Southern Writers: Suite T

Why Writer's Conferences Have Value

2013-05-24T04:00:00.000-05:00

By Kellie Larsen Murphy

Writers like to meet other writers, hang out, and trade advice. In today's world, a great deal of this meeting and mingling is done through blogs, facebook, and twitter. And as wonderful as the virtual writing community is (and it is!), there is another, equally wonderful way to meet writing friends - through the writer's conference.

But What Makes Conferences Special?

Although conferences cost money and blogs don't, I believe there is still something unique about seeing and hearing someone in the business share their experiences that can't be matched by tweets or blogs. Certainly, there is nothing more interesting than attending a panel where a published author talks about his or her writing process followed by a lengthy question and answer session. I have been personally inspired by some of these sessions. Conferences offer the opportunity to learn.

Conferences today are more inclusive, diverse, and interactive than ever. Some offer critique sessions on first pages of novels or give advice on how to make your query letter better. Other panels discuss how and when to use social media, how to find an agent, and even how to self-publish.

Conferences also offer writers the opportunity to trade stories and advice with other writers (in the flesh). I was having trouble describing "who I wrote like" (something agents tend to ask) until a new writer friend I met at a conference was able to do it for me. A romance writer may find a local critique group. Screenwriters mingle with magazine freelancers. Mystery writers sit next to non-fiction writers. It's fun! While the virtual writing community is limitless, writing conferences are up close and personal.

Manage Your Expectations

In recent years, one of the biggest draws for aspiring writers is the one-on-one "elevator pitch" with an agent. For many writers, just the chance to meet an agent and pitch their book is often worth the price of admission. However, contrary to popular belief, that agent meeting doesn't guarantee a full or even partial manuscript request. I have witnessed disappointment in writers when the agent felt the project wasn't ready or the manuscript wasn't complete. Still, I do believe your chances of getting them to take a look are significantly higher than average.

Even if the agent ultimately rejects your manuscript, they have met you and spoken with you. That alone will usually get you the kind of constructive criticism you would never have received from a query letter alone. In my case, I was fortunate to have the agent request the full manuscript. And while she did later reject the manuscript, she included some great advice about my writing. I can truly credit her with having an impact on my writing today and the subsequent book I published in September of 2012. Was it worth it? Absolutely.

Make 2013 Your Conference Year

Add to your writing knowledge base and try a conference in 2013. You may learn more about writing and publishing than you expected and become a member of the writing community in your own hometown or state. Best of all, you may just be a better writer and isn't that what it's all about?

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Kellie Larsen Murphy is a freelance writer who has worked in both the banking and publishing industries. In recent years, she has written on a variety of subjects and been featured frequently in several mid-Atlantic magazines. Her debut novel, A Guilty Mind (September 2012), is the first in a series featuring Detective Michael Cancini. The second in the series, Stay of Execution, will be available in 2013. Kellie lives in Richmond, Virginia, with her husband, four children, and two dogs. She would be happy to hear from readers through her website, www.kellielarsenmurphy.com.

Celebrate!

2013-05-23T04:00:00.000-05:00

By Annette Cole Mastron, Communications Director for Southern Writers Magazine

Celebrate today, May 23rd, with me and say a "Happy Birthday" to a truly gifted author of;
“I like dogs
Big dogs
Little dogs
Fat dogs
Doggy dogs
Old dogs
Puppy dogs
I like dogs
A dog that is barking over the hill
A dog that is dreaming very still
A dog that is running wherever he will...I like dogs.”
― Margaret Wise Brown, "The Friendly Book"

As a dog lover I love this prose. The story goes that Margaret had to teach illustrators to draw the way a child see things. She gave two puppies to an illustrator. He painted several pictures one day and then fell asleep. He discovered the pictures he painted were blank. This is the part of the story I can identify with, the "model" puppies had licked all the paint off the artist's paper. Back to the drawing board.

Millions of children worldwide still have their childhoods shaped by her musical-like qualities of lyrical overtly simplistic prose. Born in 1910, she died tragically young in 1952 from an embolism, following a surgery. Her debut book, "When the Wind Blew" was published in 1937. Thankfully, she left hundreds of unpublished manuscripts at the time of her death. She wrote all the time and dreamed many of her classic stories. Upon awaking, she would write them down in the morning before she forgot them.

She said of writing, “One can but hope to make a child laugh or feel clear and happy-headed as he follows the simple rhythm to its logical end. It can jog him with the unexpected and comfort him with the familiar, lift him for a few minutes from his own problems of shoelaces that won’t tie, and busy parents and mysterious clock time, into the world of a bug or a bear or a bee or a boy living in the timeless world of a story.”

Margaret Wise Brown was an insightful author ahead of her time. So many of her books have a gentle pattern of rhythm to them or repeat a word pattern. Her writing brilliance, places a hard word into the story because she intended for children to think harder and expand their critical thinking while they read. Her genius coupled with delightful and unique illustrations shine through on every wonderful page.

Did you know that she crafted a beautiful birthday book? "The Golden Birthday Book" is a delightful combination of Margaret Wise Brown’s writing and Leonard Weisgard’s illustrations. These are pages from my copy of the book with some of her magical words.Take a page from her happy little book and celebrate by being your "own true rabbit". You too, can write a story to influence children and adults for centuries to come.

Happy 103rd Birthday, Margaret Wise Brown! You continue to make a difference, even in the lives of children and adults in the twenty-first century.

Gift Your Reader, Not Yourself

2013-05-22T04:00:00.000-05:00

By Linda Acaster

We all write for ourselves, aiming to get in the zone, to experience the rush, to burn in the white heat of creativity when our fingers can’t fly fast enough over the keys. Yet what exactly is it that ends up on paper? Often it is merely a faded rendition of the movie we saw running in our heads.

English has an alphabet of 26 letters. Forget what your school teacher impressed upon you about spelling and grammar; for a writer of fiction those 26 letters are symbols to encrypt emotional content, the emotional content that engulfs us in the white heat of creativity. Readers don’t want to read, they want to experience.

Pacing, atmosphere, tone, description… these and others go into the mix, but each is little more than an inert statement. It is character that makes them live – or not. I’m hot on showing what I mean so let’s conjure a character: the sassy smart-mouth with the unruly hair.

Got her? I didn’t say it was a ‘her’ yet that’s what the majority of readers will have jumped to, probably fully-kitted out in coloring and clothes, and doubtless with an urban backdrop. A stereotype. A cliché. That’s what stereotypes and clichés are, fast pieces of code so that everyone is reading from the same page with the least effort. Is that what you want to gift your reader, least effort? Here’s news: if readers want to slob out with least effort they’ll hit Netflix, not invest a couple of days engaging with your novel.

Let’s try another character. How about an artist? Oh, you’re suspicious now, are you? You want to know whatsort of an artist? Okay, a painter, for ease a male watercolorist. Walk him to your local store and let him buy a few groceries.

How did he do? How did you do? If you’ve ever painted, no matter the medium, you’ll know that a tree is not green, that clouds are not grey, that tarmac isn’t black. If your character didn’t see subtle tones in the light and shade of objects enroute, if he didn’t see mass and contour in the vegetables on offer at the store, he won’t live and breathe as an artist on the page. Musicians hear street noises in terms of pitch and modulation; plumbers hear a gurgle in a pipe and know if the system isn’t working correctly; police officers see a lone bystander and assess that person’s life in the blink of an eye. More than anything that officer sees the lone bystander, while for me and you the person is amalgamated with the background.

Characters don’t just filter our stories to readers. They are the bridge between the white heat of our creativity and the language that encodes emotional content on the page. Think them through; build their foundations deep. Then step into their skins and write so as to allow readers to experience your fiction the way you intend.

