Happy 2010
Posted by webmaster | Filed under Miscellaneous, Writing
Well, another year is underway. I’m not big on resolutions, but I do like to take the chance with each new year to evaluate what I’ve been doing and think about the direction I want to take this year.
Too many things to focus on
I tended to divide my focus too much last year. Fiction. Multiple blogs. Articles. Freelance projects. Marketing. Social networking. It all meant that I just didn’t have quite enough time for anything, and never enough time to do it all well.
This year I’m going to limit myself. Fiction and the blogs are going to be my focus this year. I don’t plan on doing any freelance projects or articles. I also plan on limiting my use of social networking.
Focus for the blog
I think the blog has reflected my general lack of focus. I’d like to try to do some repeat themes like Grammar Monday, Fiction Tuesday, etc.
I’ll be spending some time over the next week going through logs and determining what posts get the most traffic, the most comments and the most shares on social networks. I’ll use that to develop a list of types of posts and subject to focus on this year.
What do you want?
What types of posts would you like to see here? What do you enjoy most, find the most useful? Is there a type of post you’d like me to not do any more of?
I’d love to get your feedback as I’m planning for the new year.
Further Reading
- None Found
Vampires: Banish them once and for all!
Posted by webmaster | Filed under Productivity
Here’s an interesting article on the vampire legend, and how some of it may have gotten started. I was anemic a few years back and did actually crave pink steaks. So… step a little closer. I think I see something on your neck.
What does this have to do with writing or publishing?
Well… I want to talk about real vampires. They may not be pale blood suckers, but they do suck the life out of you and your work. What’s taking you away from what you love, what you enjoy? Do you ever finish out the day wondering when you’ll have time to really live, do the things you want to do and not just what you have to do?
I know I struggle with this a lot, and even more over the last couple of months. It’s too easy to let small things fill up your day and never get around to what’s important.
Time is your most important asset, and how you spend it, minute by minute, determines the quality of your life. Think about that for a second. It’s not about setting aside a week for vacation or a special evening to do something with the family. Those things are fun and important, but your life is really determined by what you do every day, minute by minute, hour by hour. Choose wisely!
Bloodsuckers
So, what’s taking up your time?
People. I’m not telling you to turn into a misanthrope, far from it. You should make time to spend time with those you love, people who are important to you. However, that might mean making less time for people who drain you, your time and your emotional resources. Do you have someone like that in your life? Someone who takes up a lot of your time and energy when you’d rather do something else of be with someone else?
One thing you can do is limit the time you spend with, and on, these people. Use your caller ID and don’t take all their calls. You don’t have to answer every e-mail, IM, facebook message, etc. Try setting aside a little time for these people and strictly limit it to that and no more.
And if you start to feel guilty, take a look at someone you DO want to spend time with, and ask if it’s fair to you, or them, that you allow someone to interfere with that.
Less important tasks
Notice I don’t say unimportant tasks, just less important. Cooking, laundry, errands, bill paying, etc. are all important. They’re just not as important as doing what you love.
One technique that works for me is setting aside a specific amount of time to do these types of tasks, and I group all of them together. For example, I might allow two hours for housework, laundry, fixing dinner, cleaning up, etc. Let’s say you spend more time on dinner than usual. With this method, you’ll be forced to spend less time on some of the other stuff.
Again, if you start to feel bad that the floor isn’t mopped or you didn’t run every errand today, then consider if it’s worth not getting to spend time with your kids, or work on the novel, or have a date night with your husband.
Most important things first
This is the most important technique for ensuring that you have time to do the things you want to do. Set time aside for the most important things first, and then work in everything else as you can.
Want to have time to write every day? Set aside time before work, after dinner, whenever. Protect that time and fit everything else you have to do in the rest of the day. Want more family time? Then set aside time for it first and worry about housework and phone calls and so on during the rest of the day.
