Insecurity and You

Today is the first Wednesday of May so that means Insecure Writers unite!  And talk about our darkest fears...
This will be a combo post since I am also participating in Blog Me Maybe blogfest but who doesn't love a combo?  I'm pretty sure I invented the phrase 'Can I get some fries with that?'.

Insecure Writers Group-Suckage

I am currently back on the Query-Go-Round so I will confess to a few short but brutal panic attacks after hitting the send button.  Everything I write is made of suck and I just can't see it.  I usually turn up the radio, or eat something chocolate to drown out this hoarse little voice in my head (that sounds like Danny DeVito always).  So I may end up fat and deaf but I will prevail over these fears!



All About You-

On the Blog Me Maybe blogfest today is all about you!
What are your hopes and dreams?  What makes you laugh?  Cry?  Pee your pants?  Spill it!  We want to know something about you that we've never heard before...
Come on, you can trust me.

It's Really All About Me.

I am participating in the Blog Me Maybe Blogfest hosted by Sara McClung (along with a few others) on her hilarious and thought provoking blog, Babbling Flow. Check it out, I think it's going to be a lot of fun.  And completely laid back so if you have to miss a day, don't freak.

Mondays are about writing.
Tuesdays are about me.
Wednesdays are about you.
Thursdays are about someone else.
Fridays are about anything funny.

I'm practically following this schedule already!

Today is about me...so let's see...live in Texas...married with children...accountant by day...have a thing for ellipses...but anyone who's been here before knows that.  I am also deeply sarcastic.  I make fun of everything, including myself.  Because life is serious enough without my adding to it.  I can be scary.  But I have an annoying habit of crying over almost every animated movie I see.  My teenage son recently told me I am the nicest mean person he has ever known.  I have never received a better compliment in my life.

Happy Tuesday!

I AM Lucky

At least when it comes to being tagged by the Lucky 7 meme.  Courtesy of Jennifer Burke over at Jen's Bookshelf.  Go pay her a visit if you haven't already because her blog is definitely worth it (just don't mention possums).  Damn Funny Aussie+Incredibly Talented Writer=Someone you should get to know now so you can say you knew her when...

Now on to the meme.  And by the way, what the hell does meme stand for anyway?  It sounds weird.  Meme, meme, meme, meme...weird.

Here be the rules:
1. Go to page 77 of your current MS
2. Go to line 7
3. Copy down the next seven lines as they are written - no cheating!
4. Tag 7 other writers and let them know

My lines with no explanation:

“You know, about the girls. You have to admit it is a little strange.”

I stopped and Tana turned back with an apologetic look.

“Tana, I have no idea what you’re babbling about.”

“The suicides in your family? How all the girls went crazy before they did it?”

“Come again?”

“You don’t know?” She gasped in shock and a wave of apprehension hit me. Maybe I didn’t want to know.
-end.

To the taggage! And I'll try not to knowingly tag anyone who has already been marked.

Katie Mills of Creepy Query Girl
Simon Carter of Constant Revisions
Claire Dawn of Points of Claire-ification
S.L. Hennessy of Pensuasion
Brian Russell of The Alchemy of Writing
Bethany Yeager of Ink-Splattered
Sarah McClung of Babbling Flow

I won't hate you if you decide not to participate because you are either too busy/cool/bored/under contract/don't have a clue who I am/don't have 7 lines to share, let alone 77 pages to share it from/or currently have a restraining order against me.

Blog Bail

When I started this blog it was all about me, which I think is the case with most of us when we begin. It was a way to get my thoughts out there and find my own voice in the midst of all the ones in my head. But once I gathered a few followers (part of me loves that this totally sounds like a cult) it changed into something more. It became about you. Ok, well…you and ME.

Now blogging to me is about support and community. It’s about trying not to pee my pants over your comments and trying to think of just how to phrase something to get you to laugh. It’s about checking in on your blogs and seeing what you’ve been up to or what crazy thought is rattling around in your head today. It’s about friends.

Maybe this is why it sort of pisses me off when someone abandons their blog.

I’m not talking about slowing down, or even taking a break for a while because we all need that. I understand that we only have so much time to juggle between writing and jobs, and family. That’s not what I mean. I’m talking about dropping out for good because I don’t need your support now that I’m published even though you’ve followed me for years and by the way some of you are creepy as shit and who cares what you think anyway, goodbye.

