by Annette Lyon
With all due respect to Steve Almond, his latest article in Writer’s Digest wasn’t exactly en pointe.
This is the first time I’ve disagreed with a word he’s said. Usually his fiction column is a great resource, and I find myself mentally cheering him on with each example and explanation. (His piece on metaphors a few months ago was priceless.)
But this month . . . not so much.
In it he touts the importance of picking a title for your work. He claims that those poor souls who don’t pick a title might not be ready to show their work to the world, and then he proceeds to give a lesson (a pretty great one, actually) about how to come up with titles.
All well and good . . . if authors of published novels actually picked their titles.
Which happens, oh, about 1.3% of the time.
Okay, I made that statistic up, but in my experience, that might be guessing high. Sure, Dickens and company got to pick the titles of their books (really catchy ones, too, like David Copperfield and the one that makes you so eager to read it, Bleak House). But in the last, say, ten years, I’m aware of maybe three novels that hit shelves with the title that their authors submitted.
Writers are good at writing. We aren’t so good at selling stuff. That’s the marketing department’s job. That’s also why they hire professional graphic designers to make the covers—so prospective customers might actually pick up the thing and read the back liner . . . and maybe walk out the door with it.
And it’s why they get to pick the title. By and large, these guys have a ton more experience than we writers do in seeing what kinds of titles sell books and which ones land on their faces.
When they’re wrong, well, the author pays the price, because generally you’ll be at their mercy. You might be able to give suggestions or ideas, but in the end, they get the final say. The one exception might be with short stories, but if you’re planning on writing novels, there’s very little point in fantasizing about what they'll be called.
If you’re lucky enough to keep your title, party on. Throw confetti and toast your success.
But I know too many would-be writers who obsess about their titles, to the point of avoiding the nitty-gritty job of making a great book behind the brilliant title. A catchy name isn’t going to sell your work to an agent or editor. Knock-your-socks-off writing will.
Don’t get me wrong; I’ll probably use some of Almond’s suggestions when coming up with something to call my next manuscript before I submit it. But I won’t be married to the title, and I won’t be remotely surprised when (not if) it gets changed.
So I’ll be focusing my efforts where they really matter: Writing the best story I’m capable of.
Then I’ll let the marketing folks worry about assigning a title and a cover to it. That’s their job.
I think mine’s much more fun anyway.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Conferences: As Good as Gold
by Annette Lyon
I recently returned from a fantastic writers conference, which gave me a boost as I move forward with my work.
The weekend was a reminder to me about how important conferences are to writers and why we attend them.
Workshops
These are, of course, one of the biggest elements of any conference, whether they're breakout sessions or keynote addresses. No matter how experienced a writer you are, you can always learn more. Sometimes it's from someone who is farther along the path than you are, and sometimes it's a colleague who looks at a topic in a new and fresh way that can help you improve your work.
About a year ago I attended a class taught by a good friend. I did so to support her, not because I necessarily thought I needed work on my characterization, the topic of the workshop. Her approach to creating characters was so different from my own that it opened up a totally new way of viewing the process for me. I left the class with a boatload of notes and a better understanding of the heroine in my WIP.
Agents and Editors
If the conference hosts an agent and/or editor, soak them in. Hang onto every word they say—they know the markets, the business, the craft. If you have the opportunity to meet with them one on one in an appointment, do so. If you see them hanging out in the hallway, talk with them and get to know them.
Note that unscheduled meetings (sharing an elevator, cornering them in the restroom, and so on) are not the time to pitch your book. Just get to know the editor or agent and to learn from them.
This last weekend I had several opportunities to chat with both an agent and an editor, whether during a meal or in the hall. Those were definite highlights of the entire conference. Because of some of the things they shared during those conversations, I'll be doing some specific revisions on one of my manuscripts.
Networking
I think a lot of writers can relate when I say that many opportunities I have had came about in large part thanks to my friendships with other writers.
Writing is a solitary field; it's just you and your keyboard. When attending a conference, get out of that bubble and rub shoulders with like-minded people. I know, I know; it's hard. Writers tend to be shy and introverted. Break open your shell and speak up. Get to know other writers. You may be surprised at how supportive they can be with everything from cheerleading to helping you track down a fact for research.
