Welcome to my author page, a blog that constantly updates and discusses my most recent works in progress. Syrahawk is my latest effort, a dsytopian novel about an undocumented immigrant couple. I am on my final edit.
Saturday, June 30, 2012
The Intern: five signs you're about to land an agent: observat...
The Intern: five signs you're about to land an agent: observat...: Over the past three years, INTERN has written manuscript critiques for many would-be authors, of whom some have gone on to...
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Is This Writing Contest Right For Me?
So there happens to be a writing contest for first time novelists, short story writers, and memoirists through Wilkes University. It all sounds like a perfect match for me: I'm a first time novelist, I could easily provide the first fifty pages of my book that they request, the fee of twenty-five dollars is doable, my novel has not been published on or off-line in any way, and finally--the one that usually gets me--the deadline hasn't passed yet. All systems go!
Well, that is after I perform a background check on the three judges acting as gatekeepers to my literary gamble. So I scope them out; hit all the stops: Wikipedia, author homepages, Amazon.com, anything I can get my hands on... And, barring the judges' somewhat heavy biases for certain genres, it seems like the gamble still might be worth it. So far, so good... so what's the deal?
Why did I not enter the contest?
Maybe it's because I just spent my last twenty-five dollars on a Chipotle burrito and six pack of micro brew? Nope. Because I blanched in the face of the little gremlin (who runs around in all writer's heads) snickering, "you're not good enough" and "who do you think you are?" Definitely not! Well, maybe just a little... But why than did I not enter?
To be honest, seeking publication and getting my novel printed in book form is my primary goal for 2012 (yes, this means e-books too), and this contest would require me to wait until September of 2012 to even hear about the competition's results-- and within that time, the novel would have to sit idle. So, in short, after all that effort of scoping out if the contest was right for me, I could have skipped to the last paragraph of the submission policy and saved myself a solid hour or two for last minute revisions to my book, or written a short story--or blog post--or just any old writing.
Moral of the story: skip to the last page of the book (or submission), that way, in case you die, you'll know how the story (or submission policy) ends. Courtesy of Billy Crystal in "When Harry Met Sally" and that little gremlin inside my head. :=)
Well, that is after I perform a background check on the three judges acting as gatekeepers to my literary gamble. So I scope them out; hit all the stops: Wikipedia, author homepages, Amazon.com, anything I can get my hands on... And, barring the judges' somewhat heavy biases for certain genres, it seems like the gamble still might be worth it. So far, so good... so what's the deal?
Why did I not enter the contest?
Maybe it's because I just spent my last twenty-five dollars on a Chipotle burrito and six pack of micro brew? Nope. Because I blanched in the face of the little gremlin (who runs around in all writer's heads) snickering, "you're not good enough" and "who do you think you are?" Definitely not! Well, maybe just a little... But why than did I not enter?
To be honest, seeking publication and getting my novel printed in book form is my primary goal for 2012 (yes, this means e-books too), and this contest would require me to wait until September of 2012 to even hear about the competition's results-- and within that time, the novel would have to sit idle. So, in short, after all that effort of scoping out if the contest was right for me, I could have skipped to the last paragraph of the submission policy and saved myself a solid hour or two for last minute revisions to my book, or written a short story--or blog post--or just any old writing.
Moral of the story: skip to the last page of the book (or submission), that way, in case you die, you'll know how the story (or submission policy) ends. Courtesy of Billy Crystal in "When Harry Met Sally" and that little gremlin inside my head. :=)
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
The Art of Juggling Fiction
As with everything in life, we must constantly prioritize and make room for the things we would otherwise push to the wayside. In general, this is what happens to all of us, yet when faced with completing a passion project (such as completing the best novel we can write), shoving it to the wayside can not only undermine confidence, but it certainly will take you out of your imagined world; a crucial head-space for any fiction writer to live in on a daily basis: To breathe it, taste it, smell it, and pace it with the soles of our own two feet, as not to lose our proverbial finger on its pulse. Not that every minute should be dedicated to "living it;" it's just that in a larger sense the story's milieu should enshroud us writers, haunt us with its terror, joy, suspense, foreboding, tranquility, romance-- whatever! That fantastic place must remain fantastic, otherwise we're just trudging along, making ends meet (even if that means continuing on the wrong journey), knowing that we're not doing what we know we do best. And that's a drag!
It is important to re-cognize things every so often, and this topic is one that should be recognized by all writers, as anyone can write themselves into a circle, but not everyone can muster the diligence and tenacity to write themselves out of it.
It is important to re-cognize things every so often, and this topic is one that should be recognized by all writers, as anyone can write themselves into a circle, but not everyone can muster the diligence and tenacity to write themselves out of it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)