Reading is Fundamental

I fondly remember those old commercials that tried to convince folks to start reading by telling them that, "Reading is FUNdamental." I have always loved reading, and even though those commercials didn't exactly apply to me, I appreciated them. Back in the day, too many of my peers avoided reading and some of them absolutely hated it. I, on the other hand, was addicted to reading and if I ran out of books to read, I would read cereal boxes, canned food labels, whatever was at hand. In an unselfish act of parental love, my parents sacrificed themselves financially in order to buy our household a set of encyclopedias from a traveling encyclopedia salesman that showed up at our door in East New York (remember those?). They fed my addiction with those wonderful, sacred tomes and I loved them all the more for it. I voraciously read every single book, including the bonus dictionary, from cover to cover, and then I read them again. I loved those books so much that 50 years later, I still have some of them (including the bonus dictionary) in my bookcase at home.
  In school, it was pretty much the same thing. There was a reading program introduced to inner city  schools at the time in which student were encouraged to read various books called "Readers" (I still have a couple of those too, gifted to me by the P.T.A. of my grade school), and then once you've finished a story in the reader, the teacher would then hand you a color-coded card from the set on her desk and you would answer the questions on the card pertaining to the story. This system was designed to last for the entire school year. I finished the entire set in less than two months. I wound up going through the whole program at least four times before any of my fellow students had finished it even once. Why? Because I truly loved reading, and I still do. By the time I finished the third grade, I had an 11.4 reading level. In junior-high school, I wrote an article that was published (my first published work!) as a Guest column in D.C. comics. What was the subject? How reading comic books is good for you!
  In an article in the online newsletter Lifehack titled, "The 10 Benefits of Reading" by Lana Winter-Hébert, she outlines the benefits of reading. I'm just going to briefly paraphrase each point she makes.

1. Mental Stimulation

Studies have shown that staying mentally stimulated can slow the progress of (or possibly even prevent) Alzheimer's and Dementia, since keeping your brain active and engaged prevents it from losing power.

2. Stress Reduction

No matter how much stress you have at work, in your personal relationships, or countless other issues faced in daily life, it all just slips away when you lose yourself in a great story.

3. Knowledge

Everything you read fills your head with new bits of information, and you never know when it might come in handy.

4. Vocabulary Expansion

This goes with the above topic: the more you read, the more words you gain exposure to, and they'll inevitably make their way into your everyday vocabulary.

5. Memory Improvement

When you read a book, you have to remember an assortment of characters, their backgrounds, ambitions, history, and nuances, as well as the various arcs and sub-plots that weave their way through every story.

6. Stronger Analytical Thinking Skills

Have you ever read an amazing mystery novel, and solved the mystery yourself before finishing the book? If so, you were able to put critical and analytical thinking to work by taking note of all the details provided and sorting them out to determine "whodunnit".

7. Improved Focus and Concentration

When you read a book, all of your attention is focused on the story—the rest of the world just falls away, and you can immerse yourself in every fine detail you're absorbing.

8. Better Writing Skills

This goes hand-in-hand with the expansion of your vocabulary: exposure to published, well-written work has a noted effect on one's own writing, as observing the cadence, fluidity, and writing styles of other authors will invariably influence your own work. In the same way that musicians influence one another, and painters use techniques established by previous masters, so do writers learn how to craft prose by reading the works of others.

9. Tranquility

In addition to the relaxation that accompanies reading a good book, it's possible that the subject you read about can bring about immense inner peace and tranquility.

10. Free Entertainment

For low-budget entertainment, you can visit your local library and bask in the glory of the countless tomes available there for free.