If you let it happen, there are a lot of tasks, and people, who will drain you of time, energy, spirit, motivation, etc. So don’t let it happen. Focus on how you want to spend your time, and practice ignoring other things, and people, in order to do that. It’s a lesson I’m still learning, but it’s completely worth it.
Further Reading
- None Found
Hodge podge
Posted by webmaster | Filed under Uncategorized
Wow, where to begin.
We found out a little over a month ago that my mom needed surgery. What we thought were gall bladder problems turned out to be a tumor. Of course, I’ve spent a lot of time worrying. Her surgery was last week, and she did terrific. I’m exhausted, but happy that it’s over for her.
I’m also up against a December deadline to (finally!!) finish my grad degree in computer science. Yep, it’s been a while, I’ve change instructors, changed plans, etc., but it looks like it’s going to happen. I have a lot of work to do in the next six weeks though.
Now, to add to my list of things to handle, I think I’m getting sick. My fever is 99.3 tonight, my throat is sore and I have a headache. Wonderful!
I’m trying to get caught up on twitter, stumbleupon, facebook, etc. tonight. I may not be as active onlne for the next month or so, but I won’t be totally off either. Wish me luck!
Further Reading
- None Found
5 Steps to Become a Published Writer
Posted by Jo | Filed under Publishing
Terry from PulseUniform left an interesting comment on the Story Structure article.
First, to answer the question, yes I think a lot of the story structure tips can also apply to non-fiction articles. I’ve seen something akin to setup – conflict – resolution used for articles. Obviously, the tips regarding character development won’t apply, but I’m sure you can find some useful ideas there.
One thing Terry said made me start thinking, about not having the talent for writing fiction. So, let’s say you’d like to write novels or short stories, but you don’t know if you can or how to get started. I’m no expert, but I’ve had some articles and short stories published, so I can tell you how to get that far at least.
Step one: Read and Write. A lot.
You wouldn’t expect to become a great basketball player if you shot hoops once or twice a month, so why would you expect writing (or anything really) to be any different? Read the types of things you’re interested in writing, and write a lot.
Step two: Accept that you’ll write a lot of garbage
Even the BEST writers, and I mean the absolute best, write some crappy stuff. You’re going to write crappy stuff. Accept it and get past it. Some of your stuff will be unpublishable, ever, and that’s o.k. Think of it like a quota; you have to generate so much garbage to finally generate something good.
Step three: Get feedback
Sometimes it’s hard to tell if you’re writing good stuff or garbage. Get feedback from someone else to help you figure out which you’re doing. This feedback should come from someone who’ll be honest with you, even if it hurts your feelings. Otherwise, the feedback isn’t much use, is it?
In general, avoid depending on your family and friends to judge your writing. They care about you, and they’re likely to say your work is better than it is. This will make you feel good, but it won’t do anything for your writing.
So, where can you get feedback? You can try posting your work online, in a blog or in a writer’s forum. You can also try online or in-person writer’s critique groups.
How to choose a critique group
Ideally, you want a critique group that has someone a little more advanced than you are. If everyone is a beginner, then it will be tough for anyone to advance.
You also want a group that will be honest about your work and tell you when something isn’t working. Hopefully they’re also telling you what is working well so you can build on that.
It can be difficult to ask for, and take, a critique of your work, but it’s also a crucial step in getting better at writing.
Don’t be afraid to ditch your critique group
When should you dump your critique group and look for another? It’s hard to say, but I can tell you some things that have triggered me to do that.
- When the group becomes more social than writing-related. Socializing is nice, but it won’t help you improve as a writer
- When the group loves everything I write. No one is that good, and it’s bad for me to think, even for a second, that I might be.
- When the group hates everything I write. I’m not that bad either. Typically, this is a mismatch of writing style, genres, etc. Find a group that likes to read the kind of stuff you write.
- When I stop getting useful critiques. This is a tough one to judge, but if you feel that you’re not getting feedback you can use, or that you couldn’t have figured out for yourself, it’s time to find another group.
Step four: Publish
What? Already? Yep, already.
