The Trusted Storyteller

In theater there are three big categories that plays or musicals can fit into. There are new works, premieres (work that was seen somewhere else, but not locally), and everything else. Everything else is a lot of theater. Most of it, in fact. But “done before” doesn’t mean DONE. I have seen MacBeth five times on stage. Some of been more successful than others, but they were all different. The director chose an approach, worked with the designers, made some cuts to the text (and what gets cut is always very telling), worked with the actors, and a new MacBeth was born. Once in a while I will see a production that I know can’t be topped, but that doesn’t mean I won’t see other productions. I constantly compare, contrast, critique, and learn from new productions.

[I should note--new takes on old favorites are very tough to pull off. But an excellent example of a wonderful retake is Pirates running at the A.R.T. right now. An 80 minute Pirates of Penzance--very faithful to the spirit of the source material, but a completely new take on it.]

Though the playwright is the writer, a director is a storyteller in theater. Again, these are broad strokes (actors, dramaturgs, designers, they all help shape a production tremendously). And so a director will become one of my trusted storytellers in the collaborative world of theater.

I have been thinking about my TBR pile, which is enormous. There are some books on the pile that sounded interesting. But most of the books? Either recommended by a trusted source, or written by a trusted storyteller. The author could be trying something completely different, but I’m in. I will take a leap. I have been thinking a lot about plot, and about characters, and the balance needed to tell a good story. But the storyteller is what really matters.

Am I alone in this? How do you chose your books? Do you have favorite authors who immediately go on your list? Who are some of them?

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J.A. Hennrikus is the Executive Director of StageSource. She is a mystery writer. Her short story, “Tag, You’re Dead” was published in Level Best Book’s anthology THIN ICE, “Her Wish” is in Level Best Books’ DEAD CALM, and “The Pendulum Swings, Until It Doesn’t” is in BLOOD MOON. She is a social media fan, and tweets under @JulieHennrikus. She wrestles with allusions of athleticism, is an avid theater goer and a member of Red Sox nation. Her website is jahennrikus.com

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Living With Praise

In the seven years I’ve been broadcasting commentaries for Vermont Public Radio, I can’t tell you how many people have reached out to me by phone, email, or in passing, to tell me how much they liked one my pieces they heard. Often, I’ll post a link to a commentary on Facebook and friends will “like” it; sometimes, it will even be shared. Occasionally, strangers I meet treat me like a celebrity because they’ve heard me on the radio. The attention is very flattering, of course, and I’m genuinely pleased when someone praises me for saying something unusual and/or unpopular. That’s when I feel I’m doing my job, being a writer. Why then, do I remember exactly the number of emails I’ve received taking me to task?

Two.

One was a letter sent in to the station complaining about a pro-hunting piece I’d aired years ago. More recently, a listener complained about a piece I wrote about wearing recycled clothes.

That I can remember these listeners’ complaints practically verbatim but can’t remember the details from the hundreds of listeners who’ve emailed me with kudos tells me how much harder it is to hold on to praise. It also tells me how penetrating anger can be.

There’s no question: I hit a nerve, causing two listeners to hit their keyboards and spit venom at me. I tell myself that’s good, that I ‘got to them’ and isn’t that the purpose of writing? Maybe. But it burns.

In retaliation, I’ve parsed these letters and found gaping holes in logic and grammar, and located the places where they’ve misunderstood what I said, misrepresented it, or simply disregarded it. I’ve worked over my poison-pen replies (never written, never sent), and churned and burned in anger and disdain. In time, however, the anger dies down, leaving me to wonder why it is that criticism smarts in far greater proportion than praise.

I’ve received a thousand-fold more praises for my work, but I’ve given them less attention. Why is that? Why is it that I give negative sentiment more weight than positive feedback?

The only answer I can come up with is: That’s the way I’ve been trained.

And if it’s just a matter of training, then I can be retrained.

The need to retrain myself, to really pay attention to what my readers and listeners have to say became apparent when Into the Wilderness came out. Strangers wrote me personal letters, sent me emails, told me their stories and sought my advice. That experience taught me how wonderful it is to reach an audience I’m only vaguely aware of while I’m head down at my desk, trying to channel my thoughts into words against deadline. As a result, I vowed that when I read something that moved me, I’d send the author a note.

