A Work in Progress

I went to see Tron Legacy today and it was about four thousand times better than I thought it would be. This was surprising because Hollywood has a way of resurrecting old, good things and remaking them into new, bad things. This isn't to say the original Tron was top-notch. We're talking about a technological movie from the early eighties. How good can that really be? But after seeing  Legacy in 3D at IMAX, let's just say I was impressed. Big time. Normally, I don't recommend movies. But, this one was different. Now, I've already mentioned in an old post that you should never begin writing after having watched a movie and I am not encouraging that here!  What I am encouraging is for you to see what a story -- a good story -- is all about, and how it might just help you with your writing too. It is Transformational: This story was all about THE story. You know, a kid loses parents, finds out he has special gift/powers to help this other "world" f

Sorry for the delay in posts. I have been sick with the flu, and am still recovering. But, I finally feel like I can sit up at the computer without falling over ... hence, this blog post. Even though lying down was my main goal through this ordeal, I had time to think about the benefits of being sick. I know. There aren't many. But, trying to be positive does come in handy because I came up with several things to improve my writing skills all whilst wrapped in blankets and coughing my lungs out. Here's how your flu symptoms can help you: Fever: I don't know if you've ever noticed this, but some fantastic ideas for stories come to me via a fever. Maybe it's the delirium or that parts of the brain come alive when they are on fire, but I came up with a great idea for a book, and I may even write it ... now, if only I could remember what it was. Achy Body: Ever wondered how to describe your heroine's heartache and pain? Or your protagonists climactic dual wi

I was in Starbucks yesterday and over heard a man talking about a book he’s writing. His subject? How we all view things in different perspectives. I was immediately interested, not just because I like hearing about fellow writers and their material, but because he seemed so confident about his subject. I wondered what he meant by it. He went on to explain, to the woman listening, that “For example, you may look at your cup and see it as a nice drink, or whatever. But, when I look at it, I think of all the resources required to make it, and how it has negatively impacted our environment, etc.” You get the idea. I wanted to dump my drink onto his head and ask, “Aren't you grateful for anything ?” Normally, these things don’t bother me. I respect people’s opinion -- even if I don’t agree with it. This is what freedom is all about. But, what he was “trying” to explain -- or even defend -- wasn’t rational. Here he was in a peaceful establishment, one filled with people so blessed

Today we have another fabulous guest post by author Lori Sinclair , writing about her experiences for our column "Good Things Come from Threes." Enjoy! Good Things Come From Threes - Three Steps to a Great Story There is something almost magical about the number three. It has captured our attention as few other numbers have. From the time we are children and learn nursery rhymes such as Three Blind Mice, and The Three Little Pigs, to our adulthood when we are mesmerized by Larry, Curly, and Moe, or the latest trilogy at the box office, the number three is always a guiding presence. We hang out together like the Three Musketeers, and when someone is not welcome they feel like a third wheel. Why is this? I took a screenwriting class a few years ago. They taught that everything should be written in a strict Three-Act-Structure. This includes novels, short stories, screenplays, and even magazine and newspaper articles. For any story to be complete it has to have a very di

I did it. The NaNoWriMo , that is. Instead of traveling the pathways of retail with throngs of shoppers, I was inside my house the day after Thanksgiving, writing. Truthfully, I didn't think I could do it towards the last twenty thousand words or so ... actually, it was more like I didn't think I wanted to do the last twenty thousand. After all, it meant I would have to edit the ugly monster if it went anywhere. And, I think the story may have lacked compelling characters and perfect plot. (Also known as "major issues" with the story.) But here's the cool part: I have a "book" completed. Hurrah! Not that I'll ever let it grace the eyes of an innocent and unassuming reader. Maybe not even myself, either. Do you know how much groaning and eye-rolling that would require? Whatever I choose to do (probably leave it on my PC for a long time), here are five things I learned while writing (even 50k words in less than a month) and why it can be good fo

My guest post today is from Anne Goff , writer and translator who has some great points to make about translation and why we need to think about it when writing. Enjoy! We're Not So Different, You and I When I got my degree in translation and when I started working as a translator, I had to deal with a lot of confusion and misunderstanding from my friends and family. I still do. Topping the list of questions I face: - Just what does a translator do anyway ? And - Why on earth would you want to be one? Today, I want to answer question number one. A translator takes a text that is written for one audience and rewrites it for a different audience. In essence – a translator is a writer. All writing is translation and translators are writers who work in two different languages. “But,” you say, “I’m a writer! I don’t translate!” Are you sure? Really? As a writer you are always thinking of your target audience. (And if you’re not, you should be.) This awareness will impact e

