en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/3199584 Comments by Ann Best http://meghanward.com/blog/?p=4787#IDComment417105717 Reminds me of the screenwriting adage: character is action. And character is also dialogue. Keep the physical descriptions to a minimum (Orson Scott Card also advocates this, and puts it beautifully into practice). And when we do use such description, we should, as you say, be creative, as Matt Bondurant clearly has been. Well said, Megan. I'm in total agreement. I'm going to link to this post, if that's okay with you, in the next post I'll be writing either today or tomorrow. Tue, 7 Aug 2012 13:55:18 +0000 http://meghanward.com/blog/?p=4787#IDComment417105717 http://meghanward.com/blog/2012/01/31/5-easy-ways-to-improve-your-online-presence/#IDComment287381582 Great list, Meghan. I've done it all. I changed my blog name way back to my own name. But I think I'll go into Twitter and see if I can get rid of the number after my name. I think this happened because Ann Best is too common. I should have done Ann Carbine Best. I see your comment above. I've got a massive stack of books I've bought too; a lot of them Bloggers' books, some of which I've dipped into and they're mostly very good. I'm a slow reader too. There just isn't enough time in a day ... and the older you get, as you'll discover, the faster the time goes! Wed, 8 Feb 2012 21:56:03 +0000 http://meghanward.com/blog/2012/01/31/5-easy-ways-to-improve-your-online-presence/#IDComment287381582 http://meghanward.com/blog/2012/01/18/dont-be-an-iphoney/#IDComment268088133 I remember those kinds of weeks with small children! This too shall pass... Like Kristan, I try to support more than one bookstore, especially the brick and mortar ones. Wed, 18 Jan 2012 22:37:23 +0000 http://meghanward.com/blog/2012/01/18/dont-be-an-iphoney/#IDComment268088133 http://meghanward.com/blog/2011/12/30/2011-books-in-review/#IDComment258707579 I'm trying again to see if this will go through with my picture and link.... Sun, 8 Jan 2012 17:44:15 +0000 http://meghanward.com/blog/2011/12/30/2011-books-in-review/#IDComment258707579 http://meghanward.com/blog/2011/10/11/new-york-times-bestselling-author-julia-scheeres/#IDComment206258505 I was 38 when this happened, and two years away from divorcing my first husband when the Jonestown disaster occurred. I was caught in my own turmoil then, as I was during the entire decade: the ugliest decade, as some historians have called it. And the Sixties was the precursor: Berlin Wall Crisis--I just got married, and was separated from my husband. Then, John Kennedy's assassination; my oldest daughter was 8 months old. More assassinations: another Kennedy, Martin Luther King. The Vietnam War that spanned both decades. Watergate, and another personal trauma, etc. etc. Back then I filtered history through what was personally happening to me at the time; but now through such incredible writers as Julia Scheeres I can read about such atrocities as Jonestown that I only vaguely remember discussing, horrified, with my first husband. Thank you, Meghan, for commenting today on my recent post, and telling me about this interview. I am EAGER to read this book. I'm just thinking: I'll tell my oldest daughter who drew my name for Christmas to BUY it for me. I like to honor the hard work of such excellent writers! This was a great interview, as all of your interviews are! Wed, 12 Oct 2011 02:05:03 +0000 http://meghanward.com/blog/2011/10/11/new-york-times-bestselling-author-julia-scheeres/#IDComment206258505 http://meghanward.com/blog/2011/09/06/10-steps-to-becoming-a-self-publishing-superstar/#IDComment190782466 Hi, Meghan. Great post. It and Anne Allen's comments really speak to me today. I wrote two responses that I deleted, that you may or may not be able to read. I was nervous about something I'd said in reply to Anne, so whatever happened to the comments doesn't matter. #3 is what I'm going on!!! But everything you list is very important. I'm printing out this post for future reference. Thanks!!! Wed, 7 Sep 2011 18:31:49 +0000 http://meghanward.com/blog/2011/09/06/10-steps-to-becoming-a-self-publishing-superstar/#IDComment190782466 http://meghanward.com/blog/2011/09/06/10-steps-to-becoming-a-self-publishing-superstar/#IDComment190781286 I'm going with your #3 Meghan. Memoirs and literary novels, my favorite "genres." I know now at my age that memoir is my thing. It's really all I can do. My life is what I know. Write about what you know. I started doing this much younger, closer to your age, but never got something together for publication until now. It's been fun--but it's all a lot of work, especially the marketing part. Wed, 7 Sep 2011 18:27:13 +0000 