Page turners by Violet Carr Moore

Violet Carr Moore

Violet Carr Moore

The initial reviewer of the first chapters of my most recent mystery novel asked “Where’s the conflict?” The next critiquer said “Lacks tension.” The third reader followed with “Needs more action.” Number four summed it up with “Nothing worth turning the page in these chapters.”

Nothing. Worth. Turning. The. Page.

The manuscript took shape as my fifth NaNoWriMo challenge last November. My main focus was the gallop to the finish line before Thanksgiving dinner. Four months later the novel smelled worse than unrefrigerated limburger on a summer day. Only the title, Retribution, offered action, conflict and tension.

I tried to revise the first chapters, but it was like rerolling a pie crust. The more I worked, the tougher it became. After a face-to-face meeting with a couple of the reviewers, I choose to lay it aside and concentrate on my second NaNo novel. It started with tension and conflict on the first page. The characters pushed forward to form a strong plot and subplots. An arc and a justice-prevails conclusion followed.

A page turner.

 

When a stranger called me a writer by Lani Longshore

Lani Longshore

Lani Longshore

I spent the last week in April at the Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA) conference in Santa Fe. During one of the evening meet-and-greets, I was introduced to the woman in charge of blogs for the Northern California region. I mentioned my quilting sci-fi novels, and offered to write a blog about my experience as a new member at my first SAQA conference. She agreed, so I asked about editorial guidelines.

“Oh, I’m not concerned about that,” she said. “You’re the professional writer.”

I was surrounded by women making a living as artists, and she called me the professional. I was stunned and almost protested. Then I realized, yes, I should call myself a professional writer.

Even before joining CWC, I took classes and read books on the art of writing. Since then, I’ve had more opportunities to take workshops, submit stories to contests, and work with editors and critique groups. I have honed my craft and become a better writer. Still, the step between training to be a writer and acknowledging myself as a writer is daunting. For as much as family and friends have encouraged, supported and affirmed my goals, I realized that I had not made that step until someone else—a stranger—said the words.

I’m constantly advised to grasp every opportunity to promote myself and my writing. I can testify that the advice is sound. Not only do I have a chance to let a whole new group of potential readers know about me and my books, I received an affirmation I had not realized I wanted or needed. 

Sweet News about Self-Promotion by Lani Longshore

Lani Longshore

Lani Longshore

I self published a second quilting science fiction novel, When Chenille Is Not Enough, with coauthor Ann Anastasio. We were offered a free ad in the program for the Studio Art Quilt Associates conference in April. Since quilters are our target audience, we jumped at the opportunity. We didn’t read the fine print, however, which stipulated the size of the ad (small).

I found myself on a deadline with the wrong skill set, trying to think like an ad exec and create the most impact with the fewest words. In desperation, I typed “Once again, quilters save the world from space aliens– this time with ice cream.” Ann thought the ad was great, the editor of the program was pleased (whether because she liked the copy or because I made deadline is a question I preferred not to ask), and I went on to the next task.

Then I needed copy for the postcard we created as part of our publicity materials. I stared at a blank screen, deadline approaching. “Self,” I said, “don’t reinvent the wheel.” I used the same tagline on the postcard, and in the short description for our Smashwords page. “Self,” I said, “maybe this is your elevator pitch.”

Thank heavens for critique partners, who showed me the truth–this is my promotion gimmick! I’m not sure how, but sometime soon I’m going to have an ice cream party for the book. I might even do traveling parties for my friends brave enough to open their homes to me.

I’m thinking of sewing a chenille ice cream cone as a visual aid. Yes, it’s silly, but it’s also attention getting, and that’s what counts. 

I’m Not Finished Yet by Camille DeFer Thompson

“Burt’s Bees” is funnier than “Neosporin.”  But it’s too late. I sent the story off this morning. 

No piece is ever finished (complete?).  They dwell in perpetual draft mode well beyond the submission date. I never forward the same story to more than one publication, despite the fact that they have identical titles, themes, plots and characters. There’s always a last-minute edit – a better word or phrase – that comes to me only after I have hit the “Send” key. The revised version will have to wait for the next competition.

