Abilene Writers Guild Workshop

Well, Dr. Gupta (from previous blog post) would be proud of me. I did something scary. I was the speaker at the Abilene Writers Guild Workshop, thanks to Sheryl Nelm's invitation.

 I titled my talk "Soundtrack of a Writer" and my little snippets of tunes brought some chuckles. Best laugh from Three Dog Night's "One"  i.e. "one is the loneliest number.....NO is the saddest experience..."  Writers with rejections understand. Here I'm chatting with Ginny Green - hadn't seen her in forever and it was great to catch up.

 Assorted paper - the workshop program and my handouts. I gave a source listing, my library of writing books, and also a format cheat sheet - my book dimensions and fonts for Createspace book production. I've learned through trial and error what works and what looks like crap.

I'm wearing my Unleased Poetry Society T-shirt. It seems to bring me luck at writer events. All in all - thirty people attended. Super nice group. They participated in writing exercises, asked good questions, laughed where I hoped for a chuckle, purchased some books, and applauded at the end. Whew! Yummy pulled pork sandwiches for lunch along with tasty brownies added to the hospitality.  

Abilene is a small city/town with a fabulous history museum called Frontier Texas. This is one of several buffalo wind sculptures outside the building. Inside were interactive displays and plenty of history - from Comanche Indian raids to buffalo stampedes and cattle drives. The pioneers who settled in Abilene and west Texas were rugged tough souls.

I'm very glad to be living in 2014 and only facing an indoor audience of friendly faces eager for some writing advice.

My Random Writing Process

CJ Schwartz was kind enough to ask me to join a blog hop. I shall do more, but I really needed to post something fresh this week so I'm jumping, not hopping, into it with both feet.

I met CJ through the Bedford Library writer's group. Her eagerness to learn, her modesty (she'd do a pre-critique of herself before reading a really excellent chapter), and her laughter added a spark to the group. I'm happy to continue our writer friendship, and I'm glad she's meeting her blog and word count goals.   www.cjswriting.wordpress.com

I'm truly not the best example as a writer, and seemed to lose momentum in 2013. I did publish three poetry books, but that lends itself to more of a joke than an accomplishment. I'm proud of my books, but it's a tough sell. Though a marketing major in college, I'm terrible at promotions.

I will be talking about my writing process this Saturday - March 22nd - at the Abilene Writer's Guild workshop.  www.abilenewritersguild.org.    My talk is entitled "Soundtrack of a Writer" and against the backdrop of tunes - Paperback Writer by the Beatles, Words by Bee Gees, What Kills You Makes You Stronger by Kelly Clarkson, et al, I shall discuss my ascent, plateau, and pitfalls as a writer. I do not meet daily word count goals, nor weekly. I tend to wing it. Words flow and I write a poem, or a flash fiction, or a memoir, or a movie review ( I like them the best). It might be better to focus on one genre, but that's not me. I'm glad I have a day job for "real" money. I'm proud to be on Amazon, but I am not going to be a million dollar author. I'll buy you a taco every quarter if you are nice to me.

It's important to find your voice - one person who's done that is Ann Summerville. Her cozy mystery series are a joy to read and she's done well with promotion. Check out her blog www.cozyintexas.blogspot.com

If you want to learn about writing process and see a huge success in erotic literature, check out Roni Loren. I met this shy unassuming writer at a DFW Writer's Conference a few years ago. She's grown leaps and bounds and made a NY Times listing.  www.roniloren.com

Finally, I did an April A - Z challenge one year, and met Annalisa Crawford. She's across the pond in Cornwall, UK and her writing and goals are inspirational. Her short story collection That Sadie Thing is a winner. Her blog is varied and you'll learn about writing growth from her.
www.annalisacrawford.blogspot.com

For me, writing is fun. I've met a lot of great people. I've published a memoir - My Zoo World, a story collection - Wordsplash Flash, and poetry - Wordsplash: Nature,  Tread Water, and Hazy Memory.  Next up is another humorous memoir - Athletic Antics. Until that is completed in the fall, I keep sending out poems, writing flash fiction for Doorknobs & Bodypaint, and I write reviews for The Little Paper of San Saba.

Keep tapping out words. They do turn into something.

Books 'N Authors and All That Jazz - 10th year

 Saturday April 28, 2012, I attended Books 'N Authors and All That Jazz, a conference at Weatherford College. It was their 10th Anniversary celebration and they put on a good show. I hung in the authors' wing, chatting with folks about my book - My Zoo World. Plenty of interest and enthusiasm

 My display included pictures of some of the critters cavorting through my chapters. Linda T's cat Benji was a star, as well as son Kevin's pit bull, Rusty. Certainly conversation starters.

 Other Trinity Writer attendees included Ann Summerville (A Graceful Death, High Tide, Storms & Secrets, and her latest The Berton Hotel), Sharon Owen (Thicker Than Water), and Arly Pineo (Cheat the Wind). Not pictured here are Sheryl Nelms (poet) and Kalvin Weaver (Kobra).  We hung out, made new connections, attended some classes (Dave Lieber is always a treat), and discussed the world of publishing in 2012 - ever changing, that's for sure.

