How to Speed Date your Character

Hey Scribe’s fans, PJ Sharon here. This past weekend, I spent Saturday with my writer friends at the CTRWA (CT Romance Writers of America) chapter meeting. Our usually packed monthly meeting had only about thirty members due to the New England Crime Bake conference that many of our members ditched us for attended. But even with our skeleton crew, we managed to have a fabulous time. Thanks to Jamie Schmidt, our illustrious leader for the day (that’s her in the Victorian garb and the funky boots), we enjoyed a most helpful exercise, called “Speed dating your character.”

Some of us took the liberty of getting into character by dressing up for the occasion. That’s me in the silly glasses (Lily’s eye shields that look suspiciously steampunky rather than dystopian but work for the costume, I think). Left to right is Christine Bundt, Jennie Francis, Angelique Meltivier, Jamie Schmidt, me, and Melanie Meadors.

 I found that becoming my character was especially challenging since I’m far from a sixteen-year-old girl and even farther from the year 2057. The exercise itself, however, was very enlightening. We divided up into groups of five or six and went around the table asking questions of each other’s characters, focusing on one person for about five  to ten minutes. Being grilled about our likes and dislikes, and the most intimate details about our character’s lives and personalities felt a bit like being on the Dating Game.

The funny thing was that as I answered questions from each person in the group, and each answer led to deeper questions, the more I felt like Lily Carmichael, my main character from Waning Moon. I had to totally put myself in her place, talking about my family, friends, what life was like in my fictional future world, and even what my hopes and dreams were. It really made me think about what my story was about and who my character was down deep. After a few minutes, I actually began talking in a different voice and even felt different inside. It was strange to answer in Lily’s voice and from her experiences in the book.

The following questions came up, which I thought really got to the core of our characters.

What are you most afraid of?

What is your greatest flaw/strength?

Who do you love/hate?

What are your hopes and dreams?

What is it like being a teenager with so much responsibility?

How do the people of the future survive and what does the future world look like?

These were only a few questions, but the idea was that we put each other on the spot and forced each other to dig deep and get to the heart of our characters. If you have critique partners or a writing group, I highly recommend you try it.

What questions do you ask your characters to get to know them better?

 

Retreat Recap

Tuesday’s Scribe, PJ Sharon here. I had the great pleasure of joining several CTRWA members this past weekend at the lovely Guest House Retreat Center in Chester, CT. We’ve been planning this weekend retreat for months, and no one was more excited than me to get away and share some quality writing time with my pals. I thought you all might like to hear about the highlights.

After checking in at 3:00 on Friday afternoon, we were all treated to a wonderful dinner and dessert before settling in for an evening of critiquing. We divided up into small groups, and each had the opportunity to share the first five pages of our WIP. This was immensely helpful to me personally, as my fabulous critique partners, Jane Haertel and Tracy Costa, convinced me yet again, that my short story prequel to my trilogy, to be released as part of the WG2E October Anthology, called SOUL REDEMPTION, actually started in chapter two. (Read my previous post about “The story starts here.”) I’m not sure why I haven’t quite mastered the art of where to start a story, but they were absolutely right and it will now read so much better.

Saturday morning, I rousted eight of my fellow writer friends out of their beds to join me in a 6:00 a.m. yoga class. I’ve been teaching yoga for about seven years now, and I love sharing a gentle, restorative practice with newbies and experienced yogis alike. Relaxed, refreshed, and energized, we had a hearty breakfast and then spent the next few hours working on our individual WIP’s in the comfort and solitude of the many nooks scattered about the quaint old inn.

After lunch—and I have to say here, that the food was simply outstanding—we gathered for an interactive debate with authors Kevin Symmons and Arlene Kay, who shared their humorous and spirited take on setting vs.character. Then we had more alone time before supper, where most of us made another dent in our weekend word count. I was able to finish all of my edits for WANING MOON, and I heard from Melanie Meadors that she broke her record of 5,000 words in a weekend. WTG Melanie!

