Social Networking: Helpful or Distracting?

In the past six months, I’ve done a lot of research into online social networking: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, MySpace. Writers are increasingly called upon to understand this environment. Clients are looking for writers who know how to set up and maintain an online presence on today’s popular networking sites. Additionally, these sites are often places for writers to meet clients and other writers. In pre-Internet days, socializing meant getting out of the house. Now you can chit-chat and network in your pj's.

The good thing about social networking sites (let’s shorten that to SNS) is that those of us who work alone can feel like we belong to a community. I haven't met face-to-face with most of the online writers I know, but I feel comfortable asking them questions and participating in online discussions with them. At Twitter, which I like the most out of the current SNS offerings, you can even join a Twibe—I’m with the writers and the journalers. Twitter’s 140-word limit on entries (a.k.a. micro-blogging) forces you to get to the point, which I really like. Subscribing to other people’s feeds, known as following, is an easy process. I found the learning curve a bit higher at Twitter than at other sites—they use lots of acronyms and symbols, and there’s Twitter etiquette on how to use them all.

I probably under-utilize LinkedIn, which is a great SNS for professionals. I appreciate being able to send e-mails to potential clients/editors with a link to my profile, which includes my resume and references. The site also offers some job postings.

Facebook feels like a cyberspace watering hole to me: chit-chat, silly quizzes and games, lots of fun pictures, flirting. After I set up my Facebook page, I had to admit I was stumped. What on earth was I supposed to do with it? Twitter and LinkedIn had an easy, business-related purpose to grasp, but Facebook mystified me. Was it for friends or business acquaintances? It looked more like an environment for friends and family to me, so that’s how I decided to use it (although there's no escaping some cross-over between friends and business on these sites). My Twitter feed publishes to my Facebook page, and I do my best to spruce up Facebook with pictures. The benefits of staying in touch with people are obvious, but I don't want to spend too many hours on these applications.

Any of these sites can turn into serious time wasters. You can fritter away hours posting witty 140-word blogettes on Twitter, taking quizzes like “What Kind of Storm Are You?” on Facebook, and requesting recommendations from former clients and colleagues on LinkedIn. Online social networking is here to stay, and writers especially should have online presence, but you’ve got to set some limits. Sure, now we can socialize in our pajamas from the comfort of our home offices, but is that always a good use of our time? I remember being in an office when the boss walked through and everyone stopped socializing. Maybe we need a virtual manager to march past our cyber-water cooler and tell everyone to stop talking and get back to work. Now, that would be useful.

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Picture courtesy of A B (aprilbell) at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1063773

Mowing the Lawn & Other Writing Prompts

Take ten minutes to freewrite about....

--Richard was sick and tired of mowing the lawn, so he decided….
--My favorite vacation escape….
--Anna didn’t mean to hurt Nancy, but….
--What’s one article of summer clothing that you can’t do without?
--Jack was sure he was in love with Lisa because….
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Picture courtesy of Steve Woods at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1046666

Bad Cat

Oh sure, I know he looks all sweet and loving in this picture. This morning, however, was another story.

Anyone who works at home must learn how to set boundaries while still remaining flexible. Unexpected things happen to everyone. If you work in an office outside of your home, you must deal with meetings, visitors, bosses, and other routine interruptions. At home, your interruptions come in other forms. Furry, misbehaving forms, in this case.

Baby Cat is this deceptively sweet-looking feline's name. Well, that wasn't his name this morning, but I try to keep things family-friendly around here. Baby was my late mother's cat, and one of the last things I promised her before she passed away was that I would take care of him. That was before he started spraying in my house a couple of months ago.

I was getting ready to go to work today, and since my office is at home, this includes a quick tidying of the house. I was in mid-tidy in my bedroom when Baby ran out of the room. Animals are a lot like children; I could tell he had done something wrong just from the wacky way he ran out of my room. That's when I smelled urine. Mr. Baby had backed up to my bedroom curtains and drenched them with pee. While I am normally an animal lover, at that moment all I wanted to do was catch him and tie his peeing parts into knots. He picked up on my angry vibe, and the chase was on.

My 11-year-old son was soon running after me as I chased Baby through the house. Luckily for Baby, he is fast, fat, and strong. I caught him once but he used his feline heft to break my grip and run away again. I was soon cursing and sweating. All I could think of (outside of cat homicide) was, "I haven't got time for this! I'm supposed to be working!" (Add curse words liberally for a more verbatim version.)

I share my office with this bad cat. When he moved in with us after Mom died, that's where he lived until he got used to our family. In an attempt to avert sure death, after ten or fifteen laps around the house, he dashed into the office and hid in "The Baby Cave," a portion of the closet that was created just for Mr. Spoiled. He hissed at me when I poked my head in and told him, "You're out of here! You are going to live someplace else! I will not have an animal pissing in my house!"

My son was aghast. He immediately laid down in front of the office door and announced he was on a hunger strike until I commuted Baby's sentence. "No, Mom, no! You cannot give Baby away! He was Nana's cat!"

All the while, there was the clock... ticking away my Thursday.

I explained to my sobbing child that he would feel quite differently about Baby if the spraying continued. I explained that I would never take Baby to the pound, but that I was going to be calling the no-kill shelters and putting him on a waiting list. I explained that I could understand the spraying in the garage, and I could understand the spraying in a cat toy that another cat had used, but I could not understand spraying in my bedroom on my drapes. "I hate you," was his response. Baby Cat felt pretty much the same way.

I left a message at the shelter and waited for them to call me back. "Come downstairs so I can fix you something to eat," I called up the stairs.

"No! I'm not moving or eating until you let Baby stay." Great. That's what I get for teaching him about civil disobedience.

The lady from Heaven Can Wait called me back and broke the bad news to me about my bad cat. When I asked her about a waiting list, she said, "Oh, I'm afraid we're beyond that. We're not even taking names." They are overwhelmed with unwanted and abandoned cats. I asked her if the other shelters in town are in the same boat, and she sadly answered, "Pretty much."

I went back upstairs to tell Gandhi and Baby the Spraying Devil Cat that a reprieve had been issued. I put Baby Cat on house arrest in the office until further notice, and then I fed his valiant protector.

When I worked a 9-5 in an office outside the house, I regularly groused about stupid meetings, talkative visitors, and other office time wasters. As annoying as those things were, I never, ever had to deal with a cat pee interruption, nor did any of my employees lie down and refuse to eat until I changed my mind about a decision. All of which is why working in a home office will prepare you to handle just about any kind of interruption or delay. And, what the heck, I got a good story out of it after all.

