Kathy Sanborn's Author Roundtable
Posted 12/06/02

Recently, I brought my Author Roundtable together again for their input on how to keep motivated when rejection slips are piling up all around you. Self-doubt and discouragement emerge when an aspiring writer gets that first dose of reality: there is no such thing as instant fame and fortune in the writing world. So how do writers manage to keep plugging away towards the success they hope will be there down the road?

Kathy Sanborn: You are all flourishing in the writing profession. Was there ever a point in your writing career when you were ready to give up on it? If so, what made the difference -- a person's encouraging words? A sale? My readers would love to know what kept you "going for the gold" when circumstances didn't appear too promising

Elizabeth Dearl: Was there one point when I was ready to give up? No. Many, many points. When a writer is attempting to break in, struggling to nab that elusive first publishing credit, it feels like being lost in a long, dark tunnel with no light at the end. Every rejection is a physical blow, and self-doubt looms large. "If my writing is good, why doesn't anyone want it? Therefore, my writing must be bad, so why keep trying?"

My husband played a huge part in keeping me motivated, employing a charming mixture of sympathy, comfort, and butt-kicking. (Sympathy and comfort are useless unless combined with the butt-kicking.) He knew how much writing meant to me, what a long-held dream it was, he believed my work was good, and he simply refused to let me give up. When I wailed: "I'll never sell a story!" he'd counter with: "If you stop submitting your stories, you're right, you'll never sell one." His technique still comes in handy these days, when I wail: "I'll never meet this deadline!"

It helped, too, when I discovered writing-oriented groups on the Internet. CompuServe and AOL both host forums for writers, and Yahoo Groups is packed with author message boards. Communicating with other wannabe writers, finding out that I wasn't alone in my quest for the Great Publishing Credit, made a world of difference. "What am I doing wrong?" was no longer a question flung into an unfeeling void, it became a question that was speculated upon by others in the same quandary. How much more wonderful, then, when that first sale came along, to share it with my support group -- and how equally wonderful it was to celebrate their eventual successes.

Kathy:You've brought up a great point - that many writers can stay motivated by being in touch with writers' groups, either over the Internet or on their local level.

Moira Allen: Way back in the beginning of my career, the "early dawn" if you will, I applied for a job at Fancy Publications. I was looking for a full-time editorial position, and I sent in an application more or less on a whim, having learned that the company was (I thought) relatively close to where I lived. I also assumed that it was a large company with lots of departments, and that I'd be able to start with a "small" editorial job. Next thing I knew, I was being invited to interview for "associate editor" in charge of the entire publication (they didn't have departments!). I felt woefully under qualified and agonized over whether to accept the position. The safest thing, I thought, would be to politely say no and look for something less challenging. My husband, however, pointed out that "I'd never know unless I tried" -- and that I'd always wonder, if I DIDN'T try, whether I'd be able to handle it. So I accepted the job, and put in two years as editor of Dog Fancy, raising the publication's circulation by about 25% and earning it a first-ever "best dog magazine" award from the Dog Writer's Association of America. I also learned more there about the business of writing and editing (and what it takes to get published) than I would have learned in YEARS of freelancing alone. I don't think I would be where I am today, with an understanding of BOTH sides of the writing business, if I hadn't accepted that position -- so thanks, hubby!

Kathy: Teddy Roosevelt once said, " Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell 'em, 'Certainly I can!' -- and get busy and find out how to do it." That's sound advice for a person with ambition and confidence. How about you, Elaine - was there a point when you thought you had it with your writing career?

Elaine Hopper: Yes, I hate to say I reached the point where I was ready to give up.

A few things happened to make me try again. First, one of my critique partners threatened to haunt me through eternity if I stopped writing. Secondly, at about that same time, one of my books became the number one seller for my publisher at a couple of the booksellers.

Plus I really thought about it and decided that I love to write and there's nothing else I'd rather do with my free time than write.

Kathy: Great point! One shouldn't write just for the dream of riches or fame, but for the joy of it. How about you, Jo - as positive as you are, was there a time you felt like quitting?

S. Joan Popek: Oh yeah! Oh yeah! At first, it happened about every fiftieth rejection letter. I got over that, but I still get those moods sometimes, especially when I can't think of something to write. What keeps me going? The first time, it was selling some stories for actual money.

Now, it's my family. They have more faith in me than I do. When I get in a real slump, they prod me with ideas and suggestions for stories, until I write one out of self-defense. That's the truth. I practice "Defensive Writing." (She laughs.)

