This Week in the Writing World...July 30

by Brooke Favero

Conference season seems to be heating up and many of the bloggers are out and about. Are you attending any writing conferences this summer or fall? If so, are you pitching?

Understanding the Industry
Pimp My Novel shows the two sides of the e-rights fight. Alan Rinzler says you can boost sales by marketing to a niche. The INTERN shares five tips for promoting your book. Chip MacGregor gives tips for understanding your market.

Finding an Agent
Writer Unboxed illuminates the golden rule of being professional. Bookends tells how to talk to an agent at a conference without being pitchy (dog). KT Literary tells what to take with you to a conference. Spoiler: bring business cards but not hard copies of your manuscript. Rachelle Gardner does some mythbusting. The Rejecter breaks down the form rejection letter. Dystel & Goderich lists tips for an effective query.

Crafting
Nathan Bransford scorns those who ask: do I like this? His advice when your reading: learn. Cheryl Klein defines the emdash. Kidlit recommends avoiding the shooting glance and other writer tics. Nicola Morgan gives self-editing tips. Jeff Vandermeer helps you write a fight. Moonrat gives an opinion about writing in present tense--it's hard to do well. Janice Hardy overcomes adverbs. Stet offers ten tips for writing a memoir. Wordplay explains how to avoid lengthy antagonist narratives. Plot Whisperer goes beyond character, action and theme. The Blood Red Pencil talks point-of-view and gives lots of helpful POV links.

New Agent
Folade Bell of Serendipity Literary Agency.

Enjoy the Jane Austen Fight Club.

Everyone Needs a Day Off Now and Then

Post by Trai

The MTV theme music ROARS IN.

CUT. TV SCREEN                                               

The TV at the foot of Ferris' bed. The MTV logo is playing.

INT. BEDROOM                                          
   
Ferris yanks open the drapes. The pall of the sickroom disappears in the brilliant glow of morning sunlight.

                              FERRIS
               Incredible! One of the worst performances
               of my career and they never doubted it
               for a second.
                          (looks out the window)
               What a beautiful day!

He turns from the window.

                              FERRIS
               Parents always fall for the clammy hands.
               It's physical evidence of illness. It's
               a good, non-specific symptom. Parents are
               generally pretty hip to the fever scams.
               And to make them work you have to go a hundred
               and one, hundred and two. You get a nervous
               mother and you end up in a doctor's office
               and that's worse than school.

He flips on his stereo and fills the room with the MTV broadcast. A NEW SONG begins.

                              FERRIS
               Fake a stomach cramp and when you're
               doubled over, moaning and wailing, just
               lick your palms. It's a little stupid
               and childish but then so if high school.
               Right?

He equalizes the sound a little.

                              FERRIS
               This is my ninth sick day with semester.
               If I go for ten, I'm probably going to
               have to barf up a lung. So, I absolutely
               must make this one count.

He exits into the hallway.

INT. BATHROOM                                             

Ferris walks into the bathroom. It's littered with Jean's debris. He turns on the shower water.

                              FERRIS
               I don't care if you're fifty five
               or seven, everybody needs a day off
               now and then. It's a beautiful day.
               How can I be expected to handle
               high school?

You can check out this movie at the New Belgin Bike-In Cinema on August 13th.  It’s good to take a day off now and then.

Twitter Take-Back

Post by Kerrie

Earlier this year I blogged about Twitter and how much I hated it, what a big time waster I thought it was and that writers should be writing, not Tweeting. I stood on my virtual soapbox and shouted my opinion across the Blogsphere. I really believed Twitter would fade away faster than a 140 character Tweet.

A couple of months back I stepped off my soapbox and left a "Be Back Soon" note on it. I wanted to give Twitter one more try--I wanted to prove once and for all that as writers, there was no need to waste our time Tweeting. My plan was to dive in for one month and analyze the results after that.

It has been a few months and my soapbox has been stored away and is now collecting dust. I can no longer say that Tweeting is a waste of time and energy. In the past 3 months, 205 people have visited my Northern Colorado Writers website and 125 have visited this blog as a result of a Tweet. There were even a few writers I met on Twitter who attended the NCW Conference.

I have done a complete 180 on the issue. I actual enjoy Tweeting.  I am meeting and getting to know many new writers and getting lots of links to great writing resources. I now believe that writers can really benefit by having a good presence on Twitter and that it can really help when it comes to marketing our writing.

What do you think? Do you Tweet (be sure to share your Twitter name if you do)?

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The Ugly (and Captivating) Truth

post by Jennifer Carter

I am nearing the end of my training course in medical transcription, the second half of which has been typing actual medical reports of all different kinds--MRI findings, surgery, psychiatric, emergency, obstetrics, etc. And I will be the first to admit, my stomach is not as strong as it used to be. Growing up on a farm you get used to a certain level of raw nature, but I have never really translated that to the human body, I guess. Some reports, particularly surgical reports, just flat out give me the willies.

