Scene by Scene, Chapter by Chapter, Book by Book

A few months ago, Allison Winn Scotch posted an article on Writer Unboxed titled "Brick by Brick." It basically answers the question, "How do you get your novels finished so quickly?" And she said,

I don’t actually write all that quickly. I think it just seems that way from the outside view. What I do instead is sort of what a bricklayer does when building a house: I lay down each level, brick by brick, until I can step back and say, “Wow, I actually constructed something pretty sizable here.”

 I can completely relate to this. In fact, if you scroll down to the comments you'll see mine, "Allison, I think you and I were separated at birth."

It's easy to get overwhelmed by the task of writing a novel. Or so I've heard. *grins*

Every novel I've completed has come about pretty much the same way: I can't stop writing in the middle of a scene. Just last night, I was forced to do that -- stop before the scene was done -- because of circumstances out of my control, and it totally threw off my mojo. But most of the time, I get the scene done, read through it a few times to check for major flaws (typos, pacing, total blah-ness, etc.), and then call it a day.

A scene can be anywhere from a couple pages to 10+ pages, but either way, I write scene by scene. Sometimes, one full scene is also a full chapter. Sometimes not. As the scenes pile up, the chapters fall into place, and within a few weeks or months, I've got a complete first draft of anywhere from 70K - 100K words, depending on the genre.

I haven't been paying much attention to word count in my current WIP, so I decided to look back on what I've written so far and add it up. I was shocked, to say the least, to find that I'm already at 20% of my goal. Now, granted, it's taken me twice as long to reach that 20% marker with this particular novel as it did for the last one I finished, but that doesn't really matter in the long run. What matters is that there is constant forward progress. And even at the slower rate I'm going now, I can safely say that the first draft will be done by the end of this year. Then I will have written four novels within two years, three of them within 14 months (even though the first draft of novel #1 was completed in 3 months, it took me a while to admit I needed to set aside the neverending revisions in favor of a new project).

All you're doing is piecing scenes together into chapters and chapters into books, and suddenly you realize your output has surpassed your expectations. In writerly circles, we are constantly updating each other on our WIPs, and other writers will notice your trend: you've always got something in the works, it's always further along than the last time you touched base, and you've always got something else ready to go once that one is complete

Then you get barraged with, "How do you do it?"

The number one reason a novel doesn't get finished? Easy. The author's progress halts or starts moving in the opposite direction -- backwards. We all work at different speeds but one thing should remain the same for everyone: Keep moving forward, even if you make mistakes along the way. As long as you keep putting one foot in front of the other, scene by scene, you'll reach the finish line, and before you know it, you'll have an entire shelf full of books written by YOU.

Happy writing,
~Lydia

Tuesday Tunes - Favorites

Or, it could be labeled "our song" if you're a couple of some sort who likes to select a song that kind of defines your relationship cuz it makes you feel better for whatever reason.

Yesterday's diary post got me thinking about favorites. They tend to change over the years, but often there are one or two that stand out among the rest. They're loyal, always with you, even as you age, even as life takes its twists and turns for better or worse.

For me, it's the color blue. It's been my favorite for as long as I can remember. And I don't have a reason for it being my favorite, it just is. It's as much a part of who I am as my lovely inherited Italian temper.

Many people can relate to a song. Joe and I don't really relate to this song (not the lyrics, anyway), but for some reason it's become "our song". Whenever it plays on the car radio it is silently understood that neither one of us can touch that dial, and our heads instantly bob in rhythm.



Creating a favorite song for your characters is just one way to give a nuance of realism to them. It can also make for a memorable scene if, for example, two friends are in a heated argument and suddenly their song starts playing. At least one of them will stop and turn it up. And maybe the conversation/ debate takes a different turn simply because that shared favorite appeared. (If it were my story, I'd have one of them break out into a clumsy dance move and start singing way off key, while the other one tried to stay mad. Just saying.)

The same can be done with food. Oh how I love to make food penultimately important in my characters' lives. It's crazy. For example, in my YA novel SUMMER HOAX, it doesn't take Ben long to realize that Diana can be somewhat manipulated by bargaining with food, specifically, cake and ice cream. She can't resist it--it's her favorite--and in that way it affects the outworkings of the plot.

Using favorites can add realism to your characters, and therefore, your story. What favorites have you used in your storytelling?

~Lydia

PRIVATE Do Not Open!!!! (an uncontest entry)

The following is an entry for The Rejectionist's Humiliation Uncontest. Details are here.

The above title, sans the parenthetical phrase, was how my younger self labeled a cardboard box in big fat black marker.

That's me being subtle.

The contents of said box have survived many years and many moves. There is an abundance of treasures in this box, including my high school diploma, a plethora of school yearbooks, the gumball machine I made in seventh grade wood shop (it still works!), and many old photos. Also, there are three diaries, all hand-written entries, some of which are accompanied by doodles. Unfortunately, I'm not able to upload any images at this time (technical difficulties, aka my camera's all broke). This is also a bummer (as my 12 y/o self would say) because my handwriting was completely different EVERY TIME I wrote a new entry. I don't remember having such variety, but I can't argue with such hard evidence.

These diaries span my life from age 11 to age 20, right before I started dating the man who is now my husband of 10+ years. Surprisingly, I found the best entries in the first/oldest diary--my pre-teen/early teen self was WAY more interesting than my late teen/young adult self--but I don't think I found the most humiliating.

THERE ARE PAGES RIPPED OUT. I don't remember what was on those pages, but it must have been juicy for me to tear them out and, likely, burn them. Those missing pages would have been perfect for this uncontest event. In lieu of that perfection, here is a series of entries from diary #1. Notice the dates, and keep in mind that I did not skip anything. This is how they are, in order. Verbatim (even the typos, all-caps, strike-throughs, etc.).

Wednesday, September 19, 1990 (Lydia has just started seventh grade)

I can't believe it. Adam [redacted] (a kid from my 3rd grade class) has come to [name of school]. I don't know why, but I like him. He looks the same, but I think he's really cute. I think he likes me because I keep seeing and hearing little hints.
1. He kept purposely dropping his pen in next to my desk.
2. He's always talking to me.
3. I heard him talking to a Ashley [redacted] on the way up from gym. He told her the person he likes is in our gym class. I'm in his gym class!! He was going with Brooke [redacted], but he dumped her in 2 days.
4. In art class today he said he dumped her because he wants to go with someone else. I hope he asks me!!

BYE!!

