Welcome to week nineteen of the #WritersQuick5 series - where we learn about writing from fellow writers.
I’ve known Mike Mentz for over twenty years. We’ve watched each other grow into adulthood and into our careers and I’ve been so proud of the incredible path he’s created for himself. Mike is a singer, songwriter, and world traveler. His songs are adult contemporary, pop, rock mostly. He’s about to release his third and fourth albums later this year. One of them, “Souvenir,” was recently nominated forAdult Contemporary Album of the Year by the Independent Music Awards. Mike was also a finalist on a brand new reality TV songwriting competition which will premiere nationally later this year. His song Cigarette is featured prominently. Didn’t you just love that? Here’s another taste of his music, from a song he wrote called Lonely Tonight. Mike is a true friend, an all-around great guy, and I know 20+ years is just the start of our lifelong support of each other. Let’s see what Mike has to say… Question #1 - Where do you write and why do you write there? Literally everywhere. I travel a whole lot, and I like to take advantage of the inspiration factory that is the unplanned route. Lyrics on the back of a napkin on a flight to Miami. Working out a melody on the deck of a cruise ship in the middle of the Atlantic. Guitaring on an Airbnb terrace in Spain. Singing through a tune in the shower...every shower ever. I wrote my last 15 songs in as many countries. Not every writing spot is epic, of course. But I try to score as many as I can. For me there's a fuel found in the variety of the world and a romance to writing anytime, anywhere. Question #2 - What is unique about writing for your particular genre? Writing songs is definitely a unique animal for a lot of reasons. One I've been thinking about a lot lately is how big of a role my body plays in the process. Like most writers, I use a pencil, paper, my phone and computer to get down my ideas. But the ideas themselves are shaped in a very real way by my voice and my fingers. I write a line not just because of the idea it communicates, but also because of the way it sounds when I sing it and makes me physically feel when I play it. My body knows when a phrase and a melody are juuust right as much as my brain does. Question #3 - What are some of your grammar or punctuation pet peeves? "This doesn't really matter in the songwriting game, but good sweet baby Moses, why do we include sentence punctuation like commas and periods within quotation marks when they're not part of the quoted material? Technically correct sentence: I laugh every time I hear Jonathan Coulton's song ""Still Alive."" But why is that correct?? The song title is ""Still Alive"". It isn't ""Still Alive."" So why would you put the period inside the quotation marks? It's frustratingly illogical, and I just can't bring myself to follow the rule anymore. Also, on a barely related note, I think semicolons rule. I think they're underused like whoa." Question #4 - At what point in your writing process do you start to bring other people in to review your work? I generally don't seek others' opinions until I believe the song I'm writing is finished. Before I show a song to someone else, I have to feel that I've given it as much life as I can on my own. I have to really love it first. Getting trusted feedback is a valuable and important part of the process, but ultimately I want to first make sure I'm happy with every decision I've made. If I've created what I believe to be a really good thing, I can more confidently have a productive conversation with someone else about that thing without feeling pressure to placate them. I've found showing a tune to someone too early in the process can mess with my head; there's a real danger I'll water down a potentially kickass line or great musical idea to make someone else happy before I've fully explored it myself. Question #5 - What advice would you give to a new writer about the writing process? Sucking is part of it. Thank you Mike for this window into the world of songwriting. And you’re right. Sucking at something is part of the overall process, but a necessary part to getting to something great. Please be sure to subscribe to Mike’s YouTube channel. You can also follow Mike on Facebook and on Twitter. Be on the lookout for his albums later this year and for his television debut! *** If you would like to be featured as a writer in the #WritersQuick5 series, please just reach out and let me know. I’d love to promote your work as well! For updates on #WritersQuick5 and other info from me, please follow me on Twitter or check back with this blog for all the latest. And, bonus video. Here’s a cover of a Jason Mraz song that Mike performed at Sofar Chicago. Enjoy!
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Welcome to week eighteen of the #WritersQuick5 series - where we learn about writing from fellow writers.
