A popular post from March 2008
By Heather Moore
Writing can be a solitary activity. Well, we wish it is solitary--but there are many of life’s interruptions along the way (sometimes every three minutes it seems).
When I first started writing, I had no idea there were Writers Conferences. So when I joined my local writing chapter, I found I had a lot to learn. I had written two novels by the time I went to my first Writers Conference and this is what I learned:
1. Marketing—authors don’t just write, they market.
2. Agents—the first agent I met was in his early 20’s—this kid was going to accept or reject my very fine, mature work?
3. Self-publishing—an option I’d never thought of.
4. Vanity publishers—I met two at the conference. Glad I didn’t submit.
5. Shoes—dress to impress, but do so with comfortable shoes no matter what.
6. Advil—I’m glad I had some along. I wasn’t used to absorbing so much information in a two-day period.
7. Writing Contests—enter them if you can. It’s a great way to get feedback.
8. Networking—people that I met over seven years ago are still my friends.
Now that I have a few books published, and have attended half-a-dozen conferences, my advice is as follows:
1. Marketing—ask the published authors you meet what are the top three effective marketing tools they use.
2. Agents—make appointments with them if possible. Have a list of questions for them in addition to the manuscript you're pitching. Remember most agents find their clients through writers conferences or referrals.
3. Self-publishing—a more viable option for many. Learn from the experts first though, since there are many considerations.
4. Vanity publishers—still don’t submit.
5. Shoes—wear warm socks, too. The conference rooms can be very cold.
6. Excedrin—takes away the head ache faster.
7. Writing Contests—the feedback from an unbiased judge can be invaluable. But remember, it’s still subjective.
8. Networking—no matter how many books you have out, it's still important to network. Make new friends and pass on your own advice. The writing world is very small and can catch up with you fast. Also, volunteer to help at the next writer’s conference. Give back as much as you have received.
Most importantly, you come home with a head full of fresh ideas and re-energized to get back to writing. You realize that writing is not so solitary as you first thought.
Showing posts with label writing groups. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing groups. Show all posts
Monday, March 6, 2017
Wednesday, January 25, 2017
Using The Time You Have
A popular post from August 2009
For some of you, parts of this post will be redundant--I'm sorry for that--but I can't deny that this topic has been on my mind a lot these last few weeks and then Julie's blog on opening the door ignited another line of thought. So bear with the repetition, there is a point I'm trying to make :-)
When I first met my husband--well, he wasn't my husband then, but you get my point--he told me about numerous of his relatives. One of them was his great aunt Elva. She was fiesty and a little bit intimidating, a passionate geneologist, and a talented writer. Elva didn't tell me she was a writer, Lee did. Apparently she wrote quite a bit--short stories, articles, essays. She read one to me a few years after Lee and I married (before I had written a lick) and it was really well done. I mean REALLY well done. I asked her if she'd ever published anything and she got embarrassed and put her writing binder back on the shelf. We didn't talk about her writing again until I published my first novel. Elva was somewhat was suspicious of it and even made some comments about writing only being PURE until it's published, then it's just a commercial venture. I took it with a grain of salt and since then have encountered dozens of people with the same attitude. In my opinion, it's an attitude of fear. As long as their writing is on a shelf at home, it's safe, they have control and no one will reject it. Thus, when another writer does what they can not (or will not) do, it pricks at them a little bit. This is how it was with Elva.
However, over the next few years she softened up a little and in time became genuinely interested, and maybe even a little bit proud, of me. And then she dropped a bombshell. She was writing a book. When she told me, she just glowed and it was one of those moments when I realized how far we had come. She shared the premise with me and I thought it sounded awesome. I encouraged her to finish it. It was fun to see this woman, in her seventies, so excited about her writing. She was finally ready to put it out there.
And then she was diagnosed.
Doctors didn't give her a time frame like they show in the movies. She had surgery, she had radiation and chemo. She traded her coarse red hair for a coarse red wig. At her funeral a year later I asked about the book and her son said he'd thrown it in a box.
And so the book was, and is, and always will be in the box. That's not to say that the time Elva spent writing was wasted--I'm the last person that would say that--and it's not to say that she missed anything in her life by not being published, I believe she was pretty happy. The only part of it that bothers me is that by the time she decided to open the door, there wasn't time left for her to finish her book. In addition, I believe that because she didn't give her writing much 'credit' it was not of value to her family either. Her son wasn't interested in her book or anything else when she died--but she'd never demanded respect for it either.
I recently had another friend who ran out of time. Anne was forty years younger than Elva was, but equally talented. She was also diagnosed, and she'd also written a book. The doctors didn't give her a time line either BUT there are a lot of differences between her and Elva. First, she opened the door for her writing a lot sooner than Elva did. Second, she was never suspect of anyone else's success. Third, she lived half as long as Elva did and didn't waste a moment. Fourth, the people in her life knew that she wrote, they respected it and because of that, I believe they always will.
Over the last 19 months of her life she wrote letters to her three daughters that will be given to them as they reach milestones in thier lives. She wrote out numerous experiences from her childhood that she wanted them to know. She finished the middle grade novel she'd been working on and submitted it to agents. She wrote, and had accepted, a magazine article and wrote a couple others. She wrote a picture book for families facing cancer and researched and queried agents. She was already well on her way to a satisfying writing career when her future took a detour, but instead of putting her talent 'in the box' she threw that door wide open even though it wasn't easy for her write amid surgeries, treatments, and still raising her children.
Anne's funeral is on Thursday and there is nothing about her death that is not heartbreaking, but while her words she wrote did not buy her more time here, her daughters have their mother because of the words she wrote and the time she spent to write them. Had she not continued writing after she was diagnosed, they would have missed out on precious things that I believe they will always treasure. THAT is an incredible gift.
I will always regret that I won't see Elva's book on the shelves--but I'm glad she wrote it. I wish she'd decided to open the door to her writing even ten years earlier. Who knows what would have happened if she had.
I will always regret that I don't get to watch Anne's career grow and flourish the way she deserved it to flourish--but I'm glad that she wrote every word she took the time to write down. And I'm so glad she decided to open the door when she did. Not all of us get a 'head's up' on when our time here will be over. Might we all use our time, and our talents, wisely.
For some of you, parts of this post will be redundant--I'm sorry for that--but I can't deny that this topic has been on my mind a lot these last few weeks and then Julie's blog on opening the door ignited another line of thought. So bear with the repetition, there is a point I'm trying to make :-)
When I first met my husband--well, he wasn't my husband then, but you get my point--he told me about numerous of his relatives. One of them was his great aunt Elva. She was fiesty and a little bit intimidating, a passionate geneologist, and a talented writer. Elva didn't tell me she was a writer, Lee did. Apparently she wrote quite a bit--short stories, articles, essays. She read one to me a few years after Lee and I married (before I had written a lick) and it was really well done. I mean REALLY well done. I asked her if she'd ever published anything and she got embarrassed and put her writing binder back on the shelf. We didn't talk about her writing again until I published my first novel. Elva was somewhat was suspicious of it and even made some comments about writing only being PURE until it's published, then it's just a commercial venture. I took it with a grain of salt and since then have encountered dozens of people with the same attitude. In my opinion, it's an attitude of fear. As long as their writing is on a shelf at home, it's safe, they have control and no one will reject it. Thus, when another writer does what they can not (or will not) do, it pricks at them a little bit. This is how it was with Elva.
However, over the next few years she softened up a little and in time became genuinely interested, and maybe even a little bit proud, of me. And then she dropped a bombshell. She was writing a book. When she told me, she just glowed and it was one of those moments when I realized how far we had come. She shared the premise with me and I thought it sounded awesome. I encouraged her to finish it. It was fun to see this woman, in her seventies, so excited about her writing. She was finally ready to put it out there.
And then she was diagnosed.
Doctors didn't give her a time frame like they show in the movies. She had surgery, she had radiation and chemo. She traded her coarse red hair for a coarse red wig. At her funeral a year later I asked about the book and her son said he'd thrown it in a box.
