Do Writers Play A Role In Shaping Our Society?

• Novelists


• Screenwriters

• Songwriters




I believe we all contribute to our society. We put an image in our subjects’ heads, a feeling in their hearts.

As writers I feel we share a responsibility to put the right image out there. At times I feel the industry bombards people with the wrong material and morality takes a second seat as we board the next trend that comes along.

What are our children growing up to? What would be restricted years ago seems quite ridiculous in today’s standards.

Parents today have their hands full when it comes to discouraging drug use, promiscuity and crime. It seems songs, movies, TV shows and novels are littered with it, encouraging such behavior without showing the consequences of such actions. I’m not saying songs, movies, TV shows and novels are all bad, there is so much good out there too but there are also a lot of questionable ones as well.

Not to be a hypocrite, I admit I’ve written stories with shady characters… But I always try to make the protagonist see the error of their ways. I believe characters can have deep undertones—it humanizes them but at some point I want them to see the light.

In closing, I have to quote author Edward Bulwer-Lytton when he wrote the now famous cliché; The pen is mightier than the sword.

Sitting here in front of my computer, I have to wonder what the next generation will be like. Will my words inspire them in some way? Fanciful thought I know but I can’t help but hope that I write something… anything that will point someone in the right direction.

Keeping Up Appearances

By that I mean “social networking” it may sound easy but as a writer you’re delving into limited resources such as time to accomplish the goal. There’s no easy way around it and unfortunately, it’s a must in today’s competitive market.

You want your name out there so people (your readers) can get to know what you are about. They followed your blogs, tweets on Twitter, they corresponded with you on forums such as RT Book Reviews http://www.rtbookreviews.com/ or RWA Online chapter http://www.rwaonlinechapter.org/ or any number of forums. Or read your articles on sites such as Hubpages http://angeliquenewman.hubpages.com/ or Wikinut http://www.wikinut.com/author~xekjh/Angelique-Newman/ Your name becomes familiar and easier to spot in bookstores or wherever they choose to get a book.

Beside the time and energy it takes to put into networking, you’re selling yourself as an author and the reader will get a feel for your writing through the posts you submit. In this tough economic time, it’s hard to part with money, so the reader wants to make certain they find the most satisfying read for them. I like to think of it like matchmaking a reader to an author. Perhaps it’s the romantic side in me.

So pace yourself and always put your manuscript first; but when you have the chance interact with others and get to know your viewers; you never know you may just find a match and be put on someone’s must read list.

Drawing Inspiration from the Holidays to Write That Perfect Scene

Now that the tree is decorated, its lights shining and reflecting off the garland and various decorations. You may take a moment to listen to the Christmas carols playing on the radio, smell the scent of pine and take in the presents wrapped in festive paper and brightly colored bows.


For me there’s always a sentimental tug when I hear the 1943 song “I’ll be home for Christmas” and think of the soldiers in WWII; it’s easy to transport myself back to that era when family’s gathered around the radio listening to the news and the upheaval of that time or when soldiers received letters from loved ones back home and vice versa.

Emotions are raw this time of year; you hear timeless songs replayed through the decades past. The days are shorter and the season’s winds whip outside your home.

With all the emotions you’re feeling, it’s the perfect time to put pen to paper. Your creative juices are flowing and you may not be aware of it.

You have an outline of your manuscript (or basic idea) and you know at some point you want to have a Christmas scene; what better time to write about it than now. You may have to jump ahead a few chapters but you can draw from all around you the feeling and sense of Christmas. Later you can always tie in the scenes to the rest of your story but for now capture the moment.

So pour yourself a cup of eggnog, wrap yourself in a warm comfy quilt and write the scene your characters are eagerly waiting.

.

Testing Different Waters

I’ve been writing for years. Admittedly I’m commitment shy when it comes to sending my manuscript away—the fear of contracts looms like dark clouds over my head. (It’s strange, I know. Every writer dreams of a contract). Why am I different? I don’t know; I wish I knew so I could move forward.


Perhaps other writers share my phobia. There is hope though; I’ve come upon ways to help boost your confidence. Contests are a good source to let your manuscript see the light of day and to get that all-important feedback. Blogging is another way to share your voice with the outside world. It’s exciting, fun and lets you create outside of the boundaries of your manuscript.

Recently, I’ve tried another avenue. I started writing for Wikinut where you can write about almost anything and get paid for it. When you’re through writing the article it looks like a page from a magazine—you selected the material, the pictures and the look of it. It’s a great outlet but this is by no means an end to my writing on manuscripts and getting them published… For me it’s baby steps. In fact my manuscript is sitting on my desktop, ready to be sent. And I will be… soon.

