Apollo's Lyre

25 Things Writers Should Stop Doing

2012-01-03T10:37:00.000-08:00

Here's an interesting list to get your writing year started. Below is a sample.

5. Stop Hurrying

The rise of self-publishing has seen a comparative surge forward in quantity. As if we’re all rushing forward to squat out as huge a litter of squalling word-babies as our fragile penmonkey uteruses (uteri?) can handle. Stories are like wine; they need time. So take the time. This isn’t a hot dog eating contest. You’re not being judged on how much you write but rather, how well you do it. Sure, there’s a balance — you have to be generative, have to be swimming forward lest you sink like a stone and find remora fish mating inside your rectum. But generation and creativity should not come at the cost of quality. Give your stories and your career the time and patience it needs. Put differently: don’t have a freak out, man.

The rest of the list.

The Posse

2011-09-15T05:47:00.000-07:00

Recently, I accepted the Flash Jab Challenge to write a story of no more than 750 words based on a photo (included after the story). I had no problem with the word limit. :)

http://flashjab.blogspot.com/

An Interview about Flash

2011-01-04T08:38:00.000-08:00

A recent post at FlashFiction.net referred to an interview Randall Brown did with Chad Simpson regarding Chad’s experience as “selecting editor” for the Wigleaf Top 50 [very] short fictions of 2008. In addition to the Top 50, the interview discusses flash in general. It’s a worthwhile read for anyone interested in writing fiction (notice I didn’t say short fiction). Here are a couple highlights from Chad’s comments.

On what he learned:

“I discovered things about structure, and voice, and metaphor, and language, and conflict, and image, and humor, and sentiment, and drama, and just about everything else having to do with making stories.”

On the future flash fiction:

“I think the form will continue to evolve and that writers will continue to find new ways of telling [very] short stories...”

On using flash in his writing classes:

“. . .most of the stories we read--and most of the stories in the Wigleaf Top 50--are larger than their containers, so to speak.”

This is an excellent interview that offers advice applicable to every fiction writer.

January at Six Questions For. . .

2010-12-27T12:47:00.000-08:00

Below is the schedule of posts for January at http://sixquestionsfor.blogspot.com/.

1/03—Six Questions for Beth Thomas & Tara Laskowski, Editors, SmokeLong Quarterly
1/06—Six Questions for James Todd Adcox, Editor, Artifice Magazine
1/10—Six Questions for Casey Quinn, Publisher & Editor, Short Story Library
1/13—Six Questions for Judith M. Ivie, Publisher, Mainly Murder Press
1/17—Six Questions for Michael Kannengieser, Fiction Editor, The View From Here
1/20—Denise Bartlett, Chief Editor, Gypsy Shadow Publishing
1/24—Six Questions for Patty G. Henderson, Publisher, Black Car Publishing
1/27—Six Questions for Eva Barrows, Editor, Imitation Fruit Literary Journal
1/31—Six Questions for Michelle E. Crouch, Editor, APIARY

If you stop by, leave a comment for the editor/publisher. If you’re an editor or publisher and would like to participate, or know of a publisher who might be interested, please contact me at sixquestionsfor@gmail.com. Finally, please share this information with your subscribers, authors, Facebook and Twitter followers, and writing friends.

My Story at LITSNAK

2010-12-24T08:13:00.000-08:00

I'm sharing this here, because I thought you might find HOW this story came about interesting,

I have a piece up at LITSNAK. It began life as a Flash Factory 5 to 50/55 prompt back in November. The prompt words were lavaliere, taffy, sordid, babushka, and wedge. The story I posted to the group was 55 words. I edited it quite a bit, including changing all the prompt words, but the idea for the story remained. So, I still give modertor Richard Osgood credit for planting the seed. :)

Something different happened on the way to the finalized version. Dan Tricarico (the editor) accepted my original submission but asked if I'd consider expanding it. He liked what I had but felt it a bit short, even for LITSNAK. So, I went to work. In keeping with the original intent of the prompt, I selected five words from the submitted story and wrote two additional sections using variations of the five words (wistful, mistake, scarf, wince, expression). The published version has three sections, the first 57 words, the second 67, and the third 77. The word counts just happened. They weren't planned. I'll let you decide if the result is one story in three parts, or three stories posted as one.

The Story

Today at Six Questions For. . .

2010-11-29T08:17:00.001-08:00

Today's editor at Six Questions For is {drumroll}--ME!

October issue

2010-10-28T06:12:00.000-07:00

The October issue of Apollo's Lyre is now online. Check it out!

http://apollos-lyre.tripod.com/index.html

Also note the new, quarterly publication schedule.

November at Six Questions For. . .

2010-10-24T08:17:00.000-07:00

Below is the schedule of posts for November at http://sixquestionsfor.blogspot.com/.

11/01—Six Questions for Randy Streu, Editor, A Flame in the Dark
11/04—Six Questions for Andrew Scott, Editor, Freight Stories
11/08—Six Questions for Jonathan Laden and Michele Barasso, Publishers, Daily Science Fiction
11/11—Six Questions for Andrew McAleer, Editor, Crime Stalkers
11/15—Six Questions for Jessie Carty, Managing Editor, Referential Magazine
11/18—Six Questions for Pamela Tyree Griffin, Editor, Joyful!
11/22—Six Questions for David Brennen, C0-Managing Editor, Fiction Editor, 322 Review
11/24—Six Questions for Jarrett Haley, Editor, BULL Men's Fiction
11/29—Six Questions for Jim Harrington, Flash Fiction Editor, Apollo’s Lyre

http://sixquestionsfor.blogspot.com/

If you stop by, leave a comment for the editor/publisher. If you’re an editor or publisher and would like to participate, or know of a publisher who might be interested, please contact me at sixquestionsfor@gmail.com.

Reading Out Loud

2010-09-15T16:28:00.000-07:00

I have two posts up at Flash Fiction Chronicles on the importance of reading your work out loud that you might find useful.

http://www.everydayfiction.com/flashfictionblog/why-you-should-read-your-work-out-loud/

http://www.everydayfiction.com/flashfictionblog/reading-out-loud-revisited/

Jim

October issue of Apollo's Lyre

2010-08-23T11:57:00.001-07:00

AL is publishing an October issue this year. Send us your Halloween stories and poems--the scarier the better!

September at Six Questions For...

2010-08-23T11:53:00.000-07:00

Below is the schedule of posts for September at http://sixquestionsfor.blogspot.com/.

9/01—Six Questions for Doug Paul Case, Editor-in-Chief, The Emerson Review
9/03—Six Questions for Katherine Tomlinson, Publisher, Dark Valentine Magazine
9/06—Six Questions for Shaindel Beers, Poetry Editor, Contrary Magazine
9/08—Six Questions for Chris Speakman, Content Editor, MuseItUp Publishing
9/10—Six Questions for Sandra Ruttan, Editor-in-Chief, Spinetingler Magazine
9/13—Six Questions for Richard Helms, Editor, The Back Alley
9/15—Six Questions for Rae Bryant, Editor, Moon Milk Review
9/17—Six Questions for Cindy Rosmus, Editor, Yellow Mama
9/20—Six Questions for Christopher Grant, Editor, A Twist of Noir
9/22—Six Questions for Joseph R.G. DeMarco, Mysterical-E
9/24—Six Questions for Lorina Stephens, Publisher, Five Rivers Publishing
9/27—Six Questions for Douglas Lance, Editor-in-Chief, eFiciton
9/29—Six Questions for Michele M. Graf, Poetry Editor, Apollo's Lyre

http://sixquestionsfor.blogspot.com/

If you stop by, leave a comment for the editor/publisher. If you’re an editor or publisher and would like to participate, or know of a publisher who might be interested, please contact me at sixquestionsfor@gmail.com.

Call for Submissions

2010-08-19T12:12:00.000-07:00

Hi, everyone.

I'm opening up submissions for book reviews until October 1st. Please see submission guidelines here.

http://apollos-lyre.tripod.com/id5.html

Be blessed,
Brynna

Suspense vs Surprise

2010-08-16T08:13:00.000-07:00

I have a minor rant on writing suspense over at Flash Fiction Chronicles that you might find interesting.

August at Six Questions For

2010-07-27T06:55:00.000-07:00

Below is the schedule of posts for August at http://sixquestionsfor.blogspot.com/.

8/02—Six Questions for Abigail Beckel and Kathleen Rooney, co-Founders, Rose Metal Press
8/04—Six Questions for Six Questions for Clifford Garstang, Editor, Prime Number Magazine
8/06—Six Questions for Deb Harris, Editor-in-Chief, All Things That Matter Press
8/09—Six Questions for Anne Petty, Editor in Chief, Kitsune Books
8/11—Six Questions for Alexis E. Santi, Editor in Chief, Our Stories
8/13—Six Questions for Rick Marlatt, Poetry Editor, The Coachella Review
8/16—Six Questions for Jennifer Walkup, Fiction Editor, The Meadowland Review
8/18—Six Questions for Megan Duffy, Poetry Editor, The Meadowland Review
8/20—Six Questions for Dehanna Bailee & J. Grant (Sr. Editor) from Blue Leaf Publications
8/23—Six Questions for Dr. Nicolas Kanellos, Editor, Arte Publico Press
8/25—Six Questions for Geoffrey Porter, Editor-in-Chief, Untied Shoelaces of the Mind
8/27—Six Questions for Rakesh Khanna, Editor, Blaft Publications
8/30—Six Questions for Dan Scannell, Editor, Thieves Jargon

http://sixquestionsfor.blogspot.com

If you stop by, leave a comment for the editor/publisher. If you’re an editor or publisher and would like to participate, or know of a publisher who might be interested, please contact me at sixquestionsfor@gmail.com.

Two blog posts of interest

2010-07-09T05:21:00.000-07:00

Lea is up at the Six Questions For... blog answering questions for MuseItUp Publishing.
http://sixquestionsfor.blogspot.com/2010/07/six-questions-for-lea-schizas-publisher.html

My article, "What Publishers Look For and the Mistakes Authors Make," is up at Flash Fiction Chronicles. The post provides an overview of responses received from a group of independent book publishers.
http://www.everydayfiction.com/flashfictionblog/what-publishers-look-for-and-the-mistakes-authors-make/

Welcome to our new editors at Apollo's Lyre

2010-06-29T10:08:00.000-07:00

It's with great pleasure and honor that we welcome and introduce our newest editors to Apollo's Lyre. Please check our GUIDELINES for each editor below. They are now open to submissions. Our next issue will be September 2010, and the deadline to submit is August 15.

Brynna Curry: Review Editor

Michele M. Graf - Poetry Editor

Beth Zurkowski - Editor Writing Articles

Apollo's Lyre - June Issue

2010-06-22T17:43:00.001-07:00

Just a heads up that our June issue will be published June 25.

Two Ways to Avoid Rejection

2010-06-07T07:58:00.000-07:00

I have a post over at the Flash Fiction Chronicles blog on avoiding the rejection pile. You can read it here.

Finding Story Ideas

2010-05-12T05:47:00.000-07:00

I have a post up at Flash Fiction Chronicles explaining how I developed a story idea using Hansel and Gretl as a starting point.
http://www.everydayfiction.com/flashfictionblog/finding-story-ideas/

You also might find the responses by Scott, Michelle, and Davin, founders of The Literary Lab blog, interesting as they respond to questions about their experiences judging a story contest.
http://sixquestionsfor.blogspot.com/

Let's Play Stump the Reader

2010-05-10T07:36:00.000-07:00

I read a number of unpublished stories lately that didn’t provide sufficient information for me to get involved enough with the characters or the plot to care about what happened (assuming something did). I was left wondering what the heck was going on. The author presented a riddle without enough clues for me to figure the story out.

Sometimes this may occur because we authors are so involved with the characters and plot that everything is perfectly clear in our minds, and we forget the reader doesn't know what we know. On the opposite end of the spectrum is the author who knows little more about a character than the reader does.

Steve Almond, in a post at FlashFiction.net, advised authors to not withhold information known by their characters. This makes sense. Writing is not a game of stump the reader. It’s a sharing of the experiences, feelings, and opinions of our characters. This can't happen if we don't participate openly with our partner in the story--the reader.

Query No Nos

2010-04-14T04:00:00.000-07:00

This post contains some interesting--and educational--statistics from a literary agent dealing with queries.

A Sneak Peek

2010-04-12T08:14:00.000-07:00

The April issue of Apollo's Lyre (scheduled for the 20th) contains a new feature--A Bouquet of Shorts. This is one page containing five to ten short-short stories of no more than 250 words. Here's a teaser.

Anna
by Kyle Hemmings

On the verge of cracking her vows of acorn-hard chastity, the nun, a disciple of sex-ionized monads, repressed but bouncing from cathartic charges, closed her eyes to the pulse of moonlight breaking in through the tangle of sycamores, bending oak. Lifting his hand, soft and fine boned, from her breast, she said, No. He was Father Hermann's favorite altar boy, studious and punctual at vespers. A Hispanic boy from the outskirts of Saint Elsewhere. I'm sorry, Sister, he whispered, his voice a melancholy stream turning in on itself. A candle within her flickered and slowly went out. She put a finger to his lips and said, Shush. For a moment, the two stood facing each other in calm equipurpose. After he left, she fell to her knees and prayed to a different god, one of delinquent stars, bible-black devils with rain-weathered faces, postpartum mothers trying again and again to give names to their stillborn. There was the longing of galaxies, within, without. She wanted to study this. There could be ten thousand explanations she could come up with. She was a creature of stubborn habit.

Paying Homage

2010-03-31T18:00:00.000-07:00

When I was studying Renaissance literature, the professor shared a few homage poems written by former students. I was immediately intrigued by the idea of reimagining the works of great writers like Shakespeare and Donne. So I set out to do just that.

After reading and re-reading Christopher Marlowe’s memorable pastoral poem “The Passionate Shepherd to His Love,” I felt ready to tackle the challenge. (I recommend you read the original poem now so you have a point of comparison between it and my version.)

I won’t force you to read the first two efforts. They turned out neither memorable nor pastoral. But I felt I really hit on something with the third and final attempt. So did the professor, who briefly channeled Spenser Tracy when she described the poem as “Cherce!”

(I should mention that “The Passionate Mama’s Boy” and its less illustrious predecessors were all written at a time when I was engaged in a…difficult…relationship.)

