Dog is My Coauthor

Post by Jenny

Much (sometimes too much) is made of the fact that we have a two-party political system in this country, but we tend to be either/or people in many other ways, too. Coffee or tea? Boxers or briefs? Cats or dogs?

My answer to that last one is dogs, and I’m not alone. My dog is one of nearly 80 million canine companions in this country. We have birthday parties for them, take them on vacation with us, and put their faces on t-shirts and coffee mugs. Naturally, our love of dogs is reflected in our reading material, as evidenced by the many recent dog-themed bestsellers, from Marley to Sawtelle to Racing in the Rain. In I Thought You Were Dead, Author Pete Nelson even gives Stella, an aging German Shepherd/Labrador mix, the ability to carry on regular conversations with her owner, Paul.

I sometimes wish my dog could talk because I’d love to have a better understanding of how she perceives the world. I know that her powers of observation are much sharper than mine. She sees things I don’t see, hears things I don’t hear, and the nose factor…well, that’s not even close. Humans have approximately 5 million sense receptors for olfaction. Bloodhounds have 300 million. Dogs can sniff out bombs, drugs, lost hikers, cancer, and, of all things, whale feces. I suspect my dog can smell when I’m just thinking about bacon.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not exactly envious of the ability to track down a sweaty sock from a mile away. But I do think I’m a better writer when I’m in tune with my senses—and that seems like it’s getting harder to do. We humans are chronically distracted, and so much of what we take in is already neatly formatted and packaged for us. We are told what we are experiencing and often don’t think about the nuances we are missing.

How might my writing be different if I took a lesson from my dog and followed my nose more often? Well, I might sniff out a great idea for a story or character. And as for my dog’s conversational abilities…perhaps she would be less like Stella, who speaks in proper sentences (“Lunch was delicious, Paul. Thank you very much for that special treat.”) and more like these LOL dogs. It wouldn’t matter. I’d still want her as my coauthor.

But a cat would make a better editor, don’t you think?

A Very Woody Thanksgiving Film

Post By Trai Cartwright

INT. HANNAH'S DINING ROOM - NIGHT

The table is beautifully set for Thanksgiving dinner,

complete with candles, flowers, cut crystal, china, and

silver.  Hannah's children are playing in the room as Hannah

enters, carrying a huge roast turkey.  Behind her is Holly,

carrying a casserole.  Hannah's parents can still be heard

singing in the background.

                         HANNAH

                   (to the children)

            Watch out, you guys.  Beep-beep!

                         HOLLY

                   (overlapping)

            Oh, your kids are so adorable.

                         CHILDREN

                   (walking through the doorway)

            Bye!  Bye!

                         HOLLY

                   (putting down her

                   bowl on the table)

            God, it gets so lonely on the

            holidays.

                         HANNAH

                   (setting down the

                   turkey on the opposite

                   end of the table)

            Oh, gosh.  Well, you know, that's

            why I invited Phil Gammage tonight.

As the sisters talk, the piano music stops.  There's the

sound of light applause as Evan begins a new song, faintly

heard in the dining room.

                         HOLLY

                   (grimacing, reacting

                   to Hannah)

            Oh, Hannah!

                         HANNAH

                   (overlapping)

            It's, uh, you never know--

                         HOLLY

                   (interrupting, gesturing)

            He's such a loser!

                         HANNAH

            He's not a loser at all!

                         HOLLY

                   (shaking her head)

            Oh, he's such a loser!

What’s this Thanksgiving-themed movie?

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Thankful For What Didn't Happen

Post by Kerrie Flanagan

On this day before Thanksgiving there are lots of great posts out there about being thankful for what we have, like The Thanksgiving Post by Cricket McRaes and How Travel Makes us Thankful by Alexis Grant.

Like these two bloggers, I am very thankful  for all the wonderful blessings in my life. But, on the flip side, there are some things I am thankful that never happened:

• I am thankful I didn't get my first children's book, Candy Corns and Lollipop, published.
  
  
• I am thankful I didn't get a public flogging on national television by Oprah  for a book I wrote like James Frey.
  
  
• I am thankful I didn't listen to some of the suggestions and critiques of my writing.
  
  
• I am thankful I didn't let my shyness get in the way of meeting new people at writers conference and events.
  
