Join Me At A Literary Tea Party

Tomorrow, August 1st, is the first of a 31 day tea party. And you are invited! The invitation above gives you the URL that lets you in the door. It's a longer tea party than most but it's also one filled with fun, excitement, and giveaways. That's right! You can win all kind of things related to tea parties and the lauching of a brand new novel.

Jessica Dotta is a friend and wonderful writer all rolled into one. I spent a week with Jessica at our online writing group's conference last April. The entire group is very excited about her debut novel, Born Of Persuasion. The story is set in Victorian era England and has been compared to Jane Austen's works. But it was Jessica who wrote this intriguing story--one that will keep you turning pages late into the night. You can read an early review here. The really good news about this novel is that it is the first of a trilogy, so when you finish the first one, another will soon be ready.

New books need to attract attention. Jessica's Tea Party is one way to let readers know about her book. I told this fine author that I'd love to help her launch this first novel. What better way than to bring my own readers to the party with me. You'll notice that I'm all set to go with my hat, gorgeous necklace and teacup.I'm also going to change my profile picture on my facebook page to my Tea Party outfit. I hope you'll join me for some fun and a chance to win a neat prize. I'm donating one of the prizes myself. Check every day to see what is being given away.

If you like historical fiction and also have been hooked on the PBS Downton Abbey series, and if you enjoy gathering with friends for tea and conversation, please drop in at least once each day. Pass the invitation on to your reading friends. Jessica is happy to welcome all who want to attend her party. 

The novel 

You can preorder the novel at Amazon or Barnes and Noble for a great read.

The Wannabe Writer's Song

Every writer was once a wannabe writer singing that song over and over. I wannabe a writer, oh Lordy, how I wannabe a writer! It's pretty easy to want that status but actually going after it is a different story.

I wanted to be a writer for the vast majority of my life, but I did little to make it happen. I gave myself one excuse after another. They were all pretty valid reasons--at least, I thought they were. Working while attending college left precious little time to pursue my desire. Next came marriage, still teaching and running a household for two. Still wanted to write but....  In a few years, I had quit teaching but was a stay at home mom to two children and helping my husband in his career by handling the social end of things connected to his job. Even so, I did take time to do other things I enjoyed. I played Bridge, read a lot, quilted baby quilts for a hospital gift shop, was a hospital volunteer. But I didn't try writing. I still thought about it but something held me back. It wasn't until we landed in a new community as empty nesters and where it was hard to make friends that I finally pursued my longtime desire.

Guess what? I wish with all my heart that I'd done so years and years sooner. But that's beyond happening so no use fretting now.

If you're a wannabe writer, don't give yourself a string of excuses like I did. Part of the reason we do that is fear. What if I am a terrible writer? I can almost guarantee that you will not be an award winning writer right from the git-go. It's a rare person who can achieve such a status. You won't become a good writer until you spend endless amounts of time writing. Almost every writer I know cringes a bit when he/she looks back at their early efforts. New writers generally commit all the no-no things possible. They overwrite, they are redundant, they forget the sensory details, they tell too much, they forget the use of dialogue--all kinds of things that they correct little by little as their writing life progresses.

I like the end of the quote above It's that easy, and that hard. I've found that most worthwhile things don't come easy. You have to work at it and maybe you need to work at it for a very long time. The important thing is that you must start. Yep, sit yourself down at the keyboard and put one word after another until you find a stopping place. Not gonna be a masterpiece, but it will be something you wrote. Progress! You don't need to show it to anyone unless you want to. You don't need to ask for a critique unless you want to grow as a writer. You don't need to do it again unless you really mean the words of the wannabe writer song.

What Method Do You Choose To Write A Novel?

What's the best way to write a novel or short story? Should you devise the plot, then make a detailed outline and finally begin to write? Or should you come up with a beginning that intrigues you enough that you want to start writing and see where it goes? Let's look at both.

Some writers are only comfortable writing a story that has all the basics lined up like fenceposts. They want that well-known beginning, middle and ending set before they put one word of the story on a piece of paper or computer screen. Some go so far as to have subheadings for each of those 3 general parts and detailed notes beneath each subheading. They will line up the characters, create a sheet for each one with glorious details. They may spend a great deal of time doing research that will help them write the story. These writers spend copious amounts of time preparing to write their book. They are definitely prepared.

Others have a glimmer of an idea, or perhaps an opening scene rattling around in their brain. They begin to write having no idea where the story will go. They also have no hint if their is actually enough to create a full story with that needed beginning, middle and ending but they're off on an adventure to find out. These writers let the story and the characters guide them. It may sound crazy but a lot of people write this way.

