Book review of 'The Electric Detective' by Peter Ward

As a reader, I look for books which cover moral issues which arise from technological advances and particularly from the possibility of robots or androids becoming part of society due to advancements in artificial intelligence. ‘The Electric Detective’ takes place in a futuristic, highly technological society, Penelope, the protagonist, is an android which has been created specifically for the purpose of helping the police solve the murder of the CEO of DroidTec. Penelope must uncover clues to solve an impossible crime while overcoming societal bias against her based on her being an AI android. She must also decide which people and what information she can trust while navigating life as a newly created super-android.

My final impression after completing the book is that it had good pacing and an intriguing premise which was fun to explore—a seemingly unsolvable locked-room mystery which was  taken on by an android detective and a human detective who are forced to work together. I would like to read another book by this author, but I would feel some reservations based on the following issues. This book could benefit from rewriting and stronger editing so these problems are addressed.

• There is an information dump in the beginning. It would have been better to chop off the first 10-15 pages and begin with the action. Most of these initial details of Penelope’s construction were not important to the story or could have been slipped in throughout the story. 
• Telling rather than showing, and giving too much information to the reader.
• POV errors such as the scene in which Penelope turns off her ability to hear to avoid listening to reporters, but we as readers are still able to hear everything that is said. 
• Awkward dialogue which was meant to be bantering and natural but in some cases created mental speed-bumps for me. While I appreciated the conversations Penelope had with her operating system, the system seemed too flippant and this damaged the suspense of disbelief in my opinion.
• Melodramatic dialogue and character actions. I can’t go into more detail without providing spoilers, but melodrama dampened the story experience for me.
• Logistical problems such as the use of a 200-year-old traditional printing press for printing the magazine Manus.  If almost every other publication is digital and paper is rare, how were they able to get the kind of paper and inks necessary for printing a magazine on a regular basis? Another example might be a large population being able to subsist on plant-based food while bees have become entirely extinct. I feel these extraneous details thrown in for the sake of making the society look futuristic, but weren’t thought through entirely as to the ramifications of them being the case.
• Wordiness and unnecessary adverbs, such as the use of “very.” One strong word would have been better to use than two weak words. The writing felt like a draft. 
• There were errors which you wouldn’t expect in a fully edited, finished book. 

I feel that the ending was just a little too complete. In great stories there is often a sacrifice by the protagonist which keeps the plot from feeling shallow. In this case, Penelope released the AI upgrades into the main frame and the results were too ideal. I'd like to see a less perfect ending which felt a little more realistic—at least as realistic as a futuristic society can be. 

Speed bumps in the writing journey—the evolution of a writer

Up through 2013, I was writing consistently, ostensibly with a view to publishing something beyond the few short stories which I had written previously. Life sometimes takes you in unexpected directions, however, and 2013 was such a year for our family. 

From 2013 to 2014, my husband was unemployed for more than a year. We used all of our savings to stay afloat while he worked doing whatever he could find, and when we had come to the end of our personal resources, I'm thankful that God answered our prayers for a wonderful job for my husband and our lives were turned around for the better financially. In the midst of our 2013 challenge, while I was homeschooling our kids, I also began an unlikely business on the casual suggestion of a friend—as a face painter. 

Strangely, this new business involved writing, and I also became a consultant and freelance writer for a face painting company a few years later. So while I wasn't writing fiction, I was still writing, and even being paid for it regularly. The book reviews I had written up to this point stood me in good stead, because they were a good training ground for writing by assignment. (Sadly, the book reviews from before this time were lost when the platform dissolved, but at least the valuable experience remained with me.) 

Almost ten years later, I had chosen to wave good-bye to my freelance writing hustle which no longer fit into a busy teaching schedule combined with a flourishing face painting, airbrush, and henna business. But there were still outlets for creative writing. Now those possibilities took the form of writing humorous test problems or fun handouts for my math students. 

Life will always be busy. I used to think that at some point life would slow to a more sedate pace which would enable me to include all of my interests. I've resigned myself to the understanding that a true slow down will never happen. I can relax the pace of life at times, but if I want to include the things I love to do, like art and writing, one way to do this is to incorporate them into the other things I do, like teaching.

