I have been reworking my feature, THE HAAN BLADE, and keep getting stuck in the same spot. I know why; there is something amiss with the scene. A giant red arrow may as well be pointing at it, but what’s wrong? I’ve debated removing the character introduced there, moving this scene to a new spot, and writing in the same scene with a different person. Today I reached over a dozen or more solutions to the problem, giving me a new problem, which solution do I go with?!

Time to break out the sounding board! I gave my script consultant (Sae Sae Norris) a call and told her I needed to talk through my ideas. Graciously, she allowed me to ramble and hop from point to point; ha ha, glad she charges by the hour versus the minute. I talked about the flaws in the script and my range of ideas. She gave me input as well, which rocks; pitch me my own story and I can see if I need to change it. –For reasons of ego, it’s easier for me to shoot down my idea when you say it .

Before long I had my answer (huzzah), and when we hung up I was full steam ahead and ready to get back to the keyboard!

In my humble opinion, it is important to have somebody to discuss your stories with. Someone who is a writer as well is preferable but not, perhaps, vital. This is one of the reasons I love writers groups. It’s also helpful to be the bounce board for other writers; we can apply our advice to whatever project we’ve got on the fire.

Don’t have a writers group? Don’t have a script consultant? Reach out in your network of friends and, my guess is, you know other writers. You don’t need a formal group to brainstorm your story; just one other person. Those who know me realize I love to use index cards and white boards to write out key points; but sometimes it just helps to talk it through. It’s a time saving and validating process.

Do you share your ideas with other writers? Does it help? If not, what’s stopping you? Please leave a comment, so that others can benefit from your experience in this tricky area. Go ahead, brainstorm about brainstorming with me .

This post could go one of two ways. You, the Reader, could declare that I’m a wack job with some serious self esteem issues and what kind of meds am I on, by the way? OR you could identify with me, at least as far as being a writer is concerned. For humilities sake, I’ll go ahead and admit the first and will leave the latter up to you. (Lexapro, by the way, and I think that the stuff should be put in drinking water.)

I’ll be honest; when Amy asked me to be a guest blogger on her site I did a quick double take. Who, me? A writer? For my part, I had literally only a half hour earlier allowed myself the actual title while in a mid-afternoon chocolate induced epiphany. After working for nearly two years as a freelance writer, I hadn’t officially allowed myself the title, rather I loudly called out the lack of work I saw as editorials, copywriting jobs and blog followers trickled in slowly. And, while that certainly didn’t assist in bolstering my self esteem, it wasn’t the bulk of the problem.

I had never seen myself as a writer and instead saw a would-be, constantly working on becoming one. I saw what I hadn’t written and I didn’t let myself off the hook easily for the thousands of ideas and starts shoved back into the metal lockers of my mind, banging to get out. I had come to call the unwritten my Highbrow Folios, understanding that my half-loved stories, detailed memories and heart-felt feelings were to be locked away in the far reaches of my brain. For years, I filed these tragedies away under “I should write about this someday”, probably understanding in my sub-conscious that it was unlikely that I would actually do so. And just as I’m ready to squeeze one drop of best seller out of my brain, I stall.

I suppose I could call all of my stalling laziness. And, I would love to consider this whole thing writer’s block. I mean, who doesn’t love a good scapegoat? But, I guess we all have to learn it sometime, although I’ve never been one to love the salty taste of humility. The bottom line is still this: I’m never going to BE a writer until I BELIEVE I’m a writer. And then it’s time to get on it, already!

In my humble opinion, you are what you say you are and you accomplish what you decide to accomplish. If you’re a writer then, dammit, WRITE! So. I am a writer. I write. I love to write. And now I’m going to get my self-confidence on and jump out of this cake, baby!

Are you?

Thanks, Amy, for inviting me here! I think this was just the kick in the pants I needed! See you on the Best Seller’s List!

KT

It is not difficult to find a writing competition to enter, regardless of your medium or genre. It can be difficult to choose the correct work to submit, as well as which contests to enter at all. In my humble opinion, with a little research you can find not only the best choices for yourself, but increase your odds as well.

