HOW TO SPEAK TO A GROUP ABOUT YOUR WRITING By Maria Hudgins

 

I'm not really sure why anyone would want to hear me speak about my writing, but people do ask and I am flattered. And frightened. Frightened, because standing up in front of a group of literate people most of whom are probably smarter than I am makes me feel like a third grader reporting on a book he hasn't read. Writing is so much easier than speaking. I can delete and change and try to remember what I meant to say when I started this.

I wonder. What do they want to know about me? About my writing? I'm not a very interesting person but I hope my books are. Why did they ask me? I have heard some intriguing talks by writers like Stephen King, Louise Penny, and Colin Dexter, but their experiences are not mine. I have to come up with my own. 

I have two speaking engagements coming up soon, and I'm searching for ideas. So far, nothing.

What do I want when I hear another writer speak? I want them to tell me what they are thinking about right now. Maybe it will give me an idea.

But then there's the old, "Where do you get your ideas?" Answer: Who knows? Ideas come at you from out of the blue and all at once. The great thing is to keep your mind open for ideas when they do come. Some writers keep a note pad and pencil on their bedside table. Works for some, but not for me. I wake up and read what seemed to me brilliant, earth-shattering, insight at 2 am, but at 8 am, it says (barely legible) something like, "Hoggamus, higgamus, all men are bigamous;  higgamus, hogggamus, women are monogamous."

(I've heard this silliness attributed to several different people, but I don't know who said it first. )

Sometimes people are curious to know how I write. How do I start? On my first book, "Death of an Obnoxious Tourist," I hit upon a good way to put my experience as at science teacher to work. I got a foam-core  three-sided science project board and glued pictures of my characters on one side, pictures of houses, cars, other scenes that looked like the settings in my head on the other, and in the middle, a table showing chapters, major events, etc. It worked well, but I have changed the system little by little until now it's more like a dozen or more pages for character descriptions, major plot points, and background info.

Most people are curious to find out: How did you get published? Do you have an agent and can I have their name? Do you have to pay anyone? I have no answers for any of these. I have only my own experiences and things change constantly in this volatile market. I would encourage anyone determined to get published, to attend conferences and gatherings that concentrate on the genre you love, and make contacts.

The most important thing, I think, is don't be boring. Whether you say anything illuminating or not is less important than making your audience glad they came. 

COZY UP WITH COASTAL CRIMES by Yvonne Saxon

Before you know it, it will be sweater weather here in Southeastern Virginia, and I can’t wait! Turning leaves and frosty days make me want to curl up with a hot cuppa and a good book. Soon, you can get cozy with a cozy mystery!

I’m looking forward to getting my hands on a copy of the soon to be published Coastal Crimes: Death Takes a Vacation, an anthology of fourteen mystery stories which take place at unique but deadly locations in the Coastal Plain of Virginia and North Carolina. The collection includes vacation getaways from the shores of Virginia Beach to the Eastern Shore and the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

Contributing authors are members of Mystery By The Sea, a local Virginia chapter of Sisters in Crime.

Keep your eye on this site for further updates!

WHAT IS GOOD WRITING THESE DAYS? By Penny Hutson

 

Don’t we all know what good writing is? It’s certainly not repeating too many words or using too many of the same words in the same sentence. That’s what I’ve always been taught and taught my students when I was an English teacher, teaching English for many years. Not using incomplete sentences, either. And you should never start a sentence with a coordinating conjunction like “and” or “but” or use a preposition like “with” to end a sentence with.  Anyone annoyed yet?

Okay, maybe that was a bit over the top. However, as a former English teacher trained in avoiding such writing faux pas, I wonder if I notice them more than the average reader. For instance, when I pick up a novel with a ton of repeated words, cliches, or adjectives, I stop reading it and likely refrain from reading other books by the same author. Perhaps that’s unfair, but with so many excellent books and a limited time to read them, I can’t justify spending it on poorly written ones that I truly don’t enjoy. I find myself getting annoyed, often ruminating aloud, “How many times is she going to swallow or bite her tongue? No, his eyes didn’t flash. That’s not even possible!” I believe you get the idea.

Yet, when I look at many of the best sellers and award-winning novels on the market today, I can’t help but notice how often these devices are used. It appears that a vast majority of readers don’t care about such things; and the writers (and publishers) are raking in big bucks to the tune of millions. According to several sources, James Patterson and John Grisham are worth over 800 and 400 million dollars, respectively. They are among the top-selling authors today, but they are certainly not alone. Many others are earning close to or as much and with worse writing, in my opinion.

