Issue 14

Question: We are a group of industry professionals that have come together with the goal of offering an online weekly newspaper for those in the writing, publishing and literary service. So far we are exceeding our expectations, and our circulation is climbing higher and higher with each new issue. Every week, we provide new features, headline news, interviews, book reviews, even comics and horoscopes. We have found that our success has resulted in questions, questions and more questions. Questions like, “I am a writer and can’t seem to make it to first base with my editor. What should I do?” Or, “I have been an agent for twenty years. What can I do about the Internet blogs that are destroying my business?”

Now only one question remains, and it happens to be ours: “What do we do with all the questions?” Signed, WritersNewsWeekly

Answer: Dear Lee

WritersNewWeekly is taking its own advice and starting an advice column called “Dear Lee.” The column has been described as the “Dear Abby” for publishing trade. It is witty, honest and sometimes just plain silly. When asked why Lee agreed to do the column, the answer came quickly: “If you are lucky, you get to live a lot in the time you are given. If you are really lucky, you get to live a lot and live long. If you are super lucky, some where between living a lot and living long you actually learn something worth sharing. I know how to share. It’s what I do best. I’m so good at sharing that people often have suggested that I write an advice column. Several people even offered to pay me to give advice to their worst enemies. Go figure.”

That being said, WritersNewsWeekly invites our readers to submit their questions to: dearlee@writersnewsweekly.com.

Stuart Woods

Stuart Woods is the author of 38 suspense and crime fiction novels, 22 of which are on the New York Times Bestseller List. Woods is the recipient of the Edgar and Grand Prix de Literature Policere from the French Academy.

Q: Writing is a solitary craft. From where do you draw your support?

A: I have to do it alone. My Labrador Retriever Fred helps a little by lying with his head on my foot.

Q: There is a symbiotic relationship between what a writer envisions and what his readers expect. How do you strike the balance?

A: I don't write for anyone's expectations but my own.

Q: For those writers who shrink at the sound of ‘revise,’ what advice can you offer?

A: Do it right the first time.

Q: It has been said that your novels have a wicked sense of humor. Does the humor naturally evolve from the character or is it deliberately staged for effect?

A: It arises in the conversations in the dialogue.

Q: Aside from writing the best book one can, what advice can you give writers to help market their work?

A: Writers are bad at marketing, unless they have a background like James Patterson. Leave it to the publisher.

Q: What degree of pressure is placed on a successful author to continue to write two or three books a year? How daunting is the challenge for you?

A: I set my own deadlines and try to write a chapter every day.

Carlotta Holton is the author of Salem Pact and Touching The Dead, and is a member of the National Federation of Press Women and an affiliate member of the Horror Writers Association.

Carlotta Holton has just received her second award for Touching the Dead from the National Federation of Press Women Communications Contest. Click here to purchase the book.

Suzie Isaacs is a literary agent at Ampersand, Inc., located in Chicago, IL. Among the authors Suzie represents is Ron Janson, author of the book Red Money, and a featured author at the 2008 BEA.

“Experience, travel – these are education in themselves.” - Euripides

Airports, taxis, hotels, no quiet, too much quiet: Writing while traveling is nothing like home. When we write in the towns we live in we have our own unique rituals. We find the hours, places and environments that suit our lifestyles and stick with what is most productive. Writing on the road, whether on a book tour or on a trip to the other side of the planet, mixes everything up. Without a doubt, travel is both necessary and inspiring. That said, it does take skill and an open mind to work a story far from home.

Every writer does it differently. When I travel I never take my laptop; just a small notebook. I jot down impressions and ideas, swirling them around the pages in a way I can’t on the computer. While exploring new terrain or sitting on a train I’m less concerned with typing narrations than watching and using my senses. I record thoughts the characters have as I walk through neighborhoods or eat downtown. Scenes play out in front of me, and I’m aware how my characters would react. Locations become real; experiences, first-hand. Even without a computer nothing will be lost because I’ve walked through the story and place in the flesh.

