The Best Writing Is Born From Anguish

I listened to David Wilkerson, a well-known fire and brimstone evangelist whose messages stir the emotion and bring most to their feet or their knees. Clips of his sermons are posted on You Tube. You can search for him there.

"True passion comes from anguish," he said. His words flew into me like a fiery arrow, illuminating my past. Wilkerson's message centered around anguish and how todays church is void of it. He's a big believer in, Cryin' Holy unto the Lord. He professes the church has gone soft, that we're basically a bunch of babies who want to be soothed and coddled. That we no longer tarry for hours before the Lord, prostrate at the altar. That God wants to see our anguish over the state of the world and our Godless nation. Wilkerson has that pastor voice. You know what I mean? He's learned how to wail when he speaks, allowing us to hear his heart as it breaks for the sins of mankind. And if you've grown up as a fundamentalist, it moves you. Even if you've never sat in a tent revival, I think it would move you.

Whether or not you agree with Wilkerson's message, you have to agree that true passion is definitely born from anguish. As a writer, I believe the heartaches and hardships we experience give us plenty to write about.

And plenty to talk about ...

But it's not about anguish over a fender-bender. It's not about a bad grade on a test. Or losing your wallet. Or a fight with your spouse.

Anguish, suffering, agony, grief, sorrow and angst ... comes from a break in your spirit. A temporary disconnection with yourself and the world around you. The loss of anything dear to you creates real, gut-wrenching anguish. The kind you feel down to the soles of your feet. Buckets of tears. Nobody wants to experience it. Nobody wants to go through something like that, and I hope and pray you never do.

But if you do, what you do with that anguish, how you channel it, will determine your future in many ways. And if you're a writer, it can propel you into another level. I've read books where I know, without a doubt, the writer has suffered at one point in his/her life. You can feel it in the way they put the story together. Raising the stakes isn't so hard, because they've lived it.

Not a pleasant topic to blog about, but I think it needs to be said. Personally, I hope I never see another drop of anguish as long as I live. I've had my share. David Wilkerson can wail as long as he wants about anguish, but I never want to experience it again. Ever. It's not a pleasant place to go to.

However, I want you to remember if you've closed the door on your anguish, the memories of it ... you may want to revisit that dark place again. Especially if you're a writer. Your writing changes. Something inside you clicks and literary takes on a whole new meaning.

My passion was truly born from the sorrow, grief, and the anguish of my life. Now, I can truly say, the joy of the Lord is my strength. A scripture phrase that has almost become a cliché in Christian circles, has power and new meaning in me. At some point the tears have to stop. The river of sorrow has to trickle to nothingness. We have to move out of that place and use what we've learned to write the story of our life. It's not something we want to think about, anguish, but be thankful for it. It's made you who you are.

And despite the fire and brimstone, that's a good thing.

Blessings to you and yours.

Inconsiderate Writers

"Who me? I'm not in a click!"

There's more than a "good ol' boys" club when it comes to writers and editors. There's something going on that reminds me of getting accepted by the popular clicks in high school. Writers who ignore, disrespect, and simply snub other writers and their work. I happen to be "friends" with many writers on Facebook, but there are those few writers who seldom post comments of encouragement or offer up words on any other writer's wall. Well. Other than those in their click. (I know, it's often spelled clique, but for this blog post, it's click.)

Now we all get busy, we all have deadlines, and it's not possible to post every day and on every wall. But it's become obvious to me. Some writers love appealing to their readers, but have nothing to do with other writers.

Good God. High School was over decades ago for most of us.

It's not only happening on Facebook. I was asked to speak on a writers panel last year at a very prestigious book conference. There were three female writers on this panel, and unfortunately, I was last to speak. The first writer began to read from her new novel. Thirty minutes into her reading I was about to slip a note to the moderator that said, "Are you going to ask her to stop, or do I have to?" During her reading, half the class had left the room, which meant by the time it was my turn to talk about my novel ... there may have been ten people who were brave enough to stay, and about fifteen minutes left before the class ended.

I was furious. But I kept my mouth shut, smiled, and congratulated each author for their work. Months later, I feel it's necessary to talk about writer etiquette, and plain ol' consideration for the other guy. Kindness. Caring. Selflessness.

