There is nothing like curling up in a nice comfy chair in front of the fireplace with a good book. Especially a mystery. Not only is there the pleasure of being drawn into another world and leaving your troubles behind for a short time, but also the excitement of trying to figure out “whodunnit” and how before the end of the book. Plus there are so many types of mysteries to choose from...cozy, hardboiled, noir, police procedural, and true crime just to name a few. One book I have lists twenty sub-genres for mysteries, a bit confusing for a novice like myself. So, I did some study and came up with some basics.
First, there are three types of sleuth, Amateur Detective, Semi-Pro and the Professional. Amateur Detectives are those who don’t get paid to solve crimes. Generally they are an ordinary person caught up in the circumstances. Whether in the wrong place at the right time or connected with the crime in some way they need to solve the crime. Usually this “need” to solve the crime has to do with clearing themselves or a friend of the crime. The Amateur Detective is quick thinking and usually less violent. Another plus is these amateurs can have careers such as landscaper, newspaper carrier, or veterinarian which make interesting backgrounds and characters.
Semi-Pro sleuths are those who have a connection to the crime solving business. They may be courtroom reporters, bailiffs or news reporters. Journalists and insurance investigators also make great semi-pro sleuths. Just make sure you get those job details correct. While these sleuths still need a reason to be involved in solving the crime, they have the advantage of not being held to the same rules as the police and private investigators, such as not having to reveal their sources.
Professional sleuths are the police, private investigators, detectives and those involved in law enforcement. Their reason for being involved in the crime is their job and they are bound to the rules and regulations of their profession. This career field also has some great possibilities for settings. From border patrol agents on the Mexican or Canadian borders, the small town marshal or FBI agents on the hunt for terrorists to James Bond spy thrillers; these are just a few to choose from. Again, you must get the details right with this type of sleuth. Many city police or sheriff’s departments give civilian ride alongs so check into that and take advantage if available. And remember, you can’t put a silencer on a revolver and those “six” shooters have to be reloaded for the seventh shot.
Next is the “tone” of mystery which really has to do with the character and degree of violence in the story. The most familiar type is the Cozy. Cozy mysteries tend to have an amateur sleuth and the violence is generally off stage. Often set in small communities, the crime leaves a gaping hole in the community and is generally committed by the neighbor that “would never do anything like that”.
Soft-boiled, hardboiled and noir deal mostly with the private investigators and again with degree of violence. These tend to be the “loner type” sleuth dealing with the gritty reality of a corrupt world. What the heck is “noir” you ask? Noir means black, as in the black spaces on a roulette wheel...think of the old black and white PI movies with Bogart and you can’t go wrong.
Once you know which type of sleuth and tone you can decide on type of mystery. You have plenty to choose from. Police Procedurals, Courtroom Procedurals, True Crime tend to deal with facts and procedures. Espionage mysteries take us to the world of the spy and possibly distant lands and exciting adventures. Historicals take us back in time either to a crime or a setting we may not be familiar with and require plenty of research to get those details right. Mysteries can also be romantic, fantasy or science fiction. The murder of the head of supply on outpost twelve in the delta quadrant of the Orion star system might lead all over the galaxy.
The most important thing to remember, I think...is to write what makes you happy. If you want to write a “cozy” with a private eye for the main character, go ahead. If you love fantasy, set your mystery in the days of knights, dragons and damsels in distress. Intrigued by a crime you see on the news...research it and see what comes of it. Don’t worry so much about the labels, besides they keep changing. Now, go write that mystery.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Will the Excitement Dwindle?
Since we are on the topic of writers conferences, I figured I would share a few thoughts about my Muse Online Writers Conference experience so far.
Without a doubt, I am loving it! Editors, writers, marketing gurus, all in one nice, online spot and it's all free. And believe me, I am taking advantage of it. I received an email from Nikki Leigh to say that every time she went out to the forum board she saw I had posted in another thread.
But what am I going to do once the conference is over?
Am I going to remember how excited I was to talk about the manuscript I finished last fall and the two partials I haven't touched in months? Will I take all the great advice I've received and put it to good use in my works in progress? Is this the year I am going to submit more queries than ever before?
Or will the excitement dwindle and become a long forgotten memory, like my goal to submit a short story at the beginning of this year (it remains half edited)? Will I tuck away the advice into folders on my PC and not look at it again until next year's conference? Will sending out an article to my editor once a month be the extent of my submissions?
I want to focus my attention on moving forward with my writing. If I don't, I've wasted all the time and effort I put into participating in the conference. Staying up until 2a.m. each night will have been for nothing. My family surviving on pasta for a week, will be for not.
My goals in the coming months must reflect my desire to increase my chances at getting published in more magazines and ezines.
Darn, I just gave Jean a reason to take out her prod!
Without a doubt, I am loving it! Editors, writers, marketing gurus, all in one nice, online spot and it's all free. And believe me, I am taking advantage of it. I received an email from Nikki Leigh to say that every time she went out to the forum board she saw I had posted in another thread.
But what am I going to do once the conference is over?
Am I going to remember how excited I was to talk about the manuscript I finished last fall and the two partials I haven't touched in months? Will I take all the great advice I've received and put it to good use in my works in progress? Is this the year I am going to submit more queries than ever before?
Or will the excitement dwindle and become a long forgotten memory, like my goal to submit a short story at the beginning of this year (it remains half edited)? Will I tuck away the advice into folders on my PC and not look at it again until next year's conference? Will sending out an article to my editor once a month be the extent of my submissions?
I want to focus my attention on moving forward with my writing. If I don't, I've wasted all the time and effort I put into participating in the conference. Staying up until 2a.m. each night will have been for nothing. My family surviving on pasta for a week, will be for not.
My goals in the coming months must reflect my desire to increase my chances at getting published in more magazines and ezines.
Darn, I just gave Jean a reason to take out her prod!
Monday, October 08, 2007
Lessons from a writer's conference...
Rhett sent me this a while back and in my busyness I never got around to posting it. So, thanks Mad, for the post and for your patience as it sat in my inbox hidden by so many other things.
Speck
Last weekend, I had the pleasure of teaching at the Harriette Austin Writers Conference at the University of Georgia. When I first attended this conference seven years ago, I was an unpublished newbie writer with little experience dealing with professionals in the writing field. Thanks to the people I met through HAWC through the past years, I made valuable contacts that helped me grow, improve, and eventually, publish.
As I usually do at the conference, I learned many new pointers on editing and promotion. One tremendously important truth stood far above the mechanics of writing; editors and agents are first of all, people.
In the rush to gain recognition, don’t we often forget this simple fact? Do we see them as either someone to place us in author’s heaven, or crush us underfoot? Yes, they do hold power. They have earned this through hard work and long hours. But, they have dreams, disappointments, bad days, and joys. They have feelings.
As I interacted with a group of agents and editors, I was amazed to hear stories of writers exacting horrible retribution for rejection of their manuscripts. On a regular basis, they deal with outright anger for offering constructive criticism. Is it no small wonder that most agents and editors don’t offer comments with their rejection letters? Hmm….
We talked about books, writing, and the business, but we also shared stories of our homes, beloved pets, and humorous life experiences. I came away with a new appreciation for these hard-working professionals who share our love of the written word.
As I continue on this journey, reaching for the stars and often coming up a little short, I pledge to remember the feelings of others. As with most things, kindness and respect shine the best light on us as writers.
Rhett (madhatter)
Speck
Last weekend, I had the pleasure of teaching at the Harriette Austin Writers Conference at the University of Georgia. When I first attended this conference seven years ago, I was an unpublished newbie writer with little experience dealing with professionals in the writing field. Thanks to the people I met through HAWC through the past years, I made valuable contacts that helped me grow, improve, and eventually, publish.
As I usually do at the conference, I learned many new pointers on editing and promotion. One tremendously important truth stood far above the mechanics of writing; editors and agents are first of all, people.
In the rush to gain recognition, don’t we often forget this simple fact? Do we see them as either someone to place us in author’s heaven, or crush us underfoot? Yes, they do hold power. They have earned this through hard work and long hours. But, they have dreams, disappointments, bad days, and joys. They have feelings.
As I interacted with a group of agents and editors, I was amazed to hear stories of writers exacting horrible retribution for rejection of their manuscripts. On a regular basis, they deal with outright anger for offering constructive criticism. Is it no small wonder that most agents and editors don’t offer comments with their rejection letters? Hmm….
We talked about books, writing, and the business, but we also shared stories of our homes, beloved pets, and humorous life experiences. I came away with a new appreciation for these hard-working professionals who share our love of the written word.
As I continue on this journey, reaching for the stars and often coming up a little short, I pledge to remember the feelings of others. As with most things, kindness and respect shine the best light on us as writers.
Rhett (madhatter)
Monday, October 01, 2007
Start Small…By Shobhan Bantwal
When I first decided to write women's romantic fiction based in India, I had to ask myself two basic questions: First, do American readers know anything about the life of an average middle-class Indian? Second, as a Hindu woman in her fifties, especially one who had an old-fashioned arranged marriage, what did I know about writing for mainstream American readers?
Not many American readers and moviegoers know a lot about Indian culture. The reason for this is because Indian writers and moviemakers have not been effective in portraying the true face of India to American audiences. The real India lies somewhere in between the glitz and glamour of Bollywood (Bombay Hollywood) movies and the poverty and despair of serious literary novels and documentaries.
As far as writing was concerned, I knew I was a good writer. But a published writer suggested that I start on a small scale first to test the waters, so I started writing short freelance articles about living in America for a number of Indian-American publications. They were received very well.
