Category Archives: Writing

Drawing Sounds

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POST CARDS FROM THE MUSE

 

Drawing Sounds

By Nandy Ekle

 

Several years ago (ten? fifteen?) We watched a movie called The 13th Warrior. Made from a book by Michael Crichton, it’s the story of an Arabian man who was exiled for having an affair with the wife of an influential noble. He is sentenced to be an ambassador to Northern Barbarians and through a series of events, he is banded with a tribe of Norse Warriors.

In the beginning of the story language is a curious barrier. He wants to understand the culture, but without understanding the language he cannot learn about their way of life.

He tells of traveling with these strangers and paying close attention to the sounds they make until their language begins to make sense to him. Today we call that immersion learning. As he begins to learn their tongue, they are also learning about him. Finally all the fog is cleared and they can then understand each other.

The main character is an educated man, while the Norsemen, one of them a king in waiting, are not. So once they are able to cross the language barrier, they all become friends and the young king in waiting asks a very interesting question.

“Can you draw sounds?”

Of course, he is asking if the ambassador can write. The Norseman wants to learn to read and write.

All these years later I still remember that question. Can you draw sounds.

If you think about it deeply enough you realize that all a spoken language is is sounds that we have assigned ideas to. Each sound is part of a bigger sound we call a word. When we write words we are writing symbols assigned to those sounds. Learning a new language is simply reassigning those symbols to different sounds.

As a student of court reporting and shorthand, I had to learn, in a sense, a different language. Well, it was the same sounds representing the same ideas, but the written symbols were different. And actually, the type of shorthand I learned was the same symbols, just in different orders.

Then I make myself even dizzier by wondering who decided which symbol would represent which sound? This line of thinking can go on and on and on . . .

This is one of the things I love about words.

Congratulations. You have just received a post card from the muse.

A Couple of Things

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Outtakes 161

 

A Couple of Things

By Cait Collins

 

As I have mentioned often, I am a dinosaur when it comes to computers. When I find a system I like and works well for me, I keep it. Last week when my favorite laptop developed a problem, I panicked. Fearing the worst, I took my system to the computer store I use for a diagnosis of the problem. The tech gave me the good news first. My computer booted up properly, but the screen did not come on. He plugged in an external monitor and he could see the log on screen. So the screen was dead. The bad news, it was fixable but it would cost about $325.00.

I had a choice; I could repair my system or buy a new unit. A new unit meant Windows 8 or an Apple system. An Apple computer maybe, but I refuse to buy another computer with Windows 8. I bought a new Netbook with Windows 8 and I hate it. The tiles are a waste of my time and the computer’s memory. I find it difficult to navigate, and it continually rejects my passwords.

“Fix it,” I stated.

He reminded me I could buy a new system for a little more than the cost of the repairs.

“I do not want 8.”

He smiled and told me he had systems with Windows 7. I looked at one of his systems and was impressed, but to get what I wanted would cost about 3times the cost of a new computer screen. I love my computer. So I chose to get a new screen.

The point is I can still buy the operating system I like. I may have to look for it, but it’s out there. And your favorite computer tech just might be a good place to start.

As much as I dislike my new Netbook, I must make friends with it. Imagine my surprise when I learned our local community college was offering four, four hour sessions introducing new owners to Windows 8. For $25.00 someone will walk me through the maze of Windows 8. I’m signing up.

Community colleges are an excellent place to pick up new skills or fulfill a business educational need. Our college offers classes for the general public as well as special programs for children and seniors. The costs are reasonable and continuing education credits are available for many courses. I have taken a number of classes to up-grade my computer skills; work with published authors, or to just learn something different. I check out their course schedule before each fall and spring session. I recommend your community college for continuing education offerings.

Think About It and Become Inspired

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Think About It and Become Inspired

By Rory C. Keel

Recently I found myself bogged down in writing my Novel. My first thought was that I had lost my ability to write. However, I seem to be able to spell and put a sentence together and my computer still functions. My fingers are flexible enough to hold a pen write on the reams of paper I have so what’s the problem, the lack of inspiration.

Inspiration

Inspiration doesn’t fall from the clouds nor is it mystical but it is a product of action.

When we feel inspired, it’s because we’ve been thinking and meditating on information we have taken into our minds through our senses. We take all of this information and then twist it, shake it, mold it and place it into a certain order in our minds that makes sense to us.

We then become inspired.