First let’s talk about choosing a competition. Most have a fee and the rewards for winning vary. As writers, we tend to have little money to play with, so you want to decide upfront what fits your budget.

I recommend that you weigh cost to enter against the reward for winning. For example, while it’s fabulous to win, if all you gain is $50 and/or publication on a website that receives little exposure; does this do you a service? The reason I mention this is simple, most legitimate competitions do not allow you to enter a work that has already been published or won in any other competition; so choose wisely.

As to improving the odds, may I suggest looking up previous winners – see what they have gone on to write, as well as who will be judging your work (when you are able). If it is clear that the contest you are considering seems to strongly favor comedies geared toward the family, you may want to hold off on your mystery or romance story. The same is true of those on the panel, do they write or speak well of a certain genre? If so, it is possible that they will be more interested in that which appeals to them.

I am not saying that a great writer can’t win against the odds; only that stacking the odds in your favor can’t really hurt.

I would also like to point out that entering competitions is a great way to get your work out there; similar to querying agents. As writers we all have many tales to tell, and it is just as important to know your audience when selecting a contest as it is when you are trying to reach your demographic or selecting an agent.

When you examine what you gain from entering versus the price you pay to enter, it should be simple enough to spot the contests that are right for you, those which ought to be avoided, as well as the contests that are outright fraudulent.

Have you entered many writing competitions? What advice would you give other writers? If you haven’t, what do you think is stopping you?

Thanks for reading and keep writing!
(image credit: nfschools.net)

“Don’t get your hopes up!” seems to be a common caution. I keep seeing on blogs, twitter and in books about writing to “Keep Trying” or “Never, Never, Never give up” and “Plan on a million rejections but keep going” right along with “Don’t get your hopes up”. Um, isn’t that contradictory? How does one keep going without the hope of success?

For example: when my man and I put in our offer on our house (we are now living in it – that’s not the “why”) the first thing everyone seemed to say was “Don’t get your hopes up!” If you have read my blog then you know my first question about everything is similar to that of a small child; WHY? Why shouldn’t I enjoy the excitement of daydreaming? Why shouldn’t I get my hopes up? WHY? It seems there are loads of reasons. However, when listed out, they can all be, more or less, summed up in one sentence:

Whatever you are hoping for won’t happen, leaving you a ruined shell of a human…FOREVER!

Hmm. It seems to me that I lived and breathed before I submitted my novel into my first competition, I certainly had motivation before I started auditioning for films/plays, I know that I got out of bed every morning before I pitched my first screenplay. So, WHY shouldn’t I enjoy the foreplay of waiting to see if I get the gig, house, or whatever it is I am hoping for? WHY?

In my humble opinion, if we can remember that life existed (and still will) if we don’t achieve every ambition we set out for on our first, second, or hundredth try then we will be happier for the anticipation – and prepared for the possibility – that things won’t always go our way. I suppose this is what is meant when people say “Hope for the best, plan for the worst and take what comes”. That phrase never really set in on me until we made that offer on our home, and now I see how it applies to everything!

To my mind, telling someone not to get their hopes up is the same as telling them not to enjoy their holiday. After all, you will have to go back to work once you get back.

Put things into perspective, and then hope your heart out that things will go your way! I suspect you will be happier for it. Go ahead, get your hopes up!

When have you gone against the grain and hoped secretly for something? Did it work out? Did you survive (hint: if you are reading this you did)?

As always, thanks for reading.

When it comes to research for your writing projects, you may find yourself tempted to utilize social media as you look for answers. In my humble opinion, writers can benefit from considering which information is appropriate to learn from social networking sources and which are better asked directly to the experts.

As my readers know, when penning a story, I love to ask myself WHY? Normally when “why” comes up, I see what resources the magical Google has for me. When that fails, I hit up the library (Ancient buildings where you read from papers bound together in hard or soft shells), or I go directly to the experts; a quick call to an expert can yield surprisingly good results!