As I was typing my first surgery report, I thought to myself--how am I going to do this on a regular basis? It was like being forced to watch the gory stuff on TV that I usually look away from, but instead of just watching it I had to record every single detail. But as I did a few more, something surprising happened--I started to get used to it. And not only that, it started to sound more interesting than horrifying. I even toyed with the idea of applying to med school at age 33 (I'm over that though).

It occurred to me last night that while these doctors are required to record in detail everything they have done to any patient, the same should be required of writers. I think this applies to both fiction and nonfiction. As an example, when I submitted my short story to my critique group, one of the members of my group (thank you, Lynn) called me out. My main character offhandedly mentions that a certain boy had 'held her attention for longer than she cared to think about.' Really? Held her attention? And I realized she was right. I was holding back the truth that I--er--she was devastatingly in love with him, which is way different than simply holding one's attention.

It's hard to be that honest when I'm writing, but I know that I don't enjoy reading fiction or nonfiction that isn't brutally honest. And it's not very hard to tell either, when an author has held back, distanced himself or herself from the story and therefore has left it hollow. And it can be so touchy to write about so many things, like sex and close relationships with friends, siblings, spouses, lovers. But when I do find something unflinching in its honesty, I want to read more.

I'm sure that not all writing has to be quite as relentlessly graphic as a surgical report, but as I revise my draft (any draft) I am going to have that philosophy in mind. Who knows, maybe I should get a tape recorder and dictate my characters' psychiatric reports so I can accurately convey their true mental and emotional status throughout the book. Plus if anything untimely should happen to one of my characters, I could cover their emergency room visit too!

What have you found to be the most challenging when it comes to 'telling the truth' in writing, fiction or nonfiction?

Yoga Practice

Post by Jenny

I have a few yoga-loving friends. They are lithe and energetic and fit, but despite being excellent advertisements for the discipline, they have yet to convince me to attend a class. I’m afraid that public displays of contortionism (mine or anyone else’s) would have me giggling uncontrollably. I do have a yoga DVD, however, which I practice along with in the comfort of my home. I used to do it every weekday, then three mornings a week, then two, then—maybe—one. Then…none. For a long time, none.

I realized recently, as I strained to pick up something off the floor, that either my arms have shrunk to T-Rex proportions or my hamstrings have lost what little flexibility they once had. Because my sleeves still fit, I had to assume it was the latter. I was tempted to ignore this turn of events, but I knew that, in the long run, sticking my head in the sand (if I could even reach the sand) was not my best plan of action.

With a bit of trepidation, I dusted off my DVD and gave the routine another try. A couple of the poses were challenging—one in particular, which I think is called ‘Tangled Paperclips’—but, all in all, I did okay. And it occurred to me that I didn’t completely bomb because I had a history of consistent practice to fall back on (not literally, thank goodness). My muscles hadn’t lost the memory of what they were supposed to be doing and tried their best to do it again.

The same is true with writing. If my writing muscles are toned by frequent use, it’s much easier to get back into the routine after taking some time away. Like any other workout, there are days when I can’t wait to get started writing, and I burn through two hours with energy to spare. And there are days when I have to force myself to write, when it feels awkward and clumsy, and I‘d rather give up and eat something.

I used to think everything I wrote had to be perfect, and I still revise and obsess more than I should. But I have also come to realize that writers—like yoga devotees, like tennis players, like musicians—need regular, consistent practice. And practice doesn’t have to be perfect.

That’s why it’s called practice.

How do you keep your writing muscles in shape?

This Week in the Writing World...July 23

By Brooke Favero

Inspiring your Quill

• Adventures in Children's Publishing spotlighted Stephanie Blake and her climb out of the slush pile.
• Seekerville offers liminal space.

Learning the Industry

• Pimp My Novel explains how to pay your taxes as a writer, but he also cautions you shouldn't be writing for the money. Write because you love it.
• Chip MacGregor discusses whether you can still get paid to write articles.

Building Your Platform

• Kidlit addresses blogs of unpublished writers. If you're not blogging/tweeting/facebooking, she says don't sweat it yet.
• Bookends says an author's name is important. So if your real name is complicated, you may want to consider a pseudonym.
• Redlines & Deadlines defends editors saying they just want to help polish your work--not gut it.

Querying

• Rachelle Gardner reminds us that every manuscript has to be crisp even if it is your eighth published title.
• Janet Reid cautions not to over write your query.
• Nathan Bransford thinks the slush pile will die with e-books, but he also thinks reading slush helps you improve as a writer.