Saturday night after a tasty Salmon dinner and blueberry cobbler—seriously, did anyone else gain five pounds this weekend—we got together for a fun-filled evening of Plotting Playoffs with our hostess diva, Jamie Pope, aka. Sugar Jamison. Our illustrious Prez, Jennifer Fusco won the big honor of the night and was rewarded with the coveted tierra, boa, and pink girly gloves—not to mention the best writer on earth certificate.

I’d like to personally thank the brilliant Jane Haertel, aka Suze Hardy, for helping me plot out Book Two of my trilogy, WESTERN DESERT. It’s going to be awesome, but I may need another retreat in the spring!

Much wine was consumed, laughs were shared, and in my opinion, the best line of the weekend came from Jennifer Yakely, another CTRWA contracted and soon-to-be published author, who said, “Historical romances are all about balls and Duke screwing.” I love writers! Don’t you?

Workin’ for the Weekend

I don’t know about you, but I’ve had one heck of a week since the last time we met here at the Scribes blog.

I’ve been super busy getting ready for this weekend, as in day after tomorrow. Our RWA chapter (CTRWA) is hosting a writer’s conference on Saturday. We’ve got 135 attendees, 15 workshops, and 15 editors and agents ready to take pitches. This year I’m involved in the planning and execution phase of the conference, and let me tell you, unless you’ve seen it firsthand, you would not bee-leeve the amount of work that goes into preparation for a conference of this size and scope. Others have worked far, far harder than I (you know who you are), so I’m not looking for sympathy here! The next time you attend a conference — even if it turns out to be not everything you’d hoped for — take the time to thank the organizers, who are probably volunteers. You could also buy them a drink, just sayin’.

Dream it and Achieve it, Baby!

In the midst of the preconference frenzy, I’ve been putting final touches on my manuscript and practicing my pitch for the agents and editors I’ve targeted as likely to want my story. Consequently, I’m going to keep this post short and sweet. Very sweet. Here’s one of my family’s favorite cookie recipes. Hope you enjoy it! And if you decide to make it, could you drop a few off at my house? I just don’t have time to make my own right now!

ORANGE DREAM COOKIES

• 2-1/4 c. flour
• 3/4 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 c. butter
• 1/2 c. granulated sugar
• 1/2 c. light brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 T. finely grated orange peel (orange part only, not the bitter pith)
• 2 cups (or one package) white chocolate chips
• 1 cup orange flavored dried cranberries (such as Craisins) – optional, but I like the way they “tart up” these quite sweet cookies and intensify the orange flavor

Stir together the flour, baking soda and salt. In a larger, separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the egg and orange peel and mix well. Stir in the dry ingredients, then the white chocolate chips and cranberries.

Drop by rounded teaspoonsful onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment or silicone baking mat, and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, or until just set and very lightly browned. Don’t overbake these cookies, as the chips tend to get grainy and the cranberries get too dry.

Enjoy!  And if you’re pitching this weekend, Good Luck! I’d love to hear how you’ve prepared yourself.

What to Wear to a Writer’s Conference

I have to get something off my chest. Something that has been plaguing me for over a year. It happened in May of 2011 at my local chapter’s conference where I was happily helping out with the editor/ agents appointments. Through out the day I saw dozens and dozens of writers nervously awaiting their appointments. That day was a total blur for me and I can barely remember all the people I saw. But one person unwillingly stuck in my mind.I don’t remember her name or what genre she wrote. But I do remember what she looked like clearly.

Always Always ALWAYS!!!

And it was because she wasn’t wearing a bra. I know. I know. Who the hell does that nowadays? But apparently this unfortunate person didn’t think to put one on that day before she left the house, deciding to let her not so little girls swing free. And to make it worse she wore a neon green fuzzy sweater and jeans to her pitch sessions. I am not making this up to be entertaining. This girl, no, woman dressed like that that day.

