USUALLY, no Whining Allowed. But Today is a Legal Whining Day! Have at it!

One way that I use the 750 Words to think like a writer is to get rid of all the negative un-writerly thoughts.

Yes, I gripe.
I complain.
I #@$#($*#(*(.

Yes, indeed, it is cathartic to do this in a bold, unfiltered way.
Today, write 750 words and just get it off your chest.

With that out of the way, you can Think Like a Writer the rest of the day.

Just don’t get in the habit of doing this every day–that would be a wasteful way to spend your 750 words. But sometimes. . .

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Wisdom, the Midway Albatross

by Darcy Pattison

Giveaway ends March 11, 2012.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

4 Ways to Battle Discouragement

When you are so very, very tired of yet another rejection, when discouragement threatens to overwhelm you, what do you do?

Friends: One antidote is to stop writing and be with friends. Writer-friends are especially helpful because you can commiserate endlessly (read: complain) about how callous those horrible editors are, how short-sighted, how bad their taste in literature is not to recognize genius when they read YOUR mss. Second best is a DH, who’s been there through the worst of it with you and been there through the good (Thanks, D!) Mostly, you just need someone who love you and understands that these creative efforts are necessary for your well-being–even when you get rejection after rejection.

Past Successes: Yes, you have past successes. You have finished a story, maybe even a whole novel. Don’t look right now at the fact that it needs a big overhaul; just look at what you’ve accomplished! 50,000 words in a month! 3 picture book manuscripts polished and sent out this year. You’ve taken solid, positive steps in the right direction. Your cup is half full, not half empty! Look!

Get out of Town: This weekend, my DH and I went camping and hiking. Back to nature, where no words on a paper/computer screen make a difference. Here’s a couple shots from the Buffalo National River. One thing this does for me is remind me to look for small details. It fills my tank of sights, sounds, smells, textures, so I have something to put in my writing later. The shoe was at an old abandoned farmhouse. You may not like camping (silly you!), but sometimes you need a break, a change of scenery, a day off. Get out of town!

Earbie Campground, Buffalo National River. Click to enlarge

The view from Goat Bluff, near Earbie Campground. Click to enlarge

Shoe: found at Farmer's Farmstead, abandoned farm near Earbie Campground. Click to enlarge

Read Art and Fear

If all else fails? Read Art and Fear. It’s a book that I cherish as something that keeps me grounded. It talks about common fears that artists (they talk about painters and photographers, but it applies to us) must face as they work and publicize their work. We walk in a dichotomy of needing to create, yet needing to grow the audience for our work, so we can create more.

There have been days–when I receive a rejection letter after 14 months of assurance that a contract was coming–when all I can do is sit at my desk and cry. And read Art and Fear one more time. And turn to the computer and start to write because everything this small book says is true. I write because I must; and those who love me best know that I must. Discouraged? There is help. Read this book.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Wisdom, the Midway Albatross

by Darcy Pattison

Giveaway ends March 11, 2012.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Sometimes I write for other places or other places talk about my books. Here are some links for your reading pleasure.

2012 Writer’s Market

This year’s market guide–the best in the industry–includes my article on Book Trailers. Based on my experience writing The Book Trailer Manual, the article talks about the pros/cons of book trailers, how to create them and options for the content of your trailers. You can see my book trailers on my YouTube Darcy Pattison channel.

Voice: A Conversation of Many

Author Bobbi Miller has put together a great conversation on Voice in this presentation: A Conversation of Many: What is Voice Anyway?
Besides my take on voice, read what these authors, editors and professionals have to say: Cheryl Klein, Kathi Appelt, Adam Gidwitz, Eric Kimmel, Nathan Brandsford, Emma Dryden and many more.

Reviews of Prairie Storms

Order NOW!

• Taking Time for Mommy
• Just Another New Blog
• Mom of 3 Dolls: And One More
• Heck of a Bunch
• Just Our Thoughts
• Peace, Love and Rainbows
• Feathered Quill
• Elizabeth O. Dulemba
• Simply Science

Have you seen the Prairie Storms September Coloring Page?

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Wisdom, the Midway Albatross

by Darcy Pattison

Giveaway ends March 11, 2012.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

I’m going today to a high school English class and writing class to talk about my writing process. It may not come up, but I’ve been thinking about what advice I would give a teen about becoming a fiction writer.

Advice on Becoming a Fiction Writer

Essentials

First, be a reader. Read widely. Read everything you can get your hands on, regardless of genre. Put words, phrases, language into your head, banking it for the day you need it. Be voracious. Gulp down stories. Mystery, historical, sff, contemporary – genre almost doesn’t matter. In high school, I read a Harlequin romance a day. Trash reading, yes, but reading. And in between, I read everything else I could. Read.

Photo from http://www.flickr.com/photos/danamarie593/3153514213/

Love story. Besides reading, learn to love storytelling and story. Learn the elements of story, enjoy stories, tell stories, listen to stories, write stories. Stories, they are the stuff of books.

Love language. Get the dictionary habit and don’t ever stop looking up words. Revel is an apt word or phrase. Read aloud whenever you can, so you develop an ear for a story well told.

Pencil and Paper. Buy a good pencil and a stack of paper and start writing.

Optional

Well, anything else is optional. However, I think these things are helpful, if you have the inclination, opportunity, funds, etc.

Computer skills. Today, almost everything in publishing is done on computer and the more comfortable you are with computers, the better. Word processing, those awful Adobe programs, video-editing, etc. Learn as much as you can.

Web skills. Likewise, any skills you can develop for the internet will help. Learn to do blogs, webpages, social media, upload pictures, upload videos, etc. Anything you can do will give you a way to boost marketing.

Accounting, marketing and basic business classes. Fiction writers are generally self-employed, so I’d recommend any business classes which will help you track income, market yourself and your work, negotiate contracts, etc.

Career-based training. Everyone has to eat. A job is a good thing, especially in the early years of your career. Get trained as a doctor (Michael Creighton), a lawyer (John Grisham), or a gemologist. Avoid teaching, because grading papers bleeds away your time to write.

Public speaking. Many writers earn a large portion of their income from public speaking. Take as many classes as you need to become comfortable in front of people.

OK, what skills or passions did I leave out? What else would you advise a teen who wants to be a successful fiction writer?

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Wisdom, the Midway Albatross

by Darcy Pattison

Giveaway ends March 11, 2012.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

For the next four or five days, I won’t write. I won’t look at a novel manuscript or a picture book manuscript or even think the word, “Revise.”

Just Breathe

“How important it is to take the time to read literature, to look at art, to go to concerts. If all parts of your brain aren’t nourished, you become really limited — less sensitive. It’s like food. You’d get pretty strange if you at ice cream all the time.” — Kent Nagano, orchestra conductor.

I plan to shop for groceries, cook, ride bikes, visit the art center, cheer for a Razorback football game (Arkansas v. LSU), and talk and talk and talk to friends and family.

And re-read my two favorite children’s books about Thanksgiving:

Happy Thanksgiving!
See you on Monday!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Wisdom, the Midway Albatross

by Darcy Pattison

Giveaway ends March 11, 2012.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win