Tootin’ Your Own Horn by J.Q. Rose

Guest blog by J. Q. Rose

My mother always told me, “Those who tooteth not their own horn, their horn remaineth untooteth.” In other words, be bold about yourself in this world. Let everyone know what your talents are.

I found this to be true after becoming a published author. In this day and age, in order for the world to know you have a book to sell, the author is responsible for tooting her own horn about it. Publishers (unless you are a bestselling author) do not have the budget to promote your writing, so it is up to you to do it.

When I was slaving away at writing my book, Sunshine Boulevard, I did not focus on anything but getting the story put together, revised, and polished to be ready to submit to the publisher. I was prepared for rejections, but happily the second publisher, Muse It Up Publishing, offered me a contract.

A release date, nine months away from the contract signing, was set. I expected to go through the editing process and the cover art design and figured on March 1, 2011, the release date, I would announce to the world my book was out and ready for readers.

I soon learned that was not how one sells a book. Months of preparation are needed BEFORE the release date. Setting up a website and a blog, guesting on other blogger’s sites, and creating a buzz about the book are all necessary to establish a platform, in other words, to find an audience of reader buyers.

But it doesn’t stop there. After the book is out, there is even more guesting, blog hopping, commenting on blogs, schmoozing on chat groups and loops. Since my book is an e-book, I mainly stay online for promotion. I did try a book signing, but it is difficult without a physical book to sign. Many folks who came to my author table just looked at me with blank stares when I could not produce a printed copy. I have no idea how many times I had to explain my book was in cyberspace. Just order it and it will come to your computer or other reading device. I could almost hear the theme music to the Twilight Zone playing in the visitor’s head as he stood there in disbelief. As you may have guessed, I have not pursued anymore book signings.

Before and after your book is published, you will be spending a LOT of time on promotion. I made the mistake of promoting and not writing. I was caught up in it, perhaps even addicted to spending hours on line trying to find the next opportunity to promote. Too late I realized the importance of having another book ready to publish. Once you snag a reader, they want another story of yours to read. Unfortunately, I didn’t have one.

My advice is to realize that you will have to promote your new release, but do not stop writing. You are a writer. Write the best story you can, promote it with a big send-off, then spend the majority of your time penning your next best seller and limit your hours of promoting so you can also have a life with your family and friends.

J.Q. Rose is the author of the mystery/light horror novella, Sunshine Boulevard, available at Muse It Up Publishing, amazon.com and bn.com and major online booksellers.
Find J. Q. Rose online at http://jqroseauthor.blogspot.com and http://jqrose.webs.com

FREE Writing Seminar

Do you know Darlene Hartman? What about her pen name, Simon Lang? Darlene was a well-known scifi author, and a writer for the origional Star Trek TV series. Yes, she ate lunch with Gene Roddenberry!

Darlene is offering a series of telephone seminars for anyone who wants to join in. They will run for the next five Thursdays. First seminar is March 1 at 7:30 CST. The sessions will last for approximately 1 1/2 hours and there will be an open forum for Q & A's, a chance for you to bring up problems in your writing, questions for readers who want to know the "how and why" of what writers do, and why books are as they are, etc.

Here's the info for your dial-in:


Dial-in number: (605) 475-4700

Access code: 1062253#

Please remember, if you do not enter the "#" sign, the conference will not admit you.

No cost, good info, and everyone is welcome. What more could you ask for?

Marguerite McGlinn Prize for Fiction

The Marguerite McGlinn Prize for Fiction is an annual national short fiction contest. The prize includes a $2,000 cash award, and includes an invitation to an awards dinner in October. The winning story appears in the winter print and online issue of Philadelphia Stories. The Marguerite McGlinn Prize for Fiction is made possible by the generous support of the McGlinn family.

Details here. http://www.philadelphiastories.org/marguerite-mcglinn-prize-fiction-0

BIFF BAM POP! ANNOUNCES OPEN CALL FOR SHORT HORROR/THRILLER/SUSPENSE ANTHOLOGY SUBMISSIONS

January 23, 2012, Toronto, ON – Writers of horror, thriller and suspense… take note! The publishing team at BIFF BAM POP! has announced an open call for submissions to be considered for their Short Story Ebook Anthology.

“For any contributing writer, the BIFF BAM POP Short Fiction Anthology is a prime opportunity to have your stories read by thousands of readers and collaborators,” says Andy Burns, Editor-In-Chief, BIFF BAM POP!. “We’re specifically looking for imaginative fiction with elements of the horror, thriller and/or suspense genres… with an open call for submissions, we’re sure our audience will deliver something amazing.”

Please see the official submission guidelines for complete information about submitting to the BIFF BAM POP! Short Story Anthology.

Saturday Evening Post Contest

THE SATURDAY EVENING POST LAUNCHES FICTION CONTEST IN SEARCH OF NEXT GREAT AMERICAN WRITERS

Indianapolis (February 6, 2012) — On the eve of the 110th birthday of John Steinbeck, a contributor to The Saturday Evening Post and the acclaimed author of classic novels including The Grapes of Wrath—the Post announces its first ever “Great American Fiction Contest.” The competition offers aspiring novelists the opportunity to join the ranks of other renowned Post contributors including F. Scott Fitzgerald, William Faulkner, Kurt Vonnegut, Ray Bradbury, Louis L’Amour, Sinclair Lewis, Jack London and Edgar Allan Poe.

“Good writers help us understand who we are. And The Saturday Evening Post believes that supporting and encouraging writing is all the more vital in a universe where media is evolving so rapidly,” said Editorial Director Steven Slon.

Sponsored by the nonprofit the Saturday Evening Post Society, the contest is designed to promote fiction and creative writing, while seeking America’s next great, unpublished voices. The winning story will be published in the January/February 2013 issue of The Saturday Evening Post and on the magazine’s website. The winner will also be awarded $500, while five runners-up will receive $100 each and have their stories published on the Post’s website.

Entries must be character- or plot-driven stories in any genre of fiction that falls within the Post’s broad range of interests. Entrants must be previously unpublished authors (excluding personal websites and blogs) and stories must be 1,500-5,000 words in length. All submissions should be made electronically in Microsoft Word format with the author’s name, address, telephone number and email address on the first page. The Saturday Evening Post editorial staff in consultation with the magazine’s fiction advisory board will judge the stories. There is a $10 entry fee and all entries must be postmarked by July 1, 2012.

For more information, or to submit a story, please visit saturdayeveningpost.com/fiction-contest.

Meet John Everson

Have you met next Sunday’s guest yet? John Everson is a perennial favorite at The Writer’s Chatroom. For those of us who have been around for years, it wouldn’t be Halloween without him. (Check the schedule for his full bio.)

