I have not given Seth Abramson much love in my other observations, so I'll start with him today. Most of his blog has lately been taken up with "hiatus" videos, but there are plenty of links to his Huffington Post articles, which are pretty recent. I looked at his 6 Myths About the Creative Writing Master of Fine Arts wherein he takes on some commonly held notions. I won't do a play by play, but the gist is this: Creative Writing MFA's aren't to be sniffed at. Many programs are fully funded and others provide a great deal of moolah to those accepted. That said, not everybody is accepted and many MFA programs are more selective than the leading ivy-league schools, and MFA programs are not a place to get a book deal so much as a place to develop one's skills - if that does not sound like your thing, then don't worry, one does not need an MFA to get published. But if that is your deal, then pick a program based upon the student/faculty ratio and its level of involvement, not the celebrity of its teachers. And don't worry about losing your style to "the mold." Most MFA students are in their twenties, so they are reluctant to alter their developed styles.
Janet Reid was in a similar boat, posting mostly short spots and links to other articles. But there was one amusing post about the Amtrak shutting down en rout to some editorial venue or other and another post that caught my eye: haiku query letters. Reid saw it on another blog and re-posted some of the suggested haikus, leaving me sorely tempted to send a serious query letter in the form of Japanese poetry.
For all you paranoid writers out there (that's me as well), the Urban Muse has got a nice list of ideas to protect your beloved ideas from other authors and untrustworthy editors. The post mainly caters to freelance authors, though I suppose that the rest of us can glean some useful info from the list. The main idea is to protect original ideas during the pitch (that is, when a freelancer offers to write for a magazine or similar publication), when the editor could take the offered idea and either write it themselves or have another author do the same. Suggested protections are contracts, credentials (only YOU can do it!), researching editors, and good old fashioned friendship.
For those of you living near Port Moody, there is a writers' group that the Beacon Blog just mentioned. They've some openings for new members, though it seems the deadline was the 14th of this month. Still, this group might be a neat recourse, so look them up if you're interested!
Cynsations has another interview out and this one is about a new series called Samurai Kids. Apparently based in a realistic world, the story is about an samurai dojo for the community outcasts, chief among them a one-legged boy who wants to be a samurai. The story sounds like an interesting mix of Japanese details and American values, wherein the feudal era is mixed with the age-old tale of misfits banding together to overcome any obstacle. Throw in some teen samurai Olympics and a rival team that goes by the intimidating sobriquet "the Dragons" and we're all set for some swords and sandals in the far east. I was critical in my last post of those series that try to fit with a fad, but since I am a sucker for such imports at Rurouni Kenshin and Naruto, I may just give Samurai Kids a chance.
Finally, the Blue Rose Girls have a post up to discuss the roles of editors at writers' conferences. These events are exhausting to work, but great fun at the same time. Booth duty is the main thing for editors, which entails maintaining the booth itself (and getting water for those working at it) and helping those who approach with anything that they need (information, sales, advice, etc.). Naturally, there is the program of the convention itself that demands attendance, but such is usually left to the senior editors. Perks of the job.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Youtube Interviews
I watched some video interviews yesterday, wherein several writing teachers were asked questions regarding their experience with publication.
First up was Robin Becker, who revealed that she queried ~70 agents before settling on Janet Reid (whom I've written about). Becker used agentquery.com to locate candidates. What she published was a zombie novel and she is currently working on a thriller, though I can't recall if it is at all related - I think not. Becker was pleased to break into the published world with a zombie novel because the genre is big right now. She said that while twitter and facebook may not be ideal publicity tools for beginning writers, they are certainly good for keeping up with trends.
Becker used the word, "workshoppy," to describe certain works that focus on form over story. To her, story is the most important thing.
Mark Spitzer got published by sending out his works like a machine. Sure, he made mistakes (addressed to wrong editor, anyone?) but had to learn not to fear the indignant reactions from publishing houses. He likes to think about quantity over quality for beginning authors, and about stirring things up in the literary world; get noticed! One of the tricks he used was to write a chapbook and send a nice copy out to publishers, allowing them to publish whatever they fancied or to even review it, should the mood hit them. Spitzer likes to work on more than one project at a time; he is currently writing a teen-post-apocalyptic story (hey, it's popular right now!)
Garry Craig Powell may be British, but he enjoys topics about the American South. He had an easy time getting published when he wrote about blues while on a trip down that way. Powell's strength is his ability to network and he has got some things published under the auspices of Dave Eggers and found an agent through another contact in New Orleans. He had some good things to say about indie presses, likening them to indie films, while the mainstream is becoming like Hollywood.