____________________________________________________________________

Linda Acaster talks more about building characters in ‘Reading A Writer’s Mind: Exploring Short Fiction – First Thought to Finished Story’. Despite being a Brit, her bestselling novel is the Native American historical ‘Beneath The Shining Mountains’ – she used to be a re-enactor so understands the need for deep research. Currently she’s writing the second in a trilogy of paranormal thrillers with Celtic undertones, starting with ‘Torc ofMoonlight’. She loves travelling in New Mexico where she often goes under the guise of Western writer Tyler Brentmore. Catch up with her at

http://lindaacaster.blogspot.com http://www.lindaacaster.com

https://www.facebook.com/lindaacasterUK http://twitter.com/LindaAcaster

So What?

2013-05-21T06:00:00.000-05:00

by Gary Fearon, Creative Director, Southern Writers Magazine

You may remember Art Linkletter's famous quote, "Kids say the darndest things". Even when I was a kid (saying the darndest things), I recognized that it doesn't stop with kids. I've always been fascinated with the oddities of conversation and how we all say some pretty strange things.

The first time I heard the phrase "good to go" was at a business meeting in 2000, and it caught my ear for its uniqueness and alliteration. I had no idea it would soon become one of the most overused catch phrases of our time. Having said that, I say it a lot.

In more recent years, "It is what it is" has elbowed its way into modern language. I was introduced to it by a friend who was suddenly using it several times in every conversation. I assumed he got it from one of his two great loves, sports or American Idol. Either way, what an absurd phrase. How can it not be what it is? I mean, come on. I'm validated to observe that "It is what it is" is one of the most hated sayings of our century, and is on its way out.

But much more recently, I'm noticing the unusual propensity of some people to start an answer with the word "so". For example:

"Why did you become a writer?"
"So when I got out of school I..."

Huh? When did "so" become a synonym of "because"?

Watch any episode of Shark Tank and you'll see numerous instances of this. For a while I assumed they skipped something in editing, but it's become obvious that's not the case. I've been hearing it elsewhere too, like on cable news channels. Have you?

"So" at the beginning of an answer seems to be replacing the ever-popular "well". Which, if you think about it, is just as odd of a word to start an answer with. The dictionary doesn't even explain "well" in that context, but we all use it as a bridge of sorts, an interjection to lead us from the question to the answer, giving us an extra moment to form the words that follow:

"Why are you late?"
"Well, I..."

Actually, I have a theory. In recent years psychologists have asserted that "well" at the beginning of an answer could mean the person is not telling the truth. (Perhaps it's become an unofficial qualifier, like "actually" or "honestly".) Because of that, companies may have instructed their salespeople to avoid saying "well", and other circles have followed suit. Just a theory.

Still, I question the choice of "so" as its replacement, which is like starting an answer with "therefore". It's especially unforgivable among journalists, who purport to use the English language more fluently than the average bear. Instead, they're only perpetuating the madness.

Kindly pardon the rant, but it's starting to get on my nerves and I hope this bizarre trend will fade into oblivion soon. Until then, it is what it is.

A Dash of Dis and a Dash of Dat

2013-05-20T04:00:00.000-05:00

By Kittie Howard

South Louisiana is a gumbo of ethnicities, languages, dialects, colonial histories, and varied landscapes. I didn’t know dat, me, growin’ up dere, no.

Ah, Cajun English, the sound of home: a pot of gumbo on the stove; sweet corn dripping down the chin; collard greens with—shhh, our secret—a dash of sugar. Mo chagren. I’m sorry. What am I saying? The sound of home is in my mind, a recording only I hear.

When I roughed out my latest novella, Rings of Trust, I dove into the keyboard with the sound of home. Pleased with my Cajun English dialogue, I printed a copy for my husband. Minutes later, he frowned. “What’s the matter?” I asked.

My New Hampshire husband hesitated. “Maybe you should tone down this Cajun dialect.”

We exchanged blank looks: New Hampshire’s boiled potatoes and South Louisiana deep-fried shoestring potatoes; New Hampshire’s clam chowder and South Louisiana’s gumbo. As if I were a character in one of my books, I perused my lips. “Okay,” I said.

I returned to the keyboard and sat there, staring at the screen and tapping my finger on the desk. My husband spoke conversational French, but with a Canadian English foundation his mother’s first language. Tap. Tap. This dialogue is so normal. Tap. Tap. What’s wrong with him? He’s been to South Louisiana countless times without a problem talking sports. Tap. Tap. He wasn’t paying atten—whoa!

I’d forgotten about body language and eye contact, the other aspects of hearing. Of course hub didn’t get it. He wasn’t born into Cajun English, a dialect that had evolved from Cajun French out of economic necessity in the 1800s. When one’s sitting in an un-air conditioned mom and pop diner in August, one understands Da day’s hot, hot. It’s easy to pick up that the lack of the plosive /th/ sound in Cajun French has turned the into da. Just as easy, the brain hears hot. But to read hot, hot in a dialogue? Neither listener nor reader knows the first hot means very. When Cajuns end sentences with no or yeah, there’s no rule, only a sensing.

I then did what I should have done in the first place: I devised a list of Cajun accented words (dôn for don’t) and fractured English (Id dôn matta, no.) to season the straight English. Once I had a consistency, the fingers flew. My husband turned page after printed page. “What’s Broussard going to do next? he’d ask.

I’d smile and return to the keyboard. However, I’d learned an important lesson about assuming. The author and the reader have to hear each other. In a way, we’re like cicadas calling each other. If one doesn’t hear, the evening is too quiet.

Much of the dialogue in Southern literature reflects the South’s drawl. But it differs. We hear who’s from Mississippi or Northern Louisiana. We know who’s who. How do you handle this drawl in your dialogue?

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Kittie Howard was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and graduated from Louisiana State University with a Bachelor of Science degree. She has worked for the U. S. Department of Defense. The United States Marine Corps presented her with a citation for her contributions to its Family Readiness Program. She has served as an advisor to local Red Cross, Navy Relief Boards, the national Armed Services YMCA Board and has coordinated various projects for local chapters of the USO. Kittie Howard’s Christmas novella with Remy chararacter in Remy Broussard's Christmas. Southern Writers Magazine showcased her Louisiana heritage on its blog in July 2012. In association with a Louisiana historical society, her grandmother’s family will be one of three families featured in a book about South Central Louisiana’s pioneers. Kittie and her husband, Dick Vercauteren, presently divide their time between Northern Virginia and Louisiana.

The Gift of Writing Comes From Inside

2013-05-17T04:00:00.000-05:00

By Peter B Forster

‘Oh I have always been a writer. All my life I have snatched words out of the air. Even as I woke in the morning my first thought would be to catch their bright burning flame, wield a pen like a branding iron and scorch them deep into a sheet of velum. The pain of the world writ large in raw hide…’ How many times have you heard that kind of pretentious twaddle from a writer?

When I was asked to provide an original piece of work for the magazine and one that might provide some useful insights about the process of writing to the readership I was stumped. Words usually pour out. They jump and bubble. I let them go and watch as they dance around the page like a row of chorus girls. I have never experienced the dreaded yips. Or the cold hollow whistle of an empty head. But that is because I think the gift of writing is within us all. It is not a unique talent; there is no magical formula. All you need to do is write down your thoughts. We all have them and it is as easy as that.

Of course that is pretentious twaddle as well because if it was easy then anybody could do it and if it was true we would all be bashing out books all day long.

‘Oh I’ve always thought I would write a book one day…’

How many times have we heard that? Of course every single person on this planet has a story. And everybody thinks they can write it down.

But they don’t, do they and why not?

It is easy to say creative writing takes discipline and hard work, but that goes without saying. If we all have the gift then anybody can sit down with a lap top. With the press of a button the flood gates are opened and the words just spill out. It is as easy as ABC. But if that is true what makes the difference between words that dribble out with the graceless hum of a splattered cowpat and those that slip off the tongue with a lyrical roll and move with a rhythm that captures the imagination? I think it is personality. If a writer can harness their own unique personality and transfer it on to the page then the words come to life. They have a personality, power and majesty all of their own.

