Dreams....at the Plot Whisperer blog

If you know me, you know how fascinated I am by dreams. I've kept a dream notebook (which stemmed out of a meeting with Robert Moss, author of Dream Gates years ago and my first stint with Julia Cameron's Morning Pages) for years and will chat anyone up who's interested in talking about their dreams.

In visiting blogs by colleagues, I found that Martha Alderson over at the Plot Whisperer blog has a great post on dreams and their potential significance to writers in the midst of creation:

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Allow Your Dreams to do Your Heavy Plot Lifting

Following is an inspirational way to use your dreams to write your stories by hynotherapist, author, and radio personality Kelly Sullivan Walden.

Like Kelly, I, too, use my dreams to support my writing and you'll usually find me up before dawn, writing.

"While I was up to my elbows mid-way through writing my recent book, “I Had the Strangest Dream…the Dreamer’s Dictionary for the 21st Century” (Warner Books), I developed the practice of rolling out of bed and into my “writing station.” While still in the in-between-worlds place I would open my laptop, take a deep breath, and with eyes half closed, let my fingers do the tapping. Before my logical brain woke up, I would give myself permission to write whatever wanted to be written from my subconscious/dream state.

This “dream state” writing would often wind its way to being relevant to the particular aspect of the book I happened to be working on. Even if my writing took a detour I would nonetheless find myself opened to a smorgasbord of thoughts and feelings that I could apply to the subject at hand that never would have occurred to me otherwise.

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Read the entire post at: Allow Your Dreams to do Your Heavy Plot Lifting by Martha Alderson at Plot Whisperer

Tryin' to get the feelin' again...

Yeah, so what if I quoted Barry Manilow? It's my blog!

I'm having a hard time getting in the swing of writing after camp. I have plenty to do: two articles due next week and an essay to send off to an editor for consideration, but with the pre-school year hype and nervousness of settling into a new classroom, I'm finding focus and motivation tough. I want to write, I just can't muster the motivation.

I know this strikes more than just little old me. How do you deal with it? I'd love some suggestions....

Publisher's Update from HCI Books' The Ultimate Series

Just got this via email and thought I'd share for those of you interested in this market, which I mentioned in a post earlier this summer:

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With the heat index in triple digits in most parts of the U.S., it's clear we're in the midst of the dog days of summer. Kids will soon be heading back to school, and before we know it we'll all be planning holiday schedules.

Before life gets busier, I want to remind you of an upcoming submission deadline and tell you about an exciting new title added to the Ultimate list.

We've gotten a great response to The Ultimate Mom but are still accepting submissions through the deadline of August 31, 2008. If you've already sent something along - thank you! If not, be aware the deadline is looming.

During Book Expo America, one of the regular visitors to our booth wondered if we had thought of doing an Ultimate book on gardens. Later, when our publisher was reminded of the suggestion it prompted more consideration and as a result we've added The Ultimate Garden as a hot new release for April 2009. That means the submission deadline is . . . now! (September 30, 2008).

The Ultimate Garden stories will explore gardens as metaphors for life. Full-color photos will showcase nature’s beauty and bounty, and horticultural and landscape experts will share their knowledge and passion with readers who never tire of cultivating those proverbial green thumbs.

A full synopsis of the book, guidelines for submissions, how and where to send your work, and information on all the titles in development can be found on www.UltimateHCIBooks.com. Online submissions are preferred. It's the fastest, most efficient route to get your work to the editor working on a title. If, after checking our online guidelines for the information we need included with each submission, you prefer to email your submission, words go to submit@ultimatehcibooks.com and photos get sent to photo@ultphoto.net. Again, please check our guidelines before sending material.

Also, please be sure to add our domain name to your trusted domain list so future emails don't end up in your spam folder!

Stay well and enjoy the rest of the summer.

Theresa Peluso
Developmental Editor
The Ultimate Series from HCI Books

Back....

...but not completely here.

Camp was over Saturday, but I just got home today. Long story short: never lock your car keys in your convertible trunk without having a spare. Trust me on this.

Luckily it happened at the parents' house, so I didn't have too much to stress about, but I did need to get home to finish edits on an article due tomorrow. That's done now, and ready to be zipped off to the editor.

Camp went so fast...without the tons of photos my friends and campers take to share, it'd have just been a blur. I'll be back to regular posting as soon as my real-world settles and I have a few clean clothes to wear LOL.

In the meantime...keep writing!

Best of...Character

Hard to believe this is the last day of camp and I'll be home soon. Hopefully the advance post option in Blogger is working (for you). If not, at least I'll have lots to post when I make it back on Monday!

Today's Best of...features character-building and how to know your characters well before you start writing. Since I'll be starting a new contemporary novella in a few days, I can use this advice myself...lol.

Best of...Characters at the Fountain Pen, Inc. blog

Happy writing!

Beth

Best of...Fiction Query Letters

Still at camp. Today is Thursday, which means the last day of regular activities. Tomorrow is full of all-camp games and, of course, the final dance. So sad...I'll be back in the real world for another year of ...life away from camp.

In the meantime, here's a followup to the post I did earlier on query letters. This is a revisit to the Fountain Pen, Inc. blog files, but good stuff nonetheless.

Beth
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Best of...Fiction Query Letters 1 at fountainpeninc.blogspot.com

Christmas In July? Start Writing Now

Just a reminder that I'm off at summer camp this week (yay!)

If you're a freelance writer, you really should be querying for the holiday season now. Here are two great articles to help get your thoughts moving and article ideas flowing....

Happy writing,

Beth

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Sample Christmas Feature Ideas by Allison Whitehead at the fabulous Writer2Writer.com

Getting Ready to Write about Christmas by Allison Whitehead...at Writer2Writer.com

Best of...Goals

I can't believe I'm at camp again. A whole year has passed and I still get excited about working with these amazing kids.

Since we're in the middle of the year, it's a good time to reflect, rejuvenate and re-goal your writing ambitions for the rest of 2008. To that end, here's a bunch of posts on goal setting for writers from my old blog at Fountain Pen, Inc. Enjoy!

Best of...Goals! by me at fountainpeninc.blogspot.com

The Art of Fictional Query Letters

Just a reminder that I'm gone at summer camp all week, but here's a question from a blog reader I thought you might find interesting...

Happy Writing,
Beth
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Dear Beth,

I liked your web site but can you recommend a web site for fiction writers like myself? I'm having trouble with the process of the query and I really would like to find some sort of group that I can learn from.

Sincerely,
S.H.

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S.H.,

I don't know about a group to join. Maybe you can get together with other fiction writers in your area and set up a semi-regular time to meet and go over your query concerns. You could even swap them or have a round-robin, where everyone gets a copy and time to comment.

As far as the actual writing of fiction queries, here are some places to visit for ideas and inspiration:

Queries to Editors

Charlotte Dillon's Write A Query Letter page (amazingly comprehensive--if you read this and still don't comprehend a query letter, you shouldn't be a writer)

Writing a Killer Query Can Be Simple by Natalie Collins at FictionFactor.com


How To Write a Query at AgentQuery.com

Sample Query Letter by Melissa Alvarez

Queries to Agents


How to Write Great Queries Without Resorting to Threats, Bribery or Coercion by Wendy Keller at Absolutewrite.com

How to Query an Agent by Holly Lisle

How to Query a Literary Agent by Richard Dooling (on his blog; also contains additional, excellent links)

Best of...Writer's Block

hey, guess what? I'm still at camp, but hopefully this revisited post from my days with the Fountain Pen, Inc blog will come in handy if you find yourself creatively blocked in any way...

Oh, My Gosh: Writer's Block by Beth at the Fountain Pen, Inc blog

Happy unblocking,
Beth

Help for Middle Muck in Fiction

Just a reminder that I'm gone this week at camp. Here's a post I'm sure will help many of you fiction writers in the crowd who struggle with the middles of your stories (me included):

2 Plot Tips for the Middle by Martha Alderson at her fabulous Plot Whisperer blog (stay and read a while--I guarantee you'll learn something)

Off to Camp...

Wow, hard to believe it's been an entire year since I was at camp, but it's true. And now it's time to go back!

I've worked with this camp for diabetic teengers since my brother (a diabetic diagnosed at age 18 mos) invited me 15 years ago, and it's truly the highlight of my summer. Just ask any of my friends from camp. I have an official countdown, and I usually start packing in June.

Camp is an amazing place full of super-wonderful-kids and staff and I am honored they keep letting me come back and help run the program. It's so fantastic to be a part of something that changes the lives of so many kids.

I'll be without the internet all week (I think I can survive), but I've lined up a blog post for you every day using Blogger's advance post option. Hope it works...lol. If not, have a productive, creative week and stop by the first week of August when life resumes again.

Oh, and I didn't forget about the contest. I'm going to keep it going during this week since I haven't had time to do anything with it. Every comment is an entry, and when I get back, I'll have Jason the Boy Genius choose one. Lots of goodies for the winner....

Til then, happy writing!

Beth

Rough draft....DONE!

Yay! The rough draft for the October writing magazine article is done. 15 pages longhand, written with a felt-tip (it just felt good) and a massive hand cramp, but it really looks good. I'm excited.

I had a bit of a rough patch getting this one started. Usually, with nonfiction and articles, I can get the first whiff of a first sentence and dig right in, but this one took about two pages to nail down. And I started it with something I have never done before (that I recall) in an article for a national magazine: a personal story.

