Writing Letters of Thanks

Photo by chappy14

Like many of you, I want to be a published novelist. November is National Novel Writing Month, otherwise affectionately known as NaNoWriMo. Skimming the website’s history doesn’t reveal exactly why this month was chosen. Whoever heard of expecting anyone to write a complete, 50,000-word novel during November? Don’t they know how busy people are? Of course, it’s hard to say, in the twenty-first century, when we’d ever slow down with nothing left to do with our time except write a novel. None of the other months during the year seem to be lazy and carefree, either.

But November is also the time when our hearts turn to thanking those people we are grateful for every month of the year.

When my husband was alive, I’d periodically remind him about the “just-in-case” letters to our children (and one to my husband) that were stashed in my sock drawer. Every few years, I update the letters, mentioning current interests or skills and spiritual gifts I’d see in their lives. I hope to encourage them and remind them of my love if there is ever a time when I’m not here to do that.

One trying school day, a math teacher, Franciscan Nun Sister Helen Mrosla, departed from the curriculum and asked students to list the nicest thing they could think about each classmate. She compiled the comments and gave a personal list to each student. Years later, after one of the students, Mark Eklund, died in Vietnam, the list was found, taped and re-taped, in his wallet. At the funeral, many of the other students also revealed they’d saved the list as one of their prized possessions. The inspirational tale of Sister Helen Mrosla, “the teacher who made a difference,” has been widely circulated all over the internet and featured in numerous books, like Chicken Soup for the Soul. You can read about it here.

Instead of worrying about reaching a self-imposed NaNo word count, I propose taking time to write a letter to at least one special person in your life telling how much he or she means to you. Who knows? Maybe your letter will be more meaningful to someone, more used by God, than the words in any novel you ever write.

Roxanne Sherwood
http://thewritingroad.blogspot.com/

Taking time to be thankful: There are so many people who love and encourage me: seven wonderful children; a mother; siblings & their spouses; precious friends like the Ponderers; and a new man in my life. I love, appreciate and thank God for each of you!

Second photo by lusi

Christmas Writing Contest!
Janice Thompson, along with www.freelancewritingcourses.com would like to announce a Christmas Writing Contest! For more information, click here: http://www.freelancewritingcourses.com/christmas-writing-contest

Finding Your Voice--The Fundamentals

At the My Book Therapy Storycrafters Retreat, Best-selling Author Susan May Warren shared the fundamentals for finding your voice.



Clarity. Don't try to make your manuscript more valuable by filling it with million-dollar words.

No overwriting. Avoid redundancy whether it's restating an idea, words, or sentences.

Simple sentences create impact.

Use active voice and delete was in your writing.

Use specific nouns. Choose details and specifics that matter. This will reduce multiple adjectives and -ly adverbs.

Write positively. Show what you want the reader to see, not what you don't want them to see. For example, "There was no light inside the cave" negatively shows there isn't light in the cave. Here's a stronger, more positive sentence: "The darkness in the cave seeped inside her."

Avoid cliches like the plague. ;-) They are for people who are too lazy or tired to reach deep.

Use 5 senses. Show how a POV character feels by building the 5 senses though the character's perspective.

Put punch words at the end of a sentence.

If you follow these fundamentals, you'll soon be on your way to creating your own voice.

~ Roxanne Sherwood

Storycrafter Retreat and NaNoWriMo Time!

I'm packing my suitcase with warm, comfy clothes, my laptop, and chocolate. (How can anyone expect me to write without chocolate?) I've got the nugget of an idea for a new novel, and I'm heading to the My Book Therapy Storycrafters Retreat Friday through Sunday in Minnesota, where it's already a bit chilly for this Texan. Storycrafters is a working writing retreat where participants will arrive with an idea and leave with a story plotted out -- just in time for NaNoWriMo!

Have you registered for NaNoWriMo yet? Don't wait! There's only a few days left in October.

After you register for NaNoWriMo, head over to the 2010 MBT NaNoWriMo Celebration where you'll get a ton of encouragement and be eligible for great prizes.




If you're not one of the lucky few registered for the Storycrafter Retreat, don't fret. Susan May Warren will teach a one-day Storycrafter Seminar on Saturday, November 13, 2010, near Denver, Colorado! Susie is packing in all the essentials of writing a novel, plus adding a hot, new class - Managing the Muddle (middle!) - into this intensive, one-day seminar. Hurry, the registration deadline ends November 1st!

