My way of conquering writer's block

Yes, I know, it's been a super long time since I've blogged. Guilty! But I have to be honest...I've had major writer's block. I've tried everything I can think of:

• reading what I love
• reading what I'm not really interested in
• jotting down notes of the first thing that enters my mind
• writing prompts
• daydreaming
• watching movies
• and, yes, even tossing my balled up paper sheets into the wastebasket practicing my free throw,

and still nothing worked. So, I did what they tell writers not to do: I gave up. Well, gave up trying to force the ideas to come anyway. I didn't pick up my pen and paper or open Word on my laptop for two weeks. I let the stress go of trying to come up with some new twists for the wonderful ideas my critique group had given me. After all, it was Thanksgiving and I had lamb, potatoes and chocolate pie to concentrate on. And...

Okay, you know what happened. Slowly, at first, but then each day, I had an idea for a new character, a new plot, a new setting, but the only thing I allowed myself to do was jot down the idea in my idea notebook. I would not let myself start writing. I didn't want to ruin the fresh flow of ideas that finally seemed to come again.

If any of you follow Formula One racing, you'll know that the first race to take place on American soil in some years was held in Austin, Texas, the weekend of Nov. 16-18. I had signed up to take a class called, "Literary PR Bootcamp," given by a wonderful speaker, Jennifer Hill Robenault. I almost didn't go to the class, which was on Saturday, because it was held at St. Edwards University near the heart of downtown Austin. Did I mention Formula One racing was that weekend? I feared traffic would be a nightmare and I kept going back and forth on whether or not I should attend. Well, I went. And I'm glad I did.

The class was super informative on ways to market your book. If any of you get a chance to hear Jennifer, I encourage you to seize the opportunity. Loaded with information on what to do once you're done with your book, the course did more for me. It re-energized me into wanting to continue my writing in order to get to the point where I'm ready to market it. And little by little, the writer's block cloud that had been weighing me down began to lift and I could start imagining scenes and dialog once more.

I envy writer's who can sit down and write seven days a week. I am not one of them. And though I don't have a crystal ball for telling anyone else how to conquer writer's block--because how one surpasses it is different for everyone--I can say that the cloud does lift, the skies do turn blue again and the pen (or fingers) will start writing once more.

So don't give up for good...maybe just a week or two and take some classes in between.

Hoodratz In Space Issue #1 Delights Fans

Day Three of Fan Days at the Irving Convention Center was a great conclusion to the three-day event. The cover of Hoodratz in Space #1 brought a smile to attendees faces as they drew near the table. After hearing Erik Reeves and myself give a synopsis of the story, many said, "Oh, I've got to have that!" What a great response.

To all our family, friends and fans who supported us, THANK YOU. We could not have done it without your support. Erik and I take pride in our work and we're glad we've delighted so many with this comic book series. Hoodratz in Space #1 is the first of many to come. Stay tuned!

Day One - Hoodratz In Space Debuts!

My first comic-con convention to attend as a vendor is...FanDays in Dallas and all I can say is WOW!! I had so much fun. Erik Reeves and I sat at the Hoodratz In Space table and talked with some amazing comic book fans--that we transformed into Hoodratz fans, thank you very much! Everyone who saw the "Hoodratz In Space" sign said, "I have to ask, what is 'Hoodratz?'" It was a great response and a great way to open a conversation about the comic book. We sold several comics, all autographed by both of us, of course.

This is my first time to see the completed first issue and it is unbelievable. The comic is beautifully illustrated, thanks to the talented Mr. Reeves (thank you, Erik!). The ladies are wonderfully drawn. I can't believe it's finally finished and in fan's hands. We hope you, the fans, love what you see and want more. Hey, it's just the beginning.

Space is about to be ROCKED...BY THE HOODRATZ!

Enjoy.        

Hoodratz In Space Issue #1 Debuting at Dallas Comic-Con

 

Hoodratz In Space: Issue #1 set to premiere at Dallas Comic-Con, October 19-22, held at the Irving Convention Center. Stop by and meet series creator, the talented Mr. Erik Reeves, and debut comic book writer, me!, Jackie Cannon.

Hoodratz In Space features five young girls--whose dream it is to become the next hot vocal group to top the charts--who find themselves thrust into the role of being Earth’s saviors. The AOCKS, a deadly enemy from an unknown part of space, ravage Earth attempting to annihilate humanity and take the planet’s resources for themselves. The Hoodratz rocket into space in search of the Aocks’ Control Nexus, but will they be brave enough to face what awaits them? A horror that’s all-too familiar, yet deadly.

