Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Word counts

Word counts are important for a variety of reasons, but in the traditional publishing industry, editors have to plan issues and books, and need to know page counts to stay within their printing budget. Also, if you aren’t a best-selling author, editors don’t have the time or staff to add or delete words from a manuscript to make it “fit” the format in which it will be published.

In her guest post for the Bayou Writers' Group, Sylvia Ney provides valuable information about industry standards for word counts in a variety of genres.
I’m posting a link:  http://bayouwritersgroup.blogspot.com to this handy reference guide. Click on the link to take a look!

Write soon,
Mary  

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Time to write

Do you have time to write, or do you  make time to write?

I've finally realized that time will never present itself to me as a gift for being a good person. I have to serach out little bits and pieces of time to write. It's never easy. I thought it would get easier, but it hasn't.

Last month I attended the Missouri Writer's Guild Conference in St. Louis, and was charmed by Claire Cook, author of eight novels, including Must Love Dogs. She is a down-to-earth mother/writer who said she wrote her first novel in longhand during her daughter's swim practices while sitting in her minivan. I could relate, having graded many papers, and written a few scenes, during ice skating, guitar and piano lessons.

My friend Robin, a very smart and logical nurse, once told me that we all have the same 24 hours every day, and we get to choose how we will spend (at least some of) those hours. It’s a simple concept, but one that struck a chord. As a mother and a teacher and a wife, I still have to grade papers, fill out forms, do laundry, prepare/pick up dinner, make lunches, walk the dog, drive the kids to their appointments/sports activities, shop for groceries and empty the dishwasher.
There are many other tasks I should be doing as well, but can live without doing every day, like mopping the kitchen floor or vacuuming the rest of the house, etc. I am willing to forgo those tasks for the sake of my art. I know it’s difficult, but it’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make. I’m a saint.

Let me know, when do you find time to write?

Write soon,

Mary

Friday, May 11, 2012

Top novel opening lines

Do you have a favorite first line from a novel? I don't know if I can select just one, but I sure had fun reading the list of the top 100.

Regardless of whether you've read the books, or agree with the selection, you'll probably recognize many famous first lines from the list generated a few years ago by Illinois State University's American Book Review.

I've included a link to a web:

http://americanbookreview.org/100BestLines.asp

Have fun, and let me know which one is your favorite!

Write soon,

Mary