What are you waiting for? There's never been a better time to write the story of your dreams!

~ Roxanne Sherwood

Just Do It!

Fitness Guru Tony Horton is so dedicated that he plans his exercise schedule six months in advance. Horton, who has one of the most toned bodies for someone over 50, encourages others to plan their workouts. If you want to workout five times a week, he says, then plan which twenty days you'll workout this month. Then, commit to do it!



A friend revealed her goal-setting strategy. She places round stickers--the kind you find in Walmart for pricing garage-sale items--on her calendar with her writing goals. So, sit down with your calendar, spread sheet, day planner, whatever (I've been accused lately of over-using that word), and write down your incremental plan to reach your writing goals.

Then, just do it!

For Fiction Writers, Fall Means NaNoWriMo Time

Fall.
God paints the landscape red, orange, gold, brown, and deep green. Grocery stores prominently display bright Indian corn, orange pumpkins, and decorative gourds in a variety of shapes and colors. Halloween costumes appear, fitting every imagination and personality. Crisp days and chilly nights put a bounce in our steps after summer's heat. Maybe, the season's first fire blazes at the hearth. But, for fiction writers, fall brings NaNoWriMo.

What is NaNoWriMo?
November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). From November 1-30, writers attempt to complete one 50,000-word (175-page) novel. You may sign up at the website at any time, but the novel must be written in November.

Um . . . It's still October. Why post about NaNoWriMo now?
Though your novel must not be started before November 1, it's okay (and preferable) to begin thinking about the book. You may create character sketches, plan outlines, and research your story now. But you'd better hurry, you've only got two weeks.

What's the big deal about NaNoWriMo? I can write a novel anytime.
Sure, you can. And regular readers of this blog are writers. But so many people say they want to write a novel, yet few people actually do. NaNoWriMo encourages everyone from auto mechanics to zoologists to actually write the book of their dreams with a community of other writers all spurring one another to victory.

How many people participate in NaNoWriMo?
In 2009, over 165,000 ordinary people started to write a novel. By November 30, more than 30,000 individuals had become novelists. How cool is that!

What happens after November? What's next?
First, do the Snoopy Dance and celebrate! Whether you crossed the finish line with a completed 50,000-word manuscript or only came close, your book is still a first draft. You'll need to continue reading this blog and others, like The Ponderers and My Book Therapy, and study books on the writing craft. Your novel will still need to be fleshed out--no one really buys a 50,000-word manuscript--then polished and edited. But that's really the easy part. You can fix any problem. But you can't fix a blank page.

So, what are you waiting for? Begin pondering your story and get ready to NaNoWriMo!

~ Roxanne Sherwood

Discovering Motives

I live only an hour from the University of Texas in Austin, so the shooting on Tuesday hit close to home. Police say UT Student Colton Tooley, 19, fired shots on campus with an AK-47 assault rifle, then killed himself inside the library. So far, no one has any idea why Tooley fired those shots. According to the Associated Press in Yahoo! News, those who knew Tooley say he was "intelligent and incapable of hurting anyone." A relative named Marcus described Tooley as "an excellent student who 'wouldn't or couldn't hurt a fly.'" Tooley's high school principal said teachers remembered him as "brilliant, meticulous and respectful." Yesterday, the young student acted completely out of character and no one knows why.

I'm thinking, not many folks have assault rifles stashed under an old army blanket in their closets. At what point did this careful student decide to buy the AK-47? What caused his character to change so drastically? Yet, even as he carried out his plan, even as he fired the weapon, he failed to injure anyone but himself. Even if the campus was still waking up and not many students were around, even if Tooley had lousy aim, he fired an automatic weapon
toward people. Wouldn't he have hit someone if he were trying? In the end, the young man who "couldn't hurt a fly" only hurt himself.

As writers, we always need to know what motivates our characters. Does their motivation make sense? If not, the lack of a proper motive will take the reader completely out of the story faster than almost anything. But with the proper back story, your villain can be believable, your story can be powerful. Your tragic young hero can make serious mistakes, yet your story will resonate with your readers and may change lives.

