Writers Read: The Stories that Don’t Make Sense by Jocelyn Koehler

When I was young, I devoured fairy tales. I started with the easy ones (in which Mickey Mouse often played the role of the hero), but soon moved onto the more nuanced tales of the Grimms, Andersen, and Perrault. I’d also pick up folktale anthologies whenever I saw them.

So I had a lot of stories in my stack. Some, like Cinderella, had a simple and undeniable appeal: good girl, fancy party, happy ending. Easy! Other tales were not so digestible. One of the trickiest tales for me was the Scottish legend Tam Lin, whether as a poem or prose. It was so clearly a love story, yet I hated the suggestion of rape that so many versions contained:

He took her by the milk-white hand,

And by the grass green sleeve,

And laid her low down on the flowers,

At her he asked no leave.

As an impressionable young reader, that detail jumped out at me, and rendered the rest of the story difficult. If Tam Lin seduced Janet, why would she be willing to risk her life for him? Clearly, something was missing. In the centuries since the first telling and the last, someone had made a big mistake.

Things like this were one reason fairy tales became a bit of an obsession for me. I packed my shelves with books that offered new versions or ways to explain the psychology at work in such stories. Here are a few of them:

Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm by Philip Pullman

Pullman gathered fifty of the original 200+ tales and carefully honed them into tidier shapes. In other words, he acts as editor as much as a writer here. Anyone who has read the originals will recognize these versions. His sometimes tart commentary shows up in the notes following each tale. A writer could study these tales to understand how the structure and wording can be worked to be tight and flat as well, a fairy tale. And the book can certainly be used as an introduction and jumping off point for those who really want to dig into folktales and mythologies.

Changing Woman and Her Sisters: Stories of Goddesses from Around the World by Trina Schart Hyman & Katrin Hyman Tchana

This is a lavish picture book featuring stories of goddesses in ten different cultures. In addition to the lovely, haunting illustrations, the stories show just how much common ground folktales share, no matter where they come from. Brave daughters, young lovers, vengeful spirits, and divine inspiration can be found anywhere.

My Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me: Forty New Fairy Tales edited by Kate Bernheimer.

In this anthology, some big name modern writers offer their own versions of fairy tales, which are almost always darker and often more frightening than the originals. It’s in collections like this one that readers realize how close to horror a lot of folktales can be. But at the same time, the new interpretations can often illuminate a meaning perfectly, in a way that makes you say, “Oh, of course that’s what that means! Why didn’t I see it before?”

After reading many of these types of books, I got a better sense of how I could read the difficult tales like Tam Lin, shedding the historical skin of the story to get at the heart of the narrative. In an effort to explain to myself how the story might work, I rewrote it entirely, changing the setting to a fairytale world rather like Japan. I gave Tam Lin a better reason for his elusiveness, and gave my protagonist a new name (Pearl) as well as a more inward-facing quest. I don’t know if my version will work for all readers, but it certainly helped me reconcile some of my issues with the familiar legend.

Your turn: If you’re a writer, do you read or write your way out of problems? And as a reader, do you keep looking for the “right” story? And how do you know when you’ve found it?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author. Jocelyn Koehler writes science fiction and fantasy. Some of her creative fiction has appeared in places like Crossed Genres, Actionman Magazine, and BURST. Her longer fiction is published by Hammer & Birch. Her latest book is End to End, published in May 2013.

Find Jocelyn Koehler online here:

Twitter

Facebook

Newsletter

Muffin helping me edit.

I’ve been discouraged lately. My novel needs to be revised, and I’m not quite sure how I want to approach it. With all of the changes going on in the publishing world, I worry about the future of books and publishing. And I’m tired of tuning into social media and being barraged by constant self-promotion.

I’m not alone. In the past few weeks, I’ve spoken to quite a few writers who are overwhelmed by juggling writing, sorting out publishing options, and mastering social media. It’s hard to figure out what to do. And this constant wonder and worry creates stress. So, I’ve been seeking comfort and inspiration in the usual places—books, movies, art, and nature. Over the next few weeks, I’ll share with you the tips and tools I find to overcome overwhelm. Today’s tip—rest.