BAD CAT UPDATE: Baby is still restricted to one room while I research his spraying problem. So far, I haven't found much information that I did not already know--namely, that spraying can be a notoriously difficult habit to break once it's started. The behavior may be a result of health issues, like urinary tract problems, which I read are more common in big fellas (15+ pounds) like Baby. I think it's also possible that his behavior may be jealously over our other cat, who has been sick recently. (Or maybe he and my dog who has colitis are in collusion; the dog has ruined all my carpeting, so maybe Baby offered to chip and and ruin the furniture and drapery.) I removed anything in his room that smelled like the other cat and have been giving Baby extra attention and affection. I'm going to try Feliway next, and we may be visiting the vet to rule out health issues. Fortunately, he has forgiven me for chasing him through the house. As I type, he's stretched out on the floor, purring.

Proofreading: The Blogger’s Bugaboo

The only thing that gives me comfort about typos and other icky errors in my blog posts is the knowledge that I am not alone. In this new age of blogs (and other types of self-publishing), mistakes like typos and misspelling can easily slip through the proofreading gaps to mess up a writer's perfectly brilliant post.

Murphy’s Law comes into play for me, because whenever I’m sending out loads of proposals and queries (all with links to my blogs), that’s when I find big, fat, embarrassing mistakes that ruin my punch lines or points. Yesterday I fixed some whoppers, and if a friend hadn't e-mailed me about my garbled words, my mistakes might have gone uncorrected for a long time. What’s a writer to do? How can a blogger keep her work clean and error free?

Here are a few of my strategies for avoiding (and correcting) those cringe-inducing mistakes:

1. If a post can wait overnight before it goes on your blog, let it sit before you give it a final proofing. This is the technique I use with all my print articles, and so far it's kept my print work very clean (and my editors happy). Unfortunately, the immediacy of blogging means it's not always possible/desirable to wait until tomorrow. If it can’t sit overnight, let it sit for at least 30 minutes, preferably longer. Your brain’s proofreading abilities work much better when you put some time between creating and correcting.

2. Proof from a hard-copy, if possible.

3. Read your work out loud.

4. Ask a writing (or English-savvy) friend to proofread your posts; this is what I do. Unless you ask for proofing help, some folks may be reluctant to tell you about your mistakes. (And we all know a few people who are just delighted to point out errors. Proceed with caution if you choose one of them to be your proofer. That’s a topic for another post.)

5. Re-read your own posts frequently. In fact, re-read large chunks of your blog on a regular basis to make corrections and/or post updates.

6. Know your weak points. In my case, if I become passionate about a topic and compose on the fly, right there on Blogger’s posting page instead of in Word, I tend to hyper-focus on the topic and miss errors. (My post on book banning became a grammar victim due to this hyper-focus.) I also have a tendency to leave words behind when I’m cutting and pasting in the throes of editing, which makes my sentences read like alphabet soup.

7. Accept that you will make mistakes. Put a good proofing system in place, and use it. I tell my writers that their work can be published or perfect, but rarely will it be both.
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Picture courtesy of Piotr Lewandowski at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/428206

Attention Las Vegas Crime and Mystery Writers

I almost overlooked the upcoming conference for crime and mystery writers because of its unassuming name. The Public Safety Writers Conference is hosted by the Public Safety Writers Association, which is a group of writers who share a background in emergency response, either as participants, writers, or both.

The PSWA Conference is scheduled for June 18-21 at the Suncoast. Writers may attend for one day, or for all three. Sunday only is $80 for PSWA members ($92 for non-members) and the full three-day conference is $300 (non-member price). Sessions range from "Writing for Trade Publications" to ""Putting Comedy in Your Mysteries." If you are a Las Vegas writer working in this genre, check out their web page for more information.

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Picture courtesy of Julie Elliott-Abshire at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/190777

Book Banning: Ignorance Hard At Work

Our democracy may come complete with free speech, but America has plenty of people who think that only applies to speech with which they agree. Writers everywhere should be concerned about censorship and book banning; these practices are just as troubling (and dangerous) as the collapse of the newspaper industry. In May, a Michigan high school teacher was directed to remove Toni Morrison's The Song of Solomon from her advanced placement English class. The protestors objected to the novel's profanity, sexual references, and violence. I don't know what's more absurd -- pretending that high school seniors somehow need to be protected from reality when America has some of the highest teen pregnancy rates of any industrialized nation, along with shocking levels of violence and incarcertaion -- or that in the name of "morality" it's a good idea to ban the very type of intelligent discourse that might prevent social ills.

Read this blog post from January Magazine for more details:

http://januarymagazine.com/2009/05/toni-morrison-novel-banned-in-michigan.html

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Picture courtesy of Johanna Ljungblom at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/778658

Robert's Mother & Other Writing Prompts

Today was the last day before summer break for the Just Write Writing Group here in Las Vegas. In view of that, I wrote some extra prompts. If you’ve been here before, you know how this works, but if you haven’t tried a writing prompt, then prepare to pick your writing implement and take an idea for a test drive. Find a prompt that intrigues you and freewrite for ten minutes. No stopping, stalling, or second-guessing. Who knows where the prompt will lead you? Just write!

* * *

Robert’s mother’s voice blasted through the phone. “You’re a grown man! How many times do I have to tell you….”

--Would you consider having cosmetic surgery? Why or why not?
--Alice was baking cookies when she found out that Jason had decided to cut his own hair. Half of the child’s blonde curls were on the floor when she discovered him. “Good grief,” Alice said. “What are we going to tell your mother? I guess we’ll just have to….”
--How do you stay cool during a Las Vegas summer?
--You’re stranded on that proverbial desert island, and you can bring only three books with you. What do you bring?
--“I should have known better than to trust you,” Chad snarled at Lisa. “Now because of your big mouth, I’ve got trouble with….”
--Combine railroad tracks, a broken window, and a can of white paint in a story or poem.
--He was ready to file for bankruptcy on the day he got the call from….

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Photo courtesy of Mateusz Atroszko at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/573633

Clark County Library Events

Some nice person at the Clark County Library District is kind enough to send me e-mails about writing-related events. The events for June and July are listed below (with thanks to the CCLD). They have some great (and free!) events scheduled, so get out your calendar to mark a few:

Friday, June 05 at 7 p.m. ◊ An Evening with Laurell K. Hamilton: Anita Blake, Las Vegas and Skin Trade, Laurell K. Hamilton, New York Times number one best selling author, returns to the Clark County Library to discuss the 17th novel in her popular Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series, Skin Trade.

Saturday, June 20 at 7 p.m. ◊ An Evening with Augusten Burroughs: Augusten Burroughs discusses his renowned memoir, Running With Scissors, his unusual life experiences, and the fame achieved as one of the most celebrated modern writers in the US.

Wednesday, June 24 at 6:30 p.m. ◊ Meet the Authors: When the Handshake Is Mightier Than the Pen, a Writers Group Open House: In June, this "Meet the Authors" series hosts an open house and "open mic" where authors can mingle with writers from a variety of local writers groups.

