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Tag Archives: Writers

Excerpt from Manuscript – Dear Paxton

23 Tuesday Jul 2013

Posted by Ask Ms Mandi in Excerpt from Manuscript - Dear Paxton

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Author, Broken, Dreams, Heartache, Literary Agents, Love, Publishers, Relationships, Writers

Excerpt from Manuscript – Dear Paxton

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Lisa was awoken by screams coming from the kitchen, followed by the sound of shattering glass. She ran out into the kitchen to see her mother sitting on the tile floor, sobbing with her head down on her knees. Lying beside her was a note that Mimi had left behind that morning.

“How could she, how could she do this to me?” All Lisa could do was to sit down on the floor next to her mother, while comforting her the best that she knew how.

“What’s the matter? What happened?” Lisa asked.

“Your sister just left me this note.” Shirley handed the note to Lisa, waiting patiently as she read through it, two times before understanding the contents of the words.

Written By: Ask Ms Mandi

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Is Editing Ever Complete…

09 Tuesday Jul 2013

Posted by Ask Ms Mandi in Just a PERFECT Thought

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Books, Bookstores, Editing, Giving up, Letters, Literary Agents, Perfection, Published Authors, Publishers, Rejection, Writers

Is Editing Ever Complete?

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I currently have one of my manuscripts out to an agent, but received an e-mail from another agent that I had submitted to earlier in the month. She had the typical rejection response, “Thank you for your submission, but we are going to pass on your project. It doesn’t fit into our list of projects, but please continue to contact other agents.” However, this particular rejection letter was a little different. It stated, “please continue to edit and submit to other agents.”

This made me laugh out loud. “Please continue to edit.” I guess that was a nice way of stating that my first fifty pages of my manuscript needed continued editing. When is the editing complete? I had read through my manuscript at least three times already. I have to admit that I find an editing error here and there each time I read it, but when will the editing be perfect?

I think this an impossible task. Writing styles change. It’s just like when I use to model. I was never perfect for ever agent. One agent said my eyes were too big and another agent said my eyes were perfect, but my height was too short. Nothing I ever did made me perfect under ever circumstance.

All I can say is to edit your manuscript several times and then put it away. Take it back out and edit it one more time…now submit it to agents. When an agent likes it, they will pick it up…even with a few grammatical or spelling errors.

Good luck!

Written By: Ask Ms Mandi

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Breaking into the Writer’s World

25 Tuesday Jun 2013

Posted by Ask Ms Mandi in Just a PERFECT Thought

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Agents, Author, Getting a Break, Publishers, Writers

Breaking into the Writer’s World:

Breaking into the writer’s world is not as simple as it sounds.  You have written your manuscript and now you need an agent.  You may think that the hard part is over, but it is only just beginning.  Now you need to find an agent and it is not as simple as it may seem.

Children can be so wise, but yet so naïve.  Anything is possible when you are a child.  You have the world in your hands.  It’s not just about youth but it’s also about attitude.  Today, I was helping-out in a fifth grade classroom, when a ten-year old boy approached me.  The teacher had announced to the class that I was a writer.  This ten-year old boy came up to me and asked me how many books I have written.  I told him two.  He was impressed.  He then blurted out that he would buy my book.  Just like that. 

A child’s mind still believes that anything is possible.  As we grow up into adulthood, that innocence slowly disappears with time.  You write a book and you will get it published.  You want to be a doctor and you will be a doctor.  It is magical. 

Breaking into the writer’s world, finding an agent, and struggling to pay the bills, are all a journey of life.  Believing in ourselves is magical.  Do not accept rejection when you send out a query to an agent.  Keep your head up and keep trying.  A New York agent told me once and I quote:  “You will succeed in getting your work published as long as you keep trying, but if you give up then you will miss out on the next opportunity and that opportunity may be an agent that is interested in your manuscript.”

Any comments or thoughts?

Written By:  Ask Ms Mandi

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Being Patient as a Writer

19 Wednesday Jun 2013

Posted by Ask Ms Mandi in Just a PERFECT Thought

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Tags

Literary Agents, Patience, Publishers, Publishing, Writers

Being Patient as a Writer

I think writers are one of the most patient professions. We sit and think most of the time, before we actually find the inspiration to start writing. I heard a funny story once, “Honey why are you staring out the window? I’m not….I’m writing.”

