Showing posts with label platform. Show all posts
Showing posts with label platform. Show all posts
Friday Night 2-19-10
June Rodriguez
JUNE: I want to finish my first book before the end of this year. I have been working for too long on one story or another without ever finishing one. We started this group with the goal of becoming better writers and critiquing each other's work. Lately I have become very frustrated with what I am working on and have not brought anything to share in quite awhile. Can we all set a specific date to finish our work in progress? Maybe this will help me.

DORI: I'm right there with you June. 2010 should be the year for all four of us to finish a novel. I would like to have my done by October or November this year (before Bouchercon and the mystery conference cruise), but definitely before the year is out. Sooner would be great, but the point is to get it done; setting a goal and sticking with it at a minimum. I'm excited. I think if we all four set out to accomplish finishing a manuscript this year it will motivate all of us to do so. Let's hold each other accountable!

SARAH: My main goal is to enter the RWA Golden Heart contest. It was a goal last year so I'm determined to "tote the note" this year, blast it all!! I'd like to have my MS completed/polished and ready for the mid-September 2010 entry date. It's totally within my grasp; I just need to step up to the plate and start swinging. There is a blog I like to haunt that is very similar to ours in that the writers are all CP's. Together, they have encouraged each to "The End", been there for the agent/publisher coups, and will all have debuts this year. How exciting! I think it's awesome we're doing this together. I hope that we'll be celebrating together, as well!

JACKIE: Count me in ladies. This year belongs to us! I am committed to having my manuscript in a box, wrapped with a bow for my husband's birthday, September 18th. It is a gift to myself, and a gift to him because he has believed in me for the years I have struggled. We owe it to ourselves because we are that good. I sit at our table and I hear us all, and our writing voices are strong and clear and ready. June I am so proud of you. Your writer's "Towanda" is out! So, to us ladies, because this year the world will meet our creations.
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JUNE: A few weeks ago I finally entered the world of Facebook as part of my list of things to do to build a writing platform. So far I have just the bare bones set up. I do have a growing list of friends and I have more to learn but I am not happy about all the game windows that are being sent my way. I expected more actual social interaction going on.

DORI: Facebook can be used as you want to use it. It has the capacity for social interaction, but it can be just something to entertain others. I don't get involved with the building gardens, fish tanks, games, etc. I don't have the time or the inclination. However, it is a great vehicle for keeping folks up to date on things, such as a contest win. Hey, that reminds me that I don't think I let everyone know about my recently published short story. Think I'll jump onto Facebook today. We should also encourage our blog followers to come introduce themselves and friend us all. It's great to meet other writers out there. Keeps us from feeling isolated.

SARAH: FB is what YOU make of it. Dori, pegged it right. FB is a multi-faceted social site. Whether you're looking to connect with old high school buddies, meet authors and fellow writers, or marketing your blog or book, there is something for everyone. I stay away from games just because I know I'd get addicted and get NOTHING accomplished! So, I'll live vicariously through my mom's successes at BeJeweled. Now, there is the perfect example of a FB junkie! (Sorry, mom, you know I love ya, but you know it's true! lol)

JACKIE: I agree with Dori and Sarah, Facebook is a great tool, but you have to use it as one. The temptation is always there to skip about the playground area, but just remember who you are signing in as: working, networking writer, or everyday, I just want to have fun self. Both are valid, but remember to be "on the clock". Personally, I am more like Sarah, I look at the fun stuff, but I am leery about "farming" or "fishing" or the other myriad things my relatives and friends do, because YES I would be playing in the "park" all day, lol.
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DORI: Facebook is one way of getting your name out there. Having a website is probably more important. I don't use my website the way I should, but it's a great tool. I don't have the capabilities to do things myself, so I use a webmistress to help keep it up for me. I had the original site set up by one individual who did a good job, but now I work with friend and fellow writer Brenda Pandos. You can check out her work website out at http://www.brendapandos.com/. However, given June's gift for putting up our blog here, when June's ready to jump into having a website she could probably put one together without help. I'm not that technologically gifted.

JUNE: That’s the other goal on my list this year. I want to get a web site set up. Dori, your site looks great. I may give setting the site up on my own a try.

SARAH: Getting a website is my second goal for this year. I'd love to combine a website with my blog. I spend a lot of time promoting other authors on my blog. It would be nice to have a place where my work is front and center in the display case, so to speak. I'd love to learn how to design my own website, blog backgrounds, and banners, too. Maybe one day I'll take a design class. I think it would be fun class to take and a great way to help me understand 'techie talk'. LOL

JACKIE: Well, right now, I am working on my blog site. My goal is to having it at least presentable by the end of next weekend. It is doable. After spending time "working" my blog, I will move up the ladder to a website, but right now I just want to get into the water and learn to "swim". In a few months I will be free for experimentation. SUMMER yeah:)
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DORI: In order to complete our novels by the end of this year we need to commit to bringing a minimum number of pages to group EVERY week. Seems like we can all handle at least two pages. They don't have to be perfectly polished, just something that moves the work forward. We can help each other turn those pages into strong writing.

JUNE: I think I can do that. That's only about 600 works.

SARAH: I'm going to commit to writing at least 3-4 days a week. I think a set goal of 600 words at each session is totally realistic. Once I get back into the habit of parking my rear in the chair on a consistent basis, I can always increase the goal. The object here isn't so much word count as staying PRODUCTIVE- aka forward motion! Writing "The End" in 2010, baby!

