Today, the Warrior Muse is featuring Lara Sterling, of Your Plot Thickens. She is a writer, who is also a story consultant, and she provides writing workshops in the L.A. area.
Lara posts a lot of interesting interviews, as well as helpful information for writers. In a recent post, she interviewed book coach Judy Cullins, an interview in which I learned a little bit about capabilities of Linked In that I had no idea existed. She often interviews other writers, but no matter who she's interviewing, it is always informative.
If you'd like to check out the Judy Cullins interview, it is entitled Tips for Marketing our Books, which I'm sure many of us our interested in. The blog post is just a synopsis of the interview with a link to where the full interview will be, but it is still worth reading, as it still has helpful information.
May you find your Muse.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
[Mostly] Wordless Wednesday 7/27/11
Today we'll stay right at home for [Mostly] Wordless Wednesday. Well, in Colorado Springs, anyway. This is a photo of Helen Hunt Falls, named for Helen Hunt Jackson, a local author in the 1800's.
Helen Hunt was born in Massachusetts, but moved to Colorado after the loss of her husband and two sons. She had become very ill (some reports I find say tuberculosis, while others don't mention the disease), and Colorado Springs was known for curative and restorative powers, the dry air and mineral springs being highly recommended for tuberculosis sufferers, as well as many other illnesses. She became passionate about helping Native Americans after a lecture given by Chief Standing Bear, of the Ponca tribe, and wrote about their plight in books such as Ramona, A Century of Dishonor and The Indian's Plight. She was good friends with Emily Dickinson, and some of her poems were featured in Ralph Waldo Emerson's Parnassus. She was a dedicated activist in favor or the Native people, and traveled to learn more about the government's mistreatment of them.
The falls did not take her name until long after her death from cancer, but she spent much of her last years in North Cheyenne Canon. The area was known as a place to view some of the bounty of natural beauty of Colorado, as well as a place to cool off and hide from the sun's penetrating rays. There are several falls in the vicinity, as well as more trees than can be found in much of the rest of the city.
As far as Helen Hunt Falls these days, it is a wonderful place for an easy hike and breathtaking scenery, so one should always bring their camera along when they strap on their hiking boots.
I hope you enjoyed this peek at Colorado history.
May you find your Muse.
Helen Hunt was born in Massachusetts, but moved to Colorado after the loss of her husband and two sons. She had become very ill (some reports I find say tuberculosis, while others don't mention the disease), and Colorado Springs was known for curative and restorative powers, the dry air and mineral springs being highly recommended for tuberculosis sufferers, as well as many other illnesses. She became passionate about helping Native Americans after a lecture given by Chief Standing Bear, of the Ponca tribe, and wrote about their plight in books such as Ramona, A Century of Dishonor and The Indian's Plight. She was good friends with Emily Dickinson, and some of her poems were featured in Ralph Waldo Emerson's Parnassus. She was a dedicated activist in favor or the Native people, and traveled to learn more about the government's mistreatment of them.
The falls did not take her name until long after her death from cancer, but she spent much of her last years in North Cheyenne Canon. The area was known as a place to view some of the bounty of natural beauty of Colorado, as well as a place to cool off and hide from the sun's penetrating rays. There are several falls in the vicinity, as well as more trees than can be found in much of the rest of the city.
As far as Helen Hunt Falls these days, it is a wonderful place for an easy hike and breathtaking scenery, so one should always bring their camera along when they strap on their hiking boots.
I hope you enjoyed this peek at Colorado history.
May you find your Muse.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Teaser Tuesday 7/26/11
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
"Maybe my mother is right. Maybe it's time to stop stun-gunning men who think they're vampires, get married, and settle down."
p. 36, Smokin' Seventeen, by Janet Evanovich
(I should clarify that this is not a vampire novel/urban fantasy/horror/anything of that sort. It's an action/comedy/romance sort of deal.)
Happy Reading!
Monday, July 25, 2011
Is Any Publication a Good Publication?
Back when I was nineteen or twenty-ish, I discovered a little site called Poetry.com. I submitted a poem from my personal collection as a contest entry and was delighted to receive a letter saying they wanted to publish my poem in a hardcover anthology. Holy cow! Someone liked my writing enough to put it in a book! Of course, there was no pay (to me). Rather, I had to pay to purchase said hardcover anthology if I wanted a copy. Well, of course I had to do that, right? I even bought a copy for my parents.
A few months after I received my oh-so-wonderful anthology, I received a follow-up letter saying they enjoyed my poem soooooooooo much that they'd love for me to submit another for their Best Poets of [whatever year it happened to be]. Oh my gosh! Not only did they like my poetry, they reaaaaallllyyyy liked my poetry! (Spell checker is going to have a field day with this post).
I was ultimately contacted by an International Library of Poetry, and asked to submit a poem for publication in an anthology that would be published in the U.S., as well as the U.K. Ultimately, I sent off my check for another anthology...and never received it. When I attempted to contact them in writing, I never heard back. When I called the listed phone number, no one ever answered and there was no answering machine. My check had been promptly cashed, but I never got a book, nor did I ever receive contact from them again.
This led me to finally really think about what was going on. Were these genuine publishing credits or had I been a fool and gotten sucked into a money-making scheme?
At that time, I couldn't find anything about this being a scam. There just wasn't anything showing up. Obviously, I quit submitting poems and didn't tangle with them anymore. I decided I'd been duped and that it was a lesson learned.
Fast forward to a couple years ago. Someone on an online forum I belonged to kept posting about selling all these articles and making good money. She was doing so on a site called Helium.com. I checked it out, it sounded good, and I didn't find anything negative about them, so I signed up. I've made several hundred dollars on there via Marketplace articles, and it was nice. However, I can't find those articles I sold anywhere other than on Helium, which seems odd, because there was always a different publication name for the article I sold. So I can say I sold these articles, but since I have no proof of them showing up on another publication, I can only cite them as being sold to Helium.com. At least, this is the way it seems to me, and it's something I've been trying to figure out. I can say that, for me, it was a valid way to bring in extra money, as the money was paid out to my Paypal account each time I requested it.