So that's where I've been for almost ten years since my last blog post. I've watched my kids grow up and launch their own life stories. I've worked a lot and learned a great deal. My husband/best friend and I enjoy our adventures together whenever we can and in whatever form they come. I've read a lot and plan to now revive reviews here on my own blog. There are speed bumps in any journey. I experienced some today as we drove home from visiting one of our daughters in Ohio. But speed bumps are good in a way. They are an indication that, while the road may be bumpy, you are at least moving forward. Onward!

The publishing rock and the hard place

There are days, and then there are days. And weeks. And months. And years. 

This week I revised my submissions chart and put it into a spreadsheet, the advantage being that I compressed a lot of information into a smaller format, making it easier to get a bird's eye view of where my manuscripts have been, are now, or are going. 

One picture book manuscript stood out to me particularly. This story had something which you might consider as early success. The first publisher to look at it wanted a rewrite and held onto it for the editorial board until they (alas) decided they didn't want it. 

That's okay, I thought. How hard could it be to get a publisher if the first one wanted it?

Quite hard, actually. The whole thing reminded me of those probability problems I help my daughter with in her math. Just because the first publisher who looks at a story likes it doesn't mean there will be a higher likelihood that anyone else will want it. Thirty-one rejections, four years, and countless rewrites later, I'm still hawking the thing. I've had a prolific published author encourage me that it's perfect the way it is, but that it's just hard to sell picture books right now. I've had an agent tell me how much she liked it, but that she doesn't think it's salable. Auuugghh!

So here's my question: do I shelve this story when I've done all I can do, or do I attempt (sinister music) to self-publish? 

It's not that I'm against self-publishing. If you actually produce a high-quality product which has been thoroughly and professionally edited, self-publishing is okay. Even if I were only to make enough for a hot cocoa at Starbucks, I wouldn't turn that down, but with a picture book, one tiny problem remains. It's a PICTURE book. Ah, those pesky illustrations. Who would create them?

Who wouldn't create them is easier to decide. No amateurs. Period. When I was working in publishing, I hired professional illustrators. I wouldn't accept the kind of work I know comes out of an artist who doesn't do illustration for a living. (I have a degree in art and even I don't want to attempt it.) 

But on the flip side, I can't pay a professional, either. Years ago I used to pay $350 to $450 for one dinky, half-page, four-color illustration. Paying enough to finance a professional illustrator to do an entire book is pretty much out of the question. (And contrary to what the occasional picture book writer might thinks, illustrators have to eat. Illustrating is their full time job rather than a sideline like children's writing is for most children's writers. It requires full time hard work, and it comes with full time bills and full time taxes. An illustrator can't knock out a picture book in a couple of days, and they surely can't wait years to see if they get any sales from months of work so they can pay the rent.) 

So there it is. The rock and the hard place. 

(Tell me again: why did I want to write children's books?)

On Adverbs...

Chris Brogan's post today led me to this article by Stephen King. I have been trying to avoid use of adverbs in my writing by using effective verbs and actions. However, I know that they sneak in there. I hate to place additional roadblocks in my own creative path when I am writing a first draft or a new section, so I don't focus on best writing practices. That means I "generally" have to go back in and edit. I  believe it is through the editing process where, over time, my original writing style improves -- especially with the great critiquing eyes of my writing group

http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2013/03/13/stephen-king-on-adverbs/

Guest author/illustrator Jeff Mack shares his most recent project

As part of The Next Big Thing Blog Hop, children's author and illustrator Jeff Mack is sharing his most recent project with us on the Last Draft blog. To see more of his wonderful illustrations and find out about his children's books, stop by his website, too.

What is the working title of your book?

"The Things I Can Do" (by Jeff Mack)

Where did the idea come from for the book?

I was visiting a school to talk with kids about how to make books. A first-grader showed me a book he made about a squirrel who told jokes. He was extremely proud of his book regardless of the fact that none of his drawings looked anything like squirrels and none of his jokes made any sense. It was actually a really entertaining book, and I let him know how much fun I had reading it.

