A New Writing Resolution

What a year. We NaNoWriMo'd, retreated, workshopped, grouped and wrote our way through another 365 days.

Did you meet your writing goals from last year?

If the answer is yes, take a minute to ask yourself a few questions.

• How did it feel to reach my goals?
• What was the biggest motivator?
• How can I do that more this year?

If the answer is no, take a minute to ask yourself a few more questions.

• Were my expectations realistic?
• What was the biggest obstacle?
• What can I do differently this year?

Even if you think you know the answers, take your time thinking about what really happened and write down your responses. That will help you to objectively address the challenges and opportunities for the next year.

As always, we applaud you for the advances you made and thank you for joining us on this writing journey.

Yours in Writing,

Promptmasters

Jennifer Sander

JT Long

All Together (writing) Now

It is once again time to gather around the literary foliage and reflect on how together we were able to accomplish so much this year. I know as I speed through these final days of the year, I am inspired by the people who have held my hand during this journey. That is why I am dedicating this post to my support network.

When I reached out, you were there.

When one of us succeeded, all of us raised our voices in joy.

When it is time to take the next step, we will all take it together.

Thank you for being part of the circle.

Yours in Writing,

Promptmasters

Jennifer Sander

JT Long

NaNoWriMo Up

How did your National Novel Writing go? 50,000? 30,000? Notes for next year? Whatever you did, you were a winner if you wrote more than you would have on your own? This global initiative is proof that together writers can push each other to be more productive.

NaNoWriMo has all the elements of a good writing community - measurable goals, an enthusiastic group of supporters cheering each other on, and T-shirts to mark the occasion. According to the official site, more than 28,000 people recorded 50,000+ words each for a total of 2.6 billion words. That is something to celebrate.

I was lucky enough to spend the evening last night with a class of 29 very diverse authors who spent five Monday nights together fueled by cookies, agent visits and a shared sense of purpose. For three hours straight the type, type, typing built until half a dozen announced they had made the 50,000 word goal. Others beat their own personal goals and all came away with a sense of having done something they had only considered in a vague way before.

If you participated, take a moment to congratulate yourself and take a deep breath. You can always go back and edit and fine tune later. The important thing is that you captured your dream.

If you missed this year, now is the time to start collecting folders of ideas about scenes, characters, plot twists and titles so you will be ready come 11.1.11. It will be here before you know it.

Many Thanks

It is time to give thanks to everyone who supports and inspires me every day. I am so lucky to have so many positive, creative people in my life.

Thank you for doing what you do every day to remind me that the world is full of joy and love at its juicy center. Yes, there is creative conflict at times, but that only helps to make the satisfying resolution sweeter at the end of the proverbial day.

When we all take a deep breath to gather at holiday tables, raise a glass of communal good cheer and reflect on the bounty before us, how can we do anything else, but weep in gratitude. Cheers to you and yours this holiday season and all year long.

Yours in Writing,

Promptmasters

JT Long

Jennifer Sander

A Writer's World

If you don't believe one story can change the world, you haven't read Malayapinas' inspirational postings on the plight of women in the Philippines. This brave woman is speaking out about the oppression and discrimination in her country one story at a time.

Malayapinas (not her real name because reporters are in life-threatening danger in her country) wrote about the 2006 oil spill that wrought havoc on the Guimaras population, wiping out their food source and way of life. She profiled Evelyn, a mother of four who lived off the bounty of the ocean. This quote said it all: “I’ve learnt that poverty and the oil spill accident is not God given. Our need for food, medical care and livelihood are our basic rights. Our rights for rehabilitation and environmental justice must be demanded from the government. Indeed, through organized and collective action for structural change, we can end poverty,” said Evelyn.

After appearing in World Pulse, the magazine that features global issues through the eyes of women, her story was picked up by national newspapers and organizations have been formed that are forcing the polluters to pay for their degradation.