When I feel overwhelmed by either life or writing, I tend to dig in and try harder. Maybe you can relate: Can’t figure out what happens next in the novel? Stare at it until a plot emerges. Wondering how to boost business? Spend hours surfing freelance writing websites until dizzy. Not sure how to focus social media efforts? Look at everyone’s shiny, happy photos on Facebook until you’re truly depressed.

In The Gifts of Imperfection, Brené Brown recommends that when we feel exhausted and overwhelmed, we can get relief by being deliberate about our thoughts, getting inspired to make new choices, and taking action.

So instead of working harder, we might take this advice:

The road to enlightenment is long and difficult, and you should try not to forget snacks and magazines. —Anne Lamott, Traveling Mercies

I love that! So here’s the plan, writers. Next time you’re feeling overwhelmed and frustrated, ask yourself: what do I really need? If a twenty-minute mini vacation would help, try this:

Muffin exploring my writing rest stop.

Create a writing rest stop in your house. Stock it with fun magazines and tasty snacks. Whenever you feel overwhelmed, take a twenty-minute break and visit the rest stop. Sip a cool drink and read about how to organize your spice drawer or what to do in Cancun, Mexico. When you feel less frantic and more focused, return to writing.

Your turn: What’s your favorite magazine to relax with? Leave your titles in the comments below.

P. S. If you still feel overwhelmed and confused, send me an email. I offer complimentary consultations and have helped many writers figure out the complicated questions on the road to publishing success!

Writers Read: Romantic Suspense by Sandra Peut

Who doesn’t love a good mystery? Add in a dash of romance (as WS Gilbert said, ‘It’s love that makes the world go around’), and you have the perfect recipe for a fast-paced plot that will keep you reading into the night.

Growing up my head was constantly buried within the pages of a book, especially a good mystery – think Nancy Drew, Enid Blyton’s Famous Five or Secret Seven series, Trixie Belden, or the Hardy Boys.

Now as an adult, I like my suspense storylines sweetened with a romantic sub-plot – nothing too racy (no Fifty Shades of Grey here!), but something to provide a perfect balance to the spicy robustness of the more crime- or thriller-based plot elements.

Here are some of my recommendations in the romantic suspense genre (all of them in the inspirational/Christian category, as these are the books I’ve read the most):

The Healer by Dee Henderson

Dee Henderson has written scores of novels in this genre, many of them winning writing awards. I’ve chosen The Healer as the main characters are a psychologist for the Red Cross (and I work in healthcare) and a fireman (everyone loves a fireman hero!).

Brief description: When a flood surges through their community, it swallows up a crime scene, with the murder weapon falling into the hands of a child. Unless trauma psychologist Rachel O’Malley and fire captain Cole Parker can solve a murder still hidden by the floodwaters, another tragedy may soon follow – with Rachel caught in the crossfire.

Double Minds by Terri Blackstock

Terri Blackstock is another prolific, best-selling author in the romantic suspense genre, with a well-deserved spot on my list. I’ve enjoyed many of her books (including the CapeRefuge, Newpointe 911, and Sun Coast Chronicles series), and have recently read her ‘Double Minds’ novel.

Brief description: When struggling singer/songwriter Parker James uncovers high-level corruption in the music industry, on top of being terrorized by a menacing stalker, she really needs a friend – and musician Daniel fits the bill nicely. As the danger escalates, Parker begins to question her dreams, her future, and even her faith.

Cora Villa by Meredith Resce

Lovers of historical fiction will appreciate this romance that examines duty, deceit and desire in 19th century Victoria, from Australian author Meredith Resce. This is the first of Meredith’s novels that I’ve read, prompting me to seek out more of her numerous titles.

Brief description: As a young girl in 19^th century Australia, Cora was betrothed to a former neighbour’s son. Now she is grown, Cora is forced to choose between the love of her father and the love of a mysterious stranger – one who is all too secretive about his past…

Solemn Oath by Hannah Alexander

Husband and wife writing duo Cheryl and Mel Hodde have collaborated under the pen name ‘Hannah Alexander’ to write the ‘Sacred Trust’ series of medical romantic suspense novels. ‘Solemn Oath’ is the second book in the series, (the only one I’ve read so far – was able to follow the plot without reading the first book), and I liked its blend of small-town characters, mystery, and romance.

