Clattering Keys

Starting

2012-01-30T08:15:00.000-08:00

I'm not so sure writing novels is all that hard, but writing a good one sure is! I've been working over the beginning few chapters of my newset novel for an eternity (translation: a couple weeks) and today I'm frustrated! The problem is: hmmm... I'm not exactly sure what the problem is.

In my first novel, my protagonist was relocating on page one, so he didn't know anybody until they hit the pages of the book. In this next one, my protagonist knows exactly where he is, who everyone else is and what is or isn't expected of him every day of his life --with the exception of the one new person who turns everything in his life on its ear intentionally and unitentionally. I hadn't realized what an advantage I had with the other book. It's tough to establish a protagonist, his routine and all the relevant people around him without bogging down the first few chapters.

Actually, chapter one was a cinch to write once I decided which chapter one to actually call "Chapter One". I set up a lot and foreshadowed even more (although I don't think many people will realize until a ways into the book just how much information I fed them in that first chapter.) It's chapter two that seems tricky; that transitional chapter between meaningful introductions and dramatic momentum.

How do you get past the beginning? Or what books have you read that have a lot of characters introduced early on yet don't drag in the beginning? I think it's time to go browse the bookshelves for a bit...

One Size Does Not Fit All

2012-01-16T08:06:00.000-08:00

I love Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd. I love the casting, the music, the production value, the story... but just because I think it's a great movie, that doesn't make it something I recommend everybody see. It's off-beat and just a tad on the dark side. (Okay - maybe more than just a tad.) If you like off-beat, dark stuff, I highly recommend you see it if you haven't already. If you're into romances, happily ever afters, comedies and beauty, I don't think it'll be your cup of tea. That doesn't make you crazy -or me either for that matter. It makes us individuals.

Have you ever tried something that called itself "one size fits all"? Do one-size hats really fit all head? Do one-size gloves really fit all hands? Do one-size fabric book covers really fit all books? (Frankly, I not so sure they really fit ANY book very well.) If you have a computer, a writing program or an ereader you love, do you think that same computer, or program or ereader would work perfectly for everybody?

If you do have a beloved writing program or ereader, I would love to hear about it. But I'll warn you: what makes it great for you may not be what I prefer or need. For example: I hate touchscreens! For whatever reason, touchpads usually don't like my fingertips, so touch-anything is usually junk in my hands. I need to have a key pad -even if it makes your eyes roll. (Is it just me...?)

Does one anything really fit all? I don't think so.

Wow! What Happened to Yesterday?!

2012-01-11T07:18:00.000-08:00

When I went to bed Monday, I had a plan: Tuesday was going to be a half day of working on sci-fi ammunition belts and holsters and a half day of writing on my next novel. Easy enough, right?

Ha!

When I checked voice messages at 6:30 Tuesday in the morning, there were already two from a producer telling me to check my emails (which I had checked as late as 4:30 the evening before.) My email box had two more messages about the bid, so... I got to work writing replies and making phone calls asking questions. By mid-morning, I was up to my elbow in fake guns and hot plastic, with my head cocked sideways so I could do more follow up phone calls on the bidding details.

Meanwhile, there was an email from my literary agent, with a request that required a bit of action on my part and I wanted to be sure to take care of that as soon as possible, as well. (Boy, would my life be easier if I had a "normal" job. But then, I couldn't stand that!)

By afternoon, I had the bid going well, but I couldn't get a call back from the fur company I left two messages with (I'm still waiting, people! Don't you want the business?), my ammo protoypes were looking fairly good but I'd like to make them better, and then I realized it was the 10th of January! Ack! Deadline day to get my pictures in to the Film Directory for my contact information updates.

Just as I clicked "send" to the film commission, my son tells me it's time to go look at goats to purchase for 4-H and I decide we'd better get the rest of the errands done before the rain-turning-to-snow hits.

After goat shopping, errands, a rocket launch (yes -I said a rocket launch) some take-out Chinese food and starting a book that sucked me in much faster than I thought it would (Brett Battles' The Pull of Gravity) I hadn't written one word of that scene for my novel.

Well, I guess, I know what I'm doing today... Refer to Monday -except I need to add reviewing submissions to Allegory Ezine to the schedule.

So... What are you doing today?

Rainbow Attack!

2012-01-04T10:30:00.000-08:00

Although I've already started writing my next novel, it's still a very new story and already the characters are throwing me surprises. So, I've paused on the writing and have gone back to my scene breakdown to flesh it out a bit more. In the process, I want to be sure I don't neglect a character or a subplot too long so, being a visual person (and a bit obsessive)I've started color-coding things.

First, I give each scene I'm planning a one-line description. Then, I choose a color to represent each subplot, more colors to represent each character, and still different ones for each reoccuring symbol, relevant detail and backstory feed. Sure -it's a lot of colors. But, when I'm done, at a glance, I can see if something or someone is going to disappear too long or be too heavy-handed and I can balance things early.

So far, this is working smashingly. When I'm done with my first draft, I'll redo my breakdown on a spreadsheet (because by then the story will be way to complex for a rainbow attack) but for the earliest stages, I find it fast, fun way to be able to see the jest of the entire story so I can get back to the real project... The writing!

I would love to hear how you get your plot in order to start your stories!

Don't Forget the Vanilla!

2011-12-15T05:54:00.000-08:00

As I get deeper into my recipe box, digging up those favorite cookie recipes I only bake at Christmas, one thing is abundantly clear; I can't survive Christmas without vanilla.

Vanilla isn't the most exciting ingredient. In fact, outside of my son's spectacular spritz cookies, there aren't any cookies served as plain as that but, without a touch of vanilla, the ginger snaps, white chocolate lemon cookies and even the fudge aren't as good as they should be. That little touch of mellow -ordinary -simpleness -makes everything better.

The deeper I get into the holiday season, the more I need that same mellow, ordinary simplicity to keep from feeling completely overrun by the too-busy, over-obligated agenda the season always seems to demand. It's the vanilla moments -sitting with the family at the dinner table, playing a board game with the kids in the middle of the floor or reading a good book at the library for an hour or so -that keep me from losing my mind.

I highly recommend, if you're feeling a little stressed because you're running in every direction trying to keep up with the demands of you're overly-festive holiday season... don't forget the vanilla!

Book Recommendations for Readers

2011-11-29T08:46:00.000-08:00

I've been wanting to tell you about some of the books I've read recently and loved and, with Christmas right around the corner, this seems like a good time to do it. Not all of these books are new releases, but they are books I read fairly recently.

Seriously Emotional Fiction:
UP FROM THE BLUE by Susan Henderson
and
THE MURDERER'S DAUGHTER by Randy Susan Meyers

The most fun book I've read in quite some time:
THE KITCHEN'S DAUGHTER by Jael McHenry

On the disturbing side:
THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY by Patricia Highsmith
and
THE LONG WALK by Stephen King

For a thrill:
BOILING POINT by Karen Dionne
and
MONARCH by Michelle Davidson Argyle

On the softer emotional side:
ALICE I HAVE BEEN by Melanie Benjamin
and
CLAUDE AND CAMILLE by Stephanie Cowell

Fascinating narrative non-fiction:
THE EIGHTLY-DOLLAR CHAMPION by Elizabeth Letts

Non-fiction:
WRITING THE BREAKOUT NOVEL by Donald Maass

I would love to hear recommendations from you for my reading next year.

Monarch's Author Spreads Her Wings

2011-09-29T08:49:00.000-07:00

First I read Michelle Davidson Argyle's Cinders and I was impressed with the depth of character she was able to put into the sequel of a shallow little fairy tale like Cinderella. (The woman clearly has pondered Cinderella's emotional state and future way more than the rest of us!)
Then, a couple of weeks ago, I read Michelle's newest release Monarch and I was impressed by the contrast in the writing between her two books. Cinders is a dark, fairy tale, period piece. Monarch, on the other hand is a clean, crisp, contemporary mystery.

I don't want to tell you much about the book because I think you should just read it. As a writer, I will tell you this story has as close as I've ever seen to two protagonists and, although their issues are so absolutely intertwined that one character can not exist without the other, you are left to choose whether you want to call the male or the female lead the protagonist --and, depending on which character you favor, you can have a gently-told romantic sub-story or a deep dark secret one. Whichever way you go, you will still end up in a complex plot involving a spy for the CIA, drug lords and terrorists... and Monarch butterflies!

Michelle, if you are out there reading this... The Monarchs have so much relevance in this story -symbolically and literally... I would to know how you worked them in so well. Did they start out as a literally plot point and then you discovered how to make them even more pointed by working in parallels; or did you have this all figured out from the very beginning?

Some of these Monarchs are hard to catch, but very cool to watch unfold once you've spotted them!