The idea for this article (the topic is the difference between romance sub-genres) hit me on my second day of spring break in the beautiful Sonoran desert of Arizona. Sitting there on the porch swing of my casita at 5:30 am (the sun rises early in Arizona), I tried, for about the third time, to read a new book I'd just bought and couldn't get into it. Granted, it wasn't a romance--it was a horror novel. Despite the fact that the last horror novel I read was IT by Stephen King (I still walk around sewer openings on the street and cry when I see clowns) in the fifth grade, the geographical foundation of this new horror book was something I'd done lots of research on and loved with all my heart...so I thought I'd give it a try.

No dice. I couldn't stop thinking, as I read, that this would not end with a HEA (happily-ever-after) but instead someone's (or many someones') deaths. Aside from the fact that the novel read like a straight line with minimal description and absolutely no character emotion or POV depth (all 3rd person limited...ick), I tried. Boy, did I. It just didn't work.

So, as I sat swinging and admiring the saguaros, I started thinking. What is it about reading different genres that attract different readers? I didn't dismiss horror as a genre worth reading---the way horror keeps fans glued to the edge of their seat and makes them scream in fear is a worthy goal for the author of horror. What I wanted to know is WHAT elements of fiction draw the reader to their favorite genre(s). I started thinking about how all genres have one or two fictional elements they do well. Sci Fi, horror, romance, medical thrillers...they all have something special.

When I got home, I toyed with the idea for a bit then sent off a note to the editor (with whom I have worked before and love working with). She liked it, especially since I hasn't been done before in the magazine, but I had to tailor it to the subgenres of romance fiction. Hey, no prob.

Long story short (is there such a thing with me?), I started the article with a much shorter version of this story as the introduction. I still have to type, edit and proof, but the meat is done. And none too soon. It's about time to pack and plan for another year of summer camp. I can hardly wait!

Almost a nerd

Jason the Boy Genius (I'm not joking about that!) is a big race car fan. He never misses a racing season with his grandparents at Mid-Ohio in Lexington, and this year was no exception. Despite being on a tight deadline, I agreed to go with the boys to the Indy race today (what fun, I go often but also miss some due to summer camp conflicts).

I justified my wasting a perfectly good writing day by convincing myself that I would balance it with reading and documenting the research for the next article on the way up. Since it's a good hour and fifteen minutes one way, I figured that'd give me two & a half hours of time going through interviews--my favorite but most time-intensive part of the article-writing process.

We pulled in just as I had started documenting the research after reading through it. The Indy race itself hadn't yet started, but the preliminary race (I call them Baby Indy cars; Jason's car-specific knowledge doesn't appreciate that) was about to get going. I figured I could watch that race, do all my spreadsheeting (on paper), and put it away in time for the big race.

Then I thought about all the folks I've seen over the years at Indy races and realized I'd never seen any of them carrying a spiral notebook and shimmery purple folder crammed full of interviews to the grass in the S-curves. Knowing I had better verify this idea was OK, I piped up from the back of the car.

"Hey, I've got a question. Do you think it would be OK if I took my notebook and folder with me to do a little...."

I didn't even get the question finished before two solid, resounding, almost reverberating "NO"!!!s came back in unison.

"You would be the biggest nerd ever if you did that, mom. No way." I could almost hear the teenage embarrassment in J's voice at the mere thought that his mother would be doing work while cars zoomed around the course.

I spared them both (and myself?!) the humiliation by leaving my stuff in the car, but couldn't help but notice that the lady in front of us was reading a romance novel during the Indy baby race. No one even gave her a second look.

Well, except for Jason and I. I was jealous; he was relieved someone else looked nerdier than his mother in public (for once). He's just lucky it was too bright to read in the blazing sunlight...

My Current Obsession: To Kindle or Not To Kindle

I've been having issues lately with wanting an Amazon Kindle. You know, the little ebook reader from Amazon that feels really good, looks really good and can take the place of my Leaning Tower Of Pisa-to-be-read stack...and go to the pool with me, too?

I hadn't even heard of the Kindle until my friend Steph got one as a gift. I marveled at it--not only am I a book-o-phile, but I'm also a gadget freak. Loved the way it felt and since I love reading ebooks as much as paperbacks, thought it was a great idea I'd save up for.

I've come closer to my saving goal (It ain't cheap, that's for sure...one of the other drawbacks) and want to be sure this is how I want to spend the money burning a hole in my pocket (as mom would say). I've been peppering Steph with questions recently, but am still somewhat torn.

Knee-deep in revisions and pending deadlines, I gave up on my quest only (temporarily) only to find a fascinating article at NPR today (and eerily similar to the evaluation shared by Steph):
Taking Kindle to the Pool by Lynn Neary.

Problem is, it really didn't help. Only made me more curious to get one for myself to judge the value. At over 300 smackers, it'd better be a value...lol.

How about you? Anyone have a Kindle and an opinion? (having a Kindle isn't required for opinion but it does make for valuable feedback!). I probably won't pursue it until after camp, sometime in August, but I'd still like your thoughts. Anyone? Anyone?

I'm a Guest Blogger...at Eric Maisel's Creativity Central

Just made a quick stop over at Eric Maisel's Creativity Central blog to find my guest blog post for this week. I've volunteered to do weekly posts on the creative life along with several other great bloggers.

Come, check me out and add a comment or two. Make it look like *someone* reads my stuff LOL!

Finding Creative Balance at Eric Maisel's Creativity Central blog.

Beth Reviews...Stranger than Fiction

My best friend is a movie buff. More like raving addict, IMHO. He sees almost every movie that comes out, and is one of those guys who line up at midnight to get into the first showing of movies that he likes and/or will be really big.

Some time ago, he told me that I needed to see Stranger Than Fiction because of my writing habit. Since Jason the Boy Genius talked me into a Netflix subscription (let's just say movies are rarely on my 'to-do' list), I got Stranger Than Fiction on Friday.

And here's what I thought...

What a cool premise. A little unsettling, especially to the woman who has umpteen unfinished manuscripts at all levels of completion lying around the house, but still unique. Emma Thompson (aka Kay Eiffel) made the perfect scattered, homicidal author. The touch of Queen's English really gave her that extra boost.

I didn't know Will Ferrell was in the flick, and I'm guessing my friend didn't mention it because he knows Will movies drive me crazy (not in a good way...). However, I was actually surprised by his unusually normal performance (it's the character). I felt so sorry for him as he sat on that final bus, all day long, reading the manuscript only to find out his fate. I also wanted to know more about what kind of mother doesn't make cookies for her kids (LOL). Call it writer's instinct but I had a hunch the watch had something to do with the ending.

I also liked how well the characters were characterized by simple means. Dustin Hoffman's character and his coffee (in the urinal?! LOL). Emma and her cigarettes. Will and his numbers. When we cut narrative to the bones in our writing, we can show the same things with meaningful symbols.

All in all, a good movie. If you were expecting a Siskel & Ebert review, you're outta luck.

There were two amazing quotes in the movie that I absolutely loved. Writers will understand!

First, when Kay and Penny are sitting beside the river and Kay is envisioning the car plunging into the water as they sit in the rain (and she tries smoking):

Penny: Sitting in the rain won't write books.
Kay: Well, that illustrates how much you know about writing books.

And the second is when Kay figures out how to kill Harold. Standing by the window, she and Penny have a casual discussion about the actual death scene:

Kay: It came to me.
Penny: How?
Kay: Well, Penny, like anything worth writing, it came to me inexplicably and without method.

Absolutely true. Don't try to deny it.

If you haven't seen it and you write fiction of any type, you really should check it out. It will certainly make me think twice about killing any characters in the future...

Agent's Call for Nonfiction Submissions

Nonfiction authors, stop pouting! The Caren Johnson Literary Agency is looking for submissions from you, too. Below is a snippet; visit http://johnsonlitagency.wordpress.com/2008/07/02/call-for-non-fiction-2/
for the whole story. And good luck!


I want books by journalists or experts in the field that take a new or different look at familiar subjects. A few books that I read and really enjoyed are: The Wal-Mart Effect, by Charles Fishman, In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto, by Michael Pollan, Legacy of Ashes, by Tim Weiner (not technically narrative non-fiction, but really enjoyable because of how readable it was), Fast Food Nation, by Eric Schlosser, Nickel and Dimed: On Not Getting By in America, by Barbara Ehrenreich, and Nerds: Who They Are and Why We Need More of Them, by David Anderegg. I have two books on my list that I’m extremely proud of that fit into this category that I’ll highlight to give you an idea of what I’m desperate to see now: Once Again to Zelda: The Stories Behind Literature’s Most Intriguing Dedications, by Marlene Wagman-Geller and Where am I Wearing: A Global Tour to the Countries, Factories and People that Make Our Clothes, by Kelsey Timmerman.

Agent's Call for Contemporary Romance Submissions

Just came across this on one of my loops & thought I'd share. This is just a snippet; visit the Caren Johnson Literary Agency's page for the specifics:

http://johnsonlitagency.wordpress.com/2008/07/02/call-for-romance-2/

So here’s the challenge: I want to find 3-4 romance authors who have great contemporary romances (sorry paranormal and romantic suspense authors—as I keep saying, I have some great authors already writing this in my stable so I don’t want to have too much competition within the agency). Please send me great stories with well developed characters, fun plots and great locations (I’m an armchair traveler so don’t hesitate to set your stories in your hometown of Wichita, Kansas or Phoenix, Arizona; I’d love to hear about those places). Send all queries via email—submissions@johnsonlitagency.com— and let’s get some good stories going.

If fiction were nonfiction....

Thinking in terms of the writing process on this one.

