Friday, June 29, 2012

Aspiring Advice: Stepping Off Plateaus



Those troublesome, meddling plateaus, I tell you - always blocking our desert sunsets. We have a lot of them on this side of the planet, these tall flat lumps. Sometimes brown. Sometimes red. Sometimes gray or a mix of all three. If you feel tempted to kick one, don't. It'll hurt your toe more than it will that glob of rock.

Wait, what? Hold on. Back up.

This isn't the kind of plateau I'm talking about.

(And this isn't advice on how to step off an actual plateau, people - just so we're clear on that ...)

Change it to a verb and you get this definition:
Level out, reach a stable state of little change.

After this last Storymakers conference, some serious reflection happened in my cranium, causing a little crisis in my artistic, professional, and personal life.

To make a long story short ...

I wanted to quit ...




Now for the long story ...

How could I say such a thing? I'll be the first to admit, it's not easy. Does anyone want to argue the fact that artists are always hardest on themselves? Awesome. In this case, I felt as if my writing had, in a sense, leveled out. Plateaued. Flat-lined. Reached a point where it's the best its ever been (after 15 years of application), can't get better, but still not publication worthy, for some odd reason - a breaking point, so to speak.


The dream seemed perfectly possible before college, before marriage, before kids. The weight of adulthood now presses my time in ways I never expected. It just seemed easier to drop the most time consuming thing (writing) and focus on being a husband, a parent, a home owner, an employee, and a horse jockey.

Err, scratch "horse jockey" from the list ...

What went down before this crazy talk started:

My readers are awesome. Not just my family (love you guys!), but readers, friends and trusted sources, and some people I've yet to see in real life who like what I offer. Long before our revision of Woven, a gal from Illinois read it (a friend of my mother that I have yet to meet), and she sent me a most surprising email, saying, "My only complaint is that I can't go to Walmart to buy the next one." Wow! Best compliment ever, amiright?

I'm not saying my writing is better than others. Far from it, man. I've had wonderful opportunities in the last few months to read people's work, people who have (to my surprise) come to trust my opinion. A few have since landed book deals or representation, and I couldn't be happier for them. Still, that little imp had to show up and ask this dumb question: what are you doing wrong?

After three years of intense, insomniac work (mingled with a head injury recovery), after all this praise, we were left with 120+ rejected queries and/or partials. Something didn't compute, and I fell into a slump.

Bring out the Cone of Shame!


How awesome is it that we received a partial rejection, with the most amazing feedback that will make this story infinitely better, the morning of pitching our MS to our dream agent? It went a little something like this: "Yep! It's done, but ... we'd like to do a revision ..."

FAIL

Thankfully, said agent is willing to wait, and we're currently doing our best to make the wait worth it. 

Something tells me we've gone into digression territory. And broke a rule. Where were we? Oh, right. Crisis!


See, when you stand on a plateau, you're high up (pretty obvious statement, I know). We can see a lot of ground (including ground we've walked on - again, obvious), but there's nothing higher. How do we ascend to a higher elevation when there's nothing to climb up?

This answer dawned on me:

STEP DOWN

Maybe I only thought I've gone as high as I can go? If I want to climb higher, I have to step off this plateau!

Kind of like turning left to go right ... or something.

So I then approached some people, mountains in comparison to my mole hill, so that I could know how things look from their peaks. What's their perspective? And I came back with three important questions.

First up, Lisa Mangum, an amazing editor/author.
She asked me this question, "Why do you write?"
My response after a moment's pause? "I love it."
Big smile - for her, this was the best answer.

1: Why do I write? 

Then there were these guys!


I was lucky enough to win a lunch with these two inspiring gents. We talked about writing, among other things, including juicy details about their current works that I am forbidden to speak of  (James really liked Prometheus, so you know). I shared my Woven pitch. You know when you're surprised, you back up a little? Same reaction from both, same reaction I had when my coauthor told me this idea of his. When they asked what I'm up to, I told them my plight and asked their advice.

A mind explosion ensued.

What surprised me most was something Jeff said near the end, "You're exactly where we were ten years ago." And these guys are amazing. Why am I worried?

Did you know James ran a marathon recently, with a hair fracture in his leg? He had every reason, and some very good reasons, to give up. I'm sure no one would have thought any less of him. But he kept going. He endured the pain and finished. "Now I can say I ran a marathon. Who knows if I'll ever be able to again?"

2: Have I really tried everything?

And guess what happened the very next day?

 
(Inside joke - mystery shirt is Hawaiian!)