The Passionate Mama’s Boy
by Betty Dobson

Come live with me, be my lover -
Take no notice of my mother.
Just give her time, she'll hold you dear;
Besides, she's hardly ever here.

Between her job and her "friends",
Her busy schedule never ends.
You can rearrange the pots and pans,
Clean the cupboards, recycle cans.

Cook whatever suits your palate;
Feed me steak, tofu, or carrot.
I promise you'll receive a treat
Of flowers, fun, or something sweet.

I have nothing, love, without you
Except my butane barbecue.
Bring your cat, your books, your broom;
We'll let you have your own bedroom.

On nights when I'm not working late -
As long as mother's on a date -
We'll find a sitter for the cat
And overturn the welcome mat.

Believe in me, my offer's true -
I've had three years to think this through.
Don't take too long, please, to decide;
I've got to run and catch my ride.

Using classic poetry as direct inspiration is a great way to unlock your creativity. Why not try it with one of your favorites?

MuseItUp Publishing & MuseItHOT

2010-03-27T15:54:00.000-07:00

MuseItUp Publishing - mainstream genres & Young Adult
and our other division hosted on a separate website:
MuseItHOT! for our erotica authors
are now both open for submissions. Please check the guidelines found on our MuseItUp Publishing blog.

This is my last goal in my writing career and looking forward to this new adventure.

Lea Schizas
Publisher - MuseItUp Publishing

April on the Six Questions For. . . blog

2010-03-25T16:12:00.000-07:00

Below is the schedule of postings for April 2010 on Six Questions For . . .. Enjoy.

4/02—Six Questions for Lauren Becker, Managing Editor, Corium Magazine
4/05—Six Questions for CL Bledsoe, Editor, Ghoti
4/07—Six Questions for David Shapiro, Editor, flashquake
4/09—Six Questions for Col Bury & Matt Hilton, co-editors, Thrillers, Killers 'N' Chillers
4/12—Six Questions for Rusty Barnes, Editor, Night Train
4/14—Six Questions for Mark Stratton, Editor-in-Chief, Cats with Thumbs
4/16—Six Questions for Lynn Alexander, Editor of Full of Crow, Fashion For Collapse, and Blink Ink Online.
4/19—Six Questions for Frances Badgett, Fiction Editor, Contrary Magazine
4/21—Six Questions for Ty Drago, Editor, Allegory
4/23—Six Questions for David LaBounty, Editor, The First Line
4/26—Six Questions for Andrew Bowen, Founder & Editor-in-Chief, Divine Dirt Quarterly
4/28—Six Questions for Yvette Managan, Fiction Editor, Divine Dirt Quarterly
4/30—Six Questions for Colin Meldrum, Editor, A cappella Zoo

http://sixquestionsfor.blogspot.com/

If you stop by, leave a comment for the editor. If you’re an editor and would like to participate, or know of an editor who might be interested, please contact me at sixquestionsfor@gmail.com.

Why waste my time on flash fiction?

2010-03-15T09:34:00.000-07:00

Good question. I can think of two reasons.

The first should be obvious. Writing flash fiction helps authors sharpen their writing by forcing them to choose precise words, to eliminate empty words, and to focus on the theme of the story to make certain every scene, every paragraph, every sentence, and every word is important to the end result. Otherwise, the authors may be unable to write stories within the demands of the word count limits of flash fiction.

But there’s another reason that may be even more important, especially to the unpublished novelist. Publishers and agents look for experienced authors to represent. Book production costs are high, and many publishers aren’t willing to take a chance on an unproven writer. They want to know the author is serious about writing through a consistent history of publications. Now that’s a Catch 22. You can’t get published if you aren’t a published author. Enter flash fiction (and short stories, and essays, and articles on writing, and poetry, and blogs, etc.).

While it’s not easy to get your flash published (at least in quality magazines), it is a way, if you take it seriously, to build a portfolio of publications. I started writing flash fiction in 2007 and have nearly ninety published stories to my credit. Some stories take a week to complete, others a month or more. That’s considerably faster than the time it takes to write a novel. If I can publish one flash piece a month for every month it takes me to write my novel, I have a publication history to show any publisher/agent interested in my book. Even if the deal falls through (which of course it won’t), I can still say, “I’m a published author!”

Here’s what Kevin Morgan Watson, Founder and Fiction Editor of Press 53, has to say on this topic in an upcoming Six Questions For. . . post.

“If you have a novel or memoir, but have never published a few shorter pieces somewhere, your chances of finding an agent or landing a publishing deal for your book are slim. That’s just the way it is. [text omitted] So my advice is to send out some shorter pieces to magazines, journals, and contests, and to use this time to hone your craft and learn how the editing and publishing process works. Your best calling card is a publication credit. The more the better. A writer with no publishing credits delivers a lot of unknowns: Does he understand the business? Will he be receptive to edits and rewrites? Are his expectations realistic? After his book is published, will he make me want to jump in front of a train?”

This post contains text from one session of a flash fiction workshop to be presented by Jim at the 2010 Muse Online Writers Conference.

Five Quotes About Writing

2010-03-11T07:00:00.000-08:00

“There are three essentials to every story: a character, a problem and the rewards awaiting the solution of the problem.” -- Louis L’Amour in The Writer’s Digest Guide to Good Writing.

***

"A clear sentence is no accident." -- William Zinsser in On Writing Well: an informal guide to nonfiction.

***

"If you want to be a great writer and you have a choice between being brilliant and lazy or being a little clueless but motivated, choose the latter." -- Alexander Steele in Gotham Writers' Workshop Writing Fiction.

***

"Nothing is less compelling in a story than a character who acts like a million other characters you've encountered." -- Brandi Reissenweber in Gotham Writers' Workshop Writing Fiction.

***

"An effective narrative hook promises a compelling story populated with fascinating characters." -- William G. Tapply in The Elements of Mystery Fiction.

March on the Six Questions For. . . blog

2010-03-08T07:00:00.000-08:00

Below is the schedule of postings for March 2010 on Six Questions For . . .. Enjoy.

3/1—Six Questions for Ramon Collins, Micro Fiction Editor, The Linnet's Wings
3/3—Six Questions for Dale Wisely and F. John Sharp, Editors, Right Hand Pointing and Left Hand Waving
3/5—Six Questions for Martha Clarkson, Poetry Editor, Word Riot
3/8— Six Questions for Mark Budman, Publisher/Editor, Vestal Review
3/10—Six Questions for Betty Dobson, Poetry Editor, Apollo's Lyre
3/12—Six Questions for Jen Michalski, Editor, jmww
3/15—Six Questions for Timothy Gager, Fiction Editor, The Wilderness House Literary Review
3/17—Six Questions For Carter Jefferson, The Internet Review of Books
3/19—Six Questions for Jeff Chon, Editor, vis a tergo
3/22—Six Questions for Pamela Tyree Griffin, Editor, The Shine Journal
3/24—Six Questions for Kevin Morgan Watson, Founder and Fiction Editor, Press 53
3/26—Six Questions for Charlotte Rains Dixon co-founder, The Writers Loft
3/29—Six Questions for Fiona Robyn, Editor, A Handful of Stones
3/31—Six Questions for Caren Gussoff, Co-Editor, Brain Harvest

http://sixquestionsfor.blogspot.com/

If you stop by, leave a comment for the editor. I'm sure it will be appreciated, and the name recognition won't hurt if you submit to the publication in the future.

If you’re an editor and would like to participate, or know of an editor who might be interested, please contact me at sixquestionsfor@gmail.com.

Yes, We Can! And We Sure Did!

2010-02-28T18:14:00.000-08:00

If there's one lesson we can take from the 2010 Winter Olympics, it's that anything is possible.

Host country Canada went from never winning Olympic gold on home soil to setting new records in that regard. And we did it with an unexpected surge of patriotism that brought both chills and tears to even the most jaded amongst us.

Did we Own the Podium? Not quite. We came third overall, but we did own the top of the podium with 14 gold medals. That's not only a host country record but also the most gold medal won by any country in the history of the Winter Olympics.

As the closing ceremonies got under way, I realized I failed miserably in my vow to not spend a lot of time watching the games. Our athletes pulled me in, not just with their successes--Jon Montgomery chugging draft straight from the pitcher as he took his victory walk through Whistler. So Canadian!--but with their heart in the face of near misses and outright disappointment.

I was proud of them and of us as a nation.

And I will continue to be proud long after the flame is gone from the Olympic cauldron.

Our February issue

2010-02-15T14:17:00.000-08:00

Our next issue will go live on February 20th, 2010.

Thrusters and reversals

2010-02-15T07:39:00.000-08:00

I've been reading a lot about novel writing, since I am, in fact, writing a novel. But I think much of what I’m learning can be applied to short fiction, even very short (under 500 words) fiction.

My favorite book on the subject, and the one that's helped me the most, is called, "Between the Lines," by Jessica Page Morrell.

Two of the concepts Morrell describes in “Between the Lines” are the ideas of thrusters and reversals. A thruster is the opening scene or final scene in a chapter that pushes the reader forward. A cliffhanger is a subset of thruster, intended to pull the reader into the next chapter, just to find out what happens.

What about very short stories? Is the first paragraph or set of sentences a thruster? Does it pull the reader into the story, straight into the action? In a 500-word story, every word counts. You can't afford to leisurely stroll into the story. You have to jump in with both feet.

I don’t think cliffhangers really apply in very short fiction, because you have to end your story after 500 or 1,000 words, or somewhere in between. But even in a longer short story, a scene could end on a cliffhanger, torturing the reader until he turns the page. Of course, like any techniques, something like cliffhangers should be used with care.

Morrell describes a reversal as something changing in a scene, and I think that means attitudes, circumstances, perceptions...many things.

Even in a 250-word story, is your character changed in some way? Is some idea, notion or hope dashed or fulfilled by the end of the story?

Morrell says, “In your own stories, suspect every scene and chapter where your protagonist is unchanged by the events. Emotional reversals are a constant in fiction, occurring within every scene along with obstacles or conflict.”

If you’re on the lookout for an excellent writing book, I recommend “Between the Lines.” I believe that my writing, both short and long, has become stronger and more meaningful by putting into practice much of what she teaches in the book.

February on the Six Questions For. . . blog

2010-02-08T05:00:00.000-08:00

Below is the schedule of postings for February 2010 on Six Questions For . . . Because of the better than expected response from the editors I contacted, I’m posting three time a week this month. Hey, the wonderful answers provided don’t help anyone if their hibernating on my laptop. :) Enjoy.

2/1—Six Questions for J.W. Wang, Editor, Juked
2/3—Six Questions for Wendy S. Delmater, Editor, Abyss & Apex Magazine of Speculative Fiction
2/5—Six Questions for Six Questions for Rick Rofihe, Publisher & Editor-in-Chief, Anderbo
2/8—Six Questions for Kaolin Fire, Founding Editor, GUD
2/10—Six Questions for Katherine A. Patterson, Senior Editor, AlienSkin Magazine
2/12—Six Questions for Six Questions for M. Bartley Seigel, editor & founder, PANK Magazine
2/15—Six Questions for , Robert Neilson, Editor, Albedo One
2/17—Six Questions for Jay Faulkner, Editor, With Painted Words
2/19—Six Questions for Camille Gooderham Campbell, Managing Editor, Every Day Fiction
2/22—Six Questions for Kimberlee Williams, Managing Editor, Vanilla Heart Publishing
2/24—Six Questions for E.S. Wynn, Editor, Weirdyear
2/26—Six Questions for Stefanie Freele, Fiction Editor, The Los Angeles Review

http://sixquestionsfor.blogspot.com/

If you stop by, leave a comment for the editor. I'm sure it will be appreciated, and the name recognition won't hurt if you submit to the publication in the future.

Agent Contest

2010-01-30T17:54:00.000-08:00

Kidlit Contest

Mary Cole, one of the agents at Andrea Brown Literary Agency is having a contest.

Show her the first 500 words of your completed middle-grade or young adult novel!

Click the link above and HURRY!! Contest ends on January 31st.

Nonfiction Catagory

2010-01-27T15:56:00.000-08:00

I'm coming in to say how proud I am of all three editors at Apollo's Lyre:

Jim Harrington and Earl Staggs tied in 7th spot in the Nonfiction article catagory at the 2009 Preditors and Editors Voting Polls.

Charles Mossop came in 8th spot.

All three editors are exceptional in their catagories and wanted to share the good news.

The award (which makes it three if we separate them) can be seen here:
Awards

As the rest of the final results come in I'll update everyone.

In the Fiction catagory, Apollo's Lyre came in 14th out of 24 spots. There's always next year.

We'd like to thank everyone who voted for us.

Lea Schizas

Outline? Me?

2010-01-13T13:21:00.000-08:00

In the February issue of The Writer, Chuck Leddy writes, “Instead of relying on, and blindly following, some plot outline, [John] Dufresne asks you to embrace the challenges of finding what your novel is about as you write it.” [Chuck Leddy in his review of Is Life Like This?: A Guide to Writing Your First Novel in Six Months, by John Dufresne. The Writer, February 2010.]

In a separate article, Steve Weinberg quotes Gay Talese, who says, “Before I sit down at my typewriter, I have charted a course from scene to scene, character to character, and chapter to chapter. The end result is an outline that looks a lot like a director’s storyboard.” [Gay Talese in “Outlining: The Writer’s Road Map,” as reported by Steve Weinberg in his review of Now Write! Nonfiction: Memoir, Journalism, and creative Nonfiction Exercises From Today’s Best Writer and Teachers. The Writer, February 2010.]

For writers, this may be the equivalent of the eternal “the chicken or the egg” argument. As shown above, many authors prefer to outline a story and others don’t want to know what’s going to happen in their story until they reach the words "The End."

I don’t outline, but I don’t write novels either. I wrote a novelette that I gave to family and friends as a Christmas present this year. It grew from a flash piece that wasn’t accepted by any editors. The story ended up as chapter four in the book. I didn’t have a plan when I started writing. I simply created a storyline that took me to the scene depicted in chapter four. That turned out to be the easy part of the book. Perhaps it was because I had an ending point or goal to reach. Hmm... Did I just provide a valid reason why I should create an outline first? Naah.

How about you? Do you outline or not?

Agents and the Novice Writer

2010-01-11T07:00:00.000-08:00

“Just as in every other profession, you need to show your potential employers (agents and publishers) that you know what you're doing and that you're good at it—BEFORE they'll take a chance on you.” -- Rob Pernell in To Have and Agent or Not to Have an Agent—That is the Question.

