Don't Forget What You've Accomplished or I Wrote a Book

by Chris Schroeder (Flickr.com)

All right, Muffin readers, I'm here to encourage us all a little today. A lot of my recent posts have been about indie publishing or the writing process, and I thought I'd take a break from that and get a bit simple. Here's why.

The other day, my book, Finding My Place, was sitting on the kitchen table. I recently wrote a prequel for it and got great feedback from my critique group, but there were some details of this story I couldn't remember. So I'm rereading to make sure my prequel is in alignment. Anyway, there's my book, on the kitchen table, and I had this overwhelming proud moment of, "You know what, I wrote a book. And I had it published. Plus, I go to schools and kids and parents buy it. It's not even half-bad."

Then the next thought: Why am I so hard on myself? Why am I almost apologetic that I wrote a book, got it traditionally published, and want people to buy it and read it? Why do I downplay it when people say to me: You wrote a book. Cool! 

Well...I haven't talked to a therapist about that yet, but my guess is that I'm submerged in the writing culture where a lot of people have written a book, and some have had more success than others, more success than me. So, since so many people I know have done this same thing, maybe it doesn't seem like such a big deal.

But to the rest of the world, not in the writing culture, writing a book and seeing it through to publication is a great accomplishment. And it should be to us too! We should not be apologetic that we want to share our creation with the world, that we want to find readers, that as children's writers, we want to get into schools and share our message and our books.

I told myself that day, "It's okay, Margo. You should feel proud. Of this book and all your books. This is tangible proof of a goal you set and accomplished."

But I'll be honest. I have to keep telling myself that. I'm a people pleaser by nature, and I'm trying to be a reformed people pleaser. It's hard. So I worry about everything I say and do way too much! Trust me, my friends are always saying things to me like, "Overthink much?"

When I have to ask schools if they pay for authors to talk or ask teachers to send home my book flyers or ask my newsletter list to write a review for me, it's excruciatingly difficult, and I have to force myself to push send. But I do it. I do it because I know it's what needs to be done for success and that other authors are doing it. I do it thanks to the book, You Are a Badass, which is so encouraging. I highly recommend it for anyone who has any of the difficulties I've talked about in this blog post today.

If you submitted a short story this week, that is amazing! If you finished your book manuscript, jump for joy! If you are holding a book you wrote in your hand, wow! Honestly, just wow! Yes, you'll have to get back to the hard work and turmoil of being a writer, but for a minute today, celebrate the amazing goal you accomplished. I know for sure that there are thousands (at least) of people with half-written manuscripts or who haven't even typed one word of a book idea. And you are no longer in this group.

Now, after you've toasted yourself, get back to work. And don't be afraid to ask someone to buy your book!

Margo L. Dill is a children's author, writing instructor, freelance editor, and WOW!'s managing editor, living in St. Louis, MO, with her daughter and dog. To find out more about Margo, check out https://www.margoldill.com. Margo's next class is Writing a Novel with a Writing Coach and starts on March 6! 

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10 comments advice for writers, children's author, Margo L. Dill, marketing, Novelist, Writers Block, writing motivation, You Are a Badass

What To Do When You Receive Conflicting Advice

When editing and checking resources for an upcoming article for WOW!, I happened upon a blog post, where the blogger was explaining another post he saw by a successful author and how he didn't think any of the tips she gave were correct. He then went through each tip from the woman's article (without using her name) and explained why she was wrong. I thought then and there: well, she has a lot of experience and she doesn't think she is wrong. And this guy has a lot of experience, and he thinks he's right. This is 100 percent conflicting advice.

As a writer, what should you do if you read conflicting advice from successful writers? What should you do if members of your critique group disagree on a section of your manuscript? What should you do if someone is telling you NOT to do something that you are already doing and it is working for you?

1. Look closely at who is providing the advice. 

If you are a non-fiction writer and you are reading advice from a successful romance author, this is why the advice might be conflicting. The writer giving the advice has different experiences than the other one AND in a completely different genre. So the advice actually shouldn't be the same. You also should look at the career of the person giving the advice--what does success mean to him or her? Is it success because the person makes a 6-figure income or do they measure it by winning a literary fiction award? Read the bios of the writers and look at their websites--which one matches you more closely? That is the advice you should probably follow.

