A Brief Break

Taking a brief break as I try to navigate submitting work using these various online submission forms which are perplexing me a bit.  I was expecting to attach my work, but it seems like you have to put it in the body of the form.  However, this form was very deceptive.

There was a spot marked cover letter.  So I typed what would normally be expected in a brief query letter.  There was no spot directing me to type the body of my work.  So naturally, when I hit submit, I assumed it would take me to the next page to enter or attach my work.

All of these online submissions charge.  I attempted to withdraw it to resubmit it, but I would've forfeited my fees.  I was able to add a note in which I pasted my piece.  Hope this was done right.  I prefer mailing.  I think the next piece I submit will be via snail mail, instead.  UGH!!!

Finding Time To Write

If you're like me, you need a job to pay the bills while you're jump starting your writing career.  And if you have a stressful job like me, all you feel like doing is unwinding when you get home.  I have what I call detox time when I get home.  Sure I could write all wound up and tense, but why?

There are a few evenings I don't bother to write.  You may have guessed that I'm not of the school of forcing myself to write a minimum amount per day.  I definitely do not subscribe to that school of thought.  I will explain my writing habits in another future blog post, but for now I will divulge where I write when I write.

I take time to write at my cubicle at work during my lunch break.  However if a story, poem, or book idea come to mind while at work, I jot it down on a post-it or in a composition notebook I carry around with me.  A title is enough for me to trigger what I intend to write about.  If I don't have a title, then I will write the topic or subject matter.  Usually when I get ideas, the whole story comes flooding into my thoughts.  I know if the idea is suited for a short story, flash fiction, poem, novel, etc.  I can't explain it, it's just hard wired in me and comes as second nature.  I'm curious if any of you are the same.

I have a half hour bus ride one way to work.  So that's a whole hour a day I can dedicate to flushing out the idea in my thoughts.  Sometimes I use this hour to read trade magazines to learn the craft.

From time to time before I go home, I will go to a favorite coffee shop to do some more writing.  I also go to the coffee shop on weekends and on my days off like today.  Sometimes you have to because the laundry, cleaning, dishes, cooking, or other chores are nagging in the back of my head while I attempt to write at home.  No, my place is not disheveled like a hoarder, but at times I want to escape the chores, TV, or even the Internet to keep from procrastinating.  Even this blog can be a procrastination tool.  That's why I think I will not do any blog entries on Sundays.

So I write at work during breaks, at the coffee shop, and also at home at a desk in the corner of my living room when I can block distractions.  It's a matter of discipline, but I don't write everyday.  I feel if you are forcing yourself in that chair, your writing is sub par and suffers for it.

Dialogue

The only time I had a problem with dialogue was when I over thought it.  There are many techniques offered by the gurus at conferences, in trade magazines, and workshops.  But I offer you a unique technique that I use and have never seen promoted.

It came to me as an epiphany rather than being developed by trial and error over time.  It works for me and perhaps it will work for you too.  However you must be willing to dig deep down to your inner child.

Get out your dolls, action figures, or sock puppets.  If you don't have any, raid your children's toy chest.  If you don't have children, raid your niece's or nephew's toy chest.  Don't have one of those, buy a few.  Christmas is coming, so people won't find it odd that a grown adult is buying toys.

Now this is not mandatory.  It is only a tool to be used as an exercise in developing dialogue.  What's up with using the toys?  Have you observed children playing?  Let's start there.

Children don't have obstacles that stifle their imagination when they are playing.  They come up with a story while at play whether it be playing school, having tea, and even sword fighting with sticks.  There is always a story line they develop to go along with play.  Watch and observe them.  See them come up with dialogue as they pretend to be a teacher, a host throwing the tea party, or a swashbuckler hunting for imaginary buried treasure then play fighting over it.  That is your first assignment.  Study children at play and learn.

How do dolls come into play?  When children are playing with dolls, action figures, or even puppets the dialogue flows without a thought like second nature.  So break out those dolls and act out your scene.  You will find that your dialogue is less on the nose, less dull, and more vibrantly flowing.  This is your second assignment.  Play.