So what’s the big deal? Well, I’ll tell you. Conferences are the places where you network. That means meeting and connecting with new people. That means making a lasting impression. Editors and agents are the people a lot of writers want to impress. They can help make your dreams come true. Doesn’t it make sense to dress to impress? The last thing you want to be known as is the writer who didn’t wear a bra.

I’m no expert but I do love to get dressed for any occasion. So I have compiled a simple list of things that are  more do’s than don’ts.

What you should wear to a conference when you are pitching…

1. Always wear a bra. Always. Always!

2. Some people would suggest wearing what you would to a job interview but I disagree.No suits. It’s okay to show your personality a little, because that can reflect your writing style. You like bright pink? Wear bright pink. Just keep it classy folks and try not to look like a bottle of Pepto.

3. Jeans–I would usually say this is a definite no. Women have so many choices out there, that they can come up with something else without much thought. But I have seen guys rock a pair of dark denmin jeans, a vee neck and a blazer, and look put together and hot. But no sneakers!

4. This kind of goes with number one but keep your girls fairly hidden. You’re pitching your book not going on a date. It’s not the right time to put the ladies on display. And on the opposite side don’t dress like a schlub. Baggy and ill-fitting are just as unattractive as tight and revealing.

You CAN'T wear this to pitch in.

5. Try to wear comfortable shoes. I personally think most comfy shoes are not fabulous but you will be on your feet a lot and you don’t want to end up looking like a scene from Thriller by the end of the day.

6. No Hawaiian shirts. Seriously unless you’re in Hawaii, or you’re Jimmy Buffett, or eighty, find something else to wear. A polo shirt works nicely.

7. Don’t look like the wait staff. Meaning black pants and a plain white top. Or khakis and a plain white top. It’s boring.

8. Don’t wear distracting stuff on your head. In my personal life I’m a fan of pretty hair accessories, head bands, crystal encrusted hair pins, flowers, but they can be distracting especially when you are trying to have a conversation with somebody. (Or is it just the ADD in me?)

9. Also, if you have facial piercings keep those bad boys to a minimum. Tongue piercings are distracting. (And a little eww if you ask me. I’ve seen two friends get it done and… Shudder)

See what I mean? Eww.

10. And finally keep your makeup clean and simple. You are not going to a night club, and if you pitch at the end of the day you don’t want to look like a gooey mess.

 It’s scientifically proven that people are attracted to pretty people. Of course your writing needs to be up to snuff to get an editor or agent to sign you, but it can’t hurt to give yourself a boost in the right direction by looking great. You want to be a successful best-selling author, then dress like one.

And I have to give a little shout out to author Sara Humprheys who looks great and well put together from head to toe in every picture and at every conference. And Kristan Higgins who always has fabulous shoes and perfectly painted nails.

Oh and one more thing CTRWA is throwing FICTION FEST and there is still room left. You can register by clicking the Fiction Fest above.

So what do you think? Have any fashion advice to give? Disagree with me? Love conferences? Any and all comments are welcome.

A Tale of Two Turkeys

Happy Thursday again, and Happy First Day of December, you wonderful Scribe fans!  Suze here.  It’s great to see you all again after the long Thanksgiving weekend.

Before we get to the “meat” of this post, some business.  If you’re a writer and you haven’t entered CTRWA’s Write Stuff contest, what are you waiting for?  There are still a few days left.  First prize in each category is a hundred bucks, which you know you want.  Go for it!  Click here for details.

Now, I know you’re all dying to find out what happened last Thursday at my mom’s house.  Remember?  The turducken?  Click here for a link to last week’s post so you can get yourselves up to speed if you missed it.

The Famous World War I Flying Ace - Suze's favorite balloon!

Mr. Suze and our son and I spent the morning at our remote woodland cabin, alternately watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and an awe-inspiring trio of bald eagles circling not too far overhead — two golden brown juveniles and an adult with a snowy white head and tail.  Once the parade and the aerobatics show were over, we headed over to Mom’s.

