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 Friday, August 31, 2007
PROJECT 20/20 BUILD MY BLOGROLL: WEEK 3 ADD!
Posted by maria
Hi Writers, It's the third week in my Project 20/20. My goal: to add one writer's blog to my blogroll each Friday for 20 weeks. I have a personal favorite to add to the blogroll this week, because it's a blog I really think you will all enjoy and take something away from: A Newbie's Guide to Publishing by J.A. Konrath, author of the Lt. Jack Daniels thriller series. I find a lot of what's on Joe's blog helpful to writers, especially in terms of learning how to market your work. Joe's written several great marketing articles for Writer's Digest and it's really been my pleasure to work with him for the past few years. He's so gracious in terms of sharing what he's learned about the publishing world with other writers, and he does so in a way that's always refreshing, down-to-earth and positive. Of course, he's figured this whole blogging thing out, too. Joe really knows how to cut to the chase and give you something meaningful to think about at the same time. Here's an especially pertinent post:
Blogging is not temporary
Blogging, like newspaper and radio, is often mistaken for a disposable form of information. Yet I get lots of hits from Google on old blog posts, and many of them continue to accrue comments.
Pay attention to what you're posting today, you bloggers of blogland. Because it will still be around tomorrow. If your posts are without purpose, you're not doing yourself a service.
Let me repeat that: Blogging Isn't Temporary. What you do now may one day be surfed by someone who isn't even born yet, and that path will lead back to you. Do you want that path to result in interest or apathy?
Think about why you blog, and what purpose it's serving. Look at your last fifty entries. Will they be of any interest to someone in 2017? If not, why do you think they are of any interest to anyone now?
That's why I don't do memes. That's why I don't blog about personal stuff. That's why I don't push my own books constantly—no one ever seeks out ads. And that's why, except on rare occassions, I don't blog about events, peers, friends, family, or what I watched on TV last night.
Your blog is a tool. But too many people are using hammers to scratch their asses rather than drive nails. If you blog as a form of entertainment, that's no problem—have fun. If you blog to increase your name recognition, you may be doing more harm than good.
A Newbies Guide to Publishing is the 3rd writer's blog to be forever carved into the trunk of my blog tree. I raise a shot of Jack to you, Joe Konrath, on behalf of writers everywhere! Keep the nominations coming. There are still 17 blogs to add! Keep Writing, Maria
blogs and online writing | language issues | publishing news and views | the writing life | Writer's Digest news
8/31/2007 3:14:24 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) 
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Thursday, August 30, 2007
Just for Kicks
Posted by maria
Hi Writers, I just finished interviewing Brock Clarke about his great, funny new novel (cleverly disguised as a memoir) The Arsonist's Guide to Writers' Homes in New England. You'll have to wait a few months for the interview. But do check out the website for his book, which features a memoirizer: type in your (real or made up. Probably made up) information and the memoirizer will write your bookjacket blurb. Quite the creative publicity department, you must admit. To get your own memoirizer blurb go to: http://arsonistsguide.com/memoirizer.htmlHere's the blurb the memoirizer wrote for me: (hee)
Who I Was
Who I Am
and
Who I Want to Be
A Memoir
by Maria Schneider
In Who I Was, Who I Am, and Who I Want to Be, Maria Schneider tells the almost too- remarkable-to-be-true story of her rise from villain to hero, including her struggle to overcome her sexual voraciousness, her troubled relationship with her partner and children, and her addiction to drugs, all of which lead her to a life of crime and to rehab, where she found redemption and the strength and wisdom to write this cautionary memoir about the power and resiliency of the human condition. Feel free to post your memoirizer blurbs here, too. Keep Writing, Maria
blogs and online writing | publishing news and views | the writing life
8/30/2007 3:59:48 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Tuesday, August 28, 2007
HER VOICE SOUNDS LIKE MONEY...
