Writing Tales, Triumphs, and Tribulations 2005-03-14T17:18:38Z tag:www.karenceliafox.com,2005:/Writing//1 Movable Type Copyright (c) 2005, karenceliafox Einstein's Birthday Talk 2005-03-14T17:18:38Z 2005-03-14T12:18:38-05:00 tag:www.karenceliafox.com,2005:/Writing//1.185 2005-03-14T17:18:38Z As EVERYONE in the whole world knows. . . Monday, March 14 is Einstein’s birthday! In honor of his 126th, I am giving a 20-minute talk and a book signing at Reiter’s Bookstore at 6:00. Since it’s right downtown, hopefully... karenceliafox http://www.karenceliafox.com/ kfox@nasw.org Business of Writing As EVERYONE in the whole world knows. . . Monday, March 14 is Einstein’s birthday!

In honor of his 126th, I am giving a 20-minute talk and a book signing at Reiter’s Bookstore at 6:00. Since it’s right downtown, hopefully many of you can swing by after work – I mean there’s a whole, like, birthday party planned. Should be a rocking time – bring your friends. For those of you who came to the talk at Politics and Prose, I promise to talk about something different, and for those who didn’t make it, now’s your chance! But, most importantly, I’d just love to see some friendly faces in the audience. . . .


Reiter’s is at 2021 K Street NW, and I hope to see you there!

]]> Good Editors 2005-03-11T21:31:48Z 2005-03-11T16:31:48-05:00 tag:www.karenceliafox.com,2005:/Writing//1.184 2005-03-11T21:31:48Z All my life I have complained about how much I really crave good editing. People who neither hack it up so that it’s looser, or doesn’t sound like your words; versus people who just sign off on your article since... karenceliafox http://www.karenceliafox.com/ kfox@nasw.org Craft of Writing All my life I have complained about how much I really crave good editing. People who neither hack it up so that it’s looser, or doesn’t sound like your words; versus people who just sign off on your article since it does in fact have a beginning, middle, and an end and they can’t be bothered to do anything other than help structure it. The latter kind is actually what I’ve gotten a lot of lately – my book editor literally just shipped the whole first draft off to be copy-edited without giving me word one of information back.

So, the two things currently on my plate – and winding up – are an article for Nature and an article for Discover. And both of the editors have been good. Very good. They have suggestions, they explain them well, and the suggestions will truly improve the piece, and they want me to write it in my voice, they don’t just want to rewrite the whole thing, etc. But do you know what that means? It means I have to rewrite the damn thing. I have to actually put in the time to make it better. My GOD. They want me to work. I just don’t know how I feel about this.

]]> Crazed Life 2005-02-28T04:58:18Z 2005-02-27T23:58:18-05:00 tag:www.karenceliafox.com,2005:/Writing//1.183 2005-02-28T04:58:18Z There is so much so much so much, that I just haven't known where to start or what to write, or even when to find the time to write. . . This plan of mine to start doing more magazine... karenceliafox http://www.karenceliafox.com/ kfox@nasw.org Day-to-Day Freelancing There is so much so much so much, that I just haven't known where to start or what to write, or even when to find the time to write. . . This plan of mine to start doing more magazine writing again has just, well, exploded. And that is good (money, enjoyment, feelings of self-esteem) and bad (what is up with this whole WORK thing??)

And -- in no surprise to anyone who has ever listened to somebody talk about their shrink -- being psyched about all these fun jobs come coupled with moments of ridiculous panic.

1) I handed in my dolphin article to Discover and am convinced it was the worst, loosest, least technical article I have ever put together ever and ditto that the editor has ever seen ever. And they will never contact me again or let me write for them again.

2) I spent this past weekend in Banff at a physics conference and in between the moments of really enjoying myself (all conferences should be at ski resorts, clearly) and reveling in the science and getting to talk to all these scientists. . . was the absolute humbling horror that perhaps I just didn't understand a single thing. (It didn't really help that the physicists could also completely out-ski me.)

3) I decided to apply to a mid-career fellowship in Boston for next year, since I've been riding this high enjoying my work, getting good jobs, etc. And then on the flight home from Canada today I realized it's actually going to be hard for me to put together the number of clips they want from the last 24 months, since I spent 18 of those months working on the Einstein book and the Kepler/Brahe book. Plummeting ensued.

