Twelve Days of Writing

(I'll skip to the last refrain as that's the most entertaining). 

On the twelfth day of Writing my true muse gave to me:

Twelve revisions finished,

Eleven read through passes,

ten queries pending,

nine craft books open,

eight passive verbs cut,

seven critique partners,

six books to read now,

five chocolate truffles,

four full requests,

three new rejections, 

two blogposts pending,

and a new idea in my head.

Have a merry holiday for those who celebrate!! Isn't that partridge cute? 

The Missing Piece

This time of year is good for reflection. I remember well TBW. The Time Before Writing. I felt like something was missing despite all that I was fortunate enough to have in my life. Obviously that missing piece was writing, which I've been doing ever since I realized that. 

There have been times when life has gotten crazy. Distractions exist, both good and bad, big and small, but through everything I know that if I'm not writing, I'm not complete. 

I suspect it's the same for most of you. Whether you've been living with this conclusion for years or just learning it to be true, you probably have that same driving need inside of you. It's nice to know there's company!

There will be times - and I promise you this - that you'll get distracted by the glitzy lights and colorful wrapping (yes I'm using a metaphor here), when you get frustrated by rejection when you thought this was it, or you become overwhelmed with marketing, etc. But please remember to take a breath, close your eyes, focus on the story inside, and remember. Remember the moment you realized what the missing piece was. 

Because it all comes down to that. Don't cheat yourself. Be true to you and keep working toward your goal, whatever that is. Mostly, keep working on being better at expressing yourself on paper. You can enjoy the lights and gifts too, but it's the warm fuzzies inside that fuel the soul. 

Sorry if this was a little sappy for me. I guess I'm in that kind of mood. :D 

Happy Holidays whatever you celebrate!! 

How Writing a Book is Like Holiday Shopping

It's that time of year again. Everyone's busy running around and grabbing gifts for others. Sort of like writing a book, right? Let's take a look…

1. Making a list. Do you plan it out ahead of time or do you go by the seat of your pants and hope that perfect gift will strike you as you stroll through the mall (sit at the keyboard)?
2. That feeling when you know you got it right! You found the exact right thing for Aunt Mabel and it was on sale too (you're on a roll and it's working).
3. What if they hate it? Well, I guess this one's kind of self-explanatory. 
4. Dealing with crowds. Sometimes you have to fight for the last one or stand in line for hours. Is it worth it? If the gift is that great, it is. Same with a story. Agents and editors and even readers sift through many choices, but when someone picks yours out it's all worth it. 
5. Making a chocolate or coffee stop when it gets hectic. Yeah, self-explanatory again.
6. Just when you thought you were done you remember your sister's husband's golf buddy. Time for revision!
7. Wrapping everything. And more revision…
8. You've searched and searched and you still have no idea what to get your nephew. You're about to throw the computer at the wall because you can't solve this one plot issue.
9. Inspiration strikes. You figure it out.
10. The smiles on your friends and family's faces when they open their perfect gifts. The feeling when you are ready to send it on submission/to your agent/to your editor/publish for others to read and enjoy. 

So, what do you think? Did I miss anything? Happy Holidays!!!

Accomplishments

How do you label an accomplishment? There are the obvious ones: Score a great agent, get a book deal, etc. But there are also smaller milestones. We have to celebrate them all (preferably with chocolate). Of course you already know how amazing it is if you finish writing a book. Not everyone can or has done that (it just feels that way because we all congregate together LOL). 

Since I had my wonderful little angel just over a year ago I've had to rearrange my "hours" a bit. But I didn't stress too much over it because I KNEW I had to write. That I wasn't giving it up. It's so much a part of me that I wouldn't be a whole person without it, and she deserves a whole mom. 

Obviously though I couldn't do the full time thing anymore. X hours of reading, writing, and social media. Something had to give. But how did I decide? And when did I fit it in? 

Sometimes I don't, plain and simple. Sometimes I have to postpone my goal. But I try to make those daily goals small enough that they aren't impossible, that I can make them up fairly quickly if I have to, and most of all that I feel that I've truly accomplished something. 

