I Am An Authoress

That Problem

2012-02-01T11:42:00.000-08:00

I told someone recently that I didn't have that problem. You know, that problem. The one where you send out queries and then check your email every five minutes because, who knows, somebody might have replied! I said I didn't have that problem.

And I didn't. When I said it.

When I said it, I was perfectly at ease with sending out queries and promptly forgetting them. After all, I was used to getting rejections. So no replies were a good thing. No news is good news kind of philosophy.

It's been a week - nay, more than a week, a week and a half - and I've received no rejections. I would worry that the agents never got my queries, except that some of them have automatic responses, so I know this is not the case.

And I'm going something just short of crazy. I've got to know! Because...what if, what if, what if?! I'm a writer, which means I have an overactive imagination. And do you know what an overactive imagination does when left to wait on query responses? It overactivates. Oh my gosh, they love it! They hate it! They're reading it! They hate it! They haven't even looked at it. They adore it! They don't know about it!

*clutches one hand to my chest* ...the suspense...it's killing me...

So when I said I didn't have that problem...I lied.

Have you queried? Do you have that problem?

Also, and completely unrelated to this post, I just finished Patrick Ness' Chaos Walking series, and, um, the guy is brilliant. Brilliant. I am in awe. I may even be of the opinion that Chaos Walking > Hunger Games, despite the rotten tomatoes that are sure to come.

So Scary in All Its Bigness

2012-01-31T11:13:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking recently about success. Which, admittedly, is straying from the norm, for me, because I tend to think more about failure. But I've been thinking about success.

And what happens if...if it happens. I mean, what happens if I'm successful? What happens if agents really like my book? If editors think it will sell? If it becomes a real book that people all over the country can read. {Not that they will, but they can...}

Truth be told, the thought makes me nauseous. I never thought I would be as afraid of success as I am of failure, but it may be true to say that I'm more afraid of success than I am of...piranhas or something equally life-threatening. It's just so big.

So big. And so scary in all its bigness.

But my God is really, really big. And I'm discovering that He is the same now as He was when I feared letting everyone down, or losing a friend, or losing my house. He's the same. He was comfort and love and hope then, and I am discovering that He's just the same now. I hadn't realized that when I feared the exact thing I have for so longed desired that He would still be there.

He's really big. When my problems are big, He's bigger. And when the possibility of success is big...He's still bigger. He's got me, no matter what. I knew He was with me when life sucked. And now I know He'll be with me when the things hoped for have come to pass.

Do you fear failure or success? Or neither?

Fatherhood, Not Elephants

2012-01-30T14:52:00.000-08:00

I was writing an essay last week about fatherhood. (College essay prompt: write about a cause important to you.) Or, at least, in my head, I was writing an essay about fatherhood.

On paper, I was writing about elephants.

See, I was using the story of orphaned elephants in South Africa as part of the essay. {Nothing captures the eye like an essay about elephants, right? Besides, it's an amazing story.}

But the essay only has to be about a page long. {And as long-winded as I am, I don't intend to take advantage of the four pages allowed.} And the elephant story was taking up three-fourths of the page.

My topic was fatherhood, not elephants.

Which meant I had to scrap a page worth's of information about orphaned elephants in South Africa and condense it down to two paragraphs. Which was hard. I lost a lot of cool information, cool observations from the guy who had lived on the reserve adjacent to the problem reserve {orphaned elephants cause problems} and had his own elephant problems and stories.

I had to take it all out. But the essay - now a finished rough draft - is so much better for it! It's about fathers instead of elephants! Not that elephants couldn't be a great topic for a cause essay, but elephants, as awesome as they are, are not my cause. {Everyone is given different causes, I think, so that together we can all change the world.}

This has got to have a writing application somewhere. And I think that application comes in the form of little darlings. Darlings are great things, great pieces of backstory and dialogue and character development that sometimes must be cut in light of the greater story. It's sad. I had to cut a car chase.

It was a good car chase, too. I was very proud of that car chase. I wrote a blog post about it. {Scratch that. I meant to write a blog post about it. I did write a blog post about a car chase, but it wasn't mine.}

But I had to pull it. Because it took place in Austin, and I took out everything that happened in Austin, because the story changed, and I pulled out characters {Hilary! Cinderella! Bobby! Ali! I'll bring you back sometime!}, scenes {Jenn lied to a cop; she was really good at it, Clayton was not}, and a beautiful car chase.

Thing is - the story I have now, the story I'm querying...that story doesn't miss it. At all. I read it, and not one part of the story begs for anything I took out.

Just like my fatherhood essay doesn't miss all the extra information about elephants.

Just like I could probably scratch about half of this blog post. I think this is a moment of "do as I do."

It's a Beautiful Thing

2012-01-26T09:33:00.000-08:00

I recently gave one of my close friends, whom we shall call Hestia, a copy of the final draft of Those Who Trespass to read. Because she asked. She messaged me soon after to say she was three chapters in. I was thrilled.

The next day, she texted me to tell me that she was in the real-life setting of one of my scenes and was having a blast imagining Jenn and Clayton there.

She talked about my characters like they were real. I mean, they're real in my head. And I've discussed them with Shelley, the beta, and Robin, the writing-accountability-partner. But when we talk, they're still characters. They're still little pieces of art, the work of my own hands on paper. Still very much...fictional.

But they were real to Hestia.

And I think I felt, for the first time, what it's really like to give your story to a reader. You really do give it away. You put everything that's inside you on paper, and then you give it away and let someone else inside you. It's almost like someone reading your thoughts, except that you've given it freely. You've allowed them to own the story themselves.

I always wondered what it would feel like. I worried. It wasn't so much a worry that readers wouldn't like my story. I could deal with that. But I wondered if they would feel what I felt, if they would love it like I did, if they would live in the story the way I lived.

They do. Or, at least, one does. And I finally know what it feels like to give a story away.

It feels good.

I haven't lost, I've gained. The story is still all mine, but now it belongs to Hestia, too.

It's a beautiful thing, this authorly life.

Pen and Ink

2012-01-25T11:43:00.000-08:00

So I got the video working on yesterday's post after realizing, late at night, that it wasn't working. Alas. I liked that post, but it made no sense without the video.

Yesterday I found myself at the library without my laptop. {Which explains why I didn't notice that the video didn't work on my post until late.} I had my book on physics, which I am enjoying, and my composition notebook, and my pen.

I also had eight loaned novels waiting for me at home, which meant that browsing and checking out any fiction was absolutely forbidden.

I can only read about physics for so long. Nothing against physics. I love physics, especially the chapter on sound. But goodness gracious, I can't read about it for two hours. So I found a table, took out my composition notebook and pen, and decided to work something out for the TWT sequel.

It worked. Pen and ink works! There is something about the quiet, about the simplicity, the absence of other options. There is no wi-fi, no Facebook, no Pinterest, no email {that simply must be checked because of possible incoming requests from agents, yes}, no minesweeper. Just paper with blue lines. Just a pen. Just a story, just space for words, and words alone.

It was beautiful. I got some stuff figured out plot-wise, but even more important, I started enjoying writing again. It's been a while. But there is nothing as romantic as pen and paper to make you fall in love with story again.

The One-Third Rule

2012-01-24T10:04:00.000-08:00

If you've queried, I'm going to bet that you've heard of the one-third rule. You know, the one where your query should pretty much only cover the first third of your story. (Roni Loren goes into more detail here. Read it if you don't know what I'm talking about.) The first time I heard that, I thought, "That's impossible! How can I convey my story by just summarizing the first third? Seriously!"

But the more I thought about it, the more I experimented with it, the more I read other queries, the more book flaps I read, I realized...it was true. The reader (agent or civilian) needs nothing more than the first third.

I know it sounds crazy. But we're going to use the Hunger Games as an example (hopefully you've read it, or you won't believe me). Watch this trailer (and yes, this is educational):

Okay. Notice something about the trailer? It ends as Katniss enters the arena.

Okay. If you've read the book, you know that the book is about the arena. That's where most of the book takes place! The arena is IMPORTANT! That's where the ACTION is!!!!
...and yet, it's not in the trailer. If you think about it, the trailer is only the first third of the story.

Does it work? Do you want to see the movie? Even if you've never read the book, you're dying to see the movie after watching that trailer. What happens? How does she do in the arena? Does she die? Does Peeta die? Does Gale survive watching his girl?

Personal opinion here...I think it works. And that's how your query is supposed to work. Set up the story, endear the reader to the characters, make sure everybody knows what the stakes are and that they're high, high, high. Then fade to black ~~make sure the agent knows that the full manuscript is available upon request~~.

Have you heard of the one-third rule? Have you used it in your queries? For or against?

{If you haven't read the Hunger Games, pick a movie-turned-book that you have read. Watch the movie trailer.}

That Send Button

2012-01-23T10:07:00.000-08:00

Well, I sent my first query on Friday. This is what it felt like.

Pressing that send button is so hard. I set up everything perfectly. I have the query, the introduction, the attachments in PDF, the subject, the email address. All that remains is that dratted send button. It would probably still be unsent if I hadn't promised Robin, the writing-accountability-partner-who-really-needs-her-own-introduction-soon, that I'd send it Friday.

I have a goal to send 15 queries this week. I think I can do it. It's a bit crazy, but then, I like to think I'm a bit crazy. I wouldn't be doing this if I wasn't.

Also, I bought Save the Cat. {If you didn't know, Walmart offers free ship-to-store for a lot of online products, including StC. And StC was cheaper that way than buying it on Amazon. Just a note.) I'm super excited, and I hope to implement everything I learn into the next MS. Because of course - there will be another MS. I'm working on two right now, the sequel to Those Who Trespass and another princess one. Just can't stay away from those princess ones.

And in addition to querying, reading, and writing fiction...I'm writing college application essays. Oh, joy.

This has been your random assortment of writing updates.

Friday Five: Looking Forward

2012-01-20T15:54:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm returning to the Paper Hangover bandwagon. Every week, blogs fill my inbox answering a question...and I always want to answer, too! So here I be, and Friday's question is:

What are the five books you're looking forward to in 2012?
Okay, first I think it's worth mentioning that I have no idea what books are coming out this year. But after looking it over and remembering which sequel's I've been dying to read, here they are:

Illusion, by Frank Peretti (March 6). This is definitely on the top of my list. Frank Peretti hasn't released a book since 2005! I can't wait.
Fear, by Michael Grant (April 3). While I'm beginning to wonder if his Gone series is actually going anywhere, I still have hope.
Untitled, by Allie Condie (November). This would be the third book in the Matched series, and so far I am in love with Cassia's story.
A Million Suns, by Beth Revis (January 10). This is the sequel to Across the Universe, and I cannot wait to find out what happens to Amy and Elder.
Spirit Wars, by Kris Vallotton (January 1). Everything he writes, I devour.

What about you? What book are you most looking forward to this year?

It Tastes So Good

2012-01-19T11:29:00.000-08:00

Well, I was going to write about what I discovered about anymore and any more and backwards and backward. But. I have something much more interesting. This:

"i've written a lot of words. i've completed a lot of drafts. but for the first time in my life, i have FINISHED a book. and by finished, i mean FINISHED. as in, i have gone over the thing with the finest of fine-tooth combs, and it is the best it can ever be. finished. i am eating truffles to celebrate. even though i've brushed my teeth."

Yes, that means what you think it means. I finished Those Who Trespass.

You know the Greek language has several words for 'love'? I wish the English language had several words for 'finished'. Because I've finished TWT before. I mean, I finished the rough draft. I finished the re-write. I finished the next re-write, and then an edited draft, and then a polished draft, and then the polished-of-all-polished drafts and then...

But this time I really finished. I'm done. I'm done. I'm done. Until publication comes knocking on my door {after I do all the querying work knocking on its door; no, I am not afflicted with delusions of grandeur}, I will have no reason to open the document that is Those Who Trespass. It is finished. It is complete.

It. Tastes. So. Good.

Or maybe that was the truffles.

I Use Them All Interchangeably

2012-01-18T12:40:00.000-08:00

I should finish the whole reading-out-loud process today. Then I get to do what I call line-editing but what probably isn't line-editing to any one else.

I'm going to figure out some words. What are the differences between toward and towards, backward and backwards, anymore and any more, beside and besides, and farther and further? I don't know. I use all these words interchangeably. All the time. And that can't be right, can it?

I figure there's no time like the ~~present~~ querying stage to pin them down. It will take me back to my middle-school grammar days, but that's okay. We're going to get this.

So if anyone knows the difference between in, into, and in to, feel free to shoot me an email, because that is one that scares me. :)

They Are Not My Readers

2012-01-17T11:27:00.000-08:00

So it's almost ten o'clock at night, and I'm in the car, and I realize, I didn't write a blog post today.

This is not a joke. This is my life. And I can only apologize.

Right now I'm reading Those Who Trespass out-loud. It's not getting done very quickly, because if there's one thing I do not want, it is people {*cough*family*cough*} listening to me. It's one thing if they want to read my story {though that would be the emotional equivalent of sending your story-in-draft-form to a beta reader times a million}, but I do not want them hearing snippets.

It's funny. I love my family. They love me back. They are gung-ho about my passion for writing, they really are. But they are not my readers.

My mom read my very first novel (MG Contemporary Mystery) back when I was fifteen years old. She marked a few grammatical and spelling errors, and that was that.

While I was writing Stratagem, I inquired of my then-pre-teen brother what he thought of the opening paragraph. He said it was boring.

I changed it.

And that's the extent of my family's participation. They are supportive, they are awesome, and they believe in me - I am so blessed - but they are not very involved. Probably because my dad is a musician, my mom is a scientist at heart, and my brother is a jock. {Although it is worth mentioning that my brother reads voraciously, mostly YA. I am so proud.}

What about you? Is your family supportive? Do they know that you write? How involved are they?

Friday Five: Writing Places

2012-01-13T15:07:00.000-08:00

My desk. This is where my laptop lives, which means it's pretty much where I live, too. I don't have an office. My desk is my office.
My bed. There comes a time when the formality of a desk is too much and I need to be able to relax while I write. Which is when I move to my bed. It's awesome.
My front porch. The afternoon sun hits my front porch just perfectly. To sit and write and enjoy the weather and sunlight and beauty, and maybe the used-to-be-indoor-thinks-he's-an-outdoor cat rubbing around my legs...that's bliss. {My laptop battery recently took a turn for the worse, which has put a damper on the whole porch thing.}
My grandmother's guest bedroom. Not kidding. There's not really anything to do in there {read: no distractions} except for the TV, which means that I can focus on writing like nobody's business.
The tech room at church. I do some tech stuff at my church, which means I'm often there during the week editing video. That room is silent. You can't see in. The door locks. And until recently, I didn't have internet, which made it focus paradise.

What about you? What's your favorite writing place?

Wrote Myself Into a Corner

2012-01-11T06:29:00.000-08:00

On Monday, I wrote myself into a corner.

I shouldn't have been writing anything that big, plot-wise. Blame the synopsis. I put a lovely line in my synopsis that wasn't quite technically in the book - but should have been - so I had to go and actually put it in the book. Which I did.

And promptly wrote myself into a corner.

It wasn't a new corner. It's one I've been battling since, well, not Day 1. But for a while. And, really, it all boils down to whether or not this is a book telling about God or a book showing God. Which are two very different things.

I am very much a showing God person. That's why I adore Ted Dekker's books, because he's not there to get his characters saved, he's there to inspire the reader to fall more in love with Jesus. {Which he does. And beautifully.} That's why I'm not particularly addicted to other Christian fiction. {I do read, some. And I do enjoy, some.}

So I wrote myself out of a corner. There is no conversion scene. {As of now.} {Which brings me to an entirely different argument: Should I write a sequel? And will this scene be in it? But that's another post.} This is a Christian book, because God is very real to me and I cannot leave Him out of my books. But who said Christian books had to have conversion scenes?

And isn't showing more powerful than telling any day of the week? And that's what I want, in the end. The most powerful way to tell this story. The most powerful way to write God's love.

As you may be able to tell, I'm still working out some kinks. But that's okay. It's okay to work out the kinks. It would be much, much worse to query while the story was still...kinked.

What about you? Have you ever written yourself into a corner?

10 Favorites from 2011

2012-01-10T05:00:00.001-08:00

Out of the 95 books read in 2010, I had to choose 10 favorites. Seriously. Seriously?

It was really, really hard. Really hard. But here they be. (Re-reads are not eligible.)

Between Shades of Gray, by Ruta Sepetys (YA Historical Fiction)

Heartwrenching and convicting, I couldn't tear myself away, and I'll never forget it.

