IWSG: Maych 2025

 

Time again for the first of the month blog hop with Insecure Writer's Support Group. Thank you to our founder, Alex J. Cavanaugh, and all the IWSG admins. Time to share our insecurities and support each other in this difficult business of being a writer.

Firstly, I hope you'll stop in and comment on my guest post on the IWSG blog page titled:

Planning a Conference: A Big Job and an Adventure

This month's optional question:

If for one day you could be anyone or *thing* in the world, what would it be? Describe, tell why, and any themes, goals, or values they/it inspire in you.

Well, I would absolutely be Superman. If I could be Superman, there would be world peace and a lot of bad things would stop happening. Now, if the answer has to be someone or something that really exists, I think I would like to be the smartest, best hacker in the world. I would go after all those scammers stealing from regular folks. But since I can't be either of those things, I would just like to be the best person I can. I would like to be have more patience, be kinder, and a better person overall. I'm trying.

I'm so busy getting ready for that Pennwriters Annual Conference. We have so many awesome writers ready to share their expertise. It is a great weekend.

I'm also working on setting up some book signing events for the coming year. So far, I only have two on the schedule, but I'm hoping for more.

Please, please warm up soon. I have no tolerance for even chilly days and I want to walk outside.

I'm excited to see Daredevil coming back to Disney. Hope they did a good job. I watched Night Agent and didn't like it as well as the first season. The end of the first season seemed to end with the good guys on top. This season didn't feel that way even though they stopped the attack.

Would you like to be Superman? It would be a lot of responsibility. Are you attending or running any book events in the coming months? Are the days getting warmer in your neck of the woods?

Guest at IWSG

 Good day everyone. Not only will temperatures be above freezing for at least part of each day this week, but I have the supreme privilege of doing a guest post on the IWSG blog.

I was asked to talk a bit about the nuts and bolts behind putting on a writing conference. I highly recommend attending one if you can. There is nothing quite so inspiring as spending time with other writers.

I hope you'll visit and leave a comment. And if you're able, attend the 38th Annual Pennwriters Conference this May in Pittsburgh, PA. Would love to see you there.

IWSG: January 2025

 Hello all in the brand new year. Time does go so fast. Thank you to the admins of IWSG and our founder, Alex J. Cavanaugh, for keeping this group together and growing. There's always something happening. Find the list of participants here.

This month's optional question:

 Describe someone you admired when you were a child. Did your opinion of that person change when you grew up?

So easy for me. My father was an amazing person. He was a WWII vet and mostly self-educated. Like a lot of men during that time, he didn't finish high school so he could enlist. After the war, he and my mother bought a farm and raised their family of seven children. It was a dairy farm and my father worked long, long hours. The farm paid for five of us to go to college, though it didn't cost near so much back in those days. Despite his tenth grade education, my father was a voracious reader, mostly non-fiction. We were very close with similar introverted personalities. It was really rough when I lost him. He had a strong faith, and I hope to see him again in a better place.

"The man who has done his best has done everything." Charles M. Schwab

I've been so busy with writing and writing related stuff. I've almost completed my first draft of the first book in my newest epic fantasy series. I've also been busy organizing the Pennwriters Annual Conference Registration. It is now open. If Pittsburgh, PA isn't too far for you, please consider joining us in May for 3 days of over 60 workshops, agent/editor pitch opportunties, networking with other writers, and some amazing keynote speakers. Check it all out right here.

I've barely turned on the TV and haven't watched any new shows for a while now. I've put on my writing playlist and work away.

"I'd rather die of passion than of boredom." Vincent van Gogh

I have been exercising regularly and getting results so that's a good trend going into the new year.

"Either you run the day, or the day runs you." Jim Rohn 

For Christmas, I received a new set of shelving for in my office. My TBR pile is better organized now. Then one of my sons surprised me with a brand new set of cookware from Cusinart and another son gifted me a new iPad Pro. So exciting.

I hope the snow storm didn't bury your abode this week. We only have a few inches but with this cold weather, we're likely to have it for a while.

Stay safe, and stay warm.

How much snow did you get if any? Who have you admired in the past? Have any plans to attend workshops or conferences in 2025?

IWSG: December 2024

 

Welcome to the last IWSG post of 2024. Thank you to our founder, Alex J. Cavanaugh and all the IWSG admins. They do a great job and provide a service to all members. I hope they know we appreciate them. So share your woes and wins to the all the IWSG Members on this list.