It can be as small as writing this blog post. Let me give you some more examples of smaller things you can do and count it as a win (some have to do with where you are of course):

• query an agent you've been researching
• submit to a small publisher
• write a thousand words (or some other specific goal in line with your own process).
• revise a chapter
• do a critique
• reply to all your blog comments

All of these things deserve a pat on the back. And the more you do that? The better you feel about your writer self. The only downside? You might end up eating too much chocolate. 

How Important is the Writing Itself?

We talk all the time about character, plot and world. But I was thinking about the last bunch of books I read and wondering about what it was that made the difference for me between LOVE IT and EH. What I realized surprised me. If the writing itself was beautiful and seamless I was able to dive into the story and characters and world so much easier. If there were simple errors that I've been taught I should avoid in my own work, I had a harder time and found myself pulled out and ultimately enjoyed it less. 

Here are just a few tips for things to look for when you revise that might make the difference for your reader:

• Avoid cliches. Particularly when using comparisons like metaphors. I know it's tough, but time spent thinking of fresh ways to say things really goes a long way.
• Vary sentence and paragraph structure. Don't start every line with I. Make sure the page is a mix of dialogue and description. It makes a difference!
• Don't repeat yourself. Find the best, most unique way to say something and trust us to get it. If it's important, spend more time and detail on it than other places. 
• Lose the helping verbs. Don't be passive. Make everything you can active and in the moment. She had followed the footsteps should be She followed the footsteps. 
• Search and destroy. Find the words you use too much, locate superfluous adverbs and adjectives and see if they are needed. If there are two or more in one place, pick one. 

Will you miss some things? Heck yeah! You're human and that's why we have other eyes besides our own looking at our work. But we should get our work in it's best form before putting it out there. It's worth the effort. 

What distracts you about writing when you're reading a book?

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FreeFoto.com

I'm sitting here going... Oh no! I have to write a new blog post when all I want to do is bask in the glory of my beautiful cover. He he he. But seriously folks, that brings up an important writing question: 

How do you focus when you're distracted? 

We face all sorts of those nasty little distractions (okay some aren't nasty like my baby for example). From work, to personal lives, to rejections, to acceptances! All of those things can take much needed focus from our actual writing. Even blogging! *faints*

Here are some simple tips to keep that butt of yours in the chair!

1. Plan ahead. Meaning, carve out that time to work before the day even starts. Actually writing it on your calendar can give it the importance it deserves. 
2. Turn off all the distractions. Some we can't - like babies - but some we can! Like the internet. Or the telephone. 
3. Write down your goals and check them off as you go. Seriously. Studies show that if you write it, you're more likely to accomplish it. Also the more specific the better, so break it down into parts and if you check them off you feel like you're really getting somewhere!
4. Make yourself accountable. If you tell others you'll feel a lot worse about not doing it. My writing buddies (Leslie Rose and Julie Musil) and I have a policy where we share our monthly writing goals with each other. I love those guys!
5. Recognize how important it is to you. I'm not complete if I don't write. I know that about myself. So if I don't make time, I'm not the only one that suffers. My family doesn't get the complete me if that makes any sense. Also, don't forget that blogging and all are AWESOME but they don't take the place of actual writing. ;D

Got any other tips to add? Share! Oh and did you get my little pic? He he. If not watch the movie UP!!!

So You Want To Be a Writer...

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Writing is glamorous. That's me up above. NOT. It's more like sitting in front of your computer in your socks, slurping coffee and giving life to the voices in your head. Wait - what? Not glamorous you say? Okay, maybe not. If you're just starting out or you've been on the road for a while, but want to nod along, here are some pro's and con's to the job. But don't worry, with each con, I tell you how you ought to handle it.


Pros:

1. Creative freedom. Yep that's number one for me. I finally get to let loose all the craziness tangled up in my head. It's exhilarating most days. 
2. Supportive community. I've never seen one like it. I'm still blown away by the overwhelmingly friendly and supportive attitudes of those all along the path. I've made some of my best friends doing this. You know who you are!
3. Doing what you love. Not everyone gets to explore their passions. We are among the lucky few.
4. BOOKS. Yep, I can read books and claim I'm doing work. It doesn't get better than that!
5. The hours are flexible. I frequently wake up at 3 AM for an hour with my head buzzing about a new idea. But the afternoons are for my kids. It's up to me, as long as I'm motivated to sit down and actually do it, I'm good to go!