You like what you’ve written. Your mom likes it. Your spouse likes it. Your critique group likes it. It’s time to send it off and see if someone else likes it.
I’d suggest starting off with short stories or articles. Find a magazine that fits your genre and style, read their submission guidelines, and FOLLOW them. Start off with a magazine that’s relatively easy to publish in. Online and paper publications that generally pay little or nothing are what you’re shooting for here. You’ll want a few publishing credits to your name before you submit to a more competitive market.
Submit, and wait. You might get a form rejection. If so, re-read your story, tweak it if you think necessary, and send it out to another market.
If you’re lucky, you’ll get an offer, or a note from an editor asking for some changes. You can learn a lot about what’s “wrong” with your story from this advice. Yes, it’s just one person’s opinion, but for now, it’s the person who matters.
Step five: Do it again.
The best way to learn to write is to write. Each time you put your work in front of someone, you’ll learn something about how readers react to your work. And with each time, you’ll get a little better at it.
Further Reading
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Read more. Learn more.
Posted by webmaster | Filed under Books
Those people would be wrong. You can find time to read more, and enjoy it, if you get creative with your reading time and methods. Will you always have an hour or two to curl up with a book? No, probably not, but you will have time to read, and that’s what you want, isn’t it?
Improve your reading speed
One of the first things you’ll need to do is get accustomed to reading in small chunks. You might not have half an hour to finish a chapter, but you might have time to read a couple pages. No, it doesn’t sound like much, but it adds up, and it is possible to enjoy a book reading it this way.
One key to making this work is keeping your place marked! If you spend half the time finding your spot, then having five minutes to read isn’t really worth it. Invest in some inexpensive bookmarks, or use index cards, post-its, or something similar.
Carry a book with you all the time
This one is a no-brainer. If you want to read more, then have something handy to read. Stick a paperback in your purse, your car, etc. so it’s with you when you need it. Read it anytime you’re stuck waiting somewhere. This is where learning to read in small bits will really come in handy.
Read e-books
Don’t want to carry a book with you? Then download an e-book onto your phone. Most smartphones can handle e-books, and you have your phone with you all the time anyway.
If you really enjoy the e-book format, you might also consider buying a reader, like the Kindle or something similar.It’s something extra to carry, but you’ll be able to take hundreds of books and other documents along with you.
Listen to audio books
Audio books are a great option if you’re in the car a lot. Audible is the site I use for downloads, but there are others you can check out as well. Audio books are also great to listen to while you’re working; I find them no more distracting than music, especially if I’m busy doing routine tasks that don’t require a lot of concentration.
Read more than one book at a time
Allow yourself to read more than one book at a time. You might have one at home, another audio book for the car, and an e-book on your phone. Getting accustomed to reading this way can mean that you always have a book going somewhere, and you get more reading done overall.
If you find this confusing, then select vastly different books to read simultaneously. You’ll be less likely to get them mixed up.
Place books in progress in spots where you’ll have time to read
Leave books in places where you’ll likely have time to read. Put one in your desk for days when you eat in your office. Put another by your favorite chair to read instead of watching television. And yes, it’s o.k. to put one in the bathroom too!
Reading is a great — and cheap — way to entertain yourself. Even better, you’ll set the example for you kids that reading is important enough to make time for. Now, why don’t you find a book you’ve been meaning to read and spend some time with it?
Further Reading
- None Found
Story Structure
Posted by webmaster | Filed under Publishing, Writing
In this article, Larry Brooks discusses writing from an outline vs. writing from the seat of your pants. His argument is that both are feasible, providing you have your story architecture in mind. Unfortunately, although the article was good, he didn’t explain what he means by story architecture or how to develop one.
Which got me to wondering, what exactly does he mean by “story architecture,” and how does a writer know she has one?
I did some digging on his site and found this page, where he does a ten part series on story structure. Here are the 4 parts he uses, but I’ll leave it to you to head over to his site to read through the whole series.