Yesterday I went to the corner coffee shop to do a bit of editing, a bit of outlining and some writing. The editing was for one of the guest blog pieces I mentioned earlier, due this weekend. Wednesday evening, I wrote out the rough draft, and as I wrote, I finally got to the message I wanted to convey. It didn't start until the third page, but it was there, and it's highly unlikely from that point to the end that I will edit at all.

As I worked on rewriting the first third of the piece, I had a sudden realization that writing fiction and writing nonfiction should essentially be the same type of process: just write. Sit down, pen on paper, and just start writing.

But that isn't so. I marveled at the realization that in fiction, I struggle to get started. I will find almost anything to do before writing: dishes, take a shower, call my mother..practically any excuse to start. With nonfiction, I grab a pen, the portfolio, and launch into my writing, knowing that I'll probably draft a little, revise a little and work in better words and phrases.

It comes down to this: I start nonfiction knowing and expecting I'll draft, but start fiction with the need for perfection, which keeps me from starting at all many times.

Completely insane.

Do you have this problem? If so, how have you worked on it? It's very interesting to me, especially with the belief that if I can approach fiction with my nonfiction mindset, I might actually get somewhere....

Love Tarot? Check out this contest!

I've been raving to my writing girls about an online course I'm taking which integrates tarot reading with plotting via the Hero's Journey. I was a bit wary because I have ZERO tarot experience (except for being fascinated by it), and, well, let's just say my plotting stamina has something to be desired.

The course has been an absolute godsend. I have never in my life plotted more deeply into a book than I have, and we're only halfway through (but I digress).

Key to my understanding has been the excellent teacher, Stephanie Arwen Lynch. So imagine my surprise when I found out she's going to be not only chatting on a radio show about the Tarot (she *is* the current president of the American Tarot Association), but also hosting a contest for a free reading....:) I'm posting here to get myself into the drawing (definitely check out her blog if you're even remotely interested. Really fab stuff she's got going on!). You won't be sorry....


Let's Talk Tarot & Readings

Do you want to learn more about Tarot? Want to listen in as a professional Tarot consultant gives free readings? Want to be one of the people who gets a reading? Come join Stephanie Arwen Lynch, president of the American Tarot Association and professional Tarot consultant, as she chats with authors Mandy M Roth and Michelle Pillow Wednesday July 16th from 11pm to 12 midnight EST.

And you can win a free reading by posting this notice somewhere it hasn't been posted and leaving the link here. Have to leave it there or it doesn't count.

Busier than A-Rod's attorney

Sorry for the sports reference but my brain is almost mush at this point. What a busy day.

Not complaining--this is part of the reason writing is so much fun. Started the day by sending out the interview/questionnaire requests, then moved on to checking email, only to find I've been asked to guest blog in two new places (how cool is that?!) (details after they're hashed out). Had a morning meeting then a one o'clock phone interview. Yeah, the one I was dreading. Not out of fear but unfamiliarity. I've never talked with a PR person before (in terms of an article), but I had nothing to worry about.

It was a blast! I learned some absolutely fascinating health stuff that will not only flesh out this article (due next week), but gave me some GREAT ideas for a query or two to some big-name markets...ones I've been trying to get into for quite some time. Fingers crossed...

From there, I sent out more questionnaires, worked on a column and played with a few blog widgets. With dinner came another amazing query idea I'm itching to send out to the same big-namers above. Maybe I'll save that one so that when the rejection comes from the first, I can whip out another fab idea. Did some camp planning (soooo close to camp....), and am about to settle in and crank out a minimum three pages on the fiction WIP. I'm also taking part in my local RWA chapter's Power Draft this week, in which I pledged to finish chapter one of the fiction WIP. I'm 1/3 done, so I've got work to do.

Amazingly, I'm not tired yet, and I've been up since 6. Must be that good writing karma.....

Romance Authors are the BEST

...and not just because I am one!

I posted the call for authors this morning here, on my blog, and to three author loops to which I belong. A couple of great ladies passed it on via Twitter and other loops, and as of right now, I've sent out 53 questionnaires. Absolutely fabulous. I've always known romance writers are the best and this just confirms it.

Even better--the responses are completely awesome. I really am so psyched for this article. What's interesting is how the whole idea came about. I'll share that in an upcoming post.

If you're published and just stopping by at the request of a friend and wonder if I can use your insight--absolutely. Please drop me a line at: beth@bethmorrow and I'll be glad to send you the questionnaire. More sources mean a stronger article and more insight, so come on! Tell me what makes your sub-genre the best!

Wanted: Published Romance Authors

If you're a published romance writer and want a little free promo, I've got a deal for you!

I'm working on an article for the October '08 issue of the RWR (topic: sub-genres of romance) and need author interviews to round out the piece.

If you're interested, (the questionnaire is only five questions long and I need it no later than July 20th), drop me an email at: beth@bethmorrow.com or blog@bethmorrow.com and we can chat.

Do feel free to pass this on to any romance-writing friends who might be interested.

Thanks a bunch! Now back to the writing....

My kingdom for a pen....

I'm a ink-pen addict. I make no bones about it. I can't write unless I have the right pen.

98% of the time I'm a fountain pen girl. None of these new-fangled ink pens that stutter and leave blotches. I need the good, solid heft of a real pen to write, especially fiction, which I draft longhand first.

The other 2% of the time, I'm testing out new pens. I buy pens like most women buy shoes. Anything new, shiny, sparkly or with a pretty color suckers me in immediately. The guys at Staples (near where I used to work and now near my house) all know me by first name. If I have a bad day at school, I don't drink to forget my problems (well, ok, I do ...), I stop by the pen aisle on the way home and pick up something cool.

My latest trial-and-error is a success. For years, the only pen the hubby would use to grade lab notebooks and chemistry quizzes was the Pilot extra-fine. (In red, of course). A few weeks ago, I discovered the Pilot Precise v5 RT (extra fine as well)--in a retractable, not capped, form. I got a package (for him, I claimed) for fun.

I love this pen!! It's smooth and doesn't skip, drip or smear. (I'm a fast writer). I love the extra fine tip for scribbling extra notes to myself in the margins (or between lines) for future drafts. I'm not going to leave the fountain pens anytime soon, but this is a definite keeper.

(It takes so very little to excite me sometimes it's almost scary, but if you write longhand, you understand my happiness :))

When you write, which pen is your favorite? Tell me about it. Remember, every post gets you entered in the July 23 drawing by Jason, the boy genius. (a hint: he hates writing with pens. Pencils only. Maybe he's adopted...)

(and maybe an extra point if you can tell me from whom I filched the post title from...)

Oooh, Goody! A Contest!

Yeah, it's been a while. I've been cruising around my favorite blogs and realized I haven't done much to reward you loyal readers (and lord knows, you need a reason to read this drivel!)

For the next three (or so) weeks, I'm gonna host a contest. Lucky for you, there's no writing to this one. Every comment you post will constitute an entry, and on July 23rd, I'll have Jason, the boy genius, pick his favorite for a nice little summer door prize. Don't start looking into vacay properties just yet--there's no cash involved. (I am a struggling writer just like you!). But I do have a nice assortment of writing toys for your pleasure, maybe a craft book or two. I'll see what I can dig up and will post that list later.

In the meantime, I'm on my way to a post about my newest (simpleminded) discovery: pens. Try not to have too much fun with that one....

Goals with the Girls

Just back from a nice gab session at Panera's with the Serious Writer girls. Every three weeks, we all meet and congratulate, commiserate and cogitate on our writing and writing process.

It never, ever, ever (did I say "ever?") fails that I come home ready and raring to write from these coffeeshop gatherings. Whether it's a renewed focus on my fiction or a new attitude toward my articles, the SW girls always get me moving (and it's not just the threat of owing $5 in three weeks for lack of meeting the goal.)

Here are my next goals. This will be a busy three-week period, because the 25th-August 2nd I'll be away on vacation (working at summer camp--better than any vacation anywhere), and there's no time to mess up.

1) Finish chapter one in the new fiction work (untitled as of yet)
2) Submit romance genre article on July 24th (not due til Aug. 3 but I don't think my brain will be back in writing mode after camp)
3) Submit article editor requested today (yay!) for diabetes magazine (due the 17th, would like to turn it in by the 15th)

I think that's good enough. Not to mention I'm still taking the plotting-your-novel-using-the-Tarot online workshop (SOOOoooo much fun!), so I have to keep up with that as well. Suddenly, my summer went from slow to slow down in just a day. I like it that way :)

What about you? What about your writing goals for the next three weeks? And how will you reward yourself? I'd love to hear!

Writing Karma, part 2

I just spent a few minutes trying to find the post where I'd mentioned how I swear some writing topics & ideas are synergistic, meaning several people write about them in a close timeframe. It's happened to me before, and it's just happened to me again. (I can't find the post but I'm going to bore you with my story anyway!)

Maybe this one wasn't karmic in nature. I like to think it was my intellect as a writer coming to the surface before someone else (whom I admire) wrote a similar article.

I'm a huge, huge fan of Chris Bibey's Freelance Writing blog, so imagine my surprise when I hopped over for a dose and found a post (almost eerily) similar to a two-article series I just finished for the Writer2Writer.com ezine this month. Same topic, same advice (though mine spans two columns). Wild!

Check it out for yourself and tell me how crazy this is:

My articles, from May and June:

4 Ways to Get Freelance Writing Jobs, Part 1: Online Jobs

4 Ways to Get Freelance Writing Jobs, Part 2: Real-Life Jobs

and Chris' post today:

How to Find More Freelance Writing Clients Next Month


Tell me that's not a little bit funky!

