The Sunkissed Editorialist

She will be loved

2012-05-11T08:38:00.000-07:00

When I was reading The Help, I about fell off my chair when I read the part where Aibileen tells Mae Mobley, "You is kind. You is smart. You is important." When I was growing up, my mom repeated a similar list to me each day (only with better grammar). My mom always said to me, "You are good, smart, and pretty."

It's so amazing (and scary) that young children will believe basically anything you tell them. I'm glad I had a mother who took the time to tell me I was good and smart and pretty.

She also told me on a daily basis that she was the luckiest person in the world because she was my mom. She had me convinced that making me breakfast, doing my laundry, and picking up my toys was the best job in the world.

When I started having friends my own age who became mothers, I was absolutely shocked to hear how much they complained about being moms. I honestly don't think I had any idea that my mom might have not loved every single moment of being a mom. That sounds completely silly now that I think about it, but I also think it's amazing that my mom was able to make me feel that I was so important. There is something about knowing that someone in the world is willing to do (and does) anything for you.That is a feeling that I hope to pass on to my own children someday. (I might just have to save my complaints for when they are not within hearing.)

I hope you all have a fabulous Mother's day. I love you, mom!

Quoteworthy: The Shallows

2012-05-10T09:41:00.000-07:00

"Most of my library time, though, went to wandering the long, narrow corridors of the stacks. Despite being surrounded by tens of thousands of books, I don't remember feeling the anxiety that's symptomatic of what we today call 'information overload.' There was something calming in the reticence of all those books, their willingness to wait years, decades even, for the right reader to come along and pull them from their appointed slots. Take your time, the books whispered to me in their dusty voices. We're not going anywhere."

The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains

Nicholas Carr

Featured: Role/Reboot

2012-05-08T08:34:00.000-07:00

Remember when I wrote the article about changing my last name? Well I just found out that Role/Reboot, an online magazine, republished it today here. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't just the teensiest bit excited.

So you want to be an editor

2012-05-04T08:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I received an email from a fellow blogger who had read my post on editing resources. She wanted to know how to get started in the field of editing. I was lucky because BYU has one of the best undergraduate editing programs in the country so my path was pretty simple. However, if you don't have an editing program at your school or you have already graduated, you might need to make your own way. I thought I would share few suggestions on getting started as an editor.

First of all, if you are still in college, try to take as many classes that relate to editing as possible. Take a grammar class or some journalism classes. Literature classes are good, but they don't really prepare you to be an editor. You need to learn how to write and literature classes aren't always the best way to accomplish that. (Although I did LOVE my literature classes so I still highly recommend them.)

Write. Write. Write. Then get your writing published--colleges have so many opportunities for students to publish. It's important that you go through the process yourself so that you can relate to writers.

Volunteer for a journal. You will read submissions and it will help you learn to recognize good writing. It will help you learn the whole editing and publication process.

Find a job on campus where you can edit. There are so many of these positions available at colleges--professors, writing labs, campus offices, and newspapers all need editors. I worked in a publication lab in the library and as an editor for student athletes. Both experiences taught me how to help someone through the writing and revision process.

If you have graduated or school isn't an option at this point, there are still several ways you can learn to be an editor. The editing resources I posted about before are a good place to start. I know it might seem like boring reading material, but you need to be really familiar with those resources. Learn a few style guides too--APA, MLA, CSE.

Then start volunteering to help others. Help students or friends. Have you read a blog where the author mentions that he or she struggles with writing? I see this all the time--a photographer will say, "Sorry about my grammar errors. I'm terrible at writing!" Send the blogger an email and offer to help. Sometimes people post ads to Craigslist asking for help with a business plan or novel. It doesn't matter if you aren't making a lot of money at first--just build up your portfolio and references.

Also, learn to use Track Changes in MS Word. This is the most common way to edit content. It can be confusing and frustrating at first so learn before you are trying to edit a novel.

Editing isn't just about grammar and proofreading. One of the hardest aspects of editing is working with the writer. You need to learn how to articulate why the writing isn't working and then suggest how to change it--and you have to do it in a way that doesn't offend the writer. You must think about this in every comment you make. This is why it is sometimes easier to start with businesses because they aren't as attached to their writing. A writer with a first-time novel submission is going to be a little more sensitive.

Also, you need to learn how to keep the author's voice. This can be tricky. You don't want all of your edits to end up making the writing sound like you wrote it. A good editor will make the writing actually sound more like the author in the end.

Finally, READ. Read everything you can get your hands on. Try to articulate why writing is or isn't good. Pay attention to how writers successfully say what they want to say. Keep examples of good and bad writing to help explain concepts. The more that you know, the better the resource you will be as an editor.