Progress Comes In Many Forms

2011-08-19T07:37:00.000-07:00

Many writers talk about progress in the form of word count. Word counts are one of those traditional "games" authors play to check their progress or to set their daily goals.

I suck at word count games.

For me, word counts are only important at the end of the novel to see if I am within the size norm for my genre. Other than that... It's depressing and, too many time, my very productive day turned into a failure when I noticed that tweaking that crucial scene and adding those new ones (the ones that totally brought the plot situation to a peak) only added 783 words. A full day's work and I culdn't even hit that beloved 1000-word-minimum so many authors consider their base. Crap.

So, folks, I turned my back on word count games. Yes. Me -the obsessive/compulsive, number-loving statistics freak... I'm not keeping track of daily/weekly word counts anymore. I haven't for a long time and now I've confessed it publicly. And do you know what I discovered?

I discovered that my book got done without counting words, but by giving myself story goals. Now my goals are something more like:

* I must complete my spelling/grammar edits in the next three days.
* I must clarify this plot issue today.
* I must finish this section and get my character to a particular spot today.
* I must check the fluidity of these two characters' appearances today.
* I must polish five chapters today. Or even better...
* I must scan the manuscript and polish these three plot points today.

I would love to be able to compare notes with my word-count friends or play in their who-can-write-250-words-the-fastest contests, but I can't.

Ultimately, it's finishing manuscripts that matters and tere are many different ways to define progress. One way is not better than another. As long as it causes your story to progress and you to feel good about that progress, it's a right way. (I haven't had a word-count friend disown me for my oddity yet.)

Now -and ever since I made the change -I get to feel good about my progress, too! Do you feel good about yours?

They're Not Dead Yet

2011-08-16T06:10:00.000-07:00

Well, folks, I just returned from a cruise -yes it was lovely, thanks for asking -and I saw a lot of books being read. That's books with a B. Not e-readers, but books. I saw a total of 2 ereaders on my 4 flights and 1 e-reader on the cruise, but I saw easily a couple hundred books.

Now, I'm not saying e-readers aren't a growing force or that some day they won't outsell hard-copy books on a steady basis... I'm just saying we aren't neccessarily there yet. I'm not bashing e-books and I don't want this to become a debate on which version is better. I like e-readers. I WANT an e-reader (Santa, are you listening?) They are convenient, generally the books are less expensive and they allow me to read books I may not otherwise even have access to (hello my many e-pubished author friends.) I also like good ol' traditional books and will continue to buy some of them -even after I get an e-reader.

What I am saying is this (please don't shoot me): In my one humble opinion, I think even though the e-reading people may buy more e-books than hard-copy readers buy hard-copy books, I still believe there is a larger hard-copy population out there than there is an e-population.

You may be say, "So...?"

Well, as a hopeful author, this is a statistic that truly matters! I want my book to be able to reach as many people as possible. If hard-copy readers still out-number the e-audience 10:1 or even 3:1 (or according to my sightings in Indianapolis, Orlando, Ft. Lauderdale and Baltimore airport and a cruise of 1800 passangers, maybe as much as 75:1) then that means my e-book, at best, is only be able to sell to 1/10 or 1/3 (or maybe 1/75) of the reading population -even if every e-reading person purchases a copy.

I definately want my book available in hard AND electronic versions if I can swing it.

What do you think?
Readers and e-readers, how many bound or ebooks do you purchase in a year? (free downloads don't count)
And authors, at this stage in the e-book's developement, do you feel you are or would be missing enough readers to matter by having just print version or just an electonic version of your book, rather than both versions?

Hmmm... I think in a couple of years, I'll have to take another cruise, so I can update my stats.

Just a Quick Little Trivia Brag

2011-07-26T13:41:00.000-07:00

For those of you who are fans of San Diego Comic Con. I did the figure finishing for the Blue Meanie this year. Due to other commitments, I didn't get to see it perform in person, but I found this great picture of it on this blog.

It's the first thing I've done for the Con since 2008, when I built and performed the Orc in the We Lost skit.

We all must have a little fun sometime...

_____X 1000 =

2011-07-13T05:34:00.000-07:00

I assume every beta reader = 1000 opinions.
So, every comment = the voice of 1000 readers.

Considering strangers will generally spread criticisms 7X faster than compliments...

1 ignored critique could = 7000 unhappy readers.
However, since complimentors are a quieter type...
1 compliment could = 8000 happy readers
(I am very happy the kudos outweigh the constructive critisms on my current manuscript emmensely right now--but that's not good enough.)

So, I celebrate my good feedback
But I will not allow that good feedback to justify ignoring constructive criticism.

I can't please everybody, so I won't change things I don't agree with. But if I can improve on most of my beta reader's suggestions, maybe I can get my potential-happy-reader-ratio even higher.

Is 1000 too high of a number for a debut author to use? Maybe -- but since I don't have a concrete number to use...
I'm going for the gusto!

Hiatus is Offficlally Over Because...

2011-07-05T04:49:00.000-07:00

...the brew is ready! I guess I should start with a BTW... Remember this post? Well, at some point between then and now, 67 became my magic number. Now I am doing my last-pass-through for my agent before we send the manuscript out.

I actually stepped away from the manuscript for a couple of weeks after I reviewed my agent's notes. Not because his notes were depressing or requiring huge changes, because they weren't and they don't. I stepped away to give the comments time to simmer -something I believe I must do to fully get them.

See... The film industry is a rediculously fast-paced industry. Comments from producers must be accessed and acted on within a day or maybe even within the hour -or at that very moment. Hence, I learned to stifle emotional reactions to feedback, look through the client's eyes and move forward immediately (which was really hard for me to do in the beginning because I'm opinionated myself.) But because of my film-professional conditioning, I used to reflexively try to give the publishing world that same instantaneous response --and got slapped on the hand more than once for it.

Now I know that edits need to simmer.Taking the emotional reaction out of the equation is not entirely good. It's okay to feel argumentive over feedback -and I should --*BUT* only if I'm willing to then stop and see why I'm defensive, so I can then see why the reader "missed the point". Then I can clarify my point. Or, like in the case of my current edits, most of the edits are just adding a line or two, or rewording a couple sentences for clarity. No big deal, right?

Wrong! Those need the same amount of time to simmer. Sure, I can tweak those little sentences that pop out randomly when they're just here and there, but if there is a section where several sentences pop out close together.... Then I need to think about the scene as a whole, so I can access whether it's just sentence structure issues or whether the scene needs a sharper point --and that comes from letting the edits simmer while I sew 30 clown wigs together to cover an inflatable ball or frame a 14-foot-tall man or dye muppet fleece (and my hands) blue.

So, now the comments have simmered. The brew is ready. It's time to plate it up.

A Movie for Writers

2011-03-14T05:20:00.000-07:00

See the movie Black Swan!

Be ready for a creepy film, one with supressed colors and a visual grit that makes you almost smell the sweat, but one that shows you something different from the average movie. It's one of the only films I know told completely in first person without the usual off-screen narrator or flashbacks cheats. (I hate flashbacks and dream sequences!) At first, I thought a couple of the characters were weakly written. Then I began to worry that everyone (or the script itslef) was schitzophrenic. But in a very short time, I realized the problem wasn't with the supporting characters, but with the protagonist. The personalities of everyone around her were being affected by her mental state at that moment.

We all shift our opinions based on our moods. We laugh later at situations that were nightmares when they happened. We eventually grow to like people we initially thought were irritating or rude or a bore. (Okay -sometimes, it is the other person's mood, but sometimes it IS our own mood that is the issue.) The trouble is we can't see it in ourselves because whatever we believe at that moment becomes the truth -whether it is or not.

You know the rule: Show. Don't tell. I have never before seen a film where I felt the emotions of the protagonist were shown so clearly.

Black Swan one of the most emotionally visual demonstations I have ever witnessed -both ugly, yet strangely beautiful at the same time (but I don't think you'll see the beauty unless you make it to the end.) Make it to the end and tell me what you think!

Marketing Strategy Needs Players

2011-02-24T06:11:00.000-08:00

I already do launch day promotions through Facebook, Twitter, my blog and anywhere else I can to help my friends with they book promotions, but I really want to help my hard-working author friends to promote their books EVERY WAY I can, so here's something I've added to my contribution -and I would love it if my there were many more participants!

HERE'S WHAT WE ALL KNOW:
+ We know word of mouth promotion is crucial!
+ We know most local independent book stores carry a limited inventory and won't necessarily have copies of many books on hand.
+ We know people are more likely to buy a book they can touch and actually browse first.

SO... I just contacted the owner of my local book store and he has agreed to set up a "Recommended Books" display where I can put my friends' books out for customer's to review (and then order their own copy through him.) My copies are strictly loaner copies because I don't want to give up my copy permanently, but they will do much more good for the authors (and the indy bookstore) if they are temporarily displayed on the bookstore's counter rather than my book shelf!

