Just finished packing to leave for the Speed City chapter of Sisters in Crime's second writers retreat, which again will be at Bradford Woods, 30 miles south of Indianapolis. The chapter sponsored a weekend retreat in 2014, which was tremendously successful.
Looking forward to work sessions, talking and working with other writers, and just spending time alone to write or just walk through the woods and think.
I plan to finish an essay I have been working on for a while and a somewhat long short story. Also to bounce a couple of ideas I have for a novel in November.
Should be great. Looking forward to a great weekend.
Thanks for reading. See you in October.
Showing posts with label writers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writers. Show all posts
Friday, September 30, 2016
Monday, August 15, 2016
A writer's block blocker: Someone walks into the room . . .
As writers, we have all had to deal with writer's block; that condition when we are staring at the blank page and nothing is coming out. It's a difficult and scary situation.
Writers have written about it so much -- in books, blogs, videos, newsletters, in person, etc. -- that it's a small wonder that the problem still exists. Yet it does.
And so I decided to put in my two-cents worth.
That's not to say I have the remedy. If I did, there wouldn't so many novels, short stories and essays that I have started and never finished. Plus, if I had the remedy for writer's block, I'd be a millionaire. What writer wouldn't be willing to pay me a king's ransom for the cure to a serious problem that affects us all?
For some time, I have thought writer's block is basically just boredom. You are bore with what you are writing. And if that is the case, then so will the reader.
I think the quickest cure to that is to write through the problem as quickly as possible. Instead of a lot of imaginative description and detail setting the scene -- the look of the flowers, the smell of the air, the feel of the breeze, the sound of the birds, the feel of the dying person's pulse -- just write "Helen died on a Monday afternoon" and move on. The faster you get through it, the faster you put wirter's block behind you.
But a couple of years ago, someone told me about a wonderful cure to writer's block. Obviously, it really only works in fiction, and not in all fiction. It's best probably in mysteries or suspense fiction, although it can still work in a romance or other genre.
When you don't know what to write next, have someone walk into the room with a loaded gun in their hand. Regardless of what's going on in the scene prior to that, having someone walk in with a gun will change and energize everything. There are so many possibilities. Is it a man or a woman? Are they there for good or ill? Are they even in the right room? It doesn't matter because a load gun dramatically changes everything, both in fiction and real life.
So, the next time you are blocked, try adding a loaded gun, or at least some other weapon. You will be amazed with the results.
And hopefully, it will help your story. If nothing else, it could put a smile on your face as you consider all the possibilities.
Thanks for reading.
Writers have written about it so much -- in books, blogs, videos, newsletters, in person, etc. -- that it's a small wonder that the problem still exists. Yet it does.
And so I decided to put in my two-cents worth.
That's not to say I have the remedy. If I did, there wouldn't so many novels, short stories and essays that I have started and never finished. Plus, if I had the remedy for writer's block, I'd be a millionaire. What writer wouldn't be willing to pay me a king's ransom for the cure to a serious problem that affects us all?
For some time, I have thought writer's block is basically just boredom. You are bore with what you are writing. And if that is the case, then so will the reader.
I think the quickest cure to that is to write through the problem as quickly as possible. Instead of a lot of imaginative description and detail setting the scene -- the look of the flowers, the smell of the air, the feel of the breeze, the sound of the birds, the feel of the dying person's pulse -- just write "Helen died on a Monday afternoon" and move on. The faster you get through it, the faster you put wirter's block behind you.
But a couple of years ago, someone told me about a wonderful cure to writer's block. Obviously, it really only works in fiction, and not in all fiction. It's best probably in mysteries or suspense fiction, although it can still work in a romance or other genre.
When you don't know what to write next, have someone walk into the room with a loaded gun in their hand. Regardless of what's going on in the scene prior to that, having someone walk in with a gun will change and energize everything. There are so many possibilities. Is it a man or a woman? Are they there for good or ill? Are they even in the right room? It doesn't matter because a load gun dramatically changes everything, both in fiction and real life.
So, the next time you are blocked, try adding a loaded gun, or at least some other weapon. You will be amazed with the results.
