by Judi S. Fadeley

(From the November 2004 issue of the Update.)

I got a call. No, not The Call, but a call from a friend telling me that her manuscript had been accepted by Avon and her book would be in bookstores in December of 2005.

As happy and proud as I was for her, a small part of me did not share in her enthusiasm. I wanted to receive The Call. I wanted to be calling my dear friends and telling them that my book would be published.

And then it happened, self-doubt. My book was not good enough; I would never be published no matter how many retreats I attended, classes I took, or hours I wrote. So what if I had degrees in English? So what if I had a deep understanding of the mechanics of writing? I flopped down in a chair and stared at the television for an eternity of minutes.

My husband had seen the same mood before—after bad scores on contests or after an extremely brutal critique. “Why don’t you just give up writing? You’d best be spending your time knitting, cross-stitching, or reading. All you have done over the past five years is chase your elusive dream.”

I glared at him. If looks could kill, I’d be doing life at this moment. “What makes you think I’m not a good writer? I have finaled in contests. My manuscript has been requested by agents and editors. My ideas litter this house on little pieces of paper. Characters scream at me to write their story. I am a good writer.”

My husband didn’t respond verbally. He picked up his newspaper and began reading again. I’m pretty sure I caught the corners of his lips turning up into a smile.

After I closed my mouth, I realized my good fortune. My husband’s reverse psychology had gotten me out of my funk. He’d helped me fight off my worst enemy—myself.

I picked up my bruised ego and went to my office. I needed to write. I needed to get the story in my head down on paper.

I thought about my friend again. This time I was truly happy for her. One day I’ll get The Call, but until then, it’s the other calls I receive that make me try that much harder.

~~~~~
Judi Fadeley is WRW’s associate editor of the Update. She is the co-founder and treasurer of the new Celtic RWA Chapter. She resides in Shepherdstown, WV, with her husband and two lovely German Shepherds. When she is not busy with her full-time job as a librarian in a middle school, she works on her medieval trilogy based on her husband’s ancestors who fought with William Wallace.Judi can be reached at .

by Michelle Monkou

(From the November 2004 issue of the Update.)

“TOUGH LOVE for Authors” is my bimonthly article that will tell it like it is! So far, I’ve spent more years as an aspiring author than as a published author. The two points of view give me a unique perspective that I want to share in the hopes that many more aspiring authors can gain the title - published, while also providing insight for the newly published authors.

Are We There Yet!

On my many trips to Atlanta with the family, I drive through the night. The main reason is to avoid hearing the repeated whines of “Are we there yet?” Instead, everyone awakens when I’m about an hour away from my brother’s house, for which I only have to hear it once. This tactic guarantees that everyone arrives with their heads still attached to their bodies. Before I begin the road trip, I know it’s going to be a long journey. I also know that it doesn’t help to look up at each sign post and wonder if the trip is coming to an end. You have to know and believe that there is an end and at some point in time, you will arrive.

By now you know where I’m going with this.

When I sold in 2002, I sent the first sale notice to Romance Writers of America’s RWR publication. I proudly sat down to type the blurb and pulled one of the issues to copy the format. To my horror, I discovered that many people stated how many years they wrote before being published. In that issue, no one reported a timeframe of over three to five years. Then I dug out a few older copies and found one person who didn’t mention the years at all. Perfect! I copied the format and sent it in. Whew, I was relieved.

A couple days later I got an email requesting the number of years to publishdom. I replied that I didn’t want to reveal how long it took because it was beyond the average number of years. The person said that the information would be motivational to the pre-published. That did nothing to quell my insecurities. So I came up with a creative way to chop a few years.

I had joined my local RWA chapter in 1992, piddled around writing an historical for several years, before thinking about writing a contemporary in 1995. I finally wrote a complete contemporary novel in 1998 and sold it in 2002. I can’t remember what number I used, but it wasn’t ten years. Why was I ashamed?

Now I look back at the experience and realize that it was a journey. I took the scenic route with a few pit stops for babies, my Master’s, first home, change of day job, and parent’s post-retirement adjustments. Then I received a revelation and bought a map. Directions in hand, I focused and stayed the route until I pulled up at my destination. Don’t misunderstand. The journey still continues, but being published was a major goal.

So, what exactly was my revelation?

I had written several partials, never completing them. I attended my local chapter meetings, writing wonderful detailed notes. At home, the notes would be set aside until the next meeting occurred. I would start a story and then another would pop into my head and off I’d go to start that story. I stayed in this self-deluded loop until several of my writer-friends called me to share their first sale news. Honestly I didn’t feel jealousy or envy, instead I felt like a dud. My definition of a dud is me sitting there with no proper proposal or complete manuscript in any shape to send to an editor. I celebrated my friends’ successes, but then performed a serious self-talk about lollygagging.

For six months, I wrote every night. I attended all my chapter meetings even if the topic didn’t interest me. I had already proven that I was a good note-taker. My focus was now on networking, not only with published authors, but also with writers who could relate to how I felt. Being careful not to engage in pity parties, I gained a small group of friends that became and still are my support line.

I had to take the responsibility that on this trip there is only one driver - me. My friends take the curbside position, cheering and patting me on the back. I look forward to those supportive moments as a nice treat on a long, dry stretch of road. Occasional glances in the rear view mirror are good for status checks, but that’s it. You won’t move forward if your mind is constantly replaying previous less-than-perfect experiences with masochistic zeal.

Reality is that other writers will pull up alongside and then overtake you. Don’t sweat it. Maybe it does seem as if they are in the express lane. Why should you care how fast they go? Maybe you picked the good old, reliable sedan to get you there. It’s slower, but it’s a sturdy ship that won’t rock under strong winds. Getting published; achieving a best seller list; or getting another contract is not a race. Being consistent is the key to this game. Would it help if I told you that there is an editor sitting at the station, waiting for you to drive up and honk?

Set your goal. Maybe you want to enter a contest. Create your milestones. Make them as small or large as you are comfortable. As an example: 1. Come up with a story. 2. Outline or plot the story. 3. Write the proposal. 4. Share with your critique group. 5. Mail the proposal. At the end of the goal, you can celebrate your success for staying the course. If you fell off at step 3, then analyze what derailed you, but continue on aware of what are your challenges.

Are we there yet?—That question is no longer allowed. So what if it takes ten years to get published. So what if it takes fifteen books before you land that lucrative contract. Keep your milestones in view, and you’ll see that you’re doing what you need to do to pull into that station.

Now I can say with no shame, no shuffling of the feet, no apologies that it took me six years to get my act together to write a complete book. I did it my way, on my time. With my goals firmly in mind, I know that I’m not there yet. But I’m on the road again, continuing on with my journey. Maybe I’ll see some of you on the highway, chugging along with me.

