Congrats to Carmella on her TO THE STARS! picture book deal with Charlesbridge

We at MiG Writers are soooo excited for Carmella on the sale of her first picture book! From the announcement in the Dec. 2nd Publishers Marketplace:

Carmella Van Vleet and astronaut Kathy Sullivan's TO THE STARS!, the inspiring story of Kathy Sullivan, a little girl curious about science and the world who grew up to become the first American woman to walk in space, to Karen Boss at Charlesbridge, by Marie Lamba at the Jennifer DeChiara Literary Agency (World).

Congrats from MiG Writers to both Carmella and her agent, Marie Lamba of Jennifer DeChiara Literary.

Up For The Challenge

I’ve been working on my first young adult novel for the last three years. It’s been a huge personal and creative challenge and there’s been many times I’ve wondered why I’m doing this to myself. Yesterday, I was reminded.

Because it’s fun and because the teacher invited me, I went to visit a local high school’s creative writing class. I’ve been in a few times this semester, talking about various things. This time, I was sharing a couple of chapters from my work-in-progress so kids can see that revision is a natural part of the writing progress. I told them to go ahead and rip my work apart, I have thick skin. “This is how I’ll get my very best work,” I told them.

The kids took their job seriously. They had spot-on and insightful comments. But one student kept raising his hand and demanding an explanation. My story’s topic is a tough one: a girl’s older brother is kicked out of the house for being gay.  The student couldn’t wrap his brain around the idea that if a parent and child had an otherwise good relationship that Mom would kick him out for this one “flaw.” (His word, not mine.) I tried my best to explain that the world isn’t always the way we wish it to be. He wasn’t buying it.*

But then, from across the room, another student defended the idea. “It happens more than you think,” he said.** 

When the bell rang, this second boy hung back to talk to me and the teacher. He shared with us that when he came out as bisexual to his strict and religious parents that his dad didn’t speak to him for a week. He told us that his parents still don’t accept this part of him and that he’s lost friends and family members because of his orientation. He seemed okay with all of this, or at least resigned in the way many LGBT kids are. I told him I’m the mother of a gay child and asked him to give his parents some time to come around. “They’re on their own journey, too,” I said and hoped it was true.  

This kid - and all the other LGBT kids and their siblings - these are the people I’m writing for. And they are the reason I’m working so hard to get this book right. I’m honored to be a part of their story. It’s a huge responsibility and I going to work my butt off to make sure I’m worthy.

Now. If you’ll excuse me, I have a book to revise.

~Carmella

*I actually kind of loved that this young man couldn’t imagine being disowned by his parents for being gay. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if no one could? 

** When I was going through what the kids had written me, I found a note from a girl telling me that her cousin had also kicked out her daughter for being gay.  

Our first contest winner makes it big!

Hi everyone,

Way back in July 2010, our little critique group revamped and moved our blog. To celebrate, we held a tagline contest. We had (if I remember right) over 35 entries. We were all so impressed with all the entries, but one quickly stood out and eventually was picked as our winner. 

The winner, Susan Bradley, won a free ten-page critique from each of us. Susan's opening pages were really riveting. I couldn't wait to find out what happened! And now I don't have to. Because (drum roll please....) Susan's book, Unraveled, has been published by Evernight Teen!!!  

To help her celebrate, I interviewed Susan (who goes by S.X. Bradley as an author). I hope you enjoy hearing about her book as much as we enjoyed being a very (very) small part in "discovering" it. :-) 

Can you tell us a little about your book?

Unraveled is a young adult mystery novel that centers around the relationship between two sisters. When Autumn finds her sister’s, Celeste, body she uses her gift for math and love for forensics to investigate her sister’s murder. She eventually discovers her sister’s killer and sets up a deadly trap to obtain a confession.

Was it difficult to get inside the head of a character whose sister is murdered?

I cried when I wrote the opening scene. I lost a dear friend in my late 20’s and really used that experience to tap into Autumn’s grief. It was emotionally draining at times, but that’s what makes writing such a personal, amazing experience.

