meg_evonne

When the Muse Turns Her Back

2012-02-07T17:18:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite web sites has an author section. This was my contribution for when the muse turns her back:

1. Become accountable to someone. Or use #amwriting on twitter. Both can give you a sense that you are NOT ALONE at your laptop.

2. Take a writing class. Try mediabistro.com. You'll be forced to come up with 10 pages every week, plus you'll crit 15 of your fellow writer's work of 10 pages each. That'll keep you focused.

3. Edit the words or scene you wrote the day before, then move onto a fresh scene.

4. Play white noise or listen to zen type music that masks city sounds, then fades as you write. I 'awoke' from my best and longest writing session to find myself listening to the DVD repetitious episode selection music for Gray's Anatomy. I write with old tv series on the screen. Old stuff--so you aren't riveted to it.

5. Find several that work and rotate them. Anything that jiggles the writing genes helps.

6. Love your characters. Make them your friends, although you'll need to kill some of them off...so make it a prostitute relationship. *smiling*

7. There are a lot of google sites you can explore, but this one tickled my own creative muse. http://clicks.robertgenn.com/find-your-muse.php Now, I'm off to strip and then eat some extra gorgeous raspberries. You'll never know if I'm serious or not.

Whatever and however you find your muse, write. Even if the muse hides, write about her/his absence.

Yes, I'm a Book Whore follower...

2012-02-07T16:16:00.000-08:00

Lynn Rush's new cover.... And thus I receive 25 points toward an ecopy. If I ever get published, I am going to camp out on the BookWhore's web page until she shows me how to do all those cool things she does on her blog post!

Writing Systems: What Works for Me

2012-01-28T06:26:00.000-08:00

I've been asked how I organize my research and my work. Here is the short answer, and who would ever want the long answer? LOL

Plain old word doc by chapter here and extensive excel sheets: for characters, for chapters names, for scene goals (reason for being there), for color highlighting the rating tension level of scenes (to assure that it is ever ratcheting up as the book progresses), for color highlighting tension type such as action, sexual, etc within scenes to make sure they balance nicely, and for word count by chapter, by section, and total for entire work.

I keep image files: of characters, of locations, of maps, of research type photos such as weapons or costumes. I keep excel sheets with web addresses for my research sites.

I keep a 'to do' list while re-reading or editing--so I don't waste creative juices editing when the muse is speaking into my ear. I can then go back and fix what I had found objectionable when my mind wants to wear the editor's cap.

I work off flash drives, which are effective and easy, but I keep one steno pad (or more) for every manuscript where I doodle and work out complicated world info. I fanatically back up on two separate computers as well.

I never begin a second full draft edit without first using shrunken manuscript concept to find white space, then dialog vs description, then dialog without good physical action, then I fix that first. This is followed by searches for every 'ly' adverb, for most, always, just, seems etc and the infamous 'said'. (Seriously have you heard an Audible book that has a gazillion 'said' after 'said' after 'said'--give my ears and my intelligence a break folks. If you didn't show me who that character speaking is through action and that character's voice--you already lost me!) Shrunken manuscript is crucial. I keep everything. That helps me cut my babies. They are there if I change my mind.

I believe that the Google cloud will be my final home, but for now--I don't have the hard control I want to have on the editing process there.

Some downsides: Once I compile it into the single manuscript after I've gone through several drafts--life gets complicated. As I set up pages for agents, I can't keep from tweaking, and those tweaks don't always make it back into the original manuscript. (Not sure they should--often times the tweaks are god-awful mistakes.) Problem is that I start to get confused on which is the most recent vetted pages and are they in the single manuscript or not? I don't know if other writer programs would solve that or not. Generally those are e-mails that I save, so they are located on a whole different platform.

I keep everything, labeling chapters 01.23 (Chapter 1, rewrite 23 etc) for example. And yes, that is a 23. I begin every writing session re-reading and editing the last scene, then move on to 'get-her-done' writing. If it takes a week to get that scene right, I can have seven versions before I ever begin real editing. FYI, that next scene is firm in my mind: who, what, when, why, how, emotions & conflicts of each character set, etc.

I tried Scriver beta, but it was more complex than what I use. I don't like to fight a system while I'm writing. Also, my Toshiba has a cool bulletin board that is excellent, but over time the short cuts can get lost and I have to relocate and reattach--especially when I do my year end back up into a safe deposit box. That bulletin board though gives me one central location to easily click back and forth. My bulletin board has over six projects, and two of those are series. Proof that the visual nature of a bulletin board is invaluable for organization.

Bottom line? Your system shouldn't fight with how you write from day one through publication date. If you obsess with systems, you'll never get to the real work and fun of simply writing. Systems can be a safe haven for procrastinators. Are you a writer or a procrastinator? Speaking of procrastination, just how much of your precious writing time are you blogging, facebooking, tweeting, e-mailing? How much true writing time have you lost? If you haven't figured it out by seeing how infrequently I blog, you can take that as a positive sign my WiP is gripping me tightly.

Just write and your system will evolve by your third manuscript. It will be perfected by your eighth!

Stubborn Scenes

2012-01-25T21:19:00.000-08:00

When a scene refuses to behave...

Try to fix it.
Try to fix it.
Try to fix it.
Finally---cut it.

Why couldn't I have figured that out before I spent an entire day on it?

Villainy

2012-01-25T21:07:00.000-08:00

Do you watch Justified? It's something that I really admire: the writing, the complexity of the characters and the acting.

If you get a chance, get Season 2: Disc 2 and after watching the story arc, check out the special feature called Clans, Fueds and Apple Pie. It is an exemplatory discussion on villains.

At one point, an actor or writer says, "I don't know where this character is going, but it is going to be exciting." They said it better. I agree. How do you chart your villain's internal journey, when you haven't seen how the plot and fellow characters are going to mold them? There is value in keeping that sketchy, allowing them to evolve toward the end point.

Yes, we can chart out what that last climax is going to look like, but the character's journey needs to be fluid enough to allow our creations to mature.

If you get a chance to see it, let me know what you think.

Meg

My 1st 'completely love' book.

2012-01-21T07:42:00.000-08:00

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

50 years??? That means that I read my 1st 'completely love' book at
eight? Yes, waiting for the age snark to begin--I am that old.

Still, when Amazon posted the 50th Anniversary I was terribly disappointed. (Photo showing is NOT the 50th anniversary version.) The cover on this thing is atrocious and the ad copy seems to have nothing incredible or wonderful to add.

I'll keep my 25th, thank you very much. I am angry that the publisher even bothered. If you purchased it and have a differing view, then I would be delighted to find out differently.

Her fans and her family deserve better than this!

View all my reviews

First Drafts are Difficult Little Toddlers... Writing Craft Rules According to Meg

2011-04-05T15:07:00.000-07:00

Recently I did some crit work for friend. As part of that, I found myself finding similar errors repeated and rather than bleed all over her wonderful work, I compiled a list of what I've learned and placed in my writer's tool box.

Rules are meant to be broken, however as Ms. Amy Boggs recently discussed, "Know them before you break them, and know why you decided to break them."

Here are my rules for discussion or to have you add your own. These are the ones that lend themselves well to lists. As to character development, plot development, tension, climaxes etc--I yield to JB's writing postings.

First drafts are difficult little toddlers… Writing Craft Rules According to Meg

Stolen from too many sources to remember.