Well maybe, possibly, perhaps.

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Peter is a consulting Counseling Psychologist in a busy East London community health setting. He has published in academic works and provided chapters in books for counselors’’ psychologists and psychotherapists he nurtures a love of and talent for creative writing. He attends writer’s workshops, written and performed poetry as well as provided lyrics for jobbing musicians. Currently he is fulfilling his ambition to write full length fiction novel. Peter’s academic work can be found in Tribe and Morrissey (eds) Handbook of Professional and Ethical Practice for Psychologists, Counsellors and Psychotherapists. Brunner-Routledge (2005) web: www.peterbforster.com twitter: @peterbforster

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Peter-B-Forster/382099575196003?ref=hl

Tearing Into History

2013-05-16T04:00:00.000-05:00

By Annette Cole Mastron, Communications Director for Southern Writers Magazine

Have you ever watched a building being torn down? Last week a 2300 year old Mayan temple in the Nohmul complex in

Belize was leveled by a construction crew. Reportedly, it was destroyed to provide gravel for a nearby road under construction.What?

According to the Belize Institute of Archaeology, a small portion of the center of the pyramid mound was left standing. Although situated on private property, historical sites are protected by the government of

Belize

, and criminal charges may be filed.

Ironically, the day I heard of the destruction of the Mayan pyramid I was able to observe the destruction of a non-historical icon a former Mrs.Winners Chicken & Biscuit building. Not that this compares to the loss of a historical landmark, but it does compare to the edit process of a book

In order to destroy a building, you need a big crane and an experienced crane driver. In editing a book, you need written pages and an editor. The crane driver/editor manipulates deep into the pages of the book and extracts what is not necessary. The unnecessary words are scooped up into a pile and deposited into your computer's trash bin.

During the process of building-destruction, a construction crew member waters down the pile of trash so that it doesn't combust and cause a fire. For your book that could be a trusted reader(s) or critique group. Editing is a personal process even though it's part of the business. While some of your written words are going to trash, it's important to get positive reinforcement.

When the dump truck is filled to capacity, it leaves the site. After editing is completed, one of the hardest things for me to do is hit the delete button on the trash bin. Once done, you are free from the edit process and ready to start your next project.

What does editing have to do with history? Your book or story contains history no matter the subject or genre. It represents the author's personal history. Life was happening around you while you wrote your book. I think that is why we sometimes have trouble in the edit process. If you are like me, the words I've written remind me of life events that happened, while my book and story developed. When those words are deleted, it's as if part of my history has been deleted. Sometimes it's hard to tear into history but it has to be done. You may be left with a small portion of the original but the heart of your book will allow your voice to shine through.

Do you have the next Bestseller?

2013-05-15T04:00:00.000-05:00

By Ashley Fontainne

Is the next bestseller floating around in your head? Better yet, have you already unleashed the tidal wave of powerful words and are now unsure what to do next? Does the fear of rejection letters make you cringe, causing you to withhold your manuscript from the world? Is your mind cowering from the thought of the dreaded negative review? Do you break out in cold sweat when you dare to dream about releasing your novel for the eyes of the world to read?

Fear no more.

The world of publishing has forever been altered through the introduction of the electronic book. Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and numerous other ebook reading devices offer an opportunity to unleash your creative prose. If your computer or graphic design skills are limited, like mine are, then there are a plethora of companies/individuals available to take your words and create a masterpiece. From editing, interior formatting, cover design and marketing, the options are abundant. Personally, I recommend the design team at Blue Harvest Creative. (Simply take a look at the astounding covers they designed for me and you will understand why).

Support is available through various social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads and LinkedIn. These are all free services and loaded with other helpful Indie authors. The close-knit Indie community works as one cohesive entity, helping to support each other in a variety of ways, for when one of us succeeds, we all do.

Think it can’t happen to you? Well, it can. After a few rookie mistakes in early 2011, I found my voice and by December of 2011, my first novel became an International bestseller. In the last twelve months, I have seen the second novel in my series achieve the same status. Then somehow, during all the online promotions and interviews, I was offered my own radio show at ArtistFirst Radio. Not only have my dreams become a reality, but they have been surpassed in ways I never fathomed, even in the wild ones!

So, let the pent-up story hiding inside you flow from your fingers onto the keyboard. Once the words are free from the confines of your heart and soul, follow the dream and let them fly.

And enjoy the journey.

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Ashley Fontainne's, Accountable to None, the first book in the trilogy, Eviscerating theSnake. The second in the series, Zero Balance focuses on the cost and reciprocal cycle that obtaining revenge has on the seeker. Born and raised in California, Ashley now calls Arkansas home with her husband and four children. She also enjoys writing poetry and short stories and recently published Ramblings of a Mad Southern Woman: ACollection of Short Stories and Poetry on Life, Love, Loss and Longing. Ashley is also a supporter of the Joyful Heart Foundation that assists victims of violent crime seek help and find healing, and donates 10% of all book sales yearly to the cause.Her website is www.ashleyfontainne.com,

Tweet her @AshleyFonta http://ramblingsofamadsouthernwoman.blogspot.com

Be on the Lookout, Photo is a Silhouette!

2013-05-14T04:00:00.000-05:00

By Susan Reichert, Editor-in-Chief for Southern Writers Magazine

Interesting thing happened the other day. I was searching for an author, and was having a little difficulty in finding them. When I did find the author, their icon—the one most authors use to show their photo—only showed a silhouette. (I notice that a lot on one of the Social Media sites.)

It got me to thinking about branding. An author’s branding is one of the most important things they can do for promotion, marketing and selling their books, not to mention having a presence so agents, editors and publishers can find them.

I can understand why someone would be reluctant to put his or her picture on the Internet. But it is imperative that an author have a picture to build their branding. If an author isn’t going to use a photo, then what can they use?

Why not use a picture of your book? While it is not as good as a personal photo, at least it adds to the branding and certainly beats that silhouette icon.

Another option would be to have a logo designed for you, perhaps using your initials. That would also work. The important thing is to replace the icon of a silhouette with a picture of something that helps brand you as an author.

It’s the little things we do that bring us the biggest gains.

Can you think of other things that can be used to brand an author?

Why I love Cross-Genre

2013-05-13T04:00:00.000-05:00

By Gillian Hamer

Recently my second indie-published novel Closure, released. This is my second novel that combines modern day crime thrillers with paranormal and historical elements.

I’ve been told that cross-genre is frowned on in the publishing world, as people like to pigeon-hole books and authors. I have to say that hasn’t been my experience, and my stubborn-as-a-mule, desperate-to-prove-I’m-right side wants to prove that I’m not alone.

I have no objection to writing straight crime as I love reading crime. I was raised on a diet of Enid Blyton, into Agatha Christie, onto PD James and all the greats. But some part of me adores adding the little extras that no one expects to get in a novel dealing with violent crimes and murder. I adore researching into factual history of the surroundings where I base my novels. And I love creating fictional characters to work within some of that historical element, and if I can run a parallel thread with the modern day story, so that the characters effortless interweave right up to the denouement … then to me I’ve got all the makings of a good book.

Besides, even when I listen to publishers tell me that crime readers read crime, horror readers read horror, historical readers … you get the drift … I’m inwardly shaking my head hard enough for it to fly across the room.

So far the majority of reviews of The Charter have been amazing, better than I could ever have hoped. Eleven five star reviews on Amazon, with nearly everyone getting exactly what I was trying to achieve. Even after KDP Free promotions, while ready for a deluge of negative comments, I’ve been delighted with the feedback, and I am increasingly certain that publishers have got it wrong. Not everyone wants to know exactly what they’re reading. Some people like the surprise element, they like experiencing that tilt of perspective, when what they thought they knew slips away from them.

