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mary rosenblum
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Hello, all! I hope YOU"RE
still enjoying summer. We have leaped ahead to December in the rainyNW.
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mary rosenblum
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This is the Tuesday Forum with
me, Mary Rosenblum, LR Web Editor, fiction and nonfiction writer. If you're
new here, remember that you need to click on the 'Ask a Question' button or
the 'word bubble' next to the red question mark at the top of the screen,
or use the ask a question icon in order to ask a question. Your regular
'send' bar won't reach me! You can also type /ask in front of your question
to reach me.
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mlh
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Mary, is there a systematic way
to analyze a novel?
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mary rosenblum
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Sure there is, mlh.
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mary rosenblum
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I don't know if you mean in
terms of learning from it or learning what the publisher wants, though.
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mary rosenblum
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Those are two different forms
of analysis...
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mary rosenblum
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with different benefits.
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mlh
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Could we cover that in a forum
sometime?
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mary rosenblum
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Yes, I'll do that...let me
check my schedule...How about next Tuesday?
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mary rosenblum
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I'll cover both reasons to
analyze...
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mary rosenblum
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one is in order to learn craft
better...
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mary rosenblum
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and the other is in order to
learn what the publisher wants...and there are some limitations to the
benefit of that type of analysis.
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mary rosenblum
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But we'll talk about it at
length, then.
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mary rosenblum
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I did want to talk about
writing with a day job today...
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mary rosenblum
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because realistically, that is
what nearly every writer does. Even once you begin to see your work
published...
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mary rosenblum
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fiction really doesn't pay
enough to support a family unless you are one of a very very small number
of blockbuster authors...
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mary rosenblum
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and while nonfiction can, it
takes some time to establish your list of 'regular' magazines...
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mary rosenblum
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and create a predictable
income.
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bravo6
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I am (finally) reading OSC's
'How To Write Science Fiction'. One of the first things he says is that if
you are writing this for the "quick" buck, get out now. :-)
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mary rosenblum
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He's absolutely right, bravo.
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mary rosenblum
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You really really cannot make
a living at writing fiction unless your books appear at the supermarket
checkout.
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mary rosenblum
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Take a look and see who is
there.
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mary rosenblum
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Now that is not QUITE
accurate.
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mary rosenblum
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Greg Bear, for example...AND
Scott Card...do support their families with their fiction, for example.
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mary rosenblum
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And they're not on the
checkout stand, but there are very few who do, even if you're willing to
live at the poverty level.
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bravo6
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LOL. I always thoguht THOSE were
the ones no one else wanted!
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mary rosenblum
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Oh, you WISH you could be
there, bravo!!!
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bravo6
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OSC once stated, I belive in his
creating belivable characters book, that his biggest source of income is
NOT form USA sales, but the euro market...
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mary rosenblum
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I'm not sure that's entirely
true, but certainly out of country sales help.
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mary rosenblum
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My sf is actually more popular
in Germany than here, and I have been published many times there, including
in hardcover.
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mary rosenblum
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BUT...when you realistically
look at what you need to live on for a year..
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mary rosenblum
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AND you realize that you will
pay your own health insurance, you really don't want to quit your day job.
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mary rosenblum
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I know quite a few writers who
work simply to keep their health insurance.
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tkat_2
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I never had to fight to find
time to write. It's fnding the day job I find difficult. :)
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mary rosenblum
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Well...that's another issue!
LOL. Maybe you need to seriously look at career nonfiction.
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bravo6
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By my math, I would have to be a
Stephen King. I'm just hoping to make enough to supplement my income.. Be
nice to take the kids to Disney World before they're 30. :-)
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mary rosenblum
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That's a realistic goal,
bravo. Many writers have a working spouse. I WISH!
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mary rosenblum
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BUT...that said, there is no
reason you can't have a day job, or a family of young kids, and still write
a novel a year or better/
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jackie7777
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How do you do it Mary - write
among other duties?
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mary rosenblum
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Well, I have learned a lot of
tricks over the years, jackie.
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mary rosenblum
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I was a single parent with a
three year old and a six year old when I started writing seriously.
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mary rosenblum
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A day job would have taken
less time!
