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Are You a Writing Fangirl…Or a REAL Writer? 7 Ways to Tell
We writers can spend hours every day thinking, dreaming, talking, and ruminating about writing. We love what we do!
But when we use these activities (and I’m loathe to even call them “activities”) as substitutes for actually writing…that’s a problem. We leave the realm of serious writer and enter the realm of — fanfolk.
And it’s a sneaky problem, because geeking out over all things writing feels like we’re being productive. We call it brainstorming, networking, getting motivated, whatever. But what it is not, is WRITING. Oh yeah, and MARKETING. And otherwise getting off our butts and going after, and completing, paying writing assignments.
(Caveat: I’m not saying we’re not allowed to have fun, kill time, and kibitz on writers’ forums. It’s when these time-wasters placate us into feeling productive — or we’re more interested in the trappings of a writer than in writing itself — that there’s a problem. )
Seven Signs You’re a Writing Fanboy/Girl:
1. You wear your Grammar Police badge with pride.
Writing forums, email discussion boards for writers, and blog comments are full of posts like these:
- My client just sent me an email where he used ‘their’ instead of ‘they’re’! *headdesk*
- Look at the typo in this newspaper headline! What is journalism coming to these days?
- Hey, blogger…you call yourself a writer? There’s a word missing in the second paragraph.
Pointing out/kvetching about other writers’ grammar mistakes make you FEEL good because hey, you don’t make mistakes like that so clearly you’re a superior writer. But is it getting you more gigs? Is it getting more writing out of you? Or is it simply wasting energy you could be using to get more assignments?
The person who made the typo is writing. What are YOU doing?
I have a guest post on the MakeaLivingWriting.com blog that goes into much, much more details on why you want to pit away your Grammar Police badge. (With 177 comments…clearly a hot button topic!)
2. You give a crap that The Comedy of Errors is Shakespeare’s shortest play. (And you know that it has 1,787 words.)
Look on almost any writers’ forum and you’ll see long threads where writers discuss their favorite pen (who writes in pen anymore?), post interesting factoids about Shakespeare, share motivational quotes from Hemingway, and hash out the details of the latest plagiarism/book banning/angry-author-screwed-by-publisher case.
I call these “fanboy writer posts.” These writer trivia posts show you’re a big fan of all things writing…but do they actually count as writing?
3. You’re a member of 10 writing organizations.
Here’s your email sig line:
Jane Smith, Wordsmith Extraordinaire
Member of:
National Writers Union
Science Writers of America
Mystery Writers Association
Medial Journalists’ Society
East Podunk Stitch & Bitch Writing Club
Romance Writers of America
[Add five more here]
Guess what? Editors and potential clients do not look at this list and say, “Wow. She must be a serious writer. Let’s hire her!”
Being a member of (most) writers’ associations does not prove that you are a writer. If you shell out your $150, you can get in. Even if you’ve never written a word in your life!
Join the organizations that pertain to the exact type of writing you’re actually doing. Not the genres you wish you were in, or the ones you think will impress people. And only join if you plan to be active in the group (which includes — wait for it — writing.)
4. You are the proud owner of a vast collection of quill pens.
Many writers love the trappings of writing more than the actual act of writing itself. So we see aspiring writers posting photos of their collection of mugs with writerly sayings; getting/talking about/comparing/sharing on social media their tattoos of Remington typewriters; collecting recycled-paper, leather-bound journals (just for looking at, natch); and strolling the aisles of Office Depot coveting the fancy pens.
Anyone looking at you, with your exclamation point tattoo and “Writer at Work” doorknob hanger, would think you are a writer. But…are you actually writing? Don’t delude yourself: A collection of quill pens does not a writer make.
5. You take writing classes you don’t need.
Wait a minute…did I just say that? Maybe I’m shooting myself in the foot because I teach a ton of classes for writers here—but seen too many writers take class after class in order to avoid having to actually pitch and write.
(Many instructors LOVE students like that…they pay good money, don’t do the work, and the instructor gets something for nothing.)
A multitude of certificates from writing classes is the sign of an insecure writer who always thinks she needs to know more before getting started — or the sign of fanfolk who love showing off their creds more than they do actually writing.
Yes, take a class to learn the skills you’re lacking, whether it’s writing the perfect pitch, running a writing business, or crafting an article that will sell. Then…go out and do that thing. That’s what makes you a real writer. If you come to a a roadblock because you need more skills, THEN you can take more classes.
This goes for free classes, too. Just about everyone with something to sell online offers a free class/instructional webinar/training call to get people on their email lists. It’s tempting to try them all! But unless you need that exact skill right now, you can hold off until you do.
6. You love books.
Writers love spending lots of time on Goodreads reviewing books. And weighing in on the latest literary controversies (is The Goldfinch crap or not?) And discussing On Writing and Writing Down the Bones and The Artist’s Way. And bragging about how many books they have in their homes. (I have over 1,000 books! Oh yeah? Well, I have 1,500. Here’s a photo to prove it!)
But the fact that you have a library overflowing with books, a shelf full of writing manuals, and 500 Goodreads reviews (especially of those writing manuals!) does not show you’re a writer. You talk a good game, but do you have the ass-in-seat-time to prove it? Serious writers with limited time use their time to — write.
7. You call yourself a “scribe” or “wordsmith” on your business card.
You are not a scribe, and you’re not a wordsmith. These terms bring to mind unpaid writers jotting down poems for the love of it — or monks copying Bible passages. (My editor at a writing magazine kept changing the word “writer” to “scribe” in my articles and it drove me batshit crazy…as much as I loved this editor!)
You are a serious, well-paid businessperson who offers writing as a valuable service. Right?
