Painting a Picture with Words

I've begun the arduous job of editing what I've already written.  The plus side is that it's all down on paper.  The down side is that it's flat in places and needs to be jazzed up.

I've gone through the first three chapters - generally what you need for a proposal - and I'm pretty satisfied with the start.  I found a crutch word that I didn't realize I'd used so frequently, and deleted a whole bunch of the word "still."  This is where the editing really starts, though, moving forward into chapter 4.

Often, in the rush to get the story down, critical details are left out - sensory images.  This is what I'm paying attention to now.  Can you still see the sand in the desert wind?  Feel the heat rising from the ground in waves?  Hear a bird in the sky or the howl of a coyote?  Is the climate so dry you can taste it?  On the first draft, you tend to believe your readers have ESP and can see everything that's going on inside your head.  BIG MISTAKE!  Everything you see, hear, feel, taste, touch - these have to find their way to the page.  When I started this story, these images were all fresh in my mind and the ones that fascinated me the most I tried to put down in great detail.  As I moved forward, I took for granted that everyone else could also see what I saw, and with time and distance between my visit to the location, some of the details faded - they were less in the forefront of my mind.  Readers need to be reminded of the landscape through which your characters walk.  As they move from page to page, the story has to follow them as if you are painting a picture with words.

Today is "painting" day.  Tomorrow I'm going to update my spreadsheet for who I want to send proposals to (and likely do more "painting").  I want to make sure I take my time with the painting part, and there are details I know I missed on the first go 'round that I have to incorporate this time through (found such a detail in my third chapter).  Now that I know what the finished picture looks like, it's all about the shadowing and light that will make it "pop."

Back to it - before the colors dry up!

Good King Wenceslas

I'm not sure of the nationality or the festival, but I DO know today is the Feast of Stephen.  Don't ask me why.  It's a Christmas thing.  And in England, it's Boxing Day.

In the USA, it's the day after Christmas.  For some, it's a collective sigh of relief, for others, the countdown to next year begins.  Put me somewhere in the middle.  I'm a Christmas elf, for certain, but for most Christians, we celebrate Christmas all year round (with special emphasis on December 25th).  As for the gift giving - I have finally entered the e-book realm.  I received a Kindle for Christmas, and for all I know, I'm actually a step behind the trends.  First order of business?  Download my own books to my new device :-D.

With the holiday, I have several days off from the day job - in a row!  Planning to put full use to those days working on the Legend People (which is my newest completed story).  There are queries to be sent, proposals to be assembled.  Synopsi (what is the plural of synopsis anyway?) to be polished.  And now, books to be read.

Wishing everyone a prosperous and happy new year.

Abridging

First and foremost - Merry Christmas (and/or Happy Holidays)!

I have been busily writing query letters and a synopsis for my most recent story which I expect to start sending out after the holidays.  I sent out a "test the waters" query already, and it came back with the reply that they are out of the office until the first of the year.  I guess that buys me some reprieve and "polishing" time.  I'm still really excited about the story, in spite of being in the hard work portion of it; that being the editing and summarizing stage.

The holidays often bring additional stress, and this year, I'm making an effort to eliminate any unneeded stress.  One of these items is Christmas cards.  Do I feel guilty about that?  You betcha.  I also love the tradition of baking Christmas cookies.  This year, I made two batches - Saturday.  A week before Christmas.  I'd like to make more, but the goal in making them is to give them away and we're running out of days to give them away.  There's a chance I'll make more before it's all said and done, but that chance is greatly reduced.

In lieu of a Christmas card/letter, here are the highlights/lowlights of my year:

DH and I took a trip to Utah this spring to see Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park.  We also visited Antelope Canyon and took dozens of stunning pictures.  The landscapes are by far some of the most impressive I've seen in the United States, so much so as to inspire the story I've just completed.  My daughter set a wedding date after a prolonged engagement (to finish school).  One Young Son is finishing his second year of college and is well on his way to becoming an educator.  We saw one niece and one nephew married this year and several new additions to the family (babies!) in that generation either born or nearly born (we are near the due date for two of them).  On the lowlight side, we said goodbye to one of our cats this year.  He was 16 years old and lasted a good, long time before giving up the fight.  When he declined, it went quickly - which is the merciful news.

I think that brings us up to date.  Wishing you blessings in the new year ahead and I'll keep you posted on how the book progresses.

Peace.

Messages from the Universe

Coincidences, most likely, but motivation nonetheless.

I've written the last chapter, and it still needs work.  In fact, the most critical part about writing is rewriting and editing.  I'm at that stage, but suddenly I'm getting all kinds of messages from the universe (please note the tongue in cheek).  My horoscope is telling me to "put myself out there," which I am taking the liberty of interpreting as "start writing query letters."  I had a fortune cookie last night that told me failure is only a result of not following through.  Translation - "send out those query letters."  And on Facebook, my "message from God" says God is speaking to me and granting my request if I only put myself out there.  Translation - "Send out those query letters."  Hey, when the cosmos converges and sends the same message, who am I to argue?

And so I've begun the processing of formulating a query letter and constructing a synopsis, arguably the most difficult parts to writing a story.  I've been somewhat lazy with writing query letters on my last couple of stories and not very proactive.  Rejection can be difficult to deal with and I've had other things on my plate so I haven't been as dedicated to the process as I might have been.  But no more!  I have a lot of confidence in this latest story, and right along with it, renewed belief in at least one of the other stories that has been "stewing."  Translation - I'm writing query letters and I will be sending those query letters.  Taking a break from dreaming up new ideas and carrying forward new stories while I concentrate on the business end.  Of course that still requires developing and editing the requisite agent deliverables.

One of the major tenets of writing a query (of which I have recently been reminded) is to include the key points in your summary paragraph of the Goal, Motivation and Conflict of the story's characters.  On my first pass (aka "put something down on paper") I wrote a summary, but it was pretty bland.  Thanks to my critique partner for reminding me (see, it HAS been too long since I spent the necessary energy on these things).  Relearning old lessons.

So back to work while the cosmos is behind me and I have the energy and the motivation to push forward!  Onward Ho!

As it Fell Upon a Night, in the winter weather . . .

There's magic in the first snow of the season.  Yes, I know that soon enough it will grow tiresome, but until then . . . .

There’s something very peaceful about snow. You go to bed and it’s cold and stark, and somewhere in the middle of the night, a blanket of white falls from the sky, fluff by fluff so that in the morning, the world is quiet – muted – clean and crisp.

I went to bed stressed last night (welcome to the holiday season). “They” told us it would snow. I woke up in the middle of the night and looked out the window, and sure enough, “they” were right. In the dark of night, with the moon reflecting off sparkling snowflakes, there is a sense of wonder and magic in the world and an abiding sense of peace.

Then morning comes and everything is clean and bright, but that’s when it sinks in that there is work to do. Shoveling. Even still, in spite of knowing that driving is now going to be more difficult and the driveway and the sidewalk need to be cleared, with snow still falling gently from the sky, I’m still vibing peace and tranquility. It’s magic. Really, it is.

Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas

I'm on the last chapter!  Yahoo!  But, of course, that comes with lots of editing, and then on to the query process. 

A friend of mine asked me if it was like when you read a book - kind of sad to get to the end.  I suppose in a manner of speaking, it is.  There are a few distinct emotions that jump out at me.  One is procrastination.  I'm not ready to say good bye to my characters (even if they will continue on in a sequel), so it takes a while to push through that last chapter.  Another is relief.  Phew!  I'm finally done!  Then there is "Egads!  Now I have to edit this monster!"  All three of these cause delays in finishing the thing and, as always, it's hard to finish without a contract in hand.  Talk about motivation!

Keeping a rein on these emotions - I need to push through, so even though I'm late in my blog posting, I'm going to keep it brief so I can keep moving!  The next posting should be a "DONE!" posting and from there, you can watch me through the query process - that is going to be my focus when this is done.  I've been slacking in getting the other stories out there, so once this baby is "in the can" I'm going to spend some time marketing.

See you soon!

Catch the Fever!

Cliches, old advertising maxims, but they're buzzing around me while my fingers fly to release my imagination.

Thanks to the critique group for reminding me of a fun acronym, BICHOK.  Usually, it's meant to tie you to your seat to produce, but in this instance, its a description of where I am and it gave me a smile.