Lately, I am seeing my writer friends/colleagues asking their questions on twitter/FB. Their question is then forwared on and soon enough the writer has their answer…maybe. I have seen instances where this works out brilliantly; for example, the other day a writer I follow, on twitter, wanted to know what kind of motorcycle a certain type of character would ride. For something like this, it is definitely smart to ask the end users for their opinion. However, like with all tools, we must proceed with caution.

When it comes to information that is fact based versus opinion based; e.g. how a S.W.A.T. team responds to a particular situation, using social networking media may give you a great start. This can provide you with ideas about questions to ask, trade specific lingo and other info that will prep you for a conversation with an expert. However, bear in mind, that given the anonymity of social networking sites, it’s a smart move to cover your ass and seek out sources which can be verified. Remember: your story, your reputation.

Have you used social media (in any form) for research? If so, how did it work out for you? Have you called up an expert (in any arena) for research? Same question. Share with the class, so we can all learn from your experience!

Thanks for reading and keep writing!

I recently saw a tweet regarding putting every last solitary idea that comes to your mind into your story. At first glance, I figured they meant “give it your all, leave no stone unturned”, I’m all about that. Following the link, I read an article about some very different advice that, in my humble opinion, could really damage your story.

Summed up, the concept seemed to encourage one not to spare anything for a future story and never hold out any detail (large or small). There are a number of reasons that I tear my hair out at this idea, here are some of them.

Frequently, when penning a script or novel, the author (we’re talking first draft here) throws down masses of information; this, in itself, is not a bad thing, unless left unchecked. More often than not the first draft contains a hell of a lot of back-story. While it is important as the author to be fully immersed in the back-story, it is not always necessary to incorporate all of those details in your final draft; let the details inform but not dominate the script. Even in novel form, where back-story is far more acceptable, it should be used with both caution and purpose.

Covering scripts has also shown me that writers frequently struggle with organization and clarity as the result of unwittingly telling too many stories at once. A storyteller always has more than one tale to tell, it’s not necessary to tell them all in one script. If you find, for example, that you are genre-splicing, take a critical look at your story and ask yourself if the choices are vital to the plot or if they would be stronger as independent works?

So, yes, give “your all” to every story. Open yourself to your inner muse and let the ideas fill your pages; just don’t miss out on the opportunity to tighten your writing by seeing what goes in and what comes out.

Thanks for reading and keep writing!

If you read my post called Hand, then you know I had a minor surgery on my left hand that resulted in nerve damage. If you didn’t read it, now you know. I am still having nerve blocking treatments every couple of weeks. Last Friday was the day I had my last shot. In the long run, it makes my hand feel much better; however, for several days after, I am unable to use my hand. In fact, I’m not even writing this. I am actually dictating over the phone to a friend who will email it to me.

I just wanted to let people know about my absence on Twitter and FB, etc. In the second picture, you can see how swollen my hand is. It is still the same size today as it was on Friday. Fortunately, nerves do regenerate (so they tell me). It’s looking like, if I’m lucky, the best Christmas gift will be a healthy hand (shhhh, don’t tell my husband).

I’m hopeful I will be able to type again within the next few days, and I will respond to all of my messages. So that is the update on my hand. Oh, and for all of you horror flick junkies, here is the scrap book of my hand’s progress.

Thanks Jessi K, for typing this so that I can take my own advice and share my update with my readers.

Thank you for reading! Keep writing, and I should be able to rejoin you in a day or two. (knock on wood)

When you get a meeting, finish a script, make your word count for the day, sell your work, big or small, those are all successes, and should be shared with your colleagues. When asked how a meeting went or if someone hit their goal and their reply is coy…one assumes they didn’t do well but don’t know how to say it.

Personally, I would rather be told, “We are meeting with the director next week” or “Ya, I fell flat on my face.” because now I know how to respond. How can your colleagues/friends support your endeavors if you don’t share them? In my humble opinion, the only thing better (or worse, as the case may be) than the extremes I just mentioned, is doing so alone.

