text:
Equality review highlights issue of homophobic bullying
Post your comment
Comments on this article are now closed.
Reader comments
Tony, you wrote an excellent article then shot yourself in the head out of sheer stupidity. Do you want to be taken seriously or not?Your statement: "We got what we asked for, we got equality in marriage …" Bullshit. I'm so tired of reading crap like this from mealy-mouthed apologists. Are you sure you're the man to call for an effort to stem gay bullying in the schools?You didn't get marriage equality my friend you got marriage inequality. Gays can't get married under UK law, marriage is for heterosexuals only.What the UK introduced several months ago with its civil partnerships is an analogous set of laws that govern homosexual relationships. Rather than let you get married like everybody else your government created a form of apartheid: one set of laws for heterosexuals another for homosexuals. This is that vulgar 'separate but equal' principle Americans discarded half a century ago.I don't give a shit how crappy life in the UK was for homosexuals before and how civil partnerships must seem like the Second Coming to you rights starved folks, but you do not have marriage equality yet. Perhaps the next generation can pick up the ball where you dropped it and finish the job. Meanwhile stop bragging about gays having 'marriage equality' in the UK.
'separate but equal' principle Americans discarded half a century ago.Huh?
thats so true. i'm so glad i'm not the only one who feel partronised by civil partnerships- are there many of us?
True civil partnerships are not marriage – it is still discrimination.But I don't think we should ignore the substantive issue of Tony Grew's article – helping to stop homophobic bullying in school.
These comments are un-moderated and do not necessarily represent the views of PinkNews.co.uk. If you believe that a comment is inappropriate or libellous, please contact us.
Most commented this week
- Former UKIP deputy leader: Gays sleep with up to 20,000 people in their 'short, miserable lives' 158
- Stonewall CEO attacks 'posh, rich, white Western gays' over Brunei boycott 144
- London mayoral hopeful Ivan Massow: Gay men don't know how to behave 136
- Tory deputy chair: Pride march is 'a bunch of puffs mincing across town' 103
- Northern Ireland: DUP to introduce bill to exempt religious people from equality laws 86
- Former Bishop of Rochester: Lesbians raising children leads to 'delinquency' 69
- Are you born gay or is it a choice? Scientists might have found the answer 63
- London university bans preacher who says gays are 'obscene and filthy' 59
- US: Dead trans woman 'dressed as a man' for open casket funeral 49
- Anti-gay Christian film star begging fans for positive reviews 45


text:
Wiki Headlines
18th Nov: We've switched servers and will be updating the old code over the next couple months, meaning that several things might break. Please report issues here.
Total posts: [28] 1
Does Not Illustrate: Trying To Catch Me Fighting Dirty get usage counts
26 Willbyr, Wed, 18th Jul '12 10:26:36 AM from North Little Rock, AR Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Anime-ted"Float like a butterfly, sting like a horse!"
edited 19th Jul '12 6:59:07 AM by Willbyr
27 rodneyAnonymous, Wed, 18th Jul '12 2:21:45 PM from empty space
Becky: Who are you? The Mysterious Stranger: An angel.
Huck: What's your name? The Mysterious Stranger: Satan.
28 Willbyr, Sat, 21st Jul '12 7:28:03 AM from North Little Rock, AR Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
The system doesn't know you right now, so no post button for you.
You need to Get Known to get one of those.
Total posts: 28
TV Tropes by TV Tropes Foundation, LLC is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available from email@example.com.
Privacy Policy

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood Jobs & Careers
Associate Medical Director
Planned Parenthood – El Centro, CA
Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest has been voted one of the best places to work by San Diego Magazine and the San Diego Union-Tribune. In… HealtheCareers
Senior Project Manager, Project Management Office (Contract)
Planned Parenthood – Los Angeles, CA
Planned Parenthood Los Angeles is the largest provider of reproductive healthcare in the Los Angeles operating 19 health centers and growing… Planned Parenthood
Senior Programmer/Analyst
Planned Parenthood – Los Angeles, CA +2 locations
PURPOSE OF POSITION: Accomplishes software requirements by developing and maintaining applications and databases. Provide systems expertise… Planned Parenthood
Medical Records Specialist
Planned Parenthood – Los Angeles, CA
PURPOSE OF POSITION: This position is responsible for the confidential maintenance, processing, and/or preservation of medical records, data and/or… Planned Parenthood
Regional Health Center Manager
Planned Parenthood – Los Angeles, CA
PURPOSE OF POSITION: The Center Manager has overall responsibility for two (2) Health Centers in the Los Angeles area to ensure efficient… Planned Parenthood
Director of Communications & Marketing
Planned Parenthood – Los Angeles, CA
PURPOSE OF POSITION: The Director of Communications & Marketing is responsible for directing internal and external communications strategies in… Planned Parenthood
Public Affairs/Marketing Administrative Assistant (Temporary)
Planned Parenthood – Los Angeles, CA
PURPOSE OF POSITION: Provide administrative support to the Public Affairs Department. Assist department in implementing a public affairs strategy… Planned Parenthood
Director of Revenue Cycle Management
Planned Parenthood – Los Angeles, CA
Planned Parenthood Los Angeles is seeking a well-organized individual with excellent communication and leadership skills to join the Finance… Planned Parenthood
NP/PA Associate Medical Director
Planned Parenthood – Los Angeles, CA
The Clinician will join the Client Service team and provide quality reproductive health care services including exams, diagnosis, treatment… Planned Parenthood
Certified Medical Assistant III
Planned Parenthood – Palmdale, CA +2 locations
PURPOSE OF POSITION: Intermediate level position responsible for all supporting functions in the delivery of reproductive health care, primary care… Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood Photos
Planned Parenthood Reviews
"I absolutely love working for this amazing organization. "
- Comp & Benefits
- Work/Life Balance
- Senior Management
- Culture & Values
- Career Opportunities
I have been working at Planned Parenthood full-time (more than 3 years)Pros
Passionate leadership, competitive salary, fulfilling work. Company provides tons of paid time off, and recognizes young talent. Company is progressive and very politically correct. High moral values, a very great place that will accept you for who you are. Strong women run the show at Planned Parenthood!Cons
It is a non-profit, so pay is not exactly the highest! You have to really go above and beyond to get a raise, and jobs can be at risk due to budget cuts.RecommendsPositive OutlookApproves of CEO


text:
Remember Me
The U.S. leads the pack in the percentage of older adults who have trouble paying their medical bills.
A number of insurers, including The Hartford, Allianz Life, ACE Limited, Alleghany Corp., Baldwin& Lyons Inc., Cincinnati Financial Corp., Enstar, and State Auto Financial Corp., have begun to release their financial results for Q3 2012...
Insiders know more, are better prepared and generally more successful. Today's top advisors subscribe to our premium newsletter to ensure that they don't miss out the most important industry changes that are happening in real time. Starting at $8.95/Mo.


text:
A new pre-season in League of Legends is upon us. And with it comes developer Riot Games' promise of... Read More
Destiny's PvP-centric event, The Iron Banner, has returned. And this time, your power really does matter; at least... Read More
Following today's release of major Destiny update 1.0.3, Bungie has announced that the new and improved Iron Banner... Read More
Welcome to another Friday edition of "Where is Xur" in Destiny. Yes, the Agent of the Nine is back again, and... Read More


text: Strict Standards: Redefining already defined constructor for class XML_Parser in /home/sites/www.americanpoems.com/web/store/aom/includes/os.php on line 1188 Strict Standards: Declaration of XML_Parser::raiseError() should be compatible with PEAR::raiseError($message = NULL, $code = NULL, $mode = NULL, $options = NULL, $userinfo = NULL, $error_class = NULL, $skipmsg = false) in /home/sites/www.americanpoems.com/web/store/aom/includes/os.php on line 1604 Strict Standards: Declaration of XML_Unserializer::startHandler() should be compatible with XML_Parser::startHandler($xp, $elem, &$attribs) in /home/sites/www.americanpoems.com/web/store/aom/includes/os.php on line 3503 Strict Standards: Declaration of Cache_Lite_File::get() should be compatible with Cache_Lite::get($id, $group = 'default', $doNotTestCacheValidity = false) in /home/sites/www.americanpoems.com/web/store/aom/includes/cache.php on line 1020 American Poems: Books: The Wound Dresser: A Series of Letters by Walt Whitman during the Civil War Home Apparel Appliances Books DVD Electronics Home & Garden Kindle eBooks Magazines Music Outdoor Living Software Tools & Hardware PC & Video Games Search All Products Apparel Appliances Arts & Crafts Automotive Baby Beauty Books Computers DVD Electronics Gourmet Food Grocery Health Home & Garden Industrial & Science Jewelry Kindle eBooks Kitchen Magazines Miscellaneous Mobile Apps MP3 Downloads Music Musical Instruments Office Products Outdoor Living Pet Supplies Photo & Camera Shoes Software Sporting Goods Tools & Hardware Toys VHS Video On Demand PC & Video Games Watches Wireless Wireless Accessories Advanced Search Sitemap View Cart Checkout Location: Home » Books » The Wound Dresser: A Series of Letters by Walt Whitman during the Civil War The Wound Dresser: A Series of Letters by Walt Whitman during the Civil War enlarge Other Views: Author:Walt Whitman Brand:Brand: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform Category:Book List Price: $12.95 Buy New: $9.61 as of 11/28/2014 14:20 EST details You Save: $3.34 (26%) In Stock New (12) Used (6) from $9.61 Seller:pbshopus Sales Rank:1,095,521 Languages:English (Unknown), English (Original Language), English (Published) Media:Paperback Number Of Items:1 Pages:150 Shipping Weight (lbs):4600 Dimensions (in):6 x 0.3 x 9 Publication Date:June 5, 2012 ISBN:1477596747 EAN:9781477596746 ASIN:1477596747 Availability:Usually ships in 1-2 business days Features: Used Book in Good Condition Similar Items: Memoranda During the War: Civil War Journals, 1863-1865 (Dover Books on Americana) Editorial Reviews: SynopsisThe Wound Dresser by Walt Whitman is a series of letters written by Whitman from the hospitals in Washington during the War of the Rebellion (The Civil War). Enjoy this complete version of Walt Whitman's letters and gain insight into the mind of one of America's great authors during one of America's most trying times. Enjoy The Wound Dresser by Walt Whitman today! CERTAIN CONTENT THAT APPEARS ON THIS SITE COMES FROM AMAZON SERVICES LLC. THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED 'AS IS' AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE OR REMOVAL AT ANY TIME. Brought to you by American Poems Categories •Apparel •Appliances •Arts & Crafts •Automotive •Baby •Beauty •Books •Computers •DVD •Electronics •Gourmet Food •Grocery •Health •Home & Garden •Industrial & Science •Jewelry •Kindle eBooks •Kitchen •Magazines •Miscellaneous •Mobile Apps •MP3 Downloads •Music •Musical Instruments •Office Products •Outdoor Living •Pet Supplies •Photo & Camera •Shoes •Software •Sporting Goods •Tools & Hardware •Toys •VHS •Video On Demand •PC & Video Games •Watches •Wireless •Wireless Accessories Subcategories Military •Afghan & Iraq Wars •American Civil War •American Revolution •Vietnam War •World War I •World War II Literature •American Literature •Creative Writing & Composition •English Literature •Literary Theory •World Literature Related Categories •Military Leaders & Notable People Biographies & Memoirs Subjects Books •Criticism & Theory History & Criticism Literature & Fiction Subjects Books •Poetry Genres & Styles History & Criticism Literature & Fiction Subjects •Literature Humanities New, Used & Rental Textbooks Specialty Boutique Books


text:
The jury in the murder trial Jayden Parkinson's killer will go on a site visit this morning.