I also vowed to thank readers who’ve taken the trouble not just to read what I write, but to tell me about it – tell me what I wrote made them think or feel, maybe how it gave them hope or inspiration. And I’m no longer speaking of praise just for my radio commentaries, or my novel, or my newspaper columns, but also about the feedback I get from this blog. I’m generally and genuinely overwhelmed and overjoyed by the replies to these posts.

Ultimately, what thinking about my disproportionate reaction has been to criticism versus praise has shown me is that I must reverse how I respond to the two and give more attention – and more acknowledgement – to praise.

photo: M. Shafer

Deborah Lee Luskin is a novelist, essayist and educator. She lives in southern Vermont.

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Must. Stop. The Voices. Nanowrimo internal dialog

There are anti-nanowrimo voices in my head.

Their chattering is a consistent and slightly ominous low murmur until I sit down to write. When I sit down at the computer with intentions to “crank” out however many words I’ve fallen behind, the volume of their commentary rises from a whisper to a ruckus to a veritable keening.

It’s not pretty.

There are three conversations in my head: one that’s designed to distract me from the task at hand; one that’s hell-bent on convincing me that I have no business writing anything, let alone a novel; and a third one that wants to edit, edit, edit until the proverbial cows come home.

So, while I’m trying to craft a single, salvageable sentence, my lovely and charming mind is doing this:

Distraction Mind:

• Maybe I should double-check and make sure that Carbonite is actually backing up my Scrivener files. Does it do that automatically? Perhaps there’s a help file I should check or a help desk I can call.
• Maybe I should visit the Nano forums. That’s half the fun, right? Why do Nano if not for the camaraderie?
• I should really find a new conditioner. This one leaves my hair all limp and tangled.
• My Q3 quarterly taxes are overdue.
• Are my favorite jeans clean?
• I need a break. I’m going to Facebook for some LOL cats.
• If I don’t email that client back, she’s going to be pissed …
• I’m hungry. I can’t write on an empty stomach – maybe just a spot of toast and tea …
• I should start my Christmas shopping soon.
• The cat’s shaking her head. I should clean her ears.
• I wonder if I should work on that other story …

Inner Critic:

• You are so far behind. You’ll never make it. May as well give up now.
• These other people are Real Writers. You’re a fraud. I bet they’re all tons better than you.
• You can’t tell this story. Are you kidding? You can’t even tell a simple joke!
• This is all a waste of time.
• You’ll never get published.
• That thing you just wrote? It makes NO SENSE. No one would ever believe that. Stupid. Rubbish.
• Do you even KNOW who your character is? I didn’t think so. Hack.
• What made you think you should write anyway? This is probably all a big mistake. Definitely.
• Why am I doing this again?
• It doesn’t really matter if I win or lose … won’t make a difference either way.
• You’re vain. SO much going on in the world today and all you care about is writing a crappy book? Lame.

Eternal Editor:

• If today is the 14th, that’s 14 days times 1,667 words per day = 23,338 words … so, if I’ve only written 12, 342 that means I’m 10,996 behind … which means … oh, crap.
• Spellcheck will only take a minute …
• Where’s my thesaurus?
• What’s the name for those things that girl put in my drink … is it a “tincture?” Where can I look that up? Maybe I should be a bartender.
• I should set up a reference chart and some character profile sheets and make a map and draw the interior …
• Should that be a comma, or a semi-colon?
• Does this make any sense in terms of story structure?

… you get the idea.

I’ve lost my Nanowrimo Zen. I need to get back to beginner mind. I need to wipe the slate clean, surf the waves of blissful ignorance, and just write – damn it!

My first Nano back in 2009 was a wild ride of I-don’t-care-what-this-is. I had no plot and no problem writing anything and everything – just to get the words down. This year, I’m much more hung up on wanting something that I can actually turn into a viable manuscript. I believe in the idea and don’t want to muck it up. Unfortunately, that fear is paralyzing me and sucking all the fun out of my Nano experience. I need to step away from my expectations and get back to being in the moment and not trying to ensure any particular outcome.

