“You don’t seek knowledge just so you’ll be smarter than the next guy. You learn because it’s fun and often quite profitable for you to do so. Your education will reflect your lightness of heart.”

Honestly, grasshopper, that made me feel a little tingly when I read it this morning. I mean, it could’ve been the first cup of caffeine jolting through my system, but I’m going to go with the cosmic coincidence. Because today, I was planning to discuss my Rule of Three of critique.

You see, I’m working on some revisions right now with a manuscript. Which sounds very civilized and simple. Perhaps I should have written it like this: I’m working on some %^&^%$%^^revisions RIGHT NOW with a %^&^%manuscript. 

Ahem. I received some excellent critique from a writer friend and now, I have some serious fixin’ to do, starting with the opening and ending with, well, the ending. That’s A LOT of revision, grasshopper. And oh, how I have resisted it. But the Rule of Three came into play, and so now I must get ‘er done.

So I should probably explain the Rule of Three when it comes to critique. If I get the same critique, three times, from three different writers, I undig my heels and make the changes. Sometimes, I only need one critique to make a change, especially if it’s one of those problems that another writer points out and I slap my head and say, “(whack) How did I miss that?” But if it’s a part of the story that I really, really love, I mean the kind of words that make me pat myself on the back and say, “(Pat, pat) You really are brilliant, aren’t you?” I do NOT want to mess with ‘em.

The Rule of  Three kicks me in the metaphorical butt and says, “Why ask for help if you’re not going to learn from it?” So, dear grasshopper, don’t just nod your head and say, “(Smile) Thanks” when you keep getting the same critique. Take it from someone who’s resisted with every fiber of her being until finally, squashed and wore out, she fixes it.

Because ultimately, I want to be a profitable writer as well as a good one. That fun part of learning, and lightness of heart? Maybe that comes eventually. I’ll let you know.

Today we’re discussing dream boards and Oprah and oh! Julie Hedlund, too (where I read this post about the dream board).

Honestly, I’m not much of a dream board person. I have bulletin boards with extremely important notes on them. Like “Twitter Password” (where I forgot to write the Twitter password). Or “What are you trying to say, Cathy???” (You’d be surprised how often I lose track of what I’m trying to say–or maybe not.) And I even have a picture or two pinned up as well. There are the Junior Halls and a Pearls Before Swine comic strip (SO hilarious! The strip, I mean, although the Junior Halls are pretty hilarious, too.) But not really what you’d classify as a dream board.

So this whole dream board idea was new to me. But I’m a sucker for making lovely things on the Internets, so I clicked over to the Oprah website and WOW. That Oprah’s everywhere! I mean, that website’s a veritable smorgasbord of self-help. However, in order to avoid getting sucked into the Oprah vortex, you might want to just skip straight to the dream board building.

I designed my very first dream board, and I exported it to my computer so I could add it here (Look! It’s over there, on the right, in the sidebar, too!) and talk about it. But um, I think I’ve gone on quite enough for now. So we’ll look at the stuff on my dream board another day.

In the meantime, you can build your own dream board! And yes, you’ll have to sign up for Oprah.com, but it’s free. You’ll just need a username and a password. (I’ve sorta lost my password already. But it’s probably on my bulletin board, right?)

So here’s my other fun find for today: Pugaliscious Press is looking for YA  for an anthology!

Here’s a chance for you writers who are all about the short stories. Say around 3,000 to 7500 words. Oh! And your story has to fit the historical romance genre. And even if you’re like me and your story is around 2,000 words, you have till March 30th to spiff up that YA.

Which is a very good thing. Because I have a few Christopher Walken clips to watch before I get down to writing.

Kindlegraph “lets authors send personalized inscriptions and signatures (‘kindlegraphs’) directly to the electronic reading devices of their fans.” A smart fellow by the name of Evan Jacobs came up with the idea, and it’s an application that’s growing every day. There are other applications out there, too. Autography is a service that allows ebook signing as well as photographs with authors.

