Category Archives: Writing

Blog BBQ This Weekend

Karen Jones Gowen is having a Blog BBQ this weekend. As you can tell from the comments on my previous post, I have already enjoyed a lot of new visitors from it, and can definitely recommend attending.

If you’re interested in participating, it continues through Labor Day, the more the merrier.

Here’s how:

Go to Karen’s blog (Coming Down the Mountain: From Reclusive Writer to Published Author) and “follow” her. Then leave a comment about what food you’d like to bring, mention the content/url of your blog, and invite others to come visit you. Go to the blogs of three other people who have also commented, say hi, and watch the visitors to your own blog pour in.

I’ve discovered several interesting blogs so far, and am heading back to the festivities as soon as I’ve posted this. Maybe I’ll see you there?

Have a great weekend!

7 Comments

Filed under Miscellaneous, Uncategorized, Writing

TMI

I had to stop while driving the other day to ask a stranger for directions, and quickly regretted it. The man was willing to help, but after telling me how to get where I was going, he added, “otherwise, you could take a left at the Walmart, go down over the bridge and and then take a right after about two miles. Then you take a quick left over the tracks and it’s just past the frontage road. There are fewer traffic lights that way. The bridge is normally out, but lately there hasn’t been any rain, and it’s open.” (Okay, this is not exactly what he said, but you get the gist of it.)

I thanked him with glazed eyes, trying to keep his original instructions straight in my brain. Amazingly, I got where I was going, no thanks to his confusing directions.

This experience put me in mind of a large number of writing samples that I’ve seen posted online. The story is there, and sometimes it’s not bad, but it is buried in details and extraneous words that require the reader to work to figure out what the author is trying to say.

I made that mistake, when writing the first draft of Jim and Jack. I wanted the reader to see things the same way I did, in order to provide a better understanding of the characters and the story. When I read it over the first time through, I had a lot of trimming to do.

The best way to recognize this “overwriting” is to read the work of authors who are not yet published. When encountered, the issue is so obvious that it is much easier to identify in one’s own work.

Each person has his/her own style, but clarity is something that all writers should strive for. Nothing is worse than having to re-read a passage because it is too convoluted to “get” the first time through. If an agent has to do much of that, the manuscript is going to get rejected.

26 Comments

Filed under Critical Thinking, Miscellaneous, Uncategorized, Writing

Making Lemonade

I spent the first half of today feeling discouraged, and the second half of today feeling like my writing is so terrible that I shouldn’t waste my time trying to get published. In other words, I had my normal response to a partial-manuscript rejection.

By this evening, I had straightened around to deciding that I should at least consider an idea proposed by the agent that would, in her opinion, increase my likelihood of securing representation:
Drumroll, please…

Switch it from YA to MG.

This agent is not the first to suggest that Jim and Jack has a Middle Grade feel to it. Two of my critique partners also mentioned this, but I have stayed true to my original vision of the novel being for gifted eighth-grade boys (as well as a grade or two in both directions).

Why?

1. Boys mature at a significantly slower rate than girls during those tween/lower teen years.

2. Boys are generally not as emotionally complex as girls (read The Male Brain, by Louann Brizendine, MD, if you disagree with this. If you are still doubt, go make friends with a 12-15 year old boy.)

The Male Brain

3. Gifted kids of both sexes are known for their asynchronous development, in that their emotional maturity frequently lags behind their intellectual prowess.

4. 1929 (in which half of Jim and Jack is set) was a simpler time in many ways. Even though adolescents typically had more responsibilities at a younger age, frequently getting married right out of high school, there was a naiveté that doesn’t exist today. Society as a whole was more focused on developing character rather than on “being cool,” and I want that lack of sophistication to be reflected in my 1929 characters.

5. Just to make sure I was right, I had my manuscript test driven by ten 12-to 16-year-old gifted boys (nine of whom did not know me) before I started querying. On response sheets, in answer to the question, “Do you think you were the right age to read this novel? Why, or why not? What age would you think IS the right age?” every one of them thought that theirs was exactly the right age, for various reasons. Which says to me that it is right on target.

I am willing to consider the change, though. Clinging to my rationale won’t bring Jim and Jack any closer to publication. As the litmus test, I have recruited my reluctant-reader middle grade son to read it. If he likes it, I will pitch it differently and see what happens.

They say that you know you’re getting closer when you start to get personalized rejections. We’ll see.

