How Do I Get Started Writing?

Whack a Few Writing Myths by Joyce Shafer

There’s all kinds of advice on how to write including:

You must write every day.
Write in the same designated spot at the same time every day.
Write for at least one hour every day.
Get up early several mornings or every morning to write.
You must have complete silence.
You must eat only blue M&Ms or no blue M&Ms, I forget which.

These bits of advice are not etched in stone I’m relieved to tell you. I choose to be intentional and passionate about writing, not monastic. I’ve written at all times of the day and night, and not every day (well, I do count emails which are excellent practice); on my sofa, at my desk, standing up on the subway; for five minutes and for ten hours at a stretch; with jackhammers and leaf-blowers making a racket outside my window (and a neighbor learning to play drums); and I don’t like losing sleep.

One problem with trying to follow a “One Way” rule is that, more than likely, it’s not the most appropriate way for you. If you don’t follow the rule(s), you get into self-judgment. Then you’re so busy thinking and feeling bad about yourself, you’re not taking the action that will create your desired outcome. If you’re committed to writing, nothing and no one will stop you.

If you don’t know how to get started, start anywhere. Seriously. For fiction, if you have the ending, start there. The beginning and middle will come to you. If you’re writing non-fiction, make a list of what you plan to cover. You can write about any item on your list when you feel inspired to do it, or any section or chapter you want to focus on.

Coaching questions:

If you haven’t started, what’s stopping you?
What might you do to take the first step?
What’s the next step after the first? And the next?
Would it be nice if you were a published writer or do you intend to become one no matter what?

Exercise: Write a page about anything, even if all you write is, “This is stupid. I don’t know what to write. If I knew what to write, I’d be writing.” This will ignite your ability to just get going.
Article partially excerpted from Write, Get Published, and Promote: An Easy e-Guide for New and Aspiring Writers by Joyce Shafer (author/freelance services for writers). Get a discount at http://www.freewebs.com/writegetpublishedandpromote

A Saving Hurricane

A Saving Hurricane
Purchase at http://www.booklocker.com/books/3527.html and on Amazon.com.

Synopsis. From one storm to another. It was the worst decision she ever made but it was for the best. Where do you go to hide from an abusive husband? Where can you disappear completely? Where can you go to save yourself and your children? You run straight into the nation’s worst disaster in history--Hurricane Katrina. Because refugees have no name, because misery loves company and because in the devastation there’s a chance to start over. In a broken New Orleans, one woman builds a new life, falls in love, but makes dangerous choices to survive.

Author Bio.Bernadette Sukley has been researching, writing and editing for over 20 years. Her work has appeared in Sports Illustrated for Women, Men's Health and Natural Health magazines. She's written and copy edited for the Danish-based expat publication, ABROAD. She currently lives in the shadow of Hawk Mountain.

Words Carved in Stone

Lavinia E. Lewis is either 164 years old, or she’s interred someplace else. I paused for quite a while after finding this old graveyard on a hike through deep woods.

That got me thinking about the impact of punctuation on words. Consider:

A woman, without her man, is nothing.

A woman: without her, man is nothing.

Pardon, impossible to be sent to prison.
Pardon impossible, to be sent to prison.

My mind drifts when I hike and I start thinking about what motivates a writer. I’ve always believed that words have impact and outlive those of us who commit them to the page. But what happens when words take on new meanings?

I watch a spider spin a web and realize that for most people I know, spiders and webs are part of what happens on the Internet. I wait in line to buy stamps to post a letter. I am also online when I post a story to my blog.

Blog wasn’t a word ten years ago. Of course, neither were Google, email, muggle, and many other words now part of my vocabulary.

I can read a play by Aristophanes or Shakespeare and understand what those authors wrote. Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn is as satirical and humorous when I re-read it now as it was when I read it in high school.

But with the amazing changes in our technology and the words that have emerged to define those changes, will future readers understand writers of the past? Should my words survive, would they have meaning to readers hundreds or thousands of years from now? I won’t be around to find out.

As I step past this gravestone, I think about how back in the 19th Century, this was probably a farm, not the deep woods of Harriman State Park. Averill Harriman, who donated this land, didn’t own it until the early 20th Century. This headstone will likely be here for a very long time. I plan to return periodically, just in case the death of Lavinia E. Lewis is ultimately recorded in stone.

Writer and naturalist JJ Murphy, http://www.WriterByNature.com, offers creative nature curriculum, wild food recipes, fiction, poetry, articles and writing services for individuals, entrepreneurs, small businesses and ecologically aware companies.

Queen Vernita's Visitors

Dawn Menge will be joining us on Writers in the Sky Podcast July 11th, 2008!

Dawn Menge has a Masters Degree and clear credential in Special Education. She has worked with the severely handicapped population for eleven years. She is currently working towards her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction. She combines imagination with practical skills to make learning fun. Dawn used her experiences within her life to create Queen Vernita's characters and her kingdom.

Queen Vernita's Visitors is a story that is woven around Dawn's friends and family. Queen Vernita invites twelve wonderful friends to visit with her during each month of the year. Queen Vernita and her friends enjoy fun activities throughout the Oceaneers Kingdom. Parents and teachers will love teaching the monthly calendar, days of the weeks and seasons through the storytelling adventures of Queen Vernita and her friends. Queen Vernita was the Queen of the majestic world called Oceaneer. She lived in a beautiful castle, that was covered in ivy and red roses.

For more information about Dawn Menge please visit http://www.outskirtspress.com/webpage.php?isbn=1598007149.

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Listening to Writers in the Sky Podcast on a computer is easy. Just click this link: http://yvonneperry.blogspot.com/ and go to my blog.On the right sidebar there is a list of archived shows. Click on the interview you would like to hear and it will open a post that has a link to the audio file.

For information about being a guest on Writers in the Sky Podcast, see http://www.yvonneperry.net/Writing_Packages.htm#Publicity_Packages_

Published Poetry

These poems were published in the June 2008 issue of Writers in the Sky Newsletter.

