March monthly dispatch: Writing platforms–3 building blocks you can work on right now

Public domain image: “Column of Alexander I of Russia in scaffolds. Saint Petersburg” by Grigory Gagarin (1832–1833)

I’ve been developing a program for the writer who has completed (or neared completion of) a novel and is now looking for ways to find a home for their work. This is called the Writing Platform and it consists of a long list of things that writers can do to help bring attention to their work and be found by the right publisher, agent or editor and… ultimately… their intended reader.

There are three main parts to the basic writing platform, which I’ll touch on below. [more]

My final post at BookLife… Apolo Ohno, Shawn White, “on finding sanctuary” and “staying classy”

Musings about subjectivity in judging, two golden boys, taking time and space, and honoring the competition… for writers.

http://booklifenow.com/2010/03/everything-i%e2%80%99ve-learned-about-writing-this-year-i%e2%80%99ve-relearned-by-watching-the-olympics-part-iii/

Have a great weekend!

My second post at BookLife… On “earning every medal” and “skiing blind”

Musings about Lindsey Jacobellis, two sisters who didn’t sweep the podium, taking risks and seeking opportunities… for writers.

http://booklifenow.com/2010/03/everything-i%e2%80%99ve-learned-about-writing-this-year-i%e2%80%99ve-relearned-by-watching-the-olympics-series-part-two/#more-463

I’ll be guest-blogging at BookLife all week

"Curling stones on rink with visible pebble" by Felix (2007). This image is licensed for blogging use under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

I’m posting a series this week that you might enjoy:

“Everything I’ve learned about writing this year I’ve relearned by watching the Olympics” (3 parts, Monday, Wednesday and Friday)

http://booklifenow.com/2010/03/everything-i%e2%80%99ve-learned-about-writing-this-year-i%e2%80%99ve-relearned-by-watching-the-olympics-series-part-one/

Please leave comments, if you like! Tamara

Creative writers: what are your rules?

The Guardian posted a 2-part article highlighting “top ten writing rules” from various authors last Saturday. Check out the list of writers and their rules here.

What do you think? Do you have your own “top ten writing rules” list? Do you agree with, or disagree with, the rules outlined in the Guardian piece? Are there rules that went unwritten in the lists that you’d like to shed some light on?

Of all the writers included in the list, I think I only agree wholesale with Philip Pullman:

“My main rule is to say no to things like this, which tempt me away from my proper work.”

Which is to say that we can debate the rules of writing ad infinitum and never find ten that work universally. It’s important for you, as a writer, to establish your own set of rules and stick with them, but only if you think that setting up a list of rules will help you reach your goals.

Me? I don’t like people telling me what to do. For criminy’s sake, I won’t even follow a recipe exactly for that reason. I have never formally arranged a list of rules for myself. I actually believe it’s the individual manuscripts themselves which organically establish their own rules for me; I need only listen to them to know how to proceed.

Anyway, my life is nothing but a warring campaign against the word “should,” so any chance I get, I drop that model of imperative thinking like a hot potato. But that’s just me.

Tell me what you think.

Public domain image: "Image from 'football' section 
of 1909 Tyee (yearbook of the University of Washington). 
Shows a student ignoring his textbooks and looking at a 
football rulebook," by (Olaf E. Caskin (1908).