A Countess Below Stairs, by Eva Ibbotson (YA Historical Fiction)

It's laugh-out-loud funny, utterly romantic, it's a magical story I'll read forever.

Scumble, by Ingrid Law (MG Magical Realism)

The writing is vivid. The characters are real. And the story touched my heart.

The Knife of Never Letting Go, by Patrick Ness (YA Science Fiction/Dystopian)

Everything about this book is unique. And brilliant. And heart-pounding.

Immanuel's Veins, by Ted Dekker (Adult Paranormal)

This is how vampires should be. A page-turning romance that left me breathless.

Go Down Together: The Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde, by Jeff Guinn (Adult Non-Fiction)

History isn't boring. I couldn't put it down, and I almost cried at the end. Worth it.

The Priest's Graveyard, by Ted Dekker (Adult Thriller)

Dekker has the thriller down, and he sure knows how to write a twist.

Forest Born, by Shannon Hale (YA Fantasy)

Eloquent prose and real-to-life characters, this fairy-tale quietly captures your heart.

Starcrossed, by Elizabeth C. Bunce (YA Fantasy)

Masterful world-building, brilliant plotting, and a unique story. Can't wait for more!

Chalice, by Robin McKinley (YA Fantasy)

Prose like a painting and romance like mist, this is pure literary beauty.

2011 Fiction Awards

2012-01-09T05:00:00.000-08:00

I know. I'm late. But I didn't want to write this post until 2011 was officially over, just in case I read something that should be added. (I did: Starcrossed.) And then I was going to post the first week of January, but that federal holiday on January 2 - a MONDAY! - completely disarmed me, and I find myself posting on the first day of the second week of January

I officially read 95 books in 2011, and 69 (73%) of those were fiction. The top 10 books of 2011 will appear tomorrow, but here are some awards (re-reads are not up for award):

MOST PLEASANT SURPRISE: Starcrossed, by Elizabeth C. Bunce

I did not particularly enjoy Bunce's first book, A Curse as Dark as Gold, and so it was with great hesitation that I even began Starcrossed. I'm so glad I did. It's brilliant.
(honorable mention: Heist Society, by Ally Carter)

MOST ADDICTING: Divergent, by Veronica Roth.

I read it en route to my aunt's wedding. I read it in the hotel room before my aunt's wedding. I read it on the way home - using cell phone light - from my aunt's wedding.
(honorable mentions: Between Shades of Gray, by Ruta Sepetys)

WRITER'S ENVY: The Knife of Never Letting Go, by Patrick Ness

It's got the voice. It's got the world-building. And it takes the "make bad things happen to your characters" rule to a whole new level.
(honorable mention: Starcrossed, by Elizabeth C. Bunce)

LAUGH-OUT-LOUD FUNNY: A Countess Below Stairs, by Eva Ibbotson

(honorable mention: Heist Society, by Ally Carter)

BEST WORLD-BUILDING: Starcrossed, by Elizabeth C. Bunce

Masterful, just masterful. The clothes, the politics, the religion, the geography. All of it.
(honorable mention: Like Mandarin, by Kirsten Hubbard)

BEST ROMANCE: A Countess Below Stairs, by Eva Ibbotson

(honorable mention: Immanuel's Veins, by Ted Dekker)
MOST SWOON-WORTHY: A Countess Below Stairs, by Eva Ibbotson

(honorable mention: Heist Society, by Ally Carter)

Got any more "best-of"s that I can add? Let me know, and they shall be added. Your wish is my command in this department.

Favorite Non-Fiction of 2011

2011-12-28T09:00:00.000-08:00

This is the final week of 2011. And because everyone is still swimming in wrapping paper and ribbon and new toys, I'm going to do my year in books. I read 94 books this year, but today I'm just going to focus on the non-fiction ones.

In 2011, I read 26 non-fiction books, which comprises 27% of my reading this year. Of those 26, 16 were of a spiritual nature. Only one was a re-read (and it does not count in the following favorite awards). So without further ado, I give you:

FAVORITE SPIRITUAL: The Supernatural Ways of Royalty, by Bill Johnson & Kris Vallotton

This is an honest, convicting, and empowering read about what life looks like as children of the King.

FAVORITE NON-SPIRITUAL: Go Down Together: The True, Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde, by Jeff Guinn

I couldn't put it down. Guinn captures the end of an era with a riveting story steeped in historical fact.

MOST PLEASANT SURPRISE: The Real Story of the Shootout at the O.K. Corral -- And How It Changed the American West, by Jeff Guinn

Entertaining and addicting while chock-full of history, it made me want to write a western.

MOST ADDICTING: Go Down Together: The True, Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde, by Jeff Guinn

Once it starts, it never stops. You'll hold your breath, and you may just cry at the end.

MOST IMPACT ON MY WRITING: A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: What I Learned While Editing My Life, by Donald Miller.

Technically a spiritual book, Don weaves the ins-and-outs of story structure into his narrative and reading writers will not leave disappointed.

The Complete List of Non-Fiction Books Read in 2011

(titles in bold were my favorites)

A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: What I Learned While Editing My Life (12/25)
The Pursuit of God, by A. W. Tozer
The Supernatural Ways of Royalty, by Bill Johnson & Kris Vallotton (10/27)
Searching for God Knows What, by Donald Miller (9/25)
Go Down Together: The True, Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde, by Jeff Guinn (9/5)
Secrets, Lies, Gizmos, and Spies: A History of Spies and Espionage, by Janet Wyman Coleman (9/2)
The Girl Who Was On Fire: Our Favorite Authors on Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games Trilogy, by Various Authors, edited by Leah Wilson (8/28)
The Last Gunfight: The Real Story of the Shootout at the O.K. Corral -- And How It Changed the American West, by Jeff Guinn (8/27)
Angels On Assignment, by Charles & Frances Hunter (8/19)
When Heaven Meets Earth, by Bill Johnson (8/15)
What On Earth Is Glory?, by Paul Manwaring
Moral Revolution, by Kris & Jason Vallotton
The Supernatural Power of Forgiveness, by Kris & Jason Vallotton
The Call, by Rick Joyner (6/6)
Set-Apart Femininity, by Leslie Ludy (6/3)
For Young Women Only, by Shaunti Feldman & Lisa Rice (5/18)
Secrets to Imitating God, by Bill Johnson (5/10)
Holy Bible, by God (4/25)*
The Secret Life of the English Language: Buttering Parsnips, Twocking Chavs, by Martin H. Manser (4/21)
78 Reasons Why Your Book May Never Be Published & 14 Reasons Why It Just Might, by Pat Walsh (3/29)*
Emotional Purity: An Affair of the Heart, by Heather Arnel Paulsen
Overworld: The Life and Times of a Reluctant Spy, by Larry J. Kolb (3/13)
Between You and I: A Little Book of Bad English, by James Cochrane (2/10)
Anonyponymous: The Forgotten People Behind Everyday Words, by John Bemelmans Marciano (1/30)
Blue Like Jazz, by Donald Miller (1/27)
The Narnian: The Life and Imagination of C. S. Lewis, by Alan Jacobs (1/20)

Merry Christmas

2011-12-23T04:00:00.000-08:00

No post today! MERRY CHRISTMAS! I'll be back sometime next week with my best books of 2011 (the ones I read, not the ones that came out). Until then, I shall be enjoying family, life, wrapping paper, and Jesus. :)

(and if you've never read or
seen The Best Christmas
Pageant Ever, you're
missing out...and also
probably thinking that
this picture is kindacreepy)

Hey! Hey, you! Unto you a child is born!
- The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, by Barbara Robinson

The Hobbit Trailer

2011-12-22T04:00:00.000-08:00

We interrupt our regularly scheduled post - which we didn't actually have - with this beautiful piece of cinema fantasy:

I have not been this excited over a trailer since 2004 and Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. {Maybe 2005 and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.} I feel like a kid again. Gandalf! Hobbits! Rivendell! Galadriel! Sting! Gollum!

I think Christmas has begun.

Choose Wisely

2011-12-21T04:00:00.000-08:00

I go round-and-round with myself on the whole language issue in books. Because of the following, contradictory statements:

I don't use many bad words. And in real life, I don't like to hear other people use bad words.
I don't mind bad words in movies, as long as it's believable. And I don't mind bad words in books, as long as it's believable.

And by believable, I mean kept to a minimum and true to the character. I don't expect a book to be bad-word-free. But I do expect it to respect it.

I'm going through Those Who Trespass right now and considering the bad words I threw in. The first half has almost none, because I was on a quest to write the book without them. The second half has a decent amount, including one use of the f-word. My dad makes a weird face every time I tell him that.

I've been pulling bad words out of the MS. They're all marked, so I scroll through and consider:

Would that word be in that character's vocabulary?
And even if it is, would they actually use it in this situation?
Is this the best way it could be written, with the most emotional impact possible {as opposed to getting an equal amount of impact without language}?
Does it actually assist the emotional impact of the scene {as opposed to just shock for shock's sake}?

And if I answer yes, it stays. I've definitely lessened the bad word count by doing this, though it's not down to zero. But here is a rule that, in my experience, is true to every bad word in film or literature:

The number of bad words is directly proportionate to the emotional impact each one has.

I'm not sure I could do that mathematically, I just know that the f-word means a lot more in The Hate List than in District 9. And one of highlights of a writer's life is creating emotional impact. Therefore I choose wisely.

Due to Poor Planning

2011-12-20T13:55:00.001-08:00

How long should you pound away at a story before setting it aside?

I thought this new MS was going to be great. It had some great romantic scenes, some action, some coming-of-age, and, to be honest, I have some epic scenes planned for the sequels. If I ever get to the sequels. I can't make the first book - and we all know that if there is no first book, there is no sequel - work.

There are too many plot holes. Too many characters that won't cooperate. Too much of the world-building left unbuilt. All of it laughing at me because I can't form a coherent story around it. It's bothersome.

I feel like I have two choices:

Set it aside and work on something else. Anything else, to regain my sanity. Something I can enjoy.
Start writing...even though I don't have a plan. I told myself I wouldn't do it. I told myself that this time I would outline my face off before beginning.

But maybe that was my problem. I've outlined my heart out. Maybe I can't connect with a story until I write it, outline or no outline. With my other books - NaNo's excluded - I've reached the 2/3 marker before finding myself in a hopeless plot tangle that required weeks of reevaluation and outlining. Maybe that's just how I write. Maybe I can't find the story until I write it.

It scares me, the prospect of not being an outliner. I always thought I was. I'm a very analytical person, so I figured, "Of course I'm an outliner at heart! I'm just a panster due to poor planning!" But maybe I'm a panster after all. And as daunting as the prospect of the outlining agony 2/3 of the way through, anything is better than the outlining torture I'm putting myself through now. At least when I'm 2/3 of the way through, I'm emotionally connected to the story.

Seems I've talked myself into an answer. If I can find the guts to jump off the cliff of outlining into the unknown abyss.

What To Do On Christmas Break

2011-12-19T07:00:00.000-08:00

I have a list, and I'm checking it twice. No, it's not my Christmas gift list. {Speaking of this, I've discovered that I am neither a Black Friday, nor a Cyber Monday gal...but I am a Free Shipping Day gal. If nothing else, it dragged me from my indecision about what I was getting people for Christmas. And now I am relieved of much stress.} It's my to-do-on-Christmas-break list. Also known as the hurry-up-and-finish-before-2012 list. {Because, as we all know, new lists are made with 2012.}

~~Finish Those Who Trespass Query~~
One final read-through of Those Who Trespass
Make Agent List for Those Who Trespass
Make some semblance of progress on the WiP...or pick a new one
Start keeping some legit writing records so I can write 10K/day like this author

Yeah, did you notice that epic little crossed out bullet point? My query is finished! FINISHED!!!!! And I think it's kinda beautiful. It makes me very happy. Maybe I'll write some posts about what I did - mostly, what was recommended to me by writing friends - that made it happy-making.

I thought about taking some time off for the break. I decided against it. Breaks bode ill for this blog. :)

Whispers From a Twist

2011-12-15T07:00:00.000-08:00

Despite my frustration with the seven-part story structure and its ease of use with every other story in the universe besides mine, I have had some breakthrough. It started as a twist, not a twist carefully fashioned and formed after pages and pages of typing at my desk, but a twist formed while I brushed my teeth in the bathroom.

What if, the twist whispered, Callyn set the bomb?

I nearly dropped my toothbrush. Callyn setting the bomb? The idea was unthinkable. But then, I considered, it worked. I already knew that Callyn needed some great reason to be ashamed of herself - this would definitely do that. I already knew that Callyn had ties to the bomb-setting people...

What if, the twist continued to whisper, Callyn was still dating Fagan?

I nearly answered back and told the twist that that was impossible. But was it? I considered. It definitely made things a lot more tricky for Callyn, but that was totally Callyn's problem. And any problems for Callyn are godsends for me. The more problems she can find herself in, the better.

Problems introduce tension. Problems introduce conflict.

But the twist wasn't finished. What if, it whispered, Elizabeth is more than your average "mean girl"? What if she's a spy?

That was pretty much the twist of twists, but again, a few mental shuffles, and it worked perfectly. More than perfectly. This story is coming together.

Ever been whispered to by a twist? Did you listen?

Seven Parts of White Collar

2011-12-14T07:00:00.000-08:00

So I think y'all know that I've been using Dan Wells' seven-part story structure. And yes, I'm loving it.

Dan has an epic slide on his PowerPoint where he divides The Matrix into seven-parts four times. One for the plot, one for Neo (the MC), one for Neo's romance with Trinity, and one for Cypher's betrayal. It's a beautiful thing. I can pretty much sit there and marvel all day long. {Download his PowerPoint on his site - free - and you'll see what I mean.} But here's the thing, I'm trying to do it with my own WiP.

I have a character arc, and a romance arc. Still a little shy of the betrayal arc, but it's the plot arc that's been bothering me. I've sat there and pulled my hair out, trying to figure out what goes where and how and when and omgosh, I'm going to die. And after some serious frustration and annoyance with Dan Well's epic Matrix outline, I declared, "It can't be that easy." I know in theory that every good story follows this - I've known this inherently for some while - but I didn't think it was really that easy to map it out.

I decided to make a seven-part outline for the last thing I'd watched, which so happened to be White Collar...which shouldn't surprise you. {I chose Season 1, Episode 8, which, if you were going to watch, you've probably already seen, since Season 4 comes out in just over a month. But if you haven't, I've done my best to keep it free of any major spoilers.}

It took me less than 15 minutes to make the following:

Hook (sad, boring life): Mozzie accurately compares Neal to a pawn.
Plot Turn 1 (call to adventure): The case is brought to Peter's attention.

{I think in any crime show, this would always be Plot Turn 1. Just a thought.}

Pinch 1 (bad guys attack): Neal discovers some incriminating evidence against Peter.
Midpoint (reaction --> action): Peter, Neal, and other FBI Agents create a plan to get the villain's data.
Pinch 2 (bad guys "win"): Neal and Peter are discovered and trapped with minutes to live.
Plot Turn 2 (the power is in you): Neal decides to trust Peter and tells him so.
Resolution (hero defeats villain): Neal accurately - and prophetically - compares himself to a chess knight.

{Those little parenthetical statements will make a lot more sense if you've watched Dan Wells' videos.}

The fact that this worked so easily made me both impressed with White Collar (even more)...and annoyed that it really is that easy. But the more examples I have, the better.

Have you ever mapped out a popular book or movie (or TV show)? Do tell...

Things to Do with 5 Free Copies

2011-12-13T07:00:00.000-08:00

Now that it's December, I'm going to divulge some of my motivation for doing NaNo this year. Not all of it. I had much of the normal motivation for doing NaNo. But there was also something else.

In October, I re-read 2010's NaNo novel, THE MISTRESS FACADE. I laughed. I cried. It moved me, Bob. I mean, it's no great work of art, but it was one of those moments where you're like, "Now, now I have written exactly what I want to read."

It was cliche. It was cheesy. It was predictable. It was goofy. It contained terrible grammar and some serious continuity problems. {She reveals twice to the guy that she's not an orphan as he originally supposed.} It would never be published in a million years, for many various reasons, including the fact that it may just be too embarrassing.

And since I never plan on publishing it, nor do I plan on renovating it to make it publishable {I've taken it as far as it can go, and it is good, but not publishable}, I had a plan. I was going to win NaNo this year, get my free bound copy from CreateSpace, and print last year's NaNo novel. That's legal. {I missed the expiration last year because I was positive my story was utter crap and needed revision. Turns out, it's not utter crap, though it would need revision if I had high hopes for it. Which I don't.} I just want it printed so I can read it whenever I want, mistakes and all, because I downright enjoy it.

