Finding Time to Write

Sorry I'm posting late, I entered a scheduled time for this post to come up but I guess my computer dislikes me...

If you’re reading this blog, you’re probably a writer. The question is, is writing your career? Your hobby? An aspiration? If it’s one of the latter, this post is for you.

(Well, hopefully; if I do a good job on it.)
If I’ve learned anything about life it’s that you can’t ‘find time’ for anything. In our modern society—at least for most people—time is made, not found. If you see your writing—or anything you value, for that matter--as a hobby, or something you just do at leisure, it is very unlikely you will really get much done. So, what should we see it as?
Personally, I think the only word that fits for me is ‘priority.’ It’s my experience that the most important things in your life can’t really be deleted or pushed to leisure, they need to be prioritized. We all need to decide what is really important to us and how much time out of our life it deserves. When we understand this, we need to break out of routine and act on it!
I’ve talked to many writers about how they find the time to write and have found a multitude of answers, the most popular are; get up an hour earlier, write at the same time every day, and give up something. I find that I too have unconsciously done the last ever since I started writing seriously I have found myself to be much less of a videogamer. However, if you do decide to give up some time from something else make sure it is the right thing. Example: the last few months my writing has been significantly weaker, I realized that this is because ever since Skyrim came out I’ve been giving up not videogame, but reading time. A very bad idea for a writer! It helps to identify what you give up so you don’t have an experience like this :).
Thanks for reading my very short and straightforward post… Does anyone have any thoughts about how they’ve made time for writing?

Thou Shalt Hook the Reader

By Julie Daines

The 10 Commandments of Writing and When to Break Them

Writing Conferences. We go. We listen. We obey. Maybe sometimes we obey too much.

My next few posts will be about when to break the writing commandments.

Commandment 2: 

Thou Shalt Hook the Reader

This commandment is drilled into our heads almost as much as Commandment #1, Show don't tell.

In fact, the internet is overloaded with first line contests, first paragraph contests, and can you hook the reader in 200 words or less? 

The truth is, I'm a fairly good reader, and I rarely come across a first 200 words that is impossible to resist, let alone a first line. 

Yes, a good hook is important--but it must not be contrived or gimmicky. It must set the stage for the story to come. A hook is meant to attract readers AND let them know what they can expect your story to deliver.

A recent article in Writer's Digest by bestselling author Steven James says, 

Too many times a writer will grab reader's attention early on with a scene that's clearly been contrived just for that purpose, without introducing the character or the setting of the story. Consequently the writer is forced to insert excessive backstory into the next scene--thus undermining the forward momentum of the plot. Take your time, trust your readers and craft a hook that orients them to the world you've created. Then drive the story forward without having to explain why you started it the way you did.

James then outlines seven elements of an effective hook:

1. Grab the reader's attention.
2. Introduce a character readers care about.
3. Set the story's mood.
4. Establish the storyteller's voice.
5. Orient readers to the world of the protagonist (and enable them to picture it).
6. Lock in the genre.
7. End in a way that is both surprising and satisfying.

This is excellent advice. I would especially recommend you pay attention to the mood and genre. 

What are your thoughts?

Commandment 1: Thou Shalt Never Tell 

Weekend Writing Prompt

More writing prompts from "The Writer's Book of Matches: 1,001 Prompts to Ignite Your Fiction"

• A father learns that his son has decided to pursue a career as a makeup artist
• Two convenience store employees are stuck at work during a blizzard.
• As they explore their newly purchased home, a young married couple finds a bloody knife under the stairs.
• An arthritic violinist attempts to compose her final opus.

Have fun! Find more about this book at www.freshboiledpeanuts.com

The DOJ Lawsuit Threat Against Publishers for E-Book Price Fixing

by Scott Rhoades

If you pay attention to such things, you've no doubt seen the stories in the news about the U.S. Department of Justice threatening a lawsuit against Apple and five publisers for allegedly colluding to fix ebook prices. The five publishers involved are Simon & Shuster (owned by CBS), Hachette Book Group, Penguin (a division of Pearson PLC), Macmillan, and HarperCollins (owned by NewsCorp).

As I understand it, the issue is that Apple demanded that publishers sign an "agency contract" with them that determined the pricing model and gave Apple a 30% cut on books sold through their market. The contract also prohibited publishers from selling the same book at a lower price through other markets. The goal was to put more money in Apple's already bulging pockets while undercutting Amazon and other competitors. The result was an overnight jump in e-book prices for consumers.

In the recent biography of Steve Jobs, Jobs is quoted as saying "We told the publishers, 'We'll go to the agency model, where you set the price, and we get our 30%, and yes, the customer pays a little more, but that's what you want anyway.'" The book says that Apple "went to Amazon and said, 'You're going to sign an agency contract or we're not going to give you the books.'"

So what does that mean to us? It's hard for me to figure it out exactly. I'm not an economist and have little knowledge of the inner financial working of major corporations. But, as a consumer, I like lower prices and don't like the allegations of unfair practices that resulted in higher prices. I'm not sure I can really buy the comment from publishers that e-book prices are high because printing and delivery of books are a tiny part of the cost of producing a book. I understand the claim and that there are a lot of other costs involved in publishing, but from my life as a technical writer I know that switching from printed documentation to online doc and changing from delivering software in boxes to online delivery both result in significant cost savings to the company, and think I can fairly assume that the same is true for book publishers.