 

The Hoodratz In Space comic book series has been years in the making. Mr. Reeves and I are ecstatic that it is soon to be in the hands of anxious readers who have supported its long-awaited production.

 

To all the fans, thank you!

Check out the latest images on these hot new heroines at:

 http://hoodratzinspace.blogspot.com.

In order to write, do something other than writing

You know that saying, "Cluttered house, cluttered mind?" I've learned over the years that it's definitely true. I had serious writer's block last week. Nothing was coming; reading wasn't helping, playing wasn't helping, nothing. So as I was contemplating what to try next, I sat and looked around the room. And what I saw was STUFF EVERYWHERE! Books piling up, papers needing to be thrown away, products needing to be sorted--stuff was everywhere. And I said to myself, "Jackie, no wonder you can't write anything, you don't have a clear environment in which creativity can flow. So, I got to cleaning. And boy, did I clean.

I organized my books, weeding out the ones I can sell or give away. I reordered the file cabinets, filling two paper bags with old articles and magazines that had long lost their usefulness. While I was at it, I thinned out my DVD collection and most of those summer clothes that I didn't wear once this summer. Whew!

And during that whole "clearing out" time (about four to five hours), I stopped on three different occasions to jot down three new ideas that came to me. Now that's breaking through writer's block.

Do you have an area that's begging to be cleaned out and put in order? How about the car? Laundry room? Garage? You don't have to do the whole room, just pick a small section, even one wall. It doesn't take much. Often, the best writing ideas come when you're not writing.

Take A Deep Breath and Dive In

Now, you could be thinking, "Okay, she conquered her fear and learned how to tread water." On the one hand, you'd be correct. I did go to my swim class and learned the technique for treading water. I have to put in some more practice to get it right, but I know the basics. On the other hand, I'm talking about my manuscript. I've revised again (can't remember what number I'm up to), thanks to the many great inputs from my critique group buddies, and I submitted my query letter, synopsis and first 10 pages to an agent who requested the materials. I had to just take a deep breath and dive in (in this case, hit the "send" button!).

I did it. My finger wasn't shaking as bad as I thought it might. I proofed my work, spell checked it and didn't see any glaring mistakes. I double checked my contact information to make sure everything was there that the agent might need, just in case they happen to request to see more. It could happen, right? Right?

Anyway, it's sent and now the waiting begins. And, as they say, while you wait...write! Keep writing and then write some more. Because if not this book, then maybe the next one, or two. Just keep breathing and dive right in to your next great story.

Needing Inspiration

If you've ever had to write something, whether a note to a friend, a thank-you card, an essay or a ten-page paper, you've probably experienced writer's block. For a writer, it's unbelievably frustrating when you sit down to write and twenty minutes later, the page is still blank. For what I wanted to write about, I needed serious inspiration. So, I made a bold move.

Many times I've read of writers diving head first into the subject of their writing. If someone was writing a crime novel that takes place in a hospital, they visited a hospital to learn the inner workings. If someone wanted to write an Italian cookbook, they would travel to Italy and take cooking lessons. You get the idea. Well, I was having a hard time thinking how to approach writing an underwater battle scene. I'd start writing something and I'd nix it. I'd start again. And again, I'd nix it. It just wasn't coming out right. I needed first-hand experience and serious inspiration. So, I signed up to take swimming lessons...again.

I know, I know. You're thinking, "Again? No one forgets how to swim." Well, for me, it wasn't so much forgetting how to swim. It was relearning to put my face in the water and being comfortable in that environment. I took swimming in college for an entire semester. I learned to swim, but never really overcame my fear of deep water. To write this scene, I had to go back in and experience what it was like to move, twist and turn in water again. Once I got in the water, I was surprised that I was okay being in it. The hardest thing to relearn is blowing out your nose underwater. Now that I'm older, my mind takes over and I have an instant trigger--once my face hits the water, I stop blowing out my nose. I'm working on it.

Just like I'm working on this battle scene. Now that I'm remembering what it feels like in that environment, I can better attack how to write this scene. Just as I'm relearning to tread water, I'm learning that if you want to write something realistic, you have to really experience it.

If you're going through something similar, take a chance and get out there and learn how to do it yourself. It'll make your writing more real, which will make your reader believe what they're reading. It'll put them in the story and that's what it's all about.

And yes, I'm still afraid of deep water. Next week in class we learn how to tread water. Wish me luck.