Later, I had an idea for a story in which a young first-person narrator makes his own book about all the things he thinks he can do. But his book is sort of a disaster. From his illustrations, it's clear to the reader that he can't really do any of the things he says he can. It's all about situations where failure and success overlap in funny and surprising ways.

What genre does your book fall under?

Picture book / fictional autobiography

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

No stars or professional actors could do it. Only an amateur could.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

It's a book about me, and the things (I think) I can do (but really can't).

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

This book will be published by Roaring Brook in Spring 2013.

How long did it take you to write the first draft?

It took me about 15 minutes to write it. It took me several years to illustrate it.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

I could compare it to Harold and the Purple Crayon if that book was illustrated by Henrik Drescher. But this book is really more like all of the hand-made books that kids send me after I visit their schools to talk about making books. It's wild, clumsy, and full of ideas.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

I am inspired by all the ambitious and creative kids who push against the limitations of their abilities in an attempt to create what's in their imaginations. I suppose it's similar for adults, too.

What else about your book might pique the reader's interest?

I illustrated the entire book using only those materials found in a five-year-old's art kid: crayons, construction paper, glue sticks, and some random household objects. While I was scanning the collages, I got bubble gum stuck in my scanner. Yuck!


Thank you, Jeff, for a great post. I can't wait to see "The Things I Can Do" when it comes out this year!

A work in progress

Special thanks to Nancy Sanders for inviting me to participate in the Next Big Thing Blog Hop. I was happy to share my latest book info below, but please don't miss the Blog Hop links at the end so you can meet four other authors and find out about their works-in-progress, too.

What is the working title of your book?

The Pirates of Time and the Navigator's Watch

Where did the idea come from for the book?

I'm not really sure. Most of my ideas come to me early in the morning while my mind wanders through a kind of no man's land of thought (before everyday issues take center stage). Once I have a plot idea, I focus on it and let ideas and dialogue play through my mind. Occasionally I brainstorm with my teens while we take walks in the evenings, because they sometimes suggest surprising twists which I haven't considered.

What genre does your book fall under?

Middle grade science fiction.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

As far as my main character, I see a kid with scruffy brown hair who isn't afraid to look you in the eye in spite of being somewhat trouble-prone, because he's got an irreverent streak. Perhaps I could see a younger version of Liam James or Dylan Minnette for this part?

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Jackson Everly discovers his grandfather is the navigator who stranded a band of time-traveling pirates in WW2 Europe, and when their timepiece falls into Jackson's hands, he must evade them while he attempts to save his father, who no longer exists in his timeline, without sacrificing his friend.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

I don't know. I have worked in the traditional publishing industry, so I would choose the advantages of working with a team of publishing professionals if possible. I'd like to have an agent, because he or she would know more about contracts and publishing than I do, but if I don't get one, I'll do my best on my own. While I have considered self-publication, especially after my interview with Mark Jeffrey, I still think it's best to go the traditional route. Each pair of trained eyes which goes over a manuscript helps it become better.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

The main body of the first draft took about six months. I hate to admit it, but the end is still trickling in. I got bogged down in WW2 research, but I've finally decided just to blast out the end and fix it later, otherwise I'll never finish. (I do know how it ends, by the way.) For the sequel, I wrote out some scene cards and rammed through it in a month during Nanowrimo. Of the two ways of writing, I think that the second way was the best way to go, because I tend to forget the beginning by the time I get to the end if I don't write quickly.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

In voice, my writing group has told me that my writing is not unlike Richard Peck's writing (A Year Down Yonder, and A Long Way from Chicago), which I take as a mixed compliment, because I don't want to sound like anyone else. I just want to sound like me. On a good day, I might say it's also a bit along the lines of the 39 Clues series. (I'd rather not think about the bad days.)

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

From the time I was a kid, I've held Madeleine L'Engle up as a standard of great storytelling. A Swiftly Tilting Planet and Many Waters are particular favorites of mine written by her. I can't say they directly inspired me to write this book, but their influence has still had an impact on me as a writer. I particularly like stories that deal with time.

What else about your book might pique the reader's interest?