John is running a contest on his website to celebrate his latest release. I’ll let him tell you about it:

“Over the next two weeks there is also a contest running through The Pumpkin Man site. Just click the Contest page and follow the instructions to enter. There are several prizes, but the Grand Prize is a set of autographed copies of ALL of my novels as well as an autographed CD and poster from the band New Years Day (they're a really cool new band I recently discovered, and their music is the soundtrack of the site). Winners will be announced on Halloween.”

I haven’t read The Pumpkin Man yet, but if you want grisly, chilling Halloween reads, you can’t go wrong with Covenant and Sacrifice.

And of course there is the story that made my son, as a teenage boy, afraid to carve pumpkins ever again... Pumpkin Head.

Be sure to join us Sunday, October 30, Halloween Eve, 7-9 pm EST, to chat with John Everson, in our chatroom.

As John says, “Sometimes, a little "fear" is fun.”

"Wake of the Red Mistress" excerpt

Teel James Glenn was our guest in the chatroom Sunday, July 10. This is an excerpt from his latest book, "Wake of the Red Mistress". Who doesn't like pirate stories?



We join the tale as the pirates have swarmed the ship and Shinara and her young charges are below decks locked into their room:

Abruptly a blood-curdling scream came from the corridor and all their eyes fixed on the barred portal. It sounded like Fergon’s deep voice, but with a tone of agony they could never have imagined him making.

“Keep reading, girls,” Shinara ordered. She worked to keep her voice firm and fight the panic that welled up from within her.

The sound of many bodies moving around in the corridor with many curse words and oaths promised violence. Abruptly a pounding erupted on the thick wooden door.

The girls all screamed and huddled together as a boarding ax smashed into the planks of the door.

“Trust in the Goddess,” Shinara said with all the calm she could force, “and we will be delivered.”

As she spoke the door splintered and a bearded head thrust through the gap.

“Women!” The pirated proclaimed with a sinister laugh.

The younger sisters screamed and clung to each other as the head withdrew and a second, even gruffer, scarred face filled the gap.

“They’re sisters of Yulina!” the cutthroat called to the others. His leering smile exposed a near toothless mouth. “And some choice ones!” He pushed a hairy arm in the hole in the door and grabbed the bar off the inside.

Sister Shinara stepped before the girls with her back to them clutching her scriptures to her bosom and faced the entering corsairs. She stared the intruders down as they streamed through the door. Goddess protect these of your flock who stand before you. Guide me to do right.

She tried to speak words of protest to the attackers but her words were lost in the cries of triumph and oaths that promised evil.

Rough hands seized Shinara and tore her gown to expose her naked bosom. She struggled against the vice grip of a brigand as others grabbed the screaming girls.

“Leave them alone,” she cried in vain.

The pirate holding Shinara ran a hand around her waist to roughly grab her naked breast and squeeze it. She yelled out in pain, turning her head to look him in the face.

He had fetid breath and his body odor made her gag but her revulsion was not for herself, but for the younger girls. “Do what you will with me, but leave them alone.”

“Oh, as you command, m’highness,” the pirate holding her said. “Shall I bring your worship’s private yacht around as well?” This brought laughter from the dozen brigands who swarmed into the cabin behind him. It sounded loud enough that it almost drowned out the screams of the terrified, young sisters as the other corsairs began to remove their clothing.

“Quiet,” a female voice cut through all the noise. It was not loud, but had the quality of command that made even the screaming girls choke their cries to low sobs. “What is going on here?”

“The Red Mistress,” Yuza whispered. Here eyes widened and for the moment She forgot her distress in the presence of the piratical legend she had heard so much about.

The speaker was a woman, but such as none of the sisters had ever seen. She stood barely five feet tall though her presence filled the room. Her hair hung long and curly and fiery red, barely held back with a striped blue rag to reveal a pale face with green, cat like eyes.

She wore crimson fighting leathers and a loose shirt, a brace of throwing knives on a bandolier across her ample breasts. In her hand she held a bloody cutlass.

When the pirate holding Shinara did not respond quickly enough, the petite hellion sprang forward and slapped him across the face over Shinara’s shoulder.

“I said what is going on?” The female pirate barked.

The struck brigand released the sister. For a moment anger flared in his eyes, but he quickly contained it and stepped back with a shrugging gesture. “We were just getting these holy rollers, ready to throw over the side, Aurzia,” he said contritely. “They put up a fight.”

“He lies," Shinara said. She pulled together the torn edges of her gown and stepped to comfort the youngest of the sisters. “We would not fight; we of the Order of Yulina do not take up arms.”

The tall blonde locked eyes with the redheaded pirate and showed none of the fear she felt, her beliefs and her responsibility for the younger girls being her bulwark against her own terror.

The piratess appraised the sister with a feral grin and smiling eyes. She licked her full lips and nodded. “It doesn’t really matter, little sister,” Aurzia said, “My men have strict orders, no molesting women!” She took a step forward, her cutlass flicked out and the pirate that had spoken yelped. He grabbed the bloody spot where the ear had just been severed and fell to his knees cursing.

“Let them say their last prayers and then finish them quick,” the Red Mistress said with a final longing look at Shinara before she turned to leave. “I want all the bodies in the water before we put a prize crew on this scow.”

Yuza screamed and fainted.

The Times they Are A'changin...

In chat tonight, we're discussing the changing roles of agents, and what new
jobs may be opening up in the future of the publishing world.

Personally, I think reliable reviewers are going to become much more
important in the future. Since there are some good self-published books out
there, I think readers are going to rely more on reviews to separate the trash
from the treasure.

Where do you look for book recommendations? Where do you plan to look in the
future?

It’s all in the details

Today's guest post is by Erika Talbot. Erika will be our guest in the chatroom Sunday, July 3.)

As writers, our job is to paint a portrait for our audience. The brush strokes of world-building, characterization, and action are what entertain the reader. Yet, many times we pass up the chances to really show the story as strong as we see it in our brains. And we must share the story, or the characters will come after us.

Characters talk. That’s a no-brainer, but does the dialogue put the reader next to the characters? Does it make them feel like the third person in the conversation? Or does the reader only feel like a reader? Add some spice, pizzazz, neon excitement to your characters. Does Sally “say,” or does she “grumble?” How about Don? If he is arguing with his boss, how does he argue? Is he loud and harsh, or is Don more timid and conservative, merely murmuring? These kinds of details can really propel the reader into the scene. Now, don’t get me wrong, Sally can “say” from time to time, but in the more emotional/epic scenes, painting broader strokes will make it come to life and keep the intensity.

To bring Sally out more so the reader sees her, what does she look like? Sally is a middle-aged woman with blonde hair and freckles…boring. It feels sterile, written without the pizzazz (can you guess my favorite word yet?). How about Sally’s face is covered with lines of wisdom, potato chip blonde and spots only a day at the beach can give. Keep in mind, this is straight off the top of my head…but you get the idea, right?

