Volume 8

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Grammar Matters by Red Tie Products

By Meghan Morrow

WritersNewsWeekly recently spoke with Paul Nandzik, President of Red Tie Products. Red Tie Products, which include Grammar Matters T-shirts, is an eco-friendly company working toward promoting literacy while retaining an ethical means of production. With great moral standards and even greater senses of humor, the team behind Red Tie Products has worked diligently to create a fun and exciting way to experience literature.

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Curating Your Voice By Jessica Quillin

I am always impressed with the ability of novelists to craft sentences and realistic dialogue. For me, writing short and directed sentences is not something that comes naturally. However, as I contemplate my new project of redesigning my blog and curating it, my thoughts return to the art of well-crafted, focused writing.

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Cheerleading, Sans the Pompoms By L.L. McKinney
How is everyone doing with those deadlines? Meeting them? Making them at the very least? Good. I wrote about one of my own major deadlines last week, which was August 22nd. I aimed to finish the first draft of Heritage Blade: Awakening/ and I did! Sort of...

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WNW talks with author J.E. Browning about her book Homequest: Liberation, the first in the Tales of Roumanhi series.

By Elizabeth Milo and Meghan Morrow

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By Wendy Strain

The sun spreads rosy light throughout the land
Creeping over dull gray concrete roads
Reaching out with bright determined hand
To wake the sleepers from cold abodes

The light grows stronger each passing hour
Insists sleeping eyes open to day
To see the beauty of field and flower
Before progress takes it all away

The cars are started in the early light
The workers progress to buildings dim
They lock themselves away from daytime’s sight
And feel they’re safe from warnings of the sin

Of warming gases and resources lost
They never see the fallout

By Meghan Morrow

WritersNewsWeekly recently spoke with Paul Nandzik, President of Red Tie Products. Red Tie Products, which include Grammar Matters T-shirts, is an eco-friendly company working toward promoting literacy while retaining an ethical means of production. With great moral standards and even greater senses of humor, the team behind Red Tie Products has worked diligently to create a fun and exciting way to experience literature.

WNW: Let us first start off by asking who you are. Who is the face (or faces) behind Red Tie Products?
Nandzik:There are many faces behind Red Tie Products, but by and large, I (Paul Nandzik) am the driving force behind the company. My titles include Founder and President, but “Brainfather” might be a more appropriate, though thoroughly unorthodox, title.

My wife, Marie Nandzik, spearheaded our expansion into jewelry. She’s well-versed in the industry and has a great mind and a great eye for crafting exquisite designs. God bless her, she tries to teach me about all the stones and metals and techniques, but 95% of it goes over my head.

Also, long time friend, Vinnie Russo, has designed a number of graphics for the company. He also convinced me to start up a podcast, which he edits and tweaks and everything else a sound engineer does. The podcast is definitely something we’ve done a poor job of keeping up with. I never imagined there was so much work behind it – at least in the way we’re doing it. We research everything thoroughly beforehand, then try to make it as entertaining as it is educational.

Oh yeah, and Vinnie’s also invaluable when it comes to quickly breaking down the booth at the end of a show.

WNW: What got you started in creating Grammar Matters designs?
Nandzik: That’s an interesting question with a long answer.

I came up with the idea while I was studying English at SUNY Fredonia. My peers’ grasp on grammar was so lacking that many professors literally stopped class to teach basic grammar lessons. As a joke, I created a series of away messages for AIM, including the “Outrunning Errands” and “Who’re” gags. The away messages got a lot of laughs, but I never thought much of it.

Once the gears started turning though, my original idea was to write a book about grammar, so I kept a Word file full of these little grammar goofs. The first entries were, of course, my pet peeves, like saying ‘A.T.M. machine’ or ‘P.I.N. number’. To this day those still make my eye twitch.

I also sketched out a significantly less clever design for the Outrunning Errands gag, intended to be one of many illustrations for the book. I knew I wanted comic-like panels and stick figures, but I’m not much of an artist (even when it comes to drawing stick figures).

After moving to Pittsburgh in search of new and exciting work, I got to talking with a friend of a friend before deciding to launch an actual business around the Grammar Matters design.