Kathy: Sam, I know you'll have something profound to say about a writer's motivation to keep going. What are your thoughts?

Sam Vaknin: A real author can no more halt his or her writing than you can hold your breath.

Writing is a preferred - and usually exclusive - mode of communication, an instinct, and a reflex rolled into one. It is cathartic, elating, infuriating, binding, freeing - in short, it is the Universe in a microcosm. Works of art are given birth to. And the lowliest form of writing is still a work of art.

Of course, you could write, cook, make love, or paint merely and only for money. But this is as related to the essential, real activities of writing, cooking, loving, or painting - as a lithograph of a van Gogh is related to one of his voluptuous canvasses. It is fake.

Kathy: Thanks, everyone, for your enlightening input! I'm sure my readers will gain some new inspiration from your own persistence on the road to career success.

Contributors:
S. Joan Popek's Sound the Ram's Horn is now available at Hard Shell Word Factory in both e-book and trade paperback. For the download, go to Hard Shell Word Factory.

Elizabeth Dearl is the 2002 Eppie Award winner for her novel, Twice Dead. Malicious Intent, a collection of Dearl's short mystery and horror fiction, is available from DiskUs Publishing.

Sam Vaknin is the author of Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited and a UPI correspondent.

Moira Allen's latest book is 1500 Online Resources for Writers. Visit her excellent site, Writing-World, for over 350 articles for writers, plus links, contest listings, newsletter and more.

Elaine Hopper is the author of 13 published romances and the co-manager of Word Museum.

Kathy Sanborn's Author Spotlight
Posted 11/29/02

Author Debbie Ridpath Ohi is a familiar name to writers everywhere. Her former web site, Inkspot, was a staple for aspiring and professional writers who wanted information on anything from contract negotiation to manuscript formatting. Currently, Debbie is the Writer's Market news columnist, providing reports on daily changes in the publishing world.

Kathy Sanborn: Tell us how you got into the writing field in the first place.

Debbie Ridpath Ohi: My first book publication came through the contacts and reputation I established through Inkspot, my Web site for writers. I published an electronic newsletter for writers which was sent out every two weeks to nearly 50,000 writers. The people at Writer's Digest started noticing, and one day I got a call from one of the senior editors there, asking if I'd be interested in writing a book about online markets for writers. I said yes, of course!

Kathy: What was the most important step you took in becoming a successful writer?

DRO: Learning how to be disciplined in my work habits. I also discovered how important administration and marketing were, particularly when doing writing for magazines. If you're only sending out a query or two every few weeks, it doesn't matter as much. If you're trying to make a fulltime living from your writing, however, you have to be constantly looking for new assignments while making sure you meet the deadlines on your current projects. Unless you're super-organized about keeping good records, it's easy to lose track of what markets you've queried, which markets owe you payment, etc.

Kathy: In your opinion, what is the biggest downside of being a writer?

DRO: It's a solitary business. It has to be, or you spend more time talking about writing than doing actual writing. Being a fulltime writer is not for someone who loves the constant social interaction one gets working in a regular office.

I get around this downside by joining online discussion groups for writers and going to the occasional writers' conference.

In the end, though, it's just me and my laptop.

Kathy: How did you learn to write well? School? Trial and error?

DRO: I read a lot, pretty much anything I can get my hands on...magazines, books, newspapers, the backs of cereal boxes. I read good books for inspiration. I read bad books for inspiration, too, mainly: "I can write better than that." I analyze everything, usually on second readings. Why did I like that magazine article so much? What was it about character XXX that I found so compelling? Why was that seemingly well-written piece so atrociously dull?

Kathy: What's the thing about writing that you still need to learn (if anything)?

DRO: I'm still learning about efficient time management. I want to learn how to manage my time the way certain working mothers I know do; because of child-rearing responsibilities, they only get snatches of time throughout their day to work on their projects, and have learned to slide instantly into super-intensive work mode, making the most of every spare minute.

I want to learn how to do that -- without having to have children of my own, that is!

Kathy: What was the turning point in your writing career when you realized you were a success?

DRO: The day that Writer's Digest called me and asked me to do the book. Two days later, Barnes and Noble called me and said they were interested in acquiring my Web site for writers. That was exciting, but not nearly as thrilling as that first phone call.

Kathy: What's the biggest plus about being a writer?

DRO: Being able to work at home and having control of when I work is a major plus. But for me, the biggest advantage is earning a living by doing something I really love.

Kathy: What mistake did you make early on that you'd like to warn new writers about?

