JD's Ink Blot
Aug 9. 2010
Clutter. Where does it come from? While in the process of moving to a new home, I realized that I am a packrat. I collect items I need, items I might need, items someone else might need and, of course, items that no one needs. So, how does this relate to writing? I never throw anything away. You should see my computer files. I have a thousand versions of my "work in progress". So much so, I am confused on which one is actually the latest. Yes, I use files with the date first, for instance, 06/17/2010. But I work on my laptop and on my desktop and on my desktop at the office, etc. I forward the latest versions back and forth in order to be working on the latest version. Well, that's the plan. Unfortunately, that's not the way things turn out. What's the bottom line? Clean up your writing files, simplify, and keep writing.
JD's Ink Blot
Aug 6. 2010
When you do finally reach the end of your first draft, first. Congratulate yourself for your diligence,then, its time to get busy. Ask yourself if the ending satisfied you. Did it wrap up all the unanswered questions? Did it make sense? Was the ending true to your theme? Did you introduce a convenient solution to your manuscript just to make everything work out? If you intended to have a loose ending, did you leave a situation unresolved that leads into your sequel?
JD's Ink Blot
Aug 4. 2010
First drafts usually come fast and furious. it's the rewrites that take the time. Even after several rewrites of my "work-in-progress", I recently found a spot that I felt needed improvement. I added a new scene which added more dimension to my main character. Check your manuscript for holes. Would a transitional scene make your story more realistic, or believable? Take your time and see what holes you may find.
JD's Ink Blot
Augl 1. 2010
Browsing the bookstore shelves to see what is new or being promoted, I sometimes feel overwhelmed by how many books some authors have written. Perhaps intimidation is a more appropriate word. How is it possible that Michener could write that many books and when I say books I don't mean thin books. Or Clive Cussler, or James Patterson, etc. Here I am trying to break into the market with my first book and I feel so late to the party. I know some of the leading authors have a lot of help with staffs that do editing, proof-reading, re-writes. And I know those author's don't have to spend a lot of time with query letters, convincing agents, or building their own websites and maintaining a presence on the social networks, so I do feel I am at a disadvantage. Therefore, I am digging in and working even harder. I plan to be published, I must.
JD's Ink Blot
Jul 28. 2010
One of the nice things about traveling, especially far enough from home to see a different culture, is to observe those around you. Many of my characters start with someone I know or have met. I say they 'start' that way. Then I add some characteristic that is nothing like that person or even merge two acquaintances into one. Add an accent or unusual trait and you have something unique for your story. For example, Uncle Bob is 89 years old, looks frail, quiet voice, nice smile. So, he's not an exciting character in real life, but what if you give him the ability to see into the future? Or perhaps, he is a serial killer from the fifties that was never caught and he's hearing those voices again…. You see how you can build a character that has a story itching to be told. Now, go take another look at all your friends, family members and acquaintances. If your family is anything like mine, you will find plenty of material to 'start' your character's persona.
JD's Ink Blot
Jul 25. 2010
Are you further along as a writer as last year? Sometimes when I read something I wrote last year, I either say Ewww that's really lame or sometimes, I say, hmmm…that's pretty good, I don't think I could do that again. I guess when my confidence is up, I think I could do a lot better, when I am in a writer's slump, I feel like I am not as good a writer today as I was in that impressive passage I once wrote. Don't beat up yourself. You are a writer. Just like sports, you have good days and bad days. The main thing is to do what I say in my salutation when I end an email: "Keep Writing".
JD's Ink Blot
Jul 19. 2010
Anniversaries, birthdays, special dates--all reminders of time passed. I am amazed when I look back on one of my projects and realize twelve years has passed since one idea that evolved into one of my "works-in-progress" is still in the re-writing process. Yes, time marches on. You usually can tell when you have waited too long to finish your manuscript when you see a book by the same title or theme at the bookstore. Oops, now what do I do? Drop it, or try to modify the storyline to be an original idea. Well, the best fix is to get that work-in-progress out there before it's too late. Just a gentle nudge to let you know the clock is ticking. Get busy!
