Tag: Readers

Lit Salon celebrates writing

Posted in Books, fiction

ToolsLas Vegas Literary Salon hosted its first event Sunday, July 12, thanks to the Las Vegas Arts Council and the Las Vegas NM Community Foundation. A special thanks to Susie Tsyitee who walked us through the Zoom technology and acted as host for the event. Below is a video about the event we hope you will watch. It features Patti Romero and me talking about Las Vegas Literary Salon in a broad sense and giving our thoughts on this premier event. Please note that this is a first “video interview” either of us has done and I was at the tech wheel, which in and of itself speaks of disaster! But, all things considered it gets our message across.

And what is our message? Writing is an art. We want to encourage emerging, young, established, genre, literary, nontraditional, fiction, nonfiction, poetry – basically writers and writing across the spectrum. We will do this through workshops, events like the Zoom Writers Roundtable, book fairs, tapping into the skills of experts in areas related to getting the book, essay, memoir, novel, whatever it is, from your brain to the page.

This is not for everyone. Some writers want solitude and choose not to network with other writers. I get that. But for those who do want to be part of a learning and networking community, come on board! And we want readers as well. You are important to the process. You consume our words and make them a part of your story from the time you start reading until you reach the end, and sometimes beyond. Along the way, we hope we’ve made you laugh or cry, pissed you off or lifted you up, perhaps even broadened your horizons.

The Sunday event was a success largely because of our five readers: Joy Alesdatter, Kathleen Lujan, Ray John de Aragon, Tim Hagaman, and Beth Urech. We thank them for the time and effort they put into preparing for their readings.

What’s next? We will be scheduling an event with former Las Vegan, Vera Jo Bustos in the near future. Look for details to be released soon.

We have a lot of ideas, and now we need bodies to help implement them, and come up with more. Join us! Fill in the form below the video and let us know if you’re ready to join, or whether you need more information. Also consider donating to one or both of the organizations working through the pandemic to figure out ways to keep the arts alive and thriving!

Las Vegas Arts Council
Las Vegas NM Community Foundation

Patti and Sharon talk about LV Lit Salon #1

zoom_0 from Sharon Vander Meer on Vimeo.

Please sign up below to join Las Vegas Literary Salon or to find out more.

 

Dream on

Posted in Books

pexels-photo-279415.jpegI love to write, it’s what I do. As you know, Blind Curve is now available through this site and at Amazon. My concern is that I’m preaching to the same choir. Most of you have heard about my publishing journey in one form or another. I’m asking a huge favor. Share this post with your followers, friends and family. It will mean a lot to me.

The job of marketing one’s work is more angst ridden and time consuming by far than writing the book. Right now I’m working on my episodic novel, Hunter’s Light, Pella’s Quest (episodes posted every Friday), but it is a challenge to do that and work on getting attention for Blind Curve. I have marketing and advertising sales experience, but the focus has always been on something else or for someone else. This time the spotlight is on me, or at least on my books. My dream come true is to look at my royalty statement and see something other than zeros.

How can I be sure readers will notice my baby among the thousands of others on the shelves? Well, I can’t, that’s why, as a writer, I must hit the streets and get my message out there. I know my book is compelling and dramatic, a mystery wrapped up in a puzzle, and that the characters feel like people you know and want to root for. How do I let potential readers know? That is part of what I have learned on my writing and publishing journey, so far.

Writing is my dream job and I love it, even though I know the following applies to me and most writers:

  • Nobody knows or cares who you are as a writer, not even your family and friends. If you want to sell them a book, you have to ask if they want to buy it.
  • Writing is an isolating profession. You don’t write 2000 to 4000 words a day drinking coffee at the coffee shop, but it is also a business. If you don’t sell your book, you’re not valuing your work.
  • Writing is mentally and physically taxing. Writers like David Baldacci and Margaret Atwood continue to be successful because they are dedicated writers who devote their work time to writing, not sitting at the coffee shop.
  • Writers must be ready for criticism and be able to see their books for what they are: works in progress. Editing, revising, proofing, rewriting, tossing the whole damn thing out at times, that’s all part of writing. This is so hard, much more difficult than you can imagine. It’s work, not unlike the work you do.
  • When I think my book is just too precious for words, I know I’m probably on the wrong track. I’ve learned to put the work aside for awhile and then read it like a reader. Read it aloud. Hear how it sounds.
  • I’ve learned to trust my instincts. If something seems off kilter in the narrative, my readers will likely get the same vibe.
  • I’ve learned it is essential to be confident. If I don’t believe in my characters, no one else will. If I don’t believe in my concept I wander in a wilderness of wrong words.
  • Writing is like dreaming when you’re awake. You convert those dreams into stories and poems and songs. My hope is that what I write will ring a bell with readers and lead them to dream along with me.
  • Writing is a business. As a writer, I must keep that in mind.
  • Writing is an itch. The only way to scratch that itch is to sit down in front of a keyboard and slog it out. The itch is what keeps me at the computer.

Yes, writing is the itch that must be satisfied with words and the magic that happens when those words come together in a great story. The itch is why I never stop dreaming.

Please Follow, Like, Comment and Share this post. Your feedback is important.

I am an indie author of six books and two chap books of poetry. Check the BOOKS tab to find out more. Follow me at www.vandermeerbooks.com, https://www.facebook.com/vandermeerbooks, Amazon Author Central. I’m also a member of the Las Vegas Literary Salon, a group committed to sharing the work of local writers. Follow LVLS at lvnmlitsalon.org. Thanks for reading and sharing this post.