What The Sun Taught Me (AKA: writing characters who aren't like you)

In my spare time I write content for a free environmental awareness Zine in my town. The pages are small (about the size of a greeting card) and so rarely require over 200 word submissions.

Though this means I'm not saddled with the burden of a 1,000 word essay every month, it is difficult to write content to fit within a 200 word maximum.

Another added dilemma comes in the form of themes. This month, with a theme of the Summer Solstice, I am writing a Sun Affirmation and a Yoga Sun Salutation Sequence. Sounds interesting, right? The only problem is: I'm allergic to sunlight.

When the sun's rays touch my skin, it inflames and breaks out in a hive-like rash that both feels like molten lava is trapped under my skin and like an army of tiny men with pitchforks are stabbing me repeatedly. I try to stay out of direct sunlight most of the time, and when I have to be in the sun, I usually feel like I'm going to vomit.

However, I know that I am in the minority. Most people love the sun. They love the warmth and the light and the general euphoria that comes with the fact that it's not raining or snowing or the apocalypse.

So, how in the world could I buck up my general avoidance of the large glowing star in the sky into adoration? How could I put aside my personal feelings and put myself in the shoes of others?

Research.

The first thing I did was read up on all the scientific reasons we need the sun to survive. It gave me a new look at the thing I'd grown to know as a hindrance. I had a new admiration for just how much the sun does on this Earth, and you know what? I started liking the sun, too.

Now, I'm not going to go out and bask under the rays for the rest of the day (that would hurt) but I did gain enough information and empathy to write the pieces required of me for this month's issue.

What does this story mean for you?

Well, eventually in your writing career, you will write a character that doesn't share all your same likes and dislikes. You'll write someone of another religion, or someone who dislikes the taste of chocolate, or someone who only wears the color green. It's your job as a writer to research and empathize with the type of person that has values that may not necessarily line up with your own. Not only will you write a fully-rounded and believable character, but you'll expand your own knowledge in the process.

So, go ahead. Give your protagonist a weird quirk or get inside your antagonist's head for awhile. See the world from their perspective and understand why they like or dislike a certain thing. When you research it for a moment, you may find things you were never aware existed.

The Writer's Blessing

I'm not religious, but this seemed so very fitting for this week. I hope you have a wonderful writing week and feel free to spread the Writer's Blessing around!

Photo credit: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/476326098069733776/

Tips for Reading Your Work to an Audience

This weekend I'll be reading at a poetry open mic in my town. As I prepare the poems I'm going to read, I though I'd share with you a few snippets of important info to keep in mind when you do a poetry reading aloud to an audience.


1. Slow Down: It's easy to get caught up in the adrenaline of the moment and race through your poem or short story. But remember, the crowd is gathered to hear your work. They want to be able to absorb and contemplate the beginning, middle, end, and every piece of metaphor and imagery you toss their way. If you speed through your poem, they won't be able to appreciate what you've created. So, take a deep breath and read slowly. You will undoubtedly think that you're reading much too slow for anyone to stay interested. Trust me, this is the correct speed.

2. Make Eye Contact: There's nothing that says amateur like reading your poem, line for line, without ever once making eye contact with the assembled crowd. Not only does it seem awkward, but it bars your listeners from making a connection with you, which means they won't feel connected to your poetry either.

3. Find Your Rhythm: Much like musicians, writers spend hours deciphering the mood of a poem. Read your poetry out loud. Find the correct cadence for each piece (which will be dictated by whether the work is serious, humorous, narrative, lyrical, or a combination of two or more styles). You can even write notes in the margins of your poem to remind yourself when to pause, speed up, and change your tone of voice.


Ready for your own poetry reading? Do a little homework by watching famous poets read their work aloud. Many are readily available on YouTube. Here are a few of my favorites:

Check out Billy Collins reading four poems: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTxpQCY7df8&nohtml5=False

And if you're into slam poetry, this one by Lily Myers is amazing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQucWXWXp3k&nohtml5=False


Above it all, though, just relax. The people gathered there do indeed want to hear your point of view and your ideas. Stay confident, stick to what you practiced and the performance will be over before you know it!

Why We Write (AKA An Explanation for Non-Writers with Questions)

It's been a busy week for me: meeting new people, explaining that I'm a writer, trying to answer their questions when they ask what I write.

Sure, it's easy enough to tell someone about your current project, but if you're like me and you write in a variety of genres (novels, short stories, poetry, nonfiction) and also for a variety of readers (children, teens, adults), chances are the questions get deeper, especially when you're talking to a non-writer.

