ON BEING CONSCIENTIOUS

I’m horrified if I’m ever late. I set my clocks 10 minutes ahead so it doesn’t happen.  I keep books or magazines in the car so I can sit there and read when I’m early to an appointment.  The positive: I’m considered reliable, which goes a long way in the worlds of business and friendship.  The downside is that when I do find myself late I practically go into tachycardia.

I used to get panic attacks over heavy college/work responsibilities.  I'd bite off way more than I could chew: obligations to myself and others and unrealistic goals.  If there was a chance of getting below an A on an assignment...oh boy, tachycardia.  It didn't help that I had undiagnosed Mitral Valve Prolapse and that raced beside my conscientious-fueled anxiety...literally.  I took everything as seriously as I do a spinal injection now. 

I tend to have a hard time putting things into perspective and I tend to see an email from anybody as something I have to answer right now.  Obsessive.  It is especially problematic now that I’m expanding my social media footprint.  I don't have a good filter for what is essential and what should be at the bottom of my list or not addressed at all.  I want to get back to everybody, respond to everybody’s post, read every loop message.  It’s a great burden to allow myself to take everything so seriously, as if it all needs my attention.  As if I somehow fail if I’m not helping or surpassing expectations.  My dad called me an overachiever.  I felt insulted…after all, doesn’t that imply my capabilities were not as great as my success would indicate?  See, I even feel I need to defend my conscientious nature.  

My fellow sisters are also very conscientious ladies.  Here I ask each of them about the subject:

From Stormy:

For me conscientiousness has to do with faith. I can either choose to do the right thing or the wrong thing, which for me feels as clear as choosing to stand in the light or the dark. I want to stand in the light, to be happy and close to God. The only complication sometimes is figuring out which right thing, of multiple right things, is the most right. Do you do what's right for one individual, or for a whole organization that affects many people? These are difficult situations, and sometimes personally costly. But in the end there always seems to be a clear right and wrong.

Here's an example of a time when people told me I was being ridiculously conscientious. My older daughter was invited on an amazing, exotic, luxurious vacation to a faraway island with another family. But I'd accepted another invitation for my children for that week that was less exciting, more a commitment than a vacation. Everyone said, "Just explain this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! You can't turn this down for your daughter, especially since you could reschedule your other plans for any time." But the relationship with the person we'd already committed to was important, too. We discussed it at length, agreed it was the right thing to do, and were at peace with the situation. Our family never let on that there had been another choice. I often think of this when those inevitable "better offer" situations come up. We stick with the one we accepted first.

Next time we'll hear from Nib

How do you feel about the topic of being conscientious?

-Inkpot

Writing Detours--My Monthly Column

I take detours as I write in many genres.  In August I became a columnist for BTS Book and Book Trailer Review Magazine (affiliated with Barnes & Noble). 

The first year of articles will be about screenwriting.  Hope you join me on this first leg of my journey.

The first article, in the August issue, was about making the choice to write a screenplay. I loved that BTS adorned the article with a picture of a sexy woman at the typewriter. Loved it!

http://issuu.com/btsemag/docs/august2013/110?e=5491198/4269104

September’s topic is format:   http://btsemag.com/columns-detours-sept13/

You can always find my latest column here:
                      http://btsemag.com/columns/

Thanks for joining me!

Inkpot (AKA Karen Albright Lin – she who takes writing detours)

New Mexico/Arizona Book Awards Finalist!

Shannon Baker's Tainted Mountain is a finalist in the New Mexico/Arizona Book Awards!

“A thoroughly satisfying mystery! Shannon Baker captures the grandeur and fragility of the western landscape while keeping the pages turning. And Nora Abbot is a fiery and tenacious sleuth whose future career in crime solving will be fun to watch.” — MARGARET COEL, NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF BUFFALO BILL’S DEAD NOW

Speaking of Public Speaking

I once mentioned that writers might want to hone their public speaking skills. This comment likely sent waves of horror through many a reclusive writer. Unless you’re a natural orator, politician, teacher, or well-practiced from your “day job,” the thought of speaking in front of a group can create fear and anxiety.

Early in my “day job” career I tackled public speaking, and while I still get hit with dry mouth before an event, my heart no longer palpitates nor do my hands shake.

A number of lessons learned have stayed with me from the Dale Carnegie classes I attended, the primary being practice, practice, practice. This means retreating to the basement or some other silent haven to practice your speech out loud. Over and over again. Trust me, if your speech is important to you, this repeated practice is equally important. The point isn’t to memorize what you’ll be saying, but rather to wrap your lips and tongue around the words and concepts so you feel more at ease, so you know your material and don’t have to “read” your speech, which bores an audience. Oh, and since I mentioned that terrifying audience, remember, they’re on your side. They want you to succeed! They’ve attended your event to be educated and entertained.