She wasn’t home.   We knew she wouldn’t be there yet, because she was doing volunteer work at her church.  So we brought in the box of turducken, and I set about preparing it for cooking.  Hmmm. A frown creased my forehead.  A distinctive aroma permeated the kitchen, and it wasn’t coming from my still-raw Turducken.  A tiny orangey light caught my eye.  Not a Faulknerian Light in August, but a very suspicious Light in the Oven.

I investigated further.  I strode to the oven.  I threw open the door.  A blast of hot air hit me in the face as I discovered — you guessed it — a 20 pound turkey, skin brown and crispy, hissing poultry steam from the vent holes in the old blue enamelware roaster pan.

Nearly four hundred years of family Thanksgiving tradition simply could not be denied.  Mr. Suze just shook his head.

I pulled out the cooked bird and replaced it with the turducken, prepared according to the package directions (leave it in the cooking bag and place on a baking sheet in a 400 degree oven).  Mom came in the door shortly afterward.

“Oh, good,” she said.  ”My turkey’s done.”  She had the grace to look a little sheepish (pardon my mixing of farm animals here).  ”I had to cook the turkey.  Ooh, is that the turducken?”

She never did say why she “had” to cook the turkey.  Was it because the turkey was about to spoil and “had” to be cooked?  (unappetizing, but entirely possible)  Or was she simply compelled by a force greater than herself to cook that bird on the fourth Thursday of November?  The world may never know.

As for the turducken, reviews were mixed.  Like most prepared foods, this bizarre hybrid concoction was overly salty, or at least the rice stuffing was.  Maybe a “homemade” turducken would be better, but I can tell you that personally I will not be deboning and stuffing three birds anytime soon.  The turkey layer was judged to be fine.  The duck layer was generally not hated, but not really liked.  As for the chicken core, it tasted pretty much like the turkey layer, which is probably why chicken and turkey are never mixed together in recipes.

The other turkey ended up being sliced up for sandwiches the next day, and I made my famous Black Friday Stew with the carcass.  (I’ll give you that recipe soon).

What about you?  Do you have habits that you just can’t break, no matter how hard you try?  Inquiring Scribes want to know!

A Little Bit of Blackmail — Interview with Author RC Bonitz

Happy Thursday, Scribe fans!  Suze here.  Today I’m very happy to be interviewing RC Bonitz, whose debut novel, A Little Bit of Blackmail, was

A LITTLE BIT OF BLACKMAIL

released in digital form on November 4 and is now available in print form as well from Silver Publishing and Amazon.  Click here to buy Bob’s book and to see other offerings from Silver.  Without further ado, here’s Bob:

How do you battle the Doubt Monster?  Doubt Monster: the nagging feeling while writing, that your prose is terrible, your plot is silly, your characters are insipid, and no one in their right mind would read this drivel, let alone buy it.

The DM used to win every time. My first book was revised so many times the original story disappeared. We all have  to learn to trust our own judgment. That becomes easier as you go along and learn; at least it did for me. I’ve been writing a sequel to A LITTLE BIT OF BLACKMAIL  and just decided it was all wrong. There was no doubt in that decision. I knew what it needed, so I’m starting again.

Have you thought about writing something that is completely different for you?  Perhaps writing in a new genre or just taking a story someplace that you haven’t gone before?

I’ve written suspense, a historical love story, a variety of short stories as well as the sweet romance. Played with a mystery too, and a children’s book of wizards and monsters. My grandkids all became qualified wizards in that one. I haven’t tried vampires yet- can’t seem to get into them.

Author Bob Bonitz

What is the most surprising thing that has happened in your writing career?