So, what gives?

Now, I’m not asserting that either Patterson or Grisham are terrible writers whose works don’t deserve to be in print, although I’ll admit I’ve seen many whose publication successes are quite mystifying to me. I have read several books by Patterson and Grisham, including some of their young adult novels, and I enjoyed them. Truth be told, they manage exciting plot lines, interesting stories, and compelling characters even with all the cliches and what I’d call average writing. In fact, it makes me wonder if I’m overly concerned with such things in my own writing, when it appears that most readers in our current society don’t seem to care about or perhaps even prefer such writing.

Of course, I know there’s always been a difference between good literature, like the kind we read in high school and college, and what is often called junk or pulp fiction. You know the kind - those steamy romances, swashbuckling adventure, or detective mysteries essentially telling the same story over and over except with different characters and settings. We know they’re not winning any Pulitzers, but we love reading them anyway. However, there appears to be so much more of the latter being published and purchased today.

So, I’m asking you, as writers, how much do you worry about such things? Do you think readers today care more about the story than the writing itself, perhaps even preferring that style of writing over the more polished, literary kind? Essentially, I’m asking if you think “good writing” has been replaced. What else could explain the enormous profits made by those publishing works without it? I’d love to hear your responses.

SHIFT 3: FROM POUND SIGN TO HASHTAG By Michael Rigg

From: Your Complete Guide to Hashtag Analytics | Sprout Social

As users of social media, we’ve all seen them. On most keyboards, it’s the symbol that results when you hit “Shift” and the Number 3: #. Some might still call it a “pound sign” or a “hash mark.” But those of us, even Boomers like me, who have made the bold leap into social media call them “hashtags.”

Hashtags made their debut in social media—on Twitter—in about 2007. In 2014, the Oxford English Dictionary adopted this definition of hashtag: “On social media websites and applications: a word or phrase preceded by a hash sign and used to identify messages relating to a specific topic. Also: a hash sign used in this way.” (See, hashtag, n. meanings, etymology and more | Oxford English Dictionary (oed.com))

In “plain English”:

A hashtag is a keyword or phrase preceded by the hash symbol (#), written within a post or comment to highlight it and facilitate a search for it. Essentially, by including hash marks in your post; it can be indexed by the social network so that it can be discoverable to everyone, even if they’re not your followers or fans.

(Source: What are Hashtags and How to Use Them on Social Media (wix.com))

That’s the “What.” Now the “Why” and “How.”

According to the Digital Marketing Institute:

Hashtags are important on social media as they enable your content to be found by the right people. Using relevant hashtags helps give context to your content and drives traffic so that you can boost views, likes, and shares. The key is finding the right hashtags that match your content and appeal to users.

(Source: How to Use Hashtags Effectively on Social Media | Digital Marketing Institute.)

There are various types of hashtags. Wix.com identifies three: (1) content hashtags, (2) trending hashtags, and (3) brand-specific hashtags. I believe that LinkedIn provides a better, more detailed, discussion, identifying five types of hashtags: (1) location hashtags, (2) branded hashtags, (3) industry hashtags, (4) community hashtags, and (5) descriptive hashtags. (See, (30) HASHTAG CATEGORIES TO INCREASE REACH | LinkedIn.)

Here is a summary of each:   

Location hashtags are powerful tools for reaching a local or regional audience. Whether you're promoting a local event, a business, or simply sharing experiences from a particular place, incorporating location-specific hashtags can significantly increase visibility. For instance, using hashtags like #NewYorkCity or #London allows your content to be discovered by users searching for content related to those locations. Remember to be specific with your location hashtags to target the right audience effectively.

Branded hashtags are unique to your brand and serve as a way to foster community engagement and brand loyalty. Creating a branded hashtag that reflects your brand's identity or a specific campaign can help unify your content and encourage user-generated content. For example, #JustDoIt by Nike or #ShareACoke by Coca-Cola are excellent examples of branded hashtags that have gained widespread recognition and participation. When implementing branded hashtags, ensure they are memorable, relevant, and easy to spell.

Industry hashtags are tailored to a specific niche or industry, allowing you to connect with like-minded individuals and target audiences interested in your field. These hashtags help position your content within a broader conversation and establish your authority in your industry. Whether you're in technology, fashion, food, or any other sector, identifying and using relevant industry hashtags can help amplify your reach and attract relevant followers and engagement.