Give me a better reason than you don’t have the time to waste updating a blog even if it’s only once a month because if I can manage to do it with a full time job, writing, three kids and a husband who thinks this is still 1950, then by all that’s holy you can take ten minutes to tell me how you’re doing and what you’re working on.

Maybe you think you don’t owe me anything. And maybe you’re right. But after listening to your fears and insecurities, after taking the time to offer kind words of support and worrying if it will all turn out ok, then pushing your books to my small audience of friends and family, it feels a little like betrayal. And I don’t think I’m the only one who feels that way.

So if you’re busy, or overwhelmed…at least pop in every great once in a while (or tweet) and say so. This I understand. But totally bailing on your followers, fans, and friends should not be an option.

Although...how creepy is this?

P.S.: If you took the time to stop by and read this rant then I seriously doubt it was intended for you.  Oh and if my own blogging becomes sporadic over the next few weeks...blame the holidays, shopping, and whoever decided to put me in charge of the office Christmas party.  Damn you.

Join My Cult

This may be a little disturbing coming so soon on the heels of my Marry Me post and if so…please stop reading now. Come back Friday to check out new Walmart pics. But if you’re up for more dysfunctional relationship analogies, then stay tuned. It’s been on my mind lately.

There has been talk of peeps becoming burnt out with blogging since it can be time consuming and time is not something we all have a lot of. We need to do what’s best for each of us and in my case I love being connected to the writing community too much to quit.  I've made some real friends online and learned more than I ever thought possible. 

But I have never obsessed over the amount of followers I have. It pleases me that I have any at all. Because it’s not really any fun ranting or sharing words of...‘wisdom’ with just family members (that’s what holidays are for). I believe if you have a few loyal friends who get you then that’s all you need.*

It does bother me when someone decides to stop following though.  I realize this is probably never going to happen but I wish they would consider sending an email first. I’m not asking for a long break up message. Just a quick ‘hey, this isn’t working for me’ or ‘you really aren’t that funny’, or even a ‘I hate Walmart and sometimes you frighten me’ is ok.

I promise I wouldn't try to track you down and force you to drink my kool-aid.** This isn’t the Hotel California and I’m not a cult leader. I’m just a writer with hidden abandonment issues.

Ok, I’m totally lying. Join my Cult!!! Preferences regarding specific Kool-Aid flavors will be considered.

*Until your book deal, then your perspective has to change and broaden to include that.
**This statement is not applicable in TX, OK, NM, and lower LA.  Think of it as an inverted T of terror.

Behind My Own Iron Curtain

I realize the need for corporate firewalls but that doesn’t mean I have to like them. So this morning when I arrived at my office early to find a new one installed that blocked several of my favorite sites, I did what any loyal employee would do…I tried to find a way around it.

Flash forward 30 minutes later to an email from our IT manager asking me why I was trying to bypass our settings.

To which I replied, ‘it’s not me, it’s my porn addiction.’ We did manage to compromise on Twitter but only if I agreed to follow him.

I have honed the art of multitasking so having 10 browser windows up at one time is not unusual but no longer.  You have now been classified as a distraction. We are blocked from anything labeled ‘Web Communications’ or ‘Arts and Entertainment’ even on our lunch hours.

Adaptability is my middle name (not really, that would be weird.) so this will not stop me but it will force a rearranging of my blogging schedule, maybe pre-schedule more posts, and delay my commenting on blogs until much later in the day.

This is Marsha Sigman...reporting from behind the iron curtain.  Support blog freedom everywhere!

Get Your Fat On.

I wrote like a maniac over the weekend.  The first draft of my current manuscript is almost complete but it's too thin.  It needs more depth and description, which I have a harder time with than the heart pounding action sequences and the OMG my sister is also my mother big reveals.  I want you to hear and smell this world, not just see it.  It needs to be fattened up and I found the perfect solution.

The Bookshelf Muse.  This blog is an incredible resource for writers.  It offers a thesaurus buffet for every appetite.  Emotions, settings, character descriptions, whatever you hunger for can be found there.

So if your manuscript looks a little skinny head on over...and get your fat on.

  

TAG, You're It!