Crafting

• Janice Hardy helps your plot stay focused and how to avoid info dumps.
• Guide to Literary Agents list 5 screenwriting tips that can help every writer.
• Stet offers revision tips.
• Dystel & Goderich defines great writing.
• Edit Torrent recommends withholding for suspense.
• Magical Words shows how to make your recurring nemesis work.

Oh and if you like the old spice guy and libraries, you might like this spoof.

Movie Magic: The Apple Box

Post by Trai

Ever wonder why everyone’s so tiny in Hollywood but looks so heroically sized on screen? Me, too. How can icons like Al Pacino be only 5’2” – in heels? And those girls in the tabloids who look the epitome of what a woman ought to look like, and in real life they’re barely topping 5’0”, so tiny they’d be placed in the front row of the 4th Grade Class photo. Did you know that Arnold Schwarzenegger, one of the biggest (literally) action heroes ever, is only 5’9”? And Tom Cruise? Forget it – he’s 5’6”.

The rumor in Hollywood was that Tom Cruise wrote a clause into his prenuptial with Nicole Kidman (5’9”): she wasn’t allowed to wear heels when in public with him. She didn’t. When they separated, she famously, snidely commented that now she could finally wear heels. Tom’s gotten over his height inadequacies with “Kate,” but moviegoers will never accept a short leading man with a tall leading lady. We’re just heightists that way.

A game I find myself playing at the movies is How’d They Rig the Apple Box. An apple box is the device they used in the ancient days of movie-making to even out the heights of their actors (especially anyone who had to be in a scene with John Wayne, who was 6’3”). It was a wooden box originally used to tote apples to market, flipped over. Modern apple boxes are far more sophisticated: they’re wooden boxes specially built in a range of heights to compensate for our petite leading men. They live on the grip truck and kept handy for emergencies. Ah, movie magic!

Anyway, I’ll watch a movie like “Knight and Day” and try to figure out all the ways they made Tom Cruise seem anywhere near as tall as Cameron Diaz (5’10”). Keep her sitting, keep him standing, for one; keep them both sitting, but with Tom on a booster, for another. Heels for Tom, flats for Cameron, etc. But there’s lots of action, lots of running around, so the standard apple box just isn’t adequate. They’d have to block the scenes in such a way that the camera doesn’t pick up on how they had to build the sets on a slant.

More fun was “Julie and Julia,” the movie where Meryl Streep played 6’2” Julia Child. I loved watching how they made her seem like a giant compared to everyone around her. They must have broken out all the old sleight of hand, tricks not used since the forced-perspective antics of down-sizing Elijah Wood’s Frodo in “Lord of the Rings.” The sets must have been built smaller, they must have placed her closer to the camera then shoot the scene with a long lens, they must have had actors squatting discreetly, they must have tilted the floor. Acres of apple boxes must have been employed.

But there’s a shot where she’s standing with a row of men and women, head to foot, and not only is she taller, she’s wider. Bigger, a giant of a woman. I have no idea how they did it. Meryl’s talent makes her a giant of a woman, but in real life she’s only 5’7”.

It must have been CGI.

Any movies you can name that got an apple box boost?

Write What You Know

Post by Kerrie

Write what you know. This is a mantra repeated over and over again in writing circles. Taken at face value, this could sound like a limiting statement, but the truth is, it opens the world up to you.

In a recent class with narrative nonfiction author Greg Campbell, he agreed that you should write what you know. But he added, "The best ideas come from going out into the world and turning over rocks." You should be constantly expanding your experiences to add more to your what I know repertoire. By doing this, it adds depth and texture to your writing that might not have been there otherwise.

For his book Blood Diamonds, which was a prime reference for the movie with Leonardo DiCaprio, he did more than just research the diamond trade in South Africa through the Internet and phone calls, he actually went there. He learned first hand about the culture, the diamond trade and even tried to buy and smuggle a diamond from the black market.

For his latest book Flawless, which is about the largest diamond heist in history, he and his co-author went to Amsterdam where the robbery took place and visited the places and talked the people who were key players in this heist. So when it came time for him to write, he could include details and elements in the story that he would not have been able to if he had not been there.

This works for fiction as well. YA author Laura Resau does this brilliantly in her recent book, The Indigo Notebook. Resau has lived and traveled extensively in Latin America and she uses these experiences in her fiction.

There is a scene in the book where she describes a marketplace in Otavalo, Ecuador.
"Soon I turn a corner, and there it is, Plaza de Ponchos, a sea of tarps and tables spread with fuzzy scarves and sweaters and bags, flower-embroidered shirts, sparkly silver jewelry, woven rugs, heaps and heaps of colors spilling out everywhere."

Resau could have gotten this info from a photo, but this next part clearly comes from her experiences and adds a texture to the writing that could not have been captured from a picture.