Ebook signings will never take the place of that moment when you (or Cathy-on-a-Stick) gets to meet a real live author, gush about his or her book, and mug for a photo. But it can provide one more way to connect with readers. And I think that may be a good thing.

Cheap. Yeah, that about sums up my spending habits when it comes to books. Which is not to say I don’t buy books. I most assuredly do. I buy my author friends’ books ALL THE TIME. And quite honestly, I need to quit making so many author friends. Anyway, the point is, I decided to look for e-books that were free.

And here’s what I found: a veritable treasure trove of sample books! What a brilliant idea! Publishers produce an e-book that includes 5 to 6 of their authors who’ve recently released books. Let’s see…there was Get Your Book On (Simon and Schuster Younger Readers), and Coolest Chapter Books for Kids and  Awesome Adventures for Kids ( Harper Collins Publishers), Hunger for Dystopian (also Harper Collins), and The Penguin Holiday Sampler (Penguin Publishing), and the list goes on and on.

These sample books are perfect for keeping up with what’s being written in your genre. And all that wonderful writing craft will sink in, and you’ll be a better writer! Or you could just read ‘em for the pure joy of reading.

Of course, there’s always the risk that you’ll love what you’re reading and absolutely have to read the rest of the story (as Paul Harvey would say) right that minute. Digital books make that possible–and if you’re a publisher, that’s exactly the point. Giving away fiction samples may hook a reader who loves what he/she has tasted.

Which brings me to one of my favorite books that just happens to have one of my essays in it: Flashlight Memories (Silver Boomer Books). Starting at midnight January 16th till midnight of January 17th, the Kindle book will be free! So for 24 hours, you can get the whole book, FREE!

Now, don’t worry if you don’t have a Kindle. You can download the Kindle app (also free) for your computer. And then you can read “A Pickle for a Nickle”  in Flashlight Memories. Plus, you’ll find lots of other wonderful essays about the joy of reading in your free e-book.

And if you happen to spread the word to friends–and they decide to buy Flashlight Memories, well, that would be great. And so much better than wasting money on game apps. Ahem.

The Erma Bombeck Writing Competition: Can you write funny? And keep it short (450 words or less)? Or maybe you have a splendiferous human interest story? If so, polish up your essay and send it off for a chance to win in the Erma Bombeck Writing Competition. BUT, a few things to note. You can only send ONE entry. And this year, there is an entry fee ($15.00). I’m not sure how I feel about this $15.00 entry fee…On the one hand, entry fees tend to cull out those folks who’ll whip up something and send it off to a contest, just for fun. On the other hand, $15.00 is on the high end, especially when you consider that only the FIRST place winners get money ($500.00). I shall ponder this for awhile. Or at least until February 13th. (Entries must be received by February 14, 2012.)

Bylines Writers Desk Calendar 2013: Sylvia Forbes dropped in and left a comment about this submission opportunity for next year’s calendar. BUT, as I wasn’t sure y’all had read her lovely comment, I’m giving another heads up here. She’s looking for short and sweet  stories (300 words) about the writing life. AND you’ll get payment ($5.00) plus a free desk calendar. She’s also giving the top three stories bonus bucks! Read all about the submission guidelines here, and get those 300 words in by March 1, 2012.

January’s Writing Tip: Before you submit to a contest, or a market, or any submission opportunity, do your homework! If the website includes past winners, read the entries. Most magazine markets and newspapers are available in online databases; read a couple issues. If a submission opportunity gives examples of what the editor’s looking for, READ ‘em. I guarantee that your brain soaks up little things like style and tone, and your writing will come out a better fit after a bit of reading. Note, I’m not saying copy the writing. We have to be, er, we. I’m saying be your original self and get a good feel for what an editor likes.