Except this year, CreateSpace is giving away five bound copies of your book. What on earth would I do with five bound copies of a book too embarrassing to share? {Or maybe that's just enough copies, since I never plan on pursuing publication with this story.} Why can't I print five different books? I have that many sitting on my shelf that will probably never see the light of day. {The Kaotics, Kassia, The Mistress Facade, Stratagem, and this year's NaNo: A Girl of the People.}

So now I'm at a loss. Do I print five copies of last year's NaNo novel, which has no future but most definitely has my heart? Do I print five copies of my first official book, Stratagem, which was rejected by agents but not by my friends? Or do I print five copies of this NaNo's A Girl of the People, which embarrasses me on a whole different level of authorly embarrassment?

Three Lines

2011-12-12T07:00:00.000-08:00

After weeks and weeks of agonizing writing, of inserting words and taking them out again, of ending hours of work with only a handful of words to show for them - if that - there's been some breakthrough.

Query-wise, an arrangement finally came that made a semblance of sense. I came to the minute where I realized there was nothing more I could do without another pair of eyes, at which point I sent it off to Beta Reader Shelley, who had the quickest turnaround time ever and sent it back that night. Her notes were spot-on.

I'd pretty much rewritten the query {except for a few good lines that needed to stay}, and I was hoping I wouldn't have to do a rewrite again. I thought I may have to, though. Then I wasn't sure. The time comes when query-writing where you have no idea if your work has any merit or value or sanity or coherence at all. {This is when you send things to awesome beta readers like Shelley.}

I didn't have to rewrite. Basically, I have only three lines in the query that need work. Compared to the previous demolition of the first query, this was definite improvement.

THREE LINES. Three lines until I'm finished with the thing. And I will finish. Want to know why?

I've promised myself that there shall be no more White Collar watching until I finish this query. This, I promise, will work. Especially since my White Collar day is tomorrow. Oh yes, query-writing is definitely happening today.

What have you used to motivate you to finish those drag-your-heels projects?

Christmas Stories

2011-12-09T11:10:00.001-08:00

So today's Friday Five question is: What are your FIVE favorite Christmas/holidays stories or novels?

Problem is, I've never been big on Christmas books. Don't know why, but they've just never really drawn me. Not even the classics like A Christmas Carol or Gift of the Magi. So without further ado:

The Nativity Story. nothing better.
It's a Wonderful Life. never gets old.
The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. maybe Christmas, he thought, means a little bit more.
A Christmas Story. i was only introduced last year. it was high time.
The ~~Worst~~ Best Christmas Pageant Ever. if you haven't read/seen this, you need to.

Worth the Hard Work

2011-12-05T12:52:00.001-08:00

Query-writing. Sometimes I wonder why I subject myself to it. The words won't come together, the sentences are cliche, the paragraphs make no sense when finally read aloud. Why? Why comply to such torture?

Because the book is worth it. Remember that story you slaved away on. Remember how you sweated and cried and pulled out your hair and wondered if it was ever, ever going to be finished. Or edited. Or revised. Or revised again. Remember how it felt when the plot made no sense. Now it made sense. Because you worked hard.

The hard work isn't over. But the hard work you've already done makes this hard work - worth it.

Such A Big Story

2011-12-02T07:00:00.000-08:00

I'm breaking away from the humor section on Pinterest to write this blog post. {If you do not have a Pinterest, you are both missing out on one of the internet's most engaging activities...and avoiding the worst timesuck of your life. Let's just say it's addicting. Set a timer. Obey your timer. And if you can't, thou hast been warned.}{However, the humor section has given me so much laughter that I'm probably adding several years to my lifespan. In which case, all that wasted time should cancel out. In theory.}

I was describing the dystopian WiP to a friend of mine, whom I shall call Athena, because I can, and she wants to read it. This is...well, this is lovely, but it's also bad. Because it's not written yet. Because I don't have all that much of a story. I have a girl who wears {brown} leather vests, a prince with a streak of blue in his hair, a bomb, a German shepherd, and a rebellion. In a nutshell.

I'm at a place right now where I must decide how big the story is. When it began, there was only the matter of the rebellion as far as life-threatening external conflict went. But now I'm wondering, what if there was a bigger threat, a threat from another country or something intending total extermination. I don't know. I could play it all Hunger Games-ish and focus in on the first book, then pull out to the big picture later on.

Which brings up the question: How many books is this thing? It's in two parts that could be made three, but I'm not sure they're long enough to be books. Or maybe they will be, once I insert all this plot stuff that I haven't yet figured out.

So many questions. Such a big story. But I'm going to write it.

I Missed the Challenge

2011-12-01T07:00:00.000-08:00

On Monday I mentioned what a lovely time I'd had with NaNo. And I did have a lovely time! I hope to do NaNo every November for the rest of my foreseeable writing future. :) But I got to thinking...a dangerous pastime, I know...

Spontaneously giving Jaana telepathy, or abruptly changing Sutter from villain to romantic, was a blast. It was fun. I was laughing in the face of the rules - oh, my poor inner editor - and loving every second it. I could do whatever I wanted, and no one could stop me. Marvelous.

But there was a part of me that missed the planning. I missed the challenge. There is little challenge when anything is possible, when your world is unbuilt, your characters unfleshed. {This does not include the lovely challenge of inserting whatever whenever...and quickly.} I missed figuring out who my characters were. I missed the rules of the world. Randomly giving people telepathy was definitely fun, but it was also very easy.

Do I like easy? Heck yes, I love easy. I'm in the midst of tortorous world-building and character-fleshing for my current dystopian WiP. I definitely have an appreciation for easy.

Because it's hard.

But watching what's come out of the difficulty is worth it. It's only creeping now, peeping its little head out. But it's there. I can see the results of my hard work. And I promise - the results of hard work beat the results of the easy work. Besides the fact that I have a better appreciation for my work, I've also been forced to be creative.

And creativity writes good books.

Will I do NaNo again? Absolutely. It's so much fun. But it's the rest of the year that makes me proud to be a writer.

50 Minutes of Story Structure

2011-11-30T07:00:00.000-08:00

For once in my life, I have a story that refuses to write itself. It wants to involve me for some reason, wants to involve me before I put the proverbial pen to paper. Fingers to keys. Whatever.

The point is, because of its lack of cooperation - and the inordinate amount of time spent revising Those Who Trespass - I'm doing my outlining/plotting/planning now. Who's brilliant idea was this, anyway? In theory, I love outlining. In reality, it's torture.

But I did find something yesterday that made my plotting life much better...and much more entertaining. I give you Dan Wells, author of I Am Not A Serial Killer. This is the first of 5 parts of a talk he gave on story structure, and, let me tell you, it's worth the 50 minutes of your life. So worth it. I stayed up past my bedtime Monday night to watch it, and I was not disappointed. It's clear, concise, entertaining, and brilliant. Watch it all.

I found the link to this guy in one of Elana Johnson's posts. Do you have any more plotting links/tips/tricks I should know of? Every little bit helps...

11/30/11 Edit: I completely forgot to link to Dan Well's page...where he generously provides a download of his PowerPoint. EPIC!

This Baby Makes Six

2011-11-29T07:00:00.000-08:00

I finished my NaNo novel yesterday. Early. It made me sad, really, to finish three days ahead. Where's the hurry? Where's the scurry? Just me, quietly finishing up yet another novel.

And this baby makes six.

How did it start? Illi Niqua {shameless word count gimmick} falls in love with Amri. That was how it started. It may be worth mentioning that this was not really a fantasy, and that nobody had any special powers to speak of...when it started

Then I discovered, or wrote into being, the following:

Illi Niqua could hear nature, see people's emotions on their skin, and was bound to her people in a magical way.
Amri, my romantic interest, was a jerk, had a fiance, and could make people believe he was trustworthy. He wasn't.
Sutter, Amri's older brother and my original villain, was a really nice guy who could see emotions the way Illi Niqua did, make people believe his words, use telepathy, and was bound to Illi Niqua's people also.
Jaana, Amri's fiance, was telepathic.

And all these things came into play as I speed-wrote my way through ten-minute increments and created a story I call A Girl of the People that I hope never to read again.

{Though, admittedly, that was what I said about last year's story...and a re-read a couple months ago proved that it wasn't half as bad as I had thought.}

Am I glad I did NaNo? Of course. I still enjoy throwing things into my story that whip it around and upside down. It only happens when I'm speed-writing and don't have time to let myself think about it. But it's fun. It's like splattering paint on a wall and seeing what pictures come out of it. Not something I would do if I wanted my painting in a gallery, but definitely fun. And that was my point all along.

How are you doing in your NaNo quest? Tomorrow's the day!

A Hard Time Connecting

2011-11-28T07:00:00.000-08:00

I'm attempting a dystopian. I've attempted dystopian before, written pieces of some, considered some plot lines and characters, but this is the first time I've sat down and decided - I'm doing this.

The idea for this story came out of nowhere {I'll tell you about it sometime}, and the first thing to note is that the story came first. Often doesn't happen like that for me. Usually I get a character, or a couple of characters. This time I had a plot.

Then I had to find a world. Chose dystopian. It's not really post-apocalyptic, though I suppose it's post-post apocalyptic. There isn't a lot of blood or gore or zombies are kids killing each other. {Not that I don't read those books. I just finished The Scorch Trials. Dashner is brilliant. I can't put those books down.} It's just a medieval-ish culture with sweet technology, and I couldn't put that anywhere but dystopian unless I wanted to go the fantasy route, which I didn't.

This past week was the week of finding the character. Let's just say it's been difficult. A week ago, I couldn't have told you why I was having so much trouble, but I know now. Callyn is, as I told my lovely beta reader, "rebellious, headstrong, bossy, driven, passionate, loud, and independent. Everything I'm not."

Let's just say we've had a hard time connecting.

What about you? Have you ever invented a character you can't understand?

Thanksgiving Hiatus

2011-11-20T21:17:00.001-08:00

So I'm taking this week off in honor of Thanksgiving.

Not going to lie, I'm also hoping for a fresh start to my poor, decrepit blogging schedule next week.

My Sanity and Its Longevity

2011-11-15T10:27:00.001-08:00

As I mentioned yesterday, I've been doing everything but working on my query. I said as much to my writing-accountability-partner this morning when I checked in with yesterday's writing minutes. And very few minutes they were, too.

She wrote back and very eloquently gave me permission not to touch the query until December.

At first I was horrified. But I must! I thought. This is who I am! This is what I must do!

But then I realized two things:

She is published, I am not, and if anyone's in the mentor position here, it is she.
I'm not making any good progress on my query anyway, with this dread in my heart every time I open the file.

And so it is, with much regret, and yet much more excitement, I inform you that I am abandoning my query for the remainder of the month. {It's only two weeks, anyway.} And do you know what this means? It means shiny ideas shall abound, that's what it means.

It means I'm stoked.

What about you? Have you ever had to put any writing on the back burner, both for your sanity and its longevity?

Well, That's NaNo

2011-11-14T13:39:00.001-08:00

I wrote while sleeping Saturday night. I know I was asleep, because I would jolt awake every time my ten-minute timer went off. And I know I was writing, because my fingers were still tap-tap-tapping at the keys. And I know that I was actually typing words, because my eyes were open.

Well, that's NaNo.

But I'm becoming not a little illusioned with my NaNo novel. It's not like last year. Last year, the story just came together. Beginner's luck, I guess. Or maybe it was because it was intentionally humorous, and the humor of my speed-writing only made it better. I'm not sure. All I know is that when I looked at it this year - I enjoyed it.

But now my NaNo novel is progressing with words I hate, with backstory that pops in and out on every other page - and changes every time. It's frustrating, but I'm going to finish it. I am. Because I'm committed, and that's how I roll.

Funny thing is, I probably would have given up on it already if it weren't for the query I'm supposed to be writing. This is how much I don't want to write my query:

NaNo novel: Like a Sunrise (I hate that title)
the Shiny New Idea
the Shiny Old Idea (tentatively the Next Big Thing on my to-write list)
the Query

Dear, oh dear, oh dear.

Any query-motivation is appreciated.

Jessica's Melody: String Bridge

2011-11-11T06:00:00.000-08:00


her book soundtrack. i know, right. a soundtrack. and it's free if you buy the book TODAY.

If you don't know Jessica Bell, you should. She was one of my first followers, one of the first people to comment on my posts, one of my first Blogosphere friends. :) She lives in Greece. {Greece! Greece, Greece, Greece! Which has been my dream destination ever since I saw Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.}

Oh, and did I mention that her MC and I share the same name? I know. That's cool. May I just say that Jessica as good taste? :)

Anyway, all that to say, that TODAY is the day to help Jessica's debut, STRING BRIDGE, hitthe bestseller list on Amazon, and receive the all-original soundtrack, Melody Hill: On the Other Side, written and performed by the author herself, for free! {I am a book addict. A soundtrack addict. Seriously. Buy book, get soundtrack? I love this!!!!!!}

All you have to do ispurchase the book today (paperback, or eBook), November 11th, andthen email the receipt to:

jessica.carmen.bell(at)gmail(dot)com

She willthen email you a link to download the album at no extra cost! Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.

To purchase the paperback:

Amazon USA
Amazon UK

To purchase the eBook:

Amazon USA

Amazon UK

To listen to samples of the soundtrack, visit iTunes.

And not only that, but String Bridge has its own trailer:

And what are other authoresses saying about String Bridge?

I love this cover. Have I mentioned that?
I think it's just brilliant - whimsical yet
haunting at the same time. And it's
pretty, to top everything off!! :)

“Jessica Bell’s STRING BRIDGE strummed the fret of myveins, thrummed my blood into a mad rush, played me taut until the final page,yet with echoes still reverberating. A rhythmic debut with metrical tones ofheavied dark, fleeting prisms of light, and finally, a burst of joy—just aswith any good song, my hopeful heartbeat kept tempo with Bell’s narrative.” ~ Kathryn Magendie, author of Sweetie and Publishing Editor of Rose & Thorn Journal

“Poet andmusician Jessica Bell's debut novel String Bridge is a rich exploration of desire, guilt, and thedifficult balancing act of the modern woman. The writing is lyrical throughout,seamlessly integrating setting, character and plot in a musical structure thatallows the reader to identify with Melody's growing insecurity as her worldbegins to unravel … String Bridge isa powerful debut from a promising writer, full of music, metaphor, and just ahint of magic.” ~ Magdalena Ball, author of RepulsionThrust and Sleep Before Evening

“Jessica Bell is a brilliant writerof great skill and depth. She doesn't pull back from the difficultscenes, from conflict, pain, intensity. She puts it all out there, no holdsbarred, no holding back. She knows how to craft a scene, how to developcharacter, how to create suspense. This is an absolutely brilliant debut novel.I look forward to reading hernext novel, and next and next.” ~ Karen JonesGowen, author of Farm Girl, Uncut Diamonds and House of Diamonds

If you don't know Jessica, you need to. She's all over the web:

String Bridge: http://www.stringbridge.com/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/jessica_bell
Website: http://www.jessicacbell.com/
Blog: http://thealliterativeallomorph.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/author.jessica.bell
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/MsBessieBell
Publisher: http://www.luckypress.com

Let people know about it! Tweet #StringBridge!

I Have to Tell It

2011-11-10T13:35:00.001-08:00

I have the best writing friends ever. I send them a query to look over, and they write me ASAP. Wow.I could probably count on one hand the number of writing hours I was free of Those Who Trespass.Don't get me wrong: I love that story. I love it tremendously. But I'm not going to lie, I was feeling like a kid on the first day of summer break. "Yes! I don't have to look at it anymore!"And then I got it back. And now I'm working on it again, because that's how I roll. It's kinda crazy. There are times, like this morning, when I look at myself and wonder how I do it. I mean, if I were me, I couldn't do it. :) I keep trying, and writing, and persevering, even though I don't have any results except the encouraging comments of others.And it's hard. I'm not going to lie. It's hard to keep going. It's even harder to keep going after a break. It's like running uphill, into the wind, through mud. So why do we keep doing it?Because it's worth it. To do what you're called to do - there's no better pursuit. And we writers are called to write. To keep perfecting our craft, to continue in our love of words and plots, of characters of romance, that's what we do. To not do it would be to deny what makes us - us.It's worth it. There is a finished story at the end, a finished book, a finished query. There are compliments and congratulations and encouraging words. There are full requests and publishing deals and hardcover books in our hands. There are book signings and readers and emails that say we changed a life. There are words on a page that tell a story that no one else has told, or will ever tell again.That's why I write. That's why I open documents I'm sick of, and change query wordings for the million-and-one-th time. Because it's my story. And I have to tell it.