Community hashtags bring people with shared interests or affiliations together, fostering a sense of belonging and facilitating conversations within a community. These hashtags can range from hobbies and interests to social causes and movements. Engaging with community hashtags not only expands your reach but also allows you to connect with individuals who share similar passions or values. By participating in community discussions and using relevant hashtags, you can increase your visibility and build meaningful relationships with your audience.

Descriptive hashtags provide context or describe the content of your posts, making them more discoverable to users searching for specific topics or themes. These hashtags complement other types of hashtags and help categorize your content based on its subject matter. Whether it's #TravelPhotography, #HealthyRecipes, or #MondayMotivation, descriptive hashtags allow you to target users interested in particular topics or activities. When crafting descriptive hashtags, aim for clarity and relevance to maximize their effectiveness.

For additional assistance on developing hashtags, see: Infographic: The 5 Steps of Keyword Research | Digital Marketing Institute.

So, there you have it. A very basic primer on the What, Why, and How of hashtags—Hashtags 101. Next time you blog, or post on social media, think about adding a one or more hashtags. Some practice tips on using hashtags: (1) keep your hashtags short, (2) don’t overuse hashtags, and (3) think strategically about your target audience.

 Now, go forth and experiment! With a little practice, knock-on-wood, your social media reach and presence should grow.

 

MY PRODUCTIVITY HACKS, PART ONE: MULTIPLE WIPS by Max Jason Peterson

Photo by Max Jason Peterson

I’ll just say it: I love having multiple works in progress (WIPs). I’m aware that my method of creating works of art (written or visual) doesn’t appeal to everyone. But for me, working on multiple projects helps me make steady progress, continue to advance my artistic skills, and enjoy the pleasure and challenge of my own creativity, without getting stuck as often as I might otherwise. It also helps smooth out some of the ups and downs in productivity I have experienced when concentrating on only one project.

Although I have lots of projects planned, I typically tend to focus on two to four that I give top priority as far as what I’ll finish first. This isn’t set in stone; I do often work on other things in between, particularly shorter works. I’m also creating both writing and art projects, which are quite different skills, so I try to work both into any given week. With art, I typically focus on illustrating one chapter at a time, so I might be painting one piece or as many as six, but all are usually part of the same theme or storyline.

To start out, don’t worry if you only have one WIP. More ideas will come as you work. Once I started collecting ideas for stories, poems, and artworks, I found myself gathering more and more—probably far too many to complete in one lifetime. This is a good thing, though. It gives me the freedom to choose to work on the things I find most compelling or relevant for me in that moment. This is important, because enthusiasm can help carry a creator through the hard parts—and there are many.

Likewise, since my projects tend to be long (novels or highly detailed paintings), my completion rate is better if I have more ideas to choose from; the ones that excite me most are likelier to sustain my interest for the long haul. This is especially important for projects that carry a greater degree of difficulty—whether that be a heavier emotional burden, a lot of research, or learning new skills. Finally, by picking the projects that inspire me the most, I hope that the ideas that rise to the top will also be those of most interest to readers, and that my energy will translate into a more memorable experience.

Given my time constraints, I can’t wait for “inspiration to strike.” Instead, I line up projects that I know will inspire me enough that I want to work on them. If a particular project isn’t speaking to me that day—especially if the thought of it makes me feel too tired to write or make art—I consider whether it’s time to switch, depending on the reasons. Sometimes it is important to just power through: like when I’ve reached part of the narrative that’s emotionally challenging or requires me to push my abilities to the limit. But it might be time to switch if I need to wait to approach the material when I have more energy or information. Maybe I need time to collect reference shots, do research, or brainstorm for better story solutions.

While these are definitely part of the creative process and not a reason to grind to a halt, switching over for a day or two until you have time or energy to complete them can help you keep your creativity flowing and help you avoid feeling stuck. I’m not saying that one must create every day: but the more times when you want to create, and are able to do so, the more confidence you’ll have that you can create when you want to. And this definitely helps when you’re facing the blank page or a challenging part of your work.

Having the option to switch really does help me cut down on artistic blocks or exhaustion. After writing an emotionally draining chapter for one novel, I might need to focus on something lighter for a while to recharge and reawaken my sense of fun. Plus, taking a break between sections of a novel to write a poem, polish a short story, or make a small watercolor sketch can be refreshing. Completing things successfully boosts my confidence and satisfies my urge to make beautiful things. This translates into greater energy when tackling new skills or longer projects. “A change is as good as a rest” for me, creatively speaking.  