So how do you explain to others exactly what you write without going into a twenty minute long explanation of all you can do?

I've found a simple way to do just that. Now, it won't stop questions from the most determined person, but it seems to be an alright explanation for most people.

Why We Write:

We write to describe something new and unusual in a simple and attainable way. Or, to describe something simple and commonplace in a new and unusual way.

What exactly does this mean?

It's easiest to explain with poems. Have you ever written or read a beautiful poem about washing the dishes or dusting the TV set that made you in awe of how someone could describe something so everyday in a beautiful way that made you never look at dishes or dusting the same way? I have. That's describing something commonplace in a new way. And it's definitely needed.

On the flip side, there are situations that are unique to a subset of our population that not all of us experience in our lives. Genre fiction, like fantasy, sci-fi, and mystery are great examples of this. Fantasy writers have to introduce you to the characters of their world and the rules of their setting. This is something none of us have ever experienced before, since the author is setting up the world from scratch. However, they must do their writing in a way that makes even the most outlandish idea possible for readers to understand. In that way, they explain something new and unusual in a simple way so we don't get lost. And it's definitely needed.

So, the next time you find yourself, drink in hand, speaking with someone about what you do, feel free to use this explanation to help people understand your drive to write.



[Special Note: I'm not sure if this idea came from a famous writing quote or from a previous professor of mine. However, if you ever find the origination of this idea out there on the internet, link me in. I'm sure whomever described it first did a better job than I, and I'd love to see that!]

Space, The First Frontier for Writers. (AKA, another super-late post, Sorry!)

Sorry for the radio silence this week, guys. Chalk it up to another super late post tally.

To make it up to you, I can only offer this one simple image that I think we can all relate to. It pretty much sums up this week for me:

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/476326098070182263/


Want more where that came from along with witty motivation and cool idea starters? Check me out on Pinterest!

Novel Tips: A Blog on Writing

This week I'd like to share with you another resource that you can use to grow your knowledge in the craft and help make your book ready for publication.

When I lived in Wisconsin, I had a writing mentor named Laurel Yourke. That's right, the same Laurel Yourke who wrote the 2000 book on writing: Take Your Characters to Dinner.

If you were to ask her now, as I have, what she thinks of that book, she'll implore that you never read it and don't even look it up. Like what's so true for many of us, she hates the mention of a work she did so long ago that she would do completely differently if she was allowed to rewrite it in the present.

I know I have the same problem. I take a look at the first novel I wrote at age 12 and grimace. How could I think that was good writing? How could people encourage me to keep writing after they read that slop?

The point is, they did encourage me. And I never could have arrived where I am today without them, Laurel included.

In respect for her, I won't tell you to read her 2000 book on writing (which I linked above, by the way), but I will suggest that you take a few moment and peruse her blog. It's main audience is for those who write novels - but there's awesome craft tips on there any writer would be grateful for.

She does a format much like myself - a post each week - so don't be afraid to rustle deep within the archives. It's all golden there.

Here's the link one more time. It's titled Novel Tips. http://noveltips.blogspot.com/

Cutting Out the Excess for Success

I've been thinking a lot about excess. It all started this past Thanksgiving. As many faithful blog readers know, I moved from Wisconsin to North Carolina this year, and Thanksgiving was the first holiday we had the chance to celebrate in our new home.

However, if you follow me on Pinterest you also know that I've been a dedicated vegan since 2014. So, needless to say, Turkey Day being the killing and eating of turkeys rather than a day to celebrate their individuality really put a damper on my mood to begin with. Then, I learned that my family was planning to serve not one but TWO 15+ pound turkeys, plus a spiral ham and five pounds of pulled pork barbecue. When only 10 out of our 11 guests ate meat, and two of them were children, this seemed like a ludicrous amount of food (not to mention the 12 sides and 5 types of desserts) to feed less than a dozen people for one meal.

I kept asking, "Why do we need so much? Why can't we do with one turkey or one type of pork instead of causing so much waste and death?" And the only answer I ever got was, "Because it's Thanksgiving."

Directly after Thanksgiving follows Christmas, where again the talk of giant amounts of food reigned supreme. More turkeys, pork tenderloin, beef brisket, potatoes and stuffing and green beans and cheesy mac, one yellow cake, one cheesecake, one gluten free pudding cake, two pies, three different kinds of sugar cookies and four other types of candies and cookies were made and served to not 11 people, but 6.

