Writing is Like Painting a Room

So how is writing like painting a room?

Well, painters have to combine many colors to make a breathtaking sunburst. And writers have to combine great characters, plot and conflict to make a reader care enough to turn the page, sacrifice their time, and move on through chapter after chapter to make it to the end of the book.

I thought about these elements and how we combine them to make a vivid story when I went to visit my niece. She painted her room this weekend. It was a very unusual combination of colors and techniques she used to bring out her personality in her room. She combined blackboard paint and then let friends and family start to add quotes, pictures and over all make their own impact on her design. (This is like letting critique partners interject their opinions on to our pages)
She also added vivid stripes
and then topped it all off with a sunburst on one side of the room.

It all worked well together and perfectly pictured Serena's personality.

I asked her, “How did you come up with all these different ideas?”

She said, “It just came to her.”

It made me think about how writers come up with stories and how we combine different elements to make a story come together.

One person might paint a room completely white, which would serve the purpose. But—at least in my opinion—it would be boring. Kind of like reading a newspaper story that said the Fermented Festival would be on August 28th. The details are there and it would serve the purpose of getting out the information—but it would be boring. There is so much more to tell.

That’s the trick for writers. We have to look for the angle or element that makes a story interesting.

Writers paint with words. So, we need to add vivid colors (characters) then layer the elements (conflict/romance/humor) with different techniques (dialogue and scene setting) to make the story come to life.

There’s no one way to paint a room and there’s no one way to tell a story. Paint your story with your own personality and it won’t be like any other story and definitely won’t read like a white room.

Oh yeah, HAPPY LABOR DAY!!! And Happy 21st Birthday to Kara - and Happy 25th Birthday to Jake!!!

28 Agents that Want Your Work - thanks to WD

If you're looking for an agent to represent your work, Writers Digest's Chuck Sambuchino did a great article about 28 agencies that are looking for you. You can read the entire article here

Scroll down to the 10 tips: it lists the actual agencies and what they are specifically looking for.

GOOD LUCK!

Commitment to the Craft - Part 4

Gloria Steinem had the foresight to say, “I have yet to hear a man ask for advice on how to combine marriage and a career.”

But, I say, “Marriage and a career – that’s nothing, try adding kids into the equation.”

And any mother, who works and writes, has to be pretty amazing.

Pru, Piper, and Phoebe can’t even compete with most modern-day Moms.

And, unfortunately, Dads are rarely divine. So what’s a writing woman to do, to find the time to devote to her craft?

Here is my number one hint:

1) Get a laptop computer.

I have written more words with my laptop in one year than I ever wrote with a desktop computer. It’s simple. I take it with me - everywhere: outside, on vacations, out to the front room so I can go “watch” t.v. with the family, while I write.

This one device has made ALL the difference for me. You can look at a few options that start out at about $499.00 here.

Commitment to the Craft - Part 3

JOIN A CRITIQUE GROUP

Critique Partners (also known as “CPs”) are, like Martha always says, a good thing.

You might think joining a group is just another commitment that will eventually take time away from your writing, but the truth is these CPs can help hold you accountable, without uttering a single word.

And, when you have a set time and place to meet, to go over your writing with others who are counting on your participation, it can help motivate you to keep that pen to the paper.

It’s easy to put things off when there is no “date” to keep. But standing someone up, takes guts. Most of us don’t want to let people down, and being a member of a group helps hold you "committed" to your writing plan.

Jackson Pearce did a really fun vlog about critiques. You can read about her here. And just click on the arrow to play it.

Enjoy! Thanks to Jackson Pearce.

Commitment to the Craft - Part 2

WANNA BE A WRITER - IT’S SIMPLE - AS MURDER

Wanna be a writer?
Sure.
It’s easy.
What do I have to do?
Nuthin much.

Really?

Yep, it’s insanely simple. All you hafta do is commit murder.

You’re insane - asking me to kill.

That’s right, all it takes is one simple act. If you want a career in writing, all ya hafta do is be willing ta commit murder.

Killing off characters? Is that what you’re talking about?

Nope, not at all, I’m not talking about killing off some weak character. This is gonna be much more difficult than that. Remember nuthin worth having is easy. This is gonna take guts. What I’m talking about, here, is setting priorities.

What?

You said you wanna be a writer.

Yeah, of course, but….

No buts ‘bout it. If you wanna be a writer, it’s simple. Write.

It’s not that easy.

What’s holding you back? What’s keeping you away from your keyboard right now?

