Writer: Deb Diez

Moving to Wordpress

2010-11-01T12:41:00.000-04:00

Come see my new blog over at Wordpress.

http://debdiez.wordpress.com/

First day of School

2010-09-08T08:05:00.000-04:00

Pancakes on the stove. Bookbags by the front door and feet running. Thirty minutes ago the little rugrats were out the door and on their way.
It's bitter sweet.
Gone are the carefree summer days of reading and hanging out at the pool. My daughter has gel in her hair (training her bangs out of the way) and my son was a little man with super manners. Soon they'll be home and after school mayhem will inslue. Homework, books, gossiup and such.
For me I have a timetable up and running where I'm going to fit my schedule in my day. So right now I'm to be picking up my house... blogging is more important. I can see my schedule going down the tube. But I'll give it go. Besides this is the first day of school. I can be more relaxed.

Where does the time go?

2010-08-14T12:40:00.000-04:00

In the mad rush of summer, realizing the time is slipping away is always a disappointment. Here we are in mid-august, school will be starting soon and for some of us lucky the Write On Rochester! Conference is right around the corner.
Jessica Andersen is scheduled to give two workshops for LCRW on Sept 17&18 and I'm thrilled. The workshops are on World Building and Pumping up your writing. As a paranormal fiction writer these topical are right up my avenue. But this could be for any genre in any style from children's to YA to Adult to... the spectrum is broad.
If you think it's not worth it, think again. This conference isn't about an all day workshop; it's about networking. There will be editors, writers, readers and such. Support, information on what to do and what's going on. At one conference I went to in the past, they were saying it's about the elevator time. Normally you run into editors, publishers and the like at Conferences and it's the elevator time, that is important. You have 25 words to get your point across. 25 words, commercial to say what you need to say for that one person to remember your book.
Conferences are more than just the speakers, it's the experience, the knowledge you gain from going. So if you are in the Rochester area,and are a writer come out for the weekend. Find out how Jessica Andersen went from a PHD in genetics to an award winning Author and her secrets. Find out what it's like to have elevator time, to network, to pitch your ideas. Come have an experience you'll remember always.
Check out LCRW.org for more information.

Write On Rochester!

2010-08-06T12:44:00.000-04:00

Write On Rochester! Conference is in little over a month. Sept 17 &18 at Radiasson RIT, Rochester. I'm so excited, not only because it's our first conference but because we have Jessica Andersen coming in to do our workshops. All her books are amazing. She is the author of the Novels of Final Prophecy.

All are amazing in their romance and conflict with the interwoven myths of Mayan Calendars makes these doomsday romance novels into thrillers.

If you're in the Rochester area come on out and see Jessica. She'll be giving two workshops: World Building and Pump up your writing. Registration info.online at LCRW.org.
To see an article on Jessica check out my examiner post.

New ideas.

2010-07-30T19:20:00.000-04:00

First off, yes I've been writing, but slowly and sporadically. My story has turned this way and that, but I have maintain my original idea, just my characters have become younger and younger. Throughout this process I have found my voice, my thoughts and myself... now I must write my story. I'm going back to what I found works through the Warrior Writer by Bob Mayer. Starting August 2nd, I am dedicating 1000 words per day to myself. I know I can do it, have done it. Now is retraining myself to do it.
The only person I can truly let down is myself, this time it won't happen. Time carved out is hard when balancing family, kids and life, especially when there is no cash flow, but when it is something that your passionate about, it comes down to just doing it. So here it goes, five months into my journey of writing a successful novel has come down to six months. Six months to have it query and submission ready. At least I know the story line, the characters, the quirks, now I must write the day to day words. I must be a warrior writer. I have my goal, the process. It's on me to get it accomplished.

What's your orginial idea part 3

2010-04-09T09:38:00.000-04:00

What's your original idea, can you tell it in 25 words or less? Does it have positive action words? At the conference in Syracuse Bob Mayer asked these questions and like most writers there, my mind screamed.... What? 25 words or less impossible.