"I weave through the tunnels of stalls that smell of wool fresh off llamas and sheep and alpaca, an earthy animal smell mixing with the exhaust of passing cars. Tourists are chatting with vendors, reaching out to test the itchiness level of a poncho, or holding up a brown sweater beside a gray sweater to decide with color looks best. Meanwhile, the vendors are cajoling in singsong voices, a mix of Spanish and heavily accented English."

Through her detailed descriptions, Resau is able to paint a sensory picture for her readers that establishes a strong sense of place. It immerses them in the story and allows them to be more connected to the places, events and characters.

Keep in mind you don't have to travel around the world to expand what you know. Keep your eyes and ears open to what is happening around you. Don't be afraid to talk to people and learn more about them. Ask questions. Listen. Learn.

Campbell had a great story about having a couple of young LDS men show up at his door and rather than turn them away like he usually did, he invited them in to talk. He wasn't interested in becoming a Mormon, but he wanted to learn more about these two young men and why they did what they did. Now he has a new experience and new knowledge he can draw from in the future.

Do you write what you know?
What lengths have you gone to in order to experience something you wanted to write about?

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Quid novi with you?

post by Jennifer Carter

Ever since I learned about the first-ever Quid Novi festival coming up in November, I have been turning over the translation in my head, "What's New." I imagine it's how Roman teenagers greeted each other a couple thousand years ago: Quid novi, Horace? Nihil.

These days it's more like: Sup, dude? Nothin.

At any rate, I'm intrigued by the concept of getting together all sorts of creative minds to see what happens. There are also contests and prizes to be won. In addition to Writing contest categories for short story, poetry, and essay, there are Book award categories including cover design, internal layout, global and international impact, and more. And it wouldn't be a What's New festival without awards also for Innovation with themes focusing on literacy and creativity. There is even a Venture Capital pitch session opportunity if you have a book or a gadget that you are ready to share with the world. The deadline for entering these contests is September 15th. You can visit www.quidnovifestival.com to check it out. There is also a Preview event taking place tomorrow evening, July 21st, in Johnstown for those who might want a sneak peak at what the festival is all about. Click here to register for the Preview. Cost is $10.

In other news, I learned this morning that our very own Trai Cartwright is going to be one of the celebrity judges at American Icon 6 in Colorado Springs on August 6th. American Icon is the Pikes Peak Writers' version of American Idol in which contestants have 2 minutes to read their work in front of the judges and audience. Register as a contestant or just to be in the audience by August 3rd (but hurry, space is limited!). I'm wondering, Trai, if contestants get extra points for singing their submissions?

It strikes me that there are many ways to keep writing new and interesting, both for writers and for readers. That's a good thing, so that our energy to keep writing is continually renewed.

How do you keep your writing new?

Chasing the Dream

Post by Jenny

My family recently attended two baseball games at Wrigley Field, my favorite place to watch my favorite sport. (Photo courtesy of my son.) I realize not everyone loves baseball (right, Kerrie?), and, indeed, there are aspects of major league baseball I do not love. Chief among them are the astronomical salaries and the costs of attending a game. (And for heaven’s sake, leave your hat on, Manny Ramirez.)

But the major leagues are just the tip of the baseball iceberg. Most professional baseball players slug it out in the minors. While the minimum annual salary for the major leaguers is $400,000, the starting pay for a player in the minor leagues is $1,100 a month, with $25 a day for meals on the road. Most minor leaguers must hold “regular” jobs to support their families. They spend hours in the gym and on the field, getting in shape and honing their skills. They show up early and stay late. They don’t stop at the end of the season, after the last game of the World Series is in the books. They work year-round, hoping to be better than the next guy, hoping for a shot at “the show.” But there are just 750 major league spots for about 7,025 minor leaguers, so only ten percent or so will make it to that minimum $400,000 salary.

High hopes, long hours, and low pay…sound familiar, anyone? I think that if I were to add up the time I’ve spent writing, revising, editing, reading about writing, writing about writing—and occasionally swearing off writing forever—my salary would average out to be…well, there’s no way to slice a penny that small.

So, why do we do it? Why do we chase the dream when the odds of reaching the big time are against us? For the love of it? Sure, but there’s more to it than that. I love food, but I don’t want to be a chef. I love music, but I don’t care to be a musician. The real reason I write is because I must. Writing is a part of me, as much as a pitcher’s sinking curve ball or a power hitter’s home-run swing. And if I were to reach the end of my life without having at least given writing a shot, I know I would regret it. Big time.

What makes you chase the dream?

This Week in the Writing World...July 16

by Brooke Favero

A hot topic this week was Mike Shatzkin's post on the future of book stores. It really stirred the blogging pot and many predictions were made. Many believe e-books will own the majority of the market share in just 5 years. Two opinions I found intriguing: Nathan Bransford's and Erik Blank's. And I agree, just as the music world has gone digital, it's going to happen to publishing. Which begs the question: do you own an e-reader or are you thinking about getting one?