So: Are you a fanboy/girl or REAL writer? And if you say you’re a real writer: Prove it today by shutting down the forums, putting away the writing manuals, resisting the urge for one more class or one more writing group membership…and writing.
We have a wonderful new Writing Class at the West Side YMCA’s Writer’s Voice program.
WRITING FOR THE WEB
These days almost everyone’s first destination for reading is the web, but there is a boundless amount of content competing for eyeballs. Whether you’re trying to entertain, make a point, or just update the world on your life, capturing the attention of readers can be a challenge. With a focus on the short essay form, this class will help you develop skills to create concise, informative and compelling writing to send out into the digital world. Maximum enrollment is 15 students. No pre-registration requirement. Open to writers of all levels.
· Stephanie Lehmann
· Thursdays 6:45 – 8:45 PM
· SESSION 6 | 8 weeks, starts October 30
· Fees: $210 Member $350 Non-Member
Please visit our website for more information about this course and other courses that we offer.
Amanda Selwyn | Director of Community Arts
West Side YMCA
5 West 63rd St., New York, NY 10023
P 212-912-2635
aselwynATymcanycDOTorg
(Change AT to @ and DOT to .)
To learn about Communty Arts programs and classes, please visit our website.
By:
Carmela Martino and 5 other authors,
on 7/24/2014
Blog:
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For Poetry Friday, I'm sharing a poem from a book coming out this fall from J. Patrick Lewis and George Ella Lyon. I just received an ARC of
Voices from the March on Washington (WordSong), and I've only read three of the poems. But they all knocked my socks off! I'll share more closer to the publication date, but here's a sneak peek to whet your appetite.
Last Impressions
black without white
is
a moonless
night
empty
as
a life
of endlessly
falling snow
is
white without black
--J. Patrick Lewis, all rights reserved
This lovely poem especially connected with me because I just wrote three poems about diversity for consideration for a friend's scholarly book on children's literature, and the one he chose uses blizzard/snow imagery as well!
And I love the way you can create many different complete thoughts that kind of overlap each other because of the line breaks. Gorgeous.
Here I am reading Pat's poem:
Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong, creators of the amazing Poetry Friday Anthology books, are hosting the
Poetry Friday Roundup at Poetry for Children. Don't miss it!
Now on to what I've been reading. I've been working on attacking my to-read shelf this summer! I joined the Book-a-Day Challenge through Donalyn Miller and the Nerdy Book Club (
http://nerdybookclub.wordpress.com/2014/05/18/the-sixth-annual-book-a-day-challenge/). My goal is to average a book a day (surprise:>) And it's not too late! You pick your start and stop days, so if you have one month left of summer, go for it. Commit to reading a book a day, and share your books on your blog or Twitter (#bookaday). I post mine on Twitter--that accountability is great. Anyway, the thing I've learned most is that having a book-a-day really helps me get to a lot more picture books and poetry books--which are my favorite books, anyway. But they often get lost in the shuffle as I read research books or escape into mysteries. Below are the most recent 10 books I've finished. I have more in progress.
Looking over my list, I would say two other things I've learned are that I abandon books without guilt now (a major change from 10 years ago), and I want to read MORE picture books and poetry. Once book-a-day ends, I might have to come up with a picture book plan to keep me going!
P.S. Check that last book for the most finely-crafted nonfiction picture book I've read in months.
P.P.S. Those of you in the Los Angeles area who are aspiring picture book writers, check out Teaching Authors'
April Halprin Wayland's upcoming class, Writing Picture Books for Children. It's Wednesday nights from August 6 through September 10. It might be just right for you, so don't miss out :>)
Happy reading,
Laura
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By: Cathy C. Hall,
on 1/20/2013
Blog:
WOW! Women on Writing Blog (The Muffin)
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So you've had a couple weeks to firm up your 2013 writing goals. You have a handle on what you hope to accomplish, and if you’re the really industrious type, you've hit the page running. It’s all good, as my kids are fond of saying.
But I've noticed that whenever my kids say, “Calm down, Mom. It’s all good,” it’s invariably
not all good. They've forgotten something (something that’s usually terribly important). And so I thought I’d ask: Have you remembered your writing budget?
Your writing
budget is just as important as your writing
goals, especially if your goals tend towards the general rather than the specific. For example, let’s say that your 2013 goal is to focus on children’s writing, and to that end, you've decided to write every day, and read more in the children’s genres you’re targeting. That’s terrific, and you
will be a better writer by the end of the year.
But if you have a writing
budget, you can rev up your goal. With less than a hundred dollars, you can join a professional organization like
SCBWI and reap the benefits of membership. With less than two hundred dollars, you can take a
class in the children’s writing field you enjoy. Or you can attend a
conference, and connect with other writers in your area. You can skip the expensive coffee a couple times a month and use that money to enter a few
children’s writing contests. Contests are wonderful motivators, particularly later in the year when your writing get-up-and-go is threatening to get up and leave.
So it doesn't take an accountant to see that a writing budget will pay dividends down the road in your writing career.
But maybe you’re not a fiction writer. Maybe you’re a freelancer, or a poet, or working on your memoir, and you can’t see any benefits in joining a professional organization or attending a conference. But you still want to take your writing to the next level. Yep, you’re going to need a budget.
For less than a hundred dollars, you can
set up your own website and jumpstart your online presence. If you can find two hundred dollars, you can take classes on freelance writing,
memoir writing, even
poetry writing. You might want to join a
freelance job opportunities site; these sites can range from free to forty dollars a month. You could research mentorship, wherein writers set their own fees for what will help you the most.
So before your 2013 resolve fades, get out the calculator and work those numbers. Figure out your writing budget and stick to it.
Then you can tell me, “It’s all good, Cathy.” And I just might believe you.