I know this community of writers would hang me from the yardarm if I quit! This little gathering, our sendoff for Angela's departure to Florida, reminded me how much I enjoyed and missed being a part of their writerly worlds, and everyone there made it clearly known that the sentiment was mutual, whether they knew it or not.

3: Who am I writing for?

In the end, I had to step back and look at everything on my plate with a different perspective. I, too, have good reasons, very good reasons, to drop writing - but I love it, I haven't tried everything, and this isn't about me.

My recent hiatus was threefold: to give me time to revise this MS, to gain a new perspective, and to recalibrate my life. Those of you who volunteered to guest on my blog, now you know why, and I thank you. You've done this writer and tremendous service.

Have I come to a decision, then?

Yep, and here's the verdict ...

I believe in this story. I believe in the stories that I have or have yet to write. Whether on my own merit or with a five-author collaboration, they need to be told.

They will be told.

Let's climb!
Who knows how long it'll take. What's another 15 years at this point? If you get there before me, save me a spot. I'll need it!

This is not the rule, just my thoughts on the matter. The most important thing is to not compare yourself to others. Keep climbing. If you reach as high as you can go, step down, look for a higher place. Learn from it. Climb it. For extra credit, watch for those who need a hand. Be a Samwise.


Have you been in a slump like this? How did you overcome it? What's in your trail mix?

I'm David, and I'll meet you at the top!

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

I Read This: The Graveyard Book


Nobody Owens, known to his friends as Bod, is a normal boy. He would be completely normal if he didn't live in a sprawling graveyard, being raised and educated by ghosts, with a solitary guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor of the dead. There are dangers and adventures in the graveyard for a boy. But if Bod leaves the graveyard, then he will come under attack from the man Jack—who has already killed Bod's family . . . 

(From Goodreads)
*     *     * 

A boy. Raised in a graveyard. By ghosts.

Do I really have to say anything more? I'm a sucker for a good ghost story, and will admit some have been hard to come by recently. This one, by Neil Gaiman ... how did I miss it? The originality, candidness, and seamless omniscient narrative engrossed me from start to finish. Gaiman really is the master of the modern fairytale, but I do think this supernatural adventure is his best work yet (still have some to read). Looking for a great example of an opening line? How about this one:

There was a hand in the darkness, and it held a knife.

Simple, yet it set the tone for the rest of the work. So, yeah. It was very excellent read, with The Man Jack, an engaging villain, and lessons to be learned from a host of long dead ghosts. I just have to decide where to fit it in my top five favorite ghost stories of all time.

I'll save you the trouble of finding it here.

I'm David, and AAAH! Ghost in the Graveyard!

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Tuesday Tropes: The Load-Bearing Hero


Gravity. The ever-present force that many take for granted (and in some cases, they laugh at it). If ever a mineshaft beam falls or a building collapses, you can bet pancakes are in order, unless someone jumps in.


The Load-Bearing Hero - A moment when a character holds or lifts an otherwise heavy object from falling, to either save it or someone from being smashed.

When a poor guy is run over by a cart in Les Misérables (above), Jean Valjean jumps in with his strength that no one knew he had (thanks to his years in prison).


This trope is all too common in the superhero arena. To shake things up, they can lift heavy things to destroy stuff, as well as save, and anything is up for grabs.

Perhaps The Load-Bearing Hero can be a machine, holding up another machine (or a blast door).


Most importantly, a character doesn't have to have superhuman strength. It could be something as simple as keeping an entertainment center from falling on kids. I remember my father jumping out of bed during an earthquake to keep an armoire from falling on my mother. Massive hero points awarded that day.

Ever used The Load-Bearing Hero in your writing? Just a normal person, or did they have super powers?

I'm David, and this is REALLY heavy ...


Skip to 6:00

Monday, June 25, 2012

Post: Vacation, Or Survival Practice?



Vacations are nice. I sure wish I appreciated them more what I was young. Hopefully the little ones will. For us, we enjoy the road. Sure, we could fly over everyone, or slowly chug along on the train, but there's something almost magical about the open highway, with its brief glimpses and interacting with folk who have different worldviews at each stop. This is discovery fodder.

This trip, we're taking it to another level: survival practice! Camping along the way, living off canned and packed goods, stuff like that. Why? If you noticed, I added a WIP: Unannounced Zombie Novel (working on the title), and it will be 100% discovery. No planning. Minimal research. I'm bringing to it all of my useful and mostly useless knowledge while adding a twist to life experiences and my personal touch on the zombie mythos. And it's working. My CPs really enjoyed chapter 1 - even the one who hates zombies with a passion.

Man, I can't wait. I just hope we don't see this ...

Cause that'd be gross ...

