IWSG DAY: WHAT DO YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE?

Today is IWSG Day because it's the first Wednesday in August.  IWSG stands for Insecure Writers Support Group and was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh.  You can follow other IWSG members here or on twitter using the hashtag #IWSG. We also have a Facebook page.  The purpose of IWSG is to share and encourage, so today I plan to encourage.

I want you to take a look at what you've accomplished since our last IWSG day. Maybe you should jot a few notes to organize your thoughts. Accomplished a lot? Great! But what about all of you who have done nothing because of vacations, kids being home, sickness or surgeries? Don't feel bad. Life gets in the way sometimes, but honestly, we shouldn't let life get in the way ALL the time.

Ask yourself this question:

What do you truly want to achieve with your writing? Be realistic when you answer. Being a best selling writer is a realistic goal for someone who writes daily, wins contests and is actively studying and learning, but being published by one of the top five might not be  realistic for someone who only writes a few times every few months, never enters or wins a contest and doesn't revise according to critiques or feedback. We always need to learn and grow.

I'd like to suggest a writing/learning plan for those of you who aren't accomplishing anything.

Settle on one goal. You might want to finish your novel. When you reach the end, go through it again, do a little tweaking, then find beta readers or someone willing to critique. You can revise according to those comments you get from your readers. Oh, wait... you don't agree with any thing they said? Then Houston, we might have a problem. Put your pages away for a few weeks or even better, a few months while you delve into a really good how-to book. When you go back to your critiques, I'm certain you'll view them differently.

Or, your goal might be to write a few short pieces and get them out there. That's great: Identify your markets--print magazines or online literary journals. Study them by reading several months of back issues, including their guidelines. Then write. Find someone to read and give you a critique. Believe me when I say feedback is helpful. Revise accordingly.

I know I've said this to you a thousand times: making up our mind to do something is half the battle. We can be our own worst enemy or we can be our hero. We just need to decide on what we want to accomplish and let nothing or no one stand in our way as we plod toward our dream.

Here's an interesting quote from Natalie Goldberg. Take it to heart.

This is your life. You are responsible for it.
You will not live forever. Don't wait.

~ Natalie Goldberg

On another note, I'm speaking at the Texas Gulf Coast Mini-Conference on Saturday. Here's the link if you'd like to check it out: http://www.texasgulfcoastwriters.blogspot.com/

Also, my novella, The Last Daughter, is only 99 cents. If you haven't read it, I'd love for you to grab a copy and then leave an honest review.

Good Writing!

 

IWSG: THE FIRST DAY OF YOUR LIFE

Today is IWSG day-the first Wednesday of each month. IWSG stands for Insecure Writers Support Group and was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Our purpose is to share and encourage.  You can follow other IWSG members here or on twitter using the hashtag #IWSG. We also have a Facebook page.

Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Charles Dederich, a reformed alcoholic and a member of Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.), was said to have coined that phrase. I like it. I say it to myself a lot. I like the idea of being able to start anew whenever I feel the need. That’s fairly often these days.

Our son was married last October 5^th. We traveled to Florida for a destination wedding.

On August 23^rd daughter walked down the aisle on her daddy’s arm and pledged life and love to her groom. And so began the first day of the rest of her life as a wife.

We’re In-laws now. God help us be a good and considerate mother in law and father in law!

Hubby and I are sharing so many new experiences in our old age:

1)      Retirement.  We actually live together day in and day out. Because of his work in the construction industry, we’ve not lived together much. That’s taking some getting used to—probably for both of us but especially for me.
 

2)      Renovation. This has been a hellacious experience that neither of us want to repeat. It began March 3^rd and it’s still happening. Need I say more?
 

3)      Church: Because I was raised Baptist, we’ve spent the first half of our marriage attending the Baptist church, but when we moved to Oklahoma, we gravitated toward Assembly of God and found a wonderful church with beautiful people. Back in Lake Charles, we chose to keep going to an AG church. It's been unusual and interesting. We should never forget that The Bible is the true word of God--no pastor, preacher, evangelist, priest or spiritual advisor. 'Nuff said.