You’ll also find that the more often you speak in front of a group the easier it becomes. In fact, back in the dark ages when I had to speak publically at least weekly, I rarely even blinked. Just part of the job. But if you haven’t had the opportunity to orate, and you’re looking forward to book signings, speaking at conferences, and accepting countless writing awards (I hope we’re all looking forward to that!), then you might want to consider a class on public speaking.

Two options are Dale Carnegie and Toastmasters, though there are many other choices. One of Dale Carnegie’s mottos is “Act enthusiastic and you’ll be enthusiastic,” and there’s a great deal of truth to that in many aspects of life, including public speaking. If we combine that with the Scout’s motto of “Be prepared,” now might just be the time to de-gloss that glossophobia!

Ahem... Is that an adjustable mike?

~ Folio

Song Lyrics That Apply To My Writing

As I roamed around YouTube recently looking for songs to practice up for karaoke on my next cruise, I discovered some lyrics that reflect my life as a writer.  “Don’t stop thinking about tomorrow,” as Fleetwood Mac advises, reminds me that writing is about moving forward, being available in all the right places, and doggedly persisting in the hard work required to have a successful career.  A support group of empathetic writer friends, especially my Sisters of the Quill, have been the “Wind Beneath my Wings” as Bette Midler called it.   

There are times when even my diligence and best laid plans are thwarted by a lack of time.  Jim Croce’s “If I Could Save Time in a Bottle” reminds me that finding time is unlikely but sacrificing sleep is possible.  I’ve been nurtured by seasoned writers, mentored.  And I believe in giving back.  As often as time permits, I help out, advising those who need it, and say to them “You've Got a Friend in Me” as did Randy Newman.  Donna Summers’ song, “She works hard for the money,” is self explanatory.  The Beatles remind me to “Let it be, let it be,” when it comes to receiving critique.  Instead of defending my words to agents or beta readers, I take notes and decide after digesting them what I want to do with those suggestions.  Though I can feel raw at times when hearing what I’m not prepared to hear, questioning input while receiving it is likely to shut doors in the faces of those who might otherwise help me in the future.  I listen and learn.

There’s one song that particularly applies to my journey; Smokey Robinson’s “I’ll Try Something New.” When one genre didn’t pan out, I tried another and another and another.  This train of “tries” freed me up for different successes.  I started with a mainstream novel.  My agent at the time took that novel to auction.  It failed to sell (which is another story).  I’ve written in numerous genres since, some now in a drawer.  Others met with more success: short stories, poetry, nonfiction articles, screenplays, and a cookbook.  It turned out I had nothing to lose in branching out and trying other genres.  It gave me experience in a wide variety of work leading to a part time editing job, publication in glossies, a produced screenplay, teaching opportunities at conferences, retreats, and on cruises, and ghostwriting gigs (including a life-lesson celebrity experience).  Exposure over time led to offers of representation by five literary agents, a Hollywood agent, and most recently an invitation to write a column for Barnes & Noble partner BTSemagazine—apropos, the column capitalizes on my many writing detours.  Additional forays have led to guest blogging invitations and other social networking opportunities that will help when a novel comes out, a screenplay hits the theaters, or a cook in England tries one of my recipes.  

That brings me to Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” reminding me that I am and will continue to be rewarded for all my efforts.  And you will, too. 

What songs speak to your writing life?   -  Inkpot

Foggy Book Trailers!

Trail Winds
by Janet Fogg

 

 

Fogg in the Cockpit

by Richard and Janet Fogg

Soliloquy
by Janet Fogg
   

 

 

 



COOKBOOK TALK TWO: TAKING TURNS

One of my favorite food related adventures was the Tuesday food exchange with my Columbian friend, Zahydee.


Every first and third Tuesday of the month, I tapped into my cache of memorized recipes and doubled up on a coordinated meal. I called Zahydee. She bounced down the sidewalk, sniffed her way through my door, down the hall, and into my kitchen. We sat down to one of my well-rehearsed spreads: Greek or Persian, sometimes Italian or Hungarian. All the time I’d spent experimenting paid off in her smile.

On the second and fourth Tuesdays, I was treated with an exotic array: Columbian empanadas, cucumber salad, and a no-holds-barred version of tripe soup quite different than the menudo I’d enjoyed in good Mexican restaurants.


Zahydee's tamales

 My favorite, by far, were the Columbian tamales. By now I’d wrapped a variety of husk-filled little logs representative of several Mexican regions. But her green bundles were new to me, each an enfolded bit of paradise.

Replacing the more familiar cornhusk with emerald green banana leaves, the steamed result delighted with uniquely flavored masa, onions, and chicken. Upon digging deeper, I found unexpected carrots and green olives.

  Though jobs inevitably took Zahydee and me to different states, ending our Tuesday swap, she gave me a parting gift I’ll be forever grateful for. She taught me how to make Columbian tamales. I couldn’t bear the thought of depriving myself of the occasional banana leaf wrapped wonder. Thank you Zahydee for teaching me one more recipe I could add to my cookbook!
-Good Cooking!  - Inkpot (AKA Karen Albright Lin)

Columbian Tamales