MYRA LEVINE Brilliant Novelist...Inspiring Mom... Humble Genius

Rejection Should be Aerobic, Too

2011-11-24T06:36:00.001-08:00

My agent sent an e-mail about another rejection of Revenge of the Soccer Moms. I don't want to stop working on The Dead Mothers' Club, but I know I need to revise Revenge. It's undisciplined--the best word I can come up with--and I'd like to shorten it, tighten up the switches in point of view, etc. On the other hand, maybe Dead Mothers' will be published first and be a great success, and then the world will be more accepting of my style.

Why Isn't Writing Aerobic?

2011-10-18T04:26:00.000-07:00

I'm in my 2nd week of Weight Watchers on-line, and I keep looking for "novel writing" on the list of point-burning exercises. It seems to me that when I spend hours painfully chopping extraneous words, digging through mountains of prose to remove cliches and forced humor, and sweating bullets to create heart-pounding plot lines, I should earn at least a point or two.

Oh crap, that "sweating bullets" line probably cost me. No treats for me today.

Anyway, I lost 4 pounds my first week! I'd like to be gorgeous on my book jacket. Maybe I'll be the first author to pose in a bathing suit for the back cover. Actually, I'll be happy to achieve my ultimate goal of having only one chin and NOT fake it by resting my head on my hand. Seriously, look at portraits and watch for the women who pose with their chins on their hands, looking winsomely at the camera. THERE'S A SECOND CHIN BEHIND THAT HAND.

Somebody Hum the Theme to "Rocky"

2011-08-04T16:41:00.000-07:00

I'm forcing myself back into my current novel, The Dead Mothers' Club, and feeling really good about it. I have a long way to go, but I'm feeling more capable. I can tell what works and what doesn't, and I'm anxious to grab moments here and there to actually sit down and write! In fact, I'm going to write a quick post for "The Cranky Caregiver" because my mother and Betty are down in the kitchen having one of those surreal conversations that make me want to bang my head again a wall, and then I'm going to finish another scene!

Making a Scene

2011-07-02T11:03:00.000-07:00

I heard some advice in Iowa that scared me. One of the most experienced instructors said that when it's time to revise her novels, she prints out the current draft, then DELETES THE FILE FROM HER COMPUTER, and rewrites "from scratch." This prevents her from calling up the previous draft and just skimming the surface of revision, changing a word here or there, etc.

I'm not sure I have that level of nerve. I'm going to try to rewrite without looking at the previous draft, one scene at a time, with word limits on each scene. But delete the previous draft, with all its golden words and phrases? All that incredible verbage? KILL MY DARLINGS, as they say?

I'm going to try not looking... don't think I can hit the DELETE FILE button...

Iowa, Land of Writers

2011-06-28T17:51:00.001-07:00

I just came back from the 25th Annual Iowa Summer Writing Festival, and it was one of the best weeks ever. I took Sands Hall's class on "Writing the 2nd Draft," and Malinda McCollum's "Writing Beyond Their Years: Child Protagonists." I learned so much.

Sands' new obsession (her words) is SCENE--defining the objectives of a scene, making sure every word in the scene fulfills one of your objectives, and being purposeful in how you begin, end, and transition to the next scene. I can see so clearly that the scene is the building block of the novel, rather than the chapter, which can encompass a dozen scenes or more. I can see that thinking in terms of scene, rather than chapter, will make the revision process less onerous.

We did nightly homework, which was incredibly valuable, and critiqued each other's scenes. Not easy, but great practice in listening critically.

In Malinda's class we talked about using different points of view to present young voices. It was a weekend class, so it went quickly, but we were a very small group (only 4), so everyone got to read and hear their work discussed. I wrote up a true event from my childhood, which has made me think seriously about a series of essays about growing up Jewish (though not very Jewish) in a Christian world. I may just do it.

So my message to writers is this: don't worry so much about agents and editors and getting published. Take classes and become an awesome writer, and the rest will be WAY easier.

I'm a Slacker Poster

2010-12-13T05:58:00.000-08:00

I'm embarrassed to have waited this long to post, but there you are. I keep hoping for exciting news, but so far, I have had two rejections from publishers. One said my characters weren't developed enough, the other said the same thing about my plot. The first rejection came on my last full day at the Iowa Summer Writing Festival, which is ironic, I suppose. The second came a few days ago. My agent says she thinks they're both wrong, and she still loves my novel. WHICH IS WHY I LOVE MY AGENT.

