The Power of “Why?” by Kitty Bucholtz
April 9, 2011 by A Slice of Orange in category Archives tagged as It's Worth It
Today I met with my friend Betsy for hot chocolate and brainstorming. We’re both in our last semester of our Master of Arts in Creative Writing degrees, so we’re both working on our “final project” book. We’ve read a little of each other’s work over the last 14 months, but it’s not like being in the same critique group for years: we don’t know each other’s stories inside and out.
So it was with some trepidation thatI started trying to explain-slash-figure-out my story in the back room of a nearby cafe. Twice Betsy said, “But why?” Why does the story have to be set in the future? Why do you need to have destroyed the government before the story begins?
I was getting frustrated because I didn’t know how to answer the questions (hence the world building brainstorming). I was too nervous to explain some of the reasons in my head because they sounded silly out loud – like that the second protagonist/mentor is an undercover angel. But my not explaining things was confusing to Betsy.
She finally stopped and said, wait, what did you want to brainstorm about, I’ll stop interrupting. But I saw the opportunity to really dig into the story (only because now I’ve had years of experience in missed opportunities), so I said, no, let’s figure out the answers to your questions. Maybe we’ll think of something fresh and new.
And in less than an hour, my dystopian futuristic fantasy that I knew very little about was suddenly a Kitty story. Not dystopian, not futuristic, but a world I could totally see in my head. I really knew the location now that we’d re-set it in Philadelphia, and I really knew the world now that we’d made it “now.” I understood the ways children could go missing and no one could find them, and I had believable reasons for how a secret underground group could exist in this small world we’ve created with our technology.
The story began to have my voice again. And that, perhaps, was the thing that had made me most nervous when I woke up this morning – it was a really interesting story, but not a Kitty story.
So now I’m sitting here with a glass of Australian wine, some Green& Black’s 85% dark organic chocolate, and episode 1 of several TV shows we own that have characteristics I’m interested in for my story. Oh, and an open notebook with a lot of writing in it. Life is awesome again.
What are you struggling to brainstorm? Can you try discussing your idea with someone who knows nothing about it so you can be forced to answer the question, why?
Tell us what you’re doing and what has worked for you!
Kitty Bucholtz is a writer and speaker, and a member of Romance Writers of America and Romance Writers of Australia. She co-founded Routines for Writers (http://www.routinesforwriters.com/) a web site dedicated to helping writers write more. In 2011, Kitty will receive her Master of Arts in Creative Writing degree from University of Technology, Sydney.
Let’s Get Physical!
April 7, 2011 by Marianne H. Donley in category Archives tagged as Charlotte Carter, Exercise, writing lifeNon-writers have no idea how physically demanding being a full-time writer can be.
What? Do I hear you laughing? Not so fast.
Give some thought to what happens to a body when it spends eight or ten or more hours per day in a sitting position. (Granted, I have writer friends who sit curled up in a big easy chair with a laptop all day, but that can’t be too swift on a body either.)
Wrist and elbow problems, and carpal tunnel, are as frequent as typos for writers.
The spine — all those discs and vertebra — can turn on their owner, resulting in serious orthopaedic problems.
Knees and hips are joints that are meant to move, not remain immobile for hours on end. (I assume you’ve heard of the condition called ‘piano player’s spread.’ Same problem for writers.)
And then there’s the foggy brain syndrome which is a result of hours of being sedentary and no blood reaching the brain.
Writers have to get up and MOVE! Deadline or not. MOVE!
Some folks have home gym equipment like a treadmill. (Please note: Treadmills are only effective if used regularly, not left sitting in a corner.)
Some writers take walks. That’s a great way to let your brain toy with your latest plot idea or characters.
I’m a member of Curves, the 30-minute women’s exercise program. I haven’t lost a lot of weight, and I’m a long way from being buff, but it does give me a chance to talk to ‘real’ people, in contrast to those talkative characters who inhabit my brain.
So, writers, let’s get moving!
2 0 Read moreApril Submissions
April 1, 2011 by A Slice of Orange in category Archives tagged as Entangled Publishing, Louisa Bacio, Submissions
This month brings a diverse set of calls, and information on a few new publishers, including Entangled Publishing. Hopefully, you’ll find some inspiration …
Entangled Publishing, a new exclusive boutique publisher, is seeking novels and novellas in the following subgenres of romantic fiction for publication in August 2011 and beyond: Paranormal and Urban Fantasy, Contemporary, Romantic Thrillers, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Upper “YA†(17 to 22-year-old protagonists) that will appeal to crossover audiences.
Compensation: Ravenous Romance short story advance of $10, a copy of the anthology, plus a pro rata share of any revenue/subsidiary rights.
10 Commandments of Grammar for Fiction Writers” with Grammar Divas – Annie Oortman & Darlene Buchholz
March 26, 2011 by A Slice of Orange in category Archives tagged as Online Class********** permission to forward **********
Hi everyone! Check out the exciting online classes offered by the
Orange County Chapter of RWA!
“10 Commandments of Grammar for Fiction Writersâ€
with Grammar Divas – Annie Oortman & Darlene Buchholz
April 11 – May 7, 2011
Love grammar? Hate grammar? Love to hate grammar?
Contrary to popular belief, grammar is not a sinister conspiracy plot designed by evil English teachers (the Grammar Gods) to ruin every writer in the free world’s fun by screwing with personal style. (Seriously, it’s not.)
However, good writing requires good grammar. Without it, you can’t really be sure your reader will understand the information you’re trying to convey, the story you’re trying to tell, and the mental picture you’re trying to paint. Which kind of defeats the purpose of fiction writing, right?