I had the pleasure of meeting Malayapinas and two other Voices of Our Future at a World Pulse Speaking Tour in San Francisco and left inspired by the power of words to make a meaningful difference in the lives of women.

I already volunteer as a Listener for this organization, reading these women's stories, encouraging them to share their insights and pitching in however I can with the publication. Now I want to shout about this worthy cause to everyone I know in the hopes that these brave women's voices will be amplified and their impact increased.

Yes, your stories can make a difference. Please take a moment to check out their great work, share your insight and help them reach their vision.

Yours in Writing,

Promptmasters

JT Long

Jennifer Sander

Team NaNoWriMo

We talk a lot here about the additional power a MasterMind Writing Group can bring to your work. National Novel Writing Month (affectionately known as NaNoWriMo) multiplies that forward momentum by tens of thousands of people all focused on the same goal, pushing out a book in the month of November.

Think about it. What looks to the naked eye like a lone writer tapping away at a keyboard is actually one point of light in a national movement to celebrate literary abandon. This movement is supported by hundreds of web sites, Twitter # groups, local classes and events. Whether you are a young writer, script writer, veteran or first-time writer, resources are available to encourage and celebrate your efforts. If you ever needed an excuse to make your dreams come true, NaNoWriMo is it.

How are you celebrating this life-changing event? Share your progress and tips here and remember - you never write alone.

Yours in Writing,

Promptmasters

Jennifer Sander

JT Long

My Writing Group Addiction Confession

I have a confession to make. I run a couple of writers' groups, attend a few others regularly and have had the pleasure of moderating some fascinating panel discussions in the last few months. I do it because I am passionate about supporting and educating writers so we can all grow. But I can't deny the boost my involvement gives me personally.

Every time I come away from one of these events I am inspired and, often, one step closer to a new opportunity.

This was definitely the case on Tuesday night. As chair of the Sacramento Press Club Seminars Committee, I had the pleasure of meeting Sacramento Bee Pulitzer Prize-winning author Marjie Lundstrom. She was a joy - engaging, candid, authentic - and probably wouldn't approve of all the adjectives I am using to tell you how great she was. She would say, "Show me."

So instead, I will share a metaphor she used to explain the structure of an effective story. Imagine a necklace. The pearls are the details that shine in the readers eyes. The humble string is the organizational structure that runs through the story giving it shape. Without the string, it isn't a necklace. It's a pile of little white balls.

You can be assured that I will take the time from now on to consider my structure before piling a bunch of details on the page and hoping the reader doesn't trip on them looking for the closure.

In addition to getting to meet this superstar, I also met a number of other word jewelers who took time out of their busy schedules to attend. Once again, I left inspired.

I have to admit, writer group mania is not an addiction I am going to try to kick anytime soon.

Yours in Writing

Promptmasters

Jennifer Sander

JT Long

On Writing: What Stephen King can Teach You About Getting Started

I just finished Stephen King's "On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft". I have been told many times over the years that this was a must-read, even if I wasn't "into that type of writing." It was an interesting mix of personal story and practical advice (Second Draft = First Draft - 10%). The author of the graphic "Carrie", "The Shining" and "The Dead Zone" saves the best for last, however.

On page 269, as he describes his struggle to begin writing again after a car vs. pedestrian accident where he was the pedestrian, he wrote some of the truest words yet. "The scariest moment is always just before you start. After that, things can only get better."

That is the way it is with writing. It is easy to find a million other things to do than sit down and pound out your deepest secrets. But once you start, it not only gets better, it becomes painful to stop.

He continues: "I feel that buzz of happiness, that sense of having found the right words and put them in a line. It's like lifting off in an airplane: You're on the ground, on the ground, on the ground... and then you're up, riding on a magical cushion of air and prince of all you survey. It's what I was made to do." Let me repeat that last line. "It's what I was made to do."

That is why we write, isn't it? It's not for money or fame or free coffee. It's because it's what we do.

I would like to thank Stephen (he says everyone calls you by your first name during an emergency) for sharing this insight and inspiring a whole new generation of writers in all genres.