This month's optional question:

Do you write cliffhangers at the end of your stories? Are they a turn-off to you as a writer and/or a reader?

Kind of. I write series and there has to be a hook to carry the reader to the next book. Often that mean a character in danger at the end of a book, so it is a cliffhanger, but I also make sure each book has some kind of satisfying payoff. If that makes sense.

As a reader, I don't mind if an author leaves a book on a cliffhanger if they don't take years to write the next book. (Looking at you, George RR Martin, and you, Patrick Rothfuss) 

I'm very grateful as the year draws to a close, for all my writing friends. You've been so supportive and helpful to me.

I wish everyone a Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays and hope you get it to spend it with those you love. We will have our big family celebration on the 24th and a quieter day on the 25th with all the kids stopping by for leftovers. I love Christmas. Unlike Thanksgiving, which is a lot of work for me since I always host, Christmas is just fun and comfort of family. Hope you have the same.

This past year, I managed to re-publish my two completed fantasy series, The Morbunda Saga, and The Futhark Chronicles. The small presses that had previously published them both closed and returned my rights to me. I also have started the next fantasy series. I hope to complete the first rough draft of Book 1 by the end of December. It's still called Book 1 because I haven't some up with a title yet.

Besides writing and getting ready for Christmas, in my spare time I'm working on the 2025 Pennwriters' Annual Conference. It's happening in May in Pittsburgh, PA. I hope any IWSGers who live near there will consider attending. Last year's conference was one of my all-time favorites because I was able to meet L. Diane Wolfe as she took pitches and led workshops. Our attendees loved her. She is so upbeat and knowledgeable about the publishing world. I hope I can meet more of my blogging friends this year. I'll share links to the conference information in January's post.

My live reading went really well last month. Though I was nervous about it, once the time came, I was comfortable and the audience was great. I even sold some books afterward.

Beyond finishing the first draft of a new novel I'm working on, I hope to attend at least one book signing event each month next year. I have two already on the schedule. That's the end of my plans (goals) for next year.

What about you? Cliffhangers or no? Plans for next year? Did you meet this year's goals. Happy and joyous season to you all.

IWSG: May 2024

 It's difficult to believe it's 2024 and soon to be summer. I do love the hot weather nearly as much as I love IWSG. Please share all you insecurities with the participants on this list and my usual thanks and appreciation to the IWSG admins and our founder, Alex J. Cavanaugh.

This month's optional question: How do you deal with distractions when you are writing? Do they derail you?

I tend to write late at night after most distractions are already in bed. This is a holdover from my years teaching when the only time I had to myself was usually between 9PM and midnight. It's still my most productive time.

In the meantime, I'm about 40K into the new novel. The ideas are coming too fast and I can't keep up. It's fun to be there again.

"You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have." Maya Angelou

Only two weeks until the Pennwriters Annual Conference. Can't wait. I'll share any writing tidbits I pick up with you next month. For the first time in years, the bookseller will be selling some of my books at the conference book sale. Hoping to gain some new fans.

We're lucky to have Hank Phillippi Ryan as our keynote. Her books are great and she's a tremendous speaker.  Our other keynote, Timons Esaias, has been an instructor in a MFA for creative writing program for years. He's published many poems and short stories in speculative fiction magazines. I've attended his workshops numerous times in the past. He's a winner and very entertaining.

I'm looking forward to watching Shardlake on Hulu starting today. I've been a fan of those books for years and I do love historical thrillers and mysteries. In the meantime, I've been watching Beacon 23 on Amazon. I read that book a long time ago, and I don't remember at all how the story spools out.

Keeping busy with the warmer weather with walking, jogging, and riding bike. I feel strong but I haven't really lost any weight. Sigh...

"Nothing is impossible, the word itself says, 'I'm possible!'" Audrey Hepburn

Are you easily distracted when writing? Do you usually write at a certain time of day? Have you a favorite writer you'd like to hear as an inspirational speaker?

IWSG: February 2022

 

Hope you're joining me to read all the great posts for this month's IWSG blog hop. As usual, thank you to the founder, Alex J. Cavanaugh, and all the IWSG admins for doing so much work to keep this group growing and vibrant.  Please check out the entire list of bloggers.

Today's optional question:

Is there someone who supported or influenced you that perhaps isn't around anymore? Anyone you miss?

