by Keri Rozansky | Nov 20, 2024 | Blog
One of the toughest parts of my writing career so far has been this. The blog. I have written blogs for others on specific topics. The client needs a blog on things to do in Miami during your next spring break – I can do that. Another client wants a top ten list? I can do that. But when it comes to thinking up and writing about topics that I can choose myself, it gets a little nerve-wracking. My thoughts include ‘what if I can’t think of something?’ ‘what if no one cares about that topic?’ ‘what if that topic has flooded the internet and no one cares about my take?’ I also talk about my family and my life outside of writing, and I think ‘what if no one cares about what’s going on in my family?’
All those questions have me putting off writing a post. Until I decided to change things up. Yes, writers need help figuring out what to write. I have a list of potential topics. I take advantage of holidays and other special days – those are the ones that write themselves. I also have a 108K-word novel to pull from. It’s added a little inspiration, and I can write up a month’s worth of blog topics in a single day.
Still, when the topic is all up to me, I sometimes feel like I have no direction. Which is why sometimes, like today, I reach out to my readers to ask what you’d like to read about. Are all of the topics I suggested in the first paragraph something you would like to hear about? Your feedback can help influence the next week’s or month’s blogs.
As most people looking for help or guidance say: thanks in advance!
Is there something you do that’s all up to you to craft from idea to finished product? What is it? Was it more difficult to come up with the idea or to execute it to completion?
Let’s talk on Facebook!
by Keri Rozansky | Nov 13, 2024 | Blog
Outlining is one of the things I hate most about writing. I usually like to “pants” my writing – fly by the seat of my pants and see what comes out of my mind and spills onto the page. But when it comes to writing something that’s novel length, and you need to make sure to tie up all the loose ends and make sure you don’t leave any plot holes, an outline is a good place to start.
Part of my hatred for outlines comes from the feeling they give me. In school, you have to turn in your outline for teacher approval, then stick to that outline for the final paper. I carried that feeling with me into other aspects of writing, and felt them very limiting in story writing. Until someone with much more experience than me pointed out that outlines, like rules, are meant to be broken. Yes, they offer a road map to where you’re going, but it doesn’t take into account the sights and attractions along the way that may take you off the beaten path.
My first novel and the one that follows were in desperate need of one. Not only is there a lot going on, but you could consider there to be two main characters, each with their own drama. There are secondary characters that relate to the main characters and may have a bit of their own subplot. There are minor characters who come in and make a splash and leave. All of them and their lives and worlds need to be accounted for. How else than through an outline?
The outline helps keep everyone straight, but also allows me to give them a new experience that either takes them out of their comfort zone or is something they’ve wanted to do for a while but never got the chance.
I’m working on the outline for my second novel. It includes all of the above, and the outline is proving useful in keeping everything and everyone on the right path. I may grow to love outlines, but for now, I’ll tolerate them as a tool to get my work done.
What is your experience with outlines? Do you love them or hate them? Why? Let’s talk on Facebook!
by Keri Rozansky | Nov 11, 2024 | Blog
Happy Veteran’s Day!
Veteran’s Day is an important day on the U.S. calendar. Unlike the 4th of July when we celebrate our independence, Veteran’s Day is one of the holidays that pays tribute to the men and women still with us who have sacrificed their lives and energy into keeping our country and independence safe. They’re the ones who came home to tell the stories or the trials and tribulations of war, and be celebrated for all their accomplishments.
Some locales celebrate the day and their veterans with parades, recognition, and celebrations just for them. Many schools and businesses observe the day with closures to give their workers and customers the time they need to celebrate their loved ones and pay tribute to the country.
When my son was in elementary school (a private Catholic school), his school didn’t close for the day. Instead, they opened their doors and their hearts, inviting veterans to be honored at a courtyard celebration and breakfast. All veterans were invited, from the young men and women recently discharged to a veteran who saw combat in World War I. The church’s Cub Scout pack led a touching flag ceremony, where a new flag – donated by a school community member – was raised on the flag pole for the first time. Those Scouts led the singing of the National Anthem as well as the Pledge of Allegiance. The students had made thank you cards for the veterans, and many gave hugs and thanks.
No matter how you celebrate the veterans in your life, make sure you say thank you today. Whether it’s a quick email, phone call, or in-person visit. Do you know a veteran? What war(s) were they in? This Veteran’s Day, sit with a veteran and learn their story.
by Keri Rozansky | Nov 6, 2024 | Blog
My debut novel, still due out in the first quarter of next year, has taken another step toward completion. I’ve sent it off to a group of beta readers. What is a beta reader? They are the next set of eyes that read through the story after it’s been written and self-edited. They help me identify plot holes, pacing issues, loose ends, and help give me direction on how to make things better.
Each reader looks at my work with their own readers’ eyes. This is not necessarily a technical or mechanical review. If they had trouble with a section, felt bored or confused at any point, I want to know. I won’t necessarily apply all of their feedback, since I’m working with several different people, each with their own point of view. The thing they do all have in common is that they love reading books in my genre. They’ll be able to tell if something just isn’t quite right.