Okay, so you don't have to actually play with the dolls or puppets.  There's a more advanced way to accomplish the same goal.  Close your eyes and imagine your characters in the scene you want to write.  Picture them.  Are they face to face?  Standing?  Sitting?  Is one about to lunge and attack the other?  Whatever the situation you have brewing in your work, imagine the scene.  Now what are they talking about?  What was said to start the conversation?  And action!!

If this doesn't work, then dig the dolls out.  Play.  You will find the dialogue rolling off and more natural.  Try it.  It's worth a shot.  The only thing you suffer in the process is embarrassment if you are caught by your kids playing with their dolls if they come home early from school.

Ideas

Finding ideas to write about should be easy, but for some people it gets to the point of writer's block.  The fear of the blank page petrifies.  You need not suffer this fate.

About a month ago, I decided to go back to my writing roots.  What are writing roots?  I consider it to be your specialty.  To some, it might be poetry, screenwriting, songwriting... whatever.  Mine happens to be the short story.

It started as I wrote the opening paragraph to my first novel.  I polished it to make sure it had a hook from the first line and was powerful.  I felt it was so powerful that it could stand on its own as a piece of flash fiction.  Then I thought, I should write a few more short stories to build an audience and continue progress on the book after writing a few.  The ideas came flooding for pieces that felt like they fit the short story format.  Within two weeks I had over 30 ideas for short stories, flash fiction, and a handful of poetry.

• I would hear current events on the news that sparked the question "What if?".  The most powerful question that awakens the imagination.  
• Catch phrases and idioms intrigue me.  So I thought of those and how I can develop a story out of something like "Don't let the bedbugs bite."  What if they carried a disease and their bite in a large dose mutated humans?  You're probably thinking zombies... overplayed.  Even if it is yet another take on zombies, tell it in a unique way.  Make it your own.  Don't pay attention to anyone that says, "That's already been done."  That's why I don't discuss a project while I am working on it.  What if the mutations did something else to humans?  Think of a unique mutation.  Perhaps it changes humans to make them have exoskeletons like insects.  See?  I'm already developing a new story idea as I write this post unfurling in real time.  Let ideas germinate (like those bedbug bites).  
• Tell a story from something you experienced.  We all experience the same event from different perspectives.  
• Perhaps a magazine article sparks an idea.  Don't base your piece on that article.  If you do, you will probably need to pay royalties.  But you can use that article as a jumping point for the "What if?"
• Maybe even a term like 'acid rain' sparks an idea for a story.  What if rain really turned acidic?  How would we survive or even travel outdoors?  Tunnels?  
• Maybe something happened on the way to work.  You boarded the bus.  It pulls out going on to a stop or two, then before it reaches the next stop it pulls over and sits there.  Everyone looks around puzzled and start to mutter to one another speculating on the matter.  Sirens near as the police pull up in front of the bus and board without speaking.  They walk up to a business man, cuff him and escort him off the bus without a word.  The bus is free to continue.  What if?  What if he were a mob boss, terrorist, senior citizen?  Perhaps it was a little old lady with a cat in a carrier they hauled off along with the cat!!

I will take the opportunity to resume writing that novel next month during NaNoWriMo.  I may not finish all 30 plus ideas, but as I continue to write the novel to a complete first draft, I will work on a story here and there.

Know The Market

When you are ready to submit your work, it is crucial to know the market and target select publications suited to the piece you've written.  Obviously you don't want to submit a mystery story to a sci-fi magazine, or an essay to a magazine that only publishes poetry.  Those are no-brainers.  What I want to emphasize is do your research, read the publication you wish to submit to, read the submission guidelines, etc.

Let's say you've written a short story.  Buying a sample copy, let alone subscribing to each little and literary magazine is costly.  You still need to read them to see if your story is a fit for that publication.  A literary magazine that prefers cutting edge stories may not want a period piece.  But you would never know that if you haven't read a copy of their publication, and you cannot assume they won't accept a period piece.