As a writer and friend of authors, I want writers to receive as much as possible from the books they publish, and understand that lower margins mean less money goes to the author. On the other hand, I'm not so sure the opposite is true. I don't think higher prices necessarily mean that the author gets that much more money. That some authors have come out against Apple and the publishers for this policy. For one thing, higher prices can mean fewer sales, especially when it comes to discretionary items like books. The ideal is a lower price that encourages more sales but is not so low that it cuts deeply into the writer's share. There's a balance there somewhere.

Being heavily involved in the tech world, I also recognize that Apple, whose products are awesome and world-changing, has developed a business model that is tightly closed and is built around technologies like iTunes, which is technologically unnecessary but brings big money into Apple's coffers. Yes, that's what capitalism is about, but it's also disturbing from a company that emerged from near ruin by claiming to be the antidote to the unfair closed business practices of Microsoft. When it comes down to it, Apple has become far worse that Microsoft ever was, way more closed and with ways to grab your money that Gates & Co. probably wish they would have thought of.

I'm also concerned with Amazon's move into publishing and the piece of the pie they are taking. They basically want the whole pie. I love Amazon, as a consumer, and have thrown a significant amount of cash their way, and will continue to do so, probably. But the power they wield concerns me, and their effect on book stores and the publishing world in general has not been positive. There are several reasons why I chose a Nook over a Kindle, but one is is because the closing of Borders scares me and I want to transition some of my book spending from Amazon to Barnes & Noble, although I'm not so sure the Amazon juggernaut can be thwarted in their attempt to rule the world.

There's not an easy answer here, at least not for me, with my limited knowledge of the bean-counting side of the business involved. I think this kind of deal and the reaction against it are probably the inevitable result of a quickly and drastically changing market that bridges multiple business sectors. I tend to come down on the side of consumers, but I also want publishers to be successful and book sales, whether printed or electronic, to rebound so business is better for authors than it has become. I want books of whatever sort to remain relevant, and the market to remain vibrant and competitive, because I think everybody wins when the publishing industry is healthy and people are reading.

What about you? What's your take on all of this?

How to be a Crazy Writer in 5 Easy Steps

Erin Shakespear

 "Maybe you have to be a little crazy to write a good and original book." Patricia Lee Gauch

A few years ago I had the pleasure of listening to the speaker of that fantastic quote above,  Patrica Lee Gauch, at Chautauqua, New York (and I got to have lunch and dinner with her, too and have her as my mentor for the workshop...yeah, it was all kinds of awesome....and I am such a Fan Girl). She is the former Editorial Directer of Philomel books and an author herself.  I will never forget the experience.

Let me just pause here to say, that if you ever get the chance to listen to this lady speak, go. She could talk about what type of toothpaste she uses and the audience would be mesmerized. She is a brilliant speaker. And she knows her stuff.

I heard three of her lectures, all of them amazing, but the one she was most known for that week was called Going Crazy.

Here are some of her words that I managed to jot down when I wasn't stuck being mesmerized. Prepare yourself. These are really good...

"You're the director of the symphony of your book. Whatever shape or size. It helps to be a little crazy."

"A great book needs the wildness."

"There is no greater wisdom about living than a good book."

"Search for a truly original idea and then let go."

"Stay with a sentence until it gives up the rhythms you need."

"The other half of crazy is authentic."

"There is no room for competence alone."

"Being crazy may give you the permission to be original." 

See? What did I tell you? Brilliant.

So, maybe you're wondering to yourself, "How do I become a crazy writer?" I'm glad you asked. Here are my thoughts....

How to be a Crazy Writer in 5 Easy Steps

#1: Decide to write a book. (We'll start with a relatively simple one.)

#2: Push your ideas further. So, you start writing your book. You're coming up with characters, settings, plot twists and this is when you need to ask yourself, "Is there any way to make these things crazier? More unique? Truly different? Wild and extraordinary?"

Push your ideas!

#3: Brainstorm. Sometimes I have a hard time coming up with something new and different. However, if I write the word brainstorm at the top of a paper, it seems to give my mind permission to write down whatever floats across it.

Maybe you're trying to think of a quirk or flaw to give your hero or what challenging things should happen in your soggy middle or a surprise twist to throw at your main character....brainstorm. And let yourself write every crazy idea you come up with. The crazier the better!

#4: Don't play it safe. Do you ever find yourself looking at something you've written and a little voice in the back of your mind says, "It's too ordinary." Maybe your response is, "Nah, it's good enough."

Nooooooooooo! Don't ever settle for good enough. Good enough is the antidote to going crazy. Do not play it safe. Definitely stick with crazy and dangerous.

#5: Push yourself even further. Alright, you think you've got it figured out. Your ideas are crazy unique. Really? Have you really gone as crazy as you can? Think about some of your favorite books. Think about what makes them page-turners. Look at what's made them successful. Chances are it's because the author took a crazy idea and ran with it.

In Patty's lecture she illustrated this point with this comment...

"Dickens must have been crazy to go to those extremes. Didn't Dickens ever take a creative writing class? I mean, Charles, reign it in!" (that last part was heavy on the sarcasm)

***

Alright, there you have it. How to be a Crazy Writer in 5 Easy Steps. Ok....well...they aren't really easy, are they? Yep. It was false advertising. But if you're looking for an easy way to write a great book, you're a different kind of crazy altogether.

Patty ended her lecture with these words...