~~~~~
Creating a special mix of a cowboy, city girl, stalker, and Kwanzaa, Michelle Monkou’s fourth title, Making Promises, a BET Books Holiday feature, will be on shelves in October 2004.

By Robin L.L. Allen

(From the October 2004 issue of the Update.)

Guess what? All RWA chapter meetings are not the same.

Okay, so you knew that already. So did I, honest. I was still surprised when I attended the Desert Rose Chapter meeting in April, in Tempe, Arizona.

The officers and members of the Desert Rose Chapter were very gracious and hospitable-and, judging from the permanent slot on the agenda to introduce visitors and new members, always are. The meetings are held in a local Mexican restaurant that closes down to the public for a few hours one Tuesday a month. The general format is:

5:30 p.m.—Arrive/mingle/used book sale/signing table
6:00 p.m.—Dinner/Table Topics
6:30 p.m.—Meeting 7:05 pm Raffle
7:15 p.m.—Short Program
7:30 p.m.—Guest Speaker
8:45 p.m.—Adjourn

I found the “Table Topics” a fascinating concept. Since they eat dinner at the meeting, they’ve developed a system where each month, volunteers offer to moderate various topics (there was one on Punctuation when I was there, for example), and two tables in the main dining area are set aside with tent cards listing each topic. Anyone who sits at these tables participates in an ongoing discussion on that subject during the meal.

Also pre-meeting, a table is set up for an author with a recent release who wants to bring copies to sign and sell.

The meeting itself is a formal “Roberts Rules” affair. Minutes of the previous meeting are distributed, the officers present short reports and everything is formally approved, seconded, and voted on. Any chapter business, such as financial matters, is approved and voted on by the membership.

In addition to the introductions of visitors, each month they present silk roses to those who have just sold a book (any book-not just first sales, and not just romance), and quills to those with an achievement in the field to announce-it could be a mention in a magazine article, a new book tour, or the launch of a website. From the conversations, I gathered that vases of quills and roses are quite the popular desk decoration among the membership.

The meeting then gives way to a “short program"-a topic presented by a chapter member. Vijaya Schwartz presented a session on Dialog the night I was there. These sessions are not only to present information to the chapter members, but are also geared to provide public speaking experience in front of a friendly audience. After the short program, a “Guest Speaker” is introduced, to speak for 60-90 minutes on a topic. My visit featured a woman from the CSI lab of Phoenix, who talked about DNA evidence, techniques, and some fascinating recent investigations.

