The Writer's Perspective by Maria Schneider - the writing life

So long ... farewell...

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 13:06:19 GMT

Hi Writers,
I wanted to let you all know that I'm leaving my position as editor of Writer's Digest effective October 10. I'll be checking in and trying to chat more before I leave.

The reason I'm leaving is that they've appointed a new editorial director (Jane Friedman, editorial director of Writer's Digest Books) and we have very different visions for the direction of the magazine, so it seemed like a good time for me to check out.

I don't have a plan B yet, but I'll be sure to let you all know if I do figure it out.

Hey, if nothing else there's always writing, right? ;)

I've always said, I was a writer when I took this gig and I'll be a writer when I leave. It's turned out to be more than just a decent gig, though, it's been an amazing ride. Thanks to all of you for sharing the ride with me.

Keep Writing,
Maria

Announcing: The Great WD Writing Prompt Contest

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 14:29:59 GMT

Hi Writers,
One of the most fun, creative and productive writing exercises I know of is coming up with writing prompts, so I thought I'd hold a little contest here on "The Writer's Perspective" and on our forum, to come up with the best writing prompt.

So if you've come up with a good writing prompt, let's hear it. You can post it here in the comments section, or on our forum.

The only rules are keep the prompts PG-13 and fewer than 100 words.

This contest is open until end-of-day Wednesday (September 24). I'll chose my five favorite prompts and put them up on our forum for a popular vote. The winner will be announced Monday (September 29). [please note: the voting is being postponed until October 13. Brian A. Klems, our online managing editor will be choosing his favorite five prompts and posting them on our forum so please check our forum October 13.]

The winner will receive this very cool 2009 Writer's Digest Weekly Planner and be featured in an upcoming issue of Writer's Digest magazine!

Let the prompts begin!

Keep Writing,
Maria

Stephenie Meyer and the first draft

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:43:12 GMT

Hi Writers,
I've been editing a feature for an upcoming issue of Writer's Digest. It's entitled "Roughing up your First Draft." There's a quote from Ernest Hemingway in the lead:

"The First Draft of Anything is Shit"

In light of this quote, I've been thinking about Stephenie Meyer, author of the mega-selling Twilight series.

I'm not much for vampire stories myself, but I know a lot about Meyer and the Twilight series, due to being an industry observer, not to mention the mother of a teenage girl (Olivia who you may know as a frequent commenter on this blog). ;)

Meyer—who in just a few years has achieved rock star status among teenage girls—has been writing what is probably the bestselling YA series since Harry Potter. She's selling lots and lots of books, not to mention movie options.

So you may have heard that this week, Meyer announced on her blog that she won't be releasing her most recent book because the first draft was somehow leaked out to the Internet. Of course, you can guess what happened from there, it's everywhere. Meyer is so distressed over the situation that she's now refusing to release the book.

Wow, it's difficult for any writer to imagine what they might do in that same situation. How about you, what would you do if your first draft was released on the Internet without your permission? Let's hear it, drop me a comment or you can discuss on our forum.

Keep Writing,
Maria

5 Nifty Google Writing Tools

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 19:32:39 GMT

Hi, writers,

Maria is likely sipping exotic neon cocktails and hanging out with top writers as the Maui Writers Conference wraps up in Hawaii, so this week I’m taking over The Writer’s Perspective and the WD fort in Cincinnati, wearing an old lei from a luau-themed office party.

I originally planned to blog about nationwide newspaper cuts (our local Cincinnati Enquirer mentioned today that 15 newsroom staffers have accepted buyouts), but I’m working on some great material for the January/February issue, so let’s go with a less grim topic—let’s go with some of my overly abused Google writing tools.

Here are five free, simple, nifty writing tricks I picked up as a reporter that can be surprisingly handy when editing or writing.

•   Google Phonebook: Looking to hunt down the phone number of that mysterious source before deadline? Go to Google.com and type “phonebook: John Smith Nevada.” Now you have all the John Smiths in Nevada, and you didn’t need to root through any hulking yellow tomes.

•   iGoogle: My over-checked guilty pleasure. At iGoogle.com, you can set up a custom web page, and you can even tailor it to your own writing and reading ends with a database of free widgets. For instance, mine has both of my e-mail addresses plugged into it, seven news feeds, a word of the day, an artist of the day, a dictionary form, a thesaurus form, a daily literary quote and a strange “Writer’s Idea Bank” tool. Overkill? Probably. Perfect for compulsive e-mail-checking writers? Definitely. (Requires free Google account.)

•   Google Docs: This is a relatively new one in my lineup, but one that I’m increasingly using. At docs.google.com you can find the tech behemoth’s free online word processor, which allows you to write, edit, save and even format your material as you would in a normal program. Upside: You can access your writing anywhere without a flash drive. Downside: No internet connection? Ut-oh. (Requires free Google account.)

•   Google Calculator: I didn’t get into writing because I was good at math, so it’s a good thing search engines are. Simply type “456*993” into the browser and you’re a whiz. If you still remember what square roots are, you can do those, too.

•   Define: The crown jewel, crucial for helping your writing (or settling arguments) when you don’t have a dictionary or Internet connection handy. Text message Google with your cell phone (466453) and write “Define: Athabascan.” Soon enough, your mobile phone is telling you all about Alaska and Western Canada. Texting Google also works for movie times, weather and directions.

For more, visit google.com/help/features.html. What are your favorite writing gadgets and widgets?

Read on and write on,

Zac

--

Zachary Petit
WD Managing Editor

Alegra Clarke's latest entry

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 14:10:24 GMT

Hi Writers,
Writer's Digest 2007 Annual Competition winner Alegra Clarke has been updating us on her progress to get her novel published. Here are photos of our trip to New York. And here is her last post about her trip to New York to meet with agents.

Alegra's latest entry:

Before I went to NYC the inevitable question, 'So, what do you write?' resulted in one of my best 'Wow! Great day we are having!' smiles and an under-the-breath answer of, 'Oh, you know, I mostly like to write words, I aim for complete sentences, and I really like paragraphs…'

I had not found the genre for the novel and its absence made me feel unsettled, as if any moment my writer status was going to be revoked. During this time my husband tried to reassure me by saying, 'just the fact that you think like this is proof that you are hardwired to be a writer.' I think he was insinuating something about me having 'a tendency towards anxiety' or an 'overactive imagination.' But it wasn't either of these things (really it wasn't!), it was because I understood what having a genre or a solid 'elevator pitch' meant. It meant I had a solid grip on the story.

I have spent the last two months since the NYC trip plotting, testing my plot, researching, plotting again, sending my ideas to Joel Gotler, whose patience and generosity with me is enormous, until finally I could feel it and see it; the plot, the story I wanted to tell. With this came the knowledge of genre. I can now confidently say, 'I am writing a psychological thriller.' And believe me, for the last few weeks I have rolled the words around with obnoxious glee, harassing my friends with, 'Ask me what I write…go on, I dare you!'

It has been a wild journey and I think it is only about to get wilder. In fact, I am depending on it. The original novel I wrote I can now see as a passionate and sincere effort at beating around the bush. That manuscript has become a fertile pile of compost for growing short stories. It might even be gestating a novel or two. But it isn't the novel I am now writing. What I have now is the storyline the other draft was circling around. The learning process has been so accelerated that at times it is unnerving. I look back at something I wrote even five months ago and think, 'How could I have not missed that fatal flaw? Why did I not get something so simple and obvious?' All I can do is reassure myself that this is proof that I am improving and keep on with keeping on.

I am now in the last few months of research and plotting before I dive into the actual writing. I am doing things very differently this time by plotting in advance. I have always admired writers who can sit down with an idea or a question and pour out a novel in one draft, revise it and then be done. I am not that kind of writer - at least not at this stage. And if I had a penny for every edit I did I would be one wealthy woman.

I personally don’t believe a dark story can be told halfway, it is a world that must be entered into completely. I have been organizing things in preparation for diving into the writing of this novel as opposed to my first attempt that was often written with one or both of my children hanging off of me like a jungle gym or engaging me in a chorus line of “No! Don’t touch that electrical socket! No! Don’t put your sister in the toilet!”

The last few months since NYC have felt like preparing for an extended journey. I was recently stunned by watching Heath Ledger in the Dark Knight because of how he intensely embodied some of the qualities of 'evil' I am hoping to explore in writing. I have always been fascinated by what it takes for an actor to take on a disturbing role and now I am about to embark on finding out what it will take for me as a writer. I think the most obvious answer is, “Lots of chocolate and coffee.” But I might be oversimplifying things.

Alegra will be updating us on her quest to get her novel published so stay tuned for more.

Keep Writing,
Maria

Writers are Readers

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 14:42:18 GMT

Hi Writers,
Publishers Weekly published an essay last week "Two-Way-Street" by Charlotte Cook.

Cook, an independent publisher of her own book line, Komenar Publishing, was the subject of a short profile in Writer's Digest last year. She writes that she was deluged with queries, phone calls and submissions after that article came out. It seems like attention would be a good thing for a small publishing house.

But here's the rub: Cook writes that even with all of the attention Komenar received for that article in WD, they've seen little impact in the way of sales.

I suppose the implication here is that writers aren't supporting the industry that they're asking to support them. This makes me sad on a number of levels, but especially because I don't believe it's an accurate assumption to draw from one publisher's experience.

I think, if anything, writers are the heaviest readers and the heartiest supporters of the book industry.

So, in the spirit of solidarity with your fellow writers, I'd love to hear your comments on what you're doing to support the struggling book industry.

"A writer is a reader moved to emulation."
-Saul Bellow

Keep Writing,
Maria

Writer's Digest TV: Lee Child

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 17:49:31 GMT

Hi Writers,
Another video today--I know, I spoil you.

Today's video is an interview with Lee Child, author of the spectacular Jack Reacher series. Here Lee talks about why he switches between first and third person point-of-view in his novels.