There are many other websites that you can make money writing for, such as Associated Content, several different how-to sites, etc. The question is, how do you find out whether one of these sites is legitimate? Yes, you can research, but I have found people on both sides for every single site I've investigated.
The big question that comes into play, though (and thus the reason for it being the title), is whether any publication is a good and valid reference? If your name is on a website or in an anthology that has an ISBN number, does it count? Do you put it in a resume or query letter? Or will these publications make you look bad, so they should be left out, even if you aren't published anywhere else? At what point is a publication more hurtful than helpful? Anybody have opinions on these questions, these sites or any related sites? Experience? Recommendations?
For more information, these are a couple sites I came across that discussed Poetry.com, ILP and Helium (there are now tons more if you simply Google them):
Getting the Scoop on Poetry Contest Scams by Linda Alice Dewey
The Literature Network of Forums
Workathomenoscams.com (a blog--read the comments for many varying opinions)
Happy (and Safe) Writing!
A few months after I received my oh-so-wonderful anthology, I received a follow-up letter saying they enjoyed my poem soooooooooo much that they'd love for me to submit another for their Best Poets of [whatever year it happened to be]. Oh my gosh! Not only did they like my poetry, they reaaaaallllyyyy liked my poetry! (Spell checker is going to have a field day with this post).
I was ultimately contacted by an International Library of Poetry, and asked to submit a poem for publication in an anthology that would be published in the U.S., as well as the U.K. Ultimately, I sent off my check for another anthology...and never received it. When I attempted to contact them in writing, I never heard back. When I called the listed phone number, no one ever answered and there was no answering machine. My check had been promptly cashed, but I never got a book, nor did I ever receive contact from them again.
This led me to finally really think about what was going on. Were these genuine publishing credits or had I been a fool and gotten sucked into a money-making scheme?
At that time, I couldn't find anything about this being a scam. There just wasn't anything showing up. Obviously, I quit submitting poems and didn't tangle with them anymore. I decided I'd been duped and that it was a lesson learned.
Fast forward to a couple years ago. Someone on an online forum I belonged to kept posting about selling all these articles and making good money. She was doing so on a site called Helium.com. I checked it out, it sounded good, and I didn't find anything negative about them, so I signed up. I've made several hundred dollars on there via Marketplace articles, and it was nice. However, I can't find those articles I sold anywhere other than on Helium, which seems odd, because there was always a different publication name for the article I sold. So I can say I sold these articles, but since I have no proof of them showing up on another publication, I can only cite them as being sold to Helium.com. At least, this is the way it seems to me, and it's something I've been trying to figure out. I can say that, for me, it was a valid way to bring in extra money, as the money was paid out to my Paypal account each time I requested it.
There are many other websites that you can make money writing for, such as Associated Content, several different how-to sites, etc. The question is, how do you find out whether one of these sites is legitimate? Yes, you can research, but I have found people on both sides for every single site I've investigated.
The big question that comes into play, though (and thus the reason for it being the title), is whether any publication is a good and valid reference? If your name is on a website or in an anthology that has an ISBN number, does it count? Do you put it in a resume or query letter? Or will these publications make you look bad, so they should be left out, even if you aren't published anywhere else? At what point is a publication more hurtful than helpful? Anybody have opinions on these questions, these sites or any related sites? Experience? Recommendations?
For more information, these are a couple sites I came across that discussed Poetry.com, ILP and Helium (there are now tons more if you simply Google them):
Getting the Scoop on Poetry Contest Scams by Linda Alice Dewey
The Literature Network of Forums
Workathomenoscams.com (a blog--read the comments for many varying opinions)
Happy (and Safe) Writing!
Friday, July 22, 2011
Feature Friday Features: "...Then She Writes"
This is my first Feature Friday. I thought I would start by spotlighting bloggers I follow who have fewer than 100 followers.
Heidi Windmiller of ...Then She Writes is a writer of YA and Sci Fi, and her posts have to do with...writing! Didn't see that one coming, did you? She has a nice friendly voice in her blog writing and she posts some things that expand my horizons, others that entertain, and still others that simply have me rooting for her progress.
If you're looking for a good writing blog, check out Heidi's blog; her latest post is entitled Silent Time, something I've been working on myself, yet get so little of (parents will understand, and I'm sure many non-parents, too).
Happy Writing!
Heidi Windmiller of ...Then She Writes is a writer of YA and Sci Fi, and her posts have to do with...writing! Didn't see that one coming, did you? She has a nice friendly voice in her blog writing and she posts some things that expand my horizons, others that entertain, and still others that simply have me rooting for her progress.
If you're looking for a good writing blog, check out Heidi's blog; her latest post is entitled Silent Time, something I've been working on myself, yet get so little of (parents will understand, and I'm sure many non-parents, too).
Happy Writing!
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
[Mostly] Wordless Wednesday 7/20/11
For [Mostly] Wordless Wednesday today, I figured it was only right to show a photo from my Florida vacation in June:
This photo was taken at Cocoa Beach, Florida, where we ended up not being able to swim due to a freak mass exodus of a type of jellyfish not typically seen in the area. No one was positive why they ended up there, but it was suggested that the tsunami helped make it possible. I got stung by two of the little buggers! Luckily, the kids were happy to play in the sand at the beach, so it was mostly we adults who were disappointed.
This photo was taken at Cocoa Beach, Florida, where we ended up not being able to swim due to a freak mass exodus of a type of jellyfish not typically seen in the area. No one was positive why they ended up there, but it was suggested that the tsunami helped make it possible. I got stung by two of the little buggers! Luckily, the kids were happy to play in the sand at the beach, so it was mostly we adults who were disappointed.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Teaser Tuesday 7/19/11
It's time for Teaser Tuesday, where I post two sentences from a book I'm reading to whet your appetite and see if it's a book you might be interested in reading.