The grand finale included some Jazz, thanks to the college jazz combo - very cool. Linda Bagwell, coordinator, also announced winners of various writing contests. Alas, I did not have to leap from my seat.
Nonetheless it was a worthwhile day in the world of writing and publishing....and all that jazzzzzzzzzz!

TWW Marketing Seminar: Chuck Sambuchino

Chuck Sambuchino, author and editor, was the guest speaker at Trinity Writers' Workshop seminar Marketing Your Writing. He's the author of How to Survive a Garden Gnome Attack and could provide information from both an author's standpoint and from the editing side.

Deb McNeill and Rosie Povar discussed writing, publishing, and the challenges both present today.

Randy Cook and Alton Bostick - well these two are trouble. You just don't know what they are talking about. Tall tales, that's for sure.

Rich Ochoa, author of Life Rolls Onand One Way Ticket to Anywhere hawked his books. His humor and humanity shine through his memoirs.

Lots of mingling and enthusiasm. Everyone came away with a greater appreciation for the effort needed to write and publish.

One key - Put down the remote, get the butt in a chair, and WRITE!

Tween Austin

Texas night sky - can't be beat. This was in route from Austin to Bedford. I'm not religious, but this does make you drop to your knees.

On the grounds of the Texas State Capitol - Texas Pioneer Woman. She holds a baby in her arms and gazes defiantly. I, personally, would have hopped the first train back east once I heard the crazy wind howl on the prairie. I work in Justin, Texas and at times want to scream from the screeching wind. Buffeting is a severe verb.

The Texas Book Festival hosted some tango dancers. Rather improv. They needed better costumes to add to the ambiance and flavor. Somehow sloppy jeans and an untucked shirt didn't usher Spanish hot flavor.

Nifty courtyard and fresh air. So, there were tents for adults (free literary journals and books), plus very nice children story telling booths. But what about that forgotten sea of teens? I saw a few young girls - no doubt advanced readers who could attend adult sessions and enjoy the humor. But what about the Lost Boys? That is an issue in the world of publication. Harry Potter captured a lot of readers. Now what??

I do hope that someone can capture that tween market. Girls are easier - romance is a freebie. Boys are still on the fence - action/adventure, fantasy, science fiction - what do young men want to read???? If anyone has answers, let's inform the Texas Book Festival for 2011.

Post-Conference: A Week to Reflect

It's been a week since I attended the DFW Writers' Conference in Grapevine, and the challenge to utilize what I learned looms as large as the above shadow. Jodi Thomas, keynote speaker, regaled us with her life story - the twists and turns on her road to become a New York Times bestselling author. Like most author talks I've attended, her message is one of perseverance. To be a writer, you have to sit in your chair and write. And then ...

It's a balancing act. Yes, you have to write, but then your genius isn't immediately discovered. I attended talks on queries, synopsis, and if there'd been a class - tap dancing. You have to grab an agent or editor's attention. The biggest buzz, of course, is social media.

In the olden days, you sent your handwritten manuscript via pony express and hoped for a return letter. Now you enter the tunnel to build a platform - blog, website, facebook, twitter. All promotion, all the time until someone sees your light. It's daunting, time consuming, and hard work.

Writers juggle day jobs, market themselves and their writing, keep abreast of media changes, and attend conferences to mingle with word nerds. Then it's time to hunker down in one's nest and write. Peer out once in a while to absorb nature, sunlight, fresh air, and fill the eyes, ears, and nose with material to splash onto the page. Rewrite, rewrite, rewrite and begin the process all over again.

See you at next year's conference -2/26 and 2/27/2011 - American Airlines Conference Center - DFW Writers are expanding the vision and hosting writer dreams.

(pictures once again from Morris Arboretum - my vacation glow only dims slightly)

Stumped

Here's a stump in my father's backyard in PA. It was a huge tree that loomed over us as we played basketball as kids, or provided a hiding place if you hunkered behind it. Once it was chopped down, I wonder how many books were printed from it?

As a writer, you dream of seeing your name in print on the cover of a book. Even better, your book is featured in the window of the local bookstore. Kudo reviews are written. Fans flock to your book signings. Dreams.

To make a dream a reality is hard work. First you actually have to write the book. Then you have to re-write your original drivel. Then you edit, edit, receive critiques, and re-write some more. Then perhaps you peek out from behind a tree and query agents on your book. Basically, you write a letter (the query) that projects a hint of your genius and hope that a professional chooses to then read a page or two of your book...and then ask to read more.

Another outlet is to pitch an agent at a writing conference. I shall be attending the DFW Writer's Conference this coming weekend in Grapevine, TX. I have ten minutes to tap dance, toss flaming batons, and condense my memoir into coherent sentences that project a winning publication. Nope, no vampires, no zombies, no drug abuse, no economic downfall (yet - yikes!), no medical emergencies (thank goodness), and no political rants.

Humor, animals, and me. Is that a winning combination? I hope when she asks, "And what do you write?" that I'm not stumped.

Wish me luck

Joanne