Time to Write

How to make setbacks turn into bounce-backs (saying no to rejection)

What happens when you encounter a setback? Don't assume there's nothing you can do. On the American Express Open Forum site, entrepreneur Barbara Corcoran tells the story of a near-failure that turned into a triumph:

Today I’m a Shark on ABC’s Shark Tank. When I first got a call from an L.A. producer asking if I’d have any interest in being on the new show, I couldn’t believe my good luck. I was headed to Hollywood! I signed the contract immediately and ran out and bought myself two new swanky outfits at Bergdorf Goodman, just for signing autographs. But a few days before leaving, the producer’s assistant called to say they had changed their mind and had given the lone female seat to someone else.

Ten minutes later, instead of getting sad, I got mad and shot the producer an email. I told him I considered his rejection a lucky charm because everything good that ever happened to me happened on the heels of failure. I ticked off a list of all my triumphant rejections. I ended the email by suggesting the producer fly me out to compete with the other woman for the spot. It was my stand-up-and-be-counted-for email that got me on that plane, and I’ve been a Shark/Investor on Shark Tank ever since.

Presumably either there was an 'out'' clause in the contract or they would have paid her but not used her, which wasn't her goal. She created an alternative that contained an advantage for the other side as well as for herself. 

In improvisation, they always stress that a good way to keep a story going is to add "yes, and"--meaning you accept whatever the previous person said, and build on it. As the story above proves, it can also work to say "no, and..." In essence, Corcoran was saying, 'I think you're making a wrong decision and I have a way to prove it to you.'

That "and' is vital; otherwise you're just saying 'no' when they say 'yes', or vice versa. If we step back from the situation, sometimes we can reframe it or offer another alternative that can turn things back our way. 

(If you'd like some guidance on marketing what you create, get a copy of my book, Marketing for Entrepreneurs. It's published by Pearson and available from your favorite bookseller.)

If you're having doubts about your writing...

"There is a time in the lives of most writers when they are vulnerable, when the vivid dreams and ambitions of childhood seem to pale in the harsh sunlight of what we call the real world. In short, there's a time when things can go either way."

                                                                    Stephen King

King said that his wife, Tabatha, kept him going when he doubted himself. I hope you are lucky enough to have somebody to do the same for you. 

I've been lucky that way. A personal note from Rod Serling, to whom I'd written a fan letter when he was in the hospital in LA, fanned my childhood ambitions. Later, my best friend Bob and a wonderful eccentric named Rose also kept me going when I was trying to break into the screenwriting world in Hollywood with no contacts and a limited nest egg.

Along the way, a few more people kept me excited about writing, including the late Stan Margulies, producer of Roots, and Stephen Cannell, who I interviewed several times and who was generous with his time and advice. So were Sterling Silliphant and Alvin Sargent (the latter still active as a screenwriter as he approaches his 88th birthday).

Having the chance to work with one of the Mony Python crew, Graham Chapman, was also a dream come true, even if the project we worked on was doomed. And now I have the support of my partner, Sheridan (and Rose and Bob are still hanging in with me, too). 

If you don't have anybody like that, consider this a nudge from me, a grateful recipient of several such nudges, to believe in yourself and keep writing. 

No, Santa Claus is not in town (scams to beware)

The excellent Hoax Slayer newsletter reminds us of a few scams that are currently harvesting lots of suckers. Here are a few reminders:

* Nobody is giving away iPhones. Especially not iPhone 6's.

* Nobody is buying iPhones at auction for $5 or £5.

* There is no "one weird trick" that makes you lose weight instantly

* There is no "one weird trick" that made a 70-year-old woman look like 40.

* There are no dying widows looking for strangers to whom to give their fortune.

* There are plenty of Nigerian crooks but they want you to give them money, not the other way around.

* More specifically, it's not true that a 3-year-old girl named Lilly was snatched from the Surrey area of the UK, even though the message features a photo of her and the registration number of the fictional car she was last (not) seen in. Don't pass along this bogus message.

