The Raven's Last Supper

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Upon a thick gnarled branch sat a raven. He was a handsome bird, and not without his faults. His two main vices were: eating berries and thinking too much of himself. The berries he loved the most were inside the landscaped gardens of the large white house on the hill. The people who lived there disliked him very much, and had laid many traps for him to stop his berry eating. But the raven was as smart as he was handsome and no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't stop him from stealing the delicious, juicy fruit.

On one occasion, the people had placed a bowl of the sweet berries inside a large birdcage. The raven found the test irresistible. With one strong wing, the raven kept the door lifted as he slurped the berries into his gullet, then sat hidden in the branches of the tall oak bemused as he saw the people examine the empty cage and bowl, scratching their heads in disbelief.

Another time, they installed a fine mesh net over the bushes. After his sharp talons shredded the net, he ate more than his fill out of pure spite. He barely managed to lift his haughty frame into the air as a shovel came whizzing past his head, swung by the lady of the house, who had been gardening nearby. It had been close, to be certain. But as he slowly digested his meal and shined his black feathers with his stout beak, he smiled. The people would never outwit him.

On a particularly fine day, while gazing at his reflection in the still waters of the pond, that aching feeling came over him. Hunger. And when the raven was hungry, there was only one thing to eat- the sweet, red, juicy, delicious berries in the yard.  Over the tops of the trees the raven flew, silhouetted against an azure sky, his mouth watered in anticipation.

From the air, he spotted the bush. It was extra full, nearly folded over with its tasty crop. He dropped lower to the ground, looking for what he was sure would be there- a trap, a puzzle, a new-fangled contraption- something which the people would foolishly believe could stop him, and which he would undoubtedly overcome. But, there was nothing.

The raven drew closer to the ground, still circling. There was no cage, no net, no trip wires, no tape, no sticks, not a single thing standing between him and his supper.

“They’ve given up.” He cawed with glee. “They’ve learned that there’s no stopping a genius raven like me.” A moment later, he was tail-feathers deep in the bush, munching on the berries without a care in the world.

So busy was he, that he didn’t notice the sleek, black fur parting the grass.

So busy was he, that he didn’t see the large, round pupils or long, black whiskers below.

So full of conceit was he, that he didn’t ponder for a moment why the songbirds had all gone quiet.

With a pounce and a momentary rustle of leaves, the berries were safe, and someone other than the raven, was contentedly full from lunch.

Work to Live or Live to Work?

I want to be a...

When we're looking at the world from the backseat window of our parent's car, the world is our proverbial oyster, "What do we want to be when we grow up?" We try our futures on like costumes. I want to be a ballerina, no. A scientist. No. A Rock N' Roll Star!

No one says, I want to grow up and hate my job. Yet, as adults, many of us do just that. We work to live, not the other way around.

Then there's those select few who, even if it wasn't what they thought they'd do, love their work. I've had a job like this. It came out of left field, a job I thought would bore me to tears, but ended up being my favorite job of all time. Why? Because it mentally challenged me and because the people I worked with were pleasant and fun to be around. But was working in a college financial aid office what I was meant to do?

If I'm going to keep my head in the clouds, at least there's a restaurant up here.

My personal goal has always been to have a job I enjoy- didn't care what it was, if I enjoyed the hours at work, I was thrilled. Most of the time, this meant a more enjoyable job over a higher paying one. Nowadays, this philosophy doesn't always help. My resume is a potpourri ranging from social worker to custom art framer to waitress. There's no clear-cut path there. My experience is all zig-zagged- less like an arrow and more like the haphazard way a wasp makes its way through your house- everyone's ducking and god only knows where it'll land. For some reason, employers don't always want to pay top-dollar for that level of expertise. Hm? But now that I have a family, I can't always have my cake in the shade. My choices don't just affect my weekend but the lives of 3 tiny people.

Last year, I decided to be a writer. Through the past 11 months, I have learned a lot about myself and have finally realized what I'm meant to do. It was there the whole time, and until I was 33, I didn't see it. However, my days of clocking-in may not be behind me, after all it takes a long time to build a career for any self-employed profession and there are mouths to feed and bills to pay along the way. BUT I truly believe writing is what I meant to do.

How do we know?

Me and sis and our sweet punch embroidery shirts circa 1985ish

When I was a kid, I played the flute. I wanted to play the violin, but not only are violins crazy expensive, but the flute was before the violin in the sample-an-instrument line the summer before I entered the 5th grade. When there's a million kids and you're hungry, sacrifices must be made. (I'm certain my mother has a different memory of this than I do.) In any case, I was pretty decent at playing that stick. I could toot up a storm and I participated in band every year until I was a sophomore in high school. But, did I practice willingly? No. Did I get mad and frustrated and wish I was the Hulk so I could knot that baby up? Yes. Did I ever want to go pro? Bwahahaha! (No.) Was I meant to be a musician? I afraid not.

It's all good. I tried lots of things out, that's the fun of life. Think you'll like photography? Try it out, take a class, live it for a while. Maybe you'll catch that elusive flame inside that burns for one thing and never dies. Or maybe you'll want to shove your camera down the trash compactor because it never catches what you see in your mind's eye. (A sure-fire sign you should keep searching for your true calling.) But don't despair, if you keep trying, you'll find what you're meant to do. And in the meantime, you can have fun sampling. Life is to be lived.

"warning face punch"

TRY ON ALL THE HATS!