Posted by maria
Hi Writers, Like that headline? Drew you in didn't it? Made your heart pick up the beat a bit, maybe? And your palms got a little sweaty. Money has a way of doing that to people. The October issue of Writer's Digest is all about writing and money. I've noticed that, for some reason, combining the two seems to make many writers very, very nervous. Guilty even. I felt like I was being a bit crass, frankly, when I wrote the editor's note for the issue. Here's what I wrote: The Truth About Money
If there's a dirty little secret in the writing world—it's money.
Who's making it, who's not, how to get more of it and how to act like it's not really that important. We writers often like to pretend that thoughts and worries about money are secondary to our loftier artistic goals.
Well, here's a dirty little truth: Money is important. William Shakespeare wrote for money. Mark Twain wrote for money. Stephen King writes for money. You don't have to feel guilty about wanting or needing to make money from your writing—there's a well-worn path before you.
Even as I was writing this, knowing it sounded somewhat crass and definitely non-ivory-towerish, I felt like a weight was being released from my chest. I knew then this was something that was really bothering me, somehow, and I think it must bother other writers, too. Why do we feel guilty wanting to make money from our writing? Is this something the world does to writers—or something we do to ourselves? Do you expect to make money from your writing? Do you feel guilty asking to be paid for your writing? Tell me why... Keep Writing, Maria p.s. In case you, like me, slept through high school lit, that headline is a quote from F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby describing his money-loving Zelda-esque character Daisy Buchanan.
the writing life
8/28/2007 9:50:23 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Friday, August 24, 2007
PROJECT 20/20: WEEK 2 ADD!
Posted by maria
Hi Writers, I had another fabulous Friday scanning through the many great writing blogs that have been nominated for my project. Brief but potentially interesting sidenote: Many, many writers have cats, and post multiple photos of cats on their blogs. Kind of made me want to get my own feline to be part of the club. Peer pressure, you know. Anyway, back to my blogroll project. For various reasons having nothing to do with this project I was feeling a little blue today and really needed a good laugh. Well, I'm so glad I found this blog because it gave me exactly what I needed: Screw You!: Daily (or thereabouts) diatribes of a frenzied freelancer by Kathy Kehrli. Irreverently innovative, hilariously hostile and frankly funny, this is your go-to blog to blow off a little steam with your writing buddy Kathy, as she sounds off on the dastardly deeds of her clientele. She also has a straight-up, buttoned down website The Flawless Word and blog for her freelance business with very solid information. Check out both. You may find yourself wondering: Is this really the same person? I do wonder what happens if one her clients inadvertantly stumbles upon her Screw You! blog. Kathy, please get on here and tell us: How do you keep from getting caught, and/or what do you do when you get caught? Also, I realize this is an unfair advantage, but I gave Kathy bonus points for being from Scranton, PA, the fictional setting of my favorite TV show The Office. Screw You! is now, forever and always inscribed on my blogroll. Could yours be next? Find out next Friday. Keep nominating your favorite writing blogs right here in my comments. Keep Writing, Maria P.S. As you may have noticed, I tend to over-use alliteration when I'm down. All apologies for that.
blogs and online writing | language issues | publishing news and views | the writing life | Writer's Digest news
8/24/2007 2:16:37 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Friday, August 17, 2007
PROJECT 20/20: AND MY FIRST ADD
Posted by maria
Hi Writers, Wow, thanks for all of the nominations for my Project 20/20: Build my Blogroll. I had a wonderful day sifting through the 50 or so blogs nominated. If you get a chance, go check out some or all of the blogs mentioned in my comments section below, there's some great stuff there. But alas, I had to choose just one for today. And it is: The Urban Muse: Adventures in Reading, Writing and Living the Creative Life by Susan Johnston Copywriter by day, freelancer by night, Susan is a young writer who's chronicling her professional writing life, as well as offering resources for her fellow writers. She has some great interviews with industry insiders as well as lots of helpful tips. One of my favorites posts is: Five Ways to Promote Your Blog. Susan's tone is personal yet still polished and professional. The design is clean and readable. There's so much helpful information on her blog, really, I think I'm going to have to get her to do some writing for Writer's Digest. Susan, please do stop by and tell us how you find the time to put this all together. Susan's URL is now inscribed on my blogroll, which is going to be filled by the end of this year. 20 blogs in 20 weeks. Be my BFF* (blog friend forever). Keep the nominations coming. Keep Writing, Your Bloggess (aka "The Pit Boss") Maria P.S. you should try to get a job where someone pays you to look at blogs all day, it's really quite entertaining. * apologies for the lame yet ironic use of IM-speak.