There is a time and place to write for free. I think we all understand that. And there's a time to acquire your skill, be a lowly intern -- basking in the bottom-dwelling ranks of the work place -- and we're generally okay with it because we know that's how it works; that's how  we get to be paid one day -- and of course, how we hope to move up to a slightly higher rung of the ladder. However, there comes a time, when we get past that; where we are at the higher rung, and now looking down at those below us with a smile. When and if we work pro-bono, it's because we're helping someone else, or we feel the cause is so worthy, we just have to donate our time or risk feeling like a loser. I have a writer-friend, who also happens to be a snazzy French-to-English translator, who has her own business  AEG Translations -- in other words, she's a PROFESSIONAL. Also meaning, she gets paid to do the job; the one she studied and worked hard for. Yet, to her dismay

Today's a great day for a guest post. Why? Because I get to host a post written by author Kimberly Rempel, whose book  Beauty in Darkness  is now out and ready to read. (Oh, and I'm still working on my NaNoWriMo  so this post is perfect timing). I've decided to start a column called "Good Things Come from Threes," because it's true. You've heard the phrase "Third time's the charm," right? Well, I find that answers I'm looking for in work and home -- even answers I'm not looking for-- usually get verified in a process of three affirmations. (Though sometimes, they're not good.) It's no different for a writer. There is easily a zillion combinations of three things that can propel you to write, edit and have your book published. It's just a matter of making sure to recognize what they are! Take a look. Good Things Come from Threes -The Path to Publication First, thank you Heather for your invitation to guest post. I

Yeah, I thought the same thing too: What kind of weird name is NaNoWriMo? It’s weird because it stands for National Novel Writing Month . And it’s something I kept seeing a lot of my writing friends sign up for in the month of October. Did that make them as weird as the name for doing this too? Yes and no. While I’d heard about this “contest” over the years, I wasn’t too sure about it. After all, it’s about writing 50,000 words in 30 days. Not only is that grueling, but it’s also demoralizing. Seriously, can you image how bad the material is after 30 days of (no-holds-bar, no-looking-back without editing) writing? Pretty horrendous. But then, that’s what the month of December is for: to correct the hideous beast one might want to call a manuscript. Why am I blogging about this? Because I think I might just dive into the month-long craziness and do it for myself too. Well, it's more than maybe, because I’ve already signed up! Yes, I’m way too busy. Yes, it’s madness. Yes, i

I seriously thought about writing a blog post about my new dog. Because, hey, that’s a huge deal. A puppy is like a toddler. And a toddler, to any family, can be stressful. But I hadn’t figured out yet if there was a literary angle to this potential puppy post; like if having a dog made me write better, faster or worse, or not at all since I spend more time training, feeding and playing with her than anything else. But I didn’t get to think that far ahead. The blog post wasn’t to be about my dog. Sorry puppy. It was to be about the break-in at my house. Yes, it was the real deal. The thief entered our (locked) home, rifled through our things just hoping for something good. Fortunately for us, and unfortunately for him, we didn’t have anything valuable in the house, other than the kids, and they were both at school. I’m sure he thought he would get in and out scot-free. After all, he had thievery down to a science since he’d just tried the same trick down our street minutes before

Have you ever had a wonderful idea for a book but when you got it on paper, things (i.e. the ENTIRE story) just sort of fell flat? The characters weren’t as deep as you’d like, the storyline not as punchy as you intended and as for actual material, well, just imagining writing another seventy thousand words made you break out into a sweat. If this sounds like you, then stop what you’re doing. This is the part when you don’t force yourself to write all because you though it should be a story. If you do, in a matter of days --if not hours -- you’re going to dread it. Your work will not only become laborious, but the very zeal and gusto you once had for the idea will fall so flat you’ll ponder your sanity for coming up with the idea in the first place. I’ve done this before, and not five thousand words into it, I wondered if there was hope enough that the story would be something even I would want to read in the end. So, what’s the solution? Well, don’t instantly think you have to

Two days before I left for vacation, I was on the phone making reservations for the Polar Express Train Ride .  What is that? Well, it's exactly what the name implies: a train ride based on the book The Polar Express , by Chris Van Allsburg. I'd say that I was only doing this for my children, but that wouldn't totally be accurate. Something with this much hype had to be good for me too. At least I hoped so.  The Polar Express Select cities all over America, and one in Canada, utilize trains (available from their railroad museums or railways) and transform them into replicas from the book -- complete with dancing waiters and hot chocolate. Passengers even get to wear their pajamas. While I’d heard that this was an extraordinary event, one my kids couldn’t miss, what I wasn’t prepared for was the mad dash --the absolute insane intensity-- that every parent in my city dove into on October first at 9 in the morning. It was like getting tickets for the concert of a