"She knew what people said--that there were bodies buried all over the state, men who'd met their bloody end at Stella's hands. The truth was that despite beating, interrogating, threatening, and torturing her parolees; despite leaving them with scars, broken bones, burns, post-traumatic stress disorder, even the occasional missing limb--despite all of this, she hadn't killed a single parolee, no matter how blackhearted and irredeemable he was."
This is a Kindle e-book, so I don't have a page number; 33% of the way through. "A Bad Day for Sorry: A Crime Novel," by Sophie Littlefield.
This one's pretty funny!
"She knew what people said--that there were bodies buried all over the state, men who'd met their bloody end at Stella's hands. The truth was that despite beating, interrogating, threatening, and torturing her parolees; despite leaving them with scars, broken bones, burns, post-traumatic stress disorder, even the occasional missing limb--despite all of this, she hadn't killed a single parolee, no matter how blackhearted and irredeemable he was."
This is a Kindle e-book, so I don't have a page number; 33% of the way through. "A Bad Day for Sorry: A Crime Novel," by Sophie Littlefield.
This one's pretty funny!
Monday, July 18, 2011
What's in Your Second Draft?
Welcome to Monday! Did I just hear some grumbling? Yeah, me, too.
As a quick follow-up to last week's Publicity Primer, I found a site that takes you through putting your blog on Networked Blogs step-by-step: Connectwww.com. It only takes a few minutes, so why not!
Also, author J.A. Kazimer will be offering a free Write Brain workshop tomorrow night, Tuesday, July 19th, from 6:30 to 8:30, located at the Falcon Police Station here in Colorado Springs (North Academy). If you're in Colorado, I'm betting this will be an awesome workshop! I was looking forward to going and passing on some helpful tidbits, but my son will be doing a karate demonstration before our local baseball team's game (Sky Sox), and I can't miss that. There will be a writing exercise, so don't forget to bring paper and a pencil.
I was visiting some blogs yesterday and I happened across someone saying how they always had to go back in on their second draft to add a little something in. That started me thinking about how I have to go back through to add emotional details and mushy inter-relationship traits, because those things don't come automatically for me. Romance fits in there, as well. This person had to go through to flesh out details, which I don't have a problem with in the first draft. In fact, I usually have to edit out some details, because I can sometimes put too many in since I'm playing the scene in my head and want to make sure I get it all down at first.
I know for a lot of people the second draft involves a lot of paring down, rather than adding words, but that makes me wonder if there is anything those same people need to add in, despite already having what may be considered too many words.
So tell me, what gets added in your second draft that doesn't just come naturally for you? Do you typically have to add words or build up your manuscript?
Happy Writing!
As a quick follow-up to last week's Publicity Primer, I found a site that takes you through putting your blog on Networked Blogs step-by-step: Connectwww.com. It only takes a few minutes, so why not!
Also, author J.A. Kazimer will be offering a free Write Brain workshop tomorrow night, Tuesday, July 19th, from 6:30 to 8:30, located at the Falcon Police Station here in Colorado Springs (North Academy). If you're in Colorado, I'm betting this will be an awesome workshop! I was looking forward to going and passing on some helpful tidbits, but my son will be doing a karate demonstration before our local baseball team's game (Sky Sox), and I can't miss that. There will be a writing exercise, so don't forget to bring paper and a pencil.
I was visiting some blogs yesterday and I happened across someone saying how they always had to go back in on their second draft to add a little something in. That started me thinking about how I have to go back through to add emotional details and mushy inter-relationship traits, because those things don't come automatically for me. Romance fits in there, as well. This person had to go through to flesh out details, which I don't have a problem with in the first draft. In fact, I usually have to edit out some details, because I can sometimes put too many in since I'm playing the scene in my head and want to make sure I get it all down at first.
I know for a lot of people the second draft involves a lot of paring down, rather than adding words, but that makes me wonder if there is anything those same people need to add in, despite already having what may be considered too many words.
So tell me, what gets added in your second draft that doesn't just come naturally for you? Do you typically have to add words or build up your manuscript?
Happy Writing!
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Publicity Primer - Conference Workshop
Before I start, I wanted to mention that I will be changing things a tiny bit. Mondays I will write my regular post; Wednesdays will be [Mostly] Wordless Wednesdays, where I post photos I've taken; Fridays will be Feature Fridays, where I post about a blog I follow. I thought this would be a good way to introduce the blogs I find interesting and why. This is possibly just a change for the summer, but I'm finding my time more limited than I had expected. I reserve the right to post extra posts any time I want, though! My next post will be Monday and Feature Friday will begin next week.
It's been awhile since I posted notes from a conference class. I didn't want to continue beating people over the head with the conference, so I figured I would spread out conference posts. This workshop was called Publicity Primer - Ideas and informal Q & A with Sue Mitchell & Deb Courtney. You can find Deb Courtney at The Conversational Shoplifter and she is the person who runs the Monday writer's nights at Rico's. I am unaware of a website for Sue Mitchell. This workshop was to inform writers how to do their own publicity, which is quickly becoming primarily the writer's job.
Firstly, you should create a marketing action plan, complete with a press kit. Have a marketing approach before you begin selling yourself.
Elements to include:
*Marketing Overview
*Synopsis - Thumbnail (log line), Short (1-2 paragraphs), Full Page
*Follow-Up/The Next Book (If you have another book planned, mention it now to whet appetites)
*Author Info/Bio (why should they be interested in you?)
*Knowing the Customer/Audience (who will be interested in your writing)
*Knowing the Competition (what established authors do you compare to?)