WHY SHOP INDY?
This information is abbreviated from this web site.

The Economy
■Spend $100 at a local and $68 of that stays in your community. Spend the same $100 at a national chain, and your community only sees $43.
■Local businesses create jobs for our neighbors.
■More of your taxes are reinvested in your community--where they belong.

The Environment
■Less packaging, less transportation, and a smaller carbon footprint.
■Less infrastructure, less maintenance, and more money to beautify your community.
The Community
■Local businesses donate to charities at more than twice the rate of national chains.
■More independents means more choice, more diversity, and a truly unique community.

A.S.King's book PLEASE IGNORE VARE DIETZ was neglected by some of the major book chains, yet her book has burst onto the scene with the same power as her first book THE DUST OF 100 DOGS due to the power of the indy stores, being nominated and winning 10 awards so far!

If you have copies of books my mid-list and debut authors, HELP THEM succeed so publishers will want to publish their future books. (Especially if those books are promo copies or were obtained by promotional give-aways.) Loan those books to your local indy store for a couple of months for displays. The more books displayed - the more this effort will succeed.

Let's support our authors! Will you play with me?

Mystery Book Launch Today

2011-02-23T05:40:00.000-08:00

No. Not a "mystery book". It's a book with a mystery-based plot.

Crown Books is launching Sara J. Henry's debut novel, LEARNING TO SWIM today. Sara was kind enough to give me an ARC (advanced reader copy) and I finished it just last week. Okay -so she didn't just GIVE me a copy. She heckled and teased and egged me on until I was obsessed with winning a copy. But I got one doggone it! She's got a bit of an evil streak in her...

...and that orneriness come through in her story-telling. LEARNING TO SWIM isn't full of swearing or sex or blood and violence or... Now hold on! What it DOES have is a really great story told in a very personable style. The main character, a woman named Troy, is like-able and candid, probably relate-able to most people in some ways -while being completely off-beat in others. Whatever you think of her, you'll want to slap her once in awhile (just like I think the lead detective on the case would like to do a few times -even though he never says so.)

Through the whole book, I couldn't help but think, What would I do if a saw a child thrown overboard? Would I do what Troy did? If I did, would I continue to do what Troy did? Would I ever think to do that? Would I ever DARE to do that?... This is a book that gives you a good ride -while you're taking a good look at yourself.

Read the first chapter HERE.

Submission Feedback Survey

2011-02-16T06:09:00.000-08:00

I'm reading another round of submissions for Allegory Ezine. Every time I start this process, I worry that the authors of pieces I have to reject aren't getting what they want or need. (If I'm going to have to be the bearer of bad news, I'd at least like to hope I'm not hated for it.) Last night, I was awake for a full extra hour, worrying about what is the best rejection letter, so now I'm asking you...

There are pros and cons to getting personalized rejection letter AND to form letter rejections.

CON: With a form rejection, you have no idea what caused the agent/editor to reject your submission. With a personal rejection, you may feel pressed to change something you shouldn't. At a conference, when asked why he used form rejections, Michael Bourrett said if he wasn't going to represent a piece of writing anyway, he didn't feel it was his place to suggest any changes, because he may be suggesting a change to something another agent WOULD like just as it is. Hmmm...

PRO: With a form rejection, you can quickly check off that prospect, tweak the piece based on you own thoughts, submit elsewhere and wait to see if you see a pattern of rejection instead of constantly being swayed by whomever read the piece last. With a personalized rejection, you can see why the piece was rejected, consider it a beta reader and change what you agree with.

So... Would you rather...
1) ...see a form rejection because you trust the piece will find a home elsewhere as it is written? (But if it gets more than eight rejections, then you will take another look at it.)
2) ...see a personalized rejection with a couple general reasons stated, so you can see if the reader doesn't click with your style or simply missed the point of your piece?
3) ...see a personalized rejection with a detailed critique, so you can double-check your piece before submitting elsewhere?
4) ... see some criticism, but only if there is also something good pointed out, so you can see that the reader isn't just being a jerk?

What do you think? Is there a better way?

Short Story Lesson: The Story

2011-02-09T06:00:00.000-08:00

Now that you've done this and you have nice tight opening to your short story, stay with it.

I'll assume that most of you know this rule: Most agents know whether they want to read on or stop somewhere in your first two pages -even agents who request 10 pages or even the first 50 pages. If you don't engage them by page two, they never read the rest.

Knowing this, many time, short story writers obsess over those first two pages and get them perfect, but then they let their stories fall apart on page 3 or 4, by cramming in all the details they skipped on page 1 and 2.

Hint: You skipped those details on pages 1 and 2 because they didn't move the story forward. Refer back to Lesson 1.

The same story-telling rhythm/style/tempo you established during the opening of your story is officially the "voice" of your story and it needs to continue as is. If you don't like it, change your first pages until you do. Once you've got two pages you like... Don't... Ever... Change... That... Voice!

Don't think that since you have us baited in with two really great pages, that now is your chance to feed in those poetic phrases and images you've been dying to impress us with. It's not. You'll lose us even faster now than you would have before. We care even less now about what shade of brown her hair is, because now we are anticipating that great story you set up. Stopping the story now... Boink! You just ran us into a glass door.

I can't say this enough: Short stories are supposed to be short! Adding more words probably won't make your story more emotional. Momentum will. If you feel your story is too short, don't just add more words. Add more to your story. And if you can't think of any more story to add, then be content to keep your short story short.

Next lesson, I'll talk more about "voice".

Short Story Lesson: Beginnings

2011-02-06T08:44:00.000-08:00

Due to some technical difficulties, this post went in as if it was written last year, so I wanted to repost it so it would stay with the series. So here is Lesson number one freshly posted:

Okay, folks, for any of you who are submitting short stories for publication, I'm going to do a series of posts on what I see when I'm screening submissions. Since this is the first post in the series, I'm starting with opening scenes.

Short stories are what? Short. That means I don't want to see three pages of set-up because it probably doesn't matter if I see everything exactly as you do. So the chairs are antiques instead of chrome. So the neon sign flashes blue lights instead of orange. If it doesn't matter, don't bother to tell me. Somewhere on the first page, I need to be able to identify the genre, the start of a plot, a narrative style and a main character.

Unless your story specifically incorportates the weather, PLEASE do not spend the first paragraph giving me the weather report. And unless her brown hair matters because she is disguised or it's just coming back in after her chemo treatments (and the story is about cancer)or for some other relevant point DIRECTED TOWARD THE PLOT, saying it is short and brown is probably plenty.

Now, that your hackles are up because you think I'm telling you to strip your story of all its creative details and style... Hold on. I'm not. Use that extra space to give me MORE story, MORE style and MORE personality. Tell me her hair is cropped tight and the same color as the Nevada dirt, which now covers her from head to toe because she was dumped from the car days ago halfway between nowhere and hell...

OR... and this is a tough one for some writers to trust... Keep your short story short. Just say her hair is short. Shorter than she likes it. But after her "best friend" attacked her with the scissors, she had no choice... Whatever you do, direct everything toward the plot. And once you've made it onto the same path as the plot, STAY THERE!

A short story should be 500-7500 words, but to be honest, I RARELY find a short story that justifies the full 7500 words. Usually... USUALLY, the good ones are between 1500 and 4000 words and, many times on the longer ones, if the writer had simply tightened (or completely removed) the first 1-3 pages (200-800 words) their story would have been much stronger without changing anything else -and that is SO frustrating for me to see!

Many opening scenes are more for the benefit of the author than the reader. It's where the author gets a sense of his characters' personality and history. It's where they stir the pot, and spice it and taste it and do all those good things that build the story in their mind -and that's fine. But once the story is officially complete, go back a get rid of all that taste test stuff and just send the short story.

Please Help Stop It!

2011-01-21T07:22:00.000-08:00

I don't personally know the author of this live journal post, but she has put into words so well the issue of book piracy that I just couldn't let this post go without throwing in my two cents.

I'm not yet published, but I've been hearing over and over from my published friends the financial and contractual hardships book piracy has inflicted on them. In consideration of my friends, I haven't ask them to let me post their personal business information publicly, but this live journal post gives a literal example of what is going on all through the publishing industry.

No one is immuned. The bigger the author, the more pirated versions there are and at least a proportional amount of money is being lost. The mid-range author's writing futures are being threatened. The newest authors are having a harder and harder time breaking into the industry because of the financial restraints of the publishing industry -much of which comes from lower RECORDED book sales by their existing authors. Authors' books (even first-time authors' books)are becoming available even BEFORE their release date! How can they compete with that?

