Just submitted to a great contest

To writers everywhere:

I just submitted to a great contest, Fairest of them all .

I really enjoy it when other's with experience take the time to mentor and share their knowledge with those who may not be at the head of the pack. It is refreshing to really get in the spirit of competition as well and I only hope that my entry is worthy of being chosen.

So, to all who need a little query buffing, similar to bikini waxing--but much more painful, click the link above and check out Lynnette Labelle's blog. She is offering up 4 detailed query critiques for a little bit of work on the author's part. Deadline submission is Friday, Nov. 12th.

NanoWriMo

So, the month of November is here and NanoWriMo has officially begun.

Am I taking part... ummmm, sort of. Not really, but I will try to accomplish more in the ways of writing this month than in the month of October.

I am back again toiling at Helium and posted a new intro for another novel idea that has been tossing around in my brain. I really need to work on editing the original book I finished in January. Re-tool and edit the synopsis and query into a fine piece of literature.

Unfortunately the new idea beckoned to me tonight and I went ahead a jotted down a few hundred words of effort. Time is my enemy... my goals of being published by 2012 are severely dwindling.

So, NanoWriMo, serious NO GO! But with every effort I will re-dedicated more of my time to writing. In fact I already am with this blog post :) Talley-Ho, Tweedle-Loo!

Longing for the past

As a member of the never-ending rat race I try to dwell in the present and future vs. the past. The idea of keeping my mind occupied with moving forward is a challenge to say the least.

Never a day goes by when my memory banks aren't stirred with thoughts of my previous existence via driving by a particular location, seeing a post from an old friend on Facebook, or hearing a song on the radio. How I long for the sweet days of freedom and less responsibility. Even now I would happily turn the clock back 72 hours for a chance to right wrongs or provide my mouth with a much needed filter.

"Hindsight is 20/20"

We see more clearly in the future what we should have done in the past and the quote above only re-confirms this. I do regret those decisions that I made out of anger and frustration. Giving up my precious violin to focus on friends and money or not adjusting quickly to the required fancy dress up that comes with being an adult woman.

I firmly believe we are also jealous of our former selves, our innocence, naveity. The world was much simpler at the age of 6 then at 16 or 26. When running around without shaven legs was not faux pas. The unibrow did not exist and dresses were for make-believe.

So while I sit wishing for the days when I could sprawl out on the couch and read for hours without interruption, or lounge around with my un-shaven legs in my mother's bell bottoms from the 60's, please forgive my divulge into the past.

Revenge of the fly

The strip of wax evaded and now the winged insect is posed in defensive posture. Microscopic eyes would surely reveal a glimpse of the devil's pointed feeler aimed at my head. So sure of this tiny beast's want of my demise I wait, fly swatter in hand. Duel to the death, and my batting average is low. The developed squirmy being takes flight. I swing, hooray! I miss, boo-hoo! The fly has completed it's buzz of the tower which is my head and soars off to plan the next attack. Subconsciously this fly wants to be a kamikaze.

Talk about Buzz!

Here I am toiling away at the beginning of a late night and what do I spy? Blog writers in the publishing world talking about creating buzz!

Now in that area I am skilled. My creative writing forces are in desperate need of honing, but marketing is a whole-nother story. My degree is in marketing and my favorite topic of discussion with peers of late is buzz!

Buzz otherwise known as viral marketing is the fine art of marketing through word of mouth or any form of communication.

We get our thoughts "viral" everyday via phone calls to friends, discussions with co-workers, and our desperate need to communicate via various Internet applications. My blog being one of those (*wink). How do you create the right buzz though?
This is my big question. In the evolving age of communication, especially on the Internet, we are inundated by spam everyday. While spam is just a marketing ploy it mimics viral marketing taking the shape of emails, blog comments, etc. How do you control it? How do you convince others that your piece of info is not the next piece of spam eagerly waiting to be blocked?

- Gain more friends. Don't pitch right away... sell yourself, then your book.
- Encourage relatives, co-workers, and family to help spread the news the "viral" way.
- Share other ideas besides just your book pitch. You want to be interesting not annoying.

These are my brilliant marketing thoughts at 11pm CST. I would love to hear yours.

Follow the yellow brick road

My query is coming along. I have received some great feedback this week from the lovely Phoenix Sullivan and commenter's.

Just wanted to express my thanks via the blog to those who assisted in providing the feedback. I will once again begin toiling away at the query and hope I can continue to move forward.

The other novel I am working on is still a work in progress, and my new deadline for the rough draft is the 1st of October. While my dreams of being published, and my books in the greedy hands of literary fanatics are far from reality, my long hours and mad typing will continue.

Thanks to all and may those who continue to work as hard experience success in the future.

Ding* Light dawns on marble head

Writing is a tough job, hobby, or whatever you may call it. I find that the most simple communication can be hard to understand because with writing the author has to not only speak the words but describe the voice that is providing them.

How often do you read what a person may write in an email or blog and not know the manner in which they speak the words? I find this a common problem even with a simple post to facebook.

I could say, "Well, isn't that special!"

This one phrase could be taken in the following ways:

-I am being completely sarcastic and rude.
-I really mean something is truly special.

Which is it? Readers may never know. Now if I add a smile :), does that change things. Nonewhatsoever! Unless you know who I am my intentions will be completely unknown. One can only assume.

All I mean to say by this is that people, myself included, have to be cautious when posting their comments and feelings on a blog. Especially those of us who are budding author's. I don't want someone to think I have a poor attitude to constructive criticism. But I do want to express my opinion's and provide feedback if I feel it is needed.

Reading comments posted by others I find that sometimes words are misconstrued and maybe we should take more time double-checking our response before we click the button that reveals our thoughts to the world.

While I may think that XYZ is a completely moronic thing to say, hurting another's feelings with those exact words is not conducive to my aims as a person or goals as a writer.

As I always tell my children: Every person is responsible for everything they do or say, and the consequences or reactions that follow.