http://meghanward.com/blog/2011/09/06/10-steps-to-becoming-a-self-publishing-superstar/#IDComment190781286 http://meghanward.com/blog/2011/09/06/10-steps-to-becoming-a-self-publishing-superstar/#IDComment190780621 I think the keyword here, Anne, is "innovative" smaller publishers. The key, of course, to a second *self-published* (in my case) book is that if the first was well done (it was, and my editors were excellent) and if the second is well written/polished, it could be a go, and be helpful with continued marketing of the first one. A LOT of work that will be, as everyone says. But it's a lot of work for authors anyway, no matter how they're published. I've decided to try the self-published route with my second memoir, IF when I finish it I feel it's good enough to be published! And I'm going with Meghan's #3: "memoirists and literary novelists may be the e-books stars of the future." I'm always eager to read your posts/comments, Anne. You are amazing! Wed, 7 Sep 2011 18:24:47 +0000 http://meghanward.com/blog/2011/09/06/10-steps-to-becoming-a-self-publishing-superstar/#IDComment190780621 http://meghanward.com/blog/2011/09/06/10-steps-to-becoming-a-self-publishing-superstar/#IDComment190763273 Hi, Meghan. Excellent post, as always. And one that speaks to me RIGHT NOW, as I'm thinking about self-publishing my second memoir (when it's done, if it's good enough, as I said above in reply to Anne Allen.) As I said to Anne, I'm going with your #3!! I know I'm a memoirist. At my age, I've realized I just can't do anything else (though I'd like to try a middle-grade idea, but how much time do I have in a day/left in my life!). Memoir is my thing. I think they very well MIGHT be the "future" stars because each individual's story is unique. And written well, *I* absolutely love them, and know other readers who love them too. I also love the literary novel, which in some cases is a disguised memoir. I'm thinking here of the late great Wallace Stegner. A used copy of his Recapiulation "novel" just arrived; it's an autobiographical novel--and "literary." (Stegner won the Pulitzer Prize for his novel Angle of Repose. It's awesome, if you ever get time to read it; it's long.) Wed, 7 Sep 2011 17:23:19 +0000 http://meghanward.com/blog/2011/09/06/10-steps-to-becoming-a-self-publishing-superstar/#IDComment190763273 http://meghanward.com/blog/2011/09/06/10-steps-to-becoming-a-self-publishing-superstar/#IDComment190761643 I think the keyword here, Anne, is "innovative" smaller publishers. My experience with a small press publisher has been that *I* have had to do almost all of the promotion. The key, of course, to a second *self-published* (in my case) book is that if the first was well done (which mine was, and I do credit the publisher with good editing suggestions) and if the second is well written/polished, it could be a go, and be helpful with continued marketing of the first one. A LOT of work that will be, as everyone says. But it's a LOT of work for authors anyway like me who've been published *traditionally.* I've decided to try the self-published route with my second memoir, IF when I finish it I feel it's good enough to be published! And I'm going with Meghan's #3: "memoirists and literary novelists may be the e-books stars of the future." I'm always eager to read your posts/comments, Anne. You are amazing! Wed, 7 Sep 2011 17:17:40 +0000 http://meghanward.com/blog/2011/09/06/10-steps-to-becoming-a-self-publishing-superstar/#IDComment190761643 http://meghanward.com/blog/2011/08/24/plagiarism-is-it-safe-to-share-your-writing-with-others/#IDComment188152031 Put the phrase in quotes. I think this is acceptable if it's a brief phrase or sentence. Tue, 30 Aug 2011 19:36:28 +0000 http://meghanward.com/blog/2011/08/24/plagiarism-is-it-safe-to-share-your-writing-with-others/#IDComment188152031 http://www.kirkusmacgowan.info/2011/08/25/my-path-self-publishing-and-a-cover-art-designer/my-path/kirkus/#IDComment187493075 Juggling writing with social media IS a challenge. Writers and wannabe writers tend to burn out with blogging within three years, I'm told. And then, there isn't just blogging. There's Facebook and Twitter, and now Google+. You need to be in and out of these, however, to keep your name out there if you want an audience for your books. I DO hope that psychological thriller published before too long so I can read it! Sun, 28 Aug 2011 20:15:51 +0000 http://www.kirkusmacgowan.info/2011/08/25/my-path-self-publishing-and-a-cover-art-designer/my-path/kirkus/#IDComment187493075 http://www.kirkusmacgowan.info/books-by-kirkus/work-in-progress-the-fall-of-billy-hitchings/#IDComment186536768 I don't always finish someone's excerpt--if it's not interesting and/or has too many writing problems--but this excerpt kept me reading. Surprise ending, as the first