I just hope no one is working on a novel with my unique theme...

The ugly baby's been put to sleep

...and thank god, none too soon.

I actually re-read the story (not my usual M.O. in reviewing books) to see exactly what it was that I didn't like so much. I discovered, aside from the crappy editing (for example, the hero asks a question, the heroine has three lines of internal thought, then a one-word response in quotation marks attached to the end of her thought...ack!!), I was disappointed that the author failed to deliver the premise.

The story started strong and romantic, but a few pages in, we get zinged with a gratuitous (and vivid/graphic) sex thought by the heroine--in the MIDDLE of a fight scene between the hero and her (bully) friend. Nothing the heroine had said, thought or done up to this point in the book was remotely graphic/erotic. Sensual, yes. But I swear (and didn't write, though I wanted to), that it was as if the graphic thoughts were randomly inserted as if to make this story salable as an erotica.

Shame, too. Had such potential as a simple romance. Ah, well. I just signed up for three more books to review. One contemporary and two paranormal time travels. I'm hoping the ugly baby was the only one of the summer and that the rest of the reviews are smooth sailing.

As if one of me weren't enough...

So what if it's true I just squandered away the last half-hour playing online? I found the funnest place to mess around in a long time.

Doesn't hurt that it's related to the best show known to mankind...aka the Simpsons.

Here's the rub: upload a photo of yourself and it'll Simpsonize you. I think it's a little dark for me, but it's still cute...

Simpsonize yourself at: http://simpsonizeme.com/

How Did I End Up On the Cover...

This is entirely too funny. Someone is too creative for their own good!

(Yeah, so it's from 2006. Still funny)

How Did I End Up on the Cover of this Romance Novel?

Fiction hates me.

The best part of being a fiction writer is discovering the story.

The worst part of being a fiction writer is discovering the story requires you to tell the story in ways you try to avoid because they scare you.

The current WIP was initially a very short story idea--no more than 20 pages. However, as I've played with it, it's gotten bigger. Part of the appeal of the short short to me is that novel-length still scares me a little. I mean, try writing six of them and getting nowhere. After a while, and success at a shorter length, it makes sense to stick with what's working.

Oh, but no. I had to get this idea, had to start working on it and figure out where it's going. I get bits and pieces at a time, and that keeps me happy and writing. But once I figured out the hero's main problem, there was a slight possibility that his current problem (which stems from a past tragedy) could trigger a mushroom cloud of emotion, requiring a deeper, more complex story line than I could possibly cover in twenty pages.

I gave up on the 20 pages thing before I started to write. Novella, I convinced myself, and continued plotting, blissfully happy that I could manage the length with the story I had.

My walk & plot session on Friday, however, turned the tables on me. Damned if I didn't know from the start that his emotional plot line is going to require his past tragedy on center stage. Over an hour of walking and plotting, and only one conclusion: the story can't be the story without his action today to overcome the tragedy of yesterday.

Oh, well. I've plotted a novel (or six) before, I can do it again. I just wish I didn't hear that sarcastic laughter in the back of my head saying....I told you so....

Past my bedtime

I put off the ugly baby review for another day. Just can't get the gumption to write something I don't want to write.

But I have been working today. I judged two contest entries for my local RWA chapter as a discrepancy judge. One was ....not an ugly baby but.... and the other was almost perfect. Loved the story, the style and the premise. Not to mention the h/h tension. I think I'll be reading that as a published novel some day....

I've also been plotting the current WIP. I'm taking a different route on this one: tarot cards. Yeah, I know--I know nothing about them other than they're pretty. But I'm taking an online course by a very talented Tarot reader & novelist who is one of the best online instructors I've had. I've been toying with my hero's issues over the past few days, and tonight when I drew his Call to Action card, things started to fall into place. An English professor who hates the classics and finds myth overrated...that's the tortured soul I've been hearing about!

I also got a nice bit of news earlier this evening. An online article I wrote for a diabetes magazine was selected for the print version, due out in July or August. Just gotta get 'em a bio and photo. My favorite part of the writing process...

Off to draw a card for my heroine's Call to Action. I could do this all night...well, if I knew anything else about Tarot cards, I could...lol

How do you say....ugly baby?

Actually, this was going to be my pre-Martha Beck post but I tend to get a little excited when I find real-life stuff that relates to writing.

This post is all writing-related.

I've been reading a book for a review. I used to do a lot of reviewing but cut back about a year ago. This one's a fiction title I'm doing for a review site I work with. I was intrigued by the premise, so I took it off the shelf. It's an erotica, which I don't mind reviewing, just have to post under the pen name. It's a novella, so it was a quick (one-night) read.

And that's about the only good stuff I can say about it.

Don't get me wrong. It's not the sub-genre. I've read some fan-tabulous erotica authors (Angela Knight, JC Wilder, Rosemary Laurey come to mind, for starters). It's the book itself. It comes from a great, popular publisher that I've read tons of stuff from, and almost always like. As I mentioned, I LOVED the premise.

But the story sucked.

I couldn't bring myself to care about the characters. All the heroine did was sob about her ex (boyfriend, husband. I forget) and feel sorry for herself. While that happens in life, if it happens in fiction, it should be a spoonful with a purpose, not a cup full to be dumped. As for the hero, I was told repeatedly how sexy he was, and occasionally shown how sexy he was (although any character younger than my 29 year-old brother doesn't qualify as "sexy", he qualifies as "a kid"). He didn't come across as true male because of a few of his actions, but that was a minor offense.

The story goes along nicely, if blandly. The heroine is a simple lady, not a sensual thought in her head. But when the hero is introduced, it's like Mrs. Jekyll and Hyde. Stuff happens to the heroine that literally shocked me out of the story. Not what happened--I can handle that. More of how out-of-character-for-the-character-I'd-just-been-reading it was.

Think: Miss Beadle in "Little House on the Prairie" (the first teacher) turns into Catherine Tramell (Sharon Stone's alter-ego in "Basic Instinct")..then back again.

Freaky, huh? That's a pretty good assessment. (I know. Take a little time to think that one over...LOL). Over and over and over. Just s*x for the sake of s*x, not the sake of furthering plot or character.

Well, that was my reading night. To make matters worse, the book was HORRIBLY (or, quite possibly, not at all) edited. Tense shifts, point of view changes, the hero internalizing thoughts the heroine should have had...it took everything in me not to pull out the red pen and edit the damn thing as I read.

At the end, I was so disheartened. I loved the premise. Still do. But the quality of writing, the depth of emotion, the story delivery fell so short I feel like I completely wasted those hours of my life and should demand a refund.

The worst part about this is that I still have to write a review. Mind you, I've written not-so-favorable reviews before (only one that I actually recall). I completely document the reasons why, because I don't believe writers should be criticized (their stories, anyway) without solid proof, but I also don't believe people should spend money on a story that is more of a brainstorming session without structure.

Since getting my own story published, I've developed an extra sensitivity to the whole review process. Waiting for those first reviews can make you want to throw up. (at least me). I don't want to make anyone feel bad about their work, but this one is truly worse than the bag of forgotten lettuce I found in the back of the fridge last week.

Stories are our babies. We fuss and play with them for weeks or months in our minds before we let them into the world. Who wants to hear they have an ugly baby? I'm going to need extra help with this one...

10% More...

I went to a meeting this morning and the speaker presented an interesting thought (this was on the topic of losing weight, but I'm always thinking writing):

What if you did just 10% more in addition to what you're already doing? How would that change your results?

Pretty easy in terms of weight loss. I walk an hour a day and do about 20 minutes of weightlifting a day, of some sort, so those numbers are simple.

But what about writing? If it were you, how would that translate? Here are some thoughts: (bear with me if the math is off. We all know I truly suck. I'm trying hard LOL)

--one additional query for each ten you send out
--ten additional minutes of brainstorming or writing for every hour that you spend
--five additional pages edited for every 50 (or however many you may edit at a time)
--one more reprint market approached for every ten

I kept it simple, mostly because to do percents, I have to keep the numbers small (lol), but I really am thinking of how 10% more (per day) spent on my writing would be the most well-spent. So many possibilities.

How about you? If you chose to give 10% more to your writing, where would you add it and why? I'd love to hear....

Oprah Mag II: Martha's Article

I suppose if I were a good blogger, I'd have done this first...lol.

Stopped by Oprah's site and found the text link to Martha's article on regret:

Who's Sorry Now? by Martha Beck

Page 2 has the particular section I mention below. See if it doesn't make you think a bit differently about your character emotions....

Oprah Magazine and the Art of Character Development

I'm a huge fan of life coaches, especially Cheryl Richardson and Martha Beck. I don't think I've ever heard anything from either of these ladies that didn't make sense to some part of my life.

In the July issue of Oprah Magazine, Martha's "Advice, etc." column shows that she's not only a very funny writer (which you can pick up by reading her books as well), she's got some serious insight into human emotions, most notably in this article, regret.

I wasn't reading for any particular reason other than I like her stuff, but when I got to the second step, "Separate regret's basic ingredients", it struck me that this isn't only a blueprint of human emotion, it's also one of our fictional characters' emotions.

That second step alone is worth its weight in gold when it comes to figuring out what our characters are feeling. Rather than lump "anger" or "happiness" or "remorse" into a one-word description in our stories, we'd be far better served (and get to the heart and meat of the character, which in turn deepens the reader's reaction and emotional engagement) to figure out what elements go into that emotion for that character at that point in time. Not only will it add depth to the story and character, it might even lend itself to a few scenes or a future action that can highlight the problem (remember, show, don't tell).

