Entry point is where your story begins... When we crack the book open and read the first page, what is your character doing?
Do we begin at the beginning? "In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole , filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort." In The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien begins by explaining Bilbo to the readers. It is our first encounter with a hobbit after all. Through the first chapter, as the action unfolds, Tolkien characterizes Bilbo so solidly that we end up with a vibrant picture and well-defined expectation of what Bilbo is like. And then he does something unexpected. The adventure is just about to begin... and what an adventure!
Are we in the middle of the action? "My husband’s mistress leveled the gun at me. Her perfect, blonde curls bounced as she took a firing stance in the doorway to the conference room. Our eyes met over the gun, and the alien clone holding me, hitched up my arm to use me as a shield. The clone adjusted the quiack knife against my neck to make sure I knew he meant it. My husband’s mistress, Trish, puffed her bangs out of the way and squeezed the trigger." This was the beginning of a novel written by my blogging friend, the amazing and talented Rena. I won't go into the reasons why she changed her entry point, but this, as one of her previous options, illustrates the idea of jumping RIGHT into the action. We learn a lot of details rather quickly about the characters and have immediate tension and excitement to draw us further into the story.
Does the narrative start in the past (to set the stage) and then jump to the present? The best example of this is still Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Chapter 1. Other examples frame this kind of entry point as a prologue. Example: Seraphina by Rachel Hartman, "I remember being born. In fact I remember a time before that..." Depending on the amount of back story you need to set up your reader's understanding of the current action, this can be a good idea... or it can be a bad idea. If the information in a prologue needs so very much to be part of the story, you might want to consider ... making it part of the story!
Entry points can and do change over the course of drafting and revising. Sometimes skipping the set-up and heading straight for the action is the best thing you can do to jump-start a lagging narrative. Other times the set-up, artfully done, is required to help attach your reader to the main character. How does the current entry point of your WIP set the stage for your novel?
Showing posts with label Writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Writing. Show all posts
Friday, April 5, 2013
Thursday, April 4, 2013
A to Z Challenge: D is for Dialogue Tags (and do-overs)
A few months ago I wrote this post about dialogue tags. Because it corresponds with the theme so well (including the obligatory Harry Potter examples), and because so many of you are new to the blog anyhow, I thought I'd re-post for your reading pleasure.
The general feeling is that if dialogue in a scene needs the tags, it's poorly written; that writers should aim for conveying emotion through the characters' words instead of spoon-feeding it to the readers in the narration. It is the mark of an insecure writer that he feels the need to give you information that should have been conveyed in the dialogue, to make sure the reader understands that his characters are emoting or what the scene is supposed to reveal. Trust the reader to figure out what the dialogue "means". And after having a couple of critique partners review it, if they point out that a run of dialogue really is too obscure, then take the time to re-write. Beats are easy to add where they are needed. It's harder to extract them, I find.
In the book "Self-editing for Fiction Writers" by Renni Browne and David King, the authors suggest:
I don't think that all beats and tags are bad. I do think a writer needs to choose her beats wisely and make the most of them. First she needs to understand the anatomy of the scene she is writing: What are the key emotions at play here? How fast is the exchange between characters supposed to feel? What else is going on in the scene? and Which actions are important to the development of the scene?
And now, because examples in real life are always fun, I'm going to borrow from J.K. Rowling to illustrate my point. What I love about Rowling is that she's not perfect. But her characters emotions are perfectly conveyed.
............................................
Excerpt from "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban":
"I DON'T BELIEVE IT!" Hermione screamed.
Lupin let go of Black and turned to her. She raised herself off the floor and was pointing at Lupin, wild-eyed. "You-- you--"
"Hermione--"
"--you and him!"
"Hermione, calm down--"
"I didn't tell anyone!" Hermione shrieked. "I've been covering up for you--"
"Hermione, listen to me, please!" Lupin shouted. "I can explain--"
Harry could feel himself shaking, not with fear, but with a fresh wave of fury.
"I trusted you," he shouted at Lupin, his voice wavering out of control, "and all the time you've been his friend!"
"You're wrong," said Lupin. "I haven't been Sirius's friend, but I am now--Let me explain..."
"NO!" Hermione screamed. "Harry, don't trust him, he's been helping Black get into the castle, he wants you dead too--he's a werewolf!"
Excerpt from "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix":
"There is no shame in what you are feeling, Harry," said Dumbledore's voice. "On the contrary... the fact that you can feel pain like this is your greatest strength."
Harry felt the white-hot anger lick his insides, blazing in the terrible emptiness, filling him with the desire to hurt Dumbledore for his calmness and his empty words.
"My greatest strength, is it?" said Harry, his voice shaking as he stared out at the Quidditch stadium, no longer seeing it. "You haven't got a clue... You don't know..."
"What don't I know?" asked Dumbledore calmly.
It was too much. Harry turned around, shaking with rage.
"I don't want to talk about how I feel, all right?"
"Harry, suffering like this proves you are still a man! This pain is part of being human--"
"THEN--I--DON'T--WANT--TO--BE--HUMAN!" Harry roared, and he seized one of the delicate silver instruments from the spindle-legged table beside him and flung it across the room. It shattered into a hundred tiny pieces against the wall. Several of the pictures let out yells of anger and fright, and the portrait of Armando Dippet said, "Really!"
"I DON'T CARE!" Harry yelled at them, snatching up a lunascope and throwing it into the fireplace. "I'VE HAD ENOUGH, I'VE SEEN ENOUGH, I WANT OUT, I WANT IT TO END, I DON'T CARE ANYMORE--"
He seized the table on which the silver instrument had stood and threw that too. It broke apart on the floor and the legs rolled in different directions.
