J. M. Levinton

Writers, Together

• September 08, 2014
• Blog, writing
• 2 Comments

Today I’m going to pimp Seth Godin’s blog post: Why don’t authors compete?

Read it, it’s good. But here’s what I’ve gotten out of it. That the career of writing is—at its best—filled with other writers who cheer each other on. As solitary a profession as it is, we’re surrounded by fellow writers who uphold us, support us, and help us. This is very different from many other professions where competition is the rule.

I’m a writer. I didn’t get here on my own. From the teachers who taught me how to string a sentence together to the writers who are ahead of me in the business and offer their advice and support, I owe a lot of people thanks. (As well as family and friends who might not always understand what I do but cheer me on anyway.)

I’ve asked questions and have been answered. I do the same for others when I can. It’s a circle filled with creativity and laughter and groans of frustration. Who else will fully understand except another writer?

Does that mean there’s no envy or jealousy? Of course not. There are times when I hear that a friend is writing at breakneck speed and I feel a twinge. Or someone is publishing their tenth book and I’m still working to get my first novel out there. But if I feel that momentary twinge, it’s also true that if their work is doing well, it doesn’t diminish mine. And it gives me hope that mine will do well too.

To Be or Not To Be…Seen

• September 01, 2014
• Blog, writing
• 6 Comments

*

“Get a professional head shot.”

“You need to put a photo of yourself online.”

I’m told that showing myself is a good marketing tool. Why? To me, writing is a way to become well known and yet keep my anonymity. No matter how popular my books will become (hopefully!), I’ll be able to walk into my local supermarket and buy a bar of chocolate-covered halvah without anyone comparing me to my lean-and-mean heroine.

Louisa May Alcott understood what happens when fans look beyond the fiction. She wrote a scene in Jo’s Boys where Jo, gray and middle-aged, was a popular author. A family dropped by to meet her and while she hid, her son gave them a tour and pointed to a badly-done portrait. The daughter was disappointed:

‘I thought she’d be about sixteen and have her hair braided in two tails down her back. I don’t care about seeing her now,’ said the honest child, walking off to the hall door, leaving her mother to apologize, and her sisters to declare that the bad portrait was ‘perfectly lovely, so speaking and poetic, you know, ‘specially about the brow’.

This scene has stuck in my head for years. Why ruin the fantasy? My characters do things I’d never do—good and bad—and the reader gets to go along for the ride. Why confuse magic and action and whatever else lives on the pages with the soda- and tea-drinking, cat-loving night owl who spends her hours at the computer?

I could change my mind. There’s that small voice in the back of my head telling me to use whatever tools necessary to promote my work. I look at the photographs of authors whose work I enjoy and respect and think that one day, I might.

But in the meantime, there’s work to be revised and a new story to write and the supermarket awaits.

*Image courtesy of scottchan at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

It’s Here!

• August 28, 2014
• Blog, writing
• No Comments

Well, it’s here. Written by my writers’ group, The Penheads, five completely different genres bound together by one theme is now available at Amazon:

http://amzn.to/1lyGFnD

Finishing My Novel—Really?

• August 25, 2014
• Blog, writing
• 4 Comments

*

Sneak Preview

• August 18, 2014
• News
• No Comments

At long last, my writers group has a name and a forthcoming book!

Here’s the cover for The Penhead’s first anthology of short stories, soon to be available at Amazon:

Five short stories—from slice of life to literary to urban fantasy to lesbian fiction to horror—bound together by a theme, there’s a taste for everyone. “The Price of a Meal” is my contribution.
More to come!

(Click on the picture to enlarge.)

Write Anyway

• August 11, 2014
• Blog, writing
• 2 Comments

*

The Muse touched my shoulder lightly, a butterfly’s kiss. Words rose up and flowed through my fingertips to the keyboard. I could barely keep up with the thoughts that formed perfectly on the page.

Yeah, right.

In the meantime, there are dishes in the sink, laundry to be done, and let’s not forget the housework. Oh, and I’m out of milk. And that’s just the day-to-day house stuff.

And those lyrical sentences that weave themselves into a story? If it happens at all, it’s because I’m sitting and writing. Without inspiration. Without the Muse, who, I think, laughed at the going rate and hopped a plane to Aruba. (I think she wants to unionize.)

I write anyway. Because that’s the definition of a writer. And it’s work. I write through the chatter and clanking of machines at a Laundromat. Through the swaying and stops of a subway car. Through the absolute silence inside my own head as I sit in the living room in front of my computer and stare at a blank screen.

But even those blank pages will get words on them eventually. Because I’m there, putting in the time and effort. So here’s the most important tip I can think of: If you’re not in your seat ready to work, the odds are good nothing will get written. Show up. Write.

Write anyway.

* Image courtesy of federico stevanin / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

No Time to Write? 5 Places That Will Give You Time

• August 04, 2014
• Blog, writing
• No Comments

I’ve read of people who get up an hour early and write before officially starting their day. More power to them. My family and friends would laugh themselves silly at the idea of me doing that. I’ve been known to growl at people trying to wake me early. And mean it.

So I came up with alternative places that carved out hours of writing time and thought I’d share my list here:

1. Bus/Train

I tried this because I was desperate and bored. I whipped out a little notebook and wrote, and to my amazement I completed two pages by the time I reached my destination. (Be prepared for strange looks and even having people move away from you. I’m still not sure if that was because I was using paper and pen instead of tapping away on an electronic device or because they thought I was writing about them.)

2. Bathtub

If you’re facing a drought, this is still a viable choice. I never said you had to fill the tub, did I? Get comfortable, write, and when you’re done, take a quick shower. No one will know the truth and you’ve carved yourself up to an hour of writing time.