2. Listen to your gut. 

You know what you want out of your writing career. You've made goals and have hopes and aspirations. If you read a piece of advice that doesn't "feel" right for you and your writing, then it probably isn't. A writer who is freelancing as their full-time job is not going to follow the same advice or path as a writer who is a memoir writer, trying to get their first book published.

The same is true for the critique group problem I mentioned. If you have writers telling you completely different things in your critique group, then you should wait a few days and see which resonates more with you and your story. Actually, maybe none of the advice will work for your manuscript, or one may stand out more than the others. Regardless, sometimes I feel like writers worry too much about what people are saying about their writing and not trusting themselves enough.

3. Find more resources. 

Another thing you can do is find more resources that support one of the opinions. What are the majority of people saying in that field or genre? Do you think that will work for you and your work? If so, then that means it is probably good advice and pretty standard for the genre you are writing for. If one of the writers seems to be a lone wolf, then that probably means for whatever reason, that writer found this method to work for him, but it might not work for you or your writing (or most writers actually).

Conflicting advice can be frustrating. I'm sure many of you have heard something like: no one reads a prologue, and then someone has suggested a prologue for your book. Or another common piece of advice for children's writers is publishers will not publish children's books with talking animals as the main characters, and then a successful one comes out. In general, when you are a new writer, follow the standard advice--the one that seems to be more popular and the one that resonates the best with you and your work.

Margo L. Dill is a writer, editor, teacher, and mom living in St. Louis, MO. For more information about her books, please check out her website, where she also blogs about being a single mom and writer. You can also check out her novel writing course here in the WOW! classroom. 

photo above by Marlon Hammes on Flickr.com



 

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3 comments advice for writers, Margo L. Dill, writing inspiration

Friday Speak Out!: Quality Control—After the Editor

by Frances Brown

We’ve all heard that it’s almost impossible to self-edit our writing, and there are no truer words. You see, we are all human, but our eyes don’t know that. So, they perform this handy little function, akin to the “auto-correct” function on our smartphones. When our eyes read words that we have written, they skim right over all the errors, essentially “auto-correcting” the word, phrase, or sentence to what our brains know it should be. Which is why we rely on good content and copy-editors to perfect our work.

My problem is that once I get back the edited manuscript, I go through and make all the suggested edits. That’s what we’re supposed to do, right? And why is that a problem? Because the manuscript does not return to the editor after I’ve made my edits. And in making those corrections or changes, I make yet more errors.

These errors are invisible to my auto-correct eyes on my computer screen. I’ve tried printing off the piece and reading the words on paper, but my eyes don’t fail me. They insist on inserting missing words and ignoring repeated ones. They refuse to admit when a sentence is awkward. They repeatedly, and insistently, insert commas where they aren’t needed.

So, what’s the answer? You’ve paid an editor, you’ve made all your edits, and you’re ready to pitch or publish your piece. But you can’t afford a second round of edits . . . what’s a girl to do?

This is advice I got from the publisher of my very first novel, Debbie Gilbert of Soul Mate Publishing—read it out loud. I didn’t believe her at the time. Boy, do I believe her now.

Your ears can hear what your eyes cannot see—even if the words are coming out of your own mouth. I am amazed every time I’ve gone over and over a piece of writing until I’m absolutely, positively certain that it’s perfect. Then I read it out loud. How did that extra “the” get in there? Why does that sentence sound so clunky? Did I really use the word “aggravate” three times in one paragraph?

In my office, I keep two giant aquariums filled with colorful, freshwater angelfish. They are the “best read” angelfish in the world, because they’ve heard almost every blog, story, and chapter I’ve ever written. Do they bother to offer their literary opinions? No. But they are patient and haven’t complained once about having to listen to endless hours of narration.

Yes, you read that right. Hours. I once lost my voice after reading an entire 349-page novel out loud in one weekend—to my angelfish. You would not believe how many errors I caught before the copy went to print. Precious time, well spent.

I’m still waiting, however, for one—just one!—of those snooty, stoic angelfish to post a review for me. Nothing yet. Guess they haven’t perfected aquatic laptops yet.