"You do care," said Dumbledore. He had not flinched or made a single move to stop Harry demolishing his office. His expression was calm, almost detached. "You care so much you feel as though you will bleed to death with the pain of it."
......................................................
These two scenes illustrate very different emotions. Characters in both scenes do a lot of yelling, but the timing of the dialogue is the key to the emotions in each scene. In the Prisoner of Azkaban scene, the urgency of the scene is conveyed by quick back-and-forth dialogue. If you remember the same scene in the movie, there are a lot of actions that the characters take (i.e. looking to and from one another; Hermione steps in front of Harry to shield him from Sirius and Lupin; Lupin reaches out to implore Hermione to listen). None of those actions are portrayed in the dialogue, because to add them, while giving you a physically more accurate description, would take away from the momentum of the scene. The readers can just as easily imagine the action as they read the dialogue.
In the second scene, from the Order of the Phoenix, the dialogue progresses much more slowly. The emotion in this scene does not come from a rapid-fire exchange (although Harry does do a fair bit of shouting), but from Dumbledore's slow and calculated responses. The deep feelings of regret and care for Harry that Dumbledore expresses come to light through his patience in allowing Harry the space to explore his own emotions. The pace of the dialogue allows much more room for beats of character action (all taken by Harry, a detail that is also telling...). But more than that, each beat has a purpose, shows the emotion rather than telling it (more often than not).
As a writer, understanding what your characters are going through and how they would respond to one another in a scene can mean the difference between capturing the readers' hearts and getting lost in the details. The right beats in the right places give meaning to the words spoken and emotions felt by your characters, allowing the reader to peek through the windows in their souls.
The general feeling is that if dialogue in a scene needs the tags, it's poorly written; that writers should aim for conveying emotion through the characters' words instead of spoon-feeding it to the readers in the narration. It is the mark of an insecure writer that he feels the need to give you information that should have been conveyed in the dialogue, to make sure the reader understands that his characters are emoting or what the scene is supposed to reveal. Trust the reader to figure out what the dialogue "means". And after having a couple of critique partners review it, if they point out that a run of dialogue really is too obscure, then take the time to re-write. Beats are easy to add where they are needed. It's harder to extract them, I find.
In the book "Self-editing for Fiction Writers" by Renni Browne and David King, the authors suggest:
"It's best to replace only a few of your speaker attributions with beats. A beat after every line of dialogue is even more distracting than too many speaker attributions. What you want is a comfortable balance."I tend to agree with that sentiment. Too many tags or beats in a run of dialogue can throw off the momentum of the scene so much that the readers forget what the characters are talking about by the end of the page!
I don't think that all beats and tags are bad. I do think a writer needs to choose her beats wisely and make the most of them. First she needs to understand the anatomy of the scene she is writing: What are the key emotions at play here? How fast is the exchange between characters supposed to feel? What else is going on in the scene? and Which actions are important to the development of the scene?
And now, because examples in real life are always fun, I'm going to borrow from J.K. Rowling to illustrate my point. What I love about Rowling is that she's not perfect. But her characters emotions are perfectly conveyed.
............................................
Excerpt from "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban":
"I DON'T BELIEVE IT!" Hermione screamed.
Lupin let go of Black and turned to her. She raised herself off the floor and was pointing at Lupin, wild-eyed. "You-- you--"
"Hermione--"
"--you and him!"
"Hermione, calm down--"
"I didn't tell anyone!" Hermione shrieked. "I've been covering up for you--"
"Hermione, listen to me, please!" Lupin shouted. "I can explain--"
Harry could feel himself shaking, not with fear, but with a fresh wave of fury.
"I trusted you," he shouted at Lupin, his voice wavering out of control, "and all the time you've been his friend!"
"You're wrong," said Lupin. "I haven't been Sirius's friend, but I am now--Let me explain..."
"NO!" Hermione screamed. "Harry, don't trust him, he's been helping Black get into the castle, he wants you dead too--he's a werewolf!"
Excerpt from "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix":
"There is no shame in what you are feeling, Harry," said Dumbledore's voice. "On the contrary... the fact that you can feel pain like this is your greatest strength."
Harry felt the white-hot anger lick his insides, blazing in the terrible emptiness, filling him with the desire to hurt Dumbledore for his calmness and his empty words.
"My greatest strength, is it?" said Harry, his voice shaking as he stared out at the Quidditch stadium, no longer seeing it. "You haven't got a clue... You don't know..."
"What don't I know?" asked Dumbledore calmly.
It was too much. Harry turned around, shaking with rage.
"I don't want to talk about how I feel, all right?"
"Harry, suffering like this proves you are still a man! This pain is part of being human--"
"THEN--I--DON'T--WANT--TO--BE--HUMAN!" Harry roared, and he seized one of the delicate silver instruments from the spindle-legged table beside him and flung it across the room. It shattered into a hundred tiny pieces against the wall. Several of the pictures let out yells of anger and fright, and the portrait of Armando Dippet said, "Really!"
"I DON'T CARE!" Harry yelled at them, snatching up a lunascope and throwing it into the fireplace. "I'VE HAD ENOUGH, I'VE SEEN ENOUGH, I WANT OUT, I WANT IT TO END, I DON'T CARE ANYMORE--"
He seized the table on which the silver instrument had stood and threw that too. It broke apart on the floor and the legs rolled in different directions.
"You do care," said Dumbledore. He had not flinched or made a single move to stop Harry demolishing his office. His expression was calm, almost detached. "You care so much you feel as though you will bleed to death with the pain of it."
......................................................
