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ZUMBA anyone?

2010-09-06T17:38:00Z

Oh boy! I tried the Zumba class with another teeny bopper as the instructor.

It wasn't the exercises so much that was the problem. I think it was the instructor. Okay, I hear your backlash. No seriously, having an instructor who doesn't give you the footwork first but instead tells you to watch her, you'll catch on, is a problem!

As I looked around the room at the other students, probably 20 of us in this huge gym, they weren't doing any better than me. Nevertheless, the instructor was having a hellava good time. It was almost as though she'd forgotten we were all behind her. But she seemed mesmerized by the loud music, shouting out her Chiquita Banana whoops as her voice bounced off the walls, and the rest of us gave each other the raised brows.

I did manage to keep up with her pretty good until she started adding her own fancy grooves and dips, ended the set and started a new one, but not until surfed around her iPod for even faster music.

As I've mentioned in previous blog posting, I'm an exercise person. I also love dancing, have a lot of rhythm, but will I try Zumba again? Eh, not so much.

Getting Back to Yoga

2010-08-26T13:37:00Z

So here I am, no Yoga for 12 days. Okay, so I was at the beach in Cape May, New Jersey with the family. Sure, I did the daily brisk walk down the Boardwalk and back, but apparently, it wasn't enough. Not according to my sore muscles since returning to my Mudra Yoga classes.

I'm going into my seventh week, and I'm doing quite well with the poses . . . well, except for last night. How quickly my body screamed and resisted those poses I'd become so familiar with before vacation. Seriously, I'm a dedicated exercise person. Hell, sitting in front of the computer all day does something bad to your body. It's like your butt becomes the width of the chair. I'm not letting that happen to me. No way, Jose. As a result--you know, vanity and all that jazz, I exercise in the morning for a half hour 5 days a week, and become a Yogette in the evenings for an hour, 4 nights a week. I tried the 7 days a week exercising, but I just can't seem to make it happen. Hey, I figure my body is trying to tell me something, so I'm listening.

So back to yoga. Two of the yoga days are dedicated to kick-ass advanced classes and two are more manageable--okay, more for beginners, but nevertheless, still good with all the stretching. It's at a slower pace--restorative for all those tough poses I tried to twist my body into during the advanced days.

And speaking of which, the kick-ass instructor, the young whippersnapper that she is, moves fast. Here I am last night feeling all good about my 'downfaced dog' and when I look up, she's already onto 'upward dog facing'. Am I ever going to be able to move as quickly as she glides into those poses?

Well, third day this week, I'm doing my poses and she calls for the 'side plank' pose. I get my tired body ready to show my instructor I'm good at this, and you know what? I fell over. Yep, that's exactly what happened. LOL Talk about being embarrassed!

I think the next time I go on vacation, I'm taking a yoga DVD with me. Now onto to Zumba classes.

Back from Nationals

2010-08-04T14:00:00Z

Wow! RWA National conference was amazing.

I always find this yearly event motivating. I love it when I see 'first timers'. They have the same starry-eyed look I had when I attended for the first time. I have to admit, It's overwhelming to see so many famous authors and those who are well on their way.

I met my new editor from Avalon Books. She's a terrific person and very easy to talk to. Avalon has had such a turnover with editors and assistant editors, I felt removed from the group. But now, I'm happy to say, Lia Brown has pulled me back in. I think Lia and I are going to be good friends. )))

I partied with my friends, attended publisher parties, spotlights for agents and publishers, and listened to Nora Roberts give an amazing keynote address. I love Nora. You'd think someone of her calibre would have her head in the clouds, be snooty-- but she's not one bit. She's down to earth and friendly to everyone. I've even gabbed with her while we exercised next to each other.

There was something very magical about this year. Do you think it's because we were in Mickeyland?

Hey, follow me on Twitter. I'm listed under ScribBLINGDIVA.

Off to Nationals being held in Orlando, Florida

2010-07-26T20:54:00Z

Well, tomorrow, I'm off to Orlando, Florida for the RWA conference.

Packing and finishing last minute details of things to bring, like business cards which sets the stage for much excitement. Lots of workshops, lots of friends attending, and the thought of making new friends is always a welcomed opportunity.

Publishers and agents will be swarming the conference, all there to find the next best selling author.

I have a full schedule with publisher parties, published authors cocktails parties, and spending time with my friends.

Best-selling, award-winning author Nora Roberts will be the keynote speaker, and best-selling author Jayne Ann Krentz will speak at the Awards Luncheon. Sherrilyn Kenyon is the Librarians' Day speaker, and Sabrina Jeffries wraps up the conference by emceeing the 2010 RITA and Golden Heart Awards Ceremony.