Cons:

1. Facing rejection. It hurts, let's face it, even though we can learn from it. To deny that is to let it build up inside. So eat some chocolate (yes that's my answer to just about everything), take a breather, appreciate any specific feedback or personalization that came with it, and use that info to make your writing stronger. 
2. You have to have the patience of Methuselah. This is not a fast business. It takes time to do things right. Time to write the book and revise it. Time to query. Time to sell. Time to publish. Even if you get it right the first time, which is oh SO rare, the whole thing will take years from start to finish. So you have to be prepared for that. Try writing another project while you wait.
3. Dealing with non-writers. Yep. They mean well, they can even be supportive, but you've heard them, right? "When I can I buy your book?" "I wanted to write a book once, but I didn't have the time." or "I should do that too." The truth is, if you don't have the drive inside you, where you know you HAVE to write or you'll wither and die, then you probably shouldn't be doing this. 
4. You suffer more ups and downs than a yo-yo. Sorry, I needed a better simile there. But you get the idea. One minute you're riding high, the next you feel like a fraud. I've felt it, I've heard just about everyone complain at some point about it. But IMHO? Those highs are worth every moment. Besides, lows come with - say it with me - CHOCOLATE.
5. The paycheck. If you're in it for the money, TURN BACK NOW. It's tough to make an actual living at this. Those that do are rare and lucky. I wish we all could, but the reality is otherwise. So write because you love it or go back to med school. 

When You're Too Close to the Book

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We know some things are good for us. We eat our veggies, double space our manuscripts and try not to blow up like a crazy person on the Internet. I hope. *Ahem* Anyhow, I recently had a blogger ask me WHY? Why is it good to put a manuscript in a drawer for a month? Good question! I mean we hear advice like that all the time. But WHY? That's kind of the important part, don't you think?


So I am going to do a new series of posts trying to clarify the WHY on some of these common bits of advice, starting today with: Why put it away?


Answer: Because you are too close to it. For the last month to year you have lived and breathed this manuscript. You are in love with your characters. You know the plot inside and out. And chances are every time you see the words they start blending together to the point they're doing the hula. So if you put it away you get distance. You gain perspective. You can re-attack it with fresh and rested eyes. 


Does it work? Hell yes. I whine and moan and complain as my critique partners tell me EVERY TIME to put it away and don't dare touch it for at least several weeks. But guess what? It's like reading a whole new book when I go back. I see stuff that needs work, but I also see what I did right. Sometimes I even say, "did I write that? Cool!" So don't be afraid of it. It's like seeing a long lost friend. 


Any other answers you can add? 

Creating Fear in the Minds of Readers

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I love Halloween, don't you? And since it's coming up next Monday, I thought I'd do some scary posts in honor of this most creative of occasions. Whether you write horror or contemporary, fantasy or sci-fi, chances are there is a point where you want to frighten your reader. Fear is one way to be emotionally invested in a book, and if the payoff is done well (we'll talk about that next time) you have an excellent combination. 


So how do you do it? Do you throw in a scary monster? Not necessary, though I love a good monster. Here are some do's and do not's for setting up the tension. That's right! Tension = Fear, concern, worry, anxiety, nervousness - you get the idea. 


Do:

• Put your MC is danger. Seems obvious, I know. But some of us have a hard time doing that to our beloved characters. Don't protect them.  
• Keep that danger ominous. Yes you have to reveal information to your reader, but don't come out shooting. Think of some of your favorite books. Chances are the villain was built up over time so that his presence was a cloud looming over the MC. Voldemort is a great example. We see from other's reactions (just the fear that using his name instills in all but Dumbledore) that he is someone to avoid. Before he is ever seen, we are frightened of him.
• Play with time. Huh? What I mean is, use your pacing to your advantage. Slow it down right as the tension mounts. Make the MC reach slowly toward that creaking door that you just KNOW the killer is hiding behind...
• Make your MC helpless. Whatever he/she is facing should be the worst possible thing you can think of. Find his Kryptonite and use it to the villain's advantage. We should feel just as helpless when reading it as he does. 
• Make it your MC's fault. If she feels responsibility for the heinous situation, we are doubly invested in her seemingly impossible attempt to right the wrong she created.