Complete

As I tossed and turned last
night, He came and sat by my side.

I saw his face so kind. He
said to me“ Come take a stroll
through your life.”

We saw a child all alone,
afraid , dirty and stained.

We walked on and I saw my new
born babies, fingers entwined in mine.

I heard myself say, Thank you
God for These precious gifts..

I listened as I told them,
“You must love others as yourself.”

He paused and said, “Look back
at the child alone and afraid.”

I asked, “how could
anyone leave her there?”

He answered, “You were the little girl.
. You felt she was unworthy and left her
behind that day, though she had done no wrong.”

I cried bitter tears for
the little girl I had been.

He placed her in my arms
and I kissed her tears away.

Our hands entwined, we
fell asleep, whole and complete.

Gail Livesay is 57 years old and lives in Berea, Kentucky with her husband, Wayne. They have two children, Michael and Lisa and have been blessed with two granddaughters, Marina and Hannah. Gail writes poetry, fiction, plays and is currently revising her autobiography about growing up with bipolar disorder which was neither recognized and/or diagnosed.

Completing Moments

Freeing time, alone,
Natural floral arranging,
Fresh air, gusting and breezing,
Sun, extending a late morning welcome,
Its warmth tiptoeing across my skin,
Joining the meadow’s soothing tune.

Half-fluttering, half-floating, you appear,
Innocently flirting with each flower,
Diving and rising effortlessly,
Dipping and sipping selectively,
Steadily drawing nearer,
Accepting the offering of my hand.

Bearing marigolds and honeysuckle,
Bare feet tickling, antennae flickering,
Delicate wings fanning my breath away,
Brushing elegance along my lifeline,
Dancing beauty, black Swallowtail,
Returning my gratitude.

Usiku achieved early success and recognition for Eloquence: Rhythm & Renaissance. He received a 2008 nomination for an NAACP Image Award in the category of Outstanding Literary Work – Poetry. The title poem, “Eloquence”was featured in the souvenir program guide for the Image Awards. Usiku’s refreshing style has been shared through the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Parent, the Dana Literary Society and poetry collections. He has received television, newspaper, magazine and online media coverage. Www.usiku.net.

Should I Copyright My Work?

By Carol Denbow

One of the most commonly asked questions of new authors is “Should I copyright my work?” Authors are concerned their work might be stolen by some smuck (sorry, couldn’t think of a better descriptive word) who reprints their work and claims authorship for it. Well, the truth is, it could be. But whether filing a legal copyright will make a difference; that’s uncertain.

Since the 1976 Copyright Act, the need to file a legal copyright has changed. The new copyright act states, “Copyright protection now subsists from the time the work is created in fixed form. The copyright in the work of authorship immediately becomes the property of the author who created the work. Only the author or those deriving their rights through the author can rightfully claim copyright.” (U.S. Copyright Office, “Copyright Office Basics,” Who Can Claim Copyright, www.copyright.gov, Washington, DC, 2006)

If you find that someone has reprinted your work under their name, the process of claiming copyright follows about the same path whether you have legally or assumedly copyrighted your work. The first step to take is to contact the U.S Copyright office and report the infringement. Also contact Writer Beware (http://www.sfwa.org/beware/).

For legitimate authors, a rule of thumb is never copy more than three words in sequence of another person’s work. If you want to use someone else’s work word-for-word as part of your book, such as a quote or research document, you will need written permission from that person (See Vol. 6).
If you lose sleep worrying that someone will steal your work, by all means, file a legal copyright. The journey to becoming a published author can be stressful enough without this additional concern.
If you’re concerned about the total protection of your work, or feel better with the guarantee of register copyright, visit the U.S. Copyright office online to learn more about the copyright process (see resources).
Copyright symbol © Wrapping the letter “c” will automatically create a copyright symbol on your word processor. Include the month and year, i.e., Copyright © April 2008 by “your name.”

Suggested Reading: U.S. Copyright www.copyright.gov

Carol Denbow is the author of Are You Ready to Be Your Own Boss? (2006 Plain & Simple Books, LLC), Stress Relief for the Working Stiff (summer 2008 Publish America) and A Book Inside, Writing, Publishing, and Selling Your Story (Summer 2008 Plain & Simple Books, LLC).

Writing Sarah's Journey

By Ginger Simpson

I write western historical novels because I love that time period. The old west was raw, hard, and character building. To survive, the people had to have exemplary strength and determination. But, my fascination doesn’t end with the pioneers; I’ve always had an unexplained interest in the history of American Indians, so much so that I wonder if I lived a previous life as one. By writing about them, I can help alter the perception that TV westerns have fostered—that the red man was always the bad guy. In two previous novels, I focused on the customs and traditions of the Lakota Sioux. I tried to portray them as the proud people they were.

I often wonder if readers realize that writing an historical is much more time consuming than say writing a contemporary or suspense. Although the story is fictional, the facts to support history have to be accurate and true. The language has to fit the period as does the dress, and the gadgets available at the time. Back in the 1800s, which is the era of my choice, kids were goats, mothers were Ma, not Mom, and fathers were Pa, not Dad. The idea is not to overwhelm the reader with a history lesson, but pepper the story with facts that relate to the scenes and characters.

In writing my first novel, I had my hero delivering his bride to in a shack in the middle of the prairie. I described her reaction to a rundown house, grass growing through the wooden shutters, a few pieces of splintered furniture. When I described the rooms, I also described a heavy iron stove. My editor was quick to point out that a deserted shack was more likely to have a fireplace and hearth where cooking was performed, and that the abode wasn’t likely to be more than one big room. Thank God, for editors who help us learn our craft. Now, when I write about a room, I put myself back in the time period and see through the hero or heroines eyes what should be there. If there is a question in my mind, I research the object and see exactly when it was invented.

