Turning the "don't" into "do."

Hello!

I heard a great radio commercial recently.  Granted, it had to do with New Year's resolutions and weight loss, but I thought it applied nicely to a writer's world as well.

The commercial was bemoaning the fact that so many resolutions are about "don't."  "Don't" eat junk food.  "Don't" smoke anymore.  That sort of thing.  The commercial wanted the listener to focus on "do."  "Do" get more exercise. "Do" enjoy healthier options for food.

So I was pondering, how do you turn a "Don't" into a "do" when it comes to the writing life?

First, what are the "don't" when it comes to writing?

There are a million of them.  As I plow through the first draft of a new novel, I'm running headlong into a pile of "don't," and sometimes that makes me not want to write.  For instance, when writing, many say, "DON'T just jump into a story.  Think about the characters, write down their history, their hair color, their eye color, their favorite color.  FOR THE LOVE OF GOD...DON'T JUST WRITE THE STORY!"

Balderdash.

Let's start with the rough draft.  I believe, and I think you can agree with me, the rough draft of anything should be about "DO!"

DO write everything you think is a good idea!

DO play with character names, back stories, physical features, everything. 

DO write and write until all the words are down. Sure, a good percentage might stink.  Sure, the words might not even be in the right order.  BUT they are down and the only way you're going to write a novel is IF YOU ACTUALLY WRITE A NOVEL.  There are no gold stars, no book deals, no book signings, no readings, no NOTHING for a pile of well researched notes and character profiles. 

I tried to be super organized when I wrote "Fresh Ice."  I had notes and profiles on every character.  I had names and parents' names and pets' names and jobs and work schedules.  And what happened?

My critique partner LOATHED the storyline.  We came up with a new one, she and I, one frosty night while walking her dog.  I love Fresh Ice now.  I can't imagine how it would have turned out if I'd clung to the organization and time I put into a bad storyline.

Okay, what's another "Don't" in writing? 

"Don't" get so serious about writing.  It's just a hobby.

Oh please...DON'T GET ME STARTED!
Wait, no, DO GET ME STARTED!

Whether your friends, relatives, coworkers, daycare workers say this out loud or not...some of them are thinking it and it oozes out into what you do.  This Don't becomes a BIGGER Don't because then we move into the "Don't tell anyone you're a writer, they'll just look at you funny."

Writing is a solitary activity, and therefore those around you who don't see what you do don't get what you do, unless you have a New York Times best seller sitting on the coffee table with your name on the OUTSIDE of the cover, not the INSIDE.  (See, I made a funny!)  I have relatives who knit, cross stitch, make Christmas ornaments out of broken glass, and I love them all.  But theirs is a visible art form.  Everyone sees what they are doing when they are doing it and then they go to craft fairs and sell these visible things.  Most writers these days work alone, or in coffee shops, and the finished product, given the magic of e-readers, is not something you can hold in your hand.

That fact does not make your writing any less important.  So DO take your writing seriously.  If you don't, few else will.  And DO tell everyone you're a writer.  Wear a T-shirt, call book stores and pester them until you get a book signing.  Tell your friends, your neighbors, your church friends, everyone that you are a writer and hey, you have a book/novel/poetry collection/short story collection available for sale.  My favorite moment as a writer is when my church people come up to me. I had one woman introduce me to a friend once and say, "You wouldn't think she was just a quiet little church person when you read her books."  (Something I think I should put on one of my covers, by the way!)

Friends, writing is sometimes a solitary thing.  We all joke about the voices in our heads, but when it comes down to it, it can be lonely sitting there waiting for inspiration to return.  So my biggest DO is DO find a writing group an DO make time to talk to other writers and authors.  DO find a critique partner.  DO share your writing with those who write.  Over the years I've been blessed to be part of many groups, big and small, and I cherish the input I got from all of them.  These days I don't have a ton of time, but I DO attempt to get to a writers' meeting every few months, just to touch base with others in the business. And of course I have my critique partners who are wonderful, tireless women I love to call my friends.  

This is a New Year.  DO what you DO and forget about everyone who says DON'T!

Query, query, who's got a query?

Good afternoon!






It's a rare Sunday post for me, but I had to get this out whilst it was still in my brain. Since I've turned off the AC in my house for the first time in about ten days, who knows how long anything will remain before my brain actually melts.





