My Journal #2

Oct /7

Hi everyone,
Saturday I volunteered for our annual WORDSTOCK convention. This event brings authors, writers and readers from all over together for 3 days. I attend on Sat and this time I snuck out for a Sunday afternoon visit.
What I am about to tell you is why I love WDC!!! Why I think everyone of you are awesome.

Along the front wall as you entered the hall were tables set up for authors to sell their books. I'm assuming since others bought booth space this format was cheaper and it put a bunch of authors together in one place so you could see the genre you liked easily. I passed a number of authors. One couple were a son/daughter and mother who wrote a book on their relationship as the child transgendered. The person spoke adamately about the transition and about the book.  Others were a variety of genres across the board.
I met a woman and her mother that self-published a book. The premise intrigued me and I asked questions about it and gave a little about my story and my problems with it. The daughter told me, "If you buy my book, I'll read your story and let you know what I think." I thought that was a good deal so I did. I wanted the book anyway to see what it was about.

OH LORDYYYY. Some people have more $ than brains. I was anxious to read the story, so on the Max train going back to my car I started to read. REALLY?! I hadn't read more than a couple of pages when I was blindsided. I was cruising along when all of the sudden the word "Was" kept slapping my vision. In one paragraph alone the word was used 5 TIMES! I didn't bother to count the number used in the whole page. Then the word VERY popped out every so often. Followed by a number of "Well,...." This is still only in the first 25 pages or less. I also came across this sentence 'Sharon opened the door to find Officer Jackson standing there.' Do you know what is wrong with this? She used -ed which is past (I am telling you Sharon opened the door in the past) but immedately we are thrown into the present now facing the Officer.
It should read 'Sharon opened the door. Officer Jackson stood there with his hat in his hand... ' or what ever he did. I haven't read any more of the book. When I returned to talk to her, She smiled and said they were doing to do a re-edit as they alone had done it the first time. I gently offered some suggestions and why. I told her If I came to you and said "Well, I just want to tell you this, but Well, I'm not sure how you will take it..." You wouldn't be very confident about what I was going to tell you. We use it when we talk, Don't use it unless you want to convey the person is weak and wishywashy." She understood and thanked me. I was careful and explained I had my work ripped and cut until I have become a better writer because of it.
We have to have thick skins when it come to those who read our work. As an author I expect the writer to be at least as good as I am  and I hope so much better. If "I" see flaws you know it was pretty bad. I'm just a published short story author with flaws and plenty of room to grow. WDC has been the group that made me a better writer every year.
When I'm told not to do something I try to remember it all the time. There are reviews that offer suggestion to what we write. While the gist of what is offered may or may not fit our idea, if it is about the technical part of our writing we need to take notice.

Just a homey story about my weekend. I met an author whose book was on the NYTimes best seller list. (all be it just for one day she said) I told her no one needs to know that part. I bought her book and she gave me excellent advice on publishing. She sold the book for 1/2 price since she didn't want to carry them home. 
That's all for today....