* You don't owe an EZ Pass toll that you forgot to pay. Do not open the attached invoice, it contains malware.

* Your Netflix account probably has not been cancelled. If you get a notice to that effect, do not click anything within that email. Instead, type in the Netflix address on your browser and then log in. 

* Your PayPal account probably has not been limited "due to login from unknown advice." If you get a notice to that effect, do not click anything within it. Otherwise, you may enable the scammers to hijack your PayPal account. I nearly fell for one of these because it happened to arrive shortly after I was made aware of an actual issue with my PayPal account.

* If you get a notice from American Express regarding unusual activity on your account, don't click on anything within it, just go to the real American Express site and log in as usual. 

TIP: When in doubt, always check the address from which the email came. Sometimes they do use one that resembles the name of the apparent source, but you may be surprised to find how often they're from an obviously bogus address.

I'll add a few scams that target writers:

* Traditional publishers are not desperate to be sent manuscripts, they get plenty without advertising. Generally these are companies that will publish anything they are sent, providing the author is willing to put up the money. There are some legitimate companies who assist you with publishing for a fee, but do your research before you sign any contract. Look them up on the web, contact authors whose books they have published, etc.

* Be especially careful if a publisher says they are eager to publish books of poetry because they sell well. Unfortunately, books of poetry (at least by unknown writers) almost never make any money. That's not to say you shouldn't publish them anyway, to give to friends and relatives, but be aware that your chances of making a profit are close to nil. 

* Legitimate agents do not charge a reading fee. They make a percentage of what you make, usually 12-15%. Legitimate agents also do not insist that you use the services of editors or writing coaches they recommend. 

* Legitimate contests do not charge a large entry fee when the prize awards are relatively small. 

 

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If teen and Young Adult novels were realistic

A clever young man named John Hansen came up with the Twitter hashtag #VeryRealisticYA. Here are a few contributions that have been posted: 

"Broody bad boy says something sexist to quiet, bookish girl. Girl puts him in his place.They never go out." - Ava Jae

"Nerdy girl is paired in school project with bad boy. She does all the work and they never speak again." - Janine Mimi De Jesus

"Teen accidentally uploads embarrassing video to YouTube. The next school day is normal because it got only two views." - Brooks Benjamin

"Two teens saving the world are not romantically attracted to each other." - Mackenzi Lee

"Girl politely declines to be the face of the revolution because it's junior year and she has too much homework." - John Hansen

"Where are you going, young lady?" / "To help the Outsiders overthrow the Authority." /"Not on a school night, you're not." - Paul Krueger

To which we might add, #RealisticWriters:

"Single mother works every morning for years to write her teen/YA novel, realizes that success is unlikely, stops writing and goes to work as a waitress."

It's a good thing writers aren't realistic!

 

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A quick word about depression (a personal post)

It's natural when something terrible happens to want to find the reason why, which is happening with the recent airplane crash apparently caused by the co-pilot's deliberate actions. The media have been pointing the finger at his problems with depression.

Unfortunately, this is likely to make some members of the public assume that people who suffer from depression cannot be trusted with positions of responsibility. It adds to the stigma that already exists. 

This isn't an abstract point for me; I've been suffering from depression since I was a child. At times I've taken medication for it. I've never felt like hurting anybody as a result, nor is that a symptom of the condition for others. 

Maybe I'm underestimating the intelligence of the people who read these news stories; maybe they will be aware that isolating the man's depression as the cause is no more logical than assuming that those with an eye problem (which he apparently also had, and which may have threatened to end his career) are dangerous.

What is clear is that he was mentally ill. That would be true of anybody who is willing to kill 150 others while ending his own life. Depression may well have been one component of that mental illness, but it was not the primary cause of his horrific actions, and I hope (but don't expect) that the media will give a bit more thought in future to the impact of their rush to judgment. 

Volvo uses 'the opposite' technique for innovation

One of my favorite methods for coming up with ideas for stories and projects is The Opposite Technique, in which you identify the way something usually is done, generate the opposite of that, and then see how you can turn the opposite into something practical. Volvo has a new project that is a perfect example.