"I give you a mandate, GO THERE!" 

Know When to Hold 'em, Know When to Fold 'em

by Deren Hansen

How long should you keep pursuing a project?

When does tenacity cease to be a virtue?

How do you know when to set one project aside and invest your energy in something fresh?

During the 2011 WriteOnCon, agents on one panel mentioned projects they'd shopped for years (as in four or five) before finally making a sale.

That surprised me. My impression from comments by writers and agents is that they generally shop a project for a year or so and then, in the interest of maximizing return on effort (or because they've exhausted their list of potential editors), move on to something else. But even with a labor of love, the author needs to move on to other projects to give the agent new material to submit while continuing to shop the the first project.

Then again, I've heard a number of people characterize publishing as basically a game of persistence: if you keep showing up, you'll eventually get a turn. But no one ever specifies the kind of persistence that pays off. Do you refine and polish your master work--there are a fair number of classics that were decades in the making--or do you persist in producing new projects until you find that one that resonates?

The common answer is that it depends on you and your situation.

The common answer is neither comforting nor helpful.

If you were a rational economic actor, you would watch for the point at which the opportunity costs of not doing something else approach the sunk costs already invested in the project. Or, in colloquial terms, you'd stop when you realize you're throwing good money (or effort) after bad.

I once read about a couple who had adopted a rule of three for major expenditures. If one or both of them thought they should buy something they'd postpone the decision to see if they still thought it was a good idea. They would do this at least twice on the theory that if the idea came up three times then it probably was something they should buy.

My advice, if you're wondering whether to hold or fold a project, is similar (and not unlike the advice to let a draft cool before undertaking revisions): set the project aside for a season. If it's easy to forget, then it's time to be done. If it won't let you go, then you shouldn't let it go either.


Deren blogs at The Laws of Making.

Overusing my Favorite!! Punctuation!!

I love exclamation marks! I LOVE them! I use them! I pepper my emails and Facebook posts with them!! I can't stand to not use them!  Am I overusing them?!? Probably!

I read an article that said you should use no more than 2 to 3 exclamation points for every 100,000 words of prose. 2 to 3?!? Per 100,000 words?!? That's like tying my writing hands behind my back! GAWK!!

Is it possible that I can write with such an appalling lack of enthusiasm for my subject? Can I really write an email response:
    "Thank you for your help." instead of my preferred "Thank you for your help!"

Doesn't a person need some enthusiastic thanks? It seems so glib and glum to say "thanks" instead of "thanks!" or the even better "THANKS!!"

Is it possible to update my status with:
    "My application to school is finished." instead of "My application to school is finished!!"

The answer, sadly, is yes. But it begs the question:

How much enthusiasm is *too* much? (sorry, * * are my favorites too).

F. Scott Fitzgerald cautioned: "Cut out all those exclamation marks. An exclamation mark is like laughing at your own jokes."

...... oh...... well, true confessional here, I *do* laugh at my own jokes. Sometimes I can't even tell a joke without laughing at myself.

But am I doing myself a disservice by my overuse? Absolutely!

In the words of one blogger:
Too many exclamation points dizzies the eye and weakens the words.

Even in this modern age of e-communication, we can still be mindful of the appropriate, and moderate, use of punctuation. Obviously, what we use in our manuscripts can differ greatly from our casual everyday typing on blogs, emails, FB, Twitter, etc., and while we can hold ourselves to a lower standard of punctuation, we should still be mindful of minding our colons, semi-colons, apostrophes, and the ever-popular exclamation point.

(!)

Weekend Writing Prompt

Writing prompts can be canned starts to writing, but they can also be invaluable if you have writer's block. You can take a writing prompt and get hundreds of different story ideas - depending on your mood, your personal experiences, and how you connect with the idea at the moment that you read it. You can recycle the same writing prompt over and over again, writing from different points of view, different settings, and different situations, and then you could give the writing prompt to a classroom full of 9th graders and get another 40 stories that you didn't even dream of when you were writing from the same prompt.

If you have a goal to write something every day, then writing prompts are a good way to fill in on the days when you just can't think of anything good to say.

These writing prompts comes from "The Writer's Book of Matches: 1,001 Prompts to Ignite Your Fiction" Written by the staff of Fresh Boiled Peanuts at www.freshboiledpeanuts.com. In the book's introduction, it says, "Light a match and start a fire. You work with a prompt, you start a story."

A few writing prompts to chose from:

• "Well, if you could accuse anyone of being downright evil, it would be him."
• "I just had the weirdest dream about you."
• A man aspiring to be a pro bowler loses to his young daughter
• While digging in a cereal box for the toy surprise, a child makes a grisly discovery.

Another great way to make a writing prompt keep on giving, is to take it and change some of the details. For example change "A man aspiring to be a pro bowler loses to his young daughter" to "A man aspiring to be a chess master loses to his young daughter." let your imagination run wild!

Empathy and Writing

One of the greatest abilities an author can have has nothing to do with learned writing skills. I'm not sure it can even be learned, although it can probably be developed to some degree. I'm talking about empathy.

Empathy for Characters

We have to successfully communicate how our characters feel and how they relate to the world. That means we have to be able to see things the way they do, understand why they feel the way they do, and communicate those feelings. Unless we're writing our autobiography, that means we have to delve into the inner workings of somebody who is not us.