I think it is so important to remember that writers aren’t just people who get books published. Corporate Communications is an incredibly vital and vibrant role in the workforce. Today I’m honored to feature my friend, Erin Slucter, who currently serves as a Senior Manager of Communications and Multimedia at an organization here in Chicago. Her answers here are personal, but her professional work bespeaks the ways in which we all tell stories. Erin tells corporate stories. As both a communications and multimedia person, about 60% of her storytelling is through video. The other 39.9% is pretty standard communications-type work—speeches, annual reports, letters, etc. And, as tells me, “there is .1% of my time spent thinking about the time I will spend working on the totally interesting creative non-fiction book I will write in the future.” Let’s see what Erin has to say… Question #1 - Where do you write and why do you write there? Everywhere and all over the place. I'm a total scatterbrain when it comes to my projects. They usually consist of a little research, interviews, writing an outline or script, and then pulling together the story. So, that could mean the story is coming together in several different places. I do, however, get loads of clever* ideas that I jot down on my daily commute. *They are absolutely brilliantly clever to me in the moment but since they often go unexplored, my guess is that gush of what I perceived as cleverness was probably blue line/blue line patron fumes. Question #2 - What is unique about writing for your particular genre? Since most of the storytelling I do is for the organizations I work for, there is often a pre-set agenda. That's not necessarily a bad thing but if I'm telling a story about chicken rearing in Alabama, I'm not there to uncover a big news story. I'm there to show people what chicken rearing in Alabama looks like. Or, if I'm writing a speech for a president, the subject of the speech is almost always tied back to my organization's mission. Question #3 - What are some of your grammar or punctuation pet peeves? I love the Oxford Comma and feel a bit naked and exposed when it's not used. Question #4 - At what point in your writing process do you start to bring other people in to review your work? I've been trying to bring people into the process earlier, at an outline stage. I've found that it cuts down on the 70 million edits that come from all over the place—from the CEO to the IT Coordinator—later. Question #5 - What advice would you give to a new writer about the writing process? Don't get anxious if you're a person that both starts and finishes a project at the eleventh hour. My best work happens then. (Note to self, don't get anxious when I both start and finish my next project at the eleventh hour.) Thank you Erin for sharing this week. I know you, so I can hear your voice in these answers, which means I’m laughing at my desk as I post them because you are as hilarious as you are wise! And I agree, know yourself well enough to know when you work best - it may just be in the 11th hour! Thank you for representing those of us who write for a living - even if that doesn’t mean we don’t currently have a book to plug. *** If you would like to be featured as a writer in the #WritersQuick5 series, please just reach out and let me know. I’d love to promote your work as well! For updates on #WritersQuick5 and other info from me, please follow me on Twitter or check back with this blog for all the latest. Welcome to week seventeen of the #WritersQuick5 series - where we learn about writing from fellow writers. Today I’m honored to bring you answers from novelist, poet and screenwriter Jennifer Joseph. Jennifer writes fantasy, science fiction and poetry for readers of all ages, and horror for those old enough to know that monsters rarely live under your bed. Jennifer currently has a Kickstarter up for her first children’s poetry book, Alphabet Oddities, which runs until May 5, 2017. Her project was even named a “Project We Love” by the team at Kickstarter. Alphabet Oddities features an Asian-American girl who loves science, space and weird creatures. Personal note: I was so stoked to support this Kickstarter. Like Jennifer, I’m ½ Asian AND I write and love science fiction, so supporting this idea was 100% awesome for me. Jennifer’s poetry chapbook, Speeding in Reverse, was published as a limited edition run in 2012 and she has also been featured in a variety of magazines and journals.