You may also find new avenues and possibilities for your work. Best of all, you'll (finally!) be hanging out with people who think like you do and "get" the life of a writer. They know what it's like to have writer's block or have characters bugging them in their sleep or to be rejected . . . again.
Networking is so important that, to me, it's even worth missing out on a workshop if it means you get to chat with someone in the hall who might turn out to be a terrific writing friend or ally.
I recall one conference I attended while expecting my second child. I was so exhausted from the pregnancy that I was about to fall asleep during a keynote address. I slipped out of the room to walk around and stay awake. In the corridor I met up with an author also stuck outside, keeping her baby happy. We struck up a great conversation and friendship. Her first novel was about to be released, and we talked a lot about that.
In the years to come, she became a great help to me as I navigated the publishing waters. I have no memory of who the speaker was that I missed, but I wouldn't give up that friendship I made the hallway for anything.
Take advantage of writers conferences whenever you can. Then while you're there, don't waste a single moment. Learn, network, talk, and enjoy.
I recently returned from a fantastic writers conference, which gave me a boost as I move forward with my work.
The weekend was a reminder to me about how important conferences are to writers and why we attend them.
Workshops
These are, of course, one of the biggest elements of any conference, whether they're breakout sessions or keynote addresses. No matter how experienced a writer you are, you can always learn more. Sometimes it's from someone who is farther along the path than you are, and sometimes it's a colleague who looks at a topic in a new and fresh way that can help you improve your work.
About a year ago I attended a class taught by a good friend. I did so to support her, not because I necessarily thought I needed work on my characterization, the topic of the workshop. Her approach to creating characters was so different from my own that it opened up a totally new way of viewing the process for me. I left the class with a boatload of notes and a better understanding of the heroine in my WIP.
Agents and Editors
If the conference hosts an agent and/or editor, soak them in. Hang onto every word they say—they know the markets, the business, the craft. If you have the opportunity to meet with them one on one in an appointment, do so. If you see them hanging out in the hallway, talk with them and get to know them.
Note that unscheduled meetings (sharing an elevator, cornering them in the restroom, and so on) are not the time to pitch your book. Just get to know the editor or agent and to learn from them.
This last weekend I had several opportunities to chat with both an agent and an editor, whether during a meal or in the hall. Those were definite highlights of the entire conference. Because of some of the things they shared during those conversations, I'll be doing some specific revisions on one of my manuscripts.
Networking
I think a lot of writers can relate when I say that many opportunities I have had came about in large part thanks to my friendships with other writers.
Writing is a solitary field; it's just you and your keyboard. When attending a conference, get out of that bubble and rub shoulders with like-minded people. I know, I know; it's hard. Writers tend to be shy and introverted. Break open your shell and speak up. Get to know other writers. You may be surprised at how supportive they can be with everything from cheerleading to helping you track down a fact for research.
You may also find new avenues and possibilities for your work. Best of all, you'll (finally!) be hanging out with people who think like you do and "get" the life of a writer. They know what it's like to have writer's block or have characters bugging them in their sleep or to be rejected . . . again.
Networking is so important that, to me, it's even worth missing out on a workshop if it means you get to chat with someone in the hall who might turn out to be a terrific writing friend or ally.
I recall one conference I attended while expecting my second child. I was so exhausted from the pregnancy that I was about to fall asleep during a keynote address. I slipped out of the room to walk around and stay awake. In the corridor I met up with an author also stuck outside, keeping her baby happy. We struck up a great conversation and friendship. Her first novel was about to be released, and we talked a lot about that.
In the years to come, she became a great help to me as I navigated the publishing waters. I have no memory of who the speaker was that I missed, but I wouldn't give up that friendship I made the hallway for anything.
Take advantage of writers conferences whenever you can. Then while you're there, don't waste a single moment. Learn, network, talk, and enjoy.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Working Together
By Julie Wright
Collaboration: to work together
Obviously you can collaborate with people on anything you do, but today I want to look at collaboration in writing.
It happens more often than you can imagine. I’ll be sitting in a booksigning and someone will come up to me and say, “I have a great idea for a book. Maybe I should tell it to you, and you can write it, and we’ll split the profits.”