I don't (because I love the feel and smell of a hard back in my hands--it's all part of the reading experience for me). But I admit, I'm thinking about it. Why? Because I view it as building my platform. If the industry is moving that way, so should I.

Understanding Publishing

PubRants explains how to read Bookscan numbers for your book. Rachelle Gardner explains what comes out of your pocket when your book is published. Once your book sells to a publisher, Chip MacGregor explains when you get paid. Stroppy Author breaks down Accounts in a publishing contract.

Building Your Platform

Inkygirl links to her updated Writer's Guide to Twitter (very helpful). Books & Such cautions not to spend all your time twittering or facebooking--it can be a career killer. You might have a great platform but you have to actually write a story to get published. Alan Rinzler also recommends keeping your background clean. Agents and publishers often do a background check (via Google, YouTube, blogs, Bookscan, etc.) before signing.

Querying

Guide to Literary Agents gives do's in a nonfiction proposal. BookEnds gives some query don'ts. Stet explains why writers must wait. It is a frustrating but necessary part of the gig. Rachelle Gardner says rejection isn't always about your book.

Crafting

Leah Crichton over at Adventures in Children's Publishing recommends loving your novel enough to rewrite it. Plot Whisperer offers a plot planner. The Blood Red Pencil lists fabulous self-editing links. C Patrick Schulze reminds us that good writing is in the details. TalktoYoUniverse says you need to know your characters inside and out. Janice Hardy asks if sending a hero to rescue your protag is a cop out? She has ideas to help your protag help himself.

Hopefully none of these query taboos apply to you. Oh and Janet Reid also loves audio queries.

Need a cool book club? Then check out The Rumpus. Publisher's Weekly raves about them.

The Lost Art of Sitting Through the Credits

Post by Trai

When we go to the movies, my husband always wants to sit through the credits. He sees it as a sign of respect. I respect his respect, but for me, it’s all about the bladder. Have you seen the length of movies these days? Between the commercials, the 27 trailers, the 2.5 hour opus itself, staying for the five minutes of credits at the end is too much to ask.

So I generally leave him in the theater to pay homage and I run for the ladies’ room. But lately, he hasn’t remained behind to watch the credits. When I asked him why, it became a rather involved conversation.

David: Do you remember the credits in movies from the 1940’s? They’d put everyone on title cards at the beginning, and it’d be about 30 people total. The costumers were up front with the stars, the set designers with the directors.

Me: Yes, everyone was equal, with Elizabeth Taylor being more equal because her name came even before the movie’s title. Why do you suppose that changed?

David: When the movie studios stopped being the power holders, budgets changed, and then stars and agents started looking for more ways to be viewed as powerful.

Me: In other words, the above-the-liners got the prime real estate at the front of the movie credits, and all the lowly crewmen who did their hair or stocked the craft table got bumped to the back of the line.

David: Exactly.

Me: I used to stay to see our friends’ names in the credits. It was cool to see Josh as Assistant Editor or Shanice in the stunt department.

David: Why’d you stop?

Me: Because the credits got ridiculously long! I mean, with all the CGI that goes into movies, the credits have hundreds, if not thousands of names.

David: I remember when they first start compensating for these epic credit rolls -- first they reduced the font. Then they created multiple columns.

Me: And then they speeded it up so you can barely read the names as they go blazing by.
David: Hollywood wants to know why it’s not making any money? Because it takes a small city to make a single movie.

Me: So let’s make a statement. Let’s only go see movies made by 100 people or less.

David: I’m in. Except for the new Leo DiCaprio movie. And the Harry Potter movies.

Me: Okay. And that new Angelina Jolie movie looks good. I heard she did her own stunts.

David: We’ll have to watch the credits to find out.

Do you stay behind to watch the credits? Why or why not?

A "Local" Mystery

post by Jennifer Carter

I have a conundrum for all you mystery and suspense writers out there, and I'm looking for possible theories to explain it. Since I will be the first to admit that my writing has never been accused of being action-packed or suspenseful (I'm more of a character-driven kind of gal), I struggle to come up with a plot twist that would suitably account for my experience this weekend.

Let me explain--I went to the farmers' market in downtown Fort Collins, feeling good about my choice as a consumer to "buy local," which seems to be "the new black" as far as grocery shopping is concerned. But I happen to love the concept anyway, plus I was so excited to see some nice red tomatoes there ready to buy. Since my tomatoes are still green marbles, I handed over the cash and the lady behind the table handed me a little bundle of red bliss, still on the vine. Imagine my dismay, then, when upon picking up one to eat a day or two later, I found a sticker on the bottom that said "produce of Mexico"!!