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mary rosenblum
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And I do a lot of other things
besides write.
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mary rosenblum
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And some of the things you can
learn to do will allow you to write that novel in a year...or many short
stories.
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curseofthe44
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I just want to write because I
just want to write. But, between job and social activities, I hardly have
time for writing. I've tried most ways other authors suggest to make time,
but there's just never enough.
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mary rosenblum
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Some of that comes from your
own head, curse.
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mary rosenblum
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A lot of the 'have not time'
blues is because of the way you see your writing.
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mary rosenblum
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For most unpublished or
slightly published novice writers, it is hard to think of the writing as a
'serious' job...
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mary rosenblum
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and therefore, LOTS of other
things get in the way.
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mary rosenblum
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And the writing takes back
seat to that.
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sailor
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A writer friend with a day job
said to treat your writing like a second job. Allocate a fixed time for it
every day, even if you miss now and then.
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mary rosenblum
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That is one good technique,
sailor. It benefits you because the writing time becomes 'habit' or
'routine'...
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mary rosenblum
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and we are creatures of habit.
When my kids were young, my one 'for sure' writing time was the two to
three hours after they were in bed.
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mary rosenblum
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EVERY night, no matter how
tired I was, I sat down at the computer and turned it on.
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mary rosenblum
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And because I was used to
writing then, even when I didn't feel like it, I could manage it at least
for an hour.
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mary rosenblum
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Habit is a powerful tool.
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mary rosenblum
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Later on, that time became
first thing in the morning, before it's light enough to have to do outside
chores.
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tkat_2
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Thank you Mary, for that
suggestion about non fiction. I still can't give up on fiction though.
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mary rosenblum
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No reason not to do both,
tkat.
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mary rosenblum
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If I wasn't doing the website
and students for LR, I'd be doing nonfiction to fund my fiction and pay my
mortgage.
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curseofthe44
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I've tried writing even when I'm
tired. The result was horrible writing and a stiff neck from falling asleep
at my computer.
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mary rosenblum
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Well, you have to really ask
yourself if the writing was horrible, or if you just thought it was
horrible because you weren't in the mood.
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mary rosenblum
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You'd be surprised how much
your perspective can color what you read on the page.
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mary rosenblum
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You are NOT and never will be
a totally objective reader.
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mary rosenblum
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I am MUCH more objective about
my own work than I was ten years ago or more.
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mary rosenblum
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BUt I'm still not totally
objective and never will be. :-)
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mary rosenblum
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This is the Tuesday Forum with
me, Mary Rosenblum, LR Web Editor, fiction and nonfiction writer. If you're
new here, remember that you need to click on the 'Ask a Question' button or
the 'word bubble' next to the red question mark at the top of the screen,
or use the ask a question icon in order to ask a question. Your regular
'send' bar won't reach me! You can also type /ask in front of your question
to reach me.
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bravo6
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my novel (The first draft) was
coleted in 1 year, all over lunch time, and 3 mnth hiatus due to my work
load...
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bravo6
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I find that lunch time is my
best time to write. No one comes to bother me. I can get 5 - 15 pages
(depending on the underneath fire burning in me) at a time. At home, as
soon as I start to write, one of the kids needs me...
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bravo6
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and once all the kids are down,
I am usaualy to worn down, myself, to do anything but boob-tube out for a
bit...
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mary rosenblum
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And that has worked for you,
bravo. It also worked well for a writer friend of mine with an active
social life...
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mary rosenblum
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he worked out at the gymn and
hung out with friends after work...
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mary rosenblum
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and lunch hour turned out to
be his best writing time.
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mary rosenblum
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YOu need to do what works for
you.
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mary rosenblum
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And YOUR life.
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sailor
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Sometimes when I force myself to
write, most of it isn't good, but I usually manage to develop at least the
structure for an article or get one good sentence. One good sentence was
better than the guilt I would feel if I didn't write at all.
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mary rosenblum
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Yes, at least one sentence a
day is a great goal!
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mary rosenblum
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And another tip that may work
for you..is to have several different projects going at once.
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mary rosenblum
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I usually have three of four
on deck at any time...fiction, nonfiction, short, long.
