WOW! Women On Writing Blog

Friday Speak Out!: "From Almost Famous . . . To the Cutting-room Floor," Guest Post by Dallas Nicole Woodburn

2010-03-12T00:00:00.000-08:00

FROM ALMOST FAMOUS . . . TO THE CUTTING-ROOM FLOOR

by Dallas Nicole Woodburn

Soon, my face will be on that big screen, I thought, as the plush theater seats steadily filled around me for the red-carpet premiere. I’ll be famous!

Okay, almost famous. Or, maybe, recognizable. Possibly. Around campus.

“Why are you here, dear?” asked the Versace-dressed woman beside me in the center-aisle VIP second-row seats.

I tried, but failed, to hide my smile. “I’m in The Movie,” I said, excitement overwhelming any small dose of humility I possessed.

Okay, so maybe movie isn’t the right word. It was more of a short film; a documentary to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the University of Southern California, where I was a freshman majoring in Creative Writing. As a student with two published books to my name (first editions still available!) they interviewed me twice, for more than an hour each time, asking all sorts of questions: Why did you choose USC? Do you like the writing program? If you see Pete Carroll, will you get his autograph for me?

I spoke about the energy and school spirit on campus, how President Sample (who had come across my second book) wrote me a personal letter welcoming me to the university, and I mentioned I was looking forward to having T.C. Boyle, one of my favorite authors, as a professor in upcoming years. I was thoughtful, I was eloquent, I was charming. “You’re a natural,” the cameraman told me.

Now. The lights went down. I patiently fidgeted through each big-screen interview, until suddenly my face appeared, as huge as Dan Brown’s advance check.

“I’m sooooo excited about having T.C. Boyle as a professor!” On-Screen Me gushed.

The camera cut to Professor Boyle, looking as Hollywood as ever in his trademark red Converse high-tops, a suit-jacket over a black T-shirt, and sunglasses hanging from a bead Zen-like necklace. “I think I provide an inspiration for them,” he said. He paused, then added the punchline – and punch to my stomach: “Because they think, if he can do it, anybody can!”

He laughed.

I cringed.

I waited for the film to return to me – this time Calm Me, regaining face with a more poised comment – but soon the closing music swelled, the credits rolled, the lights came up, and it was Over. Finished. My starring role was reduced to a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it line that made me seem like a teeny-bopper with a crush. Meanwhile, my two hours – minus eight seconds – of brilliant interview lay on the digital-age equivalent of the cutting room floor. I might be “a natural,” but I decided, then and there, to stick with screenwriting.

* * *

“If you're writing screenplays, STOP IT!” Ray Bradbury exclaimed, his voice filling the packed auditorium. “Hollywood’s full of $#*&!”

The audience roared, but his words made me shrink. If the great Ray Bradbury has trouble selling scripts, surely I’m full of $#*& for thinking I can.

And yet, here I was nine months later at the Santa Barbara Writers Conference, teaching a workshop for young writers – and also slipping into the highly acclaimed Walter Dallenbach’s screenwriting workshop whenever I got a chance. Here, I joined a group of two-dozen other Hollywood hopefuls to read our screenplays aloud for “flow,” all of us dreaming that our script will become the next Sundance surprise.

“I was walking in downtown L.A. last week,” Walter told us, “and I randomly asked ten people what problem they were having with their screenplay. Of those ten people, only two gave me strange looks and said they weren’t working on a screenplay – the remaining eight of them launched into detailed descriptions of their plot holes and character troubles.” A few people laughed. “I’m not joking,” Walter insisted. “Hollywood’s full of $#*&&% screenwriters!”

* * *

The final night of the Santa Barbara conference, T.C. Boyle – wearing his trademark ensemble of red high-top Converse sneakers and T-shirt/suit jacket – read a sneak snippet from his latest book. Incredibly, the guy still doesn’t know who I am, even aft er I sent him a copy of my book, introduced myself at the L.A. Times Festival of Books, and cornered him in the English department elevator, where I lamely stammered “Y-y-yes” when he asked what floor I wanted.

Even though a number of his novels have been made into feature films, Boyle echoed Bradbury’s comments, saying: “I don’t fool around with screenplays. I sell the rights and let Hollywood deal with it.”

Later, T.C. – who had been introduced by his full name, Thomas Coraghessan Boyle – signed books. I joined the long line of eager fans, hoping he hadn’t yet gotten a restraining order against me for stalking. Fifteen minutes later, I was staring at my nervous reflection in Boyle’s mirrored sunglasses, while he read my name from the sticky-note placed on the book’s title page to speed up the process. “Dallas . . .” he said, the syllables rolling slowly off his tongue, as if perhaps I was indeed vaguely familiar, then noticed my “Young Writers Program Faculty” name-tag. “How were the kids?” he asked, gesturing to it with his pen.

“I had a lit agent talk to them yesterday,” I said, trying to coolly, and finally, make a memorable impression. “He told the class he’s interested in anything – fiction, nonfiction, thrillers, romance. Anything except science fiction or fantasy. Then, he went around the room and asked each kid, one by one, what kind of book they’re working on, and, one by one, they told him, ‘Fantasy. Science fiction. Fantasy. . .’ Nothing but science fiction and fantasy, all twenty-four of them!”

The moment stretched seemingly as long as a Peter Jackson movie, and then . . . he laughed. Thomas Coraghessan Boyle laughed.

“You’re a natural,” T.C. said. I beamed, even though I knew the compliment was pure Hollywood: full of $#*&.

* * *

Dallas Woodburn, 22, is the author of two collections of short stories and a forthcoming novel. Her short fiction has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and has appeared in the literary magazines Monkeybicycle, Arcadia Journal, Cicada, The Newport Review, and flashquake, among others. She has also written articles for Family Circle, Writer's Digest, Motherwords, and The Los Angeles Times. Find out more about her nonprofit literacy foundation and youth publishing company at www.writeonbooks.org and http://dallaswoodburn.blogspot.com/

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Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!

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Young Adult Power Surge

2010-03-11T10:15:00.000-08:00

Young adult literature is taking the world by storm right now, and I'm so excited that I get to be a part of providing information to readers about what I like to call the "young adult power surge." I was lucky enough to guest edit the current March/April issue of WOW!, which went live TODAY. And it's all about YA! This issue is full of awesome articles about censorship issues, voice, writing nonfiction for teens, using technology to reach readers, finding inspiration for this age group, and more. You don't want to miss any of the articles if you are a YA writer, a wanna-be YA writer, or a YA reader. Just click on the link to the WOW! e-zine over to the left of this post, and you'll be taken to the issue.

Some of my friends, who are over the age of 30, love YA books and are always recommending them to me. They actually read more YA books than adult books; and when you pick up books like Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, Crank by Ellen Hopkins, or City of Bones by Cassandra Clare, it's not hard to see why. Not to mention the Twilight and Harry Potter crazes--teens aren't the only ones responsible for shooting Stephenie Meyer and J. K. Rowling to stardom--adults love them, too.

What is it about this genre? Why is it so popular? Why are adults, like me, marking down the date on their calendars for the release of the last book in the Hunger Games trilogy this summer? I wish I had the magic answer, but I don't. Sometimes, I think it's because we all wish we were teenagers again, but with the knowledge we currently have. So, when we're reading these books, we picture ourselves in this turmoil and how we would get out of it with all our new-found knowledge. Other times, I think we love YA because the writers work so hard to present honest characters in unique situations, and we just fall in love with them. Could it be because these books are just plain good?

What about you? Do you love YA literature even though you're an adult? What are some of your favorites? And by all means, if you have the magic answer of why YA is so hot right now and/or why we love it so much no matter what our age, please share with us!

Happy reading and writing!
Margo L. Dill
http://margodill.com/blog/
http://www.twitter.com/Margo_L_Dill

Straight Talk About Self Publishing: An Interview with Miles Nelson of Dog Ear Publishing

2010-03-10T03:54:00.000-08:00

With traditional publishers publishing fewer titles per year because of dwindling profits and the growth of digital media, many authors are considering their publishing options.

Some writers are frustrated with the difficulty of acquiring representation by an agent, and others are unhappy with the advance, royalties, or contract terms from a traditional publishing house, and then there are others who want more control and a larger percentage of their book sales. Those writers are the ones looking into self-publishing options with one primary goal in mind: to get their books into the hands of readers.

But how do you go about self publishing your book? What do self publishers do for you?

To help you navigate these tough choices and to give you a better understanding of your options, we've invited Miles Nelson of Dog Ear Publishing to answer some of our questions on the subject. Out of all the self-publishing companies, Dog Ear Publishing is the least expensive and the most upfront with their costs and process. Their site offers excellent information to help you compare various services. Writer's Digest featured Dog Ear Publishing as a "Get Smart Self-Publishing Resource" in their March/April '09 issue.

Interview by Jodi Webb

WOW: Welcome, Miles. Thank you for taking the time to chat with us today about self publishing! First, take us back to the unlikely start of your business. How do a geologist, astronomer, and graphic designer come together to create a self-publishing company?

Miles: Our bios make it sound like we came from completely different places in order to start Dog Ear Publishing. Actually, the three of us spent years in the traditional publishing and graphic arts industry. Our experiences include marketing of books for publishing companies, purchasing books for a bookstore chain, and producing books for some of the largest publishers in the country. However, in 2004 my partners and I decided to strike out on our own in the self publishing industry that, at the time, felt like the Wild West. And we've enjoyed every minute of it.

WOW: Well, if it isn't the Wild West anymore, do you think self publishing is the future of the industry?

Miles: It's difficult to predict what will happen to traditional publishing as their profits decrease and new technologies challenge their models. However, I remain comfortable in saying that the future includes both traditional and self-publishing industries. Traditional publishers, because of shrinking profits, technological advancements and amazing industry twists, will face a much more challenging future. I am confident that self publishing, including Dog Ear Publishing, will continue to grow as more authors become familiar with self publishing's strengths such as ownership of work, speed of production, and profit potential. At Dog Ear Publishing, for example, we take advantage of cutting edge technologies and industry trends. We embrace trends like e-books, and already produce e-books with four major readers--Kindle, Sony, Apple, and Barnes and Noble's Nook.

WOW: Tell us about your typical client...are certain books, topics or authors more natural for self publishing?

Miles: A typical self published author falls into one of the following general categories:

The author that remains hopeful that they'll eventually be traditionally published but doesn't want to wait any longer in getting published.
The author wants to maintain ownership and control over their material.
The author that wants to profit from their work and isn't satisfied with the traditional publishing payment model.

I feel that any author is a good fit for Dog Ear Publishing. Our services are flexible to meet the needs of all authors.

WOW: What are the advantages of self publishing?

Miles: Advantages to self publishing include the author's maintaining control and ownership of their work. I'm always impressed with the passion an author has for their work. I'm often told that their book is their baby. An author wants the finished book to be perfect and they want it to be their own.