PLEASE... If you read... if you know anybody who reads... if you kow anybody capable of putting words in a row and comprehending them... help spread the word. Piracy is NOT a convenience that does no harm. It is illegal and it hurts. Right now, it just hurts the authors, so too many people don't care. Eventually -when you can't get new books from the authors you love because their contracts have been dropped and their books have been forced out of print due to low sales records -it will hurt you too!

I am Not a Good Pantser!

2011-01-18T08:40:00.000-08:00

In school, a pantser was someone who would yanked down the pants of some poor unsuspecting soul, but it writing, it has a different meaning. In writing, a pantser is someone who doesn't outline or, if they do, it's a loose outline that morphs quite a bit as they write. An advanced pantsers may not even know how their story is going to end. They "fly by the seat of their pants."

I followed my outline from start to finish with relatively few changes -until my protagonist got a mind of his own. Now I realize that, although I always knew what I wanted my story to be (and it is still that story) my character is tweaking the point here and there. Frankly, I love what he's doing to it but, being a bit OCD, his unexpected contributions are making it a bit tough on me at times. After all, whose story is it? Mine -right? Nope. That's strictly something writers tell themselves. As it turns out, it is my idea, but it is his story.

As for being a school pantsers... About the time I see some guy whose pants are only staying up because he's walking like a baby with a full diaper, I wish I was a better pantser.

A Review of 2010's Work for Allegory

2011-01-03T04:17:00.000-08:00

Volume 14 of Allegory Ezine has just gone up and I'm pleased to have discovered more of the contributors:
Soul Mate by Shelly Li
Golden Noir by Erin Mos
The Contract by S. Arthur Murphy

Congratulations Shelly Li for making the final cut!

A review of last year's Allegory issues show more notable pieces I found (in no particular order.)
Published authors:
Shifters by Chip R. Yde
Forget by Amy Laurens
Was Ruth by Brian Malone & Kirk Wollert
Feeders by Rhonda Porrett

Honorable Mentions:
The Last Wish by Winkler
Be Not Afraid by Mike Frost
The Necromancer’s Apprentice by Tyson Young
Neyon Dreams by David Snyder
Plains of Fire by Gibson
A Love Story by Serkan Ongan
Just Beneath the Surface by Milo James Fowler
Prima Noctis by David Landrum
The God Solution by M.E. Castle

Many times it's difficult to filter so many submissions down to so few, but it's part of the job. This year, since I've been promoted to Assistant Editor, submissions read by me will be responded to directly by me, so you will be able to know if I'm responsible for getting your name in the "Maybe" pile before you see it here. Also this year, I'll be giving hints on what I look for when I'm reviewing Allegory submissions. I hope it'll help make Ty's job of making that final cut even harder than it already is! (Sorry, Ty.)

New Years Resolution Nominees: Idea #3 Be Loyal to My Blog

2010-12-28T07:12:00.000-08:00

Eric's September post about blogging seen here has some wonderful blogging advice in it. Most of the commandments aren't that hard, but #4 (Remember thy Schedule and keep it, wholly) is my downfall! There have been some reasons for this other than laziness or neglect, but I am bound by a professional commitment not to disclose certain information and I will not go back on my word.

Even so, I have much I will be able to tell you about in 2011. In January, I'll be clattering away, well into my next novel. It's working title is FINE ART. I was just promoted to Assistant Editor of Allegory Ezine, I've been doing a lot more reading and I will be adding "what I learned from this book/author" posts to my blog and, finally -hopefully -I will be able to bring you up to speed on what's happening with my novel DANCE. On the film front for January, if some of you recall from this post, I entered a commercial in the Doritos Crash the Superbowl Contest. If it makes the final 5, during January I will be forced to become a promoter of votes. If that happens, I hope you will forgive my brazen begging and support me!

BTW, I want to add a personal congratulations to Karen Dionne on the release of her second thriller BOILING POINT today! Her first book, FREEZING POINT was terrific, so I'm really looking forward to reading this one. Check it out folks!

New Year's Resolution Nominees: Idea #2 Punch a Clock

2010-12-23T12:19:00.001-08:00

I haven't actually punched a time clock since 1984 but, as a free-lance monster maker, I've had to keep track of my hours forever -and I owe my writing the same professionalism.

When I'm working in a studio, keeping track of working hours is not a big deal. I show up at one time, take lunch when everybody else does and I go home at the agreed-to time (or at midnight when I finally get the issue worked out or the stupid thing right.) Working at home is another thing altogether. That's when tracking time can get really hard -but is ultimately more important.

Let's say I'm building a head -or writing a novel. Prototyping and patterning -or conceptualizing and outlining -is something that needs to be done in a relatively tight amount of time to keep the end vision clear. (Easy time to keep track of...)Then the client sees the head -or I review my outline -and make changes. (Short stints, a few breaks = broken amounts of time.) Then I assemble the head -or write the manuscript. (Staccato scheduling as I wait for the glue on my seams -or the thoughts in my brain -to stick together.) Finally, there's the covering and figure finishing -the editing and polishing -that flow a bit more fluidly, but can sometimes still come in spurts while I gather those last bits of materials -or bits of story -or wait for the painter to finish -or wait for the beta reader to finish. (Bigger time chunks, but chunks nonetheless.)

Keeping track of the hours it takes to make that head is important. The only way to be profitable as a free-lancer is to be disciplined. Doodling for hours or procrastinating makes a project miserable, more time-consuming than is profitable and inevitably it'll be less than the highest quality because an artist's attention span -a writer's attention span -can only endure so much!

The same way I have become efficient and successful as a monster-maker, I need to exercise the same discipline in my writing. My writing deserves it.

New Year's Resolution Nominees: Idea #1 Less Is More

2010-12-21T12:30:00.000-08:00

I don't think it's wise to wait until new year's eve to decide on New Year's resolutions, so I've already started a list of ideas. Now, this is not to say that I'll commit to everything on the list. In fact, I probably won't. Too many resolutions will doom me to failure, but that doesn't mean I should commit to the first thing that pops to mind either. So, I've decided to devote the end of the year to listing my ideas here in my blog, in the hopes that it will help me see which of the ideas will become the winning ideas for making 2011 the best year ever.

Here goes...

Idea #1: Less Is More

Maybe a wardrobe reality check is in order. I have tons of clothes -most of which are boring, out of style, the wrong size or so beat up from building monsters that they don't qualify as clothes anymore. All they do is clutter my closet. If I cleared out my drawers and closet, yes -I would have fewer clothes... but that would make room for new clothes AND the clothes I did wear -even though there would be fewer of them to choose from -would be better suited to me.

My head is suffering the same puffy closet theory. I have plenty of story ideas, but not every idea is pretty or timely or fresh -and some of them are so overworked I just don't like them anymore. Oh, I'm as very sure of the value of some of my ideas as I've ever been -just like I'm sure I'll never part with my brown evening gown (yes brown) no matter how many reality checks my closet endures -but is every idea a perfect brown evening gown? Probably not. For those ideas, I think a reality check may be in order as well. If I'm going to devote several hundred hours to writing a new story, I want it to be the one that suits me best.

I won't be able to give my stowed away story concepts to the Salvation Army though. Maybe, some day I'll be able to alter them to fit me better, but I will leave those alterations for another day. I have a book freshly finished that I am extremely proud of and I want to use this feeling to boldly dive into a shiny new story -not to alter an old doodle, so another day will not be in 2011! I just don't have time for that.

Lynette's 10-Step Recipe for Writing

2010-11-30T05:57:00.000-08:00

Prep Time:10-30 Days (sometimes more)
Simmer Time:30-90 Days
Ready In:6-18 Months

Ingredients:
1 freshly picked concept (must be fresh)
1 small notebook
1-3 pens or pencils
1 pkg. index cards
2 computers (one desktop, 1 laptop)
1/2 baked details (will need several)
1-3 quiet spots (to keep writer fresh)
1 focused brain
1 strong constitution

Optional ingredients:
1 calendar
1/2 ton (approx.) research material
internet access

Directions:

1. In a small notebook, mix concept with a descriptions until smooth. Let sit until hot (3 days - to 3 years.)
2. Pour hot concept into brain. Add character descriptions, details, subplots and challenges. Blend and place in notebook. (This is a good time to set aside a basic query synopsis -before you add so much flavor you can't easily distinguish the main ingredients.)
3. Using index cards, write 1-2 sentences per card telling your story in order. Work the cards several times, adding more subplots and points. Repeat until story turns clear.
4. Skim the cards and repair all cloudy spots.
5. Turn the story out onto a flat well-lighted surface and mix in additional spices, sweeteners and zest until the story holds together. At this point it should feel fairly smooth and full. If not, mix cards some more and add additional flavor.(Once you are happy with your story, don't forget to mark the cards or a spill could be disasterous!)
5. Place story in the computer. (This part takes time. 2-8 months.) At first the story may not look like much, but don't worry! Spinkles and glazing will fix everything later.
6. Cover with a distraction and set aside. Let story settle in a warm place for 1-2 months. Do not disturb during this time or it will lose its flavor from overwork.
7. Turn story back on the computer. Delete extraneous word and fill in all holes until it becomes a completed manuscript.
8. Cover with a distraction once more and let settle for 1-2 weeks. Meanwhile, preheat contacts and grease readers.
9. After a final personal taste test, send story to 1-2 readers for 1 to 4 weeks.
10. Sprinkle, trim and reglaze. Repeat steps 8 and 9 until story is completely golden and solid to the core.