The key to my book is Jackson's motivation for what he does. He wants to know his dad better than he does from the letters which were written while his dad was deployed in the Middle East. Jackson's conflicting values give him an ethical dilemma, though. While he realizes it is in his power to change the timeline and at least attempt to bring his dad back, he also discovers that doing so will cause one of his best friends to never have been born. There is no way for him to do both.

So Jackson's initial problem is how to escape from furious pirates who have searched the world for years to find his family and take revenge on them, but the story-worthy problem is Jackson's choice of whether or not he is willing to sacrifice another person to be able to have a relationship with his dad.

TIME TO HOP! Please check out these great authors and find out what's up and coming from them:

• John Manders, children's illustrator and author
• Laura Knoerr, author of work-in-progress
• Jeff Mack, author and illustrator of Clueless McGee

• Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen, children's author

English in the trenches—those pesky compound sentences

When I started writing for kids, I relied heavily on the English I had absorbed during my school days. Unfortunately, I was a little hazy on compound sentences and their punctuation. I could see this was something of a frustration to my ICL instructor when I took the class. She tried to help, but alas, it wasn't until I started teaching that the light went on for good.

1. How do you know when you have written a compound sentence?

This is easy. If you believe you have written a compound sentence, put your finger over the conjunction which is between the alleged independent clauses and read them separately. I've highlighting the conjunction in blue in my example.

Bob has booby-trapped Fred's locker, and he is waiting in the shadows. 

I put my finger over the conjunction. (I'll wipe away the smudge on my laptop later.) Now I have the following:

Bob has booby-trapped Fred's locker.
He is waiting in the shadows.

We most definitely have two independent clauses here. Each one can be a sentence all by itself. Each has a subject and a predicate. Each sounds complete. If English was algebra, my formula for this sentence would be S / V + S / V. Let's look at another possibility. What if I had written this instead?

Bob has booby-trapped Fred's locker and is waiting in the shadows.

Now what happens when I put my finger over the conjunction?

Bob has booby-trapped Fred's locker.
Is waiting in the shadows. (Oops! There is no subject here. We're using a conjunction, but we're using it to join two verbs rather than two sentences.)

We have two parts, but only one of the parts has a subject and a predicate and sounds complete. It's actually only a simple sentence with a compound verb. The formula for this sentence would be S / V + V. You'll also notice the conspicuous absence of a comma right before the conjunction.

2. What about commas? Where do they go?

Fred approached the locker, and he spun his combination lock. 

This is a compound sentence. Notice that there is a comma at the end of the independent clause before the conjunction and the next independent clause. This is important. Although there are a couple of exceptions to using the comma, you are always safe using a comma followed by a conjunction to join compound sentences.

But, you wonder, what do you mean about those exceptions? It is appropriate to omit the comma when you join two clauses which are very short and closely related.

Fred opened his locker and Bob snickered.

No comma, but that's okay. The two clauses are closely related and are also short, so they fit the requirements for a no-comma compound sentence.

You may also, on rare occasions, use a semicolon instead of a comma. This is done when the clauses are quite long and already have commas in them being used for other purposes. I've never run across these sentences except in text books, so I find it better to just write two separate sentences.

Bob knew it was prudent to duck, run, and hide; but he wanted to see the spring-loaded cream pie hit Fred in the face. 

3. Is there anything else I should know?

Unfortunately, yes. This post is my way of giving back after having driven my ICL instructor half nuts with my compound sentence density. At least now you'll be able to hold your head up confidently, knowing you have written a sentence that is, in fact, everything a compound sentence should be by definition. For finer points, I suggest The Elements of Style. It's short. If you are a writer, buy it and read it cover to cover. (If you need a cure for insomnia and want to become an expert on the stickier points of grammar, improve yourself by wading through the Chicago Manual of Style, which is updated every ten years or so.)

See previous post for more on sentences.

English in the trenches—conjunction junction, what's your disfunction?

If you grew up around the time that I did and watched Saturday morning cartoons, the title to this post instantly brings a School House Rock tune to mind. I liked them so well that I set up a tape recorder next to the TV on Saturday mornings, hoping to record School House Rock songs to listen to later. (This was before CDs and DVDs.)

