She is a First Nation People from Canada, writing a memoir about her journey "taking off her nativeness" to live a different life and how she finds her way back to her culture. She begins our plot consultation by telling me she is wearing her ceremonial dress and explains how the sage smudging ceremony she preforms on her end of the telephone opens the door for good. She follows with a prayer to "honor the creator of life". Including me in her blessing, I feel wrapped in the cocoon of safety. …
CBS News Sunday Morning Show — Oscar Sunday
Are we rewarded when, rather than run and hide, we choose to face our fears and own our own story?I'm one to answer with a resounding yes! This latest reward, however, far exceeds any gift I've ever imagined. I remember maybe ten years ago, a publicist chiding me for not thinking big enough. Then, I couldn't have even taken in the opportunity recently presented to me. After taking years to understand what she meant and to begin breaking out of the box I'd locked myself in, even now, I float …
Success Demands Action: Writing a Story From Beginning to End Demands Self-Confidence
He's an international sensation, houses in five different countries, a TED host and a successful non-fiction journalist. He falters when considering his fiction. Having worked with him in the past on developing the plot for his now completed suspense novel, he calls for another appointment. Double-thinking the job his agent is doing pitching his novel, he asks for help establishing his "brand" in support of his novel and developing a plan to create an on-line presence in hopes of impressing …
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Benefits of Pre-Pre-Plotting or the Art of Pitching Your Story
Summer means Writers Conferences and pitching your story. You find yourself sitting at lunch next to a literary agent. How quickly and compellingly do you draw her into your story? How intriguing is your concept?When friends ask what your story is about, rather than drone on about every single plot point, learn how to rattle off a pithy pitch that sends even people overhearing you begging for more.Think of the concept and pitch as the seeds out of which grow action and characters …
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Another Way to View the Crisis, through a Personal Lens
As we all gathered together for today's online video chat with 8 writers, Literary Agent Jill Corcoran and me, one writer had difficulty logging on. This being our very first technical snafu, I thought to myself, ah, ha!Jill attempted to help the writer and then she disappeared. When she came back she advised all of us to turn off other apps on our computers. We all disappeared.The problems resolved quickly and went on to explain how this week (the 3rd session of 4 in the Pre-Plot Workshop …
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