If you’re doing Nano, how are you faring? Are you having any of these conversations in your head? How are you getting your internal voices to shut the hell up so you can get back to work? Are you ahead of the Nano schedule? Behind? Thinking about giving up? What’s happening in your world?

Image Credit: Kaptain Kobold

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On Receiving Critique

Sometimes hearing critique can feel like facing a firing squad.

In a recent post, I blogged about offering critique. When I asked fellow writers for their thoughts about giving and receiving critiques, I got some great feedback, but there was so much, I needed to divide the posts. Here is what my fellow authors had to say about receiving critiques.

“For the writer, don’t take it personally. Don’t defend your work. Take the advice that works, and use it. Disregard the rest, but if you hear the same suggestions more than once, listen. The best workshops I have been in have required the writer to be silent during the process. Very hard, but keeps you open.” – Julie Hennrikus

“Don’t jump to any conclusions – make notes so you will remember later what was said, but then put it out of your mind. Sit with it. Mull it over. Leave some time between the initial hearing and the actual processing.” – Jamie Wallace

“Honor and respect each other – givers and receivers. Respect the group’s time. Regardless of first draft or final, give your piece your best shot before you read it. Be open. If you’re stuck – point out your difficulty and ask for specific help and feedback.It’s difficult to give a negative criticism – respect their courage by listening carefully. Honor the desire for privacy – short term or forever.” – Susan Nye,

“Cuts bleed, remember that the skilled physician not only cuts out the tumor but in the end, he’s a member of your team making you stronger and better.” – Wendy Thomas

“Don’t defend your work during the critique process. Then take a cooling-off period. Lament, tend your wounds, then return to the ms with a fresh, productive and professional attitude. (See “Cooling-Off Period” (scroll to p. 5).) Sometimes comments from multiple people that seem contradictory and confusing at first begin to fit together in new ways when you return to them after you’ve let some time pass.” – Tracy Hahn-Burkett

“In receiving crit, consider the source (again, opinion is not necessarily fact) but if more than one person says the same thing, take the comment into consideration.” – Megan Hart

“My best advice about receiving criticism, is to sit and listen to the feedback, make notes to yourself, thank the critiquer, and then evaluate the comments later on as you consider revisions. Definitely pay attention if more than one person comments on the same section of writing in your work.” – Lisa Jackson

Over the years I’ve struggled with the demon of defensiveness when I’ve been given critique of my work. I’ve gotten better, but I still do battle every once in a while.  What works best for me is to hear what is being said, make notes and then put it aside.  I revisit the thoughts of others when I’ve put some time between the session and editing my work.

What are your tips and tricks for receiving criticism?

Lee Laughlin is a writer, wife, and mom, frequently all of those things at once. She blogs at Livefearlesslee.com. Her words have appeared in a broad range of publications from community newspapers to the Boston Globe.

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Writing class and the power of self-awareness

When I walked into the first session of the class I’m taking at Grub Street Writers, I felt like I was walking onto hallowed ground. It had been so long since I’d taken time out of my busy life to invest in my writing. I made my pilgrimage into the city, my head filled with undefined expectations. Other than what I’d read in the class description, I wasn’t sure what I’d find or even what I hoped to find.

One thing I didn’t expect was to find a silver bullet that would solve all my writing challenges. Writing is not a mechanical skill that can be taught by rote. There is no black and white way to do it. It works differently for each person who dares harnesses its creative spirit and climb aboard for the ride. Most writing teachers will tell you that they cannot teach anyone to write. They can only provide the space and the framework within which their students explore their own processes and ideas. Happily, I arrived at that first class with no specific expectations. I was just glad to be there.

Just being there – in that space dedicated to the pursuit of the writing craft – was good for my inner writer. I felt her stir the minute I stepped off the elevator. The years of sticky slumber that had kept her lying quiet and dormant began to melt away.  She stretched experimentally and was delighted to find herself in a space without the usual boundaries of deadlines, school pick-ups, phone calls, and endless social media chatter. This place –wrapped around the time I’d carved out to spend within its walls – was a fortress against the usual onslaught of interruptions and distractions.

