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Photo by Apieling Pictures
When I was laid-off from my mortgage job, I decided that everyday after I sent out my resumes and made my cold calls; I would do what I always dreamed I wanted to do.
That was write.
Well, with pen in hand (so to speak) I penned my first book. AND...with the confidence of the novice, I sent it out. I'm talking first draft, folks.
Not understanding why I recieved all these form rejections letters, I continued to send out my story and write a new one. Somebody out there had to love it as much as I did. Right?
It wasn't until one kind editor took the time to write a personal rejection letter, did I understand what was wrong with the story. He loved the story, but I had head hopped too much. He recommended websites that offered both paid and free seminars on POV, editing and much more. He also recommended I join writers associations to network with other writers.It was the best writing advise I received.
I don't know about you, but I could have been a professional student. I love to learn. So, I took his advice and scoured the internet until I found conferences and organizations for writers.
His kindness lead me to aquire the knowledge necessary to be published. My first book, If I Fail, A Jake Carrington Mystery will be released in September 2012 by MuseItUp Publishing. And the second book in the series Burn in Hell, A Jake Carrington Mystery will soon follow in January 2013. This is a very exciting time for me.
What classes, seminars, organziations or conferences have you attended? How have they futured your writing career?
Thanks for sharing with me and I hope all your dreams come true also.
Marian
A special thanks to photographer Brenda Piel of Apieling Pictures for supplying all the lovely photos for my website and blog. Including my author picture for my books.
The picture above puts me in a writing mood! How about you? CLICK on the picture to enlarge it and see all the details. Awesome!
Savvy Authors, DigiCon
ReplyDeleteI love SavvyAuthors. EditPalozza was the best.I check that website everyday becasue there is so much information there. Thanks for visiting.
DeleteRWA and various chapters' workshops galore. I have done tons and still do more.
ReplyDeleteI love my RWA Chapter and like you Vicki, I've gone to or taken more clases than I can list here. All benefited me.
DeleteRWA's National Conference has been a great help as has my local chapter's annual Emerald City Writers' Conference. I love the online classes at Savvy Authors, too.
ReplyDeleteAlexis, I have yet been to Nationals. I'm hoping next year. My local CTRWA is an awesome chapter. I have taken courses through yours and they were wonderful.
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ReplyDeleteHi, Marian What changed my life, ultimately yanking me away from a world test tubes and beakers, was a summer spent at the Clarion Writers Workshop. It was a six-week intensive course, and the teachers were some of my favorite writers. Six years later, I was out of the lab and working as a writer. Clarion still exist, by the way. An annual version is held at UCSD. The Australian version runs every other year.
ReplyDeletePeter, this is great. I'm going to check it out right now. I'm always looking for new workshops. It's great that you can now write full time. Congratulations. Marian
ReplyDeleteI met Susan Davis (author and editor for MuseItUp) at a Society of Children's Writers and Illustrators Conference. She directed me to a two-year course with the Institute of Children's Literature. Of the three, Sue has influenced my life the most.
ReplyDeleteSharon, I love MuseItUp authors and editors they are a helpful bunch. I'm so thrilled to be part of them. I love when you get so much from a conference.Thanks for stopping by today.
ReplyDeleteThe art of writing is a constantly learning craft. Throughout my career, I have studied, attended seminars, belonged to writing groups and workshops, and listened to people I trust who know the skilled practice of writing. In my opinion, it takes a village to write a novel.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Heather. I've been so lucky in my career to date. I have met so many talented writers willing to share their knowledge and time.I have to admit this is the first career I love!
DeleteWow! Where do I begin? I learned from a Junior College course my Mary Mackey in Berkeley years ago. Learned tons -- mega tons -- from the online and inperson RWA chapters and conferences. And I have to the best learning space was the doing and then getting critiqued by my various peer critique groups that I have belonged to over the years, and still belong too. Lastly, I have to say that teaching has been a great teacher for me...because I have to walk my talk!
ReplyDeleteBeth, I have to say I have learned something from every conference and class I have ever attended.And I agree with you. I love my critique partners. They are so helpful and fun! Thanks for visiting.
DeleteI hafta pick ONE??? Lordy! What if I mention my favorite workshops instead?
ReplyDeleteANY seminar by Donald Maass. If he's within driving distance, I'm there with my notebook.
If you can get to an in-person Mary Buckham workshop, GO. My faves of hers are Pacing, the First Five pages and Active Description. Her online courses are great, too, because she gives lots of thoughtful, energizing feedback.
The Margie Lawson EDITS system. Learn it, use it. You might work more slowly, but you'll like what you end up with. She also teaches in-person and online.
Rhonda, I loved Maass' and Lawson's workshops. I learned a lot in both. I'll have to look for Mary Buckman's. Hers sound great to. Thanks for visiting today.
DeleteI love Mary Buckham's BIAW workshops. Her book, Break into Fiction, is based on that weekend workshop. I've taken it several times because it forces me to fix my plotting errors before I commit them to the page.
ReplyDeleteThe Hero's Two Journeys, a DVD set, is two lectures, one by Michael Hauge and the other by Christopher Vogler. Brilliant. I use Hauge's 6-stage story structure when I'm planning a book.
Rebecca Lynn does a workshop on worldbuilding. It's breathtakingly detailed. It could easily be a 3-month course rather than a one-month.
P. June Diehl teaches a workshop on writing serials that helped me understand how to construct a multibook story arc. I'm taking a six-month class on writing fantasy from her now. I really enjoy her teaching style. It's both instruction and mentoring.
The region where I live, Western Washington, is a very supportive community for writers. With 5 RWA chapters within easy driving distance, the Emerald City Writer's Conference, and the Pacific Northwest Writers Conference, I find great support and networking opportunities. I've made great friends and colleagues through these organizations. but it's a smaller group, the Kitsap Writers Meetup Group, that led me to my critique partners. The more formal organizations such as RWA and its affiliate chapters, and ECWC, have kept me writing. It's my critique group that has helped me to move to the next level.
But all the online classes I've taken have helped me tremendously. So many classes are offered through RWA chapters, Savvy Authors, Writer University (writeruniv.com), and Writers Online Classes (writersonlineclasses.com). It seems whenever I discover I need to improve some aspect of my writing, I find the perfect online course starting right at that moment. I have no idea how that happens.
Anyway, this is a long treatise, but I just have to say, like you, I'm a learning junkie. Thank goodness I have so many ways to get an affordable fix.
Terrel, thank you for leaving a comment. I've been to a lot of the ones you mentioned. No matter what the conference or seminar, I always walk away richer in knowledge and the new friends I make at each one. Marian
DeleteI just recently joined RWA and am discovering a world of amazing resources at my fingertips! And all the chapters I have joined have archives of past workshops...it's like entering and Aladdin's Cave!
ReplyDeleteWelcome Edith,
DeleteI love the RWA and my local chapter is the best without them, I truly believe I wouldn't have been published this soon. Good Luck with your career.