Nadine Feldman, Author

celebrating strong female characters and whatever else strikes my fancy

writing

A Writer’s Life is Many Lives #WDC18 #amwriting

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As I come off this year’s Writer’s Digest Conference, I am thinking about how fortunate I am. I get to do work that I love, and when I spend time around other writers, I am among incredibly generous and supportive people. As author Steven James said during his “Story Trumps Structure” workshop, we are in a rare business where people who could be our “competition” come and share everything they know. He likened it to Apple going to Google and sharing all their secrets.

The magic, of course, is that there is  no competition. Each of us has a unique story to tell, so the more of us the merrier. We don’t have to elbow anyone out of the way.

Back home, I am once again immersed in my projects. For one, I am reading about artists, particularly female and self-taught. Think Grandma Moses as one of many examples. I’m also learning to draw and watercolor. I’m not doing this because I want a new hobby, though I suspect I’ll keep at it because it’s fun. No, it’s a way to understand my main character better.

While I continue my research for that novel, I am living (in my mind) in late 19th-century Scotland. This story idea has sent me to Scotland twice and the old mills of Lowell, Massachusetts; introduced me to proletarian novelists such as Elizabeth Gaskell (think contemporaries of Dickens); and introduced me to genealogy.

When I wrote What She Knew, I studied the victims and perpetrators of the Madoff Ponzi Scheme. I was fascinated with the movers and shakers of Wall Street and what would happen if one of them actually grew a conscience.

In short, as a writer I get to live many lives. I get to play dress up and try on new identities. I get to peer inside the heads of my characters, who I grow to love as if they are real people and real friends.

This is a good life. A happy life. A fulfilled life. Last week I met a lot of wonderful writers who share this journey with me, and I am looking forward to getting to know all of you better.

 

Happy New Year!

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Hello to anyone who might be reading! It’s been so long since I blogged that I don’t know if anyone is still out there…but here I go anyway.

I don’t normally get too excited about a new year. I am not one for a list of resolutions. But this year I sprang out of bed with hope and joy. I’m not alone. As I cruise social media, I see a lot of posts where people are willing to entertain the thought that this can be a good year.

Last year I stumbled a bit. Though I kept on working on two different novels, I lost motivation to reach out consistently to readers. Part of it is my own life: we are moving cross-country yet again, and finally sold a house that’s been on the market for a long time. We are scheduled to close January 31, so the end is in sight.

Though I won’t get into politics in this blog, I also found myself depressed and deeply concerned about the state of our country. Regardless of what side of the political aisle we are on, we are ever more aware of the flaws in our system that must be addressed if we have the courage to do so. And that’s all I’m going to say, I promise. But in this past year we have also seen an energized electorate as people recognize that we must stay engaged…and that gives me hope.

Despite all of this, I continued to write, to do my work. I will write more about my projects in future posts. What I have learned is, whether or not there is a market for my books, I have to write. It’s how I do life. It’s how I stay reasonably sane.

If you haven’t “liked” my Facebook author page, I invite you to do so. I do minimal promotions, and mostly write about books I am reading or other odds and ends. Visit me at https://facebook.com/NadineFeldmanAuthor. I’m also on Twitter at @Nadine_Feldman.

Thanks for reading, and happy new year!

Happy New Year! #IWSG #amwriting

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It’s the first Wednesday again, and time for the next monthly installment for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. This is where we writers provide support and encouragement to each other. Join us!

Thank you to this month’s co-hosts: L.G. Keltner, Denise Covey, Sheri Larsen,  J.Q. Rose, Chemist Ken, and Michelle Wallace. And of course, a special thanks goes to our fearless founder and leader, Alex J. Cavenaugh! I hope you’ll visit their blogs in appreciation for their contributions to our merry band of writers.

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January 2, 1996…twenty years ago. My then-husband and I woke up with the flu. Since we were both sick, there was no one to take care of us, and it was a nasty bug.

Three days later, he went back to work, still ailing but better. For me, though, the story was different. I didn’t get well. Day after day, week after week, month after month, I woke exhausted, my body alternating between freezing cold and burning hot, my lymph nodes swollen, my digestion disrupted.

The eventual diagnosis of CFIDS (Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome) didn’t help, as the cause is unknown and the path to treatment unclear.

During the months in bed, I had a lot of time to think. All my life I had wanted to be a writer but always let life get in the way. Now, with my brain addled and little ability to concentrate, I wondered: was it too late? Did I squander my chance?

I don’t often “bargain” when I grieve, but this time I did. Make me well, God, and I won’t forget.

I was one of the lucky ones. Eventually, I did get well…and I didn’t forget my promise. In 1997 I found The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron, which helped me get started. In October 1999 I published my first book, When a Grandchild Dies: What to Do, What to Say, How to Cope (the link is for the 15th anniversary edition).

The life changes that resulted were extraordinary, and here I am all these years later, proud to be a novelist who has completed her second novel and sent it off to industry reviewers. There’s another novel in draft form, and I am swimming in ideas for more books.