Does My Opinion Matter?

2010-11-23T06:17:00.000-08:00

Suffering the agony of the proverbial form rejection, I refuse, as an editor, to do the same to my fellow writers submitting short stories to Allegory . I won't reject a piece and then give the author a "not right for us..." answer or a "it's just not hitting me..." If I have to, I will re-read the piece to find out WHY it's not hitting me. Sometimes it's not an easy thing to identify, but I will dig until I find it.

The author doesn't have to agree with me. Opinions are subjective. However, I would like to think the reason I have been trusted with the job of screening submissions is because I have a respectable amount of skill as an editor. At the very least, I hope the author may be able to see what it is I'm pointing out -and then they can decide whether to agree or disagree with my reasoning.

I don't want any writer to interpret my comments as insults. Rejection is tough to take. Every writer gets their fair share of them. I can't make my rejection letters any less disappointing. All I can do is try to give a reason (and maybe a little direction) and hope my opinion does matter.

Short Story Lesson: The Ending

2010-11-23T06:01:00.001-08:00

I've been reading more submissions for Allegory and I'm completely heart-broken over one of the submission's endings -which brings me to my next peeve:

Reading a story with a weak ending is more frustrating than reading one with a weak beginning because by the time I've read that far, I'm loving something about it and then I get slapped. It's truly a crime!

Too many times, I've read entire entire stories just to discover that the story was nothing more than a bar room joke. Witty story... fun voice... Going along fine... blah, blah, blah... the man turned his head and looked at the ship's captain. "That's what she said." The End. Oh. You've GOT to be kidding! There will be a warrant put out for your arrest for pulling the ol' bait-and-switch scheme.

Or...
Great concept... flying along... REALLY suspenseful... Eight thousand words in now and going strong... More tension... It's getting a bit long, but I'm already engulfed so I don't care... He trips. He falls. He accidental pushes the villain out the window. The End. Aaaahhh!!! There will be a warrant posted for robbery.

Or...
Great concept... Setting up well... You've got me sucked it now... The voice dies and the end is nothing but an emotionless summary. The charge: Murder!

I don't have to like the way the story ends. In fact, one of my favorite books has an ending that isn't my favorite -and I DON'T CARE! Why? Because it is a great book that tells a great story and the ending is there. It's a good ending. It's a believable ending. It's a complete ending. And it's the ending the author decided to write. I can respect that.

If you're going to invest your time in writing a story, write the ending too!

Short Story Lesson 1: Beginnings

2010-11-23T06:00:00.001-08:00

Okay, folks, for any of you who are submitting short stories for publication, I'm going to do a series of posts on what I see when I'm screening submissions. Since this is the first post in the series, I'm starting with opening scenes.

Short stories are what? Short. That means I don't want to see three pages of set-up because it probably doesn't matter if I see everything exactly as you do. So the chairs are antiques instead of chrome. So the neon sign flashes blue lights instead of orange. If it doesn't matter, don't bother to tell me. Somewhere on the first page, I need to be able to identify the genre, the start of a plot, a narrative style and a main character.

Unless your story specifically incorportates the weather, PLEASE do not spend the first paragraph giving me the weather report. And unless her brown hair matters because she is disguised or it's just coming back in after her chemo treatments (and the story is about cancer)or for some other relevant point DIRECTED TOWARD THE PLOT, saying it is short and brown is probably plenty.

Now, that your hackles are up because you think I'm telling you to strip your story of all its creative details and style... Hold on. I'm not. Use that extra space to give me MORE story, MORE style and MORE personality. Tell me her hair is cropped tight and the same color as the Nevada dirt, which now covers her from head to toe because she was dumped from the car days ago halfway between nowhere and hell...

OR... and this is a tough one for some writers to trust... Keep your short story short. Just say her hair is short. Shorter than she likes it. But after her "best friend" attacked her with the scissors, she had no choice... Whatever you do, direct everything toward the plot. And once you've made it onto the same path as the plot, STAY THERE!

A short story should be 500-7500 words, but to be honest, I RARELY find a short story that justifies the full 7500 words. Usually... USUALLY, the good ones are between 1500 and 4000 words and, many times on the longer ones, if the writer had simply tightened (or completely removed) the first 1-3 pages (200-800 words) their story would have been much stronger without changing anything else -and that is SO frustrating for me to see!

Many opening scenes are more for the benefit of the author than the reader. It's where the author gets a sense of his characters' personality and history. It's where they stir the pot, and spice it and taste it and do all those good things that build the story in their mind -and that's fine. But once the story is officially complete, go back a get rid of all that taste test stuff and just send the short story.

A REALLY Short Story!

2010-11-19T05:16:00.000-08:00

You think flash fiction is short? Try writing a script for a commercial! I'm not talking about the funiture ad with the owner's two grandchildren, or the car ad with some guy standing next to cars with numbers painted on the windshield, or any of the personal injury lawyer ads (they all look alike.) I'm talking about a national spot for Doritos. Sure, I've worked on plenty of commercials -even a Superbowl spot for Budwieser -but I never tried to write one.

I'm not big on never trying something (that's not fatal), so I decided to enter the Doritos Superbowl contest. (Okay -winning might give me a heart-attack, but that's a chance I'm willing to take.) After talking a couple of dear, poor souls into working on it with me, I wrote the ad. It was great (or so I thought.) It had an opening that would grab peoples attention, a funny middle to keep them watching and a punchy ending. A beginning, a middle and an end. BUT... The story was waaay too long to squeeze into a thirty second spot.

After simplifiying the "story" and a little tightening, and then a lot more tightening... (sound like novel writing to anyone?) The commercial is now officially done and submitted! It still holds my original storyline; it just doesn't have the subplot. Subplots?! Silly me! They belong in novels -not in commercials.

I learned a LOT from my adventure. Who knows... Maybe I'll even win! I'll keep you posted as the judging process progresses. For now, just cross your fingers for me!

ChOP

2010-11-13T03:42:00.000-08:00

For me, getting started on a new novel is the hardest part. Not creating the plot. Not developing the characters. Not staying in the chair until 90,000 to 100,000 words have hit the page... It's starting.

Any story can start in any one of a dozen different places and, what's really scary is a wrong start might not reveal itself for 50 pages -or 100 -or, in the case of my first novel, until after it was completely done!

I wrote a novel. I was proud of it (as most first-time finishers are). I submitted it to agents. It got rejected and rejected and rejected and... Maybe it was just too big for a breakout novel was my conclusion.

Well, after writing another novel, and then a third (which got HUGE kudos from some top-notch agents -yet no representation) I started on my fourth novel. While I was writing, I decided to it was time to give Novel 1 another go-round in the query world and the first agent who saw it said, "I LOVE this concept, but you started the story in the wrong place."

Since that day, after a bit of denial, much whimpering, several experiments and a lot of invaluable guidance, I've come to realize I started Novel 2 and Novel 4 in the wrong places as well.

I'm starting over on Novel 4 right now and I'm suffering acute ChOP (Chapter One Phobia). My ChOP won't keep me from writing this novel and someday I might even grow to appreciate ChOP -when it saves me from writing another full novel from the wrong starting point! I think I have a strategy to overcome ChOP and if it works, I'll share it with you.

Oh! Whatever became of that first novel? you may be wondering...

It was too big for me then -but it's not anymore and it may... just may... become my debut novel yet, but that's another story...

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

2010-11-04T13:02:00.000-07:00

A friend in another blog commented on how frustrating it is to give your manuscript to someone to read, only to think of something you want to change in it. I just had that same thought a couple days ago.

The change I want to do won't affect the story as the reader sees it; it does change the conclusion of one particular subplot.

Reader, if you read this -- the last line of the book should read:
His only regret was ________________________.

You didn't really think I was going to give you the last line of the book, did you?

What I Know

2010-09-23T04:31:00.000-07:00

Traditional advice: Write what you know.

Does that mean my books should be about working in the special effects industry? Or growing up in a small town? Or being a mom? Mmm... Maybe... But not necessarily.