*Creating Market Opportunities (ways you know you can present yourself--platform, connections)
Action Plan
Objectives
Pre-sales (sense of how many pre-sales you'll have from local bookstores and Amazon pre-sales--you'll need an ISBN and bar code)
Second Run
Secure Retailing
Strategies
Book Positioning
Author Positioning (website, for instance)
Customer Rewards (mailing list on your website--run a contest, use review copies for giveaways on your site and/or at conferences)
Tactics
Public Relations/General Releases
Retailing/Book Tour (book your own if your publisher can't, do a couch tour*, walk into book stores to see if they're willing to carry your books, find a local rep for big book chains and ask them)
Event Appearances (conferences, seek out local writer's groups for events)
Speaking Engagements
Multi-Media/Interview Questions (virtual press kit**)
*Couch Tour: Definitely focus on your local area book stores, but also be aware of places you can travel to with lower expense, such as cities where you have friends who will let you crash on their couch)
**Virtual Press Kit: Synopsis, head shot, picture of your book cover, pre-answered questions on stuff you're comfortable talking about, copies of reviews
Press Releases - Format & Spin
A press release is like a news story. It should be topical, timely, interesting and geared toward the specific recipient you're contacting. Each paragraph should only be a couple sentences.
Media Relations - Who, How & The Big Interview
College radio stations, local radio stations, local TV stations. Figure out questions ahead of time and rehearse answers.
Blog
Personal:an established blog is one year, with posts at least two times per week, getting reads and comments.
Huffington Post or Equivalent: Bloggers can get established on there with a link to their personal blog at the bottom of their post/article.
Platform
Free Resources:
Look around on the internet and locally.
Book Reviews
Getting Them: Find people on Goodreads or other blogs who are willing to review your book. Even if you get ripped apart, be polite and thank them. Be gracious.
Writing Them: This can get you out there, as well. Set up your own blog, write reviews for other authors.
Social Networking:
Facebook: They have books and library courses to help you set this up. Make a fan page in your name for people to "like" and pages for your books.
Twitter: Follow publishing houses for information/announcements
Linked Online Presence:
Set your blog up as a networked blog to Facebook and Twitter, so all posts will go to both places. (I need to figure out how to do this; it would make my life easier!)
Create an online presence for yourself. Use Fark.com, Digg, Reddit, etc.
Don't send a press release if you're not willing to include your personal information (you can get a Google Mask #).
Don't post a lot of personal information about yourself online.
Don't send stuff out constantly or you will over-saturate with your presence.
***They also gave us a sample Press Release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Name/Firm
Phone Number
Email/Web Site
HEADLINE (Capitalize all but prepositions)
Date, or Date of Event/Release
Location of Event
COPY: Begin with timely introduction, unique information or story angle. Bring in details. Synopsis in regular sentences of the event, not the piece of fiction. Ex: "Local author, xyz will be doing a signing on x date..." List who, what, when, where, why and how.
BOILER PLATE: Information about author, history, organization, etc.
Centered at the bottom of the piece, put: -30-
-30- means there is not a second page to the press release, that it is complete. Do not put -30- if it is not complete.
I hope this helps!
Do you have a press kit for yourself yet? Have you had experience with any of this? Do you use Digg, Reddit or similar sites to get yourself out there?
Happy Writing!
It's been awhile since I posted notes from a conference class. I didn't want to continue beating people over the head with the conference, so I figured I would spread out conference posts. This workshop was called Publicity Primer - Ideas and informal Q & A with Sue Mitchell & Deb Courtney. You can find Deb Courtney at The Conversational Shoplifter and she is the person who runs the Monday writer's nights at Rico's. I am unaware of a website for Sue Mitchell. This workshop was to inform writers how to do their own publicity, which is quickly becoming primarily the writer's job.
Firstly, you should create a marketing action plan, complete with a press kit. Have a marketing approach before you begin selling yourself.
Elements to include:
*Marketing Overview
*Synopsis - Thumbnail (log line), Short (1-2 paragraphs), Full Page
*Follow-Up/The Next Book (If you have another book planned, mention it now to whet appetites)
*Author Info/Bio (why should they be interested in you?)
*Knowing the Customer/Audience (who will be interested in your writing)
*Knowing the Competition (what established authors do you compare to?)
*Creating Market Opportunities (ways you know you can present yourself--platform, connections)
Action Plan
Objectives
Pre-sales (sense of how many pre-sales you'll have from local bookstores and Amazon pre-sales--you'll need an ISBN and bar code)
Second Run
Secure Retailing
Strategies
Book Positioning
Author Positioning (website, for instance)
Customer Rewards (mailing list on your website--run a contest, use review copies for giveaways on your site and/or at conferences)
Tactics
Public Relations/General Releases
Retailing/Book Tour (book your own if your publisher can't, do a couch tour*, walk into book stores to see if they're willing to carry your books, find a local rep for big book chains and ask them)
Event Appearances (conferences, seek out local writer's groups for events)
Speaking Engagements
Multi-Media/Interview Questions (virtual press kit**)
*Couch Tour: Definitely focus on your local area book stores, but also be aware of places you can travel to with lower expense, such as cities where you have friends who will let you crash on their couch)
**Virtual Press Kit: Synopsis, head shot, picture of your book cover, pre-answered questions on stuff you're comfortable talking about, copies of reviews
Press Releases - Format & Spin
A press release is like a news story. It should be topical, timely, interesting and geared toward the specific recipient you're contacting. Each paragraph should only be a couple sentences.
Media Relations - Who, How & The Big Interview
College radio stations, local radio stations, local TV stations. Figure out questions ahead of time and rehearse answers.
Blog
Personal:an established blog is one year, with posts at least two times per week, getting reads and comments.
Huffington Post or Equivalent: Bloggers can get established on there with a link to their personal blog at the bottom of their post/article.
Platform
Free Resources:
Look around on the internet and locally.
