Rain

I like rainy days. The cool breezes and overcast skies make sleeping-in easy. Less hurry, time for a book and another cup of coffee, and the soft gentleness of the light make rainy days great for reflection. After all, Mother Nature is watering the flowers and doing the yard work today.

HENRY DAVID THOREAU: "The world is but a canvas to our imagination."

GOETHE, FAUST: "A man can stand anything, except a succession of ordinary days."

Agent

What a great experience! At Pima Writer's Workshop in Tucson in May, an agent read the first chapter of my novel that I had sent in. She read it and commented on it, suggesting some re-write. Very helpful for not only did it give outside eyes on my work, but also gave me an insight into the thinking of agents. I was surprised that she zoomed right in on areas that other writers and editors had told me were weak.

Next she surprised me by giving me her card; I could send her the rewrite. Which I did. I had tried to rewrite that part before and never came up with anything that I liked. This time I stayed at it until it was something I liked and completed.

She wasn't thrilled with the rewrite but said, "It grew on her."  And she requested the whole novel.

I couldn't believe it! Wow! And then I waited.

But waiting was great. I made the most of it. "An agent is looking at my novel." A wonderful time.

Then came the email saying thanks and good luck. It was full of reasons why it fell short of her expectations -- all of them good, helpful comments that I can use to make a better story.

Did I feel bad? Not in the least. It was a wonderful, helpful experience that I smile upon every time I think of it. Can you believe an agent read my novel!

What next? I'll re-read the novel with her comments in front of me and do any sprucing or rewriting that I can do quickly. Then I'll seek out another agent.

Time

Mark Twain:  "Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been."

The New Writers Interface

Mary Rosenblum writes science fiction and under Mary Freeman writes mysteries. At her web site www.newwritersinterface.com you can sign up for her informative newsletter.

Another place where you can find many of her articles on the writing craft is
www.longridgewritersgroup.com . These and many by other writers are free and open to the public. I have read most of them many times. For awhile I would pick one a week to read and apply to my writing.

Direction

Still cleaning my desk.

"The greatest thing in this world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving."

 

-- Oliver Wendell Holmes

 

Chance

"Chance favors the prepared mind."

--- Louis Pasteur

Cleaning up my work area

Post-its, taped newspaper items, and pinned pictures adorn my desk and cover its work area. I'm starting to clear them away to be ready to start again on another novel. Right now working on a variety of short story roughs.

Here are two quotes torn from magazines or newspapers without any other source reference and taped to my desk:

      "The best prize life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing."

--Theodore Roosevelt

 

 

"To weep is to make less the depth of grief."

-- Shakespeare

Nostalgia

When the roads were like today's back roads with countryside, cows, and curves, long trips were longer. Burma Shaves signs made good diversions.

OLD BURMA SHAVE SIGN

 

Is he lonesome

or just blind

this guy who drives

so close behind?

Burma Shave

Perspective

"W.H. Auden once suggested that to understand your own country you need to have lived in at least two others. One can say something similar for periods of time: to understand your own century you need to come to terms with at least two others."
   ---  from The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England by Jan Mortimer

Truth

" ' Beauty is truth, truth beauty,' --that is all
Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know."
--- from Ode on a Grecian Urn, Keats

Originality

C.S. Lewis:  "....in literature and art, no man who bothers with originality will ever be original; whereas, if you simply try to tell the truth (without caring twopence how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed."

Failure

C.S. Lewis: "Failures are finger posts on the road to achievement."

What happened?

Kazuo Ishiguro: "As a writer, I'm more interested in what people tell themselves happened rather than what actually happened."

Return to Paradise

The Atoll:  "To say men died in such places, engulfed in disillusion and despair, is merely to point out that on a lonely atoll, as in most cities, good men find loveliness, weak men find evil."
 -- James A. Michener, Return to Paradise, p.19

Imagination

"Imagination is the highest kite one can fly."  -- Lauren Bacall (actress born 1924)

Ideas

Where do writers get their stories?

Most stories have been told before in one way or another. Life and fiction repeat, but that doesn't make them any less interesting. Childhood fairy tales, family legends, classic fables, modern fiction, myths, and the newspapers all repeat stories of things that matter to people.

Any action viewed by several people will be described and reported uniquely by each person depending on what they saw and felt. Each author retells stories in his own way.

quote for today  

"From a little spark may burst a mighty flame." -- Dante

Planning

Planning

    

     In writing what is the role of planning?

    I don't know. Some writers seem to plan everything. They write out a detailed outline before starting. Others just start with a topic or an idea and start writing.
    Usually an idea bounces around in my head for quite awhile, off and on. Then one day I take part of it and try to put it down in words. It is always horrible. Somehow the words on paper do not fit the grand idea in my mind.
    Ambrose in Undaunted Courage writes Eisenhower's favorite saying was: "...in war, before the battle is joined, plans are everything, but once the shooting begins, plans are worthless."
    Perhaps that is also true in writing and life.

Carpe Diem

Seize the Day

Today is all that is allotted to us. There is no guarantee for tomorrow. If there is something you really want to do or write, begin it today.