Ben Blakeley, formerly of Christchurch Road, Reading, admits manslaughter and perverting the course of justice, but denies murdering his 17-year-old ex-girlfriend on December 3 last year.
He is on trial alongside a 17-year-old who admits perverting the course of justice but denies one count of preventing a lawful burial. The trial continues.
• You can subscribe to get alerts on the Jayden trial direct to your phone via our new WhatsApp service. Text JAYDEN and your full name to 07767 417704. Save the number in to your phone as Oxford Mail WhatsApp and ensure you have WhatsApp installed.
Our top stories
Speed limit to be cut to 50mph along stretch of A34 from December 1
5:10pm Tuesday 25th November 2014
THE speed limit on a stretch of the A34 will be cut to 50mph for six months to allow drainage work to be carried out.
Colourful theme for fundraiser's funeral
5:00pm Tuesday 25th November 2014
A MUSCULAR dystrophy sufferer who raised funds in the fight against the disease has died aged 27.
Delays on trains from London Paddington to Oxford due to signalling problems at Ealing Broadway
3:21pm Tuesday 25th November 2014
TRAIN services from London Paddington to Oxford are being affected by cancellations and half-hour delays as a result of signalling problems.
What's in our interactive back page today?
12:04pm Tuesday 25th November 2014
Check out what is in our interactive back page today...
Updated: Traffic lights back on after crash in Abingdon Road
8:41am Tuesday 25th November 2014
The traffic lights are not working on the A4144 Abingdon Road at B4495 Weirs Lane.
What is in our interactive front page for today?
10:38am Tuesday 25th November 2014
Here's today's interactive front page, with live links to the featured stories and also the latest headlines constantly updated


text:
Review Summary
Pro Tour® Logo Concho Belt
$39.99 Original Price $40.00
Savings: $0.01 (0%)
- 1.25-in. W
- Buy belt one size up from pant size
- Leather
- Imported
Shipping your purchase is easy on belk.com. Depending on the destination of your package, you can expect it to arrive within 4-7 business days. Shipping Information
Returns are easy on belk.com. Easy returns


text:
The pilot of a domestic US flight has been suspended after failing an alcohol test as he prepared to fly.
Forty-eight year old Kolbjorn Jarle Kristiansen aroused the suspicion of security agents who smelled alcohol on him while travelling in a lift together.
The flight was delayed for two and a half hours while another pilot was found.
Officials say they are waiting for the results of blood tests before deciding whether to charge Kristiansen.
Copyright © 2014 euronewsMore about:
- 1Kim Jong-un hands high ranking Pyongyang position to his younger sister
- 2Watch: Passengers 'push-start' frozen plane in Siberia
- 3Italy: Tourist fined 20,000 euros for damaging Rome's Colosseum
- 4Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes dies two days after being hit by ball
- 5Thanksgiving turkey pardoned by president
- 1Watch: Passengers 'push-start' frozen plane in Siberia
- 2Putin denies he wants to create a new Iron Curtain
- 3Turkish President sparks row by saying women are not equal to men
- 4Clashes as Hong Kong protesters try to regain lost ground
- 5Irony as organised crime prosecutor arrested for corruption in Romania
- 1euronews live TV - News | euronews : the latest international news as video on demand
- 2Sweden becomes first EU country to recognise the Palestinian State | euronews, world news
- 3Italy swamped by flash floods | euronews, world news
- 4Back to School for Romania's new First Lady | euronews, world news
- 5What will you ask US Senator John McCain? | euronews, world news
- 6Turkish president Erdogan unveils his new palace of a thousand rooms | euronews, world news
- 7Watch: Passengers 'push-start' frozen plane in Siberia | euronews, world news
- 8India PM Modi appoints Yoga minister | euronews, world news
- 9[Live] Rosetta's Philae lands on comet 67P and enters the history books | euronews, world news
- 10Vladimir Putin most powerful man in the world – Forbes | euronews, world news
- 11European e-revolution people rise up | euronews, world news
- 12International tv news | euronews: European and International tv news bulletin
- 13Where is the best place in Europe for women? | euronews, world news
- 14Nadia Comaneci: gymnast of perfection and defector | euronews, the global conversation
- 15euronews apps : iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows Phone 8, Windows 8, Nokia S40, Nokia Asha, Smart TV and Google Glass
- 16Putin plans to leave G20 talks early amid Ukraine pressure | euronews, world news
- 17Irony as organised crime prosecutor arrested for corruption in Romania | euronews, world news
- 18International breaking news | euronews online world breaking news in video
- 19Transcript of hanged Iranian woman's final message released | euronews, world news
- 20Syria: Islamic extremists pledge to press ahead with battle for Kobani | euronews, world news
Wires > News
- 23:37 CET Ivory Coast seizes two Chinese trawlers in fishing dispute
- 23:10 CET Argentina charges HSBC with aiding tax evasion via Swiss accounts
- 23:04 CET Pope to urge tolerance in Turkey visit as Middle East wars rage
- 23:01 CET EU's Juncker survives no-confidence vote over tax deals
- 22:17 CET France warns African leaders against trying to keep power
- 22:04 CET Taliban kill five in Kabul in attacks on British embassy car…
- 22:03 CET Can man-of-the-people Widodo micromanage 240 million Indonesians?
- 21:56 CET At least 133 killed in tribal clashes in Sudan – tribe leader


text:
Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Offwhere can i buy this?
Digging: St. Vincent - St. Vincent
Album Rating: 4.0Dude, better than Change of Seasons? Influenced by Xenakis? I can't believe I haven't heard of this album. You've set the bar really high. I will definitely listen to this album. Great review.
Digging: Witchfynde - Give 'em Hell
these guys worth checkin out
Digging: Autechre - LP5
Album Rating: 3.5no
Digging: Steve Hackett - Out of the Tunnel's Mouth
aight thx
Album Rating: 4.0I apologize for not being as enthusiastic as most people here but this isn't better than a Change of Seasons. It's an excellent album, but not even close.
Album Rating: 5.0This is the greatest album/song of all time. Absolutely no question here whatsoever. This song changed my life.
only giving this a 3.5
Album Rating: 4.5if you listen to it at least twice, you'll realize it's not just another album out there
You can find Korean/Japanese imports on eBay but they're like £30 each.
Albung is amaziungh
Digging: Olivier Messiaen - Quatuor pour la fin du temps, I/22
Album Rating: 4.5yeah
Album Rating: 5.0best album ever, shitheads
Album Rating: 4.5rules
Album Rating: 4.0This album is nothing compared to Brue Brah.
Album Rating: 4.5Yeah, agreed, Brue Brahd is their best, but this is pretty fucking amazing as well. As a single song, this is definitely Yoshiki's most impressive work.
This is so unbelievably overrated it's laughable. 3.5 at best.
Album Rating: 5.04.5 at worst
Album Rating: 4.5nope
Album Rating: 4.5this is justtt orgasmic
Bands: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z


text:
4.7 out of 5 (7 reviews)
5.0 out of 5 (2 reviews)
3.5 out of 5 (8 reviews)
Italy's fourth-largest lake lies amid olive groves and quiet farmland rich in wildlife. Pleasure boats ply to offshore islands or fish for eels, and shingly beaches line the reed-fringed shores. The fortified town of Castiglione del Lago is one of Trasimeno's most popular resorts, its castle a setting for summer concerts.
Browse Expedia and book a room at one of the upscale hotels in Lake Trasimeno to bask in the royal treatment, or check out the boutique-inspired Lake Trasimeno, Perugia hotels if you're interested in something truly unique. You'll even find cheap Lake Trasimeno hotel deals and discounts right here on Expedia that let you stay in the heart of the city for the lowest rates around.
Pack your bags, grab your itinerary, and get ready for the getaway of a lifetime; with the hotels in Lake Trasimeno, Perugia, you'll be on your way to a budget-friendly vacation faster than you can say cheap deal. Browse Expedia's specials and secure yourself a great deal today.


text:
Many years ago I attended a writing conference and one of the authors recommended writing your entire story, then throwing it away and writing it again. The rationale was that writing the first time was to help you get to know the characters. Writing the second time was to finesse it and tease out your […]
Viewing: Blog Posts Tagged with: writing inspiration, Most Recent at Top [Help]
Results 1 - 25 of 118
Blog: Write About Now (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Wish You Weren't, writing, writing inspiration, writing journey, editing, first draft, novel writing, outlines, outlining, rewriting, Add a tag
Blog: Musings of a Novelista (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Writer Journey, Writing Inspiration, Add a tag
During my July hiatus, several things have started to click together for the benefit of my writing.