I think it is safe to say that no one is able to promote the vague writer. “No idea what she’s working on, but she says it’s going awesome!” is not a likely statement. People are able to commiserate or celebrate with you, when they know what’s happening.

Hiding your failures may actually hurt you, because you are robbed of the opportunity to learn from others who have had a similar experience. When you do succeed, we will be all the happier for you because we will have been along for the ride; seeing it come to life will be a greater pay off for everyone.

Success feels awesome when it happens; it feels amazing when you have a cheering section! Thanks for reading, keep writing!

When the producer for The Haan Blade asked me to write a “selling treatment”, I couldn’t help but think, “How does that differ from any other treatment?”

I had some idea, probably enough to put me in the ball park, but why not do it right? I called my script consultant to ask her what’s the difference is between a synopsis and a treatment, and what more do I need to know about the various types of synopsis? With the answers fresh in my mind I want to share them with you, my readers.

Here are some of the highlights from the discussion Kathie and I had.

Important to note: the biggest difference between a synopsis and a treatment is the spelling.

One Page Treatment:
This should explain your major plot points and main characters; usually three paragraphs, one for each act. This is also a great pitching tool. You can carry it with you to a meeting or a pitchfest; should you get nervous or loose your train of thought, it’s a fast reference and something to leave behind.

Three Page Treatment:
Here, you mention some of the supporting roles; this is more typically a page for each act rather than a paragraph. It can be used to give investors, crew, talent etc. a little more information.

You can also do a five page treatment to allow you to expound on the story just a smidge more. These are not uncommon and are used for the same purpose as the three page treatment.

A Selling Treatment:
This is what I am working on and is typically between 8-12 pages long. You should expound on the B story and supporting characters with this one.

Full Out Treatment:
This one gets all the nitty gritty details and can be up to 20 pages in length.

Regardless of length, you should remember to write this in narrative style. CAPS character names the first time you mention them, but don’t CAPS sounds or props the way you would in a screenplay. Never forget the idea is to sell your work, whatever the length, your synopsis must be exciting to read!

Make sure you have one of each type of treatment from the list above. This way, when someone asks for more detail about your project, you are prepared. In my humble opinion, this not only makes you look more professional, but also speeds up the process of selling your story.

What advice would you give to someone who is tackling a treatment? If you are the one being handed a treatment, what do you look for?

Writers are having more frequent opportunities to network. This can be problematic, simply because, as a general rule, writers aren’t social; we would rather open Final Draft and type a scene about people talking, than walk up to an actual human being and say “Hello”.

Often, even if we desire to talk to people, we are uncomfortable doing so… and nothing comes out. There are exceptions, but that’s not what I am interested in chatting about today.

These networking situations can range from classroom/lecture settings to taking a meeting or Karaoke Night in NY (if you are able to go to these I suggest it!). Whatever the setting, the problem is the same; we have to interact.

I have a few tips on making the most of these situations that can really take the pressure off you, my fellow writers.

I am a very shy person. Despite being openly mocked whenever sharing that tidbit, it’s still true. I have to mentally prep myself to meet with people. I like to imagine that I am hosting a party and my job is to make sure everyone is at ease. This achieves several things for me:

1. I am not focused on me, thus I feel less stressed.
2. It’s easier to remember names when I am introducing people to each other.
3. People take notice; more often than not it is assumed that I am among those responsible for putting on whatever event I am at. (I always get a kick out of that)
4. It is easier to build rapport with someone to whom you have just thrown a life-raft!

I think the latter is the most important. Consider your day to day routines. Who do you purchase from and refer on to others? Clearly, the answer is the people that you know and with whom you have great rapport. The same is true of selling anything; if you want a referral out of someone, then you need to get to know them as friends/colleagues; then build from there.

In my humble opinion, just because we may feel nervous talking to others in these settings doesn’t mean we can’t overcome. We just need practice, so take advantage of the opportunities out there! Good luck and keep writing!

What is your secret to feeling less awkward when in a networking situation?