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Way-Word Journey #7: When to Query, When to Quit

Writing had taken such a hold in my life, it was nearly impossible for me not to write. But at the same time, I wondered how I’d survive in an industry that felt like it was simultaneously sucking the life out of me.

Welcome to publishing.

I think all artists go through this. Art of all forms is undervalued in our society. People pirate movies and songs and e-books and think nothing of it. Most people don’t pay for original, quality artwork to hang in their homes or offices. And a lot of readers sacrifice quality, edited literature for something cheaper.

Because, let’s face it, we’d all like to get more bang for the almighty buck.

Me included. The $500 painting pays for a plane ticket to see my kid. I’ll glance at that bare piece of wall for the rest of my life in exchange for a week with any one of my children. Maybe I’ll cover the blank space with a thrift-store cork board and some pictures from the trip. And $500 is cheap for an original painting.

After another round of querying and another round of form rejections, I quit writing. I didn’t have it in me. The words were there, the worlds existed in my mind, and I went back to the stories in my head while folding clothing and doing the dishes. Life went on.

Until one day, my husband confronted me. “What’s up with you lately?” A conversation about my mental, emotional, even physical health ensued. I wasn’t nearly as happy. And my husband told me I needed to go on a writing retreat because it always helped. (Yes, he’s that good.)

My heart fluttered but my brain remained fixed. “No way. I’ve given that up.”

He shook his head. “Why? You love writing. I thought it was your dream to be published.”

“Was being the key word.” I folded my arms and clenched my jaw.

He sighed and gave me a hug, kissed my cheek, squeezed me a bit harder even when my arms remained folded. And I cried.

I couldn’t face it.

Could I?

Nope. Nope. Nope.

I didn’t think so. At least, not if I had to face querying again. But…

What if I was never published? I could write for me. Writing stories made me happy. And that’s what mattered. The next time I had a free moment, I sat down at the computer and started a new novel. And for the first time in years, I felt free.

So how do we know when enough is enough?

If you can quit writing and it doesn’t ruin you, do it. I say that with all the tenderness and care I possess.

You might be unhappy with that notion or disagree with me, and that’s fine. Feel free. But after watching hundreds of published authors go through the process, I’ve learned what it’s like. If you don’t love writing and write for yourself, for the love of the words and the worlds and the characters—the struggle, frustration, and rejection will eventually leach out every other positive part of the writing process.

You’ve got to have a passion  that will sustain you through all the struggle to get published. You have to have it after you get published and don’t sell enough copies or get a hateful review or don’t sell the next book or don’t sell the next three. Even if you sell well and things go wonderfully, you have to love writing enough to find time to write while you’re marketing, promoting, editing the last book, and dealing with everything else in life.

So, if you have to write, how do you know when your manuscript is ready to query?

This is a complex question. Sometimes the answer is, you don’t.

Most people don’t have enough money to hire a professional editor. That’s okay. I never did. So how do you figure it out on your own?

Remember that you’re not alone. You have critique partners, hopefully, that will give you their opinion. They might be wrong, but it’s a place to start.

Use contests like Pitch Wars and Author Mentor Match to submit as if you were querying and see what happens. They’re free, so no harm. Usually, you’ll get an idea of how well your manuscript is doing against the competition. These are a bit more helpful in that you can choose the mentors who read and write in your genre and age category just the way you would submit to agents. Again, don’t let that completely discourage you. Use them a gauge, not an end all be all. They can only accept one manuscript, where an agent can accept multiple. So you might’ve made the cut. And often, the mentor will tell you that or give helpful feedback.

There’s also the free workshop, #1st5Pages. They take the first five people every month who submit and give a free critique of your pitch (the flapjacket or blurb part of your query) and your first five pages and let you revise a couple times in the process.

Use critiques at conferences or online to see what industry agents and editors think of the manuscript. They do cost $40-$50, so it’s sometimes prohibitive, but paying a little can get you a lot of information. This is a career you might have to invest in, just like most people would pay for classes or training. Often, these conferences will offer ten page critiques. I’ve been both sides of the table here, getting critiques and then giving them. My advice: let yourself go through the grief process with them. You can get a little angry, feel hurt, let down, but give it a couple days and then go back and read the critique. Often, the agent or editor will have some great advice for how you can make your novel better.

Use the querying process itself to see if you’re ready. Choose ten agents. Five who are young and hungry for manuscripts and five seasoned agents. If all ten are form rejections, there’s probably something wrong with your query, synopsis, or first ten pages. I’ve got a post on The Modern Query Letter here. And The Simple Synopsis here. Get help. Edit them. Have people read them. If they don’t understand anything in one single pass, make sure they tell you where they were confused. Get it as good as you can. (Don’t feel badly. I know plenty of published authors who need help because queries and synopses are so difficult.) Then query ten more as before.

Still form rejections? Consider getting professional help–but make sure you do your homework! Not every freelance editor is the same. And often, your best bet is to go with an agent or editor from places like #MSWL Consultations. Agents  and editors offer critiques, and they might like the premise enough to ask you to submit. If you need a cheaper option, go with a freelance editor who’s been in the query inboxes with agents as an intern and been groomed to read queries.

Revise it. Soon, you’ll start getting requests. If you’ve done your best to revise and perfect your query and pages and you’re not getting any requests for more, you need to think about querying another novel. There is no magic number of queries to come to this conclusion.

It might just be when you can’t take anymore. It might be that you have made a list of every single agent who accepts your age category and genre and you’re going to get to the end of that list no matter what. Either one is acceptable. Do what you need to in order to be satisfied, and then let it go. (That’s the hardest part.)

Hopefully, during this whole process, you’ve continued to write.

Often, it’s not until the third, forth, or even fifth novel that a writer catches agent interest.

Another thing, make sure the type of novel you’re querying is selling in the current market. As stated before somewhere (I think), what agents are signing is 18-24 months behind what’s hitting shelves. So they may know the market is saturated well before you do. My next post will be about how to follow the current industry sales and what’s being picked up now, so you as an author will be privy to what’s being scooped up.

I personally don’t like the idea of writing for the market. It stifles originality and takes some of the joy out of the process for me. Either way, this information will make you a better judge of whether it’s your writing that needs improving, or whether you simply aren’t going to find a home for it because it’s a vampire novel and that trend is over. That said, it’s also you can dust off that vampire novel sitting in that file when an agent tweets out that they want to see those vampire novels again.

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Way-Word Journey #6: This Just Isn’t For Me

The reason I never wanted to query again was because so much of what I heard felt like I wasn’t good enough.

I. Me. Not my manuscript.

Every rejection basically said, we don’t want this manuscript. What they really meant was, I can’t sell this manuscript. For whatever reason.

I had to know why. I could accept the truth if I understood it.

A few people, mostly readers, gave me helpful hints.

There were things I needed to fix: the grammar, the punctuation, finding my style, finding the characters’ voices, learning to plot and world build.

There were issues with some of the books I couldn’t fix: this idea isn’t high-concept enough, the market doesn’t want that right now but wait fifteen years and it’ll come back around, that book is too quiet, that just isn’t the right fit for me (or my list).

Notice the word books: I hadn’t stopped writing for myself. At this point, it had been about five or six years since I’d started writing. I’d written about five books and completely rewritten two of them after deleting every single file of the original, so I wouldn’t be tempted to go back and look.

And this whole time, I felt like I wasn’t good enough.

Me. Not my manuscript.

It’s easy to get resentful, to say the gatekeepers are to blame, to become dissatisfied or even angry with the publishing industry. I’ve been there more than once, especially after a round of rejections. But I’ve also been on the other side of this business, shuffling through the queries and reading hundreds of manuscripts on behalf of agents and editors.

Agents and editors have to love the book so much that they’re willing to read it about fifteen times and still be excited about it. There are books I’ve written myself that I can’t say that about. So how would I expect an agent to love it that much? I’ve seen so many excellent manuscripts that I wouldn’t want to read again. They were well written, had voice, great worlds, and satisfying endings. Even if I’d read them a second time, there wouldn’t be a third. It’s still a great book, written by a talented author.

So very often, that’s exactly what they mean.

There are a lot of other reasons agents don’t think they’re the right fit for your manuscript.