Notice the one that I bolded?  It says in a nutshell what I am trying to get across to you, and that is that you cannot possibly be a good writer without first being a good and dedicated reader. I have been approached by quite a few people that tell me they are writiing or want to write a book, but they dislike reading. How is that going to work? To write, you must be a connoisseur of the language in which you intend to write. No one is saying that you should know every word and the meaning of those words, but you should have a working knowledge of vocabulary, grammar, spelling, syntax...  and all of those things are developed and sharpened via reading. Tons of people that I know want to write their memoirs or the biography of a family member or loved one, but most of those same people have never read one. In my home, everyone has their own library of books and in each library is a broad sprinkling of various genres and types. My own library contains everything from a collection of Shakespeare's works, to Sci-Fi and Fantasy books, to books on religion, to books by contemporary Latino authors, to books on geography, history, science, politics, war, writing, and horror. And, of course, I also have the biographies of Barack Obama, Theodore Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln, Nelson Mandela, Benjamin Franklin, Thurgood Marshall, and even Adoplh Hitler on my shelves.
A writer should, by consequence, be a reader. Ultimately it's good for them, good for their readers, and good for their writing.

Is your writing sickly?

Is your writing sickly?😷

There are writers out there, even some very successful ones, whose writing is in desperate need of a transfusion. Or vitamins. Or first aid. Or something!
  Why, you may wonder, do I say this? Because  as a writer it's not enough to simply put words to paper. In order to get your readers fully engaged, your writing must be too! You must inject those pesky blank pages, whether prose or poetry, with life! Your reader should find that your words are healthy, perky, and full of life. If not, your reader will quickly lose interest in your anemic writing and move on to more robust fare. Too many writers, and this is totally understandable but wholly unforgiveable, are more interested in having written than in the actual act of writing. So the writer gets lazy or loses interest, and just goes through the motion of putting words to paper without the requisite passion required for a reader to invest in it. Thus, this writing simply limps along in an unhealthy manner until it expires with a dusty wheeze of unrealized potential.
  Below are five ways you can diagnose whether or not your writing is sickly:
1. It bores you - If you're tired of your own writing, chances are good that your reader will be too.
2. No research involved - If you couldn't be bothered to invest much time into research, your reader may not be bothered to invest in your writing either.
3. Refuse to edit - Editing your own work can seem scary and tedious in the extreme, but it's essential!
4. Refuse rewrites - The bane of many writers, this is actually an opportunity for cleaning up and tightening down. Now is when you prove your dedication to your craft!
5. You don't READ - How in the world can you produce good, sound, healthy writing if you don't read? The answer? You can't!

  Here's a quote (that's actually two) on the subject from a well-known writer:
"I always have strong feelings when I write a book. Sometimes when I'm writing a book, I even cry when I'm writing. Once I read a quotation that I thought was very true for me, which is: 'No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader.'" - Eve Bunting.
  So, if you think that your writing could use a shot in the arm, give it a boost with some vitamin YOU! Inject your passion, your time, and real effort into your writing and watch it become infused with the rosy, robust glow of good health!

Writers see sideways.

Writers see sideways.

Ever have someone admonish you to "stay focused," "zero in," or "Stay on task?" Ever wonder why you have a short attention span, find it hard to just drift off to sleep or stay asleep? Ever wonder why your view of the world sometimes seems a bit skewed compared to a lot of other folks? Well, despite what worried relatives and armchair physicians may tell you, those are all symptoms of a condition known as escritorus profundus (okay, I made that up. Sorry).
  Look, the fact is that you're a WRITER (or other creative person), and you simply cannot see the world as others do. In fact, one can argue that it's your job to see and experience the world differently than ordinary folks. A writer should see the world at a slant, or at least through slightly "slitted" eyes. The world is chock full of mysteries, wonders, and splendors that can only be seen or appreciated by a writer's sideways stare. Really, you know that your perspective is unique; folks have probably been hinting that to you all your life.
  So don't try to make your view of the world match everybody else's, don't try to tamp down your enthusiasm for the tilted, skewed, unpopular, or unusual. Step out of conformity and into yourself. Embrace the writer in you that must look at the world sideways to make it work.
  Sideways can be beautiful.😃

A Journaling we go...

A Journaling we go...