And hopefully, it will help your story. If nothing else, it could put a smile on your face as you consider all the possibilities.
Thanks for reading.
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
e-Publishing
I'm working on an e-book anthology for my Sisters in Crime chapter and it's proving to be quite a challenge. If I had known it was going to be this difficult, I may not have volunteered to co-edit.
Not that e-publishing is that hard. It's just that acting as the publisher, there's so much to know and learn. And while the chapter itself is the publisher, learning about it so far has fallen to just to few of us, including my co-editor. But the stories are nearly all edited and I'm getting them into a single file folder to hand over to the chapter president.
It's a historical anthology and the stories -- 15 in all -- are set in the past, from the recent past to as far back as the 16th century. Not all are set in Indiana, although most are. (My story is set in Tennessee in 1930.) But all the stories are authored by an Indiana writer.
One of the big challenges now is to arrange the stories in the strongest way possible. We have already picked out the first story, which is very strong, and the last story, which is also strong and will end the anthology on a strong and positive note. But arranging all the stories in between is difficult because there isn't one over-arching theme. And while all the stories have merit, some truly are better than others. However, we want to showcase the book and the chapter in the best light. I'm keeping that in mind.
Well, that's about it for now. I will let you know when it's coming out. Stay tuned.
Thanks for reading and keep writing.
Not that e-publishing is that hard. It's just that acting as the publisher, there's so much to know and learn. And while the chapter itself is the publisher, learning about it so far has fallen to just to few of us, including my co-editor. But the stories are nearly all edited and I'm getting them into a single file folder to hand over to the chapter president.
It's a historical anthology and the stories -- 15 in all -- are set in the past, from the recent past to as far back as the 16th century. Not all are set in Indiana, although most are. (My story is set in Tennessee in 1930.) But all the stories are authored by an Indiana writer.
One of the big challenges now is to arrange the stories in the strongest way possible. We have already picked out the first story, which is very strong, and the last story, which is also strong and will end the anthology on a strong and positive note. But arranging all the stories in between is difficult because there isn't one over-arching theme. And while all the stories have merit, some truly are better than others. However, we want to showcase the book and the chapter in the best light. I'm keeping that in mind.
Well, that's about it for now. I will let you know when it's coming out. Stay tuned.
Thanks for reading and keep writing.
Monday, July 7, 2014
ABNA Finalists to be announced tomorrow
Tomorrow, July 8, is a Big Day for those still in the 2014 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest. ABNA administrators will pare the list of 25 semifinalists down to only five finalists, one in each of five categories in the contest (General fiction, Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror, Romance, Mystery & Thriller, and Young Adult Fiction).
While the public won't know the results until tomorrow, the 25 semifinalists actually already know their fate -- and have since last Wednesday. On July 2, ABNA started contacting the finalists, who had some procedural matters to address -- contracts to sign and whatnot -- before the public announcement. Therefore, if you were a semifinalist and didn't get a call last Wednesday, you knew you didn't advance to the finals.
The Grand Prize winner, who gets a $50,000 publishing contract from Amazon, will be selected from the list of five finalists, with each of whom getting a $15,000 contract.
While I only made it to the quarterfinal round, I think this would be the last truly emotional announcement to anticipate because, win or lose, you get a publishing contract with Amazon if you are a finalist.
I haven't read many of the semifinalists' excerpts, except for the five in the M/T category (which was the category I entered). I have a favorite and have expressed that to the author and can only hope that they make it through. Theirs is a great work and deserving of being selected as a finalist.
So best of luck to the 25 semifinalists and the five finalists to be announced tomorrow.
I, as always, am laboring away on my WIP, which is currently titled The Deadly Game, and I will probably enter it in the 2015 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award competition next winter. And I will query my 2011 ABNA quarterfinal novel, An Untidy Affair, to agents and publishers throughout the rest of this year.