I finished the 18-month stint of a major software project, which frees up more time for me to work on the novel and I've decided to put the house up for sale! I have about a 2-3 hour daily commute and it's been a drain to say the least. So now that the real estate market is in my favor, I will have an opportunity to move closer to the city. So excited!
One thing I've been thinking a lot about lately is the writer journey. How as writers we go through the valleys and peaks and then maybe stumble and have to work hard to find our way again. This summer I've had several conversations with writer friends about envy, disappointment, and disillusionment.
I always try to steer myself back to one of the things I want to do LESS of in 2014: Compare myself to other people.
I've been on my writing journey for a while but started seriously 5 years ago when I started this blog. Within this timeframe, this has been the journey of some other writers:
- Has published several books and just signed another multi-book deal.
- Has struggled with getting better at writing but lacks time and money.
- Has become a mainstay on the New York Bestsellers list.
- Has made the painful decision to stop writing.
- Has worked hard and now on the verge of a major breakthrough.
I'm sure if you were to create a list, you would have the same varied experiences of writers that started within the same time frame of your journey as well. You could compare yourself to the list and be left feeling smug, indifferent, jealous or depressed.
The thing is all of those writers had different paths. Paths based on different wants, needs, priorities, opportunities, privileges, and luck.
Those paths are not your path. It's not your writer journey.
Never forget: You are the only one in the Universe that can write the words for the story that needs to be told.
No one else.
No matter how long it's been or how long it takes.
Never give up on your journey to be the best writer you can be.
Karen, this brought tears to my eyes. It was exactly what I needed to hear. Why is it so hard to remember this? Your last two lines really hit me. I'm gonna share this with my Austin writing buddies b/c we were all feeling a little discouraged at our weekly get-together last night.
But apart from that, good luck with selling you house! I hope it works out and that your commute becomes much more manageable!
This post brought tears to my eyes. I wish more than anything that all my writer friends could embrace this. It is a monumentally hard and heartbreaking journey, the hardest part of which is getting up, dusting ourselves off, and trying again. But we never know what lies around the bend so if we don't keep going, keep trying, we could be missing out on our big moment. Thank you for this wonderful post!
I have to tell myself this every time I get caught up in comparison. It is a losing battle and nothing ever comes good out of it.
So glad that this post was able to inspire you. Don't give up — you have a beautiful, lyrical way to your writing that I love and that must be shared with the world.
I try to embrace it as much as I can — but it can be SO hard.
We've been on this writing journey together and we are not going to give up! You have a tremendous imagination and I'm awed by your world-building techniques and story lines — and it is a gift to read.
I've got to get back into mine, now that the move is mostly finished and I can settle back into some routine. Thanks for the inspiration.
The "2-3 hour daily commute"
I like your "Never Forget" tips.
Thanks for a great post!
Blog: Musings of a Novelista (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Writer Journey, Writing Inspiration, Sara Zarr, Stephanie Kuehn, This Creative Life, Add a tag
Hope everyone's writing is going well.
For me, I'm struggling with the logic of the ending and some other plot points of my current novel project. I'm happy with some results and not so happy with some other things.
If you follow me on Twitter, you already know that I'm struggling with Chapter 12. That stupid, stupid chapter. No, it doesn't seem I'm bitter at all, does it? Ha.
Looking at my list of "Doing Less in 2014" one item was trying to be perfect at everything. At the end of the day, this book won't be perfect and it's a stress maker trying to make it so. I'm learning that sometimes you just have to do your best and move on.
Also looking at my list of "Doing More in 2014" one item is writing from the heart. Yesterday on my commute, I listened to the latest podcast of This Creative Life featuring Stephanie Kuehn. This podcast is hosted by Sara Zarr, who is the author of one of my favorite YA novels, Story of a Girl.
Stephanie talked about her road to publication and how she wrote previous novels, worked with a previous agent, and basically got a little disheartened about the whole process. She also kept hearing at writing conferences about what sold well when it came to male protagonists.
It wasn't until she cancelled out everything she heard and began to write for herself. Not only the result was the award winning Charm & Strange, but for also a lesson of just writing from your heart and not so much writing for publication.
Another item of my "Doing Less in 2014" – thinking publication is the answer. Publication is a goal to strive for but not a desperation that overwhelms you and makes you write for an audience that others tell you will make your novel a bestseller. You must write the story you want to write. The story of your heart. The story you are meant to tell.
It won't be easy but it will be worth it.
Fantastic post! I'm going to have to start listening to that podcast!
Your last paragraph hits so close to home. It's a struggle to remember that publication is a goal and not the end all be all to writing. Thanks for the reminder, and stay strong with your revisions! I have no doubt that you'll figure it out and work through whatever it is that's stumping you. <3
I agree with this and have reached the same conclusion. My favorite novels were ones where story came first, not the rules of how to get published. Honestly, that's what I strive for. Yes, we should write for our audience, but we more need to write for ourselves some time, without thinking about the after.
I think you would love listening to this podcast. Sara Zarr is so real when it comes to the creative craft and she does excellent interviews. As for my revisions, I'll keep at it until it clicks for me. It's probably all up in there in my subconscious.
Yeah, it's easy to get caught up in what the market wants but we spend so much time with our stories, it's a much better experience when you write the story you want.
I hope that you're enjoying the warm weather after such a yucky winter. :)
I'm trying to follow this advice for my current WIP. It's a quiet book (like my first) and there's a chance it won't be "big" enough to sell, but I really love it and want to see it through. Good luck with your novel!
I love Sara Zarr's podcast and I'm looking forward to hearing her interview with Stephanie Kuehn.
Blog: Musings of a Novelista (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Writing Inspiration, Add a tag
Since my beloved Google Reader died and went to tech heaven, I've been using Feedly, which keeps me sane by helping me organize all of the various articles, blogs, and Tumblrs that I want to read.
This week I've found some inspirational posts that I thought I would share with you.
Stacia Brown, Levels to This: One Week at WaPo:
"There is nothing wrong with the slow rise, the circuitous, meandering exploration of many paths. We are not all meant to be meteors. Some of us are satellites: we hover, capture, study. We wait. There is no shame in it."
Joshunda Saunders, Poem: For Writers
"No one is coming to proclaim your talent rough or refined.
You are your only true nemesis,
a house divided against its productivity."
Have you read anything recently that has been inspiring to you? I would love to hear about it.
Blog: Adventures in Children's Publishing (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Question of the Week, Writing Inspiration, Add a tag
Hey everyone! Clara Kensie here. Pretty much the only thing writers love as much as books and writing is talking about books and writing. So each week at Adventures in YA Publishing, we'll post a question for you to answer. The questions cover all topics important to writers: craft, career, writers' life, reading and books. Together we'll become better writers by sharing tips and discussing our habits and practices.
Jan Lewis: Yes! I gave up on writing when I was pregnant with my youngest. Between the exhaustion and the morning sickness that lasted the entire pregnancy, I just didn't have the energy for it. And of course while I wasn't writing, the doubts crept in. "Am I really a writer if I haven't written for a year? Maybe I don't have what it takes." What brought me back? Martina did.
Martina Boone: This is one of the biggest regrets of my life. I am horrible about trusting myself. I started writing seriously when my son was a baby, and I wrote a few picture books that came close to publication. I snagged a wonderful agent, a superstar agent, who intimidated the crap out of me. And then I decided to write an adult novel. My first adult novel. Without a clue what the heck I was doing. Seat of the pants stuff.
Needless to say, my superstar agent dropped me after reading it, without saying why or providing any feedback. I was devastated and figured I wasn't meant to be a writer. We were short on money then too, so I started a business and worked about 18 hours a day for a while on top of having two little kids. I told myself that I was too busy to write. I made all kinds of excuses. Then my daughter started reading young adult books, and I fell in love with the genre and started to dip a toe back in. I started Adventures in YA Publishing to learn how to write an actual novel, and I'm still learning from our wonderful guest authors and from Clara, Lisa, and Jan. Not to mention all the wonderful bloggers and authors online. If you want to be a writer, if you want to write a book, if you want to reach people because you have something to say, then here's my advice. DON'T give up. Don't diminish your dreams. Write and you're a writer, even if you're only managing to write 50 words a day.
Lisa Gail Green: We've all had those feelings that surface when we reach the bottom of the roller coaster where we feel like throwing in the towel. But if you do that then you can NEVER achieve your dreams, so why not try? I am, have always been, and will always be a proponent of encouraging others to work hard and keep trying. I've had points in my life where I put writing on hold, but I hadn't truly committed yet. Since I started doing it seriously? No. I have come close as anyone, but have not quit. I've kept moving forward, sometimes at a slower pace than others, like when I had my third child, but I've never given up and I have no plans to!
Clara Kensie: I met with some author friends recently, and we discussed this topic. The takeaway from that discussion was a quote from author R.A. Salvatore: "If you can quit, then quit. If you can't quit, then you are a writer." That quote really resonated with me. Yes, there have been times I've wanted to quit. Times when I wonder why I got myself into this. Times when I wonder if the struggle is worth it. Last February, my agent (the amazing Laura Bradford) was the unfortunate recipient of an email in which I poured my heart out after a particularly discouraging month. Her frank response got me back on track, and it still keeps me afloat: "Would you stop writing (because of this)? Of course not. You are going to keep writing no matter what." Yes, I am going to keep writing. No matter what. I can't quit, even if I tried.
YOUR TURN: Have you ever quit writing? Why? What brought you back?
Blog: Karen Cioffi Writing and Marketing (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: create a vision, creative list making, use your imagination, writing inspiration, writing tips, Add a tag
Guest Post by Mary Jo Guglielmo Are you ready to start a new writing project but are struggling with finding that new story? I have known a number of writers who can't seem to find a new direction after finishing a big project. If you're need of some inspiration try one of the following techniques to jumpstart your next writing project. Dream Your Manuscript into Being: If you having
Blog: WOW! Women on Writing Blog (The Muffin) (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Margo L. Dill, short story writing, writing inspiration, short fiction writing, Add a tag
Many writers fantasize the day they accept the Pulitzer Prize or Newberry Award for their novel they slaved over for years. Few authors daydream about receiving two contributor copies after having a short story published. Yet, writing short stories can improve your writing skills and increase your marketability.