Combined with the occasional comma, I've noticed that there is quite a bit of usage confusion going on out there when it comes to conjunctions. If you suffer from conjunction disfunction, here are a few tips to help you.

Conjunctions can join words, phrases, or clauses.

Bob and Fred are tormenting the neighbor's cat. (Compound subjects)
The neighbor's cat is hissing and clawing. (Compound verbs)
The cat is jumping into the air and onto Bob. (Compound phrases)
Bob is bleeding, and Fred is laughing. (Compound sentences)

The main takeaway here is that the two parts which you join with a conjunction have to be equal to each other. This means you cannot join a word and a phrase with a conjunction. They are not equal.

Bob and ran to the store.

Obviously joining a subject and a verb with a conjunction doesn't work. It doesn't even sound right, so it's unlikely anyone will make this mistake. However, there are other possibilities which are more subtle.

Bob, frustrated (word) and showing quick thinking, (phrase), is dropping the angry cat on Fred's head.

This sounds a little better, but it's still wrong. You can't put a word and a phrase together with a conjunction. In the School Rock vein, it's like trying to hook up a bicycle and a train car. Not pretty.

So today's lesson is two-fold. Don't try to join unequal sentence parts with conjunctions, and don't mess with your neighbor's cat. It will be bad. Very bad.

Book cover memory lane

These are some of my favorite Nanowrimo covers. (I'm feeling reminiscent rather than exhausted because I didn't actually do Nanowrimo for the first time in several years.) But still, it's nice to think about those manuscripts of yesteryear. Here are some of our covers:

This was from 2009. Honestly, I had more fun doing the covers than anything else.

A cover for a friend, but she ended up doing something else.

Hubby's cover. He did a World War II novel (of course) for Nano.

Probably my favorite creation, although my daughter ended up wanting to do her own instead. (I didn't really mind. She was spreading her own wings.)

One of my daughters' covers.

Cover for 2010. Not terribly exciting, but I thought it worked, considering I was churning out 1667 word per day and not getting enough sleep. 

The novel I never write. Never. Year after year I consider it and never do it.

My serious sci-fi middle grade novel. Someday this one will have a real cover made by someone else.

English in the trenches—what is a sentence, anyway?

Your proofreader has scrawled a note on your manuscript that says, "This isn't a sentence."

You look down and consider that the "sentence" in question has a capital letter at the beginning and punctuation at the end. Isn't that enough? Actually, it isn't.

When writing for young children, there are editors who are touchy about the use of complete sentences. This is because they want your writing to be a good influence on those impressionable youngsters who are still in the process of learning the English language, rather than annihilating it like the rest of us.

As you write for older children, you're allowed a little more leeway. Dialogue, in particular, sounds stilted when it's written as complete sentences. This is because no one really talks that way except for aliens from other planets who, if you've noticed, never use contractions.

So what is a sentence?

A sentence must meet two requirements.

1. It must contain a clause.
2. It must sound complete.

In case you didn't know, a clause is made up of at least a subject and a verb. Independent clauses sound complete, and therefore are sentences. Here are a few examples.

Bob threw the ball.
Mary is friendly.
Jennifer is running.

By comparison, here are some dependent clauses. You'll notice that they don't sound complete, even though they each contain a subject and a verb.

If Bob threw the ball.
When Mary is friendly.
Where Jennifer is running.

These could be fixed by attaching them to an independent clause or by rewriting them.

If Bob threw the ball, he's in big trouble.
When Mary is friendly, she doesn't eat your Cheetos.
There is a vicious bull in the field where Jennifer is running.

In short, a sentence has to have a subject and a verb, and it has to sound complete. If it doesn't sound complete, it must be fixed before the grammar police nab you.

If you have any questions, please leave a comment and I'll get to them in future posts.

Where Is the Phoenix?

Tangled Ashes by Michele Phoenix

 A chateau in France that is used for the Nazi Lebensborn program... A baby rescued... An American company hired in present day to rehab the chateau... A man in need of redemption... A woman who seems out of place caring for other people's children...