They always look so genuine when they say these words, as if the idea is the hard part and writing is a snap. I smile and say, “Why don’t you write it yourself?”
I’m not being coy, sarcastic, or cranky when I say this. If I write it, chances are good they won’t be happy with what I did to their idea. Because instinctively, I will twist it and turn it inside out and make the idea my own (meaning it will very little resemble the original “great idea”) before I’m through. If I write it, I will want to be in control. But they will want to be in control because it’s their idea.
If I write it, I will have done the majority of the work and feel as though I am in complete ownership of the project. If it was their idea, they won’t be happy with that at all.
Collaboration of this sort very seldom works well.
That said . . . I have been involved with collaboration that does work. Kevin Wasden, an artist, came to me with an idea and said, “You write; I’ll illustrate.” I’m thrilled to be working with him. It’s been a joy to have someone to unravel my literary tangles, and to have someone to work ideas through with.
Collaboration is sometimes a good thing and sometimes a nightmare. A lot depends on who you’re working with, and whether or not both parties are 150% committed to the project. With Kevin, we both know our roles and we strive to honor eachother's opinions.
Some things to remember:
Collaboration: to work together
Obviously you can collaborate with people on anything you do, but today I want to look at collaboration in writing.
It happens more often than you can imagine. I’ll be sitting in a booksigning and someone will come up to me and say, “I have a great idea for a book. Maybe I should tell it to you, and you can write it, and we’ll split the profits.”
They always look so genuine when they say these words, as if the idea is the hard part and writing is a snap. I smile and say, “Why don’t you write it yourself?”
I’m not being coy, sarcastic, or cranky when I say this. If I write it, chances are good they won’t be happy with what I did to their idea. Because instinctively, I will twist it and turn it inside out and make the idea my own (meaning it will very little resemble the original “great idea”) before I’m through. If I write it, I will want to be in control. But they will want to be in control because it’s their idea.
If I write it, I will have done the majority of the work and feel as though I am in complete ownership of the project. If it was their idea, they won’t be happy with that at all.
Collaboration of this sort very seldom works well.
That said . . . I have been involved with collaboration that does work. Kevin Wasden, an artist, came to me with an idea and said, “You write; I’ll illustrate.” I’m thrilled to be working with him. It’s been a joy to have someone to unravel my literary tangles, and to have someone to work ideas through with.
Collaboration is sometimes a good thing and sometimes a nightmare. A lot depends on who you’re working with, and whether or not both parties are 150% committed to the project. With Kevin, we both know our roles and we strive to honor eachother's opinions.
Some things to remember:
- There is no 50/50. I put in my all, you put in your all, and we see what comes from it.
- Have a contract in advance so no one gets surprised later on.
- Know, understand, and have written down exactly what each member of the collaboration is in charge of.
- Remember that friends don’t always make the best partners.
- If friendship comes after the collaboration begins, count your blessings.
- Reliability and flexibility are absolutes.
- Your word should always be your honor.
- Ask yourself if you’re the type of partner you’d want to have. If you aren’t, you may want to rethink dumping your issues onto someone else.
A long time ago, I was married in a room of mirrors meant to resemble eternity. The man marrying us said that the only way to see eternity is to take your eyes off yourself, and focus on the other person. It was kind of like a recipe for a happy marraige . . . and the man was right.
Collaboration of any kind, writing included, works like a marraige. Take your eyes off yourself focus on the project, and things should work out okay.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Research
I know my day is Tuesday and technically . . . it still is Tuesday.
Today in my online writer's group, we had a little discussion on where to find information. We use each other a lot for information. One of us is an ex cop. One of us worked in the film industry. One of us did live theater, a few of us raise farm animals A couple of us are nurses, and so on, and so on, and--well . . . you get the picture. With all of us together, we create a fabulous resource for weird information. It's nice to have somewhere to go. I foun d a fun little research site filled with links for various weird things that writer's sometimes need to know.
http://www.writerswrite.com/fiction/links.htm#research
And here's another bonus link for cool medical information:
http://www.dplylemd.com/
Today in my online writer's group, we had a little discussion on where to find information. We use each other a lot for information. One of us is an ex cop. One of us worked in the film industry. One of us did live theater, a few of us raise farm animals A couple of us are nurses, and so on, and so on, and--well . . . you get the picture. With all of us together, we create a fabulous resource for weird information. It's nice to have somewhere to go. I foun d a fun little research site filled with links for various weird things that writer's sometimes need to know.
http://www.writerswrite.com/fiction/links.htm#research
And here's another bonus link for cool medical information:
http://www.dplylemd.com/
Monday, January 14, 2008
Monday Mania: Query Letter
One of our readers submitted a query letter. Please keep comments constructive.
