Have you ever had a terrible nightmare and woken to find that it was real? That's been my life since Saturday. I know not terribly long, but it's left me mentally and emotionally exhausted. My wonderful husband who I love dearly came home on Saturday and told me "I quit. I couldn't handle work anymore." For a moment I thought he was kidding, and then I awoke to the realization that he wasn't. So now I have to figure out how to pay bills without any income. I have a job but it's sales and commision only and I just barely started. I'm not even sure what I'm doing yet. I don't know if I can sale anything. I got the job so i could learn, but being pressured like this certainly isn't going to help.
Sunday my husband who is just about to get his bachelors tells me "Oh, by the way, my final project for my last class is due today and I haven't started." I swear I could have killed him if he threw one more thing at me. I dragged him to his computer and made him sit down and work. He stayed there until he finished at 11 pm.
Monday I thought things were going to be fine, and then I awoke to find out our dishwasher and sink had busted and both had to be replaced. So I have spent the last two days fighting the demonic sink as I took it out and installed a new one. Every possible thing that could go wrong did, but I finally managed to tame the demon and force it to do my will.
(applause and shouts of joy)
Next time I'm calling a plumber (if I can ever get out of the starving author mode at least.)
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Death to Ly
Often I critique others work. I go through making comments on what I like and what I don't. After doing this for a year and critiqueing 20+ full manuscripts as well as many partials I've come to know what I'm talking about and I've developed a few pet peeves.
Any word ending in LY. I wish death upon them. So often if the writer would take the time to get rid of them they would work so much better. Sometimes of course there is no way around these words but the less used the better.
ING - This is a passive thing. I want see, feel, hear, smell everything. I want to be so drawn into the book I forget its a book. The fewer words that end in ing the easier it is for me to slip between the pages and take flight in a new realm.
Authors who refuse to use that wonderful tool called SPELL CHECK. It's such an easy thing in most programs they even underline it in red when the word is wrong. It's a simple request to review your own work BEFORE sending it out to others.
And then of course there's my biggest pet peeve. The one that makes me stagger over everything. Compared to this all others can be forgiven and looked past. And that one I hear you ask. Well that one is...
TAGS
Yes. That's right. The he said, she said, asked, etc. Once in a while is fine but every time I come across one of these I think why didn't they describe an action, or why is that there. The sentence before this it tells us who this is by what they're doing.
Now you all know my pet peeves. I know I'm not the only one as I've had other critiquers point them out in my own work, and (hide my head) this morning while looking through a novel I haven't picked up for months I found several of them myself.
So while we are all at fault for these things at one time or another they're still my pet peeves and the fewer I find in a manuscript the easier it is to read.
But then maybe that's just the writer in me.
Any word ending in LY. I wish death upon them. So often if the writer would take the time to get rid of them they would work so much better. Sometimes of course there is no way around these words but the less used the better.
ING - This is a passive thing. I want see, feel, hear, smell everything. I want to be so drawn into the book I forget its a book. The fewer words that end in ing the easier it is for me to slip between the pages and take flight in a new realm.
Authors who refuse to use that wonderful tool called SPELL CHECK. It's such an easy thing in most programs they even underline it in red when the word is wrong. It's a simple request to review your own work BEFORE sending it out to others.
And then of course there's my biggest pet peeve. The one that makes me stagger over everything. Compared to this all others can be forgiven and looked past. And that one I hear you ask. Well that one is...
TAGS
Yes. That's right. The he said, she said, asked, etc. Once in a while is fine but every time I come across one of these I think why didn't they describe an action, or why is that there. The sentence before this it tells us who this is by what they're doing.
Now you all know my pet peeves. I know I'm not the only one as I've had other critiquers point them out in my own work, and (hide my head) this morning while looking through a novel I haven't picked up for months I found several of them myself.
So while we are all at fault for these things at one time or another they're still my pet peeves and the fewer I find in a manuscript the easier it is to read.
But then maybe that's just the writer in me.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Amazing giveaway
Amie Borst is having an amazing giveaway with 150 word critique and a possibly query critique from Elana Johnson. She's amazing with queries. If interested simply visit Amie's blog.
http://amie-borst.com/
http://amie-borst.com/
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Nervous Wreck
So the Nervous Wreck is here. This dreaded monster attacked me this morning as I woke up and realized that the Amazon breakthrough contest begins tonight. Despite the weeks of preparation, the hours of writing that horrible gainly thing people call a pitch, and the dozens of critiques I've received, my brain has spun out of control. I know my story is good, but the dreaded monster is telling me it isn't quite good enough.
