A: Art of War & IWSG

My theme for the A to Z Blogging Challenge this year is a mishmash of books, movies, writers and TV shows that have in one way or another taught me something about writing and helped me be a better writer. Some inspired my own stories and a few taught me what not to do. Each post is a one minute lesson on writing. I'm also co-host on the IWSG where we're participating in A to Z also. It will be an inspiring stop.

"He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight." Sun Tzu

Sun Tzu wrote The Art of War sometime around 512 BC. Since then, the work has been translated and studied. You find quotes from The Art of War in the beginnings of many military books be they fiction or nonfiction. Science fiction authors love using these quotes as Sun Tzu's strategies are timeless and as applicable to battles in space as they are to land battles. Sun Tzu quotes were even used in Firefly in the episode, War Stories. It is always on the top-selling Amazon military sciences lists. If you write any kind of book with physical conflict of a sort, keep an eye out for a copy of The Art of War. I found my copy for less than five dollars on a clearance table. Even if you don't use it in a novel or short story, you'll find lots of great quotes to share on Twitter and Facebook or other social media.
Lesson: Some reference books remain ever popular. Using well know quotes can provide an interesting bit to your book. Everyone should know Sun Tzu

With the recent closing of two of my publishers, there's been some shared grieving. And that's okay. It is a little comfort. Most writers know this happens and took the disappointment in stride, understanding the publishers didn't close because they wanted to damage our careers. It was purely economics. Yet, a few authors posted angry tirades on forums. Here and there, a blogger wrote disparaging remarks about the people running those presses that had failed, often second guessing business decisions and more. Hopefully, the situation never happens to you. But if it does, resist spewing your anger online where anyone can see it. The last thing you want is to have your name recognized as an angry person who vents publicly. Word gets around in the publishing world. Editors know each other. Keep your frustration private. Other opportunities will arise. Please visit more IWSG posts.

And we can't forget that it is April Fool's Day. So here's a little more advice, courtesy of The Old Farmer's Almanac.
"If you want to make a fool of yourself, you'll find a lot of people ready to help you."

Are you familiar with The Art of War? Have you ever used a quote from the book or read a book that used one? Anyone every rant online and make you cringe?

The Edge of Season

My writing has lagged a little this week. It's that odd time of year when winter is holding on with sharp, biting cold claws while spring wears away at it with added minutes of daylight and the increased warmth in the afternoon sun. I'm anxious to be outside, cleaning out my flowerbeds, trimming back my raspberry bushes before they get completely out of control and raking up the last of the old brown leaves that escaped last fall.
I usually do my promotional work when I first get home from school and then do my writing after dinner. But now when I get home, the longer daylight hours call to me. One day I cleaned out the garage instead of promo. Another day I washed my car and cleaned windows I haven't touched since last fall.
Things may get worse before they get better. The first day of spring sports practice is only a week away. My daughter plays softball and my son runs track so I'll be busy being taxi to and from practice as well as being number one fan. And in two short weeks, daylight savings time begins. How will I stay at it when it's light out even longer?
Do the seasons distract you? What is your best writing season or are you steady throughout the year? I know the holiday season slows most people down, but what about other times of year? You would think as a school teacher and having my summer months off, I would get a lot of writing done during June, July and August, but the opposite is true. I love the outdoors and near rain or cold to keep me at my keyboard. My alpha smart helps because I can take it outside and to sporting events and get some writing done. Am I the only one distracted by the great outdoors?
It's dark and cold now, so I'm going back to my WIP. I have to get it done before that time change.

Favorite Drink While Writing

I like coffee with my writing when it's light out. Any coffee will do but lately I've had to turn to heavily disguised ice coffee. After over thirty years of coffee abuse, my stomach has said 'no more' to that lovely, aromatic black fluid. I've tried every brand of java that promises mild on your stomach to no avail. So I'm stuck with the stuff watered down with cream and sugars. Sign....
After dark and into the wee hours, I change my drinks to wine or my very favorite, Disaronno amaretto on the rocks. I fine, caramel like sipping liqueur from Italy. Ahh...
So what do you have sitting on the corner of your writing desk. Something to pump you up with caffeine or mellow you out with alcohol?