Monday, July 06 at 7 p.m. ◊ Urban Fantasy Superwomen: Chicks Who Kick A#$ : Vicki Pettersson (The Sign of the Zodiac) and Caitlin Kittredge (The Icarus Project), who have made a name for themselves in the explosive Urban Fantasy genre, come together to speak about their superhero series, the appeal of the paranormal in contemporary fiction and why readers can't seem to get enough of kick-ass female protagonists.

Sunday, July 19 at 2 p.m. ◊ Norm & Tony Curtis: Inside the Actor’s Studio – Vegas Style: Norm talks with legendary actor, Tony Curtis, about his life, the movies and his latest autobiography.
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Photograph: My picture of the exterior of the Clark County Library at 1401 E. Flamingo.

Vacation & Other Writing Prompts

Are you ready for summer vacation? Go there in your mind for prompt number one. Or skip on down to find something else that takes your imagination elsewhere for a moment. Write for ten minutes without stopping, stalling, or second-guessing yourself. Don’t form expectations about what you’ll wind up with—just write!

--Beth was excited about summer vacation because….
--What’s your favorite breakfast food?
--John’s computer crashed just as he was finishing….
--Do you remember the first wedding you attended?
--“Why on earth would I want to visit you?” snapped Betty. “After what you did, I never want to see you again. As a matter of fact, I hope….”
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Picture courtesy of Johanna Ljungblom at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/588866

Step Away From The Computer

Sunday is supposed to be my husband’s day in the office. Time in the office has to be booked ahead because that’s where I work every day, and I get cranky about anyone bothering me while I’m working. When you work at home, you have to set very clear boundaries about your work hours/routines and what justifies an interruption. At my home, during my posted office hours, I am not to be interrupted except for valid reasons: compound fractures, excessive bleeding, dignitaries arriving unexpectedly, etc. Interruptions for other reasons aren’t tolerated so well. This is why we decided Sunday would be David’s day to take care of his paperwork. First, he protested about not getting office time during the week. Then he and my son told me they thought I should be barred from the office and the computer on Sunday. Completely.

At first, I thought this was vey sweet. They loved me so much that they didn’t want me to be in my office, away from them. Then I realized we don’t spend that much time together when I’m away from the office. In fact, they’re usually doing something and I’m… cleaning or cooking. My husband loves to build things and tinker in the garage and yard, and my son might be doing anything from playing video games to building Lego creations to helping Dad turn a pen on the lathe. I wasn’t telling them that they shouldn’t spend time doing what they wanted, but they objected to me being in my office, doing what I love to do. My initial feelings of flattery turned dark. What the heck was wrong with them?

I walked down the hall and asked my son, who was playing a video game, “So, if I’m not supposed to go in the office on Sunday, on what day are you not going to play video games?”

I immediately had his attention. He said, “What are you talking about?”

“This thing about me not going into the office on Sunday, that’s what I’m talking about. If I have to give up a day of writing, then you should give up a day of video games. And Dad should give up a day in the garage.”

“But that’s different! I like playing video games,” he said.

“Well, I like to write. When I’m in my office during the week, I might be doing anything. I’m not always writing.”

“I thought it was always work, so I thought you should take a break. Shouldn’t you have a day off?” he said. “I always thought it was stuff you had to do, not anything you wanted to do.”

I spend a lot of time doing all sorts of things in my office that involve writing, but that are not the kind of writing I yearn to do. I spend hours looking for work, researching topics, submitting proposals, editing, and other writing-related tasks—none of which are the wide-open, blank Word screen that I long for. If my son thought I was doing something I didn’t want to do in my office, what did that say? I realized that I’d let the business side of things overshadow the value of my writing. I like being a writer, but I don’t want my writing to always be work.

That afternoon, I found a way to hook up my laptop and write in the backyard. I made sure to enjoy the bird song and my blank screen, and I wrote about whatever I wanted. No one had objections to letting me work—oops, I mean, write, that day.
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Photo courtesy of Kriss Szkurlatowski at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1159420

Cora and Irene & Other Writing Prompts

You’ve heard of love at first sight—how about dislike at first sight? Maybe you can get to the root of Cora’s reaction to Irene. If not, move on to another prompt. Freewrite for ten minutes without stopping, stalling, or second guessing your work. Don’t think about where you’re going… just write!

--Cora was a friendly person, and it bothered her that she disliked Irene from the moment she met her. Cora thought Irene was pretty, but….
--Are you afraid of bugs like spiders, beetles, and wasps? Or do you have a peaceful relationship with the insect world?
--“I’m 30 years old!” Alice told her father. “Why do you care if I….”
--The wedding was going beautifully, right up until….
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Picture courtesy of Moi Cody at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1177833

Disappointment & Other Writing Prompts

Freewrite for ten minutes on the prompt of your choosing:

--Denise was disappointed, but not surprised, when she got the news that….
--What do you think of the advice, “Follow your bliss”?
--Clarence heard scratching outside the door, and when he checked it out, he found….
--The one place I never want to visit again is….
--Janet knew she shouldn’t drink coffee because it kept her awake all night, but today she was guzzling java because….
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Picture courtesy of Glenda Otero at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1080946

You Are Not Allowed To Write About This

For the sake of fairness, I think anyone who moves in with a writer should be given a disclaimer. “Dear Potential Character for Many Things I Will Write,” is how it should begin, if we’re being honest. Since we’re writers, however, it would probably start, “Dear Beloved, Whom I Shall Memorialize in Many Ways.”

At my home, this can become a tricky issue because I primarily write non-fiction. If you’re writing fiction, you can honestly say, “Oh honey, I know this character is a lot like you, but it’s not you. See, he cheats on his wife and has a horrendous mole, and you’re faithful and mole-free.” In my case, I can’t use this defense. My husband has seen his name in my writing for twenty years now, and for the most part he takes it in stride. However, in the past few years, he’s started to become more conscious of the possibility that all sorts of things he says and does wind up in my work, and if it’s embarrassing or funny, the odds are really good.

My son noticed this early on in life. He started saying, “Don’t write about this! You do not have my permission to write about this!” at a rather tender age. Then both of them started asking, “You’re not going to write about this, are you?” from time to time.

“You never know,” I tell them.

About a week ago David and I were talking about a subject which I cannot reveal. He was telling me something that I can only tell you was hilarious, because the moment I said, “Oh, this would be really funny to write about,” he turned serious.

“You are not allowed to write about this!” he said. “I’ve got to draw the line somewhere! And writing about __________ is it!”

Obviously, I’ll be forced to write fiction at some point so I can continue shamelessly exploiting my poor husband and still honor his request.