In the days ahead, I'm sure investigators, psychologists, and profilers will draw a clear picture of what motivated Tooley. Meanwhile, my heart goes out to Tooley's distraught parents on the loss of their son. I'm thankful he didn't take any innocent lives during the shootings and his parents aren't dealing with that additional tragedy as well.

~Roxanne Sherwood

Crafting the One-Sheet.

One sheet designed by Martin Graphics


A writer's one-sheet is a marketing tool for pitching your book to editors and agents at conferences. One-sheets are generally printed on white paper. Color is judiciously used for emphasis. Be careful because using too much color or too many type fonts are marks of an amateur. A desktop publishing program like Macintosh Pages or Microsoft Publisher will give you a professional look. A great touch is to add photos reflecting the book's setting, prominent symbols or theme.

Your one-sheet should include:

Title. Place the book's title at the top of the page in bold letters. Put the author's name directly under the title.

A Tagline. Or hook. Also, called an elevator pitch. In 25- (precise, witty, catchy) words or less, tell what your novel is about.

Brief Synopsis. Look at back cover copy for examples. Susan May Warren calls this The Big Bang. When constructing the big bang, think of these questions: What's at stake for the characters? What's the climax? What's the Black Moment? What's the spiritual takeaway?

Contact Information.Author's name, address, phone number, email address, blog, and website.

A Current Author Photo. This will help the agent or editor remember you and your project.

Author Bio. This is a brief resume of your published works or experience pertinent to your platform. You may be a school teacher writing about bull riding. If you grew up on a ranch, that experience should be included.

Other. Genre. Word count. Status of work. Is it complete or a work-in-progress? Series or stand alone? Agent, if you have one. Target audience.

~Roxanne Sherwood

It's Raining Calicos and Dalmations

I slowed down to pass a two-car accident on the way to my son's speech therapy session. The cars weren't damaged too badly, and no one seemed to need an ambulance. Still, I prayed for the people involved, who I'm sure didn't have "collision" penciled-in on their calendars today. Even minor damage would be a major inconvenience in the pouring rain. I was thankful timing allowed me not to have been part of the accident.

The rain slowed to a drizzle, while my son and I got out of the car. I dashed inside with him in my arms, leaving my purse and umbrella on the seat of my car. While I chatted with the therapist, the deluge started again. Did you notice where I'd left my umbrella and cell phone? Rats! My day continued just like that. I dodged a few raindrops getting my son to preschool, then got soaked when the wind turned my umbrella inside out on the way to pick him up. Home again, I stuck him in a tub of bubbles, then hopped into the shower stall next door. Once we were warm and dry in flannel pj's, I settled down to write.

Since I didn't have an immediate idea for a blog entry today, I began perusing a book on writing that sometimes generates ideas. As I pondered what to write, out of the corner of my eye, I suddenly spied shadows on my ceiling. Stripes of shadows. No, more like stripes of water. Probably running along the beams in the attic. Oh. My. Goodness! Not more water damage to my house. Since last November, this will be my third water repair, each time due to a different problem. Once, the upstairs A.C. drip pan cracked, leaking to my downstairs laundry room/pantry. Then, my dishwasher line cracked. I didn't realize the problem until the surrounding cabinets were so saturated, they could hold no more water.

Life is full of surprises, both good and bad. Our readers depend on us to create suspense in our stories. Beth Vogt promises Double Take, the debut novel by Jenness Walker, startled her so badly when someone snuck up on her that she tossed the book across the room. Great tension, Jenness! But in my real life, enough is enough! I'd like to make a motion to keep bad surprises confined to the pages of my fiction for awhile. Do I hear a second, anyone?

~ Roxanne Sherwood

What Are You Willing to Give Up?

A young mother of two-year-old twins wanted to start a home-based business. She decided to put everything aside for a season, except for the responsibilities of caring for her young family. Having toddler twins, she'd already given up hobbies. What else could be cut from an already full schedule in order to give her business room to grow? She examined her daily and weekly schedule, then made changes to her lifestyle. She whittled down meal preparation to a minimum by rotating two weekly menus. Her husband didn't mind because she'd chosen some easy favorites. She completely stopped entertaining and didn't accept invitations. She literally didn't do anything more than take care of her family and concentrate on her career. In time, her children thrived and so did the business. Once she made a decent profit, she hired help. With a little more free time, she began finding balance and adding back into her life some of the things she'd given up, like entertaining.