We have to understand the inner workings of not only the characters we like and agree with, but those we don't. We need to understand our "bad guys" and why they are how they are, and how they believe they are actually doing what's best. That means we have to be able to see the world from other points of view, and understand (or try to understand) how others can see things the way they do.

This is difficult. Most people operate from a basic belief that they are, for the most part, right, and that those who see things differently are obviously flawed. Of course, those "flawed" people have that same point of view and believe they are basically right and you aren't.

Just like no two living people see the world exactly the same way, each of your characters has a unique set of perspectives that shape his or her point of view. You don't have to agree with all the various points of view in your story, but your characters will seem more real if you at least try to understand what makes each character tick, why they feel the way they do, and why they believe that they are right, then communicate each characters point of view as if they are right, at least from their own perspective.

Empathy for the Reader

To create a good experience for our readers, we need to understand how they will see the characters we create. We have to understand what keep speople reading. More importantly, we need to understand how they feel so we can manipulate their feelings. A successful book tugs at heartstrings and triggers fear responses and joy responses. The best books fool our brain so that we actually experience the emotions the characters are experiencing.

We can't assume that because we feel what our characters feel, that our readers will. We bring a lot to understanding of our characters that might never successfully reach the page. That's why we have to look at our stories not only from our authorial perspective but from the reader's. That's the only way to make sure we're successfully communicating what we want the reader to feel, not just what we think we're saying.

Developing Empathy

To develop empathy, we need to learn how to see beyond our own experience. We can learn a lot by reading and by simply paying attention. If we disagree with somebody, we should try to figure out how they could possibly have an opinion so distant from our own. If we see an accident or watch somebody suffer from a terrible illness, we should try to understand how the victims feel, and how those around them feel.

Many writers do this naturally. Writers are often excellent observers who have the ability to understand others different from themselves. People who have those skills are better able to write stories about other people. But whether it's easy for you or not, every writer benefits from deepening their own empathy, not only as storytellers but as human beings.

We are all constrained by our own perspectives, so we'll never get another's feelings and perspectives exactly right, but as long as we make a strong effort to do so, we can write convincingly and play with our readers. Our books will be much better for it.

Want More People to Read Your Blog?

 




Alright, since I'm new around these parts, maybe I should start with an introduction. 

I'm Erin Shakespear, writer of humorous (I hope.) middle grade fantasy novels. I'm also a mom to five crazy fun kids (heavy on the crazy), lover of locking doors and parenthesis (that might be obvious) and a midnight crafter.  I have a blog Here.And you can learn more than you ever wanted to know about my writing journey Here.


Ok, moving on...

Let me ask you some questions. 

Do you have a blog? (I hope this answer is yes.)

Are you trying to build a following?

Are you filling your blog with killer content to lure readers your way?

Do you want to get the word out about your awesome posts, like your 100 Tips to Cornering an Agent in the Bathroom or Closet, but you just don't know how to go about it?


Are sick and tired of posting into the internet ether only to feel as though you're talking to yourself? 

Then have I got a solution for you! (Is it just me or are you all expecting me to roll out a 1-800 # at this point. Well, if you want to hand over your credit card number, I'm not going to stop you...)

There is a really great site called inkPageant and it was created by one of our own Utahns, Darren Hansen. Now you might be confused at this point. 

There is a Deren Hansen pictured there on the sidebar. Hey Deren! See how they spell their names differently? Yep. Different Darrens. I mean, Derens. Ok. You get it. 

So, what better way to learn more about this nifty site, inkPageant, than to shoot some questions Darren's way?

Hey there Darren. Welcome to the UCW blog! Could you tell us a little about yourself?

I studied graphic design in college, I married a wonderful woman named LaChelle (who also loves to write and runs a food blog), and I'm now a father to three little boys. I also like reading, writing, programming, drawing, painting, and playing Ultimate Frisbee.

(Everyone should now run off to take a look at LaChelle's food blog. How awesome are those inkPageant cookies?)

What do you like to write?

Epic fantasy was my reading of choice as a kid. Because of that, I started out with epic fantasy, but I bit off more than I could chew with my first book. I found my niche in urban fantasy and am now working on my third novel.

Are you an early morning writer or a night owl scribbler?

Mornings are my best time. I get up an hour early to get in a little hobby time each day, whether it's writing, programming, or something else. Writing at night sometimes turns me into a grumpy, groggy monster.

Alright, so what's the story behind inkPageant.com? What prompted you to create this site?

There's a popular website for food blogs called TasteSpotting.com. Food bloggers submit their posts and share their recipes there, as well as show off their mad food photography skills. When TasteSpotting.com accepted one of LaChelle’s posts, her blog traffic spiked for a few days. Now, the writing world is very different from the food blogging world, but we were intrigued by the idea of putting together a similar website for the writing community.

I had a few business and writing contacts, so we reached out to them for advice. We then put together the website from scratch and had a lot of fun making it. David Powers King was excited about the idea and offered to help us moderate. We launched in October of last year. Since then, we've collected hundreds of posts.

What is the purpose of inkPageant?

We're here to help writers reach their goals. Our vision is to create a giant database where writers can find great advice on writing and publishing. When authors submit posts, we help push traffic and followers to their blogs. We also help writers with building their platforms and network with bloggers, editors, publishers and agents.

Can you tell us what makes the perfect submission for inkPageant?

