No Library Card Needed

I've read many articles on how well stocked a writer's personal reference library should be. Over the years, I've collected quite a few on grammar, phrasing, word selection, setting, character development and creating believable alien characters (I write sci-fi, remember). And I've gotten a lot of inspiration out of those books, but I've also received just as much, if not more, inspiration out of my read-simply-for-pleasure books.

I have several Star Wars and Star Trek books, many graphic novels, several of the classic stories (e.g., The Arabian Nights) as well as new favorites (e.g, Harry Potter series), and those nice little gems one finds at garage sales and book fairs. All of these are part of my writer's library because in some way each of them has contributed something to the vast world that is my imagination. Without these wonderful stories, I might not have had the dream to become a writer myself.

Take a look at your own library and see how many books you have that are actually on writing, and how many are in your library for the simple fact that you love the book. Nice surprise, isn't it?

Can't Afford a Writers' Conference, Try This Instead

Writer's conferences are great ways to meet other writers, agents looking for new authors and editors willing to give you an honest critique of your work. But they can be quite pricey. If you're trying to watch your dollars in this new year, do like me--instead of attending one conference, try attending individual classes.

The Writers' League of Texas puts on several three-hour classes throughout the year, held at a local college. It's half your day, usually on a Saturday (either morning or afternoon). And it's an excellent way to meet local authors and industry people that might not otherwise be accessible. I've signed up for my first class on Feb. 23 titled, 'I Want to Go there: Creating Believable Worlds," with Patrice Sarath. I'm very much looking forward to it since my genre is science fiction and fantasy.

Whether it's a conference or several mini classes, find what works for you money-wise in improving your craft and roll with it. After all, no matter how we get there, we all want the same end result: publication.

Best writing to you,

Jackie

New Year, Renewed Aspirations

Happy 2013!

The start of a new year is always invigorating and refreshing. People have high hopes and lofty goals for making changes to and in their lives which will enrich and empower them. However, as the weeks go on and we settle back into our daily routines after the holiday season, we lose focus and those high hopes and lofty goals begin to blur. That's why I stopped setting "goals" when a new year rolls around. What I do now is look back at the past year and see what I did accomplish and what changes I started and didn't accomplish.

For those following my blog, you know I have aspirations on becoming a writer. In 2012, I attended my first writer's conference, began a critique group and completed my second manuscript. Pretty good. But what didn't I accomplish? Revising my edited manuscript and starting a third one. I had time to do it but somehow the frenzy of the holiday season beginning in November overwhelmed my senses and I simply "ran out of juice" as the saying goes by mid-December. Not so good.

Now that the new year has begun, I've organized an area in my room to be my "writing space." I've cleared off the desk, restocked my colored pens (I use nearly every color of the rainbow when I'm revising my work) and read the latest issues of Writer's Digest and SCBWI newsletters. I'm inspired. Time to put "butt in chair and crank out the words."

New year, REnewed aspirations on getting where I want to be--on the path to finding an agent and getting published. Happy 2013!