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mary rosenblum
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This is not a common practice,
but it works well for me and has worked well for other writers I know who
have tried it.
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mary rosenblum
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If I am tired and it is late,
I will do a much better job of editing than I will creating.
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mary rosenblum
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So I work on whatever needs
editing. I leave the first draft in progress until I am more rested and the
muse is tickling me.
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mary rosenblum
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I had an email question from
ashoak, who couldn't be here:
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mary rosenblum
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Do people have suggestions for
ways to get relaxed and "fresh" again after a day's work so that
they can sit down and write. I find that transition difficult sometimes.
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mary rosenblum
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One way that has worked well
for me is what I just mentioned..having several projects on deck at once.
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mary rosenblum
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When I am tired and not really
in the mood, one of those several pieces should be at a stage that is
interesting or exciting...
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mary rosenblum
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and I can get past the 'I'm
too tired' feeling...OR...one of them simply needs the editor hat and I can
do that in my sleep.
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realityczech
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Tell ashoak to take a walk!
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mary rosenblum
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THat's a good way to do it.
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mary rosenblum
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I sometimes go out and train
with my dogs.
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mary rosenblum
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Sometimes mindless physical
work is a good way to shift from the mental tasks of the day job to the
creative side.
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mary rosenblum
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Mowing the lawn, weeding the
garden, even vacuuming or scrubbing a wall.
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mary rosenblum
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After a bit you are LOOKING
for a reason to do something else, LOL.
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curseofthe44
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I've tried a short bike ride
after work to clear my mind. Also, since I sit all day at work, I stand to
write.
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mary rosenblum
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Good one, curse.
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mary rosenblum
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Actually, there really does
seem to be a physical connection between physical work of some sort that
involves large muscle groups and mental refreshment.
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mary rosenblum
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There is a reason I have
acreage and raise all my fruits and veggies.
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mary rosenblum
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It's a quick 'reset' when the
words stop flowing.
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realityczech
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I have no problem saying no to
all the inside obligations (housework, etc.), it was the OUTSIDE
expectations I had a hard time balancing (volunteer work, school clubs,
etc.). I finally had to just stop worrying about what all those people
expected of me and put my foot down. I realized they would never quit
asking me to do things for them unless I said NO loud and clear.
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mary rosenblum
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That is probably the hardest
barrier to overcome. I and many other writers have lost friends...
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mary rosenblum
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who couldn't get past the 'no,
I can't hang out with you tonight, I need to finish chapter six'.
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mary rosenblum
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And believe me, when you work
at home, the popular perception is that you have unlimited time!
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mary rosenblum
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You say NO a whole lot.
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bravo6
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"You need to do waht works
for you" - That cannot be emphasized enough. I still hear or read
about people saying that you HAVE to spend at LEAST 1 hour EVERYDAY
writing. Even if it's bad. And the bad part of that, to me, is they usually
suggest right be fore bed, so taht you can wind down. Now for ME! When I am
writing, especially an action scene, winding down is what I need to do
AFTER I've finished writing! So, for me, I need to do it AFTER I wake up (I
GET up at 5:45 AM, but am usually not AWAKE until 10:00 or so) but BEFORE I
am relaxed and ready to crash. :_)
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mary rosenblum
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There is a big caveat to any
'you must always do this' rule, bravo.
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mary rosenblum
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Many writers who take that
'write a page a day' thing seriously get badly stuck in block.
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mary rosenblum
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You are setting yourself up
for a small failure every time you don't achieve that goal, and if you are
already harboring doubts about your ability...
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mary rosenblum
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those small failures add up
fast and pretty soon, you just can't face the screen.
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mary rosenblum
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Or the page.
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mary rosenblum
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One thing that has helped me
enormously over my career is the ability to give myself permission NOT to,
and trust myself that I'll get back in gear.
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mary rosenblum
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And you know what? I always
do, and much faster, I suspect, than if I had set hard goals, failed to
meet them and then had THAT sense of failure perched on my shoulder!
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tkat_2
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Mary, do you ever run out of
writing ideas?
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mary rosenblum
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Oh sure, all the time. I get
this empty feeling and there just aren't any more ideas in the well. When I
first started out, that was SCARY. You know what?