Do you see why writers should give non-writers a disclaimer? “Dear Beloved, I know that over the years you will grow tired of seeing yourself in print, extra so if I am published. Please know that when you allow me to creatively use you in my work, it only increases my chances of publication, which is a good thing for everyone. You may not understand why it would be good for you if I am published, but you must simply trust me. Besides, why should I be forced to make things up when I have you? When you allow me to share your exploits with the world, it enriches my writing. Let me just apologize now for any future problems this may cause. With all my love, your writing partner.”
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Picture courtesy of Armin Hanisch at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/806152

Hand Grenades and Horseshoes

When my husband and I decided to learn how to backpack, we started with a big pile of books. The Internet was in its infancy back then, and so we bought a stack of wilderness titles covering everything from how to start a fire to how to use the bathroom when there isn’t one. After months of reading and preparation, David and I crammed our backpacks full of supplies and set off on a trip that would later come to be known as The Trail of Tears. On the way back down the mountain, I cried for a solid five miles because of the blisters on my feet. We didn’t make it to the peak of Mt. Charleston, which was our goal on that trip, but we did learn that the guidebook’s trail rating of “strenuous” didn’t in any way reflect the conditions on the mountain. Honestly, for a couple of weeks afterwards, I couldn’t think of a description of the trail that didn’t include profanity.

Aside from getting a hard lesson in backpacking, I learned another thing from the Trail of Tears: books will only get you so far. A book could not warn me that my hiking partner would decide to virtually run past a church group he thought was moving too slow, thus exhausting both of us before we had even hiked a mile. The books did warn me about overloading my backpack, but until you’ve had shoulder straps cutting into your sunburned shoulders for hours on end, you don’t really grasp how important it is to eliminate every ounce of extra weight. And my books could not capture how very important water becomes—especially when you have to melt snow to get it.

Becoming a writer was a similar experience. Writing hasn’t given me blisters or caused me to scream at my husband (very often, anyway), but it certainly has reduced me to tears on several occasions. I’ve spent an entire lifetime accumulating books about writing, and I’ll tell you the number one thing I’ve learned from those books: you learn to write by writing, not by reading books about writing.

You can read books all day long about the process of revision. You can collect tips and tricks galore, but if you don’t apply that knowledge to your work, it’s useless information. You don’t edit by contemplating editing. You edit by cutting out words that don’t look or sound right—and then sometimes you put them right back in. You edit by taking all that knowledge you’ve accumulated and trying it out on your work, kind of like it was a guinea pig. Sometimes the results will be great, and sometimes you’ll be convinced you’ve edited away the best part of your work. You’ve simply got to take the leap and start tinkering.

You can find hundreds of titles about the process of finding an agent and getting published, but no book can capture that heart-pounding moment when you click the “send” button and watch your work go off to someone you don’t know. No book can prepare you for the sting of criticism and rejection that inevitably accompanies writing.

Writing’s therapeutic value is extolled in many books, not just those directed to writers. But no book can fully tell you how relieved you can feel after emptying your thoughts into a journal or letter. No instructions or directions can describe how it feels to search deeply within our souls and hearts for the words than will help us.

The books can come close. Doing your homework on any subject is a good idea, but it’s no substitute for the actual activity you are researching. Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades, you know. For writers (and backpackers), "close" may leave a lot of space between the imaginary and reality.

And speaking of backpacking, I must tell you that David and I made a second attempt on the peak of Mt. Charleston two years after the Trail of Tears. My failed first attempt taught me far more about the wilderness than any book. On our second try, we had the practical knowledge to take us to the peak, which is just under 12,000 feet. Standing on that peak, listening to the wind whipping past us, absorbing the panoramic view around us, I felt as though I’d scaled Everest. It's a feeling that words alone can never convey.

Post Script: You can listen to my radio essay about our hike to Mt. Charleston at:
http://tiny.cc/8yfRE
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Picture courtesy of Brad Mering at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/223647

The Locked Penthouse & Other Writing Prompts

Last week we were in a scrap yard, but today we’ve moved up. Why is Alexandra locked out of the penthouse? Who does she call? Take ten minutes to freewrite—if not on Alex, then on another prompt—without stopping, stalling, or second-guessing yourself. At the end of ten minutes, who knows what you might have? Just write!

--The door to the penthouse was locked, so Alexandra called….
--If you could declare a new holiday, what would it be and what would it celebrate?
--George liked things put away precisely. When he saw the mayonnaise jar was turned with its label facing backwards, he knew….
--When was the last time you were at a home improvement store, like Home Depot? Why were you there?
--Margaret was determined to help Wilbur, even though he’d told her that he didn’t want her help. She decided….
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Picture courtesy of Samantha Villagran at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/286458

The Scrap Collector & Other Writing Prompts

--Ernie was collecting scrap metal in a vacant lot when he found ….

--Today is Earth Day. What do you know about this new celebration?
--The roads in the ultra-exclusive Casa Grande development were like a maze. Alice was soon lost, and when she pulled over to check her map….
--Do you enjoy baking or cooking?
--Laura was turning over a new leaf. She vowed that from now on, she would….

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Photo courtesy of Galeria fotografii , Projekty Logo , Grafika at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1126964

The Proofreader’s Story: A Writer’s Fairy Tale

Once upon a time, the Proofreader held an exalted place in the Kingdom of the Writer. She spoke to the Writer every day; her opinion was valued. Then one day, Spell Check and Grammar Check arrived. They didn’t think the Writer needed the Proofreader anymore, so the two of them pushed the Proofreader off the top of the Tower of Thesaurus. “You old-fashioned biddy,” they jeered. “We don’t need your books or your red pens. We’re new technology, and now the Writer doesn’t need you anymore.”

The Proofreader was undaunted. She shouted, “You two wouldn’t know a homonym if it smacked you in the face!” She marched to the castle’s front door and pounded on it. She was so angry that all of her commas fell out of her pockets. The Writer herself answered the door.

“Do you know that Spell Check and Grammar Check just threw me off the roof?” The Proofreader was indignant. “And Grammar Check can’t even conjugate correctly!”

The Writer cleared her throat. “I think that’s a rather personal matter, don’t you?”

“You can’t be serious about exiling me from the castle! You can’t trust your important work to those two jokers!” The Proofreader stomped her foot so hard that all of her paragraph marks spilled onto the ground and got tangled up with the commas.

“Poor, poor proofreader. Go look up Luddite. You can stay in the pantry if you feel you must stick around,” the Writer said. “The Checker Twins are just so much easier, even if I don’t always understand the corrections they make.” And the Writer shut the door, leaving the Proofreader to wander the grounds aimlessly.

But the Checker Twins were rash and impetuous. They changed the Writer’s word processing settings so they were allowed to make automatic corrections. The Writer wrote: The sun rose in a burst of flames, drowning the darkness. The Checker Twins changed it to: The rosy flames burned the night. “Why did you change this?” the Writer demanded. “We’re not sure,” the Checker Twins told her. “We can't really tell you. According to our rule book, it's supposed to read like that, but the truth is that we just liked it better that way.” Soon the Writer was spending all of her time arguing with the Checker Twins.