John Vanderslice was first published in his college's literary magazine. When he felt ready he began researching more journals and began sending out submissions to five or six journals at once. All authors are encouraged to keep files on what they've published and what is being sent out at any given time and Vanderslice likes to use the old-fashioned file drawers. He keeps two types of files: one categorized by the names of the journals he is soliciting, with the stories that are sent there all alphabetized; and one file on stories, with each of the journals solicited listed in alphabetical order. He finds that the best time to send out submissions is in the fall, as there is a better chance that the publishers are open to material at that time.
First up was Robin Becker, who revealed that she queried ~70 agents before settling on Janet Reid (whom I've written about). Becker used agentquery.com to locate candidates. What she published was a zombie novel and she is currently working on a thriller, though I can't recall if it is at all related - I think not. Becker was pleased to break into the published world with a zombie novel because the genre is big right now. She said that while twitter and facebook may not be ideal publicity tools for beginning writers, they are certainly good for keeping up with trends.
Becker used the word, "workshoppy," to describe certain works that focus on form over story. To her, story is the most important thing.
Mark Spitzer got published by sending out his works like a machine. Sure, he made mistakes (addressed to wrong editor, anyone?) but had to learn not to fear the indignant reactions from publishing houses. He likes to think about quantity over quality for beginning authors, and about stirring things up in the literary world; get noticed! One of the tricks he used was to write a chapbook and send a nice copy out to publishers, allowing them to publish whatever they fancied or to even review it, should the mood hit them. Spitzer likes to work on more than one project at a time; he is currently writing a teen-post-apocalyptic story (hey, it's popular right now!)
Garry Craig Powell may be British, but he enjoys topics about the American South. He had an easy time getting published when he wrote about blues while on a trip down that way. Powell's strength is his ability to network and he has got some things published under the auspices of Dave Eggers and found an agent through another contact in New Orleans. He had some good things to say about indie presses, likening them to indie films, while the mainstream is becoming like Hollywood.
John Vanderslice was first published in his college's literary magazine. When he felt ready he began researching more journals and began sending out submissions to five or six journals at once. All authors are encouraged to keep files on what they've published and what is being sent out at any given time and Vanderslice likes to use the old-fashioned file drawers. He keeps two types of files: one categorized by the names of the journals he is soliciting, with the stories that are sent there all alphabetized; and one file on stories, with each of the journals solicited listed in alphabetical order. He finds that the best time to send out submissions is in the fall, as there is a better chance that the publishers are open to material at that time.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Reviewing Ariel Gore
I just recently finished Ariel Gore's book, How to Become a Famous Writer Before You're Dead. It sounds all fun and fancy, but I found the content to be a bit like the title: fun, but just a hint morose.
You see, the funny titles is based upon the death of a friend of Ariel's, as she explains in the preface. Alli wanted Ariel to help her with advice about writing and getting published, but life got in the way and before they could meet Alli had a seizure and died. How to Become a Famous Writer was inspired by that tragedy.
First the bad news: if you have read very many "how to" books on writing, section one of the book is old news. It talks about writing generally and covers a lot of ground, so that could be a good thing if one chooses to read just this book and no other.
I was also a bit bogged down by the numerous interviews with different writers. I suppose each interview corresponded with a section (Margaret Cho's interview was spliced into the chapter about self-promotion) but for the most part the writers seemed to mainly give their two-cents on the writing life, which did not offer up much to me (that said, the interviews in part 3 were another matter entirely, as I'll explain shortly).
Another point of concern would be the profuse indulgence in dirty language and the attention given the gay publishing world. The F-bomb is dropped quite liberally and writers for "queer" literature are featured several times throughout the book. To me, it just begs the question: if I were to be interviewed, would Ariel have introduced me as "straight"? No, so what's the point?
Now for the good news: the down and dirty of the publishing world is where it's at in this book. Parts 3-5 offer advice on self-publishing, big-name publishing, and self-promotion, respectively. I found part 3 the most helpful, especially the chapters about Zines, a field that is pretty new to me. Given our technology today, self-publishing is insanely easy, making the real challenge simply getting recognized. Set aside a week's pay at minimum wage and you can have a stack of lovely published works sitting on your coffee table. But getting your name out there is the key, so those three sections are a gold mine of information.
Publicity may be my weakness, since I'm just not inclined to stand out on a street corner in a gorilla mask and tutu (p.257) but there are many options that would not have come to mind otherwise, such as newspaper and radio interviews, roadtrip readings, and getting a book banned. Ariel encourages her readers to be shameless because, after all, you'll (maybe) never see any of these people again and now they know where to find your stuff. I guess one just has to follow what one would do naturally (ie, no tutus for me).