 The premise has so much promise and the author handles the language and transitions well. The story begins in an intriguing way with the viewpoint of a sixteen year old French girl, Marie, who works for the Nazis at the chateau to provide for her family. Gradually, she realizes what is going on especially since her friend and co-worker is caught up in it.

 Juxtaposed with the World War Two story is a modern story about an American company rehabbing the chateau to serve as a high end hotel and restaurant. The American in charge of the rehab, a man named Becker, has been sent to accomplish the job by his partner as an alternative to alcohol intervention therapy. A mysterious Frenchwoman designer irritates him, but facilitates the process of the rehab project. Another Frenchwoman, the lovely Jade, cares for the property owner/developer's children and begins to minister to Becker as well as a mysterious man who lives on the fringes of the property.

 Unfortunately, Becker never becomes likable or truly redeems himself. The bulk of the modern story is about his tortured relationships, his victim mentality and his ongoing and unsuccessful battle against alcoholism. Even Jade unravels. Then, the promised mystery from the Nazis in France during World War Two, also delivers only sadness and despair in its revelation.

 Spoiler alert.

When I reached the end of the book, I felt cheated. I had put up with all the anger and failure and depression and fear of the characters, and at the end of the book all I got was more anger and fear and depression. The World War Two story ends badly. And then, when Becker abandons Jade, who is fighting cancer, to go home and get alcohol treatment, I wanted to strangle him – and the author – for stringing me along. I know people with horrible life problems and I don't enjoy being pulled down into their misery. The book only hints at the saving grace of God, but never manifests it. The book, like Jade's church, has “holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power. Have nothing to do with them.” (2 Timothy 3:5)

English grammar from the trenches

I've noticed that language as a whole is on a downward slide. Between texting and emails, we're learning to ad lib like never before. Even in the best of circumstances, we only use a small chunk of the vocabulary Shakespeare used in his day. Something must be done.

Now, it's not that I'm an English whiz compared to a friend of mine who was an editor and now runs a close-captioning company. His level of perfection is possibly beyond me, but I can hold my own and detect perhaps 95 percent of the troubles most writers would do well to avoid if they wanted to keep their credibility as craftsmen of the English language. No matter where we each are, we could always be better and use a hand up from our English-using pals. Maybe you're mystified by compound sentences (like I used to be). Perhaps you're confused by perfect tenses and spelling rules. Whatever the case, I'll be posting a few simple lessons which should help.

(And in respect to that sad comment about Shakespeare's vocabulary being so superior to our own, I'll be giving you a word to add to your cache. Your mission is to use it in a sentence and impress your friends, family, and coworkers.)

If this post has depressed you too much, check out this Shakespeare version of the Three Little Pigs.


Word for the day

eucatastrophe—[noun] a sudden and favorable resolution of events in a story; a happy ending.

Example: Do you prefer a book with a eucatastrophe?

Don't be yourself (at least not all the time)

Wait a minute. What do you mean, don't be yourself? What about tibi ipsi esto fidelis and all that jazz? Aren't you supposed to stay true to yourself and refuse to compromise by eating milk chocolate when you really prefer dark? 

Recently I've been reading "The Plot Thickens" by Noah Lukeman. It's taking me awhile because I'm studying and taking notes, but even though I'm only on page 100, I'm amazed by the value of his book. The first two chapters are about getting to know your characters, inside and out. In those chapters, Lukeman has created enormous lists of questions which help a writer develop an incredibly detailed bio of her characters. The result is that by the time you finally write your story, it practically writes itself because you have come to know your characters so deeply. An added advantage is that characters written from such a detailed background come across as three dimensional and real to the reader rather than flat and stereotypical. 

So I might not be a cagey old grandpa or a spunky twelve-year-old super-spy, but thanks to Noah Lukeman's help in fully developing my characters, I can get into their heads and be them and even have their adventures for awhile. And the better I'm able to live through my characters, the better my readers will be able to do it, too. So the moral of this post is that in real life, yes, you do want to be yourself, but when it comes to writing, you don't have to be. When you write a story, you can and should be someone else sometimes, at least temporarily.