The form rejection might make it feel otherwise. (Even the ones that feel personal are usually cut and pasted–because agents are already worn so thin on time, they have to.) Sometimes, they don’t know any editors who they could sub it to. Agents try to keep tabs on what editors are looking for. They might already have a client who’s either written or is currently writing a manuscript very close to yours that would be a conflict of interest. They might have a list already full of that age category or genre that they’re trying to sell and have too many submissions already out to editors in that area. That genre or sub-genre might be already saturated in the current market. (Remember, the publishing industry is 18-24 months behind what’s hitting the shelves, so you might not think it’s hit yet.) There are heaps of reasons agents might reject your manuscript.

In fact, I wish everyone would say that their manuscript was rejected, not that they were rejected. Their manuscript wasn’t a right fit, not that they weren’t a right fit.

Believe me, I know how difficult this advice is to take, BUT–It’s not something you should take personally.

And even if it is personal, take a lesson from kindergarten. Not everyone is going to be your best friend. And you shouldn’t expect everyone to. Be honest with yourself–do you love everyone you come in contact with? Do you love every book you read enough to read it over and over and over and then provide support and enthusiasm and crisis intervention to the author for the few years it’ll take to get it published? Is there even a handful of books you could say that about?

Even wildly popular books get terrible reviews. The rejection never ends. Ever. Some people don’t want to read them. Some people just don’t get what all the fuss is about. With so many people on the planet having their own unique experiences, with so many polarized perspectives, there will always be people who don’t like your writing.

So what?

You don’t need everyone to love your book. You just need about 0.000002 percent of Earth’s population to like your book. And you can do that.

You can do that.

You can.

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Query and First Page Critique Giveaway!

Because the world needs more help in general…

I’m giving away a query and first 250-word critique to a random person who makes a comment on this post between the time it goes up until 8am Central Time on September 24th, 2018 (that’s Monday). All you have to do to qualify is tell me one small thing you did to help someone else within the last week. It could be a smile, taking someone coffee, laughing at someone’s terrible joke. I don’t care. I just need to see some good people doing good things.

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Thank you to every single person who shared their experiences and good deeds. I know it’s not usually in our nature to toot our own horn, but I also think it’s uplifting to see all the good that’s being done in the world.

And the winner is:

Debbie Burke

Debbie will be receiving an email from me.

Way-word Journey #5: I Thought I Was Good Enough

I’d written a novel!

After having a couple people read it, all of whom said it was !Wonderful!, I thought, It must be good enough to be published then.

My chest tightened, and my stomach fluttered.

So I researched how to query on the internet. One issue–reliable sources. Another issue–outdated sources. I wasn’t sure who to trust or where to go for help. The biggest issue–I didn’t know anyone else who wrote novels. So I gave it a try.

I queried fifteen agents.

Some rejections came, and I thought they were written just to me. Oh, they thought I would find an agent! It just wasn’t right for their particular taste.

I queried fifteen more. About ten more rejections. And they all began sounding the same.

I mean, if it was decent, one out of thirty might’ve liked it, right? After another fifteen queries and some rejections, I’d had nineteen months of heartbreak.

I’d written another novel and half of the sequel to the one I was querying in the meantime. Because by then, I was addicted to it.

Every agents had said they liked Young Adult, Science fiction.

A side note:

Whenever you’re researching on the internet, look at people’s credentials, but also look at when the article or advice was written. For example, a lot of agents used to want the title, word count, genre, and age category paragraph of the query at the bottom, right before your bio. Now, most of the agents (at least the newer ones) want it at the top. Another addition within the last several years is an introductory, personalized sentence about why you’re querying them. And within the last couple years, comparable titles have become a thing to add as well.

That said, most agents aren’t going to throw out your query if you don’t do it exactly that way. They’ll give you the time (and I know this because I read queries for an agent) and read the entire query. But knowing how they prefer it shows a level of dedication and professionalism that speaks to what kind of client you’ll be.

So what was wrong with my manuscript?

I had a great idea, but my writing wasn’t publishing quality yet. I made a lot of errors that new writers make.

And that was okay.

Something I was doing that wasn’t okay was translating the rejection of the manuscript to a rejection of me. It wasn’t enough to keep me from trying though.

All my effort went to honing my craft. And I made a plan.

First, learn to write well. If querying took that long, I didn’t want to waste another eighteen months querying and burn another forty-five agents. So, I wanted to wait until I knew for sure that my writing was good enough.

Second, learn to edit. Because your writing is only as good as your editing. I wasn’t going to throw away those stories. One was a planned trilogy with a prequel, number two already half written. The other could be a series, and I already knew how book two would begin and end.

So how could I learn when I didn’t know anyone and lived in rural New York?

I bought books on writing craft. For a list of some of my favorites, I have a post on it here.

I went to book clubs and libraries and independent book stores and asked the authors I met how they did it. And every single answer was different. (This is something I later realized would be the one thing that remained consistent throughout publishing–everything is different and subjective.)

I read books and analyzed them. Outlining plots. Following character arcs for primary, secondary, and even tertiary characters. Mapping structures of worlds. I tore the books I loved apart and saw them in a completely different light–as an author and editor rather than a reader.

One of the crucial people I met then was author Therese Walsh. She’d published her first book and was writing her second, but more than that, she was building a community of writers through a website called Writer Unboxed. It wasn’t very big back then, but it’s since become one of the best places to go for quality information on writing. She was building a community. She was giving back to the writing industry and gaining an invaluable network. I wanted to be like her, I just needed the opportunity.

Later, after moving to Kansas, I began taking classes from authors and editors in the business who could teach me the art of writing. I went to conferences and found a critique group.

For years, I soaked up as much information as I could.

But I was afraid to query.

Ever again.

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Writing Craft Books Worth Your Time

This is the kind of post I’ll be updating as time goes by, but over the years, I’ve learned more from books on how to write craft than from any agent or editor or workshop I’ve ever taken. Most of these I’ve read more than once and have highlighted, marked, stuck post-its in reference spots, generally used and loved them to the point of abuse. I’m like my poor daughter who loved her baby chick so much she hugged it to death–literally.

The first book on writing craft I ever read was a set of editorial letters from the celebrated editor Ursula Nordstrom to her clients, namely Maurice Sendak, E.B. White, Margaret Wise Brown, Shel Silverstein, Garth Williams, John Steptoe… You get the idea. It was the moment I knew I wanted to be published, because I wanted an editor like that. I knew I needed someone in my corner who would be my creative partner in all of this mess that is writing.

Dear Genius: The Letters of Ursula Nordstrom,

Collected and Edited by Leonard S. Marcus

She trusted her immense intuition and generous heart–and published the most. Ursula Nordstrom, director of Harper’s Department of Books for Boys and Girls from 1940 to 1973, was arguably the single most creative force for innovation in children’s book publishing in the United States during the twentieth century. Considered an editor of maverick temperament and taste, her unorthodox vision helped create such classics as Goodnight Moon, Charlotte’s Web, Where the Wild Things Are, Harold and the Purple Crayon, and The Giving Tree.

Leonard S. Marcus has culled an exceptional collection of letters from the HarperCollins archives. The letters included here are representative of the brilliant correspondence that was instrumental in the creation of some of the most beloved books in the world today. Full of wit and humor, they are immensely entertaining, thought-provoking, and moving in their revelation of the devotion and high-voltage intellect of an incomparably gifted editor, mentor, and publishing visionary.Ursula Nordstrom, director of Harper’s Department of Books for Boys and Girls from 1940 to 1973, was arguably the single most creative force for innovation in children’s book publishing in the United States during the twentieth century. Considered an editor of maverick temperament and taste, her unorthodox vision helped create such classics as Goodnight Moon, Charlotte’s Web, Where the Wild Things Are, Harold and the Purple Crayon, and The Giving Tree.

Leonard S. Marcus has culled an exceptional collection of letters from the HarperCollins archives. The letters included here are representative of the brilliant correspondence that was instrumental in the creation of some of the most beloved books in the world today. Full of wit and humor, they are immensely entertaining, thought-provoking, and moving in their revelation of the devotion and high-voltage intellect of an incomparably gifted editor, mentor, and publishing visionary.