Another big advantage is time. Self publishing enables the author to be proactive. They decide when to publish as opposed to waiting for a traditional publisher to "accept" their manuscript. This can be very empowering to an author. By the way, self publishing doesn't shut the door on whether an author can traditionally publish. In fact, self publishing their book may even accelerate the process or even open doors that, for the most part, are completely closed to first time or unknown authors.

Self publishing is a perfect option for books with extremely limited market potential. We've done a number of books that have regional or even smaller market appeal. A traditional publisher would find this sort of book unappealing if the potential for sales is too small.

Lastly, a big advantage to self publishing is profit potential. An author choosing to self publish is like a small business owner. Many authors to a lot of work in marketing their books. As a result, many of them profit from their efforts.

WOW: Do you have a vetting process or do you accept all clients?

Miles: Generally, we accept all works from authors with a few minor exceptions. Remember, this is self publishing, the author owns the rights to their work. It isn't our place to judge whether an author should be published. We leave that to traditional publishers. By the way, it is interesting to see more and more traditional publishers getting into the self publishing market either by partnering with a self publisher or by purchasing their way into the market.

WOW: The industry is definitely reimagining itself. How much say does a Dog Ear author have about when a book is released, title and cover design, size of book, size of the run, etc.?

Miles: The author has complete control over the look of their book and the timing of their publishing date. Remember, the author owns the book. They get to decide how the book's interior and cover will look. Additionally, the author decides on the retail price. Author control and author ownership are the names of the game with Dog Ear Publishing.

WOW: Do you provide any marketing or promotion for your authors?

Miles: Dog Ear Publishing provides marketing assistance. For example, we can develop online marketing campaigns to drive traffic to an author's website. We build these websites and equip them to sell and fulfill orders. In addition to marketing, we also provide tools to assist authors profit more on each sale.

WOW: Can you tell us about some of your best-selling books or authors?

Miles: Success is all in the eye of the author. Each author has a different measure for success. In terms of sales success, I have a feeling this is what you are interested in; we published a book by Jim Johnson on treating your own rotator cuff injury. He sells thousands of books a quarter.

[Editor's note: you can see a list of their published titles here. Including a book from one of WOW's friends--Moira Allen of Writing-World.Com!]

WOW: That's impressive! I wouldn't mind selling thousands of books a quarter and keeping the majority of the profits, no less. And one final just-because-I'm-nosy question: how did you come up with the name of your company?

Miles: Our name gets a lot of attention. You "dog ear" a page of a book that you want to remember. Thankfully, we were feeling very creative the day we came up with our name. The dog on our website is named Chooch and is owned by one of my partners.

WOW: I have a feeling a lot of readers will be "dog earing" your company. And say hello to Chooch for us!

To learn more about self publishing, read these helpful articles on the Dog Ear site:
Choosing a Path: Traditional Publishing or Self-Publishing
Self-Publishing Explained
Compare Self-Publishing Companies
The Publishing Process
How to Write a Book Marketing Plan
Amazon Sales Rank Explained (Great explanation, finally!, of what those Amazon numbers mean.)

The site also has so many useful resources and sections including: "Author Kit," which contains information on pricing your book, parts of a book, and manuscript format; "Publishing Basics," which contains information on how to publish a book, how much it costs, ISBNs and barcodes, On-Demand publishing, and copyrights and permissions; and even a section for writing resources and a recommended reading list of books about self-publishing.

You can also sign up to receive a free report: The Five Things You Must Do Before Publishing.

Arlene L. Walker, 2nd Place Winner - Fall 2009 Flash Fiction Contest

2010-03-09T06:30:00.000-08:00

Arlene’s Bio:

Arlene L. Walker is passionate about the written word. Her friends tell her even her Emails are writ full of drama. For years, she worked as a stenographer writing other people's words until one day she was forced from the workplace. She decided to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a writer. She enrolled in the UCLA Writers Program to pursue a Certificate in Fiction. She began to enter first one short story contest, then another, and another. She was thrilled to finally garner an Honorable Mention in a publication last year, but being in the top ten of the WOW! Women On Writing Fall 2009 Flash Fiction Contest is her highest achievement to date. When she's not spending time with her family, Arlene is either reading, writing, or working on her blog about her Bucket List escapades, Adventuresalon.blogspot.com. Her favorite quote is by Ayn Rand who said, "It isn't who is going to let me; it's who is going to stop me." Next stop for Arlene is penning the Great American Novel.

If you haven’t read her winning entry, you can do so here, and then c’mon back for our interview with Arlene.

Interview by Jill Earl

WOW: So glad you could join us today, Arlene, and congratulations! How does it feel to be one of the top finishers in WOW! Flash Fiction Contest?

Arlene: It feels like I'm eating a bucket of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, and not getting fat. It's a dream come true.

WOW: (laughs) Fabulous, that has to be one of the best responses yet! We’re glad you feel that way! If you would, can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Arlene: I was born and raised in the housing projects of Los Angeles, though I now live in the suburbs. I'm married with children -- actually, they're adults now and living on their own. I am happy to say not once did I ever experience empty nest syndrome. I presently attend the UCLA Writers Program, and I'm just thrilled to be there. It's where my imagination soars.

WOW: Isn’t it great how writing does that? Let’s talk about your entry. In your story, you took a unique approach regarding your character’s experience with abortion, not a topic that’s easily approachable. Can you share how you decided to take this direction in creating your story?

Arlene: I wanted to expose the brutality of illegal abortions, and how a 15-year old pregnant virgin might deal with it. During a procedure in which she is almost fully awake, her only avenue of escape is via the movie reel of her life she plays in her head.

WOW: As I read, I could easily see your story being turned into a short film. Your story packed a heck of a wallop, elliciting a range of emotions from me. Not an easy read, but worth the effort to do so. Good work!

Arlene, your bio mentions that you went from being a stenographer to actively pursuing your writing dream, including enrolling in the UCLA Writers Program to pursue a Certificate in Fiction. Quite a switch in gears! Can you share that experience with us?

Arlene: I worked for many years in a high-volume criminal court where day in and day out, I wrote down verbatim everything that was said during the trial. As such, you're not an active participant, but a silent observer. Well, that left my mind to wander, and I'd make up backstories in my head about the various witnesses, attorneys, and the criminals they defend. That spawned a desire to use my creative side. When I was diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome a few years ago, I was no longer able to perform my duties, and was forced by my employer into an early retirement. I took those lemons and made lemonade, where I serve it up by the pitcher full at the UCLA Writers Program.

WOW: Seeing an opportunity to pursue your dreams and going for it. What a great example of the perseverance we writers need to develop.

Let’s talk about your writing habits. Do you have a specific routine that you follow?

Arlene: Having Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, I am limited in the time spent on the computer, so -- again -- I do most of the formulation of a story in my head. Then I write it down little by little. Flash Fiction seems to work best for me.

WOW: I’d have to agree on that. It does take practice to write short and tight for flash fiction, and your story was very successful in achieving that. Now, in addition to writing fiction, you’re also a blogger. I have to say that Adventure Salon, your blog of ‘bucket list’ activities, was a delight to read. What made you decide to blog about your adventures in travel?

Arlene: I'm delighted that you were delighted by my blog! I think everyone has a list of things they'd like to do in their wildest dreams. I'd always had a list; I just didn't know it was called a Bucket List until the movie was made. So when the writer within was fighting to get out, that was the only way I knew to channel it. Blogs are a good place to practice your writing, and the blog site is free. And if it's free. . . it's me.

WOW: With the availability of free blog sites, it's easy to get started. And I agree that blogging's a great way to expand writing skills.

Let's talk about down time. When it comes to winding down, what types of books do you turn to? Do you prefer fiction or nonfiction in either your reading or writing?

Arlene: The only nonfiction I read may be a biography here and there, or books about writing. I'd already read Noah Lukeman's First Five Pages, so I was honored that he was the judge who selected my story for 2nd place. I guess my genre of choice to read is literary fiction. Though I love me some John Grisham, too. Of course, I want to be a literary writer, and I hope I am considered that.

WOW: I think you’re off to a pretty good start with that. How about current writing projects? What are you working on?

Arlene: I'm currently working on a post-Civil War saga about a former slave of the Cherokee Tribe who is caught in the middle of a tug-of-war between the Indians and a land-hungry United States. The heroine is called Sput Louie, and she hungers for her own piece of The American Dream. There's a lot of research to it, but research is one of my favorite parts of writing. That and revision. I know; I'm officially weird.

WOW: That sounds fascinating! I’m with you on researching, I enjoy it too. Have to pass on the revision aspect of writing, though. But, it’s all good that it jazzes you!

Wrapping up, what kind of advice would you like to leave for our readers?

Arlene: My father always said to me, "Know thyself first." In other words, I think he meant pay attention to you, which I didn't for a long time. One day, while cleaning out my bookcases, I discovered a gazillion how-to-write books that I'd purchased throughout the decades. Had I been paying more attention to me, I would have realized how badly I wanted this writing life, and would have embarked on this journey much sooner. As it is, I'm in Act III of my life, but I plan on having many, many encores.

WOW: Your father sounds like a wise man. Good thing for us that you paid attention! Arlene, thanks so much for sharing a bit of yourself with us today. All the best in your writing, and we’ll be looking forward to those encores!

Linda Joy Myers, Ph.D., author of The Power of Memoir, launches her blog tour!

2010-03-08T02:54:00.000-08:00

& Book Giveaway Comments Contest!

Linda Joy Myers, Ph.D. is the president of the National Association of Memoir Writers and the author of the prize-winning memoir Don't Call Me Mother: Breaking the Chain of Mother Daughter Abandonment. Her new book The Power of Memoir: How to Write Your Healing Story was released in January 2010 through Jossey Bass publishers.

Linda has been a therapist in Berkeley for the last thirty years, and received her MFA at Mills College.

Through her workshops, online coaching, and speaking engagements, Linda integrates the principles of healing and creativity in presenting the powerful healing process of writing true stories. Her first book, Becoming Whole: Writing Your Healing Story, was used as a text by therapists, ministers, and writing coaches, and was a finalist in ForeWord magazine's 2008 Book of the Year Award. Linda's prize-winning nonfiction and poetry has been published in various literary journals. Her novel excerpt, Secret Music, a novel about the Kindertransport, music, and redemption was a finalist in the San Francisco Writing Conference contest.

Linda is past-president of The California Writers Club, Marin branch, and former vice-president of the Women's National Book Association, and has served on the board of Story Circle Network.

Find out more about Linda by visiting her websites:
Website: www.thepowerofmemoir.com
Blog: www.lindajoymyersphd.com

The Power of Memoir: Writing Your Healing Story
By Linda Joy Myers, Ph.D.

The Power of Memoir is a groundbreaking book that presents an innovative step-by-step program using memoir writing on the journey of emotional and physical healing. By drawing on the eight steps outlined in The Power of Memoir, you'll learn how to choose the significant milestones in your life and weave together your personal story. You'll discover how writing your truths and shaping your narrative propel you toward a life-changing transformation. The Power of Memoir offers the tools you need to heal the pain of the past and create a better present and a brighter future.

