sallymurphy.com.au

Sally Murphy, Australian author

Big Question 3: When Did You Know You Were a Writer?

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Continuing in my series of big questions, today I ask you – When did you know you were a writer?

For me, I always wrote. Some of my earliest memories are of trying to write stories and letters – even when I didn’t know how to form the letters. Then, once I learned to form the letters, there was no stopping me. All through my childhood I wrote stories, poems, letters and even novels.

So, I guess I was always a writer, but I didn’t really realise that this wasn’t the norm. I suppose I first realised that I was a writer (and that other people weren’t) when I was in high school and friends commented on my writing. One girl asked me to write a poem just for her and I had to stop and wonder why she didn’t write one for herself. There came a realisation, on my part, that not everyone could write like I could.

Later, in my last year of school, a girl asked me what I wanted to do when I left school. I answered “I want to be a writer.” The girl (who, I might add, didn’t like me much) looked down her nose at me and said smugly – “oh, you mean you want to be a journalist?” Her look and tone of voice suggested a superiority that SHE knew what a writer was called, even if I didn’t. Allowing myself to feel put down, I did try to explain that no, what I wanted to do was to write creatively for a living – fiction, poetry, and yes, perhaps nonfiction too. But I was left feeling somehow ignorant or at best unrealistic. Still, I knew, that one day I would prove to that girl, and myself, that I could be a writer.

In the years that followed school, I was busy with life’s realities – attending university, having a family and even becoming a teacher (because by then I’d discovered that a good back up career was a necessity), but I never lost the dream of writing for a living. It took many years before the acceptances started coming in, and I suppose in my adult life I didn’t feel ready to call myself a writer until I started having some acceptances.

These days, with twenty seven books under my belt and more coming out this year, I gladly admit to being not just a writer, but even call myself ‘author’.

So, over to you. When did YOU know that you were a writer? Share your answer in the comments field below.

Seven Answers to Seven Questions: Brenton Cullen

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Today young author Brenton Cullen joins us to share his answers to my seven questions. Welcome Brenton.

1. Tell us a little about your publication credits. If you have none, tell us about the genres you prefer to write, and your current projects.

Well, I have had stories published in magazines and an anthology that will be released next week. I have also published two books, a children’s one, and a non-fiction one. Recently I have completed a fantasy novel manuscript for ages 9-12 and that is with a publisher who has expressed some interest in it. Currently, I am planning two more books in a series, the fantasy novel being the first book, and working on an unrelated manuscript, as well.

2. How long have you been writing for children?

Since 2002. I have written fifty four manuscripts (plays, poems, stories included) but only two have been published!

3. How much time do you spend each week writing and/or revising? And how much time on other writing-related tasks such as promotion, researching markets and so on?

Well, as I am on school holidays, I am writing nearly every single day, averaging approximately two-three hours a day. But while I am at school, I do it in the afternoons for about an hour, and pretty much the same on weekends. Revising for me, usually comes at the end of a manuscript so it depends when I finish that specific book.
I am about to start research for a book Mess in the Middle Ages, so that will have to be squeezed in somewhere!

4. How much time do you spend reading children’s books? And what are you reading right now?

To answer your first question, ALL THE TIME!! Right now, I am re-reading Von Gobstopper’s Arcade by Alexandra Adornetto, and am about to start on Money Run by Jack Heath.

5. What advice would you give other would-be children’s writers, or share with other professional children’s writers?

New writers, get advice from publishers and author, and get a writing mentor. I cannot give advice to experienced writers: it’s like telling JK Rowling how to write Harry Potter!

6. What is your favourite online resource for children’s writers? Why?

I don’t really follow those online resources. But I do read magazines like Writing QLD and Reading Time, which are not online, because they are very interesting and helpful.

7. Do you have a website or blog? What else do you do to promote your published works and/or your writing skills?

My blog is at www.bjcullen.blogspot.com
I send around notices to magazines or newspapers asking if I could write a column and my first publishing venture was a column in my local newspaper. Promoting my published works is with bookmarks, book signings, etc, etc.

Thanks for joining us, Brenton. If YOU would like to be featured here, drop me a line and I’ll ask you my seven questions.

Seven Answers to Seven Questions: Karen Ventrice

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Today’s visting author is Karen Ventrice, come to share her seven answers to my seven questions. Welcome Karen.

1. Tell us a little about your publication credits. If you have none, tell
us about the genres you prefer to write, and your current projects.

