one. This column will examine the ups and the downs of daily life with such a person. These ramblings will be for both the spouse, who should be able to empathize with my plight, as well as to the writers themselves. Hmmm…my plight…probably not a good choice of words. Okay, it is not all bad, in fact most of it is very, very good, although the good is not as nearly as funny as the not so good. So, consequently, I’ll probably focus on the not so good or simply the stuff that is different. Let’s get started!
Writers don’t keep normal hours. What are normal hours anyway? You know, that 9 to 5 stuff. Writers operate on their own time schedule. After talking to quite a few, it is not surprising that this differs greatly from writer to writer depending on their “real” work schedule and the rest of their life. I can only speak of what I know … my lovely wife. In her former “normal hours” life, she arrived home from a hard day at the office somewhere between 6:00 and 6:30 … exhausted. Next, some dinner, some dishes, an hour or so of television and she would be ready for the sandman … and usually was fast asleep by 9:30 recharging for the next day in the jungle. Most nights I fell asleep to the sound of her “fast asleep” heavy breathing … some might say snoring, but I prefer heavy breathing. Suffice it to say, I usually watched television alone, with the volume up.
Enter the supremely focused novelist to be … where did my wife go? What is this career move that has swept her away into a new time warp? Pami’s most productive time is the evenings … and it seems the later the time, the more productive she is. What a difference finding your passion has on your work hours. (That’s a topic for another M.M.)
Most days, Pami is busy at her computer by 8 or 9 in the morning and except for a bite of food and a potty break, she can be at it until the wee hours of the next morning. Consequently, I’m still watching late night television in bed by myself. However, that heavy breathing stuff has been replaced by the rhythmic tapping of the keys on her keyboard from down the hall. She is so focused … most nights she doesn't realize how late it has become until I go into her office and tell her I’m going to sleep … if I don’t fall asleep first.
So, either way I'm still falling asleep by myself. That I can live with. I’m more interested at the times she is in bed and awake anyway. The great thing is that my spouse is now doing what she was meant to do. You can’t put a price on that.
Normal hours? Whatever it takes, I say. I think if we could all find our passion and do just that on a day-to-day basis, “normal hours” would be a thing of the past. I am just glad that Pami has found hers.
Next month: “Are you going to wear your nightgown all day?”
going to give you a few do’s and don’ts of my own, because we all know that as a writer (I know you hate this) you’ve got to learn to speak in public about your work!
The days of leaving it all up to a publisher, agent, or your publicist are long gone, never to return I’m afraid. So writers, listen up! You can do this!
DO know the audio set up where you’ll be speaking. Find out ahead of time if you’ll have a podium, a hand-held microphone, and the size of the room. Try to schedule a time that’s not after lunch and everyone’s ready for a nap, or especially after lunch on a Friday. Most book signings are in the evening, but there may be an afternoon reading or speech in your future. Try to pick the best times and find out what set-up best suits you.
DON’T read for more than FIVE MINUTES at a time. Please! I’ve been to readings that have just made me want to pull my hair out! If they want you to read your short story from beginning to end, then it had better be a hell of a story, entertaining, and you better know how to work the crowd. Otherwise, interject with talking to your audience. Talk about you, how you became a writer, how you develop your characters, anything you’d like to say about your research for the story … just don’t read people to sleep.
DON’T rock back and forth on your heels, sway, and (Dena taught me this one) touch your face or hair. It’s an immediate dip in your professionalism with your audience. No jerking, or flipping your pen, or nervous twitches!
DO know, it’s okay to use your notes, just don’t read them word for word! Make bullet points. TALK to your audience, and if you loose your place, it’s okay to refer to your notes! And REMEMBER that your presentation begins the moment you pull your car into the parking lot and ends when you leave the building. Never be less than professional at any moment. Be everybody’s best friend!
DON’T overuse PowerPoint or visual aids. Your audience is pulled away from you and what you’re trying to convey. I've known this for years and it bugs the hell out of me when the speaker is trying to talk to a room that's paying more attention to the hand out. It’s a real distraction. Limit your handouts, and don’t distribute them until the very END of the presentation. You want all eyes to focus on you as much as possible, instead of shuffling through papers.