Writers, in general, write. That's just how it is. We work on our poems, scripts, stories, blogs, novels, what-have-you. It's how we're wired. Yet there's an area of writing that many writers overlook, even though many of us may have been introduced to it as kids in elementary school. Yes, that's right, I'm talking about the dreaded JOURNAL.
  A journal can be pretty much anything, but it's usually just a small notebook that you carry around and keep handy, so you can jot down your thoughts or ideas... or (horrors!) your feelings. A lot of people equate the keeping of a journal with the diary you or your sister may have kept stashed under your pillow and into which you poured your deepest, darkest secrets when you were a child. Well, yes and no. I would say that a journal is not like a diary or even a blog, although it probably contains elements of both.
  You may opine that you already do a lot of writing, and I'm sure you're right, but a journal is different. In your journal you'll capture fleeting ideas, sights, sounds, thoughts and smells. The feel of a dandelion covered in dew, the minute fragrance of a woman's perfume as she passes by in a crowd, the shape of a leaf's shadow on a hot summer sidewalk.
  In your journal you can quickly snare an elusive idea for your next novel, chapter, non-fiction book, or Haiku. Your journal is like a net that can help you catch and keep the bits of flotsam and jetsam that your muse lobs your way a thousand times a day from a million directions. Your journals can then, in essence, become deposits of literary ore just waiting for you to mine them for inspiration, information, and ideas, "Whether you're keeping a journal or writing as a meditation, it's the same thing. What's important is you're having a relationship with your mind." - Natalie Goldberg
 A relationship with your mind, that's a beautiful thing. Sometimes we, as writers, get caught up in the process or art of writing, and let our relationship with our mind suffer. Keeping a journal allows you to keep that relationship vital. Many times over the years we may wish that we could revisit certain moments in our lives: the birth of a child, a graduation, a marriage proposal, a goodbye... well, in lieu of a fully operational time machine, a journal would do nicely. A quick scan of an old journal where you mention the time you thought you lost your child in a department store would bring back a slew of thoughts, feelings, etc. that you could use in your writing. Not to mention that writing is what we do anyway. So try keeping a journal, it doesn't have to be filled with deep, thought-provoking lines meant for posterity. Just jot down everyday thoughts and experiences. Once you do, looking back at what you have written there, you'll be glad you did.
"Writing in a journal reminds you of your goals and of your learning in life. It offers a place where you can hold a deliberate, thoughtful conversation with yourself." - Robin S. Sharma

BooksGoSocial Interviews Arnaldo Lopez Jr

BooksGoSocial Interviews Arnaldo Lopez Jr, the author of Chickenhawk!

BooksGoSocial

Today we are chatting to Arnaldo Lopez Jr, author of Chickenhawk.

Tell us something unexpected about yourself!

I love nature and country living. I hope to someday own a farm and grow hops for the micro-brewery industry.

What kind of books do you write?

My first novel, Chickenhawk, is a crime/thriller. But I also enjoy science-fiction, fantasy, and horror. I am presently working on a fantasy novel.

What inspired you to write?

Reading! I love to read, and reading all of those great books over the years inspired me to strike out on my own.

What makes your writing stand out from the crowd?

I do a lot of research so that my writing, even though most of it is fiction, rings true and resonates with the reader. I also try to end each chapter of my novels with a cliffhanger.

What is the hardest part of writing – for you?

Rewrites! I’m not certain how other writers feel about it, but going over my writing four, five, six or more times searching for errors just annoys me!

Where do you like to write – what is your routine?

Well, I hate to admit it but my favorite place to write is my bed! It’s usually quiet in my bedroom and I keep a host of reference material, as well as snacks and beverages, within easy reach on my nightstand!

What do you do when you are not writing – do you have a day job?

I recently retired after almost 30 years with NYC Transit. So no day job for me, not anymore anyway! When I’m not writing, I’m reading, painting, drawing, watching t.v. or a movie, playing a video game, or puttering around the house or garden.

Do you work with an outline or just write?

I always have a rough outline and character outlines before I start, but usually the characters take over and write their own story.

What advice would you have for other writers?

Write! Tell your story and get it out there. The world deserves to hear your voice.