*Avoid word repetition & action repetition (see how irritating the 'repetition' is? And yep, I did it again.)
*Seek out the simple verb: I ‘needed to hurry’ vs. I ‘hurried’.
*Seek out white space—whenever possible. Many times you ‘report’ through exposition what is said, when the actual dialog might be the better choice. This rule comes from too many sources to name. Mark Nieson lays out his pages on the floor, stands on a chair, and takes a look at the physical black and white on the pages, Darcy Patterson (sp) recommends the shrunken manuscript, i.e. literally shrink your manuscript to 20% or less and look at the black and white on your printed pages. Myself, I like easy and am occasionally OCD, I highlighted dialog one color, exposition another, and then I shrank it on the monitor. I mean WOW! Too much one color—get busy! You double click on the culprit and fix it, then shrink it down and move to the next. Shrinking gives you tons of pages on your monitor to see at once.
*Seek Out the long sentence. 90%, or what feels like 90%, of revision is tighten, tighten, tighten. One trick that I learned was to look for them. (Yes, I highlighted them and researched where and why I used them. I even shrunk the manuscript to see their positioning. Then I reviewed the best novels I had on hand to see how they used them. Meg Roskoff uses the most beautiful long sentences to end her chapters.
Long sentences can be beautiful and elegant; they can be the signature of an excellent writer.<--yes, I love this sentence that I wrote. (I took a long sentence Univ. of IA Great Courses class on the subject.) My take in YA, use long sentences as a contrast for emphasis, not as routine practice. In YA, use them when you can truly construct that beautiful, perfect, well-written sentence, but don’t lie to yourself about the quality. Edit 90% of long sentences to the core reason for it to have been written.
*’ly’ adverbs-never use them. (Yet, remember, there are no nevers in writing!  ) Learned from Brett Anthony Johnston, Harvard-creative writing & also Browne & King, Self-editing for Fiction Writers –As Brett said, when you use ‘ly’ adverbs, you haven’t found the right verb.
*Avoid re-capping at the end of a paragraph. Either you wrote it well the first time, making the re-cap un-nesessary, or you didn’t. Trust your writing. Trust your reader. Then keep your main character from re-capping inside the paragraph or in dialog.
*Pimp the senses--all the time. Use them to further plot, character and to set the scene. I took a workshop at Univ. of IA with Mark Nieson and spent an entire year exploring ‘how to write with senses’. Time well spent.
*Know when you write tension, and then don’t stomp on it with extemporaneous exposition—simply nail it. Yeah, this one is actually mine, probably borrowed from my debater coach daughter. I’m defining tension as applicable to romance, to action, and to high emotion packed scenes.
*Every chapter, every paragraph, every sentence, and every word has to earn its place in your writing. Better yet, scenes must earn that right for two, three, even better four or more reasons that further your plot/character. If they don’t cut them. This is an old and tried rule. Even elegant exposition is only good if it is there for a reason. Literally ask, ‘how does this sentence meet the goal of this scene?’ And ask it for every sentence. If it doesn’t, then you have to pull it or edit it to do so. Or with your historical information that you wish to impart, you must tie it to furthering the plot.
*’my mother’, ‘my father’, ‘my parents’ In 1st POV you are inside your character’s mind; your character will say, “Mother.” You might have an historical conscious decision to do this. If so, be aware that editors see it as a ‘beginners’ error. Jill Santopolo, author, editor, goddess.
*Use the most active verb possible to ‘brighten’ your writing. ‘I heard’, ‘I felt’, ‘I saw’, ‘I helped’ are reporting verbs, not ‘showing’ verbs. Use instead the direct, simple verb that follows. Never use 'seemed'. It either is or it isn't. Don't play word games without a reason.
Example: “I heard the sound of horses.” You are telling the reader what they are supposed to hear rather than showing me the sound. Alternative: “Horse hooves clopped—one, two, three, four and then one scrapped off rhythm like it had stumbled, struggling as it climbed.” See the strength of my poor example? You get the idea though.
*Be conscious of your beats. Uhm, I can’t really explain this one. This is my rule, but it is similar to what was taught in the long sentence Great Course. It’s something you know when you read it. Here is an example of great beat use in your work (with one minor edit on my part).
“Off to my left was the men’s dressing room where I never went. (5 beats) Off to my right was the women’s dressing room where I went twice a day. (6 beats) In front of me was the Earl’s bedroom where I was never to go. (7 beats after I edited)” And it’s in the classic story telling three sequence! Simply delicious! Well done!
*Kill all modifiers. Browne & King. (remember, rules are made to be broken) ‘most’ ‘still’ ‘just’ ‘only’ ‘almost’ 'always' weaken your writing.
*Search ‘I’ and when you see several in a scene, rewrite until the majority disappear. Scott Tremble’s comment, ‘Your character is full of herself.’ Ouch, hurt and learn.
*Seek out and judge your chapter endings. These are crucial and I think they terrify editors, because every ending is a spot the reader will possibly put down the book—and they may not return! Make sure they are special in some intimate way so the reader is ‘involved’ with your character.
*Book and Chapter beginnings: Dialog best. Action next. Dialog and action together is outstanding! Sorry, I can’t remember who gave these to me. I think it was an author panel at MiHi that included Connie Willis, Patricia Briggs, Tim Powers, among others.
*Protagonists must protag! Protagonists must be reactive and then proactive to their circumstances. Make your main character react! Writing without that reaction is reported, not emotionally rich. Sharelle Byars Moranville – children’s author, NBA nominee, but I think she stole it from another author/teacher at U of I.  That was the title of the other author’s class. See my scary, scary bones note later. (She referenced the instructor.)
*Use metaphors. They are your friend—just don’t mix them.
*Go for the jugular. When you are in touch with your character’s internal feelings, dig deeper and get more out of them. This is my rule.
*Look for the beauty in your writing, and then emphasize it through conscious artful decisions from your writer’s craft toolbox.
*English editing uses ‘s’ on toward, forward, backward, etc. American editing doesn’t use the ‘s’. Jill Santopolo, author, editor at Philomel, instructor.
*Do not personify body parts. Anj Sachdava, but it’s an olden goldie.
*’ing’ verbs are weaker than ‘ed’ verbs. Always chose the strongest verb. Chris White

Ouch, Hurt and Learn - a Writer's Journey

2011-03-03T05:57:00.000-08:00

Ouch:
My mentor, teacher, editor-extraordinaire, industry goddess—a person whom I admire and trust returned her opinion of Isis. Her offer to read my manuscript was a dream come true and I knew that I could count on her honesty.

Hurt:
I’ve heard of an author who takes her edits straight from the mail and puts them into the freezer section of her refrigerator. The desire to put some coldness between my writer’s burning soul and the hard, frozen truth of the professional (mine & my mentor’s) is understandable. It’s what happens next that defines the writer. I am a professional. I will not only open my arms to the advice, but I will feel it fully, absorb the pain, and learn from it.

Three areas to concentrate on:

More tension, (my readers just groaned-as they already feel like they’ve been through an incredible roller coaster ride of tension—keep reading) especially in the beginning.
Dialogue wasn’t feeling realistic to me.
I had trouble feeling Eve’s emotions.

Learn:
Tension, I can fix. The good news is that I found this myself coming back from DFWWW; the bad news is that I found it too late and may have squandered my ‘free manuscript review’ as a result. I even highlighted the problem in those first fifty pages while bouncing through air turbulence. To find the letter on my desk, simply confirmed my worst fears.

Dialog, I can fix. Perhaps this was more a style difficulty. My dialog also might include too much information, better explained elsewhere or cut. That I can do. Or it might be more underlying than that.

Reader was unable to feel my main character’s emotions; the nail in the coffin for me and something I thought I fixed. Certainly other readers hadn't mentioned this or I didn't recognize what they were saying. Back to the writer’s tool chest and time to be brutally honest. Splat. Wall. Blood, guts and brain matter. Have I squandered two valuable opportunities as a result? Is the true strength of my first pages in this regard strong enough to carry over the weaker mid-section of my first fifty? I hope so, especially when that other opportunity was with an agent in my top five--to be honest, she is in all five slots of my top ten. Once done, there are rarely second chances in this industry...

In either case, it’s back to classes and intensive reading of current fiction work that draws the reader in close. Finding the right instructor, the right instruction book, the right course to help me pick apart successful manuscripts that do this and learn to apply it well is essential.

Learning the right tools to improve this is now my top priority. I can’t be content with what I have presently and this valuable feedback will drive me to a new level of competency.

Ouch, hurt and learn--I can do that.

Another thank you to all of the people who read my manuscript, gave me such excellent advice, and continue to support my efforts in this journey.

"Unless It Moves the Human Heart..."

2011-01-31T17:39:00.001-08:00

Notes I took tonight from the PBS interview with Roger Rosenblatt on his book, "Unless It Moves the Human Heart: the Craft and Art of Writing." I've admired his work for years, but I didn't know he was such a wonderful teacher. I look forward to reading the work in full as soon as possible.

"There is no clock attached to becoming a writer." Thank you, Roger Rosenblatt!

“Write to make suffering endurable, evil intelligible, justice desirable, and love possible.”

What should a writer strive for? "Anticipation rather than surprise, imagination rather than invention, … and write with precision and restraint."

Why do you do it? "To make the world better, to be useful."

Finally, "If a critic says you meant something, take the credit, even if you didn’t."

My full apologies to Roger Rosenblatt and PBS for errors in grammar and misquotes.

http://www.amazon.com/Unless-Moves-Human-Heart-Writing/dp/0061965618/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1296524707&sr=1-1

Tagline Contest

2010-11-03T11:02:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: Tagline has been re-worked as shown... Probably will change many, many more times!

Magi magic manifests through trial; the greater the magic within, the greater the trial, and Eve is going to manifest a shitload of magic, or die trying. To find her parents and save the world, she races across Rome trailing ritual murders by finding and deciphering clues in order to stop a ghoul, straight out of Lucan’s epic poem. All to clean up a mess made by Isis, her mentor—a mess that has already sent two samaneri to their deaths.