  
• I am thankful I didn't let a few "no thank yous" by publishers and editors stop me in my quest to get published.
  

What are you thankful that you DIDN'T get?

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Turkeys and Pies

Post by Jenny

I feel sorry for turkeys, and not only for the obvious reason this time of year. I know the poor things are not the smartest or friendliest fowl in the global flock, but they really are splendid-looking creatures. Benjamin Franklin, well-known champion of this American icon, wrote in a letter to his daughter, “For the Truth the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird [than the bald eagle], and withal a true original Native of America... He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on.”

But the big reason I feel sorry for turkeys is because of the negative meanings now associated with their name. Dictionary.com lists the slang definitions of ‘turkey’ as follows:

a. a person or thing of little appeal; dud; loser.

b. a naive, stupid, or inept person.
c. a poor and unsuccessful theatrical production; flop.

With apologies to the actual birds, I’m wondering…did you read any books this year that you would classify as turkeys? If so, what did you, as a writer, learn from them? I am two-thirds of the way through the biggest turkey I’ve read in a while. In the spirit of mothers everywhere who have admonished their children that if they “can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all,” I won’t mention it by title. I’ll only say that it is the second book in a wildly successful series. It has earned ‘turkey’ status in my mind because the first 250 pages could easily have been condensed down into a mere hundred. I could feel myself aging as I slogged through them. It was only in the name of masochistic curiosity that I continued reading. The writing lesson I have taken away from it is, “Good gravy, get to the point already!”

Now, on to sweeter things. Pumpkin is my seasonal pie of choice. (It is thought that the colonists’ original dessert was not a pie but a hollowed-out pumpkin filled with milk, spices, and honey, then baked in an open fire.) I also love pecan and anything using the fall fruits of apple, pear, and cranberry.

Good books are like dessert because they are worth savoring. One of my favorites this year was The Help. It’s a great example of how multiple points of view can add so much depth to a story. What books have you enjoyed digging into recently?

Best wishes for a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

PUT IT IN ACTION

Post by Trai Cartwright

It was our last Advanced Screenwriting class last night, and as always when a class wraps, I get a little misty-eyed. Students know that the teacher gets emotionally engaged with them, don’t they? We all made plans to see each other again real soon, and that softened the blow.

What also softens the blow is looking at the distance they’d come since I first met them for January’s Screenwriting class at Laramie County Community College. I think one of them had seen a screenplay before; none had written in the format. They dove in with relish, setting impossible tasks for themselves: to exceed the 60 pages required and write an entire 110 screenplay. Some even did it.

When we finished the 16-week class, they were exhausted (as was I) and exhilarated. They wanted more. As did I. A handful decided to follow me to an Advanced class. “Advanced” didn’t refer to the level of lecture, as there was little of that; advanced referred to their own progress. And boy, did they progress. By the end of the class, not only had their screenwriting skills risen to competitive levels, they were even giving notes on unproduced scripts. They were ruthless (there is no one less patient with bad writing than a writer who’s had a breakthrough in their own abilities) and as viable as any I’d seen come out of a development executive’s office.

When asked about the value of the experience, I was fishing for the targeted goodies to include in future classes, but what they had to say was so simple (and sort of ruthless), it stopped me cold. The workshop structure of the Advanced class taught them far more than the detailed lectures in the Screenwriting 101 class.

I found this a bit odd. Couldn’t they see their own progress? That they hadn’t even seen a screenplay 10 months ago, and they were now doing final polishes to enter contests and look for representation? Without all that discussion about the art and craft of the medium, the “101,” they’d never have reached this level of proficiency.

My husband, as usual, set me straight. He said, “A lecture is just a list of information, and sure, it might be interesting, but it doesn’t mean anything until there’s practical application. That’s the best way to learn anything – put it in action.”

I’ve a new regard for teaching, thanks to my students: information is only as valuable as the use it gets put to. How did I miss that before?

So I’ve a challenge for all of us writers: take those classes, read those books and blogs, get that info – but whatever you do, don’t forget to activate it. If you see a workshop class, grab it. If you don’t have a writer’s group, start looking. If these aren’t feasible, then challenge yourself to take a principle you’ve read about and create a writing exercise around it. Expand your base of knowledge, get out of your comfort zone, surprise yourself with what you don’t know – and then put it to work. Your writing will thank you for it.

