Last Monday Book: The Great Typo Hunt

Post by Jenny

It’s the last day of January, and already the year is rolling along. So far, knock on wood, I’m keeping up. I hope you are, too.

This year, I want to read more books about writing, and related subjects, than I did last year. That shouldn’t be too difficult, as last year I read exactly zero books that qualify. So I came up with the brilliant plan to post a book summary on the last Monday of every month. That way, you all can keep me accountable. (And if you could remind me to exercise more often, that would help, too.)

Without further ado, its time for this month’s book.

If you noticed the missing apostrophe in the previous sentence, January’s book should appeal to you. It’s The Great Typo Hunt: Two Friends Changing the World, One Correction at a Time. Distressed by our country’s public displays of poor punctuation and other grammatical goofs, Jeff Deck, an editor “with no off-switch,” formed the Typo Eradication Advancement League (TEAL) with his friend Benjamin D. Herson. The goal of these two brave souls was to locate—and correct—such mistakes. Like any noble quest, it required hitting the road.

Armed with sharp eyes and a Typo Correction Kit (correction fluid, chalk, markers), the friends “circumnavigated America, righting the glaring errors displayed in grocery stores, museums, malls, restaurants, mini-golf courses, beaches, and even a national park.” That’s right—not only did they find mistakes, they fixed them whenever they could. In some cases, the correction could be accomplished with a surreptitious swipe of a Sharpie. But many times, it required pointing out the error to an actual human being.

That’s the part that would stop me. Just the other day, I saw a sign in my local warehouse store advertising “Assorted Exercise Video’s.” I was not at all inclined to spend the time and energy required to a) find an employee who might care about the unnecessary apostrophe (but probably not), and b) get said employee to do something about it. (I’m saving my “Excuse me, I couldn’t help but notice…”opener for the day when I can finish the sentence with “…that there’s a rabid wolverine in the women’s restroom.”)

The responses Jeff et al. received ranged from gratitude to complete slacker indifference to a lawsuit over the defacement of federal property. My hat is off to the members of TEAL for having the courage to take a stand against typos. The day we stop caring about proper grammar and punctuation is the day we decide it’s okay to throw gum on the sidewalk or step on another person’s foot without apologizing.

Oh, wait. Maybe we’re already there.

Do you notice mistakes? Have you ever asked to have one corrected?

Jesse Eisenberg For Best Actor And Last Survivor

Post by Trai Cartwright

The continuing effort to win Jesse Eisenberg an Oscar for "The Social Network," here's a taste of another bit of his work in 2010.  Can you guess what it is?

This Week in the Writing World...January 28

by Brooke Favero

Right now my eye is twitching. That can't be good. Do you ever get the twitches while writing? Or (what I really need to know) what do you do to give your eyes/fingers/mind a break while writing?

Understanding the Industry and Market

The Writer's War @ Writer Unboxed.

A Million Screaming Fans @ Rachelle Gardner.

Book Production Process: Marketing @ Books & Such Literary Agency.

Terms to Know: Returns @ Pimp My Novel.

Markets Are Our Specialty @ Pimp My Novel.

Blog Like You Mean It, Part 2 @ Grab a Pen.

Writing: The Art of Shameless Self-Promotion @ Adventures in Children's Publishing.

Querying

Query Clinic: The Amaranth Guardian @ Editorial Anonymous.

More on the Author-Agent Relationship @ BookEnds.

Crafting

What's In a Title? Everything. @ Guide to Literary Agents.

Ask the Editor: How to Untangle a Plot @ Alan Rinzler.

Something about Voice @ BookEnds.

Extraneous Words @ The Blood Red Pencil.

Faygo Indeedio! @ Janet Reid.

Breaking the Rules of Writing @ The Other Side of the Story.

Subjective Point of View @ TalkToYoUniverse.

Characters in Denial @ Kidlit.

Working at Ths Place is Murder (or the Problem with Writing a Mystery Series) @ Patricia Stoltey.

