Writers On The Move

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Each year, the days, weeks, and months seem to go by faster and faster, and so it's been for 2012. This time of year it's good to be reflective and determine if you stayed on the path you intended. This is good for life and also for your writing and marketing endeavors. Tomorrow, I'll have a post about your writing and marketing focus. For today, I'd like to simply say HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

We at Writers on the Move wish you a safe and happy New Year and a healthy, happy, and prosperous 2013!

Telling Your Story

Finding Expression in Pain

We all have a story to tell. And writing our story can be therapeutic for us and our readers.

You may have faced some real difficulties or a tragedy in your life. That doesn't mean you have to write a tell all or self-help book. You may not want to openly discuss a specific situation. The pain from sorrow or loss can be told in many ways. It may be through the intricate details of a novel filled with suspense, the main character is like you, and your emotions find direction through the character's emotions. Or maybe poetry is the farthest thing from your mind, and yet out of nowhere, the flowing, soothing words are written with the ease of a conductor leading an orchestra.

Let your writing naturally flow from your soul and see where it takes you. You will discover comfort as your emotions are finding expression, and readers will benefit, too.

I have personally faced a tragedy in my life that helped me find a writing style that I didn't know was in me: allegory. I didn't have the desire to get down to the business of writing a book on the topic at hand. Instead, I found myself describing what I was feeling indirectly with shadows - not light. It helped me to write in an abstract way about the pain.

Of course, this is nothing new. Yet, the encouragement I hope to give you is not to confine yourself with always being predictable in your writing. The abrupt circumstances in our lives can abruptly change us and that's not always a bad thing.