We look for posts relevant to writing and publishing that are helpful, informative, or entertaining. Book reviews, tips on writing, events, news, opinions, and tips on publishing are all welcome submissions. Our favorite blog posts are those where the author is not focusing on just herself, but wants to give something to her readers.

Why should authors become involved with inkPageant?

- It's free advertising for your blog. We like to send traffic and followers your way.

- We have hundreds of posts about writing and a nifty search tool. If you want advice from someone who knows, you just might find it here.

- You can network on inkPageant, finding friends and professional contacts to help accomplish your goals.

- It's a way to serve others in the writing community. Someone out there may need to hear from you!

Is there anything else you'd like to share about inkPageant.com?

You don't need to be published or have a blog entirely dedicated to writing to submit posts to us.


Thanks for letting me pick your brain, Darren! Good luck with your site!

*******

So, who's ready to start submitting to inkPageant? 

Submit in the next 5 minutes and we'll even throw in a *handy dandy chopping tool. 

*Ok. Not really. I'm totally lying.

LTUE 30: Tracy Hickman - "The Playing Field is Level between You and Me."

by Deren Hansen

Aside from a certifiably mind-blowing presentation first thing on the morning of Thursday, Feb 9, 2012 (about which modesty forbids me to say more) at Life, the Universe, and Everything (LTUE 30), I found Tracy Hickman's Saturday morning discussion about the sea change in publishing as he sees it to be the most thought-provoking.

Tracy made three key points:

• What makes you an author? Readers.
• The challenge now is to find your audience, not your publisher.
• The future of publishing is to find, connect with, and maintain your audience.

In the world before pervasive interconnectivity, getting published was the writer's holy grail because the publisher, who controlled the book distribution system, was the key to getting into the bookstores and ultimately finding readers. Now writers have additional ways to reach readers. More importantly, readers have ways to find and acquire books that don't include bookstores.

Tracy, who estimates that his fifty books have attracted about six million readers, told us how that lesson was made very clear to him when, on his last book tour, only eight people showed up when he signed at the largest sci-fi/fantasy bookstore in San Francisco but many more emailed after the fact to say they were sorry they missed him but didn't know he was at the bookstore.

"The playing field is level between you and me," Tracy said. "My readers were used to finding me in the bookstore, but they don't go there anymore."

It is both sobering and encouraging to think that if Tracy, who has paid his dues many times over, doesn't get a free pass to publishing success no one does. On the one hand, assuming we've written high quality books, you have as much a chance at success as I do. On the other, there are no guarantees.


Deren blogs at The Laws of Making.

The 10 Commandments of Writing and When to Break Them

By Julie Daines

Writing Conferences. We go. We listen. We obey.

Maybe sometimes we obey too much.

My next few posts will be about when to break the writing commandments.

Commandment 1: Thou shalt never tell.

How often have we heard "Show Don't Tell"? Well believe it or not, there are times when it's better to tell.

• In an attempt to avoid telling, many writers resort to physical cliches. 

Tears sprung to her eyes as she thought about saying goodbye to Mark. At least they still had this one last moment together. Her heart pounded as he moved closer, and when he held her hand, a sizzle of electricity shot up her arm. He tilted his head to the side. When he looked at her like that, she felt the flush of heat in her cheeks.

This is showing, not telling. But it's so laden with physical cliches it's painful to read. The trick is to use inner dialogue to convey these feelings and not tell us what is happening to her physically, but tell us WHY. (Without sounding telly. Not so easy, but it can be done.)

• In the words of children's book editor Cheryl Klein: "Sometimes readers need the plain straightforward direction of telling to elucidate the point of all that showing."

Klein states, a great technique employed by J. K. Rowling is to have a sentence at the beginning of a paragraph that is a little more telly followed by a few awesome sentences of showing. 

These topic sentences point the reader's mind in the right direction, easing the transition from action to interiority, aiding in a place or time shift, or subtly suggesting a shift in the character's mood or focus.

When used at the end of the paragraph or section of showing, this good telling can act as a confirmation to the reader that the main character is indeed feeling or thinking what we think he/she is. 

Harry had the best morning he'd had in a long time. (telling) He was careful to walk a little way apart from the Dursleys so that Dudley and Piers, who were starting to get bored with the animals by lunchtime, wouldn't fall back on their favorite hobby of hitting him. ... (followed by a few more clever and poignant sentences of showing.)  -The Sorcerer's Stone, chapter 2

Can you think of other times when it's appropriate to use telling?

The Time to Start Writing is Now!

I teach writing for my local college's continuing educational program. I love meeting with beginning writers each week and sharing the basics. However, I'm always surprised to find many of them haven't even sat down to write the story building inside them or at least log the ideas they have for story lines.

So my advice to you today if you want to start down the road of becoming a writer...The Time to Start Writing is Now!

Some Idea Starters

For beginning writers (and something I learned when I studied at the Institute of Children's Literature), I have found using visual aids to spark an idea is always a great way to begin the process of writing. You can do this to draft an actually short story or book for submission to just using it as a writing exercise. 

Study the pictures I have below or pick one of your own from a magazine, old photo album, etc. Study the pictures and select one that appeals to you most. 

Also, keep in mind your target readership with picking a picture for inspiration. Young readers’ age groups may be roughly broken down into youngest listeners/readers (ages 3-7), intermediate readers (ages 8-12), and teen readers (ages 13-18).

