Writing is Writing, Who Knew

I was reminded at James River Writers Writing Show at the end of February, that all writing is writing.  And Editing.   

But it all has things in common no matter what form you are working in.

It really struck that Writing is Writing.

And no matter what the subject of the James River Writers Writing Show is that month - they are always the last Thursday of the month —  go to it. 

 You will definitely learn something. 

Or at least be reminded of some good points.

Like THIS point - can it be repeated too many times?

 the 1st 5-10 pages are crucial to hook the reader. Then you build the rest off a successful hook.

1st pages Critical with screenplay And books

First 5-10 pages need to hook the reader/viewer

First 5-10 pages need to hook the reader/viewer. #writingshow #writetip #jrwc13” Man. Novelists get one page.

 Show Don’t Tell

Don't tell emotion can insinuate but keep lean to point

With any writing -  after all, isn’t this what makes some writing flow along and others bog down?

keep the script lean, short, brief to the point.

 you can have the best plot in the world, but ruin it with bad dialogue.

 dialogue needs to be real, but not too real. Keep the interesting parts.

general rule of thumb, dialogue shouldn't be more than 4 lines. But there are cheats - breaking it up with actions.

when writing dialogue - spew it out, then go back and ask if it makes sense to say it that way.

when editing dialogue, there are multiple editing passes to get it right

dialogue is a 'musical' soundtrack to the story.

And to help with dialog - help readers keep individual characters straight:

Get to know char Find voice of char 

 know what the spine of the story. Follow the main characters, don't get distracted.

Network like crazy #jrwc13 Great advice for writers of any kind

Genre specific film festivals can help you more easily break into the film industry.

 film festivals are great networking environments. You never know who you might meet.

Make sure you party and have fun at film festivals, but network network network the entire time

festival awards can be huge. Just placing as a finalist can open doors

 participate in festivals and film groups. Network, network, network.

Go to conferences and festivals and network, network, network.

If you are doing screenplays - The Screenwriters Bible book Highly recommended

And don’t we all want to sell our writing -    

 Keeping the story marketable

And sell it well.    Guess it would be redundant to say, sell-J.K. Rowling-well.

Selling your writing had some interesting thoughts - apparently giving ‘visual’ mental clues to the writing is important to screenwriting, but also helps people with ‘placing’ books as well.

Some of the interesting, uh, ‘visual’ comparisons mentioned at the Writing Show  - 

LOTR battle scene with paintballs instead of swords

[Translation for non-fans, of Twitter or Tolkien - Lord of the Rings with battle scenes with paintballs instead of swords.]

Not to mention this one -

"Psycho meets Goonies." Never thought I'd hear THAT at the #writingshow. #jrwc13

And some other great writing advice / thoughts :

When it comes to persevering in the writing/film business, being stubborn can be a strength

Understanding the business improves writing and producing skills.

important to know your audience.

 Find where your project fits. Challenge yourself creatively.

Thanks to all the Twitter feeders from JRW Writing Show -

@leilagaskin

@ywrite

@BillTheWildcat

@kaherndon

For more of their tips, 

and just great Writing Tips 

follow them on Twitter or tune in to hashtags      #JRWC13     #jrwc13        #writingshow

#JRWC13 .. Either cap or uncap - will also get you the great Twitter Chats that are going on with authors coming to the JRW Conference in October as well!  The Twitter Chats are happening all the time!

You can get great tips and information at ALL James River Writers Events -

Writers Wednesday - TOMORROW evening!  

Writing Conference - October

Writing Show -   next one,  is about Killing Your Darlins’  [my southern translation.  After all, it’s My blog, for more info’ on these and all events go over to the JRW site.

And even get a ’true’? Recap of the Feb. Writing Show, in non-Twitter speak.

So come to the Writing Show in couple weeks, on March 28^th, and Tweet along with us.

— Get info’ on the JRW site

And speaking of JRW Events - James River Writers is a non-profit, which means we depend on your support and membership.

Another Great JRW event is their fundraiser in June.