- Set up: Establish the stakes
- Response: React to the problem
- Attack: Main character begins to fix things
- Resolution
Channel 101 also has an interesting article about story structure. If you’re familiar with Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey, then some of Dan Harmon’s stuff will sound familiar to you. Dan says there are eight steps you need to cover. I like this description best because his descriptions are great, yet succinct. Definitely head over and read these now; I’ll wait.
- You
- Need
- Go
- Search
- Find
- Take
- Return
- Change
You might be more comfortable with the three act structure, described here.
- Setup
- Confrontation
- Resolution
I’m sure you’re picking up on the theme here. Whether you know the whole layout before you start writing, or if you write it and then rework it later, your story will probably follow this basic pattern.
- Setup: Introduce the character and setup the situation
- Conflict: The character has a problem, tries to fix things, often makes matters worse, and eventually gets it right. Or not.
- Resolution: Wrap up loose ends, answer lingering questions, etc.
Of course, if you’re writing something that’s non-traditional, then your story might not follow this, and that’s cool too. Write what you want. As long as it works, do it, I say.
Further Reading
- None Found
9 Tips for attracting Twitter followers
Posted by Jo | Filed under Markets
If you’re using twitter, particularly if you want to promote your blog or website with it, you’ll need followers. How can you attract twitter followers without making an annoyance of yourself or coming off as a spammer?
- Say something useful. Or funny. Or at least mildly entertaining. Don’t spam, and don’t make every post about driving people to your site, getting them to join your affiliate network, buy your e-book, etc. Twitter users can spot spam a mile away, and they’ll drop you right away if you come off like that.
- Follow others. In general, you won’t get many followers if you’re not willing to follow people. You don’t have to follow everyone who follows you, but I do to start. If you turn out to be a spammer, or worse, I have no problems un-following you though. Be careful, following hundreds (or thousands) of people hoping some will reciprocate is a great way to get labeled a spammer.
- Make it easy to follow you. Provide a link to your twitter profile in your post, on your sidebar, somewhere.
- Ask! Ask people to follow you. That may seem obvious, but I often have success posting something like “I need X more followers to hit YYY. Please follow me.”
- Ask for retweets. When you post a particularly useful tweet, ask your followers to retweet it. This will get you more exposure.
- Give retweets. If you posts of people you follow that you think YOUR followers would like. Your followers get good information, and the person you retweeted is more likely to follow you and retweet your material too.
- Use the hash (#) tag. If you write a lot about basketball, then you’ll want to use #basketball in your tweets. Think keywords, and preface each with #. This will help people find you when they search for those topics on twitter.
- List yourself in twitter directories.
- Be patient. It takes time to build a twitter following. Take your time, enjoy posting and getting to know your followers, and the followers will come.
—
Follow me on twitter.
Friend me on stumbleupon.
Further Reading
- None Found
Unlimited Ideas
Posted by webmaster | Filed under Creativity, Weblogs
If you’re a blogger, creating content weekly or even daily can be a challenge. If you’re writing articles for a living, then you’re probably facing similar problems. How do you find topics to write about?
One of my favorite ways is the list post. Everyone has written them. Let’s take a recent one of mine for example.
50 Ways to Improve Your Health
If you’re looking for article topics or more post topics, then try expanding an entry into a post or article. Again, let’s take “meditate” from the article and work on that. Here are some samples to get you started.
- Learn to meditate
- Types of meditation
- Benefits of meditation
- Meditation and spirituality
- Meditation and relaxation
- Advanced meditation techniques
You get the point, I’m sure.
One benefit is that you can do research on one topic, meditation in this case, and then use that research in multiple posts or articles. If you’re only making $10 or $20 per article, then it’s to your advantage to write more articles from the same amount of background research.
If you’re a blogger, then turn the posts into a series on your site.
What, you don’t have any list posts of your own to mine? Use others’ posts for inspiration, but be a good internet citizen and give credit for your inspiration.
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Remember, this is a do-follow blog, so you get link credit for your comments.