Through all these experiences, I see the importance of starting over if the need arises. I see the importance of keeping the faith, and a positive attitude. I see the importance of truth, patience, love and loyalty, encouragement and friendships. New experiences come daily and affect our lives in one way or another. That means they affect our writing too. They stimulate new ideas to write about, or they stymie us so that we can’t write. I think it's our choice.

I have several unfinished and roughly finished manuscripts that nag at me constantly. I’ve felt like giving up out of frustration—just because I haven’t had the time or focus, and no comfortable workspace. I’m not good at grabbing time—writing a paragraph today, a page tomorrow. I like working in long, flowing hours. Right or wrong, I need to see progress in my word count.

Today, I woke up thinking, “Today is the first day of the rest of my life” and another thought popped into my head: What if it was the last day? The thought surprised me.

I want to write. I’ve always wanted to write and publish but I’ve always stood in my own way.

Today I set two specific goals. We have our annual Bayou Writers Conference on November 8^th so I will have a completed novel to pitch to the agent on that day.  I just like one or two more chapters and a few scenes to add. Dedication and focus can get it done.

My second goal is to get back to blogging. I’ve missed it. I used to blog daily but today I pledge two or three posts a week.

Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Want to rededicate yourself to something dear? How do you want to start over? Any goals you need to stalk? Share with us.

IWSG: New Dreams & Goals

Today is IWSG day. We usually post the first Wednesday of the month but the first Wednesday was New Year's Day and we figured you'd be sleeping ... or traveling.

IWSG stands for Insecure Writers Support Group and was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. You can follow other IWSG members here  and on twitter using the hashtag #IWSG.

Our purpose is to share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds.
2014 is the beginning of NEW. We can start from scratch with our dreams, goals and manuscripts. Hey, believe it or not, it's a writer's world out there. Ours for the taking. Some people think writers have never had it so good.

Don't bring your 2013 baggage (negative thoughts, self-pity, poor-me attitude) into this year. Start fresh with a positive attitude. Finish those stories and novels, then start new ones--immediately.

The key to success is confidence in yourself, showing no fear, and knowing what you want. Traditional publishing? I heard recently that the chances of getting your digital rights back are pretty slim. Does that matter to you? Since books can sell on Amazon forever, maybe it should.

So you might add another key to success: educating yourself. Know exactly what you're getting from traditional publishers and what a small press or self-publishing has for you. Believe me, they differ.

It's a new year ... and a new publishing world. Grab hold of both  ... with both hands.
And hang on!

Happy 2014. I wish you every success.

Insecure Writers Support Group - A Made Up Mind

Today is IWSG day-the first Wednesday of each month. IWSG stands of Insecure Writers Support Group and was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. You can follow other IWSG members here on twitter using the hashtag #IWSG.

Our purpose is to share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds! Join us!

So today, my question to you is:
Do you have a writing plan? A marketing plan? A plan for success? Neither do I. Every now and then I jot down goals and things I want to accomplish during a month or week but other than that ... nothing.

However, I did draw up a plan several years ago and set out to accomplish some specific writing goals and guess what, it worked. I started publishing on a regular basis. That's why I believe in The Power of the Made-Up Mind.

Back in November, I was asked to replace a conference speaker at the Bayou Writers Group conference. I had a week to prepare. I can't do much talking or teaching on craft--not confident enough to go there--but I can talk about how to accomplish dreams and goals. I think I've made that a life study. I have a passion for helping people succeed or at least get on the right track. And I know--and believe with all my heart--that any of us can succeed and reach our goals (no matter what they are) if we just make up our mind to do so. We just need a plan and make up our mind to do it. We have to put forth some specific action.