Let’s see what Jennifer has to say… Question #1 - Where do you write and why do you write there? I usually write at my desk in my home office but I also like to write in coffee shops. I have a gigantic office with great light, the walls are filled with art, and the shelves are filled with my favorite nerdy collectibles. It's an inspiring place to work. Question #2 - What is unique about writing for your particular genre? I write in multiple genres and mediums so this question doesn't apply. Question #3 - What are some of your grammar or punctuation pet peeves? Everyone makes mistakes bUt PlEaSe StOp DoInG tHiS. I'm more irked by the writer who thinks they don't need their work edited. Question #4 - At what point in your writing process do you start to bring other people in to review your work? My friend Ellie usually sees my work first, sometimes in the ugly first draft phase. For anyone else, I have to edit anything I write at least twice before I share it. (PS: Find Ellie at: twitter.com/ellieannswords) Question #5 - What advice would you give to a new writer about the writing process? Read a ton, remember your first draft is not meant to be perfect, never stop learning, and find a good editor. Thank you Jennifer so much for your answers! I also thinking finding a good and trusted editor is KEY. Please be sure to check out Jennifer’s Kickstarter for Alphabet Oddities and follow her on Twitter and Instagram! *** If you would like to be featured as a writer in the #WritersQuick5 series, please just reach out and let me know. I’d love to promote your work as well! For updates on #WritersQuick5 and other info from me, please follow me on Twitter or check back with this blog for all the latest. Welcome to week sixteen of the #WritersQuick5 series - where we learn about writing from fellow writers. This week brings us insights from Renee James, author of a three-book (so far) psychological thriller series, the Bobbi Logan Series. First in the series is the self-published (and then re-published) book Coming Out Can Be Murder, followed by A Kind of Justice. The third book in the series, Seven Suspects, will be released by Oceanview Publishing in October 2017. I was privileged to meet Renee at the Chicago Writers Association event, Path to Published, where she was one of the featured speakers. Let’s see what Renee has to say… Question #1 - Where do you write and why do you write there? I occupy a corner in an area at the top of stairs to our second floor. The builder of the house called it a "library", everyone who sees what I've done with it calls it a mess. I love everything about it except the morning sun in Spring and Fall--the glare forces me to pull the curtains for the most glorious part of the day. I love it because I have a nice view out a large window, and I have my favorite paintings on a wall in front of me, and it's quiet and peaceful. Question #2 - What is unique about writing for your particular genre? The mystery/thriller genre demands rising tension and sustained conflict from beginning to end. I try to add a dimension to that by getting deep into my heroine's character and how she is coping with the realities of her current life as well as the life-or-death conflict that propels the overarching plot. Each book takes up her story at a different point in her life, so she and her friends are constantly evolving. Question #3 - What are some of your grammar or punctuation pet peeves? I believe the use of the semi-colon is a sign of weak character, and the use of acronyms should be a capital offense. I don't get too snotty about other aspects of grammar, punctuation or spelling because I mostly don't know what I'm talking about. Question #4 - At what point in your writing process do you start to bring other people in to review your work? After I finish the first draft, then finish a hard edit, I try to decide if it's ready to be read. Sometimes, I have the decency to do a second draft or second hard edit before I hire an editor or heckle a trusted beta reader. The more experience I've acquired, the better my first drafts have gotten--though they aren't as much fun to write. The main thing is, at some point you have to have a professional editor--preferably someone you don't know or at least someone who's willing to tell you there's snot dripping from your nose--make a full assessment of the manuscript, after which it's easier to view my own work through someone else's eyes. Question #5 - What advice would you give to a new writer about the writing process? With regard to the writing, I think it's like sex--the first time, do what comes naturally, but after that, find out how to do it better. For writers, that's by reading, attending seminars, etc. The other thing is, start networking with other writers and writers groups immediately--it will make you a better writer, it can get you introduced to agents and editors, and you enter the best society of people you've ever hung out with. Thank you Renee! I think your advice about writing, “I think it's like sex--the first time, do what comes naturally, but after that, find out how to do it better” is perfect. I’ll never forget it and it’s absolutely true! Be sure to check out Renee’s website and find Coming Out Can Be Murder and A Kind of Justice on Amazon. You can also follow her on Twitter. Be on the lookout for the third book in her series, coming October 2017! *** If you would like to be featured as a writer in the #WritersQuick5 series, please just reach out and let me know. I’d love to promote your work as well! For updates on #WritersQuick5 and other info from me, please follow me on Twitter or check back with this blog for all the latest. Welcome to week fifteen of the #WritersQuick5 series - where we learn about writing from fellow writers. This week brings us the work of Bibi Belford, a teacher who writes and a writer who teaches. Bibi is the author of young adult, middle grade, and early reader novels. Her book Canned and Crushed was published by Skypony Press, as was her e-reader book The Gift. This year, her new book Crossing the Line will be released on July 4, 2017 and Another D for DeeDee is due in September. She met her first Skypony editor at the UW Writer’s Institute.
