Writerly Wednesday - The 5 ESSENTIAL Story Ingredients!!

Again, I stumbled upon an article in Writer's Digest, written by Steven James about the 5 essential story ingredients.  You can (and I HIGHLY encourage you to) read the full article by clicking HERE.  He boils his idea down to this:

Story Trumps Structure

What do you think about that?  Can you throw your ideas of structuring a story with a beginning, middle, and end and/or predetermined plot points and bake a cake instead?  Have I lost you? 

OK, so this story of yours/mine - should have these 5 essential ingredients:

Ingredient # 1:  Orientation

Ingredient # 2:  Crisis

Ingredient # 3:  Escalation

Ingredient #4:  Discovery

Ingredient #5: Change

And like baking a cake....

(source)

We can all start out with the same basic story ingredients, but end up with a wonderful variation of the final product.  Of course - like cake, if you leave an essential ingredient out, the cake falls flat.  Granted - you can tell me that a "recipe" has a beginning, middle, and end.  But, the choices you make with your ingredients are going to have a MUCH bigger impact on your cake/story than the fact that you can follow a recipe from point A. to point C.

Read the article.  It explains these essential 5 ingredients much better than I can.  And then tell me what you think?  Go on ~ I'll wait.  :)

Happy Writerly Wednesday!! 

Writerly Wednesday ~ I have written a fiction novel!!!! (ahem...10 query no-no's)

Happy Writerly Wednesday, all!!! 

I stumbled upon some query NO-NO's as I was trolling through the vast WD if-you-read-this-you-might-like-this links today.  I'm sure these are probably no-brainers, but...just in case... :)

10 things you NEVER want to do in a query (from WD - thank you Ann Rittenberg!):

The ultimate #1:  (hint: it's in the title)   A novel, of course, is fictional by definition

#2:  If you're having trouble reading this...so is the potential agent.

#3: Deer Agent,   (typo = no no)

#4:  --> query continues on page 2.

#5: Sorry, no nuggets of wisdom to start.  Such as "Every step in life we take moves us in a direction."  Wow, really?

#6: "Thanks for your time.  I look forward to hearing from you.  But, only if you contact me between Sept. 5 and Dec. 1 at the following number.  Otherwise, you can e-mail me at this address until 5pm on Wednesdays.  Or call at this # between the hours of 9am and 9:05am on the third Friday of every month.  Thank you."

#7: No generic photocopied letter, please!

#8:  "I worked very hard on this novel."  (Ummm...K.  But, does hard work = great writing?  Maybe...)

#9:  "I know you're busy.  I don't want to take up too much of your valuable time."  (Uh - too late!)

#10:  "My novel will appeal to women in general and since we make up the majority of the population in the world - I will sell a bazillion books!!!"  (do I even need to explain this one?  Seriously.)


Anything you want to add to this list?  :)  Happy Query Writing out there today!!

Writerly Wednesday ~ The 7 Deadly Sins of Writing...

Happy Wednesday, everyone!! 

I have to say...I really hate it when my blog title is a little too apt.  "Queen" of Procrastination?  Heck!  I've been the "Universal, Trans-dimensional, Supreme Ruler" of Procrastination lately!  My bad... and my apologies to all my wonderful followers.  My goal is to get back on track with consistent posting ASAP!

Needless to say, when I stumbled across this article in Writer's Digest, I wasn't very happy that I identified a little too much with #1...(in a more literal sense than what they actually meant, but still...)

I give you my recap of The Seven Deadly Sins of Writing by Zachary Petit:

(source)

#1:  Laziness.  (You see?  :))  The contributing author of this deadly sin, David Hewson, is actually talking about academic laziness.  You know - coming up with the same story over and over and over again, but just giving it a minor face lift?  (don't do that, btw...)  But, the literal laziness is kind of death to a story, too.  Trust me...I know.  It's far too easy to slip into a do-nothing rut and let your story gather dust.