I'm not opposed to doing another rewrite, but I think (well, I hope) I just need to find the right publisher. Meanwhile, an old friend who works in independent films read the mss and wants to talk about creating a screenplay for it. Wouldn't it be weird to have a film before I have a book? I'm not sure there's money in independent films, but if Jerry and I can work out the details, I'll go for it. I ran the idea past my agent, and she thinks it would be a hoot, but I haven't heard from her boss.

Meanwhile, I'm working on Dead Mothers' Club, but it's slow going. I'm letting myself get distracted--and there are always plenty of ways to NOT WRITE, with my mother-in-law, mother, kids, and husband to deal with. Today we're having a snow day, so no school, no senior day center, and a house full of needy people, but I'm going to get some good writing done anyway.

SLACKERS DON'T BECOME ACCLAIMED, WEALTHY, BELOVED, SOUGHT-AFTER, PRIZE-WINNING NOVELISTS, now do they?

The Patience of a Zen Master

2010-07-10T08:19:00.000-07:00

Well, that's what I wish I had.
Actually, I've had a brief e-mail conversation with my agent, and I'm feeling a little better. She has sent my novel to three big publishers and hasn't heard back. This, she reminds me, is a sign of the slow economy, and is better than rejection. Point well taken, so I'm staying off the ledge and pounding away on my next novel.
I constantly remind myself to keeping writing my "shitty first draft" and stop obsessing over every sentence. I leave for my classes at the Iowa Summer Writing Festival in a week, and I can hardly wait. Eight days to do nothing but write! The only thing better would be about ten more days.

The Roller Coaster Ride

2010-05-25T08:18:00.001-07:00

Do you know how you can know something, but not really know it? You can know it in your head, where knowledge is a thin veneer over roiling ignorance, but you don't really KNOW it in your heart, where you keep the truth?

Just go with me here, okay? That was as boringly philosophical as I plan to get.

Well, I can see that I expected a publishing deal within a week or two or signing my contract with the agent... Yeah, stupid, I know, but my life was supposed to change. I have an agent, which is something I've been dreaming about for six years, and now I have one, and why is the basement still unfinished? Why is my mother-in-law still living with us? Why do we still owe money on credit cards? Why am I still buying hamburger instead of sirloin, and then, only when it's on sale?

WHERE'S MY LIFE-CHANGING PUBLISHING DEAL THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BRING ME FINANCIAL SECURITY, WHICH IS THE ONLY THING STANDING IN THE WAY OF MY TRUE HAPPINESS?

So I'm sitting here frustrated, but I sent an e-mail to the head of the agency and he says my manuscript has gone out. Honestly, I didn't think it had, so that makes me feel better. I need to be writing the shitty first draft of Dead Mothers' Club, which I haven't been working on because I've been frustrated about this and mad at my husband for assorted reasons.

I'm going to make myself work on it as soon as I eat my pathetic lunch. I've done a mile walk already, weight machines, and it's time to get back to business. THANKS FOR LETTING ME VENT.

I Have An Agent!

2010-04-16T20:27:00.000-07:00

My feet haven't touched ground for days. I had been waiting for the agent who requested significant changes to Revenge of the Soccer Moms to respond to the rewrite, which I sent on New Years Eve. I hadn't heard from her since late January, when she assured me she'd get back to me soon... So a couple of weeks (and 3 unanswered e-mails) ago I decided it was time to pull the Jeff Herman Book back off the shelf and start sending queries out. Got a nibble from Joyce Holland, a new agent with the D4EO Literary Agency in Connecticut. Sent 3 chapters, she wanted to see the whole book, asked for a 2-week exclusive, and NOW SHE'S MY AGENT!

This is just a step--no publishing deal yet--but it's an essential step, and I feel great! I've been writing and rewriting for nearly 7 years, and I feel the wind at my back finally.

When I'm not so tired, I'll tell you a few funny stories about the process. Tease: Joyce called me twice, and both times, I was under sedation... Not the best way to make a good impression...

