The Author Advantage

Posted on May 19, 2012 by Eva Blaskovic

I’ve never liked controversy, so as a young writer, it took some doing to come up with enough conflict to create a story other people would find worth reading. I tended to focus on themes that dealt with man battling the elements–man against nature rather than another person–except I lacked in experience.

I remember deliberately going into the woods after a snowstorm, wading through hip-deep snow until my legs nearly froze, just to get the experience. I was, of course, a fan of Lost in the Barrens (Farley Mowat). I carefully preserved the knowledge of my summer canoe lessons and our trip down the river through rapids. I even swamped the canoe deliberately to get the essence of falling into a river, and had to use my skills to get back into the boat and return to shore. I canoed the wilderness interior of Algonquin Park. I hiked a leg of the Niagara Escarpment beginning in Tobermory (Ontario, Georgian Bay area), experiencing extreme thirst when we ran out of water–while constantly looking at it, far below and out of reach down a rocky cliff. I camped in a tent at Long Point Provincial Park (Ontario, Lake Erie), graveyard of ships, and weathered a storm with flooding and winds that knocked over trailers. At home, I went out in thunderstorms to feel the hail and the wind issuing out of blue-black clouds. I ate wild raspberries and built forts in the woods. I found places that served as wilderness settings and deserted islands. I dreamed of surviving in the wild and building a raft. I read Huckleberry Finn (Mark Twain).

As the the decades dropped away, one thing that came to the forefront was all the things that could go wrong with human relationships, either my own, a friend’s, or someone I read about. This exposure made me a better writer, which is why I tend not to pine for my youth in spite of worsening physical attributes. I think writers have an advantage over many other people: they can rework absolutely everything into a story, even the most trying times of their lives, yet adjust the events and reassign identities to such an extent that no one could actually pin the result on any one living person because, at that stage, it truly has become not only fiction, but a universal human condition story with which many people can identify but whose specific events apply to no one exactly.

This not only gives writers a creative edge, but a positive outlet for negative emotions like frustration, anger, regret, grief, rejection, despair, and utter devastation. You can take a writer away from writing, for a while, but you can’t take the writing out of the writer. You can be sure that it will burn inside as long as necessary—until he gets the chance to write it down.

In essence, the harsher the experiences, the more substance in the writing. It becomes one of those can’t lose scenarios that has the power to keep an author alive through anything because it keeps him or her focused, disciplined, and purposeful when they would otherwise throw in the towel.

But as much as the author has the power to save himself, so he may have the power to affect and inspire his audience. And that is the greatest reward of all, because human conflict, controversy, and hardship–as we all know–are alive and well.

Posted in Dreams and Goals, Fiction, Food for Thought, Inspiration, Relationships, Writing and Editing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

A Writer’s Journey Continues

Posted on May 4, 2012 by Eva Blaskovic

Near the end of November of 2011, UK proofreader Louise Harnby invited me to write a guest post for her blog, The Proofreader’s Parlour. When I asked what I should write about, she said she was interested in “what it’s like to start out on the journey of writing a novel.” On December 20, “A Writer’s Journey” was posted in The Proofreader’s Parlour’s Spotlight section. You can read the full article here about how I came to fulfill my dream of finishing a novel after a mere 37 years.

By February 2012, award winning author Patty Wiseman (The Velvet Shoe Collection; Book 1 – An Unlikely Arrangement) had interviewed me about my book, BEYOND THE PRECIPICE (a title I one day hope to see in italics), a Young Adult 16+ fiction novel and a five and a half year project. Here is the complete interview “INTERVIEW WITH EVA BLASKOVIC!“).

The exciting thing is that, at this very moment, BEYOND THE PRECIPICE sits in a New York agent’s e-mail inbox. Its fate is out of my hands for the time being. Louise has already hinted that we may need to add to the story. In truth, completing BEYOND THE PRECIPICE has been about more than writing a book. It has certainly been a journey–in perseverance, in outwitting circumstance, in reconnecting with who I was meant to be, and in providing a new hope for my children and myself. But more on that later–once I know how the next chapter of this writer’s journey unfolds. Stay tuned.

With special thanks to Louise Harnby and Patty Wiseman.

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Posted in Dreams and Goals, Fiction, Food for Thought, Inspiration, Writing and Editing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Did You Know An Editor’s Job Is to Work With the Author, Not Against the Author?

