Write What You Know

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Writing From Experience

I’ve read many writing magazines over the years.  Over and over, articles hash out the advice to write what you know.  As someone who writes and reads fantasy and science fiction, I’ve struggled with what that meant.  Do you have to be a murderer to write mysteries?  If you’ve never been in space or met a unicorn, are you out of luck?

The answer to that is to find your inner truth, your own experiences, and then apply them to your imagination.  You’ve never met a unicorn (well, I’m assuming here) but you’ve touched the velvety warmth of a horse’s nose, seen the stick-like legs of a deer bounding away in fright and walked through the tall grass of a meadow in spring.  Pulling that all together to create a story about something imaginary is writing what you know.

Now I’m writing about what I know in my career.  I’m struggling a bit.  How can my unique set of experience become something more universal, more applicable to librarians in many situations?  Doubt sets in as to whether I know enough to share anything at all.  I’m not from a prestigious college, I don’t teach classes in librarianship, I don’t have the answers to solve the vexing problems that small library managers face daily.  Who am I to tell fellow librarians anything?  Do I have any wisdom to impart?  Ah.  But I have made many mistakes.  I can share those.  I can share what I have cobbled together by trial and error.  I can put forth my opinions, formed through experience.  I will write what I know, and hope that will be enough.

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Brutal Honesty about Self-Publishing

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Truth About My Self-Publishing Journey

I was inspired by Hyperbole and a Half’s come-back.  She talks honestly (and humorously!) about depression.  I need to have that kind of heart to heart with you, my reader.  I mean that, there’s probably just one of you, and that’s ok.

Apparently, you can’t just slap any book into e-book format, self-publish on Amazon and Barnes and Noble, and just make money.  I wasn’t trying to get rich, but I had a goal of earning $1,000.  I have not earned enough for them to send me a check yet.  My book is not erotica, does not have special instructions or have any sparkly vampires.  It’s a silly send-off of the show Murder She Wrote, examining what happens to relatives of those amateur detectives who seem to be encountering a murder every week.  No one has written a review.  I have sold 13 books on Amazon, earning me $9.10, and 12 books on Barnes and Noble, earning $9.60.  They won’t send me money until I get over $10.  My last sale was in March, when a bunch of my friends showed me support (thank you!).  I can’t rely on selling my book to friends and relatives.

I thought that if I self-published, I wouldn’t have to deal with rejection.  Ha.  It’s just different.  I have to determine how to write the rejection letter to myself.  ”Dear Jane, this is not working.  I suggest trying something else.”

My something else will be a book for Librarians.  I have specialized knowledge, and it is a niche market of known readers.  I also know who to market to.  I’ve got the start of the book and I’m trying to pull together something that is both informative and entertaining- a slightly snarky how-to of running a small library.  I’ll include things like a “Are you burned out?” quiz, book lists and coping strategies.  When I’m done I have a beta-reader in mind, a colleague of mine whose opinion I value.  I think she’ll do it.

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May the Fourth is a big day!

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Celebrate Star Wars Day and Free Comic Book Day!

So, this year two geeky events are happening on the same day.  May the Fourth be with you- Star Wars day.  Celebrate all things Star Wars with a party or movie marathon.

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Free Comic Book day is a yearly event (the first Saturday of May) where they give out free comic books and promote all things comic books.

Wolverine says go to Free Comic Book day

 

 

 

 

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Handling the Crickets

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auditoriumHandling rejection

It is inevitable that you will have a project or business or interest that is much more important to you than to the rest of the world.  It takes a bit of mature reflection to understand that just because you put your heart and soul into it, the people around you don’t have to.

Many writing books talk about rejection.  If you want to get published, you will have to deal with your work being judged and found wanting over and over again, until you finally find someone who will accept it.  This is true for many endeavors.  I find the worst kind of rejection is crickets.  No response whatsoever.  You laid your work in front of someone and get silence.

This is almost becoming industry standard.  Agents write that they will contact you if they are interested.  Which means they do nothing if they don’t like the proposal you spend weeks on.  A publisher I just submitted to has the same policy.  I’ve even seen a few small online magazines state the same thing.  Which leave the writer in an awkward position.  At least with a form letter, the writer can move on to the next market.  With no response at all, the writer has to guess if it has been sufficient time.  Being a writer, she of course comes up  with reasons why the silence is not a real rejection.  The recipient is out sick, or never got it, or is holding on to the piece because it grabbed his interest but he’s not sure how to sell it to others.  There’s no closure!

