Begin Your Dream, Then Finish It

WRITING WEDNESDAY
Millions of people dream of writing a book.  In fact, it's said that in the U.S. alone, 200 million people want to write a book.  Only a small percentage actually do.

Maybe you're one of that small percentage who has actually sat down at a keyboard or held a notebook and pen/pencil in hand and started writing.  If so, I salute you!  It's the first step of making your dream come true.

But there's more to it than that first step of beginning.  The hardest part is to finish writing that story.

An idea springs to mind, and we start writing.  Before long, we lose interest, we hit a wall, we start to lose interest in our characters or story.  Or all of those things!  And then we quit.  We shove the story aside and wait for inspiration on a new story.

A few false starts aren't bad.  Nothing but starts isn't good.  How will you know if you're able to write a complete book, if you stop a few chapters into writing it?   Some authors do well with 80,000 to 120,000 word books.  Others aren't comfortable writing anything more than 50K to 75K   Some writers panic at the thought of anything over 30,000 words, while others enjoy writing short stories.  What do you feel is your comfort zone?

I'm here today to tell you that tossing it aside isn't always the best thing to do.  In fact, if you're a new writer, it's one of the worst things you can do.  I have everything I've ever written saved, either in hard copy or on computer (disk or whatever).  I became serious about writing with the hope of someday have my books published in 1996.  Because my focus then--and still is--romance, I joined Romance Writers of America (RWA) and went to my first National RWA Conference in July that year.  Kathie DeNosky and I had met briefly online, and we met in person at that conference.  Within very little time, we became friends with two other aspiring authors, Janet Lee Barton and Belinda Barnes.  The four of us eventually formed our own, small critique group.  It was Kathie who pushed me into entering writing contests.  My first entry, Contract for Love, placed Honorable Mention in the Love in Uniform Contest in 1996.

I entered more contests, each time with a finished manuscript.  After placing or winning in six more contests with three other finished manuscripts, I hit the jackpot in 1999's Georgia Romance Writers Maggie Award for Excellence and won first place with the first 30 pages of the book in the Unpublished Short Contemporary Category.  When the final judge, Silhouette Editor Mary-Theresa Hussey, asked to see the full manuscript of The Rancher and the Runaway Mom, it was written.  In April of 2000, I got The Call that Silhouette Romance wanted to buy my book.  (A short P.S. on this.  Every other book I'd entered in contests had been completely finished when I entered, except this one.  I was short less than two chapters when I sent in the entry, and I finished it, long before the finalists were announced.)

By the time I SOLD what later became Rachel's Rescuer, I'd written nine previous books.  Of the ten, including my first sale, half of them have been published.  Those other five?  I still have them, and plan someday to rewrite, revise, and polish.  The stories aren't bad, but they need work, and I've learned SO MUCH in the years since I first wrote them.  Cowboy Over a Barrel (original title) and published as A Saddle Made for Two, was my second Silhouette Romance.  The Cowboy and the Ice Princess (published as The Rodeo Rider, the first in what has become a 10-book series) was my second Harlequin American Romance.  Who knew they'd love cowboys as much as I love writing them?

If all that sounds like bragging, it isn't.  Admitting and patting yourself on the back or having others pat you on the back makes doing the hard work that much more special.  Kathie has by far surpassed me in the writing world.  She sold her first Silhouette (now Harlequin) Desire on my birthday in 1999.  Belinda sold in December of that same year.  Of the three of us, I came in third in April of 2000.  Jealousy never had a place in our friendships and never will.  Envy?  Yes, but along with that came admiration and Kathie kicking my backside to keep me going.  I have no room to brag.  Sharing the things I've learned (and will continue to learn) with others makes me hopeful that one smidgen of something I've shared might be the one thing needed to create an award winning book and author.

So now you know why tossing a beginning aside isn't a good thing, right?  But why?

• Each book started as an idea.  Ideas grow into completed books, if you stick with it.
• As a writer, each finished manuscript is a learning process.  You grow as a writer with each one.  If you're part of a critique group or enter contests, there will be people who are willing to help, to tell you your strong points and help with your weak points.
• If a book doesn't sell, it might be perfect later.  Publishing tastes change.  Those tastes could be right up your writing alley.   

Here are a few tips I've learned along the way.  Whether you're just beginning or have been writing for much longer, but feel you're getting stuck and going nowhere with your writing, these are a few things to keep in mind and give some thought.

1. READ!!  What type (genres and sub-genres) are your favorite reads?  Which of those do you feel you are best at writing?
2. Study and know your market.  Always keep in mind that what's selling now may or may not be hot in the future, but it's worth a try.  Yes, some writers make it big with something completely different, but it's rare.
3. Hone your skills.  This includes grammar, spelling, and all the mechanics of writing.  Editors (if traditionally published) will love you for this.  Readers (if you're self-publishing) will, too!  There's not much worse than trying to read a good story, while bad writing keeps pulling you out of it.
4. Learn to plot.  It doesn't have to be scene by scene, chapter by chapter, but have a solid idea of how and where the story begins, turning points, hooks, black moments and resolutions (aka Happily Ever Afters).  If you don't understand those terms, check out some of my older blog posts and especially check out the blogs, books, and advice of other authors!
5. Your non-writing friends and family can be a part of your pep club, but they will always love your writing, no matter what.  Get outside that circle t learn.  Join a writing group, a critique group, or enter contests.
6. Keep learning.  Always.  Nothing is better than knowledge, not even talent.  Without knowledge, even the most talented will struggle.
7. Don't give up!!  I was lucky enough to find writing friends who wouldn't let me do that.  Throwing in the towel was something I often considered, but they kept me from doing it.  My mantra became, If you quit now, the next book probably would have the THE ONE. Who wants to tempt fate that much?
8. Enjoy writing, but also enjoy life, yourself, your family and friends.
9. WRITE!!  Each time you sit down to write, whether it's been an hour, a day, a week or months, you'll learn knew things.  If something isn't working, try thinking about it from a different direction.
10. FINISH THE BOOK!!  Because an unfinished book will languish.  Until you finish writing that first book, you'll never know the wild exhilaration of writing THE END.

One more special hint and the reason I'm blogging about this.  Write on, don't edit.  I hear a lot of "But...but..." out there, so here are two great links I found today, which led me to write this blog post.

• Lessons from Oleander–The Dangers of Premature Editing, one of Kristen Lamb's blog posts, this one from yesterday (March 25, 2014).  Short, sweet and to the point.
• 5 Tips for Writing Quickly and Effectively from workawesome.com

Read them.  Think about them.  Ask yourself if you're brave.  Maybe next week we'll look a little closer at what these two blogs/articles have to say.  Why?  Because it's important.  Write on!

Never give up; for even rivers someday wash dams away. ~ Arthur Golden

Settings Make a Difference

WRITING WEDNESDAYS

Where you set your story is a major factor when writing.  Sometimes your characters or the story itself will automatically tell you where your story is set.

Is your story set in a city or a small town?  Is it rural?  Is it set in the present, past, or future?

After choosing where to set your story, the first thing you need to do is to familiarize yourself with it.  

