A Perk of Freelancing

As you might know, I'm still having fictional writing withdrawals. I have those moments of weakness where I'm tempted to grab a notebook and start in on a character stalking my thoughts or a plot that won't quit peeking at me from around every corner.

 

But I'm being strong and sticking to what I've decided. Not that it's been tough--I'm a huge believer of the life theory that if you set your intentions, you'll draw those things to you that help your intentions come to fruition, (Ok, so I'm still working on that intention to get Tom Brady to stop by for dinner after practice) and the possible writing assignments have started seeking me out since I made the switch (a profile of a Fulbright scholar for a big local magazine, a national teaching magazine looking for expertise on teaching ESL students, a request from an anthology on how I got one particular article published...).

 

Anyway, I digress (as usual).

 

In working on the article for the teaching magazine all day yesterday (the outline basically wrote itself last week), I couldn't get the opening paragraph to work for me. It didn't want to be about a student and it didn't want to be a spotlight on my school. I wrote both, then just plain dove into the meat of the article. Before I went to bed, I felt a little defeated that the article didn't come as smooth as the outline. I felt like giving up on it.

 

This morning, bright and early, as I looked at what I did yesterday then at the schedule deadline I'd given myself for writing the rough draft, I realized I have another entire week to finish the rough draft. Woohoo. I couldn't do that with my fiction--there is no light at the end of the tunnel (unless you're pubbed and on deadline)--but with the nonfiction, it's a little grease on the gears to know that meeting the deadline is the real challenge. With the fiction, I'd have just given up and started a new story.

 

Don't tell me, fiction writers, that you haven't done that...

 

Beth

The smell of contracts

There are so many cool things in the writing process that get me excited (easy feat, I've been told). When an idea comes together, when a query snaps along, when an editor loves an idea and asks for more, more, more....

 

and when the contract comes.

 

There's something satisfying about the contract that puts the whole process in stone for me. I've sold to small ezines and small magazines that don't offer contracts but do offer some small token of payment...maybe $5, maybe $10, but they let you keep all your rights for those two paragraphs. Ain't nothin' wrong with that either--those little gems are the ones you can sell and resell, marketing your name and writing talent while picking up a little more dough along the way.

 

But there's something I just really dig about signing a contract and faxing it back. I received mine from the RWR yesterday afternoon. Didn't have a chance to fax it back yet but it's #1 on my to-do list. Surprised it didn't take more rights, but that's a good thing...resell potential along with tweaking ideas for targeting the same idea to a new publication in the future.

 

And the note from the editor was nice too. She told me I'll love the layout and that she can't wait for me to see it. Of course I will. It's one of the plusses of freelance vs. fiction publishing--I don't get bad covers ...lol...

 

So now the funnest (yes, it's a word) part of the entire writing process is about to come to fruition....getting the magazine with my article inside....

 

Back to writing....

 

Beth

Smart choice or giving up?

The more I think about it, the more freelancing seems the smart choice. I just got two new market leads today in my mailbox at school that sound viable. Ideas are hounding me around every corner--so how about I just shake up my entire world and vision of myself (you know, the one sitting at the table eating chocolate, drinking champagne and smiling coyly as Barry Manilow asks me to sign 'just one more' of my romance novels for him?) and dive headfirst into freelancing?

 

They're still words, I'm still published and forces outside myself seem to think I"m good at it.

 

We'll see. Fleshing out ideas tonight.

 

Beth

a book and writing life review

Just finished reading an interesting book for a book review column I write each month for a writing ezine.

 

While I had to read it twice for it to stick, there's lots of good advice in it for thinking of your plots and scenes in a different way. I always think reading books on plotting will help my plotting--and they would, if only I would finish writing the damn story in the first place.

 

The book is Martha Alderson's Blockbuster Plots: Pure & Simple. She gives two charts for us visual learners out there--a scene tracker and a plot planner. The plot planner is pretty similar to the "W" plotting chart, something I'm intimately familiar with thanks to my Serious Writing friend (and now Golden Heart winner--WOOOO HOOOO!!) Donna, so I didn't figure I"d learn much.

 

Of course I did. I learn more when I think I don't have anything to learn. Weird how that works.