Were you a “math geek” like your MC, Autum, when you were a kid? 

I was a total math and science geek. I still am. I’m not gifted like Autumn is, but I sure did love math and chemistry class.


Kirkus called the book “A heartbreaking, impeccably plotted mystery.” What can you tell us about the process about writing mysteries? Did you work with an outline? How did you keep track of all the details?

I’m a panster. I have a beginning and ending in mind, then let everything unfold in the middle. A more organic process works for me. There are times when I feel like I write myself into a corner, and it can be fun to write the unexpected in order to get out of it. Because I write mysteries, I want to make sure I close all my loops. I track them in my head, then make notes when revising to make sure everything is explained.


Did you work with any police or FBI experts to get the details right?

I did meet with two local detectives. They were extremely informative and it was nice to talk to them after I’d written the scene to see what I had gotten wrong. It allowed me to get the emotion I wanted on the page without thinking about the correctness of everything. I put research placeholders in when I write so I know what I need to add. I also spoke with an FBI agent and read several books. Everyone is always so nice and willing to talk to you. Although I always wonder if they think I’m crazy.


Can you tell us a bit about your journey to publication? 

When I finished Unraveled, I sent out queries to agents. I got close, but ultimately didn’t get an agent. For the next year, I sent it out to publishers and got feedback that it was too dark. I put the manuscript away, and started working on my thesis. Last November, I saw an open call from Evernight Teen. They were looking for dark, gritty fiction and I thought Unraveled would be a good fit for them. About two weeks later, I got an acceptance email, then we moved very quickly after that.


Are you working on anther book at the moment? Care to share any details?

I am working on the sequel to Unraveled. It’s also my master’s thesis. I’m close to being done, then I have an idea for another young adult mystery set in the art world.


What book (or books) are you reading right now?

 I just finished Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn and I’m about half-way through Veronica Roth’s Divergent. I don’t get to pleasure read too much while I’m in school, so I have to put a lot of books on my To Read list or listen to the audio book.


Tell us one really interesting or unusual thing about yourself that most people probably don’t know.

 I have a total obsession for Sharpies. They make me happy.


Where can readers find you online? My website is www.sxbradley.com

On my website, you can find my Facebook and Twitter page.

Thanks again for visiting us today, Susan! And congratulations on your book! 

They were wrong

I don't normally share links on this blog, but this one is so moving. It's about the power of poetry - and mean words.

We know the power of words, don't we? Words are our job, after all. Many of us write about underdogs or those who have been hurt deeply. This includes me. I've been working on the revisions for my forthcoming book, ELIZA BING IS (NOT) A BIG, FAT QUITTER. It's a mostly funny story about a girl with ADHD who takes up taekwondo to prove she can stick with something. But it's also about how Eliza is lonely because she's different. There's a scene where Eliza talks about not having any "sleep over friends." My agent tells me this makes her cry every time she reads it.

Know what makes me cry? The parts about how some girls at school filled Eliza's lunch bag with trash and gave her the nickname Every Day Eliza because she wears the same clothes to school. Those things, along with the no sleep overs part, make me cry because they really happened to my beautiful daughter.

She is the inspiration for my book. The "real life Eliza" if you will. Like Eliza, my daughter took up martial arts and found a home. (She will be testing for her 3rd degree black belt this weekend.) And like Eliza, she is strong, smart, creative and amazingly kind despite being bullied so badly she had to change schools three years ago. She is happy now. But make no mistake, she still carries the scars.

So many kids don't make it to the other side. These beautiful, lost souls never learn -like it says in the video - They Were Wrong.

I will keep writing stories about those kids. For those kids. Because those kids are *my* kid.

Dealing With Reviews

"Oh rubbish! You have no power here. Be gone before someone drops a house on you, too." **

The MiGs have been discussing reviews this week. Reviews are strange, often crazy-making things. I’m not going to lie and say I don’t read what people write about my books. It’s human nature to peek. But I try not to lose myself. Here’s why:

The Top 10 Reasons I Don't Put A Lot of Stock Into Reviews

1. Sometimes a review says more about the reviewer than it does about the book.

2. It’s one person’s opinion. Maybe I didn’t write the book for that one reader. In all likelihood, I wrote it for another reader.