JD's Ink Blot
Jul 16. 2010
During a recent vacation, I stayed at a rather nice lodge. I was impressed by the amenities and ready for a good night's sleep. The wee hours of the morning found me sitting up on the comfy couch. The culprit interrupting my sleep--the bed. Even though, I am sure it was a nice bed, it wasn't my bed. I'm sure you have been there. Getting back to your own bed is one of the small rewards of returning home from a trip. I will drive extra miles that last day of a vacation if I can wake up in my bed the next morning. This truth brings me to my point--our comfort zone.
One of the things that we fall into as writers, is staying in the same genre, same formula, same type of character, same theme. As an exercise, try writing a short paragraph or even a short story using a new style of writing. Tackle a mystery if you usually write non-fiction pet articles, write a love scene and make the characters the opposite from your last favorite one. What kind of person would your last protagonist despise or at least avoid? Give this exercise some thought, you probably will even have to do some research in areas you may find refreshing. So that's my thought for today, get out of your comfort zone and see if you find a new enthusiasm for writing, maybe even a new direction in your writing career.
JD's Ink Blot
July 5, 2010
I just don't have enough hours in the day. I really need to add to my webpage, I am on my eighth version of my query letter, I need to write a detailed synopsis and update my face book and my space. Oh yeah, and I need to write.
JD's Ink Blot
Jul 1, 2010
I have been working on my platform. What is a platform? I guess another way to say it is your presence. For instance, a webpage, a face book account, twitter, my space, or perhaps local community presentations. It seems the way things are done today when you are ready to promote your book is to do most of it yourself.
JD's Ink Blot
May 29, 2010
Yes, it's true. I haven't updated my blog for a month. Don't misunderstand, I haven't been lax, I have been very busy lately. The conference is in my rearview mirror and the six month deadline to use the submission stickers I received at the conference is only five months away now. I have discovered how difficult the query can be. Part of the problem is there is a wide matter of opinion on what makes a good query letter. I have written and re-written the query for my middle-grade novel many times. I currently have five different versions based on five different books I have read on the subject. The agency I was referred to by the editor at Simon & Schuster not only wants a standard query , but much more. Their submission guidelines suggested the query include specific items such as a marketing plan, a review of my platform (web and community presence), target audience, genre, and qualifications to write my novel and more. If they are interested, there will be more that is requested. A detailed synopsis, several chapters, and several pages outlining character motivations etc. I suppose all this up front is designed to eliminate casual writers and poor writing ideas which in effect limits the slush pile. However, this does require a lot of work besides writing. So, as you can see, I have lots to do. And this is for one submission. If I choose to make multiple submissions, there is even more work and research to do. I am not complaining, just sharing the ins and outs of the writer's experience.
JD's Ink Blot
Apr 20 2010
5:30am, I get ready to go. I check to see if I am forgetting anything. I throw some of my writing folders with, you guessed it, manuscripts, synopsis' and author bios, just in case.
6:00am, I eat at IHOP and on the way to the conference 35 miles away, my stomach feels queasy. Not sure if it was the breakfast or nerves about today. I don't think I am nervous, but perhaps I have fooled myself. Hopefully, I will feel better once I get there.
6:45am, I am the first to arrive. Makes sense, the conference doesn't start until 8:00. I read the advance schedule to see what happens first. I read a copy of the ten pages I submitted last month so I will be very familiar with anything the critiquer will have to say.
7:45am, Others are arriving and I decide to go into the lobby. Several faces I recognize from critique groups in the area. Many I don't know at all. Later, I find out there are groups from Oklahoma, Louisiana, Tennessee and one lady from Indianapolis. The Austin chapter of SCBWI is well-represented.
8:00am, I find the critique room, the illustrator's workshop room and the main conference room. The crowd will swell to fill all the seats. I'm not sure of the room's seating capacity.
8:45am, The conference opens with speeches by author Cynthia Leitich Smith of cynsations.com fame and Ruta Rimas, the assistant editor of Balzer&Bray/Harper Collins.
9:30am, the critiques started before the second speech ended. Those attendees engrossed in the second presentation had to be reminded to be present for their critique. The critique monitor did a great job of locating and queuing up the ones to be critiqued. I even volunteered to help, as did some of the other local SCBWI members.
10:30am, Door prizes and service awards were presented prior to a presentation by Patrick Collins, creative director for Henry Holt Books for Young Readers. His presentation of the process of how book cover art is developed was very interesting, especially for the illustrators in the crowd. Even though I consider myself a writer, I also do some artwork, so I found the presentation very interesting.