And so the book was, and is, and always will be in the box. That's not to say that the time Elva spent writing was wasted--I'm the last person that would say that--and it's not to say that she missed anything in her life by not being published, I believe she was pretty happy. The only part of it that bothers me is that by the time she decided to open the door, there wasn't time left for her to finish her book. In addition, I believe that because she didn't give her writing much 'credit' it was not of value to her family either. Her son wasn't interested in her book or anything else when she died--but she'd never demanded respect for it either.
I recently had another friend who ran out of time. Anne was forty years younger than Elva was, but equally talented. She was also diagnosed, and she'd also written a book. The doctors didn't give her a time line either BUT there are a lot of differences between her and Elva. First, she opened the door for her writing a lot sooner than Elva did. Second, she was never suspect of anyone else's success. Third, she lived half as long as Elva did and didn't waste a moment. Fourth, the people in her life knew that she wrote, they respected it and because of that, I believe they always will.
Over the last 19 months of her life she wrote letters to her three daughters that will be given to them as they reach milestones in thier lives. She wrote out numerous experiences from her childhood that she wanted them to know. She finished the middle grade novel she'd been working on and submitted it to agents. She wrote, and had accepted, a magazine article and wrote a couple others. She wrote a picture book for families facing cancer and researched and queried agents. She was already well on her way to a satisfying writing career when her future took a detour, but instead of putting her talent 'in the box' she threw that door wide open even though it wasn't easy for her write amid surgeries, treatments, and still raising her children.
Anne's funeral is on Thursday and there is nothing about her death that is not heartbreaking, but while her words she wrote did not buy her more time here, her daughters have their mother because of the words she wrote and the time she spent to write them. Had she not continued writing after she was diagnosed, they would have missed out on precious things that I believe they will always treasure. THAT is an incredible gift.
I will always regret that I won't see Elva's book on the shelves--but I'm glad she wrote it. I wish she'd decided to open the door to her writing even ten years earlier. Who knows what would have happened if she had.
I will always regret that I don't get to watch Anne's career grow and flourish the way she deserved it to flourish--but I'm glad that she wrote every word she took the time to write down. And I'm so glad she decided to open the door when she did. Not all of us get a 'head's up' on when our time here will be over. Might we all use our time, and our talents, wisely.
Friday, December 9, 2016
The Publishing Sandbox
A popular post from April 2009
by Annette Lyon
This past weekend I attended writing conference and sat in our own Josi's class about building your own writing community. It's a topic I hadn't thought much about as a topic, but when I stopped and sat back, I realized just how important it is.
I'm sure Josi will do a much better job of explaining it another time (please do, Josi!), but for now, I want to mention it and encourage writers to build their own communities.
You'll have many types as your career progresses, and they're all important in their own way. I can safely say that without some of mine, I wouldn't be where I am today.
Networking Opportunities
For me, the start here was with the League of Utah Writers and my local chapter meetings. Look around where you are to see if there's a similar organization where you live.
From chapter meetings, I branched out to attending LUW's annual conference (boy, was I terrified for that first one!) and then their spring workshops. I made several writer friends I'm still in contact with today.
I learned a ton, but even better, thanks to some of those contacts, I ended up landing in my next type of community:
Critique Group
I joined a group with several aspiring, but unpublished, writers. Over nine years later, we're all published, several of us are award-winning, and we've all got writing careers and deadlines.
But it's more than success our group has brought; it's also provided us with emotional support. There are some things only other writers understand, and those are the things you can share around the critique group table. I know I get antsy and on edge if I miss too many weeks of meetings. I need my group to keep me in balance.
Online Communities
These encompass a lot of things:
E-mail lists made up of lots of writers who are in the same market you are.
Your blog and the blogs of others you read and the relationships you build through them.
Online critique groups, forums, and other organizations you belong to.
Online marketing efforts.
Social networks.
And more.
These can all be amazingly powerful in many ways. My online communities have given moral support, provided answers to research questions, and brought me many friends and professional contacts.
The longer I'm in this business, the more I see that those who are willing to give and help each other out are the ones who will succeed the most in the long run.
Keep in mind that how you present yourself to some of your communities is critical. My critique group doesn't mind if I occasionally whine and throw a pity party, but you won't see the same kind of thing on my blog, where I need to maintain a bit more professionalism. Whining isn't a way to make people want to buy my books.
By the same token, be aware of how you present yourself in blog comments, at conferences, and in other professional interactions.
With blogs and e-mail in particular, you might be trying to be funny but come across in a way you didn't intend, because tone can be hard to interpret correctly in those venues.
Always be genuine and honest in every community. Be yourself. But that doesn't mean publicly criticizing someone else in your market or otherwise demeaning another person.
As Josi said in her class, publishing is a small sandbox; play nice.
What you put out will come back to you in spades, whether it's positive or negative. It's definitely worth sending out the positive.
by Annette Lyon
This past weekend I attended writing conference and sat in our own Josi's class about building your own writing community. It's a topic I hadn't thought much about as a topic, but when I stopped and sat back, I realized just how important it is.
I'm sure Josi will do a much better job of explaining it another time (please do, Josi!), but for now, I want to mention it and encourage writers to build their own communities.
You'll have many types as your career progresses, and they're all important in their own way. I can safely say that without some of mine, I wouldn't be where I am today.
Networking Opportunities
For me, the start here was with the League of Utah Writers and my local chapter meetings. Look around where you are to see if there's a similar organization where you live.
From chapter meetings, I branched out to attending LUW's annual conference (boy, was I terrified for that first one!) and then their spring workshops. I made several writer friends I'm still in contact with today.
I learned a ton, but even better, thanks to some of those contacts, I ended up landing in my next type of community:
Critique Group
I joined a group with several aspiring, but unpublished, writers. Over nine years later, we're all published, several of us are award-winning, and we've all got writing careers and deadlines.
But it's more than success our group has brought; it's also provided us with emotional support. There are some things only other writers understand, and those are the things you can share around the critique group table. I know I get antsy and on edge if I miss too many weeks of meetings. I need my group to keep me in balance.
Online Communities
These encompass a lot of things:
E-mail lists made up of lots of writers who are in the same market you are.
Your blog and the blogs of others you read and the relationships you build through them.
Online critique groups, forums, and other organizations you belong to.
Online marketing efforts.
Social networks.
And more.
These can all be amazingly powerful in many ways. My online communities have given moral support, provided answers to research questions, and brought me many friends and professional contacts.
The longer I'm in this business, the more I see that those who are willing to give and help each other out are the ones who will succeed the most in the long run.
Keep in mind that how you present yourself to some of your communities is critical. My critique group doesn't mind if I occasionally whine and throw a pity party, but you won't see the same kind of thing on my blog, where I need to maintain a bit more professionalism. Whining isn't a way to make people want to buy my books.
By the same token, be aware of how you present yourself in blog comments, at conferences, and in other professional interactions.
With blogs and e-mail in particular, you might be trying to be funny but come across in a way you didn't intend, because tone can be hard to interpret correctly in those venues.
Always be genuine and honest in every community. Be yourself. But that doesn't mean publicly criticizing someone else in your market or otherwise demeaning another person.
As Josi said in her class, publishing is a small sandbox; play nice.
What you put out will come back to you in spades, whether it's positive or negative. It's definitely worth sending out the positive.
Friday, February 12, 2016
Now What?
A popular post from December 2010
By Julie Wright and Phyllis Towzey
So You've written A Book . . . Now What?
With Nanowrimo behind us, there are many new authors with their first books under their belts wondering what to do with all these newly written words. I belong to several online writer's groups, one of which is a teen author's group that daily gives me good information about the market and writing. recently a new author asked the question, "Now what?" And one of the other writers, Phyllis Towzey, gave such a great answer, that I'd like to repeat it here (with her permission). Phyllis is the sort of person who is always there to congratulate people and offer help when she can. She is awesome. Just sayin . . .
First off--congratulations on completing a new book!
Second, I'd advise you not to be too quick to get it out there. You should take a step back and not even look at it for at least a few weeks, then go back and read it again with an eye to polishing it, layering in more details where needed, cutting out scenes or descriptions that aren't necessary, etc.