Common Error in Scenes, Part 1 @ Seekerville.

Too Many Cooks - How Do You Handle Conflicting Critiques? @ STET!

The King's Speech; In Media Res

Post By Kerrie

The list of Academy award nominations was announced this week. The movie The King's Speech topped this list with 12 nominations. I have seen the movie twice already. During each of my trips to the theater, I was drawn in by the opening scene. It was a great example of starting in media res (in the middle of things).

It begins with a screen shot of a big radio microphone from the 1930's. We then watch a BBC broadcaster in a hotel-like room with only a desk with a microphone on it, preparing to speak on the radio. We watch him gargle, spritz his mouth and say a few p-p-p's, t-t-t's, into the microphone to warm up his voice before he goes live, using impeccable diction and grace, "Good afternoon. This is the BBC National Programme and Empire services taking you too Wembley Stadium..."

It then cuts to the cold, gray stairwell of the stadium where we find the Duke of York (Colin Firth) and his wife (Helena Bonham Carter) standing there. The couple isn't saying anything to each other, only gripping each others hands. As the Duke stares straight ahead, we see absolute terror on his face.

A man comes in to announce he has 30 seconds. The Duke heads up the short staircase toward the microphone to deliver a speech to tens of thousands of people in the stadium. As he stammers through the speech we feel uncomfortable and our heart goes out to him.

What I think is brilliant about this opening scene is there is no back story or explanation of why the Duke of York was nervous.Why he had to give a speech. Why he stammers. There was nothing. We were dropped right in to the scene.

The reason I bring this up is that so many times as writers, we feel the need to explain everything that is happening and spell out for the reader exactly why the characters are acting the way they are, what past events have brought the character to this point and how it is all connected. We don't want the reader to misinterpret anything so we share way too much.

We need to remember that all readers bring their own backgrounds and experiences to a story. Each person will have their own take-away and we have no control over that. It is our job to create scenes that move the story along and add depth to our characters, without bogging it down with unnecessary information.

In the opening scene for the King's Speech, part of what is so powerful, is what is not said. There is no dialogue between the Duke and his wife, yet we see that they clearly care for each other and that she is feeling nervous for him as well. I think it would have been easy to clutter this scene with a lot of dialogue with the Duke telling his wife how anxious he is feeling and that he wishes his father, the King, would stop pushing him so much and so on.

But I am happy the screenwriter refrained. The beauty of a well told story, whether it is in a book or on the screen, is that everything unfolds with perfect timing and grace.


Are there some books or movies that you feel do an excellent job of getting right into the story?

Here is the trailer for the movie:

(If you are reading this blog post in email, you can click here for the trailer)

FYI: Here is a link if you want to read the screenplay: http://tinyurl.com/4m9e55l

In Good Company

Post by Jenny

Fortune Magazine recently released its annual list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For (shouldn’t that be the 100 Best Companies for Which to Work?). If you’re employed by one of the top 100, you have my congratulations. I’m afraid my best shot at making the list is being hired as a grocery sacker at my local Whole Foods.

I occasionally think of myself as self-employed, but only in the loosest sense of the word. (In actuality, I feel more like the sole volunteer at the world’s smallest non-profit.) But as I read through some of the perks that make the top businesses desirable, I realized that my little ‘company’—let’s call it Writer in the Basement—is a pretty great place to work. It has on-site child-care, gym, medical, and spa facilities (if candles and scented hand lotion count as ‘spa’). It is pet-friendly, has a laundry service and a recycling program, and is woman-owned and operated. It does fall short on diversity, though I like to listen to world music when I write.

But there are things I can do to be a better employer for myself and a better employee to myself.

As my employer, I can:
Set clear, achievable goals. I often float along with only a vague sense of what I would kinda-sorta like to possibly happen someday in the unspecified future.
Praise every success, no matter how small. I’m the first one to brush off good news by focusing on everything I haven’t accomplished.
Use failure as an opportunity to learn. I’m not sure I believe that when one door closes, another automatically opens, but it’s important to know why the door closed in the first place.
Provide a positive environment. A writer should have a comfortable chair, good lighting, and perhaps a fern.
Allow for sick days. Everyone occasionally needs time to rest and recuperate.