The other interesting thing about attending this meeting was that they were as intrigued by my description of our meetings as I was with theirs. “All day on SATURDAYS? Does anyone go?” “How can you “not do” minutes every month?” “Wow! Not having to vote at every meeting? I could like that . . .” vs. “Not getting to vote at every meeting? Hmm, I don’t know about that . . .” And “How can you not have it in the same place every month?”

The Desert Rose Chapter does a number of monthly fundraisers for literacy charities. They have a “floating used book sale"-boxes of books that are available on an honor system for five for a dollar (non-romances are free).

The $1 per ticket monthly raffle collection goes to literacy as well. Anyone who wants to donate something brings in an item. They draw as many tickets as they have items. There’s one “perpetual” item: a basket of “stuff”, and the person who chooses it has to refill the same basket with whatever she chooses and bring it back next meeting. The day I was there, there were probably fifteen items up for raffle.

“Mentoring” is available for $10 (for literacy, of course, minus mailing costs). When you are ready to send a book to an editor or agent, you can get matched with someone published in that genre who will “review it like an editor” as a final pass. It’s a one-shot deal per book and per mentor, which encourages participation.

They bring permanent name tags in plastic holders to each meeting. They have stickers for published authors (a heart), other genre published (a star), and their RWA Chapter Service pins attached to the holders.

If you’re interested in attending a meeting somewhere else, let me make a couple of suggestions. First, contact them ahead just to be sure guests are allowed and what the procedures are, if any.

And, second, keep in mind my geography “duh” of the month: I learned that the Greater Phoenix Area is much like the Greater Washington Metropolitan Area—it’s all suburbs. Without the invitation from my friend from my critique loop, it never would have occurred to me to check a map to see how far the Desert Rose meeting site actually was from my hotel—I just assumed that since it was listed on the RWA Chapters website as being in Tempe, it wouldn’t work with a meeting in Scottsdale. It turns out I had less than a 20-minute commute “through” Phoenix.

I really enjoyed branching out and seeing how other chapters work. I made some new friends and expanded my network of professional contacts at the same time. It also livened up some travel that hadn’t started out being “writing related.” Next time you travel, consider being a bit more adventurous, and contact the local RWA chapter as well as the local bookstores.

~~~~~
Robin L.L. Allen is the Program Coordinator for WRW. She’s working on a contemporary romantic suspense novel that is a finalist in the 2004 Maggie Contest, and hopes to soon add Georgia Romance Writers to the list of chapters she’s visited.

By Maggie Toussaint

(From the October 2004 issue of the Update.)

Tired of being invisible? Here’s a practical solution. Write an article for your chapter newsletter. After you finish reading this, you’ll want to get started right away. Here’s why:

Writing Sharpens Your Skills. Crafting articles about the writing profession forces you to focus on your subject material. It helps define and perfect your strategy for the art of story crafting. Every time you sit down to write, you flex creative muscle. Just as athletes practice to improve their skills, writers must write to reach and maintain peak performance levels. Empowered writing increases reader interest and improves the likelihood of publication.

Shared Experiences Bring Fellowship. Through sharing your writing journey with others, you lessen the sense of isolation within this solo profession and build camaraderie. Like a candle shining in the darkness, an article can bring inspiration and hope to those who struggle with similar issues. Fellow authors hunger for details from those overcoming hurdles, those just published, those building a name for themselves, and especially from those at the top of the heap.

Articles Cure What Ails You. It’s admirable to write about things you do well. But, if you go one step farther and write about subjects that give you fits, you might come up with solutions to formerly insurmountable obstacles. Writing about your weaknesses helps you focus on what needs to be changed in your writing and is instrumental in devising solutions. Got a problem with integrating setting into the flow of your story? Research the problem, write about it, and before you know it, you’ll be following your own advice.

Publication Reinforces the Dream. Writing is what we do. It is an affirmative response to our unrelenting urge to tell stories. Newsletter publication won’t suddenly transform you into a literary guru, but it does build confidence that you can do this. Your article can be the first step to opening many doors in the publishing business. Best of all, your published article is a valuable highlight on your writing bio.

Articles Build Name Recognition. Let’s face facts. Name recognition drives book sales. Your newsletter article will be in front of your chapter members, available to internet surfers who visit the chapter website, and available to every RWA newsletter editor through posting on an editor email link. These editors may choose to reprint your article or forward it to a chapter email loop. One article may seem like a small stone in a big pond, but the ripples that occur can be far reaching.

Editors Need Submissions. There is a high demand for chapter member articles. Chapter newsletter editors want to feature and promote their members. Each newsletter issue brings with it the demand for new material. The good news is that the incidence of rejection of newsletter articles is relatively low. Send that article in and chances are, you’ll have a publication pending. Newsletter editors need article writers.

The Sky Is The Limit. A brief bio runs with each newsletter article. Included in this bio are titles of your upcoming or recent books, contest wins, or website contact information. You might also consider becoming a regular columnist. Several columnists from different chapters have developed niche columns (on market news, research, contest opportunities, etc.) that are in such high demand that they are published simultaneously in multiple newsletters every month. Believe me, these folks are very visible.

There you have it. Seven compelling reasons to craft that article you’ve been thinking about. Writing newsletter articles builds self-confidence and raises skill level. It gives you immediate visibility. Get your name out there and see if your fiction doesn’t start attracting more attention.