Friday, November 12, 2010
Update to Sergeant York
I heard back from the folks at Simply Charlotte Mason, and they have granted me permission to post a selection from my chapter submitted to their American history project. Please note that there has been no editing done on their end and the chapter will not be published for another year.
Taken from Corporal York Defeats the Machine Gun
"On the morning of October 8, Corporal York and the men of Company G look out across a broad field, over a mile wide with no cover to hide behind. The Germans are guarding this field zealously, because beyond this place lies the railroad that the Americans hope to capture. To lose this supply line will mean a great deal of trouble for the Kaiser, so the German commanders have placed their infamous machine guns along the ridges on the other side of the valley; they mean to keep it at all costs. The Americans know this, but all they can do is carry themselves like men and brave the field."
Taken from Corporal York Defeats the Machine Gun
"On the morning of October 8, Corporal York and the men of Company G look out across a broad field, over a mile wide with no cover to hide behind. The Germans are guarding this field zealously, because beyond this place lies the railroad that the Americans hope to capture. To lose this supply line will mean a great deal of trouble for the Kaiser, so the German commanders have placed their infamous machine guns along the ridges on the other side of the valley; they mean to keep it at all costs. The Americans know this, but all they can do is carry themselves like men and brave the field."
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
O Frabjous Day!
I never thought that I would wind up writing for a textbook, but that's life, I suppose.
Back in September Simply Charlotte Mason, a homeschool resource provider, was running a contest for its collaborative American history project. Entrants were encouraged to submit a chapter of 1500+ words on a subject in the 1900s for use in a new textbook on that time period.
The challenge was to write a "living book," something of which the educator Charlotte Mason - for whom the site is names - was very fond. Living books make their subject matter come alive, rather than spitting out dry facts. Since this was how I was educated, I thought I'd contribute.
I chose Sergeant York of WWI fame, a man that I read about in Albert Marrin's THE YANKS ARE COMING. The story had thrilled me at age 16 so I can only imagine how it would invigorate a young child. In writing the chapter, I turned to my good friend Charles Carleton Coffin for inspiration and wound up writing everything in the present tense. It was great fun and I sent it out figuring that at least I had done my part. And you know what? It got accepted! The textbook will be published sometime next year and all contributors get a complimentary copy. O Frabjous Day!
I'll ask around and see whether it would be appropriate to include an excerpt for the public's viewing. I'm new to this whole thing, so now that SCM owns the rights I may need their permission.
If you want to follow Simply Charlotte Mason you can either use the link above or check out their related blog.
Back in September Simply Charlotte Mason, a homeschool resource provider, was running a contest for its collaborative American history project. Entrants were encouraged to submit a chapter of 1500+ words on a subject in the 1900s for use in a new textbook on that time period.
The challenge was to write a "living book," something of which the educator Charlotte Mason - for whom the site is names - was very fond. Living books make their subject matter come alive, rather than spitting out dry facts. Since this was how I was educated, I thought I'd contribute.
I chose Sergeant York of WWI fame, a man that I read about in Albert Marrin's THE YANKS ARE COMING. The story had thrilled me at age 16 so I can only imagine how it would invigorate a young child. In writing the chapter, I turned to my good friend Charles Carleton Coffin for inspiration and wound up writing everything in the present tense. It was great fun and I sent it out figuring that at least I had done my part. And you know what? It got accepted! The textbook will be published sometime next year and all contributors get a complimentary copy. O Frabjous Day!
I'll ask around and see whether it would be appropriate to include an excerpt for the public's viewing. I'm new to this whole thing, so now that SCM owns the rights I may need their permission.
If you want to follow Simply Charlotte Mason you can either use the link above or check out their related blog.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Once A'more
It's been a month, so let's see what everyone is up to out there. Janet Reid has a link on her blog about NaNoWriMo, which I am doing - after a fashion, stretching the time limit out to three months with 55k words instead of the usual 50k in 30 days. Not exactly the same, but I'm quite enjoying myself! So maybe that is not the best way to begin this, because the link sent me to Murderati and the article on NaNoWriMo is rather dour, all doom and gloom, "write a book for her." Though perhaps they have a point: that stories are often written for those who need an escape. Lord knows I find escape in my writing, once those juices are flowing.
Well, perhaps The Beacon Blog will prove more uplifting. Ah, yes! Here we are encouraged to be professional with our choice of addresses, none of that soccergurl49, please. Why? Because you will be lost amidst the shuffle when your editor/agent goes looking for your name. What's more, she even suggests getting "your own" email, that is, one for which you pay, not a free service.