Right now, I’m dipping my toe in different waters as I work on my manuscripts on the side and I’m having a wonderful time doing it :-) On Wikinut three of my four articles got stars! I’m so excited about it. Here is the link to my articles if you want to take a look. http://www.wikinut.com/author~xekjh/Angelique-Newman/ or take a look to the right side of the screen and you'll see my articles.

Another plus side for writing on an online site, you’re building a portfolio and can mention in your query letter to an agent and editor that you’re a freelance writer.

This is one of the links where you can join and write for Wikinut; http://www.wikinut.com/in/xekjh/

One of the things with writing is that you have to enjoy it. Always keep those creative juices flowing. Happy writing on whatever you may choose :)

Training Your Brain to Write

                                                                Image from Photobucket

They say the right side of your brain is the creative side.


So how do we get those neurons sparking?

1. Read; read whatever you get your hands on. Input produces output.

2. Set aside a time of day where you devote to writing. Let’s say it’s eight to eleven, try to stick with a schedule

3. Take note pad and pen and look at things--really look and write what you see on the pad as if you were describing it to a blind person. This is a great exercise.

4. Honing your craft. Have someone read your work out loud, listen to your words and how it flows. You would be surprised at how easy it is to find something that sounds off key.

5. Writer’s block? Try ramble writing; write something … anything and your brain will kick in and pick up the pieces to get you back on track.

6. Whether you go for a walk, take a long leisurely bath or simply stand at the sink doing dishes, let your thoughts wander… Daydream what you plan to write.

Remember everything starts with a dream.


.

Writing Along With Youtube

Nothing stirs the imagination better than a good song. I have my share of CDs but I can’t keep up with the talent that’s out there (I couldn’t afford it) every other week there’s a song I absolutely love. That’s where Youtube comes into play. All I have to do is put them under my favorites and my list is always handy. Whatever scene I’m writing I have the song to match my mood.


Even some of the music videos gives me an extra boost . . . Though I have to admit it’s easy to lose track of time.

As a writer I’m always searching for those mysterious hours that seem to slip away. If only the days were longer… I can just imagine the work I would get done: )

Writers and Their Pets

Lucy before haircut


I don’t have to look far for inspiration to create a pet’s character. Lucy provides me with enough material to last a lifetime! Her haircuts vary from short to shaggy. She’s fond of barking and will even stay in bed lying on her back, barking to let us know she heard something but refuses to get up and check it out herself. She pouts and is always quizzical when she comes upon something new. She’s never short of kisses, snuggles and is sure to get her message across when she wants something.



I’m sure I’m just partial when it comes to Lucy and that most writers have their special pet they can draw inspiration from. It’s their quirks that make them a worthy secondary character in a manuscript… But be careful, they may just take over and demand their own series.

To Be A Writer You Have To Be Like A Sponge

I try to soak up every molecule around me, even the murky unpleasant details. The more I take in, the more believable my characters will be. Movies are a good source to take you to places you most likely haven’t been; such as period pieces like, Braveheart, Pearl Harbor and Titanic to name a few.

For instance in the movie Braveheart, we experience the horror William Wallace endured in the years 1272 through 1305 in Scotland; you felt his injustice, his need for Scotland’s freedom from England’s tyranny. As for Pearl Harbor with Ben Affleck and Josh Harnett you feel the scope of WWII and Kate Beckinsale’s character’s agony of choosing between the two men in her life. And at last Titanic; you not only feel the difference between the way the classes were treated, you feel the panic, the fear and heartache as the ship sinks.

There’s a lot to be said about these period pieces. In truth, I haven’t watched these movies in years but they stayed with me. And that’s exactly what I want to learn from them; I want to capture these feelings and write them down so that when my story is finished it will linger in the hearts of readers.

I Placed In The Lone Star Finals!

I have to say yesterday was a roller coaster ride in emotions for me. I entered the Lone Star writing contest back in June and thought by the time the announcements were made I would have forgotten I even entered.

Boy, I couldn’t have been more wrong. As August 20th drew near I found myself checking the calendar more often and calculating the days I would get word back from the chapter. The day finely arrived; I was reluctant to check my e-mail--strange I know. But for me it's like having a lottery ticket, for a brief moment your dreams of being a millionaire are still plausible, it's only when you check your numbers that your dreamy bubble bursts.

With the prompting of my mother I checked my e-mail and with a single glance I knew my romantic suspense didn't make the cut. Disheartened I read through the judge's comments which really weren't so bad, the scores were high but not high enough to get me into the finals.

As I wrote out my thank you notes to the judges, there was a long distance phone call. Our immediate thought was that it was a telemarketer. You can imagine my surprise when Karen Hankins informed me that my historical romance placed in the Lone Star finals. Talk about a pick-me-up!