This minor taste of success led to short stories. Imagine my surprise when one of my stories won first place in a fiction competition and two others won honorable mention. Not bad, considering I was competing with hundreds of entries. Therefore I decided to take a short creative writing course at my local community college, which in turn led to aspirations of becoming a novelist.
But what was I going to write about? Most of my fellow Indian authors were well-known for writing highly literary novels that are about a slice of life or the human condition. I wanted to write what I enjoyed reading: women's fiction with strong romantic elements. But if I went against the grain, would anyone want to read the kind of fiction I wanted to write? After some deliberation I thought I would take up the challenge anyway.
At first my queries ended up in a lot of rejections. I realized my pitch letter was uninspiring, so I polished up the query and started the process all over again. All of a sudden I had a flurry of interest. Three offers of representation! I took what I thought was the best offer from Stephanie Lehamann of The Elaine Koster Agency from New York City, the agency that represents the literary sensation, Khaled Hosseini of The Kite Runner fame. I couldn't ask for a better agent since Stephanie herself is a multi-published chicklit author. She sold THE DOWRY BRIDE to Kensington Books in a two-book deal.
I had succeeded in doing what I had set out to do: convince myself and the world that it is possible for a 50 something Indian woman to write romantic fiction. Starting out on a small scale as a novice writer is probably the best advice I received, and I continue to give it to other aspiring authors: Dream Big but Start Small.
You can learn more about Shobhan and her writing at her website.
Not many American readers and moviegoers know a lot about Indian culture. The reason for this is because Indian writers and moviemakers have not been effective in portraying the true face of India to American audiences. The real India lies somewhere in between the glitz and glamour of Bollywood (Bombay Hollywood) movies and the poverty and despair of serious literary novels and documentaries.
As far as writing was concerned, I knew I was a good writer. But a published writer suggested that I start on a small scale first to test the waters, so I started writing short freelance articles about living in America for a number of Indian-American publications. They were received very well.
This minor taste of success led to short stories. Imagine my surprise when one of my stories won first place in a fiction competition and two others won honorable mention. Not bad, considering I was competing with hundreds of entries. Therefore I decided to take a short creative writing course at my local community college, which in turn led to aspirations of becoming a novelist.
But what was I going to write about? Most of my fellow Indian authors were well-known for writing highly literary novels that are about a slice of life or the human condition. I wanted to write what I enjoyed reading: women's fiction with strong romantic elements. But if I went against the grain, would anyone want to read the kind of fiction I wanted to write? After some deliberation I thought I would take up the challenge anyway.
At first my queries ended up in a lot of rejections. I realized my pitch letter was uninspiring, so I polished up the query and started the process all over again. All of a sudden I had a flurry of interest. Three offers of representation! I took what I thought was the best offer from Stephanie Lehamann of The Elaine Koster Agency from New York City, the agency that represents the literary sensation, Khaled Hosseini of The Kite Runner fame. I couldn't ask for a better agent since Stephanie herself is a multi-published chicklit author. She sold THE DOWRY BRIDE to Kensington Books in a two-book deal.
I had succeeded in doing what I had set out to do: convince myself and the world that it is possible for a 50 something Indian woman to write romantic fiction. Starting out on a small scale as a novice writer is probably the best advice I received, and I continue to give it to other aspiring authors: Dream Big but Start Small.
You can learn more about Shobhan and her writing at her website.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Writerly Lessons from a Pirate
Hey all...
I found this really cool blog for entrepreneurs on lessons from a pirate. Well...it didn't take long for me to see that writers could learn from pirates too. So, here's...
10 Lessons for Writers from a Pirate.
1. Get a Parrot - For writers, the parrot is a mentor. Mentors can speed up your trip along the voyage to publication. They'll teach you things it would take years for you to learn on your own. And while the proper mentor may be hard to find...they will definitely be worth the work.
2. Consider the EyePatch - Writers must see things differently than non-writers. We pay attention to what's going on around us and sometimes we write it down to use later. Things that seem normal or of no consequence to others trigger story ideas and excite the writer's soul.
3. Funky Pirate Wear & Eye Liner - Just as pirates don't conform, neither do writers. Our characters become our best friends and meeting a word count goal is cause for celebration.
4. Any Weather, Any Time - A pirate's ship and crew can handle any weather. So can writers. We take the good days with the bad or the acceptance letters right along with the rejection letters.
5. Live & Die by the Team - For a pirate, his crew is family and very important. Well, writers need a "team" too. Not only do we need a supportive "home" team, we need critique partners and readers. We need editors and agents. Then we need promo people.
6. Bicorne hat - Don't you just love the bocorne hat? Writers will wear the many different hats of our characters. We become our characters, we learn their jobs to get the details right. A writer has a varied barrel of knowledge to draw upon...and if we don't know, we'll find someone who does or take a class to learn ourself.
7. Peg Leg - The peg leg represents our limits. These may be lack of formal education or shoulder vultures. But we continue to strive toward our writing goals. We don't let self-doubt stand in our way.
8. Hook - Got to have a hook! Not only do we have to hook our readers, we have to hook the agents and editors. Here's where the team will come in handy...they'll help you polish that hook until it shines!
9. Treasure - For the writer, the Treasure is having others read our words and be touched by them. We'll do just about anything to get that treasure too. All day sessions at the puter, up half the night arguing with our characters about the plot lines... Nothing is too difficult as we make our way toward the treasure.
10. They just arrrrrrr! - Pirates don't have to be told they are pirates. They know they are. Same thing with writers. We just know we are meant to write. We have a passion that burns within us...a passion that insists we write. And so we do!
I found this really cool blog for entrepreneurs on lessons from a pirate. Well...it didn't take long for me to see that writers could learn from pirates too. So, here's...
10 Lessons for Writers from a Pirate.
1. Get a Parrot - For writers, the parrot is a mentor. Mentors can speed up your trip along the voyage to publication. They'll teach you things it would take years for you to learn on your own. And while the proper mentor may be hard to find...they will definitely be worth the work.
2. Consider the EyePatch - Writers must see things differently than non-writers. We pay attention to what's going on around us and sometimes we write it down to use later. Things that seem normal or of no consequence to others trigger story ideas and excite the writer's soul.
3. Funky Pirate Wear & Eye Liner - Just as pirates don't conform, neither do writers. Our characters become our best friends and meeting a word count goal is cause for celebration.
4. Any Weather, Any Time - A pirate's ship and crew can handle any weather. So can writers. We take the good days with the bad or the acceptance letters right along with the rejection letters.
5. Live & Die by the Team - For a pirate, his crew is family and very important. Well, writers need a "team" too. Not only do we need a supportive "home" team, we need critique partners and readers. We need editors and agents. Then we need promo people.
6. Bicorne hat - Don't you just love the bocorne hat? Writers will wear the many different hats of our characters. We become our characters, we learn their jobs to get the details right. A writer has a varied barrel of knowledge to draw upon...and if we don't know, we'll find someone who does or take a class to learn ourself.
7. Peg Leg - The peg leg represents our limits. These may be lack of formal education or shoulder vultures. But we continue to strive toward our writing goals. We don't let self-doubt stand in our way.
8. Hook - Got to have a hook! Not only do we have to hook our readers, we have to hook the agents and editors. Here's where the team will come in handy...they'll help you polish that hook until it shines!
9. Treasure - For the writer, the Treasure is having others read our words and be touched by them. We'll do just about anything to get that treasure too. All day sessions at the puter, up half the night arguing with our characters about the plot lines... Nothing is too difficult as we make our way toward the treasure.
10. They just arrrrrrr! - Pirates don't have to be told they are pirates. They know they are. Same thing with writers. We just know we are meant to write. We have a passion that burns within us...a passion that insists we write. And so we do!
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Burning the Candle at Both Ends
I'm exhausted. I could easily crawl into bed and sleep for at least four more hours.
But, I can't. Both my daughters are in school today and that means getting my rear end in gear so that I can accomplish as much from my to-do list as possible.
October and November are going to be big months around here. I have a radio interview to prepare for, workshops and chats I am participating in for the Muse Online Writers Conference, two Virtual Book Tours to coordinate, and my school visits during Musing Our Children's Reading and Writing Appreciation Week to prepare for and attend. This doesn't take into account my other writing related projects or all my volunteer work with church and my daughters' schools.
Is it any wonder that I stay up until 1am most nights?
Getting only four to five hours of sleep a night for over 3 months is beginning to take its toll. I am ill-tempered and have a short fuse. I procrastinate more often. Today, I awoke to a scratchy throat and sniffling nose.
So, have I really done me or my writing career any good? No!
I often remind people to take care of themselves. Today's society seems to be made up of a bunch of busy people moving in ten different directions all at once. Why is it I don't take the advice I dish out? Do I think somehow I am immune to getting run down? Will life suddenly fall into place only because I am depriving myself of much needed rest?
Today, I am determined to start taking my own advice. Whether that means cutting back on Internet surfing time or the one hour of television I allow myself each day, I am going to make a point to be in bed by 11PM most nights of the week. I owe it to myself and to my writing career to be the best I can be. I can't do that if I am stuck in bed nursing some virus that I got because I wasn't smart enough to get the rest I need.
Burning the candle at both ends doesn't work--never has and never will. If you want to make the most out of your writing time, make sure you do it with a clear, well-rested head.
But, I can't. Both my daughters are in school today and that means getting my rear end in gear so that I can accomplish as much from my to-do list as possible.
October and November are going to be big months around here. I have a radio interview to prepare for, workshops and chats I am participating in for the Muse Online Writers Conference, two Virtual Book Tours to coordinate, and my school visits during Musing Our Children's Reading and Writing Appreciation Week to prepare for and attend. This doesn't take into account my other writing related projects or all my volunteer work with church and my daughters' schools.
