Amazing DL Hammons to talk about his brainchild, the also amazing
First off, I’d like to thank Al for the opportunity to talk to you today about something near and dear to my heart…WRiTE CLUB. My modest writing contest has proven so popular that the DFW Writers Conference is now considering incorporating it into their agenda for 2015.
For the newbies out there, let me explain what WRiTE CLUB is? It’s a modest writing competition whose inspiration was derived from the movie FIGHT CLUB. There are numerous versions of this concept around the internet, but nothing like we do it. Its essence embodies simple, good-natured competition, with lots and lots of fun sprinkled on top.
Over the course of eight weeks I hold twice-weekly bouts in which the winners advance to the play-offs, which will ultimately lead to a single champion. Bouts between who…or what…you ask? Anonymous 500 word writing samples, submitted under a pen name by anyone who wishes to take part, that’s who. The writing can be any genre, any style (even poetry) with the word count being the only restriction. It’s a way to get your writing in front of a lot of readers, without having to suffer the agony of exposure.
And the winners are determined by WRiTE CLUB readers!
To find out how to become part of the fun just head on over to DLHammons and click on the WRiTE CLUB tab.
Submissions are open until May 31st. After that date a panel of a dozen judges will read all of the entries we received and pre-select 32 of the best writing samples to climb into the ring. Those 32 participants will then be randomly matched to compete over the next eight weeks, each of them hoping to make it into the play-off rounds and moving towards the ultimate goal – WRiTE CLUB Champion. No one (other than my wife)…not even the judges being used to pre-select the 32 contestants, will see the true identity of any sample. Unless you win, of course.
Again this year, the most exciting part is the winner of the final round will be chosen by a panel of publishing industry professionals! Judges include New York Times best-selling and multiple Bram Stoker Award-winning horror and thriller author Jonathan Maberry, Agents Katie Grim of Don Congdon Associates, Margaret Bail of the Andrea Hurst Agency, Sarah Negovetich of the Corvisiero Literary Agency, Brittany Booker of The Booker Albert Literary Agency. Also included is Candace Havens, Editorial Director of Entangled Publishing Covet line, Authors Les Edgerton and Lydia Kang, and previous WRiTE CLUB winners Tiana Smith (2011), Mark Hough (2012) and Tex Thompson (2013).
Are you willing to WRiTE for what you want? Then crack those knuckles and get ready to flex that imagination. And whatever you do, tell your friends!
WRiTE CLUB – The contest where the audience gets clobbered!
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Already got some boxing gloves for your muses? Father Dragon and his Dwarves wish you the best of luck!
...but they are not worth much. I've heard this one too many times.
It hurts when you hear it. Hurts a lot. It hurts more when you hear it from your folks or someone important for you. You think you're good at something, and additionally you enjoy it. You work hard, you achieve something and for a moment you feel like you're just awesome. You have a talent! You're an amazing storyteller, you can express so much in a painting, you can put your soul out there when you dance, you're a natural actor who can drive people through all the range of possible emotions. You are good at something and it makes you feel really special.
But if chances are that your talent won't make you rich, then it isn't worth much. How is this measured? Actors; most live in poverty. Only a few succeed. Writers; most earn peanuts -if ever published. Only a few succeed. Artists, well, just look at Van Gogh, Michael Angelo, they are great now, but they died in poverty. You must ensure a way of living. You must do something that proves to be profitable. Be an accountant, be a doctor, be an administrator, a lawyer, whatever, but better be sure it's something many have made, are making and will make a living doing it.
I am certain all those who told me my talents were not worth much were thinking on what's best for me. I know some, or many of you have been there. You've heard it. You've felt it. Maybe you've even said it to your kids. Those words don't feel good, though. They feel like killers, stabbing our dream to death. They rob whatever special you thought you had because it becomes meaningless. Even when it may not be the parent's intent, it does feel like this.
I don't have kids but if I did, I would never say this or any version of it to them. I would rather teach them to learn the difference between a passion and an interest. If your talent is your passion, you'll find your way among the successful. If your talent is only an interest, then you'll find plenty of excuses to never getting there, despite the talent.