Posted on April 14, 2012 by Eva Blaskovic

An editor’s true job is to work with the author, not against the author of the writing. It’s not about what to change. It’s about what to keep intact. The author’s voice and meaning are paramount. The editor’s job is to help the writer convey the message in the best way possible, in proper English convention, to the audience for which it was designed and with the purpose for which it was intended.

The author-editor connection is a relationship. This is why you pay for the editor’s time. The editor has years of knowledge and experience, and tailors them to you and your needs, which means getting to know you and your work, and taking time to go through it. Choose your editor with care and build a relationship. You need to “be on the same page,” so to speak—see things in a similar way. The editor should be communicating with you and asking you to clarify any ambiguities. This is critical. If something is written in an ambiguous manner and can be interpreted in more than one way, the editor should not guess, but instead check with the author about what he or she truly meant.

This may be especially important if English is a non-native language for the writer. If the editor is somewhat familiar with the writer’s native language, or one with grammatical similarity, this can be an advantage for interpreting the meaning in the writing, especially when it is awkwardly phrased, as is sometimes the case when people translate from another language into English or are not familiar with some of the tricky English syntax.

Creative people who have wonderful ideas but are self-proclaimed poor spellers or grammaticians, have inadequate writing skills, or who have not been adequately taught in the school system can benefit from the years of honed skills and knowledge of a professional editor. Polishing the writing adds credibility and professionalism to the work.

Have you ever noticed that spelling and grammar checkers prompt you to do the wrong thing, or don’t catch your errors? That’s because they don’t understand what you’re trying to say. You may not necessarily be the one in error. They’re generic programs. That’s why they’re quick and free (such as online), or built into word processors. They help, but they are a good start rather than a good finish. They are one-size-fits-all and therefore have limitations. In the end, a knowledgeable human brain has to make the final decision. If you aren’t sure, check with someone who knows. A spelling and grammar checker will also do little to help your flow, style, organization, and delivery to the intended audience.

Attitude, lack of attention to detail, and lack of willingness to learn are rarely confined to one area in life. Just as your clothes and personal grooming are judged by others, the way you write reflects how you think. Your writing is the visible tip of an iceberg; what lies beneath is a compilation of your knowledge and care, or lack thereof. People know it’s there. People assess you by it. If you are a coach and can’t distinguish homonyms, how can I trust that you distinguish things when you’re coaching me to success—or even understand what I mean in the first place? If you are a mechanic who sends me e-mails with careless errors, and the sign that advertises your car repair shop has misspellings or usage errors, can I trust you not to miss anything when you fix my car?

True, this may be somewhat simplistic. Messy, dishevelled writers can come up with the most beautifully written, well organized, and meticulous work (because they’re so busy with the writing they neglect their appearance and desk, for example), and conceptual people may have problems with the left-brain aspect of good writing but still provide valuable ideas and services. However, when someone doesn’t know you, they have little to go on other than your physical appearance or your “on the page” or online appearance. They make assessments about you based on that. We may not like it, but it’s reality. It’s image. And when you want to be assessed favourably, considered valuable, or taken seriously by others, every good coach, business person, or editor will tell you to mind your image.

There’s always a chance others won’t notice or will let it pass. But there is a significant number of people who do notice, even if they don’t say so. It’s not worth the risk of having those people quietly turn away, possibly the very people you wanted to attract, before you ever knew you had lost them!

In addition

  1. You can get away with carelessness or lack of knowledge in some places, but not in others–never in print, advertising, graphics with messages (inspirational photos, etc.), or anything with a permanent record.  Ditto with communications where it matters, such as resumes, business letters, and website content, where your image is crucial.
    Tip: Anything you value, or you want others to value–your self-published book, a billboard sign, a business website, a thesis–hire an editor! That means you have to pay, just like you have to pay for any other service in this world.
  2. Bad grammar is fine to use when it is a deliberate choice, not a default due to lack of knowledge. Unlike in formal writing, there are places for bad grammar, slang, and casual speech, such as in personal writing and dialogue in stories. Even so, there are rules and conventions for doing bad grammar properly. Changing word meanings, such as your/you’re or dog’s/dogs is never an option!
  3. At the very least, proofread your own writing before posting or sending. No first draft is perfect. This way, at least you correct the things you know. If you try your best and are willing to learn, people will be more tolerant than if you simply don’t care or believe it’s not important.
  4. Written language is a model to others learning to spell and write. We need to be conscious of English language conventions and preserve them. Conventions in spelling, grammar, and punctuation help us to say what we need to clearly and accurately. Punctuation is as integral to the message as the words themselves. If we disrupt these conventions and lose our ability to distinguish and differentiate–or, worse, it won’t be us, it will be the next generation who doesn’t have our prior knowledge–we are impoverishing our language, de-evolving it, and losing our ability to communicate. Communication through words is already imperfect. We should not make the situation worse, but instead try to improve accuracy.
  5. Languages do evolve, but it is important to note that is not the same thing as accepting the possession “your” for the contraction of subject and verb “you’re.”
Posted in Business, Education, Food for Thought, How-To, Investing In People, Relationships, Return on Investment, Writing and Editing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