Keep Writing,
Maria

Writer's Digest TV: M.J. Rose

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 14:22:31 GMT

Hi Writers,
It's another visual aid bonus day here on the Writer's Perspective!

Here's a short video interview with bestselling author and Writer's Digest marketing columnist M.J. Rose, who knows more about marketing books than anyone I've ever met. She's a true industry dynamo and visionary. Check her out here.

Keep Writing,
Maria

Free Books for Funny People

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 14:43:48 GMT

Hi Writers,
I wanted to let you all know that TOW Books, a humor book imprint here at F+W Media is offering free digital downloads of their books, including that of my favorite humorist, Jason Roeder who writes the Roeder Report for Writer's Digest.

If you're not familiar with Jason, here's one of his recent columns:

The Roeder Report: Just Trying to Be Nice

by Jason Roeder

“Your story puts my navel-
gazing claptrap into reassuring perspective.”

“I’ve never considered literacy a mixed blessing until now.”

“Did you outsource this story to the dumbest squirrel you could find?”

A few years ago, I shared a short story with my writing group. It was a speculative work that dared to ask, “What if the circus took over the world?” The comments above were the three most encouraging I received from my cohorts. Of the two remaining members of my group, one handed me back my heavily wept-upon manuscript without a word, while the other simply dropped out of society.

But it wasn’t the criticism that bothered me; it was the brutality of it, the absolute absence of tact or empathy. It didn’t have to be like that. If my group had followed the suggestions below, I might not have lost confidence in my story. Instead, it just gathers dust at the bottom of a drawer—in the issue of The New Yorker that published it with no changes whatsoever.

1. SAY SOMETHING POSITIVE.
You can usually come up with at least one morsel of genuine praise: “I love your use of sensory details,” “This story hardly triggered my gag reflex at all” or “Outstanding work. You should definitely consider submitting it to a journal with no stated plagiarism policy.” A small dose of encouragement demonstrates that you’ve been evenhanded, and when you get around to making more critical comments—or feeding the pages of the manuscript into the fireplace, shrieking, “Back! Back to the hell from which you came!”—you already will have put them into a more balanced context.

2. PLEAD IGNORANCE.
Sometimes it helps to qualify a critical remark by emphasizing your unfitness in making it. For example, when you’re handed an atrocious J.R.R. Tolkien knock-off, you can say, “I’m not sure why you devoted the entire 23 pages to having the elf king carefully review the prospectus for his new Vanguard mutual fund, but I don’t read much fantasy.” Or, when presented with an awful horror story: “While I personally might not find 5,000 words about bubble baths particularly frightening, I’m probably missing something that regular horror readers would pick up right away.”

3. GIVE THE WRITER A KITTEN.
Sometimes, there’s no rhetorical maneuver to bail you out. Sometimes you read something that makes you wish you could take the English language in your arms and reassure it that the bad man with the 900-word sentences isn’t going to hurt it anymore. If there’s no way to soft-pedal your comments, you might as well do something nice to compensate. If no kitten is available, consider giving the writer—along with the feedback you’ll never be forgiven for—a day of beauty at a spa or some gourmet preserves. And then run like hell.

You can get free digital downloads of many books in the TOW Books line here.
Keep Writing,
Maria

Writer's Digest TV: Interview with David Baldacci

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 17:55:24 GMT

Hi Writers,
If there's one thing I've learned from spending time with all the thriller writers at ThrillerFest 08, it's that the adage, "write what you know" holds little merit.

Here's another short Q&A I did with David Baldacci, in which he discusses the merits of writing what you don't know.

Keep Writing,

Maria

Writer's Digest TV: Sandra Brown

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 18:22:17 GMT

Hi Writers,
Remember back last month when I was at ThrillerFest, the great writing conference/party thrown by the International Thriller Writers? Well, I got the chance to do some video interviews with a few thriller luminaries, including the amazing Sandra Brown.

So here's a a short (around 4 minutes) Q&A I did with Sandra, in which I ask the brilliant question: So how do you get to be Thriller Master anyway, do you have to kill someone!
(I don't think Diane Sawyer has anything to worry about).

Keep Writing,
Maria

More on simultaneous submissions to agents

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:09:19 GMT

Hi Writers,
Since there were so many comments and questions about the Brad Thor post on simultaneous submissions to agents, I asked my favorite agent expert, Chuck Sambuchino, of the Guide to Literary Agents to give us his take on the issue. Here's Chuck:

First of all, I have to disagree with Brad's comment that agents hate simultaneous submissions. They are the norm, and most agents accept that they are not the only one receiving a specific query. So all of these comments here with people saying "I agree with Brad" are right!

Indeed, don't put your eggs in one basket. It's silly. But just as bad as putting your eggs in one basket is querying TOO MANY agents - such as 100. You're showing you haven't done any research. You should have about 5 "ideal" agents and maybe 25 total "possibilities" after doing some research and reading. Send queries out in waves. Query your top five. If none say yes, try the next five, and so on. The more vigorous research you do, the fewer possible agents you will have on your list, but the payoff is that you will be able to impress those agents you DO query by showing WHY you picked them out of the bunch. That goes a long way.

Next, know that "multiple submissions" and "simultaneous submissions" arenot the same thing. The former is when you send several works (or queries) to the same agent at the same time. Perhaps a script manager wanted to seeall the screenplays you had in your arsenal, for example. The latter is what we're talking about here - querying multiple agents at once.

All that said, yes - do know that some agents request an "exclusive" look at your work, but these are rarer than you may think. It's up to you as to whether you want to agree. You're getting a close read of your work, but your hands are tied, so to speak. Requesting an exclusive is much more common when an agent requests a full manuscript than just when we're talkingabout queries. So you should be OK sending out plenty of queries, but then you'll run into exclusive requests when they want to see a partial or the full work.

Good luck.

Chuck Sambuchino
Editor, Guide to Literary Agents
guidetoliteraryagents.com/blog

Keep Writing,
Maria

Announcing: WD Live author interviews

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 20:53:29 GMT

Hi Writers,
Writer's Digest is pleased to announce the debut of WD Live, a series of free live video interviews with top-name authors from ThrillerFest 2008.

Just to give you a taste of what's to come, here's an entertaining segment with authors Steve Berry, Brad Thor and James Rollins, discussing how they quietly began writing each others characters into their respective books.

We'll be rolling out more in the next few weeks, so stay tuned! And, as always, I'd love your feedback.

Keep Writing,
Maria

Brad Thor on simultaneous submissions

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 21:02:10 GMT

Hi Writers,
I'm in the middle of transcribing a lengthy Q&A with Brad Thor (The Last Patriot) for the December issue of Writer's Digest and I thought what he had to say about literary agents was quite interesting for going against the grain of traditional publishing wisdom (this is unedited, direct from a transcript):

I know agents hate hearing this, but the single agent submission process is so un-businesslike, and this stuff about well you should only pitch one agent at a time and wait to hear back—that’s BS. I really don’t believe in that. I tell people, put together the strongest best package you can. Why should you wait months to hear back from an agent only to be told no, and then you have to wait a few more months. It’s ridiculous. I had agents lose my submissions, take forever to get to it and I thought, you know what, this is ridiculous. I’m not doing this just because this is the rules that they’ve set up for themselves. I thought, they’re not going to know if I’m submitting to multiple places. And what happens with agents when they’re submitting you’re book? They try to start a bidding war! They’re not going to wait onesie, twosie, at every publishing house to see what they think. Authors should do multiple submissions to agents. I mean, that’s the way the business world works and whether or not the industry likes it or not, they can’t stop you from submitting to multiple agents and you know what? If an agent misses out on you because they took too long with your query letter, tough luck for them. It will be a smart, savvy agent who recognizes your talent, who snaps you up. And I really believe that.

So, what do you think about multiple submissions to agents?

Keep Writing,
Maria

From fired to inspired?

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:57:45 GMT

Hi Writers,
I've been attending a lot of writing conferences recently and in listening to keynote speeches I've noticed an odd correlation in the first-published stories of many writers.

Just off the top of my head, I can name three bestselling authors who cite being fired as the impetus to write and sell their first book.

• Lee Child lost his job with the BBC and soon after wrote and sold his first Jack Reacher novel.

• Sandra Brown wrote her first novel after being fired from her TV reporter position.

• Laurell K. Hamilton was downsized from her job with IBM when she decided to give the writing thing a real crack.

Anyway, don't go off and tell your boss off, this is merely an unscientific observation, but I have started to wonder if "fired" leads to "inspired." What do you think?

Keep Writing,
Maria

Mary Feuer's New York trip to meet agents

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 18:12:18 GMT

Hi Writers,
Remember last month when I was blogging about my trip to New York to accompany our annual contest winners to meet literary agents? I asked our winners to sum up the experience for me, and here's Mary Feuer's experience in her own words:

It's hard to believe it's been an entire month since we were in New York. Time has been more than flying over here on the Left Coast--I think it's passing the speed of light. I apologize for not writing my promised blog sooner, but I have an excuse: I've been busy shooting my original web series, "With the Angels," for Strike.TV.

Anyway, it's never too late to share observations with the blogosphere, where words seem to live forever, so here are mine.

Let me say up front that I think tag-team pitching should be the standard. Having Alegra (and of course Maria) there, being able to bounce off of someone after getting out of a particularly interesting or challenging pitch, made the whole thing not only less stressful but - dare I say it? fun. The chats we had in cabs or walking down sidewalks in between meetings about each others work were probably the best, most enlightening moments of the trip for me: I felt, by the end of two days, that Alegra, Maria, and I had become collaborators, a de facto writing group strolling the streets of New York. It was a nice feeling.

What impressed me most over the course of our two days of meetings was the way in which both Alegra's and my pitches subtly and not-so-subtly changed with feedback and discussion. I could almost feel that lightbulb go off over my head, and see it go off over Alegra's, when a challenging or insightful question was asked. I know I reconsidered the story I was planning to tell more than once, each time getting a deeper understanding of what's important about it to me.