Deep in editing for that final printing to send off to an editor, I missed the great Miss Snark's First Victim's tagline contest. Completely inexcusable since she actually ran three submission times. Inexcusable, but you do learn as much by reading, writings crits, and reading the posted crits as you get posting! It's an invaluable resource I visit often.

Then to my surprise, someone else opened up same type of feed back on their site. Okay, missed three and MSFV has this fabulous opportunity coming up shortly--so to miss the 4th would be completely stupid. Therefore, for your editing pleasure here is my tagline for my manuscript.

Title: Star of Isis
Genre: high concept YA magic realism
Word Count: 60,533

Fifteen-yr-old Eve arrives in Rome to find her parents missing. To save her parents and defeat a ghoul straight from Lucan's epic poem, Eve must discover her magi powers and decipher clues while trailing a series of ritual murders. She explores real history, visits authentic exotic locations, and converses with historical figures-both real and from religious mythology.

Please comment away. ANYTHING you can do to make this stand out and say, "Represent me!" would be greatly appreciated!

What is the fuss? #queryfail

2010-10-08T10:38:00.001-07:00

Recent Miss Snark's First Victim blog asked for opinions on agents and interns (remember an intern is under the supervision of an agent) who quote from queries as a learning tool on twitter. This could be an invaluable tool for writers. Apparently, there have been some authors who have taken objection to the practice.

I am not a follower of the tweet catagory mentioned in the blog, but here is my initial take on this. For any agent who is offended by my comments, my apologies, but I assume you have the same sense of humor as the prospective client is to have when they find their query commented on in a public forum... Seriously guys on both sides! Lighten up!

Yet...

"Personally, I couldn't care less, but on a professional level--perhaps. An agent has no responsibility to an unsigned author, yet there is a level of privacy assumed in the query process. For example, I doubt any of us would deny that sharing a premise, a plot line, a character quirk that the agent thought was clever would be 'all right'.

Here is the possible problem on a professional level. First, the new practice of not replying to queries places another layer of anonymity and distance between agent and prospective client. In that environment, imagine the possible anger when author sees their query picked apart publicly later? And remember, prospective authors are often following the agent in question. Tweetdom is public, blogs are public, forums are public--agents are not without responsibility when in the public eye.

Agents are professionals. Professionals do not use their knowledge or expertise to snark or ridicule others. The agent should have replied courteously with the obvious error and then could have asked to share on a blog or tweet or whatever without naming names etc. Then it would have been a true learning experience for all, without the vague possibility of harming another.

Signed Ann Landers... or maybe Pollyanna in the heartland. :-) "

The Writer's Craft and Scotch Whiskey

2010-09-05T04:36:00.000-07:00

Is it a surprise to anyone that I am a classic Type A personality? Yes, the upholstered chair at my desk frays along the front, not the back. When I focus on a client, it’s intense, eyes in compassion, but still intense. I don’t meander; I storm. My actions reflect layers of quickly reasoned thoughts, not tending to linger on the single thought in great depth.

I don’t write short stories, but for assignments at the Univ. of IA summer program, I am forced into its tightly knit form. I learn a great deal as I organize my thoughts, reach for the concepts and writer craft skills I have and I’m learning. They give me a chance to see what I’ve accomplished on a few pages. One such work, I’m cultivating, revising, and eying for my annual contender for the Zoetrope: All-Short Story Contest. I do this without any thought or hope of recognition, but more of a final school exam, a statement of my growth.

This year, two writing projects intersected and gave me pause. One a nonsense, fun piece for an acquaintance about reviews and scotch whiskey—okay, you had to be there… The other was this short story, Eden.

After Eden’s time in the corner, in the drawer in writer's vernacular--that recommended writer’s rest and pause, this time rather than picking it up, attacking it with vigor, and devouring it, I read it through the eyes of that master brewer, deep in his caves, testing his kegs in the cold, bitter winter time, imagining the spring. The deep draw of breath from each glass, the first virgin taste on one, the middle-aged ripeness on another, and then heavenly, fully aged flavor of the cream—aged ten, fifteen, more years. Reminiscing on the smoky flavor, the subtle blend, the gentle timeless aging in a keg traveled with me into my revision of Eden—an incident unprecedented.

Being type A, these moments do not settle easily around me, but when they do, when I find that peace, when I find that time for being in the moment—it is a delicious and wondrous time, and the work does well for it.

The Value of Taking the Side Path...

2010-08-26T11:26:00.000-07:00

Over and over a writer hears that taking a side path, a branch off from the planned route can add, add, add to our work, even as the writer worries about the time it takes to travel them. Yes, I've been down three side paths since last I posted.

1. I took some serious time to do 'writing craft' research on 'plot climax' from as many sources as I had on hand and available through the internet. As a result, I came to understand that my climax was actually a couple chapters prior to where I thought it was. Okay, you're scratching your head going, 'how the f****** hell can Meg not know where the blasted plot climax is after all that time!?!" Turns out, I have one climax that births another that follows immediately after that one. The first is a physical plot climax followed by a final massive mental/emotional climax puzzle to figure out. I'd erroneously figured that the mental section was the massive plot climax...

Decided after research that I had to make the physical climax even more satisfying for the reader and make it the top of my upside down plot chart. Then the mental section is an odd twist that extends that height, or might even be considered to slip down and then get pushed over the top again before resolving the book.

That might seem minor, but it put a whole new spin on how much I had to put into the physical plot climax scene...

Then 2. I've been listening to a "Great Sentence" MFA lecture series from a retired Univ of IA professor. It's a complicated, but fascinating class on sentence structures from cumulative sentences, suspensive sentences, etc. From that reading, I ripped apart Carrie Vaughn's short story from Dark and Stormy Knights to critique when and where she used them in her work to heighten tension, build suspense, etc and also a Meg Rosoff book for the same detail. Both use cumulative sentences in different but fascinating ways.

Both research side roads have paid off in huge dividends when I look at the overall effectiveness of my WiP.

3. An assignment on 'order', not flashback, but conscious reveal of back-story in book real time woven into the work has made three beautiful counterpoints of jeweled nuggets that simply make the emotion zing off the pages. Thank you, BK Loren and the Univ of IA writer's festival!

True Winning Premise Followed by Promise Kept

2010-07-21T05:24:00.001-07:00

Why begin with a winning premise? How better to know that you are on the track of something that screams, 'Read me!'

You know that I am taking a class from BK Loren at the Iowa Summer Writer's Festival. She recently received a New Millennium Writings Award. How can you not read this premise and immediately head over to read the story?

"As previously announced, BK Loren of Lafayette, Co, took the $1,000 Fiction Prize for her story 'Cerberus Sleeps,' a surprisingly warm and imaginative story from the POV of the famous Greek hound who once watched over Hades, but now watches over a modern American family on the brink of disaster."

Check out the winners list at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Knoxville-TN/New-Millennium-Writings/68730338624 And you can access BK Loren's story at www.NewMillenniumWritings.com

I finished reading her short story and loved it with passion. Especially since close family friends have recently moved their father into a memory unit. The father and his father spooned together over the walker--simply beautiful.

I'll ask today if the premise led the story or if the story made the premise. I suspect the latter. Wonderful work, but far, far too short. Perhaps Cerebus will return?

To Premise or Not to Premise--that is the Question

2010-06-25T05:24:00.000-07:00

In response to concern that beginning your work with a premise statements is flawed and that they are no more than elevator statements. The position is that it is the story that counts. What follows is my reply.

On the other hand, we can't deny that trends are the meat of the industry for every published and unpublished author. Also my best writing has stemmed from premise statements. They help you condense your character's heart-line and keep you focused. They can assure that the marketable storyline on track. Premises can be more than a hook. Example: the decision to write a sibling piece marketable to boys and girls. Ages that are aimed where you think the market is hot. A storyline that grows from a hot sub genre.

A DNA structure is key to decide if your idea has the legs to make it into print. I will never go back to seat of my pants writing. I invest too much of my life, my time, and my effort into a story, and I want to know it has a chance of going all the way. Does that make sense?

The premise is your bone structure. If the right bone structure isn't there to begin with initially, it's almost impossible to go back and insert it later.

That's my two cents worth at least. Best writing all.

God's Gift to Authors--their Voice

2010-06-18T12:24:00.000-07:00

My comment in a forum after a colleague said that she had to guard against her style changing in a WiP. "With all your writing experience, you still feel your style varies? That sucks. I hoped that tendency faded w time."