At the end of the week, the Writer went looking for the Proofreader. The Proofreader was sitting under a tree, taking notes on the colors of the flowers. She asked the Writer, “What do you think? Would you call this red or maroon? Maybe blood red? Perhaps vermillion?”

“I don’t know,” the Writer said. “But I do know it takes an actual human being to contemplate the difference. Will you come back and help me get rid of the Checker Twins?”

“So my extra eyes are better than those automated twits?” the Proofreader asked.

The Writer nodded her head affirmatively. “Nuance isn’t their strong point.”

“New Aunts? New Ants? New Age?” called the voice of the Checker Twins. They were searching for the Writer.

“Follow me,” said the Writer to the Proofreader. “Let’s disable them before they replace anything else.”

Writers: Do you have a flesh-and-blood proofreader, or do you rely on Word’s automated features?
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Photo courtesy of Mario Sanchez at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1101745

Strunk & White #1: Place Yourself in the Background

The Elements of Style is a venerable book. Its simple design reflects the principles that the authors espouse within its covers. Coming in at 105 pages, index included, this slim volume travels well. In Section V, the authors tackle “An Approach to Style.” Their first recommendation? “Place yourself in the background.”

When my writing group bandied this point around the table, more than a few faces were perplexed. How does a writer place herself in the background, especially if she’s writing in the first person? When I tried to think of examples of stories in which the writer overwhelmed the material with her own personality or quirks, I came up blank initially.

After I pondered this whole writer-in-the-background question, I did come up with a few answers. For instance, if you’ve studied advertising, you know that a brilliant ad may backfire on your product because consumers may remember a slick or clever ad but not the product being advertised—unless the product is front and center. Think of those commercials that leave you with the memory of the hip song they feature…. and nothing else. In contrast, think of the Geico ads. We love that lizard, but we never forget he’s selling Geico insurance. Likewise, any device we use in our writing should enhance the story or poem, the details supporting the work, not diminishing it.

The question remained, though, on how to place yourself in the background of a first-person memoir. Since this is my favorite genre, and the one in which I most often write, I thought first about memoirs that work. Frank McCourt’s Angela's Ashes, perhaps one of our best-known modern memoirs, is not just about McCourt. It’s about poverty and despair and hope and escape, about the struggles of not just McCourt, but his family and his country. Like any good story, a good memoir is multi-layered. The narrator may be the “I” of the story, but he isn’t only telling his story. He is a part of the story.

In contrast, I read a memoir a couple of years ago by a Miami psychic. Everything good about the book was on its jacket. The premise was exciting: an alleged psychic’s years as a consultant to drug dealers and other Miami characters. And that’s the whole book. Ms. Psychic never had anything insightful to say about her abilities. She didn’t paint a picture of Miami, or drug dealers, or really much of anything other than the narrative of her daily life—I went to my shop, I gave readings all day, I had dangerous customers. It put me in mind of the quote: “There are no boring lives, only boring writers.”

How do you place your story front and center?
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Picture courtesy of stockers9 at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1000052

A Nervous Man at the Door & Other Writing Prompts

Here are today’s writing prompts. Pick a prompt and take ten minutes to write without stopping, stalling, or second-guessing yourself. At the end of ten minutes, who knows what you might have? Just write, and let the writing be its own reward.

--Allan’s hands started sweating and shaking before he opened the door. He took a deep breath, bracing himself for….
--It was tax season again, Amy realized. She always thought about Chad in April because….
--Would you describe yourself as good-natured? Why or why not?
--The front door stood open, revealing….
--If you were confined to house arrest at your home, what would be the advantages and disadvantages?
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Picture courtesy of Kym McLeod at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1113681

The Furious Phone Call & Other Writing Prompts

What makes the character in our first prompt loose her cool? I’ll let you decide. Take this prompt for a ten-minute test drive without stopping, stalling, or second-guessing the direction your writing takes. If an angry phone call leaves you cold, take a different prompt for a spin. At the end of ten minutes, you may have a promising start on something. Or not. Just write, and enjoy the ride while it lasts.

--She became furious when she heard the message, and before she calmed down, she called back and said….

--After Albert died, Lois decided to move to….
--Have you ever taken a self-defense class?
--Maybe this positive thinking stuff works after all, Ronald thought. He had just opened his mail….
--Do any of your friends or family have an unusual occupation?
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Photo courtesy of Rodolfo Clix at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/652335.

Attention Las Vegas Writers

Clark County-based writers should check into this weekend's workshops at the Clark County Library at 1401 E. Flamingo Road. As a part of the Reading Las Vegas program, the Library District is hosting three free seminars:

11:00 - 12:00 p.m.

Publishing Basics--How It All Works

Speaker: Carolyn Hayes Uber

12:45 - 1:45 p.m.

Polish Up That Manuscript

Speaker: Maralys Wills

2:00 - 3:00 p.m.

The Mechanics of Editing

Speaker: Jami Carpenter

If you're busy this weekend, you may want to check out the Las Vegas Writers Conference, April 16-18, at Sam's Town. Registration for the full conference: $400; Single Day Registration: $250; Student Saturday: $125.

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Photo courtesy of Sigurd Decroos at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/997219

The White Board

People who work at home must learn to set boundaries, or the “at home” overwhelms the “work.” For years I complained about not having enough time at my desk. I became downright cranky (or worse, if you ask my son and husband) when interrupted, which seemed to be every ten minutes. I tried every way I could think of to set office hours and get my men to cooperate, always with mixed results. When we uncovered a white board in our spare room a few weeks ago, a little light bulb went off over my head. A nite-light sized bulb. “Just put that outside my office door,” I told my hubby.

The white board sat outside my door for a few days. I found its box of accoutrements: markers, eraser, spray cleaner. The light bulb over my head grew larger, perhaps to 25-watt size. I used a brand-new black marker I found to write on the board: “Whether you think you can or you can’t, you’re right.” –Henry Ford.

Another couple of days passed, and the light bulb had its final growth spurt. The two most common reasons my son and hubby interrupted me were to ask 1) “What are we having for dinner?” or 2) “When are you coming out of your office?” In the top right corner of my white board, I used a purple marker to write the date, then my office hours, and what we were having for dinner. Presto!

Every day, I change the board. The men in my house love my white board. They honor it faithfully, which means I have to honor it faithfully, too. It’s easier to commit to something verbally than on paper, and I found that sticking to my posted schedule accentuated how easy it had been to fudge on my daily commitment of six hours of BIC (butt in chair). Now, I have my white board to answer to.

What about you? How do you enforce your writing time?
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Photo courtesy of Mailsparky at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/648741

April Fools & Other Writing Prompts

--After Bob’s April Fools’ Day joke went horribly wrong, his fiancée decided….