As an interesting bit of trivia, Mr. Grammar’s signature red tie (and what would later become the name of the company) was the result of a passing suggestion I made to liven up the stick figure’s personality and appearance.

Anyway, wonky classmates aside, my burgeoning fascination with poetry – especially in regard to line breaks – was another influence since, you know, poetry can get away with poor grammar in the name of ‘highbrow art’.

WNW: We see that you also create jewelry; do you plan on expanding Red Tie Products any further?
Nandzik: Absolutely.

We made a very distinct decision to name the company Red Tie Products (rather than ‘Grammar Matters’, which isn’t a very good name for a company, IMHO) so that we would have the flexibility to expand.

I’ve got some great ideas for non-grammar-related graphic t-shirts that are geared toward geeks, as well as posters.

The geek in me would also love to expand into video, board, miniature, and card gaming. I’ve got great ideas for them all.

WNW: What do you hope to accomplish with Grammar Matters?
Nandzik: I’d like to make some money, of course. More specifically, I’d like to be able to make enough money so that I could quit my other jobs.

On a much deeper level, though, I really want to inspire people to think as much as I want to make them laugh.

I launched Red Tie Products right when the Great Recession really hit hard (probably not the best business plan I ever came up with) back in 2008. At our first comic convention, I stood eagerly behind our table as we drew a crowd. Not everyone bought something, but everyone laughed – and that pattern continues to this day. So, to be able to offer people a good laugh – that’s something I hope to accomplish in good times as well as bad.

On the ‘inspiring thought’ side of things, I would certainly like more people to have a greater appreciation for language. Grammar should never be thought of as dry, boring, or irrelevant, even though it’s taught that way (I can’t understand why). In my opinion, the best way to appreciate the correctness of grammar – or, indeed, anything – is to appreciate its incorrectness. That’s why we use the comic panel design layout.

The study of grammar, like so many other avenues of study, is one that encourages analytical thought, which is really just the skill of knowing how to think, and I believe that knowing how to think deeply in a versatile manner will – by its very nature – help people better themselves. Based on my research, a language deficit is a major factor in juvenile crime.

As quoted by the U.S. Department of Justice:

The link between academic failure and delinquency, violence, and crime is welded to reading failure.

WNW: Why have you worked so hard to maintain ethically-produced merchandise?
Nandzik: I think it’s important to respect and dignify every human; and the idea of making any sort of gain directly off of someone else’s misfortune seems to me very much like burglarizing your neighbors, then selling their stuff at your garage sale. In my eyes, an unethical business is an illegitimate business.

My stance on this does make our products a little more expensive, but it’s not called the ‘high road’ for nothing. If we’re going to spend our money, we might as well spend it to ensure the future of our world is a good and decent place to live – or at least better than it used to be.

After all, it wasn’t so long ago in our own history that we took advantage of child labor, that we suppressed the rights of minorities, and even owned slaves. Yet since abolishing these immoral practices, how many minorities have helped to revolutionize the way we live our lives?

WNW: Have you always been interested in promoting literacy?
Nandzik: It was never really an overt interest of mine, no, but it was definitely something I did as an English/writing tutor. Other than Red Tie Products, the most fun I ever had promoting literacy was when I worked this temp job pushing a broom during the graveyard shift. I was working with a Bosnian refugee couple, and when we went on break, I helped them with their English and they helped me with my Bosnian. It was wonderful, and I continue to cherish those memories to this day. I just wish they didn’t chain smoke.

WNW: Do you have any plans to expand your fight for literacy?
Nandzik: Yes, I’d like to start up a community workshop, a scholarship, and a Mr. Grammar video game that would help people learn grammar. I’d also like to do a Mr. Grammar web comic, although I’m not sure if that really counts.

Certainly, though, I’m all ears if anyone has suggestions.

WNW: This final question is directed to Mr. Grammar himself. Do you ever tire of correcting grammar all day and dream of another profession? If so, what is that profession?
Nandzik: Some days I do tire of correcting grammar. It used to be a long, unforgiving job, but it’s better now that I’ve developed a sense of humor about myself.

Still, we all have our bad days, and on those days I like to sit back in my chair by the window and dream of being…Batman!