The thing that we're meant to do helps us cope with life, it compliments us, and we do it whether or not we get paid to.  We make sacrifices to ensure we have the resources to do it. We make it a priority over and over. And no matter what happens in life, we always come back to that one thing. And it's not always the thing that we want it to be. We have to be honest with ourselves, which is sometimes the hardest part. Because if we try to force ourselves to be something we're not, we'll never be truly happy.

In short, we live to do it and we do it to live.

Writing is not work for me. It is my job. And sometimes it comes easier than others. But no matter what, I look forward to my writing time. I do not look at my day and try to stack everything up in front of my writing so I can't get to it. I don't bang on my computer and wish my writing time was over already. I cherish every moment I have and if someday I'm able to make a living at it, I will thank my lucky stars and God for helping me find my true love.

What do you think? Have you found your calling? Is it worth it to do what you love over making more money? Either way, I'd love to hear from you!

Up, up and awaaaaay!

Say What? How to Make Your Writing Clearer

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As a parent, of small children, I'm constantly trying to make myself heard and understood. Also, like most parents, I'm constantly repeating the words, "no," "don't," "stop," and-- "I already said no!"

Then one day I heard this piece of advice. Children hear you better if you speak in the positive. Huh? What kind of loony new age thing is this?

Basically, it's a way to phrase yourself. Instead of saying, "don't run with a sharp ax", you say, "walk." Instead of saying "don't touch my house of cards," say, "keep your hands down."

Image courtesy of Boaz Yiftach at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

So I tried it. And it worked! (when they follow directions, that is) My goal became clear, I have a quarter second of their attention and who knows what I'll be saying when that 1/4 second comes around, so every word has to convey the right idea. If I say "no running" and all they hear is "running," guess who is going to keep running? That's right. But if I say "walk", then we have no issue.

We should always strive to make ourselves easily understood as parents, writers, people. Writers, like parents, also have precious few moments to urge our audience to move forward in the story and wasted words are a great way to wear them out before we get to the punchline.

Image courtesy of Maggie Smith at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

There are a few subtle ways to clean up your writing to convey the story so the writing is clean, comprehensible, and easily digested. After all, we want our audience to get lost in our words, not wonder why there's so many unnecessary ones.

First, use the positive form. When you're writing, make your statements assertive. Using the negative form of writing sounds weaker, less committed.

Example: He was not usually the good looking one.  Change it to: He was usually the ugly one. See how it changes the tone?

Second, use an active voice. Like the positive form, this is clearer and has more of an impact. You want your writing to turn heads, not fuel naps.

Example (and one from my own personal manuscript- oops):
Her clothes were hung according to weather and hue. The clothes are the doing the action here- lame and darn near impossible. Change it to: She hung her clothes according to weather and hue.

Third, get rid of the really, really, just there because you'd use it in real life words. Just because you say it when you're on the phone with your sister doesn't mean it should be written that way.

Example: The guy with the really cool bike was so rich. Unless you're like, writing the screen play for Clueless II, let's not. Change to: The guy with the custom Harley was a billionaire.

Fourth, KILL the adverbs. This is like a game. Find an adverb, wield your 'delete' button or red pen like a sword, and KILL IT! But, you need the adverb? Then your verb isn't strong enough on its own. Find a better one.

Example: She snottily stuck out her tongue as he walked away. You don't have to tell us she's snotty. The action tells us that. Simply omit the adverb. Or, if there was an unusual way she did it, with hatred or malice, show it in the verb, such as: She stabbed out her tongue as he walked away. Ouch.

This is a short list of things that can make your writing transition from convoluted to clear. In every story, there are things to consider when you make edits. Style, dramatic effect, character traits, and using vocabulary and writing style are just a couple of your tools for manipulating these elements.

One thing to consider, and the exception to nearly every rule, is dialog. When characters are speaking, these rules are often broken, for good cause. If it is part of our character's personality, then perhaps the rules must be broken to allow the reader to understand their nuances. And that's okay.

Ultimately, we have the power and right to scribe whatever words we want onto the paper. No lightening will strike, your English teacher will not rap on your door and give your manuscript an F. But, for those of us that enjoy reaching our readers, these elements help them see past the words to the story that inspired them.

For more tips, please read the small, digestible, and infinitely helpful tool, The Elements of Style, by William Strunk, Jr. and E. B. White.

Time Off- Trusty Sidekick or Archnemesis?

Image courtesy of thawats at FreeDigitalPhotos.net (edited in Microsoft Paint by me)

4:30 AM. Rise and shine, because the toddler is awake, you've been dreaming about planting your garden, and the coffee your husband is brewing before he goes to work smells delicious. Fast forward 5 hours- you're making yourself yet another cup of wake-up juice, just dropped off the kiddos at school and drove home through puffy, gentle snow (on the 5th day of spring!!) to the sweet sound of the early bird's purring snores from the car seat.

Sounds like a great day to...I don't know...take a nap! Right?

I'm sure no one would blame me if I did. But, here I am, writing a blog post instead. I also have the editing of  my first novel to accomplish (1/3 of the way there!) and a lot of preparing for upcoming conferences, books to review, books to read, my career to plan... A day off? NEVER!

But with all this hanging over my head, I can't help but wonder, is time off something we must embrace- that Trusty Sidekick so to speak, who shows up just when we need him, makes us feel super when we doubt, and perfectly compliments our hero costume? Or, is the need to take time our Arch Nemesis, always spying and waiting to stamp out our productivity with one dastardly plan after the next?

When we announced to the world we were professionals, not just "aspiring writers" (don't get me started!), we started something. Something that made us feel bad when we're not writing. We have to earn that title, after all. And truly, there are times when I'd rather be playing video games, watching movies with the family, knitting, reading, doing laundry (not!) but I have to shut myself into my office/laundry room, and get to work.