Book Reviews
Getting Them: Find people on Goodreads or other blogs who are willing to review your book. Even if you get ripped apart, be polite and thank them. Be gracious.
Writing Them: This can get you out there, as well. Set up your own blog, write reviews for other authors.
Social Networking:
Facebook: They have books and library courses to help you set this up. Make a fan page in your name for people to "like" and pages for your books.
Twitter: Follow publishing houses for information/announcements
Linked Online Presence:
Set your blog up as a networked blog to Facebook and Twitter, so all posts will go to both places. (I need to figure out how to do this; it would make my life easier!)
Create an online presence for yourself. Use Fark.com, Digg, Reddit, etc.
Don't send a press release if you're not willing to include your personal information (you can get a Google Mask #).
Don't post a lot of personal information about yourself online.
Don't send stuff out constantly or you will over-saturate with your presence.
***They also gave us a sample Press Release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Name/Firm
Phone Number
Email/Web Site
HEADLINE (Capitalize all but prepositions)
Date, or Date of Event/Release
Location of Event
COPY: Begin with timely introduction, unique information or story angle. Bring in details. Synopsis in regular sentences of the event, not the piece of fiction. Ex: "Local author, xyz will be doing a signing on x date..." List who, what, when, where, why and how.
BOILER PLATE: Information about author, history, organization, etc.
Centered at the bottom of the piece, put: -30-
-30- means there is not a second page to the press release, that it is complete. Do not put -30- if it is not complete.
I hope this helps!
Do you have a press kit for yourself yet? Have you had experience with any of this? Do you use Digg, Reddit or similar sites to get yourself out there?
Happy Writing!
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
[Mostly] Wordless Wednesday 7/13/11
I thought it might be fun to do a [Mostly] Wordless Wednesday post each week. It's just for fun, but maybe some can inspire as story prompts.
This little guy was a friendly doughnut-eating fox up on top of Pikes Peak (one of our mountains over 14,000 feet tall, and a gorgeous view all over town which I'll share one of these days). I named him Homer.
Happy Snapping!
This little guy was a friendly doughnut-eating fox up on top of Pikes Peak (one of our mountains over 14,000 feet tall, and a gorgeous view all over town which I'll share one of these days). I named him Homer.
Happy Snapping!
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Smorgasbord
Today is a smorgasbord post.
First, it's Teaser Tuesday again (only for a few more hours since I'm late to posting, but I've got my son's school shopping all taken care of, so woo-hoo!).
"I rubbed my arms and got up to walk around the room, trying to dispel the images, or at least push them far enough away that I could think. I needed human company."
p. 61, Body Work by Sara Paretsky (A V.I. Warshawski Novel)
I received an award from Beth at Beth's Blog. It's the Liebster Blog Award, to pass along some blog love to those with fewer than 300 followers.
Thank you, Beth! I'm supposed to pass this on to 3-5 people with fewer than 300 followers, so here goes:
Andrew at Strange Pegs.
Tina at Life is Good.
Alyssia at Small World, Big Dreams.
Julie at What Else is Possible?
As always, I will NOT be offended if you do not wish to pass on the award on your blog.
There are so many other worthwhile blogs with fewer than 300 followers out there, as well! But I'm already late getting this up, so I'm going to have to leave it at 4! I hope to pass along many more blogs in the near future.
Speaking of Tina, she will be doing a guest post over at Lee's blog, Tossing it Out, about our A to Z Challenge followup, the Visitors Challenge. Her guest post will be tomorrow, Wednesday, July 13. Check it out! There's still plenty of time to sign up for the challenge at the top of my page, so please consider joining us.
Happy Writing!
First, it's Teaser Tuesday again (only for a few more hours since I'm late to posting, but I've got my son's school shopping all taken care of, so woo-hoo!).
"I rubbed my arms and got up to walk around the room, trying to dispel the images, or at least push them far enough away that I could think. I needed human company."
p. 61, Body Work by Sara Paretsky (A V.I. Warshawski Novel)
I received an award from Beth at Beth's Blog. It's the Liebster Blog Award, to pass along some blog love to those with fewer than 300 followers.
Thank you, Beth! I'm supposed to pass this on to 3-5 people with fewer than 300 followers, so here goes:
Andrew at Strange Pegs.
Tina at Life is Good.
Alyssia at Small World, Big Dreams.
Julie at What Else is Possible?
As always, I will NOT be offended if you do not wish to pass on the award on your blog.
There are so many other worthwhile blogs with fewer than 300 followers out there, as well! But I'm already late getting this up, so I'm going to have to leave it at 4! I hope to pass along many more blogs in the near future.
Speaking of Tina, she will be doing a guest post over at Lee's blog, Tossing it Out, about our A to Z Challenge followup, the Visitors Challenge. Her guest post will be tomorrow, Wednesday, July 13. Check it out! There's still plenty of time to sign up for the challenge at the top of my page, so please consider joining us.
Happy Writing!
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Quick Note on the A to Z Visitor Challenge--Submissions Reopened!
We had originally set submissions to close on July 1, but it has been reopened, and will now close for new submissions on September 1. If you wanted to sign up and haven't yet, please feel free to hop in now!
For those who have signed up, how are you doing?
For those who have signed up, how are you doing?
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Where's the Horror?
Anyone remember "Where's the beef?" It was a Wendy's ad campaign. Well, the question recently has been "Where's the Horror?" It isn't dead in the movies, but is it dead in books?
Answers to that question vary widely. I've had people tell me Horror is a dying genre, while other people say it is thriving. Still others say that it just melded with Fantasy. What's the truth? I've been inclined to think it is still around, but that quite a bit has blurred into Urban Fantasy and similar genres. Looking at the Horror Writers Association (HWA) website, I found a list of new releases by HWA members that clearly indicates Horror is still alive and well. Dean R. Koontz and Stephen King are still in the fray. Koontz finally got more of his "Frankenstein" series out (or I just heard about it--could be either way). Unfortunately, I had decided it wasn't going to happen, so I got rid of the first one. I guess I'll have to start fresh!