Which is where JRWs Emyl Jenkins Award is presented.  Emyl Jenkins was an active member and supporter of JRW, and an important supporter and champion of all writers everywhere.    She touched a lot of writers and readers before she suddenly passed away in 2010, a great loss to JRW and to writers, especially to the ones who knew her, perhaps even greater to the ones that didn’t get that chance.

If you know of someone in Virginia who has made Virginia a better place for writers, we want to hear about them.  Go over to the JRW site and nominate them for the Emyl Award.   The guidelines are here -

Deadline is not that far away, so why not go do it now.

And keep making Virginia a better place for writers, like Emyl did.

James River Writers Conference 2012 - Part 1

The James River Writers Conferences keep helping writers to write better, write new ways, get published, find people to friend, and a Whole lot more.  

This past weekend, Oct. 19, 20, and 21, was no different.

Filled with great sessions - and writers.   I was privileged to moderate a couple so I Know that’s for sure!

For 10 years now, JRW has been helping writers find each other, their supports, and sometimes even themselves as writers.

And pretty much all done by volunteers.   As they are trying to write, and write themselves into getting published.   

Considered by a lot of speakers that have attended as the best run conference in the U.S., all the supporters and volunteers of James River Writers deserve pats on the backs.   [And agents and publishing contracts.    Just sayin’ ….while putting it out there to the universe.]

First Pages Critique, that always reminds us that agents are human too, and have likes and dislikes.  It’s important to research agents we are sending our queries to, making sure we pick the right agent who carries the kind of writing we do.  Or that they are at least interested in it.  

But that just because one said no, doesn’t mean that the next will.  Or the next, or the next.  [For more on that see my notes on Eleanor Brown, author extraordinaire of highly acclaimed book ‘The Weird Sisters’ … well, as soon as get those notes up.  With ’Sandy’ storm preparedness, funerals, laundry, and all, this blog post writing thing is going very s-l-o-w.]

This year James River Writers also joined with the Library of Virginia for the Literary Luncheon on Saturday with Tom Robbins.  Where writers who write and test one line at a time were validated and found a soul mate.

I still have Tom Robbins printout of his advice for writers from the very first James River Writers Conference 10 years ago.  And vividly remember one of the stories he told.  His story telling skills are certainly phenomenal.  I understand we must change and grow, but I do miss the opening address he wrote especially for the James River Writers Conference that year, and used to be read at the beginning of each new conference.  It had such vivid imagery and language it reminded me what it was to be a great writer, and what we as writers want to aspire to.    Thanks Tom Robbins for the memory.

There were a lot of sessions I wanted to listen to this year, since there’s only one of me I had to make some very difficult choices.  GAH!  It was difficult!

Most of the time I ended up in a session because I had run into a friend or great writer and as we were talking I would end up walking with them to their choice.  

Hey it worked, I ended up in some great sessions that way.  

Like, The Savvy Professional, with a panel of Really smart savvy women.  Arielle Eckstut, Colleen Lindsay, Nancy Redd, Julia Schoerke, moderated by Rebecca Joines Schinsky.

Arielle Eckstut is part of The Book Doctors team, so check out their site, and their book, for all kinds of great tips and things to consider, and work on.

I will post a disclaimer now and say these are my notes, so this is my filter, however abbreviated.

For some other great notes on sessions check out Denise’s blog posts of sessions she attended at the Conference.  Different than mine.  Just so you know.  We all have different perspectives as writers and listeners.

This tidbit might have been worth the session :

2 Tweets is the length of the Perfect pitch

Think about topic of your book and how it relates to news happening now.

Talking about your book in a concise and interesting way.

Platform = something you are passionate about

Make booksellers your allies — from your local independents to the Barnes and Nobles around the corner..

Be best self in Every situation

Be / have a Great personality  and be Very kind of Everyone

Being very appreciative of the people who got you there. 

For all social situations - social networking - Be part of the community, be part of the conversation.

Make sure have Website optimized - to get good person to build your site get referrals from people familiar with working with authors.   Ask Writers you know, that are well known - who they use and trust.

One panelist recommended Chuck Wendig  and his  Terrible Minds Comm. 