This is good. It helps me realize how much this career means to me. I helps me understand where my priorities lie, and it helps the other people in my life see these sacrifices too. When I'm taking it seriously, it encourages others to do the same, thus increasing my chances of success. In the end, being a Writer is still an occupation and in order to do it well, you can't just write when you have nothing else better to do.

That being said...

Writers, like everyone else in this world, need a break too. Undue pressure is a sure fire way to quench any creative flames that burn inside us. We have lives to run, children to love, parties to attend, houses to clean, and eventually, we have to pay bills (it keeps the laptop running.)

Not only do we need to manage our lives, but down time is a necessity to let our ideas breathe, work out plot and character issues, come up with new ideas, and keep our work fun and fresh. I consulted two of  my favorite authors including Leigh Bardugo author of Shadow and Bone, book one of the Grisha Trilogy and A.G. Henley , author of The Scourge, which is also the first in a trilogy (second book to release 2013.) Leigh, who is in high gear promoting her second book, Seige and Storm- June 4, 2013, agreed saying, "Personally, time off is a necessity for me..." and A.G., who is also runs her own business and a family, had this to say, "Taking time away from writing is not only good, it's essential."

Work times ebb and flow as do the words. My daily goal is 1000 words at a minimum. Some days, I'm 140 words in thinking I'll never make that goal, then other's I'm 2000 in and only stop because the baby wakes up. We have to take advantage of the urges when they strike and sometimes, be it personal dedication or deadlines, we work when we're not "feeling it."

Occasionally, there comes a day, scheduled or not, when you just have to let it go, turn the computer off, and live your life. If you love it, you'll be back. In the wise words of my friend and fellow author, Allison Marie Silver, we sometimes have to give ourselves permission to take a break.

Ahhhh.....back to work.

Image courtesy of anat_tikker at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Thank you!

I'd like to thank my friends, Leigh Bardugo, A. G. Henley, and Allison Silver, for their support.
Find Leigh Bardugo at her Website, Good Reads and Facebook. As a special treat, read the first two chapters online here!
Find A. G. Henley on Amazon, her website/blog and Facebook
Find Allison Marie Silver on Facebook and her blog, Snarky Sentiments of a Paranormal Writer

Thick Skin: Not Just for Pudding Anymore

One of my favorite motivational and real-world check artists, Kristin Lamb, just posted a great article titled "Enemies of the Art Part 10- Having a Thin Skin" as a reminder that we all must learn to accept feedback and criticism, and not just from the people that say what we want to hear.

Image courtesy of digitalart at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

This pearl of wisdom for is everyone, not just Writers. As a matter of fact, the moments when someone has offered us crudely dealt harsh words is invaluable, even when we prefer to disregard them.

We all love to be told how great we are, how our work is impressive, how wonderful we are at our trade, but when we are told everything is perfect, how do we learn where we need to improve? Where do we get the motivation to do better? When you're at the top of the mountain, how do you climb higher? The thing is, we aren't perfect, we do need to do better, and there's always room to aspire for a higher level. And that's what those awkward, maddening, hurtful moments are good for, if nothing else. To give us ammunition, motivation, and something to ponder when we're done pontificating about how wonderful we are.

True enough, we tell ourselves that these "Bubble Bursters" are filled with jealousy, misinformation, or lack of understanding, and sometimes they are. But sometimes they're on to something and I'd wager it's worth your effort to consider it every time. Even if it exploded in your face like some kind of gift wrapped bomb from Wile E. Coyote, there's something you can learn from it.

Source: www.cartoonnetwork.com

Personally, I can pin point several points in my life where those words ("You're being small minded," "This is just unreadable," "There's no hook. No action."), equivalent to gut punches, have made me thankful. Thankful that they got the wheels turning, got me thinking from a new angle. And after cursing under my breath, crying, and getting through the embarrassment, I have found, more than the nice ones, those words that stung caused more evolution, more development in my skills and mindset than I ever could have thought (however bitterly I had to admit it.)

Before you quit the reading group, the critique circle, the friendship, think about what you're told. Decide if it's pride, discomfort, denial, or our unavoidable subjectivity with which we see the world that makes us want to run to the nearest chocolate cake and dig with our hands.

It takes practice, but when you open your mind and step away from your ego, personal growth is sure to happen.

Image courtesy of Danilo Rizzuti at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Please read "We Are Not Alone: The Writer's Guide to Social Media" by Kristin Lamb and "Are You There Blog? It's Me Writer", a fantastic combination to be inspired and to get your Author Marketing Platform off the ground ASAP!

NEWS AT 11: Budding Writer Feels Like Insecure Teenager Again

I DID IT, you all! I've found the Fountain of Youth. I didn't need an antique map or magical compass, though I did have to charge through uncharted territory to get there. And now, instead of being the 33 year old adult that I was- happy to wear two different socks, satisfied without makeup in public, and totally at ease with my faults, I have become an insecure teenager again. HIGH FIVE! (Or is that, like, totally lame?"

Unfortunately, I still have the body of someone with three kids and all the financial responsibility that I had before, but now I get to wonder if I'm good enough, if anyone will ever want me, and compare myself to others that are cooler, more successful, and better than I am...at writing. YIPPEE!

Hey you! No shoving! There's plenty Agua de Vida to go around...

No matter what age you begin writing (God bless those souls that start while they are insecure teenagers already- of course, getting it over with in one punch seems like an alright idea now that I think about it) everyone will go through an "I'm just a kid again" phase. The one where you attempt in vain to make yourself a part of the "cool table", tight roll your pants, and meekly opt to keep your true self buried while you try on all the hats from other's heads and wonder why they don't look right on you. Hold on to your seatbelts, it's a bumpy ride...I should know, I'm in the middle of it now.

