The Five Percent

For anyone interested in quality reviews of books from smaller presses and first-time authors, the magazine "Book" is an excellent resource. David Mamet has an excellent piece on "Adventure Writing," that is inspiring, but true. He likens writing to going on an adventure. One need only their imagination to take the reader along with them. Our business is lonely and goes unnoticed for many years until a word, sentence, or scene catches the eye of an agent or editor.

Our work is tedious, onerous, impossible at times, but the rewards are great. I once heard a speaker at a recent writer's conference say that "only 5% of those who want to write a novel, ever actually complete their book." To those of you who are part of the 5%, great job and to the other 95%, keep on writing and follow your dream.

In the Zone

It’s wondrous…meditation like, sometimes it seems like you are taking dictation and sometimes you may have to take some time to transition back to the ‘real world’ after being ‘in the zone’. It’s what pulls me back to the action and experience of writing, once it’s happened.

Breathing becomes like breathing, during meditation, slow and deep. I look up and two hours is gone and it feels like five minutes. I’m dazed, but not confused; I’m hyper-focused and the adrenaline is flowing. It’s like leaving the starter blocks in a race. Time slows down and you’re able to absorb the scene, your characters, the plot, and the enjoyment of entertaining yourself. It’s a natural high for me.

Cooking the Story Before Serving

When I sit down to write, I like to have my research with me. I’m surrounded by notes, pieces of paper, and of course, my laptop. My family once accused me of having a mistress whenever I went upstairs to write on my laptop. It’s important to not let your writing interfere with family and friends. I become an introvert only for that time I’m thinking and writing.

It takes a while to decompress, much like a diver returning to the surface. In many ways as a writer, you become two people. It’s a little strange, but exhilarating. Try not to write more than two hours at a time before you come up for air. My best times are late in the evening or early morning, but pick a time that works for you. The important thing to remember is that once you begin the process, try to write something everyday. This keeps the momentum going.

Tess Gerritsen, Medical Thriller Author

Gerritsen's new book, The Sinner, is sure to be another bestseller. She is my favorite medical thriller writer, hands down. Why she doesn't have a larger following (like Robin Cook), I'll never know. Her plots are intriguing, her medical knowledge superb without being egocentric and condescending, and her characters authentic and unique. Although her books do not stay on the bestseller long, she has an avid following and I am unabashedly a fan who can't get enough of her plots and female protagonists.

Writer Support Group

Leader: A. Keith Barton, Ph.D.

Purpose: To offer writers a solution-focused approach to their writing that maximizes networking and sharing non-proprietary information that helps all writers who choose to participate in the group call.

Format: Dr. Barton will offer a “virtual group” on a secure a confidential, bridge-line (phone) that will accommodate up to 25 writers. Participants will call in at a designated, monthly time for one hour. Confidentiality will be respected at all times. Dr. Barton, as the coach, will facilitate the agenda but the agenda will be driven by the needs of those on the call. The virtual group offers writers from other parts of the country to participate. All times are stated using CST.

Possible topics: Creating your story, staying the course, editing, finding an agent, self-publishing vs. traditional publishing; small vs. large press, marketing, handling rejection.

Group dynamics: Acknowledgment, accountability, asking permission, bottom lining, clarifying, clearing, confidentiality, creating trust, forwarding the action, holding the focus, powerful questions, brainstorming.

Typical timeline for call: First 10 minutes, introductions and revisiting agenda items from prior month, new agenda item for discussion for next 40 minutes, last 10 minutes, wrap-up and feedback.

Meeting Time: Convenience of participants, but usually one evening—e.g. third Tuesday of the month at 8 pm or 9 pm.

Listserv: All participants will have the opportunity to communicate via a common listserv; you will need internet (email) access. Agenda items and side conversations can be handled on the listserv until the next monthly meeting. A list of participants with home phone numbers, fax numbers, and email addresses will be provided.

Cost: $50 per month per participant, although the first call (hour) will be free to give participants a sense of what the group experience will be like.

About the Group Leader: Dr. Barton runs his own psychology practice, has consulted with Fortune 500 companies, ran his own business managing group homes for persons with developmental disabilities, author of nine novels, and coach. He has degrees from the University of Texas at Austin (Ph.D., 1972), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (M.P.H., 1975), and a postdoctoral fellowship in community psychiatry at UNC School of Medicine, 1973-75. For the last 14 years he has practiced in the 1960 area of Houston and is working towards certification as a personal and professional coach.

Love Poems

A collection of romantic and sensual love poems.
I promise to update my blog listings. I've started to write again after an absence of two years. I'm working on a short story (that can be found on authorsden.com) about a psychologist who falls in love with his patient. Also, I'm working on a collection of love poems that can be found under my "poems" listing. Please feel free to consider my newsletter on tips for writing and if you would like to learn of new poems (writing about three a week)feel free to track me as an author. I'm also interested in hearing from romance writers as this is a new genre for me (after writing suspense thrillers for six years).

Poetry Critique Group

The best way to learn about poetry is to join a critique group. I did, and it's the best decision I made. We meet once a month, have "read arounds" and then pick four poems to critique. Everyone is good-natured and topics range from love poems to humorous and darker ones. Our youngest poet is ten and our oldest is (I can't say). What is common among our group is a passion for writing poetry. We meet at the local Barnes and Noble and have contests to enter and workshops to improve our craft.

An Ode to Writers

A. Keith Barton's Blog
A poem dedicated to writers.

An Ode to Writers
That glorious art of make believe
With pen and paper we deceive
Creating stories that for us ring true
If only a glimpse our thoughts imbue
Of torrid love, mayhem and the like
For audiences everywhere we delight

The writer’s task is a lonely one
With only our mind we succumb
Blurring fantasy and reality our only tool
Disregarding convention our only rule
The words descend upon the page
Like melodic tenets from the sage

Our stories resound within our heads
Clamoring to get out, if only by threads
All powerful, all knowing, writers we
To spin our narratives for all to see
Our thoughts transform the empty page
Wherein the world becomes our stage

Cry not for authors who must write
Driven by emotions, once held so tight
Our mission is a noble one
To heed the call, our work undone
Unite brave writers everywhere
We create in silence our souls to bare