I have been tagged by one of my favorite bloggers, L.G. Smith (I suspect we may have been separated at birth), and the pressure is on since she stated I almost force her into wearing Depends with my blog posts.

Prepare to Pee. (This may become my new motto)

Being Tagged requires I answer a few questions…but not that I tell the truth. aha! But I will. I swear.

Do you think you're hot?
Hells Yes and I tell myself so every morning as I leave the house.

*Upload a picture or wallpaper you are using.

I like castles.

And Sunflowers.

When was the last time you ate chicken?

I live in the Deep South (this always makes me think of the movie Lil’ Nicky with Adam Sandler) and it’s sort of a requirement that we eat fried chicken at least twice a week. So the answer is…last night. My thighs hate me.

What were you thinking while doing this?
I wish I could take a nap right now. I wonder how many calories are in a glazed donut. My boss is a Nazi.

What song/songs have you listened to recently?
Airplane by B.O.B (Trying to memorize the rap part so I can sing along and freak out the kids with my hipness) and Sing by My Chemical Romance.

Do you have any nicknames? What are they?
This should be self explanatory if you ever watched The Brady Bunch. Although there was a period in elementary school when one brave soul called me Marshmallow, but I persuaded him to rethink this error in judgment.

Tag 5 Blogger friends.
This is hard because I have so many awesome blogger friends!!! But I’m going to tag some new followers so we get a chance to know them better:

Bryce Daniels-He blogs under a pseudonym which may just be a cover for his split personalities. I like it.

K. Syrah –A soldier who is scary smart and blogs with an acidic wit that will have you falling out of your chair.

D.U. Okonkwo- I like to call him Du. This writer blogs from London so get your culture on. Funny, insightful, and helpful blog posts.

Elena Solodow-She’s not afraid to tell you when you’re rong or when you’re write.

The Golden Eagle-You don’t want to miss a word this teenager has to say. I was intimidated just reading her profile. If you write YA, or even if you don’t, she’s worth listening to.


Whew, That's it.  I’m done. Thanks a lot, Lu.

Blogger Spotlight

There are a few blogs I have followed for some time that just seem to grow funnier and more interesting every day (most of you already follow them).

Jennifer Hillier writes thrillers and her debut novel Creep comes out in July. She just finished a 4-part prison series on her blog detailing a visit to the Washington Corrections Center for Women. For research, of course.  She has one of the funniest and most interesting blogs in the 'sphere.

Shannon Whitney Messenger  holds the best contests ever and just reading about all the events she juggles along with her writing makes me need a nap.  She is like the ARC Queen so this is latest contest is your chance to win advance copies of what is sure to be the year’s best sellers!!!!

Claire Dawn is another interesting blog I follow and that’s not just because she is from Barbados and currently teaches and resides in Japan. She has a unique perspective on the world and right now she needs your help to create a list of the top 100 books every writer should read.

But the most important part of this post is to shine the spotlight on a blogger that I recently discovered and feel deserves some attention. We are all busy and it takes a lot of time to surf our fav blogs let alone branch out to discover new ones but I hate for you to miss out on this one.

L.G. Smith is freakin' hilarious and her blog Bards and Prophets is smart and sarcastic which appeals to me for some reason…
Check out what she has to say, read a few posts and I guarantee you'll be hooked. 


Stephanie Ferris had a great idea on how to discover new blogs/bloggers (or new to you anyway). When commenting on a favorite blog, click on the person’s name that commented before you and check out theirs. Try it, you might be surprised.

I’d say have a great day but it’s a Monday so I’ll just say…have the best day you can.

Let's Talk

I’m not that great when it comes to technology. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a technotard. It’s not that I don’t get it. I just don’t care.

I want a device to do what it’s supposed to do and any extra gadgets or features confuse the issue for me.

My phone is a phone. I want to talk on it. I do. Only in the last few years have I become obsessed with texting because of my schedule. It allows me to be brief without being rude and just ignoring your call. Not that I would do that…much. But there are still things my phone can do that I know nothing about and I don’t want to.

I want to listen to the radio in my car or sometimes a CD. My six CD changer thingy is just confusing and it takes me forever to find the one I want. Even worse than that, my husband has a touch screen radio. When I drive his truck, I just sing to myself. It’s a lot easier.