I’ve heard several writers talk about writing scenes set in cities they have never been to. They admit to using the satellite feature on Google maps. Although technology can take you down to street level, looking through a screen can never substitute for living a place in real life. I get lost often enough to love map programs, but even 360 degree vision is deceptive. The view is silent; there is no sense of smell or touch. To write a believable story, the location has to be tasted firsthand, even if only for a night. If the characters are new to a place, then the writer’s first impressions are even more valuable. Longer and multiple visits are definitely necessary if any great portion of a story is going to be set in a location where the author is unfamiliar.

Where to write on the road varies as much as a writer’s style. I personally haven’t mastered the art of writing well in public, whether on plane or at a busy café, which just so happens to be where I’m writing this column. I get up too much. I walk over to study a leaf or run my fingers along the rim of my glass. That is why notebooks work so well on the road. I can sketch, write down a single word while I’m in line or record a conversation in scribbles only I understand. Everything I write or draw can be used later when I’m back at home with my laptop. To me, traveling is all about random thoughts that can be strung together later. I would miss everything valuable on the road if I were overly concerned with structure.

I realize that this completely clear-headed method of writing will disagree with this column, but writing on the road means being led as much as it means leading. Stories change along with the people in them. A long, grueling trip becomes worth the aggravation it brings if only for the quick idea jotted down on the napkin. As I was waiting for a friend to join me for dinner recently, I found myself seated alone next to a fish tank. An excessively large orange fish stared at me through the glass. I stared back for a long time. Her scales, her eyes, the lonely way she moved; the fish revealed to me more about a story I’m working on than any measure of forced thought. I took out my notebook, jotted down a few words, and smiled at the fish. That couldn’t have happened at home.

Tyler Oaks earned her Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from California State University, Stanislaus and her Master of Arts in Spanish from California State University, Sacramento. Tyler lives in California's Napa Valley with her husband and twin daughters. Tyler is presently at work on her next novel.

CW: Perspiration is the day-to-day, month-to-month, and sometimes year-to-year hard work that we writers need to complete a piece. Thomas Edison said it best: “Genius is 1 percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration.”

I love the creative inspiration the Muse inspires in me; despite being my favorite of the two, the Muse can’t usually work alone. In some ways perspiration, or the hard work, is the only one of the two where I am fully in charge.

Inspiration and perspiration often work together well. Inspiration strengthens perspiration, while perspiration nurtures inspiration. We can influence and dance with the Muse, but she usually takes charge of the inspiration. As writers, we are usually 100% in charge of our hard work.

Perspiration is a pain, but we can make it fun by learning and strengthening our book or article. It’s very much like exercising; I often have to make myself do it.

Other areas of perspiration include dedication, discipline, schedule, zero distractions, ability to focus, organization, making outlines, patience through research, revisions and much polishing.

Sometimes our perspiration begins before inspiration grabs us. In 1999 I began writing notes for my own use that summarized what I understood about depression and mental illness, based on what I had seen in my private practice and what I was reading in clinical literature. After I wrote over half of these "notes to myself," I realized that this information was too important not to share with the world. It then took me over 5 years to write The Truth about Depression and The Truth about Mental Illness.

Another example from Barbara -

BW: When the Muse comes to visit, I know a new book is percolating. I usually resist it for a while before I begin. The playful me is excited by the Muses visit, while the rest of me wants to run and hide. I know long-term hard work is about to happen, and the dedication involved kidnaps me for months that sometimes overflow into years.

When Jyoti and Russell Park, co-authors of The Power of Humility, presented us with a one page map (see this map in our article The Universe Works in Strange Ways, writersnewsweekly.com, volume 5, Issue 8, 5/20/08) which later evolved into a 182 page book, I knew I wanted to run and hide. Charlie and I knew this map was pure Muse. We also knew that if we could figure out a way to explain the Muse, it would be a contribution to the literature on communicating with ourselves, others and the God of our understanding. We also knew this would be a stretch for us. We’d never written a whole book together, just a few articles. And we’d never written with another couple. Our process evolved as we went along and proved that the one page map worked. Books I wrote prior to this project usually took a year or two; this one took five. We walked away from it for a while when we couldn’t see where to go next. Charlie wrote two other books during those five years and I wrote The Natural Soul.