As my employee, I can:
Put in the hours. We’ve all known someone who misses work for every reason under the sun. Sometimes I’m that person.
Innovate and take risks. Habit and complacency don’t inspire creativity.
Stay positive. The occasional gripe session around the coffee pot is okay, but no one likes a whiner.
Keep my work area clean. It reflects a professional attitude.
Take advantage of opportunities for continuing education. Conferences and classes are worth the investment.

Who knows…maybe someday I’ll make the list of ‘100 Best Pretend Companies Where One Person Spends a Substantial Amount of Time, and Occasionally Money, Chasing the Dream of Finally Becoming a Real, Honest-to-Goodness Writer.”

What keeps your writing biz running smoothly?

This Week in the Writing World...January 21

by Brooke Favero

This week Rachelle Gardner cleaned her house while listening to audio books. I still love holding (and smelling) a book while I read, but I also love to listen to books when I run. I just finished The Help by Kathryn Stockett. Loved it.

What books have you read or listened to lately? Understanding the Industry and Market My Thoughts on the Brave New World: Bookstores @ BookEnds. Endangered Species @ Writer Unboxed. My Thoughts on the Brave New World: Nonfiction @ BookEnds. This is Why You Always Meet Your Deadlines @ Pimp My Novel. Out of Print, But Still Fighting @ Editorial Anonymous. The Agent's Role in Today's Digital Book World @ Kidlit. How to Use Twitter @ Nathan Bransford.

Querying

10 Ways to be Awkward at a Writer's Conference @ Rachelle Gardner.

Making the Most of a Conference @ Dystel & Goderich Literary Management.

The Difference Between Pitch and Query @ Janet Reid.

Hints for a Great Cover Letter @ The Steve Laube Agency.

How to Write a Synopsis When You Have Lots of Characters in Your Story @ Guide to Literary Agents.

The Value of the Rejection Process @ Janet Reid.

Crafting

Me or You? Part, Two, Mixing First and Third POVs @ The Other Side of the Story.

Developing a Unique Voice @ Adventures in Children's Publishing.

Let's Talk Tense @ Iggi & Gabi.

Creating Unforgettable Settings, Part 4 @ The Bookshelf Muse.

Bring Chraracter Emotion to Life Through Action @ Wordplay.

Combining Characters @ The Blood-Red Pencil.

Laughs

An Incomplete Education @ Pimp My Novel.

Open For Business

Guest Blogger Bob McDonnell

How’s business? A common question, right?  But, do you consider your writing to be a business?

Many of us do.

I remember when I first started writing, and I discovered the Northern Colorado Writers organization.  At a seminar on magazine writing. Kerrie Flanagan, the heart of NCW, was teaching. She was wearing a sweatshirt (don’t know what color—I’m a guy) that had WRITER on it.

If my six-decade-old memory serves, she said she saw it early in her writing journey. Hesitating, she purchased it because she was a WRITER.  The symbolism hit home with me.

That session was more than a class on how to submit articles to magazines, at least for me.  It was a turning point.  The table tents we used for the class had our name and the words “successful writer “on them.  Wow, me a successful writer?  I was just starting out.

If you go to www.wordsbybob.com, my blog about humor in words, check the top of the page. That table tent is my page banner.  I wanted everyone (including myself) to know that I am a writer, darn it.

That class was probably three years ago.  I feel more successful now than I did then, but I sure have an interesting journey ahead of me. Last month, I took one more step on my writing trek.  I joined the Loveland Chamber of Commerce.  Yes, Words by Bob is a business.  I will be listed along with all other local stores, shops and online enterprises.  

Why did I take spend the money to do this?  Well, the obvious answer is for networking and exposure.  For now, it is to benefit my blogs, and later for me not-yet-written book. Plan ahead, right?