I can't help but think the Russian spy ring had something to do with this--a sneaky attempt to undermine the local community fabric and trust, playing on our worst fears of unsustainability and clandestine pesticides. Where is James Bond when we need him, here at the farmers' market?

In all seriousness, I will never buy produce at the market without first asking where it came from. But in all fun-ness, I want to hear your wildest explanation about the mystery of the imported tomatoes! Consider it a free novel and/or story idea that you can do with as you wish. I know, you're welcome. But let's start with commenting to swap theories!

Lighting the Fuse

Post by Jenny

I spent the Fourth of July at a family reunion in Topeka, Kansas. Say what you will about eastern Kansas in July, but it’s a firework lover’s paradise. As far as I can tell, everything is legal. My sons went to the firework stands with their (much older) cousins and came back with enormous smiles and pyrotechnics the size of car batteries. Like shoes and cars, fireworks have names, and these ranged from the regionally appropriate (“Topeka Twister”) to the unimaginative (“Wow!”) to the inexplicable (“Who’s Yo Daddy?”).

A steady rain fell all day on the Fourth, but at sunset, the firework gods smiled on us, and the clouds parted. My family and I walked to the neighborhood park, where two of the more responsible adults among us set about burning up the equivalent of a month’s worth of grocery money.

There’s something special about the moment a fuse ignites. I love not knowing exactly what will happen. Will it bring a sparkling shower of multicolored light or a series of banshee shrieks? Will it be a bright, intense burn or a softer, more gradual glow? And what might a “Who’s Yo Daddy?” look like?

The phrase “light a fuse” means to get something started, to awaken, to excite. I realized as I watched the fireworks that I have not felt that crackling-fuse energy in my writing for a while now. I’ve been in turtle mode—working at a slow, steady pace, doing what needs to be done…and not having much fun in the process. It’s been a long time since I had a day when I was either sitting at my computer writing or counting the minutes until I could get back to it.

Fortunately, there is a cure for my lack of spark, one so obvious you’ve probably already identified it: write. Anything. It doesn’t have to be the world’s next great novel. I don’t have to know the end result before I begin. All I need to do is put a match to the writing fuse and see what happens. I can even revisit something that’s been resting for a while. Unlike old fireworks, old projects often retain a great deal of energy just waiting to be rekindled. And if I am completely stuck, I can turn to the internet for hundreds of writing prompts and other assorted inspirations.

Does your writing ever lose its spark? How do you get it back?

This Week in the Writing World...July 9

by Brooke Favero

Wow this week went fast. How's your WIP or upcoming novel? Is anyone else drooling to get their hands on Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins? I definitely am. What's on your summer reading list? Besides the list of links below (of course).

Building your Platform

BookEnds lists bad blog etiquette. The Book Publicity Blog shows how to track online buzz. Books & Such recommends working with your publisher to market your book. One of her suggestions: create your own marketing plan. Pimp My Novel explains co-ops and the importance of a great cover. Guide to Literary Agents lists 4 publishing myth articles.

Querying

Chip MacGregor answers agent questions. What I got out of it: yes, you need an agent. BookEnds says settle down now to those impatient about their queries. Rachelle Gardner's guest blogger Daniel Friedman defines the rejection ballet. Are you guilty?

Crafting

Nathan Bransford helps find balance between show and tell. Writer Unboxed helps increase tension. KA Stewart talks about how to create a great character. Stet compares characters to caricatures. Chip MacGregor helps find your voice. Rachelle Gardner lists 11 non-writing ideas to improve your writing. Bob McDonnell asks if you're disparate or desperate? (I'd like to think I'm disparate.) Suzanne Young says keep writing. And the Blood Red Pencil says cowgirl up and lose control of your WIP even if it is just for a minute.

Oh and if you're into twilight kitties, then enjoy. Also, if you're caught in a bad romance, well then this will make you giggle.

One Way to Writing Inspiration – Teaching!

Post by Trai

I’m very excited to be teaching an advanced screenwriting class starting next week. Writers are always looking for inspiration when our own internal wellspring falls short, and working with other writers is one of my favorite ways to get the juices flowing.

I taught my first community college Beginning Screenwriting class last winter up in Cheyenne. I’d taught plenty of workshops and worked one-on-one with hundreds of writers, both professionally and as a volunteer, but this was the first time I got to be a “regular” teacher – 16 weeks, complete with syllabuses, paperwork, and grades.

Nerves were an issue – would I pace myself properly? Would I be able to hold their attention? Would they actually learn anything? Would it drain me creatively, intellectually, so that I couldn’t do my own writing?

I needn’t have worried. Not only were these fourteen students ready to learn, they soaked it up like sponges. They were so sharp, so fired up about the subject, so into what we were doing that I was able to move as fast as I wanted to. They could keep up, and better yet, they presented me with some wonderful learning challenges.