Yes, it could be fun to use the effects industry as a setting (and maybe someday I will,) but if we interpret the rule that literally, we would never have Harry Potters or Crystal Singers. (I'd bet Stephen King never owned a possessed car and John Saul's daughter never cannabalized another child -and for sure I've never done a lot of the things my characters have done!)

The people I've met in the film industry inspire many of my characters' traits but, likewise other details in my life (baseball, food and gardening, vacation destinations...) work their way onto the pages -and dark parts from my life do too (although you may never know which parts.)

Once I was scolded for my story topic because I "wasn't writing what I knew". (The person stubbornly only read the first few pages of my manuscript and quit.) I guess I'm always supposed to be clean and shiny and stereo-typical. Apparently, that person doesn't know me as well as they think...

None of us are that two-dimensional. We all have our public impression -that broad stroke everyone sees on a daily basis. But we are all more than that. We know more than that. And we can be inspired by that.

That's where my stories come from. And -no matter what people think they know about me... I have -and always will -be writing what I know.

What I know may just surprise you.

Another Issue Done and Up

2010-09-08T06:45:00.000-07:00

The fall issue of Allegory is up here and I, again, am proud to have discovered two of the stories for this issue: Forget by Amy Laurens and Shifters by Chip R. Yde.

These two stories are as different from one another as they can be, which is exactly what I was talking about in this earlier blog. Forget is a subtle yet clear story that provokes many thoughts and Shifters is a sci-fi piece that makes sense without bogging down in technical explanations (something that is very difficult to do in a sci-fi short story!)Congratulations to Amy and Chip for making my search through the submission pile successful!

Now folks, the submission line is open for the next issue! Here are the guidelines. Send me some fun!

Daring to Learn NOT By the Book

2010-08-26T05:33:00.000-07:00

Before I was a professional contributor to the film industry, I used to favor a couple of specific genres of movies for my entertainment. As I became more of a participant in the actual process, I became much more appreciative of the art of film-making, and my ability to view a broader spectrum of movies grew. Now I see weaknesses in major blockbusters (don't get me started on that topic), but I can also see little touches of flair in even the most horrid movie.

Since becoming an editor several months ago, I've come to realize how similar perfecting writing is. From reading others' writings, I have become more aware of the variations in writing styles and have grown to appreciate those differences more. Even in the submissions I am inclined to reject, I have yet to read any piece that had absolutely nothing going for it. I love realizing those hints of potential and I make a point of highlighting those in my responses to Allegory. I want the author to see those strengths -to enhance them -and to take another shot at writing. A stronger shot.

I'm much harder on my own work now. I pick and poke at it until people around me are rolling their eyes. My work still isn't perfect. It will never be! But the advantage of critiques (that spectacular non-book education) has gotten my writing farther faster than the even best grammar book.

Not-by-the-book. Scary? Yes -but worth it!

Guilty and Congratulations!

2010-08-16T04:00:00.000-07:00

After I reading Weronika's post about online presence I now know I should have warned you before disappearing. My only defense is I didn't know I wouldn't have any internet access at the fair grounds, which was supposed to have a public WiFi link, and Niagara Falls -unless I wanted to keep buying french fries to tap in to McDonald's WiFi. Not having WiFi also made it difficult for me to keep up with my editting job. (Did you catch that?)

Yes. I am an associate editor -for an ezine called Allegory, a successful site since 2006. (The link will stay on the right side of this page.) The job is NOT an easy one, but I love it! This is the second issue I've worked on. My first issue (Volume 12/39) is up right here.

I discovered two of the pieces of original fiction that made it into the issue: "Feeders" by Rhonda Porrett and "Was Ruth" by Brian Malone & Kirk Wollert. I don't know how many total submissions there were for this one issue, but I read 60 submissions myself. Considering there are seven editors and I'm sure there are a few more seasoned editors who read more than I did... You do the math. !!! Congratulations to Rhonda, Brian and Kirk -and to the other successful authors who made the 12/39 issue. Your selections were in with some heavy competion and you should be proud of yourselves!

We Interrupt this Conference for a Very Cool Author

2010-07-01T16:10:00.000-07:00

Lauren Baratz-Logsted is an amazing lady who has more than a dozen books published and I'm thrilled to have her not only talking to me, but actually advising me from time to time. Her latest novel, The Twin's Daughter, is due out August 31, 2010. To promote her book, she is doing a roving blog tour and today is my turn to ask her anything I want. (Yeah me!) So here it goes:

ME: You are amazing! You have written books for middle-grade readers, young adults and adults; historical, contemporary, literary suspense... With books in so many different genres already, are there any genres you DON'T see yourself trying, or are we going to find you on every shelf eventually?

LAUREN: Another blogger asked me this interview question in reverse, wanting to know what I haven't tried that I do see myself yet attempting. I'll leave it to people to follow the tour to learn the answer to that one! In terms of what I don't see myself ever trying, it'd have to be westerns. While I respect that some writers have written wonderful stories and enjoyed tremendous success in that genre - I'm looking at you, Larry McMurtry! - my tendency to fall off any horse I've ever been on leads me to believe that my imagination will never soar in that direction. Oh, and there's one other genre I'll never attempt: serial killers. I can do dark and I can do murder, as I've done in Vertigo and will do in the forthcoming YA novel The Twin's Daughter, but I cannot do serial killers. That's just too dark even for my occasionally dark soul.

I love dark and am definately looking forward to reading The Twin's Daughter! To see more about Lauren and about her other books, check out her personal web site at: http://www.laurenbaratzlogsted.com/ (I can't get the links to work -pardon me, my rooki-ness is showing -but you copy and paste to read more.)

To read more of Lauren's roving interview, here's the links to more:
YESTERDAY'S QUESTION: In the Education of Bet, Bet goes to school in the place of Will. If you had to pretend to be a boy to do something, what would you hope to accomplish? http://shootingstarsmag.blogspot.com/

TOMORROW'S QUESTION: What's one question no one has asked that you wish they had? http://newport2newport.livejournal.com/

Conference - What A Day

2010-06-21T04:52:00.000-07:00

After another evening of chatting at the bar and meeting more members of the forum, I began to feel I belonged. The now-familiar faces from the night before and I exchanged war stories from the workshops, and there were many more members there -and many more faces to match to names, real people to relate to... and chickens to talk about.

By Friday, I was much less intimidated. I took my seat in the front row, with my voice recorder ready and my notebook open well before the first talk, because there was no way I was going to miss one word of what any of the speakers had to say.

Kristen Nelson's workshop on query writing made that nasty process seem considerably more bear-able and by the end of it, anyone who didn't have the short synopsis for their own story ready to go probably needs to rethink the opening of their novel.

The panels covering Author/Agent Relationships showed me just how individual agents are, how different those relationships can be -and how pleased I am with the decisions I've been making lately for my own career's development. The one thing all the relationships had in common: a very personal connection! Authors don't work for their agents and agents don't work for their authors. It is a partnership, one that both parties will either succeed or fail at based on communication and trust -however formal or informal the relationship style is.

And the class on plotting, taught by the very successful author, Gayle Lynds, laid out the need for a story to focus and some simple way to keep that focus by zeroing in on the personalities of not only our heros, but on our villians.

I found myself learning a few new things and endorsing other things I had already been doing. It was nice to discover I was no longer standing on the ground floor with my writing but somewhere partway up the ladder. How far up the ladder am I? If anyone out there knows just how many rungs are in this ladder...

Conference - Agents Have My Respect

2010-06-17T05:17:00.000-07:00

After venturing back out onto the sidewalks of NYC to find lunch, I returned for my second workshop, Opening Pages, where two different agents got to take shots at our two opening pages. We stayed with the same group of people as was our morning group, which added another demension to the workshop. Hearing the queries allowed us (the writers) the benefit of knowing the plotline, whereas the agents only heard the pages with no insight to where the pages were going -not even the genre. The pages had to ABSOLUTELY stand alone. (Uh-oh. Do they?)

I read my two pages. The agents didn't hate them, (yah -but then, neither agent really represented my genre either.) The only critique the had was an obsession with one line my protagonist made in response to being whacked with a broom for the umpteenth time. They said the line was "not believable". I tried to look thoughtful and say thank you, all the while thinking that line is exactly right. Sonething was wrong with the scene that made them not believe the line, but that line was exactly right.

Others read their pages and, having read the query letters to go with these first two pages, it gave me a sense of what it must be like to receive queries as an agent. Some of the pages were good and fit their query letter and if I were an agent, I would have wanted to see more. Others,the pages seemed to have nothing to do with what their query letters had promised, and there were still others whose query letters hadn't appealed to me, nor did their pages. Interestingly, none of the writers whose queries needed work had pages quite right either (so saying "my writing is great... I just have trouble writing query letters" probably isn't true.) I will say, NOBODY'S work was terrible.