How important is marketing and social media for you?

Marketing, promotion, and social media are extremely important to me when it comes to my writing.

What’s your next step?

My next step is to finish this fantasy novel that my son and I are collaborating on, and then move on to the next project.

The state of contemporary Latino literature

The state of contemporary Latino literature

What is the state of contemporary Latino literature?  Sad to say that I'm not entirely sure.  It is MUCH better than it used to be, but it's still a long way off from what it should be.  Contemporary black/African-American literature was at this same point several years ago when agents and publishers didn't take the work of (new) black writers seriously.  I mean, let's face it, for the publishing industry it's mostly about the bottom line.  They're a business and they need to make money.  For a long time, the publishing industry didn't see black writing as financially worth the trouble.  Then, when black readers turned to books written by black authors that were forced to seek alternative forms of publication, traditional publishing houses took a second look and started wooing the same black writers that they had largely heretofore ignored.  This spawned not only several new genres of writing, but also ignited a kind of renaissance of contemporary black writing.  Still, those same writers are hampered by the narrow and somewhat racist view that the publishing industry has of black writing and writers.  The success, financially and critically, of many of the books written by contemporary black writers has had the effect of having many agents and publishers pigeon-holing them into only those genres they helped create.  For many black writers trying to break into the industry by becoming traditionally published writers, if they write outside of the expected or accepted genres, their work is often rejected, misinterpreted, misunderstood, or if it does get published, it doesn't receive the promotion or categorization it deserves.  Case in point: an African-American woman writes a cookbook, but when she goes to a bookstore that is carrying it, she cannot find it in the shelves or displays with the other cookbooks. She finds it shelved in the African-American section even though the only thing black about the book was its author.  Because the publishing industry still doesn't understand or care to understand writers of color, they feel safer keeping them in tiny, well-defined boxes.  The same holds true for Latino(a) writers.  I wrote a crime fiction novel in which the main protagonist is Puerto Rican.  A major New York City based publishing
house was considering my novel but turned it down because they said that they could not figure out if it was actually a crime novel or an ethnic novel, and so would have trouble marketing it.  I've had several agents suggest that I make the main protagonist other than Puerto Rican since most readers equate Puerto Ricans with committing crimes rather than solving them!  And of course I have had agents and publishers suggest that I had write "magic realism" instead ala Gabriel Garcia Marquez.  Not too long ago Latin America did see a literary movement known as the "Latin American Boom in which many writers in the region emulated Garcia Marquez with the publication of many fine works that were associated with this style or genre of writing.  But I'm talking the good ol' USA, right here and right now.  In a about a decade, Latinos are going to be the majority here, and there are so many non-Latinos that just don't or don't care to understand their neighbors, and this of course goes for the publishing industry as well.  People of color write science-fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Mysteries... and yes cookbooks, and their work should be accepted or rejected solely on its merits, and works that do see publication should not be relegated to those shelves in bookstores that are the literary equivalent of ghettos.

