No Wasted Ink Newsletter & Ramblecast - October 2023
a newsletter and voiceover podcast by Poet Laureate Wendy Van Camp
Welcome to the monthly No Wasted Ink Newsletter and Ramblecast My name is Wendy Van Camp and I’m the Poet Laureate for the City of Anaheim, California. This newsletter and ramblecast is not affiliated with the city and is my own personal newsletter. All views stated here are my own.
RAMBLE
As a writer and artist, October is a time of gathering for two art mediums I love: writing and sketching. I feel the pull to participate in both every year.
October is the preparation month for National Novel Writing Month, that takes place in November. I was a municipal liaison for Nanowrimo for seven years and although organizing the events was hard work, I enjoyed the friends I made and the comradery. In “Preptober”, the wannabe writers of Nanowrimo work on loglines for their book, sketch out their main characters, and work on their plot arcs. My favorite part of Preptober was getting my notebooks selected, designating a fountain pen to use, and making sure my AlphaSmart had fresh batteries. Each year I had to have the perfect “writing kit”. Then at the stoke of midnight on Halloween, my wrimo friends and I would gather at an all-night cafe and kick-off our annual writing season.
My AlphaSmart will remain on the shelf this year.
The other gathering is Inktober. For the month of October, sketching artists use a prompt list either developed by themselves or from the Inktober website to do a single pen and ink sketch every day of the month. Part of the fun is to take a photo of your work each day and post it on your Instagram account with the #inktober hashtag. I know many artists who develop entire journals from the work they do this month.
Sadly, my sketchbook will remained closed this year.
Instead, you will find me out there reading poetry at open-mics, organizing the Indie Author Day event for my local Anaheim library, teaching a poetry workshop, and attending an author alley toward the end of the month. All the things a published poet does these days.
Still, I miss the scheduled times of frenzied creating. Just me and my notebook. A couple of friends. Telling stories with ink.
yours in poetry,
Wendy
ESSAY
The Art of Editing: Tips for Polishing and Refining Your Manuscript
As authors, we are not only creators but sculptors, molding and shaping our manuscripts until they gleam with brilliance. But how do we refine our words to create a literary masterpiece?
Let us begin with the delicate art of self-editing. Once you've poured your heart and soul onto the page and completed your initial draft, it's time to step back and view your manuscript with fresh eyes. Take a break, go for a walk, or indulge in some delicious tea. Give yourself the gift of distance, for it is here that clarity emerges.
When you return to your manuscript, you will be less close to the writing and able to approach it with a discerning eye. You will spot inconsistencies, tighten your prose, and refine your storytelling. When we write, our brains see what we want the page to say, not what is actually written there. By giving yourself a bit of space from your work, you will be more able to see those mistakes. As you continue to edit, ask yourself tough questions: Is the pacing right? Are the characters fully realized? Are there any plot holes that need mending? By editing, you can transform your rough diamond into a polished gem.
Let us not forget the importance of attention to detail. Look close at sentence structure. Eliminate unnecessary words or phrases that clutter your prose. Seek clarity in each paragraph, ensuring that your ideas flow from one to the next. But it doesn't stop there. Scrutinize the consistency of your characters' traits, the progression of your plot, and how natural your dialog flows. Watch out for pesky grammar errors and odd spelling that can disrupt the reading experience. By devoting yourself to the finer details, you can create a manuscript that shines with professionalism.
You don't have to walk this editing journey alone. The wisdom of others can be a guiding light. Enter the beta readers. These brave souls will offer their honest feedback on your manuscript. Choose beta readers who are avid readers themselves. Individuals you can trust to provide constructive criticism. Seek a diverse range of readers, each with their own unique perspective, to gather an understanding of how your manuscript resonates. Embrace their feedback with an open mind, but remember, you are the final judge of your work. Consider their suggestions and use them as a springboard for refining your prose.
Another option is to join a literary critique group. By offering to critique another's book, you gain reviews of your own. Populated with writers like yourself, these fellow authors can give you feedback the beta readers might miss. Their input will zero in on things a beta might notice, but not understand how to describe. Take what these fellow writers say with a grain of salt. If the critique group is all wannabe writers, they will not give you the professional input an experienced editor would. Still, they can be a useful and cost-effective tool if you do not have the budget for a professional editor. Critiques groups meet either in person or on-line. Check out your local writer associations to find them.
Editing your manuscript is a lengthy process. It often takes more time than the writing of your first draft. Most authors do several passes over their books before they feel it is ready. Allow yourself the time to get the job done right. Through distance, attention to detail, and using a second pair of eyes on your prose, you can polish your shiny idea into a story you can be proud of.
SCIFAIKU
This science fiction haiku poem first appeared in a magazine called “Far Horizons” in 2015. It is entitled “Printed Bones” and was one of the first scifaiku I ever published. It is about using bio-printing in healing, with a science fiction spin. Poem is by Wendy Van Camp.
UPCOMING APPEARANCES
October 5th - Anaheim Open-Mic at Anaheim Central Library 5pm (reader)
October 12th - Speaking to Poetry Class at Cal State Fullerton
I will be giving a talk about being a poet laureate and life as a poet to the students of this University Poetry Class. Q&A and book signing will follow. Not open to the public.
October 19th - Anaheim Open-Mic at Anaheim Euclid Library 5:30pm (reader)
October 21st - 22nd - San Diego Who Con at Handerly Hotel, San Diego
I will be teaching my Prompts to Poetry workshop at the Doctor Who convention on Saturday October 20th at 2pm. See program for location and convention registration is required. The rest of the time you can find me in Author Alley to chat and autograph books.
RECENT PUBLICATIONS
Indie Author Magazine - September Issue - Goggles and Gadgets: Analyzing the Elements that Keep Steampunk Stories in Motion
https://indiauthormagazine.com
PODCASTS
Con-Tinual: Fandom - Voyager
https://fb.watch/nb3h-KBRpf/
Speculative Sandbox Podcast: Scifaiku & Astropoetry - Episode #53
https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/speculativesandbox
LINKS TO SOCIAL MEDIA
Portfolio - http://wendyvancamp.com
Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/author/wendyvancamp
Medium - https://medium.com/@wvancamp
Twitter - https://twitter.com/wvancamp
Instagram - https://instagram.com/nowastedink
Mastodon - https://me.dm/@wvancamp
BOOKS
The Planets: a scifaiku poetry collection - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Z8HMPF2
The Curate’s Brother: A Jane Austen Variation of Persuasion - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OU1V45A
ANTHOLOGIES
Eccentric Orbits: An Anthology of Science Fiction Poetry
Volumes 1 - 4
Editor
https://dimensionfold.com
Anaheim Poetry Review 2023
Editor
Free to Read: https://anaheimpoetry.com
Eye To The Telescope: Quests #46 - Fall 2022
Guest Editor
https://eyetothetelescope.com/archives/046issue.html
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