With my seasonal job taking a brief respite, this is where the work "drag" releases me and I have enough energy left when I go home at night to press forward with my own life, or the lives of the characters that live in my imagination, as the case may be.  I'm currently experiencing a writing fever which will propel me (I hope!) to the end of my current work in process - and I still love the story I'm writing (that doesn't always happen).  The energy level is high, the words are flowing.  I'm excited that I'm finally going to finish this story!  Six months isn't an extraordinarily long period of time to complete a novel, and yet I've had long spells during the process where I didn't have the time I would have liked or enough inspiration and wasn't sure I'd ever reach the end of this story.

For those folks out there doing the NaNoWriMo, good luck to you.  It's a good exercise for writers that need a goal, but not something I could/would ever do.  If I didn't have a day job (and I'm thanking my lucky stars that I do at the moment with the economy the way it is), I might give NaNoWriMo a whirl, but with limited time at my disposal, I wouldn't make it, and I CAN complete a novel (five, count them, five completed projects).  So to those writers - Catch the Fever!  Be Inspired and Enjoy the Ride!

But now I'm rambling when I have characters who are waiting for me.  Ladies and gentlemen, I'm really thinking this has the potential to be that "break-out" novel.  There will still be editing once I've finished, but I've got the fever!  Convincing an agent/publisher will still be a daunting task, but at least I believe I have the raw material to start with.

Almost there!

Can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street?

Some days I'd like to be a Muppet.

Was sitting with my Dear Husband the other night and he asked me a question.  My response was, "Yup."  So he repeated me (considering I was using poor English).  So I repeated with a "Yup Yup Yup."  Which brought to mind the Muppets, and Sesame Street (more accurately) and the Martians trying to identify what species of life a telephone was.  It sent me into giggles, but DH, who is just enough older than I am to have missed out on Sesame Street, had no idea what I was giggling about.  So I tried to explain it to him, but it got lost in translation.  Fortunately, in this day and age, you can find most anything on the internet (or You Tube, in this case), so I was able to send him a link.  NOW he understands.  Now HE says "Yup Yup Yup," to which I respond with "Brrrring." (you can visit my FaceBook page for the link to the You Tube video.)

Elemental.  Regression to youth, when life wasn't quite so complicated.  I'm still struggling to finish my book, not because I don't know how to get there, but because I'm juggling hours in a day.  One of the only reasons I wouldn't mind being a kid again - fewer responsibilities and more "play" time.  It's these type of things that provide a break from everyday life - stress relief.

So back to finishing my story - I'm in the homestretch!  And instead of blogging, I need to spend some time putting down chapters.  Almost done . . . .

Back in the Saddle

As life begins to settle back into a semblance of routine, I'm back to my story in progress and the reunion is just like having coffee with a friend you haven't seen for some time.  It's so much fun to catch up on all the things you've missed out on.

On another note - some marketing friends have approached me with some new ideas for The Treasure of St. Paul and I find myself conflicted.  It has been some years since the book was published and one would consider that it has lived it's life and can safely drift off into the land of backlist and yet . . .

I'm considering another investment into marketing, even while I'm struggling to get the newer stories published and marketed.  The marketers also asked me if I'd considered marketing it to Hollywood.  Hello?  I can SO see Antonio Banderas as Dominic.  Yes, I know Antonio is Spanish, but after someone suggested him for the role that hardly seemed relevant.  Am I holding onto a relationship that has run its course?  I should be investing in newer stories, shouldn't I?  CONFLICTED!

Points to ponder - but for now, I have to finish the story in progress!

Anon

Running Just to Catch Myself

Okay, my group has mastered another deadline, although they seem to be growing increasingly more difficult to handle.  As a result, I'm still catching up with myself having assisted my team to the detriment of my own responsibilities.  That being said, I haven't done any writing for two weeks and I'm going into withdrawal!

On a sadder note, I lost one of my cats ("lost" being a euphemism for "he died") during this breakneck period.  He died on a Monday, and I didn't even have time to properly mourn him untiil the following Sunday.  Work/life balance should still include at least 10 percent life, right?  Why does it feel less than that?

Taking a deep breath, moving forward and away from the "killer" deadline.  The teeter-totter is balancing out a little better now (although work is still the up in the air end).  Anxious to get back to my work in progress - I'm heading toward the finish line!  Also managed to squeeze in another query to a reputable publisher soliciting proposals and weighing some marketing options that have been presented to me.  What do you think?  Do you think The Treasure of St. Paul would make a good movie?  I can SO see Antonio Banderas as Dominic! He wasn't the model when I wrote it - I didn't really have one, per se - but he fits the bill perfectly.  Is it worth investing (before Antonio gets too old) in marketing an old novel to Hollywood? (tongue in cheek, in case you can't see me.)  My brain is still fairly scrambled from the crush of work, and the catching up, so that I can't even seriously weigh such a decision fairly.

Oh well.  Hoping to be back on track now.  Thanks for your patience!

Facebook Shmacebook

I am rapidly becoming disenchanted with Facebook.

Don't get me wrong, it has it's uses and for some people its a very nice tool.  For me, it's going the way of MySpace.  Outlived its usefulness, the honeymoon is over.  I originally joined FaceBook to network.  Authors need to network.  I started out with two friends I made at a booksigning.  Then people started finding me.  That was gratifying for a while, interesting even.  I've reconnected with some people that mean a lot to me and people that I hardly remember (not referring to the St. John's crowd, I remember ALL of you!). 

Last week on the news I saw a story about a woman who was hacked on FaceBook.  Someone with an ax to grind that she barely knew.  That was a little unnerving.  I've also read stories about identity theft, and we've all adjusted our privacy preferences repeatedly to keep up with FaceBook's updates to address these concerns (although there still appear to be doors, as evidenced by the beauty queen in the news story).  Then over the weekend, I noticed ads popping up everywhere.  EVERYWHERE.  A friend recommended a friend, so being the friendly person I am, I checked out the mutual friend I'd lost contact with and looked at pictures of their kids.  Underneath those pictures of their angelic kids was an ad to jump to a pornography site.  There's something elementally wrong with that ad placement.  Then I return to my home page and an ad pops up that you have to struggle to close, and then your wall is shifted down to accommodate more advertising.  Now I'm thinking the meager benefits are far outweighed by the nuisance and the risk.  Yes, I'm thinking that my FaceBook page has run its course.

As for the friends I've reconnected with, well it is like a high school reunion (and in some cases it IS a high school reunion).  It's nice to catch up with these people again, but those folks I have a relationship with I can talk to on the telephone or email (or those that want to stay connected can email me or phone me).  In a world that is rapidly changing to be less social through these faux social networking - let's face it, social networking means live interface, not words on a computer screen typed in the solitude of a dark room - I'm opting for real networking.  Maybe I'm losing an audience by giving up on FaceBook, but in the long run, if I'm not part of the solution, I'm part of the problem.  And the problem for me is that people shouldn't lock themselves inside their houses 24/7 (or even attached to their iPhone 24/7).  They should be interacting with other live bodies that they can see and touch and converse with using real words and not acronyms.

Phew!  There.  I'm off my soapbox for the day, but yes, I am counting down to an end to my Facebook page.

My apologies

Busy season at the day job is rearing its head once again, so for those of you kind enough to read my ramblings, I apologize for being infrequent.  I will try to post as time permits, but I may be somewhat scarce until November . . .

Until then -

Sidetracked

You know those days when EVERYTHING goes wrong?  I've had a couple of weeks of those and when that happens, it's very easy to lose focus on one's writing.  Between One Young Son going back to school, DH getting sick and ridiculous problems at work (don't even get me started!), my attention is distracted all kinds of ways.

And yet . . . I'm trying to get through the end of the current work in process (Legend People).  The problem is with my lack of direction, I've been second guessing where I want to take the story (don't worry, I'm back on track now) and without a contract in hand, it's easy to let it slide a bit.  I've continued to put chapters down, but they're sloppy.  This is where the old adage, "writing is re-writing" really kicks in.  On the one hand, I've got the chapter down.  One the other hand, there's too much missing, which will require sharper attention when said attention is available to spare.  Fortunately for me, I have a good friend who has been wonderful in pointing out my lack of detail (which is extremely important, particularly for this story).  A common trap for authors is assuming the reader can see what's inside our heads.  HAH!  Like asking your husband to read you mind.  Dangerous territory ladies!

Which brings me to the topic of beta readers.  These are the people you trust to look at your writing (Beta because YOU are the Alpha reader) to offer you the perspective you're missing.  A good beta reader is invaluable.  Often, I use my critique groups as my beta readers, but when I'm struggling, like I am right now, my beta reader is actually a step before my critique groups because they can catch the stupid stuff (which doesn't mean I don't still miss some things) before I send it to my critique groups, and let me tell you, my critique partners are TOUGH (this is a good thing).

