Tuesday, April 28, 2009

SOLA PRESENTS ERIN MCCARTHY AND KATHY LOVE!

On May 16th Sola-RWA local chapter presents authors, Erin McCarthy and Kathy Love. They are giving authors/writers advice on writing techniques. (I'll post more about them and the class in about a week, check back soon)....

This writers meeting is free to visitors (two free visits only). If you are a writer searching for a place to learn more about the craft, Sola is the place to be. Visit Solawriters.org for more information.

Thanks and hope to see you soon.
Dawn

Monday, April 20, 2009

SOLA'S DIXIE KANE WRITING CONTEST

If you are thinking about entering a writing contest this is one I would recommend.
Last year I entered, and although I did not final, I received wonderful feedback.

Go to www.solawriters.org for more information.

You need to only enter 5 pages. Synopsis is optional, but helpful to judges.

Keep writing,
(sorry if I made any typo's, I'm rushing)
Dawn

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Author Deborah LeBlanc is speaking at Sola's writers meeting on 4/18/09

On April 18th @ 11am at our Sola-RWA meeting our speaker will be the award-winning and best-selling author, Deborah LeBlanc.



Deborah is a business owner, a licensed death scene investigator, and an active member of two national paranormal investigation teams. She's the President of the Horror Writers Association, Mystery Writers of America's Southwest Chapter, and theWriters' Guild of Acadiana. Deborah is also the creator of the LeBlanc Literacy Challenge, an annual, national campaign designed to encourage more people to read and Literacy Inc., a non-profit organization with a mission to fight illiteracy in America's teens. Her latest book is WATER WITCH. For more information go to http://www.deborahleblanc.com/ and http://www.literacyinc.com/



If you need inspiration to write, submit, or whatever it is, she is it!



Come join us at 4747 W. Napoleon in Metairie, LA (East Bank Library).

(Visitors are welcome for free)



Dawn Chartier

http://www.dawnchartier.com/

Monday, April 6, 2009

STARTING YOUR STORY IN THE RIGHT PLACE

One thing I heard over and over again at the Jubilee conference was to make sure you start your story in the right place. When I first started writing, I had no idea what that meant. I do now, but it took a little time to understand the difference of the right place and the wrong place.

If your story doesn't really get good until on page 10, or the 2nd or 3rd chapter, then you know you started your story too early. As author, Cherry Adair says, "Jump in late, and get out early." (or something along those lines.)

This is exactly what you should do. You always weave in the back story little bites at a time. Or one sentence at a time. Now, I'm not telling you this is the right way for every single story, but it is for most. Have something exciting going on when you read the first line or paragraph, but keep true to it. Meaning don't hook us, and let us down after the first page.

During a critique session with an editor, book store owner and a author, I learned that in the first page you must connect with the character, you must know what is going on in their head. Don't just write that they went to this room, then went to that room. We want to know what is inside your characters head. Why we should keep reading about them? Make us connect to them....make sense? I hope so.

Thanks for reading, I'll keep posting as I learn too.

Dawn

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

JUBILEE WRITERS CONFERENCE - HOUMA, LA

This saturday (April 4th) I am attending the Jubilee writers conference.

This is my 3rd year and I'm looking forward to it. It's a small conference, but the classes are truly helpful...many wonderful writers of all genres'....

F Paul Wilson and Heather Graham will be there, along with Cherry Adair, Deborah Leblanc and many others.........Can't wait!

If you are a writer you should attend.........

Dawn

Update on NOLA STARS Conference

At the conference I received two requests.
One for my vampire novella and one for my sci-fi romance.

My novella is going through readers before I send it out to the editor. (which is getting close)

My sci-fi GENUS, I told the editor I really need to work on it because it was truly my second novel and it pretty much needs a ton of re-writing, revisions, layering, etc......but I'll send it to her when all that is done.

The conference was a lot of fun, but the food could have been a little better...maybe it was a good thing it wasn't so good, that means I didn't eat a lot..(grin)

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