1 Comment

Filed under Critical Thinking, Miscellaneous, Uncategorized, Writing

WriteOnCon – The Gift that Keeps on Giving

Well, I have to hand it to Jamie Harrington, Elana Johnson, Casey McCormick, Shannon Messenger, Lisa and Laura Roecker, and Jennifer Stayrook. Their brainchild, the WriteOnCon online conference for PB, MG and YA writers, was fantastic.

Styled after a traditional writer’s conference (except that it was free!), registration opened up on July 1, and the conference began this Tuesday morning at 6am, EDT. For three whole days (and evenings), the schedule was packed with posts by industry professionals, vlogs, critique forums, interactive agent panels, live video workshops, and prize drawings. Attendees were able to “get together” with each other and agents in the conference chat, lounge and through personal messaging. It was a lot of fun, and very informative.

A glitch with the server on the first day precluded many registrants (myself included) from logging on to the site, but every effort was made by the organizers for people to still “attend,” by posting all of the happenings and contests on their blogs. By Wednesday morning, everything was fixed, with plenty of time left for people to post items for critique.

The site and all of its posts will remain up so that anyone who was unable to participate can continue to benefit from the shared wisdom. If you missed it, go on over and check it out. It’s the next best thing to being there.

2 Comments

Filed under Miscellaneous, Uncategorized, Writing

So Little Time, So Many Writing Tasks

Is anyone else feeling bogged down with reading/writing activities right now?

Me:
(not necessarily in this order)

1. Finish reading the library book that I have been squeezing in between other time commitments, because it is due on Sunday and I’ve already renewed it the maximum number of times.

2. Complete the critique of a manuscript for two critique partners who have co-authored a novel (I’m only on page 35).

3. Rewrite my query letter (again!), this time baldly including the fact that my manuscript is really two stories that alternate throughout the novel.

4.“Attend” WriteOnCon for the next three days.

5. Finish reading Cry the Beloved Country. (My book group discussed it last evening, but I had only managed to get to page 104.)

6. Start reading next month’s book group novel (Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society).

7. Get back to either of the two manuscripts I’m in the middle of working on, which haven’t seen the light of day in months.

8. Read/comment on writer friends’ blogs.

9. Lurk on AQConnect.

10. Write my blog posts for the week.

I have been randomly chipping away at these tasks, but today decided to make a schedule and stick to it, at least until I can get the critiquing and reading under control.

What do YOU do when overload strikes?

9 Comments

Filed under Miscellaneous, Uncategorized, Writing

Keyboard Tips for the Mac

Heidi Thomas of The Blood-Red Pencil posted today about the correct way to type punctuation that is not listed on PC keyboards (specifically, the backwards apostrophe and the em-dash).

My previous career as a computer graphics artist and typesetter qualifies me to do the same for Mac users, plus a few more handy little keyboard tricks that I have found useful when typing my manuscripts. (The = sign and commas are just for clarity – don’t type them):

é = option e, e

ü = option u, u

ñ = option n, n

ç = option c

(em dash) = option shift hyphen

° (degree sign) = option shift 8

© = option G

= option [

= option shift [

= option ]

= option shift ]

¢ = option 4

= option ;

= option 2

Happy typing! 🙂

5 Comments

Filed under Miscellaneous, Uncategorized, Writing

Time and Place: The Importance of Setting

The two main aspects of setting, time and place, form a matrix that ranges from the time of day to the outer reaches of the universe. Some books, such as The Road, Gone with the Wind and The Wizard of Oz, are inescapably tied to their settings. Other novels could be set anywhere or anytime and it wouldn’t affect the story much at all. No matter what the genre, care needs to be taken to create a believable atmosphere that will keep the reader engaged.

Fictional settings take advantage of the reader’s willing suspension of disbelief. If desired, an author can move back and forth between actual events and embellishment of the facts. The whole genre of Steampunk, for example, is based on taking a generally accepted stereotype of nineteenth century England and molding it to the writer’s will, an “alternative history.” When seamlessly done, the reader is immersed in another world.

Research is important for realistic fiction, because obvious inconsistencies will distract the reader. Authors Rosamund Pilcher and her son Robin use businesses and factories as settings, and their authentic portrayals of whiskey distilleries and woolen mills hook the reader on an intellectual level that lends credibility to their novels.

Historical fiction is largely built on facts, but the author is free to mix them up if the story calls for it. In the final pages of The Help, Kathryn Stockett notes that she moved the existence of Shake-n-Bake ahead a few years to advance some characterization in her novel. (These twists on the facts should be subtle for the best results. If Sacagawea is snacking on Twinkies, it’s going to pull the reader out of the story.)

