MONDAY FORTUNE COOKIE, 10/14/12

Never judge a work of art by it's defects.

SNARKY RESPONSE:  Hah! Tell that to all the folks who make a professional living out of judging art.

Never judge a work of art by it's defects.

I think today's fortune cookie is about self-criticism as much as it is about external criticism. Most beginning writers, and even experienced writers, can be their own worst critics. We will nitpick and second-guess ourselves into a muddle or a self-induced case of writers block.

Now, I'm not saying that judicious self-editing doesn't have it's place, but it should not become a bludgeon with which we beat our WIP and ourselves into oblivion. Be constructive with that criticism, not destructive. 

It's said that challenges should be considered opportunities and discovering issues with your own writing should be treated the same way. Look at ways to strengthen, tighten, and enliven your work not ways to delay, postpone, or just plain give up.

We have to be fearless. We have to be determined. And we have to be willing to face the good, the bad, and the ugly of our process in order to produce something that we know will be all that is powerful, beautiful, and  worthy of ourselves.

After all, we're doing something a lot of folks just talk about. We're committing ourselves to our dream, putting our visions on paper, and doing the work to reach our goals.

Keep writing and growing!

MONDAY FORTUNE COOKIE, 10/8/12

You will maintain good health and enjoy life.

SNARKY RESPONSE: Really?

You will maintain good health and enjoy life.

I sure wish I'd drawn this one out of my fortunes collection before last Saturday. Why you ask? Last Saturday, I tripped and fell, resulting in bruising and general unhappiness all over my body. Luckily nothing was broken and I'm much better now.

However, this fortune does bring to mind a point. Writing is a sedentary career. We do all the heavy lifting in our minds and the only parts of our bodies that get a real work-out are our fingers. Okay, I should acknowledge that there are genres of writing that require physical involvement – outdoors writers, travel writers, sports writers, etc. – but most of us spend the majority of our time at a desk, seated, for hours on end. If that's won't contribute to a bit of spread and gradual flabbiness, nothing will.

So, what's a dedicated writer to do? Get up and move around regularly.

The First Wives Club

One of my favorite scenes in The First Wives Club was when the three "first wives" Diane Keaton, Bette Midler, and Goldie Hawn were brainstorming ways to get back at one of their husbands. Goldie Hawn was up on their office treadmill and said she got her best ideas there. True to her word, she came up with an excellent observation and Bette Midler exclaimed "She does get her best ideas on there." (or something to that effect)

It's an often cited piece of advice that when you're blocked, you get up and do something else. But don't let that be the only time you get up. Aside from going in search of the obligatory caffeine or treats to stimulate and/or lure the muse. Exercise! Take a walk. Get on a rebounder. Switch on the exercise channel and follow along. No one cares if you don't do all the exercises with the grace and aplomb of those way perky exercise divas. The point is that you're moving and the more you move the easier it will become.

Oh, you say, that's easy to say from way over there. So, what are you doing? Admittedly, I've not been doing much, but I am posting this as a formal Declaration of Intent.

I will begin to include more exercise in my routine beginning today. How about you? Are you game?

Together we WILL maintain good health and enjoy life!

MONDAY FORTUNE COOKIE, 9/1/12

Infinite patience produces immediate results.

SNARKY RESPONSE: Talk about an oxymoron! Infinite patience produces immediate results? Patience infers passage of time. And Immediate, well, now, I'm hearing that old joke about someone shouting at their microwave – Hurry!

Infinite patience produces immediate results.

Attempting a career of any kind requires a huge helping of patience. No one becomes successful alone. It takes time to build a groundswell of any size. Not to mention the patience it takes to produce a finished product like, say, a book.

To my knowledge, no successful writer has ever written a publishable book in one sitting. Certainly, there have been instances where a completed manuscript is highly satisfactory, but it is far from polished. After the story has been set down, there is editing for grammar and plot, fine-tuning of continuity and dialogue, filling in setting and character, to name a few. These steps are crucial and must not be skimped on if you hope to produce a polished work. Of course, if you're not interested in craft and just want to see you name in print in a self-published book, you might skip those steps, but skip them at your own peril.

Like words spoken in haste, a reader's experience with your book is something you can't erase.