So, this month I start the ball rolling again, with my Closure - this time the paranormal element concerns spirit guides and the hotly-debated topic of reincarnation.

Again, it won’t please everyone, but if one person who reads the book and studies the research I spent almost a year compiling, changes any preconceptions, I’ll consider it a job well done. If one reader tells me that they were captivated by this little boy’s story I shall be blown away. And if I manage to create characters – both real and spiritual – who impact with readers as much as I achieved in my first novel … well, you just know it’s going to whet my appetite for my next cross-genre adventure.

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Born in the industrial Midlands, Gillian's heart has always yearned for the wilds of North Wales and the pull of the ocean.A Company Director for twenty years, she has written obsessively for over a decade, predominantly in the crime genre. She has completed six full length novels and numerous short stories. After completing a creative writing course, she decided to take her writing to the next level and sought representation. She is a columnist for Words with Jam literary magazine, a regular theatre goer and avid reader across genres. WEBSITE : www.gillianhamer.com

BLOG : http://gillianhamer.wordpress.com

TWITTER : @gillyhamer

FACEBOOK : http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Gillian-E-Hamer/279383198798678

WRITE HARD

2013-05-10T04:00:00.000-05:00

By Bernard Schaffer

Writers write.

Writers read.

Writers find inspiration in the work of others and

remain vigilant not to ape anyone else.

Writers seek out criticism from those that

deserve to give it

and they listen.

(Most of the time.)

Writers work alone

without seeking approval from others

and finish with something

before showing it to anyone

because a writer is like a lonesome captain

on a sailboat steering through uncharted waters

expecting to arrive at a lost city of ancient riches.

But nobody wants to hear what you intend to find

expect to find

or say you'll find.

They just want to see it.

When I write, I think about those that came before me

who sat in a chair plinking away at the keys

or loading fresh paper into the typewriter

or putting quill to fresh ink

and I go at every single one of them

like their ghosts were sitting across from me

saying, "Come on, kid, you can hit harder than that."

Not because I don't love them

and not because I don't admire them

and not because I don't appreciate them

but because when I am writing they are my competition

and if you aren't trying to outdo everyone else

then you're just taking up space.

People often ask me for advice

and I suppose that's the purpose of this column

that I was so graciously asked to contribute to.

Well, here it is.

Write hard.

Read hard.

Find an editor who will critique you hard.

And when you find some level of success, repeat those same steps

but on an even greater scale.

Now go get to it.

____________________________________________________________________

Bernard Schaffer is the author of February 2012 Kindle Top 100 Book Superbia, international best-seller Whitechapel: The Final Stand of Sherlock Holmes, and the Guns of Seneca 6 series. As a teenager, he starred in Nickelodeon's "Don't Just Sit There," musical productions, television commercials, and a skit on Saturday Night Live. He later left acting to pursue a career in law enforcement. Since 1997, Schaffer has worked as a patrolman, detective, and narcotics officer in the suburbs of Philadelphia. In 2012, he released Superbia, a book about a dysfunctional police department that reached the Kindle Top 100. As a result of the Superbia series, he was stripped of his detective rank. Schaffer is the founder of the Kindle All-Stars. The project's first release Resistance Front featured Harlan Ellison and Alan Dean Foster. All profits from that book are being donated to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

ApiarySociety.com Official Website

Amazon Author’s Page for a full list of publications

Author’s Tea

2013-05-09T04:00:00.000-05:00

By Doyne Phillips, Managing Editor for Southern Writers Magazine

Author's Tea is a program for elementary age students where family is invited in to hear their children read their written word while viewing it on a screen behind them. After the children read they serve their attending family members tea and cookies. It is a great program and one I have had the pleasure of attending.

Another program is Reading Time and having a guest reader. A parent, grandparent or guest will come in and read during their reading time. There is then a Q&A afterwards. I recently had the honor of being the guest reader for my granddaughter Lana’s 2^nd grade class.

Lana had invited us for lunch and to stay for Reading Time as the guest reader. The teacher had been given a book of short stories about pets, in which was one of my shorts. I politely suggested the teacher read it prior to me coming. I realized the school has certain guidelines. I didn’t want to be a problem for the school or Lana.

Once her grandmother and I arrived at her class we were invited in and given a book on Lorax and his concern for the environment. My short would not be read due to the story line dealing with a pet that lived full life but passed on due to a serious illness. The teacher felt it was too dramatic for the small ones. I understood.

I was seated in front of the class with my wife, Lana’s grandmother by my side, and introduced to the class by Lana’s teacher. The teacher introduced me as Lana’s grandfather and a “famous author” and here is his book. She held up the copy of the short stories on pets. I thought my ego was inflated by that until I saw the face of my granddaughter. She was beaming! I quickly looked to my wife to be sure she had kept a straight face during the introduction and was amazed to see she had. She is good to keep me in my place so that came afterwards.

I read the book about the Lorax’s concern for the environment, saving energy and some great ways to do so. The kids obviously had heard the story before and seemed to know the next line but sat quietly and appeared interested. When finished, the teacher asked if there were any questions. A little girl in the back raised her hand and said, “I didn’t know Lana had a grandfather that is a famous author.” I did not want to say, “Nor did I” but instead took this opportunity to tell them about the anthology of the pet stories and how a portion of the proceeds benefit the local animal shelter. I then told them about Southern Writers Magazine and our mission to promote authors. I thought why spoil a good thing. After all, her teacher said it and that should be it. The other questions were about pets. No one seemed interested in what Lorax had to say.

I left that day a proud grandfather and a happy writer. A group of kids became interested in writing, I had an opportunity to show our books and Southern Writers Magazine and I had a beaming granddaughter.

I would suggest to you to visit your local school and see if there is an opportunity to read to the kids there. See if there is an Authors Tea. If so participate, if not assist in starting one. Share your craft, and while doing so share your book, poem or short story. Give back to your community and you may raise the interest of a child to the point they will someday be reading to their granddaughter’s class as a “Famous Author”.

Pssst: So You Want To Be A Writer?

2013-05-08T04:00:00.000-05:00

By Lucy Burdette

Often when I tell someone I'm a writer, a haunted look washes over his or her face. "I've always wanted to write a book," he or she says. "Do you have any advice for how to get published?" Well, yes, after ten published novels and a pile of published short stories and articles, I do have a few suggestions. But you'll see, some of them really have to do with writing, not publishing.

1. MAKE A PLAN THAT INCLUDES LOTS OF LITTLE, MANAGEABLE GOALS: As I begin a book, I look ahead to the due date and figure out how many pages I’ll need to write each week in order to hand it in on time. I build in time for trips and family and time for my writers group to read and critique, and then time for me to rewrite. Then I end up with a page goal for each week, and then a word goal for each day. In the morning, after I've read my email and toured my group blogs, I write until I’ve hit the goal, sometimes even getting a little ahead. If I have an unproductive day, I know I have to write a little faster later in the week to keep up.

2. HAMMER IT OUT. Get it all down, even if it's awful. You can always go back and fix things later. Anne Lamott called this “the sh***y first draft”—she had it right! I don't always know where I'm going, but as a mystery writer, I generally know who was murdered and why, and several people who might have been involved. And I know quite a bit about my sleuth, food critic Hayley Snow. But lots of points and details evolve as I type. As my pal Hallie Ephron says, just hold your nose and write.

3. SET YOUR SIGHTS HIGH: As a psychologist, I know the importance of having "big goals" for my subconscious to aim at. So I keep a copy of the NY Times bestseller list pasted up over my computer. Yep, that's where I want to be! Then I forget about it and work on the books word by word…And I'm not shy about getting help either. I've hired a professional editor in the past, and I have a writers group and several outside readers. This is a wonderful career because there's always, always room for improvement.