This morning I saw a book on Amazon that I thought might be a good one to buy and read.  I have a habit of checking reviews.  I don't usually read all of them, but I do read some from each rating.  4 and 5 star ratings tell me what other readers liked about the book.  3, 2, and 1 star ratings tell me what readers didn't like.  This time I was looking for something specific.  The story was set near a town I've visited.  The author's bio said she's lived all over the world.  Wonderful!  But did she 'know' about the area where she'd set the book?  The answer, thanks to a thoughtful and honest but fair review, came from someone who knows the location.  The author's setting was wrong in many ways.  My curiosity satisfied, I didn't purchase the book.  Huge things like wrong setting will pull me out of a story almost as quickly as poor grammar, punctuation and writing style.

DO YOUR RESEARCH

It really does help to be personally familiar with your setting.  That doesn't mean you had to spend most of your life in a specific city or state, or even a foreign country.  Much can be learned from others and from research.  Details can be broad, instead of specific.  But a child's party set outside in February in northeast Kansas probably won't work.  It snows in Kansas in the winter, and February is known for its snow here.  Sometimes, especially in that area, quite a lot.

I've set books in a variety of locations.

• A ranch in Montana
• Rodeo arenas in different areas of the country
• Small and large ranches in different states
• Kansas City
• A dude ranch in the Hill Country of Texas
• A casino in Bosier City, Louisiana
• Small town Oklahoma and Kansas

Sitting in my drawer are manuscripts that may not see publication, and these, too, have varied settings.  A tropic island, the mountains of Colorado, Maine, a large city and more.  

I've been to Montana and know other people who live there.  I have friends in Texas and Oklahoma.  I've traveled to 48 of the 50 states, and I've been in a casino.  Twice.  I was a baby the first time and was asked to leave. ☺ I've lived in a larger city, a small town and on a farm.  I haven't been to Paris or London or Tokyo, but I could find enough information to set a story there, if I really wanted to.

If your book is set in the past, you'll have more research to do about locations, society, mores, transportation, dress, and...  For a book set in the future, you'll have more leeway.  Still, if it's set on earth and not a galaxy far, far away, you'll need to know what has changed and why.

SHOW, DON'T TELL

Back in high school English class, we studied many of the classics.  We were given several books by different authors to choose from.  Somehow that I don't remember, my author was Thomas Hardy.  Did I choose Tess of the d'Urbervilles or Far from the Madding Crowd?  No, I chose Return of the Native.  I wish I could say I remember the story.  I don't.  What I do remember is plunging into the book, wishing I'd chosen anything else.  Well into it, our teacher gave us a hint:  Skip the first 50 pages or so.  It's nothing more than a description of the landscape of the moors.  Go back and read it after you finish reading the rest of the book.  Well, duh!  By then, I was well into the book and understood very well why skipping those pages might be a good idea.

We're different than the people who lived during that time.  Our lives have become hurry-up-and-get-there, and we want to read stories that have beginnings that don't bore us.  We also don't care for long, tedious descriptions of anything.  In one book I read, years ago, the heroine took the hero on a tour of her house.  All the furnishings and knickknacks were included.  I didn't get far with my reading.  I didn't really care about all her things.  I really don't enjoy a description of what each character wears each day.  Well, I might, if the character's taste in clothing is a bit odd, but keep it at a minimum, please.

On the other hand, giving a reader an idea of the tastes and likes of a character can be important.  A two-story ranch house.  A log cabin in the woods by a lake.  An upscale townhouse in the city, with every conceivable amenity.  If the tub is sunken, say so.  Is the house light and airy or filled with antiques?  Antiques?  Beautiful!  But don't describe every time in each room.

In my upcoming August Harlequin American Romance, The Cowboy Meets His Match, the heroine asks the hero for a brief tour of his home.  They'd known each other as children, but it's been many years since they've seen each other.  The hero now owns the ranch that had belonged to his uncle.

   “This really is a beautiful house,” Erin said, taking in everything as Jake gave her a tour. “I don’t recall ever being in it when we were growing up. Are these your uncle’s furnishings?”

   “Some,” he said, “but I’ve made a few changes.”

   She didn’t remember him being all that interested in things like colors and decorating. She hadn’t been, either, and she wanted to learn how much he’d changed over the years they’d been apart. “Show me.”

   As they walked down a wide hallway, the heels of her fancy shoes clicking on the polished wood floor, he pointed out several paintings. “I picked these up at different places, here and there. Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada.”

   She studied the beautiful landscapes hanging on the walls, and turned to him. “You traveled around a lot?”

   “A little. I worked at four different ranches over the past…well, I guess it’s been about thirteen years. I learned something new at each one, so it was worth it.”

Those paintings were a quick way to convey information about the hero's past to the heroine, without getting into a long and complicated explanation or saying 'you've been gone a long time.  What did you do?'  A little later, and another small detail:

   (snip) He led her back to the living room, where she put the glasses on a large, low table.

   He poured the champagne into the glasses, and she took the one he offered. After setting the bottle aside, he took her hand and settled her on the long, red sofa, then sat next to her. “Comfortable?”

A small thing, here and there--a few paintings, a red sofa, and maybe a gleaming wood floor, give the reader an idea of the space where the character lives.  And it can all be scattered throughout the scene in bits and pieces, both in internal thoughts and dialogue.

Or maybe it's clothing.

It's clear from the beginning that my heroine isn't a frilly, girly-type girl.  A former barrel racer, now working on a ranch, she wears jeans and T-shirts, boots, and a hat nearly all the time.  Her choice of clothing is only randomly mentioned...until she wears a dress to formal dance.  Long, black, sleek, with a low neckline and a back that dips down to her waist.

   Erin stared at her reflection in the antique cheval mirror. The dress Glory had insisted she buy had her wondering if she’d lost her mind. She’d never worn anything like it.

   Standing behind her, Glory smiled. “It’s beautiful, Erin. I knew that dress would be perfect.”

   Pressing her lips together, Erin’s gaze met Glory’s in the mirror. “You’re sure it’s not too much?” She smoothed her hands down the black fabric that fit like a second skin. “I mean—”   "Perfect"

  

Later, from the hero's POV:

His gaze lingered on the low neckline of her dress.

And again:

“Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?” he asked, rubbing his thumb on her bare back. “And where’d you find this dress?”

There's no detail by detail description of the dress.  Give the reader the basics, and then let imagination fill in what isn't described.

Use sensory details, when possible.  Using smoothed her hands shows the fabric is sleek and soft. The low neckline of her dress, mentioned later, tells the reader a little more detail.  And rubbing his thumb on her bare back finishes the description, because a man's hand while dancing is usually placed in the middle or lower back of his partner.

The same small descriptions can be used with anything.  Because settings are integral in our story, especially at the beginning when we want to set the stage, descriptions will do that.  Make it special.  Try for an opening hook and set that stage.

Trish Clayborne sat in the warmth of her car at the stop sign, blinking away the tears filling her eyes.  Home.  She was almost home.

Obviously the character is feeling emotion.  Sad or happy?  We don't know.  Yet.  And it must be cold weather, if she's in the warmth of her car.

