Gifted

by Jennifer Paros

Recently I had the opportunity to watch the film Amadeus again and was struck by a scene in which the fictionalized character of Salieri, Amadeus’s greatest admirer and nemesis, is composing at the piano.  He discovers a melody with which he is delighted, turns to the crucifix on the wall and thanks Jesus for the blessing he’s been given. 

In the next scene, however, Mozart plays the same piece (by ear, after only one hearing), embellishes it, and turns it into something grander and seemingly more impressive. Salieri stands by distressed. Later we see him in his room as he tears the crucifix from the wall and throws it on the fire. In his eyes, God has betrayed him; he wants to know why he’s been cheated out of this sort of phenomenal talent – the talent Mozart seems to posses but which he does not. 

But this question’s foundation does not actually rest on the “reality” of the uneven distribution of talent.  For that is just a story we make up.  We often grade our gifts, which is very different than receiving them fully.  more...

Put the “New” Back in
“New Year’s Resolutions”

by Erin Brown

It’s easy for writers who are seeking publication to get into a rut. Hell, it’s easy for anyone to get into a rut. So for 2012, why not make a resolution to do some truly new things this New Year and see if some incredible changes come your way? Now I’m not talking about the boring, been-there-done-that stuff that everyone promises: go on a diet, exercise more, save money, stop stalking Ryan Gosling, learn how to boil water—you know, the basics. Of course, I can’t identify each of your issues (and if you want to email them to me, feel free—I’ve been known to offer fantastic advice on everything from matters of the heart to matters of the kidneys), so I can’t comment on exactly what you should aim for that will improve your lifestyle, health, etc. But I can give some suggestions in terms of writing and seeking publication.  more...

We all still remember those little mnemonic devices like “i before e except after c” that helped us over some of the tricky spots in our language. One I was never taught in grade school that would have helped immensely I learned only recently from a fifth-grader: FANBOYS.  For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So.  This trick for remembering conjunctions, those words that join things, will help you when you ask yourself, do I need a comma here?
 
If you have written two clauses (groups of words with subjects and verbs) that could stand alone as sentences, but you want to combine them, you join them with one of the FANBOYS.  You have created a compound sentence like this one, and compound sentences need the comma.  The comma signals to readers that what they just read is finished but that the sentence isn’t.  It also prevents misreading if there is a line break or a page turn at an awkward spot.  more...

Points for Good Behavior

by Joan Frank

This year, for the first time in my fairly long writing life, I agreed to perform volunteer work helping recruit authors for a longstanding, local annual book festival.

Innocent-sounding, yes?

It meant, on its surface, contacting writers, inviting them to discuss their work on Festival day. It meant I'd give them directions and descriptions and schedules and parking information.  

More grittily: it meant entering into a vast world of logistics. Who'd read where, when. Venues, times, arrangements, props, publicity. It meant meeting weekly to hammer out this stuff with other volunteers. It meant seeking accommodation by city government and local merchants. It meant working the event, making introductions, hosting, worrying about tablecloths and sound systems and that guy who arrives to repair tiles at the restaurant where the panel discussion is about to start; whether audiences can easily find the right venues for the authors; whether book sales tables are visible enough. more...

The Hub & Outpost Method to Organize Your Social Media Marketing

by Joel Friedlander

Most authors have gotten the message: you have to be marketing on social media sites if you want to make an impact and, eventually, sell your content. 

Social media is indispensable to today's self-published artists, but it's good to remember that social media by itself is only one tactic in your overall marketing strategy. Just using social media is not a strategy in itself; it's a way to implement your basic marketing thrust. 

Set Up Your Hub 

This method of organizing your social media activity requires that you set up a Hub that will be your "home base." It could be a blog or a website.  more...

Are You Grammatically Dismembering Your Characters?

by Jason Black