My friend is launching her cake business and is bringing her web page live.  She’s thrown her heart and soul into it.  She’s talented, savvy and professional.  If the world were fair, as soon as she announced she was selling cakes, people would start pounding on her door.  Instead, she will have to deal with crickets to some degree.

What can we do about it?  Go out in search of feedback from someone you know will respond.  Remind yourself to keep on going, and give yourself plenty of praise and encouragement even if the world doesn’t care.  You care.  Be the friend you want your friends to be and pay attention to their own endeavors.  One friend launched an Etsy store, another is creating a One Direction quilt, another is applying for a professorship.  Be a listener to get listened to.

Then, just like with any rejection, get up, dust yourself off, and keep on going.

(By the way, feel free to write a review for my ebook, that would be swell!) 

 

If I ruled the world…

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To regain creativity, be a kid

Whenever you feel your creativity ebb, you should go hang out with some kids.  I worry that I am losing that sense of wonder, that awe in the world itself and all it has to offer.  I never declare a day “the best day ever!” anymore, or pause to really stop at look at something beautiful or unique.

We went to Disney World and my kids showed me that you shouldn’t talk yourself out of big ideas.  My son declared that he had “so fun” and that it was the best day ever.  My daughter explained that she hated “it’s a small world” because the world is huge and amazing, not small and petty (she really didn’t get what the makers of the ride were trying to get across, but that’s ok).  All these amazing things we saw, from giant displays to tiny details, took creative time, energy and care.  They started as a simple thought and were brought into life.  There was ephemeral art as well, works of culinary art that is created and  meant to be destroyed.  There was art in performances and transcendent customer service.  I need to pull inspiration from all of that art and creativity.  No matter where you are or what you do, it is possible to live your life artfully, to be creative in your day to day life, to think big ideas and small details and improve the world.

When I was 8 or so I used to play this game with another young dreamer.  We’d sit under a tree during recess and get pine tar on our clothes as we discussed in detail what we would do if we ruled the world.  His dreams often involved flying cars and lots of food, if I remember correctly.  If we ruled the world, there would be no math homework, we would live on a tropical island and play video games and we would have secret caverns and there would be world peace and we could move things with our minds.

Be brave.  Remember to keep thinking like a little kid.  Suspend your disbelief when you watch a movie.  Quiet down your inner critic when you have a big idea that might take a lot of work to complete.  Give yourself permission to fuss with small details that only a few would see.  If you are one of those few, it matters. Allow infinite possibilities. No matter how your heart is grieving, if you keep on believing, a dream that you wish will come true.

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Tabletop Day

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Play a game!

In honor of tomorrow, March 30th, being International Tabletop Day, I’ll discuss my favorite board and card games.  Unplug your children and friends and enjoy sitting around the table having fun.  Go visit your local game or book store and give  them your support.

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Munchkin: the original card game has many spin-offs now, from horror to sci-fi.  You play a  loot-happy character from a roleplaying game and the first to get to level 10 wins.  It’s fun to support your friends at the start of the game, only to thwart them when they get close to winning.  Thwart thwart!  Here’s the game in action.

ah_prod_roborally_pic1_enRobo Rally: You play a computer running robots through mazes… sound familiar?  This board game requires strategy and knowing your left from your right.  I’d love to have this played on Geek and Sundry’s Tabletop and see Wil Wheaton holding up one hand and then the other, trying to set the program on his robot.

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Fluxx: This card game has only one rule, draw one, play one. Until you put down another rule.  The rules change depending on what cards are played.  This game can be over in seconds or last for hours, and frankly it can be wonderful fun or just horribly frustrating.   Here’s the game in action.

Connect Four: A classic game, a quick play and a lot of fun with kids.

Uno: If I could only bring one game with me, this is the game I would bring.  It’s easy to play even when you’re distracted by chatting with your friends, it’s a good game to play with kids and your in-laws and the people who don’t like complicated games.  Play by matching color or number, make your opponents draw lots of cards and win by going out first.

Have a great game!

Moments

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51HCa3RHsOL._AA160_I just finished a memoir called “Paris in Love” by Eloisa James.  It was assigned by my book group and not something I would have picked up otherwise. It relates a year of the author’s life when she took a sabbatical in Paris.