The other reason for joining such a group is that in my mind, it helps me to feel “legit.” No, I don’t just write for myself or to show a few friends.  I am a WRITER.

What will take you to the next level so you know you are the real deal?

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Speaking Of

Post by Jenny

Today we commemorate the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose speeches still humble and inspire us nearly 43 years after his death. As an orator, Dr. King combined eloquent writing with a passionate and persuasive delivery. His seventeen minute “I Have a Dream” speech, delivered in 1963, is woven into the very fabric of this country, and rightly so.

Great speeches stand the test of time. Time Magazine’s Top 10 Greatest Speeches goes back to the 4th century B.C. and the Apology of Socrates. Naturally, the list also includes “I Have a Dream.” But I know that, unlike Dr. King, not all speakers write their own speeches, and this list made me wonder…what about the less-recognized contributors throughout history? What about the speechwriters?

Writing something to be read aloud by someone else seems like a whole other ballgame to me. I have trouble putting words into my own mouth and can’t imagine trying to put them in, say, the President’s, especially in emotionally-charged times of triumph and tragedy. But speechwriters have a long, if rather unsung, history in American politics. (In his book of the same name, Robert Schlesinger calls presidential speechwriters White House Ghosts.)

Although previous presidents had help in the speechwriting department, Warren G. Harding was the first president to hire someone to do it full-time, a “literary clerk” named Judson Welliver. Apparently, he needed one. H.L. Mencken said of Harding’s inaugural address, “It reminds me of a string of wet sponges…of stale bean soup…of dogs barking idiotically through endless nights. It is so bad that a sort of grandeur creeps into it.” Ouch. But Mencken liked Welliver, whom he called “a journalist of the highest skill…who knows how to write simply and charmingly.”

Not all speechwriters fade into anonymity. Ben Stein (yes, the actor/game show host/lawyer/political commentator) wrote speeches for Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. Newsman Chris Matthews wrote for President Carter. Peggy Noonan wrote for Reagan and the elder Bush. But do you remember Michael Waldman (Clinton) or David Frum (G.W. Bush)? I didn’t.

When I hear amazing speeches such as “I Have a Dream” or JFK’s inaugural address, I am reminded to never underestimate the power of spoken words—or the person who wrote them, be it the speaker him/herself or one of the unsung Judson Wellivers of the world. (Mr. Welliver, I’m happy to say, has a society named after him, a bipartisan social club of former speechwriters.)

Do you have a favorite inspirational speech? Do you know who wrote it?

The 2011 Golden Globe Awards

Post by Trai

I suck at guessing the winners at the big awards, always have. I go with my heart, voting for whoever moved me the most. But rarely does that align with the politics that genuinely determine the winners. There are dozens of prognosticators on this issue, and kudos to them for their in-depth analysis, but here are my picks, based on what moved, excited or thrilled me in 2010.


BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA : THE SOCIAL NETWORK

“Black Swan” was a real honest-to-goodness movie – a story that couldn’t be told in any other medium but film, but give me razor-sharp social commentary and filmmaking any day of the week, in any medium.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA:” NATALIE PORTMAN, Black Swan

I don’t like Natalie in general, but she blew me away with this film. An astonishing achievement, both in her preparation and her skilled delivery of what artistic madness looks and feels like.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA: JESSE EISENBERG, The Social Network

Hard to love this absolute jerk, but there was no other performance for me this year that was so smart, so seamless, so determinedly self-possessed. And Zombieland was fun, too. A great year for Jesse.

BEST MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL: THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT
An easy choice, despite the quibbles I had with the contrived, dishonest plot complications.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL: EMMA STONE, Easy A

Yes, Annette will win, and deservedly so, but Emma Stone to me was a revelation, a true break out in this great, smart teen comedy. If you haven’t seen it, got get you some Emma. She’s the next big female comedy star.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL: None of those Nominated. Really? That’s the best list they could come up with this year?? Even two nominations for Johnny Depp feels knee-jerk and doesn’t make this year anything but a bunch of scene chomping from one of my favorite actors.