Charlie’s two books written during that time were supposed to be one book; however through his long research he uncovered so much proof of his theme “The Truth about Mental Illness,” which 600 pages later, he divided it into two books.

Looking back on those five years, I realized that we perspired. We worked.

Perspiration and Inspiration come into balance in short articles like this one. I call them “a fast hit.” I get to experience the Muse, and the perspiration is over so fast that it’s just plain fun.

Charles and Barbara Whitfield share a private practice in Atlanta helping adults that have addictions and/or were repeatedly traumatized as children. They are the authors of 15 published books and numerous articles. They also give talks and workshops. For more information, visit www.cbwhit.com and www.barbarawhitfield.com

There seems to be an ongoing discussion of what qualifies an individual to be considered a writer. Any person that pounds out words on a computer is writing, but does that actually constitute a writer?

Webster’s Dictionary defines a writer as “one who performs the act of writing, a professional scribe, an author.” Random House Unabridged Dictionary describes a writer as “a person engaged in writing books, articles, stories, etc., especially as an occupation or profession; an author or journalist.” These definitions are vague at best, suggesting that just about anyone can call himself a writer.

I haven’t written a book, but my articles have frequently appeared in newspaper columns and several magazines for over 30 years. I’ve developed brochures and marketing material, written many speeches, taught writing classes to both adults and children and edited countless manuscripts. I am a professional writer.

What exactly defines a writer? In my opinion, individuals with an unrelenting passion and aspiration to see their words in print, who continually strive to improve and sharpen their writing skills, are writers. Writing is an art that needs to be honed. It is an attitude that must be cultivated and developed, as well as an existence that must continue to expand.

The expressive craft of building meaning through words, writing requires expertise and command of the use of language. Mastering this skill is a never-ending process of change and transformation.

For many people, becoming a writer begins as an ambition and far-reaching desire, or as a flicker of inspiration. Some writers are gifted with natural talent from the start, having the knack for composing words that flow beautifully and naturally. Others must persevere and work very hard to advance and polish their skills on a daily basis.

So, I ask again, what qualifies an individual to be a writer? If a person truly desires to write and takes the necessary steps toward fulfilling that reality, if she never stops being tenacious, enthusiastic, and passionate about her work, if she never gives up, then that individual is most certainly a writer.

Lisa Martin owns Martin-McLean Literary Associates LLC. She represents established authors as well as new writers.

Part One recap: Gremlins are the cruel, cunning embodiment of the limiting thoughts that hold writers back. The first step toward vanquishing your writing gremlin is to consciously notice its presence. This skill takes practice and is worth developing because it shifts power to you, the observer, and allows you to choose a proactive response.

I’m in a coffee shop as I write this column, staring blankly at the pastry case, making no progress. Tension in the gut is my gremlin detector, and it sounds the alarm. I take a deep breath, then identify the emotion; this time, it’s discouragement. Next comes the nagging thought, “I can’t possibly do this in 500 words; have a Danish,” which usually accompanies my gremlin detector. My gremlin, a gelatinous fiend, looms large waiting to see if I’ll take the bait. It wants me to eat that Danish and go home feeling queasy, but I reduce it to a blob of raspberry jam.

Step two of vanquishing your gremlin is to replace it with something that makes you feel good and increases your writing power. Replacements can take many forms; including words, images, actions, etc. For maximum effectiveness, they should be immediately available, infused with personal meaning and tied to emotions, thoughts and sensations that serve you.