My latest rework involves a humor (comic?) piece I submitted to a call for a non-fiction short in an upcoming anthology on do-it-yourselfers.  It relates the tale of my near electrocution while attempting to install (replace?) a new doorbell. Just before submitting, I added a gesture between lines of dialog – something about rubbing “Neosporin” on my palms, after completing extensive (exhaustive?) house cleaning.  It improved the scene, adding an image of me soothing my poor, overworked hands.  Satisfied with that final change (tweak?), I patched it off to the publisher.

At last free (liberated?) from one more deadline, I headed to Target to pick up a few things.  There in the cosmetic department, I spotted the honey gold “Burt’s Bees” display.  Shoot! I thought, the heel of my hand hitting (striking?) my forehead. “Burt’s Bees Hand Salve!” How much funnier that would read!

And so, “Burt’s Bees” replaces “Neosporin” in the latest iteration. In another piece, “Loomis” (Altoona?) (Poughkeepsie?) supplants “Denver.”

It seems my search (quest?) to find just the right word never ends (continues?).

Still more to do by Lani Longshore

Lani Longshore

Lani Longshore

Susan Sachs Lipman’s program in March gave me lots of ideas for my as-yet-uncreated website, and my needs-to-be-updated blog site, as well as the impetus to become an expert in my field (what, you didn’t realize you need to know about quilting science fiction?). I left the meeting feeling enlightened and energized. So what should I find when I arrived home? One of my quilt magazines had information on the same topic, but it added another item to the to-do list – work on my visual signature.

I know a little about color theory and design, which helped when I wrestled with cover art for my self-published novel. The article I read suggested that isn’t enough – artists need an unified collection of images that can be used for many outlets and projects.

It is hard enough to develop the skill set to produce a novel, then the skill set to publish it. Now I have to learn the skill set to present myself visually as well as in words? Create the sound bite and the thumbnail? This is taking the concept of the one-man-band to a level so far out of my comfort zone it might as well be another planet.

Since I write science fiction, the notion of other planets is oddly calming to me, and I started thinking about what my visual signature might be if it came from an artist born under green skies instead of blue. I haven’t come up with an idea, but at least I’m calm enough to pass the information on to you – there really is a lot more to do after you type “The End.”

The OGs are against me by Violet Carr Moore

Violet Carr Moore

Violet Carr Moore

No, I don’t mean odds. The odds are against me would be a cliché, not an acceptable title for a modern blogger. See, there it is again—the OG in blogger—a person who writes a blog. That would be me as I hurl this post into the blogosphere (another OG) where blogs reside.

Add a single letter to the beginning of OG and bog, cog, dog, fog, hog, jog, log, and tog appear. Add a second letter in random sequence to form blog, clog, smog, and vlog. Vlog? Yes, vlog. This twenty-first century word describes a blog that features videos, not words. When a vlogger posts a series of videos, they escape the blogosphere of journal reflections and soar into the vlogosphere of motion images.

These new online OGs are enough to make George Herpin, the nineteenth-century stamp collector who introduced the word philately, turn over in his grave (cliché intended). The phrase “Original Gum” (abbreviated OG), the test for authenticity of collectible postage stamps to assess for mint condition values, marches to a new cadence.  

Will blogs become the next collectibles? As long as the French and Greek combo phil + atéleia (freedom from charges to the recipients) endures, I’ll take that chance and embed my footprints in the blogosphere. 

A Writer’s Diary by Stacey Gustafson

6:30  Repeat five times, “Today is the day I am going to work on my NOVEL.”Stacey Gustafson

6:40  Brush teeth. Check email. Oh boy, 40 new messages. Delete 39.

6:50  Wake up son for school, start breakfast, tidy up kitchen, run a load of laundry, drive son to school.

8:00  Check Internet. Must know more about sinkhole in Florida that opened up and swallowed a man.

8:10   Phone rings. Mother shares weird neighbor story. Is it really possible to set house on fire by turning on hair dryer and washing machine at the same time? Doubtful.

8:30  Draft new blog, “101 Ways to Avoid Writing a Novel.”

9:30  Time to write my NOVEL. At least one page of NOVEL.  Okay, one damn sentence.

9:35  Mother calls back, friend confirmed it was possible to set your house on fire by turning on the hair dryer and washing machine at the same time. Still doubtful.

9:45  Put laundry in dryer. Throw out trash. Make grocery list.

10:00  Continue working on blog.

10:30  Phone call reminds me it’s a friend’s birthday, 11:30 lunch. Crap, need a shower.  Back by 1:00.