The thing is, ultimately the writer is seeking a style and theme that represents what is in the writer's soul, which is the writer's voice. Once you find the style and theme that best expresses that voice, I don't see it changing or being swayed to match others. In other words, once you've found your unique writer's voice, which is made up from style, theme, techniques, writer craft tools, it may age like a fine wine, but won't change that much. Maybe a more audible image rather than fine wine in needed. Think of your writing as the quest for the perfect bell that will resonate in the reader's mind. Most, perhaps for the vast majority, that bell is slightly off key and the work fails to reach its full potential. Thus the quest is to find that perfect pitch in our writer's voice that is at last--right. I am perfectly willing to listen to other viewpoints on this, but inside it rings true for me.

Brett Anthony Johnston from Harvard says that in a life time an author may have only one true theme or voice. (Like God only gives you one voice or maybe more correct would be to say S/He gives you lots, but its up to you to find the absolutely right perfect voice from those S/He gave you.) Brett bases that on well discussed writing advice that stems from F Scott Fitzgerald, ie that a writer has one underlying voice that s/he is compelled to tell--the writer may change the presentation, but ultimately there is only one.

So in my opinion, an author's voice and its style, which with a mature author, I see as steady and reliable and once found it won't desert or be swayed. It will be true to the author and the gift God gave to that individual.

Building Great Sentences

2010-06-08T12:55:00.000-07:00

I am so pleased that the course I ordered with Brooks Landon as professor came with a booklet. Thus armed, I will not drown in this technical writing craft class. I admit that I'm a junkie of the writer's craft with no intention of returning to the land of sanity.

The titles are enough to get my juices flowing:Grammar and Rhetoric, Propositions and Meaning, Rhythm of Cumulative Syntax, Riddle of Prose Rhythm, Cumulative Syntax to create Suspense, Mechanics of Delay, Balanced Sentences and Balanced Forms, Rhythm of Twos, Rhythm of Threes, Balanced Series and Serial Balances.

Ah yes, those of you with your MFAs, your English BAs are cringing at the memory, but I am reveling in the excitement! How I value what you despaired. This is what age can do for the determination of the writer!

Laugh all you want at my giddiness. The great puzzle of the Great Sentence will be mine to unravel shortly!

Okay, that is now. I'm not a complete idiot in rose colored glasses. I'll read this in two weeks and will be posting how much I hate it. It matters not, the goal is to learn, to apply, to dissect, to advance my craft and I will. One way or another. Hopefully it will involve blood, sweat, and tears or it will have not been worth the effort.

Expanding the Writer's Craft Toolbox...

2010-06-07T12:51:00.001-07:00

I am ever working to improve my craft skills. Classes have proven, other than actually writing, at doing so. I thought I would share what I've got on tap for the summer.

I'm signed up to attend two one-week courses from the Univ of IA Summer Writer's Festival. http://www.continuetolearn.uiowa.edu/iswfest/html/instructor/moranville.html and also http://www.continuetolearn.uiowa.edu/iswfest/html/instructor/Loren.html Both should be excellent revision tool classes. I'm looking forward to my first full week workshops. I've attended for weekends, but never the whole week dedicated to writing! The workshops are filled with writers from all over the world and the value of knowledge gained vs cost has never been a concern. I'm so psyched.

My huge what-the-heck have I done was sign up for a DVD/audio class from a University of Iowa professor now retired. http://www.teach12.com/ttcx/coursedesclong2.aspx?cid=2368 The class is called Building Great Sentences:Exploring the Writer's Craft. It's one of those classes you either love because you know it improves your writing or it will make you feel you never should have tried writing at all.

I may have jumped too far into the deep end. I'm hoping my college linguistics class I took is up to the challenge. (It was so lovely and terrifying to be 50+ in with 20 somethings taking that class in person one summer.) With this class, I'll either swim and learn, or I'll be gasping for air the whole time. I'm hoping that the class comes with handouts! If not, I'll sink! The lecture notes were provided for the first class--printing it out was crucial. Let's say that mastering the long sentence is this instructors forte.

The instructor also wrote a key sci fi genre review from 1900's to now that is used in a lot of writing/lit classes. It's from teach12.com

How about you? Are you forging forward with Aiden and his sisters? Plans for class coming up?

A recap is below of the general description.

Building Great Sentences: Exploring the Writer's Craft
www.teach12.com
Whether two words ("Jesus wept.") or 1,287 words (a sentence in William Faulkner's Absalom! Absalom!), sentences have the power to captivate, entertain, motivate, educate, and, most importantly, delight.

Value of Premise Statements

2010-06-04T08:19:00.000-07:00

The following is from a discussion with a fellow poster concerning the market value of a manuscript. How do you decide if this manuscript deserves the time you plan on putting into it.

If you're concerned that you might be wasting time on it (and I interpreted that statement as - is this marketable, publishable, etc.) then I need a premise statement. It is the story you string upon the world and the dilemma you've created that helps me determine that.

Take a look at the Bourne Identity books/movies. They are about political corruption, but the heart line is about Bourne's need to discover the truth about himself, or protecting someone he loves, or revenging the death of his love. In the process the political is solved as well, but the STORY is in what and how Bourne grows and changes.

In other words, if you are moving toward publication goals, then I would need to see a premise statement, which is no more than two sentences (preferably one] that tells the human element, heart line, or emotional story within your neat world and your conflict. This sentence will be usually be your main character's journey.

Do not share premise statements on line. Those are too easily taken, especially if it's a great premise! The stories could be worlds different, but it WAS your intellectual property drawn down to one or two sentences. Thus the caution.

I've included 12 premise statements that authors and agent Michael Bourret successfully used to sell these books over the past 12 months. What better example than premise samples that worked? These were posted on Publisher's Marketplace, which is a great source for determining trends in publishing and agent research prior to querying. (You've heard about research, right? Don't waste an agent's valuable time if you don't write what they sell!)

From Publisher's Marketplace:
Children's:
Young Adult Nova Ren Suma's IMAGINARY GIRLS, a tale reminiscent of Shirley Jackson's supernatural family dramas, it is the story of two sisters, their strong bond, and the dead body that threatens to break it, to Julie Strauss-Gabel at Dutton Children's, at auction, for publication in Summer 2011, by Michael Bourret at Dystel & Goderich Literary Management (NA).
mbourret@dystel.com
Posted: July 13, 2009 at 4:00 p.m. Eastern

Non-fiction:
Science Marcus Wohlsen's BIOPUNK, chronicling a rising geek underground that wants to do for DNA what the Internet did for information, exploring both the potential for innovation and for destruction, to Courtney Young at Portfolio, for publication in 2011, by Michael Bourret at Dystel & Goderich Literary Management (World). I love this premise and it's science! Not sci fi!
Posted: July 16, 2009 at 8:30 p.m. Eastern

Children's:
Young Adult Heather Brewer's THE SLAYER JOURNALS, a five-book spinoff from the Chronicles of Vladimir Tod series, centering on the character of the slayer that accidentally befriends vampire Vlad before learning of his true nature, to Maureen Sullivan at Dutton Children's, for publication in September 2011, by Michael Bourret at Dystel & Goderich Literary Management (NA).
Posted: August 7, 2009 at 3:06 p.m. Eastern

Children's:
Young Adult Dori Jones Yang's DAUGHTER OF XANADU, about a spirited young Mongolian princess who must decide between her growing attraction towards a young foreigner, Marco Polo, and proving to the Khan, and to herself, that she can be a bold warrior, to Michelle Poploff at Delacorte, by Michael Bourret at Dystel & Goderich Literary Management (NA).
Posted: August 18, 2009 at 5:03 p.m. Eastern

Non-fiction:
Narrative Author of Blue Clay People and Whispering in the Giant's Ear William Powers's TWELVE BY TWELVE: A One-Room Cabin Off the Grid and Beyond the American Dream, a twenty-first century WALDEN and meditation on globalization about the author's experience in an eco-community after returning from a decade as an aid worker in Africa and South America, to Jason Gardner at New World Library, by Michael Bourret at Dystel & Goderich Literary Management (World).
Posted: September 9, 2009 at 9:49 p.m. Eastern

Children's:
Young Adult Debut author Aaron Hartzler's RAPTURE PRACTICE, a humorous, poignant YA memoir about growing up in a fundamentalist Christian home while questioning one's faith and sexuality, reminding readers that sometimes life is stranger than fiction, and often in hindsight, just as entertaining, to Jennifer Hunt at Little, Brown Children's, for publication Spring 2011, by Michael Bourret of Dystel & Goderich Literary Management (world English).
Posted: September 28, 2009 at 11:23 a.m. Eastern

Film rights Suzanne Selfors's SAVING JULIET, to Disney with Peter Chelsom attached and the Gotham Group producing, by Michael Bourret at Dystel & Goderich Literary Management. Power of a timely name. Julie and Julia, Letters to Juliet.. can it be that simple and trivial? yep Fun to grt the scoop on a film that won't come out for a couple years! Publisher's market place is fun!
Posted: October 20, 2009 at 3:13 p.m. Eastern