I have too many components in my story to write it down to one sentence. But after my A-Team workshop I realize this is vital. As writers we need that Original Idea, that one thing that sparked out need to write the story and we need it up front and center to focus our goals on.

Over the last few weeks, I have struggled with different components of my story, questions that can't be answered. I returned back to the Original Idea, and my Conflict Box. Letting the ideas and questions marinate, I figured out what my answers. Now, I'm going to give the outlining a try and see if the story is workable as is.

What is an original idea?

• It could be about the “what if” it could be a person, setting, plot, an intent.
• It should convey certain aspects within the sentence:
o Protagonist, What’s at stake? Antagonist and the thing that needs to be achieve.
• It must have positive action verbs. It shouldn’t have negative words.

For instance mine was: A young Sentinel Witch’s powers awaken risking her gate to the vampire prison, to restore the power she must destroy the escaped vampire who stole her family knives.

I know that is over by 4 words, but it has the protagonist,(Witch) the what’s at stake (Vampire Prison entrance) and the antagonist (Vampire) and achieve (Destroy Vamp and restore knives.)

This is the original reason to start working on your work. What you need to feel before you really sit down and work on it. Have your original idea in front of you as you write. Have it looking at you as you load yourself into the world of your dreams. Let it help you keep on track, ground you as your finger fly.

Find out more from Pick up Bob Mayer's Warrior Writer and Who Dares Wins: The Green Beret Way to Conquer Fear and Succeed and The Novel Writer?s Toolkit. These books help in understanding your writing. If you can't make on of the numerous conferences he's speaking at, these books will help you as a writer tremendously.

Having a Goal and how to get to it. Warrior Writing Part 2

2010-03-25T09:21:00.000-04:00

“Have a Strategy” Bob Mayer said. A Strategic Goal as a writer, from the Warrior Writing Workshop.What it is? Do you want to make this a hobby, a job, a career a passion… What is the defining moment when you know the goal has been met? Do you want to hold your book in your hands? Do you want to be on the NY Times Best Seller’s List? What is you main goal?

So setting a specific long-term goal and doing anything and everything required to achieved the goal.
Mine is to be a NY times Best Seller’s List in 5 years, so I gotta get writing and fast. In order to do that, then I need to have Tactical Book Goal, ad Tactical Business Goal and a Tactical Short Range Goal.

Tactical Book Goal:
What can you be doing be doing with your book goal to reach your long-term goal?
Mine:
Figure out if my book can be made into a Series.
Research possible alternative locations and ideas for more Sentinel Witches to the realm of underground living Vampires.
While writing at least 1,000 words a day then begin a plot for 2nd book.
Come up with ideas for the 3rd book

Tactical Business:
What can you be doing in the buisness realm to achieve the your long-term goal
Mine:
Find similar favorite books’ agents and publisher
Query Agents once book is written.
Watch the publishing world, e-publishing, traditional publishing.

Tactical Short Range Goal:
What are you going to do day to day to reach your long term goal?
Mine:
Write a min. 1,000 words a day.
Complete first draft in 10 weeks
Complete plot for 2nd book before 1st is done.
Rewrite for Content, Rewrite Synopsis, and Query
Edit the first work one hour a day.
Write a blog three times a week
Write an article for Examiner twice a week.
Get onto Twitter for writing purposes.

Having it in black and white really puts a reality to it, scary but it’s achieveable because I’m the only way standing in my way. Someone at lunch at the conference said… “I just don’t have time.”At the time I thought, I don’t have the time either, but you know what, it’s just an excuse. We all have time, it is just how do we plan to use it.

For more information check out Bob Mayer's website or get his nonfiction book becoming a published writer from writer to published author Warror Writer

Notes on Warrior Writing

2010-03-23T14:59:00.000-04:00

After the conference, my brain felt like swiss cheese lots of static and air. One of my writer friends suggested to write down all my notes and see if I can't free up my thoughts. I did it, and it helped. Here is the first thing I learned in the weekend taking Bob Mayer"s Warrior Writing Workshop.