And directly following dinner, there were presents - mounds and mounds of things we really didn't need to survive, which filled two black garbage bags of torn wrapping paper and ribbons all destined for the landfill.

Something within me shifted this past holiday season. For New Years I made a personal resolution (separate from my writing resolution, which you can find here) to cut back on how much trash I produce and to really think about the food I consume and waste.

I urge you to do the same, if not in your life, then at least in your writing. As I write my new novel, I've employed a minimalist mindset to my words. Why use three words to describe something you can say in one? Why use two scenes to farther the plot when condensing them is possible and allows for a faster tone of pace for your novel, ratcheting up the tension?

If you think about it, what do all your favorite books have in common?

They keep you interested!

The plot moves and the characters sizzle and the tension keeps you wound tight into the pages like the curly ribbon on a Christmas present.

One way you can achieve this same interest is by cutting back the excess in your work. Take out dialogue tags that aren't needed. Use only one simile in this paragraph rather than two. The concept applies to every aspect of the craft.

I've found that cutting back the excess in my life and only keeping what functions or what makes me really happy has helped me to relax more and be more creative. I no longer feel like I'm wasting time or things. I no longer have anxiety that I need to clean and tidy and straighten all the time because there are fewer things that can get out of place.

Why wouldn't you want the same feeling for your novel?

So, the next time you write - condense, condense, condense - and the next time you throw a party, how about cutting out one excess meat option just for me and animals :)

What To Do When You Hate Your Novel

This being my first post of the new year, I wanted to say something really positive. But I've heard from a lot of my writer friends lately that they've been in a funk. That novel they've been working on that seemed so promising and lovely...now they hate it.

Literally, hate it.

Like, think of it and groan. Look over a terrible paragraph or two and cry. Want to chuck your laptop out the window, kind of hate.

They think, why has this happened, it was going so well? Great, now I've wasted four months of my life on this thing that sucks.

I've been there. I've thought those same thoughts. The thing to remember is, this happens to all of us. As creative people, we doubt ourselves. This is beneficial because it stops us from doing something crazy - like quitting our careers and trying to write the next great American novel on a mountain in Tibet. It is also the driving force behind revision - because we want our work to be the best it can be, which means it needs to be better than the draft I wrote the first time around.

However, self-doubt can also be crushing. It can make you hate your work for really no reason whatsoever. Maybe your own voice annoys you. Maybe you can't riddle out the meaning of a scene. It's so frustrating that soon, you tell yourself you've never been an artist at all. You suck at writing and you should stop writing this novel right now.

What I'll tell you, faithful blog reader, is exactly what I tell my friends when they're in this funk. This is entirely normal behavior, but please, take a break.

First, you need to know that most every writer goes through this - especially with long materials like novels. Sooner or later, you will hate it - either from reading and rereading it too many times or out of frustration with your muse, but it will happen.

Now, it's important that you don't then delete the whole thing, burn your hard drive and spend all your savings on a new car you don't need. What you must do is set writing down for a moment and take a break. Go to the coffee shop for a few hours. Lock yourself in your room and reread Harry Potter. Go sky diving. Take a month or two and travel and meet new friends. Take a year and don't worry about writing.

If you're truly meant to write - if it's something you MUST do - you will always come back to it, and it will be waiting for you. Because, at this point, writing has chosen you as much as you have chosen it.

However, if writing truly does give you unneeded stress and torture, perhaps it hasn't chosen you after all. Perhaps you're not meant to be tortured by it.

For most of us who do the research on blogs and internet videos about the craft, and for those of us who've lost sleep pounding away at the keys in a fit of sheer elation, we're stuck in the writing life forever. Embrace it. But sometimes you can embrace it too strongly and smother the poor thing. This is when you need to take a break. Whether it's an hour or two years, do what you have to do to love writing again.

I promise it's worth it.

Just don't - whatever you do - delete your hard drive in a fit of rage.

Bringing in 2016 with Lofty Goals

Hi all!

2016 is just days away and it's about time we started thinking about goals again. While it's great to have goals year round, there's something really exciting about starting the new year with a plan.

Many of us set personal goals: we want to lose weight, quit sugar, save more money for retirement...so on and so forth. But when was the last time you set a professional goal for yourself?

I surely can't think of it.

So, this New Year, along with my personal goal, I'm also going to set a professional goal. And it's a big one.


Drum roll please.......