Once I realized my current writing abilities were less than industry standard (to put it gently), I wanted to improve so badly. I asked someone I knew who was a major in some kind of English or Journalism what books they studied in college about wriitng. And they told me about…

The Elements of Style

by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White

You know the authors’ names. You recognize the title. You’ve probably used this book yourself. This is The Elements of Style, the classic style manual, now in a fourth edition. A new Foreword by Roger Angell reminds readers that the advice of Strunk & White is as valuable today as when it was first offered.This book’s unique tone, wit and charm have conveyed the principles of English style to millions of readers. Use the fourth edition of “the little book” to make a big impact with writing.

This little book became my writer’s bible. I’ve read it so many times over the years, I had to buy a second copy. In hardback. It’s just a standard, and I love it.

Since that time, I’ve always tried to open my mind to more and more opinions, but I have to say, I don’t agree with all writing craft books. I’ve enjoyed them, taken what I can and left the rest. I used to feel guilty for wanting to argue a point, but I’ve realized that what makes great writers is their fresh and unique way of doing things. So I don’t think we all have to agree on everything. It would be a boring world of literature if we did. And what works for one writer won’t necessarily work for another.

So these are the books I’ve used, read, and loved. Some more than others. But I’m not going to bias you one way or another. Because they’ve all had something to offer and made me a better writer, especially a better editor, in the process.

In no specific order…

Book Architecture

by Stuart Horwitz

In Book Architecture: How to Plot and Outline Without Using a Formula, Stuart Horwitz returns with his trademark clarity to help writers craft a powerful plot and an effective outline for their works-in-progress. Whether your manuscript is an advanced draft or you are just starting out, whether you are working in fiction, film and TV, or creative nonfiction, you will learn a new approach to structure that will transform the way you look at your writing. Along the way, Horwitz offers detailed, concrete examples that reveal how the Book Architecture Method works with everything from literary classics to blockbuster films. And you won’t have to resort to using a formula–which may seem risky! But it can be done.

The next book is like a companion novel or workbook to Book Architecture, and reading both was helpful.

Blueprint Your Bestseller: Organize and Revise Any Manuscript with the Book Architecture Method

by Stuart Horwitz

The first draft is the easy part…

In Blueprint Your Bestseller, Stuart Horwitz offers a step-by-step process for revising your manuscript that has helped bestselling authors get from first draft to final draft. Whether you’re tinkering with your first one hundred pages or trying to wrestle a complete draft into shape, Horwitz helps you look at your writing with the fresh perspective you need to reach the finish line.

Blueprint Your Bestseller introduces the Book Architecture Method, a tested sequence of steps for organizing and revising any manuscript. By breaking a manuscript into manageable scenes, you can determine what is going on in your writing at the structural level—and uncover the underlying flaws and strengths of your narrative.

For more than a decade this proven approach to revision has helped authors of both fiction and nonfiction, as well as writers across all media from theater to film to TV.

Steering the Craft

by Ursula K. Le Guin

A revised and updated guide to the essentials of a writer’s craft, presented by a brilliant practitioner of the art.

Completely revised and rewritten to address the challenges and opportunities of the modern era, this handbook is a short, deceptively simple guide to the craft of writing. Le Guin lays out ten chapters that address the most fundamental components of narrative, from the sound of language to sentence construction to point of view. Each chapter combines illustrative examples from the global canon with Le Guin’s own witty commentary and an exercise that the writer can do solo or in a group. She also offers a comprehensive guide to working in writing groups, both actual and online.

Writing Irresistable Kidlit: The The Ultimate Guide to Crafting Fiction for Young Adult and Middle Grade Readers

by Mary Kole

Masterly and concise, Steering the Craft deserves a place on every writer’s shelf.

Captivate the hearts and minds of young adult readers!

Writing for young adult (YA) and middle grade (MG) audiences isn’t just “kid’s stuff” anymore–it’s kidlit! The YA and MG book markets are healthier and more robust than ever, and that means the competition is fiercer, too. In Writing Irresistible Kidlit, literary agent Mary Kole shares her expertise on writing novels for young adult and middle grade readers and teaches you how to:

  • Recognize the differences between middle grade and young adult audiences and how it impacts your writing.
  • Tailor your manuscript’s tone, length, and content to your readership.
  • Avoid common mistakes and cliches that are prevalent in YA and MG fiction, in respect to characters, story ideas, plot structure and more.
  • Develop themes and ideas in your novel that will strike emotional chords.

Mary Kole’s candid commentary and insightful observations, as well as a collection of book excerpts and personal insights from bestselling authors and editors who specialize in the children’s book market, are invaluable tools for your kidlit career.

If you want the skills, techniques, and know-how you need to craft memorable stories for teens and tweens, Writing Irresistible Kidlit can give them to you.

The Art of X-Ray Reading

by Roy Peter Clark

Roy Peter Clark, one of America’s most influential writing teachers, draws writing lessons from 25 great texts.

Where do writers learn their best moves? They use a technique that Roy Peter Clark calls X-ray reading, a form of reading that lets you penetrate beyond the surface of a text to see how meaning is actually being made. In THE ART OF X-RAY READING, Clark invites you to don your X-ray reading glasses and join him on a guided tour through some of the most exquisite and masterful literary works of all time, from The Great Gatsby to Lolita to The Bluest Eye, and many more. Along the way, he shows you how to mine these masterpieces for invaluable writing strategies that you can add to your aresenal and apply in your own writing. Once you’ve experienced X-ray reading, your writing will never be the same again.

Writing the Breakout Novel

by Donald Maass

Take your fiction to the next level!

Maybe you’re a first-time novelist looking for practical guidance. Maybe you’ve already been published, but your latest effort is stuck in mid-list limbo. Whatever the case may be, author and literary agent Donald Maass can show you how to take your prose to the next level and write a breakout novel – one that rises out of obscurity and hits the best-seller lists.

Maass details the elements that all breakout novels share – regardless of genre – then shows you writing techniques that can make your own books stand out and succeed in a crowded marketplace.

You’ll learn to:

  • establish a powerful and sweeping sense of time and place
  • weave subplots into the main action for a complex, engrossing story
  • create larger-than-life characters that step right off the page
  • explore universal themes that will interest a broad audience of readers
  • sustain a high degree of narrative tension from start to finish
  • develop an inspired premise that sets your novel apart from the competition

Then, using examples from the recent works of several best-selling authors – including novelist Anne Perry – Maass illustrates methods for upping the ante in every aspect of your novel writing. You’ll capture the eye of an agent, generate publisher interest and lay the foundation for a promising career.

Made to Stick

by Chip Heath & Dan Heath

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The instant classic about why some ideas thrive, why others die, and how to improve your idea’s chances—essential reading in the “fake news” era.

Mark Twain once observed, “A lie can get halfway around the world before the truth can even get its boots on.” His observation rings true: Urban legends, conspiracy theories, and bogus news stories circulate effortlessly. Meanwhile, people with important ideas—entrepreneurs, teachers, politicians, and journalists—struggle to make them “stick.”

In Made to Stick, Chip and Dan Heath reveal the anatomy of ideas that stick and explain ways to make ideas stickier, such as applying the human scale principle, using the Velcro Theory of Memory, and creating curiosity gaps. Along the way, we discover that sticky messages of all kinds—from the infamous “kidney theft ring” hoax to a coach’s lessons on sportsmanship to a vision for a new product at Sony—draw their power from the same six traits.

Made to Stick will transform the way you communicate. It’s a fast-paced tour of success stories (and failures): the Nobel Prize-winning scientist who drank a glass of bacteria to prove a point about stomach ulcers; the charities who make use of the Mother Teresa Effect; the elementary-school teacher whose simulation actually prevented racial prejudice.

Provocative, eye-opening, and often surprisingly funny, Made to Stick shows us the vital principles of winning ideas—and tells us how we can apply these rules to making our own messages stick.

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

by Stephen King

Immensely helpful and illuminating to any aspiring writer, this special edition of Stephen King’s critically lauded, million-copy bestseller shares the experiences, habits, and convictions that have shaped him and his work.

