I live a pretty mundane life. My normal day includes sitting in front of my laptop, writing or illustrating, going to work, playing with my rabbit, maybe trying to cook a new vegan recipe or two.
Raising the stakes in my own life includes picking up extra work hours, forgetting that I left on a stove burner, sticking a broom behind the entertainment center to get the rabbit out before she chews the cords, and maybe trying to fit a doctor's appointment in on my lunch break.
Exciting, right? No.
It's especially boring if this is all your characters do.
Sure we're all pretty mundane in real life, but when we read fiction, we can escape the mundane for an adventure. Whether you're writing a giant fantasy or a literary shocker, the stakes for your characters need to be higher than a broken TV cable.
I used to scoff at articles that plead with writers to raise the stakes for their novels. "Pff, I've already got a weird setting," or "Come on, this character is mentally or physically unstable," were things I'd often throw out in my defense.
But I was wrong.
My characters were DOING things, sure. But they weren't filled with enough tension or the consequences of their failures really didn't matter.
Your character can be described as unstable as you want, but if it's never shown - if nothing ever happens with that instability - does it really matter?
So, the next time you have your protagonist yelling at the boss, don't just make his dilemma whether or not he'll be fired. Make it life or death. Make it the difference between his happy marriage or a divorce. Make him feel the consequences and force him to make a decision one way or the other.
Readers will feel more engaged, they'll definitely care more, and they'll keep reading.
That's all we hope for.
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Tuesday, December 23, 2014
Bonus Post: Happy 100!
I wanted to do a short Bonus Post this week to let all of you know that we've just surpassed the 100th post marker! Yes, we've shared 100 blog posts together from the very beginning.
That's a Christmas present I'm happy to receive.
That's a Christmas present I'm happy to receive.
We Won't Go Until We Get Some
If you think of the holiday season, one thing that doesn't normally come to mind is creativity. After all, most of us are too busy and stressed to think creatively at this time.
But someone, at some time, made the holidays the most creative stories out there. The giant Easter Bunny hiding eggs. An old, fat man in a red suit breaking and entering and leaving presents. Rudolph, a reindeer with a glowing nose. Cupid, who shoots people with arrows out of love. Tiny green leprechauns who love money and gold.
So, even if your writing becomes scarce or nonexistent this holiday season, remember, your creativity can still flow without halt.
Take a deep breath, bring out that figgy pudding and let your brain run wild! Your relatives will.
But someone, at some time, made the holidays the most creative stories out there. The giant Easter Bunny hiding eggs. An old, fat man in a red suit breaking and entering and leaving presents. Rudolph, a reindeer with a glowing nose. Cupid, who shoots people with arrows out of love. Tiny green leprechauns who love money and gold.
So, even if your writing becomes scarce or nonexistent this holiday season, remember, your creativity can still flow without halt.
Take a deep breath, bring out that figgy pudding and let your brain run wild! Your relatives will.
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Don't be Discouraged. We're all Different!
I recently purchased a meditation CD to (hopefully) get myself in a routine with meditation. Until now, I thought meditation was done one way: You sit down, shut up, and find some inner peace already.
But the CD changed my mind. Upon it, the instructor (Yogi Cameron) helped me to understand that just as there are different personalities amongst people, there are also different meditation styles. Some do best with visualization, some with gazing, some need to count or chant or connect themselves to a deity.
Not only am I now a better meditater, but I also realized that I could connect this understanding with writing.
We all write differently. Some outline and some write with abandon by the seat of their pants. Some can't move on before every word in every sentence is perfect, and others spend years polishing what used to be a crappy first draft. Some drink when they write, others listen to music, and still others need complete solitude and silence.
So how in the world do we all expect to come about writing the same way?
Every writing book and professor you will obtain in your lifetime details a particular method for THEM. That's why so many children become discouraged early on with writing. Their teachers tell them that there is one way to write (the way that works best for the instructor) and if the child can't find his own path, he will quit.
And we want to be successful.
Knowing this, how do you find your correct writing niche for success? First, like meditation, you have to know yourself.
Do you like lists and organization? Outlines may be best for you.
Are you the most creative person you know? Try writing organically, or "from the seat of your pants".
Don't like commitments? Stick to short stories rather than long, difficult novels.
Do you live your life in metaphors? Try writing literary.
There's no tried and true method that will work for everyone. Because we are all different. So don't worry if your style is different from your best friend's. Don't be discouraged if she finishes a novel before you. And don't worry about choosing the wrong style in the beginning.
As the years roll on, we all change. And our methods may need to change as well.
Pick one method. Try it. Didn't work? Go with another.
Find the one that works for you and you alone.
P.S. If you're also interested in meditation, this is the CD I purchased. It's amazing. I recommend it. http://www.meditatewithyc.com/
But the CD changed my mind. Upon it, the instructor (Yogi Cameron) helped me to understand that just as there are different personalities amongst people, there are also different meditation styles. Some do best with visualization, some with gazing, some need to count or chant or connect themselves to a deity.
Not only am I now a better meditater, but I also realized that I could connect this understanding with writing.
We all write differently. Some outline and some write with abandon by the seat of their pants. Some can't move on before every word in every sentence is perfect, and others spend years polishing what used to be a crappy first draft. Some drink when they write, others listen to music, and still others need complete solitude and silence.
So how in the world do we all expect to come about writing the same way?
Every writing book and professor you will obtain in your lifetime details a particular method for THEM. That's why so many children become discouraged early on with writing. Their teachers tell them that there is one way to write (the way that works best for the instructor) and if the child can't find his own path, he will quit.
And we want to be successful.
Knowing this, how do you find your correct writing niche for success? First, like meditation, you have to know yourself.
Do you like lists and organization? Outlines may be best for you.
Are you the most creative person you know? Try writing organically, or "from the seat of your pants".
Don't like commitments? Stick to short stories rather than long, difficult novels.
Do you live your life in metaphors? Try writing literary.
There's no tried and true method that will work for everyone. Because we are all different. So don't worry if your style is different from your best friend's. Don't be discouraged if she finishes a novel before you. And don't worry about choosing the wrong style in the beginning.
As the years roll on, we all change. And our methods may need to change as well.
Pick one method. Try it. Didn't work? Go with another.
Find the one that works for you and you alone.
P.S. If you're also interested in meditation, this is the CD I purchased. It's amazing. I recommend it. http://www.meditatewithyc.com/
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Do You Suffer From Premature Resolution?
If you've ever written or read a story that kept your attention to the very end, but then seemed to finish too quickly, you need to read this post.
Trust me. It's a serious condition. (Note: I am not a doctor, but writers can be anything, right?)
You're experiencing Premature Resolution.
This condition can be brought on by two things:
1. (the most common) When the author doesn't allow the resolution of the conflict or story lines enough room to unfold, or doesn't slow the action down enough for the reader to feel a sense of completion. Without this, the reader is unable to contemplate the meaning of the ending while still engrossed in the story itself. It's the, "I loved the book, but the ending sucked," mentality.
2. (slightly less common, but still rampant) When the author attempts to wrap up the main plot line and the subplot lines too quickly or all in the same scene. This is found most often in rushed novel endings or in short stories, when the author is nearing his word count total.
It can be difficult to spot Premature Resolution and to pinpoint its direct causes. Most readers and writers feel nothing but a sense of loss or a feeling that things didn't finish up as they should.
To keep your writing from suffering from Premature Resolution, make sure you give the major moment of climax and ending action enough space to truly unfold and sink into the reader's mind. Also, make sure you stagger the resolutions of sub plots through your novel or story so that everything doesn't end, abruptly, at one time. Not only will you keep your reader interested by offering new plot points throughout the novel so they keep reading (because the end of one problem is always the start of another, am I right?) but they will be able to commit to the climax more readily when they aren't worrying about six different character problems.
For instance, if the main plot of your story is to catch the killer, you don't want your readers also wondering if the protagonist's relationship is going to fall apart after an affair, and if the alley cat he just hit in the high-speed chase is, in fact, his daughter's. Stagger your problems (subplots) and the major conflict resolution so readers stay engaged, active, and rearing for the major reveal.
Trust me. It's a serious condition. (Note: I am not a doctor, but writers can be anything, right?)
You're experiencing Premature Resolution.
This condition can be brought on by two things:
1. (the most common) When the author doesn't allow the resolution of the conflict or story lines enough room to unfold, or doesn't slow the action down enough for the reader to feel a sense of completion. Without this, the reader is unable to contemplate the meaning of the ending while still engrossed in the story itself. It's the, "I loved the book, but the ending sucked," mentality.
2. (slightly less common, but still rampant) When the author attempts to wrap up the main plot line and the subplot lines too quickly or all in the same scene. This is found most often in rushed novel endings or in short stories, when the author is nearing his word count total.
It can be difficult to spot Premature Resolution and to pinpoint its direct causes. Most readers and writers feel nothing but a sense of loss or a feeling that things didn't finish up as they should.
To keep your writing from suffering from Premature Resolution, make sure you give the major moment of climax and ending action enough space to truly unfold and sink into the reader's mind. Also, make sure you stagger the resolutions of sub plots through your novel or story so that everything doesn't end, abruptly, at one time. Not only will you keep your reader interested by offering new plot points throughout the novel so they keep reading (because the end of one problem is always the start of another, am I right?) but they will be able to commit to the climax more readily when they aren't worrying about six different character problems.
For instance, if the main plot of your story is to catch the killer, you don't want your readers also wondering if the protagonist's relationship is going to fall apart after an affair, and if the alley cat he just hit in the high-speed chase is, in fact, his daughter's. Stagger your problems (subplots) and the major conflict resolution so readers stay engaged, active, and rearing for the major reveal.
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
Merry Christmas, Writer Brain!
Happy December, everyone! Can you believe we're almost through with another year? Where did the time go?
I don't know about you, but with all the stress of the holiday season, family get-togethers, the cold, the snow, the food.....my writing has been a little uninspired as of late.
But do you know the perfect remedy? Critiques.
Yes, critiques.
And though receiving critiques is a wondrous, helpful experience, giving critiques can be just as or more helpful to your writing. For instance, if you're stuck in a writing rut, critique something you wouldn't normally read - like nonfiction or poetry. The sheer act of getting back into the writing brain can spark you back to normal, or give you ideas as to what your next project might be.
So, if you can, carve out some time this month to get back into your critique group or to find a new critique group to be a part of.
It'll be the best gift you give yourself and other writers.
I don't know about you, but with all the stress of the holiday season, family get-togethers, the cold, the snow, the food.....my writing has been a little uninspired as of late.
But do you know the perfect remedy? Critiques.
Yes, critiques.
And though receiving critiques is a wondrous, helpful experience, giving critiques can be just as or more helpful to your writing. For instance, if you're stuck in a writing rut, critique something you wouldn't normally read - like nonfiction or poetry. The sheer act of getting back into the writing brain can spark you back to normal, or give you ideas as to what your next project might be.
So, if you can, carve out some time this month to get back into your critique group or to find a new critique group to be a part of.
It'll be the best gift you give yourself and other writers.
Monday, November 24, 2014
Early Post: All About Them Holidays
It's been a while since I've done an early post. Okay, a loooooong while. However, with everyone in full swing for Thanksgiving, football, and realizing there are only four more shopping weekends until Christmas, I figured of all times, this was a great one to post on Monday.
And since we're in the season, let's talk about holidays.
It is known by every person on this planet that holidays equal conflict. Something always goes wrong with the food, too many relatives that don't necessarily get along are thrust into a too-small kitchen together, you realize you've forgotten some food and or decor item but can't run to the store because everyone is closed.
Holiday scenes in your novel or short story can be calculatingly dramatic. But since everyone's been there and done that, it's important to amp the stakes up even higher when writing family get-togethers in fiction. Because Aunt Mae can always drop the turkey on the floor in real life. But only in fiction will a pack of wild dogs storm the house and take all your holiday food (including the soiled turkey) so there is nothing left to eat. (Does the chortling shout of: BUMPUSES! ring a bell?)
Need some stakes ramping inspiration? Check out this YouTube video called "Holiday Dinner Party" performed by Sandy and Richard Riccardi.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TX9EAavxrus
Happy Holidays!
And since we're in the season, let's talk about holidays.
It is known by every person on this planet that holidays equal conflict. Something always goes wrong with the food, too many relatives that don't necessarily get along are thrust into a too-small kitchen together, you realize you've forgotten some food and or decor item but can't run to the store because everyone is closed.
Holiday scenes in your novel or short story can be calculatingly dramatic. But since everyone's been there and done that, it's important to amp the stakes up even higher when writing family get-togethers in fiction. Because Aunt Mae can always drop the turkey on the floor in real life. But only in fiction will a pack of wild dogs storm the house and take all your holiday food (including the soiled turkey) so there is nothing left to eat. (Does the chortling shout of: BUMPUSES! ring a bell?)
Need some stakes ramping inspiration? Check out this YouTube video called "Holiday Dinner Party" performed by Sandy and Richard Riccardi.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TX9EAavxrus
Happy Holidays!
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Revision: focus not on what you're losing, but on what you're bound to gain.
I had one of those moments the other day - you know the ones where you're dealing with two completely different problems and then BAM! they both have surprisingly the same solution. Here were my dilemmas:
1. A friend of mine was told by her writing group that the beginning of her story needs major revision. She had me read the first chapter as well, and I agreed that a change would be for the better. However, she confided that the thought of revising what she already had (and which was, as she pointed out, fine) sent her into hour long bouts of petrified terror. How did I convince her that revision would not ruin her story but make it great?
2. I've been living a vegetarian lifestyle for over a year, and now am making the transition to veganism. We're talking no milk, eggs, butter, cheese, honey, or any beauty or home products that aren't cruelty free. Having grown up in a traditional steak-and-potatoes type of family, I needed a way to counteract their questions as to why this lifestyle was right for me. Especially when my mother looked at me with glossy eyes and said, "But...cheesecake!" How did I convince them that I was passionate about my decision, even though it went against what they had taught me growing up?
Over a bowl of oatmeal, the answer hit me - focus not on what you're losing, but on what you're bound to gain.
That's right. Instead of saying, "I really miss that cheesecake and I can never eat it again," think instead, "I'm going to eat this delicious vegan double chocolate smoothie!"
And for that revision-stuck friend of mine, I told her not to focus on a few beautiful sentences she'll lose by revising chapter one, but on the possibilities of what she could gain. A better insight into her protagonist, a well paced first chapter, a first sentence that kicks the breath right out of the agent that sets eyes on it, etc.
