S.L. Viehl's Blog, page 83
July 27, 2014
Sorry, No Fairy Dust
Over the last couple of weeks I've received a ton of requests for cover quotes, so as a public service I'd like to clarify some things:
I cannot make your book an instant bestseller. I wish I could, because I'd have a lot more friends in the industry. To be honest, no one can, and anyone who tells you differently is lying to you. Do right by your readers by writing the absolute best book you can, and you'll have the same shot as anyone else.
Cover quotes from me have ended up on some books by unknown (or relatively unknown) authors who went on to become huge bestsellers. This resulted in a lot of weird rumors. Whatever you've heard, these successes had absolutely nothing to do with me. I have zero book magic, and no fairy dust to sprinkle on your work. Anything that I've quoted in the past is a book that wowed me, plain and simple. If they went on to go platinum, that's on the publishers and authors, not me. Me ordinary non-magical writer chick.
If I don't know you, sending me your manuscript attached to your e-mail will have one result: your e-mail will be deleted unread. This is not me being hateful and part of the worldwide conspiracy to prevent you from embracing your much-deserved fame and fortune; this is me thinking you're some jerk trying to infect my computer with another virus.
Having your editor or agent or writer pal who knows me ask me to read your manuscript will not improve your chances of getting a read or a quote out of me. Nothing will. Unless you have a million dollars you want to pay me as an upfront reading fee; then we can probably work out something. Only I don't want to burn in hell so never mind.
And finally:
I put up this notice on the About PBW page a couple of months back, but since no one seems to be reading it I'll repeat it here: at present I am not reading any manuscripts from anyone for cover quotes.
Again, this is not because I'm mean, or heartless, or I'm trying to hoard all the fairy dust. Aside from the fact that I have no fairy dust, I can't. I admit, I'm very picky about what I quote because my readers do pay attention to what I endorse, and I don't want them wasting their money on a ho-hum read. Also, reading manuscripts for quotes takes up time when I could be taking care of my family, writing, having a life, etc. so I have a preset limit of how many manuscripts I'll read in one year. Unfortunately this year I reached that limit in April.
I apologize for any inconvenience this causes, and thank you in advance for understanding my situation.
I cannot make your book an instant bestseller. I wish I could, because I'd have a lot more friends in the industry. To be honest, no one can, and anyone who tells you differently is lying to you. Do right by your readers by writing the absolute best book you can, and you'll have the same shot as anyone else.
Cover quotes from me have ended up on some books by unknown (or relatively unknown) authors who went on to become huge bestsellers. This resulted in a lot of weird rumors. Whatever you've heard, these successes had absolutely nothing to do with me. I have zero book magic, and no fairy dust to sprinkle on your work. Anything that I've quoted in the past is a book that wowed me, plain and simple. If they went on to go platinum, that's on the publishers and authors, not me. Me ordinary non-magical writer chick.
If I don't know you, sending me your manuscript attached to your e-mail will have one result: your e-mail will be deleted unread. This is not me being hateful and part of the worldwide conspiracy to prevent you from embracing your much-deserved fame and fortune; this is me thinking you're some jerk trying to infect my computer with another virus.
Having your editor or agent or writer pal who knows me ask me to read your manuscript will not improve your chances of getting a read or a quote out of me. Nothing will. Unless you have a million dollars you want to pay me as an upfront reading fee; then we can probably work out something. Only I don't want to burn in hell so never mind.
And finally:
I put up this notice on the About PBW page a couple of months back, but since no one seems to be reading it I'll repeat it here: at present I am not reading any manuscripts from anyone for cover quotes.
Again, this is not because I'm mean, or heartless, or I'm trying to hoard all the fairy dust. Aside from the fact that I have no fairy dust, I can't. I admit, I'm very picky about what I quote because my readers do pay attention to what I endorse, and I don't want them wasting their money on a ho-hum read. Also, reading manuscripts for quotes takes up time when I could be taking care of my family, writing, having a life, etc. so I have a preset limit of how many manuscripts I'll read in one year. Unfortunately this year I reached that limit in April.
I apologize for any inconvenience this causes, and thank you in advance for understanding my situation.
July 26, 2014
Writer Blues
Why are writers prone to depression? According to Denise Mann and her video and article here on the subject, there are only a couple of causes: isolation, rejection and self-inflicted misery.
As a writer who has been dealing with actual, diagnosed clinical depression since my teens (search PBW with the word depression and you'll pull up a dozen or so pieces I've written about it) I don't believe there is a one-size-fits-all explanation for the source. All writers are different, and while statistically speaking we may be more likely to deal with depression than non-writers, I think the causes are just as individual. In my case, depression has absolutely nothing to do with solitude, which I happen to like, rejection, which is just part of the gig, or misery via the writing. Being a writer fights depression for me, and the work has always helped to pull me back from the brink (and on more than one occasion, dragged me back out of the abyss.)
