Merry Christmas

Wishing everyone the best in the coming year. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Still

Still writing. For awhile writing just for myself -- some recollections of the army and Vietnam. Plus I am spending some time looking at Tony Hillerman's main character development. Some research on a couple of story ideas is also on the burner.

Happy Thanksgiving

Wishing everyone a happy Thanksgiving.

November

Already November and the lovely Fall weather continues. Most of the trees have dropped their leaves but a few brightly colored ones remain.

Almost October

Almost October. Where  did the summer go?

When an agent actually asked for more and then the whole novel, my hopes soared. What a great experience! When she finally decided my writing didn't meet her expectations, I was disappointed.

Could have, should have, would have ...........
The experience with the agent could have propelled me forward. At least my work received some notice above the pile. At first its momentum carried me forward. But then it started to weigh heavily until I needed a break.

Now slowly I'm stepping back into writing.

Summer though wasn't a waste. I started lots of other projects and worked on things that had been set aside in favor of writing. Rested and refreshed, I think I'll seek out a local writing group.

Summer

It's Summer and I have Spring fever.

I missed it.

I missed PWW2015 in Tucson this year. Pima Writers' Workshop has just concluded. It is my favorite and I hated to miss it. Meg Files and her group make this a wonderful learning experience every year.

Novel update

The last of ten agents queried has responded with a very nice rejection. But a rejection is a rejection is a rejection; it still isn't much fun.

Simner, Walker, and Yanique

Simner, Walker, and Yanique are potential PWW2015 writers that you could get to read your work. I've already posted on some others.

The mix of authors, poets, and agents is always very interesting. The choices sometimes are very difficult, but rest assured, you can't make a wrong choice.

My only advice is: Don't miss Nancy Mairs.

Simner has an interesting web site: www.simner.com

Writers

PWW2015 is coming up rapidly. If you want someone to comment one-on-one on your work, you don't have much time to get in. Just ten days or two weeks.

Meg Files and her team put on an excellent workshop. For more information on Pima Writers' Workshop 2015 to be held May 28-31 at Pima Community College in Tucson contact Meg Files.
520-206-6084              or           mfiles@pima.edu

3,054

Writing success isn't about how many books you sell. Still it is nice to sell a lot of books.
Amazon keeps track of their sales. Under details for a title, its best seller position is noted with #1 being the most sold.

Just for fun I checked a few. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins was number 8.
Liar by Nora Roberts, #115; Finders Keepers by Stephen King, #513; Blessing Way by Tony Hillerman, #34,370.

When checking out writers that may be at Pima Writers' Workshop 2015, the Writers Buffet lists Cynthia Bond. Ruby by Cynthia Bond is an Oprah's Book Club 2.0 pick.  Today Ruby has an Amazon best seller position of  #3,054. Wow!

Johanna Lane

Black Lake by Johanna Lane came out in 2014. She may be at Pima Writers' Workshop 2015.

More information on her and this novel can be found at www.johannalane.net

She can also be found on Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads.

At amazon.com you'll find lots of praise for Lane. There is no doubt that she is very skilled.

Monica Drake

Still doing my homework for the Pima Writers' Workshop 2015.

Kenosha Public Library has Monica Drake's 2013 novel, The Stud Book.

As usual I get a book by the author, check out their web site, and check out Amazon.com (read the reviews, look at the ratings, visit the author page).  www.monicadrake.com

Read the first page of The Stud Book, you'll probably read the whole novel.
 

David Ellis Dickerson

Doing my homework for Pima Writers' Workshop 2015.

If you send in a manuscript to PWW 2015 for an author's comments, you'll list which authors you prefer to read your work.

David Ellis Dickerson was listed on Writers Buffet blog as a possible. I checked out from the Kenosha Library his 2009 House of Cards. It is a funny memoir.

I walked into a session with an author who had read my submission without ever reading any of her work nor without first attending her presentation at the conference. For me that was a big mistake. I missed a valuable opportunity. When she asked if I had any questions, I just mumbled a few really lame ones. Listening to her presentation and reading one of her books brought home how great a loss.

Dickerson is a good example. An excellent match for people with a sense of humor. An excellent match for those writing memoir. He has the skills, the talent, and the experience.

