tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-743681727157397522024-02-19T15:54:59.802-08:00VociferousTricia Clasenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02283651173568831963noreply@blogger.comBlogger85125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74368172715739752.post-32471291569666585602017-05-13T07:45:00.000-07:002017-05-13T07:45:17.952-07:00Motherly Advice<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mother’s Day is almost here, and my Facebook feed will be
filled with pictures and poems and favorite mom memories. It’s one of my
favorite social media “events” because I love seeing how much my friends look
like their moms and reveling in the impact mothers have. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When I do school visits, students will ask me why I wrote <i>The Haunted House Project</i>, they always
ask me why I wrote the book, what inspired me, and what the ultimate message
is. I usually stumble through an answer
about hope and love and tenacity, but this close to Mother’s Day, I realize how
much of it is a book of Mother’s advice. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It’s making me think about the best advice my mom ever gave
me. As a teen, of course, I thought it was the stupidest thing I ever heard. I
probably even told her that. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I went a few rounds in the ring with depression. Negative self-talk
punched me in the head (you’re stupid), in the gut (You’re ugly), and in the
side (No one likes you) over and over again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My mom used to say, “Smile more.”</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMmHQpKkGlg_SSICspzxRrz8Zv1liv88qK2_Kvz3Vv6UOVM76BMe9vMz2oUYJRobNKnCWIFJoBXGAx9LKScpQyv-dXtDVNBa-HjtLOovRwUrIR5BB8MwGOwpwHxznKTO5nc0w1q9s5VmM/s1600/200_s.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMmHQpKkGlg_SSICspzxRrz8Zv1liv88qK2_Kvz3Vv6UOVM76BMe9vMz2oUYJRobNKnCWIFJoBXGAx9LKScpQyv-dXtDVNBa-HjtLOovRwUrIR5BB8MwGOwpwHxznKTO5nc0w1q9s5VmM/s320/200_s.gif" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I used to think, “You don’t get it. It’s not that simple.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And let me say for the record, no it’s not. Obviously, depression
isn’t that simple. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But I’ve learned that despite thinking my mom was ridiculous
for saying it to me, she was right. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Smiling more is good.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I teach <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emotional_contagion">emotional contagion theory</a> in Interpersonal Communication
class. An oversimplified explanation is moods can be contagious. I find that
when I smile at people, they smile back. I know I tend to gravitate toward
people who are smiling. I perceive them to be more positive. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilzl3dF576eItUkE3ggB8Ds2aUwOjyP4PIZlTDBirWBqWfMclPHuvmH4VTokweTtuUsYjHAQGacpAy7j3gadiiMgrTIYkKwmrmlbXYn872XlKqNyOi5s-EZNbEMR0QpZplhPUfm5GxUVw/s1600/smile-is-shortest-distance-1920x1200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilzl3dF576eItUkE3ggB8Ds2aUwOjyP4PIZlTDBirWBqWfMclPHuvmH4VTokweTtuUsYjHAQGacpAy7j3gadiiMgrTIYkKwmrmlbXYn872XlKqNyOi5s-EZNbEMR0QpZplhPUfm5GxUVw/s320/smile-is-shortest-distance-1920x1200.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sometimes, it takes effort. If I’m tired or engrossed in
work, and my child runs up excited to tell me something, I may have to remind
myself to smile back, knowing that the scowl on my face signals to her that I
don’t care. It’s a combination of emotion work and self-monitoring. And I fail.
Quite a bit, actually.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And know that I’ve been there. When you’re down, smiling
seems stupid. Certainly, it won’t solve depression either.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">However, more often than not crabby begets crabby; happy
begets happy. So, I’m going to keep on trying to smile more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Because my mama told me so. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
Tricia Clasenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02283651173568831963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74368172715739752.post-52291885816808041702016-11-09T03:54:00.000-08:002016-11-09T05:24:49.052-08:00Change the world ... again.<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Yesterday, I took my youngest daughter to the polls with me,
fully believing that I was voting for the first female President. I’d been
pretty emotional about it for two days. We talked about the process. We talked about why it was so monumental. We
talked about all that had been lost for women to have the right to vote and how
long that took.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Last night I drove three teens to dance. We all laughed as
they pulled up funny videos of both candidates. They bust a gut on Hillary’s “seizure”
video. We giggled at videos of Trump’s speeches talking about Jay Z’s language
while overlaying recordings of him using similar or worse speech. Still, these
totally a-political girls were essentially begging me to tell them he would not
be President. I told them things were
looking good.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Two hours later, our car mood had shifted. Early results were not, in fact, looking
good, and we all lamented the things were couldn’t believe he’d said. We talked
about fears. I told them it was still early. I also told them our lives would
probably not fundamentally change no matter who was President. That many of the
big claims made were unlikely to happen. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Still, we understood what this meant, for us. For women and girls.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I’ve spend my life—there may be an archive somewhere of my
little feminist self on WEKZ spouting how girls were just as good as boys—studying
and teaching about gender and culture. The last six months have been incredibly
hard to watch. Public political
speeches, Facebook posts, Tweets, and comments on news articles revealed that
racism and sexism were not only not gone (though I knew they never had been) but were shockingly no longer embarrassing to admit, that people were proud to use those words
and to demean others again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This morning, I read a victory speech from a candidate whose
campaign unearthed some very cold truths about what Americans believe regarding race and gender. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">His speech was as humble as any he’s ever given. He espoused
ideas about improving infrastructure that we can all get behind. I have to hope
for good things to come. But hope is not enough.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Many of my friends are asking “What do I tell my kids? What
will I say to my daughters? How do I explain this to my son?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">One responded, “Teach him how to be a good citizen and he
will grow up to change the world!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK4Rft6CjSnaWLoNarfhRH2QMWg2u1bcDaGNzbTC9i6_RRHuLj5LPuJsacswAce38XXKPFQbbOJqjaTaSJsbDjKRzx2ZZfBDC3V4ovQ7e67UTVT5ttV-8UifFfE7WIYznT28C4rcmMgu4/s1600/suff2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK4Rft6CjSnaWLoNarfhRH2QMWg2u1bcDaGNzbTC9i6_RRHuLj5LPuJsacswAce38XXKPFQbbOJqjaTaSJsbDjKRzx2ZZfBDC3V4ovQ7e67UTVT5ttV-8UifFfE7WIYznT28C4rcmMgu4/s320/suff2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">What’s hard today is that I thought we already had. I thought Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady
Stanton had changed the world. I thought
Martin Luther King, Jr. had changed the world. I thought Barack Obama had
changed the world. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Hell, I thought I’d done it, one hundred students a semester
at a time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I thought my girls could feel confident that they would be
rewarded for their competence. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">But she’s right, of course.
That’s what we must do. We have
to continue to be a voice of light. To support each other. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Trump can win the Presidency, but hopefully we can all still
lose the hate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">May hope and love find you. May they be the tools you need to change the world ... again.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Tricia Clasenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02283651173568831963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74368172715739752.post-37890605982446802932016-09-30T09:54:00.002-07:002016-09-30T09:54:20.246-07:00Sending your babies out into the world<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In less than 2 weeks, <i>The Haunted House Project </i>officially
releases. However, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Haunted-House-Project-Tricia-Clasen/dp/1510707123">Amazon</a> started
shipping pre-orders this week, so my book is about to be in the hands of
friends and family (and eventually, perfect strangers). I always tell my students in public speaking that
I'm a little odd. Most people like
audience filled with people they know.
I'll take a roomful of strangers every time. I feel less pressure. I worry less about disappointing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Each stage of the publishing process presented a new
challenge. From writing and draft work
to querying agents to submitting to editors to revising and waiting, waiting,
waiting for this moment. And now that
it's almost here, it's far scarier than I anticipated. Did I do the characters
justice? Is it good enough?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Of course the biggest is, "What if everyone hates it?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This morning I can't help but compare this process to being
a parent. Each stage of parenting presents new challenges. Holy cow I could not wait to get through that
awful toddler stage, but my goodness they don't stop talking at around four. It's hard to appreciate where you are when
you're there because you're so busy focused on how the next phase is going to
be better. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3tSgAcTmu9cYgVB6GFvE687KK4C3lziXFz0axYCDKYO2dDapMfBv5Uhc0gUbrY6UB3vwCZKRvRvcAE-CODnQ8hSYoqMgwMU5ev3GY6vgnQgha9nKPdbGo_HdOtUUdmhtFypUpD6a8wq8/s1600/71048.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3tSgAcTmu9cYgVB6GFvE687KK4C3lziXFz0axYCDKYO2dDapMfBv5Uhc0gUbrY6UB3vwCZKRvRvcAE-CODnQ8hSYoqMgwMU5ev3GY6vgnQgha9nKPdbGo_HdOtUUdmhtFypUpD6a8wq8/s320/71048.png" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Eventually (way too flipping soon!) you have to send those
babies out into the world. Did I do them
justice? Are they good enough? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And of course the biggest is, "What if I failed?"</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You know you didn't fail.