“Long live the King” hailed Entertainment Weekly upon publication of Stephen King’s On Writing. Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this superb volume is a revealing and practical view of the writer’s craft, comprising the basic tools of the trade every writer must have. King’s advice is grounded in his vivid memories from childhood through his emergence as a writer, from his struggling early career to his widely reported, near-fatal accident in 1999—and how the inextricable link between writing and living spurred his recovery. Brilliantly structured, friendly and inspiring, On Writing will empower and entertain everyone who reads it—fans, writers, and anyone who loves a great story well told.

I’d love to hear what you’re currently reading to improve your writing craft!

Way-Word Journey #4: Coming Out as a Writer

Thanksgiving Day, my family was gathering for the traditional feast. The golden-brown turkey sat, half-carved, surrounded by decimated side dishes of candied yams and mashed potatoes and gravy.

“What’s up with you?”

Should I say it out loud? Gulp. “Well, I wrote a novel.”

“A novel? Well, I’ll be darned. You wrote a whole book?” My uncle’s eyebrows rose when I nodded. The clink of silverware on plates quieted down.  “Wow! You’re gonna be the next J.K. Rowling!”

My cousin chimes in. “What’re you gonna do with all the money?”

“Yeah, I could really use some help.”

The most painful thing…

The accomplishment of writing a novel took the backseat on a very long bus. They asked what it was about and responded with a, “Huh. I don’t really read that.” I’d devoted hundreds of hours to it, but there was no way for them to understand that it was becoming a part of who I was in a way I didn’t even comprehend. But I felt it.

My family tried to be supportive in their own way by telling me I’d be as successful as J.K. Rowling (and they could really use the financial boost, too). But that also sets up the expectation that I’m no good unless I sell millions of copies. And I hadn’t even decided I wanted to be published.

Fun Fact: The majority of authors sell around 10,000 to 15,000 copies of a novel.

And read it? That was a whole other mixed bag of emotions. Some wanted to read it, like my mom and gram. That made me so nervous. The mom in my novel was the villain. Yikes! And what if they hated it? What if it actually was terrible?

Most of my family didn’t want to read, which made me feel a whole different kind of lame. Like I wasn’t worth a few hours of their time.

The reality is, most people think that if you write a novel, the getting it published is easy. Even self-publishing, which is a much more direct path, takes editing, copy editing, dumping some money into a cover, and a part-time marketing job to sell a decent number of copies. A select few people know how difficult it is to take a manuscript and get it  across the Big-5 finish line. So digest comments about your writing while also keeping their blissful ignorance in mind. They probably don’t mean to hurt you. They most likely don’t realize they’re doing it. I know that over the years since this, my family has watched me struggle and improve and been supportive to the best of their ability.

It takes a lot of courage and fortitude to even write a novel, and by the time you’re finished, it’s such a part of you. Having that be rejected and criticized and even just passed by can be a painful experience. But if you never share your novel, you’ll never find a whole other joy that comes from the writing process–the connection with your reader. And it’s worth it. You’ll find that people who read your books will gain things from it you never intended. They’ll have joy in an escape of your making.

You can share it with your family, let them read it, but don’t make them your critique partners. Your mom or gram or sister are most likely not going to give you the real critique you need. Find and connect with other writers out there who write in your genre and age category. It matters. And as you edit other people’s work, you’ll see an improvement in your own writing as well.

Or maybe you just want to write the first draft. Sometimes all we want is to give ourselves the escape. If that’s what writing is for you, you shouldn’t feel like you have to publish your novel. If you have a dream to be published, then go for it! I’ve gone back and forth over the years, not wanting to publish, wishing I could, hoping to go Big-5, thinking Independent presses would be a better way to go. Every one of those feelings and avenues is valid and should be respected.

And when you come out about your writing to people, give yourself a break, too. It’s okay to have all those feelings. Just don’t stew in them or let them get in the way of your dream.

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Way-Word Journey #3: The Blank Page

My family lived in a tiny house that didn’t take much to clean. My kids had all just gone back to school. I was doing some freelance work with solid modeling–a remnant from my engineering days–but I found myself with time. It felt surreal. So after I’d remodeled the bathroom, I sat down one day with the idea, a character, and basic outline for a first chapter in mind. I’d just jot it down.

Words spilled onto the page. I had no idea what I was doing. But in that moment, I fell in love with writing in a way I’d never done with any other type of art or work. Five hours later, I got a call from the school that I’d forgotten to pick up my kids.

The key to overcoming that blank page is ideas. I’d had kept so many stories for so long in my head, when I finally sat down, I couldn’t keep up. I didn’t know how to type then but forced myself to keep my fingers in the right place and stare at the keyboard as I learned to type while writing the story. There’s a post here on where to come up with ideas.

Several months later, by the time I’d finished the first chapter, I had 230,000 words in my file.

What I didn’t realize then: I used a lot of those words to build my world, to tell myself all the backstory of who my characters were, why they had these fascinating traits that made them so unique, and all the other things an author needs to know about. (But the reader doesn’t need to know all those things.) Still, I had my first manuscript.

And it was a win!

Even if you ever get published, you should take the time to celebrate every single success. Because the completion of a first draft, the completion of a revision, every step is important in the process.

I remember dreaming about sending it to publishers and knowing they’d all love it as much as I loved it. I didn’t even know about agents, what a query was, A synopsis–impossible to get all that into three pages, which is what the standard was at the time. (Now it’s one.) But I didn’t care. I’d written a brilliant-to-me novel.

In a way, I’m glad I was so naive. It gave me the chance to relish the fact that I’d done it without the worry of how difficult the publishing industry is to navigate. And that’s something that’s quickly taken away from you by the rejection. If you can find a way to never let go of that feeling, no matter who rejects you, do it. I’ve lost and found it several times over the years, and it’s a precious gift to write a book 100% for the joy of what you get out of it.

Do you remember the first chapter you ever wrote?

Previous Way-Word Journey Post | Next Way-Word Journey Post

Never Get Blocked: How to Generate High-Concept Ideas

Ideas are common. Good ideas are less common. High concept ideas are rare. The good news is, they can be constructed if you know how.

When you’re writing, you’re constantly creating. It takes a lot of energy and mental effort. I think of my brain like a battery. It needs recharged. When I’ve spent all day expending creative energy, it needs to be fed with experiences, listening to other people’s thoughts and ideas, and discovering new things about the world. We also need an environment where even bad ideas are allowed to be shared, where mistakes can be made without shame, and our minds are allowed to go to new places without fear of what others will think.

So every day, I like to make sure to learn something new and write down one possible way that idea could be used as a premise for a story. I read the Encyclopedia Brittanica. I especially like their Demystified articles. Or I ask a questions about how something is done. I used to love watching “How It’s Made” with my kids. There’s so much information out there now, it’s easy to learn new things.

Most of these ideas will be okay. Some will be terrible. Some will be great.

As a storyteller of any kind, the ideas that garner the most attention and usually reach the largest audience are high concept ideas. There are the general tenants of a high concept idea or premise:

The ability to entertain a mass audience…

This just means it needs to appeal universally. It should have at its core something that will ‘speak’ to or is a common experience for most people. It’s the human experience.

An emotional focus….

This will usually manifest as a theme that resonates emotionally with a lot of people.

Asks a ‘what if’ question…

These are questions you could ask yourself or that could arise from combining ideas together. More about this later. But it’s the question that creates curiosity. Like what if instead of normal animals in a zoo, you could see dinosaurs and add in a theme part ride or safari–Jurrasic Park.

It’s unique and original…

Not everything about the story will be unique, and rarely are things original. But things that are done in a more unique format or medium that showcase an idea in a different way can make something higher concept. An example is the movie Avatar. It took a basic story like the Pocahantas legend and added in the idea of aliens and then added in the idea of body-borrowing. Mix that with our next tenant.

Visually stunning…

With movies, this is easier to conceptualize. For the written word, it has to be vivid, use specific words that create new and amazing worlds.

Now take two or three of your own amazing ideas and put them together. They can sound crazy. They might sound outlandish. But that’s how to make things fresh and exciting and different. If you do this enough, you’ll begin coming up with high-concept ideas that you love, that are ideal for showcasing the theme you’ve been toying around with, or fit perfectly with that main character you’ve always connected with.