This morning, I read PJ Nunn's blog post called Business or Busyness and I want to share it with you along with a couple of her other posts:  Is There a Method to Your Promotional Madness and A Publicist's Day. PJ Nunn owns BreakThrough Promotions. She shares a lot of great tips and advice. These tips are not only workable for your promoting, but adaptable for your writing and selling. No, I'm not suggesting you get a publicist, only you can determine if you need one, but I am suggesting you read these posts, draw up a plan and implement the power of your made up mind. We can accomplish anything if we have a plan and if we work hard enough. Honestly, we can.

Do you agree? Have you put the power of a made up mind into action? Share.

Markets and Moving and More

It’s true, time flies when we’re having fun.  When we’re experiencing sad, painful things, time drags and every day seems to last forever. We’ve been in Oklahoma for a year and three months. Doesn’t seem like a year. Only when we took the 10-hour trek to Louisiana (and back) once a month did it feel like forever. Today we learned we’ll be pulling out on July 27^th.  As anxious as I am to get home, I’m sad to be leaving. I’ve enjoyed being here in Yukon—meeting my friend Janie at the library for writing day, going to Discovery Church, having lunch with friends every Sunday. Exploring the fantastic Salvation Army Family Store for books and going to Half-Price Books in OKC. Things are different at home.  I can’t imagine living there permanently again. We’ll see what happens.

So … I’m setting goals to reach by July 27^th because I have no idea what will happen once we get home. I know it will take awhile to get acclimated, and I hate unpacking boxes!

I’m still trying to finish my novel to send to Love Inspired. The editing/revising is what takes so long. Fresh writing moves pretty fast. Interruptions keep popping up. Today I’m reading the galleys of The Last Daughter, my novella. Seems like every time I post, I’m reading over it for some reason.  Has it taken forever to reach this point? Seems so, but my editor says it won’t be long before it’ll be available. I’m anxious to see what kind of response it gets since I’ve never written anything like it. It has a little darkness to it. A dose of reality I call it—dark reality.

 I have a couple of articles to write for Southern Writers Magazine, and a new nonfiction project I’m toying with.

In the meantime, here are a few markets for you.

Over at Cruising Altitude 2.0, D.L. Hammons is revving up his Write Fight 2013. You have until midnight June 30^th to enter your 500 word short story. Take a look and follow instructions to perfection.  http://dlcruisingaltitude.blogspot.com/2013/06/write-club-last-call.html?showComment=1372432138957#c822276601668980747 

Slice Magazine is open to submissions from now through August 1 for short stories of up to 5,000 words that explore the theme “Escape.”  “We’re looking for anyone with a fresh voice and a compelling story to share—basically any work that really knocks our socks off. We’re not drawn to experimental or heavy-handed genre fiction. The best way to get a sense of Slice‘s content is to read the magazine.” Slice pays $100 for published stories. Find out more details here .

Samhain Publishing is seeking contributions for a fall 2014 gothic horror anthology. Editor Don D’Auria “wants to feel that claustrophobic, shadowy, oppressive gothic atmosphere” Stories may be supernatural or non-supernatural, historical or contemporary, and may feature ghosts, vampires, werewolves, homicidal maniacs, or almost anything your imagination can create. 25,000 to 30,000 words. Deadline for submissions is September 15, 2013. Stories will be published individually as ebooks in Spring 2014, then compiled into the anthology for the fall. Find all the details here.

Do any of these interest you? What are you working on? SHARE!

Writing Under Pressure

I’ve been racing toward my goals, working on two manuscripts at once. That’s new for me, but it’s working … sort of. I guess.

My first fifty pages of a mystery are ready to send to the Killer Nashville Claymore contest. Deadline is June 1^st and thankfully, I can email my pages.

The romance I pitched to Harlequin is sloshing along. I’ll devote more time and intensity to it starting tomorrow. I hope to have it completed within the next two or three weeks. At least, that’s my new goal. I devoted my six hours at the library yesterday to the contest entry. Seems a little weird, doesn’t it, that I wouldn’t devote that valuable time to the novel requested by an editor. All I can say is … my reasoning skills are sometimes skewed.  