Brief description: ER physician Lukas Bower had escaped city life to settle in a small community in the Ozarks, but a local arsonist is keeping the ER busy. With the increased responsibilities, Lukas finds himself working more and more with Dr. Mercy Richmand. When his feelings for her turn into more than he expected, Lukas faces the most difficult decision of his life.

Best Forgotten by Paula Vince

I really enjoyed this latest award-winning novel from Australian author Paula Vince. She does an excellent job of creating characters the reader cares about, combined with a well-crafted suspense plot.

Brief description: A young man is hit by a car and wakes up in the hospital with no memory of who he is. Once he’s identified and police return him to his family, Courtney discovers he no longer identifies with his past life in a gothic heavy metal band, he has a seriously dysfunctional family, and his supposed girlfriend is strangely distant. Even worse, he can’t shake the feeling that he’s in serious danger…

Book giveaway

Do you like to read romantic suspense novels? Reply in the comments section with your favourite title for a chance to win a copy of my own romantic suspense book, Blue Freedom.

Brief description: Running from a tragic past, Bella accepts a work assignment travelling through the South Pacific and Thailand. But instead of offering an escape, she finds herself and her hunky photographer colleague Jay being trailed by a hit-man – and entangled in the underhanded schemes of their desperate boss. Will Jay survive the attempts on his life, and will Bella find the peace she is searching for?

About the author. Sandra Peut is writer, dietitian, and lover of dark chocolate and good coffee. She manages to fit sporadic writing and blogging sessions around work, a crazy home life (four young children), and strolling along the nearby beach with her better-half. Her first novel, Blue Freedom, received third place in the 2009 Rose & Crown New Novels competition, and was subsequently published by Sunpenny Publishing in 2010. It was also shortlisted for the 2011 Caleb Awards. She has just completed her second manuscript, a Young Adult supernatural romance titled ‘The Guardian’. You can find her online here.

Facebook author page

Twitter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Donna has also offered to raffle off a signed copy of her book, Olivia Bean, Trivia Queen! Check out the entry requirements below the blog post to learn how you can enter!

Stop This Hamster Wheel; I Want to Get Off

(Writing with Purpose, Peace and Presence) by Donna Gephart

In my twenties, I worked full-time, part-time and freelanced in my “spare” time. Then came marriage. Kids. More work. More freelancing, etc. Basically, I got an A+ in being a Type A personality through my thirties and into my forties. I assumed the never-ending hamster wheel of life occurred outside myself, and I had to keep up.

It took 46 years, a restorative yoga class, and listening to Eckhart Tolle’s The New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose to understand the hamster wheel was spinning furiously, but it was inside my own mind. Ceaseless chatter filled my mind from waking till sleep. (If I slept.) Eckhart Tolle calls that voice “ego” and says it’s not who we are. It’s outside of our true essence.

Some left brain chatter is necessary, of course. It’s the left brain that helps us make deadlines and arrive on time for meetings. But that same noisy left brain tells us we’ll never be as good as J.K. Rowling so why bother trying, and dust bunnies are spawning under our furniture because we’ve neglected cleaning to finish writing that last chapter and, um, let’s check our Amazon ranking one more time. Too much left brain chatter all day, every day leaves us exhausted. It drains energy we could use to create art and literature.

I have three words for my loquacious left brain:  SHUT UP ALREADY!

Jill Bolte Taylor, in her book My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist’s Personal Journey, wrote about the morning a stroke affected her brain’s left hemisphere. She was in a brilliant state of bliss with her left brain nearly incapacitated. It took her hours to activate her left brain enough to call for help. She survived and wrote about the nirvana of accessing the right side of our brains.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if, once in a while, we could access right brain bliss and creativity while quieting left brain chatter? If we could approach our work with focused purpose, peace and presence?

WHAT IS YOUR INTENTION or PURPOSE?

My yoga teacher often asks during class, “What is your intention? In this class?  For your life? For our planet?”

What is your intention? What are you uniquely qualified to do? To what effort will you give unbridled enthusiasm?