Fantasy, paranormal and science fiction rely more heavily on a reality created by the author, but whatever the genre, the characters need to be consistent with their surroundings to fully connect the reader. The language used, clothes worn and social conventions of the time are all extensions of the setting. “Young ladies taking exercise by the shore” supplies a completely different image than “babes in bikinis at the beach.”

Setting is not just a backdrop to the storyline. When well constructed, it is the framework supporting a world that the reader can get lost in.

3 Comments

Filed under Critical Thinking, Miscellaneous, Reading, Uncategorized, Writing

True or False?

Yesterday, I took on the challenge of The Bald Faced Liar “Creative Writer” Blogger Award, given to me by Cat Woods of “Words from the Woods.” A condition of accepting the award was to list seven facts about myself, the catch being that six of them had to be lies and one true, or six true and one a lie. Commenters were invited to guess which way I decided to go with it, and determine the odd one out.

Lots of people read yesterday’s post, but only three elected to guess which stories were true or false. Were they right? Here’s the recap, answers included:

1. I wrote my first manuscript when I was seven. It was a mystery, entitled, “The Adventures of Powder Puff Pig.” I made a nice little booklet and drew a rather straggly pig with a fluffy back on the cover. I couldn’t think of anything to say past the first page.
True We were vacationing at my aunt’s house in Denver, and there was nothing else to do.

2. I used to love selling Girl Scout cookies door to door (when I was little, you could still do that relatively safely). People were always giving me extra money, but instead of putting it into the troop fund, I would use it to buy more cookies, for myself.
False Great idea in retrospect, but I was rather shy. Selling door to door was the last thing I was interested in.

3. I am the proud owner of an Australian shepherd, three cats and a gerbil. The Gerbil’s name is Hank. The dog is Max, and the cats are Sam, Henry, and Sally. The next pet I have my eye on is a chinchilla, so that I can use it as a lap warmer for those cold nights in front of the TV. When it dies of old age, I can have a hat made out of it, and not feel guilty.
False We did have a miniature schnauzer, but he died of old age in December. We didn’t make a hat out of him. My sons got to pet a chinchilla at a nature center last summer and have been begging for one ever since, but since rodents can’t be potty trained, they’re out of luck.

4. I love 3-D movies. Give me a pair of those glasses, and I am in another world for ninety minutes. I can’t wait until they start selling the new 3-D televisions, and I’ll be able to watch everything that way.
False 3-D is neat for about five minutes, but then the glasses start to bother me, and I get nauseous.

5. I only wear skirts or dresses. I am so manly looking that whenever I wear pants, I am frequently mistaken for George Stephanopolous.
False I do like skirts and dresses, but I wear pants or shorts most of the time. While some have likened me to a young Meryl Streep and Caroline Kennedy, I have never been mistaken for Mr. Stephanopolous. I do think he’s kind of cute, though.

6. I was such a fast swimmer in high school that I went all the way to the State Championships when I was a junior. I almost won first place in freestyle, but right before I touched the wall, someone’s little sister jumped from the deck into my lane and landed right on my head. My coach actually had to jump in and save both of us. They declared the heat invalid, but it affected me so badly that I didn’t even place when we reswam it.
False I know how to swim, but I’m more the Marco Polo type.

7. One of my old boyfriends is a famous movie star, but I won’t mention who, to protect his anonymity. Let’s just say that Demi wasn’t his first cougar.
False Although Ashton Kutcher has his charms, I have never had much interest in younger men.

Sorry, Ashton.

My final obligation in accepting the award is to pass it on to six creative liars writers, post links to them, and let them know they’ve been nominated. (There is no pressure to accept, so don’t panic if you see your name):

MarcyKate Connolly – writer, composer, arts administrator

JEAN ORAM (.COM) (Jean is posting from her cross-Canada vacation this week.)

Lisa & Lisa Write a Book (And yes, I’m counting both of them…)

A. Victoria Mixon, Editor (Dispenser of Literary Wisdom)

TK Richardson – My Writing Masquerade (TK’s debut novel Return the Heart was released in May, a YA thriller about a gifted girl with ESP.)

Thanks again for thinking of me, Cat! This was a lot of fun. 🙂

6 Comments

Filed under Miscellaneous, Uncategorized, Writing

And the Liar Is…

Whew! I had just gotten my breath back from all of the work involved with accepting The Versatile Blogger Award, when I was gifted with another one! With more conditions. (Where are all those awards that only require you to sit back and say ‘thank you?’ I want one of those.)

Lesa’s Bald Faced Liar “Creative Writer” Blogger Award was given to me by my friend Cat Woods from over at “Words From the Woods.”