Developments

2011-11-09T13:45:00.000-08:00

I finished my query yesterday.

I know, right! Total whoa-ness! And total-I-don't-know-ness. I feel like I've been putting together some sort of puzzle for the past month, a puzzle where all the pieces are words and plot points and characters that must be arranged and rearranged and re-rearranged into something worth reading.

For a month. A month. I've spent days on single sentences, made lists of dozens - no, maybe scores - of possible wording sequences and wonderings of whether or not this aspect of the story should be included.

And yesterday, I finished it. Of course, I'm sure I'll edit it. Hopefully not drastically, but one never knows. Ha. I've sent it off to the magnificent beta-reader, Shelley, and we'll see what she thinks.

But I'm getting closer...

NaNo update: 15907 words :)

And since I'm on break from my query, guess who's outlining a new story............ :) :) :) :) Epic dystopian world-building, here I come! :)

Any new developments on your writing? Do tell...

This Is NaNo

2011-11-08T10:43:00.000-08:00

This morning, my NaNo MC climbed a tree while a blizzard was coming in. Then some bad men came below her tree. All going according to plan.

Until a fox appeared in the trap across the clearing. Seriously? Seriously? Where did the fox come from? Well, who needs the fox? I had full intention of letting the bad men kill the fox, until said fox started talking, and then talking about kits. {Kits being baby foxes, yes?} And his plaintive cries were making me sad.

"I can't do this," I thought. "I can't kill the fox."

But my MC is stuck in a tree as snowflakes blow in on the wind, scared to be found. But she's also scared for the fox, so she yells. And then she gets found.

Where did I leave her? In the tree, pretending to be dead as the cold seeps into her fingers. {Long story.} If it makes anyone feel any better, the romantic interest (RI) is just on the other side of the Creek. Too bad he can't cross because of certain territorial boundaries.

But hey - the Creek can talk. The Tree talks. {I mean, come on, the fox talked, why can't the tree?} And MC and RI are the only ones who can hear said voices.

This - this is NaNo. This is where I start writing with no idea where the story is going. This is where I send characters up into trees without knowing how they'll come down. This is where talking foxes throw me off my game, and this is where talking water saves lives. This is NaNoWriMo.

What about you? Is this your NaNo, or did you actually outline? :)

Conflict & Consequence

2011-11-03T11:56:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed that we're pendulum-swinging between query-writing and NaNo-writing here on the blog.

Well, yes, we are. And I don't plan on stopping any time soon.

I've got one paragraph - hook and setup - of my query written to a point that I'm happy with it. Oh, and one sentence of the second paragraph - conflict and consequence.

It's been so hard writing the rest of the conflict and the consequence, that I've taken to pen and paper. {You know I'm desperate when I'm writing on pen and paper.} And today I jotted down some thoughts to help. Some questions, because if I could answer these questions, I'd have my conflict and consequence.

CONFLICT

What does she want?
What's in the way?

CONSEQUENCE

What happens if she doesn't get what she wants?

That's it. That's conflict and consequence. I had heard that a million times, but this was the first time I'd written it down myself. That's it? That's all?

{You can pry a little deeper. Answer the question, then ask why. She wants to find her brother. Why? He's the only person she can trust. Okay, so really, she's looking for someone she can trust. You don't have to write that in your query, that she's looking for someone to trust, but it's nice to know. When I wrote that down, I realized what was important to note about the love interest. She can trust him.}

So if you're query-writing, just ask yourself these questions for the second paragraph. {And if you're story-writing, ask yourselves these questions now. It really, really helps if you have them answered before you finish. Trust me.}

{Need more query-writing help? Download Elana Johnson's From the Query to the Call for free. It's epic.}

What about you? Do you know your story's conflict and consequence?

Pedal, Pedal, Pedal

2011-11-02T13:27:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I began a story that's been simmering in my head since April 2009. It had been on my mind lately, and I was like, "Why not do that one for NaNo?"

I have an answer to that question: It's not ready.

I wrote over 2000 words on it yesterday, for NaNo. My lovely little bar was blue. It was pretty. I was excelling. Today I, tried to continue my progress. I got about 600 words written.

It wasn't working. I was trying, and trying, but the story wasn't flowing. There was no voice. For me, voice catches, like a gear on a bicycle. Pedal, pedal, pedal, and wait for the gear to catch. Sometimes you can keep cycling, spinning the pedals, coasting to a stop, because the gear won't catch. Sometimes it catches right away.

But for this story, it wasn't catching. And a story with no voice is just...pointless. {I realize there are times when a story without voice should and can be pursued. But this wasn't one of those times.}

So I switched. Today I switched stories. I switched to something else, something I never expect to get published. Something not so heavy. Something romantic. Something cliche. Exactly what I wanted to be writing.

It's had. I'm now a day behind. Ouch. But I could not, I just could not fathom writing Story #1 for the next 30 days. It wasn't fair to the story, and it wasn't fair to me, because NaNo is my writing vacation!

What about you? Have your gears caught {if you're doing NaNo}?

Sorry Backspace Key

2011-11-01T11:38:00.000-07:00

NaNoWriMo begins today.

I. Am. Stoked.

It's been since June that I've been able to free-write anything, been since last November that I've been able to free-write anything just for the heck of it, been since October 2009 that it wasn't a luxury. Last November whetted my appetite, a taste of what life can be when you write what you're thinking and nothing else. When you write the cliche because you can, when you shrug your shoulders at marketability. When the story is funny - but only to you. When the only person to impress is yourself, because you're the only one who will ever read it.

When the backspace key becomes a non-factor in your life.

When edit becomes a foreign word.

I tasted it last November. Since then, I've been a very good girl and have completed and edited two serious manuscripts. This is my reward.

Sorry Backspace Key...it's been nice knowing you.

Are you doing NaNo? Feel free to add me as a writing buddy - theprincessspy.

Tricks of the Query Trade

2011-10-31T12:23:00.000-07:00

I'm query-writing today.

*silence*

*crickets*

*more silence*

Don't worry. I'm not exactly thrilled, either. I think I'm getting more comfortable with queries. At least, I'm beginning to hear Agent Janet Reid's critiquing voice in my head after reading through QueryShark archives {which, if you haven't done, you need to do}. But even though I'm getting comfortable doesn't mean I like it.

I figured out a little trick while writing my query today, and thought I would share:

When I write queries, I tend to get stuck on one sentence.

Despite their mutual unattraction, Jenn and Taylor set off on their mission and soon find answers. No, too long. And is it "unattraction"? Is "unattraction" even a word?

Despite their mutual dislike for each other, Jenn and Taylor set off on their mission... It's not a mission. It's a quest. Except that sounds like Lord of the Rings.

Despite their mutual enmity, Jenn and Taylor soon find answers. Mutual enmity? It's not like they're, I don't know, at each other's throats. I mean, yes, proverbially speaking. But they're working together. They're not enemies.

Meanwhile, I'm getting nowhere in the query. There are three or four more sentences to go, and I'm stuck on wording difficulties. I used to just sit there and pound away until I got it - which does work, eventually. But I've been discovering this little trick:

{Despite X, Jenn and Taylor set off and find answers.}

It's in cute parentheticals because I will come back to the wording. "X" equals their mutual unattraction. What it is they're setting off on isn't quite clear...and that's okay.

Now I can move on to the next sentence, one that comes together a little more easily. Now I now the rhythm of the sentences before and after the one in question, and I can play with it a little more easily when I get a skeleton query in place.

What about you? Any tricks of the trade you'd like to share?? :)

This Is Best

2011-10-27T19:59:00.000-07:00

I finished my novel last night.

For real.

Like, for real-for real.

It hasn't sunk in yet. I was just going along, happily double-underlining things off my To Edit list {because double underlines are just so much cooler than single underlines}...and then my entire list was double-underlined all the way through.

It is a rather helpless feeling, really, to come to the end of one's list. Because you are left with a great void in your life. What do I do now? My fingers are...still. My thoughts are...still. There is nothing left. I am finished.

Finshed. It's a huge word. And never have I used it alongside a novel I'm so very happy with. Stratagem I finished, but it wasn't exactly my magnum opus. It was the best it could be, the best I could make it. I was more than satisfied with it, but I don't think I'd ever say it made me particularly happy. My glasses are half-empty, and flaws tend to be highlighted in my eyes.

With Those Who Trespass {the new one}, the flaws are so few. Not extinct. Are they ever? But they are so few, few to the point of perfection. Yes, whatever I write next will be better. It always is. But this - this is best. And this makes me happy. I read it, and I'm proud of it.

It's a strange feeling. The first time I've felt proud of something I wrote, not because I wrote it, or because I finished it, or because I edited it - but because I like it. For me, my liking my own story is enough to make me proud. And right now, that's best.

They Make Me Dance

2011-10-26T12:52:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I've gotten excited about books. My bank account makes me a library addict instead of an Amazon lover, so I depend on those lovely people called librarians.

Those lovely people happen to have this great new feature on the website called RECOMMENDATIONS.

I give them lots of recommendations. And the asst. children's librarian tells me often, "I got your recommendations, Melody! Those look so good! But they're my budget for the rest of the year." {It's a small library. It's a small town.}

And because I respect the budget, I didn't expect much, and I definitely didn't expect much soon.

Last Friday found me dancing in the library because they had a display for Teen Read Week, and their display included {but was not limited to}:

Divergent, by Veronica Roth
Like Mandarin, by Kirsten Hubbard
Matched, by Allie Condie
The Recruit (Cherub #1), by Robert Muchamore
Virals, by Kathy Reichs

All these books have been on my TBR list. All these books I have requested from the library. All these books they have taken note of and ordered. And I get to read them. Muhahaahaha! Seriously, I was dancing in the library. I don't get that excited easily - I am not an excitable person. But I was dancing, and squealing - in a library voice, of course - in the LIBRARY!!!!!!!

There is no question that part of my destiny lies in the book-world. They make me dance.

What's made you dance recently?? Life's worth being excited...

It's a Good Time To Be a Writer

2011-10-25T11:10:00.000-07:00

My to-edit list is getting shorter.

It's been getting shorter for quite some time, but yesterday I realized that IT'S FINALLY ON ONE PAGE. One page, people! I mean, last week it was on TWELVE PAGES. And now I'm down to ONE! :)

It is my hope to finish - like, really finish - like finishfinishfinish - THIS WEEK! This week, people!

The November plan? Querying! {I actually know who I want to query first, exclusively. Call me crazy, but I finally feel confident about my choice.} and *drumroll please* NANOWRIMO!!!!!!! To write without worries!!! I'm STOKED! :)

These have been some encouraging months, what with Tahereh Mafi getting a book deal, Natalie Whipple getting a book deal, Shannon Messenger getting a book deal, and, most recently, writing-medical-advice-giver extraordinaire, Lydia Kang, getting a book deal! I'm so excited for these people! Tahereh's book is coming out in only a couple of weeks, too {which I can't wait to read}!

Anyway, it's a good time to be a writer. I'm stoked for my friends, I'm excited for my MS and its destiny, and I'm thrilled about letting my hair down with NANOWRIMO! :)

What about you? What about writing is making you happy??

If They'll Make It Out Together

2011-10-24T12:46:00.000-07:00

I like books, I like kissing, and I like kissing in books. {I do not, however, particularly care for kissing books, unless they be old books without germs.}

But for me, kissing is a finale {because I don't write sex scenes, and I'll only write a wedding in a fantasy}. If my book has any sort of foundation on romantic tension, allowing my characters to kiss too far from the end just pulls the rug out from under my tension. I'm left with only the plot tension to carry me through. Not bad, but not as good as it could be. Because, admit it, would you rather your heroine be thrown into the climax with the boy she already loves and who loves her back OR thrown into the climax with the boy she doesn't quite trust, while he goes out of his way to keep her alive despite her cold shoulder.

Maybe I like romantic tension too much, but I prefer the second story. I love books in which you know they're absolutely meant to be together, yet neither of them seem to keen on noticing it. And then the guy realizes it first - he always does - but the girl is still oblivious to all his kindness. And you're reading, going aaaaaghhhh!! can't you see it!!! It's almost as bad as reading a thriller in which you don't know if they'll get out alive. Same thing.

And that is why, my kisses come at the end of books. Because if I give them a kiss in the middle {unless, of course, I'm about to "forever" separate them} my romantic tension goes poof! And however much I adore wondering if they'll make it out in one piece...my heart will beat even faster if I'm also wondering if they'll make it out together.

What about you? How do you like to keep up the romantic tension?

Giggles & Good News

2011-10-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

I got the giggles yesterday. After my is-there-a-finish-line post, I'm surprised. But a couple things happened:

I got some {lightening fast} notes back from the beta, and they confirmed what I was thinking - this time, for good. That is to say that scenes/chapters I had great hopes about...seem to be as good as I thought they were. Which is a nice change from thinking I'm going back to Square 1...
Apparently, Square 1 is a long way behind me. :) :) :) I rounded some mountain today, still not sure where, or how, or when, but it feels like I've been pedaling upandupandupandup, forcing my feet down on the pedals, wondering if I'll ever make it to the top, and suddenly, without warning, I'm speeding downhill.

Sure, there's still stuff to work on. But the worst of my epic scene extensions/rewrites seems to be completed-ish.

Anyway, I smiled so much yesterday - about writing. Isn't that odd? To smile about writing? Usually I'm tearing my hear out, or face-palming, or pounding my forehead against the desk. Yesterday I was smiling - and giggling, laughing out loud, for reals. It was a good day.

It was also a good day because Shannon Whitney Messenger had epically awesome news! I am so crazy excited for her!!!! :) Her blog is a constant source of both entertainment and encouragement, and it's about time the whole world knew how awesome she is. :)

Anyway, it was a good news day. A giggle day.

What about you? Any Good News/Giggle Days recently?

A Finish Line Does Exist

2011-10-10T05:00:00.000-07:00

I'm going to stop apologizing for disappearing. We're going to pretend that I really am a spy, and that yet another secret mission came up - goodness! these secret missions! they really take it out of you! - and I was unable to log in to Blogger through the super-secret computer system, yes? I mean, it's made for hacking into top-secret computers...not posting blogs.

And while we're pretending, can we just pretend my book is finished? Because it's not.

But it's getting better.

Ah, the Editing Mantra. It's not finished, but it's most definitely getting better. I'm beginning to wonder just how long it can be getting better. So far, it seems to want to break a record. But I had some encouragement in the form of an author interview from Lola's blog at Sharp Pen/Dull Sword. She was interviewing Elliot Grace about his book South of Charm. And something he said stood out:

There was a beta reader whose suggestion of a major change resulted in a delay of six months. I began to wonder if in fact a finish line actually existed. Happy to report that it did ;)

Now, I'm not going to blame beta-reader Shelley for my current renovation of the second half of my book. It's not her fault, and she never suggested any such thing. But I will thank her for her comments, because without them I wouldn't have gone after the things that were...niggling me. Things I knew I should fix but didn't want to fix. You know - denial.

And now I'm doing some re-writes. I'm making things worse for the MC, bringing out the emotional conflict, upping the physical conflict, and generally just making it all-round better. It makes me happy...

...when I'm not pulling out my hair in frustration, of course. But I'm going to take Elliot Grace's word for it - A FINISH LINE DOES EXIST.

What about you? Any recent returns to the drawing board?

What Is The Problem?

2011-09-29T05:00:00.000-07:00

I have a lovely writing accountability partner {that I simply must introduce you to, sometime} who gets 'dailys' {because I have to check in and tell her that I wrote, you see}. A lot of the time it's a quick "nothing to report" or "made so-many words." But over the past few days, I've been turning in low times and slightly depressed comments. An in-person brainstorm session was suggested, and then I decided to email her the "problem."

This is what I typed in OpenOffice:

WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?

The scene has no action. Too much dialogue, and nothing happening. The only tension is emotional.

SOLUTION?

Add physical tension.

How do I add physical tension without lessening the emotional tension or taking away from the dialogue?

There was a lot more to it than that, me dialoguing with myself on the progression of the new chapters. But the amazing thing was, just by writing it all out like that, I got answers. Just writing down exactly what the problem was, was a mind-clearer in the extreme.

It's funny; I've read Dale Carnegie. I know that writing down one's troubles is a huge step in finding solutions. And yet I so often forget it. Why write them down when you're busy finding a solution?