Let’s see what Bibi has to say… Question #1 - Where do you write and why do you write there? I used to write in a beautiful gazebo with only the sounds of trees rustling and birds singing. Then we moved to the South Loop of Chicago. Now I write looking out to a sea of condos and townhouses with the sounds of kids, dogs, construction and traffic. When the weather cooperates I sit on my little balcony with my green patio umbrella and pretend I'm in my gazebo. Question #2 - What is unique about writing for your particular genre? I've taught hundreds of primary students to read and when a few of my toughest nuts to crack moved on to fourth grade, I asked them what they were reading. "We don't read because there's nothing we want to read about," was their answer. "If I write a book, will you read it?" I asked. And that's how Canned and Crushed was born. I have a picture of me reading the final draft to those boys in fifth grade. And when I presented them with the hardcover book, they did actually read it. Mission accomplished. That's what I hope for all my books. That kids who don't find other books that relate to their lives will relate to my books and read them! Question #3 - What are some of your grammar or punctuation pet peeves? When kids forget a capital letter at the beginning of a sentence and a period at the end. When they write ‘thay’ for ‘they.’ When they write an entire paragraph with one sentence. When they use twenty-five ands to write a story. Oh, wait. Were you asking about adult writers? I honestly don't notice any of those grammar or punctuation problems by comparison. Question #4 - At what point in your writing process do you start to bring other people in to review your work? I have to read my manuscript out loud. That's when I notice errors and mistakes in continuity. So my poor husband is my guinea pig. I also have a writing partner and we find it very easy to slash and burn each other's manuscripts. Sometimes things that seem crystal clear to me, leave huge questions in her mind, and I'd much rather have her notice, than wait for my editor to wonder about my sanity. A group of writers I took a class with has a reunion once a year and we share a portion of our current work-in-progress manuscripts with each other. Their feedback is crucial to me and one of the reasons I'm published is due to their gentle encouragement, okay more than that, their insistent prodding, to leave no stone unturned when creating character-driven novels with high stakes for the protagonist. Question #5 - What advice would you give to a new writer about the writing process? Just sit down and write. And finish something. Don't buy the lie that says you have to have that perfect place and moment and routine. I've written during the Super Bowl. And while you're writing give yourself a realistic timeline with an ending goal of when you plan to be ready to query and submit or attend a pitch session with agents. I wish I could have a do-over for all those times I said, "I'll start tomorrow." The start to finish process takes so much longer than you imagine it will. Most publishers can take between one and two years to publish your book, and that's after they buy your finished manuscript. So put that B in C and W. Thank you Bibi for your stories and answers! I’m so glad there are teachers like you in the world that listen to their students and take action. What an inspiration! Be sure to check out Bibi’s books and stay tune for her upcoming publications. You can contact her via her website or follow her on Twitter. *** If you would like to be featured as a writer in the #WritersQuick5 series, please just reach out and let me know. I’d love to promote your work as well! For updates on #WritersQuick5 and other info from me, please follow me on Twitter or check back with this blog for all the latest. Welcome to week fourteen of the #WritersQuick5 series - where we learn about writing from fellow writers. This week I’m pleased to feature writer Paul R. Lloyd. Paul’s writing comes in many shapes and forms across a prolific writing career. He is a business writer and marketing pro. He is also a blogger and a book coach. He has been featured in literary magazines such as Possibilities and Daedalus and also writes and self-publishes horror books on amazon. Paul is a big supporter of his fellow writers and heads up the Write Time Writers Group in Geneva and is a member of the DuPage Writer’s Group and the Lively Arts. I had the pleasure of meeting my fellow Chicago Writers Association (CWA) member at a recent CWA event and he has been kind enough to share his insights with us this week. Let’s see what Paul has to say… Question #1 - Where do you write and why do you write there? I work upstairs in the spare bedroom where I can close the door. If I peer out the window at the correct