3. In the big picture, a few lousy reviews won’t hurt sales. Or future book contracts.

4. All I can do is write the best book I can. I can’t control - or change - anything else so why should I think I can by pouting or having a pity party? 

5. While I check reviews when I’m deciding on which books to buy, I usually take them with a grain of salt. I’m fairly sure people reading reviews of my books are doing the same.

6. Half of what poor reviews say is wrong. The same goes for the good reviews. 

7. Letting a stranger into my head -whether she is saying something unkind or positive - is not a good idea. It can mess with my ability to write.

8. Searching the internet for reviews is time consuming. I could be using that time to read or work on my next project.

9. Reading a snarky review will only tempt me to defend my work. But acting on that (very human response) would never end well for me. I must remain professional. Plus, I need to remember they are attacking my work, not me. My book can stand up for itself. 

10. Of course my family and friends are going to say nice things about my books. That’s their job.  

** These are my "ruby sneakers" and this is one of my favorite Wizard of Oz quotes.

Dear Readers,

I ran out to get the newspaper yesterday and found a package on my doorstep. I’m not sure how it got there - my dogs have poor manners when it comes to someone walking up to our house. (Ax murderer, UPS guy - eh? It’s all the same to them. Bark! Bark! Bark!) 

I wasn’t expecting anything so I eagerly scooped it up and brought inside. It was from my new publisher, Holiday House - a book on the house’s first sixty-five year history. Tucked inside, there was a dated, handwritten note:

Dear Carmella,

Welcome to Holiday House - and thank you for being a part of this story.

It was signed John Briggs.*

Wow. How cool was that?

I guess I never really thought about myself as being a part of something bigger, part of someone else’s story and history. It was a neat feeling and an unexpected surprise. **

Later in the afternoon, I got to thinking about it. You know, if we write for children and teens aren’t we ALL part of something special and bigger than ourselves? Most of us will never make the New York Times Best Sellers list or win an award. Shoot. Some of us may never be published. (Or be published again.) But that’s okay. We’ve got one of the greatest callings in the world. To inspired, teach, reach, comfort, delight, and challenge young readers. 

So in case no one has told you this lately, thank you for being part of the story. Thank you for writing the books and poems and songs and for illustrating those stories that help make the world better and brighter. 

Best,

Carmella 

* He’s the current owner and president of Holiday House.

** I don’t mean to in any way suggest that my other publishers haven’t been awesome. Because they totally have. They show me love in different ways and I thoroughly enjoy being a part of their stories, too.  

My Grateful Post

I’m prone to complaining. 

There. I said it. 

If fact, I like to joke that I’m not happy unless I’m UNhappy about something. But favorite pastime aside, this has been one of those weeks when I’m sure I must be on a soap opera or maybe trapped in a YA book. It started with needing bifocals and ended with being put on high blood pressure medication. (Ok, so maybe not so much YA and more like AARP. :-) )

But as challenging as it’s all been, it’s almost Thanksgiving and I’m feeling grateful for many things. And I’d like to take a moment and celebrate a few things: 

My super talented critique partners - Andrea, Christy, Debbie, Kate, and Susan - who not only make me a better writer but a better person as well. (And who are really good listeners.) 

My agent, Marie Lamba, who always makes me feel like a rock star even though I know that’s not true.

Sites that teach me so many thing or just bring me joy. Sites like: 

http://kidlit.com/

http://andrea-mack.blogspot.com/
http://www.literaryrambles.com/

http://www.verlakay.com/

http://author2author.blogspot.com/

http://christinafarley.blogspot.com/

http://inkygirl.com/

http://cynthialord.livejournal.com/ 

Too many wonderful books to list! (Duh.) 

Editors who work tirelessly and patiently to make us look good. 

Everyone who shows up to read this blog.

That the first draft of my new book is done. (I really hate first drafts. I’m a revision kind of girl.) 

