Probably, oh, all of you know that I belong to a super secret writers group called The Illiterati.
We are very serious. (see pictures demonstrating our seriousness below)
We meet every week, critique each other's stories and novels, have word wars, bake cookies, act very silly serious, and make plans for world domination through synchronized finger-snapping whilst walking.
All this to say, Desert Companion, a really great arts and culture magazine, sent an intrepid journalist by the name of Scott Dickensheets to sit in on one of our weekly Illiterati critique sessions.
We had loads of fun, we critiqued each other's stories (even made Scott bring a piece so we could make him cry), we played banjo and ukuleles, and no one got hurt! All in all a successful night.
My short story "Another Man's Bones" opens up the collection (a big honor for me)
I know I've mentioned it before, but the people I share the table of contents (TOC) with are AWESOME.
Some serious luminaries and all-around great people.
One aspect of this publication which may be of interest to other hungry writers out there: my story had been rejected by dozens of other markets before being accepted. I had several really positive personal rejections, but all rejections nonetheless.
I knew the story was solid. This isn't just vanity, I can tell when I write a stinker (usually after a few days of perspective). This story I knew was good. And I'd also put it through the wringer of my writer's group (The Illiterati) and it got their stamp of approval.
Point being, if you've got a story you believe in, keep submitting it! Every editor is looking for something different. Eventually you'll find a home for it.
The key word of the day is PERSISTENCE.
For us writers, with our perennial vacillation between soaring ego and crushing self-doubt, it is persistence and plain-old dogged cussedness that drags us through.
While I've been neck deep in the heavy rewrites and revisions of my current WIP (work in progress for all you not yet in the know), I've also been throwing my proverbial hat into the ring by submitting short stories all over the place.
1) My short story "The Resurrectionist" won 2nd place in the 2013 Vegas Valley Book Festival Flash Fiction contest. (I'll be reading my winning entry at the VVBF on Saturday Nov 2nd at noon in the small courtyard of the old 5th street schoolhouse in downtown Las Vegas)
2) My short story "Rainmaker" was just picked up by Dark Fuse for their Horror d'oeuvres flash fiction outlet. Fun stuff. Rainmaker was my entry in the Killercon 2013 Creative Fiction contest, judged by the peerless Ellen Datlow and Christopher Rice (a rising star to watch).
Both stories were written on the same day (within a few hours of one another) in two timed contests. The first contest allowed 90 minutes to write, edit and submit, the second only 20 minutes.
Most of you know that I have a super-duper writers group. The Illiterati.
Watch out, better hide your kids, hide your wife.
One of the best things about having a group in this solitary life of a writer is that you roll together. Any triumph for one is a triumph for all. Life is better when you travel as a pack.
In September the Illiterati as a group entered two short story contests in a row: The Killercon 2013 Creative Fiction contest and the 2013 Vegas Valley Book Festival Flash Fiction contest.
We won both.
(Congrats to Matt Czarnowski for his Illiterati-representing Killercon win!)
I credit as much to our own (growing) writing ability as I do to the sense of friendly competition of "outwriting" one another. I admire and enjoy the unique writing voice and style of each member of my group, and to go head-to-head with them is both an honor and a real challenge.
What are you waiting for? Find some like-minded writers and start yourself a writers group. You won't know what you're doing at first, but you'll learn.
My writer's group, The Illiterati, will be speaking this Thursday night at the Las Vegas Writers Group monthly meeting. We're kind of a big deal (at least my mom says so).
Thursday July 18th, 7:00 PM at the Tap House
(5589 W Charleston Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89146)
$5 at the door. Food and drinks and fun!
We are talking about Critique Groups: How to form one and run one without going insane.
When we started The Illiterati 5 years ago, only one of us had ever been published before. Since then we've all made multiple professional sales including novels, non-fiction essays, and many many short stories.
We have been featured on panels at World Fantasy Convention, World Horror Convention, KillerCon, and have caused much general mayhem.
If you are interested in taking your writing to the next level, join us.
Also, we are very serious and you should listen to us.
Billie the Girl, Mercedes M. Yardley, Ryan Bridger, Mason Ian Bundschuh
As this post launches itself into the waiting arms of the interwebz, I'll be halfway to New Orleans for World Horror Convention and the 2013 Bram Stoker Awards.
I like writers' conventions. My personality type is energized by people. As stated by one online personality test (always so accurate!) "Strangers are just friends that Mason hasn't met yet."
However, I am doubly looking forward to this convention.
Not only will I be hanging out with some really incredible people whom I've met at recent conventions (whom I've blogged about here and here and here) but we're renting a party house.
Ok, maybe not like, raging parties. But my dear pal Mercedes Yardley of Illiterati fame, and Matt C (a writer friend and coincidentally my neighbor!(and who is in our rival critique group that has yet to come up with a name)) and the ever graceful and sly Bailey Hunter (@Slave_To_Coffee) are renting a house in the French Quarter from which to launch our midnight attacks.
Well, we might be reading and writing lots. That's kind of like a midnight attack, right?
Kind of like how these are really cute stuffed beavers... right? Right? RIGHT?