In June, my Explorati Teen Writers Boot Camp brought together 48 young people for four days. The instructors packed as much info into their heads as we could and sent them home reeling. Just like the year before, we got one strong message back: more! Is there anything more gratifying than seeing others do well? And isn’t that what teaching is all about? Giving people the tools to do well, and the opportunity to develop, expand, blossom?

To see them and their imaginations on fire pours gas on my own. I always come out of a class or workshop that much more excited to sit down at my laptop. Sharing what I know reminds me of what I know – and that I have everything I need to be successful. I bet you do, too.

If you’re looking for ways to supercharge your writing, and reading the how-to’s and going to the seminars and spas aren’t working their usual magic, consider what you have to give back. Everyone’s got something they know better than anyone, and there is always someone out there interested in knowing what it is you know.

Go teach. And then just watch what it does for your writing.

It's All About You

I am sitting here at the Northern Colorado Writers studio on this rainy Colorado afternoon wondering what I should blog about today. Then it hits me-Blam-I don't want to write anything about me or the trials and tribulations of getting published or why cleaning the gunk out of all the tiny nooks and crannies in my kitchen is sometimes more appealing that writing-- I want to learn more about all of you.

Can you take a few minutes to answer these five questions in the comment section? Thanks a bunch! :-)

1. What is your name?
2. What kind of writing do you do?
3.What is the best piece of writing advice you ever received?
4. What makes you laugh?
5. If you could meet one author, dead or alive, who would that be? Why?

Thanks for taking the time to allow me and the other Writing Bug readers to get to know you a little better.

Happy Writing!
~Kerrie

The Write Stuff

Post by Jennifer Carter

I am so excited and grateful to Kerrie for the opportunity to put together The Write Stuff newsletter for NCW. There is something uniquely fulfilling about editing a newsletter--I love to experiment with different fonts, colors and layouts, and I find it particularly exciting when I know I have all the information that is going in the current issue and then have to figure out how to make it fit on a certain number of pages. If I could find a T-shirt that says "I [heart] newsletters" I would buy it.

But the very best part of doing a newsletter is having stuff to put in it. It's kind of boring without that, actually! Fortunately, members have been willing to share news so far and I'm hoping that trend will continue. I feel a little bit like I'm on America's Most Wanted when I say this, but if you have any information...progress or good news (you finished a draft, got an agent, got published), upcoming events, awesome books you just read, helpful information you've come across--or even if you want a growing group of 200+ to send some positive thoughts into the universe about an upcoming pitch or query letter you just sent out, let me know!

I also love, love, love to share actual writing from members--flash fiction, poetry, excerpts from longer fiction or nonfiction. It's a great way to get to know other introverts without having to talk, and it's a great way to get your writing out there! In addition to writing, if you have any cool photos you've taken that you'd like to share, I would love to include those as well. I know a lot of people are traveling this summer and I know you've got cameras!

NCW is a great organization and I can't imagine how I would have started writing again if it hadn't been here. I was in a dark place...it was a bank, actually, and to keep my job there without going crazy I basically numbed myself to any creative influences whatsoever. Then I found NCW and took a class or two and it made me think maybe it was still possible to write. That was the beginning for me of getting out of mediocre jobs that only took time away from what I really wanted to be doing. I'm in a much brighter place now, and when I think about it, I really don't know how that would have happened without the support and resources NCW has to offer.

Thus, a writing prompt is born: for the next newsletter, I would like to know how NCW has affected and influenced your life, in however many words you need.

You can send all of your newsletter items to me at jennifer@northerncoloradowriters.com. Please send to me by the 11th of the month, which will be this Sunday.

What's your favorite part of the newsletter? How could it be better?

Freedom to Write

Post by Jenny

I love the Fourth of July because it’s a celebration of freedom, food, fun, fireworks (where permitted), and family. There are no gifts involved, no shopping for the right size or color or musical preference. (That’s a freedom in and of itself right there.) If you live in the U.S., I hope you enjoyed your holiday, and I also hope you took a moment to appreciate our country.

Yes, I know, it feels as though we are long on problems and short on solutions these days. But in an effort to focus on the positive, I thought yesterday about how much we still value the right of personal expression. And never before have we had so many opportunities to say what’s on our minds, via the ubiquitous Twitter, my mother’s preferred method of writing in longhand, and everything in between.

As my 9-year-old is fond of telling me when I ask him to do something he’d rather not do, we live in a free country. My standard rebuttal is to agree but point out that we all have rules to follow, even grownups and writers. But as long as I stay within the fairly wide parameters of the law—not difficult, as I can easily do without the obscene and libelous—I have the freedom write whatever I choose. I can try to be funny or profound, I can (unintentionally, I promise) bore or confuse. I can also offer my opinions about what others have written.