If your character is angry, why is she angry? It isn't enough to know she's angry because someone backed into her new car. One character might be angry because the car represents her life savings and now she has to find a way to pay for repairs. Another might be angry because the person who backed into her was driving drunk, and her brother was killed by a drunk driver. (ooooh, backstory and emotion. Like that!). A third might be angry because the accident is making her late for the most important court date of her lawyer career. And a fourth might be mad because he was borrowing the car from dad...without mentioning it to dad that he was leaving. Four characters, four stories, four drastically different points of view...from one emotion.

Read the article for a more in-depth presentation of what I'm trying to summarize. What it really comes down is.....Get to the root of your problem and infuse your stories with the detail you discover. Your readers will thank you for it.

Be a writer, not a wimp

Yesterday while awaiting the start of my yoga class, I overheard a conversation between two older women I didn't know, but, judged on their interaction, must have known each other. Here's the gist:

Lady 1: "Wow, it's been so long since I've seen you. What are you up to?"

Lady 2: "Not much. After class, I've got a meeting with my writing group."

Lady 1: "I didn't know you were a writer. What do you write?"

Lady 2: "Oh, well, um, I, you know, well. I wrote one poem about six years ago and it was published."

Lady 1: "Neat. So what do you do with your writing group?"

Lady 2: "Well, we write stuff. And share stuff. Well, I don't really write, but I just visit with them. I think about writing. I'm not really that good at writing."

Lady 1: "That's nice. Sounds fun. So where can I find your writing?"

Lady 2: "Um, oh, well. Um, well, there's not too much. Just the poem. There are three places, but the websites are long. You probably won't remember."

Lady 1: "Can I just Google your name? Or the name of the poem? What's the title of the poem?"

Lady 2: "Oh, dear. No, it was over six years ago. One of the websites is, um, well, I think...www.blahbeddyblah.blah.com..."

Lady 1: (after three deep breaths, a confused look then a relieved look when the instructor came into the class): "Well, it was nice seeing you again. Have fun at your...writing...meeting. Have a good class."

===

It took everything in me not to get up, shake the "writer" and plop her down on her purple mat. Two things about the interaction really hacked me off:

1) If you're a writer, don't be a wimp about it. No "oh, well, um..er...and I...but I'm not good enough because I'm not published...blahblahblah" crap. This might sound a little harsh, and even judgmental, but I feel justified in saying it because I was once in that very position.

I loved writing, wrote a number of short stories and six novels that were just not meant to be published. I hardly ever admitted in public that I was a writer, and when I did, I beat around the bush. Part a lack of confidence, part a mental equation of publishing=true writer, I wanted validation from someone else that I was a writer. Once I realized that no one was going to pat my hand and say, "Oh, honey, you *ARE* a real writer!", I got the courage, in small increments, to admit without remorse that I was a writer. It eventually led to my first national feature, just from confidently sharing that I was a writer.

I told my son about the two ladies and he couldn't understand why I wanted to shake the lady right out of Hero's pose. I likened it to this example: No one else underestimates themselves like writers (especially unpubs). I have never met a lawyer or teacher or retail sales clerk who introduces themselves like: "Oh, I sorta do law and represent some people but I haven't won a million dollar case yet, so I'm just dabbling in law," or, "Um, I, uh, well, I teach kids, but they're not really that great and don't have college scholarships or anything," or, "I like to sell stuff, but just little things like perfume and handbags. I'm not really a salesperson because I haven't sold a ten-carat diamond bracelet yet."

Hello?! If you're a writer, you're a writer. Practice in front of a mirror if you have to, or with a friend. Don't be the Cowardly Lion of writing.

Oh, and the second thought: (lol)

2) On the other hand, if Miss Writing Example isn't writing, only wrote one poem six years ago and hangs out with other writers for fun but doesn't really write anything, either get your butt writing or quit calling yourself a writer. Yes, harsh again, but it hacks me off to no end that "being a writer" is more about "hanging out with writers" than "writing". I call myself a baker, and, if you ask anyone around me, I'm always baking something. Cookies, bread, currently trying to win a cookbook contest with my secret peanut butter dessert...I don't call myself a baker because I read cookbooks or hang out at a bakery and admire the croissant flakes.

Now, I know I have a different (read: more opinionated opinion) on this issue than other writers. I know because it's come up different times in different groups of writers, and it just makes me mad. I don't know why, it shouldn't be my concern if someone says they're a writer but they don't write. (That's like me claiming to be a math wiz when the last math problem I finished (incorrectly, most likely) was in geometry class in 1987. ) It just does.

So the bottom line is this: If you're a writer, admit you're a writer. If you're a wimp, don't admit that you're a wimp by admitting that you're a writer when you don't write. Thank you!

Freelance-Zone.com: Another Great Writing Blog (and not just because they mentioned me)

Ok, you're right. I should be working on the final edit for the business article...since it is due tomorrow. All I have to do is clean it up, so no worries. Geez. You're as bad as mom. (Ok, maybe not *that* bad...) (I'm kidding, mom!)

Instead, I'm running amok online, engrossed in my favorite internet past time: reading the blogs of other writers. Lord, we're all so much alike it's almost scary. (Actually, it's quite comforting).

You'll never guess what I found! A post about me and my writing blog! Crazy, huh? Joe Wallace, the intrepid author of the Freelance-Zone.com blog not only mentioned Writer In Progress, but gave us quite a nice post. I sure wasn't expecting that. In fact, when I pulled down his recent posts in my Firefox reader and saw "Writer In Progress" I worried someone was stealing my identity ...lol.

Anyways, the post gave me an unexpected boost. I have admired Joe's blog for some time, always look forward to reading and know that I'll find something new that will either have me thinking or acting toward a writing goal. I really like his take on all things writing and editing, and especially admire his ability to call things as he sees is instead of trying to sound all nice (it's a curse I cannot break. I wish I could bring myself to use "idiots", "WTF", "bastards" and "dolts" in my writing observations). Maybe I can work on that....

You really should stop over and check out his recent "Confessions of an Editor" series to understand just how ridiculous (unprofessional and wannabe) writers can be. Don't worry, we won't expect you back in time for dinner. Wander the halls and poke around the corners--I guarantee you'll find all kinds of great stuff over there.

Vote for Romance!

Just got a link from a colleague about a story & accompanying poll at MSNBC regarding romance novels & thought I'd share.

The article focuses on Danielle Steel's latest release....and a poll asking if you read "bodice rippers". Of course I voted that I did, and of course I left a snarky comment about the greatness of the genre, too. I despise general media's upturned nose at romance!

If you like romance in the least (as a reader or writer), check out the article and poll for yourself:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25191970/

The poll is about halfway down the page, past the cover shot of her newest release.

Mr. Logic Brain STINKS!

Sometimes I get overwhelmed by thought. I occasionally wonder if it's because I'm creative and have trouble focusing at times or if it's just human nature. For example...

This week I've been in the middle of two articles due on the same day (as you may have noted..lol). One was finished (I rarely draft nonfiction) Monday, and the other I just finished last night. Since I cannot, for the life of me, edit worth a crap on the computer, I printed them off around eleven and went to bed to approach them with a fresh eye today.

After a great walk with the dog around 7, I felt the pressure mounting to get these two pieces done and finished. Now. Right now, this instant. Two days, two days, two days is what my logical brain kept saying as I made breakfast and did a bit of cleaning. They're done, they're done, they're done, my creative brain replied as I put away dishes and pulled out boxes of plastic silverware for a party we're having tomorrow. As much as I disliked it, the logical brain just kept pounding away until the panic started to grow.

Hoping for relief, I edited the writing article. Super-easy-peasy. A few (ok, one) typos, a couple of synonyms and a reworded sentence later, I zipped it off to the editor...and made logical brain happy. He immediately shut his stupid mouth and the panic melted away. I think he thinks he got one up on me...logic is always trying to gain the upper hand in my creative life, but I refuse to allow it.

I'm sure I'll hear from him again soon enough, however. I'm still awaiting a phone call for a statistic I'd like to use in the biz article, and if my source doesn't return my call today, old logic will certainly have something to say about that. Why can't he just be quiet..for once?

writer's block? Have a pity party!

True to form, the pity party must have just cleaned out all kinds of stuff that's kept me from writing to my potential for the last few days. I managed to finish not one, but both articles today AND start scene 2 of chapter one.

Maybe I should have pity parties more often LOL. Let's hope the good vibes keep coming tomorrow when I work on a few more article ideas and blog brainstorming!

Always back to the writing

I woke early this morning without having gotten much sleep (par for the course on Sunday nights, who knows why?), had a nine a.m. appointment, then came home and relaxed for a bit with my dog on the patio.

I took my fiction notebook with me, since a snippet of self-revealing dialogue from my hero has been running around in my brain and I thought I'd try to capture it. It's one of those snippets that's too strong to be forgotten, the second scene in chapter 1, so I just let it go and relaxed.

Soon, I felt fully in the grip of a pity party. A couple of things have been weighing heavily on my mind recently, none of which are related to writing, but all of which have been gaining momentum as I shove them to the back of my brain and valiantly forge on through life. Wah, wah, wah, poor me. X is happening in this part of my life, Y already happened...yadda yadda. Don't tell me you don't have these moments (unless you're not human).

