Hello and I missed writing to you last week, I really did,
I’m back from vacation, of course somewhat regretfully; and I did write while on vay-k. I spent—a lifetime it seems—standing in lines at Disney World waiting to catch a glimpse of Mickey Mouse and at Universal Studios waiting to be terrified during the Revenge of the Mummy thrill ride. So to pass the time I was lucky enough to write, I took a notebook along just for that purpose.
I was able to finish an outline for You Don’t Know Me while shuffling forward at baby steps. I was also able to write a few pages for the new Owen Story novel: Begin at the End, while I stood still in an endless line of bodies and sweated in the Florida heat. I was happy and surprised I got something completed it made all that waiting and sweating worth it though the rides were good too.
So I did have a great time with my family, a lot of fun with my kids. I saw a number of awesome sites, I ate a massive amount of great food, I met some nice people from not only around the country but from around the world and I wrote. No one could have had a better vacation than I did and oh, how I miss it.
If you have any comments or suggestions please e-mail me at my new address: shabazzl@adasbcc.org.
Until next time, God willing,
Lori
Friday, June 22, 2007
Friday, June 08, 2007
Hello,
It's Friday, yeah!!!
I will be going on vacation so may not blog next Friday though if I get a chance I certainly will. Will I write on vacation? Yes, of course and why not? I'lll do all the vacation things with my kids, see the sights, get a lot of sun, but I'll find time to write because it's what I do and I have to do it everyday to help keep me going. And what if I get a new idea or think of something that will move my current story forward? What? I jot down a note and keep playing volleyball? Maybe, but after the game I will sit and write for a while. Writing is a vacation to me, the freedom to express my thoughts and take the time to write them out without the clock ticking over my head. I work, have a family, other things to do to keep my life going so taking a vacation to do the things I love will always include writing.
You'll hear from me soon--whether you want to or not.
If you have questions or comments I’d love to read them and reply, so please email me at: shabazzl@adasbcc.org.
Until next time, God willing,
Lori
It's Friday, yeah!!!
I will be going on vacation so may not blog next Friday though if I get a chance I certainly will. Will I write on vacation? Yes, of course and why not? I'lll do all the vacation things with my kids, see the sights, get a lot of sun, but I'll find time to write because it's what I do and I have to do it everyday to help keep me going. And what if I get a new idea or think of something that will move my current story forward? What? I jot down a note and keep playing volleyball? Maybe, but after the game I will sit and write for a while. Writing is a vacation to me, the freedom to express my thoughts and take the time to write them out without the clock ticking over my head. I work, have a family, other things to do to keep my life going so taking a vacation to do the things I love will always include writing.
You'll hear from me soon--whether you want to or not.
If you have questions or comments I’d love to read them and reply, so please email me at: shabazzl@adasbcc.org.
Until next time, God willing,
Lori
Friday, June 01, 2007
Hello and happy Friday,
I hope you’re getting a lot of writing done. I’m doing my best though some times the business of writing gets in the way and it can be humbling. For my book I’m sending out requests for blurbs or reviews from other writers and I hate to ask it of them, I know you understand. It’s tough to write as it is, to read and re-read a hundred times your own work, throw in the other things you must do to breath; to live, you have a headache, there are only so many hours in the day and to be asked by another writer you don’t know to take the time to read and review their work? Who needs it?
It’s understandable but we have no choice either. We need to ask those writers to read, to judge our work hoping, praying they will and give it a positive review because it can be the little push needed to get that one person to read our book; just one good word. We look at those blurbs when we pick up a book and if an author has more than one and they all are raving, well, we give that book more of a look don’t we? And most times we take it home with us. We want the same done of our novel and a back cover full of those positive reviews could be the push a reader needs to take our novel on.
I still dislike having to ask for a blurb but I do it anyway, I even ask for one from very popular authors like James Patterson. The writer can of course say no and probably will but as writer’s we’re used to “no” and rejects yet we move forward and keep trying, its wants makes us writers after all.
If you have any comments or suggestions please e-mail me at my new address: shabazzl@adasbcc.org.
