I was searching through my archived files, and found this article I once wrote for a fitness magazine. (Name of publication has been redacted due to bot issues.) It gave me a laugh, and so should you. Propaganda and the American Booty: Why Bigger is Now Better Written for &#*% Magazine by Veronica Park Oh my […]
Like most of my efforts, NaNoWriMo 2012 began with the flash and intensity of cannon fire. The first thirty thousand words flew by. But then, gravity kicked in. Life interceded. Other ideas clouded the trajectory. And before I knew it, my promising young thought comet had stalled in midair. It’s a common problem, or so […]
Everyone has their hang-ups when it comes to writing. For a lot of people, finding the time or motivation to write is their biggest problem. For a friend of mine, it’s discovering the confidence to write, and keep writing until the end of a story regardless of whether it comes out the way she imagined. For me, it’s […]
When I was just a wee lass, I fell in love with mysteries. Before I hit my 8th birthday, I’d already blazed through the entire Nancy Drew Series. I scoured my school library for Caroline Cooney books, especially the ones that were a little bit “too scary” for a kid my age, then finally drew the […]
It’s time for another confession, and (brace yourself) this one is really naughty. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve had the tendency to rush things. I started walking earlier than my brothers did, I used to sneak and finish my homework before class was over, and my first word wasn’t “mama” or “dada.” It […]
Here are some things that alternately INSPIRE me to write and distract me from writing: How about you? What inspires you to write? What is your biggest challenge, when it comes to splitting your focus? Do share.
Almost six weeks into the querying process for my first novel, and suddenly I realize: I’m going about this all wrong. I’ve been looking at this whole thing like it’s dating–which, in my defense, there are a TON of parallels between the publishing process and trying to find “the one”–but it’s really a lot more […]
I have a confession to make. I was never a very good reporter. Though I majored in print journalism and worked as a television journalist / field reporter / producer for several years, I never had what you might call that “Lois Lane tenacity,” that impulse to doggedly pursue a story with little or no […]
***Disclaimer: I don’t usually like to get political. But in light of recent electoral shenanigans, I couldn’t help but vent my frustration. And because I’m me, I decided to share my displeasure by drafting an inaugural speech for the next POTUS. 2012 PRESIDENTIAL ACCEPTANCE SPEECH for [Insert Name Here] [Walk to microphone, place hands on […]
I just got the following alert from Facebook: “Your friend request privileges have been temporarily blocked. From now on, please don’t send friend requests to people you don’t know personally. Facebook is a place for connecting with friends, family, classmates, coworkers and other people you know well. If you are blocked from sending friend requests, […]
As the first day of National Novel Writing Month 2012 draws to a close, I find myself embroiled in the first 3,000 words (ish) of a bloody, nostalgic romp through my hometown. I’m not sure if it’s homesickness during the holidays, or some deeply seated need to murder the insecurities of my youth in grand, dramatic fashion. […]
This is an excerpt from my short story, “Memoirs of a Fat Ballerina,” which I’ve entered in a few competitions (don’t worry, I checked the rules and I’m allowed to post on here) and which I’m currently thinking of turning into a full-length YA. Let me know what you think! – Love, V “Memoirs of a […]
I always loved that part in Little Women, when precocious young Amy sagely advises her older sister, “You don’t need scores of suitors. You only need one. If he’s the right one.” I think in that way, publishing a book is a lot like hunting for a husband. In the midst of all the silence, […]
It’s only nine in the morning, There’s no cause to despair. It’s only nine on Monday, Just five more days to bear. I’ll probably skip through the day Like a fish through the paws of a bear. At least it’s not ten in the morning; It can only get worse from there.
Heads up: this is going to be a really stupid post. For one thing, I’ve just finished watching the movie Jennifer’s Body (totally underrated horror-comedy, IMO) in my pajamas, in the middle of the day. So my mood could be accurately defined as “fatalistic, with a hint of self-deprication.” That said, here’s the rhetorical question of […]
A few months ago, I decided to tackle “Piece of Advice #3” (of 3,000,000) in C.J. Redwine’s book, Query: Everything You Need to Get Started, Get Noticed and Get Signed. (Link to the book) Though most writers/authors/agents/publishers would most likely agree that no one book can possibly hold ALL the secrets an aspiring author needs to […]
The other day, a fellow writer/author on Twitter (@LianaBrooks) asked a very pertinent question. “How do you pick who to send your first queries to? Longest response time? Best bet? Longshot?” She already knew how to find the literary agents, but sorting them was a different kettle of fish. Here’s my (humble) opinion on the subject: *Disclaimer–this […]
One of my mom’s favorite things to tell us growing up was that “we Parks aren’t funny.” For the longest time, I believed this was 100% true. As a kid, I’d have these mildly epileptic moments, where I’d suddenly think of a witty comment or make up a new punchline to an old joke… but […]
I know I’ve focused a lot on the “intangibles” of publishing lately. On the disappointments, the mood swings and the sometimes inconceivable personal reasons behind manuscripts becoming books (or not). And I know that I promised to cover all the Querying Process; the good, the bad, the ugly. Unfortunately, so far, there hasn’t really been […]
Every aspiring author has a few nights of weakness. Nights where they lie awake, questioning whether they have the sanity or the willpower to continue in their chosen career. (And if you don’t have this problem, I’d really like to meet you. So I can punch you in the face. No offense.) For most of us, the mental hamster […]
Waiting on word is the worst form of torture there is. And that’s about it for today’s wisdom, kids. Enjoy the day!
It’s the bottom of the ninth. The bases are loaded. Babe steps up to the plate… Here comes the pitch. It’s time to shine, writer friends. Maybe you’re stuck in an elevator with your dream agent in this totally metaphorical situation. Or maybe you’re huddled in the back of a walk-in freezer in a Marriott […]
There once was a girl with potential, Who struggled with things existential. She wrote down her thoughts, In scribbles and blots, While wondering, “Have I gone quite mental?” THE END (This message brought to you by: Monday.)
You know the expression, “Strike while the iron is hot?” I’m pretty sure I’ve ranted about this before, because even typing it just now gave me a mad case of blogger’s deja vu. But what’s the deal? Why are we hitting people with irons? Are we Russian mobsters in a 1940’s detective noir? Anyway, the dodgy semantics of […]
First of all, I CANNOT believe I haven’t posted this on my site before now. (Actually, part of me thinks maybe I did, but the Interwebs swallowed it.) This is an interview I did with Suzanne Brockmann–my favorite author and bosom Facebook-friend–back in July, 2009. I hope it’s as inspiring for you as it was back […]
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