Ultimately, though, our agent meetings reinforced and illustrated one of the most fundamental truths of what we do: writing, and all creative pursuits, are so completely, totally subjective, even on the business end. One agent would tell us to forget the idea of "literary fiction"--would just reject that moniker wholesale--and then the next would tell with absolute certainty that literary fiction was all the rage. One would respond to the more plot-driven aspects of a story, and the next would be nudging us toward a character study. The lesson, for me, was: Write what excites YOU. Chances are it will excite someone else--you'll just have to find the right someone else. And if it doesn't, that's what rewriting is for!

The New York trip made me thirsty for the kind of immersion, the kind of without-a-net high fiction gives me. It made me want to wish plunge right into my novel, but unfortunately, more immediate concerns have already pushed it to the sidelines of my mind.

Still, coming back to Los Angeles, back to my life, I realize how lucky I am that I make my living writing. it's not always the most satisfying stuff, or the deepest, or the closest to my heart, but still.. I get paid to put words in a certain order, an order that makes them mine no matter who's signing the check. That's an incredible gift. Thanks to Writer's Digest for letting me live out one more part of that fairy tale life, even if only for a few days.

I'll keep you posted on Mary and Alegra's progress in getting their novels published!
Keep Writing,
Maria

The L-Word

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 17:21:37 GMT

Hi Writers,
To follow up on my previous post, I wanted to comment further on the term "literary" as in a "literary novel."

First, I want to say that I love smart, character-driven literary novels. They are what I gravitate to for my own leisure reading.

So please don't get too angry with me when I share that labeling your book "literary" will, in the minds of many agents, brand your book as being dark, depressing, boring, overly intellectual, mid-list, unsalable, (insert your own adjective for not-money-making here), etc.

When our annual competitions winners (see below) called their novel manuscripts "literary" you could almost see the agents' eyes roll up to the ceiling. As Peter Rubie put it: "When you call your novel "literary" you put yourself on a really difficult level—up against Annie Proulx, Philip Roth and the like."

But what did get the agents revved-up were terms mentioned in my post below, for example "crossover novel" (catchword meaning: a character-driven novel that might actually sell to a mass audience), or book club novel (catchword meaning: somewhat intellectual, culturally relevant, might actually sell to a mass audience if it catches on with the book club set). Much of this is industry jargon, but it's certainly worth knowing if you're trying to pitch a novel.

Feel free to share your thoughts on this but please don't shoot the messenger, I've got a busy schedule this month.

Keep Writing,
Maria

Random stuff overheard from New York literary agents

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 20:51:38 GMT

Hi Writers,
Sorry for the lame headline. I’m putting the October issue of Writer’s Digest to bed and my clever headline writing capacity is shot.

But I wanted to share some of the notes I kept during my recent trip to New York to accompany our annual competitions winners to meet agents (see posts below).

Many thanks to the agents who guided us including:
• Annelise Robey
• Mollie Glick
• Peter Rubie
• Stephany Evans
• Jennie Dunham
• Michelle Brower
• Donald Maass

So here, in no particular order of importance is random stuff overheard from New York agents:

• The term “book club novel” is hot; consider using in lieu of “literary” fiction; “crossover appeal” is another good catchphrase.

• Make sure your synopsis is concise; stick to the main plotline and characters.

• Know what the core conflict/ turning point of your story is.

• Practice your “elevator pitch.” Be able to verbally sum up your novel in less than two minutes.

• It takes a long time and a lot of effort to find the right agent because you want to find an agent who shares your vision for your writing career. This is one of the most important relationships of your life.

• Many newer/ younger agents are coming into the field with strong editing background and expect to do a lot of editing.

• Never mass e-mail agents; take the time to get to know the other authors they represent and if you’re a good fit.

• Get some publishing credits however you can before you pitch a novel, this sends a signal to everyone that you are a publishable writer.

For everything else you always wanted to know about literary agents but were afraid to ask, go seek the keeper of literary agent wisdom Chuck Sambuchino, editor of Guide to Literary Agents.

Keep Writing,
Maria

Let me know if you have any questions, comments or clarifications and I will attempt to once again decipher my own handwriting.

Alegra Clarke on her New York trip to meet agents

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 14:06:23 GMT

Hi Writers,
I asked our annual competition winner, Alegra Clarke (see posts below) for some decompression notes from her New York trip to meet agents and she sent me this lovely little essay. She's promised to send me updates on her progress in selling her novel and I'll post future updates here.

Here's Alegra:
My husband and I arrived back onto New Zealand soil yesterday morning. After 30 hours of travel, lost luggage, four plane flights that were delayed so that we almost didn't make it home to New Zealand, I now find myself sitting at my desk feeling as though I left some part of myself on the other side of the planet. This morning I took down the calendar that has been up in the kitchen, marking down the days from when I first recieved the 'Congratulations!' from Brian Klems to the date for the NYC trip. So much has happened in this last year, and as I took down the old calendar and put up the new one, really all I could do was smile. For a person usually overflowing with commentary, I have found myself unusually challenged in trying to sum up this experience.

What has struck me most about this nearly year's worth of effort and dreaming, alternating moods of self-doubt, gratitude and inspiration, is that while it was a life altering experience to finally recieve that 'break', to feel as though my dream had come striding up to me, tapped me on the shoulder and shook my hand, telling me to 'Go for it! Write!', it is what I have gained in the experience of the generosity of others in supporting this dream that has made the process so full of magic. Starting with a close group of friends, including my dear friend Kemari who was cheering me on as I submitted Salamander Prayer to the competition last year, I began to understand the intimate process of writing, not only in the usual idea of a writer pouring herself onto the page, but that a piece of writing, whatever form, gets into print through a process of relationships. It is not just the writer who is invested in the work, it is a collective effort of people who fall in love and face similiar risks as the writer does. It gave me humility and courage to understand this - the risk of heartbreak is not a solitary one and the writing itself really does take on a life of its own.

This time has reminded me again and again of the saying that providence moves when commitment is present. In the last year I have found myself in experiences I could have never imagined for myself, and they all arose out of the generosity of other people, the apex of this being the moment I found myself sitting in Joel Gotler's office, having him share his wealth of experience and insight with me. I walked away from that meeting so full of gratitude that I repeatedly said to my family and friends (and when I say 'repeatedly' I mean for at least six weeks after the meeting), 'Look from here on out, I can only do my best, I have been so blessed already.'

The meeting with the agents in NYC brought this theme to completion for me - not only did I receive invaluable insights into the realities of the publishing business, but I was also honored with being able to meet these six talented, passionate, fascinating people, who were willing to sit down and share with us, not just as agents but as people who are passionate about what they do. I was impressed by the way that they each listened, communicated with honesty, and responded with enthusiasm. It was a thrill to watch them speak about books that had done well, stories they had risked believing in, writers that they were deeply committed to, the time they put into making sure a book has the greatest chance of being met with success in the world - listening to each agent's opinion and experience, I realized that an agent is not a gatekeeper, but a companion willing to invest, risk and believe in what we as writers have created. The NYC trip has inspired me to continue to do my best to write authentically, to listen to the advice of those further along on the path and to take strength in knowing that the path ahead is not a solitary one. No matter what the final outcome, I am in fine company every step along the way.

Keep Writing,
Maria

I'm in New York!

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 14:06:17 GMT

Hi Writers,
I’m reporting live from New York City, where I’m accompanying our annual competitions winners Alegra Clarke and Mary Feuer.

So Alegra and Mary and me are making the rounds to meet literary agents. This is part of their prize for winning our annual competition for the past two years. I was so happy to meet these two great ladies, really I couldn’t imagine this happening to two nicer, more deserving, talented writers.

Even though she won the contest in 2006, Mary has been tied up as a screenwriter on location in Hawaii for the TV series “Dante’s Cove.” Mary’s working on a novel length work stemming from the great “House on Fire” she won our competition with two years ago.

Alegra, who won our competition in the memoir category for her “Salamander Prayer” has completed a novel since she found out she won our competition less than a year ago, and she’s already working with a L.A. based screenplay agent Joel Gotler on the screen rights.

We have two days of meetings with literary agents lined up. Yesterday we met with Annelise Robey of the Jane Rotrosen Agency and Mollie Glick of the Jean V. Naggar Agency.

Both Annelise and Mollie were so enthusiastic and positive about the prospect of finding new talent, the meetings were really delightful; I got quite a charge from it.

A lot came out of these meetings and I learned quite a lot about the current state of the market. I don’t have time for a full report but here’s a bit of what each had to say.

Annelise Robey says literary fiction is selling, especially if it’s accessible, not overly intellectual and has crossover appeal.

Mollie Glick had each writer give her “elevator pitch.” She told Mary if you have a choice between writing the book as a series of linked short stories and a novel, definitely go with the novel as short story collections, even linked short stories, are incredibly difficult to sell.

We have four more meetings lined up today so I have to run, but I’ll report back tomorrow, with visual aids!

Keep Writing,
Maria

Miranda Rights for Writers

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 15:00:53 GMT

Hi Writers,

I guess you all know by now how much entertainment I get from our writing forum.

Anyway, we were having a discussion yesterday about how being a writer affects our close personal relationships. This was contributed by Cindy Adams (aka "Gookblink") and I'm posting here with her permission. Enjoy.

MIRANDA RIGHTS FOR WRITERS

Warning: what you say can and will be used.

1. You have the right to remain silent and refuse to answer questions. Do you understand that I will make stuff up, with or without your input?

2. Anything you do say may be used in my next project. Do you understand that my opinion of you will affect how others perceive you?

3. You have the right to consult an attorney...now or in the future. Do you understand that if you seek legal action you will be, in effect, admitting you are guilty of the actions and/or behavior of said character?

4. If you cannot afford an attorney, tough. Do you understand I'm counting on it?

5. If you decide to answer questions, or otherwise continue our relationship, you will still have the right to stop answering at any time. Do you understand I will still make stuff up?