SENSE OF COMPLETIONWriting short stories gives you a sense of completion. Writers often complain, "It took me years and years to get my novel just right." Novels are like spaghetti sauce, simmering for days; whereas short stories are like the noodles—boiling and ready in twenty minutes.
Completing a manuscript gives a feeling of accomplishment. Just like an artist enjoys displaying a finished painting, most writers love to share their work. How wonderful it feels when a complete piece can be revealed for enjoyment or critique. In any profession, it is important to experience accomplishments, such as an architect who views her new building or an author seeing her work in print from beginning to end.
Getting anything published is hard work. You must be dedicated to rewriting, rewriting, and more rewriting. You have to research the market, learn proper manuscript format, and write a brilliant cover letter. Getting a short story published is like playing a good game of miniature golf—it's not as easy as it looks, but with knowledge, skill, and practice, you can do it.
Many markets exist for your short stories from magazines with a circulation of 200,000 to hard-back anthologies to your writer's group newsletter. Contests for shorter works fill writing websites and magazines, and many of these are paying markets or have a modest monetary award accompanying first through third place. A lot of magazines do pay in copies, but some give you a check.
Short stories present an opportunity to work on different genres. For example, a writer's group sponsors a Halloween short story contest. Most of the members work on other genres throughout the year, such as westerns, romance, or mysteries. For this contest, each person creates a spooky story. The writer's group does not publish the winning entries, and members are free to submit their ghostly tales to other contests and magazines.
You can use short stories to strengthen your writing skills. Maybe you need to work on writing realistic dialogue or fitting all five senses into your description. Perhaps you want to use flashbacks, but can't seem to make smooth transitions. Or a friend, who critiqued your opening chapters, said your main character was typical and boring.
Try working out these problems in a short story, focusing on improving those particular weaknesses.
Writing a short story may help you overcome writer's block. When writing a long piece, sometimes you find yourself in a rut and become frustrated. You avoid working on your manuscript and may waste time cleaning out your files or e-mailing your long, lost cousin. Why not do something more productive and write a short tale?
Writing something different can give you the oomph you need to continue with your novel. Your subconscious has a chance to take over and solve your plot problems. Just make sure to keep paper handy to jot down ideas for your novel.
The next time you ponder, "Why should I waste time writing a short story?" Remember what they can do for you. Short stories can improve your writing skills, enhance your marketability, and bring you a step closer to publishing that great American novel.
Margo is teaching a short fiction class for children's and YA writers, starting on April 11. It's a NEW class! For more information, please see this link: http://wow-womenonwriting.com/WOWclasses.html#MargoDill_WritingChildrenTeensShortFiction
I was just about to give up on writing short stories and focus more on blogging but after reading your reasons to write short stories, I will keep on going. Thanks for the advice Margo!
Margo, this post was spot on! I also have been focusing more on writing short fiction in the past two years. It's really fun because you can play around with different genres without investing a ton of time in case a storyline doesn't work! I also began writing my first stories for middle-grade readers this past fall and already got an encouraging rejection from Highlights. Your class sounds really fun and affordable!
@catina: I'm so glad! It is so easy to get discouraged and wonder if we are wasting our time. I actually came up with this because of an argument that existed in a critique group I belonged to. I was OBVIOUSLY on the side that believes short fiction is important!
@Renee: So true--not everyone is cut out for a novel or memoir or nonfiction work or etc. Thank God we are all different!
I wish I had better fiction writing skills. But if I'm going to dabble in fiction, I do prefer the short story. I like the economy of it, and it's seems so much less daunting!
Blog: WOW! Women on Writing Blog (The Muffin) (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: the writing life, Margo L. Dill, Valentine's Day, humor, Cupid's arrow, writing inspiration, Add a tag
|Cupid's Arrow in South Beach by Nan Palmero
And then there's this LOVE we all say we have for writing. . .
When you're with a group of writers or on a writing blog, you will often see statements such as, "I fell in love with writing at a young age and haven't been able to stop." or "Writing is my greatest passion." or "If I can't write, I don't want to live." or simply, "I love to write." But is this relationship that we have with writing love? Is it good--this overwhelming desire that we have to put words on a page? This desire that causes us to feed our children lunchmeat for dinner or tell our husbands to get the cereal box out of the pantry if he's hungry? How about our house--super dust bunnies, anyone? How long has it been since you took a shower? Come on, you can be honest with us. We understand.
I'm not sure if you can call this relationship that we have with writing LOVE. My theory is that each one of us was once an unsuspecting, innocent, normal, clean person with regular hobbies and passions; and then all of a sudden, this little winged creature, Cupid, shot us with his arrow. And the scholars have gotten it totally wrong all these years--Cupid's arrows do not make you fall hopelessly in love with another person. No, they make you fall desperately "in love" with writing.
And it doesn't even seem to matter if writing has loved us back or not--as a matter of fact when we have some success: a contest win, a published book, a contract for a newspaper column--we become more and more obsessed with our computers, journals, and notebooks. My husband actually calls my computer my fourth child--there's my stepson, my daughter, my dog, and my computer.
So on this day when we celebrate LOVE, try to find some time away from the keyboard and pen and hug a human (or animal!) you love today. Maybe even bake him or her a cookie or remember to call the Chinese place to order some dinner. Then tomorrow, go back to writing--our passion, our obsession. After all, it's not our fault--it's Cupid's. That's what I plan to tell my family the next time I throw a loaf of bread on the table and a package of deli ham.
Finding My Place: One Girl's Strength at Vicksburg and teaches classes on children's writing in the WOW! classroom.
Margo--Hey, your family gets ham with their bread? You should get credit for being willing to go that extra mile. ;)
Yes. Sometimes I think it's a love-hate relationship, but they say there is a fine line between the two. And sometimes I'm dancing back and forth and smudging that line.
Thanks for the post. I'll have to use that as an excuse and blame Cupid.
Yeah I guess you could call it 'love.' Sort of along the lines of that book 'Beautiful Disaster.' There are just enough high moments to make up for the times we'd all rather be waxing floors (if we could find the floor under the layer of dust) except for that one...last...scene that's been bugging us for days.
I love how your husband calls your computer your 4th child. Happy Valentine's Day!
I had a rich career, for over 20 years, in a completely non-writing related field. But writing was like a secret lover I kept tucked between the covers of a journal or even the care I put into emails I sent to colleagues. Every now and again, I'd take the lover out for a stroll in a local publication and once even flirted dangerously with it by publishing a few short pieces.
Finally, as I stared down the final years of my 4th decade, I decided to become more public with the romance. Like all good relationships, sometimes I feel the hot rush of passion, other times, I realize it just takes a lot of work.
Thanks for the reminder that this pursuit is, indeed, a journey of the heart.
@Sioux--This story honest to goodness happened at my house: I made ham sandwiches for dinner (it was me, my two-year-old, and my stepson (11 at the time). I put the ham sandwich in front of him, and he said, "This is dinner?" Now he is not a smart aleck kid usually so I tried to keep my cool, imagining his mom cooking homemade meals every night of spaghetti, chicken and macaroni and cheese, etc, and I said, "Yes, at our house, this is dinner. It's a sandwich. You like it. Eat it." He smiled and took a bite and then he said--QUIETLY I might add, "I thought in the car you said we were ordering pizza." Then I started laughing--turns out we had been talking about pizza but it was for the NEXT DAY, and he thought it was supposed to be that night for dinner, so was a bit disappointed to sit down to the ham sandwich! :) LOL
@Monica--I have to say I would NEVER be rather waxing a floor. Thank God, we have Facebook and Twitter to procrastinate with now--twenty years ago, they had to do things like wax floors. ;)
@Marcia--oh yes, my husband thinks he is a comedian.
@Julie--beautifully said! :)
Blog: WOW! Women on Writing Blog (The Muffin) (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: 'Quotes on Writing', Margo L. Dill, dealing with rejection, writer's voice, writing inspiration, Add a tag
|Jayne Ann Krentz/photo by Marc Von Borstel
Last weekend, I spoke to a group of writers about the six plus one traits of writing and how to use these to improve their rough drafts and writing in general. The theme of the talk was basically everything they needed to know about writing they already learned in elementary school, or at least what we are teaching in elementary schools today--which is often the six traits. Anyway, one of the traits is voice--developing voice and writing with a distinct voice, and I was looking for a quote to kind of wrap up my talk and leave them with some inspiration as well as tie in something I talked about. And lo and behold, I found the quote below by the prolific romance writer, Jayne Ann Krentz.
"Believe in yourself and in your own voice, because there will be times in this business when you will be the only one who does. Take heart from the knowledge that an author with a strong voice will often have trouble at the start of his or her career because strong, distinctive voices sometimes make editors nervous. But in the end, only the strong survive."
- Jayne Ann Krentz
I just love this quote, and I thought it was a perfect way to end a writing workshop, where I was trying to inspire people to write and have faith in their work and their careers in the new year. It is so easy to get down as a writer: rejection letters, no time to write, bad reviews, blog posts with no comments, harsh critiques, poor sales, and so on. But the beginning of this quote is so true and what we have to do. WE HAVE TO--believe in ourselves! We have to have faith in our voice and in our work. We cannot give up. We have to get up the next morning and keep sending out manuscripts or write another blog post or send our book to another reviewer.
This business is so subjective--you'll realize that if you ever send a query letter out or a magazine submission to multiple editors. You can send out the same thing to twenty places--you'll get yeses, nos, and no response. It doesn't mean one editor is more right than another (although we want to think that!) ; there are many reasons for rejections and acceptances. But through it all, you have to believe in yourself and your work--because you are your best advocate! You are the one that sits down to the keyboard and types and creates. You are the only one with your voice. So keep writing--through the ups and downs, and you will survive!
Finding My Place: One Girl's Strength at Vicksburg. She also teaches in the WOW! classroom--mostly about writing for children. Her next class starts in the beginning of March.
Excellent point, Margo! And I love that quote as well. Mostly because I think it's spot on--a strong voice is a love/hate kind of thing. You either love a voice or hate it--but you've responded to it!