These two scenes illustrate very different emotions. Characters in both scenes do a lot of yelling, but the timing of the dialogue is the key to the emotions in each scene. In the Prisoner of Azkaban scene, the urgency of the scene is conveyed by quick back-and-forth dialogue. If you remember the same scene in the movie, there are a lot of actions that the characters take (i.e. looking to and from one another; Hermione steps in front of Harry to shield him from Sirius and Lupin; Lupin reaches out to implore Hermione to listen). None of those actions are portrayed in the dialogue, because to add them, while giving you a physically more accurate description, would take away from the momentum of the scene. The readers can just as easily imagine the action as they read the dialogue.
In the second scene, from the Order of the Phoenix, the dialogue progresses much more slowly. The emotion in this scene does not come from a rapid-fire exchange (although Harry does do a fair bit of shouting), but from Dumbledore's slow and calculated responses. The deep feelings of regret and care for Harry that Dumbledore expresses come to light through his patience in allowing Harry the space to explore his own emotions. The pace of the dialogue allows much more room for beats of character action (all taken by Harry, a detail that is also telling...). But more than that, each beat has a purpose, shows the emotion rather than telling it (more often than not).
As a writer, understanding what your characters are going through and how they would respond to one another in a scene can mean the difference between capturing the readers' hearts and getting lost in the details. The right beats in the right places give meaning to the words spoken and emotions felt by your characters, allowing the reader to peek through the windows in their souls.
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
A to Z Challenge: C is for Conflict
Every good story has conflict. The trick is how you utilize it. Conflict can help your character grow, can give her something to overcome, can peak the reader's interest in the plot. If your character always gets everything she wants without having to fight for it, that can make for a really short, or a really boring story.
Conflict adds intrigue, creating tension in the narrative. It comes in many shapes and forms, both internal and external.
(wo)man vs. (wo)man - Harry vs. Voldemort; Ulysses vs. Medusa; Hector vs. Achilles... in each of these instances the villain is (eventually) corporeal, someone that must be defeated to ensure the hero's survival. The odds are stacked against the hero and he will have to use all his wits to gain the skills necessary to overcome his foe.
(wo)man vs. nature - Katniss vs. the Hunger Games arena... technically this is woman vs. a machine taking the form of nature, but you get the point. Fire and rain, lack of water and food, tracker-jackers, mockingjays, and muttations, all these "natural" forces test Katniss's skills and ability to survive, and teach her about herself (and the reader about her).
(wo)man vs. self - Ista vs. herself (Paladin of Souls, by Lois McMaster Bujold... love her, btw)... In this lovely novel Ista has to learn to move past the trauma she has experienced and allow herself to be open to using her gifts for the good of other characters in the story. The external conflicts here are secondary to the internal conflict, and her character grows and changes in beautiful ways by "The End."
Knowing your character's back story can help you discern when conflict will come up (ex: Hermione's muggle-born status fuels her desire to excel; Sirius and Snape's past animosity causes clashes when they are forced to work on the same side; Snape's love for Lily Potter motivates him to agree to protect her son, but his hatred for James Potter makes him antagonize Harry at every opportunity). The best conflict has a reason, even if it never has a resolution. Snape never forgave Harry for being James' son and it's hard to tell if Harry ever forgave Snape for killing Dumbledore... but the poignancy of the emotions that the conflict between those two characters creates is one of the most memorable aspects of that series.
So what conflicts arise in the lives of your characters (major OR minor)?
Conflict adds intrigue, creating tension in the narrative. It comes in many shapes and forms, both internal and external.
(wo)man vs. (wo)man - Harry vs. Voldemort; Ulysses vs. Medusa; Hector vs. Achilles... in each of these instances the villain is (eventually) corporeal, someone that must be defeated to ensure the hero's survival. The odds are stacked against the hero and he will have to use all his wits to gain the skills necessary to overcome his foe.
(wo)man vs. nature - Katniss vs. the Hunger Games arena... technically this is woman vs. a machine taking the form of nature, but you get the point. Fire and rain, lack of water and food, tracker-jackers, mockingjays, and muttations, all these "natural" forces test Katniss's skills and ability to survive, and teach her about herself (and the reader about her).
(wo)man vs. self - Ista vs. herself (Paladin of Souls, by Lois McMaster Bujold... love her, btw)... In this lovely novel Ista has to learn to move past the trauma she has experienced and allow herself to be open to using her gifts for the good of other characters in the story. The external conflicts here are secondary to the internal conflict, and her character grows and changes in beautiful ways by "The End."
Knowing your character's back story can help you discern when conflict will come up (ex: Hermione's muggle-born status fuels her desire to excel; Sirius and Snape's past animosity causes clashes when they are forced to work on the same side; Snape's love for Lily Potter motivates him to agree to protect her son, but his hatred for James Potter makes him antagonize Harry at every opportunity). The best conflict has a reason, even if it never has a resolution. Snape never forgave Harry for being James' son and it's hard to tell if Harry ever forgave Snape for killing Dumbledore... but the poignancy of the emotions that the conflict between those two characters creates is one of the most memorable aspects of that series.
So what conflicts arise in the lives of your characters (major OR minor)?
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
A to Z Challenge: B is for Back story
Back story is a tricky topic. You can't live with it and your MC can't live without it! The term "Back story" encompasses all those things that may have happened to your main character (or to the townspeople he's trying to help) before we meet him in the first pages of your book.
