A Writer’s Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is almost here!  Hopefully you will be spending time with family or friends or both.

Until history revisionist removed any hint of the idea of people thanking God for his provision, we, beginning with the pilgrims, have taken time to thank God for the abundance we have here in America.

Writers should be some of the most thankful people in America. We have the opportunity to write what we choose without fear of being sent off to some prison or having to leave our country so we can write our convictions.

Tomorrow when you sit down to your turkey or ham or hamburger take a few minutes to thank God you were born in America and have the freedom to write as you do. There are writers around the world who long to have such freedom.

Thankful for all the freedom I have as a writer, Gloria

Just Do It!

Why does it seem everything happens at once? I’ve had several  projects going, some personal, some writing. They just seem to bunch up at once. Why can’t they come at intervals so I don’t have to stress?

Because life is not like that.

I’m busy researching for a book about a local community. I need to have the material ready by next Thursday. Of course, I’ve had a dozen other things that could not be omitted from my schedule!

What do I do?

I just keep plugging away. The book is definitely my priority. My husband knows the clothes will have to wait. He’s even offered to clean the kitchen today. I don’t know if it’s out of compassion or that he’s sick of seeing the dirty dishes in the sink (I really know it’s out of kindness but that wasn’t nearly as funny!!).

I’m scheduling time for each project plus getting our motor home ready for a short trip. Guess what I’ll be doing while my husband goes golfing . . . writing on the book proposal.

I can complain or I can be thrilled I have the opportunity to send a proposal that an editor is waiting for. I know lots of writers who would gladly trade places with me.

So, when your writing life or life in general gets hectic, persevere! If it is writing related, just remember there are writers who would kill (well, maybe just maime) for your opportunity. Go ahead and set your head to the task at hand. Like Niki says, “Just do it!”

Just doing it, Gloria

Getting Sidetracked

Gee, I didn’t realize it had been so long since I posted!

I am in contact with a publisher about writing a book on our local history. I spent several hours at our local museum looking at pictures. I will need about 250 for the book. Today I was at the library looking into books written by our local historical society. There is so much  material it is going to be time-consuming to do all the research.  I have enjoyed doing it thus far. We’ll see how I feel a few months down the road when my head is so full of facts I don’t know which ones to use.

There is always a danger in research. You can become sidetracked reading stories that really don’t pertain to the book you are writing. I found myself doing that today. True, the stories are fascinating but to spend time “chasing rabbits” will not get my book written. I need to concentrate on my purpose! Later on, after this book is written, I can go back and read stories simply for pleasure.

Hoping to not get too sidetracked in my research, Gloria

 

What About Writer’s Conferences?

This is info I wrote for our Wordsmiths8 blog. I thought it might be something you would find helpful. The first conference I attended,  I got the contract for four children’s board books. This is rare but I’m proof it can happen!! Read the post below to get a real perspective on attending a writer’s conference.

CONFERENCES

1. Conferences DO NOT guarantee an editor will pick up your work. To go to a conference with that attitude will leave you discouraged instead of uplifted.

2. Conferences DO open doors to editors that have houses not accepting unsolicited material. Most often, editors will allow you to send material to them for a period of one to three months.

3. Conferences provide networking experiences. It may be some day in the future someone you met at the conference can connect you with a person who will promote your writing career.

4. Conferences give an opportunity to be part of the writing community. It’s always great to be with people who “get” what you do.

5. Conferences can develop close friendships. Many people who attend conferences develop relationships with other attendees. Some of these friendships last a lifetime.

6. Conferences help us hone our craft. Heeding information editors and fellow authors share can expand our chances of publication.

7. Conferences can jumpstart your wriitng. After attending a conference you can be rejuvinated, inspired and excited about what you do. It can be just the boost you need to really get down to the business of writing.

8. Conferences can give direction to your writing. Some speaker may stir you to consider other genres that you have never considered before. In doing so, you may find the niche you were created for.

9. Conferences can be expensive . . .or not. Large and out-of-state conferences do cost more than some can afford. But, local and regional conferences are much less expensive. Although the larger ones may have more speakers and editors, the smaller conferences are still a great way to learn and connect with editors and writers.

10. Conferences do not have to be attended to become a published author. Many talented writers started attending conferences AFTER they had been published. Maybe the funds were more readily available then! If location or finances exclude your attendance at a conference, don’t become discouraged. Work at learning your craft. Submit! Submit! Submit! Maybe after you have been paid for a few publications you can join with your fellow writers at a conference. It will be money well spent!
 
Happy conferencing, Gloria

An Honor To Write

This is my grandson, Joshua. He is an avid reader. He especially loves series. Since he reads so voraciously, he has to wait (impatiently, I might add) for the next book in the series to come out. He’s sooo excited when the new book is ready for purchase.