 

Anyway, the scene tracker is a really cool tool I'm thinking of trying on the first scene of the third draft of the last short story I finished. Starting little is nothing to sneeze at when some people can't start at all :) If so, I'll let you know how it goes.

 

Not sure I want to venture back into ficiton, anyway. Still debating the merits of sticking to nonfiction for a while. Found two new, really cool freelance markets yesterday and already have two articles outlined. Starting back to school this afternoon, so I'm trying to not load up the plate **too** much.

 

Oh, and if you're interested, I'll post the review link when it comes out (for Blockbuster Plots). It's the writer2writer.com ezine--good stuff Cheryl puts out each month--sign up for free on her site.

 

Back to writing....

Beth

This month in the writing life...

So for those who've missed the last month or so of my writing life (myself included)...

 

I sent off the article on male-female speech patterns to the editor on July 15th. Not due til August 5th, but I left on July 20th to volunteer for two weeks working at a summer camp for diabetic teenagers (the best part of my summer.)

 

Hoped the editor would hold off to making any changes til after August 7th, since we moved to a new house on the 5th. (What can I say? Even summer time spent not teaching is insane in my life).

 

The bad news? I couldn't check email til the 5th.

 

The good news? She loved the article! The only thing she requested after I sent it was my bio-byline (which I'd conveniently forgotten because I hate writing those things). Sent it off maybe two weeks ago and am looking forward to it coming out in October (the last date the editor mentioned) issue (which normally comes out in September.

 

So I'm holding my breath til the RWR (Romance Writer's Report) shows up in my mailbox (I did change my address with them, didn't I?).

 

I could have mentioned the name of the magazine sooner (or maybe I did and forgot, who knows?) but I'm terribly superstitious about things like that.

 

I'd sound pretty stupid to say I didn't do it for the money (not much--flat fee) but there have to be a few of you in the audience who secretly get an unbelievable thrill you can't get from anything else in life when you get that magazine (or book cover or article, etc.) with your name on it. Ain't nothing sweeter, I'll tell you. Except maybe booksignings, but I haven't made it there yet.

 

Which brings me to the thought of the week (ok, month) I've been grappling with...since it seems my nonfiction is meeting with more favor publishing-wise than my fiction, should I just throw in the fiction towel and concentrate on non-fiction? Maybe get my schedule to resemble that of a freelancer, with lots and lots of deadlines spaced over the next twelve months to the point that I don't feel guilty not working on the fiction? Or just keep trying to maintain that happy fiction/nonfiction balance? Fiction in the mornings (soon to be back at 4:30 am) and nonfiction after I come home?

 

Anyone have a crystal ball or magic 8 Ball I can consult? I'll pay.....

 

Get back to the writing!

Beth

*Really* done

WOOOO HOOOOO...it's done.

 

No, I mean *really* done.

 

Finished the article and had an editor friend proofread. Giving it a day's rest before fine-tooth combing for spelling & grammar...then sending it to the editor.

 

Interesting process in working with my friend, M, in editing. As a true-blue editing mind, she really made me think long and hard about stuff in my article--mostly structure. I write with A LOT of emdashes. You know---like this---to offset my thoughts. While I know perfectly well how to use commas, I prefer emdashes. I even told her (a dirty little secret) that I honestly THINK in dashes. When I see words in my mind, I see dashes, too. Always have.

 

WEll, she broke me of that habit right quick. The final article has only two dashes, and those were direct quotes from an author. Reads so much smoother...amazing.

 

What's really amazing is that I managed to get this article done, finish a research paper for my graduate class, pack to move into a new house and pack for two weeks at summer camp with teenagers in 3.5 days. Tomorrow I"m planning to spend the day trying to relax since I leave for camp Friday morning.

 

yeah, right.

 

I'll share the details on the article once I hear from the editor.

 

Til then, happy writing...

 

:)Beth

And now for the truth....

Ok, the truth.

I didn't have the whole rough draft done when I posted last time. I had 99.50% done. I'm just horrible when it comes to conclusions--fiction, nonfiction, letters, articles, stories...you name it, I can't finish it on the first go-round.

But now I really did. And I'm excited.

 

Even more excited because I sent emails to a bunch of my published-author friends with a questionnaire on dialogue and I got back some AMAZING responses that will make my article sparkle.