Writing Reference
Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Jossey-Bass (January 2010)
ISBN: 0470508361

Book Giveaway Comments Contest!
If you received our Events Newsletter, remember, we are holding a contest to win a copy of Linda Joy Myers's book The Power of Memoir to those that comment. So, grab a cup of coffee, pull up a chair, and enjoy the chat, and share your thoughts, and comments, at the end. We will randomly choose a winner from those who comment.

Interview by Jodi Webb

WOW: What led to your work doing memoir writing workshops and eventually The Power of Memoir?

LINDA: I came upon memoir writing from the desperate urge over many years to write about my childhood, to try to express the confusion that was going on inside me. I also wanted to write about those I loved and those who saved me, so it was a way to honor and thank them and to appreciate them. So yes, my work to teach about memoir writing came first through writing to heal—though that was not the phrase used at the time, nor had any research yet been done on that subject.

The impetus to write my first book on healing, and then ultimately The Power of Memoir came from the amazing research first published in 1999 in the Journal of the American Medical Association by Dr. James Pennebaker and others that writing helped to heal physical ailments such as arthritis and asthma. Though I sensed that writing was helpful, and I and many of my friends had been journaling for years, to discover that in fact writing was healing was very exciting. I’d always wanted to find a way to integrate therapy with writing. I read all of Dr. Pennebaker’s articles and talked to him in person as I was working on my first book.

For a few years, I trained therapists in using writing to work with clients, and in those workshops, I discovered how quickly “non-writers” produced interesting and meaningful stories. It became clear that anyone could find the stories within if they were given the time and encouragement. I became quite passionate about spreading the word about writing. I saw that anyone could learn to do it if they wished, and that it was a powerful tool for change and transformation.

WOW: How did you come to write your own memoir Don't Call Me Mother?

LINDA: I completely backed into writing a memoir. The thought of writing a book was so terrifying, I’d stop writing when I thought of it! For so long I struggled with the form all the stories I had might take. I had stories from the 19th century from my great-grandmother, I knew my grandmother’s stories and some of my mother’s story. I was interested in telling their stories, until one day a teacher told me that I should be writing my story. I nearly fainted. What—expose myself like that? I’d been taught that children should be seen and not heard, and not to air the family laundry—or else!

So it was a long struggle to find myself and give myself permission to write my own story. Also I didn't really know how to write! I began with painting my story, then moved into poetry, then into prose. I realized that the deeper story was falling through the cracks of the other art forms, and that prose would tighten the weave. Writing leads to more writing, and the more we write, the more we learn. Luckily I have always been an avid reader, with stacks of books all around me and reading more than one at a time, so I knew what good writing was like. But each of us has our own voice, and we need to find that.

The way I finally wrote my book was to write each individual vignette and not worry about a book or any order, and after a while I realized I might be writing a book, but still it took a long time for me to own that desire. My inner critic, remember? But when I turned my back on the project, I discovered that it chased me, wouldn’t leave me alone, haunted me. Finally I faced the demands the book was making on me, and got brave enough to finish it.

WOW: I've written many personal essays, snapshots of my life, but never really considered a memoir simply because my life feels...well, boring and predictable. Is every life memoir worthy?

LINDA: A lot of people ask that question, but often it’s in the form of: “Gee, I don’t really have a story worth telling.” Then they launch into the adventures they’ve had, the life challenges they’ve overcome—births, deaths, natural disasters. Spiritual learning, love, the joy of children, pets, and gardens. The thing is—everyone’s life is interesting if we look through the lens of the turning point moments, the moments of transition and transformation. People read memoirs to find out about how other people lived; we are all looking for guidance from others on life’s journey–how did they solve life’s problems, and how are they doing now? Can we overcome some of the challenges we face, and how? A memoir is a grass-roots sharing of life as we have lived it.

WOW: How do we decide what facet of our life experience to focus on in a memoir?

LINDA: Start with listing the 5-10 significant turning points in your life, and write about them. See where that takes you. Most of us will learn something from doing that exercise, getting more insights about our lives, and surprising us perhaps about how interesting our lives have been after all.

WOW: Although we think of memoir as being our life stories, the fact is other people get dragged in to the tale. How do we balance the need to tell our story with the needs of our memoir's co-stars to NOT tell their story?

LINDA: Most memoirists struggle with the issue of revealing secrets when they are searching how to tell their own powerful, and often shameful, truths. Secrets maintain a great power over us, and we are diminished by them. We become co-conspirators in a way to the family dynamics that we actually don’t agree with and want to break away from. So we get caught in a conflict—to speak or not to speak. To remain closed and complicit, or open up and take the risk of losing friends and family, of being ousted from the family, or shamed once again into submission.

I tell all my students to be open to writing two versions of the story: first, write for yourself, to clear out your emotional closet, to sort the events that are jumbled up in your mind. Research has shown that this kind of writing is powerful and creates changes in the brain. In other words: it’s healing.

Write your whole first draft in silence, in secret, so that you can finally hear your own voice. Don’t tell anyone you are writing it, and only share it with your supportive writing group or your therapist. Watch out even for friends, because sometimes they can misunderstand what you are doing. Do not think about publication, as it is way too soon for that.

When you have finished, and know what your unvarnished and unedited story is, then you can decide what you want to do with it. You might not want to share it with anyone. Or you might decide to rewrite it so that it can face the world, and so can you.

If you want to publish it, you do have to consider the rights and feelings of others—though this is an ethical decision that everyone has to make on the basis of their own integrity. Most authors “vet” the book with those who appear in it, and nearly everyone changes the names of the guilty or innocent.

Liable and slander are legal issues that I can’t address here, but a literary attorney can answer questions like that if you feel that someone will get litigious with you. After all, anyone who knows you will know who the people are that you’re writing about. If you really want to write about things that are controversial, disguise everything about the situation, and proceed carefully into fiction. I understand that even though Saul Bellow changed names in his fiction, he was writing, and getting even with, people that everyone knew. He wanted revenge and got it. I don’t know the cost to him or the degree of satisfaction he got from that.

You have to decide the reasons for what you include in the book, and ask: is this necessary to my story? How can I write it so it’s true and not cruel or demeaning? And by the time it’s ready to be published, have you worked out the anger and other negative feelings? If not, write another draft. Be patient. Writing a memoir is a long process of writing through layers. The story will tell you when it’s done.

WOW: Great advice! So, what are you working on now?

LINDA: My next project is to write a book to help young adults write their stories. People do not need to be “older” in order to write and share their stories. Young people are writing and expressing themselves in amazing and refreshing ways these days. But still they have to deal with the same family issues of guilt, shame, and silence that adults struggle with. So I hope that my book can help free them from fear and silence and help to offer a way to heal and help them move forward in their lives in a powerful way.

WOW: Thank you so much, Linda, for taking the time to chat with us today about memoir writing. You shared some wonderful tips with our readers!

Want to join Linda on her blog tour? Check out these dates and mark your calendar! You can also snag a copy of WOW's Events Calendar HERE.

Blog Tour Dates: Come and join the fun!

March 8, 2010 Monday
Linda will be chatting with WOW! Women On Writing at The Muffin. Stop by and share your comments! One lucky commenter will win copy of Linda's book!
http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/blog.html

March 9, 2010 Tuesday
In today's interview, Mary Jo Campbell is asking Linda Joy Myers everything we've been wondering about memoir writing. You can also enter to win a copy of The Power of Memoir, Linda's inspirational guide to memoir writing.
http://writerinspired.wordpress.com/

March 10, 2010 Wednesday
Linda stops by Meryl's Notes today to share some more tips on memoir writing. If you want to pen your own history, stop by and get some pointers from a pro!
http://www.meryl.net/section/blog/

March 12, 2010 Friday
There is no happiness without some sadness. No sadness without some happiness. And when you're writing for the YA market you often have both emotions in the same scene! Linda Joy Myers, author of The Power of Memoir, discusses the importance of balancing dark and light stories and emotions.
http://daybydaywriter.wordpress.com/

March 15, 2010 Monday
Linda Joy Myers visits Pick the Brain, a wonderful site dedicated to self improvement with a focus on personal productivity, motivation, and self education.
http://www.pickthebrain.com/

March 16, 2010 Tuesday
Linda stops by Cathy C.'s Hall of Fame to share her thoughts on accidental enlightenment. You'll also have the opportunity to win a copy of her book The Power of Memoir!
http://www.cathychall.blogspot.com/

March 16, 2010 Tuesday
Stop by today for C. Hope Clark's review of The Power of Memoir and come back tomorrow for a guest post from author Linda Joy Myers.
http://www.hopeclark.blogspot.com/

March 17, 2010 Wednesday
Are you dreading the annual 4th of July picnic already? And not because you hate aunt Mary's potato salad? Don't miss Linda Joy Myers' post "How to Write a Memoir and Still Go Home for the Holidays" at C. Hope Clark's blog today!
http://www.hopeclark.blogspot.com/

March 19, 2010 Friday
Stop by Words By Webb for a review of Linda Joy Myers' The Power of Memoir and a chance to ask her a few questions about memoir writing.
http://jodiwebb.com/

March 23, 2010 Tuesday
Stop by Shai Coggins' blog for a review of The Power of Memoir and an interview with the author Linda Joy Myers!
http://www.shaicoggins.com/

March 24, 2010 Wednesday
Linda Joy Myers stops by 100 Memoirs to tell writers how to write your memoir and still go home for the holidays.
http://www.100memoirs.com/

March 25, 2010 Thursday
Linda Joy Myers is back at 100 Memoirs, but this time Shirley Showalter interviews Linda about the role of friends and family members in a writer's memoir. You can also enter to win a copy of Linda's book The Power of Memoir!
http://www.100memoirs.com/

March 29, 2010 Monday
Linda Joy Myers will be visiting Jerry Waxler at the Memory Writers Network today. I can't wait to see what these two memoirists come up with!
http://memorywritersnetwork.com/blog/

April 1, 2010 Monday
Laura Cross is putting memoir writer Linda Joy Myers in the hot seat with her weekly feature, "Five Questions with..." You can also enter to win a copy of The Power of Memoir!
http://www.nonfictionink.com/

April 2, 2010 Tuesday
Today Jerry Waxler will be reviewing The Power of Memoir by Linda Joy Myers, Ph.D. at the Memory Writers Network. His reviews are great, so be sure to stop by.
http://memorywritersnetwork.com/blog/

We have more dates to come! To view all of our touring authors, check out our Events Calendar HERE.

Get involved!

If you have a blog or website and would like to host Linda Joy Myers or schedule a tour of your own, please email Angela and Jodi at: blogtour@wow-womenonwriting.com

And be sure to comment on this post to enter in a drawing for a copy of Linda Joy Myers's book The Power of Memoir! And check back in a couple of days in the comments section to see if you won!

JUST WRITE!

2010-03-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

Easier said than done at times. But it can be accomplished.

Many of us find it quite difficult to sit down with paper and pen or a blank computer screen and try to come up with something to write. This, of course, can lead to frustration and cause you to feel as if you've wasted your entire day doing absolutely nothing with your writing.