You know they're good, but they'll make mistakes. You know they'll succeed … most of the
time. I imagine you always worry, but
eventually, you see them become their own person and the pride takes over.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm hopeful anyway that's where I'll get.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm hopeful I'll feel that way about my book, too. I know not everyone will love it. And that's
okay, right? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Because I can be proud what I did, the characters who didn't
exist before I brought them to life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They're ready for me to send them out into the world. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Be good. Play Nice. Make friends. </span></div>
Tricia Clasenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02283651173568831963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74368172715739752.post-45861963637152905362016-08-02T05:29:00.004-07:002016-08-02T05:29:58.678-07:00Pumped up for PitchWars!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmEyMJ7tM1o8XZ06gpJ6UKT7cyY8OXwYcQjBqWZILM_nsGpqx7y3gapBAXpC3U6gFzdbkZWrF5CNVOsP22vlSXZpCJMoBEH7gaYzGxyjm1Ak-LgdpMNjnDi8hVZWwM0vXds5V-yol194U/s1600/PW_Logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmEyMJ7tM1o8XZ06gpJ6UKT7cyY8OXwYcQjBqWZILM_nsGpqx7y3gapBAXpC3U6gFzdbkZWrF5CNVOsP22vlSXZpCJMoBEH7gaYzGxyjm1Ak-LgdpMNjnDi8hVZWwM0vXds5V-yol194U/s320/PW_Logo.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm so excited to be serving as a co-mentor with the amazing Laura Shovan in this round of <a href="http://www.brenda-drake.com/pitch-wars/">PitchWars</a>. You can view all the details of our <a href="http://laurashovan.com/2016/07/pitch-wars-mg-mentor-wishlist-laura-tricia/">preferences and interests</a> on her blog. The big day is almost here: It's down to hours before we'll be open for submissions. It's going to be interesting to be on the other "side" of things.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I know what it's like to get the email requesting more material. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-SINAbtNJfmbOJmkcKqlXgMuyHQpqYSsi2JxA4MYD4Ulti6xt9vH10a93yfIdoiDfIJ-SQqDZEQO-VxIib9JhKm8glCA_PjhJ4cmdttgb6R0mbAQfb4bc2Fyua6m7RyPRqnSR7dudBCg/s1600/vky3X_s-200x150.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-SINAbtNJfmbOJmkcKqlXgMuyHQpqYSsi2JxA4MYD4Ulti6xt9vH10a93yfIdoiDfIJ-SQqDZEQO-VxIib9JhKm8glCA_PjhJ4cmdttgb6R0mbAQfb4bc2Fyua6m7RyPRqnSR7dudBCg/s400/vky3X_s-200x150.gif" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I also know what it's like to receive rejection letters. Lots of them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVUQdrJs9Xa7zHLFmOlNCZl_X19j8puPKSC5fNUsvO_-7BUNNaVPSvProlh1GZapTZWKLLKU7pCIqc_a6BPnG5mlAWt9diW49B6DRYcOUpIBDYMfOaBHtLkGdN-c4g0ZQl6edDsrLmF4c/s1600/J6EW7.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVUQdrJs9Xa7zHLFmOlNCZl_X19j8puPKSC5fNUsvO_-7BUNNaVPSvProlh1GZapTZWKLLKU7pCIqc_a6BPnG5mlAWt9diW49B6DRYcOUpIBDYMfOaBHtLkGdN-c4g0ZQl6edDsrLmF4c/s400/J6EW7.gif" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have numerous blog posts about my query journey and then my submission story. Both requires patience and perseverance. Thankfully, my alter ego is "Tenacious T" because I sure didn't get through this process because of my patience.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here are a few things to remember (and hey you can use this for more things than PitchWars!)</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I<b>t's not personal. </b></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It may FEEL personal. All rejection feels personal, but unless only one person submits to my partner and me, we will have to choose only one mentee. In our case, we'll also be negotiating two potentially different opinions. We may be equally devastated to walk away from a manuscript and/or author.</span></div>
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<li><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You are not a failure.</span></b></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I know people have said this like a million times over, but seriously, you wrote a manuscript. You're doing great. If you don't get selected as a mentee, the journey doesn't end. I didn't. And less than six months later, I had an agent. </span></div>
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<li><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It isn't luck.</span></b></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I put this in here because sometimes when we face rejection we try to come up with reasons why we didn't succeed, justifications. I often hear people talk about how someone just got lucky. In the world of book publishing, that's pretty rare. It's because of the work put in; not just any work, the right work. I have manuscripts I'm still revising after like seven years because they simply aren't ready. </span></div>
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<li><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Relationships are good.</span></b></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is another thing I hear a lot--it's about who you know. A little. Sure. It can help. Relationships are especially good at helping you figure stuff out and finding good critique partners. </span></div>
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<li><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But the writing comes first.</span></b></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Polish that manuscript!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Good luck! Team TLC cannot wait to read those submissions!</span><br />
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<br />Tricia Clasenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02283651173568831963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74368172715739752.post-9110285572270232312016-07-18T10:24:00.003-07:002016-07-18T10:24:49.913-07:00A Book that Stays Gold<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In my last blog post, I linked my <a href="https://thesweetsixteens.wordpress.com/2016/06/29/meet-the-author-tricia-clasen/">Sweet Sixteener bio</a>, and I hinted that my next blog topic was in that post. Did you read it? Did you guess?</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_t6dpTQVVuLOO-1A547zu_-PXLOr_G7L_e4gE6VKWM3HVbrpGyvZDVe_6e-Imwvn-dsl39uWqmukm7qTfP_yLQYxCP5Zk4y9SSiu67JyqQjaCPzWNvm-j8AxvZ33OE9A9kCZjewOq98Y/s1600/outsiders.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_t6dpTQVVuLOO-1A547zu_-PXLOr_G7L_e4gE6VKWM3HVbrpGyvZDVe_6e-Imwvn-dsl39uWqmukm7qTfP_yLQYxCP5Zk4y9SSiu67JyqQjaCPzWNvm-j8AxvZ33OE9A9kCZjewOq98Y/s1600/outsiders.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm currently gearing up to be a <a href="http://www.brenda-drake.com/pitch-wars/">Pitch Wars</a> mentor, and I'll be talking quite a bit about that in the upcoming months. It sparked reflection on my favorite middle grade novels (some border YA). I'm going to start with a couple from my youth and then move into some more contemporary options. I already talked about my love for Little House, so next up has to <i>The Outsiders</i>, by <a href="http://www.sehinton.com/">S.E. Hinton</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I cannot begin to express the level of freakishness that I achieved in my love for this book. I mentioned it in my bio post on the Sweet Sixteens, but I lost count of how many times I read it, at least twenty one summer alone. I really did put Vaseline in my hair in my effort to pretend I was a the long lost Curtis sister. I went to camp that summer, and people thought I was a total nut job because I wouldn't put the book down (I'm sure they were right). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If the internet had existed, I have no doubt I would have discovered fanfiction and fan communities more than twenty-five years sooner than I eventually did. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What was it about that book? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Who knows why we connect so deeply to some stories, movies, T.V. shows, music, etc. more than others? Thank goodness for choices that allow us to all find our escapes in different ways.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ultimately, though, I think there are three things that made <i>The Outsider</i>s so powerful to me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1. <b>The world-building</b>. No, it's not Narnia. Tulsa is real. The era is real. It's that a great story kidnapped me and held me captive even in a place decidedly different from my midwest, middle class, lifestyle. I entered a world of rebellion and youth at a time when I was just beginning to exert independence. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_hkvuo-rHe67IVjTqQw1QasNXH04mLro237Ce2e9X_gcWIpJC5Kzi4Jgs5vly4PKy-At-4zRIfkS9xjrqqIS3xDKl-NL7wFmKwNfCd8BxLSa_sn0jV2h1iWxEzD3ErUZl4pfiJT1RHEE/s1600/-187MfPP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_hkvuo-rHe67IVjTqQw1QasNXH04mLro237Ce2e9X_gcWIpJC5Kzi4Jgs5vly4PKy-At-4zRIfkS9xjrqqIS3xDKl-NL7wFmKwNfCd8BxLSa_sn0jV2h1iWxEzD3ErUZl4pfiJT1RHEE/s200/-187MfPP.jpg" width="200" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2. <b>Theme of injustice</b>. I have a love/hate relationship with this theme. If it goes to far, I get mad and I'll stop reading. This story was more revelatory than anything. It demonstrated how socio-economics impacts both general groups of people as well as specific individuals. It was an early and powerful lesson for me about privilege, and Cherry Valence, and identifiable character who taught me about the diffic</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">ulties of speaking out about injustice.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3. <b>Emotional explosion. </b>Media use theories teach us that one immense value of popular culture is the ability to experience emotions in guilt free environments. What a roller coaster this story was, with two major character deaths, hints of love, family struggles, anger, and ultimately a journey to catharsis. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSDRXmwgDEVtWCDE-8RfQKG7RPGX_2YynnomzHiEpBEmk4VhYK3fQNTnz2aFoee-QXWduDMvBfxbCklbLevf4dK8Qu5QXFDLo-55XEx_ZdxD61pJpwqwzbBOcfPoUMpb8imdTQlY7bNb8/s1600/download.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSDRXmwgDEVtWCDE-8RfQKG7RPGX_2YynnomzHiEpBEmk4VhYK3fQNTnz2aFoee-QXWduDMvBfxbCklbLevf4dK8Qu5QXFDLo-55XEx_ZdxD61pJpwqwzbBOcfPoUMpb8imdTQlY7bNb8/s400/download.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My most-read, beloved favorite childhood book. I'll be talking about more favorites, but I'm curious. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What book have you read the most?</span></div>
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Tricia Clasenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02283651173568831963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74368172715739752.post-75111079781099922522016-06-29T10:16:00.003-07:002016-06-29T10:16:39.781-07:00Meet the Author Post at the Sweet Sixteener Blog<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Please take a moment to check me out at The Sweet Sixteeners Blog. I'm the featured "meet the author". Read closely because my next post is is going to be about something in this interview. </span><br />
<a href="https://thesweetsixteens.wordpress.com/2016/06/29/meet-the-author-tricia-clasen/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></a>
