Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving is on its way (haven't you heard?). And it's got me musing on what I'm thankful for. Call me cheesy if you will, but I've always encouraged the tradition of sitting around a laden table and taking turns on expressing what you're grateful for. My stepdad, however, makes this a lot less sentimental than it could be with his inexpressive grunts when it's his turn.

But I've had a lot of wonderful things happen to me lately, so I wanted to express my thankfulness for the following (in no particular order):

1. I have a job. Maybe not a fantastic job, but I work with interesting people and interesting topics. I'm able to pay my bills.

2. My pets. There is nothing better than the unconditional love of an animal. And now I have a new addition to my little family. A chihuahua named Gyspy. She's sweet and ornery, but very lovable. And I can't forget my cat--who's only a couple pounds away from being a small tiger--Zorro. I also have a fish, Marco Polo, who would like to eat my fingers one day...but he's still so pretty that I'll forgive him.

3. My boyfriend. For the first time in my life, I have found someone who loves me without restraint or selfishness. Who asks nothing of me, and yet gives all. He is, by far, the best thing in my life.

4. My family. Not just the one I have supplemented with animals, but my mother, my brother, my stepdad, Brian, (despite his noncommittal grunts) and my dad. A family's love and support is something that I'm always grateful for. Even when the world turns its back on you, they have their arms open.

5. My friends, both the ones that live near me and the ones that I have met online (namely, my writer friends) for offering their support and guidance.

6. My talents. Even when I feel less than lackluster about my abilities, I am always grateful for them. I'm grateful that the things that give me joy are things that come naturally to me--and that they are talents I can share with others.

7. God. Though I am not religious, I still feel an affinity for the Creator, and even when I feel resentful and distant, I still look to Him. And it is to Him that I give thanks for the gifts He has given me.

There are many more things that can go on this list. Small moments. Huge triumphs. But these are the things that I am grateful for every day.

What are you thankful for?

Tuesday's Tip #3: Have Fun!

Making the writing process fun doesn't sound like much of a tip, does it? But, honestly, when you're striving so hard to make your story perfect, the word "fun" can slip out of your vocabulary. And soon the story you loved has become a hated waste of time.

Here are some tips to make your writing fun:

1. Introduce a man with a gun. 

(Yes, you might have heard this before.) When you're in a rut, sometimes you have to make something unexpected happen. Whether that is a man with a gun, a long lost friend, an earthquake or whatever--and then see how your characters handle it.

2. Don't take yourself (or your writing) too seriously.

One of my common blunders is when I start thinking of my writing as a job. Sure, it's a job I love, but it's still a JOB. And I don't necessarily like to WORK. If it ever gets to this point, I try to take a step back and just look at the story and the characters. I try to immerse myself in the EMOTION of the book, not the structure/grammar/spelling/etc.

3. Let your characters be themselves.

If one of your characters does something spontaneous, let it happen. Let them breathe on the page. And just go with it. In my experience, some of my best scenes are ones that I didn't mean to happen. It's also a great way to reconnect with your characters.

4. Step away.

Sometimes the best thing to do is to leave your work alone for a while. Whether that be twenty minutes or a day or a week or a month. When you come back to it, you will have fresh eyes and a fresh heart. This is perhaps the hardest thing to do (especially when you're highly frustrated) but it really helps you see things clearer.

And my last tip is ...

Remind yourself what it is about writing you love. Read a favorite book or poem. Watch a movie with an excellent storyline. Talk to someone about your story. Even if you start off unenthusiastic, you will soon remember things that will inspire you to write more.

I Surrender!

I give up. I'm waving the white flag! And I'm admitting defeat.

FURY is a romance.

Let me repeat that: FURY is a romance. Not a romantic fantasy, but a ROMANCE in a fantasy setting.

Crap-ola.

I've fought it and fought it. But FURY is meaner and more tenacious than I. So I have thrown in the towel, hung up the gloves, and scraped at its proverbial feet. You, oh masterful manuscript (which is up to interpretation), have won. You've gotten your way.

Happy now?

Probably not. But you're just like your namesake, aren't you? (And, yes, I have spewed cliches all over the place...that's how upset I am.)

Tuesday's Tip: It's All in the Details

The secret to a strong, memorable character is details.

Details. Details. Details. And, oh yeah, details.

Not sure how many of you out there are fans of romance, but, even if you’re not, I’m sure you’ve stumbled across what you would call the “cookie-cutter” hero and heroine. They are, of course, beautiful and desirable. Often, the woman is a tad silly or naïve, but she still manages to snag the hero’s heart. Right? Same old. Same old. And boring.

Now, let’s say you have the same story. Let’s say it’s a romance, so the people have to be attractive. Let’s even go so far as to say the heroine is blond and blue-eyed with excellent proportions. (Getting ready to roll your eyes yet?) How do you keep heroine (let’s call her Josie) from being just like all those other beautiful, well-endowed corset-wearing divas?