The "Writing" Closet

The "Writing" Closet

THIS IS REPRINTED FROM A BLOGPOST THAT I ORIGINALLY WROTE ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013

There is written in Matthew 6:6 (KJV), in what has often been described as the most successful book ever written; the Holy Bible, that, "When thou prayest, enter thy closet, and when thou has shut thy door, pray to your father which is in secret..."
Wow, that's deep, and what does it have to do with writing and writers nowadays?  Well, I'll try to tie it all together.  A writer of Christian books spoke to me recently and said she was struggling with her latest book.  She stated that with the kids around, the pets, the husband, and the ensuing clutter, she just couldn't find a decent place to just sit down and write.  In today's hustle-bustle society where the average household often has to have two working parents, finding that "Writing Closet" that you can just enter and shut the door, where you can write to your muse in relative quiet and secrecy, is tough!  That's why if a person is serious about writing he/she must take the time and create the space to actually write.  One thing about writing and writers is that we're constantly being bombarded by distractions, and it can be easy to just give in and set our latest project aside while we tend to other, less literary, matters.
Don't let not having a place to write, or not having enough peace and quiet, or having to run errands, or whatever keep you from your work.  And yes, it is work.  You should treat your writing like a job and prepare a place and time where all you do is write, research, edit, stare out the window... whatever it is you do when you write.  Work it out with friends, family, hubby, wifey, the kids, whoever, that when you enter a particular room or sit at a particular place at a set time, you're essentially at work.  This actually works best when you actually have a room you can go into.  Let the spouse watch the kids while you work on your latest blockbuster!  A famous writer once said that you must write like you're digging a ditch, and he's right.  Writing, while a pleasure, can also be tedious, lonely, frustrating, scary... well, you know.  And there aren't any awards handed out to those of us that found the most excuses not to write.  If you're serious about writing, you have to treat it seriously.  Like a job.  Find a spot.  Sit down.  Get 'er done.
And don't forget, plenty of bestsellers were written on trains and buses while the author commuted back and forth his/her actual job.  J.K. Rowling wrote some of her first Harry Potter book on napkins while sitting in a diner.
So c'mon, find a spot.  Write.

Interview with the Latino Books Examiner

Interview with the Latino Books Examiner

Bio:  Arnaldo Lopez Jr was an employee of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York City for 28 years, and was formerly employed as a dispatcher with the NYPD. Mr. Lopez is also a speaker and trainer, speaking on subjects as diverse as terrorism and customer service. He created the civilian counter-terrorism training program currently in use by New York City Transit and many other major public transportation agencies around the country. As well as writing, Mr. Lopez is an artist and photographer, having sold several of his works over the years. As a writer he’s sold articles to Railway Age magazine, The Daily News magazine, Homeland Defense Journal, and Reptile & Amphibian magazine; scripts to Little Archie and Personality Comics; and short stories to Neo-Opsis magazine, Lost Souls e-zine, Nth Online magazine, Blood Moon magazine, and various other Sci-Fi and/or horror newsletters and fanzines. He was also editor of Offworld, a small science fiction magazine that was once chosen as a "Best Bet" by Sci-Fi television. Chickenhawk is his first novel.

Q: Please tell us about Chickenhawk, and what compelled you to write it.
A: While working nights as a token booth clerk for the MTA, I couldn’t help but observe the comings and goings of the young male prostitutes that plied their trade in the surrounding area, and their usually well-heeled johns. Not to mention the cops trying to stop it all.

Q: What is your book about?
A: Chickenhawk is an award-winning urban crime thriller. A serial killer is targeting the young, male prostitutes that make their living on the mean streets of New York City.  Eddie Ramos and Tommy Cucitti are the homicide detectives hot on his trail. But the killer manages to stay below their radar while the body count keeps climbing in a city that’s turning into a powder keg.

Q: What themes do you explore in Chickenhawk?
A: In Chickenhawk I explore the dark side of race relations, politics, sexuality, illness, madness, and infidelity

Q: Why do you write?
A: As anyone that knows me would tell you, I love to tell stories!

Q: When do you feel the most creative?
A: Late afternoon to evening, I’m definitely not a morning person.

Q: How picky are you with language?
A: Very picky! My characters have to sound authentic!

Q: When you write, do you sometimes feel as though you were being manipulated from afar?
A: No, not at all. When I write I create and immerse myself in my own world.

Q: What is your worst time as a writer?
 A: Doing rewrites!

Q: Your best?
A: Starting and finishing!

Q: Is there anything that would stop you from writing?
A: Well, there are plenty of things that do temporarily stop me from writing: work, family, chores … but stop me permanently? No.

Q: What’s the happiest moment you’ve lived as an author?
A: Seeing people I don’t know reading my novel, and once being recognized while taking the NYC subway.

Q: Is writing an obsession to you?
A: No, not really. It’s definitely more of a pleasure.

Q: Are the stories you create connected with you in some way?
A: There’s a little of me, my experiences and my backstory, in everything that I write.

Q: Ray Bradbury once said, “You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you.” Do you agree?
A: Wow, not really! Writing is a wonderful vocation or even avocation, but reality is where we live.