More than anything, writing has made me more whole, more authentic, happier. As a side note, when I met my current husband, I gave him a copy of When a Grandchild Dies…it made him want to get to know me better.

It took a debilitating illness for me to wake up and live. It took that moment in time, twenty years ago, when I no longer had the choice to ignore who I really was. Every day that I can write, that I do write, is a remarkable gift. Yes, writing is hard. Yes, it’s frustrating sometimes to find readers. Yes, reviews can be upsetting.

But to be writers who do not write…that is a tragedy.

My hope for you, my fellow writers, is that 2016 brings you joy, peace, health, and a wealth of ideas to explore. May you find readers who resonate with your words. May you look self-doubt and insecurity in the eye and say, “Thanks. I’m doing this anyway.”

How was your 2015? What are your dreams/goals/plans for 2016? Do tell!

What She Knew is now available for pre-order! I hope you’ll take a look. *

 

 

 

The Badass Trinity Part II: Elizabeth Gilbert #IWSG #amwriting

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IWSG BadgeThis is a week where two events collide: the First Wednesday post of the Insecure Writers Support Group, and the second of my three-part Badass series.

They go together, I promise.

On the first Wednesday of every month, the IWSG members post encouragement and support to other writers. Join us!

This month’s co-hosts are:

Sandra Hoover, Mark Koopmans, Doreen McGettigan, Megan Morgan, and Melodie Campbell

And, special thanks to Alex J Cavenaugh, the founder and fearless leader of this group.

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Big Magic CoverNow, on to Badassery. Last week I posted Part I, in which I opined on Shonda Rhimes’ Year of Yes. This week, I feature another Badass: Elizabeth Gilbert.

Are you feeling discouraged, confused, or disappointed with your writing career? If so, I can offer you nothing better than Elizabeth Gilbert’s book Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear.

Big Magic isn’t a self-help book per se. Gilbert doesn’t offer a series of exercises, nor does she give you the secret keys to success. However, as she shares her own writing journey, you’ll learn from her.

She calls Big Magic her “permission slip” to writers…the thing that says, “do it” when those sneaky, clever self-doubts threaten to upend our dreams. Most importantly, she puts our writing in perspective. Yes, it’s hard work, but so are other jobs. Yes, sometimes our writing is received more at other times than others. Yes, some days we don’t want to do it. But if we persist, we can find those moments of Big Magic.

Filled with compassion, Big Magic also provides a gentle, but loving, kick in the pants. By demystifying and deromanticizing the creative process, Gilbert makes it easier for us to approach it.

Best of all, Big Magic is beautifully written. After reading some books lately that weren’t so good, sitting down with Gilbert’s chatty, humorous, literary style felt like I’d walked into a fresh spring day. Reading it, I found myself nodding my head…a lot. I said yes, over and over. Sometimes she hit a nerve. I kept on reading because this book is pure pleasure to read.

Gilbert has strong opinions, which is why I include her in the “badass” category. She doesn’t like it when we talk of our writing as though it’s our baby. After all, what if someone tells us our baby is ugly?

She’s also not impressed by Hemingway’s counsel to “open a vein and bleed” on the page. We don’t have to suffer for our art…just apply regular practice and discipline to the process.

In short, she sticks pins in the balloons of what we’re told as writers, those things that cause us to cut and run (or, as I’ve seen a lot of lately, to whine on Facebook instead of writing).

I’ve no doubt I will turn to Big Magic over and over again when I need motivation. I hope you will, too.

Nadine Galinsky Feldman is the author of The Foreign Language of Friends and the upcoming What She Knew, available March 2016. If you enjoy this blog, please consider purchasing a book or signing up for the newsletter to learn about upcoming promotions and giveaways.

It’s IWSG Wednesday! Time for a Writer’s Rant! #IWSG

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IWSG BadgeWelcome to the November installment of the Insecure Writers Support Group! This is an opportunity for us to share our doubts and insecurities, and perhaps inspire other fellow writers.

As always, thanks go to Alex J. Cavenaugh for creating this group, and this month’s co-hosts: Tyrean Martinson, Karen Walker, Denise Covey, and Stephen Tremp. Please visit their blogs if you get a chance and show ’em some love!

 

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I’ve spent many years developing my craft through classes, conferences, books, and more. Someone is always opining on the best way to structure a novel, and we learn a lot of dos and don’ts in the process. If you’re like me, you agonize about the process. After three years, my latest WIP, What She Knew, is nearly ready to publish, but no doubt I will polish and fret up until the moment I send my new baby out into the world.

It’s time for some liberation. I’m going to say something I’ve never said before: stop worrying so much.

I’m not saying we shouldn’t care or that we shouldn’t try to write the best book possible. I’m not saying we shouldn’t continue to work on our skills.

However…

A few days ago I finished slogging through a Really Bad Novel. There was a clunky overuse of backstory, references so repetitive I felt as though I were being hit over the head with a hammer, characters who changed too quickly, etc.

Because I had just pulled it up on my Kindle app, I hadn’t paid attention to the author or publisher. Impatient and frustrated, I took a closer look, assuming — wrongly — that this was a self-published book.