Jo Wake, my friend who I never met in person. She beta-read my work and mentored me on use of my Instapot. I still cry a little as I write this. I will never forget her. She loved reading and learning new things. She loved to cook. She's was one tough old-bird. Since I'm fast approaching the old-bird stage, I hope I'll remain as sharp and active as Jo was. I admired her so much and I know many others did also.

"To love abundantly is to live abundantly, and to love forever is to live forever."  Henry Drummond

Another influence for me was my father. He actually died on this date 28 years ago as a relatively young man. He loved to read and was mostly self-educated. He kept a dictionary beside his chair to look up words. His vocabulary was amazing. He dropped out of high school to join the army and fight in WW II. After he retired, he read book after book and turned a bedroom into his library. All non-fiction. I think I caught my love of reading and learning from him.

"The mind once enlightened cannot again become dark."  Thomas Paine

I didn't Jeremy personally, but I have two of his tee-shirts. He was a very creative guy and the world is poorer for his loss. I'm going to check out some more of them.

I've been reading a lot and writing a little. I need to even those out a little. Preparing for the Pennwriters Annual Conference being held in May has been consuming all my screen time. If you ever attend a conference, spare a thought for all the work that went into making it happen and run smoothly.

The Expanse ended its run after six seasons on Prime, but there's still story to tell. I would love for them to have a season to finish all the story told in the books. Peacemaker on HBO Max is hilarious and a little bit obscene. I'm also really enjoying 1883 on Paramount. It's gritty and entertaining.

Have you had someone influence your writing? Have any writing events in your future? Watching anything good?

Boom! Summer

The Pennwriter's Conference was a huge success. Now that it's over, I'm planning on being more active on my blog. We'll see how it goes. I'll share some highlights on another post.

Finally saw Infinity War with two of my sons. The overall story was good, but what made the movie for me were all the character interactions. I can't even pick a favorite, but there were many laugh-out-loud moments. No smiles at the end though. Wow.

My boys went through some of the boxes we'd saved from the childhood. I winced to see all the money I'd spend on Power Rangers, GI Joe, and comic book characters. I don't mind the legos. They're timeless. We have two boxes sorted for Goodwill, and they each filled two large plastic tubs with their things. Still on the to-do list, baseball and football cards.

Love my granddaughter, but I'm looking forward to summer and not being a full-time babysitting-grandmother. If writing goes as planned, I'll have the second book in my new series finished  by summer and a new home for my Dragon fantasy series.

The third and last book in my Survivors series is available in all formats on my publisher's website. Exile's Savage Lady wraps up all the story lines with a story of love and self-sacrifice. It's not on Amazon yet, but as I've mentioned before, the writer and the publisher make more money when a purchase is made from the website and that hungry monster, Amazon, is cut out.

I hope you had a chance to spend the Memorial Day weekend with family and/or friends. Our house was full and a good time had by all. I might have to do some extra walking this week.

On the entertainment front, Timeless ended for the summer and maybe forever. Once Upon a Time wrapped up all their story lines as the series ended. I'll miss it, but the end was satisfying. My current TV favorite, The 100, is having its best season ever. Very tense and exciting. Other good news, Salvation, another end of the world plot, is returning for a summer season starting June 25th.

Some wisdom from The Old Farmer's Almanac: For long-lasting blooms, pick flowers in the late afternoon when the leaves and stems contain the most sugar.

Any interesting TV in your opinion? Have a cookout on Monday? Do you have any toys packed away from your childhood?

Spring, Please Arrive

Winter has seemed so long this year. Though we didn't get a lot of snow, there were a few long stretches of frigid weather and recently, the most relentless wind imaginable. Tomorrow is D-day for spring's arrival on the Vernal Equinox. I believe we're expecting spring to magically start at 12:15 PM EDT. I'm ready. If you want to know more about the Equinox, my go-to source of information is The Old Farmer's Almanac. Check out this quick easy read.

Then came the lovely spring with a rush of blossoms and music.  Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

In other important news, my new printer was easy to connect and set up. I'm pleased with it for now. And still average 1000 words per day on my next WIP.

Combing spring and writing news, spring is a favored time for writing conferences. IWSG had this great post about organizing so you get the most of any conference you attend. Pennwriters, a state-wide and beyond the borders of PA writing group, has one large annual conference and also puts together two smaller mini-conferences.

The first mini-conference called Writers Project Runway is happening in Leesburg, VA on April 7th. They still have room if you're near there and interested.