4. TAKE YOUR TIME: Don’t rush off too soon to try to get your work published. This business is extremely competitive so it’s crucial to have your writing polished before sending it out. The Internet makes querying and even actually publishing a book very, very easy—don’t press "send" until you’re sure the piece is the best it can be. And meanwhile, there are many conferences that are attended by literary agents and editors. It’s not a bad idea to get some face time with a professional—this personal contact could be what helps your manuscript get a serious look. And now even more with a surge in the eBook business; it seems so easy to get work online. Again, don’t make a move until you’re sure these pages are the best they can be! And learn everything you can about the business, so your chances of making smart decisions about your career increase.

5. YOU’VE GOT TO HAVE FRIENDS: Writing can be such a lonely, discouraging business. I’ve gotten very involved with mystery writing organizations (Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America.) I also have a very supportive and loyal writers group and three group blogs, Jungle Red Writers, Mystery Lovers Kitchen, and Killer Characters. The friends I’ve met have saved my sanity and supported me endlessly along the way. I highly recommend it!

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Lucy Burdette is a clinical psychologist and the author of ten published mysteries, including eight written as Roberta Isleib. The first two Key West food critic mysteries, AN APPETITE FOR MURDER and DEATH IN FOUR COURSES are now available TOPPED CHEF released May 7, 2013. www.twitter.com/lucyburdette, www.facebook.com/lucyburdette, www.lucyburdette.com She also blogs www.jungleredwriters.com and at www.mysteryloverskitchen

Calling Yourself a Writer

2013-05-07T09:10:00.001-05:00

by Gary Fearon, Creative Director, Southern Writers Magazine

Several conversations I've had recently with writers included a recurring theme, and a surprising one. They find it difficult to tell people that they're a "writer," even though they've been writing their whole lives.

In some cases, it's because they haven't been "formally" published yet. In other cases, they have one or more books out, but somewhere along the line someone gave them them the impression that what they do for a living isn't as important as other things they could be doing with their lives, so they hesitate to claim the credential of "writer."

One had the especially telling explanation that she doesn't have a degree in writing. I call that the "diploma syndrome." Life trains us that we need to earn certain pieces of paper that say we can graduate, we can drive, we can vote, etc. As a result, some wait for that magic document that declares them valid.

I'm encouraged by the perspective of poet Sara M. Robinson, who reminds us in the latest issue of Southern Writers why classics are required reading in school. Likewise, Georgia Author of the Year nominee Gerald Gillis spells out why he vowed to become a full-time writer, despite his respectable and successful earlier careers. We read about lawyers who became writers. Nurses who became writers. Writers who tried something else and came back to writing.

If you've seen the movies Courageous and Facing the Giants, or are familiar with the best-selling Love Dare, you will find new inspiration in Susan Reichert's cover story interview with filmmaker Alex Kendrick, who is committed to making movies that matter. Phyllis Porter Dolislager shares how writing is changing the lives of her writers groups as well as their families. Throughout the May/June issue we revisit the reasons why what we do is important, necessary work. (We already knew it was work!)

As a writer, you come from a long and noble heritage: Shakespeare, Dickens, Twain, every author you've ever read and enjoyed. They are our teachers, our mentors, our own family tree of literacy.

Next time someone asks what you do, be proud to tell them you're a writer. Many times, people are still impressed by that.

Basic Marketing Steps for the Newbie Writers & Authors

2013-05-06T04:00:00.000-05:00

By: Tanya Eavenson

Published and unpublished writers often hear how important marketing is. So let’s start with some basic ways to market yourself. Here are a few things you should have already been doing before or while writing your book.

Attend writers’ conferences. There are many different conferences to pick from, so find one that best fits your needs. For those starting out, try to choose a conference that offers mentoring appointments. Meeting with a published author who knows the business is a wonderful opportunity, but they’re also able to point you in the right direction in your writing career. Here is a link to a list of conferences to check out. http://oaktara.com/conferences

Start a blog or join a group blog with other writers. Before starting a blog, visit other blogs to get an idea of what type of content you’d like to post and how many times a week to post. Once you’ve gotten an idea, it’s time to find a blog that will suit your needs. I would suggest a free blog from either Wordpress or Blogger. I use both, but I’ve found Blogger to be somewhat easier for first time users. If you’re more of a technical type and like bells and whistles, Wordpress might be more your speed.

When joining a group blog, make sure you find out about the details before joining. The type of content they want you to post and how many times a month you’ll be responsible for posting.

Connect with people, including family, friends, and readers, using different social media outlets.

Guest post on other blogs. Find blogs you enjoy visiting and contact the authors to see if you can be a guest blogger.Now for those who want their novels to succeed, which is all of us, here are some marketing musts and one final thought.

Start a website. There are websites to purchase and some for free. Find which type of website fits your needs. I recommend buying your own domain name. I’ve purchased several from Hostgator and they are wonderful, always answering my many questions and happy to do so. http://www.hostgator.com/

Blog tour: Set up certain days around the time your novel is set to release and invite people to those blogs to learn about you and your novel.

Ask for influencers. Find others who will be willing to help you promote your novel before the release date and then after. Ask them to post reviews, for guest appearances, to tweet, and to use other types of social media. For authors who are about to embark on their first release, here is an important tip I’m learning as my debut novel Unconditional released in January of 2013.

You can never do too much to promote yourself, and you can never do enough. So relax. Enjoy the moment, because your debut novel only comes once in a lifetime.

What marketing steps have you taken as a writer?

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Tanya Eavenson and her husband have been in the ministry for fifteen years teaching youth, adults, and counseling. Tanya enjoys spending time with her husband, and their three children. Her favorite pastime is grabbing a cup of coffee and reading a good book. Tanya is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and writes for Christ to the World Ministries sharing the Gospel around the world. You can find her on Twitter at @Tan_eave and contact her at her website www.tanyaeavenson.com Want to learn more about writing? Stop by her blog http://guidedgirls.blogspot.com

Are You Ready To Be A Published Author?

2013-05-03T04:00:00.000-05:00

By Rebecca Cuadra George

I Thought I Was Ready

At 17, I finished writing my first novel and believed it was ready for publication. I wrote short stories on Saturday mornings for 10 years, read a library of writing books, conducted hours of research on agents and publishers, and spent weekend evenings studying Nitty Gritty Grammar for fun. Unfortunately, the same strength that fueled my ambition also fueled my naiveté. My passion and drive had strong roots, but the fruits of my writing needed to ripen.

The Need for Growth and Perspective

Many events—some expected, some not—transpired in the following 11 years. I wrote my first women’s fiction manuscript, Amber Vines, while going through the milestones of adulthood. I went to college, joined the corporate world, got married, relocated four times, and lived. But sometimes life meant pain and loss. During those times, writing became difficult, rejection chipped away at my self-esteem, and frequent revision cycles drained me. Years passed, but I refused to give up. Instead, I waited.

Nathan Bransford recently wrote a post on authors and depression. In it, he says, “Writing is not therapy. Therapy is therapy.” I agree wholeheartedly, and I would like to add another important lesson:

Therapy improves writing.

This year, I completed therapy, and it freed my writing through incredible growth and perspective. When I resumed my manuscript revisions, what I saw amazed me. There were so many nuances and opportunities for improvement I had missed while I was shortsighted. Completing therapy gave me fresh eyes, fresh insight into my characters and story, fresh hope, and fresh inspiration to make my manuscript blossom.

I knew I would be ready soon.

How Do You Know When You're Ready?

Looking back, I’m thankful I didn’t publish my first book at 17, and I’m glad I didn’t publish the first draft of my women’s fiction manuscript. I had to grow, live, and heal to prepare my book—and myself—for the next step in the journey.