<a href="https://thesweetsixteens.wordpress.com/2016/06/29/meet-the-author-tricia-clasen/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Meet the Author, Sweet Sixteeners</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Can you guess the topic of my next blog entry?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">See you soon!</span>Tricia Clasenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02283651173568831963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74368172715739752.post-17030158741069551842016-06-17T10:38:00.003-07:002016-06-17T10:38:58.620-07:00What would Ma and Pa do?<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I'm back. I think. I want to be anyway. Now, that summer is here, I'm trying to carve more time for writing-related activities, and this blog has been pushed aside for too long.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Like most people, my heart has been heavy the last few days. Politics are frustrating to say the least. The massacre in Orlando is both depressing and infuriating. The internet is filled with bad news, over-reaction, judgement, finger-pointing, pathetic argumentation/rhetoric, self-promotion, and hatred. I'm tired of it. And you have to know, I love the internet. I'm sure I'm addicted. Even so, I kind of want to run away for awhile, but every day, I feel on edge, and I'm sure it's connected to how much nastiness I'm reading on a daily basis.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I've been wanting to blog or respond to so many things, but I can't think of a valuable or original way to contribute to the conversation. Plenty of people have said what I'm thinking. Plenty of people yell and throw stuff at them. And back and forth it goes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">One of the reasons I read and write YA and MG fiction is because at it's heart, children's literature is hopeful. People make mistakes, and they are forgiven. Bad people find karma knocking on their front doors. It's a world in which characters experience emotions such as love and heartache for the first time--so many powerful feelings, so many struggles. Still, in the end, the characters grow and learn and thrive.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXiTlvvjLaw227QFAPgUy9g4FxvWQAq-OGoyTm7Vku3UxtK6CthKxfCCGpc-eYbzmoih2pytqMbqaiWKbWU5HdxPsvNtglrg3nLR9snmM2TCjF_7k9OS6WyG3q7zqsYJPO_xY-8f4rKG4/s1600/51OMP91O3KL._SX333_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXiTlvvjLaw227QFAPgUy9g4FxvWQAq-OGoyTm7Vku3UxtK6CthKxfCCGpc-eYbzmoih2pytqMbqaiWKbWU5HdxPsvNtglrg3nLR9snmM2TCjF_7k9OS6WyG3q7zqsYJPO_xY-8f4rKG4/s200/51OMP91O3KL._SX333_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="133" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">One of my favorite book series while growing up was Little House on the Prairie. </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimNMVxJ7JEhcAnKwJxHMWZERHtKnOCljm9npXCVZxYaJ1uPWeC0sb6w0K0F7tPWnR1pZvJ5aAw9aja05WnAWFn7qAEXjGP10PX_cCXpT7QI5K6O9nMG3K9xiyAoxzX1VLYzeSpiPAeGLY/s1600/Season-One-Episode-Guide-for-Little-House-on-the-Prairie-450x293.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimNMVxJ7JEhcAnKwJxHMWZERHtKnOCljm9npXCVZxYaJ1uPWeC0sb6w0K0F7tPWnR1pZvJ5aAw9aja05WnAWFn7qAEXjGP10PX_cCXpT7QI5K6O9nMG3K9xiyAoxzX1VLYzeSpiPAeGLY/s320/Season-One-Episode-Guide-for-Little-House-on-the-Prairie-450x293.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Who didn't love it? I adored the T.V. series, too. In the wake of so much </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">cruddiness all around me, I can't help but think, "What would Pa do?'</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">And you know what's funny? I'm not the only one to think this way because a quick Google search yielded far more entries on "lessons learned from Little House" (<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bich-minh-nguyen/6-life-lessons-from-laura_b_4740018.html">link 1</a>, <a href="http://www.bustle.com/articles/58418-home-is-where-the-heart-is-13-life-lessons-from-little-house-on-the-prairie">link 2</a>, <a href="http://www.scarymommy.com/club-mid/life-lessons-little-house-on-the-prairie/">link 3</a>) than I expected. So, yeah, I guess I'm not that original, but I still want to go there. I'll keep in short. </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1. When new people come to town, welcome them.</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Pa didn't care what you looked like or where you came from or how you got there, he would always be there to shake a hand and offer to help each new person who came to town.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2. Listen and respect each other.</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">People on the prairie didn't always agree, even in the closest of relationships. Even in a world of traditional gender roles, when Ma and Pa had differences, there was mutual respect and admiration. </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">3. Bullies don't win because in the end, they are never happy.</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Nellie and Harriet, anyone? They were cruel and judgmental with others, but it was clear that they didn't like themselves very much, and it never got them very far. </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">4. Life is complicated and sometimes doing the right thing is, too.</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpPP85KObwPqIWcPY6pmhtlZv_HEO1dCmU5BJaN8lxcMoB0bVbDLvod-F4JMVwsoJV0iiwneke4dDWVPpLulRhRGcANtW0STlW_-wrsEKpLpqhoSQ-x38vWH4LydC2Lab2DHVfq1uQPZ0/s1600/kim_sh10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpPP85KObwPqIWcPY6pmhtlZv_HEO1dCmU5BJaN8lxcMoB0bVbDLvod-F4JMVwsoJV0iiwneke4dDWVPpLulRhRGcANtW0STlW_-wrsEKpLpqhoSQ-x38vWH4LydC2Lab2DHVfq1uQPZ0/s200/kim_sh10.jpg" width="200" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Remember when Pa made shoes for Olga even though her dad didn't want him to? Or when Amy Hearn faked her own funeral in order to get her kids to visit? Characters in the show faced all kind of very real problems, from loss to substance abuse to racism and sexism. Sure, it's a T.V. show, and there was always a resolution, but that didn't mean it was easy. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It means that life is messy. It means sometimes, we have to step out of our comfort zones and stand up for others even if it would be easier to keep our heads in the sand. It means we may have to put our own needs above others. It should force us to ask questions like, "How does this benefit my community? What can I do to help others? Am I fighting because I want to <i>be</i> right or because the cause really <i>is</i> right for everyone?"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I've said before, watching the first few seasons of Little House pretty much teaches you everything you need to know about being a good person. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Maybe the Internet could have one giant watch-along! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Did you have a favorite episode? Or book that helps center you on important life values? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As a writer, a teacher, a critic, and a parent, I'd love to call for a little less anger and a lot more Little House. </span><br />
<br />Tricia Clasenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02283651173568831963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74368172715739752.post-33839121451072928842015-12-02T16:56:00.001-08:002015-12-02T16:56:29.015-08:00Submission Process: Part II<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvBiB6r8EN5fhTOZ3JIF1CDXRThb5mnwsMklbPF3QmtxJ3lO44dN_1KPxqdq43wPWZqLoss_ryL8CCplJGzltyd_stMRdBm5K9jdOa0stEIvZDnHJCklf6Fgs252EDKF4eNUGuTkoJNiw/s1600/InsecureWritersSupportGroup.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Waiting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">More Waiting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then an offer! Whoo
hoo, the waiting is over!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Just kidding. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I had heard stories over the years about how things move
slowly in the publishing world, but I'm not sure I ever really understood
that. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It took about two months to go from the offer to a signed
contract/announcement of the deal. What
was the delay? First, we had to give
time for other potential publishers to respond, just like in the query
process. In that time frame, I was able
to have a conversion with my editor and get a feel for her vision, which was
great. But what really took the most time? The contract itself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is the part where I say I am so glad I had an
agent. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I know that lots of people do this without an agent, but I
would have had no clue how to read that document nor what was the most
important aspect of negotiation, particularly in relationship to rights.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One of the things that became very clear is that it wasn't
just having an agent, but having someone you trusted had your best interests in
mind, someone who could explain why something was important.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I probably would have signed the first draft because I just
wanted to be published so badly. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And this was a small deal with a smaller publisher on what I
perceive is a quiet book. I can't
imagine how complicated it gets with bigger books and bigger deals. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've said this before in my blogging process, but it's a
life lesson that I keep learning over and over.
You need to surround yourself with the right people, the right support
and then let them support you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm self-confessed control freak, pretty independent overall,
but there's not a stage of the writing and publishing process that hasn't been
improved by trusting other people to help me.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It kind of makes me wonder if I'll ever remember that in
other aspects of my life, too. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How easy is it for you to let go of control? </span><o:p></o:p></div>
Tricia Clasenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02283651173568831963noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74368172715739752.post-11201249031325098372015-09-28T10:16:00.002-07:002015-09-28T10:16:25.303-07:00Submission Process Part 1: Dante and the waiting game<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Previously, I talked about the process of finding an agent (it was long and I made many mistakes). I also wanted to share my experience taking a manuscript to publishers. I know this will be more valuable for the writers out there, but this process has taught me many lessons about patience and accepting the unexpected. It's also shaped new ideas about how to measure success. Perhaps, those will be useful to you. For this post, then, I'll give more of a brief background and move into the lessons next time around. </span><div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF2ikvYfyWwewFhN_0KWuwVT6BPA6aDjLguLUtVzCe-Amftnb2zHCYT_0xNQaeE38hbKvmsBiOUmIsX96NeQcdKJIr6Jwhtsdei3LgpA-CcEx4kQC-ziPqtvm7l4cJgncw3rkMqC6_UNo/s1600/il_340x270.558452963_88h4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF2ikvYfyWwewFhN_0KWuwVT6BPA6aDjLguLUtVzCe-Amftnb2zHCYT_0xNQaeE38hbKvmsBiOUmIsX96NeQcdKJIr6Jwhtsdei3LgpA-CcEx4kQC-ziPqtvm7l4cJgncw3rkMqC6_UNo/s320/il_340x270.558452963_88h4.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When I was querying, it seemed as if finding an agent was the holy grail. If I could just land an agent, my path to publication would look like this:</span><div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Straight, narrow, and with the perfect final destination. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ah, if only. It probably looks a little more like this:</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwCeSOTmIsJdmzlLtW4Ka4naFHihlW80ktlNWW2ohEDcY234YgevG_YNRRPHiAgWEAva62jE6ldTZas3Tq8u4jCEu45BXooQEYAGjboWAVT8jjVhF_kHMxwwOACF_KTk-YsjFhwIzQgKE/s1600/Lesvos-WkA008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwCeSOTmIsJdmzlLtW4Ka4naFHihlW80ktlNWW2ohEDcY234YgevG_YNRRPHiAgWEAva62jE6ldTZas3Tq8u4jCEu45BXooQEYAGjboWAVT8jjVhF_kHMxwwOACF_KTk-YsjFhwIzQgKE/s320/Lesvos-WkA008.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Rocky, difficult, and with unknown destination.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My agent and I worked for a couple of months to get the manuscript in tip top shape before she sent it off to editors. It was finally official. I was "on submission," and I was equal parts excited and nervous. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_dIfurf5uxeCTLyh0agWdiAu0RenBjz9dKlVGAnV2AgMX9Dcgwda2tuQXbqsSumJbt9D640ESsBsldXCdFMbQSctffzUzxEPIS9f51uCg8R5zXArfNuX41g4o5Wp-lYcJr6tSPkeAm6Y/s1600/1330610729517_2327238.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_dIfurf5uxeCTLyh0agWdiAu0RenBjz9dKlVGAnV2AgMX9Dcgwda2tuQXbqsSumJbt9D640ESsBsldXCdFMbQSctffzUzxEPIS9f51uCg8R5zXArfNuX41g4o5Wp-lYcJr6tSPkeAm6Y/s320/1330610729517_2327238.png" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On the absolutewrite forums, they refer to being on submission as the next circle of hell, and while I wouldn't say it's quite that bad, it's definitely true that being becoming agented is a step toward publication. Much like writing itself or querying, for some folks, a sale is practically instant. Others may have to move on to another project. Obviously, an agent won't take you on if they don't think they will be successful, but they can't predict everything either. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I admit I was relieved to be on submission probably more than anything. After such a long query process where I had to actively monitor everything, I could just sit back and wait. And I had to wait a long time. It took us about six months before we got any feedback. My agent had prepared me for potentially slow responses, but that certainly put a damper on my dreams. Still, life was busy, and I managed to forget to worry about it for months at a time. Then my agent and I would touch bases with new rejections (all maddeningly positive, as Jen said). After a year, though, I pretty much assumed it was time to let it go. I started talking to Jen about which manuscript to prepare next. </span></div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Like that proverbial watched pot that doesn't boil, the minute I started thinking more about other projects, I got the amazing news about an offer. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As joyful as it was to get the news, I think all the waiting and the fear made it difficult to fully embrace and accept that it's real. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Plus, the waiting isn't over.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Stay tuned for Submission Process Part Two: Serious business (and more waiting). I'll post that next week as part of the Insecure Writer's Group for the first Wednesday of the month. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the meantime, does waiting build your anticipation? Are you able to avoid negative thoughts when waiting for news?</span></div>
