DAY 22/SHORT & SWEET
It’s Friday night, and I’m not going to keep you. But considering I’m teaching a social media class for writers tomorrow morning at the Williamson County Public Library, I thought it was a good opportunity to share a very cool video with you. It’s called Did You Know 4.0. If you didn’t believe in the importance of social media before — you will now! Check it out.
And remember to watch HOPE FOR HAITI NOW and give as generously as you can!
DAY 21/ROAD TRIPPING AGAIN
BOOK CLUB CAR TRIP from Susan Gregg Gilmore on Vimeo.
I haven’t been out on the road much lately. Remember, my butt’s been in the chair. But today I drove up to Clarksville, TN, to speak to a book club. Got me thinking about book tour 2010. It’s about eight months away, but I’m already starting to plot it all out. It’s like working a jigsaw puzzle — a maddening, complicated jigsaw puzzle.
For the most part, publishing houses don’t send their authors out on the road, well, not mid-list authors like myself. But I think it’s absolutely critical for a writer to get to know the people selling and reading your book. That’s why I traveled 18,000 miles in total with Dairy Queen and can tell you with great accuracy the very best trucks stops on I-81.
An atlas, calendar and #2 pencil are waiting for me on my desk. Here I go again.
ps – next time I am definitely wearing more make-up!
DAY 20/PEEK INSIDE
Until Dairy Queen was published, I honestly never thought much about the interior design of a book. But it’s as much an art as writing one. And I wanted to give you a sneak peek inside THE IMPROPER LIFE OF BEZELLIA GROVE.
Theses pages are the creation of Random House designer Lynne Amft.
DAY 19/BLOG ON
I have been at my desk for 14 hours now revising the first 100 pages of my third novel. I know I’m always preaching time in the chair, but my butt is seriously starting to hurt.
But before I call it a night, I quickly wanted to thank ALL of you who responded to yesterday’s blog. I heard from more readers than I ever have and NOT one person suggested I limit my writing.
In fact, it was better than that — your responses were kind, warm, and VERY encouraging. And to tell the truth, I needed that. We are, no doubt, on this journey together.
One reader said that blogging is like a stream of water that you dip into when you’re thirsty. Another likened it to a box of chocolates (and yes I love the Forrest Gump reference) that you open and sample whenever you feel the urge.
And one of my favorite literary bloggers, BookingMama, reminded me that the point of all of this to have a little fun.
So I am going to continue with my resolution to blog everyday this year because, well, because I want to. I enjoy it. It helps me as a writer. And it brings me great pleasure connecting with other readers and writers. Of course, I hope we all have some fun along the way. And come December 31, 2010, we are definitely going to do some celebrating!
AN HONEST READER
There is a special bond between a writer and a reader. It’s a very intimate relationship bound by words and the power of human expression.
In any deeply personal relationship, people are, I would hope, going to feel safe voicing their opinions. But if I’m going to be completely honest, which is the point of this blog, after Dairy Queen was published, I was surprised when a reader would email to tell me there was a misspelled word on page 103 or a misplaced comma on page 96. I appreciated it, but I was surprised.
But I was sad when a reader misinterpreted a passage and thought that I was being racist. And I was startled when a reader sent a long email questioning the inherent value of my work. ”How did I ever get published in the first place?” she asked. ”Did an editor even read your book?” she wondered. I quickly realized that this was not coming from a terribly disappointed reader but a very frustrated writer. And after a bit of emailing, I had found another author in her genre who had agreed to help her with her manuscript.
OK that brings us to today. I received a comment from a reader who has decided to no longer subscribe to my blog, and she went on to tell me why. She felt this was important feedback that I needed to hear even if it was unsolicited and “might not be so comfortable.”
“It’s nothing about your blog writing,” she said, “it’s fine and interesting. It is fun to watch. But I cannot take daily doses . . just can’t keep up the pace,” she said.
She thinks I should post no more than 3 times a week.
I would be lying if I said that these kind of comments don’t smart. They do. But I always think there’s something to be learned from everything. So I decided to ask you, my readers, if you would prefer that I only write 3 x a week — if it feels burdensome and boring everyday.
But before you make your decision, let me explain why I think daily blogging is valuable. I do not expect that each and every entry is going to be profound nor do I expect you to read each and every entry — although that would be nice. But blogging everyday encourages me to write about subjects that I would otherwise ignore, for example, the video posted recently of author Lisa Patton talking about her new book, Whistlin’ Dixie in A Nor’easter. I got more comments from that one entry than I had in two or three days (not to mention some new readers for Lisa.) Had I been blogging only a few times a week, I’m not sure that post would have happened. The daily ritual of blogging does, I am convinced, lend itself to unexpected treasures.