I Can Now Post Pictures of My Colon

2010-03-30T15:15:00.000-07:00

BUT I WON'T.

I'm simulating maturity and responsibility this month, and having all the Big Girl tests done. So far, so good. Bone scan, mammogram, pap test, and today, a colonscopy. The test itself was nothing, but drinking 3 liters of weird stuff that tasted like club soda gone bad was pretty awful.

Can club soda go bad? I probably shouldn't have added the alleged "flavor packet" to the big jug, but it seemed like a good idea at the time. I chose citrus berry, but it tasted like feet.

Anyway, I have a lovely sheet with high quality color photos of the inside of my colon and my 2010 Hanukkah card, which is quite a relief. If you'd like to be on the mailing list, just send an e-mail to: whatthehellisthat@sbcglobal.net

Back in the Saddle

2010-03-16T19:31:00.000-07:00

I did some good writing today, and some good RE-writing. I know I'm supposed to be plowing forward on The Dead Mothers Club, but it was feeling flat to me. I need to crank it up a few notches, and and make the story more intriguing and surprising. Gotta get back to work now!

There IS something worse than waiting.

2010-03-04T06:03:00.000-08:00

Rejection.

I didn't get the ghost-writing gig. I'm still kicking myself because it's my own fault. This company is really great about giving feedback, and they liked lots of my sample, but I let one of the main characters come off a little too cranky, which I liked, but which didn't match the previous tone of the series. I knew better, but I didn't see it until they pointed it out.

I'd already spent the money I was going to make, at least in my head, so it feels like I LOST the money instead of just not earning it. Make sense? Only to me, I suppose. The worst part is that I feel I let my family down, which adds guilt to the disappointment.

I'll get past it, of course. The book packager likes my style and says they'll give me another shot at something. Maybe "third time" will be the charm...

Meanwhile, I sent a message to the prospective agent nearly a week ago, asking if she had any thoughts on my revised novel, but she hasn't answered. It's hard to stay focused on the next novel, but I'm writing. I have to keep moving forward, or I'll drown in my own angry juices.

Eternity

2010-02-15T07:09:00.000-08:00

I'm convinced that Eternity is waiting for a publisher/agent/editor to get back to you about your submission. Every time my iphone dings to tell me there's a new e-mail, I grab it to see if the book packager or prospective agent has sent me a message.... I'm sure I've been rude to about a hundred people in the last three weeks as I stop talking and/or listening to a conversation in order to punch buttons on my phone.

So far, no word from either. ETERNITY.

The Waiting Game

2010-01-25T05:20:00.001-08:00

The book packager sent an e-mail to let me know they received my chapters and to tell me I should hear something within three weeks. It's gonna be a long three weeks... But the only way to deal with it is to be working on the next project. For me, that's "The Dead Mothers' Club," and I'm back on it and feeling pretty good. I have to keep reminding myself that I'm just trying to write the "shitty first draft" that Ann Lamont talks about in Bird by Bird, as I have a hard time stopping myself from constant revising as I go.

There's a difference between torturing yourself with every word, which prevents you from making forward progress, and recognizing when you're stumped for your next sentence/chapter because the previous one was so wrong that it has lead you to a mental dead end. When I feel "writers block," it often means I'm trying to proceed from a point that can't be proceeded from, if that makes sense. Going back and taking a different path usually helps me.

Writers Block can also be caused by other stresses, such as when I get so pissed off at some member of my family that I can't focus on anything but HOW I WOULD KILL HIM/HER IF I KNEW I WOULDN'T GET CAUGHT. Sounds like a novel... hmmm....

DON'T YOU DARE WRITE THAT DOWN, BY THE WAY. THAT MAY BECOME THE TITLE OF MY NEXT BOOK.

Another Opportunity!

2010-01-23T06:30:00.000-08:00

I just submitted two chapters to a book packager, in hopes of being chosen to take over a children's series. It's a series for girls, 8-12, and has a mix of humor and drama and schtick that appeals to me. As a bonus, you get to use lots of ! which are frowned upon in the adult writing world.

I think I nailed the assignment, which was to mimic the style of the previous writer, so that the readers won't be able to tell there's been a change. After so many years of focusing on finding my own "voice," that was a little... different... but the old writer's style was similar to my own in some ways, so it wasn't difficult.