I've been watching these writer Facebook clicks closely since I woke up one day to realize, that green-eyed monster still lurks among us long after that cap and gown ceremony. It hit me hard between the eyes when I went after blurbs for my latest novel.

If you are ever asked to blurb another writer’s book, I want you to look back and remember your own path …

That author who contacted you obviously believed your name and your words would help the success of their book. They contacted you for a reason. It’s an honor and not to be taken lightly. So when I hear of authors ignoring other writer’s request for a blurb, it makes my blood boil.

You may be busier than a one-armed paperhanger with no time to read even a few sentences of another writer’s work. That’s fine. Understandable. I get it. I’ve been there. But you take the time to return the email, letter, phone call, or Facebook message, and give that writer the courtesy of two minutes of your time. Simply explain why you cannot write a blurb at this time. Easy. Two minutes.

It seems to me, if you’ve been blessed enough to have made it to the top, it's your obligation to turn around, offer your hand, and lift somebody up. It may only be a word of encouragement, but the least you do is offer a heartfelt apology for not being able to read the writer’s work. Their work that that contains the same blood, sweat, and tears that you’ve put into your own work.

Never forget; never forget where you came from, who you are, and the humble spirit you must hold to your heart; a humble spirit to see you throughout your success as a writer. For if you ever lose your humble spirit, then you have no right to complain if the "hand of God" lifts.

There is nothing ruder in this business, nothing more tragic and full of narcissism, than when a writer ignores the direct message, email, or letter from another writer. True, computers crash, emails get lost, people get sick … but when weeks have passed and all of sudden you realize you’ve got an email or message from another author, answer it. There’s no excuse. Kindness changes everything.

I’ve received warm and caring responses, both positive and negative, from NY Times Bestselling authors, as well as other wonderful authors. I’ve also been ignored by some big names in the industry, and strangely enough, some not so big names. I can tell you in all honesty, for those who couldn’t give me the courtesy of return email or Facebook message, I will probably not buy another one of their books or invest any further time in reading their blog or FB posts. But that’s just me. I would never name them, never defame another writer. I leave them to their own conscience.

But those who wrote or called back, regardless of their answer, I immediately fell in love with them, if I wasn’t already. It was the fact that they cared enough to return my email or facebook message. Two minutes. That’s all it took. Two minutes out of their day. For those two minutes they freely gave me, I will continue to read and recommend their work. And I can tell you; I’m not the only writer who feels this way.

Isn’t it the decent thing to do? Isn’t a kind reputation worth two minutes of your time?

We are never that good, never that big, that we have the right to be unkind, uncaring, and plain disrespectful to other writers.

 

And for crying out loud, you're no longer in high school. Grow up. Offer a little word of encouragement to your Facebook "FRIENDS" ... Writers are ALSO consumers. Never forget that.

Brother, Can You Spare A Blurb?

Authors! Listen up..

If you are ever asked to blurb another writer’s book, I want you to look back and remember your own path …

That author who contacted you obviously believed your name and your words would help the success of their book. They contacted you for a reason. It’s an honor and not to be taken lightly. So when I hear of authors ignoring other writer’s request for a blurb, it makes my blood boil.

You may be busier than a one-armed paperhanger with no time to read even a few sentences of another writer’s work. That’s fine. Understandable. I get it. I’ve been there. But you take the time to return the email, letter, phone call, or facebook message, and give that writer the courtesy of two minutes of your time. Simply explain why you cannot write a blurb at this time. Easy. Two minutes.

It seems to me, if you’ve been blessed enough to have made it to the top, it's your obligation to turn around, offer your hand, and lift somebody up. It may only be a word of encouragement, but the least you do is offer a heartfelt apology for not being able to read the writer’s work. Their work that that contains the same blood, sweat, and tears that you’ve put into your own work.

Never forget; never forget where you came from, who you are, and the humble spirit you must hold to your heart; a humble spirit to see you throughout your success as a writer. For if you ever lose your humble spirit, then you have no right to complain if the "hand of God" lifts.

