UNWRITTEN

Moving

2010-07-04T22:14:00.000-07:00

I am moving to a new blog site. The address is: http://melindajonescarroll.blogspot.com. I'm still just learning the whole importing, exporting thing, so until I've moved this blog over, I thought I'd better post a notice (for my many, many fans out there).

Transition

2010-07-04T21:35:00.001-07:00

At the last writing conference, I had a lightbulb moment. I've been to a few conferences over the last year or so, and I've learned a few things. First, writing conferences are awesome and inspiring. But they also can be overwhelming (it's hard not to get discouraged when you see all the other people who want to be writers). Second, it's great to go to writing conferences to learn about the publishing market, however, things start to repeat after a while. My first conference, I soaked everything up. But there are only so many times you can sit in a class of fifty people (or more) and get told that the economy is rough right now, that YA is huge, and that "voice" and originality are the most important things in a manuscript. After a while, you really start needing some specific help, not just generalizations.
So that's where I am now. I'm not going to swear off writing conferences, but I am going to be a little more selective. Unless I know that my work will get workshopped, that I will have a real opportunity to network with people in the industry, or that I can take some specific classes on writing (if I hear one more vague description about "voice" I'm going to scream), then I will probably pass on the conference.
I'm learning that it's also good to have a completed manuscript when going to these conferences. I once had an editor read my first ten pages and ask if I had a completed manuscript and I had to say no. Not that he would have been interested in the whole thing (though he was very nice about the first 10 pages), but he could have been. The "what if's" are a killer.

All Hail Orson Scott Card!

2010-06-22T21:14:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I've been reading ALOT of books about writing lately. And they have seriously tainted the way I read novels. I've said this before, but it feels like when I read now, all I see are the blaring mistakes that authors make (never mind that I can't see these same problems in my own writing).
But every now and then, even now, I read a book that rises above the mental edits. Occasionally, I find a book so well written that it takes a concerted effort on my part to focus on the writing at all, because I'm so caught up in the story. That happened to me this week.
I have always been a fan of Orson Scott Card. But only recently have I realized what a great author he really is. I love his Ender's Game series, and all the spin offs that come from it. I highly recommend them to anyone who is looking for a good science fiction/fantasy series to read. Seriously excellent.

Writing Conferences and Life in General

2010-06-16T21:13:00.001-07:00

I'm at the Writing for Young Readers Conference up in Utah this week. I'm enjoying the conference, but battling some pretty serious emotions.
I'm currently about 1/3 of the way through my second manuscript, and it's good. Seriously. And my first chapter, my first paragraph-- pure inpiration. At least, I think so.
They had a first page contest, and the top two winners get to meet with an editor or agent tomorrow for ten minutes. Sadly, I didn't win. What's more sad, I was really hoping to. I mean, the stuff I entered was honestly the best I've got in me. I can't write any better than that (yet). So knowing that I didn't win makes me feel discouraged about how much farther I have to go.
One of my biggest frustrations is that as an unpublished author, you are starving for educated feedback. Analyzing your own work is almost an impossibility. You only see what you were imagining, not what's actually on the page. I recognize that I may just have a lack of understanding about the industry, but sometimes I wish they would understand that if they gave a little back, they might just find some hidden treasures. I have no doubt that there are numbers of great writers with great stories who just have a few weaknesses that need to be pointed out. Do I think I'm one of them? I hope so, but how should I know-- I never get any feedback! When on earth does that happen? You have to pay literally hundreds to thousands of dollars to get that kind of help, or you inch along through countless conferences (which still cost hundreds of dollars), and pick up the scraps that are thrown out by industry professionals.
It's agravating, frustrating, and pulls at the hope we cling to that someday our words will be read by others. That someday an agent will find our work worthy. That a publisher will think it has value. Or that it has value for us, even if nobody else ever thinks so. That there is meaning to the countless hours we spend in front of the computer.
So that's what's been hard about this conference for me. I gave my best, and I mean my very best, and it still wasn't good enough. I will continue to starve for guidance, I will continue to read and study writing and good literature, I will keep writing. And I will hope for better results tomorrow.