Here are some other places you can look to learn how to get new ideas…

TED Talk: Where do ideas come from?

by Steven Johnson

How does the metaphorical lightbulb go off? Is it a flash of genius? The power of crowds? These heady talks explore the nature of ideas themselves: Where they come from, how they evolve, and how each of us can nurture them.

Smithsonian Magazine: Where Do New Ideas Come From?

With close study, the genealogies of even the most original ideas can be traced.

Scientific Magazine: Where Do Ideas Come from?

They’re nurtured by informal dialogues in environments where mistakes are tolerated and critical thinking is encouraged.

Where do you get your ideas?

Way-Word Journey #2: I Didn’t Always Want To Be A Writer

I didn’t always want to be a writer.

And I’ve come to realize that’s okay.

I began college as an Aerospace Engineering student. I’d watched Top Gun a hundred-plus times and wanted to be Kelly McGillis. I loved planes. They fascinated me. I skipped class to go (with a guy) see the space shuttle land at Davis Monthan Air Force Base. I skipped class to go see the SR-71 at the Pima Air Museum. I also skipped class to ride (with a different guy) in an Aston Martin to get Dunkin’ Donuts.

And it was always Math and Physics I skipped. I should’ve known then that my passion was words.

But alas, I’m truly fascinated by all kinds of things. So after two years of Engineering, I found another love in the world of Biochemistry and received a Bachelor’s in that field and worked in a plant sciences lab. I loved it. I think I could’ve loved a lot of things. And then during a terrible pregnancy, I had to quit. After many complications and several months of recovery, I started my own company bidding and installing signs for new construction. I loved that, too, because it let me be at home with my kids and have a way to earn money. After two more children within three years, I ended that business to focus on my kids.

And I loved it. Every minute? No. But really, my kids fascinated me. They were like little science experiments, creations, and I’d never felt so lucky or blessed to be a part of something so remarkable as being a mother. Some people have told me I missed my calling in life because I spent my best years on my kids. They can think that. I certainly don’t regret it one bit.

But all of that life experience gave me ideas. Experience is the best thing for creativity and emotional resonance. If you’ve never been through things, it’s nearly impossible to write about it.

I was doing things worth writing as well as all the mundane chores that go along with life. Occasionally, I’ve felt behind when I hear about people who have been writing novels since they were in middle school or high school and end up published in their twenties. While being truly happy for them, I also used to feel like I was somehow not as good because I didn’t begin writing until later in life.

Yes, I won an Arizona State poetry contest when I was in second grade. But it didn’t stick.

Maybe I won’t ever be as good as those writers. Maybe I will. In reality, this is my journey, and the only person who can allow me to be upset by it is myself.

The problem is comparison.

Don’t compare yourself to anyone else. Ever. Just don’t. As many books as there are in the world, there are even more writing journeys. Your journey is never wrong. It might be complicated. It might take you somewhere you didn’t plan. But every step will teach you something if you let it, which will only make you that much more prepared for the future.

I’d love to hear what your day job is and if you love it as much as writing.

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Way-Word Journey #1: Boredom Can Be A Good Thing

I stood at the kitchen sink, washing dishes, and stared at a wall. The brownish red of the brick and dirt that covered my backyard created the backdrop of a wasteland, the occasional tumbleweed or dry grass breaking up the soil. Over the years, I stared at other backyards or back-splashes day after day. Vacuuming, mopping, pulling weeds, folding clothes, I only vaguely saw it all through the fantasy worlds playing out in my imagination.

Snow White sang, but  my voice scares away the animals (including my children). So the only way I survived being a full-time mother of three was escaping into the worlds I created in my head.

I loved my kids more than I can express with words, and they’re brilliant and funny and wonderful. But spending 24/7 with children and cleaning and gardening and cleaning some more–it’s not a recipe for intrigue. And that’s what I craved. I wanted to travel the world, taste foods I’d never heard of, see animals outside a zoo with amazing abilities too strange to imagine, learn about ancient cultures from their ruins.

But diapers had to be changed. The little people needed read to and taught and bathed and occasionally rescued from one another.

So I told myself stories and created worlds of my own that were every bit as fascinating to me as the real world I couldn’t get to. And that’s how I became a writer.

How did you become a writer? I’d love to hear your story!

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Sunday, September 2, 2012

Rock Solid Recap: Rockies Win Ugly Sunday Rubber Match

Rockies 11, Padres 10 (boxscore)

As well played as the first two games were, this one was every bit as ugly. And I'm not just talking about from a pitching standpoint. It was sloppy baseball in general, and that made it quite a chore to sit through despite the offensive fireworks and positive result.

Winning Player: Chris Nelson

Nelly only had one of the Rockies 11 hits, but it was the biggest in the game. It came in the 7th with Colorado trailing 9-7. Tyler Colvin had just sacrificed the tying runs into scoring position (because Jim Tracy is a genius or something), and Nelson said screw that, skip, I'm here to win. So he launched a three-run homer to straight away center to recapture the lead.

Honorable Mentions: Dexter Fowler (three hits, two RBIs) and Jordan Pacheco (two hits, two RBIs and two runs)

Turning Point: The Rockies had two big innings offensively, and need every bit of both to pull out this win. Of course one of those was the 7th thanks to Nelson's home run. The other was a seven-run 3rd in which they scored six more two-out runs. I swear they've doubled their season total of two-out runs in the last two days alone. And it's no surprise at all that they have won both of those games.

Jeff Francis' Line: 3 2/3 IP, 6 R (5 ER), 10 H, 0 BB, 4 K, 1 HR, 80 pitches (55 strikes)

This looked a lot like his return start back on June 9. The Angels peppered him for 10 hits (all singles) in 3 1/3. Today, San Diego threw a home run and a double in there, but it was mostly Francis getting peppered by singles, and he also didn't get much help from his defense. Indecisiveness, sloppy technique, and missed cutoff men were abound, and each 90 feet allowed proved to be costly in one way or another.

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The year 1992 marks the beginning of a new era in the company Henriques & Henriques, S.A., with the implementation of a Quality Management System. In 1994 we obtained the ISO 9002 certification. With this project, the company began to integrate procedures and production goals for its efficient and full satisfaction of the needs and expectations of its clients with whom have maintained a relationship of trust throughout its activity.

In 2003 we carried out the transition of certification to the Portuguese standard NP EN ISO 9001. By implementing a strategy for quality, Henriques & Henriques, S.A. made an investment that provided capital gains to the company, continuing the behaviors of continuous improvement and full satisfaction of our clients, following the certification obtained in 1994.

In 2012 the company obtained certification according to the standards ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001, which reflect the commitment that Henriques & Henriques, S.A. took over for good practices in issues of environmental and safety, health and hygiene of our employees.

Currently we count on the French ACS certification (Atestation de Conformité Sanitaire) for equipment that are intended to be in contact with drinking water.

We are presently in the certification process for obtaining the NSF certification.

About Us

The company Henriques & Henriques, S.A. exists since 1980, belongs to Henriques Group SGPS, specializing in the manufacture and sales of metal tanks, intended for the storage of liquid fuels, LPG and compressed air, as well as hydropneumatic tanks and water treatment filters.

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Go Back   Horror.com Forums - Talk about horror. > Members List

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About Me

  • About blckrocker
    Im a horror movie fanatic. Im kinda dissapionted that movies now rely on more gore than suspense, now I love gore i REALLY love gore. but i want to be scared and be afraid of what might happen next too.
    new york
    writing, acting, singing.
    Favorite Horror Movie
    holloween, suspiria, the audition, misery.
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    my uncle bob never had a green shadow before,
    so how come when I see a green shadow walking down the stairs into my dark basement I follow it assuming it's bob.

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Peace and quiet neighbourhood create a unique opportunity for trips in the country. It doesn't take long from Warsaw (110km), Częstochowa (100km), Łódź (50km), Tomaszów Mazowiecki (5km) to get to this exceptional place.

We recommend for your special attention:

The Sulejów Landscape Park

  • The Sulejow Reservoir
  • The Pilica River Valley
  • The Blue Springs – a nature park
  • The Bison Reserve in Smardzewice
  • Nazi Bunkers from the World War II in Konewka
  • The Open–air Museum of the Pilica River
  • Spała and the surrounding woods
  • The 1176 years old Cistercian Abbey in Sulejów
  • The Horse–Breeding Farm in Bogusławice
  • The Museum of Carriages
  • The Ruins of the Castle in Inowłódz from the 14th century

The Kruk Hotel*** organises coach excursions to the above–mentioned places.