What makes it remarkable is that it is made up of little moments, often not more than a few sentences, relating something she experienced.  She not only talks about food and art, but the homeless people she encounters, her children’s school experiences, her in-law’s overweight dog and the way light shines through a window.  It inspired me to capture more moments in my life.  As I’m writing this, I’m remembering a song from “Into the Woods“.  Life is more than just moments, but they are to be gathered up and savored.  Of the moments that happened today, which ones will I remember a year from now?  Probably replacing the flooring in our TV room.  But the serious discussion I had with my daughter about what Phineas and Ferb must be like in school (their poor teachers!) should be remembered too.

Writing a journal seems like another chore, a self-indulgent one at that.  It can be more than that- it can be art and therapy and self-discovery.  Give it a try, and start with a small moment of each day.

Best Disney Guidebooks and Advice

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disney signEvaluation of Disney World Books and Advice:

MouseJunkies! (second edition) by Bill Burke   This isn’t as much of a guide as it is giving you permission to be goofy.  Or Donald Duck.  Bill relates hilarious anecdotes about favorite Disney foods, his “love affair” with the tv announcer and his not-so-secret addiction to all things Disney.  The segment about drinking around the world (at Epcot) was epic.  This was more entertainment than guidebook. My husband also read Disney After Dark and told me it was really funny but definitely not suitable for kids.

 Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World  These people have got it down to a science.  If you can only buy/borrow one guidebook, this should be it, or perhaps their “with kids” version.

Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World by Susan Veness  This book relates back story and details about the history of the four park’s design and architecture.  This book is great for fans of “behind the scenes” and the “making of” extras in DVDs.  She gives specific instructions for looking for these hidden gems.   A supplemental guide, not recommended as your primary source of information.

I purchased the companion planner, and while it is a great souvenir/scrapbook, I now wish I had bought  Passporter’s planner instead.  The Hidden Magic Planner is organized by park, while the Passporter was organized by day, allowing me to put in other Orlando activities.  It also has prompting questions like “what was the best part of your day?  the worst?” I have a copy I bought back in 2004 that I packed with notes and memorabilia.

 DK Eyewitness Travel Walt Disney World and Orlando  These guides get outdated quickly.  This one from 2012 doesn’t have any of the new Fantasyland information.  The description of rides is sketchy at most, and the maps are vague.  The edition I’m reading doesn’t even have a map of Islands of Adventure.  It does have some great photos, something DK is famous for.

Birnbaum’s Walt Disney World For Kids This is written for kids, I would say the average 8-10 year old would enjoy this simple and straightforward book to include them in on the planning.  My 13-year-old daughter was not so impressed.

 Fodor’s Walt Disney World with Kids If you like planning a trip to a resort like an expedition to Kilimanjaro and you’re bringing along your kids, this is the book for you.  It rates each ride on its scare factor, which is important if you’ve ever lost the trust of your child at the beginning of a long week of rides.  Our daughter was afraid of dinosaurs for years after a few misjudged rides.  Good maps, good index.  I don’t have the book in front of me and it’s possible I’ve got it mixed up with another I’ve read, but I think this was the one that suggested training for going like it was an olympic event, building up to walking with your family for ten miles a day.

Since all of these printed guides go out of date (most of the ones that are labeled 2013 were written in 2011 and published in 2012), it is good to update with apps and websites.  There are thousands of small blogs dedicated to the sport of Disney vacations.  I enjoyed WDWprepschool.com. There’s the official website, which has improved since I used it in 2009.  They now have a way to store an itinerary, reservations and other details in one place and share it with the rest of your traveling party, and it is connected to a mobile App called “my Disney Experience”.  Strangely enough, there’s no spot to include your plans to go to Universal or Sea World. ; )

You can get Facebook updates from Disney, the Unofficial Guide and other large blogs.

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My personal advice for the best Disney World experience:

  • dress your children in bright, memorable clothing
  • wear sunscreen
  • hydrate frequently
  • take more breaks than you think are necessary
  • pick one priority item per person per park, and make sure you do those things
  • wear good shoes
  • stop and look for magic
  • be kind to “cast members”
  • shop little and shop late
  • always go to the left if there is a choice in directions
  • ask about the best place to view things before picking a spot for parades and fireworks
  • stop worrying about things- you’re on vacation!
  • be epic
  • write down funny things your kids say
  • get yourself in the picture- yes, everything is amazing, but you want you and your family in the shot!