#2:  Trying to be a good student.  Contributing author, Lisa Gardner, said that research for a novel is essential.  Of course it is!  However, what you do with that research is another matter.  Regurgitating it on a page just isn't going to work.  Use what you've learned artfully, and don't forget you're writing to entertain and move your story forward.

#3:  Marching Down the Outline.  Now, for me and my fellow pantsers - this one's not so much a problem.  But, for you uber organized outliners out there - take note:  Contributing author, John Sandford, said that sticking too closely to your outline may stifle your story.  Just be aware of the problems this could create and don't be resistant to changes as needed.

#4:  Denying Jealousy.  Author M.J. Rose said that aspiring writers are often jealous of successful, published authors.  (Who, me??)  Well...OK.  Yes.  When I first heard about J.K. Rowling's success, I thought - "Seriously?  What's so neat about Harry Potter?!"  And then I read the books.  The point is, it's OK to feel jealous.  Just don't bottle it up and let it hinder your own creative efforts.  Embrace your jealousy and let it fuel your way through writing your own bestseller!!  Who knows, J.K. might be a little jealous of you/me someday...  :)

#5:  Focusing too heavily on the business.  Again from Sandford, he warns that getting lost in the trappings of business and promotion could hinder you from actually writing novels.  The business of writing is important to learn and to know - but, it will do you no good if you don't have books to use it on.

#6:  Not reading books.  Again from Rose, this just might be the deadliest sin of all!  You absolutely MUST read books in the genre you write.  No questions, no excuses.  Just do it!  Read, read, read.

#7:  Imitation.  Hewson says it well - There is a difference between imitating a book and being influenced by a book.  (So, now I'm a little worried about my story "Mary Cotter", about a teen witch who flies off on a shiny red plane to the Blogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry...dangit!)  But, seriously...aside from the whole tacky factor of imitating another writer's work?  There is the part about  -  PEOPLE WILL KNOW!! So just don't do it.  If you love a particular book - look at why you love this book.  What works?  How could your own unique story elements work the same way?  Remember - imitation is not always the sincerest form of flattery.

So - tell me.  Are you a sinner?  :)  Happy writing out there today!!  And for realz this time...Find the Story Friday on the 15th!!

W is for Writing Tips from a Pulitzer Prize winner!

Happy Wednesday, all!!   Lucky me ~ "W" falls on Wednesday, which is typically the day I dispense all sorts of writerly goodness, outside of the A-Z.  So, of course, today you get writing tips!

Actually, it's more a look into the writing process of 2011 Pulitzer Prize  for Fiction Writing winner - Jennifer Egan.  I haven't had a chance to read her book - A VISIT FROM THE GOON SQUAD - which won her this prestigious writing award, but I'll definitely have to add that to my TBR list.

Here's a copied recap of some of her tips from the Writer's Digest article.  For the entire recapped interview and links to the full interview (and pic source), please go HERE.

Inspiration:

I don’t really know where my ideas come from. I start with a time and a place. That’s what I need to get started, and an intellectual question2.

Process:
-Start with a time and a place.
-Be excited/surprised by the process
-Avoid going backward instead of forward (so simple, and yet, so unyieldingly difficult).
-Start with as little as possible

Fiction-writing I only do by hand. Only.

Output:
I usually try to write five to seven original pages a day.

First drafts:
A first draft takes about 10% of the total writing time, but in terms of importance it’s probably 50%.

Outlining:
I don’t outline initially. I outline everything in revision. Some of my revision outlines are 50 pages long.

Revision:
Usually my books go through three or four big drafts, with each big draft reflecting 20 rewrites of each individual part. When I get to a full new draft, it means I’ve made enough changes to all the parts that I’m willing to look at it as a whole.


Interesting, Interesting!  I wonder if I should invest in some yellow notepads...hmm.  :)  Tell me, do you see any of your writing habits here?

Writerly Wednesday - Voice, Avoiding Melodrama, and Secrets to Great Storytelling!!

Now, I know you're all holding your breath for the day when I hit you on a Wednesday with original, witty, top-notch, Donea-esque writing tips...right?  Well, go ahead and breathe out.  Today is not that day.  (sorry!)  But, it will come.  Have faith!!  I'm just waiting for an agent to deem me worthy... :)  It's all about the validation, baby!