For more information on Paul Nandzik and the team behind Red Tie Products, visit www.redtieproducts.net.

By Meghan Morrow

Typically, I am annoyingly selective when it comes to reading sci-fi/fantasy novels. There are so many cookie-cutter stories out in the world that I have grown to dread seeing the cover of a new fantasy. When I picked up J.E. Browning’s novel, Tales of Roumanhi-Homequest: Liberation, fearing that it was just another attempt at science fiction, I can’t say that I was instantly intrigued, but upon delving further into the novel, I was sorely mistaken. Right from the beginning, Browning introduces her readers to a different world, complete with a mystical terrain and a new language. I have to say that the geek in me did a little flip at the thought of an entirely make-believe language.

Homequest: Liberation opens with a young environmental technician, T’skya, and her crash landing into a strange desert on her way to finding a new home for her people. After mysteriously transporting to the edge of the Roumanhi forest, she is captured by Cail and Hollum then accused of being a member of their enemy clan, the Kházakha. Both technologically superior and devoid of morality, the Kházakha corrupted the land of Roumanhi and continue to tyrannize the inhabitants. T’skya manages to convince the Roumanhis that she means them no harm and works with them. In between her new daily life and worrying about her people, T’skya becomes quickly attached to the Roumanhi clan, even allowing for a romance to kindle.

Days pass and cause T’skya to become more anxious about her ship until she finally warns the Roumanhis that her abandoned ship will alert the Kházakha of her presence so it must be located. The supplies T’skya finds after returning from a less-than-perfect search expedition allows her and the Roumanhis to hatch a plan that will sabotage the Kházakha. The mission goes awry and they lose Cail to the enemy, so T’skya and the rest of the Roumanhis must find a way to bring him back to safety—if he hasn’t already been lost.

In a world of fantasy, Browning has done a wonderful job not to stray into the unbelievable. From start to finish, Homequest: Liberation captured me. Every character had soul that leaped from the page and I found myself emotionally invested in every one of them. The land of Roumanhi is filled with, not only beauty, but dangers as well, and the trek along the terrain had me anxious and excited. Liberation is a maze of stories that take the reader off in several directions, but Browning was able to lead us easily through the labyrinth.

By Elizabeth Milo and Meghan Morrow

WNW recently spoke with author J.E. Browning about her book Homequest: Liberation, the first in the Tales of Roumanhi series.

WNW: Which was harder: planning the series or writing it?

Browning: Homequest: Liberation wasn’t really planned in terms of plot and characterisation. I had a few ideas in which direction I wanted Liberation to go; a few strands of plot, but little more and the story just happened. This did lead to some tricky moments trying to work out how T’skya, Cail and Hollam could get out of the scrapes they had put themselves into, but I enjoyed it so it didn’t feel hard to write. I also knew that I wanted the sequel, Homequest: Decimation, to be darker and incorporate more fantasy, but I couldn’t leave the story there. I needed to reflect the impact; the trauma and stresses, and Separation was born. I am slowly working on the fourth, which is complicated as I have stepped outside the land of Roumanhi. It’s been the hardest one to write so far, especially as ideas for a fifth are also floating around my brain!

WNW: Do you feel that your knowledge of the martial arts has helped you in writing realistic and exciting fight scenes?

Browning: Yes, most certainly. I believe hand to hand combat is compelling and honourable. It requires great skill, courage and dedication. You have to face your enemy, look them in the eye, and then outsmart them mentally and physically. Fighting also hurts and I’ve tried to reflect a more realistic approach than you see in most movies. My characters get hurt and sometimes lose their lives. I’d better clarify, however, that all the Taekwondo and Kickboxing students are alive and well and I don’t experiment on them to work out my fight scenes!

WNW: What was it like for you to create a new language? How in-depth did you go?

Browning:Although I can sing along to Lord of the Rings in Elvish, I am not a linguist like Tolkien, but I was a teacher of English as a Foreign Language for a few years, so I understand how my own language is structured. I wanted the Roumanhis to speak a beautiful working language and so I took my time establishing a proper grammatical structure, including rules on pronunciation for their everyday speech. It was challenging, but I really enjoyed working on it, although I don’t claim to be fluent myself…yet! You can learn more about the Roumanhi language on my website.