Now, then. Take advantage of all those writerly good intentions and goals you made! Today, we write! ( For tomorrow, we may be piddling…)

I had to check out the featured This Into That Gallery‘s funniest works because I loved that artist’s sense of humor. And I even found something in my price range (okay, technically, the Beneficent Mr. Hall’s price range), as well as so very practical (always a plus when hitting up the Beneficent Mr. Hall for “artsy stuff”):

As much as I love repurposed book art, I can’t help feeling a little sad, seeing an orphaned Great Expectations or Complete Works of Shakespeare gutted or shredded or otherwise torn apart, especially when I consider the digital book takeover. I worry that someday, these works of book art may be the only honest-to-goodness books we have left. And I wonder if years from now, my grandchildren may consider books as antiques. Sort of the way we now look on typewriters. Even the electric ones.

Time and technology march on. And though I said I would never read books from an e-reader, that I loved the feel of a good, old-fashioned book in my hands, that nothing can beat the smell of a well-loved book, or that crackling sound when you open a hardcover book for the first time–I bought a Nook Tablet.

So far, I haven’t done any serious reading on it. We’re still getting to know each other. And I’m still sort of reconciling myself to the digital book explosion.  

I’m sure there’s still plenty of room in the world for e-books and hardback books. And really, I know that as long as there are books, in any way, shape or form, we’re going to curl up and read ‘em.

Isn’t it wonderful that the written word, no matter how you read it, will never go out of style?

I so love that song (and I kinda love Jerry Orbach, too, may he rest in peace). But I’m sharing “Try to Remember” today because we’re starting a new year.

“Deep in December, it’s nice to remember, although you know the snow will follow…”

(And yes, it’s January, but who can rhyme lyrics with January? Just follow me here, okay?)

“Try to remember when life was so tender, that dreams were kept beside your pillow.”

Did you want to grow up and write wonderful stories? Did you dream that people would read your novels and love ‘em the way you loved a favorite book? When I was young and tender, I had those dreams…but I put them away for grown-up life and responsibilities. It was a very long time before I dug under my pillow and pulled those dreams out again.

And now I set goals to achieve those long-ago dreams. But unlike my dreams, my goals are concrete and very specific. For example, I write down “Read 5 books per month,” rather than “Read.” Or “Query highlighted agents in Guide to Literary Agents” rather than “Query.”

Of course, I don’t always accomplish my goals. But then I remember…

“Deep in December, it’s nice to remember, without a hurt, the heart is hollow.”

I pick myself up and start again. Because whatever your dream, it’s worth it.

“Deep in December, our hearts should remember, and follow. Follow, follow.”

On the up side, I finally understand what a meme (long e) is. On the down side, I have way too many squirrel pics.

What’s up with that?

Except that first, you need to clean up the holiday stuff. And then, you need to get those kidders back to school, and whoops! You’re back at work! And now it’s the end of the first week later and you haven’t exactly written one sparkly word. (Insert wah-wah here.)

Okay, there’s no need for all that head-slapping. You just need a little challenge to get that push in the right direction. Luckily, I’ve found just the thing (or two)!

Thing 1: If you’re a Facebook user, sign on with Sylvia Forbes and her crowd over at the January Writers who’ve pledged to write something every single day in January. I like this challenge for two reasons. One, I spend an awful lot of time over at Facebook…er, marketing myself. So now, when I pop in, I usually see a couple words about the January Writers. Which is a great reminder to me to stop…er, marketing, and get back to writing. I also like the January Writers because Sylvia Forbes is a delightful writer who publishes the Bylines Writers’ Desk Calendar every year. Which happens to be a swell calendar, whether you need inspiration or organization.

Thing 2: Remember all those picture book ideas from the Picture Book Idea Month? Yes, yes, the ones now gathering virtual dust in some forgotten file on your laptop (Or maybe that’s just me). Anyway,  the 12 x 12 x 12 Challenge is a perfect way to take those ideas and get to work on them! After all, you have an entire month to get a picture book idea to a manuscript ready for possible submission. You have inpsiring posts from Julie Hedlund’s guest writers, and you can join in the Facebook group, too, for added support. Plus, you get a swell badge for your blog that folks will see and think, “My, my, isn’t that writer industrious?!”

Start your new year with a challenge that will challenge your writing and you may be surprised where you’ll go! At the very least, you’ll save your poor forehead. (Or maybe that’s just me.)