You don't have to read the entire magazine, if you don't want to.  Just read at least two stories to get a feel for what they prefer to publish.  Many publications are also online nowadays and have some free content.  You can also visit the local library to read their publication (also free).  There is no excuse for not doing your homework.

Recently, I discovered through reading some free online content of a literary magazine that I did not want to submit my work to them.  There were sloppy, overlooked typos and I did not like some of the sub par (my opinion) content they decided to publish.  Did I want to showcase my work there?  No.  Rejection works both ways.

First, read what kind of work a magazine is interested in publishing.  You can find these on their websites, in reference books like the various guides to markets that Writer's Digest publishes annually, or on independent websites like www.newpages.com.  Even Wikipedia compiles a list of literary magazines for quick and easy access that link to the publications.

Second, keep a file on publications of interest (at least that's what I do).  I print the submission guidelines and the information from New Pages.  I will place a copy of the story, poem, essay, etc. also in that file.  When I get a response (positive or negative), I will put that into the file as well.  If the response comes electronically (email), then I will print that and put it in the file.  You might want to store everything on your computer.  I prefer the old fashioned way.  I just like something tangible I can hold in my hands.

Third, read sample works from the target magazine to see if your work is suitable to their tastes and vice verse.

If everything seems to match, then submit your work.  Most importantly move on and start on your next story.  Don't waste your time waiting around for a response.

The more you know your targeted market, the less time you waste for both you and the editor.

Write Anything

I'm sure most of you have heard the mantra "Write what you know." from attending a conference, reading it in an industry trade magazine, or a book from a writing guru.

My answer to that is ignore it and think outside the box.  Sure, draw from your experiences, but don't stifle creativity at its expense.  Did Jules Verne dig a hole to China in order to write Journey to the Center of the Earth?  Did H. G. Wells travel in time to write The Time Machine?  Did Thomas Harris become a serial killer just to write about one in Silence of the Lambs or Hannibal?   No!!  Absolutely not!!

They used their imagination and asked the question, "What if?" and you should too.  Don't constrain yourself.  If you want to write about something you are passionate about like karate but you're not even a white belt, then research it.  You should be knowledgeable enough to know that although a beginner wears a white belt in karate, a beginner in jujitsu wears a red belt.

Say, "What if?" often.  It's called fiction for a reason.  Use your imagination.  To borrow from the saying, "Go big, or go home."  Be creative, or stay home.

Simultaneous Submissions

When it comes to submitting short stories or poetry, I do not believe in simultaneous submissions.  One should submit their work and forget about it.  Many little and literary magazines take weeks, even months to respond.  Work on your next story.  Target a different publication for your next submission.  After that, move on to your next story.  Soon the five months that one publication takes to respond, flies by because you are busy writing more stories.  It should never be a waiting game.  If you managed to get it accepted, great!!  If not, send it to another publication.  Create a spreadsheet to keep track of things.  What should you put in it?  Whatever info you find is important to you (circulation, response time, etc.).

Any who aspire to become writers should have an arsenal of ideas ready to be flushed out into short stories, poetry, novels, scripts, etc.  There's a world of events, news, people, experiences, and subject matter one can draw upon to cultivate writing ideas.

Currently, I have over thirty short story ideas that I was able to come up with in the last month mostly inspired by current events.  I carry around a composition notebook with me all the time.  Usually a working title is good enough for me to trigger what it was that I wanted to write about.  You may want to write a short paragraph or put them on 3 x 5 index cards, whatever works for you.  Sometimes the perfect opening sentence or paragraph pop to mind.  I do not ignore it.  I jot it down to be revisited when I am ready to write that story, then I continue to work on the current story at hand.  This works for me because I do not like being constrained.  It may not work for you.

This brings me to one last point I'd like to cover in this post.  I will probably go into it in detail later in a post of its own.  You should know if your idea is best suited to be a short story, poem, flash fiction, a script (movie), or if you think you have enough content for it to sustain the length of a novel.  Sure, as you go along what you thought was a good idea for a book might only be good enough for a novella length of fiction.  It's a gut feeling.  Be flexible.  Have fun and write, then write some more.