Tricia Clasenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02283651173568831963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74368172715739752.post-61217909241613502212015-09-02T04:54:00.002-07:002015-09-02T05:07:23.348-07:00The positive side of insecurity<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvBiB6r8EN5fhTOZ3JIF1CDXRThb5mnwsMklbPF3QmtxJ3lO44dN_1KPxqdq43wPWZqLoss_ryL8CCplJGzltyd_stMRdBm5K9jdOa0stEIvZDnHJCklf6Fgs252EDKF4eNUGuTkoJNiw/s200/InsecureWritersSupportGroup.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="http://www.skyponypress.com/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-pF2S7J2pu8QIQp_ABpCfJe8cwUFKjyOzGjMNBr3oJS45b35ufgtJ-G9lP6ZMpgab_i-CimHS5QsiRuPAKwW_Ue4m0j_YFg8xLFYPi0Wrdl8mBcRBBFrnq0cSB0Ka8_duqLDzxh5Kd7s/s1600/Capture.JPG" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Most folks in my social circle have already heard the good
news. My debut novel will be p<a href="http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-book-news/article/67723-rights-report-week-of-august-3-2015.html">ublished in Fall of 2016</a> by <a href="http://www.skyponypress.com/">Sky Pony Press</a>. I am
obviously over-the-moon. It's the big
one, right? Dream come true, bucket list
kind of stuff. It's the end goal of this
whole thing, so by definition, it should </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">mean I'm no longer insecure,
right? Well, not exactly.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">First of all, despite seeing the announcement in print and
even seeing that it's already got a <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26053362-the-haunted-house-project">goodreads page</a>, I'm not sure it feels real
just yet. I could say that'll come when
there's a cover, but I'm guessing I'll need to see the book in print before
reality sets in. Even then, who knows? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">More than that though, I've been thinking about the very
concept of insecurity. There's the definition
most of us use: "An uncertain or anxiety about oneself; lack of
confidence" which is what we're all dealing with in these monthly posts
and support for each other. It's rooted
in a deep sense of not feeling good enough.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On the other hand, we can twist this a bit. Another definition of insecurity is "the
state of being open to danger or threat; lack of protection." That's
scary, sure, but it implies risk and the potential for reward. It's about action and putting ourselves out
there. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After I got my agent, I did a series of posts about that
process and some lessons learned. I'm
going to do something similar now in describing the submission process and
beyond. I've found that throughout this
whole journey, the more I knew about what to expect, the less my insecurity
crippled me. The more I felt okay with
being open to danger, so to speak. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For now I say, embrace your insecurity. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Keep trying to do things that you may not feel confident doing, that involve risk. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
Tricia Clasenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02283651173568831963noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74368172715739752.post-58678300017232349212015-08-05T10:14:00.002-07:002015-08-05T10:14:39.789-07:00Definitions<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvBiB6r8EN5fhTOZ3JIF1CDXRThb5mnwsMklbPF3QmtxJ3lO44dN_1KPxqdq43wPWZqLoss_ryL8CCplJGzltyd_stMRdBm5K9jdOa0stEIvZDnHJCklf6Fgs252EDKF4eNUGuTkoJNiw/s200/InsecureWritersSupportGroup.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Words are such amazing things—tricky, too. The very fact that we've used these arbitrary
symbols to create such a complex system of communication is fascinating. Language seems so simple now, right? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And wonderful. How do
you feel when someone utters three easy words, "I love you?" <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Except think of the trouble words get us into. The misunderstanding, the confusion, the
anger. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One of the first things people do when trying to belittle
someone is to call them names—to attempt to re-define the other person. A key
strategy in controlling others is to manage their language and how they are defined.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQcVVDMnVd-8lu-_cmm4I6RsZoe35SvJz95yy-NfYFl_NL4S5nKkHztvtat4ytiNtIiUEissxesuQIzARl3fJzHNjKyhT0wGZQO4OVl0EopGKpJxAUfDSylRjKHNAAXyzYQuNWww3D7M8/s1600/label.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQcVVDMnVd-8lu-_cmm4I6RsZoe35SvJz95yy-NfYFl_NL4S5nKkHztvtat4ytiNtIiUEissxesuQIzARl3fJzHNjKyhT0wGZQO4OVl0EopGKpJxAUfDSylRjKHNAAXyzYQuNWww3D7M8/s320/label.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Any way we label a person, place, situation, thing, idea,
etc. limits how others will view it. That's
true even if it's labels we give ourselves.
How many words do you use to define yourself? My "twitter" definitions says I am
a "wife, mom, college professor, travel planner-extraordinaire, and
wanna-be-middle-grade writer." <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What would it mean to move from wanna-be to "writer?" When is it okay to define yourself as a
writer? Obviously, this isn't a question
limited to writing, but as it's the first Wednesday and the month, it seemed
like an appropriate topic for the <a href="http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/">Insecure Writer's Group.</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In this case, I think I equate using the label as a
definition with being successful at it, not just the act of doing the
writing. That's not something we do with
everything right? I'm a mom even if I'm
not a very good one (and I think I'm okay there). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is a little nudge to us all that as upset as we can get
at the labels others put on us, the ones use on ourselves can be just as
problematic. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Writers, when are you willing to call yourself one? </span><o:p></o:p></div>
Tricia Clasenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02283651173568831963noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74368172715739752.post-660646757372179022015-07-01T06:39:00.000-07:002015-07-01T06:39:14.248-07:00Falling<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The first Wednesday of the month brings another<a href="http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/"> Insecure Writer's Support Group Pos</a>t.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvBiB6r8EN5fhTOZ3JIF1CDXRThb5mnwsMklbPF3QmtxJ3lO44dN_1KPxqdq43wPWZqLoss_ryL8CCplJGzltyd_stMRdBm5K9jdOa0stEIvZDnHJCklf6Fgs252EDKF4eNUGuTkoJNiw/s1600/InsecureWritersSupportGroup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvBiB6r8EN5fhTOZ3JIF1CDXRThb5mnwsMklbPF3QmtxJ3lO44dN_1KPxqdq43wPWZqLoss_ryL8CCplJGzltyd_stMRdBm5K9jdOa0stEIvZDnHJCklf6Fgs252EDKF4eNUGuTkoJNiw/s1600/InsecureWritersSupportGroup.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I just finished a book I loved from start to finish. I've read around eight books this summer, and
I liked several quite a bit, but this was the first one that I did not
want to end but couldn't stop reading at the same time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It wasn't a terribly complicated story—a very standard
contemporary YA (my favorite genre to read though I’m still struggling to write
it) with family drama, personal growth, and a little love. I don't even know if I can explain why it was
so much better than the others I've read this summer. Words, characters, plot. That's all it is right? So, why these words, why this plot, why these
characters? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When I finish a book like that, I tend to get a bit
contemplative. First, gosh, I love
books. There is nothing quite like
falling into a world someone else created and connecting with everyone in
it. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But then I think, "I could never write that so why bother?" (Have I said that before? Seems like it's a common theme in my mind) Or I try to figure out how to adapt my writing to be LIKE that writing which is sometimes like trying to bakery bagel into a toaster. It's a close fit, but you're bound to burn or break some part in the process. I just want to figure it out thought so I can give readers the same experience. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I know I talked about variety last month, and how being authentic is important, and this is along the same vein, but it's more about that magic. I think that for anything in life to move us the a good book moves me, we have to let go; we have to fall in. One of the reasons <a href="http://nanowrimo.org/">NaNoWriMo</a> has always worked for me is that forces me to stop analyzing and just write. It puts me into the story more like a reader than a writer. Of course, that means much editing down the road.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's not just a writing thing. My husband is a perfectionist, and he obsesses in advance of every project, so worried that he's going to get it wrong. He'll tell you that delays the process and gets him so worked up that he sometimes misses the forest for the trees as a result. Then, he's too frustrated with the things that don't go according to plan to enjoy a finished product. Even when everyone else sees the beauty. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the end, passion doesn't lie in thinking about how to do something. It's in doing it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In letting go. In falling. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Does reading inspire you or cripple you? Do you over think process? If there are non-writers reading, are there ways in which you get tripped up in the process of doing something about which you're passionate? </span></div>
Tricia Clasenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02283651173568831963noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74368172715739752.post-49886889029698735072015-06-25T06:06:00.002-07:002015-06-25T06:07:13.074-07:00Repetition versus repetitive<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've been binge
reading the words of a popular author recently.
Obviously, I generally enjoy the books or I would have stopped after the
first one. However, now that I'm like 5
in, I'm seeing patterns that have begun to annoy me as a reader—for example, a
very controlling mother and a very fast resolution (too quick to resolve big
issues, IMHO) among others. Readers,
viewers, listeners generally like repetition.
People enjoy the familiar and appreciate knowing what to expect. It's why formula works so well in TV and
movies. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">However, it's a fine line, though from repetition to
repetitive. Once that line is crossed
though, we move from expectation to boredom. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Doesn't that sound a little like the workplace? It's nice to know what you're supposed to do
from day to day. It's great when you can
feel like you've mastered things, but there's got to be a little zing in there
or it becomes so mind-numbingly boring that you spend your days dreaming up
extravagant ways to quit. Or at least
watching YouTube videos of people who really did it with flare. This woman is most certainly,
"<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ew_tdY0V4Zo">Gone</a>," for example. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ew_tdY0V4Zo"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5-gxGZYDMtoXZS3YSwmIcAACG-4FIJEBRnXlNQGm0BK-KlFHAAyy9M-8f7u534ZeOzfdIEIdmUDciDHcjlxalSU9DtvKMqNjMEUu4Cpzy-QEdWoDIKKZiFHp3mTwDzxguowQTP1Qjn9s/s320/Capture.PNG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Or how about your exercise routine? Why do you think I have umpteen million different work out DVD's in my house AND a gym membership? I bore way too easily.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm not saying that life has to be all glitz and glory all
the time. One of the most important
lessons I'm constantly telling my kids is that you have to go through some of
the boring to get to the good stuff.