commenter said. I want more! Excellent visual and sensory images, and action that moves the sequence forward. The writing flows. I'm impressed. Thu, 25 Aug 2011 18:23:03 +0000 http://www.kirkusmacgowan.info/books-by-kirkus/work-in-progress-the-fall-of-billy-hitchings/#IDComment186536768 http://msforster.blogspot.com/2011/07/of-blogging-breaks-and-scavenger-hunts.html#IDComment178647596 I think a lot of people are taking breaks about now. I'm basically on hiatus, too. But I do make a few comments each day on blogs while trying to get organized for the coming year. Enjoy! Sat, 30 Jul 2011 18:36:13 +0000 http://msforster.blogspot.com/2011/07/of-blogging-breaks-and-scavenger-hunts.html#IDComment178647596 http://meghanward.com/blog/2011/07/19/bestselling-vs-bestwriting-books/#IDComment175575359 Meghan: I appreciate the comment you made yesterday on my The Station Will Come Soon Enough post. The Station, if viewed as death, will probably come sooner for me than for you. You will probably have time to write the books that you'd like, if you keep working on them steadily step by step. I like, and just commented on, what Anne Allen said above: Go slow. One page a day. That's 365 a year. Well, not even I want to go that slow, but I think the point is, Do what works for us, and enjoy doing it. In today's publishing world, a great many of the good books being written right now by all of us hopefuls just won't get published. Or I guess they will if everyone who can't get "accepted" by a publisher ends up self-publishing. As I'm approaching the twilight of my life, I just want to feel a sense of accomplishment no matter what that accomplishment is. Not all of my life's dreams have come true, but I've tried my best to use my talents and if in the process I've helped others along the way, this is all in the end that I ask for. Wed, 20 Jul 2011 16:57:32 +0000 http://meghanward.com/blog/2011/07/19/bestselling-vs-bestwriting-books/#IDComment175575359 http://meghanward.com/blog/2011/07/19/bestselling-vs-bestwriting-books/#IDComment175573201 Anne: Your comments are masterpieces (as well as your blog posts), and everything you say here resonates with me. Give me "literary" fiction; stories with depth of characterization and setting; stories that dig deep. I reacted to what you say about memoir. This of course is where I am. First one published. Staring at notes for the second and probably final one. Writing memoir does take a psychological toll. Go slow. Though at age 71 I can't go too slow or this last one won't get written. But I know exactly what you're saying. Go slow and enjoy the "little" things around me; this is what I'm telling myself. Thanks for this mini-post of a reply. Awesome! Wed, 20 Jul 2011 16:49:32 +0000 http://meghanward.com/blog/2011/07/19/bestselling-vs-bestwriting-books/#IDComment175573201 http://sierragodfrey.blogspot.com/2011/04/guest-post-every-no-brings-you-closer.html#IDComment170099804 This was a lively post! I smiled all the way through it. The point is: what does that No mean? I agree with Meghan (above). And add that it does take courage to put your writing "out there." No, to me, simply means either give up or keep trying. I chose to keep trying--all my life. And it worked! Tue, 5 Jul 2011 23:04:01 +0000 http://sierragodfrey.blogspot.com/2011/04/guest-post-every-no-brings-you-closer.html#IDComment170099804 http://meghanward.com/blog/2011/06/28/author-interview-laura-fraser/#IDComment168059063 Laura Fraser is a fascinating person. I'm glad I got to know her a bit through this interview. Thanks to both of you. (And it's so disheartening to see what's happened and is happening in our world today where writers and writing outlets are concerned. In fact, it's a struggle for so many people no matter how they're trying to make a living!) Wed, 29 Jun 2011 20:00:21 +0000 http://meghanward.com/blog/2011/06/28/author-interview-laura-fraser/#IDComment168059063 http://meghanward.com/blog/2011/06/21/email-marketing-for-cool-people/#IDComment168056255 I'm glad I dropped by here today. Thanks, Meghan, for hosting Alta. Her two types of people who can be targeted with emails caught my eye. I'm going to think seriously about the ones who already know who I am. I haven't pursued this means of marketing my memoir yet. Wed, 29 Jun 2011 19:51:20 +0000 http://meghanward.com/blog/2011/06/21/email-marketing-for-cool-people/#IDComment168056255 http://meghanward.com/blog/2011/02/18/rip-victor-martinez/#IDComment161172771 I didn't know him. But looking at his face, I miss him, especially after reading that brief excerpt. That is powerful writing. So sad for us that such a brilliant voice is gone from our midst. Fri, 10 Jun 2011 00:59:39 +0000 http://meghanward.com/blog/2011/02/18/rip-victor-martinez/#IDComment161172771