Thursday, September 30, 2010

They call it Independent writing.

This is a new term hitting the writing market or I should say old term since really the beginning of this past summer is when it was touched upon in a writing forum. It was a description one writer used on their resume because they freelanced, self published, traditionally published and submitted articles to various groups. Hhhmm, isn't this the definition of just a 'writer'? One who writes? :) This question was asked actually and I recall the answer was “Yes, but I write in many markets giving my a broader brush stroke.”

Ok I get that. I like the name. Of course, outside the field of writing it makes no sense since writing is just that, writing. You are a writer if you do any of the above on consistent bases. You may have written in one of those fields once but I consider a writer someone who writes consistently. My definition, no one else, all mine!

What is my point? I found over these many years of participating in this wonderful field of writing one must have a broad brush to stroke the canvas. If you only stick to one item your chances of fully engaging this field is slim. Not impossible but you narrow your way into it. Now this does not mean you jump from different genres or different areas of writing but you must tap into its full capacity. Example, I write fantasy novels. I also write comic book pieces, video game pieces, and short stories (of course) in the area of fantasy.

Write in it all and you never know who may be looking in saying “hey, I need a writer.”

Of course my answer is “Yeah I follow some of them!” :)

Re........jected streak!

To continue the rejected series here is another fine example where they answered the door and requested I stay off their lawn.

I have received your query.  After careful evaluation, I have decided that I am not the right agent to represent your work.  I'm sure another agent will feel quite differently about your material though. 

Thank you for considering our agency.  I wish you the best of luck finding representation.


This is again not so bad. It appears they may have read what I sent and may have considered my work…oooorrrrr their rejection email rule finally kicked in and I received the snub. Would be nice to know what in the evaluation failed to meet the criteria they were seeking from a writer. But I guess if they wanted me to know this they would say please submit more of such and such for further review.
Time for another Query rewrite!

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Fumbling through my writing repertoire

I found through these many years, in writing, you must as a writer build your skills with not just one writing skill but amass many. One of these skills, especially in the fantasy / sci-fi realm, is writing for a gaming company. About a year ago I ventured into this possibility or I should say “stumbled into it” (I am friends with the owners) with both feet.

Let me tell ya, it is a different beast even though it is based on imagination. The writing format and expectations differ from writing a novel. The outcome is sadly enough 100% visual so your creative genius (yes I laugh as I write that word) is shown, not read. Does this mean I really wrote something? Is it really mine? Or does it belong to the programmer and artist whose work is really the one being shown on the screen? All I really did was provide some words and "non-fancy" ones at that!

The answer is yes it is theirs. I may have had a part in it but really the hard part is making it all work on the screen. I may have written the sequence of events but they make it work.

Oh, I also learned as a writer I went a little overboard on what they really needed and killed some of my own writing time. BUT hey, I now have a short story about a modern day Somali Pirate and how he became one. Maybe I should turn it in to a short story contest?????????? Probably not, since I am not into the contest thing.....not ripping it but just not into it.

Re........jected.

So below is a rejection I recently received from one of the various crazies I am working to be represented by or work with (whatever it may be called). I post because this is what my blog is all about, getting close to the crazy!

Dear MJ Grothoff,

Thank you so much for your query. Unfortunately, however, this project

doesn’t sound right for me. I encourage you to continue to submit
elsewhere, and I wish you every success in your writing career. Thanks
again for thinking of me.


This isn't so bad. I believe it to be somewhat encouraging since they did not recommend I stop and put down the pen slowly. I wish I could find out why this project does not sound right for them though. They do represent fantasy literature and have clients with TOR and DAW. Right up my alley. But nonetheless, I am continuing and appreciate the response.

We have several crazies still out there ignoring my email........Yeah you, you know who you are. I am watching. Always watching!

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Twitter Writer (say this 5 times really fast)

I am following many writers while traversing the twitter universe and I keep some and throw others away. I do this because I find some can be vulgar and more about themselves than writing. I keep those writers who post but when they do post it is about writing or where they are in their writing. I followed one writer for a while who used twitter as her way to argue with other writers and/or even fans. She would often make crude remarks without, of course, stating her intended target yet when you follow the conversation you knew the target.

I may begin following agents again (I follow a few) but often they post about the authors they are managing and about upcoming books (which is not too bad if you like the authors they manage). Some of them have good blogs to follow and I plan on creating list of blogs but for now I will just follow via twitter. I am using it as my strainer on who has good advice, interesting things to say and using it as a way to follow other writers.

Oh I also follow Steve Martin because well....he just funny!

Thursday, September 23, 2010

The silence of writing

Whatever. Writing fiction is no way silent. I heard this the other day and thought wow, how could they think that??? You have the conversations between your characters bouncing around your own thoughts and the storyline retelling itself with each line written, which is enough noise to drown out everything around you (Yes, in layman terms we do call these extra voices creepy or "you may need to seek professional advice". But for a writer it is called - Normal). In any silent moment I am given during the day, these said voices enjoy interrupting my peace and playing havoc with the outline.

Updates! Updates! Updates!

Yeah putting the bang at the end of each update makes it important, right? Ok so not really. I am working my way through the current series and wanting more from it. Not more in the story that has been written. No, no. More from what is coming. More from the outlines, notes and gathered thoughts. You ever feel that way when you look over what you wish to do next. I want more from it now. Not tomorrow. Now. In due time I guess.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Query crazy

I have been on a crazy tangent with queries to agents. Reading Agent blogs on what they expect in a query. Agent websites on how to write a query. Writer sites on how to query an Agent.

They are all ---- different.

On the bright side, I did find a cool mapping website which shows me all of the worlds forest fires. Yep no lie.

http://www.fao.org/nr/gfims/web-mapping/en/

Crazy talk

I follow a lot of different writers and agents retweeting the same links yet I do not stop following them.
Why? This is a befuddlement.

What the......

Why the Blog name? It defines exactly what I am working to achieve as a writer.

What am I working to achieve? To quit the day thing I go to (that which shall be nameless but you know who you are!) and support my family with my writing.

So again why the Blog name?  From my five years of participating and growing as a writer, I have come to realize my dream is to work with a bunch of people just like me -----crazy. :)

Why crazy?  You tell me --> I write every day of my life (including holidays). I write within every opportunity given in a day as the sunrises/sets and the moon follows. I write until my eyes burn and I no longer can see the paper, screen or whatever the writing choice is for that moment. I am in constant thought on my writing and I read blogs about writing. For what? Very little pay, A LOT of work and constant criticism of my work by the public.   YEP - CRAZY!