6. Knowing and understanding your rights as I have explained them to you, are you still willing to be my friend?

Keep Writing,
Maria

Brian A. Klems went to L.A. and all I got was this dumb video

Thu, 29 May 2008 17:12:02 GMT

Hi Writers,
I sent our online managing editor (you know him, you love him) Brian A. Klems out to L.A. to cover BEA (Book Expo America) and the Writer's Digest Books/BEA Writers Conference (which happened yesterday). I'm sure you'll agree this was pretty nice of me to send Brian to L.A. while I sit in my cube in Cincinnati holding down the Writer's Digest fort.

All I've gotten out of Brian so far is a link to this (admittedly hilarious, delightfully short) You Tube video, "Book Launch 2.0." Check it out. And let's hope that Brian at least brings us back T-shirts.

Keep Writing,
Maria

Ira Glass on Storytelling

Thu, 22 May 2008 13:10:21 GMT

Hi Writers,
I want to share this wonderful, instructional video I came across: Ira Glass on the art of storytelling. I'm a huge NPR "This American Life" fan and I also recommend "This American Life" on Showtime, which I suppose you might call short video stories of real people.

The following video was produced to educate aspiring video producers (via Current TV). Glass gives such a great description of the storytelling process, demystifying it and breaking it down into understandable pieces. Good to know whether you're communicating through writing, video, radio or podcasts—good storytelling is good storytelling.

The series is broken down into four parts and I'm posting #1 here. You can watch all four parts in less than 15 minutes. Parts 2-4 will show up in the Related Videos on the You Tube page.

Let me know what you think...

Keep Writing,
Maria

Writing through Recession

Tue, 20 May 2008 14:57:15 GMT

Hi Writers,
Well, I have to admit to feeling more than the usual post-Catholic-childhood guilt lately. Not only is there a global economic recession and I'm actually employed in a volatile industry; The Ultimate Cheapskate (below) yelled at me for my fondness for expensive, frothy espresso drinks.

You could argue that there's never really been a positive economic forecast for those of us in the writing professions and perhaps the rest of the world is feeling just a taste of our everyday financial challenges.

I was wondering specifically how the recession is affecting writers, and I want to hear from you. Are you getting fewer bites on your queries? Spending less time at your favorite writing cafe because you're financially embarrassed? Going to fewer writing conferences? Get it out, it's good to share.

As for me, I'm thinking about switching back to plain old drip coffee just to make The Ultimate Cheapskate happy.

Keep Writing,
Maria

Maria Gets Cheap

Fri, 16 May 2008 18:00:03 GMT

Hi Writers,
I met up with one of my favorite WD forumistas this morning at the Joseph-Beth bookstore here in Cincy—the one and only "Ultimate Cheapskate" (aka Jeff Yeager).

Jeff has been pedaling his bike around the country on a book tour to spread his gospel of cheapness. You can read all about Jeff and his amusingly cheap ways on The Ultimate Cheapskate website. You might also catch one of his regular guest appearances on the "Today" show.

Among the ways Jeff is making his booktour extra cheap is by sleeping on the couches of random strangers and he donates the money saved on lodging to local libraries. Not sure I'd recommend this strategy but it seems to be working for him.

Pictured here:
* Jeff handing me the check for our coffee, which I kept, um, forgetting to pay. "You know, you actually have to pay those things when they bring them to you. It's not like a hymnal," Jeff said.

* The Ultimate Cheapskate touring bike (which I think might just be a prop since I saw him load it into the back of his minivan, shhh!) There's a plastic piggy bank strapped to the back that I got to sign.

* Jeff with his ultra-primo display space at Joseph-Beth Bookstore.

As Jeff says, "Stay Cheap!" It's a good way for a writer to live, isn't it now.

Keep Writing,
Maria

Procrastination vs. Writer's Block

Thu, 15 May 2008 13:12:15 GMT

Hi Writers,
There's a great piece in Slate "It's All in My Head" by Jessica Winter, that attempts to make a distinction between procrastination and writer's block focusing on the work—and lack thereof—of famous writers of the past such as Truman Capote.

Here's an excerpt:
Neurologist Alice Flaherty attempts a working distinction between procrastination and block—the fearsome Orthrus of the creative process—in her 2004 book The Midnight Disease: The Drive To Write, Writer's Block, and the Creative Brain: "A blocked writer has the discipline to stay at the desk but cannot write. A procrastinator, on the other hand, cannot bring himself to sit down at the desk; yet if something forces him to sit down he may write quite fluently." But don't these two scenarios amount to different performances of the same role? Every seasoned procrastinator loves to tell himself that, amid his flurry of avoidance strategies—rearranging the furniture in his office, pitching himself into a YouTube rabbit hole, surrendering to a fit of self-Googling—his brain is secretly marinating ideas and hatching plans. (As the underground narrator of Invisible Man puts it, "A hibernation is a covert preparation for a more overt action.") Surely this percolation process is also happening inside the "blocked" writer, even if he's motionless in his swivel chair?

My goodness, think of the trouble Capote et al. would have had if they had the Internet!

Keep Writing,
Maria

Hey, Graphomaniacs!

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 18:43:05 GMT

Hi Writers,
I know I said Friday was going to be the official rant day here on The Writer’s Perspective, but you never can predict when a good rant is going to come on.

I read an essay in the New York Times Sunday Book Review: "You’re an Author? Me Too!" that really gets to the heart of what we do here at Writer’s Digest. The piece was written by NYT Book Review editor Rachel Donadio.

Here’s an excerpt:
In 2007, a whopping 400,000 books were published or distributed in the United States, up from 300,000 in 2006, according to the industry tracker Bowker, which attributed the sharp rise to the number of print-on-demand books and reprints of out-of-print titles. University writing programs are thriving, while writers’ conferences abound, offering aspiring authors a chance to network and “workshop” their work. The blog tracker Technorati estimates that 175,000 new blogs are created worldwide each day (with a lucky few bloggers getting book deals). And the same N.E.A. study found that 7 percent of adults polled, or 15 million people, did creative writing, mostly “for personal fulfillment.”

In short, everyone has a story — and everyone wants to tell it. Fewer people may be reading, but everywhere you turn, Americans are sounding their barbaric yawps over the roofs of the world, as good old Walt Whitman, himself a self-published author, once put it.

“As publishing has become less expensive, the urge to write my own self has become the opportunity to publish my own self,” said Gabriel Zaid, a Mexican critic and the author of “So Many Books: Reading and Publishing in an Age of Abundance,” a meditation on literary life in an over-booked world. Today, he added, “Everyone now can afford to preach in the desert.”

The gist of the piece I agree with. With all of the outlets now available to writers: POD, blogs, etc. it’s easier than ever for writers to get published, since the gatekeepers are taken out of the equation. And it’s true that the number of published books is increasing substantially (mostly due to POD), while the reading public, or at least the book-buying readers, is on a downward decline. I can’t disagree with any of this.

What bugs me, though is the between-the-lines implication that perhaps writers shouldn’t be getting their writing out there any way they see fit.

Think about this in comparison to the other arts.

For example, have you ever heard anyone say something like this: “There are just too many street musicians. They really shouldn’t be playing music in public if they’re not with a record label.”

Or this: “Who is buying all of the art at those neighborhood art festivals? Why do these artists even bother—nobody is going to enjoy or buy their paintings!”

Why is writing held to a different standard than the other arts? How does a writer know if he’s good or not without getting his work out there any way he can?

Power to the people!
That’s my rant. Please feel free to add yours here, too.

Keep Writing,
Maria

Speaking of Fonts

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 15:32:30 GMT

Hi Writers,
As I mentioned in the previous posts, I'm switching fonts for my blog posts—a minor face lift you might say.

Fonts seem like a trite thing for writers to concern themselves with. But in the visually oriented magazine world, I've observed first-hand that how you present your work really can make a difference in terms of your reader's experience with your writing.

I discovered early in my writing/editing career a cool trick. Whenever I was working closely with an editor (as a writer or a lower-level editor), I'd make a point of learning that editor's preferred editing font. Usually it was a sans serif font, Arial or Verdana, 12 point, double-spaced. I worked under some tough editors who were quick with the red pen and I soon learned to give them exactly—or as close as I could get—what they wanted. And part of my method was delivering the manuscript to them in their preferred editing font.

This probably seems like a trivial matter in the big world of writing and publshing, but it really can help. I think it all comes down to respecting your reader.

Keep Writing,
Maria

Reaching Your Audience

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 18:24:55 GMT

Hi Writers,
A lot of writing books come across my desk and I try to give most of them at least a quick read before stacking them on my bookshelves.

So I thought, instead of just hoarding these books, I'd share a tiny bit here. I'm not going to be doing book reviews, just pulling out some interesting excerpts that I think hold some writerly wisdom.

Here's an excerpt from Standing at Water's Edge: Moving Past Fear, Blocks and Pitfalls to Discover the Power of Creative Immersion by Anne Paris, PhD, on finding a rapport with your audience.

How do you fantasize about your audience? Are they hostile and critical? Appreciative and giving? Are they willing to follow you in your expression?

Make a reality check about the nature of your assumptions. Are these assumptions based on your past experience with an audience? Or are they based on your previous experience in personal relationships?

For effective communication of your artistic message, your audience must be considered. View the audience as a potential new relationship. Your goal is to engage the audience in a two-way experience. Listen to them and reach out to them to invite them into your artistic space. Attempt to share your immersive experience with them rather than presenting it to them. This may involve considerable feelings of vulnerability, especially if you have negative assumptions about the audience’s willingness to engage with you. Finding trust with an audience and becoming skillful at eliciting a relationship with them is perhaps one of your biggest challenges.

Keep Writing,
Maria
p.s. I'm considering a font change. What do you think about this one? Verdana: Ya! or No way!