WNW:You’ve create a new world in the Tales of Roumanhi - do you ever find yourself wishing to be a part of that world?

Browning: People came from the cinema after watching Avatar feeling depressed because they didn’t live in a world like Pandora. I came out feeling depressed that we live on an equally stunning and miraculous planet yet don’t really appreciate it or do enough to protect it. I wish we had half the passion the Roumanhis have for their world and often wish I was there; especially to meet Hollam. I wouldn’t, however, want to live under Santovin’s oppressive rule and would miss chocolate!

WNW: Names seem to be significant to both individual characters and groups; do they have other hidden meanings?

Browning: The Roumanhis and Kalkassians have birth names which are sacred to them and well guarded. Only those in positions of authority or given leave to use them may do so, and then only as a sign of respect. It is offensive to take the name lightly. This becomes more evident in Decimation. The birth names can reflect family ancestry, status or virtues held most dear. Sometimes the name is so important to the family that elements of it are used for the common Clan name, which is why Hollam and Cail are not named after plants, animals or features like Briar, Tarn and Badger. Kházakha names carry no hidden meaning, although the women use abbreviated forms until they have earned their full titles, hence T’skya’s real name is Talaskya.

WNW: Are any of the characters autobiographical?

Browning: There are elements of me in most of the main characters, but no single character purely reflects me. The Roumanhis certainly share my passion for nature, and their emotions and experiences sometimes mirror my own, but I’m not letting on which. Many of the virtues, especially of the forest dwellers, are ones I value highly, but the darker side of my personality is probably best reflected in Raven. I certainly believe people will understand me better once they’ve read Liberation.

WNW: You mentioned that Tolkien and Stephen Donaldson were very inspirational to you; what other authors have influenced you?

Browning: I love the worlds Tolkien and Donaldson created and their style of writing. I especially enjoy epics and also wanted to write a story that wasn’t full of modern day swearing, explicit sex and gore, yet could still evoke strong emotions. Bronte with the dark and brooding Heathcliff; Thomas Hardy with his evocative countryside; Anne MCaffrey and her fantastic dragons, Asimov with his robots and many others have been influential, but the biggest influence has been life itself.

WNW: How many books are going to be in the series, and how much do you already have mapped out?

Browning: I haven’t made an executive decision on when to end this particular series. The second and third novels are now fairly polished drafts, the fourth is half a rough draft and the fifth is only an idea at the moment. The possibilities for more are endless; I could also do side stories about times past, or develop minor characters in a companion series etc. Writing the Tales of Roumanhi, Homequest series is a compulsion. If I don’t write about T’skya, Cail, Hollam, etc. and continue their tale, it’s as if I’m cutting their lives short. I will write until I die, but whether I publish them all is up to the fans. Due to enthusiastic demand, however, I’m hoping to publish Decimation sometime next year.
Caelcáladrim dakrit louis.

For more information about J.E. Browning and her book, Homequest: Liberation, please visit her website; www.homequest-liberation.com

By Meghan Morrow

Picture this: You’re outside your favorite bookstore. You go inside, look around for a bit, and then you see it. The book you’ve been looking for. The cover catches your eye from across the store and you are drawn to it. You’ve never heard of the author, or even of the book, but something about the color of the cover and the weight of the book tells you this is going to be a great read. You rush home to read it and can’t put it down for two days in a row. You come to the last page, waiting for the moment of finality and you see ‘TO BE CONTINUED’ taunting you from the page. What do you do now? Do you eagerly await the next book or do you toss the book across the room and vow never to read anything by that author again?

Well, I can’t give you a straight answer on that...yet. Before I can even begin to tell you whether each novel in a series should stand alone or they should just be a continuation of the next, we first have to try and understand what goes on in a publisher’s head because the publisher is the most important part of your book. Without the publisher’s support, your book will go no further than the box under your bed. I know there are some of you out there saying, ‘I’m not writing to be seen, I’m writing for the art.’ This is just fine, but I would suggest you stop reading this article now.