In this article, Mr. Pernell states that having an agent rarely helps a novice writer, and many publishers won’t deal with unagented authors. Why? Because they don’t know if the author is serious about being an writer. It takes time and money to finalize and promote a book—things agents and publishers won’t waste on untested talent. So does the novice author give up? No, says Mr. Parnell.

To show you’re serious about writing, there are other things you can do. Write short stories and get them published. Enter contests. Again, the best option may be in the areas of short stories and memoirs. Novel competitions are a possibility, but they’re going to be full of entries from MFA graduates who have received “power” critiques from professors and peers of their work. Submit an excerpt from your novel for publication, again a highly competitive option. Research and write non-fiction articles about writing techniques. Start a blog, one that is professional and attracts lots of followers. Once published in these areas, you can provide a resume that says to an agent/publisher that you are a serious writer who is in it for the long run.

So don’t pooh pooh other forms of writing because “I want to be a novelist.” Everything you write will lead you to your eventual goal—a book with your name on the cover flying off the shelves at Barnes & Noble.

This post is duplicated on my personal blog.

Preditors and Editors Voting Polls

2010-01-02T11:03:00.000-08:00

Apollo's Lyre and several of its writers are in the Preditors and Editors Voting polls. Below are the catagories and names we invite you to vote for. We appreciate your support:

Fiction ezine
Apollo’s Lyre
http://www.critters.org/predpoll/fictionzine.shtml

Poetry Zine
Apollo’s Lyre
http://www.critters.org/predpoll/poetryzine.shtml

Nonfiction Zine
Apollo’s Lyre
http://www.critters.org/predpoll/nonfictionzine.shtml

Short stories
"A Song for Andre" August Apollo's Lyre, by David J. Rank
At the Fork in the Road, Mark Chorna, October
http://www.critters.org/predpoll/shortstory.shtml

Nonfiction article
http://www.critters.org/predpoll/nonfiction.shtml
Write Tight by Earl Staggs
Worlds Apart by Charles Mossop
Finding a Story Idea: An Example, Jim Harrington, August

Ezine editor
Lea Schizas – Apollo’s Lyre
http://www.critters.org/predpoll/zineeditor.shtml

Thank you for your support.

Happy New Year!

2009-12-31T12:02:00.000-08:00

Everyone at Apollo`s Lyre would like to wish you and your family health, happiness, and success in 2010.

Setting Goals (An Active Response)

2009-12-29T04:00:00.000-08:00

My cohort Jim Harrington has inspired me to consider my own writing, editing and publishing goals for 2010.

Looking back on 2009 and honestly assessing both my accomplishments and my shortcomings, I came up with the following:

1. Write one hour a day - This comes first because I simply don't spend enough time writing. And because writing without purpose probably won't get me very far, I further commit to the following specifics:

a) write one poem a week
b) write one story a month
c) blog once a week

2. Edit three hours a day (for others) - Not counting my own publications, I also edit for Virtual Tales, Red Rose Publishing and AG Press. Breaking the editing task down into bite-sized daily chunks will help make everything more manageable.

3. Publish two newsletters per month - InkSpotter News and Heritage Writer suffered greatly over the past couple years, and it's time to bring them back.

4. Publish four books during the year - Five books are currently on the agenda, but it doesn't hurt to leave a little room for rescheduling.

5. Choose four books to publish in 2011 - So many from which to choose. With luck, even more will be in the running.

6. Apply for seven freelance gigs per week - I pretty much have this one covered already, but it never hurts to reinforce the habit.

7. Query one magazine per week - I've been talking about doing this for far too long. The time has come to make magazine writing part of the overall game plan.

Each of these goals is now incorporated into my Outlook calendar or task list, complete with annoying reminders. Better (or worse, depending how the year goes) yet, my goals are public. That's probably my biggest challenge going into the new year. No more private, vaguely formed goals. By sharing my intentions, I also make myself accountable.

Feel free to give me a virtual poke once in a while to see how I'm doing.

Setting Goals

2009-12-28T12:26:00.000-08:00

I wrote a post for my personal blog earlier this month on setting writing goals. Here's the opening paragraph.

It's that time of year, again. No, not when you realize you’re behind in your holiday shopping. Nor when you slap the heal of your palm to your forehead because you forgot to make your daughter’s costume for the school play, and you leave an ugly red spot that reminds you of the time you had three too many beers and walked into the closed door at that party your mother told you you couldn’t attend. Nope. It’s time to start thinking about your writing goals for the coming year.

And here's the link to the rest of the post.

If you like, please share a couple of your writing goals for 2010.

All I want for Christmas...

2009-12-14T05:41:00.000-08:00

Is some time to write.

Why is it that the Christmas season, which is supposed to be happy and all about giving, is so stressful? This Christmas, I’m hot on the trail of the first draft of a new novel. If I had just a few hours a day to work on it, I’d get that draft done. There would still be a lot of work, of course, because a first draft is what it is. But I just can’t seem to find the time to finish it.

I’ve analyzed what it is about Christmas that makes things so rushed, so harried, so time-crunched. It’s the extra shopping, definitely. All that shopping takes longer than it should, because everyone else is also doing the extra shopping, so the crowds and traffic are much worse. Even important butt-in-chair computer time is spent researching gifts and possible gifts.

With a 2-1/2 year old in the house, we’re doing Christmassy things we haven’t done in a long while. There are visits (and photos) with Santa and drives through light displays, including a big one in the Atlanta area. That’s not to mention the parties (which we only have two of this year—lucky!)

I work part-time for a twice-a-week newspaper, so for me the problem is compounded by early work deadlines and special Christmas stories to be written.

So, what’s a writer to do?

About six months ago, I managed to carve out some time to myself. Three days a week, I get up at 5:15 in the morning and head to a little office we have set up in an outbuilding at our house. I work until about 7 a.m., when I have to come in and face the rest of my day. So that’s about 4-1/2 hours every week to work on what I think is an important project—my novel. Not much, is it?

I’m hoping Santa will miraculously figure out a way to give me a 28-hour day. Everyone else can stay on the same old 24-hour schedule, but I want those extra four hours sneaked in just for me. Failing that—because I know Santa is especially busy this time of year, and miracles may not be in his bag of tricks—I’ll just have to grin and bear it through the Christmas season.

Come January, there are always New Year’s resolutions!

This Week on the Six Questions For . . . Blog

2009-12-14T05:27:00.000-08:00

Monday -- Six Questions For Kimberly Brown, Flash Editor, Apollo's Lyre.

Thursday -- Six Questions For Diane Smith, Editor, Grey Sparrow Journal.

Connect to the blog here.

If you stop by, consider leaving a comment for the editor. I'm sure it will be appreciated, and the name recognition won't hurt if you submit to the publication in the future.

Voice and POV

2009-12-11T15:19:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wondered what a ‘good’ writer uses in order to make his world, his story remain in a reader’s thoughts? Before I get to this question, let me just say that every writer has his or her own distinct writing voice.

Some writers may study several great writers, use some of their techniques for creating memorable storylines, but at the end each writer begins to develop his own voice that sets them apart from other writers. That voice is what connects and draws your target audience to your books. That voice jumps to your character’s voice, making them unique and enabling your reader to bond with them on a deeper level.

So the first answer to my opening question is ‘voice’. That voice has now allowed the character to develop. Each character in a book must have his own ‘voice’ and personality to set them apart from others in the book. By doing this you avoid using the constant dialogue tags, ‘he said/she said’ – this applies when there are two characters speaking to one another in any given scene.

How can you give your character a unique voice? Give them a slant that belongs to them only. Have them speak in a manner different than the other characters in your story. This facilitates a reader’s understanding as to who is speaking without having to backtrack and check who spoke last in a dialogue tag.

Where was your character born? Does he have an accent? Does he like to repeat or use a certain phrase? Does his body language reveal more about his character? His actions and reactions to situations also helps to define who he is at all times.

Another answer to my question is the point of view. Writers understand that the point of view of the main character is important because the reader can really dig into that character’s mind and feel/hear/see/touch/smell what he does. They ‘live’ in his shoes and experience everything he goes through. However…

…one way of dislocating a bond with a reader is to headhop, and as an editor, I’ve seen this many times. Some believe by allowing more than one character express their inner thoughts in a given scene helps a reader bond to them. That’s not so. It absolutely takes them out of the story because they have lost track of who to follow. Each scene should have one character’s POV. You can either introduce a second POV character using a scene break−* * * *−or giving them their own chapter.

Your Senses

2009-12-10T07:32:00.001-08:00

It’s true what they say, that a picture holds a thousand words. From this small phrase writers need to understand it applies to a manuscript, as well. A picture showcases the artist’s strokes, the imagery for a viewer to interpret. Same goes for a story. The writer’s ‘strokes’ are the words he’ll use, incorporating as many of the five senses to bring his imagery alive for his reader. Without an added ‘sense’ to offer descriptive details, your world feels empty, void of a concrete setting that allows the reader to visual, take in the smells, see the outskirts, hear the noises around your character. In a few words−it is your connecting factor of realism to the reader.

Take a second and listen to your surroundings. What do you hear? Are there any smells in the air? How do they smell? What thoughts pop in your head with the sounds and smells you’re experiencing right now? If you do this exercise every so often you’re ability to pinpoint and tighten your descriptive sentences will improve.

Whatever you do, just write. I know this is contradicting about tightening your sentences, but you’ll find the more you practice using your senses the tighter your first drafts will be. If you stop and edit your work while writing, you’re wasting time penning that story out of your head.

Six Questions For . . .

2009-12-08T05:00:00.000-08:00

Two posts appear this week.

Monday -- Six Questions for Don Webb, Managing Editor, Bewildering Stories

Thursday -- Six Questions for Barry Basden, Editor, Camroc Press Review.

Don and his staff, and Barry offer excellent tips, no matter the kind of writing you do.

Read the posts here.

Editing Your Manuscript

2009-12-07T04:00:00.000-08:00

Kathryn Craft posted an excellent list of editing tips on The Blood-Red Pencil blog. Here's a sample.

POV filters. Search for words such as realized, thought, saw, noticed, glanced and see if the prose works without them. Such words can often exhibit a lack of confidence in one’s ability to establish point of view. If you put us into a character’s head and stay there, we’ll know whose observations and opinions are being put forth without attribution.

Read the complete post here.

Announcing Six Questions For . . ., a new project to enlighten writers

2009-12-01T07:03:00.000-08:00

In response to a post on my personal blog about rejection, a reader suggested I publish a series of interviews in which editors "list, in excruciating details, all that each editor desires in his/her stories." Wow. What a great idea. Not only does this provide authors with specific information about what editors are looking for in the submissions they receive, it offers editors a venue for advertising their publications and getting the word out about what, in their opinion, constitutes "good writing."

To support this effort, I created the Six Questions For . . . blog. You can learn more about this project by reading the Welcome message and first posting, Six Questions For Nathaniel Tower, Founder and Editor, Bartleby Snopes, at http://sixquestionsfor.blogspot.com/. A new set of responses will be posted every Monday and Thursday (except 12/3, 12/24, and 12/31).

A sampling of other participants includes: Anderbo, Apollo’s Lyre, Black Velvet Seductions (publisher of romance novels), Boston Literary Magazine, Camroc Press Review, dcomP, Dew on the Kudzu, Flash Me Magazine, Grey Sparrow Journal, Toasted Cheese, and Vanilla Heart Publishing.

If you're involved with a magazine, publisher, or literary agency and would like to participate; or if you have a question or would like to suggest a publication, publisher, or agent for me to include, contact me at sixquestionsfor@gmail.com

Please consider sharing this news with your writing friends. I’ve learned a lot from reading the responses received so far. I’m certain other writers will too.

Editors and Writers Hats

2009-11-25T06:51:00.000-08:00

(Note: repost from The Writing Jungle)

Writers have a hard time wearing their two distinctive hats:

• The writer’s hat
• The editor’s hat

Writing is all about creation, getting the story out of your head, and putting it down on paper or computer.

Editing is all about cutting, dissecting, and removing excess ‘word’ baggage.

A writer should first adapt writing freehand, allowing thoughts to be moved from the inner head and hop out to the exterior for some playtime. As experience settles in the editing will come naturally as you write. Just remember that a first draft is allowed to look as though an elementary student wrote it. It’s the subsequent drafts that will pull the whole story together. So avoid editing in first draft and simply allow your Muse free reign. That's what it means to wear your writer's hat.

The editor's hat comes after the first draft when you go back in and begin sculpting your work, fleshing out your characters, strengthening your sentences, building your world deeper with a rich background, checking for consistency.

Although many writers first build an outline, there are those - like me - who prefer to write what pops out of our heads. There is no right or wrong way - just your way, the way that will work for you. So experiment first by writing freehand, and then outlining your storyline and see what works for you.

Follow your writer's instincts - to a point

2009-11-17T07:25:00.000-08:00

I think a lot of writing is done subconsciously. While you’re hammering out on the keyboard the words that make your story happen, your subconscious is at work, leading you (hopefully) in the right direction.

I was recently working on my novel-manuscript-in-progress (I don’t feel comfortable calling it a “novel” until it’s a little farther along) and that notion was brought home to me. Without going into the plot (which I never share with anyone until the thing’s done), I’ll just say that I started with a scene in which my main character was doing something, well, characteristic. I wasn’t sure why I wanted to start with this scene, especially since it put off the real start of the story until the second chapter, but it just felt right.

Now, 60K+ words into it, I’m outlining the ending. And my ending scene turned out to be a perfect (I hope) bookend for that first scene.

I don’t believe that is a coincidence. I believe it was all decided in my subconscious, by my instincts, before I got nearly to the end.

I can’t say that, in my case, the instincts are writer’s instincts, but something honed from the many novels I’ve read. I’ve certainly read a whole lot more of them (thousands, probably) than I’ve written (two novel-wanna-be’s).

I think instinct is how developing a theme for your novel happens, too. You know “themes.” It was one of those nightmare terms high school English teachers liked to torment their students with. “Write a short essay on the theme of ‘Grapes of Wrath’.” That kind of thing.

But I think most, if not all, successful novels have themes. They may not be overt, but they’re there. And, they may not be something the writer planned from the beginning, but the writer’s subconscious helpfully supplied while the book was being written.

