Better Off Read

Keeping Goals and #WriteMotivation

heather — Mon, 14 May 2012 16:42:31 +0000

Keeping goals is one of the most difficult things to do. I’m an expert at the inward groan of self-reproof. I’ve often disappointed myself because I set this or that resolution at the New Year only to find myself failing by February (or the second week of January). Failing is defeat. But if you think [...]

OWFI Conference 2012

heather — Thu, 10 May 2012 15:14:41 +0000

OWFI is the Oklahoma Writer’s Federation, Inc., which I joined this year. I know, I live in Kansas. But this is a great organization! I am finding after living in Kansas for a year that we mid-westerners must band together against all the wheat. It’s romantically reminiscent of pioneer days. So . . . I [...]

#WriteMotivation

heather — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 18:37:51 +0000

Today I am posting about goals. I have signed up to be accountable, which is the best motivator for me (if I actually care about the person I am accountable to–which I do!). My critique partner and amazing friend, K. T. Hanna, has a hash-tag (#WriteMotivation) and often motivates others to write. I have taken [...]

Rejection & Integrity

heather — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 14:29:43 +0000

In preparing to send out query letters, I am also preparing myself for the inevitable rejection that accompanies it. It can be difficult not to view the rejection as personal. Unless your query was sent to an agent who you tweeted something bad about, declared your mistrust or disgust for the publishing industry, or contained [...]

Formatting the Blank Page

heather — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 01:32:42 +0000

I admit this post is as much for myself and my own reference as it is to help anyone interested in writing for more than a hobby. The publishing industry today is becoming more streamlined. The amount of time it takes to go back and reformat is precious time you could be editing or writing [...]

Write Like the Devil

heather — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 22:09:51 +0000

While fiction is mostly make-believe, there has to be just enough truth in it to make it plausible. A master at this principle is the Devil himself. Satan, the Adversary, Lucifer, whatever you want to call him. Even if you don’t believe in the Devil, you surely know what he is. He is a deceiver. [...]

Distractions

heather — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:29:05 +0000

So many times people ask what I am staring at. I always answer, “Nothing.” But I’m lying. I am usually staring at the movie in my head, another world that my mind has created. It can happen anywhere, anytime, and unfortunately does. One time, I was standing in Sam’s Club looking at the picture of [...]

Tradition and Writing Rule No. 2

heather — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 22:52:40 +0000

Tradition is a staple of the holiday season. The season itself is a tradition for most people in America. While the holidays can be the worst time of the year for some, they are a wonderful time of the year for me. My family has many traditions that make me feel rooted to my heritage, [...]

Death of a Legend: Anne Inez McCaffrey

heather — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 16:36:36 +0000

Published in 1968, Dragonflight was the first of McCaffrey’s novels about Pern and the first of her books I ever read. I loved the main character, Lessa. She was (and is) my hero. I laughed, cried, and flew seamlessly through the next two books, Dragonquest and The White Dragon. I proceeded to devour the rest [...]

The Necessity Factor–Writing Rule No. 1

heather — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 16:41:11 +0000

All it takes to stop the flow is one wrong word. You sense the feel of it, the nuance, the connotation, but draw a . A big, fat ! You think about it folding laundry. The word hangs at the edge of your mind when the phone rings. It vanishes. Products on shelves at the [...]