We’re constantly under tornado watches here in Oklahoma. I find it difficult to concentrate on much of anything. The local news is filled with profiles of the people from Moore who experienced devastation last week. Depressing but uplifting too. There were a lot of heroes.

Hubby and I went to Half-Price Books over the weekend. Browsing the writing books, I came across an interesting paragraph in Writing Under Pressure, The Quick Writing Process by Sanford Kaye.

Sanford Kaye is head of the writing program at Curry College. He is author of Writing under Pressure and Writing as a Lifelong Skill as well as a contributor on memoir writing to NOW WRITE! He has taught writing at MIT, the Harvard Kennedy School, and the Blue Hills Writing Institute, where he teaches advanced memoir. He was honored for 25 years of teaching at the Extension School in 2005 and received the James E. Conway Excellence in Teaching Writing Award in 1996.

Writing Under Pressure is geared toward writing academic papers and essays.  I suppose much of what Sanford says can be adapted to novel writing too. While a lot of what he proposes is over my head, the following spoke to me, gave me something to think about as I muddle through my novel.

“No amount of planning can make the reader hear the music in your mind, or see the abstract design you perceive as you look out over a cranberry bog coming to fruition in late September.  Writing can convey certain things well, and others not at all.”

Care to comment on the above paragraph? How hard do you work/plan to convey important scenes and settings in your novels or short stories?

IWSG: Block Out The Noise



Visit IWSG

I have a few writer friends who have quit writing. Their reasons vary from health related to too many changes in the publishing industry to not enough money in writing.

I agree that the publishing industry has changed rapidly and every day there seems to be something new to learn. Sometimes I feel so far behind, I’ll never catch up. I’m battling a mental block when it comes to actually learning how to convert a manuscript to an eBook. Hopefully, I’ll figure it out. Instead of becoming discouraged or overwhelmed, I have to look at it as fun so it doesn’t seem too much of a challenge. At any rate, if you’re like me, dwelling on what you can’t do will paralyze you to the point you can’t accomplish anything. Dwelling on what I hear from other writers can paralyze me too.

I suppose you know that professional writers who get paid for their work don’t think very highly of writers who produce anything for FREE. They say things like, “If you write for free or substandard wages, you ruin it for the rest of us.” And they say, “If an editor can get a writer for free, why would they pay one?” 

Here’s a news flash:  We’ll never get paid what we think we’re worth.

Sure, being paid makes us feel valued. Receiving a check--large or small--makes us feel we’re actually doing something important, not being taken advantage of.  We’re smart enough to know that someone in the industry is making money--it’s just not us.

I’ve written for money and I’ve written for free. I’ve written for contributor’s copies, a byline and I’ve written for an online subscription. About the only place I draw the line is: no byline, no article. A girl’s gotta get something outta the deal!

I think the big questions for those of us who love writing and want to do it whether we get paid or not are:

Would we really keep writing if we never got paid? Do we love it that much? When we work on our novels, we’re writing for free but we hope and pray we’ll sell those books. If we knew we’d never sell them, would we keep writing them? Where can free writing take us? We’re always learning, of course, but can’t it lead (in the long run) to bigger, better opportunities? Of course, it can.

In the September 30th issue of Parade Magazine, there was an article on Sandra Day O’Connor by David Gergen. O’Connor graduated from Stanford Law School in 1952, and among the top students in her class. She couldn’t find a job. She applied for every job advertised on the placement bulletin board; not a single interview. Finally, O’Connor talked a county attorney’s office into letting her work for free until they could budget money to pay her. She says regardless of no pay, she loved her job. And we know what happened three decades later--she was appointed to the country’s highest court.

 

What would have happened if Sandra Day O'Connor had let pride, anger, bitterness keep her from doing what she loved and was trained to do?