Take the first chapter of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone**. J.K. Rowling sets the stage and the characters for her epic YA series in the first chapter and reveals a surprising amount of back story to her readers succinctly and with masterful characterization and style. By the end of chapter one we know all we need to know about the Dursley family and have tantalizing bits about Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Hagrid to carry us further into the story... as well as some crucial details about Harry Potter himself. Chapter two begins ten years later! We don't get any detail about what those ten years entailed, and we don't really need them because the characterization of Harry and the Dursleys in the subsequent scenes tells us everything, and I mean everything, we need to know just what happened during those ten years. But you can bet that J.K. Rowling knows what every minute of every day of Harry's childhood was like.
Each piece of back story that you know for your character can help create a more richly rounded picture of him (i.e., how and why he reacts to given situations, why he knows or thinks what he does about certain topics). You may think that it's just as important for your reader to know all this back story as it is for you. Honestly, though, it's not important... at least not yet.
SOME of this back story information is pertinent to the novel. MOST of it is not. Certain bits of back story, when they are revealed, dramatically enhance the action and push forward your plot. Knowing which bits are which can be difficult. Having someone read your manuscript with a critical eye and point out bits that don't pertain directly to the plot can help a lot!
Don't throw out or summarily delete all those delectable details, though! Someday you will have fans who will devour those bits. Save them for the special edition you release to your adoring fans after you've hit the bestseller list! Which bestseller list am I talking about? That is up to you.
**Editorial confession... I love Harry Potter deeply and dearly. I will likely use examples from that series a considerable amount during this series. If you love Harry Potter, too, I think we're meant to be BFFs for life. If you DON'T like Harry Potter... I'm sorry but it's just not going to work out between us...
Take the first chapter of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone**. J.K. Rowling sets the stage and the characters for her epic YA series in the first chapter and reveals a surprising amount of back story to her readers succinctly and with masterful characterization and style. By the end of chapter one we know all we need to know about the Dursley family and have tantalizing bits about Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Hagrid to carry us further into the story... as well as some crucial details about Harry Potter himself. Chapter two begins ten years later! We don't get any detail about what those ten years entailed, and we don't really need them because the characterization of Harry and the Dursleys in the subsequent scenes tells us everything, and I mean everything, we need to know just what happened during those ten years. But you can bet that J.K. Rowling knows what every minute of every day of Harry's childhood was like.
Each piece of back story that you know for your character can help create a more richly rounded picture of him (i.e., how and why he reacts to given situations, why he knows or thinks what he does about certain topics). You may think that it's just as important for your reader to know all this back story as it is for you. Honestly, though, it's not important... at least not yet.
SOME of this back story information is pertinent to the novel. MOST of it is not. Certain bits of back story, when they are revealed, dramatically enhance the action and push forward your plot. Knowing which bits are which can be difficult. Having someone read your manuscript with a critical eye and point out bits that don't pertain directly to the plot can help a lot!
Don't throw out or summarily delete all those delectable details, though! Someday you will have fans who will devour those bits. Save them for the special edition you release to your adoring fans after you've hit the bestseller list! Which bestseller list am I talking about? That is up to you.
**Editorial confession... I love Harry Potter deeply and dearly. I will likely use examples from that series a considerable amount during this series. If you love Harry Potter, too, I think we're meant to be BFFs for life. If you DON'T like Harry Potter... I'm sorry but it's just not going to work out between us...
Monday, April 1, 2013
A to Z Challenge Kickoff: Let's start with A
Today is the beginning of the A to Z Challenge. This is where a bunch of crazy bloggers all decide to take the weekdays in the month of April to post on topics that begin with a different letter of the alphabet every day. If you want to join, there's still time! Just follow this link.
A big shout out to ARLEE BIRD, founder of the challenge. What a fun idea! So glad to be able to participate!
My theme for this month will be (loosely) the ABC's of the Editing Process. This collection of random ramblings will have perspectives on editing and writing techniques that will hopefully help strengthen the quality of OUR writing and OUR final products. Yep, not just giving out advice here. I'm hoping to learn something for my own craft, too! I can't wait to hear your feedback, as well, so leave lots of comments.
So without further ado: A stands for Action
Action is the main vehicle for getting your characters from "Once Upon a Time," to "The End." Without action, your MC would never learn that he is a wizard, find that golden ticket, stand up against the oppressive regime that forces children to fight children to the death, or fall in love with his best friend. Your MC wouldn't even be able to get out of bed in the morning!
One of the main pitfalls of the beginning writer is the tendency to want to describe everything, to tell the reader about the details of setting and characters, even down to the brand of jeans or what cars are driving by on the street. We spend hours crafting the perfect sentence that will describe exactly what everything in our head (or in front of our eyes) looks like. While nothing is more important that setting the scene, when it comes to details (or the overuse of them), less is more! They call this concept "Show, don't Tell." If the detail is important, somehow it will fit into the action.
This is not to say that a manuscript should be all action, but action moves the plot forward while description puts the plot in neutral... it's not moving backward, but it's not really going anywhere. Finding the balance that fits your plot is the key. If we're having a thrilling car chase or a heated argument, the rest of the details will naturally fall in the background (into that less is more category). If the MC is pondering the meaning of life while sitting on the edge of Santa Monica Pier, it's possible that the details will be more relevant to what you're trying to convey.
While some readers are philosophers, and some texts need accurate description to be understood, most readers are just looking for the action and they'll skim right over that detailed description of what the ceremonial knife set looked like. Even if they read it word for word, there's no guarantee that what they see is what you see. There are some things that have to be let go.
I know it's hard, but take a look at your WIP (work in progress). Locate those chunks of descriptive prose. Yes, you were poetic, an artist unparalleled. Now decide if that description really adds to the theme/symbolism/plot/character in a way that the reader will connect with. Can't decide? Ask an honest friend or a crit partner. If the answer is no, consider cutting it out of the action and squirrel it away for the supplemental materials they'll want to print after your book has made you famous.
