Comments for MUSETRACKS http://musetracks.wordpress.com FOUR WRITERS ON THEIR QUEST FOR PUBLICATION Tue, 15 Dec 2009 20:20:36 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on The Written Word — Mining for Ideas by dirtywhitecandy http://musetracks.wordpress.com/2009/12/11/the-written-word-mining-for-ideas/#comment-2001 dirtywhitecandy Tue, 15 Dec 2009 20:20:36 +0000 http://musetracks.wordpress.com/?p=1437#comment-2001 All really good points. I particularly agree with your take on 'write what you know'. If we all wrote what we had personally experienced we should get very worried about the number of people who write about murder! All really good points. I particularly agree with your take on ‘write what you know’. If we all wrote what we had personally experienced we should get very worried about the number of people who write about murder!

]]> Comment on The Written Word — Mining for Ideas by Writing Roundup, December 11 « Uncategorized « Jen's Writing Journey http://musetracks.wordpress.com/2009/12/11/the-written-word-mining-for-ideas/#comment-2000 Writing Roundup, December 11 « Uncategorized « Jen's Writing Journey Tue, 15 Dec 2009 18:24:11 +0000 http://musetracks.wordpress.com/?p=1437#comment-2000 [...] The Written Word: Mining for Ideas John Roundtree helps you mine your life for ideas. [...] [...] The Written Word: Mining for Ideas John Roundtree helps you mine your life for ideas. [...]

]]> Comment on 10 Things to Do When The Going Gets Tough by Nicole North by Nicole North http://musetracks.wordpress.com/2009/12/14/10-things-to-do-when-the-going-gets-tough-by-nicole-north/#comment-1998 Nicole North Tue, 15 Dec 2009 03:17:15 +0000 http://musetracks.wordpress.com/?p=1531#comment-1998 Julie, thanks for printing out my post! I'm glad you liked it and my classes! I hope you'll start submitting your work next year. It's like ripping off a band-aid. :) After you do it once, the next time won't be so scary. Happy Holidays! Julie, thanks for printing out my post! I’m glad you liked it and my classes! I hope you’ll start submitting your work next year. It’s like ripping off a band-aid. :) After you do it once, the next time won’t be so scary. Happy Holidays!

]]> Comment on 10 Things to Do When The Going Gets Tough by Nicole North by Nicole North http://musetracks.wordpress.com/2009/12/14/10-things-to-do-when-the-going-gets-tough-by-nicole-north/#comment-1997 Nicole North Tue, 15 Dec 2009 03:13:40 +0000 http://musetracks.wordpress.com/?p=1531#comment-1997 Naima, I'm thrilled to have helped you! Yay! The good thing about writing even when not super-inspired is that you can make yourself inspired. I often find once I read a page or two of the story, I'm into it again and ready to write. Thanks so much for your kind words!! I love helping other writers and encouraging them to pursue their goals! Thanks for stopping by and Merry Christmas! Naima, I’m thrilled to have helped you! Yay! The good thing about writing even when not super-inspired is that you can make yourself inspired. I often find once I read a page or two of the story, I’m into it again and ready to write.

Thanks so much for your kind words!! I love helping other writers and encouraging them to pursue their goals! Thanks for stopping by and Merry Christmas!

]]> Comment on 10 Things to Do When The Going Gets Tough by Nicole North by Julie Robinson http://musetracks.wordpress.com/2009/12/14/10-things-to-do-when-the-going-gets-tough-by-nicole-north/#comment-1996 Julie Robinson Tue, 15 Dec 2009 01:29:00 +0000 http://musetracks.wordpress.com/?p=1531#comment-1996 Oh, and M-C, thanks for having Nicole talk about this. Like you, I've taken classes with her and enjoyed them, though I'm pretty quiet. Andrea, I suffer from the same syndrome! Oh, and M-C, thanks for having Nicole talk about this. Like you, I’ve taken classes with her and enjoyed them, though I’m pretty quiet. Andrea, I suffer from the same syndrome!

]]> Comment on 10 Things to Do When The Going Gets Tough by Nicole North by Julie Robinson http://musetracks.wordpress.com/2009/12/14/10-things-to-do-when-the-going-gets-tough-by-nicole-north/#comment-1995 Julie Robinson Tue, 15 Dec 2009 01:26:20 +0000 http://musetracks.wordpress.com/?p=1531#comment-1995 Nicole, I am printing this out! As you know, I've never submitted, but my N.Y.'s resolution is to get past that block. I shall keep your advice handy. Thanks. Nicole, I am printing this out! As you know, I’ve never submitted, but my N.Y.’s resolution is to get past that block. I shall keep your advice handy. Thanks.

]]> Comment on 10 Things to Do When The Going Gets Tough by Nicole North by Naima Simone http://musetracks.wordpress.com/2009/12/14/10-things-to-do-when-the-going-gets-tough-by-nicole-north/#comment-1994 Naima Simone Tue, 15 Dec 2009 01:25:03 +0000 http://musetracks.wordpress.com/?p=1531#comment-1994 Hi, Nicole! I for one am sooo thankful to you for unlocking my inner-vixen!! LOL! Your workshop on sexual tension and writing love scenes helped me on the road to discovering I love writing erotic romance! I think one of the most difficult times in writing is doing it even when you "don't feel it". Or when you don't have your "muse". As Nora Roberts stated, she's a fickle b****!! LOL! You're so right! You have to do it anyway! Thank you so much for your talent and heart in giving back to authors, published and unpublished, with your workshops, advice or encouragement!! Merry Christmas!! Naima Hi, Nicole!
I for one am sooo thankful to you for unlocking my inner-vixen!! LOL! Your workshop on sexual tension and writing love scenes helped me on the road to discovering I love writing erotic romance!

