LEARNING FROM REALITY SHOWS

Judges of season seven “The Next Food Network Star” said goodbye to Justin D in this week’s fourth of July showdown.   The judges perplexed by his drastic change in personality felt he was the one to cut this week.   Even Guy, the guest mentor, asked him “which guy are you now?”  Although the judges took into account the food served  and his overall performance in this completion in their decision to cut him, Justin, in my opinion, was trying to please the judges the best way he knew how instead of just being himself.   He lost himself as the stakes got higher.    

How many of us writers seek change after query letters go unnoticed?  How many of us get frustrated and seek out agent blogs and publisher blogs to find out what we are doing wrong?  Not to say that is a bad thing.  We should want to learn and fine-tune our skills, as long as we still keep true to why we started writing in the first place.  We get so focused on being published; we lose the passion we started with. 

I think Justin lost what he loved in the competition.   

So how do we lose our love of writing?  Blogging, reading others blogs, commenting on other’s blogs, marketing our blogs, facebook, myspace, twitter, and the list goes on.  Of course most of this, if not all, is important and helps build our platform—but what is more important? 

Did we write today?  1600 words?  1000? 500?    

There is also something else to learn from the show in general.  Justin knew his stuff, but he lacked personality.  He was not a strong character and besides the hairdo, it was hard to relate to him or even remember him. 

Back to writing:  Are the characters we write strong characters?  Do our readers want to cheer our hero’s to accomplish their goals?  Are our villains hated and despised by the reader? 

What reality show do you watch?  Which character do you want to win?  Which character do you want to fail? How can you apply this to your writing?

      

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Pulling Weeds

Now that I can put another year of Vacation Bible School (VBS) under my belt, it’s time to focus back on writing.  Don’t get me wrong, I love VBS.  It’s the one time a year no one cares if I act like a ten year old all week (and wear pig-tales and braided hair).  I also love the creative process of it all—to transform the church into something amazing.  Okay, our theme this year was a little dry, (New York) but next year…yep next year’s is going to be WAY cool.  J 

One other thing I enjoy besides VBS and writing, is working in the yard.   I spent a few hours this morning spraying weeds, raking new cedar over the dirt patches, and pulling the unwanted weeds from the upcoming flowerbeds. 

Fun…I know…I’m making you jealous (okay boring you to tears, but hang on a moment). 

It was in frustration of the prickly weeds, which stabbed my fingertips when I touched them, and not being able to tell the new plants from the weeds that reminded me of a bible section that talks about weeds.

“ ²⁴ Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. ²⁵ But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. ²⁶ When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.

   ²⁷ “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’

   ²⁸ “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.

   “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’

   ²⁹ “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. ³⁰ Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”

I love when the simple things in life, remind me of God’s WORD.  Although I still want to pluck those weeds out of the flowerbeds (next time with thick gloves), I know that God sees me among the weeds and He hopes that I will reach out and touch the lives around me—turning weeds into beautiful flowers.   

That is what inspires me to write—to touch others. 

What inspires you every day?  What are your future hopes and dreams?
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PULLING WEEDS

Now that I can put another year of Vacation Bible School (VBS) under my belt, it’s time to focus back on writing.  Don’t get me wrong, I love VBS.  It’s the one time a year no one cares if I act like a ten year old all week (and wear pig-tales and braided hair).  I also love the creative process of it all—to transform the church into something amazing.  Okay, our theme this year was a little dry, (New York) but next year…yep next year’s is going to be WAY cool.  J  

One other thing I enjoy besides VBS and writing, is working in the yard.   I spent a few hours this morning spraying weeds, raking new cedar over the dirt patches, and pulling the unwanted weeds from the upcoming flowerbeds. 

Fun…I know…I’m making you jealous (okay boring you to tears, but hang on a moment). 

It was in frustration of the prickly weeds, which stabbed my fingertips when I touched them, and not being able to tell the new plants from the weeds that reminded me of a bible section that talks about weeds.

“ ²⁴ Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. ²⁵ But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. ²⁶ When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.

   ²⁷ “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’

   ²⁸ “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.