The recent sale of my first book,  A BLANKET FOR HER HEART. It’s been sitting on the shelf a while. An author I met via email she said she had started a publishing house. Did I have anything to send her? Well, I hunted up the file on A BLANKET FOR HER HEART  and sent it off to her.The next day she came back and said she loved it, wanted it. We signed a contract a week later.  [Suze's note:  We'll be sure to let you know when A BLANKET FOR HER HEART is available.  Check back soon!]

What would you do if you couldn’t be a writer any longer?

I’d find a way. I’ve never worked so hard or had as much fun in my life. I dictate now (voice recognition) and use large print, but that’s just scratching the surface of what can be done.

They say that every author has a partially completed, quite-possibly-terrible half a story shoved in a drawer somewhere.  What is yours?  What is it about?  What makes it terrible?  Would you ever consider picking it up and finishing it?

My secret story is  HANNAH, about a young woman who flees her parent’s poverty stricken farm in England, determined to go to America and make her fortune. It’s the best writing I’ve ever done, but it was heading for a tragic ending so I put it aside. I’m thinking of changing the direction of the plot and going back to it one of these days.  [Suze's note:  Bob!  Not every book has to have an HEA.  This sounds like a great story!}

Author Jane Haddam says that anyone who seriously annoys her gets bumped off in her next book.  How do you incorporate your real-life experiences into your stories? 

I'm sure I use my life experiences, but more than anything I write my dreams. They're a bit more interesting than my suburban life. I do incorporate things I've learned over the years, but my characters are pure invention.

You are a guy writing romance, a genre that has traditionally been a woman's provenance.  What made you decide to write romance?  Who are your favorite romance authors?

Interesting question. I was writing pure love stories because I'm a romantic, but I was getting nowhere with sales. (I wrote horrible query letters before Kristan Higgins taught me her secrets.)  At my wife's suggestion I went to hear Suzanne Brockmann speak and came away impressed with her ideas on why one should write romance novels. So, I checked online and found CTRWA and here I am.  [Suze's note:  CTRWA is the Connecticut Chapter of Romance Writers of America, and Kristan Higgins is one of our goddesses]

Your book, A LITTLE BIT OF BLACKMAIL, released on November 4 and is available through Amazon as of November 9.  What has been your experience working with Silver Publishing, a digital press?

Silver Publishing has been wonderful thus far, giving me a lot of input in the editing and cover design processes.  Dancing With Bear Publishing has given me a contract for A BLANKET FOR HER HEART, which will come out after the first of the year. They have already scheduled and gotten me on blog talk radio to do the first promotion for the book. I can’t speak to their edit process since we haven’t started that yet.

Both publishers will produce ebook versions in just about every possible format, as well as paperback versions. And both pay high royalties. I can’t say enough about both houses- I’m  very impressed so far.

What was your biggest misstep in your writing career so far?

I would say two things. First, I wrote an entire novel before I knew how to write well. And second, once I thought I knew what I was doing I kept trying for perfection. I think most of us do that to a point. Going back to read our finished, polished manuscript always gives us fits. How could I have written that, we groan in despair. Oh crap, I’ll never be a writer.  Start again. I finally took a strategy of Jess Andersen’s. send it out and see what happens.  [Suze's note: Another goddess -- Jessica Andersen, author of many Harlequin romantic suspense novels and the Nightkeeper series] 

Do you have a word-related pet peeve?

Descriptions that read like shopping lists. My eyes glaze over and I’m gone.

What is your junk food of choice?

Nothing beats ice cream. Moose Tracks (California variety), rum raisin, vanilla fudge with lots of fudge.

What’s the most dangerous or risky thing that you’ve done?

In my lifetime? Wow, lots. Some might say telling my wife I’d marry her on our first date, but I considered that a sure thing. Maybe sailing a little boat in 55 knot winds and ten foot seas on Long Island Sound not too many years ago? Or, as a kid, riding a bike at 60 plus mph down a long steep curving mountain road. Those come to mind at the moment.

What is your guilty pleasure? {Remember: this is a ‘G’ rated blog! }

Those reside in my dreams and won’t ever make my books!

