Z is for Zoinks

We did it! We're at the last day of the A-Z challenge. For new challenge followers, welcome and thank you, thank you. I hope to keep things just as busy and updated here, so keep checking back. For longer term followers, thanks to you too, and I hope you found the A-Z theme helpful and valuable.

There are two reasons I picked Zoinks. First, when someone says zoinks, you know exactly who they're referring too. Having clear, defined, unique and memorable characters like Shaggy will help our story live on in the minds of readers long after they turn the last page. The other reason is that its important to have things that make your readers go ZOINKS! Whether its a King-ian gutter monster clown thing, a shocking plot twist, or a really great kiss, (or maybe all three? hmmm...)give your readers scenes to remember.

I just finished watching Grumpy Old Men with Jack Lemon and Walter Mathau, so I'm in a pretty happy mood :) Talk about Zoinks moments. If you've seen that movie, there's definitely a zoinks moment in the middle. So cool. Anyway, hope you're all having a good weekend and hope the writing is coming along wonderfully!

Sarah Allen

Y is for YouTube: How and Why Writers should use it for Marketing

For a while now, I've been mentioning YouTube, and hinting at my master plan to use it to become the next J.K. Rowling. Ok, not really, and there isn't really a master plan, but YouTube is definitely a huge resource for modern day marketing for writers. Its one of those things that I really think can end up being worth the time and effort you put into it.

See, there are some YouTube videos that get millions and millions of views. Now, imagine of those millions and millions of people were watching your book trailer. That would definitely help with publicity, huh? I think most of us would be ecstatic with a few thousand views on a book trailer.

So here's my plan. I think it might be wise to start networking and getting a following on YouTube before I put up a book trailer, because that way there is automatically a group of people who it will go to right off the bat. Easier to spread that way. I'm still figuring out how exactly to do that, all that networking getting a following stuff, but I figure its better to start now, with perhaps less important videos, and work my way up to when it really counts. So the few tricks I've learned so far is to go around commenting, friending, and messaging as many people as you can. Friend the really big YouTube channels, that might get you something, and find people with similar video interests as you. Friend them, comment on their blog, share your video. It will get you many more views and subscribers then if you did nothing but wait for your video to get noticed. Most likely it won't, before a lot of ground-up work on your part. Put up good quality videos and keep contacting and sharing it with people. Twitter and Facebook can help you with this too. Like I said, I'm learning as I go here on this, so if any of you have experience and good ideas, I would absolutely love to hear them.

Here's a video poem I did:

I've got some other cool stuff on my channel, and I would love to connect with you there too. We can help each other.

Keep writing!
Sarah Allen

X is for xkcd

No time for a long post today, but I thought I'd share with you one of my all-time favorite web-comics. Many of you are probably already familiar with xkcd, but if you're not, its worth checking out. The humor is incredibly intelligent, and I don't get it a lot of the time, but what I do get is usually hilarious. It can be creatively inspiring, or just provide a laugh when you need one. So check it out, find something new. And keep writing!

Sarah Allen

W is for Waiting

Is it just me, or does it seem like life involves a lot of waiting? I feel like I'm in a kind of 'waiting stage' of life, where I'm waiting for...a lot. I'm waiting to finish up things with this dumb jaw surgery so I can move to Oregon. I'm waiting to hear back from all the jobs I applied to so I know if I'm going to starve or not once I do move. I'm waiting to have the space and money to buy a puppy. I'm waiting to not be single anymore. I'm waiting for January so I can apply to the University of Oregon MFA program, and others, after which I will be doing more waiting. I'm waiting to be accepted for publication in The New Yorker, or some such. I'm waiting (and working) to finish my novel so I can submit it to agents, so I can do more waiting, so they can submit it to editors, so I can do even more waiting.

Frankly, my dear, I don't care a whit for waiting. I hate it, despise it, and am very, very bad at it. Its amazing how bad a waiter I am considering how much practice I have. (That's another kind of waiting I might end up being good at, depending on the job market in Eugene). See, what really bothers me, is that no matter how hard you work, no matter how much you market and write and submit and apply, there comes a point when you are forced to wait for someone else. Waiting for them to accept you for publication, representation, a date or a job, waiting for them to follow your blog, watch your YouTube video or buy your book. You can work and work and work, but it just leads to waiting and waiting and waiting.

So you keep working. Work while you wait. Its better than doing your waiting sitting around. It still sucks, and I'm still very bad at it, but at least it takes the edge off of the antsyness of not doing anything. Books, movies and good TV shows also help de-drearify the waiting period. Especially when all the waits for everything in your life seem to converge. But keep working and keep enjoying. Waits always end eventually. I hope.

Sarah Allen

V is for Voice and Vulnerability (Or What I Learned in Acting Class)

About a year ago I took an acting class. Not only was it life-changing, but I learned quite a bit that applies directly to good writing. One of those things was what good, natural voice feels like. I learned that better in that class then I have anywhere else.

When I thought too much and over-prepared; when I thought 'Alright everyone, now I shall ACT'; those were the times the teacher would stop and correct me. Tell me to be more natural. When I just stood up there and said my piece, that was when I was told I had done right, and complimented. The thing is, after the good times, I would sit down and feel like I had done absolutely nothing. I would feel slightly exposed, but not like I had just given a performance, and definitely not like I had been 'Acting.' I felt like I had not given enough, or been self-concious or thoughtful enough, until I realized and was told that was how it was supposed to feel. What I learned about voice is this: when you feel you've done the least is when you've done the most.

Here's why I think it works this way: because when you are most yourself, most natural and vulnerable, you don't feel like you are "performing" or creating anything artistic or spectacular. You just feel like you're being you. EXACTLY. I still worry that me being me will be dull, too wacky, or incomprehensible to someone else, but thats what readers and editors are for. They'll help you know where to make changes, but 95% of the time, you will be pleasantly surprised at how unique, wonderful and appreciated you are when you're you. Seriously. You're used to being in your head, but no one else is. Let them. You don't have to say, 'Ok everyone, now I shall WRITE!'. Just write. The more vulnerable you are, the more people will relate to you, which is the point of all art. (see Empathy). It will be uncomfortable, especially at first, but it is worth it.

Sarah Allen