The Journey of a Writer

My journey to become a writer started when I made fabulous friends on the eharlequin.com community and a group of us got together and wrote an adventure. I look back on my first writing attempts and cringe I thought it was so good but now, with a few years under my belt I can see how far I've come.

But my journey actually started earlier than that - I just didn't realise it. I recently unpacked my school reports, what a buzz to read them all again. But the thing that stood out was the comments I received in 'Written Expression". In my first ever school report my teacher said, "Attempts to write her own stories". Even at 5 apparently I liked to tell stories. By the time I hit the end of 2nd grade, my report said "Has good ideas and sound sentence structure." When I was in 4th grade, my teacher said, "Writes an interesting story with plenty of ideas". I can honestly say that comments along those lines were consistent throughout my school years.

So if I was getting all these great comments and ideas back then, why did it take me so long to actually sit down and write a full length novel? I guess life got in the way, I was interested in doing lots of other things, it wasn't until I got involved with like minded people did I find the passion again.

But there is still something that stops me, something that goes, "You know, you're not that good". So I find ways to sabotage my time that I could use for writing. I'll cruise aimlessly around the internet. Or I'll watch TV. I'll even clean! And it's so silly, what is the worse that can happen, I'll get a form rejection. The next thing worse thing, a rejection but has one line that says, if you have anything else I'll be happy to see it. Or maybe I'll get a rejection that points me in the direction of what was lacking. I may even get a revision request. The ultimate will be the phone ringing and the words "We want to buy your book" are spoken. But if I don't consistently submit I'll never know.

In my possession I do have two letters from the two partials I've submitted requesting the full manuscript and as I said one is sitting on the editors desk. So I must have something that editors like, I just have to believe in myself.

So how do you fight off the self doubt in your head? Or may be you don't have any self doubt? Or may be it's not self doubt that inhibits your writing but something else, like a self editor and the need to have the work 'perfect' before you put it out.

All I do know is that when I sit down and concentrate on the passion of writing, the words flow and I get a huge buzz out of it. I just have to do it more often and believe I am a great writer.

Nicki

The Luck of the Draw

One of the great things RWA (Australia and the USA) offers its members is a variety of competitions. They provide an audience and feedback beyond what is available to many of us even when we are lucky enough to belong to a critique group. When some are open to published and unpublished writers, it’s an opportunity to measure yourself against a very competitive field. I think rewards which put your work before an editor are greatly valued and have probably been the kick start for many a successful writer. Knowing judges are volunteers makes you doubly grateful when they give so generously of their time and expertise.

Last year, a friend and I entered the same pieces of work into an Australian and American competition for single title/any genre and recently we sat down to analyse the results. Several differences were readily apparent. We scored in reverse- that is; in one competition I scored well and my friend less so, however, this was reversed in the other competition, with her scoring really well whereas I scored quite badly. Are there national differences in stories that resonate with judges? Differences in ‘voice’ that appeal? It seems so.

The judge who gave me the lowest score was extremely generous with her time and sent back quite detailed comment, explanations and suggestions. I was lucky. My friend had the frustrating experience of 5/10, 5/10 etc. but no comments other than a reference to tidying up comma use. Given the other criteria were pace, character, dialogue and the like, it seems this judge was either very rushed or just didn’t like the story. If that were the case, why not simply say so? We do understand that this happens.

I write historical fiction and my story had a prologue which sent my heroine on her quest to keep promises and regain control of her future. The Australian judges had no problem with this device whereas the US judges disliked it and questioned its purpose and relevance. Again, cultural difference or just the luck of the draw in the judges? In another competition, a short story written in the first person got very short shrift from one judge who disliked first person stories and virtually dismissed the entry.

Entering competitions is fun and quite exciting and provides great opportunities. Judges are generous with their time and expertise but sometimes the scores vary so widely that it seems luck plays a significant role too. It won’t stop us entering even if it leads to some gnashing of teeth.

Five "W's" and One "H"

We've all heard of them: Who, What, When, Where, Why, How.

I can answer them all about my characters and my basic plot. I can even answer them about myself.
Who: Kym Brooks
What: A writer wanting to get published
When: 2010
Where: Perth, Australia
Why: Because I live to write
How: Hmm, how indeed to get a contract. If I'm on the sidewalk, how do I get the attention of someone in a corner office on the 88th floor?
I thought I was ready to start jumping up and down, waving my arms - anything for them to see me until I was doing some internet reading. I got through a list of the Five "W's" and One "H" on theme at suite101.com and hit the fifth "W". Why.

Why am I writing this novel?
Why should the reader care about this book?
Why should they care about the message and theme of my book? (what impact does it have on their lives?)

It stalled me. Why indeed?
I've always known why I was writing, I just never stopped to think why the reader should be reading it?
I figure if I answer these questions - I'll have a better chance of getting that publisher to look out their window and down at me.

So while I determine why the reader should pick up my book (apart from a great way to zone out of this world and enter another) - I put to you - do you know why the reader should care about your book?

Kym

Good News

So much of writing when you start is about bad news, the contests you don’t win, the query letters that never get responded to and the inevitable rejections. There are very few authors who sell the first thing they write.

I’m not one of them.

But I persisted. I kept writing (note-not rewriting the same manuscript. The first ones are in a box in a cupboard never to see daylight again). And I studied, I read craft books and novels. I did online courses on everything from query letters to law enforcement to plotting. Now I am starting to see results, and it feels so good.

So raise your glass of bubbly and celebrate some good news with me.

In December I got the call, well email (does anyone get a phone call anymore?) from The Wild Rose Press. An Elemental Tail, a paranormal romance novella, is going to be a Faery Rose.

At the moment all I can say is it about a water elemental, a book, and getting naked for art. I’m looking forward to sharing the cover and blurb when I get them.

2010 started with more good news, my short story Black Widow has been selected to appear in the Scary Kisses paranormal romance anthology to be published by Ticonderoga Publications

And finally I have a revision request from a big e-publisher which I am really excited about. Why is this good news? Because it means the editor saw something she liked and liked it enough to take the time to write the email and request changes. So wish me luck, and keep your fingers crossed for me with this one.

Shona

Read More Write Less

As the new year begins I cannot help but think about all the things I want to do differently in 2010. Funnily enough, my new year’s resolution is not to write more, but to write less. Not because I want to reduce my output but because I want to increase the quality of what I do put down on paper. I want to know more about my genre, more about the market I’m targeting and the latest techniques being used to enhance story. The best way to do that is to read. And read... and read some more.

It’s the number one rule, toted by every published author that ever lived. So why have I let my “to be read pile” grow so large it’s unmanageable?

Quite simply, I enjoy reading too much. I’ve mistakenly put it in the same category as watching my favourite TV show, going out for a movie, or shopping for fun stuff. These are things I tend to sacrifice in order to write. With a schedule as busy as mine, something’s gotta give to get that manuscript done and generally it’s the things I enjoy that go out the window first. In fact, I’ve become so good at “making time,” that I actually feel guilty reading because of some self imposed writing deadline. After all, how can lying on the couch, propped up by pillows, a mug of tea in one hand and a good book in the other be productive? Can I really call this relaxing piece of bliss self improvement?

Well this year, I am resolved to do so. It’s time for me to “make time” to read. When was the last time you gave yourself that luxury?

Loretta