Year: 2014

Greetings!

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Hello lovely people.

I last wrote about character death. It’s not going so well. It’s not so much the writing as it is my anger. Sometimes writing out your personal anger/issues is very therapeutic (not to mention, cheaper), and sometimes it is distracting to the point where you find that you spent 20 minutes organizing magazines for your guns, and that you did it in order of caliber. 9mm, .40, .45. I chose to leave everything else on the side. I even organized by Glock, Sig Sauer, etc. I was told you should have at least 5-7 back-ups per gun. I find myself appalled that I have exceeded such expectations. I have no idea if I’m prepared for a person, or a bear. Is it better to be prepared and never need them?

I don’t get true writer’s block, but I do get annoyed. I find that the best thing to do is walk away from whatever it is I am writing once I’ve reached annoyance level. There is always time to re-visit what you’re writing. Coming back refreshed helps rid me of my annoyance, and it helps the words flow much smoother than they would if I had “ridden it out”. I’m absolutely NOT going to sit here and stare at the screen unless I’ve got words to type. It’s not going to happen. I can take a break, drink some water, and do other things. It need not be forced. If I force the work, it will show, and I’ll have to scrap it any way, so I have learned not to push. One of the benefits of 27 years of writing experience is that I know when to back off and give myself some space. I trust my instincts implicitly. In turn, I’m shelving the deaths and will re-focus my attention on book 1 re-writes.

Recently someone asked me how many times they should re-write and/or revise a manuscript before submission. They’d done four revisions, I believe. I strongly encouraged them NOT to say “This has been revised four times.” in their query letter because absolutely no literary agent wants to hear such a small number. I did not say to lie, but I did say “Get someone you trust to look it over with a discerning eye.” (If you’re a writer reading this, I would also encourage you to hire someone via Elance.com to do a full-on edit, and be open to their ideas for changes, but do not for a single second think that you can throw $50 at someone and that the end result will be perfect. You get what you pay for, I know because I’ve been editing for about 19 years. Come to the table with a really solid budget. $400-$500, at the very least, and select someone who has, at minimum, 10 years of editing experience.  If you want to pay hourly, you can certainly come to the table with a smaller budget based on how many chapters you have, but in order to know you’re making the right choice with someone, I’d only send them the first two chapters. If that doesn’t come back solid, find someone else to finish the job.). They want to hear that you’ve put YEARS into writing this book and that they’re not simply looking at a first draft you’ve been playing around with for six months. Essentially, they will be the determining factor for so much, so respect their position and bring your A game.

I will be back soon with some interesting topics of discussion. Enjoy the rest of your week.

gointo

 

copyright © 2014 by Lisa Marino & Blackbird Serenity LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

 

Prepping Character Death

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This weekend I am going over my notes for book four. Yes, it has a title. No, I’m not giving that information out yet.

As I go over my prep work, I realize that it’s a pivotal time to start killing off some annoying characters. I recently wrote a fight sequence I am incredibly proud of. I spent weeks letting it play out in my head before I sat down and knocked it out, and I think it plays out beautifully, but that will be in the first book.

Book One (also titled), is an introduction. You meet all of the important characters, everyone necessary to make the book “come alive”. You learn some minor back-story, and you learn about things that probably won’t be pertinent within a reader’s mind until Book Three and/or Book Four. Laying the ground work is important, but now it’s time for action.

I recently posted a photo, courtesy of M.J. Rose, which basically stated not to annoy the writer or she’d kill you in a book. I’d already been pondering it, but now the list is at three people.

Killing someone on paper is incredibly gratifying. It is the ultimate “Fuck You” to a person that, in your every day life, may or may not have been told off, but is about to find out that you don’t mess around. They say that the pen is mightier than the sword, but the pen IS my sword and I know precisely how to wield it. Now I just have to decide who goes first and which weapons get used.

I LOVE this shit! 

copyright © 2014 by Lisa Marino & Blackbird Serenity LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Finding Work As A Writer

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Finding Work As A Writer

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Depending on what your skill-set is, finding work as a writer isn’t easy. Like many writers, I am not classically trained. I liken it to the fact that I’m not classically trained to cook either, but I still kill it in the kitchen.

To clear up the difference between being a classically trained writer and one who isn’t: Yes, I took all the prerequisite writing classes long after realizing I had a gift. I went to a school where all forms of writing were the primary focus. I do not have a Journalism degree, and I didn’t major in anything that would put me to sleep or make me want to remove my eyeballs with a fork. Writing comes naturally to me, but on the freelance end of things, it is not always easy to find work.

There are thousands of people trying to hire you to write an e-book that may or may not even have your name on it, and many of them want to pay you per word, and some simply want to pay you as if you’re some kind of migrant worker with no knowledge of what an American wage should look like. I just saw one that strongly suggested a penny per word. Here’s the catch: They’d like 30,000 words and they’d like it in three days. Are you fucking kidding me?! I’ve got 30,000 words for you, but you’re not going to like a single one of them.

Then there are the jobs you, essentially, are bidding on. You submit a proposal where you tout your skills and show an interest in the particular project, and then what you’d like to be paid, either hourly or for the entire project. God forbid one puts a price on their talent and abilities! If I wanted to be paid like I work at Walmart or McDonald’s, then I’d work at Walmart or McDonald’s. No, that’s not an insult to those that work there, it is a comparison. People who work in retail and/or fast food don’t have it easy. They’re expected to do a lot for very little, many of them do not receive benefits of any kind, but hey, here’s a discount for you to make up for what we do not provide as your employer. No thanks.

If you’re joining any .com type of situation and have forked over anywhere from $30-$75, or more, never to earn a dime or even get a return on what you put out, then it is probably a scam. If you’re thinking it’s a great way to earn a quick buck, research the site first. If it has even one complaint against it or there are blog posts about it being a scam, do not, I repeat, do NOT, fork over a penny. You’d do better looking for work on Craigslist.

Yes, there are a great many options if you’re smart, resourceful, patient, and look for the right projects. In the meantime, as you diligently search, remember why you’re a writer and take a good look at your own work, even if you’ve deemed something finished. If there’s anything you need or want to change, work on, etc., take some time to re-focus and polish the rough cut stone that you are. There is not a single one of us on this planet that does not have room for improvement, myself included.

FYI: I lost brain cells this morning reading a list of things people would like to hire a writer like myself for. I think a piece of my soul died.

copyright © 2014 by Lisa Marino & Blackbird Serenity LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.