What Really Lies Behind Choice?

Posted on March 31, 2012 by Eva Blaskovic

Apparently, everything we do or don’t do is our choice. Who has heard, “If it’s important enough to you, you will find a way,” “If you really want to do it, then you’ll do it,” or “You always have a choice”?

Unless this is intended for support and inspiration, these are easy words, cop-out words, accusative words by people who’ve had the luxury of applying choice early in their lives and have no concept of where those they judge are coming from.

Not every person grows up with having a choice. If a person does have a choice, there’s still the catch that he or she may not know it. This sounds absurd, perhaps, except that there are so many people out there struggling with this.

In Canada, children are encouraged to make choices, for the most part, but there are many who grow up believing they must do what they are told by the authority, be it parent, teacher, or state. People are easily paralyzed by fear, consequence, degradation, or not having the right to make choices in early life. Making choices also takes practice.

People who have grown up in periods of historical crisis (including those who were very young during The Great Depression), in other countries where social, marital, and parental norms are different, or have simply been programed to always do for the good of the collective will typically be challenged by the process of following their own instincts, careers, and dreams.

We know this because of the thousands of articles, seminars, and self-help workshops being offered to break such programing, to teach people to feel empowered so they may become capable of making the choices that are right for them and not for someone else.

Our society is full of these messages supporting personal empowerment and choice. Note that people have to be convinced, and the messages have to be continually reinforced. However, someone growing up today immersed in these ideas may find it difficult to understand how choice, real or perceived, can ever be a problem for anyone.

What would the world have been like to an isolated young person with no Internet and no such messages, pummelled only by the ideas and demands of those immediately around him? This is a scenario worth exploring because with what’s available today, to say that someone has choice is easy. But in the case of the person mentioned above, it takes time and information to extricate oneself from such powerful influences.

The fact that we are free, autonomous individuals seems intuitive, yet reality shows that many of us have to be taught that we have a choice. Of course, the sooner in life this is achieved, the better.

The great thing about life is that over time we tend to sort things out, realize things, learn where to go for the right messages, and make changes. We find the voice that is ours and finally speak.

The tragedy is when this process takes up most of our lives.

The triumph is that we’ve figured out we have a choice.

And we begin to apply our choices. We begin to find a way to do the things most important to us.

Tip:

Choice, for many of us, is meshed with–hence influenced by–relationships, perceived success, expectations, and obligations.

Isolate your choice. Clip the threads that bind it. Free it of influence until it becomes a singular entity.

Posted in Dreams and Goals, Food for Thought, How-To, Inspiration, Investing In People, Relationships | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Don’t Erase People: Understand the Power You Wield When You Decide to Appreciate or Dismiss

Posted on March 17, 2012 by Eva Blaskovic

I was recently asked to write an article for an education blog. My topic was what makes a principal outstanding. When I interviewed people, one of the qualities that came up repeatedly was the positive effect created by a principal appreciating staff for what they do and who they are. When a principal, or any leader of an organization or group, be it education, business, government, non-profit, or a family, models appreciation by appreciating members, the members appreciate each other and the dynamics of the organization shift positively.

The power of appreciation

The thing about appreciation is it’s powerful—more powerful than we realize or like to admit. With appreciation, we can extract more than the sum of an individual’s parts, and sometimes these results have farther-reaching consequences than one would expect. Not only do people reciprocate and pass on the appreciative behaviour, they also kick into high gear and put out a lot more, in some cases more than they originally thought they were capable of. This leads to higher productivity and positive dynamics that inevitably lead to a more pleasant, higher functioning organization. Since appreciated staff are willing to do more, take fewer sick days, and have the capacity to treat others in a positive manner because they are not themselves stressed, overwhelmed, or fearful, their greater effort amidst a positive atmosphere leads to greater achievement and results on a personal as well as a collective level. Everyone wins.