Monday, August 26, 1991 (very next page)

It's been over a year since I've written in you. Som many things have happened since the last time I wrote. For one thing, I hate Adam [redacted]! The reason I haven't written is because I lost you. Well summer's almost over and school starts this Thursday! I found out I'm only in one class with Willow [redacted] & I'm in no classes with Mo! Bummer!!! I don't even have lunch with her! One mg major thing that's happened is that I got my own room again. And I actually took out my ugly, falling apart rug! I'll tell you about the camping incident tomorrow. Right mow, I'm very tired.

-Lydia

October 24, 1991 - Thursday (very next page)

I'm in eighth grade now. When I first started this diary I was in sixth grade. I just gotta tell ya' what's goin' on with me now!
favorite actor - Christian Slater
favorite movie - Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
favorite song - (Everything I do) I do it For You
favorite radio station - Q104 (I'm listening to it now!)
in love with - Lee [redacted] (he's sooo sweet!)
favorite color - blue
favorite jeans - Lee (duh!)
favorite book - Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves [ed: I think that is the most humiliating part of this entire post *sigh* I didn't realize how much that movie influenced all my "favorites" that year]
favorite school subject - ?

I'll finish later, I'm tired!

BYE!

Friday, July 9, 1993 (very next page)

I found this book stashed away in a cabinet under some clothes along with my other diary/journal. I'll be in 10th grade when school starts in August. The only things on the previous page that's stayed the same is my favorite color, although green is starting to look better now. My main hobby is practicing violin, but since school ended I haven't had much to practice. I hope that someday I could play in a professional orchestra or maybe even for movies. :) In August we're moving to [redacted] in [redacted] county. I don't exactly like the idea of leaving my friends, but I keep telling myself that maybe there's better people out there for me. I'm not so sure that everyone likes me here at [redacted].
Amanda doesn't seem to like me very much. She only talks to me if Jessica's around. I feel so stupid and stupid! I don't know what's wrong with me.
I've had thoughts of running away, but I'd have nowhere to go. Son Sometimes I wish I was born to another family. Now I no know that's ridiculous. I can't trust anyone. NOBODY! I feel like a pushed around rag doll. I don't like the way my mother yells at me all the time, bosses my father around, and swears at us [ed: us = me and my brother and sisters]. I hate how my father is so pushy. Both my parents are hypocritical and lead double lives. If [redacted] knew how my father hits me and how my mother screams and swears at me, I'm sure [redacted] wouldn't be pleased. No matter how much I try and how much I pray for forgiveness I know God won't forgive me for what I did last summer. I'm not going to write it down because I have very nosy sisters. I wish I could take a break from my family for a year.

---

Wow. Sorry to end that on such a horrible downer, but that's the end of that section. Really, though, it was the beginning of the rest of my life. My "teen angst" years were on the horizon, pushed into their climax by this big move from one county to another. I literally had culture shock when we moved. I lost all my friends and had a hard time making any new ones. Not surprisingly, this was also when I started writing fiction. A LOT.

And if you're wondering "what I did last summer" that was so horrible even God couldn't forgive me, I have no idea. I don't remember. Also, FOR THE RECORD, I do not still harbor any hatred for my mother. My father, on the other hand, is a different story.

But that's neither here nor there. Thanks for reading my ramblings.

BYE!!
~Lydia

A Story Idea Worth Developing

To wrap-up this week's discussion on ideas and stories, I'm going to share one of my recent ideas that I've found worthy of developing. And no, I'm not afraid to share it because as I'd mentioned before there is no such thing as idea theft. You could take the same exact concept and write a novel with it, and it would be completely different from mine.

Aside: Time for one of my favorite quotes, then we'll move on. Promise.

Save the Cat! author Blake Snyder recommends testing out your pitch on anyone and everyone before writing the actual story, which I touched on at the end of Wednesday's post. And it's perfectly safe to do this; you won't sabotage your project.

"I have no fear that anyone will steal my idea (and anyone who has that fear is an amateur)."

~Blake Snyder, Save the Cat! p. 12

I've been wanting to write a "teen road trip" story for a while, but I couldn't for the life of me think of anything worth developing. For this type of story, the purpose of the journey is important for your basic concept. No matter what happens along the way, that initial motivation is what pushes everything into motion. This is why the subject of your pitch usually focuses on the main conflict brought out in the first 30-50 pages of your novel. That is your hook zone. If the reader isn't completely hooked by the concept presented in the beginning, they put the book down.

Not surprisingly, that is why a partial request from an agent is usually either 30 or 50 pages. *lightbulb moment*

According to Blake Snyder's list of story types, the story I want to write is termed The Golden Fleece. He says, "A hero goes 'on the road' in search of one thing and ends up discovering something else -- himself. The theme of every Golden Fleece [story] is internal growth; how the incidents affect the hero is, in fact, the plot. And forcing those milestones to mean something is your job. Very often the mission becomes secondary to other, more personal, discoveries; the twists and turns of the plot are suddenly less important than the meaning derived from [them]." (pp. 28-29... seriously, if you don't own this book, buy it now)

This story type is not just literary fiction, although the above description may make it seem that way. Heist stories are included in this, such as Ocean's Eleven. Even Star Wars is listed as an example. Just because the story is focused on character change does not mean we can't have high action and drama.

Here's my idea:

Eighteen year-old Kendall Williams... okay let's stop there. When writing YA age is so important. You have to select your MC's age with care. There is a big difference between the life of a 14 y/o and the life of a 17 y/o. For this story, my MC just turned 18, just graduated high school, and is contemplating her very-near-future life as a responsible adult. For this particular story, my MC really can't be any other age or in any other situation. It wouldn't have the same effect. Also, notice I have an exact name for my character already; that makes her real to me.

Starting again...

Eighteen year-old Kendall Williams receives her grandmother's pink Cadillac as stated in her will. Inside, Kendall finds a map of the lower forty-eight states, each of them numbered, and a note from her grandmother detailing instructions to visit a specific location in each of the states, in order, using only the Cadillac and the money left in an envelope attached to the map. At the final location she will be awarded the remainder of her grandmother's gift. Kendall accepts this challenge, but she must finish her road trip before the start of her freshman year of college, only eight weeks away... with only enough money to fill the gas tank once.

If you are creatively inclined you can already see where this story is going, and at the same time, all kinds of questions should pop in your head. How is she going to afford to keep the car running? How will she afford to eat? Will she go alone or bring a friend/ sibling/ significant other? Who will she meet along the way? What is waiting for her at the end? Will she finish in time? Etc.

All very good questions. The answer: I honestly don't know. That will all come to me when I start developing the idea. What I've stated above is just the start. Yet you can see the potential for an entire story within that one short paragraph.

Which is why the title came to me so easily: THE LOWER 48. Combine the pitch with the title and there should be no question in your mind what this story involves--a treasure hunt road trip across America--but there is still enough left open to make you want to read.