This process is action that produces inspiration.

roryckeel.com

Recycled Books

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Recycled Books

by Natalie Bright

We took a detour off of Highway 380 last week on our way to Dallas to explore Recycled Books in Denton, Texas.

Rising above one corner of a charming and thriving downtown square in Denton, the former opera house is filled to the brim with previously owned entertainment. Yes, this building is old, and the musty smell of dust and yellowed pages only adds to the experience while exploring this 17,000 square foot store. You’ll discover shelf after shelf through row after row, as you twist and turn on three floors. Hand-lettered posters identify the genre section. Shelves are clearly labeled by topic with sub-headings, including a few topics you may not have even considered. They also have a rare book area, accessed by appointment and only if accompanied by a staff member.

The basement is all nonfiction, and they had an entire shelf of Colonial America to aide me with my current WIP research. I prefer first hand accounts and journals, and I was not disappointed.  My oldest son is drawn to those huge military history coffee table books, and his stack was as tall as mine. A few were several dollars, older publications a few dollars more, but we came away with two sacks of books with nothing priced over $10.

The basement houses a treasure of nonfiction books.

If you’re ever in the area, stop by Recycled Books in Denton. You might find a few treasures of your own.

For more information, visit their website: www.recycledbooks.com

To see pictures, visit my blog at www.nataliebright.com and click on the “Recycled Books” article.

Dear Diary

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Outtakes 160

Dear Diary

By Cait Collins

Like most young ladies of my generation, I kept a diary. I’m sure the things I wrote were important. But what is important to a child of 12 or 13 may have little significance when the girl is 25, or 40 or 60. I’ve made every effort to go through all of my journals and destroy the writings I would not want others to see. After all, the purpose of a diary is to have a repository for the deepest secrets of the heart.

But what if I were to overlook the book with my most intimate thoughts? What if an enemy or the one I love most were to find those writings? What if the words were posted on Facebook?

This is your writing assignment. “I would just die if anyone ever saw this diary entry.” The entry may be an embarrassing moment or the darkest day in your life. And if you’ve never kept a journal, make something up. After all, we’re writers.

Submission Format

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Submission Format

By Rory C. Keel

 

When writing a novel or even short works, you will need to format your work.

There are many different format styles. When submitting your work, make a diligent effort to understand and follow any specific guidelines regarding formatting requests.

Below is a good standard format that will be accepted by most editors, agents, and publishers in the industry.

Page Information

  • Margins — 1.5 inches all the way around
  • Font — Courier, Courier New, or other clean monospace serif font from 10-12 pt.
  • Line spacing — Double-space
  • Paragraph indent — first line, 5 pt.
  • Header — right justified, contains the following information: Last name/ TITLE/ page#

A header does not belong on the cover page. Start headers on page one of the actual manuscript.

Cover page — depends on whether you’re agented or not.

      Unagented:

  • Contact information — Name and address, phone number and e-mail address in the top left corner of the page, single spaced, left-justified
  • Title — centered, just above the middle of the page
  • by — centered and one double-spaced line beneath the title
  • Name or pen name — centered and one double-spaced line beneath the word by
  • Word count — centered and rounded to the nearest thousand, one double-spaced line beneath your name or pen name

     Agented:

  • Title — centered, just above the middle of the page
  • by — centered and one double-spaced line beneath the title
  • Name or pen name — centered and one double-spaced line beneath the word by
  • Word count — centered and rounded to the nearest thousand, one double-spaced line beneath your name or pen name
  • Agent’s contact information — Name, business name, mailing address, phone number (e-mail address if you have the agent’s okay first), left justified, single spaced, bottom of the page

First page

Header — should be in the upper right-hand corner of the page, and page number should be 1.

  • Chapter header — can be anywhere from one to six double-spaced lines down from the top of the page, and can be centered or left justified. You can title your chapters, or just write Chapter One or Chapter 1.
  • Body text — drop down two double-spaced lines to begin your story.
  • Scene breaks — drop down two double-spaced lines, insert and center the # character, drop down two more double-spaced lines, and begin your new scene.

Subsequent chapters — start each chapter on a fresh page. Keep chapter formatting and titling consistent with your first chapter.

Happy submitting,

Roryckeel.com

 

CHoD

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POST CARDS FROM THE MUSE

 

CHoD

By Nandy Ekle

 

When you were a kid, what did you like to read? Some of my favorite books were the “choose your own adventure” books. These stories were little mazes of fun where the writers gave you adventurous scenes which set up choices. When you chose what happened next, you were directed to turn to another page to read that choice and the consequences. If your choice was correct the story continued to the next scene, ending with another choice. If your choice was wrong, the story ended in such a way you knew it couldn’t be right. When that happened you had to retrace your choices and start over.