There is nothing ruder in this business, nothing more tragic and full of narcissism, than when a writer ignores the direct message, email, or letter from another writer. True, computers crash, emails get lost, people get sick … but when weeks have passed and all of sudden you realize you’ve got an email or message from another author, answer it. There’s no excuse. Kindness changes everything.

I’ve received warm and caring responses, both positive and negative, from NY Times Bestselling authors, as well as other wonderful authors. I’ve also been ignored by some big names in the industry, and strangely enough, some not so big names. I can tell you in all honesty, for those who couldn’t give me the courtesy of return email or facebook message, I will probably not buy another one of their books or invest any further time in reading their blog or facebook posts. But that’s just me. I would never name them, never defame another writer. I leave them to their own conscience.

But those who wrote or called back, regardless of their answer, I immediately fell in love with them, if I wasn’t already. It was the fact that they cared enough to return my email or facebook message. Two minutes. That’s all it took. Two minutes out of their day. For those two minutes they freely gave me, I will continue to read and recommend their work. And I can tell you; I’m not the only writer who feels this way. Writers are ALSO consumers. Never forget that.

Isn’t it the decent thing to do? Isn’t a kind reputation worth two minutes of your time?

We are never that good, never that big, that we have the right to be unkind, uncaring, and plain disrespectful to other writers.

Think about it.

NOW WHO’S THE FOOL? TIME FOR WRITERS TO GET REAL – Tough love for today’s writer

Literary agents once ruled the world and the publishers were their Gods. Now, it’s not the case. They’re all in a panic.

 

Make no mistake, they, as well as writers chasing after that brass ring, prefer to think of self-published books as vanity publishing. Too bad, so sad. Whether they like it or not, that is no longer the truth. I heard someone say recently that it’s a classic example of The Emperor Has No Clothes.

 

Wake up, Mahogany Row. Sit up and take notice, Bestselling Wannabes. The old dream is just about gone. Unless you’re one of the few debut writers who break out every year, gone are the days of six-figure advances and publishers who care about a new writer’s career. Writers pursuing a traditional publishing contract with one of the Big 6 are like office workers playing the lottery every week. Not good odds.

 

And I’ll say something here that everybody thinks and nobody says. At least not out loud. If you are one of the chosen few of the Big 6, it doesn’t mean you write better than the thousands who self-publish. Not anymore. Not by a long shot. Break-out writers are no longer just those with traditional publishing contracts! Can I hear an amen?

 

 

Every year, fewer writers are sending query letters to a long list of literary agents, only to wait up to a year or more for a response, of any kind. Yes, no, maybe, kiss my butt … something. Writers no longer kowtow to literary agents and editors who snub, ignore, and reject quality work because their ace in the hole has come out with a fifth or fifteenth book in a series.

 

I’ve been writing professionally, full time, since 2003. I’m not a newbie. Not to this business. I studied creative writing at Kent State, graduated from the Breakout Novel Intensive with Donald Maass in 2005, and attended and/or taught at over 25 writing conferences from New York to Florida. I’ve traveled on my own dime since 2006, speaking and selling my books at bookstores, book clubs, women’s groups, churches, civic groups, country clubs, and out of the trunk of my car. Over 200 venues. I've done the PR parade from TV to radio to sitting for hours at bookstores and book fairs.

 

Prior to signing a traditional contract with an independent small publisher in December 2011, I chased the dream of a contract with a major publisher. It was October 2010 and I decided to snail mail and email query letters to approximately 106 literary agents. I wasn’t stupid about it. I researched those who represented my genre, studied every one of their websites, and sent a beautifully written query letter I had spent months preparing.

 

Sixty-one agents never acknowledged my existence. 61! The remaining asked for partials, fulls, or rejected me entirely. I made notes of who rejected me with their horrible form letters and rude remarks, those who were cold or took more than two years to contact me at all! We writers have been told over and over about the stacks of manuscripts, the overwhelming amount of work a literary agent faces every day, but there's no excuse for bad manners. None. (Funny how writers must follow formatting and etiquette rules, but those same rules don’t apply to agents and publishers).

I made notes of the agents who were kind, rejecting me nicely, and those who were not kind, making me feel like poop. If you’re a writer, I’d be happy to send you the full list. It's quite interesting.

