tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72498504251793830422024-03-13T00:24:35.181-04:00The Writer From Haunted CaveThis is the official blog of Louis K Lowy.Louis K. Lowyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02141327449064325188noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7249850425179383042.post-15825352591965781432014-12-04T17:30:00.000-05:002014-12-04T17:30:47.824-05:00<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m taking an online course on book marketing sponsored by
one of my publishers. I figured it would be an easy thing to do. Guess again.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My first few lessons required one of the hardest things for
a novel writer—at least this novel writer—to do. I had to condense a 368 page
manuscript into a multitude of interpretations utilizing sometimes as few as
one or two words. Keywords to be exact. Turns out these pesky and elusive
critters hold a lot of sway over how and when your book shows up on purchase
sites.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was frustrating, informative, and mind weary to labor
through these things. Not to mention it required me to divert precious time
from my writing.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Was it worth it? Damn straight. Like most authors, I’m most
comfortable writing. This forced me out of my comfort zone and into the deep
end of the pool. And just like the deep end, once you get used to it, it opens
up a whole new world. After all, these days writing requires more than just
writing.</div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Still, I’m holding my breath as I wait to see what’s in
store, next.<o:p></o:p></div>
Louis K. Lowyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02141327449064325188noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7249850425179383042.post-23920516404252569662014-11-28T14:21:00.000-05:002014-11-28T14:21:46.068-05:00Not sure if I'm feeling guilty or not. I should be writing today, but it's also Thanksgiving day weekend and I feel I should enjoy it. My daughter's in town, which is another reason to forgo today's writing, and spend time with her. Still--I could work in both if I really try. Anyone else go through this kind of delimma or is it just me?Louis K. Lowyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02141327449064325188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7249850425179383042.post-61270650433704086152014-11-25T17:33:00.000-05:002014-11-25T17:33:44.817-05:00The Haunted Cave writer (me!) has re-emerged from his cave. In the year and a half between my last post and this one, I'm happy to report that my time in the cavern hasn't been wasted. I finished the book that I had mentioned - a women's lit novel called Pedal - which I'm excited about. I also finished two others: a sci-fi novel and a fantasy novel. I'm currently working on a late victorian era horror novel.<br />
<br />
Last weekend I attended Miami Book Fair International. It's an amazing experience not only for book lovers but for anyone interested in a diverse group of amazingly friendly creators. Highlights for me included a panel centered around the amazing work of silver age comic artist Jack Kirby. For those of you who don't know him, he was responsible for the creation--along with Stan Lee-- of Spider-man, Fantastic Four, The Hulk and Thor to name a few. Kirby, along with Joe Simon, created Captain America. To put it in perspective, Jack Kirby is the Lennon or McCartney of comic book artist/creators.<br />
<br />
Another great panel was headed by Denis Kitchen, one of the architechs of the underground comic book movement of the late sixties/early seventies. He did an amazing job of setting the zeitgeist of the era with the significance of the underground comics.<br />
<br />
Lest you think all of my attention was around comics (yeah, it has to do with my love of writing sci-fi, fantasy) I also attended a wonderful panel with Seinfeld writer Peter Mehlman, crime author Larry Bud Meyer, and noir crime author Joe Clifford. What seemed like a disparate group actually had great chemistry. They were funny, thoughtful, and informative.<br />
<br />
Another highlight was 'An Evening With Norman Lear'. The 92 (yes, 92!) creator of All In The Family, Maude, and the Jeffersons was not only cogent, but would put me to shame discussing current issues and recalling incidents from his past. He was humorous, insightful, and touching.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit6Ri4x4cwib-7odY9uQpqtS-4ar0gim51Ij5QMT-HVRLnmc1zPUmsnJFS6blKpPuca9WXiCJNYKBLxQSXx9Vv9Qa15I6eWwsRf1b3sTTpAfy3bKsZhc1Bx6KQ0eRcsFwGvZUnTFCAoHo/s1600/IMG_1377_better.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit6Ri4x4cwib-7odY9uQpqtS-4ar0gim51Ij5QMT-HVRLnmc1zPUmsnJFS6blKpPuca9WXiCJNYKBLxQSXx9Vv9Qa15I6eWwsRf1b3sTTpAfy3bKsZhc1Bx6KQ0eRcsFwGvZUnTFCAoHo/s1600/IMG_1377_better.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
Finally, I made a great purchase. Because the cover reminded me of the 50s vibe I instilled in my first novel, Die Laughing, I had to have the pulp magazine "Planet Stories" from winter 1945. It's even got a story by Gardner F. Fox, creator of the iconic comic book characters, The Flash, Hawkman, and The Justice Society (later League) of America. Check out the cover above.<br />
<br />
<br />Louis K. Lowyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02141327449064325188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7249850425179383042.post-44289788648432245872012-05-24T21:06:00.000-04:002012-05-24T21:06:26.801-04:00<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: white;">WRITING AND WRITING</span></span></h2>
<br />
<span style="color: white; font-size: large;"><b>I'm in the revision stage of my second novel. It's at this point that the layers are refined and the subtleties are polished to add depth to the plot. It's also my chance to clarify the characters and the emotions and reasons behind their actions and reactions. This is one of my favorite parts of writing. </b></span><span style="color: white; font-size: large;"><b>I love this process! </b></span><span style="color: white; font-size: large;"><b>Talk to you soon.</b></span>Louis K. Lowyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02141327449064325188noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7249850425179383042.post-82349838433512968592011-12-05T20:00:00.000-05:002011-12-05T20:00:24.914-05:0012 05 11 WRITING AND WALKING IN THE MIDST OF GIANTS<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:ApplyBreakingRules/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:UseFELayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><img src="http://img2.blogblog.com/img/video_object.png" style="background-color: #b2b2b2; " class="BLOGGER-object-element tr_noresize tr_placeholder" id="ieooui" data-original-id="ieooui" /> <style>
st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }
</style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
</style> <![endif]--> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">It’s been a stretch since my weekly-blog-that-turned-into-a-monthly-blog-that-turned-into a-whenever-blog has had a new entry. What inspired me to finally post a new one was that I started thinking about some of the people I’ve had the good fortune of calling my friends. Most of them don’t know each other, but they all share one thing in common. They’re talented.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">There is something wonderful knowing people who can do things beyond the average. It’s intimidating, inspiring, and at the same time comforting knowing they have ruffled collars, flat tires, credit card bills and sometimes eat unhealthy food.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">This is a random list, and I’m going to leave out a lot of people that warrant a mention, but these are the ones that were swimming in my mind when I wrote this.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Talent, as we all know, rarely equates to fame and fortune. What these people have besides a great gift, are an unbridled work ethic, determination, love of their craft, and to boot, are just plain nice. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">This isn’t about name recognition. This is about people I know who struggle because they have to, because something inside them dictates it, regardless of whether they reach whatever their definition of success is. These people are far from household names, though if you dig a little bit you’d find info on some of them.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">As I said, this is far from a complete list and never should be. At times it may sound like I’m plugging them but, you know what? They deserve it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">As a disclaimer, let me state that if I upset anyone by mentioning, or not mentioning, their names, it wasn’t my purpose to do that.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">In no particular order I’m going to start with Lisa Cattoretti. She is one of the most tasteful guitarists I’ve ever known. Everything she touches has a sliver of something she once told me she calls the heart notes. She doesn’t play fancy, she plays tastefully. It’s a talent that comes from within. Her band, </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Blue Sky Drive</span><span style="font-family: Arial;">, has just released a four song CD. Listening to it, her wistful guitar lines left me feeling as if I were in a field of wheat reaching out to my childhood.