On the topic of free association (yes, I did tell you my focus isn't very sharp these days), critique groups, while helpful, should not rewrite your stories.  They have invaluable input into your writing, which should be embraced, but at the end of the day, you need to remember who is writing this story.  The suggestions they offer should be considered just that - suggestions.  Again, I have an excellent group of very tough critters.  They catch my "brain cramp" mistakes, they correct my errors.  They point out character flaws and they check my consistency.  They don't try to rewrite my story and sometimes I have the luxury of dismissing comments that they may have forgotten details for.  At the end of the day, the story belongs to me, the author, and I will succeed and fail on my own.  But don't underestimate the value of the comments you receive from your critters.

And now, before I wander off in some other random direction, I will conclude my ramblings of the day.

Anon.

The end of an era.

Have any of you see those commercials with "Mayhem," the guy selling insurance? I LOVE those commercials! And in line with that, I find myself "emotionally compromised" this week. As a result, I'm limiting my post (yes, I know I'm overdue this week).  I'll come up with some bright and witty and relevant over the weekend.  In the meantime, I'm going to recycle one of my favorite Mayor Daley moments.

For those of you that aren't familiar with Chicago, and I don't actually live in the city - so I can appreciate the Mayor from a distance - Mayor Daley has been in control of the city for more than 20 years - 6 terms.  You would be hard pressed to find a politician more passionate about his job.  Some call him a political machine, almost like a gangster, but the man loves the city and whatever his motives, he only wants what's best for his home town.  He isn't looking for personal gain, he isn't running for president.  He loves his job.  He has had some very colorful quotes - he speaks his mind - and now that he's announced his retirement, I'm including one of my favorites below.  Enjoy!




Best Of Mayor Richard M. Daley

I've Got a Secret

As I've been busy building a new database, and trying to write the next chapters of the Novel In Progress, it occurs to me I still have to blog.  Some days there aren't enough hours in the day or enough words in my head.  Logical thinking, creativing thinking AND random thoughts?

But then it came to me.  As I was watching James Bond (of all things).

Today's writing tip:  I've got a secret.  One that I can't tell anyone or risk losing everything.  What fun is a story where everything goes according to plan?  Unless there's something the hero/heroine doesn't want us to know.  My example today comes from Casino Royale (thanks, James!). 

James Bond.  Super Spy.  Callous, cold hearted killer.  Meets a woman, falls in love.  Who'da thunk it?  But she has a secret.  One that the viewers don't even know.  Oh, they know she has one, but that's part of her mystique.  Part of why James likes her.  We have to get all the way to the end of the movie before we realize that the unattainable man, the one that NEVER falls for a woman and now finally has, has made an error in judgment.  He accused someone who may or may not be guilty of setting him up.  But was it really the mysterious woman?  Obviously EVERY woman loves James Bond, so how could she possibly do an evil deed against him?

These are the kind of plot devices that keep readers coming back.  It's not enough to know the woman in James Bond has a secret past involving an unmentionable man.  Sure, that's a secret she wants to keep.  But what they don't tell us is that the unmentionable man is unmentionable because he isn't part of the past.  He's part of the present, and he's part of the reason she is involved with James to begin with.  But who thought she'd fall in love with a womanizing cad like James Bond?  So while she's been sacrificing to spare the life of her unmentionable man, she's shifted her attention to James and now she's really in a pickle.

So there you have it, a subplot for Casino Royale and a reminder that in every story, the characters have to have something at stake - something that alters their normal behavior and can be their downfall if discovered.  And, piggybacking on my last post, this is where that annoying, brainless secondary character can help you out.  (I'm exaggerating to make a point, so don't anyone think I'm being nasty to the people that aggravated me last week.)  Witless secondary characters can stir up a big pot of mess for people with secrets, not to mention how annoying they can be! {rubbing hands together with an evil grin}  Doesn't that sound yummy?

Ok, folks.  Back to creative writing.  I have a story to finish! 

Anon

"That Person's Life Would Make for a Great Book!"

Have you ever had a friend come up to you, rolling their eyes, and saying, "that person's life would make a great book!"?  Excuse me folks, I'm going on a rant this week.

I had such a moment (not for the first time) this week.  The problem with that is that the person in question is usually not a strong character.  The reason you would NOT want to write a book about their trials and tribulations is that they can't deal with them, or don't want to deal with them.  Backing up - maybe that's a little bit harsh.  Let me explain myself.

I've had several experiences for the record book this week.  Let's start with #1.  I taught a class, at the request of the students.  During that class, there was one person who stopped learning.  She took her hands off the keyboard, crossed her arms and leaned over the shoulder of the woman beside her.  I asked if she needed help.  "No, that's okay.  I'll just watch."  Pardon me, but didn't I just give up a couple hours out of my day to help you?  and now you're saying you don't want to learn after all?  I'm going to leave that story right there because if I continue on, I'm going to get myself into trouble.  Suffice it to say I was not happy.

Let's move on to person #2.  The Excuse Queen.  The kind of person who doesn't take responsibility for herself, there's always some reason why she can't fit in and do the same things everyone else does.  Again, I don't want to go into great details here, but I'm sure we all know someone like this.  Someone who can't get to work on time because they're too tired?  Forget about the trials the people next to you are going through, it's all about you.  The fact that other people can manage to get to work on time and even early, despite greater obstacles, doesn't matter.  (That's the minor complaint, folks.)  This person believes their life is so difficult (and I'm sure, for her, it is).  Hey.  I've been there.  I've lived through difficult days where I wasn't sure I was going to make it.  The difference is that I didn't walk around telling everyone I met about my woes.  I got help.  So this person?  The one that people tell me I should write her life story because it's one thing after another?  Here's my take on this one, individual circumstance.  She would make a poor heroine in a story because, for starters, she can't seem to help herself.  Heroines have to be strong, even if they don't know they're strong.  The obstacles this woman has to overcome in her life ("I'm just so worn out!") are not insurmountable obstacles.  They are barriers she's created in her own mind and barriers she invents to use for excuses.  (Is my lack of sympathy/tolerance showing yet?)

Okay, to play fair (like I said, it has been one of those weeks), there are people that seem to have a black cloud hanging over them.  These are people that have REAL problems, not your everyday variety.  Those people I've read books about.  One comes to mind - and it has been a number of years so I've forgotten the title - about a bank clerk who is accused of theft.  She's a straight-laced. law abiding citizen so her life gets turned upside down by this false accusation.  Through the story she fights to prove her innocence, but the twist to the story is that in the process, she hooks up with and becomes a jewel thief.  I cried for the first three chapters of this book for the wrongly accused woman, and in spite of her turn to crime, you cheered for her by the end.  Her morals remained intact (the jewel thief part was more like Robin Hood). 

When someone's turmoil is out of their control, I'm completely sympathetic and yes, those people just might make a good story.  But the folks that are usually recommended for a story (you can't make that kind of stuff up!) are usually people that have created their owns problems and not the victims of circumstance.

Ok, enough with my rant for the day and my opinions on "people you should write about."  Thanks to my friends for their recommendations, but for some of these folks, the best I can do with these "poor, helpless" people is a supporting character role where they don't have to be strong.

Relearning old lessons

I have trouble writing villains.  Blame it on my parents.  I'm too nice.

I'm at a turning point in my story where I'm struggling with making my villain really bad.  It's pretty easy to have him do something evil, then have my hero show up to save the day.  But it's too easy.  Part of plotting is conflict and turning points.  Fortunately, I had a lot of rewriting prior to this critical point in the story which kept me involved while I sorted through black moments and turning points.  But when I finished the rewriting, or at least as much as I had planned until I'm done with everything, I was still struggling. So I pulled out some old writing magazines - I called it cleaning house - and went out on the deck on a sunny afternoon to read through them for articles I might want to save (that's why I didn't throw them away in the first place, right?).

Wouldn't you know it?  I found an article on just this problem - something about "saggy middles."  It talks about the middle part of your story where you lose focus or lose motivation and while you're busy rushing through the conflicts, you still have 100 pages or more to write.  It's helpful to revisit these lessons, and particularly at such crucial times!  Suddenly, I had a clearer picture of where I was going.  Okay, let the hero find her, but what if she doesn't want to be found?  Or what if the villain allowed the hero to find her for a darker purpose?  Immediately I went to my PC and started writing the rest of my story arc, the villanous side that so often eludes me.  I knew who the bad guys were, I knew what I wanted them to do.  The problem I was having was the why and the outcome and what's the worst that could happen?  It was all too simple until I remembered to throw in a couple of impossible twists for the characters to work through, even if the hero was able to rescue the heroine quickly.

