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Newsletter Highlights
Fall is not all about brilliant leaves and Jack Frost nipping at your nose. Southern California is facing a horrendous fire season right now and the media is full of violent images of burning houses, as well as heart-wrenching interviews with people who have escaped from the fire. Remember this when you’re writing a seasonal story. Sometimes the dissonance of going against reader expectations…hillside fires at Thanksgiving time, a hurricane at Halloween…can deliver a lot of power. When you deliver the expected, the readers are already half asleep. They’ve been here, done this. When you stand the expected on its head…those readers wake up.
Never be afraid to toss a big rock into the scene that seemed too ‘usual’. Carolyn and Al are strolling hand in hand in the park, we all know the kiss is coming, he bends down….and then….? What if that kiss doesn’t happen? What if something utterly unexpected occurs? Of course you’ll have to go back later, while you’re revising, and make it all plausible. But you can do that. Toss the rock first and then make it all work. You can really surprise yourself with a much stronger story that way.
Well, I can’t let you all find yourselves with nothing to do, so I guess I’ll have to post another prompt. My Thanksgiving prompt is up, you get 250 words, and you don’t have to have it to me until after the holiday, so even if you’re cooking for the Entire Family, you have time.
I’m doing panels at OryCon our local Science Fiction conference, this weekend, so our next forum will on Friday the 28th. By then you should have all the Thanksgiving leftovers put away and all dishes washed, right? Join me for The Character Snapshot. We’ll talk about how to reveal a character in a few sentences.
Kevin Miller tells us what he’s been up to since he graduated from Long Ridge. Let’s hear from more graduates. What are you up to?
Our Spotlight this week, How About a Sidebar With That? By Phyllis Ring, Long Ridge instructor, will help you out with those useful sidebars that nonfiction editors want.
And it’s particularly useful this week. Rick Lovett, full time, self supporting freelance nonfiction writer is going to be answering your questions about just how to break into the nonfiction market. Want to know how you go from writing nonfiction to earning money writing nonfiction? Here’s your chance to ask. Head over to the Post A Note Professional Connection and don’t be shy. Ask your question. He’ll be available up until Friday. He has been there, done that, and can give you some good tips.
Donna answers Evan’s question about those pesky spelling and punctuation errors.
Heads up, all you Nano writers struggling through the pages of that first draft. I have a bit of motivation for you in Amazon’s Breakthrough Novel Contest. The winner gets published by Penguin with a $25,000 dollar advance. Check the Markets section.
Quick, Words of Belief’s holiday contest closes November 21. I know that’s soon but see if you have something that will suit. It’s free and offers a cash prize.
Judy King reviews The Canon: A Whirligig Tour of the Basics of Science, by Natalie Angier.
Need a critique partner? Looking for an online writers group? Need some expert advice? The Want Ads is the place for you! Right now, J.A. Konrath is doing a nice job of marketing her new book, and enticing you with free books. Go take a look.
Keep track of your submissions for the Most Persistent Writer Award. It runs from September to September. Sending out your work counts, remember...not acceptances! You'll find the very simple rules in our 'Applause' section.
Don't miss the newsletter. You'll be sorry you did!
Professional Connection Post A Note Interview
Richard A. Lovett is a full-time free-lancer with nearly 3000 articles to his credit. He's written in a wide diversity of fields, ranging from adventure travel to science (and also including food regulation, law, political analysis, humor, and sports). Publication credits include National Geographic News, New Scientist, The Economist, Travel & Leisure, Backpacker, Science, Nature, and dozens of large newspapers in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. He also writes science fiction (selected stories are available at fictionwise.com), and has won five AnLab awards from Analog magazine. He has written six nonfiction books, all about sports or travel. A former law professor, he also has a Ph.D. in economics and a degree in astrophysics. He’s in Post A Note now!
Next Forum
OUR NEXT FRIDAY AFTER
HOURS FORUM meets November 28. The
Character Snapshot: Revealing Uncle Roger’s personality in a few
sentences.
The AFTER HOURS FORUM begins at:
5PM Pacific
6 PM Mountain
7PM Central
8 PM Eastern
9 PM Atlantic/Canada.
OUR NEXT
TUESDAY LUNCHBOX FORUM meets Tuesday, December 2. . First Person POV, Creating the Character Voice.
This is useful particularly if you’re writing personal narrative.
The TUESDAY LUNCHBOX FORUM begins at:
10AM Pacific
11AM Mountain
12 Noon Central
1PM Eastern
2PM Atlantic/Canada.
New Article
The editor returned your submission…and asked for some changes. Help! Do you do what that editor wants? Say no? Flip a coin? For some solid and down to earth help with this dilemma, read Susanne Rose’s great article: : When The Editor Wants Meet and You're a Vegetarian in Writing Craft – Business Side of Writing. Susanne offers some excellent advice!