angle, I can watch tree tops sway in the breeze in a way that reminds me of Wisconsin for an instant vacation. My laptop rests upon a little desk my dad and I built back when I suffered through high school. Dad was a cabinetmaker so it’s a nice desk. Snpgrdxz, my teenage space alien shapeshifter character from my time-travel series, volunteered to become my muse. He parks on a pillow on the guest bed and makes snarky comments while I write. For example, this morning he said, “Why do you spend so much time editing? Get my story up on Amazon and be done with it.” He once told me to pronounce his name like there’s an “i” every place you think a vowel should go. He doesn’t complain when I pronounce his name “snip-grid-ix” but he insists I spell it without the vowels because on his planet they no longer believe in them. According to Snpgrdxz, only the lesser planetary civilizations resort to such primitive writing practices. Question #2 - What is unique about writing for your particular genre? I must figure out what genre I write in. With only six novels on Amazon, I have time. I write horror with a twist of humor, but I can’t find an outlet for “cozy horror” stories. In the past, I never intended to write about monsters, but the darn critters show up uninvited. So I should embrace the horror genre, a decision I now make right here on Kelly’s website. Horror stories scare the bejeebers out of you in a unique way that cannot be matched by that shirtless guy with the horse and the half-naked girl on the cover of those romance novels. But if fangs protrude from the horse’s mouth, you purchased a horror story by mistake. Question #3 - What are some of your grammar or punctuation pet peeves? The discovery of an error that masquerades as correct serves as my favorite pet peeve. Any errors. For example, what if I found out the second sentence in this paragraph was a fragment? Horrors. When I attended high school and Miss Burnett assigned an annual essay on “My Pet Peeves,” I always wrote about the dog. Then in twelfth grade, Emily Springbottom leaned across my desk (big exhale here just thinking about it) and said, “Miss Burnett wants us to write about stuff that fries our gourds.” I always thought it would be fun to fry Emily’s gourds but that would have to wait until after graduation. In the meantime, Miss Burnett’s annual assignment about “My Pet Peeves” became my biggest pet peeve. Peeves wasn’t just an ordinary dog, by the way. He served as a private detective without gum shoes. You can read about him in that novel I didn’t write yet. Question #4 - At what point in your writing process do you start to bring other people in to review your work? I prefer to take a manuscript as far as I can before submitting it to my critique group. Critique groups find the stuff you missed, but after a while, you learn to appreciate it about as much as I enjoyed that pet peeves high school assignment every year for four years. My futile search for first readers continues. Every time I find someone who volunteers for the honor, I hand over a copy of the book and then never hear back from them. They may be trying to tell me something. Question #5 - What advice would you give to a new writer about the writing process? The most important thing is to write every day. Okay, you can take the weekend off if you want. The second most important thing is to trust yourself. You are hardwired to hear, read or tell a story in a certain way so you have to work at getting it wrong. But that doesn’t mean you will automatically get it correct. Learn the craft. Take courses and workshops when you can. Google stuff when you can’t. Trust yourself and learn the craft. Great advice from Paul for us today! Please be sure to follow Paul across social media and check out his novels and short stories. Find Paul: LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Blog, & Amazon Author Page *** If you would like to be featured as a writer in the #WritersQuick5 series, please just reach out and let me know. I’d love to promote your work as well! For updates on #WritersQuick5 and other info from me, please follow me on Twitter or check back with this blog for all the latest. Welcome to week thirteen of the #WritersQuick5 series - where we learn about writing from fellow writers. This week we feature Marcie Hill, a prolific writer, blogger, and content marketer. Marcie has a successful career writing for a variety of businesses and publications, including her own website and blog, Marcie Writes. I can’t say it better than her own bio can: “I’ve published over 100 articles in print and online publications; 3100+ blog posts; and seven books. My three proudest writing accomplishments are my interview with Dr. Maya Angelou; being published in Forbes; and publishing 62 Blog Posts to Overcome Blogger’s Block book