Toeing the Line

That's the writing cave on the left.  The entrance to it, anyway.  My fellow Ditzy Chix are very familiar with it.  The Cave is our go-to place for writing, especially when we're faced with looming deadlines that must be met.  It probably looks a bit gloomy, but it isn't.  It's our magic.

The Cave is much better farther inside.  In this photo, the hunky cabana boys who see to our every need aren't visible.  They're especially good with neck rubs and mixing the best exotic drinks found on the planet.  Or in the case, found in the Cave.  They're also great inspiration for our heroes.  Just close your eyes and think of the most gorgeous male you've ever had the pleasure to see, and you'll have an idea of what our cabana boys are like. ;)

As the title of this blog post suggests, I'm toeing the line.  Deadline is looming, and I'm getting close to the wire.   I am optimistic, though.  With a chapter and a half to go before reaching THE END, focus needs to be on the H/H reaching their HEA.  And if you don't know what H/H and HEA stand for, you may be in the wrong place. ;)  So I'm taking a break for a few days and plan to be back soon with what I hope will be a new and improved blog.  No, there won't be any new window dressings, just some improved structure.

Be sure to check back next Wednesday (May 2) for an update.  Until then, remember...

The average pencil is seven inches long, with just a half-inch eraser - in case you thought optimism was dead. ~ Robert Brault

Digging Deeper - Part 2

WRITING WEDNESDAYS

Motivation

Synonyms: motive, inspiration, inducement, cause, impetus. 

In GMC (Goal, Motivation & Conflict) MOTIVATION is the WHY.  It's the reason for the character's Goal. The more intense (emotional) the motivation, the better.

If a character has no goal, there's no reason for the reader to care.  No one cares about a character who doesn't want something.  The stronger and more emotional the goal, the more involved the reader will become.  But don't stop there, because it's the Conflict--what keeps the character from reaching the goal--that really keeps the story going and the reader hooked.  There won't be much of a story if the character gets what he/she wants in the beginning, no matter what the reason.  Therefore, we have conflict. 

Motivation is the Key to Conflict

Say it again.  Say it out loud.  Say it each time you sit down to plot or write a story.  Motivation is the key to conflict.  If you want deeper emotional conflict for the character--so deep that the reader can't put down the book--character motivation is imperative.

But where do we find motivation for our character?
IN THE BACKSTORY.  

What is backstory?
It's everything that happens before the story opens.

Anyone who has taken a basic psychology class knows that the person we are to become is formed as we grow.  Our personality is shaped from birth and beyond.  Good, bad, mediocre, it's all a part of who we are.  Those things that happen along the way--people and events--are our backstory.  Simply stated, it's our deepest, truest biography.  The same holds true for our characters.

Make your characters come alive.  Make them real.  Start working on the WHY of your characters before you start writing.  Know everything you can about them, their family and how they fit or didn't fit, their childhood, their friends and emotional experiences as they grew up.  When you work out the backstory first, it can reveal the motivation and conflict for your characters.

Remember, motivation is the key to make everything work.  The deeper and more intense and emotional the motivation, the stronger the conflict.  Find your character's conflict in their motivation through their backstory.

Goal, Motivation & Conflict.  It all works together.  Without each of those points, a character is incomplete.  When all three work together, a character can be unforgettable.

More next week on how to dig even deeper into your character's motivation and backstory.

Action, reaction, motivation, emotion, all have to come from the characters. Writing a love scene requires the same elements from the writer as any other. ~ Nora Roberts

There's a Reason They're Called Deadlines

MOTIVATION MONDAYS

Writers aren't the only ones who have deadlines.  Many others do, too.  Teachers have teaching and grading deadlines to meet each quarter, businesses have payroll deadlines to meet, and the IRS has tax deadlines.  Appropriate for the day before taxes are due, isn't it?

Right now I'm facing a deadline to finish writing the full manuscript of a book.  This will be the seventh story set in Desperation, Oklahoma, and will introduce two new characters who are brothers and the new women who win their hearts.  Characters from previous books will, of course, make appearances and be a part of the two stories.  I've really enjoyed writing this series and am looking forward to finishing this story and meeting the May 10 deadline, so I can start on the next one.