~
Cathy C. Hall
By: Jenny Martin,
on 4/1/2012
Blog:
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I have news! The University of Texas at Arlington contacted me about developing/teaching a few courses for writers. This spring, I’m teaching Writing Young Adult Books. You do NOT have to be a UTA student. Anyone can enroll.
The class will run for five sessions, Monday Evenings from 7-9 p.m. CST.
Session one: April 30th
Session two: May 7th
Session three: May 14th
Session four: May 21st
Session five: June 4th (No class on May 28th for Memorial Day).
Basically, during the class, I’m sharing every secret I’ve ever learned about writing, querying, revising, landing an agent. And here’s the thing…You won’t just be learning from me and from the other students in the class…You’ll be learning from some amazing industry pros!
Check out these STELLAR SPECIAL GUESTS!
GWEN HAYES lives in the Pacific Northwest with her real life hero, their children, and the pets that own them. She writes stories for teen and adult readers about love, angst, and saving the world. Gwen’s first novel,
Falling Under, was released in March of 2011 by NAL/Penguin and followed up by the sequel,
Dreaming Awake, in January of 2012. She is represented by Jessica Sinsheimer of the Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency. You can find her at
http://www.gwenhayes.com/
Gwen will be sharing her expertise in creating chemistry between characters!
Jeff Hirsch is originally from the suburbs just south of Richmond, VA. Growing up, he always knew he wanted to do something artistic but it wasn’t until he started writing poetry and short stories in Junior High that something really stuck. Jeff graduated from the University of California, San Diego, with an MFA in Dramatic Writing and is the author of The Eleventh Plague and Magisterium (Scholastic). He lives in Beacon, New York, with his wife. Visit him online at www.jeff-hirsch.com.
Jeff will wow us with his expert skills in writing taut action with emotional intensity!
Kiera Cass is a graduate of Radford University and currently lives in 
Blacksburg, Virginia with her family. Her fantasy novel
Today is Part 3 of Suzanne Lieurance's article explaining simple ways to get the most out of writing workshops, classes, and the same techniques hold true for webinars also. She sure knows her writing stuff.
This final part of the article gives you some insights into how some other successful children's writers prepare for and take advantage of writing workshops, and other writing instruction events.
Six Simple Ways to Make the Most of Any Writing Workshop or Writing Class Part3By Suzanne LieuranceThese successful children’s writers offer additional tips:
Cynthia Leitich Smith, award-winning author of JINGLE DANCER (Morrow, 2000)(ages 4-up), RAIN IS NOT MY INDIAN NAME (Harper, 2001)(Listening Library, 2001)(ages 10-up), and INDIAN SHOES (Harper, 2002)(ages 7-up), and other works, says:
“Be brave. Participate. Put yourself out there. Don’t defend or explain away your work. Don’t think of the other students as competition. And don’t worry if you’re not ‘the star.’ Your focus should be on improving your craft–period.”
Pat McCarthy, an Instructor with the Institute of Children’s Literature, and author of 5 YA biographies and 5 nonfiction books for children suggests:
“Don’t write something different from what is assigned because you like to do it your way. Do use the manuscript format – double spaced, etc.”
Susan Wright, another instructor for the Institute of Children’s Literature, and author of the DEAD END ROAD MYSTERIES (for ages 10 & up) advises:
“Pay attention when others’ work is being read and critiqued–it’s not just common courtesy, but we can often learn a lot from it. Resist the temptation to go off on personal conversational tangents until after the session. Workshop or class time is limited and valuable.”
L.D. Harkrader, author of 9 nonfiction books for children, and the middle grade novel, AIRBALL: MY LIFE IN BRIEFS (published by Roaring Book Press) says:
“When your instructor makes suggestions on how to improve your stories, don’t be afraid to revise, and don’t trick yourself into thinking revision is merely cosmetic work–a word or comma changed here or there. Consider what your instructor has suggested, give your stories a hard, honest look, then dig into your revision, ruthlessly cutting or changing anything that doesn’t work. Your stories deserve to be as strong and as publishable as possible, and the only way you can achieve that is to be brave and do the work.”
Okay. So now that you know how to make the most of that writing workshop or writing class you just signed up for – go get ready for it. And have a great time!
See you in print!
Suzanne Lieurance is an award-winning author and an experienced writing coach. Her club, The Working Writers Club, helps writers go from writing for a hobby or part time to writing as a career. Whether you are writing books or freelance writing, she has the know-how and motivational skills to help you move forward. Check it out at:
http://workingwritersclub.com~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Related Articles:Imagery and Your Story
2 Comments on 6 Tips to Make the Most Out of Writing Workshops Part3, last added: 3/2/2012
We're back today with Part 2 of Suzanne Lieurance's article. Part 1 covered Tips ONE though THREE and this post covers Tips FOUR through SIX.
Off we go with Part 2.
*****
Six Simple Ways to Make the Most of Any Writing Workshop or Writing Class Part2By Suzanne Lieurance4) Learn to research all sorts of topics. In other words, don’t depend on instructors, editors, publishers, or anyone else to provide you with ALL the information you need in order to become a published writer.
Your instructor will probably give you research tips and marketing information, of course. But most published writers are self-directed learners. By that I mean, when they don’t KNOW something, they figure out HOW and WHERE to get the needed information themselves (more about how to do this, next).
5) Find other writers to network with and even hang out with, and read publications for writers.
Join a local writers’ group or at least sign up for one online (at yahoogroups.com you’ll find all sorts of groups for writers). Try to find a group that includes at least a few published writers. Generally, writers like to be helpful. They will usually share marketing tips, writing resources, etc. and will help you to more fully understand what you learn in a writing workshop or writing class.
Also, talk to some of the other writers in these groups to find out how they write. Then use some of their tips to improve your own writing, writing habits, etc. Hang out with the published writers and you’ll soon learn that they probably do a LOT of rewriting before they sell any of their work.