HOWEVER!  I do have some fabulous links for you.

#1:  "Like, seriously dude, if you're givin' me the blah, blah, blahs about this, that, and the other - shut it!  You get the hand." ~ *palm out*!  

Ah, you're thinking "a tutorial on cliches"!  Nope.  It's voice.  Check out this interview with agent Natalie Fischer on VOICE.

#2:  Omigosh, I read this blog about avoiding melodrama in writing and I just about DIED!  It was THAT good and after I read it, I was like flying through the clouds and my brain was a-buzz with all its FABULOUS tips and ideas and I have to cement them to memory TODAY or I might just seriously kick it!  (Melodramatic enough?) 

If you want to avoid the above suckage in your own writing... (thanks for still reading, btw)  Martina at Adventures in Children's Publishing posted an amazing article about writing emotion and avoiding melodrama by digging deeper. You can find it HERE.

source

#3:  Again I turn to Writer's Digest for some useful writing tips - the offer today?  3 Secrets to Great Storytelling!  What are they? 

A.  Always, always include a chimpanzee in your story. 
B.  If your MC's aren't macking (that's '80's slang for "making out")  They should be! 
C.  Don't forget to kill off an integral character.  You always get bonus points for making a reader cry...

Oh, oh!  What if the chimpanzee kills the integral character while he's making out!!!??

Ah, my bad.  Those are MY secrets to great storytelling!!  (see, told you I'm not certified for advice giving just yet...)

*Actually,  Steven James' article on Writer's Digest suggests that the 3 best secrets are:

1. Cause and Effect are King,  2. If it's Not Believable, It doesn't Belong, and 3.  It's all About Escalation

Please click HERE for the full article and details on these 3 awesome writing secrets.

*Don't forget!  There's still time to enter Brenda Drakes "Voice" contest to win a critique with agent Natalie Fischer.  Post the first 250 words of your complete novel on March 20th and 21st.  Don't forget to sign up!  The link is on my side-bar.

**Oh, and guess what?  I have a secret admirer!!  (Well, not so secret any more...)  E.J. Wesley of The Open Vein had some lovely things to say about me...erm...my blog.  Thanks, E.J.!!  You can read all about me it HERE.

***Friendly reminder!  I'll be out and about in blogger land tomorrow, Thursday, 3/17 - for Colene Murphy's and Alexia Chamberlynn's St. Patty's Day Blogfest.  There's still time to join up!!  Click HERE and follow the girl on the pig!

I have to say I'm constantly amazed by all the enlightening writing tips, generous contests, and heart-felt support this wonderful writing community of ours has to offer.  I hope these tips find you and your writing well.  HAPPY WEDNESDAY!!  :)

Writerly Wednesday - For When Your Plot Seriously Bites....

Happy Wednesday, friends!  So...I know what you're thinking.  "Why hasn't Donea been posting on Tuesdays?"  I hate to admit it, but I've come down with a nasty case of...Lazy-Blogger syndrome.  You might want to draw a poised finger back.  No concrete facts yet, but the condition is possibly contagious....  I tell you this because I care.  :)

Speaking of caring...for those lovely bloggers who've awarded me The Stylish Blogger or Versatile Blogger Award in the past few  *cough, cough* ummm...weeks... I DO appreciate it!!  Seriously.  You all rock.  And by "you", I mean:

Deniz Bevan at The Girdle of Melian
Lady Jai at Snippets From My Mind
and Alison Stevens

Thank you, ladies!!  And, my fine readers - please check these great bloggers out and follow, if you like what you see.

One last thing before I actually get to the nitty-gritty of the title of this post - WRITEONCON, 2011 is coming to a computer near you in August!!!!  Now - I wasn't a part of this event last year (merely because I hadn't heard of it yet, but no excuses...) HOWEVER - I will definitely be there this year.  It's put on by some bloggers that I just LOVE - Shannon Messenger and Elana Johnson, and their awesome others.  There's a cool badge over on my side-bar with a count down to the big event.  Feel free to check it out!  *They are giving away agent query critiques - so GO NOW!