Routine ballet class with its focus on skill and repetition must precede
winning at dance competitions. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For that reason, I expect some repetition when reading and
writing and even living. I know there
are boring parts to everything we do. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But as soon as repetition feels too repetitive, the audience is probably lost. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What are you ruts? If you write, what are your repetitive habits? </span></div>
<br />Tricia Clasenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02283651173568831963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74368172715739752.post-91011447979332366992015-06-03T06:48:00.000-07:002015-06-03T06:48:14.884-07:00Variety and the imperfect perfection<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiaYruyucNEToArnRr9VweZebTmu-XMT6aeIl-dgJPnX-yHv2nFrIh8YBqZC09uJvm-7LDTH8VY8DV6b-2qbvPqO7_u-q5_z5hktd0WNWrTe8MJpnfzHaSquqs2xydhwKakwEjObyz7PA/s1600/IWSG+X.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiaYruyucNEToArnRr9VweZebTmu-XMT6aeIl-dgJPnX-yHv2nFrIh8YBqZC09uJvm-7LDTH8VY8DV6b-2qbvPqO7_u-q5_z5hktd0WNWrTe8MJpnfzHaSquqs2xydhwKakwEjObyz7PA/s200/IWSG+X.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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I used to be a part of a monthly blog hop called the "<a href="http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/p/the-insecure-writers-support-group.html">Insecure Writer's Group</a>" but I'd been letting that slide. I valued that experience so I'm "hopping" back in. One of the things I've found most valuable over the years is the way in which my writing lessons have connected to life lessons. Learning a new skill has given me so much perspective on everything else I've already learned, and I'll carry on that perspective today.</div>
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Aspiring writers are told to be voracious readers. Agents, editors, and fellow writers insist
that reading improves writing—makes sense, right? It gives authors an understanding of market
and genre, helps them notice concepts of voice and story development which may
either subtly or directly influence one's own writing.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Potentially, reading also changes perspective about your own
writing. One of the things that happens when you read a lot is that you don't
like every book. You might even hate some. It's possible you'll even despite a book that
everyone in the world things is the best thing ever written. You might really enjoy a book or an author
who "serious" critics say is too formulaic or sophomoric (or YA or fanfic or
"trashy" novels). <o:p></o:p></div>
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The point is, we all have different expectations and
different preferences, right? As a
writer, it lets me off the hook a bit.
Perfection is relative ... to what? <i>
Good </i>is relative to what? Now,
that doesn't mean I advocate writing crap, but it's a good reminder.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0J-Hx3cxkCZ7R7SxZo1dqDRy-XYdaXMZ1aldVuk0N00k1AQh5smzikZmhQgODCcFwJ-gVZrn9pmdoNIhHCO3bRjsloYpz2U6hnSxW-ubN_HAh8S1zwwlbgBjPAwW4ldYpR9UeViHz72s/s1600/download+%25281%2529.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0J-Hx3cxkCZ7R7SxZo1dqDRy-XYdaXMZ1aldVuk0N00k1AQh5smzikZmhQgODCcFwJ-gVZrn9pmdoNIhHCO3bRjsloYpz2U6hnSxW-ubN_HAh8S1zwwlbgBjPAwW4ldYpR9UeViHz72s/s320/download+%25281%2529.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
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As a public speaking teacher, I constantly tell my students
that good speaking isn't one-size-fits-all.
It's about being an authentic communicator, about your ethos. You need to be the best YOU possible even if
you have some delivery flubs and or your voice is high-pitched. It may be what audiences most like about you.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The same goes for writing, it goes for your job and your
relationships and your art and your music and your bathroom remodel and everything
else under the sun. The more variety you
experience, the more you're able to find yourself in the process. </div>
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Your imperfections are an important part of your <i>voice</i>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Tricia Clasenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02283651173568831963noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74368172715739752.post-52097200203207162452015-05-26T11:25:00.005-07:002015-05-26T11:26:13.861-07:00Stitch in time<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I had exceptionally high hopes for my run on Saturday. Weather was optimal—a little over 60 degrees, not too sunny, but bright and cheery. I anticipated I'd have a nice 5-6 mile run.
Things were going well—nice pace, enjoying the sights and scents of late spring. Then, not even half way though, I got a stitch in my right side. Ouch. I'll just keep going a bit, I thought. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sometimes it goes away. It didn't. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I didn't want to stop and walk because I was coming up to a spot on my path where folks could see me, and I didn't want to admit defeat. Embarrassment can be such a powerful motivator. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The pain was not subsiding. I decided to walk for a bit. Then the worst happened, the stitch multiplied. I got a second one on my right side. Then, another on my left. With each step, my abs crunched and my whole body tensed. I wasn't sure how I was going to make it home if walking hurt that much. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The pain subsided just enough that I started run again—I told the stitch it didn't own me. Now, pissed off, the stitches game back. Of course, at that point, I was in the middle of a bike path. If I called someone to pick me up, I'd still have to make it at least a mile. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, I keep going. I ran some. I walked some. I stopped and did some tricep dips. I ran some more. Etc.
Eventually, I made it home. No stellar time. Probably more like 4 miles total.
But I tried. And again, I made it home. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There are always going to be stitches. They'll make you change goals and re-assess your vision. Sometimes, for the better, sometimes not.
It's okay to go slower or to change direction to work around those challenges.
Whether you're writing book, teaching a class, learning a language, baking a cake, building a deck, or fighting for your dream, sometimes, you'll have to start over.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sometimes, you'll have to add more flour or delete a whole chapter. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Eventually, you get where you need to be, if you keep going.</span>Tricia Clasenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02283651173568831963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74368172715739752.post-15929036730879363932014-11-21T11:29:00.000-08:002014-11-21T12:36:19.243-08:00Get by with a little help from some feathers<p><data:post.body/></p><div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEv5zHDModYX24UchhmsZYYUjOTFcaTdrN6V6VnpnhWkAIkWJsgllB6pJKbjGj4T7YdQ71Jqdyel9gPq-GZjvm0Xvr3-NsW80Gqk60gawEiEbOt44ZvptAQo8e7YCZqEOe3o__FA8AOm4/s1600/2f7252e3-c71d-4b4f-9c86-4e72ec0252c5_zps148fc192.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEv5zHDModYX24UchhmsZYYUjOTFcaTdrN6V6VnpnhWkAIkWJsgllB6pJKbjGj4T7YdQ71Jqdyel9gPq-GZjvm0Xvr3-NsW80Gqk60gawEiEbOt44ZvptAQo8e7YCZqEOe3o__FA8AOm4/s1600/2f7252e3-c71d-4b4f-9c86-4e72ec0252c5_zps148fc192.jpg" height="320" width="127" /></a>So, I recently bought myself in a winter coat in which I’m
pretty sure I look a little like an over-roasted sta-puffed marshmallow woman
(the coat’s black after all). I’m
undecided about whether purchasing such a coat, weather rated to -45 degrees,
means that I have finally conquered winter or that it’s actually bested
me. At the end of the day, I don’t care
because the dang thing makes me feel like I might possibly survive another year
living in Frozen Land (which wouldn’t be so bad if it were like Disney and had
talking snowmen and singing trolls). <o:p></o:p></div></P>
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The thing is, I’m not sure why I held out so long buying a
ginormous coat. Seriously, the thing
comes below my knees, and I’m 5’ so it’s kind of comical. Ask anyone and they will tell you, it’s not
like I put on a brave winter face or feel the need to be “tough” about it. I
whine and complain ALL THE DANG TIME about how cold I am. Why wouldn’t I have sought out better ways to
manage it sooner?<o:p></o:p></div>
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The more I think about it, the more I realize how often I
see people taking the same approach on other things in life. <o:p></o:p></div>
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“I have a headache.”
Did you take anything? “No.” <o:p></o:p></div>
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“I’m not sure how to write this paper.” Did you read the instructions? Have you gone to the tutoring center?” “No.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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There are probably a million different reasons why we don’t
seek the right support or utilize resources available to us when faced with a
problem. Maybe we’re lazy. Maybe we don’t care enough. Maybe we’re afraid to admit we can’t do
something alone. <o:p></o:p></div>
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My coat and I are here to say that’s probably not the best
way. I can’t believe how much it has
lifted my mood to get in the car and not feel like my entire body was going to
turn into an icicle and then break into a million pieces. Being able to find the right tool to support
me has lifted a burden in a way. <br />
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It’s also served as a reminder that we all sometimes need a
little help. Maybe from friends and
family. Maybe from co-workers. Maybe from fellow-writers. Maybe from a therapist. Maybe from 600 fill-power down insulation.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Whatever you need, maybe it’s time to accept a little help. <o:p></o:p></div>Tricia Clasenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02283651173568831963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74368172715739752.post-68519657451412424462014-11-07T05:30:00.003-08:002014-11-07T05:30:43.401-08:00Be a tree.<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Every once a great long while, I write a little letter to one of my kids and save it. I had always intended for it to be this great volume that they'd get to read on graduation or something. All kinds of life wisdom imparted as well as a general sense of knowing how loved they were through the busyness of life. Well, my volume is pretty thin as I seem to remember about once a year, if that. I managed to set some words to paper last week, and I came across this nugget for several years back written for Grace.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><st1:date day="24" month="11" w:st="on" year="2004">11/24/04</st1:date><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>“Sometimes it’s good to be the tree.”<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEeQjTb6841d4Xe6nhUeSfZoMrb095j12SxgzQlLLC_-YBjDTGL0Wjw2cMbrnPjyfQ4or_tllJiCyXsHQryaUDqp47Jay9_1C3A1a4w654sefMvn80XPjUIfpFb0CR5f_uDUj-e1AHXHo/s1600/The_Giving_Tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEeQjTb6841d4Xe6nhUeSfZoMrb095j12SxgzQlLLC_-YBjDTGL0Wjw2cMbrnPjyfQ4or_tllJiCyXsHQryaUDqp47Jay9_1C3A1a4w654sefMvn80XPjUIfpFb0CR5f_uDUj-e1AHXHo/s1600/The_Giving_Tree.jpg" height="320" width="241" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>The other night, we read<i> The Giving Tree</i>. As usual I cried. I’m not sure I have ever read that story
without tears streaming down my face. I don’t
think I’d read it since becoming a parent though. Bill looked at me and suddenly said, “Oh he
wrote that book about his mom, didn’t he?”