11:00am, Sara Crowe, agent with the Harvey Klinger Agency spoke next. She discussed what she was looking for in new authors and in the kind of material she was seeking.
12:00 noon, found everyone enjoying a good meal and talking with their table partners about their works-in-progress and who would be critiquing their manuscript.
1:00pm, My critique was coming up at 1:20, so I left the main room and waited near the critique room. The one's going in before me said they were nervous. So far, I didn't have any butterflies.
1:20pm, My turn. I entered the critique room and met Alexandra Cooper. She was very pleasant and seemed to be enjoying the critique sessions. I introduced myself and asked her if I could record the session. She was not prepared for such a request, but agreed, even though she said she didn't like the way her voice sounded when she heard it replayed. I agreed to not let her hear it. She laughed, so that was a good icebreaker and I was glad to have the comments to review later.
1:30pm, The fastest ten minutes of my life. Alexandra loved the story I submitted. The comments were very positive. Just a couple of minor suggestions. I actually got exactly what I expected. She recommended an imprint and agency I should query for my story. She also made several welcome comparisons to some very successful books and I appreciated her comments greatly. I was extremely happy with my first contact with the publishing world.
1:45pm, announcements and more door prizes and a raffle featuring a three day writer's retreat gave everyone a fun break in the action.
2:00pm, The afternoon speech by Lisa Sandell. The senior editor at Scholastic focused on query letters do's and don'ts. Good information.
3:00pm, Alexandra Cooper, the one who critiqued me, gave the final speech of the day. She pretty much summarized what all the other speakers had presented and everyone loved her humor.
3:45pm, a panel of the five presenters was assembled for a question and answer session. Many submitted pertinent questions that clarified guidelines, expectation, restrictions and market changes.
5:00pm, Closing comments thanked all the presenters and conference organizers. Blue Willow Bookstore of Houston had displays of all the presenters and local SCBWI members for sale and an autographing opportunity closed out the conference. I bought one book.
5:30pm, Many milled around after the conference networking with newfound friends, editors and agents.
5:45pm, Next stop, a restaurant less than a mile away. More networking and trading of business cards and email addresses, etc. With the relaxed atmosphere, some of my best contacts were made at the restaurant.
Overall, I was extremely happy with the conference. Everyone received a sticker from each speaker that allows us to submit to their closed house. It is good for six months and I plan to use every one of them.
Now, it is time to get back to the work of plotting, writing, re-writing and polishing; I am on a six month deadline. More later….
JD's Ink Blot
Apr 09 2010
Tomorrow is the day I go to the SCBWI conference. I have decided against taking a lot of things such as manuscripts, synopsis', and author bios. The main thing I am taking is a notebook and pens and my business cards. I will get an early start so I can eat a good breakfast. No, this isn't exciting, but I am trying to maintain a healthy, detached approach. This will be the day I find out what Simon & Schuster's senior editor thinks of my writing. I don't want to dwell on the possibilities.
JD's Ink Blot
Feb 26 2010
If you want to write, you need a secret weapon. My secret weapon is my wife, Sue. She is the one who prods me to write on days I don't want to write. She asks me how I am doing on my story. She allows me time to write. She is my number one critiquer. In short, she is my support system. A lot of the support though, has nothing to do with writing. Who will make a website for me. Sue. Who takes care of things while I trod off to a writer's conference? Sue. Writing is a time-consuming task, one that is almost impossible without a dedicated support system. Do you have a secret weapon?
JD's Ink Blot
Feb 16 2010
Websites and Business cards. I need both to be ready for the conference. I will update my old business card and put in the new web address once I get the domain name. That's the first order of business. I have several names in mind, but I want it to be a short name so people can remember it. I want the name to reflect my writing but not be too restrictive. The first name I tried was taken and I don't want that same name with some random numbers attached at the end like an afterthought. So I try several more names that all are taken. Then Bingo! JDsBooks is available. I grab it. So a few clicks later and shamboom! I have an IP address and can be found on the www at JDsBooks.com. Now, I need a webpage…oh boy, got to go, more later.