Without those distractions, my mind slipped easily and readily into “student mind.” Open, eager, and focused, I waited to see what the class would bring. Stepping outside my normal routine let me step away from my monkey mind – that incessant and annoying inner dialog that prattles away non-stop about the slow driver in front of me, my grocery list, the client call I had earlier, what I’m going to have for dinner, when my daughter’s last dentist appointment was, and so on.  I let go of my usual need to be constantly doing, and sat back – ready to receive.

That first class was full of ideas on how to approach my stories, create my characters, and build my worlds. I also heard about the lives and work of my fellow students. Some of them read their free writes aloud. That was when the insidious side of human nature kicked in. As though I suffered from a mutant form of Turret’s, I began systematically comparing myself (and my writing) to everyone else in the room. When, at the end of class one, the instructor asked each of us to commit to a writing goal for the upcoming week, all I could offer was that I would show up to the next class. Next to others who were committing to 2 – 6 hours of writing a day, my intention felt weak and pointless. The voices of fear and judgment began whispering in my head:

“Wow, she’s really good. You’ve never written anything like that. You don’t even know what ‘narrative altitude’ is. How can you even call yourself a writer when you haven’t written so much as a short story. These people have finished novels, for gods’ sakes! If you really wanted to write, you’d make more time…”

But then I told those voices to shut up.

I said, “I’m here, and that is enough. This is where I start.”

I adopted a businesslike approach. I thought about writing not as some romantic endeavor fueled by the capricious good will of anonymous muses, but as a profession. Without inflicting so much as a scratch on the surface of my creativity, I replaced the “magic” of creation with the “science” of study, practice, and solid execution. I reminded myself that this fiction-writing thing is not so different from the non-fiction writing I do each and every day to make my living.

The beauty of making these observations about myself as a writer is that they gave me some clarity about my strengths and weaknesses as well as the opportunities and potential pitfalls that I will encounter on my journey. As I watched myself ride the ups and downs of my emotions, I could see my fears and pick them off, one-by-one. I also realized that I could recreate this class experience for myself. So can you:

1. Set aside some time, but don’t limit yourself by setting specific expectations.
2. Find a space that fills you with energy and maybe even a little reverence.
3. Adopt the “student mind” (and shut down the monkey mind – use a sledgehammer if you must, he’s a resilient little bugger).
4. Give yourself a minute to compare yourself to others – your favorite authors, your writer friend who just landed an agent – but just enough to get it out of your system.
5. Get down to the business of approaching your writing like the professional you are. Keep the magic in your heart, but don’t let it cloud your mind. You know what you have to do. Do it.

There is no definitive guarantee that a writing class will make you a better writer. It depends on the writer, the class, the teacher, the subject matter, and a hundred other variables. But any writing class – even one you create for yourself – will increase your self-awareness and provide you with a broader perspective. Just the act of being in that space and engaged with the craft will help you sink more deeply into being the writer you are. And that is worth the price of admission every time.

What do you think? What have your class experiences been like? Do you think you could create a class-of-one for yourself? 

Jamie Lee Wallace is a writer who also happens to be a marketer. She helps her Suddenly Marketing clients discover their voice, connect with their audience, and find their marketing groove. She is also a mom, a prolific blogger, and a student of voice and trapeze (not at the same time). Introduce yourself on facebook or twitter. She doesn’t bite … usually.

Image Credit: Lyre Lark

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On Offering Critique

I attended the monthly meeting of a writers group a few months ago and at the end, there was a critique session for members who had work to share. It had been a long time since I’d actively participated in a critique group with people I didn’t know well. In a perfect world we’d all share our well thought out opinions and the other person wouldn’t take it personally. Alas, we don’t live in a perfect world and we’re writers which means that every time we put fingers to keys or ink to paper, our heart pours out. It’s hard when someone stomps on a piece of your heart.

Since I’m relatively new to this group, I sought out the leader via email, after the meeting to inquire about the session. She gently informed me that, while I was not the only one, my thoughts were not as constructive as they could have been. Oh NO! The last thing I wanted to do was be hurtful. I was also concerned because I walked away from the particular story in question thinking “I like that, I can’t wait to see what will happen with that character.”

I sent an apology to the person I hurt. I wanted to own that I was hurtful without reneging on my critique. I stand by what I said, but clearly, I could have expressed myself more constructively.