Thinking deeply about your intention and purpose will guide you away from actions that don’t support your purpose (i.e., scrubbing toilets) and toward actions that do support it (i.e., penning a novel that will illuminate the world for your reader).

SITTING IN STILLNESS

I recently discovered that sitting in stillness for a few minutes leaves me alert and aware, peace-filled and quietly energized. Want to try?

Sit quietly. Palms up. Eyes closed. Focus on your breath. Feel it fill your body and release. If a thought flies into your mind, be aware that it doesn’t need to be acted upon and let it fly out again. Back to the breath.

BREATHE

Being aware of your breath makes you unaware of your thoughts and draws you to the present moment. According to Eckhart Tolle, it’s really all we have. In the present moment, we’re not thinking of the speech we’ll give next month nor the mistake found in a book we’d written. We’re not recalling the sting of a recent rejection nor the deadline we might miss because of a family emergency. In the present moment, all memory and future thinking falls away. In this space, we can practice our writing and illustrating with clarity, purpose and focus.

Yoko Ono once gave John Lennon a card that read simply: “Breathe.”

So, every once in a while, hop off the hamster wheel in your mind.

Consider your intention/purpose. Sit in stillness. Breathe.

Then create with great purpose, peace and presence.

Namaste!

About the author. Donna Gephart writes award-winning, funny fiction for tweens from her home in South Florida.  Her new middle grade novel, Olivia Bean, Trivia Queen (Delacorte Press), received a starred Kirkus review and is about a girl who will do anything to get on the TV quiz show Jeopardy! For resources for writers, visit Donna here.

Rafflecopter:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

What they are: The Wednesday Writing Prompt is designed to give writers a chance to stretch their writing muscles and try something new. The prompts typically run 300-400 words, use unique ideas, and include concrete examples.

Who can submit: Unlike my Writers Read and Writers@Work posts, which often feature experienced writers, this is an opportunity for writers at all stages of their career. I’m looking for guest bloggers who have fresh ideas, write well, and create posts that catch my attention!  In addition, it would be helpful if you have some social media presence—a Facebook page or Twitter account where you can share your work with friends, family, and other readers.

How to submit: Send your complete prompt along copied into the body of an email along with your photo and bio to me. If your prompt is accepted, you’ll receive an email with the date your prompt will be published. On that day and throughout the next weekend, I’ll share your prompt via social media. You need to do the same!

Questions? I have more information on Guest Blogging here.

Your turn: Dream up those prompts!

+Do I need an agent to get a book contract?

+Do you have an agent?

+Is it hard to find the right agent?

For those of you who have asked those questions and felt as confused as this bookshelf is, here are some straight answers to your questions about agents.

Do I need an agent?

You need an agent if:

+The publishers you hope will publish your book only take agented work.

+You have been offered a book contract with a big publisher, and you need someone to negotiate the deal. (Some literary attorneys will do this, too.)

If you plan to self-publish your book or submit to small publishers, you do not need an agent. You can stop reading here and go back to working on your magnum opus! If you’re still wondering whether an agent might help you advance your career, read on.

What does an agent do?

+Consults with authors about their present and future writing career.

+Helps authors develop their book proposals and books, including offering suggestions for revision.

+Submits queries, chapters, and proposals to the editors she has developed relationships with.

+Negotiates the contract.

+Explains the contract terms to authors.

+Connects with publishing house on behalf of the author over any disputes—editorial, production, marketing, and so forth.

+Consults with the author on book publicity.

How much does it cost?

Agents are paid a percentage of your book sale. Most agents charge authors for copying or mailing costs.

Who is the perfect agent for you?

All agents are not equal. My ideal agent may not work for you. Here are some things to consider when looking for an agent:

+Does the agent represent books like yours? Most agents have niches or types of books that they represent. If you send your book proposal on the life cycle of seals to an agent who represents romance novels, you will get rejected.

+Is the agent connected to the people in publishing who will buy your book? An agent cannot do anything for you unless he or she is connected to editors in your field. The best agents have developed good relationships with several editors in their niche.