*     *     *

Sweet! A few new members have come to see us off! Thanks, and welcome aboard The Cosmic Laire!

TDrecker 
and

Be sure to pick up a cruller  before you go, okay?

I bet I look like a zombie right now ...

*     *     *

Update: Our Woven revision picked up steam last week. We're well over halfway now. Had to take a momentary pause for some world remodeling (a fictional world's history can be a pain sometimes ...). Our third Scrutiny Session went well. Hopefully we'll tackle another 15k before I leave. Our August deadline is still a go!

Got vacation plans this summer? Does it include zombie survival training? How many crullers should I pack?

I'm David, and this looks like fun!

Friday, June 22, 2012

Aspiring Advice: Eliminating The "Just"

 
Surprise! There's one last guest post that deserves to be shared, thanks to Libby Heily. She's quite to prolific writer, tackling stage and screenplays on top of novel writing, and she has an excellent post about a little word some of us in the writing community find evil.

Again, I wish to thank everyone who was kind enough to volunteer their posts for the last few weeks. If there is any way I can return the favor, you know where I am (In a totally non-creepy way, of course).

Take it away, Libby!

*     *     *

One of the best bits of writing advice I ever received was given to me while I was studying acting in college.  After a sloppily delivered monologue I was grilled by my acting professor.  He asked me questions about my character like who she was and what she did.  That was easy, I had all of that information from the play.  Then he asked about her background, her childhood, her relationship with the other characters and how she viewed them.  Okay, I had those answers.  I did my homework, wrote my character journals.  Then he asked about my character's body and I said she had arthritis.  He asked me where and I looked at him blankly. 

“She just has arthritis.”

He smiled in that “gotcha” kind of way.  We had a conversation in front of the class about how any person that has an ailment can tell you all sorts of information about it, at least how it relates to them.  Where it's located will adjust how I move, how I move develops the character.  Do I mask the pain or do I exaggerate it?  How do I, as the character, interact with my ailment?

This degree of specificity is important.  I call it “Eliminating the Just”.  It really means making a conscious effort to remove arbitrary thought.  In writing, things can't just happen, even if your plot needs it.  Any event has to be motivated.  Your characters can't just do anything, it has to fit them as individuals.  This doesn't have to be explained thoroughly in your story, but you as the writer have to know the motivations and reasons. 

Say you have a character that has a cold.  Okay, what are their symptoms?  You write down a list of possible symptoms and then you choose a few.  How do those symptoms change the scene you're writing?  If she's on a date, is she struggling mightily to suppress a cough so her date won't hear her hacking?  How does she manage to blow her nose inconspicuously?  Are her ears blocked up, can she not hear the other characters well?

This applies to more than illness.  Where do they work?  What type of office?  Who do they have lunch with?  How do they entertain themselves when they're not busy?  What's their favorite office snack?  Coffee or tea?  You don't have to know everything of course, but if their job is prevalent in the story, then you'll want to know as much as you can to give those scenes life.

This is more easily said then done.  A good way to pick up on it is if you are asked about your story and in the explanation you use the word “just”.  That word is an excellent indicator that you're thinking in general terms. 

This is a lesson that has greatly informed my writing.  I have no idea if it's useful for other writers.  We all have our own process and our own way of arriving at the story we're trying to communicate. This is just something to think about while you work on your next piece.

I'm Libby, and remain in doors.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

InkPageant: June Giveaway Details

 

I totally should have done this sooner, but better late than eventually. Ever heard of this awesome book?

The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide To Character Expression by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi is a sweet and most helpful tool. If you've ever had a hard time finding that right (or appropriate) word to show your character's feelings, this is a great resource. And guess what? We're giving away a copy!

We're also throwing in a $20 Amazon Gift Card.

You know, for kicks and giggles.

Every post submitted to inkPagent counts as an entry. Writing topics, reviews, events, interviews, whatever. Submit your posts so we can share your blog!

Also, a huge THANK YOU for those who have contributed so far. We look forward to seeing your posts.

I'm David, and this is how I'm feeling today!

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Tuesday Tropes: The Mind Screw


Ever had your mind blown while reading a good book or watching a tense show? Like golfers and their hole-in- ones, these are the moments we entertainment lot live for. There are moments, however, when the unexpected strikes and confuses the heck out of us, in a good way.

The Mind Screw - A story element, so symbolic or absurd, that it makes no immediate sense (or any sense - ever), resulting in theories that have no right or wrong answer.


Alice In Wonderland (above) ... need I say more?

Yeah. I should. "Clean cup, move down!"