It made so much sense. <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Later, we put you to bed.
You were fighting it, as always.
At one point, you grabbed my head and pulled me close so my head was
resting on your face. I admit, I wasn’t
very comfortable. I looked over at Bill,
and said, “Sometimes it’s good to be the tree.”
</b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some people get mad when they read <i>The Giving Tree</i>. It's easy to focus on how much the boy takes the tree for granted. And I know as a parent, I sure empathize with that sentiment. But at least in the month of Thanksgiving as we move into what I hope is a reflective and joyous time of year, I am going to focus on being grateful for the trees in my life. A mom who never declines a request to pick up my kids and folds about 90% of my laundry. A husband who puts up with all the ways I add "busy" to our lives. Friends who are always willing help with the kid shuffle. Without support none of us would grow into strong trees ourselves. To be there for our kids and friends and other family members when they need us. As strange as it sounds, at least today, I'm also going to appreciate the opportunity to be taken for granted. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I like being a tree. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And if we are all trees, then we become a forest. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-LTB-YKbMKNRhgQPri1FHLxnU4kbSoxqZ01NNKAzpT-7ayoQYHxs28tbiib8vEciHh4_5FTYCE-ZzLtIz_U3Q06MxTwb3i7kBMsmjXdQE5KdBBx6GrTe_nsxCSW04QP5Dbly24i-GcPE/s1600/download+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-LTB-YKbMKNRhgQPri1FHLxnU4kbSoxqZ01NNKAzpT-7ayoQYHxs28tbiib8vEciHh4_5FTYCE-ZzLtIz_U3Q06MxTwb3i7kBMsmjXdQE5KdBBx6GrTe_nsxCSW04QP5Dbly24i-GcPE/s1600/download+(1).jpg" /></a></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>"And the tree was happy."</i></span></o:p></div>
Tricia Clasenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02283651173568831963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74368172715739752.post-13113501747716393702014-10-28T10:12:00.002-07:002014-10-28T10:12:41.892-07:00How NaNoWriMo is like Life.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMkYbOo9Ja2xEHv280qyL95WhjcgSaTPh8-UQ5eThzzGFrsOwhVo4WPpczmjoO2zteZaVDXYkcvwvcMEnhxBKk9APSgKjQi7Mj9tNK9O4XStXAyAv4wYRA-oA5gBlKytGKGsH2_iDhFJ8/s1600/nano.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMkYbOo9Ja2xEHv280qyL95WhjcgSaTPh8-UQ5eThzzGFrsOwhVo4WPpczmjoO2zteZaVDXYkcvwvcMEnhxBKk9APSgKjQi7Mj9tNK9O4XStXAyAv4wYRA-oA5gBlKytGKGsH2_iDhFJ8/s1600/nano.gif" height="225" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm back! This year, I'm serving as Interim Associate Dean, so my writing life has been fairly limited, but I'm preparing for that to come to an end in December, so I'm trying to put my mind back into writing mode. As everyone gears up for <a href="http://nanowrimo.org/">NaNoWriMo</a> (National Novel Writing Month) in a few days, I reflected on my own Nano experiences. The goal is simple: Write at least 50,000 words of a novel in a month. Ultimately, all three of my completed novels were largely composed during either <a href="http://nanowrimo.org/">NaNoWriMo</a> or a Camp NaNo. So, I came up with three "tips" for successfully NaNo'ing that also apply to everyday </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">1. </span><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Just write</b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Don’t think.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">It’s counter intuitive to many writers because it’s hard to imagine not
editing as you go, but sometimes it really is good to get it all down on
paper.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">There will be times when are sure
that everything you’re writing is pure crap, and you’re certain there will be
no way to salvage it.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">In fact, I felt
that way EVERY time.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">But it’s worth it
just to get those words on paper.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">So
many of them.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">50,000 of them!</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">It’s something to work with.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That’s the day to day of life isn’t
it? Just get busy doing instead of
planning and second guessing. You’ll
make dumb mistakes but there will likely be more good than bad by the time you’re
done.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-stretch: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;">2. </span><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Take time
before you review</b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">. Agents say they get bombarded with folks who submit
their novels in December, clearly not having been through any editing.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">I actually suggest not editing that novel
right away.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Give it a few weeks (I
usually wait up to 6 months before opening a Nano novel).</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">I’m too close to it after that intense
writing.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">I wouldn’t be able to see the
forest for the trees.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We’re so quick to want to
critique/correct that we don’t always give ourselves time to just bask in the
accomplishment, to let things settle. Sometimes, we do things that me might immediately regret, but time may alter our perception.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVyWhw5ZIXD6doo6tsPqEG843ygxNyJqNDYfP0GlDyNJoeZ8KSFHrKU4SEZSCh5ATZ6gAYtXGKR5rYBvqdA0ZuR23QaX_qvcNqb3kd5q47v_9Kj_1a3CSTXNVYmHMSAzK_kR7Qbg6GifM/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVyWhw5ZIXD6doo6tsPqEG843ygxNyJqNDYfP0GlDyNJoeZ8KSFHrKU4SEZSCh5ATZ6gAYtXGKR5rYBvqdA0ZuR23QaX_qvcNqb3kd5q47v_9Kj_1a3CSTXNVYmHMSAzK_kR7Qbg6GifM/s1600/images.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3. <b>Support each other</b>. The very best part of NaNo is that we're all in it together. From Twitter (#NaNoWriMo) or #nano) to Facebook groups to official <a href="http://nanowrimo.org/forums">NaNoWriMo forum</a>s to local writing groups, there are like-minded people everywhere who are struggling. They will be your cheerleaders! You can sprint together and whine together and celebrate the end together. You may find some of those same people become part of your general writing circle when it's over. So, be sure to cheer them on, too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Life is not a solo adventure either. Find people to join on the journey who support you and lift you up. Let go of those who don't. But don't forget that you need to be there for others, too. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Happy writing, happy living! </span></div>
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Tricia Clasenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02283651173568831963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74368172715739752.post-27477152418452914122014-06-05T14:42:00.003-07:002014-10-28T10:16:47.805-07:00Call for Papers: Contributions to Lost Girls and Teen Dreams: Constructions of Gender in Children’s and Young Adult Texts: EXTENDED DEADLINE!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I know I've got YA readers out there, and I'm sure there some academics too, so I thought I'd share. And bonus points in the comments if can identify the source of all six symbols!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_PrDxb5x1ELxz8B7leSw3LYMZ714Ex0bERleiZJybjuRsN3PBh6iGHb2ZTB8MiCNQnYZCk0dJy1-2JinKv6XGV4hIB0c9uSo4tknI_3G7svPytnfANNx6R0rJRGaQvuBuuYnWQi_bHQI/s1600/combined+YA.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_PrDxb5x1ELxz8B7leSw3LYMZ714Ex0bERleiZJybjuRsN3PBh6iGHb2ZTB8MiCNQnYZCk0dJy1-2JinKv6XGV4hIB0c9uSo4tknI_3G7svPytnfANNx6R0rJRGaQvuBuuYnWQi_bHQI/s1600/combined+YA.png" height="243" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Tricia Clasen (contributor to <i>Bitten By Twilight</i> and <i>Heroines in Comics and Literature</i>) and Holly Hassel (Contributor to <i>Of Bread, Blood and The Hunger Games: Critical Essays on the Suzanne Collins Trilogy</i> and co-author of <i>The Critical Companion to JK Rowling</i>) call for proposals for essays to be included in an upcoming anthology focused on gender in young adult literature and popular culture. We have an interested publisher but require a full prospectus for a confirmed contract.</span></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Sitting at the intersection of cultural studies and literary studies, our vision for this edited collection is to collect diverse and complementary examinations of how gender operates in children’s and young adult literature. As a result, essays accepted for this collection should contribute to an understanding of the potential impact and of the current status of gender portrayals in children’s and young adult texts. The editors seek proposals from a broad range of gender studies approaches: feminist critiques and readings of popular or non-mainstream texts, readings from the perspective of masculinity studies, and examinations of gender construction (boys/girls/trans*). Further, we imagine an expansive definition of "texts" that might include a range of traditional print texts such as novels, short stories, picture books, nonfiction, etc as well as comic books, mixed texts/image texts (such as the Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Ellie McDoodle series), graphic novels, and other print and electronic texts aimed at child and adolescent readers.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">The topics below are intended as suggestions, but the editors welcome related proposals: </span></span><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">gender and genre conventions in popular series</span></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">subversive approaches to gender</span></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">femininity, masculinity in popular or alternate series </span></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">gender, race, class, and difference in children’s and young adult literature </span></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">treatment of sexuality and trans* issues in children’s texts </span></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">evolving representations of gender, femininity, masculinity in specific works by a single author or within a genre </span></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Responses to evolving gender representations in literature-based fan communities and/or social networking sites. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Treatment of diversified gendered perspectives upon adaptation</span></span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">For submissions, please include: a proposed chapter title an abstract of your proposed essay (no more than 500 words), including your proposed area of inquiry, original thesis, and overview of the essay’s argument. an abbreviated curriculum vitae highlighting your relevant teaching, research, and service experience to the book’s focus.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Deadline for proposals: July 15, 2014 <b>NEW DEADLINE: AUGUST 11TH, 2014!</b></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Please submit your materials as a single word or PDF document as an attachment. Copy Dr. Tricia Clasen (<a href="mailto:Tricia.Clasen@uwc.edu">Tricia.Clasen@uwc.edu</a>) and Dr. Holly Hassel (<a href="mailto:Holly.Hassel@uwc.edu">Holly.Hassel@uwc.edu</a>).</span></span>Tricia Clasenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02283651173568831963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74368172715739752.post-19693958919843890682014-05-07T11:05:00.000-07:002014-10-28T10:17:00.256-07:00It's not you; it's me.<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"It's
not you; it's me." Class break-up
line right? Maybe even cringe-worthy. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We
tend to think of it as an excuse when people don't know what else to say, but
maybe that's a bit harsh because it's often true. It doesn't mean there's anything wrong with either of you; you're just not necessarily right for each other. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What about this one? "If I'd just met you sooner…" or "I'd totally marry you in ten years". Yeah, it doesn't feel any better, but think house hunting. Maybe this particularly house would be great in five years, but it doesn't work for you today because of some circumstance--proximity to a school or an infant that needs a room close to a master bedroom. Ultimately people's needs change. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That brings me to <b>Query Lesson #3</b>. Whether
we're searching for a house, a job, a friend, love, or an agent, sometimes, two things
drive the match: "fit" and
"timing." <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_bzY474vzcQ3wgnbbV9UZwug1rdn1dua9K8BlfA_pQlKmDjRM7rxw_UPKOGbtnWd30MwKEWSw4G-UJLd8O3I1ieDP3LleY96iWx-r7jnstulZzbuWF8R1Rdkt6CscEJLAvVTu-B9bm8/s1600/MjAxMy0wMGE5M2RlYjc3NjBkYTRl.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_bzY474vzcQ3wgnbbV9UZwug1rdn1dua9K8BlfA_pQlKmDjRM7rxw_UPKOGbtnWd30MwKEWSw4G-UJLd8O3I1ieDP3LleY96iWx-r7jnstulZzbuWF8R1Rdkt6CscEJLAvVTu-B9bm8/s1600/MjAxMy0wMGE5M2RlYjc3NjBkYTRl.png" height="224" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In my work
world, we see this issue of fit come up a lot.