+Will the agent support you, your career, and your book in a way that works for you? This is a question of style. Some agents are interested in supporting clients in developing a writing career. Others are more hands off, preferring to deal only with the book contract. As you seek out an agent, it is important to know what kind of support you need from your agent.

+Is the agent willing to negotiate the best contract? Agents get to do what writers often cannot do for themselves—fight for more money, both as advance and in royalties.

How do you find the right agent? Take these steps.

1. Make a list of potential agents. It takes time to find an agent who is right for you. Most writers I know feel so desperate to move forward that they will take any agent that says yes. Don’t. It is important to research agents in order to find one that works for you.

+Search online. Both AgentQuery.com (no cost) and WritersMarket.com (yearly fee) offer online search tools for agents. Writers can search for agents according to the types of books they represent.

+Check acknowledgments. Most writers thank their agents in the acknowledgments. Look at books that are in your niche or writers who are similar to you and find out who agented their books.

+Ask. Talk to your critique group colleagues and other writing friends about their agents. Most writers are willing to share the name of their agents. Some will even introduce you to them.

+Attend conferences. Most writing conferences feature one or more agents on their panel. Go to their sessions and learn what they are looking for.

2. Deepen your knowledge. Once you have that list of potential agents, look more closely at their preferences and track record to see if they are a good fit for you. Consider:

+What types of books do they represent?

+How visible are the writers of these books? Do they get good publicity?

+What publishing houses do they work with?

+Are they working with writers who have multiple books or single books? (Multiple books by a single author suggest an agent who is interested in supporting writers through a career.)

+What is their style? Are they warm or reserved?

To find this information:

+Visit their websites or blogs.

+Check out the websites, blogs, and books of their clients. What do they say about their agents?

+Do an online search to see what others are saying about them.

+Check out predators and editors to make sure there are not any bad reports about them.

Once you have your short list of agents, you’re ready to submit! Good luck!

For more information, check out agent Michael Larsen’s tip, Nine Ways to Find the Agent You Need

Writing in Short Form: the Power of Flash Nonfiction by Christi Craig

There are certain stories my gut wants me to put down on paper.

Like the one about the summer I turned twenty-two, when I climbed into a tiny Isuzu Trooper and rode in the back seat all the way from Norman, Oklahoma to the Catskills of upstate New York. So much changed for me during that trip, change embodied in the vision of Pennsylvania’s vibrant green hills rolling along side me like waves.

Or how, the week after my mother died, I desperately clung to whatever artifacts of hers I could, from her bible to that pair of gaudy glasses she wore in the late eighties. Why did she keep those glasses, and why couldn’t I let them go?

And then, the story of how, preeclamptic, I gave birth to my son three weeks early, in a state of frenzy. Then, I walked around in a slight haze of post-partum depression for the next six months, so much so that getting him and myself from the upstairs to the downstairs floor of our house by day’s end was cause to rejoice. In a ball of tears. Because everything about motherhood frightened me.

I want to write these stories. In fact, I’ve tried to write all three. But, I’ve struggled to transform the power of those memories onto the page. My early drafts read long and convoluted and nothing like what I envision: a brief moment where I take the hand of the reader and say, Just let me tell you this one thing, and ask, Can you relate?

I say, “brief moment,” because that’s how I see these kinds of stories working best: not in pages and pages of material, where the intensity of the emotion gets lost in drawn-out prose, but in a compact space like that of flash nonfiction, where word limit is set at around 800. On flash nonfiction, Dinty Moore (editor of Brevity Magazine), says, “the energy of the piece hinges on the rapid-fire sharing of information,” adding that the “urgency of having to fit the content into an abbreviated frame is what makes it so powerful.”

Moore edited The Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Writing Flash Nonfiction, a book dedicated to unpacking the tight form and giving writers insight on how to tackle challenges inherent in the genre. I can’t say enough about this book. Each chapter focuses on a specific aspect of the craft, like where to begin or end and how to deal with “the constraint of telling the truth.” And, each chapter ends with an essay that demonstrates a specific technique, proving this short form carries as much weight and clarity as a longer piece.

