I’ve received the Honorable Mention label a few times and truth be told it was exciting.
First time, second time, third time, but then…
Well, then I got the always a bridesmaid syndrome. You know what I’m talking about, right?
What was wrong with me? I mean my stories. Sorry, that sounded so whiny.
Thanks to David Farland latest email I got a few answers. Not satisfying answers but answers nonetheless.
Here’s what I learned from the Story Doctor.
It’s not me, it’s my writing. Ouch, that hurt.
Not because the writing is bad, it’s just not good enough for the judge. Ouch again.
Since there are no new ideas under the sun, I’d better make sure my take on whatever I write is fresh, unique and interesting. There must be something original that lifts it above others written on the same subject.
Beautiful writing does not make up for sloppy execution.
A dynamic beginning still needs a firm six-pack middle and a satisfying ending with a try-fail cycle that leaves the reader breathless.
Missing elements – no character is an island. They may live on one but they don’t live in a vacuum void of interaction with someone or something. Characters, think and feel about the things around them and that is what brings them to life. Judges need to see that.
David did give me some encouragement. He said if a writer is receiving Honorable Mention then we’re on the right track. Whew, there’s hope for me after all.
Plus, He suggested making a tip sheet of 25 things judges might grade on before submitting. Great idea.
Thanks, David!
If you’d like to read the entire article click the link below.
I’ve written about using Twitter effectively before but I’m still not on top of this social network. Not sure I’ll ever be anything other than a Newbie, however, I keep trying.
Here are some Facts I just recently learned:
The First thing I learned is that Twitter has limits.
I knew that Twitter limited the number of people you could follow but seems they have lots of other limits too.
Direct messages (daily): The limit is 1,000 messages sent per day.
(Avoid DM’s unless you know the person or have developed a trusted relationship with the person. Unfortunately, DM’s have been used by trolls so be careful.)
Tweets: 2,400 per day.
The daily update limit is further broken down into smaller limits for semi-hourly intervals. Retweets are counted as Tweets.
Changes to account email: Four per hour.
Following (daily): The technical follow limit is 1,000 per day.
Please note that this is a technical account limit only, and there are additional rules prohibiting aggressive following behavior. Details about following limits and prohibited behavior are on the Follow Limits and Best Practicespage.
Following (account-based):
Once an account is following 5,000 other users, additional follow attempts are limited by account-specific ratios.
I don’t know about you but watching those Twitter ads fly across my screen is mind-boggling. Buy this, read that, retweet, send, click here, it’s almost like watching Home Shopping Network on steroids. Yet people swear by Twitter!
What is it about Twitter that they love so much?
When I sit and read all the cute tweets and Memes time drifts away and before I know it hours have passed. Is that it? Is that why people like it because they can zone out and forget the rest of the world? Somehow I don’t think so.
Using Twitter is like learning a new language or joining a secret clubhouse when you were a kid. Once in, it all makes sense. Or at least, I’m hoping that’s how it works.
The second thing I learned is the secret handshake.
Drum roll, please.
Lists.
But what to do now that I have this magical organizing tool?
A list is a curated group of Twitter accounts.
You can create your own lists or subscribe to lists created by others. Click on your picture and then you can click on lists. There you can see “Subscribed to (ones you’ve made) and Member of (one other people have added you to).
You can search for a list that applies to your subject or need and start up a conversation with other like-minded people on that list. Engage and don’t annoy.
Now, that sounds like something I can do. The conversation part anyway. The annoying part, I’m a bit iffy on because I’ve been known to annoy some friends during conversations. Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah.
What else I learned about lists?
There are public and private lists.
Make a public list and you have to tend to it.
What? That means readers expect the list to stay active and not get stale. This is something I didn’t understand when I first started using lists. This is more work than I want or need.
So I deleted all of the lists I’d made, thinking I was organizing. I do love to organize stuff. Boxes and cubbies for stuff. However, not if I’m expected to buy more knickknacks every day. Whew!
It’s better to read, ask questions and comment on other people’s lists than make my own.
I discovered that I enjoyed checking into other people’s lists, peeking into their conversations, asking for advice or just chiming in with a comment or two.
Interested in Flash fiction, baseball, cooking or need to find a specific poison or plant reach out on Twitter through Lists. Add a # in front of the word and voila you can find all sorts of information.
Thanks for stopping by my blog. Let me know what you think about using lists in the comments and reach out on You can find me on Twitter @jeancogdell, Facebook at jean.cogdell and Amazon.com, stop by and say hey! Please remember to click and share this post with your Twitter peeps and Facebook fans.
I had no idea a soundtrack could be added to an ebook. Who knew? Probably all of y’all, I’m usually the last to hear about all of this new-fangled techie stuff. But this is so way cool.
Will I use it? Not sure.
Why? Because when I pick up a book I like to shut out the world around me. I don’t enjoy listening to music or multi-tasking when I read. I prefer a quiet room or my porch on a warm sunny day.
Now my grandkids are different. The teenagers in our family enjoy reading with music blaring through headphones attached to their ears. To me, that’s a distraction.
However, I can remember a time when I did homework listening to the radio so maybe it’s not so different. Music comforts us, romance and relaxation.
And music is important to storytelling. Without music, movies would be boring.
But fiction writers can’t rely on music to create the tension or sounds to show a motor, river or a moving object. Or can we?
Ever heard of Booktrack?
Well, I hadn’t until now. Wow, seems I’m always the last to know the latest new fangled software.
I learned this program can add a movie soundtrack to your ebook. Is your hero drowning? Add the sounds of a rushing river. Need to add fear and tension? You can add a music score worthy of an Oscar. With sound, the writer can use sound to convey what’s happening instead of words to make reading the scene richer and more like a movie.
I learned that I could add background noise during character dialog. Such as glasses clinking, a door closing or a gun shot this takes writing to a whole different level.
This program can turn your novel or novella into a screenplay.
Is this the way of the future?
I’m not sure how much this will catch on but I think there is definitely a place for the technology.
A blogger gives a little bit of information. “Hey guys, look what I found. Go to this other website link and read all about it.”
But, what I didn’t understand was that weeks could pass before you read my blog and that “other website” might have moved or gone kaput. Which happens more and more as people tire of blogging or switch blogging platforms.
Depending on the server, you’ll get something like this but the message will be the same. Nobody is home.
Readers got the Vanishing Act and Dreaded 404 Error which made me look bad.
Not wanting to bill myself as some writing guru I was doing this more and more on my blog. However, recently I found myself irritated with another website when every link gave me the 404 finger. I clicked away and unfollowed.
Which got me to thinking. I know dangerous ground, me thinking. But, if I felt that way maybe my readers felt that way too. I don’t want unhappy readers.
Now don’t get me wrong!
I love linkbacks and reblogs!
Linkbacks and reblogs are the strongest forms of flattery for a blogger.
There had to be a solution.
So what to do?
I’ve decided that I’ll do my best to…
Share here on my website what I learn.
Share why I think my readers might find it important too.
Share the source link at the end of the post. After all, I’m not an expert but I firmly believe credit should be given where credit is due.
And last but not least I’m going to try to make my posts shorter. 🙂
Do broken links bother you?
Do they discourage you from visiting websites again?
Jean's Writing 