I'M GOING TO WRITE A NOVEL THIS YEAR.

Whew, I said it. No, I BLOGGED it, which makes it more real.

Now, this won't be my first novel. In fact, I've written five novels/novel length projects since committing to writing as my profession, but the other day I was thinking about how I haven't written something fun (like fiction, essays, or poems) in a few weeks. My life has simply been too chaotic with everything else going on. I'm sure you can relate.

That also got me thinking about my big novels that I've written in the past and how they really need to be revised.

So, that led me to the conclusion that I MUST write another novel in 2016. I currently have no idea what it will be about, who the characters are, or even where it takes place. I know nothing other than the fact that I will write it sometime this year.

The universe will give me the idea when it's ready and I am too. I'm sure of that. In the meantime, I'm screaming out into the void of everything saying, THIS is my year. Let's get this novel going.

Do you have any writing goals for 2016? Shout them into the aether of the universe by sharing them in the comments section.

Seasons Greetings

The holiday season is fully upon us. The stores are packed and people are either getting a few days off from work or are working longer and harder shifts during this shopper-filled season. No matter which camp you fall in, I'm writing to wish you all light, love, and happiness during the holiday season.

In fact, when the family's around and things are nuts can be the best time to slip away to get a few more pages of your novel written.

Or, like many this year, you can simply sit back with a gingerbread cookie and enjoy the tropical weather most of the USA is experiencing. Here in North Carolina it's going to be 75 degrees on Christmas Day!

Just whatever you do, don't stress. Now's the time for fun and relaxation. Now's the time to recharge so next year we can publish that amazing work we've been plugging away at.

Naming Characters

Writers say it all the time: My story is my baby.

We nurture it and watch it grow and pick it up when it falls down. We're actively involved in the progression of its life.

I see the resemblance.

Why, then, don't we put more time into our characters names?

Parents spend months trying to find the best name for their little ones. Books are read, friends are consulted, names are Googled. They want something unique and memorable, but they also think about who they wish their child to be. Want them to be strong and taken seriously - better find a name that matches. More interested in your kid being creative - pick a name that fosters that.

Yet, as writers, we often think of name, write it down and then never go back and question it again.

Why is this a problem? Well, I'll give you an example;

The other day I was revising a short story I wrote. One of the main characters has a unique name that just kind of popped into my head one day. It was pronounced like it was spelled and it was powerful, all the things I wanted him to be. I researched everyone else's names, but this one character was always - from the very beginning - stuck to his name.

Two rounds of beta readers and five revisions later, I was ready to begin submitting the manuscript around to magazines and journals. Right before I began searching for this story's home, though, something made me pause.

I did a quick Google search of that one character's name and found out that it was the same name used by a Russian gang in the 40's.

Now, this character was not Russian, nor would he approve of gang membership. I knew instantly that I had to change his name. I went on baby naming sites and looked up names based on first letter (I knew it had to start with B), and based upon his culture and ethnicity.

I found him a better name, but it was almost a disaster. If any reader Googled his name, they would have found many hits on Russian gangs and probably would have thought very differently about my character.

But - don't fret - there are two ways around making this critical mistake.

1. Let's say you need to write, like - RIGHT NOW - because the idea's there and the magic is flowing. Okay, do it. Write your little heart out. Rather than stopping to research names, use what I call the First Date method. "He walks into the room and looks around. She notices him and waves. "'How are you HE?' she asks." ---- This allows you to write the scene you need and worry about naming your darlings after you've figured out who they're going to be.

2. Does the First Date method drive you bonkers? Well then your other option is to take the time and research baby names. (Google "baby girl names" or "Sanskrit names" or "Jewish names" to find millions of lists out there for free.) When you've found the names you need for your characters, begin writing then.

Whatever you do, don't leave one of the most important aspects of your characters up to chance. Sure, it's always nice to have a name pop into your head like a magic perfectly-fitting slipper, but it may not always be the right foot you're applying it to.

Take the time to name your darlings.

Your children would want that kind of dedication from you.

Challenge Post: Opposite Day

I was recently told that I have to do a pretty hefty revision of a short story I wrote months ago. In my mind, the piece was just as it was supposed to be with enough tension and explanation of the plot to get to the next story in the series while still allowing this piece to stand on its own. Of course, that was 5 months ago, so I probably feel differently about it now. (Readers and editors sure do! lol)

To keep myself from the defensive rut of, "I need this paragraph of delicious prose" or "How can they not understand the subtle characterization?", I'm challenging myself to an opposite day.