So - what to do if  your plot:  a)  blows chunks  b) sucks, like thick chocolate shake up a tiny straw  or c) reads so badly, you want to cut your eyeballs out?

My advice?  Kill someone.  No, wait!  Blow something up.  Yes - that's a good one!

Better advice?  Listen to a professional.  I am not one.  I know, I know...shocking.  :)  Again - I turn to the good people at Writer's Digest with a recent article titled, "6 Common Plot Fixes", posted by Brian - it's an excerpt from James Scott Bell's "The Ultimate Revision Checklist".  Here's my bare-bones edition, but you can read the whole article by clicking HERE.

First - ask yourself the following questions about your plot:

Is there any point where a reader might feel like putting the book down?



Does the novel feel like it's about people doing things?


Does the plot feel forced or unnatural?


Is the story out of balance? Too much action? Too much reaction?

*If you answered "yes"...try one of the following:
 
Plot fix #1:  Keep nabbing ideas.  During revisions especially, you mind will be running the plot points of your story through your head, over and over again.  New ideas could emerge.  Be prepared to write these down whenever/where ever they strike!  A good rule for writers - keep a notebook and a pen handy.
 
Plot fix #2:  Create Two Trajectories.  Try giving your MC a personal problem and a plot problem.  The personal could complicate how he/she deals with the plot.  Think about it...
 
Plot fix #3:  Add another level of complication.  Basically - don't hold back on the magnitude of bad you can inflict upon your poor MC.  (See!  My killing or blowing up things idea wasn't sooo far off, after all!)
 
Plot fix #4:  Add a character.  Too few characters can lead to a weak plot, or a weaker way to deal with the plot.  Too many characters can just be too much.  Find the right mix.
 
Plot fix #5:  Beware of unmotivated actions.  Newton's law, right?  Actions and equal reactions.  If your MC does something, there better be a darn good reason for it!
 
Plot fix #6:  Change a setting.  Your world, your settings are pretty integral to your story.  BUT!  It never hurts to switch things up.  The more unique the locale, the better.  Take a fight out of the bedroom and stick it in a crowded theater, Midnight showing of Rocky Horror Picture show or something like that.  They can throw toast at each other.
 
Just a few ideas.  You know your story and deep down, you know how to fix it if it needs fixing.  Hopefully these tips just spur you to action.  Happy writing, all!

In the role of Chapter One? The Devil...

Welcome to another Writerly Wednesday @ The QoP!

First, may I ask a question?  Is there a brutal murder of chapter one in your foreseeable future?  Do you want to hit it with a hammer?  Stake it through the heart, maybe?  Gunshot to that first word?  String up the ending and just let it hang?

I was thinking ice pick, but heck.  I'm no Sharon Stone.  It's more likely I'll need to call a priest, because I'm not dealing with plain ol' maniacal chapters here.  My first chapter is THE DEVIL!!

Yeah...not really as cute as he looks...

Luckily (and since I really abhor violence of any kind...) the wonderful random e-mail subscription jockey at Writer's Digest sent me the following:  8 Ways to Write a 5-Star Chapter One!

Because I know people stopping by appreciate brevity, I'm going to give you the condensed version of this wonderful advice.  But, if you'd also like to read the meatier version by Elizabeth Sims over at Writer's Digest, you can find it HERE.

#1:  Resist Terror.  My first thought, "So, nothing scary up front, eh?"  *le sigh*  It's been one of those days, you know?  Basically - don't work yourself into a terror.  Don't let all those "don't"s floating around in writer-advice land keep you from writing something unique, honest, real and ALL you.  Relax.  Let it flow.  Remember who you are and why you're writing your book.  Ms. Sims also suggests that even the most basic of outlines can help.  If you know where the story is going, you can relax and let your inner genius run with it.