Just keep in mind that not every idea you come up with, or every word you pen, is your instinct at work. I also believe that, if you go with the first thing that pops into your head, you may have a common, predictable idea.

So if you think you know where your novel is going, if you think some of those plot twists popped into your head a little too easily, brainstorm for the unpredictable, for the surprising. Then use your instincts and go with what feels right for your characters and your plot.

More World's Worst Book Proposals

2009-11-11T11:56:00.000-08:00

Angela Hoy of WritersWeekly.com and Booklocker.com occasionally publishes a list of the World's Worst Book Proposals. Every time I read them I can't decide if I should laugh or shake my head in dismay. If you would like to know how not to present a proposal, check out the current World's Worst list here.

Tolerating Uncertainty

2009-11-09T05:00:00.000-08:00

“Since you have no choice but to begin in uncertainty, you must learn to tolerate uncertainty and, if possible, to turn it into excitement.” -- Stephen Koch in The Modern Library Writer’s Workshop.

This is an appropriate quote for NaNoWriMo. I imagine there are a number of authors out there (I’m not participating) who are uncertain about a number of things at this stage, with many questions that still need answering. For all you WriNoMo enthusiasts, I have one piece of lame advice: Keep on keeping on. And let uncertainty drive your story, instead of being a roadblock to its completion.

Good luck, everyone.

The Force Behind the Book

2009-11-06T08:26:00.000-08:00

Writers are also readers and have a great opportunity to study other authors, to figure out what it is about the book that drew them into the storyline. Figuring out the force behind the book that pulled you in will help define your own writing. Every book needs two things at least: memorable characters and a strong storyline.

Characters are the parts of the engine that move the storyline. When you create memorable and long lasting impressions of them into your readers then you’ve hooked them. As soon as a reader ‘feels’ for your fictional character then their emotions, trials and tribulations, and quests belong to the reader because now they care about them. Develop stick people and you lose a reader.

Besides characters, your storyline needs delicate paint strokes to bring your fictional world alive. Descriptions using the five senses sculptures a realistic and believable world.

The point of no return for a writer is the beginning. The opening (beginning - first chapter) should captivate and keep your reader’s attention. That initial hook is the difference between writers who understand the importance and those who don’t. Remember you are competing with thousands of writers…your work should stand apart from all the rest. That ‘hook’ will not only capture a reader, but possibly an agent or publisher when submitting your manuscript.

Besides characters and descriptions you need a solid plot, not one that jumps from one subplot to another without any connection to the overall theme of the book. Each subplot needs to connect in some way and tie in at the end, or help define and allow your character to grow with each obstacle thrown in their path. This entices your reader to find out the conclusion, to see how the protagonist will overcome, if at all. This is called building suspense, taking your reader for a neat roller-coaster ride. Surprise them with a twist ending but make sure that twist fits in and not something blended in out of the blue with no meaning.

Create a vivid fictional world with memorable characters and you’ll have a reader for life.

Web resource: Successful NaNo Writers Speak

2009-10-29T07:48:00.000-07:00

Web Page: Successful NaNo Writers Speak.

For those of you planning to participate in NaNoWriteMo, this web page contains interviews with three published authors discussing their NaNo experience.

Apollo's Lyre - October 2009 Issue

2009-10-28T16:23:00.000-07:00

Our October 2009 Issue is now ready for you to enjoy.

We've got several mini and maxi flash fiction for your reading pleasure.

Poetry to delight your 'poetic' tastebuds.

And an article to smack you between the eyes...well, not really smack. Maybe awaken your 'rejection' senses?

So stop reading this...come one...go HERE.

Newest Issue

2009-10-23T17:48:00.000-07:00

Stay tuned. Apollo's Lyre's newest issue is coming out this weekend.

The staff want to thank everyone for your patience while we were away on an online conference. We'll be back with insight as to how that went over the next few weeks.

The Rejection Blues

2009-10-22T10:03:00.000-07:00

"I totally grant the possibility that a story I sent out sucks, and I do give rejections and comments the power (eventually) to let me know such a thing. But I would never grant them the power to determine whether I'm a writer or not. No one gets to decide that but me." -- Randall Brown in Submitting Your Story (As Opposed to Yourself).

Randall’s post comes at a perfect time for me. I received two rejection e-mails this week, and the last two stories I submitted to a weekly writing challenge received less than rave reviews. I checked my submissions database, and I’ve received 181 rejections since July of 2007. I didn’t look at how many stories this covered. Some were rejected multiple times.

You might think I'd be used to rejection, but it still hurts; especially when, for whatever reason, I expect an editor to fall in love with a story. One aspect of the process that bothers me is when an editor (and this happens in critique groups also) explains how he would have written the story, or what he expected at the end. Gosh, if I wanted to write his story, I would have interviewed him before I started. Okay, that may be sour grapes; but I’m not interested in how someone else would have written my story. I want to know why mine didn't work -- in this person's opinion. I don’t remember who it was that suggested no critique should include the word I, but I agree.

In the end, I have to remember Randall’s advice and realize it’s not me an editor is rejecting. It’s my story. On the good news side, I received three acceptances this week; and a three to two ratio is something to be happy about. Still ...

When In Doubt, Write

2009-09-21T12:03:00.000-07:00

In her post last week on setting priorities, Betty mentioned a 24-hour contest. I assume she was referring to the Writers Weekly 24-Hour Short Story Contest. I participated in this event for the third time and wanted to share my experience.

For those of you unfamiliar with the contest, registered users (entry fee is $5) are sent a prompt on Saturday, and they have 24 hours to submit a story. Here’s the prompt for last weekend’s contest.

Weeks of obsessive tending and gentle turning ensured a blue ribbon for his biggest pumpkin next weekend. His chest puffed with impending pride as he fantasized about the envious stares of the other town folk, especially that pretty, stuck-up woman next door, who always looked through him, not at him.

The cold wind started again and he shivered, watching the sky darken too quickly. As bright, painted leaves rained on his crop, he instinctively turned his head toward an infant's cry. At the top of the hill, under the old Maple, his stuck-up neighbor was shielding a bundle from the wind, fumbling with her blouse...

I read the prompt, read it again, threw my arms in the air, and thought, What the f---? How could I narrow this information down to fit into a story of no more than 1000 words (word limit supplied with the prompt)? I mean there's a man, a woman, a baby, a pumpkin-growing contest, the weather... As John McEnroe would say, "You've got to be kidding!"

Then I started writing some questions. Who is this man? Why is he obsessed with a pumpkin-growing contest? Has he entered it before? How many times? Does he have a particular rival he wants to beat? Is he a native to the area? If not, where did he come from and why? What about the stuck-up neighbor? Why does he think that? Boring, huh. And not very original.

I need to share a couple of things at this point. First, the instructions make it clear the submission does not have to follow the prompt exactly, merely hinting at it is enough. Second, the comments provided after previous contests stated that many entries didn’t make it through the first round because they were predictable and too close to the ideas presented in many of the other entries.

My thoughts turned to how, given the questions the prompt raised, I could come up with a story that was different. Instead of posing more questions, I simply began writing. The resultant “story” was blah. After more contemplation, I came up with a new idea, one I thought might set my story apart from the rest. Here’s the opening paragraph of my entry.

“Okay. Okay,” Carla said to the crying baby. “Lunch is coming.” A grin erased the uncertainty from Carla’s face as the tiny lips captured the nipple and suckled her breast. She swiveled on the wooden bench to protect Thomas from the breeze. “There. Is that better?” The unusually cool summer had migrated to an even cooler fall. At least, that’s what the weatherman announced last night on the six o’clock news. Being unfamiliar with the area, Carla didn’t know about local weather trends.

Yes, I decided to tell the story from the point of view of the woman on the hill. Who is she? Is the baby hers? Where is the father? Does she know the man at the bottom of the hill thinks she’s stuck-up? How? I hope it’s different enough and isn't put in the didn't-make-it-out-of-the-first-round pile because the word pumpkin is nowhere to be found in the final tale. :)

The winners will be announced before Halloween. Once they are, I’ll post my entry on the blog so you can read the rest of it. Hey, maybe it’ll be a winner, and you can read it on the Writers Weekly site!

Winners and losers aside, the point of this post is that, at some point, a writer needs to stop thinking about a story and get it on paper. As Stephen Koch says in The Modern Library Writer’s Workshop, “The way -- the only way -- to 'find' your story is to tell it.”

Setting Priorities

2009-09-19T10:21:00.000-07:00

Even on the weekends, setting priorities is an important part of getting through the day. It doesn't matter if you're dealing with work or with running your household. Things need doing. But how do you decide which to do first? Or even second or third? Which tasks can wait for another day?

One school of thought recommends tackling the biggest task first and squeezing in smaller tasks along the way. Others suggest taking on one or two small tasks first in order to finish something sooner, thereby boosting your confidence before moving on to the more challenging tasks.

Whichever approach works best for the you, the most important thing is to begin. Thinking about all your tasks won't get any of them done. Pick one and get started. Decide how far you'll go before taking a break.

For instance, when I'm editing books, I commit to finishing a chapter in each sitting. Sometimes, when I'm on a roll, I'll get through two or three chapters before I stop. But I do not start a chapter that I'm not prepared to finish.

My current task list includes a 24-hour short story contest, a 48-hour short story contest, editing a romance novel, proofreading web content, and an editing test for a publisher. Whew! And those are just the highest priority items!

So now I'm off to work. Which will I tackle first? What would you do?

Create Characters That Matter

2009-09-17T10:55:00.000-07:00

If you’re like me, there are certain characters that manage to find their way into your initial drafts that don’t belong in the story. One of my early works had a large woman in it who came running out of a bar and down the street like the proverbial chicken with its head cut off. I knew she was a cliche, but the scene painted a funny picture in my head. In another story a barmaid dropped a tray of glasses and scared one character -- who was the town’s deputy sheriff -- enough that he hid behind the bar. Both characters received negative comments from members of my writing group because they served no real purpose. I tried to make them matter and hated to see either one go, but finally purged them from their respective stories. Neither of these ladies has popped up in my subsequent tales, but I haven’t forgotten them. Perhaps some day I’ll write a story where they can play a significant part.

Not sure if the characters in your current WIP belong there? Creating Fictional Characters That Hook the Reader, by Lonnie Ezell, may help you decide.

Shake Up Your MC

2009-09-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

“When in doubt, have a man come through the door with a gun in his hand.” -- Raymond Chandler.

Mr. Chandler uses this in reference to a scene or chapter where the author is stuck. Depending on the story, it doesn’t have to be a gun. Perhaps an old lover enters a room, or maybe the heroine finds a letter stuck in the back of a drawer, or maybe a body falls through the roof in the middle of dinner. The possibilities are endless. Stuck on a scene? Don’t know where to begin the next chapter? End the previous portion by introducing something new, something that shakes the character so severely that the reader must know what happens next.

Choose an Unusual Format for a Story

2009-08-27T09:37:00.000-07:00

In last week’s post, I discussed writing a piece that lacked a major component of a traditional story. Another way to experiment with a story is to use different formats. You might write a list story, or a story based on a particular pattern. I believe it was Bruce Holland Rogers who suggested writing a story in which the last word of each sentence be repeated as the first word of the next one. What about using a grocery list, or an item in a small town newspaper, or perhaps a Last Will and Testament, or high school essay? One writer submitted a story written backwards. It started at the end and worked its way to the beginning. Once I figured out what was happening, I enjoyed the effort. Unfortunately, the plot contained a couple of craters that kept the work from being accepted.

Want to kick-start your writing? Try composing a story using an unconventional format. The options are only limited by your imagination.

Book Review - And This Was My Happy Ending

2009-08-26T21:31:00.000-07:00

The first time I read Kevin Staniec's And This Was My Happy Ending, I didn't think too much about mechanics and style. I just let myself get drawn into the story. I felt the words as much as read them.

Much of my reaction stems from Staniec's skilful poetic craft. Rhymes are buried inside lines and used with care and precision. By the time Staniec kicks the internal rhyme into full gear, you're hooked.

My heart, beating, rhythm-
mically competing, and
defeating me. Each key,
delicately caressed,
dressed in ebony and
ivory.

The premise behind this book is at once simple and unique. And This Was My Happy Ending is, as the cover blurb declares, "a story of love from a man's perspective." In just 78 pages (each of them not much bigger than a large index card) Staniec explores the narrator's emotions from the first meeting through the evolution of the relationship.

And This Was My Happy Ending is poetry for people who don't think they like poetry. And if you already do, you'll have a distinct advantage going in.

Does our narrator find his happy ending? It's not my place to tell. I can only recommend you grab a hot cup of herbal tea, curl up in your favorite chair, and give yourself time to read this little book from cover to cover.

Stories That Break the Rules

2009-08-20T10:55:00.000-07:00

An author in one of my writing groups posted a mini-rant about editors who state they want to read submissions that break the rules and stretch the idea of story, only to reject the story because there's no character arc. It makes me wonder if the editor has a clear idea of what he's really looking for.

Davin Malasarn, in a post at The Literary Lab, wonders if things like plot, character arc, and rising action to a climax are necessary elements for a story to be successful. For him, a book, movie, or piece of music is good if it entertains him.

In the Field Guide to Writing Flash Fiction, Nathan Leslie, author of six short story collections and fiction editor for The Pedestal Magazine, suggests that "vignette" is not a four-letter word. "This is not to say nothing happens in flash fiction--just that small adjustments or revelations work better on the small stage than do major events," and that "understatement and purposeful ambiguity" are appropriate.

Finally, Bruce Holland Rogers, in writing about flash fiction for Flash Fiction Online, says, "A successful story is a narrative that the reader reads all the way through to the end and enjoys." [Less Than The Rules Demand: Getting By On Attitude] There's no mention of beginning, middle, end, climax, or character arc in this statement. Mr. Holland provides the story Baby, It Didn't Have to Happen This Way as example of a story with little in the way of plot.

So, does every piece of flash fiction need a plot? Does a character have to reach a major epiphany for the story to be enjoyable? Can the reader empathize with a character who doesn't experience a life-changing event? Can you write an enjoyable story that lacks a major component of a traditional story? You can? Show me.

How Networking Works…and Doesn’t

2009-08-19T09:00:00.000-07:00

Successful networking is not like winning the lottery but more akin to a long-term investment strategy. If you start networking to find clients and make money, you don’t understand what networking means.