The usual thing for car makers is to try to ensure the safety of the people inside their cars. One version of the opposite would be to try to ensure the safety of the people NOT in their cars. Volvo is conducting an experiment with this by handing out free spray cans of paint. The paint is invisible by day but glows brightly when illuminated by headlights. People can spray it on their bicycles, helmets, jackets, shoes--it doesn't damage those and it can be washed off with water. Normally it lasts for about a week.  At the moment, Volvo is testing the program in London and Kent. If the response is positive, they'll expand it to cover the UK and eventually roll it out internationally.

Why not try using The Opposite Technique the next time you need to come up with a fresh idea for a story, a marketing method, a presentation, or just about anything else?

(Want to learn another 24 methods for coming up with ideas, as well as tips for getting into a creative mindset, turning ideas into action, and case studies of how others have done it? Get a copy of my book, Creativity Now, published by Pearson and available from your favorite bookseller.)

Write it right: Mindless?

Here's a headline that had me heading for the dictionary:

"Seven Mindless Ways to Earn Extra Cash When You're On the Road"

Mindless? I wondered whether it had a meaning I wasn't aware of. But the dictionary offers these:

adjective

 

1. acting or done without justification and with no concern for the consequences.

   "a generation of mindless vandals"

   synonyms:

   stupid, idiotic, brainless, imbecilic, imbecile, asinine, witless, foolish,empty-headed, vacuous, unintelligent, half-witted, dull, slow-witted,obtuse, weak-minded, feather-brained, doltish, blockish; More
2. not thinking of or concerned about.
   "mindless of the fact she was in her nightie, she rushed to the door"

   synonyms:

   indifferent to, heedless of, unaware of, unmindful of, careless of,insensible to, blind to "she was mindless of the consequences of her actions"

   The suggested ways to earn cash included renting out your home or your car while you are away, so I guess they meant methods that didn't require your attention once they were in motion. I can't think of a single word that encapsulates that (but mindless isn't it). If you have a candidate, let me know!

Write it right: envious vs. enviable, flare vs. flair

A few more matters of grammar, punctuation and wording that are easy to get wrong:

From an ad for a new apartment development:

"..making this a truly unique and envious place to live."

envious: feeling envy

enviable: worthy of envy

From that reliable source of mistakes, USA Today:

"Mouray, 28, is a U.S. entertainer who adds comedic flare to such topics as pet peeves..."

If he's using funny flares, don't get a seat in the front row. If he's adding flair, you'll be OK.

From The Express newspaper:

"(Doctor) Hamlyn successfully treated brain-damaged boxer Michael Watson after being knocked down by fellow Briton Chris Eubank in a world title fight in 1991.

Who knew that the doc was a world-class boxer (although obviously not as good as Chris Eubank)?

 

Language Matters: You can fool some of the people quite a lot of the time

Years ago I read a terrific little book called "How to Lie With Statistics" and I was reminded of it this morning when I got an email with this promise:

"Yoga-Like" Routine Burns 53% More Calories (Take 2-Minutes)

As far as we can tell, it's one of the biggest breakthroughs in exercise since the invention of the gym. That’s because…

These bizarre 2-minute “yoga-like” routines have been proven to burn 53% more calories in just ONE SESSION!

Yes, I need this impressive program!

...Wait a minute....53% more calories than what? 

Inside, it mentions a man "who lost 35 pounds of stubborn fat that personal trainers swore he would never be able to lose." Tip: If you have a personal trainer who says you're 35 pounds overweight but you'll never be able to lose it, fire him or her and get a new one.

By the way, I'm not suggesting that the people behind this promotion are actually lying, I'm sure the exercise routines they are promoting are useful, even though the sales letter refers to them as "miracle" routines and plays the "they don't want you to know" card:

"When the mainstream fitness moguls that advocate long drawn out workouts, pricey supplements and extreme diets catch up  with of the information on this page, they'll stop at nothing to get me to take down this page!" 