Because if you're too scared to change what you have, you'll never know if something else - even if it's difficult and takes a lot of your time - is infinitely better.
So I urge you this week, take a chance within your writing or your life (both, perhaps?)! See what kinds of wondrous new possibilities are out there that can propel you in the direction you wish to go.
1. A friend of mine was told by her writing group that the beginning of her story needs major revision. She had me read the first chapter as well, and I agreed that a change would be for the better. However, she confided that the thought of revising what she already had (and which was, as she pointed out, fine) sent her into hour long bouts of petrified terror. How did I convince her that revision would not ruin her story but make it great?
2. I've been living a vegetarian lifestyle for over a year, and now am making the transition to veganism. We're talking no milk, eggs, butter, cheese, honey, or any beauty or home products that aren't cruelty free. Having grown up in a traditional steak-and-potatoes type of family, I needed a way to counteract their questions as to why this lifestyle was right for me. Especially when my mother looked at me with glossy eyes and said, "But...cheesecake!" How did I convince them that I was passionate about my decision, even though it went against what they had taught me growing up?
Over a bowl of oatmeal, the answer hit me - focus not on what you're losing, but on what you're bound to gain.
That's right. Instead of saying, "I really miss that cheesecake and I can never eat it again," think instead, "I'm going to eat this delicious vegan double chocolate smoothie!"
And for that revision-stuck friend of mine, I told her not to focus on a few beautiful sentences she'll lose by revising chapter one, but on the possibilities of what she could gain. A better insight into her protagonist, a well paced first chapter, a first sentence that kicks the breath right out of the agent that sets eyes on it, etc.
Because if you're too scared to change what you have, you'll never know if something else - even if it's difficult and takes a lot of your time - is infinitely better.
So I urge you this week, take a chance within your writing or your life (both, perhaps?)! See what kinds of wondrous new possibilities are out there that can propel you in the direction you wish to go.
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
When To Cheat On Your Writing
Have you ever read more than one book at a time? You start one from your to-read shelf, then find another lying around you had promised the next read, and then when you pass a book store an unexpected fantastic book just pops out at you and you have to buy it and read it immediately. Before you know it, you're reading five books at one time.
And you feel like a cheat don't you?
I always do. It's like I've committed myself to the first book, then the second, now the third and after a while I feel like I'm having affairs on all of them. I'm a dirty reader.
I never used to have this problem when I was younger and had hours of reading time on my hands. But now that jobs, cooking, cleaning, snow removal, and writing have taken up so much of my time, it feels like I never read fast enough. Perhaps that's why I crave to start new books all the time. My body and mind are used to the newness every few weeks, and even though I can't keep up, I start new ones anyway.
I'm trying to break this habit, but there are so many good books out there that need to be read. So many authors I would adore and stories I need to fantasize about.
And now this bad habit of reading too many books at once has leaked into my writing. I've got a YA manuscript that needs massive revision, a memoir I'm rewriting, a short story in progress, a YA series that's unfinished and sitting in a cluster of outlines on my desktop, and I feel the need to add in a new MG book to write. All these open projects have made writing daunting. Where do I start? Which novel gets my attention today? Do I want to write or revise? Both? Neither?
Much like the reading of too many novels in tandem, writing a wide variety at the same time can be troublesome. But I've also found that it can help, too. For instance, if I know I need to write but the words just aren't coming, I pop over to a revision project and work on that for an hour or so until I'm in a writing frame of mind. On the flip side, if I'm frustrated with how many keys my fingers have pounded today, I can always sweep through an already written chapter and improve it.
Just like reading, writing in tandem can be just as beneficial as you feel it is detrimental. So don't feel like you're cheating on those other books or your other stories. In a roundabout way, they're all getting help. As long as you promise to write every day, eventually everything will get finished.
Will they all have the same dedication each day? No.
Will they all be completed on a set deadline? Probably not.
Will you be a writer? Definitely.
Will you one day finish them all (and then some more)? Heck yeah.
And you feel like a cheat don't you?
I always do. It's like I've committed myself to the first book, then the second, now the third and after a while I feel like I'm having affairs on all of them. I'm a dirty reader.
I never used to have this problem when I was younger and had hours of reading time on my hands. But now that jobs, cooking, cleaning, snow removal, and writing have taken up so much of my time, it feels like I never read fast enough. Perhaps that's why I crave to start new books all the time. My body and mind are used to the newness every few weeks, and even though I can't keep up, I start new ones anyway.
I'm trying to break this habit, but there are so many good books out there that need to be read. So many authors I would adore and stories I need to fantasize about.
And now this bad habit of reading too many books at once has leaked into my writing. I've got a YA manuscript that needs massive revision, a memoir I'm rewriting, a short story in progress, a YA series that's unfinished and sitting in a cluster of outlines on my desktop, and I feel the need to add in a new MG book to write. All these open projects have made writing daunting. Where do I start? Which novel gets my attention today? Do I want to write or revise? Both? Neither?
Much like the reading of too many novels in tandem, writing a wide variety at the same time can be troublesome. But I've also found that it can help, too. For instance, if I know I need to write but the words just aren't coming, I pop over to a revision project and work on that for an hour or so until I'm in a writing frame of mind. On the flip side, if I'm frustrated with how many keys my fingers have pounded today, I can always sweep through an already written chapter and improve it.
Just like reading, writing in tandem can be just as beneficial as you feel it is detrimental. So don't feel like you're cheating on those other books or your other stories. In a roundabout way, they're all getting help. As long as you promise to write every day, eventually everything will get finished.
Will they all have the same dedication each day? No.
Will they all be completed on a set deadline? Probably not.
Will you be a writer? Definitely.
Will you one day finish them all (and then some more)? Heck yeah.
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Try Different Keys to Break Through Revision
45 minutes. That's how much time I still had on lunch break. I stared back at my tablet where my story sat, waiting for revision. I had the time. I had the tools. Now why couldn't I make the story - the already written story, for God's sake - better. Why couldn't I finish it?
44 minutes.
Have you been where I sat? You finally have the time and the motivation to revise, yet somehow, you can't. You know the story isn't finished or anywhere near great but you can't change anything? No ideas are coming to you.
What do you do?
In my experience, two things have helped.
Step One: email the manuscript to yourself - or transfer it to a USB drive - and put it on another device. If you wrote it on your laptop, transfer it to your tablet. If you wrote it on your tablet, try revising on your smart phone. Or print out the manuscript and go back to good old pen and paper.
Why does this help the revision process? Because you're seeing it through different eyes. Sometimes the ones we wrote the story on need to be swapped out before we can begin revision. By transferring it to another device, you trick your brain into reading the story differently, and can speed up your revision process.
(Note: some writers also claim that changing the font can help them revise because the story looks different. Try it and see if it works for you, but I didn't have luck with this method. I was too preoccupied studying the curly letters than reading and evaluating what was on the page.)
Step Two: go somewhere new. If you wrote the story at your desk, revise on the couch. Did you write in the dining room? Shoot for the garden. If your whole house is a black hole of writing, go to a friend's house, the gym, a coffee shop, or the library.
Getting away from your normal environment, much like transferring devices, helps you to think differently. Now, you're not associating that purple pen with a beautiful metaphor in your story, you're reading the metaphor for what it really is. Does it still hold up?
So, next time the revision process has you staring, dumbfound, at your screen, wasting your precious free time, try mixing it up. Take your typewriter to the park. See what happens next.
Where did I get the image? Pinterest, of course! https://www.pinterest.com/pin/547609635914867891/
44 minutes.
Have you been where I sat? You finally have the time and the motivation to revise, yet somehow, you can't. You know the story isn't finished or anywhere near great but you can't change anything? No ideas are coming to you.
What do you do?
In my experience, two things have helped.
Step One: email the manuscript to yourself - or transfer it to a USB drive - and put it on another device. If you wrote it on your laptop, transfer it to your tablet. If you wrote it on your tablet, try revising on your smart phone. Or print out the manuscript and go back to good old pen and paper.
Why does this help the revision process? Because you're seeing it through different eyes. Sometimes the ones we wrote the story on need to be swapped out before we can begin revision. By transferring it to another device, you trick your brain into reading the story differently, and can speed up your revision process.
(Note: some writers also claim that changing the font can help them revise because the story looks different. Try it and see if it works for you, but I didn't have luck with this method. I was too preoccupied studying the curly letters than reading and evaluating what was on the page.)
Step Two: go somewhere new. If you wrote the story at your desk, revise on the couch. Did you write in the dining room? Shoot for the garden. If your whole house is a black hole of writing, go to a friend's house, the gym, a coffee shop, or the library.
Getting away from your normal environment, much like transferring devices, helps you to think differently. Now, you're not associating that purple pen with a beautiful metaphor in your story, you're reading the metaphor for what it really is. Does it still hold up?
So, next time the revision process has you staring, dumbfound, at your screen, wasting your precious free time, try mixing it up. Take your typewriter to the park. See what happens next.
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Special Shout-Out to Purdue OWL (or, when commas aren't making sense)
Were you always gifted with writing? Did your teachers often give you A's for your papers, even when the grammar was terrible, simply because they were so well written? Did you unwilling skip every basic grammar and level one English class in your school career?
If so, or even if you just need a refresher on grammar, check out Purdue OWL. (It stands for Online Writing Lab.)
This is the place I go for answers when I'm questioning the use of a comma or the placement of a hyphen. Here, you can brush up on what's right and wrong and then become your own copy editor before submitting to agents or magazines.
Because even though grammar is one of the easiest things for a publisher to fix, don't you think they'd rather not fix anything at all?
Right. So the next time you question yourself, check out Purdue OWL and submit with confidence. I just used its large knowledge base to quickly proof my short story before I even considered sending it out.
Now, fingers crossed that the grammar and writing are so spectacular, it's only a matter of time to publication.
:)
(By the way, here's the link to Purdue OWL so you can check it out!)
If so, or even if you just need a refresher on grammar, check out Purdue OWL. (It stands for Online Writing Lab.)
This is the place I go for answers when I'm questioning the use of a comma or the placement of a hyphen. Here, you can brush up on what's right and wrong and then become your own copy editor before submitting to agents or magazines.
Because even though grammar is one of the easiest things for a publisher to fix, don't you think they'd rather not fix anything at all?
Right. So the next time you question yourself, check out Purdue OWL and submit with confidence. I just used its large knowledge base to quickly proof my short story before I even considered sending it out.
Now, fingers crossed that the grammar and writing are so spectacular, it's only a matter of time to publication.
:)
(By the way, here's the link to Purdue OWL so you can check it out!)
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Short Stories, Novellas, Novels, Oh My!
Sometimes it's difficult to know into which category your writing will fall. If you're like me, you allow your first draft to unfold organically or with an outline, paying little attention to the word count at the bottom of the screen. So, you don't stop at 3,000 or 5,000 or 30,000 words just because you've hit the word count stop point. You let the story happen as it needs to, with as many or few words as it needs to be.
That's the easy part, right? Then you revise, edit, and revise again. You read it out loud, give it to critique partners and file it into a drawer for three weeks so you forget about it.
After all this - when the work is done - how do you know what to call it?
I'm not talking title, I mean when someone asks you what you wrote, do you say it's a novel, novella, or short story? What makes each of these categories?
Well, traditionally, a short story is a piece under 12,000 words.
A novella is a piece from 17,000 to 50,000 words.
And a novel is a piece from 65,000 to 120,000 words.
But traditional guidelines are not always the norm. I've found that many lit mags won't take short stories over 5,000 words. There are a few that accept up to 7,000 words, a slimmer section that take up to 9,000 and only a handful who want stories under 12,000.
Similarly, agents and publishers like to see (in adult works) novels from 70,000 words to 90,000 words. Any less and you don't have enough plot or conflict or characterization. Any more and you can't edit yourself. (One exception, of course, is fantasy or Sci-Fi, when the novel can be up to or over 100,000 words.)
And novellas? Well, where can you send those other than to contests with steep entry fees or to a self-publishing company?
When your work falls outside the norm, what do you do?
1) Revise and edit. Get your short story down under 7,000 words or bump that novella up to novel status.
2) Hope. Send your work off to agents or lit mags and pray that they love the story enough to look past your word count. Of course, this method only works if you've gone through your manuscript with a fine toothed comb and can justify every sentence, every word and its existence.
3) Try untraditional. Is your story too good to not share, but not the norm for publishers? Think about posting it online or in a blog in increments. You probably won't make money or have any pub credits, but you may get a lot of hits on your story. And one of those could be an agent who is now watching your incline as a writer.
Those are the facts of piece lengths and realistic expectations in this industry. But if you're doing something new and interesting that needs to be seen, don't be discouraged if it isn't the norm. Power on until the story you need to tell is out there.
That's the easy part, right? Then you revise, edit, and revise again. You read it out loud, give it to critique partners and file it into a drawer for three weeks so you forget about it.
After all this - when the work is done - how do you know what to call it?
I'm not talking title, I mean when someone asks you what you wrote, do you say it's a novel, novella, or short story? What makes each of these categories?
Well, traditionally, a short story is a piece under 12,000 words.
A novella is a piece from 17,000 to 50,000 words.
And a novel is a piece from 65,000 to 120,000 words.
But traditional guidelines are not always the norm. I've found that many lit mags won't take short stories over 5,000 words. There are a few that accept up to 7,000 words, a slimmer section that take up to 9,000 and only a handful who want stories under 12,000.
Similarly, agents and publishers like to see (in adult works) novels from 70,000 words to 90,000 words. Any less and you don't have enough plot or conflict or characterization. Any more and you can't edit yourself. (One exception, of course, is fantasy or Sci-Fi, when the novel can be up to or over 100,000 words.)
And novellas? Well, where can you send those other than to contests with steep entry fees or to a self-publishing company?
When your work falls outside the norm, what do you do?
1) Revise and edit. Get your short story down under 7,000 words or bump that novella up to novel status.
2) Hope. Send your work off to agents or lit mags and pray that they love the story enough to look past your word count. Of course, this method only works if you've gone through your manuscript with a fine toothed comb and can justify every sentence, every word and its existence.
3) Try untraditional. Is your story too good to not share, but not the norm for publishers? Think about posting it online or in a blog in increments. You probably won't make money or have any pub credits, but you may get a lot of hits on your story. And one of those could be an agent who is now watching your incline as a writer.
Those are the facts of piece lengths and realistic expectations in this industry. But if you're doing something new and interesting that needs to be seen, don't be discouraged if it isn't the norm. Power on until the story you need to tell is out there.
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Should You NaNoWriMo?
It's Wednesday, isn't it? It's totally Wednesday.