Until next time, God willing,
I hope you’re getting a lot of writing done. I’m doing my best though some times the business of writing gets in the way and it can be humbling. For my book I’m sending out requests for blurbs or reviews from other writers and I hate to ask it of them, I know you understand. It’s tough to write as it is, to read and re-read a hundred times your own work, throw in the other things you must do to breath; to live, you have a headache, there are only so many hours in the day and to be asked by another writer you don’t know to take the time to read and review their work? Who needs it?
It’s understandable but we have no choice either. We need to ask those writers to read, to judge our work hoping, praying they will and give it a positive review because it can be the little push needed to get that one person to read our book; just one good word. We look at those blurbs when we pick up a book and if an author has more than one and they all are raving, well, we give that book more of a look don’t we? And most times we take it home with us. We want the same done of our novel and a back cover full of those positive reviews could be the push a reader needs to take our novel on.
I still dislike having to ask for a blurb but I do it anyway, I even ask for one from very popular authors like James Patterson. The writer can of course say no and probably will but as writer’s we’re used to “no” and rejects yet we move forward and keep trying, its wants makes us writers after all.
If you have any comments or suggestions please e-mail me at my new address: shabazzl@adasbcc.org.
Until next time, God willing,
Friday, May 25, 2007
Hello
I read this passage in the cover story in The Writer Magazine www.writermag.com, the story was titled “Writers and Money.” The passage is a quote by author Jason Shinder, “Don’t wait for things. Offer things. Think about what you can offer that’s different and try to create an organizational life around it.” I felt this to be such a profound comment and a generous guideline work on incorporating it into my life.
We’ve all heard the saying no story is original and because of this truth, as writers, we must make our stories, our novels original, and different so they get up and shout in an ocean of similar work: ‘ I’m different, I’m special and will make it more than worth your time to read me’. Sometimes this seems an impossible task doesn’t it? It’s not. There are tons of writers brave enough to complete projects and present them—their babies—to the world by any means necessary and we have to be part of that group of fearless souls. It takes perseverance and dedication and not just in writing but life too and sometimes I have to dig deep down to find them, yet I believe in my work so much that I know, as I know God is great, that readers will enjoy my novels and look forward to the next one. You must feel this way too and work it because if we don’t believe in our work, no one else will.
If you have any comments or suggestions please e-mail me at my new address: shabazzl@adasbcc.org.
Until next time, God willing,
Lori
I read this passage in the cover story in The Writer Magazine www.writermag.com, the story was titled “Writers and Money.” The passage is a quote by author Jason Shinder, “Don’t wait for things. Offer things. Think about what you can offer that’s different and try to create an organizational life around it.” I felt this to be such a profound comment and a generous guideline work on incorporating it into my life.
We’ve all heard the saying no story is original and because of this truth, as writers, we must make our stories, our novels original, and different so they get up and shout in an ocean of similar work: ‘ I’m different, I’m special and will make it more than worth your time to read me’. Sometimes this seems an impossible task doesn’t it? It’s not. There are tons of writers brave enough to complete projects and present them—their babies—to the world by any means necessary and we have to be part of that group of fearless souls. It takes perseverance and dedication and not just in writing but life too and sometimes I have to dig deep down to find them, yet I believe in my work so much that I know, as I know God is great, that readers will enjoy my novels and look forward to the next one. You must feel this way too and work it because if we don’t believe in our work, no one else will.
If you have any comments or suggestions please e-mail me at my new address: shabazzl@adasbcc.org.
Until next time, God willing,
Lori
Friday, May 18, 2007
Hello
Did I mention earlier that I submitted my novel to an editor to have it corrected for grammatical errors and character inconsistencies? I recently got the first two-thousand words back reviewed and I have to say, I didn’t like many of the suggestions I received, I actually felt my insides shout and rebel at some of the suggestions. I had no problem with some of the errors corrected for example, I forgot to put a question mark at the end of a question; it was great that the editor caught that one and others this was the reason why I wanted—needed—an edit.
My issue was the suggestions that would alter, in my opinion, the flow, the feeling of the novel. For instance I was told “Direct thoughts are better in italics”. The problem is that Owen has a lot of direct thoughts and to see all them in italics sounds unbearable, it would be the same as driving down a street of smooth pavement and running over unseen jolting road bumps making you crazy; not good at all. I believe reading a good novel—a great novel—happens when you don’t run over the words; aren’t even aware of them and just get story.