Generally, I do try to work in my projects in blocks whenever possible. Though I always have something going on with both art and writing, my aim with each is to finish a certain goal before moving to another project. (With art, the goal might be illustrating a chapter, which can include multiple pieces, but they’re related.) So I try to keep going on the project I switched to until I reach a goalpost, such as to edit a chapter or write a certain amount of rough draft. I set these goals myself before starting. It’s important to pick achievable goals, because you are training yourself to succeed.

Though I believe in the power of multiple WIPs, it’s important to not simply bounce between projects without finishing your goals. Switching too often—especially if you’re doing it to avoid hard work—can prevent you from sinking in deeply enough to make real progress. Pick a project and commit to it. (If you need to switch a few times at the beginning because whichever project you selected just isn’t working for you right now, that’s fine. Just be sure to settle in with the one you finally pick.) There’s another good reason for this: each time I switch, I need to refresh my memory on all the details about plotlines, characters, facts, and what I’ve already covered. So switching too frequently is inefficient, due to this startup time, especially with longer projects that have more to reload.

However, when the time comes to switch, the change is helpful not just to my mental state, but to the quality of the project. It gives me the chance to approach the work afresh. Rereading notes and previous sections to pick up the story threads often generates new insights and better story solutions. And, as an added benefit, it’s generally helpful to get some distance from a draft before editing it; switching projects gives you the time to come back with fresh eyes.

I find it helpful to create a lineup of which projects I’m concentrating on to finish first, and the order I’m working on them. This way I always know which WIP to work on next, and often this helps me dive in without spinning my wheels so much. And because I’m expecting it, by the time I switch, I’ve often collected additional ideas for the next project that provide momentum as I plunge back in. (Note: When ideas come to me for any project, I do stop to write them down. It’s frustrating to forget them, and this also helps me get started when I return.)

All this being said, sometimes one needs to take a break from creating altogether. This, too, is part of the creative process—letting yourself have downtime to enjoy life, relax, immerse yourself in your favorite media, appreciate nature, or take comfort in loved ones. Be kind to yourself.

And enjoy your creativity!

-------------------------

For more information about Max Jason Peterson (they/them), visit maxjasonpeterson.wordpress.com or the Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram links through gardnercastle.com. Here’s a recent interview as Adele, but the author goes by Max in daily life.

IS IT LOVE OR JUST MUSICAL THEATER? by Judy Fowler

 

Did you grow up listening to the lyrics from Broadway musicals?

"I'd do anything for you, dear, anything." In this still photo from Oliver, two down-and-out young people act out what they think love is. Poor dears. 

In "Climb Every Mountain," from The Sound of Music,  a giddy, failed novice named Maria gets some advice. "Find a dream that will need all the love you can give every day of your life for as long as you live." And hurry up about it!

These songs stirred me when I first heard them while I lay on my stomach on my parents' new wall-to-wall carpeting. I was seven. As the soundtrack played on our new hi-fi, and with few liner notes to tell me what the play was about between songs, I accepted the music and lyrics as realistic. Captain Von Trapp was smug and cold to Maria. He repelled her. A duet about Edelweiss ends in passionate love, and they drop everything.

 I listened to the cast album of My Fair Lady. Julie Andrews and Rex Harrison's English accents threw me a little—why can't the English learn to speak? Their characters disdain each other until the last five minutes when he admits he's grown accustomed to her face. Cue Eliza's return.

After that, The Music Man. "May I have your attention, please?" charming con artist Harold Hill sings to Marian, a piano teacher and librarian whose life is on hold until she finds a quiet man who'll "occasionally ponder what makes Shakespeare and Beethoven great." In Act One, she rejects his advances. His passion overpowers her reserve, and two hours later, she leaves her books to run away and have a happily ever after with the fraudster.    

The chorus member and the Chorus Line. Pippin and his "corner of the sky." I became an emotional magnet for their anxieties, partings, and amped-up happiness when "love" arrived after two hours. When someone tells Anna in The King and I that "he'll always need your love," she decides not to get on the boat back home. Even if the king is a tyrant, how could she leave the guy who danced her around a ballroom barefooted in "Shall We Dance?" How could I? 