Talking to potential agents - or anyone with power to get you one, should be about Expressing your Passion, Not Pitching your passion.

Local platform - Local interest     Big platform - niche area

Know your Category, that your book will fit into at a bookstore.   Read in That category.   Read well in that category.

Track the history and what is selling in it now.

See what’s on the shelf there.   And see What’s the Rising Stars there.

What is your distribution…. Ebooks sell better than self-published

Instead of spending money on self-publishing, spend it on self-promotion

5-1 ratio of doing for others vs. Having / asking others to do for you.  5 of you do, to 1 of you asking of others

One panelist believes you should do a writing group in and around what you are writing.  

[My personal note to this is - maybe. I go along with the advice of having mixed friends.  Sure seems that publishers are looking for writing that’s going to appeal to a wide range of groups and readers…. So..how you going to get that if you have a very narrow group?   Just my thought.]

When you can’t do anything more to your manuscript - it’s done.

 One of the panelists believes Conferences purpose is Networking

And that’s what I had from this panel.  Plus it’s time to put in another load of laundry and check preparedness supplies.

Will get up rest of notes from JRW Conference 2012 as soon as I can.  Well, as I transcribe them from my scribbled on papers.

But you can go to Twitter and look at #jrwc12 and get tweet quotes and writing tips, notes,  from all kinds of writers that were at the Conference.  And even the Twitter Chats with some of the writers and speakers at the Conference this year.

Help for Us All

No, I’m still not really here.    I am really working Hard on getting prepared for the James River Writers Conference this weekend - October 19, 20, 21

But part of that is participating in, or at least reading [what can I say, doesn’t everyone spaz out thus missing things sometimes?], the Wonderful, James River Writers Author Chats on Twitter!  #JRWC12    #jrwc12

They are Really good!  Great info’!

But Twitter links can lead to other wonderful things as well — which, beware, can be a seducer of time away from writing.  Be warned.

Found this great tidbit - from a site I’ve mentioned before, that my husband, who has newly taken up writing, in self-defense, really likes :

Physical description of a character can be difficult to convey—too much will slow the pace or feel 'list-like', while too little will not allow readers to form a clear mental image. If a reader cannot imagine what your character looks like, they may have trouble connecting with them on a personal level, or caring about their plight.

One way to balance the showing and telling of physical description is to showcase a few details that really help 'tell the story' about who your character is and what they've been through up to this point. Think about what makes them different and interesting. Can a unique feature, clothing choice or way they carry themselves help to hint at their personality? Also, consider how they move their body. Using movement will naturally show a character's physical characteristics, keep the pace flowing and help to convey their emotions.

………..go here for rest…….

And how can you Not read this :

The Path To 10K In Sales: Strategy, Luck & Mistakes

And for those facing NaNoWriMo - or the prospect, Looming, of it next month - this might help you :

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2012

How to Write a Novel in a Month

James Scott Bell

@jamesscottbell

Next month is the annual writing frenzy known as National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo for short. It’s not without its critics, and my blogmates and I have covered this action before.  

I extol the virtues of NaNoWriMo. The novel I wrote in November of 2010 was one I had under contract. It became, after editing of course, THE YEAR OF EATING DANGEROUSLY.

There are similar stories. Hugh Howey wrote his novella WOOL during that same NaNo year. The dang thing has sold in the hundreds of thousands as an ebook, and got optioned by Ridley Scott.

That’s a lightning strikes once or twice kind of thing, and most writers are not going to have that kind of out-of-the-gate success, but that’s almost beside the NaNo point. The point is to get you to get your story down, fast and furious (I wish that term hadn’t been purloined by political culture), and unleash the writer within. It’s to give you a sense of the value of finishing an entire novel (even though it will need massive editing).

As the great Robert B. Parker said, “A writer’s job is to produce.” NaNo is one month of pure production.

Here are ten tips to help you get the most out of it this year:

Not mine - I’ve truly been a pant-ser … well, pretty much with all my writing.  But I might try some of these.  

Sometime.

 so go here for the rest of this. 

But there’s that white rabbit again with his watch, saying I must get back to prep. for the James River Writers Conference this weekend!

Join us there!