Use the two weeks or so that you are not working on it to research agents who represent that type of book, and select 5 or 6 you like. (You can research agents through websites and blogs -- once you find a few good agent blogs, they usually link to other agent blogs, and all of those link to their agency websites). Another good way to find an agent is to subscribe to Publishers
Marketplace. It's online and costs $20 per month, and you can go to the Dealmakers section and search the type of book you write and find out what agents have made sales. Also, PM sends you emails with industry news and deals. Well worth the investment, IMO.
Then I would have a couple people "beta read" it for you. I use a friend who is an avid reader of the type of books I write, and a writer-friend, and get their input, consider it, and if you agree, make more revisions. (Little aside from Julie here: Beta readers are absolute gold! Put your ego aside and really consider the advice they give. I'm not saying you have to make all the changes they ask for, but I am saying to be honest with yourself even when it bruises your pride. Be willing to make changes. Accept it as a challenge to do better.)
While you are waiting to hear back from your beta readers, search the 5 or 6 agents you've identified on sites like Absolute Write (www.absolutewrite.com), and Predators and Editors (http://pred-ed.com/)to make sure there's not any bad stuff about them (if there is, cross them off your list). (You don't want to sign with an agent who charges fees, or has been identified as a 'scam' agent).
Write a synopsis of your book. (aside from Julie again: Take this one seriously too. The synopsis and the query are sometimes ALL the agent/editor will see of your writing. Be thorough. Do a good job. Make sure you get it right.)
Then follow the agents' guidelines for sending a query. Most take queries by email, but some don't. Some want you to send part of your manuscript and a synopsis with the query, but most just want the query.
Then wait to hear back, and meanwhile start working on your next book. :)
And above all, don't get discouraged. It takes a while to find an agent, and even longer to find a publisher. If you aren't getting any requests on your queries, then look at your query and ask other writers to review it for you -- maybe it could be stronger. (That's why I say start with just 5 or 6 agents -- you don't want to send out a hundred queries, then realize your query sucked, and meanwhile all those agents have passed on your project).
Hope this helps!
- Phyllis
Julie again: See what I mean? Phyllis is awesome, and her advice absolutely spot on. If you've just finished a book, don't be too anxious to jump into submissions. Make it the best you can first. I would only add that it is important to hook into writing communities. Get involved in online communities, go to a conference or two, get a critique group. the friendships you build in the community will make all the difference. I promise you that.
Does anyone else have any advice for new writers? This is a good time to be putting that advice out there.
By Julie Wright and Phyllis Towzey
So You've written A Book . . . Now What?
With Nanowrimo behind us, there are many new authors with their first books under their belts wondering what to do with all these newly written words. I belong to several online writer's groups, one of which is a teen author's group that daily gives me good information about the market and writing. recently a new author asked the question, "Now what?" And one of the other writers, Phyllis Towzey, gave such a great answer, that I'd like to repeat it here (with her permission). Phyllis is the sort of person who is always there to congratulate people and offer help when she can. She is awesome. Just sayin . . .
First off--congratulations on completing a new book!
Second, I'd advise you not to be too quick to get it out there. You should take a step back and not even look at it for at least a few weeks, then go back and read it again with an eye to polishing it, layering in more details where needed, cutting out scenes or descriptions that aren't necessary, etc.
Use the two weeks or so that you are not working on it to research agents who represent that type of book, and select 5 or 6 you like. (You can research agents through websites and blogs -- once you find a few good agent blogs, they usually link to other agent blogs, and all of those link to their agency websites). Another good way to find an agent is to subscribe to Publishers
Marketplace. It's online and costs $20 per month, and you can go to the Dealmakers section and search the type of book you write and find out what agents have made sales. Also, PM sends you emails with industry news and deals. Well worth the investment, IMO.
Then I would have a couple people "beta read" it for you. I use a friend who is an avid reader of the type of books I write, and a writer-friend, and get their input, consider it, and if you agree, make more revisions. (Little aside from Julie here: Beta readers are absolute gold! Put your ego aside and really consider the advice they give. I'm not saying you have to make all the changes they ask for, but I am saying to be honest with yourself even when it bruises your pride. Be willing to make changes. Accept it as a challenge to do better.)
While you are waiting to hear back from your beta readers, search the 5 or 6 agents you've identified on sites like Absolute Write (www.absolutewrite.com), and Predators and Editors (http://pred-ed.com/)to make sure there's not any bad stuff about them (if there is, cross them off your list). (You don't want to sign with an agent who charges fees, or has been identified as a 'scam' agent).
Write a synopsis of your book. (aside from Julie again: Take this one seriously too. The synopsis and the query are sometimes ALL the agent/editor will see of your writing. Be thorough. Do a good job. Make sure you get it right.)
Then follow the agents' guidelines for sending a query. Most take queries by email, but some don't. Some want you to send part of your manuscript and a synopsis with the query, but most just want the query.
Then wait to hear back, and meanwhile start working on your next book. :)
And above all, don't get discouraged. It takes a while to find an agent, and even longer to find a publisher. If you aren't getting any requests on your queries, then look at your query and ask other writers to review it for you -- maybe it could be stronger. (That's why I say start with just 5 or 6 agents -- you don't want to send out a hundred queries, then realize your query sucked, and meanwhile all those agents have passed on your project).
Hope this helps!
- Phyllis
Julie again: See what I mean? Phyllis is awesome, and her advice absolutely spot on. If you've just finished a book, don't be too anxious to jump into submissions. Make it the best you can first. I would only add that it is important to hook into writing communities. Get involved in online communities, go to a conference or two, get a critique group. the friendships you build in the community will make all the difference. I promise you that.
Does anyone else have any advice for new writers? This is a good time to be putting that advice out there.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Where'd I Go?
by Annette Lyon
I'm getting seriously tired and cranky over here.
The past week or so has been spent proofing my galleys and working on a proposal for promoting my next book, a proposal I just gave to the marketing and PR people at my publisher. Oh, and I've kept up on my personal blog, sort of (doing scheduled posts because I knew I'd be struggling to find actual time to write them).
The business side. That's pretty much all the writing-related work I've done in the last week and a half.
And it's making me loopy.
I learned several years ago that if I don't get some actual creative writing in on a regular basis, then life falls apart at the seams. I'm seeing it yet again. Everything I'm doing is writing-related, but it's a step removed from the creative act. It's the logical, administrative side of things.
And as far as my inner writer is concerned, it doesn't count. And she's rebelling.
I first learned about this phenomenon nearly a decade ago at a time when I thought I was "too busy" to write. I had managed to get a few articles published, but that was it; I hadn't had any luck with fiction.
I had three little kids and a demanding job at church, among other things. I figured that when things calmed down a bit (whatever that means), I'd return to my writing.
So I took two months off. My life imploded.
Suddenly, no matter how hard I tried, I felt like I was on a hamster wheel, going nowhere. I had less time for my kids and my husband and my church job. The house was a bigger mess. The kids fought more and were generally more irritable. I was losing my mind.
Finally, in the middle of the cyclone, I threw caution to the wind and took about twenty minutes two days in a row to sit at the computer and write. That's less time than an episode of Sesame Street.
Can you guess what happened?
Yep. The cyclone calmed right down.
I learned right then and there that I can't put off writing until later, like I hear so many people say, especially the old excuse, "I'll do it when the kids are older." For my kids' sake, I'd better not stop. They deserve a mother who's not on the brink of a nervous breakdown, and writing is the way to keep their mother even-keeled.
Granted, there's a balance. Now that I have deadlines, book signings, conferences, and more, I have to be more careful with family and how much my writing intrudes. I can't just take twenty minutes here and there for my personal therapy (not if I want my editor to speak to me again, anyway).
Attending my critique group is the same thing. If I go too many weeks without it, I start resembling a crazy monkey clawing the walls. Once when I'd missed a few weeks, I said I'd better not go yet again, since we had a sick kid. My husband took me by the shoulders and nudged me toward the door.
"Go. Please. I need my wife back."