Well, my good friends and fellow readers/writers, this genre is back for adults. Choose or Die is a blog story written by a group of writers possessing amazing talent. The concept is the same. We write what the readers want to read. A list of story lines was presented with vote buttons. Our readers chose the storyline they wanted and we are writing it before your very eyes. Each week a scene of high adventure is written with the sole purpose of creating three choices at the end. The choices are presented to the readers as vote buttons. So you are actually telling us what happens next in our little yarn.

When the voting is closed, the writers write three new scenes. The first is the choice that got second place in the vote and it will end in death for the main character. The second scene is the choice that won third place, also ending in death. The third scene is the choice that received the most votes, and rest of the story will continue.

And so, my dear friends and followers, surf on over to chooseordie.blogspot.com and join the adventure. The story for this season is titled Blazing Saddles, Smoking Tentacles. The first chapter is up, the first voting is complete and the first second-place choice scene is going up today. The third-place story goes up in a few days and I think you will recognize that author as your friendly neighborhood muse, Nandy Ekle.

See you there.

Great Reads Part 2

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Outtakes 159

 

Great Reads Part 2

By Cait Collins

 

I promised to continue my thoughts on some of my favorite authors. This week my focus is on Carla Neggers, Julie Garwood, and Nora Roberts. These three ladies have a couple of things in common … great characters and fabulous locations.

Carla Neggers writes romantic suspense with a twist. The guy and gal might be attracted, but it’s not I love you in 24 hours. She allows the reader to wonder about the couples’ final commitment. I find this uncertainty appealing. I can’t remember the title of the first book I read by this author, but I remember it was set in Vermont. She has a way with bringing New England to life. I can visualize the pubs, the historic buildings, and everyone-knows-everyone by play in the small towns. Yet she’s equally at home on the Irish coast. I feel as if I’m walking the sheep paths, reading the skies from atop an eroded cliff. I get a wonderful sense of the locals, and want to lean against the bar and drink a pint while swapping stories with the townsfolk.

Her characters are searchers. Men and women who work to discover the evil doers, but more importantly, they are trying to find themselves. I recommend the Sharpe & Donovan series Saint’s Gate, Heron’s Cove, and Declan’s Cross.

The Doubleday Bargain Book Club introduced me to Julie Garwood in 1999. I purchased Ransom from the book club and I have been a fan ever sense. The story is set during the age of Richard the Lionhearted and Prince John. There is no Robin Hood, but there are some intense Scotsmen who know how to defend their ladies. The stark differences in the manors of medieval England and the Highlands is magnificent

Once you get your fill of hunky Highlanders and gorgeous English noblemen, dive into her Bishop’s Cove bachelors. Enjoy Ransom, Sweet Talk, The Ideal Man, Sizzle, and Hot Shot.

Nora Roberts needs no introduction. I first met this prolific author through her Harlequin Romances. There was nothing easy about her characters or ordinary in her settings. Later, I began reading the Chesapeake Bay novels. I was drawn to each of the men who changed their lives to raise their adopted father’s grandson.

As much as I enjoy her contemporary romantic suspense, I love her paranormal novels. The Three Sisters Island series won my heart. When I want witches, both male and female, I reread Dance Upon The Air, Heaven and Earth, and Face the Fire.

The same holds for the Donovan Legacy. Imagine a family of withes descended from triplet witch mothers married to triplet witch fathers. What about the two mortal men and one non-magical woman who fall in love with the magically blessed cousins? Talk about working out your differences! The series concludes when a young woman invades the mountain home of a witch prince. How does he tell her she, too, has magic? I recommend Captivated, Entranced, Charmed, and Enchanted. Just remember not to call a male witch a warlock. A male witch is still a witch.

Nora Robert’s current series, The Cousins O’Dwyer Trilogy, is a spellbinder. Please forgive the pun. Cousin witches join forces with non-magical friends and the descendant of pure evil to destroy the darkness. They meet with their powerful ancestors to battle the monster. I couldn’t put down Dark Witch and Shadow Spell. I can’t wait for the last installment.

The six authors, Robin Carr, Sharon Sala, Jodi Thomas, Carla Neggers, Julie Garwood, and Nora Roberts are among my favorite authors. But there are so many more that write wonderful page-turners. The trick is to try new authors. If you see a title or cover that intrigues you, buy it. That book may be an introduction to a new entry in your reading circle.