Don't:

• Be cliche. Walking down an eerie street in broad daylight can be scarier than a dark and stormy night. 
• Make your antagonist a device. Give the villain some depth. Don't just throw in a mindless monster because it gives you reason to react. Yeah, zombies are scary, but what's scarier is the mad scientist who created them by experimenting on foster kids like your MC. 
• Tell. Yeah I know, that whole show don't tell thing. But it's really helpful when you're trying to instigate strong feelings in the readers and immerse them in a scene. 
• Pull your punches. Don't take it easy on us or your characters. This goes with putting your MC in danger. Dish it out fully. Don't be afraid, you can always clean up the carnage if you must during revisions. 
• Underestimate the reader. Assume we get it. The more details we have to fill in with our imagination, the scarier it actually is. That's not an excuse to fail to describe things or plant the idea in the first place. Just be purposeful in where and how those details come. 

Remember it's that moment of suspense before the killer jumps out from behind the door that makes the difference. Also, if you notice, the majority of these tips aren't so much about the bad guy as the MC. 

Making Sure It Doesn't Feel Forced

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I had a critique partner tell me a while back that something I'd written felt like a writer's device. Something I'd clearly dropped in to force the story in a certain direction. She was right. I had to change that, because if there's one thing I DON'T want, it's for the reader to feel like there's a puppet master standing behind the scenes manipulating the story. 


Pay no attention to that author behind the curtain!


If I've done a good job I will remain invisible. I'll be a name on the cover page, but the characters will have a life of their own. My favorite critique comments are the ones where the crit partner is speaking directly to my character. I'll paraphrase my favorite: "No! No! No! No! Don't do it!" Then I know I've done my job. 


So how? How do I take it from forced to engrossed? The first step is identifying the "device". One way is to have critique partners look at it. I wouldn't have seen it on my own. Another is to put the book away for a while so you can see it with fresh eyes. You hear these things over and over because they are so important. And they work. 


The next step is to ask yourself what would make that action feel natural. Remember it's key to understand that your character is used to her life. That she knows the contents of her room for example, or that her brother is going to be annoying. It may be a surprise to the reader, but it isn't necessarily to your character. 


Also, remember there's no such thing as coincidence. If you're writing a mystery, the killer should be someone we know, but that doesn't mean the MC should realize that. It's too convenient. There has to be a reasonable explanation. 


Have you run into this problem? How did you handle it?

Feed Your Senses

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We've been told to use all our senses in our writing, but what about while we're writing? Many writers use tools for inspiration. Take a look at the five senses below and see what you already use, and what you might consider trying in the future.

1. Sight. I do searches for just the right face for each of my major characters and make a power point presentation for the manuscript. It can make them feel more real. The same can be done for settings, either with pictures or maps.
2. Sound. I have playlists for each manuscript I write. Songs that either make me think of the story or a particular character. Some of my playlists are long, and some have only a couple of songs. See the photo credit above for another great blog on this.
3. Touch. We write for long periods of time (when we have our way), so it's important to be comfortable. Make sure you have a good area to work in with a comfortable and supportive seat, the keyboard at the right height and the room at the right temperature. Sometimes the tactile change of switching to longhand in a notebook or going outside to sit in the breeze can make the difference when you're stuck in a rut.
4. Taste. When I settle in to write in the morning, I have to have a nice cup of coffee with me. Sometimes I get so pulled into the manuscript that I forget I have it next to me and have to reheat it. But that's okay because there's something about having it there to sip on. If I'm having rough times, I go to my good friend chocolate for help. :D And in the evening on occasion I love to sit with a nice glass of red wine. 
5. Smell. My blogging buddy Meredith did a great post the other day on this. Check it out! She points out that certain scents inspire memories and feelings. 

