Conference Conundrums

     There are hundreds of writing conferences across the country every year, all vying for our attention. The promise of intriguing workshops and spellbinding keynote speakers up the ante, agents and editors add promise, and do not forget the networking opportunities. Although good writing is the objective, in an era when "who you know," is as important as "what you know," need I say more! So how do you choose which events are best for you?

     To get the most for your money, there are small conferences providing an array of workshops on craft and the business of writing, without the expensive speakers, or sit down dinners. The incidentals of a nomad on the road are costly. Find a venue within driving distance to avoid hotel stays, and remember to pack plenty of snacks and beverages. Your local writing group or library can help guide you to the events in your area. The Shaw Guide to Writer's Conferences and Workshops has wonderful information on a huge variety of conferences, workshops, retreats and events all around the world.   writing.shawguides.com

     Workshops by outstanding speakers can make a difference in how the information translates to your writing needs. These sessions are usually not part of the general registration and are often times pre-conference workshops, requiring additional fees. However, some people are just better teachers and are worth the charge. They communicate concepts in interesting ways that translate to the "ah ha" moments we all love feeling when a connection is grasped.

     I do recommend saving for one big conference to enjoy all the pomp and glitter. Ogle at the incredible authors at the literary signings and go to every extra activity you can find. Not only is this an amazing way to make your muse sit up and take notice of what fun can be had, but after falling asleep from exhaustion every night, you're too tired for nerves to interfere at the agent/editor appointments. Okay, maybe a little anxious, but remember that they are the same people who passed you the sugar that morning, and you had no problem chatting to them about everyday life!

     A few important facts to remember: Figure out your objectives and stick to them; go to workshops targeted to move your writing forward, or inform on a subject you're curious about pursuing. Bring business cards; you'll make lots of contacts and a few new friends. Realize many of the people you meet may sit across from you at the pitch table; edit your verbal thoughts everywhere. Most of all have fun and relax; you are paying to attend.

     Read my archived blogs on the incredible experiences I encountered while attending the Romance Writers of America National Conference last year. Everything did happen just as written...honest!

Good luck and Happy Writing~Diane

The Kissing Index

All the mistletoe hanging in entryways has me thinking about kisses, those delicious tastes of nectar shared between two people. Do your kisses reveal the relationship between your characters to the reader? Whether you are writing an innocent first kiss in Young Adult or a smoking-hot Romance, compel the reader to finish with believable splashes of magic.

You can keep the PG-13 rating and still turn up the heat by using all five senses to capture a first kiss. If she licks her lips nervously and draws his gaze to her mouth, the anticipation mounts. Are his fingers smooth or rough against her cheek as he brushes her hair back? Body temperatures rise and the simple scent of a shampoo is intoxicating in close proximity, triggering more reactions than just his pants becoming too tight. A shortness of breath and racing hearts all lead to the moment their lips meet for the first time.

A couple with time to explore each other engages in the slow lingering dance of tongues. Heighten sexual intrigue by adding tactile sensations to capture a scene and raise the hot factor. His lips are soft, tasting musky and very male. She bites hard into his neck, eliciting a deep moan from her lover that vibrates through her. She unzips his worn jeans and her body slides slowly down his legs with the denim. How can the rough plaster against her back feel so cold, while his hands are searing her skin? The story pace builds and the intensity between your characters drives the reader to a cover-to-cover read.

Passionate kisses exchanged between lovers should leave the reader squirming in their seat hoping no one interrupts them while reading the scene. The slow exploration is over; this is full body contact and clothes are flying around the room like a clearance sale at Feline’s Basement. While lip-locked, hands arouse responses hastening along all their partner’s sexual triggers. The hard tweak of a nipple evokes gut wrenching desire, fingernails raking across his hip and lower to mark claim has him pulling her closer, and the heavy musk of sex adds vivid tension to the scenes. She kicks a drink off the side-table, the glass shatters and neither notice. They are beyond caring about anything, but what's happening between them, and your reader is too.