I feel so great about my novel the way it is;, have enough confidence in it that I’m just going to request the basic edit to alert me to put the question marks at the end of questions and nothing more. Am I taking a gamble not adhering to the deeper suggestions for change? (I didn’t forget the question mark here) Not at all because I’m wedded for life to the foundation, to the pull and tug of the story, to how it’s built. I won’t change the structure of the story because it makes the book and of course, You Don’t Know Me is a great book and that’s what I’m after.
If you have any comments or suggestions please e-mail me at my new address: shabazzl@adasbcc.org.
Until next time, God willing,
Lori
Did I mention earlier that I submitted my novel to an editor to have it corrected for grammatical errors and character inconsistencies? I recently got the first two-thousand words back reviewed and I have to say, I didn’t like many of the suggestions I received, I actually felt my insides shout and rebel at some of the suggestions. I had no problem with some of the errors corrected for example, I forgot to put a question mark at the end of a question; it was great that the editor caught that one and others this was the reason why I wanted—needed—an edit.
My issue was the suggestions that would alter, in my opinion, the flow, the feeling of the novel. For instance I was told “Direct thoughts are better in italics”. The problem is that Owen has a lot of direct thoughts and to see all them in italics sounds unbearable, it would be the same as driving down a street of smooth pavement and running over unseen jolting road bumps making you crazy; not good at all. I believe reading a good novel—a great novel—happens when you don’t run over the words; aren’t even aware of them and just get story.
I feel so great about my novel the way it is;, have enough confidence in it that I’m just going to request the basic edit to alert me to put the question marks at the end of questions and nothing more. Am I taking a gamble not adhering to the deeper suggestions for change? (I didn’t forget the question mark here) Not at all because I’m wedded for life to the foundation, to the pull and tug of the story, to how it’s built. I won’t change the structure of the story because it makes the book and of course, You Don’t Know Me is a great book and that’s what I’m after.
If you have any comments or suggestions please e-mail me at my new address: shabazzl@adasbcc.org.
Until next time, God willing,
Lori
Friday, May 11, 2007
Hello
I hope you all are doing very well and of course writing a lot. I’m continuing to work on my second novel in the Owen Story trilogy and it’s going pretty well for me. I’m completing a page or two a day and for me that’s equivalent to another writer’s ten pages a day.
I believe the key is to just keep writing, whatever comes out, hell or high water; it’s the only way, the best way to write. Overcome all the daily obstacles and get those few precious pages done for the day; it’s worth it because the next time you look around you have a novel—yeah!!! Then the rewriting begins. Ha Ha.
If you have any comments or suggestions please e-mail me at my new address: shabazzl@adasbcc.org.
Until next time, God willing,
Lori
I hope you all are doing very well and of course writing a lot. I’m continuing to work on my second novel in the Owen Story trilogy and it’s going pretty well for me. I’m completing a page or two a day and for me that’s equivalent to another writer’s ten pages a day.
I believe the key is to just keep writing, whatever comes out, hell or high water; it’s the only way, the best way to write. Overcome all the daily obstacles and get those few precious pages done for the day; it’s worth it because the next time you look around you have a novel—yeah!!! Then the rewriting begins. Ha Ha.
If you have any comments or suggestions please e-mail me at my new address: shabazzl@adasbcc.org.
Until next time, God willing,
Lori
Friday, May 04, 2007
Hello
I was running on my treadmill this morning, you know how it is, a daunting leaded task to get started. I feel as if I can could do a million other things instead of getting on that treadmill including counting all the dust bunnies under the couch. I start out slow, plodding along until I awake fully, get the gears oiled and going, my legs and arm get warm and loose, I pick up a steady rhythm, get my breath under control and keep at it until time passes without me realizing it and I’m done.
Writing is like running (most of the time) isn’t it? When we first sit down in front of the blank page, its clean white looks as vast as the solar system. We put down the first word, our first thought and sometimes it takes a while to get that “first.” We struggle over a sentence, if it’s the right words, if the character is meant to take you this way. We get a few more sentences down, then a paragraph, plodding along, most times uneasily, sometimes at a pretty good pace.