Let me tell you - writing them down gets you the solution. It just comes. It happens when I journal angsty things in my journal; almost all of those entries end with hope and solutions and confidence for the future. And when you write down your writing troubles, the solution will often appear. I don't know why. It just does.

So if you're stuck, go write down why you're stuck. And then go from there...

Go Win A Book

2011-09-28T11:08:00.000-07:00

Um...writing updates? I'm still writing. Right now, that's pretty impressive, actually. So, in honor of that impressive-ness, I thought I'd let you know about some book-winning opportunities in the blogging world. {We all know that I don't normally do this, and therefore we all know that this won't become a regular habit, yes? Okay. I just felt like it. One can blog about contests when one feels like it, yes?}

Robin McKinley (THE BLUE SWORD, PEGASUS, CHALICE, BEAUTY) is selling and auctioning signed doodles, signed/dedicated/doodled books, and out-of-print books to benefit the New Arcadia Bell Restoration Fund {ends 10/9/11}. And just look at the beauty that is that PEGASUS poster. I asked my bank account about it, and it said no. Besides, the Star Wars posters knew that another poster means one of them would be...covered over. Gasp. Or, if you want to WIN a signed and doodled book, publicize the auction!
Mia Hayson is giving away MEMOIRS OF A TEENAGE AMNESIAC (Gabrielle Zevin) and IMAGINARY GIRLS (Nova Rem Suma). Both major books on the YA scene. AMNESIAC looks like Bourne meets highschool, which is absolutely brilliant. And IMAGINARY has the most beautiful cover, not to mention a mystery. Good. Books. Yes.
Paula Kay McLaughlin is giving away a THE FAERIE RING (Kiki Hamilton). Talk about a mysterious cover! Any book that spells 'faerie' instead of 'fairy' has my vote. And it takes place in England. England, people! England...

You like to read? Go win a book, and meet some awesome authoresses in the process. :)

Oh wow, I need to read THE BLUE SWORD again. So good.

P. S. I'm sorry the pictures don't match the entries. Blame Blogger, yes? :)

She's Not British

2011-09-27T05:00:00.000-07:00

I got a lovely little historical MG novel at the library the other day. It has the most beautiful descriptions of the ocean, and a great voice from a displaced 11-year-old refugee. It's one of those quiet books that draws you in. Definitely hard to put down, but in an elegant way. As I said, lovely.

It was a very bad idea.

I'm trying to write a new scene for Those Who Trespass, which means going back to the rough-draft-I'm-so-creative stage. The stage where I write with commas and sentence fragments that are paced very quickly, because I'm writing {and the reader is reading} at the pace of my thoughts, and my thoughts, in a first-person suspense novel, are very fast.

My thoughts, while reading a lovely WWII novel with ocean despcriptions...are not fast. At all.

Poor Jenn is enduring sentences that go on for two lines. Yes, there are lots of commas, but they are the wrong sort of comments. She sounds British. {She's not.} She sounds particularly observant. {She's not.} She sounds like she's demure. {She's sarcastic. She's snarky.}

I had such goals of getting this book finished in October! {Still possible goals, provided I glue myself to that word .doc, but that's difficult when the only words I'm typing are lovely ones, not snarky ones.} Finishing it, sending it off, all in October.

And now Jenn is talking like she's from Great Britain, and I'm trying to write the most emotional scene of my life, and, all in all, it's frustrating.

But I'll get it. I always do. It will take time, and it will take focus. {Yes, I have Shiny New Ideas. Oodles of them, thanks to A Countess Below Stairs and Downton Abbey.} It will take me sacrificing my sanity {you know, that thing I do have when I don't agonize over words for hours every day}. But it is possible. It is within my reach.

The moral of the story is - don't ready pretty historical fiction books when you're trying to write scenes for fast-paced YA. Believe me, it messes with your voice.

How about you? Does reading other books affect your voice?

That's the Truth

2011-09-26T05:00:00.000-07:00

I love writing.

This past week, I have mentally voiced my hatred of writing multiple times. And by multiple, I mean too many times to count. I hate writing, I hate writing, I hate writing. {I try not to think it too many times, because that which you think, you become...and I want to love writing for the rest of my life.}

I've entered a whole new level of writing, the level where I know it can be better, where I can see how good the book is already and see how much better I can make it. A great place to be, really. But it's a much harder level of writing than I've ever encountered. And I've sat and stared at the editing and the computer screen and the 8-page, chapter-sectioned list of edits that need to be made, throw my face into my hands, and think, "I hate writing."

Except I don't. That's the funny thing. I don't hate writing. I love writing. There's a scene in August Rush where August admits to loving music more than food. {I do love music.} And that phrase kept coming back to me. And I started to make a list of things I could not live without {not including necessities like food, air conditioning, and internet}.

Jesus
my family
music
the creation of stories {aka writing}

For "hating writing," it's pretty high up on my list, eh? And that's the truth.

True: Sometimes I hate writing.
Truth: I love writing and couldn't live without it.

There's a difference between 'true' and 'the truth.' And that's what gets me through some days. Looking at the word document and thinking, "I hate writing," and knowing that I don't have to believe that. That's not me. I don't have to hate writing. I love writing. I can continue to love writing all my days, because I do love it, whatever my crazy zombified mind is thinking, and that's the truth.

What's 'true' for you today? What's 'the truth'?

Kind Of Finished

2011-09-15T05:00:00.000-07:00

Hmmm...new Blogger interface. Interesting. The jury is out.

Well, I'm venturing back. I think it's safe. I think my editing zombie skin has been shedded {okay, that was kind of a gross analogy, but whatev}.

Anyway, I'm back. And I'm finished. Kind of. Sort of. I mean, yes, I am finished, but I'm not really...

...oh, whatever, yes, I'll give it the celebration it deserves: I'M FINISHED!!!!!!!

*half-heartedly throws confetti*

I'll be more full-hearted when it's done. I didn't know there was a difference between done and finished. There is. Because I still have some polishing stuff I want to do (a whole page-full, to be applied to each chapter upon - yet another - reading). And a scene that...just...won't...fit...right, no matter how I tip my head when I read it. Sigh.

{It's just a bit frustrating, because I feel like I've edited it within an inch of my life...but apparently not an inch of its life.}

I'm sorry. I should be celebrating. I should be screaming with delight. I'm FINISHED, and within a YEAR of starting the thing, too. Now that's progress. And even though my needed polishes are leering at me, I'm not really scared. I've already accomplished much more difficult tasks on this MS.

So, I'm done. More work to do, but the worst of it is over. For now, haha. :)

...I promise to be more coherent and fluid next time. Which should technically be tomorrow, eh? Ah, back to daily blog posts...

How about you? Finish anything {outline, first draft, revision notes}? Excited? Or are you just looking ahead to all the work still to do...?

The Editing Zombie

2011-08-30T10:18:00.000-07:00

Yes, I'm still alive. If one can be editing and alive at the same time. Which is very much up for debate. I've been nothing but an Editing Zombie over the past week. And no one wants an Editing Zombie writing blog posts.

No, seriously. Blog posts written by Editing Zombies are just...whacked. :) So to spare you my current whacked-ness, I'm declaring a hiatus. It shall be quick {a week? two?}, because the Editing Zombie will be leaving as soon as these last couple of chapters are rewritten...and then Melody Authoress will return to the blog. Melody Authoress is a much more coherent and interesting person than the Editing Zombie.

Until her return,
~ The Editing Zombie

Wake-Up Time

2011-08-23T09:38:00.000-07:00

My writing-accountability-partner {whom I should introduce} suggested that we push the limits this week. I've been committed to an hour a day; she's been committed to more. "Let's do three hours a day this week," she said, "as a back to school push."

"Okay," I said.

Here's something you should know: I can write for three hours in one day. I can write for three hours a day for two days. But an entire 5-day week?!?!?! Never been able to accomplish that.

Yet here I am. Three hours and 20 minutes for yesterday, and hopefully the same today. I've been waking up earlier. It's helped, you should try it. Reason being that the bro is now going to school after 8 years of homeschooling {that's a whole 'nother post}...which means that we actually have early wake-up times now {I had wake-up times before; they just weren't early.}. Which means that I'm getting so much more done.

Who knew?

The moral of the story is to consider waking up earlier. You get more done. The end. Now I'm off to write 3 hours worth of words. I finally finished editing the fourth chapter yesterday - it took me like a week. Probably more.

What's your goal for the week? It doesn't have to be huge. :)

Clothing Talks

2011-08-22T13:39:00.000-07:00

I went to jury duty this morning. You know, the part where they shuffle your seats and ask you questions. I didn't get picked. I blame the seat shuffling.

If nothing else, it was a great opportunity to people-watch.

And after coming home and writing a blog post that has since been deleted, due to me discovering the point of it, I now present two people-watching scenarios from this morning.

There was a young man in front of me dressed in an ill-fitting yellow polo shirt, striped capris, and flip-flops. Being the imaginative person I am, I drew conclusions about his socio-economic {as they say} status. And I was wrong. He had gone to college and done athletics. He was well-spoken and had a beautiful bass voice.
There was a man sitting beside the defense attorney, well-groomed, dressed in a suit. {A tuxedo? My knowledge of male fashion eludes me.} And the entire army of possible jurors thought he was another attorney. He wasn't. He was the defendant.

Clothing is important. It creates first impressions. And while first impressions really aren't everything, because most people are willing to change their minds, they are something.

{No, I have no intention of Jennifer Lawrence
playing Jenn. Don't even start.}

Ever since I began Those Who Trespass, Jenn dressed in black skinny jeans and black hoodies. She was very insistent that she was not emo. Yet she was lacking something, and a couple of weeks ago, I gave her a cap.

It worked.

Not only did it give her some personality, I was able to use it to avoid some telling. Jenn's worried about being seen? She pulls the cap down to her eyebrows.

Jenn's running away? Cap falls off.

I'm sure I'll be using it for so much more. It's already become a prop for the love interest to return. But maybe she'll take it off, wring it in her hands, throw it on the bed, on the floor, lie about losing it...who knows?

Granted, I really shouldn't be changing much at all because the plot needs to stay where it is as best as it can.

DID YOU HEAR THAT, PLOT??? STAY WHERE YOU ARE!!!!!

No, no, Plot and I aren't having any difficulty staying on track, are we dear? :)

How do your characters dress? How do you use their clothes in the story?

Share the Love IX

2011-08-19T09:50:00.000-07:00

I love Roman numerals. They're so official-looking, and dignified, and they're practically in code.

For your Friday delight, I give you the best of this week's blog reading. Feel free to pick one you haven't read! And if you've read them all, then let me tell ya - you've got good taste. :)

{There's a few extras today from what I've read from WriteOnCon. I still haven't caught up on all the loveliness that went on there, but the stuff in red are what have stood out so far...even if it's almost every WOC post I've read.}

Be Inspired: Made By Sheer Determination, by Nichole Giles, author of The Sharp Edge of a Knife

Be Encouraging: Dear Readers: Your Favorite Authors LOVE You, by Jody Hedlund, author if The Preacher's Bride

Be Prepared: too many agents, not enough gin: the truth about multiple offer situations, by The Intern

Plot Plots: Writing 101: Raise the Stakes!, by agented author Lauren Hunter

Be Compact: On Compactness, by literary agent Weronika Janczuk

Be Romantic: I DON’T CARE THAT HE’S HOT: Building Believable Romance, by editor Martha Mihalick

Be Querying: Writing A Great Query Letter, by literary agent Jim McCarthy

Give It 100%: Moments that Matter, by Matt Myklusch, author of the Jack Blank adventure series

Be Qualified: So You Wanna Be A Writer?, by Amy Fellner Dominy, author of OyMG

Give It 100%

2011-08-18T08:51:00.000-07:00

One hundred percent.

It looks different for everybody. For the first draft, it's about pouring out all your ideas - the good, the bad, the ugly - onto the paper. Spill it. Everything. Hold nothing back. Give it 100%.

For those of us editing, it means stopping when we see something wrong. It means sitting and pondering and crossing one's legs and taking a sip of water and you-can't-be-serious-am-I-still-on-that-sentence...without skipping ahead. Because this is when you give those words 100%. {Even if it means flipping through your mental thesaurus a dozen times over.}

For those of us critiquing/beta-ing, it means not ignoring. It means noticing a flaw and taking the time to word it in a way that no one ends up in tears. And it means time spent noticing good things and writing them down. Because encouragement gets books written. Give someone else's book the same 100% you would give your own.

For anyone querying, it means realizing how important the query is. Don't write it in a day. Don't write it in a week. Work that baby with just as much zeal and zest and gumption as you would the pages of your novel. Now is not the time to skimp or slide or chillax - give it 100%.

And if you keep that up...I foresee 100% success. :) So go, give it 100%.

WriteOnCon the Second

2011-08-17T10:11:00.001-07:00

IT'S THE SECOND DAY OF WriteOnCon!!!!! You know, the epically awesome free online writer's conference. Check it. :)

{I promise to have a real post tomorrow.}

WriteOnCon

2011-08-16T08:41:00.000-07:00

{This post left unwritten in honor of WriteOnCon, the epically awesome free online writing conference. Going on NOW!}

{Also, because I couldn't think of anything to write.}

The Return of the Muse

2011-08-15T08:42:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday, the muse returned. You know, that epic little piece of epic awesomeness that makes you excited about your story again. It whispers, Hey, that was pretty good. That was easy. You can do this! And here's a dozen or so little plot assistances that may just help you out. :)

And since the blogging world is all about being honest, I figured I'd be honest about the return of the muse.

I prayed. Which is to say, I talked to Jesus about it.

Serious. I was in the tree house that morning talking to Jesus {because tree houses are just amazing...and the morning is about the only time you can go outside comfortably in TX} and was like, "I really need help with my writing. Seriously. I'm dying." I had been working hard and powering through, but, well, you know that feeling where you're working really hard but you're pretty sure it sucks and you can't do anything about it? That was me. And I was like, "Some help would be really, really nice." :D

I wrote for over three hours that day and had the writing-energy {a different kind of energy altogether} to go even longer. It was fun. I finished a difficult scene. I had fun while I did it. It was one of those moments where you fall in love with writing all over again. You know, the moment where you're like, "Oh, this is why I do this. I actually like this."

So I just thought I'd add Jesus to the list of Ways to Encourage the Muse. You wouldn't think He'd be on that list, but, you know, He's kinda awesome that way. If there's a good list to be on, He's usually on it. :) Try it.

What's the most unusual way you've ever encouraged the muse?

Share the Love VIII

2011-08-11T20:57:00.000-07:00

After an entire week of lethargy, the muse - as it were - has returned. Thank you, Jesus! I wrote for over 3 hours yesterday, and I could have gone longer.

For your Friday delight, I give you the best of this week's blog reading. Feel free to pick one you haven't read! And if you've read them all, then let me tell ya - you've got good taste. :)

Be Intense: Conflict vs Tension, by writer-blogger Becca Puglisi

Stay Creative: 4 Keys to Unlocking Your Creativity, by Jody Hedlund, author if The Preacher's Bride

Build Worlds: Adding More World To Your Novel, by Elana Johnson, author of Possession

Broaden Your Horizons: Imagination Limited, by Abigail J. Hartman, author of The Soldier's Cross

Plot Epic Plots: I'd Like to Introduce You to My Friends "Cause" and "Effect," by agented author Aimee L. Salter

Not Since Narnia

2011-08-10T21:08:00.000-07:00

This has nothing to do with books. Or maybe it does. Because this is the first book-to-screen adaption I've been excited about since...I don't know. Not since The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, probably. {No, i was not this stoked about Prince Caspian or The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, but that's another blog post I will probably never write.}

It's all because of these pictures and this picture that I'm all squee-excited!!! See that awesomeness over there? That's Gale. Gale!

{For the record, I am not the biggest Liam Hemsworth fan. Got nothing against him, he's just not Orlando Bloom.}

{Also for the record, I still think he looks way too old. And just to prove that I'm a fair person, I'll add that Orlando is also too old. Alas.}

BUT THIS PICTURE MAKES UP FOR ALL THE THINGS I STATE 'FOR THE RECORD.' Something about the costumes, and the coloring, and the police in the foreground. Omgosh. {Granted, he looks exceptionally pretty in a starving, impoverished society.} It's just so real, so vivid. The look of it is just how I imagined. Though I didn't imagine it with Liam. Whatever. You can't have everything.