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mary rosenblum
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If I shrug and say, oh well,
and do something else, I'm fretting over a new idea in a VERY short time.
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mary rosenblum
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They come. You never run out.
You just get tired. Give your creative brain a rest.
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bravo6
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Right now I have a really cool
idea (to me at least) for a SF short, but I think about it when I am doing
my evening exercises and then in the shower. Once I am out, brain stops....
:-)
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mary rosenblum
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So take a pad intot the
bathroom, bravo.
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mary rosenblum
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No kidding.
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mary rosenblum
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This is the real central key
to creativity. When it happens, go with it.
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mary rosenblum
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When the muse kicks you, don't
put her off.
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mary rosenblum
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You're at work?
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mary rosenblum
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Fine. Grab a scrap of paper
and write down a few shorthand notes.
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mary rosenblum
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You don't need details. The
notes will jog your shortterm memory and it'll all come back.
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mary rosenblum
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Won't take more than a few
seconds.
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mary rosenblum
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BUt make those notes. Stick
'em in a file, envelope, something.
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mary rosenblum
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Later, when you have time, sit
down and start a file for that story...write out your notes in a more
coherent fashion..
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mary rosenblum
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and even later, start writing
the story.
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mary rosenblum
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That is how I write
EVERYTHING.
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mary rosenblum
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The entire 'first draft' is
written as a series of notes on scraps and a slowly increasing file of
plot, summary, scenes, and ideas.
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mary rosenblum
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When I am totally happy with
the whole story. THEN I write it from beginning to end.
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mary rosenblum
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And only then do I sit at the
computer for long periods of time.
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scbydo
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I find writing better when
everyone is asleep
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mary rosenblum
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I loved it, when I was doing
it all the time. But my kids are grown and I have the house to myself and I
find that I am at my creative peak early in the AM.
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mary rosenblum
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So I do that, now.
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redneckgirl
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Mary may I ask a ? not relavant
to today Can an author use
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redneckgirl
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same title for a book as another
author
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redneckgirl
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do you need to get permission to
use persons name if
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redneckgirl
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it is public knowledge
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mary rosenblum
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Sure, redneck. No, titles are
not copyrightable, and you can use the same one. BUT...the publisher isn't
going to let you use something that is very well known like Gone With THe
Wind...
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mary rosenblum
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and they don't want you to use
a title of a book that failed to sell, either.
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mary rosenblum
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Titles are negotiable and
often Marketing will suggest a new one.
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mary rosenblum
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As to people...public figures
President Lincoln, Stephen King...are fine to use in your fiction...as long
as you do not libel these people.
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mary rosenblum
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They are in the public domaine
if they appear in public media.
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mary rosenblum
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But again...libel laws DO
apply.
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mary rosenblum
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Go read my interview with
Daniel Stevens, publishing attorney, in Surviving and Thriving: Interview
Transcripts. He answered a LOT of questions about that kind of thing.
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jackie7777
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I have so many ideas - no
concrete stories.
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mary rosenblum
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You just have to take your
ideas, jackie, come up with a character and give 'em a problem.
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t green
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I've got several projects going
at once. Sometimes I have a hard time chosing WHAT to work on, because I
feel the need to work on ALL of them and wind up working on none, or
hopping from one to the other all day long! Then I feel like I've
accomplished nothing. Can you help?
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mary rosenblum
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My best suggestion here, t, is
that you choose the one that nags at you the loudest.
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mary rosenblum
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I use the 'squeaky wheel'
decision process. :-)
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mary rosenblum
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As soon as I slow down on that
one, I move to the next 'squeaky wheel'.
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jackie7777
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Sounds so simple when you say
it.
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mary rosenblum
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The turning idea into story? I
know. It's NOT that simple when you start out.
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mary rosenblum
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It is for me now, because I've
been doing this for a long time.
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mary rosenblum
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But it's simpler than it
seems. Believe in yourself. You are not required to write the next Pulitzer
winner. Come up with a character YOU like and give that persona problem.
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mary rosenblum
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Any problem will do. Your
character dealing with it in your story will create the interest that makes
this story new and fresh.