#2:  Decide on Tense and POV.  So important!  I got creamed in a few critiques for switching tenses and telling the story in a POV that didn't suit the reader's taste.  Obviously, you want to pick a tense and stick with it.  First time writers might want to go the universal route - 1st person, past tense.  Remember you can always change it later!  Elizabeth suggests playing with a few different povs and tenses, write a paragraph in each and see which seems the most natural for you.  Or look at some of your favorite novels and how their authors approached it.

#3: Choose a Natural Starting Point.  To quote:  "Think about real life. Any significant episode in your own life did not spring whole from nothing; things happened beforehand that shaped it, and things happened afterward as a result of it. Think about your novel in this same way."  No, this doesn't mean you want to hit us with a lot of backstory and consequences.  You just need to think about it organically, logically - and start where it feels right.

#4:  Present a Strong Character Right Away.  A given, right?  But, an intro up front to your strongest central character is really key.  Consider what they know already.  What they might learn as they move through your story.  What their world means to them.  People (readers) want to connect to people (main characters) after all.

#5:  Be Sparing of Setting.  Of course you want to ground your reader in your world, but I think we've all heard that paragraphs of detailed setting are a big, bad "NO!"  Elizabeth gave some examples of stories that made it work, like Steinbeck's "Grapes of Wrath", but said you should consider how the setting was used in a story like that.  For starters, give a tid-bit to give the reader an idea about where the story takes place.  You can always expound on setting later.

#6:  Use Carefully Chosen Details to Create Immediacy.  Basically, if a detail serves the story - run with it.  It's those extraneous details you want to steer clear of.  And if you're an expert on something, all the better!  Use what you know, providing it serves the story and use it economically.  Great examples of this given in the longer article.

#7: Give it a Mini Plot.  Ok, this is a tip I've always heard and I think it's a great one.  Every chapter should really have its own beginning, middle, and end.  Elizabeth suggests some ways to accomplish this: make trouble (always want conflict!), focus on action, be decisive and end with a bit of closure.

#8:  Be Bold!  Put your best stuff out there, right out of the shoot!  Be bold, be audacious, don't hold back. 

She likened chapter 1 to an appetizer (yay, food!), which I really loved.  If your first chapter is delicious in just one quick bite - the reader is going to stay and relish the whole meal/story and will stick around for dessert and a night cap to boot.

I don't know about you, but I'm feeling less and less of the evil-eye from my chapter one after reading these tips.  There's a white light there now.  So, I'm off to tackle it - in a violence-free way, of course.  How about you?  Does this help?  Do you agree, disagree?  Anything you'd like to add?

And as always, Happy Writing out there today!!

Writerly Wednesday: Blending Action, Narrative and Dialogue

Ok, so please make me feel a little better about myself and tell me that I'm not the only one who struggles with balancing just the right mix of action, narrative and dialogue in their writing?  Oh.  You, too?  *phew*


This topic popped up in my e-mail, courtesy of today's Writer's Digest newsletter.  If you're interested in reading an expanded version of the article, by Gloria Kempton - you can access it HERE.

I'm giving you the cliff-notes version.  Since this seems to be the season of revision, revision, and - oh, yeah - a little more revision, Gloria offers some questions you can ask yourself to make sure that your story is balanced:

STRIKING A BALANCE

There are no hard-and-fast rules about when and when not to blend dialogue, action and narrative. To weave them together well is to find your story's rhythm. But there are a few questions you can ask yourself about your story, especially in the rewrite stage, that can help you know which elements are most effective for a particular scene, and which might be better used elsewhere.

Ask yourself:

-Is the story moving a little too slowly, and do I need to speed things up? (Use dialogue.)
-Is it time to give the reader some background on the characters so they're more sympathetic? (Use narrative, dialogue or a combination of the two.)
-Do I have too many dialogue scenes in a row? (Use action or narrative.)
-Are my characters constantly confiding in others about things they should only be pondering in their minds? (Use narrative.)
-Likewise, are my characters alone in their heads when my characters in conversation would be more effective and lively? (Use dialogue.)
-Is my story top-heavy in any way at all—too much dialogue, too much narrative or too much action? (Insert more of the elements that are missing.)
-Are my characters providing too many background details as they're talking to each other?
(Use narrative.)

