SFRB Recommends 46: On Writing by Stephen King #writing #craft #memoir

“Long live the King” hailed Entertainment Weekly upon publication of Stephen King’s On Writing. Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this superb volume is a revealing and practical view of the writer’s craft, comprising the basic tools of the trade every writer must have. King’s advice is grounded in his vivid memories from childhood through his emergence as a writer, from his struggling early career to his widely reported, near-fatal accident in 1999—and how the inextricable link between writing and living spurred his recovery. Brilliantly structured, friendly and inspiring, On Writing will empower and entertain everyone who reads it—fans, writers, and anyone who loves a great story well told.

The first section of this book is a memoir that recounts King's early life and experiences with books, and how they shaped his work. The rest of it is common-sense craft and encouragement. King's 'pantsing' approach may not work for everybody, but the rest of the advice applies to a broad audience. I haven't read much King myself, and you don't need to have done so to get a lot out of this book.

The most eye-opening part for me is a first draft he shares with us and how he revises it. He shares his reasons for the changes, unafraid to show us that even an experienced writer's first draft needs plenty of work.

If you're leery of investing in yet another book about writing, On Writing is widely available at libraries. King has done PSAs about using your library, so I think he'd approve!

Author site: Welcome to Stephenking.com

Recommendation by Lee Koven.

How One Fantasy Writer Makes Use of RWA

I’ve rarely posted, so will do the quick intro: I’m Laurel Wanrow, writer of adult science fiction and YA fantasy romance.

RWA 2011 was my fifth Nationals Conference in four and a half years of membership. I fell into writing, as many of us do, bitten by the story bug. But after I completed that first novel, with no connection to anyone, I had no idea what to do with it. A speaker in a class mentioned his wife wrote romance novels. Published ones. I’d written a fantasy with a love story so asked what she’d done next: “She tells every writer to join Romance Writers of America.” So I did.

I attended my first local chapter meeting in May 2007. Everyone was talking about ‘Nationals’. When fellow Maryland Romance Writers member Kate Poole learned I had completed a manuscript, she urged me to attend and pitch at the 2007 conference in Dallas. It sounded exciting, plus, my parents live in Texas and I owed them a visit. I signed up for the pitch appointment and also scrambled and got PRO status to attend the PRO Retreat.

My ‘First Timer’ Nationals taught me a lot. PRO retreat offered the perfect introduction to my career and throughout the three days, workshops covered craft, career and publishing over many romance genres. All of them had something to offer my fantasy writing. Plus,since many of the special interest chapters only came together this one time per year, a number of additional activities could be found. Er, besides the bar and karaoke. I can’t claim to have hit everything, but here are a few tidbits.

First glad-I-did-it: Use the RWA Online Chapter when it opens for conference chatting. I found a roommate my first year when anyone I barely knew in the chapter was already in a committed (roommate) relationship.

Second glad-I-did-it: My also-newbie roommate had received the great tip to attend chapter functions to mingle. We pooled our groups and went to KOD’s Death by Chocolate party, Passionate Ink’s luncheon, From the Heart’s dinner—where Deidre Knight spoke to a small room of 25 of us. LOL, I was that green I had no idea how lucky I was—and FF&P’s The Gathering. Ah, I had found my tribe—people to talk fantasy with. Funny enough, I found my second genre group listening to the CDs: Who knew “Doing it with a Younger Guy” wasn’t about May-December romance, but YA?

Which leads to third glad-I-did-it: Though I missed that first YA workshop presented in person, I listened to it and all hundred and forty-some CD workshops. I strongly recommend buying the $99 CDs. Then you never have to worry about missing something. Except…

Fourth glad-I-did-it: Look at the symbols on the conference brochure. Some workshops aren’t recorded for various reasons. Of the handful this year, I went to Roxanne St. Claire’s “How Do You Mend a Broken Scene” and Jennifer Crusie’s “Collage: Visual Brainstorming.” (Fan girl moment!)

Fifth, and best, glad-I-did-it: Some workshops aren’t in the conference listings. They may notbe specifically in my genre, but I’ve had good experiences to add to my muse’s pool of ideas:

KOD offers a pre-conference tour with varied suspense or mystery-applicable topics. I attended one to a military base in Florida for a close up look at refueling and weather planes and parachuting.

With the Outreach Chapter I’ve been to the Spy Museum and Alcatraz. Not to mention ridden with fifteen people in a stretch limo.

In a one-day mini workshop hosted by Beau Monde and Hearts Through History chapters, I chose the medieval track and gleaned background in horsemanship, armory, foods and wiccan ways to add to my fantasy world.

Sixth glad-I-did-it: Talk to people. I love meeting up with writers and connecting over our journeys. I’m always learning something new. If I hadn’t asked Suzi Lazear about steampunk at the 2009 conference, I never would have been inspired to create a costume for the 2010 FF&P party and to start my latest WIP, a YA steampunk.

At some point Nationals is over and you have to come home. My last glad-I-did-it is to keep the inspiration going. Chapter meetings and workshops, reading craft books, listening to workshop CDs, online workshops, entering and judging contests; they all add to your writing experience.

Do you have any gems to share? Please do! Or share your best bets for SF/F conferences. I’ve only been to one: Darkover held near Baltimore over Thanksgiving weekend. It’s small, but has several tracks to choose from (including steampunk!) Please recommend others.

RWA Nationals: The truth about "first sale"

Yesterday Laurie Green asked if I'd post about attending RWA as an author with a first sale. It was a lovely experience, and at least on paper it sounded like a good idea. But I hesitated.

I remember running into fellow Brigade member J.C. Hay in a Murdering Your Inner Critic workshop (okay, wasn't really the title, but that's what I'd have called it). As we were chatting he noticed my pink ribbon. His eyes went wide and he said, "You sold!"

I started bouncing and chirping, "I did, I did!" It was the first moment I really let anyone see my excitement. Why? Shouldn't I be walking on clouds and shouting it from the rooftops? (I think I'm up to my third cliche now, sorry.)

Marcella Burnard, Laurie Green, J.C. Hay

Nationals is an amazing environment when it comes to peer support. A couple thousand women (and a few hardy men) who truly get it. The hopes, the heartbreak, the joy in every tiny step forward…these people KNOW. And they are free with their enthusiasm and warm wishes.

But proud as I was of that ribbon, I didn't talk about it much. For me at least, there was an element of guilt, and I think probably many writers who've sold know what I'm talking about.

Every author knows how hard writers have to work, how we have to persevere through life's ups and downs, how we encounter rejection at every turn. There is bliss in that first sale, and a monumental feeling of accomplishment, but you don't ever stop thinking about your friends, critique partners, and peers who are still clawing their way up that muddy hillside.

You never forget the business of publishing is subjective, and hard as you work there is an element of luck in reaching the right editor with your story -- the editor who will love it enough to piggyback it through the flaming hoops on the path between editorial interest and actual publication.

What I feel more than anything is lucky, and blessed. For selling my book, but also for having the opportunity to share the excitement with the people who really get it. Despite all the discussion of lists, markets, and trends -- despite those high hopes on awards ceremony night -- fiction is not a competition.

When my editor told me the comparables she'd chosen for my book, they were other WRITERS. One writer's success opens the door for another.

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Now, just for fun, if you had to choose a hybrid of two other books or authors that describes your work, who/what would they be?

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New opportunities

New from the slightly - ok - very demented dispatcher


Whispers Publishing is expanding and now taking all genre. It's a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor. So, send them a query.


Gail