For our large family, dining out was a rare luxury. My husband would eat cheaply on his business trips, then treat us to pizza with the money he'd saved. Today, with half the family working and attending college, I don't feed as many kiddos. So pizza has become standard fare for the younger boys. But I don't mind giving up preparing a home-cooked meal once a week. Not at all. That's one sacrifice I make gladly.


I don't enjoy cleaning my house but I really appreciate a neat environment. In the past, friends would look around my home and say, "Wow. You've got seven kids, yet it's so clean." I really liked the "wow." Prided myself on it, in fact. But think of all the books that might have been written, if I'd cleaned a little less, written a bit more. Well, no one says "wow" about the house today. And that's okay by me. I'm holding out for the potential some day to hear a "wow" about a book I've written.

Now, my youngest child attends preschool a few hours each day. Like nearly everyone in our fast-paced society, a long list of demands could easily fill those hours. But I refuse to use that premium writing time to de-clutter or organize my home. My motto of "work before play" meant I'd always cleaned house, then if I had time to spare, I'd write. Writing was merely a hobby I hoped would become my vocation. I must view writing as my work. So I need to take my job seriously and cut out the things--besides taking care of my family or my relationship with God--that prevent me from reaching my dream of publication.

No one reaches success in sports or business without great sacrifices of time, money, or even relationships. These decisions aren't made lightly. Yet, every day, we decide how dedicated we are about writing when we choose how to spend our time.

What hinders your writing? What changes can you to make? What are you willing sacrifice to make your dreams come true?

~Roxanne Sherwood

Watch Liu Wei - Armless Pianist - on China's Got Talent

This young man inspired me so much I had to share his story with you. Watch Lui Wei's perfect performance of "Marriage D'amour" on China's Got Talent 8/8/2010.



An elementary ed major had an assignment designed to give aspiring teachers an appreciation for a child's difficulty with fine motor skills. Her task was to tie a length of string into a bow using only her feet. I witnessed her success but couldn't tie a bow myself. Now, looking at those same feet, I can't imagine playing the piano with them. Why, I can't imagine teaching myself to play the piano with my hands.

Lui Wei, 23, who lost his arms in an electrical accident at age ten, taught himself to play the piano after a teacher told him he'd never succeed. But Lui Wei didn't even begin playing until he was nineteen. (One site reported he started playing at eighteen.) One of the judges asks about abrasions and cramping. Can you imagine the pain in his back and neck from sitting in that position? The pain of flexing his toes over and over, hitting the wrong keys, stretching for the right ones? It's mind boggling. This incredibly brave, determined, talented young man performs the seemingly impossible, yet makes it possible.

On her blog, Reality Rocks, Lyndsey Parker offered a somewhat better translation of Lui Wei's closing remarks. "For people like me, there were only two options. One was to abandon all dreams, which would lead to a quick, hopeless death. The other was to struggle without arms to live an outstanding life."

I'm grateful Lui chose the second one.

Beginning today, let us practice our craft like never before. Let us no longer squander our writing time with distractions. Let us not be deterred from pressing on toward our goals. May our stories inspire others. May each one of us live a wonderful life.

~Roxanne Sherwood

"Grab Your Gear"

The parent of any preschooler knows their son or daughter can't go to bed alone. These tots don't watch NCIS like I do--though they may enjoy reruns in a decade or so--and they haven't heard Special Agent Gibbs say, "Grab your gear." But young children need the bedtime ritual of grabbing all the gear they'll need to take the sometimes scary journey into dreamland.

My nephew's gear consisted of a stack of books and a flashlight. My oldest son needed a certain small pillow and a pacifier. The second child required a blanket to accompany his thumb a la Linus. However, my youngest has taken the concept to a whole 'nother level.