Well, looks like another late post tally. I'm on a roll this October!
Today, even though it's a day late, I want to discuss NaNoWriMo.
Do you have no idea what I'm talking about? NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month - which takes place November 1 through November 30. Basically, the goal is to write a 50,000 word draft of a novel in just 30 days.
Over 310,000 people around the world participated in last year's NaNoWriMo. With these kinds of numbers, is it time to join the bandwagon? Let's explore the Pros and Cons.
Pros:
Do you procrastinate? "I'll write after I make dinner. I'll write after I do the dishes. I'll write after the kids are asleep? I'll write after my homework's done. I'll write tomorrow because it's too late and I'm tired?" Then NaNoWriMo may be the right format for you. Not only do you create a profile by pledging to participate, you also get your own word count widget to see how many words you wrote today, along with a support system of hundreds of thousands of writers to keep you honest and to give encouragement. In short, if you're not writing EVERY DAY like I so advocate on this blog, NaNoWriMo could help.
Are you your own worst critic? Do your typos drive you mad? Do you waste hours in the quest for perfect sentence structure? If you're a perfectionist when it comes to the craft, NaNoWriMo can help. With the lofty goal of 50,000 words in one month, there is no time for editing. If you decide to NaNoWriMo, ignore the misspellings and the bad grammar, and instead write with a new, freeing mindset. It'll do wonders for your first drafts. Promise.
Networking. Many NaNoWriMo participants find great writing friends and literary advisers through their participation.
Also, there's NaNoWriMo for kids! (With a much lower word count.) So if you want to get your kids or students interested in creating, or just want to spend more time with them, here's your chance.
Cons:
NaNoWriMo falls in a very busy month for most of us. Football. Thanksgiving. Christmas Shopping. Family get-togethers. School breaks. On and On. If you're going to commit to writing a novel in a month, 1) should it be during such a busy time of year, and 2) why not choose a month with 31 days and give yourself an extra 24 hours to reach your goal?
Unless you're writing middle grade, 50,000 words does not equal a first draft of any novel. For that reason, be prepared to keep writing after November leaves, even if you reach your goal. Writing a novel is a massive commitment not to be taken up lightly on October 31.
Are you sure you're not a procrastinator? If you're sitting at your desk counting down the days to November 1 so you can start writing every day and complete draft one of your novel, why haven't you started yet? There's no law (in America, at least) that says novel writing can only happen during NaNoWriMo. If you're so excited and committed to writing, you can write every day. So do it! You don't need a widget and a world map to track your progress against everyone else. Write because you need to.
Whether or not you decide to NaNoWriMo, there's one goal here for all of us. To Write. So get those laptops and Carpal Tunnel braces ready. The novels are coming.
Well, looks like another late post tally. I'm on a roll this October!
Today, even though it's a day late, I want to discuss NaNoWriMo.
Do you have no idea what I'm talking about? NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month - which takes place November 1 through November 30. Basically, the goal is to write a 50,000 word draft of a novel in just 30 days.
Over 310,000 people around the world participated in last year's NaNoWriMo. With these kinds of numbers, is it time to join the bandwagon? Let's explore the Pros and Cons.
Pros:
Do you procrastinate? "I'll write after I make dinner. I'll write after I do the dishes. I'll write after the kids are asleep? I'll write after my homework's done. I'll write tomorrow because it's too late and I'm tired?" Then NaNoWriMo may be the right format for you. Not only do you create a profile by pledging to participate, you also get your own word count widget to see how many words you wrote today, along with a support system of hundreds of thousands of writers to keep you honest and to give encouragement. In short, if you're not writing EVERY DAY like I so advocate on this blog, NaNoWriMo could help.
Are you your own worst critic? Do your typos drive you mad? Do you waste hours in the quest for perfect sentence structure? If you're a perfectionist when it comes to the craft, NaNoWriMo can help. With the lofty goal of 50,000 words in one month, there is no time for editing. If you decide to NaNoWriMo, ignore the misspellings and the bad grammar, and instead write with a new, freeing mindset. It'll do wonders for your first drafts. Promise.
Networking. Many NaNoWriMo participants find great writing friends and literary advisers through their participation.
Also, there's NaNoWriMo for kids! (With a much lower word count.) So if you want to get your kids or students interested in creating, or just want to spend more time with them, here's your chance.
Cons:
NaNoWriMo falls in a very busy month for most of us. Football. Thanksgiving. Christmas Shopping. Family get-togethers. School breaks. On and On. If you're going to commit to writing a novel in a month, 1) should it be during such a busy time of year, and 2) why not choose a month with 31 days and give yourself an extra 24 hours to reach your goal?
Unless you're writing middle grade, 50,000 words does not equal a first draft of any novel. For that reason, be prepared to keep writing after November leaves, even if you reach your goal. Writing a novel is a massive commitment not to be taken up lightly on October 31.
Are you sure you're not a procrastinator? If you're sitting at your desk counting down the days to November 1 so you can start writing every day and complete draft one of your novel, why haven't you started yet? There's no law (in America, at least) that says novel writing can only happen during NaNoWriMo. If you're so excited and committed to writing, you can write every day. So do it! You don't need a widget and a world map to track your progress against everyone else. Write because you need to.
Whether or not you decide to NaNoWriMo, there's one goal here for all of us. To Write. So get those laptops and Carpal Tunnel braces ready. The novels are coming.
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Pondering Lit Mags and some Advice from Doug of Pixar's UP
You know when you go to a favorite literary magazine's submissions page and read their guidelines? About two paragraphs in there's a page-long rant about how you NEED, DEAR GOD, NEED to read their magazine at least for a good year so you understand what they like and accept. So you understand what kind of story they'll publish. Then you'll understand that if your story isn't a carbon copy of these previously published stories, you shouldn't waste their time and your own by submitting it to them.
I often find myself turned off by these rants. Even when it's a literary magazine I've subscribed to in the past or one I really look up to. It can sometimes feel that the literary community has turned against us as writers. If they want nothing new and inventive - if they want us to write only what's already been published - then why are we here? What are we striving toward?
This is something I've been grappling with for years. The American culture puts so little value into the arts. If you're a creator or an innovator, whatever you make had better generate its own cash-flow or you're worthless.
However, other cultures, like Japan, can see the value in the arts, and they respect things that are beautiful and innovative not solely from a basis of profit but from the aspect of a cultural advancement.
Because, really, what are we without art? Will we ever grow as a species if no one thinks outside the confines of what we already know and accept? Why do we put so little heft into the words or pictures brought forth by artists that wish to broaden our definition of humanity? Why do we ridicule the artist herself so?
These questions are the ones that boggle me. They are even more boggling when the community that is supposed to be supportive of the artist and his work turn against him.
Unfortunately, I don't have an answer for these questions, or a reason that America seems to dislike those who wish to allow us to grow and see things through new eyes. Perhaps it will not be within my lifetime that our thoughts switch and we value art.
Most humans, after all, dislike change.
But we keep doing it, why? Because we love it, and we can't stop. Even when no one else believes in us or shows us any support.
To keep you rolling with your writing, even when the haters get you down, here's a list of 22 tips on better storytelling from Pixar:
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/191403052888669266/
I often find myself turned off by these rants. Even when it's a literary magazine I've subscribed to in the past or one I really look up to. It can sometimes feel that the literary community has turned against us as writers. If they want nothing new and inventive - if they want us to write only what's already been published - then why are we here? What are we striving toward?
This is something I've been grappling with for years. The American culture puts so little value into the arts. If you're a creator or an innovator, whatever you make had better generate its own cash-flow or you're worthless.
However, other cultures, like Japan, can see the value in the arts, and they respect things that are beautiful and innovative not solely from a basis of profit but from the aspect of a cultural advancement.
Because, really, what are we without art? Will we ever grow as a species if no one thinks outside the confines of what we already know and accept? Why do we put so little heft into the words or pictures brought forth by artists that wish to broaden our definition of humanity? Why do we ridicule the artist herself so?
These questions are the ones that boggle me. They are even more boggling when the community that is supposed to be supportive of the artist and his work turn against him.
Unfortunately, I don't have an answer for these questions, or a reason that America seems to dislike those who wish to allow us to grow and see things through new eyes. Perhaps it will not be within my lifetime that our thoughts switch and we value art.
Most humans, after all, dislike change.
But we keep doing it, why? Because we love it, and we can't stop. Even when no one else believes in us or shows us any support.
To keep you rolling with your writing, even when the haters get you down, here's a list of 22 tips on better storytelling from Pixar:
Monday, October 6, 2014
Bonus Post! (Active Voice vs. Passive Voice)
I'm sorry I didn't post last week at all. My entire attention and time was devoted to my health.
However, as a thank you gift for being so patient with me, here's a Bonus Post for this week!
I'd like to talk about Passive Voice vs. Active Voice. This is such a subtle topic that it's rarely taught in writing classes and even in college. Yet, it is the unconscious abuse of passive voice that holds many talented writers back from publication.
First, let's describe Passive Voice and Active Voice. Now, these terms have nothing to do with perspective. You could be writing in first person, third, or even second and still be vulnerable.
Passive Voice is when the noun or phrase that should be the object of the sentence, appears as the subject. For example, The map was found by Joseph.
Whereas Active Voice allows the object of the sentence to be just that - the object. Example, Joseph found the map.
Need more?
Passive: Amy was sitting in the corner, next to the washing machine.
Active: Amy sat in the corner, next to the washing machine.
Passive: The sword was wielded by Kash.
Active: Kash wielded the sword.
Passive: Leonard was holding the labels I needed.
Active: Leonard held the labels I needed.
Do you see the difference? Passive Voice does nothing but add extra versions of the verbs "be" or "get". The meaning of the sentence stays exactly the same.
Why, then, are we all so prone to using Passive Voice? Because, we speak most often using Passive Voice. Call it politically correct. Passive Voice softens the statement, whereas Active Voice delivers the message clearly and succinctly. As humans, when we need to communicate a message, we most often do so in Passive Voice to soften the blow of our words on the listener. But the last thing you want to do in writing is soften any blows. What do we want? Tension! When do we want it? Always!
So, even though they never taught it to you in school, do your best to delete as much Passive Voice as possible. Not only will it aid in the tension of your writing, but it will also severely decrease your word count to a passable amount.
Extra Bonus Bonus Post:
Do you understand the difference between Passive Voice and Active Voice, but once you go to your novel, you can't seem to find the Passive Voice you know is there? Here's a way to weed it out. Do a Find or Search for the word "was". Normally, this is the word with the most Passive Voice offenses. (If you're writing in present tense, search for "is".)
It might take you a while before you start noticing all the Passive Voice in your writing because it's so commonly the way we talk. It blends. But once you spot it and really get it, you will never be able to ignore it again. And I promise you, agents and publishers know it.
However, as a thank you gift for being so patient with me, here's a Bonus Post for this week!
I'd like to talk about Passive Voice vs. Active Voice. This is such a subtle topic that it's rarely taught in writing classes and even in college. Yet, it is the unconscious abuse of passive voice that holds many talented writers back from publication.
First, let's describe Passive Voice and Active Voice. Now, these terms have nothing to do with perspective. You could be writing in first person, third, or even second and still be vulnerable.
Passive Voice is when the noun or phrase that should be the object of the sentence, appears as the subject. For example, The map was found by Joseph.
Whereas Active Voice allows the object of the sentence to be just that - the object. Example, Joseph found the map.
Need more?
Passive: Amy was sitting in the corner, next to the washing machine.
Active: Amy sat in the corner, next to the washing machine.
Passive: The sword was wielded by Kash.
Active: Kash wielded the sword.
Passive: Leonard was holding the labels I needed.
Active: Leonard held the labels I needed.
Do you see the difference? Passive Voice does nothing but add extra versions of the verbs "be" or "get". The meaning of the sentence stays exactly the same.
Why, then, are we all so prone to using Passive Voice? Because, we speak most often using Passive Voice. Call it politically correct. Passive Voice softens the statement, whereas Active Voice delivers the message clearly and succinctly. As humans, when we need to communicate a message, we most often do so in Passive Voice to soften the blow of our words on the listener. But the last thing you want to do in writing is soften any blows. What do we want? Tension! When do we want it? Always!
So, even though they never taught it to you in school, do your best to delete as much Passive Voice as possible. Not only will it aid in the tension of your writing, but it will also severely decrease your word count to a passable amount.
Extra Bonus Bonus Post:
Do you understand the difference between Passive Voice and Active Voice, but once you go to your novel, you can't seem to find the Passive Voice you know is there? Here's a way to weed it out. Do a Find or Search for the word "was". Normally, this is the word with the most Passive Voice offenses. (If you're writing in present tense, search for "is".)
It might take you a while before you start noticing all the Passive Voice in your writing because it's so commonly the way we talk. It blends. But once you spot it and really get it, you will never be able to ignore it again. And I promise you, agents and publishers know it.
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
An Important Blog Update
Hi All!
You know that recently I've had my share of time being under the weather. What you might not have known is that this has been an ongoing issue in my life for the past 8 years.
Next week, I will be traveling to a larger city and better hospital to hopefully get a diagnosis and treatment plan so I can go back to my regular writing schedule and happy-go-lucky self. I am sharing this information with you because it may impact my ability to garner new posts every Tuesday for an indeterminate amount of time. Next Tuesday, especially, is the first day of my appointments. While the hotel I am staying at has Wi-Fi, I'm not sure if I'll remember or be up to blogging.
Know this, I will try my hardest to stay on schedule for you guys. I have made this commitment to myself and to you and I will not break it without a fight. But life doesn't always go smoothly, so I wanted to warn you all in advance that posting may be sporadic for the coming weeks, or sometimes, nonexistent.
But don't fret! In the meantime, let me share with you a few of my favorite writer-geared email subscriptions that you can check out.
First, Dictionary.com's Word of the Day. I chose this subscription because we've recently been talking about diction. It is also a fun way to learn archaic or quirky words to share with your friends.
What happens: Every day, Dictionary.com emails you a new word with a definition, the origin, and that word used in context. If you're not up to subscribing to the free email subscription, you can also check out the Word of the Day on their website. To discover the Word of the Day, go here.
Next, The Ripples Project is something I learned about two years ago when Paul (the founder) spoke at my college orientation. His emails filled with inspiration and quotes come out every Monday morning (when you need the push to get through your week). The quotes are awesome for writers to know and most often make you leave feeling all warm and fuzzy inside.
What happens: Every Monday, a new Ripple appears in your inbox. They all have themes that then include a short quote, long quote, and inspirational message from Paul the Ripples Guy himself. To sign up for Ripples, go here.
