Simone Pond's Blog - Posts Tagged "writing"
Reading is yoga for the brain
I accidentally read Margaret Atwood's The Year of the Flood too fast. Now I have to wait until August 29 for the third book in the series! I feel like a lost soul drifting in the ether and no place to land.
Don't you love it when a story pulls you in and takes you on journey? When it enriches and stretches your imagination?
When I read The Outsiders in 7th grade I was so bummed when it was over, I immediately read it again. And again. Like fourteen times. Yes, that's a bit obsessive.
While I wait for my editor's notes on The City Center, I'm working on the prequel to the series called The New Agenda. I have to say, I'm totally obsessed with the world I've created and I don't want the journey to end. I want to keep going deeper in.
As a writer, we can only hope others will love our writing as much as we love our writing. Who knows, maybe one person out there will read my books fourteen times in a row.
Read on, Goodreads!
Don't you love it when a story pulls you in and takes you on journey? When it enriches and stretches your imagination?
When I read The Outsiders in 7th grade I was so bummed when it was over, I immediately read it again. And again. Like fourteen times. Yes, that's a bit obsessive.
While I wait for my editor's notes on The City Center, I'm working on the prequel to the series called The New Agenda. I have to say, I'm totally obsessed with the world I've created and I don't want the journey to end. I want to keep going deeper in.
As a writer, we can only hope others will love our writing as much as we love our writing. Who knows, maybe one person out there will read my books fourteen times in a row.
Read on, Goodreads!
The City Center
I'm down to the last rounds of edits and the book cover design for The City Center.
While my manuscript is with my editor I'm contacting bloggers for book reviews. I won't lie, it's not my favorite part of the process, but I've been in advertising for twenty years, so I know marketing is vital.
In a time when we're constantly being bombarding with information it can be tough to stand out. You just never know if your book is going to take off. But I know for sure that the best marketing tool ever invented is Word of Mouth.
And that is one tool nobody can buy.
While my manuscript is with my editor I'm contacting bloggers for book reviews. I won't lie, it's not my favorite part of the process, but I've been in advertising for twenty years, so I know marketing is vital.
In a time when we're constantly being bombarding with information it can be tough to stand out. You just never know if your book is going to take off. But I know for sure that the best marketing tool ever invented is Word of Mouth.
And that is one tool nobody can buy.
Book Cover Reveal
My book cover is done and I love it. If you want to see it, visit my website:
www.simonepond.com
www.simonepond.com
Anne Lamott on finding our purpose
Years ago, like back in the 90s, I bought a book called "bird by bird" by an author named Anne Lamott. The book was to help with my writing, but it actually helped with my life. And that sums up Anne Lamott. Her words are healing and hopeful because she's unabashedly honest about her struggles. She says the things I'm thinking, but they sound so much more graceful and forgiving.
I had the pleasure of hearing her speak at the Vroman's Bookstore event at All Saints Church in Pasadena on Monday night. I went with a group of women who continuously help me navigate life one day at a time. I would have been content with just that, but then to hear Ms. Lamott speak about where she is on her journey, and what being an author and a human means to her really hit home. She spoke about purpose and her new book "Stitches" - which I'm sure will be another helpful manual for living.
What is our purpose?
I like to think it's to love our neighbors and be as helpful as possible, but most of the time I have my head up my ass worrying about what's in it for me and how I can get mine. It's so good to know I'm not alone. All of us are like this. I'm sure Mother Teresa had her moments of self-absorption. It comes with being human. But there is always room to grow. And maybe that's our purpose -- to grow.
For me, Ms. Lamott hit on all pistons and her words will resonate in my soul for years to come. One lady asked the question I was too afraid to ask: "What do you do when you're blocked and can't write?"
What came next validated and confirmed so much for me as a writer:
1) Nobody cares if you write, so you do it for yourself
2) After publishing is when you really get mentally ill
3) Waiting for inspiration to come is another way of saying you're not going to write
Yep.
She nailed it.
I had the pleasure of hearing her speak at the Vroman's Bookstore event at All Saints Church in Pasadena on Monday night. I went with a group of women who continuously help me navigate life one day at a time. I would have been content with just that, but then to hear Ms. Lamott speak about where she is on her journey, and what being an author and a human means to her really hit home. She spoke about purpose and her new book "Stitches" - which I'm sure will be another helpful manual for living.
What is our purpose?
I like to think it's to love our neighbors and be as helpful as possible, but most of the time I have my head up my ass worrying about what's in it for me and how I can get mine. It's so good to know I'm not alone. All of us are like this. I'm sure Mother Teresa had her moments of self-absorption. It comes with being human. But there is always room to grow. And maybe that's our purpose -- to grow.
For me, Ms. Lamott hit on all pistons and her words will resonate in my soul for years to come. One lady asked the question I was too afraid to ask: "What do you do when you're blocked and can't write?"