Four-year-old Peter's bedtime gear includes a menagerie of stuffed friends. As an infant, he began sleeping with a blue, puppy-faced blankie. As he started crawling, he added a tan, brown, and white, floppy-eared pup. As a toddler, he permanently borrowed his older brother's birthday present--a humongous dog, whose body has so little stuffing, it's barely more than a dog-skinned rug with a fluffy head and fat feet. Those same feet poke into my back at night, tricking me into thinking they're parts of Peter. I lay in uncomfortable positions, afraid to move for fear of rolling onto my child or at least waking him. Morning finds me illogically glaring at the stupid inanimate object for ruining my sleep. No use whining on my part as Big Dog is a keeper. Though larger than Peter, my son valiantly carries Big Dog up or down the stairs like a victorious hunter. But Peter's preference isn't exclusive to canines. He's also attached to Chip and especially Dale, whose red nose and tuft of hair makes him a favorite. As if the bed wasn't already crowded, Mickey Mouse is a new permanent addition. Others animals come and go on a whim. Tonight, Owl has a place too.

What's this story got to do with writing, besides giving me a chance to share a really cute photo of my child? Well, the back-to-school sales have me itching to stock up on writing gear. Are my highlighters dry and need replacing? Don't I need colored index cards for scenes for my wip? Look at those Sharpies. Can I justify more pens, notebooks, and binder clips? Aspiring-writer Lisa Jordan has admitted an addiction to Post-It Notes. I find them hard to resist too.

What gear do you need before you begin to write? Please share your favorites. You just may give me an idea of what to buy next time I peruse the office supply aisle.

~Roxanne Sherwood

Responsibility and Creativity

Galatians 6 from The Message:

"Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don't be impressed with yourself. Don't compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life."

Hope these words speak to you today. ~Roxanne Sherwood

I Wish It Was This Easy To Be Creative

But, sadly, it's not.

Writer Teri Dawn Smith recently wrote of her brainstorming technique using a letter cube like the one in the Scattergories game or by choosing a tile from a Scrabble game. When she needs "a new idea, a creative detail or even a solution to a problem," Teri says it's amazing what happens when she rolls that cube and a random letter pops up. Brainstorming with that letter lifts her "out of a rut."

Critically-acclaimed Author Steven James does the opposite of brainstorming. He limits himself to foster creativity. For example, hasn't this scenario played in your home?

"Where do you want to go to dinner?"

"I don't know. Where do you want to go?"

When nearly all the restaurants in town are possibilities, the conversation could continue for the next thirty minutes without reaching concrete dinner plans, leaving family members grumpy and hungry. A quicker result would be found if the choices were limited. "Do you want steaks, Italian, or pizza?"

James suggests limiting the choices aids creativity. He asks two questions. What would the character naturally do in this scene? How can I make things go worse? His goal is to drive the story by putting the character into an impossible situation.

The next time you're stuck and wonder what happens next, try brainstorming as Teri suggests or ask James' two questions. Either way, you're sure to be "unstuck" and making progress toward typing those magical words "the end."

~ Roxanne Sherwood

Writing to Music, or Not?

Everything about my writing habits are changing. Schedule. Location. Even a new work-in-progress. I'm used to writing in the late hours of the night when my younger children are asleep and the house has gone quiet. There aren't many visual distractions, and no one cares if I mouth bits of dialogue, trying them on my tongue as I test them on the page.

After parenting for 23 years, I've finally gotten what I've long yearned for--the opportunity to claim a few hours during the day as my very own. But, unless I want to waste half of the time driving from school to home and back again, I'll need to learn to write in public venues like Starbucks and the library. It's going to be eerie writing while surrounded by people. I've mastered editing during my kids' many activities, but composing new material is a whole 'nother animal. To avoid visual distractions, I'll look for corner tables and sit with my back to the public. Maybe it's time to end the silence and try writing to music.

Multi-published, Award-winning Author Francine Rivers requires background noise as she writes, whether from her busy family when her children were young or a blaring television. But she prefers to write to music and uses it to set the scene. For example, when Rivers was writing The Last Sin Eater, she listened to a lot of Appalachian music. While writing Her Mother's Hope, set during World War II, she listened to swing dancing and big band music. She also likes sound tracks, including the music from Troy.

I can't imagine writing as I listen to anything with lyrics. I guess I'm afraid snippets of songs will find there way into my novel. My new wip will incorporate show tunes, so I'll listen to several soundtracks. But I plan to listen when I'm traveling in the car, doing housework, and working out--not while I'm writing. But I bought a white-noise CD with the sounds of the ocean to break my vow of silence.