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM: TOY STORY 3

In any other year, it might well have been “Despicable Me” or “How to Train Your Dragon,” but this year, Toy Story 3 raised the bar even higher in an already great field.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE: Mila Kunis, Black Swan.

The other women in this category really broke out all the stops – accents, playing different classes, making the leap across the other pond, but Mila brought life and levity to a film that otherwise could have drowned in pretension.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE: Jeremy Renner, The Town

Except for Michael Douglas, this is an impossible category to call, but I have a terrible crush on Jeremy Renner, have since “28 Weeks Later,” so there you go.

BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE: Christopher Nolan, Inception

That “Inception” wasn’t included in the Best Film category tells me that nasty attitude about science fiction is stilling steering the judging in Hollywood, so they’ll give it to Christopher Nolan here in an attempt to beg forgiveness for their lame prejudice from this master filmmaker, deep thinker and huge moneymaker.

BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE: Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network

If they give Nolan the director’s award, this will go to Aaron Sorkin for “The Social Network.” Nolan can’t get both (the Academy doesn’t feel that bad about their disdain for sci-fi) whether he deserves them or not, and who’s to say Sorkin’s riveting dramatization of some intense research doesn’t deserve the prize?

What are your picks??

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This Week in the Writing World...January 14

by Brooke Favero

Why do I relate more to this kitten than my own characters right now? Oh wait I know, it's Friday. My eyes burn with tired trying to finish just one more scene. What keeps me up till 1:30 am? Putting my characters in peril. I love it.

What do you love most about writing?

Understanding the Industry and Market

Books without Borders? @ Pimp My Novel.

Two Households, Both Alike in Dignity @ Pimp My Novel.

Book Tour Lesson: Listen to Publisher @ Steve Laube.

The Four Stages of Chasing Markets by Tara Maya @ Stet!

Apps-ing @ Dystel & Goderich Literary Management.

Querying

How an Endorsement Can Help Land Your Book Deal @ Alan Rinzler.

Digital Media Queries @ BookEnds.

How Soon Do I Query Again? @ Kidlit.

Snooki's Six Simple Steps to Landing a Book Deal @ Grab a Pen.

Crafting

Planning for the Worst: Plotting for Your Antagonist @ The Other Side of the Story.

The Past Is Not Dead. It's Not Even OMG, Justin Beiber!!! @ Editorial Anonymous.

Style Blunders in Fiction @ The Blood-Red Pencil.

Turn Social Networking into Character Development @ Adventures in Children's Publishing.

Best of the Best: POV, Syntax, Symbolism, Writing Tips & Techniques @ Adventures in Children's Publishing.

Flashback Feud, Part 1 @ Writer Unboxed.

New Agents

New Agent Alert: Kimberly Perel of Wendy Sherman Associates @ Guide to Literary Agents.

Contests

8th "Dear Lucky Agent" Contest: Literary Fiction @ Guide to Literary Agents.

Laughs

Have You Combed Your Hair Today? A Vlog for All Writers @ Stet!

Word For The Year

Post by Kerrie Flanagan

At my writers group last week we were talking about our writing goals for 2011. One member of our group boldly stated that she doesn't have any, instead she has a word (or theme) for the year. For 2011, her word is Connect. She wants to grow her freelance and website business, so to do that, she is going to focus on connecting  with other people and businesses.

We all loved this idea of a word for the year, so we switched our focus from goals to thinking about our own words. One member said her word will be Finish. She has many unfinished projects that she wants to complete. Another member said his word is going to be Try. He is going to keep trying to get an agent or publisher for his book and keep trying to get his short stories and essays published.

My word is going to be Dream. I like to think big and this year I have some big dreams for my own writing and for Northern Colorado Writers. I am not quite ready to share these Dreams of mine, but I will when the time is right.

What is your word for the year?