I'll be rubbing elbows with other big names such as, Allison Brennan, Carolyn Brown, Terri Spears to name a few. I'll be attending the Literacy Autographing held on Wednesday night from 5:30 to 7:30PM at the Walt Disney Swan Resort. It's open to the public, so stop on by and meet your favorite authors. I'll be the one with the huge smile.

Stay well and happy reading!

Writing And The Summer Ain't Easy

2010-06-11T16:28:00Z

School’s out and the kids are chomping at the bit to do something special, like swimming, and amusement parks, picnics, bike rides with friends, and the list goes on and on--except you’ve got writing to do.

Hmm, how do you handle that? Uh, not very well is what most of us say.

You enjoy having the kids’ home but it seems to interrupt the flow of your schedule and writing becomes secondary. There are lots of things you can do. Hiding is just one of them! Just kidding! Well, maybe a little.

I remember those days well. At the time when my kids were youngsters, these ideas wouldn’t have occurred to me with a busy writing life, working and managing a home, but here’s something you might try—besides getting caught by the boss because you’re writing at work.

Get up an hour earlier; take advantage of the longer days, or if you’re working, bring your laptop and write during your lunch hour. Put the kids to bed earlier. Tell the kids you’ve been bad and Dad put you in time out.

Take a ‘me’ day on Saturday while dad watches the kiddies and visit the library with your laptop, or Starbucks, although sometimes the deafening noise level at the coffee shop is louder than home.

Any time you can find a quiet time to write, regardless of whether it’s a half hour or an hour, is a good day.

For me, not writing makes me grumpy, so I take my laptop, even on vacation. I’m an early riser, so getting in some writing time works well, especially in those wee hours of the morning when everyone is still asleep. Doing so still affords me time for fun without putting a kink in anyone else’s day.

Regardless of what way you plan to sneak in those few hours of writing time, just remember the kids won’t stay kids forever. As they get older, you’ll long for those days again, so enjoy their youth now before you miss your window of opportunity. And remember, sometimes having less time to write means more productivity.

Enjoy the sunshine!

Researching ad Nauseam

2010-05-16T23:26:21Z

Research . . . ah, my favorite topic.

When my husband and I first met, we decided to buy a camera. In my world of BB (that’s Before Bob for you non-texting members), that meant going to the store, having the clerk tell you about the varying features of each manufacturer, and going home with a bag full of camera stuff to begin a new hobby.

Well, this one Saturday we set out to buy a camera. Man, I was psyched about developing this new hobby. What I didn’t know about Bob was his penchant for researching everything ad nauseam.

Despite my frustration of going home empty handed, I ultimately found the value of all that research. Let’s face it, some clerks intentionally provide misleading information just to make that sale. So, the morale of this story . . . or blog . . . is for you to do your homework. Know the answers to those questions before you say something that can be disputed by someone in the know.

So, how does this apply to us as writers? Well, if you’ve ever submitted a manuscript, and neglected to do your research, then you know there’s just so much creative licensing you can apply without writing a disclaimer on the title page.

The Internet is the highway to information. It amazes me how many people ask Google the same silly questions I do. More importantly though, it’s the window of opportunity to learn and not be afraid to focus your story on a subject of which you have no knowledge. It’s all right there just waiting for you to ask.

Need a tutorial on researching the most efficient way on the Internet highway? Check out this site: www.internettutorials.net. It’s easier than you think!

Oh, and in case you’re wondering. That camera? It took three months of research before we ultimately purchased the right one. So did I take up the hobby? Umm . . . no . . . but, I did launch another hobby—writing romances.

And, one more tool you should always have on hand, CHOCOLATE—and lots of it. Eating chocolate releases endorphins that help elevate a sluggish mood, it releases stress, and gives you an all over good feeling of well-being.

So, did you have your chocolate today?

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Falls

2010-05-01T14:36:00Z

A Funny Thing Happen on Our Way to the Falls

This past September, hubby and I visited Buttermilk Falls in the tiny town of Ludlow, Vermont. A charming village surrounded by robust color emanating from the trees as they blasted the last hooray before the onset of winter.

Vermont holds a special place in our hearts—we honeymooned in Pittsfield. But more importantly, Vermont is a wonderful place to visit, where the air is clean—free of toxins and the water is pure—so pure, you can see all the way to the bottom of the babbling brooks. The smell of wood burning stoves permeates the air, the cheapest form of heat reminding you of its quaintness, family unity and neighbors who share camaraderie far beyond the norm.

This particular morning, the air was chilly, but we were prepared with warm coats. On our way out of town, we stopped for breakfast and picked up some homemade jams and syrups. There’s something very therapeutic about purchasing homemade items when you’re on vacation. It’s a reminder of a wonderful vacation that extends until you finish your goodies.