Things to think about as you sit down to write:

• Why are the characters doing what they are doing?
• Can you find something in the picture that suggests a problem?
• What do the other details in the picture suggest about the setting, the time, the events, etc?
• What might you infer about the character respective moods and personalities? Their relationship to each other?

Building Your Story Idea:

Begin speculating about what’s going on in the picture you’ve chosen. Keep in mind the picture only exists to help you get started on your story. You can expand beyond what you see—and that your potential young reader will not have seen it. With that said, your story must stand on its own. Don’t feel you must everything you see in the picture or even “match” the scene. Use your imagination and go from there.

Getting to know your main character is important.  

How old are they? As a children’s writer, you’ll write stories with different aged characters all the time for your readership age levels. For this writing exercise or if this is your first time actually sitting down to write, think of the age level where you feel most comfortable. A rule of thumb is youngsters want to read about characters their own age or a bit older.

Don't forger to make trouble for your main character. 

No one wants to read a story where nothing happens. As writers, we get attached to our characters, but we have to remember we need to throw road bumps and trials in our main character's way. It’s how they learn, grow and conquer. Just like our own lives, nothing comes easy. Make sure you also don’t bring in an adult or older character to solve the problem. Young readers like seeing the main character solve the conflict of the story. It builds self-confidence where they think, “Wow, if Harry can do that…so can I!”

Time to Start Writing

If you haven’t started writing your story, now is the time. Don’t worry about spelling or minor editing. Just get your thoughts down. I love to tell my new authors in class, "Just take that idea, chew on it for awhile and then spit it out on the page." As you gain experience, you’ll learn how much advance planning is right for you but for now, getting your idea down is the important part. Every published author/writer will tell you it's called a "rough draft" for a reason. It's the beginning of the writing process, not the end. 

Keep in mind the words may not come easily at first but don’t be discouraged by a few dry runs…you’ll have an opening, ending or a wonder scene idea in no time. You don't have to start writing your story from the beginning either. Start where you feel most inspired and build around, from or backwards from there.

Note: Some writers start from the end of the story and work backwards. Others from the middle building scenes and piecing the story together like a puzzle. Don’t worry about where you start…just start!

Your story’s length is important. 

You are in the home stretch now. Do a rough estimate and see how many words your story is. You can do this in Microsoft Office under the “Review” tab. You should find a “Word Count” button in the “Proofing” section.

Most short stories for youngest readers (ages 3-7) range from 300 to 600 words. Intermediate readers (ages 8-12) range from 500 to 800 words, and teen readers (ages 13-18) range from 500 and up to 2,000 words. Book lengths can vary by publisher and type of book genre.

If you are over your readerships word count, get out your red pen (or delete key) and start cutting unnecessary details.

Once you think your done it's time for the "Check List."

•  Read your story aloud—what you hear in your head is very different from what you’ll hear when your story is read aloud.
• Does the story proceed logically from beginning to middle to end?
• Is there a problem or conflict in the story—a challenge for your main character to meet?
• Have you included dialogue?
• Is there a clear sense of the story’s time and place?
• Is the story within the word count for your readership? (You can be over by 10 percent.)
• Does it read well aloud?
• Have you given it a title?