Most of the time, our greatest creations are created while staring out the window. I wrote my last manuscript, in my head, while in the shower.

Writers must be patient, spending a lot of time thinking about their stories before transforming the words down onto paper.

Keep writing!
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Written By: Ask Ms Mandi

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Why do Writers Write?

07 Friday Jun 2013

Posted by Ask Ms Mandi in Just a PERFECT Thought

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Authors, Publishers, Writers

Why do writers write?

We write to express ourselves.
We write to tell our personal stories.
We write because we are bored.
We write to teach others.
We write to help others.
We write because we want to be the next Stephanie Meyers.
We write because we don’t know what else to do.
We write because we are writers and that’s what writers do.
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Written By: Ask Ms Mandi

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A Walk up Barrow Hill

19 Sunday May 2013

Posted by Ask Ms Mandi in Just a PERFECT Thought

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Tags

Authors, Gossip, Hysteria, Literary Agents, Peace, Publishers, Writers

A Walk up Barrow Hill…

The date is 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts. The horror of the Salem Witch Hunt. So many innocent women and men were hung, burned to death, and crushed to death….until they finally took their last breath. It was a mass hysteria, brought on by a few young girls.

This event in history shows how an innocent accusation can cause such harm and to so many. Gossip and rumors can be related to such hysteria. Don’t gossip and don’t spread rumors…what is the old story? If you have nothing nice to say, then don’t say anything at all. Let’s keep the peace.
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Written By: Ask Ms Mandi

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Substitute Teaching

20 Wednesday Mar 2013

Posted by Ask Ms Mandi in Just a PERFECT Thought

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Bloggers, Career, Moms, Teachers, Writers

Substitute Teaching

I am officially a substitute teacher…Let’s go and learn math. I wear so many hats…I am now a mom, a wife, an accountant, a writer, and now a school teacher. Got to do what it takes to get by in this world.
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Author: Ask Ms Mandi.

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KODAK

07 Thursday Mar 2013

Posted by Ask Ms Mandi in Authors of the Week

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Animals, Author, Dogs, Literary Agents, Love, Pets, Poems, Publishers, Writers

KODAK

I am washed away into a whirlpool of death.

     I was in a merciless hurtful daze.

     I heard my dad yell my mom’s name,

     and I dizzily walked out of my room.

I gazed down at the blood drops on the floor.

     I screamed twice.

Two high pitched ear piercing screams.

At first I thought it was my dad that had gotten hurt,

but then screaming thoughts raced through my mind.

     KODAK!  My poor puppy, only 6 months old.

     Gallons of tears streamed down my face.

          Is this a dream?

We speed down the road, driving to the vet.

My dad’s assurances warmed my heart.  Hope swelled through my body.

But… No!  There was no hope; she was gone.

     And what I experienced after

that is yet to haunt my soul with sorrow.
Kodak with her ball
Author: Paxton

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A Memoir: A Riverside County Housewife

24 Sunday Feb 2013

Posted by Ask Ms Mandi in Just a PERFECT Thought

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Tags

Bravo, Literary Agents, Reality Shows, Women, Writers

The day of a Riverside County Housewife:

Good Morning

Alarm clock goes off at 7am.  Drag myself into the kitchen for a cup of coffee with cream and sugar. Make breakfast for my girls and take them to school.  Work out. Get into the shower. Turn on computer and write.  Write.  Write. Get another cup of coffee with cream and sugar.  Write.  Write.  Pick up girls from school.  Help them with homework.  Write.  Make dinner. Kiss everyone goodnight. Get into bed. Read the bible and pray for a break. 

Goodnight.

Written By:  Ask Ms Mandi

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A Poem by Jewels

26 Saturday Jan 2013

Posted by Ask Ms Mandi in Authors of the Week

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Children, Hard days, Hard times, Poems, Writers

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A Poem by Jewels:

Sometimes you have to get through the hard days that pass by.

Sometimes you just have to hold your head up high.

Sometimes you may have to fight the pain.

Why? Just make it go away.

Written By: Jewels

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