I'll be one of the first to admit that it was easier to write when deadlines were nothing to get excited about and no one was waiting for a finished product.  I could write at my own pace, which, by the way, was much faster than it is now!  Sometimes learning how to do it better means doing it a little slower.  That doesn't mean that I didn't try to set a pace and have a finish date of some kind in mind.  Because I entered contests fairly often and always had a complete manuscript of my entry, I knew ahead of time when I wanted to have the manuscript finished.  Part of that had to do with never writing a synopsis until the "book" was finished.  Just one more thing I had to learn to do differently later on.

Deadlines are those goals we make and need motivation to reach.  My motivation at the moment is to not disappoint my editor by having to ask for an extension.  Even though I'm behind schedule, it isn't an impossibility to finish on the time.  It will, however, mean I have to work harder and faster.  It's easy to start out with a positive attitude, but it's just as easy to become more negative as time goes by.  Characters become uncooperative.  Plot points that seemed perfect before now seem weak.  Time to write becomes harder to come by and family/job/life requires more time than writing will allow.

If your goals aren't being as easily met as you'd hoped and planned; if external things have taken up time that you'd planned to spend writing or working on your goal, now isn't the time to give up. Pull up the boot straps of determination, take a deep breath, and throw in a dash of positive energy for good measure.  As we used to say at CataRomance, BICHOK (Butt In Chair, Hands On Keyboard) and start writing.  There's no guarantee that you'll hit that deadline, but you'll come closer to doing it, if you just keep your eye on the deadline and move in that direction.

Oh! I nearly forgot.  Why do they call them deadlines?  Because we'll kill ourselves to get to the finish line. ;)

Some men give up their designs when they have almost reached the goal; while others, on the contrary, obtain a victory by exerting, at the last moment, more vigorous efforts than before. ~ Polybius

Digging Deeper

WRITING WEDNESDAYS

Years ago, my friend Kathie DeNosky sent me several audio tapes of writing workshops to help set me on the course of someday becoming a published author.  One of them was a workshop done by author Naomi (Susan) Horton.  After listening to The Heart of the Love Story, fireworks went off in my head.  I finally had a handle on conflict.

Many thanks to Ms Horton for the words and information that taught me how to write a story that deserved to be told.  Much of what I'm going to share today and in the weeks to come are from that workshop tape.

As writers, we want readers to fall in love with our stories.  To do that we need to make our characters real to them--as real as they are to us as we're writing them.  It takes a type of magic to do that.  It takes EMOTIONS.

1. Characters are the key to an emotional story.
2. Characters only become real when they go beyond being 2-dimensional to become 3-dimensional.
3. The most important time spent writing is not in the writing itself, but in the time spent working out back story.  Work on this one, and the first two will take care of themselves.

Before you sit down at the computer to pull up your word document program or your manuscript template, you need to get to know your characters almost as well as you know yourself.

You need to learn:

1. Who your characters are
2. Why they behave and react as they do
3. Why they're in this particular story at this particular time
4. What they want and don't want
5. What they need and don't need
6. They're passions, goals, dreams, worst nightmares, etc.

The more you know about your characters, the better you'll be able to portray them as 3-dimensional in your stories.  There are many ways to get to know your characters.  Some people use character interviews, while others use sheets with blanks to fill in for things like hair color, habits, family, and more.  If you're not sure where to start, try one of the suggestions listed in Twelve Ways to Get to Know Your Character, compiled by the Alberta Romance Writers' Association.  Even if you aren't able to find exactly the best way for you, any one of the twelve might jump start a way of looking at your characters so you'll be able to create your own "best way."  If nothing there seems to work, try an internet search using *how to get to know your characters* or *character charts* or even *character traits*.  Another way to get started in learning who your characters are is to take a look at the Kiersey Temperament Sorter or a Meyers-Briggs/Jung test.  Whatever gives you the key to learn the best way for you, go with it.

Over the course of time, we might find that the technique we've been using to get to know and understand our characters isn't producing the results we want.  This can happen with anything, even the shampoo we use!  When it does happen, try something new or brainstorm with a friend.  Sometimes a fresh perspective can generate new ideas.   Above all, remember that making your characters real will give life to your stories.

Next week we'll take a look at CONFLICT and how to find it through MOTIVATION.  Yes, that's right!  Back to the M & C of GMC from a new and different angle.