Read publications for writers to gain current marketing news and tips, and to find out how other writers became successful.
All these things will help give you the confidence to keep writing (and to keep practicing what you learn in your writing workshop or writing course) until you manage to get something published.
6) Don’t expect writing to be easy, and don’t assume that if it isn’t it must mean you don’t have enough talent to succeed as a writer, so you might as well drop out of the workshop or writing class.
Actually, most successful writers will tell you that talent isn’t the most important quality for success. The ability to follow directions (which will eventually come from an editor or editors) and the willingness to continue writing and rewriting, until at least some of the many rejection letters you get in the mail turn into acceptance letters, are much more important qualities for success as a writer. If you realize this BEFORE you start any writing workshop or writing course, you will be more likely to stick with it, even when the work gets difficult.
Stop by next week to find out what other successful children's writers share! Suzanne Lieurance is an award-winning author and an experienced writing coach. Her club, The Working Writers Club, helps writers go from writing for a hobby or part time to writing as a career. Whether you are writing books or freelance writing, she has the know-how and motivational skills to help you move forward. Check it out at:
http://workingwritersclub.com~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Related Articles:Writing a Memoir: 5 Rules
Today begins a 3 Part guest post by award-winning author and experienced writing coach Suzanne Lieurance. It has great information on getting the most out of attending writing workshops and writing classes. Parts 2 and 3 will follow on the next two Fridays, so be sure to come back.
*****
Six Simple Ways to Make the Most of Any Writing Workshop or Writing Classby Suzanne LieuranceIf you’ve recently signed up for a writing workshop or writing class, in the hopes of becoming a better writer, then follow these simple steps to make the most of that experience:
1) Read! Read! Read!Before the very first class or workshop, survey ALL the class materials so you will get an idea of what to expect.
Most good writing classes (and workshops) will provide students with a wealth of helpful materials. But these materials won’t do you any good if you don’t bother to look at them. In fact, if you have time before the workshop starts, read as many of the materials as you can. You might not fully understand what you are reading. That’s okay. Learning is recursive – which means your understanding will increase each time you study or reread the information.
If you don’t have time to read the materials before the class begins, then at least look over all the materials beforehand. Also, besides the required course materials, if there are suggested additional materials, get those too. And read them!
Also, read the kinds of things you wish to write. If you want to write stories for children, READ stories for children. If you want to write culinary mysteries for adults, READ culinary mysteries for adults, etc.
SPECIAL NOTE: Also, realize this. If you don’t enjoy reading, then you probably won’t enjoy the work it takes to become a successful (by that I mean, published) writer. Published writers are like sponges – anxious to soak up any information about their craft that they can.
2) Carefully read the directions for each and every assignment and follow the directions TO THE LETTER.
I’m surprised that so many people pay for a writing course (like the one I teach for the Institute of Children’s Literature), yet a large number of these people don’t follow the directions for each assignment. In some cases, it’s painfully evident that they didn’t even bother to READ the directions. What they need to understand is this – usually each assignment or lesson in a writing course or workshop was designed with specific objectives in mind. If the student doesn’t bother to read and follow the directions for each assignment, then the instructor has little chance of helping the student meet those objectives.
3) Avoid defending your work to your instructor.Generally, students pay an instructor because he (or she) has some expertise and experience in writing, which usually includes many publishing credits. In fact, you should ALWAYS look for an instructor who has publishing credits. But then listen to what that instructor has to say about your writing, then follow his advice without trying to defend your work if it goes against what he has suggested.
Your instructor knows what he is talking about. For example, many times I tell students that in stories for children, adults should play very minor roles, and the child or teen in the sto
This wonderful Santa illustration is brought to you by Carlyn Beccia. www.carlynbeccia.com Carlyn was featured earlier this year. Here is the link: http://kathytemean.wordpress.com/2011/03/12/illustrator-saturday-carlyn-beccia/
Here is the Information for the Pearl S. Buck Novel Writing Workshop:
Writing enthusiasts in Bucks County, PA, have the advantage of practicing their writing skills at the home of author Pearl S. Buck through community writing events, such as the one being given in 2012 by Author and editor, Anita Nolan.
She will offer a new year-long writing workshop taking participants through the novel-writing process. It will meet for 6 teaching workshops geared for writers wanting to write manuscripts for middle school to adult audiences.
The Novel Writing Workshops will be held the fourth Saturday of the following months from 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM. (1/28, 2/25, 4/28, 6/23, 9/22, 11/17) at Pearl S. Buck International.
•Session One: (January 28th) Come with a plot idea or a character in mind, or just a desire to write a novel. We will discuss brainstorming, plotting, characterizations, and point of view, formatting, writing a pitch and a synopsis before writing the manuscript.
•Session Two: ( February 25th) Participants can submit their first pages in advance for an instructor critique. We’ll discuss issues found in those first pages to illustrate things done well or common problems. We’ll discuss what first chapters should include.
•Session Three: ( April 28th) Showing, not telling, voice, handling dialogue, tags.
•Session Four: ( June 23rd) Turning points, transitions, subplots, writing in scenes.
•Session Five: (September 22nd) Conflict, adding tension on every page, creating a backstory.
•Session Six: (November 17) What’s next? Wrapping it all up.
Register by January 15th.
Fees: $25.00 per session OR pay $120.00 in advance and receive the following extras:
•March 31st and July 21st. Morning write-ins. Spend the morning working on your manuscript. No lesson these sessions, but instructor will be available to help you over hurdles.
· Enjoy unlimited participation in the Yahoo Writing Group that will be formed to exchange ideas, work out problems, and keep track of participant’s progress.