We finally pull into the crowded parking area to begin our hike back into the woods to see the Buttermilk Falls. Hubby has decided to take a picture of me, but the camera is dead because he’s forgotten to charge the batteries last night. Needless to say, there is no point in lugging the camera around, so I walk back to the car deciding to stash it on the back seat of our car, along with my purse, and cover them both with our coats since it had warmed up a bit. I locked the car manually and headed toward the falls and my waiting husband. Having second thoughts about leaving my cell phone behind, I rushed back to the car with the keys and pressed on the remote. The doors would not unlock. I called out to Bob for help.

He just sighed and returned to the car, going through the same drill as me, repeatedly clicking on the remote to no avail. I began to panic, my heart pounding against my rib cage wondering what we we’re going to do. We were leaving for the airport right after we finished our hike into the falls. And seriously, visiting Vermont isn’t like living in a Metropolitan area with everything close by. I’m sure they have AAA, but without a phone, how can I call for help?

As I stood watching my husband continually press the remote hoping to get it to work, my anxiety escalated as I worried about our flight home, and then it suddenly occurred to me our purchased goodies were not on the backseat. Surprised because we hadn’t walked that far into the woods before I’d turned around to retrieve my phone, I couldn’t believe anyone from Vermont, our special place, could have stolen our treasures from our rental car.

But then, we did leave the back doors unlocked. Disappointed my last day on vacation had been sabotaged by some mean-spirited thief I began to pace back and forth. The crunching of the gravel beneath my feet began to drive my husband crazy, so I decided to do a bit of investigating by checking each car in the lot to see who had my jams and syrup while hubby fiddled with the remote.

Fortunately, other than the parked cars, no one else was around to see me snooping. As I approached car after car, I finally found what I was looking for—the car thief’s car. I shook my head in bafflement. What kind of schmuck would steal our stuff and leave it in the backseat of his car. I called out to Bob who was several cars away and he came rushing over. Bob leaned up against the window and shielded the light so he could see inside.

“Can you believe someone would be so blatant as to leave the stolen goods right on the back seat,” I shot out.

Bob backed away and gave me an odd look. “Hon, did you throw the wrapper from the cookie you had earlier on the floor?”

“Yeah,” I said. “I was waiting to throw it out in a trash can. Why?”

Bob pulled the remote from his pocket and clicked twice. All the locks popped simultaneously. Okay, so now, it suddenly occurs to us that we’ve locked our camera, coats, and my purse in the backseat of someone else’s car—a car the same color, make and model as our rental car.

Neither one of us could stop laughing at our stupidity. Especially me, because I’d gotten myself so worked up thinking someone ruined our trip to Vermont. So we waited, and we waited, and we waited by the car until the car’s owners returned from seeing the Buttermilk Falls—the falls that I most likely was not going to see since our flight would leave later that night.

Ninety minutes later, the owners came walking toward the car. Since I was the one to make the mistake, brave soul that I am, I approached the driver whose face was formed into a scowl wondering why I’m standing by his car.

“Can I help you,” he said.

“Ah, yeah. Well . . . you’re not going to believe this, but . . . well, you see, we thought your car was our car, and well, your doors were unlocked, and we thought we forgot to lock our doors, so we put our belongings in the back seat of your car and locked the doors.”

The three other passengers, one being his wife is now laughing with me, but the driver with the scornful expression on his face isn’t too happy. He immediately begins to chastise his wife for not locking the doors, but reluctantly gives us our belongings so that we can be on our merry way to the airport.

As Bob and I walked toward our car with our tails between our legs, we rushed the last bit to get into our car before we busted our guts laughing. Needless to say, this trip to Vermont will have many years of entertaining memories. I love Vermont.

Finding Time to Read

2010-03-28T21:09:00Z

I did something pretty unusual the other day—I read. Okay, I heard that gasp.

Let me clarify why this was so unusual. I love to read. I’ve been reading since grammar school—it’s what led me to writing—BUT it’s the writing that has stopped me from reading.

That probably sounds like a lame excuse, but honestly, every scrap of time I can salvage from my daily life is used for writing. I’ve always viewed reading as a luxury—a treat. Something I did just for me—it’s like having a massage. So what's the problem? When I read, I don’t write because I have to finish the book. Of course, that’s good for the publisher and ultimately the author, but not so good if I never finish writing my story.

One of my writing friends was appalled when I told her my dilemma, so she convinced me to set a goal for reading two books once I finish a rough draft of my current work-in-progress. As you can imagine, my bookshelves are loaded with a ton of books I’ve purchased from fellow authors, and at the Literary Signing at Nationals, so I was good to go. I picked out two books, and placed them on my TBR (to be read) shelf, and as soon as I finished the first draft, I was off to read. And you know what? A funny thing happened after I finished reading both books. I realized just how important it is for a writer to read.