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Michael Gavaghen. He’s a writer who has the ability to create characters that are practically polar opposites and yet are just as much of each other as the sun is to the earth. He also has the ability within the chapters of his writings to lower, lift, and snatch away everything you thought you knew about the story. He’s a master conductor who is in some ways as tasteful as Lisa.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Gus Aviles, Jr. A guerilla filmmaker who never quits. He scrounges money, hits up friends for favors, films between his regular job, does his own writing, editing, promotion, dialogue replacement—whatever it takes to get the job done. Somehow, he always manages to come up with a product that is stirring and delightful to watch. It’s a physical and mental strain that would crush anyone who didn’t have the sheer willpower that he has.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">One of the bravest and most talented writers I know is Corey Ginsberg. Though she writes in most genres, what strikes the most awe in me is her non-fiction pieces. She refuses to back down from the dark corners of her life. Not only does she write about it, she expresses it with power, grace, humor, and poignancy. This is an achievement that only comes from hard work, dedication and a belief in what you're doing. On top of that, her relentlessness in getting her work to publishers is a lesson every aspiring writer should learn. I use her for my inspiration in that department.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">The list in my head contains others, but I don’t want to drag on too long and I don’t want to toss out names without giving each person their due, so I’m going to put the rest on the back burner for another entry.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">The one thing I’ve noticed about walking in the midst of giants, it makes me stand taller. And for that, I thank all of my talented friends who have allowed me into their world.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div>Louis K. Lowyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02141327449064325188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7249850425179383042.post-33821898785781520052011-09-11T20:23:00.000-04:002011-09-11T20:23:33.973-04:0009 12 11 WRITING AND WINNING - AND THE WINNER IS!!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:ApplyBreakingRules/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:UseFELayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
</style> <![endif]--> <br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:ApplyBreakingRules/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:UseFELayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
</style> <![endif]--> <h6><span class="messagebody"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Drum roll – Scott S. Colley was chosen from over 600 entries as the winner of the Die Laughing signed book giveaway sponsered by Goodreads! He's the author of the fantasy novel <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mythica-Genesis-Scott-S-Colley/dp/0983323704/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1307222939&sr=8-1"><i>Mythica Genesis</i></a>. Congrats Scott, your signed copy is on its way!</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></h6>Louis K. Lowyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02141327449064325188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7249850425179383042.post-27742879425055872232011-08-25T22:26:00.000-04:002011-08-25T22:26:51.812-04:0008 25 11 WRITING, and READING MY FIRST FANTASY NOVEL <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: small;">A while back I talked about the fantasy genre and how I was unfamiliar with it. I mentioned a blurb I read of Mysti Parker's <i>A Ranger's Tale</i> and how intriguing it sounded. I finally had the opportunity to read it and I'm happy to say I wasn't disappointed. I found a lot to like in the story.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:ApplyBreakingRules/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:UseFELayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
</style> <![endif]--><span style="font-size: small;">Caliphany, a head-strong young elf defies her domineering father and sets off to find her own destiny. Set in Tallenmere – a fantasy world – this intriguing tale is part <i>Captain Blood</i>, and part <i>Gone With the Wind</i>. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: small;">I particularly enjoyed Parker’s method of storytelling. She uses one of three first person narrators for each chapter. To add to that, and what particular was clever, is that when she shifts p.o.v. it becomes a continuation of the story, not just the same scene retold through another person’s eyes.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span> </span>Enough of the technical side, what really made for a great read was the trouble, and Caliphany finds plenty of it quickly.<span> </span>Besides physical tribulations, there’s also emotional hardship. Caliphany must endure not only her father’s harsh punishments but his rejection of her when she defies his wishes to find her own way in the outside world. Her journey leads to ferocious battles with ogres, traitors, and mages. It also leads to her soul mate, Gallidan. In Parker’s world, nothing comes easy, and Caliphany must deal with hard decisions. The pair’s relationship is crossed with bliss and misery.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: small;">This was my first fantasy novel. I wasn’t sure if I would be comfortable in that genre. After reading <i>A Ranger’s Tale</i>, I’m not sure I’d be comfortable anymore <i>without</i> visiting the genre.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:ApplyBreakingRules/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:UseFELayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
</style> <![endif]--> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Happy writing, everyone…and reading!</div><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span>Louis K. Lowyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02141327449064325188noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7249850425179383042.post-12723668407019170472011-08-01T17:10:00.000-04:002011-08-01T17:10:30.370-04:0008 01 11 WRITING AND LESSONS I’M LEARNING<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:ApplyBreakingRules/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:UseFELayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
</style> <![endif]--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">I know, I know, it’s been too long between this post and my previous one. Now that <i>Die Laughing</i> has moved from the aspirational to the concrete stage, it’s been a totally different, and time consuming experience for me. I’ve been pounding the pavement – virtually and physically – the last month or so trying to drum up interest in my book.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Here’s what I’ve learned.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Lesson one: There are some incredibly nice authors out there, willing to help a first time novelist like myself.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">I asked two well-respected authors if they’d read the book before it was published and write blurbs – both, very busy, agreed.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">I asked an author for advice on how to start the promotion process. She put together a lengthy and detailed step-by-step procedure that I’ve adapted as my blueprint.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">A local author shared his contact info on sources for book readings and signings.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Three more authors took it upon themselves to interview and/or post reviews of my book on their blogs. They did this without prompting, strictly as a gesture to help attract attention to the release.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">To all of you, my deepest thanks, and a promise to pay it forward.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Lesson two: Wait until you have an ISBN number out for the book before approaching bookstores.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">No matter how many times you tell a bookstore proprietor not to look for the book on Ingram, Baker/Taylor until the actual release date, the first thing they will do is look for it. Ingram, Baker/Taylor are the distribution sites for every publisher printed book in the universe as far as I can determine.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">When they don’t find it listed there, they will determine that you are a self-published author no matter how much you repeat that it won’t be released until the beginning of the following month. They will then consent to a book reading only on a consignment basis, which basically reduces my profit to zilch, and in one case I actually lose money on the deal.