The Roses of Prose: #golf

Tuesday, July 10, 2018

Samaritans Good to #Suspense #Mystery Authors: Patron Strangers

I am heartened by the support I get as a writer. My friends and family are my cheerleaders. They know me and understand how important writing is to me, so their encouragement makes sense.

But what about the strangers who step in to do some heavy lifting for me, often providing more time, effort and input than anyone who knows me? I call them Author Samaritans, without whom my books would suffer from subjectivity, authenticity, and flat out fakery. Mistakes. Illogical plot. Superficial characters. Samaritans save me from laughing-stock-status with every page.

And some of these Samaritans request to remain anonymous. All that hard work and valuable input, never acknowledged. Amazing!

One such expert was an FBI agent who clarified chain-of-command issues for me. A loop writer heard my plea and offered up her FBI husband to give me advice. He did, then backed away behind a curtain of anonymity.

For my new book, FIRE IS NICE, one of my golf friends heard me talking about its Sequoia setting and my need to consult with rangers. She connected me up with a golfing friend who was a high level Fish and Game Warden. I gave him my manuscript without having the chance to meet him. To this day, I haven’t met the guy, even if I’ve e-mail chatted with him many times. The feedback he gave me was detailed and nuanced, complete with pages of information (some redacted) from primary sources. From all he said, he enjoyed the chance to help refine my story.

Gems. Treasures. Grist for this author. Expertise I couldn't possibly glean from Google.

So let's celebrate our heroes. Who was your most recent Author Samaritan?

Note: Relatives and friends can offer extraordinary expertise, as well. My geologist brother’s knowledge brings rock solid detail in BAD LIES http://a.co/1N5RAAL Take a look!

Web and Blog:

http://rolynnanderson.com

Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rolynn-Anderson/188767867821613

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/rolynnanderson

Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4990049.Rolynn_Anderson

Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/author/rolynnanderson

Sunday, June 10, 2018

I #amwriting (live!) for INCENTIVES. How about you? by Rolynn Anderson

We’ve been talking about deadlines (set by self and others), lately, which don’t work nearly as well for me as incentives of the external kind. Here are some examples:

San Luis Obispo county (and other state/county entities in California), entice residents to reduce the sizes of their lawns by offering a dollar for each square foot of grass we remove (replaced by a drip system watering drought resistant plants...that's the bargain). When my DH and I realized we'd be recompensed about $6,000 for ripping out our thirsty, unhealthy, not-so-green carpet, we signed up.

The cash for grass program initially prompted our front yard makeover, but we're so pleased with the result, we've quickly taken on the back yard. See the amazing power of incentives? My husband and I have moved into design and demolition with much more confidence and speed than we mustered in the front-scape design. (You can see we're keeping a small patch of grass. Can't help it!)

P. S. I promised you a picture of my giant bird of paradise, taking 10 years to bloom, so here it is, but you have to look look hard at this pic to see the majesty. The black, narrow triangles in the middle of the plant make up the flower...in the closeup, you will see the four white blossoms poking upward (I had to hold a branch aside to give you a full view).

What entices an author to write more, and write better? Many of us are galvanized by great reviews, a growing cadre of fans, and the encouragement of colleagues, relatives and friends. Another bonus: getting the nod in a contest. As you know, Bad Lies is a Rone finalist. Watch me work on my 9th and 10th novels with new verve now that Bad Lies has earned a pretty badge!

Money, food (chocolate!), badges/certificates, avid fans, encouraging colleagues. A vacation, a new outfit, an electronic thingy, a car. Incentives always help to push me to the next level. I build on good results...energized by each success to improve the next project.

What's been your go-to motivator lately? How about coming up with one right now?