DRO: In my naive days, I had an unrealistic view of the writer's life. I imagined that I'd get up, have a leisurely cup of tea and a crumpet, sit down and bang out a bestseller, send it off and wait for the royalty checks to come rolling in while I took my long walks on the beach, thinking deep and literary thoughts.

New writers should be warned that in order to be successful, you have to take your writing seriously. Writing is WORK. Expect frustrations and an endless series of day-to-day distractions, from the leftover piece of apple pie you know is waiting in the fridge to a friend calling in the middle of the workday, "just to chat." Each heartless rejection from a faceless editor will be like a spear thrusting into your fragile ego, battering your self-esteem.

Don't give up, and keep your focus.

Debbie Ridpath Ohi is the author of The Writer's Online Marketplace (Writer's Digest Books, Jan/2001). She also writes a daily publishing news column for WritersMarket.com and an author book promotion column for Writing-World.com. For information about Debbie's current projects, please see her website.

© 2002 Kathy Sanborn

Kathy Sanborn's Author Spotlight
Posted 11/20/02

I'd like to have you meet S. Joan Popek, the 2000 Eppie Award winner for The Administrator. Her favorite genre is science fiction, but she can write both fiction and nonfiction, making her a versatile writer, indeed. Let's hear some writing tips from this grandmother who has more energy than many people half her age!

Kathy Sanborn: Tell us your method of becoming a writer. Specifically, how did you break into a career that can be so challenging to get established?

S. Joan Popek: I submitted--and submitted--and submitted until someone finally published one of my poems in a small press magazine. After I saw my name in print, I was hooked. I had to have more! I aligned myself with other writers (published and unpublished) and learned the craft of story telling. (I'm still learning, but that's another story.) I joined critique groups and writer's groups. Some were a bust, but all writers' groups offer hints on magazines and book publishers who are looking for manuscripts. I looked at the emails from people who announced that they were published in such and such magazine, then I looked up the guidelines and submitted stories to them.

When my first book was ready, I asked some of the friends I had made online where I should submit it. A wonderful, talented and warm author, Patricia White, whom I had met online through a mutual friend, happened to be editing for The Fiction Works, which had just started publishing e-books. She suggested that I submit there. I did, and they accepted it. It was the beginning.

The only secret is to WRITE AND SUBMIT. If you don't submit, no one will read it. If no one reads it, no one will publish it. It's that simple. Make friends, make stories, make submissions. Then start the process all over again. That's the only secret to getting published.

Kathy: What was the most important move you made to become a successful author?

SJP: Editing an online magazine. As an editor, I learned more about what editors look for and how to get their attention. Also attending writer's gatherings as a speaker or just an attendee. My most lucrative assignment came from the contacts I met at one of these conventions.

If you get the chance to help edit a magazine, even a small one with no pay, take it! You will be amazed at what you learn about writing and submitting.

Kathy: In your opinion, what is the biggest downside of being a writer?

SJP: Time away from family. That's the only downside other than the rigorous work of promoting. Promoting is hard work, but unless your name is Stephen King, if you plan to sell, you must promote.

Kathy: How did you learn to write well? School? Trial and error?

SJP: Yes and yes. I took some courses, wrote, took more courses, wrote, and discovered that the only way to learn to write effectively is trial and error. And you must develop a thick skin. Be willing to take constructive criticism. Remember, just because you love your story/character/etc., doesn't mean that it's good writing. In fact, the more you love a sentence or story or character, the more the chances are that it stinks, and you are wearing your rose-colored glasses. Famous writers have said, "If you love a sentence, delete it!" In most cases, this is true.

Kathy: What's the thing about writing that you still need to learn (if anything)?

SJP: Everything! I don't think a writer ever learns it all. Right now, I'm working on learning how to write a screenplay, but that's only one small part of the whole. Don't ever stop learning. If you do, you'll stop writing.

Kathy: What was the turning point in your writing career when you realized you were a success?

SJP: My turning point when I felt I could really say "I'm a writer" without shuffling my feet and looking at the ground like I might get caught telling an untruth was when my first book, The Administrator, was accepted by The Fiction Works. I felt that I was truly recognized as a writer when an editor from Writer's Digest asked me to do an article. I was ecstatic!

Kathy: What's the biggest plus about being a writer?

SJP: The people you meet. I've met some of my best friends because of mutual interest and love of writing.

Kathy: What mistake did you make early on that you'd like to warn new writers about?

SJP: Refusing to acknowledge that an editor might be right when he asked for a rewrite. It took me a while to learn that a story is never really finished and never-never-never perfect. There are always improvements that you can make. Listen to criticism of your work, use what you think works and dump the rest.