I hope someday a child will wait impatiently for my series. How awesome to impact a child’s life that way!

Consider what you write. Does it add value or character to a child’s life. Does it open his mind to greater worlds, greater ideas? Does it stretch him or make his imagination soar? If so, you have given that child a valuable gift. Even though you may never meet, you have forever impacted the child’s life. What an awesome privilege!

Considering it a privilege to write, Gloria

Author Interview With Nancy I. Sanders

Nancy I. Sanders

I’m delighted to be part of Nancy I. Sanders virtual book tour. She was gracious enough to answer a couple of question about her new book, Yes! You Can Learn How to Write Children’s Books, Get Them Published, and Build a Successful Writing Career 

Question:  Nancy, you indicate in your book that a person should be writing for pleasure and for publication. What is the difference and why is it important to do both?

Answer:  Quite a number of years ago, there was a gal in my critique group. She was one of the best writers I knew personally. Each month I was in awe of what she brought to the group for us to critique. It was outstanding. However, she could never get anything published. Time after time she’d submit her manuscripts, only to receive rejection letters. I could tell she was getting very, very frustrated. I’ll never forget the day she arrived at our meeting barely able to keep the tears back. She explained how she had felt so strongly that God was calling her to write the manuscript she’d recently completed. Yet it, too, had been rejected. She shared how when she had received that rejection letter in the mail, it broke her heart. She said she had cried harder than she’d ever cried before. She was close to tears as she shared. The members in our group tried to encourage her. She was truly a very talented writer. But she only came back to a couple more meetings. And then she moved away.

A year or so went by. One day I decided to give her a call. We chatted about her new house and her new friends. Finally, I asked her what she was writing these days. She got quiet for a moment. Then she admitted softly that she wasn’t writing any more. The frequency of rejections and the lack of publication had been too much for her to take. She gave up her dream. It made me feel very sad. The world had lost a great writer.

Her story reminded me of Vincent Van Gogh. Van Gogh’s art was never accepted. He received constant rejection. In the end, it made him so depressed that he committed suicide. Yet today we know his art is some of the best and most highly prized art in the world. So often, I rub elbows with writers who are like my friend and Vincent Van Gogh. They pour out their hearts into their writing. Yet for some reason or another, all they receive is rejections. I see them feeling frustrated and defeated and depressed. Yet their writing is very, very good. That is why I encourage writers to work on 3 separate manuscripts to meet three different goals.

In my new book, I call this the Triple Crown of Success. I encourage writers to work on one manuscript for pleasure, or personal fulfillment. This manuscript is the one they can pour out all their passion into. This keeps their writer’s heart alive. And when they’re finished with this manuscript, they can submit this to the publisher of their dreams.

Yet knowing the harsh realities of today’s market, I also encourage writers to work on a completely different manuscript for publication. There are countless publishers out there who are actively seeking authors to write manuscripts that THEY need. These publishers need manuscripts about community news, recipes, interviews, crafts or puzzles, fiction stories for standardized tests, or brochures for businesses. Even though we might not be interested in writing about any of these topics for pleasure, it’s important for us as writers to actively pursue getting published frequently and regularly. This has numerous benefits such as improving our writing skills and building our published credits. One of the most important benefits of all, however, is that we are encouraged when we see our manuscripts in print. Chances are we won’t give up writing like my friend did. We’ll be encouraged to keep on writing until the manuscripts we write for pleasure start getting published at just the right time they were meant to be.

The third manuscript I encourage writers to work on is to meet the goal of earning income. That’s what most of my new book, Yes! You Can Learn How to Write Children’s Books, Get Them Published, and Build a Successful Writing Career, is all about!

Question.  Some people say it is a waste of a writer’s time to write for no pay. Yet, you indicate it is a good idea. Why do you think “outside the box” in this area?

Answer:  The no-pay market is the best place to get published frequently and regularly. For the Triple Crown of Success, I recommend that writers submit their manuscript they write for pleasure to the publisher of their dreams. I recommend using a specific strategy to target publishers to earn income as a writer. And the strategy I recommend to use to get published often is to target the no-pay/low-pay market.

Most writers shy away from the no-pay/low-pay market. They want to get their “baby” published by the publisher of their dreams and earn lots of income! But since I recommend using three different strategies to meet three different goals, I tell writers to really target the no-pay/low-pay market in order to get published a lot. Since the ONLY goal they’re pursuing for this strategy is to get published, in my book I tell writers to go where the publishers are hungry for manuscripts.

I’ve heard lots of authors say we have to get used to not seeing our name in print for years. That’s because they’re trying to use one manuscript to meet all three goals at once for writing for personal fulfillment, earning income, and getting published. They’re only interested in targeting the big publishers who pay the big bucks to try to get their “baby” published. In stark contrast to this advise, I tell authors they can write a manuscript today and have a fantastic chance of getting it accepted for publication within the week!