and companion guide.” Marcie is also an experienced public speaker and she and and I met at the Chicago Writers Association event, Path to Published, an event that she helped coordinate. Let’s see what Marcie has to say… Question #1 - Where do you write and why do you write there? I write in my office at home because it's my space of solitude. Question #2 - What is unique about writing for your particular genre? The unique thing about writing nonfiction as a freelancer is that I can write about any topic I want. My topics range from small business to African Americans to roller skating. Question #3 - What are some of your grammar or punctuation pet peeves? The overuse of commas and the lack of use of periods. Stop writing one long paragraph please! Question #4 - At what point in your writing process do you start to bring other people in to review your work? If I'm writing a book, I hired an editor after my first completed draft. When I'm writing articles and not sure about the flow or need feedback, I'll request help then. Question #5 - What advice would you give to a new writer about the writing process? Develop a process that works for you. Learn as much as you can and ask questions. And when doubt rears its ugly head, kick it in the face. LOVE that advice. “When doubt rears its ugly head, kick it in the face.” Damn straight! Thank you Marcie for taking the time to share your insights and advice with us. Be sure to follow Marcie via her website and on Twitter. She always has so many incredible resources to share! *** If you would like to be featured as a writer in the #WritersQuick5 series, please just reach out and let me know. I’d love to promote your work as well! For updates on #WritersQuick5 and other info from me, please follow me on Twitter or check back with this blog for all the latest. Welcome to week eleven of the #WritersQuick5 series - where we learn about writing from fellow writers. This week I am thrilled to bring you responses from writer Briana Bryon. (Side note: I’m also thrilled to feature Briana as my second international author, coming to us from Australia.)
She also is a part-time sports journalist for Fairfax Media, she writes columns for Focus Magazine, and is a feature writer for Cafe Culture. If that wasn’t enough, Briana writes erotica under the pen name Fern Watts. Her short stories can be found on Amazon and her first Fern Watts novel is due to be released on August 29 with Deep Desires Press. Let’s see what Briana has to say… Question #1 - Where do you write and why do you write there? I have an office in my house. This is the one place I have to write in peace, complete with a snoring dog and a comically large desk that I share with an ironing pile. I set time aside every day to write in it. Ok, I usually spend that time staring out the window wondering what Buffy the Vampire Slayer is up to. I miss her. Question #2 - What is unique about writing for your particular genre? When writing humour, people think I am being ironic or funny when I am actually being truthful. Humour allows the truth to come out in ways you wouldn't get away with in other genres. Also you get to be a bit mean and generally pretty cranky. It's fun. Question #3 - What are some of your grammar or punctuation pet peeves? I am TERRIBLE at self editing, so I won't comment on this, except to say, that writers who start a paragraph with an indent are stuck in a time loop. I think that was done last in the 90's. Oh, and double spacing after a full-stop. Again, time loop. Question #4 - At what point in your writing process do you start to bring other people in to review your work? When I have finished the first draft. Then I ask people to have a read to find out which bits they skipped; they are the boring bits that generally need to go. Kill your darlings so to speak. But if they say the whole thing is boring I punch them. Question #5 - What advice would you give to a new writer about the writing process? Write the first draft with your heart, the second with your head. Always carry a notebook with you. And use it. Also get a degree in dentistry, just in case. Dentists make a fortune and I'm pretty sure they can leave the house without a notebook anytime they feel like it. Thank you Briana for these wonderful answers. I think we should get t-shirts made with the line “write the first draft with your heart, the second with your head” because that is just SO TRUE. Also, I need to re-watch Buffy. Like stat. Please check out Briana’s website where you can subscribe to hear more from her, check out her Channillo.com series “There’s a monster in my bed. Oh wait. It’s a baby,” and her work as Fern Watts now available on Amazon.com. You can also follow Briana on Twitter. *** If you would like to be featured as a writer in the #WritersQuick5 series, please just