Gosh, I hope he's hired a bodyguard.

Another current favorite of copywriters is labeling the things they're promoting as "weird" (as in "one weird trick)" or, in this case, "These Bizarre 2-Minute Routines."

I'm not sure why weird and bizarre are considered desirable attributes unless we're supposed to feel we'll be getting something others won't have or won't understand. 

After quite a few pages, the sales pitch reveals that the "53% more" refers to workouts that were done the usual way, and then done again a few days later, but this time instead of taking a three-minute rest between each round of exercises, doing these two-minute bizarre miracle exercises.

In other words, by doing an additional six minutes of exercises, the test group burned, on average, 82 additional calories. 

Given that you have to burn about 3500 calories to lose a pound, it would take 42.5 sessions to lose one extra pound. Actually it might take only 41 because the more you rev up your system during an exercise session, the more calories you continue to burn for a while afterward. 

It's not a bad thing to burn more calories, but I'd hardly call it "the miraculous increase in calorie burn" that this sales page trumpets.

It also announces that a scientific study of people who did additional exercises like this before doing their usual exercises "Increased Their Overall Oxygen Consumption During Their Workout By 21.4%." 

This was published in the presumably prestigious Journal of Sports Sciences, Volume 19, Issue 9, September 2001, pages 693-700. I'm surprised it took seven pages to report that if you add six more minutes to your 25-minute routine you end up burning proportionally more oxygen. Probably it included charts. 

At least the sales pitch allows you to get a full refund if you're not happy with the program: "No Questions Asked And We Can Still Be Friends!"

I didn't even know we were friends already. I'm getting a warm feeling. 

And there's good news! We're not going to have to pay $1000 (whew!); we're not even going to have to pay $47! For a very limited time, we can save 53% and get it for $19--and no shipping charges! (Because it's all digital). 

Why have I gone on at some length about this pitch? Not because it's unusual; quite the opposite. It's because we are getting used to people sneaking past our bullshit detectors by using statistics and language that we don't have the time and energy to scrutinize.

If we spend just two minutes a day doing that, we will improve our bullshit detection by over 45%, according to the Journal of the Society for the Promotion of Accurate and Honest Use of Language and Statistics, Volume 1, Issue 1, Page 1.*

* Source: Me. I just founded the Society a minute ago and I'm pretty darned impressed with the work we are doing, which includes writing this post and...er, that's it.

 

How long does it take to get out of writing shape?

Is there such a thing as getting out of writing shape? I read the other day that if you exercise regularly and then stop, it takes three to five weeks before you lose general strength but specialized (sport-specific) strength diminishes in as little as two weeks.

There's no doubt that taking a break from anything you do a lot can be beneficial, but if you stop writing for an extended period is there a danger that you'll lose "writing strength"? Well, I doubt that you will suddenly not be able to string words together, but I think there is a danger that you'll lose momentum and some of the passion you had for the project you were working on when you stopped.

After all, the writing habit is like any other, it gets stronger the more we do it, but weakens when we stop. Of course sometimes life gets in our way and we have to stop. In that case, a few strategies might help:

1. Schedule your re-start. Put it in your calendar and clear the time needed on that date and afterward. It may be that you'll have to change this date and that's fine, but at least this way you have a specific target.

2. When you stop, jot down the next few things you'll write when you resume. For instance, this could be a note about what happens next in your novel or screenplay.

3. Unless you want or need a total break (when you go on vacation, for example) take a few minutes each day to think about the project and note any new ideas. When you resume, these ideas will help you get started again.

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Why 'wasting time' isn't really wasting time

When we're not being overtly productive, when we're daydreaming, chasing random links on the internet, or looking out of the window, are we just wasting time? Sociologist Christine Carter says no, in an interview with the Washington Post:

We have two attentional networks in our brain: task positive and task negative – they function like a see-saw. Only one is active at a time.