You can also see that the basic idea here is nothing new. How many stories out there involve someone carrying out the final wishes of a dead loved one in their will? And how many stories out there involve going on a spur-of-the-moment road trip to fulfill some inner desire (to travel, to vindicate, to just say "I did it", etc.)? There are plenty. But I still have every confidence that my Golden Fleece story will be something only I could write.

And the same is true for every one of us. Good luck with all your ideas. Develop them into stories that are undoubtedly your own.

Happy writing,
~Lydia

Making Your Idea Uniquely YOU

Even if it's a retelling.

The latest movie rendition of Romeo & Juliet is the perfect example of how to make a story your own. There are no new ideas, just new writers. And that's how you end up with something like this. Enjoy!



~Lydia

Gauging Your Story's Marketability

This is actually a lot simpler than most aspiring authors make it out to be. As I'd mentioned in Monday's post, ideas are a dime a dozen, and many of us have a plethora of ideas just waiting to be developed into stories. How do you know which one is worth developing? First, you must be passionate about the idea's story potential. Part of that potential includes marketability.

When I say "marketability" I don't just mean sales. I mean your audience, your future readers. You have to sell your idea to anyone who might read it, even a critique partner.

It all boils down to your one-line pitch. Why? Take a step back from your own work for a moment and review a list of others, then pick out ONE that you would read. Now ask yourself, what was it that stood out from the rest?

Well, you might say, that's all well and good for your own personal taste, but how do I know what my audience wants? This is when a registration with Publisher's Marketplace can really come in handy. Specifically, the "today's deals" email subscription. It's priceless. Every day, I receive a (confidential) email from them that lists the publishing deals made the previous day, organized into their respective categories. This is what editors are buying NOW. I focus mainly on the ones that I personally write: Women's Fic/Romance, Children's: Young Adult, and Sci-fi/Fantasy. But often times I'll read through the entire announcement, as a way of sharpening my marketing radar.

Before I go any further I have to make something very clear: gauging a story's marketability has NOTHING to do with following trends. So if you notice a bunch of YA vamp novels selling, that doesn't mean your contemp YA novel has no chance. If the idea is marketable, that's all that matters.

Which is why I'm going to use a contemp YA pitch (later) as an example. Since I write both spec fic and contemp fic, I understand that it's easy for spec fic writers to rely on their "specialness" to do the marketing for them. But this is not what I recommend. A good pitch includes a clear conflict, protag vs. antag. In spec fic, the protag and antag are usually two distinct characters at odds with each other. Focus on that, NOT solely on your unique world. When you start getting distracted by all the cool weird things you've created, you lose the necessary focus to make an effective pitch. Those things are important, but not so important that they should take center stage.

In contemp fic, you can certainly have two distinct characters at odds with each other. That is the stuff that mysteries and thrillers are made of. But what about a romance? Or a coming-of-age story? Who or what is the antag in those types of stories? This is where things tend to get vague and feel old hat, aka not worth selling. So the concept of your story has to shine in the one-line pitch.

Remember the 4 C's:  Concept = Character + Clear Conflict

When you write a character-focused story, it's easy for the conflict to become muddled. A bad pitch is something like this:  A middle-aged woman goes on a journey of self-discovery and learns how to rise above her problems.

So... what's that story about again? Anytime you use the phrase "such-and-such character learns..." you're in trouble. The lessons learned are important to the story, NOT the pitch. The plot--the main events--must be easily imagined, just by reading the one-liner. This is what gets us excited to read something, when we start imagining all the possibilities this concept presents.

Check out the blurb for GIRL, STOLEN by April Henry (releases in 6 days!). I could easily make a one-liner out of that by combining the first two sentences.

Sixteen year-old Cheyenne is sleeping in the back of her car while her mother fills a prescription at a pharmacy, and the car is stolen with her inside.

Without even knowing any more of the details (she is sick with pneumonia, she is blind, she is the daughter of the president of a major corporation) you can already begin to imagine the possibilities of this story concept. The character's conflict is clear, even without the details. She needs to get away from the thief and back to her mother... but will he just let her go? Not likely if she's the witness to a crime.

And there you have it--a highly marketable story without any fluff.

All of us have limited time. If you want to spend your time writing a story that people will be excited to read, gauge the marketability. Write a one-paragraph blurb about the essentials of your concept (remembering the 4 C's) and then condense that into one sentence.

Take that one-liner and test your market. To anyone and everyone. Family, friends, and especially strangers. Do this in person and pay attention to facial reactions more than their words. Some people *ahem*moms*ahem* will try to sugarcoat their response. But faces don't lie.

You'll know when you've got a winner. And you have every right to celebrate that effort, even if you haven't written a word of the story yet.

Happy writing,
~Lydia

Tuesday Tunes - The Difference Between Love and Infatuation

Both love and infatuation can be used effectively in fiction, each for a specific purpose. Her are some things to keep in mind when writing romance or infusing romantic elements into your story:

Love: An unselfish caring about the interests of the other.
Infatuation: Is selfish, restrictive. One thinks, "What does this do for me?"

Love: Romance often starts slowly, perhaps taking months or years.
Infatuation: Romance starts quickly, perhaps taking days or hours.

Love: You are attracted by the other person's total personality.
Infatuation: You are mainly interested in the other person's physical appearance.

Love: You view the other realistically, seeing his or her faults yet loving that one anyway.
Infatuation: Is unrealistic. The other person seems perfect. You ignore any nagging doubts about serious personality flaws.

Love: You have disagreements but you can talk them out and settle them.
Infatuation: Arguments are frequent. Nothing really gets settled. Many are "settled" with a kiss.

Love: You want to give and share with the other person.
Infatuation: The emphasis is on taking or getting, especially in satisfying sexual urges.

To make the point undoubtedly clear, here are two songs. The first is an example of love, the second is an example of infatuation.

LOVE:



INFATUATION:



Happy writing,
~Lydia

Making a Story Out of an Idea

Question: How long does it take to come up with an idea?

Answer: A few seconds. Ideas are a dime a dozen.

The real question: How long does it take to develop an idea?

Answer: It depends on a) the writer's skill, focus, and personal circumstances, b) the supporting needs of the idea itself, and c) the length of the project (novel, short story, etc.).

Everyone works differently, but for me, an idea always starts with a distinct character and his/her specific problem to solve. The best problems are both internal and external.

For example, let's say a ten year-old girl is visiting her grandmother who she hardly ever sees, and said grandmother lives in a creaky old house. Everything is fine and dandy while they're in the kitchen mixing cookie dough. But then the grandmother remembers that all her cookie cutters are stored away in the attic because she hadn't used them in so long, and she asks the girl to get them because her knees can't take all those stairs anymore.

