Between blogging, novel writing and freelance projects, I don't have much time for reading online magazines, much less submitting to them. However, after reading Douglas A. Van Belle's essay via Colleen Lindsay on Twitter (who got the link from spec writer Brandon Bell), I just might have to subscribe to Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine.
It is, without a doubt, one of the greatest essays on the craft of writing I've ever read. Seriously. It's freakin' brilliant. Every writer should have a copy of it bookmarked under their favorite websites and refer to it at least once a month. I'm quite certain that at least 90 percent of the writing population suffers from at least five or six (or ten) of the 25 ailments listed, if not all of them. I know for a fact that I'm totally guilty of Problems #1, 2, 10, 11, 12...um, let's just say I have a lot of work to do.
Anyway. Read it. Think about it. Did Van Belle hit the mark, miss it completely or something in between? Why do YOU think most writers never leave the slush pile? We'll go ahead and eliminate not following directions, since I've already written a post about that. Let the discussion begin!
Showing posts with label examples of great writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label examples of great writing. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Thursday, February 5, 2009
You Like Me! You Really Like Me!
This week, I received not one, but TWO wonderfully pleasant surprises. On Tuesday, Jenn Johansson granted lil' ol' me the Premio Dardo Award! And then today, Michelle over at The Surly Writer did the exact same thing! How cool is that? Thanks, Jenn and Michelle!
I'm no expert as to how these awards work, but here are the details (via Jenn's and Michelle's blogs):
I did a double-take on that last one. 15 bloggers?! Do I even know 15 bloggers?! Geez Louise, that's a lot of people! After taking a minute or two to think about it, however, I realized it wouldn't be that hard to find award recipients after all. In the five weeks or so that I've officially been in the blogosphere, I've come across some really fantastic writers. Folk that easily put my humble writing space to shame. And I'm happy to have the chance to give them their due.
This list is in no particular order. Although I love all the blogs on my normal blog list, these ones put that extra spring in my step. They're the ones I really look forward to reading every day. They make me say, "Hmm," or "Wow, I didn't know that," or "That's such great advice!" Some just make me laugh my head off every single day. I know some of them have gotten awards already, but they deserve more, trust me. These guys and gals are just stellar:
1. Erica
2. Jon aka "Lurker Monkey"
3. Spy Scribbler
4. Amy
5. Angie
6. Lori
7. Jenn (you know I had to give it right back to you! hehe!)
8. Michelle (you too, ma'am!)
9. Melissa
10. Debra
11. Anita
12. Carole
13. Kathryn
14. Brian
15. Shelli
Hmm... Okay, can I give this award out to MORE than 15 people??
I'm no expert as to how these awards work, but here are the details (via Jenn's and Michelle's blogs):
"This award acknowledges the values that every Blogger displays in their effort to transmit cultural, ethical, literary, and personal values with each message they write. Awards like this have been created with the intention of promoting community among Bloggers. It's a way to show appreciation and gratitude for work that adds value to the Web."And here are the rules of the award system:
1. Accept the award (absolutely!)
2. Post it on your blog together with the name of the person who granted it to you.
3. Link to his/her blog.
3. Pass the award on to 15 other blogs of your choice.
I did a double-take on that last one. 15 bloggers?! Do I even know 15 bloggers?! Geez Louise, that's a lot of people! After taking a minute or two to think about it, however, I realized it wouldn't be that hard to find award recipients after all. In the five weeks or so that I've officially been in the blogosphere, I've come across some really fantastic writers. Folk that easily put my humble writing space to shame. And I'm happy to have the chance to give them their due.
This list is in no particular order. Although I love all the blogs on my normal blog list, these ones put that extra spring in my step. They're the ones I really look forward to reading every day. They make me say, "Hmm," or "Wow, I didn't know that," or "That's such great advice!" Some just make me laugh my head off every single day. I know some of them have gotten awards already, but they deserve more, trust me. These guys and gals are just stellar:
1. Erica
2. Jon aka "Lurker Monkey"
3. Spy Scribbler
4. Amy
5. Angie
6. Lori
7. Jenn (you know I had to give it right back to you! hehe!)
8. Michelle (you too, ma'am!)
9. Melissa
10. Debra
11. Anita
12. Carole
13. Kathryn
14. Brian
15. Shelli
Hmm... Okay, can I give this award out to MORE than 15 people??
Friday, January 16, 2009
Playing in the Big Leagues
Wow. I must admit, I'm a bit overwhelmed right now in the best possible way. Something must be in the water, because virtually every post I read by my fellow writers today was stellar. Even more so than usual. Whether it offered a juicy editing tidbit or sparked a lively discussion between friends, all of them were spot-on when it comes to what I'm looking for in a blog post: a bit of humor, a bit of useful info, and most importantly, something to make me say, "Hmm..."