Now I challenge you to reflect on your own writing and life, and see where you are in your journey.

· Do you feel frustrated, stuck, or discouraged?

· What could you do to grow and gain perspective?

Sometimes the writing journey includes seasons of waiting, growing, and learning before we’re ready to continue, and that’s okay. But don’t let the journey’s challenges dry the roots of your inspiration and dreams. If you need time away from your manuscript to replenish and grow, the best thing you can do is take it.

All writers are ready for publication at different ages and stages of their writing careers. I believe we’re ready for publication when we have a sense of peace about our work…the peace that comes when we’ve matured our souls and ripened our work through beta readers, critiques, revision, and study of the craft.

No matter what unexpected turns life brings, we're on this road together, and together we’ll reach our dreams.

Are you ready?

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Rebecca enjoys all forms of writing, from novels to eLearning scripts to children’s books to songs, but women’s fiction is where her heart lives. She resides with her beloved husband in Santa Clara, California, where she dreams up metaphors, plays the Celtic harp, and keeps an eye open for quaint wooden swings.

www.rebeccacuadrageorge.com www.facebook.com/rcgwriter

www.twitter.com/rcgwriter rcgwriter.tumblr.com

Mud and Mark

2013-05-02T04:00:00.000-05:00

By Annette Cole Mastron, Communications Director For Southern Writers Magazine

What do you think of when you see this picture of a boat stuck up in a tree? Can you imagine what modern day Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer would do?Jeff Nichols, a native of Arkansas, has written and directed the film, "Mud". Matthew McConaughey plays Mud; his love interest is played by Reece Witherspoon.

Nichols weaves a multi-faceted coming of age tale of two 14 year olds that makes for a unique and enjoyable two hours. It's the kind of screenplay that makes me research the writer to find out more about him and his influences. His setting is the river areas around Dewitt, Arkansas. Nichols was obviously influenced by Mark Twain's "Tom Sawyer". If you are a Mark Twain fan, you will enjoy his contemporary spin using Twain's backdrop of the Mississippi River.

Growing up on the bluffs over-looking the muddy Mississippi River, Mark Twain was required reading. I'm a Twain fan and have re-read his books numerous times. As I watched Mud's character evolve on screen I was reminded of Mark Twain’s, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, quote; "Human beings can be awful cruel to one another". Another Huck quote that is a primary theme of the movie is; "Just because you’re taught that something’s right and everyone believes it’s right, it don’t make it right.”

Nichols put a lot of Tom Sawyer in his screenplay, too. As Mark Twain wrote in The Adventures if Tom Sawyer, "He had discovered a great law of human action, without knowing it--namely, that in order to make a man or a boy covet a thing, it is only necessary to make the thing difficult to attain."

This movie has inspired me to write a story using the constantly changing fast-moving Mississippi River as a backdrop. Thank you for sparking my muse, Mark Twain and Jeff Nichols.

Why don't you join me in writing a story using a river as your backdrop?

Real Lessons From a Make Believe World

2013-05-01T04:00:00.000-05:00

By G. S. Lindberg

Alone, she sits in the bow of the riverboat in a pale yellow, sleeveless sundress, her delicate skin glowing pink, her eye lids shuttered against the relentless Florida sun. She is surrounded by people but no one sees her. Not even the ones who wheeled her aboard. With formless legs strapped tightly into the foot rests and withered arms drawn against her body like gnarled tree limbs, she has become part of the chair. We pass an Indian village with crackling electric campfires. Warriors and squaws, rendered in brightly painted fiberglass, stare off into space while the riverboat’s wake laps against a canoe pulled partway up on shore.

She glimpses a beige teepee flicker between the multitude of legs in front of her. Her short dark hair is buffeted by a sudden breeze as we make our first turn. No danger of grounding in the shallow waters ahead--this riverboat is on steel rails. Three teens hurry past, vocally annoyed that they have to walk around the girl’s chair to reach the upper deck stairs. She looks down, embarrassed. It’s more than I can bear. I take the Tinker Bell nightshirt I bought for my granddaughter’s tenth birthday from the plastic bag and cover the girl’s shoulders. She draws it together at the neck with a crooked finger and smiles a thank you. I crouch beside her and rest my hand on her forearm. She is surprised. So am I.

The riverboat blasts its whistle as we pass Tom Sawyer’s Island, startling me. She rolls her eyes in amusement. I smile. She grins. We lock eyes for the remainder of the voyage. Silence speaks volumes. The boat glides to the dock and stops with a bump. Two hundred new voyagers have gathered, waiting anxiously to board. An expressionless figure unlocks her wheelchair and spins it toward the exit ramp. With a Herculean effort, she twists to see me one last time.

“Wait!” I shout. Thirty people turn and stare. I run to her and crouch again. Her driver clicks his tongue. I need to hear her voice.

“Are you having a good time?” I ask. She rubs her cheek against the silky nightshirt and says, “I am now.” Seconds later, she dissolves into the crowd that passes beneath a fifty-foot banner, which proclaims “Where Dreams Come True.”

Someone once said fiction won’t change the world. I would have to agree. But I do believe it can make it a better place. Each well-written novel, short story and poem offers up a slice of life and connects the reader to a conversation that has existed since language was invented. The writer is, in essence, a guardian of language. Noam Chomsky said language is the single most important tool we have to articulate our reality. I grew up during the social turmoil of the sixties. Our artists--writers, poets, musicians, even movie stars--galvanized an entire generation to raise our voices against injustice. I believe it's time for a new generation of artists to do the same.

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I have worked as an Ophthalmic Physician’s Assistant for 28 years and enjoy helping people see clearly. I began writing in high school back in the Jurassic Period, studied English and Economics in college and Philosophy with the Franciscans. I am on Facebook and at vonbromson.blogspot.com as well as georgelindberg.com. My E-mail address is vonbromson@aol.com

The Windows and Doors

2013-04-30T04:00:00.000-05:00

By Susan Reichert, Editor-in-Chief for Southern Writers Magazine

Sylvia Plath, an American poet, novelist and short story writer said, “Everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.”

She was right. The enemy of our creativity is self-doubt. Writers must be alert to many things. Self-doubt is high up on the list. The one thing we need to watch for is the stench of the air when that horrible creature of self-doubt slinks into the room. Hurriedly open the doors and windows and shove it out before it settles down into a pool around your head.

You can write. You can finish the page, you can finish the chapter and you can finish the book. Remember you are the one who is creating this story. It is to be told from your perspective. It is what your mind imagined. Just put your thoughts down on the paper. One word, then two, then three and before long you will see sentence after sentence delivered onto the page.

Plath was also right about everything, literally, everything in life can be written about. It is there within our grasp. We only have to reach out and begin the transformation to paper. Whether we see it, hear it, smell it, touch it, think it–it is ours for the taking to use to create that next short story, poem or novel.

So when you sit down tomorrow morning to begin your day of writing, remember, open your windows and doors and stay alert.

My Time Machine

2013-04-29T04:00:00.000-05:00

By Suzanne Adair

Readers often comment that my stories immerse them fully in the fictional world I've created. Achieving that "You Are Here" feeling is a challenge for most authors. Those who write historical fiction wish they had a time machine, a way to experience what the past was like. I write crime fiction set during the eighteenth century, in the American War of Independence. I've found that time machine.

When I started researching this period almost twenty years ago, I quickly realized that if I intended to create believable fiction about people who'd lived more than two hundred years earlier, reading books on the topic and interviewing subject matter experts wouldn't cut it at helping me capture the period flavor. A desire to experience the everyday challenges my characters would have faced and how their world smelled, tasted, and sounded fueled my interest in becoming a Revolutionary War reenactor.