I'm there again, not feeling like myself. My husband could use his wife back again. My kids are probably wondering what happened to their mother.
I need to sit down and write a scene from my work in progress. I need that creative flow. I need to find me again.
Tonight, I'm going to my critique group. And tomorrow, you won't find me analyzing promotion ideas or worrying about the proof or thinking about press releases.
Instead, I will draft more of the novel I'm working on.
I'm going to love every minute of it.
And I have a suspicion that I'll find myself on the other side.
I'm getting seriously tired and cranky over here.
The past week or so has been spent proofing my galleys and working on a proposal for promoting my next book, a proposal I just gave to the marketing and PR people at my publisher. Oh, and I've kept up on my personal blog, sort of (doing scheduled posts because I knew I'd be struggling to find actual time to write them).
The business side. That's pretty much all the writing-related work I've done in the last week and a half.
And it's making me loopy.
I learned several years ago that if I don't get some actual creative writing in on a regular basis, then life falls apart at the seams. I'm seeing it yet again. Everything I'm doing is writing-related, but it's a step removed from the creative act. It's the logical, administrative side of things.
And as far as my inner writer is concerned, it doesn't count. And she's rebelling.
I first learned about this phenomenon nearly a decade ago at a time when I thought I was "too busy" to write. I had managed to get a few articles published, but that was it; I hadn't had any luck with fiction.
I had three little kids and a demanding job at church, among other things. I figured that when things calmed down a bit (whatever that means), I'd return to my writing.
So I took two months off. My life imploded.
Suddenly, no matter how hard I tried, I felt like I was on a hamster wheel, going nowhere. I had less time for my kids and my husband and my church job. The house was a bigger mess. The kids fought more and were generally more irritable. I was losing my mind.
Finally, in the middle of the cyclone, I threw caution to the wind and took about twenty minutes two days in a row to sit at the computer and write. That's less time than an episode of Sesame Street.
Can you guess what happened?
Yep. The cyclone calmed right down.
I learned right then and there that I can't put off writing until later, like I hear so many people say, especially the old excuse, "I'll do it when the kids are older." For my kids' sake, I'd better not stop. They deserve a mother who's not on the brink of a nervous breakdown, and writing is the way to keep their mother even-keeled.
Granted, there's a balance. Now that I have deadlines, book signings, conferences, and more, I have to be more careful with family and how much my writing intrudes. I can't just take twenty minutes here and there for my personal therapy (not if I want my editor to speak to me again, anyway).
Attending my critique group is the same thing. If I go too many weeks without it, I start resembling a crazy monkey clawing the walls. Once when I'd missed a few weeks, I said I'd better not go yet again, since we had a sick kid. My husband took me by the shoulders and nudged me toward the door.
"Go. Please. I need my wife back."
I'm there again, not feeling like myself. My husband could use his wife back again. My kids are probably wondering what happened to their mother.
I need to sit down and write a scene from my work in progress. I need that creative flow. I need to find me again.
Tonight, I'm going to my critique group. And tomorrow, you won't find me analyzing promotion ideas or worrying about the proof or thinking about press releases.
Instead, I will draft more of the novel I'm working on.
I'm going to love every minute of it.
And I have a suspicion that I'll find myself on the other side.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
The Benefit of Multiple Opinions
by Annette Lyon
I've said it many times: The single best thing I ever did for my writing was get into an excellent critique group. It gives me the feedback I need to know whether I'm getting close to the mark or whether I'm totally off track.
As you seek feedback, keep one very important thing in mind:
Don't rely on one opinion.
Feedback from one person isn't enough, no matter how good the writer, no matter how experienced or excellent they are.
Here's why: Writing is subjective. There isn't just one right answer. Surrendering to one person's opinion might not be the best way to go.
What if you relied so heavily on one opinion that you overhauled your entire manuscript . . . only to discover after the fact that your book was actually better before your massive revision?
Or what if your original manuscript did need a big revision . . . but in a totally different direction than your only reader suggested?
My critique group is composed of published and award-winning writers who know their stuff. But even they sometimes disagree about whether something should be changed or whether a story element is working. While I usually take their advice (they are frighteningly good at what they do), I've ignored suggestions from every single one of them.
Usually (but not always) that's when the group is split on an opinion, and I take the majority's view to heart. But what if I had only gotten one opinion? What if I relied so heavily on one person that I missed out on the (even better) insights I could have gotten from others?
If you don't have a critique group like mine, don't panic. You still need outside feedback, so seek it out. Just do so from multiple sources.
For example, attend writers conferences and writers meetings, such as local chapters of SCBWI, RWA, and other organizations. Network with other writers and exchange contact information, then swap manuscripts and critique one another.
Go online to find online writing support groups. Many offer critique exchanges. Don't worry that you don't know how to give a good critique; you learn how by doing it. The more you read with a critical eye, the better you'll get at offering helpful advice and at finding weak spots in your own work.
When you're ready, consider having a professional look at it (like one of the editors from Precision Editing Group).
Just be sure to give your work out to multiple sources for feedback. If one source suggests major surgery, hold off and get a second opinion before putting your book under the knife. If sources #2 and #3 agree with #1, then maybe your manuscript really could use some time on the operating table. But what if #2 and #3 agree with one another . . . in disagreeing with #1?
You'll never please every reader, and you shouldn't try to. But the more eyes that look at your work, the wider the perspective and opinions will be. That means your chances will go up that you'll hit closer to the bull's eye with what you're hoping to achieve.
And isn't that every writer's goal?
I've said it many times: The single best thing I ever did for my writing was get into an excellent critique group. It gives me the feedback I need to know whether I'm getting close to the mark or whether I'm totally off track.
As you seek feedback, keep one very important thing in mind:
Don't rely on one opinion.
Feedback from one person isn't enough, no matter how good the writer, no matter how experienced or excellent they are.
Here's why: Writing is subjective. There isn't just one right answer. Surrendering to one person's opinion might not be the best way to go.
What if you relied so heavily on one opinion that you overhauled your entire manuscript . . . only to discover after the fact that your book was actually better before your massive revision?
Or what if your original manuscript did need a big revision . . . but in a totally different direction than your only reader suggested?
My critique group is composed of published and award-winning writers who know their stuff. But even they sometimes disagree about whether something should be changed or whether a story element is working. While I usually take their advice (they are frighteningly good at what they do), I've ignored suggestions from every single one of them.
Usually (but not always) that's when the group is split on an opinion, and I take the majority's view to heart. But what if I had only gotten one opinion? What if I relied so heavily on one person that I missed out on the (even better) insights I could have gotten from others?
If you don't have a critique group like mine, don't panic. You still need outside feedback, so seek it out. Just do so from multiple sources.
For example, attend writers conferences and writers meetings, such as local chapters of SCBWI, RWA, and other organizations. Network with other writers and exchange contact information, then swap manuscripts and critique one another.
Go online to find online writing support groups. Many offer critique exchanges. Don't worry that you don't know how to give a good critique; you learn how by doing it. The more you read with a critical eye, the better you'll get at offering helpful advice and at finding weak spots in your own work.
When you're ready, consider having a professional look at it (like one of the editors from Precision Editing Group).
Just be sure to give your work out to multiple sources for feedback. If one source suggests major surgery, hold off and get a second opinion before putting your book under the knife. If sources #2 and #3 agree with #1, then maybe your manuscript really could use some time on the operating table. But what if #2 and #3 agree with one another . . . in disagreeing with #1?
You'll never please every reader, and you shouldn't try to. But the more eyes that look at your work, the wider the perspective and opinions will be. That means your chances will go up that you'll hit closer to the bull's eye with what you're hoping to achieve.
And isn't that every writer's goal?
Thursday, September 27, 2007
I Beg to Differ
by Heather Moore
This week I’m reading The 38 Most Common Fiction Writing Mistakes by Jack M. Bickham. I love his advice, and I love the frank way he delivers it. But today, I read the chapter called “Don’t Take It to the Club Meeting,” and ever since it’s been bothering me.
