Every writer wants to be published. And almost all will be honest and say their dream is to be published by a big New York Publisher.
Don't lie to yourself. If you want to be published by the big boys, then most likely you're gonna have to do a LOT of hard work.
Check out this latest writer beware. I found it Under the Trolls bridge but the original post is here.
Also another bit of downer news. Given some major personal difficulties recently, I'm going to have to reduce how often I can post here. I will try to still post here occasionally but I can't say as to when or how often. I will be back just as soon as I can get my life back into some semblance of order.
Until then you can always check out Under the Troll's Bridge for some good stuff. And since Jean is a friend of mine she'll even let you know when I'm back full-time.
Thanks for your understanding in this. I hope to be back soon.
Showing posts with label Jean Lauzier. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jean Lauzier. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Monday, February 8, 2010
Pirate writers? Oh yeah!
Today I have a special guest post for you all. Some of you may recognize the author, it's Jean Lauzier from Under the Trolls Bridge. I love what she has to say here and hope you all enjoy.
10 Lessons for Writers from a Pirate.
1. Get a Parrot - For writers, the parrot is a mentor. Mentors can speed up your trip along the voyage to publication. They'll teach you things it would take years for you to learn on your own. And while the proper mentor may be hard to find...they will definitely be worth the work.
2. Consider the Eye Patch - Writers must see things differently than non-writers. We pay attention to what's going on around us and sometimes we write it down to use later. Things that seem normal or of no consequence to others trigger story ideas and excite the writer's soul.
3. Funky Pirate Wear & Eye Liner - Just as pirates don't conform, neither do writers. Our characters become our best friends and meeting a word count goal is cause for celebration.
4. Any Weather, Any Time - A pirate's ship and crew can handle any weather. So can writers. We take the good days with the bad or the acceptance letters right along with the rejection letters.
5. Live Die by the Team - For a pirate, his crew is family and very important. Well, writers need a "team" too. Not only do we need a supportive "home" team, we need critique partners and readers. We need editors and agents. Then we need promo people.
6. Tricorn hat - Don't you just love the tricorn hat? Writers will wear the many different hats of our characters. We become our characters, we learn their jobs to get the details right. A writer has a varied barrel of knowledge to draw upon...and if we don't know, we'll find someone who does or take a class to learn our self.
7. Peg Leg - The peg leg represents our limits. These may be lack of formal education or shoulder vultures. But we continue to strive toward our writing goals. We don't let self-doubt stand in our way.
8. Hook - Got to have a hook! Not only do we have to hook our readers, we have to hook the agents and editors. Here's where the team will come in handy...they'll help you polish that hook until it shines!
9. Treasure - For the writer, the Treasure is having others read our words and be touched by them. We'll do just about anything to get that treasure too. All day sessions at the computer, up half the night arguing with our characters about the plot lines... Nothing is too difficult as we make our way toward the treasure.
10. They just arrrrrrr! - Pirates don't have to be told they are pirates. They know they are. Same thing with writers. We just know we are meant to write. We have a passion that burns within us...a passion that insists we write. And so we do!
Inspired by: http://bit.ly/cBoyQM
Jean Lauzier writes mystery and fantasy for the most part though she plays in other genres just for fun. You can find her short stories at www.mystericale.com and www.goldenvisionsmagazine.biz though she'd been published at several other places that no longer exist. At the moment, she's working on her novel Dragons of Jade which will be released sometime this fall. She invites everyone to stop by her blog at http://underthetrollsbridge.blogspot.com
10 Lessons for Writers from a Pirate.
1. Get a Parrot - For writers, the parrot is a mentor. Mentors can speed up your trip along the voyage to publication. They'll teach you things it would take years for you to learn on your own. And while the proper mentor may be hard to find...they will definitely be worth the work.
2. Consider the Eye Patch - Writers must see things differently than non-writers. We pay attention to what's going on around us and sometimes we write it down to use later. Things that seem normal or of no consequence to others trigger story ideas and excite the writer's soul.
3. Funky Pirate Wear & Eye Liner - Just as pirates don't conform, neither do writers. Our characters become our best friends and meeting a word count goal is cause for celebration.
4. Any Weather, Any Time - A pirate's ship and crew can handle any weather. So can writers. We take the good days with the bad or the acceptance letters right along with the rejection letters.
5. Live Die by the Team - For a pirate, his crew is family and very important. Well, writers need a "team" too. Not only do we need a supportive "home" team, we need critique partners and readers. We need editors and agents. Then we need promo people.
6. Tricorn hat - Don't you just love the tricorn hat? Writers will wear the many different hats of our characters. We become our characters, we learn their jobs to get the details right. A writer has a varied barrel of knowledge to draw upon...and if we don't know, we'll find someone who does or take a class to learn our self.