* * *

Frances Brown is a multi-published, award winning author of a memoir, and five novels + one Author Resource book entitled, The Road to Publication under her pseudonym, Claire Gem. You can visit her at http://www.francessusannebrown.com and http://www.clairegem.com. 
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Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!
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4 comments advice for writers, Claire Gem, editing tips, Frances Brown, Friday Speak Out, Self-editing

Being a Writer Is Like Being a Mom

Okay, I’ll admit it. This post was inspired 100% by the trailer for Bad Moms. If you haven’t seen it, check it out here. Yeah, yeah. I know. As my mom would say, there’s a lot about this movie that is in poor taste. But one minute into the trailer, the scene at the PTG meeting when they are given the list of “don’t do its” for the bake sale? Oh, yeah. If you’re a mom, you’ve been there.

Heck, if you’re a writer, you’ve been there. Being a writer really is a lot like being a mom.

First and foremost, there’s all the advice that people pass out for free. “If you mess up on social media, you’ll destroy your career!” “If you aren’t a vital part of social media, you won’t even have a career!”

Second, everyone has an opinion. I am truly amazed by the number of people, non-writers in particular, who have an opinion about my writing. My favorite? “If you were more efficient, you didn’t write so many drafts, you’d get things done a lot faster. Why don’t you just do it right the first time?” If only there hadn’t been witnesses standing around…

Third, the demands on your time are absolutely insane. You have to squeeze in writing, reading about writing, and reading what you want to write. You should also take part in social media so that you have a platform and a market. That means blogging (writing your own and commenting on others), Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Google+. And don’t forget about promotion. Did you find time to brush your teeth today? Then you must have forgotten to do something else.

Fourth, even when you work ahead and you have a careful plan so that you can take a day off – bam! Guess who got a rewrite request on a book right before Mother’s Day weekend? And he wants it back Monday? That’s right – this writer. I said yes but not before verifying that he only wanted me to change 6 things and 3 of them are really minor.

As a writer, how do you handle it all? You set limits. Do it before someone pushes you too far. This means saying yes to what makes sense for your career. As a writer, you need to write. The rest? Its gravy – good but not nearly as essential as writing. It really is okay to blow some of it off.

--SueBE

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3 comments advice for writers, the writing life

Friday Speak Out!: You Oughtta Write a Book! (Part 2 — The Digital Revolution. Or, There’s More than One Way to Skin a Cat)

by Heather Heyford

Ironically, the rise of the digital age has made publishing both more complicated and simpler. It’s essential to be familiar with the ways in which you might publish your finished manuscript.

Traditional Publishing. In the old days, your book was bought by a publishing house, either with or without the help of a literary agent. (Agents skim 15% off your royalties from the publisher. In return, they help you find a publisher in the first place then help negotiate the contract and intervene when problems arise.) Your publisher may give you an advance or you may only get royalties, a percentage of sales disbursed several times a year.

Digital. Sparked by technology, e-readers such as Kindle, Nook and iPad are now part of the culture. Consider the advantages of digital over print books: portability, storage capacity, low price points, instant gratification, and discretion, to name a few.

Indie, the of-the-moment term for self-publishing. The rise in popularity of indie is directly related to the evolution of digital. It is infinitely more affordable for a writer to produce ebooks than to have to pay to have books printed, distributed and warehoused. Once an ebook is written and edited and the cover designed, it can be reproduced digitally an unlimited number of times at little or no additional cost. What’s more, e-books can be marketed forever, and to a global audience.

The negative stigma once attached to authors who self-published is over. What’s more, indies, while often paying professionals for services like editing and cover art, don’t have to split the proceeds from the sale of their books.

The downside of self-publishing is the need to learn new skills, the expense of hiring a professional editor—strongly recommended, even if your grammar and spelling are top notch—and cover artist.

Print on Demand, or POD. Books are only produced as they are ordered by consumers, eliminating the waste of left over books as well as doing away with warehousing and distribution costs.

To clarify, both traditionally published and indie authors may be published digitally. In fact, publishers are more likely to offer new writers exclusively digital and POD contracts, to minimize their risk. For those writers, only if a book sells at least ten thousand digital and POD copies might it go into print and be stocked in actual stores.

Vanity Presses. These companies produce printed copies of your book for a fee. It is entirely up to you to store and sell them. An outmoded idea today, when you could publish yourself digitally at nominal expense and market your ebook to millions more potential buyers.

Hybrid Author. Simply an author who publishes both traditionally and independently.

With all these options, there has never been a better time to be a writer. In Part 3 of You Oughtta Write a Book! we’ll talk about getting your book noticed, regardless of which route to publication you choose. (You can read Part 1— Discover Your Style of Writing here.)