blogs and online writing | language issues | publishing news and views | the writing life | Writer's Digest news
8/17/2007 2:54:59 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Friday, August 10, 2007
PROJECT 20/20: HELP ME BUILD MY BLOGROLL
Posted by maria
Hi Writers, I'm kicking off a new project here on my blog: Project 20/20. No, this is not an attempt to solicit funds for my Lasik© surgery (although, if you like, send c/o Writer's Digest, 4700 E. Galbraith Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45236). This purpose of this project is to build my blogroll. I've been thinking, you know, blogging is all about sharing and connecting and being part of larger and larger circles now, isn't it? Now, look at my blogroll. I know, except for the (entirely awesome) WD Blogs, it's skimpy. Not being a very good bloggess now am I? (Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure I just made up the word "bloggess"). So here's the deal: There are 20 Fridays left in 2007. Starting next Friday, I'm going to highlight one writer's blog each week then add it to my guaranteed-to-be-fabulous blogroll. I'm looking for blogs that: • are dedicated to the topic of writing and/or publishing • are updated frequently • are owned and maintained by private individuals So if you want me to check out your blog, drop a comment here. Keep Writing, Maria p.s. there's still a raging debate on the f*** word going on in the forum. Thanks to all who expounded so eloquently on the f*** word, especially Jay, who wrote a Master's thesis on the topic in my comments section. This is for you Jay: u*********.
blogs and online writing | language issues | publishing news and views | the writing life | Writer's Digest news
8/10/2007 1:04:41 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Tuesday, August 07, 2007
On the f*** word
Posted by maria
Hi Writers,
I have a not-so-shocking confession to make: I curse. In fact, around deadlines, I curse a lot. Most of my verbal spewing is directed at my computer screen. But still, it's not something I'm proud of, and it's certainly not something I want to flaunt.
This confession comes in light of several recent bouts with the f*** word. Every magazine/newspaper/book editor has to grapple with the question: should this word be allowed in their publication?
I've had to make this call several times in the last few months. In our October issue, there's an interview with novelist Chuck Palahniuk along with a brief excerpt from his new book, and the f*** word is part of the excerpt from Chapter 1. We decided to handle it with asterisks.
And last week, a source for a piece we're running on the gay and lesbian fiction market had an issue with our "censoring" the f*** word.
On our forum, we've set up filters to automatically asterisk the word.
We're a writing magazine, so the last thing we want to do is censor the work of writers. I do understand why the word might have its place in fiction—especially in dialogue since it's become so ubiquitous in our language, it would seem almost wrong for certain types of characters not to be using it.
But especially in nonfiction, don't writers need to be the ones to keep the level of discourse high? Hasn't the f*** word become so common that it's almost trite? And is it really censorship if an editor chooses not to print this particular word? As you can tell, this is really bugging me right now, so please let me know your thoughts.
Keep Writing,
Maria
blogs and online writing | language issues | publishing news and views
8/7/2007 10:17:00 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Friday, August 03, 2007
BEA/Writer's Digest Books Conference Sessions
Posted by maria
Hi Writers, Remember way back in June when I was writing about being in New York at the BEA/Writer's Digest Books Writers Conference? We videotaped some of the sessions and are making them available online. You can find the information at writersdigest.com/bea. There are three sessions available pay-per-view and the wonderful keynote address by Jodi Picoult is available free of charge. And coming soon there will be free audio downloads of a few of the sessions, including a talk on writing for magazines by yours truly. Check it out and let me know what you think. Keep Writing, Maria
Writer's Digest news
8/3/2007 10:23:29 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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