We feel ourselves getting hot after a while, really sweating out the thoughts, the words, the sentences, finding it not as hard as it was in the beginning. We keep going, one page, two, five, ten and the time goes by until we have a story, a screenplay, the insides of a novel. We stop here, breath easier and feel good we’ve done our part for the day.
Yes, running can be like writing and for me both (writing more) is worth doing. What I gain in the end; a healthier me and great writing, I can’t live without.
If you have any comments or suggestions please e-mail me at my new address: shabazzl@adasbcc.org.
Until next time, God willing,
Lori
I was running on my treadmill this morning, you know how it is, a daunting leaded task to get started. I feel as if I can could do a million other things instead of getting on that treadmill including counting all the dust bunnies under the couch. I start out slow, plodding along until I awake fully, get the gears oiled and going, my legs and arm get warm and loose, I pick up a steady rhythm, get my breath under control and keep at it until time passes without me realizing it and I’m done.
Writing is like running (most of the time) isn’t it? When we first sit down in front of the blank page, its clean white looks as vast as the solar system. We put down the first word, our first thought and sometimes it takes a while to get that “first.” We struggle over a sentence, if it’s the right words, if the character is meant to take you this way. We get a few more sentences down, then a paragraph, plodding along, most times uneasily, sometimes at a pretty good pace.
We feel ourselves getting hot after a while, really sweating out the thoughts, the words, the sentences, finding it not as hard as it was in the beginning. We keep going, one page, two, five, ten and the time goes by until we have a story, a screenplay, the insides of a novel. We stop here, breath easier and feel good we’ve done our part for the day.
Yes, running can be like writing and for me both (writing more) is worth doing. What I gain in the end; a healthier me and great writing, I can’t live without.
If you have any comments or suggestions please e-mail me at my new address: shabazzl@adasbcc.org.
Until next time, God willing,
Lori
Friday, April 27, 2007
Hello
Have you copyrighted all your work? I hope you have. I’ve sent my book off to the United States copyright office, a forty-five dollar deal but worth every penny as you know. I of course have the right to the works I create and I don’t believe anyone would take my work as their own but I also believe in doing my part by copyrighting with the registry office just in case. I also submit my screenplays to be registered at the screenwriter’s guild.
I don’t believe sending your work to yourself through the mail is good enough anymore to be called “copyrighting” your work. With my work and yours too we just want to make sure we cross our t’s and dot our i’s when it comes to legally protecting our precious.
If you know of any other avenues of protection, please e-mail me and let me know the information will be appreciated.
If you have any other comments or suggestions please e-mail me at my new address: shabazzl@adasbcc.org.
Until next time, God willing,
Lori
Have you copyrighted all your work? I hope you have. I’ve sent my book off to the United States copyright office, a forty-five dollar deal but worth every penny as you know. I of course have the right to the works I create and I don’t believe anyone would take my work as their own but I also believe in doing my part by copyrighting with the registry office just in case. I also submit my screenplays to be registered at the screenwriter’s guild.
I don’t believe sending your work to yourself through the mail is good enough anymore to be called “copyrighting” your work. With my work and yours too we just want to make sure we cross our t’s and dot our i’s when it comes to legally protecting our precious.
If you know of any other avenues of protection, please e-mail me and let me know the information will be appreciated.
If you have any other comments or suggestions please e-mail me at my new address: shabazzl@adasbcc.org.
Until next time, God willing,
Lori
Friday, April 20, 2007
Hello
I’m submitting my book, You Don’t Know Me next month to Lulu publishing and I’m excited about it and of course scared too. But I heard something on the Sopranos the other night (yes, I love writing crime fiction and watching it too) and the character Christopher said something like this—I paraphrase, “Face the fear and do it anyway"—do what you love to do or believe you were made to do. He’s a major mafia guy who happens to be absolutely above board on this one.
His comment really lessened my fear quotient about putting my book out in the world without agent back or a major book publisher behind me, his words made me realize those things don’t matter what’s important is following your dream (cliché though it may be) and making it a reality because life is so short its unbelievable so you want to make your life the best it can be; I do.
So there’s still a little fear there and it’s okay, its healthy natural but what’s not okay is not to do it, not to find any means I can to get my novel out because it’ll make me feel wonderful and because I know--know absolutely-- others will love the story and the characters.
If you have any comments or suggestions, please e-mail me at my new e-mail address: shabazzl@adasbcc.org.