--Maude had always wanted to go to Europe, so when Stan offered to take her with him….
--Are you planting a garden this year?
--Socks and Holstein, Greta’s two obese cats, escaped one morning after breakfast….
--The Folies Bergere just ended a 49-year run at the Tropicana here in Las Vegas. Did you ever see the show?
--Describe a memorable wedding you attended.
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Photo courtesy of Rodolfo Clix at http://www.sxc.hu/profile/clix

Photo Prompts

See a story behind a picture? Take ten minutes to freewrite.

Click any picture to enlarge.

Always a Student

Last week I gave a terrible reading at my writing group. As I drove home that afternoon, all I could think was, “Am I crazy? How can I get up in front of big groups of people and read my work if I bomb in front of people I know?” I took a deep breath and reassured myself that one lousy reading didn’t mean I was a bad writer, or even a bad speaker. I knew one thing it did indicate: I needed to understand why my reading had gone all cattywampus, especially if I wanted to avoid a repeat.

I’d read an excerpt of my book-in-progress, The Department, because I knew I needed practice reading the material to a group. If you’ve written a book, chances are good that you’ll be asked to speak about it or read from it at some point. Authors who are actively promoting a book are usually seeking such opportunities. I knew all that, but I never gave it much thought. Heck, I’m one of those weird people who finds public speaking enjoyable. Or at least I thought I did.

I overlooked two key factors prior to my failed reading. First, the excerpt I picked was making its debut. Nervousness over its newness made me forget to breathe while I was reading. (Have you tried to read aloud without breathing? I looked like I was about to burst into tears from lack of oxygen, which made me more nervous, which meant I forgot to breathe again… you get the idea. The members of my writing group looked like they wanted to give me a group hug.) Second, I had not practiced my material before reading it to the group. On this point, I should have known better. This is one of the most basic steps if you are presenting anything—no matter how prepared you think you are. Had I read the selection out loud at home to myself, I probably would have chosen something else. But I thought I knew the material so well that I didn’t need extra preparation. I was wrong. I was over-confident, and I was grateful that I learned my lesson in front of my writing group instead of in front of a large audience.

What’s the motto here? You read it in the headline. At one time, I thought uncomfortable moments and mistakes meant I was an idiot. Now I know it just means I’m just human, and I’ve accepted that I will always be a student.

“You are always a student, never a master. You have to keep moving forward.”
--Conrad Hall, cinematographer
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Photo courtesy of Piotr Lewandowski at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/862490

The Abandonded Passenger & Other Writing Prompts

What might induce you to throw someone out of your car? What if you were in the middle of the desert? If that idea intrigues you, take ten minutes with the first prompt. Otherwise, pick another prompt. Write for ten minutes without stopping, stalling, or second-guessing your direction. At the end of ten minutes, you might want to keep working on your piece--or you might be done with that story. Let the writing be its own reward!

--I threw her out of the car about 50 miles outside of Barstow, telling her, “Maybe next time you’ll think twice before you….”
--Denise had never been downtown after dark. She was surprised to see….
--Have you traveled via train?
--Albert thought gardening was a lot like life. If you didn’t pull the weeds, then….
--Have you visited a labyrinth?
--What city would you most like to visit?

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Photo information: My picture, taken in Zzyzx, California, in the Mojave National Preserve.

The End of the Rope & Other Writing Prompts

This week’s prompts range from a man at the end of that proverbial rope to spring, which has arrived here in Las Vegas. Pick a prompt that calls to you and take it for a ten-minute test drive. No stopping, stalling, or second-guessing your direction. At the end of ten minutes, you can decide if you’re buying or passing. Happy writing!

--Jason’s face was grim. “When you come to the end of your rope, you’re willing to do anything. Take me, for instance. I’m willing….”
--Did you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this week?
--Allie’s necklace of rubies and diamonds caught the light of the….
--Do you like sushi?
--The abandoned mine looked like a cave. It was the perfect place to….
--Now that spring has arrived, have you been outside to enjoy the warmth and the blossoms?
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Photo courtesy of Abel Leemans at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/994753

The Road Trip & Other Writing Prompts

Find a prompt that piques your interest, and write about whatever it brings to mind. Let the muse have her way with you. Write for ten minutes without stopping, stalling, or second-guessing the direction of your work. At the end of ten minutes, you might have the start of something bigger. Or you might not. Either way, it’s both fun and good for your brain, so find a prompt and just write.

--Harold loved road trips because….
--Have you ever flown in a helicopter?
--The birds sang so loudly that they woke me before sunrise. I threw open my window….
--Do you have a vegetable garden?

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Photo courtesy of Jano Lavalle at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1053476

Writing Group Cancelled Until March 18, 2009

The Just Write group for writers will not be meeting tomorrow, March 4, 2009, or next week, March 11, 2009. Our regular meetings will resume on March 18, 2009. I apologize for the cancellation and look forward to seeing everyone on the 18th!

Just Released: My First Collection of Prompts

A few years ago, I decided to include an impromptu, warm-up writing exercise at the beginning of my writing group. That’s how I got started creating prompts. I wanted people to write—to write about anything the prompt brought to mind, without worrying about grammar or spelling, without second-guessing the direction of their story or poem. The writing prompts became so popular that I added more to the end of our agenda, and then I realized prompts would be perfect for this blog. To date, I’ve received more e-mails and comments on the prompts than on any other category of post. Thus, The Doorbell at Dawn: 125 Writing Prompts to Spark Your Creativity & Summon Your Muse was born.

My little booklet is full of prompts just like the ones on Just Write. All my prompts are designed to make you write—not to test your ability to follow directions. If you read a prompt and the idea it conjures is on another subject entirely, follow your first impulse and write where the idea leads. Don’t form expectations about what will happen to the piece of writing that emerges. It might lead to something bigger, or it might not. As I say in Doorbell, “If not, you’ve just had ten minutes of good writing exercise. Think of it as sit-ups for your brain.”

In addition to 125 writing prompts, Doorbell includes a section aimed at people who are writing personal/family history or memoir. It covers the most frequently asked questions I’ve encountered in the years I’ve been working in this genre, both as a writer and a coach/editor, questions like: Where do I start? Should I change the names? How can I make sure my work is copyright protected? This section also includes twenty-five specific questions that can be used either to help a writer begin a personal history/memoir, or as a questionnaire by someone conducting an interview.

Printed copies are available for under $10 (before shipping and handling) and downloaded copies are $3.00. Just click on the Lulu link under my profile!
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Photo courtesy of William Vermeulen at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/871973.

Links of Interest

Putting together a good link list turned out to be more challenging than I had anticipated! Don’t get me wrong—I thoroughly enjoyed the hours I spent cruising through websites and blogs, looking for links my blog readers would enjoy and use.