The power of one person

The same applies to one-on-one relationships, including the personal kind. As Dr. John Gray (PhD, Psychologist) so eloquently states in the movie The Secret, “Every man knows that when his wife is appreciating him for the little things he does, what does he want to do? He wants to do more! It’s always about appreciation.”

When a person appreciates us, we feel good and want to do more. We get a positive infusion of energy, especially if that person is someone we respect, admire, and/or love. People we hold in high regard (good friends, spouses), who are in a position of authority (parents, teachers, coaches, supervisors), and who we’ve spent a great deal of time with (hence investment of ourselves and our time) are particularly capable of affecting us with their opinions and appreciation—or lack thereof.

Like it or not, people we love or admire do affect us. Individuals who have been harmed by not only lack of appreciation but outright rejection or dismissal of their activities and work—and this applies in the home and at school as well as in the workplace—may begin to shun these particular activities or even become physically unable to perform them.

The toxicity of rejection and dismissal

While being appreciated builds us up with positive energy, lack of appreciation and, in its extreme forms, rejection and dismissal, suck the life right out of us. Being subjected to this is toxic and can even turn into a health issue. It leads to lack of focus, reduced ability and productivity, possible abandonment of the activity or activities and, sometimes, performance paralysis. In an organization, this leads to lack of cohesion and goodwill among its members. For an employee, especially if he or she feels trapped, it becomes a living hell. In personal relationships, it causes alienation and drifting apart, and often puts an end to the relationship, although sadly not soon enough in many cases.

By acknowledging, you shield with minimal effort; by denying, you kill them slowly from the inside

Understand the power you wield. You may be the fork that splits someone’s life path—influence the future road that the person will take, for better or for worse. If you don’t care for what a person did or have no appreciation for it, or if in your eyes they failed, at the very least acknowledge the person and his or her work and time commitment. This way, things are more likely to remain neutral rather than plummeting into some dark zone.

Appreciation is as potent on the positive side as lack of appreciation is on the negative. The constructive versus destructive scenarios are opposites in terms of what they precipitate. In the case of a principal, CEO, coach, parent, or any head of a team or organization, that leader’s power rests at the apex of a pyramid. What he or she models trickles down, running through the organization like nutrients carried by blood. This person has the power to affect a large number of people both directly and indirectly, which, in turn, affects the productivity, commitment, decisions, interactions, and overall health of the team, organization, or family.

Dismissing, disqualifying, or denying years of someone’s investment are akin to erasing large sections of their life

This power does not lie simply with leaders. It is in each one of us and we should be aware of it. Each of us is a unit that affects people in our lives one at a time. I’ve seen people deeply affected, losing their ability to perform a task adequately or losing faith and giving up on pursuing an endeavour, hence influencing their future life path and the success that could have followed. There is always significant impact when lack of appreciation is delivered by a person that is highly respected or even loved, which is why personal relationships can be so devastating.

It’s true; we should not let the opinions, attitudes, and evaluations of others decide how we should feel, or let them determine what we will or will not do. We should not care what others think of us, but being a social species, the reality is we do, especially when those people are either close to us or hold some power over us, or when we’ve invested years of our lives.

Trauma causes lasting harm

It is a well-known fact that traumatic events change a person, causing lasting harm. When a person’s years of work and devotion are continually dismissed; that is, when lack of appreciation is chronic, or when it ascends to outright rejection and dismissal, it has the potential to become a traumatic event. Think of that feeling you get when someone doesn’t believe you about something, so you hold out the proof in plain view, tangibly before their eyes, and they still deny the thing straight to your face. Naturally, it’s even worse when the event is abstract, held in memory only by those who agree to accept its transpiration, when there’s nothing tangible left to show. It becomes your word against theirs, your memory against theirs, which means the event is vulnerable to completely opposite forms of interpretation.

The power of you

So whether you are a leader or just a plain Jane or Joe, understand the impact of the power you wield over people who are in some way connected to you, especially when many years are at stake. Those are many years of their investment, which always amount to something.

What can you do to protect yourself from dismissive people?

