Support and the Writer

I’m fighting this week. 

I’m fighting my lousy cold. I’m fighting my families lousy colds. I’m fighting tiredness. I’m fighting weather depression. I’m fighting the laundry. I’m fighting nerves.

And lo here comes Thursday to remind me that the end of the week is fast approaching. But Thursday can be a good stock take day because it allows me to gather up all the notes to myself for my blog post and put them in some sort of coherent order (I hope)

So what has been kicking around my brain cells this week.

Support. 

The typical writer, stuck at home staring at the computer, feeling very alone and wondering if the page they have just written is any good...sometimes feels despair. It all feels too hard to keep going. They check their email ten times an hour, spend waaay to much time on facebook, follow every twitter lead, even dust... to try to get back that happy flying feeling when they know that they are writing good stuff.

Authors need a little support.

Susan Uhlig has written a great post on Christine Fonseca’s blog about critique groups.

A good critique group can be worth more than gold to your own writing. It can be a cheer leading team, a commiseration club and a timely whip cracker. In this post Susan lists questions to consider when you go looking for a critique group or begin to set one up. She has helpful advice and points to consider for example, whether online or off line critique groups are good for you.

The internet can be a marvellous resource for the writer (and also a time suck) There are great sites out there where weekly roundups of what’s topical in the writing world keep you updated and feeling relevant... (as opposed to  know nothing and dull, stuck in your cold writers garret.)

This week the team at Adventures in Children’s Publishing have put together a huge list of relevant articles all available on the blogosphere under the helpful sub headings of Inspiration, Craft of Writing, Self Editing, Critiquing, Rejection, To Market and Congratulations. This is like a mini encyclopaedia of information and they do this every week! Dip in and be inspired!

Last year I talked about Kevin Kelly’s 1000 True Fans idea, which generated heaps of interest. This week Eli James explores the 1000 Fans model and whether it really works for writers. We know it works for bands and bloggers. But a blog post and an MP3 music track can be created in much less time than a novel...So how can writers really make use of this model? There are some great ideas to think about here. (Maybe we have been thinking about it all wrong....)

James Scott Bell, of The Kill Zone authors collective of mystery and thriller writers, has written a great article on writing with heart. You must be in love with your writing to give it your best shot. It is very timely if you are looking for that burst of inspiration to get back into the grind with a happy smile on your dial....

The Kill Zone Authors have got a great site, a model to copy if you are thinking about author collectives. They even have a book available of short stories, on Scribed and Smashwords, (e-publishing and p.o.d.) Now that’s being in control of their brand!

I dropped into Alison Steven’s blog this week and read her timely post on paying it forward.

If you have been lamenting the fact that you have no money and no time to travel to a writer’s conference...There is a solution. A group of Young Adult Writers have taken this in hand and a running an online conference for Children’s Writers. I could embed the funny video the team have put together to publicise it (some of whom I have referred to previously in this blog) but in the spirit of paying it forward, jump over to Alison’s Blog and take a look.

And if you really need inspiration take a look at The Brainstormer Prompt Wheel...just clic the random button.

Over on Craicerplus (my amplify page) There are articles on...

The basics of the elevator pitch.

Five incredibly useful gmail features.

A roadmap for the future: 6 suggestions for today’s publishers that many can’t follow. (lots of comment on facebook)

How to build a tribe of followers.

13 Ways to add depth to your genre novel.

Boys and Girls and the Bechdel test...very interesting... do you pass the test?

enjoy,

maureen

Things Worth Doing

This last week I have been mulling over things worth doing. 

This started when I decided that during the  long weekend rather than fritter it away with the usual family activities spread out over an extra day we should make it count. So the contents of the kids bedroom were hauled out and painting, ceiling to floor, began...Of course the rainy weather meant that the room has taken its time drying and so the contents of the kids room are all over the house.... The kids had fun camping out in other family bedrooms and found going back to their nice clean bright room a wrench. But the room looks good...so it was worth doing.

Next week I am chairing a panel discussion on Boys and Reading at the City Museum. In preparation for this I have been sent little bios of the panel members, so I can introduce them properly etc. As I know all of the panel members this is a timely reminder for me to think about what I would say if I was asked to put a short bio together for someone who doesn’t know me. (Hmmm lucky I’m chairing this really, and can remain anonymous, letting the panel be the stars they are...) 

I recently came across a new site where 30 mid grade writers have gathered together to promote midgrade...and their short bios are entertaining and give a sense of their personal style. (Midgrade is commonly called junior chapter books or junior novels...for children 8ish-12ish. It’s my favourite age to write for. It’s my favourite age to teach as well. There must be something in that as I think sometimes I’m a ten year old trapped in an adult body...oooh gross.)

So in the spirit of worthwhile bios and media kits for authors, here is a great link to an article which gives a good run down on what the author should be including in this internet savvy age. This has to be the most comprehensive list of what to include in a media kit that I have seen. It covers every eventuality...sample questions... book trailers...definitely a must read.

Jody Hedlund has a great blog that I drop into from time to time. This week she has a great post on  5 tips for playing the smart publishing game.  I mentioned to a friend recently how many new writers want information on a plate now and who don’t realise that going out and researching is the start of learning about publishing. Of course Jody puts it so much better. She makes some worth while points about connecting with other writers and writing, writing writing.

Alan Rinzler has a superb post entitled The Number One Issue for Writers Today. If there is one piece of worth while writing advice you need to read... this is it.

And on the topic of worth while things to do...Today one of our own literary gems, Kate de Goldi, was awarded a major prize from the creative arm of our government to research and write a book about another quiet literary gem here in New Zealand. For those of us in Wellington, Susan Price is an icon of New Zealand children’s literature. Those of us lucky to have visited the amazing Susan Price collection of children’s books know what an amazing unsung hero she is. For one of our best children’s writers and reviewers to be given the means to write a scholarly study of Susan and the gift to the nation of her collection and what it means to children’s literature here...it is truly wonderful news. 

A very worthwhile project indeed.

Over on Craicerplus (my Amplify page)

There are links to articles this week on ...

So what comes next after Steampunk and Zombies?

Writing A Series – good points to remember.

10 ways authors can profit from instant free screencasts.

21 things you writers know that non writers don’t.

And a nod to my geek side

Top 10 places to find alien life...( I picked over half of them...so geeky am I )

Enjoy


maureen


pic is Kate de Goldi...(nice pic Kate)