   “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’

   ²⁹ “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. ³⁰ Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”

I love when the simple things in life, remind me of God’s WORD.  Although I still want to pluck those weeds out of the flowerbeds (next time with thick gloves), I know that God sees me among the weeds and He hopes that I will reach out and touch the lives around me—turning weeds into beautiful flowers.   

That is what inspires me to write—to touch others. 

What inspires you every day?  What are your future hopes and dreams?     

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HOW DO I FORMAT MY MANUSCRIPT?

I love getting questions!  The question HOW DO I FORMAT MY MANUSCRIPT for editors/publishers is one I’ve been asked more than once.  Of course, this is my first publishing deal and I know that every editor/publisher/agent will have different requirements, but there is a basic standard that helped me make the conversion process simple and it’s easy to search for.  The basics:

1.      Set your font to New Times Roman and size 12

2.      Set one inch margins all the way around

3.      Set paragraphs to double space (with no extra space in-between paragraphs)

4.      Do not use all caps for emphasizing (the writing should set the tone)

5.      Do not use a bunch of returns for a new chapter to start on a new page.  Return twice, title your chapter center, return twice and begin the next chapter.

6.      For scene shifts, center XXXXX on a line by itself, with a space before and space after

7.      Internal direct thoughts should be in Italics, but don’t over use it.

            I suggest keeping your chapters in separate files when you first start writing.  It makes it easier to go back and edit work or add to chapters.  In the end, editor/publishers/agents will want this all in one file, but we have a lot more work to do before we get to that stage.  Strolling through a 1000 page document is not fun and left me frustrated.  I found separate chapters (and keeping all my drafts) was the best way to go.

            Now, I hope I’ve given some of you a jumping off point and we can all get some writing done.  It’s time to line the shelves with must reads and tales forgotten with new twists and turns.  We write because we must.  We write to unleash our souls.  We write because writing is our purpose.

Happy Writing…keep the questions coming. 

Shelly Goodman Wright

Author of A LIGHT INTO THE DARKNESS a Christian Suspense/Romance novel—FEB 2012

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What is your calling? Are you making time for it? - Author Shelly Goodman Wright

What is your calling? Are you making time for it? - Author Shelly Goodman Wright

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WHAT WAS THE FIRST NOVEL YOU READ?

I was in sixth grade when I read my first full-length novel.  Finally, the big kids on campus, we could checkout the books in the ‘BACK ROW” (we called it the forbidden row) and there was one cover that stood out for me.  The cover was haunting.  Sad pale faces with blonde hair stood behind an attic window and looked out.  Titled FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC, from the very beginning, I left my reality and jumped into the book.

The author V.C. Andrews had a way with words.  The way they flowed, the way they struck at my heart, how I cared deeply about the pain the children went through.  I’d go to sleep and dream about them.  Somehow, they seeped into my very soul. 

That is when I knew I wanted to be a writer.  I wanted my words, my worlds, and my characters to transport the reader into a different kind of reality.  I wanted them to feel the joy, the sadness, the struggles and the glory each time a character did. 

My mind never stops inventing them either.

Signing a contract deal for my first novel is a dream coming true.  It still seems unreal at this point and probably will be until that first printed book is in my hands. 

I hope after sometime and few more novels under my belt, to help others achieve the same goals.  I hope that when someone reads my novels, I will inspire someone as V.C. Andrews did for me.

Thanks again for the continued support and love. 

Happy Writing!

Shelly

**NOTE:  Although now, a mother of three girls and a Christian, I would not recommend the series by V.C. Andrews to read (even for adults) as they are filled with incest and adultery.  At the time, I faced a lot of trials in an unchristian home and I sought out reading as a comfort.  I wish I could say I read C.S. Lewis or some other uplifting author, but it is what it is.     

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God has a purpose for seventeen-year-old Jessica but it will take a swamp, immortal Cherokee Indians, and a trip to Hell for her to find it.

Jessica's sole purpose in life was to keep her father alive in the hope he would wake up from a coma and save her.  For eleven years, her mother pulls no punches in threatening to cut off his lifeline at any little sign of independence from her.  The biggest demand comes six months before her eighteenth birthday—to accept her mother’s choice for marriage or her father would die.        

Hours after agreeing to the arrangement, Jessica finds her father dead.  She’s devastated by the loss, but at least he was free from her mother’s cruelty.  Now, it is up to her to save herself.