  • Have confidence and believe in yourself.
  • Be aware of your qualities, capabilities, and achievements.
  • Recognize early what is happening and attempt to change either the situation or your environment without delay.
  • Understand that it has little to do with you and far more to do with them.
  • Keep a record of tangible proof of your performance, accomplishments, and results, such as awards, letters of recommendation, and positive comments about your character as well as your achievements. Look at this when your belief in yourself wavers.
  • Never let anyone prevent you from bettering yourself through education, jobs, or some other form of growth.
  • Do not fall into a trap where you believe you must pursue what they think you should versus what you know you should.
  • Do not let anyone—ever—deny you the talents you know you have and prevent you from pursuing them. Ever!
Posted in Business, Dreams and Goals, Education, Food for Thought, How-To, Inspiration, Investing In People, Parenting, Relationships, Return on Investment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Until Electrical Sockets Catch Up With Our Electricity Needs

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Eva Blaskovic

Every time I need to use a small appliance, the exact one I need is unplugged. There are two sockets in the wall in any given location, but about five cords sitting around it, being rotated through, depending on which item is needed.

Nothing like frustration when I’m in a hurry.

How far we’ve come in a few decades. Older buildings just don’t have enough plugs in any given room.

I remember a restaurant I visited recently. Against the wall on the main counter, just past the cash register, the owner had a long power bar with every socket filled! The cords, although neatly placed, covered the counter such that no part of it was visible. He had his cash register plugged in there, his computer, external hard drive, debit machine, cordless phone charger, cell phone charger, and a great deal more. And that was just the administrative stuff. Farther back, he had blenders, fridges, and other appliances humming away that surely needed their own sources of electricity.

Today’s home office is not much different. Nor is the home theatre area. In addition, there are the morning routine items: hair dryer, electric razor, straightening iron, and so on. In the kitchen, it’s the toaster, the coffee maker, the kettle, the microwave, and maybe even iPod speakers.

Another problem with keeping everything plugged in when not in use, even if the option exists, is that it draws phantom power–power drain that continues to occur when a cell phone charger is disconnected or a TV is turned off. But plugging things in and unplugging them each and every time is simply not practical, especially if the danged plug is behind a bookshelf, no matter how the room gets arranged.

So it occurred to me that I should use a power bar in all of these key hubs. I already do for the computer, but our little kitchen, with an inadequate number of plugs, is another area that desperately needs help. (For safety reasons, the kind that plugs in against the wall rather than one that sits on a kitchen counter is the better option in this location.)

A power bar can turn everything off with one switch. All the appliances are protected from surges and none of them are draining power while I’m not using them. And if I do want to unplug everything, or need to turn it back on, the power bar is but one plug.

No more fumbling for the right cord or cursing that someone unplugged the item I need–again. It’s just one plug or one switch. And isn’t the reduction in anxiety worth it?

Posted in Food for Thought, How-To | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Words By Angela (by Angela Moore)

Posted on March 12, 2012 by Eva Blaskovic

I have as my guest today Angela Moore, who lives in the United Kingdom. Angela’s life has taken some interesting turns that have led her to the activities she is involved with today. This is her story.

As some of you may know, I’m writing my first novel. This wouldn’t have been possible if I had never embarked on writing my first poem and started to study a creative writing course at university. Don’t get me wrong. Writing and reading had always been top priorities in my life. I remember writing a piece in English at school. We were set an assignment to either describe our dream homes or our dream partner. At the time, I was in love with Leonardo Dicaprio (well, I still am, actually) and I had a crush on two people at school that, quite ideally, sat in front of me in English.

I do suffer with my grammar but I’m always working hard to change this. I have had two poems published, one in ‘Poems by Moonlight’ in 2009 called ‘The Taunting of Noise’. This poem was written about a noisy neighbour.

The second was published in 2011 with Forward Poetry in ‘A World of Verse’ and was called ‘An Ode to a MP3 Player’. This was just a rough draft that I was working on for an assignment on my Level 2 Creative Writing course last year.

Recently I have been guiding a poetry class through Moodle called Poesy, which has many resources from around the Internet. I fell upon a group last year called UnCollege, and as a student and a life-long learner, found myself instantly interested. I have made some friends and I’ve been helping others as well as learning from them; this is how Poesy was born.

I am unable to work with my bad leg and the mobility problems it has caused me. However, this is what enabled me to take the plunge and concentrate on study and writing. As I have mentioned above, I’m working on a novel but poetry is my forte. During my two creative writing courses, I have written some short stories but I’m sure they need to be worked on grammatically before I actually allow the World to see them and perhaps enter them in competitions.