4) And then come questions like -- so with all this work when am I going to fit in fiction writing?

]]> Back in the Saddle 2005-02-07T16:10:38Z 2005-02-07T11:10:38-05:00 tag:www.karenceliafox.com,2005:/Writing//1.182 2005-02-07T16:10:38Z In the beginning of 1994 I spent a glorious three months as a freelancer. In my mind I have romanticized this period extensively -- at the time I was probably a wee bit more worried about money than I remember,... karenceliafox http://www.karenceliafox.com/ kfox@nasw.org Business of Writing In the beginning of 1994 I spent a glorious three months as a freelancer. In my mind I have romanticized this period extensively -- at the time I was probably a wee bit more worried about money than I remember, as I was not freelancing by choice, I was in between jobs. But it was a snowy, snowy winter, one of DC's worst, and I loved never having to leave my house, answering calls from my bed, and writing at my desk in various stages of undress. Noah was landscaping at that point, and so he too had the winter off -- I mostly remember his staying up all night long to play video games on my computer, while I used the computer to work all day. We overlapped for a few hours of sleep, and for a few hours at the end of my day when we watched episodes of Twin Peaks in order.

It was a pretty fantastic time. It also taught me that I could survive as a freelancer. Knowledge that I held in the back of my head for as long as I needed it until the fateful day where I up and quit my job.

But the thing is this -- even though I made enough money in those three months to survive, I received every check I'd earned AFTER I'd already found a new job. It was a lesson in the major time delays that happen when you write. Seeds you sow early take a long time to come to harvest.

I was reminded of that over these last two months. I spent the last half of 2004 on a mission to get more magazine work. I sent in queries, I attended workshops, I gave regular updates to my writing group, I had informational interviews with editors. And nothing really happened until suddenly EVERYTHING happened. The last few months have been really lovely, because I got to do the fun part -- the interviewing, the writing. All that business of trying to meet editors and come up with good stories was behind me. I've loved writing the pieces I've had to write lately. They just flowed. I've felt really good.

But I'm at the end of the line.

When I finish the story on dolphins for which I went to Japan, I'm done.

Oh, G-d, I have to start pitching again.

]]> E-mail Access! 2005-02-02T08:52:39Z 2005-02-02T03:52:39-05:00 tag:www.karenceliafox.com,2005:/Writing//1.169 2005-02-02T08:52:39Z Alright, on my last day in Kyoto, I have finally found a way to connect my computer to the Internet. G-d bless airports and their wireless service! That means I have now uploaded the details of my Kyoto tour. .... karenceliafox http://www.karenceliafox.com/ kfox@nasw.org Business of Writing Alright, on my last day in Kyoto, I have finally found a way to connect my computer to the Internet. G-d bless airports and their wireless service! That means I have now uploaded the details of my Kyoto tour. . .

]]> Japan. . . 2005-01-31T09:10:40Z 2005-01-31T04:10:40-05:00 tag:www.karenceliafox.com,2005:/Writing//1.161 2005-01-31T09:10:40Z I am in Japan, which is why I haven't written anything in here this week. . . I have been writing all SORTS of stuff for my Japan travel weblog, but um, it turns out I am having catastrophic computer... karenceliafox http://www.karenceliafox.com/ kfox@nasw.org Day-to-Day Freelancing I am in Japan, which is why I haven't written anything in here this week. . . I have been writing all SORTS of stuff for my Japan travel weblog, but um, it turns out I am having catastrophic computer and internet failures, so will have to upload it en masse when I get home Wednesday. So stay tuned for tales of sushi, hot baths and $6.50/mile taxis!

]]> Writing What You Know 2005-01-17T14:32:33Z 2005-01-17T09:32:33-05:00 tag:www.karenceliafox.com,2005:/Writing//1.160 2005-01-17T14:32:33Z I am paraphrasing substantially here, but I read a great line in a Herald Tribune book review this week: "The problem with the admonition to write what you know is that in America what most people know is that adolescence... karenceliafox http://www.karenceliafox.com/ kfox@nasw.org Craft of Writing I am paraphrasing substantially here, but I read a great line in a Herald Tribune book review this week:

"The problem with the admonition to write what you know is that in America what most people know is that adolescence leads to being cranky with your parents."