The rules of opposite day are simple: You must write in an area or manner which is completely opposite to your normal style.

For instance, I normally write behind tightly closed doors where no one but my rabbits (who are too short to see the screen anyway) can hear my fingers dance along the keyboard. I prefer a tomb-like silence and stillness and even the fan of my laptop kicking in can throw me from my meditation.

So, on opposite day, I'm taking my laptop to the coffee shop uptown and writing amongst human beings. There will be talking, cell phone noise, espresso sounds and smells. People will probably come up and ask me what I'm doing. I will have to be cordial.

The whole idea of opposite day is to jolt you out of your normal routine and mindset and make you see your work from the perspective of new readers - readers who often first encounter your piece on their commute to work, or on their lunch break, or while also watching TV.

But I don't want to be the only one using opposite day. I challenge you, fellow blog reader, no matter what day you stumble upon this post, to do opposite day with me.

Do you normally write surrounded by bustling action and many people? Then find a way to write in peace (yes, even if you have to shut yourself in the bathroom). Do you write listening to blaring music? Take off the headphones and see what your characters say in silence. Vice versa.

Change something. See what happens. Even if it sucks, you'll have tried one more option and be another step closer to perfection.

An Addition to the Books On Writing Series: BIG MAGIC

As you know from my Books On Writing post series, I read a fair share of books by famous writers talking about writing. So, when I visited my local library last week and saw Elizabeth Gilbert's new book BIG MAGIC: CREATIVE LIVING BEYOND FEAR, I just had to check it out.

Image From Amazon (Book also purchasable there): http://www.amazon.com/Big-Magic-Creative-Living-Beyond/dp/1594634718/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1449074141&sr=8-1&keywords=big+magic


However, this book wasn't the ABC XYZ step by step book on the craft that I was used to. Instead, Ms. Gilbert focuses on the most basic of building blocks upon which writing is founded - creative living. At first I though, well I don't need this, I already write and paint and draw and craft - I'm creative, dang it! I live it! But as I've read through (I'm about halfway now), I've found some helpful insight into the creative life that I've never thought of before or that I simply skipped over with tightly closed eyes.

In the "Permission" section of the book that I read last night, I found a delightfully put phrasing that applies so readily to writing and other writers.

To paraphrase the overall idea: Ms. Gilbert says that we need to defend our creative lifestyles (mostly to ourselves and our own egos) by first defining ourselves. "I'm a writer." Actually say it, out loud, to the universe. It is your proclamation of intent.

She then goes on to say:

"This proclamation of intent...is not something you can do just once and then expect miracles; it's something you must do daily, forever. I've had to keep defining and defending myself as a writer every single day of my adult life - constantly reminding and re-reminding my soul and the cosmos that I'm very serious about the business of creative living, and that I will never stop creating, no matter what the outcome, and no matter how deep my anxieties and insecurities may be." (Gilbert, pg. 95)

This paragraph is so inspiring to me because it reveals that even an extremely well known and successful author across nonfiction and fiction genres still has doubts. She still feels unsure of herself and her work. It's a feeling I'm not unfamiliar with myself.

So, whether you're just starting out as a writer and unsure you have anything new to bring to the table, or whether you're a seasoned pro unsure whether anyone wants what you've brought to the table all this time - know that your belief in yourself is enough. If you write, then you are a writer, and you deserve to be one. Your voice and your viewpoints deserve to be heard.

And just as you must dutifully work on your craft everyday, you must also affirm to yourself that you are enough in your creative life.

Go on, say it with me now:

I AM A WRITER

Believe it.



PS> I highly recommend checking out BIG MAGIC by Elizabeth Gilbert when you have some time. It's definitely going into my Books On Writing category. Both newbies and vets can relate to the primal info contained in this book.

Forcing the Muse

My schedule didn't allow me to participate in NANOWRIMO this year, but I do have a handful of friends who undertook the challenge. My conversations with them has led me to understand one very important thing: Sometimes the muse doesn't come willingly. Sometimes you have to drag it.

One friend of mine sat looking at her computer screen for the first four days of November, slowly falling behind in her word count. She fretted over the fact she had no concept, no characters, no setting, and no plot line.

Her imagination was an empty void.

"I would have quit," I admitted sheepishly to her. "Not writing, of course, but I would have quit NANOWRIMO. Obviously, it wasn't my year."

The beautiful thing is: she didn't take my advice.