STOP! If this happens, there is a solution. Pull out a spiral notebook and just write. It doesn't have to make sense, it doesn't have to be about anything in particular.

Tip: Start off by picking a word or a phrase, then come up with a sentence using that word. Build from there. The object is to simply write. It doesn't matter if the sentences even make sense to you. The point is you are taking time to write.

If you feel you don't like this exercise that much, that's okay. The point is to get your writer's mind working and let your brain relax to get the ideas circulating again. Often there are times when I'm given an assignment on a subject that I know nothing about. I get a little frustrated with the subject and decide to try, but then walk away. But then I realize that I'm going to hurt my writing time if I don't utilize it. So, I reach for a spiral notebook and JUST WRITE.

Sometimes, I will even write silly poems in my spiral and include a few doodles. Anything to help keep me in the writing mode and using that time to write. Oh sure, there are a lot of other things I could be doing that would count as part of my writing time--researching a project, creating characters, etc. But, for me, I just don't feel accomplished when I work on those parts of writing. Being able to actually put something on paper or in the computer gives me that bit of satisfaction.

Tip: I actually set up writing time as an appointment on my calendar. That way, I keep it important not only for myself, but for my family as well. When they see the scheduled time, they know that it is time to let mom write and not to bother her unless it is super important or an emergency.

It's important when you have a family to make sure you schedule critical time for yourself. If you have little ones at home, like me, I choose to work on my writing when they go to bed. This, of course, can make for a rough following morning if I get into a serious writing drive.

The point is: just write. Find a way that helps you to just sit and do so. It doesn't matter if it makes sense, it doesn't matter if you have proper sentence structure, the point is to help stop the block and keep you from being frustrated with the task at hand.

Happy Writing!

For more tips on how to find time to write, check out Time to Write: An Interview with Kelly L. Stone.

Silencing the negativity

2010-03-06T00:01:00.000-08:00

A friend approached me about some negative comments a customer had said about her successful business. The comments had stopped her in her tracks for days. The negativity crept up and took hold of much of her energy.
Amazingly, I often seem to remember negative comments much more than positive ones. My friend with the business agreed. No matter how many customers she had, the one critic's comments nagged at her.
It's almost as if we have an inner critic that lurking in our mind. Then a person says something that adds fuel to a spark that consumes our self-esteem. Dousing that raging inner critic is often hard.
This has happened to me. In the past couple weeks, I've been working to silence an inner critic of my writing after someone made a negative--not constructive--comment about something I wrote. It didn't bother me at first. But then I gave the negativity too much room to roam in my mind--too much space and fuel--and the critic overtook many positives I'd been feeling.
Instead of giving into the critic (for too long), I gave myself a boost without tapping away on my keyboard. I called a friend. A writer/editor with an understanding of the writing process and a wicked sense of humor. After 10 minutes, she had me laughing so hard that all negative thoughts were pushed out of my mind. She didn't stroke my ego but she brought back a sense of humor and play that I needed to regain my balance and squash that flame of the inner critic.
What do you do to return balance to your writing after feeling the pinch of an inner or external critic?

Elizabeth King Humphrey is a writer and creativity coach. She would rather spend time alone with her keyboard than to roam the desolate, dusty fields of negative writing comments. Besides contributing to AOL's ParentDish, she blogs at The Write Elizabeth, delving into creativity in everyday places.

What's Your Favorite Dr. Seuss Book?

2010-03-05T09:17:00.000-08:00

On March 2, Theodore Geisel's birthday continued to be celebrated across the States with Read Across America Day activities.

Growing up, reading a book by Dr. Seuss added a sense of silliness to my day. As I grew older, I used his material to teach rhythm and meter in creative writing classes. And as a competitive speech coach, I'd suggest a few of his works to use in poetry or prose interpretation.

My favorite is Thidwick, the Big-Hearted Moose. Something about the moose and his antler-nest of unwelcomed guests always makes me laugh. I'd read it to my kids when they were young, complete with different voices for each of the characters.

What is your favorite Dr. Seuss story?

by LuAnn Schindler
follow LuAnn on Twitter @luannschindler
or check out her website http://luannschindler.com

To Write A Newsletter...Yes or No?

2010-03-04T13:17:00.000-08:00

Have you ever considered writing a newsletter? I’ve done one through my Website for a couple of years and I just love doing it. In fact, my blog is basically an extension of what I have in my newsletter. So for me, my newsletter layout gives me a guideline to follow in terms of what to write about on my blog. In the beginning, however, this hobby I love so much felt more like a chore.

My newsletter started off as a resource for writers who were just starting off on their writing careers—just like I was at the time. Unfortunately, it didn’t take off the way I’d hoped it would have. Maybe the information I was putting in there wasn’t exactly what readers wanted or, maybe, I just wasn’t as ‘into’ what the newsletter was representing. Don’t get me wrong, I love writing—it’s a big part of my life. But I’m not someone who enjoys writing about writing. And I’m sure that negativity reflected in the articles I wrote in there as well as the cut-and-dry stuff I added in. Not a great way to inspire readers to subscribe.

As time went on, and my writing began focusing more on advocating for children and families with sensory issues and SPD, the newsletter, as well as my Website and blog, followed that same path. And now it seems to be ‘clicking’ more with people. Why? Because it has a specific focus and purpose that I’m extremely passionate about and ever minute detail I add in reflects that passion.

Lesson learned? Taking on the challenge of writing a newsletter is definitely not a ‘must-do’ thing for writers. It can be a tremendous amount of work and very time consuming but if you have information you want to get out there, and there’s an audience for that information, it’s so worth it. Newsletters are a really good idea for several reasons:

* You can ‘show your writing stuff’ through articles, interviews and reviews you do yourself;
* You can get your name out there to places you normally couldn’t reach by the wonderful world of “Forwarding”;
* You can make valuable connections to many different people who can help ‘boost’ your own writing, speaking or authoring career;
* You can make connections to ‘experts’ who can help with your research for writing your books or articles;
* It looks really good on your writing resume or Book Proposal to say you have a newsletter with HUNDREDS of subscribers (Okay…hundreds is a dream but it can happen!).

Most importantly to me, my newsletter is a way to bring awareness to an often misdiagnosed and misunderstood disorder as well as to help validate the feelings of caregivers raising a child with SPD and other special needs. For example, I have specific sections in my newsletter where caregivers can send me their personal stories. These sorts of stories, at least I believe, help other people in similar situations feel comforted by the thought that they aren’t alone in the world. They can say, “Yes! I totally understand!” or “I’d never heard of that therapy/treatment option/resource.” or even, “Thank you for saying what was in my heart but I haven’t been able to say out loud.” That is why I do what I do and why I have a newsletter…because there wasn’t anything like that for me when I first started on my ‘sensational’ journey with my daughter, Jaimie. I guess you could say it’s like my mission now to make sure there are resources like this out there…my calling, if you will.

I guess what I’m saying is that if you feel passionate about something and you want more room to express that passion than in a 1500 word article, a newsletter is an awesome way to go. You can use Word to create one or go the fancy ‘plug-and-play’ route with Constant Contact. However you choose to do it, follow your heart and you’ll always be on the right track.

Chynna

www.lilywolfwords.ca

www.lilywolfwords.blogspot.com

Chynna's newsletter, "The Gift: A Newsletter for Caregivers of Sensational Children" can be subscribed to through her Website. It's goes out monthly (usually by the 15th) filled with personal stories, interviews with experts, product reviews, "Latest and Greatest" on what's up in the SPD Community and more.

Spring Forward! Poetry Class Starts March 5th

2010-03-04T11:01:00.000-08:00

I've always loved reading poetry--well-worn copies of Maya Angelou and Sylvia Plath's collected works sit on my bedside table. I even dabbled a bit in poetry over the years, filling journals with teen angst and later, musings on daily life. There's something about the form that is so inspiring. Being able to tell a whole story or capture a moment in time with only a few words is not an easy thing! Writing poetry can teach us about brevity, which is helpful for any fiction or non-fiction writer, and it certainly helps fuel creativity. I admire those who can do it professionally.

If you're interested in learning about poetry or would like to improve your craft, consider participating in Melanie Faith's poetry class: Spring Forward! Poetic Line, Breath & Vision. Melanie offers wonderful critiques for each of her student's poems, and many of her previous students enroll in her class again because they've found it so useful. Her class starts tomorrow, March 5, 2010, and runs for 5 weeks. If you'd like to participate, this is the last day for enrollments! Visit WOW's Classroom Page for complete details.

Contest Winners: Photo Caption Contest Results

2010-03-03T06:50:00.000-08:00

Ahh... Facebook changed their page AGAIN!!!
--Laura Hickman

How many of us have felt this way about Facebook? I know I have. And my face might have looked just like this little boy's! Congratulations to Laura. She won our smiles with this caption for the photo, and she won "The Best Caption" prize.

Thank you to everyone who participated in our photo caption contest. We had so many clever and funny captions entered into the contest. Here are a couple more of our favorites:

Is Brett Favre ever going to make up his mind? (Jukota)

AAARRRRGGGHHH! Not Super Nanny!!!! (Linda)

I said I want Harry Potter! Not Dora the Explorer! (Wicked)

Liver pizza, are you kidding me! (Sharon)

I said I wanted a baby SITTER, not a baby SISTER. (Kathleen)

We also picked our participation prize winner! We are thrilled that so many of you participated, and you heard about the contest from our newsletter, Facebook fan page, Twitter, friends, and subscription to The Muffin.

Our participation prize goes to. . .Janel. She wrote: "She ASKED me to draw the mustache on her face. Really!" Janel was randomly chosen from all participants. Thanks, Janel!

Just a couple more things. . .Are you taking advantage of all WOW! has to offer?

As you can see from this post, we post information all over the place--from our newsletter to Twitter! Are you signed up and following us where you can--to find out about our contests, blog tours, new article issues, and even our submission needs? WOW! supports women writers and wants to give you opportunities to improve your craft, learn to market yourself, find publishers or freelancing work, win prizes, and connect with other women writers. Here are a couple more things to check out:

WOW! offers classes from writing short stories to social networking for writers. There are classes on screenwriting, children's writing, play writing, poetry, and more! Classes take place online with instructors who have worked in the field and can offer their expertise to students. To find out more information or what classes are being offered, check out the WOW! classroom page. Make sure to check back every so often because new classes are added all the time. If you subscribe to our newsletter, then information about classes is sent right to your inbox!

One of my favorite parts of WOW! is the Premium Green Google group. For $4.00 a month, you get this huge freelancer's guide sent to your inbox (a pdf over 150 pages each time) full of markets, tips, job openings, anthology listings, interviews, contests, fiction magazines, and nonfiction magazines. It's nothing like I've ever seen. But even better, you get to join the Google discussion group; and the expertise and advice on there is, well, as Mastercard would say. . .priceless.