Thanks for being here today, Bob.  Readers, Bob will drop by periodically throughout the day to answer your questions, so stay tuned.  

Knock, Knock…

Just me, Katy Lee. But boy, do I have an exciting opportunity to share with you!

Next month, I am looking forward to learning how to develop a real-life character from a real-life counseling therapist. Last month, I learned how to go so deep into POV that I forgot who I was for a second. In the month of December, I am going to get a chance to laugh at my silly attempts at writing with my fellow CTRWA writers at our very own RITA awards…Marga-RITAs, that is.

And those are only the events on the autumn schedule of the Connecticut chapter of Romance Writers of America. The rest of the year has been just as informative. Talk about your opportunity knocking! I’m just sad that I didn’t answer it sooner.

Earlier this week, PJ Sharon shared her thoughts about writing not taking place in a vacuum. That writing is a collective journey with many to not just root for us, but also to help us succeed. I wrote my first manuscript in the vacuum. When I typed THE END, I didn’t have anyone to share my accomplishment with. I took my kids out to lunch and said they could buy anything they wanted off the menu. After all, I was going to be rich and famous, right?

Only I had no idea what to do with my story. So, I contacted one of my favorite authors, Catherine Anderson, and asked her. She wrote back saying, join RWA. That’s it. No eloquent pep talk to inspire me. No wise words of wisdom.

At least, that was what I thought. I know now, she couldn’t have possibly spoken wiser words.

I signed up to attend the national conference and set out to see what it was all about. I walked down halls filled with more writers I had ever seen in my life, and when one of them stopped me and asked me about my story, I thought she was just being nice. Except, when I finished fumbling through my storyline, she in turn asked me questions and began to help me figure out the areas I was struggling in. She really cared about my story. She wasn’t just being nice as I had thought.

After more encounters like that, and workshops with more information than my little brain could handle at one time, the conference was over. I was saddened to think I had to wait another year to be surrounded with such like-minded people.

Except, another opportunity was knocking. RWA didn’t want me to wait until next year. Local chapters and special genre chapters, like my fellow inspirational writers at Faith, Hope and Love - where the doors are always open for prayer and support, were formed to carry writers through all year long.

So, the question, again, was would I answer the knock?

The Unlocked Secret: You won’t regret answering this door. Find a local chapter of like-minded writers. Not one near you? There are many online to choose from. Every month, I am rewarded with more knowledge than I can process and true friends who will help me remember what I forget.

So, I invite you: If you’re a fiction writer in the CT area, then next month’s conference on real-life characters is for you. Don’t miss Laurie Schnebly Campbell’s The Psychology of Creating Characters. And by the way, that’s opportunity knocking.

Are you going to answer it?

Question: Do you belong to a writers’ group? Why are you glad you joined? You can start it just like this:  “I am glad I joined because…”

Why I joined a writing group or three

Hi there.  J here.  Welcome to our very first Scribe Theme Week!  Have you been enjoying it?  We have more of them in the works…just you wait.  So I want to tell you why I joined a few different professional writing organizations and community groups over the last few years and what I got out of them.

I began working on my first novel way back in the dark ages of 1996.  I never finished that book and I think in part it was because I loved Little Women as a kid.  I imagined myself as the modern-day Jo March, scribbling away, alone in my cold garret room, my fingers black with ink.  What female writer didn’t have this picture in her head at some point?  What I didn’t know was that I needed a community to get the job done.  Perhaps that isn’t the case for everyone, but it was, and is, for me.

In 2003 I began writing The Cordovan Vault.  I was lazy and wrote in fits and starts, oh so busy with my 50 hour a week job.  This was during my life pre-kids when 50 hours was about the extent that I worked.  I actually can’t imagine how I wasted so much time!  But by January 2006, I decided to take this dream more seriously and I joined the writing group at my local library.  I can honestly say that I am where I am today for taking that first step.