When we are focused on something, or using our willpower to do something, the task-positive attentional network is on. What’s off is the task negative – the mind wandering, daydreaming, what most people tend to think is the “time wasting” mode. So all the great work we do in the world, we give credit to the task-positive brain. We assume it takes a lot of self-discipline and willpower to just muscle through. We write books. We build bridges. We raise children. That’s what our culture told us to focus on – human output, like the factory model. But it’s actually not true.

When you let your mind wander, the task- negative brain becomes active. All those neurons start making connections between things you didn’t see before, and it’s all happening at an unconscious level...We can’t write books without the insights that come from that downtime. We can’t fulfill our potential without filling our need for creative insight, and nurturing our ability to draw connections...It’s a cliché, but, think about it, we often get our best ideas in the shower! Also reading poetry, painting, reading a novel, fiction – all of these things help us draw connections, become more empathetic. 

Probably this is something you knew intuitively but it's good to have it confirmed. It also means that it makes sense to build some of this task-negative time into any project you're planning. 

People often ask me whether I write every day. I don't, and it's partly because I've learned the value of sometimes letting a bit of time go by because what I write after a brief break often seems richer than what I produce if I'm pushing myself. Of course it's possible to overdo that and let it become an excuse for laziness, which I've also experienced!

Why Mozart should be on your playlist

I don't listen to classical music very often. If you don't, either, maybe we should start. Here's a summary of a University of Helskinki study of the influence of classical music on our genes, as reported in Science Daily:

Although listening to music is common in all societies, the biological determinants of listening to music are largely unknown. According to a new study, listening to classical music enhanced the activity of genes involved in dopamine secretion and transport, synaptic neurotransmission, learning and memory, and down-regulated the genes mediating neurodegeneration. Several of the up-regulated genes were known to be responsible for song learning and singing in songbirds, suggesting a common evolutionary background of sound perception across species.

It would be interesting to find out whether other kinds of music have the same effect. In the meantime, I'm listening to Mozart's Violin Sonata No. 32 in B-Flat Major and I feel better already...

If there is a piece of classical music that you feel is especially powerful, feel free to share it in the comments.

The magic of being a writer

"What I'd really like, in fact, is to be young and middle-aged, and perhaps even very old, all at the same time--and to be dark- and fair-skinned, deaf and hearing, gay and straight, male and female. I can't do that in life, but I can do it in writing, and so can you."

-- Andrew Solomon in The New Yorker, March 11, 2015

Cliches to avoid : waking from the nightmare (eeek!)

There's no shortage of cliches to avoid in films and novels, and here's a great illustration of one of them: 89 scenes in which someone sits bolt upright as they wake from a nightmare (screaming optional). The collective effect is hilarious:

 

Cinematic Rude Awakenings from Roman Holiday on Vimeo.

This U.S. summer program is for writers of sci-fi, fantasy and horror (apply by April 8, 2015)

ODYSSEY WRITING WORKSHOP ANNOUNCES ITS 20th SUMMER SESSION!

About Odyssey

Each summer, writers of the fantastic come from all over the world to attend the Odyssey Writing Workshop.  Odyssey is one of the most highly respected programs for writers of fantasy, science fiction, and horror.  Only fifteen are admitted.  Fifty-nine percent of graduates go on to professional publication. 

Odyssey is for developing writers whose work is approaching publication quality and for published writers who want to improve their work.  The six-week program combines an advanced curriculum with extensive writing and in-depth feedback on student manuscripts.  Top authors, editors, and agents have served as guest lecturers, including George R. R. Martin, Jane Yolen, Terry Brooks, Robert J. Sawyer, Ben Bova, Nancy Kress, Jeff VanderMeer, Holly Black, Catherynne M. Valente, and Dan Simmons. 

This summer's workshop runs from JUNE 8 to JULY 17, 2015.  Class meets for at least four hours each morning, five days a week.  That time is split between workshopping sessions and lectures.  While feedback reveals the weaknesses in students' manuscripts, lectures teach the techniques necessary to strengthen them.  Intensive lectures cover the elements of fiction writing in depth.  Students spend about eight hours more per day writing and critiquing each other’s work. 