A friend of mine who is a NYT Best Selling, multi-published author had written one of the books I chose. I’d been meaning toread her work, so this gave me the perfect opportunity. I’ve been in her company many times,attended her workshops, and have even broken bread with her on a few occasions. Needless to say,she has a strong fan base, and I’m always hearing others singing her praises. Well, believe it or not,I was disappointed. I thought her style of writing was rather basic, her plot was way too predictable, and she was big on the back-story dump. You know, all the things we’ve been taught not to do. I found myself unable to connect with her characters and quite frankly, almost stopped reading it. But I forced myself to finish it, you know, friend and all, and I’m glad I did. It reminded me of just how subjective writing is. What one editor likes,another doesn’t, but it’s obvious this author’s editor loves her writing.

The other book I read had my attention from beginning to end. I loved it! The characters seemed real and human, their emotions authentic, and I was taking the ride with them. I just love those kinds of stories. So, here’s the thing. This author was also multi-published and has that NYT best selling title after her name too, but what I learned is I would rather be like the second author and less like the first.

Now that I’ve begun my revisions to my own contemporary, I am thankful for having read those two books. Why you ask? Because it reminded me the opinions of editors, agents, and contest judges, are just that—their opinion. But what it really did was remind me that reading is an important part of a being a writer.

So here’s my new goal. Instead of waiting to finish the first draft, I’ll sneak away with a book after writing the first ten chapters instead. Reading is good for your soul, a reminder we all need to hear.

Carolyn's Groove

2010-03-17T01:40:00Z

It's been a while since I've stopped by to give you an update on what's been happening.

Last month, we visited our family in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and had a wonderful time despite the snow. Needless to say, I didn't have any time for writing, and found myself feeling a tad guilty.

I guess that sounds silly to you non-writers, but I'm trying to finish Cupid's Target so I can send it out to publishers. The other thing is, I consider my writing a career, my job, and I know at a corporate job, being away that long would mean the work has piled up. Not writing doesn't mean the work has piled up, it means a delay in maintaining my goal of getting this baby out.

I've set it for no later than the end of April and by golly, I'm going to get it out there. I've had a request for a full so delaying only means waiting another year to have it published.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on epub books vs holding a real book in your hands vs Kindle or Sony.

One of the greatest things happened while I was away. I received an email from Cassie Pirelli in Leeds, England. Cassie Pirelli is the name of my character in Cupid's Web, so needless to say, I was very excited. Cassie told me people who goggle her always wind up finding my book. Not a bad thing at all. We corresponded back and forth a few times, and I sent her an autographed name plate so she can paste it inside the book she's ordering.

CT is coming along nicely. I've had to change a few things this week--chapters I thought worked, but didn't. As of today, I'm really loving what I've changed, and hope you will too.

Until next time, may your days be filled with sunshine and laughter!

Hugs,
Carolyn

Chocolate Affaire

2010-02-12T15:09:26Z

Over this past weekend, I coordinated and participated with 29 other authors at a book signing in Glendale, AZ during the Chocolate Affaire.

One might think coordinating an event this size with authors is an easy task, but let me tell you, its not a walk in the park.

My work began in August of 2009 in preparation for this event which took place February 5-7th, 2010. Meetings with officials at the City of Glendale, interviews with the press, meetings with my writing chapter, and a million emails later, I had 29 authors signing, free workshops for everyone during Saturday and Sunday, and chocolate galore.

After all was said and done--we had an awesome time meeting our fans and making new ones, eating chocolate covered strawberries, and chocolate potato chips, and everything else you can think of dipping into chocolate. With over 10,000 people visiting, it was a huge success, and isn't that what it's all about?

Next week, we're leaving sunny Arizona and heading to the east coast into the huge snow storms to visit family. I'm not sure it will be restful, but I do know it will be worth it!

Until next time, wherever you go, whatever you're doing, make the most of it!

.

Jillian Michaels and Me

2010-01-31T19:46:00Z

So, here I am all excited about my new Wii with all the wonderful DVDs available to help me become fitter.

Every day since Christmas, hubby and I have a 5:00 PM date to bowl. I was kicking his butt when we'd first started, but now that he's warmed up, well . . .

I've tried the aerobics, the skiing, yoga, and boxing. I aced those stunts pretty darn good--or so I thought, that is until I met Jillian. Well, not really, but she's kicking my butt. I'm using muscles I didn't know I had. Now, workouts are not new to me; I'm out there every morning. I jog, walk, bike, kettlebell, and now, I have Jillian.