Since I spent almost three hours on Saturday in my first yoga class in six months (so, so good to be back in Hero's pose and scaring others with Lion's pose), I thought I'd do the proper Buddhist approach and sit with my feelings. I don't know if sitting=wallowing, but I did a bang-up job of it. I boo-hoo'ed and sniffled, whined and moaned (to myself, didn't want to scare the dog), did some creative visualization to rid myself of some of the crappier thoughts.

I finished with a bit of meditation, striving for that "blue sky mind" I like to get to when things get too fast or overwhelming to me. Now, I must admit that I love meditation and enjoy the challenge of it. I also tend to think I'm good at it (at which time I usually get snowed under by all kinds of stuff that gets in the way of blue-sky mind)--but not today. Instead of letting thoughts pass by like feathers on the wind, a lump of reality planted its round little butt in the middle of my meditation and refused to get up and leave.

Writing. In particular, two deadlines I have this week.

I tried pushing past, letting the thoughts go. I'm not concerned with the pieces--they're both pieces I'm passionate about. I've outlined one and finished the first draft of the second, and will most likely have them both done by the end of today or tomorrow, but my mind didn't want to hear any of that.

Writing. Ideas, thoughts, structure. Publishing, emotion, voice, character. Like little mice on the proverbial wheels, all of the elements of writing attacked my brain and started doing that little thing they always do when inside my mind: creating sparks and energy.

I fought the thoughts for a while, then relented. When I opened my eyes, I discovered that not only was my pity party a distant memory, but that I had a smile on my face and paragraphs assaulting me from every angle. I was refreshed and refocused, and all I had to do was lie in the lawn chair for a few minutes.

I have these "moments" (aka pity parties) now and then, and nothing ever seems to bring me back up out of the doldrums like writing. Of course, if you have any experience at all with writing yourself, you'll know implicitly that writing will send you to those doldrums, too, and sometimes keep pushing your head back down under the water, but eventually the pressure lessens, the creativity opens and the words flow. I can't explain it much more than that...it always comes back to the writing.

How about you? Do you ever feel like writing=life? How does writing affect you? I know I'm not the only one and am always curious to see how creativity manifests itself in the lives of others. Such an interesting topic...

Nonfiction Market: HCI Books

Just got wind of a new market you might be interested in:

HCI Books, the Life Issues Publisher, published the first of many New York Times bestsellers in 1983 and is the original publisher of the phenomenal Chicken Soup for the Soul® series.

Named the #1 Self-Help Publisher by Publishers Weekly, we are guided by the philosophy that we "publish people, not books" and we consider anthologies a core pillar of our publishing program.

Each title in the ULTIMATE series features

• talented writers who express the texture and nuances of everyday life
• full-color photography that tells a story without words
• the insight and knowledge of top experts and mentors in specific topics of interest to readers

We're looking for "slice-of-life" stories and photos that are inspirational, motivational, humorous or thought-provoking. Here's what's looming, please don't procrastinate - we're already evaluating stories (thank you if you've already sent one!):

submission deadline June 30, 2008(*) The Ultimate Christmas (pub date Nov 2008)
submission deadline July 31, 2008 The Ultimate Teacher (pub date Feb 2009)
submission deadline August 31, 2008 The Ultimate Mom (pub date March 2009)
submission deadline September 30, 2008 The Ultimate Dad (pub date April 2009)

All the details you'll need (e.g. what we pay, our guidelines, book synopses, and a full list of titles in development) can be found at www.ultimatehcibooks.com.

Visit the link above for all the details....and happy writing!

Beth

the best laid plans

I started this week with very high hopes for my creative (fiction) writing.

When the SeriousWriters met on June 1, I had the grand idea of challenging my friend Katy to a little writing competition. She's starting a new story, I'm starting a new story, and figured we could both use a kick in the pants. I proposed a challenge, and we refined it to be a race to 5K. The first one there wins (we never did choose a reward and punishment..hmmm). We were to start Monday and write with wild abandon until one of us crossed that threshold.

I was mentally prepped to go. I'd spent most of last week brainstorming and outlining the first two scenes of chapter one, nailed down all types of details I need to know before starting (especially names, which have changed), and was practically salivating on Sunday afternoon, forcing myself to not touch my Alphasmart under threat of death. True, I had to attend an out-of-town funeral on Monday, but it was an hour away, and that'd give me ample time to light up the keys with the bar scene.

Alas, it wasn't meant to happen. Insomnia struck Sunday night for some reason (probably thinking I had school Monday...), and I woke up in time to walk the dog and get dressed. Took the alphasmart, but car rides always put me to sleep if I'm the least bit drowsy, so I woke up just in time for the church.

I did do a little more brainstorming on the way home, but not much.

Tuesday, I had a morning appointment then nothing...writing until early afternoon when we were to head south for a baseball game. I did manage to type the first few paragraphs, but nothing as I'd hoped.

Today was a vet's appointment, more cleaning...only to have the hub&son invite friends over to swim, which required a house cleaning. Cleaned the house, friends didn't show. I'm here....no creative writing done. I did manage to sit down and fully brainstorm two nonfiction articles due on the same day next week, however.

Tomorrow I have zero plans. Nothing, except for getting up to walk the dog around six am. Oh, and I'm meeting the SeriousWriters for coffee. Yikes. I just hope Katy's had some busy days at work so I don't look like a total timewaster...maybe I can crank out something in the morning....

I still have high hopes for the story and the challenge. Just might take more time than I'd planned (isn't that the way with writing?!)

Great ideas from another Beth!

Beth Morrissey is a fellow freelance author with a great, insightful post today on her blog listing ideas for making more money--go check it out!

Money Matters: Making More at Beth Morrissey's Hell or High Water blog.

If nothing there gets you excited...well, we can't help. I'm guessing you'll have a ton of ideas after reading her list!

Why I love writing freelance articles

I think my brain is being a little bit contrary lately. After my post last night, I went to bed, full of the questions, thoughts and tidbits of story for my fiction-in-progress. I fell asleep thinking about the hero/heroine bar scene and it really came to life for me in my mind. I went to sleep with the intention of waking early (fiction always compels me to get up early and write--like 5am or earlier early) and writing myself into the story.

Sometime during the night, maybe during one of the massive thunderstorms that rolled through town, my brain changed gears. Instead of waking to thoughts of Christopher, I woke up with the complete outline and most of the text of a freelance article I'd just barely brainstormed a few weeks ago with one of the Serious Writing girls. Every bit of the article is there, on the tip of the brain, screaming at me to write it down. Of course I'll comply--it's a cool article idea that I hope will help many writers during the summer months get more done with the kids at home. Never, ever overlook writing when it comes unprompted to the brain. (Beth's first law of writing).

I love that nonfiction writing forms itself in my brain with very little anguish to me. Unlike fiction, I don't usually have to write out, longhand, my freelance articles--it's straight to the computer, type that sucker up, and let it simmer a few days before editing & proofing. There are few wrong turns, unless an editor wants a rewrite or additional source. Nonfiction always flows. Fiction does too, but not as often.

Man, do I love freelancing...

Why I love writing romance fiction

If you've read my blog for any length of time, you've probably noticed that I have a love/like (never hate) relationship with writing fiction vs. freelancing. My fiction doesn't sell, my freelancing does. If you're a writer, a little gratification now & then (in terms of a paycheck and/or credit) is nice, hence why I've been doing more freelance lately.

Last week, in cleaning up some old files, I found the beginning of a story I started last year and realized that it's really not that bad. I love the premise (if you've read Mandi's Lucky Day, it's a little twisty like that) and the hero is just a flat-out hunk with a tortured soul. I've been reading over the old notes and finished pages (about 12), and have found the story creeping back into my mind at odd times of the day.

Last night, I took the fiction writing notebook (yes, I have a fiction and a freelance one...they look and feel different) to bed and instead of getting sleep, brainstormed on the first three chapters, intent on answering one major question:

Who falls first?

Romance writers know what I mean. In a romance, either the hero or heroine has to give in first and show their hand in the attraction game. Otherwise, you lose readers. (In case you didn't know, Mandi is the one--and only--since the story is from her pov). There has to be some type of awareness on the part of one character for the other or we just run around in circles waiting for someone to make a move.

However--this is one of my weaknesses. For the most part, I'm a pantser. I do a bit of broad, overarching plotting (I know the beginning, ending and first kiss scene), but I generally write the rest by the seat of my pants. In the case of showing their hand, I rarely know who goes first, and when writing as a pantser, find that it's difficult to nail down.

So when I sat last night with the notebook and freshly-loaded fountain pen, I was trying to save myself a little grief and know the attraction focus from the start. I'll be honest: I didn't have much faith that I'd figure it out. I was tempted to just start writing and see how far I got, but instead I asked a lot of questions of my characters. I actually learned that my heroine's ex didn't get caught with the secretary, he had some type of secret life (hence the "ex"). I discovered that the story takes place in mid-spring Chicago, not Louisiana. I realized that my heroine's original name of Lily is entirely too light and simple for such a complex girl (I can't write far into a story without the perfect name. Once I name a character, they almost NEVER change). I also found that Christopher (that hunky hero I mentioned above) likes drinking scotch (ick) in quiet, dark bars. I found that I didn't need the setup scene in chapter one: if I dive into the story, it makes much more of an impact to the plot and reader.

Oh, and I discovered that Chris falls for [Lily] first. She's the exact opposite of the type of woman he thought she'd be (a setup date for a friend), and he is totally enamoured with her when she sits beside him at the bar and chats up the bartender about the loser professor she's gotta date for her sister in law...which happens to be him.