That I have a new non-fiction book coming out next year.

And I’m especially grateful for The News That Shall Not Be Shared (yet) :-) 

What or who are you thankful for this season? 

Grace in the Face of Disappointment

This is a photo of 1,800 kids standing on the field of Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis right before the 2012 Drum Corps International World championships were announced. It’s kind of hard photo to look at because I think it’s missing some people - my son and his marching corps.

If you read my last blog post, you know that my son and the rest of the Blue Stars were in the semi-finals this past week. We got word late Friday afternoon that they missed the finals by three-tenths of a point. Outscored at the worst possible time by another corps that had been trailing them all summer. Noticed that I used the word “outscored” and not “beat.” That’s because there seems to be a consensus the Blue Stars were victims of some politics. 

Lest you think I am a prejudice mom, I would like to share that numerous people from other corps stopped me at the finals - I was wearing a Blue Stars shirt and hat - and told me they felt the group got robbed. (I wasn't the only one this happened to either.) And, most telling, an alum from the other corps made it a point to come to our website and post on the message board that he thought what happened was wrong. 

But this isn’t a sour grapes or “let’s cry foul!” post. It’s about grace in the face of disappointment.

When my son texted me to let us know he wasn’t moving onto the finals, I knew he was deeply disappointed. How could he not be? He and his friends had worked all year and poured their hearts and souls into their music. Despite spending a small fortune on tickets, I told my son I’d try to sell them or let them go unused so he didn’t have to sit in the stadium and watch other kids get to do what he wanted to do.

My son said no and decided to join us in the stands, proudly wearing his Blue Stars jacket to boot. When the other corps came on and performed, my son politely clapped. “They worked just as hard,” he said. “We shouldn’t take that away from them.” Because I’m not that big of a person, I didn’t clap. (But I did try to remember that as sad as the Blue Stars were that's how happy the members of the other corps were; the anger should be at the judges and not the kids.) When they were done, the worst thing my son said was that he thought the Blue Stars show was stronger. I was amazed and humbled by his attitude and told him so. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have been nearly as gracious.  

Other corps came on the field and performed. And as the night went on, I noticed something really cool. Instead of being all depressed and resentful, my son was enjoying himself. In fact, during one corps show he could barely contain his excitement as they pulled off a drill movement that is as impressive to watch as it is to do. He become animated and excitedly telling me about the music and moves. When the group was done, he stood on his feet and cheered. And that’s when I was struck with this realization: he’s a fan first.

His passion for marching and music is what brought him to the marching corps to begin with and he was just honored to be a small part of it. Because he'd been in the trenches himself, he knew what it took and what it meant for those other kids to be there in the finals. 

It happens in life. And it happens in this business of writing.

Often times, we don’t get what we want or fall short of a goal. The dream agent says no. The editor sends us a form rejection. Or the acquisitions committee takes a pass. The reviews are less than stellar. The book doesn’t sell or goes out of print. And it’s difficult. Very, very difficult to sit in the stands and watch other people get what we want. 

We work just as hard.

We want it just as much.

We think our work is just as good - and, often times, it is.

But there are politics, bad timing and subjective judges and sometimes things simply don’t go in our favor. It’s not a reflection of us or of the other writer. 

When we fall short, we shouldn’t let our disappointment take away from someone else’s work. We should not only enjoy but celebrate other writers’ success. Stand up and cheer loudly because that’s what we’d like when it’s finally our turn. 

I don’t know about you, but I came to writing because I love books. But even so, I don’t read nearly enough these days. That’s in part because I find it hard not to feel a little envious. But I’m going to try to work on that. Being a story teller is one of the most honorable callings and I’m blessed to be a part of it. 

Be a fan first. This is what my son taught me this past weekend. 

Literary Tattoos

Not too long ago, I discovered the very cool site The Word Made Flesh. It’s all about literary tattoos. (And thankfully not a "Twilight" one in the bunch!) Books and words fascinate me and because I’m also into tattoos, it shouldn’t come to a big surprise that I have a literary tattoo of my own.