Being away in Maui for a week is a little like getting a lobotomy. I can't think rightly or clearly, and no way can I give a passing thought to writing a blog post. This is why it's absolutely perfect timing that I wrote a guest post before I left for vacation which is now at Write for Charity and up today! Below is a little snippet of the blog post. Just like “Autodidact,” the poem that Write for Charity picked for their wonderful book, From the Heart , I wrote “Motherhood is a like a Pacemaker” when one particular day seemed just a bit too overwhelming ; when I wondered if the work I was doing as a mother really counted for much. Like this poem, motherhood sort of transcends the normal, yet is required to keep the normal. There are difficulties that motherhood presents to us at times — and yes, there are happiness and joys, rewards and fulfillment involved too — but the role of a mother is never easy. It always receives, yet it also requires. It always is, bu

Okay, so you’ve all heard that a writer can write anytime he or she darn well pleases. And that writers should write whenever they can. But what about times when writers shouldn’t write? Are there any rules for that, or is this just an excuse to use when there’s a deadline looming? Sure, procrastination can be detrimental to your career. But maybe there are times when it’s not such a bad idea? That maybe stepping away from the computer can benefit your work? Here’s a list of times when I know I should NOT write for fear of losing the Muse and my mind. 1. After I’ve submitted a manuscript. This may seem counterintuitive, but it’s not. When you submit a manuscript, or an article or poem or hey, even a blog post, it’s time to celebrate! Time to focus on a job well done. Don’t start another novel. It squelches your current glory, well, at least mine anyway. Enjoy the satisfaction of hard work sent off into eager agent’s/editor’s hands- and then write. 2. After I’ve been out

I’ve heard countless times that agents, when looking for the next great manuscript, and readers, looking for the next great read, want compelling characters. But, what does this mean? Compelling? And why have I never thought of characters as compelling when I can’t put the book down? Sure, these characters are amazing, and sometimes I want to be in the middle of the stories as if they were my own experiences. But why? Compelling characters make me --force me-- to be in love with them as they find their way through trials or charge fearlessly down hidden hallways and dark forests. This makes for wonderful literature and for fascinated readers. But how do we do this? How do authors create compelling characters -- ones that not only we want to read but others too -- and convince our readers that they should care about them? Here’s a tiny list by which I try to strive: Make them human: This is a given. And most writers would tell you this is. Give your character flaws that lots o

For all of you procrastinating, I’ll-do-it-later, just-leave-me-alone people who are trying to find a way to become productive in your own life -- and a more organized member of your family-- perhaps I have the answer you’ve been waiting for. This may come as a complete shock, but if you’re willing to buy a pack of Post-It Notes©, and a pen or pencil - anything that will create tangible writing (no, the computer monitor doesn’t count -- you need something you can actually scroll a pen over) you will find yourself fast becoming productivity’s friend. Are you ready? This is what you need to do: Write down all the important things you need to do today. Now, I can hear you thinking, “Whoa, hold on there. Don’t you think that’s a little too simple? I mean, lists? Come on, I thought you were going to give me a life-changing idea.” But, I have. See, if you’re anything like me, I feel productive when I’ve accomplish something worthwhile to myself; something I place value in doing. I

Networking. It's a tough job. And it’s a job that sometimes, though very beneficial, doesn't feel like it counts for much. After all, as my "punny" husband so kindly pointed out, there's only one little letter that turns "networking" into "notworking." That got me thinking: Is networking really me not working ? Then I asked myself - while I was busy throwing dagger-like glances at my husband: Just because I don't get paid for this, is it still considered real work? I'd like to think that this work of finding people with similar interests to not only be friends with but become fellow blog followees, has helped me with my writing career; one that could potentially pay me a few dollars. As of now, it's all free; all my time and energy isn't compensated for. So in order to feel like I'm doing something worthwhile, I prefer to think of my time spent networking without pay as an internship; the whole paying-my-dues-before-I-g

Okay, this isn't a political statement, nor is it a way to jump start Christmas, but do you  notice a resemblance between these two people? Maybe it's just me, but they sort of look related. Perhaps you're laughing, perhaps you agree, perhaps you think this is a waste of a blog post. Regardless, the first time I saw Beck with his glasses, I told my husband that he looked like Ralphie, you know, the kid from  A Christmas Story .  And I still think he does. No, this guest post has nothing to do with writing, and it's not really writer's food of any kind (well, maybe it is) but I suppose it is food for thought. The glasses give Ralphie such an endearing quality. And they do the same for Glenn.  Um ... I think. Or is that a bit of a stretch for some of you?  - Heather

Ah, the paper and pen: that duo is such a powerful and magnificent reverence to our literary past. So much so for me, that I used to write only long hand in the early days of my "authorship." It’s how I thought true writers really should write because in all honesty, there’s something to be said for feeling the words lick off the ink or lead, throwing caution to the wind, and getting those words out at which to marvel. But, this was erroneous thinking, and the error was believing it was the only way to write. I changed my thinking about this a few years ago when writer’s block was having at it with me. I decided to sit at the computer and write something, anything , that didn’t have to do with what I was currently stuck in with my paper canvas. Lo and behold, after typing away and finding paragraphs and pages of quick, good material appear, I realized I was beginning to understand how people wrote books solely on the computer. It was remarkable. What I first thought to be