This time I've told myself I don't care (A perfectly good lie to get me moving). I've done the best I can. The worst that can happen is disqualification. It's not like giant armies of robots will come rip me apart for trying. Right? Because now that I've written it I can see it all happen. Again, the dreaded monster has got me. Is there no release?
This time I've told myself I don't care (A perfectly good lie to get me moving). I've done the best I can. The worst that can happen is disqualification. It's not like giant armies of robots will come rip me apart for trying. Right? Because now that I've written it I can see it all happen. Again, the dreaded monster has got me. Is there no release?
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Craziness
I was trying to write the end to a query. Everything that came was immediately erased again as it was terrible. After a while I just got frustrated, stuck my fingers to the keyboard and let a ramble pour out in the form of the end. Then my husband jumped on and we had a good time just laughing at all these things. So i thought I'd share them with all of you.
With a large following of people who love ninja and the ideas behind their abilities dorks everywhere will love this book!
People who like books about things that don’t suck will love this book.
Everyone will like this book! It has a ninja!! Everything is better with ninjas! EVERYTHING!!
Finally a book your mother won’t mind you reading. If you don’t read it you will be letting your mother down and we wouldn’t want that would we?
It fits between the HERE and NOW as a clever way of getting out of writing this. Also it will fit nicely on the third shelf from the bottom at the bookstore.
With a large following of people who love ninja and the ideas behind their abilities dorks everywhere will love this book!
People who like books about things that don’t suck will love this book.
Everyone will like this book! It has a ninja!! Everything is better with ninjas! EVERYTHING!!
Finally a book your mother won’t mind you reading. If you don’t read it you will be letting your mother down and we wouldn’t want that would we?
It fits between the HERE and NOW as a clever way of getting out of writing this. Also it will fit nicely on the third shelf from the bottom at the bookstore.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Great starting tips!
A friend of mine sent me some notes from a workshop they took. They're good suggestions and make sense, so I'm sharing them with all of you. Enjoy.
Jan 5th 2011, Salt Lake library
Notes from Clint Johnson’s Workshop: Beginnings
Main purpose of Workshop: First line of the manuscript and 1st paragraphs
First lines should evoke an emotional response from the reader
-surprise, fear, humor, ect
1st line’s purpose is to sell the reason to keep reading
Reminders: Don’t start at the beginning of the story! This ends up giving huge gaps until PP1 (plot point one, the inciting incident)
Don’t start with the main characters getting to know each other. They should already have strong mixed emotions about one another. This makes for better book beginnings.
Beginnings of Books must have:
1. Perspective to view the world (POV Character)
2. An Idea of the conflict
3. An idea of what is at stake
Preferably all within the first chapter. If so, the reader will follow you through the rest of your book! Character, Conflict, and a Question. Same is true for the first line of your book.
Must have the following within the first line and better established by the end of the first page:
1. CONFLICT
It is a natural human instinct to want to see the conflict presented RESOLVED. This is the #1 reason why readers keep reading! Have this start within the very first line.
--create a visceral feeling for the character
“I did nothing wrong—technically”. Causes doubt?
2. QUESTIONS
First line must pose a question. Natural human instinct to want to know the answer—readers will read on to find it. Implied questions work better than direct.
Book Example: “The clocks were striking 13” Creates question with the setting description.
Always introduce abnormal after normal, not before. (It was April, bright and cold, clocks were striking 13). Look for contrast and similarities in your book to create questions.
Caution of quantity of unanswered questions causing frustration. Every question posed must be answered in the story!
3. REVEAL CHARACTER
POV character is the window into the world that the reader feels comfortable with and trusts.
Second Tier of important things
-humor or whit. If you use it in the first line, it is a commitment to continue through the book
-shock or horror
-style or voice
NO NOT USE List (Unless it works!)
1. don’t start with a dialog! Publishers/agents view this as artificially abrupt. Uncreative.