Yes, I recycled a bunch of my old writing magazines, but I also rescued some of the articles that resonate or remind me of points to remember when I'm plotting.  Even after hours in a classroom or with my nose in books, some lessons have to be refreshed regularly.  This is the benefit of subscribing to market related magazines.

I work for a company during the day where "professionals" are required to complete "continuing education" on an annual basis.  This is to educate them on changes in the industry and to refresh lessons already learned.  The same principle can be applied to any vocation and was clearly demonstrated to me again today.  For writers, continuing education most often comes in the form of conferences and trade magazines.

Important lessons to remember:  1) Writing is rewriting and 2) Learning is an ongoing process. 

Gotta go - I have villains to write about!

Serendipity

I'm sure I've blogged with this same title before, but here we go again.

I'm on a writing vacation this week.  Not a week AWAY from writing, a week OF writing.  I'd really like to get this first draft down, and the more dedicated time I can spend with it, the sooner I can finish.  Making good progress - pleased, overall - and here's that serendipitous moment that cemented my belief that this was a good move on my part.

Have you ever seen the Northern Lights?  Aurora Borealis?  (Is this a weird question?)  I live near Chicago.  Big city, bright lights = light pollution.  The Northern Lights don't happen here.  For starters, it's too far south, and then there's the whole light pollution thing.  But one time, driving to Minnesota to visit my sister, along a cloudy highway at night, I could see flashes of color between the dark clouds that tried to hide them from me.  A small glimpse, but a glimpse all the same.

In the story I'm writing now, I pulled from that minor experience and expanded on it.  My hero has a flash that reminds him of the Northern Lights.  I've given him the requisite background to have had that opportunity.  I wrote that chapter last week.  Last night, the news was all about solar flairs and a solar tsunami that was triggering the Aurora Borealis as far south as Illinois and Ohio.  Go figure!  So last night, I went out to my back yard in the dark and stared up at a clear, starry sky, looking for the waves of color.  It might be useful to point out that we are between storms that have been dropping several inches of rain at a time, so this is a window that I was not expecting to have.  But there it was.  A clear, starry night, and with it, flashes.  Not waves of color like I'd been expecting to see - I'm in Illinois, after all, but flashes of light like lightning in a clear sky.  Maybe if I had stayed out longer I might have found some color, after the neighbors turned out their lights and went to bed, after the world went to sleep, but somehow, with streetlights and city lights nearby and living on the far edges of the range of this magnificent phenomenon, I'm thinking that might have been wishing for too much.  All the same, what are the odds that I'd write about the Northern Lights (in the first place) and that they'd choose this exact time to manifest themselves IN ILLINOIS (in the second place)?

Karma?  Coincidence?  They tell you coincidences should be limited in your writing since it stretches that line between belief and disbelief, but when life jumps in and throws a coincidence like this at you, do you discount it all and say "nah, I don't buy it"?  Not me.  I prefer to view it as divine intervention.  Maybe I've already gushed on my blog about how excited I am about the story I'm writing right now.  I'm slogging through the hard parts that make it work instead of fun, but I'm loving the story just the same.  To see just this small part of it happen in real life, for me, acts as reinforcement that this is a story worth writing and somewhere, somehow, someone is validating my decision to write it.  (Thanks, God!)

So now, if you'll excuse me, I have a story to write!  That's why I'm on vacation, after all!

Over the hump

I've reached the halfway point in my current work.  In fact, I'm over the hump.  Oddly enough, halfway through is usually another benchmark.  It's that place where you aim for the finish line and rediscover the direction of the story.  I will admit to being stuck, because it's also a place of re-evaluating.  But I'm over the hump and moving forward once again!

Getting started with a story is exciting and fun, but once the honeymoon is over, once you get, oh, about halfway in, you get stuck.  From there, you have to look to the end.  Is the story on track?  Is it going the wrong direction?  Have the characters taken you somewhere you didn't expect as they've evolved and come to life on the pages?  It's the mature years of the story's life.

Reaching "the end" is often compared to child birth.  You've expressed the whole thing and you need recovery to bond with the end result.  I've read several interesting accounts of how different authors deal with the "post partum" phase, almost all of which requires stepping away from the story to let it gel all by itself.  I know for sure that once I reach "the end," I'm not going to be done with this one.  There are several places I've had to weave and reweave information that I left out on the first draft that is necessary to bring my story to life.  That doesn't mean I won't get to "post partum."  I've actually scheduled some dedicated extra time to get through this first draft because I'm still excited about my "baby's" heartbeat (when you read this story, you'll get the double entendre in that remark!).

So I'm keeping this post short.  Focused on moving forward and anxious to birth this story!

Rejected!

Oh wait, we're not playing basketball.  Of course it doesn't feel any better having your shot blocked.

After three long months of waiting, the editor I met at the Spring Fling Conference finally got back to me.  She reiterated how much she liked the story premise for Epitaph, but I didn't convince her that this was a book she couldn't live without.  Unfortunately, authors develop this fatalist attitude so when the letter came yesterday, I would have been more surprised if she had asked for a full manuscript to review.  Is this the end?  Nope.  Just another bump in the road.  I am disappointed, but I have another plan to put into action - starting today.  Epitaph is off to the next prospect.

In the meantime, I'm still working on The Next Big Thing (which is not the title).  I'm still excited about this one and hoping I can do justice to the concept.  Of all the stories I've written, this one just FEELS like something special.  Oh, yes, they are all special when you're writing them, and I felt this same way when I wrote The Treasure of St. Paul.  The ones between were fun, but none of them had the same spark.  In fact, the last story I wrote was pretty flat, but then again, it was written as a catharsis - an homage to a tragedy.  That one will likely never see the light of day.  But THIS ONE has real potential.

Rejection is a part of the process.  One of the hardest lessons is to accept the criticism and learn from it.  I don't know of anyone who takes criticism well, but there are very few malicious agents and/or editors.  They don't pass along comments to be mean, they do it to teach you something.  A famous person once said those who will not learn from their mistakes are destined to repeat them.  In a highly subjective business, it's easy to discount "one person's opinion."  However, when that one person knows what they're talking about, you need to consider why they don't like it before you ignore it.  For me, I think the comments I received were valid, and it's a weakness I've seen pointed out by others.  At the end of the day, it may be something I'm not able to overcome, but knowing it, seeing it, recognizing it - these are the first steps to correcting it.  If I can correct it this time, maybe the next proposal will be accepted!

In the meantime, I'm moving forward on my canyon story, keeping these lessons in mind as I first finish and then edit.  With a little luck and a lot of hard work, this one just might be that break-out novel.

The Dog Days of Summer

Someone turned the heat way up this year.  I don't mind the heat so much, but the humidity is what kills.  Today is one of those days where, when you walk outside, it feels like someone is throwing waterballoons at you.  HOT water balloons that don't splash, they just trickle.  I walked out of the grocery store this morning and my glasses fogged up.  Isn't that only supposed to happen in winter?

These are the days where you don't mind staying inside and immersing yourself in another world, even if (in my current case) that's means the desert. 

I'm still having a ball with my current work in progress, but I've re-discovered why I'm the "spit it out, clean it up later" type of writer.  With my current story, I've been working slowly, making sure I get the details right the first time (or at least mostly right) when I have chunks of time to write.  I'm still slapping down some of the chapters when my time is short in an effort to get them on paper, but the thing that stands out for me is the time I'm wasting.

Yesterday I took a big chunk of time.  I went back through the last two chapters that had been slap-dashed onto paper and cleaned them up, then I went to my stopping point to continue on, knowing full well what I want to write, and I was stuck.  This is what many people call writer's block:  the inability to write.  But I'm not blocked.  I know what I want to say, but I can't seem to word it the way I want to.  So I stare at my computer screen, filtering through all the words inside my head and nothing is translating itself through my fingers, to the keyboard, to the computer screen.  THAT's frustrating. 

Today, I'm taking a break.  DH has volunteered to take me to a movie to escape the heat and I'm going!  When I get back, I think it will be time to slap-dash chapters down.  I will have another big chunk of time, so once I get started, I can then go back and clean up the mess later.  It's how I work best.