The Mind Screw is an extremely difficult trope to pull off, but it can be done. In fact, some literary works are a complete mind screw. My favorite? Douglas Adam's The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Pick up the book at any point and you will have no problem following along, as it doesn't make sense anyway. But is sure is hilarious.

"So long, and thanks for all the fish!"

Sometimes it's not a matter of confusion, but a question left unanswered. Such was the case at the end of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Zuko asks, "Where's my mother?" to his incarcerated father - and then, cut to the next scene. No mother. We don't get to see her, leaving fans wanting to know what happened. This, my friends, is fan-fiction fuel.


Most Mind Screw moments find their place in flashbacks and dream sequences (something I've read time and again to avoid or use with caution), since flashbacks aren't always clear and dreams have a knack for the abstract. Speaking of dreams, such is the plot of Inception. The characters literally Mind Screw the heir of a company during a sequence of dreams to influence a conscious decision out of him.

That totem still messes with me to this day!

And if you've ever read Lord of the Flies, you're a brave soul. It's a good book, but a downright scary book, and to think I had to read it and The Catcher in the Rye as required school reading, both of which are prime examples of The Mind Screw. I'm still not sure if this was a good or bad thing, but it lead me to watching David Lynch films for a while ...


Give or take ...

Ever applied The Mind Screw in your writing? Did you find it easy or difficult? Should I get a haircut?

I'm David, and never go in against a Sicilian ...



Monday, June 18, 2012

Post: End Hiatus, Status, and Members!


 
"Yeah," *dazed look* "I'm back."

What a month, and that's putting it mildly, but I'm glad to be back in the blogosphere! I express deep gratitude to Shallee McArther, Matt Hayes, Carrie Butler, Jolynne Lyon, Meradeth Houston, Mark Koopmans, Tasha Seegmiller, Alex Morris, and Jackson Porter for taking up the invitation to fill in for me while I was away. You guys are awesome. I'll do the same for you in a heartbeat.

Okay, mister. Tell us what you're up to.

Besides being as close to bipolar as I've ever been in my life? Not much, really, but I'll spill the garbanzos.

I left with the hopes of revising Woven and having it finished by now. We're halfway there. The first half, however, is what needed the revision most. The last couple chapters have been easy, leaving us with more streamlined tasks, keeping the characters consistent with the changes. I tell you, what we've finished so far is gold. I loved this story before, but the characters are now every bit as real to me as my own closest friends.

 *Pause for a sip*

And because this is a collaboration, the process is prolonged even more. You know, since each decision is a mutual thing. One of these days I'll write an awesome post about Michael and I and our process. It's epic. For now, the revision continues, at a level where blogging is manageable. We hope to have it finished by August.

In between edits, rewrites and emails, I started a new novel - four chapters in, and I'm surprised how easy the material is coming out of me. That and getting ideas for new posts, some of them written and ready. For more on what's been going on with me in the last month, mark your calendars and check out my advice post on Friday, June 29th. It's a way off, I know, but it just might be the most important post I've ever written.

No, really ... I'm serious!

When the time comes, we'll see if you agree.

*     *     *

It's so cool to see so many new faces! Thank you for joining, everyone, and welcome to The Cosmic Laire!

 Katie Conigliaro
Sara Blythe
Eseckman
and

Looks like we're inching towards 700 members. I better go look for some cool books to give away soon, eh?

*     *     *

Again, I'd like to say thank you to everyone who has stayed with me on this, even though I pretty much ditched the blogosphere, but now that I'm back, you'll be seeing more of me. Hopefully that's a good thing.

I'm David, and they're taking the Hobbits to Isengard!

Friday, June 15, 2012

Jackson Porter: Be Prepared


Is it wrong to be stoked by our next guest? Nah! I mean, when it comes to awesomeness, Jackson Porter has it in droves. He's an aspiring author and a budding YouTube personality. If you haven't seen his Inception parody, Deception, (with a voice over by James Dashner), check it out here. Now show us what you've got, Jackson!

(Be sure to check out the cover reveal for Chantele Sedgwick's debut novel, when you have a sec!)

*     *     *

Be Prepared.

Is that the Scout motto or slogan? I should know that ...

Anyway. Hi! I’m Jackson Porter. I’m sixteen years old, and one day, I’m gonna be an author. I guess that pretty much sums me up. I currently live at my blog and my twitter.

I’ve taken a lot of thought to the post I was gonna do on David’s blog. When he asked people to do guest posts I jumped right on the opportunity! There was one problem, though - I didn’t know what to write about....

Until two days ago, when I remembered something that happened at a movie I went to recently. The girl I was sitting next to turned to me before the previews and said, “So, Jackson, you’ve got to tell me about these books of yours.”