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Lesson three: Sometimes you have to bite the bullet with bookstores and lose money for the sake of promotion.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Lesson four: Comic book stores are owned by, and employed with, some of the coolest people around.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Because <i>Die Laughing</i> is part sci-fi I approached comic book stores about carrying the book and doing readings. Nearly all were enthusiastic to help out. They agreed to carry the book and/or do book readings.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">One place, who’s going to carry the book, but doesn’t do book readings invited me to participate in their indie creator weekend.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">An employee at another comic store told me he’d make sure to personally insert one of bookmarkers in each bag of merchandise he sold.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>Lesson five: There are wonderful people out there who devour books.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">These bibliophiles are eager to read, discuss, and talk to you about your stories. They are friendly, generous in praise, and happy to help spread the word by writing reviews. I’ve gained much respect and admiration for them.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">My lessons continue. I have to admit I’ve travelled some interesting and enlightening roads. I’m looking forward to seeing what’s around the bend and sharing them with you.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Next up: my first book reading (and yikes I’m nervous about that!)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Happy writing (and reading) everyone!</div>Louis K. Lowyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02141327449064325188noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7249850425179383042.post-16567848338980911992011-06-30T18:31:00.000-04:002011-06-30T18:31:51.775-04:0006 30 11 WRITING and A GAME PLAN TO GETTING PUBLISHED<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:ApplyBreakingRules/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:UseFELayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
</style> <![endif]--> <br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:ApplyBreakingRules/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:UseFELayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
</style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:ApplyBreakingRules/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:UseFELayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
</style> <![endif]--> <div class="MsoNormal">On the verge of the release of my sci-fi novel, <i>Die Laughing</i>, I thought it might be of advantage to other writers to hear my approach on how I got it published.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">This has nothing to do with the quality of the story (I’ll leave that to others.) This is strictly a pragmatic approach that I used, which may help you to formulate your own plan.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I put together a tier of objectives, starting with what I thought should be my main goal, which I figured would be the best way to lead to a publishing deal with a major publisher. (Aim for the stars, settle for the moon.)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">On top was to get an agent. I put together the best query letter and brief pitch that I could (constantly refining them.) From there I scoured agentquery.com and the Internet in general for agents related to my genre. I went through everyone I could find. I had some nibbles but no bites.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Next on my tier was to have the large and mid-size sci-fi publishers who would accept unsolicited manuscripts read mine. There aren't many, but I sent it out without any success.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The next step was to send out my query letter and pitch to the smaller legitimate (and check carefully!) publishers, which I did. This is where I started hitting pay dirt. In a short period of time I had five positive responses. The first one to make a concrete offer was IFWG Publishing, which I was pleased to accept. They're small, but spunky.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Had I not gotten any bites at that level I was faced with a choice - to hold back until my next novel was completed, start the process over with the new novel, and then present my first novel to whoever accepted the new novel (providing someone accepted it) - or to self-publish. I'm not sure which direction I would have taken.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The advantage to a tier system is that when I signed with IFWG it was with the knowledge that I was taking the best offer out there for my book.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The entire process took about a year and a half. And I’m happily sitting on the moon.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">There is one caveat; it takes more than a plan. It requires perseverance and commitment. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Good luck and keep writing.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Louis K. Lowyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02141327449064325188noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7249850425179383042.post-50629115704374218802011-06-13T20:41:00.000-04:002011-06-13T20:41:18.541-04:0006 13 11 WRITING and PROOFREADING<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:ApplyBreakingRules/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:UseFELayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><img src="http://img2.blogblog.com/img/video_object.png" style="background-color: #b2b2b2; " class="BLOGGER-object-element tr_noresize tr_placeholder" id="ieooui" data-original-id="ieooui" /> <style>
st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }
</style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
</style> <![endif]--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">First a big congrats to fantasy author Mysti Parker. She just celebrated her 5,000<sup>th</sup> hit on her blog “Unwritten.” I’ve only got about 3,400 more hits to catch up with you!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Secondly a big thanks to my friend Debbie Orta. She’s not only a mom, a great vocalist and an actor, but also a proofreader. Debbie volunteered to go through <i>Die Laughing</i>. It’s amazing how generous people can be. Deb, I can’t thank you enough!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Speaking of <i>Die Laughing</i>, I finally set up a Facebook fan page for my book. Take a look at it. I’ve got my promo video – where I try to channel Rod Serling – on there. I’ve put up movie posters of 1950’s sci-fi movies that influenced my writing of the story, and I’ve even got a quiz asking what your favorite movie of that era is. If you like the site, “help a poor alter boy out” and hit the ‘like’ button. (That quote is from <i>The Exorcist</i>, if memory serves me correctly.”</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Okay enough of the plug, back to the topic.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Before Deb’s proofreading I went over the book twice more myself after it being proofread at least four times earlier. This is humiliating to say, but I still had characters being called by different names! I had Hoover Dam spelled like Hoover Damn. I had one character, Francis, referred to once as France. Sheesh – how embarrassing would all that have been? In my blog on the Nuts ‘n Bolts of submission, I stressed the importance of proofreading, well here I am a classic example of why you can never overdue the process!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It’s the publisher’s turn to proof it again, and then I’m going to go through the galley. Anyone want to bet there’s still more correcting to do?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It’s a headache for sure, but nowhere near the pain of having your work published with errors in it. And really, who do you blame? After all, as the author, the buck stops with me. Keep writing everyone…and keep proofreading!</div>Louis K. Lowyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02141327449064325188noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7249850425179383042.post-53004252529689179082011-05-26T19:27:00.000-04:002011-05-26T19:27:53.344-04:0005 26 11 – WRITING – FANTASIZING ABOUT THE FANTASY GENRE<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:ApplyBreakingRules/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:UseFELayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><img src="http://img2.blogblog.com/img/video_object.png" style="background-color: #b2b2b2; " class="BLOGGER-object-element tr_noresize tr_placeholder" id="ieooui" data-original-id="ieooui" /> <style>
st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }
</style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