If you are a writer dealing with depression, you're definitely not alone, and there are a lot of options out there to explore. Many of my colleagues have gone into therapy and/or found medications that help them cope. There are also spiritual alternatives like prayer and group discussions that for some can be very effective. Nothing beats having a writer pal to privately vent to, either -- in the writing community, that may be the most popular form of depression self-help.
Aside from the work, I have a lot of weapons in my own organic arsenal against depression: walking, sewing, music, gardening, cooking, journaling, art and reading are the big guns, as most creative or outdoor activities are. Having arthritis limits me more than most people, but I've never let it stop me from pursuing what makes me happy (and doing something that uses your hands, according to this article, may be a very helpful way to battle depression.) For minor bluesy moments I have meditation, calming herbal teas or that relaxing hour of soaking in a hot bath.
I know I can change my mood through most creative activities, and I think it's a positive step to do something you really love, even if you don't feel any interest in it in the beginning. I can't count the number of times I've sat down to quilt when the blues had me wanting to do nothing, and felt immediately better within a few minutes. If you are struggling with depression, I think possibly the worst thing you can do is nothing.
What are some of the ways you writers out there cope with depression? Let us know in comments.
As a writer who has been dealing with actual, diagnosed clinical depression since my teens (search PBW with the word depression and you'll pull up a dozen or so pieces I've written about it) I don't believe there is a one-size-fits-all explanation for the source. All writers are different, and while statistically speaking we may be more likely to deal with depression than non-writers, I think the causes are just as individual. In my case, depression has absolutely nothing to do with solitude, which I happen to like, rejection, which is just part of the gig, or misery via the writing. Being a writer fights depression for me, and the work has always helped to pull me back from the brink (and on more than one occasion, dragged me back out of the abyss.)
If you are a writer dealing with depression, you're definitely not alone, and there are a lot of options out there to explore. Many of my colleagues have gone into therapy and/or found medications that help them cope. There are also spiritual alternatives like prayer and group discussions that for some can be very effective. Nothing beats having a writer pal to privately vent to, either -- in the writing community, that may be the most popular form of depression self-help.
Aside from the work, I have a lot of weapons in my own organic arsenal against depression: walking, sewing, music, gardening, cooking, journaling, art and reading are the big guns, as most creative or outdoor activities are. Having arthritis limits me more than most people, but I've never let it stop me from pursuing what makes me happy (and doing something that uses your hands, according to this article, may be a very helpful way to battle depression.) For minor bluesy moments I have meditation, calming herbal teas or that relaxing hour of soaking in a hot bath.
I know I can change my mood through most creative activities, and I think it's a positive step to do something you really love, even if you don't feel any interest in it in the beginning. I can't count the number of times I've sat down to quilt when the blues had me wanting to do nothing, and felt immediately better within a few minutes. If you are struggling with depression, I think possibly the worst thing you can do is nothing.
What are some of the ways you writers out there cope with depression? Let us know in comments.
July 25, 2014
Shimmer
Of all the places we visited on our road trip Maine made the biggest impression on me; I already have two stories outlined from my experiences there. This short film by Jon Roemer (contains background music, for those of you at work) captures many of the reasons this farthest northeastern state will brilliantly shine in your memory:
Maine Shimmer from Jon Roemer on Vimeo.
July 24, 2014
Just Write
Today I'm off to write something new and post it online before midnight. Everyone inclined to do the same is invited to join me.
My link: To save everyone from having to jump around to different parts I'm going to post my story with the previous work on it included, so click here for the updated In the Leaves novella (for those of you who have been following it, the story picks up with new additions beginning at today's date mark on page 10)
For more details on Just Write Thursdays, click here to go to the original post.
My link: To save everyone from having to jump around to different parts I'm going to post my story with the previous work on it included, so click here for the updated In the Leaves novella (for those of you who have been following it, the story picks up with new additions beginning at today's date mark on page 10)
For more details on Just Write Thursdays, click here to go to the original post.
July 23, 2014
Writer on the Road
Being a writer on an extended road trip means bringing along things to make you forget that you're leaving behind your writing space, your WIPs, etc. Most of the time this is a good thing (we all need a break from our writer junk) and it's all waiting there when we get back.