Questions? Email [email protected] or call 215-794-2562 or 267-421-6203
Anita will be doing a Writers’ Intensive Workshop on Friday June 3rd at the New Jersey SCBWI Conference for writers wanting to get all the basics down for children’s books.
Illustartors: Do you have a holiday illustration you would like to send and show off? I am putting up an illustration each day until the end of the year. You can send a blurb about you and I will put it up along with a link to your site. Make sure you note in the Subject Box. “Holiday Illustration.” Please submit a .jpg of at least 500 pixels wide to the e-mail below.
Remember you can also submit an illustration depicting a celebration for posting on December 31st. Please send a 500 pixel wide .jpg by December 27th to kathy(dot)temean(at)gmail.com. It will be a wonderful way to end this year and welc
Achieving the writing life of your dreams–is it possible? Are you closer to it than you were a year ago?
Here are some great articles to read and consider if you hope to make the dream of a writing life into a reality.
“Are You Living Your Own Life or Someone Else’s?” If we are not careful, we can unconsciously be following someone else’s agenda for our lives. This may be your first step toward achieving the writing life of your dreams.
“Novelists: Stop Trying to Brand Yourselves” is a refreshing and hopeful post for fiction writers. You’ll breathe a sigh of relief with this one.
“The Power of Incremental Change Over Time” Most people underestimate this. They think they have to take massive action to achieve anything significant.
“4 Reasons It’s Easier Than Ever to Be an Author” “When I started writing, it also seemed like everyone else was in control. I prepared a book proposal, then waited for a publisher to offer me a contract. I wrote the manuscript, then waited for booksellers to order the book. I published the book, the waited for the media to book me.” Not anymore, says this author, former publisher, and former editor.
“The Writing Journey: Author Beware” is one agent’s warning about using self-publishers and what to look for in the way of scams and unethical practices. She makes a good case for having an agent, but as you may know, landing an agent isn’t necessarily easy. You could do what I do: make an agreement with an agent to look over your contracts for a flat fee with an eye to marking questionable phrasing and things you could negotiate for.
“Write with Flow Workshop” is added here because I happen to use the Fractal Method of organization and I love it. Whether you sign up for the workshop or not, the article is a good read. Enrollment ends on Oct. 30.
I will be teaching a four-hour workshop, Beginning Fiction Writing, on October 8, 2011 at the Rio Vista Recreation Center in Peoria, AZ. We will discuss developing plot and conflict, creating interesting characters, writing believable dialogue, using your setting as a character, overcoming writer's block, and more. Details below:
Beginning Fiction Writing
Saturday, Oct. 8, 2011
12:30--4:30 p.m. (with short break)
Rio Vista Recreation Center, 8866 W. Thunderbird Rd. (north of Thunderbird and west of the 101 Loop), Peoria, AZ
Tel. Reg. 623-773-7725
Register Online. Fee: $35.00 Supply fee paid to instructor for resource materials: $2.00Deadline to register: Oct. 8, 2011 (before 11:00 a.m.)
Is Your Scriptwriting Guilty of TMI?by Christina Hamlett
How much do you really need to know about someone before you’re hooked into wanting to learn more? The process of setting up character introductions for your screenplay or theatrical script has a lot of similarities to the 1990’s matchmaking invention of speed-dating. Credited to an L.A. rabbi seeking to provide a social forum for Jewish singles, the concept of investing only a few minutes to scope out potential mates isn’t unlike using a few sentences to bait a reader’s curiosity about why your heroine collects ceramic owls, why your hero doesn’t own a car, or why the villagers never go to the lake after sundown.
Like many a bad first date, though, new screenwriters and playwrights have a tendency to not only spill too much too soon but expect every detail divulged to be permanently stored in the recipient’s memory. The result? Excessive backstory doesn’t just slog the pace of the plot; it makes it hard to distinguish what’s actually relevant and necessary in order to follow the action. In other words: too much information.
The use of backstory as a literary device traces its roots as far back as Greek mythology, was frequently employed in Shakespearean works to explain rivalries and revenge, and has long been a mainstay of soap operas to account for brooding obsessions and family secrets. Whether revealed partially, fully, chronologically or intermittently, backstory elements that are used wisely serve the purpose of lending depth and providing a context for understanding what has brought the characters to their present situations and mindsets.
In fiction – as in life – people aren’t born interesting; they become interesting as a product of shake-ups in the status quo that challenge and transform them. Because the majority of storytelling is linear, however, writer often embrace the notion that viewers of the film or play have to be brought up to full speed on everything that has happened in the past before they can possibly begin to grasp the meaning of the immediate problem. This approach either takes the form of copious scenes that recite highlights of the hero’s life, interactions and influences or an extended prologue that focuses on the era, environment and cultural framework in which subsequent events will transpire. Both of these strategies are guilty of violating the “show, don’t tell” rule and forestalling a plot’s official kick-off. They’re also typically comprised of specifics that never make a second appearance (i.e., Tim’s childhood turtle named Horton), much less have any connective value to the development or resolution of the core conflict.
Viewers today have shorter attention spans and more distractions competing for their leisure hours than prior generations. Accordingly, the first 10 minutes of a story for stage or screen creates an expectation of what will follow. That said, if your contemporary murder mystery set in Hawaii starts out with volcanic eruptions and screeching pterodactyls, it better be pithy and pertinent or you’re likely to lose your audience long before you get to your first dead body floating in the Halekulani swimming pool. By tightly focusing on your characters' relationships to the core conflict and to one another in the now, you're on your way to writing a leaner and more marketable script than one which takes too long meandering through life in the past lane.
This week's Poetry Friday is hosted by the delicious poet
Heidi Mordhorst over at
My Juicy Little UniverseSo...rewriting. Can't we just skip it? Can't we just write something brilliant and then jump to that thick-carpeted Hollywood office where we're signing the movie contract based on our book?