Writing is rewriting

You'll have noticed the change in my posts, no doubt.  If you go back a couple, you'll see the quote I posted about the ups and downs, as posted by another author in my circle.

I'm 8 chapters into the latest and BAM! I hit a wall.  And so I began writing chapters ahead of where I should be because I'm struggling with forward momentum.  Not wanting to lose ground, I have placemarkers to go back to.  Today I went back to one of those placemarkers and have spent a highly productive day rewriting a poorly written chapter.  It's all part of the fun.  As we second guess ourselves as writers, we stall out until we catch our second wind (and third wind, and fourth wind).

Yesterday I couldn't think of a word to write, so I picked up the first book I published.  I wanted to measure my progress from that point until today.  I always felt that The Treasure of St. Paul was written from the heart and I have a great attachment to it, but I've been afraid to go back and read it fearing that I was mistaken and it would show what an unskilled writer I was then.  Years later, I'm still proud of that story, and although I did see some rookie mistakes and illegal point of view changes, I'm glad I wrote it.  The story was still as strong for me yesterday as it was when I wrote it.  Perserverance, hard work, sticking with it, writing, editing, rewriting.  It shows in that story and it is as true at any point in the writing journey.

Today I was able to continue on my present story, reassured that maybe, just maybe, I can write just a little bit.  Fresh ideas and marketing light bulbs popping.  I've also touched base with some old writing buddies who asked about my other stories as yet unpublished.  I'm climbing out of my rut with renewed excitement.  The icing on this cake would be hearing back from the editor who requested Epitaph at the writers conference.  Validation is a wonderful thing :-)

Happy Independence Day!

I'm not going to use this forum to express my political views.  One of the things we are taught is that discussions about religion and politics often end in arguments.  We each have a unique stand on these issues that might be clear as mud to the person beside us, so I will choose to exault our independence and be thankful for those who have fought hard to secure it for us, and not condemn those that have taken advantage of it and corrupted the system our forefathers worked so hard to build. (oops, I guess I did express a teensy little opinion . . .)

I find myself today thinking about the evolution of change.  The cliche is that nothing is so certain in this life as change, and I know I've seen more than my fair share.  In my job, in my life.  Change is always difficult, by its very nature.  Its our adaptability that measures how difficult that change will be.  I see the publishing industry changing, much the same way the music industry changed.  It is clear that we are advancing further into an electronic age.  I voiced my opinions on the Kindle, et. al. in another post a few months back.  I see this as an inevitable evolution, but as in music, it is not clearly one or the other, it is more the trend, allowing for holdbacks and conscientious objectors.  The thing that disturbs me, however, is the greed that walks hand in hand with the process of change.  Case in point:  I have published two e-books in conjunction with the publication of the paperback version of those novels.  The selling price was about $5 as I recall (don't quote me, I'd have to go back and check).  As I was researching an electronic reader, I came across a disclaimer that I couldn't currently buy any books because they were restructuring the pricing of same.  It seems that with increased demand, they feel it necessary to increase the price.  So now, instead of buying a relatively inexpensive to produce ebook for $5, they want you to pay $10.  I get the economics of it - they have to pay for the hardware and the infrastructure, but on the other hand, isn't a lot of that already in place?  They are charging high prices for the readers to cover the cost of manufacture and networking, it seems to me.  Maybe I'm missing something and I have no idea what I'm talking about, but I have a real problem with increasing the cost of ebooks just because there is a greater audience today than there was in the past.  That being said, if the publishers choose to go away from the production of paperback versions, then maybe they need to cover the cost of marketing and editing and all the other things that go into publishing a novel, but then I consider paperback books in the grocery store.  Aren't they still selling for $4.99 or $7.99?

Yes, the face of publishing is changing.  I can accept that.  I see it as a higher mountain to climb - more competition with an easier to access format.  In an already highly-competitive profession, I have my concerns about what the market is willing to bear, and quite frankly, it is influencing my decision of whether or not to buy a book reader.  If I'm going to pay full price for an ebook, seems to me holding a paperback in my hand for the same or less would contradict the desire to change.  Or maybe I'm just old fashioned . . .

Keep Pushing

With constant interruptions to the writing process, sometimes its hard to keep motivated.  The day job is rearing its ugly head once again (well, something has to pay the bills!) so it trumps writing time.  It doesn't eliminate it, but it does reduce it.  That being said, I promised myself I'd make up the difference over the weekend - which I did.

(Saturday) But sitting down, staring at a half finished chapter, trying to figure out where you're going next - sometimes that can be daunting.  Especially when your train of thought has been derailed repeatedly.  So I started at the beginning, knowing I had some edits to make earlier on.  I'm only 6 chapters in, so this isn't so bad as it may sound.  Then something magical happens.  I get excited about the story all over again, and the words begin to flow.

(Sunday)  Then there is the detail aspect.  How do they do that, how do they get there, what does it look like.  Once again, I have to take time away, although this is important time away, to research pieces of the story.  At some point during the day, I realized I needed to put some words down, so I abandoned my search to be productive.  I have the major questions answered, and the detail, while interesting to look up, may not be important to the story.  I can fill in the blanks later, if they need to be filled in.

The moral of the story is to keep writing.  Even if it's drivel.  Even if it's incomplete.  Words on the page are valuable.  No words on the page are useless.  I actually started one chapter with what I wanted that chapter to entail.  One short paragraph saying "this is what they're doing and where they're going."  It works.  Its pushes you through to the next section. 

Just keep pushing. 

Writer's Angst

I've been productive today - looking over my social networks, answering my emails, trading critiques AND writing.  One of the writers on my social network made this comment "for the first time in a long time, I feel very content with who and what I am. I'm sure it won't last (I'm a writer, we're neurotic) but I'm very much enjoying it."  This is a feeling I can relate to.

As a writer, there are always ups and downs - one of the most frequent questions we ask ourselves is "Why Am I Doing This?" accompanied by a certainty that what we are writing is pure drivel.  Neurotic?  Absolutely!  It goes with the territory.  You hit a downturn in the writing process - a plot point that you can't quite see clearly or a slow part that stalls you out. 

One of the things that stalls me out is my day job.  I hit that "I don't have the time to devote to writing" roadblock frequently, and then I get a big block of quality time - like today - and I discover that I REALLY love the story I'm writing right now.  So even though I don't have the right allotment of time at the moment to devote to it, I have SOME time to devote to it, accompanied by large chunks here and there, which I take full advantage of.  So even though yesterday I was ready to throw it all in with the whole "why bother?" attitude, today is a new day, and it's these nuggets of inspiration that light up our lives that keep us moving on.

What motivates you to keep going even when you feel like you're fighting a losing battle?

Rollin' rollin' rollin' rawhide

The story is still flowing!  I love it when they seem to write themselves, but here is one of the banes of an author's existence.  DISTRACTION.

While I have kept fairly focused on writing my latest, every now and then I come across a concept that I don't know enough about, so I stop midsentence (sometimes) to check my facts.  Fortunately, I have a resource close by (upstairs, as a matter of fact, sitting at his own computer), but my curiousity and need to know extend beyond even his knowledge at times.  Then I have to zip onto the Internet to check it out (I have lots of new bookmarks!).  For the most part, I've kept focused and haven't let peripheral information take me on detours down the information superhighway.  So that distraction has been reined in well, if I do say so myself.

Another distraction - every day life.  Yeah, that happens all the time.  Writing or not writing, on a roll or stymied.  Distraction of the week:  I have a strawberry patch.  We have had ideal weather for growing strawberries this year and I'm getting an abundant harvest.  Berries don't keep forever, ya know.  So I've had to take extra time to make some homemade jam (thanks, mom) and a couple of frozen strawberry (technically I guess they'd be strawberry cream) pies/desserts.  Okay, that hurdle conquered, there's the other everyday distraction of exercise.  Yes, we all need to keep fit (and I'm doing a 5K tomorrow, so no slacking off!)

I finally sit back at my computer - ready to go again.  But there are emails to address, and critiques to do, and critiques I've received to consider.  It's a matter of prioritizing, and yet it all needs to be done.  Two hours later, I'm caught up again, but then there's the blog thing (yes, here I am).  It's been more than a week again (my apologies).

Does all this mean I've lost my entire day?  Nope.  I've edited my first three chapters according to useful critiques I've received and gotten additional information to include in chapter four, currently under construction.  I'm still rolling along with my story, and now that my distractions are out of the way - oh wait.  It's dinner time.

