Prepping for NaNoWritMo

PREPPING FOR NaNoWriMo with SUSAN MEIER: Online Course INSTRUCTOR: Susan Meier DATE: October 1 – October 31, 2011 REGISTER: http://tinyurl.com/PennwritersCourse201110 (LIMITED CLASS SIZE. Enroll now.) COURSE DESCRIPTION: Everybody believes NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month, which runs every November at http://www.nanowrimo.org) is a race against the clock, a fight with procrastination and inertia. In some ways it is. But once you’re in the thick of things, you’ll discover NaNo is really all about ideas. Writers don’t stall because they’re lazy. Writers stall because they don’t know what to write next. The month BEFORE NaNo, get proven tips from Susan Meier—the author of almost 50 books for Harlequin and Silhouette—and let her take you through several different ways to examine the story you want to write, to capture the natural scene possibilities within your idea, to generate new ideas, and to push yourself through the most grueling, but fun, month you will spend this year! Lessons include: * The List of 20 (How to generate ideas quickly so you have little downtime when your natural ideas run out) * Turning a “Want” into “Need” (How does knowing why you’re writing this book provide you with both energy to write and ideas for your story?) * The One-Paragraph Story Summary (Say it succinctly…3 kinds of one-paragraph story summaries: back cover blurb, core story question, and growth paragraph) * Could, Might, Must and Should List (How to capture ideas that spring up naturally) * Storyboard Versus Synopsis (Breaking your idea down into manageable bites) * The Psychology of Pushing through the Hard Times (What to do when you get stuck) * The Psychology of a Draft (Push, push, push!) * What Are You Doing in December? (Editing tips) Discover how to get the most out of NaNo and write a publishable novel. LIMITED CLASS SIZE. Enroll now. REGISTER: http://tinyurl.com/PennwritersCourse201110 ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR: Susan Meier is the author of over 45 books for Harlequin and Silhouette and one of Guideposts‘ Grace Chapel Inn series books, THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS. Her books have been finalists for Reviewers Choice Awards, National Reader’s Choice Awards and Cataromance.com Reviewer’s Choice Awards and nominated for Romantic Times awards. Her book, HER BABY’S FIRST CHRISTMAS won the traditional category in the 2009 More Than Magic contest. HER PREGNANCY SURPRISE, her first release for the Harlequin Romance line, made both Walden’s Bestseller List for Series Romance and Bookscan. MAID FOR THE MILLIONAIRE, MAID FOR THE SINGLE DAD, and COUNTRY TWIN CHRISTMAS are her 2010 releases. Susan loves to teach as much as she loves to write and is a popular speaker at RWA chapter conferences. Can This Manuscript Be Saved? and Journey Steps, Taking the Train to Somewhere! are her most requested workshops. Her article “How to Write a Category Romance” appeared in 2003 Writer’s Digest Novel and Short Story Markets. Susan also gives online workshops for various groups and her articles regularly appear in RWA chapter newsletters. For more information about Susan Meier, visit http://www.susanmeier.com. * Subscribe to our announcement list for email on our latest online courses! http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PennwritersOnlineCourses ***** * For more information on this course, contact Laura M. Campbell, Online Courses Coordinator. To mail in your registration and payment, send payment at least one week before the course starts using the mail form at this link.

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Driven to Love by Denise Meyers – reprinted with permission

The following is a reprint of the blog that I wrote as Schizophrenicwriter. It’s only fitting that it appear here as well.
Bobbi
***

Driven to Love is more than the title of a book written by Denise Meyers, a Pennwriters Past President and friend to every writer she ever met. It is also a fitting description of how she lived.

Her family and friends know what I’m talking about. Her strength, tempered by a not-so- well- disguised vulnerability was equally matched by a quick wit and warmheart that drew people to her wherever she went.

It was with great sorrow that I learned of her death on August, 4, 2011.

Whenever I walk to the halls of a writer’s conference I will think of her. When I hear a group of people burst into laughter during a writing workshop I will hear her laugh ringing through the room. When an aspiring writer announces a first sale I know she will be celebrating along with him and, more than likely, nudging any nearby angels to join in the celebration.

When one of us hops online to announce a rejection letter or share a moment of doubt hers will be the voice we hear in our mind urging us to keep trying, reminding us that an acceptance letter or book contract can happen at any time, but only if you keep writing and continue to submit.

If we are lucky we are privileged to meet someone who truly inspires us on the road to publication. A mentor who doesn’t pretend it’s easy but does everything that can be done to help us find the tools we need to succeed. Through Pennwriters, I am blessed to know many people like that. Denise was the first and I will never forget her. Rest in Peace my friend.