One of the first things I learned during the conference in Syracuse was the basic organization of writing. We all have millions of ideas flying in our head, some are on paper, some are on the computer, but most never see the light of day.

If we are going to be true writers dedicated to writing, then it has to be a job. Ask yourself why are you writing? For enjoyment, for the creative release, because you have too? Perhaps as a hobby, a career? If this is what you want to do start out right. Everyone says to write everyday, but can you do that? Give yourself a deadline, maybe it’s a 1000 words a day and no matter what you write at least a 1000 words, maybe it’s two thousands… make it and dedicate your work to that, the worse thing is no never finishing the work.

Make a log of how many words you wrote each day. Don’t look at it as a do list, look at it has a done list. It shouldn’t matter if it was just 200 words, you wrote 200 words. Own it. Own your idea. Own your thoughts. Tell everyone in your household, I have to write x amount of words, don’t open the door, come into the room, look at me crossed eye. Glue your ass into the chair and write. It is the only way to get through the story.

I applied this idea to my writing and have written over my 1000 word goal for five days in a role. Loving the feeling of achievement. Also, I joined Twitter and am in open strings dedicated to #amwriting,#writing and #writinggoals. This gives a sence of accountablity.

What I learned at the A-Team Workshop

2010-03-15T11:24:00.000-04:00

I need an anomaly to my character. What makes her different? What will set her apart from all the other vampire hunters out there in the world? Some said to give her a handicap...blind, deaf, missing an arm, a disease... but I can't rein in my thoughts.

On Sunday, can't believe it was just yesterday. I did the optional A-Team Warrior Writing Workshop presented by Bob Mayer in Syracuse for the CNYRW Mini-con. The weekend was a marathon of writing concepts, trade and inspiration. My brain synapses were firing so rapidly that today, I can see what and how I will change things within my office to run my story frame more efficiently, but all I can do is sit in this chair and write about my experience.

From the Sunday workshop, I have a good foundation for my story, I have the life of it, but what makes it different. My idea has never changed, but my story needs to be taken to the next level.

Several goals need to happen to get there, writing... I will need to write at least 1,000 words a day. Then I can do the fun things in my life. I need to figure out my anomaly is for my main character. Something to make her stand out. So I'll be hitting the fan sites to check out what everyone is ravening about in the vampire hunting realm. It's either now or never, and I'm the only one writing my story. I'm going to dare to win.

If you ever get the chance to got to on of Bob Mayer's workshops jump on it. It will open your eyes to understanding the writing trade. Bring Bob to you, his nonfiction books on how writing are fabulous.

Especailly Warrior Writer, from writer to Published Author, out on kindle right now.

Opening Night with Bob Mayer

2010-03-13T07:48:00.002-05:00

Excitement in the air, how was he going to present himself. Walking into the CNYRW mini con opening informal discussion was exciting, Book everywhere and Mr. Mayer waiting patiently. After reading his books, images will form of a military strick man. However, last night he was human, funny and carsmatic. His speak was on The Orginial Idea and Conflict Box, without these you really don't have a story. Consepts I had read and heard before, but never truly understood what exactly they meant until he exampled them. The Orginial Idea is one sentence the main reason why you are writing this novel. It's not the life story, but it's the spark of the reason. It's what made you get your fingers running on the keyboard. But as a writer it is so hard to get it done to one sentence, because you have to weed through all the layers you have applied to the novel to get the idea of it.

The Confilict Box it shows the Anatgonist and Protagonist goals and conflict and when you cross them, there should be conflict. You can do this for each scene, but you must have one for the story, if there is no conflict you have no story.

Now it's time to get ready for today. Lots to learn. Can't wait.