I’ll be teaching Screenwriting 101 again in the spring, both at Front Range and back at Laramie County Community College. You might want to come check it out. I’ll be applying a half-lecture / half-workshop structure. Maybe we can capture the best of both worlds.

www.frcc.edu Writing for Film (ENG 236 / 65160)
www.lccc.cc.wy.us Literary Genre: Screenwriting (ENGL 2450)


What’s the best workshop you’ve ever taken?

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This Week in the Writing World...November 19

by Brooke Favero

Ooooh baby, I am excited. I have tickets for Harry Potter tonight. How about you? Are you a Harry Potter fan? I gave into the hype and started reading Harry Potter when the 4th book had just released. I blazed through the first four books in a week and I've been a super fan ever since. (But I've never dressed up, so you may need to downgrade my super status to enthusiastic.) So why is it that some books live up to the hype and others don't? Nathan Bransford says we can learn a lot from reading Harry Potter, and Alan Rinzler offers tips for keeping your characters fresh in a series.

Are you over Harry Potter or still salivating like me?

Understanding the Industry

Dystel & Goderich offers hope for the backlist. Pimp My Novel explains book sales and lists the National Book Award winners. BookEnds talks contracts and the right of first refusal. Rachelle Gardner also chimes in on contracts and more contracts. PubRants lists the top three errors in royalty statements. The Adventurous Writer gives tips on how to network with other writers.

Querying

Guide to Literary Agents makes sense of a rejection and lists agent pet peeves. Kidlit says waiting isn't a bad sign. The Rejecter ballparks the average wait time in publishing. Blood Red Pencil gives the pros and cons of agents, publishing, and self publishing. KT Literary answers the question: is there a bad time of the year to query?

Crafting

Dystel & Goderich gives a grammar list you should double check. Edittorrent defines possessive case. Pimp My Novel stops procrastination (which I really needed this week). Writer Unboxed gives tips on writing across cultural lines. Janice Hardy says dialog drives scenes. The Creative Penn tells how to write back blurb for your book and Guide to Literary Agents offers tools for character building.

New Agent

Katie Shea of Caren Johnson Literary.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Redistribution of Power

Post by Kerrie Flanagan
Featured on BlogHer.com

On Saturday, my daughter auditioned for a local teen acting troupe. Before the auditions began the director talked with the students about what they could expect from the audition, when they would find out who made it and other bits of general information. But she ended with something that resonated with me and relates 100% to writers.

She explained that there were only a few openings in the troupe, so not everyone was going to make it. Then with heartfelt conviction she told those teens, "Don't ever base your self-worth as an actor on one audition. Do not give that power over to any director. It hasn't been earned and they don't deserve it."

When I left, I couldn't stop thinking about what she said. So many times as writers we wrap up our self-worth in every query letter or proposal we send out. Then we wait for the response and rather just look at is as just that, a response, we use it to gauge our worth and abilities as a writer. If an editor/agent says yes, then we must be a good writer. If we get a no, then we must not be any good.

That is too much power to hand over to editors/agents and frankly, I don't think they want it. The agents and editors are just doing their job, to make the best magazine, book or anthology possible. It is up to us to be confident in our own abilities as a writer. 

We have all heard those rejection letter examples from authors like Stephen King, J.K. Rowling and Dr. Seuss saying their writing wasn't any good. But what made these writers successful  is that they didn't let an editor's opinion stop them. They were confident in their writing and they kept going. We all need to do the same.

Surround yourself with other positive writers, take classes, go to conferences, join a good critique group, and improve your craft so when you do send out your writing, you can rest assured that you sent out your best work and regardless of the response back, you know that you are a good writer.


What do you think? Do we hand over our self-worth as writers to too many other people?

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Is Less More?

Post by Jenny

Full disclosure moment: I admit that I have indeed been called Amish and a Luddite, but I have nothing against social media. Honest. It just doesn’t thrill me in any meaningful way. But I did finally relent and join the twitter flock.

My first impressions of twitter were that it was like:
--reading a newspaper comprised entirely of fortune cookie fortunes;
--those cash booths where money flies around wildly while a poor schmuck tries desperately to grab something of value;
--the popular girl in high school everyone wanted to befriend, even though 95% of what came out of her mouth was ridiculous;
--ADHD speed-dating.

I was simultaneously over- and under-whelmed.