From the intersection of the county road and the main street of town, Desperation, Oklahoma, resembled something out of a foggy dream.  Colorful, twinkling lights draped the storefronts, and giant red and white candy canes adorned each of the street lights.  A misty haze, caused by the remnant of the dusting of snow that barely covered the ground, created halos around the lights and gave the deserted street an eeriness that contradicted the friendliness of the town and its inhabitants.  ~~The Lawman's Little Surprise (HAR July 2010)

 The intersection of the county road and the main street of town, plus the stop sign in the previous paragraph, shows it's more than likely a small town.  The name of the town is given, and we now know the location: Desperation, Oklahoma.  We know it's near Christmas because of lights draped on the storefronts and especially the red and white candy canes.  We learn about that foggy dream, by a misty haze, and what causes it--a remnant of the dusting of snow that created halos around the lights.  The town (street) appears deserted and eerie, yet it's a contradiction of the friendliness of the town.  We now know it's a small town, probably late at night and near Christmas.  Your first thought after reading that paragraph is that it's a good place to live.  It's home to the character.  So why is she crying?

Most books now don't start with long description.  We're told that a story needs to start when something happens and everything changes.  Starting with dialogue works well, as do internal thoughts.  Don't take my word for it, or even my examples.  Read some of your favorite books by your favorite authors and see how they do it.

Description begins in the writer’s imagination, but should finish in the reader’s. ~ Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

Halfway Through February Already?

I guess we're firmly entrenched in 2014 now.  It seems like New Year's Day was a week or so ago, when it's been a month and a half.

Yes, time flies.  I'm wondering where the first half of this month has gone.  But it only takes a few seconds to know that mine has been spent putting words on paper...and then changing them.

Author and friend Patricia Davids and I were just exchanging emails about our writing methods.  We each do our writing in a different way.  Her method is to edit and change as she goes along.  Mine is to write a first rough draft and then go back two or three times to change, add and edit.  Both ways are acceptable, both are perfect for each of us.  I've done the go-back method before, and all it does is confuse me.  Not only am I visual, I'm linear.  I start at the beginning and keep writing.  If I think of something that needs changed, I make a note, stick it on my book bible for use later.  After almost 20 years of writing, I find it's better if I do it my way.  That doesn't mean I don't tweak and change my way.  (Please be aware that I typed T W E A K, not t w e r k.)

The Pluses of Plotting
On top of that tic, I also plot.  I didn't start out that way, so maybe that's why I'm linear when I write.  "No plotting for me!" I cried to my critique partners.  Yeah, that didn't last as long as I thought it would.  Even to pansters I have to say, "Know where you're going!"  Why?  Because there's no reason to write half a book, only to dump it because you've come to a dead end or no reason to go back to the beginning and start making huge changes in the story.  This counts especially for new writers, who sometimes tend to have a super idea, but get lost in the telling and go off on tangents that are great for word counts, but not so good for a great story.  Involving a little plotting is a good thing, and in a week or two, I'll go through some ways that can vary.

Continuing to Learn
I was in the middle of reading Alexandra Sokoloff's Writing Love: Screenwriting Tips for Authors II when I had to stop and do other things.  You know, those writing things.  But I went back to it a couple of days ago and picked up where I left off, which was story middles and endings.  She uses examples from both movies and books, which I find to be a great help.  The thing is, none of us ever know everything, and it's always good to find another and another and even another way of looking at our writing.  I think that's another reason I enjoy writing.  I keep learning.

Making Adjustments
This isn't all about me, this is about you, as a writer.  Are you finding that writing has become more difficult?  Are you growing bored with your story, your characters?  Have you come to a place where writing is no longer something you look forward to?  If so, it's time to make some changes.

Change.  It doesn't have to be a big change.  Even changing the font you use could bring about a change.  No, I haven't tried this, but... ☺ What I did do when editing after that first draft is to change the method in which I read.  I tend to do better when I edit on hard copy, so I print the manuscript and go through with a red pen.  I may do an on-computer read-through afterward, finding a few more things that need corrected or changed.  But with the last ms, I uploaded the file to my Kindle, highlighting anything that jumped out at me and making a note of it.  It appeared more as a book than a manuscript and was different than the other two ways.  I've only done it once, but I'm going to try it again.  If it works, great!  If not, I can go back to my old standby of printing again (ouch!) or reading off my computer.

If It Doesn't Work, Try Something New
Never, never, never be afraid to try something new.  It's not as if you threw out that comfy chair and brought in a new one that makes your back ache.  What you did before a change can always be done again.  But I have a feeling that first way may end up being done in a small, but different way.

Love Yourself, Not Your Words
Great for Valentine's Day, right?  But it's true.  Sometimes things don't go right.  If your story is starting to read the wrong way, don't despair.  Words and ways can be adjusted and changed.  If needed, brainstorm with friends--writing friends are the best for this, not Mom or Aunt Jill or Best Friend Charlotte.  They will always LOVE your writing, even when it's bad.  If you're self-publishing, hire yourself a reader or an independent editor.

And when you're done...

Love Your Work
See how I worked that in to Valentine's Day? ;)
It's always a day brightener when an editor adds a note to a manuscript that something you thought funny is funny or something makes he/r smile.  Even better is having a reader tell you s/he loves your book.  In the process of writing, if you aren't loving what you do or something doesn't feel right, stop.  Then think.  If you're sick of writing and ready to throw in the towel, take a mini-vacation from writing and enjoy all the other things that life offers.  And there are so many things besides writing that life offers.  Grab one.  Or two.  Or even three.  But don't go away for long.  If you're really a writer, you'll stick with it.

Always learn through your mistakes.  Doing so is a gift that only we can give ourselves.  And what a perfect day for gifts!  Happy Valentine's Day!!  And pass the candy. ;)

All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt. ~ Charles M. Schulz

Short On Time

There's never enough, is there?  Time, I mean.  We're given 60 minutes for an hour, 24 hours in a day, 7 days in a week, 52 weeks/365 days in a year, and yet there's never enough time for everything.

I have a mental list of all the things I want to do "when I have time."  That list grows longer, not shorter.  It doesn't include the dreams.  The vacations in a warm spot, with a beach and sunshine.  (I'm really tired of wearing 2 shirts, 2 pairs of pants, and 3 pairs of socks to keep warm...while sitting at my desk!)  And I really should put that list in my head on a piece of paper.  The trouble is, I'd probably lose it.  One of those things at the top of my list is to declutter my office.  It's not happening. :(

The fact is, right now I should be working on one of three deadlines.  One is small, one is medium, and the other is much bigger.  The small one is due ASAP or by Friday at the latest.  It shouldn't take all that much time.  I have a Dear Reader letter to write for my August book, along with a dedication.  I know what they'll both be about, but the difficulty is setting aside the time to do it.  The medium one is to finish reading through the proofs for that same book.  It takes some time, making sure everything is as perfect as possible.  (It's never perfect.  We're human.)  I have two chapters and an epilogue left to go through.  It's due next Tuesday.  And the there's the much bigger one:  Finish the book!  Or rather editing and polishing the book.  At least the first draft is written.  February 24th--that's less than two weeks away!--is the deadline for the full manuscript (entire book) for the last book in my Desperation, Oklahoma, series, which will hit shelves sometime early next year.  Hey, I'm trying.