~~~~~
Maggie Toussaint is the newsletter editor for Update, the newsletter of Washington Romance Writers. She writes contemporary romance and cozy mysteries.

by Gail Barrett

(From the September 2004 issue of the Update.)

March: The phone rings. I find out that book number six has made the finals of the Golden Heart. I’m stunned. I cry on the phone.

I notify Silhouette that the book they’ve been storing for eight months has made the GH finals.

The Golden Heart pin arrives in the mail along with instructions to send in a photo. I prop the pin by my computer so I can stare at it as I work. I make an appointment to have my photo taken.

My photo proofs come back and they are horrible. I anguish over which one to choose since I don’t have time for a retake.

April: At the WRW retreat, I win a tarot card reading with Nora Roberts. The cards predict “big changes” ahead. I hate to get my hopes up, but can the tarot cards possibly be wrong?

May: What should I wear to the GH ceremony? I spend Mother’s Day trying on every dress at Tysons I and II, to no avail. My husband can’t understand why I can’t find a dress when there are so many to choose from.

Silhouette rejects my GH book. I’m crushed, but at least I made the finals of the Golden Heart. I’m determined to enjoy this moment.

Another Silhouette editor sees the book, rescues it from the reject pile, and promises to ask for a second reading.

Our youngest son decides to join the military. My mother falls and breaks her arm. Are these the “big changes” the tarot cards predicted?

I find a sexy outfit at Nordstroms. Unfortunately, my fat stomach ruins the effect. I start doing sit-ups.

June: I survive a two-week trip to Spain with fourteen teenagers by sampling local beverages. My stomach has now expanded, but the wine was definitely worth it. I start exercising again.

July: Silhouette calls, wanting to buy my GH book, the same one they rejected in May. I’m shocked. I can’t stop shaking.

I spend two days phoning and emailing everyone I’ve ever met. I call the agent I met at Harpers Ferry, and she agrees to represent me. I write to the agents who never responded to my queries and withdraw my manuscripts.

My schedule at the national conference suddenly changes. I’m now having drinks with my agent. I’m invited to the Harlequin/Silhouette party. I’m getting booted out of the Golden Network. This is too cool. I don’t want to wake up from this dream.

I waste two valuable writing days shopping for shoes. In despair, I order a pair from a catalog. They look fabulous with my outfit but hurt my feet. I send them back and pack the old stand-bys.

On an impulse, I let my hairdresser get creative. I now have shaggy hair and interesting highlights. On the plus side, I no longer look like my photo.

Is it bad luck to rehearse my Golden Heart acceptance speech? Maybe it won’t jinx me if I don’t say it out loud.

My mother calls romance novels “trite.” I shorten the speech I’ve been mentally rehearsing.

My Spanx “power panties” arrive by UPS, solving my stomach problem.

I go to the Harlequin website and look at the authors’ pages. I try to come up with answers to the interview questions. Do I have a romantic tip?

I tell the cashier at Waldenbooks that I just sold a book. She is so flustered that she can hardly ring up the sale. My first fan!

The conference:

Ten thousand Mary Kay representatives descend on Dallas when I do, creating enormous lines and confusion. It is sadly apparent that I don’t work for Mary Kay. Do they do makeovers?

The conference is fabulous—great workshops, friendly, talented writers. I feel humbled and wish I had something to share.

The editor spends the entire ten minutes of my appointment gushing over the book they just bought. I’m shocked. PLEASE don’t let me wake up from this dream.

I whisper my acceptance speech in the shower.

The big night arrives. I’ve eaten so much during the conference that even the power panties can’t work miracles. Somehow I squeeze into my outfit, but can hardly breathe. No wonder women fainted in corsets.

The awards ceremony begins. I’m shaking so hard I can’t concentrate. I can’t believe I’m sitting in the reserved seating. Nora Roberts is in the row behind me.