Erle Stanley Gardner

Public Radio's Writer's Almanac of July 17, 2014 mentions that Erle Stanley Gardner while working as a lawyer wrote at night. They quote him as writing ".....my daily stint of 4,000 words minimum..."

Daily 500

Busy with summer -- home, yard, vacation, and holidays. But still writing my daily 500 -- often just a freewrite putting down anything to get that number of words down but more recently short story roughs.

Back Home

Back Home In Wisconsin

Pima Writers' Workshop in Tucson was wonderful again. Meg Files puts together great workshops. This one at Pima Community College is her 26th one there. Every one that I have attended has been great -- a mix of presentations and exercises, of authors and agents, of poets and novelists, of fiction and non-fiction writers, of children's books and literary books, and of experienced writers and beginners. A great extra is having an author or agent reading part of your work and having a short one-on-one with you. Have your manuscript ready by the beginning of May for that. Plan to attend it around Memorial Day at the end of May.

Each year there are tough choices to make between sessions. You really can't go wrong with your choices. Mine this year included sessions by Colleen J. McElroy, Thomas Cobb, Sarah Cortez, James M. Deem, Mark Doty, Terry Fillipowicz, Dara Hyde, Laura Strachan, Johanna Skibsrud,  Matt Mendez, and Diane Glancy. All were great.

But still I missed other sessions by William Boggess, Nancy Mairs, Bruce Fulton, and a second session with some of ones above. I have no doubt they were equally as good.

One of my favorite parts this year was the evening reading put on by Cortez, Deem, and Glancy.

Pima Writers' Workshop

Just a week before the Pima Writers' Workshop in Tucson. I'm looking forward to it. For encouragement, inspiration, skills development, and a wonderful learning experience, it is tops.

Pima Writers' Workshop 2014

PIMA WRITERS' WORKSHOP

At the end of May in Tucson is the Pima Writers' Workshop. Meg Files puts together every year a wonderful workshop for writers. This year it is May 29 through June 1.

For more information:    www.pima.edu

If you want a manuscript consultation you must register and get your manuscript there by May 15, 2014.  You can register on-line, by mail, in person, or by phone (520-206-6448).

Manuscripts (up to 15 double spaced pages) can be sent by mail or electronically but must be there by May 15.

A re-read

Just sitting here doing a re-read and realized that an important scene is written wrong. Somehow a carefully worked out battle scene isn't right. The orientations of the players couldn't be. The directions are all wrong. How could I make such a mistake? How could I miss it? At least I caught it and can correct it before it is sent out.

Still Editing

Still editing. Working backward through the chapters getting the individual characters into their proper places and doing some minor edits while looking for structural problems. It is clear that I need to do some voice work on the characters. One of the characters is supposed to speak with at least a suggestion of Irish wording and phrasing. That is turning out to be difficult for me.

Still Revising

After line edits and manuscript comments have been received, I am working changes into the novel. They all take time as I am mainly using them to strengthen my writing not just the novel. For each edit, I try to understand the why and develop an ear for hearing it or an eye for catching it.

My files marked RAC tell me the files are revisions after comments. So far most of the line edits repeat themselves. Breaking up blocks of dialogue with descriptive details and identification tags is something I need to do more often. Another frequent error of mine is the use of words like certainly, only, and just. Commas, lack of and too many, are also a problem.

The education continues. Finished chapter 15 and have ten more to go.

Finished

Finished revisions before comment on the complete novel and have sent it off for manuscript and line edits.

RBC

RBC Revised Before Comments

Have now completed RBC files for chapters 1-20. Only five more to go before I send them out for comments.

Word reduction is only part of editing and isn't the most important part but it may be an indication of how well done the edit. I don't really know. I may have been writing better in the later chapters or I may just be getting tired of editing and getting sloppy, but the first 16 chapters averaged about a 12% reduction in words while the next four only averaged around a 2% reduction.

Chapter 16

Just completed the editing for chapter 16.

Editing continues

Finished the revisions-before-comment for chapter twelve. The novel has twenty-five chapters. Also have been working on sets of three chapters to do the revisions. This allows me to do more. Sometimes it doesn't seem to be the time put in on a chapter but the time between looks at it that produces the most polish. With this in mind, I also have started the preliminary views of all the chapters.

It is probably a good idea for me to read again Elements of Style. In 2003, one of the reviewers for the Southwest Writers group suggested that I read it once a year. Good advice but I have been remiss, reading it only about once every three years.

Editing

For a great posting on editing go to www.nettiesramblings.blogspot.com to see Putting Those Pesky Edits to Bed.

Lynette Rees wrote  It Happened One Summer, Return to Winter, A Taste of Honey, and Watching You. She has written numerous articles and an excellent ebook Crafting the Romance Story. You can find out more about her at her blog or at the web site www.lynetterees.com .

The Fourteenth Pass

By the fourteenth pass through a story to edit or revise it, I find it very easy to cut out excess. By that time any love affair with cute phrasing or delicious words has expired or been replaced with hate.

Finished with the revisions before comment on chapters six and seven and getting close to finishing on chapter eight.