There’s no faster way to lose your credibility as an historical author than to yank your reader out of the story by having written about something that doesn’t fit the time. Imagine my Sarah, dressed in gingham, with her bonnet securely tied under her chin, coming in from the barn, carrying a pail of fresh milk. She sets the heavy container on the floor, and deciding to have some more coffee, pops a cup in the microwave to heat it. WAIT a minute. Something is wrong with this picture, and although I’ve used a very obvious discrepancy in time, you’d be surprised how quickly some historical readers are to pick up on even the slightest faux pas.

Still, despite the extra time and effort required, historical writing is my preference. My heroine in Sarah’s Journey is the kind of person I strive to be. I want her survival strength, determination, and her ability to stand up to people when others are mistreated. I want to right the wrongs of humanity, and if only through becoming Sarah for a brief time, I can show my readers how badly people of half blood were treated and how hard life was in the old west. I can hold up my head, trudge along the Oregon Trail and wonder what looms over the next horizon. Sarah’s Journey is a historical fiction but more so a story about a woman’s struggle to find a new life, deal with disappointment, and handle the realization that she loves a man that no one in the world but her is ready to accept. I hope people enjoy reading it as much as I loved writing it. It doesn’t have a “traditional ending” but that’s all I’m going to say. J

Ginger Simpson retired from the University of California as an advocate for students. While there, her involvement in editing and creating publications/forms led her to believe she could write a novel similar to those historical romances she loves so well. Her debut novel was published by small press in 2003. Since then, she’s written a total of eight books and five novellas, all contracted for publication. Several of Ginger’s works have been nominated for awards and recognized as yearly best reads on well-known romance sites. The reviews she’s received have been extremely favorable, with her first book receiving four stars from the Romantic Times Magazine.

Ten Fundamental Components of Story's Opening Scene

By Billie A Williams

The Goal of your Story’s opening is to successfully introduce the story worth-telling problem and to hook the readers. It is essential to establish the rules of the story as each genre has its own rules that govern reader expectations. You must also foreshadow or forecast the end of the story at the very beginning. These are the essential components of an opening scene that should help you off to a hook-worthy beginning. Not all of these elements must be present in the opening scene, however the first four are the foundations you will build on and are therefore crucial.

Inciting Incident – When the fabric of society as the protagonist knows it, has a hole ripped in it.

The story-worth-telling – the problem, conflict, or crisis, which must be solved or resolved by the end of the story.

Initial surface problem – The immediate spurn to action caused by the inciting incident. The protagonist will solve, but not the real underlying story goal. Think of it as a mini-goal aiming toward the Story Goal. It also can create other problems. It may arise from the initial problem, but must have a deep rooted connection to the story-worth-telling problem of number two.

The Setup – You should strive to only give the reader what is exactly, absolutely necessary to understand this opening scene. (Little or no backstory). Save details for later when you will work them into the story whole a little at a time. What you need is a hint of the trouble to come, directly or indirectly.

These lesser components may or may not be necessary to adequately introduce your story. Use them, or leave them out whatever best suits your story and its purpose.

Back Story – The kiss of death to your manuscript? If you include too much unnecessary links to the past – yes it will be. Trust, instead that the reader’s ability to ‘get it’ will help them know what they need to know. Remember to include only that which is absolutely and exactly necessary. Some will assuredly fit better into the latter part of the story.

The Opening Line: This should be the best, strongest, most charged sentence of your entire manuscript!

Language – Remember the rule of thumb…each additional adjective or adverb halves the power of the verb or noun you use. Rarely, if ever do they double the affect. Strong, original verbs and concrete nouns create powerful writing. That includes dialogue tags, use said if you need to use a dialogue tag. Generally, language and action will do the tagging for you. Follow the rule of FAD – Feeling, Action, dialogue and you will stay on target without using unnecessary dialogue tags.

Character Introductions – Usually, protagonist and antagonist reaction/action form inciting incident creates a vision of these characters and indicates their personality. Brevity—is key here— pick telling details, not necessarily physical description but something that lends itself in interpretation to knowing your character by his/her actions. A caveat here is—do not introduce too many characters at once. It confuses the reader and makes the characters harder to remember.

Setting – Glimpse of detail, depending on how important the setting is to your story. Again brevity, includes these points in your setting – Physical space, time period, culture, society, and uses your five senses. Give the reader a sense of what is heard, seen, smelled, tasted include only if they are significant to your story at this point however. It should not stop or even noticeably slow down the forward movement of your scene or story. According to Les Edgerton author of Hooked, Write fiction that grabs readers at page one and never lets them go. “…active description, incorporated unobtrusively within the action of a scene,” describes your setting.

Foreshadowing- Hints of action or obstacles to come in your story-worth-telling. What is a good rule of thumb about how long your opening scene should be? According to most books on writing you should be able to create this scenario in about four pages. Using concise language will cause your writing to pick language that will work in more than one way. Write a great hook, clean concise prose with only the exactly necessary details and you will be on your way to being well-published.

Billie A Williams is a multi-published award winning author of mystery, suspense, romantic suspense, adventure, YA adventure, poetry and non-fiction articles and books on the craft of writing. Visit her Web site at www.billiewilliams.com or her blogs at http://printedwords.blogspot.com also http://onewomansgarden.blogspot.com. Video trailers she has made for herself and others at http://youtube.com/basbleu43. Billie writes a column for Mystery Fiction’s Voice in the Dark titled “Whodunit?” And interviews other authors for Manic Readers at www.manicreaders.com

The First Draft: One Trick to Get There

by Mary E. Martin

It’s a marvelous “high” seeing those three hundred pages stacked up on your desk—the first draft! How long did it take? Three months, a year, a decade? I remember when the last page chugged out of my, by then, wheezing printer that I gazed at that first draft in awe for at least ten minutes. It was the first glimpse of my new-born.

But how did it get there? It’s important to give that some thought, especially now that the real work of revising lies ahead. What did I learn from completing it?