Bickham essentially warns fledging writers to stay away from writing clubs where one reads his/her work aloud, then listens to advice by the other attendees. Bickham says not to waste your time at a club meeting because “they won’t be honest; they usually don’t know what they’re doing anyway.”
I won’t discount that in some clubs, or in some club attendees, this may be the case. But I’ve also met many unpublished writers who have never let anyone read their work. Not even their mother (although that may be a good thing).
For the writer who is too timid to let their friends or family read their work, a non-personal writing club may be the answer—until relationships with professional writers can be established or funds can be spent on professional editing.
Bickham also advises working with a professional writer coach. This can be very costly, and unless you have a great friendship with another author, it will be difficult to get professional feedback on what you’ve written without paying for it. (Another reason our Monday Mania blog is so valuable.)
When I go to my critique group, I sit around a table with six or seven other people—all from different backgrounds, all in various stages of publishing. I walk away from each session with a better understanding of the direction I need to take in my writing. One person’s strength is description, another’s conflict, a third, motivation. This adds up to a rather complete edit, and by the time I go through the critique process with my group, I feel I’ve received the best of the best.
If my critique group hadn’t taken a chance on me, I probably wouldn’t be where I am today. Out of the seven original members, only four were published. Now all of us are--multiple times over.
In the same chapter, Bickham also discredits writing contests that offer judge’s feedback. “The comments and advice from judges can vary as widely—and wildly—as the comments from the club meeting floor after a reading.” Of course, this is true, and I’ve seen it myself. But until I started submitting short stories to local writing contests, I had no idea if my writing even matched up to anyone else’s. The judge’s feedback was invaluable to me at the time. Sure, it’s subjective. Just as any agent or editor will be when you’re submitting. Just as a professional writing coach or editor is subjective.
But how are you to start at the beginning if there is no beginning place to start? I believe that the average fiction writer didn’t major in English Literature in college, he didn’t have a fantastic mentor, and he may not have access to professional writers now. He has to start from scratch.
I started from scratch. I googled writers groups, found the League of Utah Writers, and started attending their meetings. I signed up for a couple of night classes on publishing and creative writing. I entered a few local writing contests. Eventually I found a critique group, I attended writer’s conferences, entered more contests, read books on writing . . . I learned the craft from the ground up.
Attending a writers club may not be for everyone, but I believe it will benefit you. If you don't grow from it, find another one. And when it ceases helping you, move on. Entering writing contests may not impress a big-time editor or agent, but it will give you an idea if your writing stacks up . . . if your plot is interesting . . . if you are developing those characters . . . if you are growing your craft.
And that's the most important thing you can do, published or not, is find avenues to improve your writing.
This week I’m reading The 38 Most Common Fiction Writing Mistakes by Jack M. Bickham. I love his advice, and I love the frank way he delivers it. But today, I read the chapter called “Don’t Take It to the Club Meeting,” and ever since it’s been bothering me.
Bickham essentially warns fledging writers to stay away from writing clubs where one reads his/her work aloud, then listens to advice by the other attendees. Bickham says not to waste your time at a club meeting because “they won’t be honest; they usually don’t know what they’re doing anyway.”
I won’t discount that in some clubs, or in some club attendees, this may be the case. But I’ve also met many unpublished writers who have never let anyone read their work. Not even their mother (although that may be a good thing).
For the writer who is too timid to let their friends or family read their work, a non-personal writing club may be the answer—until relationships with professional writers can be established or funds can be spent on professional editing.
Bickham also advises working with a professional writer coach. This can be very costly, and unless you have a great friendship with another author, it will be difficult to get professional feedback on what you’ve written without paying for it. (Another reason our Monday Mania blog is so valuable.)
When I go to my critique group, I sit around a table with six or seven other people—all from different backgrounds, all in various stages of publishing. I walk away from each session with a better understanding of the direction I need to take in my writing. One person’s strength is description, another’s conflict, a third, motivation. This adds up to a rather complete edit, and by the time I go through the critique process with my group, I feel I’ve received the best of the best.
If my critique group hadn’t taken a chance on me, I probably wouldn’t be where I am today. Out of the seven original members, only four were published. Now all of us are--multiple times over.
In the same chapter, Bickham also discredits writing contests that offer judge’s feedback. “The comments and advice from judges can vary as widely—and wildly—as the comments from the club meeting floor after a reading.” Of course, this is true, and I’ve seen it myself. But until I started submitting short stories to local writing contests, I had no idea if my writing even matched up to anyone else’s. The judge’s feedback was invaluable to me at the time. Sure, it’s subjective. Just as any agent or editor will be when you’re submitting. Just as a professional writing coach or editor is subjective.
But how are you to start at the beginning if there is no beginning place to start? I believe that the average fiction writer didn’t major in English Literature in college, he didn’t have a fantastic mentor, and he may not have access to professional writers now. He has to start from scratch.
I started from scratch. I googled writers groups, found the League of Utah Writers, and started attending their meetings. I signed up for a couple of night classes on publishing and creative writing. I entered a few local writing contests. Eventually I found a critique group, I attended writer’s conferences, entered more contests, read books on writing . . . I learned the craft from the ground up.
Attending a writers club may not be for everyone, but I believe it will benefit you. If you don't grow from it, find another one. And when it ceases helping you, move on. Entering writing contests may not impress a big-time editor or agent, but it will give you an idea if your writing stacks up . . . if your plot is interesting . . . if you are developing those characters . . . if you are growing your craft.
And that's the most important thing you can do, published or not, is find avenues to improve your writing.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Respect Creative Needs
I met at a guy a couple of years ago at my day (or grave) job who likes to write and who was working on a novel. Naturally, this set us up to be good friends. Since we both worked graveyard shifts, we were both in need of methods to keep us awake. So we started playing instant messenger games. Kind of like "tag" with words.
He'd IM me a phrase, and I'd have to twist it to mean something else. He'd IM me the word "question" and I'd come up with an off the wall answer to which he would have to respond with the question that could lead to that answer.
These games were great for flexing creative muscles. He no longer works for my company but we still play word games on line. It keeps our creativity sharpened.
I mention this because I think it's important to respect those useful, albeit odd, ways of honing your own creativity.
Sometimes when I look inside myself to find creativity, I find nothing staring back at me. At those times I know it's time to dip my bucket into the creative well and fill it to overflowing.
Some methods I use--aside from my online word tag--are:
Art Galleries- It's amazing what kinds of stories come from staring at pictures. A couple of my most inventive novels started with a picture and ended in 80,000 plus words.
Online writer groups- Oddly enough, I've found most online writing groups to consist of very little talk about actual writing and a whole lot of "chat." But writers chat in a way that leads to inspiration. We can't help but view everything in a story format and even our chit chats create new avenues of expression.
Music- Give me symphony or give me death. Actually, I delve into all kinds of music depending on the mood. I have CD's from every music genre and use them as needed.
Discover Magazine and National Geographic- If you're having a hard time discovering anything new, go to those who are willing to make your discoveries for you. The world is an interesting place . . . learn about it.
The newspaper- I'm actually grounded from the newspaper. I tend to internalize bad news and carry it around with me long after it's considered yesterday's news. But a lot of people I know get ideas for new stories based on what's really happening out there today.
The Mall- sit in the foodcourt and eavesdrop. People do and say the quirkiest things. Go have a listen.
Writer's Digest- They have some great writing prompts, kind of like my IM tag. Writing prompts send your mind in directions you'd never take on your own.
Blogs- it's true. The blogging world is a creative well. So much can be found there: motivation, commiseration, nuts and bolts, ideas, life, language, humanity . . . and if nothing else, our writing should reflect the humanity that we are.
Sometimes I clean closets and drawers when I need to fill my well. It sounds lame, but I'm willing to bet my next contract that I'm not alone in obsessive housekeeping being used as a tool for creative needs.
If you look inside yourself and find nothing staring back at you, go get your bucket and lower into whatever well that will allow you to bring that bucket up full again. And whatever that well may be--make sure to respect it so it's available for the next time.
He'd IM me a phrase, and I'd have to twist it to mean something else. He'd IM me the word "question" and I'd come up with an off the wall answer to which he would have to respond with the question that could lead to that answer.