We eliminate a lot of applicants for faculty positions who might be
incredible somewhere else, but we know they aren't going to jive well with our
students and our culture. In writing,
it's obviously important to know what genres and interests potential agents and
editors have before you query, but even if you hit the genre right, there can
be all kinds of reasons why you or your manuscript might not be a good
"fit" for someone. It may have
NOTHING to do with you. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Or it might have everything to do with you. What I mean is that you might have a well-written novel in a genre people just don't love. Maybe what you're selling just isn't as marketable. I felt that with my second novel. Feedback was good, but I got the sense that it just wasn't an exciting enough theme. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Timing
matters, too. You might have a fantastic
manuscript, but the market is currently flooded with similar novels, causing
agents and editors to pass. Again,
sometimes, it really isn't about you or your work. I've said before that my goal isn't self-publishing, and I do think there are plenty of people who go into it for the wrong reasons, but the issue of market timing may be one strong reason to consider self-publishing. If current market demand is high for angels or werewolves or ghosts or whatever, you might assume that agents and editors have a complete list of them already AND they are still receiving umpteen queries a day in that genre. It's just bad timing. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'll go back to the job market. It's hard not to take it personally when an interview doesn't work out. We all want to be liked and accepted, but because it's about fit and timing, the key is not to take it personally.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Take whatever lessons you can from the experience and move on. </span></div>
Tricia Clasenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02283651173568831963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74368172715739752.post-60242009285704090462014-03-27T11:31:00.002-07:002014-10-28T10:17:17.987-07:00Rejection is good.<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I know I said I learned three lessons in the query process, but it's shaping up to be four. As always, my writing experiences can be applied to so many aspects of life. I'm in awe of the ways we, as humans, continue to learn the same lessons over and over again just in different contexts. I suppose it could depress me. I mean, really, how dense can we be? Instead, I choose to think maybe it's all reinforcement. So, the next lesson isn't really new, but I appreciated the reminder.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Lesson #2: Rejection
can be a good thing.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjkDGdyypHAB5QCJZ9ZY5HGrekSmcgcr8vuOFn2BdN_E8K0yRVjfvtwWj0nRc1vQiBak771DMniBHPe84Nw0P7siO4HLgSnzW1oXoOWTP1Ak3SCRqtIP0wtAVl4vexj049-mjUyvUfhsg/s1600/rejection.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjkDGdyypHAB5QCJZ9ZY5HGrekSmcgcr8vuOFn2BdN_E8K0yRVjfvtwWj0nRc1vQiBak771DMniBHPe84Nw0P7siO4HLgSnzW1oXoOWTP1Ak3SCRqtIP0wtAVl4vexj049-mjUyvUfhsg/s1600/rejection.jpg" height="320" width="254" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So listen, rejection sucks.
I think I've covered that. It
hurts. It's personal. It's a hit to the self-esteem. That's true whether we're talking about a
job, a guy at a bar, a friend who stops calling, or when only a few people "like"
the Facebook status you thought was a masterpiece. Your throat clogs up, and your chest gets
tight, and suddenly you wonder why you even bothered in the first place. Okay, fine, maybe you don't have as visceral
a reaction to rejection as I do, but just check out these Reddit users' <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/18buvr/whats_your_worst_story_of_rejection/">stories</a> of rejection if you want to know how crappy it feels.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Rejection is important, though. I'm sure I could find a million and one clichés
to illustrate my point, but we have to face rejection in order to improve. We have to face rejection to know that we
needed to improve in the first place. At
the same time, we have to be willing to hear what the rejector is saying in
order to change. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Maybe it's typical in all areas of life today—fast paced, immediate
gratification—but I hear a lot of writers say things like "Well, if I
don't get an agent, I'll just self-publish." Listen, I'm not downgrading all
self-publishing (and in lesson #3, I'll talk about one particularly motivator
for self-publishing), but after querying three novels, I will say, quality matters. It's possible that your work just isn't good
enough yet. When faced with rejection,
maybe it's time to re-group and to think about what else you can do with that
manuscript. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I know that I am a better writer today than I was when I
wrote my first manuscript, and I am sure that all those rejection letters
played a significant role in the process.
I am not yet a success story, and I will receive a lot more rejection
before I see a book in print. I'm not saying that I'm going to do a happy dance
every time an editor tells me, "No."
I believe, though, that that in all walks of life if our response to
rejection is always to ignore it (again time and place and that comes up in the
next lesson) we miss out on valuable opportunities to recognize our own
weaknesses. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I know I'll never be perfect, but I find the more aware of my shortcomings I am, the stronger I become. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Tricia Clasenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02283651173568831963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74368172715739752.post-92176519824435963292014-03-13T11:54:00.000-07:002014-03-27T11:33:03.503-07:00Slow Down!<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm just going to pretend it hasn't been months since I blogged. I'd appreciate it if you'd play along in my denial.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqHCZC0szbFn922Yhd2852QIC4uD5hlntMIZj7Xpv8CK9YXZZfVKlD1Wnf995pbeJuzE_ADY5ndz4_F3viwjunu4WJmdDuLM5_-VMqLJR1eQXtK4URf5BcKqqc24wV81alIScn7F-dR6Q/s1600/tumblr_mfup84f2Oa1rheqhwo1_500.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqHCZC0szbFn922Yhd2852QIC4uD5hlntMIZj7Xpv8CK9YXZZfVKlD1Wnf995pbeJuzE_ADY5ndz4_F3viwjunu4WJmdDuLM5_-VMqLJR1eQXtK4URf5BcKqqc24wV81alIScn7F-dR6Q/s1600/tumblr_mfup84f2Oa1rheqhwo1_500.gif" height="179" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Moat of you already know that I started out the year
by accepting <a href="http://www.publishersmarketplace.com/members/jenlinnan/">Jen Linnan's</a> offer of representation. I'm still waiting for that
to sink in or for fireworks to go off every time I even think about it. Despite imagining it happening for three
years, the whole thing still feels surreal.
I love reading "how I got my agent" stories, so
I'm going to share mine, along with some additional lessons I learned in the
query process, but I'll break it up into three parts. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've completed and queried three middle-grade novels. By the
time I was ready to query novel #3, I certainly felt like a failure. My social networking circle is heavily
populated with other queriers. It seemed
as if everyone was signing, publishing, and becoming best-sellers (or moving on
to self-publishing, but I'll save that topic). I tried to take comfort in what
I'd learned and how much I'd grown as a writer.
Sometimes, it worked, but sometimes, I wallowed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lesson #1: Go slow<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Impatience is my middle name. I do not do slow well. I'm only 5' feet tall, but if you take a walk
down the hall with me, you may need running shoes to keep up. I go fast.
Not surprisingly, then, I failed on this one the first time around. </span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'd read all about querying small batches, which I sort of,
kind of, did. I sent out five queries,
and waited. Then, I got requests for
fulls, and I was excited, so I sent out more.