The next thing I did, was reach out to writers I know and trust and ask for their thoughts on giving and receiving critiques. I got some great feedback. Today I want to share what I’ve learned about giving critiques as well as gather more intel from our readers. In a later post, we’ll discuss receiving critiques.

On giving critiques:

“Be kind first. Be positive second. Be honest third.” Karon Thackston

“Present your comments less as judgment and more as observation.” Jamie Wallace

“Honor and respect each other – givers and receivers. Respect the hard work that goes into a piece when you give criticism” – Susan Nye

“Think about the writer’s goals for the piece you’re reading, not your goals. Don’t pick apart someone’s horror novel, for example, because you don’t care for the genre. Determine what he or she is trying to achieve and incorporate that standard into your critique. Be honest, be constructive, be compassionate.” Tracy Hahn-Burkett

“Be honest, but generous in giving them. Find positives, not just negatives. Be aware your opinion is not necessarily fact.” Megan Hart

“My best advice is BEFORE giving criticism, to make sure the writer is willing to hear it without argument. If the person is going to debate with you about your feedback, you’re both wasting your time.” Lisa J. Jackson

What is your advice for offering constructive, criticism?

Lee Laughlin is a writer, wife, and mom, frequently all of those things at once. She blogs at Livefearlesslee.com. Her words have appeared in a broad range of publications from community newspapers to the Boston Globe.

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Receiving Feedback

Feedback is a tricky thing. As writers, we request it, sometimes plead for it, even demand it! And yet…we may not be able to receive it. Oh, we don’t have any problem hearing the positive feedback, that’s cool. Who hasn’t basked in the praise given by an enthusiastic reader? But the negative feedback, that’s a little tougher to take.

When someone offers feedback on our work, we may get defensive. Who do they think they are, telling me my character is two-dimensional? I’d like to see them try to write a monk turned drag queen turned amateur sleuth mystery!

It all depends on what we make that criticism mean. If someone gives you feedback on how to make your character three-dimensional, you can make that mean I’m not perfect, which is a huge leap from your character seems two-dimensional, but we do it all the time.

When we get defensive, we miss the value of the feedback. Just because someone says it doesn’t mean it’s true—but, it could be.

Because, when we ask for feedback, we are not asking, “Is my writing perfect?” We are asking, “How can I make my writing better?”

When receiving feedback, consider the following two questions:

1. Is the feedback addressing the writing or the writer? I once read a piece about my sister and the time she hit me with a bag of frozen French fries to my memoir critique group. As feedback, one woman told me I was “giving my power away” to my sister. Since I was writing about a time when we were both children, I did not find this insight particularly helpful.

Bottom line: If the critique addresses you, the writer, rather than the writing, ignore it.

2. Is the person giving able to give you the feedback you ask for? I recently asked some friends to provide me with “big picture” feedback on a piece. I explained that I wanted to make sure there weren’t any places in the story where the reader came out of the story due to some missed detail. Even one reader’s response of “Nope, didn’t happen,” was helpful.

Bottom line: Consider carefully whom you ask to give you feedback and be specific about the feedback you are asking for.

Feedback is a wonderful tool, but it’s only a tool. It’s up to us to use all the tools available to us to make our writing the best it can be. In the end, we have to make the final decision about what works for us as writers.

How do you ask for feedback?

Diane MacKinnon, MD, is currently a full-time mother, part-time life coach. She is a Master Certified Life Coach, trained by Martha Beck, among others. She is passionate about her son, her writing and using her mind to create a wonderful present moment.  Find her life coaching blog at http://www.dianemackinnon.com/blog.

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Finding or Creating a Critique Group That You Love

I am currently in a critique group that I love. It totally works for me. And it’s only me and one other person. I’d love to have more people in the group, but it’s not that easy to find someone who is on the same schedule as you, and who looks at critique groups the same way you do. My time and my writing are precious, and to spend a couple of hours giving good feedback, offering constructive criticism, and getting back, “yeah, I liked it,” or “that didn’t work for me,” is just not good enough for me these days.

Many years ago, when I rediscovered my passion for writing, I was lucky enough to live near Denis Ledoux, the author of Turning Memories Into Memoirs. I took a local class that he taught at the Lewiston Public Library every Tuesday, which just happened to be my day off from my medical practice. Coincidence? I think not.