So, congratulations to our winners! If you have any questions about anything we've talked about here--our photo caption contest, newsletter, social networking sites, classes, or Premium Green, then please leave it in our comments below.

Happy Writing!
Margo L. Dill
WOW! Contributing Editor, Columnist, and Social Networking Coordinator
http://www.margodill.com

Leigha Butler, 1st Place Winner, Fall '09 Flash Fiction Contest

2010-03-02T00:00:00.000-08:00

Leigha Butler teaches and writes in New York's beautiful Hudson Valley region. Her stories and non-fiction are inspired by the landscapes and waterways she has encountered—from the Long Island Sound to the Yellow River to the forested kids-only diving holes of her childhood. She teaches Writing and Environmental Literature as an adjunct professor at two colleges in the region. She earned her masters degree in Literature & Environment from the University of Nevada, Reno where class was often conducted on a hiking trail or over a potluck supper. In order to polish several stories and essays that sit, dusty, on her hard drive, she plans to attend Chatham University's Nature Writing MFA program in the fall. When she's not agonizing over a sentence, she's likely reading, kayaking, doing her sun salutations or catching up on the worst of reality TV (one has to be versed in the culture of her students, after all).

You can find her work at: http://www.everydayfiction.com/riding-in-circles-for-love-by-leigha-butler/ and http://gloomcupboard.com/2010/01/03/prose-113/. Or submit a story to her community-writing blog: http://talesfromthedomicile.blogspot.com/.

Interview by Marcia Peterson

WOW: Leigha, congratulations on your first place win! How do you feel?

Leigha: Thanks. I feel wonderful! I was so impressed by the second and third-place stories; I’m honored that "Kayana's Secret" was chosen to be in their company.

WOW: Could you tell us a little about your story and what encouraged the idea behind “Kayana’s Secret"? I’m guessing it may have been inspired by a place from your childhood.

Leigha: When I was little, my brothers and I loved to jump off of this particular pier into the Long Island Sound. My mother trusted me to determine whether tide was high enough to make our jumps safe, the scary implication being that my brothers’ lives were in my hands. The responsibility weighed heavily, but it marked my transition into adulthood and adventure for me.

In the story, Kayana experiences a similar rite of passage, made possible by her older sister. Devil’s Hole and Neversink Crag from the story combine several of these diving pools from my childhood. I still find my way to these kinds of jumping spots every summer. There is something so intriguing about how dangerous these places are, and yet how – again and again – they draw so many curious kids.

WOW: You switch between third person and second person narrative modes in the story in a very effective manner. It’s an interesting choice—and a hard one to pull off successfully. What made you decide to approach the story this way?

Leigha: I have written and re-written this story so many times, from so many different points of view! There’s a special kind of immediacy a writer can achieve, I find, with the second person point of view. Then again, as a reader, I get annoyed with the second person sustained. In the end, my decision to mix it up was the result of lots of experimentation and lots of feedback from friends and colleagues.

WOW: It's heartening to hear how much work it took to create the winning story! Have you written other flash fiction? What type of writing do you most prefer?

Leigha: Yes, I have written other flash fiction. My other flash stories have been published with Every Day Fiction, Gloom Cupboard, and Mslexia Magazine. I like the form because it combines everything I love about the short story and poetry. There is only time to focus on a single event, and the language has got to be tight and deliberate. It strikes me as beautiful that so much meaning can be packed into such a short space. I hope it’s not too hokey to say that flash fiction offers an idealized way to experience the world and all its richness.

WOW: What a wonderful description of flash fiction! We’d love to know more about your writing routines. Could you tell us when and where you usually write? Do you have favorite tools or habits that get you going?

Leigha: I cannot seem to break the habit of writing mostly at night. Nothing beats the peace and quiet available at the midnight hours. A cup of coffee will get me going, but more and more, for my nerves' sake, I’ve been opting for tea. One writing tool that’s very important to me is my laptop. I don’t think I could really commit to writing in just my office. I like the luxury of writing at a coffee shop or, better yet, on my couch.

WOW: For those of us unfamiliar with Environmental Literature, please tell us about this genre.

Leigha: Environmental Literature is any writing – fiction or non-fiction – that places emphasis on the natural world, whether as setting, subject or character. It takes seriously the notion that we must re-imagine our relationship with the environment and with our fellow species. It acknowledges humans as part of an ecological system instead of somehow separate from it. Aldo Leopold’s collection of essays, A Sand County Almanac, is a good place for interested readers to start. Terry Tempest Williams’ Refuge and Annie Dillard’s Pilgrim at Tinker Creek are also wonderful, canonical works. "Ecocriticism" is the critical lens born of literary scholars' desire to take the environment seriously as a subject of analysis.

WOW: Thanks for the brief lesson and reading recommendations. It’s been a pleasure getting to know you. Do you have any final words of wisdom for our women readers/writers?

Leigha: Thank you for the opportunity to share my work!

I’d tell aspiring women writers to permit themselves to be selfish. There’s such pressure in this culture for women to be the conduits of everyone else’s success—as supportive moms, wives, volunteers, etc. Perhaps this is why, for instance, Publishers Weekly’s Top Ten Books of 2009 included not a single woman author! We’ve got to be selfish enough to pursue our dreams so that future generations of girls and women can make their mark on the literary world.

Thank you again, Marcia. I'm so grateful for the work WOW! does for women writers and readers.

************

Check back on Tuesdays for more contest winner interviews!

Bonnie Hearn Hill, YA author of Aries Rising, launches her blog tour!

2010-03-01T02:58:00.000-08:00

& Book Giveaway Comments Contest!

Bonnie Hearn Hill worked as a newspaper editor for 22 years, a job that, along with her natural nosiness, increased her interest in contemporary culture. Prior to her new Star Crossed series from Running Press/Perseus Books, she wrote six thrillers for MIRA Books, as well as numerous short stories, nonfiction books and articles.

An interest in astrology along with her close friendship with Cosmo Magazine Astrologer Hazel Dixon-Cooper inspired the Star Crossed series: Aries Rising, Taurus Eyes, and Gemini Night.

A national conference speaker, Bonnie founded The Tuesdays, a bonded and successful writing workshop in Fresno, California, and she also teaches an occasional online class. On Fridays she meets with her private critique group (humorous astrology author Hazel Dixon-Cooper, prescriptive nonfiction writer Dennis C. Lewis, mystery novelist Sheree Petree, and musician/thriller novelist Christopher Allen Poe). What happens in those groups ranges from spontaneous applause to "getting filleted," as Bonnie's students and colleagues call it.

You can find out more about Bonnie by visiting her websites:
Bonnie's website www.BonnieHearnHill.com
Facebook Fan Page www.facebook.com/StarCrossedseries

Aries Rising
By Bonnie Hearn Hill

Aquarius Logan McRae is a high school sophomore in Terra Bella Beach, CA and has been working all semester to impress her teachers in order to get into the summer writing camp she desperately wants to attend. But when this ordinary girl finds an extraordinary book, Fearless Astrology, her life is changed forever. Applying what she's learned about the zodiac, she lands her own column in the school paper and a date with the hottest guy in school!

But when Logan threatens to catch the members of a secret society called The Gears, who have been vandalizing school property by reading the stars, she quickly learns that she is in over her head. Will Logan be able to catch The Gears, save her love life, keep her newspaper column, and get into the writing camp of her dreams all through the use of astrology?

Genre: Young Adult
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Running Press Kids (March 2010)
ISBN#: 0762436700

Book Giveaway Comments Contest!
If you received our Events Newsletter, remember, we are holding a contest to win a copy of Bonnie Hearn Hill's novel Aries Rising to those that comment. So, grab a cup of coffee, pull up a chair, and enjoy the chat, and share your thoughts, and comments, at the end. We will randomly choose a winner from those who comment.

Interview by Jodi Webb

WOW: I always like to know which came first, the chicken or the egg. So, how did it work with you: did you decide to write a YA novel and come up with the astrology idea, or did you want to do an astrology related book and then realize it would be perfect as a YA novel?

Bonnie: The astrology came first. One of the members of my critique group is humorous astrology writer Hazel Dixon-Cooper. At one of our group sessions, we were playing around with astrological signs, and I got an idea for a title. As I started playing the what-if game, I knew the book was young adult. Then I asked my agent if she thought I could do that, and she sent me an assortment of YA books she has represented. I was hooked.

WOW: At what point did you decide your book about the discovery of a magical astrology book could become a great series?

Bonnie: The scope of astrology just naturally suggests a series, or maybe it's just the way I think. This nasty little thing happens to me when I'm writing. The book fairy comes and whispers an idea for the next book while I'm still working on the first. I knew that I wanted to do a second one with a ghost in it. Then my publisher offered me a three-book deal, and the book fairy came calling again.

WOW: Ah, the three-book deal. Tell us how you managed to have three books coming out in one year. We're all green with envy!

Bonnie: And I am green from lack of sleep. ;) Actually, it wasn't as crazy as it sounds.

I wrote Aries Rising first. Because I hadn't written YA before, I had to finish it. My critique group read it, and my agent edited it--and I guess it was probably eight or nine months before we submitted the manuscript. It sold in spring of 2008, and I wrote the other two after that.

WOW: Can you tell us a little about the Fridays? Which incidentally sounds like a great name for a 1950's musical group!

Bonnie: I absolutely love the Fridays. I should have formed them years ago, but none of us was ready. You can see photos of a typical session on my website. In 1990, I began teaching a group that became known as the Tuesday Night Writers, and then just the Tuesdays. We had enormous success in any number of genres, and many of the group's members were published.

In late 2006, I realized that some of my students were excellent critics, so I made a deal with four of them. Meet at my house every Friday morning for breakfast. We each get 20 minutes to read or plot or whatever we want. It's a pretty basic concept, and what happens around my table is so exciting it's almost scary. One member, Christopher Allen Poe, drives three hours each way (from Sacramento) to attend. We are very committed, very intense, and we laugh a lot too. One of our members had a bad experience with an agent last year. We were the only ones who really understood what the writer was feeling, and that person's 20 minutes were pretty much therapy. (That works, too. One of our members is a psychologist.) Ultimately, in addition to being each other's ultimate support group, we are professional and focused on publication. Although we do eat chocolate chip cookies and drink a lot of coffee, we don't sit around talking about our kids or spouses. We talk about the market, we talk about books we are reading, and we talk about how we can all improve our manuscripts.

WOW: Your group sounds wonderful! Do you feel every writer should belong to a critique group?

Bonnie: Only if you can create a great one. What can critique groups do for writers? I probably shouldn't say this in public, but the wrong critique group can do a lot of damage. I was lucky because I was able to handpick mine, and I already loved them as people. When I teach writing, I always encourage my students to go off and form their own groups. If I were looking for a critique group and I wasn't teaching a class, I would enroll in one and try to connect with other students. Two of my former students, a very talented man and woman (both Libras, by the way) met in my class and have been working together for several years. He moved to San Francisco, but they are still close and still read for each other.