I vividly remember the steps along the way. After I had completed the first fifty pages of Conduct in Question, the first in The Osgoode Trilogy, I came to a screeching halt. I had absolutely no idea where to go next. I racked my brain for plot ideas and called upon my muse, who remained sullen and stubbornly silent.

Yes, I had created lawyer, Harry Jenkins, the protagonist, who would eventually grow big enough and complex enough to fill three books. I had created the beautiful Natasha, Harry’s beloved. I had burdened him with his churlish secretary, Miss Giveny. But I did not know what they would do next.

And then, the light went on. I did not know nearly enough about these people. Harry, his secretary, Natasha and the other cast members were on stage. Harry’s elderly client, Miss Deighton, and her strange family members, Katharine, Suzannah and Gerry, were waiting in the wings. Worse yet—although I had created the “bad guy,” who was eventually to become the

florist, I didn’t really know what made him tick.

At last, the answer came to me. I spent about a month [I was doing other things, such as practicing law] making notes on a yellow, legal pad. I can see it now. I listed each character and wrote down as much as I could think of for each one of them.

Physical appearance to the last detail, mannerisms, modes of speech and thought filled the pages for each character. Where did he or she live? What sorts of relationships did they have to the other characters and to themselves? What motivated each of them? Was his or her temperament extraverted or introverted? Honest, deceitful, violent or peace-loving? I could go on, but you get the idea. By the time I was finished, I had a file half an inch thick.

That’s fine, but you may ask how could such an exercise help? After all, I wasn’t planning on writing a novel of description only. I needed plot ideas. Here’s the interesting part. Once I had written all I could imagine about these characters, they—like dolls from the toy chest at night—climbed out and began to play. They started telling me what they were going to do. Some were quite adamant. But this is not really so surprising. After all, if you are creating real characters, real people, sooner or later they will speak up for themselves. And so they did.

After that, I raced on for the next fifty pages, until I came again to a halt. Convinced I was onto a good trick, I began the process again. I got out my file of characters and wrote down everything I could possibly imagine about each of them. And it worked. I was able to see my way through quite a few more chapters.

Now this process works for me, but it may not for other writers. Perhaps it works for me, simply because no character can come alive on the page unless I really know him or her well. If you do get this intimately involved in your characters lives, perhaps they will tell you the story—but only when you listen carefully when the toys come out to play late at night.

Mary E. Martin grew up in Toronto where she began practicing law in a small estates firm. In 1999, she became a full time writer and photographer. Her own writing The Osgoode Trilogy, in the legal suspense genre, was greatly inspired by her law practice of twenty-eight years, which she says gave her a window on the world and humanity. Visit Mary at www.theosgoodetrilogy.com and www.authorsden.com/maryemartin

Where Do I Begin...

By Marcella Kampman © 2003

Let’s start at the very beginning. A good story starts with an idea, a flash of inspiration, that will take your readers on a journey you hope they’ll never forget. That flash, if developed fully, is your premise. But a premise on its own is nothing, you must build up that premise, enhance it until it becomes an exciting, gripping, awe-inspiring tale of… whatever it is you long to tell.
As a writer, a storyteller, that’s exactly what you must do. Nurture that spark and build up your premise.

But let’s back up a bit before you charge off and start enhancing your basic premise. What you need to understand is why you are writing this particular story in the first place. The first and foremost question you must answer is not what but who is this story about?

If people want to read about cataclysmic events and jaw-dropping catastrophes and daring, action-packed escapades, they’ll read the news. But unless the news is about people, more specifically about a person with whom they can identify, the event or catastrophe or escapade isn’t going to hold their attention for very long. People enjoy reading about people.

Let’s use an example to show you what a premise is and how to build it into something else, something better. I’m going to use “The Wizard of Oz” by L. Frank Baum because it’s a classic fairytale that most people know. If you don’t know this story, then I strongly recommend you either read the book or watch the movie because this story has all the elements of great fiction: a sympathetic heroine, a great cast of supporting characters, exciting events, a menacing adversary, a particularly dark moment, clear character growth, and a satisfactory resolution to an unexpected ending (which, by the way, are all the elements for a great plot).

The basic premise of “The Wizard of Oz” is this – a teenage girl gets lost in a storm and wants to find her way home. Sounds pretty simple, boring actually, doesn’t it? At least it gives us the who of the story, what happens to her, and what she’s going to try to achieve by the end of it.
Now let’s build up the premise – an angst ridden teenage girl gets blown far away from home in a tornado to a strange new land where she must overcome several obstacles before she learns the true value of family in order to return home. Much more interesting now, isn’t it?

Take your own story. Write down who it’s about and what’s going to happen to your protagonist before s/he can achieve whatever it is s/he needs to resolve by the story’s end. Keep this initial premise simple. Think of your premise as an image or feeling that gives you enough meaning to take your hero/heroine to the goal and where the resolution of that goal will be so necessary that every step of the journey strives to be undertaken. Now, using strong verbs and nouns, enhance your premise.

Remember that your reader wants to become involved in the protagonist’s struggle to achieve a specific goal, and she wants to ‘worry’ about whether or not the hero/heroine can actually achieve that goal.

Now let’s enhance the premise even more – Dorothy, an angst ridden teenage girl, who feels out-of-place in her ordinary world, gets blown far away from her aunt and uncle’s farm in a tornado to a magical, strange new land. There she undergoes exciting events where she meets with several characters, who use their various talents to aid her in fighting a wicked witch. She finally meets up with a wizard, but he leaves before he’s able to send her back home. Only when she realizes that she has the power to save herself can she finally get home.

Stories are about people, people undergoing tremendous struggles. “What happens to the characters in the course of the story should be unusual, dramatic, and meaningful. This doesn’t mean that you have to write stories about epic wars; it’s just that you have to write about events that have impact.”[1] Impact upon the characters. Impact that propels your characters into action. Impact that produces change. Dorothy must change, that is, she must grow up, she must learn the importance of family, she must learn that even though she’s an orphan she still has an aunt and uncle who love her dearly and want her to come back home. All the unusual, dramatic, and meaningful events in the story steer her in that direction.