Is it any wonder that I stay up until 1am most nights?
Getting only four to five hours of sleep a night for over 3 months is beginning to take its toll. I am ill-tempered and have a short fuse. I procrastinate more often. Today, I awoke to a scratchy throat and sniffling nose.
So, have I really done me or my writing career any good? No!
I often remind people to take care of themselves. Today's society seems to be made up of a bunch of busy people moving in ten different directions all at once. Why is it I don't take the advice I dish out? Do I think somehow I am immune to getting run down? Will life suddenly fall into place only because I am depriving myself of much needed rest?
Today, I am determined to start taking my own advice. Whether that means cutting back on Internet surfing time or the one hour of television I allow myself each day, I am going to make a point to be in bed by 11PM most nights of the week. I owe it to myself and to my writing career to be the best I can be. I can't do that if I am stuck in bed nursing some virus that I got because I wasn't smart enough to get the rest I need.
Burning the candle at both ends doesn't work--never has and never will. If you want to make the most out of your writing time, make sure you do it with a clear, well-rested head.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Does It Run In The Family?
I don't know if I am what you would call a typical published author, but when I began writing at the age of fifteen it was with no thoughts of publication - I just had this compulsion to write. Over the years, my outlook remained the same, I wrote to amuse myself and friends, still with no thoughts of approaching a publisher. However, my outlook changed when I joined a writers' group at our local college and the lecturer who headed the group badgered me into submitting my work.
I work mainly on the computer and it was to the internet I turned when looking for a suitable publisher who would accept submissions electronically. Unfortunately, there seemed no such publishers in the UK therefore I turned my attentions to the USA. I had several novels under my belt but 'Dominic' a Georgian Romance, was the first one I sent out to All Romance Books - an ebook and POD publisher. They loved it and asked if I had any other manuscripts so I submitted 'My Dearest Friend', a Regency. They took both books but my debut was cut short when, due to the owners demise, All Romance Books was forced to close.
At that time, I was awaiting a heart bypass operation and, believing I had had my five minutes of fame, thought my publishing career was over. However, shortly after the operation, I decided to try submitting once again. I sent the two manuscripts out to Wings ePress who, within five weeks, offered me a contract on both books. At the same time I approached Triskelion with 'The Portrait', which they immediately took. Wings then accepted 'His Shadowed Heart' and with four books waiting for release, I began to feel that I was making some headway toward becoming a 'published author'. However, things don't always run smoothly in the publishing world and once again I was doomed for disappointment when Triskelion filed for bankruptcy before 'The Portrait' hit the shelves and, along with the other Triskelion authors, I am now awaiting the release of my rights so that I may submit elsewhere.
I write for the love of it and don't work to a trend or formula - I write what pleases me. I usually make a brief outline as to where I want the story to go and then just let it unfold. It's like watching a play evolve and quite often my characters take me off at a tangent. For instance, I didn't know when I began writing 'My Dearest Friend' that Stefan had an illegitimate daughter until the sergeant strolled onto the stage and told me.
In my youth, I never envisioned myself becoming a published author and even now, when I stop and think about it, it doesn't seem quite real. People often ask me why I write and the answer is that I don't know - it's just a compulsion that I can't ignore. Their next question is does it run in the family and up until now I have always said no - then I remembered what my mother told me about my maternal grandfather. James Hackney was a quiet man. He could neither read or write and worked on the kilns at a pottery manufacturers. However, he was a poet and story teller who was in great demand in the 1920's and 30's. It amazes me that, without the ability to write, he was able to commit so much to memory. Perhaps it does run in the family after all!
Hazel Statham
I work mainly on the computer and it was to the internet I turned when looking for a suitable publisher who would accept submissions electronically. Unfortunately, there seemed no such publishers in the UK therefore I turned my attentions to the USA. I had several novels under my belt but 'Dominic' a Georgian Romance, was the first one I sent out to All Romance Books - an ebook and POD publisher. They loved it and asked if I had any other manuscripts so I submitted 'My Dearest Friend', a Regency. They took both books but my debut was cut short when, due to the owners demise, All Romance Books was forced to close.
At that time, I was awaiting a heart bypass operation and, believing I had had my five minutes of fame, thought my publishing career was over. However, shortly after the operation, I decided to try submitting once again. I sent the two manuscripts out to Wings ePress who, within five weeks, offered me a contract on both books. At the same time I approached Triskelion with 'The Portrait', which they immediately took. Wings then accepted 'His Shadowed Heart' and with four books waiting for release, I began to feel that I was making some headway toward becoming a 'published author'. However, things don't always run smoothly in the publishing world and once again I was doomed for disappointment when Triskelion filed for bankruptcy before 'The Portrait' hit the shelves and, along with the other Triskelion authors, I am now awaiting the release of my rights so that I may submit elsewhere.
I write for the love of it and don't work to a trend or formula - I write what pleases me. I usually make a brief outline as to where I want the story to go and then just let it unfold. It's like watching a play evolve and quite often my characters take me off at a tangent. For instance, I didn't know when I began writing 'My Dearest Friend' that Stefan had an illegitimate daughter until the sergeant strolled onto the stage and told me.
In my youth, I never envisioned myself becoming a published author and even now, when I stop and think about it, it doesn't seem quite real. People often ask me why I write and the answer is that I don't know - it's just a compulsion that I can't ignore. Their next question is does it run in the family and up until now I have always said no - then I remembered what my mother told me about my maternal grandfather. James Hackney was a quiet man. He could neither read or write and worked on the kilns at a pottery manufacturers. However, he was a poet and story teller who was in great demand in the 1920's and 30's. It amazes me that, without the ability to write, he was able to commit so much to memory. Perhaps it does run in the family after all!
Hazel Statham
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Clarity in Our Communications
I slid into a hot bath last night and pulled Judo Moreo's latest book, You Are More Than Enough Every Woman's Guide to Purpose, Passion & Power off the corner of the tub and found my place (marked securely with the attached blue satin bookmark).
I read the words "Powerful Communication" and stopped. Communication is something I've always struggled with. I think that's part of why I'm a writer--it gives me time to compile my thoughts instead of trying to scramble them together with people surrounding me, waiting for an answer.
Judi shared the eight realities about communication that exist at any given time.
* What I mean to say
* What I actually do say
* What you heard me say
* What you thought you heard me say
* What you mean to say
* What you actually do say
* What I heard you say
* What I thought I heard you say
I thought about these realities for several minutes and then I started reading again to see how I could apply what Judi had to say about powerful communication to my life.
But, then I had another thought--the first four realities also apply to our writing.
When I sit down and create a story, I can see the picture of it clearly in my head. I know what I mean when I write those words. I know what I am implying through the actions of my characters. I know what message I want to send to the reader.
But often times, what I have written and how the reader interprets it, are two different things. I usually discover this during a critique when a comment comes back and I think, "That's not what I meant at all."
When we sit down to write, it is important to remember the realities of communication and to strive for clarity so what we say on paper is the same as what the reader sees in his head, because we are not standing in front of the reader to explain what we meant.
I read the words "Powerful Communication" and stopped. Communication is something I've always struggled with. I think that's part of why I'm a writer--it gives me time to compile my thoughts instead of trying to scramble them together with people surrounding me, waiting for an answer.
Judi shared the eight realities about communication that exist at any given time.
* What I mean to say
* What I actually do say
* What you heard me say
* What you thought you heard me say
* What you mean to say
* What you actually do say
* What I heard you say
* What I thought I heard you say
I thought about these realities for several minutes and then I started reading again to see how I could apply what Judi had to say about powerful communication to my life.
But, then I had another thought--the first four realities also apply to our writing.
When I sit down and create a story, I can see the picture of it clearly in my head. I know what I mean when I write those words. I know what I am implying through the actions of my characters. I know what message I want to send to the reader.
But often times, what I have written and how the reader interprets it, are two different things. I usually discover this during a critique when a comment comes back and I think, "That's not what I meant at all."
When we sit down to write, it is important to remember the realities of communication and to strive for clarity so what we say on paper is the same as what the reader sees in his head, because we are not standing in front of the reader to explain what we meant.
Monday, September 03, 2007
The Road to Publication by Caridad Pineiro
With my seventeenth novel, SOUTH BEACH CHICAS CATCH THEIR MAN, about to be released by Simon & Schuster's Downtown Press, one of the most common questions I get asked is "What do I need to do to get published?"
The most obvious answer is that you sit down and start writing your book and surprisingly that is not the answer I would give most beginning writers.
Why? Having started off that way myself, I found that it took me quite some time to learn some very important things about both the craft and the business of writing. Things that I needed to know in order to finally sell my first novel.
So what would I recommend to someone as the steps to take in the road to publication?
1. What genre will your book fit in? Is the book you wish to write a romantic suspense, paranormal, women's fiction, cozy mystery or does it fall into any of the dozens of other genres that exist in the Publishing world?
Why is this important? Unless you are writing literary fiction, it is important to understand the nature of the genre and what is expected for that genre. The genre is shorthand for a certain set of expectations that editors and readers will have about the story. Editors like to be able to say at their editorial meetings "I've got a great women's fiction piece about four friends living in Miami that I'd like to acquire."
Not sure what genre? For a list of sub-genres in the romance industry, check out the list at the Romance Writer of America. For non-romance fiction genres, here's another good spot for you to check.
2. Which publishers would be interested in your book? Go to the shelves of your local library or bookstore. See what books would be similar to what you would like to write. It will give you an idea of what publishers are interested in that kind of work. Open the book and check the dedication or acknowledgements. That might give you a clue as to the editor or agent who bought and/or represented the novel.