Another Submission

2010-06-07T09:33:00.001-07:00

I know that many unpublished authors like myself read books and think, "how did this get published and mine didn't?" I just read a book like that last week. And although I've already bid farewell to my last manuscript, I just couldn't help myself. I submitted it to the publisher of that book.

An "Off" Day

2010-06-03T13:10:00.000-07:00

I am mourning my loss of free reading time. Like most people, I have so few moments to myself. I used to fill these precious moments with reading. There is something very enriching about escaping reality for a moment. It soothes the nerves, calms the mind, and sometimes can even offer a better perspective.

But now I take those moments to write. The problem is, writing is such hard work for me. It rarely soothes the nerves-- it feels more like I'm wringing my brain for every last drop of creativity. And without time to relax and escape, my brain is coming up dry.
I need a good, curl up under the covers, send the kids to the neighbors, hire someone to clean my house, kind of book to read.

If I could control the universe, every other day would be an "off" day. One day, my "on" day, I would do my motherly work, be a wife, work for my church, clean my house, etc. But the "off" day would be mine. My life would be put on pause while I spend a day relaxing in the bath, reading a good novel, putting a few hours into writing, and eating lots of sugar and baked good (made during my "on" day of course).

Like pushing a boulder up a hill

2010-05-29T16:52:00.000-07:00

I think my last post is reflective of my writing right now. It's all a little choppy. Wish I had a famous editor as a best friend. I could crochet for her (I can crochet a mean set of booties) and she could edit my writing. Oh, and I also wish that my famous editor friend wouldn't know how to crochet and that the only thing in life she really wanted was a set of crocheted booties.
Hey, it's my fantasy, I can hope for what I want.

Square

2010-05-28T11:21:00.000-07:00

In a world where being free-spirited and thinking outside the box are constantly praised, where it's no longer hip to be square, or even hip to use the word hip, I have a shameful confession. I'm a square. It's true, I've always been somebody who likes to know and follow the rules. I was never the kid that worked at the movie theater and snuck her friends in, or the fast food employee who slipped people a free order of fries. In fact, when I was younger I worked for a dry-cleaner one summer. The official policy was that employees got 30% off the price of cleaning. However, the unofficial policy was that if you brought your own clothes in and cleaned them yourself, it was free. So all summer I brought in my clothes. But after a couple months, the guilt was too much for me. Right before the summer ended I went through everything I'd cleaned and totaled the bill and paid it. Of course, everybody thought I was crazy. But I just couldn't break the rules.

I think that's come in handy with writing however. The more novice writers (like myself) that I get to know, the more I realize that many are much more free-spirited than I am. Many of them chafe against being so restricted by writing tips and guidelines. But the more experienced writers seem to thrive on them. They are always studying the art of writing, always learning how to perfect the craft and follow the rules more effectively. The best ones even know when to break the rules-- which is a lot more difficult. Although I know that seems to go against common logic, it's true. The rules are basically tips for what works in writing, so breaking the rules means going against what works. You must be very good to do that effectively.

Having said all that, I have another good writing tip that one of my writing friends gave me. If you are struggling with pacing (which seems to be a problem for most novice writers like myself), then pick a book you really like and make a copy of 10 pages. Go through and highlight dialogue, internal thought, and action, so you can see how that author balances each of these elements. Then, take 10 pages of your story and do the same thing, so you can see if yours has the same proportions.

As you might imagine now that I've explained my penchant for rules, I've taken this idea and kind of gone crazy with it. Since I'm writing a fantasy for Middle Readers, I've collected a handful of my favorite books in that category. Now I'm going through each of them and highlighting not just what I mentioned above, but how often the authors refer to their villain (especially at first), how quickly the details of their magic worlds are unfolded, and how often their protagonist gets put in danger (among other things).