And speaking of kicking butt--Jillian Michaels the personal trainer on The Biggest Loser, well, she's doing a number on me. Excited to receive my gift, and anxious to get started, I inserted the DVD and selected the circuit junction. I thought this would be the right thing to do--you know, to get all those muscles working, but not overdo it.

This particular circuit consisted of jogging, and lots of floor exercising that requires the balance board. Well, I did those push-ups, just like the men do, the crunches, the stepping exercise with the board, and lots of others that are too painful to remember. I was having difficulty draping my body over the board without having the corner dig into my sides like a knife, but I struggled through it anyway.

When I was all done, I was tickled pink. "Yeah," I said panting, "I can do this." I punched my fist in the air just like the athletes do when they win, until the final results flashed across the screen. This is the screen that tells you how many rotations you've completed, percent rate, and usually a encouraging note from the instructor. Not this time. The screen displayed two numbers and the rest were all zeros. "What?" I exclaimed, "how can that be?"

Well, Jillian, in her infinite ability to make you feel like a piece of crap, spared me no pity. After she finished ranting about me being lazy, she told me in no uncertain terms she wasn't going to put up with it. Has she been talking to my mother?

Oh well, better luck next time.

Carolyn

The Value of Contests

2010-01-22T15:15:00Z

Contests: A Proving Ground

by Alexis Walker

Unpublished writers can gain much from writing contests

Contestsare a great way to hone a writer’s skill and develop good author habitsas long as the contest route is taken with “practice” in mind. Likemaking the Olympic team, we need to develop a routine, exercise ourmuscles, practice our art, and enter competitions, so when we make thepublishing team, we have a solid foundation on which to build and wewon’t let our teammates down.

Butwe must be very conscious of how we approach this path and what ourexpectations are. If we enter contests simply hoping our entry willpass the test of the first-round judges who will pass it along to thefinal judge who will then request the full manuscript, and love it somuch they’ll decide to publish it, then we are losing out on theeducation that can be gained from the experience itself. Not everycompetition will be won, but we can take something away from everycompetition entered.

The Reality

Feedbackis probably the most controversial area of entering a contest. Horrorstories abound about the belittling judge who told a writer never towrite another word. To me, this type of critique tells me more aboutthe judge than the work. However, it amazes me that a writer willreceive feedback from three judges and two will offer wonderful praiseand the third will trash it. The writer can’t stop talking about, and,yes, obsessing over, the negative feedback. Granted, positive critiquesdon’t give you a lot to work on, but, for some reason, we always focuson the one negative. Are our egos really so delicate? For writers,they’d better not be, or trips to the psychologist will far outpacetrips to the bank!

Yes,getting a harsh critique can be tough, but guess what? Editors andagents are not all going to have the same opinion. They aren’t going tolike the same genres, writing styles, voices, and plot lines. They willcome to your manuscript with their own personal biases and beliefs,just as the many volunteer judges do for our chapter contests. Someeditors will think my manuscript needs work. Others may think it shouldbe thrown in the trash (though they won’t say so), and then, there willbe that one editor who thinks my story has great potential and willwant to publish it.

Noticethe similarity? The judging portion of the contest world is simply amicrocosm of the publishing world. It is a competition for your Olympicmanuscript. Feedback from the “good” judges is like our coaches sharingtheir experience and wisdom. The feedback from the “bad” judge is theopposing team’s trash talk. Are we really going to waste time on trashtalk?

Building Self-Judgment

So,having entered a contest and received all this feedback (whether wellexplained or poorly judged), you now need to review it and separate thewheat from the chaff. What will make the manuscript better, and whatwon’t? If more than one judge makes a similar comment, it is easier todetermine whether a change should be made. But, many times it is onlyone judge’s opinion. Do you make the change or not?

Thisdecision making process is important not only to the quality of thestory, but also to the future of the writer. Why? Because oncepublished, an author has an editor, one judge who will give feedbackand request changes. Most of the time, especially with new authors,every change will be made, but what if a requested change just isn’tright for the story? If 98% of editor feedback is right on the money,how will we recognize that remaining 2%? Will we know when we need tonegotiate that point? By entering contests, we can hone this skill ofdetermining what can be changed and what might destroy the whole effectof the story.

Beyond the First Three Chapters

I’mnot sure how many people look for contests based on what is requested,but I do. The “first 25 pages and a synopsis” requirements can be foundin dozens of contests. After submitting those pages to a few, I don’tfeel the need for more feedback, unless of course, that final judge ismy dream agent or editor. I like to look for unique contests, forexample: the MERWA Synopsis contest, the EVA Query contest, the IEPicture This contest (which is any scene), OVRWA’s Summer Sizzlecontest (which is a scene filled with sexual tension), the ARWABreak-up Contest (which is the dark moment), or the KYOWA Bold as Brasscontest (which is a scene with your heroine showing she has, um . . .guts).