Hopefully these email subscriptions will keep you inspired to write, even if I fail to offer a new post every week until my health is back on track.
And remember: Write Every Day: even if it's simply a sentence, a word, or a punctuation mark. You are the only one who can write your book. You are the only one who will.
You know that recently I've had my share of time being under the weather. What you might not have known is that this has been an ongoing issue in my life for the past 8 years.
Next week, I will be traveling to a larger city and better hospital to hopefully get a diagnosis and treatment plan so I can go back to my regular writing schedule and happy-go-lucky self. I am sharing this information with you because it may impact my ability to garner new posts every Tuesday for an indeterminate amount of time. Next Tuesday, especially, is the first day of my appointments. While the hotel I am staying at has Wi-Fi, I'm not sure if I'll remember or be up to blogging.
Know this, I will try my hardest to stay on schedule for you guys. I have made this commitment to myself and to you and I will not break it without a fight. But life doesn't always go smoothly, so I wanted to warn you all in advance that posting may be sporadic for the coming weeks, or sometimes, nonexistent.
But don't fret! In the meantime, let me share with you a few of my favorite writer-geared email subscriptions that you can check out.
First, Dictionary.com's Word of the Day. I chose this subscription because we've recently been talking about diction. It is also a fun way to learn archaic or quirky words to share with your friends.
What happens: Every day, Dictionary.com emails you a new word with a definition, the origin, and that word used in context. If you're not up to subscribing to the free email subscription, you can also check out the Word of the Day on their website. To discover the Word of the Day, go here.
Next, The Ripples Project is something I learned about two years ago when Paul (the founder) spoke at my college orientation. His emails filled with inspiration and quotes come out every Monday morning (when you need the push to get through your week). The quotes are awesome for writers to know and most often make you leave feeling all warm and fuzzy inside.
What happens: Every Monday, a new Ripple appears in your inbox. They all have themes that then include a short quote, long quote, and inspirational message from Paul the Ripples Guy himself. To sign up for Ripples, go here.
Hopefully these email subscriptions will keep you inspired to write, even if I fail to offer a new post every week until my health is back on track.
And remember: Write Every Day: even if it's simply a sentence, a word, or a punctuation mark. You are the only one who can write your book. You are the only one who will.
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Diction (a peek at the longest word ever)
I'm feeling better - thank you. Let's get back to where we left off. Blogging!
Today I'd like to touch on the subject of word choice - diction.
Whether you're searching for the correct word for verbs, adverbs, or adjectives, word choice is one of the most important aspects of your story. The right word can elevate your tension, or kill it.
The more I read, the more I understand that word choice is also governed by audience. Who is your story intended to reach? If it's other writers - break out that thesaurus and scribble obscure words to your heart's content. This is most common in literary novels or works for literary magazines.
However, if you're writing a mainstream adult novel, you might want to pull back a little. Because (be honest with yourself now) how many times have you read a current novel and come across a word you weren't familiar with? Probably once or twice per book, right? With so many words out there, we can't possibly know them all - all the time. Now, did you stop your progression of reading and look up that vocab word like they made you do in third grade? No, of course not. You don't have time for that. You skipped the word, the context of the situation being enough to just ignore it.
And if you've read children's writing (YA, MG, picture books) lately, you know the vocab is even more accessible because words that are old hat to us are just being learned by them.
Now, I'm not trying to suggest that we lose our diction. I'm not suggesting we resort to using just the words that we say in a normal work day. Heck, we'd be limited to a slim thirty or forty vocab words forever.
Instead, keep your audience in mind when writing. Will the word you just chose be more of a stumbling block for your reader rather than a helpful hint? Will they have to skip it and figure out the scene from the rest of your words? Is that what you want?
To leave you this week, I have found the longest word in the English language. It has 189,819 letters (enough alone for its own series of books) and is the chemical name for the element titin.
Want to see this word? Check out the YouTube video here. But be forewarned, it takes three and a half hours to pronounce.
Today I'd like to touch on the subject of word choice - diction.
Whether you're searching for the correct word for verbs, adverbs, or adjectives, word choice is one of the most important aspects of your story. The right word can elevate your tension, or kill it.
The more I read, the more I understand that word choice is also governed by audience. Who is your story intended to reach? If it's other writers - break out that thesaurus and scribble obscure words to your heart's content. This is most common in literary novels or works for literary magazines.
However, if you're writing a mainstream adult novel, you might want to pull back a little. Because (be honest with yourself now) how many times have you read a current novel and come across a word you weren't familiar with? Probably once or twice per book, right? With so many words out there, we can't possibly know them all - all the time. Now, did you stop your progression of reading and look up that vocab word like they made you do in third grade? No, of course not. You don't have time for that. You skipped the word, the context of the situation being enough to just ignore it.
And if you've read children's writing (YA, MG, picture books) lately, you know the vocab is even more accessible because words that are old hat to us are just being learned by them.
Now, I'm not trying to suggest that we lose our diction. I'm not suggesting we resort to using just the words that we say in a normal work day. Heck, we'd be limited to a slim thirty or forty vocab words forever.
Instead, keep your audience in mind when writing. Will the word you just chose be more of a stumbling block for your reader rather than a helpful hint? Will they have to skip it and figure out the scene from the rest of your words? Is that what you want?
To leave you this week, I have found the longest word in the English language. It has 189,819 letters (enough alone for its own series of books) and is the chemical name for the element titin.
Want to see this word? Check out the YouTube video here. But be forewarned, it takes three and a half hours to pronounce.
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
Pinterest Will Heal Me...Right?
I've been a little under the weather these past few days, and so this week's blog post is going to be short and sweet (like my writing time lately). To keep you going, even when you can't type or sit up straight, here's a quote.
I found it, where else? Pinterest. http://www.pinterest.com/pin/476326098062726632/
Happy Writing!
Happy Writing!
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
What's Hiding Behind That Beautiful Prose? (Why I Write YA)
When people ask me what my current novel is about and I tell them it's YA, they often look at me sideways. This one's not right in the head. She never grew up. Why would she write for children when she could write for adults?
The criticism is harshest from other writers (especially those who harbor disdain for anything that isn't "artistic" "insightful" or "literary").
They never seem to ask me out loud why I love writing YA (and am considering a new fantasy MG idea - I'll keep you posted). But, I'm going to answer them anyway.
I write YA because as a writer, you can't hide behind beautiful metaphors or long strings of gorgeous prose. You guys know what I'm talking about: Those novels where every stinking sentences is a metaphor (most obscure) and the beautiful prose flows unbounded from overly-long chapter to overly-long chapter. Now, adults will read this. Millions of books like this sell every year. Adults will sit there and think, "There must be some artistic reason this character has done nothing for 150 pages but look at a stain on his favorite coffee mug. It must mean something!" or "I know I've already read 500 pages and nothing has happened other than me following this character to and from work, but in the 548 pages to go, I know this boredom is going to be revealed as something amazing and insightful."
Adults will ponder your philosophy. They'll say it's existential or Darwinian.
Teens don't care. They don't have time for that, and they definitely won't read 500 pages just hoping that eventually they'll figure out the meaning.
Teens want a good story with fast pacing and connectable characters. They want to feel, smell, and taste what your characters are experiencing. And they want it every chapter, every sentence, every word. No where in a YA novel can you hide behind your good writing. No where is there room for brainy dribble. Because teens don't care about it and they definitely don't want to read it.
To write YA you need both great writing and fantastic storytelling ability.
So, my answer to those sideways glances and bulging, judgmental eyes is this: I write YA because it forces me to be a better writer. It forces me to cut the crap and keep only the things that propel the story. I can't keep a paragraph of useless but fantastic writing - I must save that for my journal and my eyes only.
I write YA because everything counts.
Does that make me juvenile?
Maybe. Think what you want, but I still make a wicked frozen pizza.
The criticism is harshest from other writers (especially those who harbor disdain for anything that isn't "artistic" "insightful" or "literary").
They never seem to ask me out loud why I love writing YA (and am considering a new fantasy MG idea - I'll keep you posted). But, I'm going to answer them anyway.
I write YA because as a writer, you can't hide behind beautiful metaphors or long strings of gorgeous prose. You guys know what I'm talking about: Those novels where every stinking sentences is a metaphor (most obscure) and the beautiful prose flows unbounded from overly-long chapter to overly-long chapter. Now, adults will read this. Millions of books like this sell every year. Adults will sit there and think, "There must be some artistic reason this character has done nothing for 150 pages but look at a stain on his favorite coffee mug. It must mean something!" or "I know I've already read 500 pages and nothing has happened other than me following this character to and from work, but in the 548 pages to go, I know this boredom is going to be revealed as something amazing and insightful."
Adults will ponder your philosophy. They'll say it's existential or Darwinian.
Teens don't care. They don't have time for that, and they definitely won't read 500 pages just hoping that eventually they'll figure out the meaning.
Teens want a good story with fast pacing and connectable characters. They want to feel, smell, and taste what your characters are experiencing. And they want it every chapter, every sentence, every word. No where in a YA novel can you hide behind your good writing. No where is there room for brainy dribble. Because teens don't care about it and they definitely don't want to read it.
To write YA you need both great writing and fantastic storytelling ability.
So, my answer to those sideways glances and bulging, judgmental eyes is this: I write YA because it forces me to be a better writer. It forces me to cut the crap and keep only the things that propel the story. I can't keep a paragraph of useless but fantastic writing - I must save that for my journal and my eyes only.
I write YA because everything counts.
Does that make me juvenile?
Maybe. Think what you want, but I still make a wicked frozen pizza.
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
YA/New Adult Reading List
I've been fervently writing the first draft of a new YA novel. It's taken up all my time and brain power. My thoughts are planted firmly in the plot and characters of that world, but I still find time to read. It gives me a break from my own head. Also, it helps me understand the market I'm trying to break into. What's being published in YA? What works? What doesn't?
Here are a few of the books I've recently read:
Winger by Andrew Smith - it's vulgar and hilarious. Told from the POV of a 14 year-old boarding school boy. You will laugh, you will cry (I mean it), but most importantly, this stand-alone novel will stay with you for the rest of your life. It's so good. Check it out here on Amazon for a full description: http://www.amazon.com/Winger-Smith-Andrew/dp/1442444932/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1409072397&sr=1-1&keywords=winger+by+andrew+smith
The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson - this was an accidental find at my local book store. I went in in search of the second novel in a series, but found this instead. It's the first book in a series by Sanderson but he hasn't gotten very far on book two (hint, hint, Sanderson). I highly recommend this read. It's gearpunk (not normally a genre I read, even in YA) and is at once suspenseful and beautiful. You will not see the twist coming at the end (or shall I say, the double twist?). I won't give away more. Here it is on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Rithmatist-Brandon-Sanderson/dp/0765338440/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1409072433&sr=1-1&keywords=the+rithmatist
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell - I must admit, this is the first Rainbow Rowell novel I've read. I'd seen her novels in bookstores, but never picked one up. While researching agents, I saw that everyone wanted "a Rainbow Rowell" for their YA roster. So, if it works, read it, right? I was not disappointed. Rowell's descriptions are killer and spot on. She's funny and poignant and heart breaking in this New Adult novel. I haven't finished this novel yet, so no notes on the ending, but the first half (Fall Semester) has me hooked. It pulls me away from writing my own YA novel when I need a break. I now understand why all agents want their own Rainbow Rowell. Check her out for yourself here: http://www.amazon.com/Fangirl-Rainbow-Rowell/dp/1250030951/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1409072613&sr=1-1&keywords=fangirl
Happy Reading, fellow scribes!
Here are a few of the books I've recently read:
Winger by Andrew Smith - it's vulgar and hilarious. Told from the POV of a 14 year-old boarding school boy. You will laugh, you will cry (I mean it), but most importantly, this stand-alone novel will stay with you for the rest of your life. It's so good. Check it out here on Amazon for a full description: http://www.amazon.com/Winger-Smith-Andrew/dp/1442444932/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1409072397&sr=1-1&keywords=winger+by+andrew+smith
The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson - this was an accidental find at my local book store. I went in in search of the second novel in a series, but found this instead. It's the first book in a series by Sanderson but he hasn't gotten very far on book two (hint, hint, Sanderson). I highly recommend this read. It's gearpunk (not normally a genre I read, even in YA) and is at once suspenseful and beautiful. You will not see the twist coming at the end (or shall I say, the double twist?). I won't give away more. Here it is on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Rithmatist-Brandon-Sanderson/dp/0765338440/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1409072433&sr=1-1&keywords=the+rithmatist
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell - I must admit, this is the first Rainbow Rowell novel I've read. I'd seen her novels in bookstores, but never picked one up. While researching agents, I saw that everyone wanted "a Rainbow Rowell" for their YA roster. So, if it works, read it, right? I was not disappointed. Rowell's descriptions are killer and spot on. She's funny and poignant and heart breaking in this New Adult novel. I haven't finished this novel yet, so no notes on the ending, but the first half (Fall Semester) has me hooked. It pulls me away from writing my own YA novel when I need a break. I now understand why all agents want their own Rainbow Rowell. Check her out for yourself here: http://www.amazon.com/Fangirl-Rainbow-Rowell/dp/1250030951/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1409072613&sr=1-1&keywords=fangirl
Happy Reading, fellow scribes!
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
Write Like a Child - Even If You Aren't Writing For Children
You know those play castles erected for children at restaurants, parks, and (most brutally) water parks? The ones equipped with slides, ball pits, water cannons, and monkey bars. Basically everything short of an actual cross bow?
And you think - whether as a parent or as a bystander - wow, those kids must really be having fun.
No. They're killing each other. It's like the Hunger Games in there.
How do I know this? Because the mini getaway I had last week took place at a water park in the Wisconsin Dells, where one of the best slides outside had a line that wove through the kid's play castle. I'm sure their goal was to cut as far back on the line as possible by drowning out 90 percent of the guests that attempted entry. But not I. I stayed even though some jerk of a child blasted a high pressure water gun at my head for five minutes, moving the flow back and forth across my scalp, so I was drenched both down my face and down my neck. Breathing became an exercise done solely through the mouth.
When he finally turned the gun to spray another slide hopeful, I spun around to see who this kid thought he was. And there, on level three of the castle, a sadistic, pudgy little nine year-old was the culprit. I was being tortured by a third grader. It didn't take long for him to tire of the other person ignoring his water jet, and his eyes set on me again. We stood off for about half a second and then he shot the gun right at my face.
I think I still have water behind my contacts.