Angela, I’ve put in your poetry links so our readers can enjoy your poems. Can you also tell us more about your novel?

The novel is a psychological thriller called THE DARK SECRETS OF JEALOUSY. It is about two sisters, Natasha and Kerry Ann Johnson, who come from a rich family. Natasha is eight years older than Kerry Ann, and had always been a trouble maker. She’s jealous of her younger sister, hence the title.

Their father is a doctor and the mother is a teacher, although she used to be a musician. Both come from wealthy families and had inherited a lot.

At the age of 12, Nat is sent away to boarding school, a consequence of her bad behaviour, and the family puts all their focus on Kerry Ann.

But boarding school takes a toll on Nat, previously a strong student in science and mathematics. She begins to neglect her studies in order to pursue lads and sport, even though she attends an all girls school. The farmer’s son and the head teacher’s son become frequent visitors. Eventually, Nat takes to modelling naked and making explicit films.

The novel begins when now 21-year-old Kerry Ann wakes up in a mental hospital and has no idea why she is there. At this point, Kerry Ann doesn’t really know her sister, and when they do meet, there is an argument. Nat thinks that the family sent her away because they didn’t love her. In contrast, Kerry Ann had everything, including an apartment, a fiance, and was in her final two years of law school.

(Warning: due to mature content, this story is not intended for an audience younger than age 15.)

About Angela Moore

Angela Moore, pen name Kathrine Moore, is 28 years old and has two cats. She used to work in retail but knew it wasn’t for her, so she stopped working in 2005 and went back to college. In 2007, an operation on her knee reduced her mobility. This played a major role in her return to studies, where she rediscovered her love for writing. Angela considers herself shy, which is why writing allows her to express herself and be ‘louder’. In 2009, she began to study with the Open University (OU) and completed a course in Poetry as well as a Level 2 Creative Writing course. Currently, she is on the Level 3 Creative Writing. She studies through resources on the Internet, and likes to share these resources with others. Alison, an online learning resource, has enabled her to complete three diplomas in Legal Studies, Psychology, and English Grammar & Literature. At the moment, Angela is enrolled in The Fundamentals of Child and Youth Studies and she plans to take the next step, a diploma in Child Care. Her goals are to be a published author and to teach Literature to adults. Currently, she teaches a poetry course called Poesy. Her poetry is showcased on Birmingham Poets Online and her short stories and poetry are featured on Booksie. Her pen name, Kathrine Moore, is derived from her middle name, Kathrine.

Angela enjoys reading and owns a Kindle, which has enabled her to explore other genres more easily. Her own novel is a psychological thriller, which intrigues her because she says it’s not a genre she would normally read nor write. It keeps her on her toes and says it is fascinating to watch how it evolves. She is also interested in creating her own online magazine. To contact Angela by e-mail or to take part in Poesy, contact her here.

Angela isn’t quite sure how to create an online magazine. If anyone reading this knows what’s involved, please leave her some comments below or e-mail her at Poesy.

Follow Angela on Facebook and Twitter.

Posted in Dreams and Goals, Education, Fiction, Guest Posts, Writing and Editing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

THE LIES I TELL MYSELF: A Day in the Life of a Romance Novel Author (by Patty Wiseman)

Posted on March 6, 2012 by Eva Blaskovic

A humorous glimpse at writing a romance novel

My dream has come true. I have retired, and now, I can pursue my lifelong passion of becoming a romance author in earnest. I shall be disciplined, dedicated, undistracted, patient, creative, and productive. These are the rules I have established for this new chapter of my life. I’m excited as the New Year dawns, and the endless possibilities shine before me like glittering stars in the sky.

One month has passed since I declared my new regime, and it is time to take stock of how I’ve done. Shall we take the elements one by one?

First – DISCIPLINE – I declared to my husband and all who surround me that I would arise at 5:30 each morning and eat a hearty breakfast to sustain the effort to complete aforementioned tasks. After which I would dress and prepare my person as if I was still going to the office. Take one hour to do social networking, shut down the internet and proceed to tap out pearls of wisdom and passages of literary brilliance. Lunch precisely at twelve noon and happily back to the composition of the next great novel. My evenings would be for family.

THE TRUTH: I managed to get up two mornings in a row at 5:30, had a piece of toast and a cookie, dressed, spent 3 hours on social networking (after all, you need followers, right?), ate lunch, watched a segment of Dr. Phil, (for inspiration), managed to write 250 words before I realized supper wouldn’t make itself… So much for discipline.