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Moving at the Speed of Write

Post by Jenny

I’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate my husband (who is also a loyal reader of my blogs and an all-around great guy) on 22 years of employment with the same company. Twenty-two years is pretty impressive, but the company’s longevity is even more so. It began manufacturing engine speed controls way back in 1870. In a nutshell, a speed control, or governor, keeps an engine working at a regular, and hopefully optimal, speed.

Humans have speed controls, too. I joke with my older son that he should probably not pursue a career as a firefighter or EMT because, other than sports, it’s difficult to get him to move with any sense of urgency. By the same token, I know I tend to walk, talk, eat, clean, and do all those other repetitive activities, at the same pace.

This includes writing. And, just as I’m not a very fast runner (if you’re ever being chased by a bear, you want to have me with you), I’m also not a very fast writer. My typing speed is fine, my brain usually clicks along okay, but I reread a lot. I revise. I sit back and contemplate. I delete and rewrite the same thing and delete again.

I may not be as productive (in so very many ways) as Stephen King, who writes 2000 words every day. But I’m also not E.L. Doctorow, who said: "If I do one page I'm very happy; that's my day's work. If I do two, that's extraordinary. But there's always a danger to doing two, which is you can't come up with anything the next day."

So, what is the right speed to write? Unless a deadline is imminent—in which case I can ‘sprint’ if I have to—I don’t think there is one. Desire and dedication are more important. The idea is the sparkplug. The act of writing it keeps the engine going.

Confucius said, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Likewise, a writer’s journey begins with a single word. Maybe your writing style is speedy like a Ferrari or putts along like a Model-T—the important thing is to keep going, one word after another, until you reach your destination. (Yes, you may stop for coffee and bathroom breaks. And if it helps to imagine a bear chasing you, that’s okay, too.)

What’s your ‘speed of write’?

The Worst Job in Hollywood I Ever Had, Part 1.

Post by Trai

Someone who reads my blogs met me at a party and asked that if Hollywood was such a great time, why did I leave?

It occurred to me that I was slanting the view a bit for my readers – only showing the shiny, glossy, glamorous parts. Going on the assumption that you wouldn’t at all mind hearing some of the worst parts, here’s the story of one of the Worst Jobs I Ever Had in Hollywood.

I was 24 and a friend of mine, Dawn Wildsmith, the cult B-movie goddess from movies like “Surf Nazis Must Die,” hooked me up with my first real movie job: production assistant for her ex-husband, famous B-movie director Fred Ray. There was no budget on this straight-to-DVD hot mess, but it did have a big, if fading star: Marc Singer, known to most as the “Beastmaster” and the hero of TV’s original “V.”

On my first day I arrived maybe third (PA’s are always first in and last out) at our location: a beautiful Japanese garden in the Valley. I was given a Motorola walkie talkie and sent to the entrance, about a half mile away, to guide people to the set. “You there yet?” asked the Assistant Director over the speaker. “Yes,” I said, teeth chattering, perched on a big rock by a deserted road.

It was 7AM, I was sleepy and cold and seriously grumpy.

But I clutched that walkie talkie and my sign diligently, consoling myself with one of my oldest habits: talking to myself. I talk to myself constantly; some folks say it’s a stress reliever, and that morning I was stressed out. I kept telling myself how crazy this was – “I was a graduate of the NYU film school; what was I doing out here, earning $7 an hour flagging B-movie crew down in the freezing cold? My next job wasn’t going to suck nearly as bad as this one. Guess I was paying my dues…”

And on and on.

Then a car drove up from the direction of the set and the AD got out. He took the walkie talkie away from me and clicked a button.

“You have to release the talk button, or we just keep hearing what you’re saying,” he said and I about fell through the ground with horror. They’d heard all my whining and moaning and supercilious bitchery.

From that day on, I was more dedicated than ever to my job – never complained, always smiled, always did what was asked and I stopped talking to myself.

But it was too late. Their impression of my bad attitude was already cemented. If I hadn’t been Dawn’s friend, I’m sure they would have fired me.