For this trip I decided it was high time I got warm and fuzzy with my e-reader, so I left all my physical books at home. I planned to download and read whatever I liked on the road. Actually I was a bit nervous not taking any books, because what if something happened to the e-reader? I'd be stuck watching television every night on the road, which for me actually qualifies as torture. So technology had better save me, yes?
Nope. I jinxed myself. On the first night of the trip my e-reader locked up and wouldn't download anything; I couldn't even open the books I already had stored on the damn thing. Fortunately there was a BAM nearby the hotel, so off I went to shop. I was never able to get the e-reader working, either, so I picked up more books whenever I spotted an interesting indie bookstore, and ended up with this haul in total:
I generally don't buy this many hardcovers, but wherever we stopped I tried to pick up at least one book from the staff-recommended shelves. Booksellers along my route really like expensive literary and crime dramas, it seems. I decided to give Lee Child and Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling wearing her mystery dude suit) another try. I also bought some paperbacks by my writer pals just in case all the newbies-to-me sucked. I finally get why everyone loves Lee Child, and while his Jack Reacher reads like a Tom Cruise on steroids -- maybe that's why he got the role in the movie version -- the outlandish story lines are entertaining. I do think his editor should take a weedword-whacker to all the shrugs and nods used as macho dialogue replacements in his stories, as they get tiresome pretty fast.
I made mostly good choices, too, I think. As I reported from the road Delicious! was pretty awesome, and I'd say the worst read was the Mystery Duded Rowling novel, through which I mostly winced. My take away from that one was, if you want to settle some scores with the literati, best do it in a dignified Salon article rebuttal -- not your fiction.
I also picked up some local and regional news/mag publications whenever I could find them:
The USA Today came from the hotel, and I bought the magazine, but the others were freebies. These can be fun to read when you're traveling, and often quite helpful, too. We found one of the nicest B&B's we stayed at on the trip via the magazine.
Aside from the malfunctioning e-reader, this is all the writer & art junk I brought with me:
My packing rule was, if it doesn't fit in the cigar box, it stays home -- and that really works to keep things to a minium. I did write in my travel journal almost every day of the trip, and painted or sketched every day in my watercolor journal, so they were good choices.
What do you writers out there take with you when you travel? Let us know in comments.
For this trip I decided it was high time I got warm and fuzzy with my e-reader, so I left all my physical books at home. I planned to download and read whatever I liked on the road. Actually I was a bit nervous not taking any books, because what if something happened to the e-reader? I'd be stuck watching television every night on the road, which for me actually qualifies as torture. So technology had better save me, yes?
Nope. I jinxed myself. On the first night of the trip my e-reader locked up and wouldn't download anything; I couldn't even open the books I already had stored on the damn thing. Fortunately there was a BAM nearby the hotel, so off I went to shop. I was never able to get the e-reader working, either, so I picked up more books whenever I spotted an interesting indie bookstore, and ended up with this haul in total:
I generally don't buy this many hardcovers, but wherever we stopped I tried to pick up at least one book from the staff-recommended shelves. Booksellers along my route really like expensive literary and crime dramas, it seems. I decided to give Lee Child and Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling wearing her mystery dude suit) another try. I also bought some paperbacks by my writer pals just in case all the newbies-to-me sucked. I finally get why everyone loves Lee Child, and while his Jack Reacher reads like a Tom Cruise on steroids -- maybe that's why he got the role in the movie version -- the outlandish story lines are entertaining. I do think his editor should take a weedword-whacker to all the shrugs and nods used as macho dialogue replacements in his stories, as they get tiresome pretty fast.
I made mostly good choices, too, I think. As I reported from the road Delicious! was pretty awesome, and I'd say the worst read was the Mystery Duded Rowling novel, through which I mostly winced. My take away from that one was, if you want to settle some scores with the literati, best do it in a dignified Salon article rebuttal -- not your fiction.
I also picked up some local and regional news/mag publications whenever I could find them:
The USA Today came from the hotel, and I bought the magazine, but the others were freebies. These can be fun to read when you're traveling, and often quite helpful, too. We found one of the nicest B&B's we stayed at on the trip via the magazine.
Aside from the malfunctioning e-reader, this is all the writer & art junk I brought with me:
My packing rule was, if it doesn't fit in the cigar box, it stays home -- and that really works to keep things to a minium. I did write in my travel journal almost every day of the trip, and painted or sketched every day in my watercolor journal, so they were good choices.
What do you writers out there take with you when you travel? Let us know in comments.
July 22, 2014
What I Did on My Summer Vacation
I'm back home from my summer road trip. We drove from one end of the coast to the other, or a bit over four thousand miles in ten days, so it was fairly epic. I personally climbed on top of mountains, went caving inside them and otherwise pretended I was thirty years younger than I am. I did okay, too.