Second – DEDICATION – I have three WIP’s in the works, I have a few reviews to do, a blog to think about, a couple of book trailers started. If my discipline is in place, my dedication should follow suit. I love what I do. It’s what I live for…

THE TRUTH: Let’s talk about the discipline that is in place— uh, not so much. When I am finished with the social networking, I whip out my current manuscript and pound out two or three pages. Well… lines then. The plot is bogging down, so the best thing to do is pull out the second manuscript. Do you see where this is going?

Third – DISTRACTION – I promised myself I would treat this like any other job. Eight hours a day. I intended to line out my day as I described above and stick to it, no matter what. Just because I didn’t have a boss standing over me, didn’t mean I couldn’t be self-disciplined. I was my own boss and a tough task master.

THE TRUTH: I can’t think of the word I want to use in this sentence. I reach down to pick up the Flip Dictionary I discarded on the floor and notice a few lint balls from the towels I folded earlier. Well, what will my husband think if he comes home and finds the carpet not vacuumed? Which reminds me of the dog. Has he been walked today? His pen is a mess from all the rain. Those weeds need to come out before spring…

Fourth – PATIENCE – I tell myself I write romance, historical romance to be specific. Yes, that is what I am, a romance author. Shouldn’t be hard. I am a woman; I’ve had experience in romance. I like to read historical romance novels. I write in a 1920’s era, and I listened to both my grandmothers tell about the times in which they grew up. But what I find when I write is I sometimes use expressions which do not necessarily fit the time period. So, I have to stop and look up those key expressions, the fashion, the entertainment, the mind set of women of that day. Sounds like fun, doesn’t it?

THE TRUTH: Really? I’m an independent thinker, so while I do enjoy the historical aspect of the research, I find myself exasperated after I’ve written a scene only to find out women didn’t act or talk that way in that era. At certain points, I’m tempted to leave it. The reader won’t notice. Yeah, right. The reader always DOES notice. So back to the research to get it correct. Didn’t I see a bag of popcorn in the cupboard? I didn’t water the plants, did I? And so we go…

Fifth – CREATIVE – How can I not be creative? I write, therefore, I am creative. Especially when it comes to romance. The words should just flow as we spend hours at our craft. We tell ourselves we are authors, we are published authors. We, of all people, have the gift of words.

THE TRUTH: Just how many ways can you say, “They gazed into each other’s eyes, and her heart skipped a beat”?

Sixth – PRODUCTIVE – It’s the end of the first week of my retirement. I am heady with accomplishment. I look back through my notes, recount the many tasks and goals I set for myself, eager to see the results of all my hard labor.

THE TRUTH: One full page. I wrote one full page in a week. This ‘be your own boss’ thing is not what it’s cracked up to be. I listened to all the advice, set my goals, as you should. But, alas, things are not as they seem. This is really a lot like, well…work.

Lest anyone should become discouraged with my short journey after retirement to full time writer, let me assure you. I have adjusted to my new found status of being my own boss. I don’t try to keep such a rigid schedule. I find it cramps my creativity. I have put lighter constraints on my time. The juices are flowing more freely now, the words are coming easier. I take the time to sit out on my deck with my laptop (weather permitting) and let the inspiration come to me. I enjoy being a romance author. My first book An Unlikely Arrangement is a success and the sequel is coming along nicely. This is a great time in my life!

by Patty Wiseman, author of An Unlikely Arrangement

The proud daughter of a WWII Navy vet who survived Pearl Harbor, Patty Wiseman was raised in Washington State. She attended The Wesleyan College in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, and later moved to Northeast Texas where she has resided for over 30 years.

Retired from her career of 24 years from Ernie Marshall Investments, Patty is now able to write full time. Writing has been a life-long passion and in 2007 she entered the National Novel Writers Month competition to write a novel in 30 days and won. She entered again in 2011 and won a 2nd time. Two novels came from those events, one of which is published, An Unlikely Arrangement, and the 2nd is the sequel, entitled AN UNLIKELY BEGINNING, which is hopefully coming out in the summer of 2012. She also has several short stories published, serves as secretary of the East Texas Writers Association, is a member of Northeast Texas Writers Organization, and is the 2nd place winner of the Rough Draft short story contest. Her family consists of 2 grown sons and a step-daughter, and eleven grandchildren. Patty currently lives in Woodlawn, Texas with husband, Ron, and crème lab Cutter, and enjoys gardening, is an avid bowler, and loves to travel.