Bringing more to your writing can only make it stronger, and let’s face it; it’s a blast to add some craziness into your world.

How does a book start?

How does a novel get its start? That's probably different for every writer. Chatroom favorite and Bram Stoker winner John Everson tells where his latest book, Siren, came from. Interesting story!

Read it here: http://bordersblog.com/ereading/2011/06/10/featured-author-friday/

Where will you find YOUR next book?

Research Tip Website

Joe Moore is a former marketing executive with 25 years experience in the television postproduction industry. As a senior audio engineer, he received two regional Emmy® awards for individual achievement in audio mixing for ABC and PBS television specials. He has written dozens of articles for national and international trade magazines covering the field of professional sound recording and video. In addition, as a freelance writer, he has reviewed fiction for the Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, the Florida Times Union, and the Tampa Tribune. Now he writes best-selling novels with Lynn Sholes.

This is a guy who knows how to find the facts he needs. And he's willing to share his research tips with all of you.

Go to http://joe-moore.com/research/ for a wealth of research tips and links. Remember, even if you write fiction, you HAVE to get the facts straight!

Murder! by Ginger Simpson

(Ginger Simpson will be our guest in the chatroom Sunday night, April 10.)

This face describes exactly how I’m feeling at the moment. Something has happened to my muse and I’m not sure what. Maybe she’s dead. Oh no!

For those of you who don’t understand the importance of a muse in writing, let me explain. I found the best description on Wikpedia, so just so you don’t think I plagiarize, I’m giving them full credit.

“In Greek Mythology, ‘the muses’ are a sisterhood of goddesses or spirits…, who embody the arts and inspire the creation process."

I don’t have room for the full sisterhood in my head, so I only use one. Although, I’m sure there are many things worse than sitting down at the computer and finding that your mind has turned into a blank screen–it’s not as life-altering as some experiences–it’s frustrating, nonetheless. I need my muse and hate when she abandons me.

Just a week ago, I came home from a writer’s meet-up, totally enthused about making headway on my latest work-in-progress, but someone or something killed my muse. Either that or she’s gone AWOL. If that’s the case, I doubt she’s wandered very far because lately all she wants to do is eat.

There is no cure for a lost muse. You simply have to wait until she comes back and is ready to write. It angers me because I’m up to the task, yet she’s the creative side I need–the person in touch with my characters, and the story flows through her.
I wonder if I should report this ‘crime’ to the police. She might be lying somewhere bleeding and injured. But then again, I might be overreacting. She’s taken a hiatus before, but never for quite this long. I’m a worrier by nature, so maybe I’ll give her a little while longer to come back.

Oh, wait…I think I see her. Or at least part of her. Whew…never mind the panic alert. I’ve found her with her head in the refrigerator and the biggest chunk of her talent hanging out. I’ll see if I can get that part back in the chair and get started on finishing Hattie’s Hero. I’m hoping to enter it in a competition and thus find a home for it. Here’s a little sample ‘we’ finished before she got hungry again and went on the prowl:

At the corner of First and Market Streets, Hattie paused and fished inside her valise for a slip of paper. The murky smell of the Mississippi drifted up to meet her, and a steamboat whistle drew her attention to the river. How wonderful to be able to drift along in such comfort and style. Perhaps she’d never experience it firsthand, but her spirits lifted when she unfolded the printed advertisement she’d found posted on the corkboard outside the mercantile.

Wanted: Responsible and caring young female to travel by wagon to California with a family of five—two adults and three children, two of which are twin infants. All expenses paid, meals furnished, and sleeping accommodations provided in return for assistance with the babies. Bonus at trip’s end. Leave word of interest with Mister Cronin, mercantile owner.

Hattie had already indicated her desire to travel with the family and today was meeting with Mister Franklin, the family’s husband and father to gain his approval. Whether or not they picked her, she wasn’t going back to the orphanage. She hadn’t asked permission to leave, but her absence wouldn’t cause a stir. Someone would take her place in an instant. Unsure what she would do if she wasn’t selected, she nibbled the biscuit she smuggled out from dinner last night and resolved to deal with bad news if and when it came.

Her palms turned moist the minute she spied a dapper gentleman standing outside Cronin’s. He wore the black Coachman’s hat as Mister Cronin had indicated he would.

Despite her churning innards, she closed the gap between them on leaden legs, managing and managed a weak smile. His tailored charcoal frock coat, starched white shirt and perfectly pressed trousers indicated a man of means. His thick moustache, broad shoulders, and angular jaw made him quite attractive, but clearly impatient if his tapping foot was any indication. A glance down at her tacky apparel brought warmth to her cheeks. If her employment rested on her looks…

She clamped the frayed handle of her valise so tightly, her nails dug into her palms. At least she’d braided her long, mousy hair and washed her face before bedtime last night. Pausing a few feet from the gentleman, she cleared her throat. “Are-are you Mister Franklin?”

“Indeed I am.” One brow lifted as his gaze started at her feet and ended with a curious stare into her eyes. “And you’re Miss Carson?” His shock was apparent.

“Yes, sir, but please call me Hattie.” She dipped her chin and took a deep breath.

“May I ask why you carry your luggage when we haven’t even discussed what will be required of you?”
Fueled by determination, she set her valise on the ground then looked up. “I hope I can convince you I’m the right person to help your missus with the children. I’ve had lots of experience dealing with young ones.”

Fishing a watch from his vest pocket, he checked the time, and then cocked his head. “You realize this won’t be an easy venture?” The timepiece’s golden chain dangled between his fingers.

********************

Oh, and I have no objections if any publishers out there want to contact me about my story. *lol* I’m open to offers. (I hear it’s supposed to snow in hell tonight.)

Tech "Care Package"

Do your parents or friends treat you like their personal tech support? Do you need help with technology, but don't have anyone to ask? Help has arrived on both planes!

http://www.teachparentstech.org/ was created by Google. It contains more than 50 videos showing, step-by-step, how to handle the most common tech problems.

Cut and paste? Video directions. Create a blog? Check. Unsubscribe from a mailing list? It's there. Attaching files to an email? Got it. How to find driving directions? (So they can come to visit you for a change!) All there.

You can email the videos to the tech-challenged people you know. If it's you who needs to learn, just click the links to the info you need. Learn privately, and nobody will ever know!

I remember when my mother told me my blog didn't exist anymore. Someone had deleted the shortcut I set up for her, and she thought the blog was gone. Where was Teach Parents Tech when I needed it!

Educate yourself. Teach your parents/grandparents/tech-challenged friends. Visit http://www.teachparentstech.org/ and make your life easier.