Well, I don't think it was difficult, but then again, I thought I did a bang-up job on the last project this company let me try for, and I didn't get that contract. I can see why, though. Looking back (wouldn't it be nice to see these things BEFORE?) I can see that I turned their characters (teen boys) into people I wanted to write about, instead of writing them the way the company envisioned them. That seems obvious now, but at the time, I missed what I was doing.

This Book Packaging stuff is fascinating to me. I suppose some writers would turn their noses up at it, but I think it's fun. Somebody else provides the characters and the summary of the action, and you write to it. No concerns about "What should happen next?" Just write! The down-side is that you don't get to trumpet your own success and see your name on the cover, but I'll take cash over ego-massage, any day.

I'll Take It as a Good Sign

2009-12-12T03:56:00.000-08:00

I've been steadily revising Revenge of the Soccer Moms, moving the miscarriage, mopping up all the collateral damage that has caused, taking out most of the English cuss words and replacing them with Italian (you'll see why when you read it), and I'm feeling quite good about it. I've added new conflicts and inter-relationships and even taken out some brilliant stuff that just wasn't working. Very painful.

I was worried about how long it's taken me (the agent and I talked in April, and here it's December), but just a day or two ago the agent sent me an e-mail, asking how my writing was going! Forgive the shouting, but THE AGENT SENT ME AN E-MAIL!

Ok, I'm calm now. Sometimes a boost comes when you need it most. I'm going to finish this rewrite before the end of December and send it off to her. I'm sure there will be things she's not wild about, but if it's close, I think she and I can make a deal to work together. At least I hope so. Her insights and those of the other agents in her office were invaluable to me, and she's exactly the kind of agent I need.

AND SHE SENT ME AN E-MAIL, SO SHE MUST THINK I HAVE POTENTIAL!

Sorry. Didn't mean to scream again.

Disappointment. Not Fatal, Just... um... Disappointing

2009-10-21T11:31:00.000-07:00

Well I didn't get the Young Adult gig. I got lots of very positive feedback about my three chapters, but they told me I didn't make the two main characters cool and tough enough. True enough--I erred on the side of funny and likable, maybe because I don't appreciate tough guys. Some other writer came closer to the company's vision and if the company can sell the concept to a publisher, he/she will get the job.

I'd like to think I came in a close second, and that if the other writer develops terminal carpal tunnel syndrome or massive boils on his/her fingers and has to drop out, they'll call me and I'll graciously accept their money and pretend to be sympathetic to the ROTTEN JERK WHO WROTE BETTER THAN I DID.

What matters is not succumbing to bitterness.

Back to The Moms

2009-08-21T06:25:00.001-07:00

I have submitted my audition for the Young Adult project, and now I'm back to revising Soccer Moms. The aspect that worries me the most has to do with moving the main character's miscarriage... she wasn't pregnant throughout most of the novel before, but now she will be. I have her running around quite a bit, so I suppose now she'll run around holding her belly? A little weird, and I have to give it serious thought. I also have to write about a much more serious, late term miscarriage, NOT the one I had at 6 weeks. It's a tricky thing to research, as I may have to ask a good friend to call up painful memories. I haven't quite worked up the nerve to call her yet.

Time Flies When I'm Being Productive

2009-07-26T07:12:00.000-07:00

I didn't realize how much time had passed since I blogged! I've been working on Revenge, but now I'm also working on a three-chapter "audition" for a Young Adult project. I was the feminista who swore in high school never to change her name so everybody would know (when I became a famous writer) that it was ME! Now I'm working my buns off to get a ghostwriting job that won't even have my married name on it.

Yet this is so much fun! Knowing that the plot is pre-approved is so FREEING. The dilemma comes when I find myself thinking of little plot twists and character details that aren't in the approved summary. I don't want to blow the deal by taking too many liberties, but I have this dream that they'll LOVE my embellishments and thank me for them. I suppose I'd better send an e-mail before I float off on a puffy cloud of my own brilliance and tick them off.

And there's the fact that even if they pick my sample chapters (out of, I suspect, the 7 or 8 they'll get from other writers), they have to sell the project to a publisher before I reap any reward. Still, what a great opportunity!