Rendezvous with success

Darcy Pattison had an awesome post last week on Fiction Notes entitled, 'How Do You Get So Much Done?' It's a question that she, as a writer, hears every so often. Darcy's answer is that, when it comes to writing, she keeps office hours. Just like any other job, and even though it's in her home, she writes at specified times of the day. When she had children, her hours were a bit shorter and designed to fit around their school schedules. Later she was able to expand them to an 8 to 4 work day.

When I read Darcy's post, I had a revelation moment. Maybe it was the simple way she put it, but it really hit home to me, because the single biggest problem in my own writing is that I act like writing is a treat for when everything else is done, rather than a job to do first.

It's possible there is no single ingredient in the writing life that guarantees success for a writer more than writing consistently.

There's a vast difference between having a dream and having a plan.

Honesty time. What does your writing days look like? Do you keep a regular rendezvous with your work in progress, or do you only touch base once in awhile? Do you have a daily time when you write? When is this? If you're a consistent writer, has your skill increased? Do you believe a writing plan can lead to fulfilled writing dreams?

A lesson learned from Snow White

If you've read the fairy tales, then you might understand the danger of comparing yourself to others. Remember that wicked queen in Snow White? She could have been a happy person if she had just quit asking that mirror who was the most beautiful of them all. I mean, really. People do get older. What did she expect?

Of course, you probably aren't one of those people who talk to mirrors and expect to get answers. And you may even have become resigned to the fact that eventually, you're going to see a few wrinkles here and there. But when it comes to your writing, what then? Do you glare at your hazy reflection on your laptop screen and ask, "Why did that writer get a book deal while I've been slaving away for six years with nothing? What's better about his writing?"

Actually, there might not be anything better about his writing, but you just fell into the trap of comparison. It's a dark hole, and no writer will ever find success in it.

The truth is, there are a myriad of reasons why any one editor or agent accepts a manuscript on any given day. Sure, you've educated yourself so that you aren't the goofball who sends fiction picture books to houses that publish adult nonfiction self-help. Yes, you've honed your craft so that you don't send in faulty work, hoping professionals will ignore your horrendous plots, shallow characters, or unrealistic dialogue. And you rewrite and run it past our critique group until it's as perfect as you can make it.

But sometimes, it isn't that your work is poor. Sometimes it's just not what that one person who is slogging through the slush pile is looking for. And sometimes, someone else's work is. That's okay. It's part of the way publishing works. If you're producing good work, someday you'll be the one freed from the slush.

So take a lesson from Snow White and avoid comparison. Enjoy the success of your writing comrades, but focus on your writing. Take heart. Your writing is as unique to you as your own finger prints. Some people will like it, and some won't, but it's born out of who you are. That's just the way it should be and the way it will be if you don't give up.

Paying the price

As we remember the sacrifices of the military men and women in our country, it's also a good time to reflect on how those sacrifices have directly affected our quality of life. Thank a veteran or remember a veteran for the freedom you have, and have a great 4th of July!

Where have you been?

And the answer to that question is, right here, actually. I've been homeschooling and drawing rather than writing. Well, that's not entirely true. I have been writing for Examiner.com and I've been working on my picture book manuscripts. After organizing them and their submission records into one handy (albeit enormous) three-ring binder, I'm pushing a few of them back out into the slush piles. It feels good.

Also, after six months of nagging doubts about my middle grade novel, I finally solved a problem that's been bugging me, so it's back to work with that now that I have it worked out in my mind.

So what have you been doing with your summer?

Sometimes you just have to get even with the inner editor

The writer was knocking out the story. She was excited because she had finally gotten past awful chapter seven and was in the zone, happy and oblivious. Then she heard a knock at the door. Not knowing better—the writer never seems to learn—she innocently opened the door with a smile on her face.

Standing before her was a figure wearing one of those fake Groucho Marx glasses-nose-and-mustache numbers to hide her true identity. The writer recognized her anyway. It was the inner editor. Her hair was pulled back into a tight bun like it always is, and she had twelve yellow number two pencils sticking out of it like an intellectual porcupine. She pulled off the disguise and peered over the reading glasses sitting on the tip of her nose, carefully tapping a manicured fire-engine red finger nail on her cold, curving smile.

"I can't believe you wrote this." She snorted.