Problem: The stuff they need to finish their project is in the attic and Granny is clearly expecting the girl to go find them. That's external for the viewpoint character. Now add an internal element: The attic is spooky and the last time the girl went up there out of curiosity she got caught in a huge spider's web and a mouse scurried over her bare toes. She had sworn she'd never go up there again.

So what's she going to do? Suck it up and go, then discover something even more scary than the last time? A secret portal? An antique mask that talks? Or does she back out and this struggle with her fear becomes the main conflict? There's your story. For me that would be enough to start writing and see where it goes. Full development comes later, as the story progresses. It's an ongoing process.

 If I asked everyone who read the above example to write a story out of it, we'd have as many different stories as there were writers. But it all came from the same idea. This is why there is no such thing as "idea theft." That's just not possible, because by the time you develop the idea into a story, it's become something only YOU can create. It's unique to the author.

As a writer, you no doubt have dozens of ideas waiting to be developed. So how do you know which ones are worth it? Again, everyone is different, but for me there has to be what I call "the spark." The story has to be on its knees begging me to write it. Sounds cheesy, I know, but that's the truth. If I can't take an idea and run with it, then I don't. If I can't immerse myself in every part of it and feel tingling delusional excitement over it (this is going to best thing I've ever written!), then it's not for me. It forever remains an idea in the back of my head, never developed into a story.

But the few that make the cut are like broccoli cheddar soup on a rainy day. Cherished. Longed for. Savored.

Happy writing,
~Lydia

Friday Reflection

First, to all you parents who jumped in on Wednesday with "bully advice", THANK YOU. It has not been a problem the last two days. Either the kids are scared of me now (serves them right) or they complained to their parents about me and got an earful. Or both.

I hope you all have been following my tweets because that's where I put all the great links I find around the writing web instead of posting a weekly roundup. It's easier for me to keep up with everything if I do that on a day-to-day basis. If you don't have a twitter account, the most recent tweets are in the sidebar of the blog, but you can only see about five max. I tweet at least ten links a day, sometimes more, and sometimes I'll tweet at odd times of the day if I happen to see something fantabulous (like this post I tweeted last night; thanks, Christi!). And yes, I read everything I link in my tweets. It takes me about an hour of my morning routine to get through everything, but I feel it's an hour well spent. There is some really great information out there for writers at any stage of their career.

But that's one of the main reasons I don't really chat on twitter. I'll reply to someone who makes a comment that gets my attention (and usually it's @scarlettparrish; she cracks me up), and I'll reply to someone who comments to me directly, but other than that, no. I have to divvy up my time wisely, and tweeting the day away is not a priority.

There's also this thing called laundry. And I live with two boys so the bathroom becomes a slight disaster if neglected for more than a day or two.

The past two weeks, especially, I've been so busy with researching and querying and submitting requests to agents that I've barely had any time to work on actual writing, but I did somehow squeeze out another chapter of FINDING ME, my newest contemp YA. I also sent the first chunk of it (about 30 pages?) to two of my betas. Although I guess they'd be called alphas at this point because the story is not finished yet. Whatever you want to call them, they had completely opposite reactions to the story. One of them said it was the best thing they'd ever read of anything I've written. The other was less-enthusiastic. Didn't hate it, but didn't love it either.

And I know both of them well enough to know that they're both being completely honest in their reactions.

Being a writer is not easy, guys. You're not really alone--we have this great support through online communities, email, and blogs--but it feels like you are. You get opinions and suggestions on your work that are polar opposites, so you're basically on your own in the decision-making process. Then there are the ups and downs of submissions. This week alone I vacillated between cloud nine elation and feeling so inadequate I'd sunk to the Earth's core.

Not only am I querying agents for a novel, but I also have short stories on submission to magazine editors. This week alone I got three rejections (not saying from who or for what projects). But then I got a new partial request from an agent and a previous partial request was upgraded to a full.

This is the roller coaster from hell, and we have to ride it every day. By choice; no one is forcing us to do it but ourselves.

I rarely point to Nathan Bransford's blog anymore for advice (because it has seemed too redundant to me lately) but his post yesterday about dreams becoming expectations really hit home. Two years ago I was knee-deep in the first draft of my first novel. Publication was only a dream. Garnering any kind of interest from an agent was only a dream. Winning a writing contest was only a dream.

Then you hit these milestones and you're justifiably ecstatic at the time. But at some point, it becomes routine and it's not enough to be excited about anymore. Don't get me wrong, any story sale is worth celebrating, but I have to admit that every short story I submit now I expect it to get published, it's not just an intangible fantasy anymore. And maybe this is shooting myself in the foot, but I have a strong feeling I will go into 2011 no longer looking for an agent but working with one. Even though every request I receive causes me to jump for joy, it's not the same as those first few. It's more like, "Okay, good. Let's do this." All business.

The first request was only two months ago. And a mere six months ago this novel that they're all excited about was just getting started. How quickly we can transform our dreams into expectations... it's scary.

I need to remind myself what a privilege it is to have not one but two stories in print. And what a privilege it is to be communicating with agents about something that I've written. Me. I'm a nobody. I need to remember that.

The flip side of this, however, is that recognition is not the only thing that becomes calloused. Rejection does, too. When I first started submitting short stories every rejection was like a slice through my heart. Now? Form rejections are quickly recorded and forgotten, and I move on to the next. They're nothing but a statistic to be reflected on later if I need to reassess my approach. Personalized rejections--the "almost but not quite" letter--those are tougher to take. But still, I've learned how to move forward, viewing them as a minor setback.

So that's what I learned this week. Be aware of how you're spending your time. Make sure you write something no matter how busy you are. And don't belittle the accomplishments you've made along your writerly path.

Have a great weekend, everyone!
~Lydia

In the Company of (Best) Friends

"When you're in jail, a good friend will be trying to bail you out. A best friend will be in the cell next to you saying, 'Damn, that was fun.'"

~Groucho Marx

Giving a main character a best friend takes your story to a whole new level of awesome. Would Lucy be the same without Ethel? Or Lloyd without Harry? Best friends know how to cheer you up and they know how to bring out your worst. They're honest yet supportive. And they'll do almost anything with you or for you.

Almost.

It's the "almost" that creates the biggest conflict between best friends. Whatever this "almost" happens to be, you can use it to maximize the tension with a confrontation at the point when the MC needs unconditional support the most. Usually, this is near the beginning of the third act, which forces the MC to make the most important decision of the entire story on their own, which then pushes them into the steepest incline of the climax. Whether or not the best friend decides to join the MC after this, despite all the wrongs that occurred, is entirely up to the needs of the story and the mechanics of their character. Either way, it's highly dramatic.