I hope this is helpful. Honestly, I am so glad I studied editing and have had the opportunity to work as an editor. I don't think there are many jobs where it isn't viewed as an asset. It has given me so many opportunities in just a few short years. Even if you aren't interested in being an editor for a full-time position, I believe it is a valuable life skill that is completely worth the investment.

I know I have several friends who are editors who read this blog--what advice do you have? What has been the hardest part about editing for you?

BiblioFile: Books on editing

2012-04-25T08:03:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share a few resources that I use when I edit. Whenever I mention I'm an editor, people always have a question they want to ask me. "Can you really not end a sentence with a preposition?" "Is it lay or lie?" "Should you use a comma on the last item before and in a list?" It's amazing how many questions people have about their own language! And here's a secret: I don't know all the answers off the top of my head. I have a pretty good feel for the language and know quite a bit, but after years of editing I still look up rules and spellings all the time.

So I wanted to put together a list of books and resources for people who are interested in editing and writing--or even people who have just always wondered about the difference between affect and effect. Most of these books were texts for my classes in college, but I still use them on a regular basis.

The first is the Chicago Manual of Style. This is essentially the editor Bible. I took an entire course in college that basically taught me how to navigate this thing. I can think of one maybe two editing issues that I haven't been able to answer using this style guide. You can use the print edition or purchase an online subscription. The online subscription is nice because you can search for what you need, but I like the print edition because I can mark up the sections I use the most.

The next resource I love is Merriam-Webster's English Usage Dictionary. Have you ever wanted to know if it's could or couldn't care less? This Dictionary basically spells out any language debates. This may come as a surprise, but a lot of issues in language don't have a right or wrong answer. And to make things more confusing, language is constantly evolving. This text helps explain the history of an issue so you can make an informed decision in your writing.

Index to English is very similar to Merriam-Webster's English Usage Dictionary, but more compact. I think it is good to have a couple resources that cover these topics because one text might cover an issue that another text doesn't or provide a different perspective or aspect to the issue.

I would recommend The Copy-editor's Guide to Substance and Style as a great beginning book. It's designed to help you learn to look for and solve errors in writing. Some editing resources can feel a little overwhelming, but this book helps walk you through the process and teaches you how to become a good editor in a very simple manner.

The Copyeditor's Handbook is one of the resources that is a little more overwhelming. I remember using it and liking it in college, but I honestly haven't used it much since then. I think it could be good to read as you are learning about the process, but it is less of a resource now that I have been editing for a while.

Both Style: Ten Lessons on Clarity and Grace and Elements of Style are books worth reading. They are less reference manuals for editing and more writing instruction. They have exercises and specific methods for improving writing. Although I don't agree with everything the authors say, I think that they are both worth a read.

Editors on Editing is a compilation of essays about the actual job of editing. It is a great book for anyone who is interested in either editing or writing as a career. To be honest, I haven't read it since I was in college. But as I was flipping through it for this post, I thought it would be interesting to re-read after having edited for several years.

Eats, Shoots & Leaves is a little different from the rest of the books. It's less of a resource and more of an exploration on the need for a solid understanding of the language. And it's hilarious. I have written about Lynne Truss and this book before here.

Finally, this isn't a book, but Grammar Girl is a really fabulous online resource. She records podcasts (there are also published transcripts) where she explains editing issues. Her explanations are always really easy to follow which is huge in the world of grammar. I recommend her site to anyone who has a simple question about grammar or writing.

Did I miss anything? Do you have any resources that you love to rely on for editing or writing?

Quoteworthy: Eat, Pray, Love

2012-04-24T10:09:00.000-07:00

"Faith is belief in what you cannot see or prove or touch. Faith is walking face-first and full-speed into the dark. If we truly knew all the answers in advance as to the meaning of life and the nature of God and the destiny of our souls, our belief would not be a leap of faith and it would not be a courageous act of humanity; it would just be . . . a prudent insurance policy."

Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India, and Indonesia
Elizabeth Gilbert

You can't do this with an e-reader // No. 2

2012-04-13T09:32:00.000-07:00

found via Write in Color

This video is so adorable. I can't even begin to imagine how long this took to make. It's not just the general idea either--there are so many clever moments. There is something so enchanting about a bookshop like this...

Say my name, say my name

2012-04-12T13:38:00.000-07:00

Today I am blogging at the Feminist Mystique about one of my favorite things: my last name. Here's an excerpt:

Growing up, I always worried about changing my last name when I married. It

may seem like a strange worry for a young person to even think about, but I did.