Sheer stubbornness keeps me going now as I am convinced that even at my very best, this novel will not make the market place.

Editing

Working on editing the novel. Anxious to get it done. At the rate I have been going I figured it would take me until June to get it finished. Tried doing three chapters at a time. Then worked all the way through every chapter opening up an edit file with the first pass edit. Story flow, repetition of back story, and name changes became easier to spot, but I didn't cut and change as well. 

Now I am putting in more work periods doing a pass of one chapter at each. Working in groups of three chapters to allow more time between passes of the same chapter. I expect at least ten passes and probably a dozen or more for each. It'll take me about the same time to finish one chapter but will finish three in that time. I hope.

Synopsis

Working on a synopsis. Much more difficult than I imagined. Either I get too few words or too many. Up to chapter five for the revisions. Not quite done with five although my word count chain is up to twenty. The last time through I looked for repeated words. One of my weaknesses is to grab hold of a word and use it many many times in a few sentences. Usually I do not notice this and do a special reading just for these repetitions.

Some of the revisions focus on: passive voice, too many words, repeated words, color words, use of senses, advancing the story line, the sound of the words, where I fall asleep on the re-reading, verbs verses adverbs, tense, person, and point of view.

Starting Point

Finished the rough for my first novel and have been diligently working on revising it. Revising teaches me the most. King mentioned in his book on writing that good things started to happen with his work when he started using a revision formula calling for deleting ten percent of the words.

To revise I start with a complete copy. That leaves the original untouched in case I go too far in cutting. Then I revise the copy. Each time through at the bottom of the page I keep a word count. When I get done after a dozen or more times through the chapter, at the bottom is a chain of word counts. At first it is difficult to cut words but my counts show that as I go along it gets easier.

Unlike many people, I had no burning desire to write a novel. No story in mind that I had been turning over in my mind for years. Although I am happy that the novel is done and take pride in having completed it, no amount of revising will make it anything more than a beginning. Right now with a little more research, I will be ready to tell the story, to start writing the novel. After revising all the chapters, will I start on writing it again? Not until it rests for awhile and I walk the ground of the story and ride its waters.

Every morning the creative writing is a short story rough, about one a week. Out of the best, one will be chosen to revise.

Refrigerator Novel

The rough for my refrigerator novel is done. 25 chapters. Four chapters are in final form. It'll take  time to revise the other 21.

Chapter 23 rough is done

Finished the rough for Chapter 23 today! I think Chapter 24 will finish the novel.

Finished 22 today

Rapidly pulling to a finish. Completed the rough for chapter 22 today.

Finished 21 today

Finished the rough for chapter 21 today. Another short chapter but seemed the right spot to end.

Chapter 20

I think chapter 20 closed today. Short, about two thirds of most other chapters, it seems to be at an end spot, but in the morning will decide to leave it and move on or add to it.

Finished 19

Just finished chapter 19 rough today.

Finished 18

The rough for chapter 18 finished today.

Revision

At some point, revision doesn't yield positive results.  Chapter four is as revised as I can get it, probably too much so.

Finished the rough for 16 and halfway through 17.

Halfway through 15

Finished fourteen and halfway through fifteen. Still editing four -- found several parts that need improvement but haven't found the improvement.

Finished the rough for 13

Today finished the rough for chapter 13. Writing a little more each morning and editing for a couple of short sessions each afternoon. Editing chapter four now.

Finished Chapter 11 rough

Finished chapter 11 rough and have moved on to 12. Aiming at 500 words a day -- made almost a thousand today.

Chapter 8

Almost finished with chapter 8 and find myself pushing to finish, rushing the writing. Book length would be about 30 of these chapters. Will take a couple of days off from the novel, but not from writing. For those days will work on a finishing a short story.

Still writing.

The novel continues to progress.

Background

The novel has gotten out of control. I find myself spending all day every day reading background, doing library searches, doing internet searches, checking out a particular point here or there. I go through stacks of books scanning the indexes to find the answer to background questions that I will probably never use. I go to bed thinking about the story and wake up in the middle of night with it on my mind. And I awake with it or some part of it rattling around in my head.

Besides computer files I have started a binder with pictures, notes, and calculations about ships. When I try to get away from it by leaving the house, I find myself at the lake watching sail boats, estimating distances to them, and wondering about the distance to the horizon.

The good rough for chapter one is done. It was about as polished as I could get it, but readers have found areas where improvements can be made. Now that they point it out, it is clear they are right and I wonder how did I let that slip by.

My plan will be to write chapter two up to my best level, then take a break from the story.

Research

The War of 1812 and its naval encounters play an important role in the novel. So I spent a great weekend in Sault Ste. Marie. They had an 1812 encampment and tall ships from that period. The Niagara, the Pride of Baltimore II, and the Lynx represented the sailing ships of that time. The Baltimore Clippers represented privateers and the Niagara represented a great lakes war ship.

Back to the novel

How's the novel coming?

Well, it is coming alone fine. Writing a little on each chapter was good. Among the benefits was to have something specific to write on each day. It also allowed me to pace my writing better. One of my big faults is a tendency to rush the action along. A defined chapter helped me to take the time to develop the story.