And as a writer, I'd rather someone remembered my voice, for better or worse, than to say, "Cathy who??"
That's right, Cathy. There's no bad publicity!
Voice is so important! From our interviews lately, it seems like voice is number one thing agents look for in manuscripts.
I also agree with what Jayne said about editors. Magazine editors want a voice that fits with the tone of their publication--that's why they're always stressing the importance of reading it--because if a voice is too distinct one way or the other, they will pass.
I didn't know they taught voice in elementary school. They certainly didn't in my day! That's great, but how can voice be developed so early? I always thought it took years of toiling away at the keyboard.
I took the 6+1 intense training course to teach to the kids at school. I learned so much about writing. It was the first time I'd heard about using the least amount of words as possible to get across the message. Before that, I'd been taught to 'very' my papers to add word count.
In elementary school, voice gets sorta taught. There are scoring guides developed to assess the student's level of 'voice achievement' in their assigned topic assessment papers. They are scored at the state level, at least in Oregon.
This is a level 4, which is a passing score in the category of voice for students.
A voice is present. The writer seems committed to the topic, and there may be a sense of "writing to be read." In places, the writing is expressive, engaging, or sincere.
Perfect timing for me today. A writer had to wall her/his heart behind a strong force to keep moving forward and to be stronger than the doubt that sometimes bubbles up. Keep the faith.
Ang: I think one of the points of 6 +1 traits is to start using "writer's vocabulary" to talk about writing, and hopefully, some of it will stick with them as they get older. Most kindergartners and first graders' voices sound the same because they don't have that big of a vocabulary or sentence structure to create their own voice. But kids who read a lot can and do start to develop a voice in 4th and 5th grade--it's exciting. And no, we didn't learn this when we were kids. :)
@Rose--I took training, too. I love the 6 +1 traits, and I use some of the tips in my own writing. That's how I came up with that workshop for writers. :)
@brenda--Glad the post helped you. I thought Jayne's quote was remarkable!
Blog: A. PLAYWRIGHT'S RAMBLINGS (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: coffee shops, styrofoam coffee cups, coffee, writers block, customer courtesy, on playwriting, writing, writing inspiration, coffee mugs, Add a tag
First another rant. Just returned from a coffee shop for a quick caffeine pick-me-up and once again encountered a coffee mug related problem. As a writer, a coffee or tea break is an important tool in the thinking process. If and whenever possible, I opt for a 'real' china mug rather than a paper cup. Somehow, and maybe it's my imagination, hot beverages including tea always seem to retain better flavor in a non-paper receptacle.
At this particular chain, customers are given a mug in which to pour their own coffee with unlimited refills. As the server handed over the mug, couldn't help but notice that the rim was slightly chipped.
Excuse me but this mug is chipped
There was a thirty second silence between us while we stared into each other's eyes. Sort-of a coffee-shop-stare-down. Glancing down, she grabbed another mug, passed it to me and took off to chat with another server.
Meanwhile, walking over to fill up the mug with coffee, I saw there were stains inbedded on the sides.
This mug is stained. See? Look at the sides...
(grabbing another mug absent-mindedly)
This is as good as it's gonna get.
Let's just say it was passable but only just. 'As good as it's gonna get?' That's a good explanation?
The problem, in my humble opinion, is that a large portion of coffee drinkers have opted to be satisfied with a paper cup. We have turned into a population of mobile coffee drinkers who prefer to walk while they drink, rather than take the time to sit down and experience the pleasure of sipping coffee from a proper drinking receptacle. Proper drinking mugs and cups are becoming obsolete and coffee shops focus on their paper cup customers. Rant over and back to the real heart of the situation.
In spite of a concerted effort to work on my playwriting, my brain seems to be neutral. In assessing the situation, I'm thinking here that perhaps it's due to my physical location away from home base where ideas and dialogue seem to flow endlessly. Not that the current atmosphere isn't conducive to writing but the change, at least for me, isn't for the better. In my normal setting, there is a window next to the computer set-up and somehow staring out of the window at the passing scene inspires the part of my brain that produces ideas and concepts. Most of my time these days is spent staring at the computer screen, accompanied by the occasional line or two, which is frequently deleted shortly thereafter. Presumably and hopefully, upon my return to my usual environment, the words will flow like water. Or not.
"I tell my students there is such a thing as 'writer's block,' and they should respect it. You shouldn't write through it. It's blocked because it ought to be blocked, because you haven't got it right now."
—Toni Morrison
Blog: Book Binge (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Writing, writers, writing inspiration, Add a tag
Writing is…
…the one thing you're good at.
…the hardest thing you've ever done.
…just a career.
…the one thing that keeps you going.
…the daily grind.
…the next stolen moment.
…a windowless room papered with rejections.
…an endless horizon, no points of reference in sight.
…an easy escape.
…the hardest taskmaster.
…a high school party–the kegger with cool kids–where you don't belong.
…a circle you pull others into, your arms outstretched.
…the safest place.
…dangerous ground.
…an affectation, pretentious rambling.
…bare-boned truth, exposed and sharp.
…nothing to speak of.
…everything all the time.
…the secret you never tell.
…80,000 pieces of you, strung out and shouting, 250 declarations per page.
Love that! It's definitely my stolen moments & my secret
Fabulous. It's strange how mercurial writing can be, huh?
Jemi, yeah. And for me, sometimes, the writing comes in a flood, and other times, I can barely get my butt in the chair!
Isn't it? I admire people who are consistent, and live by regular habits, especially creative habits. Sadly, I'm not a creature of habit. Sometimes, I write and write and write and write, and sometimes I'm quiet and doing everything else. In the end, it evens out, but writing is a strange and wonderful thing.
Blog: WOW! Women on Writing Blog (The Muffin) (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Irene Cohen, creative, Friday Speak Out, doubt, spiritual, MD, editing, writing inspiration, meditation, Add a tag
by Irene Cohen, MD
In 2009 I undertook a one year course of study with two teachers who created a program called the Voice for Love. This program teaches one how to hear her clear inner voice. The program consisted of meditation, writing, speaking from this voice and learning spiritual counseling. As a psychiatrist I had been interested in the connection between mind and spiritual practices for many years and found this program illuminating.
I didn't start out to write a book. As a long-time meditator, I prefer to sit in the early morning before the day begins. This practice has always set the course of the day for me and creates the sense of peace and concentrated focus which I bring with me no matter what occurs. Although I did not start out to write a book, I found that during my meditations, when I was quiet and empty of thoughts, words began to come to me with the prompt to write them down. So I started to meditate with my netbook in my lap, sitting on a cushion. Without asking any questions or thinking of any particular subject, messages and contemplative pieces came forth. Through a melding of my mind and my own unique abilities, something greater than myself emerged. The information I wrote down was not channeled, but it was a part of me, a greater and vast part, a larger Self. In this process, during which I am fully conscious and aware, words come forth effortlessly and in a sharper, clearer way than if I were to try to explain them myself.
When my book of 100 short meditative passages was finished, I also edited it from the place of my higher self. Getting myself out of the way, with my ego's doubts and fears, made the editing and rewriting process much easier. If I am editing from that space of higher knowing, I can think with more clarity about what I am trying to convey and in doing so, create more of what was meant to be.
But isn't the creative process always so? We write from another place within us which feels compelled to express itself. Artists and writers have often called it inspiration. It is a blossoming of who we truly are. If we gain clarity from a quiet mind, which for me means a regular, daily meditation practice, we can all write with less effort and more ease, knowing that what we mean to say will be distinctly in our voice.
* * *
Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!
Blog: WOW! Women on Writing Blog (The Muffin) (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: writing support, success story, Facebook, Margo L. Dill, writing inspiration, Add a tag
|by alibree www.flickr.com
I recently received an agent rejection for a YA manuscript I've been working on for a few years (on and off). I had revised it yet again before I sent it in to her. She had asked for a full read after I pitched to her at a conference. She seemed really excited about the story. I knew it was improving each time I revised it, and so I had my hopes up. As you know as a writer, this is not always a good thing. Long story short, she wrote back and said that she could follow the plot, but that the narrative seemed choppy, and she couldn't get into my world enough. Maybe I didn't have enough sensory details.
So, I was crushed. I waited a few days to mull over what she said, and then I sent the e-mail to my writing critique group. I told them I hadn't decided what I was going to do yet--whether or not I would look back over my story for these points the agent mentioned or send it on to the next agent/publisher. I was sad to admit my defeat, but what I got back from them was so much more than I could have hoped for.
"What a pleasant and professional rejection," my one writing buddy said. "You don't have too much more work to do. She could follow the plot," another one said. "Which is good considering how you keep moving everything around." (That comment made me laugh! My writing group knows me well!) Finally, one more writing group member said, "Why don't you do that one exercise where you highlight the different sensory description in various colors and see where you stand?"
Each one of them was EXACTLY right. As many of us know, the fact that the agent took the time to write any feedback at all was super nice, and it was good advice,too. As soon as my critique group said those things, I was out of my stewing and pity party, and I was back with an action plan.
When I told my husband about it, he said, "What agent?"
UGH! This is why we need other writers in our life.
If you are not lucky enough to have a writing group to celebrate your successes and pick you back up after your disappointments, please join us on Facebook and/or Twitter. We have a very active community, and we might even be able to hook you up with others who live near you or who write similar things as you do.
We are also starting a celebration/success story section on our Facebook page to encourage each other and stay inspired. Here are the details on this wonderful opportunity:
We want to hear your success stories! Have you signed with an agent or publisher? Has your self-published e-book become an Amazon Bestseller? Has your blog won an award? Did you sell an article to a magazine or newspaper? Whatever it is, we would like to hear about your success to share with fans on our Facebook
Great article, Margo! I've been crushed by rejections, too. (and haven't we been told that a rejection is a good thing?!It means we're writing AND submitting.)I am so grateful that I somehow found Saturday Writers, SLWG, and MWG. AND I couldn't ask for a better critique group than the fabulous one I'm in. My writer friends ARE my LIFE. I often wonder, what did I do with my time before I started writing?? Thanks for your guidance and friendship, too!
