In The Know: Intro

My pastor is fond of encouraging Christians to be "In The Know" when it comes to our faith and beliefs.

He's a smart guy.

Being "In the Know" is good for more than just understanding why we hold certain values. It works for all parts of our lives.

I have a teeny little series planned about how we should be "In The Know" when it comes to our writing.

In the meantime, have you ever done something and then later wished you would have waited until you knew more info?

Comments

Susan J. Reinhardt said…
Good Morning, Jess -

I'm looking forward to this series.

Several times, I've submitted to publications without doing enough research. It really is important to get a idea of the general flavor of a periodical.

Have a great Sunday!

Blessings,
Susan :)
May 17, 2009 at 9:06 AM
Jessica Nelson said…
Thanks Susan,
I hope you have a wonderful Sunday too! :-)
May 17, 2009 at 9:09 AM
Jeanette Levellie said…
Jessie;
Ohmygoodnes, YES! We once bought a Peogeot, a French car that had won "CAR of the year" five years in a row(in FRANCE!!!).

We were so excited to get a great deal on the car that we didn't sleep on it or talk to friends who knew about cars, we just rushed into it.

That stinkin' car spent more time in the shop than we had it on the road. And the parts were so expensive, by the time the engine seized and we had to trash it, we were very much in debt.

We ended up calling it "The P Word!"

So, go for it, we all need this wisdom!
Jen
May 17, 2009 at 3:57 PM
Tana said…
Years ago I'm embarrassed to say, I was on a cruise docked down on the Mexican Riviera and thought it might be fun to buy a knock off designer bag. I bought a bunch thinking I was getting great fake bags and a bargain only to find out I was heavily ripped off. The bags now have a nice home with my niece. I cringe when I look at them... ;)
May 17, 2009 at 4:42 PM
Keli Gwyn said…
I look forward to your series, Jessica.

Early in my writing journey, I spent weeks revising a manuscript based upon a single comment by a person who'd requested it. It was rejected. If I'd taken the time to clarify things before forging ahead, I might have received a more favorable response.

Ah, the many lessons we learn the hard way. :)
May 17, 2009 at 5:16 PM
Sherrinda Ketchersid said…
Uh...all the time! Sometimes though I get so worked up about making the "wrong" decision that I freeze up and can't move forward. I wonder what's worse, rue the day we stepped out wrongly or be paralyze with fear of doing the wrong thing. Sigh...what's a girl to do?
May 17, 2009 at 6:48 PM
Deb Shucka said…
This sounds fun.

My problem is usually more along the lines of needing too much information and not acting until all the life and spontaneity are gone from a thing.
May 17, 2009 at 10:04 PM
Jessica Nelson said…
Oh Jen,
That is hilarious! I guess y'all learned your lesson...LOL!
May 17, 2009 at 10:40 PM
Jessica Nelson said…
Oh no, T. Anne! That's kind of funny, but annoying. You have to watch out and bargain tough. That's one of my favorite things on a cruise, bargaining with the foreign locals. They'll drop their price to get you to buy. :-) You have to be very tough. LOL
Sorry about the bags though. How disappointing. *sympathetic smile*
May 17, 2009 at 10:42 PM
Jessica Nelson said…
Hi Keli,
Thanks. You're such an encouraging person. :-)
I've been where you were. I'm sorry it got rejected. Clarification/communication is so important. What a good thing for you to learn, even though I'm sure the rejection must've cut.
May 17, 2009 at 10:43 PM
Jessica Nelson said…
LOL Sherrinda! You're asking the wrong girl.
May 17, 2009 at 10:44 PM
Jessica Nelson said…
No Deb,
You? Beautifully talented writer?
Maybe it's your attention to details and feelings and changes that makes you such a strong writer?
But yes, spontaneity is needful. We all need to loosen up in one way or another. :-)
May 17, 2009 at 10:46 PM
Terri Tiffany said…
All the time. I have a habit of speaking or acting before thinking. Not good!
Can't wait to read your series!
May 18, 2009 at 8:55 AM
Unknown said…
My life is sort of a NOT "in the know" series of moments. Gotta love when that happens!
May 18, 2009 at 8:59 AM
Karen Hossink said…
You mean, like when I was 17 and I dated a 29-year-old man? And other stupid things like that? Oh, there may be events about which I think, If only I knew then what I know now...Yep. Been there!
May 18, 2009 at 9:45 AM
Janna Leadbetter said…
It'll be a great series, I bet!