The large annual conference is being held in Lancaster, PA this year and filled with great workshops, speakers, as well as agent and editor pitch appointments. Gayle Lynds, a very successful thriller author, is this year's keynote speaker among many other opportunities to advance your career and network.

Anne R. Allen posted about word count by genre. It's always good to keep those in mind. I've read a few thrillers lately that were good books, but I wanted them to be longer. Even with writing a thousand words per day and watching my granddaughter for eight hours, I can read a 70K book in 2 or 3 days.

I also read this interesting post by Eli Landes that says there are only two types of stories. We've all heard before that there are a limited number of plots in stories. Her theory is that there are only two types of protagonists in stories. Very interesting and I couldn't argue with her ideas.

Are there any conference plans in your future? Do you like reading long books? Are you excited about spring arriving?

What a Conference

I decided to post after all today. I made it back from the Pennwriters Conference Sunday afternoon. Like every conference, I came away with a pile of notes and lots of energy to dive back into writing and trying some new promotional ideas.

One of the speakers I enjoyed was Kathleen Shoop who shared pages and pages of information about self-publishing. I'm traditionally published by a small press, but indie-published authors know how to market. They have to if they're going to be successful. There's nothing quite so much fun as getting handouts at a conference.

On the flip side, as a board member who did a lot of work behind the scenes and some out in the open, the weekend was exhausting. And I love driving, but if you've ever driven through Pittsburgh, it's not much fun. The trip was four hours each way for me. Yawn!!! But I held strong and only bought one book while I was there.

Agent Mark Gottlieb presented a workshop on writing an elevator pitch. A way to tease your book in two or three sentences to an agent or editor. He shared some winning examples and I improved my short blurb for the dragon book I hope to find a new home for after the publisher closed.

Agent Eric Myers' workshop asked the question, 'How Far is Too Far in MG and YA?' I don't think he ever answered the question though the consensus did seem to be nothing is too far. I found it a bit disturbing.

One of the things I really enjoy about the conference is the mixture of writers. Nonfiction, short fiction, poets and novelists. Some are just starting their careers and many are multi-published. Everyone helps everyone and the mood is upbeat and supportive. One thing all the writers shared was their concern about how to use social media to promote and network. I could feel the stress of many of the writers as they searched for the answers to taming the monster of platform building.

My local writing group finished up our 50/50 yesterday also. I didn't complete my first draft like I wanted to because a lot of real life got in the way. But I'm almost done and I still had pretty good numbers for the 50 days.

On the entertainment front, I'm finally going to see Guardians of the Galaxy, Volume II on Tuesday. My youngest son is taking me as my Mother's Day gift. I'm such a lucky mom. I'm looking forward to the season finale of The 100 on Wednesday. It's been an exciting season. Still about 2 months until Game of Thrones returns. Killjoys is returning this summer also. I really like that show with its mixture of action, suspense with some humor thrown in.

Have any summer TV shows coming on that you enjoy? Have you read any MG or YA that you think went too far? Does platform building concern you? Don't forget to check out the new post on IWSG.

My Species

The keynote speaker at the recent writers conference I attended was Jonathan Maberry, New York Times bestselling author or thrillers, horror novels and comic books. He has so many things going on like having one of his series being in development for a TV series and another for a movie. A good place to start with his books is Patient Zero.

Jonathan was a member of Pennwriters early in his career. Now that he is big time and living in California, it was really generous of him to return to our writers' group and lead workshops and give a dinner speech that left everyone laughing, applauding and truly inspired. Not only did he travel across the country, but he arranged for a copy of one of his books to be distributed to every attendee and then hung around to sign them. All weekend, he made himself available for questions and discussions. For three days he gave back to the society of writers.

After giving a brief personal history of his writing career, Jonathan explained why he enjoys the company of other writers so much. Writers are his people. His species. No matter how much our family and friends support our careers, there are things about being a writer that only other writers get. Like how when you're sitting at your desk staring blankly at the wall, you are working. When you're listening into the argument going on behind you at the restaurant, you're working. When you do all those weird Google searches, you're working. Sitting on the porch reading? That is working. Only members of your own species understand that. Thanks to Jonathan for being so generous.

Thinking about writing a short story? Maybe submit it to an anthology? Check out Alex J. Cavanaugh over at Anne R. Allen's blog and his post, Anthologies: How They Can Advance Your Writing Career.