Four successful businesswomen—Carolyn Howard-Johnson, Dotsie Bregel, Tracy Lynn Repchuk and Viveca A. Stone—share their networking experiences and insights below. Be sure to take plenty of notes along the way. There won’t be a quiz, but no doubt you will be tested.

What are your reasons for networking? How have they changed over the years?

Dotsie Bregel, founder of BoomerWomenSpeak.com and the National Association of Baby Boomer Women: “I am a networker by nature and really don’t know how to go about life without it. I’m forever connecting people whom I believe can be of some type of encouragement/help to one another.”

Tracy Repchuk, President of the Canadian Federation of Poets and author of The Poetry of Business: “Originally my reasons for networking were to meet people I could sell to. Over the years I realized this was one sided. Now I network to find out what other people are doing, are they happy, do they need help, maybe I can provide them with what they need. I listen to their needs, care about them, and hope that I am someone they would like to get to know better, and let me assist in any way possible.”

Viveca A. Stone, founder of GetReadyForLove.com: “Networking is the fastest, easiest, and most satisfying way to be successful and get ‘the job’ done. In school collaboration is generally considered ‘cheating.’ As the youngest child I grew up feeling the need to ‘prove myself.’ These two experiences stood between me and my networking success for many years. Originally I found myself in a job for which I was completely unqualified. It was technical, aggressive, and fast paced. To succeed I had to network and build a team. It took six grueling months for me to combine the right mix of buyers with the right mix of sellers. I plunked myself in the middle and treated them well. From there the business exploded. Now when I find myself returning to my comfort zone of going it alone—which also corresponds to overworking and an empty bank account—I recall that experience and refocus on what matters most—networking and building successful teams. Success is sweeter when shared and obstacles are so much easier to overcome when shared with a team.”

Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of The Frugal Book Promoter: How to Do What Your Publisher Won’t and founder of the Authors’ Coalition: “Networking equates with success. I once thought that if someone else gave me a hand that somehow diminished my own accomplishments. Now the process of giving others a boost and allowing (yes, even sometimes asking!) others to give me a boost is the way I do business. By the way, business equates with life. It is part of one's life, after all.”

What are some of the most common misconceptions about networking?

Carolyn Howard-Johnson: “See above.”

Dotsie Bregel: “People will say no. I’ve yet to experience this.”

Tracy Repchuk: “Misconceptions include: waste of time, boring, not the type of people for my product/services, things such as this.”

Viveca A. Stone: “Networking kind of sounds phony to me. It makes me think of all those ‘networking’ events I attended in my twenties for which I was ill prepared. Was just listening into an interview yesterday about ‘Testosterone Free Marketing’ and the difference between men and women. Maybe those events felt phony to me because they seemed like distasteful social events—I didn’t go into them with the right frame of mind or objectives, i.e. I want to meet so and so and discuss such and such.”

How has your career benefited from networking?

Viveca A. Stone: “I’ve made great friends and colleagues to work and play with. We all have different talents—some of us gather and build great networks—some of us inspire success ‘wind beneath the wings’—some of us are great at starting projects—some at ending them. My career would be nowhere without my friends, colleagues, and networks.”

Carolyn Howard-Johnson: “There isn't a way that it hasn't. We may be captains of our own barks, but we always need a compass and a sail.”

Dotsie Bregel: “I’ve grown two wonderful Web sites and met tons of incredible women who are willing to go the extra mile for one another. My approach is always ‘what can I do for you’ because I like to help others.”

Tracy Repchuk: “Without people/networking, you don't have anyone to communicate to, work with, find out about, and help. Getting together with others is a healthy way to enjoy what you do, let others know about it, and meet some fantastic and interesting people along the way.”

(article originally published in WE Magazine for Women)

Are we your favorite writing blog?

2009-08-12T19:24:00.001-07:00

Maria Schneider wants to know. That's why she's running a contest and welcoming nominations for the Editor Unleashed 25 Best Writing Blogs.

It really would be an honor just to be nominated. If you look forward to hearing from us, why not give us a nod?

Also, the new issue of Apollo's Lyre is now live. We have lots of great content this month, so be sure to check it out.

FlashFiction.Net

2009-08-06T07:00:00.000-07:00

Randall Brown, an award-winning author and instructor in the MFA in Writing Program at Rosemont College, recently began a blog--FlashFiction.Net--dedicated to the craft of writing short short stories. Randall offers articles on writing short pieces, interviews with authors and editors in the field (the first with Ramon Collins, editor of Linnet’s Wings), story analysis, ideas for writing prompts (a recent one based on Robert Frost’s Mending Wall), and more. The blog is updated seven days a week and a must for anyone interested in learning about this genre.

Keeping a Journal

2009-08-05T14:43:00.000-07:00

I'd like to say I still have every journal from a lifetime of writing. After all, I poured so many thoughts into those pages, secrets I couldn't even share with myself.

My childhood diaries, however, went the way of my baby teeth. Just as well. Some things were better left forgotten.

More recent journals are scattered about my home: stacked on the floor, stuffed into the back of shelves, and hidden in boxes in the attic. I wouldn't be surprised if some are propping up second-hand furniture.

Does this mean I'm indifferent to the contents of those half-remembered tomes? I prefer to see them as buried treasure. How much more poignant the words will seem when unearthed years from now. And perhaps their value will grow during the passing years.

Consider the following description written during a morning free write at an oceanfront cottage:

"The way the foam dances ahead of the wave, it looks like nimble fingers on piano keys."

The line stayed in my head for years and eventually evolved into the following poem:

water washed over
cold crescent shore loosely keyed
pebbled concerto

The basic concept is still there but expanded to include more concrete imagery.

If I hadn't captured the description in the moment, however, the poem never would have come about.

Journaling is a valid aspect of any writer's life. Recording your observations on a daily basis provides practice and discipline. Try it for a week--just one page per day--and see if you're not convinced.

You just might realize that there's more to "keeping" a journal than choosing its storage location.

Who Says You Can't?

2009-07-29T19:39:00.000-07:00

Carol Lesbirel and Julie Ann Wilton embody many fine attributes, separately and together, including positive thinking, teamwork, and determination.

Lesbirel delivers dynamic and hard-hitting presentations through her company Smart Talk Productions and, with Wilton, has co-authored Who Says You Can't? (2005).

Lesbirel traces the genesis of the book back to her presentations. "I've been out doing training and speaking. At my sessions, people have said to me on numerous occasions, 'Aw, I wish I could take you home with me. Do you have a video? Do you have a book?'" Then along came Wilton. The two women met through their sons, who attended the same school. During a shared vacation in Vancouver, they started talking about writing a book based on Lesbirel's lectures.

They soon realized that saying you'll write a book is a far cry from actually writing one. Talk and plans germinated for several years. "We didn't know anything about writing a book," Lesbirel says. Undaunted, however, they adopted an attitude of "We'll just write it down and go from there."

"What stalled us was life just took on its own thing," Wilton says, adding, "Sometimes you just have to bury your head and soul and get it done."

As if writing the book weren't daunting enough at times, they decided to self publish. "We wanted to be in control of our own destiny with the book," Wilton explains.

The writing partners shared a common determination, as well as other important skills. "We're both really good at goal setting, projects, bringing things to an end," Wilton says. By applying their shared strengths, they persevered and completed what would be the first book for both.

Wilton is quick to describe Lesbirel as the businesswoman in the partnership. "What I am is the detail person," she says, adding that their distinct styles complement each other. "We work well together because we're so different."

Wilton sees the book as having considerable longevity. "This is a book that has a shelf life," she says. "The principles aren't going to change."

Meanwhile, both can see another book in their future. The question remains as to when. Wilton thinks that another book could possibly happen, but not yet. "We've still got a long way to go with this one."

Lesbirel is somewhat more optimistic. "I'll probably do another one. I'm already jotting things down."

As far as pure optimism goes, however, no one can beat Wilton. She has visions of promoting the book through Oprah's Book Club. When asked if she thinks her dream is attainable, she responds quickly and appropriately. "Who says you can't?"

How NOT to Write a Book Proposal

2009-07-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

This post is for those of you who need a good laugh. My first post for the AL blog discussed the importance of proofreading your work before submitting it for publication. Angela Hoy over at Writers' Weekly has posted a few of her favorite world's worst book proposals. It's amazing how bad these are. I hope you enjoy -- and learn from -- them as much as I did.

By the way, I participated in last weekend's Writers' Weekly 24-Hour Short Story Contest. Did anyone else here send in a story?

Time to Stop Writing!

2009-07-22T01:34:00.000-07:00

How many times have you heard the expression “Writers live a solitary existence” (or words to that effect)?

The fact of the matter is, most writers need to be alone in order to write. A quiet place, free of distractions from well meaning family and friends, is one of the most important tools in a writer’s arsenal. But what about when you’re not writing?

What writers also need is to find lives beyond their desks and computers. After all, fresh experiences feed the creative process. If we do nothing but sit at a desk all day, staring at a blank page or a flickering screen, we soon run out of ideas.

Here are just a few ways you can rediscover the world beyond your desk:

1. Pick up a new skill by taking a course--and not online. Sign up at your local community college. Learn to make crème brulée or find out what an f/stop is and how it’s used.

2. Go for a walk in the park, taking your time and taking in your surroundings with each step. With each visit, you’re bound to find something new.

3. Make a lunch date with a friend. Try a restaurant that neither of you has gone to before. And order a dish you’ve never tried before, either.

4. Join a bowling team or a book club or some other social group. Shy around strangers? Drag a willing (or even slightly unwilling) accomplice along for moral support.

5. Now here’s the really scary option. Go on a date! If you’re married, make a date with your spouse. Just give yourself permission to take the evening off and have some fun.

The best part is, you don’t have to write about any of it when you get home. But you can if you want to. Better yet, repeat any of the above and/or make a new list of things to do. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination--as a writer, you have plenty on which to draw.

A Writer's Life

2009-07-17T08:48:00.000-07:00

I finished a short short this week. It’d been six weeks since I wrote the first draft. In my early revisions, I'd concentrated on plot and characters. I spent the last day looking carefully at each paragraph, sentence, and word. I read the story out loud to hear and feel the rhythm.

I changed words and added or deleted phrases to adjust the cadence. I put the story down and let it marinate for an hour before reading it out loud again. Still, one sentence, didn’t feel right.

Finally, I decided I’d created as good a story as was in me. I prepared the text for submission according to the publication’s guidelines and sent it off. I should hear back by September as to whether it will be accepted or not. If it isn’t, I may know why. Ah, the agony and ecstasy of being a writer.

[This post will appear on Jim's personal blog on Monday (7/20), along with a quote by Robert Louis Stevenson.]

Opening a Seasonal Branch Office

2009-07-15T20:22:00.000-07:00

If you're running a home based business, summer is a great time to set up a branch office -- in your back yard.

I decided to take advantage of wireless internet and work on my deck when the weather is nice. The change of scenery is nothing less than refreshing. After all, wouldn't you rather look at blue skies and listen to bird songs (or even an irate squirrel) than be stuck inside?

If you don't have wireless capabilities, you can still "branch out" this summer. All you have to do is schedule your outdoor work around tasks that don't require internet access. In my case, I could read submissions and edit manuscripts, saving things like email and web searches for evening hours and rainy days.

Summer's way too short (at least where I live), so make the most of every outdoor moment -- even when work can't wait.

When Lying is Good

2009-07-02T09:30:00.000-07:00

"When I was a young boy they called me a liar. Now that I'm all grown up, they call me a writer.”—Isaac Bashevis Singer [posted at Mike’s Writing Workshop]

Now you can tell your mom you weren't lying as a youngster, you were telling stories. Oh wait, that wouldn't work with my mother. To her telling stories and lying were synonymous.

Acts of Creation

2009-07-01T20:03:00.000-07:00

Written during an eight-week residency at the Helene Wurlitzer Foundation, Taos, New Mexico (2003).

I see the first glow of morning over the flat roof of my neighbor's cottage and the trees that lie beyond. The world is still and half formed at this time of day. Magpies warm up for their morning aria. The odd car passes by. Even the wind still sleeps.

I've been up all night again, giving the tranquil hours over to acts of creation. Only now do I pull back the curtains and let the world creep inside.

My desk lamp shines on, confident that I can't yet live without its light. The computer groans, being far less resilient, and would yawn if it could. The phone sulks on the corner of the desk, a muted instrument whose only connection to the outside world answered to a higher purpose. It sits next to the tissue box, at least.

A borrowed dictionary has become fast friends with my travel-weary pocket diary. Between the two, I'm sure to find the right words at the right time.

If ever fatigue threatens the creative urge, I have my bottomless coffee mug and two bottles of water standing guard nearby. Muscle relaxants linger for moments when my body seizes over the page, and Wite-Out for moments when the words follow suit.

When all the night's work is behind me, yet my mind continues on, I have only to clip and file my nails while awaiting my next inspiration.

It's true...writers write

2009-06-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

It's a mantra writers have heard over and over, almost as much as "show, don't tell."

Writers write. If you want to write, apply butt to chair. Make a set time to write and don't let anything interfere. The advice goes on.

Until recently, I acknowledged that advice, but pretty much ignored it. I stole moments when I could, tapped out a few words or chapters. I wrote the first draft of an entire novel that way, with stolen moments.

But lately my stolen moments have dried up like grass in wintertime. I write for a living (I work for a community newspaper), and that sounds like a good thing. Even though what I write isn't "creative" (except I REALLY have to wrestle with the muse when I try to write an interesting lead paragraph for a story about a city council meeting), my creativity is drained. When I have a moment to myself, the last thing I want to do is write anything else.

After weeks, or maybe months, of writing nothing for myself, I'm finally ready to heed the advice. I'm ready to carve out specific writing time for what I want to write, not what I HAVE to write for work. I'm a morning person and get up early anyway, so it seems reasonable to do it in the morning, before the creative juices have dried up from penning deathless words about the board of education or the swine flu.

I start at 5:30 this morning. Maybe I'll let you know how it goes. Or maybe I'll be too engrossed in writing my latest story.

Apollo's Lyre Submissions

2009-06-29T09:44:00.000-07:00

There’s still time to get your submissions in for the August issue of Apollo’s Lyre. Here's what we’re looking for.