The described vicinity is a perfect place for amateurs of hiking, joggers, and cyclists. Furthermore, people who are keen on motocross, and off-road spots, horse riders, sailors, wind-surfers, fishermen, mushroom pickers and all the other nature and active holidays lovers will certainly find here something interesting for themselves.

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Fresh Start 420 Miracle Elixir 16oz (Case of 9)

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Fresh Start 420 Miracle Elixir 16oz
Start each session fresh and unlock the best flavor with Fresh Start 420. This 100% odorless glass pipe cleaner stands a step above the rest. Our easy to use formula cleans all your glass and ceramic pieces quickly. To remove stains, residue and oil build-up simply fill, soak and rinse. No scrubbing needed.  Cleans: Water Pipes, Bubblers, Hookahs, Pipes, Bowls, Bongs and Vaporizers.

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We’ve found the perfect cast and the perfect director! Now it’s time to start filming!

If was an exhaustive casting process. We went through many potential ARG’s and Lynns. But Ultimately Christina Hendricks and John Hamm won the parts!

Also here’s the Phallicized version, if you’re so inclined. I shouldn’t have to say that it’s NSFW.


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Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Come rain or shine, there is work to be done...

We've had a couple of weeks of very mixed weather here in Asturias. One day bright sunshine and the next, torrential rain, hail and strong winds. There is snow in the mountains but at least here on the coast, that never causes us problems apart from the chill factor. The fields around us are flooded, there are several trees down and on the coast there has been damage to the promenades and tonnes of wood has been brought down stream in the swollen rivers and has now been deposited on the beaches.

It is always depressing to see such a large volume of plastic amongst the wood on the beach. Why can't people just dispose of water bottles and such, responsibly rather than just tossing them into the void that is apparently also their brain?

The rain in Asturias is relentless at times. Last week we had around 106 litres of rain (per square meter) with most of that coming down in short sharp bursts.

At this time of year we try and coppice the hazel that borders our land on the north side. We have a fence that was installed when the house was built sited just inside of an old limestone wall that has now fallen into disrepair; this wall is the actual boundary. One day we will restore it and remove the fence. About half way along, this wall becomes a retaining wall for our garden which drops down nearly two meters into the field below - hence the name La Pasera meaning the stepping stones. Along this dividing wall, hazels are prolific and thick but provide something of a wind-break from the storms that hit the north coast from the Atlantic and bay of Biscay. Never-the-less they need keeping in check or they become too impenetrable and a nuisance. We are about half way through now and when the weather allows we will continue behind the shed and compost bins. The coppiced wood will be chopped, left to dry and used for firewood or for plant supports in the garden.

In between the storms we have made a start on thinning out the hazel and where possible just leaving a few main branches to break the wind and prevent damage. The cats love the coppiced hazel and spend their time pouncing on the dried catkins, scent marking the twigs by rubbing their noses along the length and hiding from each other amongst the piles of cuttings ready to pounce when the opportunity arises.

On wet days, Wentworth and Gawber take refuge inside but use every opportunity on finer days to explore the surrounding fields and cuetos (rocky outcrops) in search of mice and lizards. Come rain or shine, there is always work to be done.

Thursday, January 22, 2015

A new log burner for the workshop

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The workshop (The Towers) is an important space for us.

The old fire

Amongst its many functions, it plays host to Luis' studio, a store room, a workshop to make and mend, a space for exercising in cooler weather and last but by no means least, a home for Wentworth and Gawber. When we had it built we designed it so it could, if necessary, be easily converted into self-contained accommodation. With the mezzanine floor it has approximately 75 sq m of floor space and a very high ceiling. We initially installed a cheap and cheerful wood burner that has served us well but that has always caused a few problems, the main ones it being a top loader and it's small capacity. We decided this year to upgrade the fire to one that gives out more heat and is easier to maintain.

The fitting was easy as there is no internal chimney so a flue was able to be taken directly up through the roof to an existing external chimney and sealed with fire retardant rock wool and a steel plate. We are really pleased with how it draws air in, the efficiency of burning and the heat it produces. It will certainly make activities in the workshop much more comfortable during the winter months and cool autumn and spring evenings. Needless to say, Wentworth and Gawber have adapted very quickly as in addition to the extra heat, they have a warm, golden glow to accompany them in their catnaps.

Sunday, January 18, 2015

If you're looking for a new vegetable to grow or eat....

Look no further. Introducing the Kalette or as we know it, the flower sprout.

We have been growing this winter crop for a couple of years now and are really pleased with the results.  According to the newspaper they are quite the latest fad amongst the celebrities and food fanatics boasting high levels of nutrients and vitamins. One reason perhaps why we should not grow them but... they really do taste great.

This new vegetable was developed in the UK as a cross between brussel sprouts and kale, hence the name flower sprouts, now changed to kalette presumably to steer away from the sprout element that sometimes suffers from bad press in the UK.

These small kalettes grow well during winter and grow much the same as sprouts and in very similar conditions. They have a sweet, nutty taste and for us, they are best eaten after being steamed until just tender. Apparently they can also be boiled, roasted, eaten raw or stir-fried.

If you grow vegetables look out for the seeds to sow in early spring. The only problems we have had with them are: an attack of white fly early on but this was soon resolved using a spray of soapy water and alcohol; and needing strong supports as they do tend to get blown about in the wind. Definitely worth a try.

Ocean Mist

Recent press

Thursday, January 15, 2015

The forces of nature

Situated on a coastal plain we have the sea to the north and mountains to the south. We are vulnerable to weather fronts that come in from the Atlantic and Bay of Biscay or from the Picos de Europa mountain range. Following several warm and sunny days, today we are experiencing severe winds battering us from every direction with each new sequence of gusts growing stronger and increasingly forceful. I have been out and moved the most vulnerable of flower pots, watered smaller pots to give them weight and moved garden furniture to prevent damage occurring where possible.

The uncollected fallen leaves are scurrying around the garden and some now litter the pond. The remaining leaves on the hazel have finally succumbed to nature and the high branches of the dying cherry tree are creaking and occasionally breaking under the strain of gale-force winds.

The cats are sleeping and manage to switch off from distractions. They seem to instinctively know that their day of lazing in the sun, hunting and patrolling their territory is not going to happen; choosing to retreat to the safety of the spare bedroom and comfort. The roar of the Bufones (blow holes) and the waves crashing against the rocks doesn't seem to trouble them as they lay together, snug and safe.

Rain is on its way and as the skies lighten and darken rainbows appear and disappear. We rarely see snow at this level (49m above sea level) but in the distance, when the clouds clear, we can see the distant peaks of El Sueve dusted with snow.

The fire is lit and the log baskets are full. I think I'll take a leaf out of the cat's book and retreat from the world and enjoy a lazy day.

Friday, January 09, 2015

Thinning and pruning

We don't have a massive piece of land, about 1500 sq m in total but what we have is certainly enough to keep us busy throughout the year and especially in winter. When we bought La Pasera we asked the builder to leave in situ, the existing orchard trees and any trees and shrubs that were on our borders. One of the first tasks we accomplished was bringing plants from our garden in Yorkshire to Asturias, some of which were successful and others not. After creating various planting beds, rockeries and borders, adding our UK stock and planting more plants, trees and bushes over the years, we have learnt a valuable lesson: living in a temperate climate makes things grow, spread and multiply with such vigour. This week we have been cutting back, pruning, thinning and disposing of many plants and shrubs that had become just too big or cumbersome for their allocated space.

The two dying apple trees - leafless

Sadly, two of the old apple trees have also come to the end of their life after hardly any leaf and no fruit last year. The woodpeckers have been visiting daily and stripping the bark and feasting on the grubs that have taken up residence in these dying trees. Fungus has claimed their bases and it will be sad but necessary to chop them down and replace them with young apple trees that will provide us with lots of fruit.

