“If it bleeds, it leads” is what I heard applied to news stories. I think we can all agree that it takes much less these days to make news. One inappropriate comment on a late night talk show gets as much press coverage as a catastrophic hurricane. I learned about another journalism bit of wisdom over the weekend. “Dog bites man” is not nearly as captivating as “Man bites dog.”
This tidbit of writing advice was traded during a lunchtime conversation with a table of fiction writers at the Annual James River Writers Conference here in Richmond, Virginia. It may have been one of my favorite parts of the information-packed weekend’s lineup of events. The networking lunch was a wonderful idea. Contrary to popular belief, writers tend to be introverted people. The idea of putting yourself out there, in person, and meeting others can be daunting. And yet, somehow, in the crowded convention center of three hundred aspiring writers, connections were made.
Two years ago, I attended the JRW Conference as a complete newbie. I wrote about it on this blog. Once I shed my cloak of imposter syndrome, I joined the ranks of dreamers and creators. I found the community to be supportive and encouraging. Two years ago I had yet to begin down the path of any particular genre. In fact, I put the colored stickers on my nametag representing memoir, children’s fiction, YA, adult fiction, historical fiction, and romance. I knew sci-fi, fantasy and horror were not going to be what genre I eventually chose.
This time around I had one sticker, representing my 86,000 word women’s contemporary fiction WIP (work in progress). Throughout the weekend, I sat in on classes where panels of authors, agents and publishers spoke about the craft of writing and the world of publishing. Plot promises, non-linear timelines, book proposals, first pages analysis, and a lot more. My only regret is that I had to choose and could not be in two places at once. I tried to pick intriguing classes that might stretch me. Two of the coolest ones were revenge poetry and generative A.I. as a “thinking partner” tool for writers.
I must confess that after the conference, I did suffer a short-lived bout of “Compare and despair”, as my writing coach put it. Monday morning I was overstuffed with words, thoughts and author envy, as one feels after a Thanksgiving feast. I wrestled with the discomfort. How can I feel so inspired and, at the same time, a little discouraged? I felt a similar overwhelming sigh after the Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop back in April. It took me days (and weeks) to process all of the information I took in from that conference. When I am in the company of all of these ordinary people who have done extraordinary things, like writing and publishing books, it is awe-inspiring. Hearing about their journeys to success reminds me that it is a marathon, not a sprint, and timing has a lot to do with it.
I’m working on having patience and enjoying the journey for what it is. Blogging has not trained me well for the long haul required for novel writing but the Grizzlybearma blog has helped me find the courage to put myself out there. I remember the conception of this blog so clearly. We were about to get two aussiedoodle puppies (which is brave in itself), and I said, “If we are doing something as crazy as bringing home two doodle puppies at once, then I am writing about it.” At the time, I had not thought out any further than that. The blog blossomed into an outlet for me to ruminate (like the goats) about raising our four children, the moves we made, and all the ups and downs of life. Grizzlybearma paved the way for me sitting with my laptop right now, revising my manuscript.
With the help and encouragement of my writing coach several days after the conference, I was able to reset my confidence level. She sees promise in my story and characters. She laughed at several parts, and even said the ending made her cry. My story does not have a man biting a dog, but I would venture to say that from the feedback of my coach, it could be as intriguing as a person nipping at an aussiedoodle.
I have buried the lead in this post. The JRW Conference included meetings with literary agents in a speed-dating type of format. You have eight minutes to pitch your story and yourself. I did it two years ago, and then again, this past Saturday. You’ll have to read my next blog post to find out the details.
The last words I will leave you with are from the networking lunch conversation with the other fiction writers. “Think of writing as a ball of yarn.” The woman who said this used her hands to wind invisible yarn in front of me. The stories we write can become fuller, larger and more layered. So this is me, rolling my ball of yarn. Then a little voice in my head reminds me, don’t forget the economy of words, Carolyn.
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