Show Me The Money

Allison Pittman has some great ideas to share about saving for conference. Here's the first installment:

Everybody agrees: the surest road to publication begins at a writers conference. But between the conference fees, travel expenses, and little extras along the way (at least one new outfit!), you might have to pay a pretty toll to travel that road. So, if you’re wanting to go to a conference, but you’re not sure how you’ll fund it, let me introduce you to the concept of the FREE conference. I’ll share my tried-n-true methods for paying for your conference without robbing your family.

F = Free…as in, free money. Just today I got a check from my bank for 19.80. Why? Because my bank pays me .10 every time I use my debit card. Apparently I use the card a lot. That’s free money. That check will get cashed and stashed in my special conference piggy bank. (OK, a pretty cedar box in my underwear drawer, but you get the picture…)
***Be on the look out for unexpected refunds and forgotten rebates.
***Have a credit card that offers cash back or rewards in the form of air miles? Use it as much as possible (Of course, only for your everyday purchases, and be sure to pay the bill in full each month.)
***Got a gift-getting occasion coming up? Be bold and ask those people who would be inclined to give you a gift (parents, spouse, siblings, etc.) to consider giving a contribution to your conference fund instead.
***Keep the change—all of it! For our family vacations, we keep a large jar in a central location for all the family change. We just cashed in a year’s worth and had over $200. That’s a healthy couch cushion yield.
***Use coupons at the grocery store and pay yourself the difference. For instance, if you save $12, get $10 cash back and stash it away.

Now, none of this in itself will pay for an entire conference, but it’ll sure make a dent.

Is Contest Feedback Worth it?

From Roxanne Sherwood: I’ve won the Touched by Love Contest and the Dixie First Chapter Contest, finaled in the Golden Gateway, Summer Sizzle, and Genesis contests, and judged contests as well.

I’m sure that you’re like me. When score sheets arrive in the mail, my stomach flips more times than a world-class gymnast in a floor routine. I’ve received wonderful feedback that praised my work or told me how I could improve. Every compliment is read over and over, savored like melt-in-your-mouth chocolate.

Then, there are those other comments. Negative feedback hurts; and sometimes, I’ve had to put it aside until my skin feels thick enough to withstand the pain. But I’ve found that the critical comments were the most useful ones. From those I can learn. After all, if I wanted only positive feedback, I’d give my manuscript to my mother and save the money spent on entry fees.

When I can be objective—usually after a long, bubble bath and ice cream straight from the carton—I study my manuscript. Was the judge right? Is my heroine shallow? Have I failed to show instead of tell? Does my chapter lack description? (Probably yes to the last one, though I’ve really tried to work on that.)

I imagine each judge as a potential reader—she is, isn’t she? If she loves my submission, wonderful! I have a new fan. But if she doesn’t, is there something I can change—while staying true to my story and my voice—yet win her over?

Some comments are best ignored, but first really try to see if the criticism has merit. In one contest, the judge gave me a low score for conflict, then wrote: “Most of the conflict is because of the heroine’s poor choices.” Hello? Hasn’t she heard of Moby Dick? I know that story is rife with conflict. Another judge thought my heroine was unsympathetic. Ouch. My character has abandoned her children. If I haven’t provided proper motivation for this heinous act, then I needed to heed the judge’s criticism and create a more sympathetic heroine. I was glad for the opportunity to rewrite the story now, before submitting it to an editor.

The best way to look at contest feedback is the way a writing partner offers her critique: “Use what you can, and lose the rest.”

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Reading and Writing

I've discovered I'm a "baby" writer. This week I've inhaled several books and been wowed by writing styles. At two in the morning I almost screamed, "not fair, not fair" because I wanted MY stories to resound like the one in my hand. One historical took place during the Civil War. I cringed under fire and almost retched inside the prison. Another took place on the Southside of San Antonio. Places I have passed took on a new veneer with this artist's words.

Wow. The power of setting. I've been told by my editor I write "spare." That means I leave out images which could bring my reader inside my story. After several books, I see what she means. sigh. Baby Writer. That's me: Eileen

What have YOU learned about setting??

What'cha writing?

Glad you stopped by. The Alamo City Christian Fiction Writers is a chapter of the American Christian Fiction Writers (www.acfw.com). We meet monthly at the Alamo Cafe on IH 10 (www.alamocafe.com) to discuss our craft and fellowship with one another.

Our group includes published and non-published writers. We'd love to have you join in the fun. For more information contact Eileen at ekey95@yahoo.com.