One aspect of flash nonfiction that I love is its unadulterated use of details. As Moore says:

The brief essay needs to be hot from the first sentence…. The heat might come from language, from an image, from voice or point-of-view, from revelation or suspense, but there must always be a burning urgency of some sort translated through each sentence, starting with the first.

With flash nonfiction, I can’t go on and on about every road-trip revelation I had from Oklahoma to New York or the bottles and bottles of face cream my sisters and I discovered under my mother’s cabinets. Each image I include, each word I choose, must, like Brenda Miller says in her chapter on the importance of detail, “carry some weight, and…gradually evolve into more meaning as it goes along.”

Barbara Hurd uses details to such great effect in the first paragraph of her essay, “Wordwrack: Openings” (read the full piece here):

A nor’easter smacked into Cape Ann last night, and this morning the wrack’s dark line lies tangled and heaped. Hundreds of shells have settled sideways and tilted on the beach, half in, half out, sand-dribbled, seaweed-draped, partially rinsed. On the outside, they’re a riot of spires and pinpricks, ribbed turbans and knobby cones. Ivory, copper, pinkish, twisted, scalloped, hinged.

As the essay unfolds, the next detail, and the next, reveal more and more about her state of being. Absolutely nothing is wasted.

Flash nonfiction is a wonderfully challenging genre, so satisfying when done with success. I’m a firm believer, too, that every lesson I learn when I attempt this short form translates well into my work on longer forms. Tell me, what’s your experience writing memoir or essays? Have you ever attempted a piece shorter than 1000 words?

If not, try this: Write an essay, 700 words or less, on the prompt, “After the storm.”

About the author: Christi Craig is a native Texan living in Wisconsin, working by day as a sign language interpreter and moonlighting as a writer. She leads a creative writing class at a retirement center and a Roundtable at Redbird-Redoak Writing. She is a regular contributor at Write It Sideways and an Assistant Editor for COMPOSE: A Journal of Simply Good Writing. Her stories and essays have appeared online and in print, and she was a Finalist in Glimmer Train‘s Family Matters Competition. Visit her website at christicraig.com, subscribe to her page on Facebook, or follow her on Twitter.

My writing companions, Muffin and Sophie, asleep on the job.

How do you know you’re a real writer?

Some writers have real writing jobs, where they go to work and write stuff and collect paychecks. Others work the freelance route, sending off queries and hoping for the “yeses” that mean a writing gig. Book writers spend years writing and revising novels or memoirs and then more years selling them before they have a product to tweet about. In the in-between years, it’s sometimes hard to know if one’s a real writer.

On the show Castle, we know Rick Castle is a real writer because he wears a bullet-proof vest that says, ‘writer.’”

So how do we know if we’re a real writer? Do we measure “realness” by the number of articles, books, or poems we produce? Or do we count up the amount of hours we put in at the keyboard? Perhaps in the days of social media, real might be defined by the number of writerly friends we have (or writing followers on Twitter)? What makes writers real?

For me, being a real writer is about one thing: writing. Writers write. But if you’re looking for further proof of your writer status, I’ve put together a list of signs to watch for. Those of you experiencing one or more of these signs for longer than a week at a time should proudly call yourself a writer (whether or not you have a bullet-proof vest that says so):

1. You think of caffeine and chocolate as essential food groups.

2. You frequently eavesdrop and call it research.

3. You spend so much time in the bookstore and the library that people think you work there and ask you to help them find books. You do. And sometimes you shelve the books in proper alphabetical order. (Admit, you’ve done it, right?)

4. You have explained to your spouse, children, parents, or housemates that you are hard at work when you are doodling, staring out the window, folding towels, napping, and walking the dogs—and they should not interrupt you.

5. It may look like you’re texting all the time—at the gym, in the grocery store, at the theater—but you’re really jotting down ideas for your current work in progress.

6. You hoard books.

7. Changing your wardrobe from winter to spring means switching from slippers to sandals.

8. Your best assistants are your pets. You talk to them about your plot problems. They listen well. Sometimes they provide good ideas.

9. You have close friends and colleagues who you’ve never met or see only once or twice a year but you connect frequently on social media.

10. You frequently forget that you started a load of wash or a pot of soup or were in the middle of cleaning the bathroom, because when an idea hits, you have to write it down.