Thereare a number of contests out there that focus on specific areas of yourwork. Why bother with these? How will they help you get published?Well, one of the common complaints I have heard from agents and editorsis that those golden first three chapters are excellent, polished, andwell crafted. Then, the full is requested and it completely fallsapart.

Asfar as I know, there is only one contest where the full manuscript isinitially read, the Australia Romance Writers Emerald Award. So, withthat in mind, the next best thing is to see where you stand in otherimportant aspects of your story. Let’s face it, if you are writing asteamy romance and your sexual tension is lacking, then a rewrite maybe in order. The same can go for your black moment, your ability toshow and not tell, etc. These contests give you the chance to getaspects of your story you are not completely confident in judged andcritiqued by people who don’t know you.

Tight Writing

Thiswas an unexpected benefit I found to entering contests. Those drattedpage length requirements can actually help you fine tune a veryimportant skill, tight writing. How do you fit everything you want thejudges to read inside the page limit, especially as the going advice isto leave the judge with a hook? This takes some strategizing.

Ilook at the page count and find a good hook somewhere after the pagelimit, preferably no more than five pages beyond. Then, I go through mypages with a fine tooth comb, cutting every extra word and every tidbitof information that seemed critical before but, with the page limit, issuddenly not so critical now. The margins are strict, as are the linesper page, so it is really your writing that needs to be tightened up ifyou want to leave the judge wanting more.

Thisis a very helpful benefit if you’re like me and writing short doesn’thappen much. Practicing it enough times can really pay off. So, as apublished author, when you submit your next book to your editor, youalready have the skill to go through the entire manuscript and tightenit up. Or, better yet, you write a tighter book to start with!

Writing Under Deadline

Thiswas the initial reason I started entering contests. My concern was thatwhen I started writing my first novel, I had no deadline. No editor waswaiting in the wings. I realized that writing without a deadline was aluxury a published author wouldn’t have. As a result, I startedentering contests. As a result, I had a set amount of time to get thatentry in or lose my money. There’s nothing like the great dollar billto motivate oneself.

Atfirst, I was doing the “come into work late gig” because I had been upuntil two minutes before the midnight deadline to get in my entry, butI soon figured out how to structure my time better. This can be aninvaluable skill to learn. For me, it has come in handy with requestsfor full manuscripts from agents. I always review my manuscript onemore time before sending it out because I know I will find other placesto tweak. This has given me the confidence to believe that, when myfuture editor requests my next book by a given date, I will be able tomeet that deadline.

Somecontests, after you final, allow you to take the judges’ comments andrevise before submitting to the final judge. It’s not on the scale ofdoing revisions on a whole book for an editor, but it certainly givesyou a taste of things to come. This is truly a skill that will benefitus as we make the transition from unpublished to published. And whatbetter place to practice than with contests, where your biggest lossmight be a few bucks if you don’t get it in on time--versus yourreputation if you can’t make a deadline as an author?

Name Recognition

Regardingname recognition, we need to be realistic. Having your unpublished workfinal or win a few contests is not going to make you a best seller.However, it’s a tiny step in the right direction. Many contests willannounce finalists and winners in the RWR. How fun to see your name inthe National publication! Pretty soon, your writing buddies arewatching for you, too. In addition, contest finalists and winners are always posted on the sponsoring chapter’s Web site.

Plus,you have one more accomplishment to crow about on your variouslistservs. The fun about crowing to your listservs is not that you arepromoting yourself, but that you can tell people from the world ofromance publishing who can truly appreciate your success. Ever try toexplain to your hair stylist what making PRO means? Trust me; it’s justtoo subtle a concept.

And,something I just learned: there is a Web site out there called ContestDivas that lists contest finalists. I checked it out and, sure enough,there I am. Once we join the ranks of the published, we are going tohave to market ourselves, so this is a good habit to develop. Sometimeswe have a difficult time blowing our own horn, but our future publisherwill prefer we do, so we might as well practice.

Building Credentials

Placingin a contest can build your credentials while still un-published. Ithought this was a no-brainer, a finalist placement to add to my queryletters. This shows I’m not only serious about this work, but that Imight actually be able to string a few words together.

Well,guess what? There is some controversy over this because being afinalist means you didn’t win the contest. Wins are a given, butcommunicating that you finaled tells the agent or editor that youdidn’t win because if you did win, you would say so.

Havinggone to numerous conferences and listened to agents talk about queryletters, as well as having read umpteen agent blogs where this topiccame up, I say go ahead and list the contest finals. Why? Over and overyou hear that you should state that you are a member of RWA. Heck, ifpaying $85 a year is all it takes to get one leg up on the competition,imagine what a contest final can do for you. And once published, thecontests don’t go away. People like to back winners, and readers liketo read award winners. Being able to add to your Web site that you’re aGolden Heart winner or a RITA finalist is certainly not going to hurtyour fan base.