Of course, it doesn't always have to happen that way. That is just one example. There are certainly good stories out there in which the BFF says "I'll stick by you til the end" and proves it with their actions, no matter how they personally feel about it. But again, we need to see that internal conflict somehow, even if it's outwardly subtle, or the tension is lost.

It's not all about conflict of interest, though. If they fought all the time, they wouldn't be best friends, right? Having a best friend can also allow for some fun stuff in the earlier parts of the story... like going to jail for doing God-only-knows-what, or horfing down chocolate faster than humanly possible.

Who are your favorite BFFs?

~Lydia

Unique Comparisons, aka the Un-Cliche'

You ever have one of those morning where everything just falls into place? I don't think I've ever had one of those... what's it like?

I'm currently having issues with bully kids who wait with my son at the school bus stop. Not only are they mean to him--daily--but they're so mean to this other girl--daily--that she was in tears today. I'd seen enough. I got firmly vocal with them. And you know what? The little shits didn't even bat an eyelash. Excuse my language but how do these kids--the oldest one is only in 5th grade; they're kids!--get off thinking they can act like that in front of an adult? Or at all! They saw the girl crying and the instigator (there's always one that stands out and the rest of them just go along with it) was still yelling at her from across the driveway.

That's when I snapped at him. If his mother had been there, none of it would have happened. But she wasn't there today and he saw that as a green light to spout off all the things he hated about this girl. Now, if the girl really was an idiot, like he claimed, I might have just told him to lay off and end it at that. But I've been waiting for the bus with these kids for three weeks now, and I've never seen her do anything to warrant such hatred.

It's pure hate. It emanates from him like steam on a cold day. At first I felt sorry for this kid because he'd recently been diagnosed with bipolar (and boy do I know a thing or two about that), but having bipolar does not excuse such wrong behavior. My son has PDD. Part of that disorder includes acting out physically--sometimes violently--when he can't control his emotions. I have bruises to prove it. So do I just let him do that with no consequences? Absolutely not.

He's never done that to other kids, though, just big bad mom (because I set boundaries and enforce rules). Among these kids, my son's only crime is that he has a social disorder and doesn't always understand what's being said to him. Apparently that means you're an outcast of the worst kind. Like he's got something they might catch if they get too close.

Okay, so what's the point of my rant today? Three things.

1) I needed to vent because I'm at my breaking point with these kids. If it continues, I'm going to have to talk to the parents and/or request my son be on a different bus schedule. He doesn't deserve to be treated like that day in and day out.

2) This is one of those things that has the potential to be a great story idea. Sorry but my writerly brain does not have an off switch. While I'm glaring at these kids, in the back of my head I hear, "This would make a great scene in a MG novel! Just bump up the ages and make it all unbelievably worse. Don't pass up the opportunity!"

Shut up, muse. I've got too many other projects I'm working on now.

3) Comparisons should be relevant and create a vividly clear image in the reader's head.

Break! What comparisons? Are we talking about writing now? Yes. Yes, we are. My apologies for taking forever to get to the point.

First, when I say "avoid cliche' like you would lumps in your milk", I mean it. Nothing gets me to do a classic teenage eye roll quicker than reading a cliche'.

Cliches often crop up when the author is trying to make a comparison. Comparisons are easy to spot. They are usually presented with the words "like", "than", or "as".

For example, "avoid cliche' like you would lumps in your milk." The key word for the comparison is "avoid." To make the comparison your own, find its relevance. (I know this isn't the first time I've used this phrase, but I have yet to see someone else use it, so I'm claiming it as mine.) To make my point clear, I had to choose a comparison for "avoiding cliche'" that would garner a universal reaction from whoever reads it.

What do you do when you discover lumps in your milk? If you're me, you scream, toss the whole carton in the sink, wrap a towel around your face to act as an air filter, then powerwash the mess down the drain. If it's extra thick/lumpy, you flush it. And that makes me want to gag just thinking about it because I have a vomit phobia, and anything that looks or sounds or smells like vomit in the toilet will make me retch.

I'm pretty sure no one wants to pour themselves a nice cold glass of milk and hear plops. So the comparison works.

Now, going back to my rant above, I'm going to pull out a couple of the comparisons I used.

1) It's pure hate. It emanates from him like steam on a cold day.

When you think of an emotion such as hate, you usually associate it with heat, right? So something that is hot will give off steam in a cooler atmosphere. It's a universal comparison because it's so basic. Even a child will understand it, and yet it has just as much impact to an adult.

2)  Like he's got something they might catch if they get too close.

Again, very basic comparison to a contagious illness. Anyone who reads that will understand what it means, and will get why I'm so irritated with these kids because, obviously, you can't catch a mental disorder by standing near someone who has it.

Okay, so that was just an "angry mom" rant. What about in fiction? This is where you need to be extra careful and extra creative, especially in narrative.

For example, if a character says something in dialogue such as, "He's faster than a speeding bullet!" you can attribute that to the character just being a dork, if it's part of their character. However, if I saw something like that in the narrative, I'd immediately strike it.

If you want to say something is fast, you should pretty much NEVER use the speeding bullet comparison. Instead, look at the details you already have going for you in the scene.

What is the genre?

If you're writing a science fiction story, create futuristic comparisons that fit what your story is about. Fantasy, rustic or magical, etc. A medical thriller, blood is a good comparison, so long as it fits. Keep in mind the elements of your unique story world, and go from there.

Example, from my fantasy novella A Messenger's Oath:

Mensa felt her nostrils flare.  "That is not your concern.  None of this is your concern.  Be on your way, Lovec of Soral, and let me be."  She headed through the trees, searching for another suitable place to rest, however far she had to go to get away from him.

Footsteps shuffled the forest floor behind her.  "I'm afraid I can't do that, messenger."

"Why?"  His presence was more chafing than the leather between her thighs.

If this had been a contemporary or sci-fi story, the "chafing" comparison would have been worded differently.

What is the setting?

Again, using the example above, referencing a chafing from her leather pants fits because she is quickly moving away from him. This uncomfortable sensation is likely something in the front of Mensa's mind as the scene plays out, so it is appropriate for her to compare it to the uncomfortableness she's feeling regarding the other character.

Weather conditions can also be extremely helpful in creating unique and relevant comparisons.

Example, from my contemp YA novel, Summer Hoax:

He answered me with a smile, his lashes still wet from tears.  Lightning flashed.  More thunder.  The rain started out misty, then fell in sheets.  Ben piggybacked me and sprinted as well as he could over the slick grass, but it was a long way back to the car.  We looked like we'd gone swimming with our clothes on.