It's hard to write a good story with a beginning, a middle and an end in 500 words and under. Surprise me! I don't care for stories that rely on puns, but I do like stories with meaning, stories that make me think, stories that make me laugh. Remember, with a story that's only 500 words long, every word must count. -- Kimberly Brown, Editor

Send me stories (501 to 1000 words) with believable, interesting characters facing a problem that isn’t easily solved. Most of all, make me care about what happens to the people you write about. -- Jim Harrington, Editor

Send me poems that employ vivid imagery and play on all the senses. Forget about using clichéd phrases. Don’t rhyme unless you can give me something fresh. Make every word count. -- Betty Dobson, Editor

Articles on writing -- Lea Schizas, Editor.

Remember to check out the complete guidelines before submitting your work. The current deadline is July 15.

Author Interview Podcasts

2009-06-25T11:00:00.000-07:00

Podcasts are the new public face for many institutions. A Google search retrieves over two million hits. Some of these are hosted by individuals with limited experience. A few are services provided by public libraries. Many publishing houses produce podcasts to advertise their authors and publications. Newspapers also use this medium to reach readers. Below is a partial list of some podcasts containing author interviews. Do you have a favorite site to add to this list?

Washington Post’s Book World (publishing news and author interviews.)
New York Times’ Book Review (Sam Tanenhaus discusses current issue)
NPR: Book Talk (author interviews)
NPR: All About Books (weekly book reviews and discussion)
NPR: All NPR podcasts
NPR: Book Artists and Poets (interviews by Steve Miller, coordinator of MFA program at University of Alabama)
NPR: Author Interviews (Harvard University Press)
NPR: Author Interviews (University of Michigan Press)

Go West, (Young?) Blogger

2009-06-21T21:16:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I'm not so young anymore. But I have come west for a week. I'm currently in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, visiting with my brother and his family on the occasion of his 25th wedding anniversary.

Did I mention that I'm feeling not so young these days? Brothers staying married for 25 years and nieces having babies will do that to you.

But I'm not too old for new experiences. After all, I'm visiting western Canada for the first time. Apparently, the Prairie Provinces are enduring something of a drought these days, but I just left "monsoon season" in Nova Scotia, so I can live with a little dryness (she says with all due deference to struggling farmers).

I have the good fortune to be staying in lovely part of the city, full of old trees and unique homes. We spend our evenings on the patio, drinking wine and telling tales. Very civilized. This weekend, we plan to take in part of the jazz festival.

Yesterday, I had my first taste of buffalo burger (no bull, as the menu declared). Buffalo is a lean meat, so it's also a little sensitive to overcooking. But I needn't have worried. My burger was cooked just right. Today, I tried sablefish, lightly caramelized and done to flaky perfection.. Both come highly recommended!

So what does any of this have to do with writing? Nothing direct. But fresh experiences are part of a writer's toolbox. When the time is right, my week in Saskatoon will creep to the surface in my writing.

For now, I'm happy just to be a sponge, soaking up every detail I can.

Developing Characters

2009-06-18T11:00:00.000-07:00

I participated in a discussion on The Literary Lab blog earlier this week on character development. It made me think about how I create my own characters. I usually just start writing and let the characters grow with the story. I remember one longer story where I created a character chart after the story stopped part way through, because I didn’t know what the character would do next. For a novella, I created character charts after completing the first draft so I could keep track of the individual’s histories. Even then, I changed certain things if it seemed appropriate to advance the story.

Do you create detailed character charts before you begin a project? How does this help you? Do you find yourself changing things about your character as you rewrite? What kinds of things other than the obvious (name, age, height, hair color) do you include about a character?

If you don’t create character charts, why not? Do you feel it stunts your creativity? Does it take up too much precious writing time?

By the way, the character chart I use is a combination of the ones provided by the Gotham Writers' Workshop.

Rejection Lessons

2009-06-17T21:28:00.000-07:00

My writing teacher warned me this would happen. One rejection letter after another piled on shelves and shoved into filing cabinets. There's enough paper to cover my office walls--and ceiling and floor and some of the hallway.

Well, that's one solution.

There has to be more to the rejection letter than dust collector and object of scorn. Most writers will say that the best way to handle rejection letters is to read them, file them, and send the rejected piece off to someone else as soon as possible. It's not bad advice, but it's not good enough.

Take a long, hard look at that letter. Has the editor tossed you a crumb of hope? Given you even the slightest chance to hang on to your confidence and self-respect?

Yes, it's a form letter--the same terse, soulless letter they send to every writer who doesn't make the grade--but what else? Amongst all those stiffly typed words, is anything other than the signature handwritten? Quite likely. Editors like to add quick notes to writers who show some promise. If you can decipher the scrawl--editors are as inscrutable as doctors when it comes to penmanship--pay attention to the words. If you're lucky, the editor will compliment one or more aspects of your story--then tell you exactly where he or she thinks you went wrong.

Take the comments seriously, but don't take them to heart--unless they all start saying the same things. If nine out of ten editors say your ending falls flat, it probably does. Don't sulk. Don't get angry. Fire up your computer (or uncap your pen) and get back to the business of writing. Tuck your original version away--just in case--and start making changes. Use the suggestions you like. Dream up a few of your own. Throw away the rest. After all, it's still your story. You can only make so many changes based on outside commentary before it becomes someone else's story.

Thicken your skin by joining a writers' workshop (either online or in person). Everyone submits their work for critique. It won't take long for you to realize that a single story can generate critiques that run the gamut from "this is absolutely wonderful" to "better luck next time."

Whether you're hearing from fellow writers or detached editors, don't take the comments personally. Except in rare cases, critiques are aimed at the story, not at the writer.

Finally, accept the fact that--for most of us--the rejections will far outweigh any successes. Writing is a subjective art form. Standards of quality shift from person to person and from moment to moment.

Remain as true as possible to your original vision. Somewhere amidst all those publications is an editor who sees life as you do--or at least appreciates the way you present your case.

Why Stories are Rejected

2009-06-11T07:00:00.000-07:00

In 2008, The Willesden Herald caused a stir in the writing community by holding a short story contest in which there were no winners. In response to the outcry over the final decision, the editor posted "Common faults in short stories submitted" on the publication's blog. Reasons for a story being sent to the reject pile included: a failure to observe the rules of the competition, stories overcrowded with characters, throwaway endings, boring stories, unconvincing stories, the entry was not a story, a transparent attempt to pander to the judges, poor dialog, faux jollity, and more.

If you haven't read the post, it's worth the time. Each entry includes a description of why the item made the list. At the end of the post are links to other posts explaining the final decision.

Room for One More?

2009-06-10T16:28:00.000-07:00

A few years ago, a budding writer emailed me looking for advice on how to break into the profession.

"Do you think the world has room for one more writer?" he asked.

Let me tell you what I told him.

As far as your writing goes, I think you need to pursue your interest no matter what it takes and no matter the outcome. As a writing teacher once told me, "If you're going into writing for fame and fortune, think of a different line of work." She was referring specifically to literary fiction at the time, but the advice holds firm in many areas.

Where I live, it's difficult for a writer to make a living. Potential clients generally offer fees below the market standard. (The local newspaper, for instance, pays a mere $35 per feature article, regardless of length, and has done so for at least 10 years. Then they "soured" the deal by demanding more from writers without any increase in the fee offered.)

If you want to promote yourself as a writer, hit the Internet and find clients throughout the world. Americans seem to have deeper pockets for this sort of thing (although not always).

Try not to write “for free” unless you're helping out a worthy cause. One of the reasons writing has become devalued is that too many novice writers are willing to give away their work for the glory of seeing their names in print. Online publications are the worst offenders, although most will pay a modest fee and others pay quite handsomely.

I'm not trying to discourage you by any means. There are many writers out there who make a good living.

There are others who agonize over whether to make the leap to full-time freelance work. According to one writer, the final step in her decision-making process was to ask her gainfully employed husband what he thought she should do. Unfortunately, some of us have no one else to "bring home the bacon" while we get our writing careers off the ground.

Why I'm a Writer

2009-06-05T04:00:00.000-07:00

Like many writers, I have days when I don't feel like writing, or worse, CAN'T write. It's like there's a switch in my butt that turns my brain off when I sit in the chair. I look around my office, out the window, into my mind, and find nothing interesting to write about. I pull out my notebook, check my list of story ideas, and they remain nothing more than words on paper. I start typing anything that comes to mind and end the prose with THIS SUCKS, or something equally demeaning.

And then it happens. An idea comes to me – perhaps started by a prompt. A character emerges to tell the story, and words spew from my brain like hot lava from Mt. St. Helens, overwhelming my fingers. Even the revision process is something I look forward to. Often I have to force myself to stop working on the story so that compost known as my brain can let the tale foment and mature. It's times like these when I know why I AM A WRITER.

Money in Words

2009-06-04T06:07:00.000-07:00

In the smoky confines of the Royal Canadian Legion, my newspaper editor scrawled a few words on a paper napkin with a black Sharpie. He then slid the napkin across the table and folded his hands on his lap.

"There's no money in words!" the black letters announced.

As much as I wanted to argue the point--due, in no small part, to the warming beer in my hand--I had to agree with his assessment, at least in part.

Writing is sometimes referred to as a thankless task. On that point I will disagree. There is generally more than enough gratitude and appreciation to go around. It's the money that's in short supply.

There seems to be a misconception among non-writers that words throw themselves against the page in the perfect sequence without any effort on the part of the writer. Writing is easy. If you're good enough, and fast enough, you can dash off 500 words in 15 minutes and make the $5 fee seem reasonable.

If you think earning $5 for 500 words is ludicrous, you're right. But try telling that to prospective clients. There's more than enough of them out there, hanging out on sites like Guru where freelances bid on work and hope the clients place more value on quality than on the lowest bid.

I'm not knocking Guru or any other job site. In fact, I just renewed my Guru membership, and I will keep on bidding. I just won't be telling prospective clients what I think of their budgets anymore. (I did that once and got a rather stern warning from the site administrators. My comments, as it happens, were deemed "derogatory" under the Terms of Service.)

The key to bidding on work is to have a realistic view of your abilities. Can you work within the client's budget and still earn a respectable wage? You might be a slow, meticulous writer but a super-fast editor or proofreader.

Your also have to practice the fine art of negotiation. Is the client willing to combine a smaller up front fee with a percentage of earnings? Include that idea as part of your proposal. If the client is still interested, you have some room to maneuver, whereas a straight forward bid within budget would have left you stuck at a lower than acceptable price tag.

I won't tell you what to charge for the work you do. That's up to you, your clients, and whatever the market will bear. Just don't give it away. And remember that your price tag should grow in tandem with your experience.

So my editor is, as I say, partially right. There's no money in words--unless you're willing to fight for what you deserve.

Taming the Writing List Monster

2009-06-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

I'm on vacation this week, but I wanted to share this, which I wrote in 2005. It was originally published in T-Zero Writers E-zine.

It's a familiar story to many writers who are plugged in and Internet-savvy. Taking the good advice of writing advice books, you've carved out an hour and a half in the early morning for your writing. You wake up at 5:30, start the coffee, and turn on the computer.

As the computer boots up, you sip the coffee, wishing you could just mainline it straight to your bloodstream. You sit down, fingers poised, ready to go. But first, you think, you'll check your e-mail. It won't take long, and you need the coffee to work before you start trying to think creatively anyway.

The e-mail starts to download. The people on your writers' lists have been busy overnight. You scan the e-mails. One of your e-friends is announcing the debut of her first book. Of course you have to send her a congratulations message, since she always sends you one when you have good news. Someone mentions a market that you make note of. It's always good to collect potential markets. You post a thank-you to the list for the market. You read a long-winded rant about the difference between print-on-demand and self-publishing. You've heard it all before, but this writer does have some personal experience going for him. He makes some good points, but there are some things you just have to clear up. You start typing your response.

Suddenly, as the sunlight starts to filter in the window, you realize your tiny bit of hard-earned writing time is gone. It's time to wake your spouse and kids, and you haven't written a thing besides e-mails.

If this sounds familiar, you are probably allowing your e-mail groups to eat into your valuable writing time.

Writers and e-mail lists are a natural fit. Writers express themselves by writing, and writing lists give us a way to do that. They also provide a way to network with other writers, find out about new markets and conferences, solicit critiques for your work, ask for advice about sticky plot points, and make new friends. An off-hand comment or thread can even spark new ideas.

But these lists can be incredible time-eaters too. If you're ready to tame the habit, try these tips:

First, be choosy about which lists you join. You don't have to join every list with "writing" in the title. If it's a list that really sounds interesting, join and lurk for a week or two. Do the posters really discuss valuable writing topics, or is it a chatty group that discusses anything and everything? Those can be fun, but you must make the decision that your writing time is more important. If you're not receiving information about writing, you'd probably do well to quit the group.

Most lists have a "digest" mode, where you receive one e-mail per day with all posts. Use it, if it's available. The list owner can help you figure it out. As an alternative, you can set some lists to "no e-mail" and only read posts on the archived Internet sites. This helps you get away from the urgent, "must be read and answered right now" feeling.

Set aside two times a day to check and respond to e-mail. Once a day isn't enough for a true addict, so you might as well plan on twice. But don't count it as part of your writing time. If you have 90 minutes of hard-earned time the morning, acknowledge that you'll spend a half-hour reading and responding to list e-mails, and designate a solid hour for writing. Then use your self-control to close your e-mail program when the half-hour is up. And don't open it again. Or, do your hour's worth of writing first, and "reward" yourself by a peek at your e-mail. You may be surprised that once you're deep into the writing, the e-mail doesn't seem so important. Then plan on checking your e-mail again before bed, also allowing a half-hour.

When you do start writing, close down your Internet connection completely, if possible. Consider investing in a second computer, possibly a laptop, with no Internet connection at all. A used computer that's not the latest and greatest can serve as a terrific inexpensive word processor.

Delete list e-mails based on subject without reading them. This takes some courage, because there's always the fear you're going to miss something. What if someone responds to an e-mail whose subject is "Re:re:fwd:my novel is finally out!" with a new market or writing contest? You just have to take that chance because wading through the many responses to one topic just isn't worth the time wasted.

This one is tough: if you think your online friends can't possibly do without your daily (or hourly) e-mails, try this: don't post anything for a week. I mean nothing. You'll be amazed that no one notices you're gone. It's not that they don't like you. It's that they respond to the e-mails they see. The point is that all your "friends" can do without you while you spend your time doing something more meaningful to you: writing.

Finally, practice good net etiquette. Show your list-mates how a professional conducts herself online. Remember, some of the people on the writing list may be editors. If you frequently show unprofessional, even juvenile behavior, it's likely they'll remember that if you submit a story to them.

