Thanks! I Needed That, Marcus Sakey

Here's the thing I love about Twitter: I find all kinds of excellent writerly stuff. The other day, I came across Marcus Sakey's post, How To Knock Yourself Out of the Game. He included six ways to make sure you don't mess up your publishing chances.

Now, I'm sure along the way, I've heard most of this advice before. None were earth-shattering, mind-blowing tips to success. But that doesn't mean that I don't forget the basics, the simple stuff, as I go merrily writing along.

The first tip, the VERY FIRST tip, slapped me upside the head: Start at the Beginning and Write to the End. Basically, Mr. Sakey made the following point. Don't get derailed right in the middle of the book you're writing and start another book. Finish what you start.

So easy. But oh, my. Writers (like me) like to think we're different. Writers (like me) like to follow our own rules and make it work. And I was this close (I'm holding up my hand, squeezing a smidgen of space between two fingers) to setting the book I'm working on aside and starting the one I've been daydreaming about for the last few weeks. Because it seems like such a good idea!

But maybe it seems like such a good idea because it's new and sparkly, not the old idea that makes me gnash and grind my teeth, trying to get it right. But anything worth doing, is worth doing right. And finishing.

So thanks, Marcus Sakey, I needed that reminder. I apologize for not recognizing your name. But now that I know who you are, I promise to read one of your books. Because you had some fine advice there, over on your website. Something tells me you're a very fine writer.

Tuesday Tips on Column and Essay Writing

This past weekend, I attended the Harriette Austin Writers Conference in Athens, Georgia in order to give my brain a good kick in the creative writing seat of the pants (Um, I kinda mixed body parts/metaphors there...you can see why I needed a refresher course or two). So I attended a session called, "So You Want to be A Columnist" presented by Mr. Wally Eberhard, Professor (Emeritus) at the University of Georgia.

Now, here's a funny side note. I strongly suspect that the Beneficent Mr. Hall may have taken a class from this fine professor during his stint in the Henry W. Grady School of Journalism. When I asked if he (the Beneficent Mr. Hall, that is) remembered this gentleman, he said, "Uhhh. The name sounds familiar." Mr. Hall probably heard his introduction, right before he (the Beneficent Mr. Hall, that is) fell asleep.

I, however, listened very carefully to Wally Eberhard. Because even though I've been writing columns and essays for a long time, I think it's easy to get in a bit of a rut, and forget the essentials. So here's a few timely reminders when writing columns (or essays):

1. Engage the reader early! (Don't take up valuable words, beating around the bush. Most columns are around 600 words)

2. Tell a story, when possible. (Make sure you have that beginning, middle and ending component)

3. Know the MARKET you're writing for. (This is easy if you're writing a Chicken Soup for the Soul essay on a specific topic, but not so easy if you're writing for magazines or newspapers. Do your research before you write!)

4. Read other columnists and essays. (How often do you read really fine essays? Be honest, now. Yes, I thought so. Which is why I'm including a special link for you.)

We know how important it is to read in order to be a better writer. And yet, we often skip that reading when it comes to essays. Wally suggested this link where you can find 15 of the best columns ever written. Of course, you might want to nose around the rest of Columnists.com; it's full of great information and interesting reads.

So, I've got some reading to do. Because I've also got some writing to do.

Finding Something Friday: Hot Enough For You? (Writer's and Poet's Market)

Now, I realize that the heat hovering over us throughout the good ol' US of A has drained our brains. It is nearly impossible to think, much less think straight. So I will understand if you wrap a cold towel around your head and go back to whatever you were doing to cool off. In fact, use your cold-towel wrapped time for thinking.

The Writer's Market and Poet's Market (2013) is still looking for articles and I bet, if you put your feet up and drink lots of ice cold tea, you can think up something brilliant! The deadline's been extended to August 8th, so you have a couple weeks to mull over ideas.

But even more exciting, the Poet's Market is accepting poems for the 2013 edition! You could get $50 and a copy of the 2013 Poet's Market, not to mention the cool bragging that goes along with publication.

So go find whatever's left of your brain and crank out some ideas. Try to remember to write something down. And when it cools off, you can worry about the details. 'Cause honestly, it may actually be hot enough for me.

Tuesday Tip: Have You Made a Pen Pal Today?

So I adventured out to meet another blogger buddy of mine, Becky Povich, and if you've read her blog, you won't be at all surprised that we shared a lot of laughter and a lot of topics in a very short time!

Let's see...we discussed writing and blogging, and making new friends and blogging, and books in the works and blogging and mutual writing/blogging aquaintances and peach milkshakes and blogging...well, I think you get the picture.

But here's the actual picture, just in case you're still wondering.

And in all the talk of blogging, here's my favoritest thing that Becky said:

"Visiting blogs and making friends with bloggers...it's like pen pals!"

You know, I always wanted a pen pal when I was a kid. Better late than never!

(And sometimes, you're lucky enough to meet in person. Thanks, Becky, for a lovely afternoon! And did you notice that Cathy-on-a-Stick and I were twinsies? She's such a copycat.)

Finding Something Friday on Rain At My House!

(With apologies to those who might be a bit damp in other parts of the country)

RAIN!

RAIN, glorious rain!
How happy to see you!
Not just a few drops
But big splashes to soak you!

Just thinking of getting wet
my senses are reeling!
One moment of knowing that
Cooled down feeling!

Rain, glorious rain!
What wouldn't we give for?
That extra downpour?
That's all that we live for!