Putting It Out There

Forsome unpublished writers, it‘s hard to send their creations out intothe world and let others criticize. But, if you can’t cut the stringsnow, how do you expect to get published? You have to send themanuscript out.

Contests make you practice formattingyour work, just like you’ll have to do for agents and publishers. Theymake you trim that synopsis to five pages, just as the agents andeditors will do. And, they also make you send your work off to be readby complete strangers! It’s amazing how freeing it can be.
Withno empty nest syndrome, you find you have the freedom to work onediting that other work in progress or to start a new story. Besides,now you’ll have mail to wait for that’s not a bill.

Sometimeswe think that once published, we will never see a rejection ever again.Wrong. There is no guarantee every story idea you have is going to bebought by your first editor. So, getting comfortable with sending yourbaby out into the cold, cruel world is important. We, as unpublishedauthors, forget that the world is just as cold after publication asbefore. In fact, published authors have to send their printed babies toreviewers, and not all reviewers will like their work. In that case, the rejection is put in print for everyone to read. Ouch!

Positive Reinforcement

Wehave all heard of the author who said she had enough rejections towallpaper her office. I’m sincerely hoping no one has ever done that.Rejections on the wall are negative energy better left filed in adrawer somewhere. When you enter a contest and you do final or win, youusually get a nifty certificate. If you get one, hang it on the wall.Display it. Add your finalist position or award to your Web site. Toutyour win to your writers’ listserv. Take in all that joy, that feelingof accomplishment, and float on the thought that you just might havesomething . . . for as long as you can. This positive reinforcementthat says you’re on the right track will help you stay on track. Thosecertificates on the wall can remind you that you do not have a crazydream, you have a potential career, and you need to sit your butt infront of your computer and make it happen.

Howdoes this temporary euphoria help you once published? Well, believe itor not, there are a number of very successful writers out there whostill doubt their own work. They still call their critique partner of12 years and say “I’m halfway through this thing and it’s a mess. I’mgoing to trash it!” Then, at the next RWA conference you see “RitaFinalist” on their badge for the very same work. I can’t imagine everbeing so good at something that you don’t need a few kudos thrown yourway every once in a while to remind yourself that you really can dothis.

Appreciation

Ifyou have entered a contest, you know the feeling you get when yourentry comes back in the mail and you haven’t won. You haven’t evenfinaled. You tear it open and start looking at the feedback. Then, youlet it sit for awhile because you just don’t have the energy to makethe changes quite yet. You need to sit on them, let them percolate.But, something you can and should do in the meantime is thank thejudges. It’s a bit strange because you don’t know who they are, butthey have volunteered their time away from their own writing anddeserve a thank you. It’s not an easy job judging manuscripts.

This appreciation is good practice for once you are published, as well. Youbecome part of a publishing team. Yes, you wrote the book, but youragent sold it, your editor helped make it awesome, and the marketingdepartment gave you a great cover. True, they are paid to do theirjobs, but that doesn’t mean you can’t appreciate their hard work aspart of the team that makes your book successful. When someone isappreciated, they naturally want to do even better next time. This iswhat the nonprofits have known for a long time, and the corporate worldis just starting to understand. The salary is not the motivator, butappreciation definitely can be.

The Path for You

Formany unpublished writers, contests can help develop habits that willstand you in good stead once published. Getting used to meetingdeadlines, building self-judgment, writing tighter, and sending themanuscript out are just a few of the habits you develop. Despite thenumerous inconsistencies, contests can be a good investment in yourwriting career. But, they are only one path, and there are so many thatcan lead to success. It all comes down to individual choice and whatworks for you.

Theyhave worked well for me so far, and I feel much better prepared for thecareer I plan to have for the next 30 or so years. I’ll bet they canwork for you, too.

Alexis Walker is a unpublished writer whose manuscript Highland Magichas finaled in five contests. Currently, she is whipping into contestshape her third manuscript, a contemporary fantasy, while teaching atArizona State University in the Nonprofit Management program. Her Website is www.alexiswalkerauthor.com.

Craft? What kind did you say?

2010-01-20T23:57:00Z

Arts and crafts? Stage craft? Witch craft? Oh, yeah, the craft of writing.

Writing is rather supernatural when you think of it. I mean, the subconscious casts a spell and conjures up characters and plots and settings and...sex scenes. No, wait, that's another area of the brain that doesthat. Anyway, I ask myself questions before turning out the light at night and find that really gets the wheels turning. An especially goodtechnique if plot is stalled. Of course this only works the nights I'm not tossing and turning and remaining awake because my lazy charactersare snoozing away, refusing to help out with tidbits about theirtortured selves they haven't yet shared, or divulging situations thatmight raise the stakes and hamper them in their quest.