Whether we're using dialogue, action or narrative to move the story forward, any or all three of these elements are doing double duty by revealing our characters' motives. Your story's dialogue can reveal motive in a way that's natural and authentic, because whether we're aware of it or not, we reveal our own motives all the time in our everyday lives.

And to understand a character's motive is to understand the character.


*So, if you're anything like me...little lists of things to look for are always a plus!  I hope this tip makes your writing journey a little easier today.  Tell me - What do you do to find the balance in your writing?  Happy revising!

The AbCoJen Interview!!! Part I...

Happy Sunday, Friends!

Today, I have the pleasure of posting part 1 of the AbCoJen interview:



 I'm giving you some AWESOME times 3!!  Love me?  Thought so ~ :)

If you don't know them already - settle in, read, follow the links to some great blogs.  If you do know them - settle in, read, learn a little more about some great fellow bloggers/writers/friends.

I give you Abby Minard of Above Water, Colene Murphy of The Journey, and Jen Daiker of Unedited.  (clicking on their names will link you with merely one of my favorite posts from each lovely lady!)

Question # 1:  What genre do you write and why?
Abby:  I write YA fantasy. I've loved reading the genre since I was in elementary school, and have been stuck ever since. I honestly don't really read anything else. I've always wanted to make teens feel the way I did reading books like Sabriel, The Golden Compass, or the Dragonriders series. I can't picture myself writing anything other than YA fantasy.

Colene:  I write YA. And the reason makes me sound like a complete moron so I wont say WHY I started writing YA. But I will say that I continue because you can do SO much in that genre where others might be more restricted. And I love teens. They are so full of potential stories.

Jen:  I'm not set to one. I adore Young Adult, the ability to shape the world and have it be anything. Teens allow you to really be creative. I also love writing women's fiction (comedy), just love writing about women in different situations. I've also been known to write thrillers (complete with serial killers).

Question #2:  Favorite writing website?
Abby:  I get updates from Writers Digest and I love those. Also I love writeoncon.com- their chats and blogs are just great.

Colene: Writersdigest.com. There are so many awesome writing websites! But this seems to have a bit of everything.

Jen: I don't avidly follow any. Sorry!

Question# 3:  If you could go on a writing retreat with 3 of your favorite authors, who would they be and where would you go?
Abby: Sharon Shinn, Garth Nix and Kristin Cashore. I would love to go to New York City or maybe somewhere warm- like the Caribbean (so we can just lounge around in the sun and talk fantasy writing and books, maybe even do an anthology together...sigh...).

Colene: I would love to just chat up JK Rowling (of course), Laura Whitcomb, and Garth Nix on a sunshiney, warm beach somewhere tropical.

Jen: Susan Elizabeth Phillips (for romance), JK Rowling (for world building) and; Lisa & Laura Roecker (a duo - it counts - because they'll make me laugh). As far as where we'd go... Umm since they aren't from the same mold I'd say one in New York (cuz I've always wanted to visit).

Question # 4: Best writing advice you ever got?
Abby:  Don't get distracted by all the little threads of ideas you get for other books while you are writing your current one. Write them down when you get them, and then it's back to your current work. You'll never get anything completely written if you stop and start writing new books all the time.

Colene:  I think I will repeat the same thing on this question until the day I die! Back up your sh*t! Sometimes I unvulgarize(made up word ftw) it but truly, you can know all the rules and get everything right and be the best author the world has ever seen...until your computer crashes and the only copy you ever made is now gone forever. Then what? Yea, start again. Write it over. BUT what a crushing feeling that is!


Jen:  A blank sheet of paper doesn't write itself.

Question #5:  Where do your writing ideas usually come from?
Abby:  I get inspiration from songs, tv shows, books- anything, really. Dreams even. I honestly can't tell you how I came up with my book, except that I wanted an ensemble cast like Sharon Shinn's in the 12 Houses Series, where you really feel like they are your best friends. And I wanted a love story like Sabriel's.

