Terry Shames's Blog: 7 Criminal Minds, page 17

A Love Letter to Sisters-in-Crime by Poppy Gee

Doyou belong to any writing organizations, for crime writers or generalwriting—MWA? SinC, International Thriller Writers? If not, why not? If so, whatvalue have they been for you? 

Like everyone who has posted this week, I am a big fan ofSisters-in-Crime. In 2013 when my debut novel was released, they invited me tobe on a fantastic panel in Melbourne called Something Rotten in the Apple Isle.It was held in the upstairs room of a quirky 1867 corner pub. We ate dinner andthen me and two auth...

Thanks to my People, by guest Edith Maxwell / Maddie Day

Catriona here: I've got warm feelings for most of this mystery community, and now is not the place to name the very few exceptions, but this woman? Edith Maxwell / Maddie Day? This woman I genuinely love. She's prolific without being intimidating, serious without being sombre, light-hearted without being daft, and devout without a scrap of sanctimony. This blog post is a case in point: read on for the straight gen about the mix of grit and luck in any writing career.

And now, Edith:

Thanks so much...

Sign me up! Ok, maybe not by Eric Beetner

 Do you belong to any writing organizations, for crime writers or general writing—MWA? SinC, International Thriller Writers? If not, why not? If so, what value have they been for you?

I have been in and out of several organizations, even serving in a board position with MWA. Currently, the only group I belong to is ITW.

I’ve never been a joiner. I don’t like bureaucracy. It often leads people to feel like they have power, but that is rarely any real authority. In general, I’m just not someone who ...

The Resignation Joke

 

Do you belong to any writingorganizations for crime writers or general writing groups—MWA? Sisters inCrime, International Thriller Writers? If not, why not? If so, what value havethey been for you? 

 

This question makes me think of Groucho Marx and his famous‘Resignation Joke.’

 

“I don’t want to belong to any club that will accept me as amember.”

 

It’s classic Groucho for self-disparagement, barbed wit, anda clever tactical maneuver to extricate himself from ...

Somewhere I belong

 

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Do you belong to anywriting organizations, for crime writers or general writing­—MWA? SinC,International Thriller Writers? If not, why not? If so, what value have theybeen to you?

 

My firstintroduction to any writing organization was Sisters in Crime (SinC) and thatwas because of the Elanor Taylor Bland scholarship, which I almost won oneyear. Almost. I didn’t, but some really talented writers that I have come toknow and love did, and if for no other reason than that, I would say...

Writing sans deadlines - by Harini Nagendra

How do you holdyourself accountable? Do you insist on doing a certain number of words each dayor a certain amount of time? What happens if you don’t meet the goal? Is therepunishment? Do you give yourself treats for meeting goals?

Short answer - I'll tell you when I figure it out!

Longer answer - it depends. On the time of the year, what I have going on in terms of work, family, any care responsibilities... 

My non-fiction books are so easy to write (for me). They are based on my research, and I...

The Robotic Writer, by guest Glenda Carroll

How do you hold yourself accountable? Do you insist on doing a certain number of words each day or a certain amount of time? What happens if you don’t meet the goal? Is there punishment? Do you give yourself treats for meeting goals?

Catriona here: I'm delighted to welcome my Sisters in Crime boss lady (president of the northern California chapter), Glenda Carroll, to the blog today, as she prepares to launch the fourth in her series of Trisha Carson mysteries. Talk about write what you know! Gle...

The Robotoic Writer, by guest Glenda Carroll

How do you hold yourself accountable? Do you insist on doing a certain number of words each day or a certain amount of time? What happens if you don’t meet the goal? Is there punishment? Do you give yourself treats for meeting goals?

Catriona here: I'm delighted to welcome my Sisters in Crime boss lady (president of the northern California chapter), Glenda Carroll, to the blog today, as she prepares to launch the fourth in her series of Trisha Carson mysteries. Talk about write what you know! Gle...

Keep the Ink Flowing

How do you hold yourself accountable? Do you insist on doing a certain number of words each day or a certain amount of time? What happens if you don't meet the goal? Is there punishment? Do you give yourself treats for meeting goals?

by Dietrich

  

I get up early, show up and start writing. It’s that simple and it’s the best way for me to start any day. Getting to it while the world’s still sleeping — hey, I’m in my element! 

There’s no a set word-count. Every day presents something new and I just g...

Motivation and Persistence

 

Terry here with our question of the week: How do you hold yourself accountable? Do you insist on doing a certain number of words each day or a certain amount of time? What happens if you don’t meet the goal? Is there punishment? Do you give yourself treats for meeting goals? 
 I’m highly motivated, and I do have my method. When I’m in full-out first draft writing mode, I insist on writing 2,000 words a day. They don’t have to be “good” words. Just words. Something to move the story along. That...