The Evolution of Sarah by Heather Kuehl

(Today's guest blogger is Heather Kuehl. We will be chatting with Heather Sunday, March 13, 7-9 pm EST)

When I started writing Fade to Black, Sarah was a very angry person. I mean, you would be too if you were attack and changed into a werewolf against your will. She was a survivor, and she made sure that no one would ever make her a victim again. So of course the events in the final chapters of Fade were going to rock her world (sorry, no spoilers).

When it came time to write the sequel, Malevolent Dead, I knew that Sarah was going to be shaken from her discovery. She wasn’t going to be as strong as she was before, but I wasn’t sure by how much. Sarah had relied on her anger and rage for the better part of five years. Six months wasn’t going to be long enough to put those feelings aside and be comfortable in her own skin. Don’t get me wrong, she was still Sarah. She could still fight and be strong when she needed to be, but don’t trust her to make big decisions after the events in Fade to Black.

Now, in Blood Moon, Sarah finally finds herself again. Picking up right where Malevolent Dead left off, Sarah finds that once again her life is being turned upside down. The Blood Moon Corporation wants her dead for breaking her contract, and Sarah's not one to just sit around waiting for death to come for her. She won't go down without a fight…

Blood Moon is the third installment in the Sarah Vargas Series. All proceeds from Blood Moon will be going to MUSC Children's Hospital. Please visit http://www.musckids.com/ for more information about this wonderful children's hospital.

Blurb: After she broke her contract with the Blood Moon Corporation, Sarah Vargas knew that it was only a matter of time before they came for her. What she didn't know is what lengths they would go to make sure that she had nowhere to run. Everyone Sarah has ever relied on is in danger during a time when friends become enemies, and Sarah quickly realizes that the Blood Moon Corporation will never give up until she is dead. The Blood Moon Corporation is coming, and even Sarah doesn't think she can make it out alive.

"Sarah reaches out, grabs hold and drags you through the story with her. Non stop suspense, scorching hot love, or is it just lust, scenes and enough paranormal nasties to keep you away from the cemetery permanently make this book one you've gotta read," said You Gotta Read about Malevolent Dead. Book one of the series, Fade To Black, reached #1 on Fictionwise.com's bestseller list for fantasy ebooks. More information about the entire Sarah Vargas series can be found on my website, www.heatherkuehl.com.

Now, for your viewing pleasure, here’s Chapter One of Blood Moon, but be warned, it has Malevolent Dead spoilers within it. Excerpt (before final edits):

At times, I loved my mentor. It was a pity the BMC let him go. So many people like me needed a teacher like him.

Just like Jared’s death, the BMC’s abandonment of Dom made no sense. Why would they get rid of one of their best teachers?

I gasped as it came to me as clearly as a premonition. I felt my connection with Damian flair as my mind went into shock, putting pieces together that I didn’t know fit. It couldn’t be…

It made too much sense not to.

I looked up at Dom. “Why didn’t the BMC save you from Marcellus?” I asked with my voice barely above a whisper.

It was the most obvious question, one that should have been asked the moment the vampire necromancer died. I had been too busy grieving over Jared to think straight.

Damian kept the metaphysical lines between us open, listening but careful not to say a word to distract me. I could feel him in my head, and I didn’t mind, one less person to tell.

Dom looked into my eyes and I could see indecision filling their black depths. He sighed as he backed away, and I thought that he decided not to tell when he faced me and said, “They ordered me to kill you.”

“And?” I asked. My blood ran cold. I felt the wolf inside me tense, preparing for an attack.

“And I refused,” Dom growled with disbelief written on his features. “Sarah, you’re like a daughter to me. I could never cause you harm.”

“What did the BMC do?”

“They said that they understood. The next day they sent me to take out Marcellus.”

I licked my lips. “They sent a vampire to kill a vampire necromancer?”

“Yes, that’s…” Dom froze. “They set me up.”

“No. I don’t think they did.”

“How do you figure? Sarah, I was controlled…”

“By a creature sent here to kill Damian, not me.”

Dom cocked his head to the side, and I screamed with frustration that he wasn’t putting it altogether.

“Think about it Dom! There are four people that I can fully trust; you, Donavan, Jared, and Damian.”

“Go on.”

“They sent Marcellus here to kill Damian. If he had succeeded, that would have taken care of one of my four. In doing so, the throne of Charleston would have been open to him, and I would be out of a safe place to live. Donovan should have killed you for killing his Weres. I should have been kicked out of the Clan for letting the dead Weres happen on my watch. Luckily, Donavan is more understanding than the BMC give him credit for. I would have been out of another safe house as well as a Clan to protect me. You, a vamp would sacrifice his own life to keep me safe. Jared…” I couldn’t say any more, and Dom started nodding as he thought it over.

“I can’t believe they would do this,” he said.

Donavan came over as Dom said these words. “Who?”

“The Blood Moon Corporation,” Dom and I said in unison.

“We’ve got to tell Damian,” Dom said as he dug into his pocket for his phone.

“There’s no need,” I said before he could pull it out. “He’s been in my head listening since I figured it out.”

I felt Damian’s anger rise to the surface, and suddenly I saw Damian as though I actually stood in his office. His black hair, once long enough to touch his knees, now barely brushed his shoulders. His plum-colored eyes burned with anger as he pulled book after book off the bookcase against his back wall.

Writer, Writer Pants on Fire! by Kerri Nelson

(Kerri will be our chat guest Sunday, February 6)

Whether you’re a reader or a writer, you probably have an infinite number of deadlines in your daily life. Everything from paying bills to turning in our edits on time, we all have times when we feel the crunch of a looming deadline.

There are times when I feel like…well…my pants are on fire. I feel the heat on my back as I run away from the fire and hopefully towards the cool, refreshing cleansed palate of a job well done.

But how can we cope with these crunch times? What can we do to make the fire burn less aggressively and make success more easily achievable?

Here are my tips for putting out the fire and putting another check mark in your completed column.

1. Make lists and stick to them.

Sometimes we make lists and then we make lists about the lists we need to make. But do we stick with these daily “to do” lists or do we allow our minds to wander? If you take the time out of your schedule to make a list—stick to it and promise yourself that you’ll complete at least 50% of it that day.

2. Reward yourself for a job well done.

If you meet your daily goals you should definitely take a much-needed break and reward yourself. But don’t take advantage of the reward system. Just doing one thing on your list doesn’t entitle you to 2 hours in front of the television. Be realistic and be fair to yourself.

3. Ask for help if you need it.

How many of us are afraid to ask for help? Maybe we feel that we’ll seem less capable if we tell others that we just can’t do it all. Maybe we all want to be “Wonder Woman” and show the world that we can go it alone. But if you get stuck, don’t be afraid to ask for help. You might be surprised how many of your friends, co-workers, or family can help you out in a pinch.