So how hot are your kisses? If they need work, remember to use your senses, take time to feel through the scene and it doesn’t hurt to practice. Whether the kisses are innocent nibbles or a toe-curling lip-lock there is always another level to compel the reader into your story.


I hope this holiday season has you in happy spirits, good health and lots of mistletoe!

~ Diane Sismour

To E or not to E, that is the Question

    Reading is my escape from reality; a wondrous world created just for me at a moments notice. From the second my eyes scan the words, a new world transforms into the one beholden by the writer. Imagery and character’s blur the lines and I become one with the novel: giggling at sarcasm, crying in empathy and agonizing through conflicts. Call me old school, but I still prefer walking into a store and smelling the ink on paper. Not that I don’t  love  my Kindle for traveling convenience or to snag a read occasionally, but the feel of pages whispering through my fingers has a satisfaction unfilled by an e-reader.

     However, the benefits to e-books are tremendous and I'm not disregarding them. The ease of having so many titles readily available without driving to a store still amazes me. People are reading more because of this and with far greater variety than ever before. E-readers also place authors on an even playing field, allowing readers to choose what interests them, instead of which books have the biggest advertising budgets. There are so many beautifully written stories overlooked because they are indie published with a limited advertising budget. Without e-readers, many would go completely unnoticed.

     I guess my biggest complaints with e-readers are I prefer knowing how many pages there are to read a book from cover to cover, instead of wondering how long it will take to finish the remaining thirty percent; and most importantly, books don’t have batteries. The pleasure of staying in the story until The End and knowing those characters are usually in a better place, makes my reality a little easier in which to return. When the story hits the home stretch, the last thing I want to see is “low battery.” I couldn’t imagine waiting for my plane to land and having to recharge before finding out how Katniss chose to end the contest in “The Hunger Games.”

The Voices in my Head

   Some days it doesn't pay to shut out the voices in my head and at others times I wish for a fleshy toggle switch just to concentrate. You know...a remote to turn on my creative side and shut out the annoying static from everyday life, or off to allow me to listen to a conversation without having a character make a side bar comment. On the other hand, where would a writer be without those voices banging around attempting to push a story out of us?

     Most writers I know have characters talking to them, not just a shout occasionally, but full arguments that can shove a story into unplotted waters. What would happen if they went silent? I shutter the thought. Mine have evolved with me since my teens. They were the constant reminder of who I was in those odd high school years at a new school. Without them, I can't imagine the silence and isolation after so many years together.

     When "Did I just say that out loud!" became a frequent statement, and "Learn to curb your snarky mouth," was a constant lash back from Mom, I started to notice my creative side. Of course, I couldn't tell anyone about these characters. Everyone would think I was nuts, so the thoughts went into a journal. The voices got louder, I began to listen and those ideas became stories.

     Where did this constant distractions I relish come from and why me? Is there not enough constantly going in my life for one of me knocking around in my mind? Oh my gosh…my character just collectively gasped. I smile. “Hey, just kidding guys.” However, this creative side developed, I cannot imagine a life without writing, or my constant companions.

Losing my Plugged-in Nation

     I'm about to go into uncharted territory, camping in the mountains on the first frosty weekend of autumn in no electronics land with no plug ins or phones, wifi or anything. Gulp. Nothing, but me and a couple of my favorite kind of books to read, the real paper and cover ones; with my luck, the e-reader would lose power in a good scene and I'd have to leave the site to plug in!

     Preparing for this trip makes me realize, I've walked the same two-mile route several times a week for years and remember stopping to chat with various people and catching up on neighborhood gossip. The walks would take twice as long, but it felt refreshing connecting with friends. For some time now, I find myself waving as I pass their homes, chattering away on the cell phone, checking messages, or staying connected electronically instead of stopping for a moment.