That's why I love fiction writing. Unlike freelancing, which I can almost completely complete in my head, I have to write out the problems of fiction to discover the solutions. Must be the mystery that has me hooked. Or that hunky hero...

What the heck am I doing here telling you about it? Where's that fiction notebook?!

Shameless Self-Promo

A writing colleague sent along this blog link today, which mentions the very fabulous writer2writer.com ezine that I write for monthly (you ARE subscribed, aren't you? It's f...r...e...e.....) in general and my recent article in specific (along with the talented Judy Bagshaw):

http://lesbillgates.blogspot.com/2008/05/is-this-best-site-for-writers.html

I think it's one of the better articles I've put together in a while, and even better...it's only part 1 of 2. Check it out here:

4 Ways to Get Freelance Writing Jobs: Part 1: Online Jobs at writer2writer.com

hint: part 2 will focus on real-life jobs...coming in June!

Want to learn the basics of freelancing? Sign up now!

Beth's Freelance Writing Course, June 2-30, with the Carolina Romance Writers

I don't know why I kept forgetting to mention this, but if you're interested in learning the nuts & bolts (and all kinds of other good stuff) about freelancing, come sign up for my class with the Carolina Romance Writers.

The online class will be from June 2-30, and I guarantee you'll get more for your $20 than you imagined. The secret idea generator is worth that alone (I'm being serious). What we'll study over the 4 weeks:

--finding markets for your work
--coming up with myriad ideas on one topic or key word
--working with editors (and the seven universal elements that will help sell your query to every editor)
--creating the perfect query (my favorite thing, as you know...) (with a template...you gotta love that...)
--a submission plan for you to get your ideas out to editors and get you published

Just so you know, this is NOT a workshop for romance writers only. (don't let the title fool you!) It's for anyone interested in learning more about the freelancing world and what it can do for your writing career. I've had many positive comments from folks who've taken the course before, and have had several send me notes that they got published as a result of the course.

Come on, it's better than reading a book...and a lot more fun!

If you have questions, be sure to send me a note (blog@bethmorrow.com)

I'm pretty qualified to answer whatever you wanna know :)


Fiction to Freelance workshop with the Carolina Romance Writers, June 2-30

Friday's 2 Freelance Lessons

A day late but still worth it!

Yesterday I learned a kinda new freelance lesson, but not one I didn't somewhat already know. And the second lesson isn't really a lesson for me, since I've done it before with success, but it never hurts to remind you of yet another great way into an editor's fold.

Old Lesson, revisited:
In visiting with my summer camp director a few weeks ago in her office, I spied a copy of a summer camp trade magazine for program and director people, and browsed through the content. I liked what I saw--and wish I'd have seen it sooner. I figured there were topics covered in past issues that I, as a camp program director for like the last ten years, could have used at some point. Immediately, though, my first thought was, "I have perfect experience for this publication and I want to write for them." I noted the url and visited at home that evening. I sent off a nice note to the editor (fake doesn't work here, only the genuine thing) about how I wished I'd have seen it sooner, and how I'd like to write for them. I didn't pitch any ideas, just mentioned that if she needed writers at some point, I had experience. (If you're a longtime reader, you know that I did this with a diabetes magazine about a year ago. They bought the article but folded before it had its debut)

I got a note back the next day thanking me for my nice note, and with an attachment: the editorial calendar. She said she was filling the Sept/Oct and Nov/Dec. issue slots and invited me to pitch something based on those topics. At that time, I was pressed to finish an overdue piece assigned me the week before, so I told her I'd reply to her by the end of next (last) week, which she was fine with. And that leads me to yesterday's lesson....

New Lesson:
So, I spent about a week staring at this list of topics and scratching my head. These were tough ones--things I knew about but really didn't know enough about to appeal to an audience of over 10K subscribers. I felt the pressure around lunch yesterday (my self-appointed freelance time at work), and thought that if I can't give her an idea to blow her away, I'd twist a topic into something I knew about intimately--a topic we were facing or have recently dealt with in my camping experience. I chose two topics (mini-lesson: always send two ideas. You can send one with a detailed outline and just mention the second, or two detailed outlines, or two general ideas, but always send two. Even if the editor isn't interested in either, it shows that you can think broadly and not just have one great idea for the rest of your life), wrote a paragraph for each on how we were facing those and dealing with them, and sent it off. I truthfully didn't expect them to interest her. I'm not usually at a loss for great topic ideas for articles, but that one tested me.

Got back a note last night from her: she didn't like one of them--she liked BOTH of them! Crazy. She appreciated the thought I put into them (knowing how to deal with them on an intimate kind of basis was a good thing for both of us) and would like them both. Very cool. So now I've got two more assignments to add to the calendar, for a topic I love deeply. Go with what you know, and you can't go wrong.

And don't quit writing this weekend just because it's a holiday!

Today's Freelance Lesson(s)

Today was a first for me...my first face-to-face interview. I interviewed a wonderful doctor and longtime friend from the summer camp I've worked at for the last 15 years on his thoughts on diabetes pumps. His insight was just what I needed, and conducting my first f2f (I've done phone and email interviews before) with him eliminated a lot of worry on my part. However, I did learn a few lessons:

1) Always call to re-confirm.
I scheduled this interview over a week and a half ago with his secretary and didn't think about re-confirming between then and today. But when I called to make sure his office was in the building I thought it was in, his secretary informed me that he doesn't see patients on Thursday. I reminded her that I'm a camp colleague and interviewing for a magazine article. She was OK with that, but when I sat down with him, he mentioned that she'd forgotten to put it on his calendar, and, as a result, he had limited time with which to interview with me. No prob, as the questions were fairly simple, but I wished I'd have called last week to remind them.

2) Don't always press on your questions (but be sure you get the answers you need)
In the interviews I've conducted, I often find that once I start asking questions, my pre-planned questions aren't half as interesting as some of the stuff my interviewees come up with. I once interviewed an internet marketing guy and had five simple questions to ask. I asked one, and we talked for an hour and a half on some of the most fascinating facts of his work I had no idea existed. I got more than I needed, and even some extra for future fodder. (maybe I should post on that giant corkboard...lol). Plus, it gives a greater connection between the two of you if they can go deeper into their thoughts and responses without you badgering them with another question. I asked the right question from the start, and within that one response, he answered my first five questions. Cool.

3) Scout out your locale prior to the interview.
This is a no-brainer if you're going somewhere unfamiliar. I wasn't--listen, I spent six years as an undergrad at Ohio State, so I feel more than qualified to go anywhere on campus with ease...anywhere but the medical campus. Lucky for me, doc's office was on the corner across from student parking (believe me, they'll never know...) but the garage parking beside the office was staff and docs only. (I'm not a doctor but I play one on the internet...). Good thing I was on the corner. Further back in the med campus, there's only (limited) street parking (limited). Did I say limited? Next time, I'll be sure to make sure of parking in advance.

That's all for now. Had a grand time with Dr. Sam. Such a fun guy, and I learn something every time we talk. He also made me miss camp even more, if that's possible. (is it possible to miss something even more than you miss it when you obsess over it?)

Tomorrow I'm meeting with a non-profit client I volunteer for to discuss work on a project I haven't started. Guess I should get cracking on that...or I might have more lessons to share tomorrow!

and I forgot to mention...

Speaking of brilliant ideas (aren't they all? Well, except for the one that suggested we go to a playoff system in college football. But that's another rant for another post...), I've had one of the most massive ones I've had in a long time. (about three weeks, if you're counting).

I think I've mentioned that I've been working as a creativity coach with clients, and how much fun I'm having. Working with creative folks is such a pleasure and I truly learn so much about my own writing by working with theirs. One issue almost all of them face is writer's block, but I decided a long time ago that I don't believe in it, per se...however, I do believe we get creative challenges thrown our way and need to deal with them in order to create and write.

(that wasn't digression. It's where the idea came from!)

So, anywho, I've been trying to define, for myself and future reference, what I actually consider writing blocks, and I came up with the most amazing thoughts. Great stuff. Amazing stuff. Stuff I can't believe came out of this 8.1 pound folded organ (did I tell you I know all about the brain now after visiting the OSU Cadaver lab on Tuesday? Brains are cool). Stuff that has me so blessed excited, I'm working to figure out how to get it written up and into the hands of writers.

I have all kinds of ideas, and one theory on writer's block, and all of my thoughts have come from working with my clients. If you have a chance, drop me a line or leave me a reply to tell me about the times you couldn't write or have felt blocked (and what you did to alliviate it, if applicable). Especially if you're published, because deadlines have a way of making you find a way to write. I'd love your insight. If you don't want it public, send me an email at: blog@bethmorrow.com. I know writers are a superstitious lot, and we don't like mentioning a block for fear it will manifest, but one thing I've learned is that naming your fear helps in overcoming it.

Back to the idea. I'm so excited.....

Wednesday: Where do you get your ideas? Want mine?

I often swear the universe works in synergistic ways. The less-fancy*schmansy way to say that is that more and more frequently, I find that things I'm thinking of or dealing with are issues in the lives of others.

I won't give elaborate descriptions (not yet anyway...lol) but here's a simple one: I've spent the last several days, actually--most of the last week--thinking about the quandry I have with excessive ideas for articles, stories and novels. I hate wasting things. Maybe it comes from the creative thought that something I don't want can be used by someone else (I'm trying desperately to avoid the "one chick's trash is another chick's treasure" thing), or because, growing up, mom always lectured us on not wasting things. (She's a wise one, that mom of mine).

