Tina Haapala, Excuse Editor

The Excuse Editor blog has been on a little unintentional break.   The blogging gurus and marketing mavens out there endlessly remind us that blog posts should be consistent. I agree. But stuff happens. I also agree that writers need to continually write in order to improve and flourish.   Not many writers would disagree with that idea. But again. Stuff happens. So. Stuff happened and I haven’t been blogging and I haven’t been writing (much). I’ve only sporadically been Facebooking , and my tweets are as rare as the tinamou .   (I was able to send out the monthly contest listing, though!) The best way to get started again is to begin.   And that’s lesson #1 for today: You gotta start somewhere. Whether you are making your first attempt at writing, or you have been stopping and starting for years, when you decide to write, create a starting line wherever you find yourself at that moment. Now, runners at a starting line don’t stare, contemplate, and plan when t...

Photo from Flickr by  eekim What is the ratio of time you've spent writing compared to the time spent preparing to write (for example-- reading, reading about writing, taking classes about writing, talking to people about writing, etc.)? Preparing is great and necessary, but it does not replace the act of doing--similar to many things that get us where we want to go. Today's Excuse : I want to kick the tires and check under the hood of this writing thing for a good long time, so I can cruise along effortlessly once I get started. Excuse Edit: You need to get in the driver's seat No matter how many games of Pole Position you've played, getting behind the wheel of a real car is completely different. The same is true if you have only been in "simulation mode" with your writing, for example, imagining the cover art of the novel you haven't written yet or scribbling ideas for scenes but never fleshing them out. These are virtual acts. Shifting i...

  Image: Simon Howden/Free DigitalPhotos.net   Many writers will say that they are driven to write, they really don't have a choice. Then there are those writers who really want to earn the title of Writer, even before they've started their first project, because the Title holds special meaning for them. If you haven't yet, maybe it is time to look at the reasons why you should be a writer. Today, we'll start with the positive.   You should be a Writer because (the "Pros" list): There's Something Missing--Your Writing Fills a Gap A popular writer's quote is, "You must write the book you want to read." You believe your writing is going to fill a void and that you have something to add to the current conversation. You begin writing to experience that creative rush, and the feeling that you are adding something new to the world. The Benefits of Writing Your writing will fulfill some need you have, or a few needs. Journal wr...

I spent the last few days drifting in and out of the SPOC (Self Publisher's Online Conference). As with the last conference I attended ( OWFI ) I couldn't help but leave ready to write, succeed, publish--even Start an Empire. (see day 3) And then, this morning, I woke up. I mulled over all I've been learning and relearning. I love it all-- learning about writing, learning about marketing, hearing the different perspectives. But how much is too much? I figure if all of the hours I've spent teaching myself-- by reading books, magazines, blogs and attending workshops--were added up, I'd be pretty close to an MFA or Masters in Marketing by now. Just like getting my real degree (B.S. In Human Communication*/minor in Business**) didn't come with instant success in life, learning all of this writing/marketing information does me no good if I don't act on it. So, that's a plan. Act on it. Except... It can be OVERWHELMING. I'm appreciative that ...

Sometime during my fourth grade year, my class got to spend a few hours with an honest-to-goodness writer. He lead the class, getting our young minds motivated with metaphors and similes. We learned all about poetry; sometimes it rhymes, sometimes it doesn't. He encouraged us to be silly, to be brave, to write beautifully, or to write badly. It was all part of the process. I already liked to write. That same year, I wrote a short story that won a prize in my class. The year before, I wrote short stories and knock-knock jokes, and was given a chance to laminate them and have them available for my classmates to check out at the school library. The day the writer-in-residence came to visit our school, I wrote six or more poems. I remember one in particular I was quite proud of. I thought it painted a picture with words, just like the writer told us to do. Those words have since left my memory, although I feel nostalgia for rainbows, sherbet, and blooming flowers when I think of tha...

In honor of Valentine's Day, here's a few quick tips to keep in mind about Finding Your True Love. Of Writing, that is: Love Yourself and Your Writing First You need to honor yourself and your writing. Pamper yourself by making time for your writing love. Come to terms with your writing flaws, and discover what you need to make yourself better. Feel good about your work, and eventually others will too. Put Yourself Out There If you want your writing to get noticed, you make it available. Submit your work as much as you can if you want to be a published writer. Even if you don't have publishing ambitions, share your work with your loved ones, or some kindred spirits-- other writers. While you are at it-- Put Your Best Self out There Especially when submitting, make sure the work that goes out is the best example of your writing that you can give. No typos, spelling errors, mistakes in grammar...This is your time to shine! Don't be Afraid to make the Fi...

Many writers have a vague idea about wanting to write, but don't know how to get started. Or they get started, and wonder, what now? In the beginning, it's best to keep it simple. You'll be overwhelmed quickly if you sit down to write the-next-big-hit-sure-to-be-a-major-motion-picture-in-no-time. To borrow Anne Lamot's analogy ( Bird by Bird: ), allow your writing to evolve in its own time: brick by brick. Create a shelter for yourself and your characters to feel safe in. Step One: Write Better to get your project out of your head, no matter how unprepared and raw it seems. You've been thinking about it for a week, a few months, even YEARS. Lay your groundwork. It's like building a house, you have to start with a frame. Don't wait for all your materials to be there before you start, or your "land" may be swept right up from under you. You have to begin with what you have now. Just start writing, there will be time to set aside the any scrap ...