And I was like, “Uh...”

Yeah. I felt pretty stupid. And then I made a ridiculously horrible attempt at explaining what my books are about to her. I felt even dumber. She was probably thinking, And he’s pursuing writing why? His ideas suck!

They might suck, who knows? I love them, though. And shouldn’t I, the writer and creator of the stories, be able to make my books sound interesting when people ask me what they’re about. Shouldn’t I be able to give them some thirty second summary that makes them want to read it?

The answer: Heck yes!

But in all truth, I can barely make Doctor Who sound good. And how does one not make Doctor Who sound good?

When the idea hit me to write this for David’s blog, the scout saying Be Prepared! jumped into my head. I’d never really given that saying much thought since then. I thought Be Prepared really meant Be Prepared for the Zombie Apocalypse. Or Be Prepared for the Nuclear Strikeout. I didn’t really think that Be Prepared could apply to every single hobby or occupation in the world.

I met a famous pianist once who said the reason he’s standing where he is right now is because he was prepared. When he landed an agent, his agent took him to meet this famous composer. Joseph (the pianist I met) didn’t really know what to expect, so he dressed nice and was ready to shake hands and talk scales. But when he met the composer, the first thing the composer had him do took him by surprise. The composer said, “Play something for me.” And he pointed to a piano in the middle of a stage. So Joseph sat down and, being prepared, played something that the composer loved. And thus his career really took a start.


If Joseph hadn’t had anything memorized, if he hadn’t prepared anything to play in a moment’s notice, would he have been standing in front of me telling me that story? No, he probably wouldn’t have. I mean, maybe eventually he would have made his way up the ladder, but the reason he was where he was at that moment was because he had been prepared.

Be Prepared!

See, if I had been prepared with an awesome-sounding thirty second summary of my books, I wouldn’t have felt like a complete nincompoop when that girl asked me about my books at the party.

I’m a writer for a reason, though. I can’t tell things in one paragraph. That’s why I write books. So from now on I’m going to have a thirty second summary for each book I write memorized for the next time someone asks me about my books. It may just start off my career.

Have you ever been unprepared and felt like I did? If you have, feel free to share your experience in the comments. And don’t forget to stop by at my blog and say hi!

Favorite Thing of the Week: Swing dancing. Surprisingly, it was fun.

And the word TARDIS: meaning Time and Relative Dimension in Space.

QOTP (Quote of the Post): ‘It’s hot because it’s hot, not because it’s hot.’ -Jay Porter

Everybody give David a big round of applause for writing such a wonderful blog!

Until next time,

I'm Jackson, and I'm an Office enthusiast.

(I think Dwight heard that ...)

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Alex Morris: 10 Famous Writers and Their Writing Habits


I'm pleased to welcome Alex Morris here today. He's a writer and researcher for Office Kitten in Manchester, where he works avidly behind his office desk and keeps an eye on toner cartridges. Not too often do we see a savvy business guru with a heavy knowledge of literary masterpieces, so I'll step down now. You're up, sir!

*     *     *

For many writers the process of getting your thoughts down on a page can be daunting. If you’re attempting a full scale novel you can find yourself becoming quite lost in your story, forgetting key events or, even worse, struggling with writers block. It is important to remember that your work is unique – you are telling your story and it is solely yours. However, it is interesting to look back on past writers and examine their, often unusual, techniques to lift their inspiration in order to write their words down. Although many of these methods could be construed as eccentric, they were simply employed by their practitioners to get the job done.

1. Jack Kerouac

The Beat Generation writer famously taped 120ft worth of paper together so that his stream of consciousness writing style would not be interrupted by the need to add a new sheet of paper to the type writer. He typed so quickly, and worked so fervently, that he completed a draft of On The Road in 3 weeks. The now legendary roll of paper is often toured on display to the public. He wrote all of his books this way, receiving acclaim and criticism for his technique in equal amounts.

2. Virginia Woolf

With her husband, she leased a house in London and converted the basement into an office. This is where she would do most of her writing, amongst musty old files and stacks of books – the idea being, it seemed, to be for peace and quiet. The unexciting setting did little to curb her creative genius as she wrote numerous classics, such as Mrs. Dalloway.

3. Philip K. Dick

A science-fiction writer of incredible imagination and productivity, Philip K. Dick boasted he could type 100 words a minute. Dick also claimed to have unusual visions, hallucinations and interference from a higher order, but this can be attributed to his addiction to prescription drugs. Perhaps most famous for Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?, the novel which would become the famous film Blade Runner, 10 of his novels have been adapted into Hollywood films.