The distractions will always be there.  It's making the time in between to write that makes the difference.  And yes, there IS a chapter four and it IS progressing.  And with all my other distractions out of the way today (there's still good writing time left), tomorrow looks promising - until tomorrow's distractions kick in.

The Muse and Me

One of the best parts of starting a new story is being carried away with it.  I was excited while I was researching, and as I lay down my chapters, I'm learning new and interesting things about my characters that propel the story along.  This is the fun part.  Oh, I know that there will be difficult times ahead; there have been difficult times already.  I think it's the level of excitement you feel - the impetus that makes you write the story in the first place - that gets you through the speed bumps.

In the interest of keeping in practice, I have written stories that did NOT interest me and I had a hard time plodding through them.  I'm a compulsive finisher, though, so I always get to "The End."  It was still a good exercise in plotting and character development, and even in the stories that didn't excite me much, there were moments of clarity when you felt like you were pulling it all together.

Another aspect of my latest endeavor is that it lends itself to a series.  I'm not keen on writing/reading series' of books as a rule although there have been some that sucked me in.  My personal opinion is that it can get old and lose its appeal after you've visited the same place more than once.  The thing that appeals to me in my own imagination right now and what makes me think this could continue, at least for a couple of additional books, is that although this story is focused on one main character with a unique history, there is a civilization of these characters that have splintered off into various sects that could step forward into their own spotlights.  Food for thought, but I have to get through this one first and see how it flows. 

I find myself writing much more carefully, paying more attention to mechanics.  My regular flow is generally much more haphazard and I imagine that's because it feels much more like standard subject matter.  Slap it down and clean up the mess later.  This time, there is a lot more thought going into the details - and so the details are popping out more.  Every now and then something just strikes you - and this is one of those times.

So while my muse is sitting squarely on my shoulder, I'm laying down chapters and charting details and characteristics (including those I will likely never use).  These are the days when writing isn't a chore, or a job, or difficult.  These are the days when it's fun - the days that remind you why you write in the first place!

Point of View

Leaping into the new story!  I made a false start (and likely the not so false start will still not be the beginning), but I'm making progress.  Words are flowing, my fingers are tapping out plotlines, and even though I have direction and plot, often characters take over and take you where they want to go.  My heroine has a very strong voice - and she's argumentative and angry.  This leads to problems with my hero.  There is a lot I need to disclose about my heroine, considering she isn't your average, everyday human type person, but "The Rules" dictate that you need to bring the H/H together early on in the story.  I have a lot of backstory to write, legends to build, worlds to create.  Where will I find time to bring in my all-too-human hero?

So I asked one my writing buddies her opinion.  Do I write parallel storylines that will converge at a later date?  And she brought up a POV question in what she's currently working on, which addressed my next question as well. 

I have a goal to write a story completely in one point of view.  Like Victoria Holt, one of my first influences.  Maybe that's old fashioned, although I just read a novel recently that was all one POV.  My school of thought on that is that you should be able to include the nuances from that POV that can still show the reader what your main character might be missing.  Not that your POV character is stupid, they're merely overlooking the obvious that you, as a reader, can infer on their behalf.  (This likely won't be that story.)  To me, it is the hallmark of a good writer.  My writing buddy maintains that most stories these days are written from two points of view - readers prefer to  be able to see inside both minds for the ultimate reconciliation of the opposing understandings of the characters.  Anyone care to offer their opinions on the matter?

In the meantime, having gotten off to a (what I believe to be) good start with my latest, I believe I've found a way to bring my H/H together in Chapter #2.  The more important question going forward will be if Chapter #1 is compelling enough to open with - and that won't be determined until several chapters from now, after the flow has gone from a trickle to a stream to a raging river.

The other consideration I've been contemplating is title.  Since it is still developing, I'm taking the obvious roads with "Oneida" or "The Legend People," but ultimately, I'd prefer something a little more provocative with some use of "Legend" that will also highlight the focus of the novel as being something a little out of the ordinary.  I'd also considered "The Great Gathering" but I don't think that discloses enough.  Maybe "The Gathering Legend."  Yeah, well, titles can wait for that raging river, too, when themes become clearer and brighter.

Yep, rambling.  Part of that due to the fact I'm sick today and need a nap.  Isn't it funny that some of our most creative writing happens when we aren't in an altogether clear frame of mind? (yes, rambling again.)

Going for that nap now.  Maybe in my fever induced haze I'll imagine other brilliant plot lines or titles that can translate into a colorful story . . .

night night

Beginnings

I love it when a story idea comes together.

I’ve been working on a new beginning – outlining, jotting down thoughts and ideas, but I was waiting to see my setting before I started the “Once Upon a Time” part. As I was touring, the ideas I had pre-formulated jogged back and forth trying to decide on my best approach and it actually wasn’t until I visited a second, previously unrelated locale, that the story began to take shape. Ideas jumped out at me and I began to make more notes, more outlines and the more I saw and learned, the more the story took shape. Once I knew how the story was going to flow, all the details fell into place, and everything I saw after that seemed to click in line with what I was already building. Sometimes I’m fascinated by how neatly things fit together. It was like that when I wrote The Treasure of St. Paul – once I decided I was going to write about Pompeii and then discovered that St. Paul had been in the region, and the timing of it worked so that “if” St. Paul had the Holy Grail, and his travels took him to Southern Italy before the volcano buried everything, well you get the idea. Once the story starts to roll, it is SO COOL when it almost seems to write itself. Now the research begins, exploring some of the legends already in existence to either incorporate or avoid.

Another fascinating part of the process is the almost bi-polar effect. Example: An agent/editor requests a full/partial of your work and you get so excited – you’re walking on air. Six weeks later comes the rejection in the mail and you’re ready to commit suicide (figuratively speaking, of course). Likewise with writing a story. The idea grabs you and carries you off. You get swept up in the excitement of a new concept and prepare to write, and then the reality strikes. Lots of work, moments where you get stuck or, worse yet, self doubt. Why start writing a story that you might not be able to sell? It can paralyze you and stop you dead in your tracks. But then something magical happens – and it seems to always happen this way for me. Either you get back a query response from someone that wants to see more, or you meet someone that asks you about your writing, or you get a random email from someone that loved your last book, and your balloon is re-inflated. For me, just as I was feeling like I might be wasting my time, I pulled Epitaph out of my bag on the flight home (still checking through and editing for when the editor wants to see the full manuscript after she’s read the partial). I’d already watched the movie and needed to kill another hour when the guy next to me says, “Excuse me, are you a writer?” Being able to talk to someone who understands the roller coaster ride gives you the strength to step forward and begin again because, even if no one ever reads the next book, this is what I love to do. Creative outlet, doncha know.

For the record, I think I’ve got something special with this next story. It isn’t just something to keep me going until a brilliant idea lights up over my head. It IS that brilliant idea that, to my way of thinking, is something completely new and different, and hopefully high concept enough to be that breakthrough novel. Stepping out onto the precipice, ready for the additional research and starting the “Once Upon a Time” phase. Here’s hoping the vision I have translates to paper as clearly as I see it in my head!

Routine

I’m back in the groove this week – back to work/life balance (or as near as I can get). One of the things you will hear about writing as that you should do SOMETHING every day. Write, edit, critique. Something writing related, to keep your brain focused. It’s much like anything else you want to do well. Like basketball, or baseball, or tennis. The more you practice, the better you get. And I’m feeling rusty.

My day job is very streaky. There are days when I’m so busy I can’t see straight which translate into lots of extra hours, and there are days when things are much more laid back. We just finished with the hectic deadline season (which is not to say there are no more deadlines, just not as frantic – or so we hope). It was very compressed this year, work spilling over into my writing time, so I haven’t been as diligent as I might have been. And now I’m paying the price.

Although Epitaph is done, I’m the type of writer that spits it all out and then cleans up the mess later. You’ll find lots of writers who are overly verbose, and their clean-up consists of cutting and chopping and leaving half their work on the editing floor. Not me. I tend to write what I like to call a detailed outline. In essence, it is the complete story, minus some of the details that bring it to life. That being said, I’m going back through Epitaph now and filling in the holes that were left behind. We’re talking CHAPTERS. And I’m motivated. With an editor requesting a partial, I want to make sure I can get those holes filled quickly for when (!) she requests the complete manuscript. I have two chapters in the works and as I submit them to my critique group (and this is where I really appreciate my critique partners the most) they’re scraping off my rust. Like crutch words. When you’re working in “well oiled” mode, you see them almost as quickly as you type them, or at least when you self-edit. Silly me. I pushed a chapter through with one of my most popular crutch words (“back” for those of you who are wondering) littered all through it (go ahead, count how many times I’ve used it in this post and you’ll see what I mean. I’m leaving them in.). The critique comes back and I roll my eyes. Couldn’t I have seen those before I put it in?