 Now that you made it this far, it's time to start revising. This process can take a long time so don't give up. Most writers don't succeed because they give up too early. To help keep you focused and moving forward, join a local or online writing group. Find a critique partner or group locally or online. Keep reading articles on writing and take a few workshops. All of this will keep you moving forward and most important...Start Writing when you get another story idea even if you haven't finished working on the current one. Some times it is best to take a break from your current story and come back at it with fresh eyes later.


~~~~~~

VS Grenier is an award-winning children’s author, founder & owner of Stories for Children Publishing, LLC., award-winning editor-in-chief of Stories for Children Magazine and chief editor for Halo Publishing, Int. In addition, to running her own editorial and critique services, she is a writing instructor for Dixie College's Community Education program and host on the World of Ink Network at Blog Talk Radio.

In 2007 & 2008, VS Grenier was voted one of the Top Ten Editors in the Preditors and Editors Reader’s Poll, won 2nd place for her article on, “Yes, Virginia, There IS a Santa Claus” in the Preditors and Editors Reader’s Poll for Best Nonfiction of 2007, and won 7^th place for her article, “Dinosaur Tracks in My Backyard” in the Preditors and Editors Reader’s Poll for Best Nonfiction of 2008.

VS Grenier learned how to hone her writing skills at the Institute of Children’s Literature and is a member of the League of Utah Writers (HWG) and its current president, Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and Musing Our Children.

 

Her works include: Babysitting SugarPaw (a 2011 LUW Silver Quill Award-winner), the Best of Stories for Children Magazine Volume 1 anthology, and over 50 short stories, articles and crafts for children, along with newsletter articles for writers.

When she isn't busy talking with authors and illustrators on her radio shows, working for Stories for Children or Halo Publishing and spending time with her children, VS Grenier is busy writing new adventures in the World of Ink. 
 

A California girl at heart, she currently lives in Southren Utah with her supportive husband, their three children, and the family’s big fat cat Speed Bump and miniature schnauzer Taz. 

 
Follow VS Grenier On
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/vsgrenier
Twitter http://twitter.com/vsgrenier.com
The Writing Mama blog http://thewritingmama.blogspot.com
Blog Talk Radio's World of Ink Network
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/worldofinknetwork
 

Our Changing Blog

You've noticed our new look. In March, we are beginning a slightly different blog schedule that makes room for new voices. We are also starting to provide more information for our Utah writing community, beginning with info about upcoming conferences. We also plan to provide info about upcoming releases and other announcements about Utah writers. We hope to create a better sense of community. We need your help. If you want to help us track Utah writing events or contribute to the community please let us know. Of course, we are also interested in your feedback. So don't be shy. Talk to us. Let us know what you think about the blog and about our posts.

On our new schedule, Saturdays are left open for anybody. It's our open mic day. If you have an announcement or something to say, please contact any of the regular writers and we'll help you post.

Thanks for all your support.

What Do You Think: Does Fiction Still Matter?

In the early part of the Twentieth Century, fiction had reached new levels of importance. From social satire to the muckraking novels of Norris and Sinclair, fiction writers provided a more realistic view of the world than any medium had before. Novels were the primary form of leisure entertainment in those pre-movie years. Writers took that responsibility seriously. Frank Norris even wrote an important work about the responsibilities of the novelist. The well decorated home displayed fine books with pride.

Now, a century later, bookcases have been replaced by entertainment centers. Even those of us who love books are keeping dozens of books in our electronic devices because they are more modern and more portable, and the limited shelf space around our televisions is full. Fiction is harder than ever to sell, and most of the top titles are aimed at escapism rather than enlightenment. Escapism is an important role, but even there books take a backseat to Netflix and the XBox and Angry Birds. Kids, and especially boys, don't read (or write, or even spell), like they used to.

People are predicting the end of books, and of reading as we know it.

I've painted a bleaker picture than what I think the current reality is, but there's no denying that the novelist's place in the world is not what it once was.

So what do you think? Is fiction writing still important? Why?

LTUE 30: Non-intersecting Orbits

by Deren Hansen

Two weeks ago the thirtieth incarnation of Life, the Universe, and Everything (LTUE), the BYU symposium on science fiction that has morphed into the largest (and least expensive) writing conference in Utah, convened. This year the conference was held at UVU to handle the crowd.

I always find conferences like this a bit frustrating at the structural level: at best you can only participate in about a third of what's going on. But what they don't mention in the brochure is that there's as much going on in the dealers’ room and in the halls and lobbies as in the sessions proper.

This year I had to officially give up trying to attend every session that sounded interesting because I participated as a presenter.

I learned several things from being the one at the front of the room:

• There are a surprisingly large number of people who don't simply tolerate but actually have an appetite for abstraction at 9:00 am.
• No green room is large enough when Larry Correia and Robert Defendi are holding forth on military history.
• Hydration is critical if you have to speak for more than a few minutes
• There are an awful lot of professional writers within the orbit of the Wasatch front (LTUE 30 had nearly 150 guest, panelists, and presenters)
• There are even more people who have the constitution and stamina to be pleasant on the third day of a conference that runs at least three sessions for twelve hours a day—with no meal breaks.
• Brandon Sanderson is a Martian.

I suppose that last bullet point requires a bit more explanation.

First, let me state, for the record, that Brandon is charming person—generous and gracious with fans and aspiring writers alike. In our few interactions, he's been the very model of how a writer should behave in public. If you've never seen Brandon at a signing or on a panel, you should go simply to learn from the way he handles himself in public.

Brandon was one of the people I hoped to meet at LTUE 30. Other than the excellent panel with Tracy Hickman, Dave Farland, L.E. Modesitt, Jr., and Brandon, I never saw him at the conference—which wasn't a surpirse: Brandon is a busy man. Brandon's Writing Excuses partners, Dan Wells, Howard Tayler, and Mary Robinett Kowal are also busy people (something I confirmed in brief conversations with Howard and Mary).

But as with the Tango, where it takes two, part of the reason I missed Brandon is because I was busy, too.

Largely because Brandon is practically a Utah county neighbor, I anticipated that we might someday strike up a professional relationship. At one signing, for example, I joked that I was there as part of a cunning plan to score a guest spot on his podcast in two years.

What I realized during the conference is that I'd made the same mistake as the owner of a local franchise who thinks he should pal around with the CEO of a major corporation because they both run a business.

Brandon and I currently have non-intersecting orbits. He already has his slate full of professional relationships. So do I.