What do you think? Which ones do you use and which would you or wouldn't you try?

Can You Really Force a Character To Do What You Want?

I have a problem. Well a hypothetical one anyway. I get to know my characters. I get inside their heads. I can answer pretty much any question as that character. This is supposed to be good, right? *nods* BUT what if there's a problem with the character or the way his or her actions play out in the book? What if your critiquers say "No! I don't like her enough. She can't do that." or something of the like? 
And suppose I know her so well that I'm convinced it wouldn't be true to her character to do what's necessary to make her likable or do what should be done plot wise. 


What happens then? Do we squeeze a square peg in a round hole?
Here's the answer that seems obvious to me though I know it's hard to swallow:


CHANGE THE CHARACTER. Is it a fundamental change? Sounds like it. But you know what? Maybe they weren't the right character for the situation. Maybe you need someone else. 
I've said before that you need the absolute wrong character for the situation. The one who will have the most difficulty therefore creating the most tension and conflict. It sounds like in the above situation I haven't found that perfectly wrong person yet. 


And it may hurt. It's worse than killing your darling words. It's a person you've gotten to know. If it helps,  rename the character. Change the physical description. Anything to differentiate between the two. BUT do what's right for the book.


The character has to be true to herself, but if that truth doesn't work, change the truth.

Just a note - because of the holiday I will probably be late visiting you guys, but know that I WILL catch up and read every single one carefully. 
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Things I Never Considered About Being a Writer

When I decided to do this, I had certain expectations. I expected I would have to take writing seriously, commit to treating this like a "real" job, learn to look at it like a business, actually do the writing, and continue to read. 


Those are pretty reasonable expectations. And they all hold true. The things I DIDN'T know could fill a book, however. And you know how I like to keep my posts relatively short, so let me try to summarize:

• The Interaction. I never would have dreamed of being able to communicate with others not only in my position, but real authors - ones I enjoyed reading! And then there are the agents and editors that so generously give of their time on Twitter and blogs, even workshops. What other industry has such an open and sharing network of kind and like-minded people at your disposal? 
• The Reaction of Family and Friends. I figured my family would be supportive (they better be). But extended family? Friends? I held back on telling people for a long time. Then came my first publication. A short children's poem called "Ode To Mud" in Stories For Children magazine. Suddenly I had enough confidence to whisper to a few people what I was doing... And wow! I'm lucky to have such supportive people in my life. I believe there was only one person who looked at me like, oh no, you think you can write? I still hesitate when others ask what I do, but I've trained myself to say "I'm a writer." Because I am. Of course I now have my fair share of people asking me to proofread their reports and things. But I don't mind.
• The Depth of Learning Involved. I joked with my husband recently that I probably have the equivalent of a self-taught Masters degree. But really, it's probably true. I'm not putting down anyone's graduate program, I'm just saying, I've put so much effort into studying craft over the last few years that I'm amazed at the amount of information swimming in my head. I love that part of it though! And I look forward to continuing my education.
• The Emotional Rollercoaster. I was an actress for a time, so I'm no stranger to the whole expect rejection thing. But this is different. For one thing, it takes more time to get that rejection, which is probably what I personally have had the hardest time with. On an audition, you know pretty quickly whether you made it to callbacks or not. But wow, when you DO get an acceptance? Or a good review? I'll take a smattering of those soaring feelings in exchange for all the waiting any day.
• The Friendships. I've made some of the best friends of my life doing this. They really "get" me and I get them. I wouldn't trade that for anything in the world. It might sound sappy, but it's true! You know who you are.

I could go on, but I promised to try and keep it short. What did you never expect when you started writing? Share!

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Should We Write To Trends?

Write what you love.

I know! I know! Markets and trends and audience appeal, oh my. Yes, it’s important to know your market. But how do you do that? You read in your genre. Do I read YA? You betcha! Do I read paranormal and fantasy? I eat it for breakfast. Combine the two and you’ve got me hooked. I just got back from vacation. What did I take to read by the poolside? CLARITY by Kim Harrington. My genre. I LOVED it! And I learned from it.