Countdown to the Mini-Conference

2010-03-11T11:54:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I received my master documents for Sunday. I enrolled in extra Writers Workshop on Sunday with Bob Mayer where he critique your novel and so does everyone else. I had to submitt a query, synopsis, and first then pages of my work. It didn't seem real until I got that master document yesterday. Wow, my first professional critique on my work, now the butterflies are bubbling.
The Mini- Con is in Sryacuse, NY this weekend hosted by the CNYRW. I went last year and learn so much, I know this year the experience will be the same.
My business cards are together, I have my laptop ready. It all starts tomorrow night, with a informal discussion of Who Dares Wins, then a full day workshop on Saturday of how to be a warrrior writer than the option novel critique. It will be a whirl wind experience, but I am hoping that on the other side of it, I have a better understanding of the craft, and my works will be on the road to publication.

New Article on CNYRW

2010-03-01T14:39:00.000-05:00

I wrote an article today on the upcoming Mini Con in CNYRW held in Syracuse in a few short weeks. I am so excited because I will get to focus on my novel, which can be hard for me. As I write for Examiner, I am focusing on others works. As I final Read for a e-Pub, I focus on other's works so much that I find editing my own work hard.

It should be overly exciting to get to listen to Bob Mayer best selling author talk about improving yourself as a writer, something all us writers should be doing anyway.

It has motivated me to jot down my query letter, my synopsis and I think I have a title for my book. I will have to feel it out. I have a critique group in a couple days hopefully they'll be able to help me flesh out my pieces.

The excitement is palpable, I have the workings of a query and synopsis, wow!

LCRW Meeting On Internet Marketing

2010-02-28T10:58:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I went to my local writers group LCRW for our monthly meeting. For all those looking to writer novels, let them be any genre from Romance Novels to Fiction or even Non-fiction there is typically a group out there to join. I highly recommend it, not only for the information but the comradely.

At this particular meeting the workshop was on On-line Marketing 101, very helpful for us writers who are tiring to get people to read our own work. It helped me understand keywords and other aspects of internet lingo. Especially for my Rochester Romance Novel Examiner page. It was all great, but the part of the meeting that always helps me is the chatting with other writers, the push to meet our goals as writers and the information that will help with the writing craft in general.

As a member of RWA I belong to some loops that are specific about chatting of the craft, but it is more beneficial to get out and talk to someone face to face. I have a friend who says, "Writing is a lonely professional, as a rule we all huddle around our computers and pour our imagination and pain into the pages. It is always good to get out and see people." I have to agree with her at this point.

Yesterday, I spoke with one of our members and her knowledge helped me work out some kinks I have ran into in my novel. Just talking to her gave me the confidence to keep writing.

So off to finish my partial Query, to type in my Synopsis and of course... Figure out the Title of my book. Any suggestions? It's paranormal with witches, vampires and were animals. About good and evil roaming the hill of WV. I'll take anything at this point, cause I'm at a draw.

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Life

2010-02-24T11:00:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, I realized that not only do I need to finish up to my first turning point but I need more right now.
I am going to a writer's Conference in March. The CNYRW Mini- Con and taking the Sunday critique session with Bob Mayer. The book I am currently working on is the one I want to have critiqued, so I need a Query Letter and a Synopasis all before the Conference starts in March.

At least I have a short brief outline of 'this is what I want to accomplish,' so the Synopasis won't be too hard, its the Query letter that is going to bite me in the ass, so I have lots of work to do. Time to pull out my The Novel's Writers Toolkit book and get hacking away at the keyboard.

Not only I am trying to write, but my local writers chapter is hosting a contest and I still have a few more entires to judge. I am helping with some transcibing and of course my favorite, I am a final reader for a e-Publishing company and I have a story to read. It's time to get cracking. Lots to do, more to write.

Tuesday

2010-02-16T14:10:00.001-05:00

Well, I hope all had a lovely Valentine's Day weekend. My husband isn't much of a Valentine's fan and my birthday the day after results in all the attention surround my day versus 'v'day. Personally, not a bad thing in my book.