On the fifth day, frustrated and crying, she began writing down absolute nonsense.

My headphones are red. The cord is longer than I think it should be. I have a sugar skull eraser. I don't wish to use it in case I erase off the face.

Pages and pages of nonsense ensued. Two lattes were downed and refilled. Somewhere, along the way, her muse remembered how to walk, then run.

By the end of the week she had a character and a novel plot. Her setting unfolded and she caught up, then surpassed her word count goals.

All of us have been here at some point - staring for days, thinking it's finally happened, we've finally lost our ability to write creatively. In fact, as I write this blog post, I'm in that boat. I've been sick for three weeks and with the surroundings of a new state, new house, and new job, I haven't had much time to devote to writing. Now throw in the holidays and it's like my muse no longer exists.

What I'll have to do next, and what you'll likely have to do eventually too, is force the muse. I'm going to have to get her out of her recliner, walking and remembering what writing feels like and how easily ideas can flow. I'm going to have to make her recall the beauty and the freedom in writing.

And while I won't be NANOWRIMOing anytime soon, I'm hoping a new short story or novel flows forth. I'm not giving up until it does.

The Morsel

Whether you separate your novel by chapters or your short story with asterisks or pound signs (let's face it, they're hashtags now. Forever hashtags.), there's one thing you need to remember before offering your reader a break. It's what I call The Morsel.

The Morsel is some tiny bit of information or foreshadowing that makes it impossible for the reader to stop reading at the intended break.

You give them a whiff - just the tiniest peek - at what you have to offer next, chances are they'll stay to read the next section and the next and the next, and before they or you know it, they're finding you on Twitter and Facebook and writing on your blog that they NEED the next installment of your work or they'll explode.

The Morsel is what makes people read past their bedtimes. It's what makes us fly through giant tomes in two days. The Morsel is the great locomotive of the story.


For example, let's say your chapter ends like this:

"He'll never know anything about it," Chester assured, winking. He then turned his back on me and sauntered out of the room. 

It's okay, right? The scene itself is over in that particular destination. The information has been relayed and we know that Chester is keeping a secret. There's plot here and character. 

But now read the chapter with the inclusion of The Morsel:

"He'll never know anything about it," Chester assured, winking. He then turned his back on me and sauntered out of the room.

It was the last time I'd see him alive.

That's so much better, right? Now the reader wants to know why it's the last time the protagonist sees Chester alive. They want to know how Chester dies and where, and if "He" who Chester is keeping a secret from has anything to do with it. 

The Morsel is what makes the reader turn the page and skim the beginning of the next chapter. It's what tricks them into reading "just ONE MORE." If you're good, your whole book will feel like this to the reader. One Morsel after another after another.

Because, when you boil it down, The Morsel contains one very essential aspect of storytelling: tension. 

It's what makes us stay tuned during the commercial breaks and the chapter breaks and the hashtag pauses. Because we know something is happening or going wrong and we need to find out how and why.

So, go through your latest project. Could your story be aided by some Morsels? Sprinkle them in. Have your betas take a read. Ratchet up that tension. 

Blog Update

I started a new job two weeks ago, and with a new job comes a new schedule.

While I adjust, it has come to my attention that I may not always be able to blog on Tuesdays. That being said, I am still committed to blogging every week.

So, what if we compromise?

I'll post a new blog post sometime between 12:00 am on Sunday and 11:59 pm on Wednesday.

The new post could come in on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, or during the day or evening of Wednesday, but it will come!

So, if you want to keep checking back every Tuesday like normal, feel free. However, be assured that a new post will be available to read by Thursday morning. Check back every Thursday for guaranteed new content.

This will take some of the pressure off me as I learn my new job and adjust to my new (highly fluctuating) schedule.

How does this sound to you? Is this a worthy compromise?

Let me know your thoughts in the comments, and until next time we speak, keep writing! :)

Indirect Speech (AKA: "What could you possibly mean?" "Why, let me tell you." "Oh, please do." "With pleasure.")

Early post this week because I start my new day-job tomorrow (wish me luck!).

This week I want to discuss something with you that often gets overlooked: Indirect Speech. Sure, we spend loads of time talking about successful character development, dialogue, and setting, but what about some of the more subtle tools in the writer craft box?

Indirect speech is one of those tools.

To put it simply, indirect speech is the method of paraphrasing your character's actions and dialogue when the information is already known to the reader.