What came next validated and confirmed so much for me as a writer:
1) Nobody cares if you write, so you do it for yourself
2) After publishing is when you really get mentally ill
3) Waiting for inspiration to come is another way of saying you're not going to write
Yep.
She nailed it.
Eleven essential things I've learned about writing
I've been writing since I was a little girl. By the time I got to college, I had grand dreams of being like one of those infamous authors who spent time at the Les Deux Magots, sipping wine and writing the next great American novel. Instead I just drank wine. I'd always finish the bottle, but never the first page.
I stunted my growth for decades, too afraid to write and too tortured not to write. Until I was politely shoved off a cliff and landed at the bottom with a broken soul. That's usually how it goes for alcoholics. They rarely see their own ending coming because they're too wasted during the climax.
So I did what any desperate writer who wants to keep living does: I got sober. And I started writing. But more importantly I started finishing things.
Since I enjoy sharing my experience with other writers, I've put together eleven essential things I've learned about writing:
1) Write for yourself. Most people (including loved ones and close friends) suffer from Cranial Rectal Inversion Syndrome, more commonly known as "head up the ass" syndrome. I'm fortunate to have a solid support system (I'm relentless), but not everyone you know will buy your book or give you kudos for writing one. They have lives. Writers are needy. Save your friendships and get a therapist.
2) Write every single day. Even if it's one sentence -- WRITE. The only requirement for being a writer is to actually put sentences together. Don't complicate it. Just shut up and write.
3) Read. Read. Read.
4) Take a class or two and be done. You can make a career out of taking classes on how to write and never get anything finished. Experience is the best teacher.
5) Read a book or two on writing. Beware -- there are hundreds. You only need to read a few. I recommend starting with The Writer's Journey, On Writing and Wired for Story.
6) Learn to love making outlines. The painful moments you spend upfront meticulously working out your story beats will save you months (or years) of agony.
7) If you finish a first draft, put it down for a few weeks (or more) before you start the editing process. Editing is where the real writing begins. Edit, edit and edit until you can't stand the sight of that manuscript. Sit on it again, then go back and edit some more.
8) Share your work with people you trust. Also, expect to hate those people when they tell you the truth. But don't worry, you'll get over it and thank them in the end.
9) Find an editor who loves your genre. You'll probably think they're secretly trying to kill you, but they love you in their own special way. Remember that your editor might be brilliant, but if you don't agree with something don't be afraid to stand behind your work. Unless it's about pride, then shut up and make the changes.
10) If you're going the traditional publishing route, you'll need to write a kick-ass query letter. One that sings like what's her name in the Sound of Music. One that will stand out among hundreds of thousands of other query letters. You can find great advice on Query Shark. Warning: Not for the faint at heart. Take that killer query letter and send it out to as many agents and publishing houses as you can. You can join Publisher's Weekly for a small fee to get lists of agents in your genre. Another good resource is Writer's Digest. After you send out your hundreds of queries you'll want to invest in a suit of armor, or if you're a drinker, vodka. Anything to numb the stab of rejection. You'll get plenty.
11) If you're going the Indie route, bless your heart. That's what I did because I wanted to learn about the industry and I wanted control of my work. You'll need to pull together a team of people including the content editor, proofreader, book cover designer and interior designer - both print and ebook versions, a street team to help market your book and pre-readers. You'll also need to reach out to bloggers, podcasters, magazines, newspapers, radio stations, libraries, book stores to help spread the word. Self promoting is a beastly job and requires patience and tenacity. These days, most authors have to self promote, so there's no getting out of it, unless you're Stephen King or Suzanne Collins. The work doesn't stop after you hit "Publish" -- you'll need to stay plugged into the industry and your social networks, as well as keep up with the advertising and book promotions that are working. Or you can just publish it and let it go. It depends on your goals.
Which one do you think is the most important?
Yeah, it's the one about writing.
Keep writing. It saves lives.
I stunted my growth for decades, too afraid to write and too tortured not to write. Until I was politely shoved off a cliff and landed at the bottom with a broken soul. That's usually how it goes for alcoholics. They rarely see their own ending coming because they're too wasted during the climax.
So I did what any desperate writer who wants to keep living does: I got sober. And I started writing. But more importantly I started finishing things.
Since I enjoy sharing my experience with other writers, I've put together eleven essential things I've learned about writing:
1) Write for yourself. Most people (including loved ones and close friends) suffer from Cranial Rectal Inversion Syndrome, more commonly known as "head up the ass" syndrome. I'm fortunate to have a solid support system (I'm relentless), but not everyone you know will buy your book or give you kudos for writing one. They have lives. Writers are needy. Save your friendships and get a therapist.
2) Write every single day. Even if it's one sentence -- WRITE. The only requirement for being a writer is to actually put sentences together. Don't complicate it. Just shut up and write.
3) Read. Read. Read.
4) Take a class or two and be done. You can make a career out of taking classes on how to write and never get anything finished. Experience is the best teacher.