I have to agree that I am just numb with boredom by the amount of really-not-that-interesting memoirs and fictionalized-memoirs that abound lately.

(This has not stopped me from wanting to write my OWN memoirs of course. . . I mean I'm sure they'd be just a fantastic read! Really. At least for me.)

]]> Rewrites 2005-01-13T22:05:03Z 2005-01-13T17:05:03-05:00 tag:www.karenceliafox.com,2005:/Writing//1.159 2005-01-13T22:05:03Z And another thing regarding the book . . . I have had this realization that I need to do some major changing with the point of view. "How to Write a Damn Good Novel" gave lengthy descriptions of different points... karenceliafox http://www.karenceliafox.com/ kfox@nasw.org Book Writing And another thing regarding the book . . . I have had this realization that I need to do some major changing with the point of view. "How to Write a Damn Good Novel" gave lengthy descriptions of different points of view -- stuff I learned in 8th grade, though it's always nice to hear it described again -- and then said "If you don't know what POV to use, try it from a few of them and see what works best."

I scoffed at this. I already knew what POV to use -- Shogun, the best historical fiction novel of ALL time -- laid the ground work. Third person objective -- but with different scenes from different characters' perspectives.

But see I've had this problem all along, where my voice isn't in there. I'm trying so hard to write this in a style that some of my favorite authors use and it's coming out stilted. I've been playing with this a lot, and have come up with a variety of decent solutions, but I think changing the point of view will make all the difference.

. . . which --and this is really the point -- is just damn scary. Not just that it involves major rewriting -- which it does, though no more than the major edits it needed anyway -- but it all becomes so much riskier. Taking a chance by doing it slightly differently, etc.

]]> Writing Conflict 2005-01-12T14:33:09Z 2005-01-12T09:33:09-05:00 tag:www.karenceliafox.com,2005:/Writing//1.158 2005-01-12T14:33:09Z I've had a couple of fairly profound realizations re writing my novel recently. All of them writer's-book-driven. I swear, it's the one place where "self-help" books are really valuable. A good writing how-to can really galvanize me into action.... karenceliafox http://www.karenceliafox.com/ kfox@nasw.org Book Writing I've had a couple of fairly profound realizations re writing my novel recently. All of them writer's-book-driven. I swear, it's the one place where "self-help" books are really valuable. A good writing how-to can really galvanize me into action. The one I'm living by this week is "How to Write a Damn Good Novel" by James N. Frey. I bought it because the reviews on Amazon were so glowing, describing it as full of really concrete advice.

And I agree. . . the main epiphany I had last week from the book was regarding conflict. It described the problem of "static conflict," wherein a scene begins with two people who are frustrated and ends at the same level of frustration. The key point here being that conflict must evolve over the course of a novel, as well as in each individual scene. I new this was a problem in my own writing -- I kept saying that my characters were already "too cranky" going into certain scenes. I didn't realize that what this meant was that I had let them do all their getting annoyed with each other off-screen. Instead, the reader needs to witness them growing more frustrated in any given scenario -- start calm and reasonable, move towards conflict. Start placid, move towards joy. Start secure, move towards fear.

Like everything in writing, it's so obvious once you get it. But I totally needed someone to put it into words. . .

]]> Kyoto! 2005-01-11T21:22:19Z 2005-01-11T16:22:19-05:00 tag:www.karenceliafox.com,2005:/Writing//1.157 2005-01-11T21:22:19Z So, here's the thing -- remember the story I sold to the big time editor? Well, we finally touched base about the story in detail last week. He was brusque and efficient, telling me what needed to be done, that... karenceliafox http://www.karenceliafox.com/ kfox@nasw.org Magazine Writing So, here's the thing -- remember the story I sold to the big time editor? Well, we finally touched base about the story in detail last week. He was brusque and efficient, telling me what needed to be done, that he'd send me a contract, here was how best to put together my lede, and oh, yeah, was there a way I could go visit the researchers I'm interviewing?
"Sure," I said laughing. "But it's in Japan."

