Blogging Break 2012

It's that lovely time of year again when my blog goes quiet for awhile so I can focus on getting more things done. I met my goal of getting my story out to beta readers this year and now need to finish up a full manuscript critique for someone else as well as complete the final edits on my story so it will be all ready to venture into stage 2: querying. But those adventures I'll tackle next year.

How about you? Did you meet your writing goals this year? What goals are you making for next year?

And since I don't want to leave you completely empty-handed, here are some good links for you to check out and read:

Taryn Albright: 4 Common Manuscript Weaknesses
dalesittonrogers: Polish Your Manuscript to a Sheen
The Bookshelf Muse: K.M.Weiland: 10 Lessons From a Completed Novel
Kobo Writing Life: Six tips for engaging readers within two seconds: The Hook in fiction and memoir
Mystery Writing is Murder: Cutting the Fat from Your WIP by Gina Conroy
Guide to Literary Agents Blog: New Literary Agent: Jennifer Udden of the Donald Maass Literary Agency
New Literary Agent: Laura Biagi of the Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency
New Literary Agent: Gemma Cooper of The Bent Agency
Word Count for Novels and Children's Books: The Definitive Post

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all.
 

Giving Back: Week #1 Thank You Followers!!

Today I'd like to extend a heartfelt "Thank You" to those of you who regularly follow my blog. I wish I had the means to do one of those super popular book giveaways, hook you up directly with a team of literary agents or editors in a contest, or offer gift cards. I'm mostly a researcher, not a social butterfly with a wide networking reach. The research posts are the ones I get the most hits with, so that must be what everyone likes. Whew! I don't have to be Miss Popularity.

So...I'd like to spotlight my regulars today. And I know there are some of you who check in often who haven't officially "followed" the blog. Thank you, as well! It's nice to know that I'm not writing into a vacuum and I hope that I've been of some help. Please know I'm aware of you and I love your input.

Here are those of you I can account for:
Darke Conteur, AngieS, Precy Larkins, R.C. Lewis, cjrehse, Calista Taylor, Riley Redgate, Casey McCormick, Diana, Ashley Nixon, A.M. Supinger, Marewolf, Stephanie Poscente, Kayleen Hamblin, Stephanie Diaz, Dean C. Rich, Carissa Andrews, Dave, Moonshade, Donald McFatridge, Kacey Vanderkarr, Amy Jarecki, Small Town Shelly Brown, Richard Pieters, E.M. LaBonte, Kate Spencer, paula, Lisa Terry, clarklori, Kelsey, Kela McClelland, Jenny Phresh, Michelle 4 Laughs, khaula mazhar, E.B. Black, Rissa, Debra McKellan, Bethany Crandell, Suzanne Payne, The Golden Eagle, Stephen Tremp, Leslie, sc_author, Margaret, Alice Martin, Manup Admin, SL Jenan, Lanette, Rowanwolf, E.F. Jace, David Ferretti III, Peter Burton, catwoods, Margo Kelly, Jemi Fraser, Tracy, Jemma Davidson, TK Richardson, and T.J. Loveless.

Some of you have encouraged my foray in the social networking world and helped drive traffic my way. Thank you! Some of you have been kind enough to let me read your work and some have taken the figurative red pen to mine. Thank you! Some of you have wonderful blogs of your own. Thank you! I enjoy reading them. Some of you comment on my posts. Thank you, thank you!! Some of you are great examples to me and I admire your vision, your fortitude, and your talent. Thank you.

In my part of the world, I'd spend the day in the kitchen baking you goodies. If there are any blog topics you'd like to see more of, or would like me tackle, please let me know. I like to think of this blog more as a way to help other people than an online diary for my sake.

Some Overdue Fun

Brainstorming. Do you love it or hate it? Is it easy or hard? Is it better to make a list of ideas, bounce suggestions back and forth with a crit partner, or do ideas generally hit you while doing some mundane daily activity?

For a little “lol”:
Dictionary.com defines the term:
Brainstorming: a conference technique of solving specific problems, amassing information, stimulating creative thinking, developing new ideas, etc., by unrestrained and spontaneous participation in discussion.