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realityczech
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Get a dry erase board for the
shower--I'm not kidding!
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mary rosenblum
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I was gonna suggest that,
reality! LOL
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redneckgirl
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when my eyes get tired I close
them for 10-15 minutes with w
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mary rosenblum
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I lost the rest of your
question, redneck, but yes, short naps can really refresh you.
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mary rosenblum
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If I nod off at the keyboard
at 1 AM however, I'm not gonna be able to do a short nap! LOL
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mary rosenblum
|
This is the Tuesday Forum with
me, Mary Rosenblum, LR Web Editor, fiction and nonfiction writer. If you're
new here, remember that you need to click on the 'Ask a Question' button or
the 'word bubble' next to the red question mark at the top of the screen,
or use the ask a question icon in order to ask a question. Your regular
'send' bar won't reach me! You can also type /ask in front of your question
to reach me.
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cloux
|
Mary, any sugg on how to keep
your day job OUT of your writing? Particularly if you'ne had a stressful
day?
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mary rosenblum
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That's a good question, cloux.
Often I USE my stressful day in my writing. It sort of discharges the
tension for me and is useful.
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mary rosenblum
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If you know what your climax
is and you've had a tough day at work and are full of anger or
frustration...
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mary rosenblum
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use that energy. Write your
climax scene even if you're not there yet. Anger and frustration translate
nicely into vivid action. :-)
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mary rosenblum
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Or you can write a brief scene
where you MC simply has an encounter that reflects the things that troubled
you during the day.
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mary rosenblum
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You may not use this in your
story, but it's a good character exercise and it can vent some of the
tension you need to vent...
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mary rosenblum
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and a scene with no connection
to your story may just turn into a new story later on.
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mary rosenblum
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Remember that every word you
write benefits YOU as a writer, so don't be afraid to write stuff that has
no connection to anything you plan to submit.
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redneckgirl
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Mary i was asked to write a true
crime book for the victims
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redneckgirl
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family and I want to use real
names even of man acquitted
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redneckgirl
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do I need to ask the accused to
use his name if trail and
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redneckgirl
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names are public knowledge
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mary rosenblum
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True Crime is a world unto
itself.
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mary rosenblum
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I interviewed someone who
wrote it and uses real names and details from actual crimes.
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mary rosenblum
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No, that writer never asked
for permission.
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mary rosenblum
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Surprised me, but remember...
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mary rosenblum
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if you are reporting facts
from a real case, you cannot be accused of libel.
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mary rosenblum
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Now if the person was
acquitted and you state that he really did commit the murder...
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mary rosenblum
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you COULD be sued.
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mary rosenblum
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You are libeling him.
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scbydo
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I have noticed that I tend to be
very hard on myeslf
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mary rosenblum
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Scbydo, that is probably the
main reason some people never really have a career in writing.
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mary rosenblum
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They never pass their own
'tests' and never send their work out.
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mary rosenblum
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If you are writing for
yourself, then your standards are all that matter...
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mary rosenblum
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but if you are writing for
readers, let them judge.
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mary rosenblum
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If your readers get your
point, love your characters, and can't wait for the next story...are you
suceeding or failing?
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mary rosenblum
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The hard thing with just
starting out is that new writers often don't have readers, they don't show
their work around...
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mary rosenblum
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so you only have your own
standards to judge by.
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mary rosenblum
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And writers groups, all too
often, are too busy finding the weaknesses to remember to tell writers what
the good parts are!
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mary rosenblum
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Finding people who read the
type of fiction you write and giving them your work to read is a good test
if you are writing for readers.
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tkat_2
|
I play word games on the
internet just to keep my vocabulary up.