Your turn: I could go on . . . but I’d rather hear what you think. Leave your comment below: what signs reveal that you’re a REAL writer?

Writers Read: Books to Stimulate Your Brain by Bob Sitze

As an avid reader, I cruise the NEW BOOKS section of my local public library. The purpose of this tactic is simple: I want to be surprised by writers who have explored subjects I may have never considered. The five volumes here grabbed my eyes as I wandered through the shelves during the past several months. What binds these books together is their common theme: Stuff that may be turn out to be important and happening when I wasn’t looking.

With Charity for All: Why Charities are Failing and a Better Way to Give by Kenneth Stern. (New York: Doubleday, 2013).  The author, non-profit executive and former CEO of National Public Radio, wastes no time handing down seemingly deserved indictments of the charitable giving sector of the American economy. His scathing critique lays out chapter-and-verse anecdotes that yield a difficult conclusion: Many so-called charities are systemically (and perhaps willingly) ineffective. And other organizations may not be all that charitable! (Example: The enterprises that operate college football’s bowl games are classified as “non-profits”.) The book gradually morphs toward a more hopeful ending, suggesting that careful research and planning, honest evaluation and donor-centered approaches will in time redeem what otherwise is a failing enterprise in society.

Contagious: Why Things Catch On by Jonah Berger. (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2013).  An engaging read from start to finish, Contagious provides an insider’s look at social epidemics. (In the overwrought parlance of our times, we’re talking here about “going viral”.) The author, an assistant professor of marketing at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, transcends the usual parameters of academic writing. He offers readers a compelling look at his general theory of social transmission as well as oodles of facts and anecdotes to illustrate his major points.  (Example: A feeling of awe is a powerful and dependable emotion at the heart of social contagion. Or this fact: Only 1/3 of 1% of YouTube videos get more than 1,000,000 views, and 50% of the videos have fewer than 500 views.) This is an extremely practical book for writers who want their work to capture widespread attention and regard.  (Secret summary: It’s all about word-of-mouth!)

Automate This: How Algorithms Came to Rule Our World by Christopher Steiner. (New York: Portfolio/Penguin, 2012).  Steiner surveys the seascape of contemporary life to show how algorithms—“lists of instructions that give a user (or computer) an information-based answer or basis for action”—have come to dominate the decision-making processes of business and industry. An engineer, technology writer, and entrepreneur, the author is also a consummate storyteller, detailing the history of algorithms from ancient times into today’s enterprises. (Example: Algorithmic thought originated in the Muslim world.  Another: Email is dependent on more than 100,000 operating algorithms.) The stories flow and accumulate in readers’ minds, allowing our slow realization that much of contemporary life is governed by sophisticated computer programs whose instantaneous actions can create wonderful solutions or convoluted problems. Even for the mathophobic among us, this book is a page-turner!

Brandwashed: Tricks Companies Use to Manipulate Our Minds and Persuade Us to Buy by Martin Lindstrom. (New York: Crown Business, 2011). The author follows in the grand tradition of Vance Packard’s Hidden Persuaders and Buyology (Lindstrom’s best-selling first book) to offer readers a wealth of specific methods by which marketers work their wiles on consumers. A marketing-guru-turned-consumer-advocate, Lindstrom pulls no punches, and names names as he walks readers through familiar territory suddenly turned malevolent. Of greatest interest to this reviewer were his descriptions of how children’s (and parents’) minds are quietly manipulated toward purchasing what they don’t need. (Example: 92% of today’s children have a digital footprint by the age of two. Another fact: Walmart’s data-mining data base is larger than that of the Federal government.) The book classifies as an exposé, helping us to be more careful in our consumption of advertising and marketing techniques that beguile us into consumptive lifestyles.