What I love about this one is that I could have easily just said, "We were completely drenched," but saying it differently, more vividly, makes it concrete in the reader's mind and therefore, memorable. What I also love about rain is that it's great as a mood creator. This snippet is taken from a scene at a cemetery, and in the beginning of the paragraph we see tears. Rain can be associated with sadness, as it was here, or with cleansing. And that's just one example. There are so many ways you can get creative with weather conditions.

What is happening in the scene?

When you take everything in your context and put it together, cliche' phrases will be the furthest thing from your mind. Immerse yourself in the details and actions of the scene.

Example, from my science fiction novel in progress, Dead Star, Shine:

I pushed him away and dropped to the floor, sobbing.  My severed hair covered the planks like an ebony rug.

"We have much to do, Mirra."

"Don't you dare touch me!"  I clutched the cut strands at my chest as if they were a lost loved one to be grieved, remembering my mother's identical locks.  She was to blame for this.  All of it.  If she had only accepted me for who I was I'd be dead along with her, in peace, and not enduring this torture, this shame upon all that I represented.  "Just go away..."

The first comparison: she is sitting on a bare floor thickly covered in her own very long hair that had just been cut extremely short against her will. The second comparison: referencing her dead mother who had the same long black hair that symbolized her royalty. These both appropriately connect the events of the scene with her present emotional state.

Another example, from the same story:

"I believe you," I whispered.

He let out a sigh and I felt his energy subdue through the few points where his skin contacted mine, as if my words had flipped the switch on his generator.  His new sense of calm relaxed me as well.  The day had drained us both.  Time to recharge.

In this story, Mirra and Nathym are able to feel each other's energy when they touch, similar to electrical sparks. No surprise, then, that I decided to reference a generator, and draining and recharging like a battery.

Using comparisons that are unique to your story and your characters, aka the un-cliche', is one of the best ways to keep a reader engaged from the first page to the last.

Happy writing!
~Lydia

Tuesday Tunes - This Is Why I Love P!nk

Not only do I totally <3 this song, but I'm pretty sure this is the most amazing performance I've ever seen. It gave me real chills--shudders and goosebumps--and made me tear up. This is art at its finest, engaging all the senses.

I had an actual post planned for today that connected music with writing, but when I saw this I just had to share and let it speak for itself.

Enjoy.



~Lydia

The First One Is Only Practice

Here are some things I learned while writing my first novel:

• Writing a science fiction novel is not the same as writing a science fiction screenplay.
• How to format dialogue.
• How to structure a paragraph.
• How to structure a scene.
• How to write third person limited.
• What makes a good end-of-chapter thruster.
• What is meant by "conflict."
• The importance of writing in proper sequence--cause then effect then reflection then decision.
• Even minor characters have a backstory.
• You can really get lost in your book, you can feel for your characters like they're real people, you can question your sanity on a daily basis.

Here are some things I learned soon after finishing my first novel:

• 175K is too long. Period.
• Grammar errors can be hell a pain to fix.
• The difference between passive and active.
• It's okay to cut entire paragraphs or entire chapters.
• It's okay to realize you still have a lot to learn.
• What a prologue is and, more importantly, what it isn't.
• Just because you wrote a novel doesn't mean you know what you're doing.
• Just because people like your story doesn't mean you wrote it good enough to sell alongside professionals.
• Everything must advance the plot.
• There's this thing called pacing.
• There's this other thing called story structure.
• The true meaning of "revision."
• The true blessing of a critique partner.
• Your first idea is not your only idea.
• Your first idea is not always your best idea.
• Your first novel is only practice.

Am I giving up on baby number one? Not really. There may be some time in the future when I have nothing better to do than completely rewrite it from beginning to end. But that time isn't now. You get to a point where you realize it is much easier and more efficient to simply start over with something entirely new than to try and fix what's broken.

It's like when you're in elementary school and you make your first clay project. Maybe it's a mug. And it's lumpy and the handle isn't ergonomically correct and the walls are too thick and the bottom is too thin so there's no way anyone could ever use it for its originally intended purpose. But your mom loves it, and she doesn't hide it away in a box in the attic. Maybe she uses it as a pencil holder.

Your first novel may never see a printing press, and that's perfectly okay. It still served a purpose.

~Lydia

A Rare Non-Writing-Related Post

I work with the public in retail. While working yesterday, I was quite shocked by how many people asked me what the date was. Really? It was September-freaking-eleventh, people! No matter what state you live in, no matter what religion you practice, no matter what your personal views are on the government and the military, every American should know what the date is on that day. Seriously. WTF?

We're not even a decade from the biggest terrorist attack on our country and you don't remember what date it occurred on? And it's like the easiest date to remember: 9-1-1! Emergency!

So tell me, all you oblivious self-indulged people who asked me for the date yesterday... what went through your mind when I first gave you a blank stare, then bit my tongue right before saying, "September eleventh," and then avoided eye contact for fear of seeing either a) invisible egg dripping down your face, or b) no reaction at all.

This horrible experience yesterday got me thinking. And actually, every year on September 11th I think about this: what was I doing when the towers fell?

For me, by the time they fell, I'd already turned on the news and watched in horror with everyone else. Further clarification: I saw the towers smoking and then had to drive Joe to work. Just after dropping him off I was in the car listening to the radio when the first tower fell. I almost drove into the ditch because I couldn't stop the gag reflex. I puked in my mouth. Swallowed it. Somehow mumbled, "Oh my God, all those people..." And drove the rest of the way home with my throat burning and my hands shaking. When I got home and tuned back in to the news, the second tower fell. Black smoke and crap flying in the air and people screaming... I don't remember any details after that except crying. The rest of the day, the week, the month... it's fuzzy.

I live in Ohio, not New York, and it affected me that much. I live in Ohio, not New York, and I didn't feel safe anymore.

When I was a kid I remember hearing my parents say things like, "You never forget what you were doing when JFK was shot." I didn't truly know what they meant by that until 9-11.

What was I doing when the planes hit? How did I first hear about it? I was one week shy of my 23rd birthday, five months shy of my second wedding anniversary, and a year and a half shy of my first pregnancy. Joe and I were still very much newlyweds at that time. We were having awesome morning sex (to put it mildly), and then one of his younger brothers (who lived next door) came pounding on the door yelling, "Turn on the TV!"

He didn't say "turn on the news" because this was big. It was on every channel. We flipped on the TV and there it was. I remember feeling like I was in a trance the rest of the morning while Joe got ready for work. It didn't feel real. And the worst hadn't even happened yet.

Everyone has their own "what were you doing when the towers fell" story, and some are much more horrifying than others. But one thing should be the same for ALL of us: You never forget.

And for the love of everything honest and good, you shouldn't have to ask what the date is on September 11.

