10
Mar
I got a bit slack with the blog.
Sorry folks.
Life, and all that.
Yesterday someone said to me "Oh you're a typical Pisces!" (No, I'm not.)
I'm born Aries. (And no, I'm not.)
I'm really both. Which makes for an interesting war in my head at times.
But it got me to thinking about (and looking up) personality traits. Quite interesting, and quite useful for writers.
Take a Pisces for instance.
This is what it says on Pisces.com:
Pisces are sensitive, humane and often idealistic. People born under this sign react emotionally to everything making them compassionate and sensitive to those around them. Rather than taking an analytical approach to life, pisces react to the feelings of others and as a result can be very influential when they choose to be. In the right situaltion a Pisces can be capable of incredible deeds. The positive nature of a Pisces and the fact that they are tuned into the feelings of others makes them socially popular.
Being able to read and react to situations makes Pisces one of the most adaptive signs in the Zodiac. They are very intuitive and as a result can be flexible and prosper in many different situations. The intuitive nature of Pisces also makes them a very creative and imaginative sign. Pisces are often artists, writers and dreamers. The strong intuition of a Pisces can also mean that they are very spiritual.
Now throw that Pisces in with a Virgo.
The Virgo person is practical, industrious, efficient, thorough, methodical, detail-oriented, observant, critical, work and service oriented, pragmatic, modest, health and cleanliness conscious, mentally active, and flexible. They can also be fussy, nervous, pedantic, petty, and over-critical. Virgos sometimes get a bad reputation with astrologers and are thought of as fussy or narrow-minded. But a shining Virgo can out match any other sign. A confident Virgo is the most successful, structured, and creative of all the signs.
They are practically completely opposite, and there are bound to be fireworks.
So occasionally looking at the personality traits of star signs does give you a rather nicely rounded character.
Try it some time!
5
Mar
Chuck Sambuchino from Guide to Literary Agents is hosting the third "Dear Lucky Agent" Contest.
Here is the gist of it:
This will be a recurring online contest with agent judges and super-cool prizes. Here's the deal: With every contest, the details are essentially the same, but the niche itself changes—meaning each contest is focused around a specific category or two. So if you're writing a novel-length work of urban fantasy or paranormal romance, this third contest is for you!
But don't just listen to me… go check it out for yourself!
Click here to see what it's all about.
Good luck to those who take part!
5
Mar
So… I got a happy cupcake award from Joyce… 
First of all – Thanks!
Now I'm supposed to list 10 things that make me happy.
Since this is my writing blog… I'll come up with 10 things that make me happy when I write.
- When an idea hits that's just too good to pass up.
- When everything falls into place.
- When the right word comes, at the right time.
- When the dialog makes me laugh while I write it.
- When the action flows and you can practically feel the punches.
- When someone tells me they love the hero / heroine (or both)
- When someone finishes a beta read — and wants book 2.
- When I can write ten thousand words and later sit there and think "Where did that come from?"
- When I get a rejection with details, rather than a form rejection.
- I'd love to say when I get a contract / published, but that hasn't happened yet!
So those are my ten things.
What are yours?
26
Feb
…or whatever Speedy Gonzales used to say.
A few months ago, one of my critique partners asked the question "How fast do you write?"
She was new with us at the time, but the post raised some interesting questions. (And answers.)
The initial question was raised because, instead of churning out her "usual" 8000 words a day, she struggled to put 3-400 on the page.
It spooked her. She was used to write fast, write hard and get tons of words on the pages.
When my muse is kicking me hard, I can write fast and furious. I can churn out page after page, and every word flows and has meaning. Undisturbed, and given enough time, I can put 5-10k on the pages per day, easy. (I don't get distracted when it goes like this. You can try to distract me, but it won't work. I won't hear you when I'm in "The Zone".)
I love it when it happens like that.
I'm one of the lucky ones who has an understanding man in her life, who leaves her to it when the muse goes on a rampage in her brain.
But I can't do it every day. Not because the words aren't there, not because there isn't enough time — but because if I did this every day, I would be physically and mentally drained.
It's not sustainable over a long period of time. You'd simply burn out.