The point is, I didn’t climb on the dystopian bandwagon just because I loved Hunger Games. I’ve read quite a few, but it isn’t what excites me (writing wise) overall. It isn’t the thing that keeps me up at night with ideas. It isn’t the thing that makes me itch to get home and write when I’m running errands, or even out to dinner. Without that excitement, my work will be missing a spark. And that spark is necessary. It is VITAL.

But paranormal is dying you say? I say, everything has a market. Everything comes back around. What I write today won’t be published for at least two years, so who knows what will be “hot” then? I have to be aware of these things, but honestly as long as I keep it original, I’m not as concerned as you might think. I write what I’d want to read, which I hope is something others will want to read as well.


Would I write something else? Sure! But I guarantee it'll be something that get's me just as excited.

Which brings us back to my point. You have to write what you love. Because in the end, isn’t that why you started doing this in the first place?


Psst! Did you guys see my guest post on the amazing Julie Musil's blog? She's running a contest so check it out!

Writing Can Turn You Into a Monster

We go through so many phases when writing a book. I like to think we turn into several different creatures along the way. Let me illustrate...

1. The Superhero. Yes we start out with soaring aspirations. We're sure this is it! This is the idea that's going to save the world! So many possibilities are laid out in front of us, it's like we can see a million different roads leading out from the core idea that sparked our interest in the first place. In this beginning stage (whether it be planning or just diving in) we feel invincible. 
2. The Willow the Wisp. The willow the wisp (for those that don't know) is responsible for leading wary travelers astray, sometimes ending in drowning them. In this case, it means the murky middle. We've gotten into the story, we have an idea of where it should end up, but we feel like we're trudging through the swamp trying to get there. Have we led the story astray? We hope not.
3. The Zombie. We can't see straight. We can't think straight either. We're so engrossed in the book that we put our pants on backwards. Hopefully this is an exaggeration. Maybe not.
4. The Pixie. We've done it! We've made it through the first draft! Now we're full of energy, feeling like celebrating. Do pixie's eat chocolate? If they're writer pixies - you bet they do!
5. The Werewolf. Revision. For the most part you are ready. You feel you can handle it. But then you have those moments - perhaps when the moon is full? - where you turn into an irrational beast. You want to tear the manuscript apart (so it's a good thing we mostly use computers now). The best thing to do is understand that you will get through this, and get rid of some of that negative energy in a positive way, like running/exercise. Preferably not by biting anyone.
6. The Unicorn. Critiquers and beta readers have their say. We feel like a hunted beast - a dying breed. Well, hopefully not. Hopefully we ignore that sense of vulnerability enough to take the bullet. After all, bullets can't really kill unicorns. In the case of this metaphor they only make them stronger. 
7. The Vampire. We've finished! We're ready to query or submit. We are hungry for positive responses, but know we will face much rejection, so we have to be tough. So tough that we keep our eye on the prize, and remain strong, clever, and stealthy. Okay, I just like that word. Stealthy. But you get the idea.

So how'd I do? Did I miss a monster? 

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Things I Know and Things I Don't

These are some things I know about writing and what that means to all of us:

• It makes me happy. (So we should continue to do it)
• It's self-expression and creativity, but it's also a business and must be approached that way. (So we should learn and do what we can to give ourselves the best chance of success)
• That doesn't mean it can't be fun. (I focus on what I enjoy like this blog and Twitter, and you should find your own passions)
• It's something that CAN be learned and improved upon by practice and education. (So we should take advantage of every opportunity to further our education and experience such as conferences)
• I've made some of the best friends of my life since I started doing this. (So we should be open to others and not be afraid to jump in the conversation)

These are some things I DON'T know about writing, and what that means to all of us:

• Who is going to get the next deal or call. (So we shouldn't obsess over it. Enjoy the ride, people)
• What the next big trend is going to be. (NEVER write to a trend, friends. Write what you love or it will not be your best and it's hard enough to get published when you're at your best)
• Whether tomorrow will bring a rejection or acceptance. (So we should take what comes in stride and not dwell on rejection, take what information we can from it to make what we have better, and then move on)

And these are some things I know about Vampires:

• I talk about them a lot (because it's fun)
• I think Damon is swoon worthy
• They don't sparkle (no offense to Ms. Meyer)
• Turning into bats has gone out of style

photo credit/you can buy the T-shirt here I guess

The Impatient Fairy - a writer's fairy tale

Once upon a time I wrote a blogpost called the Ogre and the Slushpile. Others seemed to enjoy this, so I thought I'd give it another try with my newest story, The Impatient Fairy. I hope you enjoy. Oh and don't forget to enter my contest!