Until next time, God willing,
Lori
I’m submitting my book, You Don’t Know Me next month to Lulu publishing and I’m excited about it and of course scared too. But I heard something on the Sopranos the other night (yes, I love writing crime fiction and watching it too) and the character Christopher said something like this—I paraphrase, “Face the fear and do it anyway"—do what you love to do or believe you were made to do. He’s a major mafia guy who happens to be absolutely above board on this one.
His comment really lessened my fear quotient about putting my book out in the world without agent back or a major book publisher behind me, his words made me realize those things don’t matter what’s important is following your dream (cliché though it may be) and making it a reality because life is so short its unbelievable so you want to make your life the best it can be; I do.
So there’s still a little fear there and it’s okay, its healthy natural but what’s not okay is not to do it, not to find any means I can to get my novel out because it’ll make me feel wonderful and because I know--know absolutely-- others will love the story and the characters.
If you have any comments or suggestions, please e-mail me at my new e-mail address: shabazzl@adasbcc.org.
Until next time, God willing,
Lori
Friday, April 13, 2007
Hello,
I read the other day in the Writer’s Magazine www.writermag.com how this writer loved having a day job as a teacher more than he loved being a full time writer. While reading the article I thought: he’s joking. How could he love having a day job as opposed to writing full time? I can understand him loving his job, teaching young minds to be great but still…
Then I thought about it. I like my day job, it pays the bill of course but one of the more important reasons why I like my job is that I feel when I do find the time to write while working, taking care of my family and other things, is that writing in between is like getting a special present or having a little holiday during my regular life. It’s such a joy to write so getting it in on those wonderful snatches of time: a day off to write, writing on a quiet Saturday afternoon or writing on my lunch hour or at four in the morning, makes the writing experience that much more precious and when its really going well—wow.
So I can understand that guy loving his day job—many people do—I like mine too and mostly because I’m blessed to be able to add actual writer to my resume, its the gift that keeps on giving as long as I keep putting pen to paper between the report to my boss or helping my kids with their homework the writing always fits in somewhere.
If you have any comments or suggestions, please e-mail me at my new e-mail address: shabazzl@adasbcc.org.
Until next time, God willing,
Lori
I read the other day in the Writer’s Magazine www.writermag.com how this writer loved having a day job as a teacher more than he loved being a full time writer. While reading the article I thought: he’s joking. How could he love having a day job as opposed to writing full time? I can understand him loving his job, teaching young minds to be great but still…
Then I thought about it. I like my day job, it pays the bill of course but one of the more important reasons why I like my job is that I feel when I do find the time to write while working, taking care of my family and other things, is that writing in between is like getting a special present or having a little holiday during my regular life. It’s such a joy to write so getting it in on those wonderful snatches of time: a day off to write, writing on a quiet Saturday afternoon or writing on my lunch hour or at four in the morning, makes the writing experience that much more precious and when its really going well—wow.
So I can understand that guy loving his day job—many people do—I like mine too and mostly because I’m blessed to be able to add actual writer to my resume, its the gift that keeps on giving as long as I keep putting pen to paper between the report to my boss or helping my kids with their homework the writing always fits in somewhere.
If you have any comments or suggestions, please e-mail me at my new e-mail address: shabazzl@adasbcc.org.
Until next time, God willing,
Lori
Friday, April 06, 2007
Hello and Happy Holidays,
The other day I received an e-mail from this person who saw a message I left on Fodors the travel site asking for information on the Western Sahara for my novel The Geography of Love. The person opened the letter with a question: Are you the Lori who is a writer? The question made me smile “the writer”. I said yes with all my heart I am “the writer” because if I don’t believe it and prove it to my self again and again, no one else will believe it either.
My belief in myself as “a writer” can wax and wane depending on how the writing is going. If it’s not going well because I hadn’t researched enough, don't feel smart enough to write this story or didn’t complete more pages I wanted for the day, then I feel less a writer and more a failure. But when my writing is sailing along, every word the right word, filled pages are flying one after the other (though rare for me) I know then I’m the best writer I can be.
If I had to list who I am, my qualities, no matter how my writing is going, “writer” would make one of the top three defining myself. It was nice to get that message asking if I am the writer; of course I am and always will be.
