Persist! Audio Encouragement for Writers from Mike Arnzen

As we're heading into NaNoWrimo, I thought I'd share a reading of one my articles in Many Genres, One Craft to help inspire people who are getting started or starting to falter...

If you can't see the embedded player below, you can listen to "Persist! Avoid These Five Defeatist Writing Myths" on Soundcloud.



Never say die! -- Mike Arnzen, http://gorelets.com

MGOC Contributor: Chun Lee

CHUN LEE
EXCERPT from "Pursuing the Graduate Degree" by Chun Lee in Many Genres, One Craft: Lessons in Writing Popular Fiction

Success in writing can take many different paths. For some, being a ranch hand for ten years may be the perfect experience necessary to write a particular book. For others success can be found through the wonderful world of academia. There certainly are a fair amount of writers who have a day job in this field so it seems they go hand in hand. If you need to do a bit of research over a topic, you could model a lesson plan around it and I also can’t think of any other job that pays you to talk about books.

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Chun Lee is dodging gators and enjoying amazing Cajun cuisine in Lafayette, Louisiana. His work has appeared in The Late Late Show, Dissections, Sails and Sorcery, and the upcoming anthology Paper Blossoms, Shattered Steel. He is a graduate of the WPF program at Seton Hill University and is currently earning a Ph.D. in English at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

MGOC Contributor: Dana Marton

Dana Marton

EXCERPT from "Creating My Niche in Romantic Suspense" by Dana Marton in Many Genres, One Craft: Lessons in Writing Popular Fiction

For the first twelve plus years of my writing career, I wrote five complete novels and numerous partials, then dutifully sent each to multiple agents and publishers. None of those stories were ever published. In the six years that followed, I wrote twenty-five romantic suspense novels that are now published or currently scheduled for publication with Harlequin Intrigue.

You might notice that the second period was somewhat more productive than the first.

So what changed?

For one, continuous writing improved my writing skills. I didn’t send in that first completed book and waited until it sold. I kept writing and submitting through twelve years of rejections. I also found writers’ organizations and learned from their workshops and from other writers. I even went back to college to study writing in a more systematic way. But one of the most important things that finally brought success was that I learned to focus.

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Award-winning author Dana Marton has had a passion for reading and writing stories since childhood. She has penned several novels in the SDDU (Secret Designation Defense Unit) series that feature tough as nails heroes, breathtaking suspense and heart pounding romance. Her books are published in seven languages in eleven countries around the world. Ms. Marton has a graduate degree in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. When not writing or reading, she loves to browse antique shops and enjoys working in her sizable flower garden. Visit her at http://www.danamarton.com.

MGOC Contributor: Randall Silvis

RANDALL SILVIS

EXCERPT from "Tough Love: Make Your Protagonist Suffer" by Randall Silvis in Many Genres, One Craft: Lessons in Writing Popular Fiction:

Elkin, the winner of two National Book Critics Circle Awards, for the novels George Mills and Mrs. Ted Bliss, was a consummate stylist, and, like most literary writers, more concerned with language and character than with plots. The darkly comic conflicts that drove his characters tended to be more internal than external. But in no way did that diminish his resolve (nor should it diminish yours) to create characters who are at risk.

Conflict is the heart and soul of story. This is true of every form of narrative, whether short fiction, long fiction, screenplay, stage play, narrative nonfiction or even narrative poem. Without conflict, there is no story.
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Randall Silvis is the author of 11 critically acclaimed books thus far: one collection of short fiction, nine novels, and one book of narrative nonfiction. A new suspense novel, The Boy Who Shoots Crows, is forthcoming from Penguin Books in late 2011, as is a short slipstream novel, Flying Fish, from PS Publishing (London) in the summer of 2011. In 2012 PS Publishing will release the short novel The Boy Who Learned That the Moon Is Cold. Silvis's literary awards include the Drue Heinz Literature Prize, two literature fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, a Fulbright Senior Scholar Research Grant to the Caribbean, an honorary Doctor of Letters degree, and six fellowships for his fiction, drama and screenplays from the Pennsylvania Council On the Arts. Look for a nonfiction book on the craft of writing to come from Silvis in the future. His blog can be found at http://randallsilvis.wordpress.com.

MGOC Contributor: Sharon Mignerey

SHARON MIGNEREY
photo by Les Mignerey

EXCERPT from "M&Ms for Characters" by Sharon Mignerey in Many Genres, One Craft: Lessons in Writing Popular Fiction:

Most of the fiction writers I know have read numerous books on character development that espouse all sorts of advice. Most of that advice boils down to making sure character development includes two things: milieu and motivation, or as I like to call them, M&Ms.

