Hello,

Right now I’m listening to a book on tape as I edit my novel. First, I’m always a little uncomfortable at editing my own writing though I’ve read a number of books on the subject I believe I’ll read one more as I complete the editing to make sure I don’t miss anything. It sounds all well and good yet no matter how many books I read or techniques I try I’ll miss something, it’s natural for writers to do so—to miss a lot I know this by experience—whether I go over my novel ten or one hundred times. I will be sending it out for editing, I’m not arrogant enough to believe my techniques are good enough; I need a professional editor whose job is to see all the mistakes keeping my novel from being the best it can be.

Back to the book on tape; it’s not very good though it has a few moments not great ones, you’re not at all surprised at what’s coming but it makes me think what you’ve probably thought time and time again as you’ve read someone else’s work—or listened to it—how did this person ever get published? I used to think it was a mystery, its not. Novel’s get published all the time whether good or bad. The writer happens to be at the right place at the right time, catch the eye of the right agent or editor or know someone who is willing to mentor and help get the writer where he wants to be and failing all this write something so great, like J.K. Rowlings does, no one can pass it up.

I suggest going for the latter it seems easier and not something everyone else seems to be writing about—serial killers for instance, a serial killer story on every corner—but writing about what you love whether popular or even heard of but you love and think is great. I believe this way the rewards will follow and to me it doesn’t mean just a book deal or having your book at number one on every booklist in the country but being satisfied in the work you produced, you love every character you created, you had a good time writing the novel and look forward to writing the next; those things are what gets me up every day to open my notebook, take up the pen and write; it makes me feel special and I know it does the same for you.

If you have any comments or suggestions, please e-mail me at: matwrite1@hotmail. com. I’ll love to hear from you.

Until next time, God willing,

Lori

Hello everyone,

We’ve made it to another Friday. Have you been writing? I hope so because I have and it’s been going well though slowly, I write slowly but I'm trying to work on it. One of the reasons I write so slow is because I think I need to get it right the first(the first time for me is ten rewrites) time though that’s not possible and I don’t know why I worry about it.

I love when I’m able to just go for it, write all that’s flowing through my head get it down then go back later on with the red pencil. This frees up my writing and it doesn’t take from the story, the story is still there and I’ve gotten down the gist of what I think and feel at the moment and that's what’s important; a great thing.

Because I’m writing the second novel in the Owen Story trilogy I want to get it done in a timely fashion and I feel that I know so much of the story I can get it down and it won’t take me forever. So I’m going to do just that, get the entire book down and not worry around the first write up, just run for i, then go back later and streamline it. I’m going to try anyway. Wish me luck.

If you have any comments or suggestions, please e-mail me at: matwrite1@hotmail. com. I’ll love to hear from you.

Until next time, God willing,

Lori

Hello,

I’m working on the second novel in the Owen Story series or trilogy. I’ve finished the first You Don’t Know Me and will try my best not to “tinker” with it again, I’ve been “tinkering” with it for four of five years and its past the time to move on. As some writer’s know it’s hard to move on to the new novel because of a host of issues including fear but it has to be done and the kicker is, the new novel in the series has to be--in my opinion--better than the first which is a huge challenge but I’m up for it.

I keep thinking of the movie trilogy The Lord of the Rings. I enjoyed the Fellowship of the Ring it was good, but I loved the second, The Two Towers which made me look forward to the Return of the King which I liked. But the key for me was the second story(movie) it cemented me to the first, to the characters and the storyline making the third movie a couldn’t miss for me and for millions others too. I looked forward to it with anticipation and regret because it was the last. I want people who read my Owen Story novels to feel the exact same way.

So I will give one-hundred and twenty percent into the writing of Begin at the End (working title I think) and that means research, rewrites, evaluation by others (I can’t see the forest for the trees) rewrites, recording, what ever needs to be done to make the second novel terrific, to adhere Owen and the other characters to the reader’s hearts so they tell everyone they know to read the novels as they look forward to, can’t wait, to read the last in the Owen Story trilogy.

If you have any comments or suggestions, please e-mail me at: matwrite1@hotmail. com. I’ll love to hear from you.

Until next time, God willing,

Lori

Hello,

A lot of us want to be very successful writers but you know there are millions of people who don’t, who want to be just as successful at the thing they love. I hadn’t thought about this until my best friend, Kim Henderson, opened her own bakery selling her specialty cupcakes, cookies and all the yummy treats you can imagine. Opening the bakery was her dream while mine is becoming a successful writer and a dream is a dream. My friend’s making her’s come true motivates me to do the same for mine; it puts fire under my pen.

Everyone knows someone doing exactly what they are made for in life, I believe in using this as my push, my inducement to write my books believing that my writing may inspire others not just to create their novel but to do whatever’s necessary to make their dream lives real even if its to create food people love; to paint like Picasso, to make exotic jewelry or buy a farm growing organic vegetables, its all love for dreams.

If you have any comments or suggestions, please e-mail me at: matwrite1@hotmail. com. I’ll love to hear from you.

Until next time, God willing,

Lori

Hello,

I was reading in The Writer magazine yesterday a story about dialogue. I love dialogue don’t you? My problem-- and it may be yours too-- is I don’t use enough of it. I was re-reading one of my stories and realized I had too much to read and not enough being said by the characters. I realized the information being read could be said—and briefly—by the characters getting rid of a number of unnecessary lines allowing the reader to get to the meat of the story, into the lives of the characters I want the readers to love.

I’m nixing many of the excess paragraphs or useless passages in my Owen Story novels (in all my work) to make sure the stories move at a fast pace and to show and not tell; anything to improve my novels so readers will love them right?

If you have any comments or suggestions, please e-mail me at: matwrite1@hotmail. com. I’ll love to hear from you.

Until next time, God willing,

Lori