Claire didn't like being a fairy. Of course she enjoyed the whole being absolutely beautiful and able to wield magic parts. But other than that it kind of sucked. So she decided to do what she'd always really wanted and became a writer.

At first Claire wasn't sure how to become a writer. Then she decided for lack of any better instructions, to just start calling herself one. The only trouble was, then the rest of the fairies all wanted to read something she'd written. So she locked herself in her hollow tree stump and wrote. In only a few short days she had the world's greatest masterpiece in her possession. It was 200,000 words long single spaced in a lovely curly font, and it was titled, THE BEST BOOK EVER.

Claire flew right over to the biggest publishing company she could find, and handed it to them. "Today's your lucky day," she told the editor, whose mouth had fallen to the floor. "You'll want to get this out right away."

Now it isn't every day that a fairy flies into your office with a manuscript, so the editor decided to forgo the usual lecture in these situations and actually take a peek. Wouldn't you be curious? Unfortunately after the first page, she shook her head and said, "Miss Fairy, I'm afraid this isn't for me."

So Claire turned her into a caterpillar and flew to the next publisher. After ten editors she couldn't hold back the tears. She was so certain her book was perfect. Plus she was sure to get in trouble for over-inflating the caterpillar population.

Claire had a lot to learn. And as we all know fairies are quite impatient. So after another couple of days on the internet, she sighed heavily and considered giving up. Apparently this writing thing was harder than it appeared. But Claire was determined. Plus all the other fairies were starting to tease her. And she couldn't have that.

Claire worked, and researched. Read and studied. Even joined a critique group over email (lucky for them she couldn't do her caterpillar spell through the computer). Finally, a year later she had a manuscript she was confident was ready.

This time she queried agents. She used a little fairy potion to help her out, and she landed one almost right away. Claire ignored the part of her that said she was cheating and got ready for the offers to roll in. When they didn't, her agent assured her that these things just take time. So she waited. And waited. And waited. She waited for an interminable three whole days!

Claire decided to use her potion again. And she had an offer within an hour. Then she had to follow the editorial notes and revise her whole book all over again! After several of these horrible interludes, she was told her book would be ready to release in eight more months. Eight months! Claire threw her arms up in frustration. Clearly there was only one thing left to do.

Claire settled into her feather bed and used a powerful magic potion to put herself to sleep. That way she wouldn't have to sit around waiting, she could just bypass it all and wake up famous. And indeed when she woke, she rushed to the bookstore to find her own book at the top of the best seller list!

Claire patted herself on the back, and flew home to check her email. She skipped to the most recent messages to find that she owed her editor and agent the second book in the series and an outline of the third. Claire's eyes teared up. She had to do all the work all over again, and she missed out on all the fun of watching her book release and hearing from the readers. Claire decided to quit writing and go into acting instead.

The moral of this story? Be patient because if you can't enjoy the process then what's the point? Oh and if you aren't a fairy don't go barging into an editor's office. Just stick to querying.

A Muse Me

He he. Nice pun, right? No? Well, blame my nano-fried brain. I do want to talk about Muses today though. What is a Muse? Well, technically a Muse is a goddess daughter of Zeus who inspires the creativity of artists. But you've all heard the expression I'm sure. Finding your Muse isn't always easy to do. After all, I'm sure even goddesses are busy.

So how do you attract a Muse? Make yourself irresistible. Be the perfect artist. How do you do that?

1. Don't wait for inspiration. Inspire yourself. You can find ideas anywhere really. A good place to start is a "What if" question. What if someone stole all the color in the world? See? I just did that. Right now. You try it...