</style> <![endif]--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">In the writer’s group that I belong to I’ve been reading a fantasy novel.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I’ve written sci-fi and horror but I’ve never ventured into this particular genre. Not knowing the rules to these kinds of books I wasn’t sure how to properly critique it.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I eventually went to my old friend Wikipedia for help. Wiki says, “Fantasy is a genre of fiction that uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in fictional worlds where magic is common. Fantasy is generally distinguished from science fiction and horror by the expectation that it steers clear of (pseudo-)scientific and macabre themes, respectively, though there is a great deal of overlap between the three (which are subgenres of speculative fiction).</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">As I read the chapters I did indeed experience the various elements listed in the above definition, but as I read more and more chapters I discovered that what really mattered to me beyond the wonderful settings and other-worldly characters was whether I cared about the protagonist or not. This got me to thinking, isn’t that pretty much the case with any genre? </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Shakespeare once said, “A beer by any other name would still taste as sweet.” Okay, maybe he didn’t say it quite like that, but the point is no matter where the story takes place or who the characters are, it nearly always boils down to whether we – the reader – have an emotional interest in their outcome.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Here’s an interesting blurb from fantasy author Mysti Parker for her book <i>A Ranger’s Tale</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In the world of Tallenmere, the high elf – Caliphany Aranea – who is nearly a century old, has never been allowed to travel farther than a few miles out of the capital city of Leogard.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Her father, Sirius, leads the Mage Academy. After losing his only son, he expects Caliphany to take his place one day. The trouble is, she doesn't want to study magic and doubts she'll ever be as good a wizard as her father.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">She dreams of leaving Leogard to explore the world and strike out on her own. When two brutes at Leogard Harbor attempt to kidnap her, half-elf ship captain and ranger, Galadin Trudeaux, comes to her rescue.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">She and Galadin will face more adventure, more love, more heartache, than they ever thought possible. Through it all, Caliphany must decide where her heart truly lies.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">This certainly has all the elements of the fantasy genre, and just as important seems to have a central character that is determined to make her own way, yet is torn over her obligation to her father and her country. Caliphany sounds like a character I could care about.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Mysti Parker's book can be found at: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/A-Rangers-Tale-Tallenmere-ebook/dp/B004XJ5EI2/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1305848076&sr=1-6"><i>A Ranger's Tale</i></a>. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Now pass me a beer, or whatever you want to call those things.<br />
<br />
</div>Louis K. Lowyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02141327449064325188noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7249850425179383042.post-48551200906620547442011-05-18T17:51:00.001-04:002011-05-18T17:54:34.827-04:0005 18 11 WRITING – LO AND BEHOLD, SOMETIMES IT’S FUN!I took my <i>Nuts 'N Bolts of Story Submitting</i> seminar on the road to Design and Architecture Senior High in Miami. DASH is one of the premiere high schools in America. I gave the lecture to two writing classes. The students were amazing. I wish I was half as on the ball as they were when I was their age. I posted a picture on my website <a href="http://www.louisklowy.com/">http://www.louisklowy.com/</a><br />
<br />
Two of my short stories appear in print this month. "The Lord Was My Shepherd" in a Scottish magazine called Pushing Out the Boat, which they read at a writing festival that featured Margaret Atwood, and "The One Cupper", which appears in The MacGuffin Magazine.<br />
<br />
And it keeps getting better...<br />
<br />
I've been going through the line edits of my sci-fi book, <i>Die Laughing</i>. As nerdy as it is, I actually enjoy it. I get to scrutinize each and every word that's already been scrutinized by IFWG Publishing. Sometimes we go back and forth on quote placements, he saids and she replies, and what is and isn't crossing the line on sex scenes.<br />
<br />
To add to the fun my author bio page is up and running on the IFWG Publishing site: <a href="http://ifwgpublishing.weebly.com/bio-louis-k-lowy.html">http://ifwgpublishing.weebly.com/bio-louis-k-lowy.html</a> And I saw the cover to the book. I'm hyped up about it! The artist - Laura Givens - did a fantastic job.<br />
<br />
This kind of pleasure is few and far between, so I'm enjoying it while I can. But just to keep a check on reality, I also received three rejection slips for one of my short stories the other day.Louis K. Lowyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02141327449064325188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7249850425179383042.post-4391259572679471952011-04-21T20:14:00.002-04:002011-04-21T20:17:23.450-04:0004 21 11 The Nuts ‘N Bolts of Story Submission. Part IV : IT’S TIME TO SUBMIT!<div class="MsoNormal">This is the final installment of my four part series, The Nuts ‘N Bolts of Story Submission.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In part one I discussed the reasons for submitting, in part two I talked about pre-preparation, in part three I talked about getting your game plan together, and now in part four IT’S TIME TO SUBMIT!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">The most convenient way to find publications is through online search engines.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
DOUTROPE’S DIGEST is my favorite. It has a great search engine with many criteria options. It’s extremely convenient and the search results are listed similar to a data sheet so there’s a lot of info. Numerous publications are on the same page. As with all the online search engines there are links to the publications included.</div><div class="MsoNormal">The link is: <a href="http://www.duotrope.com/">http://www.duotrope.com/</a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">POETS AND WRITERS - Not as convenient, but Nearly 600 Literary Journals Are Listed. The link is: <a href="http://www.pw.org/">http://www.pw.org/</a> look under their <i>Tools For Writers</i> menu.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">NEWPAGES.COM – Again, not as convenient as Doutrope, but it’s geared toward university and indie publications, and indie publishers. The link is: <a href="http://www.newpages.com/">http://www.newpages.com/</a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">CRWOPPS: Creative Writer’s Opportunity List - Allison Joseph’s yahoo group. Emails are sent to members daily. It’s mostly geared toward fee based contests, and occasionally submission requests. To join go to: <a href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CRWROPPS-B/">http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CRWROPPS-B/</a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">FINAL TIPS</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">WHEN SUBMITTING ALWAYS CHECK OUT THE PUBLICATIONS WEBSITE FIRST – make sure they are what they say they are.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">If you’re looking for a print publication, check to see if they have a subscription page. If they don’t they’re probably online only. Make sure their version of print is your version of print. I don’t count a downloadable PDF file as a print publication. Some of them do. Check when the last issue came out to make sure they’re active.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">ALWAYS READ THE PUBLISHER’S GUIDELINES before you submit to them. If you don’t, you may be rejected for not following the rules. You may be accepted in a publication that you’ll regret later.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">SUBMIT TO A PUBLICATION THAT’S APPROPRIATE FOR YOUR STORY. You may have a great story, but if it’s not the type the editor is looking for you’ll be wasting your time.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">LASTLY AND MOST IMPORTANTLY…</div><div class="MsoNormal"> </div><div class="MsoNormal">ONCE YOU GET INTO THE HABIT OF SUBMITTING IT’S IMPORTANT TO MAINTANE: make submitting part of your writing regimen. The best way is to put together a weekly routine or goal. DON’T MAKE IT STRENUOUS.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Maybe devote an hour a week to it. That’s less than 10 minutes a day.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Maybe have a number goal instead: six submissions a week: that’s less than one a day.