Reseach for Writers

February 20, 2009
Guest Blogger Sarah Lee Marks, who writes as Lander Marks, talks about the role of research in your writing. Her book, Artist’s Proof, is a hip and sassy romp through the art world, with a serious backstory about art theft and forgeries.

Not only is the library still a great place for research, it is a great spot to write (shhhhhhhh!) Photo courtesy Stewart Butterfield

Not only is the library still a great place for research, it is a great spot to write (shhhhhhhh!) Photo courtesy Stewart Butterfield

I’m speaking tonight at the Las Vegas Writer’s Group meeting. This is an extrordinary opportunity to interact with some wonderful writers/authors, which I don’t often get to do. I’m so excited! Writing is such a solitary sport, I relish the times I get to visit, talk shop and share.

Tonight I get to share, a lot.  My topic is RESEARCH. I love doing research. When I’m building my outline for a story, I turn into Sherlock Holmes, Nancy Drew and Elmer Fudd. The later because I often trip into areas I never expected to find and sometimes have to act like Elmer, to get people to tell me what’s really on their minds.

Research takes on a life of it’s own. Sometimes I find you have to stop procrastinating around the “need to know more” and get to the business of pen to paper.  However, the credibility of your characters/subjects, storyline, theme and message integrity is all based on a solid foundation of investigation and homework.  I’ve found my characters take me places in my search, I never expected. Then again, the need to go to Europe in the summer is a welcome tax deduction when your subject is murdered on a cruise ship or the Vatican is integral to the plot.

While the internet is both the bane and joy of our inquisitive mind, there is nothing more rewardicvrartistproofwebng than a live interview or hands-on life experience, when adding color and authenticity to your plot.  Non-fiction relies heavily on absolute verification, the lack of which deems excessive premiums for an Errors and Omissions insurance policy.

Please feel free to contact me if you don’t know where to go for a particular resource, I’m happy to help you if I can. You can email me with your simple request to Lander Marks.

Sarah Lander Marks writes her fiction as Lander Marks. Her latest book: Artist’s Proof is about the art world and Holocaust art theft. Read her latest post on Holocaust news at Remember or Repeat.

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Research is Everywhere You Look!

January 24, 2009

lander-marksThe Las Vegas Writer’s Group holds monthly meetings for authors in every stage of their writing career. The programs they provide and support for fellow writers are invaluable. The February meeting will feature Stephens Press author Sarah Lee Marks (who writes as Lander Marks) presenting a unique perspective on the collecting of stolen World War II art and artifacts as told through her novel Artist’s Proof. Sarah has spent the past decade developing her sharp, sassy, and quick-witted characters with an earnest desire to deliver unbiased information from which the reader will take away new insights about this period in history. Using her book as the backdrop, Marks will dispense tips for developing solid research habits, and how to creatively incorporate this information into your manuscript. Marks will display a painting by Bela Kadar, recently discovered to be from the Nazi-era of ‘degenerate’ contemporary art.

February 19th ~ 7 PM ~ The Tap House. There’s a modest $5 fee and you do need to RSVP at Las Vegas Writer’s Group.

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Do You Need An Agent?

December 17, 2008
Do you need a literary agent? If you write fiction and dream of lunching with your editor in New York, you may well.

Do you need a literary agent? If you write fiction and dream of lunching with your editor in New York, you may well.

Literary agents are absolutely required if you expect to sell fiction to one of the big New York publishing houses. These publishers won’t even open unsolicited or unagented submissions.

Smaller and regional presses will vary in their acceptance of agented vs. unagented work. Some only accept manuscripts from agents, while others perfer to work with authors directly. Non-fiction authors usually find a warmer welcome, sans agent, especially if they are a recognized expert in their field. Again, the bigger the house, the more critical the agent’s role.

Las Vegas attorney and author Tami Cowden recently addressed the Las Vegas Writers Group on the subject of agents and how to acquire representation. LVWG “scribe” Megan Edwards provides a useful summary. The LVWG is a warm and welcoming organization to authors in all stages of their writing careers, from unpublished beginners to multi-book veterans.

The summary can be downloaded here.

And for the record . . . Stephens Press does not require agent representation for submissions.

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