The above are only writing deadlines.  Then there's life.  Pay bills, pick up a washer cartridges for two dripping faucets, declutter my office...after writing deadlines are met, buy groceries, fix meals, do some laundry so I actually have clean clothes.  Just the normal stuff.  Oh, and there are still taxes to do and send to the IRS.  Add to all that the 3-4 trips to schools during the week, and two upcoming no-school days next week.  Really?  I mean, REALLY!  Can we add a few more things to the Have-To's?

So what do I end up doing?  Watching basketball games and staying up much later to work on writing deadlines at night than I should, i.e. skipping much needed sleep.  My beloved Wichita State University Shockers are 26-0, one of only two unbeaten teams in the NCAA.  Only five more games to go.  And then my Kansas State University Wildcats are a must see...even though I forgot and missed the biggest game of the year on Monday, the second rivalry game of the year, KSU v. KU (University of Kansas).  And KSU won!!!!  Even though I knew the final score, I watched the whole game yesterday online. ;) Yes, I should have been working. :(

I've already given up two of the few television shows I usually watch.  I haven't seen one episode of this season's DOWNTON ABBEY, and I'm way behind on PARENTHOOD.  Except for basketball, there are only three shows (and the one CNN: The British Invasion special) that I've watched over the past month or so.  Do I miss watching TV?  Sometimes, but I'll find a way via online or other to catch up, if I feel the need.

When time is short, we have to set priorities.  We have to give up some of the things that are important to us.  Believe me, a little down time is needed to get through life, as it is, so giving up some of it is almost painful.  Yet following our dream is important, too.  Yes, work is what pays the bills, whether we love our jobs or not, so it can't be ignored.  Those other things can, at least for a little while.  There will be time, later, to enjoy the good things, too.  Or at least I hope there will be!

I'm off to work on those priorities, those deadlines.  Hope all is well in your world and you're getting done what needs to be done, yet still having a little "playtime!"

Decide what you want, decide what you are willing to exchange for it. Establish your priorities and go to work. ~ H. L. Hunt

All Work and No Play...

I'm in the midst of revising rewrites.  Sounds crazy, doesn't it?  I've rewritten 30,000 words of a nearly 60,000 word manuscript over the past month.  Not the most fun way to spend the first day of a new year, but it is what it is, and nobody will do it for me.

Monday is my goal to have this done and sent to my editor.  At the rate I'm going, there'll need to be an extension.  The holidays, family, and friends have taken more time than I'd planned, but I don't care.  Family and friends are important, and I won't give them up for anything.

I haven't made it through the first of the eleven chapters yet.  I've been making notes, re-reading the notes from my editor, and making more notes.  One way or another, I'll shove, pull, smash and whatever else it takes to get this right.  Or as right as it can be.

No, writing isn't always a joy.  I have a feeling of dread that the new writing I've done on this may be a bunch of dreck and not at all what it should be.  On the other hand, I know there are some things that are better than they were.  Definitely not the same, that's for sure.  I'm rethinking everything, probably more than I should.  Paranoia is rattle the door to my mind, but I'm trying to ignore it.  Final deadline for this is January 20, giving me a little more time.  But I have a February 24 deadline for another book, so...

I work weekends, evenings, late nights, and whatever small bits of time I can find during the weekdays.  Very little time for TV and fun things, although our family enjoyed Christmas together and New Year's Eve was spent playing Trivial Pursuit and ringing in 2014 with oldest daughter, granddaughter, son-in-law and my youngest daughter.  Today my four girls (and their children) went to their dad's for a grilled chicken dinner.  I'm sure they left stuffed and satisfied.  A good thing, since time to cook at my house has shrunk.

But today I'm revising those rewrites and probably writing a few more new words...to take the place of the ones that will need dumped.  Such is the life of a writer.

Daughters are back, so it's time to hear how their afternoon went.  I hope you and yours started the new year on a high note, and 2014 is filled with everything good.  Stay well, stay happy!

May your New Year flourish with new discoveries, wonderful inspirations, and happiness to fill your heart. ~ unknown

It's Heeeeeere

THE WRITING PROCESS
NaNoWriMo began today.  Once again, I'm smack in the middle of a deadline, and although one would think that's the perfect time to write, write, write, for me and the next couple of weeks, it's edit, edit, polish.  And a little synopsis writing.

I've never had the opportunity to participate in what I consider a wonderful opportunity for adventure in the writing world.  This is not to say that I've never used the process.  In fact, I did it earlier this year.  While waiting for a thumbs up or down on a proposal for two books for Harlequin American Romance, I pulled out an old partial that had been rejected years ago by Silhouette Romance and decided to finish it.  I did, in 23 days, with a total of 45,791 words.  205 pages.  Finished with the rough draft of that, and still waiting for word on that proposal, I turned around and did it again, with another old partial, rewriting the beginning and finishing it in a month and a half.  After two days of rest and making sure the plot for the first of two contracted books (the ones I'd been waiting to hear about), I jumped back in and hit the keyboard.  The month of July netted me 50,046 words/244 pages.  Yes, 50,000 can be written in one month!  I did it, and even I was impressed that I could.

What's so great about NaNo?  

• If you know anything about it, if even only aware that it happens each year from November 1st through November 30, you can prepare for it.  If you're not a part of it this year, you can begin planning for next year.  Start getting your head in the game for 2014.  A year goes fast.
• Having a goal.  Nothing works better than that.  Yes, I've coaxed and cajoled, enticed and almost threatened that setting goals is the key to being a writer--even for someone like me who isn't at all goal oriented.  The Queen of Procrastination never is.
• It's been said that a habit can be made or broken in 21 days.  Sit down and make yourself write for 30 days, and it becomes a part of you.  You've made it a habit.  That's how books get written.
•  There's a community of writers among the NaNo'ers each year.  People who will guide you, encourage you, and help you when needed to make that goal.  People who may become good friends.
• If you make that 50,000 word goal, you'll be patting yourself on the back for a job well-done.  Okay, you might even start jumping and hollering, too.  If you don't make it, a pat on the back is also in order for trying.  Because if we don't try, we never move forward.  And isn't that what it's all about?
• You might have a finished book on your hands when it's over.  And just how great can that feel?
• The friendships of other writers.  And that's the biggie.

I've been incredibly lucky since I first decided to write.  After playing around with the idea for many months--not counting all those years I tinkered with it, now and then--I found a chatroom community of romance writers and made some of the best friends I have, both inside and outside of writing.  We're not only writing friends, we're real friends.  Lasting friends.  Always there for each other in every way possible.  As crazy as it may sound, all four of us became published in only a few years of that first day I sucked it up and introduced myself in that chatroom.  Would we have done it without knowing each other?  Maybe.  Maybe not.

What are you waiting for?  If you're too late to be a part of NaNoWriMo this year, pledge to yourself--and writing friends--to participate next year.  Even better, do it on your own before next year.  Up the stakes and do it with a writer friend or two.  Encouragement is a noun that can help you and others reach your dream.

The victory of success is half won when one gains the habit of setting goals and achieving them. Even the most tedious chore will become endurable as you parade through each day convinced that every task, no matter how menial or boring, brings you closer to fulfilling your dreams.  ~ Og Mandino

Anything Is Possible

First, a quick note that Bestselling Author Kathie DeNosky (Harlequin Desire) is giving a workshop on Harlequin's website this week.  It's part of Camp Wannabe, created especially for those who aren't attending RWA's Conference in Atlanta.  Kathie's topic?  How to Plot Your Book the Easy Way.  Those participating are raving about it!    