The Tell-Tale Brain: A Neuroscientist’s Quest for What Makes Us Human by V.S. Ramachandran. (New York: W.W. Nelson & Company, Inc., 2011).  A renowned neuroscientist, experimenter, and writer, Ramachandran walks readers through the fascinating world of applied neuroscience. Writing like an experienced and appreciative guide, the author unapologetically explores his best hunches about matters such as autism, theory of mind, language development, brain difficulties and the neurobiological Holy Grail of consciousness. The book is full of sound theory as well as detailed stories of experimental rabbit trails. Of special interest are his musings on the growing importance of “mirror neurons” for human development. He both collects and connects the dots of neuroscience to offer readers of all stripes—including the non-science-minded among us—a hopeful look at human nature. This is a good first-book for anyone who wants to start learning about the neuroscientific elements of everyday existence.

Your turn: What’s your favorite idea book?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author. Bob Sitze spends his days and nights in Wheaton, Illinois, where he works as a congregational consultant and writer. His newest e-book, Simple Enough: A Companion along the Way, was recently published by The Alban Institute. He’s currently engaged in research regarding the secular determinants of stewardship theology and practices in churches.

Listen to the mustn’ts, child. Listen to the don’ts. Listen to the shouldn’ts, the impossibles, the won’ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me… Anything can happen, child. Anything can be. —Shel Silverstein

In the past few months—really, in the past year—I’ve thought about chucking the whole writing dream and reinventing myself as a, well, I’m not quite sure what. Aside from my childhood dreams of becoming the next Carol Burnett or Cher, I’ve never really wanted to be anything but a writer.

And yet, every time I turn on my computer, I see another statistic that makes me want to quit:

*80 percent of U.S. families did not buy or read a book last year.

*70 percent of books published do not earn back their advance.

*70 percent of the books published do not make a profit.

(Source: Jerold Jenkins, www.JenkinsGroupInc.com)

After reading one too many posts about the dismal future of publishing, I decided to turn off the computer and take a nap. (I did read that naps boost productivity, so maybe this wasn’t such a bad idea.)

The next day, while running at the Y, I listened to Bon Jovi sing,

Never give up,

never give up,

never,

never forget where you’re from. (Bon Jovi, Army of One)

And then I had one of those aha moments people talk about. Writers, here are three reasons to have hope in the midst of this crazy time in publishing:

1. Writing rocks. Last week, when I interviewed JoAnn Early Macken for the Write Now! Mastermind class, she talked about how she loved playing with words. That reminded me why I write: because I love words and stories. When I write, I experience flow—that magical state when we are so engaged that we lose track of time. No external reality can steal the joy of creating. The gift is in the process. It always has been.

Tip: Keep writing. My friend Jane Rubietta said to me recently, “The only terrible writing is the writing we don’t do.” And I say: you cannot revise or sell NOTHING. So write, writers, write.

2. Readers read. In the age of Fifty Shades of Grey, it seems like more people want to create content than digest it. Every day I talk to people who say something like, “Oh, I don’t read books. I just want to write one.” But according to one post I read, more people are reading books today than in the 1940s. And no doubt, people read tons of content online. And the advent of ebooks and fan fiction sites have made it easier for people to access our work. Alvin Toffler said: “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” As a writer, I’m excited by the fact that our medium is changing, making it possible to reach more readers in new ways.

Tip: Describe your ideal reader. List where they hang out online and offline. Start connecting with them now.

3. Opportunities abound.  Over ten years ago, my husband and I attended a writing conference where the main speaker screamed at us, “No, no, no, no. Get used to it, you’re going to hear it a lot.” No kidding. My attic is packed with old manuscripts and boxes of rejection letters. But guess what, people: today “no” doesn’t mean “never.” It means, “Not here.” Today we have a gazillion options for publishing and promoting our work. How can that be a bad thing?

Tip: Make a list of six to ten venues you can use to get your work into the hands of your readers. Get creative!

A final word. Writers, we have more control over our work than ever. This is both good and bad. With the additional control comes the responsibility of creating good work and finding readers to purchase it. It can all be quite overwhelming at times. In the next weeks, I’ll be unpacking some of the big questions:

*Should I get an agent or go it alone?

*Should I self publish or look for a traditional publisher?

*Should I do an ebook or a trade paperback or both?

*Should I hire an editor? When? What kind?

YOUR TURN! If you have questions you’d like me to cover, leave a comment below.  As a thank you to you, I’ll be raffling off a 30-minute coaching session.

a Rafflecopter giveaway