What could this possibly have to do with writing? Well, other than making a good story, I want to use this barbarous child to prove a point about story structure and plot. (I guess I should thank him for making my wait in line so terrible, but, I just can't.)
Your characters need to unleash their inner sadistic third grader in EVERY scene. They need to take chances and do things unexpectedly - things we wouldn't do in normal life. That's why people read stories: to see how the characters react and then how they justify those reactions.
Have you ever seen a dog left in a parked car on a hot day? Did you call the ASPCA or just shake your head and walk on? Ever been to a wedding with a really good favor like an entire bottle of wine or movie tickets? Did you want to take more than one, but restrained yourself?
Make your characters push the limits. Have them call the ASPCA and break into the locked car to free Fido. Make them stuff four bottles of wine in their suit jackets or nick the entire roll of free tickets.
If your character was in my water park situation, have her chase the kid down through the watery torture dungeon, or maybe have her flip the kid off (and of course, his mother would be within the vicinity and then a whole 'nother can of worms can open).
Unleashing your characters' "inner child" will up the stakes of the scene and therefore create more tension. Not only that, but if your character acts predictably in every scenario, wouldn't you put the book down? Boring, right?
Push the limits and your plot will improve, your characters will be more dynamic, and you'll have more fun writing.
But, Alyssa, you say, I've been within the clutches of modern society too long, and I can't think of a way to push my characters to their inner heartless happy place.
My advice: go talk to your nieces and nephews. Take your friend's kids to the Burger King play center or, worse, add water. Just remember to bring extra padding and a snorkel before you leave. It's brutal out there.
And you think - whether as a parent or as a bystander - wow, those kids must really be having fun.
No. They're killing each other. It's like the Hunger Games in there.
How do I know this? Because the mini getaway I had last week took place at a water park in the Wisconsin Dells, where one of the best slides outside had a line that wove through the kid's play castle. I'm sure their goal was to cut as far back on the line as possible by drowning out 90 percent of the guests that attempted entry. But not I. I stayed even though some jerk of a child blasted a high pressure water gun at my head for five minutes, moving the flow back and forth across my scalp, so I was drenched both down my face and down my neck. Breathing became an exercise done solely through the mouth.
When he finally turned the gun to spray another slide hopeful, I spun around to see who this kid thought he was. And there, on level three of the castle, a sadistic, pudgy little nine year-old was the culprit. I was being tortured by a third grader. It didn't take long for him to tire of the other person ignoring his water jet, and his eyes set on me again. We stood off for about half a second and then he shot the gun right at my face.
I think I still have water behind my contacts.
What could this possibly have to do with writing? Well, other than making a good story, I want to use this barbarous child to prove a point about story structure and plot. (I guess I should thank him for making my wait in line so terrible, but, I just can't.)
Your characters need to unleash their inner sadistic third grader in EVERY scene. They need to take chances and do things unexpectedly - things we wouldn't do in normal life. That's why people read stories: to see how the characters react and then how they justify those reactions.
Have you ever seen a dog left in a parked car on a hot day? Did you call the ASPCA or just shake your head and walk on? Ever been to a wedding with a really good favor like an entire bottle of wine or movie tickets? Did you want to take more than one, but restrained yourself?
Make your characters push the limits. Have them call the ASPCA and break into the locked car to free Fido. Make them stuff four bottles of wine in their suit jackets or nick the entire roll of free tickets.
If your character was in my water park situation, have her chase the kid down through the watery torture dungeon, or maybe have her flip the kid off (and of course, his mother would be within the vicinity and then a whole 'nother can of worms can open).
Unleashing your characters' "inner child" will up the stakes of the scene and therefore create more tension. Not only that, but if your character acts predictably in every scenario, wouldn't you put the book down? Boring, right?
Push the limits and your plot will improve, your characters will be more dynamic, and you'll have more fun writing.
But, Alyssa, you say, I've been within the clutches of modern society too long, and I can't think of a way to push my characters to their inner heartless happy place.
My advice: go talk to your nieces and nephews. Take your friend's kids to the Burger King play center or, worse, add water. Just remember to bring extra padding and a snorkel before you leave. It's brutal out there.
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Mini Getaway from Stress
If you've read a few posts in this blog, you know I'm a big supporter of the "write every single day" rule. And I'm not backing down on that. Even if it's one sentence, a sentence fragment, or a word, you should write every single day.
However, everyone burns out. We've got stressful jobs, kids, chores, errands, and often times, it comes down to choosing writing or sleep.
That's why, next week Tuesday, there will be no blog post. I'm going to take a much needed break from life and stress and worry. I'm going on a girls' getaway with a friend and we're going to sit poolside and eat fattening junk food and not think about work or family or that guy that still hasn't called.
I suggest, if the pressure of life is welling up in you, too - take a break! You deserve it. Your novel will still be there when you get back. Just make sure you're truly resting so that when you return, you can get right back to writing another word per day.
Think of it as counterbalance for your personal life.
Positive thoughts, positive words, positive rest. That's my new motto.
And if a getaway just isn't financially applicable or timely in your life right now, I've attached some beautiful pictures from Pinterest below. Put on some calming music, take a deep breath, and pretend you're there.
Happy almost-end-of-summer, everyone!
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/487655465874624377/
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/152348399869639877/
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/299841287664158880/
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/299841287664158822/
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/214906213442184019/
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/490822059359971536/
However, everyone burns out. We've got stressful jobs, kids, chores, errands, and often times, it comes down to choosing writing or sleep.
That's why, next week Tuesday, there will be no blog post. I'm going to take a much needed break from life and stress and worry. I'm going on a girls' getaway with a friend and we're going to sit poolside and eat fattening junk food and not think about work or family or that guy that still hasn't called.
I suggest, if the pressure of life is welling up in you, too - take a break! You deserve it. Your novel will still be there when you get back. Just make sure you're truly resting so that when you return, you can get right back to writing another word per day.
Think of it as counterbalance for your personal life.
Positive thoughts, positive words, positive rest. That's my new motto.
And if a getaway just isn't financially applicable or timely in your life right now, I've attached some beautiful pictures from Pinterest below. Put on some calming music, take a deep breath, and pretend you're there.
Happy almost-end-of-summer, everyone!
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/489062840757988060/
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/490822059359971536/
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Making Money from Writing: Alternative Markets
You want to build your author platform so one day you can catch an agent's eye and get your novel published and make millions of dollars....this is for sure a goal.
We've talked about author platforms in the past: your options often extend to literary journals publishing your short stories, contest wins, and knowing big-name authors.
But, Alyssa, you say, I don't have time to write hundreds of short stories, spend time revising and editing, and then send those stories off to literary journals to wait the seven to fourteen months lag time before I get a rejection, or, an acceptance that carries no prize money. I barely have time to write my novel as it is, and if I'm not getting paid for my writing time, I'm going to work on my true passion.
And I agree with you. While literary magazines can give you awesome credits (and contests can too, if you pay the submission fees), they take up a lot of time that could have been spent on your main writing project.
So, how do you build your author platform into at least a measly little soapbox that pushes your query above the rest?
My answer: alternative (paying) markets. Check out freelance writing - even if it's not your full time or even part time occupation. Write articles on things you know. Work in a hospital - write medical. Have a psychology degree - write about the brain and human actions. Like to live eco friendly - write eco articles for small but lucrative eco magazines.
And if you're really looking for an adventurous writing experience, try writing copy or reword a local company's crappy website or brochure. Write greeting cards, inspirational weekly email messages, blogs for paying markets.
A quick online search will show you tons of smaller markets looking for fantastic writing (who are willing to pay - a little or a lot - for your time and talents).
But Alyssa, you're saying now, that's not fiction. How will an agent know I can write fiction?
Well, I say don't worry. Having this type of alternative platform may not make you a literary darling, but it will show agents you possess one very needed aspect of being a successful writer - you can sell your work for profit.
We've talked about author platforms in the past: your options often extend to literary journals publishing your short stories, contest wins, and knowing big-name authors.
But, Alyssa, you say, I don't have time to write hundreds of short stories, spend time revising and editing, and then send those stories off to literary journals to wait the seven to fourteen months lag time before I get a rejection, or, an acceptance that carries no prize money. I barely have time to write my novel as it is, and if I'm not getting paid for my writing time, I'm going to work on my true passion.
And I agree with you. While literary magazines can give you awesome credits (and contests can too, if you pay the submission fees), they take up a lot of time that could have been spent on your main writing project.
So, how do you build your author platform into at least a measly little soapbox that pushes your query above the rest?
My answer: alternative (paying) markets. Check out freelance writing - even if it's not your full time or even part time occupation. Write articles on things you know. Work in a hospital - write medical. Have a psychology degree - write about the brain and human actions. Like to live eco friendly - write eco articles for small but lucrative eco magazines.
And if you're really looking for an adventurous writing experience, try writing copy or reword a local company's crappy website or brochure. Write greeting cards, inspirational weekly email messages, blogs for paying markets.
A quick online search will show you tons of smaller markets looking for fantastic writing (who are willing to pay - a little or a lot - for your time and talents).
But Alyssa, you're saying now, that's not fiction. How will an agent know I can write fiction?
Well, I say don't worry. Having this type of alternative platform may not make you a literary darling, but it will show agents you possess one very needed aspect of being a successful writer - you can sell your work for profit.
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Why Yes, Novels Do Have Souls
You've read those books. The writing is, well, fine. The characters are fine, sure. And the plot is, you guessed it, fine.
Then why don't you feel anything for it? Why don't you have one of those novel hang-overs (the ones where you're so enthralled with the world you just read, you can't possibly move on to any other book/movie/family gathering because it doesn't fit into that world)?
It's because the book you just read had no soul.
This is the term I've come up with to define those books that grab you. The ones you can't possible stop reading. The ones that you want everyone else in the world to read, but also want to keep for just you.
Lack of soul is why many popular, bestselling, novels just sometimes don't do it for you (or me).
So how do you make sure your novel has soul? I've thought long and hard about this. I used to think it was voice, but that didn't quite pin it. No, it's concrete details.
Details in and of themselves are everywhere in writing. She wore a red hat. He ate a cheeseburger. The dog was spunky.
But when you make a detail concrete, it cements the reader (<see what I did there?) into your story. It makes us feel. It gives the story soul. This is even scientifically proven. You've felt it. Details evoke a response from the upper part of the brain (if you want real medical terms, you might want to consult WebMD. I work with medical terms all day and looking them up at home too might kill me.). Whereas, when a concrete detail is presented, it activates the bottom part of the brain - the part that makes your heart race, your nose remember the smell of tomatoes, your soul ache. The part of you that we often call "the heart". It's where you feel the first time you fall in love, where grief makes your lungs squeeze.
So, when you want your story not only to sell, but to hold people in novel hang-over, remember to include concrete details. Make them laugh, make them obsess so much they will forget how long their lunch break is. Make it soulful.
Then why don't you feel anything for it? Why don't you have one of those novel hang-overs (the ones where you're so enthralled with the world you just read, you can't possibly move on to any other book/movie/family gathering because it doesn't fit into that world)?
It's because the book you just read had no soul.
This is the term I've come up with to define those books that grab you. The ones you can't possible stop reading. The ones that you want everyone else in the world to read, but also want to keep for just you.
Lack of soul is why many popular, bestselling, novels just sometimes don't do it for you (or me).
So how do you make sure your novel has soul? I've thought long and hard about this. I used to think it was voice, but that didn't quite pin it. No, it's concrete details.
Details in and of themselves are everywhere in writing. She wore a red hat. He ate a cheeseburger. The dog was spunky.
But when you make a detail concrete, it cements the reader (<see what I did there?) into your story. It makes us feel. It gives the story soul. This is even scientifically proven. You've felt it. Details evoke a response from the upper part of the brain (if you want real medical terms, you might want to consult WebMD. I work with medical terms all day and looking them up at home too might kill me.). Whereas, when a concrete detail is presented, it activates the bottom part of the brain - the part that makes your heart race, your nose remember the smell of tomatoes, your soul ache. The part of you that we often call "the heart". It's where you feel the first time you fall in love, where grief makes your lungs squeeze.
So, when you want your story not only to sell, but to hold people in novel hang-over, remember to include concrete details. Make them laugh, make them obsess so much they will forget how long their lunch break is. Make it soulful.
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Defining Conflict
Conflict. Conflict. Conflict. It's one of the first terms you learn in a creative writing class.
They teach you it's the only way to propel a story. To create tension, if you will.
But what exactly does conflict mean?
My dictionary defines it as: "to come into collision or disagreement; to clash". But does this mean that your entire novel should be made of action scene after action scene? No.
If you need to be convinced, watch a Bond movie. Yes, there's a lot of conflict between Bond and the bad guy, but we would stop watching out of sheer fatigue (or, dare I say, boredom?) if there were no bar scenes - shaken not stirred - and no time for Bond to pick up the hot Bond girl.
Why is this, you wonder? Because if there was nothing but conflict, everything would have the same value. The car chase would be equal to the shoot out, which would be equal to the poisoning of the henchmen... and so on. In short, if everything's in conflict, nothing is new and exciting. Nothing keeps your attention.
Now, when we add in the bar scenes and Bond's infatuation with the new Bond girl, there's a break. Do you ever lose interest? No. Because there's still tension.
So, here's what you need to know: conflict (though it can be great) is only applicable when there's a balance with humorous, romantic, or "resting" scenes. It gives variety and keeps readers reading. The bottom line in your scenes should not be conflict, but tension. Whether macro or micro, tension needs to be everywhere throughout your novel.
Will Bond beat the bad guy?
Will Bond get the girl?
Will Bond be able to move with six gunshot wounds in his chest?
The thrill of the question is what truly matters.
They teach you it's the only way to propel a story. To create tension, if you will.
But what exactly does conflict mean?
My dictionary defines it as: "to come into collision or disagreement; to clash". But does this mean that your entire novel should be made of action scene after action scene? No.
If you need to be convinced, watch a Bond movie. Yes, there's a lot of conflict between Bond and the bad guy, but we would stop watching out of sheer fatigue (or, dare I say, boredom?) if there were no bar scenes - shaken not stirred - and no time for Bond to pick up the hot Bond girl.
Why is this, you wonder? Because if there was nothing but conflict, everything would have the same value. The car chase would be equal to the shoot out, which would be equal to the poisoning of the henchmen... and so on. In short, if everything's in conflict, nothing is new and exciting. Nothing keeps your attention.
Now, when we add in the bar scenes and Bond's infatuation with the new Bond girl, there's a break. Do you ever lose interest? No. Because there's still tension.