Now it's your turn. How do you get off the ground? What gets your writing started?

Yours in Writing,

Promptmaster

Jennifer Sander

JT Long

The Shared Writer Brain

One of the great things about being a writer is that we are all automatically part of a shared mental state. It may seem like we pound away at the keys alone, but we are actually closely aligned with thousands of others out there doing the same thing - some with amazing results.

This happy reality hit home for me today as I prepared to speak at a college journalism class. I jotted a note on Facebook asking if anyone had advice they would like to share.

The results were immediate and abundant.

• Some practical: "Learn how to spell:)" and "Don't use apostrophes for plurals unless you are writing about the Oakland A's."
• Some reflected the changing journalism landscape: "Objectivity and balance continue to be important to ensure readers' trust and loyalty, even in this age of "up-to-the-minute" news."
• Some cautionary: "Major in science instead."
• Some inspiring: "Believe in the profession. While the medium may change, the stories still need to be told and will be read."

Many of you suggested finding a subject you cared about and becoming an expert in that field so your writing would reflect that deeper understanding.

One of my favorites came from a publisher who said: "Journalism is a relationship business. Engage, interact and know that it's now a conversation more than a one-way dialogue. Writing the story is just the beginning, not the end of the process. Be passionate, authentic and empathetic. Seek truth above all else."

Isn't that why we got into this business in the first place? We want to know and share the truth, whatever that means. And aren't you glad there is a whole community of writers who think the same way?

What advice would you give a journalism student?

Yours in Writing

Promptmasters

Jennifer Sander

JT Long

Fall into Writing

It's time to get down to writing. No more excuses. The lazy days of summer are over. The kids are back in school. The weather is cooler. We have celebrated the hours women give during childbirth with a three-day weekend of barbecues and cleaning gutters. It's time to get back behind the computer and start being productive.

Fall is the perfect time to refocus. The end-of-the-year is within keyboard-throwing distance so if you haven't made progress on your resolutions, you might want to kick it into high gear now. Writers tend to be sprinters anyway so having a deadline around the corner may be just the ticket to locking those fingers on the keys.

Do you not remember your resolutions? No worries. Make a new one now. You have a three-month chunk of days that can be filled with emptying the cat litter box or sharing your stories with the world. Your choice.

I know I am looking forward to meeting with my MasterMind Group at Writers Who Wine tonight to pledge devotion to my literary goals. It has been a productive year and I just finished some big deadlines. But I am anxious to end on a high note so I want to take some time to decide which projects are most important to me and point myself in that direction.

I couldn't ask for a better group of people to share this rededication. Two will be celebrating book launches and one just signed a contract for her next piece. I know from experience that all that forward momentum is contagious.

If you aren't in the area, feel free to get in on the word pledge action virtually. What are planning to write in the next three months?

Yours in Writing,

Promptmasters

Jennifer Sander

JT Long

PS: If you need some help focusing, space is still available for Fall Write by the Lake retreats.

In Praise of Writing Small

Try baby steps. You are a writer whether you pen love notes to your husband, blogs for your customers, magazine articles for electrical engineers or novels for young adults. The important thing is to simply write.

I had the pleasure of attending a Capitol City Young Writers' Conference that featured Huntington Sharp II, senior editor of Red Room. This is a wonderful community of diverse authors coming together to celebrate the craft of writing in all its various forms.

His advice for writers? Write. You can research and plan and discuss and think all you want, but in order to be a writer, you have to write. Edit later, but write first and always.

He was, in essence, giving us permission to do what we have always wanted to do, but were afraid to try. That is what writing support networks offer. Permission. What a wonderful gift.

A great way to make the most of that opportunity is to start small. You don't have to write the Great American Novel right out of the gate. Try starting with a 140-character Twitter post or a short story. Write a blog. Guess what, those can later be collected into an article or a book.

A journey starts one step at a time. The good news is that your MasterMind group is there every step of the way.