If you will practice being fictional for a while, you will understand that fictional characters are sometimes more real than people with bodies and heartbeats. ~ Richard Bach

Motivation Shmotivation

MOTIVATION MONDAYS

It isn't easy to stay motivated 24/7/365.  Sometimes even a well-placed swift kick won't do the trick.  I was all geared up to blog about how I've been motivated to get some much needed exercise.  The weather had warmed up, and I like to walk.  I just don't like to walk when it's raining or cold or very hot.  I'm obviously not a dedicated walker.  Then my youngest daughter suggested that we get a couple of bicycles, so just over a week ago, we did just that.  After all, more calories are burned riding a bicycle than walking.  What more could I ask for?

My oldest daughter decided biking was the perfect addition to her exercise routine and got herself a new bike, so the three of us, plus youngest granddaughter did some riding this weekend.  Then yesterday that same granddaughter called to ask if I was interested in riding again.  I gave in.  All in all, over the past eight days, I've ridden just over twelve miles.  The secret?  Motivation.  Mine and others.  Did I mention that I don't care to remember how many years have gone by since I've last ridden a bike?  Yeah.  My body is still adjusting.  Oh, is it adjusting!

As long as one of us is motivated to ride, I'm sure we'll continue.  It's too hard to say no.  In fact, yesterday I should have said no, because I was smack in the middle of the WIP, with a deadline that is looming closer and closer, while I'm not making my page count the way I should.

Let's face it.  It isn't easy to stay motivated all the time for one thing, much less three or four or more.  Sadly, that deadline is not motivating me to write, and the bike riding is beginning to become an excuse to keep me away from writing.  Add two young grandkids here during weekdays, and writing time is often impossible to find.  I'm still behind on my writing schedule, in spite of all my good intentions of getting caught up and back on track.

Houston, we have a problem.  There aren't enough hours in the day to do everything and sleep, so something needs to be done...SOON!

Penny Rader, a longtime friend, passed a link along on Twitter, so of course I had to check it out.  The source blog---Left-Brained Business for Write-Brained People---also looks amazing and merits repeat visits, but it was the blog title that caught my attention. Why Don't You Have Time to Write?  Check it out.  It's definitely worth sharing, saving, printing, and re-reading.  A great reminder to all of us and especially me!

He who hesitates is lost. ~ Proverb

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Doing the Advance Work

WRITING WEDNESDAYS

I'd planned to share a little more about conflict, but decided at the last minute to skip that until next week, when I've had more time to prepare.  And that's the word for today.  PREPARE.

Preparation is something we do for special things, such as trips and weddings.  We prepare for the weather with ice scrapers and snow shovels for the winter, and fans and lawn chairs for summer.  People in areas where hurricanes and tornadoes threaten plan where to take shelter during storms.  We even buy life insurance and have wills drawn up in advance to prepare for life's end.

Planning is another word for preparation and something we do nearly every day.  We set our alarm to wake us in the morning.  We often plan what we'll make for dinner and make shopping lists---especially as we mature and realize that, with so much to remember, we get forgetful at times.  We have calendars to remind of us doctor appointments, children's activities, and lunch with friends.  Nearly every waking moment of our lives we're either planning and preparing for something or carrying out those plans.

Preparation is the foundation of writing.  When a writer sits down, she must have some kind of idea of where her story will start, who the main characters are, a few things that could happen to those characters and very often how the story might end.  It's rare for a writer to sit down at a keyboard or with pen and paper in hand , with absolutely no idea of what to write.

As each person is different in how they prepare and plan in life, so is each writer.  Some tend to be able to take an idea for a story, add a character or two, and then take off writing.  Others do more planning in advance, knowing the smallest of details about each character and exactly where the story beings, what happens throughout, and how it will end.  The majority of us are probably somewhere in the middle.  For me, that middle spot works, but it took me a few years to find what was comfortable for me.

Here are a few tips for preparing to write fiction.

• Know your genre.  The number of genres in fiction today is mind-boggling.  Do some research to learn about them all, then choose where you feel your writing--your stories--will fit.
• Decide on the length of your story.  Whether your plan is to write a novel, a novella, or a short story, you'll need to have an idea of what the final word count will be.
• Choose the setting of your story.  While this might seem insignificant for some, the setting of your story can be vital.  This is especially true for historical settings.  One can't write a Regency romance set in early 18th century North America.  Research is one part of preparation that shouldn't be skipped.  Even contemporary settings often need a bit of research.
• Know your characters.  They need names.  Have an idea of what they look like.  Ask yourself what type of people they are.  There are hundreds of resources to help you know your characters better, so don't fudge on this.  If your characters aren't real to readers, there will be no interest in the story.  Remember GMC and use it.
• Beginning, Middle and End.  Know where your story will start, a few things--especially turning points (more on that later)--that happen in the story, and how the story will end.
• Grammar, spelling, and punctuation.  Brush up on grammar basics.  While there are some readers who don't notice small mistakes, others will close a book forever if they stumble over bad grammar, poor spelling, or missing/unneeded punctuation.
• Find a good writers' group.  It really does help to have friends who share your enthusiasm and are there to help you up when you stumble.  People who don't write won't do.  You need other writers, even if it isn't live and in person.
• Don't give up.  Let me repeat that.  DON'T GIVE UP.  If you really, really want to write, you can't throw your hands up when the road gets a little bumpy.  Stick with it.