Critique Archive: 0016
Dear Agent,
THE WORLD THROUGH HER EYES is a mainstream love story with literary sensibilities that blends Indian cultural flavors of Diaspora writers with the emotional drama style of Nicholas Sparks and Mark Haddon's quirky character. Jennet and DC come from different cultures and have different values. Always attempting to score against each other they finally fall for each other, finally discovering the power of love to achieve and heal.
When Jennet, an eighteen year old American girl influenced by her Indian mother, visits India to learn Indian classical dance, she falls in love with a chemistry student DC, whom she meets at a college cultural festival. A gifted photographer suffering from social anxiety, DC has given up pursuing his passion because of parental pressures. Jen dreams of becoming a professional bharatnatyam dancer and urges DC pursue his as well by submitting his pictures in an Amateur Photography Contest. He does and is invited to Chicago to participate in the final round of the contest exhibition, but fails due to his fear of public speaking even though his photographs leave a mark. Upon his return, Jen and DC take a long drive to celebrate but experience an unfortunate accident. DC loses his eyesight, Jen slips into coma, their entire future lies shattered and yet life must go on...
My writing credentials include a non-fiction published book by a small publisher in India which enjoyed a moderate commercial success in theIndian market. Narayan Murthy of Infosys (NASDAQ:INFY) called it "stories narrated with skill and empathy," and Prabhu Chawla of India Today (India's largest largest-selling weekly English-language magazine) said "I am amazed at the passion of the project." I am an alumnus of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT); I was the editor of my college literary magazine, as well as a freelance writer for local newspapers. Currently I working on a stand alone sequel of the current novel and in my day job I write proposals for a top tier IT consulting company, some of which have won multi-million dollar contracts from Fortune 500 clients.
Your agency appeals to me because of its successful representation of cross-cultural themes and promotion of new talent like XYZ. The increasing popularity of India as a tourism destination, media attention which eye donation campaigns receive all over the world, a growing populace of IIT alumni and their extended family networks allover the world are key marketability indicators of the book. At 70,000 words, this throat catching tale is readily marketable to publishers. I would be happy to submit a synopsis and sample chapters on request. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours sincerely,
Critique Archive: 0016
Dear Agent,
THE WORLD THROUGH HER EYES is a mainstream love story with literary sensibilities that blends Indian cultural flavors of Diaspora writers with the emotional drama style of Nicholas Sparks and Mark Haddon's quirky character. Jennet and DC come from different cultures and have different values. Always attempting to score against each other they finally fall for each other, finally discovering the power of love to achieve and heal.
When Jennet, an eighteen year old American girl influenced by her Indian mother, visits India to learn Indian classical dance, she falls in love with a chemistry student DC, whom she meets at a college cultural festival. A gifted photographer suffering from social anxiety, DC has given up pursuing his passion because of parental pressures. Jen dreams of becoming a professional bharatnatyam dancer and urges DC pursue his as well by submitting his pictures in an Amateur Photography Contest. He does and is invited to Chicago to participate in the final round of the contest exhibition, but fails due to his fear of public speaking even though his photographs leave a mark. Upon his return, Jen and DC take a long drive to celebrate but experience an unfortunate accident. DC loses his eyesight, Jen slips into coma, their entire future lies shattered and yet life must go on...
My writing credentials include a non-fiction published book by a small publisher in India which enjoyed a moderate commercial success in theIndian market. Narayan Murthy of Infosys (NASDAQ:INFY) called it "stories narrated with skill and empathy," and Prabhu Chawla of India Today (India's largest largest-selling weekly English-language magazine) said "I am amazed at the passion of the project." I am an alumnus of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT); I was the editor of my college literary magazine, as well as a freelance writer for local newspapers. Currently I working on a stand alone sequel of the current novel and in my day job I write proposals for a top tier IT consulting company, some of which have won multi-million dollar contracts from Fortune 500 clients.