I've been feeling discouraged this week, so here's a poem about my work-in-progress, another novel-in-poems which I'd hoped would be finished when I turned in the April 14th draft in my novel writing class.
Finished? Heaven's no! Now that I have notes on this draft, I'm messing with it again. My book clearly needs a little more curry or cumin or molasses or heaven-knows-what. *Sigh*
NOVEL THOUGHT
by April Halprin Wayland
I'm walking quickly on this path
I edit words I see are chaff
I'm making characters three-dimensional
I've integrated the high school staff
(the stereotypes were unintentional)
I've cut the zoo scene and giraffe
though it was beautifully unconventional
I'm trying not to be inflexible—
and keeping it was indefensible
(though parts of it were quite exceptional)
If only I can reach that raft
and climb aboard, untie the rope—
I'll sail off with the final draft...
at least I hope!
x
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By:
Kristi Holl,
on 3/11/2011
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[Back in December I told you about an online writing class I planned to take. I promised to follow up on it when it was over. This is my review.]
I just finished Jordan Rosenfeld’s eight-week online writing class called “Fiction’s Magic Ingredient.” She’s the author of that very helpful book Make A Scene: Crafting a Powerful Story One Scene at a Time.
Here’s the class arrangement: there was material to read each week, then send-in assignments (usually two assignments ranging from 500 to 1000 words long) which Jordan critiqued and returned within a few days. We could write new material or apply the lessons to a work in progress (which I did). [More about the class below.]
When I first read through the exercises Jordan wanted us to do, I tried them out in my head, and they sounded easy. On paper, though, it was a different story!
The Rubber Meets the Road
Heather Sellers (in Chapter After Chapter) remarked on this phenomenon. “A failing we writers have is that we confuse the voices in our heads with writing; we tend to do exercises in our heads because thinking and writing feel so closely related…What’s in your head does not count, not for sculpture, not for book writing. Pencil on paper is what matters.”
The work we all did for Jordan’s class reminded me of such writing exercises. I often read the exercises and think I understand and will be able to whip it off in no time flat. Not so!
Even after revising each assignment several times, Jordan’s insightful critiques came back with more suggestions on how to take the concept further, go deeper, weed out the clichés, and much more. I felt challenged–and grateful that I got my money’s worth. I have gone on to apply the lessons to my novel this week.
Comparing Prices
I don’t mean to over-emphasize the money issue, but most of us need to get the most bang for our buck that we can. I was comparing the cost of Jordan’s class (I signed up early to get her discount) and was very pleased with what I received.
The material sent each week (5-6 single spaced pages) was new material, not excerpts from Jordan’s excellent Make a Scene book. The new material built on that. The amount of critiquing we received really surprised me. It was much more than you get at a writer’s conference where you pay extra for a faculty critique.
Last year I signed up and paid for (in advance) two writing conferences. The cost of each conference (not including hotel room or food) plus the personal critique (which was extra) was as much or more than Jordan’s online class–and you got much less for it, in my opinion.
So Flexible!
The other thing I noticed was related to health and family issues. About the two conferences I signed up for last year: I had a family emergency during the first one and was running a fever the other time–and missed b
Hello, Renegade Writers! I have a new free teleclass scheduled. But before we get into that, I wanted to remind you of a couple of Very Important Things:
1. My next Write for Magazines 8-week e-course starts on Monday, March 7. The Premium version includes 8 weeks of unlimited e-mail support, and I offer very thorough critiques of ideas, the markets you choose to pitch, and your query title, lede, body, and conclusion. Previous students have landed assignments from Spirituality & Health (with a cover story!), SELF, Woman’s Day, E: The Environmental Magazine, Washington Parent, and more.
Here’s what one student had to say:
At the very end of 2006, I decided to take one of your courses with hopes of starting a freelance career. In January 2007, I bought Query Letters That Rocked. I completely changed the way I did things…the first story I sold this year was to USA Today! Since then, I have sold stories to The New York Times, American Cheerleader, Wondertime, American Baby, Discover, Yoga Journal, Spirituality & Health, Web MD, Mother Jones, Fit Pregnancy, Delicious Living and Plenty. I’m now having people come to me– have signed on to do some niche blogging and just accepted a trade article today.
—Rachel Mosteller
I limit the class to 10 participants — so I can give each student the attention he or she needs — and there are five signed up now, so if you’re interested please sign up soon! Get details, download the FAQ, and sign up on the e-course page.
2. My new e-book Get Unstuck! For Freelancers: A 6-Week Course to Boost Your Motivation, Organization, and Productivity—So You Can Do More Work in Less Time, Make More Money, and Enjoy the Freelance Lifestyle has been getting a great response! I turned my popular Get Unstuck e-course into an e-book, so you can learn to become a productive writer at a fraction of the cost (just $9.95!). To get more details and to purchase the e-book, go to the e-books page.
Now, on to the teleclass:
Five Reasons Why Editors Won’t Buy Your Great Ideas, taught by Diana Burrell
Date: Tuesday, March 8, 2011 at 8:30-9:30 pm ET (Note that this is East Coast time; please check for the correct time in your time zone. Also note that this is PM, not AM!)
Topic: Five Reasons Why Editors Won’t Buy Your Great Ideas: You’ve come up with one of the best story ideas of your life. You’ve researched the subject thoroughly, read six back issues of the magazine you’re pitching, and you’re so sure this idea will sell, you’re already booking interviews with your sources. But then your editor writes, “I’m sorry, it’s a great idea but not right now.” Has she lost her marbles? How can she leave such a perfect idea on the table like that?
