Another day, another contest

I had been in a Chick Lit is Doooooooooooooooooooooooomed slump for a few weeks, if not months, now, but talking to my magical crit partner Rachel made me feel a lot better (it helps that she is extremely funny and writes things I can't *wait* to read).

I'm all packed for my trip to the snow tomorrow (yay, snow!) and will be looking around for inspiration to get my Snow Queen back on tack.

I've entered my Blaze (the one from the pitch challenge) in my first ever US contest (they allowed electronic entries, so yay), and now I have $1.72 in the bank. Well, at least I know that anyone trying to mug me will probably have more money than I do, lol.

But hey, tehy say don't quit your day job for writing unless your writing can give you at least as much income as you have now. Hell, selling a joke to a chewing gum company would make me more than I have!

If you start out low enough, the view of the stars in the sky is simply amazing.
But you know what? I don't mind being poor. I have my stories and my friends and my ski trip and I'm not going hungry. I'm just poor cash-wise. And that's okay.

Critique groups

Finding a good critique partner is like striking gold. the right mixture of feedback, encouragement and corrections can get you to soar to new heights.
But getting a partner that doesn't push you further isn't going to solve your problems.

I haven't stuck with a crit group for a long time. I'm in my second now, and I'm reaching a point where I wonder how much longer it is useful for me to be with them.
The problem (for me) with my last group was that I felt we were of different standards in our writing and writing commitment. Also, it was face-to-face, and I just don't have the attention span to remember everything that people tell me about my writing and then be able to implement it afterwards. Plus, having to crit 2-3 chapters each week just wasn't possible with my time constraints.

My current crit group is online, and I've enjoyed my time there. But lately, the feedback has been more pats on the back than anything else. And because I have a very strong sense of "This is no good" (as evidenced by mediocre contest lacings etc), I'd rather they tore into it a bit more. I feel mean critiquing their stuff to the level I would love, because from their crits of my work, I feel that's not what they want in return. I don't want to hurt anyone's fragile ego or shoot way over the mark, but I also feel that I'm giving more than I'm getting. Which is quite probably my ego speaking, too.

I'm not sure what the best course of action is. There are some members in the crit group whose feedback is useful to me, who don't try to tweak my voice to their tastes, and who can give both broad stroke and minute detail feedback. others, I hope they skip my chapters.

Do any of you work with critique groups or partners? How is it working for you? What sort of feedback do you want from a critiquer, and how detailed instructions do you give them?

What to do with bad reviews

This comeback (see comments section) shows you how to make lemonade out of the most pockmarked of lemons.
It's all in what you leave out.

In other news, when you juggle too many projects AND are a lousy juggler, be prepared to pick up a lot of broken stuff. Grrrrr.

Why is writing so much like a lab maze? And why am I always the doofus rat running into the same corners instead of finding the route that leads to the yummy treats?

How to get your stuff out there

I'm having a bit of a career greed slump today. Talking to other writers can be a great procrastination tool, a humbling reminder of things to come or just an inspiration. And sometimes, it just shows me how long the road ahead is.
I was talking to one fellow writer via email today, and she has several fulls and partials with various editors. And the Envy Bug bit me square in the foot. *I* want to have more stuff out there!

So I did what any self-respecting aspiring writer does, I hit the contest circuit. I don't like contests, mainly because I don't get anywhere with them. With my money situation being the way it is, I can't justify sending my paper babies especially to overseas contests. US$50 buys me one contest entry or a week of food. Hm. I know which one I'd rather choose.

On the other hand, this is my career I'm gambling on. Shouldn't I give it every chance I can?

I don't know, and the maintenance guy with his chainsaw just outside my window isn't helping my thought process. Time to hit the library for a new reading fix.

The 'dreaded' synopsis

Why do writers hate their synopses so much? Everywhere I look, there is talk of the "dreaded" synopsis, or 'suckopsis', as one fellow aspiring Blaze babe put it.
Maybe I'm a freak, but I enjoy distilling my story down to its very essence. Like a good stock, the more time you take to extract all the water and other miscellaneous items, the more dense and flavourful the whole will become.
And the shorter the synopsis, the better. The one time I struggled was when I had to make mine 5-8 pages (I made it six). I basically took my two-page synopsis and fluffed it up. not a good feeling.

A lot of writers say "Well, it's always easier to add than to substract". I'm the other way around. Maybe that's why I usually come in at the bottom end of the word count bracket?