 The two-act Broadway musical created a groove in my young brain that elevated romance, fantasy, and any distortion of reality delicious enough to win a Tony Award. Even when it went fast and ended badly, love won out. Maybe I got addicted. I started auditioning for school musicals.

"You're getting too warm," my mother said. "You'll have to watch that."

 "Listen to more Shostakovich, less Funny Girl," a college friend suggested. But it was too late. I wanted flowery words.

As soon as I was old enough, I left the safety of my mother's Camelot to run away with mesmerizing, aggravating partners who needed my help to find their corner of the sky whose love I had to have to climb every mountain. These relationships never worked out. 

Fifty years after I tore the shrink wrap off The Sound of Music, I realized my mother was right. I'd fallen too young for the two-act obsession. Sudden, ill-fitting relationships, including the one between Hamilton and the Schuyler sisters, aren't supposed to have happy endings. Broadway raised me to mistake limerence--an intense crush-- for love.

Wikipedia defines limerence as "an infatuation based on the uncertainty that the person you desire also wants you." Researchers have considered that the desire to "be in love" may be due to the roller-coaster it brings on chemically. Lowered serotonin due to OCD-like intrusive thoughts alternating with dopamine highs that reward our brain circuits are a combination designed to defeat calmer pairings.

Broadway should offer young people a remedial third act to listen to (sold separately on Spotify). In Act Three, the music man fleeces some people out of their hard-earned money to get money for Marian's supper. She brings up, for the hundredth time, all the steady jobs he'd be good at. He leaves with a headache when she sings a plaintive tune about the library career she threw away for their fugitive lifestyle. He leaves her in the lurch, or she hitches a ride back to Iowa on the Wells Fargo wagon and meets a friendly, boring banker reading Hamlet.

 In My Fair Lady's Act Three, Eliza Doolittle will leave the challenging but obnoxious professor again (the second time never works out). She opens a posh flower shop in Mayfair and eventually settles into a pleasant relationship with someone who gardens. She avoids the professor at parties. 

And there's no way go-getter Kevin in Book of Mormon sticks around very long with the fantasist Arnold or the guerilla chieftain after he wins a free cruise to Orlando, where the nightlife suits him better.  

Unfortunately, that Broadway brain groove runs deep. In my late '60s, a devilishly charming fellow of similar age asked if he could read me his poetry. I'd learned about limerence by then and had no contact with him for a year. Then I dropped my guard, and we ran away to the circus until the show closed two years later. 

But I climb, I climb. A year ago, I entered what I thought would be a dull relationship with someone who falls asleep over Shakespeare but who makes us dinner and ponders what makes me tick. This could be Act Three material.

Broadway knows about—but won't win Tonys with—Act Threes. Take, for example, the real-life Maria von Trapp, the inspiration for Maria in The Sound of Music. She ended her climb in Stowe, Vermont, where she and her musical family opened a successful hotel she managed into her eighties. 

My Act Three might end well, too.

 

 

How Do I Kill Thee? Let Me Count the Ways by Teresa Inge

While participating on the Women Solving Crimes panel at Malice Domestic this year, the moderator asked us about the different weapons we use to kill people in our novels and short stories.

Fortunately for me, the panel had received the questions in advance, which gave me time to review all the homicides I’d written and determine my methods of murder. With sixteen books, I was beginning to lose track of how I kill people!

I began my murderous review with Mutt Mysteries, a four-book series with dogwalker, Catt Ramsey, who solves crime and murder with her dogs, Cagney and Lacey. I had multiple victims and killings in these books. The weapons include a cutting board, knife, gun, pruning shears, and a dog trimmer. All of which fit right into each killer’s homicidal hands.

In Virginia is for Mysteries, a three-book series, I was on a killing spree with boards! I gave one victim a blow to the head with yet another cutting board, then used three wooden boards in various stories to kill people, smashed a killer in the face with a chalkboard, and used a glass vase to kill another.

In other books, I used different methods and weapons. These include strangulation with a lanyard lassoed around a victim’s neck, a chest stabbing with a road sign, a stab in the neck with a pink beach charm, and three shootings in three stories. I then pushed a killer over a riverboat’s balcony and shot him for good measure before lodging a corkscrew in a victim’s neck…twice. I finished the review with blunt objects to kill two victims, and a fatal allergy reaction to another.

After the review, I realized that I had never poisoned anyone. What would Agatha Christie think? That’s when I began tracking my methods of murder and vowed to use poison in my next story. Check out the attached graph to see the weapon that I used the most.