For me, it’s a nail-biting process. I found these readers in mid-October and have given them until the end of November to read and provide their feedback. I don’t want to rush anyone, but I also don’t want to wait too long before I can take it to the next step. I haven’t let many people or at least many people I know look at my work. I have had a few trusted people to bounce ideas off of and they’ve read various parts, but no one has ever read it start to finish. Not even my parents or my husband.
What do I do while the beta readers have this book? Start another! I’m currently working on the outline for my next novel. It keeps my mind off of something I have no control over and will keep my creativity flowing. No, you can’t have details about this one yet (mainly because it’s still in the outline phase).
What will happen after the beta readers report back to me? I’ll fearfully open their email or document to read their comments, hoping none of them tore it to shreds and hated it. I think that’s my greatest fear. But aside from that, I’ll read and take all of their comments and opinions into consideration. I’ll apply the ones that make sense and help make the story better. Any comment or feedback is appreciated, but I can’t necessarily use it all. Some of it may overlap, and that’s a good thing. If more than one or two people have issues with the same thing, that thing will definitely get attention.
Have you ever beta read for someone? How did you like the process/experience? Was the book in your favorite genre or were you trying something new?
by Keri Rozansky | Oct 31, 2024 | Blog
Happy Halloween everyone! I hope your night is full of ghoulish fun and lots of treats! Halloween isn’t the commercialized Halloween of today. It has a long and storied history, dating back over 2,000 years. It was derived from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (sow-in), which took place on November 1 – their New Year. They considered it the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold months of winter, also a time associated with human death.
The ancient Celts believed the night before the New Year (October 31) marked the time in which the veil between the living world and the dead was blurred and thinned. This was also the day ghosts were said to return to Earth. Not only was it thought the spirits caused trouble and damaged crops, Celts felt it was easier for Druids (Celtic priests) to make predictions about the future.
Why do we trick or treat in costume? Europeans brought their customs to the New World. Europeans traditionally dressed in costume to thwart spirits, and Americans carried on the tradition. They dressed up in costume and went house to house, “trick or treating” and asking for food or money. By the 1800s, the holiday became more about community and neighborly get-togethers than about the original meaning of ghosts and witchcraft.
In the 1920s and 1930s, Halloween had become a secular, community-centered holiday, marked with parades and town- or city-wide Halloween parties with entertainment. Despite the best efforts of many schools and communities, vandalism began to plague some celebrations in many communities during this time. By the 1950s, town leaders had successfully limited vandalism and Halloween had evolved into a holiday directed mainly at the young.
Between 1920 and 1950, the centuries-old practice of trick-or-treating was also revived. Trick-or-treating was a relatively inexpensive way for an entire community to share the Halloween celebration. Families could also prevent tricks being played on them by providing the neighborhood children with small treats. Many communities offer “trunk or treat” where families meet in a single spot with decorated vehicles or tables to offer a more safe environment than wandering the streets.
Today, Americans spend an estimated $6 billion annually on Halloween, between treats and décor and other fun, making it the country’s second largest commercial holiday after Christmas.
Do you have special memories of Halloween? Did you know any of these facts? What’s your favorite way to spend the holiday? Let’s talk on Facebook!
by Keri Rozansky | Oct 30, 2024 | Blog
I’ve written a lot about how it’s my son’s senior year of high school. There have been firsts – filling out his first college application to getting that first college acceptance. But the firsts will undoubtedly outshine the lasts. Like his last fall stage show. But at the same time, it came with firsts. It may have been his last show, and his last time on stage, but it was his first time running the sound up in the tech booth. Not just his first time, but he did the sound all by himself. I volunteered for various jobs at three of the four weekend shows and from what I could tell he never missed a cue.
The Halloween-themed show included three short acts, each its own scary tale.
He also spent his time painting and building sets as he has in the past, then running out on stage between scenes to move pieces around for a new look. But he graduated from the heavy lifting of backstage to the more cerebral lifting in the booth.
As I said, it was also his last time on stage. Since most of his responsibility was in the booth, he only had time for a short appearance in the third act. He’s a wonderful actor and has sharpened his skills all throughout high school, but as much as I wanted the on-stage experience for him, he prefers to stay out of the spotlight. His character for this show had no lines and only about ten total minutes of stage time but audience members agreed his character had the most impact.
Between intermission and the third act, only about ten minutes time, he had to run from the booth to the dressing room and change into costume. His spooky non-verbal character wore a maintenance man’s jumpsuit and silently pushed a broom back and forth across stage. He knew all and saw all, but never spoke. He hid out of sight and overheard other characters’ horrible plans to close the wax museum where he worked. If he were to say “boo!” at any time, his single word would have rocked the scene in every way possible.
It was a pretty good way to close out the last fall show of his high school career. Up next, his final spring show and final performance of his high school career. They have a very popular show on tap with many more sound cues and characters than this show. I’d love it if he stepped on stage again, but I understand that his love lies in the tech side of things and in the sound booth above. It’s where he fits.
Where have you found that it took a while to get where you belong? Let’s talk about it on Facebook!