Website – Facebook – Twitter – LinkedIn – Gather – Author Central – Goodreads – Direct Buy For My Book – Kindle – Nook

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Persistence and the Writer (by Sherie Venner)

Posted on March 5, 2012 by Eva Blaskovic

If you have been a writer for any length of time, you know that one of the key factors you need to foster in your mind is that of being persistent. What does that mean, really? When you are doggedly determined, holding fast to a dream or an ideal, and are prepared to give it all you’ve got, no matter what, then you have a persistent mindset. When you refuse to give up in the face of the obstacles that life has thrown in front of you, then you are being persistent.

This quote says it very well. “Ambition is the path to success. Persistence is the vehicle you arrive in.” – Bill Bradley

  • Persistence is when you get up at 5 in the morning to write before you have to go to a “job.”
  • Persistence is staying up late and sacrificing the sleep you need in order to complete a deadline.
  • Persistence is writing when you would rather be watching television or listening to music.
  • Persistence is working two jobs in order to pursue the dream you have.

Persistence is keeping going…just like a favorite character of mine. Did you ever see the cartoon about the Roadrunner and Wile E. Coyote? Talk about persistence; he didn’t even have the phrase “give up” in his vocabulary, I am sure of that!

As an aside, even though Wile E. Coyote was persistent, I am not suggesting that you put your head down and forget about self care. No. In order to be persistent long term, you must build in self care, if only for the selfish reason that you can keep going longer. : D

Are you lacking persistence?

If any of these ring true to you, persistence might be a problem in your life.

  • The projects you say are important are left incomplete.
  • Goals, even the small goals, seem insurmountable.
  • Debt is a constant companion and your financial papers are heaped on your desk in disarray or are stored in a shoebox.
  • The picture you have in your imagination of your dream life does not match the reality of your life.

If you have had the SAME goals for years and you haven’t achieved them, then something is out of kilter. Goals and dreams do take time to accomplish and yet, if you haven’t, there are a couple of questions you need to ask yourself.

  • Is this dream my dream? Is it for me, decided by me or is it someone else’s dream?
  • If it is my dream and I haven’t achieved it, then why not?

If you have a well-formed goal that is a goal you really desire, that is realistic and is something you are in charge of achieving and there is a realistic time frame…and you haven’t achieved it, you might have a problem with procrastination.

Procrastination has its roots in fear, that primal feeling that is based on the “fight” or “flight” system that is inside our brain. Our nervous systems react to stimuli in three ways: we can flee, we can fight, or we can freeze. The 3 F’s determine what our behavior is in a high stress situation.

Today, the most common response that people have, in my opinion, is to FREEZE. Procrastination is a stuck state that keeps people in a rut, unable to navigate the twists and turns of life. It is difficult to move forward.

Negativity and limiting beliefs are key factors in lack of persistence and the development of procrastination. When a person has a limiting belief about what they can accomplish, negativity sets in and the inner critic is given free rein to be critical and set up emotional barriers. Thinking narrows, and it is difficult to see the big picture of a dream. Negativity is a huge barrier to being persistent because negative self talk sabotages. It is a case of three steps forward, two steps back.

Having a dream

I have a dear friend who has a dream…it is a lovely dream…and it is all hers…and because she has a clear picture in her mind of how that dream looks and feels and sounds, she will achieve that dream…and it is realistic…

When you have a dream, you can visualize what your life would look like if you accomplish that dream. Make the picture that you have in your mind bigger, brighter, fill in all of the details…any of the sounds you would have, any of the feelings that you would have if that dream did come true.

Allow your dream to happen.

Allow your goals to be achieved.

Allow yourself to be more successful than you can ever imagine.

Allow yourself to be brilliant.

Allow yourself to be persistent.

Be open to receiving all of your good

….because you are good enough and you do deserve to succeed, don’t you?

Sherie Venner is a relationship and breakthrough coach at www.sherievenner.com. She believes that “You deserve to drive your own life…don’t you?” Sherie uses NLP and other techniques to break the beliefs that keep people stuck. Sherie helps people to realize their own power to create the life they want.

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“The Waiting Room” – Paranormal Short Story by Eva Blaskovic

Posted on March 4, 2012 by Eva Blaskovic

Read my short fiction publication and comments here: “The Waiting Room“

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