Non-fiction:
Cooking Brad Thomas Parsons' BITTERS, the history and mystery of how this concentrated alcoholic infusion of aromatic plant roots, bark, herbs, spices, and fruit was first used as a tonic to remedy ills, but has since gone on to be an essential element in quality cocktails, along with more than 100 recipes for homemade bitters and classic and contemporary cocktails using them, to Aaron Wehner at Ten Speed Press, for publication in Fall 2011, by Michael Bourret at Dystel & Goderich Literary Management (World).
Posted: November 10, 2009 at 9:10 a.m. Eastern

Children's:
Young Adult Joelle Anthony's THE RIGHT AND THE REAL, following a seventeen-year-old whose father throws her out of the house when she refuses to join the cult he's gotten involved with, forcing her to survive on her own; but when Dad finds himself in danger, she comes to the rescue armed with her newly acquired street smarts, again to Stacey Barney at Putnam Children's, by Michael Bourret at Dystel & Goderich Literary Management (world).
Posted: December 4, 2009 at 3:35 p.m. Eastern

Children's:
Young Adult NYT bestselling author of Wake and Fade Lisa McMann's DEAD TO YOU, about a teenage boy who was abducted nine years ago and is now returning to his family, and THE UNWANTEDS, about kids who are exiled from their homeland when they display signs of creativity to a hidden world where they are trained to use their abilities and hone their magical skills, to Simon Pulse and Aladdin, in a four-book deal, by Michael Bourret of Dystel & Goderich Literary Management.
Posted: December 11, 2009 at 4:49 p.m. Eastern

Children's:
Young Adult Erin Downing's ECLIPSED, about a girl who has always happily existed in the outer orbit of high school cliques, but is suddenly thrust to the center of the social universe after a mysterious occurrence during a Lunar Eclipse changes everything and flips life-as-she-knew-it onto a bizarre new axis, to Ari Lewin at Disney-Hyperion, in a two-book deal, for publication in spring 2012, by Michael Bourret at Dystel & Goderich Literary Management (NA).
Posted: March 4, 2010 at 5:06 p.m. Eastern

Children's:
Young Adult The Dust of 100 Dogs author A.S. King's EVERYBODY SEES THE ANTS, about a teenage boy who, as he struggles to cope with a relentless bully, mysteriously communicates with his long-lost POW grandfather still missing in action in Vietnam, to Andrea Spooner at Little, Brown Children's, for publication in Fall 2011, by Michael Bourret at Dystel & Goderich Literary Management (World English).

It gives me heart... 20-Under-40-Willing-to-Give-Them-Unpublished-Story

2010-06-03T11:45:00.000-07:00

The NY Times announced they were creating a list (assume definitive) of 20-Under-40-Willing-to-Give-Them-Unpublished-Story. It gave me pause. Do not misunderstand, I am delighted to celebrate young writers and encourage it. Yet, I felt that chill of unease. Am I too old to begin this wild adventure ride? Will these wonderful, talented young writers prove that the experience of age isn't a defining quality of great writing?

The list is out and posted below. My heart is singing again. It is primarily comprised of thirty-somethings. Living life, experiencing life, gaining insight from life is still relevant! At my age, I have even more to offer.

My prayers and best hopes for your wonderful prospects and your future careers. Never forget to live life with the freshness of eye you possess today.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, 32
Chris Adrian, 39
Daniel Alarcón, 33
David Bezmozgis, 37
Sarah Shun-lien Bynum, 38
Joshua Ferris, 35
Jonathan Safran Foer, 33
Nell Freudenberger, 35
Rivka Galchen, 34
Nicole Krauss, 35
Yiyun Li, 37
Dinaw Mengestu, 31
Philipp Meyer, 36
C.E. Morgan, 33
Téa Obreht, 24
ZZ Packer, 37
Karen Russell, 28
Salvatore Scibona, 35
Gary Shteyngart, 37
Wells Tower, 37

So I'm giggling...

2010-05-27T10:38:00.000-07:00

Someone I greatly respect posted this link on a forum that I frequent. *cough, cough..jim-butcher.com* It was so refreshing to see some simple honesty from the author who e-mailed the request and person who replied. Now I have a new blog to follow.

http://www.maxbarry.com/2010/05/25/news.html

Enjoy and as you're giggling, remember it's because we all know we could be the next to mess up the process, ruin a perfect opportunity, stumble in life--whatever. We're here for the ride, let's enjoy it folks!

Hope in Palindrome Submission to AARP

2010-05-18T08:57:00.000-07:00

Carol M, from across the pond sent me this. It's
a palindrome (no that isn't Sarah) and reads the same backward as
forward, with quite different conclusions! It was a video that was
submitted in a contest called, "u @ 50" sponsored by AARP. It won
second place. When they showed it, everyone in the room was awestruck
and broke into spontaneous applause. Brilliant, simple, true, and
ultimately full of hope.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42E2fAWM6rALove
Meg

Writing has No Free Lunch

2010-05-14T06:37:00.001-07:00

A friend made a rather harsh comment on one of my forums. My friend was 100% correct in her opinions of another writer's work. I know she didn't mean to perhaps crush the other writer, but it certainly was a possibility. When I decided to perfect my writing craft, I didn't think that learning to judge other writers' levels in the process would be so important. It is. My response is below. Just a nice recap on what I think it takes to become a master of the writing craft.

Handing *** some coffee...

Liger, The writing craft takes time--a ton of time, usually over years, and it takes commitment. It takes a thick skin and a thicker skull while maintaining a brain that takes what it needs to learn from a variety of sources with a variety of opinions without prejudice.

Write, the rest will come--if you commit to extreme hard work and set easy but steady increases of complexity in learning goals you WILL LEARN the craft. First and foremost write for yourself. If your goal is solely on getting published, getting fame and fortune... Well, crank down the ego by six million and start over.

Write because you must to satisfy something within you whether others read it or not. If you're writing to find a cushy career, then there are tons of easier ways to do it.

Creative Mind

2010-05-10T14:18:00.000-07:00

Interesting discussion on how the creative mind works based on a discussion with Harvard psychologist Shelley Carson. It concerned how to harness your brain state for optimum creativity. You can read the blog here, if you like and thank you to Livia Blackburne. I'm glad you decided to add me as a twitter pal! I'm going to enjoy your blog a great deal. http://blog.liviablackburne.com/2010/05/understanding-brain-states-for-optimum.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+LiviasBrainyWriterBlog+%28Livia+Blackburne%3A+A+Brain+Scientist%27s+Take+on+Creative+Writing+%29&utm_content=Twitter and her guest blog at http://www.problogger.net/archives/2010/05/09/how-to-make-sure-youre-functioning-at-your-creative-best/comment-page-1/#comment-4834153 and also at

I’ve been derided by some writers who’ve claimed I was either 1. a freak of nature, or 2. lying. I write in my sleep. It began with a determination to record and interpret dreams. Somewhere in the process I gained control and could direct my dreams (your first creativity mind set), while pulling freely from the subconscious ether of swirling ideas during free sleep.

The end result is a rich, unique solution to problem solving. It’s also a great way to free associate clues to find out, ‘who done it’.

As I head into sleep, I’ll focus on what scene I have coming up, or how to get my character out of the dilemma I’ve placed them. Frequently by morning I’ll have it worked out in my head. I’ll spend the day with it perking on the back burner and after my normal work, I can sit down and write it out.

I’m glad to see proof that I’m 1. not a freak of nature and 2. that there is proof that I am not lying!

Thanks for the reaffirmation! Meg

Pace/Tension Issues in Action Sequences

2010-05-04T09:11:00.000-07:00

I'm setting up a crit page exchange with a local author and put together this short guideline on pace/tension issues to consider. Sort of a road map of items that I've learned. If it's helpful, let me know.

So in this action sequence, I’ve hit a lot of pacing problems, which just as well could be called tension problems. It’s not unusual in first drafts, but important to keep in mind.

1. Pace/tension requires complete control of what action happens where.
2. Motivations direct your action sequence. Make sure actions match your character's motivation in the scene and that the actions fall in logical sequence.
3. Chose the best, most descriptive, active verbs you can find to use and then place them where they will count in the sentence. Cut weak ones.
4. Never (all rules are made to be broken) use reported or telling in your writing but it’s a cardinal sin in action sequences. If you must, make it a conscious writer’s decision and keep it short.
5. Shifting POVs in action makes the reader work to decide what lens they are looking through and drags the reader out of the action unconsciously---slowing down the pace/tension. If you must, make it an easy shift for your reader wiht limited number of those shifts.
6. Tighten, tighten, tighten. Keep it simple. If 36 syllables can be accomplished in 14—go for it!
7. Generally shift to shorter and shorter sentences and paragraphs as you build the tension and increase the pace. Seek out actual white space in the print in action sequences and avoid areas of dark print in action. It mentally drags the reader down. These are like non-verbal body language that the mind picks up and interprets beneath the surface of thought.