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
The other day I received an e-mail from this person who saw a message I left on Fodors the travel site asking for information on the Western Sahara for my novel The Geography of Love. The person opened the letter with a question: Are you the Lori who is a writer? The question made me smile “the writer”. I said yes with all my heart I am “the writer” because if I don’t believe it and prove it to my self again and again, no one else will believe it either.
My belief in myself as “a writer” can wax and wane depending on how the writing is going. If it’s not going well because I hadn’t researched enough, don't feel smart enough to write this story or didn’t complete more pages I wanted for the day, then I feel less a writer and more a failure. But when my writing is sailing along, every word the right word, filled pages are flying one after the other (though rare for me) I know then I’m the best writer I can be.
If I had to list who I am, my qualities, no matter how my writing is going, “writer” would make one of the top three defining myself. It was nice to get that message asking if I am the writer; of course I am and always will be.
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
Friday, March 30, 2007
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
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
Friday, March 23, 2007
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
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
Friday, March 16, 2007
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
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
Friday, March 09, 2007
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
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
Friday, March 02, 2007
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
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
Friday, February 23, 2007
Hello,
Do you sometimes believe everyone in the world is writing a book? I occasionally believe it, yet what I seem to believe more is that just about everyone has written a book and some of them have written five or more and not just written books but had them published and read by millions. There are of course authors such as James Patterson—though not many—who are so prolific it’s amazing. He has more than one writing project-soon-to-be-published novel going at one time in addition to a new novel of his that's in book stores at the moment.
When I’m reading an article about a writer they all seem to have written ten novels. Or when I listen to public radio everyone interviewed seems to have several published books to their credit and I think, sheesh, why does it take me so long to write one novel let alone two? I don’t believe in writer’s block or any other roadblocks to writing for me those are excuses for me not writing; I can always find ten minutes here or there between laundry loads or before my children get up in the morning to write a line or two, a paragraph or even a chapter. All those lines and paragraphs do eventually add up to a novel and hopefully a good one.
But why does it take me so long to create this novel though I’m steadily writing it? Other writers can write two or even three books at a time or at least a book a year so why am I not a faster writer? I thought about this and researched it a little and came up with a few writers who I believe have the same complexity I’ll call it and it hasn’t hurt them one bit: Donna Tartt author of the wonderful ‘The Secret History” began that novel in the 1980’s, it was published in 1992 and her next novel ‘The Little Friend’ wasn’t published until 2002, ten years later; just two great works to her credit. Then there’s Thomas Harris the creator of Dr. Lecter. Mr. Harris has written five novels, and its more than six years between each novel. I've stopped beating myself up about how long it takes me to create a novel.
There really shouldn’t be any time constraints on creating a novel because quality is the key here. I try to make every word count in the story and get rid of the useless ones so that every word matters to the novel's progress. I try and flesh out each character, erase all the strings so the reader gets story and not just words, a story and characters they can believe in one-hundred percent; it takes so much time to get this right or as close as I can get it.
My first Owen Story novel has taken me six years to get it where I don’t sweat every page and can even smile a little when I read it. The second novel in the trilogy will take me at least another year and a half if not longer to get it manageable. Do I wish I could write faster? Sometimes I do but if it means tossing in any old character, overlooking the bumps and creating a so-so work; then I’ll always take it slow. Writing a novel is hard enough so why not go the extra one-hundred miles and make it worth while, make it stand out from the rest, a work you’ll always be proud of even if it’s the only novel in 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
Do you sometimes believe everyone in the world is writing a book? I occasionally believe it, yet what I seem to believe more is that just about everyone has written a book and some of them have written five or more and not just written books but had them published and read by millions. There are of course authors such as James Patterson—though not many—who are so prolific it’s amazing. He has more than one writing project-soon-to-be-published novel going at one time in addition to a new novel of his that's in book stores at the moment.
When I’m reading an article about a writer they all seem to have written ten novels. Or when I listen to public radio everyone interviewed seems to have several published books to their credit and I think, sheesh, why does it take me so long to write one novel let alone two? I don’t believe in writer’s block or any other roadblocks to writing for me those are excuses for me not writing; I can always find ten minutes here or there between laundry loads or before my children get up in the morning to write a line or two, a paragraph or even a chapter. All those lines and paragraphs do eventually add up to a novel and hopefully a good one.
