Dog Days of Writing

Has your writing gone to the dogs? Are you in need of some insPAWration?

There are days when—doggone it—writers feel like they’re workin’ like a dog with nothing to show for it.

IN THE DOG HOUSE

Is your manuscript on a genre leash?
Are you chewing on the bones of a plot devoid of meat?
Does the manuscript need to be groomed and the adverbs trimmed?
Does the diction needs a good brushing with tone?
Does the manuscript need a dose of Frontline weak verb repellent?
Are you trying to breath life into an old dog manuscript instead of romping away with a new one?
Dog-tired with editing?
Growling at a plot snafu?

BEST IN SHOW

Feeling like you have a dog’s chance of getting an agent?
Not getting any ” hot diggity dog” replies after sending all those queries?
Feel like you’re barking at the moon when you send those queries?
Are you showing a dogged determination to have your query and ms be the pick of the slush litter?
Are you barking up the wrong agent tree?
Are you sniffing around for the best way to build your author platform?

AT THE DOG PARK

Do you have a bone of contention with someone in your critique group?
Are you still licking your wounds over a beta reader’s comments?
Did you join a writing group expecting belly rubs and “atta boys” only to play fetch with another pup’s manuscript?
Feeling a breed apart from all the authors and wanna-be’s?

THE POUND

Suspicious of writers making up shaggy dog stories about their successes?
Feeling meaner than a junk yard dog after being bitten by a troller?
Are you inadvertently biting the hand that feeds you with posts and tweets that insult your readers ( or potential readers) ?
Is your tail between your legs after a social media gaffe?
Are you guilty of begging for Facebook likes and Twitter retweets?