Tag: Writer Wednesday

I write to stop myself from punching people in the face…

Published on by Noreen LaceLeave a comment

pow.jpgMy next story will have violence.

Unless, of course, I’m in jail.

Nothing angers or offends me more than men telling me to offer myself. “Flirt,” they say, “for a discount,” “to get out of a ticket,” “to get a good deal,” etc and so on!

Someone said this, again, recently. He was drunk (not an acceptable excuse) and offering unsolicited advice. I sincerely wanted to kick him in the knee caps.

None of  my lady friends have EVER said suggested this, nor done it to the best of my knowledge.

NO, THANK YOU!

I’d rather PAY!

How many of you write about what angers you?

Would they tell their wives to flirt? Their sisters? Their mothers?

I AM NOT A COMMODITY!

prepare-to-die-t-shirt-teeturtle-1000x1000

I do not trade myself for anyone or anything.

I do, however, write books. They are a commodity that can be bought, sold, traded.

 

Prepare to die, asshole.

In my next story, that is.

Writer’s Fight Club

Published on by Noreen LaceLeave a comment

fight.jpgI’ve been worked over by a story all summer.  I feel like we’ve been beating each other up and down and neither of us is winning.

At this point, I hate this story. But, no, not true. I love it. I love the characters and want them to have a voice, a say in their life.

But, gosh darn it – speak!

Maybe I have not been giving the story it’s due, it’s time. The main character, Bella, came simply enough and her father did too. This is the primary relationship and the source of conflict in the story, but then there are a whole bunch of secrets. Aren’t there always?

I wrote the first draft and showed it to my writing partner who said the story had merit and I should keep at it. So, here I am, months later, keeping at it! Frustrated.

Writers understand this. Sometimes stories do this to us. The story wants/needs to be told, but it’s so hard in coming.

I need to do it. I need to force it. I need – I don’t know. Maybe it’s the story’s needs I should think about. It needs some time maybe, more thought; it needs to be brought to life for whatever reason it was given to me to write.

 

Release Day

Published on by Noreen LaceLeave a comment

psych cover for kdp

These might be some of the best stories I’ve ever written – even if I do say so myself.

Malcom Gladwell has a theory – it takes 10,000 hours to perfect one’s craft. Well, I think, perhaps I’ve hit 50,000, maybe 100,000.

Beyond that – one learns, one grows wiser with age; hopefully, that is what you’ll read in these stories. Wisdom. Empathy. Healing.

Available now. on amazon and kindle. 

Find out how to throw a psychic a surprise party.

Publishing in Literary Journals

Published on by Noreen Lace2 Comments

A number of literary journals have given up, so to speak; in other words, gone out of business. They are either publishing online only or not publishing at all. I’ve received a number of emails or notifications from literary journals and, in some cases, well known or otherwise recognized and considered successful literary journals like Tin House that they will no longer publish.

The main reason is the cost or publication vs sales. Many literary journals operate in the red, a few may break even. I don’t think any of them are rolling in the dough.

Even the writers they publish accept their free copies and don’t purchase other copies. I understand; how many subscriptions can one writer – being paid in free copies – have?

This leaves us writers with fewer places to submit.

There are a number of online journals looking for work, and more forming every day. Although some of them are quality, I personally want more information than just a description of a new and upcoming online journal accepting submissions.

Duotrope and Poets and Writers offer more information on many of them – that’s a good resource.

I, however, think I’ll donate my time to finishing novels and fewer short stories. The shorter fiction may or may not be submitted, may or may not find a home.

 

Study the Masters….

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faulkner“Read, read, read. Read everything — trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read! You’ll absorb it.
Then write. If it’s good, you’ll find out. If it’s not, throw it out of the window.”

 

 

Some people feel they should not read others or study the masters because it will influence their voice; however, experts recommend that is where you begin in order to develop your voice. Finding your voice takes time and it takes writing, regardless of who you read.  But you do, without a doubt, need to read far and wide.