I think one of the most difficult times in writing is doing it even when you “don’t feel it”. Or when you don’t have your “muse”. As Nora Roberts stated, she’s a fickle b****!! LOL! You’re so right! You have to do it anyway!

Thank you so much for your talent and heart in giving back to authors, published and unpublished, with your workshops, advice or encouragement!!

Merry Christmas!!
Naima

]]> Comment on 10 Things to Do When The Going Gets Tough by Nicole North by Nicole North http://musetracks.wordpress.com/2009/12/14/10-things-to-do-when-the-going-gets-tough-by-nicole-north/#comment-1993 Nicole North Mon, 14 Dec 2009 23:12:23 +0000 http://musetracks.wordpress.com/?p=1531#comment-1993 Pat, that's sooo true. We must trust our instincts. I can generally tell when something in my story isn't working. I get a gut feeling about it, literally. Once I started listening to those instincts and fixing the things that were bugging me, instead of ignoring them, my writing improved. And our instincts can guide us in where to submit our work and many other aspects of writing. Happy Holidays to you too!! :) Pat, that’s sooo true. We must trust our instincts. I can generally tell when something in my story isn’t working. I get a gut feeling about it, literally. Once I started listening to those instincts and fixing the things that were bugging me, instead of ignoring them, my writing improved. And our instincts can guide us in where to submit our work and many other aspects of writing. Happy Holidays to you too!! :)

]]> Comment on 10 Things to Do When The Going Gets Tough by Nicole North by Nicole North http://musetracks.wordpress.com/2009/12/14/10-things-to-do-when-the-going-gets-tough-by-nicole-north/#comment-1992 Nicole North Mon, 14 Dec 2009 23:08:43 +0000 http://musetracks.wordpress.com/?p=1531#comment-1992 Rebecca, I'm so glad you found my post helpful! I plan to teach the sexual tension class again in the late winter or spring. (Thanks for asking about it!) I haven't decided on a date yet, but it should be upcoming. You could check my website next month and I should have it listed. Would you like to be on my workshop mailing list? I use it only to announce my workshops. If so, please email me: nicole (at) nicolenorth.com Thanks! :) Happy Holidays! Rebecca, I’m so glad you found my post helpful! I plan to teach the sexual tension class again in the late winter or spring. (Thanks for asking about it!) I haven’t decided on a date yet, but it should be upcoming. You could check my website next month and I should have it listed. Would you like to be on my workshop mailing list? I use it only to announce my workshops. If so, please email me: nicole (at) nicolenorth.com
Thanks! :) Happy Holidays!

]]> Comment on 10 Things to Do When The Going Gets Tough by Nicole North by Nicole North http://musetracks.wordpress.com/2009/12/14/10-things-to-do-when-the-going-gets-tough-by-nicole-north/#comment-1991 Nicole North Mon, 14 Dec 2009 23:02:42 +0000 http://musetracks.wordpress.com/?p=1531#comment-1991 Gregg, since you're published, you've already achieved success. Now it's just a matter of making it happen again and again. For me, once I sold that first story, I was super pumped and motivated to write and sell more stories. That doesn't mean everything I submit to every publisher has sold or will sell, but it does give me more confidence and I know I can sell again. I just have to keep challenging myself to come up with inventive stories and keep the writing quality high. I wouldn't stop after only three rejections of a manuscript. You might have your critique group give you some insights into why it's being rejected. Or you might enter contests for some feedback. Then after some editing (yes, unfortunately editing is usually necessary) :/ or revising submit to more publishers. That's true, the market is flooded, which means, for the writer, the work has to be exceptional and it has to grab an editor. Even some work which is exceptional won't grab that editor's attention. It depends on a lot of factors. Don't give up! Try to look at your work from a different perspective. Best of luck to you and happy holidays!! :) Gregg, since you’re published, you’ve already achieved success. Now it’s just a matter of making it happen again and again. For me, once I sold that first story, I was super pumped and motivated to write and sell more stories.

That doesn’t mean everything I submit to every publisher has sold or will sell, but it does give me more confidence and I know I can sell again. I just have to keep challenging myself to come up with inventive stories and keep the writing quality high.

I wouldn’t stop after only three rejections of a manuscript. You might have your critique group give you some insights into why it’s being rejected. Or you might enter contests for some feedback. Then after some editing (yes, unfortunately editing is usually necessary) :/ or revising submit to more publishers. That’s true, the market is flooded, which means, for the writer, the work has to be exceptional and it has to grab an editor. Even some work which is exceptional won’t grab that editor’s attention. It depends on a lot of factors. Don’t give up! Try to look at your work from a different perspective. Best of luck to you and happy holidays!! :)

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