Read about La Bruja of the Cross Bronx Expressway

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

A great writing resource, Absolutewrite.com

    
      As anyone who’s read this far up my blog knows by now, I’m preparing for the WD Writer’s Conference in January. I was working on my synopsis for Confessions of an Internet Pornographer, when I realized I’d never seen a synopsis. I was writing a scene by scene summary of my book, which is totally not what a synopsis is. Sending them something like that is suicide. Well, having realized that I had no idea what a synopsis looked like I did some research. I found a wonderful writer’s forum named absolutewrite.com. It is my first forum, and I like the sense of community and mutual understanding. Absolutewrite.com is easy to use, FREE, and geared towards amateur authors and their needs. This is how they describe themselves:
“Absolute Write offers articles and information about fiction, nonfiction, screenwriting, freelancing, and copywriting. In addition, we provide information about editing, publishing, agents, and market research. You'll find links to classes, software, and a large and active online community of writers and publishing professionals.”
     It’s a great writer’s resource where you’ll meet authors on a similar mission. They also respond to posts quickly. I posted two questions and received multiple intelligent answers that day. Can’t ask for more than that.
     As far as how far along I am in preparing for the NY conference, I’ve finished my business card. It is white card with my name, personal formation, and a little swaying palm tree. Palm trees are very symbolic in Confessions of an Internet Pornographer. They remind my protagonist that his dreams have really all come true. I might get one tattooed to my leg if the book gets published.
     What I am also doing is planning what to do with the other 48 hours in New York. I wish someone actually read this blog, and then they could give me suggestions on fun stuff to do. But since I am writing into the wind, and no one can hear me, I’ll come up with what sounds fun to me.
     We arrive Friday and eat at the world famous Carnegie Deli, where I will order my favorite sandwich in the world, The Woody Allen. It is a masterpiece. On Saturday we go to the writing conference from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. The pitch slam is around 3 o: clock. Two hours off pitching my book to (hopefully) eager and open minded agents and publishers.
     After the conference we’re taking a night time bus tour of NYC. I can’t wait. It sounds odd, to go on a tour of a town you know like your own hand. But I think NY is beautiful to look at, it’s one huge light display with interesting characters running around. On Sunday it’s another tour, one of the ones where you get on and off and back on again. In the evening I think we’re headed for a comedy club in Greenwich Village. It’s been about 4 years since I’ve seen NYC, I miss it at times. It’s been 8 years since we left the Bronx for Florida.
     Does it sound like a good itinerary? I think so. If 5 out of 50 agents ask for the manuscript I’ll consider that a success. And even if they don’t I’ll get a great little vacation in my favorite city in the world.
     If anyone reads this blog drop a message hello. If not, then I bid the wind good bye for now. And ask my question again, is there anybody out there?
   Lucho

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Publishing news: My pitch for the WD conference in New York

      I’ve been writing my book's pitch for the upcoming Writers Digest Conference in New York City. I think it’s pretty good. Everyone will have a chance to pitch their book in 90 seconds to 50 Agents, from all over the country. It must be short and sweet, and make an agent want to know more about my book. Here is the pitch: 
      “My name is (insert name here) and my novel is called Confessions of an Internet Pornographer. It is a story inspired by actual events, and about a man from the Bronx who builds a XXX Website with his family named Fantasiesonline.com. A voyeur Web site dedicated to the secret romantic, risqué and XXX fantasies of its members. It is the story of their crazy ride in the world of Internet porn.
        My main characters name is Joselito Torres. He’s a gypsy cab driver in the Bronx, who lives with his wife, two kids, and his mother in a two bedroom apartment the book span’s a four year period, between 1998 and 2002, during the .com boom and bust. This is the story of how a cab driver, a cop, and two housewives transformed themselves into successful XXX entrepreneurs, while still maintaining their faith and love for one another.   
       The story was inspired by actual events, although the real story has a much more humble ending, It is my story, I am the former Web master and owner of Fantasies online.com, I ran it with my wife and her two Jewish parents.
     I have been writing for 15 years, I’ve had three no-fiction articles published, and I take writing classes at the UCLA extension. I also have a blog, named which I love named Writer in the Wind, at writerinwind.blogspot.com (Give them business card).  Thank you very much.”
     What do you think? Wish me luck.
Love,
Lucho

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Short story is done, time for the moment of truth!