WOW: I'm a Libra, too. I think we're supposed to be very loyal. Your group writes in many different areas--nonfiction, mystery, YA, humor. I would have thought a group that all writes in the same genre would be better able to evaluate each other's writing. Does having writers from different genres make the group more lively?

Bonnie: That's my Gemini influence, no doubt. I've written short fiction, articles, essays, columns, and I have six thriller novels published by MIRA. My original class was Writing for Publication, and I got all types of people--all ages, all interests, as many men as women, which I really like. For example, Jillian Ward, my youngest student (who just won first place in YA fiction in the San Francisco Writers' Conference contest), is 19, and my oldest, Bob Brown a cowboy poet, is 77.

We have a published cowboy poet, an essayist who published a back-of-the-book piece in Woman's Day, a newspaper columnist, a magazine columnist, a mystery writer, Mary Witte, the author of Redneck Haiku, and of course, Hazel Dixon-Cooper. Hazel, who is the funniest human I know, was a hospital secretary when she came to my group, and she received a six-figure deal for her first two humorous astrology books. I received my three-book thriller deal almost exactly a year later. Pretty amazing for two best friends in a writing group in Fresno, California.

WOW: That is amazing! Can you give our readers a few tips on how to start their own critique group?

Bonnie: Again, I would hang out with writers. Take a class, attend readings and literary events. I don't think you need to get "clubbed," as many people who join local writing groups get involved with running the group instead of writing. Just get to know other people in your community--or online--who are trying to accomplish what you are. Don't trust just anyone with your precious work. Intelligent feedback should improve your writing, not make you feel like slashing your wrists.

WOW: Great advice! So, tell us, what are you working on next?

Bonnie: I just turned in the galleys for Gemini Night, and yes, I am writing. As I said, I'm a Gemini. I always have something on the back burner.

WOW: Well, we can't wait to see what's on your back burner. With you, we never know what's simmering back there! But I'm sure it's fantastic. :)

Want to join Bonnie on her blog tour? Check out these dates and mark your calendar! You can also snag a copy of WOW's Events Calendar HERE.

Blog Tour Dates: Come and join the fun!

March 1, 2010 Monday
Bonnie will be chatting with WOW! Women On Writing at The Muffin. Stop by and share your comments! One lucky commenter will win copy of Bonnie's book!
http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/blog.html

March 2, 2010 Tuesday
Bonnie will be contributing to the "Because of a Book" feature at Write for a Reader. You can also enter to win a copy of her YA novel, Aries Rising!
http://www.writeforareader.blogspot.com/

March 3, 2010 Wednesday
How can you find time to write when your life is packed with a 9-to-5 job, family, and a few hours of sleep each night? Novelist and former newspaper editor Bonnie Hearn Hill shares her Five Tips for Finding Time to Write When You Have a Full Time Job. Not to miss!
http://hellorhighwaterwriter.blogspot.com/

March 5, 2010 Friday
Bonnie Hearn Hill will be stopping by Mom-e-Centric to introduce her new YA series Star Crossed. Readers can also win a copy of the first book in the series, Aries Rising!
http://www.momecentric.com/

March 9, 2010 Tuesday
Just can't seem to talk to your teen? Margo Dill and Bonnie Hearn Hill, author of the YA Star Crossed series, discuss how books can help you communicate with the teens in your life. Don't forget to enter to win Hill's novel Aries Rising. Maybe it will give you and your teen something to talk about!
http://www.margodill.com/blog/

March 12, 2010 Friday
Bonnie Hearn Hill will be stopping by BookPage.com's The Book Case to explain how she used astrology to help create the characters in her new YA series. You can also win a copy of the first book in the series, Aries Rising.
http://www.bookpage.com/the-book-case/

March 16, 2010 Tuesday
Bonnie Hearn Hill started out as a writer in the fourth grade and along the way she's made a few mistakes and learned a few things. Today she shares her experience with us in Six Things I Wish I had Known When I Started Out. You can also enter to win a copy of Aries Rising.
http://writelikecrazy.wordpress.com/

March 19, 2010 Friday
Stop by for novelist Bonnie Hearn Hill's answers to questions posed by readers on Day by Day Writer. If you have a question for Bonnie, visit the link below to have it answered on this day! And don't forget: Bonnie's favorite question wins a copy of Aries Rising!
http://daybydaywriter.wordpress.com/

March 22, 2010 Monday
Bonnie Hearn Hill, author of Aries Rising, the first book in the series Star Crossed, stops by Books by Their Cover to chat about astrology. You can also win a copy of Aries Rising where the main character discovers an astrology book that gives her power over her world.
http://booksbytheircover.blogspot.com/

March 23, 2010 Tuesday
Cathy C. Hall is taking five on Finders & Keepers today--five questions for author Bonnie Hearn Hill, that is! Stop by for some tips on writing and a chance to win Hill's first YA novel Aries Rising!
http://cathychall.wordpress.com/

March 25, 2010 Thursday
Have you and your daughter ever read your horoscopes out loud to each other? Stop by the Mother Daughter Book Club for an interview with Bonnie Hearn Hill! You can also win a copy of Aries Rising.
http://motherdaughterbookclub.wordpress.com/

March 26, 2010 Friday
Stop by Fresh Fiction today and visit Bonnie Hearn Hill, author of the Star Crossed YA series. Enter to win a copy of the first book in the series Aries Rising!
http://www.freshfiction.com/

We have more dates to come! To view all of our touring authors, check out our Events Calendar HERE.

Get involved!

We hope you are as excited about the tour as we are! Mark your calendar, save these dates, and join us for this truly unique and fascinating author blog tour.

If you have a blog or website and would like to host Bonnie Hearn Hill or schedule a tour of your own, please email Angela and Jodi at: blogtour@wow-womenonwriting.com

31 Days of Aries: Your chance to win an iPod Touch!
The Aries Rising Blog Tour & Book Giveaway continues through March 31st. Destinations will be posted daily, and a free copy of Aries Rising will be given away at each one. At the conclusion of the tour, a drawing will be held for an iPod Touch. No purchase is necessary. You can enter as often as you wish, and you can qualify in three ways:
1. Be an Aries. Just send your birth date (month and day) to starcrossed.contest[at]gmail[dot]com.
2. Write a review and post it anywhere. Send the link to the same e-mail address.
3. Post a fan badge on your Facebook page and send the link to the above e-mail address.
Send your entries to: starcrossed.contest[at]gmail[dot]com. On each entry, include your name, address, e-mail address, and phone number where you can be reached. Deadline: March 31, 2010.

And be sure to comment on this post to enter in a drawing for a copy of Bonnie Hearn Hill's YA novel Aries Rising! And check back in a couple of days in the comments section to see if you won!

‘The Ten Things That Must Happen’---in Your Writing

2010-02-28T04:00:00.000-08:00

By Jill Earl

I’ve never been one for outlining. Even back in school, I found it more of an effort to create an outline for a particular assignment than to just write my thoughts and ideas out. I applaud those who find it useful, though.

Then, I came across the latest issue of OnceWritten.com’s Writing Sparks Newsletter, where editor Monica Poling offers up an interesting way to incorporate outlining into your own work.

Titled ‘The Ten Things That Must Happen’, she suggests starting with the ten most important events that should happen in your piece, making your outline as brief or detailed as needed. After that, she lists a number of questions to help you plot out your next steps, like what scenes to use or eliminate or what does your list show about your writing. Once you’ve figured out what to do and what direction to take, you can pick up your pen or get back to tapping on the keyboard again.

Reading through this, I realized that I’d been doing this outline informally with a couple of pieces I’ve worked on for my critique group. Now that I’ve been formally introduced to this particular method, I’ll be using it for sure in the future. The rest of the article's here.

Reached an impasse in your writing? Work through those ‘ten things that must happen’ technique and bust through that block in no time!

Friday Speak Out!: "Voice," Guest Post by Jodie Gonzalez

2010-02-26T00:00:00.000-08:00

Voice

by Jodie Gonzalez

I have always been a writer. Letters, diaries, speeches, To Do lists. I love words. And the feel of ink on a clean sheet of paper. But recently, I have become a different kind of writer. A conscious writer. I have begun to study craft, read mountains of books on the subject of writing, taken a class, started a blog.

Through these experiences I have become aware of voice. As a speaker, this was obvious. Years of communication courses, business presentations, teaching public speaking to teens, I was always conscious of my voice. But in my writing…I didn't seem to make the connection. It has only been through my study that I've come to appreciate the value of an authentic voice. And though not as strong as the sound from my lips, I am beginning to stand shakily on writer's legs.

Through our writing, we are invited to explore our true selves, and from that journey emerges a new voice. One wise with tales from the road, a bit ragged from unexpected bumps along the way. And it propels us forward, further on our quest for authenticity. Through my writing I offer myself, my individual perspective—as a woman, a social worker, sister, wife, a resilient soul in search of connection. To do this, I must be vulnerable, honest, open to possibility in my writing.

Each of us writes for a different reason, from a myriad of perspectives, with a symphony of voices. It is this unique piece of ourselves which we offer to the world, it is this that gives our words power.

* * *
Jodie is a medical social worker and newbie blogger. Check out her adventures in art/writing at http://jodiekim.blogspot.com.

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Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!

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Can Plagiarism Be Creative?

2010-02-24T00:01:00.000-08:00

The same week I read about a German author who is defending her plagiarism, J.K. Rowling is being mentioned in another case of an author who believes Rowling heavily borrowed from his books.
In the instance of the first case of plagiarism, the author Helene Hegemann believes that her use of another's author's work is an art form. According to the Salon article I read, Hegemann reportedly told a German newspaper: "I myself don't feel it is stealing, because I put all the material into a completely different and unique context and from the outset consistently promoted the fact that none of that is actually by me." However, as Laura Miller points out on Salon, Hegemann did not give the author of credit for the passages taken from "Strobo."
Please note that I have no first-hand knowledge of either case of alleged plagiarism, but I am interested in how reading someone else's work can or might influence my own work--maybe even creeping into my writing?
Many writers state that by reading the masters, they improved their own writing. When studying the greats, often a professor will suggest copying the words of the master to learn the cadences, word choices, and rhythms. I'm sure my novel writing career would do much better if I were to borrow heavily from the greats. I also understood that as civilization has moved along, we build on the shoulders of those who came before us. Some even argue that there are no original stories, just a re-hash of stories that have come before.
But sometimes, that line blurs. I have taught college students whose academic careers could be destroyed due to one instance of plagiarism and yet the students seem unsure what constitutes plagiarism--and why it would be such a big deal.
I think that as an exercise and to understand the world it is vitally important to be aware of the work of those who have come before. From the standpoint of creativity and our own interaction with creativity, I'm not sure that plagiarism is the best method of rising to the occasion and meeting our muse. Or is it?

Elizabeth King Humphrey is a writer and creativity coach. Besides contributing to AOL's ParentDish, she blogs at The Write Elizabeth, delving into creativity in everyday places.