Because I can't let you escape without showing you some pictures, here's a slideshow of some of the delightful things we encountered along the way:
Some observations from the road:
1. All the hoopla about people from Maine being standoffish and crabby? It's nonsense. They were the warmest, friendliest folks we met on the road.
2. When your innkeeper recommends a local place to dine, listen to him.
3. Every tourist-magnet town in America seems plagued by three things: not enough parking, public restrooms or places to sit for five minutes so you can change camera batteries.
4. Bed & Breakfast inns -- even the ones you read about in those glossy travel magazines -- often offer rates as cheap or cheaper than chain hotels. Call them and check.
5. Also, in Maine? Wonderful glorious little indie bookstores everywhere, often two or three in the same town. All the ones I visited had at least a half dozen people browsing through their shelves, too.
Now I'm off to unpack and figure out where I put the laptop power cable so I wouldn't forget it, which of course I've forgotten . . .
Because I can't let you escape without showing you some pictures, here's a slideshow of some of the delightful things we encountered along the way:
Some observations from the road:
1. All the hoopla about people from Maine being standoffish and crabby? It's nonsense. They were the warmest, friendliest folks we met on the road.
2. When your innkeeper recommends a local place to dine, listen to him.
3. Every tourist-magnet town in America seems plagued by three things: not enough parking, public restrooms or places to sit for five minutes so you can change camera batteries.
4. Bed & Breakfast inns -- even the ones you read about in those glossy travel magazines -- often offer rates as cheap or cheaper than chain hotels. Call them and check.
5. Also, in Maine? Wonderful glorious little indie bookstores everywhere, often two or three in the same town. All the ones I visited had at least a half dozen people browsing through their shelves, too.
Now I'm off to unpack and figure out where I put the laptop power cable so I wouldn't forget it, which of course I've forgotten . . .
July 21, 2014
Accidental Ten
Ten Things I've Seen on the Road This Week
(the unplanned, entirely accidental edition)
I went to see one waterfall and found this one as a nice bonus nearby (okay, sort of on top of the first one.)
Limelight hydrangeas; gorgeously blooming.
I get the hitching post, but smack dab in the middle of a city?
From the front seat of my car. It was being towed. Yeah, it took us half a minute to stop freaking out long enough to figure that out, too.
Such a great grin.
Behind a restaurant. We decided not to investigate (or stop there for lunch.)
This is what you see when you pull off the side of the road in Maine.
Locks of love on a harbor fence. Or, France has nothing on Portland.
A friend I made while painting en plein air on a sun porch in Pennsylvania. A little shy at first, until he realized I love felines and have great fingernails. Then he decided I could be his slave for the morning.
And finally, proof that when you intend to paint some trees and a neat fence, you never know what will show up on the other side of them.
(the unplanned, entirely accidental edition)
I went to see one waterfall and found this one as a nice bonus nearby (okay, sort of on top of the first one.)
Limelight hydrangeas; gorgeously blooming.
I get the hitching post, but smack dab in the middle of a city?
From the front seat of my car. It was being towed. Yeah, it took us half a minute to stop freaking out long enough to figure that out, too.
Such a great grin.
Behind a restaurant. We decided not to investigate (or stop there for lunch.)
This is what you see when you pull off the side of the road in Maine.
Locks of love on a harbor fence. Or, France has nothing on Portland.
A friend I made while painting en plein air on a sun porch in Pennsylvania. A little shy at first, until he realized I love felines and have great fingernails. Then he decided I could be his slave for the morning.
And finally, proof that when you intend to paint some trees and a neat fence, you never know what will show up on the other side of them.
July 20, 2014
Three Things
I'm still off exploring various mountains and the hair-pin twisty roads around them (and I've discovered that driving on them surrounded by semis in the rain while passing signs that read Runaway Truck Ramp* is a thrill/chill not even Disney could top), but here are three other places you might want to visit while I'm away:
The Presurfer -- Gerard is one of my favorite bloggers; he always finds something interesting to post every day.
Food52's recipes page -- one of my recent discoveries; lots of interesting dishes to inspire your next meal.
Daily Writing Tips -- a fun daily depository of words, grammar and other stuff that fascinates/obsesses/bedevils writers.
*I have to use this in a story. Seriously.
July 19, 2014
Road Trip Pic
Stopping in to say hi, and show you all something I saw yesterday while hiking a mile inside a mountain:
Epic place. Will show you more once I get home. :)
Epic place. Will show you more once I get home. :)
July 18, 2014
Writer Zen
"The quieter you become, the more you can hear."
--Yasutani Roshi
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