So, here's what you need to know: conflict (though it can be great) is only applicable when there's a balance with humorous, romantic, or "resting" scenes. It gives variety and keeps readers reading. The bottom line in your scenes should not be conflict, but tension. Whether macro or micro, tension needs to be everywhere throughout your novel.
Will Bond beat the bad guy?
Will Bond get the girl?
Will Bond be able to move with six gunshot wounds in his chest?
The thrill of the question is what truly matters.
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
Homes in the Slush Pile
Author platform. You've heard the term, no doubt. But what the heck is an author platform?
It is not, unfortunately, a soapbox on which you stand to deliver your next reading and subsequent author speech. No, it is a way agents, editors, and publishers finally notice your work.
Let's think of this through a Texas state of mind. House number 100 in Texas is a giant castle with a moat and drawbridge. House 101 is a still large 3,000 square foot abode with a pool. House 102 is a little shack with a crumbling rooftop. And finally, house 103 is not a house at all, but an empty, overgrown plot.
If you had no budget from which to work with, and every house was up for grabs, which house would you take? Really. No restrictions. You can take any of them - they want you to buy them.
Easy, right? House 100. The giant castle. It's the biggest and the best. You might go for house 101, too, just to buy yourself a buffer zone, but they're the only two that draw your attention.
If you're an agent, this is what author platforms look like. House 100 is the big ticket author who has either published a bestseller or has enough online attention to do so soon. Even house 101 has done their marketing, sprucing the place up and making it the best house it can be on its own. Can it be bigger? Yes. It could be a castle. But only after major overhaul - which, in our case, is publication.
What about the other houses, you ask? Well house 102, our shack, is trying. It has maybe one poetry credit, a twitter feed, and maybe a short story about to be published in a friend's lit mag. It has something, but it needs a crap ton of work before anyone with an unlimited budget notices. And house 103, the empty plot, has nothing but a manuscript to its name. Nothing previously published, and no Facebook author page or blog.
Now, I'm not saying that no agent or publisher had ever chosen a really awesome empty plot based upon the manuscript alone, but isn't it better to have an eye-catching author platform so every agent that passes your query wants you as a client? Quite right.
So how do you make yourself into a giant agent snatching house? You have to work for it. How do you do that? You must commit to a few types of platforms. Create a Facebook author page, a Twitter feed, Instagram, blog, or website. Post from the POV of your protagonist, make sure everyone knows you're an expert on your novel's subject, and share your writing advice.
Then, you'll be the house 100 in the query slush pile and no one can stop you from publishing the next NYT bestseller.
It is not, unfortunately, a soapbox on which you stand to deliver your next reading and subsequent author speech. No, it is a way agents, editors, and publishers finally notice your work.
Let's think of this through a Texas state of mind. House number 100 in Texas is a giant castle with a moat and drawbridge. House 101 is a still large 3,000 square foot abode with a pool. House 102 is a little shack with a crumbling rooftop. And finally, house 103 is not a house at all, but an empty, overgrown plot.
If you had no budget from which to work with, and every house was up for grabs, which house would you take? Really. No restrictions. You can take any of them - they want you to buy them.
Easy, right? House 100. The giant castle. It's the biggest and the best. You might go for house 101, too, just to buy yourself a buffer zone, but they're the only two that draw your attention.
If you're an agent, this is what author platforms look like. House 100 is the big ticket author who has either published a bestseller or has enough online attention to do so soon. Even house 101 has done their marketing, sprucing the place up and making it the best house it can be on its own. Can it be bigger? Yes. It could be a castle. But only after major overhaul - which, in our case, is publication.
What about the other houses, you ask? Well house 102, our shack, is trying. It has maybe one poetry credit, a twitter feed, and maybe a short story about to be published in a friend's lit mag. It has something, but it needs a crap ton of work before anyone with an unlimited budget notices. And house 103, the empty plot, has nothing but a manuscript to its name. Nothing previously published, and no Facebook author page or blog.
Now, I'm not saying that no agent or publisher had ever chosen a really awesome empty plot based upon the manuscript alone, but isn't it better to have an eye-catching author platform so every agent that passes your query wants you as a client? Quite right.
So how do you make yourself into a giant agent snatching house? You have to work for it. How do you do that? You must commit to a few types of platforms. Create a Facebook author page, a Twitter feed, Instagram, blog, or website. Post from the POV of your protagonist, make sure everyone knows you're an expert on your novel's subject, and share your writing advice.
Then, you'll be the house 100 in the query slush pile and no one can stop you from publishing the next NYT bestseller.
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
Can you Query me now?
Let's talk about selecting which agents to submit queries to.
Querying may seem daunting and full of rejection (we've talked about this before), but when you think about it, so is applying and interviewing for jobs. So why should we treat it much differently? Only, this is your dream job and it's filled with words and not the expired coffee beans of your last barista job.
Now, think about what's most important in an agent:
1. Someone you connect with, who believes in your work and your career.
2. Someone who's willing to fight to get you the best possible publisher for your book at the best possible price.
3. Someone who can help explain this confusing, inter-galactic process of the publishing world (ie e-Books, novellas, literary, commercial, traditional print...).
It's not all that different from accepting an offer for a traditional 9-5 job. For that you look for:
1. Doing something you like.
2. Having a pay that makes the revocation of your free time worth the job itself.
3. Working with people you like, who understand you, and accept you for your strengths and weaknesses (and, of course, understand you have a life outside of their walls).
So, next time you're scouring that agent search site, try not to panic and send a mass query to everyone who represents sci-fi novels. Research your agents. Make sure they sound like the type of person you'd want to work professionally with. Is the agency in line with what you want for your book and your career? Is this a place you'd like to "work"? If so, submit. If not, you could be entering in to a professional relationship that isn't right for you.
Querying may seem daunting and full of rejection (we've talked about this before), but when you think about it, so is applying and interviewing for jobs. So why should we treat it much differently? Only, this is your dream job and it's filled with words and not the expired coffee beans of your last barista job.
Now, think about what's most important in an agent:
1. Someone you connect with, who believes in your work and your career.
2. Someone who's willing to fight to get you the best possible publisher for your book at the best possible price.
3. Someone who can help explain this confusing, inter-galactic process of the publishing world (ie e-Books, novellas, literary, commercial, traditional print...).
It's not all that different from accepting an offer for a traditional 9-5 job. For that you look for:
1. Doing something you like.
2. Having a pay that makes the revocation of your free time worth the job itself.
3. Working with people you like, who understand you, and accept you for your strengths and weaknesses (and, of course, understand you have a life outside of their walls).
So, next time you're scouring that agent search site, try not to panic and send a mass query to everyone who represents sci-fi novels. Research your agents. Make sure they sound like the type of person you'd want to work professionally with. Is the agency in line with what you want for your book and your career? Is this a place you'd like to "work"? If so, submit. If not, you could be entering in to a professional relationship that isn't right for you.
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
A Bird Just Hit My Window -- Is That My Hogwarts Letter?!?
I'm still getting ready to shop my YA novel around, and have subsequently used my (non-existent) free time to start another YA novel that I'm obsessed with writing, but can donate only about 20 minutes to per day. So frustrating. This time has been shortened by extra work hours, summer, and the fact that Harry Potter Diagon Alley just opened in Universal Orlando and I've been fan girling hard.
So, here's a quote I found on Pinterest from one of the greatest thinkers and the owner of the most popular theme park in this country: Walk Disney.
So, here's a quote I found on Pinterest from one of the greatest thinkers and the owner of the most popular theme park in this country: Walk Disney.
Now, please excuse me while I read all 7 Harry Potter books (again), marathon watch all 8 movies (again), and then skip my happy butt all the way to Florida (eventually). No worries, man.
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Fitting a Swimming Pool in a Coffee Mug
It can't be done, right? Physics simply won't allow it. And yet, the synopsis requires that you do just that. Your novel (the swimming pool) has to be condensed to 1-2 pages: in fact, the lowest synopsis amount I've seen on an agent submission page is 3 paragraphs: which can often feel even less like a mug and more like an eye dropper.
So how do you accomplish fitting your entire, brilliant masterpiece into such a tiny space?
First, forget about subplot. Have an interesting father-daughter scene that unfolds under the main current of the novel's plot? Great! Don't include it in the synopsis. Tangents don't show you're a good writer, they show you don't know how to edit.
Second, limit your characters. Does your protagonist's brother perpetuate her loneliness by socially isolating her at school? Awesome! Don't name him in the synopsis. Providing every character's proper name from the novel doesn't provide depth, it confuses the reader because instead of focusing on one or two names, the reader has to remember six or seven who may only be mentioned once or twice.
Finally, remember cadence. As a rule of thumb, keep sentences short and to the point. Don't try and show off in your synopsis. It is less a showcase of writing talent (though you do want to put time into writing it well) and more of a showcase to agents that you know how to plot and you know where you're going with this story before they read the whole thing. Need help? For your first draft keep all sentences 10 words and shorter. Then, later, combine sentence for clarity and cadence.
Still intimidated by the synopsis? Try this technique---
Boil your novel's plot down to ten sentences. I repeat, TEN. No more. Only include what's important because you can't add more space - just like your one page synopsis. Then, expand upon these ten sentences enough so your plot has causality and makes sense, but not enough so it's cluttered.
Think you're up for the challenge? I think you are. If you keep in mind that simplicity is best, you will do infinitely better.
So how do you accomplish fitting your entire, brilliant masterpiece into such a tiny space?
First, forget about subplot. Have an interesting father-daughter scene that unfolds under the main current of the novel's plot? Great! Don't include it in the synopsis. Tangents don't show you're a good writer, they show you don't know how to edit.
Second, limit your characters. Does your protagonist's brother perpetuate her loneliness by socially isolating her at school? Awesome! Don't name him in the synopsis. Providing every character's proper name from the novel doesn't provide depth, it confuses the reader because instead of focusing on one or two names, the reader has to remember six or seven who may only be mentioned once or twice.
Finally, remember cadence. As a rule of thumb, keep sentences short and to the point. Don't try and show off in your synopsis. It is less a showcase of writing talent (though you do want to put time into writing it well) and more of a showcase to agents that you know how to plot and you know where you're going with this story before they read the whole thing. Need help? For your first draft keep all sentences 10 words and shorter. Then, later, combine sentence for clarity and cadence.
Still intimidated by the synopsis? Try this technique---
Boil your novel's plot down to ten sentences. I repeat, TEN. No more. Only include what's important because you can't add more space - just like your one page synopsis. Then, expand upon these ten sentences enough so your plot has causality and makes sense, but not enough so it's cluttered.
Think you're up for the challenge? I think you are. If you keep in mind that simplicity is best, you will do infinitely better.
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Editing and Queries and Synopses, Oh My!
With my latest revision of my YA novel done and the manuscript looking the best it ever has, my mind has turned from editing to the query and synopsis. Both daunting tasks.
To help you out in your future research, here are a few of the best sites I've found to help you with queries (and next week we'll tackle the fear-inducing synopsis).
Want the agent's perspective to queries? Check out the Nelson Agency blog: nelsonagency.com/pubrants here, agent Kristin Nelson shares her current music tunes, publishing advice, and (if you follow the queries label) successful queries that won her heart.
If you want another agent perspective without the niceties of a Midwestern childhood, drive into the chum bucket at Janet Reed's hit blog Query Shark. queryshark.blogspot.com. View the archives, read mistakes and triumphs by other writers and even submit your own query for critique by the shark herself.
Finally, for great query advice, look no farther than Writer's Digest. writersdigest.com. Their bloggers and article writers write often about how to create successful queries, but what sets them apart is their "Successful Queries" series. So, check out the website and get your subscription - it will aid your craft.
To help you out in your future research, here are a few of the best sites I've found to help you with queries (and next week we'll tackle the fear-inducing synopsis).
Want the agent's perspective to queries? Check out the Nelson Agency blog: nelsonagency.com/pubrants here, agent Kristin Nelson shares her current music tunes, publishing advice, and (if you follow the queries label) successful queries that won her heart.
If you want another agent perspective without the niceties of a Midwestern childhood, drive into the chum bucket at Janet Reed's hit blog Query Shark. queryshark.blogspot.com. View the archives, read mistakes and triumphs by other writers and even submit your own query for critique by the shark herself.
Finally, for great query advice, look no farther than Writer's Digest. writersdigest.com. Their bloggers and article writers write often about how to create successful queries, but what sets them apart is their "Successful Queries" series. So, check out the website and get your subscription - it will aid your craft.
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Let Go or Be Dragged
In American culture we're so used to beating ourselves up over the smallest things. You know, when you sneak a few M&M's from the work shared candy bowl and then have to write it in your food journal to forever document your self loathing?
Writing - and really any artistic venture - is no exception. You pulled extra hours at work, went to the kids' soccer game, had to scrounge something up for dinner, and then passed out to do it all over again tomorrow - without writing a word. Even when we make just one sentence happen in a day, we feel like failures.
Really, if we accept life and its challenges, we'd be freer to write when the time presented itself. Gone would be the self loathing and the hate of our inability to function as writers. Instead, our minds would be clear and our inspiration running high - ready to rush in whenever we're ready to accept it.
So free the muse and the worry of yet another part of life. Be free to write again.
And now I leave you this hectic week in my own life, with an inspirational picture from Pinterest:
From http://www.pinterest.com/pin/476326098061537069/
Writing - and really any artistic venture - is no exception. You pulled extra hours at work, went to the kids' soccer game, had to scrounge something up for dinner, and then passed out to do it all over again tomorrow - without writing a word. Even when we make just one sentence happen in a day, we feel like failures.
Really, if we accept life and its challenges, we'd be freer to write when the time presented itself. Gone would be the self loathing and the hate of our inability to function as writers. Instead, our minds would be clear and our inspiration running high - ready to rush in whenever we're ready to accept it.
So free the muse and the worry of yet another part of life. Be free to write again.
And now I leave you this hectic week in my own life, with an inspirational picture from Pinterest:
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Writing Prompt
Has the muse been escaping you lately? Can't get the inspiration muscle into line?
Would a writing prompt help?
How about this: What's closest to your left hand at this moment? Study it. Understand it. Now, write a scene or short story (or novel, hazzah!) where this object is a main focus. Whether it be metaphysical, literal, or as an antagonist, the object closest to your left hand must play an important role in your piece.
Don't stress about it, just write - uninhibited - and see what happens. The muse may come rushing in when you least expect it.
Would a writing prompt help?
How about this: What's closest to your left hand at this moment? Study it. Understand it. Now, write a scene or short story (or novel, hazzah!) where this object is a main focus. Whether it be metaphysical, literal, or as an antagonist, the object closest to your left hand must play an important role in your piece.