Driven to Love by Denise Meyers is avaialble in ebook form on Kindle and Nook.

Pennwriters Presents – Monday May 9th.

Pennwriters Presents –

Our Guest Star will be Bobbi Carducci, short story, memoir and creative nonfiction writer, and author of STOREE WRYTER GETS A DOG, her first venture into writing for kids. She describes herself as a schizophrenic writer because of the variety of writing she does and in recognition of the voices in her head (her muse) that demand to be heard.
She also writes a monthly book review column for About Families Publications available in print and on line.

In addition to writing, Bobbi is the President of Community Voice Media, a small print publisher specializing in books by and for young people. She is the Executive Director of the Young Voices Foundation a 501 (c) (3) educational nonprofit established to mentor young writers http://www.youngvoicesfoundation.org and the creator or the Young Voices Awards honoring books that Inspire, Mentor, and/or Educate readers of all ages. http://www.youngvoicesawards.com.

She is a long time member of Pennwriters and, as a resident of Virginia, is the Area 7 Representative to the Board of Directors. She is a writing coach and frequent presenter at writer’s conferences, including the upcoming Pennwriters Conference where she will present a workshop titled “A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words – How To Evoke Real Emotion In Your Memoir.”

Bobbi Carducci’s month-long online course, CREATIVE NONFICTION & MEMOIR WRITING, starts June 1, 2011. You’ll discover proven methods to convey real-life facts and events through story structure and character development with a focus on storytelling, personal essays, and feature writing. To learn how to write that great real-life story of yours and get it published, enroll now at http://tinyurl.com/PennwritersCourse201106 .

Bobbi Carducci, also writing as Barbara Simpson Carducci, can be reached by email at bcarducci@comcast.net or through Twitter @BobbiCarducci and Facebook. You can also visit her blog at http://schizophrenicwriter.wordpress.com or her website at http://www.communityvoicemedia.com/bobbicarducci.html.

Topics to discuss with Bobbi Carducci include:

* Short story writing
* Creative nonfiction
* Writing for young readers
* Writing in general
* How to be an overnight success in 60 years or less
* The correlation between a well made Cosmopolitan and a happy marriage

The opinions of Pennwriters Presents Guest Stars do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Pennwriters organization. INCLUDE THE GUEST STAR’S NAME IN THE SUBJECT HEADING OF YOUR QUESTIONS. To get the most out of the program, please set your Message Delivery to “Individual Email.” Here is how you do it:

1) Go to the Pennwriters online group setup page at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Pennwriters/join

2) Under “Step 2. Message Delivery,” click the option “Individual Email.”

3) Click the “Save Changes” button.

That’s it! Have your questions lined up Monday. You can start posting questions early over the weekend. See you soon.

– Nate Hardy
Pennwriters Internet Activities Coordinator

CREATIVE NONFICTION & MEMOIR WRITING Online Course
http://tinyurl.com/PennwritersCourse201106

Read and Critique – Round Robin

Pennwriters offers a Round Robin Critique Group program that is ideal for those who can’t get to area meetings as often as they would like, or who live too far away from their area meetings or other Pennwriters, or who write in a genre or form that isn’t as popular as others (and it’s difficult to find like-minded writers to network with).

A Pennwriters Round Robin Critique Group or partnership can be done either by e-mail or by US Mail. And do consider partnering to help those still looking for match-ups in: Short Story, Romance, Literary, Christian/inspirational, Mystery/suspense, Science Fiction-Alternate History, Middle Grade (ages 9-13) fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Historical nonfiction, and Eclectic (writing short in various forms/genres.)

All you have to do is contact Catherine McLean, mouserun@certainty.net and ask for a Round Robin Request form.

Catherine E. McLean is a Pennwriters Meritorious Service Award winner who has given more than 30 workshops and had two-dozen articles published on the devices and techniques of writing fiction. Her short stories have sold to magazines and anthologies. www.WritersCheatSheets.com

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Why Attend a Writers’ Conference? by Deanna R. Adams