The following replacements tend to work well for writers:

• Words. Choose a few that describe how you feel when you’re writing at your best: “Focused,” “Joyful,” “Bulletproof.” When your gremlin appears, stun it with verbiage.
• Images. These can be anything from a snapshot of your book tour, to a Ferrari, to your grandma; whatever puts you in the right mind and mood for writing. Think of two or three.
• Thoughts. Craft some empowering thoughts to fire back at your gremlin. Sentiments like, “I’m so appreciative and grateful for my writing life!” will shock the gremlin into hasty retreat.
• Fantasies. I don’t know about you, but I’ve always had the Oprah’s Book Club fantasy, and my gremlin quakes like Jell-O when I imagine sitting on her couch. Pick a few favorites to keep yours at bay.
• Sounds. Applause, laughter, a fat hardback closing. Brainstorm sounds that will make your gremlin cringe. You can even download them off the Internet if you want (www.findsounds.com)
• Actions. Ever jump for joy or clap with excitement? Physical actions are great gremlin tamers, especially in tandem with other replacements. Karate kicks do it for me.

Once you’ve created your gremlin replacements, choose a favorite from each category and work with those first. Experiment. Develop best practices. Employ combinations. After noticing your gremlin, stun it with “bulletproof;” subject it to an Oprah interview and make it cringe with applause, then drop it with a well-placed karate kick. But don’t stop there. To actively increase your power, use this technique every time you sit down to write, even when your gremlin isn’t there. I also recommend reading Rick Carson’s book, Taming Your Gremlin. With practice your skills will improve, and before too long, your gremlin, not you, will be the one feeling queasy.

Part One

Have a question for Doug? Click here to submit it to THE WRITE MIND.

Doug Kurtz is a published novelist, certified life coach and the owner of Write Life Coaching (www.writelifecoaching.com). He earned his MA in creative writing at the University of Colorado, where he also taught fiction writing. He currently lives in Boulder, where he’s busy coaching other writers and working on his next novel.

If I’d have been two seconds earlier, I might be dead today. Along with the other two people that were with me.

There is an inspirational parable called “Don’t Kick the Donkey,” in which a traveler drives his foot into his donkey over and over again while the animal just stands in the road, not moving. The donkey appears impervious to the blows, until all of a sudden he begins to walk. To make a long story short, the donkey was immobile because an angel told him to stop walking. Up ahead lay in wait a band of robbers, waiting to attack the next passer-by.

Three years ago, I was leaving the Lake Charles Civic Center with two friends, and I accidentally drove straight instead of veering left to the correct exit. One friend asked me where I was going, poking fun at the latest edition of Jeff’s notoriously quirky driving mistakes. I quickly amended the mistake throwing it in reverse, then back in drive again within a couple seconds.

My friend continued to remark at my driving prowess. His wife defended me, but the joke prattled on. We were, after all, knocked off of our course a whole two seconds. I realized it was all in fun, but I have to admit the jokes can get old, even grating on the nerves, especially because the little error wasn’t a big deal in the first place. I drove forward at about 15 mph, approaching a two-way stop sign. I had the right-of-way, and we watched with shock as a car sped through the stop sign at about 50 mph. In a quiet, tree-thick neighborhood, you never approach that speed. We had a front row seat to what crash could have happened had I crossed that intersection just two seconds sooner.

It wasn’t long after I rolled through that intersection (very gingerly, I might add) that my mind recalled the little driving mistake back at the Civic Center. My friend had stopped ribbing me about it, now talking about how crazy the driver was and how you have to be so careful these days. I don’t even think he put two and two together. Everything he’d been teasing me about had to happen, or else we would have been smack-dab in the middle of that intersection when that crazy man sped through.

I said a short prayer and probably glanced up at my truck ceiling, picturing heaven above. I hadn’t yet heard the parable “Don’t Kick the Donkey,” but a year later I would, giving me an opportunity to tell the person who told it to me my own version of the tale.

Sometimes we find ourselves stuck in these little pauses in life, where it almost seems like there’s a glitch in the system and the person in charge is playing tricks on us. We love the phrase, “That’s just my luck…,” and use it to explain some new obstacle in our lives that causes catastrophic delays in our precious schedules. It can make us bitter and cynical, so short-sighted that we become unable to see the beautiful patterns of our lives.