The People Surrounding You

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The People Surrounding You

Rory C. Keel

For a writing exercise, take a few moments and make a list of your closest friends, relatives, your boss and co-workers.

Choose the person you like the most and the least; the person who has had the most positive and most negative influence on you; the person who has changed the most and the least since you’ve known them; and then write a write a brief paragraph on each of them explaining why you feel this way.

Notice any quirks they may exhibit such as, do they constantly jerk their head back to flip their the hair out of their eyes, or do they run their hand throughout their hair?

Do they chew their food quietly, or smack their lips loudly?

These are the kind of details that add life to your story characters.

roryckeel.com

The Query Letter

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The Query Letter

By Natalie Bright

www.nataliebright.com

The more I write and study markets, the more I’ve come to appreciate how useful a tool the QUERY LETTER really is.

A good query letter contains so many things: enticement, introduction, story hook, business savvy, word count, genre, reflection of your work, title, key elements of your story, publication history, affiliations…the list is endless. All of this in one succinct page. Sometimes I spend days, even weeks on editing just one query letter.

Here’s the basic information that I use for query letters, written in as few a paragraphs as possible:

1)    Where did you learn about the opportunity.

2)    What are you submitting; word count, genre, theme, hook

3)    What makes you the best person to write this particular story

4)    Brief list of published works (if you don’t have any to list, leave this blank). Don’t make this hard for editors by saying, “check my website…” Make this easy and pleasant for anyone who reads your query.

5)    For nonfiction, a list of sources is sometimes requested.

6)    All of your contact information. I usually go overboard on this and include email, fax, home, cell and office phone numbers, and mailing address. However they want to contact me, I am available.

Example with Positive Result

Here’s the email I wrote to APPLESEEDS Magazine, in response to a callout for submissions. The article is based on the monthly theme (which I restated for clarification) and includes approximate word count and sources cited. I reviewed their guidelines carefully in the market listing and again on their website.

Query / Who Did What on the Frontier

Title: The Legendary Cowboy

Noted bibliographer and western author, Ramon Adams, said, “The cattleman and his cowboys have been the men who most persistently pushed the frontier farther west preparing the way for civilization.”  An estimated 20 million head were driven to the railheads for shipment to eastern packing houses in the mid 1800’s.

Based on information in Children’s Book Insider for your consideration, my 600 word article will expel the myths and convey the truth about the brutal life of the American cowboy. The basic realities of working, eating, and sleeping under endless skies of the frontier will be explained in a fun, upbeat style.

In addition to my research as an historical author and from resources listed below, the article will be based on my personal experiences. My husband and I run a cow-calf operation on one of the oldest ranches in Texas.

My work has appeared in numerous publications including Chicken Soup. A few selected clips are attached. In addition my short story, “A Cowboys Christmas Blessings” was chosen for the anthology, WEST TEXAS CHRISTMAS STORIES, coming in October from Abilene Christian University Press. My novels are represented by Mr. Stephen Fraser, who is currently shopping my historical western for middle grades.

Today the traditions and legend of the American cowboy lives on, and continues to hold a fascination for both children and adults alike. Thank you for your consideration. 

Sources include:

Adams, Ramon F., Cowboy Lingo, Houghton Mifflin Co., (1936) 2000.

Editors of Time Life Books, The Old West series, The Cowboys and The Ranchers, Time Life, Inc., New York, 1973.

Molton, Candy, The Writer’s Guide to Everyday Life in the Wild West from 1840-1900, Writer’s Diget Books, 1999.

Ward, Fay E., The Cowboy at Work, University of Oklahoma Press (1958) paperback edition 1987.

It’s Good to Be Published!

The query was sent in May 2013 resulting in an email from the magazine editor with specific details about the slant of the article in August. A contract was forwarded upon my acceptance with a one month deadline of September 2013. “A Cowboy’s Life” appeared in the March 2014 edition of APPLESEEDS, and payment was received three months after publication.

This is not a fast-paced business, and everyone works at a different schedule. Most magazine staffs work six months or more ahead of publication date. If you’re working on a holiday story, think about submitting those in the spring, for example. For an anthology, I heard back within the same week of submission, while on the other hand a contract hit my email inbox from Chicken Soup over a year after submitting my story. Keep good submission records. It’s crazy out there but there are opportunities for hard-working writers.

Happy writing and thanks for following WordsmithSix!