4. Be realistic.

Let’s face it…sometimes my “to do” list looks more like a semester long syllabus than a daily list of doable tasks. I’m aware of this and yet I continue to stack goals on myself more and more each day. You should always rank your tasks in order of importance and try to get the most urgent or overdue done first. Do you really need to clean out the pantry today or do you need to submit that novel that you’ve been lost in edits with for months? Set priorities but be realistic!

5. Take a Mental Health Day.

Sometimes we feel ready to break apart at the seams. If you get totally down and out and the fire is raging under you, maybe it is time to take a mental health day. Take a day off from work or chores or writing and spoil yourself with an outdoor walk, a special outing with the family, or even a long luxurious bath without interruption. These breaks can be all you’ll need to meet your goals in the coming days. But, again, don’t take advantage of breaks and use them as excuses. You’ve got to get back to work eventually.

Use these tips for coping with the stress of deadlines and you’re sure to succeed and it will be a whole lot easier than replacing your wardrobe from all those scorch marks.

What are your tips for dealing with deadlines and daily time crunches in your life?

I look forward to meeting you all here on Sunday night. Hope you’ll check out my website in the meantime here: www.kerrinelson.com


© Kerri Nelson 2011

Time To Give Up?

How do you know when it's time to cut your losses and move on? In writing, you don't lose anything when you close a file and stick it in an obscure folder on your hard drive, never to be opened again. It's still there, if you ever decide you need it again. You've learned something from writing it that you can use in your next project. But other things take more thought.

Here at The Writer's Chatroom, we try to give you what you want. Live chats, leads on some of what we consider the best products out there, book reviews, a blog, etc.

For several years, we've had a discussion forum where you could all talk between chats. 636 people are registered, but there is very little activity there. We average 6-10 posts per week. Not per day, but per week. That is pretty much deserted for a forum.

We get over 100 registrations per day. I have to take the time to look at each one and check them against www.stopforumspam.com . Out of the 700-1,000 registrations per week, we get one or two real people. The rest are all spammers that I delete.

I'm chafing at the time wasted clearing spammers from a forum that has nearly no activity. I could be using that time to find more chat guests, create more workshops, set up a critique group, etc. More of the things you want to use.

What are your thoughts and opinions?

The Magic of Fiction

(Eliza Knight, today's guest blogger, is our chat guest on December 5. Remember, comments are very welcome!)

I want to thank The Writer’s Chatroom for inviting me to blog with you today, and to visit your chatroom on Sunday, Dec. 5th. I’m really looking forward to talking with all of you about writing, reading, and my own tales. I write romance, time travel and historical fiction. I love to create worlds and I like to think I specialize in escapism. When I was thinking about what to write today, I kept coming back to one thing—how much fiction is and isn’t a part of our lives.

When we are younger we are taught to read. We sit on the circle carpet in the classroom and listen to the teacher or librarian read us stories. Our teachers ask us questions about the stories, we learn how to make a plot web, characterization charts, and write our own stories. So much energy is put into creating fictional stories and reading fiction when we are younger, and then it slowly fades away.

We enter high school where reading the classics and poetry is in the curriculum, but more emphasis is placed on research papers and essays and dissecting the creative works of great literary talents. And I truly mean dissecting. We aren’t able to enjoy the pieces because we’re too busy tearing them apart. I didn’t LOVE reading Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities, until a few years ago when I picked it up and just read it. I didn’t dissect, just enjoyed it.

The same goes when we enter college and take the core classes, lots of papers to right, lots of reading—but textbooks, resources, journals, etc… The enjoyment of reading is somehow lost.

When we finally graduate from college, our reading consists of work related items, and then because we’ve spent the whole day staring at a computer, journal, reports, etc… we veg out in front of the television.

What happens to the magic of fiction as we grow up? How is it some people retain the essence that is exploring a fictional world and some people do not?

I have three young children myself. They love to read. We take weekly (sometimes more than once a week) trips to the library. We create stories. I’ve read to them since they were infants. My husband loves to read, and obviously I do too. But I hadn’t realized until speaking with a friend the other day that this—children reading—isn’t the norm. Not all children love to read. My friend asked me, “How do you get your kids to love reading?” I stared at her blankly because it had never been any other way. I didn’t try to make them like it, it just is.

But what’s the difference?

I’ve always loved to read and I’ve always loved to write. And there have been times (see the college experience and day job experience above…) where I’ve not been able to read too much fiction, but I’ve always been drawn back to it. Since my husband is also a natural reader, is that why our children love to read? Because it is inherent in our house which is filled with close to a thousand books? Is it genetic? My parents love to read. And come to think of it, my husband’s parents also read.

Fiction is magical, it is escapism, it is world-building. When we read we imagine ourselves in the book, we imagine going through what the characters go through. We make a connection. We enjoy the journey. We like to see good triumph evil. We like to see people happy. A problem solved. A good scare. The genre you read doesn’t matter—but the act of doing so gives you satisfaction. We learn from reading—whether we realize it or not. There are several studies that have proven mental stimulation (reading, games, crosswords, researching, etc…) boosts brain power.

So if reading is good for us, makes us smarter, gives us pleasure, takes us away to another world—the world the author has created—why don’t more people do it?

Why do you enjoy reading fiction?

William C Hammond

(Guest blog by next Sunday's chat guest. See our Schedule page for more info on Bill.)

Hello, I am looking forward to chatting with you all this Sunday evening. It's a rare opportunity to discuss not only my books, but also what lies behind the books. For example, how I made the decision to jump into the black abyss of writing historical novels in today's challenging publishing environment.


I can't say I didn't know better. I have been in the book publishing industry my entire career. I knew how imposing the odds were stacked against me. Still I persisted. Why? What motivates writers to ignore those odds and push ahead come-what-may?


If my experience should entertain you, wonderful. If it should inspire you, all the better. But I can promise you we'll have fun chatting together on Sunday.


http://www.bill-hammond.com

Bill's Virtual Tour Itinerary:

11/8 The Old Salt Blog www.oldsaltblog.com text interview

11/9 Writer's Chat Room www.writerschatroom.com tour announcement

11/14 Writer's Chat Room www.writerschatroom.com live chat & hardcover giveaway

11/22 Book Chase Blog http://bookchase.blogspot.com review

11/22 Amazon http://tinyurl.com/283l9nj review

11/22 USNI http://www.usni.org/store/books/fiction/love-country review

11/22 Library Thing http://www.librarything.com/work/10489064 review

11/22 Book Blog Ning/Historical Fiction review

11/22 Curled Up www.curledup.com review

11/24 I Just Finished www.ijustfinished.com review

11/29 Our History Project www.ourhistoryproject.com review & text interview

1st quarter 2010 ebook sales dwarf previous years

Ebook sales for 2006 were $20 million. 2007 was $31.2 million. 2008 was $53.5 million.