This certainly isn’t everything you need. For more valuable information go to Dena’s website. If possible, take her class. She's the expert! If not, inquire as to public speaking classes at your local community college. And by all means, practice your presentation, your reading, and/or your speech before a live audience of family and/or friends before you go. Oh, and one last thing,
DO realize – it’s okay to be nervous! You want to be. It’s what gives you the edge for a kick-ass presentation. Dena says, and I agree, "Your audience will NOT forgive you if your unprepared, but they’ll love you for being real."
Welcome to the first monthly edition of The S.F.W. Newsletter! This is my little project. My name is Michael Cable, husband of Pamela King Cable. One day I suggested to Pam that she share things she's learned in the form of a newsletter and she said, “great idea…YOU put it together!” So, never one to shrink from a challenge, I accepted.
Every month Pam will write a column aptly named GUTBUCKET. Golden nuggets of knowledge. Articles on writing, editing, publishing, etc. I will throw in my two cents with a column I've named MICHAEL’S MEANDERINGS. Here I'll discuss the many aspects of life with an aspiring novelist. It’s indeed an adventure. Along with these columns, my plan is to give you a short review of the preceding month’s activities … where Pam has been, whom she has met, and what she has accomplished on her journey. Of course, if you want more detail about the previous month, you can always go to www.pamelacable.com/journey2005.html. This is an online journal of Pam’s journey to publication.
Finally, in the future, I'll have an additional column reserved for guest authors to contribute by sharing their experiences. Please sign up and you will receive a monthly invitation to peek inside our little corner of the world. Hopefully, you'll learn something new and maybe get a few laughs along the way.
This Was The Month That Was! A Recap of September Events
Wow! What a month to start our newsletter! September was full of surprises, great events, and making new friends. Let’s get started recapping the month.
What do Lee Smith, Dorothea Benton Frank, Michael Malone, Elizabeth Spencer, Fred Chappell, David Payne, Cassandra King, George Singleton, Margaret Maron, among several others, have in common? They are all great names in the literary world? Of course, that's a given. They're all famous? Close, but not quite. For our purposes … the correct answer would be … these people are authors that Pam had the pleasure of hearing speak, chatted with, or dined with in the month of September.
Pretty cool, huh? This was the month that was. Pam got to meet with so many talented, successful authors. Here is how it all happened.
The month started with the Book Marks Book Festival in Winston Salem, NC. This is a wonderful annual event held outside that brings many authors to our region. Attending this year was Dorothea Benton Frank, Ann B. Ross, Micah Nathan, as well as many others.
This was quickly followed by the High Point Literary League's Fall Conference and lunch with Cassandra King. Pam actually sat next to Cassandra during lunch and had a chance to chat about SOUTHERN FRIED WOMEN.
Next came a book signing with George Singleton. He is a real hoot and rapidly becoming one of Pam’s favorites.
Then came SEBA and we are only half way through the month! SEBA is Southeastern Booksellers Association and they held their annual meeting this year in Winston Salem. This was another great chance for Pam to meet authors and booksellers from the southeast.
Her first radio interview? Yep, and it’s on the web site if you would like to listen to it. Just go to: www.pamelacable.com/radio.html. She was invited to read from her book of short stories and interviewed at WCOM in Carrboro, NC.
Could there be more? You betcha … the best was saved for last. Pam attended a supper honoring some of the area’s finest writers. What more could one ask for … ham biscuits, limas, baked beans with the likes of Lee Smith, Michael Malone, Elizabeth Spencer and too many more to mention. The best part was she got to speak with all these great writers and came back with lots of good advice and guidance about the future.
So, there you have it. This is just a brief preview. or should I say review. If you want to learn all the juicy details and see pictures go to: www.pamelacable.com/journey2005. There you can also learn:
1.Why was Pam called “West Virginia” all evening by Big Fat Gap?
2.Why was “that’s why we wear black to these events, honey” uttered to Pam at Burnside?
3.Why is Pam’s second cousin getting stopped at the grocery store, gas station, and Wal-Mart?
4.Why was Pam tired and covered with dust this month?
What’s in store for October? How about Birmingham, Alabama and West Palm Beach, Florida ... Southern Women’s Shows ... Pam will be speaking at both. Tea with Lee Smith? Who knows what else … even I have trouble keeping track with everything that's scheduled. Make sure you sign up for the newsletter so you don’t miss out.
Why was Pam called “West Virginia” all evening by Big Fat Gap?