• I hope we all continue to do what we love and refuse to be discouraged by those who criticize us or unknowingly block our progress.
• I hope you'll never be too proud to write for free, but always remember how much you love writing.
• I hope you always remember that if you have a goal, a dream, a desire - there’s a way to accomplish it.
• And that you'll always walk through the doors and windows that open. -Believe me, they open when you least expect it.

Take this opportunity to read the piece on SandraDay O’Connor in it’s entirety.

 

Z is for Zig Zag

Zig zag

Noun	1.	zigzag - an angular shape characterized by sharp turns in alternating directions a shape having one or more sharp angles
Verb	1.	zigzag - travel along a zigzag path; "The river zigzags through the countryside"

I’ve zig zagged through my entire writing career. The first thing I ever got published was a prayer in True Story magazine. It was called A Prayer from a Divorced Woman. I was paid $25.00 for it. That prayer was the first thing I’d ever mailed out so naturally I thought, “Getting published is easy!” We all know it is not easy.

Sometimes (in my life and in my writing) I feel as though I’ve zigged when I should have zagged. I’ve wandered off on little trails that have taken me to odd places. In 1976 I started the Longview Writers Association which is in Northeast Texas. When I started the group, I wrote short stories and poetry. I submitted faithfully. My writing goals have changed a lot since then. Through the years I’ve zig zagged my way into teaching leisure learning and/or continuing education writing classes, being an editor/writer/photographer of a regional publication, co-editing a literary magazine, writing for newspapers, being president of a writer’s group in Louisiana, writing (and selling) a novel, blogging, being a staff writer for a magazine, encouraging, proofing, editing others and …

I’m still zig zagging my way to a writing career. Doing it all. No, trying to do it all. Every now and then I stop and ask, “Have I accomplished those writing dreams?” Truth is--I have and I haven’t because my dreams are ever changing. When I try to pinpoint why I zig zag, the only thing that pops into my head is that I’ve never taken my dreams too seriously. I stop way too often to smell (and pick) roses along the way, running wildly in other directions when a fresh crop of wild flowers pop up.  

This year in Oklahoma is supposed to be a year of focus for me--a year for some serious accomplishments. There will be: No zig zagging allowed.  

Love is ... Writing, Reading, and Getting the Mail

Saturday was a great day for mail. Yes, in spite of email and instant gratification, I still get excited about going the post office and finding all kinds of wonderful stuff. I’m probably the only person you’ll ever meet who can get somewhat excited about junk mail. I actually browse through it—especially if there isn’t anything else wonderful. Saturday was a major coup.

Hubby got his contributor’s copy of Love Is A Verb. I think when he saw the beautiful hardback book, he was sufficiently impressed. Until that moment, I was the one thrilled--he didn’t realize what a compliment, what an achievement it was to be accepted. If you happen to purchase a copy (and believe me it will make a great Christmas gift), check out his devotional. He’s April 4^th.

He also finally got the first issue of his birthday subscription to Mystery Scene magazine. That’s really a great publication for mystery writers. Educates and informs.

And, I got something too! My copy of Wishcraft by Barbara Sher w/Annie Gottlieb. Hey! Don’t laugh at me—this is a great little book, originally published in 1979. If it’s still in print (I have the 30^th anniversary edition) there’s good reason. Forty-six WONDERFUL reviews--go over and read them!

I’m taking a course from Kara Lennox over at SavvyAuthors called Aim High, Shoot Straight: Achieving Your Writing Goals. Author Kara presents her plan for focusing on what you really want from your writing career, then shows how to formulate concrete, achievable goals and develop a step-by-step plan for achieving them. She also shows how to manage your time and your fears; and instructs on proven problem-solving techniques and tips for staying motivated.