Writingis also like an archeological dig; often you must dig and dig and d-i-gto unearth characters' hidden agendas. Similarly to the archeological act, you must take care you don't miss something valuable in theprocess, some hidden clue that will spur you on toward the climax rather like uncovering a small chip of clay that on first glance seems insignificant to the archeologist until pieced together with all the other bits of clay gathered to form an ancient vessel. Or, in the writing sense, shortening sentences for punch, or examining each scene or transition, ensuring it assists flow from one scene to the other and hastens pace.

That's my take on the craft of writing.

Nan D. Arnold
www.nandarnold.com

Writing Life

2010-01-12T20:13:00Z

This month we’re discussing “Writing Life”. What a great topic, especially since that’s our daily gig.

I recently read an article on this very subject where the author suggests all sorts of things to eliminate boredom. Boredom??? Who the heck is bored??

Now perhaps I read that incorrectly, but quite honestly, if you’re bored, then it’s time to take a break from the novel you’re writing and move onto another.

Starting a new story is so much fun, isn’t it? Where do my story ideas come from? Conversations, eavesdropping, funny things that happen to me, or my friends, or when I’m writing suspense, I’m using the newspaper for ideas. This is when the ‘what if’ game comes into the picture to formulate the ideas through various perspectives until I settle on an idea that excites me.

Once that’s done, I begin my process by developing my characters and doing profiles. I conduct interview sessions with lots of questions, after which, I match the profiles up against the personality types as based on the Meyers-Briggs Personality test, and then, I find the closest match of sun signs found in “Linda Goodman’s Sun Signs”.

Now comes the fun part of collecting pictures of my characters from magazines, or an Internet search for models of all ages. Soap Opera characters’ photos work really well too. I’m always mindful about selecting images of characters I know nothing about simply because I don’t want to change my protagonist’s personality type after I’ve gone through all the trouble to mold them into what I want them to be. Sort of like playing God, don’t you think?

Next comes a brief outline, chapter by chapter, with as much information as I can come up with. Sometimes it’s a little brief until I actually begin doing the research, but this is the time to develop the story no matter how long it takes. This is called doing your homework. It’s almost like being in school again, don’t you think?

Pitching to the Pro's

2009-11-18T21:50:00Z

This month I’d like to focus on pitching to an agent or editor.

For those of you who have never done this before, sitting across from one of the industry professionals can be a little a daunting at first, but I hope by the time you finish reading this, you’ll feel better.
So, relax, take a deep breath, and if push comes to shove, you can read your pitch right off a card—you know, the 3 X 5 index card you wrote it on.

I remember my first pitch. I’d written it down on cards, practiced until I was blue in the face, then two hours before post time, I attended a workshop designed to polish your pitch. Bad mistake—very bad. Not because the workshop didn’t provide good information—I was so nervous, I couldn’t absorb what she was saying. I suddenly began to doubt myself, convinced my pitch was going to make me the laughing stock at conference. I walked outside and sat on a bench trying to come up with something else. Fortunately for me, a friend walked by and within ten minutes, she gave me a pitch. She’s so good at that stuff. But so are you. You just don’t know it yet.

So, here’s what I’m suggesting. Think High Concept. What is High Concept you say? Well, it’s pitching your novel to a publisher in one sentence. If the concept alone is different enough, you're going to have a much better shot.

Now, think about your story in elements. What one thing about your story gives your audience a visual—a universal icon? What’s the unique twist? What’s the irony of the story?

Sometimes when I’m having difficulty with the High Concept idea, I play the “what if” game. By way of example here’s one from my WIP entitled The Missing.

What if a teddy bear belonging to a boy who’s been missing for ten years, suddenly appears on his parents doorstep?
I’ll break this down into elements so you get the idea:
Universal Icon: Teddy Bear
Unique Twist: the missing child ten years later
Irony: the bear came back, but not the child.

Weren’t you able to visualize that sad little worn-out teddy bear? You just know this is going to be a gut-wrenching story, don’t you? Okay, so now it’s your turn.

Another nifty tool you can use to develop your pitch is located on Cathy Carmichael’s website at: www.kathycarmichael.com/generator.html. All you have to do is fill in the blanks and it generates a pitch for you.

Lastly, remember this: no matter how you feel inside, unless you’re turning green, no one but you knows how you feel. I promise, you’re going to be awesome! Now, get out there and sell that story. And remember, these agents and editors you’re pitching to? They’re going to be working for you—you’re just going to interview them to see if they’re a fit. ☺

See? Now doesn’t that make you feel better?