Photo Caption Contest: Win Fabulous Prizes

2010-02-22T02:00:00.000-08:00

WOW!’s 1st Ever Photo Caption Contest

WOW! is happy to announce our first ever photo caption contest. A few weeks ago, we were in the middle of another Facebook contest when luckily one of our Premium Green members alerted us that Facebook didn’t allow these type of contests any more. So, we put our heads together, and we decided to do this fun contest on The Muffin instead—so let’s get to it!

1. Think of a photo caption for the photo on this blog post.

2. Write your photo caption in the comment section of this post.

3. Please include your name, e-mail address, and where you heard about the contest. (a friend, another blog post, blog subscriber, Twitter, Facebook, etc.)

4. You may only enter the contest two times with two separate comments.

5. One photo caption per each comment, please.

6. Comments should be for a family audience. WOW! team members reserve the right to remove any comments from the site and disqualify the writer from the contest.

7. The photo caption contest goes until Friday, February 26 at 11:59 p.m. CST.

8. Two prizes will be awarded for this contest:
a. THE BEST CAPTION: Members of the WOW! team will choose the best caption—the best could be clever, witty, or funny. This writer will win a WOW! prize pack, which includes a year-long subscription to Premium Green ($48 value), a WOW! t-shirt, a WOW! sweatshirt, a book, and a WOW! tote bag.
b. PARTICIPATION PRIZE*: We will also be awarding one participation prize. This prize will be given to a writer who wrote a caption that we randomly choose from all the comments. This writer will be awarded a WOW! tote bag, a WOW! t-shirt, a WOW! sweatshirt, and a book.

(*Facebook fans who were already notified of being entered into the Facebook #3 contest before it was canceled will be automatically entered into the participation prize contest.)

9. Winners will be notified by e-mail and announced on The Muffin on Wednesday, March 3.

Okay, we can't wait to see these captions! Make us smile, makes us laugh, make us wish we could be so clever. . .

Need Writing Inspiration? Think Celebration!

2010-02-21T15:23:00.000-08:00

by LuAnn Schindler

Writers discover inspiration in the strangest spots. Actually, stretching intellectual limits beyond the typical-article-idea mill will result in increased sales. It may also mean you guide your creative juices in a new direction and work in a new genre.

One of my favorite ways to increase the bottom line and develop timely stories and articles includes perusing lists of monthly holidays and celebrations. Some are sponsored by organizations promoting an idea or cause while increasing awareness; others are fun days that may only be celebrated by a handful of observers.

But, for writers, these celebrations are the perfect fodder for a researchable and marketable idea, and sometimes, they allow me to write something for fun...and still get paid!

Need examples? Let's take a look at some of February's celebrations. The second month of the year isn't just a time to celebration Valentine's Day or the Super Bowl.

Adopt a Rescued Rabbit Month - Sponsored by House Rabbit Society (HRS) and Petfinder, the group encourages the adoption of rabbits that have been rescued. Possible story angles: interview someone who adopted a rabbit for a local paper, create a list article showing why rabbits make wonderful house pets, write a children's story about an adopted rabbit.
National Cherry Month - Why not write a health article touting the health benefits of cherries? Have a great cherry recipe? I do. I had my recipe for Cherry Pie Cake published in a cookbook. Or what about settling the argument about George Washington chopping down the cherry tree in an article or prose piece for a children's magazine?
Just Say No To Powerpoint Week (February 7 - 13) - Pen an article for a local newspaper showing the pro's and con's of using PowerPoint in the classroom. Or submit an editorial piece of work to a business magazine that shows how the presentation software is misused in the business world. Or, why not write a how-to list that shows the best methods for creating a presentation for an educational outlet.
Cowboy Poetry Week - (February 23 - 28) - Know any cowboy poets? I do, and let me tell you, they have many funny stories about rural life. Interview one for a writing magazine. Or better yet, try your hand at penning the poetic form.
National Condom Day - February 14 - The American Social Health Association recognizes this day for promoting healthy choices. How about a factual article with relevent examples for a teen magazine. What about a comparison of condom types and brands? Sounds like an good article for both men's and women's magazines.
National Tooth Fairy Day - February 28 - Use the tooth fairy to explain why dental hygiene is important. For a children's magazine, why not compare and contrast mythical do-gooders (the tooth fairy, the Easter Bunny, etc.). Write a personal essay about when you figured out how the tooth fairy made the money-for tooth trade.

Don't feel limited to writing something in your usual genre. Use these creative and informative celebrations to build a lucrative database of ideas!

Writer Advice Flash Prose Contest

2010-02-20T07:30:00.000-08:00

DEADLINE: April 15, 2010

Can you create flash fiction, memoir, and creative non-fiction that grabs, surprises, and mesmerizes readers in fewer than 750 words? If you have a story or memoir with a strong theme, sharp images, a solid structure, and an unexpected discovery, then the fifth annual WriterAdvice Flash Prose Contest is one to look into.

You can submit up to three stories, typed and double-spaced. Email submissions will not be accepted. Entry fee is $10 per submission. All entries accompanied by an SASE will be returned with brief comments.

PRIZES: First Place - $150; Second Place - $75; Third Place - $50; Fourth Place - $25; Honorable Mentions will also be published. Names of all winners will be announced in the summer issue of WriterAdvice.

CONTACT: For questions only, please email editor B. Lynn Goodwin at Lgood67334@comcast.net

A complete listing of submission details can be found at WriterAdvice.com. Good luck!

Friday Speak Out!: "Three Easy Steps to Getting Back on Track," Guest Post by Connie Hebert

2010-02-19T06:00:00.000-08:00

Three Easy Steps to Getting Back on Track

by Connie Hebert

Who are your "Side-trackers?" You know, the experts at derailing your creative goals. The detractors who create storm centers and disrupt the focus of creative beings like yourself.

Often long on problems and short on answers, many of these rabble-rousers are famous or frustrated artists themselves. In the wake of your Side-tracker's latest drama, your creative work gets placed on the back-burner...again.

Don't let these trouble makers get the best of you. It's springtime––a time for new beginnings. Here are three easy steps to help anyone get back on track.

First, learn to recognize Side-trackers. Here are some specific behaviors common to this group:

~ Disrespect for your reality i.e. calling with a problem even
though you have a deadline of some kind, and they know it.

~ Break agreements by being late (or too early) and demanding
allowances which wreck havoc with your schedule

~ Spend your money and/or time by needing to be rescued,
often in the middle of a workday

~ Blame others (you) when something goes wrong

~ Go ballistic if someone points out one more broken promise

~ Deny they are Side-trackers

Second, learn how to diffuse Side-trackers.

~ Admit you are involved with one. Denial only prolongs
the agony.

~ Be brutally honest. Why are you entangled? Are you getting
anything out of it? Does your Side-tracker enable your
procrastination? Are you afraid of failure?

~ Accept that keeping them around is self-destructive.

~ Ask yourself what creative work you'd be doing if not involved
with your detractor.

~ Stop dancing to the Side-tracker's tune. If you can't, get help
such as counseling or support from friends who've been
through the process.

~ Keep in mind the consequences of putting your needs
aside such as cheating your of your birthright, devaluing
yourself and your talents, holding back your Gift to a world
badly in need of it, and losing out on the richness of an
existence filled with peace and the joy of self-expression
and self-fulfillment.

Finally realize it's your choice. Choose wisely. Your creative life depends on it.

* * *
Connie Hebert, MSW, is the owner and author of her "True Inklings" website. (See link below.) Retired from a successful career in psychotherapy, education, and seminar training on human behavior, she now writes full-time. Her current work in progress is a nonfiction novel with the working title of "Converting the Maiden; a Memoir of Surrender." She's also published short pieces in trade magainzes and in "The Shine Journal," an online publication.

Follow "Connie's Blog" on her website: www.trueinklings.com
Connie can be reached at: conniehebert@me.com

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Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!

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Social Networking for Authors: Tips from Margo L. Dill

2010-02-18T02:58:00.000-08:00

This was the first year WOW! branched out into social networking by creating Twitter and Facebook profiles, and it's already done so much for our site. We get to interact with our readers, really get to know them, and obtain feedback instantly. Our traffic has increased from links coming from the networks as well, and it's also a lot of fun!

At the head of our social media campaign is WOW! contributing editor, columnist, and instructor Margo L. Dill, who launched our campaign from scratch. She knows a great deal about using these sites to your advantage, so I caught up with her to ask her a few questions about her upcoming e-course Social Networking for Authors: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and more!. If you want to learn how to effectively use social networking platforms for self-promotion, there's still time to sign up for her course, which starts next Monday (February 22nd).

Welcome, Margo! Who should take your social networking class? Is it only for authors?

Margo: My social networking class can help anyone who has something to promote--a blog, a website, a book, a magazine, or a newsletter. The class will give tips on how to find other writers on social networks; find clients, customers, or readers; and how to interact on these sites so people get to know the "real" you. This means, you are a real person with a personality sending out tweets or promoting your Facebook profile or fan page--not a marketer or a spambot!

That's great to know. It sounds like it would be useful for freelance writers and small businesses as well. You teach your students how to use Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Why is it important to use all three platforms? What are the major differences?

Margo: In my opinion, each social networking site offers writers, or anyone really, a different audience, format, and way to connect with others. On Twitter, you can follow almost anyone who has similar interests as you, provides useful information, or makes you smile and laugh. In turn, anyone can follow you. People expect you to share information on Twitter about yourself and your work as well as share other useful tidbits you come across on the Internet and on Twitter itself.

On Facebook, you can connect with people who you once knew, that you met at a conference, or through an online group as well as your family and friends. You can belong to writing groups on Facebook that provide information and where you can network with other writers such as on the WOW! Women On Writing Facebook Fan Page. On your Facebook wall, you can promote your latest blog post or book just like you can on Twitter, but you do it with posts on your wall or status updates or fan pages. I get a lot of response from my family and friends on my blog from my Facebook page. These people wouldn't know what I was up to if I didn't have Facebook to tell them. I am reaching a different audience here and on an even more personal level than on Twitter.

LinkedIn is a completely different network all together. It is for professional connections more than personal ones. You can connect with others and find freelancing work or discuss the publishing business in a LinkedIn group. You can find editing clients or promote your magazine or business to find customers or even employees. It's like having a resume online with recommendations right there for people to view. LinkedIn is great for networking.

That's a really great explanation. And it's so true...people wouldn't know what you were up to if you didn't have Facebook to tell them. I guess you could send direct e-mails to everyone, but people get annoyed with too much e-mail, and I think Facebook is far less intrusive. Plus, it's pretty effective! I've personally seen a great response from WOW's social networking campaign. Thanks, Margo! It especially works well for us since our e-zine is a static website and these additional platforms allow for interaction. Do you recommend students have a website, blog, or portfolio page set up somewhere to link back to before they start networking?

Margo: Not necessarily. It helps to have a blog or website, but some people will link to their book on Amazon if they want to tweet about their book or include a Barnes & Noble link in their status update on Facebook.

