A Work in Progress

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