This and That....

If you missed me, well blame it on Ike. We got our hardest hurricane hit this time, though it was nothing like it could have been. There are a lot of people out there who got hit a LOT harder and longer. To read about my adventures with Ike, check out my personal blog. There are pictures, too.

While I was offline, our chapter released our latest anthology, A Death in Texas, which is way cool. You can find it online at amazon and B&N or at fictionwise as a mutliformat ebook. I downloaded my copy and have read four of the short stories and so far am very wowed. My short is in very good company!

I also got a review of The Key from Booksmugglers. It was a decent review, though I was surprised they found it political. It is a good lesson in this truism:

Where ever I take my eyes, they see things from my point of view.

Simply put, we each bring our personal experiences to the reading experience. It's not something the writer can control or even predict. You can plan to be political and still not get the response you hoped for. It's just the way things are. So it's not worth it to get huffy and bent out of shape if you get a review you don't like.

I'm fortunate that good reviews have far outnumbered bad (and the BookSmuggler's review is really nice. They liked my story and loved Sara, my main character) but I have gotten slammed. I had one reviewer not only hate the book, but she proceeded to give away each and every plot surprise in the book. My mildest "bad" review thought I was "too funny."

At no time have I written and complained about a review. If I write, I thank the reviewer for their time. If I find something interesting or a surprise, I might mention it, but never in a hostile manner. We can learn from reviews, even if that lesson is just: turn the other cheek.

If you're going to be in the this business, if you put your writing out there, someone somewhere is going to have an opinion about it and it won't always be flattering. And if you don't get reviewered ever, you need to work on your promotion and marketing.

Char's Book Reviews has an interesting discussion on her website today about even genre fiction writing can reflect our world view and become a forum of our beliefs. Guest blogger Mark Phillips writes:

"I believe that fiction, even, and perhaps especially, genre fiction is the modern democratic forum for ethical discussion. We can and should be conscious contributors to that ongoing dialogue."

And if you become a part of that dialogue, you WILL tick someone off somewhere. For the writer, the question then becomes, "Do I allow my critics to silence me? Do I slink off into a dark corner and lick my wounds? Or do I accept that everyone has their own point of view and experiences? Can I allow them their differences? Can I refuse to give them power over my words and thoughts and writing?"

You probably won't know how you're going to take criticism until it happens. It's probably a good idea to expose your work to others prior to publication. Learn to smile when someone tells you how your work would be better. And consider the fact that they may be right. Or might at least have a point.

People will analyze your work and see things you don't. Because where they take THEIR eyes, they will see things from their point of view. That's never going to change, no matter how much you might want it to be different. And if you set out to make your work didactic, you can count on ticking off people.

To toughen your hide, put on your asbestos drawers and do what you love. Words have great power--but they still only have the power You give them.
Perilously yours,
Pauline

Dealing with Fatigue...

I haven't written a blog here, because frankly, couldn't think of anything to write about. I went to my writer's meeting on Saturday and a friend was talking about how hard it is to start a novel, just how much energy it takes to launch a big project and I realized I was suffering from fatigue--not just writer's fatigue but general life fatigue.

Life happens. Sometimes it lifts. Sometimes its a rip tide. We've been swimming against the rip tide for a while, plus I've got promotion burnout big time.

So, no writing blog advice. I've been browsing the blogs and sites, looking for a way to fill my internal well. In the past I've been able to funnel hard times into my writing, but it hasn't worked that well this time. Going to my writers meeting helped (I knew it would, which is why I dragged my sorry out to it despite my fatigue!).

I've also been writing some short stuff, just to keep that feeling I'm doing something. But that seems to be working against me, in a way. My brain has gotten lazy. I've also been working on some non-fiction with Jamie and preparing for the amazing Muse Online Conference next month (and preparing for hurricane season and now bracing for Ike-talk about a distraction!).

So, I'd like to be wise and tell you, here's how you get through writing/life fatigue, but I'm not to wise yet. It does help to know that when this has happened to me in the past, it's not forever. Like the tides, creativity can ebb and flow. Sometimes you just have to wait for the tide to come back in. Sometimes you have to wade out to it.

Other than that, all I can say is that you're not alone. And that I know it will pass. Been here, done that, bought the tee shirt. And the chocolate. :-)
Perilously yours,
Pauline
The Key; Men in Jeans: Death in Texas Anthology
Made-up Mayhem, Available now!
Adapting Your Novel for Film, Available now!

Fyn emerged out of the woods at the back of her house and gestured for him. They met in the center of the backyard.
“Found something.”
Apparently he’d used up his allotment of full sentences. Rick signaled for a couple of the guys to come with them and followed Fyn into the woods.
(from Men in Jeans in the Death in Texas Anthology, 10/08)

Taking a Look at Adapting Your Novel for Film

I think we all dream of making it big, in publishing and then in film, but the odds of having your books adapted to film and then made into a major motion picture are beyond my math skills to calculate.

That said, there are independent film routes into movie production. When you look at the success of indie films such as The Blair Witch Project and My Big, Fat Greek Wedding, then it makes sense to target your efforts at more than just the big movie studios.

And if you are going to work with an indie, then it's a good idea to learn how to adapt your own work. Many of the small indies don't have the budgets to hire scriptwriters to adapt books, though it does happen. It's just a good strategy to know how to do your own adaptation. And it doesn't hurt to learn to talk the talk, even if you don't do your own adaptation.

There are some excellent books out there on adapting novels for film, but they are targeted at scriptwriters who will be adapting other people's work. They focus a lot on theory and storytelling--something I assume you already know if you've written your own novel. My booklet is just about adapting your work for film. It's short and to the point.

And in other news.....

I’m participating in an event to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Please join me and help raise funds for investment in vital CF programs to support research, care and education. During the month of September, I commit to writing 15,000 words and I'm hoping to raise at least $150 for CFF. Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a devastating genetic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system. More than ten million Americans are symptomless carriers of the defective CF gene. Advances continue to be made in finding a cure, but your help is needed now-more than ever-to help keep up the momentum of this life-saving research. To learn more about CF and the CF Foundation, visit www.cff.org. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of those with cystic fibrosis. Thank you for supporting the mission of the CF Foundation!

Thanks to everyone for your support!

Click Here to donate. Perilously yours, Pauline