These games were great for flexing creative muscles. He no longer works for my company but we still play word games on line. It keeps our creativity sharpened.
I mention this because I think it's important to respect those useful, albeit odd, ways of honing your own creativity.
Sometimes when I look inside myself to find creativity, I find nothing staring back at me. At those times I know it's time to dip my bucket into the creative well and fill it to overflowing.
Some methods I use--aside from my online word tag--are:
Art Galleries- It's amazing what kinds of stories come from staring at pictures. A couple of my most inventive novels started with a picture and ended in 80,000 plus words.
Online writer groups- Oddly enough, I've found most online writing groups to consist of very little talk about actual writing and a whole lot of "chat." But writers chat in a way that leads to inspiration. We can't help but view everything in a story format and even our chit chats create new avenues of expression.
Music- Give me symphony or give me death. Actually, I delve into all kinds of music depending on the mood. I have CD's from every music genre and use them as needed.
Discover Magazine and National Geographic- If you're having a hard time discovering anything new, go to those who are willing to make your discoveries for you. The world is an interesting place . . . learn about it.
The newspaper- I'm actually grounded from the newspaper. I tend to internalize bad news and carry it around with me long after it's considered yesterday's news. But a lot of people I know get ideas for new stories based on what's really happening out there today.
The Mall- sit in the foodcourt and eavesdrop. People do and say the quirkiest things. Go have a listen.
Writer's Digest- They have some great writing prompts, kind of like my IM tag. Writing prompts send your mind in directions you'd never take on your own.
Blogs- it's true. The blogging world is a creative well. So much can be found there: motivation, commiseration, nuts and bolts, ideas, life, language, humanity . . . and if nothing else, our writing should reflect the humanity that we are.
Sometimes I clean closets and drawers when I need to fill my well. It sounds lame, but I'm willing to bet my next contract that I'm not alone in obsessive housekeeping being used as a tool for creative needs.
If you look inside yourself and find nothing staring back at you, go get your bucket and lower into whatever well that will allow you to bring that bucket up full again. And whatever that well may be--make sure to respect it so it's available for the next time.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
The Benefit of Extra Eyes
by Annette Lyon
My critique group is composed of several talented, published writers, yet we continue to meet regularly and read our work aloud to one another and get criticism. I've been attending for upwards of 8 years.
Some might think that by now we must have exhausted our usefulness to one another, that we've learned all we can, and might as well move on.
Nothing is further from the truth.
I've found that extra sets of eyes looking at my work will find things that I am incapable of seeing because I'm the one that wrote it. It doesn't matter how great a writer I become; the fact that I wrote the piece by its very nature dictates that I cannot see all the holes. The moment I think I'm such a good a writer that I don't need outside feedback is the day my writing takes a nosedive.
In our group, every so often we come upon something that makes us all laugh out loud—usually something that didn't come out quite how we meant it to.
Below are a few gems from our last meeting. Remember: all of these sentences came from authors who have multiple published novels under their belts. It happens to the best of us.
1. James hadn't meant to let it slip that he wasn't married, at least to his boss.
(No, James isn't married to his boss . . .)
A set-up for #2: the character in question has built a narrow enclosure for a horse, using dowels slid through the back opening of the area to prevent the horse from backing out of it. Okay, now the sentence will make more (silly) sense. Note that we've been talking HORSES:
2. He had made holes for sliding sticks through the rear end instead of her recommended two.
(Uh, that would be the rear end of the enclosure . . .)
The next one shows a scuffle between two WOMEN:
3. Suddenly her hands were on my chest, pushing me backwards.
(Doubt she meant to give her an unscheduled mammogram . . .)
Note there's nothing inherently bad about any of these sentences, but in context and with a different pair of eyeballs than the author had, a new meaning emerged.
Sometimes our "bloopers" are of the grammatical variety. Other times they're simply ambiguous. Then there are those that just leave a silly image in your mind.
Here are more I've gathered over the years—all real quotes from drafts brought to our critique group. And yes, some are mine:
Suddenly, my mother turned into a driveway.
Your grandmother killed him before I got the chance.
Lizzie's hands flew to her mouth. Inside lay four books.
Lighting a candle, she settled beneath the covers.
Andrew noted his lean frame on the high counter sipping his drink.
. . . he began, then stopped seeing Jacob's scowl
Quiet and patient, Alice's dark hair was always pulled into a simple bun.
And our all-time favorite blooper:
A man is inside a cedar wood closet, which reminds him of the cedar chest his mother once owned. But instead of saying it like that, it came out like this:
The scent reminded him of his mother's smelly chest.
We've had our laughs over all of these, and any time someone else lets a blooper loose, I write it down—not only because of the chuckle, but because it's a subtle reminder that we need one another to read over and catch not only our bloopers, but all kinds of other things that can make our writing continually better.
Every writer needs that.
My critique group is composed of several talented, published writers, yet we continue to meet regularly and read our work aloud to one another and get criticism. I've been attending for upwards of 8 years.
Some might think that by now we must have exhausted our usefulness to one another, that we've learned all we can, and might as well move on.
Nothing is further from the truth.
I've found that extra sets of eyes looking at my work will find things that I am incapable of seeing because I'm the one that wrote it. It doesn't matter how great a writer I become; the fact that I wrote the piece by its very nature dictates that I cannot see all the holes. The moment I think I'm such a good a writer that I don't need outside feedback is the day my writing takes a nosedive.
In our group, every so often we come upon something that makes us all laugh out loud—usually something that didn't come out quite how we meant it to.
Below are a few gems from our last meeting. Remember: all of these sentences came from authors who have multiple published novels under their belts. It happens to the best of us.
1. James hadn't meant to let it slip that he wasn't married, at least to his boss.
(No, James isn't married to his boss . . .)
A set-up for #2: the character in question has built a narrow enclosure for a horse, using dowels slid through the back opening of the area to prevent the horse from backing out of it. Okay, now the sentence will make more (silly) sense. Note that we've been talking HORSES:
2. He had made holes for sliding sticks through the rear end instead of her recommended two.
(Uh, that would be the rear end of the enclosure . . .)
The next one shows a scuffle between two WOMEN:
3. Suddenly her hands were on my chest, pushing me backwards.
(Doubt she meant to give her an unscheduled mammogram . . .)
Note there's nothing inherently bad about any of these sentences, but in context and with a different pair of eyeballs than the author had, a new meaning emerged.
Sometimes our "bloopers" are of the grammatical variety. Other times they're simply ambiguous. Then there are those that just leave a silly image in your mind.
Here are more I've gathered over the years—all real quotes from drafts brought to our critique group. And yes, some are mine:
Suddenly, my mother turned into a driveway.
Your grandmother killed him before I got the chance.
Lizzie's hands flew to her mouth. Inside lay four books.
Lighting a candle, she settled beneath the covers.
Andrew noted his lean frame on the high counter sipping his drink.
. . . he began, then stopped seeing Jacob's scowl
Quiet and patient, Alice's dark hair was always pulled into a simple bun.
And our all-time favorite blooper:
A man is inside a cedar wood closet, which reminds him of the cedar chest his mother once owned. But instead of saying it like that, it came out like this:
The scent reminded him of his mother's smelly chest.
We've had our laughs over all of these, and any time someone else lets a blooper loose, I write it down—not only because of the chuckle, but because it's a subtle reminder that we need one another to read over and catch not only our bloopers, but all kinds of other things that can make our writing continually better.
Every writer needs that.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Writer Applications debut at a publisher near you!
By Julie Wright
Last night I was up pretty late filling out a writer application. It felt like I was applying to go to Harvard (Not that I've ever filled out an application for Harvard--like they'd ever let *me* in). Who knew there were so many questions a publisher might have for a writer?
I'd actually never filled out any kind of application before when working with a publisher, but I saw the brilliance of the application immediately.
A publisher needs to know what they can expect from their authors. They need to know they aren't going to invest a ton of money in an author who isn't willing to put in some effort too. I thought I'd post the general idea of the questionnaire here. If you want to be an author, you need to know what's expected of you once they slap your name on a book cover.