But before you choose him, check him out in his books, on his website ( www.davidellisdickerson.net ), and at www.amazon.com .

I first scan the author's books --- first pages and last page and then the middle. If interested, I read more. He hooked me on both his first page and last page in House of Cards.

Pima Writers' Workshop

JUST A REMINDER: Pima Writers' Workshop is coming up at the end of May, but if you want a writer or agent to read your work, the deadline is the early part of May.

For more information try Shaw Guides or Writers Buffet ( http://www.writersbuffet.org/news/2015/3/23/27th-annual-pima-writers-workshop-at-pima-community-college ).

Spring Fever

Three weeks and I haven't posted anything. It's true I have been caught up in Spring Fever. While I have submitted my novel to  agents and I have worked on another novel, it has been without a lot of drive, focus, and determination.

Submitting to agents is not fun for me. The major reason is that they don't write back, email, or call immediately recognizing the brilliance of my work. I did in fact get one immediate response but the agent instead of being blinded by my work was blind to it. Many agents in their guidelines say if they don't respond within three, four, or six weeks to assume they are not interested. Others, the kind I would like working for me, respond with a robo response that the submission has been received and get back with an acceptance or a they-are-not-right-for-the-work response within three weeks.

It is Spring and writing isn't the only thing in the world. But I have gone back to another novel that was bogged down in background. It is now moving along at a nice easy pace. I feel like the fisherman who never catches anything but just enjoys the side of the river and the clouds floating overhead.

Sign on the wall

A sign on the wall behind a co-worker's desk read: Plan your work. Work your plan.


For my novel I had written out a plan for finding it a home. Instead of putting it in the bottom drawer, I'll continue to follow the plan. That means it'll be submitted to more agents.

Like looking for a job, the right fit is more important than a rapid placement.

Agent Responded

The agent responded. I am impressed with the agent's response and disappointed in not capturing her interest. She responded that she was not enthusiastic enough about the work to represent it. I think that is a wonderful response. So often rejections make me feel the problem is innate to the work. She avoids that.

Even so I think this work goes into the drawer. Perhaps I am not yet good enough. It is my first novel. Now is the time for me to focus on becoming a better writer.

Query Sent

The search for a home for my novel continues. Following the agent's guidelines, I sent off a query  with synopsis and the first fifty pages in the body of the email.

Revision completed.

I enjoyed re-reading my action packed adventure of the sea, but revised only minor problems. The agent said too much sea and too little conversation. I failed to see those areas and feel like a beginning author without perspective on his own work, unable to see the most glaring errors even when highlighted.

All input is valuable. For each comment, I try to make changes that solve that problem the best way possible. After a rest, I make the choice between the original and the revision.

Sometimes negative comments point out the different, the new, or the unusual. The best parts receive the most comments, both good and bad. In this case, I think the agent looked for the literary and found an adventure which disappointed her.

Sunshine

Another bright cold February day in Wisconsin. To me this feels like one of the brightest winters I can remember. Somehow  I missed the long, dreary, overcast days that seem to run on forever. We've had cold and snow. And wind. Lots of slicing, cutting, dangerously cold wind.

Writing is just maintaining itself. Although lots of projects have formed in my mind, nothing creative has made the paper or computer screen. I just do not want to go back and look at the weak points of my novel. Revision is needed. Then it should be in the mail to see if I can find it a home.

Sports Guru

I guess my career as sports guru won't go far. My prediction missed wide of the mark for the Super Bowl.

My writing doesn't seem to be going anywhere either. But can't see myself stopping from wild guesses at football games or at giving up writing; I simply enjoy them both.

Superbowl Prediction

My prediction for the Superbowl: A close game going into overtime with a 21-21 tie. Finally the Seahawks will win 24-21.

Covert

More and more I notice interesting words. Covert is one of those. Every time I read or hear that word, covert operations come to mind. Somehow I never think of it as a noun. In an adventure story, the escaping hero found a covert.

Sayings

Looking at a list of some sayings in Spanish and their English translations, I see a couple that struggling writers might enjoy:

1. Where there is desire there is ability.

2. Who runs for pleasure, never tires.

3. From word to deed is a great distance.