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mary rosenblum
|
That works if it doesn't take
the place of writing, tkat. :-) I can't even stand the thought of playing
omputer games! I put in enough time on the computer as is, thank you! LOL
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gail
|
I like to tell people I'm a
"recovering Accountant." This is mostly jest, but there is a
frightening element of truth to it -- I was thoroughly burned out and used
up when I left that occupation. Now, I'm fortunate to work, full-time, at
my writing. Seems idyllic, right? Wrong! On a daily basis I struggle with
that inner critic that noisily agrees with my father -- I should go back to
the "real" job I "shirked". Plus, I see my partner
still working at a job he can't abide and my guilt is so all-consuming, all
I want to do is bake him cookies, keep his home spotless -- ultimately,
anticipate all his needs. This, of course, takes time -- time AWAY from
writing. What I'm left with is the same amount of time, snatched from my
"daily living", as I would once have spent when working as an
accountant. I can't seem to give myself permission to immerse myself in
this "craft" and feel guilty for abandoning my
"occupation." The ironic thing is, accounting was sucking the
life out of me, while writing breathes l
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mary rosenblum
|
Ah, this is so common, gail.
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mary rosenblum
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I know of no writers, to be
honest, who write more once they quit their day job than they wrote before.
:-)
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mary rosenblum
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No kidding.
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mary rosenblum
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But the guilt factor is real.
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mary rosenblum
|
We do tend, in our culture, to
equate success by financial reward.
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mary rosenblum
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So if you are not earning
money, you're not REALLY doing something worthwhile.
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gail
|
while writing breathes life in. Any
suggestions on how to turn off the inner critic -- and the audience of
familial and "friendly" opinions (and denegrations) -- that are
stifling my muse?
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mary rosenblum
|
ah..found the rest of your
qeustion...
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mary rosenblum
|
It's hard, Gail. We all have
to face our inner critics sooner or later if we want to keep writing.
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mary rosenblum
|
I have a very good friend who
is an EXCELLENT writer.
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mary rosenblum
|
She could not pass her own
'standard of perfection' and no longer writes.
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mary rosenblum
|
What a waste of a good
storyteller.
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mary rosenblum
|
That is a real dividing line
for all of us who begin to write.
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mary rosenblum
|
We face that 'standard of
success' and either define it for ourselves in such a way that we can
continue to write, or we don't, and we quit.
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mary rosenblum
|
I managed to continue, but it
was a darn close call.
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mary rosenblum
|
I had a lot of 'learned from
birth' standards I had to come to terms with.
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bravo6
|
For me, I need to see the whole
story in my head. May not be the best thing,m but I can then outline it and
then storyboard it. Brcause I will have seen (the first) beginning, middle
and end. It may change by the time I'm finihsed, but I have a set marker for
each phase. It's a ME thing! :-D
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mary rosenblum
|
That's a good way to work,
bravo, because you can create that story in your head, make notes on your
storyboard, and do it in odd moments of time.
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sailor
|
I work at home on the computer
for my day job, same place where I write. I would get antsy sitting in the
same place all the time. Now, I either break for short walks or, when I've
printed out a draft to review, I sit somewhere else to do it. Gives me a
change of scene.
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mary rosenblum
|
I'm in the same boat, sailor,
since the website is my day job. :-) There is always weeding and that's
also partly the reason I have dogs.
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scbydo
|
What if you have a good idea but
you can't get it to work
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scbydo
|
the way you want it to
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mary rosenblum
|
Save it, scbydo.
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mary rosenblum
|
I have sold two stories this
year that were 'didn't work' ideas from a decade ago.
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tkat_2
|
One of the stories I wrote for
Breaking into Print was a real life event. Had to change the names though.
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mary rosenblum
|
Real life events are great
fodder for personal narratives, tkat...and they read like fiction but are
marketed (and pay) as nonfiction.
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scbydo
|
i have let others read some of
my work and they like it and
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scbydo
|
they want to read more
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mary rosenblum
|
Then listen to them. If you're
not writing for them, who ARE you writing for?
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curseofthe44
|
It has been suggested to me that
for a good critique, don't go to your relatives or friends. They are less
likely to give you an honest opinion. They don't want to hurt your
feelings.
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mary rosenblum
|
Oh lordy, family and personal
friends are the LAST people to ask for a critique...unless they are
writers...and then still skip the family!
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mary rosenblum
|
You're right about the
reasons, curse. 'Very nice, dear' is the basic response.
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mary rosenblum
|
Use people you know who read
that kind of fiction.
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mary rosenblum
|
Most people are thrilled to
read a work in progress.
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curseofthe44
|
But what if you have no one
else?
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mary rosenblum
|
Find someone else.