One of the many gifts that Denis gave me during those classes was the ability to critique other people’s writing and the ability to hear my own work critiqued without taking it personally (at least, not very often!)

All of the writers in the group were writing about different periods in their own lives. We did not have a fictional character to hide behind. To this day, whenever I am asked to critique someone’s work, I use the format Denis gave me.

First, I say what I liked about the piece. I give concrete examples: I liked this word, this phrase, that sentence. I thought this metaphor worked well or that this last line is perfect, “because it brings us full circle,” for example.

Then, I say:  “If this were my piece, I might change this phrase…because…” Again, I give concrete examples, and I give a reason. It’s not enough to say, “I didn’t like this phrase…” that’s just personal opinion and every other reader may have a different opinion. To say “This phrase didn’t work for me because it took me out of the story–I was trying to figure out who was speaking,” is a more concrete, helpful example.

The three years I spent with Denis and a small group of memoir writers many years ago and the lessons I learned there have stayed with me. I have been in multiple critique groups since, most in person but I’ve also tried on-line critique groups, and I always come back to those basic phrases:  I liked this… and: If it were my piece, I might change…x, y, or z.

Denis taught me to critique the writing, not the writer.

I was in a critique group once that fell apart because one writer was writing a novel that took place in Hungary. Another participant was from Hungary and didn’t like the way her countrymen and women were being portrayed. She took it very personally.

Another time I was in a critique group and shared a story about a difficult time in my life with one of my sisters (I am lucky enough to have three). Another participant in the group told me I was “giving away my power.” She was right, but since the story was about my 14-year-old self, I didn’t find the comment very helpful.

So here are the rules of my critique group (currently two members, but open to more!)

1. Critique the writing, not the writer
2. State what you like about the piece. Give concrete examples.
3. State what you might change about the piece if it was yours. Give concrete examples.
4. Be respectful of word count limits and time limits.

In other words, obey the Golden Rule. Give the critique you wish you could get for your piece.

What has your experience been with critique groups? Have you found them helpful?

Diane MacKinnon, MD, is currently a full-time mother, part-time life coach, part-time writer. She is a Master Certifiied Life Coach, trained by Martha Beck, among others. She is passionate about her son, her writing and using her mind to create a wonderful present moment.  Find her life coaching blog at http://www.dianemackinnon.com/blog.

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Friday Fun – Writing Organizations and Groups

Friday Fun is a group post from the writers of the NHWN blog. Each week, we’ll pose and answer a different, writing-related question. We hope you’ll join in by providing your answer in the comments.

QUESTION: Do you belong to a writers’ group? Any organizations? What are the benefits you have found? Any drawbacks?

ANSWER:

Deborah Lee Luskin: In addition to the New Hampshire Writers’ Network, which produces this blog, I belong to the Vermont League of Writers, though I don’t make it to their quarterly meetings as often as I’d like. I also belong to a local writer’s organization, Write Action, based in Brattleboro, Vermont. And as I’ve written in a post here, I’ve benefited greatly from belonging to groups where we gather to write.

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Jamie Lee Wallace: I have participated in a few writing classes (online and in the real world) – mostly of a creative, stretch your writing muscles type. I have also been a member of a critique group, which I wound up leaving because I wasn’t really ready to be critiqued (though I wrote pieces for the meetings, I was – and still am – in the research and planning stage). I don’t belong to any professional organizations (other than this blog), but I intend to join Grub Street Writers – a Boston-based organization whose mission is “to be an innovative, rigorous, and welcoming community for writers who together create their best work, find audience, and elevate the literary arts for all.” They have an annual conference that I missed this year, but definitely plan to attend next year!

Julie Hennrikus: I belong to Sisters in Crime (national) and Sisters in Crime New England. I also belong to a subset of SinC called the Guppies, which stands for the great unpublished. These are all groups for mystery writers.  I am also a member of Grub Street, and have taken a few classes with them. There are meetings of the SinCNE, but the rest of these groups meet online (unless we plan meetups at conventions, which happens.) I have tried a couple of writers’ groups but for one reason or another they haven’t worked for me. I do know many writers who benefit greatly from them, and perhaps will find one that clicks at some point.