Your agency appeals to me because of its successful representation of cross-cultural themes and promotion of new talent like XYZ. The increasing popularity of India as a tourism destination, media attention which eye donation campaigns receive all over the world, a growing populace of IIT alumni and their extended family networks allover the world are key marketability indicators of the book. At 70,000 words, this throat catching tale is readily marketable to publishers. I would be happy to submit a synopsis and sample chapters on request. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Yours sincerely,
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Talking shop with Wendy Toliver
I met Wendy Toliver in October at the Eden Writers Conference. She was there with her agent, Christina Hogrebe. Wendy’s first book was just released, The Secret Life of a Teenage Siren.
Since we've been blogging about how to find the right agent, I invited Wendy to tell us about her experience in finding an agent.
Hi Wendy, it seems that finding an agent is getting harder in this competitive market. Tell us the steps it took you to get that first contract.
I agree that it can be quite difficult to find an agent today, even for a published author. To get my first contract (which was with a different agency that I’m happily represented by today), I did my research. I used the internet, publishing books, and the resources made possible by RWA (Romance Writers of America), as well as attending writers’ conferences. Next, I made a list of those agents who represented my genre (which was chick lit at the time) had good reputations. Finally, I sent a query letter to those on my list, and whenever a rejection would come in, I’d send another one out. In the end, I had two offers for representation and I chose the one who happened to represent quite a few of my writer friends. Except for the part about having several friends who’d already signed with the agent, this is a pretty typical “getting an agent” story.
My second agent story is a bit different. A friend of mine knew an agent at one of New York’s most well respected agencies, and this agent asked her if she knew any YA authors. My friend told her about me, and the agent invited me to call her directly. So I called, we chatted, and she invited me to send my MSS. She was very enthusiastic about my little story about a teenage siren, and when she called to offer me representation, I could tell this was going to be a very successful partnership.
What are some challenges that you didn’t expect?
You might reach a point when you or your agent realizes that it’s just not working out. I had this happen with my first agent. It’s a bit difficult to make the break, because there’s the contract, the manuscript(s) he/she has been shopping, the editor contacts he/she has been making on your behalf, etc. It’s sort of like getting a divorce, and I was very lucky that my former agent was very classy and let me cut ties completely and move on with a clean slate. That’s not always the case.
What is your advice to writers who are looking for an agent?
This is going to sound harsh, but if you’ve done research on agents and your queries are receiving rejection after rejection, it might be time to reevaluate your MSS. Are the rejections form letters? Or do they have similar reasons for passing, such as a weak protagonist or a flimsy plot or a theme that’s too overdone? You might choose to put that MSS on the back burner and concentrate on another MSS.
Some writers don’t want to “share” their royalty with an agent. What would you say to these writers?
A good agent will get you a higher advance, percentage of royalty and film rights, number of books in the deal, etc. than the publisher’s boiler-point contract. He or she has the author’s interest in mind, and goes to bat for the author. I think it’s worth every penny to know my contract has been gone over with a fine tooth comb on my behalf, that I don’t have to be present at the negotiations, and that my projects will most likely take priority with editors over projects by unrepresented writers.
Tell us about your new book, and where it is available.
The Secret Life of a Teenage Siren is a young adult novel (ages 12 and up) about a band geek who turns into a siren on her sixteenth birthday. It’s a fantastical, funny, and romantic story that was born of my fascination with the sirens of Greek mythology. Simon Pulse (Simon & Schuster) is the publisher, and it’s available anywhere books are sold.
What's your next project?
My next book is called Miss Match, and it, too, is a Simon Pulse romantic comedy. It’s about a teenage matchmaker who is hired to fix a new guy up with her sister, only to discover that she’s crushing on him herself. I’m told it will be out Valentine’s Day 2009, and I’m very excited about that.
Thanks for sharing your insights, Wendy! Best of luck with your new release!