My intent when I committed to blogging everyday this year was in part selfish, to develop more blogging discipline, and to share with those of you interested in the writing process a little bit of what the day is like. I try to keep all posts very short (except for this one) because I know everyone is busy with their own lives.
But let me know what you think — now is the time — yes or no — yay or nay!
DAY 17/PLOT POINT
Tomorrow is a big day for me. Actually it’s a big day for one of my characters. (Remember, this is the book that my agent and I keep exchanging. I think it’s done. She doesn’t. She’s probably right.)
Anyway, there’s this creepy jerk, and he may just have to die in the morning. I really don’t know for sure. You’d think I would. But no. I rarely do. A character always shows me the way, even to his own demise. Seriously, I cannot tell you the times I’ve sat down at my desk and found someone has to go — out of the blue — totally unexpected.
That’s not the case here. I know something is going down — just not sure what — yet.
So off to bed, maybe in my dreams this character will finally show me the way!
DAY 16/READERS READERS!
Just returned from an author signing event at the Coffee County Public Library in Manchester, Tennessee. There were more writers than readers. Sales were slow. That happens sometimes. Heck, I’ve traveled 300 miles to a bookstore to find myself reading to the staff — God love the bookstore staff — they really do know how to love on a lonely author.
But it’s always worth it. No kidding. That’s not a line. Take today. New Southern author, Lisa Patton, Whistlin’ Dixie in a Nor’easter, and I met for the first time. We live in the same town but had never met. I had seen her book. To tell the truth, I had drooled over her cover . Yes, cover envy. It’s a sickness. But despite that, I think the two of us may very well end up being great friends.
I’d like to introduce you to Lisa. I know you’re gonna love her too! (And I know her name is Lisa even though I call her Lee!)
A Chat with Author Lisa Patton from Susan Gregg Gilmore on Vimeo.
DAY 15/TGIF
I’m going to keep this one short and sweet because it’s Friday night and everybody needs a break! I meant you — not me.
Tomorrow I’m caravaning (not really a verb but you get the idea) with a bunch of other writers to Manchester, TN, (about an hour south of Nashville) to hawk my book at the 3rd annual Coffee County Library Author Signing.
I do this in part because it’s a fundraiser for the library and in part because I am a mid-list author hoping not to be forgotten before my second book comes out in August.
Have a great weekend and go spend some bucks at your favorite indie store!
DAY 14/GUILT-FREE WRITING
Blogging for me has been like journaling — at least that’s what I told you a couple of days ago. But here is the truth, I don’t journal. Never have. Oh, except for a couple of days when I was 13 and then two or three more when I was 17 — both incidents involved a boy — yes yes – dumping me.
And that’s the point of today’s journal . . . I mean blog! If you are a writer or someone who wants to write you must free yourself of all the expectations and stereotypes of what it means to be a writer. Take it from me. I don’t journal. I didn’t major in English. I have never attended a writing workshop. I don’t wear black turtlenecks and smoke cigarettes. And I have never written a short story. Ok, that I want to try.
This is not to say that I haven’t prepared myself for the life of a novelist though. I have worked for newspapers since my freshman year in college and have written professionally most of my adult life. And I have watched my world very, very carefully.
But the point is this — writing is about just that — writing — there is no one way to tell your story. You only need to find the way that works for you and then, as I’ve said before and will say again, put your butt in the chair!
DAY 13/REVISING THE MS
As you may already know, I have spent the last year and a half working on 100 pages to send my editor for her consideration. Remember, she said all that was necessary were 2 chapters and an outline, but I said, “Oh no, I don’t do outlines – I don’t know where the story is going yet.”
OK, true. But now I’m there. I have my 100 pages. And I finally know where this story is going — more or less. I FedEx’d those hundred pages to my agent for her review a couple of weeks ago. Some agents make editorial comments. do not. Mine does. She is a very sharp reader, born and bred in NYC, so she is not shy about saying what’s on her mind. Again, must have a thick skin.
She sends her comments back. I make changes. I send the manuscript back. She sends it back to me. Again, must have thick skin.
And that brings us to today. Got up at 5 a.m. and worked. Fixed daughter breakfast and raced her to school and worked. Went to meet reader and reviewed notes from agent, swam a mile at the Y, came home and worked. Read more and more reports about the horror and tragedy in Haiti. Continued to work.
Must get these pages right and back to my agent by Monday. Self-imposed deadline. More time in the chair – a recurring theme. So I have fallen into the deep, dark writing hole and you may not hear much — although you will hear something (as I refuse to break New Year’s resolution) from me until I get these pages polished and in the mail.
But I cannot sign off tonight without asking you to please consider a donation to Doctors without Borders! We are one family, after all. Good night!