 

Eventually, I signed a year contract with a New York agent, a good one. Sadly, nothing happened. He couldn’t sell the novel. The publisher's rejections simply blew me and my agent away. Oh yes, I kept all 20 rejections from every New York publishing house who responded. My agent sent me their emails. They were over the top with wonderful compliments, but the reasons for rejection were so unsound, so ridiculous … well, at the risk of sounding like a “typically rejected author,” I’ll stop.

I suppose there comes a time when every writer draws a line. Reaches their limit. Sadly, in the past the only option a writer had was to collect those years of rejection letters, or simply give up. And a lot of them did.

Somehow, it all made me feel so subhuman. After a while, we decided there had to be a better way. And guess what? There is!

 

Thankfully, self-publishing and self promotion has become a viable option. A respected one. But like the sheep and the goats, writers will continue to be separated between those who will pay for quality editing, professional book covers, and publicity, and those who won’t. Writers, you can’t publish a lot of crap, stories full of errors, because you’re in a hurry to make a million bucks. Otherwise, we will look like those old vanity writers who never honed or polished their writing skills in the first place. And lately it appears as though some writers are turning out mistake-filled prose covered up by great marketing efforts, tons of social media promotion, and a local following making them radio stars, Toastmaster speakers, and highly promotable authors of bad books.

 

Book buyer beware!

 

Some in this business have gone so far as to say that publishers and literary agents are a dying breed, they just haven’t laid down yet. They say we are in a new world groping our way forward, but that life is too short to make a deal with a dinosaur industry where retailers can return unsold books to publishers. Many believe that antiquated process has got to stop. Everything has to evolve, or die out and the publishing industry is no exception.

 

Plenty of hurdles remain for the writer, and not every writer will clear them. But finally, we have more than one respected publishing option. A way to get paid every month instead of once or twice a year. Don’t plan on getting rich, but thank God, we’re no longer in Egypt. We crossed the Red Sea, and made it through 40 years in the desert. There’s more to be done, but the ball is now in our court.

 

In the end, it becomes simple. Readers just want to read great books. They don't care how it happens. I feel the industry will survive but will look very different to how it did before Nooks and Kindles took over the earth. Prepare for a wild ride, writers. This adventure has just begun. Some of us will stop wasting time, burn our bridges, and never look back. No matter how much we love our old-fasioned hardbacks, it's time to adjust to the current reality. Like Goodreads and Amazon. They don't care if you've written one book or fifty. They simply push, publish, or sell books in all shapes and sizes. What a novel concept!

Writers! What Are You Willing To Do, And Where Do You Draw The Line?

It’s no secret. Vast changes occur daily in the publishing industry and award writers with options. Or do you look at it that way? I’m taking a survey, and asking writers:


Should you continue to jump through fiery hoops while submitting to agents, who may or may not read or answer your query for weeks or months, if at all?


Should writers spend chunks of writing time putting together the items listed below (or something like it) when the market is already saturated?


If editors were open to unsolicited manuscripts, are you confident you could obtain publication with a major house on your own?


If you are an un-agented writer, what are you willing to do to get noticed by a literary agent?


Is self-publishing your first choice, or your last resort?


Be honest. When it comes to literary agents, where do you draw the line?


Proposal Cover letter
One-page sell sheet, summarizing your manuscript
Bio
Story Synopsis
Market analysis
Competitive analysis
Marketing strategies
History of the manuscript
The first fifty pages

To Hold Time In Your Hands

I've been antiquing all week-end. One of my favorite things to do ... as a writer. Michael and I took a quick trip to Columbus to visit with our daughter. Among the things we love in Columbus (besides eating in fabulous Columbus restaurants) is to hunt the best antique shops.

Antique shops are a place where the writer can connect with history up close and personal. I'm not talking about expensive antique furniture. It's the little things that set my soul on fire. Vintage linens and jewelry, a set of tin canisters from the 1950s, hats and purses from the 1920s, quilts, book ends and of course, old books. My mind wanders while the stories percolate under my skin. I'm usually itching to start writing after a weekend of antique and thrift store shopping.

Sunday we discovered an antique mall where someone had collected thousands of old postcards from every city in Ohio. People communicated via postcards from the late 1800s until they installed telephones in the 1930s and 40s. To me, postcards were the first form of TEXTING. It was a way to send a "quick" message to Auntie in the next town or state.