And it wasn’t for any type of social or professional reason; it was vanity actually.

Go here to read the article in its entirety.

Orem writes: Blogger panel

2012-03-30T09:29:00.000-07:00

Last night was the final panel for Orem Writes. They had three local bloggers come: Jaime Richardson (Sophistimom), Kerri "Suey" Jensen (All About Books) and Chris Kux. It was a good variety of writing topics and styles. It's kinda funny to get to hear writers speak. Some of them sound just like their writing, but others are completely different. Sometimes I wonder if I sound completely different in real life than I do when I write. Anyway, on with the good stuff.

How they got started
Chris started blogging because he couldn't find the information he wanted on the internet (about accordions and music). He felt like there was a hole and he wanted to fill it. Suey started because she had come across reading challenges on other blogs and wanted to join in. She felt like she had this obsession with reading and didn't have people in real life to share it with. For her, blogging is an elaborate hobby. Jaime started out wanting to make money. She heard about girls in Utah who were making money as mommy bloggers so she started her own blog.

Writing outside of blogging
Chris has written for newspapers and magazines and Jaime is currently working on a cookbook that will be published next year. She also writes novels (although she didn't mention that any of them had been published).

Inspiration
Chris likes to visit message forums and see what people are interested in. He will write about a topic and then post a link in the forum so that people can find the information more easily. He also mentioned that he likes to do interviews.Suey finds that as long as she is reading, she always has something to blog about. She really likes to use memes as inspiration. (Sidenote: I always hear the term meme and I had a general idea what it was, but the librarian explained that it comes from social theory to explain how an idea originates with someone and then passes from person to person.)

Site design
Jaime had her brother help her in the beginning. Later she designed it on paper and then took it to someone who knew HTML and could create what she wanted. Suey said she just sticks with blogger and does pretty basic templates.

Driving traffic to your blog
They all suggested Twitter, Facebook, Google Analytics, and, if you use Wordpress, Thesis (I use Blogger so I don't really know about Thesis). None of them really worry about SEO. They really stressed commenting on other blogs as a way to drive traffic to your site.

Getting over the feeling of thinking people won't care about what you have to say
Suey said it took a long time to get over the feeling, but then she realized blogging was cool and she was a part of it. She said after that she was finally able to tell people "I blog. Go read it!"

Starting a blog
Jaime said that before you announce you are starting a blog, force yourself to write for thirty days straight. Then you can have a big reveal. Chris said that having a back log of posts that people can visit makes them want to continue to follow you. He also said it's important to stay relevant and pertinent.

Frequency of blogging
Chris said he only blogs about once a month. Suey blogs at least once a day, but never on Saturdays (people don't read blogs on Saturday according to her Google Analytics). Jaime would like to blog at least once per day, but she's closer to once per week.

Labels and tags
Suey said to keep your labels and tags for posts consistent and contained. Think of them as a table of contents or index. Chris said he does the opposite. Blogger let's you use up to 20 labels on each post and he uses all of them. He even uses common misspellings so people can easily find his site.

Advertisements
Chris and Suey don't have advertisements on their blog. Jaime uses affiliate programs. She is part of Martha's Circle (which I hadn't even heard about). I guess it is 50 blogs that Martha Stewart has contracts with to advertise on.

Writing process
Chris always keeps a notebook with him. Suey said that her blog is part of a huge community of book bloggers so she writes as part of a conversation. Jaime likes to review vintage recipe books to get inspiration for her posts. She also said that she has more ideas to blog about than she is ever able to get to.

Interaction with readers
Suey said that interaction with readers is why she blogs. Some of her readers have become friends in real life. (She mentioned that the other day she watched Midnight in Paris with a blog friend over Twitter.) Jaime said that the fastest and easiest way to interact with readers is on Facebook. She also talked about people leaving rude comments. She said that you should feel free to delete them because your blog is like your living room and you are inviting people in.

Time spent blogging
Chris doesn't spend a ton of time reading other blogs. Suey said she spends a lot of time, but does it as the mood hits her. She said it's important to decided what you can and cannot do. Jaime said that she reads a lot of posts, but doesn't spend a lot of time reading because she mostly reads food blogs and they are quick reads.

Overall this was a really good panel. I think blogging is an interesting topic these days and everyone seems to have an opinion about what does and doesn't work. If you want more information, Suey is actually participating in Blogiesta--an event this weekend where bloggers are coming together to discuss ways to improve blogging. It looks kinda interesting.

I'm a little sad that Orem Writes is finished. I really enjoyed attending these events (and was sad I had to miss a few). Hopefully they will do it again next year. Also, hopefully I'll be able to embrace all this information in my own writing.