And so on and so on. The problem:
I was getting form rejections with no feedback on those full manuscripts. I had no idea that was bad. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB3qUzDOMGJTcPI9E6rCY4eN28TGDhm5KYyeJbYQj05Ilb0__QDBR0-g2pcEOQuMHgXBfy_2DHvsKncP6lQcngaG-ZfuXQ88mqNgVdHrDZKwsLVXTsQ3Yv8dlne2K2FIG8Ab4Iu2go7JQ/s1600/MP9004226611-300x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB3qUzDOMGJTcPI9E6rCY4eN28TGDhm5KYyeJbYQj05Ilb0__QDBR0-g2pcEOQuMHgXBfy_2DHvsKncP6lQcngaG-ZfuXQ88mqNgVdHrDZKwsLVXTsQ3Yv8dlne2K2FIG8Ab4Iu2go7JQ/s1600/MP9004226611-300x300.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When you're trained to believe the primary goal is writing
the perfect query letter, if that letter results in people wanting to read your
novel, it feels like success.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you're
like me, you assume that if enough people read it, surely ONE will want to
represent that work.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What I didn't
understand at the time is that while agents and editors don't give feedback on
queries, they generally are pretty supportive of manuscripts they reject that
are "almost" there.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My lack of
feedback was a huge flashing sign, and I drove right past it without so much as
a brake check.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, I kept sending, and I kept not getting feedback, and
after about nine months, and ongoing revision, I decided to trunk novel #1 and
shift my focus to novel #2. Then, I was
sitting in revision workshop at a conference, while Molly O'Neill shared before
and after pages of novels. We read pages
from the beginning of the first draft of several published books, including <i>Divergent</i>. Right in the middle of the conference, I had
an epiphany. My first novel started in
the wrong place. Yup, it had been
finished, gone through two writing groups and several better readers. It has been queried and then read by numerous
agents. And it was all wrong. So I spent
several months re-writing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">By Spring I was ready to query it again, and that's when I
learned about feedback. When I went back
out with it, again, agents requested. I
remember at one point having eight agents reading it at the same time. It's hard not to get your hopes up with
numbers like that. Clearly, no offers
came, but I probably got something more valuable: feedback. At that point, when agents
rejected, they sent paragraphs of feedback—what resonated, what didn't, what
they liked about my writing, what they didn't. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was close, but not close enough. Unfortunately, I'd pretty
much exhausted the pool by then. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We can all be in a hurry to find success, but sometimes,
slower is better. I suppose I need to remember that more often than just in querying, huh? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, yes, go slow. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Slow down, but don't
stop!</span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
Tricia Clasenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02283651173568831963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74368172715739752.post-42453148922765008952013-12-17T04:33:00.002-08:002014-03-27T11:32:50.158-07:00Building Support<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5qpH3QpSmK_pH_RVpx8wlsW92FYYy8S3dbByU68YqHeb7Zxc1-SEqhg21RbJfQ8WUWOTlu8MJlhK72K1beXfbYxq52pLQc3toeIHU5EzfdaFJVLDQ6X6a7fEFcHyJuovKHn9_eke8gbs/s1600/6867986818_f55b4f696e_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5qpH3QpSmK_pH_RVpx8wlsW92FYYy8S3dbByU68YqHeb7Zxc1-SEqhg21RbJfQ8WUWOTlu8MJlhK72K1beXfbYxq52pLQc3toeIHU5EzfdaFJVLDQ6X6a7fEFcHyJuovKHn9_eke8gbs/s320/6867986818_f55b4f696e_z.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Everything built requires support. Beams, posts, trusses, footings. I probably should just quit with this analogy now because I don't actually know anything about construction, but the general principle applies. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Without the appropriate support, structures fail. It can take years. It might lead to a minor crack or total devastation. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As I get deeper into the novel querying process again and as the end of the semester nears, causing my students to scramble or to go numb, I'm struck by the important lessons regarding support we can learn from home improvement shows. A solid foundation is hard work, but the lesson of the day is: <i><b>plenty of help is available, but you probably won't find it unless you seek it out.</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When I think about it, I bet in most situations where I feel most alone and afraid it only takes a few clicks, a phone call or even a smile to start building a support network. The most challenging part is that when we are most vulnerable is when we have to make the effort to reach out. I know my insanely busy students probably feel like the world is about to cave in on them, but there are tutors and friends and family would be happy to help hold up the walls if only they were asked. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqCvj6gM1bRlFnvbyhwmeWHHzOwmXkEHXHh8DzeqoZFK54mZkN_e0oW2AOCXm8B6AzL0DP9hKsl0Y4of7-qaHy-4Q3D_2zr4LJNK0WQLcrMOEh8ENFCTky5EkN5pCKn8zeWeOA8fx-lb8/s1600/writer-cat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqCvj6gM1bRlFnvbyhwmeWHHzOwmXkEHXHh8DzeqoZFK54mZkN_e0oW2AOCXm8B6AzL0DP9hKsl0Y4of7-qaHy-4Q3D_2zr4LJNK0WQLcrMOEh8ENFCTky5EkN5pCKn8zeWeOA8fx-lb8/s320/writer-cat.jpg" height="242" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We writers are a particularly insecure lot. And with the odds of getting published so low, it's not surprising. I can't tell you often I feel like Writer Cat on this one. Every time I write a novel, I am sure it's complete and utter crap, and I usually have to put it away for months before I can find any value in it. The amazing thing about a contest experience like <a href="http://www.brenda-drake.com/pitch-wars/">PitchWars</a> (I wrote about it last time) is that even thought I didn't "win" anything, I am reminded that I am not alone. In fact, there is a wonderful, supportive community of writers out there, all just itching to be insecure together. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lesson number two is equally important and relevant to to #1. <b><i>People want you to succeed</i></b>. Even in competitive situations, the overwhelming majority of people don't want success at your expense. I don't find great joy when students get F's in my class. Other writers have been amazingly generous in their time and feedback along the way. Students in public speaking hate having all eyes on them, but I remind them that those eyes are generally supportive ones. It's painful to watch others struggle, and we would much rather cheer you on in success.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When doubt cracks the foundation, I need these lessons to keep me from assuming the structure is irreparable and abandoning it altogether. </span><br />
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<br />Tricia Clasenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02283651173568831963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74368172715739752.post-24295687136378740892013-12-02T20:42:00.001-08:002014-03-27T11:32:31.705-07:00Mentee Bio Post<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That awkward moment when you realize you haven’t posted to
your blog in 6 months. Yeah, so hey! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This year, I’ve sent out my application for the <a href="http://www.brenda-drake.com/">Brenda Drake’sPitch Wars</a>. It works a little like the
Voice. An editor, intern or an author
who is already published or agented picks an un-agented writer to mentor (SOMEONE
LIKE ME FOR INSTANCE!). Feedback is given on both the manuscript and the pitch
(HOW ABOUT MINE?) in order to get ready for an agent round. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mentors posted these amazing bios, and some of the hopefuls
have decided to create <a href="http://dcmorin.blogspot.com/2013/12/pitchwars-mentee-contender-bio-blog-hop.html">mentee bios</a> as well. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A mentee, bio? What I
lovely idea, I thought. Then I opened a
few, and immediately developed an inferiority complex. What the heck do I say? Should I be funny or all serious author
business? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After staring at the screen for a bit, I decided my current
life is probably best divided into three areas:
family, work, and writing. </span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">FAMILY<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidN-l63vjYzkY8OngkJ0yflKrSFhdMkma5Jb_gwoNn8daL9rIQJx6mbyyCjaxikfYdn1jyO7jPwqvtLYT4Mk1MW9TbGuHedbv2pEaocMvnQVR85ShdYzhmmTAP7A6Jfp9dlPKfb58giNU/s1600/minivan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidN-l63vjYzkY8OngkJ0yflKrSFhdMkma5Jb_gwoNn8daL9rIQJx6mbyyCjaxikfYdn1jyO7jPwqvtLYT4Mk1MW9TbGuHedbv2pEaocMvnQVR85ShdYzhmmTAP7A6Jfp9dlPKfb58giNU/s200/minivan.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’m been married fourteen years, and we have two girls aged
twelve and six (INSTANT INSPIRATION). I
spend the majority of my time carting kids around. I am, in fact, a dance mom. No, not like that. At least, I hope not, but I do enjoy
rhinestones and glitter. (IF YOU PICK
ME, I’LL GIVE YOU SOME REAL DANCE MOM STORIES). When the girls aren’t dancing, and
I’m not driving them everywhere, we enjoy traveling (UGH, ALWAYS IN THAT
MINIVAN) and watching HGTV.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">WORK<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’m a college professor of communication. I teach at a two year college, and I have the
best gig around. Students take me on
quite a roller coaster every semester (PICK ME, AND I’LL TELL YOU SOME OF THOSE
DOOZIES). There is nothing better, though, than watching a student a give a speech with
passion and conviction or having them realize something important about a
relationship. I am blessed to gain a window into so many people's lives every day. In that sense my students' stories become part of my own.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">WRITING<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<br />
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<a href="http://boscafelife.wordpress.com/page/2/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMiQilRxa0I-5PMddskVB5SZYojMasrwB8IE74DwpiPwzPXcWgRTJIeMlzQvlEAmIILRLSs_89Oa1rQ-i_kTsbzjk30784LIYbNpdAzdKnrs-7lvitqezL-DRrfW1kiq8CnHyVBNL33g0/s1600/download.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am definitely a late bloomer, as I didn’t write anything
until a few years ago when I dabbled in fanfiction (YUP, THERE ARE STORIES
THERE, TOO!) but I’m trying to make up for lost time. I have three completed novels which are all
middle-grade. I write YA as well, but I’ve
only got works in progress there. I'm slowly beginning my query journey on my third novel. Querying is scary and hopeful and time consuming and exciting and infuriating and joyful and confidence-sapping and confidence-boosting all at once.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You may have gathered that I just love stories. I want to listen to them, watch them, write them, tell them, and live them. I'd love share one of my stories with you.</span></div>
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Tricia Clasenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02283651173568831963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74368172715739752.post-42141671297995863962013-06-18T10:27:00.001-07:002013-12-17T04:35:46.345-08:00The Comparison Epiphany<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">So, I had an epiphany.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Okay, fine, not really because this isn’t something I didn’t already
know but hey, reminders are always good.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Remember how in my last blog I talked about how my friend
told to get over my competitiveness in regards to running races because “Someone
will always be faster?”<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Well, duh!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That means
I will probably always be faster than someone else, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I admit that at first the competitive monster
in me rejoiced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I win! I win! I win!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Then, my husband reminded me of these words from the <a href="http://www.desiderata.com/">Desiderata</a>:<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSsbDwvehdlFLQODKEkH9Xt7oaJj0d5BtOhZOrBfL4udrmUjhWMWghYq6B8d3sPCiAhGesNM8pva763qQJKYmUDWdr22DA_sPfQAVzjE4nmTv52nZzfcai6YsyhUEkqMo4rPN0iO5zYw0/s1600/untitled.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSsbDwvehdlFLQODKEkH9Xt7oaJj0d5BtOhZOrBfL4udrmUjhWMWghYq6B8d3sPCiAhGesNM8pva763qQJKYmUDWdr22DA_sPfQAVzjE4nmTv52nZzfcai6YsyhUEkqMo4rPN0iO5zYw0/s320/untitled.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">I completely get and appreciate this sentiment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I’m not convinced it’s the
comparison itself that’s bad but our reaction to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all the next line is, “Enjoy your
achievements as well as your plans.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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</span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Sometimes (maybe even often), the difficulty is that we don’t
recognize our own achievements without comparison.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, of course, it’s great if you can compare
to your own progress, but since many of us are our own worst critics, that can
be a challenge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">I’ve been a part of several writing critique groups.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the best parts to me is that we are
all at different places, and we all bring something important to the
conversation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through reading someone
else’s work, I can better recognize the progress of my own writing as well as
improvements that are still needed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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</span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">When I’m out running and I pass someone going slower, I don’t
think, “ha, see you sucker.” However, I do allow myself a second to note how
much I’ve shaved off my own time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I try
to offer a smile of encouragement instead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When someone passes me, I can take stock and ask, “Could I run faster
today?” Whether the answer is yes or no, I am using the comparison to enjoy my
achievements as well as my plans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">For this week anyway, I am actually delighted that people
are faster and slower than I.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m
thrilled about what I’ve mastered as a writer and ready to tackle the umpteen
million things I haven’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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</span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Mostly, I like the idea that we’re kind of all along this
spectrum of life and learning together, and I’m going to try not to let “comparison”
lead me to vanity or bitterness but to motivation and inspiration instead.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span>Tricia Clasenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02283651173568831963noreply@blogger.com0