Turns out Random House is the publisher, and the author a frequent bestseller with a large following. I then turned to the Amazon reviews, which were glowing!

Sorry, I don’t get it. This novel would never make it through a Novel Writing 101 class.

Here’s the thing, though: sometimes we let perfectionism keep us from getting our work out there. I’m really, really guilty about that (and yes, I know I’m using adverbs — so what?). Maybe you are, too.

For whatever reason, the Really Bad Novel struck a chord for many readers…so who am I to judge?

Let’s trust ourselves a little more and worry a little less. Yes, learn your craft. Yes, get an editor if you’re indie. I’m not saying put your first drafts out there. But take a breath and try not to take it all so seriously. Find a way to get your work into people’s hands. There are people who want to read your stories.

Now, back to NaNoWriMo. I will try to heed my own advice!

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SALE:  The Foreign Language of Friends is on sale for $.99 until November 7!

ANNOUNCEMENT: Next week, author Toi Thomas will sit in my blogger’s chair and discuss “Why I Decided to Write Romance.” She is on a blog tour and I understand a giveaway is involved. Here are the other stops of her tour if you’re interested:

Nov. 2nd – Tricia Drammeh – Review

Nov. 3rd – There For You Editing – Interview (Glorie Townson)

Nov. 3rd – Samantha’s Books – Interview (Toi Thomas)

Nov. 4th – Liza O’Connor – Review

Nov. 4th – The  Sunflower’s Scribbles– Interview (Glorie Townson)

Nov. 5th – Mama Reads Hazel Sleeps – Review

Nov. 6th – Annie Higa – Review

Nov. 7th – The ToiBox of Words

Nov. 4th – Is History the Agreed Upon Lie… Guest Post (A History of Romance Novels)

Nov. 7th – The Girl with Book Lungs – Guest Post (Ageism vs. Romance)

It’s IWSG First Wednesday! NaNoWriMo is Coming Soon! #IWSG

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It’s time for another “first Wednesday” posting of the Insecure Writers Support Group. On this first Wednesday of each month, we share our insecurities and hopes with each other “without appearing foolish or weak.” Please join us!

IWSG BadgeI thank Alex J. Cavenaugh for creating this group, and invite you to visit his website as well as those of our illustrious co-hosts: TB Markinson,Tamara Narayan, Shannon Lawrence, Stephanie Faris, and Eva E. Solar!

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Recently someone asked on Facebook: NaNoWriMo, yay or nay? It invited a lively discussion. Since NaNo is just a few weeks away, I thought I would weigh in…especially since we’re talking about insecurities today, and NaNo seems to bring those up in a big way.

NaNoWriMo, for those who don’t know, is National Novel Writing Month. Held every November, it’s a writer’s version of the Boston Marathon, where we hunker down and produce a 50,000 word novel in 30 days.

I love using NaNoWriMo for first drafts, because it forces me to kick my inner censor out of the way. I also like the idea of joining with other writers who are doing the same thing. We root for each other, and give each other encouraging words when one is struggling (much like IWSG).

Critics of NaNo say new writers can be intimidated or overwhelmed, and yes, I’ve seen that happen. To that I say: NaNo will bring up your “stuff.” It will ferret out all your doubts and insecurities. If you understand what’s happening, it’s possible to move through those doubts and become more productive with your writing.

Others criticize NaNo for perceived rules. There’s only one: try to write a novel in 30 days. If you’re working on nonfiction and want to ride on the energetic coattails of NaNo energy, go for it! If you want to do a rewrite of an existing work but want the support, do that, too! There are “rebel” groups within NaNo you might want to find.

A few days ago someone was stressing because she didn’t have a book cover to post on the NaNo website. I’ve never done this! If you have a cover, great. Otherwise, don’t worry about it.

And if you don’t write 50,000 words? So what! This is your NaNo. Do what you can. Life happens. Sometimes the draft just doesn’t work. It’s fine. Some people don’t “win,” but they ended up writing more in a month than they ever did before. That’s great — and it’s enough!

If you’re a planner, yes, you can write character sketches and plot outlines. In fact, many people do a lot of preplanning.

If you’re a pantser, like I am, that’s fine, too.

Your draft will probably suck, but first drafts always do. You can fix the draft in future revisions. I’ve spent a few years fiddling with my last one. I don’t think my first draft was worse because I wrote it quickly — I think it got written because I wrote it quickly, before I could talk myself out of it.

And if you don’t want to do NaNo, that’s cool, too. You don’t have to diss it because you’re not interested, or your second cousin’s neighbor’s uncle did it and had a bad experience. Just say no, thanks, and move on. No need to knock those of us who choose to do it.

I don’t know if I’ll “win” this one by writing 50,000 words. I will show up every day at the page and do my best. I’ll engage with others on the site and soak up the support. I may even hook up with some in-person write-ins.

Showing up. Doing our best. Writing daily. Detaching from the outcome. Those principles, to me, are the real “win.”