Was I happy to be on that set? Sometimes. When I was working 18 hour days with bronchitis, so delirious driving home, I was a danger to myself and everyone around me, not at all. When we were staging the big shoot-out on the same set “Cagney and Lacey” used to shoot on, and I got to yell out “Fire in the hole!” all day to warn everyone guns were about to go off – you bet!

But I learned two important lessons that day: one, no one wants to hear you complain, especially if they’re the ones giving you a break, no matter who shabby or back-breaking that break is; and two, production work wasn’t for me. I got an office job after we wrapped.

Nothing like immature self-embarrassment to help you learn how to be a better worker, and I carried that lesson with me to every job thereafter, including my most important ones – the ones when producers and agents were telling me they weren’t sold on my writing. I never complained; I just got to work. There’s a lesson for us all to be had on that craptastic B-movie set, one of the worst Hollywood jobs I ever had.

Did you ever learn a lesson at work that has helped you learn to be a better professional writer?

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This Week in the Writing World...January 7

by Brooke Favero

Back to life, back to routine, is writing part of yours? It seems this week the blogs are full of encouragement and get-crack'n advice. But has anyone else noticed many blogging agents are closed to querying right now? I hope this isn't a trend and is more a coincidence. Rachelle Gardner's stats for 2010 were a bit disheartening. What I learned: network is everything. I plan to broaden my network this March at the NCW Conference. What about you?

Understanding the Industry and Market

Guest Post: Print is Killing Publishing @ Pimp My Novel.

21st Century Wack-A-Mole @ Pub Rants.

Another Reason You Want to be on Twitter @ Janet Reid.

Amazon Gives Bookscan to Authors @ Editorial Anonymous.

How to Write a Good Blog Comment @ Nathan Bransford.

Querying

Agent Suzie Townsend Puts Out Call for Adult Ficiton @ Guide to Literary Agents.

Finding an Editor @ BookEnds.

How to Avoid Getting an Agent @ Rachelle Gardner.

When Publishing Dreams Become a Nightmare @ Rachelle Gardner.

How Much to Sell Yourself? @ Kidlit.

The Yellow Brick Road or How I Got Published by Barbra Annino @ STET!

Crafting

Unlikeable Characters @ BookEnds.

How to Respond to Copyeditors' Marks @ Editorial Anonymous.

Goal-Setting for Writers @ The Blood-Red Pencil.

Five Favourite Love Stories and Why They Work @ Writer Unboxed.

Who is That Guy? Discovering Your Characters @ The Other Side of the Story.

A Writer's Plot Board: Getting Organized @ Adventures in Children's Publishing.

Setting up Setting @ Edittorrent.

5 Really Exciting Ways to Use a Semicolon @ Grab a Pen.

New Agent

New Agent Alert: Jacqueline Murphy of Inkwell Management @ Guide to Literary Agents.

Six Impossible Things

Post by Jenny

It’s the New Year, and the blogosphere is teeming with resolutions. In 2010, so much—well, let’s call it ‘debris’—hit the fan that we’re all ready for a clean, fresh start. And I think this national January pastime of resolution-making is particularly compelling for writers. Starting a new project, completing an old one, editing, querying, classes, conferences—we have no shortage of goal-worthy pursuits. (Read Brooke's and Trai's recent posts for a resolution kick-start.)

I usually make resolutions. This year, however, I’m trying something different, inspired by Tim Burton’s reimagining of Alice in Wonderland. Early in the movie, when Alice remarks to her stick-in-the-mud potential fiancée that she wonders what it would be like to fly, he asks her why she would spend time thinking of such an impossible thing. She can’t imagine why she wouldn’t and tells him that her late father sometimes believed in six impossible things even before breakfast.

Near the end of the movie, as Alice battles the ferocious Jabberwocky, she gathers her courage by reminding herself to believe in six impossible things. “One: there’s a potion that can make you shrink. Two: and a cake that can make you grow. Three: animals can talk. Four: cats can disappear. Five: there’s a place called Wonderland. Six: I can slay the Jabberwocky.”