Q: Do you have a website or blog where readers can find out more about you and your work?
 A: http://www.arnaldolopezjr.com

Conflict

Conflict

Happy Easter!
Happy Resurrection Day!
Happy Easter!
Happy Resurrection Day!
For the last few years I've experienced this bit of conflict whenever I wanted to or actually greeted someone this particular holiday season. I grew up knowing this day as Easter Sunday, and so I'd go around greeting folks with a hearty "Happy Easter!"  But lately my greetings have been met with corrections of "Happy Resurrection Day!" According to these folks Easter is a pagan holiday and the proper greeting should reflect the actual reason for the season. Hence the Happy Resurrection Day greeting. Do YOU agree or disagree? Does it even matter at this point? And therein lies the CONFLICT.
  Every story or novel should contain some sort of conflict. In fact, I daresay that it is conflict that ultimately drives the narrative forward. In fact, a story without conflict will be hard put to move at all! Let me offer this semi-scientific point as an analogy... You can own the best car in the world, and it might still get stuck on a patch of ice. The tires might spin and turn but the car goes nowhere, nor is it going anywhere soon unless you add some traction. You see, in order for the tires to move the car, no matter how great that car is, they must have something to grab onto, bite into... essentially rub against. It's also kinda what makes the "moonwalk" work, but that's a story for another time...
  Anyway, without traction or friction, in other words CONFLICT between the tires and the road, that car won't move. The ice is so smooth, so slick, that the tires just cannot grip the road. Conflict in a story or novel serves as the traction that's needed to move the story forward. It can take the form of some huge battle, or it can be something as intimate as someone's fight against a disease or a disagreement between lovers. Whatever it is, it must exist. Romance novels, westerns, sci-fi, fantasy, horror, whatever your poison, there has to be an obstacle to overcome, a problem to solve, or a conflict to resolve.
  So remember to add some traction to your story so it won't just sit there spinning its literary wheels. Oh, and Happy Resurrection and Easter Sunday!

Not Just Books bookclub

Not Just Books bookclub

Sometimes writing can be a lonely business. Now, don't get me wrong, most writers are solitary creatures that treasure their alone time if for nothing more than to think. I'm the same way.  On those rare occasions when I find myself alone, I revel in the peace and quiet that allows me to write, plan, map, draw, paint, or even doze. Yet. Yet... as with most other artists, I like feedback. Is anyone reading my material? And if so, what do they think of it? Has my work had the desired effect on my readers? Has my writing resonated with anyone?
  Well, I was priviledged recently to be the literary guest of the NOT JUST BOOKS bookclub. It was a wonderful and refreshing affair in which the members rated my novel, Chickenhawk, on a 1 - 10 scale, asked questions, and shared their opinions. It was great hearing ardent readers acknowledge my work and intelligently discuss various aspects of my novel. It was downright exciting! There was even good food, drinks, games and goodie bags! I honestly had a great time and can't thank the members of rhe NOT JUST BOOKS bookclub enough for choosing my novel to review, and for inviting me to join in its discussion at their meeting. A special shout-out goes to Ms. Brenda Sidberry for suggesting my novel to the bookclub, and for being such a lovely and gracious hostess.
  And selfishly speaking, it felt good hearing that folks liked my book. Very good. Thank you so much NOT JUST BOOKS!

Where Creativity?

Where Creativity?