Susan Nye: Other than NH Writers Network I am not currently a member of any professional organizations. I was recently contacted by another food writer/blogger about starting a NH Food Bloggers group. I’m looking forward to meeting with her after the summer. I was a member of the New Hampshire Writers’ Project and have attended their conference and one of their networking meetings. Both were valuable experiences and I will attend again in the future.

Wendy Thomas: I belong to this group, as well as,  a writers’ goal setting group (one of the most powerful tools in my writing toolbox IMHO). Coincidentally this weekend I’ll be leaving for a self organized writers’ retreat with 2 friends from that goals group. That will be the first time I’ve tried anything like that (and hopefully not the last.) I’ve taken many online courses (back in the day when Barnes and Nobles had them online for free) and read tons of “how to” books on writing. I don’t go to meetings (conventions) but it is my goal to make it to at least one by the end of this year.

To be perfectly honest, I tend to stay away from groups. Too often people are at a different place or stage than I am and I often get frustrated. I tend to work best with a small group of like minded writers with whom I can bounce ideas around.

Lisa Jackson: I belong to Sisters in Crime (a national group for mystery authors, where I’m part of the membership committee) and Sisters in Crime New England (where I’m into my second year as treasurer). I’m a former member of the New Hampshire Writers’ Project (I was their book review coordinator for a number of years) and attended their annual conference a few times. I find the more I’m involved in volunteering in an organization, the more I get out of it. I also belong to a small critique group which is weekly inspiration to keep me writing.

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15 Tips to Make Your Writing Sing – American Idol Style

There’s a part of you that wants to be a star. Go ahead. You can admit it. Though we writers often toil in near (or complete) obscurity, we still crave a little limelight. There’s nothing wrong with that. It doesn’t make you a lesser writer if you harbor a secret desire to see your work shining up there like a Hollywood star.

And it doesn’t make me a lesser writer that I’m a not-quite-closeted fan of American Idol. The show may fall squarely into the guilty pleasure category, but it also has merit as a resource for people hoping to make a living in the creative arts. Strip away the gaudy opening sequence, overly dramatic results lighting, and cheesy group numbers, and you’re left with a powerfully condensed series of lessons on how to become a marketable artist. Whether your craft is music or words, the same rules apply.

On Craft
Feel the words
Idol judges always ask competitors to “connect with the lyrics.” The same applies to your writing. If you’re not emotionally connected to the story, readers can tell. The execution may appear flawless, but your work will be missing that “spark” of a “certain something” that brings it to life. Let the story get inside you. Make sure it comes from your heart as much as your mind.

Avoid being pitchy
“Pitchy” is a word Idol competitors hate to hear. Pitchy writing is sloppy writing. Have heart, but make sure you hone your skills so that you can deliver the story flawlessly. Word choice, grammar, showing instead of telling, understanding story structure and character development – you must master each of these in order to create a pitch-perfect work.

Take criticism like a pro
But sometimes, even your best efforts will fall short. If you’re lucky, there will be someone standing by who can offer you some constructive criticism. Take it with a grateful heart. It may sting a little at first, but watch that playback and you’ll probably see that your critic has a point. Don’t dwell. Don’t beat yourself up. Arm yourself with your new knowledge and go back out there to kick some butt.

Study the masters and find mentors
No writer needs to travel her road alone. There are hundreds if not thousands of artists who have come this way before. Learn from them – from their work, their lives, their mistakes. Read the good stuff and let it seep into your writing DNA. If you can, find yourself a mentor. Sit at her side and pay attention. Be inspired. Be humble. Be observant.

Make it your own
In the end, the mark of a true artist is the ability to take something that’s been done a million times and make it fresh, new, exciting – to give it that certain something that is the artist’s mark. Idol competitors always win high judges marks when they put their own “flavor” on an old standard. Writers can do the same thing. Let your freak flag fly. There’s only one you, and readers want you. Don’t try to be someone else – study, but don’t mimic. Take what you learn and mix it up with your own style to create something wholly new and fabulous.

On Strategy
Play to your strengths, but …
“Song choice” can make or break an Idol performance. Under pressure on the big stage, many competitors fall into the trap of trying to deliver what they think the audience wants, instead of what they can knock out of the park. Know where your writing “home” is and make everything you do come from that place, that strong foundation that is what you know and love. Be true to your roots.