Why Writers Need Others Too

At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us. - Albert Schweitzer

Thanks to Jenniefer Kirk, Kirks Folly newsletter, Kirks Folly Jewelry [KirksFolly.com]

And from JRW 2011 Conference Pitch-a-palooza winner Kevin Hanrahan where he talks about his journey as a writer [and as a soldier], and lessons he’s learned, and is learning along the way, about writing and getting published.

The stories we tell ourselves shape our lives and our world….

See previous post about Noah Scanlon comments on his art a day project, talked about at last JRW Writing Show……

Talking Too Much????

If it’s you, then you should know who you are. Don’t you?

Not sure these ideas would really help you but maybe….. I did come across this great post that will help you look at and determine if your characters are talking too much.

Might help you in other ways other than just your writing.

And since fellow writer and I were just talking about this recently will definitely help him.

While you are there looking, check out the rest of the blog. There’s some Good stuff there!

And do Please come back here and let me know what you find! I haven’t had time to look through it much either.

[Do I Really Need to tell you how behind we are with Holiday stuff??? No decorations up. No cards done. Still have baking / presents to do. Wrapped ones needed for this weekend…. Mostly. And so on and so on …. Sigh…..]

I send Great Thanks to for finding this:

PCrutcher Paige Crutcher

Hints that you have too much dialogue and helpful fixes: bit.ly/vPLCmE @NovelEditor #writetip @elizabethscraig

Query Letter Tips

For those that don’t follow the Query Shark blog, or on Twitter, this is a tip you might have missed.

And since I was having this conversation a few weeks ago with a couple of writer friends, I thought all you friends out there might want to see it as well.

I mean we are All pretty busy and I know I appreciate it when you all tell and send me things.

The Query Shark says:

you don't need to tell me it's a simultaneous submission. I assume you're querying widely. Unless an agent specifically requests to know that you can leave it out. And you don't want to spend words on something you don't need to say. Use as many words to entice me to read this instead of covering housekeeping matters.

So what have you come across or heard that I should know?

Come on now, I share with you!

Editing is hard work

Editing is hard work. I think harder work than writing the darn thing in the first place. And sometimes I do wonder if it is really an art form in and of itself. Course then I think, well, it can't be totally apart from writing, since you have to have Something To Edit! But they do need to go together. Hopefully in a harmonious relationship, but that's not always - or maybe even usually the case.

http://jamesriverwriters.org/

http://www.pw.org/content/agents_editors_qampa_jonathan_galassi

I think you learn it by watching how the people around you work with authors, and it happens almost by osmosis. There are many different styles of editing, too. It's an apprenticeship. There are courses you can take to learn the mechanics of the business, like the Radcliffe course, but I don't think they teach you how to edit. Editing is more by-the-hip.

You look at a text and ask yourself how it can be improved.

And this from Writers Digest.com They also have their 2009 - 101 Best Sites for Writers up. So while you are there to look at the best sites check out some of the other neat stuff there too. Like this one on editing that I'd never heard before and I thought was Really good/interesting….

Tip of the Day

Mistake 44: Overediting and Removing Subconscious Seeds

Source: 70 Solutions to Common Writing Mistakes by Bob Mayer, from The Writer's Digest Writing Kit

Why this is a mistake: There are writers who overedit what they write during the process of completing their work. Why is it a mistake
to polish a work-in-progress?

First, you are polishing writing that you might need to cut later on. This means that you are not only wasting time editorially, but making it that much harder to cut the material when so much time has been invested.

Second, you plant subconscious seeds in your early drafts. You put in things that sometimes seem to not quite belong. Yet. And if you overedit, you take them out too soon. Because later on, when you get stuck in chapter twenty-eight, if you go back and re-read what you wrote earlier,
you’ll discover you need that seed, that your subconscious put it in way back when, “knowing” you would need it.

Third, you end up spending a lot of time editing and not getting to the end of your work.

The solution: Don’t overedit your early drafts of your work, no matter how tempted you are. Move forward in the project. Don’t worry about those weird things in the early drafts that nag you. The nagging is good; you just might need those weird things later on.