Of course, she does slay the beast. Then she returns to tell the dull Seamus that she won’t marry him. Instead, she embarks on an exciting new business adventure with her father’s friend.

Inspired by Alice’s moxie, I’ve decided that instead of making resolutions this year, I will believe in six impossible things every day before breakfast. For example:

1. Chocolate can make me thin;
2. I can win a million dollars just by using my Discover Card;
3. My kitchen can stay clean for longer than five minutes;
4. I can master time management;
5. With the right shampoo, my hair can look like Jennifer Aniston’s; and
6. I can vanquish the dreaded slush pile like my own personal Jabberwocky.

My rational mind knows that the odds of these things happening might not be in my favor—and probably a kajillion-to-one for #2—but there’s something very liberating about giving myself permission to be open to the idea that anything can happen. As Alice’s father says, “The only way to achieve the impossible is to believe it is possible.”

What impossible things will you believe in this year?

Top 11 Writer’s Resolutions

Post by Trai

Happy New Year, writers! There is no doubt in my mind that you each are making resolutions to become the amazing, prodigious writers you each are capable of, and I’m right there with you.

So for 2011, here’s a list of the Top 11 Writer’s Resolutions you can choose from, or tailor to your own devices:

11. Stop procrastinating. This ranges from checking email and Facebook compulsively to never even sitting down at the computer because there’s always something else that needs doing. My advice: don’t aim to try to quit cold turkey. Just one day at a time: surprise yourself, just plop down and get a little work done. It’ll feel so good, it might just become your new addiction.

10. Meet a word count. The trick to this is not to make the word count too intimidating. I did NaNoWriMo this year, but do I think I could do hit 50K every month? No way. But I sure can hit 5,000 words in a month. In fact, I might sit down to jam out 500 words one day, and surprise myself with pounding out 3000.

9. Finish that book. Finishing A Book is a tall order for anyone, even the pros. So how about looking harder at #10, be diligent and before you know it, you’ll have gotten much further than you could have guessed, and won’t carry the quilt of not Finishing A Book.

8. Hire an editor. Everyone should have a pro read their stuff before they take their shot at the market; it could be the best money you ever spend to help you in your writerly goals.

7. Write something totally outside of your comfort zone. I wrote a romance short story the other day. It sucked. But this is what I learned: my sensibilities tend toward the intellectual, and I could use more emotional connections between my characters. A great lesson to learn, one that will translate to all my writing. Writing outside of your comfort zone will teach you surprising things about your writing.

6. Take classes. Classes can offer many “ah ha” moments, but they also serve the purpose of keeping your mind turned to your mission. It might also help you expand that all important writer’s community.

5. Find a writer’s group. Some writer’s groups are so great, they take the place of an editor, a psychiatrist and a life coach. They are great ways to enforce a deadline and help you develop your craft, and learning to critique other’s work is a vital part of being a writer. Plus, community = good.

4. Take your work to market. There’s nothing like a publication, or even just professional feedback, to make you feel more like a writer.

3. Find an agent. If you’ve got a completed book of poetry or fiction, or a nonfiction proposal, it is imperative you go look for an agent. However, you don’t have to make it intimidating. Like your word count, just sneak out a letter or two while your critical internal editor or terrified inner child isn’t looking.

2. Figure out what it is you want to write. Seems obvious, doesn’t it? But for many writers, we get stuck writing in genres that don’t excite us, or in mediums that don’t show our skills to their best advantage. What story has you thinking about it when you go to bed and when you get up in the morning? Follow the heat, no matter what it is.

1. Live the writer’s life.  Even if you do just two or three of the above, you’ll already be living the writer’s life. This is it, friends – this is what writers do. So use 2011 to really embrace the joys and master the frustrations of our chosen field. Facebook can wait.

Have a wonderful, productive, successful 2011, and be sure to tell us at NCW all about your successes and your resolutions – we want to hear!

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