With all the buzz right now about the upcoming Pennwriters’ Conference (of which I’m proud to be a presenter), I thought this is an opportune time to address the importance of writers’ conferences and workshops—whether you’re a novice, or an established, published writer.
Of course, if you’re relatively new to the business—and make no mistake, it is a business—attending writers’ conferences is essential. Why? Oh, let me count just some of the ways:
• Network with Like-Minded Souls: Writing is such a solitary activity. As we sit alone with our keyboards (save for the cat on our lap) searching constantly for the right words, sweating over awkward sentences, and wondering why we’re in this crazy business (except that we love it!), we need to be with people who understand. Not merely for the camaraderie, but also to learn from each other. To make new friends who love the written word as much as we do. To bask in one another’s successes, or offer words of encouragement after that dreaded rejection. One thing about writers, we are a wonderfully supportive bunch.
• To meet professional writers, authors, editors, agents—all from whom we can draw inspiration, education, and connections. Who knows? Perhaps one of them will be the perfect source when it comes time to submit our work.
• To keep up with what’s happening in the industry. I recently attended the Las Vegas Writers’ Conference and learned the latest on Social Media, Creating a Digital/Online Media Kit, and other topics I needed to brush up on. As much as I began this decade kicking and screaming into the 21st century, I now marvel at all the new opportunities available for us writers. And yes, I am also happily certain there will still be printed books in the future. (See my last blog).
Let me add a phrase I heard often growing up: “You are who you associate with.” Well, real writers tend to hang out with each other, and a conference is simply the best way to meet a lot of them all in one place.
Now you may think that you cannot afford to attend these wonderful events because of today’s economy, gas prices, and your own dwindling bank accounts. Believe me, there is not a writer among us who doesn’t know the sacrifices we make for our prose.
So here’s an idea. Let me borrow from financial expert, Suze Orman, and say, “Pay yourself first.” Even if you tuck away $10 a week, that’s $40 a month. If there’s a conference or workshop coming up in six months that you want to attend, you’ll have $240 by that time, and even if that doesn’t cover the entire cost, it will surely be a big chunk of it. I admit to using my credit card to pay the balance for a more expensive conference (especially when I have to travel, say, to Vegas) but I know I’ll get it paid off, and that everything I get out of a conference will more than pay for itself when it comes to building my career.
And let’s not forget the tax write-off. . . .
So with all that said, I hope to see each one of you at the 24th annual Pennwriters’ Conference!
I’m looking forward to meeting new writer friends!
Deanna

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Area 7 Basket at Pennwriters Conference

The theme for the Area 7 basket this year is “Encouraging Young Readers.” If you are attending the conference please bring a book to put in the basket. Anything from board books to YA is welcome.

Important! Did You Receive A Ballot?

A number of voting ballots sent to Area 7 members are being returned as undeliverable and some people are reporting that the ballot they did receive arrived damaged and unusable. If you did not receive a ballot or you received a damaged one, please contact me at bcarducci@comcast.net  I will see to it that you get a ballot. You will be able to send your votes to Terry Friedman, our election chair on or before Friday, April 16, 2011.  Terry’s emial address is  tfried44@verizon.net

I’m Registered for the Conference

I hope you are too. I’ll be looking to meet as many members of Area 7 as possible.  If you see me, please introduce yourself. I won’t be hard to miss.

On April 9th I will become a member of The Knights of the Bald Table, as a volunteer shavee at  the St. Baldrick’s fundraiser in Dulles, VA.

That’s right. I have agreed to have my head shaved to raise money to fund cancer research for diseases affecting children. To learn more about the event click here.

Not only am I able to honor my mother and help sick kids but I will have a great story to tell as well. 

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I Still See Books – By Deanna R. Adams

I’ve been a bit down in the dumps lately. In the past few months, one of my favorite book stores, Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Cleveland, closed, followed by news of a Borders demise just five minutes from my house.
Big. Sad. Sigh. My mood became as dark as the ominous skies that dominate throughout our long Ohio winters.
What’s going to become of our industry? I couldn’t help wonder. I’m finally making a living as a writer (albeit, a modest one), and now book stores are crumbling faster than Lindsay Lohan’s career. Not to mention that I love, love, love books—printed books, that is. I love the smell, the feel of the pages, the infinite selection of stories in which to choose . . .
I go to bed with a book each night. I love the words telling me fascinating tales as I drift gently into a good night’s sleep. I even won an award recounting my lifelong love affair with books—it was the easiest essay I ever wrote.
Quite simply, books make me happy.
And so, I cringe as, one by one, book stores are closing everywhere I look, and as I hear people tell me proudly, “Oh, got your book on Amazon!” This even after I’ve suggested they support a local bookstore. And I know it’s because “it’s easier now just to order online.”
But then, I saw a vision. Or several, actually. While vacationing in Key West recently, I saw a great book town. Strolling along Duval Street, I saw books. And signs for books. And book stores! Imagine my joy when I discovered two independent book stores within walking distance! My heart leapt with exhilaration! The stores were big and beautiful, and I was once again reminded how much I love hanging out in a book store. What fun it is to browse through so many books—all shapes and sizes and stories. For years, spending time in a book store has been my favorite thing to do on my birthday. (Oprah gets a mammogram on her birthday. I shop at books stores. Who has the better time?)
As I blissfully scoured through a wonderful array of titles (and yes, there were many others there, too), I was reminded why E-books will never be for me. To add to my delight, I saw a new book by a colleague of mine, Cleveland writer, Paula McLain, prominently displayed. Her wonderful new novel, The Paris Wife (about Hemingway’s first wife) had just been released that week. Hope of good books still being published was restored.
If all those thrilling visions weren’t enough to lift my literary spirits, I saw more books. At the airport, awaiting my trip back to the arctic north, I gazed around me and saw nine people (yes, I counted) reading books. Real. Printed. Books. Others were reading newspapers and magazines. I saw not one Kindle. I nearly wept with happiness.
For in that moment I was reassured that I am not alone. I believe that after all the buzz of these new, exciting gadgets dies down, both E and printed books will live together in harmony.
So don’t let all the bad news about the book industry get you down. Books are still vital, cherished commodities. And it’s up to us writers to keep it that way by continuing to produce good work. . . .
*And by the way, did you know that this is National Novel Editing Month? If you’re working on getting that novel polished in time to pitch it to an agent at the upcoming Pennwriters conference, check out: National Novel Editing Month – GalleyCat
See you next time.

