I Still Believe - Yes, We Can

Amazon vs. Macmillan

Currently Reading - Kitty and the Silver Bullet by Carrie Vaughn

Sad to say, but the writers are the collateral damage in this smackdown. I urge everyone to go out and buy a Macmillan book (not from Amazon, of course) and support these amazing people.

For a more complete picture of the issues, check out Jay Lake and Tobias Buckell's blogs.

Recharging the Imagination

Whenever I'm at a loss for ideas, there are certain things I turn to for inspiration. Tullycraft is one of them. Enjoy!

Hanging Out With Writers That Write

Currently Reading - Kitty and the Silver Bullet by Carrie Vaughn

The February RWR aririved in Friday's mail. One little tidbit in an article caught my eye. Paraphrasing the tidbit--don't join a group because the time or place is convenient; join because the other members are serious about writing.

I think by serious the author meant, do the people you hang with have goals or do they treat get-togethers as a social hour?

I've learned the hard way the difference can make or break your own career.

Currently, I hang out with three fabulous ladies. (It'd be four if Faye would pack up and move her butt to Texas.) And while we had a marvelous martini lunch not long ago, that occsaion was the exception because we were celebrating Christie's completion of her tenth book to be published. In fact, I'm the only one in the group who isn't published in fiction, even though I write a column for a local law enforcement magazine.

And that's the point. Each woman's goal is not just to be published, but to have a career. Christie's the only one who's been able to give up the day job and write novels full time so far. But Teri, Jody and I are doggedly pursuing that same dream.

Having true comrades on that type of journey makes reaching that damn star seem possible.

To Series Or Not To Series

Currently Reading - Kitty and the Silver Bullet by Carrie Vaughn

This subject's come up a couple of times on the BookEnds, LLC, blog in the last few months. A young lady was getting conflicting advice about whether or not to write the second book in her propsed series.

I commented that the desire for series was cyclical, but if she's excited about her story and she's learning her craft to go ahead and write it. One other gal agreed. The next anonymous commenter believed writing thte sequel was a total waste of time if she can't sell the first book, and if she wanted to be happy, she needed a new hobby.

There's three issues here:

1) Like everything else in the publishing business, the wants/needs of a publishing house change. Twenty years ago, everyone and their mother was writing triloges. Ten years ago, you couldn't sell one even with Ed McMahon standing next to you with a giant check. Now, guess what everyone wants?

2) Anonymous missed the point I tried to make. Is she moving forward and improving her craft or is she spinning her wheels? If she's still making the same mistakes in Book #2 that she made in Book #1, she's not doing herself any favors. Is Book #1 a stand alone novel, or does it leave too many plot threads dangling to the point it's obvious Book #1 is really Act 1?

3) Most important of all, how does she feel about writing about the same characters for years, if Book #1 does sell?

These are all issues to consider before hitting the keys on your computer.

The Agony of Rejection, The Ecstasy of a Request

Currently Reading - Kitty and the Silver Bullet by Carrie Vaughn

You know you've got something in your manuscript and/or your query when the responses from agents and editors (and crit partners and beta readers) is an equal mix of "Holy shit! I've got to read this!" and "WTF were you thinking when you wrote this?"

(Okay, I'm paraphrasing a teensy bit. Every agent and editor I've dealt with has been superbly professional.)

I've found over the *ahem* time I've been writing there's a graduated system to responses when querying your baby.

1) You're insane and I'm blocking your e-mail
2) Please go back to school.
3) Join a writer's organization
4) Get a clue about POV/pacing/plotting, etc.
5) It's nice but meh
6) Holy Shit/WTF
7) I love it but the buying committee said no
8) Please sign here

Heck, I'm pleased just to reach Stage 6. Now, if I can skip Stage 7 and hit Stage 8. . .

Lack of Individuality

I spend a lot of time at a certain bookstore because writing in their cafe' inspires me to get my books on their shelves. It's also a good place for a little eavesdropping, getting the feel of the public.

The biggest complaint I've been hearing lately is the sameness in the new books coming out. No variety, no surprises, nothing. The same old, same old formula.

(Before anyone thinks I'm repeating my own discontent about literary fiction I aired at Boxing the Octopus recently, the last three complaints overheard all dealt with the surfeit of vampire romance novels.)

I don't think the problem's with publishing per se. The lack of indivuality permeates our entire culture. Every one wears the same clothes, eats the same things, uses the same products. Our public school system is now designed to produce obedient little drones, convenient for the gray cubicle corporate life. In a word, blah. And if anyone steps out of line, well then, we have a pill to fix that.

Ironically, some of the best literature (or at least my favorites) came about during the greatest upheaval in society. But was the literature created because of the social change or a result of it? GK asked me that question when we discussed Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin in the course of events leading up to the Civil War.

Does social change make a difference in creativity? I'd love to hear some opinions.

The Tax Man Cometh

Currently Reading - Kitty and the Silver Bullet by Carrie Vaughn

Total word count for yesterday - 1,108

Warning: The following cannot be construed as legal advice.

Tax season is closing in on us. If you're persuing a writing career like me, those business deductions add up, but the trick is treating your writing career LIKE A BUSINESS!

That means keep accurate records. Because of various business ventures, DH and I have a fabulous accountant named Ed. I understand not everyone can cough up the moola for an accountant, but that doesn't mean you can't keep your ducks lined up. We use Quicken, an easy to use and affordable software package.

Label your receipts and keep them in a safe place. Better yet, scan them and keep the digital info off site, like a safe deposit box.

Keep a log of pitches, queries and submissions. I have an Excel spreadsheet for each novel, showing who has queries, partials or fulls, the date I sent them, the date of the response, and what the response was.

Little things like this will avoid major trouble with the IRS.

Back in the Saddle, Part 2

Currently Reading - Kitty and the Silver Bullet by Carrie Vaughn

New queries go out this week, one per day. The first went out last night.

Today I wrote 1000 words, trying to complete the first draft of ZW. Depending on if the manscript takes a weird turn during the climax, I have about 8-9,000 words to go.

As a reward, I just savored a Lindor Dark Chocolate Raspberry truffle. Ahhh, I love the taste of accomplishments.

No matter how small.

P.S. Target carries Lindor truffles - $3.29 per bag (tax may be applicable in your area).

New Favorites

First of all, a lot of bloggers are listing the music they're listening to as they write their blog. Since this a blog by a writer, for a writer, about writers, let's try a different tack:

Currently reading: Kitty and the Silver Bullet by Carrie Vaughn

I've been reading Carrie & Friends blog--Genreality--for some time now. Some great folks and lots of smart advice about the publishing world. I finally waded through my TBR pile to reach Kitty and the Midnight Hour, devoured it over Christmas weekend, and promptly started buying the rest of the series. Kitty and her compatriots will be given to DH next. A former DJ himself, he's gotten a kick out of the parts I've read to him.

It's always so much fun to find new characters to love!

(It doesn't mean I don't love you, Sam. Yes, I know one of my goals for 2009 was to finish ZW. But Sam, honey, you already star in ZL and it's on submission. No, I haven't lost interest, but sometimes I need a little 'me' time. I'm not saying we need a break!)

Damn wip characters are so demanding. . .