JD's Ink Blot
Feb 04, 2010
Long day at work. I am too tired to write. On days like this I could drag myself to my latest work-in-progress and stumble through some bad writing. I have done it before and discovered I delete it all the next day when I am refreshed and actually in the mood to write. So I sit here with a cup of hot cocoa and look out the window at the rain. I will close my eyes and imagine a scene from my book which I can now recite word for word since I have re-written it so many times. Perhaps I will "see" a slight change I need to address to improve the scene once again. I am staring at the keyboard now. I can continue on or just be satisfied with this short entry. I am hungry. Funny, how distractions will nudge you away from writing.
JD's Ink Blot
Jan 31, 2010
I was so excited that I would be talking face-to-face with an editor from Simon &Schuster on Feb 20th, I told everyone I know. It seemed like the thing to do at the time. Now, I am not so sure that was the best thing . Don't get me wrong, I really do appreciate the interest my friends have shown. This appreciated interest has, however, been a constant reminder of the excruciating waiting period between submission and response.
So I smile on the outside and cringe on the inside when the question comes: "So, have you heard anything about your book yet?" or the even harder to swallow: "when does your book come out?" But, hey, that's part of the process. It comes with the territory. I am an unpublished author, hoping my writing skills are adequate, my storyline logical and compelling, my characters intriguing and my timing impeccable.
Speaking of characters, my experience so far has been to throw a few characters together with a general idea of my storyline and see what happens. Recently I have an urge too approach a story differently. I have a new story idea rattling around in my head and I want to know the whole story before I even create the characters. I guess to some, that's the way they always write, but to me, it will be a new experience. There is always more to learn when it comes to writing.
JD's Ink Blot
Jan 26, 2010
Once a week I meet with other writers and we critique each other's latest work in progress. I also have an online group that I attend weekly. That group is hosted by an accomplished author and lasts about one hour. The average attendance used to be around twenty. Unfortunately, the group attendance is down. The last critique session was dismal. Only three people responded with a critique of the submission, plus one person simply sent a rude note, saying they didn't like the submission. The group is in trouble in my opinion. I wonder sometimes why I keep going back. Their seems to be two fractions in the group that don't like each other. The last few sessions have been very difficult. I don't understand why everyone cant be professional and put aside petty differences.
JD's Ink Blot
Jan 23, 2010
Less than one month and I will be attending a writer's conference in the Houston area. At the that conference, I will be attending workshops, listening to some speakers in the writing community. The main event for me, though, will be my face-to-face meeting with the assistant editor from Simon & Schuster, Alexandra Cooper. She has had the first ten pages of my very first submission to anyone for over a month now. I will have a short ten minutes with her. Hopefully, there won't be much small talk. Ten minutes isn't long. I want to know where I need to improve. I want this to be ten minutes that make a difference for me as a writer.
I will definitely keep you informed about my ten minutes of contact with the ones who hold my future as a writer in the palms of their ink-stained hands. So, what do I do in the meantime? I have narrowing down my choice on my next project. One story has my interest, but no decision just yet.
Another method I have of waiting for the conference encounter is to help a fellow writer. For some unknown reason, it is always easier to see ways to improve other writer's manuscripts than it is to see my own weaknesses. I enjoy critiquing other's writing and in the process I learn a lot about my own writing.
JD's Ink Blot
Jan 21, 2010
I decided I can "wait" or "keep writing". So I choose the latter. It's time I continue the journey. What if they do like my submission and want to see more. What if they take it and keep it for the six months . Do I hang suspended by my thumbs or sit on pins and needles. Absoulutely not. I have a lot to do. I can tweak my current manuscript. I can do one more, Ugh, rewrite while my submission lives with strangers, far from the mind that created the flowing scenes, the ramped-up suspense, the crystal clear motivations and vivid dialogue. I could also have a short story ready in case they try to let me down easy by saying "this story may not be what we are looking for, do you have any other writing?". IAh-hah! I yell as I pull my tightly written short story out of my bag of tricks and slap it on the table with a big smile. How can they not accept the story they just requested. Yes, once again I have sidestepped the slush pile with my forethought and incredible capitalization of every opportunity. Yes, I will write, there's more where that came from my dear editor, much more. You will see my determination in action, my stubborn resolve, the serious curl of my upper lip as my fingers fly across the keyboard. No, I will not be defeated. I will be published. And very soon.
