The Writer's Connection(sm)
"The Creative Process of Writing is a Liberating and
Therapeutic Experience"(sm)
March, 2003
Published by A. Keith Barton, Ph.D.
Founder & CEO, The Writer's Connection
akeithbarton.com


In This Issue:

1. Preview
2. Publisher's Note
3. How to Have a Successful Writing Career
4. Getting into Action
5. The Benefits of Working with a Writing Coach


1. Preview

The Writer's Connection explores the creative process of writing and the interplay between thoughts, feelings, and actions. We are an interactive community of authors and readers who share ideas to enhance our knowledge, skills, and experiences in writing fiction in any genre, but our emphasis remains mystery and suspense thrillers.
Published monthly, the Newsletter offers writing tips for authors, coaching suggestions, editing, and marketing information.

Topics are presented from the perspective of Keith Barton and represent only his ideas on producing your first manuscript, and are provided to the general public. Because we are an interactive community of writers, other viewpoints are welcomed and may be printed in future monthly newsletters with permission from Keith Barton.


2. Publisher's Note

March, 2003

Dear Writer's Connection Subscriber,

This issue features the benefits of working with a writing coach.

3. How to Have a Successful Writing Career

Why I Took Up Writing?

I have enrolled in MentorCoach as a coaching candidate to work with first-time authors who want to know how to start, edit, polish,or market that manuscript that has been an idea or collecting dust for a long time. I have learned that my passion for the past five years has been my writing as I enjoy putting printed word to page. Sure, I've made mistakes along the way: like picking the wrong agent, not researching my books for the right agent or publisher. Past newsletters have talked about marketing for the print-on-demand (POD) or self-published author who scrambles to put his/her work before the public. It's a scary thought, but it's the initiative that's importantnot the result. My credibility for coaching in the literary field is my passion and commitment to turning out quality manuscripts for publication. A review of my website will show that I've grown as a writer over the past five years and continue to learn daily. I believe my last book, The Kauai Connection, is a much improved product: the dialogue, characters, setting, pacing, plot development all flow more smoothly than my first novel, High Rise.

So what do I have to offer folks? A commitment to make your book a success? While I may share your goal of publishing that manuscript, I cannot do the work for you. I am not a book-doctor; I am not an editor. I've got my own staff who help me with my books and they are great. What I do promise you is that my questions will be probing, nonsensical, and goal-directed to keep you focused on your manuscript from someone who has been there and continues to balance a hectic life between being a grandparent, 40hour a week job as a clinical psychologist, and part-time author. If you haven't already, I would encourage you to join Mystery Writers of America, a national organization for mystery writers. Their address is: 17 East 47th Street, 6th Floor, NY, NY 10017. The staff and newsletters are great and you will join your respective regional MWA; for me it's the SW group and we meet twice a year with periodic luncheons where we hear the latest on forensic investigations, ballistic analyses, what actors look for in a novel adapted to the screen, plus good fellowship with folks interested in storytelling.

I might also encourage you to take notes and photos of interesting places you visitwho knows, your vacation may serve as the setting for your next novel. That's precisely how The Kauai Connection was conceived; add a little WW II history, mix with some interesting characters and dialogue and like magic, you've got the idea for a book. The other thing I would recommend is that you not get bogged down on details in the beginning. Just start with an outline; make a notebook for your characters and their physical, emotional, psychological makeup. Remember you are the storyteller and you want the dialogue to define your characters.


NOTE:
Do you have some ideas to share on plot design, character development, or the importance of setting and visual imagery for adaptation to screen writing? Any suggestions on selecting an agent, book-doctor, publisher, or editor? If so, please share them with our community of subscribers? Send us an e-mail and tell us about them at coach@akeithbarton.com.


4. Getting into Action

"Getting in to Action" is a monthly feature of The Writer's Connection. In this section of our Newsletter, we will discuss action steps the writer can take to improved his/her knowledge base in writing novels.

"This Month's Recommendation(s)"

1. Find a writing coach to guide you through the process of creating your story, characters, plot, setting, pacing, and sequencing of your story.
2. Subscribe to Writer's Digest. This reference is available at your local bookstore and is an excellent resource for how to submit articles to magazines and publishers.
3. Purchase Sue Grafton's Writing Mysteries, Writers Digest Books, Copyright 2002 by Mystery Writers of America.


Next issue we'll discuss how to get the most out of your coaching session using the Call Focus Form and joining various writer discussion groups.


5. The Benefits of Working with a Writing Coach

An Interview with A. Keith Barton and MentorCoach Training Institute.

MentorCoach: Keith, why did you sign up for coach training?

Keith: I wanted to impart some knowledge and expertise about writing to first-time authors.

MentorCoach: How does this differ from your practice of clinical psychology?