And 8. In my reading experience, only the best (my favorite author, #1NYTimes Jim Butcher) can take these amazing philosophical side steps into the mind and make it work during action scenes. He uses it to tease us away with a wicked sense of humor and murderous planned reader abuse and, addicted, we love it, even as we beg him to get back to the action. (I think this applies to love/sex scenes too. He’s postponing the climax and we…yeah, you get the idea. LOL) At one point in a book, he pulls back from the tight hard action to give me like six ways that people experience hospitals or pain or types of fear and it works! I love his segues like that, but for the rest of us—we’d better keep to the straightforward action…

The Love of Revision

2010-04-30T07:48:00.001-07:00

There is an entire different part of my brain that cranks into gear with revision. This time around I'm firing my revision with visual and audio cues to keep me focused. It adds to the fun. (Egads, did I just call revision fun? Seriously I love it, as long as I keep a fresh work in the hopper as well.)

I've been working with www.darcypattison.com/revision/shrunken-manuscript. The concept is easy, visual, and for those who love the tactile paper approach it works well. In the real world, I scrapped the paper edition and moved straight to highlighting attributes I want to check, ie action, info dumps, dialog, clues etc and then switched my 12 pt NYTs font to 20%. Immediate color coded evidence of your sins! Info dumps glare out at you. Description that runs long blasts out. Dialog from talking heads (rather than using descriptive action within dialog sings out of key! Then that miracle view key again to blow up to full page to make your corrections on a copy you can actually read.

The other pleasure revision trigger was audible. I'm a great reader with no fear of crowds, okay I'm a phenomenal reader--years of storytelling and a BA in drama with an emphasis on oral interpretation sort of hardwired it into me. People enjoy my acting voices,they can clearly understand my words, and I can give them goosebumps or make them cry on cue. Reading my mss should have been a perfect fit, but when I tried it, I stopped short.

I couldn't stand the sound quality of Microsoft Sound Recorder. Then in a stroke of sheer Meg-non-tech-geek format I deleted the program to speed up my laptop. When I decided to try again I had to pick the brains of a young man at Best Buy. Solution: Free down load at www.AudacityDownload.org. Point of order, DO NOT ENTER audacity.com--the first thing that pops up is a notice that they ARE not the audio download site. Yikes, what fun huh? And they haven't figured out how to stick an ad on there for some income? Crazy people.

Anyway, the sound quality is more than acceptable. It has more buttons and cool stuff then I will ever figure out, but it's great. Keep it short. One page. Then listen,make corrections, and smooth out the rough spots.

So zap up your own revision work by using tactile and auditory sensors in your writer's brain and see what new twists and solutions you can discover as a result.

Of course for the ultimate caffeine fix and taste sense add chocolate.

Top Ten List of my favorite young adult boooks

2010-03-12T22:36:00.000-08:00

Top Ten Lists:

My list: I'm with TK. I'm ready for an extended reading break. As a grandmother, I pulled out the books that made it through countless moves in various stages of abuse and many bookshelf cullings. These are the books that I can't wait to read to my grand-daughter.

Any of Silverstein, but Where the Sidewalk Ends wins (2 copies-because my son and my daughter fought over it at bedtime)
Courage of Sarah Nobel* by Dalgleish (because bravery comes is small bodies)
Wrinkle in Time* by L'Engle (because love of family conquers all)
Light in the Forest by Richter (because love overcomes culture clash)
Isle of the Blue Dolphin* by O'Dell (because perseverance wins)
From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler by Konisburg (because you can puzzle anything out--even if you're young, awkward and trying to grow up)
Enchantress from the Stars* by Engdahl (because an anthropologist will sacrifice her life for others to keep a society's innocence)
Number the Stars* by Lowry (because a young girl can make a difference against atrocity and war)
21 Balloons* by du Bois (technology can be wonderful and stem from creativity) or Gilgamesh or Beowulf or the Iliad (because no story can out do the ones that survive centuries)

Enchantress from the Stars was a Newbery Award honorable mention in 1971. Remembering it--reminded me so much of the movie Avatar. Bodies changed to walk among the natives, willingness to risk all for another society, and acceptance of the adopted society over the cavalier attitude of her fellow scientists etc. Humm, James Cameron is my age. I wonder if he read this book!

*recognized by the Newbery Award committee.

Things you do...

2010-02-15T20:21:00.000-08:00

Sometimes we need a subtle reminder of what is important. Thank you cie for reminding me.

Quoting...
"For the most part my life is pretty good. Oh, there are things I'm working on, because that's what you do.

You:
move forward,
learn what you can,
try not to screw things up too much,
be good to the people and animals you love,
make a decent living
and have a little fun while you're at it.

This is life. "

http://ciesblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/i-must-be-good-today-i-must-be-good.html

C.T.Adams & Cathy Clamp's series continues with Serpent Moon coming out in March!

New Year resolutions

2009-12-26T18:05:00.000-08:00

My New Year's resolution #1. Help others in need. Enjoy.

http://video.yahoo.com/network/100000089?v=5017561&l=100022574

What's peeking out between your words and your sentences?

2009-12-19T21:38:00.000-08:00

The more I read queries, first pages, 1000 words etc the more I'm of the mind that agents aren't looking for the quick grab, the interesting set up. I've come to believe, that as much as they may not consider it--I think they are looking for something indefinable between the words and the lines. A well crafted interesting story may still not rise to the top, because the unique voice that speaks to the agent isn't there. Yet it's MORE than that. Maybe it's even something more hard to recognize than voice. Some illusive quality that peeks out from under the words that some people write.

Yes, I know that's very zen like to consider, but as I delve into the reality end of publishing, I realize that there is something else beneath the surface and indefinable in some writer's words.

Just late night musing, but if you've heard anything like this discussed, I'd love to do some reading on it.

May your holidays be wonderful and filled with peace. Meg

The inevitable sadness of letting go

2009-12-13T14:10:00.000-08:00

Does anyone else find that writing the last quarter of a manuscript slows you down? I've charged through enough story/plot lines now that I know the inevitable (for me) is happening again. In the last chapters, I'm cutting out tiny parts of my heart.

Even though I have the next project lined up and occasionally sneaking away like a guilty lover in the middle of the night to visit the next and do research. Knowing that I have several more edits to go--there is always the overwhelming emotional goodbye that takes place in my head. My characters will never again be at this point in time, and in the case of Eve, Kai, and Randon their innocence seems to be slipping from my fingers and there isn't a thing I can do about it.

In the final chapters, I'll revel in their triumphs, I'll laugh at their jokes, and I'll let tears mix with pride as I let the raw freshness of the story go.

I don't know how J.K. Rowling ever got through those last pages. I hear she had to go to a hotel and cry her way through them. Do all writers do that, or do they become jaded over the years? Do you gain some 'professional distance' that makes it easier? Do you lose your mothering instinct?

I hope not.

Best on the horizon...

2009-11-23T13:24:00.000-08:00

I want to write a book like this!

Holly Thompson's ORCHARDS, a novel in verse with a haiku feel, exploring the complexities of fourteen-year-old Kana's Japanese / Jewish / American identity and the ties that bind family and friends through tragedy, to Francoise Bui at Delacorte, in a six-figure deal, in a pre-empt, in a two-book deal, for publication in Spring 2011, by Jamie Weiss Chilton at Andrea Brown Literary Agency (World) jamie@andreabrownlit.com

So why do I write in this genre?

2009-11-23T12:39:00.000-08:00

A friend asked me about introducing magic into her biotech fantasy world. Here is my response.

Yes, magic can be introduced hot and heavy or light and creamy, it's your world.

The problem with sci fi is that it comes in 5 sub genres--and nobody or very few cross the line into the others. They like this type, but strongly dislike that type. That's why sci fi rarely takes over the top ten list all over the world of publishing like a juicy romance can. (Jim Butcher and Harrison being the exception, not the rule.)

This was the last break down I saw or remember: Hard core Sci-fi (where yours is now and I clump military sci fi in here), Fantasy--whole new worlds created often with magic overtone, but light on tech, heavy on magical quests through mythical lands--yours could fit here too, Urban Fantasy--HP, Jim Butcher where the magical exist among us and we mundanes don't see it or the society is just now learning about those things, Paranormal Romance--romance with vamps, shape shifters, ghost love stories etc, and finally something called Steam Punk sci fi--which I've never read, nor probably care to read.