Don't fret because, like the awkward teenage years eventually did, it'll pass. (I tell myself this anyway) And we will become surer writers in the end, ones that can read a published book without comparing it unfairly to our own rough draft. We will finally find our own voice, which had been there all the time but was shyly peeking out from behind Mother's skirt. We will embrace our weaknesses, learn from our mistakes and in the end, we will be strong enough to hug up the next generation of evolving writers, give them some Oxy, and remind them it will all be okay- we know because we were there.

This is the lecture I give myself from time to time. Of course, the times of insecurity are maniacally contrasted by periods of overconfidence when I declare I am the best at everything. But hey, I'm a teenager- I'll grow out of it.

The Winds of Optimism and the Sands of Self-Doubt: A Lesson Never Truly Learned

Once upon a time there was a person who enjoyed writing. One day, this person decided that she wanted to be a Writer, instead of just a writer. She set out with pen and paper and imagination. Where she would end up, she didn't know, but with the Winds of Optimism beneath her wings, she took flight.

Not long after setting forth upon this adventure, she wrote something of her very own. And then, she read it and she thought, "This is terrible." and the Winds ceased to blow. Without the Winds of Optimism to help keep her adrift, she landed in the Sands of Self-doubt, which are more like quick sand than fun sandbox-type sand and with every negative thought, she sunk a bit deeper.

Being stuck in the Sands of Self-doubt and no longer feeling she had the capacity to write anything worthwhile, she decided to read books by other Writers, ones that surely soared with the Winds of Optimism. But as she gazed over the polished words, she continued to sink farther and farther into the Sands of Self-doubt for never could she, a lackluster and incompetent writer, ever be capable of creating such fine works of art.

The sands rose higher upon her until her waist was buried. Then she got an idea. She would write in a new voice, one that was better than her own. Yet, for some reason, the Winds of Optimism did not swoop her into the air, but rather only helped to blow strands of hair from her face now and then.

Her first attempt didn't feel right. Her second was forced. Her third was better than the first, but didn't quite meet her expectations. The Sands began to take her once more and when she was up to her nose in the quickening pit, she read her original manuscript again.

And something magical began to happen. She realized it wasn't so bad after all. It wasn't perfect by any means, but there was something right about it. It was hers. And with that realization, the Winds of Optimism burst across the desert's surface like a tidal wave and wrenched our Writer out of the sand. Her wings spread open wide and the Winds thrust her into the air triumphantly and all was well...

But be warned: the Sands of Self-doubt are always down there, ready to bury us with our own undoing.

Happy or Otherwise, What All Book Endings Must Have

Authors are mean. We create worlds and characters that appeal to our readers, then we methodologically trouble, wound, and even kill them- all in the name of literature. We do our best to force our creations (which we love too, by the way) through a plethora of situations ranging from mildly awkward to brutally maniacal peppered with some promise, hope, and other sugary things then, eventually, we have to figure out how to wrap it up. But what do readers want? 

Some may say that they like a "happy ending" or perhaps a "tragedy" or anyone of the different classifications, but if you simply shift things around at the last minute, will the story be satisfying? Let's say our hero must sacrifice himself to save the world, but then, due to some random interference that is totally improbable, he lives. The ending is happy, but are even your happy ending fans going to enjoy it? Probably not. Why? Because it's off... Let's say boy meets girl, they have their issues, but then in the end they kiss and love conquers all...until that semi-truck comes barreling down the street and smooshes the whole wedding party. Oops. Will our tragedy fans appreciate the irony and relish in the fact that they found love before they died...doubt it. It's too forced.

Image courtesy of Victor Habbick at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Of Course the ship sinks in the end...

As readers, we want the same things no matter how the "ending" is resolved. (Of course there are no endings really, the book just stops and we have to live with that.) For one thing, we want the story's resolution to be probable, somewhat logical. If it's not a realistic chain of events, or at least within our willingness to believe could have happened, it won't sit right. People can't just jump out of a plane without a parachute and land on their feet, unless there is something in the story line that has prepared us for the possibility.

To have a satisfying ending, we need to have all the loose threads tied up. We don't want to wonder what happened to So-and-So, who was an important supporting character. Ending up with questions is a sure-fire way to frustrate us.

We want the message to come through all the way through and we want an appropriate resolution. If the message is about self sacrifice, then we can live with the fact that the main character dies if suits the story. Even "happy ending" fans can love it because the satisfaction comes not from how the story ends but how fitting it is. Is the message watered down or is the ending completely off the mark? If so, we'll feel it when we get there, even if the reader isn't experienced enough to know how to articulate it.

Be them happy, melancholy, tragic, or just...ambiguous, the final pages must be earned, plausible, and represent a proper resolution or individual tastes won't matter- everyone will agree on one thing. The book stinks.

Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Tell me, what kind of ending do you like? We've all read books with endings that have stuck with us- for better or worse. Help me out by sharing your experiences!

Middle Grade Fiction- Fun or Functional?

As I've been writing the "Currently Untitled but Previously Referred to Story- Edge", I've been researching middle grade fiction and reading a good deal of it too. As a parent, I feel it's important to have my characters evolve for the better, to learn lessons and do what good children should. But, will that appeal to my readers?