Thanks for reading.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The finalists were announced and The Dead Key by D.M. Pulley was selected as the finalist in the Mystery & Thriller category. And while it wasn't my choice in the category -- I was pulling for Hart Johnson's A Shot in the Light -- Pulley has a fine, well-written novel. We will see if a mystery is the grand prize winner. It has never happened in the seven years of the contest. mbd
While the public won't know the results until tomorrow, the 25 semifinalists actually already know their fate -- and have since last Wednesday. On July 2, ABNA started contacting the finalists, who had some procedural matters to address -- contracts to sign and whatnot -- before the public announcement. Therefore, if you were a semifinalist and didn't get a call last Wednesday, you knew you didn't advance to the finals.
The Grand Prize winner, who gets a $50,000 publishing contract from Amazon, will be selected from the list of five finalists, with each of whom getting a $15,000 contract.
While I only made it to the quarterfinal round, I think this would be the last truly emotional announcement to anticipate because, win or lose, you get a publishing contract with Amazon if you are a finalist.
I haven't read many of the semifinalists' excerpts, except for the five in the M/T category (which was the category I entered). I have a favorite and have expressed that to the author and can only hope that they make it through. Theirs is a great work and deserving of being selected as a finalist.
So best of luck to the 25 semifinalists and the five finalists to be announced tomorrow.
I, as always, am laboring away on my WIP, which is currently titled The Deadly Game, and I will probably enter it in the 2015 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award competition next winter. And I will query my 2011 ABNA quarterfinal novel, An Untidy Affair, to agents and publishers throughout the rest of this year.
Thanks for reading.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The finalists were announced and The Dead Key by D.M. Pulley was selected as the finalist in the Mystery & Thriller category. And while it wasn't my choice in the category -- I was pulling for Hart Johnson's A Shot in the Light -- Pulley has a fine, well-written novel. We will see if a mystery is the grand prize winner. It has never happened in the seven years of the contest. mbd
Friday, June 27, 2014
Mystery Writers of America University -- Philadelphia
I'm attending Mystery Writers of America University in Philadelphia tomorrow. It's a one-day event with an incredible lineup of teachers, including Hallie Ephron, Reed Farrel Coleman and the wonderful Hank Phillipi Ryan.
When I first heard about this one-day conference two months ago, I knew I had to come. The price is quite reasonable and it's in Philadelphia. I love Philadelphia, having once lived in the City of Brotherly Love for two decades.
And I'll have the grilled chicken with roasted peppers for lunch, thank you very much.
What I want to know -- and what I doubt any of the teachers will be able to tell me -- is how can I move forward in my writing career. Yes, it takes hard work and persistence. It takes learning the craft and networking. I know all that. And I have done that -- some parts more than others but I have done it all. I still do. Otherwise, I wouldn't spend the time, effort and money to attend MWA University.
But something is missing and I don't know what it is or how to get it.
So I will go and listen, and learn, and ask questions, and talk, and network -- and have grilled chicken for lunch. I will do it all. I love being around writers, both the wildly successful and the aspiring unknown. It reminds me I am on a path. I tire of the path sometimes, even become discouraged. But I am always committed to it.
I am a writer, and that is that.
So lookout for me tomorrow Jess Lourey and Daniel Stashower. I'll be in the house and hanging on every word. So make it good.
Thanks for reading.
When I first heard about this one-day conference two months ago, I knew I had to come. The price is quite reasonable and it's in Philadelphia. I love Philadelphia, having once lived in the City of Brotherly Love for two decades.
And I'll have the grilled chicken with roasted peppers for lunch, thank you very much.
What I want to know -- and what I doubt any of the teachers will be able to tell me -- is how can I move forward in my writing career. Yes, it takes hard work and persistence. It takes learning the craft and networking. I know all that. And I have done that -- some parts more than others but I have done it all. I still do. Otherwise, I wouldn't spend the time, effort and money to attend MWA University.
But something is missing and I don't know what it is or how to get it.
So I will go and listen, and learn, and ask questions, and talk, and network -- and have grilled chicken for lunch. I will do it all. I love being around writers, both the wildly successful and the aspiring unknown. It reminds me I am on a path. I tire of the path sometimes, even become discouraged. But I am always committed to it.
I am a writer, and that is that.
So lookout for me tomorrow Jess Lourey and Daniel Stashower. I'll be in the house and hanging on every word. So make it good.
Thanks for reading.
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