I just returned from DC and, having never been there before, I was amazed to see up close and personal, all the buildings of agencies I’ve written “dislike” mail to.  What has this got to with a community of writers?  Well, just that.  To be an author means you can also compose a good letter and then you’ll find that the pen truly is mightier than the sword.

Even if you are a fiction writer, you’ll know how to put words effectively on a page. Writing is a way we express ourselves, not only through fiction, but to venture an opinion.  Some people are great orators (our current president is one).  They know how to speak, they look good on camera, and they wear nice ties.  Authors can be just as effective. I visited the Newseum ( http://www.newseum.org/)  and was treated to a vast array of captured journalistic  moments, I mean monumental moments. It’s sort of mind-boggling. As an author, you have the gift to contribute to that. 

Now, I’m no journalist. I’d much rather space out within the confines of my current fictional tome, but, as I stated before, I’m an avid letter-writer.  If you are political at all, join Congress.org (http://www.congress.org/news/).  You can write all your representatives in about 30 seconds.  You can also get on your own soapbox and let the world know your views (or how crazy you are).

I’m pretty crazy myself. One day, I’ll have to post my fabulous letter to the Federal Trade Commission.  In short, it had to do with why they have ignored the anti-trust laws that are supposed to protect us from monopolies. That one got a response from Senator Dianne Feinstein. 

 I hear people say, “I can’t make a difference so why bother? No one is going to listen.”  It’s true that one ant cannot fight against the giant foot that is stepping on the picnic, but a colony of ants can do some damage.  So, if you see or hear something that stirs you up, utilize your gift of writing to make a difference. I bet you are wondering why the blog’s title has to do with ED. I myself often notice that in Washington DC there seems to be a lot of talk but a lack of performance. 

Delving into Darkness - It's a good thing!

At a recent author event, an audience member asked me how I keep upbeat when most of my writing revolves around troubled souls who get into trouble.  The most obvious answers come to mind. I have a husband who pulls me away from the computer. I have kids to attend to. I have a great group of friends to have fun with. The most honest answer, however, comes from deep within. Simply put: I don't think delving into darkness is a bad thing.

Have you ever met someone who you know instinctively to stay the heck away from?  Do you know someone who is so needy, so clingy, that you suspect he or she has some big issues to deal with?  Of course, you do.  But I don't think any of us should be so quick to point the finger.  Not one of us has had the luxurious privilege of walking this earth unscathed -- it's just a question as to what degree we are scarred.  And if we do carry baggage around, shouldn’t we dump it?

As an author, what I most enjoy doing is creating a character with baggage. I then ask professionals, such as psychologists, how they would treat the particular issue.  Some characters, like real people, end up in denial. These souls don't want to address the darkness within. But like anybody traveling around in the dark, they cannot see where they are going. In other words, they can't decipher if the path they are on is good or bad.  That's how people (and characters) get into trouble.  Some of the villains take it a step beyond denial.  They don’t just deny that there is anything wrong with them; they blame everyone else for their actions. That makes it okay for them to commit the worst acts with a clean conscience. Since I am a big proponent of delving into darkness, my protagonist will consistently address his issues as they come up.  Some of the best scenes to write are the ones where the protagonist greatly fears tackling his own weaknesses and insecurities. We’ve all heard Franklin D. Roosevelt’s famous quote, “The Only Thing We Have to Fear Is Fear Itself” and we all know that the only person we can truly change is ourselves. That’s about as much control as we have. So it begs the question: Why fear delving into the darkness? 

Book Readings: Act Well Your Part

Whether you are reading to a large audience or simply to a few fellow readers, there are some worthwhile tips in making a good show. I recently participated in an author event at Bookfellows/Mystery and Imagination in Glendale, California where I read from my novel, The Dark Before Dawn.  I had my checklist in hand: books (got to bring those), camera (must record the event for posterity and websites), video camera (for posterity and possible audio blurbs); friend to man the camera or fellow reader who will do you a favor, business cards (you never know who you're gonna meet); Trade review sheets (again, you never know who you're gonna meet); and a giveaway.  Giveaways are fun and people like them. There are various websites such as iprint.com that will create for you custom bookmarks or personalized post-it notes.  These “gimmicks” are easy to carry and promote you and your title. People may not buy your book, but they’ll take the freebie and it will remind them of you later on.  The other thing you should bring with you to a book reading is some acting talent.  You don’t want your audience to equate your reading with something as tedious as watching paint dry. So for goodness sake, don’t just read. You know your characters well.  Try to breathe some life into their dialogue. Remember the passion you felt for the story when you were writing it and share that enthusiasm by “getting into character.” Now, too much passion or dramatic flair is, in my opinion, ridiculous. You want them to focus on the story, not you.  Good vocal skills, however, are always going to be a plus. So put some bang in your book reading and let your inner actor shine.

Fact within Fiction

Why get your facts are straight when writing fiction?  It depends on how much you want to cheat your readers.  I picked up a romance novel a while back and read how one of the characters gunned the engine of his car… in the 1600’s.  I have not picked up a romance novel since.  Okay, I know that readers of certain genres could care less about factual information.  Readers of romance novels, in particular, are going to concentrate on the steamier sections of the book.  When I wrote my novel, The Dark Before Dawn, I took great pains to make sure that the psychological and police procedural elements rang true to life.  This way, if the reader were interested, he or she could learn something from the book, and be entertained at the same time.   For instance, I recently interviewed one of our Sheriff’s Department officers and learned that if a murder mystery takes place on the West Coast, law enforcement officials refer to a suspect as “suspect.”  If your book takes place on the East Coast, using the word “perpetrator” is perfectly acceptable.  “UNSUB” belongs to the realm of television shows.   Writers are told that they should write about what they know.  I’d like to add to that.  Writers should also write what they have a passion for.  I love picking the brains of therapists to gather information on psychology.  Is it strange that I enjoy chatting with detectives from Homicide Bureaus?    The passion writers have for their work will become apparent in their work if they keep it real.

The Community of Writers

It’s a cold world out there sometimes and in the field of writing – downright frigid sometimes.   Creative artists hit brick walls much of the time (rejections, criticisms, etc.) but there is a narrow passage through that wall which is very refreshing. It’s called the writer’s community.   Most writers I’ve encountered online are eager to support their fellow authors. I was rather surprised at this.  Maybe it was because of that certain Hollywood, California writer’s group I was in for five minutes.  After being invited in by the semi-famous moderator, whom I met at a conference and who liked my writing, I attended my first and only meeting.  I think I was at the whine and cheese table when a “fellow writer” came up to me and said, “Don’t get too comfortable.  We compete highly for the moderator’s attention and just because you join, doesn’t mean you’re going to get read. In fact, you probably won’t.”

Wow, them’s fightin’ words. Only I wasn’t up for a fight. I simply wanted to join a community of writers. That was my first experience in such a group. I said goodbye to the moderator, who was the only one that seemed sorry to see me go.   Fast forward a few years, and I’m online, searching for help through cyberspace.  I come across authors like Seth Harwood of Crimewav.com and Sunny Frazier who don’t have a problem giving out good advice that’s not tainted with ego.  Most people are just that: people; humans behind the blog.  I find it a strange phenomenon and somewhat super cool that you can actually feel warmth behind the computer screen.  My advice if you are a lost writer?  Reach out to the incredibly vast network of support out there.  Don’t be afraid to ask folks “how they do it.”  Someone may just take your hand and help you punch a few bricks out of that brick wall.