reach out and let me know. I’d love to promote your work as well! For updates on #WritersQuick5 and other info from me, please follow me on Twitter or check back with this blog for all the latest. Welcome to week ten of the #WritersQuick5 series - where we learn about writing from fellow writers. This week I’m very excited to introduce you to Christopher Waltz, an author with a genre that totally fascinates me - horror. I personally believe it takes a lot of creativity to write horror. You have to know just when to ratchet up the suspense and you have to be ruthless with your reader's emotions. Christopher also writes YA - and in a new genre to me - YA horror. As an avid reader of YA novels, that marriage of styles totally intrigues me. Christopher has self-published several novels, has traditionally published several short stories, and is creator and lead writer of the Dead Oaks Podcast, a horror anthology podcast that releases a new episode every two weeks. I met Christopher through the writing platform Channillo.com where he currently has three book series to choose from. Let’s see what Christopher has to say… Question #1 - Where do you write and why do you write there? I wish I could say I'm one of those people who can just sit down and write anywhere, but as of late, I need to be in a public place to get any writing done. I don't know why, but if I'm at home, I get distracted way too easily and can't seem to organize my projects. However, if I'm at a coffee shop, or the library, or the community center, then it's right down to business. If I'm in public and have some coffee, then I'm good to go. Question #2 - What is unique about writing for your particular genre? Since I've been writing mostly YA recently, I'll say that it's very important to understand how people--particularly young people--talk and interact. One of my biggest pet peeves is reading a story or a novel where the dialogue is completely unbelievable. Luckily, I used to teach middle school English and currently still spend a lot of time working in high schools, so it's fairly easy for me to pick up on how teenagers speak to each other. But I also understand how it would be difficult for writers who aren't around teenagers often to get it, for lack of a better term, flat-out wrong. Question #3 - What are some of your grammar or punctuation pet peeves? As I said before, dialogue is a huge pet peeve for me. If you're writing about any group of people, whether it be teenagers, or the elderly, or people from a particular region--do your research and write their dialogue realistically. Other than that, I feel like I can't judge people too harshly on their writing styles (editing is another story...). I tend to write long, drawn out sentences with sort of obscure punctuation, and I'm sure that gets on many people's nerves. Some people hate semicolons and em dashes, but I love them. Question #4 - At what point in your writing process do you start to bring other people in to review your work? It sort of depends on the topic I'm writing. I'm very self-conscious about people reading my writing before I'm completely happy with it, so I usually don't bring editors or beta readers into the mix until pretty late in the game. However, I finished a novel in December, and the main character was captain of his school's swim team. I'm terrified of drowning and don't know a thing about swimming competitively, so I spoke to several different resources about good versus bad times for different swim strokes and what a typical practice looks like. It was extremely helpful to have an expert to turn to every time I needed information. Question #5 - What advice would you give to a new writer about the writing process? I would tell a new writer that the most important parts of the writing process are what happens both before and after you actually write. Writing is the easy part; It's what you love to do. Planning, plotting, editing, revising... those are what will really test you as a writer and show people you have what it takes to make it. I'd also tell them that if they are determined to publish traditionally, not to let a few rejections turn them off from finding the right publisher for their work. I spent so much of my time in the first years of my career being bummed out because I thought no one would ever like my writing based on twenty or thirty rejections. As it turns out, if you stick with it, you might have the pleasure of ending up with hundreds of rejections... and that's not a bad thing. Thank you so much Christopher for these incredible answers. I absolutely love this line: Writing is the easy part; It's what you love to do. Planning, plotting, editing, revising... those are what will really test you as a writer and show people you have what it takes to make it. Gosh, that is just SO TRUE! I truly