I feel this has been really helpful, so I thought I'd pass it along.

Another Frustration

2010-05-26T11:18:00.001-07:00

There are so many programs, classes, etc. on writing. And all of it costs MONEY, MONEY, MONEY. Seriously, you could spend THOUSANDS a year just trying to improve your manuscript. If I had thousands to spend, why wouldn't I just publish the darn manuscript myself?

A Master of the Art

2010-05-26T10:49:00.000-07:00

Though I am far from mastering the art of writing, I believe I have mastered the art of criticizing other's writing. Wahoo, good for me. It's rather annoying, actually. Writing a manuscript has almost ruined reading for me (almost). I've studied sentence structure, form, plot, character development, etc. until I'm about to burst, and now all I can see are the mistakes that other authors make. I'll be reading a perfectly good story and then a sentence will come along like, "Her knowledge of cooking and sewing resulted in her invitation to the party." Uh, what? Isn't there an easier way to say that, like "She was invited to the party because she could cook and sew," or something? Do normal people say, "My good grades resulted in the scholarship," or "My feelings for him resulted in our marraige." Not unless your Yoda, "Filled with the Force, you are."

A Breakthrough

2010-05-10T08:09:00.000-07:00

Okay, I figured out my bad guy. And it has brought in a whole new element of mythology and history that I hadn't anticipated. How exciting! Doesn't it sound like sometimes stories have a life of their own? Sometimes I read about authors who speak about their books like they are people-- unpredictable and erratic and disappointing at times. But they kind of do have a life of their own don't they? I can't always predict where my story will go. Occasionally I hit a wall and have to course correct. My story goes down a path I didn't expect.
Anyway, back to the topic-- I figured out my bad guy! Yay! There are still a few details to work out, but at least it's a beginning. I have heard many times about "world building," or working out the history of your story. Some authors have copious notes about what happens before the story even takes place-- or even what will happen after. Like Star Wars. Did George Lucas have the beginning three movies worked out before he produced the fourth movie first? I believe he did. He knew where his characters had come from, what made them who they were long before the audience was even introduced to them. I remember watching an interview with J.K. Rowling after her third Harry Potter book came out. She said she had the last chapter of the last book already written and stored away in a safety deposit box somewhere. She knew exactly where the story was headed and how it would end. Not that she didn't probably hit some of those detours I just talked about, but no doubt she knew the direction the story needed to go-- even if there were a few unexpected turns along the way.
I never totally appreciated the importance of this until I started writing myself. As I talked about this latest roadblock with my husband, he made a poignant observation (especially for someone who doesn't write, and really doesn't like to read fiction much either). He said, "the more you know about the past, the better your story will be." Funny that even people who don't know a lot about writing have great instincts when it comes to stories. Most readers do-- even if they can't put words to it. They can read a story and say, "That character doesn't seem real," or "I didn't like the ending," or whatever. They may not be able to say exactly why it's not their favorite (or, like with my husband, they can tell you exactly what it is missing), but most readers have the instinct to see that something isn't right. It's our job as writers to identify the problem, put a label on it, and then do what we can to remove it from our stories.