Image courtesy of stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Middle Grade fiction is characterized by younger protagonists (they are geared toward 7-12 year olds, thus the heroes need to be someone they can relate to), and typically, the themes revolve around the how the character fits into their world. Often, the stories are somewhat shorter in length, in the 45-50,000 word range  but I find that this is not a hard and fast rule. I've read many stories that are just as long as a typical novel and some of the books in the MG section are pretty darn thick! But, does there need to be a moral to the story built into the theme? Can there be a good MG story that doesn't teach the reader something?

Of course, there are cartoons that seem completely void of life lessons. Though it cracks me up, Spongebob Squarepants is one that comes to mind. The oddities of daily life are entertaining but not built to teach the observer anything. Basically, they're like junk food for the brain.

Image courtesy of Grant Cochrane at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Then there's the cartoons like Thundercats (I'm old) and even some of the newer versions of My Little Ponies, or the Carebears, that though they entertain, there's an element of good over evil or right v. wrong involved and the characters learn lessons though the hardships they face. In the Ben 10 cartoons, Ben fights aliens and saves the earth but also learns about relationships, loves and idolizes his Grandfather, and constantly struggles with his arrogance. Both types are popular with kids, but with the parents, are they equal? Not in my house. Some "junk food" shows are banned because the themes are more destructive than entertaining and teach my kids to call each other rude (though perceived as hilarious) names, and laugh uproariously at disgusting things like boogers, farts, and poop. (not that I can't appreciate the humor, but you know, sometimes we have to go into public.)

The "MOM" in me knows that it's better to have my characters face challenges, make choices, and survive the consequences so that over time they become better, more confident, considerate, empathetic people. Can I do that without getting on a pulpit? Can I accomplish an entertaining story that feels good to kids and parents alike? There's a fine line between lassoing the human condition, our need to be accepted, loved, and trusted, and preaching these ideals like I do in real life, when I feel my kids are veering off course. After all, I don't always want to be the person wagging my finger and looking over the rim of my glasses.

There is a way to do this. If we focus on the story and the story is something universally true, then we add a hero we can relate to- imperfect but who answers the call for adventure, and we make their journey a difficult one but one that ultimately causes them to learn something about themselves and the world, we can entertain our readers and sneak in a life lesson to boot. It's not impossible, but it's not easy either. But whoever said that being a writer was?

The next thing I'm wondering about....does it have to be a "Hollywood Ending?"

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Editing is a Nightmare!

There comes a time in every new author's life when they reach a momentous occasion. It's a happy day. A day to celebrate annually, a great big deal:  the day they finish their first rough draft. But after the initial shock of the accomplishment wears off, reality hits. Not to burst my own bubble here, but there's still a lot more work to do.

Having finished my own first draft before the end of 2012, I first had to lock myself away like a werewolf for the suggested 4-6 weeks to let the details of the book leave the forefront of my mind. Being slightly obsessive in nature, this was only minimally successful. Continually, I thought about the book. I had to tighten the finger cuffs to prevent myself from digging in early and mentally, I had already begun battering it down to the point where I was ready to toss the whole thing into the recycling bin. (Yes, even when we are being dramatic, we must remain environmentally conscious.) Had it not been for a fellow writer reading my rough draft and convincing me that it was worth fixing, I'd be 70,000 words in the hole!


And now, after waiting for the requisite time frame, I have begun editing. But since I don't know what works well for me, I'm trying all kinds of approaches. I've been told to read it through, make notes, then go back and start fixing it with small stuff first. That didn't really work for me. Parts of the book are too slow, and the issues that I want to fix are too big that it was distracting. I have this wee devil sitting on my shoulder telling me how it's no use to read it, because my time is spent better fixing it. I hate that little thing.

Then I began writing over the original with the new "voice"I thought it needed. It didn't take long before I realized that I was writing a whole other book at which point I had to stop writing (with like 5 versions of the story saved with various points stirred around) and think. Think. Think. Think. And start reading it again. And think. Think. Think some more. For days now, I've been thinking, pondering, reading other books in my genre, and then thinking until my thinker is all thunked out.

Is the original so bad? No. Really it's not. It can't stand on it's own yet, but it's not a total wash.

Is the rewrite better? Not exactly, it's just different.

So what then? Meld them together? Perhaps. That's still not it though.

At this point, and this is still early in the very cumbersome and awkward process of editing my first rough draft. I have opened a blank document and am compiling the bits that I like of each and gluing them together with new ideas. I'm not exactly sure where that leaves me.

The original was a good start but there's a better book in there.

I think that we just have to do what is right for us. You can get advice from every angle, read tutorials and how-to books about the craft, you can seek feedback from others, but at the end of the day, WE are the ones writing. WE get to make the choices what twists and turns the story takes, WE get to choose what does and doesn't make it through the final edits and trusting your gut is sometimes what you have to do. (As long as your "gut" isn't making choices based upon laziness or self-loathing)

We live and we learn from the process, and much like I will have to watch my children learn their own lessons, you will all have to watch me crash and burn if I must- but I WILL finish it...eventually.

So put on your flame retardant pajamas because it's going to be a late night.

Verisimilitude. What does that even mean?

This isn’t one of those 'word-a-day' calendars, and yet here I am throwing out words I’ve never used but plan to…in three…two…one--

Verisimilitude is the word that I’ve been avoiding in my writing…well not the use of it, but the effect of it. It’s believability, the appearance of truth, and it’s really getting under my skin.

Confession time. I’m not a very patient person. (Ok, whew, glad that’s off my chest.)One of the great things about writing fiction is that you can create worlds and if you write it, it happens. Right? Well, sort of. You can write about flying gorillas and worlds that exist inside of peanuts, but if you do like me and rush right into the thick of things without doing some research somewhere along the way, you’ll find yourself in a great big mess.

