The dreaded query letter. No one wants to write this yet it is a very important part of the writing process. I wanted to get a specific definition for a query so I thought what better way to find it than by doing a Google search and here is what I found: "A query letter is a formal letter sent to magazine editors, literary agents and sometimes publishing houses or companies. Writers write query letters to propose writing ideas." A query is basically your first step in the door. That all … [Read more...]
P is for Pseudonym #atozchallenge
A pseudonym. How many writers out there today have them? I know several people within ACFW use them for different purposes. One writer that comes to mind that uses pseudonyms is Nora Roberts. She was actually born Eleanor Marie Robertson. She uses the Nora Roberts name for her romances. She uses J.D. Robb for her suspense stuff. She's also written under Jill March and in the UK she writes under Sarah Hardesty. A pseudonym can keep you private life separate from your writing life or … [Read more...]
Q is for Quilt #atozchallenge
Mari and her quilts. She was a little girl who loved her blankets and especially those that were quilts. When she was small, maybe two or three, she fell in love with this quilt that had been handmade by her great-grandmother. She love this quilt so much it was literally falling apart. I felt so bad because Keith's mom wanted to protect it but Mari loved it so much it had become very well-worn. When she was about four I made her a purple, pink, gray and black check quilt. I sewed it on the … [Read more...]
P is for Potty Time
It brings a smile to my face when I think of Mari and potty time. I know that may sound weird but it's because of what the words 'potty time' actually signified for my little girl. Mari used the words 'potty time' more as a way of getting what she wanted or getting out of something she no longer wanted to do. Whether it was doing an activity she was tired of doing or if she simply wanted to get out of her room because she wanted to do something else. She'd say, "Let's go potty" as a way of … [Read more...]
O is for opens a door, window or gate
It seemed like there was never a door, window or gate that'd get in Mari's way. She'd simply open it and go where ever it is that interested her at the time. In her last six months we had moved to a new house in Burbank, Illinois. I think it was in this house where Mari was the most active with trying to do whatever it was she wanted to do without any regard to the safety aspect so Mommy also had several minor heart attacks as a result. I have to smile now looking back on those times knowing … [Read more...]
O is for Outline
Or as I like to call it: Plotter. In writing a novel you have what we writers like to call either Pantsers or Plotters or somewhere in between. A pantser is someone who writes their novel, as they say, by the seat of their pants. In other words, there is absolutely no plotting of the novel whatsoever. They write their novel as it comes to them. However, with a plotter, it 180 degrees in the opposite direction where they outline everything before they write a single word for their … [Read more...]
N is for Novel
The novel. It's been around for not only years but centuries. It's a place where we can lose ourselves as we read what's been written on the page. We can go off on adventures or fall in love with a prince. We can go to a place only the imagination can make up or a place we've never been before. Novels can be both historical or contemporary. They can teach us things or simply be a nice escape from reality. They can be light and just a fun read or they can be go deep delving into emotions that … [Read more...]
N is for Nonstop
What better word could describe my Baby Girl than nonstop? Well, I know there are many other but this one most certainly sits at the top of my list. It's hard to remember a time when she wasn't on the go. Even sitting down to read a book she'd be flapping her arms in excitement or doing something with her hands besides just reading. Watching a movie meant she did her own little dance around the room in front of the TV. As many parents have said before, I'd loved to have bottled up some of her … [Read more...]
M is for Mari’s World
Mari's World. What would it have been like to visit her world? It constantly brought a smile to her face. She'd be zone out sitting in her chair. You'd wave your hand in front of her face and she wouldn't flinch. You have to clap your hands really loud two or three times to bring her back to our world. I wondered if she'd be playing in some puddles getting all wet. Or maybe she met Dora and went on a new adventure taking Backpack and Diego along with. Or maybe she went on another adventure with … [Read more...]
M is for Mentor
In life we can find a mentor for so many things. Athletics. Business. Politics. Our Faith. In writing, finding a mentor to help you be the best writer you can be I feel is one of the most important things we can do. Sometimes you only have one, and if you are fortunate enough you may have more than one. These people take time out of their busy lives to help you as you grow. And they don't just help you in your writing but help you in your life when the time is needed. I feel like I have been … [Read more...]