And just to make things easy, here's a list of links to the other posts:

Quoteworthy: The Paris Wife

2012-03-27T09:02:00.000-07:00

"What do you mean to do?"

"Make literary history, I guess."

{The conversation between Ernest Hemingway and his first wife, Hadley, when they met.}

The Paris Wife, Paula McLain

Why I hope my daughter reads Hunger Games instead of Twilight

2012-03-23T06:38:00.000-07:00

This post is in celebration of the Hunger Games premiere…

A few years ago my friend Heather handed me a copy of Hunger Games and said I had to read it. And I’m so glad I did. I’m glad that I stayed up all night flipping pages before I had the chance to hear what it was about—children forced to kill other children for sport. By the time I realized what was going on, I was too far in to turn back.

A few years earlier I had read Twilight mostly to see what all the fuss was about. I barely made it through the first novel and never read any further. One book was more than enough for me.

Last night I went to my first ever book club. After a little discussion about the book that had been read for the month, The Thief Lord, the conversation turned to books that were age appropriate for children. We talked about Harry Potter and The Golden Compass. Then Hunger Games and Twilight came up.

This is a conversation I have had with myself many times and I was surprised to hear that other women agreed. I would let my teenage daughter read Hunger Games, but I wouldn’t particularly want her to read Twilight. It really comes down to the main characters: Katniss Everdeen and Bella Swan.

I have no problem suspending disbelief about vampires and werewolves. Or even the idea that a pasty white teenage boy in a turtleneck can be considered attractive. Where Stephenie Meyer lost me was on Bella. Bella is the most whiny, boring, self-centered girl. It’s painful to read sometimes. And if that had been the point of the book, then great. A lot of teenage girls are whiny, boring, and self-centered.

BUT—Stephenie Meyer has to go and make not one but two boys fall madly, obsessively in love with Bella. As far as I can tell, Bella is not particularly beautiful, she lacks personality, she doesn’t seem to be a particularly good friend, and she isn't overly intelligent or talented in anyway. She is, what English teachers like to call, a flat character. The story would’ve made more sense if Bella had been fast and loose. (Although I couldn’t have, in good conscience, recommended that to my teenage daughter either.)

I don’t like the message this sends to teenage girls: you can act this way and be successful in life. (Not that I find Bella’s story particularly successful, but I think a lot of teenage girls would.) I don’t want my daughter’s role model to be someone like Bella Swan.

However, Katniss is a girl I can get behind. She is strong, smart, capable, and flawed. You see her strengths, but you also see how she struggles with her weaknesses. She is supporting her family and she is motivated by her love for them. She is a little hardened at times by her experiences, but you watch how she allows the wisdom, and sometimes the pain, of those experiences shape who she becomes. No wonder Gale and Peeta are head over heels in love with her. (I’m Team Peeta by the way—from the very first book.)

I would obviously never want my daughter to be in a situation similar to the Hunger Games. That would be a parent's worst nightmare. But the truth is, life is hard. And when hard things come, I want my daughter to know she is smart and good and capable. I want her to know she can overcome hard things and become a better person because of it. And if the result of her being a strong, smart, kind girl is a crazy love triangle, then I guess that's the way life goes.

Are you going to see Hunger Games this weekend? I actually turned down the midnight showing so I could go see it with Nate. He loves the Hunger Games as much as me, but he's Team Gale. Somehow we make this marriage work.

Orem writes: YA novelists panel

2012-03-19T12:17:00.000-07:00

Thanks for all the comments on my last post. This week I am armed with a better to do list and a better attitude so I'm hoping things improve.

Without further ado, here are my notes from the YA Panel with Kristen Chandler, Lisa Mangum, and Robison Wells. It's funny how a lot of the advice is repeated across the different genres and authors. I really liked Lisa Mangum a lot. I think I related to her because she wanted to be a writer, but became an editor before starting her writing career.

Writing process
Lisa really likes to outline her story first if she has the time. Then she feels like she can write about whatever she wants each day because she has a general plan. Robison explained that there is an entire spectrum of writing processes from complete free write to a very detailed outline. He said that different processes will work better for different books, but that it's more difficult to free write for sequels because you are working within an existing context. Kristen noted that you don't need to write from start to finish. You can take detours as long as you know your final destination.

Developing main characters
Kristen likes to think about the background of the characters and then visualize them to the point where she knows them personally. She then tries to emphasize the parts that she feels a personal and emotional attachment to. Lisa gives every character a flaw, a wish, a dream, and a fear. She said that this helps to create rounded characters. Robison begins by looking for conflicts to create a main character.