3. Check the guidelines for those agents and/or editors. Many publishers have their guidelines on their websites. Eharlequin is a great example of publisher's guidelines. The guidelines will tell you how long the book should be, which editors are interested in acquiring, etc. Unfortunately, the guidelines may also say that the publisher will only accept manuscripts from agents. You can also look at books from Writers Digest and there's a great book by Jeff Herman that I recommend -- Jeff Herman's Guide to Book Editors, Publishers, and Literary Agents.
Once you know what genre you are going to tackle and what the length of the book will be, you can start to "write" and avoid needless revisions because the book was too long, too short, didn't have the right elements for the genre, etc.
4. How do I know that my writing is any good? The next step is to find a group that will help you improve the craft of writing. You may find a critique group at a local book store or library (For example, I host one at a local book store). If the genre in which you are writing has an association, see if you can join. For example, the Romance Writers of America has both a national chapter and local chapters that meet and provide workshops and conferences on the craft. With every book you write your skill as a writer should grow. I find that with each editor with whom I work, I learn something new and valuable that I try to apply to future novels.
5. Do I have to finish the book in order to submit it? In general, editors and agents will like to see complete manuscripts from unpublished authors or even published authors if they are writing in a different genre. This happened to me on two occasions. First when I went from writing contemporary romances to paranormals and again when I went from paranormals to women's fiction. So the answer is generally, "Yes, you should finish the book."
6. The book is finished so how do I submit? See 2 and 3 above. Check the guidelines and understand which publishing houses require agents and which don't. When it comes to both agents and publishers, if anyone asks for money up front, reconsider. Agents and publishers should not ask for reading fees or fees to print your book in general. Some e-publishers will charge nominal set-up fees to print a previously e-published book.
7. The book is finished and submitted. What do I do next? Start another book and get it ready to send out. Publishers like writers who can deliver books on a regular basis. It allows them to build you as a writer. I always have multiple projects in the works even when I am working on a contracted book.
I hope the above has been helpful and if you need any more advice, I have a Resources for Writers section on my site that you can check for more information or just drop me an e-mail by visiting my website.
The most obvious answer is that you sit down and start writing your book and surprisingly that is not the answer I would give most beginning writers.
Why? Having started off that way myself, I found that it took me quite some time to learn some very important things about both the craft and the business of writing. Things that I needed to know in order to finally sell my first novel.
So what would I recommend to someone as the steps to take in the road to publication?
1. What genre will your book fit in? Is the book you wish to write a romantic suspense, paranormal, women's fiction, cozy mystery or does it fall into any of the dozens of other genres that exist in the Publishing world?
Why is this important? Unless you are writing literary fiction, it is important to understand the nature of the genre and what is expected for that genre. The genre is shorthand for a certain set of expectations that editors and readers will have about the story. Editors like to be able to say at their editorial meetings "I've got a great women's fiction piece about four friends living in Miami that I'd like to acquire."
Not sure what genre? For a list of sub-genres in the romance industry, check out the list at the Romance Writer of America. For non-romance fiction genres, here's another good spot for you to check.
2. Which publishers would be interested in your book? Go to the shelves of your local library or bookstore. See what books would be similar to what you would like to write. It will give you an idea of what publishers are interested in that kind of work. Open the book and check the dedication or acknowledgements. That might give you a clue as to the editor or agent who bought and/or represented the novel.
3. Check the guidelines for those agents and/or editors. Many publishers have their guidelines on their websites. Eharlequin is a great example of publisher's guidelines. The guidelines will tell you how long the book should be, which editors are interested in acquiring, etc. Unfortunately, the guidelines may also say that the publisher will only accept manuscripts from agents. You can also look at books from Writers Digest and there's a great book by Jeff Herman that I recommend -- Jeff Herman's Guide to Book Editors, Publishers, and Literary Agents.
Once you know what genre you are going to tackle and what the length of the book will be, you can start to "write" and avoid needless revisions because the book was too long, too short, didn't have the right elements for the genre, etc.
4. How do I know that my writing is any good? The next step is to find a group that will help you improve the craft of writing. You may find a critique group at a local book store or library (For example, I host one at a local book store). If the genre in which you are writing has an association, see if you can join. For example, the Romance Writers of America has both a national chapter and local chapters that meet and provide workshops and conferences on the craft. With every book you write your skill as a writer should grow. I find that with each editor with whom I work, I learn something new and valuable that I try to apply to future novels.
5. Do I have to finish the book in order to submit it? In general, editors and agents will like to see complete manuscripts from unpublished authors or even published authors if they are writing in a different genre. This happened to me on two occasions. First when I went from writing contemporary romances to paranormals and again when I went from paranormals to women's fiction. So the answer is generally, "Yes, you should finish the book."
6. The book is finished so how do I submit? See 2 and 3 above. Check the guidelines and understand which publishing houses require agents and which don't. When it comes to both agents and publishers, if anyone asks for money up front, reconsider. Agents and publishers should not ask for reading fees or fees to print your book in general. Some e-publishers will charge nominal set-up fees to print a previously e-published book.
7. The book is finished and submitted. What do I do next? Start another book and get it ready to send out. Publishers like writers who can deliver books on a regular basis. It allows them to build you as a writer. I always have multiple projects in the works even when I am working on a contracted book.
I hope the above has been helpful and if you need any more advice, I have a Resources for Writers section on my site that you can check for more information or just drop me an e-mail by visiting my website.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
When Generations Collide
Back when my mother and mother-in-law were raising children, the terms "working mother" or "career mom" were unheard of. They were happy to be like June Cleaver, staying at home with their children while Ward worked and made all the money to maintain their place in middle class society.
Those days are long gone for many families. Women in the workforce are not the odd birds who couldn't find Mr. Right; they are women who want to have meaningful careers in addition to family lives. This issue has been discussed to death in my home as I have fought to carve out a writing career while raising two young children.
There are those in my family--immediate and extended--who believe I should shelve my writing career until both girls are in school, which means two years from now. This is contingent upon me not having to work outside of my house by that time, since any income I would make from my writing until then, would be gone.
And then there are those who understand that being a wife and mother isn't all of who I am. My writing is something I do for me and whether I ever get published or not, I would rather cut off one of my limbs than not be able to write.
So, where does that leave me? Positioned straight in the middle of two generations--one who remembers the days of Leave it to Beaver and Father Knows Best and who would prefer I be more like June Cleaver or Margaret Anderson, and the other who has always been filled with working mothers searching for ways to balance a career and family.
I'm not sure I'll ever know which one is best for my family, but I remember that old saying, "If Mom ain't happy, ain't nobody happy." So, I'm going for being happy and hoping it all works out.
Cheryl
Those days are long gone for many families. Women in the workforce are not the odd birds who couldn't find Mr. Right; they are women who want to have meaningful careers in addition to family lives. This issue has been discussed to death in my home as I have fought to carve out a writing career while raising two young children.
There are those in my family--immediate and extended--who believe I should shelve my writing career until both girls are in school, which means two years from now. This is contingent upon me not having to work outside of my house by that time, since any income I would make from my writing until then, would be gone.
And then there are those who understand that being a wife and mother isn't all of who I am. My writing is something I do for me and whether I ever get published or not, I would rather cut off one of my limbs than not be able to write.
So, where does that leave me? Positioned straight in the middle of two generations--one who remembers the days of Leave it to Beaver and Father Knows Best and who would prefer I be more like June Cleaver or Margaret Anderson, and the other who has always been filled with working mothers searching for ways to balance a career and family.
I'm not sure I'll ever know which one is best for my family, but I remember that old saying, "If Mom ain't happy, ain't nobody happy." So, I'm going for being happy and hoping it all works out.
Cheryl
Monday, August 27, 2007
On Knowing Your Characters by Marilyn Meredith
Because I've been the judge for many writing contests and was a writing instructor for Writers Digest School for many years, I've read many self-published books and manuscripts by new writers. One of the problems I've seen over and over is lifeless characters, or characters who are no more than a name.
Often it's not because the author doesn't know his or her characters, but rather the problem is not knowing how to develop the character on the page so the reader will know the character too.
First, each character should have an appropriate name: a name that fits his or her personality, a name that fits the type of book, the time period, a name that doesn't sound like, rhyme with, or start with the same letter as another character. The author needs to do everything possible to keep from confusing the reader.
To make sure not to give wrong information about someone, the author should have the facts about each character written down so that the hero doesn't suddenly change eye or hair color half way through the book.
The author should know enough about the history of the characters so that the motivation for doing things, or reacting in a certain way rings true.
With dialogue, does each character have a unique manner of speaking?
Instead of always using dialogue tags like he said, she said, using an action by the character who is speaking or a description as a dialogue tag, can be another opportunity for telling more about a character.
Some authors keep lengthy notes about each character which can be very helpful.
I've been writing about my heroine Deputy Tempe Crabtree for quite a few years. I know her better than I know any of my relatives or friends. That may sound strange, but I am totally aware of how she thinks, why she thinks it, and how she'll act in any given situation.
When writing about any point-of-view character, I try to "climb inside" him or her and see the world and what is going on through that person's eyes, hear what they hear, smell what they smell, feel what they feel, both emotionally and by touch. This works for me, perhaps it will work for you.
My next Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery is Judgment Fire from Mundania Press http://www.mundaniapress.com
To learn more about me and my books, visit http://fictionforyou.com
Often it's not because the author doesn't know his or her characters, but rather the problem is not knowing how to develop the character on the page so the reader will know the character too.
First, each character should have an appropriate name: a name that fits his or her personality, a name that fits the type of book, the time period, a name that doesn't sound like, rhyme with, or start with the same letter as another character. The author needs to do everything possible to keep from confusing the reader.