JD's Ink Blot
Jan 16, 2010
I don't feel the urge to write. It has been two weeks since I submitted my first manuscript to Simon & Schuster. I know to not expect any feedback and I really don't want any right now. Actually, I am in decompression mode. Eleven years from creative thought to learning the craft to submission. I have several projects outlined, but I am enjoying the respite from the daily rigors of writing while also holding down a full-time job. That brings me to my topic of the day--writing time.
My writing schedule varies a lot. Some days I don't write at all, some days I write at lunch when I am at work. Occasionally, I write late at night, but only if I have a deadline. And on the weekend, I write more. I go a local restaurant where I order breakfast, write a couple of hours and go home to print a copy for review. An hour of editing comes somewhere during the afternoon when I am not doing life's daily chores. If I get a chance, I will makes revisions based on my edits, but if not, there's always tomorrow.
The process sounds slow, and it is. I have noticed this gives me time to think ahead and plot out the next scene or to think about how my character's would act if I added a twist or killed off a character in my story. On the other hand, how can you make a living as a writer at this pace. I did say I still have a day job. I am sure my writing schedule will change differently once I retire. So, far now, I will continue to make time to write and persevere.
My mind keeps drifting as I write this blog. A couple of the stories I have outlined are screaming for me to pay some attention to them. I will have to choose one at some point. Sometimes the deciding factor is very much dependent on my last choice. If my last finished story was a young-adult novel, I may be attracted to a short story or a non-fiction article. Usually, I will choose something drastically different from my last one. The exception, of course, would be if I had a series going and the next story was jumping up and down to be written while all the characters are fresh on my mind.
That reminds me, don't start your writing career with a series or trilogy. You really should start with shorter projects. Most writers improve with time and experience. Shorter works let you abandon a poor idea without the long-term commitment. Try starting with a short story, or non-fiction article. This will let you move on to other works quickly. Feel fortunate someone told you this, no one told me.
JD's Ink Blot
Jan 03, 2010
One word. That's all it took to show the editor I wasn't ready to be a serious prospect. Disappointed in myself? You bet. End of the world? No, but I sure wish I had waited one more day to submit my manuscript. Perhaps I would have seen it, but then again, maybe I wouldn't have.
I began writing eleven years ago, first for fun, later with a goal to be published. But years of reading, lots of poor writing, attending critique groups, discussing POVs, etc. and I blew it in one word.
I guess you could say I saved the editor some valuable time. Not exactly my goal, but that is what happened. Let me explain:
A story rattled around in my head for a couple of years. I didn't know anything about writing, other than a few compositions I had written for high school English and one required English Comp course in college.
The problem for me was I had a very creative mind, odd viewpoint on things, and the desire to write it all down. What I didn't possess was knowledge of the craft.
While creativity may be a gift some are be born with, the rules and techniques required to impress a publisher only come with determined learning and practice. This process takes time.
And once you learn to write, you must learn to re-write, and delete, and rearrange. You must let others tell you what they would do with your story; enduring comments that make you bleed or thicken your skin. Some comments you will discount, some comments you will despise for pointing out the weaknesses in your story. But you will thank them, of course, for their efforts, and later you will be glad they told you instead of holding back and letting the editor reading your submission tell you the same thing. That brings me back to the first word of my submission to a major publishing house, the first submission of my writing career.
When you write a story make sure the first word is correct. If you do, you will have made it one word further than I did.
I started my story with a short prologue before page one--just a paragraph really. But the first word I typed after eleven years of preparation: 'Preface'. Yes that's right, I used the wrong title, I should have typed 'Prologue'. So, the first thing the editor will see is a mistake.
Let me encourage you to double-check every single word, even the ones that haven't come out of your creativity. Check everything, over and over again. So I sit here knowing at a moment in the near future, an editor will roll her eyes and sigh when she sees another wannabe writer from the slush pile taking up her valuable time. My only hope is the story itself. Will it be strong enough to overcome my mistake? So the process marches on. They tell me that rejection is the next step I must endure to become a published author. I guess I guaranteed my move to the next level. Every step back holds the promise of two steps forward, if I persevere. I do plan to do better next time. I hope you do too. Good luck on the first word of your first submission and all the ones to follow.