1:09  Must start working on THE NOVEL but realize bedroom is messy.  Husband notices I’m neglecting housework.

1:15  Tidy bedroom. Vacuum and dust. Cleaning shower is boring.

2:00  Time to sit down and work on THE NOVEL. I hear voices in my head.

2:10  Type a few sentences, Chapter 10. Knocking at front door. Who is it? Tear down the staircase, dog on my heels. Tom Turkey and lady friend peck on glass door. You’ve got to be kidding! Turkeys!

2:12  Send Mom picture on iPhone. She’ll love this!

2:20  Check Facebook, Twitter, blog http://staceygustafson.com/

2:30  That’s it. Thirty minutes to write before I pick up son from school.

3:00  I did it!  Wrote 200 words of my NOVEL.

 

A Writing Desk of One’s Own by Lani Longshore

Lani Longshore

Lani Longshore

I read a column by SciFi great Robert Silverberg about his writing desk, the one he has used for fifty years. It’s gray steel, with drawers, made in America. My desk is also gray and made in America (by my husband). I’m not sure what Silverberg envisioned when he installed the desk in his New York apartment, but I know what my husband envisioned when he installed the desk in our family room. It isn’t what he got.

I’m not a tidy person. I have notes, notebooks, files and binders piled hip deep on, around, and under my desk. There are unread books, out-of-date computer cheat sheets, and memos-to-self about deadlines that have passed. Sometimes I’m afraid to sift through the piles lest I unearth something that was once terribly important and now is just tragic.

For all the psychic pain, one thing I will not experience at my desk is physical pain. My husband made it with an adjustable keyboard tray, my chair moves in so many directions you’d think it was tap-dancing, and I have all manner of devices to keep my wrists in the proper configuration.

Silverberg didn’t mention how comfortable he finds his desk, but I think it is as important to fit the desk to your body as it is to fit the shoes to your feet – not the other way around. The life of a writer is precarious enough without adding physical pain caused by a poorly designed work space. Make it fit. Your writing depends on it.  

Networking by Lani Longshore

Lani Longshore

Lani Longshore

I’m calling 2013 the year of relearning. Two weeks ago, I relearned the value of adding tags to blogs. A few days ago, I relearned the value of networking.

The lead judge for California Writers Club Tri-Valley high school writing contest, Lynn Goodwin, conducted a free writing workshop for students on February 5. The contest and workshop were publicized in our newsletter, local newspapers, libraries and area schools. I forgot about asking members to publicize them until Liz Koehler-Pentacoff volunteered.

Liz is deeply involved in the CWC Mt. Diablo middle school writing contest, and she has her own writing projects. Why should I think that would stop her? Many of us are members of other CWC branches or have commitments to other organizations. We all have projects, deadlines and obligations. None of that precludes us from promoting the activities of our fellow writers.

My thanks to Liz for reminding me that the California Writers Club exists to network, and for promoting Lynn’s writing workshop and the high school writing contest. If you want to promote the contest, it is free and open to high school students in grades 9-11 in the Tri-Valley. Details are on this website.

If you have connections with middle school students, direct them to the CWC Mt. Diablo website  for information about that contest and the free writing workshop for 6-8th graders on Saturday, March 2 at the Walnut Creek Public Library. CWC members Sarah Wilson and Liz will be conducting the workshop.

Networking—it’s a great relearning experience.

Latinists among us by Lani Longshore

Lani Longshore

Lani Longshore

I read an article in Smithsonian magazine that said the rules of English grammar we cherish and curse (sometimes in the same breath) come from a misguided attempt to impose Latin structure on a Germanic root. Well, bite my neck and call me Susie (as my grandfather used to say, and don’t ask me who Susie is). I can blame all my agony at the keyboard on the tyranny of imperialism.

Except…the rules matter. In the life or death struggle to find an agent, grammar counts (as does spelling, and understanding that ten pages and a synopsis means just that). I have told my critique group that “rule” is a four-letter word, but I still red-line split infinities and non-dialogue sentences that begin with a conjunction.

The Smithsonian article advised putting good prose above precise grammar, which I believe is good advice. What matters most is telling the story in the best possible way. Nevertheless, I can’t bring myself to abandon the structure I was taught without compelling reason. Latin structures—like Hadrian’s Wall—outlasted the barbarians. Who am I to open the door to chaos in my prose just because one of my means of defense isn’t a perfect fit?

 

 

 

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