I have a children’s bedtime picture book, Day’s End Lullaby
available through
online retailers,such as Amazon. I also have a number of articles on Ezinearticles.com and
just signed up with Helium, another ezine site.
As far as current projects, I am working on two children’s fantasy chapter books
and two picture books. In addition I have entered the freelance arena. I am
writing children’s nonfiction, fiction and rebus articles.

2. How long have you been writing for children?

I’ve been writing for children for a few years now, but only within the last
year began to think of it as a career. I created a family lullaby
over
30 years ago for my children and about a year ago my daughter decided
we should turn it into a children’s bedtime story. This brought me onto the
path of actually going about getting my work published.

3. How much time do you spend each week writing and/or revising? And how
much time on other writing-related tasks such as promotion, researching
markets and so on?

Unfortunately, lately I haven’t been spending much time actually writing and revising.
Between Virtual Book Tours, my critique group, other online groups, and emails the time
just seems to slip away. And, since October I have been working on the promotion of
my book. Along with research for articles, and trying to learn as much as I can about
writing I seem to be spinning my wheels. I have said this so often that I am tired of
hearing myself say it, but I need to create a time management plan and stick to it as
much as possible.

4. How much time do you spend reading children’s books? And what are you
reading right now?
I don’t spend nearly as much time as I should on reading children’s books.
But, I’m working on changing that. I took 3 books out of the library
last week: Folktales & Fables of The Middle East And Africa; Folktales
& Fables of The Americas & The Pacific; Great American Folklore.
And, I recently finished A Single Shard which I absolutely loved.

5. What advice would you give other would-be children’s writers, or share
with other professional children’s writers?

I’m not in the business long enough to give advice to professional
children’s writers, but to would-be children’s writers I would say
learn the business. This means:
1. Attend whatever free teleseminars you can find about writing for children.
2. Read as much as you can about writing for children.
3. Read as many children’s books
as you can so you can see what’s
getting published and why.
4. Attend writer’s conferences – there are a couple of free ones online that are
great. One in particular is The Muse Online Conference.
5. Join a critique group.
6. If you can afford it join a writing coaching club. The one I belong
to is Suzanne Lieurance’s Children’s Writers Coaching Club.
7. Join the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

6. What is your favourite online resource for children’s writers? Why?

My favorite resource is Children’s Writers Coaching Club. I have learned
so much through this club. I know this is going to sound like a plug,
but it’s the truth, for a nominal fee you get teleseminars/telecasts
about writing for children, promotion and marketing. You also get critiques
of your work and guidance along with a little nudging.

7. Do you have a website or blog? What else do you do to promote
your
published works and/or your writing skills?

My blog is: http://karenandrobyn.blogspot.com
My website is: http://www.childrensbooksbykarenandrobyn.com

To promote my book I created the yahoo group Virtual Book Tours. We are
a group of traditionally published and self-published authors who help
one another through virtual book tours and other promotional strategies.
I have also talked to my local librarian about having them carry my book and
I contacted my local paper and they did a 3/4 page article about the book.

In regard to my freelance writing, I publish articles through ezines and submit
articles to mainstream magazines and newspapers. I also use my blog as a tool to promote
myself. Along with this I attend a number of free online telecasts focusing on
marketing and promotion. One of the sites that offers this is
Authors Marketing Experts.

Thanks for joining us, Karen. If YOU would like to be featured here, drop me a line and I’ll sned you the seven questions.

Seven Answers to Seven Questions: Rhonda Fisher

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Today we are joined by Rhonda Fisher, who ahs come to answer my seven questions. thanks for joining us, Rhonda.

1. Tell us a little about your publication credits. If you have none, tell us about the genres you prefer to write, and your current projects.

Other than approximately nine hundred newspaper articles, I have no formal publication credits. I prefer to write poetry of many varieties, but the rhymes for children are my favorite.

2. How long have you been writing for children?

Most of my life, in one form or another, though up until now, it was for my children and students primarily.

3. How much time do you spend each week writing and/or revising? And how much time on other writing-related tasks such as promotion, researching markets and so on?

Presently, we are just a month away from release of Randy Kazandy, Where Are Your Glasses, so except for the time I spend teaching piano in the evenings, nearly every waking minute is filled with something to do with Randy Kazandy.

4. How much time do you spend reading children’s books? And what are you reading right now?
I don’t spend a lot of time reading children’s books now, but have read hundreds of them, many just since beginning this new career as a children’s writer. In the few spare moments I have to read for pleasure, I read Orphan Josie and Lightning, or Trouble Starts, Pane Follows, by my good friends David and Linda Broughton. I can’t wait for his next book in the Ash Pane series, Royal Pane Down Under, set in Australia.