National Editor's Day

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:10:49 GMT

Hi Writers,

Is there such a thing as National Editor's Day?

Well, there should be. Maybe I'll send that one in to Chase's Calendar of Events, where I was most recently the primary contact for National Word Nerd Day—January 8 (this is the sort of thing that happens when editors get bored).

If you love—or hate—an editor, please read this amusing, satiric piece by Michael Kinsley, courtesy of Time Magazine:

Writers vs. Editors: A Battle for the Ages

Here's an excerpt:
Like the detectives and the prosecutors on "Law & Order," two very different groups of people are responsible for the words that fill the world's magazines and newspapers. There are the writers, who produce the prose, and the editors, who do their best to wreck it.

Writers are sensitive souls--generally intelligent and hardworking but easily bruised. Treat them right, though, and you will be rewarded. Writers shape words into luminous sentences and the sentences into exquisitely crafted paragraphs. They weave the paragraphs together into a near perfect article, essay or review. Then their writing--their baby--is ripped untimely from their computers (well, maybe only a couple of weeks overdue) and turned over to editors. These are idiots, most of them, and brutes, with tin ears, the aesthetic sensitivity of insects, deeply held erroneous beliefs about your topic and a maddening conviction that any article, no matter how eloquent or profound or already cut to the bone, can be improved by losing an additional 100 words.

Of course, all it takes is a few hours surfing the Internet to make you appreciate the value of a well-edited book, magazine or newspaper.

Please feel free to leave all of your fawning remarks about editors here. You can use all of the exclamation marks you want—I know it's hard to contain your praise. When you're finished commenting, let me know what day you'd like me to submit to Chase for National Editor's Day—and no, Leap Year is not an option.

Keep Writing,
Maria

Friday Rant Day: Googleganger Woes

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 16:52:30 GMT

Hi Writers,
I'm officially declaring Friday Rant Day here on "The Writer's Perspective." Got a rant? Come here on Fridays to share a tizzy fit with me.

To start things off, I came across an article about Googlegangers recently. Names that Match Forge a Bond on the Internet and it brought up some of my own unresolved Googleganger issues.

Here's an excerpt:
Now that the telephone book has been all but replaced by the minutiae-rich Web, searching out, even stalking, the people who share one’s name has become a common pastime. Bloggers muse about their multiple digital selves, known as Google twins or Googlegängers (a term that was the American Dialect Society’s “most creative” word last year).

The thing about writers is, they need to be found. Preferably easily found, when it comes to their work, and in case someone would like to hire them, their contact info. Well, if you think it’s easier then to find people now via the Internet, you must be blessed with some obscure name. I’ve never really understood the need for pseudonyms, but maybe there is something to be said for employing a nom de plume, after all.

I offer myself up as an example of the problem with googlegangers.

Googleganger #1: The Maria Schneider who tangled with Marlon Brando in the 1960s soft-porn art house flick Last Tango in Paris. So in all propriety, I must pre-warn you that if you google my name, nudie pics of some other not-me Maria Schneider will come up first. You can see why this might present a small problem for me.

Googleganger #2: The Maria Schneider I’m most jealous of is the talented jazz musician Maria Schneider. She also owns the domain mariaschneider.com, which, I think, fully entitles me to hate her. (Petty, I know. I told you it was rant day.)

Googleganger #3: Most disturbing on my googleganger front is Maria Schneider cartoonist and writer for The Onion. I’ve come across several instances of mistaken identity in which she and I have apparently morphed into one and the same person. Here's one instance on Zoominfo (that photo isn't me.) Not only do I not work for The Onion, or draw cartoons, I don’t even draw very well, and this strange morping leaves me feeling somehow lacking.

Feel free to add your own sad tales and rants about your doppelgangers. And if you have a good pseudonym for me, don’t hold back, I’d appreciate any ideas. I’m sure Maria Schneider, cartoonist and writer for The Onion, would appreciate it, too.

Keep Writing,
Maria Schneider (but clearly not the only one)
p.s. don't you just love umlauts?

In honor of National Poetry Month

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 14:17:56 GMT

Hi Writers,
It's National Poetry Month, so I thought I'd offer up an excerpt courtesy of our wonderful new Poetry columnist Dorianne Laux. This is from the June 08 issue of Writer's Digest (on newwstands 4/15), from a column on word choice:

There’s something in the name Romeo—those three sweet, open syllables—that our English-speaking ears have come to love. No one-syllable Fred, no matter how beautiful of mind, body and spirit, will do. Even if we substituted another three-syllable name more fitting to the times, Christopher, for instance, we hear right away what it lacks. Partly it’s the erotic quality of the Italian language and its lilting syllabics and luscious Latinate endings. Benvolio and Mercutio, Romeo’s friends, also have poly-syllabic names that end in that lovely, open “o.” But only Romeo possesses the particular combination of the warm romantic “R,” mellifluous “m” and rolling “o’s,” so sensual to say and hear.

To get your full April poetry fix, check out our write-a-poem-a-day challenge on Poetic Asides.

Keep Writing,
Maria

(Fore)going Postal

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 20:00:37 GMT

Hi Writers,
Please excuse me for abruptly ending My Archival Wanderings without proper closure, but I have a wonderful excuse: Our managing editor (and contributor to this blog) Kara Gebhardt Uhl had a baby this weekend. Congratulations Kara!

I'll keep posting My Archival Wanderings occasionally, when the spirit moves me.

But just to let you know, I'm now serving as de facto managing editor in addition to my regular gig as the Editor of Writer's Digest. And well, I'm busy. Really, really busy. The managing editor is the key person on staff responsible for all of the editorial trains coming in on time, so to speak.

One of the responsibilities I've had to take over for now is overseeing our general submissions including a two-foot high stack of good-old U.S. mail queries and submissions. Well, to make a long story short, I've had to confront how truly inefficient this system is.

Now because Writer's Digest has been taking mail queries since the days of the pony express, this wasn't an easy decision to make, but I've decided to change our editorial guidelines to state that we're now exclusively accepting e-mail queries. You can read our updated submissions guidelines here.

Here's the list of pros and cons I made to come to this decision:
Pros:
• E-mail queries are faster and more efficient to process
• E-mail queries save writers money (stamps and stationery)
• E-mail queries are better for the environment
• E-mail queries won't make me the victim of a tragic envelope-licking accident

Cons:
• Hmmm...can't think of anything to write here

OK, good decision or bad? Feel free to yell at me in ALL CAPS!!! I can take it--just don't mail it.

Keep Writing,
Maria

My Archival Wanderings: WD Covers of the 70s

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:01:15 GMT

Hi Writers,
I wanted to share more of my WD archival excavations with you.

Today's exhibit: Writer's Digest covers from the '70s, which are, shall we say, expressive.
For propriety's sake, I'm restraining my own commentary, but I encourage yours. Enjoy.

Keep Writing,
Maria

Laurell K. Hamilton quote

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 15:26:38 GMT

Hi Writers,
In celebration of our April 2008 issue dedicated to Pop Fiction hitting newsstands this week, here's a quote from our cover subject Laurell. K. Hamilton:

I've been writing stories since I was 12. Writer's Digest was one of my first teachers, actually. In the high school library, there were stacks of them. My teacher handed them to me by the armload; she knew I was interested in writing. This is how I learned to submit professionally.

Keep Writing,
Maria

Still linear in a networked world

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 19:34:50 GMT

Hi Writers,
Prodigious print buyers are winning by a landslide in my poll below “Do you buy less print (magazines, newspapers and books) than you did five years ago?"

To continue along that same vein of thought, I read an intriguing article this week on the Publishing 2.0 blog: The Evolution From Linear Thought To Networked Thought by Scott Karp.

Karp says that although he reads prolifically, he rarely reads "books" any more (as in print books). He posits in this article that perhaps the way we read is inherently changing from “linear” (as you do with a book) to “networked” (as you do with a blog).

Here’s an excerpt, but please network and read the whole piece. (Then network back here, of course):
So do I do all my reading online because it’s more convenient? Well, it is, but it’s not as if I don’t have opportunities to read books. (And I do read a lot of Disney Princess books to my daughter.)

But the convenience argument seems to float on the surface of a deeper issue — there’s something about the print vs. online dialectic that always seemed superficial to me. Books, newspapers, and other print media are carefully laid out. Online content like blogs are shoot from the hip. Books are linear and foster concentration and focus, while the web, with all its hyperlinks, is kinetic, scattered, all over the place.

Fascinating stuff. I guess I’m old school because I still like to read books. But I like to read blogs, too, so what can I say...

I’m a prolific reader of both linear and networked writing. I'm networked all day, but at home, I still want to cozy up with a good old-fashioned linear book. Judging from the results of my poll, you all aren’t quite willing to give up linear thought, either.

Basically though, if I had to choose, I'd have to say I'm still linear in a networked world.

How about you?

Keep Writing,
Maria

Famous Authors Predict Super Bowl Winner

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 14:46:53 GMT

Hi Writers,
I'm sure many of you were, like me, coerced into watching the Super Bowl last night. As a consolation, check out this McSweeney's piece—a post-football season Monday morning funny for you. Be sure to check out the whole piece on McSweeney's Internet Tendency. Enjoy...

FAMOUS AUTHORS
PREDICT THE WINNER
OF SUPER BOWL XLII.

Raymond Carver:
I really admire what the Giants have done this season. It isn't often you see a team struggle early, eke out a series of road wins, and still manage to peak at the perfect moment. It's a rare occurrence, I'll say that much.

On the other side, you've got football's version of Goliath. Experts tell me the Patriots are the strongest team in NFL history. From the moment they beat the Colts, they've been earmarked as Super Bowl Champions. It's tough to pick against an undefeated record.

All that being said, I've been so impressed with Eli Manning's development these last four weeks that I'm willing to take the underdog. What can I say? I believe in the New York Giants.