My friends and I went on a Wine trail on Saturday...so much fun. If any one is in the Western NY area and want to check out some great wines you couldn't go wrong with any of the Finger Lake wineries, just pick one. But I went on the Truffles and Tastings event tour on Keuka lake Wineries, the wine's were delicious. Beyond superb. As a writer going to different locations and finding out interesting new adventures always sparks the imagination. The key is write what you know. I took some photos of the lakes and bought some wine. I am sure one day soon, the memories I had of this weekend will one day make it into a book somehow in one form or another.

That being said where am I in my novel in year? Exactly where I left off with it on Friday night. So fingers to the keyboard and imagination on full, it's time to get going. Because no one else can write your book, only yourself.

Writing a Novel in a Year

2010-02-12T12:41:00.000-05:00

For the past few months I have been struggling with my writing. But just recently while brainstorming, the characters and ideas popped into my head screaming for a fighting chance. A chance to tell their story to expect the unexpected. I have to say, I haven't been this happy in a long time.
It's a Paranormal Romance, I don't have a title. I have the characters, I have the reasons, most of the plot but more important I have the drive to write this.
So here is my novel in a year. I have the backbone written, I have the characters voices were they need to be right now. So now, it's get to work and write.
So my wood count is just around 6,500 words and I haven't reach the first turning point.
So here's to writing, everyday.

What to write about

2009-12-18T13:59:00.002-05:00

I just asked my daughter what should I write about and she said. "How mean Izzie is." Well, that's not going to work, because I can't write about the attitudes of little girls, they fluctuate as much if not more than adults and tend to be more violable. Today and yesterday are no school days do to Parent Teacher Conferences so what us mommies do is pile all the kids in one house while the other mom's get a chance to talk one on one with teachers, it works well. BUT and here is the BUT, this is the second day we have had to do this and the kids are getting onto each others nerves. It's amazing how they love to hate each other at times. The explosion of emotions can play in a great way to expression of characters in a book. I may be quilty of doing it when needing to exaggerate a sence, kids are a great example of how high emotions can run. We all have to learn somewhere.

family

2009-12-15T14:24:00.002-05:00

We all have family somewhere doing something at all times. For me, my family is spread across the great U.S.of A. from sea to shining sea. Funny, we are live in states that touch a different border, let it be land or water.
Anyway, my oldest sister is the guru of the family she has her finger on our pulses, knows everything. Always there to turn to when you need someone to talk to, always has an answer o fix the problem... normally the right answer.
My brother just tries to keep from being swallowed up by mommy do lists. He's your typical biker, mechanic type sweet teddy bear on the inside, scary as hell to mess with. But a righteous southern California Raiders loven Gentleman.
And My other sister has 5+ kids... need I say more. The thing is my sister who lives in a shoe, has a blog she writes in everyday. After reading several posts, I realize how much I missed getting to know her. How I never thought how all our lives impact each other. To me she is my older sister who can do all, be all and survive all. Patience and passion, live your life with pride; it's always how I thought of her. Then she writes about wishing she knew how to shoot a point and shoot camera without getting blurry pictures, or how our father loved country music (I didn't know that) or how she fell in love with Piano bars because she went to one for me. I realize there is more to her that I want to know more about. It fun learning new things, better to learn them about family.

Just wrote a Blog for LCRW

2009-12-04T08:55:00.001-05:00

I wrote about my experience with the NaNo. National Novel Writing Month of November, it was fun and highly educational. Go check out my blog at LCRW.
I'm off to write another article for Examiner.