Some of the questions were in regard to my education and experience in writing. They asked if I was willing to promote my book with booksignings and media interviews. But then they went on to ask if I'd be willing to take a month off for promoting my book if necessary. They wanted to know if I had any experience speaking in front of both large and small groups of people. They wanted to know if I attended writing conferences and regular critique groups so that I was always refining my craft of writing. They wanted to know my writing habits ( I didn't mention that I write in the bathtub surrounded by candles and my radio on loud enough to drown out the kids banging on the door . . . If I ever die from electrocution, you now know the details of how it all happened).
Ultimately the questionnaire wanted to know if I believed in myself enough that I was willing to invest in me the way I wanted them to invest in me.
It's a good question.
If you want to write . . . do you believe in yourself that much?
If you want to write . . . I hope your answer is yes.
Last night I was up pretty late filling out a writer application. It felt like I was applying to go to Harvard (Not that I've ever filled out an application for Harvard--like they'd ever let *me* in). Who knew there were so many questions a publisher might have for a writer?
I'd actually never filled out any kind of application before when working with a publisher, but I saw the brilliance of the application immediately.
A publisher needs to know what they can expect from their authors. They need to know they aren't going to invest a ton of money in an author who isn't willing to put in some effort too. I thought I'd post the general idea of the questionnaire here. If you want to be an author, you need to know what's expected of you once they slap your name on a book cover.
Some of the questions were in regard to my education and experience in writing. They asked if I was willing to promote my book with booksignings and media interviews. But then they went on to ask if I'd be willing to take a month off for promoting my book if necessary. They wanted to know if I had any experience speaking in front of both large and small groups of people. They wanted to know if I attended writing conferences and regular critique groups so that I was always refining my craft of writing. They wanted to know my writing habits ( I didn't mention that I write in the bathtub surrounded by candles and my radio on loud enough to drown out the kids banging on the door . . . If I ever die from electrocution, you now know the details of how it all happened).
Ultimately the questionnaire wanted to know if I believed in myself enough that I was willing to invest in me the way I wanted them to invest in me.
It's a good question.
If you want to write . . . do you believe in yourself that much?
If you want to write . . . I hope your answer is yes.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
The Pro's of Cons
By Julie Wright
Cons are writer's conferences or conventions. They usually cost money. Some cost a lot of money. Many a leery writer looks at these conferences askance as though they don't need it.
Au Contraire my scribbling friend. We all need writer's conferences. It is a time to recharge creative batteries, a time to learn the craft, and a time to network. It's mostly a time to network. I wouldn't be anywhere in my career without my fellow writers.
By making the friendships I have at writer's conferences throughout the state (and several, I've traveled the country to attend), I have learned what an ellipses is and how to use it accurately. I've been introduced to agents and publishers; I've learned about the pitfalls of crummy contracts, and I've learned that James Dashner has terrible riddle making skills. All of the above are vastly important (well, James' lack of skills aren't important, but you get what I mean.)
I know we all imagine writers to be solitary folks who labor in sweat intensive creativity while holed up in some room that has a window overlooking a mountain, or an ocean, or some other large imposing bit of nature. But the truth remains that you need other writers if you're going to be a writer.
I remember once when a friend pointed out to me how odd and coincidental she thought it was for CS Lewis, JRR Tolkein, and Charles Williams to be friends. Then she said that now that she was a writer and traveling in circles of other writers, she understood how easily it would be for them to be such good friends. They were in a writer's group called Inklings (which is a cute as heck name). They networked and changed the face of literature by helping eachother edit manuscripts like the Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings.
The people I have helping me edit my manuscripts are people I've met from attending writer's workshops and those pesky sometimes inconvenient, sometimes expensive Cons. Even the one conference that was a total absurdity because the presenters knew less than I did was worth going to if only to prove to me I was more competent than I'd ever imagined. If those clowns could be successful, I was going to rock the literary foundations of the world.
It's a great place to meet agents and editors and to hear first hand what they have to say.
What I'm saying here is that you should make a goal to attend a writer's conference at least twice a year. I go to about six a year. I don't really go to hone the craft anymore. Oh sure . . . I'll take in the occasional class and workshop. But mostly, I go to network--to shake hands, exchange cards, and make friends.
And when people call it coincidence that some of my best friends are some of the greatest literary minds of our day, I smile and know that it was no coincidence at all. I just knew that the pros were found at cons and I went where they were.
Cons are writer's conferences or conventions. They usually cost money. Some cost a lot of money. Many a leery writer looks at these conferences askance as though they don't need it.
Au Contraire my scribbling friend. We all need writer's conferences. It is a time to recharge creative batteries, a time to learn the craft, and a time to network. It's mostly a time to network. I wouldn't be anywhere in my career without my fellow writers.
By making the friendships I have at writer's conferences throughout the state (and several, I've traveled the country to attend), I have learned what an ellipses is and how to use it accurately. I've been introduced to agents and publishers; I've learned about the pitfalls of crummy contracts, and I've learned that James Dashner has terrible riddle making skills. All of the above are vastly important (well, James' lack of skills aren't important, but you get what I mean.)
I know we all imagine writers to be solitary folks who labor in sweat intensive creativity while holed up in some room that has a window overlooking a mountain, or an ocean, or some other large imposing bit of nature. But the truth remains that you need other writers if you're going to be a writer.
I remember once when a friend pointed out to me how odd and coincidental she thought it was for CS Lewis, JRR Tolkein, and Charles Williams to be friends. Then she said that now that she was a writer and traveling in circles of other writers, she understood how easily it would be for them to be such good friends. They were in a writer's group called Inklings (which is a cute as heck name). They networked and changed the face of literature by helping eachother edit manuscripts like the Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings.
The people I have helping me edit my manuscripts are people I've met from attending writer's workshops and those pesky sometimes inconvenient, sometimes expensive Cons. Even the one conference that was a total absurdity because the presenters knew less than I did was worth going to if only to prove to me I was more competent than I'd ever imagined. If those clowns could be successful, I was going to rock the literary foundations of the world.
It's a great place to meet agents and editors and to hear first hand what they have to say.
What I'm saying here is that you should make a goal to attend a writer's conference at least twice a year. I go to about six a year. I don't really go to hone the craft anymore. Oh sure . . . I'll take in the occasional class and workshop. But mostly, I go to network--to shake hands, exchange cards, and make friends.
And when people call it coincidence that some of my best friends are some of the greatest literary minds of our day, I smile and know that it was no coincidence at all. I just knew that the pros were found at cons and I went where they were.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Recipe for a Writing Group
by Annette Lyon
Reader Question:
How do you structure your writing group? How many people are in it? Do you ever take new people? How do you break up the time? How often do you meet, for how long, and where are the meetings held? What tricks have you picked up over the years?
I'm glad you asked, because in my opinion, a writing/critique group can be the most valuable thing you can do for your work.
One big caveat: A BAD group can be the worst thing you can do for your writing. You need a GOOD group, one where the other members can challenge you but don't make you feel small. Where you can contribute, but where you can benefit from the other members as well.
I've heard of groups where they're not much more than chatting fun-fests. I've heard of groups where no one really knows what they're doing—they're all clueless. I've heard of groups where, after a couple of years, they all start writing like each other. In such cases, move on!
I'm lucky in that I've been with my group for seven and a half years, and we're still going strong. We all write differently, we stay on track, and while we're great friends, we certainly aren't easy on one another. We all have our strengths, and if someone hasn't attended in a few weeks, I feel like my work might be slipping in one area. We'll be together for years to come, I'm quite sure.
The way our group works is just one of many ways to run a writing group. Some groups meet less frequently but meet for much longer chunks. Others take home entire manuscripts and then meet to give commentary on them and never read aloud in front of each other. Others read one another's works aloud instead of reading their own. I'm sure there are as many ways to run groups as their are writers. Below is the way ours works.
Customize your own group to fit your needs.
How do you structure your group?