Sure, a lot of the HWA releases appear to be anthologies, which means the Horror short story crowd is still going strong. There were also several stand alone novels on the list, though, which I found reassuring. Before I actively started looking into it, I was starting to fear that my insistence that Horror will always be around was unfounded, and that I might be wrong. But I'm feeling a bit better, so I'm willing to stick to my guns.
Why would I say there will always be a need for Horror? Let's look at why people might like a good scare in the first place:
1. Escapism. I once read that more people flock to Horror films during war or other times of high stress. Whether this is true or not, I can't tell you for sure. It makes sense in a way, because it provides a means to escape real life horrors that have no guaranteed happy ending. Most scary films have some type of happy ending, usually including the bad guy getting theirs in the end, and all ending well (though not for all the poor suckers who died before the main character killed the Boogie Man). We can't guarantee the happy ending anywhere else in life, but we can view a Horror film, especially one with unrealistic bad guys, and know it will probably be okay. We also get to see the everyman beating whatever force there is in the film/book, meaning we could possibly do the same thing and overcome outrageous odds. What better way to escape the real life fears one possesses? Plus, a giant man-eating horny toad isn't something we actually have to worry about, so why not dive into this Horror story and forget about our daily stresses?
2. Adrenaline/thrill seeking. Ever noticed that the largest part of the audience in a Horror film or browser in the Horror section of the bookstore tends to be on the younger side? When I worked at various theaters, we had far more teens and twenty-somethings clamoring to get in than those older than that, and the over fifty audience was fairly limited. Why? Adrenaline junkies tend to be younger, too, and who doesn't get a rush of adrenaline from the fight or flight response experienced in a moment of terror? It's far safer to experience that terror via screen or page than it is to jump off a cliff or out of an airplane.
3. Endorphins. I recently read that people crave spicy foods because the tongue reads the sensation as pain and releases those lovely feel good endorphins. If you get a shot of endorphins each time, you crave that experience over and over. I have to wonder if there isn't an element of this in pursuing a scare.
4. Catharsis. You can hate the bad guy as much as you want and root for torture and murder. In fact, it's encouraged. Where else in life can you get to experience that release of pent-up negative emotions without paying some sort of price (like jail time)?
5. Revenge/closure. This works in several ways in the Horror world. It's satisfying when that character you just can't stand gets their face eaten off. Same goes for that stereotype that reminds you of the Superboobs Cheerleader that gave you a hard time in high school, or the Steroids-for-Brains Jock that pulled your underwear up over your head. Beyond that, it's satisfying to see someone who went through something horrific win in the end. Look at "The Last House on the Left." It is fantabulous to see the parents taking revenge when they find out the truth about what happened to their daughter, and who did it. Child molester? Burn him alive. Rapist? Cut off his member and put it in the blender so he can't sew it back on a la Bobbitt. Sociopath? Off with their head! Of course, they have to commit atrocities that we have to sit through first, but that's just the buildup to the ultimate payoff.
6. Coming of age. The ability to get into a horror movie without your parents going with you is a sign that you're all grown up. It's the ritual of adulthood you can't miss. Less painful than putting bones through your pectoral muscles and then pulling on them, right?
7. To get some. What better way to get physically close with your date than to take them to a horror movie? Guys will act less afraid than they are and gals will act more afraid. You didn't actually think the ladies didn't want those snuggles in the dark theater as much as you, did ya' fella's?
I'm sure there are plenty of other reasons people want to see horror movies. Each person is different and has their own reasoning, though we may not know what that is. Whatever the reason(s), it's not going to go away anytime soon. Maybe when we've all been cloned and genetically altered in such a way as to remove those "dangerous" urges within us. Pretty sure the housewives in Stepford wouldn't enjoy a lovely evening of blood and terror.
So while the Horror genre may have been going through some growing pains as we experiment with all the different ways it can be done (true crime, torture porn, psychological, Urban Fantasy, etc.), it certainly won't be disappearing entirely any time in the near future. There will always be an audience for it in one form or another. I feel people have just been trying out new things within Horror and related genres, including the audience, so it has seemed like it fell by the wayside. Not so. There's no need to worry that you won't be able to go enjoy a few scares, a few thrills and a few screams if that's something you want to do.
What are your thoughts on the Horror genre, in any medium? If you're a fan, what is your reason for enjoying a bit of Horror? What are your favorites?
Answers to that question vary widely. I've had people tell me Horror is a dying genre, while other people say it is thriving. Still others say that it just melded with Fantasy. What's the truth? I've been inclined to think it is still around, but that quite a bit has blurred into Urban Fantasy and similar genres. Looking at the Horror Writers Association (HWA) website, I found a list of new releases by HWA members that clearly indicates Horror is still alive and well. Dean R. Koontz and Stephen King are still in the fray. Koontz finally got more of his "Frankenstein" series out (or I just heard about it--could be either way). Unfortunately, I had decided it wasn't going to happen, so I got rid of the first one. I guess I'll have to start fresh!
Sure, a lot of the HWA releases appear to be anthologies, which means the Horror short story crowd is still going strong. There were also several stand alone novels on the list, though, which I found reassuring. Before I actively started looking into it, I was starting to fear that my insistence that Horror will always be around was unfounded, and that I might be wrong. But I'm feeling a bit better, so I'm willing to stick to my guns.