Catering to the genre
Kristen admitted that sometimes it is tempting to write something you know will be liked but that it's a wicked thing to do because it will be easy for your readers to see through your writing. Lisa said it's ok to use formulas for writing as a launch pad, but you need to add a part of you to make it unique.

Writing groups
Robison is a big fan of writing groups as long as they are done well. He said it's important to find people who respect what you are doing and have something to contribute to your writing. He said that if you don't have a writing group, then find someone who is in your target audience who isn't a writer and ask them questions about your writing (for example, how did you feel about the main character?). Lisa said that your writing group should be a safe place to fail and a happy place to succeed. She also said that it's important to recognize when your goals have changed and you have outgrown your writing group.

Ideas
Kristen said that it's important to look for and acknowledge ideas. Once you start looking, you won't be able to stop them. Lisa said to write down ideas even if you don't think you'll use them. You may have another idea later that could potentially build on the original thought.

Conventions
They talked about going to conventions to make contacts and get critiques. Kristen said that if you are going to take writing seriously, it is important to learn your industry. Conventions are one of the best ways to do that. Robison said that they are valuable for both learning and networking.

I thought it was interesting that Robison Wells was the first panelist so far to say that he didn't always want to be a writer. He actually hated reading growing up. (Blasphemy!) Then, in college, he read Huckleberry Finn and it made him recognize the value in reading. After Finn, he made a list of all the books he had been assigned to read growing up that he had never read and, eventually, he became a writer. On a sidenote, I wonder how many writers/readers have Mark Twain to thank for their love of books.

And that's the YA panel in a nutshell. I have just recently become a YA fan . . . I had so many friends who love YA that I decided to give it a go. I haven't read too many yet, but I loved Heist Society and, of course, Hunger Games. Seriously counting down the hours to that premiere this weekend.

Orem writes: Publication process

2012-03-15T08:04:00.000-07:00

I seriously don't even know how to begin. Dan Wells was just as smart and funny as everyone said. He spoke for a little over an hour on how the publication process works. I've heard many writers explain the publication process before, but never so succinctly. I want to share my notes with you all, but I'm not even going to try to convey his humor.

Publication Process
1. Author wants to be published. Dan said, "You write your book and expect it to sell immediately so you can move into your mansion next to Stephenie Meyer." This obviously isn't the case besides a few select authors (for example, J.K. Rowling).

2. Keep writing. Again. And Again. And Again. Dan explained that when he was at BYU, a writer came to speak with his class (I can't remember the writer's name and I didn't write it down quickly enough). He said, "You can make a living as an artist...it's just hard. If you spend as much time on your writing career as a med student spends in school, you will be successful. Keep trying." I thought that was such a great way to look at it. I think people get all mixed up with the arts because there is this belief that it's about raw talent. I think that obviously talent is involved, but you also learn by doing. And the more you do, the better you become. Dan said it took him 10 years before he made money as a writer. And he said that's actually pretty fast.

3. Try to sell your manuscript. You can either go straight to editors or go through an agent. Dan mostly talked about selling to the editors because that was the process he used. He said that it doesn't really matter that much which way you go (even though people have strong opinions on each). If you are looking for an editor, the best way to approach them is to go to conventions and meet them in person. Or, you can go to libraries and book stores, find books that are similar to yours, and send your manuscripts to those specific editors/publishers. He quoted an editor at Tor (once again I don't have the name), "With your very first book, you aren't selling your book. You are selling yourself. And you can do that better than an agent can."

If you or your agent submits your manuscript and an editor likes it, they will take it to the publisher where a group reviews manuscripts and decides which ones to publish. If your manuscript is chosen, they will give you an offer. (If you don't have an agent at this point, get one to help you with the offer.) That offer is essentially for the rights to publish your manuscript in a specific market. Your agent then tries to sell your manuscript to other markets. (Interestingly, Germany is the second largest reading market after the United States.) There are other rights you can sell as well, such as merchandising and movie rights.

4. Editing. This is the stage I was the most familiar with. First an editor reviews the manuscript for bigger issues, such as plot development, characterization, etc. Then a copy editor basically goes through and makes sure that everything is correct and polished. The copy editor will provide a List of Elements/Characters. This list includes all the places, characters, and other details of the book with their descriptions. This makes it so the editor can ensure that everything throughout the book is cohesive. At this point a proof is created and sent to the proofreaders. After the proofreaders review it, the typesetters make it look good by designing the page numbers, layout, page breaks, etc. And just so you know, this isn't a linear process. It can go back and forth through all of these steps multiple times. Also, the author is approving changes throughout this entire process.