appreciate you taking the time to share your insights with us. Please check out Christopher’s work on Channillo.com and check out his Dead Oaks Podcast, now available on SoundCloud. Also, be sure to follow him on Twitter. *** If you would like to be featured as a writer in the #WritersQuick5 series, please just reach out and let me know. I’d love to promote your work as well! For updates on #WritersQuick5 and other info from me, please follow me on Twitter or check back with this blog for all the latest. Welcome to week nine of the #WritersQuick5 series - where we learn about writing from fellow writers. Today it is my sincere pleasure to feature writing advice from my dear friend Keely Flynn. I’ve known Keely for many years and she has brought endless joy to my life. As a writer, Keely wears many hats, including serving as the arts columnist for Chicago Parent Magazine (and their sister publications) and writing her amazing blog, Lollygag Blog, that covers life in Chicago with all of Keely’s inherent charm and humor. Lollygag Blog posts range from parenting, to city living, to DIY cautionary tales, with a few product reviews and a NKOTB header thrown in for fun. Keely has also written for the Chicago Tribune, 101.9FM The Mix, and is a member of Netflix’s Stream Team. If that wasn’t enough (have I mentioned she’s amazing?) she also wrote a book, Expecting: A Year of Fixing Up and Breaking Down, about the period of time when she and her husband bought a fixer-upper home after discovering she was pregnant. Keely and her husband are now the proud parents of three children, proving once and for all that she may have actuals superhuman powers. Let’s see what Keely has to say… Question #1 - Where do you write and why do you write there? I have a pretty sweet closet desk set up in my dining room, but I’ve also gotten pretty good at writing on the floor of my kids’ rooms and in the front seat of the Honda Odyssey in the pick-up line. Additionally, Chicago Parent's editorial staff has been incredibly wonderful and permissive in allowing me to explore the arts-heavy nature of this town, not to mention how terrific it all is for kids. They're also really great to their writers; I'll be loyal to them forever! Netflix is a no-brainer (and also a fantastic company to work with). And I've been writing plays and stories since high school. Some people jog to clear their brains; I write fast-paced murder mysteries and sidekick narratives. Question #2 - What is unique about writing for your particular genre? As a columnist for a parenting magazine, I get to imbue whimsy and fun turns of phrase into what's generally a straighter-laced, info-heavy type of reading. In terms of writing plays, it just feels really good to a) be putting more theatre out into the world, b) doing so as a female writer, and c) show my kids that new works are alive and well (if underpaid). Question #3 - What are some of your grammar or punctuation pet peeves? Oh man, the whole "you're and your" shebang really makes me crazy. Also- autocorrect is merely a suggestion. Proofread those texts, people. Question #4 - At what point in your writing process do you start to bring other people in to review your work? For biweekly and monthly columns, by the second draft. (My magazine editors are rapid-fire that way.) And for plays and books, I bring in a select one or two really early on, like the first chapter drafts to see if they get where I'm headed. (My poor husband. There is, quite literally, no correct answer for him. If he questions anything, I'm convinced he's never understood me. If he applauds it, I think he's trying to stave off a fight.) Question #5 - What advice would you give to a new writer about the writing process? Don't self-edit! Ever! Early on, just let it all free flow, especially if the story or characters are coming from every direction.There's plenty of time to refine, shape, and cut. Those early ideas, though, are pure magic (even if you have to say goodbye to a bunch of them). Thank you Keely for taking the time to share these answers with us! I love your advice to let early ideas flow. You’re right, you never know what magic might sprout! Please do find Keely on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and read all of her delightfulness at Lollygag Blog. As an added bonus, go out right now and buy her book! One final note, Keely’s advice and insights have never steered me wrong. She is a gem in this world and I’m grateful for her every day. ***
If you would like to be featured as a writer in the #WritersQuick5 series, please just reach out and let me know. I’d love to promote your work as well! For updates on #WritersQuick5 and other info from me, please follow me on Twitter or check back with this blog for all the latest. |
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