Writing on later chapters before the previous ones resulted in a lot of differences that I couldn't fix easily. So I started over. This time in the middle of some action, a much more interesting place.

The novel is coming along fine.

Pima Writers' Workshop

Pima Writers' Workshop 2013 encouraged me, inspired me, and increased my writing skills and understanding.

 

I hope my few notes have given you a hint of how great a learning experience this wonderful workshop can be. Often what I gained can't be crystallized into a few words. And what you gain would be different from what I gain; we each bring different experiences and skills with us and respond uniquely.

You'll just have to experience it yourself.

 

Sometimes my words simply can not capture the insights given by the emotional impact of the presenter's life. Time with Nancy Mairs will change your life. www.nancymairs.com

 

Robert Gover, Tanya Chernov (www.tanyachernov.com), and Debra Gwartney (www.debragwartney.com) also enriched the this year's workshop with their experiences.

 

A lot of writers like to talk to good agents because they are about as hard to find as a deer on the third day of deer season. This year Gordon Warnock, a founding partner of Foreword Literary, stood in the light. (forewordliterary.com)

 

Mark it on your calendar. It is always the Memorial Day weekend in May. Thursday night is the reception; Friday through Sunday, the lectures, readings, and exercises. It is a remarkable opportunity to have a short one-on-one with an author about up to twenty pages of your work. Be advised to have that work done and ready to send by the start of May.

 

As May approaches keep looking for information at www.pima.edu; if you do not find it, email Pima Writers' Workshop Director, Meg Files.  (mfiles@pima.edu)

 

 

Live Through This

DEBRA GWARTNEY   www.debragwartney.com

 

Live Through This is her memoir.

 

I attended her presentation (The Pitfalls of Memoir Writing) on the Friday of Pima Writers' Workshop 2013 and her writing exercise (Using Relevant Detail) on the Sunday morning. Both were excellent.

 

Let me only jot down a couple of things that stand out to me in my notes of these two sessions.

 

Memory changes with time. Its job is to keep us rooted to who we are. We need to ask of each memory: How is this memory taking care of me?

 

In writing keep irresolution and doubt in the air as long as possible.

 

Each scene has to have its own arc --- something has to happen. What did that scene gain for me and what did it lose?

 

Details need to take you somewhere. It is not enough just to have details. When using them involve as many senses as possible.

 

She used a writing exercise demonstrating narrowed perception. She put us in different situations and had us write what we saw. Coming home to someone to tell them good news. Telling them about a car accident. Coming home and finding them doing something you told them not to do. Vague, general details come first and then progress to the specific.

Scratching the Ghost

Scratching the Ghost by Dexter Booth will be coming out in November from Graywolf Press.  (www.amazon.com)

 

On Saturday of Pima Writers' Workshop 2013, his writing exercise, 'From Image to Poem', was great for writers as well as poets.

 

Describe one member of set. Why does that member stand out?

 

Write down any five words in one column. Then write down next to it the images that it brings to your mind. Then write using all the images.

 

Make a list with a body part, an animal, a fruit, an object, plus an image and an action. Write something using them all. Try to work in the size, shape, color, texture of each.

 

Now write something using one shape, color, and absence.

 

These are three methods of making images: set differentiaiton, abstraction, and parameter building.

 

Writing exercises are very dynamic with the participants writing, sometimes reading their work, and always questions are flying. My poor notes don't capture any them adequately.

 

His Sunday morning presentation was: 'From Slam to Crush: An Argument for 21st Century Poetics'. My intent was to attend it, but ended up in the wrong room at another good presentation. Can't see everything, but there are no wrong choices as all the presentations are valuable.

 

Also enjoyed his Saturday night reading. At lunch on Saturday, we  shared a courtyard picnic table. Wonderful experience!

Orlando White

Orlando White  www.orlandowhite.com

 

I only talked with Orlando White for a few moments outside of a classroom before class, but this meeting will stay with me. He is a man of presence.

 

He is the author of Bone Light , a teacher at Dine` College, and a recognized poet. He holds a BFA from the Institute of American Indian Arts and an MFA from Brown University.

 

I missed both of his presentations:  'Functional White' and 'Poetics of Misspelling'.  If there were a prize for humor in presentation naming, I think he would win it.

 

I enjoyed his poetry reading on Friday night of the Pima Writers Workshop 2013.

 

The poet W. H. Auden is quoted to the effect that to understand your country, live in a foreign country, better still, live in two. Perhaps because I served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Paraguay, my wish for Orlando is that he visits Paraguay. Not only Paraguay, but I hope he travels widely in Central and South America especially in Guatemala, Peru, Bolivia. Perhaps even living in one of those countries for awhile. Then I would suggest extended stays in Japan and Indonesia.

Ilie Ruby

Pima Writers' Workshop 2013

 

Saturday afternoon after a heavy lunch and when my eyes wanted sleep, I struggled with Ilie Ruby's writing exercise. She instructed us to go from distant to closer finishing the phrase: "If I loved you, I would tell you this...."

 

After a few minutes she told us to stop. A few students read theirs. Something in that prompt had touched something vital in them. They had written in a few minutes, powerful, emotion filled scenes.