These devil beavers were for sale on Craigslist... They haunt my dreams with their beady eyes. No really, they have beads for eyes.
Plus, when I get back I'll have some exciting news to share with you peoples.
Today I have the pleasure of interviewing (once again) my dear friend and member of my crazy writer's group: Mercedes M. Yardley.
Knives and other weapons not shown
First of all, let me say a hearty congratulations to you! Your first collection, Beautiful Sorrows, just came out from Shock Totem Publications and I have to say that the title describes the contents perfectly.
Which leads me to my first question...
Mercedes, you’ve really perfected the art of beautiful sorrow, or as you once put it to me “whimsical horror”. How did you develop your unique “ethereal, yet horrific” voice?
It was a lot of trial and error. You’ve read some of my old pieces, and you can see tiny slivers of this voice emerging, but it really wasn’t until I wrote the novel my agent is currently shopping that I felt it come out in full force. My writing was always a touch dark, but also fairly pretty. That’s how I’d explain it. Prettily horrific.
And you’ve always written? Always.
When did you first have the inkling that other people might want to read your work? I wrote a lot as a kid, and my third grade teacher asked me to read some of my stories aloud to the class. It was scary, but cool, and it just seemed like the thing to do, you know? Write something and share it. Then I was in a couple of great magazines and anthologies, and I figured that people were buying them because of the other authors in there. I was just along for the ride, and loving every minute of it. But now that Beautiful Sorrows has come out, I’m just floored that people are buying it. I mean, it’s my book, a book of just me, and people are still choosing to spend their money on it. It’s extremely humbling, but so delightful! I’m so excited.
What was the tipping point for you to stop just “dabbling” as a writer and start submitting things for publication?
I was quite literally going mad. We had just moved to Las Vegas, my husband was gone all of the time with a new job, and I had a baby boy at home. It was too hot to go outside and we were trapped inside of the apartment. I thought, “This isn’t the life that I want for myself!” I was so lonely and so desperate for a creative outlet. I joined up with the local NaNoWriMo group, wrote my first novel, and loved it. It was daunting to start submitting short stories and poems to magazines, but that was my next step. I always wanted to be a writer, but I lacked the motivation and confidence. I was intimidated. But I grit my teeth and started forward.
You’re in a writers’ group with me. Admit it.
The Illiterati. We are a very serious writers group.
No comment, lest I incriminate myself.
Our writer’s group is pretty hardcore, but I can’t tell you how much I’ve grown as a writer because of being in a group with you, Mercedes. I think we’re awesome! Have all of your writers’ group experiences been as awesome?
The Illiterati is unique because we like each other, in and outside of the group as well. We’re all creative, we have a great work ethic, and especially in the case of you and I, we spur each other on with friendly but gritty competition.
That reminds me. Congratulations on beating my measly 4th place in the Las Vegas Valley Flash Fiction contest! I owe you a video extolling your virtues.
That’s right, I won 1st place! I’m looking forward to that video. Bwahaha! And thank you for spurring me to write with excellence. I ascribe my win to our Illiterati power. But what works for us might not work for everyone. Would you recommend finding a writers’ group to others, and do you have any tips for finding the right one?
I think everybody needs some type of group. Even if it’s a loose collection of betas who only read your stuff once. In our case, we’re an uber-intensive, three hours a week writer’s group where we tear each other’s work to shreds. But that’s because we respect each other and we’ve earned that respect.
I’d say that if you don’t jive with a person, you’re not going to respect what they have to say about your work. And if you don’t value their opinion, they shouldn’t be looking at your work anyway. It’s just a waste of everybody’s time. And time is such a precious commodity.
Ok, random question: I hear you had something to do with the sinking of the Titanic.
Let’s just say that [James Cameron’s TITANIC] movie portrayal of [First Officer] William McMaster Murdoch as a money-grubbing murderer has been contested by friends and family. Apparently somebody involved with the movie ending up paying the family for defamation of character, or whatnot.
Let me also add that Murdock Luck is a real thing. You definitely don’t want to stand next to me in a lightning storm.
What energizes you as a writer?
Goals. Making strides. The success of another writer that I enjoy. Illiterati meetings. I love the rush of moving forward, even when it’s difficult. But then, it seems that it’s always difficult. One or another of us is always slogging through the literary mud. It helps to hold hands and run together.
What would you like to see more or less of in fiction?
I’m done with zombies. Totally done. I’d like to see more ghost stories, but that’s because I love them so much. Ooh, and more voodoo stories! You can’t have enough ghost and voodoo stories.
Thank you Mercedes for stopping by my little corner of the universe. Any parting shots?
You may have won this contest round, but I’ll get you next time, Gadget! Can’t wait to see you on Tuesday to shoot the literary breeze. I’m sure we’ll go head to head on something, as usual.
But if you ever find yourself sitting around waiting for inspiration, here's a little tip: you'll do more waiting than
writing.
Which brings me to the first myth about creativity: Waiting for inspiration to strike.
Waiting for inspiration to strike is a little like waiting for lightning to strike.
Sure it happens--but if you want to make it as a professional writer you can't bank on waiting for it.