3. Waiting Rooms

The only down side of writing here is to make sure you’re not so engrossed that you miss your turn. (Yes, this has happened to me.)

4. Standing on Line

I’ve scribbled a few notes while on line at the supermarket, the post office, and the bank. Go on the weekend when the lines are really long. Remember to occasionally mutter, “I forgot to do that,” from time to time, and people will think you’re making a to-do list and ignore you.

5. Laundromat

You can get a lot done during the wash cycle. Once your laundry’s in the dryer, you need to pay attention to it unless you like ironing or giving up your favorite shirt to dress a teddy bear in. (Multiple washes during the week or both days on the weekend will double the time if you’re desperate.)

And there you have it. Five places that will give you time to write. They may not all be possible for you but I hope they will give you ideas for yourself.

Method Writing

• July 28, 2014
• Blog, writing
• 2 Comments

*

You’ve heard of method acting, where actors immerse themselves in a character. Sometimes, method writing can be a great way to enrich the scene I’m writing and have a little fun while I’m at it.

I once wrote a story that took place on a movie set. I interviewed a number of local actors but felt the need for more. So I took a couple of acting classes.

It was fun. And uncomfortable. And enlightening.

I began looking for classes that were outside my comfort zone. I took an all-day rock climbing class (where I pitifully clung to the side of the cliff and waited for my instructor to say I could rappel to the ground). I’ve taken cooking classes, language classes, photography classes (where I still feel a steep learning curve), and the list for the future remains long and exciting.

Writing can’t be done in a vacuum. Doing research online and in books is good. Sometimes it’s the only way we can get the experience we need for our stories. But other times? Go for it. Audition for a play. Jump out of an airplane. Music stores often have people looking to earn a little cash by teaching an instrument. I found the rock climbing school through a camping goods store. And sometimes just putting the word out can bring what you need to your doorstep.

Has it made my writing better? I like to think so. My scenes with the actors were written with more confidence—first, because I’d experienced a tiny bit of what they do and second, because I made friends in the class who were happy to answer my questions. Should I ever include a scene with rock climbing, I’ll remember how my arms felt like cooked spaghetti for days and that long climbing pants are better than capris.

A taste is all I need. Just enough to get the feeling right. The vision right. And then it’s mine to play with.

So take a chance! Sign up for a class, go on a trip, volunteer for a project that will enrich your characters. And yourself.

* Image courtesy of Victor Habbick / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

On Vacation? Don’t Write

• July 21, 2014
• Blog, writing
• No Comments

Once upon a time, I breathed dry desert air and watched dust devils rise from the ground like smoke from a campfire.

I was on vacation in Arizona, visiting friends. I absorbed new sights and smells and had a wonderful time even though a little guilt niggled at me. I should have been writing! Look at how different it was! Gardens of gravel, heat that didn’t leave me clammy, mountains I could walk up with no tree cover. This could all be fodder for a new story!

The minutes I tried to write were torturous.

Then I went home. Within two days, I wrote a short story that took place in a fictional town, using that slow, hot summer feel along with adobe-colored homes that were reluctant to stand out from the earth and yes, those dust devils. There was dark as well, because sunlight doesn’t change what people do. But that was the made-up part.

It’s fine to soak up atmosphere and write notes or phrases to remember for later. But otherwise, stop writing. Be inside the experience instead of trying to think of ways to describe it. Feel the atmosphere. Taste the food with nothing but pleasure on your tongue (unless, of course, the food creates a different, horrifying experience). Enjoy the sights and sounds that are so different from what you’re used to.

Your camera? Take pictures to enjoy looking at later. But if you’ve forgotten your camera card or your phone dies, it’s okay. Live inside the moment. Refresh. Recharge yourself. Take the time to unwind. Stop looking at every new thing with an eye to using it. You will, you just don’t need to mentally force the connection.

Have a good vacation.

The Fine Line of Kick-Ass Characters

• July 14, 2014
• Blog, writing
• 2 Comments

*

I’ve read a number of urban fantasy novels where the main character was a heroine who knew multiple languages and ten different martial arts, and had fifty different weapons packed into her vehicle and on her person.

As a reader, some of these worked and some left me cold.

It took me a while to realize why. I needed to connect to the character. If all she went through was some general angst while knocking out eight drunk vampires in a bar, I’d continue reading but would skip future books from that series.

Connection is important. It’s also a hard line to find. In fantasy, escapism is usually the reason I read the genre. I want to be away from the workplace, the bills, the supermarket. Take me to someplace that’s exciting and enthralling while I sit safely in my seat.

But make me care. Otherwise, it’s a ride on a roller coaster that lasts a moment or two and then fades away. And there are other rides to try. If you want me to keep coming back, make me feel.

That doesn’t necessarily mean I want tears and heartbreak. I’ve read fantasy that made me relate even while I giggled. A kind of “we’ve all had that happen” association. Or we know someone it happened to. Or it was just plain funny. Another kind of bond.

As a writer, the same rule applies. If I don’t care about my characters, who will?

In the novel I’m currently wrapping up, there’s magic and mayhem and even a car chase. But most importantly, what made me get up and write was wondering and worrying about the people on those pages. Were they okay? How were they going to manage?

This is what propelled me to write. Something I wanted to read.

So, write a story. If you want, give her the skills of knowing multiple languages and ten different martial arts with fifty different weapons packed into her vehicle and on her person. The characters can also be male or alien dragons who like to drive cars, it’s all fine. But make sure I care.

* Picture courtesy of http://www.everystockphoto.com/photo.php?imageId=2190999&searchId=43f4d8bc1df7e6ecadb296b4e95620c5&npos=13