Are You Putting Out Writer Vibes?
Tarot Readings & Telling People You're a Writer (plus TONS of writing links and resources!)
(For writing news and resources, scroll down.)
Celebrate the Small Successes
Something I’m bad at, as a Type-A American First-Born Daughter (and Harried Mom), is taking a break. More specifically, taking a break to celebrate small successes, which is something I often recommend to other writers (so hard to take my own advice!).
If you are pursuing publishing — a business filled with rejection, disappointment, and near-misses — it’s important to celebrate small victories like:
finishing a manuscript or big revision.
receiving a manuscript request or an encouraging rejection.
getting wait-listed for a prize or fellowship.
getting a small piece published in a small journal.
If you only celebrate the big wins, you won’t be celebrating very often, my friend.
Which is why I recently suggested to my friend Allyson that we go have A Day in Old Town Alexandria. Wander the cobblestone streets, gaze at the waterfront, look at art, treat ourselves to lunch. It would be a celebration of our small and somewhat-uncertain victories: I just finished a manuscript that my agent and I are excited about, and Allyson is job-searching and recently had a promising interview.
Because of the uncertainty in both our situations, I also suggested that, for fun, we get a tarot card reading at House of Tarot on King Street.
What the Psychic Said About Me
I have a lot of conflicting thoughts and feelings about the world of psychics, which I won’t go into here except to say: anything in the occult/supernatural/spiritualism space makes for great fiction. Just a few of my favorites include A Drowned Maiden’s Hair by Laura Amy Shlitz, Affinity by Sarah Waters, and The Invited by Jennifer McMahon. And I myself have written a manuscript with a main character who discovers she has psychic abilities.
As per usual, I wasn’t sure how to feel about our tarot readings. (This was my first time getting my cards read, but I’ve had several mediumship readings, a chakra reading, and had energy work done.)
On the side of skepticism, much of what the psychic said was pretty general, and some of it was straight up wrong. She would also sometimes say two conflicting things. For example, she told Allyson, “you’re very blunt and honest, you’re not afraid to tell people like it is,” but then later she said, “you’re a people-pleaser,” and those two are kind of opposites, aren’t they? I think this is the trick: the reader throws out a lot of options, and we glom onto what resonate with us.
Which is one reason I think readings can be helpful. You hear what you want to hear. It’s a way to check in with yourself about how you really feel and what you really want.
But, on the side of believing, there were times when Old Town reader was eerily on target. One of the first things she said to Allyson was, “it’s been hard for you the past three months” (Allyson lost her job three months ago), and then: “I see a big change for you. It might be a move. It might be a career change. Maybe both. Is this resonating with you?”
Why yes, it resonated.
When I sat for my reading, she flipped over a bunch of cards and almost immediately said, “I see a lot of writing here. I see something about your career, lots of paper, lots of writing… What is it you do for a living?”
“Um… I’m a writer,” I said, chills going down my spine.
So maybe she was psychic after all.
I Didn’t Always Admit to Being a Writer
Even though I’ve wanted my career to be “writer” ever since I started an MFA program in 2007, it wasn’t until much, much later that I would answer the question “what do you do?” with “I’m a writer.”
I thought because I didn’t make money writing, I wasn’t “allowed” to say I was a writer. I would tell people “I’m a math tutor” or “I’m a curriculum writer,” because those were the things I did to make money. They were not, in my mind, my actual career, but I was embarrassed to say, “I’m a writer.” I was afraid the follow-up question would be, “oh, what books have you written?” and then I would have to admit I hadn’t yet published book.
I just finished reading Curtis Sittenfeld’s latest book, Show Don’t Tell (a collection of short stories), and this paragraph really got me; it’s from the title story:
“You can say whether people have published books. But you don’t get to say whether they’re writers.”
Yes.
Even if you haven’t published a book, or published at all, you are allowed to say you’re a writer. In fact, I encourage you to say it if that’s what you want to be. It’s called manifestation, baby! Declare that you’re a writer, and by saying it out loud, you’ll be one step closer to making it a reality.
“…the way they inhabit the world, the way they observe it…” Maybe that’s what the tarot card reader was picking up on. Maybe I’m putting out a writer vibe.
At the end of the day, here’s what I believe (or want to believe) about psychics: Perhaps most psychics are extremely intuitive people, people who maybe even have a connection to something spiritual or otherworldly. They pick up on vibes, maybe even get “spiritual downloads,” but maybe not all the time, and not about everything and everyone. If they do get messages from Spirit, they’re still prone to interpretive mistakes. They might have psychic abilities, but they’re still only human. Ultimately, they are storytellers, and we get to choose what parts of the story to take with us.