Blocked

2010-05-06T10:20:00.000-07:00

So, this is going to sound funny, but I can't figure out my villain. I LOVE my recent story. Love the heroes, love how they save the day at the end (yes, I even have that figured out), but I just can't figure out WHY my villain does what he does. Kind of a problem, don't you think?
I had this problem with my last book too. My villain was a crazy mad-scientist type who was simply out to get anybody with more power than him. BORING. Somebody suggested to me (at a Writer's Conference-- another plug for those) that I write a short story about my villain to flesh him out. So I did, and suddenly I found out what his motivation was. He didn't start out bad, just very smart and very vain. But his lab assistant, someone who he disdained as weak and emotional because she had a crush on him, used her unique abilities to overpower him and turn him essentially into a slave for years. The experience humiliated him, robbed him of his free will, and his ability to rise to fame and fortune. He hardened (I'm a little vague with the details in case it ever does get published some day). His fate as a villain was sealed when he killed his captor and escaped, swearing vengeance against anyone who had the same abilities, and yet desperately longing for those abilities himself (there may be even better ideas out there, but this one was WAY better than what I started with).
Now I've come to a roadblock again. What is this villain's motivation? Power and control always seem to be what villains want, it's the WHY that matters I think. Why are they willing to do things that other people aren't in their pursuit of power? What happened to twist them, to make them unable to feel empathy or sorrow for their victims? Certainly they must be uniquely gifted. They must have some sort of special capacity that will draw people to them, give other bad guys a reason to follow them. They must be leaders. And there must also be a legitimate reason why the good guys haven't been able to overpower them. I hate stories when there's this super villain who through the whole story is causing all sorts of trouble, and yet in the end all it takes is one small thing to defeat them (I like the Wizard of Oz, but the ending always bothered me. Sorry for those of you who love it, but seriously, if the wicked witch could be killed with a splash of water, WHY would she leave buckets full of it just lying around her castle? And did she ever have to run to get out of the rain? Did she never bathe? What about sweat, or drinking water? A water allergy seems like a pretty huge impediment to super-villainy.)
Anyway, these are the things that I have to work out. How can I possibly have a story without having my bad guy already worked out? I can't. So until I think of something compelling, I've stopped working on my manuscript and started working more on the world my story takes place in. The story behind the story.

Airing My Dirty Laundry-- Literally

2010-05-02T21:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I spent this last week gardening. It was hard work, and the inside of my house suffered from the lack of attention. A good friend asked to see something of my husband's and he led him into the dirtiest, most unkept room in the entire house, which also happened to be our bedroom. I was humiliated. Martha Stewart I am not, but I still like having things in order. And this room was anything but.

When my husband asked why I was so angry, I said, "Go run down the street naked, and then come ask me why I'm mad about being exposed like that." Maybe the analogy was a little bit of a stretch, but still...

So what on earth does this have to do with writing? Well, sometimes I feel like letting people read my manuscripts is exactly like showing somebody the messy room- or running down the street naked. It reveals a part of me, a part that can be personal, imperfect, and occasionally downright dirty.

I guess authors get used to being exposed. There's simply no way of keeping personal feelings and perceptions out of your writing. And if there was, would anybody want to write (or read) that stuff?

That's all I have to say. Nothing too profound-- just a little thought I had while wallowing in my humiliation.

I feel better already.

Learning the Craft

2010-04-19T20:23:00.001-07:00

Books about writing books-- what a self-promoting industry. Ideally, I'd love to take a class, or pay somebody to edit my last manuscript, so that I could pinpoint my exact weaknesses. But alas, time and money are always an issue, right? So I'm trying to get close and personal with the library and check out some books on writing (which are surprisingly good because, of course, they're written by writers!).
Right now I'm reading a book on character development. The author tells the story about a manuscript he was writing and a challenge he came across while describing a certain character. Then he says, as a side note, "I still finished the book and got it published."
Oh, that I could have that as my side note! Just one simple sentence, yet it seems like such an insurmountable feat. Do people who write manuscripts really get them published? Obviously they must-- like I said, I've been to the library. I even know a few authors personally. But still, it's hard to believe it actually happens to normal people like me. Hmmm, maybe I'm too normal. Perhaps I need to develop a weird trait or habit-- like typing pathetic posts to myself about my longing to be published, for example.