The writer felt confused. She had to pull herself out of the story-world she had been in and back to reality in order to answer. "What do you mean?"

The inner editor sashayed over to the computer and pointed a long, accusing finger. "This. I mean, apart from the obvious grammatical mistakes, it just doesn't flow. What were you thinking?"

The writer felt her creative juices begin to evaporate under the inner editor's withering gaze.

The inner editor pressed her advantage.

"There's no way you can go any further until you get this thing fixed. And as penance, you're going to have to go back and rewrite every chapter you've written so far at least ten times until I'm satisfied." She leaned against the desk, shaking her head sorrowfully. "Don't think you can get any substandard writing past me. I saw the notes you made about chapters eight and nine. The plot is implausible, the characters shallow, and the dialogue ridiculous. I doubt it's worth putting it down on paper. In fact, I'm thinking we need to junk this whole project and start over from scratch."

The writer's eyes glazed over. She was almost completely paralyzed now, caught in the evil clutches of the inner editor.

"And don't think you can blame me for any of this drivel. It's all your fault. You're the writer, after all." The inner editor smirked before checking her impeccable manicure.

The writer shook herself, and a spark appeared in her eyes. "Hey," she said. "That's right. I am the writer."

The inner editor flinched. "Now, now. I didn't mean you were in charge, or anything like that. You need me or you wouldn't ever produce a decent manuscript." She began to edge toward the door, but she wasn't quick enough. The writer grabbed her by the collar and gave her a quick shove into the hallway. The editor stumbled away, trying to regain her footing. "Hey! That is no way to treat an editor!"

"Out!" The writer was back in control. "When human resources sends you to Acapulco because you're a pest, you need to stay there until I ask for your help during rewrites." The writer began to shut the door, but paused for a moment. "Oh, and by the way. No one is going to pin writer's block on me when you're really the culprit. Scram!"

The inner editor scurried down the hallway, picking up number two pencils that had worked loose from her bun as the writer shut the door firmly behind her. She dusted her hands and took a deep breath. A sense of freedom, nay, of creativity, washed over her like a cool rain. She sat down at the keyboard, fingers poised for only a moment before they began to tap the keys.

An oldie but a goodie: Appeasing the publishing gods

Feverish drum beats echo through the sultry jungle night as natives bearing torches, like a line of wavering fireflies, make their way up the side of a rumbling volcano. The tropical breezes drift past unnoticed as they climb past trees and around boulders, each clutching a sacrifice to his or her breast.

Finally, as they attain the rim, the reverberation of seismic activity throws them to the ground. Their chief is the first to struggle to his feet.

"My fellow writers!" he thunders to the crowd, "we must appease the publishing gods. Have you your sacrifices?"

As one, their affirmative cry rises over the grumble of the volcano.

"And are they first drafts, unedited and pure in their original form, printed on pastel paper in colored inks so they are sure to get the attention of an editor?"

"Yes! Yes!"

"Are you certain you have made no attempt whatever to research which publishers might be interested in your genre or type of writing?"

"Yes!" The natives are in a wild frenzy by now, waving their manuscripts over their heads.

"It is time!" shrieks the chief. "Throw your sacrifices into the volcano. The publishing gods must be appeased!"

In a cascade of colorful papers completely lacking sufficiently postaged self-addressed stamped envelopes for return responses, the manuscripts plunge into the fiery depths where they are incinerated before they can touch the molten maelstrom below. A wailing keen fills the darkness as the natives hurry down into their jungle huts.

"Do you think we'll hear anything this time?" one native whispers to his neighbor.

"Absolutely. This time I added a handwritten note about how my kids and wife loved my story. I'm guessing they'll get back to me in less than two weeks. By the way, I'm looking for an illustrator for my picture book. Can you recommend anyone?"

New Blog/Website

I am so excited about my new website. This new WordPress site is fun because it is easy (at this point). It combines all the things I love: photography, writing, music and video! And, it is making my walk to work much more interesting because now that I have my cellphone camera, I can document cool and interesting things every day. I don't seem to have a lot of words to say about them, yet, but I am enjoying looking at my world in a fresh new way!

LauraKnoerr.com -- the website