How do you give yourself permission to write and what keeps your fingers moving?

Yours in Writing,

Promptmasters

Jennifer Sander

JT Long

The More the Writing Business Changes, the More Writers Stay the Same

I attended a Capitol City Young Writers Conference this weekend and am happy to report that the love of telling stories is alive an well in future generations.

The literary gathering in the idyllic setting of the Marin hills brought together some of the most inspirational minds in literature today. Keynote speaker was Peter S. Beagle, who wrote his best-selling "A Fine and Private Place" at the age of 19, followed quickly by the classic "The last Unicorn". He connected with the children and adults in the audience when he shared the storytelling urges that have plagued him as long as he can remember. "My mother wrote down the stories before I was able to write them myself," he said. From the beginning, he knew writing would be his passion. Heads young and old nodded in agreement as he spoke.

My friend and event volunteer Dena Kouremetis shares her inspired take on the day here. I would like to add, however, a few bits of wisdom shared by Writer's Digest Community publisher and editorial director Jane Friedman. While she refused to predict the future of publishing, she counseled young writers to not be attached to the medium. Storytelling doesn't require paper and ink. A literary tale can be delivered through online posts, podcasts or some other format not yet imagined.

The common thread for me was the advice to persevere. Find new ways to connect with your audience and hone your craft. That had me nodding my head.

Yours in Writing,

Promptmasters

Jennifer Sander

JT Long

5 Steps to a Healthy Writing Exercise Routine

I recently shared some of our MasterMind Writing Group publishing secrets with fellow writers at Your Writing Dept. (You can read the post: Endurance Training For Writers here.)

Why spread the word? First of all, the duo that runs Your Writing Dept. Ron Creel and Tom Guarnera, are serious technical writers. They know their stuff, but they also know that writers have to stick together. They are always looking for new gigs to put scribes to work. I like that.

You see, writing is an endurance sport, but it is not a contest. You are challenging yourself and the more people who cross the finish line, the more high fives you get to score.

Like any sport, we improve with practice. So I would like to devote this week's post to exercises that strengthen the muse.

1. Lift a writing friend's day by asking about ongoing projects, challenges, successes.

2. Leverage resources by suggesting sources, similar stories, agents, attorneys who might be able to help.

3. Sit at the computer for some deep writing time.

4. Raise a glass at the July 8 Writers Who Wine Night Out to celebrate all that you have accomplished.

5. Repeat.

It's that easy. The secret is that you have to do all five. You can't just talk about writing, you have to actually sit down and do it. But celebrating your accomplishments with friends is also essential to keep you motivated during those long hours in front of the computer. So put on your work-out clothes and get started.

Yours in Writing

Promptmasters

Jennifer Sander

JT Long

Writing Goal Check-Up

It has been six months since you made your 2010 writing resolutions. Have you allowed your MasterMind Writer's Group to hold you accountable? Have you written those proposals? Consistently blogged? Finished that Great American Novel? Have you celebrated appropriately?

I know life can get in the way. Kids, dogs, editors can be very demanding. But you have to make your self-imposed deadlines a priority if you are going to reach your publishing dreams.

Let's take this summer break as an opportunity to renew your commitment to writing like you have never written before. Answer the following questions honestly and publicly so you will be more inclined to make the answers stick.

• Was my 2010 goal practical?
• What adjustments do I need to make to ensure that I will be successful?
• Am I using all of my network's resources to meet my goal?
• Am I scheduling time in my week to pursue my dreams?
• How will I celebrate when I cross the publishing line?

The good news is that there is still another six months left to reach all of your goals and more. But you will only be successful if you commit to yourself and your support network.

Tell the Unspoken Stories

I talk a lot about how a circle of literary friends can help support you during the hard work of penning your story. The importance of a writing network is even more important if you are a disenfranchised group - like a prisoner in Burma. That is why I am dedicating this blog to the Voice of Witness, a nonprofit book series that empowers people who have lived through human rights crises by helping them tell their stories.