Five Down, One To Go

2010-04-18T18:59:00.000-07:00

Well, I got my fifth rejection yesterday (sigh). I've only got one more submission out there, so I'm nearing the end of the road on my poor first manuscript. The other day I realized I forgot to include a SASE for this last submission, so I may never get an official rejection letter from them anyway (perhaps I did that on purpose?).
On a happy note, I am LOVING my next story. Turns out that Middle Reader is my cup of tea (maybe it's because I have kids that age-- we're supposed to write what we know, right?). This is a story that I will go to bat for-- it deserves to be in print. Hopefully I can do it justice, because it really is a great/funny/sweet story. We'll see. : )

A Little Optimism

2010-04-14T16:54:00.000-07:00

I got another rejection. This one, however, was an actual email directed to me personally-- not a form letter! Is it bad that I was excited about that even though it was still a rejection? Ha! Anyway, she said that she'd read the pages I'd submitted (another first--I'm pretty sure the others just read my query), and that it wasn't what they were looking for. She said that it was not a reflection on my strengths as a writer, but more about the current market trends.
Okay, this may be EXACTLY the same thing she told the 50 other rejections she sent out that day, but I took it as a positive step. My story is not original, this I know, but maybe my writing isn't as bad as I fear. She could just have easily had said, "look, you've really got a long way to go before this manuscript is anywhere close to publishable," right? Right?
I don't know if that's true, but that's how I'm choosing to take it. Who knew I was such an optimist?

Writing Class?

2010-04-12T13:01:00.000-07:00

I had a writing teacher review the first couple chapters of my book. She gave me some positive comments, but she said that I'm missing some basic technical skills in writing fiction. I thought that the technical part of writing was my strong point. Hmmm. Although she was kind, it sounds like I have a lot of work to do. I have to remind myself often that I'm doing this because I enjoy the process, not because I have to get published. It's the journey, not the destination, right? I just wish I was a little bit better at the journey-- and I seriously wish I'd taken more creative writing classes in college when I had the freedom and the ability.
If only I had unlimited funds and time... : )
I guess it's time for me to look into a writing class. I don't even know what basic skills I'm missing, but part of me doesn't want to keep writing until I learn. I hate the idea of putting a lot of time and energy into doing something the wrong way.

Here We Go Again

2010-04-05T12:00:00.000-07:00

Another rejection (sigh). To quote Dori from Finding Nemo, "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming..."

Criticize me, please.

2010-04-01T22:36:00.000-07:00

I sent out queries two days ago, and already I got a response! Sadly, it was a rejection. I'm fairly certain that he didn't read much more than the first few sentences of my email. Maybe I ought to take a look at those again and try to improve? I know there's usually no time for agents to explain why they aren't interested, but man I wish they would. It's impossible to objectively look at your own writing, yet it's so difficult to get an educated opinion. Writing seems like one of the only professions where people are out seeking criticism and can't get it!

Farewell, sweet manuscript...

2010-03-31T11:56:00.000-07:00

It's done. I'm done. What a glorious day, no? I just shipped my query off to four agents. Added to the two I already sent (one rejection, one I haven't heard from yet), that's six total. I know some people send to as many as 20 or 30, but I max out at six-- at least for this manuscript.

Not that I don't have confidence that the story is good-- it is. I love the characters, love the story. But it is also my first attempt, and I've learned a TON. It's time to start from scratch on something new. I can't wait. I already have the story idea and the first line.

So... Goodbye YA and hello Middle Reader. Hope we become great friends...

Won't They Be Sorry When I'm Rich & Famous #2

2010-03-30T12:50:00.000-07:00

So let's give this post another try.
Getting published is like losing weight. Everyone suddenly loves you, all your problems go away, and if weighloss ads on TV are to be believed, your house will always be clean, your children obedient, and your taste in clothes both expensive and impeccable. That's just the way it works for skinny people and published authors.

I don't know if anyone reading this is like me (except if I'm the only one reading, then yes, I'm very much like me), but sometimes I get delusions of grandeur about the publishing process. Certainly, published authors live stress-free lives, right? They don't face criticism or feel insecure about their work... right? Right?