   I gave you all some good writing advice last week about Zoetrope.com, a place to have other writers look at you work. Well. now that I’ve gotten some really great reviews on Zoetrope for my short story, Born Again. Now it’s time to submit it to a literary journal. My first magazine of choice is Glimmer Train Press. It is a literary journal, published quarterly, by Susan Burmeister-Brown and Linda B. Swanson-Davies which costs $12, in the U.S. The stories in it are excellent, with enough diversity for almost anyone. Good writing, interesting subjects, and very enjoyable if you like short stories. It is also a prestigious journal that can help amatuer writers build a platform. For those who do not know what a platform is, it is the work on which you build your writing reputation and resume on. A must have for the wanna-be novelist.
     It is not the first time I have submitted this story to them. It was rejected last year, but I re-worked the whole thing, got feedback on Zoetrope.com, and got reviews like this:
"Wow. This one really hit home--effectively too. Being unemployed and seeking faith, I could really identify with the main character so I might not be the best objective judge of this story. I was able to pull back enough to realize objectively what a good writer you are. You are able to get into the mindset of the protagonist effectively and you are also able to handle the religious theme without getting too preachy. Great work and a great read and a hopeful one. I look forward to more from you and want to thank you personally for such an edifying tale.”
Ron
     Now I am sure now that it wasn’t the quality of the writing that led to the rejection, which is still my biggest fear. I’ll write a good cover letter and send it out this week. If you’d like to read it, follow this link http://iguanatree.blogspot.com/. It is a link to an old blog, I’m using it so you can read my short story. I keep it around for exactly these kinds of things. Hope you enjoy it, and let me know if you do.
     It would be great if it could be accepted by the time I get to the Writer’s Digest Writing Conference in January. The conference is going to take place at the Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers on January 21-23, 2011, go to WritersDigestConference.com for more information. I am hoping to find representation for my novel, Confessions of an Internet Pornographer. I was working all morning on my book synopsis.
     I am also trying to stay warm, Florida is cold today, a brisk 60 degrees. I know, I know Minnesota, that’s not cold. But it’s cold for us!
Love,
Lucho

Friday, December 3, 2010

My favorite Writer's Critique group

     I have just finished my first novel, and almost immediately, I felt the urge to write the next one. That lasted about a month, now I want a break from any big commitments. I just want to play with short stories.
     Instead of writing something new, I looked in my reject pile and found a beloved old story I named Born Again. I’ve now reworked it, but before I send it out this time, I’m submitting it to a writers critique group online. Don’t know what that is? They are sites in which you can post your stories and receive feedback from others writers. Posting your story for everyone to see is one of the best ways to know if it’s ready for publication.
     Why use a critique group? Because we’ve all edited a story ten times and missed spelling errors, or failed to see a story element that made no sense. Allowing other writers to read you, puts the story in the hands of people who understand character development, scene building and other technical elements that even hardened readers may not be looking for.
     The Zoetrope Virtual Studio is Web site for filmmakers, writers and other artists to review and discuss each other’s work. The categories of writing are Short Stories, Screenplays, Novellas, Short Scripts, Poetry, and Flash Fiction.
     It was launched March of 1998 by Francis Coppola, and was intended as a website where writers could submit their short stories to his magazine, Zoetrope: All-Story. It became popular quickly and now includes departments where members can workshop film projects, music, graphics, design, and video. Francis Coppola pays for it all.
     It is a great workshop environment for writers to test and refine our craft. You'll get feedback, collaborate and network with other artists, and maybe get published since all submissions are made available to Zoetrope magazine editors. And you’ll get to read some really cool stories!
     Is it truly free? Well, not completely, you must read stories from five other writers before you can post one of you own. That way you must look at other’s work before getting your own needs met. And reading the work of other writers is something we should be doing anyway.
      I hated the idea of a critique group at first. I was worried everyone would not like my work, but I’ve  learned that the fear and worry are just pride, and pride is of no use to an amateur writer.
     Go and learn, then tell me what you think, or tell me about some other critique groups out there. Zoetrope, is the one I use, but I'm researching others for future posts.
     Lucho

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Hello. are there any writers out there?

     I am somewhere in my writing journey. I am not a novice, not any more. I’ve been trying to do my job, educate myself, maintain my weight, be a father and husband, and write for 13 years.  
     Sometimes I miss that virgin faith, the belief that I will publish a story, it will be made into a movie and everyone will know my name. That feeling that anything can happen and soon will. But the more I’ve learned about what it really takes to get published, the more I’ve grown weary.
     I’ve come to a point in the road where I’ve had a few successes, enough to keep me going, but not more than that. And I’ve also grown lonely, writing silently at my desk. Silently to others of course, inside my head there are wars raging. I think it’s time to talk to other writers, published and unpublished. I want to hear their journey in the writing life too. I used to be content in my kitchen back in the Bronx --writing and eating, eating and writing. But as I look out into the sand dunes and jagged rocks in the distance, I want to share war stories with other writers. I am dedicating myself to this blog to tell people what I know about writing and maybe help someone save some time. And I need them to tell me that WE ARE ALL going to publish our shorts stories, get very nice book deals, and everything’s going to be alright.
      The last time I published an article in was a non-fiction piece on the Israeli martial art of Krav Maga, see Black Belt Magazine June 1998 issue. It was at that time that my family and I created fantasiesonline.com. A Web site dedicated to the romantic, risqué and XXX fantasies of our members (more on that later). Unfortunately, the Web site closed, and that’s when I began to work on my novel, Confessions of an Internet Pornographer. The book I am currently trying to find an agent for (more on that later too).
     Oh, oh. I’ve got to go. I’ll be back tomorrow with more about how I ended up another traveler in the dessert of prepublication. If there are any more writers out there like me, lost in 9 to 5 obscurity, leave a message.  
Lucho