To make sure not to give wrong information about someone, the author should have the facts about each character written down so that the hero doesn't suddenly change eye or hair color half way through the book.
The author should know enough about the history of the characters so that the motivation for doing things, or reacting in a certain way rings true.
With dialogue, does each character have a unique manner of speaking?
Instead of always using dialogue tags like he said, she said, using an action by the character who is speaking or a description as a dialogue tag, can be another opportunity for telling more about a character.
Some authors keep lengthy notes about each character which can be very helpful.
I've been writing about my heroine Deputy Tempe Crabtree for quite a few years. I know her better than I know any of my relatives or friends. That may sound strange, but I am totally aware of how she thinks, why she thinks it, and how she'll act in any given situation.
When writing about any point-of-view character, I try to "climb inside" him or her and see the world and what is going on through that person's eyes, hear what they hear, smell what they smell, feel what they feel, both emotionally and by touch. This works for me, perhaps it will work for you.
My next Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery is Judgment Fire from Mundania Press http://www.mundaniapress.com
To learn more about me and my books, visit http://fictionforyou.com
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Sweat Equity
I've been contemplating a writer's career and I thought I'd share a few things I believe all serious writers share.
1. We share the concern that what we write is meaningful.
2. We sweat learning our craft. Rewriting until our fingers cramp and our eyes are blurry.
3. We shed tears making each sentence sparkle.
4. We bang our heads against hard surfaces when the prose is wrong but we can't put our finger on why.
5. We hold are breath counting the days till we get a response from an editor, all the while accepting that it will most likely be another rejection. Worse yet, a Form Rejection.
6. We walk around talking to characters in our heads.
7. We crawl out of bed in the dark coldness of night because a character is speaking and we have to get it down before it's gone.
8. We soar through the clouds when we finish a piece. Only to weep a week later as we read the dreck we once thought was perfect prose.
9. We shed tears of sorrow or laugh with joy when our characters, die, get the bad guy, fall in love, or learn to tie their shoes.
10. At the end of each day, we shut off the computer with a bit of sadness and anticipation for the work that lays ahead.
That list could go on and on, but we do these things repeatedly, because it's what it takes to succeed. The countless rewrites are what drives us to madness. However, it's that madness that we crave and draws us back time and again.
So tell me, are the others out there that are somewhat jealous of the posers? No, I'm not talking about the novice or the unpublished. I'm referring to the 'Celebrity' who because of their fame, never jump through the hoops we regular Joes err...writers do. They don't sweat a spliced sentence or a fragmented thought. "Oh dear, I've stubbed my toe, what pain and suffering. Oh look it's bleeding. I have an idea... I'll write a book," they say, and boom they're published.
I stumbled across a blogger who has something to say about all this and has started BACA...Bloggers Against Celebrity Authors.
Here's the link to motherreader the founder of BACA...enjoy
http://www.motherreader.com/2007/08/baca-off-again.html
IMHO, our sweat equity will pay off with much better dividends. There's still something to say about the people who have made it the old fashioned way...they've earned it.
1. We share the concern that what we write is meaningful.
2. We sweat learning our craft. Rewriting until our fingers cramp and our eyes are blurry.
3. We shed tears making each sentence sparkle.
4. We bang our heads against hard surfaces when the prose is wrong but we can't put our finger on why.
5. We hold are breath counting the days till we get a response from an editor, all the while accepting that it will most likely be another rejection. Worse yet, a Form Rejection.
6. We walk around talking to characters in our heads.
7. We crawl out of bed in the dark coldness of night because a character is speaking and we have to get it down before it's gone.
8. We soar through the clouds when we finish a piece. Only to weep a week later as we read the dreck we once thought was perfect prose.
9. We shed tears of sorrow or laugh with joy when our characters, die, get the bad guy, fall in love, or learn to tie their shoes.
10. At the end of each day, we shut off the computer with a bit of sadness and anticipation for the work that lays ahead.
That list could go on and on, but we do these things repeatedly, because it's what it takes to succeed. The countless rewrites are what drives us to madness. However, it's that madness that we crave and draws us back time and again.
So tell me, are the others out there that are somewhat jealous of the posers? No, I'm not talking about the novice or the unpublished. I'm referring to the 'Celebrity' who because of their fame, never jump through the hoops we regular Joes err...writers do. They don't sweat a spliced sentence or a fragmented thought. "Oh dear, I've stubbed my toe, what pain and suffering. Oh look it's bleeding. I have an idea... I'll write a book," they say, and boom they're published.
I stumbled across a blogger who has something to say about all this and has started BACA...Bloggers Against Celebrity Authors.
Here's the link to motherreader the founder of BACA...enjoy
http://www.motherreader.com/2007/08/baca-off-again.html
IMHO, our sweat equity will pay off with much better dividends. There's still something to say about the people who have made it the old fashioned way...they've earned it.
Monday, August 20, 2007
The TRUTH: I'm Ten, I'm Smart and I Know Everything
Psychology and self-help author Barbara Becker Holstein, Ed.D, author of THE TRUTH: I’m Ten, I’m Smart and I Know Everything! (Ladybug Press), has our guest post today. I think you'll find it interesting.
I've included a synopsis and an excerpt after the intro so keep on reading:--)
Speck
The Truth: I'm Ten, I'm Smart and I Know Everything Synopsis:
THE TRUTH ... how do we carry the truth from girlhood to adulthood? That priceless ‘truth’ that we all recognize as kids? How do we walk over that bridge into growing up, carrying the Truth? How do we recognize THE TRUTH in our children and help them carry their most precious selves into adulthood?
What if we could pass the gift of our early wisdom and brilliance along to our children, giving them permission to hold on to their most precious jewels?
My new book, THE TRUTH, My Secret Diary, I'm Ten, I'm Smart and I Know Everything, is a delightful, humorous secret diary, written by a girl who is 10-11 years of age. She is wise and yet so innocent. She makes us cry and laugh and remember ourselves. Behind this very easy read is the psychological message to the women reading THE TRUTH that they can and must recapture the fire and passion of their girlhoods not only for themselves to flourish and be happy, but for the next generation to also have the gifts of good emotional and spiritual health.
Women love the book and so do girls, ages 9-12. Women find it a pure delight-a hot fudge sundae with a secret message inside and no weight gain, while girls recognize themselves and finally feel totally understood!
It is a fascinating question as to why I wrote THE TRUTH, I'm Ten, I'm Smart and I Know Everything! I am filled with a passion to help both women and girls hold on to the best of themselves and not get swamped by the stresses and strains of life. Some people save forests and others save whales and all of it is good. I am compelled to save women and girls, as best I can. Life is hard but for most of us, if we understand our value as human beings and we work at it, we can stay treasuring our best friend and our constant companion-ourselves. I would like to now share the introduction to THE TRUTH as it further explains why I wrote this particular book geared to women and girls, and why I let the Truth be told by not me, but 'the girl.'
Introduction to THE TRUTH
Barbara Becker Holstein, Ed.D.
When I first came upon The Truth, I realized that it must be published. Twenty-five years of clinical work with women in my psychology practice has convinced me that many, many women forget the truth. We seem to forget what the ten- or eleven-year-old girl inside of us once knew with such certainty. We forget how strong we are. We forget how astute we are at sizing up the world. We forget our capacity to recover from hurts and build successful new relationships.
We forget so much of our childhood wisdom. We forget the excitement and enthusiasm that comes from letting our passionate natures come out to play. And we forget how to laugh, laugh from our bellies. We forget how to intensely react to daily life. So often we forget how to have fun. Many of us don’t allow the playful part of ourselves to come out. We don’t know how to let out, safely, the imp inside of us. And we forget how proud we can feel about ourselves.
I see it as a tragic loss—we have forgotten so many of the simple truths known to us in our girlhood. The cost is enormous. Many of us walk around depressed, feeling like we’re a balloon that has pins pricked into it. Many of us don’t achieve our birth right of living out our potential. Falling by the wayside, many of us are under utilized, under educated, and marginally productive. We spend our time ruminating, feeling bad, wishing we had made other choices with our lives, and often seeing ourselves as in hopeless situations. Too often we blame others, saying someone else is responsible for the decay of our own lives, having lost any sense that we are navigators of our lives. Like sleeping beauty, we await a prince to awaken us, rather than awaking ourselves to our own riches: our capacities for joy and fun, to create, study, invent, innovate, lead, recover, re-invent, feel, love, discover, share, etc.
When I came across The Truth I realized that here is an opportunity for us to see ourselves with fresh eyes and to feel once again the passions of girlhood. The girl’s truth may not be exactly your truth, but the girl has the power to stimulate, reminding us of our talents, our dreams, our wisdom and our resiliencies. Weren't you once determined to make adulthood better than what you saw as a girl? If the girl begins to mobilize you to bring to life the exciting woman that you were meant to be, then The Truth is not lost!
The Truth: I'm Ten, I'm Smart and I Know Everything Excerpt:
Dear Diary,
I have a secret. I was going through my mom and dad’s night tables while they were out, and I found these great tubes in my father’s night table. They said Trojan on the label. You have to unravel them really carefully and then you can fill them with liquid, just like test tubes. I went into the kitchen and put sugar and water in one of them, salt and cinnamon in another, oil and pepper in a third and cleaning powder and water in the last. I had fun shaking them. I pretended I was a scientist. I hope my parents didn’t mind that I opened all four of them. Why would my dad have test tubes? He’s not a chemist.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Diary,
I hate Gloria. Her teeth are too straight. She won’t need braces. That isn’t fair! Also, her thighs are slimmer than mine and don’t have little puckers on them. I hate my puckers. At the beach my mom told me to just hold my stomach in and no one will notice my legs. But that is NOT the truth!The truth is Gloria has nicer legs than I do, and she knows it. In dance class she does turns really easily. Who wouldn’t with those legs? I guess she will grow up to be a great dancer and I won’t. I think I’ll trip her accidentally when she walks by my desk.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Diary,
Today, when I came out of the shower, I lifted my arm in front of the mirror as I was drying myself, and I had three dark hairs growing from my right armpit! I can’t believe it. It is beginning.