Okay, so maybe not, but it's fun to pretend. It's fun to believe that everyone I ever knew will rush to get my book as soon as it's in stores. Fun to think that they will, of course, all love it and think it's the best thing they ever read. My family will brag, old boyfriends will kick themselves for losing me, my son's Little League coach will let him pitch just because he's my son. Yes, the moment my books hit the shelves all my problems will virtually shrink to nothing like Crocks in the Arizona sun (true story-- nothing like July in AZ).

In all my daydreaming, it never occurred to me that somebody who knows me, someone I respect or think highly of, would actually NOT want to bask in the glory that will be my first published book.

Lat week I ran into an old friend who I haven't seen in over ten years. We were always great friends-- he was kind, intelligent, super supportive. When I told him I was writing a book he got excited. Without even knowing what it was about, he instantly started comparing my to incomparable authors. Authors it would take a lifetime to emulate-- if emulation is even possible. Then, he proceeded to list some books that he didn't like. The kind of books that, according to him, I would never waste my time writing.

Gulp.

When he asked what my book was about, I was deliberately vague. How could I tell him my book was exactly like the books he was criticizing? That not only had I wasted my time, but I had spent almost the last two years of my life working on "that kind" of book?

For the first time, instead of imagining a city parade thrown in my honor, I actually entertained the idea that people might be disappointed. They may not only dislike it, but feel the need to tell me about it. Ouch.

From this I have learned one thing: nothing is always as glorious as it appears on the surface. And no matter how skinny I am, I will still have dirty dishes to clean and occasionally disobedient children.

Won't They Be Sorry When I'm Rich & Famous

2010-03-26T23:26:00.000-07:00

I've written this post four times, and deleted it three. Can't get my words to say the same thing as my thoughts, which is kind of a problem if I'm aspiring to be a writer. But, I'm leaving it up so that I'll remember to write about it later. For now, I'm going to bed.

I'm So SICK of this manuscript!

2010-03-22T08:40:00.000-07:00

For any of you that have the misfortune of finding this blog, let me just tell you that the whole reason I'm writing it is to track my own progress through the writing/publishing process. I am very aware that it will hold little interest for anybody else, but there's just something about writing to the unknown masses that appeals to me (which should seem obvious since I'm aspiring to be a writer)-- even if the masses are comprised of a grand total of three or four people... ever. AND I free associate, ramble, and misspell things a little bit. So if you keep reading, you've been warned.
I wrote my manuscript in about eight months, but I have worked for over a YEAR on revisions. Does it show? Hmmmm, that's debatable. My protagonist is a college freshman. I just learned that Young Adult books are NOT about college aged kids (my last post, perhaps a bit of an overreaction but still true, was my response). But I feel that my story is most definitely intended for YA. What does that mean? Yep, another revision.
But I had no sooner moved my protagonist into high school than I get word that a well known New York editor is looking for literature aimed at the young 20ish crowd. What?! Of course, I still have my old version (NEVER make huge changes to your manuscript without saving the original-- I learned that by sad experience). The only unfortunate thing is that I really like some of the changes I made to the second version. Changes that I could also go back and make to the original (that have nothing to do with whether the character is in college or high school). But do I really want to have two versions of the same manuscript to edit? What a pain! Especially considering that neither one may ever get published (I don't have an agent yet-- so that well known New York editor will most likely never get my manuscript, whether it's perfect for him or not).
I'm just done. I'm ready to write a new story and be done with this one. I think I will read it through one last time, make whatever revisions I see fit, and then send it off to agents and bid it farewell for now. So far I have a grand total of TWO people that I've sent it to, with one rejection already under my belt (haven't heard from the other one yet). My list is 10. 10 agents and I'm done with this book, even if all I get is rejections.
Now, I'm off to write the next story. What will it be? I honestly have no idea. I come up with about ten new ideas a day, but none of them sound at all interesting after a good night's sleep. I did have one or two that lasted as long as 48 hours, so maybe I'll pick one of those and see where it goes. Sometimes I really wish I had one of those dreams or light bulb moments that I've heard certain other authors describe (curse you Meyer and Rowling).