Thank you so much for your kind words. And I agree that Saturday Writers, SLWG, and MWG are so awesome. We are so lucky to live in an area where we have active writing groups! And what did we do with our time before writing? Well, we probably cleaned and cooked dinner for our families. LOL :)
Have a good writing week,
LOL about your hubby!! That cracked me up. He sounds exactly like mine. Even though they love us to pieces, non-writers just don't get it.
I know rejection stinks, but it sounds like the agent offered some great advice, and evaluated your manuscript for free. That's how I look at it. I'm sure you'll take her suggestions to heart and land it. Like your group said, you don't have much more work to do. :)
You are one of my biggest writing support systems! I think a lot of us can say that about you. :)
You hit the nail on the head. . .
Non-writers just don't get it. :)
Blog: Musings of a Novelista (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Books, Writing Inspiration, creativity, Hugh MacLeod, Add a tag
Last week when I was in my public library, I came across this fabulous book: Ignore Everybody and 39 Other Keys to Creativity by Hugh MacLeod.
I ended up checking it out. I loved the author's tips on making a living as a creative person.
Here are the specific keys that spoke to me:
Key #3 – Put the hours in.
"Doing anything worthwhile takes forever. Ninety percent of what separates successful people and failed people is time, effort, and stamina."
Key #7 – Everyone is born creative.
"If you try to make something just to fit your uninformed view of some hypothetical market, you will fail. If you make something special and powerful and honest and true, you will succeed."
Key #25 – Don't worry about inspiration.
"If you're looking at a blank piece of paper and nothing comes to you, then go do something else. Writer's block is just a symptom of feeling like you have nothing to say, combined with the rather weird idea that you should feel the need to say something."
This book is based on the author's very popular blog post, How to Be Creative, which can be downloaded for free in this nicely designed PDF. I highly recommend that you check it out. :)
Do ya'll have of list of key things or manifesto that help you live your life as a creative person?
I've never heard of this book, really interesting!
I love the point about not worrying about inspiration. I had a friend growing up who was incredibly creative, and I was always so jealous of that, and worried as a writer I could never live up. Over time I've come to realize we each have our own creativity, and while I wouldn't call my thoughts zany, they're entirely individual, and creative in their own way.
I haven't heard of this book or the blog post that spawned it, so thanks for pointing it out! I'm going to read the whole thing, but those points you highlighted are awesome. It's so true that writing is hard freaking work, man, and unless you put in the hours, you're not going to reap the reward. So true.
That sounds like a great book. I saw the blog post; what a super creative idea turning it into a book!
Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. :) I'm also a big fan of the 10K rule as well. Most overnight successes you hear about really aren't that at all. They usually don't show the years of "work" the artist put in before hand.
I had never heard of it either so I was really happy when I stumbled across it in my public library. Yes, every one is creative in their own way — it's what's makes us unique.
Ha, ha. No comment on the zany thoughts.
You should definitely check out the PDF. I love the way they did the formatting. I downloaded it to my IPad. Love the author's sense of humor.
The blog post is super duper popular. I'm so glad that I found out about it. So many things to think about for having a creative life.
I think you will really enjoy this one. You should go and download the PDF as well. Great layout and formatting. Something you'll want to add to your craft/inspirational toolbox.
Blog: Musings of a Novelista (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Off Topic, Writing Inspiration, goals, O You! Conference, Oprah, Add a tag
For those of you who follow me on Twitter, you already know that I attended the O You! Conference, sponsored by Oprah Magazine.
It was here in Atlanta and I was excited to attend. Some of my favorite speakers were there including Suze Orman, Dr. Oz, and Nate Berkus. Journalist Lisa Ling was there as well as everyone's best friend Gayle King.
Oh yeah…Oprah was there too.
Although I had to get up at the crack of dawn on Saturday after working almost 60 hours at the day job, I was so glad that I made the effort. The day was filled with inspiration and the positive energy of over 5,000 people wanting to learn new things and live a better life.
I've always wanted to attend an Oprah Show but never got a chance to so I was very excited to have the opportunity to see her in person and hear her speak. Let me tell you, Oprah did not disappoint.
So I just wanted to share with you some of her gems that spoke to me and hopefully they can be helpful to you in your life — and even your writing.
"Stand in the truth of who you are."
"Once you are strong enough to receive what you are meant to have, it will come to you."
"Life is about growth."
"All clarity comes from stillness."
"If you have to ask outside of yourself for the answer, you are looking for confirmation from others when instead you should look within."
"Everything in your life is there to teach you a lesson."
"The greatest power is the true knowing of yourself."
Oprah also took some questions from the audience and an 18-year old girl stood up and said that she wanted to be a successful talk show host who reached millions of people to make an impact on the world. She wanted Oprah to give her advice and how to start towards that goal. I loved how Oprah answered her.
Basically Oprah told the young girl that she shouldn't be focusing so much on the millions of people but rather her intention. It's the work that should matter. Even if the talk show only reaches 5 or 10 people. It's the impact of the work. Oprah said that best way to start is affecting the people closest to you — your family, your circle of friends, your community. And to redefine what success truly means. And it may not be a talk show that reaches millions of people. That's okay. It's still an impact.
This resonated with me especially because I think so much as artists and writers that we really want to make a difference with our words — we want to reach millions of people — but sometimes we need to get back to the focus of the work. Back to the true intention of why we're writing in the first place. Even if that means our novel only reaches 5 or 10 people. The impact of our words is still powerful.
What inspirational advice! And we wonder why Oprah did so well b/c she's personable and really cares. And as artists, we can't focus on the millions but on the impact of our work. Awesome!
Oh wow! Cannot contain my jealousy. Oprah's answer to the girl was spot on and so applicable in every aspect of our lives. Focus on the intention, not on the impact. So simple and so true. Thanks for sharing!
All this great inspiration from Oprah–plus what you must have also heard from the other speakers on the program? Wow, it must have been a fantastic day. Thanks so much for sharing. My favorite? "Life is about growth." So, so true!
Some beautiful tidbits here. Thanks!
Super cool! So awesome that you got see Oprah in person and hear her talk. She's certainly very inspirational. :)
Blog: Emmasaries (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Blog, Billy Collins, Jules Feiffer, Julie Sheehan, MFA in Writing and Literature, Neil Gabler, Roger Rosenblatt, Stony Brook Southampton, writer's block, writing, writing inspiration, writing routines, Add a tag
The summer before last, I became a student in the Southampton MFA in Creative Writing and Literature program where I am also a faculty member. (I know, it's a little crazy, but it's actually great.) Since then I've had the good fortune to take courses with such gifted writers and teachers and Billy Collins, Jules Feiffer, Julie Sheehan, and Roger Rosenblatt, among others. I have also been challenged by weekly writing assignments, something that I am often hard-pressed to find the time (or the space in my brain) to do.
Another one of our faculty members, the biographer Neil Gabler, refers to what he calls "Gabler's Law": First, you just sit there.
I love this, since I can come up with a thousand excuses as to why I can't yet sit down to write – my favorites being, "I'm not ready," "I don't have an idea yet," and "I'm still stewing."
Recently I've been experimenting with a law of my own: Just start.
Since I've incorporated this law, an amazing pattern has begun to emerge with respect to these writing assignments. It generally goes like this:
Day 1 – "OK, I've got the assignment for this week. It seems do-able."
Day 2 – "What was I thinking? This assignment is the hardest yet! Ack. I'll think about it tomorrow."
Day 3: "I might have an idea. I'll let it stew a bit."
Day 4: "It's a terrible idea. Never mind. Help!"
Day 4: "This is impossible. It's actually out of the question. I don't have a single idea!"
Day 5: "This may be the week where I have to call in sick. Is there any valid excuse I can come up with for not doing the assignment this week?
Day 6: "God, class is tomorrow. Just sit there and begin – something, anything!"
Day 7: "What time is class?"
What this has taught me is that I can afford to be patient while all those little gremlins in my head cycle through their strange but apparently necessary routine. But then, if I just sit there and START – just put my fingers to the keyboard and begin, something, anything – stuff begins to happen. It doesn't matter where I start, just that I do. And of course it's all about editing – but the miracle is, once I start, I have something to edit, and once I edit, I (usually) have something to present.
Blog: Emmasaries (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Blog, Anton Chekhov, Dr. Seuss, four brothers, Gennady Sprin, joanna merlin, Jon J Muth, Jules Feiffer, Kenneth Grahame, Martha Grahame, MICHA, michael chekhov, Michael Chekhov Association, picture books, writing, Writing Childrens Books, writing for children, writing inspiration, Add a tag
Michael Chekhov – nephew of playwright Anton Chekhov - was an esteemed Russian-American actor, director and acting teacher. Among those who studied with him were Gary Cooper, Marilyn Monroe, Gregory Peck, Clint Eastwood, Anthony Quinn, Ingrid Bergman, Jack Palance, Lloyd Bridges, and Yul Brynner. Constantin Stanislavski, with whom Chekhov collaborated at the Moscow Art Theatre, referred to him as his 'most brilliant student.'
I had the good fortune to listen to Joanna Merlin, president of the Michael Chekhov Association – speak about her mentor last week. (MICHA will be one of the theatre companies in residence at our Writers Conferences next summer.)
I have long been aware of the overlap between the dramatic and writing arts, but something Joanna said struck me as particularly relevant.
One of Chekhov's valued concepts was that of the 'four brothers': ease, beauty, form and wholeness. As I listened to Joanna describe these elements with respect to art, I realized they were directly transferable to children's literature.
Ease – Who hasn't marveled at the ease of Dr. Seuss's verse, or Jules Feiffer's line? When a book really sings, doesn't it seem effortless? Like it just rolled off the author's pen? Doesn't it make us think: That looks so easy! I could do that!
Beauty – From Kenneth Grahame to Gennady Spirin to Jon J Muth, there's no denying the beauty in children's book art. But there's beauty in text, too… Whether it's an exquisitely crafted message, mastery of language or authenticity of voice, there are times when the stellar narrative of a children's book can make one weep.