I win! I’m dazed. I manage not to trip or flub my speech. I have no memory of leaving the stage and can’t stop trembling. I feel guilty and wish the others could have won, too.

Awareness finally pierces the buzz in my head. I realize that the awards presenters are last year’s finalists. That means I need to buy another dress. Oh, God.

Back home: My husband has become a celebrity at work. My mother still doesn’t approve of romance novels. My revision letter arrives.

I set my Golden Heart necklace by my monitor so I can see it as I write. I decide that all the years, tears, and rejections were definitely worth it. THANK YOU RWA!

~~~~~
Gail Barrett’s book, Where He Belongs, was a 2004 Golden Heart Winner and will be released as a Silhouette Special Edition (date still TBA).

by Michelle Monkou

(From the September 2004 issue of the Update.)

(“TOUGH LOVE for Authors” is my bi-monthly article that will tell it like it is! So far, I’ve spent more years as an aspiring author than as a published author. The two points of view give me a unique perspective that I want to share in the hopes that many more aspiring authors can gain the title—published, while also providing insight for the newly published authors.)

The classic stereotype of a romance writer paints a cozy picture of a woman typing her stories at home during the day. Only a small percentage of aspiring and new authors have it so good, while a larger percentage of veteran, best selling authors have become full time writers.

The majority of writers have to hold down a full time job, especially when living in the bigger, expensive cities. Although I don’t have the luxury of a full time writing career, I have something that is equally important. I am 100 percent committed to my writing. This is why I am a full time writer.

I have 24 hours in a day: 12 hours are taken up with dressing, work and commuting; 2 hours are spent on assisting my kids with their homework; 1 hour is spent chauffeuring my daughter to gymnastics; and 1 hour is used for dinner preparation and eating. 8 hours remain in my day, and I haven’t even taken any time out for sleeping. This means that I write for about 3 hours every day before I crash.

Since I only have a short block of time, I have to treat it with respect. I can’t answer the phone. I can’t get on the Internet and surf. I can’t catch up on the latest reality show. I can’t go to the mall with my girlfriends, just for the heck of it. I can’t bring work from my day job home to be done at night. Those 3 hours are valuable and precious. I guard them with a protectiveness that may label me as anti-social, introverted, stand-offish. On the weekend, I write 6-8 hours on Saturday and Sunday. This is why I am a full time writer.

I listen to my peers complain about finding the time to write. I hear empty promises about next week, she will start writing every day. The most humorous tidbit is listening to a writer talk about the top television shows. Nice that she has time to support a fellow of the arts when she hasn’t made it to the finishing line because her Chapter 6 still has a sagging middle the size of the Grand Canyon.

When you decide that you want to be an author, you have to take that determined step forward. You can’t write a little, otherwise, you’ll either be a one book wonder or won’t make it past the forbidding odds toward being published. You’ve heard the saying, you can’t be a little bit pregnant. You either are or aren’t. Take the same advice for writing. You either are or aren’t a writer. Whatever you decide to make as a writing goal, stick with it.

Do whatever it takes to get you in the zone to maintain discipline. Motivational tapes may help. Reading a biography of a successful writer or actor before you sit down to write may work. Surrounding yourself with positive influences also can provide an intangible boost.

Do I take vacations? Of course. After I finish a project, I stop to smell the roses. Then I get back into the zone and start working again.

Respect the craft. Maintain discipline. Become a full time writer.

~~~~~
Creating a special mix of a cowboy, city girl, stalker, and Kwanzaa, Michelle Monkou’s fourth title, Making Promises, a BET Books Holiday feature, will be on shelves in October 2004.

by Robin L.L. Allen

(From the September 2004 issue of the Update.)

How can you liven up a lengthy business trip?

Tap into the local writers groups, of course.

During a recent spate of business travel, I decided to see if I could liven up some of those boring evenings by meeting up with someone local from my online critiquing loop.

I put a note out on the loop, and sure enough, got an invitation to meet up in Minneapolis when I was out there in April. Our dinner of five dwindled down to a one-on-one with the single member who was able to accommodate my ever-changing schedule, but we had a blast chatting at an Irish pub for a couple of hours.

The Arizona loop member pointed out that my visit coincided with the monthly chapter meeting. Laurie Schnebly Campbell, a published author with the Desert Rose Chapter, asked if I would be interested in attending the meeting as well as getting together for dinner.

Absolutely.

This was fun and fascinating on many levels. It was great meeting fellow RWA members and sister chapter members—but what was REALLY amazing was finding the myriad connections that were there between our chapter and members.