I just happened to chance upon a "Michaels" bag wedged in between the flotsam & jetsom that takes up an annoying amount of space in my room. Michaels is an arts and crafts supply store where one can purchase everything from canvasses and paintbrushes to plastic dinosaurs for use in dioramas. I usually avoid going there because of the sheer amount of stuff I have already purchased from there, but on occassion I'll still find myself roaming its scented aisles and perusing through its inventory of frames, sketchpads, and candle warmers. It wasn't until I saw this bright red Michaels bag however that I noticed its intriguing tag line, "Where Creativity Happens." So I asked myself, where DOES creativity happen?
  I propose that ideally creativity happens within oneself. Oh sure, many of us wait for inspiration, while a good many more folks won't type a letter or scrape a pen across a blank sheet of paper until they've been bitten on the ass by their muse. There are poets who will write only after suffering some sort of tragedy in their lives. This is all well and good as far as motivation and sheer talent are concerned, but where does the creativity happen?
  Dieter F. Uhctdorf, a German aviator and religious leader, once stated, "The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul."  And there you have it... or not. I happen to agree with good ol' Dieter however. Speak at length with almost any writer and their passion for the written word becomes clear. So is creativity a product of passion? I believe that the two could be inextricably intertwined. Some of the world's finest songs, poems, stories and books were written either while the author was in love, heartbroken, or otherwise in some sort of distress. Joy, happiness, and feelings of well-being can also bring on bouts of creative energy.
  So creativity, in essence, exists in all of us and can be expressed in countless ways. It must be a product of the soul, a miraculous well which we can dip into in order to produce that which allows us to express our most intimate selves to the world. It can't be taught in a classroom, or bought in a retail shop (sorry Michaels). It is a part of the human psyche, a part of ourselves: deep and abiding.
  You. It's you. You are where creativity happens.

Haters gonna Hate!

Haters gonna Hate!

Writers write. Painters paint. Knitters knit. Haters hate. Yes, unfortunately the phenomenon of various people disliking you for no real or obvious reason exists. I hope you're not shocked... or even dismayed. That's just the way it is and always has been. Remember the story of Cain and Abel? Joseph and his brothers? Haters gonna hate.
  Why am I bringing this up? Because I talk to a lot of writers and artists, and one common topic of discussion is how often a person's creative work is met with negative comments, open derision, or even outright hostility. Unfortunately, especially among aspiring and new writers and artists, this can be devastating. At the very least the actions of a "hater" can cause someone to second guess their work or even their career choice.
  Don't let this happen to you. The vast majority of people in the world are not only not creative, but don't understand the creative process. Some of these folks, not all but some, feel that it is their duty to "offer" their version of constructive criticism. It is much easier for these folks to pick out real or imagined flaws with your work than it is to say something encouraging. Do they do this out of bias? Jealousy? Anger? Actual hate? Who knows? But what I do know is that the subtle or not so subtle poison they so willingly offer to a creative person can have the effect of discouraging a creative soul and in extreme circumstances even sabotaging a budding or existing art or writing career. And that's a doggone shame.
  So what can be done? Well, there's not much you can do about the hater other than staying away from them or just not including them in your creative process. But there is something you can do about YOU. Creative people are notoriously thin-skinned. You have to toughen up and realize that some people will just never support you or see what you do as being a worthy enterprise. In that case, suck it up, dust yourself off, and get back to work. Not everyone is going to be a fan. Just like not everyone can write or paint or play the cello or crochet a capelet. You have something special to say via your art so get to it, that takes precedence over the negative mewlings of any naysayer.
  And haters? Well, they're just gonna hate.

Check it out!

Check it out!