Share your Disney do’s and don’ts with me!

Greener Grass?

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keepcalmandcarryonWhine and Cheese

Whenever I complain about never being able to sleep in I usually get some kind of cutting comment from someone who wants kids and can’t have them, telling me that I should appreciate what I have.  I do appreciate my kids.  I also appreciate sleep.  My friends who are full-time parents get guilt for not appreciating their lifestyle.  What is that about?  Parenting without a break is a hair-pulling (sometimes literally) endurance challenge.  Then I get twitted for “farming out parenting to a daycare” because I’m a working mom.  No matter what your family situation is, you are not allowed to complain because you have it so good, according to people who have no idea what your life is like.

I officially give everyone the right to complain.  Within reason.  Don’t let it eat up your lives, people!  Picking who you complain to will help you get the support you need.

The reason I was thinking about this was that after attending the workshop for the summer reading program, I was not feeling inspired or revved up.  I was feeling bitter.  As bitter as a child-less woman at a toddler’s birthday party.  As bitter as a stay-at-home mom reading blog posts about a friend’s career achievements.  As bitter as a working mom seeing someone write a facebook post about getting up at noon to a day of doing nothing.

I didn’t have the time, resources, energy and personnel of the other librarians sitting with me at my table.  They were all children’s librarians in large libraries, each one of many sharing the load. I pictured them sauntering into their libraries, doing a program for a large and appreciative audience, then going home.  They didn’t have to figure out how to cover the library’s hours if people got sick, train for a new billing system, submit time sheets, update the website, replace the paper towels, shovel the back walkway, submit the annual report, catalog all the books, be on call for the security system….the whining in my head was reaching a fever pitch.  Even one of my other colleagues (not at this table) revealing to me that she couldn’t afford to fix her car didn’t cut on my inner tantrum.  I should appreciate my job, the autonomy of being in charge without any direction, the full time salary and benefits.   I questioned my mental health.  Surely there must be something wrong with me to be this bitter.

Then it hit me.  It’s ok to complain.  Nobody has it perfect.  Complaining does not mean you don’t appreciate what you have, it means that what you have comes with issues, just like almost everything in life.  Voicing a sentence or two about your troubles should be met with sympathy and understanding.  In a perfect world it would be.

Accept that you won’t get what you need from just anyone.  It is sometimes difficult to give that sympathy and understanding when the complainer is very different from you.   For example, complaining about having to get up at 9 am usually won’t garner you much sympathy from the general public, even though for you it was horrible because you work nights.  Your fellow night workers will get it immediately.  Complaining about being a library director to a bunch of people who would love to be in charge?  Not going to get much sympathy.

I held off whining to this group, and bit my tongue when they vented their frustration about being too structured and being bored with their jobs.  I will find another small library director and vent to her, and she will completely get where I’m coming from.

 

Evaluation of Goal progress

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So.  March.  How did that happen?  My experiment in self-publishing is indicating that I should not quit my day job.  So far I could get a nice dinner… at McDonalds.  I am very far away from reaching my goal of earning a thousand dollars writing this year.  Part of the problem is not hacking out the time to work on writing.

Every now and then it is good to stop and take stock of your progress toward your goals.  I find the end of each month an excellent time to do so.  Evaluation is not the same thing as self-flagellating in guilt-ridden defeat.  No.  You are looking at what works and figuring out what is getting in your way.

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You ask the right questions. You come up with solutions for your obstacles.

I realized I was trying to force a story to work when it wasn’t working.  I had a setting and a character, but no plot.  I need to put that one aside and let it percolate in the back of my mind.  Instead I’m going to go between working on two projects.  One is a rewrite of a kids’ novel, the other one is a humorous guide to running a library.  If any librarians reading this have funny anecdotes about the heady joys of library management, send them to me!

In order to fix my progress I need to work on time management.  Once I sit down to my writing time, I will turn off my network connection.  That will cut off the nervous and repetitive checking of updates.  I will inform my husband of when writing time begins and ends and ask for his help to prevent interruptions. My other issue is confidence.  That I’m working on in two ways.  One, I remind myself that really bad writing is published every day, so why not let it be mine!  Two, I focus on getting the work done, not how it will be received.  If I treat it like homework, something that must be finished, no matter what, the work will get done.  A huge part of success is just showing up.