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">IT’S VITAL TO KEEP THE BALL ROLLING. Don’t get discouraged. I went nearly a year from my first fiction acceptance to my second one. Remember that it’s a subjective process. What doesn’t work for one editor may work for another, but you have to get it to them so they can make that decision.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Submitting – done properly and routinely – is your best bet at achieving success in finding a home for your stories. Good luck, get to it, and take that leap into the pool. It’s not so cold. Stay in, don’t give up, and eventually it’ll pay off.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">ALWAYS REMEMBER IT DOESN’T MATTER HOW MANY TIMES YOU’RE TOLD NO, ALL THAT COUNTS IS THE ONE YES.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I hope you found this series useful. I look forward to reading your work online, on my eReader and/or in print!</div>Louis K. Lowyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02141327449064325188noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7249850425179383042.post-49833033884002355792011-04-12T19:49:00.000-04:002011-04-12T19:49:41.336-04:0004 12 11 The Nuts ‘N Bolts of Story Submission. Part III : SET TO DO BATTLE<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:ApplyBreakingRules/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:UseFELayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
</style> <![endif]--> <div class="MsoNormal">This is Part III of my four part series The Nuts 'N Bolts of Story Submission. This installment is called SET TO DO BATTLE.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In Part I, I discussed the reasons that you, the writer, should submit your work. In Part II, I talked about the importance of pre-preparation.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The current discussion has to do with deciding who you’re going to send your work to.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">To do this there are three terms you need to know, which will be in each publication’s submission guidelines. The first is SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS: this means you can submit to other publications at the same time your work is being considered by the current magazine or journal you’ve sent it to.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The second is NO SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS means you can not submit until the work has been rejected by the current magazine or journal you’ve sent it to. Usually paying publications and the upper echelons have this policy. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The final one is MULTIPLE SUBMISSIONS means that you can submit more than one piece to the same publication at the same time.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">As part of your battle plan you need to decide a few things – though they’re flexible decisions: HOW DO YOU WANT YOUR WORK TO APPEAR? Do you want your work to appear in print only? Online only? Or in both?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">WHAT PAYSCALE ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? Do you want your work to appear in pay only publications? If so, do you want only pro rates, semi-pro rates, or are you okay with contributor copies (when in print) as payment? Are you okay with having your work appear without pay?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">HOW DO YOU WANT TO SUBMIT? Electronically, snail mail, or both?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">WHAT KIND OF PUBLICATIONS DO YOU WANT YOUR WORK TO APPEAR IN? Only the top selling Magazines and literary journals? Are university journals okay? How about local and regional publications, or fledgling publications, or anyone that will have you?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">There’s a give and take with each decision. Realistically, with the prestigious and the top payers, the competition is going to be near impossible. You may be competing with Joyce Carol Oates, Alice Monroe and William Trevor. That’s not to say it’s a bad thing, it just something to think about. The other consideration, as I said earlier, is that most of the prestigious publications don’t allow simultaneous submissions. You have to wait until they reject (or accept) you before you can send it to someone else.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">A good alternative may be to start with a few from the top ones and work your way down. The criteria I set for myself was that number one I wanted to be in print, for a couple of reasons: I just liked the idea of it, and more importantly I want to try and get my short stories published as a collection. I’m afraid if my stories are available online publishers won’t be interested in putting them out in print.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The second decision I made was I wanted to be able to simultaneously submit, I didn’t want to wait around for rejections. I also decided I liked the idea of Literary Journals and magazines. I had no problem with local and regional publications as long as they looked professional. Finally, I made the choice that I wanted to submit electronically – it’s quick and doesn’t cost a dime, which eases the pain if you’re rejected. It’s important to mention again that these choices are a rule of thumb. Don’t be afraid to vary or experiment. It’s a process meant to develop and mould over time.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Once you’ve decided on a basic game plan, IT’S TIME TO SUBMIT, which happens to be the title of my final install. It will appear here next Tuesday. I’ll point you towards what I consider to be the best submission sources and why I think so.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">See you next week!</div>Louis K. Lowyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02141327449064325188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7249850425179383042.post-16505942224405019702011-04-05T19:52:00.000-04:002011-04-05T19:52:58.245-04:0004 05 11 The Nuts ‘N Bolts of Story Submission. Part II : PRE-PREPARATION – THE KEY TO SUBMITTING<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:ApplyBreakingRules/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:UseFELayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><img src="http://img2.blogblog.com/img/video_object.png" style="background-color: #b2b2b2; " class="BLOGGER-object-element tr_noresize tr_placeholder" id="ieooui" data-original-id="ieooui" /> <style>
st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }
</style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
</style> <![endif]--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">This is part two of my four part series on The Nuts ‘N Bolts of Story Submission. I call my second installment <i>PRE-PREPARATION – THE KEY TO SUBMITTING</i>.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In a response to Part I, a reader mentioned that it can get expensive to submit because of reader’s fees. Good point! I don’t submit to contests or publications that charge a fee. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t if you feel strongly about the magazine or contest. It just means that there’s a route to go that doesn’t cost a dime. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Now, on to Part II : <i>PRE-PREP – THE KEY TO SUBMITTING</i>. I’ll go through how to line up your ducks in order to save time and effort in the long run.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">With submitting, PRE-PREPERATION is the key. It’s a one time set-up, that takes a while but in the long run it’ll save you lots of time and increase your productivity.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The first thing is GO OVER YOUR WORK WITH A FINE TOOTH COMB. If you’re sure your piece is free of typos and grammar errors, check it again, and one more time after that. Nothing says amateur – and rejection – louder than sloppy work.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Next, save your story in multiple formats: save it as a word doc, an rtf file and a pdf. Also save them – in all formats – with your name on it and without any name on it. Depending on what each publication wants, you’ll already be prepared to send it.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">DO A WORD COUNT of every one of your stories and post a paper of the results where you can see them (mine is taped above my computer screen.) Every publisher has word restrictions. It’s a guaranteed rejection if you submit a piece that doesn’t fit in their category. I always include word count in my submissions.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">WRITE A COVER LETTER. I recommend one that isn’t frilly, “I enjoy Oreo’s with my cat, Fluffenuffer.” Save that for the ‘get to know the author’ page.</div><div class="MsoNormal">DON’T EXAGGERATE your credentials. It’s not necessary, and it’s pretty easy to spot the ‘enhancers.’</div><div class="MsoNormal">INCLUDE A BRIEF BIO, with writing credits if you have them. If not, it’s okay to say ‘I’m living in Miami, but originally from Kansas where most of my writing inspiration comes from.’ Keep the bio under seventy-five words. If you’re accepted they’ll probably want you to keep it anywhere from 30 to 50 words.