And then there are the days where my muse laughs at me and takes a vacation. On those days I struggle to put ten words on a page, let alone ten thousand. It's the days when nothing works, when everything you write sucks and you're better off starting over.
I have more of those days than I care to admit.
Way more than I have 10k days.
I thought it was interesting, because the responses were very similar.
Most of us try to write consistently, every day, at least a few words.
Sometimes it works, sometimes it sucks.
There is no formula of how much you should write a day. There can't be, because we are all individuals. You have to find your own rhythm, something that works for you.
Harper put it nicely:
I see it like this: those uber productive times, when I'm chugging away at lightening speed, I'm also using up some creative energy I've stored up. I mean BURN THROUGH the stuff. So I try not to beat myself up when the words only come one sentence at a time. I figure the well is re-filling for the next binge.
Harper calls herself a "quintessential bottle-rocket" — and I know exactly where she comes from, because… I'm similar.
My response was this:
My way of writing:
Explode words onto the page — or explode.
It's that simple.
What wants out, must out. Or else.
Or else is not pretty.
It would either involve some poor CSI picking my brains off the wall next to my desk, wondering why there was a sudden meltdown and having a hell of a time determining cause of death — or a padded cell.
I don't like either scenario, so I make sure I have pen and paper with me at any time.
It hits you… when it hits you. There are no hard and fast rules for how fast you write, it either happens or it doesn't. Sometimes those spurts come one day after another — and then nothing for months.
Don't panic when things slow down. They will, it happens to everyone. Nothing wrong, just your brain taking a break from a lightning strike.
The important thing is to keep a set amount written per day, whether it's good or bad. One word or ten thousand.
Don't sweat it.
Being prolific isn't all it's cracked up to be. Just because you crank out a novel in a month doesn't mean it's any good.
Quality is better than quantity.
It really doesn't matter how much, or how fast you write — as long as you write.
24
Feb
I was originally going to blog about revisions, and things like that.
Until I tripped across an article by Roger Ebert, titled "Nil by Mouth".
I recommend reading it, not only for the content, but for his use of words and the emotion conveyed in his post. (Although the content is incredibly moving and evocative. I loved every word.)
Now, maybe I'm ignorant, but I didn't know who Roger Ebert is. I knew nothing about him and had to look him up.
Turns out he's a film critic. (Which would explain why I'd never heard of him — I tend to ignore film critiques.) Turns out he had cancer and through a series of operations, had his jaw removed.
That about covers what I know.
Except… I know so much more. Not about who he is in the eyes of the world. I don't know what he looks like, or what he does. But even so, I feel I know who he is, I know about the things he likes. (Licorice, anyone?) The things he misses. (Conversations at the dinner table.) And about the things he doesn't. (Food.)
That one article told me so much about him, so much more than I expected. It's a great read for budding authors, because it shows you, rather than tells you, something about Roger Ebert.
You know what it shows me most of all?
He's not given to whining. He doesn't sulk, or wallow in self pity. He's strong and resilient. He has hope. He has compassion and he understands people.
That's what his article showed me about him — without ever saying those words.
So, I'd like to put that article out there as a shining example of showing vs. telling. About characterization, because he does it splendidly.
– I'd also like to put it out there as a lesson to all of us, to keep our spirits up, no matter what.
Thank you for your post, Mr. Ebert. I truly enjoyed getting to know you a little bit.
And I promise to pay more attention to film critics in future! 
Enjoy.
21
Feb
When we write, we all know our protagonists really, really well. We know what makes them tick, we know why they do what they do, we know how to redeem them and what will hurt them the most.
We know their black moments. We know why they are the way they are.
And that's great. It makes the character three dimensional, makes the reader love them, be involved in the story.
Many of us aren't as involved with our antagonists.
Often we don't know a lot about them. They are an afterthought, an element of crisis, but it makes them appear flat. One dimensional creatures with no other purpose than throwing a spanner in the works for our protagonist.
To pull off a great antagonist, you are going to have to invest as much — if not more — time to develop their character.
Just saying they are evil won't count.
Why are they evil? Is this evil just perceived, or real? Is the antagonist beyond redemption, or can he/she/it be saved? What made them do what they do? What happened to them to make them so nasty? Why are they working against the protagonist? A person doesn't just get up one morning and think "Ohhh… I'm really going to mess up so-and-so's life now." (Well, okay, some might.)