As writers, we want the same thing in characters that readers do -- compelling people who are remembered long after the book is finished. These are characters who have a significant need, longing, or desire that is recognizable to readers, who have problems to overcome, and who create a sense of identification with readers.
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Sharon Mignerey (www.sharonmignerey.com) has written books for Silhouette Intimate Moments, Zebra, and Steeple Hill Love-Inspired Suspense. A self-confessed dreamer, Sharon knows the only way to make dreams come true is to work diligently toward their achievement, like her master's degree in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill. Sharon's books have won The Golden Heart, the National Readers Choice Award, and the CRW Keeper Award. She's active in RWA chapters in Texas and Colorado. She was named the 2003 Writer of the Year by Colorado Romance Writers and the 2000 Writer of the Year by Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers.

MGOC Contributor: Anne Harris

ANNE HARRIS
photo by David Reed

EXCERPT from "Perfect Disaster: Don't Let Perfectionism Squash Your Creativity" by Anne Harris in Many Genres, One Craft: Lessons in Writing Popular Fiction:

Perfectionism destroys productivity, and what's worse, it robs you of the joy of creating. After all, no one and nothing is perfect. Holding your work to that standard will only set you up for failure. Writing used to be an agonizing process for me. I dreaded it. I avoided it for days and weeks and when I finally did sit down and write, I'd type that first sentence, and then I'd rework it until it was just the way I wanted it. I would not move on the second sentence until the first sentence was perfect and the same for paragraphs and chapters. Needless to say, when I got midway through the book and needed to change something I'd written at the beginning, it was tantamount to amputating a body part. The whole process was slow, difficult work, rife with self-criticism and second-guessing. It wasn't much fun. Frankly, it's a miracle I ever finished anything.
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Anne Harris writes science fiction, fantasy and, as Pearl North, young adult sf. Her novels include Accidental Creatures, which won the Spectrum Award for glbt sf, Inventing Memory, a Book Sense Pick, and Libyrinth. Her short story, "Still Life with Boobs," was a 2005 Nebula Award finalist. She also mentors grad students in Seton Hill University's Writing Popular Fiction program. Visit Anne and Pearl at http://bookviewcafe.com.

MGOC Contributor: Adrea L. Peters

ADREA L. PETERS
photo by Moss Media 2007

EXCERPT from "Making Revising Work for You, Not Against You" by Adrea L. Peters in Many Genres, One Craft: Lessons in Writing Popular Fiction:

Many how-to books and articles lead the writer through the first draft, but neglect to offer a method for accomplishing the subsequent drafts that lead you to a polished, sellable manuscript. The result: a writer who doesn't understand why his stuff won't sell, or how to fix what he's written. This article will offer a path for the writer, while hoping that each writer uses each manuscript and its necessary revisions as a way to perpetually evolve his style and craft. I know for this writer, each novel makes me more of the writer I want to be, and I attribute that to revising with a clear and specific intent for each draft.

The generous thing about writer's workshops and college programs like Seton Hill's MFA in Writing Popular Fiction is that they don't impose a methodology on writers. However, the working and/or student writer on a deadline works best when he or she develops a plan, or borrows one from a more experienced writer. Following a process will allow you the freedom to make your stories readable and original quickly. That's what sells books and lands contracts.
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Adrea L. Peters graduated valedictorian from the School of Journalism at the University of Colorado with a B.S. in Editorial Writing and was awarded her M.A. in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University in June 2008. She published an online magazine, Artists Looking Ahead, from 2004-2009 where she shared her passions for photography, health and writers, interviewing best-selling authors such as Tess Gerritsen, Dan Pink and Jodi Picoult. She and fellow Seton Hill graduate, Teffanie White, recently launched an e-publishing company, Pictureless Books (http://picturelessbooks.blogspot.com), specializing in inspirational alphabets for the Kindle and other e-readers. Ms. Peters lives in Vermont and has just completed the first book in a children's science fiction series.

MGOC Contributor: Lee Allen Howard

LEE ALLEN HOWARD

EXCERPT from "Your Very First Editor" by Lee Allen Howard in Many Genres, One Craft: Lessons in Writing Popular Fiction:

If writing a manuscript is like building a house, then revision is renovation -- modifying the existing structure, such as putting up or taking down walls. Revision starts with the rough work of reorganizing the big pieces, and takes you from the first draft to the second. Self-editing takes you from the last draft to the final version you submit to an agent or publisher. This means you should complete your revision before you fine-tune your prose. In other words, don't paint the drywall before you cut it, nail it to the studs, and patch the seams.

Revision is remodeling; self-editing is detailing -- when every sentence and each word count.
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Lee Allen Howard has been a professional writer in the software industry since 1985. Besides editing fiction and nonfiction, he does editing and layout for health and fitness professionals. Lee writes horror, erotic horror, dark fantasy, and crime. His publication credits include The Sixth Seed, Severed Relations, the Cemetery Sonata anthology, Out newspaper, the Thou Shalt Not... anthology, and Amber Quill Press. Lee also writes about metaphysical and consciousness issues on his blog at http://buildingthebridge.wordpress.com.