Form – Thirty two pages, one thousand words or less. There's no denying that picture books have form. The challenge is how to tell that story with a richness of character and plot that compels the reader to turn the page… within the confines of that form. Martha Grahame said "The aim of technique is to free the spirit." I would amend that to say, "Within the confines of form, anything is possible."
Wholeness – Beginning, middle, end. Problem, crisis, resolution. Picture books travel a great distance in a thousand words or less… and the good ones provide a complete story, and a wholly satisfying journey.
Michael Chekhov wrote and published a few great books on acting, but never any children's books. I suspect that, had he chosen to, he could have penned one with ease, beauty, form and wholeness.
Blog: Musings of a Novelista (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Writing Inspiration, Sara Zarr, writing process, writing time, Add a tag
Many of you have already read the fabulous guest post by Sara Zarr in the What Inspires You series. It's hosted on Nova Ren Suma's blog, who is the author of Imaginary Girls.
I had the pleasure of being in one of Sara Zarr's critique groups last December at the Big Sur Children's Writing Workshop so I already know first-hand how inspiring she can be.
So why would Sara be inspired by failure? If anything, failure is the major thing that keeps us as writers feeling like losers, alone in our mind with the images of what we *want* our writing to be and struggling to get it down on the page.
Most of the time, the images and the words never match. The words usually are a poor representation of the idea in our head. For me personally, this massive failure can be too much. It's hard to keep pushing against a wall that seems never to budge.
But this is what I love about Sara Zarr's post:
"Today, I'm looking at my draft and its large and small failures, and I know: if everyone I admire and respect, everyone whose work has endured for more than five minutes, everyone who has come out with something beautiful, has struggled in this same, frightening gap, I must be on the right track."
It's never easy to create in the midst of failure, but if we can remember that all art starts from this place — the gap between the idea and the finished work — we will realize that we're not losers and it's just a part of our journey.
We can forget that sometimes. So thanks Sara Zarr for reminding me.
I loved her post! So beautifully written and so inspiring!
Wonderful post. It brought back memories of my own time at the Big Sur Workshop last year. It's such a wonderful workshop to attend and everyone there is just so helpful and supportive. Wish I could go again!
She is an inspirational person and so down-to-earth too. :)
I love the Big Sur Workshop. It has been one of the best I've attended. I would love to go again as well.
So true! I love Sarah Zarr's post, too. As writers, we must grapple with this looming sense or fear of failure. It's not easy, but, as you said, it is part of the journey.
Blog: Emmasaries (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Blog, childrens books, developing ideas, Ideas, Peter H. Reynolds, piboidmo, picture books, story ideas, writing, writing for children, writing inspiration, Add a tag
This week I had the joy of interviewing my friend and picture book hero, Peter H. Reynolds, for the Children's Book Hub. As usual, Peter said a million inspiring things and shared a number of jewels about writing. Among them was a reference to his own writing process that set off lightbulbs in my head. For those of you who have been participating in PiBoIdMo, or 12X12, or just find it hard sometimes to move from idea to story (as I do), this may be useful.
Once an idea comes to him (as they do all the time, because he has such highly developed Story Radar!), Peter asks himself, "Who could help me tell that story? What character and what situation can help demonstrate that idea?"
My ideas often start with theme – with the take-away, so to speak. But good storytelling is all about character, after all. If the characters aren't compelling, believable, interesting, then the reader doesn't care… and if the reader doesn't care, the take-away usually ends up being didactic or lost altogether.
Who can help me tell this story? What character, in what situation, solving what problem, can illuminate this idea?
Blog: Emmasaries (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Blog, capturing ideas, catching ideas, childrens books, Ideas, ideas folder, picture books, recording ideas, storing ideas, writing, Writing Childrens Books, writing for children, writing inspiration, Add a tag
I've been honing my Story Radar, and have found the holiday season to be more abundant than ever with respect to prompting ideas. The problem is, most of them come to me when I'm on the fly… and if I don't document them immediately, by the time I get home they've gone. So I've been experimenting with ways to keep track of ideas on the go, and have come up with a short list of what works for me.
1) Write them down the old fashioned way – This requires carrying a notebook with me at all times, which is sometimes challenging to remember to do, let alone find room for in my purse. I love Moleskins, since they feel so writerly, but I've also used Miquelrius notebooks, which I like because they have spiral binding and stay open easily. And of course, we have spiral-bound notebooks with the Childrens Book Hub logo on the cover that are very nice, too.
Peter H. Reynolds mentioned in our interview this month that he always carries index cards in his pocket, to jot down ideas or make quick sketches on, and also to flesh out his ideas, because they allow for shuffling.
2) Write them down digitally – I love my iPad, but again, it's not always convenient to carry around with me. What is convenient is my iPhone – and the 'Notes' app works well for capturing ideas on the fly. However, it's not easy to type anything that requires detail on the tiny iPhone screen.
3) Record them – This is my latest favorite method. I have the free app "Dragon Dictation" installed on my iPhone (I have it on my iPad as well). All I have to do is tap the app to open it, and tap the red button to begin recording. I say as much as I need to, and hit save. This miraculous app instantly transcribes my words to text, and it's accurate about 90% of the time. One more tap and I've emailed the document to myself. When I get home and open my computer, the emailed idea is there, ready for me to edit, embellish or simply drag-and-drop it into the ideas folder on my desktop.
How do you capture your ideas?
Blog: Musings of a Novelista (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Writing Inspiration, dreams, goals, novels, Add a tag
It's the last Wednesday of January 2012 and a lot of New Year's Resolutions are starting to loose their glitter and shine.
You still want to write a book this year or finish your current novel project. It is a writer's dream to complete this task.
But it can be frustrating at times.
This is when you must step back and remember that dreams can be fulfilled by maybe not in the instant gratification way our society says it should.
Here are some reminders to hold fast to your dream:
You are the only writer who can tell this story
Every one has a unique voice. You are the only one in the Universe who has this certain voice. And although there are no new stories under the sun, only your voice can tell this story you want to write. Only you.
Remember why you wanted to write
Writing can be hard but you came to this story for a reason. You were compelled to get it into words and out in the world. That reason, however small you may think it is, is enough. Remember this reason while you write. It brought you here. So keep writing.
Everyone starts from the bottom
It can be hard seeing all the other novels that have been written when you're first starting out. But remember all of these novels started with a blank page and an idea. Everyone starts at the bottom — and makes their way to the goal. It's a journey all writers must take.
Consistency in small steps make big progress
Although January is coming to a close, there are still 11 months left in 2012. So much can be completed. But you must be realistic. There is family, work, and life. Duties and responsibilities. Writing can still be in the mix but in a manageable way. Set small goals and be consistent with them. You will be surprised how much writing can get done with this practice.
So a writer's dream does not have to end when difficulties arise. Remember that anything worth accomplishing will be challenging but if you want it, you can make it happen.
My hope for you is that you never give up on the dream of your novel.
What great tips. And sometimes it's too easy to lose sight of the dream when plot gives us a difficult time or we're lost in revisions!
Thanks for the inspiration, Karen! I am close to finishin a revision of a novel, and feeling a little "stuck", even though I know what needs to happen, because doubts are starting to creep in.
Your optimism is contagious! I love this.
What great advice! It's so hard sometimes to remember that all those minutes really do add up to pages upon pages and even completed novels.
I know that you're working hard on revisions. I know that you'll get unstuck and finish. Your subconscious is probably working out the problem. :)
It's so easy sometimes to give up when you hit a snag. I know that has happened to me on many occasions! This is when I try to remember that it's part of the journey.
Yep, my eternal optimist is coming out. :) This is a self pep-talk I give myself and wanted to share with you guys! :)
I used to feel really bad when I couldn't devote hours of time to my writing. But this is my reality. I just have limited time — but you can make the most of the little time you do have. It really adds up!
It is so important. I've really been working on my "instant gratification" in the last few months. Some things really do take time. Writing a novel is one of them for sure. :)
Blog: WOW! Women on Writing Blog (The Muffin) (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Margo L. Dill, writing advice, April Fool's Day, start a writing career, writing inspiration, Add a tag
|by Mr. Polyomnous flickr.com
Do you take your career seriously? Whether you write every day to pay bills or after your day job at night or on the weekends only, you are a writer. Yes, that's right. It's not a hobby. It's a passion. Right? The words beg to be released from your soul, and that is no laughing matter.
What can you do so that you take your writing more seriously? (And in turn, so will your friends, family, and even your mother.)
Join a critique group! As soon as you write a page and realize that someone is going to read it and offer you feedback, you're going to be more serious about it. That doesn't mean that everything you write--like that poem about the jerk who stood you up last year--has to be presented to your critique group. But let's say your goal is to write one short story a month or finish your novel this year. First tell your critique group your goal (other writers are the best about bothering you to complete these goals), and then give them the opportunity to see your progress and offer constructive feedback.
Put it on your social media profile. Put "it"? What do I mean by "it"? The fact that you are a writer. Put it in your Facebook profile--"I am a writer." Send out a tweet that says, "I want to announce that I am writing a novel." On your LinkedIn profile, list one of your jobs as a writer--and if you've written and been published, put a link to that piece or ask the editor for a recommendation. You get what I mean. (Warning: once you do this, people who have NO CLUE about how difficult it is to be a writer will ask, "Are you still writing books?" Hold off on the urge to type what you really want to say, and instead simply answer, "Yes! :)" Don't forget the smiley face.)
Write. Yes, writing really is the key to stop fooling around with your career. I know many people in my monthly writing group (where we meet and have speakers, discuss writing trends, etc) that aren't actually writing. They dabble here or there, but they spend more time talking about writing and reading about writing and even blogging about writing (although I know--your blog is important and it is writing) than working on their projects. I am sure I am NOT talking about you, so no worries. But if there is the slightest chance that you are reading this and thinking: Oh, she caught me, just close the browser window, open up Microsoft Word, and type a page of your work-in-progress.
And finally, if you want to be published, you do have to submit your work--no fooling. But we'll save that for another day.
Happy April Fool's Day! Hope you have a chance to smile, laugh, and WRITE today.
Post by Margo L. Dill; Margo blogs about children's and YA books and how to use them at margodill.com/blog/. She also teaches online classes for the WOW! classroom. And she is working on a YA novel and an essay about giving birth at we
Write is right. I spend too much time blogging and not enough time on my novels. Thanks for the visit.