 

Ilie Ruby (www.ilieruby.com) wrote The Salt God's Daughter and The Language of Trees.

 

On Friday morning her excellent presentation was: 'The Voice of Your Book: How to Create a Compelling Narrative Voice in Fiction'.

 

This presentation covered a lot from what voice is and how to distinguish it to how to choose it and use it. She gave solid examples. She had us writing first and other person for the prompt, "On the day everything changed ...."

 

She went from the basic to the advanced, from the theoretical to the practical -- a great presentation with something for all

Malin Alegria Ramirez

Malin Alegria Ramirez  ( www.malinalegria.com )

 

At the Thursday night reception for the Pima Writers' Workshop, Malin Alegria Ramirez read some of her work. She writes for the YA (Young Adult) market.

Writing aimed at teenage girls is not my interest. I had not planned on attending any of her presentations. Her reading was so full of energy and humor that Thursday night I changed my plans.

On Friday she gave a writing exercise: First Kiss -- Cultivating Your Young Adult Voice.
 
Some of my notes on that are:
 

Why do you write? Be clear to yourself why.

 

What drew you into your favorite books?

 

Readers look for strong characters that speak to them. Writers need just to speak to their own truth.

 

Get to know your characters. At first superficially like what they look like. Then take a walk in the park with them until you learn more, like their astrological sign, birth order, fears, schooling, friends, and favorite foods, colors, music, and activities.

 

To starting writers she advises us: to tell everyone you're a writer, reviews (good or bad) aren't too important, enjoy the ride (it's about the journey not the destination),  and turn off the ego.

 

On Saturday afternoon she gave a presentation called: Voz -My Journey as a YA Author.

This was aimed mainly at YA writers and like everything else she did was full of energy, encouragement, and inspiration. She found helpful the Society of YA & Children's Authors. She advised us: to know what we want and to own it; to remember authors are normal people; to remember life is a daring adventure or nothing at all.

Gabrielle Burton

GABRIELLE BURTON

 

 

Another big plus of the Pima Writers' Workshop is the availability of the presenters. Usually after their talk they go to the bookstore where they sign books and talk to the attendees. Often they are around at breaks and lunch time.

 

This year one of my highlights was a brief conversation with Gabrielle Burton in the lunch line. She is so positive, enthusiastic, and encouraging.

 

Her talk, "The Long and Winding Road", started the day on Friday. She warned us that it may be a long difficult road, but not to become discouraged. She encouraged us to take everything positively and to enjoy every success along the way.

 

Perhaps the most quoted line of the conference was hers: "Cream doesn't always rise to the top."  

 

Some of her advice that I took away was:

     1.  Don't settle for nearly the right word.

     2.  Write as if your reader is dying or in prison.

     3.  Put your time in writing. Even if difficult, get something down.

     4.  Read.

     5.  Develop a tough skin, but be gentle to others.

     6.  Try not to be competitive.

     7.  In the long haul, we want to help each other be all we can be.

 

 

Gabrielle Burton's latest book is Impatient with Desire: The Lost Journal of Tamsen Donner.

 

For more on her see:  www.gabrielleburton.com

Giong

One of the benefits of Pima Writers' Workshop is meeting the other attendees. Most of them are writers or poets.

 

Larry Bramblett served in many of the same places I had been in Vietnam -- II Corps, An Khe, Pleiku, Nha Trang, Qui Nhon.

 

Giong by Larry Bramblett is available from Amazon.com .

 

I'm sure any Vietnam vet will see in Larry's lead character, Craig, a little of themselves and a lot of the person they would like to be. They'll also find a very believable landscape of war and a great story.

Extreme Talent

 

 

Have you ever known someone so talented that they did not know that what they did was special? I mean someone that did something so easily that they didn't know it was difficult.

 

Every now and then I meet someone that is so good at something that they do not know it is difficult. It could be any talent from tying knots, carving, drawing, speaking, writing, cooking, foreign languages, swimming, singing, hiking, shooting, tracking, gymnastics, .....

 

Sometimes they have been born with the talent and do not know that what they do is difficult because it never has been for them. Other times it is experience that makes them good at it, but they have been doing it so long they seem to have forgotten the struggles to get it right.

 

As writers we are always learning our craft. Students are often urged to extend their envelope, expand their horizons, try something new, different, difficult.  Good advice.

 

In school, teachers, perhaps with some justification, were always telling me to try harder. But the army taught me that sometimes you can try too hard and the effort becomes counterproductive. In advance training we were allowed off to go into town on Friday nights as long as we passed Saturday morning inspection. Our floor gathered together, decided what needed to be done and what needed to be doubled checked before inspection. We did it and went out Friday night. The sergeant on the floor below decided his men didn't deserve Friday night off until they earned it by passing inspection. Each inspection they failed, he had them clean later into the evening and roused them earlier and earlier in the morning to clean. They didn't pass very many inspections, if any. We passed all of ours.

 

Abraham Lincoln advised folks to always grab problems by the smooth handle. Why make things more difficult for yourself than need be?