The caliber of writers who attended these two workshops was high and every one of them had something strong about their work -and I realized just how tough an agent has to be in picking queries to pursue. Saying no must be hard sometimes. Avoiding the urge to critique each and every query must be worse -but sadly, it's practical.

The afternoon panels were fun, educational, enlightening... and I loved listening to Lorenzo Carcaterra. And in the back of my head, that little voice kept repeating, "that sentence is right. Why can't they see it? That sentence is right...

Conference - Learning From the Agents

2010-06-14T04:46:00.000-07:00

After the first panel about query letters ended, I realized maybe I HAD been listening to the Backspace forum members, because I didn't hear any big surprises and I started feeling a little better. The agents want the genre and page count, a grabber opening followed by a brief synopsis, a couple of sentence bio and a personal note specific to them -all on one short page.

Next, was a workshop where we had to read our query letters outloud (oh-geez)and have then critiqued by an agent (big oh-geez). When I started reading mine, I read 18 words and heard, "Okay, stop." (oh, crap!) How could I have screwed up that badly?! I didn't even look up until I heard, "Now, this is a great opening line! I can already tell the personality of the main character and the writers voice and..." I was in shock! The agent told me to go on and I read the rest of the letter. When I finished, the agent looked at the page again, shrugged, and said there were no criticisms. It was deemed "a perfect query letter", broken down to point a few reasons why and an then I was invited to send pages to their agency. I don't know if any query letter is ever really perfect, but that endorsement sure made me feel better about coming to the conference.

Did I send pages to their agency, you may be asking. Stay tuned to this blog, boys and girls...

Conference - Day Two

2010-06-10T06:17:00.000-07:00

Thursday morning. What a surprise! I didn't sleep well. I woke up at 2:30, 4:30... By 5:30 I decided Ah, screw it and got up.

For my novel, I needed to feel what it was like to walk around Manhattan so, since the conference didn't start until 9:00, I set out to find breakfast. (I'll tell you what I learned about New York later.) By 9:00, I'd had a great adventure, but I was a nervous wreck! Two and a half years ago, I attended a Backspace one-day Author/Agent seminar and, within the first few hours, I realized I was NOT ready for this industry! My writing wasn't ready, my approach wasn't ready, I didn't know nearly enough about the way the industry game was played... and after I approached Eric Myers, started talking and watched his eyes glaze over as I babbled on until I found a way to finish and save him from me, the rest of the time I was there (save one accidentally great conversation with Michael Bourret) I tried to hide in the back of the room as much as possible.

My fear picked up right where it left off two and a half years ago and I shivered as I entered the ballroom and saw the name tags of some of the big names in the publishing industry placed on the tables on the stage. The room was still virtually empty. I chose a seat four rows back along the aisle and sat down. Then I scooted up two seats to the second row.

I had won a scholarship. I owed ot to the people who supported me to get as much from this conference as possible and to not let their faith in me go unvalidated. I decided to-hell with my nerves and changed to the seat in the front row, squarely in front of the tables.

Conference Day One

2010-06-04T05:25:00.000-07:00

I've been silent for too long and I apologize, but getting ready for the Backspace Conference while finishing building a Chervil was almost more than I could handle. (Almost.) I could go on for days about the conference -and I will! The only way to do the experience justice is to tell it all.

I arrived Wednesday evening. It was hot -too damn hot. Record-breaking 97 degrees hot. The shuttle bus had no airconditioning but the top vents opened, and the last leg in the shuttle van was worse because most of the windows didn't open at all and the van was so packed, people were sitting on the floor. (Did I mention it was hot?)

I met my roommate in the lobby and, after a quick "yep, this is our room", we set out in search of dinner. After walking this way and that as far as we dared on our first night in New York City, we settled on one of the thirty-nine Korean restaurants and ordered a couple unidentifiable dishes -and one sushi roll (just in case...) I loved the Jap Chae and most of the funky little mystery dishes accompanying it but, in the future, I can truly do without the white fishy thing in the red icky stuff.

Back at the hotel, in the cafe/bar, I met several members of the Backspace forum. It was nice to put faces to the names and there was nothing better to put me at ease on my first night than Karen Dionne's nice, big hug. That alone let me know I would not have to fly solo through the conference -and I didn't.

Yeah, Me - and Thank You, Backspace!

2010-04-26T08:35:00.000-07:00

I won one of the two scholarships to the Backspace Seminar and Conference coming up and I am SO excited! If it wasn't for the scholarship, I wouldn't be attending at all because the conference, although VERY much worth the money, costs $770.

I still have to cover my air fare and hotel, which will be a bit of a challenge, but I'll dig that money up any way I can. I'll be sharing a hotel room with another writer (hi, Weronika) and maybe even a third to cut the cost of the room and I may be eating nothing but peanutbutter on crackers and food bars for three days, but I don't care.

Having attended one day of a Backspace conference before, I know whatever it takes to get to this conference... I'll learn enough to be able to keep smiling - even while my stomach is growling.

I'm a Growing Girl

2010-04-15T07:52:00.000-07:00

I wonder how many people actually care about the hard work that goes into writing a good book - or how many people even realize the amount of effort that goes into writing one.

I've been writing for a few years now. I have several manuscripts finished (sort of), another half written and five concepts waiting in the wings. It's the "sort of" part that truly becomes the hard work part.

I wrote and rewrote my first novel. I put it aside and wrote something else and then came back to it with a fresh set of eyes and more education. I put it away again, wrote something else, and then pulled it back out later.

Why so much back and forth you might ask? Because the story was way too big to be a first-time writer's story.

Now it is my first-time AND my fifth-time story. And now it's starting to draw the attention of people who matter.

I didn't obsess over this manuscript and I didn't allow myself to become a one-trick pony. I DIDN'T spend three years working on only it. I gave myself time to grow to the point where I can handle it.

I'm glad we had our time apart, my manuscript and me. For we are both stronger now.

My Two Reasons to Attend the Backspace Conference

2010-04-07T09:01:00.000-07:00

Okay, there are a lot more than two, but every one of them fits into one of two categories; Selfish or Advancement.

I’m in the middle of nowhere. It’s not just that I live in a small town. Lot’s of writers do. (Probably most of them do.) It’s that I live in southern Indiana. Conferences are few here. There are no book clubs or writing groups within a practical driving distance. Hell, authors don’t even come here often. Now, don’t get me wrong. The internet is a great tool. Forums are terrific and email critiques are invaluable; but I crave the chance to be in the mix - the debates, the energy – to feel the heartbeat… to be with humans in the flesh who can relate to what I’m trying to accomplish.

I read. Lord knows I read. I read anything I can find that might give me even one new tip to advance my dream and, now that my computer has sound, I watch videos too; but that isn’t the same as attending a conference in person and having the opportunity to hear and ask questions within the context of a discussions, while ideas are fresh and opinions are passionate.

I’m dying to see and hear the experts explaining the publishing industry first hand. I want to be able to learn how to create the perfect hook at 10:30, figure out how to handle the whole “social media” thing at 1:00, find out some of the misconceptions of the publishing industry within an hour (instead of inflicting myself with horrible personal experiences over the course of a years)... I want to learn what groundwork to lay and where I’m trying to get, so I’ll better know how to get there. Will I learn everything I need in three days? No. But I’ll be a lot closer than I am now.

And – absolutely, unarguably selfishly - I want to meet you. The ones who have made it and the ones who are trying, the ones who have helped me in the past and the ones who are working with me right now (who I know for certain will be attending this conference - on both sides of the tables.)

There’s value in all of it. Not only the workshops and discussions, but in the whole kit and caboodle. Skipping any portion of it means missing out on some of the mixer/mingler portion of the event – which means missing out on the informal words of wisdom that slip out during chitchat.

So, what does the Backspace Conference mean to me? It means taking one huge steps toward my goal. I want to go because I don’t want to be a dream-chaser forever. I want to be a dream-catcher.

Hmm… I guess I have only one reason to attend the Backspace Conference…

If you want to know what this conference is, check out http://www.backspacewritersconference.com/

When My Husband Found Out

2010-03-16T05:12:00.000-07:00

I didn't want to tell my husband how badly I wanted to be a published author at first. I don't know why. Maybe because I already had a time-consuming career. Or maybe because I already had a giant loom in the attic (that I still want to learn to use), a vegetable garden (that, although it does produce vegetables, produces just as many weeds) and a large kiln (which I'm dying to sell if anyone's looking!) In anycase, I didn't.

A while ago, for a few weeks, several times a day, I went to the same web site and drooled over the list of agents who were attending the Backspace.org Author-Agent seminar. I wanted to go SO badly, but there was money issue and the kids and it was only two days after the corn maze closed and... *sigh*

And then it happened.