The writing group led me to my first Writer’s Conference, CAPA – U held each May.  I did my first Editor Pitching and learned many important things, especially that I wasn’t going to get anywhere until I finished writing the book.  I also met a woman there who told me about NanoWrimo.

If you don’t know about NanoWrimo, they you need to follow the link and check it out!  This is an online writing contest designed to spark creativity and get words on the page.  I participated the first time in 2007.  The weekly pep talks from published writers were invaluable to me.  Even well-known writers had been stuck, as I was.  They said the only thing to do was push through.  Rewrite later.  I took that advice and made it more than 2/3 of the way through the manuscript before hitting the next milestone.

I met Susannah Hardy in January of 2008, again at my local library’s writing group.  Susannah’s encouragement was critical to me finishing The Cordovan Vault.  She pushed me to finish the first draft, and then to revise it, making it a much better story.  And she’s the one who pushed me to get it published.  THANK YOU, Susannah!    Now we all need to push her, because I’ve read some of her stuff (and you can too!) and her finished novel is wonderful.  You will want to read it.  I guarantee it. 

In late 2009 ish, I met Casey Wyatt (the soon to be published Casey Wyatt, that is!  Congrats!) at my library’s group too.  Casey and Susannah met PJ Sharon, who introduced us to the CTRWA, where we met Katy Lee and Jamie Pope, among a bunch of other kind, encouraging and fun writers. 

Today’s secret: While joining one of the larger professional organizations like CAPA or CT RWA is great (I get tons of support, marketing help, and other opportunities that I desperately need) I have to say that taking the first step and joining the writing group at my local library has been invaluable to me.  If you aren’t ready for a big professional organization yet, maybe a small group is the write (get it?!) one for you.

Today’s question:  Did you ever have a Jo March moment?  Is being a writer what you expected it to be or is it something different?

Writing Success Doesn’t Happen in the Vacuum of Space

 I joined RWA and the CT Chapter in 2007 when I realized I needed to reach out to people who knew how to do this writing thing. I was immediately aided by published authors, budding newbies like myself, and everyone in between. I don’t think I’ve ever been involved in an organization where I’ve been so readily accepted and supported, and for that I am forever grateful.

Then I joined YARWA (Young Adult chapter of RWA) last year,  and I felt like I had found my people. I couldn’t believe there were others who sat around thinking like a teenager and re-writing history.

 Being a part of a writing community has afforded me the ability to share my work with critique partners and open forums where I’ve had tremendous help in learning every aspect of the craft. Although I’ve gone through four critique groups and probably six or eight critique partners, I’ve left each relationship on good terms and it is accepted that as our writing style changes and grows, our need for different perspectives comes naturally. I value each person I’ve worked with and hopefully they feel the same about me.

Crit partners, Susannah, Casey and Katy Lee

Another highlight of being involved in RWA is that I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to attend conferences and workshops with some of the most talented writers and best teachers around. The CT Chapter has outdone themselves by bringing in the likes of Michael Hague, Margie Lawson, and our upcoming guest, Laurie Schnebly Campbell. At each of the four Fiction Fests and National Conferences I’ve attended, I’ve had the opportunity to meet some amazing people, (including my favorite author, Diana Gabaldon). I even got to fondle, covet, and admire Kristan Higgins’ RITA statue and once shared a room with Jessica Andersen. I considered myself lucky on all counts. The best part of all of it, has been the friends I’ve made along the way. 

Also, thanks to the RWA and its tireless volunteer members, I’ve had the privilege of entering numerous writing contests. The feedback and acknowledgement I’ve received has been inspiring, interesting, and enormously helpful. Contests serve many purposes, not the least of which is that it gets you in front of agents and editors and you can use feedback to judge your own readiness for publication. Contest finals and wins also look great on your writer’s resume. What I found over time and with persistence was that, as my writing evolved, my contest scores and placement improved. It was tangible evidence that I was gaining ground. The same can be said for the dreaded query process. As painful as it was, after thirty or forty rejections, you start noticing that comments get more personal, useful and encouraging. That’s when you know that publication is around the corner. As an indie-published author, I am ineligable for entering the RITA Awards, but I can still enter the Golden Heart. Odd but true, and so I’ve entered Heaven Is For Heroes. Wish me luck!