In my case, the creation of a link list first required upgrading my Blogger template, which was scary all by itself. The last time I had a web page and the software was “upgraded,” my page got erased. Snap, just like that, all my work went bye-bye. So I had to drink a glass of wine and cross my fingers before I got up enough courage to press “upgrade template,” but thankfully everything went just fine and the gods of cyberspace didn’t eat my blog this time.

So, please, scroll down and check out my Links of Interest! I’ve selected a variety of blogs and sites, so please take a few minutes to browse the list. I won’t talk about every link I’ve posted, but let me tell you about just a few.

For people writing personal history or memoir, check out Sharon Lippincott's The Heart and Craft of Life Writing. I haven't found another site that covers personal writing as well as she does. If you’re a poet, I’ve listed several poetry sites; all too often, poets gets overlooked, but almost half of my writing group members are poets. Writers who need music or photographs should check out the stock music and photography sites, Stock.xchng and Purple Planet (they’re who I use). For those who enjoy my prompts, click over to one of the other prompt sites and try a different style of prompt. If you’re thinking of writing as a career, go to the Inkthinker blog and get some insight from Kristin King, a working writer and true professional. Of course, I'd like it if you checked out all the links, so please, don't stop there!
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Photo courtesy of Abyla at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1140094

The Rocky Shore & Other Writing Prompts

Why is Jerry (in prompt number one) scrambling over the rocks? Who might he be pursuing--or escaping? You might discover the answer to one of those questions if you tackle the first prompt. If you're uninterested in Jerry, find another prompt that intrigues you, and use it to freewrite for ten minutes.

--The rocky shore was unwelcoming, the black boulders slippery from the pounding waves. Jerry almost fell as he clambered over the rocks, and he wondered….
--Have you ever visited a ghost town?
--Are you a “news junkie”—an avid consumer of news (print, radio, television, or all of the above)?
--When Sam found out Jenny had applied for a passport without telling him, he decided….
--Do you carry a Swiss army knife?
--The smell of pines trees in the cold mountain air reminded Tim….

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Photo courtesy of Lars Sundström at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/840658

Underwater & Other Writing Prompts

Time for some freewriting! Pick a prompt and write for ten minutes without stopping, stalling, or second-guessing yourself.

--Have you ever been snorkeling or scuba diving?
--A lot of people fall off cruise ships, Darlene thought, so it was possible….
--Becky wasn’t interested in camping, but Jake loved the outdoors, so that’s why she decided….
--Do you enjoy long telephone conversations?
--“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Albert said. He sat up straighter and glared at Alice. “I most certainly did not take the last….”
--If you could watch only one television channel, what would it be?

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Photo courtesy of Rick Hawkins at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/833927

A Dream Job

Have you heard about the tropical island caretaker/blogger job in Australia? The Queensland Tourism people are looking for someone for a six-month gig, and I say there’s no reason it can’t be me! I’m not sure when my video application will appear online, but I’m posting it here and on my Vegas Girl blog so people can see it.

For more information about this incredible job opportunity, visit the website:
http://www.islandreefjob.com/#/home

UPDATE: My application has been accepted! You can vote for my video at: http://www.islandreefjob.com/#/applicants/watch/D8rOg45_hig

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Music in my video is by www.purple-planet.com

Shy Jane & Other Writing Prompts

In prompt number one, it's up to you to decide what makes Jane overcome her shyness. If Jane doesn't stir your imagination, move on until you find a prompt that does. Take ten minutes to write without stopping, stalling, or second-guessing yourself.

--Jane was shy, but she felt she had to speak up when…
--Do you believe in gut feelings, hunches, intuition, an “inner voice”?
--The cars skidded across the black ice, slamming into….
--Are you a patient person?
--“I’m never giving up,” Sally said. “I refuse to stop until….”
--Are you afraid of public speaking? (It often rates ahead of death as a fear.)
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Photo courtesy of Loleia @ http://www.sxc.hu/photo/763936

Photo Prompts

See anything that intrigues you? Take ten minutes to write the story behind the picture.








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Photo information: All pictures by me.

Falling & Other Writing Prompts

Today's writing prompts:

--When I saw her fall down and slide across the floor….
--Sometime after midnight, Ellen heard the front door squeak open…
--“Come outside! You can hear the coyotes howling in the distance,” Jake called to Ann. “We’re so far out in the country….”
--Right after sunset, Alex saw the man walk up to his neighbor’s door….
--Has your neighborhood been vandalized by graffiti?
--Use this quote as inspiration, or verbatim in a story/poem: “If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough.” –Albert Einstein

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Photo courtesy of Laurens Meurs at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1006453

The Buzz About Self-Publishing

When I was scouring the Web for blogs and websites for my under-construction Link List, I saw that many writers were talking about this article in the Sunday New York Times Book Section: "Self-Publishers Flourish as Writers Pay the Tab."


For self-published writers hoping to be discovered by a major publishing house, this article is bubble-bursting. Many writers, however, are aiming for a smaller market, or a very specific readership, which I thought was an aspect the article didn't address in much detail. My upcoming Lulu.com book, for instance, is a compilation of writing prompts. I briefly considered putting together a proposal and going for conventional publication, but then I did a quick Amazon check on books of writing prompts. I didn't count up the number of hits I got, but it didn't take me long to see that the odds of getting a book of prompts published is slim. However, for my non-fiction book about my years working for the police department, I don't think I'd go with self-publishing, even if I'm unable to place it conventionally--but not because of the "stigma" of self-publishing. It's just not the type of book that does well, typically, as a self-published title.

What do you think? Is self-publishing becoming more accepted, or do you think it still carries a negative image?
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Photo courtesy of Zsuzsanna Kilián at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1067227

Time to Write & Other Writing Prompts

Can you ever have enough time to write? You can explore that question with prompt #1. If time does not concern you, keep reading until you find a prompt that piques your writerly attention, then freewrite for ten minutes.

--Do you wish you had more time to write? Or are you perfectly content with your writing schedule?
--Use this quote as inspiration for a story/poem/essay, or use it verbatim: “Don't tell fish stories where the people know you; but particularly, don't tell them where they know the fish.” –Mark Twain
--He shouldn’t have survived the fall, so after the accident everyone said he must have lived because….
--Do you know your neighbors?
--Nancy had traveled throughout the world, but she’d never met anyone like….
--What is the most extreme temperature you’ve experienced?
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Photo courtesy of Miguel Saavedra at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1128278

Just Write, Just Redesigned

I'm happy to say that a long overdue blog redesign is underway here at Just Write. Now that I've upgraded my Blogger template, it's easy to move around, add, and subtract page elements. I've added labels, a space for blog friends and followers, and a subscription button. Just Write's Recommended Reading area offers links to books that the Just Write Group in Las Vegas has recently studied. Coming soon: links to writing sites, Vegas writers, and to my upcoming Lulu.com book of prompts: The Doorbell at Dawn. Please take a minute to look around Just Write's new design, join as a friend, or leave a comment--and thanks for reading!