I’m still learning about features within Blogger. I don’t know about you but I love it when I get an email back from someone in response to a comment I left on their blog. So I decided I would try to do this. Then I realized in order for me to email a commenter, they must have an email set up in their profile.

So if you want to receive replies not just from me but other bloggers as well then please…
Go to your Dashboard
Click on 'Edit Profile'
Check the box 'Share My Profile'
Then check the box 'Show My Email Address'

Your email won’t show up on your blog so don’t worry about that, and for those of you who don’t have a blog you can still create a profile in your Google account or whatever program you’re using and peeps can contact you as long as you add your email address.

Then I can stalk you talk to you. 

Monday Must: TH Mafi Contest

The undeniably hilarious and brilliant TH. Mafi is holding one of the most amazing contests I have ever heard of over at her Blog.

All you have to do is create a story of how you and TH Mafi (Tahereh) first met. Anything goes, except you must keep it clean...does she really even have to ask that? 
It must be under 500 words and the deadline is Monday, May 24th. You can get all the details over at her blog, which I am sure you already know about. What?? Not a follower? You have no idea what you are missing.

Do not pass up this contest!!

The prizes are incredible!!!

Critiques by Agent Amy Tipton and The Rejectionist, signed books, and Amazon gift cards.

Our story you ask?? I will give you a hint…she owes everything to me.

Blogger Love

I began this blog in June of last year and I love it more each day.  It is an awesome creative outlet and a stress reliever for me.  I love all of the people I have met and I consider you my friends.  Is that wierd?  Not like my best friends or anything.
It's not like I'd take a bullet for you but you know...I'd yell 'duck'.

I love the exchange of ideas and frustrations that comes with being a writer.  No matter how supportive or understanding your family and friends are, if they don't write then they can't fully understand.  I want to thank this wonderful circle of people online that I look forward to hearing from every day.  You make writing a less solitary endeavor, you keep me believing that anything is possible...and you make me laugh. 

Pass on the love, people!   

What Blog?

Oh, right. That blog.

The statistics for forgotten blogs is staggering. It numbers in the thousands. An individual creates a blog, posts everyday like a maniac, then suddenly drops it to pursue something else. They apparently do not take into consideration the loyal followers that support them. Is a short note too much to ask? I don't think so.

I would never take a leave of absence without an explanation, and I'm a Gemini. By definition, I am flaky and tend to lost interest. Who knew?
I know most of you feel the same way. You wouldn't quit speaking to a friend without a word, would you? Ok, maybe...but you better have a good reason.

With that being said, there are so many great blogs to follow that its hard to choose which ones to read every day. When someone begins to follow me or leaves a comment, I check out their blog. I am truly amazed (and sometimes extremely jealous), but here are a few that you HAVE to see:

Linguista
She lives in Japan and writes beautifully.
Jim Diaz
Has a unique and hilarious perspective on a number of things.
Jennifer Shirk
One of the nicest blogger's around!
Jennifer J Bennett
Her day job is a middle school librarian, how much fun is that?
Valerie Geary
Funny and very informative. You can get lost and spend hours reading this blog.
Concord Carpenter
A cop and a carpenter. If I could afford it, I would fly him from Massachusetts to help with my house....and arrest my neighbors.
And Terry
Who I would follow anywhere...if she would post something on her blog. No pressure or anything....

I would have listed everyone but then the post would be too long. You would get bored and wander off. You know you would.

Blog Envy

This can be a terrible, insidious condition. One moment you are enjoying another's witty words of wisdom...the next thing you know, you are consumed with feelings of inadequacy and frustration. How can you compete with this?

Take is easy. This isn't a high school popularity contest. Although, if it were the same advice would apply. Be yourself and people will like you. Everyone has their own style, their own voice, and something worthwhile to say.

The important thing to remember is, are you doing your best? That's all you can do.
I apologize for morphing into mommy voice.

Blog envy affects us all and until there is a vaccine created (that includes chocolate), we must deal with those feelings of not being worthy to compete with the awesomeness of others.

Blog on.

TMI

TMI or Too Much Information is not something to be laughed off or ignored in the blogging world. In Janet Reid's blog this week, she mentioned an aspiring writer whom she was about to request pages from, had listed his/her rejections on their blog and their response to it. Although she did not share what her ultimate decision was, I know she thought twice about requesting the pages after reading that.