The above is just a sampling of writing preparations.  Even after the plans are complete and the preps have been done, when the actual writing has begun, there'll be more that will pop up.  Don't be discouraged.  We didn't know everything about life the moment we were born, and neither do we know everything about our story when we start to write it.  But as writers, we have that chance to prepare and start a few steps ahead before the writing begins.  Take the chance.  Prepare.  And then write!

Tell the readers a story! Because without a story, you are merely using words to prove you can string them together in logical sentences.

- Anne McCaffrey

Don't Get Mad. Get Busy!

 

MOTIVATION MONDAYS

Tomorrow is the 12th anniversary of the sale of my first book, Rachel's Rescuer.  To say I was surprised when my agent called to say that Silhouette Romance was interested in publishing it would be a colossal  understatement.  I never really believed it would ever happen, but I kept trying anyway.  Sounds a bit crazy, doesn't it?  I owe a ton of thanks to three wonderful women who, at the time, were my critique partners.  Because of Kathie DeNosky, Janet Barton, and Belinda Barnes, I never threw in the towel all those times I wanted to so badly.

Rejection is a terrible thing to endure, and even more so when something you've created from your heart is turned down.  It happens to the best of writers...nearly always more than once and---believe it or not---to writers who have written and sold many, many books.  Even last year I experienced it twice, until I finally hit the mark with two different books.

When things got rocky over the past seventeen years, I could have quit.  I've had plenty of rejections of all kinds.  But I didn't throw in the towel.  Whether it was friends who kept me going or sheer stubbornness to prove that I could do it, I kept trying.  So far, being stubborn has paid off, even though there have been times I was convinced it wouldn't.

So what was my motivation?  I fiercely believed that if I quit, I'd miss my chance and never prove to myself or anyone else that I really could do it.

That long and winding road the Beatles sang about just kept leading me back to the door of writing.  And that road had plenty of bumps.  Before I sat down to write what would later become Rachel's Rescuer, I'd experienced several rejections on other stories.  By that time I'd learned that it didn't do any good to mope around the house because an editor didn't care for my story.  Or my writing.  Or whatever it was that prompted the rejection.  I'd come to the point where I'd have a short pity party for myself that lasted less than a couple of hours, then I'd force myself to move on.  After the first couple of times, doing that became fairly easy.  I can still remember sitting at the drafting table that served as my desk at the time, while I announced, "They want cowboys, brides, and babies?  I'll give them babies, brides, and cowboys!"  And although heroine Rachel Harris's son Cody was a few years past being a baby, and hero Lucas Callahan was a rancher in Montana, not a rodeo cowboy, there was a wedding---although not a real one.  I finished it, titled it, and then wondered what to do.

I decided to throw caution to the wind and entered The Rancher and the Runaway Mom in the Maggie Contest.  Of course I knew it was crazy, but what the heck.  At least it was a chance to get some helpful feedback.   The feedback really was helpful...and so was winning first place, along with receiving a request for the full manuscript from the senior editor of Silhouette Romance.  I was so excited, I called an agent on the spur of the moment, and she graciously offered to represent me.  I polished the manuscript, sent it to an editor I was working with at Silhouette, and was promptly rejected.  On the same day the rejection arrived, so did a rejection from an agent I'd queried months before.  Things on the publishing front weren't looking so good, after all.  Because the editor who rejected me was leaving immediately, and with an okay from my agent, I decided to submit to a different editor.  It took a while, but I finally struck gold on April 3, 2000.

Looking back, it took motivation, fueled by perseverance, the help of friends, and an added dash of simply stubborn.  It still amazes me that someone liked my creation enough to publish it.

Be amazed.  Find the best motivation for you, and then use it with perseverance to reach your dream.

 "There is no failure except in no longer trying." - Elbert Hubbard