The interview

2009-12-02T12:40:00.002-05:00

I have been writing as the Rochester Romance Novel Examiner for a while now. The trick is to keep everything relevant to Rochester. This can be hard when getting handed interviews with top best sellers. But when there is a way there is a how. So after talking over with my critique group I came up with a way. Ask Rochester what they would ask the best sellers.
In doing this, I got to complete the interviews and satisfy my requirements. Not to mention got to bring Top Names to Rochester so to speak.
Monday, I released the first interview and wow, the readership on that interview alone was amazing. So it anyone wants to see the interview with Susan Wiggs. check it out here.
Rochester Romance Novel Examiner's Interview with Susan Wiggs
Have to say, it's a highlight of my writing career for Examiner.com

New blog on LCRW

2009-10-20T09:05:00.002-04:00

Today, I ranted on the LCRW blog about should I twit or not. I'm still up in the air. I spend so much time as it is writing, should I be spending it twitting too?
Lately I realize I need to promote more to get my examiner page really going. I want to do that. Some really cool opporunities had popped up and I think would help if I had more promoting.
As a private person, I wonder if twitting is the right thing to do.
Go check out my blog on LCRW and voice your comments or voice them here. What do you think.

Changes in Temperature

2009-09-18T09:07:00.002-04:00

Here we are listening to the wind through the trees and enjoying the temperature drop. It's football season. It puts in mind days gone by when the trees turned color and school buses rolled. Apple butter being made and all in all just active weather. It's different then summer when it's a free for all, it's harvest time. Time to clean out and make room for winter. Time to add to the cellars. It's time for fires in the hearth and tea in the evenings. Time for fall TV shows to fill us with intrigue and things to talk about. It's time to learn.
I read a email this morning about an older lady attending college. It's call the Rose. If you have read it, then I hope it touched your heart as it did mine. I think everyday you should learn something new, everyday grow in a way that you don't because just like the email. We grow older everyday, there's no trick to it, we just do. But if we lose our pursuit of dreams then we just grow old and we stop living. These temperature changes makes me wish for school for learning, then I realize I can do it all on my own, with the adventures around me and my passion for the Arts. As long as my dreams are to be published and successful, then I won't just grow old with my each day, but just grow each day.

The Last Weekend

2009-09-05T10:18:00.003-04:00

Today is the last Saturday before school starts and we all can feel the intensity running through the house. For the first time all summer my darlings went downstairs and turned on the cartoons without a fuss. Meaning I got to sleep in a bit longer.
My friends and I are running a poll on our feelings of the up and coming first day. Last week one mother was 80% ready for them to return only because she was dreading making them sit down and do homework. As soon as she said that the poll went from 110% to 90%, we all forgot about homework. Homework isn't just for the kids, it's for the adults to make the kids do it. Some parents have taught their children the right way to do homework, no complaints, no whining- just do it. I want that magic recipe. I have tried it all.
Anyway, yesterday while all us mother's were together, we polled again. With the amount of nervous energy, anticipation, and the moon, all the mother's agreed, homework was totally doable and we all were at 110% ready for school. Ready and waiting.
I agree, but I'm going to miss them. It's nice to have the little ones around, to eat with, to talk to and to watch them grow. Once school starts, the lazy days of summer disappear into the mists of time and we start over again. The song has started to play in my head, the guitar has been in my dreams, it's time to welcome Don Henley, The Boys of Summer. Gets me every time, summer is becoming out of reach. Way to bittersweet.

My first submission

2009-09-04T11:01:00.003-04:00

Well, I finally bit the bullet and submitted my first short story to The True Romance Magazine. I hear it will be up to a year to see if they reject or accept so time is on hand now. But I feel like I am in the mix now.
This has been a busy but productive summer. And it just shows me how lucky I am to live the life I have. We all may complain a time or two, but we make life what we want it to be.
Happy is how I'm feeling today as I look down the leaf cover path to a new school year.

Rochester Romance Novel Examiner

2009-09-03T14:05:00.003-04:00

Whoa!
I just began the Rochester Romance Novel Examiner and I am so excited.
It's a real job, maybe not paying much, but real.
I'll be writing book reviews, lists and q&A. Hopefully, tieing into Rochester as much as possible. So many things are floating in my mind, now just got to get it done.

As for my writing, I have completed on short story that I want to summit to the True Magazines.
I am busy on my current WIP happy that the excitement is still running deep.
School starts up in six days, then bring on time, time to write, time to clean, time to be me.
Wow, what a concept...time.