Deanna Adams’s Top Ten Tips for Achieving Your Goals

1. Know the Difference between a Dream and a Goal. A dream is an unrealistic vision (like winning the lottery), a goal is something is attainable, WHEN you apply the necessary steps toward achieving it.

2. Be Prepared. Have one place in your home where you write and do nothing else but write. This helps trigger the creative process. Also, try and keep the same writing schedule. Same time. Same place. Every day. You’ll see the words begin to flow easily as a result of this consistency.

3. Manage Your Time. Give yourself permission to write, and no more excuses. Get up an hour earlier to write, or stay up an hour later. Don’t waste time watching a lot of TV, it won’t enhance your life and won’t make you a writer. Email, too, sucks up a lot of time. Tell everyone you know not to send you those forwards and jokes. If they still do (and some will) delete them without opening them. Of course, as a writer, you have to check your email, but do it after you’ve written at least one or two hours. (If possible.)

4. Take Classes, Attend Writers Conferences/Workshops. Invest in yourself and your career. Whether a novice or veteran, we all need that shot in the arm, and there’s always something new to learn. These events give you the needed encouragement, stimulation, education and camaraderie you get from others who share your passion. Can’t afford a conference? Make a goal toward the next one you want to attend. Then start putting as much money as you can away each week (even if it’s just $10) and soon you’ll be there!

5. Network Whenever Possible. Surround yourself with successful people. “You are who you associate with” is a wonderful, and true, expression. Meet them. Learn from them. Stalk them. (Kidding.) Then follow their lead. Read their works so you can ask them questions on how they did it. Exchange emails or phone calls, and make yourself a new writer friend.

6. Read Great Works, Have Literary Heroes. You can glean so much from reading great books. My literary heroes include (but not limited to) Amy Tan, Anne Lamott, Mary Karr, William Zinsser, David Sedaris, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway. Who are yours?

7. Understand You’ll Need To Pay Your Dues. That’s how we all learn and grow. There is not one successful writer out there who has not known rejection. The difference is what they did afterward—they’ve learned from it and DID NOT GIVE UP! If you’re lucky, your rejection letter will include a personal note from an editor or agent, giving you a tip on how to improve the piece, or just some encouragement about your writing.

8. Review your Goals Now and Then, and Revise if Necessary. You may get halfway through a novel or researching a book and decide it’s not working. By all means, drop it and begin something else. Or revise your contents, extend a deadline if you need to. Things change. You change . . . It’s okay.

9. Celebrate Achievements, No Matter How Small. Celebrate after finishing a book chapter or get an article accepted, or, especially, when you get a YES! from an agent. Go out and buy yourself something (another book?), enjoy a good meal at your favorite restaurant, sip a chocolate martini, or drink of your choice. The point is, writing is hard work and you deserve to treat yourself!

10. Believe in Yourself! Remember, if you love the art of writing, then you’re already good at it. No one willingly does something they’re bad at. Because there’s no joy in it. You feel the joy of loving what you do, which makes you want to do it more, learn more. Which makes you accomplish more . . . which ultimately results in . . . TA DA – Success!
*Deanna will be a presenter at this year’s Pennwriters Conference. She will speak on Drafting the Nonfiction Proposal and The Art of Creative Nonfiction

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