Good news: nothing in the other armpit yet.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You can visit her blog at www.enchantedself.typepad.com/
I've included a synopsis and an excerpt after the intro so keep on reading:--)
Speck
The Truth: I'm Ten, I'm Smart and I Know Everything Synopsis:
THE TRUTH ... how do we carry the truth from girlhood to adulthood? That priceless ‘truth’ that we all recognize as kids? How do we walk over that bridge into growing up, carrying the Truth? How do we recognize THE TRUTH in our children and help them carry their most precious selves into adulthood?
What if we could pass the gift of our early wisdom and brilliance along to our children, giving them permission to hold on to their most precious jewels?
My new book, THE TRUTH, My Secret Diary, I'm Ten, I'm Smart and I Know Everything, is a delightful, humorous secret diary, written by a girl who is 10-11 years of age. She is wise and yet so innocent. She makes us cry and laugh and remember ourselves. Behind this very easy read is the psychological message to the women reading THE TRUTH that they can and must recapture the fire and passion of their girlhoods not only for themselves to flourish and be happy, but for the next generation to also have the gifts of good emotional and spiritual health.
Women love the book and so do girls, ages 9-12. Women find it a pure delight-a hot fudge sundae with a secret message inside and no weight gain, while girls recognize themselves and finally feel totally understood!
It is a fascinating question as to why I wrote THE TRUTH, I'm Ten, I'm Smart and I Know Everything! I am filled with a passion to help both women and girls hold on to the best of themselves and not get swamped by the stresses and strains of life. Some people save forests and others save whales and all of it is good. I am compelled to save women and girls, as best I can. Life is hard but for most of us, if we understand our value as human beings and we work at it, we can stay treasuring our best friend and our constant companion-ourselves. I would like to now share the introduction to THE TRUTH as it further explains why I wrote this particular book geared to women and girls, and why I let the Truth be told by not me, but 'the girl.'
Introduction to THE TRUTH
Barbara Becker Holstein, Ed.D.
When I first came upon The Truth, I realized that it must be published. Twenty-five years of clinical work with women in my psychology practice has convinced me that many, many women forget the truth. We seem to forget what the ten- or eleven-year-old girl inside of us once knew with such certainty. We forget how strong we are. We forget how astute we are at sizing up the world. We forget our capacity to recover from hurts and build successful new relationships.
We forget so much of our childhood wisdom. We forget the excitement and enthusiasm that comes from letting our passionate natures come out to play. And we forget how to laugh, laugh from our bellies. We forget how to intensely react to daily life. So often we forget how to have fun. Many of us don’t allow the playful part of ourselves to come out. We don’t know how to let out, safely, the imp inside of us. And we forget how proud we can feel about ourselves.
I see it as a tragic loss—we have forgotten so many of the simple truths known to us in our girlhood. The cost is enormous. Many of us walk around depressed, feeling like we’re a balloon that has pins pricked into it. Many of us don’t achieve our birth right of living out our potential. Falling by the wayside, many of us are under utilized, under educated, and marginally productive. We spend our time ruminating, feeling bad, wishing we had made other choices with our lives, and often seeing ourselves as in hopeless situations. Too often we blame others, saying someone else is responsible for the decay of our own lives, having lost any sense that we are navigators of our lives. Like sleeping beauty, we await a prince to awaken us, rather than awaking ourselves to our own riches: our capacities for joy and fun, to create, study, invent, innovate, lead, recover, re-invent, feel, love, discover, share, etc.
When I came across The Truth I realized that here is an opportunity for us to see ourselves with fresh eyes and to feel once again the passions of girlhood. The girl’s truth may not be exactly your truth, but the girl has the power to stimulate, reminding us of our talents, our dreams, our wisdom and our resiliencies. Weren't you once determined to make adulthood better than what you saw as a girl? If the girl begins to mobilize you to bring to life the exciting woman that you were meant to be, then The Truth is not lost!
The Truth: I'm Ten, I'm Smart and I Know Everything Excerpt:
Dear Diary,
I have a secret. I was going through my mom and dad’s night tables while they were out, and I found these great tubes in my father’s night table. They said Trojan on the label. You have to unravel them really carefully and then you can fill them with liquid, just like test tubes. I went into the kitchen and put sugar and water in one of them, salt and cinnamon in another, oil and pepper in a third and cleaning powder and water in the last. I had fun shaking them. I pretended I was a scientist. I hope my parents didn’t mind that I opened all four of them. Why would my dad have test tubes? He’s not a chemist.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Diary,
I hate Gloria. Her teeth are too straight. She won’t need braces. That isn’t fair! Also, her thighs are slimmer than mine and don’t have little puckers on them. I hate my puckers. At the beach my mom told me to just hold my stomach in and no one will notice my legs. But that is NOT the truth!The truth is Gloria has nicer legs than I do, and she knows it. In dance class she does turns really easily. Who wouldn’t with those legs? I guess she will grow up to be a great dancer and I won’t. I think I’ll trip her accidentally when she walks by my desk.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Diary,
Today, when I came out of the shower, I lifted my arm in front of the mirror as I was drying myself, and I had three dark hairs growing from my right armpit! I can’t believe it. It is beginning.
Good news: nothing in the other armpit yet.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You can visit her blog at www.enchantedself.typepad.com/
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Putting Fear of Failure in Perspective
I know you are probably sick and tired of hearing from me, but I can't help sharing when I come across things I feel will help my fellow writers.
I am reading Judi Moreo's book You Are More Than Enough Every Woman's Guide to Purpose, Passion & Power and I came across a section where Judi talks about fear of failure. This is what she had to say:
"What's wrong with failure anyway? Why do we let it stop us from doing, achieving, and having what we want? Failure just means you've discovered one more way that doesn't work. Thomas Edison worked for more than a year and a half to create a better, long-lasting light bulb that could be used in a mainstream application. During that time he found 9,999 ways that didn't work. If he hadn't persisted, you might be reading this book by candlelight! If you try and still don't get the result you want, it simply means you were willing to risk, it might take longer than you expected, your goal was unreasonable, you have to do something differently next time, or you have an opportunity to start something new which is more suited to you.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could just overcome this fear? We know there's always a chance we will fail, so why worry about it? Everyone else has the same chance of failure as we do. We are not the exception to the rule, but we will never succeed unless we try."
Looking at fear of failure in this way makes writers heroic every time they send out a submission, even if it gets rejected. So, who are you going to be--the hero or the guy who didn't even try?
Don't let fear of failure keep you from following your dreams!
Cheryl
I am reading Judi Moreo's book You Are More Than Enough Every Woman's Guide to Purpose, Passion & Power and I came across a section where Judi talks about fear of failure. This is what she had to say:
"What's wrong with failure anyway? Why do we let it stop us from doing, achieving, and having what we want? Failure just means you've discovered one more way that doesn't work. Thomas Edison worked for more than a year and a half to create a better, long-lasting light bulb that could be used in a mainstream application. During that time he found 9,999 ways that didn't work. If he hadn't persisted, you might be reading this book by candlelight! If you try and still don't get the result you want, it simply means you were willing to risk, it might take longer than you expected, your goal was unreasonable, you have to do something differently next time, or you have an opportunity to start something new which is more suited to you.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could just overcome this fear? We know there's always a chance we will fail, so why worry about it? Everyone else has the same chance of failure as we do. We are not the exception to the rule, but we will never succeed unless we try."
Looking at fear of failure in this way makes writers heroic every time they send out a submission, even if it gets rejected. So, who are you going to be--the hero or the guy who didn't even try?
Don't let fear of failure keep you from following your dreams!
Cheryl
Monday, August 13, 2007
More on Promotion
It will be hard to follow behind Robin Jay, but I'll give it a whirl.
Last time I posted here I talked about promotion being a full-time job. And as I get involved in more aspects of the industry, I'm sure my comments were right.
I just finished the first draft of an article I am writing for the next issue of Writer2Writer. In that article, I spoke of tracking your time to be more productive. I included a sample sheet from one of my own work days and even I was surprised to see that I spend two hours a day on Marketing/Promotion.
But what do I mean by that?
That is the time I spend networking with people in the industry. I consider setting up author interviews for The Book Connection to be part of that. Then there is posting at various forums and Yahoo Groups about where they can find my work. Can't forget my blogs, which I try to update at least once a week.
And then there is staying in touch with the contacts I've already made. Once someone knows my name, I don't want him or her forgetting it.
It takes a lot of time. It's been a challenging task over the summer because there have been moments when my kids want to chuck my laptop out the window. And one day last week my six-year-old daughter said that I ignored her most of the time. I'm hoping this week's vacation (the laptop is staying at home) will help make up for that.
Sometimes I wish I could be the kind of writer who concerns herself more with creating than with promoting, but every writer has to be willing to promote herself and her work if she wants to make it in such a competitive industry. Long gone is the woman who shied away from telling anyone that she is a writer. I practically sing it from the rooftops now. I can't think of any of my close friends who don't know. And there are even people who I've only met once and might never meet again who know.
Promoting yourself and your work does take a lot of time and energy. But in the end, it will be worth it. How do I know that?
Because one day I posted at a Yahoo Group that I wrote a series of articles covering time management tips for writers, and a few weeks later I got my first paid writing gig. I asked authors if they would be interested in being interviewed for my blog and now authors are seeking me out to be interviewed at The Book Connection. And, because an editor friend I know saw a message about a book review I had posted, I am now reviewing books for the Muse.