Yes, it's true.  Anything is possible.  There's a catch, though.  It takes hard work and something else:  A goal to work toward.

I've been working on a new project, while waiting for word on a proposal I submitted a few months ago.  One of the things that bogs me down, when it comes to writing, is the waiting.  Write and write, then wait, and wait, and...  The waiting, not the writing, is the hardest part.  I tend to do little jobs during that waiting time.  Things like rearranging my office, sorting papers, playing spider solitaire, working on websites and wondering what else there was to do, besides waiting.  I'm smart enough to know that this downtime means getting out of the habit of writing.  When the muse goes into hiding, getting started again can be torture.  The muse refuses to be found.  This time I decided to try something to tempt the muse.

New Project, New Goal

Like most writers, I have old projects that I started and left behind.  I have projects that were rejected, some because they didn't "fit" the particular publishing line.  2+ weeks after I sent off that proposal, my determination to write during the waiting time hit big time.  I pulled out an old manuscript that didn't "fit" anywhere, and decided it was time to get to work on it, if only to lure the muse back to where she needed to be: On my shoulder, whispering that it was time to write.  Three chapters were already written (as per most full proposal length), the plot was there, so I knew where I was going.  On May 10, I started writing, beginning where I'd left off.  How long would it take to write nine more chapters?  I didn't know, but I wanted to give it a solid try with a rough draft, meaning no going back and tweaking, revising or rewriting.  Just moving forward.  By May 31, I'd written 200 pages.  I finished the epilogue (which hadn't been planned) on June 1.  Surprise!  I'd proven that if I seriously wrote most days (18 of the 21 days left in May), I could actually get a lot of writing done.

Another New Project?
With the rough draft finished, I thought, "Why not try it again with another?"  I took a day to look over an old proposal that I'd already tried reworking once before and decided the conflict was weak.  This new one needed some changes in those first three chapters that were already written, but it gained me 7 pages. I kept going.  By the end of the month, I'd finished almost four more chapters.  Then our local writing group's BIAW came up, and I set my goal at 40 for the eight days.  I wrote all but one day of those eight and ended up with 94 pages.  No, that's not a mistype.  94.  There was only one problem.  I'd planned on maybe 11 chapters, and I was now working on chapter 12, and there were more things to tell in the story.  Okay, 12 chapters would work.  Then it became 13.  I'm now working on the last scene of the book, the last of chapter 14.  I'll stand up and say that not everyone will write 20 pages or even 94 pages in a week, and that's okay.  I seriously doubt I'll repeat my all time high in this lifetime. ☺

Is this manuscript ready to publish?  Absolutely not!  It's rough.  I have the front of my notebook (story bible) covered in sticky notes.  But I know what needs to be done and where, and even how.  That "how" can be a real devil.

My work is cut out for me, but not now.  With an offer on a contract for those two submissions back in May, my attention must be focused on them.  Tonight, once that last 10 or so pages are written, I'll put the new 70,000+ words story aside.  Both manuscripts I've worked so diligently on to write will have a rest.  There's no deadline for them, but there are with book 9 and book 10 in the Desperation series.  I'll be wrapping that up, while another idea for a series simmers in the dark regions of my mind.  I'll take Friday (tomorrow) off, and start in Saturday on The Cowboy Meets His Match (that's a working title).  I won't be spending a lot of time trying to get back into the rhythm, because I haven't lost it.  This is not to say that I'll take a day or three or four break, here and there, until all is finished.  Life intrudes, and sometimes we simply need a break.  There's nothing wrong with taking a short one, then getting back to work.

Everybody needs a little time to do the things that they want to do and still do what needs to be done, whether it's a day job, being a mom or dad, or any other requirement.  Writers don't sleep, eat, and write only.  We're all human and need time to relax and do other things.  For writers, it can be a struggle to get back into writing again, after a long break.  Yes, it's tempting to take several weeks--a couple of months or more--to get away from writing.  After all, being chained to a desk isn't fun for anyone, even if it's doing something we love.  Train yourself to write on a regular basis and set goals.  You won't regret it.

By the way, there's a flip-side to this, too.  If the muse is whispering let's write and here's the perfect story in your ear, but you have other obligations, the frustration mounts.  Relax and adjust.  It's less painful.

Dreams seldom materialize on their own. -- Dian Fossey

Taming the Series Beast

There's a lot of information to keep track of while writing.  Characters (description, age, major life events, family, etc.) and settings (houses, towns/cities/countryside with names, buildings, even streets) and plot.  Oh, that plot! And that's a whole other animal.

When a story revolves around a character--or two when it's a romance--it's important to know as much about him and/or her as possible.  Characters, like the story itself, grow from the time we first have an inkling of the person we want to create to the end of the story.  Because all but a very few have more than one character, we have a lot of information to sort through, choose, and use.  And although those characters stay with us in our minds, it's easy to forget details, as time goes by.  There have been times when I haven't been able to remember a past character's name, so obviously there are far too many living in my head. ;)

After the first couple of books, I realized that there were so many things to remember and so many times when I had to search for a small detail that was important, even in a stand-alone book, that I needed to do something that would help.  I started looking for the best way to keep track.  It took some time, but I found it, and I still make small changes to my method when needed.

First let me say that I'm an organized disorganized person.  Or is that an unorganized organized person?  I've never figured that out.  Yes, my desk is often a mess.  I like having things near me so I know where they are and can grab them at a moment's notice.  The same is true for writing.  I need that basic information about characters and story close at hand, so I don't have to stop and hunt through pages and chapters for the name of a minor character or if it was morning or afternoon when an incident occurred.  With a series, it's needed even more.

So what has helped save my sanity and time?  3-ring notebooks.
One notebook for each book.  For a series, there's also one small notebook to hold master lists.


BOOK NOTEBOOK

Each individual notebook includes:
*indicates in plastic sheet protector

• *Photo of Hero & Heroine and child/children if applicable. 
• *Age chart of main characters that includes major life events, especially those that pertain to the story.  This includes a column for years (2013, 2012, 2011,etc.), beginning with the year in which the story is following through to birth of character.  (spreadsheet)  This makes it easy to check their ages for high school graduation, a move or job change, or any other major event.
• *Storyboard  Yes, I plot before I write.  (You can see a photo of my plotting boards and the printed storyboard here.)  Quite often I write the first three chapters to get to know the characters better, before I go on to plot the rest, although I usually know main turning points, the black moment and the resolution, before I start writing.
• *List of Characters  This includes any character appearing in the story, even the grocer, parents, siblings and anyone who doesn't appear but is mentioned.  It's much easier than looking back through written chapters.
• *Calendar  I use a blank calendar sheet template for each month in which the book take place.  Month, dates, years.  Then I add a snippet of each scene in the blank date when it happens. This helps me know what happened two weeks before, and I don't have to go back through the written chapters and scenes to find it when needed.
• Other photos I might need, including floor plans I find online, so I can move the characters around without forgetting the master bedroom is on the first, not the second floor.  I'm working on a story that includes a sailboat, so I have photos of that.  It's also nice to have photos of the area, either from doing a quick Google search or using the Earth option on Google maps.