2. don’t start with a Dream or waking up
It is too common vs fresh. Uncertain and distorted
3. NO BACKSTORY in the beginning of the story at all! If you must have backstory in the book, have it later on, and must jump back to tell a story! Otherwise, it creates speedbumps.
4. Avoid lengthy description. In older books, setting was a character and they did it well. It would have its own voice. That doesn’t work anymore—setting is morphing/dying in today’s literature. But don’t leave it out completely either.
Have the character describe the setting! Use their voice, how they would describe it.
4. Don’t use a False Hook!!!!!! Means that the opening scene is something to get reader’s attention, and then the story actually starts afterwards. Ch 1 should have everything to do with the book as much as PP1 (inciting incident) does.
An author sets the rules for the book. Readers don’t get a choice. They have to trust you as you set your book rules starting with line 1. Don’t mislead.
Jan 5th 2011, Salt Lake library
Notes from Clint Johnson’s Workshop: Beginnings
Main purpose of Workshop: First line of the manuscript and 1st paragraphs
First lines should evoke an emotional response from the reader
-surprise, fear, humor, ect
1st line’s purpose is to sell the reason to keep reading
Reminders: Don’t start at the beginning of the story! This ends up giving huge gaps until PP1 (plot point one, the inciting incident)
Don’t start with the main characters getting to know each other. They should already have strong mixed emotions about one another. This makes for better book beginnings.
Beginnings of Books must have:
1. Perspective to view the world (POV Character)
2. An Idea of the conflict
3. An idea of what is at stake
Preferably all within the first chapter. If so, the reader will follow you through the rest of your book! Character, Conflict, and a Question. Same is true for the first line of your book.
Must have the following within the first line and better established by the end of the first page:
1. CONFLICT
It is a natural human instinct to want to see the conflict presented RESOLVED. This is the #1 reason why readers keep reading! Have this start within the very first line.
--create a visceral feeling for the character
“I did nothing wrong—technically”. Causes doubt?
2. QUESTIONS
First line must pose a question. Natural human instinct to want to know the answer—readers will read on to find it. Implied questions work better than direct.
Book Example: “The clocks were striking 13” Creates question with the setting description.
Always introduce abnormal after normal, not before. (It was April, bright and cold, clocks were striking 13). Look for contrast and similarities in your book to create questions.
Caution of quantity of unanswered questions causing frustration. Every question posed must be answered in the story!
3. REVEAL CHARACTER
POV character is the window into the world that the reader feels comfortable with and trusts.
Second Tier of important things
-humor or whit. If you use it in the first line, it is a commitment to continue through the book
-shock or horror
-style or voice
NO NOT USE List (Unless it works!)
1. don’t start with a dialog! Publishers/agents view this as artificially abrupt. Uncreative.
2. don’t start with a Dream or waking up
It is too common vs fresh. Uncertain and distorted
3. NO BACKSTORY in the beginning of the story at all! If you must have backstory in the book, have it later on, and must jump back to tell a story! Otherwise, it creates speedbumps.
4. Avoid lengthy description. In older books, setting was a character and they did it well. It would have its own voice. That doesn’t work anymore—setting is morphing/dying in today’s literature. But don’t leave it out completely either.
Have the character describe the setting! Use their voice, how they would describe it.
4. Don’t use a False Hook!!!!!! Means that the opening scene is something to get reader’s attention, and then the story actually starts afterwards. Ch 1 should have everything to do with the book as much as PP1 (inciting incident) does.
An author sets the rules for the book. Readers don’t get a choice. They have to trust you as you set your book rules starting with line 1. Don’t mislead.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
NEW YEAR Resolutions
I generally don't go for the New Year resolutions as most people never accomplish them. Instead I create small goals throughout the year to get me to where i ultimately want to be, regardless of how long it takes. This year i decided my main goal is to find an agent. That's it. So, first baby steps. Revise my query, again, and send out to 5 agents this week. Next week five more. I've also decided to query two different books, as i have a dozen to choose from. The first will be the one I've been querying off and on for over a year now. The second a new book, one that I can't seem to stop writing more books about this character. He's just so cool. Half demon half human he protects a village of people who only know him as a demon and want him dead. The action never stops and the few beta readers I've had (not friends or family) want to read more. So once I get my query and synopsis done its off to the agents.
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