HC-SF upchuck with PR; PR upchucks with HC-SF, UF folks can usually handle light into HC-SF, F, PR depending on their inclination and sex. (Yes male and female numbers are widely different in %s in those various 5 sub genres.) Fantasy folk break down by sex and by interest--Fantasy involving war vs Fantasy involving lighter topics and within that subgenre never the twain shall mix.

With your imagination, I don't know why you'd want to throw in magic. You've got a lot going on already and with your bio tech approach that is sci fi magic at its best you can create any 'magic' you wish. Tossing in straight magic might overwhelm and confuse the reader, especially HC-SF fans. Sci fi calls for a suspension of belief the same way that theater does. Your audience member agrees to set aside the real world and enter this as if it were the real world. Suddenly changing your world to include magic is tossing a new ingredient to be accepted. Does that make sense? One other thing, you've chosen a male protagonist. ... that tilts your future readers to the science end not the magic end. HP being the rare exception.

Frustrated in the Heartland

2009-11-02T19:32:00.000-08:00

I never thought I would ever write that I was exhausted simply from writing, but I am. It's discouraging and sad. This eight week workshop class is killing me trying to keep up. I don't have time to read my comments or to edit. I barely get my pages written and my crits for everyone else. I'll have to print off their comments on my pages to use later when I have time.

I really wanted this first draft done by the end of class and I'll be lucky if I'm 3/4 done. Yes, it is all charted out, but the words are not going to be on the pages in that time frame. What is worse, is that my work and my writing have been tidily kept apart and neither interfered with the other, but now I'm so short handed due to the flu and the economy at my office. We need to hire someone, but my college staff don't want me to because it'll cut their hours over the summer, and my office manager doesn't want to train anyone. As a result, I'm getting home so tired, I just want to curl up and read a book. (Pat me on the back, I'm not reading.... just writing)

So that's enough pity time.... Here's my question. I'm a night writer, and I love it. I tell myself what the next scene will be and then I write it that night. By the following evening I'm usually so excited to write it up. Recently though? I'm dreaming stupid local city politics and two nights ago it was a really long complicated adult murder mystery. So my YA muse has fled. Then a break through last night.

I'm working with six, yes it's my learning goal for the WiP, characters. I realized in my sleep that I'd left my main character's heartline drifting away AND my series heartline wasn't being addressed in the rush to crank out pages.

Do you find that when you have to struggle the most and are really exhausted is when you are off track on your writing? Can it be that easy? If it's forced, it isn't right? What do you do if that's the case? Keep plugging away or stop and figure out what's wrong?

Forgive my zen of writing posting... Sometimes, I think I have to look into some sort of flexible MFA program. I HATE taking side paths that I should have realized immediately. I don't have the time to screw up... (And I don't even have kids at home! arghh!)

Frustrated in the heartland...

Closing in on the final-final-final (& one more final?) 5.2010--> another final!

2009-09-11T14:32:00.000-07:00

Dearest Authoress,

How strange to have you write this now as I'm reading my final-final-final (and maybe one more final) edit. I have an unusual confidence in this work. Of course, that won't mean that it gets published, but there is an intangible sense that this novel is different and far superior from the rest. So, if we are sharing the same feeling, then yes.

This manuscript has a strangely Zen-like rightness that I've never felt before. The corrections that I'm making are so deep into the craft, places that I've never known existed before. I'm asking, "do these three main characters have their own distinct voice?" "Is there really enough white space in this chapter?" "This tiny (read as paragraph) drags, what can I change to make it excellent?" "How can I punch up the humor (or tension or suspense etc) in this scene?" etc.

Perhaps more important is that there are no questions about continuity, no questions about if I have the perfect level between giving a clue--not too much, not too little. This, of course, is thanks to a wonderful editor and beta readers. I had an entire writing group helping me on one complicated, short description. We worked on it for a full hour and a half! One sentence!

Is this a publishable work--for the first time, 'yes, absolutely, without question.' What an amazing place to be! A new platform that I didn't even know existed before now! So high five to you Authoress. I got to this level in part through comments of knowledgeable people who did crits. This feeling is a wonderful place to be. Published or not, I've earned my writing wings at last.

Meg, writer hoping to be author

Changes. Stroking out the babies. Fighting with tech. Mind meandering.

2009-09-09T08:08:00.000-07:00

Hi all, I had an epiphany on the way to re-reading my YA. The forward flash remains as an always can be added or removed, but Chapter 1 (meant to be mundane and normal by this pig headed writer) was completely changed. I received some feedback that they didn't get pulled into the story until they were in the airplane and the parents go missing. I pulled out only the essential items as to plot, character etc from Chapter 1 and inserted them into the next two chapters. I cut a great many of my 'babies', which I think was right. Those babies weren't earning their spot in carrying forward plot and enriching the characters. (But I liked the pelican shaped principle---NO -- cut.)

I think, first, second, and third blush with it that I now have a starting chapter that will pull the reader in, if I chose to yank the forward flash. I added some sibling sparing to up interest level and highlight their relationship more.

As I worked those chapters it felt so perfect, too perfect. So then I started worrying, 'Was I lying to myself, because I wanted the new format?' So it's off to my un-emotional editor for her opinions.

Onward!

Tuesday feels like Saturday. Arghh!

2009-09-01T15:08:00.000-07:00

Why does my biological clock sometimes gets time so wrong. It feels like a Friday. It honestly does. Dang it. What does that mean for the week following? Disaster? Disappointment? Victory?

Or does it just mean that I'm so looking forward to a three day weekend? Yeah for Labor Day.

Unless.... my body thinks it's a work day come Saturday. Ah well, life and time rolls on in either case.

Thoughts from others. Thank you!

2009-08-21T06:33:00.000-07:00

Thoughts from others on my first 250 words of Sacrifice.

Sir Otter said...: I like it. I think 'exploded' is an overused word; you might think of another one less trite, but I got a clear picture of what went on and would definitely read on.

Not sure you could call any hat Ingrid Bergman ever wore a fedora, or would want to, since that's normally thought of as a man's hat. The one she wore at the end of Casablanca was similar but not quite. Might want to rethink that.

Still pretty well done.
Literature Crazy said...: Pretty well hooked. Only a few minor suggestions:

In the first paragraph, I'd write it was "triggered by her gentle laugh"; that way we know, right off the bat, that there's a woman the narrator is thinking about.

In the second paragraph be more precise with the description of Maureen. Don't call it an Ingrid Bergman fedora, give me a color and texture/material--at 30 years old, I'm not old enough to have an immediate frame of reference for Bergman's hat stylings. Does she have a 1940's hairstyle because it's in the 1940's or she's being retro? My guess is the former, but don't make me guess. Describe the hairstyle and have the narrator figure out the timeline to make it less ambiguous. Mention pin curls or something else classic to that time period and then have the narrator say something like (this will be a bad example, but it's quick): "...with a pencil stuck over her ear placed me in a fixed point in time. This woman was Maureen, my wife in the year 1943. She read..."

The set-up is good (it immediately reminded me of the YA paranormal romance/SciFi series Blue Bloods that involves vampires who keep getting "re-born" with memories of their former lives resurfacing in later lives). I liked it and think there's somewhere interesting that you could definitely take this.
Barbara said...: You have a hooky opening paragraph, and the Merlin Scholars piques my interest.

Sacrifice - paranormal romantic

2009-08-17T18:24:00.000-07:00

Sacrifice is the piece that I wrote as a novella and then expanded it to full length novel. It has been a learning piece from start to final, final, final etc :-) last revision and I had put it away with great sadness. My opinion at the time was that the heart had been edited out of it, but I had learned so much that it was an invaluable process. It is, however, slick and right.

On re-reading it a year plus later, I'm loving it. The flow and pace are great, no messy snags, subplots are nicely woven in, and I'd managed in the process to include a lot of touch, smell etc. I've re-read 23 of the total 40 so chapters and as a reader, I am once more invested in my characters. Will others? Who knows?

It was nice to see how smooth and easy my 1st POV manuscripts work. The character is strong enough, unique enough to carry it well. In re-reading, I've fallen in love with him all over. He's such a typical guy, his name is even typical, while the powerful women in his life have been playing him through out for the best of reasons. He's decent, thoughtful, a super lover, talented, strong morals, and honestly, deeply, passionately loves his wife and she feels the same for him.

I thought I had a unique plot until Michael A Stackpole in a small group class in AZ workshop called it a "Professor exchanges the complicated world for isolation, only to be forced back into the main battle for what is right." The twist is that to do so, he has to sacrifice his beloved (from several reincarnations)'s soul--never to be with her again. Yep, get out the tissues for a good cry. Readers forced me to put in an out to keep her viable and thus two additional books charted out and partially written.