That night a windstorm wakes her and draws her to the window.  An odd light illuminates the beach below in the moonless night.  Could it be the ghost of her father?  Maybe, but she is not sure she believes in all that spiritual nonsense, or does she?  Regardless, she follows the light that guides her to a world of the ageless and to the sacred territory of the Cherokee, deep in the Okefenokee Swamp. 

Three young men set their eyes on Jessica. 

One boy will steal her heart, one will try, and one will try to kill her.    

THIS BOOK IS UNDER CONTRACT AND WILL BEGIN PRODUCTION THIS SUMMER.  TO WALK WITH ME ON THIS JOURNEY, BECOME A FAN OF MY WEBSITE!


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RETENTION ALONE DOESN'T WORK

Retention (as used in school districts around the U.S.) is just another word for ‘flunked’ or ‘hold back’ a grade.  Even with the NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND ACT, schools continue to practice this method as a way to cope with lower achieving students.  Does it work? 

A few years ago at a parent teacher conference, it was suggested that I retain my middle child who was not performing at grade level. She was on the immature side and, at first; I did not think it was such a bad idea.  Especially, since she was only in first grade.   My husband, on the other hand was against it.  I decided if I wanted to convince my husband this was a good thing, I would have to do my research.  I was surprised to find out the opposite was true.

One of the first sites to pop-up was the The National Association of School Psychologist [www.nasponline.org/about_nasp/pospaper_graderetent.aspx] The one big statement that jumped out at me, states:

“Grade repeaters as adults are more likely to be unemployed, living on public assistance or in prison than adults who did not repeat a grade.” 

Not that I think my sweet little girl would end up down that road, but it does make you sit-up and think about what is going on in society today.  For a practice that does not work, it is interesting that kids being retained has increased over the last 25 years. 

Some of the articles I read on retention refer back to NASP’s (The National Association of School Psychologists) study, so I’ll just say there are quite a few that respect this organization enough to site them.

Another little interesting fact, the U.S. and Canada are the only two countries that practice retention, found on Wikipedia.

A study done by Advocates for Children [www.advocatesforchildren.org/pubs/retention.html], although the study specifically focused on New York’s schools stated: 

“Low performing students who have been retained in kindergarten or primary grades lose ground both academically and socially, relative to similar students who have been promoted. In secondary school grades, retention leads to reduced achievement and much higher rates of school dropout. At present, the negative consequences of grade retention policies typically outweigh the intended positive effects.”

On a site called healthline.com [http://www.healthline.com/galecontent/retention-in-school] they combine some of the research done in one summary and then added:

“Although many school districts involve parents in the decision to retain, in most communities the school system has the right to make the decision, with or without the parent's support. However, most experts support the idea that parents who are opposed to the decision to retain their child should make their concerns known. Parents should survey other local school systems, both public and private, to see their policies on retention. Parents should also request evidence supporting a retention  decision, including details of their child's academic performance, standardized test results, or other pertinent factors, such as the student's emotional maturity.”    

There are numerous sites on the internet on this subject and there is no positive study on retention overall.  Sure, I found parents, teachers and a handful of kids who said it worked for them, but the research and overwhelming numbers of students followed, show otherwise.

Obviously, my husband was right and I had to put my foot down on not retaining my daughter.  I was told that if they decided to ‘retain’ her, I would not have a choice, so I left that district.   She is still not performing where she needs to be, so we decided to put her in Sylvan.  It’s only been six weeks and I already see the difference in her confidence and writing/spelling.

She now wants to be a scientist and tells everyone Sylvan is making her smarter. 

Overall, do not blindly listen to what teachers and administrators say is best for your child--do your research.  You are your child’s best advocate.  Retention does not fix what they did not get the first time it only masks the problem.  Ask the teachers where exactly your child has the most trouble and then tackle it, either by working with the teacher, going on line (there are tons of free worksheets on-line in just about every subject) or getting them tutoring.   If your child does not have a solid foundation, the gaps in their learning will get worse and they will get even more frustrated.

For those of you in Harrison District Two, retention is being considered once again, which is why I felt compelled to write this article.  There is another way, let our voices be heard.