Blood on the Carpet & Other Writing Prompts

Release your inner mystery writer with my first prompt—although blood might be on a carpet for many reasons, I must add, not all of them mysterious. If you’re not feeling very Christie, then find a different prompt that intrigues you. You know the rest—write for ten minutes, no stopping, stalling, or second-guessing.

--She wasn’t sure what to do about the blood on the carpet, so she….
--When was the last time you were snubbed?
--Clara started planning her escape after her mother….
--Combine red shoes, a full moon, and a ruler in a story or poem.
--Describe your last trip to the grocery store.
--Do you consider yourself technologically savvy?

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Photo courtesy of Paulo Correa at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1030708

Details & Other Writing Prompts

If you like quotes, as I do, you’ve probably learned that you can’t rely on the Internet to give you the correct quote and/or attribution. A little extra research is usually required. After I checked out the quotes in my first prompt, I wound up with more questions than answers… which is how it became a prompt. If you are unconcerned with details, then skip on down until you find a prompt that sparks an idea. Write for ten minutes—no stopping, crossing out, or dictionaries allowed. At the end of the ten minutes—who knows? Maybe you’ll have an answer to prompt number one.

--Do you think the saying should be “God is in the details” or “The devil is in the details”?
--Elizabeth’s mother said, “If you weren’t such a picky eater, I wouldn’t have to….”
--On the first Sunday of every month….
--Experts tell us that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Do you eat breakfast?
--The little dog growled at Chris, but the dog’s owner insisted, “Oh, don’t mind Freddie. You can even pet him. He’s just growling because….”
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Photo courtesy of Tom Hejhal at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/593880

Anonymous

On a daily basis, I get about 100 e-mails. I’m apparently the beneficiary of a vast, multi-trillion dollar estate, spread out in hidden accounts throughout the world—according to dozens of daily messages in my in-box. (Sadly, judging from the grammatical errors in these missives, none of my immense wealth has funded any English classes for the poor foreign legal people sending me e-mails.) Were I male, I would never worry about, ahem, performance issues because I get another batch of e-mails each day about products to cure that. Then there are all those free iPods and Kindles, shopping sprees, and easy-to-obtain mortgages waiting for me. I’m sure you, too, have a similar array of spam that gets deleted without ever being opened.

A fair number of e-mail messages bring interesting, but still optional, reading: daily quotes, writing newsletters, horoscopes. I open the horoscopes because they’re entertaining and occasionally appear to correctly predict something. At the beginning of 2008, the e-mail astrologers said I would have a death in the family, which turned out to be correct. I couldn’t help but think about that as I scanned the predictions for 2009.

One of the 2009 prognostications was that I would have to give up something this year, something to which I was deeply attached. Hmmmm. What could it be? My mind gathered a list of the obvious: bad habits, health, money, people, career, chocolate, etc. Of course, as with the majority of horoscopes, the predictions covered territory common to everyone—giving up something precious could mean dozens of things. Then something unexpected popped into my head: what if I had to give up my anonymity?

Most writers want to write something notable; many of us seek publication. Very few become publicly recognizable. Would you know Nora Roberts if you met her? I feel pretty sure I could spot Stephen King in a crowd, but he’s one of the only modern authors I can say that about. Of all the authors you read, how many of them would you recognize if you met them on the street? When you extrapolate the goals of many writers, you find “famous” at the end of the equation. But for writers, fame doesn’t automatically equal being publicly recognizable, as it does for some endeavors/professions—take actors, for instance. A writer’s name can carry her fame without her face ever being attached to it.

While I’m not shy about speaking in front of people, I cherish my anonymity. Yesterday, while I was taking a long walk, I pondered the blessings of being anonymous. As a writer, I often operate like a spy. I eavesdrop and snoop and deliberately fail to mention that I’m a writer when I’m researching a story. I’d wager that most writers are a wee bit on the nosy, sneaky side. (Although, according to my husband, my combined background of writing and police work makes me extra sneaky. I plead nolo contendere.) How could a writer be sneaky if a pack of paparazzi were following her?

Of course, I know that eventually, when my trillion-dollar estate materializes, I’ll have to find a way to avoid the photographers. Good grief, now that I think about it, I believe that vast fortune would probably ruin my writing career! Looks like I’ve found yet another reason to keep deleting those e-mails.

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Photo Information: Picture courtesy of Scol22 at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/851577

The Reluctant Visitor and Other Writing Prompts

You know the drill: pick a prompt and write for ten minutes about whatever it brings to mind. Happy New Year & Happy Writing!

--I didn’t want to go to his house, but after he told me….
--Would you describe yourself as sociable? Do you enjoy visits? Why or why not?
--Do you like candy? What kind of candy do you like?
--Louise decided to quit drinking because….
--Have you made any resolutions for 2009?
--“Of course I shot your dog,” snarled Fred. “What did you think I’d do after….”
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Photo information: My picture, taken at the abandonded Aiken Mine in the Mojave National Preserve.

Gift Assistance

Dear Santa Claus Customer Service,

Despite numerous phone calls to 1-800-GFTSRUS, I’ve been unable to resolve some problems with my Christmas gifts. The customer service elf I spoke with was very pleasant, but sadly we had an Elfin-English language barrier that could not be overcome. Let me explain my difficulties.

First, it’s Kindle, not “Ken doll.” A Kindle is an expensive new reading device that every writer lusts after. A Ken doll inspires no passion, of any kind, from anyone. Please send Ken home to Barbie and ship me the Kindle.

When I asked for “peace and quiet in which to write,” I was thinking more along the lines of a retreat. I received a box with duct tape, ear plugs, and a Bic pen. Very funny. I didn’t know Santa was such a jokester. (And the duct tape quality was quite low! My son had it off in less than two minutes.)

The abacus, while lovely, was not at all what I had in mind by “wireless computer.” Was this another joke, or is it a comment on my abilities as a writer?

Anything you can do to help with these lingering gift issues is much appreciated.

Yours truly,
Terrisa Meeks

P.S. I was (kind of) joking when I asked for a New York Times best-seller. What I meant was that I wanted to be the author of a NYT bestseller. Still, I was thrilled to find the entire NYT’s best-seller list stacked under (and around and beside) my tree, but it did cause a tiny storage problem. My husband is very distressed about the piles of books, and he keeps muttering about kerosene and matches. (He’s been complaining about the piles of books in our house for 20 years now, and frankly, this has not helped.) Could you be sure to correct your records to reflect my actual wish-list item and just move that to 2009? Many thanks.
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Photo courtesy of Thad Zajdowicz at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/827556