My sons and I have spent many weekends camped at historical battlegrounds during reenactment events. We sleep in white canvas army tents with no mosquito screens, and we dress in clothing made of wool and linen. Our menu is limited by what meals we can prepare over a wood fire. Food occasionally gets scorched. Most of the time, running water, flush toilets, and heat or air-conditioning are unavailable.

I've learned to start a fire from flint and steel. Not until I'd done so did I comprehend the impact of natural variables, such as wind and humidity, on establishing a fire when you don't even have the convenience of matches. Try starting a fire with flint and steel on a windy, wintry night.

I've also learned to load and fire a musket with powder only, like the reenactors on the battlefield. Nothing I'd read prepared me for the noise, weight, heat, or reload time of the musket. The one time I fired a ball, I saw the way it could have ricocheted off trees and killed someone. How often did that happen in woodland skirmishes hundreds of years ago?

And I've learned to move in a petticoat. However, no reference book prepared me for how quickly the wind whipped my petticoat into the campfire at one event. Did you know that being burned was one of the top causes of death for women in the eighteenth century?

I'm a woman of the twenty-first century. I take technology for granted. Convenience and accessibility underpin my culture and shape my values and reactions. But during the Revolutionary War, very little was convenient or accessible. Danger and scarcity shaped decisions, especially for the middle and lower classes.

We're out of touch with the hardships our ancestors endured to stay alive. My challenge is to bridge that gap in my fiction. The lessons I've learned from reenacting inform the crafting of my fictional world. Without the experience of having lived history via the time machine of reenacting, I wouldn't be able to provide such a believable and captivating escape for readers.

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Award-winning novelist Suzanne Adair is a Florida native who lives in a two hundred-year-old city at the edge of the North Carolina Piedmont, named for an English explorer who was beheaded. Her books transport readers to the Southern theater of the Revolutionary War, where she brings historic towns, battles, and people to life. She fuels her creativity with Revolutionary War reenacting and visits to historic sites. She enjoys cooking, dancing, hiking, and spending time with her family.Her books include, Paper Woman, Camp Follower, Regulated for Murder, The Blacksmith's Daughter, and A Hostage toHeritage, her next Michael Stoddard American Revolution thriller, recently released.

Blog: http://www.SuzanneAdair.typepad.com

Quarterly newsletter: http://tinyletter.com/Suzanne-Adair-News

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Suzanne_Adair

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Suzanne.Adair.Author

Five Tips For A Creative 2013

2013-04-26T04:00:00.000-05:00

By Cherie K. Miller

The most frequent question newbie writers ask is, “Where do you get your ideas?” Now that’s a hard question to answer. I usually get my article, blog topics or book topics from EVERYWHERE! If you’re stuck for writing ideas, here are some tips I’ve used to keep the creative juices flowing:

1) Get Your Idea Antenna Working: Creative ideas are floating in the ether, found on the internet, develop from conversations, can pop up while you’re driving somewhere, reading something, listening to music, or, my least favorite time, when you’re drifting off to sleep. As a working writer, the best tip I can give you is to “tune in” your creative idea antenna to have a LOT of ideas flooding your way and then allow your subconscious to bring a new angle or a new idea to an old story.

2) Keep an Idea File: I was a columnist for a newspaper in Chicago. Writing a weekly column was rough, but knowing that I had a deadline made me very disciplined in looking for ideas. In fact, even before I pitched the idea to the editors at the newspaper I came up with 52 column ideas – showing that the column had enough content to keep it going. It worked – for eight straight years! I carried a package of 3 x 5 cards in my purse, kept a stack on my desk, and tucked them in books as bookmarks. Every time I came across an idea, I’d write it on a card and file it in my idea box on my writing desk. If I ever lacked ideas, I’d take a quick run through my idea box and usually something would spark a writing frenzy.

3) Do Something Different. I absolutely love this paragraph by Natalie Goldberg, a writing teacher and author of WritingDown the Bones.“Sometimes there is just no way around it—we are boring and we are sick of ourselves, our voice, and the usual material we write about. It’s obvious that even going to a café to write doesn’t help. It is time to find other ways. Dye your hair green, paint your nails purple, get your nose pierced, dress as the opposite sex, perm your hair…Borrow your friend’s black leather motorcycle jacket, walk across the coffee shop like a Hell’s Angel, wear work boots, farmer’s overalls, a three-piece suit, wrap yourself in an American flag or wear curlers in your hair. Just sit down to write in a state you don’t ordinarily sit down to write in. Try writing on a large drawing pad. Wear all white and a stethoscope around your neck—whatever it takes to simply see the world from another angle.”

4) Use a Totally Different Process.. I’m a very linear writer. I write the beginning, the middle and then the end. That’s why I was so intrigued to hear about the process that the author of Fried Green Tomatoes, Fannie Flagg, uses: “I’m dyslexic. I write the end, then middle, then some of the beginning. I write scenes, and then hang them on a clothesline down my great-big, long hallway. It just helps me to see the story visually in sequence. The hardest part is putting it all together at the end. It’s like piecing together a quilt. And, if I drop it, I have a totally different book.”

5) Watch a Movie, Read a Book, Go to a Play, Attend a Concert. Author Julia Cameron, who wrote TheArtist’s Way, uses a tool she calls an Artist Date. This is how she defines it: “An artist date is a block of time, perhaps two hours weekly, especially set aside and committed to nurturing your creative consciousness, your inner artist. …You do not take anyone on this artist date but you and your inner artist, a.k.a. your creative child. ..Your artist needs to be taken out, pampered, and listened to.”

Consider prioritizing creativity for the rest of 2013. Schedule in some time to take an artist date, rearrange your writing desk, go buy yourself some neon 3 x 5 cards and a nifty file box, to make 2013 your most creative year yet!

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Cherie K. Miller is the author, Writing Conversations, Backwords,.and Sell More Books. She lives on a lake in Georgia with her author husband, J. Steve Miller and a blended family of seven sons. She has an MA in Professional Writing from Kennesaw State University. She is the former President of the Georgia Writers Association and serves as a volunteer for several nonprofit agencies. Blog: www.cheriekmiller.com www.wisdomcreekpress.com

Pet Blog: www.pet-peeves.org Twitter: @Impeeved

LinkedIn: Cherie K. Miller Facebook: Cherie K. Miller

"The World is a Book"

2013-04-25T04:00:00.000-05:00

By Doyne Phillips, Managing Editor for Southern Writers Magazine

"The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” St Augustine. This is one of my favorite quotes. I have a large lit world globe on a stand in my office with this quote engraved on a brass plate on the frame. Having been fortunate enough to travel I understand it. I use it to encourage my children and grandchildren to do the same. We point out the places they have been in this world, mark them on the globe and review the quote. The more places they see the more they realize the number of places they have yet to see.

As I read the short stories submitted to Southern Writers Magazine’s Short Story Fiction Contest, Saint Augustine’s quote kept returning to me. In each story you will be taken into another world. A world brought to you by some of the most talented authors of this day. As I read I wanted to continue traveling in that world. There is page after page of passion, delight and sorrow. Stopping at one page was never considered. My travel continued to the end.

The many stories submitted showcased the talents of writers from throughout the country. The thirteen finalists chosen for the Southern Writers Edition of Short Tales features the Winner and the 2^nd and 3^rd Place Winners on the cover. Tucked inside this issue are their short stories, each a masterpiece in its own right. Each story has photo and bio of the author. I think you will be impressed.

Southern Writers Edition of Short Tales invites you travel in the world of some of the top authors of Short Story Fiction of our day. Click on our website at http://www.southernwritersmagazine.com/ and pick up a copy of Southern Writers Edition of Short Tales. I promise you will not stop at one page.

Why Do I Write? Why Do You Write?

2013-04-24T04:00:00.001-05:00

By MK Meredith

The answer to that question can determine your level of tenacity. Because this is the thing, writing isn’t easy. Writing requires a large time commitment, a tough hide, and self-motivation. And if you aren’t doing it for the right reasons, or rather, if your reasons aren’t strong enough…writing is easy to quit.