Yeah, it's worth it!
Last time I posted here I talked about promotion being a full-time job. And as I get involved in more aspects of the industry, I'm sure my comments were right.
I just finished the first draft of an article I am writing for the next issue of Writer2Writer. In that article, I spoke of tracking your time to be more productive. I included a sample sheet from one of my own work days and even I was surprised to see that I spend two hours a day on Marketing/Promotion.
But what do I mean by that?
That is the time I spend networking with people in the industry. I consider setting up author interviews for The Book Connection to be part of that. Then there is posting at various forums and Yahoo Groups about where they can find my work. Can't forget my blogs, which I try to update at least once a week.
And then there is staying in touch with the contacts I've already made. Once someone knows my name, I don't want him or her forgetting it.
It takes a lot of time. It's been a challenging task over the summer because there have been moments when my kids want to chuck my laptop out the window. And one day last week my six-year-old daughter said that I ignored her most of the time. I'm hoping this week's vacation (the laptop is staying at home) will help make up for that.
Sometimes I wish I could be the kind of writer who concerns herself more with creating than with promoting, but every writer has to be willing to promote herself and her work if she wants to make it in such a competitive industry. Long gone is the woman who shied away from telling anyone that she is a writer. I practically sing it from the rooftops now. I can't think of any of my close friends who don't know. And there are even people who I've only met once and might never meet again who know.
Promoting yourself and your work does take a lot of time and energy. But in the end, it will be worth it. How do I know that?
Because one day I posted at a Yahoo Group that I wrote a series of articles covering time management tips for writers, and a few weeks later I got my first paid writing gig. I asked authors if they would be interested in being interviewed for my blog and now authors are seeking me out to be interviewed at The Book Connection. And, because an editor friend I know saw a message about a book review I had posted, I am now reviewing books for the Muse.
Yeah, it's worth it!
Guest Post by Robin Jay
When it comes to giving advice to writers, I love to quote Stephen King. I devoured his book, “On Writing,” (a wonderful book for ANY writer!), in which he said that we need to write our first drafts “with the door closed,” figuratively speaking. It’s such a great visual for creating the ideal mental state for creative writing.
If we start to worry about what our friends or family will say, it will inhibit our creativity. I wonder if I could have written successfully when I was married. My fear or apprehension of what my ex would have thought might have stifled my creativity until anything I might write would end up more homogenized than a carton of 1% milk! Now that I have found my writing voice, I KNOW that I could exist in a relationship without it affecting my word adversely.
The first time someone called me a writer was in 1985. I was studying script writing at UCLA. I went on a blind date with an attorney to a dinner at the home of his partner. That night he introduced me as a writer and I’ll never forget it. I actually FELT like a writer! Let’s see, that was 24 years ago and my first book was just published in 2006. What does that say about my tenacity and perseverance? Or perhaps it just says a lot more about getting off track!
The point is that I remember that moment and how it felt. It felt quite perfect, and I believed I would be a writer some day. We tend to get pigeon-holed, (by those closest to us), in the roles that we’ve played for years. Being supportive of a close friend or family member’s newest venture can be a challenge for the people around them. That is where NEW friends come in! Join a writer’s group, a writer’s chat room or make time with any new friend who doesn’t know the “former you.”
I am friends with a woman for whom I worked thirty years ago. She is an author and professional speaker - just like I am. Judi Moreo, (http://www.judimoreo.com/), who is also on a Virtual Tour this month, works in the same industry and we understand the stresses of speaking in front of large groups, creating the perfect programs, handling the table at the back of the room, creating product, marketing ourselves and everything else that comes with speaking and writing. It is heaven to have a friend with whom I can share the highs, lows and challenges. I have another new friend, Judy Colbert, (we’ve never met, but we are e-mail and phone buddies), who is a writer back east. We met through a mutual friend. This woman is a full-time writer and focuses mostly on travel, spas and history. She does not really speak professionally, though, from what our mutual friend says, she can certainly hold her own on stage. I share a lot with her, too. And I have made the most amazing connections with authors from all over the country and even one special friend in Canada, Susan Zimmer, who just launched “I Love Coffee,” an amazing recipe book for coffee lovers. Susan originally self-published, (like I did), and then sold her work to Andrews McMeel Publishing. Her new book was just released (http://www.ilovecoffeebook.com/). Think WE have a lot to share?
My friends and family will never understand exactly what I do, though they are generally supportive. I don’t think my mother has read my book yet; she’s a voracious fiction reader. The first time my sister, Terri, heard me speak, she was blown away. She said, “I knew you’d be good, but I had no idea you’d be THAT good!” Her approval meant the world to me.
Getting back to writing, now…. write like your friends and family will never read your words. Just go for it. Lay it out there….“with the door closed.” Then, for your second draft, make edits and adjustments…. “open the door.” Imagine what someone will think when they read it. Make any necessary changes. Then, after a few more (or a few more DOZEN) rewrites, you might actually be ready to show it to someone. But share it with your writing friends first. It always helps to have the support of someone who understands your world a little better. Oh, and King’s other bit of incredibly valuable advice? He said, “If you want to write, you need to do two things: read a lot and write a lot.” Thank you for reading my two cents worth!
Robin
If we start to worry about what our friends or family will say, it will inhibit our creativity. I wonder if I could have written successfully when I was married. My fear or apprehension of what my ex would have thought might have stifled my creativity until anything I might write would end up more homogenized than a carton of 1% milk! Now that I have found my writing voice, I KNOW that I could exist in a relationship without it affecting my word adversely.
The first time someone called me a writer was in 1985. I was studying script writing at UCLA. I went on a blind date with an attorney to a dinner at the home of his partner. That night he introduced me as a writer and I’ll never forget it. I actually FELT like a writer! Let’s see, that was 24 years ago and my first book was just published in 2006. What does that say about my tenacity and perseverance? Or perhaps it just says a lot more about getting off track!
The point is that I remember that moment and how it felt. It felt quite perfect, and I believed I would be a writer some day. We tend to get pigeon-holed, (by those closest to us), in the roles that we’ve played for years. Being supportive of a close friend or family member’s newest venture can be a challenge for the people around them. That is where NEW friends come in! Join a writer’s group, a writer’s chat room or make time with any new friend who doesn’t know the “former you.”
I am friends with a woman for whom I worked thirty years ago. She is an author and professional speaker - just like I am. Judi Moreo, (http://www.judimoreo.com/), who is also on a Virtual Tour this month, works in the same industry and we understand the stresses of speaking in front of large groups, creating the perfect programs, handling the table at the back of the room, creating product, marketing ourselves and everything else that comes with speaking and writing. It is heaven to have a friend with whom I can share the highs, lows and challenges. I have another new friend, Judy Colbert, (we’ve never met, but we are e-mail and phone buddies), who is a writer back east. We met through a mutual friend. This woman is a full-time writer and focuses mostly on travel, spas and history. She does not really speak professionally, though, from what our mutual friend says, she can certainly hold her own on stage. I share a lot with her, too. And I have made the most amazing connections with authors from all over the country and even one special friend in Canada, Susan Zimmer, who just launched “I Love Coffee,” an amazing recipe book for coffee lovers. Susan originally self-published, (like I did), and then sold her work to Andrews McMeel Publishing. Her new book was just released (http://www.ilovecoffeebook.com/). Think WE have a lot to share?
My friends and family will never understand exactly what I do, though they are generally supportive. I don’t think my mother has read my book yet; she’s a voracious fiction reader. The first time my sister, Terri, heard me speak, she was blown away. She said, “I knew you’d be good, but I had no idea you’d be THAT good!” Her approval meant the world to me.
Getting back to writing, now…. write like your friends and family will never read your words. Just go for it. Lay it out there….“with the door closed.” Then, for your second draft, make edits and adjustments…. “open the door.” Imagine what someone will think when they read it. Make any necessary changes. Then, after a few more (or a few more DOZEN) rewrites, you might actually be ready to show it to someone. But share it with your writing friends first. It always helps to have the support of someone who understands your world a little better. Oh, and King’s other bit of incredibly valuable advice? He said, “If you want to write, you need to do two things: read a lot and write a lot.” Thank you for reading my two cents worth!
Robin
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Eight Principles of Fun
A friend sent me this link today. I thought I'd share it with you here...and part of what it has to say.
First Get Focused
1. Stop hiding who you really are. Figure out who you are, and what you stand for.
2. Start being intensely selfish. Think about your legacy you want to leave behind and go for it.
Second Be Creative
3. Stop following the rules. "If you follow all the rules, you miss all the fun." Katherine Hepburn
4. Start scaring yourself. Take risks, have adventures.
Third Use Your Wisdom
5. Stop taking it all so damn seriously. Ten years from now will it matter? One hundred years?
6. Start getting rid of the crap. Get rid of the clutter, bad habits that are holding you back.
Fourth Take Action
7. Stop being busy. Just cause you are going flat out doesn't mean you are on the right track. If it's the wrong hole, you need to stop digging. "We're lost but making good time." Yogi Berra
8. Start something. Don't wait for permission to do what you want. Stop procrastinating. "When all is said and done, there is a lot more said than done." Lou Holtz
Enjoy...and have a little fun today:--)
Speck
First Get Focused
1. Stop hiding who you really are. Figure out who you are, and what you stand for.
2. Start being intensely selfish. Think about your legacy you want to leave behind and go for it.
Second Be Creative
3. Stop following the rules. "If you follow all the rules, you miss all the fun." Katherine Hepburn
4. Start scaring yourself. Take risks, have adventures.
Third Use Your Wisdom
5. Stop taking it all so damn seriously. Ten years from now will it matter? One hundred years?
6. Start getting rid of the crap. Get rid of the clutter, bad habits that are holding you back.
Fourth Take Action
7. Stop being busy. Just cause you are going flat out doesn't mean you are on the right track. If it's the wrong hole, you need to stop digging. "We're lost but making good time." Yogi Berra
8. Start something. Don't wait for permission to do what you want. Stop procrastinating. "When all is said and done, there is a lot more said than done." Lou Holtz
Enjoy...and have a little fun today:--)
Speck
Monday, August 06, 2007
Epublishing 101 Kim Baccellia
Young Adult author Kim Baccellia stops by on her blog tour to talk about epublishing. Welcome to StoryCrafters!I always thought my first novel would go the traditional route--agent, editor, publisher, and then a book at my local Borders. But after a number of rejections and disappointments, I decided to think outside the box. Why not try another way of publishing? Thus the idea of epublishing came to me.