Why would I say there will always be a need for Horror? Let's look at why people might like a good scare in the first place:
1. Escapism. I once read that more people flock to Horror films during war or other times of high stress. Whether this is true or not, I can't tell you for sure. It makes sense in a way, because it provides a means to escape real life horrors that have no guaranteed happy ending. Most scary films have some type of happy ending, usually including the bad guy getting theirs in the end, and all ending well (though not for all the poor suckers who died before the main character killed the Boogie Man). We can't guarantee the happy ending anywhere else in life, but we can view a Horror film, especially one with unrealistic bad guys, and know it will probably be okay. We also get to see the everyman beating whatever force there is in the film/book, meaning we could possibly do the same thing and overcome outrageous odds. What better way to escape the real life fears one possesses? Plus, a giant man-eating horny toad isn't something we actually have to worry about, so why not dive into this Horror story and forget about our daily stresses?
2. Adrenaline/thrill seeking. Ever noticed that the largest part of the audience in a Horror film or browser in the Horror section of the bookstore tends to be on the younger side? When I worked at various theaters, we had far more teens and twenty-somethings clamoring to get in than those older than that, and the over fifty audience was fairly limited. Why? Adrenaline junkies tend to be younger, too, and who doesn't get a rush of adrenaline from the fight or flight response experienced in a moment of terror? It's far safer to experience that terror via screen or page than it is to jump off a cliff or out of an airplane.
3. Endorphins. I recently read that people crave spicy foods because the tongue reads the sensation as pain and releases those lovely feel good endorphins. If you get a shot of endorphins each time, you crave that experience over and over. I have to wonder if there isn't an element of this in pursuing a scare.
4. Catharsis. You can hate the bad guy as much as you want and root for torture and murder. In fact, it's encouraged. Where else in life can you get to experience that release of pent-up negative emotions without paying some sort of price (like jail time)?
5. Revenge/closure. This works in several ways in the Horror world. It's satisfying when that character you just can't stand gets their face eaten off. Same goes for that stereotype that reminds you of the Superboobs Cheerleader that gave you a hard time in high school, or the Steroids-for-Brains Jock that pulled your underwear up over your head. Beyond that, it's satisfying to see someone who went through something horrific win in the end. Look at "The Last House on the Left." It is fantabulous to see the parents taking revenge when they find out the truth about what happened to their daughter, and who did it. Child molester? Burn him alive. Rapist? Cut off his member and put it in the blender so he can't sew it back on a la Bobbitt. Sociopath? Off with their head! Of course, they have to commit atrocities that we have to sit through first, but that's just the buildup to the ultimate payoff.
6. Coming of age. The ability to get into a horror movie without your parents going with you is a sign that you're all grown up. It's the ritual of adulthood you can't miss. Less painful than putting bones through your pectoral muscles and then pulling on them, right?
7. To get some. What better way to get physically close with your date than to take them to a horror movie? Guys will act less afraid than they are and gals will act more afraid. You didn't actually think the ladies didn't want those snuggles in the dark theater as much as you, did ya' fella's?
I'm sure there are plenty of other reasons people want to see horror movies. Each person is different and has their own reasoning, though we may not know what that is. Whatever the reason(s), it's not going to go away anytime soon. Maybe when we've all been cloned and genetically altered in such a way as to remove those "dangerous" urges within us. Pretty sure the housewives in Stepford wouldn't enjoy a lovely evening of blood and terror.
So while the Horror genre may have been going through some growing pains as we experiment with all the different ways it can be done (true crime, torture porn, psychological, Urban Fantasy, etc.), it certainly won't be disappearing entirely any time in the near future. There will always be an audience for it in one form or another. I feel people have just been trying out new things within Horror and related genres, including the audience, so it has seemed like it fell by the wayside. Not so. There's no need to worry that you won't be able to go enjoy a few scares, a few thrills and a few screams if that's something you want to do.
What are your thoughts on the Horror genre, in any medium? If you're a fan, what is your reason for enjoying a bit of Horror? What are your favorites?
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Beloved Characters
I went to see a movie last night, which shall remain nameless to avoid spoilers, and an actor I've always enjoyed as an all around good guy, sweet, often starring as a bit of a schmuck at the beginning of a film, only to come out top dog without having compromised his good guy qualities, surprised me by playing a bad guy. I realized, when it happened, that I actually feel a little bit deceived and like I've been let down when a favorite "good guy" actor or actress turns around and does something like that. I realize that's not fair, but that's the way it is.
Andrew, at Strange Pegs posted about the pigeon-holing of actors a few weeks ago on his blog, with a post titled "Harrison Ford and the Raw Deal," which you can access by clicking on his blog name above. He said this occurred because the audience made it so. I agree with him that we pigeonhole favorites in the roles we like to see them in, and commented such. I imagine it's hard for actors to be stuck in certain types of roles, because, to my mind, it must be more fun to play all different types of characters. Otherwise, acting would get stale, would it not? If you're just playing the same role over and over again, what's the point? You may as well turn to TV and play the same guy once per week! When actors quit a TV series, they often indicate it is partially because they want to explore other characters. Their character has become a bore.
Some of my favorite actors have played bad guys. Kevin Bacon comes to mind immediately, because he plays villainous or unsympathetic characters well, despite the fact that he'll always be Ren to me (Footloose). Jeff Bridges, Harrison Ford, Sigourney Weaver, Kiefer Sutherland, Danny Glover, and others have all gone from beloved to bad at some point in time.
I started thinking about this again when I read Michael J. Fox's book Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist about a week ago, and he mentioned a list that exists for companies to buy. This list, which is updated annually, uses a scoring system to determine who the most trusted celebrities are. Companies can purchase this list to determine who people would react to most favorably in commercials. If people trust an actor or actress, they may just listen up when that person is peddling a product. Obviously, Michael J. Fox was on the list, as were Tom Hanks and Bill Cosby. You can't dispute that these are people we, the audience, have come to love and trust over the years.
