About Issue 69


 


Vision

Issue 69

October/November/December 2012

Aboutsept2012

 

Welcome to the last issue of 2012!  We have a lovely set of articles for you and I hope you enjoy this issue. This is an excellent time to start considering how to start the 2013 with new skills and goals. Both this issue and the back issues can help.

Vision: A Resource for Writers has begun the first steps in paying its own way.  The ezine has been published since 2001 without any outside support (except for some wonderful donated articles).  Starting this issue, Vision will be open to a very limited form of sponsorship (which includes advertisements).  For more information, check out this page.

 

 

I am always looking for new articles.  Read the submission guidelines and consider sending me an article or two about writing.  I look forward to hearing from you.

 

This issue's sponsor:

A Conspiracy of Authors Publishing

Check out the great selection of writing-related help books and more.

ACOASetforVision

In this issue:

 

From the Editor: You Can Be A Writer

Here's a truth I've come to realize, and something people too often don't consider in their attempts to create the perfect story. This can be a painful realization, in fact.

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Inkygirl Comic

-- by Debbie Ridpath Ohi

Revision Angst

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Workshop: How to Thread a Story

-- by Lazette Gifford

The creation of a subplot to work with a main storyline is a delicate operation. The subplot must add to the tale, not distract from it. The subplot must create connections to the major storyline and a really good subplot can sometimes mirror and illuminate the main story. Sometimes the links to the main plot are strong and sometimes so tenuous the reader will wonder how the story is connected until the critical moment when they intersect.

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Mar's Market Report: A Retrospective

-- by Margaret McGaffey Fisk

Mar's Market has been a running column since 2004, and in that time, it's covered a wide variety of market topics and markets..

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Indie Corner: Kobo Writing Life Launch

-- by J A Marlow

Kobo has opened up its publishing portal to the masses, and there is a lot to be excited about. Kobo Writing Life sports an easy to use design with the best statistics and analytics available to the author and publisher that I have yet seen. I'm hopeful the other publishing portals will mimic Kobo on statistics aspect. Kobo has approached this from a good point of view:

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The Balanced Muse: Surviving Publisher Change

-- by Mary Caelsto

The one thing writers can be assured of is that publisher upheaval will happen. I’ve spent a decade in this business, and during that time editors have moved on to different houses or projects, publishers have closed, and uncertainty has loomed. And yet, no matter the circumstances at the publisher, the professional author knows that he or she needs to continue to write. After all, nothing sells your last book like your next one.

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Plotbunnies 101: A Care Guide

-- by Simon Batt

Do you know what a 'plotbunny' is? Amongst writers, a plotbunny is the terminology for an idea that creeps into your brain, gives you a fantastic story idea, and doesn't let go until dealt with. Depending on the writer, plotbunnies can be a blessing or a curse. Either way, they're present, have large teeth, and need proper care and love in order to get the most from them.

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To Comma or not to Comma

by -- Dr. Bob Rich

A number of times recently, people on writers' lists have expressed puzzlement about where to use a comma.

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Applying The Spit and Polish

--by Heather Webb

What does polishing your manuscript mean? You hear it all the time. Make sure your MS shines. Look out for weak verb constructions and adverbs, too many dialog tags, "telling verses showing", etc. Sure, these are important elements. But don’t be fooled into thinking strong mechanics are enough for your book to be "ready" for submission. They’re superficial elements. Yes, writing mechanics will make or break a great novel, but it's only one of the MANY things that make a novel shine.

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Balancing Writing and Blogging

--by Linda Adams

One of the big challenges of doing writing and promoting is the time blogging consumes. When I took a blogging course for writers, all the writers immediately started blogging three times a week. Four months later, many announced they were taking a blogging break because they were falling behind on their novels.

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4 Freelancing Myths

-- by April Aragam

New writers, as well as seasoned writers, often hear rules that others say you must live by. The truth is there aren't too many hard and fast rules when it comes to freelance writing. There are rules that seem to go around and everyone believes, but sometimes it's okay to break the rules. This article outlines 4 freelancing myths you may have heard. .

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NaNoWriMo: The Challenge

-- by Connie Cockrell

It started as a challenge. I asked, "How hard is it to write 1666 words per day?" She answered, "Well, if you think it's so easy, why don't you do it?" That gave me two weeks to figure out how to write a novel, get an idea for a novel and plan out what the heck I was going to write!

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NaNoWriMo: The Next Round

-- by Lazette Gifford

I first did NaNo in November of 2001. I was not prepared, and I didn't even consider the idea of writing more than one novel that year. I finished about ten days early with a bit over 70,000 words and I'd had a lot of fun.

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Website Review: Pro Writing Aid

 -- Reviewed by J. A. Marlow

"Pro Writing Aid" is a new manuscript analyzer for writers available through a web interface. Paste your story into the window provided and then click "Analyze" at the bottom. It will first come up with a summary of the issues it finds with a red "X". The issues which passed will be flagged in green.

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Book Review: Howdunit Edited by John Boertlien

-- Reviewed by Lazette Gifford

For over ten years and through fourteen volumes, the classic Howdunit writer's reference series has cast a bright light on the deep shadows where criminals hide, exposing truth about everything from homicide and detective work to confidence schemes and autopsies. The series stood without equal in providing detailed information teat was too difficult -- or dangerous -- too acquire on your own . . . until now.

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New on the Shelves-- Books

Check out the new publications by Forward Motion Members

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New on the Shelves-- Short Works

Check out the new publications by Forward Motion Members

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