Tomorrow is Flag Day here in the States and also my oldest son's birthday. He's a pretty patriotic guy so it fits. He doesn't care about his birthday and never has. He's excited about the upcoming football season so the quote today is one he lives by or rather coaches by.
"Winning isn't everything, but wanting to win is." Vince Lombardi

I'm still toiling away on my WIP and it's going so much slower than I expected. So this quote if for me.
"Luck is not chance, it's toil; fortune's expensive smile is earned." Emily Dickinson

Do you feel the species love with other writers? Are you thinking of being part of an anthology? Have you heard of Jonathan Maberry? How do you give back to your writing community?

Blood, Boobs and Carnage Blogfest

After a very busy weekend, it is so nice and normal to come home to the Blood, Boobs and Carnage Blogfest. This event is sponsored by Alex J. Cavanaugh and Heather M. Gardner. To participate, share a movie, TV show or book that fits the self-explanatory title of this fest.

I'm rather sure I'm not going to be the only one to pick this TV show and the books it is based on certainly fit the description too. My children bet on how many minutes into an episode of Game of Thrones the first nude scene will occur because lots of skin will be shown every week. Usually full nudity and not just of boobs. Blood and Carnage! Can I say Red Wedding? Too many examples to even name them and more will follow.

I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with.

The Pennwriters' Conference this past weekend was wonderful. You know I'll be sharing lots of information with you on this blog over the next few weeks with the first installment showing up this Wednesday. The only bad part of the event was driving through road construction. Pennsylvania does road work in a manner designed to torture commuters. I believe my home state to be the bozo kings of road construction.

I'm looking forward getting back to my WIP, the first in a new science fiction romance series. And it is time to get some yard work done. I haven't planted anything yet.

How does your state handle road construction? Do you think I picked the winner for the blogfest? Have your spring yard work done? Can I sign you up to attend our state conference next year?

Conference Stalker

After a week and a half to catch my breath, I can turn my mind from The A to Z Challenge and start looking forward to the Pennwriters Annual Conference being held in Pittsburgh this coming weekend. I'm beyond excited.

Conference are all about networking. Many of the writers I know met their agent or editor at a writing conference. Pennwriters, like many conferences, offer chances to sign up for a one-on-one meeting with the agent or editor of your choice. But that's not the only or even the best way to meet those people who hold such power over your career.

First off, do your research and know if the agent or editor you set your sights on is likely to be a good fit for your  work. Look at their website and check them out on Twitter and Facebook. See what authors they've worked with. Are they part of a big organization or the head of their own smaller press or literary agency? Do you want one based in New York or closer to your home? Lots of questions to ask yourself. Are they long established or just starting out and perhaps willing to take on an unknown writer?

Most agents and editors will lead at least one workshop or take part in a panel with their peers. Attend the sessions given by your target agent or editor. Sit near the front, take notes and prepare some questions. Act and dress professional for the entire conference not just during your face to face meeting.

Often mealtimes mean finding your own seat. Try to get one at the same table as your target. Don't pitch your book unless they ask. This is the time to have your short elevator pitch ready. Or cozy up to the bar with that elusive agent or editor. Again, be friendly, not pushy. They won't be offended and will appreciate a free drink. Conferences are mini-vacations for them with some work involved. They want to find the next great bestseller. Make sure they want to work with the interesting, professional they met over dinner or drinks.

And don't expect too much. They're unlikely to sign you on the spot. They don't want any hard copy to carry on the plane home with them. But they might ask you to email it to them or submit it to their agency or house. You might find you don't click with the person you stalked for two days. At least you learned before anything was signed that you weren't a good fit.

My very first appointment with an agent at my very first writing conference was a huge shock. I can look back on it and laugh now but I was stunned at the time. The agent was very well-known in the field and I was excited to meet her in person. My appointment was her first one after lunch. She came in almost five minutes late to the room where I waited. She carried a drink in one hand, with the amber liquid sloshing over the sides as she set it down. Her slurred words made almost no sense. I couldn't believe it. I'd been so nervous and here I was, faced with a drunk who wouldn't even remember my name after I left. Very disappointing but it also taught me to remember that those agents and editors are just people too.

"Great people know how to take care of their people. For a great person does not become great by themselves."  John Maeda

Have you ever pitched your writing to an editor or agent face to face? Was it a good experience? Do you have more suggestions of how to stalk an agent or editor at a conference? Care to share your worst experience at a conference?