… Break out of your comfort zone
But, every once in a while try something new. No one likes a one-trick pony. It’s predictable and dull. Trying new things is the only way to grow. If you always write novels, try a short story.  If you’re a short story fiend, give poetry a whirl. Experiment with a different POV, genre, or audience. Play around with remixes – you may just find a new path to your own brilliance.

Befriend the competition
Your competition can be your best ally. Sure, you may be fighting for the attention of the same agent, publisher, or audience, but you’re also both warriors on the same side of the creative battle. Only a writer can truly “get” another writer. Your relationships with fellow writers can be invaluable. They provide emotional and creative support, lead to collaborations and referrals, and typically turn out to be the key to your success. Don’t  overlook them.

On Showmanship
Presentation Counts
I know, I know – you’re a writer, not a pop star. That’s all good, but in today’s market everyone’s an idol. People want more than just your words – they want you. And if you’re going to make the right impression (whatever “right” is for you), presentation counts: the clothes, the hair, your mannerisms, speaking voice – the “whole package,” as the Idol judges like to say. Whatever you’ve got, work it.

Connect with the Audience
Each Idol season, unbelievably talented singers fall by the wayside. The crowd gasps at the injustice of someone with so much skill being voted off, and then promptly forgets the competitor’s name. The artists who win Idol are the ones who connect with the audience – while performing and as a person. Your writing needs to reach deep inside the reader and touch the threads of humanity that run through each and every one of us. It needs to say things that are in the reader’s heart as well as in your own heart. You need to make that direct eye contact, write your words for an audience of one, find a way to say the words every reader wants to hear, “I understand.”

Believe
None of the advice here works unless you believe. You have to believe in yourself, in your talent, in your story. You have to believe in your characters and in the importance of their actions. You have to believe that someone out there is just waiting to read your work. You have to believe that you are worthy, that you deserve to be heard, that you can do this thing.

Leave it all on the stage
When you believe, you will be fearless. You will be able to take your ideas to new heights, say things you never thought you would, pull away the veil and show the world the truth of you. You will not be afraid to bare it all, to “stomp it out” as Jennifer Lopez likes to say. You will be able to let fly with all your emotions, get to the core of what you’re trying to say, and really have an impact on your readers.

Thank the fans
A writer is someone who writes. A marketable writer is someone who needs to thank her fans. Your fans are the lifeblood of your career. If there are people out there you like you and who want to read your work, you can pretty much write your own ticket. It’s these people – your readers – who give you the power of choice. That’s a big deal. Thank them once in a while – from the heart.

On Philosophy
Live Life
Writing is a solitary pursuit. Life should not be. Study and sharpen your craft, but don’t do so at the expense of living your life. A writer’s work is her life distilled. If she hasn’t lived, she cannot write anything worth reading. The Idol competitors are plunged into a life-changing experience that feeds their creativity and passion. You may not need such an extreme adventure, but give yourself the chance to have small adventures each day. Get out in the world. Drink it in. Talk to people. Look closely. Listen. Grab chunks of the world and put them away for a rainy day. Create a life that feeds your soul and your muse.

Know that your craft is a journey, not a destination
Each time an Idol competitor is voted out of the running, the judges say the same thing, “This isn’t the end, it’s just the beginning.” It’s never the end. An artist is an artist forever. There is no Holy Grail to be won. There is no end-all be-all goal that will mark your ultimate achievement and the end of your efforts. An artist is always learning, always growing, always creating. The road may change, but never stop enjoying the journey.

Those are my 15 tips to make your writing sing, American Idol style. I’d love to know your favorite tips for producing writing that goes straight to the audience’s heart and the top of the charts.

Jamie Lee Wallace is a writer who, among other things, works as a marketing strategist and copywriter. She helps creative entrepreneurs (artists, writers, idea people, and creative consultants) discover their “natural” marketing groove so they can build their business with passion, story, and connection. She also blogs. A lot. She is a mom, a singer, and a dreamer who believes in small kindnesses, daily chocolate, and happy endings. Look her up on facebook or follow her on twitter. She doesn’t bite … usually.

Image Credit: Brittney Bush Bollay

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