The first quarter of 2010, ebook sales were $91 million. March alone was $28.5 million, more than all of 2006.

Read the full breakdown here. http://ereads.com/2010/06/q1-e-sales-stats-dwarf-09s.html

This study counts only 12-15 epublishers, and US sales only.

Face it folks. ebooks are here to stay. And I, for one, am thrilled!

Does The Idea of a Blog Intimidate You?

Tonight's chat subject is about blogging. It seems natural to assume if you're reading this blog that you see the value in them. Well, yes and no. There are many folks who enjoy reading blogs but get intimidated at the idea of doing their own. If you're a writer, you serously should consider having a blog of your own.

So what's intimidating about writing a blog? First off it's a fear of commitment. Yes, being a blog author means you need to update it regularly, post regularly and respond to reader comments. The best plan is to set up specific days for you to post. It doesn't have to be daily but can be weekly, bi-monthly or rarely monthly. If you miss some, the world won't crash but miss too many and regular readers will stop dropping in.

Another intimidation factor is a worry of having nothing to say. Sure people visit blogs where the content is interesting to them and you need to provide that for them. Here at TWC it's all information for and about writers.

The best way to get past having nothing to say is to make a plan for the blog. What's the main topic? Does the name reflect that topic? Are there specific topics on certain days? An example would be book review Friday or guest author Wednesday. Setting up a plan gives you a jump off point. When you're on a roll, write several blog posts at once and save them on your desktop. Then it's all cut and paste on post day. This works great if you're doing a series of related blog topics like a workshop style theme.

The third biggest intimidation factor is figuring out how the blog works. Just as with anything, there is a learning curve so be patient with yourself or others. Visit other blogs and ask their owners how they did something you like. Read the help files and tutorials, Google subjects you're not sure about.

So, how about a way to get your feet wet? Try guest blogging. Yes, many blogs host guest speakers or interviews as part of their topics. It's a great way for a writer to reach new audiences (heh...and promote your own blog if you've got one). Search for blogs on the topic you'd like to speak about and contact the blog owners. Typically their email address is in their biography section.

Let me close by saying that just having a blog is only part of the process. You do need to tell people about the blog or no one will ever come to read it. You can do this with announcements. Putting a link to the blog on your email signature, webpage and business cards. Whenever you talk with someone about your blog subject, invite them to your blog and don't expect them to remember it if you're talking to them in person. Write down for them the blog address and what it's subject is.

That's it! It really is fun and if you stay away from complaining or posting personal information on your blog, then it's a great way to reach people.

Grammar-licious: Making Grammar Fun - July

Dangling Participles

This is a fun topic. The name is cute, isn't it? "Dangling participles", also referred to as "dangling modifiers", are troublesome and hard to spot sometimes.

Participles are adjectives ending in -ing. Simple enough, but -ing words they must be used carefully in order to avoid confusion in your writing.

Participles modify nouns. A modifier is a word or phrase that describes another word.

The noun (antecedent) that the participle refers to has to be clear. The participle closest to the noun (it can be in front of or behind the noun) is its partner. Otherwise, you end up with the participle dangling.

If you have an -ing word at the start of the sentence, be on alert. This is a common format where dangling modifiers appear.


Examples are the best teachers:
Dangling: Writing about dangling modifiers, word choice is important to the writer. [This says that word choice is writing.]
Improved: Writing about dangling modifiers, the writer must pay attention to word choice. [the writer is writing.]

Dangling: Standing at the top of the stairs, the view out the window was breathtaking. [This says the view is standing at the top of the stairs.]
Improved: Standing at the top of the stairs, she thought the view out the window was breathtaking. [It makes sense now. She is standing.]

Dangling: Running from the police, the money was still in the robber's hands. [The money is running.]
Improved: Running from the police, the robber still held the money. [Much better to have the robber running away.]

Dangling: After blending the smoothie, the drink was poured into the glass. [The drink was blending itself.]
Improved: After blending the smoothie, the employee poured the drink into the glass. [The employee was blending.]

Dangling: Buzzing contentedly from blossom to blossom, the woman admired the bee. [The woman probably isn't the one buzzing, right?]
Improved: Buzzing contentedly from blossom to blossom, the bee was admired by the woman.
Even better: The woman admired the bee buzzing from blossom to blossom.


My best tip is to not start a sentence with an -ing word. You'll notice it's slower to read than active voice (as in the last example). Not all -ing words are dangling, of course, it just depends on usage in a sentence and where the antecedent (noun) that it pertains to, is located. They need to be next door neighbors to keep each other out of trouble.


If you have grammar topics you’d like to see covered, please leave a comment or email me!

And that wraps up this lesson.

This month’s recommended grammar book is: The Elements of Style by Strunk & White

BIO: Lisa J. Jackson (aka Lisa Haselton) is a self-employed writer and editor. Stop by her site at http://lisajjackson.com, or follow her on twitter for twice-a-week ‘Edible Grammar Bites’ at http://twitter.com/LisaJJackson.

Grammar-licious: Making Grammar Fun - June

Further versus Farther

Are you challenged to know which is right when you have to choose between further and farther? If so, hopefully I can help by the end of this post.

If something is physically distanced from you, it is “farther” away. Key off far, or the “a” to remind you of “area” (physical distance).

Whereas, when an object is figuratively or metaphorically distanced, it is “further.” You can use the “u” to remind you of “understanding” (metaphorical distance, ‘further’ your point).

I find examples to be the best teacher, so here we go.

Correct:
Before we go any further, are there any questions?

How much farther is the resort?

The couple hopes stock prices go further into the green before the end of the year.

She could see better the farther she walked toward the edge of the forest.

He didn’t allow any further discussion on the topic after the bell rang.

She ran farther than anyone thought possible.

I hope she will further her education with college after high school.


There are always exceptions, right? Here you go.

The two words are used interchangeably quite often, but if the usage isn’t referring to a physical distance, you’re safe with further.

I’m further/farther along with the class assignment than you are.

I like finding ways to remember the ‘rules’ and hope you can find something helpful. It’s my hope the monthly grammar techniques and usage examples will make grammar a lot less frightening and potentially enjoyable (can you imagine?) for you.

If you have grammar topics you’d like to see covered, please leave a comment or email me!

And that wraps up this lesson. I have one further item to add.

This month’s recommended grammar book is: A Grammar Book for You and I (Oops, Me) - C. Edward Good

BIO: Lisa J. Jackson (aka Lisa Haselton) is a self-employed writer and editor. Stop by her site at http://lisajjackson.com, or follow her on twitter for twice-a-week ‘Edible Grammar Bites’ at http://twitter.com/LisaJJackson.