Since we've been blogging about how to find the right agent, I invited Wendy to tell us about her experience in finding an agent.
Hi Wendy, it seems that finding an agent is getting harder in this competitive market. Tell us the steps it took you to get that first contract.
I agree that it can be quite difficult to find an agent today, even for a published author. To get my first contract (which was with a different agency that I’m happily represented by today), I did my research. I used the internet, publishing books, and the resources made possible by RWA (Romance Writers of America), as well as attending writers’ conferences. Next, I made a list of those agents who represented my genre (which was chick lit at the time) had good reputations. Finally, I sent a query letter to those on my list, and whenever a rejection would come in, I’d send another one out. In the end, I had two offers for representation and I chose the one who happened to represent quite a few of my writer friends. Except for the part about having several friends who’d already signed with the agent, this is a pretty typical “getting an agent” story.
My second agent story is a bit different. A friend of mine knew an agent at one of New York’s most well respected agencies, and this agent asked her if she knew any YA authors. My friend told her about me, and the agent invited me to call her directly. So I called, we chatted, and she invited me to send my MSS. She was very enthusiastic about my little story about a teenage siren, and when she called to offer me representation, I could tell this was going to be a very successful partnership.
What are some challenges that you didn’t expect?
You might reach a point when you or your agent realizes that it’s just not working out. I had this happen with my first agent. It’s a bit difficult to make the break, because there’s the contract, the manuscript(s) he/she has been shopping, the editor contacts he/she has been making on your behalf, etc. It’s sort of like getting a divorce, and I was very lucky that my former agent was very classy and let me cut ties completely and move on with a clean slate. That’s not always the case.
What is your advice to writers who are looking for an agent?
This is going to sound harsh, but if you’ve done research on agents and your queries are receiving rejection after rejection, it might be time to reevaluate your MSS. Are the rejections form letters? Or do they have similar reasons for passing, such as a weak protagonist or a flimsy plot or a theme that’s too overdone? You might choose to put that MSS on the back burner and concentrate on another MSS.
Some writers don’t want to “share” their royalty with an agent. What would you say to these writers?
A good agent will get you a higher advance, percentage of royalty and film rights, number of books in the deal, etc. than the publisher’s boiler-point contract. He or she has the author’s interest in mind, and goes to bat for the author. I think it’s worth every penny to know my contract has been gone over with a fine tooth comb on my behalf, that I don’t have to be present at the negotiations, and that my projects will most likely take priority with editors over projects by unrepresented writers.
Tell us about your new book, and where it is available.
The Secret Life of a Teenage Siren is a young adult novel (ages 12 and up) about a band geek who turns into a siren on her sixteenth birthday. It’s a fantastical, funny, and romantic story that was born of my fascination with the sirens of Greek mythology. Simon Pulse (Simon & Schuster) is the publisher, and it’s available anywhere books are sold.
What's your next project?
My next book is called Miss Match, and it, too, is a Simon Pulse romantic comedy. It’s about a teenage matchmaker who is hired to fix a new guy up with her sister, only to discover that she’s crushing on him herself. I’m told it will be out Valentine’s Day 2009, and I’m very excited about that.
Thanks for sharing your insights, Wendy! Best of luck with your new release!
Monday, January 7, 2008
Monday Mania: First Page
One of our readers submitted the first page of a novel. Feel free to make comments, but please keep them constructive.
Critique Archive 0015:
Chapter 1
Wind slapped my face. With sealed lips, I tapped my camera impatiently. From my early childhood, I somehow found all my ideas were always scrutinized. It led me to avenues which required minimal social interaction and hence most of my thoughts remained unspoken. Photographs offered me a treasured means of expression and an outlet for the passions pent up inside my twenty year old body.
The sun had nearly set over the Photography Hobby Institute of Kolkata, India. The rare absence of my parents, who had gone to visit my sick Auntie, provided an opportunity to stay out later than usual. Students letting out from the football practice I had skipped hung around in groups near the boundary of the dimly lit playground where I sat. A blade of newly cut grass stuck through my pants making me itch. Sharp edges of a stone beneath me bit hard into my thighs. I lowered my body to the ground hoping for a better angle and pointed the lens towards the horizon.