Make sure that you've gone over every chapter/paragraph/word to make sure it was necessary, succinct, and factually/grammatically correct. Readers have enough books stacked up on their TBR pile that if they become disillusioned with your book for any reason, they can just shunt you aside for someone who did the work. Don't be That Writer.

All that work and patience may not result in immediate results, but it will guarantee consistent results—positive reviews and most importantly, Sales!

My enovella, The Festival of The Flowers: The Courtesan and The Scholar, took several years to finish and polish to the point where I could actually submit it to publishers. It found a home at The Wild Rose Press. And I'd like to think that all my work and then the work I did with my TWRP editor comes through to the reader.

Now, my second enovella, Collector's Item, is in the final stages of edits with my editor at The Wild Rose Press and once more I am glad that I have taken the time and practiced the patience required to produce what I hope will be a quality result.

As they say, anything worth being done is worth being done well! Or at least to the best of your ability. Short cuts only cut you short. Be patient with yourself, your writing, and your career and you will see positive results. I'm certain of it.

MONDAY FORTUNE COOKIE, 9/24/12

There is no security in life, only opportunity.

SNARKY RESPONSE: Well, that'll shake up all the control freaks out there.

There is no security in life, only opportunity.

I love fall. It's my favorite season. Sleeping with the windows open, waking to a nip in the air, bright yellow days and cool purple evenings. This season is also filled with opportunities to enjoy yourself. Outdoor Festivals abound and, because the weather is so much more comfortable, everyone's out and about enjoying them all. So, this weekend we chucked the chores and took the opportunity to hit the road for an deliciously German-themed weekend.

First, St. Benedict's Oktoberfest -

The weinerschnitzel and wurst platters were yummy good!

 

Our sampler glasses and ^ The Stein Holding Contest
My friend and fellow author, Tina Glasneck, won the Friday night contest, Ladies Division!

A Sunday drive out Patterson Avenue revealed the Byrd Cellars Winery where we met the delightful owners and sampled their wines. Sadly, I didn't take any photos, but click on their name above to visit their website. Definitely going to be visiting them again soon! We brought back several lovely wines and gifts.

Then we continued on to Hill Top Berry Farm & Winery.

After sampling their fruit wines and meads, we headed west and discovered the Wild Wolf Brewing Company

 

Our two sample flights definitely took off!

  

A drive down the Blue Ridge Parkway is always a visual delight. We just missed seeing a hang-glider launch, but sat and watched a lazy circling drifting flight to the valley floor way below. The trees are still green though a few sad trees seem to be launching themselves from green to brown in rapid order.

 

 The hang glider is the little dot in the middle of the left photo.

And finally dinner at our favorite German restaurant outside Staunton, Edelweiss Restaurant, off I-81.

Home now with wonderful memories. How was your weekend?

MONDAY FORTUNE COOKIE, 9/17/12

Never judge a work of art by its defects

SNARKY RESPONSE: Yeah, everyone's a critic and you know what they say about opinions.

Never judge a work of art by its defects.

This fortune cookie made me think about critique groups.

Are you in a critique group or have a critique partner? In my humble opinion, writers can benefit greatly from a well-chosen critique group. I've been blessed to have discovered two wonderful groups. They've taught me a lot about my writing, but also they've taught me a lot about doing a good critique.

Being part of a critique group means that you offer and receive constructive criticism of each other's work. It's neither easy to hear nor easy to offer. However, if you're in a group, it's important that you take part and that you understand the key word is "constructive." To simply say that something doesn't work for you is not enough. You need to be able to explain why and hopefully offer a suggestion or two of what you feel would make it better. This is not to say that you will dictate how another person writes, you can only share what you feel would help. You are not there to write their story for them, simply to let them know if you see anything that needs work.

That's where our fortune cookie comes into play. Do not "judge" their work by any "defects" or mistakes, help them improve it. Offer suggestions for changes, give examples, and pose questions if something is unclear to you. Finally, and something that often gets lost in the mix, remember to comment upon what you liked, what you enjoyed, what you felt was done particularly well.

I would suggest you use the "Oreo cookie" method. I don't know precisely where I heard this used first, but I think it was at work. I've always understood it to mean to place a hard criticism between two compliments. I suppose if you're going to take the cookie analogy literally, you might be squeezing one compliment between two hard criticisms, but I prefer the first method when possible.

So remember, when offering critiques, read with a positive eye and critique with a positive tone. You wouldn't want your writing judged purely on its defects, would you?