One morning when I logged on and realized that the tweets keep coming 24/7, it hit me: twitter is a river. It is a massive river of information fed by millions of tributary tweet streams, some mighty (The White House), some insignificant (me). And like a river, it carries anything, from the most helpful to the trashiest, without discrimination.

This river analogy caused me some panic…how in the world can anyone keep up with that much information? I joined twitter partly to follow writing-related industry news, but, my gosh, there’s so much of it. When I’m away from twitter for a few hours, I worry about how far upstream I will have to swim in order to pick up where I left off. Frankly, I miss my blissful days of tw-ignorance, when I neither knew nor cared what I was missing.

I’m slowly making my peace with it, though. After all, twitter has hit 90 million tweets per day. No one person can (or would want to) assimilate all that information, just as no one person can (or would want to) drink the Mississippi River. (The average flow of The Big Muddy at New Orleans is 44,883,116 gallons per second. The twitter river still has a way to go to match that.)

A good thing about this vast volume of communication is that it requires us to be brief. This succinctness has carried over into creative writing, as featured in a recent NPR report about Robert Smartwood’s anthology of Hint Fiction. So, what do you think: does telling a story in twenty-five words help us become thoughtful, efficient writers or contribute to the ever-shortening cultural attention span? Is less really more these days? Or is there just more of it?

(Cartoon courtesy of American Hell.)

What’s in your rider?

Post By Trai Cartwright

While working in Hollywood, I spent more time as a development executive than on movie sets, so I primarily dealt with pre-production. I was all about the development process, working with the writers, and assisting with casting, location hunting and of course, contract administration.

At one point, we were in negotiations to get Sylvester Stallone into one of our movies. We didn’t have a big budget, and we were even shooting overseas to keep costs down. He did us a huge favor by agreeing to cut his salary by something like 80%. Score! We were in luck! And then we got his rider.

A rider is an adjunct to the contract that includes all the perks, staff and extras a star requires to be on the movie. His included three assistants, a personal chef, two trainers, his own wardrobe, hair and make-up person, plus the largest trailer made on the planet as well as a portable gym flown in from the US. The expenses on his rider were five times as much as his reduced salary, and one-third as much as the entire budget.

I was privy to plenty of riders, and could track a star’s cache depending on their list of demands (and it did feel like a hostage negotiation). I remember when Jim Carrey didn’t even have a rider, and I remember when his $20 million salary was augmented with a three page list that added another $10 to his asking price. Movie stars aren’t the only ones cashing in: www.thesmokinggun.com has a whole, equally astonishing section devoted to musician tour riders (JLo’s is not to be missed).

In reviewing some of these lists of hubris and luxury, I’ve decided that’s what my life is missing: a rider. So here’s a list of my requirements to guarantee my performance:

* A private bathroom attached to my office, each to be cleaned daily before my arrival; garbage is unsightly and can be a hazard (thank you, Elton John).
* One (1) case of Coke, Diet Coke and Sprite Zero on hand at all times.
* One (1) meat and cheese lunch platter, but NO ROAST BEEF and only Honey Smoked Ham, and no yellow cheeses.
* A laptop that won’t crash, with enough memory to game as well as hold my entire iTunes library.
* An iTunes Account, funded through the year 2020 or until the planet runs out of music.
* A Kimble pre-loaded with every book featuring a Victoria heiress, a psychic or a detective ever written. NO VAMPIRES.
* One (1) package of thick winter socks, M, any color except yellow.
* Three lamps, each with 1000 watt bulbs to make my office bright enough to resemble a sunny day, or a day on the sun.
* A window through which only squirrels, cats and birds can be seen; no humans are to be within eyeline, and especially no screaming children.
* A check in the mail every day, followed by a rotating delivery schedule of Asian food.
* An unlimited supply of ideas, all original (NOT generic) to write about.
* An unlimited supply of distractions ranging from Netflix, Facebook, TiVo and magazines, which I will later assign blame for my lack of production.

These rudimentary items are required for my comfort and continued creativity. Did I mention the socks? Very important they aren’t yellow. Assistants have been fired for buying yellow socks.

What’s on your rider?

This Week in the Writing World...November 12

by Brooke Favero
Nathan Bransford is no longer an agent. It cuts me deep. Pimp My Novel links to some of the coverage. While he'll still blog, I want to wish him luck at CNET. I feel the best way to express my emotions is in haiku.