I entered two entries; the story concepts couldn't have been more different from the other. I’m so happy I entered the two--the later, was a great chaser to end all writers’ blues. Talk about a day from lows to highs!

Now the wait begins for October 24th when the winners will be announced. Good luck to all entries.

Even if I don't win I’m grateful that I made it this far.

Writer’s Meltdown

.
I write with Word Perfect 8, a program that’s out of date and for me I finally realized should be put out to pasture. The reason I say this is, is that more rules for contests open with Microsoft Office Word. I have my sights set on a contest that I can enter electronically but it has to be in rich text format. I Wikipedia rtf (not knowing exactly what it means, computer illiterate that I am) and it says; it’s a format developed by Microsoft.

So to make a long story short, I transferred the required pages of my manuscripts onto Microsoft Office Word (it’s a great program) and in so doing I decided to transfer the remainder of my story onto it as well.

I’ll most likely transfer my other manuscripts, but I’m not looking forwards to it. I’m eager to go forward and dread the thought of transferring hundreds of pages onto another program.

I guess I’ll just have to chalk it up to another hiccup in my journey to being published.

Writer’s Muddle

.
I’m three quarters into my current manuscript; the hero and heroine are finally getting along and now I have to disrupt the whole thing. I have to shatter their world and break them apart but the problem is how?

This is the part writer’s refer to as Middle Muddle; it’s easy to get stuck here. But it’s a part where you must gear up and plow your way through to the end. One good way is to drop a thread at the beginning of the story where you can pick up and tangled their lives once again. I’m at that crucial point right now and hope I don’t drop a stitch and leave a gaping hole near the end. Ugh.

It’s a little nerve wracking. There’s a famous writer (I can’t remember his name at the moment) who said to entertain the reader on every page. I couldn’t agree more with him. I want the sparks to fly off the page. I want to entertain my readers and leave them eager to read my next book. Hopefully with a little luck they’ll remember my name when the next one comes out.

(Fingers crossed).

One of A Writer’s Worst Nightmares

I shudder to think it nearly happened to me. I woke up this morning intent on working on the next chapter of my manuscript. I had visions of my characters, scenes and dialogue eager to be written. My mind was set on what I wanted to accomplish.

And that’s when it happened, my computer refused to load. All I could think about was the previous chapters I wrote, the scenes I labored over, the scenes I adored. I fiddled with my computer, booting and rebooting, flicking switches, pressing keys, while all the while thinking of how I should have backed up my work.

It’s such a simple thing to do. All it takes is a few minutes to put it on a disk, floppy or ipod, or even print out but I thought I was safe. It’s easy to dismiss the little things, especially after a long day of writing, editing, networking and spending time with family and friends. But it’s those little things that have a nasty bite; the loss of chapters, manuscripts, family photos, recipes –you name it.

I’m pleased to say, my incident this morning had a happy ending. My computer finely woke up from whatever stooper it was in and I was able to retrieve my manuscript which I immediately backed up onto my ipod.

Where Do All The Characters Come From?

I often wonder how many personalities lurk about in my mind. The good, the bad and the ugly. They’re all there, often times surprising me when words are put to paper. Characters feed off each other, building the story as they go along. Of course you start off with a plot but from there, your characters take over.

For me it’s like playing chess with myself, each move striving for victory. I’ll have a goal as to what I want in a scene but when the characters react, I have to put myself in their shoes and deal with it accordingly. It’s strange but fun as the characters try to outwit the other until the scene is played out.

I never know what’s going to be said, my mind always working a few steps ahead as I type. Each night I close off with what I think is good. Only the next morning do I really see what has been written. My mind’s clear, my hopes high as I take that first sip of coffee and reread what I wrote. Sometimes I’m pleasantly surprised and others…. Well, let’s just say I shake my head and rouse those characters to redo the scene.

And So It Begins . . .

I'm officially a blogger. Again I am stepping into unfamiliar territory. Who knew writing a manuscript could get so high tech. Years ago I thought all you needed was a good imagination and a pad of paper. And of course years to churn out that masterpiece, tweaking and tugging into place so you can stand back and admire it with unhurried pride.

And that's when I woke up.

I've since learned writers had dual lives. I like to think of it of as a (Superhero / heroine) syndrome. They're nurses, doctors, hair dressers, cashiers --- heck even judges! They're cranking out one to three books a year, blogging, networking going to conferences. And still they manage to juggle careers, family life --- then once again when the muse strikes, they're on the case, tackling a story until they get their desired end. Of course the people who are closest to them know when they're on the next lead. The writer has that far off look, their listening and yet . . . well their thoughts are on the next page of their life.