During one of the battles of the Civil War, a subordinate rode up to General Grant, gave his report, and then asked if the general was worried about what the confederate general might do. "No," replied General Grant, "I'm worried about what I'm going to do."

I'll bet you didn't expect the second best piece of networking advice to come from the Civil War.

The corollary to last week’s post sharing the best networking advice ever is that the way to cultivate professional relationships is to worry about what I’m going to do not what Brandon or anyone else might be up to.


Deren blogs at The Laws of Making.

6 degrees of Kevin Bacon

The theory goes that you can connect actor Kevin Bacon to any other actor/actress in Hollywood within 6 people/films. (Wikipedia article). Inspired by a college party game, players start with a Kevin Bacon movie and then randomly choose another actor/actress and connect how they knew each other. The idea spread and created multiple websites, countless discussion, and even a new phrase "6 degrees of Kevin Bacon."

So how does that apply to writing?

Writer's Block Help website uses the concept of 6 degrees of separation to create a triple decker writing prompt to get your creative juices flowing. Take three random objects and connect them in a story in as few lines as possible.


Here's some examples taken directly from their website:

"Choose from some of these:

-a bowl of goldfish, a man in black, and a train
-a kangaroo, a bouquet of flowers, a wind chime
-a set of candlesticks, a grandfather clock, a tree stump
-a flat tire, crepe paper, white roses
-cinnamon ice cream, a teddy bear, a picture frame
-a kitchen towel, a pigpen, pistachio shells
-a spoonful of sugar, a roaring fire, a glass eye
-a night light, the funny pages (cartoons), three rubber bands
-a screwdriver, a blade of grass, a kitchen tile
-a schoolbus, a lady in red, a priest
-sand, a videotape, a plane ticket
-an opened envelope, eight dollars, a lipstick print
-a Tic-Tac-Toe game, a styrofoam cup, a kitten
-a bagel, a heating duct, a suitcase

My daughter and I used to play a game where I'd give her three random objects and she'd have to come up with a story tying them all together as she fell asleep. It was a lot of fun for me to try to think of my own story line to share with her and certainly got my own creative juices flowing!

What about you? What random three objects/people/places would you recommend as a writing prompt? Leave your suggestions in the comment section below!

-Sarah Southerland
Living Life at Warped Speed blog
"Not Another Sarah" book 

Knowing Your Readership with Author Kasey Crawford Kellem

I'm lucky to work with a lot of authors between Stories for Children Publishing, its many divisions and the World of Ink Network. Every time I work with a new author, seasoned author or an author at my level of experience, I always learn something new. However, I have found one thing to be true no matter where you are as a writer and what genre you writer for...

You need to know who your readership is before you sit down to write. With this in mind I asked a fellow author to share her insight on this for two reasons, she is a children's counselor and has a unique outlook on understanding children and two because her debut series of books are wonderfully done. She truly as a new author understands how to relate to her readership. So sit back and enjoy this weeks guest post from debut author Kasey Crawford Kellem on Knowing Your Readership.

My Mind Over Matter picture books were written for children primarily under the age of 8. I have several young nieces and nephews, and a number of friend’s children in my life who have been an asset in helping me write the books to their level. In fact, my niece, Jackie Kennedy, was five at the time I created the book idea. She and I spent many hours brainstorming what a child believes, loves, dreams and what makes them laugh and relax. The ideas were later tweaked and broadened with the help of the other children and parents in my life. I feel pretty confident the books are appropriately geared towards young children.

The use of simple wording and whimsical illustrations was a must to reach the children. I knew illustrations were key to engaging a child in a book. My illustrator, Janet Hill, has a special touch that appeals to children with her artwork. She knew the use of both animals and children in the books would captivate them. She knew vibrant colors would keep the child interested in the illustrations, too. In order to really engage the young readers, Janet thought it would be a great idea to add a hidden bug in each book. In Believe, a caterpillar is on each page showing how he believes. At the end, the caterpillar shows how he believes in himself and turns into a butterfly. The children love looking for the caterpillar on each page. The other books each have an interactive bug, as well.

My goal and purpose of these books is to teach children resiliency skills. It is rare to go through life without facing obstacles, challenges or adversity. Unfortunately, some people do not have the coping skills to rebound after such life changing events happen to them. Every child should be exposed to Believe (and the other four books when they come out) to learn the skill to prepare themselves for their future. I feel strongly that given the added stressors in life including increased divorces, disabilities, diseases and deaths, children need to learn early how to face these challenges with resiliency.

My books are a good fit for all children no matter how great their life is now, because at some point they will face some sort of challenge and need to be prepared. The books are both a preventative tool, as well as a reactive tool. For those children who have a pretty good life, this book series will teach them the skills to have when, and if, they ever have to face any challenges. For those children already experiencing adversity, these books can help teach them the tools needed to get through the obstacle in which they have been faced. Either way, any child would benefit from learning to Believe they can get through all that life offers. The same is true for my other Mind Over Matter Books and the resiliency techniques: Love, Laugh, Relax & Dream!

Kasey Crawford Kellem, a School Counselor and former Special Education Teacher, has devoted her life to helping children facing adversity be resilient. Kasey created Mind Over Matter (M.O.M.) books to teach children skills to overcome life’s challenges. She has earned a Bachelor’s Degree and Masters Degree in Special Education and an Educational Specialist Degree in Counseling. She is a devoted wife, stepmother, sister, daughter and counselor.

 Halo Publishing, Int. and the World of Ink Network are sponsoring Kasey Crawford Kellem's World of Ink Tour this February 2012. 

 

You can find out more about Kasey Crawford Kellem’s World of Ink Author/Book Tour schedule at http://storiesforchildrenpublishing.com/KaseyKellem.aspx. There will be giveaways, reviews, interviews, guest posts and more. Make sure to stop by and interact with Kellem and the hosts at the different stops by leaving comments and/or questions. You will be entered into the main the Book Giveaway each time.

In addition, come listen on February 20, 2012 to Blog Talk Radio’s World of Ink Network show: Stories for Children at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/worldofinknetwork. The hosts VS Grenier and Irene Roth will be chatting with Kasey Crawford Kellem about her M.O.M Books, writing, helping children to be resilient and her experiences. The show airs live February 20, 2012 at 2pm EST. You can listen/call in at (714) 242-5259. (Note: if you can’t make the show, you can listen on demand at the same link.)

To learn more about the World of Ink Tours visit: http://worldofinknetwork.blogspot.com  

To purchase any of Kasey Crawford Kellem’s books, visit Halo Publishing: www.halopublishing.com