No.
They need a reason.
They need a good reason. One that makes sense. Maybe not to you and me, but it does to them.
They need flaws, they need strengths. They need a purpose, not just for their actions against our heroes, but a purpose for being. Everyone needs this, not just good people.
What triggered the events about to unfold? What did the hero/heroine do to make them so angry, they need to take revenge? (And that's what it's mostly about.)
I do interviews with my characters to get to know them.
I ask questions. I corner them. I ask uncomfortable, embarrassing questions. I make them tell me their deepest darkest secrets — and occasionally the only way I get at them is to tighten the thumbscrews. They don't want to talk about it, so you need to find the catalyst that will make them tell you.
(I did mention I'm nuts, right?)
Okay, maybe I'm not. That's just the way it works for me.
But the fact is… I don't just ask the hero or heroine these questions.
If there is a villain, he will get grilled as much as my protagonists.
Believe it or not… I can often emphasize with the villain, and why they do what they are about to unleash.
It doesn't mean I agree with it, but I can understand why.
That is what you need to get across to your reader. It makes it so much better when they are torn between the hero and the villain. When they can understand the reasons behind it all, when they can emphasize with your villain… when they are almost torn between who they want to win.
And when you have them caring about what happens to the villain… you can play your trump card. That's when you nail the reader right between the eyes with something they absolutely wouldn't agree with.
Their allegiance will no longer be torn — but you made the villain come alive enough for them that there is a little seed of hope that the character will be redeemed at the end — but the hero still gets to win.
(And don't forget… sometimes the hero is the villain. That's when you really need to dig deep.)
So the point of all this is really simple.
Make your reader care as much about the villain as they do about the hero, and you will up the readers involvement in the story.
Make your reader sit there and wonder.
How does it feel, when the whole world is against you, when you're cold and alone? When you have no one to turn to, when everyone hates you?
How does it feel to be the bad guy?
Don't forget, no one is truly evil, through and through, without a reason.
We are all born innocent, and what we become is a result of our surroundings.
Sometimes people can't be saved, sometimes they truly are evil to the bone.
But if you have a villain who rescues kittens, because when he was a little boy, he had a cat who provided the only comfort he ever knew… Or a villain who doesn't think twice about murdering and torturing… but who is the best dad in the world to his little daughter.
Show their facets to the reader.
Show them his face — all of it. Show it to them when it's twisted in rage. But don't forget to show it laughing with joy, crying with grief, or torn with indecision, too. If your antagonist has doubts, then show them!
Make your reader feel for all the characters in your story — not just the protagonists.
19
Feb
As you might know, every now and then I'll add some pages to the collection here.
Check out the Writing Aids section above (in the menu) and take a look.
Querytracker posted a great article on how to plot, so I condensed the points down, laid out the sheet ready for printing… and there you have it.
9 Steps for Plotting Fiction — all ready for you to print.
However, full credit needs to go to Cynthia Jaynes Omololu, which is where Suzette Saxton got the idea for it.
Enjoy.
N.B.
Please see Suzette's comment.
The original idea came from Verla Kay, so I feel it is only fair to link her pages as well, as I think you'll probably find lots of useful ideas there.
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Some of you know I'm a Kresley Cole fan. And a Gena Showalter fan. Well, Kresley's new book is out, Pleasure of a Dark Prince. I've preordered the book ages ago, so I'm hoping Amazon doesn't mess me around again, as usual. To commemorate the release, Gena Showalter has a fantastic contest on her blog, but even if there weren't any prizes… I had to spread the word a bit anyway. Kresley Cole does it for me, her heroes are scrumptious, the books dark, yet full of fun and off-the-wall moments (and characters!), so yeah… they are all in a neat line on my shelf here. You can read an excerpt on Kresley's Site, or if you trust me to steer you in the right direction — click here to order the paperback, or here to order the ebook. Go on, treat yourself! |
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I promise you won't regret it.
14
Feb
First of all…
Happy Valentines Day.
As a romance writer, naturally I had to blog about it, but really, it won't be what you expect me to say.
