Happy Monday, friends! Today, we're thrilled to welcome our very first guest blogger, Elizabeth Spann Craig, to Write Chic. Elizabeth writes the Memphis Barbeque series for Penguin as Riley Adams, the Myrtle Clover series for Midnight Ink (under her own name), and blogs daily at http://mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com, which was named by Writer’s Digest as one of the 101 Best Websites for Writers for 2010. Delicious and Suspicious released July 6, 2010: When a food scout from a cable cooking channel is murdered, it's only natural for restaurant owner Lulu Taylor to take it personally. After all, her barbeque restaurant served the scout's last meal. But danger lurks as Lulu investigates the crime. Will she clear the restaurant's name, or is she next to be skewered?As the mother of two, Elizabeth writes on the run as she juggles duties as Brownie leader, referees play dates, drives carpools, and is dragged along as a hostage/chaperone on field trips. We're honored to have Elizabeth here today, giving us an insightful look into the tools every writer should have in his or her literary kit.
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The writing life isn’t an easy one. In fact, there seem to be obstacles around every corner—from lack of time to the difficulty of obtaining a literary agent.
But there are some great things about writing as a hobby or career. It’s inexpensive. It’s portable and can be done anywhere and in varying chunks of time. And there are few simple tools that can help you achieve your goals.
Here are five tools to help you on your path to publication:
Backup. How you do it doesn’t really matter, but doing it is really a necessity. Almost every writer I know who has been writing for more than a year has lost data. Even if you write on paper, you should consider a form of backup (either by typing completed text into a computer…and backing that up, or by taking your notebook paper to the copy shop and letting them copy the document for you.) USB drives can be bought for under ten dollars and text files use up little space. When I’m feeling especially lazy or can’t get my hands on a USB drive, I’ll email the manuscript to myself. That’s also handy if you travel a lot, as long as you email it to an account that you can access from other computers.
Paper and pencil. I’m merging these two tools into one unit. They’re inexpensive, but invaluable. I always think that I can remember an idea, plot shift, or scrap of dialogue when the idea comes to me. But nine times out of ten, the thought is gone just hours later. If you keep just a small, flip-top notebook and pencil on hand and jot down the ideas as they come to you, you have the ability to make greater progress on your novel.
An honest beta reader. It doesn’t really matter who this person is—friend, family member, or fellow writer that you connect with through an online critique group. It does matter that they can give constructive criticism of your novel. Sure, it’s great hearing that we’ve written the best novel ever, but if we don’t hear ways to improve our novel then it’s going to be tougher to make our way past the publishing gatekeepers.
Support and information from other writers. I think one of the best things a 21st century writer can do for their writing career is to connect with other writers. Writing is a tough slog, and friends and family may…or may not…understand why we’re taking it on. The online writing community can be your best friend when you’ve reached a brick wall with your plot or research, or when you’re dispirited from rejections or critiques. Where can you find other writers online? Go to any popular writing blog and look in their sidebar for a blog roll—you’ll find blogs of other writers. Those writers will have blogs listed in their sidebars, too. Then befriend these writers you’ve found on blogs on Facebook and Twitter for more ways to communicate beyond blog commenting.
A blog to serve as a living room for visitors. I’m going to go ahead and add a personal blog to the list of important tools for writers. If we have a blog, we have more than a place for other writers to visit us—we have a place for agents and editors to glimpse our writing style, voice, and professionalism. How much does a blog cost? Besides the regular cost of your internet access, you can have a blog for free…mine doesn’t cost me a cent. Blogger is one of the hosts that offers free blogging.
Are these some of your top tools as a writer? What would you add to the list?Elizabeth Spann Craig (Riley Adams)
Mystery Writing is Murder
Mystery Lovers' Kitchen
Follow her on Twitter: @elizabethscraig
10 comments:
Your tools are great, but I would add one more. Books. Not how-to (although they can be good), but just Books. Read. Read. Read. Reading is one of your most important writing tools. Because reading will help your writing, and unless you have a great book, it's not going to move beyond your hard drive (or legal tablet)
Excellent tools! These are all very important, especially backing up your work and paper and pencil. I backup my work on two flashdrives and an external hard drive, and I keep those in a fireproof safe! (I live in an apartment building and can't ever know how careful everyone else is.)
I keep a small notebook and writing utensil on my nightstand and in my purse. They've come in handy often!
I live in fear of losing my work so I have back ups of my back up!)
I'd have to add a laptop to your list, because I don't think I could write without it.
Terry--That's one that should have made my list! You know, I think I just totally take books for granted...they're so ingrained in my life that I don't even think about them anymore!
Laura--I think that's a *very* good idea. That way you can be sure that nothing happens to your backup drives!
Jane--Ohhh yes! The laptop is all important! I'm with you on that one. I lug it around to whatever room the kids *aren't* in to get work done!
Very good list. I agree. I especially agree with the honest beta reader. It's so helpful to hear from those who not only want you to succeed but also won't sugar coat the review.
CD
Clarissa--It's true, isn't it? Great for our self-confidence, but maybe not so great for our manuscript!
You'd have to search long and hard to find a more intelligent author and promoter than Elizabeth. It's not worth the effort. Instead, we should all be thankful she's so willing to share her good sense.
Elizabeth, I've lost manuscripts because I've filed them in the wrong file! Or not saved new versions. The problem is, you get so focused on the writing that you forget that a certain amount of housekeeping is part of the job. Great list!
So happy to have you here on the blog! Great post. I agree with every item you listed. It's unbelievable how long I went without a paper and pen in my purse considering how many important things I've been able to jot down now that I have them. Oh, and great addition on the books, Terry!
Great list. I have one addition. My digital recorder with lapel mic. Lets me dictate while I drive. I do some of my best writing while I'm driving.
That is one great cover! I especially like the neon pig! :)
I have to remind myself to do back-ups, and I'm a word processer girl at heart, but I've come to see the beauty of pencil and paper.
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