Nate of Curtis Brown,

agent, author, blog guru,

we weep for our loss.

How has Nathan helped you?

Understanding the Industry
Dystel & Goderich talks about The New York Times new ebook bestseller list and what it means.

Querying
BookEnds shows proper etiquette for addressing queries and how to deal with a delinquent agent. KT Literary tells how long to wait before following up with an agent. Rachelle Gardner talks about the client-agent relationship and publishing contracts. Janet Reid offers a big tip when pitching to her. (I think this is a great tip when pitching to any agent.) Guide to Literary Agents tells what agents do and don't want to see in a query.

Crafting
Janice Hardy helps you deal with deadlines. Blood Red Pencil gives a list of to do's before you write. Writer Unboxed discusses archetypes. Nathan Bransford gives five tips from reading Harry Potter. Stet polishes your first two pages. Adventures in Children's Publishing deepens your WIP with imagery. WIP It stops writer's block. Tahereh lists 7 things characters do too much. Seekerville categorizes story ideas.

Contests
Miss Snark's First Victim offers a great log line contest and agent auction.

Freelance Writing Library

 Post by Kerrie Flanagan

It may take a village to raise a child, but it takes a well-stocked bookshelf to make a successful freelance writer. As Stephen King reminds us in his memoir, ""If you don't have the time to read, you don't have the time or the tools to write." So today I am going to share with you some of my favorite  writing books that I think you should have in your personal library.

HOW-TO
We can always improve our craft and these books get help us do that.

Make a Real Living as a Freelance Writer
Beginning with plenty of realistic words of caution, veteran freelancer Glazer provides a practical guide for aspiring writers who want to earn a living doing what they love.

Secrets of a Freelance Writer, How to Make $100,000 a Year or More
Secrets of a Freelance Writer has long been the authoritative guide to making big money as a commercial freelance writer.  

Renegade Writer: A Totally Unconventional Guide to Freelance Writing
Written by two freelancers who broke the rules to win the game, this handbook contains a wealth of information for writers who are frustrated by the seemingly limited ways to operate in the freelance market.

On Writing Well
This book has been praised for its sound advice, its clarity and the warmth of its style. It is a book for everybody who wants to learn how to write or who needs to do some writing to get through the day, as almost everybody does in the age of e-mail.

Renegade Writer's Query Letters That Rock
This convention-defying follow-up to The Renegade Writer ensures that freelance journalists get the assignments they want more quickly and for better pay with the right query letter.

RESOURCE
All writers should surround themselves with great resource books in order to keep their writing as a strong as possible.


Formatting and Submitting Your Manuscript
Features more than 100 example query letters, proposals, and synopses.  Increase your chances of publication by submitting your manuscript the right way.

The Elements Strunk and White
Grammar book written with a unique tone, wit and charm that has conveyed the principles of English style to millions of readers.

Flip Dictionary
A great reference that offers cues and clue words to lead writers to the exact phrase or specific term they need. It goes beyond the standard reverse dictionary format to offer dozens of charts and tables, listing groups by subject (such as automobiles, clothing types, plants, tools, etc.) 


MARKET GUIDES
All these market guides provide writers guidelines (contacts, pay rate, types of articles needed...) for different publications. They differ in their layouts. You should find the one that works best for you.

Writers Market
Publications listed by subject (women's, travel, home...)

The Best of the Magazine Markets for Writers
Publications listed alphabetically


The American Directory of Writers Guidelines 
Publications listed alphabetically. Details guidelines. 

Christian Writers' Market Guide
Publications listed by subject (women's, travel, home...)

INSPIRATION
Writing is a lonely business so we should set aside some time to be inspired by other writers.

On Writing
Stephen King's memoir  begins with a series of vivid memories from adolescence, college, and the struggling years that led up to his first novel, Carrie and offers a fresh and often funny perspective on the formation of a writer.King then turns to the tools of his trade, examining crucial aspects of the writer's art and life, offering practical and inspiring advice on everything from plot and character development to work habits and rejection
 
Writing Places, Life Journey of a Writer and a Teacher
William Zinsser delightfully recalls the many colorful and amusing locations where he has worked and taught. Written with humor and with gratitude for a lifetime of change and self-discovery, relishing a rich cast of characters who peopled his world from Yale's president Kingman Brewster to actor Peter Sellers to gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson,  Writing Places never loses its anchor in the craft of writing how it's taught, learned and brought to a high level of enjoyment. 