And, at the end of the day, here’s what I believe about being a writer: if you write, you are a writer, and you shouldn’t be afraid to say it out loud.
Writing News and Resources:
For All Writers:
An INCREDIBLE post on the craft of writing interiority with excellent examples. A must-read from
’s blog.Don’t miss the latest issue of Literary Mama, as well as the most recent episodes of This Mama is Lit!: with thriller author and TV writer Sandra Chwialkowska and with
, author of Mama: A Queer Black Woman's Story of a Family Lost and Found. Available wherever you get your podcasts!I recently attended a great free webinar from The Authors Guild, and I realized, wow, they have tons of free events and resources!
May Open Calls for Writers and Artists from
Creative Parenting Club is actively looking for guest posts from parents juggling creative ambitions with family life and other responsibilities.
I’m definitely attending this free online talk on June 3, hosted by
in which Simon & Schuster debut authors discussing their publishing experience.The FREE Novel Hustle Workshop (beta version) from author Patricia Marques is a 16-week writing program designed to help you draft your novel with structure and support. Best suited to writers working on commercial fiction like mystery, fantasy, romance, historical, or contemporary.) Course starts on June 28, and applications close on June 2.
How to write better sensory description from
I LOVE this series from Karin Gillespie exploring the three modes of publishing: 1. traditional publishing (big), 2. trad publishing (medium to small) and 3. self-publishing and hybrid. I’ve never wanted to self-publish, but she makes it sound pretty good!
Check out these great event replays from The Manuscript Academy — for free!
Upcoming online event from the Good Story Company: Publishing Lunch with Author and Agent Kate McKean, June 2.
Paid, no-fee short story submission calls for May from Angelique Fawns.
The Writers Center website is a GREAT resource for finding grants, fellowships, residencies & retreats, publishers (who publish non-agented authors), and literary journal opportunities.
Writing Workshops offers lots of online classes in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, picture books, and the business of writing.
Check out the meet-up group called Shut Up & Write. There are in-person chapters all over the country, as well online events.
Looking for places to submit your writing? Check out NewPages and Sub Club.
For KidLit Writers:
FREE online workshop TONIGHT (May 22) from Mary Kole & Good Story Company: Writing Irresistible Picture Books.
So many great events and resources to be found in
’s !The Highlights Foundation offers tons of programs, workshops, and events for children’s writers and illustrators.
The Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition is now open for unagented and unpublished writers for a middle grade or Young Adult novel.
First prize is a worldwide publishing contract with Chicken House with a royalty advance of £10,000. Deadline: June 2.
Literary Rambles has information on kidlit agents and agent interviews. Plus contests and giveaways.
Here’s an incredible list of upcoming events for KidLit writers!
Check out SCBWI (The Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) for events, conferences, critique partners and more. (Picture book through YA.)
For Querying Writers:
A few former agents and Big 5 editors who offer editorial consulting services from
.Free online workshop from Mary Kole & Good Story Company: Writing an Irresistible Query on June 19.
Here’s a list of small publishers that do not require agents.
Andrea Bartz has a list of successful query letters (including mine!).
I occasionally choose a subscriber for a FREE submission package critique. Send me your query and first two pages, and, if I chose your submission, I will send you feedback. Fill out the form here.
Writing Conferences & Events:
The Women’s Fiction Virtual Summit: June 21-22.
Live in the mid-Atlantic region and looking for an affordable writing retreat? The Writer’s Retreat at Good Contrivance Farm north of Baltimore is open year-round. The only requirement for this peaceful retreat is that you use the time to work on your writing. Spaces normally book about two months in advance.
Thinking about going to a conference or applying for a residency? Check out the free searchable database on Poets & Writers.
The James River Writers Conference in Richmond, VA will be held Oct. 4 - 6.
The Writing Day Workshop “How to Get Published” Conferences are affordable and helpful. Plus, sign up for pitch sessions with agents for $29 a piece. For online conferences, attend from anywhere in the world! Check out the upcoming conferences:
Writing Workshop of Chicago: June 21 (in person)
I’m going to Bouchercon, the World Mystery Convention in New Orleans September 3-7! See you there?
Writers Digest offers loads of virtual conferences on a variety of publishing and writing craft topics.
For more writing conferences, check out this list or the free searchable database on Poets & Writers.
Thanks for the shoutout :-) great newsletter!
Thank you for sharing the newsletter along with all of these other wonderful resources!