IWSG: May Version

Today is the day writers of all skill and experience share their woes, insecurities and even some triumphs to give us all encouragement. The Insecure Writers Support Group monthly blog hop is Alex J. Cavanaugh's child and it is growing up. Please join us and add your name to our members and visit more writers from this list.

Some of us are still reeling from April's A to Z Blogging Challenge. If you wonder if you should join, read some of the reflections posts and check out how the participants feel about it. The experience is awesome.

But onto insecurities for the month. I've had many thoughts over the last few months that I've taken on more responsibilities that take time from my writing. I took on the role of co-host for A to Z this year and it took a lot of time. As co-host of IWSG, I have another role to fill for this group. Earlier this year, I was asked to take on the job of secretary to Pennwriters, the state-wide writers group I belong to. The work associated with that position ebbs and flows but a big requirement is coming up a week from now when we have our annual writing conference in Pittsburgh, PA. And I try to post on my own blog three times per week and visit my friends' blogs. And I'm starting a new science fiction romance series. Yikes! Have I taken on more than I can handle? At what point does social networking hurt my writing career rather than improving my online presence?

I know there has to be a balance, except in April, but most of the overwork I've suffered from is of my own doing. At many times during the A to Z, I thought I just can't do this next year. But the Challenge is like childbirth. While in labor, you swear you'll never go through that agony again. But once you hold that baby in your arms, you forget how bad it hurt. Until you're there again. Normally I have a pretty good memory, but I did give birth to four children, so maybe not.

I'm dedicating May to writing. Non-crazy blogging will be my norm and I'm going to relax as much as I can at the writing conference. My daughter is attending also, so I'm expecting a good time and to learn something that will help my writing. And we'll have fun on the four hour ride there. We travel well together.

"He who asks a question may be a fool for 5 minutes; he who asks no questions stays a fool forever."
Chinese Proverb

I won't be posting Friday as I'll be driving to Boston to pick my daughter up from Boston University. Another fun 7 hours in the car.  I'll be so thrilled to have her home for a few days before she starts off on her next adventure.

Have you felt over-scheduled? Did you do it to yourself? Is it interfering with your writing? Is the pain from A to Z fading into a maternal or paternal glow? What are you insecurities for this month? And does anyone want to help me spread some tanbark? I offer all the ice tea you can drink and dip in the pool that has warmed up to a balmy 63 degrees.

Do You Multitask?

One of the tidbits I jotted down at the recent Pennwriters Conference was something Meredith Mileti, our luncheon keynote speaker said. She proposed that many writers are unitaskers. Since I am entirely the opposite, I had to explore this a little.

As I've mentioned on this blog many times, I always have music or even a video playing in the background when I write. I'm watching a TV show on demand as I write this. As a busy mother, I learned to multitask as a way to survive and make sure everything ran smoothly. That carried over to my writing. But Meredith sounded so sure of herself I had searched out some articles on the subject. Here is one from Forbes and another interesting one from Naukri, a career help site.

Most of the articles I found were related to working in office like places rather than writing at home but the advice was the same. But the advice is solid for working at home also. I found it very interesting and am going to try unitasking more, especially when I feel like I'm stuck on a scene. The point made in a few of the articles that stuck with me is that multitasking is really nothing of the sort. What your mind is actually doing is switching quickly from task to task and giving none its due attention.

There were a few ideas shared to help you unitask and again one stuck with me. Uncluttering your workspace. Those stacks of reminders of other things you need to address will on distract you from what you're working on. I realized this is so true for me. I'm going to clean up my desk this weekend.

Another point I learned from reading about unitaskers is that sometimes I am one. When I do edits, I do that without the music or video noise. At least I'm doing something right.

So do you unitask or multitask when you write? Do you agree with what the articles say about the inefficiency of multitasking? When do you always unitask at an activity? Do you agree with Meredith that many writers are unitaskers?

Advanced Social Media

First of all, I'm not even close to an expert on social media. But at the recent Pennwriters Conference, I attended a workshop titled Advanced Social Media presented by Don Lafferty. I'm going to sum up just a fraction of what Don shared but if you visit his website you'll find lots more.

Don is a HUGE proponent of Facebook advertising. He shared some numbers about 'Likes' on your Facebook author page. It seems around 1,000 Likes is a milestone for a dramatic increase in web traffic coming from FB to your site. He said one of the most important things you can do is use FB to gather emails.