While we're talking about professional attitudes, The Urban Muse suggests reclaiming some of the house for one's own. Granted, she works out of the house, so I suppose that one's office is subject to one's working conditions. But the idea is sound and the pictures are excellent and motivating. And really, it is all about getting the most and best work done, and doing it right. So whether you do like Miss Muse and redecorate your house, or like King and curl up in a broom closet, take whatever environment you have a clean it up!
Blue Rose Girls have got a post up answering a couple questions, one of them about children's books and dummies. For those who are not familiar with "dummies," they are the rough sketches for picture books, like a graphic novel's first thumb sketches. The text for the book is complete and ready for print, but must be carefully laid out on so many pages (often ~32) for the sake of printing and other needs. I found this post helpful because I'm interested in a few of my stories possibly becoming picture books and it will be good to know what to expect. Here, it was asked whether one should indicate the action if it is not made clear. Rose Girls said "yes," sketch it or write it in the margins if it is important enough and carries the story along.
Over at Cynsations there's an interview with Kiersten White, author of Paranormalcy. As I'd never heard of the book and suspect that I am not alone, here is a synopsis shamelessly ripped from that post:
Evie’s always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals’ glamours.
But Evie’s about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.
So much for normal.
Okay, so I really should be objective, but let's be honest: my first reaction to this was, "not again." No, it's not the teen romance or the inevitable angst or the prom-night maiden on the cover (although I admit she is quite the bombshell). Actually, I'm just getting a bit tired of the "teens deal with teen problems and teen angst in a fantasy setting." Ever since Harry Potter, it seems as though the world is swimming in a steady deluge of genre fiction from the teenaged point of view. And why not! I'm sure they sell out routinely. But is it not enough that Twilight and Percy Jackson had to jump on the bandwagon? Even though the tales young masters Potter and Jackson are rather masterful (I honestly can't speak for that shady Cullen fellow), one must question why the world feels the need to follow a winning trend.
But then, I suppose I just answered my own question there!
Well, perhaps The Beacon Blog will prove more uplifting. Ah, yes! Here we are encouraged to be professional with our choice of addresses, none of that soccergurl49, please. Why? Because you will be lost amidst the shuffle when your editor/agent goes looking for your name. What's more, she even suggests getting "your own" email, that is, one for which you pay, not a free service.
While we're talking about professional attitudes, The Urban Muse suggests reclaiming some of the house for one's own. Granted, she works out of the house, so I suppose that one's office is subject to one's working conditions. But the idea is sound and the pictures are excellent and motivating. And really, it is all about getting the most and best work done, and doing it right. So whether you do like Miss Muse and redecorate your house, or like King and curl up in a broom closet, take whatever environment you have a clean it up!
Blue Rose Girls have got a post up answering a couple questions, one of them about children's books and dummies. For those who are not familiar with "dummies," they are the rough sketches for picture books, like a graphic novel's first thumb sketches. The text for the book is complete and ready for print, but must be carefully laid out on so many pages (often ~32) for the sake of printing and other needs. I found this post helpful because I'm interested in a few of my stories possibly becoming picture books and it will be good to know what to expect. Here, it was asked whether one should indicate the action if it is not made clear. Rose Girls said "yes," sketch it or write it in the margins if it is important enough and carries the story along.
Over at Cynsations there's an interview with Kiersten White, author of Paranormalcy. As I'd never heard of the book and suspect that I am not alone, here is a synopsis shamelessly ripped from that post:
Evie’s always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals’ glamours.
But Evie’s about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.
So much for normal.
Okay, so I really should be objective, but let's be honest: my first reaction to this was, "not again." No, it's not the teen romance or the inevitable angst or the prom-night maiden on the cover (although I admit she is quite the bombshell). Actually, I'm just getting a bit tired of the "teens deal with teen problems and teen angst in a fantasy setting." Ever since Harry Potter, it seems as though the world is swimming in a steady deluge of genre fiction from the teenaged point of view. And why not! I'm sure they sell out routinely. But is it not enough that Twilight and Percy Jackson had to jump on the bandwagon? Even though the tales young masters Potter and Jackson are rather masterful (I honestly can't speak for that shady Cullen fellow), one must question why the world feels the need to follow a winning trend.
But then, I suppose I just answered my own question there!
Krishna on the Street
I was walking to the bus stop this afternoon and found a friend talking with a middle-aged man in a ball and bedecked with sling bags and backpacks. As I stopped to await my ride, the man turned from my friend and asked, "Are you a student here?"
When I replied to the affirmative he continued, "Are you interested in knowledge?" and pressed into my hands a medium-sized hardback with a glossy cover that read The Bhagavad Gita As It Is. Though curious, I handed it back, replying, "Can't say I'm interested in Hindu knowledge."