Prediction: Giants 31, Patriots 28

Raymond Carver, edited by Gordon Lish:
It isn't a thing you see often, I'll say that much.
They tell me this is Goliath.
I believe in Giants.
Prediction: G

Keep Writing,
Maria

Blogs: Handling sensitive subjects

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 19:41:18 GMT

Hi Writers,
Anyone who blogs and is interested in learning how to write about a very serious topic should check out Patry Francis' blog Simply Wait.

I wrote about Patry in my previous post. She's an author who's battling cancer. She's been chronicling that battle on her blog recently.

Here's a brief excerpt from a recent post, but please go to her blog and read it in full. It's a lovely piece of writing:

I promise to stop writing about "my trip to the hospital" soon. Very soon! But apparently, I'm a classic case of a writer who doesn't get out much. It's not that I don't see lots of people every day. Family, friends, and friends of the kids flow in and out in a wonderful stream. They bless my life--all of them--even when I bellow, (most often internally) "Hey, I'm trying to get some work done here!"

But what I've missed from my waitressing days, and what the hospital provided was interaction with the wider world. People I didn't know. Stories I hadn't heard. Catalysts to insights and thoughts that stretched far beyond myself and my beloved few. The stream that becomes a vast, transformative river. In the hospital, I walked into that river again.

For my second surgery, I only had one request: I wanted to go back to the same floor, White 7, where I already knew the nurses and the aides, the dietary and housekeeping staff. I loved them all. But it was probably the intimacy of sharing a room with various strangers, all enduring their own crises, that affected me most.

It's challenging, but it is possible to handle serious topics in a delicate, even uplifting way. I'd like to assemble a list of blogs that are covering sensitive topics well, as Patry's does. Please leave your recommendations in the comments section.

Keep Writing,
Maria

The Liar's Diary by Patry Francis

Tue, 29 Jan 2008 15:11:13 GMT

Hi Writers,
I love it when the literary community comes together to help one of their own.

In April 07 we featured a write up on a debut author named Patry Francis, a waitress and mother of four who had just written her first novel The Liar's Diary. She wrote the book in serial form for a group of writer friends who encouraged her to keep writing more.

Today, Patry is facing multiple surgeries and battling cancer. So her friends got together to help out with the PR for her paperback release and initiated a publicity effort for the release of The Liar's Diary, which will be featured on hundreds of literary blogs today.

So, I'd like to dedicate this post to Patry Francis and The Liar's Diary.

The Liar's Diary has gotten some fabulous reviews including this from Tess Gerrittsen:

"A twisting ride full of dangerous curves and jaw-dropping surprises. This is one of my favorite reads of the year!"

If you like suspense, don't miss this great read.

For more information about The Liar's Diary, check out Patry's website and blog.

Keep Writing,
Maria

20 Tips for Good Blogging

Tue, 15 Jan 2008 15:55:45 GMT

Hi Writers,

If you’ve been a regular reader here, you know that I spent much of 2007 perusing writer’s blogs for my Project 20/20: Build my Blogroll Project. I spotlighted 20 writer’s blogs (one a week for 20 weeks) and added them to my Blogroll, where you can still find the links.

Even though I didn’t start blogging officially until April 2007 with this, “The Writer’s Perspective,” I’ve been following the blog world for years. In 2001, I wrote, I believe, one of the earliest articles about blogging for Personal Journaling, The Art of the Blog. It was difficult back then to even find people who could speak knowledgeably on the subject. It’s amazing how blogging has changed in seven years. Now many professional writers, journalists, industry leaders and politicians have gotten into blogging. And the reason is obvious: Blogging is one of the quickest, most effective, and certainly least-expensive ways to get a message across. (For more, check out Brian A. Klems' "What is a Blog?")

But it’s not easy—at least it’s not easy to do well. I’ve decided to download the full contents of my brain where blogging is concerned, into this online-exclusive article. And because I’m the editor of Writer’s Digest, writers were first in my mind when composing this article. But I think there’s beneficial information here for anyone who wants to start blogging or improve their blogging expertise.

20 Tips for Good Blogging

1. Starting a blog is easy. There are many free blog services. Blogger.com is very user-friendly and will lead you through a pain-free set-up process. If you want to keep a specific domain (without “blogger” in the URL), you’ll need to set up your own domain and import it into another blog service, such as wordpress.com.

2. Decide what you want your blog to be. Who are your target readers? It’s important to decide from the beginning whether you’re blogging for professional or personal reasons. If you want to blog strictly as a diary or a way to get the creative juices flowing, password protect it. Think hard about who your potential readers are and what sort of image you want to portray. Announce your full vision for your blog in your first post.

3. Post one time a week at the absolute minimum. This is important, because once you develop a regular readership, you don’t want to lose it. Every day is ideal, although there’s a high burnout rate for bloggers who post this frequently. Aiming for three to five posts per week is a good goal.

4. If you write on your blog that you’re going to do something—do it. A lot of this has to do with building a solid level of trust with your readers. If you write that you’re going to post every day, or that you’re going to post something specific, be sure you can and will deliver.

5. You don’t have to be perfect, but still try. Yes, grammar and spelling expectations are somewhat more relaxed with a blog, but don’t get lazy with your posts. Respect your reader: at least run a quick grammar/spelling check before your post.

6. Remember that blogs are forever. I also like to call this tip “friends don’t let friends post drunk.” Like a tattoo, a piercing, or those expensive shoes you bought that kill your feet, a blog post may be around for a long, long time, so use due consideration before posting something inflammatory, overly critical or anything that could get you fired/expelled/sued/grounded.

7. If you know you’re the sort of person who will ignore tip #6, make sure your blog is password-protected, so only your friends will know you posted drunk.

8. Be a good neighbor. One of the very best ways to establish a readership is to reach out to other bloggers, by visiting their blogs and leaving comments. Link to specific posts you find on their blogs and comment in a positive way. Also include blogs you like and recommend on your blogroll.

9. Try to be positive. Don’t use your blog to lash out at your boss/spouse/probation officer/the world in general. You probably won’t develop much of a readership that way as it gets tiresome very quickly, not to mention, it could land you in trouble (see tip #6). There’s a kind of karma to blogging. If what you’re putting out is negative, what you get back is negative.

10. Keep your posts short. No one wants to read a Master’s thesis on your blog. Keep your posts concise. 300 words a post is a good target. You can occasionally go longer if you’ve got really good stuff—run it by an honest friend first to find out if it really is good stuff. The art of blogging is more about clarity and brevity. Note: Yes, I violated my 300- words tip with this very post. My managing editors, Brian and Kara told me it was good stuff.

11. Realize that blogging is an endurance sport. Anyone can start a blog, but very few people can keep a good blog up, week after week, month after month, year after year. Yes, it gets exhausting, but like training for a marathon, it can also be exhilarating. If you know you’re more a sprinter than a marathoner, maybe a blog isn’t the right format for you.

12. Can you land a book deal with your blog? Maybe. It happens, but don’t let that be your primary motivation, because it’s unlikely. You might think of blogging as a sort-of farm league for publishing. But it’s all about establishing a readership. If you have a devoted audience base, you can bet it won’t be difficult to score a publisher.

13. Encourage your readers to comment. Create clear, well thought out opinion pieces. Don’t be afraid to pose provocative questions to capture your reader’s attention. Get them emotionally/mentally involved in your blog. If you want to develop a rapport with your readers (if you don’t, then you shouldn’t be blogging), encourage their comments, and don’t deride them when their point of view is different from yours.

14. Remember that readers want information. It’s certainly not difficult to find information on the Web. But it is difficult to find it from a trusted, reliable source. Try to provide them with information they want, whether it’s from your own work, or linking to the work of others.

15. Develop your own style. What keeps readers coming back is you—your voice, your style, your point of view and your clear, polished writing. Don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through.

16. Have occasional guests. Yes, if you develop a readership, you’re the primary draw back to your blog. But it’s good and healthy to mix it up every now and then with fresh perspectives from trusted guest bloggers. In fact, it may give you a much-needed mental break away from the relentless demands of keeping up a good blog.

17. Visual aids can be good. But don’t overdo it. Blogging is primarily a written medium. If you’re a writer and trying to develop an audience for your writing, then write. Don’t over-rely on cheesy photos and other digital eye candy.

18. Let your blog evolve. A blog is a lot like a magazine, in that it’s a constant evolution. Be generous and flexible about letting your blog develop over time, as you do.

19. Don’t be overly promotional. Yes, a blog can be a good promotional tool, but if you’re only trying to sell something, it becomes obvious very quickly. If you’re promoting something, be a soft sell. And only do it occasionally, as it will turn readers away.

20. Keep it fun. Don’t take it too seriously. If you’re having a good time with your blog—and if you’re not then ask yourself why you’re doing it—people are going to have fun reading it and will keep coming back for more.

Feel free to comment: add to, agree or disagree with anything I wrote here. It is a blog after all, comments are always welcome. That’s part of the fun.

Keep Writing,
Maria

Is it time to ditch Word?

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 16:00:42 GMT

Hi Writers,
I enjoyed this essay from Sunday’s New York Time’s magazine, about options beyond Microsoft Word for writers. It’s definitely worth reading this short, amusing essay: An Interface of One’s Own
by Virginia Heffernan.

Here's an excerpt:
Our redeemer is Scrivener, the independently produced word-processing program of the aspiring novelist Keith Blount, a Londoner who taught himself code and graphic design and marketing, just to create a software that jibes with the way writers think. As its name makes plain, Scrivener takes our side; it roots for the writer and not for the final product — the stubborn Word. The happy, broad-minded, process-friendly Scrivener software encourages note-taking and outlining and restructuring and promises all the exhilaration of a productive desk: “a ring-binder, a scrapbook, a corkboard, an outliner and text editor all rolled into one.”