How can I build my own premise to that level of impact, you may very well ask? By asking yourself these questions:

1. What if? Use that what if question to start your premise, then to escalate the stakes, then to add layers to the plot and characters. What if a young girl didn’t feel like she belonged? What if a tornado blew her away from home? What if she realized that she wanted to go back? What if a wicked witch stood in her way? What if she met some interesting characters who wanted to help her but didn’t know how? What if, at the end of all her harrowing adventures, the wizard turns out to be a fraud?

2. “What’s at stake? Ask yourself this question: “If your hero/heroine wants a particular goal, and if s/he is not successful, then what?” Well, then what? That is the essence of defining what is at stake. What would be lost?” Will Dorothy ever get back home again? If she doesn’t, what happens? Why doesn’t she just live happily ever after with the munchkins? If she doesn’t go back, what happens to Auntie Em? How would her uncle and the farmhands feel? How would Dorothy feel if she never saw any of them ever again?

Take your starting premise and build it up. Question yourself as you write your new and improved premise in order to give the enhanced version more detail. Writing a premise may sound a little like making magic, but it isn’t. The magic comes not from having a flash of inspiration, but in knowing how to develop that spark into a solid story premise that will make your readers sigh with satisfaction long after they’ve put your book down.

Bibliography & Recommended Reading List:

1. Dixon, Debra. Goal, Motivation & Conflict. Gryphon Books, 1997
2. Maass, Donald. Writing the Breakout Novel. Writer’s Digest Books, 2001
3. Marshall, Evan. The Marshall Plan for Novel Writing. Writer’s Digest Books, 1998
4. Rasley, Alicia. The Story Within. Midsummer Books, 1999
5. Vogler, Christopher. The Writer’s Journey. Michael Wiese Productions, 1998

Marcella Kampman has been writing for several years. Under her own name she has had several articles and a short, non-fiction story published. Later this year, Bayeux Arts will be publishing her young adult collection of Ancient Sumerian Myths and Legends. Marcella is a published romance author under the name of Vanessa deHart. Her first two romance novels, Promise Me, and Out of Darkness, are published by Lachesis Publishing and are available at Amazon and Fictionwise. Her third romance book, No More Lies, will be made available soon. To find out more about Marcella (aka Vanessa) check out her web page at: www.vanessadehart.com
[1] Maass, p.38

Writer's Block in the Energy Field

by Dyan Garris

We’ve all heard of and perhaps have experienced that mysterious, frustrating, and inexplicable phenomenon of writer’s block. What is this exactly and how do we get beyond it?

All writing takes place first in the higher dimensions of the heart, soul, and mind of the author and then gets translated to the two dimensional piece of paper. So when one is experiencing writer’s block, whether you are fully aware of it or not, it means that somewhere along those points of energy, or energy meridians, exists energy blockage.

One of the keys to unlocking the doors to creativity lies in the ability to clear and rebalance the energy field and/or chakras. When the energy field is balanced, one discovers with joy that the hinge on the door of the creative mind once again swings open as easily as a newly oiled gate.

The first step in clearing the field is as simple as identifying what is really bothering you or affecting you on a very physical level. We start with this because this is the energy that resides in the first or root chakra. Issues and challenges regarding money, time, family, and relationships can have quite a negative effect upon creative flow.

The second chakra is the seat of creativity. If we are writing and creating something that we have no audience for or have challenges in bringing to market, then we may find the creative flow being stifled or staunched. It is akin to being in a constant state of pregnancy and never giving birth.

The third chakra is the resting place of the soul. If you aren’t able to express, communicate, and impart what is in your very core, you will perhaps experience a wedge of stagnation and frustration.

Most writers write from the heart, from their imaginations and upper chakras. When experiencing writer’s block it isn’t that the heart and mind are closed. It’s that the flow to these is temporarily blocked. If the flow is blocked by the static energy being generated from the lower chakras, nothing brilliant or inspirational can get through or get translated to paper. It’s similar to a clogged pipe. It is necessary to eliminate the obstruction in the system.

Clearing the energy field and balancing the chakras is not a difficult task if one understands that one must start at the base and work up from there. I used to teach a class on how to do it, and then in 2005 I developed a music and meditation series for vibrational attunement of mind, body and soul. One can incorporate this concept of vibrational attunement into everything they do. I incorporated it my new cookbook, Voice of the Angels – Talk To Your Food! Intuitive Cooking. Cooking and preparing food is a basic root chakra function; however the creative procedure of doing so is an upper chakra operation. When you tie those together, you’re opening and balancing all of your chakras easily and effortlessly.

One of the most important goals of my body of work is to make chakra balancing and energy clearing into a completely natural and enjoyable process for everyone. In learning to do this we can become our best selves and our whole selves. Here’s to no more blocks! Let the creativity flow!

Dyan Garris is the author of “Money and Manifesting,” “Voice of the Angels – A Healing Journey Spiritual Cards,” an intuitive cookbook and “Fish Tale of Woe – Lost at Sea.” Free angel card readings are available on her website. She created a series of music and meditation CDs for Automatic Chakra Balance,™ relaxation, help in sleeping, stress release, and vibrational attunement of mind, body, and spirit. Her “Daily Channeled Message” and more information are available at her main website www.voiceoftheangels.com. For much more information about Dyan Garris and her latest book Money and Manifesting – feel free to visit her virtual tour home page on http://www.inspiredauthor.com/promotion/Dyan+Garris. The tour schedule is posted at http://inspiredauthor.com/promotion/dyan-garris-april-tour-schedule.

The Writing Life: Organic Notes as a Writing Tool

By JJ Murphy

Sometimes it is easier to make a picture with words than it is to write words in a line. Some writers call this process organic notes or brainstorming.

Here are the steps.

1. Use single words or short phrases and write using capital letters. Some researchers believe that your eyes and brain remember capital letters more easily.