The basic way we work is to meet approximately weekly. Each person brings enough copies of their piece (usually 6-8 pages, perhaps a scene) for every person to read off of. When it's my turn, I'll hand out my copies to each person, then read my piece aloud while they all make notes on their own hard copy. Then they'll each take 2-3 minutes giving a verbal critique. Sometimes we set a timer to be sure we don't go long, because it's the oral commentary that can take too much time if we aren't careful. Once we've gone around the table and everyone has said what they think, the next person passes out their work.
How many people are in it?
We currently have eight members, and I don't recommend having any more than that. However, with schedules being as insane as they are, we rarely have more than five or six at any meeting, and that is about perfect. We never meet with fewer than four, because you need at least three people outside of yourself to get enough feedback to make it worthwhile.
Do you ever take new people?
Periodically, but rarely. Usually it's when someone moves.
How do you break up the time?
See above. The biggest trick is not letting friendship chatter get in the way, because we have been together so long that we really are great friends. That's when we break out the timer and have to hold ourselves to it.
How often do you meet, for how long, and where are the meetings held?
Weekly most of the time, but sometimes we end up missing weeks. And when the holidays come, we don't even bother. Often we'll meet two weeks into November, have a holiday dinner with spouses, and then call it quits until the new year. We meet at members' homes, sitting around their kitchen tables, red pens in hand. It helps if there are chips and salsa or chocolate chip cookies on the table. We generally start around 7:00 pm and go until we're done, around 10:30 pm if we haven't gotten overly chatty.
What tricks have you picked up over the years?
Pay attention to what other members say to each other. This helps in two ways. First, you'll save time in not repeating a criticism someone already said, which wastes time, but (more importantly) often you'll learn just as much about writing by listening to others' critiques of each other as you will about what they say to you.
Another tip in saving time is only mentioning things that really need explanation. A lot of comments are self-explanatory from the notes you write down. You may not have to explain that a sentence felt awkward if you wrote, "awk" in the margin next to it, but if there was a part where the protagonist's motivation was unclear, you'll likely need to expound on that.
Also, be sure to write you name on the first page of your copy. That way, when the person gets home, they know right away that YOU made all the notes, and if they need clarification, they know who to ask.
Sometimes we disagree. If one person thought my description cliche and another person thought it was brilliant, I'll ask for hands to go up. How many people thought it cliche? How many thought it was brilliant? That'll give me a rough idea of how close I got. Often it's just one person who thinks one direction, and everyone else thinks the other way. That tells me overwhelmingly that it maybe it really was cliche (or brilliant). Or if it's split in half, maybe I need to rework the passage a different way altogether.
One other thing I've learned is that I don't have to take their advice. It's still my work. I'm the author, so I have the final say. I also know that my group is composed of darn talented people. There's a good chance if they've diagnosed a problem, it really is a problem. But sometimes I've found a better way of solving it than they've suggested.
Once I whined to a relative about a big fix I had ahead that they had suggested for my work in progress. She said, "Blow them off. You don't have to listen to them."
"You don't understand," I told her. "They're right."
The biggest tip? Give it time. Critiquing is something you learn. We've had people come to their first meeting and flip out because they feel completely inadequate. "How can you pick up so much so fast—while you're just listening to it?" they say. Well, we've had years of practice. It's an acquired skill. You learn.
I love my critique group and can't live without them. I don't dare publish a novel without their eyes going over it first. Find a good group and cling to them for dear life. They're worth their weight in gold.
Reader Question:
How do you structure your writing group? How many people are in it? Do you ever take new people? How do you break up the time? How often do you meet, for how long, and where are the meetings held? What tricks have you picked up over the years?
I'm glad you asked, because in my opinion, a writing/critique group can be the most valuable thing you can do for your work.
One big caveat: A BAD group can be the worst thing you can do for your writing. You need a GOOD group, one where the other members can challenge you but don't make you feel small. Where you can contribute, but where you can benefit from the other members as well.
I've heard of groups where they're not much more than chatting fun-fests. I've heard of groups where no one really knows what they're doing—they're all clueless. I've heard of groups where, after a couple of years, they all start writing like each other. In such cases, move on!
I'm lucky in that I've been with my group for seven and a half years, and we're still going strong. We all write differently, we stay on track, and while we're great friends, we certainly aren't easy on one another. We all have our strengths, and if someone hasn't attended in a few weeks, I feel like my work might be slipping in one area. We'll be together for years to come, I'm quite sure.
The way our group works is just one of many ways to run a writing group. Some groups meet less frequently but meet for much longer chunks. Others take home entire manuscripts and then meet to give commentary on them and never read aloud in front of each other. Others read one another's works aloud instead of reading their own. I'm sure there are as many ways to run groups as their are writers. Below is the way ours works.
Customize your own group to fit your needs.
How do you structure your group?
The basic way we work is to meet approximately weekly. Each person brings enough copies of their piece (usually 6-8 pages, perhaps a scene) for every person to read off of. When it's my turn, I'll hand out my copies to each person, then read my piece aloud while they all make notes on their own hard copy. Then they'll each take 2-3 minutes giving a verbal critique. Sometimes we set a timer to be sure we don't go long, because it's the oral commentary that can take too much time if we aren't careful. Once we've gone around the table and everyone has said what they think, the next person passes out their work.
How many people are in it?
We currently have eight members, and I don't recommend having any more than that. However, with schedules being as insane as they are, we rarely have more than five or six at any meeting, and that is about perfect. We never meet with fewer than four, because you need at least three people outside of yourself to get enough feedback to make it worthwhile.
Do you ever take new people?
Periodically, but rarely. Usually it's when someone moves.
How do you break up the time?
See above. The biggest trick is not letting friendship chatter get in the way, because we have been together so long that we really are great friends. That's when we break out the timer and have to hold ourselves to it.
How often do you meet, for how long, and where are the meetings held?
Weekly most of the time, but sometimes we end up missing weeks. And when the holidays come, we don't even bother. Often we'll meet two weeks into November, have a holiday dinner with spouses, and then call it quits until the new year. We meet at members' homes, sitting around their kitchen tables, red pens in hand. It helps if there are chips and salsa or chocolate chip cookies on the table. We generally start around 7:00 pm and go until we're done, around 10:30 pm if we haven't gotten overly chatty.
What tricks have you picked up over the years?
Pay attention to what other members say to each other. This helps in two ways. First, you'll save time in not repeating a criticism someone already said, which wastes time, but (more importantly) often you'll learn just as much about writing by listening to others' critiques of each other as you will about what they say to you.
Another tip in saving time is only mentioning things that really need explanation. A lot of comments are self-explanatory from the notes you write down. You may not have to explain that a sentence felt awkward if you wrote, "awk" in the margin next to it, but if there was a part where the protagonist's motivation was unclear, you'll likely need to expound on that.
Also, be sure to write you name on the first page of your copy. That way, when the person gets home, they know right away that YOU made all the notes, and if they need clarification, they know who to ask.
Sometimes we disagree. If one person thought my description cliche and another person thought it was brilliant, I'll ask for hands to go up. How many people thought it cliche? How many thought it was brilliant? That'll give me a rough idea of how close I got. Often it's just one person who thinks one direction, and everyone else thinks the other way. That tells me overwhelmingly that it maybe it really was cliche (or brilliant). Or if it's split in half, maybe I need to rework the passage a different way altogether.
One other thing I've learned is that I don't have to take their advice. It's still my work. I'm the author, so I have the final say. I also know that my group is composed of darn talented people. There's a good chance if they've diagnosed a problem, it really is a problem. But sometimes I've found a better way of solving it than they've suggested.
Once I whined to a relative about a big fix I had ahead that they had suggested for my work in progress. She said, "Blow them off. You don't have to listen to them."
"You don't understand," I told her. "They're right."
The biggest tip? Give it time. Critiquing is something you learn. We've had people come to their first meeting and flip out because they feel completely inadequate. "How can you pick up so much so fast—while you're just listening to it?" they say. Well, we've had years of practice. It's an acquired skill. You learn.
I love my critique group and can't live without them. I don't dare publish a novel without their eyes going over it first. Find a good group and cling to them for dear life. They're worth their weight in gold.
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