For instance, if your protagonist just learned the evil plot of the antagonist in a long chapter with tons of wonderful dialogue, when she teams up again with her sidekick, she doesn't need to repeat the entire plan because the reader just heard it. Instead, the writer may write something like:

Protag launched into the revelation of Antag's plan as soon as she saw Sidey-Man. 

"But why would he rob Starbucks?" Sidey-Man asked.

This way, the protagonist relays the important information to a supporting character without taking up valuable page-time. (Also note that directly after the indirect speech, the writer flows right into the necessary dialogue in the new scene without any breaks.)

Indirect speech is also important to help cut out common human interactions that your character may think are necessary, but that your reader doesn't want to continuously get stuck reading.

For instance, if you introduce your character as a polite person, they may begin their third conversation in the book like this:

"Hello, Mr. Johnson."

"Hello, Anvil, how's your day going."

"Just fine, how is yours?"

"Splendid. How can I help you?"

"Well, I don't want to alarm you, but I'm looking for a serial killer and I wondered if I could have a peek at your security camera footage?"

This will get mighty tedious mighty fast for your reader. Instead, employ indirect speech:

Anvil greeted Mr. Johnson warmly, then said, "I don't want to alarm you, but I'm looking for a serial killer and I wondered if I could have a peek at your security camera footage?"

This way, Anvil is true to his kind personality and the reader recognizes who this character is, but only the important need-to-know info is given the mighty distinction of quotation marks. 

So, the next time you're writing and find that

1) you're writing the same information over and over again

2) you need to cut word count, or

3) you receive critiques that say there is a lot of repeating information or phrases in your text

have a thought for indirect speech. It may be the subtle, underutilized writing tool your novel needs to kick it up a notch.

Happy Writing this week! I'm going to try and keep up a schedule, but with new jobs and training it's always difficult. Ah, the life of the poor scribe ;)

What's a MOOC and Why is it Cool?

Many of you know that while I'm no longer actively working towards a degree in Writing, I still love taking online workshops and getaway writing weekends to grow my knowledge in the craft.

The only problem? All those classes cost A LOT of money.

Some I'd pay 80-100 dollars for, others cost over 400!

But it was okay, right? All in the name of writing. This is my passion. This is what I want for my life. I want to get better and be published. I want to be a writer!

However, what if we could learn how to be writers without paying two weeks of disposable salary?

That's where the MOOC comes in.

MOOC stands for Massive Open Online Course. Wikipedia defines it further as, "an online course aimed at unlimited participation and open access via the web. In addition to traditional course materials such as filmed lectures, readings, and problem sets, many MOOCs provide interactive user forums to support community interactions between students, professors, and teaching assistants."
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massive_open_online_course

So, basically, a MOOC is a high-level class brought to you usually by an accredited facility, literally giving away info for free.

What could be better than that?

MOOCs were birthed into the world in 2008, but didn't become popular until 2012. This means they're still a pretty new concept in the world of learning.

If you're looking to take a writing MOOC (or a MOOC in any subject - because they exist for almost anything), here's a list of Pros and Cons.

PROs: 1. They're free.
2. You choose your level of participation. [Because you're not paying for it, you don't have to worry about making deadlines and submitting assignments or risk failing grades. There are no grades here. Simply self enrichment.]
3. You meet a wide variety of people in fields you're interested in. [Unlike a classroom, students are only limited in attending by whether or not they have internet access. That means you meet writers from all over the world that are interested in the same things you are. Great friendships ensue.]

CONs: 1. You must be at least moderately computer savvy.
2. You only get what you put in. [If you don't think you need to participate because it's free and you're not graded, then you probably won't learn very much. Sure, the instructor videos are helpful, but only by engaging in conversation and critique and submission with your fellow students will your writing truly grow.]
3. It's easy to get overwhelmed if you're not organized. [There's no enrollment cap so thousands of students sign up for MOOCs. That means, if you're not prepared, you can easily be overwhelmed by the 3,000 comments made on day one. Also, since there are so many people, it's likely you won't always be critiqued by the same amount of students for each story you submit. While you do receive variety in opinions with your critiquers, one story may get 700 comments, another may only get 3.]


If you think MOOCs sound intriguing, sign up! There are sites like NovoEd that contain hundreds of MOOCs on different subjects.

In fact, the whole reason I've made this post this week is because I'm enrolled in a MOOC put together by the University of Iowa (you know, the one with the really popular Iowa Writer's Workshop). It's called How Writers Write Fiction 2015 and may still be open for enrollment (?) since they're still in the Welcome Week of the course.

