New blog to check out

Just found a new, really great blog for reading in those times when you
a) are at work and just can't take more paperwork
b) need to waste time but can't take another popup ad
c) need to waste writing time but think you should read something about writing.

Romancing the Blog blog: http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/

(in case you can't find the link on the right side)...

Be brave, young writers

For the day job, I went to a day-long workshop on how to make people better thinkers, therefore better able to solve their own problems. Interesting premise and I've tried it on a few colleagues with a bit of success. But I digress...

As the presenter was making her case for why we should spend eight wonderful hours plastered in the same uncomfortable vinyl chair through mulitple power outages, a fire drill and a lunch that ran out twenty people short (no kidding...don't you love public education funding?), she explains the training we're going to learn about in terms of being a way to think out loud through problems in search of solutions.

At that moment, I had a huge "aha!" moment. (If you've had one, you know what I mean. If not, keep working on it). This strategy, complete with hardbook, textbook and mounds of research data, was nothing more than talking out loud (like I do in the tape recorder in the car) to solve problems (like why my heroine's plot line is NOT working for me).

Discussing this with my group for the alloted seven minutes of discussion, (all my dear department friends who know my eccentricities), I mentioned how similar this was to my individual writing process, and how it does work for me so maybe it might have merit. I didn't intend to go global with my insight, just keep it low-key with my tablemates.

Not so. When the presenter asked for our thoughts and opinions on the process we were about to learn, no one raised a hand. Either the coffee hadn't kicked in or everyone was in that hazy place where teachers go when their brains shut down at the start of any new strategy being heralded as the world's best. Feeling bad for the presenter, I almost told her about the similarities with writing, but bit back my comment.

Admit I was a writer? In front of a group of strangers? Before they'd had coffee? Made me almost as nervous as the second overtime in the 2002 Fiesta Bowl...the pressing feeling of nerve-induced throwing up included. And Ruth Ann whispering, "Go on, Beth, tell your cute writing story!" in my ear didn't help. So I did what any good writer would do.

I caved in. I explained, in slow sentences, how I'm a published author, and that I think this method might have some validity because it's the way I write my novels. "If I can write a 40,000 word book by plotting verbally, we can teach people to solve their problems verbally," I said.

When the room didn't sink into a hole, I breathed. Wow. I'd just admitted I was a writer and nothing bad happened. What's funny is that I've only admitted that maybe twice before to strangers but in much, much smaller venues.

Later in the day, I actually had a few nice conversations with two other writers who mystically ended up in my group and were in awe that I'd done what neither had done with THEIR colleagues: share their passion and interest in writing. Geez. I felt like Lewis (or Clark) or Mr. Spock: I boldly ventured where those two writers had never been before. And I liked it.

A lot.

Moral: Tell 'em you're a writer. If you're afraid, do it before they have coffee. But don't hide your love of writing. Who knows what you might inspire?

Truth is...

The truth is, since I had a fit of creative genius on my current WIP on Sunday (or was it Monday?) I haven't done much writing.

Sure, I wrung out the last article or two for the school department newsletter, have posted daily at my blogs (one other in addition to here) and am seriously considering putting a proposal together for that online book review class, but as far as fiction, ain't nothin' doin'. (Don't worry, the grammar isn't going).

I have lofty aspirations, though. My three week goal for the serious writing girls (now two weeks left) is to finish the first chapter of this WIP (contemporary erotica) for a contest I want to enter in January. It started as a category contemporary but after a few days of brainstorming the story (longhand, only way that works for me), I realized I had two stories, not one really long, complex one. So I set aside the category (needs more fleshing out--no pun intended) and started chugging on the erotica.

It went well. Finished four pages in one day. Then nothing. Makes me wonder what the heck I'm doing posting here instead of writing on it. Being a writer isn't always easy but it's guaranteed to make you crazier than the average person...

Door close, window open...

You know, the writing universe has a way of balancing out. Creator's karma, maybe.

I've been writing a monthly column on small press, independent publishers and self-published works for an upstart ezine for the last, oh, about five months. Really did enjoy it, even if the covers of the ezines were a touch raunchy for my taste. The editor was a nice fellow who did a good job returning emails and eventually paid me for my first three trial columns. Always had something nice to say about my reviews which goes a long way for the ego.

Two months ago I agreed to a six month extension of the original contract but as the days moved on, I had an inkling that there were more things I wanted to do writing-wise--and being tied to a column like that wasn't really one of those things. Nevertheless, I'd given my word and stuck to it.

So imagine my surprise when the editor didn't respond to my last column submission and I checked out his site to find he'd folded up shop. Interesting. Part of me was disappointed--I'm in the throes of interviewing an award-winning, multi-published, super-talented erotica author who's also a long-time, dear friend. But part of me was relieved. I could give up the column with no regrets. (well, other than not being paid for two months' interviews).

But that wasn't the cool part. That was the door closing, which wasn't all that bad.

Another writing friend and colleague who I write a monthly book review for (on writer's books, no less) forwarded me an ezine this very morning because the editors were looking for someone to teach an ecourse on book reviewing on their website. My friend thought of me and sent the info to me for consideration. I, in turn, emailed the editor, mentioned my credentials and that I wanted more info.

Received a reply later this afternoon that she was very interested and that, after reading the info she'd sent, would I check out the course listings already on the site and consider submitting a course proposal to her. Would I? I'm looking at the details as I type this. I'm a teacher by day, a writer by night (and day, somtimes). Talk about a dream job. Wouldn't be raking in the dough but I'd be making some.

I'll keep you updated. In the meantime, quit reading and start writing.

I just knew it...

In October, I sent off a submission to an education magazine after reading their upcoming issue themes from their website. It's a topic I know a lot about and write a lot about (my day job, in other words).

I called the editor, before submitting, to narrow my topic focus. We had a wonderful conversation as she mistakenly thought I was someone else and answered the phone with --not hell0--but "What do you want now?" I capitalized on this error (hey, we're all human), and frankly it helped me get over those editor jitters in my gut. One thing was for sure after that--she wasn't going to forget me after our laugh and conversation.

So, after I sent off the submission, I didn't hear anything at all back from her. In talking to her, I gleaned that she acknowledged submissions, even ones she rejected. But being the polite midwestern girl I am, I didn't want to call again and say ..hey...did you get the emailed submission? I held myself in check for as long as I could handle and over a month later (but before her publishing deadline of January) sent her a nice followup note just to make sure she'd received it.

She hadn't. I just knew it. But even cooler, she invited me to resend (long after the deadline) the article, which I did promptly, and she assured me it would be read by the editorial board and considered for publication in the Spring issue.

I'm still waiting to hear back but the lesson is this: if you've got something nagging your writer's brain, listen to it. Caveat: don't use this as an excuse to be a pest to every editor you submit to. To harass the editors is to commit career suicide. But if there's just something whispering in the back of your mind that something isn't right, trust yourself. Be courteous, be professional and be sure to keep trying.