Not that my writing is tight and economical because of this, mind you. But I dread lengthy descriptions and waffling so much, I want to err on the side of caution.
Or it might just be my TV-honed attention span, who knows?

C-c-c-cold!

Had to get up waaaay too early this morning, and I've been cold all day. Cold feet = one unhappy writer.
But I started my new book anyway, and it makes me feel better. She's a chef, and I'll have to do lots and lots of delicious research for her! Oh, the hardship.

I'm hoping to have this book finished in time to pitch it at the RWA conference in August. We'll see how that goes.

I wrote up notes for a new Kissy Bits episode, so I'll record that today. not sure whether I'll edit it today or tomorrow, but hey, it's coming! It's all good.

In non-writing news, almost everybody has given me the money for the ski trip, so hooray for us! They forecast snow for this weekend, so hopefully it'll be acceptable cover for us next week. ^_^

Now I think I'll just sit in front of the heater and do some more revisions for my podiobook.
Ooh, wanna see the cover? Too bad, here it is anyway.


Yeah, well. I'm excited. My first ever cover. ^_- recording starts next week, and I even managed to con, errh, ask my friend to volunteer both his microphone and sound skills.

The pain of covers

There are quite a few blogs out there that specialise in poking gentle (and not-so-gentle) fun at the quality of book covers. I love those. A lot of book covers are bloody awful, from the classic fabio clinch to CGed alienoids.

But someone angered the Changeling Horde, and they came stampeding. Kids, play nice, will you? The covers really *are* aweful (well, many of them at any rate), but even if you love your covers, what's the point in bitching back?
Instead, take heed. These are your readers. You know. The people that will give you money so you can keep saying you make up stuff for a living?
If they don't like your covers, and if that will stop them from buying your books, you don't want to attack them. it's not their fault your covers are ugly.

Then the owner of Changeling Press (who has a pseudonym, for some reason) steps in saying the blogger can't use the cover art without permission cause it's copyrighted. Last time I checked up on copyright, 'fair use' included reviews, but hey, what would I know?

But the point of this post is really a long, angry rant by another reader. If you're a writer, you should read it in its entirety. And think about it. Whether you agree with her opinion or not, let's face it. We write for our readers. And I'd rather write to please than just for my own private pleasure (I do that sort of writing somewhere else, lol).

It's a business relationship. Our readers don't owe us anything. They pay for a service we provide. We are the ones owing them. Sure, by choosing what and how we write, we have some sort of influence over who should and shouldn't read our books, but at the end of the day, readers decide with their wallets.

If you don't want those readers, I'm sure that's easily arranged. And I'll happily take those sales off your back.

Prolificacy

I need to write more.
I've spent so much time editing and re-editing and thinking about how to edit, I've forgotten the most important part about writing: to create new material.
I mean, it's a bit of a no-no to submit multiple manuscripts to M&B/Harlequin, so I've retty much filled my spots there. I can see and understand their reasoning behind this, and I'm happy to comply. Especially since Lucky Charmed should come back soon now.

But since I've taken my only Single Title to date off the shopping market for now, that leaves me with nothing much to enter into things like contests and the like!
And good thing, too, since this one wasn't going anywhere. =P

But while cming up with an idea for a category-length book is easy, I find it much harder to get stuck back into the chick lit world. All the doomsday naysayers might be getting to me. I just don't know what stories I want to tell here!
As always, there is only one solution. Shut up and write!

I've been looking back over my readings for the last year and a half (which basically chronicles my delving into chick lit and romance) thanks to my shiny LibraryThing. Only a year and a half. It feels longer somehow... I suppose for the time I've been writing, I've been productive enough. Most writes take an average of five years to get anywhere, it seems, but that still seems to be between 3 and 7 manuscripts.

Patience. Must remember to remain patient. And write more. ^_^

I don't think Saturday could have been any better if it had had Johnny Depp covered in chocolate. Okay, so I lie, but it was a pretty good day nonetheless.
Not only did I send out my first ever submission with REQUESTED MATERIAL (wheeeeeeeeeeeeee!), but by buying a white fluffy hat from my favourite outdoors equipment place, we got entered into a raffle - and won one-day lift tickets to Buller!
I never win anything. Well, I didn't win this time either (Vic did), but it was *my* hat that got us the tickets. It shall henceforth be known as The Lucky White Hat. Also, it is very fluffy.