2. Surround yourself with the right environment. Don't try to squeeze in a page while balancing a toddler in one hand and a bag of groceries in the other. I'm sure it has indeed been done. But try your best to give yourself a good solid block of time dedicated solely to your art. Make your own special space. Whether that's in an office, a bedroom, outside, or at Starbucks, well, that's up to you.

3. Be a good observer. Pay attention to the people and things around you. You never know if there's a story hiding right in front of your nose. Make up a story about something that seems out of place to you. Ask a question about someone's outfit. Why is that gorgeous woman wearing frumpy clothes? Is she trying to hide something? Protect herself? Low self-esteem?

4. Be nice to yourself. That's right. Be kind to yourself, give yourself space and time. Don't beat yourself up. Don't be arrogant either though. Be gracious if you want to entice the Muse.

And if the Muse still doesn't come? Eh - frankly if you can do all these things for yourself, who needs her???

What SCARES You?

Boo! Mwahahaha, welcome to my special Halloween post. What SCARES You? This isn't about writing horror, or monsters, or scary scenes. Though there are many wonderful posts out there about these things, including this post on Enchanted Inkpot about how to write a monster.

No. This is about writing what scares you, as the writer. Possibly the most frightening thing you will face. But also the most necessary and powerful step forward in your journey.

I know I've mentioned this concept before. That my hero, Libba Bray, spoke about this at the LA SCBWI Writer's Day conference last April. She encouraged us to banish our "inner editor" and for that first magical draft, to "write what scares" us. I was working on a new WIP at the time. One that seriously frightened me. Not only was it a new style for me (alternating POVs AND present tense, neither of which I'd attempted previously), but the subject matter itself was dark and intense compared to what I'd done previously.

The thing was, I loved it, and I knew that. But I was terrified what others may think. Was it really any good? Or was it all in my head?

My wonderful agent had already encouraged me to challenge myself, but hearing Libba's speech was perfect timing for me. It gave me the confidence to carry forward and just let it all out. To NOT censor myself. And it was exhilarating. I was on fire. I've never written a first draft that fast. Or felt so totally wrapped up in it.

That's how I want to feel when I write. And you know what? Yes, I had to revise it. No, it wasn't perfect. But, it turned out to be a clear improvement in my writing. A leap beyond what I'd done before.

Isn't that what we all want? To improve in our craft? To enjoy it? So I'm here to tell you that when the wind howls, and the shadows seem to swell, don't hide beneath the covers and ignore it. Open up your computer, and type what scares you. Because it may just be that little part of your soul that you've kept trapped inside, knocking to get out.

Really, what's the worst that could happen? You don't have to ever share it if you choose not to. But you might surprise yourself.

Now tell me, have you written what scared you? If not, will you try it now?

photo credit

Why Demons Don't Write

Have you ever wondered why it is you never see a book by a demon? They're clever, surely. But The real reason became crystal clear last Monday when temperatures in Southern California reached 113 degrees. Hell is hot too. And it was nearly impossible to write in that kind of heat.

Werewolves don't write because they don't have any fingers. So that kind of puts a damper on things. Paws are cute and fun, so are claws (okay debatable), but neither work well with a keyboard or even a pen.

Ogres don't write because they tend to get easily frustrated. Then they smash the computer or eat the paper and well, it's a vicious cycle.

Only good witches write. I can tell because the other writers I've met are all way too nice to be secretly evil.

Writers don't write when they are down in the "dumps." When they've received their 458th rejection. When they think their first draft was embarrassing. When they get writer's block and don't know where to go next.

Writers don't write for lots of reasons. But the difference between Writers and demons, werewolves, ogres, and evil witches is that Writers persevere. They pump up the air conditioning when it's 113 or go to Starbucks. They find voice recognition software or just wait till the fool moon is over if they lose use of their fingers (not that this has ever happened to me). They remember to be nice because we're really all in this together.

They take a deep breath, send out a new query, dive into revisions, and start writing stream of consciousness or take a walk.

Or if all else fails they eat chocolate.

But Writers keep writing.