5. Press. The publisher puts out an ARC (Advanced Reading Copy) to critics, stores, libraries, etc.Then several months later (usually) the book is published and available for purchase.

Long process, huh? I thought he did a really good job of giving an overview of everything. He included a lot of little anecdotes, but this was the overall idea. He also spoke about a few other topics that didn't really fit into the steps of the publishing process.

How authors are paid

When a publisher buys a manuscript, they give the author an advance which is a set amount for the book. The author then receives royalties for their book. (Some ballpark figures he gave were 4% for mass market, 8% for trade paperback, and 12% for hardback.) The author doesn't receive any royalties until they earn out their advance, which basically means that the royalties they earn equal more than the original advance. Many books never earn out their advance. In fact, publishers know that only about 10% of books will earn out their advance and those 10% of books pay for the other 90% of books published.

Concept vs. Craft
Ideas are cheap. The idea is the easy part; the difficult part is executing it into a story that people will enjoy. (I think I particularly liked this because I always struggle to come up with the original idea, but hardly ever with the actual writing. I guess I don't need to worry about that as much as I do.)

Book Bombs
Book bombs are a marketing strategy. You get everyone to buy your book at a certain time so it moves your book up on popular lists. Dan said it's almost impossible to get your book anywhere near the top of a list at Amazon. However, the most successful book bomb he had heard of was Machine of Death. Evidently a publisher told them they would never be able to publish the book. So, they shared that story with the public and everyone wanted to stick it to the publisher basically. Result: Machine of Death made it to #2 on Amazon's overall most popular book list. That's crazy!

Cover Art
The author has very little to do with cover art. It is the marketers job because the role of cover art is to get people to pick the book up off the shelf. Sometimes the cover art doesn't have anything to do with the actual story, but it grabs readers' attention so it does its job. (I've noticed that often when a book gets more popular, the book is re-released with new cover art that is more specific to the book. I wonder if this is because at that point the book can sell itself?)

Why e-books will not destroy the publishing field
E-books don't have to go through the same editorial process so there are so many more of them out there. This makes it even harder to find good reading material because of the sheer volume. Also, it's easy to self publish, but difficult to be successful. Many people are comparing the e-book evolution to the music industry. However, there is a distinct difference in the physical experience of reading a book and reading an e-book. There isn't as big of a difference in the music experience based on how you are playing it. (Although, people who listen to records might disagree with that.)

Dan said the publishing industry isn't dying; it's just changing. I completely agree. And I agree that in some ways it will be easier to publish and in some ways it will be more difficult. I think it will come down to having a really good story and being able to get it out there.

Publishing has actually never been a huge goal of mine. I know it probably should be, but sometimes I wonder if it will take away some of the joy I find in writing. That being said, last night inspired me to be more open to publication. And to keep working on my writing.

Tonight is the YA Panel with Kristen Chandler, Lisa Mangum, and Robison Wells (Dan's brother).

Orem writes: Poetry panel

2012-03-14T13:32:00.001-07:00

I can't believe I am just getting around to typing up my notes from the poetry panel last Thursday night. Life is busy busy right now.

I couldn't get anyone to attend the poetry panel with me last week. I couldn't believe it. At the panel, I was actually asked if I was attending for a high school assignment. And just so you know, I've gotten a lot more gracious about these high school comments. I simply responded that I enjoy poetry. I guess if I can't be seen as a successful adult, I can always go for being an intellectual teenager.

So on to my review. The two poets on the panel were John Talbot and Rob Carney. The entire time I was sitting there, the word juxtaposition kept flashing through my mind. It was like you could only understand each poet in contrast with the other. Almost like they had purposely tried to find the two most opposite poets around. Every question resulted in contradictory answers.

Rob felt that poetry should be read aloud. John felt that by reading it aloud, you are creating another piece of art and that you lose much of the impact of the poetry. (He hates to have his poetry read aloud.) By reading poetry on the page, it helps you to see everything a writer does. He believes that the eye and the ear should work in concert.Rob responded to this that he likes to write his poetry in the way that it should be read out loud and works himself backward into oral tradition.

Rob would say the first thing that came to mind and work out his answer as he spoke. John was very methodical, almost timid.

Rob was dressed in all black. John was wearing a sweater vest.

Like I said, juxtaposition.

One of the first questions was, "Does anyone even read poetry any longer?"

It was decided that mainly students read poetry because they are assigned to. Rob pointed out that most adults turn to novels or nonfiction almost exclusively. He, however, said that he was heavily influenced by a collection of poems by Carl Sandburg that his mother had. I could relate to that. I was heavily influenced by Nero Wolfe novels my mom left sitting around the house.