In this teleseminar, freelance food journalist, author, and ghostwriter Diana Burrell will share with you the five surprising reasons your editor may be giving your great ideas the thumbs down. And by the way, none of these reasons will be that you haven’t read six back issues of the magazine or that you spelled her name wrong. Once you understand what may be happening behind the scenes, you’ll be better prepared to turn the nays into yays with future ideas. There will be time after the presentation to ask questions about generating story ideas for articles and other fr
If you're writing teen fiction and you live in the Bay Area, you ought to check out the Write Teen classes. Seriously. Then come back here and tell me all about the classes, since I can't be there in person and need to live vicariously through you. Here's the inside scoop:
In a brand-new series of Bay Area writing classes, Kristen Tracy and Nina LaCour will teach you how to craft and publish a marketable teen novel. Together they have sold eleven novels to Simon & Schuster, Random House, Disney-Hyperion, and Penguin. They'll share their own strategies for writing and revision, and help you analyze critically and commercially successful teen novels. Nina and Kristen are both experienced teachers who have lectured and led workshops about writing throughout the country.
Learn more and register for classes at http://www.writeteen.com
Click here to see the full-page flyer.
Have you always wanted to write for children? It's important for aspiring writers and anyone interested in learning the nuts and bolts of children's publishing to be on the hunt for a class or workshop that will get you started and headed in the right direction because, believe me, there is A LOT to learn!
Well, just the class is being offered in Millbrook, NY called The ABCs of Writing for Children and it's headed up by two very successful children's authors, Karen Kaufman Orloff and Della Ross Ferreri.
The six-week class will start April 5th and meet Tuesday afternoons, from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. at Merritt Bookstore, Front Street, Millbrook.
Class will cover:
• How to get ideas
• How to structure a story
• Writing in different genres, including rhyme
• Creating great characters
• First drafts and re-writing
• Writing effective query letters
• Submitting to publishers
In addition, there will be:
• Manuscript critiques
• In-class writing exercises
• Ample Q & A time
About Your Instructors -
Karen Kaufman Orloff, author of I Wanna Iguana
, If Mom Had Three Arms
and
0 Comments on The ABCs of Writing for Children as of 1/1/1900
As I mentioned one week ago, my January 10 Write for Magazines 8-week e-course got super full, and there was so much interest that I was considering starting a new session in February instead of waiting until March or April as usual.
Well, I heard from enough interested writers that I thought I would give it a shot: The new session is set for Monday, February 7, 2011. Because I’ve never run two sessions at once, I’m capping the February session at 10 Premium students (with e-mail support) so I don’t become overwhelmed, and so I can be sure to give each student the attention he or she needs. I already have three Premium students signed up, so there are seven spaces left as of today.
In Write for Magazines, you’ll learn step-by-step how to generate a salable article idea, find markets, sleuth out editors and their contact info, and write and send a killer query. The Premium version of the course includes eight weeks of unlimited e-mail support. Previous students have landed assignments in magazines ranging from Washington Parent to Woman’s Day.
I offer a two-week refund policy, and out of close to 400 students, I think only two have ever asked for a refund — and those were due to changes in the writers’ situations. So if you’re nervous about spending your hard-earned money on this e-course, rest easy…I want everyone to feel confident that they’ll get their money’s worth, which is why I offer a generous no-questions-asked, two-week refund policy. (Well, I might ask you a question, but I’ll still give you the refund. 
Interested in investing in your freelance writing career in 2011? Check out the e-course page for more info and to sign up. I look forward to working with you! [lf]
I Need Writing Workshops Like I Need a Personal Trainer
by Jennifer Smith Gray
I love to write. I want to write. I have many story ideas brewing and I know I need to write them down. I know that I will be a better writer the more I write.
I like to exercise (I tried to use love here, but just couldn’t do it). I want to exercise. I have many thoughts about my fitter, leaner, healthier life and I know I need to get on with it. I know that it will be easier the more I do it.
But, both activities seem to be pushed aside far too often. With a demanding job, a busy family, and a mild addiction to a select few television shows, writing and exercising frequently get carried over from one day’s To-Do List to the next.
In the past, I’ve resorted to paying to exercise. Even gym memberships or weekly fitness classes didn’t always provide the necessary motivation though—I didn’t have to go. What did work was a personal trainer, because I did have to go to meet up with him—I was paying him $60 an hour regardless of whether I showed up.
Now, I’m applying the same theory to my writing. It may seem silly to pay money just to write, but it has been working. When I commit to a workshop, I go, I write, and I keep on writing. Some workshops have had me writing pieces on the spot, from prompts, and reading those out loud to a group. A few of those pieces have been the starting point for longer works. A recent day-long lecture workshop sparked the idea for a memoir that I’m working on now. I hope that an upcoming online workshop will provide a straightforward introduction to the world of book reviews.
Of course, I could just write, and learn these things on my own, just as I could go for a jog and do push-ups on my own at any time. But, when I was working out with the trainer at the gym, I gained more than just fitness. I learned what I was doing wrong, I heard about other success stories, I learned how to vary the routine, and I saw results.
Similarly, writing workshops, with fees typically much more affordable than a personal trainer, give me:
• Forced time to write.
• A built-in audience—what motivation to know a piece of writing will be read or heard, not just sentenced to life in the In Progress folder on the laptop.
• Professional and personal contacts.
• Tips and lessons learned from writers who have been there.
• Results.
The key for me now is to heed the one piece of advice that comes out of every single writing workshop I’ve been a part of—set aside time to write every day, no matter what. If I can fit that in, along with the occasional workshop for further development, I’ll be in good shape, so to speak. A personal trainer is out of the question right now, so I guess I'd better walk or bike to my writing workshops—at least the ones that are not online.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jennifer Smith Gray is a technical writer by day and writes creatively as much as possible by night (or whenever she can fit it in). When she’s not attending writing workshops, she’s exploring her East York, Toronto, neighborhood with her husband and kids, and perhaps thinking about exercising. www.juniperink.com*****************
Do you want to reach WOW’s audience? We welcome short posts (500 words or less) from writers just
By:
Carmela Martino and 5 other authors,
on 4/7/2010
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I am again thrilled to feature one of my former students as a TeachingAuthors "Student Success Story"!