Use a separate page for each subject.

2. Write your subject in the center of a blank page. You can put a circle around it if you like.

3. Draw a line from the subject to each main idea.

4. Draw a line from each main idea to each detail that supports the main idea.

5. Use colors or shapes to connect each train of thought.

6. Draw arrows to connect related ideas.

Use the pictures and images you are creating as a jumping off point for writing. What you begin with may not be where you end, but it may allow you to see your topic from a new perspective.
Use this technique as a writing exercise when you are staring at a blank page or screen. Peter Elbow’s open ended writing technique in WRITING WITH POWER suggests you begin with a ten minute freewrite.

Read what you’ve written, select the main theme and use it for another ten minute freewrite. If you choose this technique, how did your thoughts and associations compare with your organic notes?

Organic notes can help you see where you may need to fill in gaps in knowledge or anecdotal example. They can help you see a bias; they can also help you form new associations. This is a simple, yet reliable tool to strengthen both fiction and nonfiction writing.

Writer and naturalist JJ Murphy, http://www.WriterByNature.com, offers creative nature curriculum, wild food recipes, fiction, poetry, articles and writing services for individuals, entrepreneurs, small businesses and ecologically aware companies.

Book Length - Where Do I Go From Here?

By Carol Denbow

Some writers plan ahead as to how many pages their complete book will be. Others simply start writing and end when they feel their work is completed. Either way, before publishing, the number of pages will need to be decided.

The Averages:

Most commonly, the length of your manuscript determines what type of publication you have.

• Short story – under 15,000 words
• Novella – 15,000 to 29,999 words
• Short novel – 30,000 to 44,999 words
• Novel – 45,000 to 69,999 words
• Plus or super novel – over 70,000 words

There are some exceptions to these numbers. If you are writing a children’s book, you may have as little as 500 words, but many more illustrations, which might add to the total number of pages in the finished work. If your manuscript is less than 8 pages, it may not be worthwhile to publish as a book. In most cases, a minimum of 32 pages is needed for a hard cover book to have a solid “backbone.”

How length may affect printing cost:

If you self publish and have your book printed, your layout and printing costs may vary depending on the books length. Many printers prefer a book to be set up with a particular amount of pages. Most books are printed on large sheets of paper which are folded into sections containing 8, 16, or 32 pages. Since printers generally set up the pages in segments of 8 at a time, keeping your book at an even number devisable by 8 can save you some money on printing costs. For instance, if your book is 144 pages in length, the printer may use 18 sheets to copy it (144 divided by 8 = 18). Printers may vary on the number of pages per sheet so it is important to discuss this with your specific printer.

When calculating the total number of pages in your finished book, don’t forget to add up the extra pages needed for components such as, your table of contents, introduction, index, etc. And by all means, don’t forget that book pages are two-sided.

Suggested Reading: Modern Matriarch, The Ideal Length for Your Book, McGraw-Hill, Book Length

Carol Denbow is the author of Are You Ready to Be Your Own Boss? (2006 Plain & Simple Books, LLC). She has two new books coming in the summer of 2008: Stress Relief for the Working Stiff (Publish America), and A Book Inside, Writing, Publishing, and Selling Your Story (Plain & Simple Books, LLC). Please visit Carol’s new website at: http://www.BooksByDenbow@weebly.com/ or blog with her at http://abookinside.blogspot.com/.

Creating an Outline for Your Book

by Carol Denbow

After you have decided on your book’s subject matter and chosen a prospective title and sub-title, it’s time to sit down and draw the outline for your book.

It is best to create your outline before you begin to write. Authors easily get off track and lose focus on their real objectives.

The benefits to outlining your story:
An outline can help the writer collect and keep information in proper order and prevent it from being repeated in a non-fiction script. With fiction writing, creating an outline helps you keep the plot in order and more easily develop your characters. Outlining your script creates an easy-to-follow roadmap to your finished and “complete” book project.

How to create a basic outline:
Every manuscript contains an introduction, information, and conclusion, in other words, a beginning, middle, and ending. To start, define each of these categories in relation to your book idea. For instance, a non-fiction book on stress relief may begin with “what is stress.” The middle text may explain “how to relieve stress.” The ending may finish with “now that you are stress free…”

For a fiction book, the beginning may open by developing your characters and their place within your story. The middle is your story line or plot, and the ending is where your story concludes.
Once you have established these elements to your book, you can begin filling in the chapter titles according to the order of your story’s events. Choose titles which are clear and define the content of that particular chapter; especially for non-fiction books. Compile your chapters and organize them in a logical order.

When your story goes in a new direction, form a new chapter or sub-chapter to avoid the sudden shift of information. Readers know when they come to a new chapter or sub-chapter; the information will evolve into something a little different. Remember, chapter tiles and sub-titles can be changed up until the time of book submission or production.

When your chapter list is complete, I suggest obtaining a large white poster board and drawing your outline on it. Leave space between the chapter titles for new sub-chapters and late add-ons. The board should be set up in your writing space. Having your outline continually in your sight will help keep you focused. As you compose your manuscript, refer to your outline often.

If you are submitting your manuscript to a traditional publishing house, they will most likely require a chapter by chapter outline of your story. The outline you build to write your manuscript will be helpful in creating a suitable outline for your publishers’ submission package. Your outline can be used to build your table of contents page as well.

Once you have a complete outline finished, it’s time to begin “filling in the blanks.” With a proper and orderly outline of your story, you can flow through your writing process with confidence and ease.

Recommended related information online:

Creating an Outline & Table of Contents
Steps to Creating a Well-Constructed Plot Outline

Carol Denbow is the author of Are You Ready to Be Your Own Boss? (2006 Plain & Simple Books, LLC); Stress Relief for the Working Stiff (summer 2008 Publish America); and A Book Inside, Writing, publishing, and selling your story (Summer 2008 Plain & Simple Books, LLC). To receive her monthly newsletter, please visit http://www.plainandsimplebooks.com/85/index.html.