Bird by Bird
If you have ever wondered what it takes to be a writer, what it means to live a writer's life, this book is for you. Ranging through all aspects of writing - from faith, love, and grace to pain, jealousy and fear - Anne Lamott shows you how to keep your eyes open and write about what you see. 


What are you favorite books in your writing library?

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My Rosy Glasses

Post by Jenny

I’ve had an ongoing debate with myself as of late. We’ve been enjoying a gorgeous fall season in Northern Colorado—warm days, cool nights, clear blue skies, pretty trees. But I’ve noticed that when I’m out and about with my sunglasses on—which is more often than not—everything looks…better. It’s not a huge difference, but the colors are richer and have more pop—more like a calendar page and less like an average photo I would take.

I first noticed the effect when I was at a stoplight admiring a particularly lovely red maple tree. For some reason, I flipped my sunglasses up to get a true look. And then down. Up. Down. Up. Down. Comparing reality with what I was seeing. Since then, it has become my habit (i.e. annoying compulsion). Whenever I see something pretty with my shades on, I flip them up to get the real picture.

Then I started to feel guilty because I prefer the way the world looks through my sunglasses. (Truly, I can over-think anything.) But maybe I shouldn’t let it bother me. After all, doesn’t ‘improved reality’ make for better fiction? Sure, sometimes truth is stranger/more interesting/more poignant than the very best fiction. But often, reality needs a little tweaking.

So, reality needs fiction. By the same token, fiction also needs reality. The novels I enjoy the most don’t strain credulity to the breaking point, and they don’t bore me with everyday tedium. They strike the perfect balance between what is and what could be, in any genre. They are life, plus imagination.

In my five minutes of painstaking internet research, I couldn’t nail down the definitive origin of the phrase “rose-colored glasses.” It might have something to do with the mapmakers who polished their eyeglasses with rose petals to avoid scratching the lenses. Or it might be a reference to looking through a glass that held red wine, the drinking of which presumably improved the drinker’s perception of the world. (Beer goggles, anyone?)

Maybe I should ditch my sunglasses and see the world exactly as it is. But I think I’ll keep wearing them as a reminder that good writers know how to set the tone…in more ways than one.

How do you like to see the world in your life and in your writing?

Reality leaves a lot to the imagination. ~John Lennon

Anyone who can handle a needle convincingly can make us see a thread which is not there. ~E.H. Gombrich, Art and Illusion

Everything you can imagine is real. ~Pablo Picasso

Hammy Actors, or How I Learned to Love John Malkovich Again

Post by Trai Cartwright

When the production company I worked for made “Lost In Space,” one of my favorite things was having lunch with my producer-boss and watching the dailies that had been over-nighted from the London set. New Line Cinema had hired two of amazing actors, William Hurt and Gary Oldman; despite the fact that the script was a hot mess, how could we go wrong with that talent?

While Bill didn’t deviate much from his curious scientist posturing, watching Gary was like watching a master acting class. Every single take (and there were many, thanks to an inexperienced director) had something radically different going on. The range of emotions, the “colors,” as actors call it, was astonishing. There were dozens of different “Dr. Smith” performances to choose from.

But when the movie came out (we had no say in the editing), we were shocked to see that Gary, to put it politely, chewed the scenery. Horrifying! Over the top, plastic and slapstick, eradicated of any of the brilliance and nuance and masterful thespian skill we saw in the dailies.

I never understood what happened until I read this Movieline.com interview with John Malkovich, another actor who in recent years has become like nails on a hammy chalkboard, and who is flat-out bizarre in the new movie “Red.”

JOHN: [I] give the director and editor some choices. And on a scene-by-scene basis, they will be the deciders of the tonality of the performance. It’s not theater; you’re not your own editor.

…Now, all that does is presuppose that the person in charge has the requisite vision and taste and mastery of the tonality that you can trust them. Sometimes that’s the case, sometimes it isn’t. But that’s part of being a professional actor. I suppose 90 percent of my film performances I would never have edited that way.

…My business is to give them — as best I can and successfully as I can achieve it (and often I don’t) — enough options that all those decisions are in their hands, and they have a catholicity, a plethora of options.