I have been trying to prune lots of our bushes that over the time have been cut back and have subsequently grown in not-so-pleasing shapes. It'll take a couple of seasons but with time they will grow into better shaped and more pleasing to the eye specimens. We need to tackle the north border of our land that has hazel, blackthorn, hawthorn and pyracanthus, all of which grow with great gusto and apart from the useful coppiced hazel, are difficult to handle and dispose of due to very sharp thorns. We will probably burn this in the garden as it is almost impossible to process into useful firewood. In Spain, it is recommended that you apply for a license to burn even the smallest amount of garden rubbish. If you burn without one, if your fire spreads you can be held liable for costs and fines so a (free) license is advisable... I'm really not sure as to why a free license and registering protects you but if nothing else it raises the issue of the dangers of fires in rural and wooded areas. You can only use the license between October and May which makes sense due to the cooler and wetter weather.

We will process the wood for kindling and firewood which will take up to a year to dry sufficiently. The plants, weeds and leafy off-cuts will be composted and provided us with much needed nutrients to add back into the beds in a few months time. Working in the garden is therapeutic on many levels and helps us fine-tune our ideas. It is now nine years since we bought La Pasera and looking back at old photographs certainly reminds us of how much has been achieved over the years.

Tuesday, January 06, 2015

The Three Kings on the Epiphany

This morning, all over Spain, children will be wakening to find presents left over-night near their shoe. Last night, the three Kings, Melchior, Casper and Balthazar arrived on their camels and left gifts for the children on this night as they had done over two millenium ago for the baby born in Bethlehem called Jesus.

In towns and cities all over Spain early yesterday evening people lined the streets and squares to witness the arrival of the Kings and their ever growing entourage. These are a few pictures from the grand parade in Gijon where thousands of children, parents, grandparents, friends and visitors lined the 5.5km route. The weather was great (11 degrees), no rain and a clear full moon, perfect. The atmosphere was electric as the children waited in anticipation for the arrival of Melchoir, Casper and Balthazar. The police came on their motorbikes, horns blared, whistles and screams of delight permeated the night air and the many marching bands started to play. The children (and adults) weren't disappointed.


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The Ten Commandments

  1. You shall not have any Gods before me
  • You shall honor me as your number one God

2. You shall not use the Lord’s name in vain

  • You will speak only good with the lord’s name

3. Remember the sabbath day and keep it holy.

  • you shall not work on the Sundays

4. Honor your father and mother

  • you shall not be disrespectful to your father and mother

5. You shall not kill

  • You shall preserve life

6. You shall not commit adultery

  • You shall do child things when you are a child, and do adult things when you are an adult.

7. You shall not steal

  • You shall honor only what is yours

8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor

  • You shall only tell the truth

9. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife

  • you shall love your love

10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods

  • you shall love only your goods
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Vision Banner

Vision Statement

To fulfill the vision of Idaherma to discover and promote artists worldwide,
Who exemplify a passion for art and who understand the beauty that their art conveys and acknowledge the impact that their work has on their world. This work enriches our lives and makes this world more beautiful and peaceful.

Idaherma wishes this Foundation to be a mirror awakening the artists’ natural joy of life. Identified artist will be awarded recognition by the Foundation. In addition to the first award they will have their work online for the first exhibition. The goal of this foundation will be to promote a new generation of artists who have this vision.


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Halda Project

Halda Project 2018-02-02T20:43:15+00:00

Integrated Development Foundation (IDF) has been implementing this value chain project on “Conservation of Natural Breeding Ground of Fishes and Development Project in the Halda River” under the “Promoting Agriculture Commercialization and Enterprises (PACE) Project” of PKSF and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) since last 2 years.

The Halda River occupies an important position as a natural breeding ground of Indian major carps among existing open inland water bodies of Bangladesh. This river is unique and distinct due to genetically purity of fertilized spawn of Rui national fish collected directly. Simultaneously this river has also great significant role in livelihood of a huge number of people who are egg collectors and Hatcher, and supply freshwater fishes. 50 years ago, about 40-50 thousand Kgs. of eggs could be collected from Halda river. Because of pollution, constructions of sluice gates in the branch rivers and rubber dam and hunting mother fishes, the quality of eggs released in the river by mother fishes gradually reduced to an alarming situation. In the last year, only about 12 Kgs of egg were collected from Halda by the Eggs Collector. Many species of fishes are afraid to have become extinct from Halda River. Amongst extinct species of fishes viz Bani Koksa (Bailius barila), Ghor Poia (Garra gotyla), Guijja Ayre (Sperata aor), Pangas (Pangasius pangasius), Mad/ Kata Chanda (Pseudambassis baculis ), Kata Bhukh, Goni Chapila (Gonialosa manminna), Baila (Stigmatogobius sadanundio), Meni/ Bheda (Nundus nandus), Koi Punti  (Puntius sp), Kuichcha (Monopterus cuchia), Rata Borua (Moringua raitaborua) etc. are important.

Today as the nation’s and possibly south Asian’s major natural breeding ground for Indian major carps is in threat to destruction because of natural disasters and different types of anthropogenic hazards including indiscriminate catching and killing of the brood fishes by using illegal gill net, destruction of natural habitation of fishes. Navigation of the engine operated water vehicles, cutting of the river’s serpentine bends and oxbow lakes, disposal of industrial effluents and sewage contamination, unplanned construction of a good number of sluice gates and rubber dam for irrigation purpose, massive quarry of sands from river bed illegally by a section of unscrupulous traders, using excessive toxic insecticide in cultivation lands near to river bank, tobacco farming upstream area of the river etc. are mostly significant.

In 1945, around 5,000 kg fertilized eggs of major carps were laid in the River Halda. But only 12 kg fish roe were possible to collect in 2016. As far as memory goes, such disparity of the Halda River has never been seen earlier.

In this state, for conserving natural breeding ground of major carps in the River Halda has been taken as a value chain project “Conservation of Natural Breeding Ground of Fishes and Development Project in the Halda River” in order to conduct various conservational endeavors and development activities. Within the conservational endeavors- patrolling around the sanctuary announced area of the river during spawning time, tree plantation on the both sides of riverbank, conducting research on protecting natural environment of the river, arranging workshops for increasing public awareness, creating alternative livelihood of egg collectors. Through involving them in-sustainable income generating activities, increasing capability of production of lethal insecticide free vegetables, supplying modern and developed technologies (e.g. sex pheromone trap, organic pesticide and organic fertilizer) for production of insecticide free vegetables, improving efficiency in hatching fish fries from fertilized spawn and management of hatchery, providing training on hatching strategy in mud- made scoop to produce carp fries on the riverbank and carp fish culture, expanding fish market of Halda carp fries and building relation among people who related to the Halda River, training on navigation of water vessels and fishery legislation for growing public consciousness etc. are the  main. The progress of activities are reviewed by the technical and expert committee on regular basis. The recommendation of these committees are implemented with carefully.

Goal of the Project

To intensify the production of fish, conserve the species of fish from threat to extinction and create the opportunity of livelihood of entrepreneurs by conserving and developing natural breeding ground of carp fishes (Rui/ Rohu, Catla, Mrigal and Kalibaush) in the Halda River.

Objectives of the Project

With the help of government concerned department and administration:

  • Convert the project area as a cluster for production of standardized fishes, fish fries and increasing the production of eggs by preventing illegal killing of the brood fishes with the help of local people and administration.
  • Produce quality standard carp fish fries by applying modern methods in mud-made scoop and increase the capacity of entrepreneurs to easily identify distinctions between highbred / crossbred fish fires and the Halda River’s fries.

  • Introduce fish friendly pesticide instead of toxic insecticide on agriculture lands adjacent to the river bank area.

  • Build up green circumambient for conservation of biodiversity of the Halda River by implementing tree plantation program.

  • Create self-livelihood and alternative livelihood opportunity for the fish cultivators  near to bank of the Halda River.

  • Stop Tobacco cultivation along the banks of Halda at up stream.

Duration of the Project

Three years (From April, 2016 to March, 2019)

Working Area of the Project

Targeted Population of the Project

Activities of Value Chain Project

  • Training on production of carp fish fries from fertilized spawn by using modern technology and hatchery management practice.

