To ask or not to ask

Here's my random thought for the day... really random, but it came to me when I was working on this week's Writing Profession Series. Now I am a deep thinker sometimes, mostly I like to cruise along the rims of my psyche instead of diving deep. That leads me to the question: To ask or not to ask?

This question can cover a variety of topics for a writer. Some topics that spring to my mind are asking someone to be a critique partner, asking for query help, or to guest spot on a blog.

Now, I'm not a big asker. I'm a helper. This means I would rather learn independently on my own through books, internet, etc. without having to specifically ask someone for the information. Asking takes time, and if you work at all, writing or otherwise, time is a commodity. Understand I don't mean that asking wastes my time, but takes time from the person I'm asking.
It took a lot of pushing to overcome my anxieties about asking people to guest spot on my blog. I realized that people guest on other blogs all the time, but usually those authors are familiar with one another. Who wants to guest spot on the blog of someone they barely know? I found out a lot of people are willing if you are kind, respectful, and honest.
Then comes the next part asking for query help. Luckily there are a lot of blogs where others offer their services. Thank goodness! But one on one feedback would be really wonderful, I just can't bring myself to ask. So I stick to reading other queries that receive help. Try to glean what I can from the feedback for the future.
Next the critique partner phase. This one is extremely difficult for me. I've dabbled in offering feedback for query letters, critiquing on critique circle, and have even searched for local groups (with no luck). I tried starting a group, but it seems the author's in my corner of the world are either not available, have their own avenues, or are just to far spread (location and genre) to get involved. So do I ask? Or not?
Typically I choose NOT because again who am I? And why would someone want to turn their novel into my hands for feedback? You've got to build cred and I'm attempting to do that by reading, reviewing, and honing my own craft before I offer my services or ask for anyone else's.
The demented psyche within me says that the worst anyone can say is no, but the nice person in me says that other authors and writers are probably already bombarded with those types of questions all the time. I don't want to impose and believe in leaving it up to the universe... to some extent.
Guess you could say I just need a set of brass ones. Guess you could say I'm a wimp. I guess I have to get used to the idea that we have to ask questions, take rejections, and suck it up!
My question: Would you ask or not?

Writing Profession Series- A look at different ways to be a writer

In the coming weeks, I've decided to write several blogs on being a writer.
The Writer Profession Series, is what I'm calling it! (Thought it sounded prim and proper).

With this series I'll cover several different writing jobs including: Book Author, Technical Writer, Copywriter, Magazine Journalism, Freelance Writing, and any others suggested or that I stumble across.

As I prepare for this adventure my question to you is: What writing professions would you like to know more about? Are you a professional writer and if so, which type and would you like to interview with me on my blog describing your job to the masses?

Writing Methods

I got 'em. You got 'em. So what's 'em?

The all- knowing precious writing method. That's 'em!
We all write differently. Sometimes it's just sitting down and cooking up a first draft. For others it's outlines and character outlines, and pictures. Then some go even further with research and details on the setting, plot, time period and all that jazz.

I write in strange ways first with an idea or a scene; sometimes this involves random dialogue. Then comes more ideas spawned by the characters in the scene, their thoughts and feelings. How does the character find their way out of their problems, what problems do they have, etc. From there my story begins to take flight. In some cases the best outlines fail me. My stories develop minds of their own, twisting and writhing according to the last scene. As if you are building a road, but you haven't decided where it will go until you get to the next bend.

So, what writing method do you employ? Is it one filled with blood, sweat and tears as you try to find the right words and thoughts to bless the pages with? Are you the studious outliner, who has everything lined out and rarely are changes needed or made?

Check it out!

A couple of months ago I emailed a question to the wonderful Jessica at Bookends, definitely one of those questions that you don't get answers to from reading writing books. Check it out here!

She provides a great point of view about writing different genres.

FYI:  Janet Reid is sharing great info about Twitter and Nathan Bransford is talking Facebook for Authors.

How do you decide love?

Love is in the eye of the beholder or at least it appears that way. You could think of it in terms as one person's junk is another person's treasure. In terms of a novel, when do you decide if you love it or not?

Is it after you catch a glimpse of the cover art and title? Is it after you read the brief, hooking paragraph on the back cover? After the first 3 chapters? Or when you finish the book having either laughed aloud, sobbed through the last 20 pages, or yelled at the main character for being an idiot?

I would say in all my years of reading, the words, "I love this!", come after the finale- never before. I have to read all the pages to know if the book really has me hooked. The cover and title may be interesting, the back cover catching, the first 3 chapters alluring, but the end tells me if the whole experience was worth my money.

This philosophy is present with the music I choose to listen to, the movies I watch, and the other forms of media I submit myself to devoting time to.

For those who decide the fate of something prior to the end miss the magic, romance, or horror that unfolds in the middle and the revelations at the end.

The phrase, "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet", has no meaning if you have never read Romeo and Juliet.

To truly love something you have to experience the entirety not just a little tidbit.

I'm a little LOST

After reading an article about the series finale of Lost, which is airing in a couple weeks. I finally took time to try to re-trace what Lost was about. When the series originally premiered I was captivated. As the episodes continued throughout the first season I got LOST! The show was abandoned and I ceased to understand what was so intriguing to the awe-struck masses. Needless to say I reached a state of profound confusion.

So, I attempted to re-acclimate myself with the show, like attempting to get involved in a book that you previously had turned away from. Following an hour of reading synopsis' of all the episodes, I am still LOST. The time jumping, large amount of characters, and never ending senseless drama make for an extremely LOST in translation television show that makes no sense to me.

Now this is not to say that those who are die-hard fans are wrong in their never-ending worship of the expensive, and elaborate production. I applaud those who are able to find interest in something that LOST me entirely.

I do however feel a need to raise a valid question: If LOST had originally been a book, not a television show, would agents or publishers be grabbed by a confusing jumble of plots, characters, story lines, and time jumping? Or would this brilliant idea have been LOST in the slush pile for eternity?