Do you listen to music as you write? Does it set the scene for you? If so, what type of music works best for you?

~ Roxanne Sherwood

Staying Relevant

My ancient home copy machine needed toner. In the scope of my day, buying toner was hardly a blip on the radar. Just another item on an already too-full list. But I needed toner for a Xerox machine, only I couldn't find any. Turns out, Office Depot, Office Max, and Best Buy, the only stores in my day's shopping radius, all carry toner for copy machines--just not Xerox copiers.

What happened? When did Xerox lose its market share? The word Xerox used to be synonymous with copies. Like Band-Aid and Kleenex, Xerox had to worry about its brand becoming a common noun. My machine is so reliable that after thirteen years I've only replaced one part. And it still makes clear copies. . . if it has toner. When did Xerox lose its relevance as a premier copier?

In writing, it's important to stay relevant too. I know a multi-published, award-winning author whose historical novels weren't selling well a few years ago when historicals hit a slump. She had to reinvent herself as an author of contemporary fiction in order to stay published. Is your writing relevant to our culture? I'm now looking at my own writing with a different eye.

----

If you are able to travel to San Antonio, it's not too late to register for a Mid-Summer Writers Conference on July 17, 2010. Christian Writers Group of Greater San Antonio is offering "Hearts and Craft," a one-day conference with workshops by Janice Thompson, Allison Pittman, Eileen Key, Kelly Irvin and Karen Roth. The cost is $40. Click here for registration form and details.

~ Roxanne Sherwood

Let 'em Have It!

Ask a Miss America contestant what she wants and chances are she's going to reply, "World peace."

The hippies' movement is known for the chant, "Make love, not war." They made peace signs of all sizes and psychedelic colors famous.

But fiction requires conflict. So make a little war between your characters. Now's the time to pick your battles, start a skirmish, engage in a fight. Create conflict. This week, I critiqued a new writer who's a kindhearted person. She's known as a peacemaker among friends and family. Her lovely heroine is starting a new life, transitioning from a successful career as a manager to owning a small business. Not a detail goes awry. Everything quickly falls into place. I'm envious. I want this gal's life!

But I don't want to read this book. No conflict causes me to wonder what will happen next. No tension forces me to stay up past my bedtime to read one more chapter.

Don't fall in love with your characters--well, maybe a little with your hero. Selling fiction writers aren't nice to their characters. You've still got to let 'em have it. Write conflict into every chapter, preferably scene. After all, if the scene doesn't have conflict, you've got to ask,"Why is it there?"

Don't make these common mistakes:
--Bickering between two characters isn't page-turning conflict.
--Riveting fiction isn't built on a misunderstanding that can be cleared up between a conversation.

Great conflict doesn't result from events that happen to the characters--other than the inciting incident that sets the story in motion. Rather, riveting fiction results from choices the characters make. Get to know your character's goals and motivations, and you know exactly the opposite roadblocks to stop them from obtaining their dreams until the very end. Discover the lies they believe keep them enchained in the past, unable to hope for happiness until you give your characters their happily ever after--and your readers their great read.

Great resources to learn to write better conflict are Debra Dixon's Goal, Motivation & Conflict; James Scott Bell's Plot & Structure; and Susan May Warren's From the Inside ... Out.

~Roxanne Sherwood

Who Keeps You Acountable?

In summer, schedules are shed along with layers of extra clothing, and the only routine I can count on are daily piles of laundry resembling the Texas Hill Country. Younger kiddos wake with the sun, while teens don't rise until eleven a.m. or so--just in time to abide by the letter of family law, technically claiming they got up in the morning. Breakfast is eaten any where from sunrise until noon.

Q. With the lack of structure, how can I maintain a writing schedule in my topsy-turvy home?

A. Establish accountability.

Oh, those words were so easy to type . . . But so hard to do.

Q. So how can we really become more accountable?

1. Find a partner. From weight-loss plans to 12-step programs, it's well known that a buddy or mentor helps you reach your goal. If you don't have a partner, see if there is a local writing group you can join. American Christian Fiction Writers or Romance Writers of America both have local groups across the country. If you're in a rural area or small town without a group, try joining an online critique group.