Where? In the no-pay/low-pay market. There are tons of publishers who can’t afford to pay writers much if anything at all, yet they need new material on a constant basis. These publishers LOVE to get manuscript submissions. Even though I have five book deadlines I’m currently under contract for, I still set aside a portion of my time on a regular basis to write for the no-pay/low-pay market. This guarantees that every couple of weeks or so, I’m seeing my name in print. I’m building my published credits. I’m working with editors on a constant basis even while I’m waiting for an editor to accept the book of my dreams. And finally, another reason to write for the no-pay/low-pay market is because you just never know when the editor there might get hired in a bigger and better position—and take you along with her! I’ve had that happen several times and landed multiple book contracts with a new publisher simply because an editor at a smaller publisher made an advancement in her career.

Thanks to Nancy for sharing this great information with us. I hope you will purchase the book and put into practice what she shares. When you land those contracts, be sure and let both of us know!

Be sure and visit her very informative blog.

Blog: www.nancyisanders.wordpress.com

Contact Nancy by leaving a comment on her blog or by emailing her at:   jeffandnancys@gmail.com 

Good writing, Gloria

Here is a picture of my critique group (I’m the one in the back with the scarf.) It is an awesome group of creative, knowledgeable, and very prolific writers and illustrators (actually, only one writer-illustrator in the bunch and all the rest of us are jealous that we aren’t as gifted )

We meet once a month. We have our own blog-wordsmiths8.wordpress.com. Each month we post about a different aspect of writing.  Drop by and visit!

These women make me a better writer. Each has strengths that come to the table. They help hone my manuscript so that it has a much greater chance of being published. I am privileged to be part of this illustrious group! 

If you do not have a critique group, I encourage you to get involved with one. If possible, get one that is “face to face.” If that is impossible, find one online. Be sure it has people who are already published significantly. If not, it will be ”the blind leading the blind.” Also, be sure they write in the genre you do. Although there is some benefit is there are lots of different genres represented, it’s tough for a children’s picture book writer to be very helpful in writing a romance novel. You know the old saying, “Birds of a feather flock together.” I think that a smart idea for joining a critique group!  

Thankful for the “birds of a feather” critique group I am part of, Gloria

Writers’ Conferences

I attended a writers’ conference this weekend. I learned some valuable information and was able to network with other writers. I had entered a contest for first page and for a picture book manuscript. I didn’t win either. Did that make the time of no value?

Of course, I would love to have won. I was not the only one in that category! Still, it was worth the expense and time to participate in the conference.

Check in your area. See if you can find some smaller writers’ conferences to attend. Go to it with the mentality that you will learn, network and just have a good time. Who knows what will come of the time you spent there!

Enjoying learning about my craft, Gloria

English, Homophones And Writing

I looked at the last post I sent. I noticed an error. How writers hate errors! Especially ones they see AFTER they have sent the manuscript to the editor or agent!!

It is impossible to be errorless in our writing. I think the English language makes it more difficult. I had written the word peak instead of peek. How about die and dye? Or some and sum. Let’s talk about lie and lye. Why did these people do this to us?!! Did they chuckle as they wrote words they knew would make the writing life more difficult?

These words are homophones. A homophone is two words that sound alike but have different meanings and spellings.

Those of us who write in English will just have to live with all these frustrations. We can help ourselves by having another set of eyes (not ayes) look at our work before we send it off. Several sets of eyes is even better! That way I won’t peal (peel) a potato, roe (row) a boat or eat fore (four)  pieces of cake.

Nobody said writing would be easy, especially if you write in English. Still, many people around the world long to learn our language. So, let’s appreciate its diversity but be careful that we know of which we speak.

Loving English but hoping I don’t make any errors with homophones, Gloria

Writers Need To Take Care of Themselves Too!

How do people write when they’re not feeling well?  If you have a deadline, do you just let it come and go and pick up after you’re feeling better?

You can’t think clearly or do your best when your brain is full of slush and you feel the room swirling every time you get up. You just have to give in to the sickness and let it do its thing so you can get back to being somewhat normal. Pushing through it may be best but I feel it may also make the time away from what you love doing be extended. Writers need to take care of themselves!

Exercise. Get plenty of rest. Eat properly. These things may not seem to have anything to do with your writing life. In truth, they are an integral part of it. 

 If you don’t take care of yourself, your self will rebel. No doubt about it! So, check your lifestyle. Is it helping you to be a clearheaded, healthy writer that does not fall prey to every virus or sickness that peeks in your door? If not, what can you do to put yourself on a better path? The benefits may not only be feeling better physically but feeling better when all those manuscripts written by a clearheaded, at their best author start being accepted.

 Here’s to more healthy writers, Gloria