Despite Don's big push for spending money on paid Facebook advertising, he emphasized that email is still the leading and most powerful marketing tool. Getting people to sign up for email alerts and newsletters should be one of your goals.

Don also gave some advice about websites. He said to include a books page, an events page and of course, a short bio. And try to have everything important above the scroll. Again use your website or blog to entice readers to sign up for those emails.

Don't also suggested you repeat all Facebook posts on Google+. Google doesn't search FB but it loves all the content on Google+.

Don put forth a way to calculate how much money you should be spending a month on advertising. I think I dropped my pencil when I heard his estimate. It was way out of my budget.

Do you pay for Facebook advertising? Has it worked? Do you have an email list of readers? Do you use Google+? Want to like my Facebook page? I'm a long way from that 1,000 mark.

I'll be out of town on Friday so I'm not posting that day but I'll be around to visit.

An 'Evocative' Editor's Panel

Evocative: bringing strong memories, images or feelings to mind. Adjective

Continuing with my sharing of some tidbits I picked up at the Pennwriters Conference last weekend, I've selected the above adjective as the most over used word by editors and agents during the two and a half days I spent in their company. I should have kept a tally because that's the kind of thing I do when I'm a little bored.

Three editors attended the Pennwriters Conference and they graciously formed a panel for a question and answer session.

Allison Janice represented Berkley Books and works as an assistant to Executive Editor Denis Silvestro. She's interested in memoir/narrative nonfiction and women's fiction. Allison was very quiet, not jumping in much but answering questions if directed just to her. She mentioned that Berkley books likes at least a year from contract to publication. Also she mentioned that they wouldn't be put off by someone who hasn't developed an online presence before contracting but would encourage them to get busy with it.

Leonore Waldrip is an assistant editor for Harlequin MIRA. She's on the lookout for projects with compelling voices, unique hooks and strong, relatable(her word, not mine) characters. Doesn't really narrow it down. I think she meant 'evocative.' She also encourages anyone wanting to get published to create an online presence. Lenore spoke briefly about the purchase of Harlequin by Harper Collins, claiming nothing had changed for her or any of their authors.

Jason Pinter represented his own publishing house, Polis Books. He actually did most of the talking during the panel, acting confident and knowledgeable. His press needs only six months to take a book from contract to publication. He doesn't respond to queries unless interested. His company is mostly a digital publisher and is interested in most commercial fiction though he is a successful thriller author himself. He made a point to a question that the YA genre doesn't do well in digital publishing compared to many other genres. Teenagers like books with paper.

I was shocked at the small number of people attending this panel. Two years ago when I sat on an agent panel, there were over fifty writers in the audience with endless questions. Was the poor attendance because people didn't care to hear those particular editors? Or are authors looking elsewhere on their writing journeys?

This panel provided little information of value to me. Jason Pinter also spoke at our Published Penns retreat luncheon. He comes across as intelligent and energetic. He's worked in the field since graduating college and knows his way around the publishing business. I would submit something to him if I had a manuscript ready.

Have you ever submitted to any of the above publishers? Why do you think the editors' panel was so poorly attended? What question would you ask any of the above if you had the chance? Do you use the word 'evocative' in your daily conversation?

A Gold Mine

The annual Pennwriters' conference fulfilled all expectations and beyond. I have pages of handwritten notes I'll be converting to blog posts over the next two weeks. And I'll probably save one good one for my next turn at IWSG.

Pennwriters is a non profit group, and one of the ways they raise money is to sell chances on gift baskets provided by members and groups of members. There were many terrific gifts.

There were winners of the writing contest held in the weeks leading up to the conference in poetry, short story, nonfiction and novel beginnings. The winners were recognized at the Saturday luncheon.


Pennwriters contest winners

There also was a large table of books for sale by published members. A local bookseller runs that concession so it works very smoothly. Saturday afternoon had an hour set aside so you could get your purchases signed by the authors.

Ten agents and three editors attended and presented workshops and sat on panels. I'll give some details of their shared wisdom in an upcoming post. The food was excellent and three of the meals included an industry professional as a speaker.

It wasn't all perfect. As with most affairs held in hotel conference areas, the rooms were too cold. Coffee and hot tea weren't available Saturday afternoon. Pennwriters divides the state into six areas and the area meetings weren't well attended. People missed a great networking opportunity by not choosing the bar over the meeting.