We hope that sharing the accomplishments of our writing students will help inspire other teachers and aspiring writers. Today I am honored to introduce you to Cathy Cronin.
Cathy was a student in a Continuing Education class I taught on Writing for Children and Young Adults at the College of DuPage in the summer of 2001. (One of her classmates, Laura Crawford, is another Student Success Story.) Cathy is a writer, poet, blogger, and a busy mother of three. Her poems have been published in a number of magazines for children. One of her poems also appears in the anthology, Ladybug, Ladybug and Other Favorite Poems (Cricket Books). Cathy is donating a copy of Ladybug, Ladybug for our giveaway today in honor of National Poetry Month. (If you haven't been following our own April Halprin Wayland's Poem-A-Day challenge, I encourage you to do so here.) Instructions for entering our drawing are at the end of this post.
Cathy, what inspired you to sign up for my class?
I have always loved writing and have done it since I was a child. But it wasn’t until after my second child was born that I started to consider writing for children. After reading so many books to them, I was reminded how much I loved children’s books and wanted to give it a try. I read several books on how to write for children and joined a critique group. When I heard about your class “Writing Fiction for Children and Young Adults” I knew it would be perfect. Your course covered all aspects of children’s writing and was taught by an experienced author. It was just the foundation I needed.
Do you recall any specific ways the class helped you?This class was a wonderful experience. It covered everything from elements of fiction, manuscript preparation, revision, submitting and more. The group critiques in class were so helpful. My favorite part was studying other picture books. Analyzing them helped me to identify “why” I liked certain stories and helped me to make my stories better. I also left the class with solid “next steps” for submitting and a new focus for my writing journey.
Since taking my class, you have had success getting your poetry published in a number of children’s magazines. Do you have any particular strategy for deciding where to submit your work and/or tips for other writers trying to break into magazines? The summer of your class (July 2001), I sold my first three poems to
Today, it is with great pride that I introduce a new feature here on www.TeachingAuthors.com: Student Success Stories!
We hope that by sharing stories of some of the accomplishments of our writing students we will help inspire other teachers and aspiring writers. I am honored to feature one of my former students as our first Student Success Story: Laura Crawford.
Laura was a student in a Continuing Education class I taught on Writing for Children and Young Adults at the College of DuPage back in the summer of 2001. About a week before our first session, the college called to say the class had filled and to ask if I'd be willing to take an extra student. I'm normally fairly strict about the class size to allow enough time for manuscript critiques. After talking to Laura on the phone, I decided she was a serious student, so I made an exception for her. I'm so glad I did! I believe that of all my former students who have gone on to have their work published, Laura has been the most prolific. I was especially thrilled when I found out that a manuscript of Laura's that we had critiqued in class was to be published by Raven Tree Press as Postcards From Washington, D.C. The book became part of a series that also includes Postcards From Chicago, and Postcards From New York City.
Interestingly, Laura's first published book was one she wrote
after Postcards From Chicago. The Pilgrims’ Thanksgiving From A to Z was published by Pelican Publishing in 2005. Her second book,
In Arctic Waters, a cumulative tale about Arctic animals, was published by Sylvan Dell. Her newest book,
The American Revolution From A to Z, is another alphabet book with Pelican Publishing. To celebrate the book's release, we will be giving away an autographed copy. Instructions for how to enter our drawing will be at the end of this post.
Laura is not only a writer, she's also a full-time teacher and reading specialist who works with second- and third-graders at Sleepy Hollow Elementary School in Sleepy Hollow, Illinois. I recently interviewed Laura about her path from teacher to student to published children's author:
Laura, what inspired you to sign up for my class?
For those of you on the East Coast. . .
Hofstra University, co-sponsored by the SCBWI, presents its 24TH ANNUAL CHILDREN'S LITERATURE CONFERENCE!
Saturday, April 26
From their website: Here's an opportunity for published and aspiring writers and illustrators to gather with librarians, educators, editors, booksellers and all others who wish to create or share good children's books. The program features: two general-session speakers; six special-interest groups (from which you may choose); and a panel of two children's book editors, who will critique many randomly selected, first-manuscript pages submitted by registrants. Be inspired to begin or complete that children's book you've always wanted to write. $94 Tuition for SCBWI Members, $99 non-members. If you want to apply for this discount kindly contact (516) 463-7200. Online registration is not permissible.
View the brochure here.
Hofstra's Center for Continuing Education and Professional Advancement, also, offers writing courses, seminars and workshops in which instructors work closely with serious-minded students who are willing to write regularly and participate actively in class discussion of their own and each others' work. Instead of extensive lectures, the instructor provides guidance by focusing on student manuscripts. Their courses range from the fundamentals of well-crafted business writing to the more creative forms of screenwriting, essays or writing for children.
Are You a Writing Fangirl…Or a REAL Writer? 7 Ways to Tell
That looks like quite a long list she’s got there 
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I often forget about budgeting things for my writers life. This year, I have set some goals to include how I will fund a conference I want to attend this year. This is an excellent article and reminder. Thanks.
Kristi, thanks! And GOOD LUCK with your conference! I LOVE writer's conferences but I have a rule that I have to EARN my way there.
It's a big motivator. :-)
Funny, when I think of budget, I don't think about a trip to a writer's conference or taking a class. I'm thinking about how much I want to make each month. Guess my mind doesn't work the other way. :)
Good reminder about budgeting for life-long and career-long learning!