I do sometimes wish I'd waited for the whole story.
May 18, 2009 at 11:16 AM
Eileen Astels Watson said…
Hi, Jessica!

Oh, yes, many times. Like when I submitted my very substandard work many years ago before realizing how lousy it was. "In the Know" sure helps with avoiding much embarrassment.
May 18, 2009 at 12:45 PM
Jessica Nelson said…
Me too Terri. Just this morning at the gym I said something that is now hounding me. I meant it as a compliment but now I'm wondering if what I said sounded snarky? Sigh. All this holding of our tongues is tiring stuff. LOL
May 18, 2009 at 12:46 PM
Jessica Nelson said…
LOL Marybeth. Sometimes we just have to flow with it.
May 18, 2009 at 12:47 PM
Jessica Nelson said…
Wow Karen.
And where were your parents? LOL Well, hopefully he was at least a good kisser. An older man and all...Snort.
May 18, 2009 at 12:48 PM
Jessica Nelson said…
Thanks Janna. I hope so. Feel free to tell me if it gets boring or blah. LOL
May 18, 2009 at 12:49 PM
Jessica Nelson said…
Oh Eileen,
I did the same thing. *sympathetic smile*
It's okay. I think editors like seeing us grow in the craft, etc. So don't be embarrassed. It's all part of the process.
But yeah, knowing stuff ahead of time can save us some growing pains. :-)
May 18, 2009 at 12:50 PM
Kara said…
Almost all the time!! Can't wait for your series:)
May 18, 2009 at 5:50 PM
Caryn Caldwell said…
Oh, yes! Way too often! Sometimes I'll find out some bad news and then become distraught only to find out that it was really nothing and I shouldn't have worried - or talked about it - so much.
May 18, 2009 at 7:02 PM
Jessica Nelson said…
LOL Caren. That made me think of a particular relative of mine. In a good way. :-)
May 18, 2009 at 10:06 PM
Angela Ackerman said…
I wish I could send apology notes to the editors and agents I sent my work to before it was ready. I thought it was, but...erm, no.

*shouts* I'm sorry, everybody!!!!
May 18, 2009 at 11:03 PM
Angie Ledbetter said…
Probably too many times to count, but I chalk it all up as experience and knowledge gained for future success.
May 19, 2009 at 6:53 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

We All Got to Learn to Do It Sometime

*grossness alert* We all have to learn to deal with doo-doo eventually. Consider me a newbie mom, but it never occurred to me that my son should be wiping himself until about a month before kindergarten. And then the flashbulb went on and I scrambled to teach him. One problem. He didn't want to. He's fastidious and doesn't like to make mistakes, so the thought of taking care of this daily chore literally reduced him to screaming and crying on the toilet. Basically, he didn't trust himself. He was afraid. Scared to get his hands dirty. Afraid he'd miss something. This is probably weird, but it made me think of us as writers. There comes a point where we have to "grow up" and trust ourselves. We can't always rely on a crit group, agent, or editor to wipe up our mess. I think this should be a part of maturation for every writer, that we can look at our work and be confident in our ability to clean it up. Not saying we'll make it perfect or that we won...
Read more

Work First, Play Later

I'm back! I had a wonderful time with my family. Thank you all for asking. :-) In 2009 my schedule evolved into a blog first/write later kind of thing. It happened that way because my husband began using the computer in the afternoons and evenings for his project, but now that I have a router, my schedule's changing. It's time to work first, play later. That means I do my chores/errands in the morning, write at naptime, and visit your wonderful blogs in the afternoons and evenings. So if I don't show up in the morning, don't be alarmed (if you even notice, lol). I'm just changing things up. I'm too exhausted in the evening to write, that's why. During the day I have way more energy to write but at night there's a fifty percent chance I won't do it because I'm so tired. When's the best time for you to write? I also need to shout out my awesome crit partner, Linda Glaz! Some of you may have met her at ACFW. She's a wonderful, faithful, ...
Read more

Melodramatic Mother

Mom, this one's for you. *wink* The other day we were on the phone and my mom was describing some of her ailments to me. She's normally a healthy person, but she does suffer from allergies and sinus issues. She's also a vivid person and this comes across in her language. In this case, she told me her pain was skewering up through her nose. Skewering. She never finished the description because I laughed. What a perfect word! Strong, to the point, I had an exact (if somewhat gross) image of what was happening. Do you have a vivid person in your life? Someone who thinks in ways you forget to? And in your WIP, are you using the strongest verb possible to convey EXACTLY what you mean?
Read more