</div><div class="MsoNormal">INCLUDE COMPLETE CONTACT INFO: name, address, email, phone. Do the cover letter in first and third person. Again – depending on the demands of each publication – you’ll already be prepared to cut and paste it into your submission.</div><div class="MsoNormal">MAKE IT APPEAR PERSONALIZED. I think editors look for “shotgunners” people who submit willy-nilly and it turns them off. <i>Dear</i> (fill in the publication’s name) <i>Submission Editor</i>, is fine.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The last thing in pre-preparation is to MAKE A DATA SHEET to record your transactions – including vital info such as DATE SUBMITTED, PUBLICATION, STORY SUBMISSION, CONTACTS, RESULTS, ETC. I use an excel sheet. At first I did it by hand originally, but it was too cumbersome.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">A data sheet is important because the info it contains will prevent you from submitting the same stories to the same publications. It will let you know when you submitted to them so you don’t waste time submitting in the same time period – which most publications don’t allow.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">A data sheet will let you know who you have to contact in the event that you get accepted and you’ve submitted the story to other publications. It’s your obligation to let the others know it was accepted so it can be withdrawn from their consideration.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">It tells you who’s getting back to you in a timely manner and who isn’t – in other words their professionalism, which is their obligation. That way you can decide if you want to submit to them again.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">And it gives you an idea of your progress, and may suggest which stories to go back and tweak. I’ve tweaked some after long spells of rejection, and to my surprise and joy, had a few of them accepted a short time later.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Whew! I know pre-prep is somewhat of a task, but when it’s over you’ll be glad you did it. In the long run the work you put into pre-preparation will be gained back over and over again in time and effort saved during the actual submitting.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:ApplyBreakingRules/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:UseFELayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
</style> <![endif]--> <div class="MsoNormal">With pre-prep over, you’re ready to step into the stadium. I call my next installment SET TO DO BATTLE. I discuss terms you need to be familiar with, and how to determine who to send your work to. See you next Tuesday. Keep the feedback coming!</div>Louis K. Lowyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02141327449064325188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7249850425179383042.post-24809561675217292512011-03-29T20:22:00.000-04:002011-03-29T20:22:19.702-04:0003 29 11 The Nuts ‘N Bolts of Story Submission. Part I - Why the F*#k Submit?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:ApplyBreakingRules/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:UseFELayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
</style> <![endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">This is part one of my four part series on submitting. Each part will come out </span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:ApplyBreakingRules/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:UseFELayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
</style> <![endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">the following Tuesday for the next month.</span><br />
<br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:ApplyBreakingRules/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:UseFELayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
</style> <![endif]--> <div class="MsoNormal">In part one I attempt to answer the question: <i>Why the F*#k Submit?</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Okay, you’ve written a short story, had it critiqued in workshops, revised it a few times, maybe had it critiqued again, revised it again and now you feel like you’ve got something pretty good. What’s your next step? Show it to your significant other? Read it to yourself? Or maybe just toss it in a drawer with the others you’ve written, dream about them being published and move on to the next piece.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The other alternative is to make the attempt to get them into publications. I’ve read many stories in workshops that I thought would make terrific additions to literary journals and magazines. I also thought that some of my stories would do the same thing so I decided to give it a try.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I’m here to attest that the system works! I’ve had, or will have, eight stories in print. I’ve had a poem in print, and nearly a dozen online articles. I’ve had a second place winner in no-fee poem contest take second place. It carried a big payout:<span> </span>$764.00. I’m soon to have a story come out in audio. And, I have a sci-fi book coming out in July.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I’m not saying this to brag on myself – that’s what my website’s for. I’m mentioning this for one reason: my writing isn’t any better than a lot of other writers out there, but the difference is I make the effort to submit. And as more proof I’m not a literary genius, it’s</div><div class="MsoNormal">taken me around 300 submissions to get to where I am.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I know a lot of great up-and-coming writers who toil at their craft but for some god-awful reason won’t send their stuff out, or if they do submit it’s such a minimal effort that nothing usually comes from it.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">This is something I don’t understand. For me, it’s akin to a musician who toils day after day after day in his room but never plays in front of the public.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Hopefully, what I’ve learned about the process will remove any fear and encourage you – the writer – to send your work out, and save time and energy while you’re doing it.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Submitting isn’t necessarily a hard process but it can be tedious, time consuming and intimidating. So why do it? There are several reasons: The biggest is probably the thrill of being accepted and seeing your work in print or online. You get a sense of pride and validation. You get bragging rights. You build up a resume and in the process provide agents and publishers a way to gauge your commitment and credibility. If you’re lucky you get a little bit of money. On the bittersweet side it teaches you to deal with rejection. I think that’s probably the number one reason people don’t make a serious effort to submit, followed closely behind, as I said, by intimidation, and then laziness or a lack of determination.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">On the subject of rejection: Yes, it hurts, but the hurt lessens the more you do it. I compare it to jumping into a cold pool. It stings really badly at first, but then you get used to the temperature and the blow softens, though I don’t think it ever completely disappears.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">A major factor in overcoming rejection is to constantly have something out there for consideration. It’s that ‘another fish in the ocean’ philosophy. The main thing is to take that first plunge and to stay in the water.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Are you ready? God I hope so because I can’t hype this anymore.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:ApplyBreakingRules/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:UseFELayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