For me, I can’t imagine doing anything else. And that’s the key. I am driven to write. I have stories to tell. When I’m in the middle of writing a book, stepping away from it to engage in the rest of my life, is very difficult. And I love my life! However, I could be cooking dinner or on a date with my husband, my best friend, but one leg still remains stretched out knee deep in that book. I can’t wait to get back to it. I’m antsy and long to feel the cool, smooth buttons of my keyboard. The story calls to me, my characters beg for me to resolve their issues or challenge them with new ones. Not until I write the words, ‘The End’, am I able to break free. For a second.

Until the next story grabs hold and demands itself to paper.

Writing makes me happy. Filling my life with joy is a dream come true. Why would I ever stop? I wouldn’t. I won’t. I am tenacious.

With every rejection from an editor or an agent, I take a day, medicate myself with peanut butter (my comfort food) and soak in the pain. But when the sun rises the next day…I write.

Stay in the fight. Don’t give up.

When the writing gets tough…get tough on your writing.

Write a business plan, with goals and actions. Write a vision statement. Consider the industry and your craft. What do you still have left to learn? Everything.

Cheryl St. John, a wonderful romance writer, mentor and friend, gave me the best advice. “Be a constant student. Don’t ever think you’ve learned all you can learn.” Her words are permanently engraved in my brain.

I practice and research and write, write, write. I study the industry, and participate in my local writing community, critique groups and workshops. My schedule is full and I love every stinkin’ minute of it. Because I’m a writer.

If writing is really what you want as your career. If regularly publishing in your genre, and someday making it onto the New York Times Best Sellers list is your dream. Then write. Don’t give up. Each day is a new day and a new opportunity to write your best work.

This industry is subjective and the traditional route leaves much of the control in someone else’s hands. But, what you do control is whether or not you write. Whether or not you learn.

Your success stems from your level of tenacity. Your ability to stick with it, grow, and improve until the day you are published. Because that day will come. And it will come soon.

If you keep writing.

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MK Meredith is an aspiring contemporary romance and paranormal romance author. She is a regular volunteer for Pikes Peak Writers and Pikes Peak Romance Writers out of Colorado Springs, CO. As a member of Romance Writers of America, Heartland Writers Group, Writers Write, PPW and PPRW, she considers herself a constant student. Currently she has multiple manuscripts under consideration, and she's working on two series. Loving motherhood, when MK is not writing she's snuggling her two children and harassing her husband, all of whom suffer from her spontaneous explosions of affection.

http://www.mkmeredith.com/
http://www.mkmeredith.blogspot.com/

https://twitter.com/MKMKMeredith http://www.facebook.com/MKMKMeredith?fref=ts

Books That Became Movies

2013-04-23T06:00:00.000-05:00

by Gary Fearon, Creative Director, Southern Writers Magazine

Have you considered adapting your own book?

Film reviewer Leonard Maltin reminded his TV audience last week that faithfully adapting a movie from a book takes a special kind of talent. Indeed, translating one medium into another to adapt it into a new form of entertainment is a challenging task, but one which introduces a good story to millions who never knew about the book. It's a safe bet that the number of movies we've seen in our lives far outnumber the books we've read.

In a full-circle way, films often inspire moviegoers to read the original book on which their favorite flicks are based, so the two make a great partnership. In that spirit, I thought it would be enlightening to scan the list of some top movies which were adapted from the printed word. Do you remember seeing these books (prior to the movie coming out)?

JURASSIC PARK by Michael Crichton
THE PRINCESS BRIDE by William Goldman
SILENCE OF THE LAMBS by Thomas Harris
DELIVERANCE by James Dickey
DANCES WITH WOLVES by Michael Blake
A CLOCKWORK ORANGE by Anthony Burgess
FIELD OF DREAMS (based on Shoeless Joe by W.P. Kinsella)
FORREST GUMP by Winston Groom
MILLION DOLLAR BABY (based on a short story by F.X. Toole)

In more recent years. Hollywood gave us:

THE SOCIAL NETWORK (based on The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich)
WAR HORSE by Michael Morpurgo
WE BOUGHT A ZOO by Benjamin Mee
HUGO (based on The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick)
WATER FOR ELEPHANTS by Sara Gruen
THE LINCOLN LAWYER by Michael Connelly
BEASTLY by Alex Flinn
I AM NUMBER FOUR by Pittacus Lore
JACK REACHER by Lee Child
CLOUD ATLAS by David Mitchell
SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK by Matthew Quick
ONE FOR THE MONEY by Janet Evanovich
LIFE OF PI by Yann Martel
THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL by Deborah Moggach
LES MISERABLES by Victor Hugo
THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER by Stephen Chbosky
THE HOST (in theatres now) - Stephanie Meyer, of Twilight fame

Soon to come:

THE GREAT GATSBY — the fourth screen retelling of the F. Scott Fitzgerald classic
THE SEVENTH SON — based on Joseph Delaney's The Spook's Apprentice
THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY — based on a short story by James Thurber
DOROTHY'S RETURN (2014) — based on Dorothy of Oz by Roger S. Baum

Worth noting is that some of the biggest blockbusters like Harry Potter, The Chronicles of Narnia, Lord of the Rings, Twilight and The Hunger Games were all series, and were all aimed at young adults. Does this say something about book-to-film potential? It definitely says that the younger generation is reading books, and I find that pretty encouraging.

In any given year, Hollywood translates dozens of books into film. As you're writing your next bestseller, it may not hurt to visualize being on the NY Times Best Seller list at the same time Meryl Streep accepts her Academy Award for playing your heroine.

Which reminds me, add THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, JULIE & JULIA and THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY to that list.

Changed Forever By A Book

2013-04-22T04:00:00.000-05:00

By Gloria Rose

At the lowest point of my life, I traveled in search of a new place to live. Recently separated from my husband, I visited a girlfriend in her downtown San Francisco flat. I picked up a book on her coffee table, The Sacred Romance: drawing closer to the heart of God by Brent Curtis and John Eldredge.

Five hours later, I closed the back cover and felt relief. I was in a new place—inside.Until reading Sacred Romance, I lived my adult life like a college student in a perpetual final exam week. My role was to burn the candle at both ends to pass the tests. Was I nice? Paying my taxes on time? Impressing my boss at work? Obeying the rules—don’t steal and don’t tell lies? Am I gaining the approval of God, the Tough Grader in the sky?

In TheSacred Romance, the authors painted God as the cosmic Lover pursuing His beloved—you and me: God created us for intimacy with him…and He uses beauty and affliction to recapture our hearts.

With this new perspective, I felt valued and secure. I smelled the roses more. I started to recognize love oozing out of children, coffee house baristas and strangers with dreadlocks. Authors Brent Curtis and John Eldredge had rewired my brain.

Recalling Sacred Romance’s impact on me fuels my motivation and growth as a writer. Isn’t that why I write—to rewire a reader’s perspective? To move a person from darkness to light? To reveal the hope and love available to us, just for the seeing?

A successful writer needs persistence and discipline. However, something more sends me to the keyboard: a desire to use words to heal another in some small way.

To reignite your writing passion, ask:

1. How have words changed me?

2. What is my message—the insight I can share with others?

3. How can I weave this message into my writing?

Your words matter.

A book changed me forever.

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Gloria Rose is a writer and coach. Formerly an executive recruiter (“headhunter”), she now helps people identify their life purpose and fulfill it. She is the author-teacher of the class,

“Find Your Purpose—Now.” Her latest eBook is “7 Ways to keep your dream alive.” Gloria blogs at http://www.gloriarose.com Connect with her on Facebook,Twitter and LinkedIn