                                   

Shelly Goodman Wright

         

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LIFE IS PRECIOUS--EVEN A DOG'S!

Life is precious no matter what kind of life it is.  I have been fortunate that the only death my three girls know, in our family, has been two dogs.  Maxwell, a seventeen-year old Chihuahua, died in his sleep early last summer and Monday I put our beagle to sleep (undiagnosed diabetes—shutting down her organs).   

When I was growing up, my family was poor.  Reduced lunch, hand-me-down clothes (from other kids), blue light K-mark specials, and Goodwill, was my life.  We did not have much, but we always had pets.  Dogs, cats, fish, snakes, rabbits, birds, mice, rats, hamsters, frogs, lizards, and once even a wild turtle that lived under a window box, were a part of my life.  Death was a common occurrence and we had half an acre to bury them on.

My girls however, this would be only the second time they have experienced death and only the first time for an animal they bonded with.  I watched my three girls kiss Cassie (the beagle), with tears in their eyes, and say goodbye.  The vet then took the dog to a back room, where they would put her to sleep.  

Today the call came to pick-up the ashes.  I will bury her in the garden along with her friend, Maxwell.  They both liked lying in the sun, and now they will both be in the sunniest part of the yard. 

I hope that next week I will be back on track with my blog.  On one positive note, I did finish a fairytale-fiction short story.  On a downside, I was rejected for publication in Encounter Magazine.   It will not stop me and I will keep writing. 

“I love writing.  I love the swirl and swing of words as they tangle with human emotions.”  ~James Michener

Happy Writing!

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ARE YOU READY? (to seek an Agent)

ARE YOU READY?

            We have written our novel and now we are ready to seek out an agent—or are we?

            Today I spent much of my Saturday afternoon making a list of possible agents.  On each site, I not only read about each agent and what they represent, but read their blogs.  One agent wrote, “If this is the first draft of your first novel then don’t even bother.”  Wow, that hits you hard in the face.  Here we have spent hours, months and possibly years to write our masterpiece and she’s going to slap me in the face.  OUCH!

            Her statement is completely understandable.  Thousands of query letters hits the desks (computers) of agents/publishers on a daily basis.  I read on one agent’s blog, fifty percent of queries sent to him, have either misspelled his name, addressed the query letter “To Whom It May Concerns”, do not include the genre they seek representation for, or simply have basic spelling/grammar errors.  “No thanks, I’ll pass.”

            It is much the same with most agents and publishers.  If you can’t get the short query polished, what is the rest of your manuscript going to look like.  YIKES!

            But let’s go back a moment to my original statement.  Are you ready to seek an agent? 

            Say you have just finished your novel.  First thing I would suggest is to join a writer’s group.  Here you will get honest feedback from people who are not afraid to hurt your feelings.  Trust me, it might sting a little a first, but your writing will grow stronger and you will have the opportunity to analyze others writings as well. 

            Secondly, know your genre and search for agents that represent that genre.  You are not ready to submit yet, but by signing up with their blogs and finding out about them, gives you an upper hand in knowing what they are looking for.  Most of the agents I ran across today have no problems telling you what drives them insane or gets them excited. 

            Third, learn the craft.  Joining a critique group, reading editor, agents, or publishing blogs are great resources for learning.  There are also writers’ magazines that feature advice from writers, editors and publishers, and keep you current on the publishing world.

            And while you’re doing all these, you can check out my blog Building A Platform as your next step.  You really want to have something you can add to your publishing credits.

            Currently, I’m on my seventh draft of “A LIGHT INTO THE DARKNESS”.  Each draft, tightens my novel and quickens the pace of the story.  Why?  Because of the critiques and I’m so grateful to those who aren’t afraid to tell me what they think. 

            Am I ready?  I like to think I’m close.  Fine turning my query, synopsis and first fifty pages is more than nerve racking, but worth it.  I don’t know if I’ll ever publish my first novel, but I have enjoyed those who have begged me for the second and third novel.  I’ve also enjoyed writing for the local paper and creating short stories for publications. 

            What tips do you have?  Do you follow a blog of an agent, editor, or publisher?  And why them? 

            Are you ready?

Happy Writing,

Shelly Goodman Wright                                                                                              swright011699@msn.com

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