I’m familiar with famously persecuted writers such as Solzhenitsyn and Rushdie, but I recently learned of a situation that hits closer to home—the story a woman, a former resident of my town, who came to the U.S. from a country that does not value creative expression, especially from women. She self-published an unflinching novel set in that country, and she is now unable to return there, to the land of her birth, for fear of reprisal. This woman is not a gun-toting revolutionary. She is a writer, a wife, a mother, a daughter, as am I. But I highly doubt I’d have the courage to write the kind of book she has written.

So, on the days when this writing business seems too hard—when I’m sick of revising my query letter for the thousandth time, when I’m frustrated over a character or a plotline and want to bang my head on the desk, when I feel as if I have a better chance of playing for the WNBA than getting a novel published—I’ll think about how hard it could be, if the tables were turned.

I hope that wherever you are today, you have the freedom to write to your heart’s desire.

This Week in the Writing World...July 2

by Brooke Favero

Fourth of July is one of my favorite holidays. Food, family and fireworks: three ingredients for a great weekend. Of course, I plan on applying a little butt glue (recommended by Hearth Cricket) to polish my manuscript this weekend too. What are your plans?

Building Your Platform
Guide to Literary Agents offers six tips for building your platform. Platform is critical for nonfiction, so get started. Hannah Moskowitz keeps it professional, you should too. Moonrat shares the secret to book publicity.

Querying

Rachelle Gardner says keep your query simple. PubRants lists some query trends. Chip MacGregor lists CBA trends. Dystel & Goderich talks options when an agent can't sell your book. Kidlit addresses the nuclear family in MG & YA. Marilynn Byerly weighs the pros and cons of tradition vs small press.

Crafting
C. Patrick Schulze tempts us with a novel recipe. Pimp My Novel says be kind to your beta readers. Excuse Editor recommends unplugging when you write. Tawna Fenske swears by the writing quickie (1k1hr). Mark Newton challenges golden writing rules like show not tell. Marshall Payne hacks at word repetition. Plot to Punctuation enhances your setting. Wordplay says use all five senses when creating setting.

Contests

Seekerville lists a bunch of great writing contests. And Kathy Temean lists the 2010 Rofihe Trophy (short story contest). Good luck.

New Agent
Anita Bartholomen of Salkind Literary.

And if you need to sparkle your manuscript, well, Tahereh has 8 sexy words that make every story sizzle.

I thought I might do another best of the blogs. What topic interests you? I was thinking dialogue or maybe voice or setting. You guide me.

I’m the One Behind the Scenes.

Post by Trai

INT. ATLANTA RED CARPET ROOM -- ANOTHER DAY

Jerry now sits next to a towering white 27 year-old basketball player with a bad haircut. He is CALVIN NACK. They are signing a contract in the airport lounge. A little BOY approaches the player with a basketball trading card.

LITTLE BOY

Are you Calvin Nack? Could you

sign my card?

Nack bends down with a kindly-looking face.

CALVIN NACK

I'm sorry little fella. I can't

sign that particular brand of

card. I can only sign Pro-Jam

Blue Dot cards.

The Little Boy looks confused. As Calvin Nack turns to grab an orange juice from a barmaid, Jerry smoothly dishes off a business card to the little boy.

JERRY'S VOICE

Lately, it's gotten worse.

INT. HOSPITAL BEDROOM -- NIGHT

Hockey Player STEVE REMO, 33, is a big man in a small bed. He is in traction, with concussion. DOCTOR stands nearby, shoots Jerry a look of concern. Family is nearby.

DOCTOR

Do you know your name?

STEVE REMO

I uh... wait. Wait, here it

comes. I have it. My name is

Steve Remo. I play for the

Blackhawks.

(now on a roll)

You are my son. This pretty lady

is my wife. And you are...

Jerry nods encouragingly, presents his best "familiar" face.

STEVE REMO

(continuing)

My agent!

JERRY

Yes!

STEVE REMO

And I gotta play this weekend,

Doc. If I play in 65% of the

games, I make my bonus.

EXT. HOSPITAL HALLWAY -- NIGHT

Remo's 14 year-old SON (JESSE) confronts Jerry outside the hospital room. He's a hulking kid, a Pop Warner football player himself. His voice is in the process of changing.

SON

This is his fourth concussion.

Shouldn't somebody get him to stop?

As he talks, Jerry's cellular phone rings in his bag.

JERRY

(glib, easy)

Come on -- it'd take a tank to

stop your dad. It would take all

five Super Trooper VR Warriors,

right?

The kid stares at Maguire. It feels as if the kid is peering into his soul... and all he sees is trash.

What’s the movie? What do learn about Jerry in these two very short scenes?