"Ok. Well if you can get there and back for $1000 that's fine."

Um, what??? My jaw literally bumped into the floor. Thank goodness we were on the phone instead of in person and I had the chance to recover before he realized what a complete and total amateur of a writer he'd hired who didn't even know such trip offers might ever happen to her.

So. . . I'm going to Japan at the end of the month. How cool is that?

]]> Cleaning House 2005-01-11T16:37:16Z 2005-01-11T11:37:16-05:00 tag:www.karenceliafox.com,2005:/Writing//1.156 2005-01-11T16:37:16Z Happy New Year to you all! I have been offline for awhile -- not because things have been going badly, but because things have been going well. The writing is flowing and there's just been TONS to do . .... karenceliafox http://www.karenceliafox.com/ kfox@nasw.org Craft of Writing Happy New Year to you all! I have been offline for awhile -- not because things have been going badly, but because things have been going well. The writing is flowing and there's just been TONS to do . . .

I think partially this is because I actually cleaned up my house. It makes all the difference I tell you. A friend of mine who is a writing professor, and therefore instills me with the sense that he knows everything in the world about writing -- even though I know that he struggles with all the same B.S. I do -- recently saw my office. My office was crammed to overflowing with all the boxes, clothes-to-give-away, artwork, cookbooks, presents, and other detritus from the other rooms in the house that there was just enough room to walk to the computer desk, if you're willing to step on a lot of paper to do so. John took one look and said: "Do you write in here?"

Honestly, I don't even know if he meant it the way I heard it -- which was of course "How can you possibly write in this pigsty?" For all I know, he really meant "Lucky you, you get a whole extra room to write in, when I only live in a studio." But I don't think so.

I said: "Um, yeah, usually it's neater." Which is, of course, a total lie. But clearly the time had come to feng shui that place up.

It's much nicer now. . . and lo! I can write!

]]> Laziness Gets You Everywhere 2004-12-14T21:51:42Z 2004-12-14T16:51:42-05:00 tag:www.karenceliafox.com,2004:/Writing//1.155 2004-12-14T21:51:42Z It is amazing to me how often the whole zen, release-yourself-from-the-outcomes, just-stop-worrying-about-it attitude, well, works. After I told myself I needed a bit of a break from tracking down more magazine work, I was able to cross off a whole... karenceliafox http://www.karenceliafox.com/ kfox@nasw.org Day-to-Day Freelancing It is amazing to me how often the whole zen, release-yourself-from-the-outcomes, just-stop-worrying-about-it attitude, well, works. After I told myself I needed a bit of a break from tracking down more magazine work, I was able to cross off a whole host of things from my to do list that had just been weighing me down.

One of these was a serious thorn in my side -- I pitched the story six weeks ago, I was going to send a follow up e-mail about two weeks later, and Christy told me I should just call. "Call Burk" has been on my to do list for literally four weeks, and every day I tell myself it's not such a big deal, just pick up the phone and call this guy (whom I have never met, who is busy, who clearly must not have liked my story or he would have called back, who won't recognize my name when I call, who clearly hates me).

I have not called. Christy keeps telling me I should. I tell myself I should. I haven't.

Yesterday, with the magic stroke of a the mouse, it was off my to do list. Gone! Done! Who cares if I get that story or not? I have other things to pay attention to!

It was a major load off my shoulders.

. . . and I got home this afternoon and he had called. He apologized for taking so long to get back to me. He wants the story.

This is so exciting I can't STAND it. It's my first article for a magazine that I would love love love to write for.

Um, but I'm just not sure what the moral should be here. Give up and good things will come to you? Laziness rules? Succomb to your fear and you will succeed? I mean really.

]]> Letting Myself Off the Hook 2004-12-14T21:42:46Z 2004-12-14T16:42:46-05:00 tag:www.karenceliafox.com,2004:/Writing//1.154 2004-12-14T21:42:46Z After I realized that I was just doing too much. . . It's like everything, simply, poof! got magically better. I'm not really doing any less, but by telling myself my job was to focus on just one or two... karenceliafox http://www.karenceliafox.com/ kfox@nasw.org Day-to-Day Freelancing After I realized that I was just doing too much. . . It's like everything, simply, poof! got magically better. I'm not really doing any less, but by telling myself my job was to focus on just one or two things -- the Kepler book, the new non-fiction book, and the things on my plate for which I already have deadlines and so must accomplish -- somehow my brain managed to relax. I got more done on those projects than I had before. . . and somehow I still found some time to do the extra stuff too.