Writing Newsletter released

Author's Corner by Yvonne Perry

The March issue of Writers in the Sky Newsletter may be read online at http://www.yvonneperry.net.

Whether you are a publisher, author, or a writer-wanna-be, this e-zine is for you. Here, you will find articles, announcements, book reviews, poetry, and information about the craft and business of writing, publishing and book marketing written by our readers. Our goal is to connect the writing and publishing community through networking that benefits both. Please forward this ezine to anyone you know who might enjoy its contents. This is our fourth year to publish this ezine happily allowing you to network with others in the book industry.

For those who are new to the list, Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services is based in Nashville, Tennessee and offers ghostwriting and editing to clients all over the U.S. This newsletter is part of our three-fold information-sharing resource outlet. We also have a podcast and a blog where you will find even more material about writing, publishing and marketing books. Our podcast is archived on our blog which may be accessed in the contact area below.

If you are not currently a subscriber to our free newsletter about writing, publishing and book marketing, you may subscribe at https://app.quicksizzle.com/survey.aspx?sfid=13065.

We hope you will participate in the Annual Literary Awards 2008 contest. The annual literary awards were established to honor writers who self-published or had their books published by a small press, university press, or independent book publisher geared for the North American reading audience. POD books are accepted. Details at http://www.readerviews.com/Awards.html. Writers in the Sky is pleased to award the winner with a $100 cash prize for the Best Creative Writing of the Year.

Yvonne Perry
Web site: http://www.yvonneperry.net
Blog Site: http://yvonneperry.blogspot.com

BOOK PUBLISHING: Why You Should Write a Book Proposal (Even if you Plan to Self-Publish)

by Diane Eble

Do you dream of writing a book? Do you also dream of getting published? If so, here's a tip that will save you tons of time, energy and probably even money:

Don't write your book first!

You read that right. Don't write your book first. Instead, focus first on writing what's called a book proposal.

A book proposal is simply your plan for your book. You wouldn't build a house without a blueprint, would you? Writing a book is a huge investment of time and energy, sometimes money as well. Just as you would not build a house without a blueprint, neither should you start writing a book without a plan.

Your book proposal will cover what your book is about, who your audience is, how you plan to market it, what other books are out there like it and how yours is different. It will include a chapter-by-chapter outline as well.

I liken writing a book to painting a room. When painting a room, the most time and energy goes into the preparation. You wash the walls, you put masking tape around the trim, you fill in the dings and sand it smooth. Then you cut in the trim.

The quality of the paint job depends largely on doing these preparatory steps well.

Once you do all that, you're ready to roll on the paint with your roller. That's the easy and quick part.

Writing the book proposal is like preparing the room. That's 90 percent of your work. Once you've done the proposal, actually writing the book will feel like rolling the paint onto the walls.

A great book proposal is absolutely necessary if you want a traditional publisher (also called a commercial publisher) to publish your book. They will not even look at a manuscript unless they've seen a proposal and offered a contract. (Same is true with finding a literary agent. They will want a book proposal, not the manuscript. Having a great proposal shows agents and publishers you know how to play the game.)

Even if you plan to self-publish, I still strongly suggest you write your book proposal first.

Because it will force you to think through your book, you will end up writing a better book. You will have asked--and answered--all the key questions that underlie a successful book.

If you'd like further help on asking--and answering--those key questions, check out the downloadable coaching session called "Jump Start Your Book: 12 Questions You Must Answer to Write a Book that Sells" at http://www.wordstoprofit.com/JumpStartYourBook.html.

For VIP access to an interview with 8 top publishing executives who reveal what makes publishers take notice of your book proposal, go to http://www.wordstoprofit.com/proposalsecrets.html.

To get your publishing questions answered, check out the many articles and resources at Diane's Website at http://www.wordstoprofit.com and blog at http://www.yourbookpublishingcoach.com.

American Greetings Writing Contest

I posted this earlier today and just realized that the link to the contest Website did not work. I'm sending the announcement again with the correct link: http://www.americangreetings.com/retailers/index.pd

You might be interested in a new contest sponsored by American Greetings. It would be a great way to stretch those creative writing muscles, while trying to win some cold hard cash.
Beginning now and running through Sunday, May 11, American Greetings is offering humorous writers everywhere the opportunity to prove just how funny they are with a special "write your own caption" contest at http://www.americangreetings.com/retailers/index.pd

The contest, called, "Think you're funny? Prove it!" will allow anyone who thinks they have a particularly strong funny bone to submit their own copy for three photo cards. All three of the cards are blank and feature fun images, sure to stir the imagination.
Participation in the contest is simple. Those interested may go to the site, choose the card they like and submit a caption for it. The grand prizewinner will take home $1,000, and the sense of pride that will come from having their own concept in print. Two runners up will have their cards posted on AmericanGreetings.com and receive a year subscription to the site.

Are You SMART?

By Shelley Lieber, The Wordy Woman

The only way to make continual progress with your writing is to set goals. There's no job description for writer and no standard measurement for advancement. So, it's up to you to establish a framework that defines your goals and strategies for success.

It's a good idea to set a mixture of short- and long-term goals. Ask yourself where you want to be in the next three months, six months, one year, two years, five years and ten years. Dream big dreams and don't let "reason" restrict your vision for yourself.

Use the well-known acronym, SMART, to help you create your goals. SMART stands for:
Specific: Be precise. Instead of "I will write more often," say, "I will write every morning."
Measurable: Write quantitative, rather than qualitative, goals. Make sure you can measure progress, or how will you know when you've attained your goal?

Action-Oriented: Choose goals you can control. Rather than "I will be published in a national magazine by June of this year," write "I will send a query letter each week to possible markets until I am published in a national magazine."

Risk/Realistic: Set goals that will make you stretch your capabilities, but don't set yourself up for failure. If you have a full-time job or small children at home, writing a novel in one month is an unlikely feat.