Colene:  Pft. If I knew, I would never get writer's block. Tap into that junk all the time!

Jen: My dreams, thoughts, etc.

Question #6:  Favorite character name?
Abby:  Serafina Pekkala from The Golden Compass.  And Ender from Ender's Game

Colene:  Ky. I just finished reading Matched and am in love with that name for some reason. Don't know if it's my all time favorite name but right now it is.

Jen:  Tully

Question #7:  What character role are you destined to play?
Abby:  The shy intimidated heroine (gorgeous, of course) who overcomes her mental obstacles to save the world and get the guy.

Colene:  Anyone who gets to make out with: Johnny Depp, Ryan Reynolds, Riddick(not necessarily Vin Diesel...just Riddick...), Alexander Skarsgard, LL Cool J, or James Franco is fine with me.

Jen:  MC finding herself

(*Ok - have to add this for Colene...you can thank me later!)

Intriguing, no?  :)  In following the suggested good-blog-tip of brevity, I'm cutting this post in two, so if you'd like to learn even MORE about these fabulous gals - you'll need to come back on Wednesday for Part II of the AbCoJen interview.  I really just want to thank Abby, Colene and Jen for answering my questions and for being some of my first followers and blogging friends.  I want all three of you to know that you're a big part of the reason that I keep blogging and that I'm truly inspired by each of you every day!

And for my visitors today - I so hope you enjoyed getting to know these three a little better.  Thanks so much for stopping by and happy writing/reading/whatnot!

Short Stories and a Writer's Platform...

Happy Sunday, fellow bloggers and lovely friends!  Hope all is well in your respective necks of the woods?  Yes?  Good.  :)

So, I got a subscription offer for The New Yorker the other day. 

Now, I'll be honest (don't cringe too much) and say that the most I know about the The New Yorker is that it's a magazine (ha!), it's been around for a while (1925-ish, right?), and that it's kind of a boon to any writer's career to get their fiction published in it (ummm - you meant "jackpot!" right?). 

So, I'm submitting my latest short story to them today and expect you'll all see me in print in a month or two..........HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Yeah, well...my point is - while I'm quite a ways away from EVER having my work published in this landmark magazine (idk, it could happen eventually, right?), I think we've all heard that getting short stories published in reputable magazines, e-zines, anthologies, etc. is an extra bonus to add to a query letter and get you noticed by an agent.  It's part of your "writing platform" - the more you have here, the better.  Of course, as bloggers, we're already in the game here.  More and more - "on-line" presence is topping the list of things to have in this "writing platform".  But, publishing short stories could possibly be a good stepping stone to getting your novel noticed and ultimately published, too.  It can only help, of course, to also READ the stories that make it in to The New Yorker and into other writery type mags.

So, my questions to you today - HAVE YOU PUBLISHED A SHORT STORY?  WHERE? DO YOU SUBSCRIBE TO ANY GREAT WRITING MAGS?  ANY SUGGESTIONS OF GOOD ONES TO SUBMIT TO?

I'll admit again that I haven't too much experience looking into this area of publishing, but one or two mags out there that have helped me out or that I've considered submitting to are:

1. Writer's Digest.  I know you've all heard of this one.  Jam-packed with advice, writing and publishing interviews, contests, etc.  *AND CHECK THIS OUT - they're hosting a webinar with agent Sara Megibow of the Nelson Literary Agency AND participants will get to submit their first 3 pages for Sara to read AND comment on!!  How cool is that?  Click "here" to find the registration page - this Thursday, 1/13 @ 1pm EST.

2. Glimmer Train.  This is another fiction magazine that focuses on short stories.  They have contests specifically for debut authors, but you're welcome to submit to them anytime.

Ummm...yeah.  There's only two suggestions from me (sorry).  But, please share some magazine/short story collection ideas of your own!  And I think I might just get that subscription to The New Yorker after all ($29.95 for a year and I get a free bag!!!).  Happy Writing ~ :)