John explained that it isn't just that people aren't reading poetry; people aren't reading much in general. He said that fewer people read today than in the past when literature was so much harder to obtain. He also pointed out that one reason poetry isn't as popular as other forms of writing is because it's easier to tolerate bad prose than it is to tolerate bad poetry. So perhaps there are just a lot of bad poets out there.

Rob pointed out that poetry is such a wonderful form of writing because it allows people to memorize it and carry it around with them. You can't memorize a novel, but you can memorize a poem and it can become a part of you.

John explained that there is a difficulty to poetry. He said that people tell him that skiing is fun, but he went one time, fell over, and concluded that skiing was not fun. He said that poetry is similar in that skill increases enjoyment. When you understand the difficulty of poetry, you appreciate what the writer was able to accomplish.

Both poets did agree on one thing: they each enjoy writing poetry because of the limitations. You are constrained by the shape so you must think of new ways to write what you want to express. John said, "I like limits and boundaries. None of this loosey goosey hanging business!"

I'm a fan of constraints as well. Remember?

Recently I was reading Rework and I came across a passage that illustrates that point:

Writers use constraints to force creativity all the time. Shakespeare reveled in the limitations of sonnets (fourteen-line lyric poems in iambic pentameter with a specific rhyme scheme). Haiku and limericks also have strict rules that lead to creative results. Writers like Ernest Hemingway and Raymond Carver found that forcing themselves to use simple, clear language helped them deliver maximum impact.

I like that: maximum impact. I'd be ok if my writing achieved that.

So write some poetry. Read some poetry. And if you get the chance, attend a poetry panel. It's some seriously good entertainment. (I actually had to leave a little early for quilt night. I have been double booking myself way too often lately. Too many hobbies, not enough time. There are definitely bigger problems in life.)

Anyway, tonight Dan Wells is speaking on the publication process. I've had quite a few people let me know how fabulous he is so my expectations are high. I'll have to let you know how that one goes as well. Or feel free to join me. I would seriously love it.

Orem Writes: Fiction Panel

2012-03-08T11:00:00.001-08:00

A few weeks ago I was at the library and saw an advertisement for a month-long writing event called Orem Writes. During the month of March, there are guest speakers on various writing topics every Wednesday and Thursday night at the Orem Public Library.

Last night was the first night and my friend Megan and I went with our notebooks in hand. The guest speakers were Dean Hughes, Anita Stansfield, and Stephen Tuttle. I didn't realize it was a panel before I went so I didn't bring any good questions. Luckily, others were more prepared than me. And luckily for you, I wanted to write up some of the advice so that I would better remember it.

Dean Hughes talked about how to make a living as a writer. He said that you either have to write a lot or have a big hit. He said that there are different worlds that a writer writes for. If you are writing for a living, you must write so that people will pick up your book and buy it. If you are writing for the academic or literary world, then you can take more chances and pursue the type of writing you want to. He said that he chose to sell books so that he would have the freedom to make a living as a writer. However, he felt that it had limited him from trying different things that people might not have accepted very easily. He also said that facing a blank page can be so difficult for a writer, but brainstorming and getting ideas out is easy so he always starts there.

Anita was really articulate. I feel like she was able to speak the way most writers write. She said that she always focuses on the storytelling first and then addresses the mechanics of writing. She gave a metaphor of musicians practicing: after they are finished, the notes are gone. But writers are left with their words after practicing their writing. Somehow the words become sacred and difficult to throw away. A writer should realize that they'll have a lot of practice writing. Anita is a mom of five and said that she was able to publish when her children were young because she made her writing a priority. She had a messy house, but her kids and her writing were her top priorities. She also said that she made a conscious commitment that her children would never resent her writing (she even imagined having conversations with her grown children about it). She said that when distractions came, she would accept them, deal with them, and then refocus. Sometimes she would change a diaper, write a sentence, make a snack, write a sentence. She talked a lot about balance--both in life and her writing. She explained that you should look at what you are writing about as an iceberg (kinda funny because she is currently writing about the Titanic). She said that you should know the whole iceberg, but only give the reader the tip. The reader will sense that you as the writer know the whole iceberg and enjoy your writing for that. Anita also said that a good writer has good instincts. I loved that.