My husband came home and caught me. He asked me what I was looking at. I couldn't deny it anymore, so I told him. -- There were so many big agents going to be there... And the author population was so small... The ratio... The education... The opportunity... The money... The time... I can't...

And do you know what he said? He said, "If your going to do something, do it big. So go."

I love my husband. He's so tolerant. He puts up with me and my writing, and my monsters, and my garden, and my experimental cooking, and my knitting machine, and my loom still sitting in the attic...

...but even HE doesn't like the kiln.

Proud To Know Them

2010-03-08T04:25:00.000-08:00

I love watching the Academy Awards and last night was no exception. It was a pleasure to see long-time friends Barney Burman and Joel Harlow accepting their Oscars for Star Trek; to see some of the actors I've worked with over the years all dressed up, non-dirty and sweaty - like Forrest Whitaker, Keanu Reeves and Julianne Moore; and when they honored horror films and Beetlejuice was in the mix, and felt that little touch of personal pride.

But there's always that sad moment during the Awards too, when they recognize the talents we've lost throughout the year and someone I've come to know as a real person has passed away. This year, it was Michael Jackson. Truly a good, very misinterpreted man (by some of his own sensitivities and eccentricities - and the assistance of the press.)

I am proud to mingle with these people, to work with them and meet them as the hard-working human beings they are. I've learned a lot about people during the professional and personal encounters of my life - and many of these experiences inspire characteristics in the fictional characters I create.

You may never find out who the people are within my characters, but I will. Privately and proudly, I always will...

Sleep: The Great Interference

2010-03-04T04:31:00.000-08:00

If the rest of 2010 plays out the way the first two months have gone, this year is going to be quite the wingdinger.

Let's see... I've already delivered two private commission pieces. There are two TV pilot pieces in the works and two more costumes and a puppet waiting in line.

But wait! That's not all!

If I hurry, I can squeeze the costumes for that commercial right between the kids' tournament games, the 4-H meeting and painting the library before the bookshelves arrive. And then, when I deliver those pilot pieces, I can see how much work I get to do the second art piece Guillermo Del Toro has requested. (The first one was an absolute blast! I can only hope there's room for me to have as much fun on this one.)

With all this going on, I absolutely refuse to neglect my writing. Every morning and night, I work on polishing at least on scene of my manuscript. (Yesterday, I managed to polish two complete chapters. I really like them, but I don't expect every section to go that well.) Andy and I are getting along very well these days and if I listen closely while I'm sculpting foam, he'll tell me what's wrong with everything I read that morning, so I can have it all fixed before bedtime.

If only I didn't have to sleep...

I Hold the Power!

2010-02-24T06:02:00.000-08:00

Someone asked me whether I prefer to write in first person (I did... We did...) or third person (Fernando did... She did...) I'm not comfortable writing in first person. The whole I-I-me-me thing just seems a bit funky.

At the inspiration of someone worth being inspired by, I now write in ex-treme-ly close third person, so close it's al-most first person.

Then why not just go to first person?

Because it still gets to be me telling his intepretation of the situation. Yet if he tries to link one thought to another and start wandering off into the wild blue yonder, I can shut the rambling down and keep the story advancing in the direction I want it to go. The only problem is with his interpretation of things. He isn't always right and then I have to work very hard to show the reader the truth beyond him.

It's always tough to control someone like Andy. In fact, some of the characters find it impossible! That makes me privileged to be the one who hold the power. Well - at least I get to think I do.

One Hundred

2010-02-13T05:47:00.000-08:00

One hundred. That's the average number of query letter rejections a writer will see before they will find one agent to say 'yes'. I didn't find this out until AFTER I had spent three and a half months writing my first full novel - which was probably a good thing.

"Why so many?" I asked.

I learned.

I wrote my query letter, researched agents' interests and sent my query... and sent my query... and sent my query... and... Then I found out the rule is to send them out in groups of 10 and wait for all 10 responses before sending more; and if you receive 8-10 straight rejections, rewrite your query letter.

Oh. I didn't know that part.

So, I rewrote my query and sent 6... and rewrote my query and sent 6... and... you get the idea.

Will it take me one hundred? Possibly yes. Possibly no. Will it take one hundred if I count the 49 I sent before I learned the rules? The jury is still out.

I'm on query letter number 67 now and holding steady. How about you?

Finding the Magic

2010-02-05T05:32:00.000-08:00

Well, Andy and I are finally on speaking terms again (although, with him things always a bit tough.) I had to completely turn away from him to bring him back. I ordered dog fur, sanded foam muscles and worked on the front leg extensions - all the while, with his favorite music playing in the background. I can't write with the music playing, but I've learned there are certain songs that can usually draw Andy out of his shell fairly quickly. Different songs for different scenes. Sometimes it's Bon Jovi; sometimes it's Martin Denny or Pink Floyd or Louis Armstrong; and sometimes it's Cecilia Bartoli.

BB, on the other hand... He doesn't care about music one way or the other. I bought some music I thought would help him, but it didn't. Oh sure, he got a kick out of the most god-awful bluegrass singing I had ever heard, but I couldn't possibly listen to enough of that to do us any good. It made me laugh so hard I couldn't see through the tears. Maybe some better bluegrass would work, but I doubt it. So far, manual labor seems to be the magic spell for him. Hmmm... Maybe the house remodel will get done yet.

BB and Andy are so very different and I like them both, but BB will just have to hold on for another week or two. Andy and I have some unfinished business to attend to.

For now, I'm turning up the music!

Must... Pull... It... Out of Him.

2010-01-29T08:53:00.000-08:00

Okay. Andy is really starting to tick me off!

His novel is finished, right?...Um... No.

I nagged him him for months to be more honest with himself about why he likes visiting Kate and Barry so much and we've just about got that cleared up, but now I've found four more places where he ditched me and left me to narrate the scenes by myself. I wish he would stop doing that!

He's my character. I created him. Then how can he be so evasive? Because he's really good, that's why. It isn't always easy getting full cooperation from him or the people he knows. Sure, I can make them all DO stuff, but how they respond to that action comes from who they are as individuals, where they came from and where they want to go - and my, my, my... they are all so very different. My characters all come from me, but that doesn't make them me and sometimes that makes figuring them out as easy as pulling teeth from an alley cat.

The Brain is the Hog.

2010-01-25T10:06:00.000-08:00

I built Batman stunt dummies on my living room floor. Then I graduated to sleeping in the living room and working on Beetlejuice and Tokyo Disneyland puppets in my apartment's bedless bedroom. Then came the two-bedroom apartment so I could have a bedroom AND a shop, and then the house with the converted garage for my creature work and so on... as I found a place for life and a place for work.

I've now discovered it's no easier to write a novel in a living room than it is to build a monster in one. Sure, the mess is smaller and it doesn't stink as badly but, nonetheless, writing does use things that take up space (a keyboard, a bunch of notes, a pile of research...) and a brain. The brain is the real space hog. Mine requires an atmosphere devoid of ringing telephones, chattering television hosts, Nerf gun wars and guilt.

Sometimes I can ignore the atmospheric malfunctions, but the guilt... that's the tough one. I suppose a certain amount of guilt comes naturally for dreaming wives and mothers. Should I feel bad about stealing hours away to write? I don't think so.

Maybe a teeny paycheck for writing would help.

Someday...

One Cold Wintery Day

2010-01-21T10:00:00.000-08:00

You can do lots of things on a cold, wintery day, with kids running everywhere and a wood stove needing stoked every few hours. You can bake cookies, play a fourth game of Candyland, build a lego tower as tall as yourself, sew a set of bathroom curtains or, in my case, think, "Maybe I should write that novel."

That's all it was. A thought - a doodle really - but the words started falling into lines. My typing was awful. (I definately should have paid more attention in typing class.) I discovered the backspace key and spell check and pushed on. Soon, scenes played out in my head so clearly, I simply wrote what I saw. My fingers couldn't keep up. I stopped the scenes, rewound them and played them again and again, until I got them down, one by one. It took three and half months of writing during the kids' naps, between loads of laundry and while the soup simmered, to pound out my first novel.

I knew nothing about outlining back then or editting or how to sell a novel once I finished it, but that didn't matter. I was writing - and, for fear of people laughing at me, it was my little secret.

They All Have Stories

2010-01-20T07:48:00.000-08:00

I know these people well. They're strong. They're alive - and they want their stories heard. So, out they must come through my clattering keys.

Am I crazy? That point is probably debatable. But by Webster's definition - no.

I'm just a wife/mother/professional monster maker/writer striving to become a published author, with a blog to tell my tales during the long, slow, sometimes frustrating, always educational, incredibly challenging, uphill climb to fulfill another dream.

Welcome to my world.