AgentFest V

How do you find a reputable agent? Agents are our main topic in tonight's chat. (8-11 pm EST in the chatroom) Well, if you know the right people, you can get leads to good agents.

Thanks to Joe Moore, one of our favorite authors, here is a list of agents taking pitches at AgentFest in NYC, July 8. If you can't be there, you can still use this list to see what each agent is looking for. And the bios have links to their websites.

Go forth and find an agent!

(Agentfest list for those who can't click links: http://www.thrillerwriters.org/thrillerfest/agentfest.html )

Grammar-licious: Making Grammar Fun - May

As an editor, I see a lot of issues with ellipsis and em-dash usage, so I thought it would be a good topic to touch upon. The ellipsis is used to indicate a pause in speech or missing text. The em-dash is used to indicate an interruption in speech or to emphasize a phrase.

An ellipsis is used to show missing text within quoted material, or a pause within a character’s dialogue. The ellipsis is always three dots: “…”. Always three, not two, four, five; three. Style guidelines vary. Some people prefer an ending period if the ellipsis is at the end of a sentence, other guidelines are satisfied with no final period.

A little history of the em-dash: in the day of the typewriter, an em-dash was represented by double hyphens amounting to the width of a capital “M” from the keyboard. With computers, you can format or insert an em-dash easily and it’s used to indicate an interruption within dialogue, or to emphasize a certain phrase. There is never a space before or after an em-dash.

Examples are always helpful, so here there come.

(1) Ellipsis and em-dash in dialogue:
“Peter, please, what I meant was…”
“What? What did you mean?”

Compare the above to this:
“Peter, please, what I meant was—”
“I don’t want to hear your excuses. It’s too late.”

Can you see how the first example is the first speaker trailing off and the second example has the first speaker being cut off?

(2) Ellipsis and em-dash as pauses/breaks:
There it was again…that subtle, but creepy scratching.
There it was again—that loud, terrifying scratching.

(3) Ellipses are great for slowing the reader down within narrative: “They gazed innocently into each other’s eyes until hesitantly…gently…they shared their first kiss.”

Within documentation, ellipses are handy for shortening long text. Use the ellipsis to show missing words, whether only a few, or several, even a few sentences. For instance, you find parts of the Gettysburg Address handy for making a point. Use an ellipsis to remove words or phrases you don’t want the reader to focus on.

Special Note #1: A colon can sometimes be used instead of an em-dash. A colon announces to the reader that something special is coming along. The em-dash does the same, but is more dramatic.

Special Note #2: A hyphen can not be used in place of an em-dash. A hyphen has its own special use to be talked about in a later column.


This month’s recommended grammar book is: The Only Grammar Book You'll Ever Need by Susan Thurman and Larry Shea.


I like finding ways to remember the ‘rules’ and hope you can find something helpful. It’s my hope the monthly grammar techniques and usage examples will make grammar a lot less frightening and potentially enjoyable (can you imagine?) for you.

If you have grammar topics you’d like to see covered, please leave a comment or email me!

(originally published in The TWC Spotlight for May, 2009)

That Dog Do Bark: A Canine Aroo of Apologia in D Major

dog • house (dôg hous): a small shelter for a dog; the modest backyard abode in which an author resides if said author fails to show up for an online chat.


That Dog Do Bark: A Canine Aroo of Apologia in D Major
by Martha Engber

All right, let’s be candid. I’m in the doghouse for not showing up on Sun., May 9, to chat with all you good writing souls here at WritersChatRoom.com. I could tell you that, had I read the lovely email reminder from Audrey, I would have arrived, online and on time.

But alas, due to Mother’s Day, that holiday in which mothers are given the most treacherous advice to do as they please, I thought I’d treat myself to that most cherished of modern luxuries, a No Email Day. And look what happened. When I finally opened my email at 7 p.m. — PST rather than EST — I almost had a heart attack.

But I’m a silver lining kind of gal, and the redeeming outcome in this instance is that I’m highly motivated to make amends for wasting your time, for which I really am truly sorry.

The first order of business is to let you know that yes, I will — absolutely — show up at 7 p.m. EST (4 p.m. PST) on Sun., May 23, to chat with you.

The second is to provide you with what I, as a writer (The Wind Thief), character development guru and writing coach, see in my own writing and that of others as the main errors writers make when developing characters.


While I know we couldn’t possibly make these mistakes, feel free to pass the list to those poor fellow writers you suspect have fallen into the muck. The points are also made — more elegantly — in my book, Growing Great Characters From the Ground Up.

The 10 Most Common Mistakes Writers Make When Creating Characters

1. Only developing some characters instead of all

2. Not understanding what role a character plays

3. Relying on cliché, the fast, cheap way to pop a character into place

4. Telling, rather than showing readers what’s most important to your character and why he/she is so interesting

5. Not doing enough research about what your character must know to be credible

6. Not allowing your character to act according to his/her nature

7. Not including your personal experience to aid your character on his/her journey

8. Defending your character during the critique process, rather than realizing there’s a problem

9. Not allowing the character to get into trouble

10. Not bothering to clean up your spelling, grammar, punctuation or format issues, problems that hinder readers’ attempts to get to know your character

The list includes a lot of not, an attitude we’ll flip around on May 23 when we talk about what you can do to make your characters the best they can be.

Until then, happy writing!

(Martha Engber will be our chat guest on May 23, 2010, at 7 pm EST. This post is a chance for you to get to know her before the chat.)

Grammar-licious: Making Grammar Fun - April

As with any Grammar-licious blog post, you will find several examples included below, but what makes this article particularly fun is that it is all about examples, specifically the when, where, and how surrounding i.e. and e.g.

There is a difference between the two abbreviations. It’s the similarity that causes the confusion. Let’s get to it, shall we?

In everyday conversation, most of us will say “that is” or “for example.” Yet in writing, many of us prefer to use the abbreviations i.e. or e.g. The test is: which abbreviation matches which phrase?

We now need to break for some Latin language lessons. (I did that for the alliteration.)

i.e. comes from the Latin phrase id est, meaning “that is”. You use i.e. when restating or expanding upon the idea. i.e. is used to give a specific, clarifying example, or more than one, but they are specific.

e.g. comes from the Latin phrase exempli gratia, meaning “for example”. e.g. is used when utilizing an open-ended list of examples.

Real world examples:
I love something sweet, i.e., ice cream, after dinner.
I love chocolate candies, e.g., Hershey kisses, Dove bars, and Ghirardelli squares.

My grandmother enjoys playing social card games, i.e., bridge and gin rummy.
My grandfather enjoys playing solo card games, e.g., solitaire.

Susan plays with her sister, i.e., Paula, every day after school.
Susan loves when her cousins, e.g., Robert, Sheila, and Mark, visit at Christmas.

