WHAT I LEARNED FROM WRITING MY FIRST NOVEL

       Karen Walker joins me with a guest post as she stirs awareness for her upcoming novel which is now available (see details below).  As one of my earliest blogging friends, Karen has appeared on my blogs as my guest a few times.  She's back with some timely advice as we approach National Novel Writing Month in November.  And now here's Karen:

WHAT I LEARNED FROM WRITING MY FIRST NOVEL AFTER 35+ YEARS OF WRITING NONFICTION

By Karen Helene Walker

Thank you, Lee, for hosting me today.

Writing a novel is the hardest thing I’ve ever tackled. No kidding. There are so many things you have to think about. First, you have to have a story that is of interest to some segment of the population. Then you have to have a plot with twists and turns that will keep your audience turning the pages. Then you have to have characters. Interesting characters. Characters with flaws. Characters that your readers will hopefully care about. And as if that isn’t enough, you have to be able to describe settings and show, not tell, what happens to these characters. And of course, your novel must contain similes and metaphors and other literary devices that make the story richer and more readable.

Before I wrote and published my memoir in 2009, I’d written essays and articles in my career as a public relations professional in the health care industry. Those things are so much easier than a novel. You think of a topic, you research facts and figures, you find an expert you can quote, you write a good hook, put in the background info, put in a call to action, if required, and voila, you’re done. I don’t mean to imply this kind of writing doesn’t require skill. It does. It’s just simpler than writing a novel.

My novel did require some research, especially in the middle section, which takes place during the middle ages. But my novel is not historical fiction, thank goodness, so I didn’t have to be accurate with details. For example, there are wishing steps surrounding Blarney Castle in Ireland, but the wishing steps in my novel became something altogether different. Still, I needed to imagine what life might have been like for a wise woman during that era when the Inquisition was happening -- not an easy feat for someone who has difficulty visualizing what isn’t there. When we were building our house in 1998, it wasn’t until the dry wall went up that I actually knew what the house would look like. See what I mean? Novelists need a good imagination. I had to work at this. Hard.

So, what did I learn from this experience? Several things, actually. One, when I set out to do something, no matter how hard it is, I do it. And that feels wonderful. So, if you’ve always wanted to do something, go ahead and do it. You won’t be sorry. Secretly, in the depths of my soul, I’d always wanted to write a novel. Just didn’t think I could. Well, I could and I did.

Two, there is always help when you are working on something, anything, if you’re only willing and able to ask for it. I had wonderful support from my writing coach, editor, Mark David Gerson (www.markdavidgerson.com). Without him, this book wouldn’t exist.

And lastly, listening to the whispers (which was the theme of my memoir, Following the Whispers) is crucial to my well-being. Writing this book became a deeply moving and profoundly healing spiritual journey. I needed to write this book. And I am so grateful I did.

Here’s the scoop on the story:

Three Women and a Single Story That Unites Them Across the Millennia

“Totally engrossing. A must-read for today’s wise woman!”
Rev. Kathleen McKern Verigin, minister/priestess

Brighid, Ashleen and Megan: Bound through time by a curious light, a mysterious voice and a call they dare not ignore. Yet in obeying this strange force, the women must face soul-searing trials that call into question everything they know and believe — about themselves and about the world around them.

“Guaranteed to inspire you to a deeper level of spirituality and a new appreciation for Goddess.”
Rev. Clara Z. Alexander

About the Author:

Karen Helene Walker is a widely published essayist and author of the 2009 memoir, Following the Whispers. When she isn’t writing, you will often find Karen performing in nursing homes and retirement communities as part of the Sugartime or Sophisticated Ladies musical groups, traveling with her husband of 20 years, Gary, or relaxing with a good book at their home in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Visit the author’s website at www.karenhelenewalker.com

The Wishing Steps is  available now in both print and ebook versions at: Amazon.com. You can also purchase it as an ebook on Kobo, I Tunes, and at Barnes and Noble.

Don't Forget to Vote!

        And I'm not talking about any political election.   If you haven't taken the time to visit my Battle of the Bands post I hope you will now and vote on your favorite version of my song pick for the Halloween season. 

#iwsg: Shorts for the Summer?

       Once again it's time to share and support one another as we examine those writerly insecurities and doubts in which we all have occasion to dwell now and then.  Alex J Cavanaugh is the captain of this ship.  Let us set sail on another cruise of the Insecure Writer's Support Group.

Breaking Out the Shorts for Summer

        I have an inclination toward writing in depth.  Some may call it wordiness.  I prefer to think of it as explaining things thoroughly.  But the hot days of summer are ahead.  There is fun to be had and traveling to do.   Maybe it's a good time to cool down on the longer blog posts and get short.