Here are a few ways you can be a better list-mate:

• Many lists have rules posted on their websites or in their welcoming e-mails. They're there for a reason. Follow them.
• Think before you post. Is your response is really necessary? Are you just repeating something someone else has already said? If someone asks for advice and you find yourself beginning with, "I really don't know much about it, but..." chances are you don't need to respond. Let those that really know answer the questions. And, don't respond to a post just to say, "me too" or "I agree."
• Always change the subjects of your posts to reflect what the topic really is, especially for topics that have morphed.
• Try to avoid personal back-and-forth one-liner conversations with another member of the list ON the list. Even if you are making incredibly clever and witty comments, chances are other people on the list aren't amused.
• If you really need to respond to several e-mails, feel free to combine your responses into one post. But be sure to change the subject accordingly so people who are following a certain thread will read your e-mail.
• Don't send congratulations e-mails meant for one person to the whole list.
• When you do post, make sure it's pertinent to the list. Feel free to pass
along new writing markets or writing websites, but don't pass along spam,
virus warnings, or humor you've found on the Internet.
• If ten people send you on-list congratulations, have some consideration
and respond in one "Thanks all" e-mail to the list. Or respond privately. You don't have to send ten separate responses and your list-mates will be glad you didn't.
• If you're responding to a lengthy post, delete all but the most pertinent parts. Those on digest mode (which should be you, too, if you've taken my advice) will thank you. Especially delete those ads some listservs, like Yahoogroups, puts at the bottom of the e-mail. But do make sure you put at least a snippet of what you're responding to. An e-mail that's completely out of context will probably be not understood and deleted.
• If a topic comes up that you feel you simply must post a lengthy discourse on, especially if it's a potentially inflammatory subject, file the post in your drafts folder and let it sit at least a few hours, or better, till the next day. Read it the next day before you hit that "send" button. Chances are, you really don't need to send it at all.

If everyone followed these guidelines, there would be fewer flame-wars, frivolous list posts, and hard feelings, and a whole lot more real writing being done. You can't control everyone else, but you can get a handle on your own time-wasting, e-mail list habit.

Choosing the Right Words

2009-05-28T17:00:00.000-07:00

"The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug." – Mark Twain.

I may need to request replacements for my dictionary and thesaurus for Christmas. Mine are wearing out. I wrote a 55 word story this week. The purpose was to force myself to write and submit a story for critique. It took over two hours to craft something I felt was good enough to send to my writing group. Why? The damn words! Words like puttered, instead of worked. Deciding if it should be wider or widened. Distraught took a while to come up with. I don't know how many variations “anger's dark mask mounted on her face” went through before ending up in the story. It's the same with every piece I write. Finding the correct words is one part of the challenge in crafting a successful story that's keeps me interested in writing.

The Top 10 Things Every Writer Needs

2009-05-27T17:05:00.000-07:00

1. A leak-proof pen.

Whether in your pocket or on your pad, a leaky pen creates a messy distraction that few writers can afford. After all, we're so easily diverted from the task of writing. What could be more appealing than rinsing out an ink stain or searching for a better pen--even if it means a quick trip to the store?

2. A small notepad.

Writing is more than a job; it's a lifestyle. No matter where we go or whom we're with, we're always writing, if only in our heads. Random thoughts--brilliant or mundane--will never amount to more than neuron flashes unless we record them as they occur. Once we write them down, however, we have the luxury of waiting for them to evolve into greater works.

3. At least one honest critic.

Let's face facts. An honest critique is hard to find, especially among family and friends. If you find at least one person who'll always tell you the truth, no matter how painful, count your blessings. A person with some literary sensibility would be nice, but someone who simply enjoys a good read will do.

4. At least one morale booster.

Who couldn't use a steady supply of positive affirmations? We're only human, and our egos love to be fed. Your supporter could feed you a varied diet, including glowing reviews and reminders of past successes--whatever it takes to keep you in the writing game.

5. Internet access.

Like it or not, we're living in a wired world. Most publications have an online presence, and many of them will accept queries and/or submissions by email. Even those that persist in using postal mail usually promote themselves on the Internet. Besides, you can become part of a community of writers and lessen the solitude that often comes with this craft.

6. A day job.

The ongoing use of postal mail by some publishers means writers need to make copies of their stories and letters. Unfortunately, writing doesn't always generate lots of revenue. The truly creative writer knows how to reap the non-salary rewards of holding down the obligatory day job. If you have to give up one third of your writing time in order to pay the bills, why not throw in a few perks?

7. A quiet retreat (or two).

A retreat can be as simple as a separate room in your home or as exhilarating as a seaside cottage. All that really matters is removing yourself from the demands of partners, children and pets whenever possible. Consider it a gift to your loved ones. As long as you get the time you need to write, they won't have to endure your fits of frustration.

8. The fellowship of other writers.

Birds of a feather. Peas in a pod. Most people, regardless of their pursuits, enjoy the company of like-minded individuals. Other writers understand us unlike anyone else. We don't have to explain that staring out the window is part of the creative process or justify our latest late-night writing binge.

9. A collection of great writing.

Everyone needs heroes. Whose writing do you most admire? Whose career do you most covet? Keep their works handy and refer to them often. Re-read a favorite passage as often as it takes to fire up your tired brain. Give yourself over to the masters, and they will guide you through the creative journey.

10. A selection of lousy writing.

Not every published writer is a master of the craft. If a particular story makes you shake your head in disbelief, clip the story and tack it to the wall over your desk. Whenever you feel your talent is gone and no editor will ever buy your work, look at the clip. If that hack could get published, what's stopping you?

More exercises to get you going

2009-05-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

Last week, I listed some writing exercises that I and members of my writing group used to do. I’ve actually had a few published short stories that grew from doing exercises, so in addition to waking up the muse, exercises can produce some publishable work.

Here are a few more that I’ve always liked:

1. Try using one of these first lines to get you started. Either write the story using this line as the first, or just let the line inspire you:

-- “You ever think about dying?" Joe asked, a strange look on his face.

-- I’d always thought my friend Carol was crazy, but now I knew it.

-- When my mother dropped me off at school, somehow I knew I’d never see her again.

-- When I walked into my house everything looked normal, but nothing felt normal.

-- The silver light of the almost-full moon casts a monochrome pall over the world.

2. Write a very short dialog-only story. Have two vastly different characters and don't use any dialog tags or action to show who's speaking, but make it clear to the reader. (Obviously this has to be short, because you couldn't go on like that for long.)

3. Start with either “I remember” or “I don’t remember” and see where it takes you.

4. Take a stack of index cards and write a word on each one. Nouns, verbs, etc. When you’re stumped or want to get warmed up, take two or three of the cards randomly and write a scene, poem or story based on them.

5. Sit back and close your eyes (but don’t fall asleep!). Let people drift across your thoughts. Old, young, of varying economic states, doing various things. When one strikes you, write about him. For example, when I close my eyes, I see: a very elderly woman on the arm of a much younger woman; a chubby nurse in colorful scrubs coming into a hospital room; a very young child in a stiffly starched, flowered dress; an old man walking into an assisted living home for the first time.

6. Walk a character through a room. Describe what they see, but describe it as the character interacts with the room. For example, don’t say, “Heavy curtains covered the windows.” But say, “Delores fingered the rich brocade of the heavy curtains.”

Writing Contest Tips

2009-05-21T09:00:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week on my personal blog, I posted links to two articles containing writing tips for contest entries. I found they provided excellent suggestions for any writer who submits, or plans to submit, stories to any publication (like Apollo's Lyre!). All of the suggestions made sense, so much so that one might think everyone would following them, ideas like avoid sloppy mechanics, avoid dull openings, and follow the contest rules. Others may not be as obvious to writers new to submitting to contests. These include advice to avoid contrived conflict and to submit stories with positive endings. One that I didn't consider when I entered my first contest was to "make your story stand out." The two articles are Don't Do This at Home: The Four Biggest Mistakes in Contest Entries and 10 Tips for Winning Writing Contests. They're both short, but chock full of great writing tips.

Touch Not (and Speak Not) the Unclean Thing

2009-05-20T14:58:00.000-07:00

The recent gafuffle over a certain online bookseller's decision to pull rankings from books that contained sexually explicit material reminded me of my run in with their censors a couple years ago. I posted the following book review on their site:

Sometimes, no matter how good we try to be in our daily lives, we can't resist the urge to indulge in a little naughtiness.

And along comes Wicked: Sexy Tales of Legendary Lovers. Editor Mitzi Szereto has pulled together an eclectic mix of stories inspired by the not-so-true lives of some of history’s sexiest symbols.

While not everyone will be inclined to read erotica, for those who are willing there’s something for every taste in this anthology. Stories run the gamut from humour (“Elvis, Axl, and Me”) to graphic (“The Ballad of Scott and Zelda”).

Writing styles—and talents—also vary, but that tends to be true of most multi-author anthologies. Overall, however, I found several literary quality stories within these pages. “Eva Braun’s Last Tragic Abortion” stands out as one of the most compelling pieces.

Szereto understands that there’s more to erotica than sex. Without a cohesive plot and compelling characters, you’re left with base pornography. If you don’t already know the difference, you need to read this book.

While reviews normally don't take long between being posting and going live (the site does check them first to make sure they don't include any inappropriate content), this one seemed to sit in limbo forever. When it finally did appear on the site, I was shocked to discover that someone had replaced "pornography" with "[...]".

Excuse me? Since when is the WORD pornography objectionable? Especially in the context of saying that something ISN'T pornographic. Really makes you wonder if anyone actually reads the reviews or if we're all being censored by a computer.

PS: In case you're wondering, this book has retained its sales rank on the site.

Writing exercises can get you going

2009-05-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

I used to lead a physical (not online) writing group, and every week I had to think of new and different writing exercises for the group to do.

This became a challenge, and it was easy to fall into a rut. The fallback exercise was to go around the table and each person say a word (sometimes we limited it to nouns and verbs), and then try to write a story using as many of those as they wanted. Though I got tired of doing that exercise too much, it led to some interesting stuff!

Now that I don’t lead the group, I don’t do as many writing exercises as I used to, and that’s a shame. They’re a great way, even for a solitary writer, to get going if the words just don’t seem to come.

I’ll throw a few out there for you to consider.

1. Do a google search for images. Go to www.google.com and click on the “images” link on the top. I entered “people dancing” and got some great images that would be good story starters. One is of an elderly couple that is just begging to be written about. This could also be a way to get photos of the character you’ve been trying to describe just from your imagination.

2. Find an interesting object in your house and disregard the real story behind it. Make up a story about it. For example, I have this huge golden key that was given to us by a Realtor (whose company was aptly named “Golden Key”). What if the key were magical? What if it was a real key that opened a huge box?

3. Here’s a POV exercise: picture a setting you know well, such as a subway station, a campground, a hiking trail, a church, an elegant restaurant. Then describe it from several different POVs. How about a man who’s going to marry the love of his life the next day? Or a woman being forced to marry someone she despises? Or an old man who has just been told he has cancer? Or a 13-year-old runaway? Or a woman just released from prison? All of these people would see each setting in vastly different ways.

4. Here’s a dialog exercise: write an argument between mother and teenage daughter. The day before, the daughter told her mother she’s pregnant. Now, they’re arguing about something mundane, like whether the daughter has to go to a family event, but there’s underlying tension. Make it a point that the two never mention the pregnancy during their argument, but it’s there like the elephant in the room. How does it color what they say to each other?

5. Here’s an exercise in characterization: Put two characters from the opposite ends of the spectrum together in a situation in which they have to work together. For example, a millionaire and a taxi driver caught in an armed robbery, or a doctor and a high school dropout trying to catch a toddler about to fall from a third story apartment. Now write the scene. How does one character talk and act differently than the other? How are their choices during the scene informed by who they are? What if one of them does something surprising and uncharacteristic?

Those are just a few of the exercises we did during my tenure as writing group leader. By the way, some of the folks in the group were writing novels and didn’t want to write anything not related to their WIP, so usually they were able to use characters from those novels to use in the exercises. Even if they didn’t use the work they produced by doing the exercise, they frequently gained insight into the character or the story. (And sometimes they just ignored the exercise I assigned and did what they wanted!)

The Wigleaf Top 50

2009-05-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

Editor Scott Garson published The Wigleaf Top 50 (Very) Short Fictions for 2009 this week. The stories are no longer than 1000 words and appear in online publications. Here's what selecting editor Darlin' Neal has to say about the collection.

"In choosing the final fifty, I looked for story. I looked for some sort of sense of completion, some sort of narrative movement. What drew me were shapes that offered more than a trick, more than a scene that cries to go on, more than a one-note joke. I discovered pieces, ends in themselves that take my breath away with sorrow or resonant laughter, leave me with lingering memories."

I'm working my way through the stories. They're the kinds of stories we'd love to publish on Apollo's Lyre, stories we could submit for next year's Top 50. I'm not going to write at length about why they're winners, what makes them memorable. That's a task for you. Homework, if you will. Even if you only read half the stories, you'll be glad you did.

Cooking Up a New Career

2009-05-13T00:43:00.000-07:00

The secret to happiness, it seems, lies in finding your passion. But sometimes, if you're lucky, your passion finds you.

I'd like to say there was a certain air of expectation hovering over the boardroom table that day in 1998, but I'd be painting the past with false colors. As the fund-raising committee geared up for another year of activities, I had no way of knowing that one of those activities would trigger a major change in my career aspirations.

At that point I'd been working for the same employer for more than thirteen years and had contributed my efforts to raising money for one of the company's preferred charities, the local children's hospital. That usually meant selling fifty-fifty tickets and coordinating weekly jean days. The cause was worthwhile, but the activities were starting to lose their appeal--at least for me. But I stayed because I'd been a patient at that same hospital in my youth and felt I owed them something in return.

Volunteering also helped break the monotony of what had become an unsatisfying work life. I spent my days sending form letters in response to unsolicited job applications and managing internal transfer lists. My nights were devoted to pursuing a university degree in English and Creative Writing. Of course I dreamed of getting published someday, but I had no illusions about earning a living that way.

"Most people spend their lives working at jobs they don't enjoy," my mother once said. "What makes you think you deserve better?"

I wanted to scream, "Because I know what else I want to do!" But that would have been rude, I suppose. And I was never one to be rude. I didn't stand up for myself or cut in line or ask for seconds. I always waited to see what might be offered or left over after everyone else had a turn.