 

Max Brand was probably the most well known of the twenty some names that Frederick Faust wrote under. He wanted to be a classical poet and worked very hard at that. For an extended period of time he published the equivalent of a book a month and a short story per week. His westerns and many of his characters like Dr. Kildare, Dr. Gillespie, and Horseman Destry have entered the fabric of American literature and culture.

 

Kate Braverman is an incredible talent. Fiction, non-fiction, you name it as long as it is experimental, she writes it. Her list of books and inclusions in anthologies is long (see www.katebraverman.com ).

 

I kept thinking what wonderful things she could write if she would relax.  Instead of writing for the ten most intelligent people she knows, write for the rest of us. Who did Shakespeare write for? Write what is easy for her and know that there is value in that too.

 

 

 

Kate Braverman

KATE BRAVERMAN

 

One of Kate Braverman's presentations was 'Writing with Criminal Intent'. Some of the things that stand out from that for me are:     

            1. Find out what you can do and do it until you drop.

            2. Writing is a sequence of illusions.

            3. Write for the ten most intelligent people you know.

            4.  There is no one sunset; be specific.

            5.  Make good use of time travel words.

            6.  Landscapes are the fetal cells of writing.

            7.  Write with attitude.

            8.  The reader needs authority and consistency.

            9.  Use the reverse play -- the opposite of expectation.

           10. Rhythm and cadence; read it aloud.

 

In the afternoon she also presented a writing exercise. Pima Writers' Workshop has so many good choices that I missed it, but a published friend told me that it made the whole conference for him.

What I did on my summer vacation.

Every year on the Memorial Day weekend Pima Writers' Workshop draws me for my summer vacation. While I haven't attended all years I attend most years and want to attend all years.

Over the next few posts I'll try to relate some of the things that I learned there this year. For me repetition, repetition, repetition is needed before I learn anything. The catch 22 here is that I get bored rapidly with repetition.  That's why the workshop is so valuable for me; it presents in a myriad of ways basic lessons and skills that are needed by every writer. It helps me develop the skills that I need as a writer.

And it takes time for me to make what I learn part of me. Knowing something doesn't mean that I will do it. It also doesn't mean that I fully understand it. Only time, effort, and failure yield results.

Pima Writers' Workshop

Just back from Pima Writers' Workshop. Another great workshop giving me a lot of ideas and tools to help with my writing. Every year on Memorial Day weekend, Thursday night through Sunday afternoon, the workshop happens. It is a great mix of lectures, writing exercises, and readings. It is a wonderful chance to meet the authors, poets, and agents. You can also find writing groups interested in new members.

It is a great place to find understanding, help, and inspiration for your writing.

Pima Writers' Workshop

PIMA WRITERS' WORKSHOP

Starting the evening of May 23, 2013 and running through the afternoon of May 26, 2013, Pima Writers' Workshop is a not to be missed event. It is in Tucson, Arizona at the Pima County Community College West Campus. For more information contact Meg Files at mfiles@pima.edu

Slowed Down

The novel is being untangled. Often one chapter would take a turn that didn't lead to the next very well. Also names and numbers would be changed. So am going back and grouping chapters together, putting two or three in one document so it is easier to fix on the computer.

The novel is moving forward, but more in the editing mode than in the creative mode.

Novel progress

Progress on the novel is getting more difficult. The story was divided into thirty 'chapters' and then each day I would tackle about 500 words. The following day I would move to the next chapter. I worked my way though to the end and then started again at one where I had left off. I'm back to chapter twenty on the second time around.

Until a couple of chapters ago this system worked well for me. With well defined start and finish, it slowed me down to look around. One of my greatest weaknesses is to rush through too fast and this really helped. In the chapters that I had written a lot more than a 500 word start, the story wants to  turn away from or around where it needs to go to meet the next chapter.

For now will just write and let it go where it wants. Later will delete, shuffle the chapter order, or unite.

Boulevard

St. Louis University in Richmond Heights, MO, publishes the Boulevard. Today after about three months, I received their rejection. It was a standard printed form, but someone (JR) added my name, the story name, and thanks.  Thanks, JR, touches like yours make it easy to have a positive attitude about rejection forms.

AGNI

 AGNI
Another rejection. This one from AGNI. On the back there is a subscription form with a discount. Good idea. Their web site is: www.agnimagazine.org
They are in Boston:   AGNI 236 Bay State Rd., Boston, MA 02215

Indiana Review

Seven months ago submitted to Indiana Review and today received their form rejection, hand trimmed to envelope size.

Work on the novel progresses well. Each day I write part of a specific chapter. Have worked through the thirty chapters once and am back to about number seven. Try it. It is a fun way to write.

A little each day

The novel is going well. Each day I sit down and open a log file. Sue Grafton wrote an article suggesting that. It works to get the writing mind set as to what I'm going to write on that day. She wrote it was good protection against writer's block. Log sounded so dull that I labeled mine Graftonite. After that I open a page on the chapter I'm working on. I never work on the same chapter for more than one day before going on to the next one. My plan is when I get to the last chapter to go back to chapter one and keep rotating through the chapters in order. Will it work? I have no idea, but so far it seems to work great.