You can also take part in Twitter chats in all sorts of subject areas such as general writing, YA literature, children's writing, romance writing, and so on. You just have to know the hashtag (which you'll learn all about in my class) keywords such as #YAlitchat, know the time it takes place (which is easy to find on the Internet), and then log on to Twitter and get started. You just take part in the conversation, usually about a hot topic, and give your opinion with the hashtag included. You don't need a blog, website, or profile page to do this, and you can learn from other writers about marketing, writing, querying, or any number of subjects and connect with other writers in your field.

You can easily network on Facebook by starting a fan page for your book or business, and you don't need your own website to do this. Your fan page becomes like a type of website or profile page.

That's genius! I mean, why not, right? It's really all you need come to think about it. But when someone just starts out with a social networking site, it can often feel like a ghost town because they don't have any followers yet. What's the quickest way to build a following?

Margo: I suggest allowing the site to go through your e-mail address book and finding your contacts who are already on the site. This is the easiest way to get started with people that you know will help you through the beginning stages of the site. With Twitter, there are directories you can use such as Twellow to find people who have similar interests to you. On Facebook, you can join fan groups and meet people that way as well as searching by your college or high school. On LinkedIn, you can ask your connections to introduce you to others. I have several more tips and ways that I built my personal followers as well as WOW!'s, which will be part of the tips and lessons I share in my class.

Those are some fantastic tips! I definitely want to check out those fun Twitter hashtag chats. It sounds like a mini-conference! Thank you so much, Margo, for sharing your tips with us today. :)

Readers, if you're interested in promoting yourself through social networking or simply want to learn how to use the different sites effectively, remember, Margo's class Social Networking for Authors: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and More! starts next Monday, February 22, 2010. It runs for 4 weeks. Visit the classroom page to view what you'll be learning week by week. Enroll today to reserve your spot. Happy writing!

Defining a "perfect" distraction

2010-02-16T05:38:00.000-08:00

Perfection is one of the most, well, perfect writing distractions. It is well suited for the creative person shaping and molding. After all, don't we all want something we create to be perfect?
How many of us write a draft, only to find ourselves stuck over a word, a phrase or the perfect shade of ink. We're seeking, searching for something perfect.
One of the elements in improving our own writing is to move past some of the distractions that crop up. Wrestling with perfection seems to work against what we truly want to do.
But what is perfection, really? Who dictates what is perfect?
One of my graduate school professors discussed The Great Gatsby as the perfect novel.
I have some perfect novels in a desk drawer, but a few literary agents didn't think them so perfect.
The Great Gatsby, my professor explained, may be perfect, but it is a flawed perfection because no writing can be absolutely flawless.
That's what keeps me at my computer tapping away or taking hours to scratch out my ideas in my notebooks. The search for perfection, even with some marred facets. Do I think I'll attain perfection in my writing? I don't know.
I do know that I won't let it get in the way of my sitting down to write.
How about you? What are your biggest internal distractions when you look at the blank page in front of you?

Elizabeth King Humphrey is a writer and creativity coach. Besides contributing to AOL's ParentDish, she blogs at The Write Elizabeth, delving into creativity in everyday places.

Going After Some of Those 2010 Writing Goals

2010-02-15T13:13:00.000-08:00

For those of you who keep up with the Muffin’s daily posts, you may remember a post I made back in December about the writing goals I wanted to achieve for 2010. One of my goals was to branch out into another genre that I don’t normally dabble in. Well…I did it! At the time, I was just finishing up a manuscript for a YA novel and not only did I finish it, I entered it in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Contest. And now I’m so nervous.

I don’t usually enter contests. There are so many out there and competition can be stiff. But I thought the Amazon contest would be a great one. Hey! I know I may not have the highest chances of winning it but I know that I’ll get some valuable feedback I can tuck away for future projects. Plus contests like this one also give you an idea of whether you need to polish up your pitching skills.

The story is a personal experience from my early adult life that I wanted to tell but not from a Nonfiction view. So, I created an awesome fictional character to tell the story for me (He is about ten years younger than I was when I went through the same experience and, I think, made much better choices than I did.) Once I created a ‘storyteller’ so different from me, I found it was much easier to let go and tell the story. Fiction is a lot harder for me to write but, in a way, the element of telling a story is the same whether you’re writing fiction or nonfiction, right? You still have to capture your audience, make sure your facts are accurate and tell your story just right. Hopefully, I’ve done that. I guess we’ll see!

I have a lot of admiration for you fiction writers out there. Thank you for giving the rest of us some inspiration to give it a try!

So, how is everyone else’s writing goals going? Has anyone else entered the Amazon contest? I’d love to hear from you.

Until next time…

Chynna Laird

www.lilywolfwords.ca

www.lilywolfwords.blogspot.com

Romancing with Kristan Higgins, author of The Next Best Thing

2010-02-14T02:10:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day! We have the perfect author, Kristan Higgins, on The Muffin today--one who knows plenty about love, romance, and food (which just goes hand-in-hand with romance, right?). Kristan is here to talk about her new book out from Harlequin and to share her knowledge about keeping story lines fresh and interesting when writing genre books. So, without any hesitation, let's get right to Kristan!

WOW: Welcome to The Muffin, Kristan. We are so happy to talk with you today. Your book, The Next Best Thing, is out from Harlequin this month. What do readers need to know about your latest book?

Kristan: Thank you, Margo! It’s lovely to be here today. The Next Best Thing is about Lucy, a young widow trying to find a not-so-bad guy to marry, so she can have kids and move on with her life. She’s not looking to fall madly in love again — she was obviously devastated when her husband died five years ago, and she doesn’t want to be that vulnerable this time around. So, the first thing she does is distance herself from Ethan, her best friend and more recently, her friend with privileges. Their relationship is complicated, and he’s pretty much the last guy Lucy would pick as husband material.

One of my favorite things about this book is Lucy’s profession and her family, which are very much intertwined. Lucy’s a very talented pastry chef, but she works in the family bakery in the bread department while her aunts make these rather tired and uninspired pastries, cookies, and cakes. Lucy loves the family bakery and adores her aunts; but they’re all widows, too. And in Lucy’s family, you don’t remarry. You get one shot at love; and if he dies, well…that’s your bad luck. So Lucy’s bucking tradition, as it were, and it makes for some very funny scenes. And of course, it was really fun to write about all those gorgeous desserts.

WOW: What a great premise with the aunts! I love it, and I'm sure readers get hungry reading your book. I hear there's a great recipe in this book AND in your book Too Good to be True. How much does cooking play into your plots and love stories?

Kristan: Well, food is a great part of life, don’t you think? One of the things I try to do is create a character the reader can really feel she knows and an important detail is favorite food. In Too Good To Be True, Grace consoles herself with Disgustingly Rich Chocolate Brownies, which she also brings to the hero to apologize for an unfortunate incident involving a field hockey stick and the police.

In The Next Best Thing, Lucy’s profession revolves around food, of course. Her late husband was a chef, and her in-laws own an Italian restaurant; so yes, food is very important! One of the things that hints at my characters’ feelings is what they eat…and what they don’t. And yes, I’ll be posting more recipes on my website…I do love to bake, so these are all tried and true.

WOW: Just the name of those brownies from Too Good to be True sound absolutely delicious! Food and romance just seem to go together--you're right. You have several contemporary romance books out from Harlequin and more to come. How do you keep your story lines fresh and interesting since we all expect the happily ever after at the end of a romance?

Kristan: I think the first thing I do is try to be honest about the pitfalls of relationships. My characters are very real people — no one is a billionaire, staggeringly beautiful, or breathtakingly talented…in other words, they’re us! I also try to focus on the heroine’s immediate dilemma, then pick the guy who seems to be the very worst choice for her. Of course, he’s really the right guy, but I want the couple to have to earn their happily ever after. And I focus a lot on family. Families shape us into the people we are; they know our best qualities and our weak spots, too. And weaving them into the story feels very natural for me.

WOW: I like that idea of the family being involved in your books because families are so involved in our love lives whether or not we want to admit it. I love the animals on the cover of all your books. The Next Best Thing has a gray cat, looking ready to eat some of whatever your heroine is mixing in that bowl. Where did the idea come for animals on each cover? Do animals play an important role in each novel?

Kristan: The amazing people in the Harlequin art department design my covers, so I can’t take any credit, though they give me a little preview, which is always thrilling. Personally, I’ve always had pets (mostly dogs, a few cats thrown in to keep me on my toes); and making my heroines pet owners wasn’t so much a conscious decision as just a normal part of life. But I choose the heroine’s pet very carefully, and that pet reflects something about the character. In The Next Best Thing, Lucy’s cat, Fat Mikey, is a very independent animal. Dogs, in my opinion, require a lot more attention and devotion. And when Lucy acquires Fat Mikey, she’s still really hurting over her husband. It felt like a dog might be too much. So Fat Mikey keeps her company, but he doesn’t get too sentimental, either.

WOW: What a great way to reveal things about the characters through their pets. That's genius! (I'm a big pet lover, too.) You also have a blog that you regularly update. What types of information will your fans find on your blog?

Kristan: My blogs on my own website are just little vignettes about my life as a writer and as a person. I’m pretty normal…married to a real sweetheart, mom of two great kids. I’m very close with my siblings, adore my nieces and nephews, have lunch with my mom, volunteer in

our town, carpool the kids around. If anyone has any illusions about the glamorous life of the writer, they need only check in with my blog and get a reality check! There are no silk pajamas here…my dog would drool all over those, and the cat would shred them in a heartbeat.

WOW: I'm sure your fans love to read about your life, and that's a good idea for blog posts! What are you working on next?

Kristan: Right now, I’m finishing up the edits on All I Ever Wanted, which comes out

this August, and working on another romantic comedy. One of the things that’s most fun about being a writer is figuring out which of your ideas is ready to be teased out into an entire book…you never know which seedling is ready to sprout.

WOW: We are so excited, Kristan, that you shared your insights about your books and your writing life with us today. We look forward to many more great books from you to keep us reading and smiling!

Interview conducted by Margo L. Dill

http://www.margodill.com

*If you're an author interested in being interviewed and/or promoting your book, please contact Margo at margo (at) wow-womenonwriting.com for details. (Replace at with @)

The Music Muse

2010-02-13T17:39:00.000-08:00

by LuAnn Schindler

When I write, I like to listen to music. OK, I usually enjoy listening while I write. Other times, like when I'm on a tight deadline, I prefer the peace and quiet of our farm. Sure, there's the occasional 'MOO'........

Seriously, music ignites my writing muse. My musical choices vary as much as my writing topics. Some days, 80s and 90s rock blares, keeping my energy focused on the page. On Saturday mornings, I need the Kings of Leon and The Fray to jumpstart my morning pages. If I'm working on a creative endeavor, such as poetry or flash fiction, slow tunes by Sara Barilles, Howie Day or Tim McGraw or classical pieces like Moonlight Sonata help me keep an even writing pace.

And some days, I let iTunes decide what's up next.

The rhythm and words formulate the emotional connection between musical rhythm and written word.

It works for me, but does it work for all writers? What artists, music genres or songs keep you connected to your writing muse?