Being A Writer

I didn’t get internet service until 1998, and boy did it open up a whole new world for me, especially after I found an online writing community, now defunct, but where I met a lot of writers and renewed my interest in the craft. Unfortunately, after well over a decade of disuse, my skills, which weren’t that good in first place (especially in spelling), were rusty. And that’s not considering how limited my vocabulary had become.

So, to say the least, my first foray into the realm again after so many years was horrible. But I was lucky to have met a kind woman who sweetly took me under her wing and started giving me the grammar lessons I’d forgotten and worked with me on my spelling.

She also told me about active and passive voice, and “show don’t tell” and I was able to find a mentor in a published author, who helped me until she got too busy. Then I made friends with a professional editor who gave me a critique, and somewhere in there, I learned about Funds for Writers http://www.fundsforwriters.com. And the editor, Hope Clark told me about The Writer’s Chatroom at http://www.writerschatroom.com/Enter.htm.

With their help, I struggled, I groaned, I even cried. At one point, I told my twin, “Maybe I’m not cut out to be a writer,” she encouraged me and I grew as a writer. And I learned a lot.

Today, I can spot passive voice in a heartbeat and I’m down to 0%. I also don’t need my spell check as often, my vocabulary has grown by leaps and bounds, and I even know the difference between showing and telling. Plus I’ve learned about echo, redundancies, and flow.

I haven’t sold a novel yet, however I think I’m on the right track, because not only does practice make perfect but I’m not stagnating anymore.

What do you think? J

Writing Twins

My sister and I have had several people tell us we should write a novel together, not because we both write, or because we think alike (frankly we don’t, at least not always) but because we’re twins.

I just don’t get why. What does our twin-ness have to do with our writing? Being a twin doesn’t make us better writers; it just means we have the same genes. And it isn’t as if being a twin has helped any other writers make it big in the world.

I mean name a set of twins who are both writers, go on, name a set.

Ann Landers and Dear Abby?

They didn’t become household names because they’re twins; they became household names because they knew their stuff! The fact that they were twins is just a curiosity, nothing more; so why should my sister and I “play up” our twin-ness?

Because curiosity breeds interest, and the idea is that interest could generate sells.

Nice idea, but has it ever worked for any other set of twins?

I mean I can name some famous twins, but other than the aforementioned advice columnist, none of them are writers. They are in fact actors, most of whom got their start in Hollywood because there are two of them.  

Like say the Olsen twins, and Tia and Tamara Mowry.

But there are a lot more sets of twins who played one role that never made it big, and I can name one actor who made it in television whose twin never even tried to be become an actor. They were identical; I saw them once on a TV game show.

Who’s the actor?

Conrad Bain, the fellow who played the Dad in Different Strokes.

So I’m still back to what does my twin-ness have to do with my writing?

Nothing, other than it’s a fact about me.

Nothing, other than we both write, and we often brainstorm together.

Being a twin is just a part of who I am, like being the wife of a historical re-enactor is just part of who I am. Put those together and they just might make me an interesting person.

Now to think of ways to play up our twin-ness.

Any suggestions? J