It cost a one cent stamp to send a post card. All the cards in the bins were addressed in a simple fashion. Miss Bella Juhn, Mansfield, Ohio. Somehow, it magically arrived in Miss Bella's mailbox. No house number, no zip code. The Mansfield postman just knew where Miss Bella lived.

Amazing.

Sifting through those postcards, I wanted to spend the day reading each and every fascinating one of them. My daughter bought three to frame. Each card cost from one to two dollars. Can you imagine what the sender of that postcard would think if they knew we paid two dollars for their penny postcard?

I bought only one. One that begged me to take it home. The card was postmarked Wooster, Ohio, July 24, 2:30 p.m., 1909 from a man to his sister in Mansfield. It reads as follows:

Dear Sister,
I got your card this morning. It was a beauty. Well I am trying to be good but I can't, so I'll just be careful and let it go at that. I heard a lot of darkies sing last night. They were wonderful. It was the Ferguson Jubilee Singers. I never laughed so hard in my life. Goodbye, your brother.

A simple note from a brother to his sister in a town about forty miles away. Communicating was by telegraph or post. Or showing up unannounced. His sister had told him to "be good." Hmmm. I can imagine an entire scene based on that one sentence. And of course the word "darkies" caught my eye. As if it was normal to say. The other side of the card is an old picture of some park in Wooster, Ohio that no longer exists. It's a housing development now.

Holding this piece of history in my hands, my fingers tingle. Any old picture, like the one above, is packed full with story. Old books, photographs, postcards, letters, and maps--an abundant supply of story. Mixing the real of the past with fiction is a calling for some. It's up to the writer to pull it out and make something beautiful out of it.

Blessings to you and yours.

Oh, To Be A Balanced Writer

This is me. Speaking to a large group of readers. It's part of what I do. But it's not really who I am. Although I enjoy speaking in public, I'm a writer who speaks. Not a speaker who writes.

 

Writers must find comfort in their own work. In what they write. Even a small amount. Agreed, we must first be a reader to become a good writer ... but sometimes ... it's good to pick up your own work and read it. For the fun of it. For the comfort of it. Don't try to rewrite what's already published, just enjoy it as a reader. Here's why:

 

Perfection is an impossibility. During the writing process, you can strive for it, but obsessing over perfection is like trying to walk on water. You're not Jesus. Believe me, when I say I struggle with perfection. To the point that it's painful.

We're constantly bombarded and overwhelmed by the industry and it's changes. By the plethora of writing information on the Internet, social media, and every new book published on writing. At some point in your career, you feel as though you must read and study it all.

It's impossible.

What gives a writer a leg up? Is it a degree and a fancy teaching position? A long list of popular published books by Random House? A presenter spot on writing conference rosters across the country, proving your expertise to the wannabes?

It looks good on a resume. I'll give you that. It may even raise a few literary eyebrows when it appears on your book proposal or query.

But is it enough? Is it a guarantee of success?

Writers must maintain. Although some well-knowns are continually guaranteed a spot on bestseller lists, you're probably not one of them. (You know who these folks are.) Early in their career they blew straight to the top, selling thousands and making millions. They made their publishers rich. So they're guaranteed those coveted bestseller spots, resting on bitter laurels. Amazingly enough, readers feel safe spending their book money on yet another novel by ... well ... you know the Walmart list. Costco. Kmart. Walgreen's. Target.

Other than the Walmart author, how many writers are secure in their career direction?

Few, if any.

So where does that leave us?

The apostle Paul said to be content in every situation. Can we attain even a measure of contentment on our journey to publish?

We must be content to just ... write.

I'm not saying don't bother studying the industry. Not at all. But don't be consumed by it. At some point you must trust that someone else has your back. Someone of your choosing must take the reins, fill in the gaps, and help you once the book is written. You can't do it all. It's impossible. And stop feeling guilty about it. Unless you have some well-deserved help, that slippery thing we call publicity is going to slip through the cracks. You're a writer. You need to research, outline, and write that next book. Doesn't matter if you self-publish or have landed a contract with one of the Big 6. (Or is it 5 now?) You've got to find a trusted individual who will make the connections with your agent, editors, reporters, and book those appearances for you.