AND DON'T ASK ME FOR ANY DETAILS OF PLOT, CLIENT, ETC. YOU'LL HAVE TO TORTURE ME BEFORE I'LL TALK.

Plenty to Write About

2009-06-27T06:01:00.000-07:00

Lots of the women I met in Iowa last week have similar lives--we're caring for husbands, children, and aging parents, and there are days when it sucks the life right out of us. On the other hand, this is the life I make fun of and write about, so it's a question of balance and perspective.

I tried to start a new novel recently about a woman coping with too many helpless/indigent/annoying relatives living in her house. One of the central characters was going to be the Mother in Law, whom she's never really liked, but now must care for. Hmmm... wonder who THAT character would be modeled after? Anyway, I realized that I'm not ready to write that book yet because I'm LIVING IT, and it's not all that funny to me yet. I'll need to find a way to "back away from it" and look at it with less emotion and more objectivity, before I'll be able to do justice to the subject.

I've got stories about it coming out of my... wazoo... but cheap giggles aren't enough. I want to break new ground, or at least bring something to it that's deeply human as well as very funny.

AND SPEAKING OF WHICH, HERE COMES MIL, OUT OF HER BEDROOM FOR THE START OF A NEW, CONFUSING DAY.... BYE FOR NOW!

Digging Deeper

2009-06-25T15:19:00.000-07:00

I'm back from the Iowa Summer Writing Festival, and ready to finish revising "Revenge of the Soccer Moms" and make millions. Or at least enough to finish the basement. This year I didn't have the "OH MY GOD, NOW I KNOW HOW TO WRITE" moments I've had in years past--I'm hoping that's a good sign. Now it's time to dig in and put what I've learned into practice.

"Digging Deeper" was the subject of a talk I attended--that excellent writing is about digging deep beneath the surface of an idea and getting down to the real meat, the reason it's worth writing about, the reason it's the story I have to write. Even with my funniest stuff, I can see that this is the difference between success and failure. There are cheap, easy jokes, and there are the funny, poignant moments that make you laugh and cry at the same time. Or soon after.

That's my goal as a writer--I listened to a reading years ago by an Indiana writer who writes about a fictional small Hoosier town filled with interesting characters. He read a chapter about the quirky town librarian that had us all laughing during the first half, and tearing up during the second. I sat there wondering, how the hell did he do that?

Now I know.

Iowa--Just Days Away

2009-06-09T05:21:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to be going to the Iowa Summer Writing Festival this year. My kids are 9 and 13, so they can handle my absence, MIL is going to Assisted Living for a week, today I'll start making the To-Do lists that will keep my husband from losing his mind, and I'm set.

Eight days of nothing but writing! That's worth an exclamation point.

If you're a writer, or wish you were, look at one of my earlier posts for the link, and sign up. This is about becoming a better writer, which will lead to success. I used to think the key was meeting an agent, schmoozing at conferences, etc., but now I can see that until the writing is incredible, there's no point making a first impression on somebody and getting that wonderful invitation to submit. I did that, and the writing wasn't ready, so the opportunity disappeared like smoke.

Never again. This draft is going to knock people's socks off, and until it does, I'm going to keep working on it. Iowa is how I learn all the things about writing I didn't know that I didn't know. If you don't know what you don't know, I highly recommend Iowa.

Getting Back on Track

2009-06-07T10:27:00.000-07:00

What a week! My mother has agreed to stop driving, which is a REALLY GOOD THING, considering she's 89 and starting to have noticable memory and attention issues, but that means I'm driving her around, on top of everything else. It was also my kids' (and our Korean host daughter's) last week in school, which meant school activities and parties, and no more peace and quiet during the day.

Is that a good excuse for not doing much writing last week? NO. NO. NO. Truth is, I've been feeling a distinct lack of confidence in my abilities lately, which makes it very easy to find excuses not to write. I feel better today, though, as I had to send a small sample (first 15 pages) of REVENGE OF THE SOCCER MOMS to one of my Iowa instructors, and in re-reading it, I find I actually like it! I still have lots to do in this final revision, but there's just one more week before I leave for Iowa, and I know this is what I need to get my head back on straight.