A big shout out to ARLEE BIRD, founder of the challenge. What a fun idea! So glad to be able to participate!
So without further ado: A stands for Action
Action is the main vehicle for getting your characters from "Once Upon a Time," to "The End." Without action, your MC would never learn that he is a wizard, find that golden ticket, stand up against the oppressive regime that forces children to fight children to the death, or fall in love with his best friend. Your MC wouldn't even be able to get out of bed in the morning!
One of the main pitfalls of the beginning writer is the tendency to want to describe everything, to tell the reader about the details of setting and characters, even down to the brand of jeans or what cars are driving by on the street. We spend hours crafting the perfect sentence that will describe exactly what everything in our head (or in front of our eyes) looks like. While nothing is more important that setting the scene, when it comes to details (or the overuse of them), less is more! They call this concept "Show, don't Tell." If the detail is important, somehow it will fit into the action.
This is not to say that a manuscript should be all action, but action moves the plot forward while description puts the plot in neutral... it's not moving backward, but it's not really going anywhere. Finding the balance that fits your plot is the key. If we're having a thrilling car chase or a heated argument, the rest of the details will naturally fall in the background (into that less is more category). If the MC is pondering the meaning of life while sitting on the edge of Santa Monica Pier, it's possible that the details will be more relevant to what you're trying to convey.
While some readers are philosophers, and some texts need accurate description to be understood, most readers are just looking for the action and they'll skim right over that detailed description of what the ceremonial knife set looked like. Even if they read it word for word, there's no guarantee that what they see is what you see. There are some things that have to be let go.
I know it's hard, but take a look at your WIP (work in progress). Locate those chunks of descriptive prose. Yes, you were poetic, an artist unparalleled. Now decide if that description really adds to the theme/symbolism/plot/character in a way that the reader will connect with. Can't decide? Ask an honest friend or a crit partner. If the answer is no, consider cutting it out of the action and squirrel it away for the supplemental materials they'll want to print after your book has made you famous.
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
A to Z Blogging Challenge
It's coming. Are YOU ready? What is it? Click here to find out.
I'm SO not ready! This is my first year doing this blogfest, and I thought I should be prepared. So a month ago I made a list and decided to write all my posts ahead of time. Ha! I have written a total of one and a half posts so far... but at least I have a theme and topics for each post... I hope that puts me SOMEWHERE out ahead of myself.
Meh, I'm a pantster, anyhow. If the fire is not lit underneath me I'm not going to start hopping around. I hope to see many of you out there, too, and the creative ideas you inspire in me for next year!
I'm SO not ready! This is my first year doing this blogfest, and I thought I should be prepared. So a month ago I made a list and decided to write all my posts ahead of time. Ha! I have written a total of one and a half posts so far... but at least I have a theme and topics for each post... I hope that puts me SOMEWHERE out ahead of myself.
Meh, I'm a pantster, anyhow. If the fire is not lit underneath me I'm not going to start hopping around. I hope to see many of you out there, too, and the creative ideas you inspire in me for next year!
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Fits and starts
I don't know how it works for most of you, this process of writing. Maybe you don't need much to go on, maybe the words come pouring out of your pens, or fingertips... or maybe not.
I do know that this second draft is proving a challenge for me. Surprise surprise.
I'm trying to be creative, to allow the process to be what it is and not try to force the issue... which is why tonight I found myself rewriting the opening of Lilith... again...
I think I'm still trying to find her voice... to learn exactly what happened to her that night... and during the subsequent days. To learn who Lilith is...
I have tried a couple of exercises in first person, but I get lost in the details and it drains the power of the scene. This last version, in third person, is a little more daring than the first few. I wonder if that's a sign of things to come?
It DOES mean that I'm off the first page... I'm onto page 5 tonight... with more to come. I swear it's like a blind man trying to describe an elephant though. I can't seem to visualize the whole behemoth yet.
I do know that this second draft is proving a challenge for me. Surprise surprise.
I'm trying to be creative, to allow the process to be what it is and not try to force the issue... which is why tonight I found myself rewriting the opening of Lilith... again...
I have tried a couple of exercises in first person, but I get lost in the details and it drains the power of the scene. This last version, in third person, is a little more daring than the first few. I wonder if that's a sign of things to come?
It DOES mean that I'm off the first page... I'm onto page 5 tonight... with more to come. I swear it's like a blind man trying to describe an elephant though. I can't seem to visualize the whole behemoth yet.
Friday, March 8, 2013
"From the Ashes" Kindle Release Blogfest
I'm so happy today to share with and support my friend Jessica McKendry (16) on the release of her self published NOVEL, "From the Ashes" on Kindle. It's quite an achievement, getting through the publishing process. Jess, I salute you!
Most people probably lead with the novel cover and summary, but I'm going to lead with the author, because she's just so cool! So without further ado, here she is!
Jessica McKendry was born in Michigan, yet grew up all over the Northeastern United States. She has lived in 7 different states, moved 15 times, and loves to travel. Jessica has been writing since she could read, but didn't write much more than poetry until she was 14 when she accidentally began writing what would become her debut novel two years later. Check out her website (www.jessicamckendry.com) or follow her on Twitter (@JessicaMcKendry) for more information.
And now the novel, which is available on Amazon here. You can leave a review on Goodreads here.
Most people probably lead with the novel cover and summary, but I'm going to lead with the author, because she's just so cool! So without further ado, here she is!
And now the novel, which is available on Amazon here. You can leave a review on Goodreads here.