Don't stress about it, just write - uninhibited - and see what happens. The muse may come rushing in when you least expect it.
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Take Your Novel Up a Notch: Research
Think historical fiction writers are the only ones who need to do research? Think again.
All writers need to research - though it may be in different ways. For writers in the sci-fi, fantasy, YA, Middle Grade, literary, romance, or commercial fields, research will take a different avenue than those who write historical fiction or westerns.
How? Well, instead of hours spent in the back of the library bent over a thick tome on boiler combustion until your sciatica aches - like the historical junkie - other writers are sitting on the floor in the YA section or dodging Dr Who cardboard cutouts in the fantasy/sci-fi room. Their research is less about knowing facts about a certain historical item, and more about knowing the conventions of the genre. What's been done? What's been overdone? Is this a good plot? A good voice? Good prose? If it's a popular title - why? Is it the character development, tension, or the romance that really ensnares the reader?
I once heard a good rule of thumb is to read 1,000 books in your genre for every 1,000 words you write. Does this seem impossible? Maybe - at the very least it's a daunting prospect. Most of us don't have the time to write a few sentences per day let alone read so many novels.
But you know what? It really does help you. You'll not only stay up to date on genre trends, publishers, and agents, but you'll also have a better feel for what you're writing. If you know nothing of boiler combustion and try to write a story where this is the main antagonist or a major part of the protagonist's life, it's going to be wrong for readers - especially those who know about boiler combustion. But if you do your research, every detail you add will be like a little piece of candy for your reader to find rather than a gaping hole in your story.
And who doesn't love candy?
Happy Reading (and subsequently, Writing)!
All writers need to research - though it may be in different ways. For writers in the sci-fi, fantasy, YA, Middle Grade, literary, romance, or commercial fields, research will take a different avenue than those who write historical fiction or westerns.
How? Well, instead of hours spent in the back of the library bent over a thick tome on boiler combustion until your sciatica aches - like the historical junkie - other writers are sitting on the floor in the YA section or dodging Dr Who cardboard cutouts in the fantasy/sci-fi room. Their research is less about knowing facts about a certain historical item, and more about knowing the conventions of the genre. What's been done? What's been overdone? Is this a good plot? A good voice? Good prose? If it's a popular title - why? Is it the character development, tension, or the romance that really ensnares the reader?
I once heard a good rule of thumb is to read 1,000 books in your genre for every 1,000 words you write. Does this seem impossible? Maybe - at the very least it's a daunting prospect. Most of us don't have the time to write a few sentences per day let alone read so many novels.
But you know what? It really does help you. You'll not only stay up to date on genre trends, publishers, and agents, but you'll also have a better feel for what you're writing. If you know nothing of boiler combustion and try to write a story where this is the main antagonist or a major part of the protagonist's life, it's going to be wrong for readers - especially those who know about boiler combustion. But if you do your research, every detail you add will be like a little piece of candy for your reader to find rather than a gaping hole in your story.
And who doesn't love candy?
Happy Reading (and subsequently, Writing)!
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Publication
It feels like months I've been holding this news back - waiting for it to be officially okay to tell everyone. But the day has finally come!
Drum roll, please.......................................
My short story The First Summer Funeral has been published in the Winter/Spring 2014 issue.
You can find it here: http://www.snreview.org/0414Nedbal.html
And check out the other great stories in this issue on the homepage of the magazine here: http://www.snreview.org/
Print and Kindle editions of the magazine will be released shortly. I'll keep you posted.
Drum roll, please.......................................
My short story The First Summer Funeral has been published in the Winter/Spring 2014 issue.
You can find it here: http://www.snreview.org/0414Nedbal.html
And check out the other great stories in this issue on the homepage of the magazine here: http://www.snreview.org/
Print and Kindle editions of the magazine will be released shortly. I'll keep you posted.
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
So What's This All About?
You've been writing every day - even if it's just one sentence or one sentence fragment. You've developed carpal tunnel and have acquired two braces to prove this. (Okay, maybe that's me, but I can't be the only one.) You have a draft, and may have even been through a few revisions.
How do you know it's good enough to stop revising? How do you know when it's FINISHED?
Your first step - after perfecting basic craft - is to find your theme. Theme is the container you put the gumbo of your story in. The gumbo - setting, characterization, plot, detail - is what you've worked so hard to achieve. You've slaved over the hot stove of writing for months or years. Now, you need to contain that story, or all your work is for naught.
Theme keeps your story readable. Once you find your theme, you can be sure which details are needed, which exposition is necessary, and you will better understand the pacing in relation to the overall story.
But, Alyssa, you're no doubt saying, how do I find my theme?
Sometimes writers start writing a story with a theme in mind. Inspirational writing often starts with this goal (to show the wonder/mercy/power of a god) so does a lot of children's writing (though it shouldn't - when writers want to show a theme of sharing, self reliance, or honesty). Writers who begin with a set theme in mind rarely accomplish the story they set out to write.
So, start writing because you need to tell the story of your characters. Start writing because a specific setting is screaming to break free. Then, once your story is ready, find the perfect container to place it in.
Have a story and don't know what the theme could possibly be? Well, let's take a look at some famous stories to illustrate theme.
The Great Gatsby - Theme: The collapse of the American Dream and the hollow qualities of material objects.
The Swimmer (by John Cheever) - Theme: The inevitable passage of time.
Harry Potter series - Theme: The pain and emptiness of war and its effects on children and orphans.
Often times, finding a theme is simpler than you think. What is your protagonist's mission? What do your setting and scenes say to a reader? Why did you write this story to begin with?
A theme can be as simple as faith or trust or death. However, whether it's a sentence or a word, your theme should be simple. Remember, it's the container that holds the gumbo - but the gumbo should still be the star.
Theme can be the difference between another form rejection and your first submission acceptance. Present your story with relevant details, fantastically mastered scenes, and great language. Wrap it up in a beautiful theme that says you know what you're writing and what you're trying to convey, and your story will jump from good to great.
How do you know it's good enough to stop revising? How do you know when it's FINISHED?
Your first step - after perfecting basic craft - is to find your theme. Theme is the container you put the gumbo of your story in. The gumbo - setting, characterization, plot, detail - is what you've worked so hard to achieve. You've slaved over the hot stove of writing for months or years. Now, you need to contain that story, or all your work is for naught.
Theme keeps your story readable. Once you find your theme, you can be sure which details are needed, which exposition is necessary, and you will better understand the pacing in relation to the overall story.
But, Alyssa, you're no doubt saying, how do I find my theme?
Sometimes writers start writing a story with a theme in mind. Inspirational writing often starts with this goal (to show the wonder/mercy/power of a god) so does a lot of children's writing (though it shouldn't - when writers want to show a theme of sharing, self reliance, or honesty). Writers who begin with a set theme in mind rarely accomplish the story they set out to write.
So, start writing because you need to tell the story of your characters. Start writing because a specific setting is screaming to break free. Then, once your story is ready, find the perfect container to place it in.
Have a story and don't know what the theme could possibly be? Well, let's take a look at some famous stories to illustrate theme.
The Great Gatsby - Theme: The collapse of the American Dream and the hollow qualities of material objects.
The Swimmer (by John Cheever) - Theme: The inevitable passage of time.
Harry Potter series - Theme: The pain and emptiness of war and its effects on children and orphans.
Often times, finding a theme is simpler than you think. What is your protagonist's mission? What do your setting and scenes say to a reader? Why did you write this story to begin with?
A theme can be as simple as faith or trust or death. However, whether it's a sentence or a word, your theme should be simple. Remember, it's the container that holds the gumbo - but the gumbo should still be the star.
Theme can be the difference between another form rejection and your first submission acceptance. Present your story with relevant details, fantastically mastered scenes, and great language. Wrap it up in a beautiful theme that says you know what you're writing and what you're trying to convey, and your story will jump from good to great.
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Pondering the Writing Professor
Over the years, I've had a number of writing professors. Some have stayed in my life for years, others lasted only a few days. Recently, I was discussing a writing professor with my friends. I didn't stay long with this professor because I didn't like his teaching style. My friends, on the other hand, all had fantastic experiences and learned a great deal from this professor.
How can four people - dedicated to writing - think so differently about the same teacher?
Here are my thoughts:
Writing professors (and writing degree programs) are subjective. They all teach you mostly the same thing, but in completely different ways. It's much like reading a plethora of different books on writing instruction. Some you'll think are amazing, others are going to suck.
Writing professors are the same. Some you will connect with. They'll tell you about setting and it will make every piece of advice you've ever heard about setting click into comprehension in your mind. Other professors will try to teach you about setting and it's like they're speaking in Ancient Alien Runes.
All in all, you need to do your research and decide for yourself what works best. Sure you can ask the advice of your friends, but if I had accepted that advice three years ago, I wouldn't have taken a class (and then another) with one of the best writing professors who has helped me understand the craft.
So, don't worry about which schools have the highest ranking, and don't worry about the doubt those other professors have sewn in you.
You need to do what's right for you.
How can four people - dedicated to writing - think so differently about the same teacher?
Here are my thoughts:
Writing professors (and writing degree programs) are subjective. They all teach you mostly the same thing, but in completely different ways. It's much like reading a plethora of different books on writing instruction. Some you'll think are amazing, others are going to suck.
Writing professors are the same. Some you will connect with. They'll tell you about setting and it will make every piece of advice you've ever heard about setting click into comprehension in your mind. Other professors will try to teach you about setting and it's like they're speaking in Ancient Alien Runes.
All in all, you need to do your research and decide for yourself what works best. Sure you can ask the advice of your friends, but if I had accepted that advice three years ago, I wouldn't have taken a class (and then another) with one of the best writing professors who has helped me understand the craft.
So, don't worry about which schools have the highest ranking, and don't worry about the doubt those other professors have sewn in you.
You need to do what's right for you.
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
The Word Choice Chart
We've spoken before about word choice. Along with plot and characterization, word choice is one of the fundamental aspects of writing. If you have bad word choice, writers will put down your novel. No questions asked.
It's natural for us, as humans, to reuse the same words over and over again. You know the people who use the word "like" every other sentence. However, reusing your words within the same paragraph - even within the same page - is tedious for the reader. Rather than focusing on your amazing writing, the reader will be looking for nothing but the next time you use the word "turned".
Another word choice snafu is using boring words or words inappropriate for the situation. For example, you could definitely use the word "walked" all the time, but wouldn't it be more interesting (and more descriptive) for the reader if you used "trundled", "lumbered", "promenaded", or "skipped"? And if you're writing a dramatic or somber scene, you don't want to use words with a positive connotation or risk pulling the reader right out of your scene.
To help you switch up your word choice in new and original ways, I found this chart of Pinterest. So, the next time you want to say your character is "mad" for third time, consult the chart and try something new.
It's natural for us, as humans, to reuse the same words over and over again. You know the people who use the word "like" every other sentence. However, reusing your words within the same paragraph - even within the same page - is tedious for the reader. Rather than focusing on your amazing writing, the reader will be looking for nothing but the next time you use the word "turned".
Another word choice snafu is using boring words or words inappropriate for the situation. For example, you could definitely use the word "walked" all the time, but wouldn't it be more interesting (and more descriptive) for the reader if you used "trundled", "lumbered", "promenaded", or "skipped"? And if you're writing a dramatic or somber scene, you don't want to use words with a positive connotation or risk pulling the reader right out of your scene.
To help you switch up your word choice in new and original ways, I found this chart of Pinterest. So, the next time you want to say your character is "mad" for third time, consult the chart and try something new.
Original from: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/476326098061437968/
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
That third freckle, ten centimeters from his left nostril.
From the title of this post, you have probably inferred we're talking about detail this week. Details are at once important and easily overdone.
Readers need detail to feel submersed in the story. Where is the character? What does it feel like, smell like, look like? For example, say you're writing about Wisconsin. If you've ever visited, you know that saying "Wisconsin" is not enough. Is it northern or southern? Eastern or western? Is it Almost Winter, Winter, Still Winter, or Road Construction season? This will all make a difference. Is it seasonably cold or ridiculously cold - like this year, where Easter Eggs will have to be found under two feet of freshly fallen snow.
Do you see what I'm getting at here? Detail - especially sensory imagery - is needed by the reader. Not only does it spice up your writing, but it gives the reader a place to imagine you characters in.
There's a fine balance when it comes to detail. Too little and your readers won't be able to orient. They won't care how great your prose is until they know what to picture. Too much and they'll put your book down out of boredom. There isn't enough action to keep your hook ensnared in their reader minds.
To keep this balance up, I use the method of presenting a few key pieces of detail up front: like setting and a few important snippets either of characters or their surroundings. Then start the action and dialogue. To slow down a scene or break up a long exchange of dialogue, add more details that you haven't added before to "set the stage" so to speak.
P.S. Beware repeating the same detail. For example, if you've already mentioned the store your protagonist is in is crowded, don't mention it again unless you're foreshadowing.
P.P.S. The title of this post is a prime example of TOO MUCH detail. If this ever happens, DELETE, DELETE, DELETE!
Readers need detail to feel submersed in the story. Where is the character? What does it feel like, smell like, look like? For example, say you're writing about Wisconsin. If you've ever visited, you know that saying "Wisconsin" is not enough. Is it northern or southern? Eastern or western? Is it Almost Winter, Winter, Still Winter, or Road Construction season? This will all make a difference. Is it seasonably cold or ridiculously cold - like this year, where Easter Eggs will have to be found under two feet of freshly fallen snow.
Do you see what I'm getting at here? Detail - especially sensory imagery - is needed by the reader. Not only does it spice up your writing, but it gives the reader a place to imagine you characters in.
There's a fine balance when it comes to detail. Too little and your readers won't be able to orient. They won't care how great your prose is until they know what to picture. Too much and they'll put your book down out of boredom. There isn't enough action to keep your hook ensnared in their reader minds.
To keep this balance up, I use the method of presenting a few key pieces of detail up front: like setting and a few important snippets either of characters or their surroundings. Then start the action and dialogue. To slow down a scene or break up a long exchange of dialogue, add more details that you haven't added before to "set the stage" so to speak.
P.S. Beware repeating the same detail. For example, if you've already mentioned the store your protagonist is in is crowded, don't mention it again unless you're foreshadowing.
P.P.S. The title of this post is a prime example of TOO MUCH detail. If this ever happens, DELETE, DELETE, DELETE!
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Success?