Ring, scrap and cork sound like fun, a Montessori playroom. But read on — and download the free trial — and being a Scrivener-empowered scrivener comes to seem like life’s greatest role. Scriveners, unlike Word-slaves, have florid psychologies, esoteric requirements and arcane desires. They’re artists. They’re historians. With needs. Scrivener is “aimed at writers of all kinds — novelists, journalists, academics, screenwriters, playwrights — who need to refer to various research documents and have access to different organizational tools whilst aiming to create a finished piece of text.”

That “whilst”! It alone makes me feel like writing.

Scrivener, then, is one of us, at home in the writer’s jumpy emotional and procedural universe. Consider its desktop icon. It greets you without Word’s back-slanted, subliterate “W” — speeding nervously to the finish line — but with an open-minded yin-yang adorned with quotation marks. Unlike so many twerpy little applications, the Scrivener icon eschews that ubiquitous Curaçao blue. Neither is it slightly rounded like some squishy teething toy. Instead, it shines and stands upright like a domino, which makes you think of a brisk “click” instead of a software “blurp.” It’s also black and white, like words on a page.

To create art, you need peace and quiet. Not only does Scrivener save like a maniac so you needn’t bother, you also get to drop the curtain on life’s prosaic demands with a feature that makes its users swoon: full screen. When you’re working on a Scrivener opus, you’re not surrounded by teetering stacks of Firefox windows showing old Google searches or Citibank reports of suspicious activity. Life’s daily cares slip into the shadows. What emerges instead is one pristine and welcoming scroll: Your clean and focused mind.

Microsoft Word is so ingrained in my work/ writing habits, it's difficult to even consider switching. But reading this article really got me thinking about checking out Scrivener. Do any of you use Scrivener or are there alternative word processing programs you'd recommend trying? I'd love to hear from you.

Keep Writing,
Maria

Ultimate Cheapskate Hits the Big Show!

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 16:23:51 GMT

Hi Writers,
I wanted to give a shout out to a friend of this blog and frequent WD forumista, Jeff Yeager, aka "The Ultimate Cheapskate." Jeff will be appearing live on the "Today Show" tomorrow in the 8:00 hour to promote the release of his book The Ultimate Cheapskate's Road Map to True Riches: A Practical (and fun) Guide to Enjoying Life More by Spending Less. I’m just guessing here that Jeff will be enlightening the world to his amusingly cheap ways.

Here’s a link to an article Jeff wrote for the October issue of WD on how being cheap can help your writing career (and your sanity). Less is More

Be sure to watch. I'm going to.

Good luck Jeff!

Keep Writing,
Maria
psst: Don't tell anyone, but I've offered Jeff five crisp George Washingtons to put in a plug for Writer's Digest.

Showing your ink

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 18:39:16 GMT

Hi Writers,
I'm so glad to finally be back from my long holiday/vacation. I hope your holidays were both peaceful and productive. A special thanks to Brian and Kara for keeping the blog fires burning while I was away.

Oh the pressure! OK, I really wanted to do a highly intellectual post for this, my first blog of 2008. But frankly, the most literary thing I've done in the past two weeks is go on The Cat in the Hat Ride at Universal Studios, Orlando (which is fabulous, by the way).

So instead, I'd like to offer up the following entertaining feature brought to you by AbeBooks.com: Authors with Tattoos

Brief excerpt:
Tattoos are no longer the symbol of rebellion they once were but for many people, including plenty of authors, they have deeply personal meanings and, sometimes, there is a story behind the writer's artwork.

Of course, I've been on the cutting edge of this trend for awhile... ahem... I believe I've mentioned my Strunk & White tattoo previously here on The Writer's Perspective. Yes, I know all about the joy of having a meaningful, symbolic tat (that's what we hipsters call our tattoos).

How about you. Do you—or have you ever considered—a tatoo, especially one that's symbolic to your writing? If so, show us your ink—and tell the story behind it of course—on the WD forum.

Keep Writing,
Maria

PROJECT 20/20: BUILD MY BLOGROLL WEEK 20 ADD!

Mon, 31 Dec 2007 02:46:44 GMT

Hi Writers,
I'm back, shamelessly two-days late for this, the wrap-up of my Project 20/20: Build my Blogroll Project. I apologize to anyone who worried I'd given it all up to join a roving mime troupe. I've been on holiday, celebrating with family and doing good deeds involving small children and their pets.

But in being late, I did violate one of my own best blog practices: if you say you're going to do something, do it. For that I apologize.

As many of you who've been following this project know, I've been diving in the deep seas of the web for 20 weeks now in search of the best writer's blogs to add to my roster.

Thanks to all who have followed my blogroll project, who have nominated a blog or complimented other writer's blogs. It's been an amazingly educational journey for me and I hope you've found something useful along the way, as well.

For my 20th blogroll add, I wanted to spotlight one of the hardest working, most talented and most deserving writers I know. If you're a Writer's Digest reader, you're surely familiar with the copious work of this writer. I think you'll find this blog a darn good read.

Jordan's Muse
by Jordan E. Rosenfeld

Jordan recently released her book Make a Scene and she's been posting on her book and blog tour. Jordan's blog covers a lot of different subjects--she uses it as a journal of sorts. It's an excellent entree into the everyday life of a working writer. Check it out, you'll be glad you did.

And although this is the 20th and final blog I'm adding for my Project 20/20, I'm going to continue to hunt for the best writer's blogs on the web and spotlight them from time to time, so don't be shy about leaving me a comment with a link to your blog or recommending another writer's blog.

I'm off to Florida for a 7-day vacation with my family. My fearless editing team: online managing editor Brian A. Klems and managing editor Kara Gebhart Uhl, will be posting here on The Writer's Perspective next week, so stay tuned for some new voices, insights and opinions on the writing world.

In two weeks, I'll be sharing 20 tips every blogger should know, much of which is what I've learned from all of you during my Project 20/20.

I sincerely appreciate your readership. I wish you all peace, happiness and publication in 2008.

Keep Writing,
Maria

PROJECT 20/20: BUILD MY BLOGROLL WEEK 19 ADD!

Sat, 22 Dec 2007 00:19:10 GMT

Hi Writers,
Well, you didn’t think I’d forget about my Project 20/20: Build My Blogroll, just because it’s the holidays, did you?

This is the 19th Friday in as many weeks in my project to add 20 writer’s blogs to my blogroll and now we’re counting down to the home stretch. I started a two-week vacation today, and I’m taking a bit of break from the blog next week. But no worries, I’ll definitely be back to post my final blogroll add.

I’m glad to see there’s still blogs getting added to the nominations (see many of the nominations in the Project 20/20 thread in the left nav). All told, I’ve received about 100 nominations and have thoroughly enjoyed exploring all of the great writer’s blogs.

But alas, I have to chose just one a week. Anyway, as I’ve stated numerous times, I want to have a well-rounded blogroll. I want my writer’s blogroll to be the definitive writer’s blogroll. I decided it was high time to add a good go-to blog for the times when we’re not really in the mood to write; when we just want to explore the work of other writers. With that I’d like to announce my week 19 add:

Bluestalking Reader: Weblog of Lisa Guidarini - Book Critic, Library Grad Student, Avid Photographer and Editor-at-Large of her own life.

Here’s a post Lisa did on a recent blogument she found herself in.

Shazam!

It's been one of those weeks. Early in the week I engaged in a fairly public argument over on the NBCC blog with a disgruntled self-published writer with some very strong opinions on the subjects of publishing and bookselling. After a couple rounds I realized if you put that episode in perspective it's truly the proverbial tempest in a teapot. Like there aren't a few hundred thousand disgruntled writers out there looking for a scapegoat. Phooey.

Hardly worth the time and aggravation, though the opinions expressed are definitely ones held near and dear to me. I guess I should really thank the woman for helping me sort those out. It was some very cheap therapy. Considering the fact I saw how it impacted her, I think I also got off fairly easily. One more example of me blowing off steam and coming out of it okay.

Phew.

You're a sassy one Lisa! Not to mention witty, charming, and skilled in serving up good topical information for writers—what more could you ask for in a blogger. (That was a rhetorical statement—don’t try to engage me in a blogument.)

Lisa, I appoint you the official book critic of my blogroll. Every good blogroll needs a resident critic.

Have a great holiday everyone!

Keep Writing,
Maria
P.S. check out my cute staff, below. : )

And the Winners are…

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 19:46:21 GMT

Hi Writers,
All good writing starts with a goal, either modest or lofty. I issued a challenge last week on this blog—to post your writing goals for 2008.

80 writers answered my goal call. With the help of my editors, I’ve picked 10 of those lists to highlight. The following 10 writers win a Writer’s Digest subscription! And their 2008 goals follow:

My Writing Goals for 2008:
PUBLISH SOMETHING.
That sounds very simplistic. Like I could step out the door and throw pages into the wind and have them show up at Barnes & Noble printed and bound. I have the stories written, now I need to keep myself in the chair to edit them. Then, terror of all terrors, I have to let go of my babies and let someone else take them, first an agent then an editor. Discipline is the key, it's time to buckle on the armor and toughen my resolve. A good friend told me the other day that I have to play to win. I think she meant the lottery but the statement goes along with writing. So my goals are as follows.
1. Edit
2. Submission
3. Move to the next story.
4. Rinse and repeat.
-Terri Kleinberg

My writing goals for 2008 are:
1. To write like there's no "tomorrow" or "sometime" or "later"
2. To recognize that a writer living in her comfort zone is not experiencing new things and has little or nothing to write about
3. To FINISH the myriad projects that are written, planned or hiding in my desk drawer or imagination
4. To take the advice of my brilliant daughter, whose birthday message to me was, "If you don't write your story, no one will ever read it".
5. To be courageous in the face of my Internal Editor (that picky, over-critical bitch) and write because I cannot not write
-Sandre Moore

My goal to 2008 is to write something non-academic. I've been working on my MLIS for over a year and all I ever seem to write is term paper after term paper. I have 1 1/2 more years to go and wonder if I'll ever write creatively again. I want to find my creative voice that disappeared deep inside somewhere. When I find some free time I love to pick up a WD issue and dream about writing like I used to. I'd like to write poetry again and start a play I have been working on in my head. I love that WD offers writing prompts...If only homework didn't have to come first.
-Kalyn Shubnell