Summary:
Jaina Indera has been preparing her entire life for the chance to prove herself a superior and loyal citizen of the Imperial Alliance. In order to do so, she believes she must win the galaxy-wide competition known as the Trials. With training at her Gifted School progressing swiftly, everything looks like it is on pace for her to achieve her dream…until a boy named Dragon enrolls in her class.
Suddenly doubting herself and everything she’s been taught to believe, Jaina and Dragon are teamed with six of their classmates for the chance to compete and achieve their dream: winning the Trials. Consisting of four different tests, the Trials are about to challenge these eight young adults to the limits of their abilities. But learning to work as a team is more difficult than they ever imagined and dark secrets from Dragon’s past emerge that put them in mortal danger. Now Jaina must discover what she’s really fighting for if she and her team have any hope of finishing the Trials…alive.
Exploring the nature of self-reliance and self-confidence, McKendry delivers a perceptive, nuanced portrait of the importance of teamwork and the strain it puts on individual desires and motivations. Playing with the concepts of dark and light, her novel is a complex coming of age story that encapsulates the complicated hero’s journey from student to leader. A dark tale of love and revenge, From the Ashes is a powerful reminder to think for yourself instead of blindly following what you’ve been taught to believe.
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
IWSG: Navel-gazing it is
Hi everyone! It's the first Wednesday in March. That means it's time for Insecure Writer's Support Group, hosted by Alex Cavanaugh. Anyone can join, so hop on over to the IWSG page for more information and sign up!
I've been having one of those weeks.... I have work to keep me busy and more editing inquiries coming in. My back doesn't hurt so I've been able to get the house cleaned (relatively) and spend time being active with the dog. It's been a week since I sent the NNK off to her new home.
And somehow I feel so far behind the bar that I wonder how I can even show my (dirty, animal hair covered) face in public.
Sigh... apparently I'm not allowed to be imperfect, says my internal editor. She's (I'm) so afraid of rejection that I've painted myself into a convenient corner that keeps me immobile. The problem is, there's no rejection to be afraid of! Everything is going well! Sigh...
Anyone have any creative writing exercises that can help shake off a serious funk? I feel like I need to write two characters, one who always succeeds and one who always fails, and then put them in each other's shoes for a week... and try to work out some of this hesitation on the page.
What do you do to get yourself over the weeks (or months, or years) of feeling utterly inadequate and insignificant and scared of rejections that don't exist?
Saturday, March 2, 2013
The Slow Cooker: A Writer's Best Friend Blog Hop
Yay everyone! It's time for "The Slow Cooker: A Writer's Best Friend" Blog Hop!
I seriously love my Crock Pot.
I'm sharing a recipe I pulled from my newest cookbook acquisition:
The Indian Slow Cooker: 50 Healthy, Easy, Authentic Recipes
I've always wanted to try my hand at cooking Indian food... but most times the recipes are too... fiddly. Well, not now! Anyhow, here's my favorite so far.
Dry Spiced Dal (recipe by Anupy Singla)
Sooki Dal/Slow cooker size: 3 and a half quarts/Cooking time: 2 and a half hours on low (I cooked this on high, and for much longer than 2 and a half hours before the lentils were soft enough, though)/Yield: 7 cups
Ingredients:
3 cups dried, split, and skinned yellow moong dal or split and skinned urad dal, cleaned and washed thoroughly.
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 (1 inch) piece ginger, peeled and grated
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced or grated
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon salt
3 cups water
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
Chopped green chilies for garnish (optional)
Chopped onions for garnish (optional)
Directions:
- Put the lentils, onion, ginger, garlic, cumin, turmeric, salt, and water in the slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 2 hours, stirring once or twice. (Again, I cooked on high and for 3+ hours before the moong dal softened... just be prepared). Check to see if the water has been absorbed. If not, cook for another 30 minutes until no liquid remains.
- Garnish with the cilantro, chopped green chilies, and onions. Serve with rice, roti or naan and spicy achaar, or spread on a flour tortilla.
Yep... it's THAT easy! And the flavor was delicious. I highly recommend Singla's book if you're interested in trying more Indian style slow cooker recipes.
For other recipes from this blog hop, head over to the following blogs:
2. Rebekah Loper, Writer
3. The Merry Mennonite
4. Sue Ann Bowling
5. Thoughts of a Visual and Verbal Artist
6. Write Backwards - Jamie Dement (LadyJai)
7. Bonnie Rae, Just Words
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
A rung on the ladder of life (or NEWS!)**Updated**
I'm going to post this announcement today, even though I suppose it's slightly premature... in that I haven't received my paperwork yet... but...
I am a newly minted Assistant Editor for Entangled Publishing! Seriously excited about this, folks. It's a tiny, bottom-rung job and I'll probably be making beans and doing tons of work for it... but it's an editing position with a publishing company! I'll be putting actual hours toward experience, learning more about the craft in the process, and helping authors achieve their dreams of being published!
I'm on one of the category romance lines right now. It's as good a place as any to start, I figure. I don't get to acquire anything (too low on the ladder as yet), but I'm hoping that this position will lead to bigger things in the future! I'm looking forward to posting more of my deep, dark musings about the editorial process from this new perspective. I hope you'll make sure to drop in and comment occasionally.
I have been freelancing as a developmental editor for YA and sci-fi novels for around 6 months now, as well, and I hope to continue doing that work... A girl's gotta have her pet projects. So if you know anyone who needs their MS edited, make sure to send them to Writing Refinery.
Coming soon:
Photos from a Roller Derby excursion. It was my first time attending a bout. Super fun!