Yesterday, Saturday, I attended my monthly Mad City Romance Writers meeting. This is a great groups of writers, published and unpublished, that both inspire and push me to be a better writer. I love going because some of the folks in this group are people I'm sure I wouldn't meet in my regular life, but it's our differences that make these meetings a lot of fun!





So yesterday the topic was Query Letters. If you're a writer who's submitted one of these beasts, you know how awful the query is. What is the magic formula for a query? Many books have been written and sold on the subject. I can save you a lot of time and money by answering this questions right here:





There is no magic formula for a query letter.





Yes, a lot of authors who have made their money writing books on how to write the guaranteed query are going to get plenty beefed at me, but I don't care. If you want to spend your dollars wisely as you invest in your writing career, there are three books you need to buy:





1) Writer's Market.



Get the current year, of course. This manual of agents, editors, magazines and publishing houses is a must have. Generally costs $35 in bookstores, but worth every penny because it's a lot of info in one place.





2) Stephen King: On Writing





Forget all other how to writing manuals. Get the one written by the master. One part autobiography, one part writing manual, it's the go to for any writer. I believe it's $27 new, but you can get this one used any place.





3) Dream in Color...by ME!





Duh...you thought I wasn't going to MARKET in a blog? Please! LOL!





As for the query letter, here's the very best thing I can tell you: The most success I've had is when the agent or editor asks for pages or a synopsis in addition to a query. You can use www.querytracker.net as a great one stop info guide to which agents and editors want both a query and a synopsis.



As for writing a query, keep two things in mind:





1) Keep your hook and story synopsis short. The hook is one sentence. The story synopsis isn't a synopsis, it's a paragraph with the bare bones outline of the story.





2) Keep your biographical info shorter. No one cares if you won your 5th grade writing contest. Open with the big stuff first. (I made this mistake in mine and was soundly scolded yesterday! LOL!) Then, if you're a little thin on writing credits and you feel you MUST mention you won your fifth grade writing contest, keep it simple: I'm an award winning writer. It's not lying....really.





Most of all remember this: Rejections on queries, like rejections on everything else in writing, is purely a matter of luck. If I hadn't met Rhonda Penders at a chocolate fountain in Green Bay Wisconsin, Dream in Color would never have happened. You will get your big break, so long as you work hard, remain persistent (And by persistent I point to my inspiration and critique partner, who has sent out more than 80 queries in the last year.) and look for that magic chocolate fountain!





but above all...KEEP WRITING!

Looking forward to meeting in Madison!

Good morning all!

I've often said that a big part of writing and writing well is belonging to an organized writers' group. Well, I haven't been in one in several years, not since our little group stopped meeting at The Chancery on Tuesday nights. (We learned that while drinking and writing mix quite well, drinking and offering critiques do not, right Elliott? :)

Anyway, I'm really excited to head to Madison this weekend with my dear friend Linda to officially join the Madison Chapter of WisRWA. I've been a member of RWA (Romance Writers of America) for a little less than a year, but getting into a chapter has been my goal for longer than that. So Saturday is the day and I couldn't be more jazzed to get back into an organized group!

This past weekend was an eyeopener for me. I'm not a person who goes through life worrying about who is going to rip me off. (I never think I have anything anyone would want.) Well, Saturday morning I was jangled out of bed by a phone call from my debit card company alerting me to the fact that my debit card number had gone outside to play Friday night and wound up on at the Janesville Walmart (That's an hour away from us) at about midnight. The joker with my number tried to buy $400 worth of stuff, but was denied because, well, I don't have $400 in my account! (Thank heavens for small favors, I guess!) So they managed to get $200 from me. Spent the morning at the bank and chatting with police officers. Can't wait to see how this all turns out.

I found out later that my number may have been lifted at a hotel where the computer system was compromised back in May.

I guess I'm just one of those dupes...I simply cannot understand how anyone can just use someone else's debit card/credit card number. I don't get the technology side of it and I don't get the honesty side of it. A few bad eggs ruin a lot of things for everyone, and that's just too bad.

On the plus side, thank goodness for bank protection. Credit card companies really do try to work with the customer to make sure there's no fraud.

Finally, I am reading a very cool book by Laurie Brown called "Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake." I know, goofy title. But the book itself is pretty awesome, and I'm only halfway done reading. Her premise is really original and if you like Regency romances, paranormal romances, or contemporary romances this book has something for you! Check it out!

I'm hoping that today is the day I start reworking the opening of "Shara's Chance." Out with the prologue, in with a first chapter that makes more sense.

Tah!