Novel

Into a good daily writing habit now. It certainly makes writing easier. Not posting to blogs as much but the main reason for me to write a blog was to write. Now the novel has taken over.

After getting to know my main characters by putting them in various situations and seeing what happens, I am better able to see them and to answer questions about them. I have tried to fill out a page of questions about my characters when I had a story idea in mind but no characters formed although their function already in mind. It didn't work. But after writing a page or so about them and how they reacted in a given situation, I start to know them, to feel them, and to see them in my mind's eye.

After writing several possible scenes, the story idea took a more concrete form in my mind. I was able to make a list of thirty chapters that would get the story told. So each day I write as much as comfortable on one chapter. The next day, I take up the next chapter. Eventually I will come back to chapter one and link it up with chapter two. It seems to work so far. I expect that the final version of this story will be greatly different from this first one.

Tin House

After five and a half months Tin House has sent its rejection -- partial page xeroxed form letter.

Confrontation The Literary Magazine

Confrontation

The literary magazine of Long Island University has sent me a rejection. They have a full page form letter and enclosed subscription information. They beat their target response of three months by a month.

Getting a little discouraged on rejections, but it hasn't slowed my writing. Still writing daily. Working on a novel.

I will get this story and another story sent out again.

good newsletter

Here's a helpful and interesting newsletter that you can sign up for at http://www.newwritersinterface.com/

The Southern Review

The Southern Review after five months has sent a form rejection. They were one of the quickest in returning the post card. The rejection reads, "We thank you for your interest in The Southern Review. After careful consideration, we have decided we are unable to use your manuscript. We wish you the best in finding a home for it elsewhere.     The Editors "

The Paris Review

Another rejection. This one was from the Paris Review in New York. They were one of the quickest to confirm the submission with the self addressed stamped postcard in September. About four months plus a week for the rejection. It is a small printed form about half the size of a post card. It reads: Thank you for submitting your manuscript. We regret that we are unable to publish it, but we appreciate your interest in The Paris Review.  Yours sincerely, The Editors

Novel

Yesterday began writing a novel. First time. Actually started the preparation work -- considering some ideas and writing them up. Just the basics like the idea, the main character, possible complications, the setting, and who is the best person to tell the story.  I'll get lots of guidance as I am taking a course with a great teacher. Will write more about it when I complete the course.

Harper's Magazine

Another rejection. Harper's Magazine responded with a rejection sent by an Editorial Assistant. This took a little more than three weeks. It was dated January 10, 2013, stamped January 23, and arrived  today.

Writing Magic

Gail Carson Levine's Writing Magic -- Creating Stories that Fly

 

 

I'm buying this book and putting it next to The Elements of Style by Strunk and White on my bookshelf, close at hand.

 

Using only six cent words and a direct style Levine clearly explains the basics of writing and gets the reader started with fun exercises. Without foreign words or graduate school jargon she distills the concepts into simple words and concrete examples.

 

The last page of the book explains that the inspiration for the book has been her extensive experience teaching writing to children. Whatever the inspiration, this book is great for any beginner writer or any writer wanting to renew their focus on the basics.

 

Warnings: 

 

A. p65 contains a twenty-five cent word, 'omniscient'

 

B. Chapter 14 uses the jargon, POV

 

C.  Chapter 30 uses the dollar foreign word, 'exeunt'

 

Bottom Line

This is a fun easy read that left me marveling at her skill. It is well worth working through her exercises. Like The Elements of Style, it should be worked through at least once a year by all writers.

Zeotrope All-Story

Zeotrope All-Story so far holds the record for quickness in sending a response. This rejection came back in less than three weeks. It is a form rejection with my name and the name of the story written in.

I am not surprised at this rejection. They don't publish a lot of unpublished authors. I also felt that the my story didn't fit the style of the stories that they publish.

Their rejection reads:

Dear Jim:
Thank you for submitting your manuscript __________ to Zeotrope: All-Story.

We appreciate your interest in the magazine and regret that we're unable to use your story.
Best Wishes,
The Editors

Gail Carson Levine

I just started reading a book called: Writing Magic -- creating stories that fly.
The book seems really good so I googled the author and found she also has a interesting web site:
http://www.gailcarsonlevine.blogspot.com/

Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine

Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine

Another rejection. AHMM doesn't want simultaneous submissions. I sent this story only to them in September. They use a full page printed rejection form and they include the first page of the manuscript.

Now I need to get that story out to another magazine.

Georges Simenon

Georges Simenon

In one ten year span he wrote and published two hundred novels signing sixteen pseudonyms. After that he created Inspector Maigret and wrote one a month over the next two years.  It is estimated that he has written more than 350 books.

Submit Today

Today five more simultaneous submissions go out in the mail...................

Revise and try again

Trying again after revising the story. One rejection response had made a comment on how to improve the story. A week ago I revised the story according to my best understanding of the comment. After letting it alone for several days, the revision did seem to me to improve it. So am sending a second group of simultaneous submissions with the revised version to a totally new group of magazines. This group is smaller, just five. The story fit is also not as good with this group as it had been with the first wave of submissions.