"But this is Ultimate Knowledge."
So began our discourse. Judging from a later wikipedia search, I'd hazard that the man was a Hare Krishna, because he identified himself as a monk who had taken vows of poverty and was a disciple of a disciple of the crouching Hindu priest pictured on the back cover. "He is a Realized Soul," the man claimed, "and this is ultimate knowledge." My friend and I exchanged looks and prepared for the debate.
It seems that academia has lied to us, though in what way the disciple did not specify. The book in his hand was one of two books written by the hand of God, not through a man, so it is perfect, and has been perfectly transcribed and translated throughout time. How do we know that it is legit? Because we are told so by the Realized Souls, which are some kind of holy men that are recognized by the "symptoms" of their enlightened state of being. The disciple claimed to take his belief in a scientific sense, and that the particular author of his offered book had all the signs of being such a man.
One thing the disciple wanted to stress is that this was not about changing our faiths, but about gaining the truth, pointing out the Gita's means of breaking the chain of life-to-death. By now I was very interested, not by the antiseptic sting of knowledge within reach, but by the inconsistencies of his claims. We pointed out to him that to accept such a "truth" would indeed clash with the doctrines of the Christian faith.
No, he assured us that the Bible addressed reincarnation as seen in one of the disciple's questions regarding the blind man, "who did sin, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" I found this to be a bit of a stretch to claim that the Bible supports reincarnation, to say nothing of Jesus' reply, "Neither has this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him" (John 9).
But of more concern was the man's reassurance that we were not going to change our beliefs because Jesus was recognized by the Hindu religion since he studied in India while a young man (though this is hardly possible) and that his name was in the "guest book." I found this problematic, since having his name in the guest book implies that Jesus is a guest at the heavenly party, whereas I believe that He is the party. I tried to make this clear, but the disciple suddenly got defensive and said that it was clear we were not interested and that he'd try his luck elsewhere, then he left after wishing us well.
I went home to look up this book he offered us. It is a translation of the original Bhagavad Gita, with extensive commentary and other notes. Curiously, it seems to be a somewhat radical book, arguing for a caste system under "perfect" rulers. I don't know. Perhaps I'll do a proper book report one day.
When I replied to the affirmative he continued, "Are you interested in knowledge?" and pressed into my hands a medium-sized hardback with a glossy cover that read The Bhagavad Gita As It Is. Though curious, I handed it back, replying, "Can't say I'm interested in Hindu knowledge."
"But this is Ultimate Knowledge."
So began our discourse. Judging from a later wikipedia search, I'd hazard that the man was a Hare Krishna, because he identified himself as a monk who had taken vows of poverty and was a disciple of a disciple of the crouching Hindu priest pictured on the back cover. "He is a Realized Soul," the man claimed, "and this is ultimate knowledge." My friend and I exchanged looks and prepared for the debate.
It seems that academia has lied to us, though in what way the disciple did not specify. The book in his hand was one of two books written by the hand of God, not through a man, so it is perfect, and has been perfectly transcribed and translated throughout time. How do we know that it is legit? Because we are told so by the Realized Souls, which are some kind of holy men that are recognized by the "symptoms" of their enlightened state of being. The disciple claimed to take his belief in a scientific sense, and that the particular author of his offered book had all the signs of being such a man.
One thing the disciple wanted to stress is that this was not about changing our faiths, but about gaining the truth, pointing out the Gita's means of breaking the chain of life-to-death. By now I was very interested, not by the antiseptic sting of knowledge within reach, but by the inconsistencies of his claims. We pointed out to him that to accept such a "truth" would indeed clash with the doctrines of the Christian faith.
No, he assured us that the Bible addressed reincarnation as seen in one of the disciple's questions regarding the blind man, "who did sin, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" I found this to be a bit of a stretch to claim that the Bible supports reincarnation, to say nothing of Jesus' reply, "Neither has this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him" (John 9).
But of more concern was the man's reassurance that we were not going to change our beliefs because Jesus was recognized by the Hindu religion since he studied in India while a young man (though this is hardly possible) and that his name was in the "guest book." I found this problematic, since having his name in the guest book implies that Jesus is a guest at the heavenly party, whereas I believe that He is the party. I tried to make this clear, but the disciple suddenly got defensive and said that it was clear we were not interested and that he'd try his luck elsewhere, then he left after wishing us well.
I went home to look up this book he offered us. It is a translation of the original Bhagavad Gita, with extensive commentary and other notes. Curiously, it seems to be a somewhat radical book, arguing for a caste system under "perfect" rulers. I don't know. Perhaps I'll do a proper book report one day.
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