* * *

Heather Heyford is the author of Wine Heiresses Series: A Taste of Chardonnay,  A Taste of Merlot, A Taste of Sauvignon, and A Taste of Sake, from Kensington Publishing. She is represented by The Nancy Yost Literary Agency. Visit her at HeatherHeyford.com, https://www.facebook.com/heatherheyford1 and http://www.pinterest.com/Romance_Writer/.
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Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!
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1 comment advice for writers, book publishing, digital publishing, Friday Speak Out, Heather Heyford, traditional publishing

Friday Speak Out!: The Internal Editor Is Not The Enemy

by Kathleen Basi

The internal editor gets a bad rap, and not without reason. Writing requires a strong heart to withstand everything from tough critiques to the slush pile and the inevitable rejection letter. We certainly don’t need our own minds adding to the negative energy.

And yet I often think we’re too hard on the internal editor. After all, that mental whisper is the first one to tell us when the words flying from our fingers are filled with whining, posturing, or clichés—not to mention when we’re just plain barking up the wrong tree. Most of us have seen plenty of things that could have used the TLC of a good internal editor. A well-trained IE, and a measured, thoughtful relationship with it, can save an author a lot of wasted time.

I’m a slow, methodical writer. I believe in letting things simmer--setting them aside when something doesn’t feel right, turning it over in my mind, talking things through out loud while I drive, do dishes, or fold laundry.

In other words, entering into conversation with the internal editor, who often turns out to be pretty smart.

Here are three things my IE has taught me:

1. The Brick Wall. If I get stuck on a sentence or a paragraph for longer than 10 minutes, there’s something fundamentally wrong with it. Usually it’s not supposed to be there at all, but occasionally I’m trying to force a metaphor and I just need to say it straight, or find a different one altogether.

2. The Don’t Rush It. When NaNoWriMo is leering in the web browser, it’s easy to give in to the pressure to write down anything, no matter how bad it is, just to get to a word count. But stopping to take a deep breath and problem solve at the front end can save a lot of time later, fixing things that shouldn’t have been there in the first place (refer to #1).

3. The “Don’t Just Tell Me It’s Bad, Tell Me Why.” The more I read and the more I study the craft of writing, the more I realize if the IE is nagging, it’s because I already know what the problem is. I just have to stop and think it through. Refer to #2.

So when my internal editor starts whispering generalized discouragement in my ear, I take a deep breath and turn my back on it. But when it points to something in my writing, I stop and listen. And I’m always glad I did.

* * *

Kathleen Basi writes an award-winning column for Liguorian magazine as well as regular magazine features. She has published a trio of short nonfiction books for families, and her fiction and essay credits include The Storyteller, Apeiron Review, Chicken Soup for the Soul and NPR's All Things Considered. Her manuscript, THE WINE WIDOW, won third place in the WFWA's inaugural Rising Star contest in 2014. She can be found at www.kathleenbasi.com.
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Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!

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1 comment advice for writers, Friday Speak Out, internal editor, Kathleen Basi, Self-editing

And Remember...Writing Advice

Graphic | EKHumphrey

I tried something new with my most recent editing classes. I created a survey in the middle of the class and, out of 33 students, I received a handful of responses. I wanted to know what they wanted to know about the editing industry.

The responses trickled in and I answered their questions during the final week. There were the “How can I find clients?” and Microsoft Word questions, but one question stuck out:

Q: What things do you wish someone had shared with you when you were first starting out in editing?

A: These are elements I think everyone should know, whether someone shared them with me in the beginning or if I just intuited them:

•  Don’t judge your author.
• Consistency is incredibly important.
• Don’t edit from the original document. (Always make a copy!)
• Give yourself downtime and break during an edit. You’ll be a better editor for it.
• Don’t overbook yourself.
• In editing, perfection is unattainable, but try to get as close as you can.
• Remember you are human.