I have written only one novel, and that one is a juvenile historical fiction book. I had the general idea and sat down and started, having no inkling of how the book would end, didn't even have the middle section set in my mind. My main characters became my friends and they seemed to take the story on when I was at a standstill. They let me know each day that I wrote what direction we needed to go. Three-fourths of the way into the story, I still had no satisfying ending. I knew where I wanted my protagonist to be when the book ended but how was I going to get him there? I decided not to worry about it and kept writing, chapter after chapter. Soon, the end was in sight and I had no trouble writing a solution to the boy's problem. I allowed the story and the characters to guide me.

Is one way better than the other? I don't think so. A writer needs to use whatever method feels most comfortable to them. 

I do think that those who write off the cuff with no outline etc have a lot more editing and filling in to do after the first draft is written. Maybe it's then that they do those character sketches for each of the main ones in the book to help them create a better character. The outline writer has done a lot of that work before ever writing a word of the story. They both put in the time, it's only a question of whether it's at the beginning or ending of that first draft.

Writers are individuals and they work in individual ways. Some do their best writing in the pre-dawn hours, while others spend the hours between breakfast and lunch to hit it hard. Still others prefer afternoons. No one way is the only way. We do whatever works best for us--whether it is the time of day you write or the way in which you write a novel. 

Try it both ways and see which one feels the most comfortable for you. There might even be writers who do it both ways, although I'm guessing that most go one way or the other. If you've never written a novel, don't let the method stop you. Take the seed of an idea and run with it in whatever way feels right to you. It's the end result that counts most.

Some Books Are Too Long

Last night, I finished a novel that my book club is reading for our August discussion. The book is 511 pages which I consider a pretty long read.  As I closed the book for the final time, I couldn't help thinking that the story had been drawn out far longer than need be, that the author could have told the same story in about half that number of pages and maybe had a better book. There were so many parts that were not necessary to the story line. A police detective narrates the story and we are in his head far too much. I got so I didn't give a darn what he thought about this character or that one, especially when it had no relevancy whatsoever to the plot. Nor his constant one liners meant to inject humor into several murders, a pretty serious subject. Nor were the sex scenes necessary to the plot. Even though I did enjoy the book, I found myself skimming a lot of it.

Which brings me to today's topic--writing too much. I used the just-read book as an example, but there are many more which are published that do the same thing. The writer comes up with a plot that is probably worthy of being published, then pads it to add more pages. The same can be said of some personal essays or memoirs. When I read a book like that, it makes me wonder why the editors didn't recommend some cuts.

Redundancy becomes the keyword in some books. I find it almost an insult to my intelligence when an author continually repeats the same thing but using different words. Why do they do it? I think that sometimes an author fears the reader might not 'get it' so they want to make it as clear as possible. Writers need to give their readers a little more credit. If it's written clearly one time, most readers are going to know what he's trying to say.

The old more is better doesn't always work, especially when writing a story. I would rather see a shorter, satisfying story than a longer, frustrating-to-the-reader tale. Some authors carry description too far. I don't need three pages to tell me where the protagonist is. A paragraph or two will do it. I don't need to spend pages learning what the hero thinks about one small piece of the puzzle. An author risks losing the reader's interest doing these things.

We read writer's guides that tell us over and over how important those opening lines are so that you capture the attention of the reader. Agreed! But it's also very important to keep the reader wanting to read more.

Another thing books on the craft of writing emphasize is to write tight. Say what is necessary in as few words as possible. Take out the fluff  and leave the important parts. Write that way and the story is almost always stronger and will hold the interest of the reader.

In my critique group, one of the most often raised criticisms is saying more than is necessary. Over and over, critiquers advice cutting senetences, even entire paragraphs from a story. Some writers tend to ramble on and on when they should say what needs to be said in as short a way as possible and still make the point.

Have I read long novels that I had no problem with? Yes, I have. Far too many to list here but those books kept my interest with nearly every page. The authors were very skillful in weaving a long but good story that didn't have unnecessary parts to it.

If you write a short story or novel, when you go back to self-edit, ask yourself if you have any unnecessary information. Check paragraph by paragraph to make sure each one is relevant.

Weed Out Your Bookshelves

Is this the coolest library ever? On our recent trip to England, we spent one night in a 500 year old country inn. As I was walking around the area after breakfast, I spied this old telephone booth which served as a lending library for the local folk. What a super way to get rid of some of the books you no longer want--donate them to the library. There were no rules or regulations posted. There was no librarian. It appeared to be run on the honor system. Maybe people take a book, read it, and then return a different book. Or perhaps they bring back the book they've read for others to select.

What do you do with books you've read and don't particularly want or need to keep forever? Bookshelves hold only so many, and if you are a person who likes to buy books, it doesn't take too long until the shelves are filled and overflowing into piles on the floor, table or wherever.

You can, of course, sell them at a consignment shop or online or through your own personal ad--even at a garage sale. But there are ways to clean up your personal library and help others by donating the books to various places.