Now we know who to blame for turning great actors into odoriferous cheeseballs. Mickey Rourke, are you listening? Don’t let your comeback be derailed by lousy directors! Maybe Mr. Hurt had it right from the start: establish a tone and don’t deviate, lest they choose your worst work for you.

Which one of your favorite actors has been mismanaged in the editing room?

This Week in the Writing World...November 5

by Brooke Favero

This week I came across an interesting post over at Stet about ebook piracy. And then after reading Pimp My Novel's the future of ebooks, I thought if he's right and ebooks make up 50% of the market share by 1013 or 1014, will piracy be rampant? What will this mean for authors?

It's a bit of an unknown. But the music industry still makes money after Napster, iTunes, and the lot. Still, I think it will be harder for the debut author and I wouldn't quit my day job but that's a lot like now too. What do you think?

Understanding Industry and Market

Pimp My Novel gives his two cents on the future of publishing. Terrible Minds offers helpful do's and don'ts to NaNoWriMo. The Bluestocking Blog gives a great NaNo Resource List. Dystel & Goderich says social networking means business. Rachelle Gardner lists some helpful tips for Twitter.

Querying

Guide to Literary Agents offers six ways to impress an agent and how to deliver the perfect pitch. Seekerville lists the top five mistakes made in proposals. Holly Bodger gives advice on writing loglines and a follow up that is very helpful. KT Literary explains submission etiquette.

Crafting

Adventures in Children's Publishing says you need to believe in you. Janice Hardy demystifies the edit letter and point of view. The Blood Red Pencil asks what motivates your character? Writer Unboxed helps your character learn about himself (hopefully at the end of each chapter). Wordplay stresses the importance of a fabulous setting.

New Agent

Lindsey Clemons of Larsen Pomada Literary Agents.

Tahereh finds a great book on stripping (quilts).

Covert Fiction

Post by Kerrie

I did a group writing activity at our Northern Colorado Writers coffee last week that had many of us in tears we laughed so hard. In the spirit of NaNoWriMo, this activity makes you write fast and not over think what you are putting on the page.

The way it works is everyone sits around a table. Each person writes one sentence at the top of a piece of paper. Then, everyone passes that paper to the person on their left. This person adds another sentence, playing off the first sentence.

Here is where the covert part comes into play. Before passing the piece of paper again, each person  folds the paper back so the only thing showing is the last sentence. Then it is passed on, a new sentence is added, the paper is folded back, it is passed on.... This process is repeated until you run out of room on the paper or time.

The end product is bizarre flash fiction stories that take unusual and often hysterical twists and turns. We had 11 writers in our group and took about 10 minutes for the activity. Here are some of our favorites:
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1
The Thumping and scratching on the roof woke her from a deep sleep. She threw back the covers and jumped out of bed.
"Oh my. I forgot the potatoes in the oven!"
My grandma was one great cook but lately she had been forgetting things. She forgot to add the milk to the recipe and we got an unexpected result! Bravely, she tasted the concoction and was surprise by the outcome. It tasted like the sweet lemonade her mother use to make. She wished she had some of her grandmother's shortbread to go with it. But since she didn't, she took out a cigarette and lit it. A man immediately came up and grabbed it from her, smashing it under his toe as he scolded her for smoking.

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2
They found her body in a roadside ditch, the bullet holes slashing a diagonal across her chest. The puddle of blood was starting to freeze in the frigid, cold air. I jumped in the puddle, but slipped and fell. Luckily I caught myself on the nearby trash can, but my hand slipped on some ketchup. That did it, I was going to have to start disciplining my grandkids. If I'd known it was going to rain all day, I would have brought an umbrella! I raced through the rain with my book bag covering my head. Before I knew it, I ran into her, knocking us both onto the sidewalk. I scrambled to gather the papers before the wind blew them across the street. They ended up in a huge pile of leaves, which the sweeper sucked into its bowels.

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3
He wadded up the piece of paper he had written on and threw it in the fire. Standing, he sipped the brandy, admiring how the firelight bounced off the Waterford crystal, reflecting its pattern on the floor. She sat on the bearskin rug, the light turning her olive skin into a dark shade of gold. The fire crackled and hissed in front of her, and the wind howled through the crack in the door. She remembered the last time with him, it had been a night like this. The wine, the full moon, the sex. And the body tangled in seaweed at the water's edge. When a mermaid swam up and helped it. The water was so cold she took a long time and sadly she sank into oblivion.