This is something that I’m learning as I type this.

I hear that J.K. Rowling had boxes of notebooks where she evolved her world on paper. Boxes?! And guess what? People of all ages love her story. They can’t get enough. Was it worth the plotting and planning? Absolutely. Is it totally necessary to create a good story? I don't know that we need dozens of notebooks full, but I’m realizing that without some research, we don’t know our world as well as we should to make it believable, and that is what engages readers…unless I want to write about a slightly nutty mother of three that lives in the Midwest. Interested? I didn't think so.

It will be a lesson in patience but it must be done.

It frustrates me to be in the mode to write yet sit down to the computer and scratch out meager tidbits about setting, characters, you know, the things that make a story fun? I want the entree- no potatoes, no parsley, just get to the story. Words on paper. Yet that’s not enough and I, like everyone else, must take the time and appreciate all parts of writing, even the slow ones that make us feel like we wasted our day doing nothing at all.

Verisimilitude. Research it. Own it. Make people believe (at least temporarily) that it could really happen. 

What's in a Name? How Do You Name Your Characters?

YA Highway's Road Trip Wednesday #161, What's in a name?

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.

We'd love for you to participate! Just answer the prompt on your own blog and leave a link - or, if you prefer, you can include your answer in the comments.

This Week's Topic is: The list of top baby names in 2012 had us talking about naming characters. How do you decide on names? Would you ever name a character after a friend/family member/ex?

When I began writing shorts and intro's to novels, I would always use the names of family and friends. My heart was in the right place, I thought, When this book becomes a world-wide best seller, [blank] will feel so loved because they are a character in my awesome story. And I tried it. I named characters after people I love, my kids, my friends, my family....but after trying this for many, many times, I realized that I had to break free of it.  The reason? Because it's limiting.

Primarily, this is because I find that if I name a character for someone I know, that character begins to act as the person I know would. Perhaps this is fine IF the character's nature is similar to the real counterpart, but often, I am melding various characteristics of many people or creating someone that I've never met and therefore, it becomes hard to keep the fictional person acting in tune when they hold the namesake of someone I know. So...sorry everyone, I love you but you'll have to settle for being in the credits and dedications.

Instead, I have used various methods. For main characters, I usually know their names as I am thinking about the concept for the story. They're as integral to the story line as the plot elements are. In my post-apocalyptic dystopian fantasy (unofficially referred to as "The Paragon", I chose the name "West Lambert" for the lead. Now, it is true that her last name is also the name of the airport in St. Louis and since I'm from Missouri that was a little bit of love for the Midwest, however, it has very little bearing on the story. West, however, does. The name invokes something a bit androgynous and strong. West is far from girly. She's brave and ready to blow where the wind takes her and for all her faults, she's a wise soul. It seemed fitting for her.

Some names, such as Laura "Lula" Fontaine, the character from my middle-grade fantasy novel, which I'm now calling "The Girl Who Lost Her Imagination and How She Came to Find It", had the right mix of somber and whimsy to make the plot elements work together. 

Sometimes it's trial and error- some of the supporting roles have names I change half-way through the rough draft, just to see how I like them when they're in use. For example, in "The Paragon," I changed Bastian's name from Benjamin about 20 pages in. I just got sick of writing it and it didn't feel right, so I switched it up. I have also looked up names from various eras and cultures and would consult a baby name website if I just needed a way to get the ideas flowing.

Naming characters is fun though. Once they have a name, they come to life. There's a lot in a name and if affects their personality, their actions, and the way other characters relate to them...just like in real life. 

If you want to share your process, tell us about it- create a post on your blog and post a link in the comments or, share what you decided to name your child and why...perhaps it was a family namesake, perhaps you liked the meaning? It's all creative wordplay and I love hearing from you!

My Rough Draft is Crappier Than Yours!

So you get to the end of your rough draft! Yay! Congratulations! Sure, it's rough- I wonder if that's how it got its name...yes. It is because rough drafts are supposed to stink like last month's dirty diapers. Thank goodness mine doesn't disappoint.

Okay fine. So maybe I'm being overly critical (or dare I say it...dramatic?!) but I haven't been able to take my eyes off of it since I completed it and since it's been hard to concentrate on anything else (see date of last blog post for confirmation), and the more I look at it the more I feel like taking a red pen and marking out every. single. word.

Then I "talk" to my Facebook writer's group- a collection of people from whom I receive a huge amount of support (which is something fantastic indeed since a lot of online writer's groups post a lot of self-promotion and not a lot of writer-to-writer talk)- and I read about what to do next, and I'm told by anyone who has walked this path to step away from it for a good long while- 4 to 6 weeks to be exact- which may seem like a small task, even a blessing, but when you are wholly vested in the 60,000+ words of your story and you have a date in mind when you want to see it on your shelf (summer 2013), you don't have time to dilly dally with letting your story marinate and your eyes see it fresh. Fresh. I can look at it with fresh eyes after only 4 days- just watch me. Oh wait, go back to previous text...It stinks. Mark out every word. Start all over again.

Seriously, people, at this point, I've totally rewritten about 2,000 words with a totally new voice, a new story line in mind, and you guessed it- a new working title. Know another way to describe this...yeah- writing a NEW BOOK. I don't know if that is covered under the guise of editing but I'm about to find out.

If you clicked on this post hoping to get a tidbit of advice from an old pro- back up in your browser and try the next article- this girl is as green as green bowl full of green peas in the green grass covered in moldy green mint cookies. Green, green, green. However, if you clicked on this hoping to commiserate, laugh at a completely disillusioned writer, or perhaps feel a little better that you only want to mark out every. other. word, then let's hug and have a good laugh because that's what I'm here for.