</style> <![endif]--> </div><div class="MsoNormal">Next Tuesday we start with PRE-PREPARATION. It’s the key to your success. See you then.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Louis K. Lowyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02141327449064325188noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7249850425179383042.post-7734288171682723652011-03-12T15:30:00.001-05:002011-03-12T15:51:57.116-05:0003 12 11 - WRITING AND MUSIC<div class="MsoNormal">I performed at a reunion concert a couple of weeks ago with a band I used to play bass guitar for. With our rehearsals and having to get myself – playing wise – back into shape, it started me thinking about the relationship between music and writing.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Let me state up front that I’m not a great musician, but I’m a good one. I wasn’t blessed with the golden ears that greatness requires. None-the-less playing music all my life has given me an awareness of traits that I’m just now beginning to realize are also important in writing.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Authors tend to equate novel writing to symphonies, in particular the flow of the movements and how they relate to the flow of the novel. I don’t disagree, it’s a key element. I’m a rock guy, and as I said, a bass player. My comparison comes from that perspective.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Because of that, one of the first things that come to mind is the rhythm of words, and sentences, and even paragraphs. As a bass player, one of my jobs is to lock in with the drummer: to keep the beat. Writing has its own beat, too. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Rock music is based on the two and four beats. Because of that, I tend to, unconsciously, favor the iamb. The iamb is a word pulse with the accent on the second syllable: ba<b>BUMP</b> ba<b>BUMP</b> ba<b>BUMP</b>. Something like, “I <b>WALKED</b> a<b>LONG</b> the <b>ROAD</b>.” Though I also like “<b>WALK</b>ing a<b>LONG</b> the <b>ROAD</b>.” A slight rhythm variation, but it’s the variations in rock music that give it its lift, too. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Rhythm in writing, of course, is more than that. It’s also about speeding up or slowing down a scene through use of action, description, suspense, dialogue and on and on. I don’t want to get into the methods for achieving these time changes. That’s a discussion for another day.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">One way a great album will achieve that movement is through song placement. A classic example is <i>Abbey Road</i>. The song order is no accident. It starts with the grungy rocker “Come Together” pulls us back with “Something” and then builds back up and ends side one with the crescendo “She’s So Heavy.” If that didn’t compel you to flip the record over (back in the day) then you were probably too stoned to get out of your bean bag chair. The point is, and what I want to emphasize, is the <i>awareness</i> of the importance of tempo changes and how they add emotional feeling to a piece. Playing music has given me that.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Jamming is a natural part of playing in bands, particularly original ones, which I mostly played in. When I’m jamming I don’t consciously think too much about playing. I just feed off of what’s going on at the moment. Things just happen, and that’s the beauty of it. Granted, afterwards I might think about how I slurred from middle E to D because it sounded sexier than separating the notes, and decide to reuse it.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I don’t know about you, but when I sit and write – and I’m really cooking – I fall into a rhythm. It’s a sort of rush. Like jamming, it’s nothing I think about, or am even aware of, until it’s over. I think of it as “letting my fingers do the walking.” The phrase comes from an old telephone book commercial. I just start typing away without too much thought to it, which is what I’m doing now. Like jamming, things happen. Eventually I’ll go back and polish. And yes, I’ll keep certain things because they sound sexier.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Finally, and probably most importantly, just like music it’s crucial to be constantly practicing, which to a writer, means writing. And like music there’s no substitute for listening. In the case of the writer, it’s listening to other writer’s words via reading. Any musician worth his salt constantly listens and analyzes how other players approach their art. The same applies to authors. The best writers I know constantly examine how others in their profession approach their craft, and how they can learn from it.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">As a final thought it’s interesting that “notes” are an important tool of both writers and musicians.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Happy Writing!</div>Louis K. Lowyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02141327449064325188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7249850425179383042.post-53631093899437609642011-01-28T22:49:00.000-05:002011-01-28T22:49:52.822-05:0001 28 11 - WRITING - A Short but happy one!Today my revenge story, "Morrison's Last Autograph" was just released in Bete Noire #2. Yay!<br />
<br />
Here's the link: <a href="http://www.betenoiremagazine.com/">http://www.betenoiremagazine.com/</a>Louis K. Lowyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02141327449064325188noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7249850425179383042.post-65131520843305123602011-01-15T14:58:00.000-05:002011-01-15T14:58:36.088-05:0001 15 11 - WRITING - A Fight to the Finish<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:ApplyBreakingRules/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:UseFELayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
</style> <![endif]--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">In the past couple of days I’ve had conversations with writers who are struggling to get to the end of their pieces, which seems to be the case with everyone. My advice to them is – and always will be – finish it up! I don’t care how you do it, just get there.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Yes, it’s difficult as hell. I compare it to crossing an unfinished bridge that you have to build further each time before you can take another step. But the payoff is a big one: Once you make it across you get to go back and rewrite.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I love the process of revision. To me, with the rewrite, you have something concrete. Sure, the bridge might need shoring up here and there, or maybe it’s too wide in spots or too narrow in others, or maybe the balance is off, but you have it, and you know when you step on the bridge what awaits you on the other side: now, it’s a matter of utilizing that to your best advantage.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Nothing’s easy in writing, but now – and this is the part I love best – you get to go back and fine tune all those echoes and shadows that lead to bigger echoes and shadows. You get to polish your characters until they feel like living people. That’s when the story comes alive. God, I love the smell of revision in the morning! (Or something like that.)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">My point is, if you don’t get to the finish, you can’t get to the revision, you can’t put together a query letter or send the letter out to agents. You can’t send your MS to publishers; you can’t submit your short story to magazines and journals, and contests.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">My last and most compelling reason for finishing up your work: I’ve never met anyone who wasn’t filled with a sense of accomplishment and joy when they finally made it to the end of a first draft. Have you?</div>Louis K. Lowyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02141327449064325188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7249850425179383042.post-53817940227180344402010-12-31T16:48:00.000-05:002010-12-31T16:48:33.372-05:0012 31 10 WRITING - end of year tally<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:ApplyBreakingRules/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:UseFELayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
</style> <![endif]--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">This is a quick tally – or summary? – of my year in writing.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Accomplishments: Six short stories appeared or are set to appear. Sci-fi novel is scheduled for August release. Working on the second draft of my second novel. Maintaning my work schedule of writing a minimum of two hours a day, six days a week.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Disappointments: Couldn’t find an agent interested in working with me. Latest short story and the beginning of a third novel panned by workshop groups. My collection of short stories continues to get rejected. Still can’t master plot as well as I’d like.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Things to be thankful for: A network of wonderful and talented writers I’ve been fortunate enough to call my friends (you know who you are, and forever thanks for your advice and encouragement). Still have a burning desire to keep filling empty white virtual pages with black virtual letters.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Happy New Year!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Be safe and see you in 2011!!</div>Louis K. Lowyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02141327449064325188noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7249850425179383042.post-6526807106012476502010-12-26T23:33:00.002-05:002010-12-26T23:36:40.749-05:0012 26 10 WRITING DURING THE HOLIDAYSHo Ho Ho-rrendous! I keep a written log of my writing hours. It's the best way for me to keep on a steady schedule. My routine is a minimum two hours a day - six days a week. I think it's important to have a day off. I use Sunday - my day off - as a reward, a battery recharger and an incentive to get me to the end of the week.<br />
<br />
I don't cheat. If I get up to re-heat my cup of tea (or coffee) and it takes four minutes, I tack four minutes on to my minimum time.<br />
<br />