Let the gift you have flow out of your soul and make new paths for you and your readers! Because even in life's storms, there is beauty.

~~~

Kathleen Moulton has a passion to bring hope to hurting people of all ages who are facing disappointment, discouragement, and loss. You are invited to read When It Hurts - http://kathleenmoulton.com

Article photo courtesy: PictureWendy / Foter / CC BY-NC

Hearing Voices

Do you hear voices? You should. It is important to hear the voice of each and every character in your story.

Each character is an individual, and as an individual speaks, thinks, and acts differently from the other characters. After all, that is what gives them individuality, makes them their own person. Otherwise, they would all sound alike, flat and boring. It is up to you as the author and their creator to bring your characters to live and give them substance. In other words, you have the duty to your readers to make your characters sound like real people.

How do you breathe life into a character? First I would suggest taking note of the people around you, the ones you know and don’t know. Watch them for gestures, facial expressions, favorite words they use frequently. Do they sigh frequently as they talk? Do they have a habit of laughing at times that do not call for laughter? Do they frown a lot or have a twitch? Is there a favorite word or phrase they interject often such as “oh,gosh” or “good gosh a mighty?” Does the person have a quick temper or is he/she a mouse?

Next get your character profiles for each character and study them. Once you have an idea of your character’s personality and background, you need to figure out how you can reflect the character’s personality, education, social background, birth place, gender, and even job-related way of talking. Have their grammar match education and slang match age and lifestyle.

Don’t forget dialect. This could reflect the area of the country from which the character comes. Foods they eat can show where they were raised or simply show an idiosyncrasy. Be careful, though, not to overdo dialect. It could cause your reader to stop reading your book.

Be sure to match all the elements to your character. Body language (yes, it is an unspoken voice), thoughts, and speech should all match. Otherwise you could give your reader the impression your character has multiple personalities!

Faye M. Tollison

Author of: TO TELL THE TRUTH

Upcoming books: THE BIBLE MURDERS

SARAH'S SECRET

Member of: Sisters In Crime

Writers On the Move

www.fayemtollison.com

www.fayetollison.blogspot.com

www.fmtoll.wordpress.com

www.booksinsync.com

All Best Wishes to Writers Everywhere

I have borrowed today's poster from one of my favorite writing and marketing sites. Copyblogger is always innovative, always has helpful content and is never afraid of really teaching its readers how to improve writing and marketing skills to achieve success.

Nothing is more irritating than the teasing promises made by marketers who then go on to upsell a second /third/fourth piece of magic information that you must have to achieve that five/six/ten figure income.

Yeah. Right. But sadly that's not how it works.

It works like Christmas. The secret lies in the loving--loving what you do--and the believing--believing you can do it.

Like this infographic? Get more content marketing tips from Copyblogger.

The most appealing writing conveys a message, comes from the heart. It speaks to the reader and fills a need.

Think about the writers you love. Ask yourself why they appeal.

Then forget the pie in the sky dream of a six figure income. Just write for the love of it.

Belated Thanks

I have had a wonderful year thanks to the kindness and support of everyone here and in my other writing communities. I have read so many wonderful books and short stories, won awards and even wonderful gifts in blog give aways.

Here at last is the long promised summer photo of my dearest Woody bookworm with two of his favorite mystery reads. .

Woody the bookworm with two Jill Paterson mystery novels

Woody is a lovely eco-friendly bookmark creation of the talented Elysabeth Elderling.
He loves reading real books but, as you can see from the rolling eyes, is not so good at having his photo taken.

The Celtic Dagger and Murder on the Rocks introduced me to a new Australian detective series. So many thanks to Jill for providing me with the new stories--another blog win--wow!--, new settings, and a new sleuth to keep looking out for..

Season's Greetings

Wishing us all the happiest and healthiest of New Years and may our writing dreams come true.

Christmas snow

And more snow

Anne Duguid is a senior content editor with MuseItUp Publishing and her New Year's Resolution is to blog with helpful writing,editing and publishing tips at Slow and Steady Writers far more regularly than she managed in 2011.

Missing in action with a broken arm and worse, broken internet when trees felled the line in the November storms, she's hoping to do better in 2013.

Looking Back on 2012 and Looking Ahead to 2013

One year is coming to a close and another is about to begin. I made two lists to help me see where I have been and where I would like to go.

What I accomplished this year:

Wrote a post for the Writers on the Move blog every month
Attended three different day-long workshops and conferences
Attended SCBWI meetings
Participated in two online writing conferences
Read books, magazines and blogs on writing
Enrolled in two online writing classes
Participated in NaNoWriMo
Joined two online writing clubs
Worked on picture book
Learned about critiquing

Currently I’m reading a book written by a member of my local writer’s group before it’s published. She is in the revision process. This will finish out 2012.

What do I hope to accomplish next year?

I went to the Diy MFA website, http://diymfa.com/writing/write-it-goals-sheet, and downloaded goal sheets to assist me in this process. I tried to print my copy in color but it printed in black and white. It’s still serviceable but not as pretty!

A partial list of my writing goals: (I’m still working on this.J)

Learn Scrivener (http://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener.php)
Participate in NaNoWriMo (http://www.nanowrimo.org/)
Attend online conferences and in-person conferences
Blog for Writers on the Move
Attend more SCBWI meetings and events (http://www.scbwi.org/)
Work on picture book
Read the stack of books that has been sitting in my home office, some of which are on writing
Have professional photo taken to use for author platform

What did you accomplish this year? What are your writing goals for next year? I hope you find inspiration in my 2012 and 2013 lists.

Debbie A. Byrne has a B.S. in Mass Communication with a minor in History. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and is working on her first children’s book.

10 Gifts for Writers

Are you still finishing your holiday shopping? Here’s my top ten gifts for the writer on your list.

· A gift certificate for a writers retreat - A perfect gift for any writer.

· · Books – Writers are readers, so a good book or a gift certificate to a book store is always a good choice.

· · A subscription to writer’s magazine like Writer’s Digest or Writers and Poets

·   The 2013 Writer’s Market – If you know a writer getting ready to submit their work, this is an invaluable tool.

·   The Frugal Book Promoter by Carolyn Howard-Johnson is the perfect gift for someone who is out there marketing their book.

·    Bird by Bird by Ann Lamott – An inspirational book for any writer

·   A journal – Even if the writer you know generally works on a computer, give them a journal and they are sure to write in it.

·         An electronic reader – Kindle, Nook or iPad. Eventually, most writers will need to join the digital age.

·         Scrivener - A great application for managing complex writing projects or keeping track of the research for that next project.

·         Voice recognition software – Dragon Naturally Speaking is a great voice recognition program that can help make the writer more productive.

Mary Jo Guglielmo is writer and intuitive life strategist who has helped writers move their writing careers forward. Combining intuitive insights with practical know-how, Mary Jo has helped clients discover how to chart their course of action and live their authentic path—their True North. Mary Jo offers Artist Breakthrough Sessions at reduced rates. (Gift certificates are available.)

For more information check out www.donorth.biz
or folllow her at:
http://theadvantagepoint.wordpress.com
http://www.helpingchidrencope.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/do_north
http://facebook.com/DoNorth.biz

Reading makes you a Better Writer

As Ray Bradbury said, “You’ve got to love libraries. You’ve got to love books. You’ve got to love poetry. You’ve got to love everything about literature. Then, you can pick the one thing you love most and write about it.”

This quote speaks volumes about what writers should make time for as part of their daily writing routine.

Another Bradbury quote that speaks volumes is, “You must write every single day of your life… You must lurk in libraries and climb the stacks like ladders to sniff books like perfumes and wear books like hats upon your crazy heads… may you be in love every day for the next 20,000 days. And out of that love, remake a world.”

Many say write what you know, How about writing what you want to know? This is another opportunity to read diverse books and diverse subjects.

By reading various genres, writers might chose to add some literary techniques into their present project. Writers might also try opposite gender writing.

I had such an experience while taking an online writing course. I crafted a piece where two women thought a female wrote it. I’m not female.

I’ve heard from numerous sources that there is a touch of poetry in my prose. I’ve been an avid reader of all genres for over 50-years.

It is up to writers to read books from various authors, so they can become better writers.

Robert Medak

Freelance Writer, Blogger, Editor, Proofreader, Reviewer, Marketer

http://xeeme.com/RobertMedak