IWSG: December and Links!

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Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds! Co-Hosts: Julie Flanders, Shannon Lawrence, Fundy Blue, and Heather Gardner!

Question: As you look back on 2017, with all its successes and failures, if you could backtrack, what would you do differently?

I'm not sure I'd do anything differently, but I surely had counted on the outcome to be different. I'd hoped that I'd be able to reveal signing with an agent, but 2017 wasn't allowing that. In fact, I'm shelving my first book and focusing on the second that's entirely different. Some might question this decision, but I know what the agents who have been clear on why they said, "No." The comments are consistent on something not clicking early with my main character. So, I'll let it rest for a revisit later. After all, it's my choice. ;-) 

Add other things in real life and I'm taking a bit of a break from writing this month. My mother needs major heart surgery. We have a lot of hurtles to get to that goal, and I'm her main caregiver. My husband and I inherited his parents' house. While he's renovating, I'm constantly called on to help. I promise I know what I'm talking about since I was raised by a master carpenter. ;-) 

So, 2018, get your act together! I'm gunning for a new complete draft next year. If I can start rewriting before the end of the year, I'll take it. Don't disappoint me!

Links!

• The Conflicting Advice You'll Receive on Query Letters is a good place to start
• Be sure to check this one out from Donald Maass--"Exciting Adventure!"
• Enjoy!--"The Secret of My Productivity"
• I love this one: "Ties that Bind and Define the Family on your Protagonist"
• Oh. My. :-( This one will make you nauseous.): Maggie Stiefvatater on Piracy
• Just in case you're attempting this: "How to Write A Novel with Multiple Points of View"
• There's been discussion of chapter length here and there, so check this out: "Chapter Length and Why It Matters"
• D. M. Webb has the skinny on Plotting problems in "Seminar Notes: Part I"
• Ooh!!! An agent's take on how to network at conferences: "Tips and Tricks for Author Networking"
• And another OOOH!: "Your Story Lives in the Details"

Next Post: 2018's first Book Pusher. You know you want to add a few to your resolutions! 

Vision

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Vision has been on my mind lately. After two cataract surgeries in two weeks of each other this July, it's no wonder. My dominant eye is now my distance focus and it's happy with anything that's a few feet to any distance. My weaker eye is my close focus--reading. If you've followed my blog at all, you know reading is key to my happiness. My brain is still figuring out how to shift from one focus to another and how to blend them to create depth perception. I'll be honest, the lag of my brain getting the message is a bit disconcerting.

But, I'm getting there. The journey has me thinking about visual detail and how to use it better to draw my readers into the scene. My characters' view points matter. What Laura Grace sees in a home or garden would be very different from Mack. Or Rosemary.

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Diana Gabaldon describes using the close and far views to draw readers into what she wants them to see. I like that idea. Now, I need to use my personal experience to utilize visual details more effectively.

What about you? How do you use the visual detail in life or your writing?

Next Week: Pitching Report

April Links! You Know You Want Them...

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I couldn't resist sharing a few wonderful links with y'all. I hope they are something that you can use or that inspires you. ;-)

Try Amy Sue Nathan's truth: "This week, while writing, I remembered that I actually do have to WRITE to figure out a story." in "The Writing Life #2"

Or do you want to hone your skills for writing a book blurb? BookBub has your cup of tea in "How to Improve Your Description Copy to Sell more Ebooks"

Need help with deep POV? Edie Melson offers up "Conquering Six Enemies of Deep POV"

David Corbett at Writer Unboxed takes us into a deeper understanding of Conflict in "Birth vs. Battle"

Cathy Lamb deciphers the Dreaded Inner Critic in "After Each Draft, the Writer's Voice Speaks Meanly"

And finally, Susan Defreitas offers up "The Ten Worst Pieces of Writing Advice You Will Ever Hear"

I hope you found a link that made you think or grin. I want your input on the "Link Worthiness" of these. Which one was the best?
Next Week: IWSG and "Jumping Off The Cliff." ;-)