The stories are all ready to be mailed. January 2, 2013 is the target mailing date.

Also starting research on a non-fiction article. The idea came to mind while playing with some of the new gadgets in the stores. Might not be interest in the topic nor a likely home for the article. I will have to research that but think I will write the article anyway because I found the topic so much fun. So many writers like Bradbury have advised writers to write from their interests and passion.

Gettysburg Review

Another rejection yesterday. This one from the Gettysburg review was on a printed form with the name of the story hand written at the bottom. It reads: Thank you for letting us consider your manuscript. We regret that it does not suit our present needs.

This story was sent to them on September 19, 2012 with a post card to acknowledge the manuscript was received by them and a self addressed stamped envelope for acceptance or rejection. Thoughtfully they enclosed the unused but stamped postcard in the envelope so I could use it again.

Snow

It has been a long time since the grass was white with snow. I had forgotten how bright the sun can get when reflected from the snow.

In paintings light is so important to give focus, mood, and color. Like painters, writers use the light and shadows of both to set the physical and emotional scene.

How does light affect our moods? Is it similar for all of us? Is bright light happy? Subdued light, contemplative?

Some people are yellow-blue, green-blue, or red-green color blind. Are their emotions affected differently by light?

I love looking at light shining through stained glass windows. My favorite colored glass is a dark blue with the sun shinning full through it.

Firelight and candle light have their own powers to warm the soul. Why is that?

It is bright and cold out today; challenging me to be alive and leave the house.

Enjoy the holidays!

Memories

Holidays often trigger memories. For some the memories just flow smooth and easy. For others a few tricks can help. Listen to the music of the holiday for the time period you want to recollect. Recreate the smells -- Christmas trees, baking cookies, clear crisp air, holiday foods cooking. Feel anew the cold on your cheek, the snow on your skin, the warmth of a holiday cup of chocolate, the fur of your coat, or the warmth of a fireplace. See the bright stars in the sky, the flicker of candles, the glow of light displays. Hear the quiet of snow covered ground at night. Enjoy the laughter of friends. For a writer a memory isn't enough until words distill it to its purist.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all. My wishes for a safe, happy, and healthy New Year.

Another rejection

In today's mail another rejection arrived. This one is from The Sun. It is a form letter essentially meaning to me that it wasn't a rejection, just a non-acceptance.

Always read the submit page

Another rejection today. This one comes from Inkwell which is not considering submissions because it is in  'a period of hiatus'. Always read the web site submission page. I read theirs and even printed it out. For Spring and Fall of 2012, their reading period was Aug. to November 2011. As it was September 2012 I just thought they had not updated the year on their website. The rejection says check the website in the spring.

Inkwell is from Manhattanville College which offers a graduate program in creative writing and an MFA.

Where is Manhattanville College?  Purchase, NY 10577

WordPad

Just found WordPad on my computer. It has all the word power I need. It is simple and easy to use; has the fonts I like; and has the other needs like spell check. Perfect for me.

But there is a problem. Now I have no more excuses for not getting those submissions out. I have a long way to go to meet my five hundred goal.

Another Rejection

Today another rejection arrived. This is a very special rejection. It is a hand printed note and signed. It has some nice comments and a suggestion for improvement. These are very rare and I am encouraged and thankful to The Fiddlehead in Canada.

In Today's Mail

It feels good to get something even if it is a rejection. One came today from AQR, Alaska Quarterly Review. Their form, on a little piece of paper maybe four by five and a half inches, reads: We thank you for the opportunity to read your manuscript. Unfortunately, your work does not meet our needs at this time. Because we know how much effort went into this submission, we regret the use of this form. But the volume of manuscripts we receive makes a personal reply impossible.
The Editors.

In hand printing they added the name of my short story and wrote in "many thanks". I think it nice that someone took the time to personalize their note like that.

That note has put my day on an upbeat. So any editors out there who are feeling bad about sending rejections, know that there are rejections that lift the spirits of us wannabes. Thank you for your efforts and time.

Still Nothing

Still no more rejections or even the post cards that indicate that it was received. Nothing is required but to put the card in the mail yet most of the places to which the manuscript was sent haven't even done that!

I should be making more submissions but haven't. My excuse is really just an excuse. Word 2010 is driving me nuts going from Word in Windows XP. For me it is new. I never went to Vista or Word 2007 so the change seems radical. I don't want to 'personalize' my set up. I just want to write like I did with my old system with simple easy choices that are readily available without a lot of searching and reading of manuals, help screens, or books.

I am seriously thinking of buying another word processor because the threshold seems too great to get to the basic level of use in Word 2010. Blog word processors are all I need for short stories so maybe I should just open a private blog and then copy those pages for electronic submissions.

Spent last weekend with a couple of books about Facebook. I have decided from the feed back from friends who had a difficult time while on Facebook and had a difficult time getting off of Facebook that Facebook is not for me.

My first computer was in 1979. An Apple II with 64k memory was just about the hottest personal computer going. The ipads and iphones now are wonderful. The laptops have better screens and do so much more. The World Wide Web is great. I guess I need to do some work catching up to all of that.