writerly ways

[cornerofmadness]

Obviously I missed last week’s writerly ways because I was driving back home but it would have been pointless anyhow. I did very little over spring break . I did get a couple sample magazines from Writers magazine, including a ‘get published’ hand book. I thought I’d share this from them



The 10 commandments for writers. (by Michael Geffner)

1. Network - Basically, he contends that if you don’t network you won’t make it. He suggests seeking out high-tiered contacts. He offers no suggests for this which I found annoying. As if I’m going to make that contact by merely emailing these people. Talking to them at conventions is one way if one can afford the highly overpriced authors conventions (most of these cost hundreds). But he’s right that we need to make contacts and be civil when we do. I have a few agents and publishers on my friends list here and on twitter right now. Will it help, who knows?

2. Learn to Work Under Deadline Pressure You’re going to have deadlines if you’re going to work professional. Pros can’t wait for inspiration to propel their creativity. True. I buy this commandment fully. I’m good with deadlines. They inspire me. The thing I need to work on is not flirting with the deadline so much.

3. Build a Portfolio Start with smaller publishers and work your way up and keep track of when/where you publish. I suggest having a hard copy of this too. I lost all my records of my 1990’s pubs in a computer crash and had no copy and a piss poor memory. It’s a rare author who is going to start at the very top.

4. Read something every day - self explanatory and for me, no problem.

5. Write something every day No matter what. Forget that you’re tired or don’t feel like it I try to do this faithfully. I just need to make myself do at least 100 words of original fiction a day. I might need to pledge that to myself

6. Make Friends with writers Looks around Flist. Done.

7. Turn in a clean copy I know better than to turn in a mess but given how many publishers/agents/editors keep saying this, not everyone does

8. Study the Publication Sometimes this is harder than it sounds if it’s a magazine but when it comes to agents, it’s usually pretty easy. Most, if not all, list out what they are interested in and what they don’t want to receive. If you send them something they don’t publish or represent, not only are you going to get rejected but you’ll probably earn a dumb ass star in their files.

9. Find a mentor Someone who’s a successful writer can teach you the ropes Okay, here I sort of roll my eyes. How many successful writers are going to DO this? Oh some might charge you your first born child to go to a workshop. I think a compromise on this iffy commandment is to find authors with blogs you can follow. For example I have dduane (Diane Duane) moschus (Justine Musk), jimbutcher, circletpress (publisher) & onyxhawke (agent). Now some of them put up writing tips in their blogs, some don’t. Douglas Clegg has a question and answer forum on his facebook. I have other authors and agents on my twitter feed. It’s about as close to mentoring as I’m going to get, I suspect.

10. Stay on the Case Be relentless, proactive and whatever else he said. THIS is my major falling down point. I’m lazy about this. It needs to stop. I say that but it never happens. Sigh. I hate this lazy part of me.



Original fiction yearly word count

16234 / 125000 words. 13% done! So far behind.

Comments

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

Agrees with a lot of your comments on here.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

thanks

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

There's one missing, though - RESEARCH. Do your research to help build your world. Even if you know this place like the back of your hand, there's something you don't know, and you might find a little snippet that's an "aha!" waiting to happen.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

that is true. I think a lot of these apply to non-fiction too which it's just as important for different reasons. I'd put that one over mentoring.

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

I can see why mentoring is a good thing, though. But yeah, research is always a helpful thing.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

you can't have 11 commandments for some reason

i think mentoring the way it was in the article is a pipe dream really

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

Uneven number?

Probably.

[bob_fish.livejournal.com]

I agree with 2 absolutely. Inspiration follows writing most of the time, not the other way around. You have to give yourself permission to write utter crap and edit it later, or you self-censor and never get in that inspired frame of mind.

As for contacts, I think the key here is the internet. It makes all kinds of people accessible. You can get to know people by blogging, but you also get the aforementioned tips and discussion of the writing process. I know when I teach academic writing and mentor students, about half of it is process and the other half is critique of their work and discussion. I think as a creative writer, getting attentive, helpful critique is the difficult part. I don't think this always even has to come from fellow writers - after all, most of your readers outside the blogosphere likely won't be writers themselves, but you hope lots of them will be clever and attentive.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

Inspiration follows writing most of the time, not the other way around
Very very well said. Is now jealous I did not think of that.

As for the contacts and mentoring, yes, the net is going to be key. I'm following more people here than I ever dreamed. And there are a few others who have had success (but not to the level of those I named earlier...YET, like hierath & omza914)

Another way to get a little contact info and mentoring is from other writers. Between writers groups and the research my fellows do I'm always getting new leads

[bob_fish.livejournal.com]

On that note, this (http://oglaf.com/blank-page/1/).

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

that is perfect

[bob_fish.livejournal.com]

I think you'd really like the rest of that comic in general. Most of it's a tad porny (i.e. don't flick through it with a student standing behind your shoulder?) but/and it's freaking hilarious. Enemy got me into it.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

I'll have to go look

[ishte.livejournal.com]

Yup. I need to put this post in my memorable posts and I need to get on it.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

sounds like a plan. Most of it is very doable.

[winters-queen.livejournal.com]

I really need to work on 5 more. >.<

I have Jim Butcher, Stacia Kane, Jill Myles, Ilona Andrews, Tanya Huff and Jim Hines, off the top of my head, that I follow.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

ooo I'd like to see Tanya Huff. I don't kow the others. must look them up