Titles include:

• Surviving Justice: America's Wrongfully Convicted and Exonerated
• Voices From the Storm: The Peopole of New Orleans on Hurricane Katrina and Its Aftermath
• UnderGround America: Narratives of Undocumented Lives
• Out of Exile: Narratives from the Abducted and Displaced People of Sudan

As Maggie Lemer and Zoe West said so eloquently in the Copyblogger post How to Use Stories to Change the World, "Bloggers are storytellers, and your stories give you power." They are looking for ways to get the word out about all of the books in Voice of Witness, including Nowhere to Be Home: Narratives from Survivors of Burma's Military Regime.

Do you know anyone who is too scared, tired, or oppressed to tell his or her story? Reach out and offer to listen, to make connections, to get that story heard. You can leverage your writer's group to find ghostwriters, translators, editors and publishers who can bring these untold stories to a larger audience.

Only when the power of personal connection has been made can lives be saved, laws made and changes occur. You have that power as a writer. Use it wisely.

Yours in writing,

Promptmasters

Jennifer Sander

JT Long

The Cure for Literary Loneliness

Can a MasterMind Writer's Group be as therapeutic as a pile of kittens?

New studies show that people are feeling more isolated than ever even as technology makes it easier than ever to connect? Why is this? Theories abound.

• Smaller families more geographically scattered
• Less of a need to physically connect with people
• Loss of central spaces and organizations to unite communities

These are all trends that a writer's group can address. Writers, in particular, are vulnerable to succumbing to the bittersweet nature of their isolated pursuit. However, by connecting with others over a shared passion of the written word, they create strong bonds.

In fact, I consider my Writer's Group to be part of my extended family. Between the monthly meetings and the Facebook updates, I can keep up with them in real time. That sense of belonging can mean a lot on a day when the only person who has asked how I am doing is my barista. Seeing that a friend has had her manuscript accepted or finished that big project is like having a tabby rubbing up against my leg to let me know the world is not as cold and lonely of a place as the evening news might suggest. Knowing a group of people I admire wants me to succeed is both comforting and inspiring.

So I challenge you to defy the odds. Reach out and form a MasterMind Writer's Group today. Or, if you already have one, call up one of your fellow members, ask how the latest project is going, set up a lunch or just say Hello.

We can change the worldwide bonding trend one meeting at a time.

Yours in Writing,

Promptmasters

Jennifer Sander

JT Long

Another Day Another Book Launch

2010 has been a great year for my writing group. It seems every month another member is planning a book launch.

First we hailed Judith Horstman's second book for Scientific American, Brave New Brain. It received great traction because it was such a timely topic and a fun read. Then Jennifer Sander and her co-author Paula Munier burned up the book shelves with Hot Flash Haiku. Again, it was perfect timing as an ideal Mother's Day gift. Verna Dreisbach was next out of the gate with Why We Ride: Women Writers on the Horses in Their Lives. It is getting great reviews and, I hear, going into a second printing. Now our own Dawn Lairimore has released her kick-ass princess young adult novel Ivy's Ever After. I love the book and the launch page. I know of two others about to be released, one is a mystery romance and the other a travel book.

Although the subjects vary widely, the support each member has received from the group at the launch parties, on their web sites and in their personal networks has been universally powerful. Mastermind groups share in the journey and the celebration at the end.

So, why were so many of our members able to cross the finish line at once? It is the result of a number of things.

• Momentum: The energy and excitement of each launch encourages the rest of the group to pursue their dreams. This is not competition, this is all boats rising in the tide of publishing.
• Collective Resources: The more published writers we have in the group, the more agents, publishers and strategies can be shared at each meeting.
• Magnetic Power: The more successful our group is, the more it attracts other successful authors and empowers the first two items.

Powerful isn't it? Well, time to go get ready for the next launch. Please take a moment before your next book bash and share with me your group's success secrets.