Stephen was my favorite. I think it might have been because I related to his approach to writing the best. He said you should find the four or five authors you obsess over and embrace them. He said if you don't have four or five authors like that, then you need to read until you do. He called this literary affinity. He also said that having a writer's group could be worse than not having one if you are getting bad feedback. He actually said, "Someone's always asking for more dragons and someone else is always asking for no dragons." He warned against writing about topics that you only have knowledge of through other fictional sources. And he explained that when you write, get rid of the first pages or paragraphs and the last pages or paragraphs--the middle is where it's at. Finally, first be a writer, then a reader, then an editor.

I haven't done the best job of conveying how inspiring it was to listen to these writers. Even though I wouldn't necessarily write the same types of literature as them, I still learned so much. The most interesting thing that all of them agreed on was that no matter how they tried, they couldn't stop themselves from writing. I feel that so often. It's like I crave it. And it's hard when I don't feel like I am as talented as I'd like to be. Or that I don't have the time. Or even that I don't have something to write about. There's always a reason to stop writing. But it's nice to see people that pushed through that and have been able to be successful at something they love.

If you are local and want to attend other events, go here for the schedule.

In March, read the books you've always meant to read

2012-03-05T07:08:00.001-08:00

My friend Lindsay posted this image on her blog (found here) as her motto for the month of March. This is just what I need. I seem to acquire books faster than I can read them (even though I probably spend more time reading than I should). Lately I have been trying to re-read some of the classics I read while in school. But this time I'm reading them simply for enjoyment. My list currently includes: Jane Eyre, The Great Gatsby, To Kill a Mockingbird, A Tale of Two Cities, and Brave New World.

What about you? Do you have any books you have always meant to read but haven't found the time for?

You can't do this with an e-reader

2012-02-28T06:30:00.000-08:00

It's no secret that I'd take a bookcase full of books over an e-reader any day of the week. But I'm not so much opposed to e-readers as I'm in favor of books. Maybe someday I'll be an e-reader convert, but for the time being I'm happy with my stacks of books.

I enjoy any time my love for books is shared. At the Academy Awards this year, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Lessmore took the Oscar for Best Animated Short. I hadn't seen it, or even heard of it, but I looked it up and it's actually quite adorable.

It's a pretty simple animated film. I love the symbolism of people changing from black and white to color as they read (there are definitely a few references to The Wizard of Oz). And the personification of the books is just fabulous. And I loved the idea of how books connect ideas and stories of generations. Well you'll just have to watch for yourself...

Why didn't they name it Greatreads?

2012-02-21T11:02:00.000-08:00

I'm recommitting to Goodreads. It seems like something I would embrace whole-heartedly, but I just haven't for some reason. I think it's because I struggle with writing book reviews. You would think I would feel in my element after studying English literature, but I get really self conscious. It's hard when I give a book five stars only to see that all of my friends gave it only two. It makes me question my taste. How did I love that book and others don't? Maybe it's the disappointment that comes when you recommend a book only to have others not share your enthusiasm. It's like showing up wearing stripes when the rest of your class is totally wearing polka dots. OK, maybe it's nothing like that, but I still feel self conscious.

So I started scrutinizing other reviews. I wanted to see what works and what doesn't. Here is what I came up with:

Include a good quote. Actually give someone a taste of the writer. No need to go on and on about the writer's amazing command of the English language. Let a well-chosen quote speak for itself.
Give the readers a little context of yourself. You don't need to tell your whole life history, but letting the reader know that you love science fiction and hate poetry might help them understand where you are coming from with your review.
Describe your experience in reading it. Did you laugh? Did you cry? Did you read it in one sitting because you couldn't put it down? Or did it take you months and all the endurance you could muster to finally finish that baby? As a reader, this helps me determine if I'm in the mood for a book or not.
Provide a comparison. Did it remind you of something? Perhaps another book? Maybe a movie?
Hold back on the hyperbole. Sometimes hearing how a book changed someone else's life sets my expectations too high and I end up being overly judgmental of a work. (This is a note I need to remember when talking about books in general. Not everyone loves Dickens the way I do.)
Go back to what you learned in 4th grade and write something that hooks the reader (assuming you liked the book). This review really stuck out in my mind: I liked it. Don't get me wrong, it is definitely chock-full of estrogen-soaked coming of age wisdom, complete with a veritable orgy scene of feminine self-discovery in which a roomful of goddess-worshipping gospel earth mothers smear honey onto a wooden likeness of the Virgin Mary. Admit it, you're kind of interested.

This is what I gleaned from a little study of Goodreads. Definitely not a comprehensive how to, but it will be nice to refer to the next time my review consists of, "I liked it." I have some friends that write some pretty rockstar reviews. In fact, some of their reviews are better than the books they are reviewing. I rely on them for recommendations or cautions so it's only fair that I pay it forward.