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4
Everyone but George thought is was odd that he lived in a bowling alley. Quite frankly though, the rent was cheap as long as he kept the pins clean. He hoped he wasn't making a mistake in signing the lease. Something in the back of his mind nagged at him--his mother from beyond the grave. He could see her sour face, shaking her finger, pointing it, much too close to his face. Was this flesh in front of him, or a horrid hologram, sprung from his fetid memory? He reached out to touch her. She bit his hand. And he liked it. He wanted her to bite him more!

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5
Gary had a thick beard, dark, shiny hair, and small evenly spaced teeth. The only thing that put me off was his breath, which reeked of dumpster food. Other than that, there was something attractive about him. His big ears were hardly noticeable when I focused on his gorgeous blue eyes. They had this spark of life in them that I never noticed before. Eyes that sparkled and glowed with anticipation. It was finally time for them to take the stage. Standing in the spotlight, they watched the audience reaction. It was dead silent, then a baby cried out.

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6
80% of your happiness comes from just 20% of the things you do each day. Why is this true--everyone has a different answer. One man says it's completely plausible while the next finds it preposterous. What he liked best about debating was pricking the conscience of the his opponent. He spoke with an English accent, quoting from Shakespeare. She tuned him out, and with a dreamy trance-like look in her eyes, she gazed out the window at the pond and the willow tree. A single leaf descended, plopped into the water, making rings of ripples on the mirrored surface. The fairy jumped on the leaf, hoping it would take her away from the horrors she just left behind. The leaf was too small for her weight and they went under.

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7
Laying awake listening to the wind howling, she was reminded of the childhood summers on the Maine Coast. The sound of the surf was so similar and she tried to find comfort in that. It brought her back, way back to the place her father drowned. The time when she felt her life was over. It was the day she received her first agent rejection for the novel she'd been writing for 10 years.
"Why?" she said and sobbed. Then she thought how to plan her revenge. She moved quickly searching the cupboard for a weapon. The spoon was too soft. Dropping the spoon, he decided to use his hands.

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NoCoQuerMo

As many of you no doubt know, today marks the first day of NaNoWriMo. National Novel Writing Month. A 50,000 word novel from scratch in 30 days. Writers from all over the world creating “laughably awful yet lengthy prose together.”

I’ve never taken the plunge. I am masochistic enough to want join the crazy, coffee-stoked camaraderie of thousands of stressed-out writers trying to make good on 1,667 words a day. But I know I can’t commit to it this time around. I have too much other stuff going on, and I don’t want to set myself up for failure.

But I am overdue for a self-imposed writing challenge, a tough-love, no-excuses project. And if it’s going to happen in 2010, it must happen in November, the last productive month of the calendar year. Once December hits, life becomes all about holiday craziness. And that’s the way it should be. I want to be able to enjoy the trappings of the season—the decorating, the shopping, the baking, the cheesy TV specials—without my guilty conscience hanging out on my shoulder jabbing me in the ear with a sharpened quill. (My conscience is seriously old-school.)

I didn’t have to look too far for my challenge. All I had to do was think of the thing I’ve been procrastinating the most all year long. Querying. Yes, that wonderful, necessary, frustrating endeavor which is also known as “rejection collection.” I queried sparsely for the first few months of the year. Then, for various reasons which seemed valid at the time, I gave myself permission to take the summer off. (This is the part where I sidestep all responsibility and blame the weather for the fact that my ‘summer’ has stretched all the way to the end of October.)

Beginning today, November 1, I’m back on the query horse. Yes, it’s my own NoCoQuerMo (Northern Colorado Query Month). I have long and short fiction manuscripts that are tired of languishing on my hard drive, so for the next thirty days, I’ll be researching markets and agents, polishing synopses and query letters, and sending submissions. I hope to have some nibbles by the end of the month. Even if I don’t, I’ll be farther along than I am now.

What are your plans for November? Are you doing NaNoWriMo? If not, have you given yourself a personal challenge? Either way, let us know so we can cheer you on!

(Comic used with permission from Debbie Ridpath Ohi at Inkygirl.com)