5. What advice would you give other would-be children’s writers, or share with other professional children’s writers?

Don’t do what everyone else is doing, unless they’re having great success. To market a children’s book, you have to get them in front of both the children and more importantly the parents that buy them. Bookstores are not well suited for this task, so you must seek alternative marketing techniques.

6. What is your favourite online resource for children’s writers? Why?

I use the SCBWI site a lot, or the IBPA site, since they are associations of professionals in the field. There advice is usually sound, but remember to think out of the box, don’t march to the beat of someone else’s drum.

7. Do you have a website or blog? What else do you do to promote your published works and/or your writing skills?

Yes, though not completed entirely, the website is up, randykazandy.com. We’re doing so many promotional things, the list is too long to tell you about in this format. One of the main things I’m doing is going to schools with an oversize Randy Kazandy book, and teaching them the jingle my friend and I came up with. I also use my musical skills to promote my work at every opportunity. We also do the normal things like press releases, since we believe in leaving no stone unturned. We’re doing placemats for restaurants with a coloring page of Randy Kazandy, and many other things. Promote, promote, promote.

Thanks for joining us, Rhonda.

If YOU would like to be featured here, drop me a line at sally @ sallymurphy.net (delete the spaces), and I’lls end you the questions.

Article Reprint: 5 Reasons To Join an Online Writers Community

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This is an article I wrote last year, but which is still relevant Enjoy!
5 Reasons To Join an Online Writers Community
You’re a writer? Great – me too! But try telling your family and friends about your writing and they might smile proudly, or grin patronisingly, or even laugh a little. The truth is, few people who aren’t writers really understand the highs and lows of the writing life, no matter how supportive they might be of your goals. It takes other writers to truly understand the frustration of a story arc that just won’t arc or a character who is misbehaving, or to understand that a rejection might in fact be a positive one because the editor took the time to scribble a comment on the bottom of the standard reply.

So, where do you find other writers to connect with? One way is to join an online writing community. This could be in the form of a chat group, message board, online forum, an email group through a service such as Yahoo Groups or membership of a social networking site such as Facebook, where you can link into interest groups. There are, for example, forums at websites write4kids and Verla Kay, as well as numerous writing groups at Yahoogroups (put writer into the search box and you’ll find hundreds of results).

Belonging to one or more of these groups has lots of benefits.

You’ll meet other writers and be able to swap stories – sharing highs and lows. Being able to vent frustrations is wonderful – but being able to celebrate a success (yours or a colleague’s) is even better. A non-writer may not understand your need to celebrate a completed manuscript, when you haven’t yet found a publisher, but a fellow writer will want to share cyber-bubbles with you.
You can exchange information. Calls for manuscripts, movement of editors, contact details for publishers and editors, contract advice and more can be exchanged. Exchange of such information can save hours of searching all over the internet.
You can make connections – with illustrators, editors, critique groups and more. My membership of an MSN Group led to my connecting with a critique group. All the other members are based in the US and I’ve never met them – but three of my manuscripts have been accepted after my critique group’s input.
You can learn from others. From how to find ideas, to how to give a character life, through to how to write a cover letter and more. There are always people who have tried things you may not have thought of, and who will willingly give you some advice.
Last, but certainly not least, you can make friends. Many of the people I’ve met through online writing communities have become real life friends. Some I have still to meet, but others I have met up with at conferences, or for coffee when we’ve happened to be in the same city. Some I have chatted to on the phone, and others by email or in chat rooms. We’ve celebrated the births of babies, weddings, anniversaries, and we’ve shared sad times such as deaths, cyclones, thefts. Not writing-related but a very real, very wonderful benefit.

There are, of course, some risks to consider in joining a community. Keeping up with hundreds of emails or logging in to chat rooms, or checking message boards can be time consuming. That is why it is best to find one or just a couple of communities rather than trying to join them all.

Sharing work online in public forums is another risk – as well as the risk that someone might appropriate your work, you also run the risk of losing first rights – because online publication means your work has been published. Any critiquing or manuscript exchange should be done privately and with a limited number of participants.

Remember, too, that not every group will suit your needs. Some may expect a particular level of experience or a particular time commitment. Others may be too chatty for you – or not chatty enough. If a community doesn’t meet your needs move on and try another.

Lastly, consider what you are prepared to give. A community relies on active participation. You should be prepared to give as much as you get. This active exchange of information, advice, experience, and compassion is what makes a community work.

Some starting points to find a writers group for you:
http://groups.yahoo.com/
http://groups.msn.com/
http://groups.google.com/?pli=1
http://www.write4kids.com/cgibin/discus/discus.cgi
http://www.verlakay.com/boards/index.php

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