I'm supposed to gush, and go all lovey dovey, I think. True love and all that… Well.
When I grew up, Valentines Day was about secret admirers, not about flowers and chocolates.
It was about sneaking an unsigned message to someone you fancied, someone you wanted, but who didn't notice you. It was about letting them know someone is in love with them, without telling them who. It was up to the object of your desires and fantasies guessing it was you, and declare they felt the same about you. (Or not.)
It was never about hassling your boyfriend/husband/lover to get you something special.
I sat at work the other day and two of the guys were having a discussion about what women expect. I heard my name mentioned and naturally I paid attention.
Turns out they wanted a woman's perspective.
I said I'm the wrong person to ask, because I really don't give a damn about Valentines Day. Couldn't care less.
There were two very stunned guys staring at me.
"What? Are you serious?" one said, eyes wide.
"Yup. It's all hype and forced and it was never about getting presents." I replied.
"Will you marry me?" one of them said.
I laughed and let them get on with it.
Seriously though, listenting to my colleague… wow. What has Valentines Day come to?
What good is a forced declaration of love? Isn't it something that should come from the heart, regardless of the date?
We don't bother with Valentines Day. No cards, no flowers, no chocolates. Nada.
I much prefer the way it works with us. My better half came home with a tub of meat salad once and I was totally over the moon.
There used to be a meat salad where I grew up, and I could never get it here. For him to find it, and remember that I like it, and get it for me means SO much more than any flowers on Valentines Day.
It means he was in the supermarket, and he was thinking about me.
Sounds trivial, doesn't it? But really, isn't that what we want? What does it say about our relationship when you remember little things, stuff that gets overlooked and forgotten, a gesture, a dish, a favorite scent? I've been with him for over twenty years — and he remembers a meat salad I used to like some 18 years ago.
He knows the things I like, I know the things he likes. So occasionally, when we see something and remember, we'll get it for each other.
Sod Valentines Day, seriously. Give me what I got any day of the year.
Think about it. Think about what your guy does without you asking him, think about the little things he remembers. That's how they show they love you, not with massive bouquets of flowers, red roses, a romantic dinner. That kind of stuff makes guys utterly uncomfortable, and they get really insecure and panicked by the prospect of "doing it wrong" on Valentines Day.
They don't forget, they know it's Valentines Day, they just don't know how to deal with it.
A pretty flower picked by the side of the road and brought home to you says much more than a dozen red roses on Valentines Day. (And who cares if the pretty flower is a weed. Put it in a vase and say thank you. Your guy actually picked a flower for you.)
Cut them some slack.
12
Feb
Distractions are the bane of my life.
Not just my writing life, but in general. It's worse when I write, though.
Whether it's surfing the net, or playing an online game (Bad me!), a good movie on TV, or a book I'm dying to read — it's too easy to be distracted.
I am not the only one who has a problem staying focused, it's a common affliction for those of us with the attention span of an average goldfish.
Part of it has to do with the sheer number of distractions available to us today. Part of it is simply down to a lack of self discipline.
So what can you do to be less prone to procrastination?
I find there are some steps I can take to minimise how suceptible I am.
- I close email, browser windows, and any application I don't need to use.
- I get myself a cup of coffee (or make a pot) before I sit down to write.
- I get a snack before I sit down to write.
- I have a cigarette before I sit down to write. (I don't smoke indoors.)
- I set up my music to something I like. (I use headphones btw)
- I close the door, so no one disturbs me while I write.
- I often turn the phone down (won't help to take it off the hook, it'll only ring on the other phone then.)
- I get the reference books I plan on using out and stacked next to me.
- If you have a dog, walk it before you start.
- If you have kids… uh well. Try giving them something to do where they don't need to disturb you? (Don't have any, so I can't help you there.)
- If you're prone to headaches (like I am), have some Aspirin or Ibuprofen handy by your desk.
- I don't have a TV in the room where I write. Never did and never will. If you have one there… get rid of it. (No, I'm serious.) At least don't turn it on!
Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
I don't do all those things every time, but the coffee and music is a ritual of mine.
I'm not saying this works for everyone. I'm not saying this works every time for me, or that I do this every time.
But it's a start, and it's worth a shot, right?
Any other suggestions?