Details.

First off, let’s take some of the perfection away from Ms. Josie. She has a small gap between her two front teeth. And maybe she has freckles. Also, let’s make her have an annoying tendency to bite her nails when she’s nervous, so she never sports the perfect manicure.

Are you still with me?

Now, let’s give her more surprises. Josie has a Ph.D. in philosophy and a black belt in karate. She volunteers at the local homeless shelter. She has a fanatic adoration of cats and believes that she one day might be a crazy cat lady unless she meets Mr. Right or Mr. Allergic to Cats.

She thinks she has a big butt. She falls for a guy for all the wrong reasons, and has even been called “easy”, but she’ll punch you in the face if you call her a slut. She’s shy, but comes off as stuck-up. Her mom is her superhero. Her dad is in prison. She has a brother named Pete who just confessed that he is gay. She is the only member of the family who still talks to him.

Now, put that character in your traditional love story. She’s not going to be one of those stereotypical heroines is she? Which will also make your story less than stereotypical.

Rounding out your characters with information, even information that will have no place in your story, makes them come alive on the page. Not only for you, but for your reader. Keeping a list of details about your character will also help you decide what her reaction would be to certain events. And, if you give your character room to grow, she can lead you to some surprises.

Out With The Old

Have you noticed the new bend of fantasy covers lately?

Let me just give you an example, via my favorite author:

It would appear that some authors are abandoning what you would call the "traditional" fantasy cover (i.e. illustrated characters, elaborate backgrounds) for a sleeker, more contemporary look.

If this trend catches on, it will definitely change the face of sci-fi and fantasy. The people that were once put off by cheesy illustrations will now have minimalist covers to peruse. Believe what you will, but the idiom "Never judge a book by its cover" is not something a book-shopper keeps in mind. Covers are like wrapping paper. The more attractive, the more we're intrigued about what's inside. And these new covers definitely have me intrigued.

It's a pet peeve of mine to have characters depicted on the cover anyway, especially when they look nothing like what I would imagine once I've dived into the text. But this new look...I think I can handle it.

What are your thoughts?

Stretching [Writer] Muscles

Last night after a strenuous round of Dance Dance Revolution, I was sitting splay-legged on the floor and was like "Gawrsh, this hurts." My feet were approximately four feet apart. Even I can admit that's pathetic. I used to be able to kick so high that I could touch my knee to my forehead (without bending forward). Granted, I'm no longer in high school, but still... it got me thinking of other things that need to be stretched.

Not only have I neglected my physical muscles but I think I've neglected my writer muscles, too. I have been so focused on DRAGON QUEEN and FURY that I haven't even thought about a new novel. Now, I know that DQ isn't finished, but it's almost finished, so I should be bouncing around ideas, right?

So, I did.

And I came up with something weird.

A mainstream novel. That, of course, quickly morphed into a paranormal novel. But, still, I haven't thought about writing a paranormal novel (especially when there are so many out there). But I was... intrigued. Like most of my novels, it started from a title (admittedly a weak title, but...). Anyway, the title was Soul Pieces.

However, since ideas aren't protected by copyright, I'll keep the rest to myself.

But this got me motivated to finish DQ by the end of this month, as well as (GASP) finish editing FURY. And then (yes, my friends, this is TRUE) send out query letters. So what does that mean? By the end of this month I will be A) exhausted and B) suffering from a constant stomachache--which is what I do when I'm severely anxious.

I guess I'd better get crackin'. Wish me luck!

Tuesday's Tip: Repeating Beats...er, Sentences

Last time I compared sentences to music. Each sentence has a specific rhythm/beat, and when those rhythms are repeated too often, the story, despite its content, can seem monotonous.

However, repeated rhythms have their uses.

For example, when the author/narrator wants to draw attention to something specific--whether it be a moment, an emotion, or an action--a repeated beat can express that desire.

She stood at the edge of the practice ring, sword in hand. She watched. She waited. She learned.


The most common example of repeating beats is done in threes. It's also called parallelism. It can also be done in a single sentence.

Maria liked the dewy mornings, the misty mountains, and the foggy grove.


Notice how each direct object has a certain number of beats? The result is that the sentence reads like a line of poetry, with a certain pace and emphasis. If you had the desire, you could even point out the stressed and unstressed sounds.

If you're familiar with poetry, you can relate that certain rhythms express certain moods. For example, short, choppy sentences give a feeling of tension or excitement. While long, flowing sentences give more of a feeling of ease. (I know this is where some people might argue with me. I know there are exceptions!) If you consider the two examples above, what sort of feeling do they evoke? You have to admit, the first example is more likely to get your heart thumping than the second one.