          I need to get hot with my writing and cool off the blogging.   Can it be done?    Karen Walker does it well at Following the Whispers.  I'll try to follow her example.

         That doesn't mean I'll be successful.  But I can try.   Sometimes.

          For me this could be difficult.

           Can you write effective short posts?    Does it kind of thrill you when you come to a blog where the post is short?   Have you visited Author Karen Walker's Following the Whispers? 

Related articles

• #IWSG: When in need of inspiration...
• #IWSG: Huh? Wha?
• #IWSG - Am I Brave Enough?
• IWSG: What's it all about?

Why do I look younger than other people my age?

That's me, front center row in the tie-dyed T-shirt.  It was a 60's  theme

        We've been dealing with some minor controversy in the past couple of posts on this blog, so today I thought I'd hit a really big topic that might make some of you enraged, others amused, and still others scratching your heads wondering why I'm such a dopey guy sometimes.   This may be my most controversial post of all.

        A post by Karen Walker stirred me to add this bit of nonsense to my blog composition queue and I figured now might be the time to pull out the big guns--er, maybe I shouldn't go there and instead say, now seemed like a good time to get a bit silly.

       At my 25th high school reunion--this would have been in 1994 if you're interested in math--I made an interesting discovery.  Nearly all of my fellow classmates except for a few of the more exceptional looking women had aged much more than I had.  Most of them looked like they had ten years or more on me.  Had I not recognized them I would have thought I'd walked into the wrong reunion.

        The good-looking women I figured were probably being helped by make-up, but the guys all looked liked they'd graduated years ahead of me.  I puzzled over this phenomena wondering why I had not aged like they had.  I felt this smug satisfaction of now being the best looking guy in my class.  Even the guys who had been the hunks and lookers when they were seniors in high school were now looking more like plain old senior citizens.

        Over the next several years I became more aware of how I gauged against my old friends--and I emphasize old.  They were aging but I didn't look much older than I did in college.  Oh sure, sometimes the lady at Jack-in-the-Box gave me a senior citizen discount when I stopped by for breakfast on my way to work, but she probably did that for everybody.  No way did I look like any senior citizen.

        Then not long ago my wife and I were wondering about the age of a certain lady we know.  I knew she had to be older than I.  And then she mentioned what her age was--three years older than I am.  I commented to my wife how much older the lady looked than I look.

         "Not really," my wife responded.

          Taken aback I said, "She looks a lot older than I do."   And then added, "Doesn't she?"

          "You don't look that much younger," my wife said.

          Thanks for that vote of confidence, dear.  I didn't understand.  What was my wife seeing that I wasn't?   I went to the mirror to check it out.  There he was--same young looking guy as always.   The hair was maybe not as dark as it used to be.  That is, what hair was left.  The face was still the same face I'd always known.  I didn't look all that different.

         Oh sure, I can feel my body falling apart, but I'm just out of shape and tired.  When I tell my doctor she tells me it's because I'm getting older.  Duh--I guarantee you I'm still just as young as I was back when I was younger.  I can see it in the mirror.  Yeah, it's the same me I've always known.

        Isn't it?

Related articles

• Mind Over Chronology/ Age Is A State Of Mind
• I'm Not Afraid of My 20 Year High School Reunion. ~ Sandy Rosenblatt
• Life Lesson #& - You're Not Getting any Younger!

Web Presence

Telephone Directory, 1896 (Photo credit: MildlyDiverting)

Information Please 

      These days telephone books and other specialized directories have nearly become obsolete.  Like most people probably do, when I want to find a business or information about somebody or something, I will typically do an internet search.   Most information provided by directories can be found on-line, plus we have the added ability of cross-referencing information in multiple sources.  If you are in business or trying to market something, this is why you need a web presence.

Leave Footprints

        If you're reading this, it probably indicates that you already have some web presence.  Odds are you have a blog and that's one step in establishing your place in cyberspace.  You are also probably signed up on one or more social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.   The more places on the web that you can be found, the more significant your web presence is.

        I am of course stating the obvious to most of you.  My blog entry today is not going to be any extensive how-to on the subject of search engine optimization or building a website or anything of this nature.  And since I am no expert on these types of topics I can only allude to them and recommend that you do your own research in the many books, blogs, and websites that are dedicated to these topics.

         Tied in with physical visibility is the virtual visibility provided by the internet.  The platform that concerns most of us is our blog.  Once you have a blog established it is important to infuse quality content into it, especially if you are intending it to be a professional showcase of who you are and the abilities you possess.  A blog can be a great marketing tool as much as it can be the stage for a fool.  Hopefully you are not putting yourself in the latter category unless buffoonery is the persona you are trying to sell.

         Blogging web presence is not just limited to your blog.  Realize that your comments on other blogs are also part of that presence.  Quality comments can get noticed in a good way.  A caveat which I know well is that an inappropriate comment can linger as well and bite you in the behind when you least expect it.  Be careful what you say.