First up is Amy Sue Nathan with a useful list of words to cut during the editing process (inspired by Erica Orloff, but we'll get to her later). Sadly, I'm quite addicted to using just about every word on this list. I'm also addicted to procrastination, but as I mentioned in an earlier post, I'm also on the road to recovery.
Next is Michelle Hickman at The Surly Writer with a fantabulous post about how to release your imaginative powers...and the wondrous stories that can take shape if you do. What makes it so interesting is that she walks you through the entire creative process of building a sample scene within a story, complete with all the important elements: character, dialogue, setting and point-of-view. It's a long post, but if you have the time to sit and partake of Hickman's knowledge, it's worth every minute.
Now we come to Erica Orloff, whose post about training the editing eye to see became the inspiration for Amy Nathan's post today. Well, Erica has done it again today with another great post about shortcuts in character development. Let me tell you, it knocked my socks off. In my mind, the best type of writing is the type that shows me something about myself I didn't already know, and that's exactly what this post did for me. After reading Erica's words, I thought of all the times in my writing I had taken the easy way out when developing my characters; the child who is bitter from her parents' nasty divorce, the mother who is overprotective of her child after having a miscarriage, the emotionally vacant father who works long hours. My mistakes stood out to me like signs with neon lights.
And last, but certainly not least, Spy Scribbler wrote some intriguing and challenging words about being different that started an interesting, yet always respectful, religious debate. I don't know about you, but it's rare indeed for me to find people who can discuss controversial topics like race, religion and politics without going for blood. It was truly refreshing to see.
The one thing I learned from all of these posts was that me and my writing have a lot more work to do than I thought. I've been doing this thing since I was a kid--almost twenty years now--and though I've never been published (aside from articles in magazines and newspapers), I always believed I understood the craft fairly well. I knew what not to do, at the very least. And I knew I was good. Better than average. Maybe even a lot better. Colleen Lindsay just wrapped up a contest over at The Swivet today (The Swivet: Contest! Query in 140 Characters or Less!) Yes, you read correctly, that's characters, not words. I entered it, and at the time, I thought I had a great shot of winning.
I know differently now. Oh, I'm still confident--I believe in my abilities one hundred percent--but now I see how much I still have to learn. I see how much talent is really out there, and it's a humbling experience. Last time I checked, there were over 300 entries in that little contest I entered, and many of them were as good, if not better, than mine. Whoa (deep breath).
Eh, I'm not discouraged; I'm inspired. British statesman and literary figure Benjamin Disareli once said, "To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge." So I guess that means I'm doing okay. I may be a rookie in the big leagues, but I've found a lot of veterans who are helping me find my way.
Now it's your turn. What have you learned lately about the writing craft? What surprised you about this new knowledge?
First up is Amy Sue Nathan with a useful list of words to cut during the editing process (inspired by Erica Orloff, but we'll get to her later). Sadly, I'm quite addicted to using just about every word on this list. I'm also addicted to procrastination, but as I mentioned in an earlier post, I'm also on the road to recovery.
Next is Michelle Hickman at The Surly Writer with a fantabulous post about how to release your imaginative powers...and the wondrous stories that can take shape if you do. What makes it so interesting is that she walks you through the entire creative process of building a sample scene within a story, complete with all the important elements: character, dialogue, setting and point-of-view. It's a long post, but if you have the time to sit and partake of Hickman's knowledge, it's worth every minute.
Now we come to Erica Orloff, whose post about training the editing eye to see became the inspiration for Amy Nathan's post today. Well, Erica has done it again today with another great post about shortcuts in character development. Let me tell you, it knocked my socks off. In my mind, the best type of writing is the type that shows me something about myself I didn't already know, and that's exactly what this post did for me. After reading Erica's words, I thought of all the times in my writing I had taken the easy way out when developing my characters; the child who is bitter from her parents' nasty divorce, the mother who is overprotective of her child after having a miscarriage, the emotionally vacant father who works long hours. My mistakes stood out to me like signs with neon lights.
And last, but certainly not least, Spy Scribbler wrote some intriguing and challenging words about being different that started an interesting, yet always respectful, religious debate. I don't know about you, but it's rare indeed for me to find people who can discuss controversial topics like race, religion and politics without going for blood. It was truly refreshing to see.
The one thing I learned from all of these posts was that me and my writing have a lot more work to do than I thought. I've been doing this thing since I was a kid--almost twenty years now--and though I've never been published (aside from articles in magazines and newspapers), I always believed I understood the craft fairly well. I knew what not to do, at the very least. And I knew I was good. Better than average. Maybe even a lot better. Colleen Lindsay just wrapped up a contest over at The Swivet today (The Swivet: Contest! Query in 140 Characters or Less!) Yes, you read correctly, that's characters, not words. I entered it, and at the time, I thought I had a great shot of winning.