**UPDATED**
No, Leslie, this does not mean we're staying in CT. It's a remote position that I can do from wherever I happen to live. :)
I am a newly minted Assistant Editor for Entangled Publishing! Seriously excited about this, folks. It's a tiny, bottom-rung job and I'll probably be making beans and doing tons of work for it... but it's an editing position with a publishing company! I'll be putting actual hours toward experience, learning more about the craft in the process, and helping authors achieve their dreams of being published!I'm on one of the category romance lines right now. It's as good a place as any to start, I figure. I don't get to acquire anything (too low on the ladder as yet), but I'm hoping that this position will lead to bigger things in the future! I'm looking forward to posting more of my deep, dark musings about the editorial process from this new perspective. I hope you'll make sure to drop in and comment occasionally.
I have been freelancing as a developmental editor for YA and sci-fi novels for around 6 months now, as well, and I hope to continue doing that work... A girl's gotta have her pet projects. So if you know anyone who needs their MS edited, make sure to send them to Writing Refinery.
Coming soon:
Photos from a Roller Derby excursion. It was my first time attending a bout. Super fun!
**UPDATED**
No, Leslie, this does not mean we're staying in CT. It's a remote position that I can do from wherever I happen to live. :)
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Blogging events in my future (and possibly yours, too!)
There are a couple of cool events coming up that you may have heard of, or you may not have heard of. Anyhow, I wanted to let you know about them!
FIRST!!! IndieReCon (February 19-21)
"A small group of indie writers has pulled together and is hosting this FREE online conference on everything INDIE in Feb 2013! The goal? To make indie publishing a mission possible.
Are you curious about Indie publishing, but don't know where to start? Or are you already a published Indie author looking to boost your sales or expand your reach? Then you'll want to attend this exciting online conference happening in 2013 - INDIE Revolution Conference. Or as we like to call it, IndieReCon."
and SECOND!!! AtoZ Challenge (The month of April)
Can you post every day except Sundays during this month? And to up the bar, can you blog thematically from A to Z?
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Breakthroughs
You know that moment? The one where you suddenly come up with an idea that will solve a major plot problem in that manuscript that you shelved a year ago... yeah... it's like a great big bolt of lightning!
And then you realize how much actual work it's going to take to rewrite and fix the plot problem. Sigh...
BUT! Having a solution is better than not having a solution... especially for a story you care about.
It's one of those days where I'm looking up at the mountain I have to climb and wishing for a cable car ride to the top.
Time to go take the first step up the trail.
And then you realize how much actual work it's going to take to rewrite and fix the plot problem. Sigh...
BUT! Having a solution is better than not having a solution... especially for a story you care about.
It's one of those days where I'm looking up at the mountain I have to climb and wishing for a cable car ride to the top.
Time to go take the first step up the trail.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Knights of Microfiction!
For those of you who don't HATE flash fiction with a passion (you know who you are), anyone can join us to stretch your fingers and get the creative juices flowing. You can sign up on Kathy's page. Post your entry before 11:59pm on Wednesday Jan, 16th and then go around to read as many other entries as you can.
Here's this month's prompt:
In 400 words or less your character(could also be more than one) has a chance meeting with someone who will change their life.
And here's my entry, the intro from last year's NaNo project (hope that's not cheating):
Mermaids don’t just happen to exist, they’re made. No one knows exactly where the first one came from, she won’t tell. But after she arrived in Orkney waters, people began to "mysteriously" disappear.
Friday, January 4, 2013
'From the Ashes' Blogfest and Cover Reveal!
I'm so excited to take part in Jessica McKendry's 'From the Ashes' blogfest and cover reveal today!!! Jess is an amazing and dedicated teenage author. She's been tenacious. Over the past year-plus that I have known her, I don't know that anyone has inspired me more in the craft of writing than this girl. She just keeps at it!!
And now, without further ado, here's the cover for her upcoming release!
I'm not sure how it all went wrong.The concept was simple.The Trials were made to test us. They were made to challenge our strengths; our bravery.We were supposed to come out better.Winning the Trials would make us Superior citizens.It would bring us honor and demonstrate our loyalty to the Imperial Alliance. I knew exactly what I wanted.Until I met him.There was something about him. Something dark. If only I had known the danger it would put us in.I thought I knew the risks.But I never imagined the price we'd pay.***An insightful look at the good and bad that exist within us, McKendry's debut is a high-octane adventure that pushes the imagination to the limit as it lays bare the nature of self-reliance, self-confidence, and teamwork. Playing with the concepts of dark and light and how they affect our lives in multiple forms, her novel is a complex coming of age story that encapsulates the heroine's journey from student to leader. A dark tale of love and revenge, From the Ashes is a powerful reminder to think for yourself instead of blindly following what you've been taught to believe.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
IWSG: Finishing a project
This is Insecure Writer's Support Group, a monthly group hosted by the ever amazing and talented Alex Cavanaugh. Anyone can join in any time, so please hop over to his blog and sign up! You won't regret it.
I'm totally jammin' out to old school hip hop right now... getting back to my roots... which is completely ridiculous, because I'm Scotch-Irish. Hip hop exists nowhere in my background. But I love it.
False starts. That's what I'm insecure about. Everyone has projects that they start and can't complete, for whatever reasons... but after a certain point it starts to add up. I have so many unfinished projects it's scary. And I'm starting to worry that I'll never finish anything! I suppose everyone's process is different... and perhaps it's that I haven't hit on just the right thing yet but... at what point do you just have to put your nose to the grindstone and finish something?
Does anyone else lose interest in what you're working on like that?