2. Commit to a daily word count or page count.
When you reach your quota, reward yourself. If you fail to make your quota one day, make it up the next. Keep track of your forward motion. Momentum builds. As you see your word count grow, you'll want to squeeze in more writing time to make even more progress. If you miss one day, be really diligent the next one. Missing one day, then another without consequences, and you're quickly making excuses not to write.

3. Work through a writing craft book. If you've got a writing partner, this is a great activity to do together and another way to be accountable. If you don't have a partner yet, it can help with accountability by tracking your progress. Writing is a skill that can be learned, but it must be practiced. Two great books from multi-published, award-winning authors are Susan May Warren's From the Inside...Out: Discover, Create and Publish the Novel in You! and James Scott Bell's Plot & Structure.

What are you doing to stay accountable to your writing goals during the lazy months of summer?

~Roxanne Sherwood

A Perfect Pitch

Summertime.
Baseball players of all ages are winding up to practice their pitches. Time for writers to practice yours too.

Even if you're writing the first draft of your novel, people will ask, "What's your book about?"

If you say, "Forgiveness," or mention any other theme, they'll still ask, "Yeah, but what's it about?"

If you hem and haw and sputter over you're words, you'll lose their interest.

If it takes a couple of paragraphs to describe all the intricate details of your plot, you'll get the same reaction as the previous example.

If you're passionate about your work--and face it, you'd better be passionate about it to spend about a jillion hours writing the darn thing--you need the skill of being able to pitch your story in a quick sentence or two.


The elevator pitch.
Say you're a writer who steps into an elevator and sees your dream editor standing inside. The editor is your captive audience for at least the time it takes to travel one floor. You've only got 15-30 seconds to convince him to buy your book. What are you going to say?

James Scott Bell gives a quick and easy pitch formula to get started:
A adjective adjective noun (describing the main character) does blank and blank (verbs).

A suicidal family man struggles to escape his failures and discovers what life would be like if he'd never been born.

A good pitch does three things:
1) Tells the genre.
2) Describes the basic premise.
3) Hooks the listener into wanting to know more.

He's a pacifist. She's a black belt. They disagree on everything except saving the lives of the kids in their neighborhood.

For examples of good pitches, read the back cover copy of books, scour the TV Guide and check movie listings.

To see examples of how not to pitch and why they don't work, hop over to the Rachelle Gardner's blog Rants & Ramblings On Life as a Literary Agent.

http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/search/label/Pitching

~ Roxanne Sherwood

I'm heading to Seattle to attend the Beyond My Book Therapy: A Polish, Promotion & Pitch Retreat. (Yay!)

Award-winning author Susan May Warren will teach, step by step, how to craft a synopsis and a query letter, plus how to construct a compelling first chapter. Then, she’ll show how to craft a pitch that will attract the attention of editors and agents.

Professional marketing expert Jim Rubart, president of Barefoot Marketing, will reveal the seven fundamentals of successful book promotion.

Finally, renowned agent Chip MacGregor, president and owner of MacGregor Literary will offer gut-level honesty on what is working in the pitch and hands on advice on how to fix what isn’t.

Don't you want to pack your bags and come along? Start planning now to attend My Book Therapy Coaching Retreats in 2011. Meanwhile, I'll have lots to share with you in the weeks ahead.

~Roxanne Sherwood

Knowledgerush: Collective Nouns for People

Collective nouns can be tricky. We've made a game on road trips by naming collective nouns for animals. With young children, this educational game elicits lots of giggles.

Q. What's a group of geese called?

A gaggle.

Q. What's a group of lions called?

A pride.

And so on...

But, have you heard this one?

Q. What's a group of secret agents called?

A bond of secret agents.

For your summer road trip, here's a new spin collective nouns for people, which you may not be familiar with:

Subject ......... Collective term
academics........A faculty of academics
accountants.....A balance of accountants
actors...............A cast of actors
arsonists..........A conflagration of arsonists
auto dealers.....A lot of automobile dealers
beauties...........A bevy of beauties
bureaucrats.....A shuffle of bureaucrats
cardiologists....A flutter of cardiologists
critics...............A pan of critics
doctors.............A doctrine of doctors
engineers.........A geek of engineers
fishermen.........An exaggeration of fishermen

For the complete list, visit Knowledgerush.com.