I know differently now. Oh, I'm still confident--I believe in my abilities one hundred percent--but now I see how much I still have to learn. I see how much talent is really out there, and it's a humbling experience. Last time I checked, there were over 300 entries in that little contest I entered, and many of them were as good, if not better, than mine. Whoa (deep breath).
Eh, I'm not discouraged; I'm inspired. British statesman and literary figure Benjamin Disareli once said, "To be conscious that you are ignorant is a great step to knowledge." So I guess that means I'm doing okay. I may be a rookie in the big leagues, but I've found a lot of veterans who are helping me find my way.
Now it's your turn. What have you learned lately about the writing craft? What surprised you about this new knowledge?
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Start the New Year Off Right... Watch The Twilight Zone.
So, lemme guess... You had a pretty wild time last night, didn't you? I mean, let's be honest here: everyone says Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/whatever holiday you celebrate in December is supposed to be fun for people of all ages, but the truth is you most likely spent all your time buying and wrapping gifts for the kiddies. New Year's Eve is for adults. It's our time to get a babysitter, round up a bunch of friends and go crazy as we watch the ball drop, at least for a couple of hours. And if you're single, you just skip the kids and babysitter part and go out. Fun times.
Now here's the not-so-fun part. You stayed out waaaaay too late for your age (which, if you're older than, let's say, 22, is probably anytime past midnight), you spent too much money, and you definitely drank too much. And to top it all off, you've got the world's worst hangover. Yay. Fabulousness.
Or maybe you didn't go out. Maybe you're like the millions of other grown folk in this country who can't even afford a whats-it-chino at Starbucks anymore, much less an all-night club-hopping adventure. Either way, you're off today and you're tired from staying up past your bedtime. You don't feel like leaving the house. So what do you do?
You turn on the Sci-Fi Channel and watch The Twilight Zone New Year's Day marathon, of course!
Okay, I know, that was the worst lead-in ever, but bear with me here. The Twilight Zone is considered one of television's most revered shows, and with good reason. The writing is excellent; the acting, superb. They simply don't make shows like this anymore. If you're a writer or just a person who enjoys a good story, this series is a must-see. It aired in the late 50's and early 60's, so yes, that means it's a "classic" (read "old" and "black-and-white" for those of you born after 1990). But it's also really, really good.
Even if you're not a sci-fi fan, the storylines explore themes and issues that we all can relate to, truths that highlight both the good and evil aspects of human nature. And don't even get me started on irony. Check out the last few minutes of "Eye of the Beholder" or "Time Enough at Last" and you'll see what I mean. The Sci-Fi Channel has a nice webpage devoted to the series, complete with an episode guide and a biography about its creator, the ingenious Rod Serling. They even have a schedule listing which episodes are on at which times, so you can tune in for your favorites. Plus, if you still need more of the Zone after the marathon ends, CBS has a webpage where you can watch full-length episodes as well. Go ahead and watch. You ain't got nothin' better to do...
Now here's the not-so-fun part. You stayed out waaaaay too late for your age (which, if you're older than, let's say, 22, is probably anytime past midnight), you spent too much money, and you definitely drank too much. And to top it all off, you've got the world's worst hangover. Yay. Fabulousness.
Or maybe you didn't go out. Maybe you're like the millions of other grown folk in this country who can't even afford a whats-it-chino at Starbucks anymore, much less an all-night club-hopping adventure. Either way, you're off today and you're tired from staying up past your bedtime. You don't feel like leaving the house. So what do you do?
You turn on the Sci-Fi Channel and watch The Twilight Zone New Year's Day marathon, of course!
Okay, I know, that was the worst lead-in ever, but bear with me here. The Twilight Zone is considered one of television's most revered shows, and with good reason. The writing is excellent; the acting, superb. They simply don't make shows like this anymore. If you're a writer or just a person who enjoys a good story, this series is a must-see. It aired in the late 50's and early 60's, so yes, that means it's a "classic" (read "old" and "black-and-white" for those of you born after 1990). But it's also really, really good.
Even if you're not a sci-fi fan, the storylines explore themes and issues that we all can relate to, truths that highlight both the good and evil aspects of human nature. And don't even get me started on irony. Check out the last few minutes of "Eye of the Beholder" or "Time Enough at Last" and you'll see what I mean. The Sci-Fi Channel has a nice webpage devoted to the series, complete with an episode guide and a biography about its creator, the ingenious Rod Serling. They even have a schedule listing which episodes are on at which times, so you can tune in for your favorites. Plus, if you still need more of the Zone after the marathon ends, CBS has a webpage where you can watch full-length episodes as well. Go ahead and watch. You ain't got nothin' better to do...
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