Hoodratz in Space Issue #1 Kickstarter

Hey everyone,

The Hoodratz in Space Issue #1 Kickstarter is up and running, and we are well on our way to reaching our goal. Please help us make this dream reality. You're going to love this new comic book series featuring dynamic, young, (not to mention great looking!) females caught up in a struggle to save Earth. Here's the link to check out the Kickstarter program:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/veargraphics/hoodratz-in-space-issue-1-0

Don't miss out on being a part of this special, long-awaited comic series. Help us reach our goal by making a contribution today. Thank you.

Critique group has begun

My critique group had its first meeting on Saturday. Three of us, all writing sci-fi/fantasy stories, decided to meet twice a month to exchange pages for review, go over query letters, help write synopses and whatever else we may need to help each other get published. Even though we write within the same genre, we each write for different age groups. I write middle grade, one writes young adult and the third writes adult. I'm very excited about this group coming together and look forward to the insight they can give me to improve my writing. And they're really fun, positive people to be around, which makes all the difference.

Let the critiquing begin!

Got a Critique Group Together

One of the things many authors suggested at the WLT 2012 Agents & Editors Conference was to have a critique group. Their tips for a successful one:

1. Keep it small
2. Meet consistently
3. Do number 2...consistently

I met a friend at a publishing class I attended in the spring. She and I decided to read each other's stories and help each other along to publication. Then, I met another lady at the conference who was looking for a critique group as well. I introduced the two by email and we have our first meeting this coming Saturday.

And so, our critique group will begin. We're going to exchange story pages, query letters, synopses, whatever it is we want reviewed.

I feel very fortunate to have found these two ladies. Hopefully, all three of us will achieve our goals...PUBLICATION!

Hoodratz In Space Comic Coming October 2012

Hey all you comic book fans out there, have I got news for you! A hot new comic book series, Hoodratz In Space, is set to release later this year. It has been a long time coming, but it was well worth the wait.

Hoodratz In Space (HIS) is the creative brain child of highly talented concept artist, Erik Reeves. I met Erik at a comic book/sci-fi convention in Dallas, Tx, years ago. I wanted to get into writing comic books and he just happened to be looking for a writer. Since our meeting, we've worked on other projects and steadily improved our respective crafts and the time is now right. I absolutely love this project and can't wait to see it in print.

Stay tuned! And while you wait, you can follow HIS on twitter @Hoodratzinspace. Like HIS on Facebook - HOODRATZINSPACE and follow the official HIS blog: http://hoodratzinspace.blogspot.com.

Thanks!

Expand Your Writing

I love comic books, always have. I enjoy the visuals that comic books provide. I could definitely learn more about comics, and I try by visiting local comic shops and learning what's hot and new. So you can imagine how bummed I was to have missed Comic-Con 2012! I love G4tv and didn't realize that DirecTV doesn't carry the G4 channel until it was too late. So I had to catch up on g4tv.com. But it wasn't the same as getting those live reports. Wow! Point is, I've expanded my writing from novels to comics. I've had to learn the format of how to write comic books, giving direction to the illustrator (since I don't draw) and writing short, to-the-point dialogue. It's been a learning experience and a lot of fun.

So what am I going to do to continue expanding my writing? I have an idea for a sci-fi horror film script. Now I'm researching how to write scripts, lay out plots, develop log lines. There's a lot to learn. But it's giving me new insight into how to describe visually stunning scenes, so I believe it definitely helps improve my novel writing as well.

Branch out, expand your writing and see where it takes you. You might be surprised.

The Art of Editing, Again and Again and Again

When you first write words on paper, you're going as fast as you can to ensure you get as much as possible from your brain on to the paper before the words go into that vast realm of netherland where they'll never be retrieved again, which is about five seconds after you start writing. Once you've filled the page with everything you can remember, you go back and review what you wrote.

Ugh!, you say. All right. At that point, you either scratch through the whole thing because it doesn't even come close to relaying what you had in mind, or you start tweaking it. You change the first two words; insert a word, or two or three, on the next line; cross out the third line entirely and write its replacement in the margin vertical to your paragraph; the fourth and fifth lines you reverse for more impact; and so it goes until you now have two paragraphs sitting on top of each other. True, that's not bad if you're like me and have a supply of colored pens or pencils nearby which you use for editing. (Trust me, it's a life saver.)

Some people hate editing. I, on the other hand, can't stop editing. Editing is in my blood. It's what I'm good at. But as they say, after a time, you no longer see the mistakes of your own writing because you start seeing and reading what you know is supposed to be there instead of reading what's printed on the page.

