spend some time in the classroom trenches, but then there was the library. My children brought home a lovely green sheet of paper asking for library volunteers and my antennae went up. I thought, hmmm, the library? Why, that's that wonderful place full of books with plastic covers, and bar codes, and paper...I had to wipe my chin. "Sign me up!" I said. And I waited.
I started getting whiny when no one called me right away. "Am I not good enough? Not qualified? What's the deal," I said. My mother gently reminded me that I wasn't interviewing for a job. "Be patient," she said.
Turns out, our school librarian, a wonderful woman named Sandy, has zero help besides parents and she had no time to call me. She's working under some tough conditions with huge budget cuts and this year we suffered the loss of the RIF program. Sandy did call when she had a chance and we hit it off in, oh, approximately five seconds. I started my library tour of duty the following Monday and never looked back.
I learned the computer system and the organization of the books, and by the end of day one I was on a library high. There's nothing like helping a five-year-old find the David (David Shannon) books or any of the Henry and Mudge series (Cynthia Rylant), but what really got me going was the little guys and gals who could barely see over the top of the counter lugging up Artemis Fowl (Eoin Colfer) or Harry Potter (JK Rowling). The excitement in their eyes and the anticipation in their voices was enough to make me squeal every Monday. We finally stopped shelving Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Jeff Kinney) because it never stayed there long enough to make the trip worthwhile.
Every parent has limits on their free time and we all have to choose how to spend it. I wouldn't trade my library time for a big fat paycheck because I got paid in smiles, hugs, and the reward of seeing children fall in love with reading. For all you parents who have been training sprints over the summer to run from the volunteer squad, think about saying yes to the library if you can. You'll get so much more than you give.
I'll admit going on field trips isn't my favorite, and if I volunteer in the classroom the teachers tend to offer me the messiest craft possible or ask me to help their most unruly group of kids with a "big" project.
Last year was different, sorta. I did go on field trips and spend some time in the classroom trenches, but then there was the library. My children brought home a lovely green sheet of paper asking for library volunteers and my antennae went up. I thought, hmmm, the library? Why, that's that wonderful place full of books with plastic covers, and bar codes, and paper...I had to wipe my chin. "Sign me up!" I said. And I waited.
I started getting whiny when no one called me right away. "Am I not good enough? Not qualified? What's the deal," I said. My mother gently reminded me that I wasn't interviewing for a job. "Be patient," she said.
Turns out, our school librarian, a wonderful woman named Sandy, has zero help besides parents and she had no time to call me. She's working under some tough conditions with huge budget cuts and this year we suffered the loss of the RIF program. Sandy did call when she had a chance and we hit it off in, oh, approximately five seconds. I started my library tour of duty the following Monday and never looked back.
I learned the computer system and the organization of the books, and by the end of day one I was on a library high. There's nothing like helping a five-year-old find the David (David Shannon) books or any of the Henry and Mudge series (Cynthia Rylant), but what really got me going was the little guys and gals who could barely see over the top of the counter lugging up Artemis Fowl (Eoin Colfer) or Harry Potter (JK Rowling). The excitement in their eyes and the anticipation in their voices was enough to make me squeal every Monday. We finally stopped shelving Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Jeff Kinney) because it never stayed there long enough to make the trip worthwhile.
Every parent has limits on their free time and we all have to choose how to spend it. I wouldn't trade my library time for a big fat paycheck because I got paid in smiles, hugs, and the reward of seeing children fall in love with reading. For all you parents who have been training sprints over the summer to run from the volunteer squad, think about saying yes to the library if you can. You'll get so much more than you give.
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