I'm going to get my writing batteries fast-charged in Iowa, and I'll have the rest of the summer to ignore my children, neglect my house, avoid all the senior citizens in my life, and get some great writing done. HOORAY!

Back to 7th Grade

2009-06-01T09:13:00.000-07:00

I spent last Friday in Mrs. Peterson's Language Arts classes (7 of them) doing a poetry workshop shamelessly stolen from Doug Goetsch, poet and instructor at the Iowa Summer Writers Festival. It's called "The OF Machine," and uses three random words to generate the title and first line of a wretchedly excessive poem. It's just for fun, and some of the kids did an excellent job. Others were mostly confused, but everybody wrote something and read it aloud.

I handed out candy--at least one piece to everybody; more to those who wrote the "worst" poems. They had just finished a long poetry section, so this served as a lighthearted finishing touch to a fairly serious semester's work.

Most of the classes are mixed abililty, but one (my daughter's section) is a smaller class composed of only gifted students. I've worked with some of these kids for several years, just as a guest in their language arts classes, and it's always a pleasure to watch them try to write something that will impress their peers, and me.

A Frustrating Day

2009-05-27T19:21:00.000-07:00

I have two school-aged children and am "host mom" to a third student who attends a nearby private high school. I also care for my mother-in-law, who's in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease. (see http://www.alzheimersstinks.blogspot.com/ for my opinions about that topic.) Today was one of those days when I spent my day driving kids and senior citizens around, and spent all of 30 minutes working on my novel. I HATE DAYS LIKE THIS.

On a lighter note, yesterday I finished a short piece I'd promised the Adult Day Center where MIL receives physical therapy, and today they thanked me profusely and raved about my writing skills. I realize they might just be buttering me up so they can ask me to write next month's installment, but on a day like this, I'LL ACCEPT THE PRAISE AND ENJOY IT.

To Agent or Not to Agent. That is the Question

2009-05-21T05:17:00.000-07:00

I had an interesting conversation with Marlis Day, a children's writer, at a local book event. She has an agent, but he hasn't been able to sell any of her work, so she's working with a small publishing house which works directly with her. I still want the brass ring--the New York agent, the big book deal, the movie deal, the fame, the fortune--but I'm also aware that such things are extremely rare. So I'm prepared to look for a reputable small publisher, if necessary. Marlis loves hers, and says they have excellent editors and actively market her work.

What I WON'T do is work with any publisher who suggests that I share in the cost of publishing! I almost went that route, even had a signed contract, but that would have been a waste of time. Publishers are supposed to make money by selling books, not by collecting fees from writers. I'd heard it, I knew it, but they made it sounds so reasonable that I almost forgot it. Thank God we were so broke at the time that I couldn't afford it.

Out of the Mouths of Babes...

2009-05-21T05:06:00.000-07:00

I think my family is getting impatient with me. I was working on my novel yesterday, and my nine-year-old son sad down beside me and asked if I had a co-author. When I said no, he said, "Maybe you'd better get one, Mom. This isn't going well." Just see if I buy HIM any toys with my royalty checks...

What an Excellent Writing Day!

2009-05-11T16:46:00.000-07:00

It sure didn't start out looking promising. I plunged a clogged toilet, drove my son's medicine to school and filled out forms so he'd be allowed to take it, then drove home to start urging MIL to get ready for physical therapy at the Adult Day Center. She took her usual 45 to get ready, but we didn't even make it out of the driveway before she began getting sick to her stomach and started to throw up. Fortunately for my car upholstery, I had a hip replacement late last year, and now I'm allowed to run when absolutely necessary. I grabbed a trash can and in due time, had her return to bed for the day. The morning was half gone, I'd done nothing yet, and was getting frustrated.

MIL stayed in bed most of the day, and maybe because I felt such pressure not to waste the day, I was able to concentrate and did some great revising. I found lots of places where I could tighten up the prose, several opportunities I'd missed to build characters, and a few rather stupid plotting mistakes. Makes me wish I was a short story writer.

Mother's Day Update

2009-05-11T16:38:00.000-07:00

They fed and watered me, thus sparing themselves an untimely demise.

Actually we had a nice day--ate lunch and dinner out, bought flowers and planted them, and best of all, my kids straightened the family room and dealt with the breakfast dishes.