JACKIE: My commitment is 2000 words a week. If I hold that pace, I will be finished by September 2010.




ALL: Okay, we've sealed the deal with a four handed high five, now let's get to work writing. This week the journey begins.

P.S. To all our followers and friends. This week we marked our first six months working together to post this Blog. Thank you for hanging in there and following our journey. As Dori said we would love to hear from you. Post a comment or send us an email. I check in everyday.
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Friday Night 8-21
June Rodriguez
SUNNY:
Sarah how did the rewrites go on your contest entry?

SARAH:
Good. I just fixed the 4 words I forgot and the two words I needed to combine. After that, I listened to all of you and left it alone! It was a hard to do, but I survived. LOL I have no fingernails left, but the final entry went in Thursday.

JUNE:
When did you say you would hear back about the final results? What did you do to check out the judge?

SARAH:
The top 5 scoring entrants for each category are sent to an editor at Avon. She will select the Grand Prize winner. The final results will be announced in early October. LOL Yes, I admit it. I cyber-researched the editor. My hubby would call it "stalking", but I'm going with calling it "research"! She judges a lot of contests and of the few I saw listed, she doesn't seem to request a lot of MS from contests. That was good to know. I think it helped take some pressure off of me. LOL No need for extra gray hair- my kids give me enough! But I'm very interested in what advice and comments she'll give.


JACKIE:
Good for you Sarah! You will have a knockout story, of that I have no doubt.
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JUNE:
Dori did you get your short story into the Dead Bird contest for Sisters in Crime? When do you find out the results? Can you send your story into more than one contest at a time?

DORI:
I turned it in at August's meeting, which was the deadline for entries. The theme was Death Dines Out. Results will be announced at the October meeting on the 3rd, so not long to wait. I'm not holding my breath though, as this was my first attempt. Even if it doesn't do well, it's a good story so I entered it into two other contests, Writer's Digest Popular Fiction Contest and Narrative Magazine's short story contest. The requirements for submission to those two contests, like others, is that it hasn't been published and hasn't yet won a contest "at the time of submission." By submitting now I avoid the problem of winning with the short story, then not being able to submit it after. That's what happened with my short story One Less Victim. I wrote it for the Writer's Digest Annual Writing Competition (results out in October), but also submitted a shorter version of the story to SEAK's 2009 National Fiction Writing Competition for Lawyers where it took first place, with a nice $1,000 check. However, now I can't submit it to most competitions as it has already placed. Although it's still a go for Writer's Digest since it hadn't been a winner at the time of submission. Now, the next step is to seek publication, since with the SEAK contest I retained publishing rights. I have submitted that story to Narrative Magazine for consideration. In addition, I was asked by the Connecticut Bar Association for rights to publish in their annual report, which was cool.

SUNNY:
Dori, you also have a shot at the Baby Bird. That's for anyone who has entered for the first time. Doesn't exclude you from placing higher, but gives you a second shot at taking home a trophy.

It never matters if it's your first attempt at a story or your 23rd. The playing field always starts out level in any contest you enter.

SARAH:
Wowza, Dori! What a buffet of contests! And then to have the CBA ask for your story in their report, heck, that's worth an instant trip to the dessert bar! LOL Have you ever thought of submitting your Death Dines Outs entry to an e-pub that takes short stories? I think with the romantic element in your story, you could try a romance e-pub.

JUNE:
I agree with Sarah. We will look for other sites for you to enter. It is a great story and the more diverse you are with your entries the more chances you have of multiple wins. A great way to build up your platform.
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SUNNY:
I didn't do much writing this week, or anything else. Instead, Dori and I decided to sit in on the Dave Hawk murder trial.

JUNE:
You guys really sat in on the "HAWK TRIAL" so what can you do with the info from that?

SUNNY:
Dori, being a lawyer, had a different take on the proceedings. I went for "color." My notebook is filled with observations: first impressions of the jury, local attorneys vs. hired guns, how the courtroom artist made witnesses look ghastly. Thank goodness she'll never draw me! The financial stuff was BORING, but hearing Dave's girlfriend and children on the stand was worth getting up early. You know I'm going to fictionalize the heck out of this and do my own take in a future mystery!

DORI:
Being in the courtroom as an attorney is very different than being an observer. Gave me a chance to see things in a different light. I too have pages of notes, with a focus on dialog, reactions, mannerisms, and the court atmosphere. What I wouldn't give though to be in the jury room as they deliberate. The evidence in this case is highly circumstantial with high emotions running in the courtroom. The jury has been charged with a difficult task in this case.

Sitting in the courtroom has already generated a short story idea I'm already pounding away at. Can't wait to bring it to the group.

SARAH:
I was called for Jury Duty and wound up being pulled as a potential juror for that case. I would have loved to sit on the jury or been in the courtroom to watch the events unfold. Unfortunately, I have too many obligations at home to stand on such a time consuming trial. I'm glad you gals can give us the 4-1-1! I can't wait to see what you ladies come up with.

JUNE:
Your first hand information could be a valuable idea spark for me as well. Sex and romance is always at the bottom of everything that we do.



How have you handled rewrites for contests?
Have you been part of a perfect research moment?
Join us at our table again next Monday to see what we have been writing about.
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