What happens, though, when someone has set themselves up to be loved by the people? We, the audience, may stick them in a handy little labeled box, but when you look at the flipside of this, didn't they, by taking specific roles, set the audience up to love and trust them? Didn't they partially put themselves in this role, this typecast? They wanted us to like them so that we would come back for more, buy tickets, buy DVD's, buy posters or whatever other merchandise there is. If we, the audience, like them, we will see any movie that comes along with them in it. Collecting an audience is part of how they make it so big, and they allow this to happen. So some of the fault lies with them, right? Not to mention the directors who seek them in these roles in order to guarantee ticket sales for the movie they've been dreaming up.
Not only that but, at times, a director uses this likeability to string the audience along in a mystery. Look at What Lies Beneath, which was also cited in Andrew's post. We trust Harrison Ford. After all, he IS Indy. He IS Han. We have been brought up to trust this man's face, his intentions. Therefore, we are unwilling to assume he might actually be a very bad man. "No way," we say. "He can't possibly be a villain, not Harrison!" They use our complete trust to lead us on, to plant red herrings that we will desperately grasp at just to avoid the facts that overwhelmingly lead to our beloved actor as a bad guy. They paint a picture in the beginning that we are more than willing to accept, a picture of this beloved person as a great guy. He takes care of his wife, works to provide for her, makes a wonderful home for her. Why should we question this? Well, we just won't! Those sinister neighbors are far more likely to be the culprits. Of course it's them!
So you see, when someone who has made me trust them completely over the years turns to the dark side, I just can't help but feel they've wronged me in some way. That's the initial reaction, at least, though so far I've always been able to come around and enjoy their role as a villain. I'm not sure I'll ever get to the point where I won't feel a little dejected in those initial seconds, though, when one of my favorites flips my impression of them right up onto its head. That sense of disappointment will always at least wink at me momentarily, before skipping merrily off. It's the way I've been taught to think by those trustworthy faces. It would seem the relationship works in several different directions, with actors and directors using a likable character to springboard the next movie into a high grosser, and with the audience continuing to develop said trust, thus perpetuating the typecasting of certain actors. It certainly is a vicious circle.
Do you ever feel disappointed upon discovering a favorite trusted actor as a villain? Can you ultimately accept them in this role or does it ruin the movie for you? What favorites did I miss who have turned to the dark side, even if only in one role?
Andrew, at Strange Pegs posted about the pigeon-holing of actors a few weeks ago on his blog, with a post titled "Harrison Ford and the Raw Deal," which you can access by clicking on his blog name above. He said this occurred because the audience made it so. I agree with him that we pigeonhole favorites in the roles we like to see them in, and commented such. I imagine it's hard for actors to be stuck in certain types of roles, because, to my mind, it must be more fun to play all different types of characters. Otherwise, acting would get stale, would it not? If you're just playing the same role over and over again, what's the point? You may as well turn to TV and play the same guy once per week! When actors quit a TV series, they often indicate it is partially because they want to explore other characters. Their character has become a bore.
Some of my favorite actors have played bad guys. Kevin Bacon comes to mind immediately, because he plays villainous or unsympathetic characters well, despite the fact that he'll always be Ren to me (Footloose). Jeff Bridges, Harrison Ford, Sigourney Weaver, Kiefer Sutherland, Danny Glover, and others have all gone from beloved to bad at some point in time.
I started thinking about this again when I read Michael J. Fox's book Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist about a week ago, and he mentioned a list that exists for companies to buy. This list, which is updated annually, uses a scoring system to determine who the most trusted celebrities are. Companies can purchase this list to determine who people would react to most favorably in commercials. If people trust an actor or actress, they may just listen up when that person is peddling a product. Obviously, Michael J. Fox was on the list, as were Tom Hanks and Bill Cosby. You can't dispute that these are people we, the audience, have come to love and trust over the years.
What happens, though, when someone has set themselves up to be loved by the people? We, the audience, may stick them in a handy little labeled box, but when you look at the flipside of this, didn't they, by taking specific roles, set the audience up to love and trust them? Didn't they partially put themselves in this role, this typecast? They wanted us to like them so that we would come back for more, buy tickets, buy DVD's, buy posters or whatever other merchandise there is. If we, the audience, like them, we will see any movie that comes along with them in it. Collecting an audience is part of how they make it so big, and they allow this to happen. So some of the fault lies with them, right? Not to mention the directors who seek them in these roles in order to guarantee ticket sales for the movie they've been dreaming up.
Not only that but, at times, a director uses this likeability to string the audience along in a mystery. Look at What Lies Beneath, which was also cited in Andrew's post. We trust Harrison Ford. After all, he IS Indy. He IS Han. We have been brought up to trust this man's face, his intentions. Therefore, we are unwilling to assume he might actually be a very bad man. "No way," we say. "He can't possibly be a villain, not Harrison!" They use our complete trust to lead us on, to plant red herrings that we will desperately grasp at just to avoid the facts that overwhelmingly lead to our beloved actor as a bad guy. They paint a picture in the beginning that we are more than willing to accept, a picture of this beloved person as a great guy. He takes care of his wife, works to provide for her, makes a wonderful home for her. Why should we question this? Well, we just won't! Those sinister neighbors are far more likely to be the culprits. Of course it's them!
So you see, when someone who has made me trust them completely over the years turns to the dark side, I just can't help but feel they've wronged me in some way. That's the initial reaction, at least, though so far I've always been able to come around and enjoy their role as a villain. I'm not sure I'll ever get to the point where I won't feel a little dejected in those initial seconds, though, when one of my favorites flips my impression of them right up onto its head. That sense of disappointment will always at least wink at me momentarily, before skipping merrily off. It's the way I've been taught to think by those trustworthy faces. It would seem the relationship works in several different directions, with actors and directors using a likable character to springboard the next movie into a high grosser, and with the audience continuing to develop said trust, thus perpetuating the typecasting of certain actors. It certainly is a vicious circle.
Do you ever feel disappointed upon discovering a favorite trusted actor as a villain? Can you ultimately accept them in this role or does it ruin the movie for you? What favorites did I miss who have turned to the dark side, even if only in one role?
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