Anyway, I'm just really happy right now, and I thought I'd share that. Go to the link for four other epically awesome pictures from The Hunger Games. Aaaaah, I don't think I was kidding when I said I've been this excited for a movie since the first Narnia film!!!!!!!! :D

What about you? Hunger Games fan? Looking forward to the movie, or not? Thoughts on Liam...

...and I have to wait until MARCH to see it for real. Le sigh. I don't want to see too many more pictures {or trailers, when they come out}. I want to be surprised, but at times like these I can't help myself... :) :) :)

An Editing Superwoman

2011-08-10T08:20:00.000-07:00

The first round of edits, really more of a rewrite, was to tie a string of scenes into a story. The voice was brilliant.
The second round of edits was to maintain continuity of plot and character from A to B to C...and from A to C, which is harder. The voice got more fleshed out.
The third round of edits is to add depth to plot and characters and maintain plausibility. The voice took a backseat to plot.
The fourth round of edits will be to spread out the romance, like butter over bread, so that no bite of story has globs of butter...or just dry toast. Hopefully, the voice will come back, because there's nothing like voice to narrate a romance.
The fifth round of edits will be to bring back the voice.

And that is the story of voice. It is also the story of me, trudging my way through edits. Like chocolate syrup. But we went over that yesterday.

I wish I could do all those edits in one giant edit. But, alas, despite my epic multi-tasking skills {I currently have six tabs open in Firefox, plus email}, this is the level of an Editing Superwoman. Someday I'll be there.

What about you? Do your stories undergo multiple edits? Or do you just hash it out all at once?

Everyone Is Different

2011-08-09T08:25:00.000-07:00

On Thursday and Friday of last week, I wrote for exactly 32 minutes. 25% of my committed writing time for those days.

I played catch-up on Saturday, but that's not the point.

The point is, it killed me.

I didn't think I was that dependent on daily writing. But I got back to the writing grindstone yesterday, and it was like writing through molasses. Or chocolate syrup. We'll go with chocolate syrup, because it tastes better.

This is why they made the rule of writing every day. But here's the odd thing: I know there are authors who don't. Who can't. Who succeed anyway. {Nathan Bransford, anybody?}

This is when you realize that everyone is different. Some authors are at their most productive when at a coffee shop. I'm not. {I can be, it just takes me so long to settle that my chai is empty.} Some authors write all day one day a week. I would die. Some authors need Twizzlers/chocolate/bacon. I don't. In fact, it's pretty fair to say that I can't eat while writing because of the distraction/messy fingers. {Though I do like something to drink.}

Everyone is different. Other writer's routines may not work for you. And yours probably won't work for them. Always try new things, and - by all means - see what's working for other people! But don't worry if you're different. You are an epically awesome creative person - of course you're going to be different!

Tell me - what's one writing habit you have that is a bit different?

Share the Love VII

2011-08-04T20:23:00.000-07:00

What? Share the love is back?? Yay! I've finally gotten my act together-ish, and that means I actually have links to share the love...

GOOD TIPS: Conflict vs Tension, by writer-blogger Becca Puglisi

GOT A PROBLEM?: The Solution to Every Writing Problem That Has Ever Existed, by former agent Nathan Bransford, author of Jacob Wonderbar and the Cosmic Space Kapow

QUERY DELICIOUSNESS: How To Write a Query Letter, by agent Rachelle Gardner

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: A technique to avoid random acts of intervention, by agented author Sarah Fine

PRETTY PICTURES: Sundry Bits, by writer-blogger Lola Sharp

LAUGHING OUT LOUD: A Huge and Senseless Character Interview!, by writer-blogger Katie

INSPIRATIONAL: Firsts, by writer-blogger Lulu

The Mental Checklist of Excellence

2011-08-03T22:40:00.000-07:00

I'm working on the first couple of pages - again. Trying to integrate more of who my character is and what they want...all without pouring it out there like paint from a bucket. All while maintaining voice and tension and plot.

Ah, the challenge of a writer. Tell me what color hair they have within a few paragraphs of beginning...without pausing the plot. Tell me what they want and why pronto...but stay in their voice. And, above all, don't bore me!

I've spent more time on one sentence these past couple of days than I have on some pages. Working and re-working. Phrasing and re-phrasing. Going through The Mental Checklist of Excellence:

reveal the character
describe her goal
maintain tension
move forward
stay in voice

Maybe that's how all books should be written, really. With that painstaking eye to the detail of every sentence. Let me tell you, though, it takes more mental energy. And at the end of the day, you have to be satisfied with ending on the same page you started with. Great writing, but page two of ninety-two.

But the quest for excellence is worth it. Always. Not perfection. Perfection is the result of excellence, not the goal. Excellence is the goal. I'm learning what it feels like. Learning what makes a lame sentence different from the excellent one. I can see the difference.

You rock, awesome writerly peoples. Go be excellent. How will you be excellent today?

I've Got a Dream

2011-08-03T05:00:00.000-07:00

I was thinking about what I wrote in yesterday's post, about how there was a {quickly quieted} part of me that sometimes wants to change careers. It's true. The thought is not a new one, and it doesn't always come when I'm reading critique notes or handling query rejections. Sometimes it just...comes.

And I wonder: What would it look like to get up tomorrow and not write? To not plan stories in my head. To not dream of words and sentences and scenes and chapters and queries and requests and covers and publishers and book signings. And maybe the NYT bestseller list, you know, since I'm dreaming.

What would it be like to throw all those dreams out the window?

I know people who have done that, thrown dreams out the window. Their reasons vary, but out the window the dreams still are. {Don't you love that sentence structure, right? Yoda.} Could I join their ranks? Could I focus on something easier, something that required less effort and concentration and emotional energy?

Truth is, I can't even begin to imagine that life. I was born to do what I'm doing. If I stopped, it would come close to denying who I am. This is what I was designed to do - to write! "This is real, this is me, I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be now..."

I can't deny writing. I can't even think of a life without writing. It doesn't make any sense to me, doesn't even compute in my mind. There is something put inside everyone that makes their heart beat. For me, it's writing and worship leading. For you, it may be something completely different.

But don't give up. Don't give up on your dreams. Don't give up on that feeling deep down inside of you, that thrill that sparks every time you put word to paper, or paint to canvas, or cleats to field. Don't deny that. It was given to you, and it's yours. Run with it. No matter what happens - the rejection, the failure, the loss - KEEP RUNNING! Your dream is worth it.

I've got a dream! What's yours?

The Best Thing That Ever Happened

2011-08-02T05:00:00.000-07:00

{Let it be known that my critique notes may be the best thing that ever happened to my MS. So whatever else I say, I said that first.}

me, reading critique notes
{well, not really me}
{but that's what i look like,
when i read critique notes}

I'm discovering that critique notes and I have a strange relationship. It includes a lot of breathing. A lot of closing of the eyes and a deep breath {see, I said a lot of breathing}. Open the eyes. Read on.

Close the eyes again, then peek out through fingers.

You had high hopes for this book, right?

Yaaaaaaaaah...

Well, you see how these notes are going to make it better, right?

Yaaaaaaaaah...

Then you should write accordingly.

Mmmmmmm....

So write.

It's so much work! I can't do this!

It really isn't that much work, and you can do this! You can!

I don't want to be a writer.

Yes, you do.

No, I should find some other career.

You've worked so hard on this book! Now you're just going to wimp out and give up?

...Yes?

No.

No.

*pause*

Let me see those notes again.

And on it goes. Me wimping out. My stronger self grabbing my arm and pulling me back. Sit down and write. This is what you want to do, and this is what you're meant to do. Your book is amazing, and those notes make it so much more amazing. Go. Do. Write. No matter what the notes say, you are more than capable of using them to make your book EPICALLY AWESOME!

To Write Words On Her Fingernails

2011-08-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

Sorry I disappeared midway through last week. Between a last-minute trip to visit my college-bound friend and the fact that I'm still adjusting to normal blogging life...there were a few missed blog posts. {And you can add in the fact that Blogger's scheduled posts are acting really weird...}

Big news is, I won a 10,000 word critique by soon-to-be professional critique artist, Aimee Salter. I've already received her notes, and they are amazing. Oh my gosh. I'm trying to save the gushing for a later, more official, post, but I'm still in a bit of shock.

Good news is, her positive comments will keep me encouraged for months, and I may or may not have made them into a desktop wallpaper.

~~Bad~~ Other Good news is, there are some epic changes to make. Not as much on plot as on the details, but it's still shaping up to be a lot of work. A lot. Of work. When I mentally thought I was on the home stretch. {And I am...but maybe not as far down, eh?}

So, how did I spend yesterday, Sunday, also known as the epic day of rest and free time {sometimes}? Writing? Outlining? Plotting my next...plot move?

No.

I painted my nails with words.

I like painting my nails, but I've never been particularly out of the box {like this lovely lady}. One of my friends embarked on this nail-painting adventure, and I've been desperate to attempt it since. It's remarkably easy, and though I wish the results had been a bit darker {easily remedied the next time around}, I am in nail-heaven. I'm a writer. My fingernails have words on them. {blogged directions; vlogged directions} I got me some writer fingernails.

Now I go to set my face as flint. Come on, book. We can do this.

What did you do with your weekend? Productive writing? Unproductive writing? Something girly? Do tell...

Final-ish Decisions

2011-07-27T08:24:00.000-07:00

If you've been the blogosphere for, I don't know, a couple of days, you realize that there are a million and one viewpoints on editing. Some people hate it, some people love it. Some people edit as they go and finish with an awesome book. Some people write a draft in a day and spend months on the editing.

I do them all. Every time I sit down to write, I review what I wrote the day before. I tweak some sentences. But I don't do anything major.

It's after the draft(s) is(are) accomplished that I actually edit majorly. I read through and make notes {thanks OpenOffice, though I hear Word does that, too}. Notes like, "Where did that character come from? You're just now mentioning her dad? Really? For the last time, figure out if it was a gun or a knife, because this is ruining every flashback.}

And the thing is, when you're drafting, you can do that. You can switch from gun to knife to rope to wrench. But when you're editing, you can't. You have to make decisions. You have to start at the beginning and figure out if it was a candlestick or a poisoned apple. And if it was a poisoned apple, you have to introduce the witch.

So, for me, and maybe for no one else, editing {after the draft(s)} is almost-but-not-quite rewriting. It's not rewriting, because the plot is in place, and the words are in place, and the grammatical structure is more or less set in stone. But you have to put your foot down and say, "Death by lightsaber!"

And then work from there.

Editing = important {and final-ish} decisions.

How do you edit once you've written the draft(s)? Do you still have plot decisions to make??

The First 500 Words

2011-07-26T05:00:00.000-07:00

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

This is me, running around the house.

These are my nails. Except I bit them all off.

What is the cause of all this commotion? I will tell you.

You know the upcoming $1000 WriteOnCon contest? {You do know about this, don't you? Well, if you don't, let me be the bearer of good news. Enter the first 500 words of your manuscript. Winner gets $1000, an author profile page on The Reading Room, and a manuscript look-over by agent Catherine Drayton. This is a big deal, because I actually know who Catherine Drayton is.}

Anyway, I want to enter. You should enter, too. Or maybe you shouldn't, because it could be harmful to your nails.

See, most of the time contests come around and I've got nothing to offer. Send in your query! {Ain't got one yet.} Send us your MS! {Um, no, it's not edited.} Your first 500 words - let us read your first 500 words! {Are you kidding me? Those are my worst!}

But I just rewrote my beginning. And I kinda, maybe, possibly like it. There may be, you know, an off-chance that it's my favorite-est beginning ever. {That's not saying much. I can't remember an beginning I've actually liked.}

I wanted a second opinion before I threw it to the wolves. So I emailed my epically awesome beta reader {who has returned to the blogosphere after hiatus! hooray!} and asked if she'd spare a few to read over my first 500 words. She most graciously obliged, and I sent it off.

And bit my nails. Aaaaghh! It wasn't supposed to be this hard the second time around {she most excellently critiqued my previous MS}.

And that is why I have no nails. Figuratively speaking.

Anyone else excited about WriteOnCon?? Anyone else enduring the sending-out of manuscripts? Please sympathize... :)

Beautiful People, July Edition

2011-07-25T05:00:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know I've missed - what, two, three? - Beautiful People meme-things. You know, the awesome thing that Sky and Georgie set up to find out more about our characters! But even though I've missed some, I'm in interview-the-character mode. So, here you go. The character in question is Jenn Alistor, 17, the MC of Those Who Trespass. {Ooooh, do we have a title? A tentative one, yes...}

What is her biggest secret? She was absolutely devastated when Alan Ford died.

Has she ever been in love? Before the story takes place? No.

What's her comfort food? She likes hot chocolate. And apparently lemon meringue pie.

Does she play a musical instrument? Her mom made her take piano lessons in kindergarten, but she doesn't remember anything she learned.

What color are her eyes? Hair? Her eyes are gray, and her hair is brown.

Does she have any pets? No, her dad was allergic, and her mom was afraid of dogs.

What is her favorite place to be? Alone.

What are some of her dreams/goals? She wanted to break a track record at her high school, get a track scholarship to college, and maybe even run in the Olympics.

Does she enjoy sports? Yes, very much so. But not so much team sports as much as individual ones like track {and not relay races}.

What is her favorite flower or plant? White roses.

Morals of the Story

2011-07-22T08:38:00.000-07:00

First off, I could have sworn that yesterday and the day before, I hit the 'publish post' button. Yet everyone comments on Tuesday's post. And I realize that Wednesday and Thursday were never actually published. Am I making subconscious decisions and hitting the 'save now' button? Really? They're scheduled, but somehow they end up as drafts at the end of the day.

Not that they were particularly epic. Wednesday detailed the losing of my laptop cord, and Thursday lamented my writer's block.

Writer's block which has been taken care of (as of yesterday, at least). My writing-accountability-partner (I really need to introduce you to her...) suggested I interview my characters.

This felt awkward. One of the characters in question was dead and a bit psychotic, and I wasn't looking forward to hearing what was going on in his head. Plus, I had to do it all silently, because I live with people, you know. And when I'm fleshing out characters, I prefer to do it out loud.

But I did it silently, on the computer. And just started out with a question: When did you first notice Jenn Alistor? I thought I was only interviewing the guy, but Jenn started having comments, too. I ended with six pages of interview. Whenever one of the characters made a statement I didn't quite see a motive for {motive being my ulterior motive...haha}, I asked them to tell me more. To clarify. And - wow - they did.

Why did you do that? Why didn't you tell that person? You really thought that would work? Were you really feeling that way? Why were you crying? What did you think when you saw the knife?

I ended with a plausible premise and motive. But even though it was pretty good, it wasn't what I wanted. So I started again, and the result was a four page interview.

Bam. I'm pretty sure I like this, and I'm pretty sure it's what I wanted. Of course, I may feel differently when I open up the file again. But right now, I feel happy with it. Motives clarified.

The moral of the story is: interview your characters. My writing-accountability-partner has told me to do that before, but I didn't...

The other moral of the story: listen to advice. Because it works. You'll be a better writer and you'll have a better story. And who doesn't want that, yeah?

What advice did you not listen to at first that turned out to be quite helpful??

10:00PM, Thursday: Watch me, I'm pressing the 'Publish Post' button as a scheduled post...
10:00AM, Friday: WHY?!?!!? WHY!? I scheduled it to post at 5AM and yet I find it in my drafts this morning! Blogger...please...

What I Like

2011-07-19T05:00:00.000-07:00

Today I read through my entire MS. Yep. It took me 3 hours and 15 minutes.

And since Natalie Whipple says we can be confident, I'm going to say what I like. Yeah, there are things I don't like. There are some things that are going to take some time and hard work to fix. Some of the below strengths could also be weaknesses in my book.

But if all I see is the bad in my book, I'll never think it's worth more effort.

So - here's the good, if only to keep me encouraged:

The pacing. It's been a month since I even glanced at this story, and today I couldn't really put it down...because it barely slows down.
The voice. I love what's going on in my MC's head, the things she notices, the way she sees them. I think she balances well between sarcastic and hurting without being whiny.
For lack of a better term, I like the outlining. The scenes and days flow together quite well for a first draft!

Now it's YOUR turn - what do you LIKE about your story??? (And you better not apologize for your confidence, either!)

Well, I'm Back

2011-07-18T05:00:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm back from my adventures {about which I blogged every day here}. I was at worship school - which is what some may call a spiritual arts school - any way you look at it, I had a blast, and coming home is a bit like coming home from a cruise. Although cruises don't have people commenting on how much you've changed - for the better. :)

But I digress. This is not my 'omgosh-my-awesome-trip' blog. This is where I blog about writing.