For months now, I've been searching every possible writers advice website I could find, and do you want to know what they all said? When it comes to writing a series of novels, the first book, at least, must be able to stand on its own. Up until about a week ago, I agreed with this theory, but as I thought more about the topic, I became increasingly bitter about the whole thing. ‘Why does the first in a series need to stand alone? The book writes itself, I can’t change how it ends.’ I understand that the characters need to resolve some big action for the readers to feel satisfied and I know I would personally be frustrated if at the last page of a good book I saw the words 'TO BE CONTINUED,' but wouldn't seeing these words only drive up your desire to the read the next novel? Wouldn't you want to know what happened to the characters in the final end and wait diligently for the next book to come out? Absolutely not. I'm a stubborn reader and if I am dissatisfied with the end of a story, even if the rest of the novel was brilliant, I refuse to waste my time on the second, or third, or fourth. As an author, it is your job to leave the reader with a feeling of resolution. Yes, there are those out there that will not completely turn their backs on an author just for leaving us dissatisfied, but writing a novel isn't just about those select few.

Publishers look for authors who can sell their books and make a profit. If the novel doesn't end, it will be less appealing to readers, and publishers are not going to waste their time on a second one. Why would they risk spending money to produce a book they don't even know will make it past the first stage? They are already taking a chance that your novel will turn a profit, now they will have to take an extra risk hoping you'll have a great enough following for your series. I’ll let you in on a little secret; most publishers are not going to take that gamble.

When writing a series of books, don't concentrate on the fact that you plan to make the story into a series. In fact, don't think about the other books at all. Only focus on the current novel you're working on and let that story come to an end. There needs to be some concrete ending for the readers or you will find yourself the owner of a failed novel—that is if it ever becomes a part of production. There is a reason that the three main areas of the story arc are the beginning, the climax and the denouement. The denouement resolves any issues that the characters come across and clears up any confusion the reader might have had. You can plan to write a series of novels, in which case you can add something that may need to be concluded in a subsequent novel, but the first novel must end.

I will admit that I once thought you could stop a story halfway through the journey. I was a bit biased in this opinion since my personal novel is that of a journey and I have been unsuccessful toward finding a way to end the first book while my character remains on her journey. My thought was, if J.R.R Tolkien can do it, why can't I. Well, I'm not Tolkien, not by a long shot.

I will leave you with my final plea to ensure that your first novel in a series, especially as an unpublished author, finds some way to come to an end. Leaving the book hanging is no way to treat your future hopeful

By Jessica Quillin

I am always impressed with the ability of novelists to craft sentences and realistic dialogue. For me, writing short and directed sentences is not something that comes naturally. However, as I contemplate my new project of redesigning my blog and curating it, my thoughts return to the art of well-crafted, focused writing.

As a former academic, I am inclined towards the long-winded side of writing, particularly in the realm of articles and essays. In novels, I love the sweeping nature of long sentences because they can establish an epic, timeless feel to writing.

Of course, lovers of Hemingway will counter with their preference for bare bones writing. In this mode, sentences are stripped down to their essential elements: noun, verb, and object. No figurative language or other embellishments are needed in the face of a clear description or idea. As the Count Almásy remarks in the film based on Ondaatje’s The English Patient when queried about how he could write a monograph with very few adjectives: “A thing is still a thing no matter what you place in front of it. Big car, slow car, chauffeur-driven car, still a car.”

I dare not go in the direction of a gender studies professor I had in college who liked to characterize this type of straightforward writing as masculine, whereas more flowery writing is feminine. I think that this is too simplistic, as many writers, particularly now, are extremely adept at adapting their narrative voice to the medium or character for which they are writing.

Yet, as writers, sometimes it’s easy to forget our readers. The main complaint I have noted across the web about blogs, which definitely applies to other forms of writing, is when writers don’t have a consistent voice or a strong angle to their work. Typos and grammatical errors in modern communication are nothing in the face of a lack of narrative focus.

While E.L. Doctorow noted that writing “is a socially-acceptable form of schizophrenia,” when you’re trying to sell your writing and build a readership, establishing and curating your own voice as a writer is crucial. More flexible forms of writing like blogs permit full freedom to muse on an infinite variety of topics and still gain readers. But, this only works if you are able to pull in your audience by creating a strong, unique point of view for yourself.