You're only one person, after all. Quit whining about it.

This morning, I found comfort in the pages of Televenge. Other than reading in public from chosen chapters, it's been a while since I've flipped through the chapters and randomly read from my own book. I found a great deal of comfort there as I recalled the struggle for finding the right word, and how I cried at the end of certain scenes or when finishing that first draft. It all came back to me, the journey of that book. The warm feelings of security in knowing ... I'm a writer.

I'm well aware of the push for writers to "get out there and build that platform!" Well, yeah. It's a necessary evil. We got to work our tail off. Right. Heard it. Something we're destined for, like it or not. So you might as well buck up. You must meet your readers. Get out there and speak, no excuses, on social media sites and up close and personal. Which is why this profession is not for everybody who thinks they have a book in them. But at some point, we got to find a balance.

We have to hold on to those words ... I write.

And be at peace.

Blessings to you and yours.

In Anticipation Of A New Year

It's the last day of 2012 ... New Years Eve, and I can't help but think this year went by like the flash of my old Kodak Instamatic. And the problem is ... we can't get a second of it back. Or maybe that's a good thing depending on how you look at it.

All the things we wish we would've said, could've done, should've prioritized ... to late now.

I spent the first part of the year deep in the final few edits of Televenge and working with my publisher and publicist to launch my debut novel. And it feels like the year was absorbed with Televenge. The launch, the book tour, the blog tour, facebook, twitter, blogging, and talking to hundreds of people ... the publicity train never stops for me. I won't be getting off this sucker for quite a while.

In the meantime, I'm nearly finished with final edits of the third book, and I've already researched and outlined the fourth. Where it's heading is a guess, I just know I'm writing and loving these new stories. Funny, how you think the book you just published was the "book I was born to write" when the one you're working on is every bit as absorbing. I'm thrilled with the process, once again, and feel myself changing as a writer. In a good way ... at least I hope so. At least you never stop learning.

Many things happened this year with family and friends, good, bad, and not so good ... but the one thing my body continually reminds me of is that ... I'm another year older. Having fought the good fight with my husband's breast cancer, we endured three surgeries this year. And yet I have to say, it was still a great year. We beat the breast cancer, and after two cataract surgeries, Michael can now see again. "Magic eyes," we call them. Having great friends to support us, we couldn't have been more blessed.

I'm looking forward to 2013. Thirteen is my lucky number. I was born on the 13th. So, we shall see what the new year brings ... I'm hoping for specifics this year. I have a battle plan. I have a list, in fact.

But right now ... at this moment ... I just want to say thank you. To my readers, to all those who stood behind Michael and I during 2012. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. God only knows where I'd be without your love and support.

So, however you bring in the new year, drinking cheap champagne, rocking out in front of the TV and imagining you're in Times Square, or sleeping in a warm bed ... just know I'm wishing you the best year ever. And I mean it. I've said it a thousand times, and I'll say it again ...

BLESSINGS TO YOU AND YOURS IN 2013!

When You Can't Find Your Courage



 

To me, the hardest jobs in the world are … coal miners, deep sea divers, living on a submarine, painting high bridges, skyscraper builders and window washers, prison guards, firefighters, policemen, garbage men, working with the mentally challenged, roofers, emergency room nurses, street pavers, brain surgeons, and farmers.

The physical stamina required for these positions is near god-like. It's tough to find the words needed to describe the courage that must be found to wake up every day and face these jobs.

It doesn’t take much physical stamina to sit at a desk and type all day. I don’t want to be a brain surgeon, or even a coal miner.

I just want to write great literature.

But I have to wake up … every day … and find my courage. Just like the brain surgeon.

The next time you can't find the courage to face your day, think about the iron men teetering on that steel I-beam 70 stories in the air. Those New York City skyscrapers don't build themselves. Think about the coal miner dropped miles underground to dig coal in the dark, cold earth. Think about the emergency room nurse fighting to save the next car accident victim.

We writers may not put our lives on the line, but we put them on the page. And that, my friend, still takes courage. Writers can do without a lot of things. Courage isn't one of them.

Remember that.

Blessings to you and yours.