The conditions to accepting the “Creative Writer” Award:

1. Thank the person who gave me the award and link to her.
Thank you, Ms. Woods. It was fun to discern your lie from your truths, and I hope that am as successful at confounding people as you were.

2. Add the award to my blog.
See above.

3. Tell six outrageous lies about myself and one truth OR tell six truths and one outrageous lie. YOU get to guess which I chose, as well as which statement is the truth or the lie. (Mwa ha ha.)
See below.

4. Nominate six creative liars writers and post links to them.
See tomorrow’s post.

5. Let the nominees know they have been nominated.
Ditto.

Here are my seven statements – mostly truths, or mostly lies? You decide:

1. I wrote my first manuscript when I was seven. It was a mystery, entitled, “The Adventures of Powder Puff Pig.” I made a nice little booklet and drew a rather straggly pig with a fluffy back on the cover. I couldn’t think of anything to say past the first page.

2. I used to love selling Girl Scout cookies door to door (when I was little, you could still do that relatively safely). People were always giving me extra money, but instead of putting it into the troop fund, I would use it to buy more cookies, for myself.

3. I am the proud owner of an Australian shepherd, three cats and a gerbil. The Gerbil’s name is Hank. The dog is Max, and the cats are Sam, Henry, and Sally. The next pet I have my eye on is a chinchilla, so that I can use it as a lap warmer for those cold nights in front of the TV. When it dies of old age, I can have a hat made out of it, and not feel guilty.

4. I love 3-D movies. Give me a pair of those glasses, and I am in another world for ninety minutes. I can’t wait until they start selling the new 3-D televisions, and I’ll be able to watch everything that way.

5. I only wear skirts or dresses. I am so manly looking that whenever I wear pants, I am frequently mistaken for George Stephanopolous.

6. I was such a fast swimmer in high school that I went all the way to the State Championships when I was a junior. I almost won first place in freestyle, but right before I touched the wall, someone’s little sister jumped from the deck into my lane and landed right on my head. My coach actually had to jump in and save both of us. They declared the heat invalid, but it affected me so badly that I didn’t even place when we reswam it.

7. One of my old boyfriends is a famous movie star, but I won’t mention who, to protect his anonymity. Let’s just say that Demi wasn’t his first cougar.

One is true, or one is a lie. Let me know your guesses in the comments, and I’ll post the answers tomorrow, along with the nominees. (Accepting the award is optional, of course – it’s just for fun.) 🙂

3 Comments

Filed under Miscellaneous, Uncategorized, Writing

Everyone’s a Critic

Yesterday, I was researching a Dickens passage for another post I’m working on, and went to Amazon.com to see if I could “search inside this book” for Great Expectations. Much to my amusement, I noticed that out of 260 reviews, it had only received four (out of five) stars.

Great Expectations is a classic, assigned to generations of high school students on the strength of its literary merit. Dickens’ thirteenth novel, it was first published in 1860 as a newspaper serial. The hardcover edition was released in July of 1861, and enjoyed immense popularity at home and abroad. 149 years later, it has never gone out of print, and has been adapted for stage and screen nineteen times.

Of its Amazon reviewers, 129 gave it five stars, 61 four stars, 25 three stars, 18 two stars, and 27 one star. Curious as to the calibre of the one star ratings, I clicked on the first, entitled, “One of the Worst Books I Have Ever Read.”

Interestingly, the critic suggests that he/she might have liked the story, had it not been for the poor quality of the writing — specifically, Dickens’ irrelevant descriptions of trees and rivers. As a result of this and other intellectual tedium, the writer confesses to not actually having finished the book, convinced (although claiming to have seen the movie) that nothing worthwhile would take place. If fact, the first chapter was deemed to be so terrible that the critic recommends no one even attempt to read it. (3 out of 9 people found this review helpful.)

The moral of this story is that no matter how well you think your manuscript is written or how clever the plot, or how many of your beta readers/critique partners think it is worthy of five stars, someone is always going to hate it.

Don’t worry – you’re in good company.

References:

Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/Expectations-Penguin-Classics-Charles-Dickens/product-reviews/0141439564/ref=cm_cr_pr_hist_1?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=0&filterBy=addOneStar

Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Expectations

Charles Dickens – Gad’s Hill Place
http://www.perryweb.com/Dickens/work_list.shtml

BBC Historic Figures
ht
tp://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/dickens_charles.shtml

Penguin.com (USA)
http://us.penguingroup.com/static/rguides/us/great_expectations.html

8 Comments

Filed under Critical Thinking, Miscellaneous, Reading, Recommended Reading, Uncategorized, Writing