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mary rosenblum
|
Ask people from the website
that you've gotten to know.
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mary rosenblum
|
Join a book group.
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mary rosenblum
|
Join or start a critque group.
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bravo6
|
Well, life is back in my face.
Got to get back to work. Thanks Mary....
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mary rosenblum
|
Good example of life and day
job!
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bravo6
|
My set my goals up a little more
realistic. Such as, my game plan is to have the re-wrie of my novel
complete by EOY, and start the re-rewrite in January. I am also planning on
my SF colaberation (with a friend) to be in the outlining phase (We are
short stroying the backstory so we have the history of the poeple and their
customs down flat) by EOY.
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mary rosenblum
|
Setting up that kind of
schedule for yourself..long term..is a good way to motivate yourself.
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mary rosenblum
|
You have a goal, a 'deadline'
to meet.
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mary rosenblum
|
That can help you if you're a
habitual procrastinator...
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mary rosenblum
|
and for me, it allows me to
pace myself, so I don't kill myself doing the novel in four weeks!
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realityczech
|
So should we NOT become personal
friends with the members of our critique groups? LOL
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mary rosenblum
|
Well, you WILL reality, and
because of that, critque groups, unless they have a lot of turnover...
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mary rosenblum
|
have a natural lifespan. I
don't usually stay in one more than a couple of years.
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mary rosenblum
|
After that, I already know
what everybody is going to say.
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scbydo
|
any sugestions on writing
software
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mary rosenblum
|
What kind, scbydo?
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realityczech
|
I've put off being a habitual
procrastinator till next year...LOL
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mary rosenblum
|
LOL
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catydorr
|
Mary would you go over your
folder system for how you keep track of what has gone where and when and
what happened to it
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mary rosenblum
|
I don't tend to use folders
for that, caty.
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mary rosenblum
|
RAther I use folders to
organize research material..
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mary rosenblum
|
pictures, articles, maps, what
have you.
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mary rosenblum
|
I might have one for
'background'...one of articles related to the MC's career...
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mary rosenblum
|
But what I do as far as 'what
goes where'...
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mary rosenblum
|
is create several running
files...mostly for novels. Short fiction I can keep in my head.
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mary rosenblum
|
I have a 'Character' file,
where I list every character large or small as soon as I create him or her.
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mary rosenblum
|
And a 'setting' file..where I
list details of the setting...street names, where a store is, how far the
MC's house is from the school, etc...
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mary rosenblum
|
as well as what color/make of
car each character drives, etc.
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mary rosenblum
|
I have a timeline.
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mary rosenblum
|
I start with page one as
whatever day: Monday...
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mary rosenblum
|
and keep it current. Chapt 1
might end on Monday, but chapter two might take us into Tuesday.
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mary rosenblum
|
That way, when I suddenly need
to remember if my character drives a blue Taurus or a blue Escort, I can go
look.
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mary rosenblum
|
and I don't have to leaf
through 300 pages.
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mary rosenblum
|
And if I need the character to
stop at the bank on the way to the restaurant...
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mary rosenblum
|
I can look at my timeline to
make sure that he went to the restaurant on Monday and not Sunday!
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mary rosenblum
|
It will save you TONS of time
searching for details taht you know you included SOMEWHERE.
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curseofthe44
|
So, Mary, can you clue me in to
some critique groups online?
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mary rosenblum
|
You can ask around here,
curse. There are several running.
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mary rosenblum
|
You can invite people to join
you, for that matter, and start one.
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mary rosenblum
|
You can use the 'private room'
feature on the chat site here for meeting space.
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mary rosenblum
|
I use it to talk about work
I've given to some of the writers I swap ms with.
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t green
|
I find that some folks in these
chatrooms are happy to lend a fresh eye to a piece of work. I've sent parts
of a story to teens who read the kind of work and gotten some good solid
responses. And from people who could care less about me as a person...
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mary rosenblum
|
The nice thing about people
here is that most of 'em can give you reasons for what they say.
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mary rosenblum
|
A plain reader might tell you
'this seemed slow' and that is useful.
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
But someone who has written
can say, 'the middle is slow, after they get back from the dance' and that
is more useful.