If you think that this is a sign of me giving up. Forget it. Not happening. If you think that this is the sign of me reading any and everything regarding editing, rewriting, and bugging every person I know that has published a book for sage-like advice, then ding-ding! you're totally on target. (And no, I am not feeling aggressive, just passionately convincing myself that failure is not an option.)

Get your red pens ready...in 4 to 6 weeks.

Uh-huh- I've cartooned myself editing without a shirt on. I work from home, aren't you glad?

I WON NaNoWriMo 2012! Now What?...

I can't believe it. After 30 days of writing abandon, we made it through. A relatively small number of us won the challenge and wrote a jaw-dropping 50,000 words during the month of November. Pat yourself on the back, raise a toast, eat a whole chocolate cake by yourself- what ever it takes to make you feel the weight of this accomplishment. That's a lot of work, people. It's 150 pages in a paperback novel- it's 100 times the length of the average college freshman English paper, and it required a daily commitment to put writing at the top of the list. Really. Wow.

But now what?!

You know you love my little naked stick person sitting at her 2D laptop. Hush!

Now we have ourselves 50,000 words (or more- you overachievers) but where do we go from here? Most of us are only half way up the ladder at this point. 50,000 words, although a trial to produce in a month's time, is not quite what most consider a full-length novel. But it's close! In the book Scene and Structure by Jack Bickham he states that the average novel is between 60-90,000 words finished to meet both minimum standards of most readers and maximum costs for publishing- though I'd wager those figures aren't set in stone...you're losing us A.B....

Ok, sorry- so what do you do now? The point of the previous paragraph was to let you know that if you're not quite done with your novel, then you're probably right on track. If you are done- well, that's fine too because next is....

That's right, ol' buddy ol' pal, when you finally get to "The End" you'll have to start over again at "Once Upon a Time" and rewrite your baby from start to finish again. This part is often dreaded, but I'm looking forward to it....perhaps I'm nuts. But I've gotten a lot of inspiration from fellow writers including Veronica Roth, Liz Schulte that are super first draft cheerleaders. "Just get it on paper," they say, "then fix it!" And I'm looking forward to fixing this one, because let me tell you- it's a MESS! 

I changed characters'  and places names half-way through, wrote scenes out of order, and flat out skipped portions that I didn't fully realize yet in favor of those that I did- all in a mad dash to scrape out my 50K- which worked, so I have no hard feelings but the re-read may just leave me scratching my head on where to begin. But for that, I have help- authors that have come before me and detailed their struggles and their tried and true ways to attack that monstrous first draft and make it a lovely best seller.

So, for those of you that have post-NaNo letdown and lots of free time now that you have cleared your calendar and created for yourself some mighty fine daily writing habits- enjoy a few days of free time, reconnect with your loved ones, feed your pets (actually, you should have done that the whole month, I forgot to tell you), or even write to fill that aching void, but come back. 

We can't just leave seedling masterpieces to rot in the dungeon, freeze in the rain, or collect dust like an old relic. They still need babying and lots of love to get where they want to be, CAN BE, and WILL BE-- on our book shelf in hardback!

Lots of writing love, A.B. Harms

80% of Us Want To Write a Book- So Why Aren't You?

Did you know that statistics show that 80-something% of people would like to write a book? That figure initially astounded me- why don't I know more authors? But truly, I can believe it. I am a part of that percentage myself, and as I have said before in a previous post, if the rest of humanity is into something, I probably will be too.

Maybe we've started writing but quit when the urge passed, when we got too busy, or when we realized we didn't know what in the world we were really doing trying to write a book. What was I thinking? I'm not a writer. But you are- if you write, then you're a writer. Taking it to the next level just takes a lot of perseverance and little education in the craft of storytelling.

Image courtesy of Simon Howden at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Usually, we just start with a seed. A tiny little thing that resembles nothing worth looking at. Don't throw it away, that tidbit can be the start of something wonderful. Collect them all you want, save them for a rainy day. That's when you start to find the story inside of you. Fiction, non-fiction, it makes no difference. These odd little threads of thought have burrowed out of our subconscious and made an appearance, fweeping like featherless baby birds we find in the middle of the grass. Where did you come from, Little Guy?

Image courtesy of Grant Cochrane at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Sometimes, one of these strange fellows will appear out of no where and try as we might to ignore it, push it away, discredit it, the more it refuses to go leave. Suddenly, it sprouts feathers, and starts hopping around- What? Now you're trying to fly? We can always choose what story to write, but sometimes, the story actually chooses us. Those are the easiest to tell and are a great place to start if we've always been wanting to write, and if we have one of these twerps fluttering around in our mind, we should take the hint!

If you have a seed germinating in your mind for a story, write that puppy down! Take all the ideas you have, make a list. Ponder it, see which one nags at you. That idea that is like a toddler relentlessly tugging at your shirt tail is the one you should develop first. But don't just throw it to the wolves!  Ask questions about plot, about conflict, about characters. Get wild and crazy with it, and most importantly, stick to it! Bad writing can be made better, but you can't improve what you never write.

Need help with that- did I just make it sound easy? It's not. Trust me, I know this. But here are links to Kristin Lamb's Blog that will help with plot development and structure:

Structure Part 1- Anatomy of a Best Selling Novel...
Structure Part 2- Plot Problems...
Structure Part 3- Introducing the Opposition
Structure Part 4- Testing Your Idea- Is It Strong Enough...
Structure Part 5- Keeping Focused...

If you have advice for the 80% of the population that years for writing creativity, please share it. We need all the help we can get!