5) Read a book or two on writing. Beware -- there are hundreds. You only need to read a few. I recommend starting with The Writer's Journey, On Writing and Wired for Story.
6) Learn to love making outlines. The painful moments you spend upfront meticulously working out your story beats will save you months (or years) of agony.
7) If you finish a first draft, put it down for a few weeks (or more) before you start the editing process. Editing is where the real writing begins. Edit, edit and edit until you can't stand the sight of that manuscript. Sit on it again, then go back and edit some more.
8) Share your work with people you trust. Also, expect to hate those people when they tell you the truth. But don't worry, you'll get over it and thank them in the end.
9) Find an editor who loves your genre. You'll probably think they're secretly trying to kill you, but they love you in their own special way. Remember that your editor might be brilliant, but if you don't agree with something don't be afraid to stand behind your work. Unless it's about pride, then shut up and make the changes.
10) If you're going the traditional publishing route, you'll need to write a kick-ass query letter. One that sings like what's her name in the Sound of Music. One that will stand out among hundreds of thousands of other query letters. You can find great advice on Query Shark. Warning: Not for the faint at heart. Take that killer query letter and send it out to as many agents and publishing houses as you can. You can join Publisher's Weekly for a small fee to get lists of agents in your genre. Another good resource is Writer's Digest. After you send out your hundreds of queries you'll want to invest in a suit of armor, or if you're a drinker, vodka. Anything to numb the stab of rejection. You'll get plenty.
11) If you're going the Indie route, bless your heart. That's what I did because I wanted to learn about the industry and I wanted control of my work. You'll need to pull together a team of people including the content editor, proofreader, book cover designer and interior designer - both print and ebook versions, a street team to help market your book and pre-readers. You'll also need to reach out to bloggers, podcasters, magazines, newspapers, radio stations, libraries, book stores to help spread the word. Self promoting is a beastly job and requires patience and tenacity. These days, most authors have to self promote, so there's no getting out of it, unless you're Stephen King or Suzanne Collins. The work doesn't stop after you hit "Publish" -- you'll need to stay plugged into the industry and your social networks, as well as keep up with the advertising and book promotions that are working. Or you can just publish it and let it go. It depends on your goals.
Which one do you think is the most important?
Yeah, it's the one about writing.
Keep writing. It saves lives.
It's National Novel Writing Month
Maybe you've noticed some writers talking about NaNoWriMo and wondered what that insane-sounding acronym means. It's basically another method of torture for writers by agreeing to write 50,000 words in 30 days. So if all goes well, I'll have a really shitty first draft by the end of November.
It sounds like a lot (because it is), but it can be done. I've done it before. They weren't good words, but they were words. And I got a sticker!!!
Ten days in and I'm feeling pretty good. Since I write every day, the routine has already been established (and that really is the toughest part), but I'm approaching this writing exercise unlike any previous projects. I didn't do a meticulous outline. I didn't study my characters and dig down deep into their souls to find out what it is they truly desire and what is keeping them from getting it. Nope. This time around I'm going footloose and fancy free. Almost like a hippie. But with better hygiene.
The project I'm working on is a collection of short stories based on an event that takes place in my New Agenda book series. During the 21st century, a group of elites implemented a program called "the Repatterning." They marketed it as a way to restore society, but in reality it was a man-made apocalypse designed to kill off a majority of the population. These are stories about the people who fought against the Repatterning.
If you're a writer and haven't tried NaNoWriMo yet, I highly recommend getting on board. It doesn't take much. Just a willingness to write a bunch of words and not worry how they sound (yet). There's something magical about building momentum and watching it grow over time. I'm sure if Einstein were alive he'd come up with a theory. Something like "the more you write, the more you write."
Also, I'm proclaiming December is National Editing Month!
Keep writing. It saves lives.
It sounds like a lot (because it is), but it can be done. I've done it before. They weren't good words, but they were words. And I got a sticker!!!
Ten days in and I'm feeling pretty good. Since I write every day, the routine has already been established (and that really is the toughest part), but I'm approaching this writing exercise unlike any previous projects. I didn't do a meticulous outline. I didn't study my characters and dig down deep into their souls to find out what it is they truly desire and what is keeping them from getting it. Nope. This time around I'm going footloose and fancy free. Almost like a hippie. But with better hygiene.
The project I'm working on is a collection of short stories based on an event that takes place in my New Agenda book series. During the 21st century, a group of elites implemented a program called "the Repatterning." They marketed it as a way to restore society, but in reality it was a man-made apocalypse designed to kill off a majority of the population. These are stories about the people who fought against the Repatterning.
If you're a writer and haven't tried NaNoWriMo yet, I highly recommend getting on board. It doesn't take much. Just a willingness to write a bunch of words and not worry how they sound (yet). There's something magical about building momentum and watching it grow over time. I'm sure if Einstein were alive he'd come up with a theory. Something like "the more you write, the more you write."
Also, I'm proclaiming December is National Editing Month!
Keep writing. It saves lives.