My wrist tattoo (above) is my only visible ink. It means a lot because it’s just for me. It's the one I read and look at every day. It’s taken from a Paul Simon lyric. I’ve been a huge Paul Simon fan since I was little girl. (I have an early memory of dancing around my living room to Simon and Garfunkel's “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard.”) And his songwriting has had a powerful influence on me as a writer. I think it was the first time I realized how words connect us all. One of my prized possessions is a book of his lyrics that my mother bought me. 

The full line is from the song “Hurricane Eye” off the album You’re the One. It goes:

You want to be a writer

But you don’t know how or when

Find a quiet place,

Use a humble pen

When I first got the tattoo (a couple of years ago) someone asked me what it meant. I told her the “quiet place” part was easy. It’s about finding that quiet place in your own head to be still and let the words come. 

The “humble pen” part took a me a little longer to understand and articulate. But I've discovered that, for me, it means we must do and give our work away without expecting anything in return. That can be a tough, tough thing. After all, writers write to be published. At least I do most of the time. I want that publishing contract. I want the validations that awards or having my books make lists gives me. There’s nothing wrong with wanting those things, but I can’t write *expecting* them or thinking that I deserve them simply because I showed up and did the work. My humble pen must write and simply hope that somewhere out there, I’m connecting with another soul. 

Hope.

I think that’s what a writer does best. 

Breaking through the wall

Yesterday I got my sixth tattoo. It was a coverup up of something I wasn’t happy with and didn’t really fit my personality anymore. I waited a long time to have it done and saved for months to afford it. It’s the biggest one I have and so - no surprise - it took the longest time to get done.

For the first two hours or so, I did okay. The pain was manageable and I was able to talk my way through it. (My daughter and friend came along for support and to engage in mindless conversation with me.) But by the time we got to that last hour-and-a-half, I was in significant pain. I was genuinely worried I might throw up and instead of being chatty, in my mind I was screaming, “Are we done yet?! Please be done!” 

I get the same way when I reach that three-quarters the way through point when I’m writing a book. I move along fairly well and then, suddenly, it Gets. So. Hard. and it seems like it’ll never end. I’ve heard the same thing happens to people who run marathons. (I wouldn’t know because they only time I run is when people are chasing me. Which is to say, rarely.) 

That wall is a tough thing to break through. Like with my tattoo, I usually just grit my teeth, try not to scream out obscenities and concentrate on the end result. 

What about you? How do you push through that wall? How do you find your second wind?

Making Clay

I hate first drafts. HATE them! They are slow and torturous and overwhelming. But today, as I was staring at the screen waiting for inspiration writing, I got to thinking about an exercise I sometimes do with students when I’m talking about revision. 

The first thing I do with the kids is hand each of them a small ball of Play-doh™ (or similar modeling clay). Then I ask them to spend a few minutes creating whatever they’d like. Depending on the age of the kids, I usually get plenty of snakes, bowls, snowmen and the like. Once everyone is happy with their work, I ask them to roll the dough back up into a ball and make something else. Most of the time, I get groans and protests. “But I like what I made!”

They usually comply, though, and end up happily rolling and pinching and creating. Then I explain that this is what revision is - just playing with what you’ve already got. Maybe you make something altogether new or maybe you just make something better. On a good day, I get plenty of “Aha!” moments. It’s awesome.

I love revision. But here’s the problem though - you can’t revise without “something” to work with. So I’ve decided to start thinking of first drafts as nothing more than making clay.

Since I’ve written a bunch of craft books, I know a thing or two about making clay. Mixing up clay can be consuming and not always an exact science. (Especially if you’re making up a new recipe!) Sometimes you add a little of this but then find you need a little more of that. You get gunk all over your work space and yourself. And Heaven help you if you have an itch or the phone rings!


But isn’t it also wonderful to put your hands in the bowl and get them all dirty and squish the wet stuff between your fingers? And isn’t it fun to think about all the things you’re going to make? Or commiserate with someone nearby while the two of you are both elbow deep in a mess? Isn’t it satisfying when you look down and realize that the clay is perfect and ready for molding? And that while your hands are tired, it’s a good kind of tired? Isn't it awesome to share your clay with friends?