This can be especially frustrating when a writer has writer’s block. It is inevitable that all writers face the inability to create, but the difference between average writing and the great writing that follows a pause may lie in the virtue of patience. There may be something that has to pass, some experience we have to go through, even if it’s as simple as driving six feet too far onto the wrong road, before we are ready to move on in our story. And yes, our friends will try to push us forward, to say that success comes only to the strong. And that is often times true. Sometimes, though, it’s not. Whatever the experience is may not be a sign of incompetence or weakness or even writer’s block; instead, it may be our angel-inspired donkey waiting in the middle of the road for trouble to pass. True strength comes from not forcing the issue, but in sitting back with our legs propped up and a margarita in hand, waiting for the right time. This week’s challenge is to try not to kick the keyboard, ehr, donkey, and to wait patiently while the intersection clears and to know with confidence that with the passing of just a little time, our words can come with so much more abundance and power.

Jeff LeJeune is the author of The Final Chase and Postmarked Baltimore. After a deadly disease during college redirected the course of his life, Jeff became a teacher at St. Louis Catholic High School in Lake Charles, LA where he was recently named a Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction.

Now that we have named our character, developed its physical characteristics and learned to smash stereotypes, it’s time to work on its personality and how it interacts with other characters. The following exercises will help show you how different characters react differently to the same event and how to develop character’s thoughts, reactions and feelings.

Character Exercise Five
Objective: To show how different characters react differently to the same event

Three different people experiencing the same event will tell you three different stories. Write a short piece for each for the following three characters: a football star, a thirty-year-old woman with a baby and a newly retired sixty-five-year old man. The situation is the same for each of them: Your character is walking through the park andcomes upon a person being mugged. What happens next?

Here are some questions to consider before you write:

1. Will all these characters have the same reaction to the mugging? Why not?

2. The football star and the retiree may both want to help the victim, but will they both be able to? What might be their motives for going to the victim’s rescue?

3. What is special about the woman’s situation? What might be her motive for trying to help? Her motive for fleeing?

4. Which of these characters is most likely to be hurt? To scare off the mugger? To fetch help? To cower in fear?

5. What different opportunities for stories exist here, based on which character views the mugging? Have any of these characters been mugged before? Have any of them lost a loved one in a crime?

6. Might the economic and/or cultural background of the three characters be of importance to their stories? If so, in what ways?

Character Exercise Six
Objective: To show a character’s thoughts, reactions and feelings

Part 1
This exercise is designed to get you to concentrate on a character’s emotional and mental response to an incident. The character is not permitted to react physically (at least not until Part 2), although her thoughts and emotions may lead to a physiological response (clenching teeth, shaking hands, balling hands into a fist, etc.).

Your character is shopping in a gift store at the local mall. It isn’t very busy. Suddenly she hears a child crying. She turns to find a woman shaking a child and calling the child “stupid.” The woman then slaps the child. The character knows the woman. It is her nice, loving next-door neighbor. The character is startled, and before she can make a decision on whether or not to confront the next-door neighbor, the woman has dragged the child out of the store. What thoughts and emotions run thorough the character’s mind? What does the character imagine she will say or do the next time the character sees the next-door neighbor?

Write this entire scene. Name the characters.

Part 2
Later that same day, your character is working in her garden when the next-door neighbor stops to say hello. How does your character react now? What does the character say, if anything? Have your character’s initial thoughts and feelings changed with the passing of a few hours? If so, how? How are these thoughts and feelings shown to the reader?

Write the scene.

Review Part One
Review Part Two

For more helpful tips and exercises, visit www.sterlinghouse-bookstore.com and check out:
Writing Aerobics I by C. Sterling and M. Davidson

Agree? Disagree? Tell us at editor@writersnewsweekly.com or join the discussion on facebook.com.