Brainstorm: a. a sudden impulse, idea, etc.
b. a fit of mental confusion or excitement.

Or you could look at it this way:

This reminds me so much of that old party game where one person starts a story, then the next person adds a bit, and so on around the circle. As long as no one purposely sabotages the story line, it's great fun.

I like to make a list of ideas for one problem, sometimes an opposites list, too. I'm usually alone, so that works for me. But when I can get with fellow writers, either in person or in chat, brainstorming off each other is a blast.

Do you have any interesting brainstorming rituals or tactics? Please share!
 

Battle Bitterness and Despair with a Little Gratitude!

A downer day. A period of dejection. Insecurity. Loneliness. Times where everyone seems to be either walking over you or aiming at you with a steamroller. Everyone has these.

My best solution for getting out of these kinds of pits: forget about yourself. When things are at its blackest, search for someone else who is struggling and help them out. Unable to find an immediate service project? Make a list of things you're grateful for.

Since I'm surfacing from a very black period, myself, I thought I'd share some of my thankful list. Also noting how grateful I am that I did find some people to focus on rather than sit and stew over myself for the past week.

1- I am grateful for my mother. Not for the usual things only. I'm grateful she is a writer. I never received those "You must be crazy" or "Writing's just a hobby, right, dear?" looks from her. She understood. She persevered. She knows the sting of rejection. She knows how much a full-rewrite or line edit can take out of you. I can talk writing shop to her without having to stop and explain terminology or how the industry works. I've learned from some of her mistakes and she's learned from some of mine.

2- I'm grateful for the eccentric, oddball family I grew up in. We were geeks. We had lots of inside jokes and could carry on conversations in complete movie quotes. We mashed things up, spent entire evenings sitting around talking, and gave each other hugs each night before bed.

3- I'm grateful for my husband. He believes in me, pushes me, tries to conquer my insecurity dragons with the wave of a cape. When I become so stressed that I can't sleep, health issues flare up, and I have to pace, he lets me vent. He makes me laugh and can disarm my anger swiftly. I don't know what I'd do without him.

4- I'm grateful for my children. I love their imaginations, their questions, and their ideas. We have great conversations. I learn a lot from them. They accept the fact that mom does this writing thing nearly every day and take stabs at it themselves. We read together every day. The weekly trip to the library is always anticipated with excitement and when they've finished reading a book they like to give me a full synopsis along with their feelings about it.

5- I'm grateful that I have a life outside of writing. Without it, I would have been lost the past week. I have other creative outlets, books to read for fun, experiments in the kitchen to make, people to visit in person to talk to, places I like to go, and a newly fixed piano to express my feelings upon.

So there are my top five. How about you?

Blog Tag: The Next Big Thing

Hopeful, if presumptuous title, isn't it?

My friend (read between the lines to mean verbal sparring partner during chats, someone who makes me laugh, and fellow writer on AQC) Peter Burton asked me if I would like to participate in the latest popular blog meme. I thought "Sure, sounds like fun!" Easier said than done, once I realized that I'd have to actually talk about not only myself but my writing. *Gulp*

As a reader, pleasure or beta, I'm pretty confident. As a writer, I hold no "delusions of gradeur." There are tons of good writers out there. Click on Peter's name and follow his links back to some of the other participants. Great stuff, some of which I wish were in print already so I could read them.

Part of the game is asking other writers to jump on board. It seems my pool of friends and acquaintances have either been tagged or aren't interested. However, if anyone reading this wants to do it too, go ahead. If you want me to link to your post, be sure to tell me. The Next Best Thing posts go up every Wednesday.

Alright, so here are the questions EDIT - my answers have been removed for privacy purposes:
1- What is the working title of your book?

2- Where did the idea for the book come from?


3- What genre does your book fall under?

4- Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

5- What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

6- Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

7- How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

8- What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

9- Who or what inspired you to write this book?

10- What else about your book might pique the reader's interest?

And now, back to focusing on other things and other people.
Tell me which of those questions makes you inwardly quake or have to puzzle over it for awhile. Have you ever resurrected an old manuscript for a makeover and how did it go?