Apocalypse! They say it's coming, what will you do?

Image courtesy of Danilo Rizzuti at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Who doesn’t love a good disaster movie? We eat it up from any source- books, movies, art, you name it. Sure, it’s morbid and a little twisted, but we love to think about how the world is going to come to a sudden, screeching halt. Why are we so sick?

First of all, let’s not be too hard on ourselves. I mean, it's not our fault that the "end of days" keeps coming up- we have a lot of experience dealing with the threat of an apocalypse. It's been shoved down our throats since...forever. Since the 80s alone, there have been more than two dozen predictions that our world would end (check out this massive list!) and yet, here we are still scratching our heads and searching for clues.

In case you didn’t know, we are coming up fast on another, December 21, 2012: The End of the Mayan Calendar —the day after my husband’s birthday. Better make this one count, Sweetie. The good news is it's unlikely to cause even a moment of inconvenience (at least that's what I hope.) But we're not out of the woods yet; there are many more predictions for the world to end in the future as well.

We are at our best and our worst when our lives are at stake. On any normal day, would we take in a stranger? Kill someone over a hill of beans? Pick up a hitchhiker? Probably not. But, throw a disaster in the mix, perhaps an epidemic, and we become so desperate for survival, companionship and power in numbers that something deep inside changes.

Whether we are faced with an asteroid (Deep Impact, Armageddon), global warming (TheDay After Tomorrow), solar flares (The Scorch Trials), disease (28 Days Later, The Stand), war (The Hunger Games), or zombies (Zombieland), we enjoy seeing how quickly humanity falls apart when the proverbial poo hits the fan.  But after the dust clears and the masses are dead, the few remaining band together, build alliances and unlikely friendships blossom. It’s really heartwarming stuff. Or so we hope...

Image courtesy of duron123 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

While we sit in our theater seats or relax in the comfort of our own home, we ask...am I the guy that gives up early just to avoid the stress? Perhaps I'm the undercover heroine that fights for life? Seeing it on screen is one thing. What if it happened for real? What would we do?

The Next Big Thing!

Welcome to THE NEXT BIG THING!

This is part of an author’s blog tour. Each author who is tagged has the privilege of answering 10 questions about their current work-in-progress. I am honored to have been tagged by Melissa Lummis. You can see the link to Melissa’s blog at the end of this post. I've tagged two authors, who will post their blogs on October 10, 2012. (Their blog links are also at the end of this post.) After reading about my “Next Big Thing” be sure to check out the other authors to see what their NEXT BIG THING is!

 

What is the working title of your book?

The Paragon Trilogy is the name of the series. Book one is aptly named, The Paragon.

 

Where did the idea for the book come from?

A little over a year ago, when I was living in Okinawa, Japan, a friend of mine told me about a landfill in the middle of the ocean called “The Garbage Patch”. It’s a huge expanse of open water that houses masses of debris and pollution that floated into the gyre by currents and remains stuck. She told me it was larger than the state of Texas and I was flabbergasted! After researching it, I found out it’s REAL! The helplessness of what it would take to fix it was overwhelming…how do you stop plastic from entering the ocean?! Stopping it’s production is the only thing that I could come up with…impossible. Then it occurred to me, what if the world ended, and land was unlivable, and people fled to the ocean and made a home of this mess? From that spark of “what if…” West and her quest for life and freedom were born. The rest of the plot elements just fell into place.

 

What genre does your book fall under?

Dystopian fantasy set in a post-apocalyptic era. It’s also part of the Young Adult Fiction category.

 

What actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

I think I’d want “no names” to act in the lead roles. If this story became such a sensation that it warranted a movie deal. I’d want fresh faces. After all, I’m a “no name”, it seems only fair. (Though, if we could work Johnny Depp in there, I’d be OK with it.)

 

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

In a world of hardships and unmentionable horrors, West Lambert’s search for purpose and freedom may save the human race…or be the key to its undoing.

 

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

I’m not fully decided but I’m leaning toward self publishing based upon my research of the industry and the advice of some trusted friends. I’d like to be traditionally published at some point, it’s kind of a “bucket list” thing…but I know it will help to prove myself in the Indie market first.

 

How long did it take you to write the first-draft of your manuscript?

I’m still working on it, actually. I’m about 2.5 months into book one, so I’m predicting about 5-6 months, hopefully less.

 

What other books would you compare to this story to within the genre?

I've been told from some that it has a “Hunger Games” feel to it, something that I’m not sure I live up to yet. I did get a lot of inspiration from the Hunger Games books though, as well as from Veronica Roth, the author of Divergent.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

Writing is something that I’ve always done, and completing a book has a top place on my “things to do before…” list. It was probably my mom, though, that has pestered me all my life about writing that made me truly believe I could do it. Since then, my ambition has gone from just sending out my one contribution into the wild world to a realization that this maybe the niche I’ve been looking for all my life. Thanks for nagging me, Mom!

 

What else about your book might pique your readers’interest?

This book is geared toward young-adults, but I hope that people of all ages can appreciate the story. West’s perseverance through each obstacle is something that everyone can relate to. Her feelings of love, betrayal, friendship, and hope encompass the human condition. The philosophical dilemmas presented to her are heavy, and make you wonder, ‘What would I do?’ Not only is it a story of survival and determination, but it exposes a very real situation, the ever declining condition of Our Earth.

 

I was tagged by Melissa Baer Lummis www.melissalummis.blogspot.com

Tag! You're next, Allison Silver www.sssahm.blogspot.com

Tag! You're next, LeeAnn Rhodes www.storiesbylee.blogspot.com