  • Training on modern egg collecting technique, hatching of fish fries in mud-made scoop and conducting various income-generating activities of egg collectors and fishermen during off season.

  • Training on culture practice of Halda River’s carp fish by using advanced technology.

  • Training on using sex pheromone trap and organic pesticide instead of toxic insecticide on the agricultural land of farmer and fishermen who live in adjacent area of the Halda River and creating fish friendly environment.

  • Training on water navigation and fishery legislation to maintain fish friendly environment in the Halda River.

  • Introducing improve technology for production of fingerlings of the Halda River and making exhibition plot.

  • Making exhibition plot of improve hatching technique of fish fries in mud-made scoop among local entrepreneurs.

  • Making exhibition plot of sex pheromone trap as an alternative of insecticide, bio-pesticide, and vermi-compost.

  • Taking initiatives to release carp fish fries and expanding it other areas through IDF.

  • Exchange Visit of hatchery owners and fish cultivators of other places of the country to observe the Halda brood fishes and fish fries production from the Halda stock for aiming to expand fish production.

  • Undertake tree plantation program for protection of the river bank and biodiversity.

  • Patrolling in the area of sanctuary area through local people.

  • Organizing workshops, seminars, expert and technical and advisory committee meetings to review the project progress of project activities.

  • Celebration of fish week festival and participating in fish fair, making during spawning time, signboard installation, distribution of leaflets and publishing report.

  • Survey of pre and post status of Halda.

  • Explore alternative crops of Tobacco along the banks of upper part of Halda.

Contact Info

House # 20, Avenue # 02, Block D, Mirpur- 2, Dhaka-1216

Phone: +8802-55075380, 55075381

Mobile: 01711-244356


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The Nepal government has directed its security forces and intelligence agencies to keep a close watch on movements of Tibetan refugees owing to the ongoing India and China military impasse over border issues, sources said.

Further, an assessment was carried out by the Nepal Army where it clearly stated that “these refugees would pose a security threat in case of hostilities” between India and China.

Sources said the decision to keep a tab on Tibetan refugees lately was taken after China pressured Nepal to do so coupled with Tibetans being part of India’s Special Frontier Force (SFF) especially engaged in covert operations behind Chinese lines.

It was when Subedar Nyima Tenzin, a SFF officer, was killed in a military operation to occupy previously unoccupied heights in Chushul sector in eastern Ladakh in India on August 30 that the focus shifted to Tibetan refugees.

The SFF was raised by India’s Intelligence Bureau in the immediate aftermath of the 1962 China-India war. The covert outfit recruited Tibetan exiles and was initially named Establishment 22. Subsequently renamed SSF, it now falls under the purview of the Cabinet Secretariat.

Now, China wants close monitoring of Tibetan refugees in Nepal.

Nepal shares a 1,236-kilometre-long border with China and is home to a sizeable Tibetan community. There are around 20,000 Tibetan refugees in Nepal. Many of them live in former detention camps that have been transformed into permanent settlements.

Nepal and China had signed several security and intelligence-sharing agreements since 2008. On China’s insistence Nepal had agreed to enforce a ban on Tibetan public demonstrations; implement close monitoring of the Tibetan community, its leaders, and real or perceived activists and deploy a sizeable number of Nepali armed police in Tibetan neighbourhoods on politically sensitive dates.

“China also enrols certain members of Nepal’s intelligence and law-enforcement agencies to monitor and infiltrate Tibetan communities living in Nepal,” sources said. Nepal’s crackdown on Tibetans, under the pressure of China, has been continuing for several years, the source said. “Most of the Tibetans in Nepal do not have a residential permit. They are also unable to open bank accounts or own property,” the source said.

He also stated that a confidential diplomatic cable created by the US embassy in New Delhi for period of Jan 30-Feb 19, 2010 released last week by Wikileaks titled ‘Update on Tibetan refugee flow’ stated that the Chinese government rewards Nepali forces by providing financial incentives to officers who hand over Tibetans attempting to exit China.


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Volume 3, Issue 2 (6-2011)                   IJICTR 2011, 3(2): 35-45 | Back to browse issues page

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Ghaderi M A, Moshiri B, Yazdani N, Tayefeh Mahmoudi M. Customizing Feature Decision Fusion Model using Information Gain, Chi-Square and Ordered Weighted Averaging for Text Classification . IJICTR. 2011; 3 (2) :35-45
URL: http://ijict.itrc.ac.ir/article-1-215-en.html
1- Control & Intelligent Processing Center of Excellence, School of ECE University of Tehran Tehran, Iran
2- Knowledge Management & E-Organization Group, IT Research Faculty, Research Institute for ICT School of ECE, University of Tehran Tehran, Iran
Abstract:   (2078 Views)

Automatic classification of text data has been one of important research topics during recent decades. In this research, a new model based on data fusion techniques is introduced which is used for improving text classification effectiveness. This model has two major components, namely feature fusion and decision fusion; therefore, it is called Feature Decision Fusion (FDF) model. In the feature fusion component, two well-known text feature selection algorithms, Chi-Square (X2) and Information Gain (IG) were used; this component applied Ordered Weighted Averaging (OWA) operator in order to make better feature selection. The second component, Decision fusion component, combined two kinds of results using the Majority Voting (MV) algorithm. The results were obtained with feature fusion and without feature fusion. To evaluate the proposed model, K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN), Decision Tree and Perceptron Neural Network algorithms were used for classifying Rueters-21578 dataset documents. Experiments showed that this model can improve effectiveness of text classification in accordance to both Microaveraged F1 and Macro-averaged F1 measures.

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Type of Study: Research | Subject: Information Technology

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Tanzania's Business Situation Improves

By Nuzulack Dausen

Dar es Salaam — The government's efforts in easing availability of credit data have helped Tanzania to climb seven places in doing business assessment, a historic performance for the last five years. The business situation of Tanzania improves a lot.

Tanzania is currently ranked 132nd globally in the ease of doing business, a new World Bank Group - which was released on Tuesday, November 25 - shows.In a similar report last year, the country was ranked 139th.However, the country is doing poorly in areas of streamlining the tax system and cross-border trading.

The report dubbed: "Doing Business 2017: Equal Opportunities for all" reveals that East Africa's second largest economy expanded the coverage of credit reference bureaus by distributing credit data from retailers.

Creditinfo Tanzania Limited expanded borrower coverage from 1.31 million firms and individuals as of January 2015 to 1.78 million by January, 2016.The data included firms and individuals with information on their borrowing history for a period of five years.

"As the result, Tanzania started to score on the Doing Business depth of credit information index," the report reads.That was the only positive reform achieved last year while stepping back by complicating tax system according to the report.

In 2012, the Bank of Tanzania introduced credit reference system which allows private companies to collect credit information which helps commercial banks and other lending institutions to understand their borrowers' records. The intention is to ensure that credit is issued only to those borrowers who have a tendency of repaying.

However, Tanzania still lags behind regional peers, a move that puts the country at a disadvantageous position when it comes to attracting investors.

It is however hoped that such an improvement sends a positive message to President John Magufuli's administration which has undertaken radical changes in public service management - aimed at increasing efficiency in delivery of public services and improving the business environment - during the past one year.

Tanzania performed well in areas of starting a business, getting electricity, getting credit and dealing with the construction permits.However, it has performed poorly in the aspect of cross-border trading, securing the 11th worst performing rank globally.

Mr Godfrey Simbeye, the executive director for the Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF) lauded the success achieved, noting however that he was not surprised by the findings in the report.

During the past few years, said Mr Simbeye, Tanzania's speed of reform has been slow.
"This assessment was done in the first months of President Magufuli's administration but now things have started to move on the right pace and rural electrification program has helped many to get electricity so I am certain that next year, we will improve from where we are today," said Mr Simbeye.

The government said the achievement was an exceptional and it will continue to improve business environment by implementing several reforms like easing business registration process, formalising land ownership and introducing the electronic single window system.

"On the matter of poor performance in cross-border trade, I think everyone knows that Tanzania has a dozen borders and this puts us a disadvantageous position if we are to be compared with other who have just two border points. However, we have improved a lot but some issues have not been reflected in the report," said Mr Christopher Mramba, Assistant Director of Business Environment in the Prime Minister's office.

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