Topic 22 Planning for the New Year

                                                             "AND THEIR OFF"
Greetings,
The first month of the new year ends tomorrow and I'm getting a little nervous. So many things to plan for this year as a writer and I've barely gotten started. Are you in the same boat? The problem is where to start?

I learned a lot from the my first trip to the Greyhound dog races yesterday. Those wonderful dogs have speed, grace, and determination. Nothing stands in their way once the gate flies open, including rain. At Post Time their eyes are glued only on the prize, the rabbit.

Post Time is here for us too. We each need to remember to keep our eyes on the prize. Pick the best events for you as a writer to attend--be it seminars, conferences, webinar's, college classes, writing your next novel, or meeting with your readers. Only you can decide which are the most beneficial to you. According to F.W. Dupee, "Progress always involves risk: you can't steal second base and keep your foot on first." We all have to make those meaningful decisions and go for it. In order to succeed you have to take the first step. If you want to take baby steps, go right ahead as long as you see yourself moving forward not backwards.

In a Writer Unboxed article dated 1/28/2016  author Heather Webb says, "Be yourself--not someone else." She tells writers that we should be proud of what we've accomplished. Every step we take in our writing path should be celebrated regardless if you've just written a book or a chapter.

Think outside the box this year before you firmly commit to anything. One blogger shared this suggestion-- have a birthday celebration every year on the date we launched our book. Not a bad idea. Maybe we should try it. It can't hurt.

Until Next Time
This is Marlene Chabot
A Minnesota Mystery Author  
      and freelance writer

Topic 21 Striving for the Best

Greetings from sunny Florida,
Well, at least it was today. It's been raining on and off for the past three weeks, but I shouldn't complain when people in other areas are putting up with sub-zero temperatures. It's just that when you come to Florida you expect it to be sunny everyday, without giving any thought to the beautiful vegetation surrounding you and its need for watering periodically.

Speaking of expectations, my home state of Minnesota thought they had the football game in the bag last week when the Vikings played against the Seattle Seahawks and actually lost by one point. The kicker for Minnesota's team was off the mark with his kick that could've won the game. Viewers and players were both disappointed. But a classroom of first graders wrote letters to the kicker to encourage him and make him feel better instead of crummy. Just what he needed. Kind attention.

When we fail at something, including with our writing, all we can do is brush ourselves off and start over. That's what striving for the best is all about. For me it was receiving notice that my publisher wouldn't be taking on my next novel. Did I decide to give up? No. I'm trying other venues to get my book out there for a June release. You see my readers are expecting it and I don't want to disappoint them.

The picture of the Ibis at the top of this blog was taken at the Naples Zoo the other day. Like us humans he kept trying and trying to get the little piece of metal flipped up just right so food would fall out. He didn't give up either. Eventually it paid off. His fellow bird friends were rewarded with food actually meant for fish.

Maybe the story or poem you wrote wasn't accepted by a particular venue. Don't give up. Look for other avenues for your work. There's plenty out there.  Has your teacher or friend told you your work still hasn't hit it's mark yet. Work on it. Revise. If you give up, you'll never know if your work could've been published. So, keep working at it.

It's a new year, so let's start anew. Do you want to get the right's back to your novel or stories? Here's an excellent article found at Writer Unboxed I' d like to share with you. Obtaining Reversion Publishing Rights: the Good, the bad, and the Ugly by Susan Spann  January 10, 2016. Making sure you new contracts are written right is extremely important. I asked Susan about the rights to a book cover and her reply can be seen at the bottom of her article in the COMMENTS section.

Until Next Time
This is Marlene Chabot