After the above, I have tabbed dividers for each chapter, where I keep the most recent printed copies of the story.  As a rule, I do edits and revisions on hard copy, and this keeps everything in one place.  Any other notes or information are slipped into the pockets in front and back.

Because I'm paranoid, the above files are kept on my computer.  I can always pull up a file, if I haven't added it to the notebook.


SERIES NOTEBOOK

One, smaller (as in thinner) notebook holds master lists that cover all the books in the series.  These include:

• Age chart for all main characters in the series i.e heroes and heroines. No major events noted, except year of birth and ages up through the latest book. (spreadsheet)
• A companion age chart for the main characters, their children, some family members and, in the Desperation series, two other minor characters who appear in nearly every book. (spreadsheet)
• Complete character list that includes character name, role, and which books in which each appeared.  Yes, that can be a lot of names, especially if townspeople are included often in the stories.  At last count, there were 16 main characters and 140 minor characters.  7 minor characters have appeared in all 8 books in the Desperation series.
• General Timeline that includes book title, month and year of each book's setting, first name and age of main characters and their children.
• Yearly Calendar (created with MS Publisher) that includes dates of the beginning and end of each book and dates of babies born or added to main characters.  (helps keep the ages of children at my fingertips ;))  The Desperation series at present spans 6 years, from 2008 thru 2013.
• Character Name List, alphabetized, keeps me from using the same name twice, whether first name or last.  (MS Excel can sort and filter any way you choose.)

With a little thought, I manage to keep the series beast under control.  Please note that it isn't tamed.  Using my method keeps me from hunting for notes in odd places, such as in the cutlery drawer in the kitchen, or the unmentionable drawer in my bedroom.  Then there's the bathroom cubbyhole...  My notebook is portable, if needed, especially when writing longhand in the car while waiting on grandkids to explode from school.  It might take a little time to put together, but, hey, it's time well-spent!

Still, my way isn't THE way.  THE way is YOUR way.  To help you find it, here are a few links a writer friend posted on our writers group page.  Check them out, see what might suit, then pick and choose your favorites to create YOUR VERY OWN WAY.  Don't worry.  Nothing is set in stone and can be adjusted or thrown out.  To paraphrase Old Blue Eyes (Frank Sinatra, for you youngsters), do it your way.

• Love Inspired® author Debby Giusti shares her thoughts on The Continuity Challenge
• Some great tips from author Dame Jenna aka Jenna Black: Creating a "Series Bible"
• Author Angelique Armae shares Easy Tips for Creating a Book or Series Bible
• H.V. Long discusses How to Write the First Book of a Series
• Best-selling author Kate Douglas on Ending a Series  (Yes, they do have to end...sometime.)
• Author Misty Evans explains Series Business - Three Types of Series
• Paranormal author Mima explains that readers love series books and shares how to make it easier with her Tips for Building a Series

Now you have many different ways to tame your series.  But the fun is in writing the book(s), isn't it? ☺

Not convinced you're ready to write a series?  There are many reasons, but one of the main ones is that readers LOVE series!  I know I do. :)  We'll look at other reasons and delve deeper into why readers love them next week.  

P.S.  This blog was started around 10 a.m. on Thursday and is finally finished at 10 p.m..  Wow!  Have I learned a few things!

“Every secret of a writer’s soul, every experience of his life, every quality of his mind, is written large in his works.” — Virginia Woolf

Never Stop Learning

THE CREATIVE PROCESS

Imagine what it would be if we never learned.

Through our five senses--and even a sixth--there are countless ways we learn.  From the moment we take our first breath, we are constantly using information that comes to us from those senses.  Our brains are using this information to teach us.  As newborns, we quickly learned that a cry will bring comfort, whether it's food, a dry diaper, or the security of a parent's arms.  We become toddlers, whose first steps become walking.  From hearing others, we learn speech, and soon learn that when we're good, we are often rewarded, if only with a smile.  We continue to grow into a child making friends, then going off to school, where we begin to understand what learning is.

In school, we learn to read and write, to calculate numbers and what is out there besides what's in our little corner of the world.  We learn how we're each different and yet the same in many ways.  Some embrace the knowledge and continue to learn throughout life.  Those who struggle, often give up, but even so, learning continues.

As writers--one of the many branches of artistic creativity--we must keep learning.  As the world changes, so must we.  Learning is the key to doing that.

When reading articles and how-tos online, I often print the ones I want to keep for reference later.  Right now, it's a hodgepodge of topics, but the plan is to sort through them and keep the files updated.  I've learned that although I might not agree with everything, there's often a tidbit of information that I can not only use, but grow into something more. Learning.

In the 15+ years since I first began to write for real--you know, writing with a focus on  publication...someday--I've learned more than what one would think the human brain can hold.  And yet I still pursue more knowledge, because there's no way to know everything.  I'm not the only one.

Several of us in our local writers' group have begun delving into GMC.  I know, I repeat myself about that subject, but there are countless reasons why, the first being that it's important.  Although the group had gone over this many years ago, sharing it with members and revisiting has fallen to the side.  But with new members coming in the past couple of years, and questions being asked about things that pertain to GMC, it seemed like a good time to look at it again.  We're doing it on our email loop for the past week and a half, and people are learning new things.  Doing it on the loop means we're not set to a specific time and length, and we're able to share more and with greater specifics.

It all comes down to helping.  If I'd chosen to go it alone those many years ago, I might still be struggling to get a manuscript in front of an editor.  Fate stepped in with the advent of the internet for un-savvy people like me, who didn't know a byte from RAM, and I discovered a chat room for romance writers.  In that room, I met several people who became close friends.  One in particular was a RITA Finalist in RWA, who didn't chat much because she was working on her entry, in case an editor requested the full manuscript.  We met up in person a little over a month later in Dallas at RWA's National Conference and became friends.  She knew a lot more about writing romance than I did and helped me along the way.  Together, we were part of a few different critique groups, learning with others the ins and outs of romance writing.  We met others online via email loops full of writers.  Four of us who were closest sold within a year of each other, but I can guarantee that if I hadn't had the supreme luck of finding that chatroom and took the plunge to enter it, that wouldn't have happened for me.

Anything done well takes time.  A large majority of writers had written for several years before finally selling that first manuscript.  Working with other writers--and meeting new friends--to achieve that dream is as good as the dream itself.

Today, there are more opportunities than ever to meet other writers and find a handful that are just right for you.  It may take some time to learn which are the best for you, but it's worth the time.  When it comes to published authors, they may not have the time to take to teach individuals, but if asked for where to find help and information, they're usually happy to oblige.  All it takes is asking.

Yes, I'm still learning, sometimes because of mistakes as simple as not enough conflict or characters who don't jump off the page the way they need to, and sometimes because I need a refresher course or different way to do something.

If you want to learn, too, get involved.  There are writers' groups all over the country to join, there's Facebook and Twitter and Google + and more where new acquaintances can be made.  Articles online can be invaluable for someone looking for information on writing, as can a local library.  It doesn't take money to learn, when it comes to writing, but it does take desire.  I hope yours is growing, every day.

Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.  ~ Chinese Proverb

Let Your Readers Love Your Characters

THE CREATIVE PROCESS

How does a writer make the reader shout for joy or weep with sorrow?  Through the characters.

There's something about falling in love with a fictional character that sometimes makes the reader wonder why.  Is it because he's so sexy?  Because she's so sweet?   Or is it because the author let us get to know the characters so well that readers almost believed they were real?

The secret to creating the best characters is letting the reader get to know them intimately.  That's done by using POV. Point Of View.

What is POV and How is It Used?

POV is being in a character's head.  This is done not only through dialogue and action, but through thoughts and emotions.  Only that character can think, feel, and describe through his or her eyes and ears what the other character is saying and doing.

Through our POV character we can show the physical reaction of the other character and hear words spoken, then reach a conclusion of that other character's emotions.  Expressions and body language for the non-POV character can tell a lot.  A frown tells us the other is unhappy, sad or angry.  A smile (seemingly real) can show acceptance, assurance or happiness.  But it's only the POV character who gives us not only a glimpse, but the full deal character.

We use internal thoughts, feelings and physical reaction to show the heart and mind of a character beneath the outer shell.  While the POV character may be saying one thing, an internal thought shows the reader why it's being said, how he/she feels about it, and how it affects physically by things like increased heart rate, an internal wave of heat or cold, butterflies in the midsection and many more.

Let's take FEAR for an example.  (I'm using The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Expression by Angel Ackerman and Becca Puglisi, available in digital form at online bookstores and in PDF at the Bookshelf Muse blog.  I highly recommend this book!)

What are the sensations a character feels internally, when gripped by fear?  Most often, we can't speak.  There's that racing heart, a knot in the stomach, dizziness and more.  If the POV character is watching someone experience fear, he/she might see signs of these things (face growing pale, white knuckles, stuttering or hesitant speech), but not feel the emotions.  The POV character can't know what the other person is thinking and can even be confused by outward signs.  Only the POV character can feel these things.

The mistake that happens the most often with a new writer is when a character describes her physical self.  Some use the mirror trick, but just how many of us are really honest about our appearance?  *My long, raven hair bounces when I walk.  My bright blue eyes are mesmerizing.*  But, really, is that how we think of ourselves?  Is that how we would describe ourselves to someone?  Instead, we'll say something common, such as "I have dark, almost black hair, and my eyes are blue."  Then comes the clothing that we sneak in to dress the character, but we'll tackle description a a later time.

I've used the POV character's clothing, usually sparingly, to do different things beyond a simple description.  In the instance below, it was brief and helped show the character's state-of-mind.

The sheriff approached, casting a shadow into the car.  Slowly, wishing she could disappear, Trish pushed the button to roll down her window.  But instead of greeting the sheriff with a smile, she continued to stare at the misty scene before her, hoping the knitted cap she wore would hide her blonde hair and her identity until she could stop her heart from racing. (The Lawman's Little Surprise) 

After that, the only thing we know about the other character (the sheriff) is what is seen through Trish's eyes.

“Having car trouble, miss?”

She turned slowly, wishing she could be anyplace but where she was.

“You’re back,” Morgan Rule said, his voice flat and matter-of-fact.  

She tried her best to ignore his frown and the lack of emotion in his voice.  “You knew I’d be home before Kate’s wedding and Christmas.”

Later, in the same scene...

Placing his hands on the window opening, he leaned down, his dark gaze connecting with hers.  “Our wedding was cancelled.  You had other things to do.  I don’t see a reason to be friends.”

“I postponed our wedding,” she pointed out, while attempting to remain calm.  “You were the one who cancelled it.”

A flicker of emotion crossed his face, something she couldn’t recognize, and was gone.  His eyes betrayed nothing.  

All of the above is in one character's POV.  In fact, the entire scene is from Trish's point of view.  The next scene is in Morgan's POV and shows his reaction to what had happened.  This is often called a sequel to to the previous scene, where we get to know just how he'd felt and reacted.

It had taken every bit of control Sheriff Morgan Rule had to keep from going after Trish and retracting everything he’d said to her.  But he wouldn’t do it.  Not now, not ever.  

He’d been so proud of her when her children’s book had been bought by a well-known publisher, and he’d thought he’d finally found peace and happiness.  He should have known better.  Instead of peace, one incident with the town drunk had brought back the memories he’d thought he’d buried and reminded him that he could never have a life like most men.  He hadn’t meant to hurt Trish, but to save her.  And now, because he didn’t trust his heart, he had to say and do things he knew were hurtful—to both of them.

Now we have a hint as to why the sheriff reacted to Trish the way he did in the first scene, as the second scene opens. 

Head-hopping vs. POV Purist

I admit it.  I'm a POV purist.  Which is not to say that several best-selling authors aren't able to pull off what's known as head-hopping.  It can happen, but head-hopping from one character's POV to another can also be confusing if not done very, very well.  Why torture yourself (and maybe even a reader) by trying to show too much at once, when you can do it with practice and ease?

It's true that we hear the conversations or our characters in our heads.  At least I do.  I want to know what each character is thinking, what each character is feeling.  But if I'm having to jump back and forth, from one person's thoughts and feelings to another's thoughts and feelings, I don't get to know them as well as I would if I'd been able to stay in one character's head for a decent amount of time.  Sure, we want to know what each character is feeling, but when those feelings are bouncing around like a ping-pong ball, from the head of one character to the head of the other, we never really get to know them as well as we might.

Being a POV Purist means taking a character to the deepest level and staying there long enough to show those emotions that the reader needs and wants to see.  It's also a great way to keep a reader turning the pages at the end of a scene or chapter, instead of putting the book down and turning off the light.  At the end of the scene, the reader should want to know what's going on with the other character.

As a purist, I keep to one POV per scene, and usually--not always--move back and forth with a change of POV for each scene.  It keeps me honest. :)  Still, I'll admit that a handful of times, I've switched mid-scene in the last of the book.  It can be done, but it takes practice and knowing how to do it without confusing the reader.  Because I'm not solidly confident, I keep it to a rare minimum.  One of my best writer friends sometimes changes POV mid-way through scenes throughout her books, but once out of one head and into the other, she stays with the second.  It works well for her, and she knows how to do it seamlessly. The reader knows instantly that she's now in the other character's POV and will stay there.

It's the switching POV every few lines or paragraphs that can be confusing.

Anyone who has read older romances can attest to the fact that things have changed.  Forty years ago, romance stories were written in only the heroine's POV.  Now we have the luxury of reading how the hero is feeling and thinking, and it's much more fun, not only for the reader, but for the writer.  Just be sure your hero's inner thoughts and feelings are those of a male, not a female.  Yes, there is a difference!  And vive la différence!


POV is one of the many things we need to keep in mind as we're writing.  I've caught myself switching and not realizing it, then having to go back and change it.  Becoming the mind of your characters can help.  Use POV as an aid to deepening the emotion in your story, and you'll soon be writing stories that make your readers fall in love with your books.