My goals:
1. Finish what I've started! I've let 20+ years of procrastination, another load of laundry, a research question to answer draw me away from my writing. I can't let another 20 years drift. I'm on chapter 7 of my romance novel and oh by gosh, by golly...it's time for mistletoe, holly and me to type THE END.
2. Stop thinking that because I've done research or bought a new journal or picked up the latest How to write book that I've written! It's fun buying that new journal and following research leads, but baby...got write!
3. Keep up my confidence level. I am good. I am good! I have something to say in a unique way!
4. I've asked Santa for a Writer's Digest subscription—winning one would be a great surprise!
Thanks! Happy Holidays!
-Trish Glavin

My goals are more about attitude. I'm already on board with discipline, so I vow not to give materials away or write for free any longer—there must be some quid pro quo with whatever I do.
1. To not be obnoxious with marketing and promotion (I can't stand those pushy authors,) so, be circumspect about self-promotion and use it with the utmost taste whether that is at conferences, online or in e-list groups.
2. Network more but with the intention of making true relationships. I do this now, but this year I will really listen instead of poised waiting my turn to speak.
3. Edit my student's (I teach e-courses) work kindly, by always providing a plus before I stress the minuses and needed corrections.
4. Lower the bitching quotient around my husband and up the "good things" comments about this career. He's making more sacrifices than I am.
-Andrea Campbell

Goals for 2008:
1. Find ten minutes every day to daydream. No pen or paper allowed.
2. Take myself out on a date every Tuesday night. Agenda: explore my creativity in new, interesting and solitary ways.
3. Subscribe to and support the literary magazines I like best, and who I hope will support me.
4. Read every story in the Best American Short Stories of the Century.
5. Begin, fearlessly, to write my novel.
6. Write more letters to friends and family.
7. Call my Gran whenever I think about her, and ask her to tell me her stories.
8. Be mindful of my physical health, and treat my body like the instrument it is: if I feel like crap, I probably won't be writing.
9. When there is a social engagement I *really* don't want to go to, I'll go anyways, and take a pocket size moleskin and a pencil stub with me.
10. Show up at my writing desk every day, keep my eyes open, and try to be useful.
-Christie VanLaningham

My modest goals:
1. Win a Nobel Prize for Literature (for my unpublished works that the Nobel Committee hears about and requests to see)
2. Top the New York Times Bestseller List for the last six months of the year (need to get the book rushed to publication for its brilliance in the first six)
3. Chat with Oprah about how much she loves my book
4. Build my custom-designed writing retreat in Colorado overlooking the mountains.
5. Get a law passed that flays alive anyone who thinks it's okay not to pay writers, claiming they should work for free to get "quality clips." Later amend law to pouring lemon juice on them after flaying.
6. Hire someone to talk to all the people introvert me does not deign to speak to now that I have much moolah from #2. I vant to be alone to create art my dahlings.
7. Pull a J.D. Salinger at the end of the year and refuse all interviews. I need no stinkin' publicity.
8. Allow myself to be coaxed out of Salingerhood to do another interview with Oprah.
-Tricia D. Grissom

Whenever I was depressed in 2007, I would go to the library and pick up Writer’s Digest. Getting a subscription would be a monthly gift of hope for my dream of becoming a writer. My writing goals for 2008 are in two categories, SAFE- writing I know how to do, and RISKS—writing that makes me sigh and scares me.
SAFE:
1. Start a monthly newsletter for my company.
2. Write and Field Test a new curriculum to train direct support staff.
RISKS:
1. Read two bestsellers every month by different authors. Then analyse each for overall plot, character development, surprises, twists, complexity of the storyline, voice (written in first, third person...), dialogue, beginning and closing chapters....
2. Stop rewriting the first chapter of my current novel and either throw it out and start something new, or finish at least chapter two by February 1st and the entire book by May 1st.
3. Lose 50 pounds. Don't laugh! This is a writing goal because I will write for one hour and then actively walk and process for the next hour. Two hours on actively working toward my goals will definitely be therapy for my body and soul.
4. I will actively market my work.
-Mary Ulrich

1. Write regularly.
2. Revise ruthlessly.
3. Release repeatedly (i.e., submit for publication).
-Sherrie Lorance

My writing goal before the curtain closes on 2008 is a rejection letter. Just one simple, beautiful rejection letter and my year will be a complete success. How? That letter would have been made possible by a series of events that started with my organization (finally) of all those seemingly random bits of story and unformed characters in my “Ideas” folder and ended with a completed work of fiction in my hands.

A work of fiction that formed during the course of the year because of a disciplined adherence to a daily writing routine, regular input from fellow writers, and constant revision. A work of fiction that finally appeared “good enough” to send out into the wide world like a kindergartener walking to the bus stop on the first day of school. And like so many hopeful school children making their inaugural school bus rides only to run afoul of the class bully, my work of fiction would have its lunch money stolen and receive its first official black eye.

Then I’ll rework it and put it right back on the bus. And that will be a great success, indeed.
-Karen O'Brien

Feel free to keep posting. And remember to stay true to your writing goals in 2008!
Keep Writing,
Maria
"To thine own self be true" -William Shakespeare

PROJECT 20/20: BUILD MY BLOGROLL WEEK 18 ADD!

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 20:59:43 GMT

Hi Writers,
It's been energizing reading all of your writing goals for 2008 as they're rolling in. Keep them coming, I'm going to announce the 10 winners and post their goals here next Tuesday.

In the meantime, it's Friday, and that means it's again time to add another writer's blog to my blogroll. I'm up to 18 now—only 2 more weeks, 2 more blogs to go! You can find all the details and blogs nominated on the Project 20/20 thread in the left navigation here.

And with that, I'd like to announce my week 18 blogroll add:

Release Your Writing
by Helen Gallagher

On "Release Your Writing" (which is also the title of her book; smart move), Helen offers lots of great newsy items as well as practical advice for the working writer, including some really solid information for writers who are interested in self-publishing.

I adore the title of this recent post she did: "Pajama Marketing" and not just because I wish I were in my PJs right now.

Did you know you can buy a mailing list of U.S. independent book stores from a reliable source (NewPages.com). The cost for over 1,400 book store names and addresses is $75, but they also list the addresses on their site, where you can snag them for free. You could copy and paste the addresses for the shops in your area into a word processing document, do a mail-merge to print labels or letters, and let your work fly! New Pages also has lists of public and academic libraries at the above link.

What would you send to stores? That's up to you: The book synopsis, colorful postcard, media sheet, telling them how to order from your publisher, and stating the handsome 35 or 40 percent discount you'll offer. Include customer comments from your Amazon page and other testimonials from readers. No need to include sales figures - they have easy access to that information.

Welcome Helen. Stop by often and you're welcome to visit in your pajamas. Gotta love the Internet!

Keep Writing,
Maria

Win a Writer's Digest subscription!

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 15:40:39 GMT

Hi Writers,
I know it's a crazy time of year, and you probably have your writing career set in neutral at the moment, but it's time to put the credit card away for a few minutes and start thinking about what your goals are for 2008 (just 20 days away—eek!).

To get the creative wheels turning forward, I want to make you an offer you simply cannot refuse.
I have 10 Writer's Digest magazine subscriptions to give away over the next two weeks, and here's what I decided to do to motivate you.

Post your 2008 writing goals here in my comments section. I'm going to choose my favorite 10 and post them here on "The Writer's Perspective." So not only do you have a good chance of winning a one-year subscription to Writer's Digest, you get me, the Writer's Digest editor, digitally nudging (okay, bugging) you to make sure you're accountable to your own writing goals next year.

So writers—let the goals begin!

Keep Writing,
Maria
"The world is always ready to receive talent with open arms."
-my favorite quote from a fortune cookie

Writer's Digest on Facebook

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 23:23:46 GMT

Hi Writers,
I'm on Facebook now, and so is our beloved Writer's Digest, so stop by and say hi if you're a Facebooker!
Maria Schneider on Facebook
Writer's Digest on Facebook

Keep Writing,
Maria

PROJECT 20/20: BUILD MY BLOGROLL WEEK 17 ADD!

Fri, 07 Dec 2007 21:20:38 GMT

Hi Writers,
It’s Friday and that means it's time to announce my 17th add in my Project 20/20: Build My Blogroll contest (you can find details and many of the nominated writing blogs on the left navigation).

This week’s add is an ambitious young blogger/writer, who focuses on the teen writing scene at:
Innovative Teen: a word for the wri-teen
by Gabrielle Linnell

Gabrielle posts weekly magazine-style features including interviews with Teen writers—she’s scored some impressive interviews. And she also posts on craft and inspiration for Teen Writers.

Here’s a post Gabrielle did recently on facing burnout:
Burnout is different from inspiration-loss. Look, if you wait to write until you're inspired, you'll be waiting a long time. You won't write, actually. The discipline of writing is writing anyway, always, whenever, however. Burnout is when you are really empty, not just tired. But fear not! Burnout is neither forever, nor untreatable. The best cures, I've found, are below.
-Take a short break
-Throw yourself into your book or short-term project.
-Listen to lots of music.
-Take long nature walks.
-Read an article you really disagree with
-Eat really good food.
-Watch a lot of cheesy, feel-good movies
-Or watch one gripping drama
And the best way:
Read a really, really, really badly written book.

Gabrielle, I use that last one—reading a really, really really badly written book works wonders for me for some reason (although I will not divulge those books). I think this is counter-intuitive yet practical advice for writers you have here.

Here’s a big Writer’s Perspective welcome to my favorite new up-and-coming blogger and writer—Gabrielle Linnell.

Only 3 more weeks/ 3 more blogs to go so keep the nominations coming!

Keep Writing,
Maria