4. John Steinbeck

Steinbeck wrote in pencil and, as an author of some 27 novels, the Nobel Prize winner was vociferous in his use of them. His friends claimed that he was obsessive of them, often using as many as sixty a day. He wrote the acclaimed Grapes of Wrath, as well as East of Eden, the latter taking up more than 300 pencils in its creation!

5. Hunter S. Thompson

Thompson created the Gonzo journalism technique which saw him inadvertently become central in the story he was writing. Witness Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas as an excellent example of this; Thompson traveled to Las Vegas to cover a motorcycle race, but managed to immerse himself as the key element of the story as he deciphered the American dream.

6. Toni Morrison

The author of Beloved had to work around having children in her life. She solved this problem by rising very early in the morning and being active, claiming she couldn’t be clever or witty in the evening as she was too tired. This is also a technique used by J.K. Rowling, who would rush out to a cafe whenever her child was asleep!

7. Ernest Hemingway

Hemingway claimed he wrote only 500 words a day (typically in the morning), and would stop mid-sentence, in order to be able to craft a perfect novel. The technique worked – The Old Man and the Sea won him the Nobel Prize in Literature. There is, however, his thunderous alcoholism to take into consideration. Rising in the morning to a breakfast of gin and absinthe shots, he would go on to consume at least six bottles of wine, and regular shots of whiskey or vodka. He would do this every day! It is highly advised all authors avoid this technique.

8. Vladmir Nabokov

Despite being fluent in English, French and Russian from an early age, the author of Lolita never learned how to drive, type, or use a telephone. Due to this he was another obsessive user of pencils and would often revise everything he wrote numerous times. Most of his novels were written on 3 x 5 index cards and stored neatly away for easy access. He also enjoyed soaking in a bath tub as he wrote.

9. Truman Capote

Capote claimed to be unable to think as a writer unless sanguine – to achieve this state of mind he needed to be horizontal. He would lie in bed and write in pencil, smoking and drinking coffee or brandy as he went along. He would write longhand in pencil his first draft before moving to a type writer. Highly meticulous, his most famous novel, In Cold Blood, took seven years to complete.

10. Mikhail Bulgakov

Most famous for the wild tale The Master and Margarita, Bulgakov had a bizarre and fraught time writing his novel. He clashed with the communist regime he was writing under, as well as struggling with personal misgivings. Having had enough of battling himself he tossed the manuscript into a fire! Eventually he changed his mind and started the whole thing again from memory. This is a lesson to all writers out there; never destroy your novels!

Monday, June 11, 2012

Tasha Seegmiller: Your Brain NEEDS You To Write!


Hey, guys! And welcome back. I've got some excellent news for you: I'll be back from my hiatus next week. Some amazing stuff has gone down that's worth coming out of this revision hole and start being a true blogger. Again, I appreciate everyone who has guested so far.

Today, we have Tasha Seegmiller visiting, touching on a topic I've given much thought to recently. She started blogging not too long ago and has already made an impressive mark to the world in both her writing and insightful posts, like what you're about to read ...

*     *     *

When David said he needed some guests to help out, it was just the chance I have been waiting for to say a sort of thank you for inspiring me to start a blog. His kindness and example have impacted me in a way that completely changed my life.

(Sorry, DPK has to jump in on that. I had no idea, Tasha! Thank you, and you're very much welcome)

We hear people all the time talk about the importance of writing every day. I don't know about you, but when I think about writing every day, I think it is so I can keep the habit, it is how I prove I'm serious about writing, etc. But I recently read a book that completely changed my viewpoint on that.

The book is The Talent Code by Daniel Coyle.

This book explores the reasons there are hot pockets of talent all around the world, discussing whether is it nature or nurture that is allowing these people to flourish. Come to find out it's kind of both and kind of neither.

Warning: This is going to get just a little technical - stick with me.

If you are like me, you may think it is neurons and synapses that keep our brains really working, but for the brain to work efficiently, it needs to have layers and layers of myelin, which kind of serves as insulation for the nerves. I'll let Coyle explain:

1. Every human movement, thought or feelings is a precisely timed electric signal traveling through a chain of neurons - a circuit of nerve fibers. 2. Myelin is the insulation that wraps these nerve fibers and increases signal strength, speed and accuracy. 3. The more we fire a particular circuit, the more myelin optimizes that circuit, and the stronger, faster, and more fluent our movements and thoughts become.

It's as simple as this. The more we write and the more regularly we write, the more capable our brain is to write. It will be faster, fire synapses faster, make connections better. And when we let it slump off, we are literally allowing part of our brain to be weaker, enabling it to be slower.