~Lydia

When Author Intrusion Rears Its Ugly Head

First, I'd like to clarify what author intrusion is NOT. Although they can appear very similar at times, author intrusion is not the same thing as a POV slip. That little mishap deserves a post all its own. It is also not author influence, which we discussed in a previous post.

So you're reading [insert title here] and everything so far is just plain awesome. Then you get to the end of a scene or chapter (because this is where authors like to intrude the most often and the most obviously) and you read something like this (extremely generic example here):

Kathy was in love. Her heart skittered. Real love. Little did she know her luck was about to change.

Dun, dun, DUN! Um... actually, something like that has the complete opposite effect as what the author intended. They try to make a cliffhanger by insinuating a coming threat, but it's out of context and most definitely out of the realm of the POV character's current knowledge in that scene. Which means the only place that information could be coming from is the author.

Author intrusion. It's never a good thing.

First, you're not allowing the reader to share in the character's current joy. The result is emotional disconnection, exactly what you don't want the reader to feel. Second, you're killing the tension for the later event. If you know it's coming, the impact is lost. When authors do this it's usually because they're trying to foreshadow, but that is SO NOT how to do it right. Foreshadow is subtle. Hinted. Blended. It's rarely noticed by the reader until after the fact.

When I read a story I want to feel like I'm living it. Get lost in it. I can't do that if the author blatantly reminds me that I'm sitting on my couch just reading a story that he/she wrote. It's that simple.

There are times when author intrusion is less obvious, and they're not always sitting at the end of a scene, waiting to bite your ankle. But anyone with a keen eye will catch it. It's difficult to see mistakes like this in our own writing, though, so a good beta reader is essential to help you pinpoint any slips.

How important are beta readers? Just last night I sent one of my betas a brand new scene I'd written and an error was found in the very first sentence. A glaring error. And I'd read that sentence no less than fifty times. Not exaggerating. Beta readers are vital, no matter how long you've been doing this. Anyone who says otherwise is either lying or... no that's it, they're just big fat liars. Even bestselling authors have beta readers--they're called agents and editors.

The best way to avoid author intrusion in the first place also happens to be the same advice for avoiding POV slips and other such mistakes: keep yourself in the viewpoint character's shoes while writing his/her scene. Immerse yourself solely in that character. You are not anyone else in the book at that time, and you're definitely not you, the author. So unless your character is clairvoyant, he/she cannot know the future, and cannot know what other people are thinking, and cannot know what is happening outside his/her field of vision, hearing, touch, etc.

Truly engaging stories are written by authors who know how to stay out of it.

Happy writing!
~Lydia

There's More To Being Queer Than Just Being Gay

Let's stop making assumptions. This is as "to the point" as I can get: It is not accurate to use the blanket term "gay" for anyone and everyone who is queer/not straight. It is not "gay rights", for example, it is "LGBT" rights.

What's LGBT? Glad you asked.

L = lesbian (homosexual female)
G = gay (homosexual male)
B = bi (bisexual female or bisexual male)
T = transgender (this does not apply to sexual orientation but to gender identification so a transgender individual can be any of the above--much more to it than that, but the full explanation would require an entire post on its own)
Q = queer, which can apply to anyone who is not S (straight)

Why is this a big deal? Here is just one example:

Bisexuals are not gay. Neither are they straight. They're bi. Do you call a dog a cat? Or do you call a mouse an elephant? They're not the same thing, so don't insinuate that they are. Whatever a person wishes to be labeled as--or perhaps they don't want to be labeled at all--should be respected.

And with bisexuals and transgender individuals it is really easy to make assumptions. For example, just because you see a man and woman walking hand-in-hand or kissing doesn't mean one or both of them aren't bisexual. If you see a female couple, that doesn't necessarily mean they are both lesbians. Unless they tell you otherwise, they are not a "gay couple" they are a "same-sex couple."

If you want to write LGBT fiction, you don't have to be queer. Just like you don't have to be black to write black characters, or white to write white characters, etc. But PLEASE, as with anything else that you don't have first-hand experience with, DO YOUR RESEARCH. Use the correct terms and avoid cliche' and stereotypes like you would clumps in your milk.* If there are people in your story who don't know any better, or are outright against this lifestyle, because of certain aspects of their upbringing, that's fine. That's being realistic. But you, as the author, should make it clear somehow that YOU know better, or you're going to piss off potential readers.

How do you make it clear? That depends on your individual story. You're a writer--it's your job to be creative--you'll figure it out.

~Lydia

*For more on how to avoid stereotypes, check out Malinda Lo's five part series, starting HERE.

Author Influence - We Cannot Escape Ourselves

I've noticed some things about myself that keep cropping up in my characters.

They like food. Like, crazy-like it. They love to eat and some of them like to cook. A few of them are even cooks/chefs as a profession. Where is this coming from? Not sure. I mean, I like food and I like eating (hence the weight problems), but I've never been a huge fan of cooking. Baking, yes. Cooking... not so much. And the clean up? Forget it. I'll get to washing the dishes when they start to smell funny.

They have major issues with one or both parents. I really hope/pray my mom's not reading this post (I know my dad isn't, so no worries there). But who doesn't have issues with their parents? Anyone? Even my mother complains about her mother, and she complains about her mother, too! (That would be my great-grandmother who's been dead as long as I've been alive, in case you're wondering, and my grandma still complains about her from time to time. Haha.)

I've written three novels in the past two years and all of my female MCs have, respectively, a dead father, a dying father, and an absentee father. In my two current WIPs, the female MCs have, respectively, a dead father, and a... I actually haven't decided what Syliva's dad is yet. But looking at this pattern now, I think I need to mix it up and give Sylvia a nice, involved father... but perhaps divorced from her mother. I just can't get away from having the parents split in some way. That's what I personally connect with, so I know how to write it.

The female MCs are short. Seriously. ALL of them. Not all of them are thin, though. In fact, the two I'm writing currently are both "well-rounded." But even my thinner girls still have ample behinds. Haha. Unfortunately, I know exactly why this is the case. This is the body type I wanted for myself. I'm not short or tall, just average. I'm not skinny or fat, just average. I'm top-heavy but I have a flat butt. I'd rather it be reversed. And I'd rather be shorter so I can wear heels and still have to crank my head back to look up at my husband instead of being nearly eye-level. (for the record, he's almost four inches taller than me so there's no issue when I wear flats) Don't ask me why; I have no clue. I just like guys to be taller than me. Which leads me to...

The male MCs are tall. Seriously. ALL of them. And again, not all of them are thin. Anyone who has read my first novel, WEB, knows that the main male MC, Jarus, can be accurately described as "a human tank." He's about 6' 6" and solid muscle. There's a foot and a half height difference between him and the female MC. A bit extreme, ya think? She'd have to get on a stool to kiss him. Well, my male counterparts in real life have always been tall and/or bulky. I honestly don't think I could write a realistic romance without this aspect; I wouldn't have the necessary emotional involvement to make it feel believable. While I'm willing to change the other things I've noticed, this one will likely stay the same.