But I’m making progress. Not only am I productive on the story again, the gentle reminders will get me back into a better self-editing writing mode. (See, I used “back” again! And I noticed!) My fingers are itching and my brain is humming – my imagination has been repressed for too long. So without further ado, I must return (I didn’t use “back” this time) not only to cleaning up Epitaph but the new story that wants to be converted from information jotted in my notebook to an outline, to a file on my computer with characters and locations. Today, I’m thinking the working title might be Hoodoo you think you are . . . but that probably won’t stick.

Anon

Afterglow

See, this is why I love writers conferences.  I blogged a couple weeks ago about how I'm not a "people" person and it's an effort to come out of my shell to socialize, but every time I do, its so worth it!

I met a lot of people this weekend, people I have a lot in common with.  Went to some great workshops (special note of thanks to Jade Lee, who did a wonderful session) and some agents and editors, one of whom really liked my pitch for Epitaph!  So keeping my fingers crossed that she likes my writing as well as my pitch.

Among the people that were there, Simone Elkeles, who recently hit the NYT Best Seller's list.  My personal note on Simone - at my very first writers conference, she was the organizer and she held my hand.  She got me into a pitch session when someone else chickened out (a priceless experience) and she is one of the nicest people I've ever met.  Her success is well deserved and I couldn't be happier for her.  At the booksigning, she got as many people at her table as the headliners did.  Congratulations, Simone! 

And the beauty of these types of conferences is that in addition to the successful authors, you meet the struggling and still learning.  It's so much fun to hear their passion and enthusiasm when a group of writers gets together, and to share the journeys we all have in common.

Am I gushing?  Then you know I enjoyed the conference.  To all the people that put the conference together, kudos on a job well done.  And now I have to polish up my submission one more time, make sure I've dotted all my "i"s and crossed all my "t"s so that the editor loves my hard copy as much as she liked talking about it with me.

Anon

Agents and Editors and pitch sessions

I'm excited.  I have a pitch session on Saturday with an editor at a publishing house I'd LOVE to get in with.  Granted, these pitch sessions generally don't amount to much, but it is a one-on-one with an insider.  Better yet, she respresents my genre! There's a big plus.  My last pitch session I met an agent who didn't represent my genre, but she was very gracious and I found the experience to be very positive.  I did my homework, I was nervous, but it all went off pretty well.  I don't think I'll be as nervous this time, and I will spend some quality time preparing.

This was all sitting on my brain while I was relaxing this weekend (mandatory down time).  I flipped channels on the television and came across a movie where a librarian steals a manuscript from a dead author.  The manuscript was a thriller,  whodoneit murder mystery, and the librarian's secret ambition was to write historical romance.  I didn't watch the movie since, after about five or ten minutes, it seemed silly to me, and yet the premise stuck.  This is the kind of thing they teach you about at "writing school."  Give your protagonist an impossible situation. Her goals are diametrically opposed to the situation she finds herself in.  Does she give up her dream of writing historical romance and try to venture into something she knows nothing about - something that she finds ugly and distasteful (thinking up murders)?  Naturally, the agent that sold her stolen book had no interest in her historical romances.  She was more interested in a follow-on book, a sequel, which the protag was ill-equipped to write.  The protag got her foot in the door, which was her goal, but it was the wrong door.

Which brings me to my point:  know your genre.  Know your audience.  Know your stepping stones.  While it was nice that I got to pitch an agent previously, she was likely not interested in what I had since that wasn't what she represented.  It was good practice for me.  She DID recommend me to another agent before it was all said and done (and no, the other agent didn't sign me), so it was not a waste of time.  You might think she was just being polite, but there were others that pitched to her that day that she turned down flat or gave suggestions to that they weren't open to.  Point number 2:  Understand that they know what they're talking about and their suggestions, which might not be in line with your ideas, are meant to help you.  If you don't like them, it is your perogative to look elsewhere, but its worth considering - they know the business.  The agents and editors aren't there to soothe your ego, they're there to help you take the next step.  It's up to you to determine whether or not their suggestions are in line with your goals and NOT TAKE IT PERSONALLY (every author will tell you that you need a thick skin and an open mind to succeed).  That being said, I haven't met an agent or editor that was personally snarky or rude.  They're always pleasant and polite, but they also recognize when someone ignores their expertise.  That's the point they stop offering their assistance, cuz hey, if you know better than they do, more power to you.

So wish me luck.  While I don't have inflated hopes, I'm excited to talk to someone who meets my query criteria!

Once upon a time . . .

We've been planning vacation time.  It's still a ways off in the future (and if you watched Andy Rooney on 60 Minutes last night, he'd be spanking my hand for making time move to fast by planning too far into the future), but as I look at the things I want to do, the places I want to go, the things I want to see, I find myself inspired.  Places inspire me.  Settings.  We're going to Bryce Canyon.  I've never been to Bryce Canyon, but my DH, the amateur photographer, has been looking at photo ops, and has he found some beauties!  "Come, look at this," he calls me from his cave.  I look over his shoulder and I see, with my imagination's eye, something magical.  Turns out Bryce Canyon has a unique landscape (okay, I knew that much) but the photographs capture something else.  Credit good photography or credit my wild imagination, but a story started in that moment.

The author part of me started making notes - mental notes at first - and then yesterday I did some additional research while I had some down time.  I had visions of the Wicked Witch from the Wizard of Oz popping out of the scenery (Hoodoos are prone to dissolving in water).  I had visions of fairy queens and princesses emerging from the "Fairy Chimneys."  Well you get the idea.  Much more, but until I can put it into a story, I think I'll spare you my wild imaginings.  My dilemma?  Ok, since these are Fairy Chimneys, does it become a Fairy Tale?  Does it venture into the fantasy genre? (Sorry, I don't feel adequate to that task).  I'm good with paranormal - that's my leaning - but how far out of paranormal will a fairy chimney take me?  These are all rhetorical questions, really, but it does make you stop and appreciate Aesop and the Brothers Grimm.  The possibilities for my fertile imagination are endless, but I'll stick with what I know.

New story ideas are always exciting.  The problem is that oftentimes, because I tend to be "setting" inspired, I start to write from the scene in front of me and it fizzles out fairly quickly.  How much can you write in one place?  And then, other times, that location rises to the occasion and provides a perfect place for what I can build around it.  Right now I feel like Stephen King vacationing in an empty Colorado resort hotel at the onset of winter.  I only hope I can put the magic I'm seeing into something everyone else can see and enjoy. 

I have my summer project!

Writing Instructions

I got my latest writing magazine in the mail this week and now that deadline is over (picture squished animals in the middle of the road and that's about how I feel post-March 31), I actually took a few minutes to flip through it.  And then, once my brain re-engaged with life, I actually read some of the articles.

One of the interesting viewpoints was "what kind of writer are you?" which analyzes similarly to a personality profile.  Get ready, I'm going to editorialize here.

Articles for writers are written by writers who are trying to earn some money while they're waiting for their books to sell or as a marketing technique to get you to recognize their name and read their books.  Nothing wrong with it, but at the end of the day, these articles boil down to one person's opinion.  Often they are dry, which makes me less inclined to read their prose.  Every now and then you come across someone whose personality shines through in their articles (case in point:   J.A. Konrath).  But I digress.  Back to my point - one person's opinion.

An important thing to note is that all writers are not created equal.  The "rules" of writing are a standard that most should follow and particularly for novice writers, they need to follow the rules until they learn when it's okay to break them.   An example here is Nora Roberts.  The Rule is stay in one point of view per section.  Nora is a terrible head-hopper, and yet she is wildly popular.  So the novice writer says "if Nora can do it, so can I."  But Nora has something they don't:  experience and knowledge.  My point here is that novice writers should stick to the rules.  Again, I'm digressing from my point (call it battle fatigue).

Back to the article I read.  Even when I don't agree with the author, there's usually something you can come away with.  I enjoyed this particular piece because it identifies how you write.  It tells you to stay true to what you write, but it also tells you to know enough about how you DON'T write to incorporate some of the other personalities into for a more well-rounded story.  (Not sure I'm making sense here - checking head for fever . . .)  Let me see if I can elaborate.