The Key to a Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-10T05:43:00.000-07:00

LOW EXPECTATIONS.

For example, Mikey won a blueberry coffee cake on Friday at his school's Spring Carnival, and I'm quite hungry for it, and it's Mother's Day Morning, and I've been up for 3 hours, and NOTHING IS HAPPENING. My children have showered, which is nice, but NOBODY IS FEEDING ME.

Yet I remain positive, because my expectations are low. Eventually they will cook something for me, or at least cut the damn coffee cake, and maybe even clean up the kitchen after, but I'm going to expect little and be pleased with it. It's all about attitude.

Of course, if this goes on much longer, and I don't get something to eat, I'll get crabby. HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Elmore Leonard's Advice for Writers

2009-05-02T07:40:00.000-07:00

My friend and mentor, Peter Welling, is working on a new project, and referred to Elmore Leonard's 10 Rules of Writing. I hadn't heard of this, but found it on-line, and highly recommend it. I appreciate the wisdom and simplicity of his advice.

Here's the link: http://www.easywaytowrite.com/morearticles/elmore_leonard_writing_rules.html

Inspiration... With a Little Help from my Friends

2009-05-02T04:08:00.000-07:00

I've been struggling with a side character, the best friend of my main character. She's funny, and I gave her an addiction problem, but she's not memorable enough. You'd confuse her with other friends of the MC. So this week I've been forcing myself to think about her and come up with a better identity--something that would make her more REAL and unforgettable.

Thanks to my friend, Ruth, for the idea of making her an adoptee with ISSUES. And thanks to my friend, Lisa, an adoptee herself, for sharing some of her issues. And thanks to my friend, Barbie, for the use of her nickname and for adding even more issues to the pot! As Jim Heynan, an instructor at Iowa and a great writer, taught me: TROUBLE, TROUBLE, TROUBLE!

It's good to have friends who will share their problems and experiences! I don't know what I'd do if my friends were all well-adjusted... probably sell them insurance or cookware... And I don't suppose well-adjusted people would want to be my friends anyway.

Now, back to revising my novel!

I'm Going to Iowa!

2009-05-02T04:00:00.000-07:00

Money's still tight, but I'm skipping Mother's Day and Birthday gifts in exchange for a guilt-free trip to Iowa in June, for a week-long and weekend class at the Iowa Summer Writing Festival. I don't know why they call it a "festival," as it's not balloons and clowns and carnival rides... it's writing classes taught by incredible instructors who are also much-published writers.

Anyway, I'm taking "What a Character" and "29 Steps of Departure," I've got two hotel reservations (the inexpensive Union and the more expensive Sheraton--I'll cancel one or the other when I find out if I'm getting a sweet tutoring gig), and I'm going to book MIL into the Assisted Living center for the week so that my family can have an easier week (actually 8 days!) without me.

It may not be completely "guilt-free," but it's gonna be close enough! I love Iowa!

Career Day at My Son's School

2009-04-17T19:11:00.000-07:00

I was "THE WRITER" at Shamrock Springs Elementary's Career Day. What a fun morning--four groups of kids, third and fourth graders, all of whom chose writing as one of the four professions they wanted to learn about. They had to gather some basic information for their log sheets, so they asked questions about my education, but mostly I talked about the various kinds of writing I've done in my life and told stories about my writing and video production experiences. I also gave a writing prompt and had them read their first few sentences to the group.

They were excited to tell me about their aspirations and the stories and novels they're working on. It was quite a wonderful day for me, especially when I ran into a mom later in the day who recognized me. Her daughter had been in one of my groups and said she was so inspired by the morning that she was going to write a series of novels!

IF THE KID GETS PUBLISHED BEFORE I DO, I'M GONNA BE ROYALLY TICKED OFF...

Turning Lemons into Lemonade... Eventually

2009-04-15T04:05:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the cliche, but it's 7am here, and this is the best I can do. My mother-in-law lives with us and was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Every day there's some new twist to her behavior and demeanor, all designed to drive me batty. Yeah, it's all about me. I'm planning to use the experience in an upcoming novel, and I have the major plot points in my head, but I've been unable to actually write it, in spite of several attempts. It's too fresh, too close, and I can't find the humor in it yet. The best I can do is keep a journal, so that I don't forget the details. I can tell you this--my take on Alzheimers won't be "We Love Dear Grandma--She's Just Having Problems." Most days I have to remind myself that I wouldn't do well in prison...