S. Joan Popek is an age-challenged grandmother tiptoeing through the Twilight Zone while she gazes longingly at Ganymede. A science fiction addict since childhood, she is a graduate of Writer's Digest Short Story and Novel School and until recently was an editor and PR Person for Millennium Science Fiction & Fantasy Magazine. In the past, she has also been an editor for The Roswell Literary Review and FYI.

Her other publishing accomplishments include the EPPIE 2000 Award winner, THE ADMINISTRATOR , from The Fiction Works, SOUND THE RAM'S HORN from Hard Shell Word Factory, and a nonfiction book, JUMP START YOUR CAREER WITH ELECTRONIC PUBLISHERS , an EPPIE 2002 Finalist from Atlantic Bridge.

She has published over 200 fiction, nonfiction and poetry works in various magazines. Although she writes in many genres, her true love is science fiction, and her short stories have appeared in The Roswell Literary Review, Millennium Science Fiction & Fantasy, Eternity, THE EDGE, Exodus, Chaotic Reflections, Pulp Eternity, The Special Editors' Edition of Goddess of the Bay, Futures, and others. One of her stories was featured In "The Best of Eternity, Volume 1."

Her short stories in recent anthologies include: Other Times, Other Places, the HI-LO Science Fiction Anthology from The Fiction Works. Free e-books, Cooking Between The Sheets by Hard Shell Word Factory authors and How Be The World's Worst Parent from Bookmice.com, are available at her website.

She is currently authoring a mystery, HELL'S HOUNDS, and compiling a collection of short stories titled FAIRY TALES WITH A FREUDIAN FLAIR.

© 2002 Kathy Sanborn

Kathy Sanborn's Author Spotlight
Posted 11/12/02

I'd like to introduce Elizabeth Dearl, the 2002 Eppie Award winner for Twice Dead and Blood, Threat and Fears. She's a mystery author extraordinaire! Let's hear what Elizabeth has to say about the writing life and how to break into it.

KS: Tell us your secret for breaking into the writing arena. We know there are as many different ways to break in as there are writers. Specifically, how did you do it?

Elizabeth Dearl: When I began, I really had no plans to write a novel. I have always loved short fiction (particularly mystery fiction) and that's what I had a yen to write . . . so I did. I wrote dozens of short stories, and enjoyed the process immensely. Unfortunately, getting those stories into print was another matter. I sold a respectable number, but markets for short mystery fiction are few these days. The only way to break in is to persevere. Don't let rejections get you down. Just because one editor doesn't care for your story, that doesn't mean it's a bad story -- it only means that it wasn't his/her cup of tea. Send it elsewhere and keep writing so you'll have more to send out. Study the markets! I can't stress this enough. Whether your intended market is a print magazine or an online zine, read as many back issues as you can so that you'll get an idea of what type of fiction the editors prefer. Follow guidelines to the letter.

Several people urged me to try writing a novel, and I eventually heeded their advice. You can imagine my trepidation. My short fiction tends to be very short, usually under 2000 words. Now I was facing 70,000 plus words. The blank paper (or blank computer screen) syndrome reared its ugly head on a daily basis, but I got through it by pretending that each chapter was a short story. Much easier (for me) to write 16 stories than to write 16 chapters.

Many beginning writers ask whether having short story credits (or, in the case of non-fiction writers, article credits) helps when you're ready to try selling your first book. I think it does, if only because it shows the book publisher that you've been seriously pursuing your craft.

KS: What was the most important step you took in becoming a successful writer or author?

ED: Making up my mind to do it, really go after it with passion and determination. Talking about writing, yearning to be a writer is much easier than actually doing it. I'll bet that if you took a survey of one hundred people, at least eighty of them would admit that they dream of someday writing . . . something. The great American novel, Aunt Esther's memoirs, a best-selling cookbook, poetry that would have made Longfellow weep for joy. Problem is, only one of those eighty people will ever actually apply seat to chair and put words down on paper. Their excuse? "I don't have time." To put it bluntly, folks, unless you make the time, you'll never be a writer.

KS: In your opinion, what is the biggest downside of being a writer?

ED: Self-motivation, I suppose. A writer doesn't punch a time clock, which is both good and bad. There's no one to prod you into productivity, no one to chide you if you're being lazy . . . and no one to pat you on the back and say: "Good job!" if you've managed to meet a goal. A writer must be self-motivated in order to succeed, but it's not always easy. Most jobs pay a certain amount per hour or per week, but a writer works entirely on spec. It takes a certain amount of courage to put tens of thousands of words on paper, knowing all the while that it's entirely possible that no one will ever pay you a dime for your efforts.