I know I have many talents and I know I would have been brilliant at one of them, at least; if allowed, if encouraged, if nurtured. I believe that one brilliant artist can make more money than one frustrated average (insert here whatever profitable career you like). Why? Because the first loves what he does and is good at doing it, while the latter sees his job as a bloodsucking, slave driving, dream killer task. The first works to make his dream come true; the latter is paid to help others make their dream come true. There is a HUGE difference, and that difference matters and will impact a great deal of your adult life.
I am a 802 years old dragon and I am past blaming anyone for my decisions or mistakes. Maybe a bit more support and understanding could have helped me to find my place at an early age. Maybe not. I'll never know. I self-teach myself now all those things I wanted to learn centuries ago. I've given my passion CPR and I've kept the secret that I've revived my dream. If it wasn't understood when I was young, it won't be understood six centuries later. I really don't want to waste my breath convincing people of its importance. I know why I have to do this. It might not be important at all for the rest of the world but it's important to me. That should be enough. But that doesn't spare me the message about the worth of my talents from time to time. Unfortunately, the dragon scale armor is not enough to spare my spirits the fall from this
To this
I've been watching the TEDx Talks lately. There's a bit from Why You'll Fail to Have a Great Career by Larry Smith (video below) that has been circling my mind for many days.
<<Passion is your greatest love. Passion is what will help you create the greatest expression of your talent. Interest is not the same thing. Are you really gonna go to your sweetie and say, "Marry me! I find you interesting.">>
Like in a marriage, you will not succeed if your talent is not also your greatest love. When negativity storms arrive, when people tell you it is all a waste of time because you're never gonna make it, because "most don't make it", because you're not J.K. Rowling, or Steve Jobs, or whatever genius they think you need to be to succeed. When that happens, you better be madly in love with your talent, so you commit to it like to a marriage. You need to believe in it and trust it like you do your greatest love so you keep fighting for it. Only then you'll be immune to negativity. It won't matter anymore what others think because as with your greatest love, you DO know and fully understand the true worth, the beauty and value of that love.
Basically my message today is: Don't be a dream killer, even if your intention is good. Better help those behind you to know the difference between an interest and a passion, and encourage them and yourself to go after a true passion. Don't wait six hundred years to do it. You're not a dragon. You won't live that long. And even if you would, it's still a waste of time, opportunities and talent. Take my word for it.
This post is part of the Insecure Writer's Support Group, founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. We post first Monday of every month. If you need support, click on the link and join. If you're good to give support, then click on the link and join.
For those who are kindly following the Dwarf Cheering Squad production, The Lord of the Clones, please accept our apologies for the lack of installment this last Monday. Mother Dragon broke her paw during a village raid, (those nasty villagers make such a fuss for being charred, the wussies.) The dwarves got additional chores. It's been extremely busy time at the cave. But Issue #3 will be worth the waiting. Thanks for your understanding.
Talking about support, I owe the Blog Blitz a shout out and I've been delaying it enough. Some of you might be familiar with it, but for those of you who are not, the Blog Blitz is the brainchild of D.L. Hammons at Cruising Altitude 2.0 This is another amazing group of folks who team up to brighten the day of a person in need of cheering or randomly chosen.
Let me tell you briefly about my experience with this group. I had the luck to be blitzed during the second day of the A to Z Challenge 2013. I was terrified because it was my first challenge. I was pretty new to blogging too so I was clueless and unsure. The Blog Blitz made me feel so good that day. I was overwhelmed to see so many at the cave, but it was worth.
However the one I consider the most amazing thing the Blog Blitz did for me (and I'm eternally grateful for it) didn't actually happen here at the dragon cave. Last year one of my best on-line friends, Jeffrey Hargett, lost his wife. Alex J. Cavanaugh and I asked DL to call a Blitz for Jeff, in spite he wasn't in the list at the time. It was just providential timing that the Blitz happened the day Jeff picked up his wife's death certificate. To be blog blitzed that day meant a lot to him. It was like a huge massive hug.
That wasn't the only time the Blog Blitz has done that. It's great to be blitzed, but it is even greater to be there for someone when it really matters. It's amazing to have the chance to brighten someone's day. It's like giving away a smile. It doesn't take much, it costs you nothing, but it can work miracles for someone. Join in and blitz a smile!
