WOTF Deadline

The deadline for the Writer's of the Future contest is the 30th. I have a completed manuscript to send, but there's a problem. It needs a lot of work. In it's current state, I'd reject it myself, if only for the ending.

This time, rather than try to write the thing perfectly, I went ahead and wrote the end. Now I have something to fix. And, after restructuring the beginning of the story, I'm beginning to see how it should actually conclude.

I'm glad for this deadline. At the same time, it's creeping up pretty quickly. Wish me well.

By the way, check out my other blog for some Doctor Who references: http://s300h.blogspot.com/2014/09/pfft-who-needs-rest.html

New Blog: Regeneration and Transformations

Hi everyone. It's me again. I haven't posted in a while. I'd love to say that I've been too busy writing, and that's marginally true. While I have continued to write, if you took the word "writing" out of the the previous sentence, it'd be more accurate.

Look for some new writing posts in the near future. In the meantime, please check out my new blog, Regeneration and Transformations. Long time readers of this blog, and you know who you are, will be aware of my love for fitness and all things geeky. Particularly Doctor Who things. Well, and Star Wars. And Star Trek. Um... comic books, scifi novels and the Matrix also come to mind. You know what, the list doesn't have to be exhaustive.

Rather than continue to divide my attention here between regenerating into a better body and the writing, I'm starting the new blog to feed my need to share about fitness. As I mentioned in the new blog, I've been ghost writing at blogmutt.com, and getting paid for it to boot. But I'm a tad egotistical, so I want to be able to share some fitness & health ideas as myself.

If you enjoy workouts, eating healthy, or otherwise improving your body, I hope to see you over there. Tune in next time here for a review on blogmutt. That's the plan anyway. I never really know what I'm going to blog until I actually write it.

Guest Post by C.C. Dowling: Everyone's a Critic

C.C. Dowling delighted me when she agreed to do another guest post for me. She's a fantastic writer, and she uses the word "amazeballs" a lot. Oh, and I'm probably outing her by saying this, but I've finally managed to turn her into a Doctor Who fan too. Thanks C.C. Sorry, I lost your paypal account. Again.

Everyone’s A Critic
by C.C. Dowling

@CCDowling

Ever realize how finding the right critique partner (A.K.A. CP) is kinda like dating?

No? Well, if you’re a writer, you should try it. Finding a CP, that is. I’ll leave the dating advice to another blog.

Finding a CP that is congruent with your style, personality, and craft level is crucial to being a successful writer. I don’t care who you are. Every single one of us has craft issues that we can’t see in our own writing. Why? Because we’re too close to it.

Sorta like how your partner can’t see that the last argument they had with you was completely their fault.

But I digress.

When you’re in a relationship like a writer is with their work, it’s difficult to take a step back and see it for what it really is. Whatever that “really is” may be. That’s where CPs come in. But where to find one?

When you’re dating, there are a TON of sites available to you, depending on what type of relationship you’re looking for. But where to find a CP is less clear.

Side note: Someone really should develop a website called CPMatch.Com. And hey, if this exists, or anything like it, please leave the website in the comments!

I can tell you what worked for me. That might work for you, and it might not. And, it might lead to an even better idea you come up with. If that happens, again, there’s a comment section for a reason. You can thank me there.

If you read the last guest post I wrote, you probably know what I’m going to say. If you haven’t read it, then you can find it here: Three Lessons To Keep Your Readers Up At Night.

Yeah, you guessed it. Twitter. I found almost all of my CPs through Twitter. The writing community on there is amazeballs. Aside from straight up hashtags like #critiquepartner, there are tons of contests. And when you enter them, and you stalk lurk keep up with the threads, you’ll see that people are offering to read your first 250 or your query, if you read theirs.

Heck, you can even offer it first. It’s your writing career. Grab it where it counts.

By doing it this way, you’ll get to:

A.) See what else is out there.  

B.) Test out someone’s material and critiquing style before making a major commitment.            

C.) Meet other writers.

This is the picture Jerry uses for
The Ubergroup. Don't worry. I
don't know what it is either.

The meeting other writers is important. In doing so, I met fellow author Jerry Quinn (@bewarethejabb) who runs a fantastic group on Scribophile (http://www.scribophile.com/) called Ubergroup, where I met the fabulous, and awesomesauce talent of Scott Hughey.

Side note: Scott, payments can be made via PayPal.

It’s also fair that I point out I met my very first CP, and just an all-around great writer, @ABSevan, through a Writer’s Digest first ten pages bootcamp. WD offers all kinds of online resources and classes where you can meet other writers in your genre, and at your level. Check them out (@WritersDigest  www.writersdigest.com.)

Okay, I think I’m done plugging everyone.

Bottom line is, as writers, we need someone who will tell it like it is, matches our talent, and provides useful feedback. Personally, I like my CPs to be straight up honest. Scratch through my crap with a red sharpie, and pat me on the back when I deserve it.

Everyone’s CP needs are different. Just like in a relationship, you want someone who pushes you to grow, meets you where you need them to, compliments your strengths and weaknesses, and wants to see you succeed.

How do you CP? Leave a comment to let us know.

---

C.C. Dowling lives in America’s finest city, San Diego, with her toddler (who plays in the yard with Faeries), her husband (the financial shaman), her Aussie (with mesmerizing blue eyes), and a pet dragon (who is the real reason the neighbor’s dog barks incessantly at night). 

When she’s not working in the field of neuroscience, she’s writing fantastical short stories and novels about blood-drinkers, shape-shifters, soul reapers, and demons hell-bent on redemption. You can find her on Twitter at @CCDowling.

Counting Again

Remember my New Years goal? If not, I could make you go back and read it, but I'm nicer than that.  I'm also lazy enough not to go digging for the link, so this is a win-win for everybody.

6000 words a week.  Some marveled at the goal, others scoffed, and still others shrugged in indifference.  None of it mattered.  I had something measurable that held me accountable to the writing.  It was attainable, and challenging.

And I stopped counting.  A few things happened. Editing happened. Life did too.  I found myself surrounded by all these distractions.  Wonderful distractions.  Infuriating distractions.  One, in particular, spectacular distraction that I wouldn't trade for 60,000 words in a week.

What does a writer do though?  Among other things, a writer finds ways to write.  Allowing distractions to stop the work is for would-be writers.

Different writers use different techniques, routines and motivations to overcome the obstacles of life and time.  I count words.  If I'm shooting for 1000 words in a day, and I'm at 800, then I skip the Doctor Who episode and I write 200 more words.

(Side Note.  For years, I've tried to find a way to enjoy Doctor Who.  It's the kind of show I should love, but didn't. I finally figured out a way to like it.  It's called David Tennant. The best Doctor.)

This is what works for me.  So I'm counting again.

And no, this doesn't mean that I wasn't writing.  It means that, I'd work and feel like I was spinning my wheels. I let myself get bogged down too much in rewriting, and polishing the voice right out of my stories.  It means I'd be content with 100 words of variable quality, instead of 800 words of excellent quality.  (I write better when I write quickly.)

Started last night.  Got.. oh, somewhere before 400-500 words.  Call it 450.  I'm too lazy to fact check right now, and I haven't started the wordcount spreadsheet back up again anyway.  If I hadn't been counting, I probably wouldn't have cracked 100.

I'm back.

Hey, do blogs count?  If so, I have a good start on today's work.