I didn't write while I was in Redding. I had no plans to. However, I did intend to write last week {last week being my first week home}. I told my writing accountability partner that I would return to my minimum scheduled writing.

My minimum scheduled writing was 5 hours. I wrote for 1 hour and 17 minutes.

I know. I rock. :)

By writing-accountability-partner knows it, too. :D [insert sweet&cheesy girlish grin here]

Today, I'm back. Back to stories, back to words, flexing muscles that have gone unused for over a month. Hopefully that hour and 17 minutes last week was enough of a warm-up because I've got EDITING AND REVISING to do!!!! :D

(You) Share the Love

2011-06-10T20:35:00.000-07:00

So. I am leaving on a jet plane on Tuesday! For California!! For something like FOUR weeks!!!

My first major trip away from my Texas home, and I feel like a cross between Alex Rover (minus the bestsellers) and Rapunzel (minus the evil witch).

Anyway, you may have noted that my blogging is already out of whack, due to all the pre-trip chaos. Sorry. :/ And that's what has me worried for this trip...I'll miss all of you, because I won't be blogging, and I probably won't be reading much! So here is my proposal:

You share the love!

Advice! Laughs! Stories! Inspiration! Encouragement! Writing Tips! If you read a good blog post (or find a good link), send it my way! I won't have time for my daily hour of blog-reading, but I want to stay in the know! If so-and-so got a publishing deal, or an agent...email me so I can celebrate too! :)

I'm not kidding about this. If something makes you smile, I want to read it. Pretty please with a cherry on top? :)

I'm going to miss you, my writerly peoples. And I'll be back in full swing by July 18! :)

Help. Please.

2011-06-08T08:24:00.000-07:00

I read all your lovely blogs via RSS Feed (even though I follow). However - the feed reader I'm using has pushed one button too many, and I'm looking to relocate.

Do you use an RSS reader to read your blogs? Which one? Do you like it?

Someone help me! There's too many choices.
~~Rules~~ Guidelines:

An ability to group feeds into folders
Keywords (that I set up) would be nice
Some sort of starring system, maybe?

I'm not sure if I want web-based or not. I have my reasons for both ways. :) So please, hit me with all the info you've got! What do you use, and would you recommend it?

It Changes Lives

2011-06-08T05:00:00.000-07:00

If you haven't read it, read it here. The article is titled "Darkness Too Visible," and is subtitled, "Contemporary fiction for teens is rife with explicit abuse, violence and depravity. Why is this considered a good idea?"

Being an author of YA fiction, I feel like I should weigh in on this. Say something. Something possibly profound and peacekeeping. I'll do my best.

I've heard that parents should be doing the censoring. I agree.

I've heard that parents should let their kids read whatever they want. I think that's case-by-case.

I've heard that a book could never cause someone to engage in something harmful. I disagree.

A couple of years ago, I began a popular YA novel that dealt with eating disorders. Within only a few chapters, I was staring at my plate wondering how little I could get away with eating. I was counting calories, which I never do. I started adding up how much I would weigh after I ate. Even though I'm technically (and naturally) underweight, I've never struggled with an eating disorder, yet I was headed in that direction after a few chapters. The hope in this book would aid someone struggling, but for me, it was dangerous. I had to ban it from myself. (I'd love to think that other teens would act the same, but I have the feeling my analyzing of my actions is not the norm.)

I've heard that a story is just a story. I disagree.

If a story is just a story, then what's the point of writing? We write books to influence. To say that a story is just a story, to imply that there is no danger in a story...doesn't make any sense. Of course there is danger in words. People have been fearing the written word for centuries. Don't say it's all harmless. Just entertainment. Because it's not. The written word is a powerful thing. It changes lives. It deserves its reputation. If it had no impact, many of us would not be writers.

"26 letters can change the world." - Tahereh Mafi, author of YA Shatter Me

Change can go both ways. For the better, and for the worse. Let us be those who write for the better.

Breaking Rules & Feeling Normal

2011-06-07T05:00:00.000-07:00

Here's the thing about rules: I don't break many. I like rules. They keep the world in order and make me happy. But today is the day that Elana Johnson's Possession is revealed to the world, and, the main character, Vi, is all about breaking the rules. And her friend, Nichole -- Elana's friend, not Vi's -- wants to know when we've broken the rules to celebrate Possession's release

So I'm wracking my brain trying to think up what it was I did that I wasn't supposed to do. It's true, I've broken some writing rules:

I confess to using an adverb. Or two. Or twenty. Or two hundred. And it's true, I did send out those queries that one time when I knew that the whole book was a "practice" run in the publishing trenches.

But what about real life? Something almost as exciting as holding hands with a good boy in the park as Vi does.

She had a driver's license and I didn't, even though I was older. But she hadn't had it long enough to merit Dad's approval. The rule was no driving with someone under 21. I knew it. But it was late, and I'd just experienced a very giddy night - probably the most giddy-stupid you can be without being drunk or high or anything illegal. And it made somewhat logical sense for her to drive me home. At 11 o'clock at night. I knew the rules. But I'd already broken the no-flirting rule that night. I was on a roll.

When I arrived home, the parents asked me who had brought me home. And I cannot tell a lie. I got the ~~best~~ worst lecture ever. Like a teen chick flick. Like Hannah Montana, except with less lenient parents. Don't you know we were worried? Don't you know the rules? Where was your phone? Why didn't you answer?

My phone was in my purse because we'd been playing in a (legally playable) fountain and I hadn't wanted it to get wet. I hadn't had the presence of mind to check it later.

I was sorry. I did regret it. I still do, and, if I could go back, I wouldn't spoil such a fun evening with chagrin and regret and shame at the end of the night. But, I've made the most of it. The event is my one typical teenage moment. Why didn't you answer your phone? You're late. Who did you ride home with? What were you thinking? I mean, for a moment there, I felt very, very normal.

When did you break the rules?

Twitter, It's Inconceivable

2011-06-06T05:00:00.000-07:00

When I was 17, I got a Facebook. I'd never experienced it before. It made sense within minutes.

COMPARE:

I've been on Twitter for just over a year (May 25). It wasn't until May 11 of this year that I discovered the @Mention tab. (Facebook equivalent = your wall.) And it was, like, "Oh, this is why no one's talking to me. I can't hear them." Dude, I know Facebook. To ignore your wall for a whole year is, like...impossible. Unheard of. In-con-ceiv-able.

And then, Nathan Bransford writes this marvelous post, and I'm like, "Oh, it actually matters where you put the @AwesomePerson word."

As if that wasn't enough of a learning curve, I'm undergoing much duress regarding those I follow. I followed some of them because they followed me - typical Blogger procedure. But it's annoying in Twitter. I don't know you. I don't read your blog. (Is Twitter like a mini-blogger?) Can I just unfollow you? But apparently that's like against all etiquette. Apparently I'm supposed to make a list of all the peeps I want to see everyday. But isn't that like defeating the purpose? And Twitter list-maker hates me.

I've received lovely pancakes from Tahereh Mafi, author of Shatter Me. I've exchanged quick sentences with Shelley Sly, my beta magnifique. It's been fun all around. (Though why everyone is tweeting links - even other people's links - all the time is beyond me. I'm not there to see links...I'm there to see people. (Relax! I don't unfollow people my blogging buddies, even if they tweet links!))

I've also been more confused over a website than I thought possible.

But being able to instantly communicate with other writers who understand #writersblock, #amediting, #amwriting, #plotting, #someonekillmenow, #ifinished...that's worth it. :)

Do you Tweet? Why? Do you not? Why not? What's your username thingy? I will follow you, my blogging buddies! :)

Share the Love VI

2011-06-03T05:00:00.000-07:00

Oh, look! I'm actually writing the post on the night before! :) What a novel idea...

For your Friday delight, I give you the best of this week's blog reading. Feel free to pick one you haven't read! And if you've read them all, then let me tell ya - you've got good taste. :)

Show & Tell: Physical Cliches, by agent Mary Kole

Good Advice: Cliched Writing: Avoid It Like the Plague, by Jody Hedlund, author of The Preacher's Bride

Point of View: Playing Doubles, by Gail Carson Levine, author of Ella Enchanted

Inspirational: Weep, Hope, Fight, Pray, by Tara Livesay, full-time missionary to Haiti

World-Building: Writing 101: Language Construction, by agented writer Lauren Hunter

Too True & Too Funny: Warning., by blogger Mia Hayson

Why Write: Three great reasons to write creatively, by blogger Gale Martin

Trudging

2011-06-02T08:34:00.000-07:00

I'm currently mere pages away from finishing my current MS. And it's like walking through mud.

No, it's like trudging ---

We interrupt this moment to bring you today's movie quote from A KNIGHT'S TALE: William: Good sir, what are you doing? Chaucer: Uh...trudging. You know trudging. *pause* The slow, weary, depressing, yet determined walk of a man who has nothing left in life except the impulse to simply soldier on.

Chaucer was a writer, you know. He didn't say 'walking.' He said 'trudging.' But that's a whole 'nother blog post. (Hmmm, I may use that.)

Where was I? Trudging. Right. I'm trudging through the last pages of my MS. It's the most intensely emotional scene I've ever written. (I must be a writer. After writing only 45 mins worth of it yesterday, I was completely emo with my family. I'm pretty sure they were wondering what was up.) And it's freaking hard. Not hard in a bad way, not really. I love it. But it's hard and painful.

It's like when you're running, and you're on the last lap, and you push harder and harder but it hurts more than anything, but you like the hurt, because it means you're accomplishing something. It means you're human.

Okay. That's it.

Bad things happen when I don't plan blog posts...especially when I'm in the middle of angsty emo writing. I'm just going to stop.

And ask you a question, because I'm investigating endings right now: How sad/melancholy/bittersweet can a YA ending be? Mockingjay was pretty sad. So was Bruiser (Neal Shusterman). Do you like your books happy-ending-ed? Or do you appreciate a good question/tear?

Of Kisses and Orange Juice

2011-06-01T07:31:00.000-07:00

Last week, I wrote 'the kiss scene' of my book while riding a crowded train. While seated beside my mother.

Some things are just awkward.

If I had just had to write something along the lines of 'they kissed,' all would have been great. They kissed, they went on with their life. But a kiss is the pinnacle of the romance arc (at least in my books), and it deserves a lot more than just a side-note that they kissed.

I started thinking of this lovely post on kissing by Katie Mills, the Creepy Query Girl. And I realized that a couple of sentences weren't going to cut it. This kiss had a place in the plot. It had to be written that way. What was the kiss like? In my last book, it was more gentle, a more innocent first kiss - a goodbye kiss.

This one called for something more passionate. And thus I was left to write words about his fingers tangling in her hair, his mouth hard against hers, the way his hand clenched the back of her shirt.

Which is waaaaaaayyyy different than last time. Last time, his hands 'rounded her waist.' I used words like gentle and tender and loving.

This time it was fierce and protective and furious and even dangerous.

But it really got me thinking. I have an obsession that controversial things (sex, bad language, crime, you know, stuff like that) must add to the plot. I can't stand books where stuff is just thrown in for the sake of throwing in. One of my favorite examples of a good use of a bad word was in Jennifer Brown's Hate List, where the dad uses the f-word during an intense argument with his daughter. It made sense.

Thus, I couldn't just let this kiss escape without its adding to the plot. And it couldn't add to the plot unless something in it differed from 'they kissed.' Both of my books have a kiss. Both could just say, "They kissed." But it's one thing to add to the plot by adding a kiss...it's even a greater feat to make the kiss's description add to the plot.

Of course, this could apply to anything. It's one thing to poison someone with orange juice in your novel. It's an entirely different thing to talk about the 'condensation, like dewdrops, dripping off the glass,' or the way the juice 'splashed to the table as her hand trembled.' Don't just add things to the plot. Add things to the things that add to the plot.

Do you write kisses? How much energy do you devote to each one? (There's no wrong answer here. Sometimes the kiss isn't a pivotal plot point. Sometimes its simplicity is its description.)

The Influence of T-Swizzle

2011-05-31T07:47:00.000-07:00

Ever since I started blogging - and even before, because I would read author's acknowledgements - I've felt left out. Because my book had no song. It had no playlist. It was boring and unadorned, without fanfare. Kinda like this:
<p>&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;(If &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;</p>
(If you can't view the above video, it's the official music video for Taylor Swift's "Our Song".)

I look around, turn the radio down

He says, "Baby is something wrong?"

I say, "Nothing, I was just thinking that

We don't have a song."

I wondered. I lamented. I kept writing. And I kept reading all these lovely blog posts about songs and books and playlists and why, oh, why, doesn't my book have a song?! What's wrong with my characters? They don't have songs either!!

But over the course of this newest MS, which is much more character-driven than the other, I have started playing songs with lyrics instead of just movie soundtracks when I write. The songs with lyrics all relate to the story. I could choose any one of them to be the main song of the book. But yesterday I discovered what will probably remain the book's theme song (though it was close):

(If you can't view the above video, it's the recording of Taylor Swift's "Innocent".)

There's some things you can't speak of

But tonight you'll live it all again

I loved "Innocent" when I watched her perform it at some awards ceremony, but it wasn't until yesterday that I put two and two together. The above two lines go with my book, but the whole song applies. I have a song!

"Innocent," by Taylor Swift

Does your book have a song? What is it? Or are you as I was, without one? Don't lose heart! The songs will come!

I have no idea how Taylor Swift (T-Swizzle) got two videos in this post. It just fit.

How Not to Write

2011-05-30T05:00:00.000-07:00

Well, Paper Hangover has the Friday Five (yes, yes, it's Monday) for us this week! :)

What are FIVE of your most distracting (procrastination-worthy) things (habits, websites, etc.) on the internet?

Facebook. My fingers know this better than I do. Every time Firefox opens, Facebook is Numero Uno.
Blogger. Granted, I get mine in Thunderbird. But I'm always scrolling down to see if anything new has come in and must be read right now. Or, perhaps I need to write a new blog post, hehe. :)
The Word Count Tool. I use OpenOffice (which I adore), and it just so happens to count punctuation marks with its word counts. *rolls eyes* Which means that whenever I'm hitting a bump, I'm logging on to check my progress without the punctuation marks.
Twitter. Granted, I totally forget I have it unless I'm looking for something to procrastinate with. But when I remember...I can stay there for hours, just scrolling and scrolling downdowndown and finding out what people are up to. :)
Britain's Got Talent. I don't go here very often, because it sucks you in and you can't get out. I watch video after video after video after video until an hour has passed, and I don't know what happened! Singing, comedy, the ultimate random, I just love it. No idea why I prefer it to America's Got Talent. I think it has something to do with the British accents...

I've Been Everywhere

2011-05-27T05:00:00.000-07:00

Today is Friday, and I'm not sharing the love. Not that I don't want to, and not that there aren't any blogs worth reading this week. But I've been on the road, which means I haven't gotten to read any blogs! And that, well...it puts a damper on shared love linkage.

Where have I been? I took an Amtrak train (thoughts: comfortable, relaxing, leg-room, romantic, chillaxed, def do again), saw the swollen banks of the Mississippi River, entered Nashville - where the music comes from, and discovered that said music city is having their 13 year locust epidemic.

No, seriously. Every 13 years, this locust plague hatches, creates noise for about 4 weeks, and then returns to the ground for another 13 years. Apparently, there's some on a 7 year plan, too. It's quite interesting, quite loud, and great thoughts for a future book... :)

Soooowh, this is howww thay tawwlk in Taynnesseee. Actually, there weren't near as many people with accents as I suspected (or maybe I've lived in the South so long that I can't notice anymore), but there were a few. I'm in love with that drawl, man. Seriously. (And if I'm poking fun, it's a compliment because I'm jealous. You can poke fun at the fact that I say y'all if you feel somehow slighted.)

Right now, I'm in Little Rock, Arkansas. There's a beautiful, beautiful library with the names of famous authors engraved below its roof. That's my favorite part of Little Rock. Just like me to like the library in a city, eh?

Where have you been? :)

Endings

2011-05-26T05:00:00.000-07:00

I love series. Series-es. Series'. Whatever. The plural of series. I love them.

But I hate when they end. In fact, there are times when I seriously consider never reading the final book in the series...especially if the author has pushed the limits before. I always do read, of course. I can't stay away from my favorite characters. I have to know more of their adventures. It's a need.