Yeah. All that stuff is pretty darn cool, too. 

So tomorrow when I open the file on my WIP, I won’t be writing a first draft: I’ll be making some clay.

Taking our time to get there

The other day at taekwondo*, we were working on forward rolls. The class was a mix of kids and adults and various levels of black belts. Now, I used to have a pretty decent forward roll but for some reason, I’ve lost my mojo lately. It happens sometimes. You have some kind of brain freeze or blip - or lose your confidence - and you suddenly can’t do something that only a short time ago, you were pulling off. It’s not unlike getting writer’s block.

While waiting for my turn to demonstrate my roll for the instructor, I made a comment (okay fine, I whined like a baby) to a nearby friend that I was the only adult in the room who had a “loser roll.” Without missing a beat, she pointed out that I was also the only adult in the room who didn’t take hapkido (another martial art that focuses on joint manipulation and throwing/falling techniques.) In other words, even though I felt like I should be so much better, I was probably not too far off from right where I should be.

I feel this way about writing sometimes, too.

I look around at other writers and think I should be much further along by now. I let myself get down about any number of things: the speed at which I write, the fact what I want to quiet books when quiet books aren’t selling, the number of friends who’ve landed book deals when all I’ve been collecting is rejections from editors. (Super kind rejections, but rejections nonetheless.)
But the thing is, I’m probably not far off from right where I should be.

Maybe other writers put in more hours, are simply more talented, are blessed with a speedy pen, have better luck or ideas that are hot at the moment. But that’s okay. As I’ve learned over the last (almost) seven years of taekwondo training, this is not a race.

We’ll all get there. Eventually. We just gotta keep showing up and practicing. And, oh, remembering to tuck our heads to the side when we roll. :-)

*I seem to start a lot of my posts off this way, don’t I? :-)

Some YA Highway love

Just a quick little post. One of the blogs I read on a regular basis is YA Highway. Today, there's a funny and spot-on-true post by Lelia Austin. I thought I'd pass it along if you're in need of a good laugh, need to hear you're not alone or just hate garden gnomes. Ready? Go....

HERE

I'm always on the lookout for awesome blogs to help me procrast... um, inspire me. What blogs do you read?

Finding My YA Voice

Lately, I’ve been working hard to find my YA voice.  But as we all know, voice is a slippery thing to pull off or even explain. Having spent a good bit of my time working on my recent middle grade, I’m finding it a challenge to get in touch with my 16-year-old self. But one of things my agent (the awesome Marie Lamba) suggested I do was write as if I was telling the story as my grownup self. It’s been helping. The way I “speak” and “see” things is a lot different now that I’m not trying to sound like what I think a teenager sounds like - but just sounding like myself.  

Here’s the original version of a scene where my 15-year-old MC is at the end of a secret date and debating whether or not to call her mom for a ride (note: AJ is the MC’s friend): 

Once outside the store, I checked my phone for the time. I suddenly felt like Cinderella. Only instead of running out of time at the ball, I was running out of time at the mall.  “I should probably call my mom for a ride,” I told Wil. 

“I could give you a ride,” he said. “I parked over by the food court.”

Did I dare? Maybe Mom and Dad wouldn’t look out the window when I pulled up. But what if (oh please, please, please) Wil wanted to kiss me goodnight? Mom and Dad would definitely notice if I didn’t come in right away. 

I decided the risk was worth it and texted Mom that AJ was giving me a ride home.

It was so much easier to lie when it wasn’t in person. 

  Okay. Notice the reference to Cinderella? How about the “Did I dare?” and the “oh, please, please, please” ? All very junior-high-ish. A young girl playing dress up. A romantic version of a date. (Don't judge me - I'm still learning! lol) 

Here’s the updated version of the same scene: 

I don’t really want this maybe-a-date to end but I check my phone for the time. “Crap,” I say. “I should call my mom for a ride.”