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scbydo
|
to help put the story info
togther instead of everywhere
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|
redneckgirl
|
I use works or word for writing
is there a better program
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|
mary rosenblum
|
I don't know either of them,
scbydo. I must admit that I am a bit wary of 'writing software'.
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|
mary rosenblum
|
While it may be useful for
say, filling in a characterization template...
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|
mary rosenblum
|
what I would watch out for is
any software that gives you any kind of plot or character 'template'. to
follow.
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|
mary rosenblum
|
You are then creating
something that is very formulaic and you know what?
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|
mary rosenblum
|
That is not likely to catch an
editor's eye.
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redneckgirl
|
mary I cant get page numbers and
headers to not show up on
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redneckgirl
|
all the pages I dont eant them
on title page and chapter pag
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mary rosenblum
|
I'll have to ask Gary to do an
article on formatting with Word for us. Gary Kearney does great PC
articles...there are a couple up on the website.
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mary rosenblum
|
You create new headers,
redneck, to give a blank header to the first and chapter pages...
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mary rosenblum
|
or you can suppress format for
that page in at least some versions of WordPerfect.
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curseofthe44
|
I use Excel to track my stories
and sales.
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mary rosenblum
|
That's a good choice. I should
learn to use Excel.
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|
mary rosenblum
|
I use a notebook...but it's
kind of cool because it's the one I first started with , so my whole career
of submission and sales is in it.
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
DO log in your submissions and
note their return and what the response was.
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
It will help you learn the
response times of individual editors.
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mary rosenblum
|
And if you claim as a writer
with the IRS, you can deduct the postage.
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realityczech
|
For Catydorr: I had a
computer-savvy friend build me a small database in access to track all my
submissions and catalog all my manuscripts. Now I can print reports and see
where everything is. Sometimes, Public Libraries offer free classes in
Access or Excel. You could take one and make your own data base.
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mary rosenblum
|
I should do that!
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|
gail
|
Re: Characterization I found a
great site. It won't give you any formulas, but, after you've created your
character, and if you wonder how "believable" s/he is, then you
can take their tests to evaluate their personality. The site is:
http://writersvillage.com/character/index.htm
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mary rosenblum
|
Huh. That sounds like fun.
I'll have to check that out, Gail. Thanks.
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|
t green
|
I just made a simple chart on
Word with several headings (What, Where, When, Response) and list my
submissions and responses
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mary rosenblum
|
That works, too. :-)
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|
gail
|
I love to see what your log
looks like.
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|
mary rosenblum
|
It's a nice overview of a
career. In the beginning there are a lot of submissions and a few sales,
then the proportion begins to reverse. :-)
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|
realityczech
|
In Word: Click on Page Set Up,
select Layout, then check First page different box under Header and Footer
section.
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|
mary rosenblum
|
There you go, redneck. Thanks
reality. Redneck, maybe you can ask reality for more details after the
forum.
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|
curseofthe44
|
Thank you, I need critique
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|
mary rosenblum
|
Everybody does, curse. I never
send anything out unless it has been read by at least a couple of people.
Usually more than a couple.
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|
sailor
|
I have one master Excel
spreadsheet that includes the most recent activity for everything that is
active. My computer has a separate folder for each ms with its own detailed
spreadsheet of everything that has happened with that ms - where sent,
response, comments, etc.
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|
mary rosenblum
|
You are MUCH more organized
than I am, Sailor! LOL
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|
mary rosenblum
|
Well, this has been a fun
Oregon Hour.
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
I'll post the transcript to
the usual place:
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|
mary rosenblum
|
Writing Craft: Forum
Transcripts.
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
The main thing to remember is
that you don't need huge blocks of quiet time in which to write.
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
My first and second novels
were written entirely in notes... :-)
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
for the first draft, at least.
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
It's still how I tend to
write.
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
And remember...health
insurance is VERY spendy if your day job doens't pick up at least part of
it.
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
Be glad you have that day job!
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
So do most other writers.
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
Well, I'll see you tomorrow
morning, same time and place for our casual chat.
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
No topic for these, they're
just a time to hang out together.
|
|
mary rosenblum
|
Thanks for coming, all!
|