Yours in Publishing,

Promptmasters

Jennifer Sander

JT Long

The Power of an "Outlier" Writing Community

As writers, we are all products of our environment. The trick is to shape that environment to create a top-quality product - something that may be easier said in retrospect than consciously done.

I just finished the book "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell. It is full of conversation-starters about everything from our education system to cultural norms. It's point, however, seemed to be that no one - not even groundbreaking technology entrepreneurs, rock bands and geniuses - exists in a vacuum. The myth of the self-made man (or woman) may be just that. We are influenced by powerful forces in our recent and distant past that may not initially be apparent. By virtue of being born at a particular time, in a particular place to people with certain attitudes and with specific advantages, we can achieve things that others don't have the opportunity to even imagine.

Gladwell stresses that these superstars still had to work hard (in fact putting in 10,000 hours to hone a craft is one of the deciding factors in the ability to excel he posits). But we also have to have a chance to work hard, encouragement to dream big and in some instances a cultural tendency for success in a particular field.

A writing community can help will all of these things.

• By surrounding yourself with people who can share the tips and tools for getting published, you will put yourself in a position to make the most of your innate writing abilities.
• A writing community can also prod, guilt and otherwise encourage you to put the time in to hone your craft.
• Finally, your fellow writers can inspire you to be the best you can be.

I have always believed this. That is why my company name, logo and signature line all include an "& Co." acknowledgement of everyone who has impacted my development over the years. This includes my mother, my barista and you. It's a copyright thing. Your unique insights, friendship, thoughts and advice made me the person I am today. I could not write what I write without your influence.

Thank you.

Please keep sharing. Tell me who pushes you to be an outlier, to go above and beyond, to write.

Yours in writing

Promptmasters

Jennifer Sander

JT Long

Group Biography Challenge

As writers, we all face challenging subjects from time to time. As my dear friend and MasterMind Writer's Group member Dena Kouremetis illustrates so eloquently in her Ultimate Communic8or blog this week, writing about ourselves can be the most challenging.

Dena shares some valuable tips for balancing the self-promotion/modesty/brevity tasks.

I would add to that list, reach out to your fellow writers for objective feedback about your strengths. As people who have shared your journey, they can point out things you might have missed, fill in blanks and add perspective.

I also advise reaching out to your support group to act as a second set of eyes to catch any errors you might have might have missed while your cheeks were burning due to shyness. Writers are always under pressure to put out the best written product, even if it is a grocery list.

Thank you Dena for an insightful blog and many thanks to my group for being patient as I rush to meet all the deadlines now on my plate. Together we will all be winners.

Yours in Writing,

Promptmasters

Jennifer Sander

JT Long

Informal MasterMind Writing Groups Add Liquidity to Publishing Plans

Not all writing groups have to be formal sessions where everyone sits down and accounts for each word written since the last meeting. Those moments of truth can be very valuable, but a less formal event call also get the creative juices flowing.

In addition to my MasterMind Group, I also participate in Writers Who Wine an informal monthly gathering of writers at all stages of their career. We meet at a nice bar, have a drink and talk about the biz of putting words together.

I meet the most interesting people and leave inspired to find new ways to express myself - and make money in my chosen field. 

We started our group on Facebook with a core group of writing friends and invited anyone in the Sacramento area who wanted to chat about writing to join us. We now have 119 members signed up to receive invitations and usually about 20 show up. I always meet someone new and have twice secured paying writing gigs from the contacts made there. I know writers who are now teaching classes, have been published in the local paper and featured in online stories because of the events.

The bottom line is, don't whine about finding opportunities. Take the initiative. Gather a group of people together in whatever setting, format and venue suits you. You could be the Creative Cookies who share recipes and write cookbooks. You could found the Java Journalists and take turns making presentations in a coffee shop. The idea is to share the inspiration, contacts and joy that comes from interacting with your fellow writers. 

How do you stay connected?

Yours in Writing,

Promptmasters

JT Long

Jennifer Sander