Today for Manna Monday , I'm the guest post blogger for Rebecca Ward Design . Hope you enjoy. I have this passion for writing. You know, stories, articles, fiction, poetry. So I’m sure you’re wondering: How can she possibly relate writing to interior design? In all honesty, I was stumped when first presented with the idea of guest blogging for a designer. Some designers have the ability to write, but not all writers can design. Then I realized, after thinking about it, that a well-designed room has a story to tell. And that these stories, the rooms or buildings, set the background information for most books. The design ends up being critical to specific scenes or dialogue because it sets the mood and temperament, and reveals detail necessary for a quality story. This is accomplished through any and every thing: the color of the walls, the style of the protagonist’s favorite chair, texture of a bedroom duvet or even the run-down fifties-era kitchen. These descriptions al

I had a great conversation with a writer-friend of mine this week. She and I have been in a similar predicament for the past few years, in that most of our energy and time has gone into raising our children, and not into the world we so longingly want to delve into: writing. Our kids, of course, and the time we give them is valuable time dedicated. We understand that. We chose to forego our passion of writing for them instead. But, we also discussed why some writers -- as busy as us --were still able to write while raising a family. Did they have extra help? Was their writing so miraculous that their brains just downloaded the stuff onto their computer in mere minutes? What did they do differently? Obviously, many women and men raise their children and manage to write; perhaps even write bestsellers (ahem ... Mrs. Meyers). So what’s the difference between them and us? What was it that made them more productive? It comes down to something very simple: these authors wanted to write

It's not Manna Monday , but I have a great guest post by writer Alisa Hope Wagner  for which I couldn't wait. Enjoy. I have been anxiously striving to finish edits on my first book. My mind has been consumed with writing, and I’m constantly telling myself to get to work. I feel the pressure of a deadline, and I told God one afternoon, “I can’t wait until I’m done.” I could sense God smile and say, “Then you’ll start your second book.” I stopped in my tracks. I realized that I will never be finished. When I’m done climbing this mountain, God will have another one for me in the distance. While I’m alive on this earth, God will always place promises for my life in the horizon. God places promises beyond each of us; and as we move closer to them, God is able to mold us into the likeness of His son. Promises are in the core of Jesus; they pull us toward Him like gravity and slowly perfect us into our original design. At that moment, I had a reality check. Obviously my per

Today is Manna Monday , which means a guest post from  Rebecca Ward  as your literary food. Enjoy! As a professional interior designer, my job is to magically create perfect interior spaces for my clients. I take their dreams and turn it into a reality. But design is more to me than just a job. It is my passion. And because of my love for it, I have to share it with others. One of my outlets for doing this is through my design blog, Design R . Over time, I have discovered that I am no longer just an interior designer, but an author. I publish my writings about my passion in a public format so others want to read it. But, I didn’t fully come to this “writer” realization by myself. I thank Holly Becker of the blog Decor8 and the blogging class I took called Blogging Your Way (a wonderful course for bloggers from any genre). She is a perfect example of a blogger-turned-published-writer. Through this combination of her extremely popular design blog and writing, she writes for many

Right about the time when I think things will stay the same, they change. Which is a good notion, I suppose. Without change, where's the progress? This was essentially Walt Disney's Motto "... keep moving forward ...," and look at the empire he created? Sometimes, in order for great things to happen, change is necessary. But we have to keep looking ahead, and actually  implement change, if we expect an empire of our own (figuratively speaking, of course). So here's the deal: I'm changing the name of my blog to the title I should've had months ago, Writer's Manna. I woke up to this title, one moring, after having written something with those words, and am being forced by my one-tracked and often stubborn mind to make it my blog's name. And I hope, this is a better change. There you go. A new title, for a new day. And I'm hoping to keep this one for a good, long time. Is there a lesson in it for all of us? Embrace change -- good change -- 

Hey, writers out there, I have a question for you: Have you ever been a guest blogger? This is where you write an article or essay for someone else's blog, so the focus is off of your own site and onto someone's else. The article can be anything, or everything. But the point is that the writing is to benefit not just your writing platform, but theirs while simultaneously expanding your experience. I'm sure you're asking: How is this beneficial? Well, not only is it a chance for you to write, but it allows your writing to extend to more circles, ones most likely directly related to your line of work. This means potentially new contacts, resources, friends and knowledge for you and your host. It's a win for you (since more people will see your writing), and it's a win for the host because they gain an educational or insightful article/ blog with a unique voice ... one other than their own. I also hear you asking: Can you give me an example? I have a frie