KS: How did you learn to write well? School? Trial and error?

ED: I did take a writing course, years ago, and it was tremendously helpful because I was finally getting professional feedback. Sure, Aunt Sally and your best friend might think your stories are marvelous, but keep in mind that Aunt Sally and your best friend love you. They likely think anything you do is marvelous.

Aside from professional instruction, the most important thing a writer can do is read, read, read. Read everything, read anything. Study not only the books you enjoy, but also the books you don't. After you've finished a book that makes you sigh when you turn the last page (both from satisfaction at the story's wonderful conclusion and a tinge of regret that the story won't simply continue forever) go back and reread sections of it. How did the writer pull you in? How did he/she bring the characters to life? What makes the dialogue sparkle? Do the same with a book you didn't care for, whether you can bring yourself to finish reading it or not. What didn't work? Why do the characters seem wooden and two-dimensional? If you had the chance to rewrite it, how would you change it?

KS: What's the thing about writing that you still need to learn (if anything)?

ED: I need to stretch my wings more, try new things. I was recently given the opportunity to try writing a screenplay, and felt as if I'd been tossed into a lake without knowing how to swim.

KS: What was the turning point in your writing career when you realized you were a success?

ED: Finding a publisher for my first novel brought a surge of pure joy, a feeling that I had arrived. I hadn't, of course, that was simply the beginning of a new journey. I really don't consider myself a success, and I rather hope I never will. If I ever let myself think that, I'm very much afraid that I'll stop growing as a writer.

KS: What's the biggest plus about being a writer?

ED: I learned to read at an early age, and books opened new doors for me. There was (still is) magic in the written word, innumerable worlds to explore. Opening a new book gave me (still does) a feeling of excited expectancy. I wanted to be a word magician, I wanted to bring that feeling to others. If my books can make a single reader out there gape or giggle or learn something new or shed a sympathetic tear, I'm happy. I've become a magician.

KS: What mistake did you make early on that you'd like to warn new writers about?

ED: For too long a time, I allowed rejection slips to undermine my confidence. It doesn't matter how many people tell you not to let a rejection hurt, not to take it personally -- it feels personal. Writing a story is akin to giving birth. That's your baby someone sneers at and abuses and tosses into the trash. Of course it hurts. The thing to remember is that editors are (gasp!) human beings. They have their own likes and dislikes, their own preferences, their own hot buttons. Maybe your editor has a toothache. Maybe she hasn't had her morning coffee yet. Maybe your protagonist is named Millie and it just happens that Millie is the name of the woman who flirted with the editor's husband at that party last night.

Believe in yourself. Believe in your work. Keep sending it out there.

Elizabeth Dearl is a former Texas police officer who also owned a small bookstore for several years. Her time in uniform gave her the background needed to write convincing mysteries, while her stint as a bookstore owner reinforced her love of a good read. Now Elizabeth Dearl is realizing her life-long dream to be a writer. She is also an instructor for Writer's Digest Schools Writers Online Workshops (www.writersonlineworkshops.com) Her next course, "Focus on the Short Story," will begin in February, 2003. Email Elizabeth if you'd like to sign up early.

Dearl's short fiction has appeared in numerous publications. Her mystery story "The Way to a Man's Heart," won the Derringer Award for best short story of 1999 and "The Goodbye Ghoul" has been optioned for a short film.

In May 2000, her first mystery novel, Diamondback, was a finalist for the 2001 Eppie Award and has recently been optioned for a motion picture. Diamondback features novelist Taylor Madison, who discovers a mysterious letter among her late mother's effects and heads for West Texas in search of her father's identity.

The second book in the Taylor Madison mystery series, Twice Dead, was published by Avid Press in September, 2001. Also released in 2001, was the anthology entitled Blood, Threat and Fears. The anthology contains four mystery/suspense novellas, with Dearl among the authors. Both won 2002 Eppie Awards -- Twice Dead for "best mystery," and Blood, Threat and Fears for "best anthology."

Malicious Intent, a collection of Dearl's short mystery and horror fiction, is available as an ebook from DiskUs Publishing

Elizabeth Dearl lives in the Houston area with her husband Joe, a police detective, and two fur-children of the canine variety. Visit her online at: www.elizabethdearl.com and www.sleuths2die4.com

© 2002 Kathy Sanborn

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