Finding Time to Write

2009-04-13T05:28:00.000-07:00

I'll be the first to admit that I didn't return to writing until my son started preschool, as it was very hard to concentrate while raising a little boy who took VERY SHORT naps. He's a third grader, but it's still tough to find quiet time--there are meals to plan, shop for, and prepare, my mother-in-law to deal with (Alzheimers and lives with us), dishes, laundry, and the like. I do most of my writing at the dining room table with activity and noise all around me. I'm not a great sleeper, so if I find myself up at 4am, I sneak down to the kitchen to write in peace, but almost inevitably, somebody wakes up and joins me!

Does all that constitute an excuse not to write? Sure, unless you want to be a writer. Then you write anyway. Somehow, some way, in spite of it all. Writers write.

Ideas are Everywhere!

2009-04-12T10:51:00.000-07:00

I spent Friday helping my 7th grader "shadow" a scientist for a class project. We sat in on Entomology Professor Linda Mason's lecture on insect behavior at Purdue University, and it was fascinating to hear how insects are used to solve crimes. An idea is percolating in my head now for a murder mystery... Can't reveal the details, since I don't have them yet, but for a writer (and a mom), it was a day well spent! It also reminded me that the seeds for great ideas are all around us, if we're listening and watching for them.

Killing My Darlings

2009-04-07T16:35:00.000-07:00

I don't remember the name of the famous writer who coined that phrase for the painful process of editing your own writing and taking out words, sentences, paragraphs, and even chapters that you REALLY LOVE. I'm struggling with it as I try to sharpen up my novel.

Peter Welling, my mentor and friend (and oft-published author), advised me to keep everything I cut out in a file on my computer, so that someday I can use it in another piece of writing. It helps me feel a little better about cutting out REALLY FUNNY STUFF that just doesn't fit. It's like having a beloved dead pet stuffed... it's gone, but I can still look at it and remember how wonderful it was... (insert heavy sigh here)

Iowa Summer Writing Festival

2009-04-05T05:32:00.000-07:00

I spend time here each summer, and it's the best thing I've ever done for my writing career. We get distracted by the desire for an agent, knowledge of the market, trouble in the publishing world, etc., and forget that first and foremost, we must become incredible writers. When you send a really well-written submission out into the world, it WILL get someone's attention, eventually. If your work isn't quite there yet, it's gonna get rejected. I learned this lesson the hard way; I thought I was ready, thought my novel was great, and blew an opportunity with an agent whom I'd met at a conference. That was four years ago. I heard about the Iowa classes, took a week-long class, and was stunned to realize how much I didn't know about writing! My second summer in Iowa, I sat in a class next to the amazing Gennifer Choldenko, who had just won a Newbery Honor for "Al Capone Does My Shirts." When I asked her what she was doing in a writing class, her answer was simple, "I don't want to be one hit wonder; I want to keep getting better."

Check it out at www.uiowa.edu/~iswfest

Back to Work!

2009-04-04T18:07:00.000-07:00

I can see that while there's a place for blogging and checking facebook and all that, I must manage my time spent away from actual writing. No point in promoting a writing career that never got off the ground because all I did was blog...

Writing is Rewriting

2009-04-04T11:33:00.000-07:00

I know this old saying is true, but revising a novel that's over 400 pages is no small task. Touch a detail in one chapter and you may have effected a dozen others. For example, my main character's miscarriage is going to come later and become more of a turning point, but delaying it means I have to watch for times when I had her drinking coffee at playgroup. Now she'll have to keep drinking decaf for awhile. It sounds trivial, but it's the kind of thing that, should I miss it, will look amateurish.

Revising "Revenge of the Soccer Moms"

2009-04-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

After 5+ years of working on my debut novel, I'm one step closer to being published. A New York agent has read the entire book and suggested some revisions, and I'm working on them. Her suggestions were excellent, and if I can fix what's wrong, I THINK she'll sign me as a client. I had a book deal with a very small Indianapolis publisher--now I'm glad I backed out.