I’m always looking to expand my twitter and stumbleupon network. Follow and friend me — I’ll reciprocate.
Further Reading
- None Found
Publishing your short fiction
Posted by Jo | Filed under Markets, Publishing
You may have a great short story already written, or the seed of one wriggling around somewhere, and you’d like to know where and how to publish it.
Ralan.com is a good place for speculative, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, etc. He keeps the site up-to-date, and there are hundreds of listings there, divided up by pay amount, so it’s easy to find something in the level you’re looking for. Ralan is free to use.
Duotrope is another free online market database. It includes most genres, not just speculative. It has a good search feature so you don’t have to go digging.
Writers Market is another one I use. It’s not free (about $40/year). It has searchable market listings, although the search features here aren’t as good as those on duotrope! One nice feature is the ability to input your submissions and track when you sent them out, to whom, and when you should expect to get a response. I think that’s worth the $40/year price, not including the market listings. They do offer a monthly payment plan if you don’t want to commit right away.
Which comes first, market or story?
O.K. you have an idea and a few markets, what’s next? Do you write the story and then search for a market to fit the length, genre, and other specifics? Or, do you find a market and tailor the story to fit?
If your primary goal is getting published, then tailoring to the market is easier in my experience. Some markets have very off-the-wall requirements, so you’re better off working that into the story from the beginning if possible. I know purists will turn up their noses at that, but I said if your goal is being published, writing to the market is easier. If your goal is art, then by all means, write first and market later.
I’ve done both successfully, and for me it just depends on the story. If I have something more or less fully worked out, I write that and try to find a market that it will fit. And, honestly, that can be tough. Often I’ve found a great market for it just to realize that it’s too long, too short, should have taken place in Maine or on a pirate ship, etc. Having a great story and nowhere suitable to send it is frustrating, to say the least, and one reason that I tend to make sure I have a market in mind before I put in too much work.
Submissions
You have a story, you have a market, you’re all set. Right?
Not quite. Not yet at least.
First off, put the story away for a week or two. You need time away from it to do a good job editing and proofreading. Here are a few other tips I use for editing my work before it goes out.
- Read it out loud. Nothing will help you pick up on awkward construction like hearing it.
- Get someone else to read it. This person should be someone who can help you proofread and edit.
- Make sure characters’ names are different enough that they’re not easily confused.
- Read each characters’ dialogue to make sure everyone doesn’t sound alike. No, the forty year old mom should not sound just like her seventeen year old teenage son.
Next, you need to look at the submission guidelines for the market you’ve chosen, and follow them. Follow them to the letter. You want your work to stand out because it’s good, not because you ignored what the editors asked for. Talk about getting off on the wrong foot!
If you don’t know how to format your manuscript, then this search for “manuscript submission format” will help. Sometimes markets will have their own guidelines that conflict with these, if so, do what the market says.
Last step, send it out. It’s all too easy to get carried away editing and preparing and never get anything submitted. It’s something I think most writers struggle with, so set yourself a deadline and get the story out. Even if it’s rejected, you’ll feel better about yourself for trying.
Further Reading
- None Found
Eight Magazines that Want to Buy Your Short Stories
Posted by Jo | Filed under Markets
Pays 10 cents per word for Sci Fi, Horror, Fantasy. The site is worth visiting just to read the list of what they don’t want.
Pays 5 cents per word, $50 minimum for speculative fiction. They also have a list of what they don’t want.
There’s not much information on the site as to what they buy or pay, but from the look of the magazine, I’m guessing literary.
Pays $5 flat fee for romance and erotica.
Publishes literary fiction and non-ficiton. There’s no mention on the site of payment.
There isn’t much information on what they accept. However, it takes up to twelve months to hear about a submission and another twelve for publication and payment…. of $100 per story.
Several children’s magazines are listed, along with their submission guidelines.
Publishes literary fiction. See the site for specific monthly themes. There’s no mention of pay that I could find.
Further Reading
- None Found