Keith: It's completely different. When I'm doing therapy with people, they come to me looking for me to help them. It's a lot like going to your parent for help or a confession to a secular priest.

MentorCoach: Why coach writers? They seem to be an intellectual and self-assured lot.

Keith: That's true for many writers. It takes tremendous skill to play with words, weave a plot, develop a character, create a setting and story with the proper tension and pacing to sustain reader interest.

MentorCoach: So why do writers need a coach?

Keith: Writing can be a daunting and very lonely experience. The author works in a vacuum, creating stories of interest to himself/herself, and often without an audience. Many things can occur during one's writing including: writer's block, inner critic tapes, not completing the necessary research for your book, losing interest, not structuring your time, poor time management, and lack of discipline.

MentorCoach: What can you offer writers?

Keith: I am a writer. I've written nine books in five years and have disciplined myself to write a least one novel a year. For many first-time authors, we work day jobs which consume 40-50 hours a week, and so time management is critical to staying on task. I offer the support and structure for writers to complete their manuscripts.

MentorCoach: This sounds like you're a cheerleader or nag.

Keith: Quite the opposite. I challenge people to look at why they've chosen to write that first novel. Why is it interesting to them and will it sell? I don't mince words and I walk a writer through the four phases of writing: creating the story, editing, finding an agent or publisher, and marketing their books.

MentorCoach: How's that different from being a book-doctor or editor?

Keith: A book-doctor critiques the elements that go into a story: plot, character development, scenery, pacing, hooks, plausibility, consistency, and other literary techniques learned in creative writing courses. An editor cuts and pastes to present a quality manuscript to a publisher, editor, or literary agent.

MentorCoach: How can people get in touch with you if they are interested in your services?

Keith: I have a web page, www.akeithbarton.com, where they can read other newsletters of general interest to writers plus links to other literary sites and authors which may be helpful. One can also email me at kbarton@hal-pc.org.

MentorCoach: One final question. Why did you get into writing suspense thrillers?

Keith: It's my passion. A day doesn't go by without some thought or idea for my next novel. I'm intrigued by the discipline required to tame the creative process of writing which continues to remain a liberating and therapeutic experience for me.

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Contact Information

A. Keith Barton, Ph.D.
Voice: 281-893-5405
Fax: 281-893-1735
Web: http://www.akeithbarton.com
E-Mail: coach@akeithbarton.com
(c) Copyright 2003 A. Keith Barton, Ph.D.
All rights reserved.


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The Writer's Connection (sm) is copyrighted, but you may retransmit or
distribute it to whomever you wish as long as not a single word is changed, added, or
deleted, including the contact information. However, you may not copy it to a web site.
Republication of The Writer's Connection (sm) in paper media is encouraged and permitted by individuals, organizations and associations, as long as the issue is reprinted in its entirety, without change, and includes the contact information.

With advance permission, we are happy to edit an issue to fit your space requirements. Republication also is encouraged under other circumstances. However, the advance permission of A. Keith Barton, Ph.D. must be obtained in the event that changes in the text are desired.


The Writer's Connection (sm) Mission:

The Writer's Connection is dedicated to helping first-time authors create their first manuscript for publication and to offer an exchange of ideas and opinions from our readers who might be interested in becoming authors.

The Writer's Connection is a publication of A. Keith Barton, Ph.D. and a registered trademark (tm).

We would like The Writer's Connection to be as interactive as possible. If you have feedback, comments, topics you would like addressed, or can suggest additional resources to benefit us all, please email us at any time. Send your e-mail to
coach@akeithbarton.com.

Please forward this issue to anyone you think would find The Writer's Connection interesting and beneficial. Your recommendation helps us keep growing, and ensures an excellent exchange of information and techniques.

Archives

You can read previous issues of The Writer's Connection at our archive at http://www.akeithbarton.com/archive.html

About A. Keith Barton, Ph.D.

Dr. Barton received his Ph.D. in 1972 from the University of Texas at Austin and has been a practicing therapist for over thirty years. He is currently enrolled in MentorCoach and is accepting new clients. He has been an adjunct professor at the University of South Carolina, consultant to Fortune 500 companies in executive development, founded and managed Texas Community Living Ventures, Inc., in 1986 for providing group home services to persons with mental retardation, and for the past 13 years founded and runs a clinical practice in Northwest Houston. He writes part-time with the goal of completing one novel a year. His desire to coach others derives from his passionate interest in helping others become attuned to their creative powers of storytelling.

Dr. Barton has training in coaching, cognitive and family therapy and health psychology. He has published articles, made presentations and conducted workshops about:

Anxiety and achievement
Stress management
Self-esteem
Communication skills
Marital/relationship enrichment
Wellness issues
The relationship between psychology and spirituality


© 2003 The Writer's Connection and A. Keith Barton.