Be Sociable

        Another very important aspect to blogging presence is being recognized on the blogs of others.  Make friends in the community of other bloggers.   Give credit to what other bloggers are doing and showcase them on your blog.  Host guest bloggers if you can.  And whenever possible be a guest on other blogs if you are invited to do so.  Maximum exposure without overexposure is the name of the game in blogging.

Be My Guest

            So with that opening let me extend my invitation.  After the April Challenge it's business back to normal on my blogs.  I will be looking for the occasional guests on Tossing It Out who have books released or something of particular interest to my audience.  On Wrote By Rote I frequently feature those who have memoirs in print or who have something of special interest to those who are interested in the topic of memoir writing.  If you have something that might fit well on my dream blog I'll even consider a guest now and then on A Faraway View.  We will also be looking for a lot of guest posts at the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge Blog during the course of the rest of the year--contact us or watch that blog for more details.

         If you are interested in doing guest posts for any of these, please contact me at arleebird@gmail.com.

Some of my past guests include:

Teresa at Journaling Woman has long been a blog friend of mine.  If you haven't visited her A to Z entries you must experience the unique treats she has to offer.  She's been working very hard on her stories.

Karen Walker is another blogger whom I have followed since my earliest blogging days and will provide some food for thought when you visit her blog Author Karen Walker...following the whispers.

Larry Cavanaugh at DiscConnected could not join us for this year's Challenge but he's given much input into my site both on the page and behind the scenes.  Music lovers will especially appreciate his site.

Marcus Clearspring has not actually been posting in this year's Challenge, but he's made an important contribution.   You know those A to Z Navigation Buttons that so many of you have added to your pages?  Well, Marcus is the guy that created those for you to use.  Please stop by to say hello and thank him.

       
            What are some ways you have left digital footprints?  Do you host guests on your blog?   Do you make guest appearances on other blogs?

Related articles

• Learning How To Get Started with Guest Blogging (rovin.net)
• Visibility (tossingitout.blogspot.com)
• Starting a Web Presence . . . (gold-country-bankruptcy.com)
• Reasons for a Web Presence (logicpath.com)
• The Hierarchy of Web Presence Optimization (searchenginewatch.com)
• Web Presence (etaew.wordpress.com)
• Why a Strong Web Presence is Important for Your Business (nismonline.org)

Celery Tree Pays It Forward: Guest Karen Walker

        Nobody can argue that Amazon.com was a brilliant idea. To create an online bookstore, where, from the comfort of one’s own home, you can browse thousands of book titles, order them, and have them delivered to your home all with just a few strokes on the keyboard. And shelling out some money, of course.

        Karen Jones Gowen has taken that idea one step further. She created an online bookstore for authors to support other authors. To join, you simply agree to purchase a minimum of six books per year. In exchange, the book you’ve written is part of the pool of books others choose from.

        I loved the movie Pay it Forward, because that concept is so beautiful. I didn’t need any encouragement to support other writers I’ve become acquainted with online. I try to purchase their books when I can. But this makes it so much easier to do so, because now many of them are in one place.

        Please take a few minutes to check out the website: http://www.celerytree.com.

        If you love books and love helping others and want to do so in a new and creative way, you’ll love Celerytree.

                                                                                 Karen Walker

One of the books available from CeleryTree is Karen Walker's Following the Whispers.
      In her poignant memoir, Karen Walker traces the effects of a cold, loveless home environment and an early sexual molestation on her growth, marriage, motherhood, and career. After freeing herself from a desert of a marriage, Walker loses custody of her child and then journeys to discover who she is and to find some sense of wholeness.
      The journey takes her from her old life to new friendships, new lovers, and new professions. From New York to Portland, Oregon, and eventually to Albuquerque, New Mexico, Walker seeks someone to love her as she is. She finds that and more -- a loving connection with her son. This fifty-year emotional odyssey ultimately leads Walker to a self who can look back over her life with a contentment and satisfaction that allow her to follow the whispers that the future may bring.

Karen Walker is a writer who has published essays in newspapers and magazines, as well as an anthology series. After a 30+ year career in marketing and public relations, she went back to college to complete a Bachelor's degree and graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2005 from the University of New Mexico's University Studies program with a major emphasis in Creative Writing. She lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico with her husband, Gary, and their dog, Buddy. When she’s not writing, you can find her doing international folk dancing, singing at retirement communities with her trio, Sugartime, hiking, reading, or hanging out with friends. You can also find her online at: http://www.karenfollowingthewhispers.blogspot.com

Karen Walker's blog can be found at http://www.karenfollowingthewhispers.blogspot.com
You can also find Karen at CeleryTree