Having said that, it's the holidays and I've given myself a little slack, but I'm starting to feel guilty. According to my log, my last real writing day was Dec. 23 - but only for 61minutes. Today (even though it's Sunday) I did some editing on Die Laughing, my sci-fi novel. Though this is technically writing I don't really give it as much weight because this is more of a polishing thing as opposed to composing.<br />
<br />
I should be back to my normal routine tomorrow - probably taking new years eve day off, and the day after (recovering from the night before), but we shall see - the guilt factor looms over my head like a South Florida afternoon thundercloud.<br />
<br />
Am I the only one who has these problems?<br />
<br />
Happy Holiday Writing!!Louis K. Lowyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02141327449064325188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7249850425179383042.post-79828127131138254282010-12-10T23:18:00.002-05:002010-12-10T23:25:56.562-05:0012 10 10 WRITING - Mixed fodder<div class="MsoNormal">Five days ago my fall semester fiction workshop class ended on Monday. Someone said about my piece, “I don’t think he was having fun writing this.” Not quite sure what that meant, but I know it can’t be good.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">***</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Last night had a workshop gathering at my house with three writers – all struggling like me – who I greatly admire as people and as writers. We exchanged advice, discussed our work, our philosophies, gossiped and talked about triumphs and tribulations. Being with them was a joyous occasion for me. I drank too much wine and paid for it in the morning.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">***</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Today my son flew in from Tokyo where he’s been studying the past year. Another joyful occasion; without the distress of a morning hangover.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Louis K. Lowyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02141327449064325188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7249850425179383042.post-15332604982250174112010-12-01T23:48:00.000-05:002010-12-01T23:48:12.650-05:0012 01 10 WRITING - Writer Workshops: The Art of Listening<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:ApplyBreakingRules/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:UseFELayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><img src="http://img2.blogblog.com/img/video_object.png" style="background-color: #b2b2b2; " class="BLOGGER-object-element tr_noresize tr_placeholder" id="ieooui" data-original-id="ieooui" /> <style>
st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }
</style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
</style> <![endif]--> <div class="MsoNormal">I’ve decided to start a short, semi-regular series on writer workshops. I’ve been attending a workshop in South Florida regularly for about four years. I’ve also belonged to a couple of satellite workshops in between, and while getting my MFA degree in creative writing, I’ve attended class workshops which are <i>de rigueur </i>as part of the curriculum.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">For anyone who doesn’t belong to a writer workshop, basically they are a focus group. A set of like minded individuals – writers – get together. Those with stories distribute them and at the following meeting they are individually critiqued, usually under the direction of a head or leader of the group. That’s the formal definition. The informal definition is that they’re basically <i>Hell’s Kitchen</i> without the food.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Workshops can take the toughest egos and sledge hammer them until they feel like the leather launch pad of one of those carnival ring the bell games. It’s happened to me plenty of times.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Let me state up front that though I have a love/hate relationship with workshops, I’m a big believer in them. The reason is simple and I’ll get to that eventually, but what I want to write about now is a topic that I consider one of the most important when attending a workshop: the art of listening.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The wisest writers will sit silently and take notes while they are being skewered. It sounds easy to do but it’s not. My first instinct for a long time was to jump up and say, “No, no, no! You don’t get it. My character isn’t insecure she’s <i>a deep thinker</i>.” I confess, I still have the urge now and then to do it.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">But, here’s the thing, it’s not important what I think, it’s what the reader thinks. If a group of your peers tells you your character comes across as insecure then that’s probably the case and you should be thinking about ways to counter-balance that impression through a revision, instead of defending it.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In my experience, the worse thing a writer can do is speak up and defend themselves for two reasons: the first is – and I speak from experience – when I see someone protesting it tells me they don’t really want to hear anyone’s opinion. That causes me (and others that I know) to keep quiet. Now, I may not have valuable insight to the story, but on the other hand I might be the guy who says, “You know, I wonder what would happen if instead of having Mary take her lamb home, maybe it could follow her to school.”</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The second reason to resist speaking up, even if to defend a small point, is that it stops the natural flow of discussion among the others. Many times, as I’ve listened to my pieces being critiqued, someone will state an opinion or idea and someone else will take it to another area or expound upon it and it will develop into something wonderful that I would have never thought of. If I had spoken up earlier and stopped that brain storming it would have never developed.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Remember, you don’t have to accept anyone’s opinion. If you don’t like what they say then ignore it, but if you don’t listen to what they have to say you’ll never know if it was good or bad.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Happy writing. See you at the next workshop. I’ll be the one with my listening cap firmly strapped to my head.</div>Louis K. Lowyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02141327449064325188noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7249850425179383042.post-73572915854822659242010-11-18T12:37:00.001-05:002010-11-18T12:41:13.036-05:0011 18 10 WRITING - JOHN WATERSYesterday I went to the Miami Book Fair and heard John Waters speak. I have to confess I was more familiar with his reputation as a shock filmmaker than his actual films. I had watched a little bit of the original Hairspray but that was about it. I knew he had a knack for the quirky, which I always love.<br />
<br />
I had heard him speak on NPR a month prior, discussing his new book Role Models. He was gentle, charming, and had a sense of humor. So, as I sat in my seat at the book fair and watched him walk on stage I wasn't sure what I was going to hear.<br />
<br />
What I heard was a man - and in hindsight this shouldn't have been a surprise - who worked hard at his craft: writing. Whether it was screenplays or books. He pays the price. His work week is from Monday through Friday, 8am to around 11, writing. He is a constant listener and news article clipper, which are great sources of inspiration and ideas.<br />
<br />
He made it clear that bad taste without a reason has a ten minute life span. He expressed his belief that the future is where the world lies not dwelling on the past. He was cognizant and thankful for the young fans he has garnered. <br />
<br />
Just as importantly he was a generous man who took the time to not only sign books but allowed his fans to snap pictures with him.<br />
<br />
As I said, I haven't seen John Waters movies, but I've seen the man. I understand why both are greatly admired.Louis K. Lowyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02141327449064325188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7249850425179383042.post-18160738859559767282010-11-03T22:26:00.000-04:002010-11-03T22:26:46.571-04:0011 03 10 WRITINGI've been writing my usual minimum of 2 hrs every day except Sunday, but it's been sluggish. I feel like I'm not achieving something satisfying. I don't know why this is. Maybe because I've had to switch gears from the second draft of one novel, to a short story, to the beginning of another novel, to writing a book review. I don't like to work that way but circumstances dictated that I had to.<br />
<br />
I'm thinking maybe all the bouncing around has hindered my personal investment in my characters, or maybe I'm losing contact with them and that frightens me.<br />
<br />
Another thing may be that I've spent a lot of the time reviewing workshop critiques of the pieces and while that always leads to a better story it requires taking a step backward to get two steps forward.That reverse step can be depressing.<br />
<br />
In any event, I've found the best (and only?) cure is to keep on keeping on. Eventually the cloud lifts.Louis K. Lowyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02141327449064325188noreply@blogger.com0