Do, Did, Done

No, I'm not lecturing on proper use of verbs and their tenses. I'm thinking about the stack on my desk. Yes, I procrastinated a little last Friday and cleaned up my two desks. Yes, my writing mess spread like fog rolling down off a mountain in springtime and I needed to get another desk. Now I have two, set at angles to each other. I keep one relatively clear with space for my alphasmart, my laptop, my day planner, my notebook bible of my current WIP, and a small stack of things I need to do. Today. Soon. In the next few days. Never mind what the other desk holds. I feel good when I can see any of the wood surface.
So, let's get back to that little pile of things that call for attention sooner rather than later. A few are handwritten notes of blogs or websites I want to visit. A few are notes from the recent CPRW meeting(my local chapter of RWA). Some of those are notes within notes. I should have taken care of at least one of these last night. Sigh...
Another little stack are things I've run off hard copies of or clipped from a writer's publication.(You really can't save all those publications) Some of these clippings are promotional opportunites or perhaps market news of what editor switched to what house.
Though they don't belong in the urgent pile, there are also a few notes or clipped advertisements for books I want to read. Some are new authors so I have to keep it right in front of me or I will forget.
I put this stack right in the middle of my desk. I have to push it aside to center my laptop. It covers my coaster where I set my cup of tea. Seriously, it is in the way. So I should get to it, but I'm going to finish this post first. Then I'm going to write that next scene in my WIP because I know exactly what needs to happen. And then if it's not too late, I'm going to take care of at least two things on that stack.
How do you keep your urgent file in front of you? I used to make lists, but now I just keep all my little scraps. And if you're one of those people who don't put things off, go ahead and rub it in.

Top Ten Favorite Ways to Procrastinate

We all do it, but I think writers have a special gift and flare for procrastination. Here are my top ten favorites.

10. Update blog and visit all my friends' blogs and comment. Tell yourself it's all about networking.

9. Check Fictionwise and other booksellers to see if you received any new ratings.

8. Google your name or the name of your book just in case there's a surprise review out there somewhere.

7. Bake some cookies because your children are 'starving.'

6. Run out to the coffeeshop and get a four dollar ice coffee because theirs is so much better than your own ice coffee.

5. Reply to every post on the twenty-five yahoo groups you belong to.

4. Run a quick security scan on your computer because you really shouldn't let those things go.

3. Just a quick check in with facebook or twitter because it's all about the networking, baby.

2. File rejection letters by date and then decide to do them alphabetically.

And the number one favorite way for me to procrastinate is:

1. Rearrange my workspace including but not limited to: moving my desk, vaccumming the corners where it was sitting, dusting EVERYTHING, throwing out all those saved emails with possible contacts on, logging expenses and earnings, putting receipts in the tax folder, make a written list of all the things I need to do for promo, another list for all the authors and books I want to read, and rearrange my keeper shelf by author in order of publication and finally but not least, find the best spot on my desk for pictures of my kids.

What are your favorite ways to procrastinate?

What's a Writer to do on a Weekend?

I have lots of pals who write and many of them work other jobs. I don't have to wonder what most of them are doing on a weekend. No, they're not catching up on housework or finding the time to prepare that extra special family meal. They're trying to get their word count up for the week on their current WIP. Or they're working on edits, trying to find a bigger slice of time to concentrate on it rather than the minutes here and minutes there they find during the week.
I know one of them was at a booksigning near her home this weekend. (Sorry I couldn't be there, hope it was fabulous).
A mini vacation for a writer is a weekend conference where they can network, smooze with other professionals, have some fun interrupted by moments of terror when they pitch to an editor, an agent or finds one seated next to them at the bar. Good stress, but still a working weekend, not a real vacation.
Some writers use this weekend to update their blogs, their websites and other little time consuming things they've put off for the week.
Often a writer with a busy family packs her alpha smart or laptop in the Rodeo and heads off to a tournament, field hockey at Kutztown University this weekend, and sits on the sidelines huddled over the keyboard while chaos breaks all around her. Those little alpha smarts operate at all temperature extremes including 98 degree baseball games and 22 degree football games.
Tomorrow is the Super Bowl and lots of people have parties and social activities planned. This writer is thinking she'll order pizzas so she doesn't have to cook. Will I watch it? Professional sports don't hold much appeal for me after watching my sons play in college. Those college guys play for nothing and they bleed and sweat as much as those millionaires and seem to try a lot harder. They cry when they lose and are really excited when they win. Nah, I won't watch much of it. But the game is important to me because it will keep everyone else busy so I can write in peace.
So enjoy you weekend, all you writers out there. I hope you had the chance to go out on this Saturday night. Me, I'm uploading this week's toil from my alpha smart to the desk top. That's what this writer calls a great weekend.