Study the rules so that you won't beat yourself by not knowing something. — Babe Didricksen Zaharias 

Mapping Your Story

THE CREATIVE PROCESS

Last week was the pits.  Whatever the current respiratory flu is that's going around in my part of the country, it decided to visit me.  Last Wednesday and Thursday were spent sleeping most of the day away.  Friday was better---until I started to chill...and not in a good way.  My temperature hit 103.5.  I couldn't get warm.  Some ibuprofen, OTC cough medicine, and echinacea (my go-to whenever I feel something coming on) finally did the trick after three hours of shivering in bed.  I spent the weekend being a slug, and finally felt about 75% human by Tuesday.  I'm still tired, still would like to crawl between the covers, but I might begin to like that.  Now it's back to the business of writing and the creative process we go through with each story.

The word "plotting" strikes fear in the heart of many writers.  It did me for many years.  For some of those writers, not plotting can lead to stalling or writing in fits and starts or, even worse, coming to a complete stop with a story that is never finished. Or many stories that are never finished.

But plotting doesn't have to be the terror that many believe it is.  Plotting doesn't mean knowing every little detail of every scene.  It's basically nothing more than a road map of where your characters and their story are going.  Each writer has the option of how detailed that road map will be.

One caution:  Trying to plot before knowing your characters can lead to insanity.

Back in the olden days when I first decided to try my hand at crafting a story, I never plotted.  That's right, I said never.  There were a couple of reasons for that, the first being that I feared it would spoil the journey for me, and I'd lose interest.  I've learned since then that the more I know about my story, the easier the journey is.  I'm able to enjoy the process, instead of wasting time wondering what to do with my characters next.  The second reason had a lot to do with not having a clue HOW to plot.  And this is the first time I've ever admitted that. ☺

There are as many ways to plot as there are people who do it.  My fellow authors and good friends, Kristi Gold and Kathie DeNosky, both plot in their own, special way.  My way isn't their way, anymore than each of their ways is mine, but there are aspects we all share.

Kristi isn't a put-it-on-paper plotter, but once she starts going, it's solidly in her mind.  She knows what's going to happen, although only certain things seem to be detailed to her.  Still, her plotting has led to book #32 (THE CLOSER YOU GET, Harlequin Superromance, February 2013) hitting shelves in a matter of days.  She's obviously doing something right!

Kathie long ago shared her plotting method with me, and she also shares it on her website for others.  She taught me that each scene needs its own GMC, just as the characters do at the beginning of the story.  To keep her on track and able to have written over 30 books, with her newest, IN THE RANCHER'S ARMS, Harlequin Desire, coming out in April 2013.

While I can't take a photo of Kristi's brain, complete with plots and characters, I can share Kathie's index card method.

A closer view of  two cards used for one scene.

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Kathie based her scene card method on Jack M. Bickham's SCENE AND STRUCTURE, but added her own little twist.  She shared it with me, and although I no longer use the actual cards in the same way, it's (luckily!) stuck in my head.  Plus, I always know that I can go back to it, if the need arises.

~  ~  ~  ~  

Next week I'll go into more detail about beginning the plotting process, but for now, check out Kathie's scene cards and Kristi's upcoming book!  Oh, yes, and in March, the 7th Hearts of Desperation series book will hit shelves!

Don't fear failure so much that you refuse to try new things. The saddest summary of a life contains three descriptions: could have, might have, and should have. ~ Louis E. Boone 

The Creative Process

THE CREATIVE PROCESS

The Key to Inspiration

A few days ago, I received an email from a reader via the contact form on my website.  She was reading my very first book, a Silhouette Romance titled RACHEL'S RESCUER.  No way was I not smiling when I read that she liked the book, although she hadn't finished it yet.  I hope the end doesn't disappoint her.  It's one of those endings that made me smile as I wrote it.

It's been almost thirteen years since I sold that first book, even longer since I first idea of it creaped into my mind.  It also doesn't seem like it was that long ago.  Not only has Silhouette Romance been a thing of the past, but I've added a few years to my age.  Even so, writing a book is always a new and exciting process.

After some thought and missing several Mondays and Wednesdays here, I decided that instead of my usual days and topics, I'd change things around a little and share what I've learned about writing in the past 15+ years on Thursdays.  When the mood strikes, I might stop in on a Monday, Wednesday, or maybe a Friday or weekend to share something different, but I'm hoping Thursdays won't find me as Mondays--and Wednesdays--have lately, wondering how I managed to forget what day it was and have allowed the it to pass without blogging. For those who stop by more frequently, I apologize and hope the change will help.

So here we go!

From Idea to Book

The question most asked of writers is, "Where do you get your ideas?"

I haven't discovered a single writer who has been able to answer that question in less than ten words.  Unless the answer is, "Everywhere," that is, and that's an honest answer.  Ideas spring from TV, movies, songs, books, overheard conversations, photos, the evening news, and much, much more.

A lack of ideas isn't usually a problem.  It's what to do with them.  Many a writer has had an inspiring idea for a story, only to discover, once begun, that it lacked something vital and eventually found its way to the bottom desk drawer.  Some ideas work.  Others don't work, no matter how long or hard we work on them or how badly we want them to.

An idea is only the beginning.  That sliver of inspiration goes through a long, arduous process to become a full story.  It involves characters, back stories, settings, goals, dialogue, and conflict, just to name a few.  The process can involve hours spent in front of a blank screen and even more hours, days, months and sometimes years putting letters and words together that become the story on that screen.

Example

RACHEL'S RESCUER was far from the first book I wrote and obviously not my first idea, nor the first book I wrote.  But it was a viable idea and it began as a silent reply to yet another rejection.  That reply was, "They want babies, brides and cowboys?  I'll give them babies, brides and cowboys."

Yes, my inspiration was a rejection.

It didn't take long to create the characters.  The "cowboy" was a rancher in Montana.  The "bride" was a mother, and the "baby" was her six-year-old son.

Then came the questions.

• What is one thing all mothers fear?  Answer: The loss of a child. After thinking of all the ways a child could be lost, I finally found the answer.  Aha!  Ex-in-laws (mother was a widow) were trying to take the child because...?  They had made an assumption about her and considered her (unfairly) to be a bad mother.  Conflict and Motivation for the mother.  She was on the run from them.
• What is the rancher/hero's conflict?  Answer: He didn't believe in love and marriage and didn't want a family.  Simple, right?  But why did he feel that way?  What was his Motivation?  He'd been in a bad marriage, and his wife (an absolute opposite of the rancher) had miscarried their baby.  One important thing.  He loved kids, but didn't know or accept it.
• Where to set the story?  Answer:  Montana.  It was a long way from where the heroine and her in-laws lived.
• How do the H/H meet? Answer: The heroine arrives at the hero's ranch with a sheriff following.  She thinks her ex-in-laws have found her. (They haven't.) Thinking the drive leading to the ranch is a road, she dead-ends at the ranch...with a flat tire.
• How to increase the conflict and keep the heroine there?  Answer:  A snowstorm.

That was how the story was born.

The tagline on the back cover reads: A sheriff, a snowstorm and suspicious ex-in-laws were hot on Rachel's heels...  I wish I could say I wrote that, but I didn't. ☺

 Of course more conflict arose, and the H/H could only fall in love.  It is a romance, after all. :)   But that's for another day.

Rachel's Rescuer
working title was
The Rancher and the Runaway Mom

Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn't really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That's because they were able to connect experiences they've had and synthesize new things. - Steve Jobs