"Look at the geek lying on the field with his digital camera." Someone said behind me.
"Eh, we could use him for a goalpost." A football whistled past nearly grazing my ear. I heard ridicules and hoots of laughter coming from my classmates.
"Look at him. He's not even moving." Another round of howls echoed as the lingering light faded into dusk.
"Yeah, He acts like he's dead." I felt the tip of a shoe poke me.
"What does he think he's going to take pictures of in the dark anyway?" I recognized the voice of the class bully. "Hey DC what are you doing, shooting stars? Haaa haa." I drew a breath, burrowing deeper into the shell of my solitary lifeand ignored their bullying. The commotion quickly subsided as they drifted off in the directions of their homes. I didn't realize I had been holding my breath until I let it go. I badly wanted to get this shot right. For once I wanted to be good at something. I yearned to be able to share the way the world looked to me with others. Maybe then they would understand me better and not tease me as much.
The crescent of the new moon had just begun to rise. In another moment the balance of dark and light would be ideal. I held my breath, my finger poised. My photography instructor's words echoed in my mind. "Debraj, with a little more effort you could enter the institute level photography contest."
Waiting six long months for my turn I had borrowed the only camera available to students which had the capability to capture the images I sought. Perhaps I'd be able to win a prize and have a photograph of mine posted on the display board.
"Ouchhh." The legs of an insect prickled as it crept down the back of my neck reminding me presence of other unknown nocturnal creatures that might be awakening. I felt a prickly heat rash break out. I didn't dare move and risk missing just the right instant. A meteor shot across the sky into the frame of the D30 digital camera, Click. "Perfect." I whispered and quickly made a wish, "I want to become a professional photographer."
Critique Archive 0015:
Chapter 1
Wind slapped my face. With sealed lips, I tapped my camera impatiently. From my early childhood, I somehow found all my ideas were always scrutinized. It led me to avenues which required minimal social interaction and hence most of my thoughts remained unspoken. Photographs offered me a treasured means of expression and an outlet for the passions pent up inside my twenty year old body.
The sun had nearly set over the Photography Hobby Institute of Kolkata, India. The rare absence of my parents, who had gone to visit my sick Auntie, provided an opportunity to stay out later than usual. Students letting out from the football practice I had skipped hung around in groups near the boundary of the dimly lit playground where I sat. A blade of newly cut grass stuck through my pants making me itch. Sharp edges of a stone beneath me bit hard into my thighs. I lowered my body to the ground hoping for a better angle and pointed the lens towards the horizon.
"Look at the geek lying on the field with his digital camera." Someone said behind me.
"Eh, we could use him for a goalpost." A football whistled past nearly grazing my ear. I heard ridicules and hoots of laughter coming from my classmates.
"Look at him. He's not even moving." Another round of howls echoed as the lingering light faded into dusk.
"Yeah, He acts like he's dead." I felt the tip of a shoe poke me.
"What does he think he's going to take pictures of in the dark anyway?" I recognized the voice of the class bully. "Hey DC what are you doing, shooting stars? Haaa haa." I drew a breath, burrowing deeper into the shell of my solitary lifeand ignored their bullying. The commotion quickly subsided as they drifted off in the directions of their homes. I didn't realize I had been holding my breath until I let it go. I badly wanted to get this shot right. For once I wanted to be good at something. I yearned to be able to share the way the world looked to me with others. Maybe then they would understand me better and not tease me as much.
The crescent of the new moon had just begun to rise. In another moment the balance of dark and light would be ideal. I held my breath, my finger poised. My photography instructor's words echoed in my mind. "Debraj, with a little more effort you could enter the institute level photography contest."
Waiting six long months for my turn I had borrowed the only camera available to students which had the capability to capture the images I sought. Perhaps I'd be able to win a prize and have a photograph of mine posted on the display board.
"Ouchhh." The legs of an insect prickled as it crept down the back of my neck reminding me presence of other unknown nocturnal creatures that might be awakening. I felt a prickly heat rash break out. I didn't dare move and risk missing just the right instant. A meteor shot across the sky into the frame of the D30 digital camera, Click. "Perfect." I whispered and quickly made a wish, "I want to become a professional photographer."
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