So what rules are the most important ones for a fiction writer to follow and which ones are kinda-follows? From subject-verb agreement to passive voice, faulty construction to misplaced modifiers, word choice and usage to quotation marks and commas, the Grammar Divas (an English teacher and a professional copywriter) sort through the all the rules and share in a fun yet informative way the ten most important grammar issues every fiction writer should understand and practice.
About the Instructors:
Grammar wasn’t Annie Oortman’s first love (actually, it was a cute boy in her second-grade class named Henry Talley) or even her second (avoiding barn work). However, after getting an A for content but an F for readability on a third-grade book report, she learned having great ideas was one thing, communicating them well on paper another. Annie became a disciple of the church of Proper Grammar. Nowadays, she aspires to become a romantic suspense author, diagrams sentences for fun (yes, for fun), and argues with Darlene on the acceptability of ending a sentence with a preposition. Don’t do it!
Darlene Buchholz fell in love in the first grade with a boy named Neil. He shared his crackers and milk at recess after someone took her snack and never got caught. By the third grade, she discovered Nancy Drew mysteries and developed a great passion for perky heroines who drove convertibles (proof they were in charge of their own lives). She’s written about romance and intrigue ever since. Darlene never thought of grammar as a challenge. It was, instead, a tool to help her express the ideas she felt passionate about, especially on the acceptability of ending a sentence with a preposition. Yes, you can!
Enrollment Information at http://www.occrwa.org/onlineclassApr11.html
COST: $20 for OCC members, $30 for non-members
Coming in May, 2011
“Some Like It Hotâ€
with Louisa Bacio
May 16 – June 11, 2011
Let’s talk about sex. Whether you’re writing a short story, novella or a full-length novel, an erotic thriller, paranormal or historical romance, the basics of the Erotic Romance remain the same: it’s all about plot and keeping it hot.
This workshop will cover the basics of characterization and motivation, and then delve into the heart: The sex scene(s). When writing about the physical aspects of love, it takes more than the cliché of “putting tab A into slot B.†The love scenes need to come organically from the work that’s being created, and the reader needs to believe in the connection.
Adult Content: Note that with the subject matter of this workshop, the language may become explicit. Come with an open mind, and be prepared to learn.
Erotic romance writer Louisa Bacio released her full-length novel PHYSICAL EDUCATION through Ravenous Romance and to quote Happily Ever After Reviews: “Ms. Bacio cleverly crafts a world of wicked pleasure and mystery that pulls the reader into this erotic thriller.†She’s currently working on an erotic paranormal set in New Orleans, and a sequel to Physical Education.
COST: $20 for OCC members, $30 for non-members
http://www.occrwa.org/onlineclasses.html Check out our full list of workshops.
Want to be notified personally two weeks before each class? Be sure you’re signed up for our Online Class Notices Yahoo Group!
Sign up at the bottom of http://www.occrwa.org/onlineclasses.html
or send a blank email to OCCRWAOnlineClassNotices-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
********** permission to forward **********
0 0 Read moreContest Deadlines
March 21, 2011 by Marianne H. Donley in category Archives tagged as Contests, Orange Rose Contest for UnpublishedUpdated and all sites tested…Compiled by Donna Caubarreaux….May be forwarded with credits.
….
- EA = Electronic Format Available
- EA/Non US = Electronic for Foreign Entries
- EO = Electronic Only
- MO = Members Only
- U = Unpublished
- P = Published
- P/3 = Not published in three years
- Pnr = Published, but not by RWA standards
- PC = Not published in category selected
APRIL CONTEST DEADLINES
..
Fool for Love Contest (EO – U – P)
Virginia Romance Writers
Received no later than Midnight April 1, 2011
First fifty pages plus optional synopsis, five page max.
http://www.virginiaromancewriters.com/Contests/ffl.html
..
Magic Moment (U – P/5)
Heart and Scroll RWA
Postmarked by April 1, 2011
First ten pages.
http://www.heartandscroll.com/contest_MagicMoment_rules.htm
..
Romancing the Script
Scriptscene Chapter
Deadline: April 1, 2011
First act not to exceed thirty pages.
http://www.scriptscene.org/
..
Royal Ascot Contest (EO – U – P/5)
The Beau Monde Chapter
Received no later than Midnight April 1, 2011
First 7K words and optional synopsis limit 500 words.
http://thebeaumonde.com/royalascot/
..
Touched by Love Contest (U – P/3 – EO)
Faith, Hope & Love Chapter
Received no later than Midnight April 1, 2011
First thirty pages and unjudged synopsis up to two pages double-spaced.
http://www.faithhopelove-rwa.org/tbl.html
..
Orange Rose Contest (U – EO – P/5)
Orange County Chapter RWA
Received by April 9, 2011
Beginning and synopsis not to exceed 55 pages.
http://www.occrwa.org/orangerosecontest/
…..
- Check out Contests and Contest Winners on: http://contestdivas.blogspot.com/
- Check out the Award Winning Romance Books on: http://awardwinningromances.blogspot.com/
- Contest Alert-All the news on upcoming contests, plus Finalist & Winner listings, questions, etc. Sign up now! ContestAlert-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
- Announcement only list: ContestDeadlines-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
- For Published Authors ContestAlertPublished-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
- If you’re a Contest Judge, join ContestsJudges-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Donna Caubarreaux is a member of Coeur de Louisiane, Scriptscene Chapter, NOLA Stars, Heart of Louisiana, and Kiss of Death. She received a RWA Service Award in 1997
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