Basically, the only thing I could legitimately take OFF my agenda was the drive to get lots of magazine stories. I have a few outstanding stories, so I had no intention of jettisoning magazine writing completely -- but my to do list was chock full of "investigate this magazine" and "find contact at that magazine" and "pitch over there" and and and. . .

But by letting myself off that one thing -- i.e. getting myself MORE work -- it's like I can breathe more freely and concentrate on all that I already have to do. So, work is flowing a bit more again. . . yay!

]]> Blogs 2004-12-07T21:41:01Z 2004-12-07T16:41:01-05:00 tag:www.karenceliafox.com,2004:/Writing//1.153 2004-12-07T21:41:01Z I find the web a wee bit confusing. . . way back in the day I put up a cute little personal web site and then I listed it on altavista -- because it was that or, like, webcrawler, and... karenceliafox http://www.karenceliafox.com/ kfox@nasw.org Business of Writing I find the web a wee bit confusing. . . way back in the day I put up a cute little personal web site and then I listed it on altavista -- because it was that or, like, webcrawler, and altavista was the better search engine. Then LO the website was suddenly getting huge numbers of visitors a minute just to hear what little ol' me had to say about, well, um, dating, 'cause that's what I was writing about back then.

Ok, but now, there's just so much out there. It gets confusing. And how do you get your site listed anywhere? Here for example is a page about all the places that Einstein A to Z is listed in blogs. Ok, I am ALL for this process. Someone wants to list all the blog info about my book, then whoo hoo! That's just a bonus for me. But somehow it found the Einstein A to Z page for this site -- when it had only been online for like a DAY. And yet it didn't spot my many mentions of it on my blog here or Catherine's mention of it.

Can you explain this to me?? I just don't understand how you are supposed to find -- or really promote -- these days.

But, hey, if you want to write about Einstein A to Z in a blog, or if you want to link to the new Einstein A to Z page. . . I'm sure it wouldn't hurt my cause!

]]> Focus 2004-12-06T15:35:07Z 2004-12-06T10:35:07-05:00 tag:www.karenceliafox.com,2004:/Writing//1.151 2004-12-06T15:35:07Z It is a Monday morning -- which means that it is just after my writing group meeting, which today really meant Christy and I discussed how much we haven't been doing and tried to get excited about doing more despite... karenceliafox http://www.karenceliafox.com/ kfox@nasw.org Day-to-Day Freelancing It is a Monday morning -- which means that it is just after my writing group meeting, which today really meant Christy and I discussed how much we haven't been doing and tried to get excited about doing more despite the upcoming holidays which zap motivation with all their tryptophane.

What I realized as I came to meet her this morning (with my little to do list that I had only scratched barely at) is that there is JUST TOO MUCH TO DO. I have spread myself way too thin. I am trying to get more magazine articles; I have given my heart over to this novel; I would like to finish the non-fiction book proposal I've been working on for, um, years; I have promised the Melton Foundation that I would pull together an alumni magazine for them; I am trying to market the Einstein A to Z book and I am under the impression that I should, like, have a social life too.

I have gotten scattershot with what I am attempting to do. I need to bring down my projects substantially -- focus on just a few things. Of course, I realize even as I write this that I can't limit myself quite as much as I would like. I have articles that I have promised people I would write, and all the things on my list are important. But there are at least a few things I can do. I don't need to reinvent myself as the biggest bestest magazine writer right now. I have been making that too much of a priority -- and it's ok to focus on the stuff that really has my heart, i.e. the books. I still need to finish the articles that I haven't written (and ooh boy, all the checks from everything I've written in the last two months came in this week, and isn't that NICE!) but I don't need to see that as my main raison d'etre.

And, I'm sorry, but the social life. . . I actually work well at night -- why not claim a few nights a week just to write??

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