Young Adult?

2010-03-16T13:58:00.001-07:00

What is a young adult anyway? Is it, as the name would logically imply, a person who is past 18 (adult) but no older than 25 (young)? Not in the publishing world. In fact, even a 17 or 18 year old is questionable. In book terms, YA means somebody between the ages of 12 and 16. And according to theory, kids generally will only read about protagonists that are within two years of themselves. So if your book is about a 10-year-old it's not YA but Middle Reader. And if your protagonist is 18? Well, it'll pass as long as the main character is still in high school, otherwise that lands you in adult literature. Which poses a few questions:

First, what ever happened to the "teen" category? Has the word "adolescent" become so politically incorrect that it can't be used anymore, even to describe a book? Are we letting our kids grow up so fast that we refuse to acknowledge or label that stage of transition and growth-- now they have to jump straight from childhood to young adulthood?

Second, what about that island of people who are actually young adults? Do we account for them? Or is it just assumed that all adults, whether 18 or 80, have the exact same needs, desires, and wants?

I see two huge problems with this way of categorizing things. First, it's totally unfair to teenagers. YA has become a catch all for any book that might have an appeal for teenagers, regardless of the content. Anything goes. Adult issues, dealt with by very adult acting teenagers, are flooding the YA bookshelves. But the truth is, though we can call them young adults all we want, they are NOT adults. The way the world is today, I recognize that they must deal with adult issues, but they usually deal with them in a very adolescent way. We need books that reflect that. Books that explain actions and consequences. I don't mean preachy or moralistic, but realistic.

The second problem is that we are completely ignoring the 18-25 year old group. In the past, it's been traditionally assumed that college-aged adults will not read recently published literature because they are too consumed by school work, their social lives, etc. That may have been true for my generation, but I think things are changing. While it was virtually unheard of for a book to insert itself into pop culture during my formative years, we are now in the post-Harry Potter, post-Twilight era. This generation hails from the world of the mega-novel, and I believe their thirst for relevant, timely books will continue.

I hope we give them what they want. To keep this generation of readers excited about literature can only be a good thing. It can stimulate the economy (and not just in the book world-- how many movies lately have come from YA books?), it can inspire future writers, and it can influence the generation behind them to make good literature a part of their lives.

I'm excited to see what happens in the next few years. I hope that great, well-written books that are also age-appropriate will be published for teens. I also hope we see more books written for the real "young adults" out there. Although, with the YA label taken, I'm not sure what they'll be called.

Cliff Hangers

2010-03-08T19:35:00.000-08:00

Okay, the craziest thing happened this weekend. I never play the lottery-- I lose enough things in life (my keys, my memory, my temper), no way am I going to pay MONEY to risk losing even more. But I'm at the store (making a quick run for milk and bananas) and I just can't help myself. I pay cash for my groceries and have some cash left over, so I fold. Why not, I think. I hate carrying around a lot of change in my wallet anyway.

So I buy a ticket and... I win. Yep, $8,000! Can you believe it? Neither can I. Which is probably why I start screaming and jumping up and down in the store... AND why I trip over a cart and land head first into a display of stewed tomatoes. Besides a few dents, the cans are fine. My wrist, however, is not so lucky.

I can't get a hold of my husband or my sister, so the cashier insists (and I mean insists) on calling an ambulance. I try to ask her, "So are you going to pay the ambulance fee?" but what comes out is, "Swryg pamblfee OUCH!" Apparently, that is injured talk for," Go ahead, call the ambulance. I can afford it, I just won the lottery!"

So $250 dollars in ambulance and emergency room fees later, and I am sitting on a cold, sterile hospital bed, waiting for the doctor to knock me out so they can reset the bone.