There are currently two final books on my shelf. One is Anthony Horowitz' Scorpia Rising, the ninth and final book in the Alex Rider series. The other is John Flanagan's The Emperor of Nihon-Ja, the tenth and final book in the Ranger's Apprentice series. (Oh, what a 'closing of a chapter' this is for me. I grew up with Alex and Will.)

At the time of this posting, I have finished Scorpia Rising but haven't started The Emperor. I won't give away any spoilers for Scorpia Rising, but let me just tell you...never have I met a more satisfying and more devestating ending. I guess, if you asked me if I was happy with it, I'd say yes. I was more than...happy.

But there is forever a small piece of my heart that wishes I never finished a book. Or a movie. Or a series. Because then the characters would exist forever, inside their worlds, still on their quest. And as far as my mind would be concerned, a perfectly happy ending would still be possible. Because an open-ended ending is the most beautiful thing. There's still hope.

But I torture myself, and I do read the end. And whether or not it ends with a kiss, or a death, or a wedding, or a betrayal, I'm happy I know the ending.

What about you? How do you feel about endings??

A Pirate's Life For Me

2011-05-25T05:00:00.000-07:00

My thoughts on Pirates. Sin (without) spoilers.

The Curse of the Black Pearl (on vhs): OMGOSHOMGOSHOMGOSH LOVELOVELOVE and I shall QUOTE IT FOREVER!!
Dead Man's Chest (in theaters): Hmmmm, well, it was pretty good, but my opinion shall depend on whether or not they fill those plot holes in #3. (Note: For me, this movie got better after multiple viewings. Once I realized that the sequel would not fulfill, I was able to enjoy it much more as a standalone.)
At World's End (in theaters): What? Huh? I hate this, hate this, hate this. Disney, what were you thinking? Not only did you neglect every single plot hole from #2, you made more. And you, that Calypso thing, that was just, weird, and, seriously, you did not just do that. If you make another Pirates movie, count me out.
On Stranger Tides (in theaters*): I have fallen back in love.

Mini Formal Review: The plot of On Stranger Tides reminds me a lot of Dead Man's Chest...without all the holes. Jack Sparrow is back in full force, no longer insecure about his morals, but finally confident in who he is. Captain Jack Sparrow, scalawag and pirate, but with a spark (don't worry, it's not a flame) of decency that reveals itself in his relationship with Angelica (Penelope Cruz). Most of the decency is left to Philip, Christian missionary, whose duty in the film is to fill the empty role of "good" that Will left. And he does masterfully. Not only is he cute, but he's kind, he's good. (If you're reading this Disney, bring him back for #5!) This movie doesn't take itself too seriously, like I feel DMC and, especially, At World's End did. Yeah, it has it's serious moments, and they are deep, but they are also short. I heartily enjoyed it and will recommend it. Jack is back, but the plot holes are not.

But what about Will and Elizabeth? It feels very disloyal to say so, but I never missed them. I never once wondered where they were. The movie flowed well and I never questioned their absence. Besides, their story was properly ended in At World's End. I need no further explanation. Philip the Missionary filled Will's spot perfectly, and the woman's role of Elizabeth was taken care of effortlessly by Angelica (tricksy) and Serena (good). I will forever be Team Will (Orlando was my first celebrity crush), but Philip makes a strong case for himself.

Nothing will ever compare to The Curse of the Black Pearl, but this is a solid sequel, make no mistake.

All in all, Pirate's second chance is well-deserved. If you're a Pirates fan, even a post-At-World's-End-disgruntled one like I was -- you don't want to miss this.

Have you seen it? What did you think? What did you think???????

* I had full intentions of not seeing #4 in theaters, but my brother was having a birthday (he's a teenager now, whaaaaat?!). I was in favor of Thor, but he wanted something funny. So, I was dragged to Pirates #4, which, honestly, it's sad that I had to be dragged, as in love as I was 'back in the day'.

Writing Must-Haves

2011-05-24T05:00:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm finally jumping on the Paper Hangover bandwagon. Every week, blogs fill my inbox answering a question...and I always want to answer, too! So here I be, and Friday's question is:

What are five things you can't live without when you are writing or revising?

Music. Usually lyric-less, like classical or movie scores. But right now I'm using songs with lyric because the lyrics apply to the book.
Silence. Not, like, complete and utter silence. Just no people talking. I can do fans, birds, wind, cars, dogs, cats, and definitely music...but if people are talking, I can't concentrate.
A time-keeping device, preferably my stopwatch. I chart my writing progress time-wise, and it would devastate me not to know how long I've written in a day.
Paper and pen. Because no matter how many .docs I have open, I always need to scribble something down in line-less form.
This list (released in this post) Seven writing do's and don't's from Kurt Vonnegut, printed and posted beside my desk. I've since written in an eight rule: Never give the reader an excuse to put down the book, inspired by this post on pacing from Paranormalcy author Kiersten White.

What about you? What need you to write?
And yes, I know it's Tuesday. But I'm enjoying 'Share the Love' on Friday, and Lydia was so kind as to answer my head-banging question yesterday, so it's Tuesday. :)

What Was Reality?

2011-05-23T05:00:00.000-07:00

As we all know, I'm about 40K into my current MS. And I figured it was about time for Jenn (the MC) to get conked on the head, knocked out, and awakened in a strange and unfamiliar place. Easy, right? The Hardy Boys did it all the time.

But my brother plays football. And I know about concussions, the result of blows to the head. I know that most of them don't knock you out, but that it still hurts like...um...it still hurts. A lot. And I know that if they actually do knock you out, that's really bad, and you're going to be even more miserable. So.

I was in a dilemma. The football-playing-brother route or the Hardy Boys route? But if I went with reality, with the football-playing-bro, then what was reality?

That's when I emailed Lydia, author of Medical Mondays and savior of writers everywhere. She'll answer your question about getting shot, hypothermia, mercury poisoning, and sleeping pill suicide attempts. And today she answers mine. So go. Read it. Not only is she brilliant, she's also entertaining. :)

Share the Love V

2011-05-20T05:00:00.000-07:00

For your Friday delight, I give you the best of this week's blog reading. Feel free to pick one you haven't read! And if you've read them all, then let me tell ya - you've got good taste.

Show & Tell: Putting On Airs, by agent Mary Kole

Inspiring: YOUNG AND ACCOMPLISHED AND A LITTLE BIT FANCY, by Tahereh Mafi, Shatter Me

Relationships (With Your Books): Why It's Good For Writers to Love Then Hate Their Books, by Jody Hedlund, The Preacher's Bride

Future Possibilities: Tech Talk and the Active Ebook, J. A. Konrath, Jack Daniels series

Characters: Embracing the Dark Side...of Character, by agented writer Lisa Gail Green; Creating the Non-Stereotypical Character, by blogger Stina Lindenblatt

Procrastination: Things we do instead of that manuscript., by blogger Mia Hayson

World-Building: Pump Up and Write Now - Monday, by blogger Paula (featuring notes from Holly Black)

Ever In Your Favor

2011-05-19T05:00:00.000-07:00

As soon as Facebook alerted me to this link, I knew I would blog about it.

And Meredith beat me to it.

But I'll blog about it anyway, because I'm that excited. About that. That right there.

Truth be told, I was both satisfied and suspicious when they announced Jennifer Lawrence to play Katniss. I'd seen the Winter's Bone trailer and knew she had the grit to pull off Katniss. But she was also blond in Winter's Bone, and even though she was hard-core, she looked frail. But I have faith in Hollywood makeup. They didn't disappoint.

The girl on the cover of Entertainment Weekly is Katniss. Small and thin, but determined. Utterly determined. Utterly, completely, seriously, no-holds-barred...

Oh my gosh I'm so freaking excited right now, I should probably just STOP typing to avoid a complete fangirl tizzy! And also to avoid any further adverbs.

Welcome, Jennifer Lawrence. We the audience cheer you on as you enter the world of Hollywood and YA-novels-turned-movies. May the odds be ever in your favor.

(No, the irony of this post directly following yesterday's post has not escaped me. I have no excuse.)

When Girls Become Guys

2011-05-18T05:00:00.000-07:00

I'm a huge Piratica fan. Witty, sassy, suspenseful, twisty, snarky, adventurous, romantic. Love it. So whatever else I say, you should know that I have read, re-read, and re-re-read this book. And I would read it again in a heartbeat.

My 12yo brother is on a quest for 'funny' books. And in my own desperate quest to fulfill his wishes, I decided to let him read Piratica. He heartily enjoyed it, but he made a comment that floored me:

"She's like a guy."

I can't quote him word-for-word, but his basic summary was that Art (the female MC) was just like a guy in every sense except for the fact that she is, in fact, a girl. And he's absolutely right. Art despises the ladylike girls she goes to school with, and, when she comes into her own pirate ship, gives orders like nobody's business. She hangs with the guys. Anything they can do, she can do better. She's tough, solid, and bossy. To say she's no-nonsense would be accurate, but to say that she doesn't put up with anybody's crap would be better.

She's like a guy.

And part of me wants to know - what's so wrong with girls that they can't be girls anymore? Why do they have to be guys to be cool? Girls are cool. They do things. They can kick butt...in a dress. In heels. Has "girl power" led us to a point where a girl has to be a guy to be cool?

(More on this intriguing topic at Aimee L. Slater's blog, Seeking the Write Life where she talks about Strength vs. Stupidity.)

What are your thoughts? Have kick-butt heroines come too far? Or are girl MCs still comfortable in their own, female skin? Anyone got any good book example characters of a) too masculine, b) too feminine, or c) just right? Thoughts! I must know your thoughts! :)

Skins, and Other Cool Things

2011-05-17T05:00:00.001-07:00

(So...this is the post that Blogger ate, and I didn't realize it was eaten until last night. Of course I found it after I wrote a new post for today, but I wanted to get this posted while last week's e-book discussion was still somewhat fresh. So, without further ado...)

Yeah, I'm still on the Kindle topic. Last Wednesday's post and last Tuesday's post could be read to say that I don't think Kindles are taking over the world anytime soon. And I don't, not really, because you can still buy CDs at Walmart.

So traditional publishing is not dead? And we shouldn't indie-publish? Spare me. Please. I don't know.

The list of why traditional publishing will live on is a long list. But so is the list of why e-books are taking over the world. And after my last two posts, I feel I should add two thoughts to the e-book list:

There's a Kindle app for Windows. I discovered this the other day when an author was giving away his book free on Kindle. I wanted that book, but I had no Kindle. So I perused Amazon and discovered that there's a Kindle app for Windows. Downloaded it, downloaded the book. It's all there, just like that. (Note: I have yet to read the book. My laptop is heavy, and I'm not big on reading long portions of text on its screen. So it's probably going to have to wait for a road or sky trip.)
I saw a teenager with a Kindle. Maybe this means nothing. But up 'til now, the people I've seen with Kindles have been adults. This was a 14, 15, maybe 16-year-old girl engrossed in her digital book. The Kindle had a trendy skin...
Kindles have skins. They are therefore cool. Personal opinion, but I'm 20, so my opinion should sort of count for GenY.

Sorry, there were three reasons there. I had no idea that they made skins for Kindles, and, honestly, that makes a huge difference to me. Anything customizable like that always catches my fancy. (Desktop screens make me happy.)

Got anything to add to the publishing-lives-on list? What about the Kindle-rules list?

Christian YA

2011-05-16T05:00:00.000-07:00

Something happened to my WiP. It's become a YA Christian novel. Not that I mind that, I don't, thought the marketability worries me. I didn't set out for this to be Christian. I knew it was a possibility, but I was sure there wasn't a market for edgy Christian YA. Last I heard, there was barely a Christian YA market to begin with.

Things have changed since I last browsed the Christian bookstore. Back then, the only fast-paced, well-written YA I could find was the Veritas duo from Frank Peretti. Which I adored. (The latter of which I bought and have re-read more than any other book.) But very little else.

Then I heard about about the most recent Christy (Christian fiction) award nominations. Which led me to the "Young Adult" category. (They have a young adult category?!?!?!?!) Which led me to contemporary, attractive covers like these:

Fun. Slightly boyish. Reminiscent of Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat or The Mysterious Benedict Society.

Haunting and beautiful. I'm such a sucker for elaborate dresses on covers. Reminds me of any of Gail Carson's Levine books, like Ella Enchanted or The Two Princesses of Bamarre. (According to Amazon, this book [spoiler] even includes an exorcism, which would have been a bit "much" in earlier years.)

Even the title, never mind the cover, reminds me of Angus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging. It looks to be one of those summery, chick-lit, reads. You know, the ones I don't read. Nevertheless.

So, Christian YA seems to have a place in this world. Legitimate covers in every genre. Legitimate stories. And I may now just have a story to join them.

Do you read Christian fiction? Any Christian YA? Have you read any of the books above, and do they live up to their covers?

Share the Love IV

2011-05-13T13:46:00.000-07:00

For your Friday delight, I give you the best of my blog-reading week. Feel free to pick one you haven't read!

Oh, oh, oh! I have fifty followers! Just woke up to them this morning after Jacob Wonderbar broke blogger. *squee* All fifty of you make my life so happy! :)

Like It Is: STEALING TIME TO MAKE A SCHEDULE, by Tahereh Mafi, author of Shatter Me

How Not To Tell Too Much: Tip #8 - Self-Editing for Commentary and Life is an Analogy: The Two-Faced Friend by blogger Aimee L. Slater

Marketing: What Works: Promo for Ebooks, by Joe Konrath, author of the Jack Daniels thrillers

Writer's Block: Overcoming Writer's Block, by agented author Sara B. Larson

Technology: Scrivener (Mac OS X), by blogger Liz Pezzuto

She Says It Better: We Have the Mind of Christ, by Abigail Hartman, author of The Soldier's Cross

Encouragement: ON FEELING INADEQUATE, by Tahereh Mafi, author of Shatter Me

I've Bought 4 Books

2011-05-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

I don't buy many books. At all.
Looking at the front row of the fiction shelf of my bookshelf now (my books are double stacked, one behind the other, on each row; the front row contains my favorite books), the stats are as follows:

48 books (slightly less than half of my entire fiction collection, not including the Hardy Boys books - I did buy those, but they're on a different shelf, and I bought them each for less than $1)
25 were gifts/won

20 new when gifted
5 used when gifted

21 were bought

16 bought used (< $2) at booksales or thrift stores, or BookMooched
1 bought used ($2-$7) off Amazon or eBay (at the recommendation of its author, who responded to an email I sent her)
only 4 bought new

The Princess Adelina was on serious sale, and I'd wanted to read it (un-library-owned)
A Light in the Castle was the only un-library-owned book in a certain series
Nightmare Academy, was an un-library-owned sequel to a book I adored
Star Wars: Episode I: Queen Amidala, the journal was my first bookstore-gift-card purchase. I was about 8 years old. I have read this book many, many times, and I almost have it memorized.

(Most intriguing thought regarding these stats? The books I bought new, I'd never read. I wouldn't have expected this devoted faith in authors and stories from myself.)

This is my second reason for doubting a Kindle purchase in my near future. I don't buy books. The majority of books on my shelf were gifts. The library is my book-source. Even if e-book prices are as low as some say they will be, $.99 and all that, I still doubt I'll be buying. (In comparison, I've definitely spent less than $50 on digital music since its inception. I'd be tempted to say less than $25.)

I know, I know, it's bad to be an author and not buy any books. Damaging the market and all that. I'm sorry. If I had money, I'd be buying lots and lots and lots of books, I promise.

Where did the majority of your books come from? Buy them new? Buy them used? Tell me............

iPods and Other Things I Don't Have

2011-05-10T05:00:00.000-07:00

I don't have a Kindle (or a Nook, or a Sony e-Reader, or whatever the latest e-book-reader is).

I doubt I will get a Kindle for a very long time. Because I don't even have an iPod. And they came out ten years ago.

It's not that I live in the Dark Ages. I've worked on high-speed processing Macs, and my current laptop, though an Acer, is fast. It runs Windows 7. I love Windows 7. I have a touch-screen phone, though it's not any recognizable model and came free with the phone plan.

But I don't have an iPod. I've never really had the money, and there's always something I want more when Christmas comes around. I do have a 1G mp3 player that I got a long time ago, and I recently bought a 8G memory card for my phone so that it can play all my music...but only through its speakers. It has no headphone jack; for that I'd have to buy a convertor.

Where is this rambling going? It will be a very long time before I have a Kindle. Reason #1 Because, after 10 years, I still don't have an iPod. If the past can predict the present, I may never have a Kindle. Reason #2 is coming tomorrow.

Do you have an iPod? Do you have a Kindle? ...searching for a correlation, here...