And if that didn't qualify as an awesome day, we also went birthday-bowling with a friend I hadn't seen in almost a year because she's teaching out in Wodonga (which is about an hour's drive past nowhere as far as I can establish). Then we had steak and watched the Da Vinci Code. Which turned out to be a lot better than everybody claimed. I liked it. So there! =P

Sunday, we didn't do much apart from play video games, cook and clean. And now I'm ready and motivated to tackle the week with lots of productive ... something.

I'm going to record a new Kissy Bits tomorrow, and today will be dedicated to some Dramatica work. I've already written 800 new words for the WIP that's going nowhere (I'm just finishing until I have time to start The Next Thing properly).
I *might* also get round to doing a first test recording of episode one of my podiobook. As soon as I get the title right.

It's a great life.

Have you seen her?

The daughter of a fellow RWA member is missing.
Have a look at her web site:
http://www.marjoriejones.com/staci/missingx.html

It looks like she ran away. Of course her mum's worried sick, so yeah, if you happen to be in that general area, keep an eye out.

Me, I wouldn't recognise her if she stood right in front of me.

These sort of things always remind me of a TV segment I saw once where they had this giant billboard with a mugshot saying "Wanted for something-or-other".
The reporter stopped people in teh street asking them whether they thought this sort of campaign would be helpful. Everyone they showed said yes. Then he would ask them whether they think they would recognise this person after seeing the billboard. Again, people said yes. Not a single one noticved that the shot was actually of the reporter (and it wasn't done up or old or anything either. It was a recent, normal shot).

Makes you think? Probably not.

In lighter news, I went shopping with aussielung today, and it was great fun. We bought all her gear for our upcoming snow tri, and I have a new hat! Whee!
I hope we get some decent snow. It's *supposed* to be a great season, so... make it snow!

Better effort

I'm going to make a better effort to blog something every day now. I miss blogging, and I let myself get waaaay to distracted with shiny things like manuscripts, synopses and other people's web ramblings.
So there. Content for you!

I spent pretty much all of last week cutting, pasting, basting and polishing my partial to be sent to Kathryn Lye this Saturday. I'm really excited about it. I know it's going to be a long wait, but hey, Lucky Charmed has been in London for about 6 months now, so I'll probably get the rejection from that back soon (hopefully after I get the confirmation for Burning Ice).

I sort of want Lucky Charmed to come back to me so I can rewrite it for a different line. I don't want to touch it right now on the off chance that it'll fit somewhere in the new Romanc line after all. Maybe I'm just cynical about all the baby books coming out? I haven't picked upa sweet romance in two months at least. >_<

In other news, I couldn't be more excited about where Blaze is headed. Sign me up on that ship, captain, it's going to be an exciting ride!

Life is great when it's moving forward. Maybe tomorrow, I can start writing my new podcast episode. It's about time...

When are you going to write a "real" book?

These replies to the ubiquous question were from Miss Snark's blog:

When are you going to write a real (i.e. literary fiction) book?

1. I'd love to write literary fiction but my agent flat out refuses to stop making money on my work.

2. It's a good thing you are handsome, because your manners are butt ugly

3. I leave the pretentious naval gazing to people better trained for the job.

4. I'm purposely avoiding writing anything that will be of interest to you.

5. How kind of you to show an interest in my career. Are you asking because you need a loan?

6. I'm reserving the great novel for when I need to lower my taxable income.

7. Literary fiction tends to be attractive to people I don't much care to be around.

8. I had to sign a non-compete when I stopped being Thomas Pynchon's ghostwriter. He's very fussy about those things

9. Yanno, that's exactly what someone asked Stephen King three days before he received the National Book Award for outstanding contribution to American letters.

10. Right about the time you get your head out of your analogous.

Got any more comebacks you'd like to share?

My first ever pitching session

Kathryn was *really* lovely and sweet, and despite some glitches with her dropping out of the chat room, things went - well, okay.
I didn't get asked much, so I didn't have much to say for myself.
But she requested a partial, and I'm insanely excited!
Here'sa what she had to say about the story I pitched:

Overall, I think it has lots of potential. It has strong themes. Themes that fit with the series, and though I don’t like the word, “hooks” too, such as setting, the hero’s character, and the fantasy of owning even half an island!

I have theme! Yay! (I wasn't aware of this, lol)
She also gave me a suggestion for a sub-plot. not sure that it would work the way the story is right now, but it was definitely something to think about.

Now to polish up a long synopsis. And those first three chapters. Yay!

Web site launched!

I just launched my writing web site. It's still vey mucha work in progress, and I've quite likely screwed up a major part of the programming, but it's mine, and I'm excited, so there.

http://www.kikianika.com