So, for me, I do the best I can. I write. I edit. I rewrite. I edit again. Write. And edit once more. And hope the final product is as great as I can get it.

I had another goal in mind when writing this particular post today. One agent's advice was to lose those words that end in -ly. I caught myself wanting to write -ly words almost six times during this post. You be the judge. Did I miss any?

Let me know. I'll revise it.

Day Three, Fabulous End to WLT Conference

The last day of the WLT 2012 Agents & Editors Conference didn't disappoint. I liked the "Pitch Review Session" (although some of them did seem longer than 250 words) because the panel gave some fabulous tips on what worked and what didn't (as in "would NOT keep them reading or wanting more"). Valuable insight!

I had a great time. Met a lot of great people--agents, editors and other attendees. Got a lot of great ideas on what I can do to make my sci-fi story better. And really, that's what it was all about, making your writing better. Thanks to everyone who hosted the event, and thanks to all those who took the time to talk with me.

Day Two of WLT Conference: YA or MG?

I attended six sessions today and did my 10-minute pitch. Whew! What a day. Here are some of the notes I took and key points I learned:

• With queries: keep it short, relevant and get to the point
• If I'm going to write children's lit, I need to join the Austin SCBWI
• When doing a synopsis, pretend you are your biggest fan--how would you describe your story?
• Learn the psychology of the age group you're writing for
• If you have a series, make sure your first manuscript is a story that can stand on its own (in case you don't get to do books two, three and so on

The 10-minute pitch went well. Because of Jennifer's great advice on Friday night,

• I was able to remain calm and poised
• I talked about my story as if I was chatting with a friend
• I wasn't nervous at all
• I should stick with what I started with and write what I want to write...
• and that makes my story Middle Grade science fiction instead of YA (Now I know!)

Elena, the agent, made it so nice, too. She was really low-key and easy to talk to. Thank you, Elena!

All I can say is, if you're debating about going to a writer's conference, GO! Even if you only do it once, GO! It's so worth it.

P.S. And when the trend swings back to science fiction, I'll be ready!

Can't wait to see what I learn on Day Three.

Day One at WLT 2012 Writer's Conference

What an incredible day! This is my first writer's conference and after just one afternoon, I feel my money was well spent. Sure, I've finished my manuscript. I've had others read it. And I've revised it countless times. And yeah, I've sent out a few query letters (I've revised those more times than the manuscript!). But in just one afternoon listening to an agent give her tips on querying and pitching, my eyes have been opened.

Jennifer Laughran gave great insight on what an agent wants to know about your book in your query letter. I took her handout and rethought my approach to pitching and querying. Actually, she made it more relaxed, and I wasn't expecting that, so that was quite nice. She answered everyone's questions and used references that all of us could understand and relate to. She also received great praise from authors on this evening's Opening Panel. If you have a chance to hear her speak, I highly recommend it.

Thank you, Jennifer. :)

Writer's Conference is next weekend

I can't wait for the WLT Writer's Conference in Austin, Tx, next weekend. I signed up for the YA A to Z track and look forward to learning alot of good information from those in the know. I'm hoping to learn what interests young readers and keeps them turning the pages. Also, I hope to meet new friends and fellow writers that I can correspond with and begin a critique group. As much as I love writing, I love doing my natural gifts, which are proofreading and editing other fascinating stories. I hope to gain much insight in the writing craft that will kick my writing up to the next level. Sure, I may have a manuscript that's complete, but I know I need pointers to get to "great".

Spring Is Here! That Means Writer's Conference.

It's almost June. That means the Writer's League of Texas Writer's Conference is just around the corner. I've been using these last months revising and editing my manuscript. Also, I took a writer's class in the spring and made a new friend. We're exchanging manuscripts and editing each other's. This has been a big help for me. It's a new view on my manuscript that provides much needed insight into how my story flows or doesn't flow. She's also willing to let me practice my pitch on her. Since I signed up early for the conference, I get 10 minutes with an agent. I'm psyched! I'll keep you informed as to how I do.

Keep writing!

Just as Hard to Write, But Oh, So Important

The query letter. Who hasn't dreaded over this simple, yet important, first contact with a possible agent. Learning to write a query letter is harder than writing the manuscript; at least, to me it is. I've written and edited and revised my manuscript numerous times, but I've written, revised, re-written, edited and still re-written my query letter countless times. I forget what version I'm on now with my query letter. I just don't seem to be hitting it right. The hook, the spark, the interest, I'm not getting it just right so that it comes across to an agent as, "Wow, I've got to read this manuscript."  That's what I'm striving for. The story is written, but how does one consolidate 250 pages worth of text into, at most, one or two paragraphs to nab the agent's interest? Hmm.