Expanding these to writing is not too difficult. So, here are my answers if you had asked me what do I wish someone had shared with me when I first started out writing. As with my editing, it’s been so long since I started, I’m not sure if others advised me about these or not…! But these would be the start of what I would tell someone starting out in writing:

• Don’t be too hard on yourself about your own progress. All your writing friends may have completed their 160th NaNoWriMo novel, but it’s okay if you want to take your time to craft your novel.
• Constancy is important for getting the words down. Carry a notebook and pen. Make daily appointments to write. You’ll be much better for it.
• Backup your work. (I have the original 3.5-inch floppy disks from my early writings and have hard copies!) You just never know when you will want to reread what you wrote eight years ago.
• Get up and take a break or a walk. Your writing will improve if you get up and look around the world beyond your computer screen.
• Perfection comes from polishing your prose. Revise (and revise again!) to make that prose shine. 
• Make conscious decisions. Know why you should use this word over that one. Your writing will thank you.
• Take writing classes and read books. Lots of books! Your life will be richer for it and your knowledge will soar.
• Never give up.

What do you wish someone had told you when you first started writing? As a writer, what’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

Elizabeth King Humphrey is a writer and editor living in North Carolina. She also reviews for San Francisco Book Review.

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2 comments advice for editors, advice for writers, Elizabeth King Humphrey

Writing Advice: It Isn’t One Size Fits All

I love going to writer’s conferences. I always come away ready to write with ideas on how to improve my writing and market it both to potential publishers and readers.

That said, I’ve learned that before I follow any of the advice that I receive at a conference, I need to test the fit. X, Y or Z might have worked perfectly well for the writer giving the advice, but that doesn’t mean it will work for me. Writing advice is not one size fits all and what worked for a Big-Name author may not work for me.

Speakers at writer’s conference are generally “high end.” These are established writers. They are big names. They have status. Unless you are secretly Suzanne Collins, you and I may not have the clout to pull off whatever it is that Big-Name-Author managed to do.

Let me demonstrate with an example of interest to many – self or independent-publishing.

A number of name writers are now publishing at least some of their work independently. For many of them, it works well meaning their work sells and it sells well. Whenever one of them mentions a dollar amount, that’s all any of the conference goers talk about. “Big-Name-Author made a caboodle dollars when she published her own novel. I can do that too.”

Maybe, but quite probably not. Ask yourself the following questions:

• Do you have a comparable following? I don’t mean in terms of enthusiasm. I’m talking numbers here.
• Is your name your biggest sales tool? Unless people talk about “the latest (insert your name here),” you should probably answer no to this question.
• Have you honed your writing skills to the same level? Write enough to have a pile of books with your name on them and you are going to get better. Have you improved that much already? If not, you probably need an editor whose recommendations you can’t just brush off.

If you answered “no” to even one of these questions, following the self-publishing path probably won’t lead you to the same destination.

I’m not picking on people who chose to self-publish. Any advice that you receive from a name author needs to be considered just as carefully. Whether this advice concerns dealing with an editor or agent, following a publisher’s guidelines or dealing with the public, consider the advice carefully.

The advice may be perfect for one writer but not another, because writing advice is not one size fits all.

--SueBE

Sue teaches our class, Writing Nonfiction for Children and Young Adults. The next session begins in October; places in the class are open.

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3 comments advice, advice for writers, writing advice

Career Advice: Getting Ahead in the Writing World

A couple years ago, I interviewed Kate White, who, at the time, was editor of Cosmopolitan magazine. It was an interesting interview for a couple reasons. First, I always felt like I had to balance home and work, and she gave me some great tips about finding balance between the two. Second, in our hour-long chat, she convinced me that I needed to be a gutsy girl when it came to career options. I needed to be proactive, be my strongest supporter.

That can be difficult, especially if you don't like to toot your own horn.

I was rereading the notes from our talk the other day and I drew four pieces of advice from it that I have put into practice recently.. Each of these are basic approaches that can boost not only your writing career but your personal life, as well. Think about these hints and how they can help you:

1. Learn to say 'No.' This is one of the hardest steps I have had to take. I'm a people pleaser, so saying 'no' tends to be difficult. I find that I want to smooth things over or make things better. Yet, there comes a breaking point and sometimes I KNOW I need to tell an editor 'Thanks, but no thanks.' In the last year, I've pushed myself to say 'no' more often, especially to potential projects that are going to suck my time and not offer fair compensation.And guess what? I am not as stressed and I can devote more time to better paying projects.
2. Learn to negotiate. I hate to negotiate. But, if I don't stand up for me, who will? I ran into a situation requiring negotiation just a month ago. I did my homework and found information from a variety of sources that helped negotiate a higher paycheck than originally anticipated. The editor didn't even balk at what I asked for. Lucky, I know.
3. Learn. Period. Make every attempt to accelerate your learning curve. I have always wanted to learn French, but seriously, how will that advance my employ ability? Most likely, it won't. For a new gig, I use InDesign. A lot. I know the basics, but I need a class that will give me a bigger range of skills. By taking a class now (and juggling my schedule to do so), I'm showing my new editor that I am willing to take the necessary steps now to ensure I am qualified for the position, rather than waiting until later. And P.S., I can tell my new boss appreciates my efforts.
4. Learn to plan ahead and look behind in your career. In other words, evaluate or reflect on your growth as a person and writer. Discovering what you've done in the past can help chart a future course. 

