Why Writers Need Dogs

My ten year old yellow lab, Daisy, has been bringing in the San Antonio Express newspaper since she was six months old. When the paper hit the driveway, Daisy insisted I open the door, knowing the paper was important and getting it was her job.

A few months ago I noticed that Daisy lost interest in her job. I just attributed it to her age. I tried to train the younger lab, Lulubelle, for the job – taking her out, pointing at the paper. Lulubelle let me know “she didn’t do papers.” Frisbees, sticks, or tennis balls were her thing and she is quite good at retrieving them. I gave up and started getting the paper myself.

Easter weekend I went out of town. A friend stays with the dogs when I travel. When I returned, she mentioned that Daisy had brought the papers in. Surprised, I asked her how she did it. She said the same thing as always. When the paper is thrown, she looks at Daisy and with excitement in her voice, says “let’s get the paper.” When Daisy picks the paper up, she says “good girl” praising her and gives her a treat. Something I knew, but had not been doing.

I realized that in my efforts to make the deadline for book 3 of the Westward Sagas, I have neglected my dogs, not giving them the love and attention needed. We are back on track taking walks, throwing balls, giving praise and treats. I hope to soon connect with family and friends whom I have neglected the last few months.

Sometimes it takes a dog to remind us of the important things in life.

Know Your Audience

My last two posts were about words that have changed meaning or become totally obsolete. As an author and a story teller, I must choose my words carefully and consider the reader’s or listener’s understanding of my words.

When invited to speak, I ask questions of the meeting planner to learn as much about the audience as possible. Every group has its own nomenclature, words that its members use frequently in everyday language. Sometimes the geography, age, social status, vocation, or avocation determines how your audience perceives or understands what you say.

I enjoy telling humorous stories about cowboys, farmers, and ranchers. Growing up in a family that practiced agrarian pursuits. I have encountered many rural characters to tell stories about. I spoke to a group of Texas Cattlemen once. I started my talk by saying, “I did a sheep dipping and a goat roping on the way to their event.” It got a great laugh. I used the same line at a retailer convention the next week and only received blank stares. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE.

In my circle of friends, the expression “going to a sheep dipping and a goat roping” meant we had a big event to attend. I don’t know that I ever attended an organized sheep dipping or goat roping, but I and most farmers and ranchers know what the saying means. If you don’t, come back to my next post to find out.

Christian Writers Group: Marketing Boot Camp

I’m a member of the Christian Writers Group of the Greater San Antonio Area. This excellent group has given me much help, and I wholeheartedly endorse their programs. Following is a news release from the group upcoming an upcoming marketing boot camp.

Whether you’re publishing a book, launching a performance career, or offering a service, a good marketing plan is the key to connecting you with your consumer. On Saturday, February 19, the Christian Writers Group of the Greater San Antonio Area will present a “Do-It-Yourself Marketing Boot Camp” with Sandy Lawrence of Perceptive Marketing. Topics include: Defining Your Message; Finding Your Target Audience; Developing Your Marketing Plan; and Creating Your Marketing Campaign.

Workshop runs from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm at First Baptist Church of Universal City, 1401 Pat Booker Road. Cost is $35. For registration and details, go to www.cwgsa.com.

Read an E-Book Week

Some readers are avid e-book enthusiasts. Others like both print and electronic books. And then there are those who insist that only print books are “real” books.

Often these people haven’t even tried an e-book … but they’re sure they wouldn’t like it. Wherever you stand on the spectrum, Read an E-Book Week is a good chance to learn more about e-books and get some free e-books, to enjoy if you’ve tried them or to experiment if you haven’t.

I’ll be giving away a free electronic copy of Spring House to everyone who visits and comments on the post I write on Monday, March 9th for Read an E-Book Week. If you visit and leave a comment on the March 9th post by the end of the day Friday, March 13th, I will e-mail you a free e-book (a zip file containing several e-book formats).

Check out the Read an E-Book site for other authors and publishers offering free books as well as lots of great information about e-books.

My Blog Roars: Powerful Writing

Helen Ginger at Straight from Hel has awarded me A Roar for Powerful Words Award.

In her post, Helen said this about me: “No matter the subject, he’s passionate.”

One of the things I’m passionate about is good writing, and this award gives me an opportunity to share some tips.

The rules are:
1. Link back to the person who tagged you.
2. List three things that you believe are necessary to make writing good and powerful.
3. Tag five others and comment on their blog informing them that they’ve been tagged with this award.

Here are three things I believe are necessary to make writing good and powerful.

1. Get objective feedback … and listen to it. I’m part of a writer’s group whose members critique each other’s work. I get lots of valuable help from them. One of the most interesting things I’ve found is the differences in the feedback from men and women. Since I’m writing much of Adam’s Daughters in the viewpoint of a female character, Peggy, the advice from women about this character is making my writing better and more powerful.
2. Use details to add richness and power to your writing. I write historical fiction so I like to add details about life in the time period, but every kind of writing can benefit from details to bring it to life.
3. Fast forward or rewind in your writing if you get stuck – you don’t have to write in sequence. I’ve been stuck in 1788 and not making much progress on my book, so I fast-forwarded in the story and am writing a scene that takes place in 1796. Eventually, I’ll rewind to 1788, and after the break, I expect to find it much easier to write that scene.

I know I’m supposed to tag five people, but instead I’m going to tag any of my readers who would like to participate. If you’d like to share your tips on what makes writing powerful and good, post a comment with your advice or a link to your post.

[tags]powerful writing, A Roar for Powerful Words[/tags]