Many public libraries have Friends groups that conduct book sales. They look for donations of books year round. My local library has a once-a-year book sale but they also have a section of the library devoted to used books for sale for very nominal prices. I often purchase a book there, read it, and then donate it back to them to sell again.

Donate books to a thrift shop. People who must stretch every dollar until it screams seldom have an opportunity to purchase a book. A thrift shop might charge only 25 cents which makes it doable for those who would love to own a book or to buy one for a child.

There are groups looking for book donations that will then send them overseas to give away to those who crave reading and/or owning a book but cannot do so on their own.

I read not long ago that there is a need for paperbacks to be given to our military personnel stationed overseas.

Many churches have small libraries that depend on donations. Hospitals sometimes have book carts that volunteers wheel to patient rooms.

All you need to do is google where to donate used books or something close to that and you'll come up with a list. Or check with your local Chamber of Commerce for suggestions.

Giving away your used books cleans up your house, helps someone else, and allows you to buy more books guilt-free. So, start weeding out your bookshelves soon.

Good News From Chicken Soup for the Soul

This chicken soup or.....

What is more satisfying than a bowl of chicken soup on a chilly day? Or when you're not feeling so hot? Even better when it's homemade. 

In the literary world, we've come to connect chicken soup with the very popular anthology series Chicken Soup for the Soul. Every time I think there can be no new titles in this series of creative nonfiction stories, up pops another one. 

Those who read this blog regularly know that I am a great supporter of the Chicken Soup books. Maybe it's because they have published 13 of my stories over the years. That definitely figures into the equation. I like the books because they are easy to pick up and read a few stories, put it down and pick it up a week later and keep right on going. Also nice bedtime reading because the stories are warm, inspirational, mildly humorous--nothing that will give you nightmares. They also make excellent gifts. 

The publishers and editors know what they're doing and turn out a quality book every time. It's not easy to be successful and keep on being successful, but they've accomplished that. Being so popular, they receive literally thousands of submissions for new books. Consider having to read story upon story, day in and day out. It must get tiring at some point, but it also means the good ones stand out. The editors use a reader panel to read the group of stories selected. So, the stories are seen by more than just one editor. The readers rate the stories, and then the editors select from the top rated stories. 

Yesterday, I received a notice from a Chicken Soup editor that my story New Friends, Faraway Friends, Forever Friends will be included in the Just Us Girls book to be available in November. I'd been notified some time ago that my story had made it to the final cut stage. Good but no guarantee that it will survive and make it into the book. Happily, this story made it. This will be the 14th Chicken Soup for the Soul book for me, and you know what? It's still a thrill when that final notice arrives. 

I was asked to proofread the story that they had possibly edited and approve. I was most pleased to see that they had changed only one word, and that was a slang term. Otherwise, my story stood as I wrote it, and that made me happy. 

When the book comes out, I'll be sure to remind you. A November publication date means it will be a good Christmas or Hanukkah gift for a friend. But before that month rolls around, I'm going to see what kind of stories I can come up with for the other new titles Chicken Soup has. Take a look and see which ones you might like to submit to here. 

Are You Still In The Fog?

One February, we took a road trip heading southeast. On our second morning, I pulled aside the heavy draperies of the motel room window, hoping to see sunshine. Instead, I found a misty rain and light fog. “Fog again!” I said to my husband who stood before the mirror shaving.

We’d driven in fog the morning before when we set out from home to travel southeast, in hopes of finding a pocket of warmth during this winter month. As we crossed the hills of south central and southeast Kansas, we ran the gamut from a little fog to heavy curtains of it, blocking the view of the tallgrass prairie we normally enjoyed when driving this route.

I searched the road ahead for tail lights of any vehicles and the headlights of those approaching. At times, one would rise up from the fog, seeming to appear in only an instant. I watched the side roads, worrying that a truck or car would pull out in front of us before they realized we were there. Ken kept watch as he drove, and I offered one more set of eyes to help him. Fog frightens me almost as much as icy roads.

We left the motel, feeling relieved that the weather appeared to have improved. Euphoria lasted only a mile or two, as the arms of heavy fog wrapped around us and held on tightly, as though a lover who would never let go.

As writers, we sometimes move through years of our lives fighting fog, never being able to see clearly to our goals. We wait for the sun to break through and clear away the hard-to-see parts of our lives. Writers can feel like they're searching blindly to find the way to their publication goals. 

Then, that Aha! moment arrives and the world is bright and clear once again. That moment happens when we finally see what we need to do to improve our writing enough to achieve the goals we've set. For each of us, it occurs at a different time and a distinctly individual way. When it happens for me is not going to be the same as for you since our writing journeys are all different. 

You can help clear the fog away by continuing to learn your craft, hone your writing skills, and applying a whole lot of hard work.