There are a number of things I liked about epublishing. I liked the way you can download a number of books. I love the new Sony reader! But also, I love the idea of doing something different and new. And what better way to do this then by having my book epublished.
I ended up looking into an epublisher that does e-serials. Think Dickens meets the Internet. I thought this was a good idea, so I looked up their website. I ended up subscripting to two of their serials, and was impressed. So I queried them and later received a letter requesting the first four chapters. Then a month later, I received a request for my manuscript. After a couple of months, I received an acceptance letter. I decided this was a great opportunity to get my book out there and also to learn more about the publishing world.
So I signed with them.
Some suggestions if you decide to epublish:
**Not all epublishers are created equal. Make sure to do your research.
**One great site is Piers Anthony’s website. http://www.hipiers.com/publishing.html#V1 He lists some legit epublishers.
** Predators and Editors lists some epublishers that are legit and which ones to avoid.
**Join EPIC. http://www.epicauthors.com/index.html
This organization will help you with links to contests, reviewers, and other sites that support epublished work.
** Attend on-line conferences. A good one to attend is The Muse On-line conference in October.
http://www.freewebs.com/themuseonlinewritersconference/
**Have a website.
**Don’t be afraid to get word out about your ebook. One good site is http://www.bookswelove.net/. This site holds annual contests for epublished writers.
** Have a blog.
** Check out the book PLUG YOUR BOOK! by Steven Weber. This book has some great tips on marketing your book.
In conclusion, signing with an epublisher has opened doors for me that otherwise would have stayed close. Epublishing is the future. Who knows what the next few years will bring?
There are a number of things I liked about epublishing. I liked the way you can download a number of books. I love the new Sony reader! But also, I love the idea of doing something different and new. And what better way to do this then by having my book epublished.
I ended up looking into an epublisher that does e-serials. Think Dickens meets the Internet. I thought this was a good idea, so I looked up their website. I ended up subscripting to two of their serials, and was impressed. So I queried them and later received a letter requesting the first four chapters. Then a month later, I received a request for my manuscript. After a couple of months, I received an acceptance letter. I decided this was a great opportunity to get my book out there and also to learn more about the publishing world.
So I signed with them.
Some suggestions if you decide to epublish:
**Not all epublishers are created equal. Make sure to do your research.
**One great site is Piers Anthony’s website. http://www.hipiers.com/publishing.html#V1 He lists some legit epublishers.
** Predators and Editors lists some epublishers that are legit and which ones to avoid.
**Join EPIC. http://www.epicauthors.com/index.html
This organization will help you with links to contests, reviewers, and other sites that support epublished work.
** Attend on-line conferences. A good one to attend is The Muse On-line conference in October.
http://www.freewebs.com/themuseonlinewritersconference/
**Have a website.
**Don’t be afraid to get word out about your ebook. One good site is http://www.bookswelove.net/. This site holds annual contests for epublished writers.
** Have a blog.
** Check out the book PLUG YOUR BOOK! by Steven Weber. This book has some great tips on marketing your book.
In conclusion, signing with an epublisher has opened doors for me that otherwise would have stayed close. Epublishing is the future. Who knows what the next few years will bring?
You can check out Kim's website here.
Friday, August 03, 2007
Promotion is a full-time job
When I first started working with Dorothy Thompson of Pump Up Your Book Promotion, I wondered how a business like hers existed. How hard could it be for an author to get in touch with some bloggers and ask for them to interview her about her latest release?
I could really smack myself for being so naive. Promotion truly is a full-time job. I don't even have a book out yet and I find myself spending a good portion of my day promoting my work. I post at my blogs, write book reviews, network with other writers, set up interviews with authors, work with the others on the Musing Our Children project--and all of this helps to promote me as a writer. Every time my bio is viewed on a website, there is a great chance that someone might link to my website or blog and be interested in my work.
In addition, whenever anyone asks what I do for a living--I tell them. Then they ask what I write and the conversation goes on until one of girls is so bored to tears she is hitting me to get me to stop talking. Maybe this person will remember my name and look me up on the Internet.
So, I can imagine that for writers who have already published books or whose first book is about to be published, promotion is even more overwhelming and important. Now I know why Pump Up Your Book Promotion has so many clients.
How can you promote your work properly and still have time to write? If you guys have any ideas, I would sure be willing to listen.
Cheryl
I could really smack myself for being so naive. Promotion truly is a full-time job. I don't even have a book out yet and I find myself spending a good portion of my day promoting my work. I post at my blogs, write book reviews, network with other writers, set up interviews with authors, work with the others on the Musing Our Children project--and all of this helps to promote me as a writer. Every time my bio is viewed on a website, there is a great chance that someone might link to my website or blog and be interested in my work.
In addition, whenever anyone asks what I do for a living--I tell them. Then they ask what I write and the conversation goes on until one of girls is so bored to tears she is hitting me to get me to stop talking. Maybe this person will remember my name and look me up on the Internet.
So, I can imagine that for writers who have already published books or whose first book is about to be published, promotion is even more overwhelming and important. Now I know why Pump Up Your Book Promotion has so many clients.
How can you promote your work properly and still have time to write? If you guys have any ideas, I would sure be willing to listen.
Cheryl
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Top Five Ways I Avoid Writing
When I got up this morning the last thing I wanted to do was write. The thought forced a huge sigh through my lips. So, instead of beating my head against the desk to come up with an inspiring idea I opted to share the top five ways I manage to avoid writing when I'm not in the mood.
Number 5: I revise all my goals for the year. Goals are important to every writer and when I don't feel much like plunking my butt in the chair I can rationalize that revising all my goals for the next 12 months will be helpful to my career. I disregard all my past advice about needing specific goals and breaking them down into monthly or weekly blocks and write down an overwhelming list without focus. At least I've got goals...right?
Number 4: I say yes to helping out at every function at my daughter's school or our church. Volunteering will show my kids the importance of helping others and make me feel good about myself. I might overcommit myself, but those edits to my novel can wait.
Number 3: I pick up where I left off on that elaborate cross-stitching project so that I can give it to my sister for Christmas. Sure I've been working on it for the last ten years, but I have to finish it right now because it will save us money during the holidays and my sister will really appreciate all the hard work I put into it.
Number 2: I clean the house. Looking around me I see a thick layer of dust on every wooden surface, so I get out the duster and start sliding it along the entertainment center. Once the dusting is done I have to pull the central vac out to get all that nasty dust off the floor. My allergies will thank me for it. I can't possibly leave the floors unwashed at that point, so I haul the pail and mop out of the closet and start scrubbing. Maybe I'll even have time to clean out the linen closet that I've been meaning to get to for the past six months.
And the Number 1 way for me to avoid writing is...
Surfing the Internet. What a great tool the Internet is. I can perform all types of research for my novels and articles without leaving my home. But it's also a wonderful way to keep me in touch with friends and family. I wouldn't want to be accused of neglecting them by not checking out various forums several times a day. And I must make sure that I keep a close eye on my email. It would be tragic if I missed that imporant message from an editor.
See, you really can avoid writing. But maybe you already knew that.
Cheryl
Number 5: I revise all my goals for the year. Goals are important to every writer and when I don't feel much like plunking my butt in the chair I can rationalize that revising all my goals for the next 12 months will be helpful to my career. I disregard all my past advice about needing specific goals and breaking them down into monthly or weekly blocks and write down an overwhelming list without focus. At least I've got goals...right?
Number 4: I say yes to helping out at every function at my daughter's school or our church. Volunteering will show my kids the importance of helping others and make me feel good about myself. I might overcommit myself, but those edits to my novel can wait.
Number 3: I pick up where I left off on that elaborate cross-stitching project so that I can give it to my sister for Christmas. Sure I've been working on it for the last ten years, but I have to finish it right now because it will save us money during the holidays and my sister will really appreciate all the hard work I put into it.
Number 2: I clean the house. Looking around me I see a thick layer of dust on every wooden surface, so I get out the duster and start sliding it along the entertainment center. Once the dusting is done I have to pull the central vac out to get all that nasty dust off the floor. My allergies will thank me for it. I can't possibly leave the floors unwashed at that point, so I haul the pail and mop out of the closet and start scrubbing. Maybe I'll even have time to clean out the linen closet that I've been meaning to get to for the past six months.
And the Number 1 way for me to avoid writing is...
Surfing the Internet. What a great tool the Internet is. I can perform all types of research for my novels and articles without leaving my home. But it's also a wonderful way to keep me in touch with friends and family. I wouldn't want to be accused of neglecting them by not checking out various forums several times a day. And I must make sure that I keep a close eye on my email. It would be tragic if I missed that imporant message from an editor.
See, you really can avoid writing. But maybe you already knew that.
Cheryl
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