Check it out man! This was a common colloquilism of the '60s and '70s that was often used when you wanted someone to take a closer look at something or listen more closely to what was being said. Check. It. Out. That simple piece of advice is never more important than when it comes to your writing.
  When you write for publication, whether it's fiction or non-fiction, you are in essence asking the reader to trust you. You're like a doctor, lawyer, engineer, architect... a person who is being trusted and relied upon to know what he or she is doing. A reader is often going in blind when they delve into your writing, and they trust that you respected them enough to do your research long before you declared your work "finished." To not check your facts is the height of literary hubris. Even in fiction, although you are asking the reader to suspend belief whilst they're caught between the covers of your next bestseller, few things are as jarring or disappointing as coming across a glaring inaccuracy while you're reading.
  I'd like to present two examples of what I mean (no doubt you can remember a few you've come across as well):
  1. A very well-known author, a master storyteller in fact, once wrote a story which featured New York City as the location. This author did only a minimum of research into that location even though he didn't live in that city. As a result, once his story had been published, he and his publisher received a load of missives from disappointed and even angry readers who felt let down by the many geographical inaccuracies that were in the story. I believe (see, I didn't do my research here) that the same story also featured someone screwing a silencer onto their revolver. A glaring error since a silencer cannot be screwed onto a revolver.
  2. This next one is a little personal. Many years ago (before I started working for NYC Transit), I was employed by a Wall Street insurance firm. While there, one of my jobs was writing and editing insurance forms and contracts. One of my co-workers was an aspiring novelist and she would occasionally bring parts of her manuscript over for me to read. One day she announced that she had finished her novel, and so she printed out several copies of it and handed them out to co-workers. I put my copy away in my desk drawer figuring I would read it later at my leisure. A couple of days later I saw her in an animated discussion with some other co-workers about something in her book. When she spotted me she called me over and announced to everyone that I would vindicate her and her writing. "Lopez," she said, proudly puffing out her chest in anticipation of my answer. "Isn't it true that Puerto Ricans eat roaches and consider them a delicacy?" Mortified and insulted, I sputtered and spluttered in the negative. The would-be author was confused since this practice among Puerto Ricans was common knowledge in her household (a household devoid of Puerto Ricans by the way) and was something told to her by her parents since she was a little girl. "You," I said. "Should have done your research before putting something as inaccurate and potentially inflammatory in your book." She kept insisting that she thought this particular practice among this particular people to be an absolute fact.
  Well, I don't know if she ever removed that from her novel or if she ever became a published author, but I do know that as writers we have a responsibility to our readers to research our information and check the facts before we declare our work finished and ready to be presented to an unsuspecting world.

Be Mean!

Be Mean!

If you're a writer (and if you're reading this I imagine that you must be), then you know how important it is to create believeable and compelling characters. Sometimes good or even great characters are the result of intense soul-searching, the cobbling together of variuos acquaintances, or even a labor of love.
Either way, many of us put a lot of work into the creation of our literary characters. Then once we create the perfect character(s) for our story or novel, we become enamored and protective of them.
That just makes it harder to kill them.
Sorry, but oftentimes it is our best characters whose death propels the story forward. You don't want to, in fact every fiber of your being screams out for you to have mercy. But somewhere in the back of your mind, you know you just have to be MEAN and do him or her in. Stephen King is a strong proponent of this, urging writers to, "Kill your darlings." Manuel Melendez did a great job of this in his novel, "When Angels Fall," by killing off the detective in his story almost at the book's end.
So yes, please work hard at creating your endearing, believeable, loveable, and realistic characters. Then be mean and kill them.

To free or not to free

To free or not to free, that is the question

It is apparently the nature of humankind to try and obtain the coveted, but ever elusive, freebie. Oh, you know what I'm talking about. It turns out that if you're a person with a skill (doctor, lawyer, plumber, artist, writer, etc.), folks want you to share what you know.
  I've been guilty of it in the past, and just chalked it up to me getting some helpful tips... which they were. But some folks don't know when to quit and insist on more than mere tips. If you crochet, they want full-blown lessons and even free yarn. If you write, they want free critiques, editing services, or even your *ahem* help in writing their book or novel.
  So what do you do? That's entirely up to you, there's nothing wrong with sharing some knowledge or passing along some helpful hints. But there is something wrong with being taken advantage of. Your hard-earned skillset, whatever it is, deserves to be acknowledged and rewarded. The same way you wouldn't expect a car mechanic to fix your car for free (unless you got the hook-up), is the same way that folks shouldn't expect you to speak, critique, edit, write, or teach without some sort of honorarium or financial remuneration. The late and venerable poet, Louis Reyes Rivera of the National Writers Union, was a strong and outspoken proponent of this. Unfortunately many uninformed people consider those of us that work in the arts to be indulging in hobbies rather than actual "work", so they don't understand why we'd like to get paid.
  Ultimately it's your decision of course, but I'd urge you not to sell yourself, or your art, short.