The easy ones: Both Laurie and I are RWA members, local chapter members, and participants on the same writer’s loop. But there were plenty more.

Laurie made arrangements for another Desert Rose Chapter member to pick me up and take me to the meeting. That turned out to be Jennifer Ashley (writing as Ashley Gardner)—who is a critique partner to our own Glenda Garland. Jennifer was quite startled to find out that “Laurie’s friend from the loop” knew her critique partner from Washington, DC.

As a small thank you gift for the rides to and from the meeting, I gave Jennifer and Laurie signed copies of WRW member Hope Tarr’s book, Tempting. It turned out Jennifer had met Hope at the last two RT conferences and Laurie had a tape from Hope’s “10 Steps to a Kick Butt Booksigning”, a 2002 National Conference session.

When I got to the meeting, I was invited to participate in the raffle they hold every month. One of the prizes was a copy of WRW member Sherrilyn Kenyon’s latest release. Copies of the popular RT Book Review magazine that had been passed out at Desert Rose’s recent conference were available on the give-away table—yes, that would be the issue featuring WRW’s Kathy Caskie and Sophia Nash-Ours on the cover.

I got compliments on my recent article in the Update, which was apparently read by many of the chapter members via the posting at our website.

And they all knew about our Retreat, and many had attended in past years.

Attending this meeting made me realize just how interwoven our RWA (or writing) community really is. Here I was 2,300 miles from home hanging out with people who knew my friends. If you ever think your name’s not getting out there, be reassured, it is.

~~~~~
Robin L.L. Allen is the Program Coordinator for WRW. She’s working on a contemporary romantic suspense novel that is a finalist in the 2004 Maggie Contest. Robin hopes to soon add Georgia Romance Writers to the list of chapters she’s visited.

by Judi S. Fadeley

(From the June 2004 issue of the Update.)

No, I don’t have a minute or even a second to spare. But I make time for writing despite my fulltime job as a media specialist in a middle school, my part time job in retail on Saturday, and my work at home caring for my husband and dogs. There is no “S” on my chest for superwoman. Like many writers, I can’t quit my day jobs to write fulltime, so I learned to make time for all aspects of writing. Here’s how I manage to get everything done.

1. Learn to delegate. At first I thought I had to do it all at school. When someone asks you if she can help, say yes. Don’t be selfish; spread the work around so more than one person can get credit for the job.

2. Learn to say no. This one was most difficult for me. I enjoy helping in the community and with extracurricular activities, but I soon learned there were other people ready to fill in when I said no. Now I don’t feel as guilty.

3. Write every spare moment at work. My lunch is thirty minutes long. I’ve learned to work on my writing and eat at the same time. I do not necessarily have to write, but I can read over one of my chapters and make notes in the margins about corrections later.

4. Teach your husband to cook. I’m lucky that my husband is an excellent cook and works out of the home. He volunteers three or four times out of the week to cook dinner if I do the dishes. Washing the dishes is mindless, and I can think about dialogue, plots, subplots, and characters. If your husband can’t cook, it doesn’t matter. Eat it anyway and smile. If he asks if you like it, be honest. Say you’ve never tasted anything like it before. This may encourage him to cook more and become better at it.

5. Encourage your husband to have a hobby. Many hobbies can get your husband out of the house. My husband loves the flea markets and yard sales. Do you know how long he is gone when searching for treasures? I’ve reaped the benefits of his quest by having the house all to myself.

6. Pets. Half hour walks with my pets allow me time to think about the next chapter or a difficult passage. My pets don’t care that I am not talking as we walk, they are just happy to be outside.

7. Make driving to work productive. Are you stuck in traffic on the inner loop or outer loop around town? Use this time to brainstorm. Have a tape recorder handy to record any random thoughts that come into your mind.

8. Allow your children to go to a sleepover. Not only will your children love you for allowing them to go somewhere; you will love yourself for having time to write without chasing after your kids. Caution: Make sure husband is engaged in his hobby!

9. Make the television your friend. No, don’t sit in front of it waiting for an idea, but allow your husband and children to watch their favorite shows. Choose only a few good shows you must watch.

10. And most important. No matter what else is going on, give yourself time every day to devote exclusively to your writing. I have an office in my house, and when I go there I am not to be disturbed. It’s my time alone.

Find those spare minutes in your life and you’ll start reaping the benefits in your writing. Be creative in your use of time as well as in your choice of words.

~~~~~
When Judi S. Fadeley, writing as Judi L. Strider, finds time to write these days, she works on a medieval Scottish trilogy based upon her husband’s relatives who fought with William Wallace. Her first book, Hold On to My Heart, is a mainstream contemporary suspense. Judi is also associate editor for WRW newsletter.