Boy, when inspiration strikes, all bets are off. Pen goes to paper and you feel as if you've touched live electric wire. (or fingers go to keyboards, or paintbrush to canvas, or hands to guitar neck... you get the idea)
But what about all the other days when inspiration seems far away?
One trick you hear about is to seek out things that inspire you. Sure, this works sometimes. There's nothing wrong with trying to induce creativity by shaking things up or listening to Sigur Ros or Florence + the Machine. You don't wait in one spot for lightning to strike. You go out and chase storms.
But, there is something deeper than just scouring Youtube for creative videos to spark your imagination (besides, time spent online is time spent NOT writing).
Why not make inspiration a habit?
"What do you mean, Mason? What is this secret of which you speak?"
Ok, so no real secret. Making writing a habit makes inspiration a habit.
As you learn to express yourself more clearly, with less affectation or bad writing habits, the easier it is for any glimmer of inspiration to be seized and nurtured and developed.
You become a clearer conduit for your muse. You learn to fan into flame that little spark, instead of stifling it.
I love my critique group (The infamous Illiterati) because they always tell me when I'm clouding up the waters. And they challenge me to go farther, deeper, and swim in dangerous waters where inspiration lurks like a sea serpent coiling just under the surface.
But let me make one thing clear: You have to be able to write under duress.
Life doesn't slow down. Life doesn't pause or go on vacation for you to write.
You do it in spite of life sometimes.
Anyone who has children under 5 and who's written anything coherent recently can attest to that.
But now let's hear from you.
What things inspire you? Music, videos, blogs, people, thingamabobs?
~mason
So to spark some inspiration here's Florence + the Machine tearing your face off under extreme duress (outdoor festivals, electric instruments and rain = no bueno)
So last night The Illiterati got together to talk writing and critique stuff. We also played video games.
Having a good group of writers to bounce things off of is amazing. A-mazing. You could sit in class and learn all the deft little rules about writing, but does anyone still believe that learning the rules is what makes you write compelling and meaningful words?
In a group, you're not just speaking words into an empty chamber, you are immersed together.
Their eyes and their hearts are the litmus tests for the power of your words.
Plus they tell you when you wrapped up a story too quickly. Or when you used too many adverbs. *slash!
But taking critique is hard. We feel defensive about our writing.. and honestly sometimes a member of a critique group just doesn't "get" something we wrote.
But when you LOVE the people in your group... well, that's beyond awesome. Your words are in a safe place under their editorial red pens, their critiques are meaningful--even if you don't always agree--because you know that they believe in your work, want to see you at the top of your game, and are pushing you ahead with all their editorial might along the writer's journey.
Of course, The Illiterati have one other advantage: together we form Voltron.
In short, get thee to a critique group/writers group!
A good group is worth its weight in some form of precious commodity.
P.s. I almost added "fulsomely" to the title of this blog post until I recalled that the word means offensively and insincerely flattering. What a strange morphology. Sounds like an innocuous word, but nooooooo, it's a tricksie negative. Like calling someone who talks too much a macrologist.
This falls under the tag: "Stop Procrastinating Dude"
Ok, allow me to do a few laps as a chicken with no head. This has been a crazy few weeks.
I've got two kids under 3 bouncing off the walls, a house that looks as if a tornado localized in each room, people asking me to book shows for them. I have a reading to perform this weekend and I've got to organize my back-up dancers and pyrotechnics. Not to mention the writing gigs are flying my way faster than I can juggle them: from my day job (freelance technical writer), to possible journalistic endeavors, to contests, planning committee invites. And the band needs to practice for our upcoming shows, I have to find a babysitter, I've got a few recording sessions coming up, I'm trying to remember if I invoiced for the last one...
It's all enough to make a slacker like me turn to the Playstation for a coupla hours of veg time.
But NO! I'm the one who wants to pile my plate up high. Life's meant to be lived to the fullest!
Slackers don't win. Heck, they don't even finish!
So enough complaining. I'm jumping back in with both feet. Next time you hear from me it should be about the things I've accomplished!
Writing is a committment. Heck, living is a committment. You can't just quit. (Well, you could, but I don't reccommend it.)
We are writers because we write, not because we dream about writing, or tweet about writing, or blog about writing. So time to stop procrastinating and get back to the grist mill. Time waits for no man, unless that man is sucked into a gravitational anomaly... that's different.
But if I ever hear someone complain about how they don't have any time to write I'll smack them with this blog post by the estimable Mercedes M. Yardley.
For those of you wondering why Mercedes and I are always talking each other up (or talking smack) it's because we both belong to the Super Secret Order of Interdimensional Wombats, also known as The Illiterati. It's a critique group, it's a writers' group, it's a superhero convention.
If you've not found a few like-minded writers to meet up with (IRL or online) you need to get on that. If you want help or have questions, or just want to vent about some of the crazy critique group stories you have, please drop me a line!
All this to say, Desert Companion, a really great arts and culture magazine, sent an intrepid journalist by the name of Scott Dickensheets to sit in on one of our weekly Illiterati critique sessions.