After years as a marketing/communications professional, I have slowly learned the art of tailoring different types of writing for different audiences. In my first job as a Communications Manager at a performing arts company, I learned quickly that it’s not just a matter of a particular tone for a certain type of writing, but also different voices within that type of writing. For instance, at the time, I managed three monthly e-newsletters that communicated roughly the same information, only to drastically different recipients. We had one general newsletter, one for the Board, and one for our young subscribers. While information was obviously recycled between the newsletters, I nevertheless had to reshape and re-present the same information in specific ways to appeal to readers of different ages and background.

Due to this experience, I have been somewhat surprised at how much of a learning curve I have experienced in adapting my own writing style to the medium of a blog. As I mentioned in a previous column, when I first started the blog, my writing was rather all over the place. It took time for me to get used to the medium and begin to cultivate a voice for myself. In the beginning, I did not feel in my element, which is why it’s taken me several months to take my own e-zine idea seriously.

The word “curating” is thrown around a lot these days, usually in reference to website maintenance or indeed anything that is specially commissioned. While I think the term is perhaps overused, it can be a powerful concept for writers as a way to define and establish a narrative voice.

The idea of “curating” your writing literally means “to act as curator for” it, which implies that you are fully taking charge of all aspects of what you write. This moves you well beyond a simple outline. As a curator, you must take a holistic approach, having a robust central idea, while maintaining a keen attention to the design, structure, and details that illustrate and support your concept.

In the mode of taking a deliberate approach to what you write, style suddenly becomes refreshingly individual. It is of your creation and thus at your whim, if you will. You’re even free of an outline as long as you feel that you are in control of your writing. To some extent, sentences, like characters, are as developed as you want them to be. They can function to support main ideas or they can be the locus of the action if you’re writing criticism.

For my own purpose now, as I figure out how to cultivate my blog into a magazine, I am conscious of setting up a strong concept for the project. This will hopefully make the task not only more organized and thus more feasible to implement, but
also more fun, as I will be writing with a sense of exciting purpose and direction.

Jessica Quillin owns Quillin Consulting, LLC, a consultancy in Washington, DC, focused on content development, research, and strategy for the public and private sectors. She holds a Ph.D. in English literature from the University of Cambridge.

By L.L. McKinney

How is everyone doing with those deadlines? Meeting them? Making them at the very least? Good. I wrote about one of my own major deadlines last week, which was August 22nd. I aimed to finish the first draft of Heritage Blade: Awakening and I did! Sort of. I was unable to finish a full first draft but I did complete a detailed outline of the rest of the story. I’m exceedingly pleased with myself. When you hit your deadlines, celebrate! Ya dun good, as they say. Throw a small party, even if you’re the only one dancing. Cook your favorite meal, watch your favorite movie, read your favorite book, and most of all congratulate yourself. It doesn’t have to be about boasting, and it’s one of the things that’ll keep you sane in all this craziness. Be your own cheerleader.

When one hears the word cheerleader it usually conjures the image of a teenage girl wearing a multicolored uniform and waving bunches of plastic strips in the air while shouting “gimme a—[insert random letter of the alphabet.]” I don’t suggest running around in a costume while spelling out your own name, unless that’s what you want to do then by all means go for it. What I’m getting at is a point made over and over again in the writing world; no one wants this more than you. No one wants a book to sell more than the person who wrote it, making him or her their own number one fan and own personal pep rally.

I’m fairly certain that most of us weren’t given as much encouragement as we would have liked when we started taking our writing seriously. Let me ask a question to those of you who’ve said out loud what you wanted to do with your life, who’ve told other people your dreams of being a writer instead of a doctor or a lawyer. When you made that declaration were there any fanfares or popping champagne corks? Maybe a few hurrahs or prideful claps on the shoulder? Yeah, me neither. Just a couple funny looks and one incredulous “really?” For those of you who did get that instant, full support, keep the folks who gave it close to you.