My problem is, and I suspect is the case with many other writers of all genres, once our brains are trained to think about our every day lives in terms of "how can I use this in an article?", we get ideas in spurts. Over the last month or so, I have literally filled my (newly wallpapered) walls with clips, thoughts, quotes, interviews, op-eds and insights that I know have article potential somewhere, but the real fact is that I won't get to 98% of these. And it's sad. I hate waste, when another author somewhere needs ideas and I'm hording them like my sister horded her Halloween candy (yes, Mush, I know--top left dresser drawer. You had to know I snitched it!)

Anyway, I digress.

I've been worried about wanting to share ideas with other writers, so when I read Beth's post (gotta love that name) today at her Hell or High Water blog, Inspiration is Perspiration, I couldn't help but remember my nagging problem. (Back to the synergy point I tried to make too many paragraphs ago).

What do you writers think about this topic of ideas? See, in my creative, no-limits brain, I see a giant online corkboard where folks can stop by and thumbtack those ideas they just know they won't use for others to stop by and swipe. And despite what the conspiracy-theorist writers say, even if two people pick the same topic, there'll write two different articles (the "p" word, plagiarism, excluded).

What do you think about a corkboard? Would you use it? Would it be helpful? I just hate all these great ideas going to waste. I know somewhere, someplace, there's a writer who has a need for an idea I don't have time for. Maybe it's you?!

Monday: Goals for a New Week

Last week was just a bang-up seven days. I managed to get one assignment (already turned in) with the promise of several more, another editor who sent me an editorial calendar and wants me to choose a topic for later in the year (yeah!), a copy writing job from my favorite charity (one of my select few free gigs), and just the general mojo of writing in the air.

This week's goals:
*follow up with editor #1 on the additional research articles he's interested in
*follow up with editor #2 on article ideas for her magazine later in the year (some tough topics. Might have to do a little homework on this one)
*write the rough draft of a brilliant new e-course I just outlined today
*send at least two queries or LOIs to new editors

and maybe, just maybe, work on that fiction story that keeps whispering to me ...maybe...

How about you? Gimme your goals. Or, if not, at least write 'em down. Make it a weekly habit to see just how much you get done. You might surprise yourself....

Desperately Seeking Your Advice On....Online Freelance Markets

Are you sensing a theme here? I'm full of questions! (mom says I'm full of something else, but that's another post for another day)

I'm working on my monthly article for Writer2Writer.com (fab site, go visit and read up!) and this one's dedicated to finding lots of freelance job markets online. I have tons of faves, but my question is for you:

Which online freelance markets (guideline databases, job boards or writing ezine/website listings) are your faves? Share the knowledge....

Desperately Seeking...Your Advice

Here's my problem: I hate taking phone calls from editors on my personal cellphone. Wait, let me clarify: I hate not answering professionally when editors call me. If I don't recognize the number and assume it's an editor, I answer with "Hello, this is Beth...". It works, they don't seem to mind, but I do.

I want a separate line to ring to my cellphone distinctively so I know it's from a business number, not my personal one (make sense?).

I've been researching this and have narrowed it down to what I need to do: sign up for a service where I get another phone number ("virtual" number) and it gets forwarded to my cell.

My question is this: do you have experience doing this? If so, what would you advise? Which service do you use, and are you happy with it? Is it worth the money, or should I just start answering every call professionally? (I can just hear my mother's sarcasm now...LOL).

I'd love your insight. If you don't have experience but know someone who does, by all means invite them. I'm sure more freelancers than just little old me deal with this.

Swiftly Running....Nowhere

Remember those old cartoons where Bugs thinks he's running but he's actually running in place? (or maybe that's Daffy or Wile E. Coyote).

I know the feeling.

One of the editors I spoke with last week liked my idea so much he wants the article ASAP (aka "NOW"). I managed to get the first draft done but am stalled awaiting the return calls of the endocrinologists for interviews. Grrr!! I don't have the interviews with the kids, either, but that's straightforward. I know the kids and the endos well--the kids will return my emailed interview questions, the endos more traditional and less likely to do the email gig, so I've gotta catch them in action with my trusty recorder (I'm buying a new one today and am excited! Getting a digital version....)

Hey, look on the bright side. At least I'm writing and at least someone wants WHAT I'm writing. Not a bad gig....

For you sports lovers in the crowd (...I digress...)

Only here for the writing posts? Be warned this one has nothing to do with writing and everything to do with shameless self-promo...

I'm always up for my 15 minutes of fame, and if you listen to ESPN Radio's Mike & Mike from 6-10am each morning, I got 15 seconds of it there this morning.

If you know me, I'm a sports addict and have an opinion on almost any and everything in the sports world, most notably the best looking athletes in professional sports. No sport is safe from my assessments. (Maybe bowling...). Anyway, the discussion this morning centered on the number of Derek Jeter's past girlfriends who've been named to the Maxim Hot 100 (6 total, if you're interested). Greeny didn't like the question posed by the Gnome--(this one was for guys):if you could trade places with Jeter, Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant, or Tom Brady, who would you trade with?

I didn't like it either. It didn't take into account the woman's perspective! I zipped off an email telling Greeny & Golic that from a woman's perspective, the question should instead be ...which athlete would a woman rather be with...and that since I was a Buckeye fan, I wouldn't be with Tom Brady, since I'm an Indians fan, I wouldn't be with Jeter, since I'm a Cavaliers fan, I couldn't be with Kobe, so that meant I'd have to take Tiger...who does handle a driver better than my hubby (very true..lol).

Greeny read it on the air and both of them got quite a laugh out of it. Greeny made the misassumption that I'm from Cleveland, so I had to contradict that with another email.

After they read the letter (and even my name), my son excitedly called me (he and the hub were on the way to school) and laughed his head off about how cool it was (he was listening in the car; I was on my way out the door to work). Just goes to show you that a bit of quick sarcasm can be quite fun!

Ah, well. Back to normalcy...(does that count as a query submission? LOL)

Desperately Seeking...Your Thoughts

I just got an email response to a query that left me scratching my head. As writers, I'd like your input on my evident misinterpretation of the guidelines.

Here's the guidelines:

WRITERS GUIDELINES
Articles accepted 'on spec' and available as reprints.
Queries considered if accompanied by writing samples.
Submissions accepted in Microsoft Word, SimpleText or in body of email.

Here's what I asked the assistant editor when I called:
"To whom do I mail my query letter and samples?"

Here's what she said
"xxxx@sssss.com" (obviously changed to protect the innocent--my point is that I deliberately asked about sending the query and the clips)

Here's what I sent:

A query letter for an article topic covered in the "Types of Articles" section plus two published clips.

Here's what I got:

Beth--
At this time we are in no position to assign articles (and pay 'kill' fees if they are not published.)

We accept article submitted on 'spec' and available as reprints.
For our writers guidelines, visit: ssss.com
thanks for your interest...

And here's me now:

Totally confused. I did exactly what they wanted and seemingly was slapped on the wrist for not knowing what I was doing...even though I explicitly followed their guidelines.

Or am I misinterpreting? (Or misremembering, a la Roger Clemens). I would definitely appreciate your interpretation.

I'm not losing sleep, however. The query is on its way tonight to another publication! 2000 words on spec? Are you crazy?

Oh, wait, I meant....

I meant that I sent two queries today. Not really queries, but responses to ads posted on a freelancer's email loop. You know, the kind where you have to send your writer's resume and clips? Man...that resume was a killer (I hate resume writing) but it's nice to have it in the hip pocket to shoot out there at a moment's notice.

I just finished sending out my first letters of interest. You know what those are, right? Where you basically write a self-sales letter to a publisher mentioned your interest in writing for them, include a resume (aha! it strikes again!) and a clip or two. I actually included a link to my online portfolio instead of attaching stuff. You never know if it'll get through or not...

Have you ever sent LOIs? I haven't. Heck, I hadn't heard of 'em til a few weeks ago, but thought it was worth a shot. My ultimate freelance dream is to have editors call me with article ideas they want me to write (and the other part of that dream is to have them offer me six figs for it LOL), so maybe this is a step in the right direction.

One more last question: I'm working on an article on how to write more descriptively and for all you fiction writers in the crowd, what kinds of questions do you have about writing more descriptively? What problems do you face? I have an idea of how I want to approach the content but it's always nice to have the ideas of others in mind. Post a reply here or zip me an email at: blog@bethmorrow.com and let me know.

Another day, another query

I've been on a roll this week. I think I made myself take myself seriously (if you followed that) and am now on a mission to query as much as possible.

Tuesday I sent out two queries. Nothing back.

Today I sent out one query. Obviously nothing back.

I still have 15 LOIs to send out by the end of this week as my personal challenge.

I did pick up a little something interesting. I volunteer at the local diabetes association and mentioned to the executive director some time back that if they ever wanted writing help to call me. One of the directors emailed yesterday and asked to help on some marketing materials, so I'm going in to talk about that on Friday. Very cool. I know some writers scream bloody murder about doing work for free, but this is my way of using my talent to help something I care passionately about.

Oh, and to make someone (a friend and regular blog reader) happy, I've promised to re-visit a comment from the other day: I am a real writer, no matter how cruddy I feel on any given day about the fact that I don't (yet) rule the writing world. I actually made the comment jokingly (you remember in Shrek--I forget which one--where Gingy turns into a boy and says "I'm a real boy!"--well, that's the tone of voice I typed "I'm a real writer" in, even if you couldn't hear it.) (so are you happy, T?)

Off to work out and do a little meditation, then back at the queries. Maybe I can get those LOIs off tonight....or at least make a dent in the list...