Well, if anyone has the secret, please, please, let me know. Until then, my eraser--and my delete button--are working furiously to find the right magical combination for that just-perfect query letter. But I'm an optimist; I'll get it done. Just you wait and see.

The Hardest Part of Writing

For me, writing has always been writing about what I liked, what I wanted to read and what I was comfortable with. But that doesn't make for a good-or even great-story. I was always afraid to write things that hurt. I don't want my characters to hurt, to fill pain, to cry. Yes, my characters face challenges, but those challenges, I've come to understand, only touch the surface of my characters' feelings. I have to write what I don't want to. I have to make my characters face their fears, my fears. So I have to write what causes them, me, pain. I have to write what will make my characters cry, mad, selfish and behave in ways I don't want to see them behave. It hurts, but it makes my characters all that more real. And that's what it's all about. Writing a character so believable, your reader can relate to them in many ways; the reader can see themselves in the situations you write about, even if those situations are set in a universe completely foreign to them.

And so, I write those things that will make me cry because I don't want my character to behave like that. I don't want her to do something so selfish. I don't want him to die. It hurts. I hurt. And after the tears and the anger, I read over my story and I realize the truth. My story, my characters are better for it. So write the hard parts, you'll be a better writer because of it.

When you're active, you learn so much

In just one month (this first part of January), I've done so much to help me and my writing. I've joined the Writer's Digest community to gain more incite on the mechanics of writing and getting published. I've researched information on the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and looked into the Austin chapter to see when and where they hold their meetings. I've also reviewed accepted query letters to see what those writers did right that got them noticed by agents. Whew! That's a lot in only two weeks. But it's been well worth it. Most importantly, I learned the difference between middle grade and young adult fiction. Now I know which group my science fiction story belongs to (young adult) and which my fantasy story belongs to (middle grade).

Wow, I'm so jazzed to keep learning so my writing just gets better. When you jump out there and get involved, you can get overwhelmed. But remember to pace yourself, find those things that apply to your type and style of writing and, most importantly, hold on and have fun!

3 Must Do's When Querying An Agent

The process of querying an agent is probably the hardest part of the manuscript process to date. I've sent out around 20 queries so far, and there are three things I've learned in my short time that you must do.

1. Do spell the agent's name correctly. I know it's been said before, but it is an absolute must. There's no faster way to lose an agen'ts interest than to turn them off by misspelling their name.

2. Do make sure that agent handles the genre of book that you've written. Again, it's been said many times, but it can't be said enough. If that person doesn't handle your genre, it shows that you didn't take the time to research the company. They probably won't take the time to pass on your letter to the right person. Remember, they receive hundreds of queries a day. They're extremely busy. Respect their time.

3. Do remember to follow the agent's query instructions to the letter. If they say they want one page, don't send two pages or more. If they only accept email queries, don't send a query by snail mail. (I learned this one too late. The agent guide I used was out of date, and I ended up snail mailing a query instead of emailing.)

You've done painstaking work on your manuscript to get it to the point at which you're ready for an agent to take a look at it. Don't rush the query letter! Take the same amount of time, or more, with it. Remember, it's an agent's first impression of you. You want to show them that you can follow instructions and that you're easy to work with.

My first sci-fi short story published

Hi everyone!

I am new to blogging and this is my very first one. For those of you that don't know me, I am an aspiring science fiction/fantasy writer. I have two manuscripts completed. One is science fiction and the other is fantasy. Both manuscripts are geared toward middle grade readers. I also write short stories and comic books when I can, and I received wonderful news (an early Christmas present you might say). My very first sci-fi story I submitted was accepted. It's up on Aphelion, a sci-fi webzine. Here's the link: http://www.aphelion-webzine.com/shorts/2011/12/FreshMeat.html. I'm so excited.

I hope this is the beginning of something new. What a great way to end 2011 and begin 2012. I'm working on submitting query letters to literary agents. As I go along, I'll share my journey with you. I'm a member of Writer's League of Texas here in Austin, and I took the plunge and signed up for the Writer's Conference in June 2012. Hopefully, I'll get my "15 minutes" with an agent and can pitch one of my manuscripts.

That's about all for now. I'm really happy about the short story and my writing plans for 2012. It's going to be a great year.

Happy New Year!