“I can take you home,” Wil says. “I’m parked by the food court.”

It’s a huge risk. If Mom or even Dad is looking out the window when I pull up, I’m dead. 

But then I think, what the hell?

  I text Mom that AJ is giving me a ride home and that I’ll be back soon.

It’s so much easier to lie when you don’t have to do it in person. 

My MC is now 16-years-old (and you might have noticed the change in tense) but   see how her attitude is also more daring? No fairly tales and more realistic language. She’s still calculating the risk of having the boy drive her home but she’s more impulsive. (I cut 32 words to help convey this.) As a 16-year-old, of course she’s planning on a goodnight kiss. And even though she’s still worried about being caught, I don’t come out and *say* that - it’s simply implied by her thinking about Mom and Dad looking out the window. 

I still have a long way to go, of course. But I think I’m making progress. What tricks do you use to find your young adult voice? 

Confessions of a former “Pantser”

Pantser - someone who writes without a detailed outline. In other words, they write by the seat of their pants.

Plotter - someone who plots out or outlines their story before beginning the writing process.

I’ve completed two novels. (Three if you count my very first attempt eighteen years ago - and I so don’t.) I started the first one as part of an online class. Even though one of the assignments was to make an outline, I more-or-less, “pantsed” by way through it. I loved the idea of having a basic premise or characters and following them into the wide unknown. Let them tell me the story, I thought. It took me about a year to write the book. Correction: it took me a year to write the first draft. I’m still working on revisions.

Pantsing worked well so I did the same thing with my second book. I loved my MC’s voice and simply followed her down a bunch of roads. Oh, I knew where the two of use would eventually end up; I had a destination clearly in mind. But the journey was a wide-open adventure. From start (idea) to finish (signing with an agent) that book took me about two years and included help from a freelance editor. (The amazingly gifted Diane Bailey)

Then I started Book #3. Again, I had an end place in mind and a general idea about who my MC was and merrily pantsed along. Only, this time, things didn’t go well. I had false start after false start. Part of the issue was that I simply had the wrong plot for the right story. (That's a whole other post.) But it also became increasingly clear to me that something about my process wasn’t working. I was growing more and more frustrated and after six months, I barely had 30 pages I was willing to show anyone.

In all other aspects of my life, I am a planner. I was girl who knew what she wanted to do for a living and who she wanted to marry at age sixteen. I named my three kids well before they were born and didn’t change my mind (like my mother swore I would!) I live by lists, buy a certain calendar every year because it has large “day” boxes and stress endlessly over details. So, why on Earth wasn’t I planning when I was writing?

I decided to take shake things up and try something new. I found an online plot class taught by the awesome Rhonda Helms and signed up. I was desperate so when Rhonda walked us through how to plot out chapters (or scenes, if that’s they way you work) and asked us to figure out our plot twists (who know, those events that send the story off in a different direction), I sighed and thought, Fine, I’ll give it a try.

Long story, short - miracle (cue the choir)!!! After I went through that outlining process and then *clears throat* totally revamped my original plot, I FINALLY found my footing. I started writing again in mid-January. I’m quickly closing in on the 100 page mark. Which is remarkable when you consider my 30 pages in 6 month pace of before. (Ugh.)

Of course, having a new direction is probably helping a great deal. But I can’t deny that the outline is proving to be very valuable as well. I'm sold and I don't think I'll ever go back to being a pantser.

I thought planning would hinder my creativity but it’s just the opposite. I find that having a detailed outline (even if I’m not following it exactly) is freeing me up from the panic of “What comes next?!” and I tend to be able to focus more on the task at hand. Today, my goal is THIS scene and only this scene. I don’t feel like my juggling act is all about to fall apart because I know what I need to keep track of. I also can see (literally) if I’m including enough of the subplot or have too many scenes set in the same location or dialog heavy chapters and so forth. Because the details are taken care of, I’m enjoying the process a thousand times more. And as we all know, happy writer = great work.