While some of these pieces of advice are easier than others to accomplish, I've discovered by being proactive and treating my career seriously, I have a boost of confidence that I had not noticed previously. Maybe it's because I'm more serious about my writing. Maybe I've found balance between personal and career choices.

And maybe, I'm becoming a bit more gutsy.

by LuAnn Schindler. Read more of LuAnn's work at her website.

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3 comments advice for writers, advice from editors, cosmopolitan magazine, kate white, learning, LuAnn Schindler, negotiating, planning, saying no

Friday Speak Out: The Seven Deadly Sins of Writing, Guest Post by Brenda Moguez

The Seven Deadly Sins of Writing

1) Anger

A writer shall not get angry when

a. The words don’t fit together like a 1000 word puzzle.
b. The words fit perfectly but the Editor says, “Not for us, thanks.”
c. When the reader reads meanings into the words the writer had not intended.
d. When the voice in the writer’s head is negative.

2) Envy

A writer shall not wear envy in her soul

a. When a writing peer has successes.
b. When the character’s bliss, happiness, riches, lovers, gifts of prose, are greater than the writer’s own life – don’t kill ‘em off.

3) Gluttony

A writer will not over indulge (step away from the chocolate kisses, hearty Merlot, credit card purchases)

a. When the words do not fit together like a 1000 word puzzle.
b. When the words are stuck.
c. When story sails in with a dream and out with the sunrise.

4) Greed

A writer will not hunger, yearn, crave, or covet …

a. For what a writing peer has earned through merit, hours burned and invested, effort, sacrifice, or raw talent.
b. Want without a willingness to sacrifice or working hard (broadly covers looking for the easy road).
c. Take without a willingness to give up or pay forward.

5) Pride

A writer will stand tall

a. She will accept help when needed and offered.
b. Be willing to make changes.
c. Remind oneself that every writer faces the same stage fright at the start of a new story: what if I run out of story ideas or my words are flat on the page.
d. Always have humility when Oprah calls, the book reaches the best seller list, the book-movie deal inks a seven figure deal.

6. Sloth

Do not give way to the sultry languor that steals over the writer in you

a. A writer will not watch reruns of Law and Order (or Dancing with the Stars) all weekend long and later complain he/she doesn’t have enough time to finish the WIP.
b. A writer will not be dispassionate about the words. She will cut ten percent off the final draft, remove excess adverbs, delete ‘that’s’, eradicate to be verbs, and above all, remove concepts or favorite lines (some ideas don’t belong in a WIP and should be saved for a future WIP).
c. Setting a deadline and not meeting it, again and again, and again (commit and respect yourself).

7. Lust

A writer’s lust  

a. If you must, lust for a perfect opening line, in lieu of it coming out right the first time be willing to write and rewrite, even if it takes a hundred tries.
b. If you must, lust for more time to read, write, edit, create
c. If you must, lust for you voice to sing upon the page.
d. If you must, lust for the strength to endure the long, long, road ahead. Regardless of where the writer is on his/her writing journey the road is fraught with potholes and never ending challenges. The writer must keep fear and uncertainty at day.


* * *

Brenda Moguez lives in San Francisco. She writes fiction with quirky, strong women, with non-formulaic endings because life isn’t always perfect. She writes by the light of the moon and between conference calls. She has aspirations for a fully staffed villa in Barcelona and funding aplenty for a room of her own. She’s currently riding the agent query coaster and writing a third book. When she’s not working on a story, she writes love letters to the universe, dead poets, and Mae West. You can find her at http://www.brendamoguez.com and https://www.facebook.com/BrendaMoguez, where she explores passionate pursuits in all its forms.

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Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!

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9 comments advice for writers, Brenda Moguez, emotions, Friday Speak Out