That day in 1998, after all the usual moneymaking ideas had been discussed and assigned, something wonderful and unexpected happened. Two of the committee members pitched the notion of publishing an employee cookbook.

I don't remember much of what was said after that. I do, however, remember that I fairly flew across the boardroom table to offer my services. Finally, someone had come up with a fund-raising idea about which I could get excited. Not that I could have expressed my reasons then. I'd never really considered publishing as a career option. But there was just something about the words "publish a cookbook" that made my brain ignite like a Canada Day fireworks display. "This is what I want to do," I told a friend right after the meeting. "I'm going to be a publisher."

That humble little cookbook--complete with clipart graphics and sorely lacking an ISBN--led to another, somewhat more refined cookbook later that year. Buoyed by those early experiences, I started my own publishing company. And I waited. And I learned. And, little by little, I worked. I worked for experience. I worked for exposure. I even worked for varying degrees of money! I tackled anything that might lend itself to making me a better publisher.

Now I have a few books in my company catalogue, with many more planned for the future. I'm still writing, of course, and my own work has appeared in a handful of books from other publishers. They each hold a place of pride in my personal library alongside my own publications. First and most prized among them will always be that unexpected little cookbook that brought my passion to me.

Placing your work

2009-05-12T04:36:00.000-07:00

I can’t speak for all writers, naturally, but I think many writers just want to see their work in print (ink and paper or on the screen). They want to share their ideas and have people mull over their words. They want to be read. Pay, if it comes, is nice, but secondary. At least for a lot of writers.

So where can a writer send her work, especially short fiction and poetry, so that it'll get out there to the masses? Of course Apollo's Lyre is an excellent market, and it’s striving to get better. But there are other well-respected e-zines out there, just waiting for quality stories. Most of them can't afford to pay. We all know what happened to the great dot-com model of the late '90s. People were going to make a fortune on the Internet (or at least break even) by selling ads, or even subscriptions, to their e-zines. But it didn't happen. Most e-zines are run on a shoestring budget, some even at a loss, paid for with love by their editors and owners.

If you do a cold search for e-zines or writer’s markets, the results can be overwhelming. When I entered "writers markets" and "short fiction" into a search engine, I got 23 pages of results. How can a writer know what’s a respected market and what’s just an attempt to separate them from their money?

There is a way to separate the wheat from the chaff with some directed (and respected) markets lists. Several market lists come out via email, so you receive in your inbox a nice list of markets. Most of them are free (I only subscribe to the free ones, being the poor writer that I am). Not all are short fiction markets, but if you're not interested in nonfiction, you can ignore those listings.

Several that I subscribe to are:

Writer’s Weekly, found at http://writersweekly.com/

Writing for Dollars, found at http://www.writingfordollars.com

Ralan’s Market Report (for horror and fantasy), found at http://www.ralan.com

The Poetry Market E-zine, found at http://www.thepoetrymarket.com

Freelance Writing Organization, Intl., found at http://fwointl.com/

Fiction Factor, found at http://www.fictionfactor.com (The markets listing on their web page don't seem to be updated often, but they're worth a look.)

I’m sure there are a lot of other market-finding resources out there, since the Internet is an amorphous creature, ever-changing and endlessly growing.

Happy market research!

Don't Close That Door

2009-05-11T11:24:00.000-07:00

This article appeared in Mayra Calvani's Newsletter in September 2008.

One foolproof way to close a door, a cyber door or any other publishing door in your face is by sending an editor a query with the following: “My story/article is suitable for all ages.” Now, why would this annoy a magazine editor? Well, here goes:

You are now forcing this editor to read the entire thing (if you’re so lucky and don’t get a rejection slip right off) and judge for himself what age group you intended it for. Mind you, this is a neat trick to get them to read the entire thing but is this the reaction you want to get from them? Annoyance? I don’t think so.
By being so ‘vague’ in your target age you are giving them the impression you haven’t done your homework…that you’re hoping they might be able to ‘fit it in somewhere’…that your ‘for all ages’ will go undetected and he’ll love it after the article/story is read.

Your best way to approach this ‘age appropriate’ area when querying an editor is to make sure you have done your homework, studied your target audience, written a piece that immediately zones into this specific target group and prove it to the editor with the answers to WHO/WHAT/WHY. By focusing on WHO your target audience is you will explain WHAT your story/article is about and WHY you believe your audience will be interested in this and WHY you are the best person to write this piece. Another area to go with WHO is WHO is your immediate competition in the same topic.

The reason why many magazines specifically mention: middle grade, young adult, picture books, adult, fantasy, mystery, etc. is because they have done their research into this demographic area and pinpoint all articles/stories to suit this target age group. So, if you send in a picture book manuscript to a publisher who targets young adult, what do you suppose their response will be? I think you know - REJECTION! Their Young Adult audience will not be very enthusiastic with a picture book suitable for ages 2 – 5.

Each children’s magazine primarily targets and sets up their magazine in such a way to appeal to a specific age group. For this reason you need to carefully research the market you will be submitting to. Read their guidelines like your life depended on it because in a way, your writing life does depend on it. If you want to get out of the slush pile, recognized for following all the guidelines, then stop sending them vague submissions.

Age Level Guide:

2 – 5 years old: considered the ‘Pre-reader’ stage, children who might not be able to read on their own, parents read to them - Interests in this age group might be:

· Families

· pets/animals

· babies

· holidays/events (Halloween, Christmas, Easter, etc.)

· sports

· going shopping with mom and/or dad.

· First day events like ‘at school – at the doctor – on vacation – meeting a new babysitter – etc.

This age level has a short attention span so word count can be anywhere from 100 to 500. These books have plenty of pictures/illustrations to bring the story alive and allow the child to follow it easier. Check each publisher’s guidelines.

6 – 9 years old: vocabulary is expanding meaning they can handle harder words as long as the meaning is clear within the context of the sentence.

8 – 12 years old: This age group does not like to be preached. They are fluent readers by now and some of the genres they might be interested in are:

· sci-fi

· fantasy

· mystery

· adventure

This age group loves books they can associate and bond with the main characters, especially if the character is 2 -3 years older than them. The protagonist’s struggles should hit a key with this age group, struggles that kids face in the present times.

By knowing your target audience you can better adapt your stories/articles to suit their needs. But better than that, you will have shown the editor you did your homework and possibly end up with an acceptance letter.

What's the Muse Online Writers Conference?

2009-05-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

Have you ever been in a room filled to capacity with writers, editors, publishers, agents and felt overwhelmed? Unsure who to approach, what to say, what to bring for show and tell? What if I told you about a conference where close to 2000 writers from around the world register along with qualified Presenters who know their workshops inside out? And not once did anyone have to worry about what they wore, what they looked like; never once thought about their disability, and had a week to interact and network. What if I also said this week was all FREE…FREE workshops, FREE handouts, and daily random door prizes?

Such an Oz does exist: The Muse Online Writers Conference

In April 2006 I was involved in a discussion with members of The MuseItUp Club about conferences. The question “How many have attended a ‘real’ conference?” came up and almost all of the answers were identical:

*too expensive to attend

*too far for me to travel

*incapacitated with a disability which prevents me from attending

As a writer who has never attended a conference herself, I began to think how sad such an opportunity to mingle and network with some of the professionals in this business is out of our reach. Within a day I set up the conference website, contacted Carolyn Howard-Johnson who co-sponsored this conference, and together we began our trek to contact as many top professionals we knew to hop on board as Presenters to workshop their skills to writers.

The first conference was divided into two main sections:

The Interactive Chat Lounge: in this area attendees were given a date and time for a Presenter’s workshop to be done via real time chat.

There were at least ten workshop chats a day and attendees laughed and emailed they could almost feel the excitement changing from one chat room to another for the next workshop to begin. “I swear I could almost hear everyone’s footsteps as we move from one room to the other,” was just one of the fun and relaxing comments I received that week.

The Virtual Conference Hall: in here the attendees had the privilege to mingle and network for a whole week with our Presenters who were willing to answer any question posed to them.

In total, we had 1100 who registered, some for the real time chats and others who joined the private Yahoo conference board. Each of our Presenters offered handouts to their workshops, valuable information to keep and refer back to over and over again.

There were FREE ebooks, random daily door prizes and a huge conference ebook compilation of every single Presenter’s workshop and other goodies offered to one and all.

Was it a success? From the testimonials coming in, a huge one. Read some of the testimonials as they are added in the site:

http://museonlineconference.tripod.com/id16.html

Yes, there was a lot of work involved organizing and setting up this conference but the end result…knowing we have helped many writers experience their first ever writers conference is a feeling no one can describe.

This year the conference will be held October 12 - 18. Don't miss it. Register today.

I hope to see many of you this year.

Lea Schizas

Podcasts for Writers

2009-05-07T07:00:00.000-07:00

The iTunes Store is known as a place to download music, movies, episodes of TV shows, audiobooks, and more. But did you know this service offers podcasts aimed at writers? And that many of them are FREE?

The Creative Writing Podcast at AmericanWriters.com “is designed to help writers of all levels. The focus is on characterization, narrative, plot development, dialogue, conflict, setting, literary archetypes, etc.” Lesson titles include Characters of Tragedy and Redemption, Motives Beneath Motives, and Story Narrative and What to Include. To date, there are twenty-five lessons in this series.

Roy's Writing Tools by Roy Peter Clark, Vice President and Senior Scholar at the Poynter Institute, is a series of thirty-three podcasts on various writing topics. Discussing punctuation, Mr. Clark states the two reasons for punctuation are to set the pace, and to divide words, phrases and ideas into convenient groupings. He suggests using adverbs to change the meaning of a verb. Saying that something is totally severed is redundant. Partially severed is not. Happily smiled is. Happily cried is not. In podcast number eleven – "Prefer the Simple Over the Technical" – he suggests the writer “use shorter words, sentences, and paragraphs at the points of greatest complexity." The Poynter Institute is a training school for journalists, but many of the lessons provide helpful information for fiction writers also.

iTunes comes installed on all Macs and is available for download to Windows-based computers here.

Seeing Red - A Free-Writing Exercise

2009-05-06T17:20:00.000-07:00

Is there any truth to the notion "if it doesn't rhyme then it isn't poetry"? Frankly, non-rhyming poetry has a strong standing and, for most poets, is far easier to write than (good) rhyming poetry. (Good rhyming poetry employs fresh, unexpected rhymes, which are hard to come by.)

Free verse (commonly used for stream of consciousness poetry) uses lines of varying lengths (syllable counts). Rhyming poetry, with its almost perpetual reliance on iambic pentameter, is comprised of lines with identical syllable counts. Also, don't overuse lines with hard endings (periods and commas). Allow a sentence to span two or more lines (or verses) and start/end in mid-line. But don't just separate sentences willy nilly. Think about how that brief pause between the end of one line and the start of another- affects the meaning of the words.

Most rhyming poetry uses the regular rhythm of iambic pentameter, e.g. "My love is like a red red rose." Free verse uses irregular rhythm that can be used to fit the mood of the words. Staccato rhythm works best for action-oriented and angry poems. Other poems benefit from the rise and fall, the ebb and flow of a gentler rhythm.

Colour Exercise - Red:

The "red" exercise is very simple. Take 15 minutes to free-write—no stopping and minimal thinking--about "red" (an egg timer makes a great time keeper for this). Prose or verse is okay. Write whatever comes naturally. The idea is to loosen up your thinking. I prefer to free-write with pen and paper, but use whichever tools work best for you.

Here's the flash fiction piece I wrote during the exercise:

ON SEEING RED

Lipstick slashes on his collar betray an earlier tryst.

She tries to soak them, tries to rub them out, but they hold fast, as firm as her fears and as sharp as her imagination. They won’t go away.

She can no sooner erase her love of who he used to be.

Some stains are permanent.

A haiku journal

2009-05-05T17:54:00.000-07:00

I am not a poet. But there’s one form of poetry that I find easy to do and it gets my creative juices stirred up. I’m talking about the 5-7-5 meter of haiku.

Oh, I realize that true haiku is much more than three lines, with 5 syllables, 7 syllables, and 5 syllables. True haiku is about nature and the seasons and there are various forms of it, such as senryu, which (according to Wikipedia) has “similar form and emphasizes irony, satire, humor, and human foibles rather than seasons.”

The haiku I write can be about anything, and like flash fiction, they’re short. Very short. A while back, I started a little journal of haiku that I called “365 Haiku.” My plan was to write a haiku every day to get me started. I admit I haven’t been entirely faithful, but it’s been fun to come up with them. And it’s kind of neat to go back and read what I was thinking that day in verse.

I write for a newspaper, and I have to cover a lot of long boring meetings. Here’s one related to that:

The Board of Health meets;
Rich white men dispensing funds;
Pretending they care.

A lot of mine are related to weather:

Sixteen this morning.
Cold as a polar bear’s nose.
Is the globe warming?

And, on Super Bowl Sunday:

Super Bowl Sunday;
A bunch of overpaid men
Play a game--who cares?

A walk near a graveyard produced:

Gravestones in the woods
Broken, unidentified
Occupants don't care.

Rocking my baby grandson in the middle of the night gave me this verse:

Rock a bye baby
I'll miss rocking you at night
When you're a big boy.

And there’s got to be a cat haiku:

Cat sleeps on mittens
Holds them down lest they escape
Cats are not worthless.

None of these are great poetry. But they fulfill their purpose: to get me in a creative, writing mood and to record what I was thinking that day.

Breaking the Rules

2009-04-30T05:00:00.000-07:00

Today's post relates back to last week's on being a perfectionist. In a recent article , Bruce Holland Rogers says his favorite rule is that there are no rules. Now there's a statement that could send someone like me away for a long time.

I'm the type of person who prefers to play by the rules – assuming someone takes the time to tell me what they are. That's the perfectionist in me. I do bend the rules, at times, and eventually adapt to new rules. Okay, it took me a few years to feel comfortable ending a sentence with a preposition, and I still don't understand why I can't use semi-colons when writing fiction. Who makes up these rules, anyway? [Rant complete.]

There are numerous examples of authors who broke the rules, and in the process, created something amazing. It worked for those writers because they understood the rules to begin with. (See, I told you I can do it). I'm curious. Is there a writing rule that you want to break or have broken? If you have, how did breaking the rule improve your story? If you haven't, why not?