 

Just gotta get to the second (and probably third) drafts....I have til Thursday....but the hard part is done.

 

Honest.

Good news, good news...and OK news

I thought summer was for sipping lemonade under an umbrella by a beach....yeah, right.

 

Instead I find myself loading up on the caffeine to beat deadlines and stay sane in this rush I'm calling "life".

 

First the good news...

The rough draft of the article on male-female speech patterns is done! WOO HOO!! Not that it was tough, just had to finish researching and find a time to sit down and put it all together. Not bad, either. It's due to the editor by August 5th, but I'll be out of town (working at a summer camp for diabetic teenagers) then and wanted to zip it off to the editor by July 21st (the day I leave).

 

What, you don't turn in articles early? I can't believe I, the princess of procrastination, do now but I've learned it really helps out the editor. If they can count on me to be on time for one article, they can count on me again when they're pressed for time and need something put together on a whim (at least I'm hoping for that...).

 

Anyway, the article is still really rough draft (long hand by fountain pen--the only way I can compose rough drafts). I have lots of excellent feedback from a questionnaire I sent out to several of my romance-novelist friends to incorporate, and that's the game plan for tonight...second draft.

 

I even had a dream last night about the final article layout. I can see it now.....

 

And other good news....

I've wanted to redesign my website for some time. I like what I have content-wise (did it all myself) but wanted a new design...something clean, fresh, pretty and professional....so I approached a designer who several friends have recommended and she sent me her first ideas on the design this morning.

 

They're awesome! Really. She took ideas I didn't even know I had and made them come alive through pixels. It's a totally rough-draft phase--but she wanted my opinion on the stuff before she went further. I'm sooooo excited. I'm hoping to have the new site up and running by the time the article comes out. Neat-O!

 

The OK news:

We've managed to sell the house (no small feat, and we did it in less than a month with the help of our wonderful real-estate agent-friend) but are still up in the air about the house we're moving to. We made a bid on a house we like (well, the DH and DT (teenager) love it more than me but I think it'll grow on me) and are waiting for the acceptance or counter offer--which we should have today.

 

I'm mostly worried about a good kitchen (I'm a cook & bake-a-holic) and a peaceful place for writing. I've established the spare room here as my writing refuge (no one enters when I'm in there unless there are severed limbs) and am having anxiety attacks about moving to a new spot and disrupting the writing karma. Ah well...such is the life.

 

At any rate--hope you're still writing. I found a great exercise on creating characters in a recent issue of Writer's Digest, so maybe I'll share that next post.

 

Til then....

 

Beth

Schedule? Or Not?

The writing went well today. This morning, actually.

 

Why is it when summer rolls around I think I can write so much more--since I don't have lesson plans to create or papers to grade--but I spend significant time NOT writing.

 

I think it's the schedule thing. When I don't have to go in to school, I don't have any reason to try and get things done in a timely fashion. I can set my own schedule, work on my own time and luxuriate over one perfect word for an hour.

 

Not realistic if I want to become a full-time writer, is it?

 

Ah, well. I'll work on it. I'm about five pages away from finishing another short story, and next week I'm participating in an online write-all-you-can-in-one-week challenge hosted by my local RWA group. Gotta get this short done so I can work on the time travel I started a few years ago. I know, I should be working on the contemporary I challenged myself to finish by the end of this year but I'm still struggling with the heroine.

 

Off to write...

Beth

Fan mail

While enjoying my lunch (over a messy desk full of reports that need to be finished by the end of the school year, which happens to be today), I realized I'd not posted in some time. Mostly because the writing is going so well in the mornings (working on a short story as a reprieve from my novella-in-progress for another reason to maybe be discussed later).

 

So I logged on to send a post via email and found a note from a fellow writer who read one of my online articles on romance writing (Help! I Want to Be A Romance Writer at www.dabblingmum.com) and had, what appeared at first glance, to be a question on a query letter (as she wrote in the subject line), but instead had several other questions embedded.

 

One of the cool things about being a freelancer and choosing to write about (at least at this point in my life...I might change sometime) only things I really like/love/care about is that when I get these emails from readers asking advice, I feel smart. True, I'm not published in novel-length fiction yet, but I do know a little about writing (it would fill a thimble). And I love sharing whatever I know with whomever cares to ask.

