Writer's Wish List

This isn't a list of things like a MacBook Air or Scrivener or a thesaurus, but a list of characteristics that I'm starting to believe are essential for becoming a successful writer.

1) Persistence
Probably the single most important character trait for a writer. You need to be able to persist through writer's block, through dry spells, through self-doubt and family-and-friends' doubt, through rejections and contest losses and sudden and ill-timed changes in what the market wants to read.

2) A Thick Skin

If you're going to get down in the dumps and quit writing or querying every time you get rejected, or even every time you get rejected after you were given reason to get your hopes up, it's going to take a very long time to get to the finish line. Not everyone is going to like what you write, but don't let that slow you down. Keep writing, Keep submitting. Keep moving forward.

I took a class with local writer Katrina Kittle a while back. In past lives, she was a dancer and an actress. She said those careers, which include a LOT of rejection, were great preparation for being a writer.

Learn to repeat this little mantra: "Not my audience." Just like people don't all like the same food or the same clothes or the same television shows, not everyone likes the same kinds of books. (Some people don't like any books at all, but they're barbarians who would destroy civilization given the chance.) The fact that someone doesn't like your book doesn't mean you're a bad writer, it just means your book is not for them.

3) A clinical eye

In order to get better, you first have to realize you suck. Until you're willing to set aside your ego ("Look at this marvelous thing I've created!") and really see your writing for the flawed exercise it is, you're probably not going to get any better.

4) A love of reading
I frequently hear the following from people who have just learned that I'm a writer: "I've thought about writing a book." I just smile and say, "I think you should." Then afterwards, get back with me and tell me how it went....

The people that fascinate me are the ones who say this but are not themselves readers. How in the world can you expect to create something that you don't know anything about?

Read in the genre you want to write in--it will help you understand the expectations of your prospective readers. Read in genres other than the one you want to write in--it will give you fresh perspective. Read craft books. There are a lot of tricks of the trade that aren't apparent to readers. A few fortunate souls are born instinctively understanding things like point-of-view and plotting, but most of us need to be taught.

4) A love of writing

If you truly want to become a writer, you will spend a lot of time sitting in a chair in a room by yourself. According to Malcolm Gladwell, it will be something in the region of 10,000 hours to become an expert at anything. Or, to put it another way: your first million words are just practice.

Once you've gathered together these character traits and experiences, we'll talk about that MacBook Air.

Family Friday: An Alternative View of A&F

Abercrombie & Fitch has (deservedly) received a lot of bad press  over the past few years for their exclusiionary practices. This led to their CEO being fired last December. Since then, they've worked hard to replace the corporate culture with one that is more inclusionary.

Even before the transition, though, there was one area where this company led the way in diversity and acceptance in corporate America--the treatment of gay employees.

In the second interview in this video, my daughter-out-law (someday to be my daughter-in-law, God and the Supreme Court willing) explains what this meant to her and her family. The beautiful young woman to her left is my daughter and the adorable little tykes are my grandkids.

Fiction Friday: Making the Most of Your Contest Dollars

Entering your romance novel into contests is a great way to get feedback. If you're polished enough and lucky enough to become a finalist, contests can also get you in front of industry professionals who might be interested in representing or publishing your book.  So far, from the five contests I entered, I've received three requests for full manuscripts. I've also learned that several of the judges wouldn't read my book if I paid them, but that's another story....

Many of the local RWA chapters around the country sponsor contests as fundraisers. I counted 11 upcoming contests on the RWA website in June alone. Most have entry fees in the $25 range.

Since most of us don't have unlimited funds, how do you choose a good one for your work? Here are some questions to ask:

1) Does the contest guarantee feedback, or just a score sheet? Learning that, on a scale of 1-5, an anonymous judge thought your conflict was a 3 may not be all that helpful. Hearing that it wasn't clear that your protagonist had a goal, or that there was no sense of urgency to that goal, is much more useful.

2) Who are the first round judges? Does the chapter set any baseline requirements to qualify as a judge? Are they published authors or romance readers? Either one can provide useful feedback, but it may be different kinds of feedback. Readers can tell you if they love your book or not. Published authors are more likely to be able to tell you why they love your book--or why they don't.

3) Who are the final round judges? In many contests, final round judges are industry professionals. Some contests provide specific names. Others only specify a role--"agent" or "editor." Final round judges may also be librarians, book clubs and booksellers--all lovely people to hear from, but not a step toward getting your manuscript published.

4) If the final round judges are identified industry professionals, do they work for organizations you're interested in partnering with? A lot of us, as we take our first steps toward publication, believe that we'd work with the devil himself to get published, but even if that's true, he's probably not our first choice. It's worth taking time to figure out who your dream agent and editor are. You may not get the partner of your wildest dreams, but if you know what you want, your chances increase.