The program is held on Saint Anselm College's beautiful campus in Manchester, NH.  Saint Anselm is one of the finest small liberal arts colleges in the country, and its campus provides a peaceful setting and state-of-the-art facilities for Odyssey students.  College credit is available upon request.

The early action application deadline is JANUARY 31, and the regular application deadline is APRIL 8.  Tuition is $1,995, and housing in campus apartments is $830 for a double room and $1,660 for a single room. 

Odyssey graduate Sara King is sponsoring the Parasite Publications Character Awards this year to provide financial assistance to three character-based writers wishing to attend.  The Parasite Publications Character Awards, three scholarships in the amounts of $1,995 (full tuition), $500, and $300, will be awarded to the three members of the incoming class who are deemed extraordinarily strong character writers, creating powerful, emotional characters that grab the reader and don't let go. 

Several other scholarships and a work/study position are also available.

Odyssey's Director and Primary Instructor

Jeanne Cavelos is a best-selling author and a former senior editor at Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing, where she won the World Fantasy Award for her work.  As an editor, Cavelos gained a reputation for discovering and nurturing new writers.  She provides students with detailed, constructive critiques that average over 1,500 words each.  She also meets individually with students several times over the six weeks to discuss their progress and explore ways in which their writing process might be altered to improve weak areas.  These discussions often lead to breakthrough insights. 

Comments from the Class of 2014

"Jeanne is an amazing, supportive, and nurturing mentor.  This has been one of the most transformative experiences of my life, and I say that as a veteran of the Marine Corps who has spent a significant amount of time in combat zones.  This is the best investment that I have ever made in myself.  I think it was worth every penny and every minute away from home, loved ones and work.  I was completely unprepared for how amazing and special this workshop was for me."

                               --JT Howard 

"I have three graduate degrees, but I can easily say that Jeanne Cavelos is the best instructor I've ever had. I came to Odyssey with specific ideas about what the problems were in my fiction.  During the first week, I learned I had problems with my fiction that I didn't even realize I had.  Jeanne, though, teaches us that those problems should not overwhelm fiction writers; instead, she teaches us how to solve them." 
                               --Brigitte McCray

Our 2015 Writer-in-Residence

Kij Johnson is widely considered one of the top fantasy/science fiction writing teachers in the country.  She is the author of three novels--two fantasies set in classical Japan, The Fox Woman and Fudoki, and a Star Trek: The Next Generation novel--and a short story collection, At the Mouth of the River of Bees. Since 2008, her short fiction has won the Nebula Award (three times), the Hugo, and the World Fantasy Award. In the past she has worked in book publishing, comic books and graphic novels, and RPGs and trading card games. She received her Master of Fine Arts from North Carolina State University and teaches at the University of Kansas, where she is associate director for the Center for the Study of Science Fiction.

Other Guest Lecturers

Lecturers for the 2015 workshop include some of the best teachers in the field:  authors Brendan DuBois, E. C. Ambrose, Alma Alexander, and Alex Hughes; and top literary agent Jennifer Jackson. 

 Odyssey Graduates

Graduates of the Odyssey Writing Workshop have been published in the top fiction magazines and by the top book publishers in the field.  Their stories have appeared in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Analog, Asimov’s, Weird Tales, Lightspeed, Orson Scott Card’s Intergalactic Medicine Show, and many more.  Recent novels by Odyssey graduates include Low Midnight byNew York Times bestselling author Carrie Vaughn, published by Tor Books; Elisha Magus by E. C. Ambrose, published by DAW;The Thickety by J. A. White, from HarperCollins; This Shattered World co-authored by Meagan Spooner, published by Disney-Hyperion; and Reflected by Rhiannon Held, from Macmillan Books.

 Other Odyssey Resources and Services

The Odyssey site, odysseyworkshop.org, offers many resources for writers, including online classes, a critique service, free podcasts, a weekly discussion salon, writing tips, and a monthly blog.  Those interested in applying to the workshop should visit the site or e-mail [email protected].