7. Peg Leg - The peg leg represents our limits. These may be lack of formal education or shoulder vultures. But we continue to strive toward our writing goals. We don't let self-doubt stand in our way.
8. Hook - Got to have a hook! Not only do we have to hook our readers, we have to hook the agents and editors. Here's where the team will come in handy...they'll help you polish that hook until it shines!
9. Treasure - For the writer, the Treasure is having others read our words and be touched by them. We'll do just about anything to get that treasure too. All day sessions at the computer, up half the night arguing with our characters about the plot lines... Nothing is too difficult as we make our way toward the treasure.
10. They just arrrrrrr! - Pirates don't have to be told they are pirates. They know they are. Same thing with writers. We just know we are meant to write. We have a passion that burns within us...a passion that insists we write. And so we do!
Inspired by: http://bit.ly/cBoyQM
Jean Lauzier writes mystery and fantasy for the most part though she plays in other genres just for fun. You can find her short stories at www.mystericale.com and www.goldenvisionsmagazine.biz though she'd been published at several other places that no longer exist. At the moment, she's working on her novel Dragons of Jade which will be released sometime this fall. She invites everyone to stop by her blog at http://underthetrollsbridge.blogspot.com
Monday, February 1, 2010
Under the Bridge.
Hello everyone!
Well I guess I'm getting some attention because I was asked to do a guest blog. Check it out Under the Trolls Bridge.
Watch the gears in my head turn a simple Bic into a possible story.
Well I guess I'm getting some attention because I was asked to do a guest blog. Check it out Under the Trolls Bridge.
Watch the gears in my head turn a simple Bic into a possible story.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Good News and Upcoming Good Stuff
In some earlier posts I talked about why I thought I'd get published and set myself the goal of submitting pretty much every week. That was 3 weeks ago.
That first story I sent out, a steampunk story, was rejected. Not because of writing craft but because they had some similar stories within the last year and didn't want to revisit similar territory so soon. But they did ask for me to send more to them. A good sign I think.
And yet, as any starting writer would be, I was a bit crestfallen and was tempted to let it sit for awhile in a drawer. Thank heaven for good friends and ego. My friend Jean told me in her trollish way to get over it and get it out. And even more motivating I figured I couldn't very well face you, my readers, if I couldn't take my own advice and shoot it right back out.
So I did. And guess what happened? It didn't get rejected! I heard back from the main editor that she liked the premise of my story and was sending it on to her editing team. No it was not outright accepted, not yet, but this is forward progress. I'll take it!
So Maybe in a while you'll see a post of me doing the happy dance with my first acceptance letter. Guess we'll see. Until then I'm getting back to writing, you should too. ;-)
That first story I sent out, a steampunk story, was rejected. Not because of writing craft but because they had some similar stories within the last year and didn't want to revisit similar territory so soon. But they did ask for me to send more to them. A good sign I think.
And yet, as any starting writer would be, I was a bit crestfallen and was tempted to let it sit for awhile in a drawer. Thank heaven for good friends and ego. My friend Jean told me in her trollish way to get over it and get it out. And even more motivating I figured I couldn't very well face you, my readers, if I couldn't take my own advice and shoot it right back out.
So I did. And guess what happened? It didn't get rejected! I heard back from the main editor that she liked the premise of my story and was sending it on to her editing team. No it was not outright accepted, not yet, but this is forward progress. I'll take it!
So Maybe in a while you'll see a post of me doing the happy dance with my first acceptance letter. Guess we'll see. Until then I'm getting back to writing, you should too. ;-)
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Parrot Talk
So today I decided to share some bits of wisdom I recently found by looking at other blogs. Both of these come from published authors, one of which I am happy to call friend, and I hope will give you something to chew on and inspire you. I know they did that for me.
So without further adieu I give you Jean Lauzier and Larry Brooks.
The first one is from Jean a post she calls "Chex Mix, Writing & Reading." check it out here at Her newest blog Under the Trolls Bridge. Check it out here @.
The second is from best seller Larry Brooks about discovering which ideas are really worth the time to write. He calls it "For Your Consideration: Questions at the Heart of Your Story Idea" Check it out here @
.
Both of these people have helped me tremendously in my writing and I hope they inspire you as they have me.
So without further adieu I give you Jean Lauzier and Larry Brooks.
The first one is from Jean a post she calls "Chex Mix, Writing & Reading." check it out here at Her newest blog Under the Trolls Bridge. Check it out here @.
The second is from best seller Larry Brooks about discovering which ideas are really worth the time to write. He calls it "For Your Consideration: Questions at the Heart of Your Story Idea" Check it out here @
.
Both of these people have helped me tremendously in my writing and I hope they inspire you as they have me.
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