But why does it take me so long to create this novel though I’m steadily writing it? Other writers can write two or even three books at a time or at least a book a year so why am I not a faster writer? I thought about this and researched it a little and came up with a few writers who I believe have the same complexity I’ll call it and it hasn’t hurt them one bit: Donna Tartt author of the wonderful ‘The Secret History” began that novel in the 1980’s, it was published in 1992 and her next novel ‘The Little Friend’ wasn’t published until 2002, ten years later; just two great works to her credit. Then there’s Thomas Harris the creator of Dr. Lecter. Mr. Harris has written five novels, and its more than six years between each novel. I've stopped beating myself up about how long it takes me to create a novel.
There really shouldn’t be any time constraints on creating a novel because quality is the key here. I try to make every word count in the story and get rid of the useless ones so that every word matters to the novel's progress. I try and flesh out each character, erase all the strings so the reader gets story and not just words, a story and characters they can believe in one-hundred percent; it takes so much time to get this right or as close as I can get it.
My first Owen Story novel has taken me six years to get it where I don’t sweat every page and can even smile a little when I read it. The second novel in the trilogy will take me at least another year and a half if not longer to get it manageable. Do I wish I could write faster? Sometimes I do but if it means tossing in any old character, overlooking the bumps and creating a so-so work; then I’ll always take it slow. Writing a novel is hard enough so why not go the extra one-hundred miles and make it worth while, make it stand out from the rest, a work you’ll always be proud of even if it’s the only novel in 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
Friday, February 16, 2007
Hello,
I have completed one stage of the rewrites for my crime/mystery You Don’t Know Me and now the work really begins. The stages. I’ve completed the preliminary rewrite where I reread what I’ve saved on the computer. I take out as many of those “ly and ing” words as I can, toss out the junk readers don’t read and tighten up the story as much as I can. Next I’ll print off the pages and read them into my recorder. I don’t trust very much what my eyes see on the computer, I believe they miss more than they should. I feel the most comfortable reading off the printed page anyway; I think I catch more mistakes that way. And by using the recorder I know I hear them, they blare at me, I can’t help tripping over them. When I listen it enables me to make the changes and smooth out the story so that it flows; it feels wonderful not to stumble over story as I go along-- to just enjoy it and I imagine the reader will appreciate this too.
After I record its back to edit the changes into the computer copy and more reading. It's a long process isn’t it? Yet it works for me. Of course I wonder if it’s just a form of procrastination because I fear getting my story out so I go through all these forms of rewriting. I’ve thought about this quite a bit and decided that yes, it’s 5 percent all that but the 95 percent left is my determination to give those who choose to read my work a great story they can't put down, a terrific adventure, genuine characters they love and want to visit with again and all this takes so much time, effort, many mistakes along the way, fixes, so many rewrites—it’s the only way.
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
I have completed one stage of the rewrites for my crime/mystery You Don’t Know Me and now the work really begins. The stages. I’ve completed the preliminary rewrite where I reread what I’ve saved on the computer. I take out as many of those “ly and ing” words as I can, toss out the junk readers don’t read and tighten up the story as much as I can. Next I’ll print off the pages and read them into my recorder. I don’t trust very much what my eyes see on the computer, I believe they miss more than they should. I feel the most comfortable reading off the printed page anyway; I think I catch more mistakes that way. And by using the recorder I know I hear them, they blare at me, I can’t help tripping over them. When I listen it enables me to make the changes and smooth out the story so that it flows; it feels wonderful not to stumble over story as I go along-- to just enjoy it and I imagine the reader will appreciate this too.
After I record its back to edit the changes into the computer copy and more reading. It's a long process isn’t it? Yet it works for me. Of course I wonder if it’s just a form of procrastination because I fear getting my story out so I go through all these forms of rewriting. I’ve thought about this quite a bit and decided that yes, it’s 5 percent all that but the 95 percent left is my determination to give those who choose to read my work a great story they can't put down, a terrific adventure, genuine characters they love and want to visit with again and all this takes so much time, effort, many mistakes along the way, fixes, so many rewrites—it’s the only way.