I fall into what she classified as "Type C" writer.  Vivid imagination, alternate reality, I can see it all in my head but I can't always get it onto paper.  I have another buddy who is a "Type A," which is defined as more clinical - to the point, but lacking depth of emotion.  Then there's the "Type B" that is all romantic interludes.  The author goes on to point out that there are rules for how many interludes you can get away with in your novel and those folks either have to write erotica or find balance in the A's and C's.

My friend who is a Class A writer throws in some of those Class B scenes according to the "rules."  Obligatory, she calls it.  I disagree.  I'm all for a good sex scene now and then, but there are some stories that just don't need them.  Dan Brown, for instance, writes excellent Class A books without having the hero jump into bed with the beautiful young heroine.  The attraction is there and clearly presented, but our hero has more important things on his mind.  To my point - Sex scenes are NOT obligatory.  If they advance the plot, well and good.

Call me out of touch, but I know what I like to read.  Reining back in to the article now.  Each personality needs to touch on the others to make the book a better read.  Although I can clearly see my convoluted plot lines and trains of thought in my head, without a little Class A balance to my Class C writing, my readers will have no idea what's going on.  And THAT is what I got from that article.  I can see myself, and I can see my shortcomings as she detailed them.  (Good writing!)

So as to writing instructions, and authors sharing all their tips and tricks:  at the end of the day, no two authors are created equal.  Nora Roberts is allowed to write head-hopping scenes, but the rest of the world is forbidden.  Dan Brown can write a plot line that stretches the imagination to its limits, but I guarantee you my critique group would point out immediately that it would be highly unlikely that my hero could solve a puzzle an hour in a foreign country where he doesn't know his way around, let alone the landmarks he has to find there.

It's all in what the editors will tell you - if you have a well written story, the rest will take care of itself.  People will overlook the rules you've broken if you can hold them with good writing, and good writing comes with a balance of imagination, attention to everyday details and yes, sometimes, a hot romance scene.  It comes from "showing" and not "telling" (the cardinal rule!).  Most of all, and this is probably why the article rang with me, is that you have to be true to yourself and not try to write outside of who you are.  If you're a Class C writer, embrace that and while you should incorporate the other styles, don't try to BE the other styles.

Yep.  I'm on board with that.  Half the battle is identifying your style.  Once you're there, you know what you have to work on.

Balancing and juggling

Okay, one week to go to the next deadline, and this one is a doozy!  Sorry, it kind of dominates my life right now, except . . .

Yes, I'm getting excited about the book signing, even though the new book isn't out yet.  I have a new chapter down for Epitaph and another chapter "brewing."  I'm anxious to spend some quality time with my keyboard, and yet, I'm at least getting intermittent time so I can keep my hand in it.  It's a precarious balance, this working full time gig while entertaining the writing muse.  Some days it's near impossible, and yet, here I am.

Taking deep breaths, knowing that soon the balance will shift.

Billy Joel said in a lecture that people who wondered if they could be musicians weren't.  If you don't know, then you aren't.  I believe the same applies to most artists.  It's in your DNA.  That being said, writing is something I've done all of my life.  It took a while to get to where I am today, and I still have a ways to go (along with more juggling and more balancing). It's a part of who I am - the best is yet to come.

Welcome Sweet Spring Time

One more week until Spring has officially sprung.  The weather is giving us indications of the changeover, warmer temperatures, RAIN, crocuses.  My favorite thing about spring is the sense of renewal, rebirth, reawakening.  Things go from drab to technicolor in the space of a few short weeks.  Its a great time to shake off the dust and lethargy of winter and jump with both feet into new projects, new starts, renewed motivation.  For me, it's a gigantic boost for the mental state of mind.

Yes, there is still busy season to contend with.  And daily life.  This past weekend, I took a drive 75 miles away to watch One Young Son play volleyball (thanks for riding with me, sis!).  I went to a baby shower for my niece.  Action packed, these weekends.  With the time change, I feel like I missed this weekend altogether, even though I still enjoyed those parts of it that I wasn't working . . .

There's a light at the end of the tunnel and a writer's conference on the horizon. And Springtime to refresh the attitude.  Never mind that they're threatening snow for next weekend (they might be wrong, you know!).  And then, hopefully, I'll have more interesting thoughts to blog about again.  More projects to keep you posted on.  More publishing news! 

Thanks for hanging in there with me!

Deadline: a double 4 letter word

Yes, I've been in this business longer than I care to admit, and every year as we hit deadlines it's bedlam and mayhem all over again.  And yet, there's a certain amount of adrenlin that goes with it.  Each year has it's own personality at deadline times and this one is no exception. 

I've been wound up, preparing for this year, anticipating what's coming and how to meet the unreasonable demands.  You do what you can ahead of time, and then when time runs out, you hope you make it through.  Well, we did make it through the first round, my team and me. (pats on the back all around).  Ready for the next one.  It's rapid fire this time of year.

Along with the day job, there is the writing deadline aspect of things.  Yes, some of us thrive on the adrenalin rush, and yes there are times you don't think you're going to pull through.  Riding on a wave of achievement, I'm reflecting on the writing tasks ahead of me.  I'm still editing Epitaph, I'm nearly finished with the one after that one and I have one "on the shelf" that continues to tug at me to make it more saleable.  Then, there's my first book, which I've had a number of recent sales on and which I believe is outdated (almost ten years since its publication date).  The thought runs through my head to update it.  All projects that vie for my attention.

The most important part about deadlines, however, is prioritization.  Knowing what has to go first and what can wait.  With the Chicago conference coming up next month, there is some preparation I have to do.  With a little luck, I'll have an agent/publisher meeting to pitch Epitaph, in which case I'll need to finish those edits (for my own peace of mind - they won't be looking at it at the conference).  I have to pull together promos for the book signing and yes, I'm still juggling that pesky day job that pays the bills. 

Sometimes life works in concert with you, though, and you have to take advantage of those opportunities.  This is one of those years where things are in alignment, so the deadlines aren't quite so scary this time around.  It's just a matter of pushing through them and making sure you get done what needs to be done ahead of time so that when that last day hits, you're ready for it.

This year - I'm ready!

Writer's Conferences

Writers are supposed to go to writers' conferences.  It's a great networking opportunity, a chance to learn more about your craft, a chance to ask the more successful authors for tips, a chance to meet agents and publishers.  It's a great opportunity all the way around.  The catch, is that a majority of writers tend to be  . . . is the right word antisocial?  They tend to prefer sitting alone, at the computer (or typewriter), creating an alternate universe to the company of crowds of people.

I'm starting preparations to go to the Chicago writer's conference, which is always a very nice event.  The North Shore Chapter of RWA does a great job putting it together and they've always been friendly and helpful.  I've posted many times that I work a seasonal day job.  And the season is spring (and autumn, but that's beside the point).  This conference always falls in the spring which, for most people, is a great time to get out and enjoy the returning pleasant weather, to break out of our winter prisons.  For me, its a time of tremendous pressure and stress, and yet, the conference provides a nice break from all of that.  Coupled with that, its a conscious "turning on" of the personality.  In order to network, I have to make a concerted effort to be outgoing (which I don't come by naturally).  It's a break out of my comfort zone.  And it's always rewarding, as difficult as it is to get time off from the day job at this time of year.  This is a source of great stress, but at the same time, it's one of those things I do for me.  Work life balance, doncha know, and a chance to show a different side of my personality that stays hidden for large periods of time.  That outgoing stuff?  It's something I've learned through the years.  Credit it to a great speech teacher in high school, coaxing out shy, introverted kids to be able to address a room full of people.  I've always been a quick learner, and I understand the application of those lessons to my daily life.  Do I wish I was an outgoing person?  The life of the party?  Nah, that's not me.  I can do it when I have to, and I don't mind, but I'm just as happy sitting quietly in the corner, observing the rest of the room.  In the end, that's what writer's are best at.  Observing, imagining and putting the stories that come into your head onto "paper."

For those of you that are in the Chicago area toward the end of April, stop by and buy some books!  Coupled with the conference will be a book signing featuring Cherry Adair and Julia Quinn, among dozens of other authors (ahem, me included).  4:30pm to 6:00 pm Saturday, April 24, 2010, at the Deerfield Hyatt.  You will be able to find details posted on my website. Visit the Events Page.
Chicago Spring Fling Book Signing.