If everything makes sense now, wonderful! If it’s not quick clicking, read on.

How about thinking of i.e. as “in effect” or “in essence”, or use the ‘i’ and go with “in other words”? And for e.g., think of “example given” or key off the ‘e’ and remember ‘example’, as in ‘for example’. Of course, if you remember the trick for one of the abbreviations, you will probably know when to use the other.

Bonus tip #1 - since e.g. represents a partial list, it is redundant to use etc. at the end of any list following the e.g.

Bonus tip #2 – always use periods after each letter in the abbreviation AND use a comma after the full abbreviation

The best rule to follow, if you want to avoid errors, is to not use either abbreviation in your writing. Simply use “for example” or “that is” and you’ll be fine.


This month’s recommended grammar book is: Essential English Grammar by Philip Gucker.


I like finding ways to remember the ‘rules’ and hope you can find something helpful. It’s my hope the monthly grammar techniques and usage examples will make grammar a lot less frightening and potentially enjoyable (can you imagine?) for you.

If you have grammar topics you’d like to see covered, please leave a comment or email me!

(originally published in The TWC Spotlight for March,2009)

Marketing by Sally Franklin Christie

Marketing, is a word that strikes a note of fear in the heart of every new writer. Marketing, Promotion, Elevator Pitches, Niche Markets, Fan Base, Social Networking and Blogging are only a few buzz words in the writing community. There is no need to fear.

The Writer’s Chatroom is a great place to help sort through the question of what to do after you have a book to market. It is even better to hang out and learn about this aspect of writing before your book is ready to read.

Most aspects of marketing are fun. The more you learn, the less mystifying it is and you can approach it with the same energy that glues your fingers to the keyboard while you get your story written.

There are many ways to work through the maze of buzz words and techniques. I’ll give you three to get you going. You found your way here to TWC, that is a very good start.

Learn the vocabulary. Google the terms.

Ask other writers how they do it. While some say writing is a solitary sport, the internet has made it impossible to exist in a vacuum.

Begin to take full advantage of social networking sites. It won’t take long to build up a group of friends and their friends ask to friend you.

When I began my Tarot Reading Business I used a book called Getting business to come to you
~ Paul Edwards (Author), Sarah Edwards,. While it deals mainly with Print Media, the advice on niches, presentation, marketing techniques and business planning make it worth its considerable weight.

Another book I found useful is Writing for the Web
~ Crawford Kilian. This book helped me understand what a random reader sees when he or she lands on a web page. It reinforced many of the ideas from Getting Business to Come to you.

The Writer’s Chatroom and Audrey Shaffer offer an excellent forum on Branding and Promotion and the feedback from the leader and participants makes enrolling very worth your time.

I’ve covered three things to dampen your fears, and three of my favorite recourses and I’ll end with three cautions.

Do not make marketing more difficult than it is. You are probably already promoting yourself and don’t even realize it.

Do not try to do three things at once. It doesn’t mean you won’t someday become the best juggler in the world of marketing, but no one should start with every ball in the air. Begin with one aspect, for me, it was as simple as switching from screen names to my real name.

Do not stop writing while you learn to market. Although selling your work is a hoot, after it is sold you need something else to sell. Your readers will expect it.

This is my first Blog Post at TWC and I want to say that without you, our readers, our chat participants, and our guests, we would be a hollow, empty and very dull site. I am honored to step up my role as a participant to that of Moderator and hope to be as helpful and kind to each of you as you have been to me.

by Sally Franklin Christie

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Grammar-licious: Making Grammar Fun - March

I’m skipping the introduction this month. If you’re curious about previous grammar columns please check out the blog archives.

The introduction is being skipped this month. The blog archives can be checked for previous grammar columns.

You’ve probably just done a double take. The first two paragraphs are similar. Other than being repetitious, can you pick out which of the two paragraphs above contains active voice? Which one moves you right along? Which one has you yawning?

This month we’re investigating the difference between active voice and passive voice. It’s common to hear the rule ‘avoid passive voice.’ If you’re a writer, it’s a good rule to follow if you want to keep your reader engaged. There are times, however, when passive voice is fine. Really. Read on.

Active voice is dynamic and the ‘doer’ of the action is obvious. Passive voice is, well, laid back and can leave questions in the reader’s mind as to who is doing what. The time to use passive voice is when you want to emphasize results and not necessarily who achieved those results.

Check out the following examples and see what you think (passive is listed first).

The ball was kicked.
Jim kicked the soccer ball.

The bus was driven by Mr. Smith.
Mr. Smith drove the empty bus into a house.

The project was managed effectively.
Ted and his team brought the project in under budget and ahead of schedule.

The computer was repaired.
I fixed my computer.


The following are examples of where you may find passive voice to be the preferred voice:

My advice was followed.
My students followed my advice.

The water was heated to 195 degrees.
Tom heated the water to 195 degrees.

The grocery store was robbed.
Unknown persons robbed the grocery store.

The overall rule for choosing active or passive is to use what best says what you mean.


This month’s recommended grammar book is: The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation by Jane Straus.


I like finding ways to remember the ‘rules’ and hope you can find something helpful. It’s my hope the monthly grammar techniques and usage examples will make grammar a lot less frightening and potentially enjoyable (can you imagine?) for you.

If you have grammar topics you’d like to see covered, please leave a comment or email me!

(originally published in The TWC Spotlight for February,2009)

What Makes a Writer Successful?

I'm willing to bet that if I ask twenty people what makes a writer successful, I'll get twenty answers. For some it's the money: how many copies were sold, how much money did they get, how big was that advance (if at all). You see this reflected a lot in ads proclaiming an author sold 'three million copies sold world-wide'. You also see it in the applications of many writer's organizations. You have to have their idea of success in terms of "professional" sales, which means the money. You have to wonder what percentage of the success there is actually the writer and how much is the marketing/sales departments. If the higher percentage is the writer, it seems a disservice almost to base their success on dollars. True, money is easily measurable where talent is harder to compare.

Other writers define their success based on how much they write a day, how many stories are in submission in relation to those accepted or rejected for publication. Some write for the love of words. Many write because they have something they want to say to the world: a message to get out there; something inspirational or righting a wrong. Some just want to entertain....jokingly say they want to see who can tell the biggest lies or get the biggest laughs. Some write to keep their demons at bay.

Perhaps I'm jaded but I don't see letting anyone but yourself define your success--writer or otherwise. If what you're doing makes you happy and doesn't harm anyone, then it's successful. For me, I love writing and publishing. I've found my place and though I work hard, I'm loving every second of it. To me that's the biggest and best success there is. It wasn't easy getting here and I didn't always make the right choices. It's so very true that when you love what you do, it isn't work at all. That's success!