CHRIS ARVIDSON

October 19, 2010 4:50 PM EDT

Good Luck!!!!!

- Susan

October 20, 2010 8:27 AM EDT

Chris - good luck. This sounds like a sensible & productive way of going about getting it in front of someone actually capable of taking a decision (always an appallingly hit-and-miss thing in this busness for some reason . . .

- Nick

October 25, 2010 4:06 PM EDT

Chris, I'm so glad to read about your "writingness" and your excitement about the conferences. It's a refreshing thing to read, especially for an old-timer who sometimes forget what a gift he's been given (that sounds conceited, but you know what I mean). "Keep up the work, whether it's good or not" is a rule I learned a long time ago, and gladly pass it along. Another one, if I may be so bold (as the creepy waiter said to Jack N. in "The Shining"), is to take what you think you need from a critique and to heck with the rest. Many times critiques are a mixed bag: some excellent advice, combined with dumb-as-hell incomprehension. Don't let it get to you, it's the same for everyone. No critic or manuscript guru or what-have-you can ever really get inside you to know which parts of a text you feel especially attached to. In other words, if the guru misses something in your text that's obvious to you, or misunderstands something you meant to say, it's not his/her fault, as they are not you. But don't ditch the whole page, or idea, or joke, or whatever just because they didn't get it. Just re-write it in different ways until you're pretty sure your point is clear. Hey, I ought to be getting paid for this!

- Lil Johnny Grooms

October 25, 2010 4:12 PM EDT

Lil Johnny, thanks for the wise words. After all, some of my doing this is all your fault anyway for giving me a chance way back in the olden days!

- Chris Arvidson

October 28, 2010 1:51 PM EDT

I'm so proud of you Chris! I just sent a little something off myself...and it is scary...especially when you don't hear back from the immediately (ah, perspective). I'll keep my fingers crossed.

- Nicole

December 20, 2010 3:31 PM EST

That's great! You have been writing. I hope it goes well in Charlotte.

- Lynda

March 31, 2011 5:53 PM EDT

How exciting! I love the title and relate so well to the subject, seems so prevalent they should leap at the chance to publish it. I hope you get an advance. I've been published and have self-published. If at all possible the former is better.

- Emily Weinstein

September 22, 2010 8:29 PM EDT

So many books, so little time!
Nice logo of book spines.
Enjoy!

- Neev

May 15, 2010 4:18 AM EDT

...and I'll be there!! Can't wait. This winter I went to the keynote address of a writers conference in San Miguel. Barbara Kingsolver spoke of the same thing. I have a cd of he talk that I'll bring along. It's about the drips along the way of life that eventually lead to a book ... and how she files them away not knowing where they will go. On the other hand I do NOTHING without a deadline -- that's why ordinary things like dinner can be hours late!

- Christie

May 15, 2010 6:44 AM EDT

Chris, maybe I'm blocked, but it's more a problem of conflicting projects. I'm writing for the newspaper (no block there), setting up Quickbooks for 20 small businesses by year end, and trying to organize a large well-promoted craft fair for local vendors July 16-17. I keep telling myself things will get better when the craft fair is over , but then there's I've offered to do 501(c)(3) for two small organizations, one trying to spay-neuter animals on the reservation and the other trying to feed street people and provide meals, household necessities and social activities for low-income elders. Am I blocked? Or do I simply have a priority problem.

- Mary Olive

May 15, 2010 7:00 AM EDT

As long as you're ranting-you're not blocked!

- Chris Arvidson

May 18, 2010 4:58 PM EDT

The problem is just as you say, Chris: getting your butt in the seat and writing something. Sometimes anything is good, just to jumpstart the process. A friend who has written several books says he sometimes just sits there and types any nonsense that comes into his head, and eventually, what he really wants to say will pop up and, whoosh, he's off and running. But even if you try various things and they occasionally don't work, you have at least parked the butt and typed out Something. I've found that the trick is to make writing a steady, constant part of your everyday schedule. It doesn't have to be the same time every day (I dream of having that much discipline), but you can decide that at some point of every day, say, "before 3 o'clock," you're gonna write for X amount of time. Actually, for me, "every day" is a bit much, but definitely 5 days a week. Good luck with it -- the world needs more of your writing, so get off your lazy, good for nothing ass and PRODUCE, DAMN IT! (Sometimes you just have to get that jab to the ribs in order to get going.)

- Lil' Johnny

May 19, 2010 3:00 AM EDT

OK OK - I git it! Damn it. I hate it when other people besides me are right.

- Chris Arvidson

September 26, 2009 5:32 AM EDT

Hey Chrissy, how did it go? I bet you nailed it!

- KAF

September 26, 2009 10:31 AM EDT

It went great! I will post a couple pictures later on this weekend. I got to go first, which I always like. I get mine over with, then I can enjoy the others' work. We had a yum dinner before, the bookstore was fab, and we spent the night at my boss Susan's house with her family and Sam & Anne Knight, too. The other writers were impressed with my entourage!

- Chris Arvidson

September 22, 2009 7:09 AM EDT

Go!!!!!

- Henry Doss

September 24, 2009 2:00 PM EDT

Great!!!! and glad to hear that you are doing better...
Keep up the writing!!!!!!

- John Peshinski