MGOC Contributor: Matt Duvall

MATT DUVALL
photo by Natalie Duvall

EXCERPT from "Powerman Writes Women's Fiction: On Writing What You Know" by Matt Duvall in Many Genres, One Craft: Lessons in Writing Popular Fiction:

When I tell people I'm completing my MFA in writing popular fiction, they're generally impressed. Then they ask, "What do you write?" That's the question I dread. I try to be clever, saying something like, "grocery lists," but this is usually met with blank stares. So then I respond, with a mumble or a cough, "Women's Fiction." This response gets laughs. But why? Is there a reason I shouldn't write Women's Fiction?

Ok, I'm a man. I can prove it if I have to. I'm around six feet tall, weigh about 215 pounds, eat chicken wings, drink beer, and watch cage fighting. I train in martial arts, run half marathons, and used to be a pro wrestler. So why is it so funny for me to say, "I write Women's Fiction"? Is there some reason I shouldn't?
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Matt Duvall was a professional wrestler who appeared on national TV shows and was included in Pro Wrestling Illustrated magazine's Top 500 wrestlers for 1996. He completed his MFA at Seton Hill University, which is also where he met his wife, Natalie. His short fiction has been published in a number of venues, including Chizine, The Ultimate Unknown, and Eye Contact. When he's not teaching high school students, Matt practices Krav Maga, runs half marathons, and tries to avoid mowing the yard.

MGOC Contributor: Maria V. Snyder

MARIA V. SNYDER

EXCERPT from "Dumping the Info Dump" by Maria V. Snyder in Many Genres, One Craft: Lessons in Writing Popular Fiction:

Imagine with me… You're curled up on the couch in front of a roaring fireplace with your favorite beverage within easy reach. Sleet is clinking on the windows while you're reading. The story draws you in, the real world disappears, your beverage cools, and…..WHAM! You hit an information dump and are either rudely ejected from the story world or become mired in paragraph after paragraph of dull explanation.

An information dump -- also known as the "info dump" -- is just that. A large chunk of exposition used by writers to explain backstory, technology, characters, etc… Basically a huge pothole in the middle of the story, bringing the story's action to a screeching halt. Many readers will not recover and will seek another book to read in their cozy living rooms.
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Maria V. Snyder changed careers from meteorologist to novelist when her first novel, Poison Study, was published in October 2005. Poison Study won the 2006 Compton Crook Award for Best First Novel, the Salt Lake Co. Library's Reader's Choice award, was a 2005 Booksense pick, and received a Starred Review from Publisher's Weekly. Her second book Magic Study was a 2006 Booksense pick and a RITA Award Finalist. Her third "Study" book, Fire Study, earned her a place on the New York Times Bestseller list. She also completed a three book "Glass" series set in the same world and a YA science fiction thriller titled Inside Out. Maria received her M.A. from the Seton Hill Writing Popular Fiction program where she is now a mentor. She lives with her family in Pennsylvania. Visit her at www.mariavsnyder.com.

MGOC Contributor: Timons Esaias

TIMONS ESAIAS
photo by Mark W. Tiedemann

EXCERPT from "Don't Be a Bobble-Head and Other Bits of Guidance" by Timons Esaias in Many Genres, One Craft: Lessons in Writing Popular Fiction:

I am fighting a personal war against this word, and am the author of “Esaias’s First Oration against Grimace” and “Esaias’s Second Oration against Grimace". This is a really lazy word that has little precise meaning. X grimaced is the equivalent of writing The character had a facial expression, and not much more, though there is a suggestion that it expresses a negative emotion or experience. It also tends to come up in a POV violation. I generally find that it gets used because the writer couldn’t think of a way to be precise.

I strongly suggest that you just never, ever use this word, except when describing gargoyles.

("Don’t Be a Bobble-Head, and Other Bits of Guidance" by Timons Esaias. Revised version of an essay first appearing in Fantastical Visions Volume II (Fantasist Enterprises, 2003).)
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EXCERPT from "A Helpful Tactic: The Template Text" by Timons Esaias in Many Genres, One Craft: Lessons in Writing Popular Fiction:

When working on your first short stories or novels, I strongly suggest picking a Template Text to use as a reality check. It is best if the text chosen is a work of fiction that fits the following criteria:
1. A writer you wish to emulate
2. In the POV you intend to use
3. In the style you hope to acquire
4. With the same attitude toward the main character as you intend for your own piece.
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Timons Esaias is a satirist, poet and short fiction writer, living in Pittsburgh.  His fiction has appeared in fourteen languages, and his poetry has been translated into Spanish, Swedish and Chinese.  His poetry chapbook The Influence of Pigeons on Architecture is in its second edition.  He has also been a finalist for the British Science Fiction Award, and won the Asimov's Readers Award.  He is Adjunct Faculty at Seton Hill University.  His website is www.timonsesaias.com.