Once we have discovered something we want to accomplish, and have learned from the experts (hello blogland!) the only thing preventing us from being truly talented writers is us.

I'm Tasha, and I've got some myelin to build.

Friday, June 8, 2012

Mark Koopmans: Tips On Editing (Using An Irish Joke)


Ready for an epic post by Mark Koopmans? I know I am! He's a great blogger, an excellent writer, and downright hilarious! I've learned not to drink stuff while reading his posts (took three times for the lesson to stick). Today, he's gracing my blog with some useful writing tips, with an Irish joke to drive the point home. Okay, Mark. Take the console (but watch the aft - just painted it)!

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Aloha,

Dave! Thanks for letting me crash land on DPK.

(I hope all is well with your revisions and editing.)

Speaking of which…

What?

Editing.

Don’t get your knickers in a twist … you could have meant revisions.

It’s editing.

Fine.

Fine.

Here’s my problem … I read many wonderful blogs, full of succinct, straightforward tips, with great advice on being a better writer.

Well, when I grow up, I want to be like that, too.

You do?

I do.

(Hums The Wedding March…)

Shush, now.

When Dave said I could share editing and proofreading tips, I wasn’t sure how to explain all the stuff…

The “stuff”?

Yeah, the editing stuff in my head.

I know how to do it, but sometimes I don’t know why…

I will, therefore, use an Irish joke – and add my comments as we go.

Before I begin, here’s my most important tip on editing:

Read your work aloud.

Preferably to other writers, and especially writer’s at a conference or in a trusted critique group.

(I love reading pages to a roomful of strangers… I know I’m going to hear the truth. (Sure, the truth hurts, but boy does it ever help you move your story forward.)

OK, here’s the joke

(Followed by edits and comments.)


Paddy and Mick hire a pilot to fly them to Canada to hunt moose.

They bag six Meeses.

(When it comes to your spell-checker, trust – but verify. In the above example, it’s worthwhile verifying if Meese is capitalized or not.)

As the two lads load up for the return trip, the pilot says, “Hey now, the plane can only take four of those there meeses.”

The two lads object strongly.

(Personally, I really hate adverbs, those “ly” words, because generally they don’t add much to the story. I would simply use “The two lads object strongly.”)

“Last year we shot six meeses, and the pilot let us put them all on board – and he had the same plane as yours,” said the Paddy.

(Great line! You can sense how wise Paddy is, but be careful of the little people, er, I mean the little words that can trip you up. Here, “the” changes the meaning.

“… said the Paddy” indicates a random native Irishman – often called “a bunch of Paddy’s.”

In this scenario, “… said Paddy” which is his name, is correct.)

Reluctantly, the pilot gives in, and all six meeses are loaded.

(Many readers would be disappointed in how the pilot handled himself. Some might even say, “Jeepers, yer man caved in pretty easily enough.”

Plus, where’s the girl… the love interest in this story?)

However, even with full power, the little plane can’t handle the load and down it goes before crashing into the middle of nowhere.

(Even a novice proofreader would see that one coming… there’s not much of a story arc here.)

A few moments later, after climbing out of the wreckage, Paddy dusts off Mick and looks around at the desolate scene.

(Would this happen in real life? I think Mick should dust off Paddy – but how do we know?? Proofreading allows a final chance to make sure the right Duster is brushing off the correct Dustee.)

“Any idea where we are? asks Paddy.

“I think we're pretty close to where we crashed last year,” says Mick.

(This joke was a sequel. This should have been pointed out earlier.)

Another editing tip involves printing the story and relaxing where you read for pleasure. Bring a highlighter (if on a couch) and enjoy the words once.

Then read it again – only this time use a pen and notate changes.

There’s a whole set of symbols or flags that many editors use. You can find them in the AP Stylebook – or you can make up your own. S’all good.

Finally, if the author of this joke ever reads this… I’m sorry to have used your work as an example. I was only joking.

I'm Mark – and I’ll ask ye not to mess with me lucky charms.

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Meradeth Houston: Pinterest Social Media


Today's post is brought to you by Meradeth Houston. Her debut novel, Colors like Memories, is now available. She’s a Northern California girl, which generally means she talks too fast and uses "like" a lot. When she’s not writing, she’s sequencing dead people’s DNA - for fun! She’s been writing since she was 11, and if she could have a super-power, it would totally be flying, which is a little strange, because she’s terrified of heights. And now, she has a post for us that is most "Pinteresting!"

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Thanks so much for letting me guest post today!