And good news for poets, too! The University of Iowa also puts on a How Writers Write Poetry MOOC occasionally. The 2015 one just ended, but they're looking into doing the next in 2016 or 2017.

What's In a Cover (Letter)?

The job search continues here in North Carolina as I look for steady employment to pay the bills. It means that most of my day is dedicated to writing. Some of it to stories and poems and (yes) even this blog.

But mostly, I'm writing résumés, applications, not-so-subtle pre-interview 'what would I do?' questionnaires, and above all, cover letters.

Writing these cover letters got me thinking: Is there a difference between writing a cover letter for the job market and writing a cover letter to submit a story to a lit mag?

Answer: Ah, hell yes!

Job market cover letters are longer (though never longer than one page) because they have to dance to the tune of many songs. A job market cover letter must at once hit keywords from the job description so you get picked up by the computer sorting and rejecting people before humans view the possible candidate, as well as convince the hiring manager that though you have no relevant experience or degree in their field, you'd be a great hire because of reasons a,b,c,x,y,z.

Whereas, a cover letter to a lit mag should be a very simple thing. Cover letters for your story should NEVER give a summary or synopsis of the story itself. Instead, follow this simple template:

1. Start your cover letter with a salutation. ("Dear Editor," works if the fiction editor's name is not listed on their site.)

2. Let them know what you've attached (either as a .docx attachment or in the body of the email) including the story title, word count, and genre (if the magazine publishes more than one).
Example: I have pasted my story, "Awesome Apes Five" (4,000 words, Fantasy) in the body of this email for your consideration.

3. List any significant publishing credits. No, that newspaper article you wrote freshman year doesn't count. Only include contest entries you won or placed in, or pieces that appeared in magazines published by people who are not related to you and who you do not know. No favors from your magazine owning uncle, and usually, no self-published material unless it got really really big on Amazon. (Note: if you're a new writer with no significant credits, no problem! Simply skip this step and go straight to #4.)

4. Close the letter.
Example:
Thank you for your time,

Super Writer
999 Publication Way, New York, NY
555-I'm Awesome
superwriter@imthebest.com


The main difference between a cover letter for the job market and a cover letter for a lit mag boils down to this:

To get a job, you want to prove that you're the best candidate for the position by smart talking and sweet talking your way to an interview. Flourish it up.

To get a story considered for publication, you need to not screw up your chances before the editor takes a peek at your story itself.  Keep it simple. Don't make them dislike you before they read your first sentence.

Don't get bogged down thinking you need to write a full page. And don't - whatever you do - ever think that you should explain why you're the best person to write this story.

You're the best person to write this story because you wrote it, not anyone else. End of discussion.

So, next time you want to submit, remember that simple is always better. Relay important information in the cover letter and let your story do the heavy lifting. It is, after all, why you created it.  

Tailor Fit Stories

Today we're going to tackle the classic debate: What came first, the story or the publisher?

Indeed, for every writer the answer differs, and for every story it differs as well.

Some writers fall very strictly in the "story first" category. They argue that, because the story is the most important aspect, it should be completed in full and revised and shined up all nice and 'perdy' before you even begin searching for a possible magazine or publisher to send said story to.

Those on the other side argue that stories (and probably most commonly, nonfiction articles) should have a clear focus and should be tailored specifically for each publication. That means, you might research one or two and then write your story tailored specifically to their specifications. On another hand, it could mean researching publications and magazines and garnering ideas from their sites or guidelines (like the list of things they're "currently looking for") and writing your story by inspiration from that.

No matter which camp you fall into, remember not to get bogged down in the cons of each method. If you're a "story first"er, remember that eventually, your story does need to be finished. Without a market in sight, you could get trapped revising, reworking, and editing forever and ever.

And if you're a "publisher first"er, keep your spirits up. If your target magazine or publisher rejects the story you tailor made for them, don't give up on it. Don't throw it away in a box somewhere or delete the file off your computer. You can take that story somewhere similar and submit (sometimes with little to no tweaking involved) and it could find a perfectly happy home in plan #2.

Personally, I've crossed the fence into both camps. I write stories because the stories need to be told, and then struggle to find the right market for them afterward, and I also keep my eye on new and emerging markets and what they're in desperate need of, then write a story from that.

Both have worked out. Both have been published. Both have made me very happy.

So, tailor made or out-of-the-slush? What do you think?