I'm glad to re-discover it, to be proud of it, and just be pleased that I accomplished such a wonderful manuscript.

Who knows? I shopped it to three agents in order to get my rejection letter goal for the year (2008) and no one asked for partials. Then I moved on to the YA. It really is good enough that I need to send more queries out. Now that I might manage a decent query letter that attracts attention.

The Monday AM e-mails and random thoughts

2009-08-17T06:31:00.000-07:00

Aren't Monday mornings great?

Amy, surely we should never fear a new beginning if we need a break? Unless it becomes a habit?

April, I liked your new story beginning. It was peaceful and placed me in the scene. I like the rigidness of the older character, the younger wishing to snuggle back into her comforter. I lacked a sense of 'time placement' as a reader, but as I read it--I was willing to wait to see what unfolded.

Writing in Malta. I always get a kick out of reading that. It sounds so exotic and interesting. Much more exciting than IA. Out of curiosity, do others find themselves slipping into evolving writing patterns? What worked several months ago, seems to drive me crazy later and vice versa. As long as the words get on pages, I figure that I'm ahead of the game.

I still haven't managed to figure out your vocal meetings, but doubt that I'd manage it. This fall there is so much going on in my life. Boring, silly stuff, but it all stacks up. I have a new tiny camper ordered that should be here soon. If you want to take a look, Google "t@b" and then find the model that has a small toilet in it. Yes, it is very 70's and hippie like. Mine is going to be white with the orange handles and trim. Things have changed a lot since the kids and I camped in our fold out tent camper.

I have elusive dreams of weekend camping trips for me and my dog off to see national parks with frequent stops and writing in an awesome natural backdrop. I don't plan on retiring for several years, but when I do I would like to have this set up as a routine. My kids don't have time to travel with me anymore and there is still so much I want to see.

For sometime, I thought that I would just fly, rent a car, board the dog, attend conferences or classes etc--but it all gets so expensive so fast. I hope that the car travel with the dog for companionship will prove a stress free way with less cost to do the same.

Well, that's my dream anyway.

On Misunderstood Intentions

2009-08-11T23:10:00.000-07:00

As a relative newbie, I immediately wonder, "Oops. Did I step on the rules myself?" Then again, although quite capable of taking rejection when someone expresses hurt--I will always go back and review everything to see if I was out of line and hurt someone. And as a result, I will be purchasing your book, out of guilt but not sure if I should be feeling guilty.

Complete manuscript. Nicole Bokat, http://www.nicolebokat.com/ was nominated for both the Hemingway Foundation/PEN award and the Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize for Fiction said in a class that editing NEVER ends until its published.

Erica Mailman, http://www.erikamailman.com/ suggested that a query letter is always in development. She recommended sending three and if your responses were negative, then go back and re-work it and try again. She saw them as organic, always growing and maturing.

The rejected manuscript that rests in the drawer, once thought complete can be brought out years later to be read through entirely different eyes and thus the revisions and editing begin again.

The short story that never sparked interest can be transformed into a full length novel of wide acceptance as a literary masterpiece and vice versa.

The odds of a query getting past a slush pile are insurmountable. These contests are a wonderful tool (thank you, thank you, thank you authoress) to use in hopes that the perfect agent will see our work from a different perspective than the unending morning e-mail submission stack agents face on a daily basis. Bless their hearts for they have a special place in heaven to read and read and read for days before they find something that they wish to see more pages.

I've two manuscripts that have each had more than a year's work on and both have gone through editing from professionals. From the slush pile there is no guarantee of resurrection--ever.

And if I have offended... my sincere apologies. And if I've not, think only of the egg upon my face!

Writer's Craft

2009-07-31T09:13:00.000-07:00

I'm learning a lot about the craft... I will always be learning a lot about the craft... I vow to never stop learning about the craft...

When I get that vague feeling that something isn't fleshed out enough--it probably isn't, as my editor picks them out every single time.
I still have no control over my comma useage *grumble, grumble* but it is much better.
About 20% of flaws that the editor finds in plot and character, I would miss and I fear I might always miss. I'm hopeful with time and experience that I will learn to recognize them myself.
STOP personifying body parts! (LOL) But why not? It's so much fun!
Editors are infallible. What one editor changes, another will change right back to the original. This was maybe the hardest thing I've learned. Those rules that i would like to think are set in stone are just as wishy washy as life itself.

Also I now have an entire folder dedicated to allmy Anj-isms from my editor.

Miss Snark's First Victim Questions

2009-05-30T23:05:00.001-07:00

In my heart, why do I write young adult? "Because I'm a Midwest nut who wants young adults to know that there are healthy loving sexual relationships, loving families, intelligent warrior girls who turn into amazing women, (and men who love them), faith (in whatever) gives you strength and power beyond the mere physical attributes we've genetically inherited, that you can disagree with those you love and still be loved, that there is hope that the world makes sense within the walls of our homes, that we can change what is wrong outside our walls--if we break them down, that religion diversity should unite our world--not tear it down, that sex, race, socio-economic status, handicaps, etc will never limit the human spirit.

Did I mention that I'm a Mom. Did you figure out my '2nd take'? (Last Lecture) That I'm writing for my new grand-daughter and future great-grand-children?

All disguised as a really great fun and exciting ride for me and for the reader.

May 31, 2009 1:50 AM

Me and the Ghost Hunters

2009-04-22T19:31:00.000-07:00

I should be writing, I should be finishing my synopsis, instead I'm listening to Justin and Jason on Ghost Hunters. Some evenings you have to let it go...

Where commitment hits the concrete

2009-04-17T19:16:00.001-07:00

My son called tonight to say that his bone marrow donation offer has a match. All the tests say that its a go. Further, his donation will not be the less evasive blood transfusion but the surgery type. My son is 25, he is in his second year of law school at the University of Iowa, he is married, and they wouldn't mind if his wife became pregnant.

For years, I have advocated for organ donation and for programs just like this one. Still when he called to ask if I'd come over for the surgery, my heart raced, my fears charged to the surface. This wasn't helped when I couldn't immediately find someone who could answer all my questions and concerns.

It wasn't until sometime later, I reminded myself that the risk is not that great and that someone and their family is thanking God that a donor had been located. My own prayers are that my son will be safe, that he won't be exposed to an infection while in surgery, that nothing will go wrong in that surgery, that the hospital won't make a foolish mistake, and the list went on.

God can find amusement in that, I suppose. We are always at risk in this life, but without risk others would find no answer to their prayers.

Contests and Queries

2009-04-13T15:07:00.000-07:00

I joined a wild horse race this AM. I sat poised at my computer, finger itching, ready to hit the send button on an e-mail submission for a contest. Only 25 were being accepted... At 8 CTZ I hit the button. Pop up reads, "Unexpected delay, will post as soon as possible." I, non-tech geek guru, took that to mean there were several beans trying to slide through one tiny hole in the system. Bingo, it's gone!

24 were posted and accepted by 8:01CTZ and the 25th at 8:01. I made it. Feel like a winner!

Then I get the e-mail confirmation, post 19. Whoo hoo! Then below that is my post. My 250 words have been formatted into a sloppy, horrid mass--no paragraph separation, no double spacing, no paragraph first line indentation? *Hanging my head and slipping into oblivion*

Then the horrid thought... Is that what my e-mail queries and samples look like? Oh HORROR!

And how the cr** do I fix that?

Friday's bear in the room

2009-04-10T09:26:00.001-07:00

After the death of Madeleine L'Engle (my life long hero), I decided to write beyond the confines of my room. First though, I needed to confront this bear (my self-confidence) that lived in the room with me. Sometimes it's tiny and cute, but other times it's ugly, mean, horrid, and is so big it shoves me out.

Published authors told me they had bears. "You need a bear in your room. It's keep you alert, active, agile. Just don't let it make you stop writing, or from sending in a query or entering a contest."

I've written for 35+ years, but I've been a writer for three--as in taking the craft seriously. Since then I've taken three mediabistro.com classes, worked with a writing coach, attended a writer's workshop at the Univ of IA and another in Tempe, AZ, took a linquistics class from Iowa State University, and have found a brilliant editor, who is a professional writer.

35 years into it and a contest looms... The bear is back and its ugly. It's easier to put that brilliant, fresh manuscript into the desk drawer.

Time to get out the whips and chains, so I can beat that bear away from the door... I guess...

Good morning muses...

2009-04-09T08:51:00.000-07:00

Good morning muses...

Why can't summer just show up?
Why can't I figure out why I had to set up this blog,
simply to send someone congrats?
Why did I do it? What junk will I receive as a result?
Going with the law of averages, I figure I'll get 1 hit
every 10 million years, right?
How can a non-tech geek like me do this?

Finally, why am I 100% sure that I will never find this blog again?