Sit down and make a list (and if you’re honest with yourself) you’ll most likely see a pattern take shape. It’s something everyone does: we all waste time. Writers just need to remember: even the minutes matter. ‘Cause those ticks on the clock, they turn into hours and hours can be frittered away into days, weeks, even years. And where does all this time go? It’s spent on frivolous entertainment that has nothing to do with writing.

Think ‘bout it. How many hours per month do you spend watching television?

We all need to break dangerous addictions. Wean yourself off the daily regimen.

Remember, there’s a reason it’s been labeled the “boob tube”, “dummy box” and “opiate of the masses”.

Even if you say it’s only the late night news you watch, that’s still a half hour every day. Think about all the pages you could put together and print in three hours.

I didn’t realize how much time I was wasting sitting on the couch, propped up in front of that screen until I quit that bad habit: “cold turkey”. After dinner, instead of going into our “media room”, which is what the kids call our front room, I’ve decided to spend more time with my new-found friend: my laptop. Okay, if we’re being totally honest, really I lie down on the bed to relax before I start tapping away at the keys sitting in front of me.

Sometimes I don’t get much from my muse but, believe me, I’m putting more words on the page than I would have written if I’d been sitting out in the front room watching the latest sitcoms, shows or serials and someday I might even get those pages published. At least there’s more chance of seeing my name on a byline or my words in print if I’m spending my evenings writing than if I’m watching shows someone else wrote.

So, if you say ya wanna be a writer, then WRITE!

All ya hafta do is kill your T.V.!!!

Commitment to the Craft - 4 part post

Do you ever feel like one of those people in a movie who’s being drawn and quartered - I mean someone who’s being pulled in four directions at the same time?

In 1960, Mom was raising 9 kids and running her own beauty business but, looking back, the truly amazing thing is that we always wore clean clothes to school and came home to find a warm dinner on the table.

I can’t even begin to compete with her.

There’s only one possible explanation: Mom must have been using some sort of magic. I just don’t know why she never shared her secret or, more importantly, any of her spells.

I know I’m supposed to be the lucky one; today we’re all living the easy life, in a world of high technology where everything is right at our fingertips. But as I travel down this crowded information highway, using my cell phone, fax and mapquest, somehow I’m still lost. And I can’t even seem to figure out what I’m looking for.

It’s that elusive, simple, four-letter word that keeps avoiding me: time.

Maybe it’s because being a Mom is one occupation where none of the usual rules apply. What other job offers no training or has you on-call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with no time-off or vacations? You aren’t even guaranteed an 8-hour sleep break. And there’s no financial incentive to compel you into this chaotic career choice. You can’t even expect a paycheck, commission or bonus at the end of the month. Yet educated people actually choose this occupation and, when they finally are initiated into the sisterhood, they happily celebrate the onslaught of morning sickness, nightly trips to the toilet and elastic waistbands, with a party – commonly known as a shower. And this is the only shower that you’ll share, with a bunch of other women. What could be worse?

Everyone gets to sit around and guess your ballooning weight, while you sit and smile.

Parenting is like playing in the stock market – it’s all about patience and long term investment.

With such a simple game and only one rule, it should be easy - right?

Wrong!

Then, if you try to add an additional goal, like writing to the mix – well, watch out. You’re in for a heap of a helping of the hurries.

Just this Saturday morning, I got up at six – on a Saturday – took the dogs for a walk (look how they’ve grown).



Then I went to my writer’s group (which I could have skipped but here's the commitment to the craft part), I'm planning to go berry picking, make some homemade jam and write. Well, somewhere something has to give – right – not necessarily so. I’m committed to my craft – or maybe I should simply be committed.
Over the next week, I’ll give tips, hints and maybe a little crazy advice on how to “Just Do It”.

If you have any helpful hints, please post them in the comments section.

And, just remember, no parent is perfect so play this game like a little league game and, when reality pitches a problem across your home plate, swing your sense of humor - that way, you may not hit a homerun but at least you’ll never strike out.





(My critique group: Pam, Ila, Jen, Kerry, Kristin, and me)

Simon and Schuster goes Gotham

There is so much talk about kids not reading, reading less, and/or reading shorter books that I thought this article was really interesting, read it here. I found it out from Kelly Mortimer's newsletter, she's not my agent, but she seems to be an amazing woman. You can read about her here. I can't wait to see her handbags, check out her soon-to-be site here.

Beginning Blog - or - Getting a Life

In the beginning, when I was a kid, I started writing for pleasure. When my kids started heading off to college, my oldest son told me to, “Get a Life.”

I thought how hard can it be? Well, after devoting 23 years to raising kids, it’s not so easy. It’s difficult to change focus and break habits but I’m trying - by writing.