Catch My Words
Joyce, it is so easy to do. Blogging is fun and instant. Novels take hard work and sometimes we don't get feedback for YEARS. But the first step is always admitting the problem. (laughs) Thanks for your comment. :)
Blog: Guide to Literary Agents (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Tip of the Day, Creative Writing Tips, writing inspiration, Add a tag
It's fairly simple–in order to write a novel or story, you must have a solid idea first. Most writers struggle at one time or another coming up with the right story idea. After all, you want an idea that can sustain an entire story. If you're wondering where to find creative story ideas, read the following excerpt from The Nighttime Novelist.
Where to Find Ideas For Novels Or Short Stories
It's true that good story ideas will come to you if you learn to pay attention to what's going on around you and recognize those moments when your mind has begun to creatively wander. But there are also other ways, and places, you might look for inspiration when you need a boost.
First Lines. Sometimes a compelling story idea comes not from any conversation overheard, or anything
you catch a glimpse of, but from a little voice that whispers a strange, interesting line in your ear … say, "I
have always had an irrational fear of first kisses" or "Her husband had become hooked on daytime soaps" or "For as long as I'd known her, Jenny claimed that her dream was to become the ninth Mrs. Larry King." A good first line begins to suggest character, conflict, plot, tone, and theme the same way a compelling initial idea or image does. For example, what do you see present or suggested in the following first lines?
In the town, there were two mutes and they were always together. (Carson McCullers, The Heart
Is a Lonely Hunter)
Mother died today. Or maybe yesterday, I can't be sure. (Albert Camus, The Stranger)
Something is wrong in the house. (Kathryn Davis, Hell)
Headlines. A well-written headline contains enough possibility to get our imaginations working in the right direction (since the headline writer wants us to be intrigued enough to wonder about the story behind the headline and read it). For the fiction writer, we need not read the piece that goes along with a good headline—and in fact we probably shouldn't. Instead, the headline will make us want to know the story behind it and begin writing it. What really happened isn't as important to us as what might happen.
Here are a few real-world examples to consider, any one of which might suggest a sustainable story idea:
- 17 Burn At Same Time To Break Record
- S.C. Cheerleader Hunts, Kills 10-Foot-Long Alligator
- Game Show Looks to Convert Atheists
- Jedi Thrown Out of Grocery Store
Already I can picture this poor middle-aged master Jedi, five days of stubble on his face, holding onto his box of Captain Crunch for life. "You don't want to throw me out," wiggling his fingers in the manager's
face as he's pushed out the door. "You don't want to throw me out …"
Titles. Sometimes inspiration for a book will begin before you've even hit the first chapter, with a title that starts you thinking. I suspect the reason for this is that good titles are often difficult to come up with, so when a good one comes along, it suggests possibilities immediately. Keep a page in your notebook just for title ideas. One of them might bring a story along with it.
Add a Comment
Blog: Write About Now (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Lee Wardlaw, inspiring authors, editor Stacey Barney, Sara Wilson Etienne, agent Michael Bourret, writing inspiration, Add a tag
Last weekend I got a dose of inspiration when I attended the L.A. Writer's Days. The two regional advisors, Sarah Laurenson and Lee Wind, put together an exceptional group of presenters. And I got to meet fellow blogger Tricia O'Brien. Bonus! I'm so glad I got to go.
One of my favorite Santa Barbara writers, Lee Wardlaw, talked about the fact that her most recent book, Won Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku, was rejected by seven editors over three years. That book, which my daughter proudly owns, is now in its fourth printing and has won scads of awards including the 2012 Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award and the 2011 SLJ Best Books of the Year. Lee said something that resonated with me:
"I'm thankful for all those rejections. Because those editors wouldn't have loved it enough to see it through acquisition meetings, marketing, finding the right illustrator... If it hadn't been rejected, it wouldn't have become the book that it is."
|Photo of Stacey, Michael & Sara by Rita Crayon Huang
I could write several posts just based on the things they talked about, but here's one thing that really stuck with me. Sara wrote the first draft of her book, Harbinger, ten years ago. There was no dialogue, only one character and the entire novel was about 90 pages long. She didn't know what to do with it so she put it away for a few years. She worked on it some more, took it to an SCBWI conference and got good feedback on it from an editor there. She worked on it for almost two more years before sending it to Michael Bourret. And then, when he took it on, they revised it together for another year.
I can't even begin to tell you how much this encouraged me. I am a SLOW writer. I get impatient with myself, frustrated because I can't whip out a novel in six months, let alone in the month of November. Some edits are easy. Others have to go round my brain for a while before they solidify. Knowing that there are other slow pokes like me who take their time and still manage to make their debut and make it big, was incredibly inspiring.
People ask me all the time if I think it's worth the money to go to a conference. When you come away inspired to keep at it, excited to lock yourself away and sit in front of a glowing screen, I'd say it's definitely worth it.
Yay for us slow pokes! Sometimes I read about writers who can whip out their drafts in 9 days or 2 weeks or whatever, and I kind of want to die. It's taken me a long time to accept with my pace, and even so, being at peace with it is not the same as being happy about it.
So what I'm saying is, this helps me too. Every story about a slow writer helps me too. Thanks for sharing. So glad you enjoyed yourself and found some inspiration! :)
I'm slow too, Sherrie! There is no 'right' way. You've gotta write the way you write...
So glad you enjoyed the conference. I did, too! It's wonderful to keep learning new things, even after all these years. :)
I'm so glad you found a spark to keep your motivation burning bright! We have to take that wherever we can. Everyone has their own style, but the great thing about the writing world is knowing you're not the only one that works that way!
What an awesome sounding conference. And how cool you got to meet Tricia in person!
Thank you for sharing that story because it IS really encouraging! I'm totally a slow poke writer too! :)
Wow, these comments are becoming like a support group I should join. This is a brilliant post. I'm so glad you loved the editor/agent/author panel, too, because, you know, I could be biased, but I don't think I am. (It was AWESOME, right??)
It was so great to see you there, Sherrie! Write on!!
P.S. I saw your post on Lee Wardlaw's Facebook page, and for some reason the pull quote there zoned right in on, "Yay for us slowpokes!" (Kristan's comment above, but I thought it was the start of your post). I thought you were talking about how long it took me to get out these photos, hahaha! But when it comes to writing...yeah. I'm not ready to admit it online yet. Let's just say, I love this post and these comments. :)
Kristan: Yes! Slow pokes unite! I wish I was one of those fast writers, but it is what it is. And putting out something I'm proud of is more important than just getting it out.
Lee: Your talk was brilliant. And with all the cat pictures that tied in with the points you were making (or not!) -- you made me laugh. And cry. I'm so glad I got to hear you because it was most definitely inspiring.
Susan: All the writer friends I've found help keep me going and conferences like this one are the perfect boost.
Shelley: It was a great conference. One of these days I'm going to meet you, too!
Krispy: I'm so glad this post helped inspire other slow pokes, too!! I was hoping I'd run into you at this conference, considering it was right in your back yard! Next time :)
Rita: You are more than welcome to join this support group. We slow pokes have to encourage each other :P And thanks for all the wonderful photos. You got so many fabulous ones, I had a hard time deciding which one to use!
Thank you for the encouragement! Slow is my go too, and I'm even slower in revision because things do, like you said, need to echo around the brain awhile.
Inspiring Sherrie!
Blog: Guide to Literary Agents (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Back to Basics, General, Getting Published, Guest Post, Marketing & Self-Promotion, Self-Publishing, There Are No Rules Blog by the Editors of Writer's Digest, What's New, inspiration, self-promotion, writing inspiration, Add a tag
Marketing and sales is in my blood. That's because I come from a distinguished line of salesmen. My grandfather was in sales. My father was in sales. In college, I tried to buck the trend by majoring in landscape architecture. But, my inability to recall the Latin names of deciduous trees stymied that plan and put me back on the family path.
This past weekend, I had the pleasure of spending Father's Day with my dad who's now retired. However, he still uses his sales and marketing skills as a volunteer to raise money for a major non-profit organization. He's just as successful today as he was in his working days. One reason for his success is based on a story he told me.
When I was little, my father was hired for a new sales job and went to the company's corporate office for two weeks of initial training. During the training period, he inadvertently received a memo written by one of the managers who stated that my dad was unqualified for the job and would never help the company. In that situation, my father faced two decisions. He could let this rejection ruin his motivation and assume he'd lose his job. Or, he could use the negative memo as fuel for motivation. He chose to let it propel his desire to show the skills he offered. Against the manager's prediction, my father went on to secure his job, receive several promotions, and enjoy a successful 20-year career with the company.
There's a lesson here for you and me as authors. Rejection comes with the territory. For example, you might have received a lot of rejection letters from publishers. Maybe your books got some negative reviews. Maybe your book sales haven't met your personal or publisher expectations.
One of the unseen traits of a successful author is the ability to use rejection as motivation to reach your goal, rather than deter you. This is why I consistently harp on the idea that effective marketing must rest on the belief that your book can truly help other people. When you believe that you've got tangible value to offer the world, then rejection just becomes a temporary speed bump on the road to success.
Some people will snub your book, ignore your requests for promotional help, and recommend other authors instead of you. Rejection is inevitable. The question isn't whether it will happen or not. The question is how will you respond? I'm thankful for a father who persevered through rejection. If father knows best, we could all learn this valuable lesson from my dad.
Rob Eagar's new book from Writer's Digest, Sell Your Book Like Wildfire, is now available in print and e-book formats. This is the bible of book marketing for authors and publishers. Get 288 pages packed with advanced information, real-life examples, and tips to start selling more books immediately. There are specific chapters on social media, word-of-mouth tools, Amazon, and a chapter dedicated to best practices for marketing fiction. In addition, get over 30 pages of free bonus updates online. Get your copy today at:
http://www.writersdigestshop.com/sell-your-book-like-wildfire or http://www.BookWildfire.com
About the author:
Rob Eagar is the founder of WildFire Marketing, a consulting practice that helps authors and publishers sell more books and spread their message like wildfire.Add a Comment
View Next 25 Posts