I have to wonder if it says something about my character or if it's an issue with the character of my writing, or the characters that I am writing... that I can barely complete something without tossing it in the trash and turning to something new. Margo Berendsen was talking about endings and beginnings and what is the hardest part of the process for her... for me it's definitely endings, because I have to force myself to commit long enough to get there!
I love starting things. The excitement of a new idea electrifies me! If only I could recapture the romance to bring my stories to the conclusions they deserve.
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Nightmares
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| image from http://www.steampunklab.com/ |
And so I've written 600 words towards it... I can't tell if it's making it better or worse, extracting these characters, these horrible scenes, from my subconscious and giving them life on-screen. But that's all I can do for now.
That... and bake cupcakes.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
A NaNo fiasco... and what I learned from failure
Ok, so... didn't even come close to hitting my word target for NaNo. I mean, yes I know there are still 4 days left and that I could probably write 6,000 words a day and reach the 50,000 word goal for the month... but I think that would be missing something.
I can think of a few REALLY good excuses for not meeting the goal this year (i.e., travel, company for the holidays...) but what it comes down to is, I got bored with my plot. I think I just hit a point around 25,000 words where all I wanted to do was end it, kill somebody off, or wrap it up nice and neatly... and so I stopped writing because I knew that attitude wasn't going to get me to 50,000 words. And even if I could have managed to pound out the word count, I would have been disappointed with the whole thing. That's not what I want!
I really like my plot/idea for this story, and I am taking this moment to acknowledge in front of my amazing writing community/followers that I want more for it than just the chance to say "I won NaNo 2012." So starting tomorrow I am going back to the drawing board and mapping out more and better scenes for my plot.
I hope you'll all hold me to finishing this project even though it'll be outside NaNo... especially BECAUSE it will be outside NaNo. I can use all the encouragement I can get!
Also, I'm jonesing for a developmental editing project. Anybody got anything they need worked on? I'll give you a deal you can't refuse! E-mail me at ekauffman (AT) writingrefinery (DOT) com.
I can think of a few REALLY good excuses for not meeting the goal this year (i.e., travel, company for the holidays...) but what it comes down to is, I got bored with my plot. I think I just hit a point around 25,000 words where all I wanted to do was end it, kill somebody off, or wrap it up nice and neatly... and so I stopped writing because I knew that attitude wasn't going to get me to 50,000 words. And even if I could have managed to pound out the word count, I would have been disappointed with the whole thing. That's not what I want!
I really like my plot/idea for this story, and I am taking this moment to acknowledge in front of my amazing writing community/followers that I want more for it than just the chance to say "I won NaNo 2012." So starting tomorrow I am going back to the drawing board and mapping out more and better scenes for my plot.
I hope you'll all hold me to finishing this project even though it'll be outside NaNo... especially BECAUSE it will be outside NaNo. I can use all the encouragement I can get!
Also, I'm jonesing for a developmental editing project. Anybody got anything they need worked on? I'll give you a deal you can't refuse! E-mail me at ekauffman (AT) writingrefinery (DOT) com.
Monday, November 19, 2012
A website and a lull in writing
Next, I'd just like to put it out there that I'm stuck in the NaNo doldrums. I was doing so well writing while I was on vacation... I made sure to carve out time every day to chip away at my word count and stayed ahead of the game for the most part.
And then I came home... home is so much more distracting than vacation! It wouldn't seem that way. But it is. I have so many projects waiting to be completed, so many books to read, and cats and a dog that clamor for attention. Sigh... I really have got to get back on the bandwagon!
How is everyone else doing?
Monday, November 12, 2012
California dreams
I've been in Nor Cal for over a week now and it's wonderful. I miss it here so very much! I miss the sun and the birds and hanging out at the horse barn with my friends... it's enough to make a girl very homesick... which is a funny feeling when my husband and my beloved pets are all the way across the country. Sigh. One day I hope we get to move back here.
Things are just more... random and amazing out here. Like this for example:
I think one of my problems with writing is that I try to take myself too seriously. And I'm not really a serious person. Now that I'm just having fun with my novel, it's really become something I enjoy and I look forward to each day. I suppose it will be that way until it isn't one day... but I'm taking advantage of the good energy for now.
Aye me....
Things are just more... random and amazing out here. Like this for example:
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| I promise, window washing is random and amazing... |
The other morning I was doing my NaNo writing at my father-in-law's house in San Francisco and I could hear opera... like... a really good baritone voice singing an Italian opera. I thought perhaps it was one of the neighbors. It's a classy neighborhood, after all. But no... no... it was this window washer!!! Seriously. Incredible.
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| Watson eating breakfast |
I also have had three rides on Watson since I came to visit... and I kept myself together, no panicking or anxiety... just enjoyed the riding and relaxed. It's been a long time since I've done that. It felt nice to be back in the saddle until the next morning, of course. Wow was I sore! I really need to work on strength and flexibility more!! Sheesh!
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| Mallowmar the chatty kitty |
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| Eva the beautiful |
These are the two sweet kitties who sleep with me at night while I'm here and chat with me while I'm powering through my NaNo writing each day. I honestly thought I'd be so far behind on writing due to the trip. But thanks to some pre-planning and Write or Die, I am right on track! I even wrote extra on a couple of days so that I could take a day or two off in the middle. It's incredible and I'm actually excited about this NaNo lark of a novel. Things that I didn't expect have cropped up (like Clones!) and I'm just enjoying making it an outlandish story.
I think one of my problems with writing is that I try to take myself too seriously. And I'm not really a serious person. Now that I'm just having fun with my novel, it's really become something I enjoy and I look forward to each day. I suppose it will be that way until it isn't one day... but I'm taking advantage of the good energy for now.
Aye me....
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