I thought I’d tackle some marketing options (something that’s been on my mind a lot lately) and one of the most popular, and fast-growing, outlets for this is Pinterest. Have you heard of it? Wow, is it addictive! My sister showed me the site almost a year ago, and we’ve been sharing pins ever since. Lately it has really caught on as a way to market yourself, your product, and just about anything else that has a picture. It’s especially popular with women, but I do have a few male followers.

For those of you who might not have checked it out, Pinterest is an online pin-board. Much like corkboards where you pin things you want to remember, you can “pin” items from the web onto boards you make. So, for example, I have boards for books I want to read, and have pinned the covers to the books there (from links on Amazon or elsewhere). You can also look at what other people have pinned based on topic, shopping price range, etc. My personal favorite categories are the Humor and the DIY & Craft section—both dangerous places for any free time I might have.

You can also link your account with twitter and facebook (don’t worry, it’s not required), which allows you to follow the pins from people you know. You can also find people to follow based on shared interests. The “follow” function allows you to see what other people who know are looking at and pinning, and allows for sharing this information with everyone really simply.

In terms of using Pinterest as a marketing tool, it’s a great way to share your blog, photos, books you are reading, etc. Do keep in mind that it’s primarily imaged based, though that doesn’t have to limit you if you want to pin something that’s primarily text. I have several boards set up with pictures I’ve found that remind me of my novel, Colors Like Memories. If you decide to create your own boards, be sure to enter a category for the grouping so more people can find them! The main thing is to share not only your own information, but “re-pin” things from other posters (trust me, you’ll want to!).

On my blog I have a button for following me on Pinterest. I’ve also added a button to my browser that allows me to easily pin things I find around the web. These are both simple to do, with all the information here. If you’re interested in checking out Pinterest, you’re welcome to swing by my boards and get a taste of what you can do. Happy Pinning!

I'm Meradeth, the author of Colors Like Memories.

Monday, June 4, 2012

JoLynne Lyon: Cross-Genre Appeal: Sucked Into Sci-Fi


Hope you've all had a great weekend, and I hope you're excited for a week of awesome guest posts! JoLynne Lyon is our brave soul today, a former journalist and current PR type who writes speculative fiction. You can visit her blog where she mostly talks about her life away from her desk. She has an amazing post lined up for us, so I'll stop talking. Give it up for JoLynne!

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For most of my adult life I told my friends I hung out with Trekkies.

That was understating it.

I started watching Season Five of Next Generation with my husband before I married him. At first I watched it for love, but I was hooked years and years before I'd admit to being a Trekkie myself. I mean, we had seasons three through seven on DVD, for crying out loud.

Why keep it in the closet?

Because Trekkies were the kind of people we all saw in the conference scene of Galaxy Quest.



So how did Star Trek suck me into sci-fi? For me it was because they threw in a bone to readers of classical fiction. The writers of the remarkably successful, stone-cold-space franchise explored the nature of feeling. Conviction. Passion. Love.

They did it through characters without emotion, like Spock in the original series and Data in Next Generation. They did it through Deanna Troi, who literally felt other people's pain and—in a couple of unforgettable moments—lost her composure in spectacular ways. The latest Star Trek movie revealed that Spock did in fact have deep, explosive passions, he just hid them better than most. (In my opinion, that movie was a lot more about Spock and the nature of love than Kirk the womanizing adventurer.)

I loved it. And yet Star Trek's faithful still showed up. Somehow the writers managed to put in a plot line that suited me without derailing their tech-loving fans.

It's a technique good writers use all the time. Just about every book review on National Public Radio starts with, “It's a (insert genre title here) that reads like literary fiction.” I'm not saying all writers should be literary, but it is smart to put in elements that appeal to a different audience.

It's probably safe to say that YA fantasy writer Rick Riordon isn't literary, but he did reach out to older readers in The Red Pyramid. He explored the similarities between Memphis, Egypt and Memphis, Tennessee—and threw in a lot of Elvis lore. I'm not sure the kids recognized it, but their grandparents probably thought it was a hoot.

Which gives me an excuse to put Mark Cohn's “Walking in Memphis” video in a blog post. I've always wanted to do that!



I'm JoLynne, and I'm proud to say I'm a Trekkie. I also love to make wood-fired oven pizza, read Dean Koonz and ride my bike through the countryside. Not necessarily all at the same time.

Friday, June 1, 2012

Carrie Butler: The 4 Critique Reactions

  
One of my favorite bloggers I've yet to meet in person is the astounding Carrie Butler of So, You're A Writer, and she has a special doodle surprise for us: The 4 Critique Reactions! If we've had our work critiqued, I'm sure we've put on one or all of these faces (and maybe more - where's the cry face?). The floor is yours, Carrie!

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I'm Carrie, and you'll never know the face I'm making. ;)