 

And for the record, I really, really love writing query letters. I know--I'm insane (queries for nonfiction. Have only written one for fiction & that was some time ago) but that should come as no real surprise. I like it that way!

 

I'll do my best to stop by here more often. But when the writing flows, the last thing I want to do is take myself out of that fantasy of word flow.

 

New Blogs

Because my *&@*@!! internet connection/Blogger account is acting up, I'm listing two fun new blogs I found today and will soon add to my list ------> over there, but before I forget them...

http://renegadewriterblog.blogspot.com/
The Renegade Writer Blog--just started but I love the book and the authors

and


http://deadlinehellions.blogspot.com/
Deadline Hellions blog--lots of cool romance writers over there.

Writing's going well. Here's to an upcoming post....

Flyin' Ideas

Ever hit those spaces of time in life where the writing and ideas are just insane and come at you from all directions? (I know, enormous run-on sentence. Deal with it).

 

I've been doing great at the WIP. Wrote through chapter 1, chapter 2 and the first 2/3 of chapter three before checking out chapter 2 to rework for a contest entry. Almost gave into the evil notion of changing the entire story and plot because I couldn't wrap my mind around it. But instead, I just spent some quality brainstorming time with my idea, characters and premise, and discovered my hero & heroine are much more sarcastic and snappy than I'm writing them.

 

Everything else, after that, has been flowin' like wine. Exciting me enough to resume my waking-up-at-4:50 am to walk the dog, shower and write cycle. Amazing how good the entire day goes when I get that writing in. Finished chapter 2 yesterday, and starting with chapter three tonight or tomorrow. In the rewrite of chapter 2, I managed to get the story moving enough to jump to the second scene of chapter 3 as the introduction. I love it when that happens. But enough on that.

 

Everywhere I look is a story idea. Three crosses on the side of the interstate where three young men I knew died on Christmas Eve a few years ago gave me an idea. An erotica writer's website gave me another. A traffic snafu gave another. Don't worry, I'm getting them all down in my handy-dandy writer's notebook for future stories. (You do have one of those, don't you?). But there just ain't enuff hours in the day to do all the writing I want. Sometimes being a hermit is soooooooooooooo appealing.....

 

B

Funny Commercials

Funny Commercials Blog

Yeah. So during my "writing time" this morning, I'm out visiting blogs at Blogger (don't we all?) and came across this interesting site.

Well, not sure if the site is interesting but the video commercial clip for April 7th is funny--maybe a story starter for a writer or two. Visit yourself....

funnycommercials.blogspot.com

And I'm heading back to the fiction writing. Honest.

Settled

Not that I've forgotten the blog, but hey, life gets the best of us at times. Two grad classes in one semester and, well, just life has overwhelmed me since Xmas.

 

Now that I've got my priorities straight (writing, family, blog), I'll be back more often.

 

Couple new gigs--quarterly columnist on advocacy for a state teacher's newsletter. Article in the Feb. issue of Kappa Delta Pi's New Teacher Advocate on ESL students. Oh, and I nailed an assignment for one of my dream magazines, rough draft due in August. More on that later.

 

I think I should have included work and life in parenthesis above....hmmm.

 

 

Follow up

Darn, it's been quite some time. But I'm still here and still kicking, so I may as well post.

Some good news on the writing front...

I found a magazine looking for articles on a specific topic I know a lot about and wanted to know more about their needs. I called up the editor (in October), chatted with her for some time, and sent off an article based on what she'd told me they were looking for.

I figured it was a shoo-in. But when I hadn't heard anything by December (she sounded like the type to send a "sorry, this doesn't fit our needs at this time" email), I emailed her in early January to make sure she'd gotten it.

She hadn't.

Along with a nice note, I immediately resent my submission to have her email me at the end of the week to let me know they'd selected my article for the spring issue, due out in February. National publishing credit and all I had to do was ask.

I like it.

Never forget, young writers: write, submit, followup. Maybe a margarita in the process doesn't help, but it never hurts to ask....

New blog to check out

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

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

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

Be brave, young writers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A lot.

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

Truth is...

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

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

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

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

Door close, window open...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I just knew it...

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

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

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

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

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