We may think that it won't matter and that this is our place to vent/share our experiences, and of course it is but within reason. Agents will look at your blog and anything else you have put out there so please be aware of this when you write or post comments on other sites. Think twice about listing every detail of your journey to publication. There are still many things to share, insights that can discussed, and lifelong friends to make.

You can always wait until after you land that dream agent to share all the little secrets and not so nice observations. Believe me, they'll keep and you might find that you have a different take on them after a some time has passed.

Out of Time

I had a GREAT blog post planned for today....I mean it was awesome....but I spent all my time reading everyone else' great blogs and now I am out of time! I must resume my daytime duties as I shake my fist at all of you interesting, wonderful people!!!!!

I'm really not shaking my fist. It was a great way to spend my lunch hour. So I am going to pass on the love and show you where I spent all of my time:

Keirsten Writes: Help her choose her author pic for her new book:
http://kierstenwrites.blogspot.com/

Regina Rhythm: Who always has something interesting and provocative to say.
http://www.reginarhythm.com/

Nathan Bransford: Because....its Nathan.
http://blog.nathanbransford.com/

Literary Rambles: Recommended by Janet Reid and Jenny Bent. Can't get better than that unless...its Nathan.
http://caseylmccormick.blogspot.com/

If I didn't mention you forgive me...and know that I will spend countless hours reading your blogs tonight after everyone has gone to bed and I am staring bleary eyed at my computer....

Come back tomorrow and check out my funny post I've been dying to write.

Who Reads Your Blog?

I like to pretend everyone reads my blog. The reality is probably not that many. Hopefully that will change with time, persistence, and interesting topics. This is my writing blog and while I might sometimes shift from that topic, the writing will always be the most important subject to me and the majority of people that come here.

My family does not read my blog. I have doubts that my husband can read.....I'm joking! Maybe....
Truthfully, he has never been an avid reader but he has read some of my work. He thinks I am brilliant, of course. I didn't point out that he really does not have anything to compare it to. He believes in me and that's enough. I tell him when I mention him on my blog, even if its only in passing. He doesn't mind. We share the same slightly dark sense of humor and it has carried us through many things, good and bad.

I do write my blog as if everyone is reading it. I believe you can have your own voice, state your own opinions, and get your point across without being rude, hurtful, or betraying the trust of your loved ones.

I am thrilled with each new visitor that arrives and judges me worthy to follow. Even more exciting is to visit their blog and find that they are some of the most intelligent, funny, and interesting people writing today.

We are the writers and bloggers of the future....hear us ROAR.

Creating a Killer Blog

For a writer your own blog is a must have in this day and age. If you write fiction (and I do) then this is not as important before you are published as it is after you are published. But if you are like me, then you enjoy getting a headstart on the competition. Plus, blogging is fun, great writing exercise, and something to do when your stuck at any point in your manuscript. If you write non-fiction, then a blog is crucial. Most agents do not want to even sign you unless you have an already established platform and a blog with a large following is key to that.

A word of warning though, don't let blogging consume you to the point of ignoring your WIP for too long.

My blog is very new so I am still researching what makes a great blog and finding my way around. I am sure you can tell from the random posts about various different subjects. I have no central theme.....I knew coming into this that I would be all over the place, hence the name. I also like the word 'hence'.

I have researched extensively regarding layouts, optimal placements, attracting an audience, and so on. Some advice I have taken seriously and some I ignored. I do intend to be more organized in the future. Having a format will help with that. Such as during the week being careful to only post on subjects that pertain to the business of writing and keeping the weekend posts for stories about my family or random subjects that interest me.

In my search for creating a killer blog, I found this post.
http://www.chrisbrogan.com/40-ways-to-deliver-killer-blog-content/

This guy lays it out for you, step by step.

Blogs/Current Projects

I obviously have a hard time posting about just one thing. This is another two-parter. Over on Nathan Bransford Blog (see link on sidebar) the most awesome post today was how to optimize your website/blog. Nathan is on vacation and guest bloggers are running the show. I do miss him but this has been a lot of fun and I have found my way to a few blogs I would otherwise have missed.

One thing that was mentioned was its a good idea to post current projects with a summary or even sample chapter. I am going to add this and update the status with any changes. Feel free to comment if you think my projects sound interesting or boring as hell......I need the feedback!