By Robin L.L. Allen

(From the May 2004 issue of the Update.)

Last week, I commuted to work with Julia Quinn and Debbie Macomber. A few weeks before that, it was Suzanne Brockmann, Jayne Ann Krentz, and Patricia Gaffney. Well, those were the big names—there were lots of others, like an RWA member who’s both a published author and a certified tax preparer, and the St. Martin’s and Warner editors.

And no, I have not resorted to kidnapping the NYT List in order to use the HOV lanes. (Hey, there’s an idea . . . !) I’m talking about speakers on tape from the WRW library.

I dreaded going back to work because it include a 57-mile commute in each direction (Fredericksburg, VA, to Washington, DC). Schedules and location kept me out of car or vanpools and therefore out of the HOV lanes. Even on the best day, commuting took a minimum of an hour and fifteen minutes each way. What ticked me off the most was that for two and a half hours a day I couldn’t even think about writing. Or could I?

“Well, at least you can listen to books-on-tape,” one friend reassured me. Not me. Last time I tried that, I was so caught up in the story, not only did I miss my exit, I had no recollection of most of the drive home—I could have left tread marked corpses and flaming 18-wheelers behind me without ever knowing it. Not a good scenario for a daily I-95 commute!

BUT—tapes. I had heard about the WRW library, but always figured I did not have time to listen to tapes at home, and would probably wander off to do laundry and miss the relevant information anyway. Actually, I hoped I would be spending my time doing something even more useful, like Finishing The Damn Book. Not to mention the fact that my kids prefer Elmo in any form to Tax Tips for the Part-time Writer.

Yes, I had tons of excuses ready for not listening at home, but since I was already trapped in the car maybe I could try a couple of tapes. I dug out my library list and started highlighting possible topics of interest. Then I stepped back to stare at the now-bright-yellow pages. My wish list was a whole lot longer than I had expected. Some were “must hears"—like the Keynote from the 2002 RWA Convention. Others were more at the “Huh-I’d never go to that in person . . . wonder what it’s really all about?” level.

I started ordering them five at a time, figuring that would give me one tape a day for a week. Logical. Reasonable. But it didn’t take into account this past winter’s weather, the inability of any municipality in a tri-state area to clear the streets of snow, or the infamous Tractor Guy. There were days I listened to three tapes in the morning.

The amazing thing was I found my stress levels dropping. I wasn’t wasting time sitting in traffic; I was listening to people I respect and admire on topics I was interested in. And staying sane during three-plus hour commutes. And, it turns out, learning a lot.

I’ve learned that mileage to and from chapter meetings, not just conferences, can be taken off your taxes if you are conducting your “business of writing” in a professional manner. For me, coming from Fredericksburg, that’s over $350 a year I can now deduct with a little bit of back-up paperwork.

From comments that editors or authors made during the Q and A sessions after a talk, I’ve learned which editors are looking for atypical stories for their houses.

I get tips on the in-and-outs of publishing politics and marketing from NYT bestsellers. So, tell me, is the regional marketing representative from your publishing house on your Christmas card list yet?

I am secure in the knowledge that some authors have viable careers doing a page a day, four days a week, while others do 35 pages a day, six days a week, which leaves a comfortably W-I-D-E middle ground for the rest of us.

Probably 70 percent of the speakers I’ve listened to referenced the same four books. Does it surprise anyone that I’ve now put four certain books at the top of my “to get” list? (Reference books? Yup, I know how to take those off my taxes, too.) When two different speakers on unrelated tapes suggested listening to “anything Julia Quinn presented on dialogue,” I went down the library list and found her tape—and discovered not only do I know a whole lot more about dialogue than I thought—I am doing it right! And I’ve had fun. (Fun commuting? Geez, there’s a concept!!) I’ve cried with Suz Brockmann’s stories of how 9-11 made her believe in romance more than ever before. Laughed with stories of newly bought authors calling the publishing house back “to make sure they really meant it.” Groaned along with tales of crooked agents. Nodded along with “mom tales” of things kids have done that author-moms then turned into storylines. Do the other commuters on the road think I’m insane? Probably. Do I care? Nope.

There are some down sides—topics handled in a dull manner or by people who are just really poor public speakers. There’s the occasional misleadingly titled panel. That’s what the fast-forward button is for. The biggest drawback is the lack of a binder from the conference that has all the handouts. Luckily, most tapes include an email or web address to send off to for copies of the materials referenced.