Thank you for visiting the Dragon Cave. Thank you for reading to the end. Thank you for not being Dream Killers. Thank you for not feeding the dwarves and for not making a fuss if your clothes catch fire. I leave you all Dragon Hugs. (Yes, I'm hugging people again.)
EXTRA, EXTRA! The last fire dragon of the blogsphere is still alive and kicking in spite of the best efforts of the virus to take him down.
After seven days of fight, the virus sneaked by the Dragon Slayer is retreating. The Dragonologist (specialist in dragons) has given me so many shots, my scaly rear looks like a strainer or a needle cushion but it was effective. At least I'm making more sense of my thoughts.
And since my brain cells are not so gooey and affected, I am going to fulfill my duties to the best of my abilities before I go crazy thinking (and dreaming) about them. Yup, I'm an obsessive type of dragon but one that doesn't take his word lightly.
I told Elizabeth Seckman I would help spread the word about these two books. Last night I kept dreaming I opened and closed the browser on David Powers King's site and saw this book appear over and over again. A subconscious reminder of my word, no doubt. By the way, check David's site for a cool review on The Inventor's Secret.
"Imagine a school in the year 2074 where students don’t read history, but watch it happen around them; where running in gym class isn’t around a track, but up a virtual mountain; and where learning about animals means becoming one through an avatar.
Welcome to Cragbridge Hall, the most advanced and prestigious school in the world. Twin siblings Abby and Derick Cragbridge are excited as new students to use their famed grandfather’s inventions that make Cragbridge Hall so incredible.
But when their grandfather and parents go missing, the twins begin following a trail of clues left by their grandfather. They must find out where their family is, learn who they can trust, and discover what secrets are hidden within Cragbridge Hall.
Abby and Derick soon realize they are caught in a race with a fierce adversary to discover their grandfather’s greatest secret–a dangerous discovery that could alter both history and reality."
Chad Morris grew up wanting to become a professional basketball player or a rock star. (Inspired by Animal from the Muppets, he’s been banging on drums since he was eight years old.) After high school, he wrote and performed sketch comedy while going to college, and eventually he became a teacher and a curriculum writer. He lives in Utah with his wife and five kids. Chad would love to teach at Cragbridge Hall. Unlike Oscar Cragbridge, however, he hasn’t really invented anything, though his son once sketched out blueprints for a machine that would turn celery into cookies.
"Sixteen-year-old Kyra, a highly-skilled potions master, is the only one who knows her kingdom is on the verge of destruction—which means she's the only one who can save it. Faced with no other choice, Kyra decides to do what she does best: poison the kingdom's future ruler, who also happens to be her former best friend.
But, for the first time ever, her poisoned dart…misses.
Now a fugitive instead of a hero, Kyra is caught in a game of hide-and-seek with the king's army and her potioner ex-boyfriend, Hal. At least she's not alone. She's armed with her vital potions, a too-cute pig, and Fred, the charming adventurer she can't stop thinking about. Kyra is determined to get herself a second chance (at murder), but will she be able to find and defeat the princess before Hal and the army find her?
Kyra is not your typical murderer, and she's certainly no damsel-in-distress—she's the lovable and quick-witted hero of this romantic novel that has all the right ingredients to make teen girls swoon."
Bridget Zinn grew up in Wisconsin. She went to the county fair where she met the love of her life, Barrett Dowell. They got married right before she went in for exploratory surgery which revealed she had colon cancer. They christened that summer the "summer of love" and the two celebrated with several more weddings. Bridget continued to read and write until the day she died. Her last tweet was: "Sunshine and a brand new book. Perfect."
Bridget wanted to make people laugh and hoped readers would enjoy spending time with the characters she created. As a librarian/writer she loved books with strong young women with aspirations. She also felt teens needed more humorous reads. She really wanted to write a book with pockets of warmth and happiness and hoped that her readers' copies would show the watermarks of many bath time reads. BLOG
DL Hammons has created the BLOG BLITZ. In Mr. Hammons words: Sign up on the linky list below, making sure to record your email address, and you’ll instantly become a member of the Blog Blitz Team. Then from time to time, I will select a deserving blog (that must be part of the Blitz Team) and a specific date. I will then email the team members that information and on that date we all will go out of our way to visit that blog and leave an encouraging comment on their most recent post. I'm talking about hopefully a 100+ comments appearing out of the blue in one day!.
