Yes, I admit it, I’m an Idol addict. I love watching the show; I love the
individual singers, the judges and the annoyingly perky host. But, the other day, I realized I was learning
an awful lot from watching the show about the creative process. Skip the singing folks, I was learning things
that could actually help me become a better writer.
So, in no particular order, here’s my list of lessons
learned from watching Idol.
1. You actually
have to show up at the audition – Yep, that’s right, in order to sell a
book you actually have to write one.
Most people who say they want to write a book, or say they’re writing
one, never finish it.
2. While at the
audition, you actually have to sing – it’s no joke, not only do you have to
write an entire book, you actually have to submit it to someone.
3. Have
realistic expectations about your talent – we all secretly hope that what
we’ve written will be the next breakout best-seller. You’ll get offers of representation from
multiple agents, who’ll have so many publishers clamouring for your book that
it will end up selling at an auction and you’ll never have to work again. Um, I hate to break it to you, but THAT isn’t
realistic. THAT occasionally does
happen, but only to THAT guy who also got struck by lightening three times and
survived. Reality will far more likely
result in a rejection letter.
4. After you’ve
sung your song, accept criticism gracefully – Criticism is a part of the
publishing process. Be respectful and
grateful to anyone who takes the time to evaluate your writing. To do anything else is rude, unprofessional
and stupid. Publishing may seem like a
large industry, but it’s not, it’s more like a small town where everyone knows
everyone else. Nothing spreads faster
than bad news or bad behaviour.
5. If you
didn’t get a golden ticket, go home, take voice lessons and try again next year
– So, your manuscript was rejected.
Now’s the perfect opportunity to strengthen your skills and learn new
ones. Join a critique group, enter
contests, take online classes, go to live workshops and go to conferences. Learn, edit, revise and submit. Repeat as often as it takes.
6. The judges
love singers who take risks musically, have a definitive style and can make
well-known songs their own. – Editors and agents are looking for more than
good writing, they’re also looking for a compelling Voice. Every writer has a voice, a combination of
style, tone, pace, emotion, theme and technique. Really good writers are really good because
you can’t put their book down – their Voice compels you to read on. How do you develop your Voice? There are three ways: write, write and write.
7. Hollywood week
has one purpose: to weed out the weak.
Most of the singers who go to Hollywood
will either quit or get sent home – Publishing is not easy. Only the strong, the passionate, the
dedicated and those writer’s with the ability to adapt to the ever changing
market will survive to have long, successful careers. Strong writers take nothing for granted, keep
an eye on where the market is going all while focusing on their deadline next
week.
8. Not everyone
who gets a golden ticket will end up famous – Most writers don’t earn
enough money from their writing to support themselves. Don’t quit your day job until you actually
have enough money in the bank to live for at least one year without earning
another dime.
9. All contestants will be required to sing in
styles they may not feel particularly strong in and often surprise the heck out
of themselves when they do a really good job – Don’t become
complacent. Try new things once in a
while. I’m not talking about following
trends, I’m talking about taking a trend in a new and unexpected direction –
yours. You might score big.
10. Sometimes the last person you expect gets
voted off the show – Art and logic are incompatible. Things don’t always go the way we expect or
want, but failure is only failure if you give up. If you get knocked off your feet, pick yourself
up, dust yourself off and get moving again.
Chocolate helps.
A Golden
Heart double finalist in 2006, Julie Rowe has been writing for eleven years and
has completed eighteen manuscripts. Her
freelance work has appeared in numerous magazines and newsletters.
April 9 Guest Blog and Review
Urban Girl Reader –
April 16 Review
Smitten with Reading
s
April 17 Guest blog
This Author's Life
April 17 Promo
Fang-tastic Books
April 18 Guest blog
Roxanne’s Realm
April 19 Guest Blog
The Creatively Green Write at Home Mom
April 20 Guest blog
Mila Ramos
April 22 Guest Blog and review
Reading Between the Wines
April 24 Interview (review couple days prior)
TBQ's Book Palace
April 25 Promo
Reviews By Molly
North of Heartbreak
By Julie Rowe
Liam has his own reasons for fleeing to the isolation of the north, and a relationship is the last thing he wants. He wasn't counting on being drawn to the pretty nurse who accompanies patients on his flights to southern hospitals.
Fortunately, the temptation—and the desire to avoid anything serious—is mutual. So the pair comes up with an arrangement: sensual, steamy, no-strings fun. But when things heat up on a cold Alaskan night, the rules of the game may change forever...
Amazon.com: http://amzn.to/zSrqOW
B&N: http://bit.ly/zAuLQT
About the Author
Julie Rowe’s first career as a medical lab technologist in Canada took her to the North West Territories and northern Alberta, where she still resides. She loves to include medical details in her romance novels, but admits she’ll never be able to write about all her medical experiences because, “No one would believe them!”
A double Golden Heart finalist 2006, Julie has two books out with Carina Press: ICEBOUND and NORTH OF HEARTBREAK. Her writing has also appeared in several magazines such as Today’s Parent, Reader’s Digest (Canada), and Canadian Living. She currently facilitates communication workshops for her local city college. You can reach her at www.julieroweauthor.com or on Twitter @julieroweauthor
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