MONDAY FORTUNE COOKIE 9/10/12

Many pleasurable and memorable adventures are in store for you.

SNARKY RESPONSE: Oh, sure! Which store? Do they offer discounts? Do I have to have a membership card?

Many pleasurable and memorable adventures are in store for you.

Well, I don't know about the future, but this past weekend was chock-a-block full of fun and adventures. Went out with friends, Alexa Day and Lucy Balch for drinks at a "new to me" wine bar, Secco Wine Bar, for drinks and nibbles before going to the local historical movie theater, The Byrd, to see Magic Mike. It was our first trip to Secco Wine Bar and we all highly recommend it. Knowledgeable bartender, excellent chef, delightful presentation and environment. The photo is of the Mighty Wirlitzer Organ which rises from below the stage and fills the theater with wonderful music before the two Saturday evening performances.

Enough has been said about Magic Mike on fb and elsewhere, but I can definitely say that the movie was exactly what I expected and also, not what I expected. The stripping and dancing scenes were all that I had hoped LOL.  The storyline was not what I expected. I guess I was thinking it would be all sex, drugs and rock n roll, but it was more (and less). I was glad I went to see it.

Then today, Joe and I drove to Baltimore for the Ukrainian Festival. We took the rural route to avoid the traffic nightmare that is DC. While the drive to Baltimore was much less stressful, it took much longer than anticipated. Saw a bunch of neat things, some old architecture, interesting eateries, and lovely countryside. When we arrived, finding a parking space was the final hurdle and then we were IN!

The festival is held in Patterson Park around a monument with vendors arranged around a circular area with a monument to Poland in the center. First stop was to get some authentic Ukrainian food, most offered by members of local Ukrainian churches. Perogies, stuffed cabbage, and potato pancakes all around.

Ukrainian beer and a shot of Medivka - Ukrainian Honey Liquor really got things off on the right foot.

Speaking of feet, there were Ukrainian dance groups performing as well. Dressed in colorful traditional costumes, they danced, leaped, spun and performed amazing steps. The crowd seated on chairs in front of the stage clapped and cheered. My knees ached just watching the young men leaping and squatting and kicking. Awesome!

A band at the opposite end of the park provided music for the beer garden and inspired at least one couple to trip the light fantastic!

There were also plenty of vendors offering lovely Ukrainian crafts to temp the pocketbook.

It was a lovely trip and a lovely day!

MONDAY FORTUNE COOKIE 9/3/12

Find release from your cares; have a good time.

SNARKY RESPONSE: Yeah, eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow you may die.

Find release from your cares; have a good time.

Seemed like good advice for a Labor Day Weekend and the beginning of Fall! Even though, in my neck of the woods, it doesn't feel like Fall, Labor Day Weekend is when most of us bid adieu to the carefree days of summer. At the very least, I've already noticed the days are getting shorter.

I love Fall! The temperature will start on that gradual downward slide and we'll revel in open windows, nights cool enough to require sweaters, and the scent of smoke from burning leaves or fireplaces.

Between now and New Year's Eve, my social calendar becomes filled chock-a-block with activities of all kinds. The James River Writers Conference, The Richmond Folk Festival, The Garlic Festival, various cultural festivals, and Oktoberfest are just a few of the delights on my crowded agenda. Of course, there are the Big Four—Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Eve, though I admit the last two are actually within the realm of Winter.

Then there is the annual strip-tease performed by the region's deciduous trees that will hopefully entertain us for weeks. The coy things will bedazzle us with their annual transformation from their current dusty green to vibrant golds, reds, and oranges. Despite the fact that walks outside will often be accompanied by the gentle shushing of fallen leaves, we'll hardly notice the emergence of bare limbs until they're suddenly standing against a cloudless sky, limbs thrust outwards as if to say "ta da," their rainbow garb having been flung to the wind to settle down around their roots.

And the light! The sunlight shifts from the brilliant white yellow of summer to the golden glow of autumn. The disappearance of humidity will brighten the days and at night, the stars will take on a sharper twinkle.

Yes, there may be a built-in sense of freedom in the lazy, hazy days of summer with vacations, abbreviated clothing and footwear, but I'm ready to begin the cooler, cozy days of fall. What about you? Are you ready for Fall or are you in mourning for Summer?