I could go on forever, but I'll stop there. Have any of you noticed a pattern in your author influence? Even though they are not exact copies of ourselves when you look at the whole picture, sometimes they feel like a mini-me when you focus on individual aspects of their character. Decipher which things would benefit from change and which are okay to keep the same. The answers are different for each one of us.

Author influence is not a bad thing as long as you don't fall into a repetitive and predictable rut. And it is not the same as author intrusion, which I'll discuss on Friday.

Happy writing!
~Lydia

Tuesday Tunes - Remakes and Retellings

Remakes and retellings are huge for music, film, and fiction. The above song has always been one of my favorites, and when something is a "favorite" of yours, you involuntarily cringe when you find out someone out there (usually younger... usually someone who wasn't even born yet when the original was popular) decided to mess around with it. But every so often, they hit the mark, and then you have TWO versions of the same piece that you just LOVE.

I like the remake of this song, and I still like the original. Bonus. However, if you listen closely to the lyrics of both, you'll notice one of the lines has been changed, not just the music (see if you can find it).

This doesn't always happen with song remakes, but is practically the norm with film and fiction. For example, any modern retelling of a classic fairytale will require changes in the characters' language, among other things. Cinderella's fairy godmother might have to hail a New York taxi instead of summoning a pumpkin carriage. Treasure Planet, a sci-fi retelling of Treasure Island, keeps only two things the same as the original: the basic plot and the characters' names. That's a huge risk. But it turned out to be one of my all-time favorite movies.

What are some of your favorite remakes in music, film, or fiction?

What September Means To Me

 photo credit

September means great new fall fashion. That's a given. But I'm not focusing on that today (no matter how much I want to).

September has always been a month of "new beginnings" for me. I'm not sure if it's because it marks the end of summer and the start of my favorite season, fall. Or because it (sort of) marks the beginning of a new school year. Or because it's the month of my birthday and therefore reminds me that another year is gone and I need to think about what I want to accomplish in the coming year of my life.

Probably that last one the most. I'm a September baby. A sapphire sister. No wonder my favorite color is blue and my favorite thing to wear is jeans and a light sweater with heeled boots. Those are September things.

While most of the world (runs on Dunkin'... sorry, I couldn't resist. And Rachel Ray just popped in my head. Haha. Let me start over.)

While most of the world sets their yearly goals in January, myself included, I also use September, the start of the final third of the year, to look back and see what I've accomplished and what I haven't. This is effective because it's not like the year is over and there's nothing I can do about it. I still have four months to get my butt in gear and make things happen.

Here are a few of my writing-related goals for 2010 and where I currently stand:

Complete three new short stories -- I've only finished one so this goal needs to bump up the priority ladder. The good thing is, I already have the ideas and basic plots in my head for two stories. I just need to crack the whip and get to writing them.

Two short story sales -- Halfway there. And this is the perfect opportunity to mention that the Flesh & Bone anthology featuring my short story, "The Blade of Tears", is now available to purchase from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Complete one new novel -- DONE! And (bonus!) I've started two more. Ah, but maybe that's why I haven't gotten any more short fiction done. Time to rethink where I'm going with these novels and why, and place one of them on the back burner. That decision is going to be tough.

Get an agent -- Working on it. Aggressively.

Read at least two books per month and post reviews for each one -- That is not even very high of a reading goal and I still slacked off big time in the first part of the year. I'm trying to make up for that now, though. If you haven't already, please check out my profile on GoodReads and add me as a friend so you can offer book recommendations that you think I might like. My "to read" pile is growing by the day, but to me, reading regularly is just as important as writing regularly. I'm currently adjusting parts of my daily schedule to allow for more reading time.

As for the reviews... yikes. I really slacked off, didn't I? What happened? (don't answer that) I'm trying to make up for that, too, so you'll be seeing more regular reviews from me at The Book Book from now on. I may not link them all here so make sure to follow the blog so you don't miss any. This month, especially, you'll likely see a surge of them as I try to catch up. In fact, I just put up a new one today and yesterday. Please check them out: Before I Fall and Thirteen Reasons Why.

Aside from being the best time to revamp my goals, September also means that baking weather is near. I love to bake in the fall, especially bread. This weekend the temperature is supposed to drop by about 25 degrees in my corner of the world. Highs will be in the 60's instead of the 90's. And my mother is flying in to visit (just in time to escape Hurricane Earl; how convenient) so I have plenty of reasons to start my baking season early this year. If you smell cinnamon, clove, apple, and pumpkin for the next few days, that's coming from my house.

This also means I'll be taking a blog vacation Friday through Monday. After today, blogging will resume on Tuesday September 7. I wish you all a great extended weekend! Enjoy the cooler weather, steer clear of hurricanes, and see how you can make your 2010 goals a reality in the coming months.

Happy writing!
~Lydia

It's Okay To Be Your Number One Fan

If you weren't your number one fan, your writing would lack the necessary passion.

I was reviewing my YA novel yesterday before sending it to agents who had requested partials (even though I've combed through it so many times I lost count months ago) and every time I read that story, I get sucked into it. And that's how it should be, right?

If I didn't enjoy reading that style and that type of story, I wouldn't have written it that way. Simple as that.

I'm getting ready to send out one of my short stories to an e-zine, and again, I opened it up to comb through it one last time before submitting. This opening page gets me teary-eyed every time I read it.

When they told me waking up from cryo-sleep was the worst kind of pain, I knew none of them had ever lost a child.  That kind of pain eats at you slowly.  Methodically.  Like an intelligent cancer carrying out its judgment on your mind and body for a crime you didn't commit.

Maybe that was why I signed up for this.  I was already dead inside, so the risks were insignificant.  And the inevitable side effect of losing a few memories was highly appealing.

But that was before I met Jacqueline, the woman who single-handedly accomplished what no one else could.  She changed my outlook on life.  On myself.  On the future.

Sometimes when I'm reading one of my stories I forget that I'm the author. Those are the best moments, I think, when you're emotionally moved to the point of amnesia. Haha.

Do any of you feel like that? Maybe you find something you wrote eons ago and while you're reading it's difficult to remember you're the one who wrote it. Or maybe it's something you've read a bazillion times (as in, a novel you're submitting to agents or a short story you're submitting to editors and you just have to make sure it's perfect... again), but the same line makes you laugh every time you read it, or the same scene makes you hold your breath, even though you know what happens.

It's okay to be your number one fan. Go ahead and confess your narcissism in the comments.

~Lydia