Why should we be stuck so hot,
boiling over like crabs in a pot?

Oh, rain! Magical rain!
Heavenly rain! Beautiful rain!
Marvelous rain! Wonderful rain!
GLORIOUS rain!

What Not To Do Wednesday on Writer Socializing

I totally get it, grasshopper. You're a writer because you don't particularly like to socialize.

You like to hunker down with your laptop and beverage of choice and write till the sun rises over the horizon and your fingers cramp and your eyelids feel like sandpaper against your eyeballs and drool drips from the corner of your mouth.

Yeah, I get it. But eventually, you need to come up for air, step out of that comfort zone, and socialize. And yes, it's not easy, 'cause basically you're kind of shy and really, can't you just socialize on the Internets?

Well, grasshopper, that's a beginning. But if you have the opportunity to meet with other writers, at a conference, or a workshop, a book signing event, or a Zaxby's on the way to Florida, make a plan and go! Because you do not want to miss the warmth, the joy, the fun, of talking, sharing, and laughing with writers who really are more than writers. They're friends. And believe it or not, just like you.

And P.S. When one of the writers (okay, me) tells everybody to make a crazy face, you really should make a crazy face. Or the crazy-faced writer (okay, me) looks like an idiot.

(And P.P.S. Thanks to Lisa, Debra, Linda, and Cathy-on-a-Stick for a wonderful afternoon!)

Dear Sun

Or maybe Dear Hot, Broiling, Sun. That's how I'm going to start my Unsent Letter. Because I've got a little something something to say about this heat situation--although my brain might be too melty to make any sense.

Let me just direct you to all the particulars for the Unsent Letters site. You can get paid for a blog post, and if your letter gets selected for the book, you can get paid even more. And you don't have to be a professional to pen a letter. Anybody can write a letter, and just about everybody's got something to say. Plus, I don't think there's any specific deadline here, but honestly, I can't really think much at all these days.

Except to say that Mr. Sun's going to get a piece of my mind. Or what's left of it.

Finding Something Friday On Flash (In a Flash)

So, I was zipping around Twitterdom last night, checking out what write_jobs had to say, when I came across a lovely little horror flash mention for those of you itching to get your fingers on something short, dark, and scary. (That did not come out quite right, but I'm sure you know what I mean.)

Anyway, I started my flash search at Dark Moon Books. While there, I found that there's a Dark Moon Digest (a paying market) where you can send your creepified (not sure that's a word, but you know what I mean) submission.

Then, I clicked on the Contest page and honestly, you'll just have to scroll down the page and see if there's anything you'd like to write. I was a woman on a mission, though, so I kept looking till I found what I'd come for: Frightmares, the Flash Fiction Anthology.

Ah, success at last! They'll accept previously published work, as long as you hold the copyright. So, yeah. Now I'm off on a Frightmares submission mission. Wish me creepified luck!

Tooting My Horn Tuesday on Taking Out the Trash

Yes, yes, I'll get to the taking out the trash bit. But first, I have to toot my horn just a little for my superior technical compu-skills.

See, I had a TON of documents and invoice templates and pdf's and ebooks and probably the very first essay I ever wrote, all hanging about, gathering cyberdust on the office computer. And as you know (since you follow along here at the Hall of Fame), I work on Precious the Laptop now, far away from the office where the Beneficent Mr. Hall resides (when he's not taking his afternoon siesta).

Back in January (give or take a year), I had the presence of mind to zip all that stuff on to one of those zippy flash drives. And as fate would have it, I found that flash drive today (!) while waiting 35 minutes for the office computer to do its thing (P.S. It never quite did its thing.) Long story short, everything is now safely tucked away on Precious the Laptop (Okay, yes. The Beneficent Mr. Hall may have made a few suggestions as to how this delicate compu-feat could be accomplished. But I pressed the buttons.) So, ta-daaaaa! There really is no telling what scathingly brilliant stuff I might dig up, dust off, and send out.

Just like "Taking Out the Trash." That's the poem I mentioned a month or so ago here. The one I reworked several times, until finally I won the Katherine Kennedy McIntyre Light Verse Award in the 2011 North Carolina Poetry Society's Competition. I received a lovely book called Pinesong where all the award-winning poems are published, and a lovely certificate and a very lovely check. So I think it's okay to share the poem (which I found on my zippy flash drive. So there really was a point to that first bit of the post).



Taking Out the Trash


It was just ‘round the time when kids fall asleep,
And fathers plop down in soft chairs.
With dishwashers running, and TVs a-humming,
As mothers tread soft on the stairs.

“Did you take out the trash?” she asked with a smile,
She doubted he’d gotten right to it.
“Ten minutes,” he said, never turning his head.
Why rush around now and do it?

She picked up the gym clothes, the games and the books.
She put everything back in its place.
He sprawled on his seat, with his two propped-up feet,
A look of sheer bliss on his face.

She packed all the lunches, wrote checks, stamped the bills,
Fed the dog, even cleaned the fish bowl.
He cheered on his team, with a whoop and a scream.
“The trash, please!” she begged. His eyes rolled.

“Okay,” he replied to the tone in her voice,
With a sidelong glance at the mother.
“I can never relax,” he said, stating the facts.
“It’s just one thing after another!”

Finding Something Friday on the 4th of July Weekend

When I was a little girl in school, my class sang "My Country 'Tis of Thee" all the time. I wondered if kids still sang "My Country 'Tis of Thee." And then I found this... Safe and happy 4th of July!