With the shifting sands of the publishing industry, my choice to independently publish my YA novels may seem either foolish or brave, depending on your perspective. Only time will tell if I am successful without the assistance of an agent and a publisher. But I can say without a doubt that I couldn’t do it without the assistance of the RWA, my CT Chapter, and my YARWA and WANA (We Are Not Alone) peeps. Without your support, none of it would be possible. Thanks everyone! I’m proud to be among you. 

If you could meet your favorite author and ask them one question, who would it be and what would you ask?

A Place in the Sun

This week the Scribes are sharing what joining a writer’s organization means to us. Please stay with us all week to see our stories.

This year I became a writer. What makes one a writer? I don’t know. For everybody it’s different. But for me I became a writer when I decided to stop sitting on my hands and get my work out into the world.

I had no idea how to go about that. I did a little research discovered that no, I could not just send my manuscripts off to the big six and expect a book deal. (Sigh.) I also learned that a literary agent might be helpful but soon discovered that they weren’t very easy to get. So, for a long time I did nothing,afraid to send out my work for fear of rejection. I was at a loss. I took solace in reading my favorite authors and imaging that one day my book would be on a shelf near their’s.

Shortly thereafter I noticed that one of my favorite romance writer’s had the words RITA Award winner next to her name, actually many of my favs did. What the heck was a RITA? All I could think of my elementary school bus driver, who wore ice blue eye shadow and had a nasty smoker’s cough. So I googled it (Thank God for google) and discovered that a RITA is an award given out by the Romance Writers America or the RWA. An organization for writers? Sign me up! I joined, immediately forgetting about that new pair of boots I was salivating over.

I started getting their magazine (the RWR or Romance Writers Report) every month. Which I would read cover to cover, taking in all the advice my brain could hold. One month they announced the recipients of the RITA and in the contemporary section the winner was Kristan Higgins. I had never read her work before and thought the cover was cute so I ordered it, enjoyed it and put it aside. A couple of months later in the contest section of the RWR I noticed one called The Write Stuff  and after I stopped singing New Kids on the Block,(You got the right stuff, baby…) I entered. I needed feedback on my writing and knew that the winners of these contests got their work seen by an editor.I thought I would give it a shot.

Months later I got my scores back. One judge gave me really fantastic constructive criticism that got me thinking about my work in a way that I never thought possible. And when I scrolled down to see who this person was, it was none other than the fabulous, beautiful, awesome shoe wearing Kristan Higgins. I was so excited that I called my mom and told her about it.

To which she replied, “Who’s that?”

Putting aside my frustration with my mother’s lack of knowledge , I sent Kristan an email thanking her for her comments and asking her for some writerly advice. It was through her I learned of my local chapter of the RWA, an organization I never thought of joining. It was there I met fellow newbie and Scribe, J Monkeys, the mastermind of this excellent blog.

I was nervous at my first meeting. But when I walked through those doors I felt a type  kindness and support that I didn’t know was possible. I was always that kid who didn’t fit into one group. I never had a place where I felt I truly belonged but that all changed when I found them. For once I was in place where people wanted me to succeed and I wanted the same thing for them.

This is my love letter to them so to speak. So thank you to the President who loses so much of her writing time to make out chapter thriving. And thank to the Vice President who brings us the programs that make us better writers. And thank you to the author that introduced me to this group. And thank you to all the members who went out of their way to make me feel like I belonged.

So why join a writer’s organization? Knowledge. Support. Friendship. Who couldn’t use a little of that?

Your turn! Are you a apart of your local writer’s group? If not, what’s up with that? Share your thoughts, stories and comments. We love hearing from you.