Kara also writes as Karen Leabo. She's written 50-plus contemporary romance novels. Kara's books have been nominated for major romance industry awards as well, including the National Readers' Choice Awards and the Holt Medallion. She won a Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice for best Harlequin American Romance in 2003. She has also been a finalist in the Romantic Suspense category of the RITA competition, the Romance Writers of America's prestigious peer award. In the world of screenwriting, Kara has written ten feature screenplays, three of which have been optioned. And these credits are just the sprinkles on her publishing cake. She's an actress too! So yeah, the lady knows how to focus and achieve those goals and dreams.

The course has been great so far; I’ve learned a lot about myself; mainly, that I’m not aiming very high and I’m not shooting very straight. And why.

Do YOU have a career plan and steps to achieving your dreams? Do you know what's standing in your way or what diverts you from your goals? SHARE with us, please!

Some Things Are Just Weird

I’m in Houston this week. Looking out my 11th floor window, I see a fountain, the freeway and constant movement. In fact, Houston seems always to be in a state of movement. Even in this hotel, there’s activity everywhere—employees trying to keep guests happy, men and women attending business seminars. I feel totally out of place until someone hollers, “Hello Mrs. Ferguson.” That happens quite often. My husband befriends everyone he meets so they’re very curious when the wife comes to town. I feel as though they’re checking me out to see what kind of woman is married to the friendly, kind, inquisitive, helpful, godly guy they see each week. Is she as nice as he is or is she a demanding snob? Is she worthy--because he gives the young clerk advice on business courses and she actually grabs a pen and takes notes. He looks at pictures of the plumbing fixtures one of the young men has chosen for his new home. He talks to the valets about their foreign homes. They’re surprised when he's actually heard of their small cities, towns, villages, and that he can share trivia about their government. He even went to the hospital to visit when one of them had brain surgery.

This isn’t the blog post I’d intended. I wanted to tell you about my word—a word that jumped out at me and claimed me. I know writers who claim, choose, pray about or grab hold of a word for each New Year. I’ve never done that—never claimed, chosen, prayed for a word to guide or inspire me through a new year—but I’ve been pretty curious about how all that comes about. Well… now I know how it comes about. It just does.

My word leaped out at me when I was reading something. Everything around it fell away and it’s the only word I saw. It meant something to me. I recognized it. I knew deep down in my gut that it was MY word and something that I would experience over and over again during 2011. Sounds crazy. My word just came today—not all nice and neat at midnight of December 31, 2010 so I could officially start the New Year with it. And though my word just claimed me today, I can look back over the past few weeks and see that I’ve been experiencing it since the first of the year in a number of ways. Want to know what it is? Sure you do!

REDISCOVER

In 2011 I’m going to rediscover myself and my love for writing. I’m going to rediscover my love for God, for life, my art, my dreams, my goals, my poetry, my novels and their characters and my friends.

Evidently, I’m going to rediscover a lot more because when I look out this 11th floor window, in spite of the constant movement, all I can see is the good of my husband.

REDISCOVER.

Do you have a word that symbolizes what your year might bring? Or a word that offers encouragement? Share!

Success for 2011

How many of you list your accomplishments every December to see how successful you were during the year? I do. Usually I'm hit slap-dab in the face with the amount of time I've wasted, but really, we shouldn't be too hard on ourselves. We're looking through our own eyes; others may see us in a different light.

You know I've been on a poetry kick lately. I came across the following poem by Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882). Thought I'd share it with you, give you something to think about as you make your goals for 2011. Maybe you'll want to keep this poem close during the coming year.

Success

To laugh often and much;
to win the respect of intelligent people
and the affection of children;
to earn the appreciation of honest critics
and endure the betrayal of false friends;
to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others;
to leave the world a bit better,
whether by a healthy child,
a garden patch
or a redeemed social condition;
to know even one life has breathed easier
because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded.


Below are two great quotes by Emerson.

“No one can cheat you out of ultimate success but yourself.”

"Do not be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better."

What would you like to accomplish in 2011? Want to share?