I found this wonderful picture on Pinterest. (By the way, I'm a confirmed Pinterest junkie. You can find me by searching for Alyssa Nedbal. If you follow me, you'll see some pretty awesome posts, if I do say so myself.) The original photo is from Joanna Goddard's blog, and you can get to it through the pin here.
This chart is true of almost anything in life, but especially careers, and most especially creative careers. Many bios about artists in magazines, feature articles, or documentaries make the climb to success seem very simple.
Example: Writer A picked up his first pen at three hours old, and wrote his first novel at age five. Though the spelling was atrocious, it was picked up by a small publishing house in Oregon state. At fourteen, he found his agent and entered the Iowa Writer's workshop - graduating faster than anyone in history. Fast forward six years and he's a household name with vacation homes in twelve countries and a private jet. Now, he debuts his two thousandth novel here in this publication.
You read this with a contorted face, wondering how in the hell someone can have such good luck at such a steady pace.
Either Writer A is an anomaly, or the publication just happened to skip all the rejections and downright terrible things that happened to him over his life. They didn't talk about the time he was homeless, or got suspended from college, or about how his first agent dropped him after two years without selling his manuscript.
So when you're feeling down about a bad first draft or realize you've used the word "looked" 26 times in chapter 3, just remember you're somewhere in the middle of this jumble toward success. And when this novel is published and you're using your six figure advance to quit your job and write another novel, remember that you start back at the bottom of the success chart with your new baby and it will be a struggle again.
No one said writing was going to be easy, but when you love it, you won't let the downward squiggles stop you.
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Cutting the Crap
I'm in the revision stage for all my major manuscripts - my YA manuscript, a lengthy sci-fi "short", and my mostly-as-of-now untouched memoir.
With revision on the brain and a writer's group freshly attended, I'd like to share with you my philosophy with revision and the writing that happens before it.
First: Writing.
I'm in the boat of writers who says don't outline, don't think too hard, and definitely don't reread your work until you finish your first draft. That first draft is going to be baggy, full of tangents, and pretty much all-around crap. This is good. You will read it and think you're a terrible writer who should never write another word again. Good. This will motivate you.
Second: Revision.
I am also in the boat of writers who truly enjoys revision. I like spending the time with my characters to truly understand them and probe deep within their minds and motives. Revision is where I can make scenes better and add ones that will help the reader better understand the flow of action or the characters. Revision is where I quite literally cut the crap of my first draft and feel less terrible about myself.
So here's this weeks advise - choose whichever category describes you and read on.
1. The writer too afraid to write/ the writer with writer's block: Don't be afraid. Write something and add more to it everyday. It's better to write baggy and have to spend time cutting later than to never write at all, right?
2. The writer who doesn't think his writing needs revision/ the writer too afraid of revision to cut into his first draft: Your writing DOES need revision. I don't care how scared you are or how awesome you think your first draft is. It isn't. This goes for everyone - even the greats. Go sentence by sentence. Is this sentence needed? If you say no - cut it. If you say maybe and want to provide a long explanation why - cut it or pay up $1,000,000 just like the bulky dialogue conversation we had back in July (find it here). Then go scene by scene or character by character and follow the same process. I promise you'll thank me later when your manuscript is no longer 250,000 words and you can reach the top of the bestseller list.
Until then, happy revising! To leave you this week, here's a picture of me in my baggiest revision clothes, ready to be trimmed..........................April Fools! (Come on, you know I had to.)
With revision on the brain and a writer's group freshly attended, I'd like to share with you my philosophy with revision and the writing that happens before it.
First: Writing.
I'm in the boat of writers who says don't outline, don't think too hard, and definitely don't reread your work until you finish your first draft. That first draft is going to be baggy, full of tangents, and pretty much all-around crap. This is good. You will read it and think you're a terrible writer who should never write another word again. Good. This will motivate you.
Second: Revision.
I am also in the boat of writers who truly enjoys revision. I like spending the time with my characters to truly understand them and probe deep within their minds and motives. Revision is where I can make scenes better and add ones that will help the reader better understand the flow of action or the characters. Revision is where I quite literally cut the crap of my first draft and feel less terrible about myself.
So here's this weeks advise - choose whichever category describes you and read on.
1. The writer too afraid to write/ the writer with writer's block: Don't be afraid. Write something and add more to it everyday. It's better to write baggy and have to spend time cutting later than to never write at all, right?
2. The writer who doesn't think his writing needs revision/ the writer too afraid of revision to cut into his first draft: Your writing DOES need revision. I don't care how scared you are or how awesome you think your first draft is. It isn't. This goes for everyone - even the greats. Go sentence by sentence. Is this sentence needed? If you say no - cut it. If you say maybe and want to provide a long explanation why - cut it or pay up $1,000,000 just like the bulky dialogue conversation we had back in July (find it here). Then go scene by scene or character by character and follow the same process. I promise you'll thank me later when your manuscript is no longer 250,000 words and you can reach the top of the bestseller list.
Until then, happy revising! To leave you this week, here's a picture of me in my baggiest revision clothes, ready to be trimmed..........................April Fools! (Come on, you know I had to.)
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Happy Spring?
So, I've lost hope that spring will ever come. Forget summer. That Disney movie Frozen couldn't have come out on a better year.
Meanwhile, I've admittedly been in a bit of a writing slump. I've acquired three jobs, plus my rabbit was just spayed (poor baby) - so I've been playing nurse, and I can't possibly do anything but sit under a blanket when it's a consistent -20 degrees in Wisconsin.
And you know what? I'm not worried about it. I know, when it's time for me to write, it will happen. In the meantime, I'm catching up on this year's movies (Frozen was better than expected) and doing a lot of reading. If it's what my creative writer-brain needs right now, then I'm not going to push it. Eventually I'll pull my laptop out and start scribing again because I always do after writing slumps.
Also, though writing is not what I'm doing right now, art definitely is. I realized it's been a while since I showcased some of my artwork, and since you can't look outside at mountains of snow all the time and expect not to be depressed, here's some color to brighten the coldest March in history.
This piece, titled "The Universe is Shifting", is a 9x11 oil pastel on paper. I've already framed it, as you see.
Meanwhile, I've admittedly been in a bit of a writing slump. I've acquired three jobs, plus my rabbit was just spayed (poor baby) - so I've been playing nurse, and I can't possibly do anything but sit under a blanket when it's a consistent -20 degrees in Wisconsin.
And you know what? I'm not worried about it. I know, when it's time for me to write, it will happen. In the meantime, I'm catching up on this year's movies (Frozen was better than expected) and doing a lot of reading. If it's what my creative writer-brain needs right now, then I'm not going to push it. Eventually I'll pull my laptop out and start scribing again because I always do after writing slumps.
Also, though writing is not what I'm doing right now, art definitely is. I realized it's been a while since I showcased some of my artwork, and since you can't look outside at mountains of snow all the time and expect not to be depressed, here's some color to brighten the coldest March in history.
This piece, titled "Life Inside the Box", is a much larger (I didn't measure, sorry) acrylic and marker on canvas. It's my most recent piece, unless you count the unfinished panel sitting on my table now.
And for Throwback...Tuesday(?)...here's my favorite art class final. The project was to paint yourself into a classic. I chose Gustav Klimt's "The Kiss" from 1908/1909. My version is an acrylic on panel board and I even painted in my (at that time) red hair and geek glasses, circa 2012.
None of these are available on my Etsy shop, for those of you who were reading this blog when I announced its creation. I've kind of slacked in the shop lately due to overwork and exhaustion. But, they're nice to look at, yes? If you're an artist, feel free to share with us pictures of your art as well.
Otherwise, don't sweat it if you're in a spring writing slump. It happens. Often. Breathe, read, and create again another day.
Happy Tuesday everyone!
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
The Art of the Short Story vs. The Art of the Novel
I have safely returned to my frozen Wisconsin wasteland. It was a balmy -30 when I landed and now is slightly warmer - warm enough to produce a 5-8" snowstorm over the next two days. If nothing, the cold weather forces me to be dormant and work on my writing.
It also forces me to have extended Facebook or text conversations with old friends. Yesterday, I was speaking with a friend of mine who was just accepted into an MFA program for fiction writing. I asked if she was excited and she said yes, but no. Throughout her undergrad experience, she wrote short stories, then created a portfolio of short stories to get into the MFA program. Now, she learned that the extent of her MFA program would be writing, critiquing, and perfecting even more short stories.
"Don't get me wrong, I want to write fiction, but I want to write a novel. Short stories aren't my calling," she told me via technology. "I read this article that said writing a short story is like making a row boat, whereas writing a novel is like building a yacht. You can't build a yacht by building thousands of rowboats."
She didn't remember who wrote the article or where she read it, but the quote stuck with us both. Writing a short story - from the plot to the character development - is a completely different world from writing a novel. That's why I enjoy the "novel writing" seminars I attend over the "short story seminars". Though both can help you tame your craft, you have to pursue what you love. You don't see poets in forestry class, or painters spinning at the ceramics wheel. You have to follow your calling. If you want to write short stories, take the MFA classes and become a short story master. If you want to write novels, then find a writing group and novel writing seminars that most often take place over a span of weekends or at a month-long retreat.
Just as we understand the difference in craft between clay and oil paint, it's about time we start realizing that not all fiction is identical. It takes different abilities and techniques to write short stories than it does to write novels.
My advice to my friend as well as to you, blog reader and fellow scribe, is to follow your heart. Don't worry about the professors telling you you won't go anywhere without an MFA. Don't worry if everyone else is singing up for the Carver-esque class. If you want to be the next Grisham or Patterson, write your novel. Read more novels and find the correct classes for you.
It also forces me to have extended Facebook or text conversations with old friends. Yesterday, I was speaking with a friend of mine who was just accepted into an MFA program for fiction writing. I asked if she was excited and she said yes, but no. Throughout her undergrad experience, she wrote short stories, then created a portfolio of short stories to get into the MFA program. Now, she learned that the extent of her MFA program would be writing, critiquing, and perfecting even more short stories.
"Don't get me wrong, I want to write fiction, but I want to write a novel. Short stories aren't my calling," she told me via technology. "I read this article that said writing a short story is like making a row boat, whereas writing a novel is like building a yacht. You can't build a yacht by building thousands of rowboats."
She didn't remember who wrote the article or where she read it, but the quote stuck with us both. Writing a short story - from the plot to the character development - is a completely different world from writing a novel. That's why I enjoy the "novel writing" seminars I attend over the "short story seminars". Though both can help you tame your craft, you have to pursue what you love. You don't see poets in forestry class, or painters spinning at the ceramics wheel. You have to follow your calling. If you want to write short stories, take the MFA classes and become a short story master. If you want to write novels, then find a writing group and novel writing seminars that most often take place over a span of weekends or at a month-long retreat.
Just as we understand the difference in craft between clay and oil paint, it's about time we start realizing that not all fiction is identical. It takes different abilities and techniques to write short stories than it does to write novels.
My advice to my friend as well as to you, blog reader and fellow scribe, is to follow your heart. Don't worry about the professors telling you you won't go anywhere without an MFA. Don't worry if everyone else is singing up for the Carver-esque class. If you want to be the next Grisham or Patterson, write your novel. Read more novels and find the correct classes for you.
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Check it out: Indie Writer Death Match
You know when your fingers are too cold to type? When you have to enter your email password 6 times before you hit every key with enough force for it to come out correctly? When you put hand sanitizer on then think, "When did I get that paper cut?" but then realize it's just your cracked skin because it's too flippin' dry and cold in here?
Yeah, that's why next week I'll be taking a week off. I'm leaving the frozen tundra of northern Wisconsin to hit the Southeast (so get your ice storms out of the way now and make way for 70 degrees!). At approximately this time next Tuesday, I'll be somewhere in the air space above southern Wisconsin or northern Illinois, where I'll make a connection to make another connection to get to my vacation destination.
You may, of course, contact me via blog comment below, but I will not respond until March 18th, when I'm safely home again (and freezing) and back in Central Standard Time.
To while away the hours until then, check out this awesome new writing competition I found a few weeks back and have adored following. It's called the Indie Writer Death Match and is brought to you annually by Broken Pencil lit mag.
The Death Match is like a cross between the Hunger Games and your Sunday book group giving their hipster opinions on the newest Claire Messud novel. Tons of writers submit their best short stories, then the editors narrow the field down to the Death Match participants. From there, the voting is up to the people as stories go head to head in sets of 2 until they make it (or not) to the final round. While all of this is taking place, the comments section explodes with reader jabs, writer defenses, and moderator schemes.
Don't believe me? Here's a sample of the comments from the currently running final round, which takes place until March 9th. The two final stories are Eraser and Idiot Without a Coat On.
Cody Oschefski: "Eraser seems to be the clear winner here. Not sure how she fell behind."
Cat B: "Ummmm...I attribute it to the fact that Idiot Without A Coat On is the clearer winner."
So partake in the Death Match (and maybe write something for next year's Death Match? Huh? HUH?) until I return. There, words are the weapons, and literary slingers are abundant. Immerse yourselves, my friends, while I search for weather above 7 degrees.
Yeah, that's why next week I'll be taking a week off. I'm leaving the frozen tundra of northern Wisconsin to hit the Southeast (so get your ice storms out of the way now and make way for 70 degrees!). At approximately this time next Tuesday, I'll be somewhere in the air space above southern Wisconsin or northern Illinois, where I'll make a connection to make another connection to get to my vacation destination.
You may, of course, contact me via blog comment below, but I will not respond until March 18th, when I'm safely home again (and freezing) and back in Central Standard Time.
To while away the hours until then, check out this awesome new writing competition I found a few weeks back and have adored following. It's called the Indie Writer Death Match and is brought to you annually by Broken Pencil lit mag.
The Death Match is like a cross between the Hunger Games and your Sunday book group giving their hipster opinions on the newest Claire Messud novel. Tons of writers submit their best short stories, then the editors narrow the field down to the Death Match participants. From there, the voting is up to the people as stories go head to head in sets of 2 until they make it (or not) to the final round. While all of this is taking place, the comments section explodes with reader jabs, writer defenses, and moderator schemes.
Don't believe me? Here's a sample of the comments from the currently running final round, which takes place until March 9th. The two final stories are Eraser and Idiot Without a Coat On.
Cody Oschefski: "Eraser seems to be the clear winner here. Not sure how she fell behind."
Cat B: "Ummmm...I attribute it to the fact that Idiot Without A Coat On is the clearer winner."
So partake in the Death Match (and maybe write something for next year's Death Match? Huh? HUH?) until I return. There, words are the weapons, and literary slingers are abundant. Immerse yourselves, my friends, while I search for weather above 7 degrees.
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