Hours in the Day

I know many of us feel this at one time or another, but I could really use about four more hours every day. I don't think four is being greedy. Ten would be asking too much, but with as few as four, I could bake bread each day, cook a meal from scratch, get at that durn treadmill every day and write another thousand words. As the way my day stands now, I must make tough choices of which to do. Giving up my day job eliminate any need to deny one of my pleasures, but I probably wouldn't have the money to buy the flour for the bread, or the electricity to run the treadmill or even a computer to write my novel on. So tonight, when I should have my nose in that WIP, I made the decision to visit some blogs of friends and whine a little about my lack of time.
So I'm curious, what might you do with four hours more per day?

Plans....

Well 2009 is upon us. Looking back at the start of my writing career, I certainly dreamed of being at a different spot when this year rolled around. None of my books have been made into movies. Conference chairpersons aren't calling me to beg my lectures. They don't hire special security to handle the crowds at my booksignings. I didn't even get to quit my day job!
After my first year of rejections and the big splat as I hit the wall of reality, I reset my idea of how fast success might find me. Or rather how soon I might capture the allusive little beast as it flittered mercilessly out of reach. I brushed against it now and then and am not displeased at my successes. Better even, I still believe with each book I write it will be the one I'll see someday on the big screen when some famous director gets a hold of my book and knows it will be the next 'Lord of the Rings' blockbuster.
Along with my moderate successes and my continued optimism, I've also learned enough that I might actually be able to give one of those lectures to beginning writers. One of the things I would caution new and aspiring writers about is, there is so much you don't know yet. And the world of publishing changes and grows each year. I don't think I'd even heard of an ebook when I first starting writing. Yet I've found some degree of financial reward with my books that have been published in this 'green' form.
So in 2009 I will continue to sit at the keyboard, continue to promote my sales, continue to chase that dream and most of all, continue to learn and I hope improve my craft. I wish all my friends and writing acquaintances success and hope they find inspiration and energy to keep at it. Happy writing.

Back to School Sales

It's so tempting! All those sales ads from Office Max and Staples, rows and rows of school supplies at Walmart and even Borders has a back to school table. All those cheap notebooks, pens and pencils of every type and color and the folders are enough to overwhelm a poor writer's sensibilities.
Now I don't need any pencils. I have enough paper clips for my next reincarnation. I never use spiral notebooks. I only have two children left in school and they no longer need those really cool, mutlipocketed trappers. Pens tend to last me forever so I have enough to last me until some of them dry out. I already have a pair of colorful scissors in every room. Okay, I really do need some paper for the printer but there's no excuse for buying the 12 pack of legal pads. It's way too early to purchase a new date book. I know they'll be on sale when I really need to get one.
So what am I doing out cruising around the school supplies? What writer can resist? Post-it notes in every color and size. Sharpies for those envelopes. Of course, get those hand santizers from Bath and Body works. I might never use those pink highlighers but they are so cute. And I better get a new pencil holder to match the new letter trays I bought. I have those stacked so high on my desk I can hide from all views for complete privacy.
I know so many writers share my weakness. I really didn't need a single thing but somehow I ended up with two bags of supplies. I tell myself the deals were too good to pass up but really I probably could have waited for the same ones to come around next August. For now though, I have to rearrange my storage cabinet to fit in all those really clever tools of my trade.