Writing isn’t considered a legitimate profession to most people until you start making money at it, and since this column covers the goings on that follow finishing the first draft of book one, it’s safe to assume there are no paychecks in the near future. People outside the literary world see wanting to be a writer like being a singer, or an actor, it’s an unrealistic dream, and less than 1% of those who reach for it make it. Well, hearing that kind talk is more than enough to get people to give up, and that’s when you need someone backing your play, encouraging you from the sidelines, and unless you’re incredibly lucky it might not be those closest to you.

For instance, when I started my first novel, my family didn’t really care about my writing. Let me be clear, I’m not saying they weren’t supportive, because they were. They patted me on the back, smiled and nodded when they could have put me down, told me I was wasting my time or any number of things. I am grateful that they just let me tinker in my corner, but it was easy to see that they couldn’t be all that bothered with my scribbles. Other things came first in their minds. For instance, if they called and asked “Are you busy?” and I responded, “Yes, I’m writing,” that was not a sufficient answer. To them, busy means doing homework, cleaning something, maybe even watching television, but writing? Nope.

If we don’t want to fall victim to the nay saying, we need to cheer ourselves on. We need to remind ourselves of why we do what we do in the first place. Is it to please someone else? It is for the love of the craft? Whatever reason we decided to pick up a pen instead of a briefcase or stethoscope needs to be at the forefront of our minds when we’re faced with the heaps of negativity that come with being what we are. We have to constantly build ourselves up, making it that much harder for the world to tear us down, and then we take it one step further.

If you think about it, excitement is infectious, isn’t it? It works just like yawning, one person does it and it sets off a chain reaction. (I’d bet money that someone reading this is yawning right now.) If you get a bunch of people who love the same movie, the same music, or the same actor in the same room, and get them talking about it, they’ll just feed off of one another’s delight like lunch time at an all you can eat buffet. That shared joy is one of the best feelings in the world. It means that something important to you matters to someone else. I am sure there have been moments for every writer when all you want is for someone to be half as enthusiastic about your story as well. If we just hang in there and keep from buckling under the weight of pessimism, we can set off our own chain reactions. We can get people excited about our writing just like a cheerleader whipping a crowd into a roar for the home team. Sans the pompoms.

“Life cannot defeat a writer who is in love with writing; for life itself is a writer's love until death.”-Edna Ferber

Happy writing.

L.L. McKinney is a freelance writer, a published poet and a playwright. As an active member of First Tuesdays and YA Lit Chat, she is currently seeking representation for her young adult paranormal urban fantasy, Swayed.

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Chicklit is Growing Up

By Elizabeth Milo

Perhaps that title should have a question mark at the end: chicklit is growing up? You can almost hear the incredulity in the inflection required for that question. The idea that chicklit ever could grow up seems like a long shot. How can a genre based around the ideas of perpetual youth and indulgence mature? Chicklit series don’t grow with their readers, their readers grow out of them.

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Writing Visually By Jessica Quillin

This past week saw the launch of my new company website. While I am thrilled with the results and am extremely grateful to my designers for their work, the website required a lot more time and direction on my part than I ever could have imagined.

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A Separate Country by Robert Hicks

Review by Carlotta G. Holton

Having read and thoroughly enjoyed Robert Hicks’ earlier novel, The Widow of the South, I opened the sequel A Separate Country with great expectations. Set in post-Civil War New Orleans, A Separate Country is a close look at the travesties of war as reflected in the individual, families, and the healing nation as a whole. Hicks’ second novel begins as a promising sequel to his first rich historical drama, following the life and perils of Confederate General John Bell Hood. I was disappointed with this continuing journey.

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Deadlines, Not Just for the Published By L.L. McKinney

I am happy to announce that, by the time this article is published, I will only have five days remaining until my self-imposed breather is over. By August 22nd, six whole weeks will have come and gone since I last worked on Swayed. Thankfully, I was able to fill the duration of my break by attending writers group meetings and working on another book, or I would have lost my mind.

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WNW talks with Bobby Devito, author of Burned

By Christopher Stokum and Elizabeth Milo

WNW recently spoke with author Bobby Devito about his book Burned, an autobiography about his life as a rock guitarist in the 80s and 90s.

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