The tapes usually run about 45 minutes, including questions. You can stop, rewind, or as mentioned fast forward. I’ve listened in 10 minute spates between traffic reports, or for 2 hours straight pausing only to change tapes. Some mornings, I just listen to the radio, but usually I find myself grabbing a tape. Why? Because I’ve found they are really making a difference. I’m more confident in what I write. I’m beginning to understand where my weak spots really are—and better yet, where my strengths really are.

I started out joking with friends and family that my commute was now professional development time. Six months later, I’m writing more and I’m less stressed from the drive I have to make anyway. It looks like I wasn’t kidding.

Chapter membership provides a wealth of resources to authors of every level. I think the library is one of WRW’s most under-used treasure troves—both books and tapes. You’ll be surprised at what you find. Check it out!

~~~~~
Robin L.L. Allen has been an active WRW member since 1996. She’s been Program Chair and currently serves on the Program Committee and Taping Committee. She writes contemporary romantic suspense.

By Laura Armstrong

(From the May 2004 issue of the Update.)

The white Tyvek envelope on the dining room table looked familiar. Ah, yes, that would be my own handwriting. My critiques from the Marlenes were home.

There wasn’t a moment to survey them in private. I was just home from work, the kids were running circles around me smacking each other with pretend light sabers, and my husband was asking, “What time’s dinner? I’ve got basketball tonight.” I snatched up the envelope and made for the relative peace of my kitchen.

It took me a minute to process the contents of the envelope. It was no surprise that my score wasn’t the highest. The good news was it wasn’t the lowest. The bad news was it also wasn’t all that close to the middle. “Ow-ee,” as my youngest would say.

Judge Number 1 (not the real number) gave me reasonably solid marks and had nice things to say about some of the things I liked about the story myself. Her criticism was gently handed to me, and I nodded over it. Thank you, Judge Number 1.

Judge Number 2 (again, not the real number) was a different story. “Well, someone must have been in a bad mood that day,” was my first thought. She pretty well slammed me. She didn’t like my main character, she thought my dialogue was below average, and it was obvious she was scraping for something to say in the “Describe one thing the author did well” section. It stung.

Thank you, Judge Number 2.

Don’t misunderstand me. I mean that.

It took a few readings of the criticism to get to that state of gratitude. It took a couple hours of in-bed-ceiling-staring, too. Was I that bad? Was I pursuing a dream that was unrealistic? I had the expected talk with my husband. “Maybe I should just quit writing,” I suggested half-heartedly. We both knew it was a ploy for sympathy. He snorted and said, “Cut it out. You’re good at this and you know it. When did you write that thing, anyway?” (We are staying married, by the way. He passed the test.)

This was a good point. My contest entry was the very first book I’d ever completed, written five years ago, before I knew RWA or WRW existed or realized that writing was a tough business. I’d written it for fun, primarily just to see if I could do it. I hadn’t revised it other than make sure everything was spelled correctly and the punctuation was reasonably correct.

That was one of the things Number 2 was annoyed with me about, by the way.

The fact is, she was right. Her comments were insightful, and, ego out of the way, I could see what she meant. I had given very little for the reader to like about my main character. Knowing the full story in my head, I liked her, and I knew the reader would grow to like her, but had I convinced anyone of her worthiness in the opening chapters? Not really.

My use of dialogue, which I consider one of my strengths, did not show to its best in the pages offered. I got caught in that old trap of too much description. I yammered at the reader with too much backstory. My opening scene should have been the third scene. It established the main characters and gave the reader a better idea of what the story was about. Instead, I went for artistic impact. Number 2 was not having any of that.

Thank you, Number 2. You were right. You might have been more generous, but you know what? I’m glad you weren’t. I wouldn’t have paid enough attention to a “nice job.”

The next day I gathered my strength and reread my entry. Same words, but something had changed, like looking through a stereoscope. You look and look and for a long time you see two copies of the same picture. All of a sudden your focus shifts and there it is, a three-dimensional scene.

The judges’ comments gave me that shift in focus. I’m not going to stop writing. I’m a three-dimensional writer. I can fall in love with my characters, pour myself into the story, and then step back and acknowledge what’s wrong with it. My old book needs work. I have grown as a writer since that first effort. I’m excited about tearing it apart and making it better.

Maybe next year I’ll resubmit the first chapters of this book. I hope I get the same set of judges. Number 1 gave me encouragement. Number 2 sliced at the entry objectively. I almost hope Number 2 is in a bad mood again. Well, maybe not, but even if she is, she’ll be reading a better entry.

~~~~~
Laura Armstrong, between duties as the computer department for a trade association, Washington Romance Writers webmistress, and the usual wife-and-mother gig, writes (and rewrites) romance novels.