Timed: Deadlines help you pace yourself to complete your goals within a specific period of time. The publishing world rises and falls on making deadlines, so push yourself to hold firm to your commitment.

Other Tips

1. Put your goals in writing.

2. Post your goals where you can see them or make it a point to read them at least three times a day: when you awake in the morning, mid-day and before you go to sleep.

3. Share your goals with a supportive friend or relative. Your writers' group may be

= your support group. The act of sharing your intentions releases them to the Universe and also will help keep you accountable--you will want to perform to expectations.

4. Celebrate your successes! When you can cross off a goal or make a checkmark on your list, buy yourself a new journal, pen or book. See a movie or have lunch with a friend. Schedule a manicure or massage.

5. Get back to work after your celebration. Keep going.

6. Be flexible and adjust your goals when necessary. New opportunities always arise and you may find yourself attracted to magazine writing when you thought you wanted to write screenplays. Be open to possibilities that are as yet unseen.

7. Never beat yourself up or consider yourself a failure for not completing a goal in a specified time. Review your setbacks and revise your strategy. Never, never, never give up!

Former New York book editor Shelley Lieber is a publishing consultant and author of 4Ps to Publishing Success: Get Your Manuscript Off Your Desk & Into Print. Subscribe to The Wordy Woman/Publishing Success, her free weekly newsletter for writers, and get two free special reports immediately at http://www.wordywoman.com.

Write What You Know.. If You Dare

by Mark David Gerson

Write what you know. How often have you heard that? How often has it frustrated you?

I can’t write about a black man unless I’m black.
I can’t write about a woman unless I’m a woman.
I can’t write about flying an airplane unless I’m a pilot.
I can’t write about a gay man or a lesbian because I’m not one.
I can’t write about an historic incident until I research it fully and completely.

How much research do you think Leonardo da Vinci did before he painted the Last Supper? Of course, he knew the story, from the Bible. But, there are no physical descriptions of that scene or those individuals anywhere in any credible book.

Da Vinci knew The Last Supper. He knew it as well as if not better than any biblical source written decades after the fact. He knew it in his heart. Not in his head—which would have cautioned him against attempting anything so out of his experience—but in his heart. He had lived the emotions he represented and those emotions are the only truth in that masterful painting.

So you’ve never experienced the discrimination a black woman or gay man might have felt? Have you ever been attacked for who you are? Have you ever been denied what you believed was rightfully yours? Have you ever felt your personhood and humanity under attack? No? Think back to your childhood. Think back to the emotions of childhood, to the bullies in the schoolyard, to the adults who criticized you.

Do more than think back. Relive and re-experience those emotions. You have lived some of those same emotions you feel you dare not describe in someone else.

Accept the dare. Step up to the challenge. You owe it to yourself to at least try. If any character (however far removed from your life and lifestyle) comes to you and demands that his or her story be told through you, then you can trust that all you need lies within you.

Of course, research may be required. Remember, though, that unless you are writing a dry recitation of history, it’s the emotions that will touch and affect your readers and move them to deeper places within themselves. And we all (whether we’re black, white, green or purple) draw from the same pool of emotions.

If you can give yourself permission to tap into that pool within you, you will always write what you know. For all you need to know lies within you. Now. At this moment. Write what you know in your deepest heart. Write your fire. Write your truth.

The only knowledge that’s unique to you is the knowledge of your heart, the wisdom of your soul, and the force of your passion. Write from those places that no one else can and you will touch readers in ways that no one else can.

Go ahead and write what you know...if you dare.

Excerpt from THE VOICE OF THE MUSE: ANSWERING THE CALL TO WRITE. (c) 2008 Mark David Gerson. The Voice of the Muse book and CD set are available at Amazon.com, www.calltowrite.com and selected U.S. bookstores. Mark David Gerson has taught writing as a creative and spiritual pursuit for more than 15 years in the U.S. and Canada. Author of the award-winning novel, THE MOONQUEST: A TRUE FANTASY, Mark David has also created THE VOICE OF THE MUSE COMPANION, a 2-CD set of guided meditations for writers. Mark David lives in New Mexico, where he's working on a screenplay adaptation of THE MOONQUEST and a sequel to the novel. For more information on Mark David or to subscribe to his free newsletter, visit www.markdavidgerson.com. Mark David was a guest on WITS podcast and you may listen to his interview here: http://yvonneperry.blogspot.com/2008/01/tgif-david-gerson-january-4-2008.html

MEME: Three tips necessary for good and powerful writing

I've been tagged. This sort of a game is called a meme but this one has a great educational value because it is an opportunity to post advice on powerful writing, and do some linking. Here is how it works:

• Link back to the person who tagged you.
• List three things that you believe are necessary to make writing good and powerful.
• Tag five others and comment at their blog informing them that they've been tagged.

The person who tagged me is Thursday Bram and her blog is http://www.thursdaybram.com/2008/01/16/yes-its-a-meme

Three tips I believe are necessary to make writing good and powerful:

1. Write to your target audience. Fiction or nonfiction, keep your reader in mind. What age, education level, interests and expectations do they have? Deliver to the customer. This is especially important if you are a freelancer writing for a client. Know their market and their business well enough to be their customer or employee.

2. Let your creativity flow. Don’t let the double period typo at the end of a sentence distract you while you are still creating the text. You can always go back and correct punctuation and spelling when you are finished.

3. Have someone proofread for you. If I let a piece sit for a few days before I come back to it, I will catch most of my errors, but I still appreciate having someone proofread my work before it goes out.

I am tagging these five people:

Hal Manogue at http://halmanogue.blogspot.com
Dennis Martin at http://iwritesome.blogspot.com
Lee Goldberg at http://leegoldberg.typepad.com/a_writers_life/
Scott Oden at http://scottoden.blogspot.com/
Paperback writer at http://pbackwriter.blogspot.com/

I don't even know three of these writers. I found them on a search for writing blogs and they appear to be knowledgeable about writing. Let's see how many respond.