     As a nation, we're becoming a society who can't hold an intelligent conversation face to face with another person, where writing a letter is a forgotten art and even e-mails are turning into Twitter feed messages. People can sit in the same room all night and text each other instead of talking. I'll be the first to take blame after sitting at the computer chatting for an hour with someone who lives within walking distance from my house.

     The solution isn't an easy one for the plugged-in generation, but well within everyone’s grasp. Instead of Googling the size of Snooki's shoes, reconnect with society unplugged. Your fingers may tremble as you back away from the smart phone, but I have faith in all of you to remember there are other real people outside your cubical and living under your roof. I for one will reconnect with my neighbors.

     On second thought, I had better grab a couple more books off the to be read pile. I love reading by the campfire. It might even make me forget how much I enjoy the daily routine of sending events, chatting with my friends on Facebook and the luxury of indoor plumbing : )

Secret Muse Revealed

     Who is this muse, which appears out of nowhere and manifests our words into creative thoughts of artistic prose? The process of putting thought to paper as writers comes naturally to most of us. At times, we may hit a snag, but eventually our muse returns, the phrases begin to flow and stories turn into colorful renderings of our imaginations. Hence, we lust after the gifts of a muse, the individual or a situation that inspires us with a wealth of passion to create.

    Paul Hendrickson's article, "The Muse of Kilimanjaro" in Town & Country, about Ernest Hemingway and his real life muse revealed, fascinates me. Hemingway found ways to continue his dream of journaling his life's adventures with the ability to take us on them through his stories. His muse was secretly written into them. I wonder if Hemingway's muse knew she is what helped to inspire his artistic flow.

    Does your muse know the power he holds over your creative aura, or are you keeping his identity a secret? A secret so guarded, to reveal her could make the difference of finding a new one. You have to admit, to feel the words seep out and wonder where those thoughts hid, is far better than struggling to scribe a cohesive phrase with no emotional connection. The one individual who can turn the areas outside our comfort zones into intriguing playgrounds, allowing us to draw from experiences and to enhance our storytelling.

     Mine fills me with emotional energies from which to draw upon and when invoked by a situation, propels thoughts into poetic prose or creative writing. Muses aren't easily found. They're not listed in Google or the Yellow Pages. Those of you who acquired a muse or two understand, but for those of you still seeking, when you find one you'll know...it's the moment your words have more meaning. Would I dare ruin the benefits of using my muse's attributes by revealing his name? Never.

Voyeurs and Lurkers

     While parked at the mall, I watched a man and woman embrace and passionately kiss, oblivious to the world. Instead of going on about my own business, I lurked hidden in my car behind tinted windows. They didn't care; they continued to kiss, gently touching each other's faces and gazing at one another. I rationalized my behavior as character development for the next novel in the series. Really!

     Cars pulled away, others parked and they were still vertically entwined. I glanced at the time. Holy cow, ten minutes later I was still a voyeur behind the glass. In truth I couldn't open my car door. Not because of wanting to see what happened next with the heart melting couple, but because I couldn't open the car door. After sitting there so long saying, "Excuse me, could you move a little so I can shop," just felt slimy.

     While checking Facebook friend requests and searching bios yesterday I realized, the electronic age is creating voyeurs and lurkers. I'm not saying its wrong, but sometimes the truth is a rude awakening. We hide behind a persona, clicking into other peoples lives to learn more about someone we'll likely never meet than our immediate neighbors. We also lurk on blogs and Yahoo Groups without leaving a message, but are excited when a comment comes close to our own opinions.

     I guess admitting to lurking sites and people watching is the first step to moving forward. Is there a Ten Step Program for this problem? Who knows, but the next time I'll probably leave a comment behind a blog post or just people watch in plain sight. It's easier than getting stuck in the car again; the mall is filled with so many more interesting character subjects.
     You wonder how I managed to remove myself gracefully from the parking lot predicament? I started the car and found another parking space : )