So here’s my suggestion: If you’re a go-wherever-the-muse-takes-me kind of writer and it’s not working, why not try something new?

It might be just the kick in the pants you need. (See what I did there? haha)

Moments of Enlightenment

The other day at taekwondo, my instructor talked about why we keep training. Some days - especially the ones when my middle-aged body is complaining very loudly about being thrown around like a ragdoll - I wonder what the heck I’m still doing at the dojang. But I keep showing up for what my instructor calls “moments of enlightenment.”

I think I’ll call these MOE’s. (Kind of cute, huh?) They are the brief moments when all our training comes together in just the right way and we do something like pull off the perfect block or land the perfect kick or do a form with “no mind” and it feels amazing. Even after 6 1/2 years of training, I don’t have a lot of MOE’s during a class. I always seem to have a few, though, and just having the taste is enough to keep me coming back.

I think writing is the same way. Every day I put my butt in the chair, open a file and start writing. It’s so hard because even though I’ve been doing this a long time, my skills don’t quite measure up to my dreams. But they’re getting closer. And every once in a while I’ll land that perfect sentence or throw that perfect word down on the page. And. It. Feels. Amazing.

And that’s why I keep writing.

What keeps you coming back to writing?

The Power of Words

Words have power. Power to move. Power to hurt. Power to change us. We all believe that. (If we didn’t, then we’re in the wrong business!) Lately, I’ve been working on changing the conversation in my own head. The topic? The difference between Have To and Get To.

When I was a young girl and the teachers gave us a few minutes of free time, I'd open my journal and write poetry. Writing was a Get To. As in, I get to write!

And when I first started writing for publication, I enjoyed the process of creating, the chase and thrill of landing freelancing jobs. Writing was still a Get To activity. As in, I can’t believe I get to do this for money!

But then I began writing full-time. “Author” became my occupation on forms. And while I still mostly liked the process, I found myself saying things like, “I have to finish that chapter!” and “I have to get my pages in for the day.” and “I have to think of a new idea for a book!”

Writing was a Have To for a long time. Then I made a conscience decision to switch from non-fiction to fiction, to shake things up. My first novel was a Get To. Even my second novel was a Get To. But lately, I’ve noticed the Have To voice creeping back in. I have some theories about why that is, but the why isn’t important.

Sitting down at the computer (or with pen and journal in hand) and telling yourself you “have to” write is one powerful way to send your muse running and screaming from the room. Or, at the very least, into a tantrum in the corner. So, instead, I’ve been telling myself, “I GET TO write today!”

It’s been an interesting experiment these last couple of weeks and here’s what I’ve learned: Have To is work. Get To is play. One demands a certain number of pages or a certain kind of product. The other invites adventure and allows for daydreaming. One is a destination. The other is an open door.

Which one do you think is more productive?

You’re right. :-)

Now, let’s get busy. After all, we GET TO write today!

A quick tip

My 14-year-old has this new thing where she combines the word procrastinate and whatever action she’s doing. For example. 

Me: Are you doing your homework?

Her: No. I’m procrasti-painting.

Me: What about now?

Her: No. Now, I’m procrasti-watching tv.

You get the idea. 

Well, this morning I wasn’t feeling my next chapter so I was “procrastidesigning.” Now, I’m a huge believer in visualization. Always have been. I decided what my muse needed was a little visual aid, so I spent some time designing a book cover for my WIP. 

It was easy. I just went to istockphoto.com and searched for a key element in my story. I found something that worked great and I played around with fonts and size until I was happy. 

Here’s the result.

You might notice that I didn’t include my name on the cover. That’s because I haven’t decided yet if I’ll use a pen name on this story or not. It’s a bit controversial. (Which is, ahem, more than a little ironic since my story is about standing up even when it may not be popular. Feel free to mock me openly if the story ever gets published.) 

Here’s another little visual aid. This dude is important to my story, too. Since I couldn’t find exactly what I wanted, I drew on the LOVE myself. It’s not pretty, but it’ll work. 

So, hey, next time you need a little inspiration (or want to procrastinate), why not give this idea a shot?