Some workshops provided lots of learning for me. Some reinforced things I already know. At least one presenter spouted what I thought of as utter nonsense about promotion. I wanted to stand up and tell all the inexperienced writers to disregard everything he was saying. I didn't, of course.

The last workshop I attended blew me away and set the standard for what a presentation should be. Perhaps because the presenter was a teacher, entertaining and organized. Can't wait to share that with you and have the lovely lady here as my guest.

Ever read a blog or sit in on a workshop where you wanted to stand up and decry the misinformation? Ever been to a meeting in a hotel conference room where it wasn't too cold? Who have you heard speak, on any subject, who really inspired or entertained you? Ever win anything on one of those gift basket drawings?

Mixing Work With Pleasure

Today, tomorrow and for part of the day on Sunday, I'll be enjoying myself at the  annual Pennwriters Conference held in Lancaster, PA. This writers' group caters to all levels and genres of writing. Short stories, non-fiction, poetry and fiction will be covered in the workshops. Agents and editors will be taking pitches and offering general advice during panel sessions. Really, there's too much going on to describe here.

I don't have any new works ready to pitch to anyone but I'll attend workshops to hone some skills. I'm looking forward to a workshop on short stories and another on advanced techniques with online media. I still haven't figured out how Linked In helps me. Anything on promotion will probably find me in attendance. The keynote dinner speaker is Kami Garcia. Maybe I can learn how to get one of my novels turned into a major motion picture from her.

Another great thing about the conference is getting the chance to mix with other writers. There are a few I've known for a while but it's been a while since I've seen them personally. And I'm sure I'll meet some new writerly friends.

Like previous conferences, the sessions and the people I meet will provide material for this blog for a few weeks to come. I think I had material for an entire month last time I attended.

And finally, nothing gets the muse galloping for me like mixing around with other writers. I find them so inspiring and supportive that I just want to go home and write and write.

If you could attend a writing conference with any guest speaker you wished, who would it be? What is one workshop you would attend if you could pick any subject? Is there a particular workshop you would feel comfortable teaching?

Climbing Out of The Pit

I'm sure we've all had 'one of those weeks.' You know the kind. Let me give an example. Laptop in the shop for the old '3 to 5 business days' before even getting an estimate. Busy family stuff such as senior awards' night, daughter's softball playoffs rescheduled again and again by rain, one son needing help packing and stocking up before leaving for his three month internship(at a private resort in the Poconos, poor kid), a retirement party for a family member, and then to top off this wonder, a five day stomach bug highlighted by 18 hours of the worst illness of my life.  Feel sorry for me yet?

I'm not asking for sympathy, merely explaining why I've been absent. I was so sick, I couldn't even read.  I've never been that ill before.  But I'll be catching up with the blogs I missed.  I'll be enjoying my daughter's softball games instead of struggling to keep it together for seven innings. Hopefully, I'll be able to do some more running. And because I'm a glass half-full kind of gal, I did lose three of those five pounds I wanted to drop.  It wasn't the most pleasant method but it was effective.

I had to skip the annual Pennwriter's Conference this year because of that family member retirement party, but again looking on the bright side, I would have missed it because I was sick.  Saved myself some money.  But I do regret missing all that networking.  So apologies for not visiting everyone over the recent seven days, but I'm back on track now.  Hope you all had a better week than I did.

Thou Shall Not Resolve!

I've never really made a New Year's resolution and 2012 will be no different.  But despite the rumor the world is going to end before 2013 rolls around, I do have some goals.  Some are personal and I'll keep those to myself.  I'm a pretty self-motivated person so I don't need to post them to the public to keep myself going.

But by talking about my writing goals I know I'll get some good advice and encouragement from my wonderful readers.  Perhaps one of my goals will even strike a spark and influence someone else's plans.

My writing goals are few and simple.  One is promote more.  Two is polish up books #3 and #4 of my Futhark Chronicles and get them up and for sale.  Three is find a home for the first book in my second epic fantasy series, The Dragons of Morbunda, or publish it myself. If I get to all that, I intend to complete a new romance book for my publisher, New Concepts. 

I read somewhere, that goals are things you work for and dreams are things you wish for.  Well, in the dream category, I hope to attend the Pennwriters Conference this year.  I hope to develop a steady income with my self-published books even if it's a small amount. I wish to get a new laptop and maybe even an iPad.

So are you making resolutions? Goals? Or having dreams? What does 2012 hold for you if the world doesn't end?
Happy New Year!