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
Friday, February 09, 2007
Hello,
I’m working on two pieces, a children’s book—don’t let anyone tell you it’s easy writing children’s books; its not—and a flash fiction story. Both projects have been critiqued by professional editors and did they do their jobs well; it would've brought tears to your eyes. The children’s book editor wrote a four page critique that was so far from glowing it took me two days to read because every negative made me wince. He took every element of the story apart and examined it in every direction. The flash fiction editor did the same and this piece is less than three-hundred words. Was I upset at the deconstruction of my work? Of course, because I thought I was a better writer than that (see how much I know) but my greatest emotions were humility, gratefulness, acceptance and eagerness. I’m going to do exactly what both editors suggested; there is no question I will follow their guidelines, why? Because they know better than I do--you already know how much I know.
I’m too close to my work, all writers are and if I get someone who knows how to edit and who is willing to look at my work dispassionately and let me know what works and what doesn’t I’m happy about it. How many chances do we writers get to connect with those who genuinely want to help make our work the best it can be, who take the time and effort to help us succeed? It’s about as many chances we get to see a rainbow.
So, I’m going to follow all the suggestions I’ve been given for both stories because they will only make the stories even better, maybe even wonderful and in the end isn’t that our only true goal.
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
I’m working on two pieces, a children’s book—don’t let anyone tell you it’s easy writing children’s books; its not—and a flash fiction story. Both projects have been critiqued by professional editors and did they do their jobs well; it would've brought tears to your eyes. The children’s book editor wrote a four page critique that was so far from glowing it took me two days to read because every negative made me wince. He took every element of the story apart and examined it in every direction. The flash fiction editor did the same and this piece is less than three-hundred words. Was I upset at the deconstruction of my work? Of course, because I thought I was a better writer than that (see how much I know) but my greatest emotions were humility, gratefulness, acceptance and eagerness. I’m going to do exactly what both editors suggested; there is no question I will follow their guidelines, why? Because they know better than I do--you already know how much I know.
I’m too close to my work, all writers are and if I get someone who knows how to edit and who is willing to look at my work dispassionately and let me know what works and what doesn’t I’m happy about it. How many chances do we writers get to connect with those who genuinely want to help make our work the best it can be, who take the time and effort to help us succeed? It’s about as many chances we get to see a rainbow.
So, I’m going to follow all the suggestions I’ve been given for both stories because they will only make the stories even better, maybe even wonderful and in the end isn’t that our only true goal.
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
Friday, February 02, 2007
Hello,
We writers write all the time though it’s not always putting pen to paper, at these times we ruminate over how to write, what to write or over some thing interesting we’ve heard, seen or learned; we read and we even watch television, something like the Discovery Channel or not, regardless of what we do, we are at all times writing; we can’t help it. We writers of course have good days and bad days like every one else where it’s almost impossible to get out of bed, but we do and what propels us writers is the possibility of writing well; starting a new story, finally completing the project or novel we’re working on; coming across a new idea we cannot get out of our heads that compels us to write right now or even reading the work of one of our favorite writers that motivates us to do all we can to join that auspicious group.
It’s time for me to get back to my writing---prompted by just writing today’s blog—and the book-on disc I’m listening to: The Interpretation of Murder by Jed Rubenfeld; so that someday soon someone will read my work and be inspired to get on with their own so others will someday read theirs, keeping the continous circle of loving to write and read forever alive.
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
We writers write all the time though it’s not always putting pen to paper, at these times we ruminate over how to write, what to write or over some thing interesting we’ve heard, seen or learned; we read and we even watch television, something like the Discovery Channel or not, regardless of what we do, we are at all times writing; we can’t help it. We writers of course have good days and bad days like every one else where it’s almost impossible to get out of bed, but we do and what propels us writers is the possibility of writing well; starting a new story, finally completing the project or novel we’re working on; coming across a new idea we cannot get out of our heads that compels us to write right now or even reading the work of one of our favorite writers that motivates us to do all we can to join that auspicious group.
It’s time for me to get back to my writing---prompted by just writing today’s blog—and the book-on disc I’m listening to: The Interpretation of Murder by Jed Rubenfeld; so that someday soon someone will read my work and be inspired to get on with their own so others will someday read theirs, keeping the continous circle of loving to write and read forever alive.
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
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