But when the doctor walks in, I immediately know something is wrong. "Is there a problem with my wrist?" I ask, suddenly remembering that I hate hospitals as I feel my stomach tie up in knots. Or maybe it's just a reaction to the medicine.

Anyway, the doctor just shakes his head. "It's not your wrist."

I look down at my swollen and misshaped appendage, which now looks identical to Harry Potter's in the movie where he accidentally has all the bones removed from his arm, and give the doctor a confused look. "Are you saying it isn't broken?"

"Oh, it's broken," he replies.

For the first time, I notice that neither he nor any of the nurses are standing within five feet of me. I look back up at the doctor, but he averts his gaze.

"We're a little concerned about the blood test results." He clears his throat. "I'm afraid, we're going to have to put you in quarantine."

The End

By the way, did you know that each chapter of your manuscript should end with a cliff hanger, so that people will want to keep reading?
I just learned that too.

(And if you haven't figured it out already, the above post is a total lie. I've never played the lottery, broken my wrist, or run to the store just to pick up milk and bananas. I hate bananas.)

Life, The Universe, And Everything

2010-02-14T18:29:00.001-08:00

I just went to another writing conference. This one, called LTUE (Life, The Universe, And Everything), was at BYU and was specifically for Science Fiction and Fantasy writers. I never thought I would love something like that, but I did. Here are the top ten things I learned at this conference:

1. Nobody, and I mean nobody, looks as good in person as they do in the picture on their book cover.
2. Star Wars: Fantasy or Science Fiction? The debate will never end.
3. In literary fantasy circles, Jane Austen is referenced more than Stephanie Meyer.
4. Fantasy writers have unique tastes in clothes, including, among other things, women in their 50's wearing giant leather, spike encrusted bracelets and college kids in Jedi cloaks (I am not kidding).
5. All famous authors wear glasses.
6. Writers like to think of ridiculous "what if" questions. For example: "What if whenever you ate you developed a particular super power based on the kind of food?" or "What if somebody used Rapanzel's discarded hair to make a space elevator and traveled to a planet that was inhabited by a colony of Sponge Bob's?" (Yes, both of those examples were actually brought up)
7. The popularity of a book in the mass market is inversely proportionate to the amount of people who will admit they like it (in other words, nobody will admit that they like Twilight).
8. Don't quite your day job.
9. Authors and aspiring authors alike take any opportunity for shameless self-promotion. Including slipping it into casual conversation (for example, one person may ask: "Did you see any of the Olympics yet?" and the other respond, "yes, I caught a minute of it, while I was working on my high fantasy novel about elves that take over Disneyland that I am hoping to finish this month and that I plan to send out to agents along side my other book about monstrous tacos that terrorize the restaurant industry in their attempt to take control of the world... Did I mention I was writing book?"
10. Star Wars: Fantasy or Science Fiction? The debate will never end. (I recognize that I already said this one, but it bears repeating-- at least, it certainly did at the conference).

My First Rejection

2010-02-06T20:35:00.000-08:00

Well, it had to happen at some point. I just got a rejection letter from my first submission. It wasn't from an agent, but rather a publishing company. And although I am disappointed, I am not surprised. Nor am I deterred. I didn't think that my first attempt at publishing would be a success (although, we can always hope it works out that way, right?). Anyway, it took about two months from the time I sent in my manuscript for the rejection letter to come. After checking my mail religiously for a few weeks, it suddenly occurred to me that if they actually liked my book, the would call me. The only thing I would get in the mail was a rejection. Obviously, I was slightly less excited about heading to the mailbox after that.

But, it finally came nonetheless. I was on my way home from a date with my husband when we decided to grab the mail. And there it was. A form letter informing me that my manuscript was "not right" for them. Disappointing, but not crushing. And, as far as form letters go, it was actually very polite. So I guess it could be worse-- I've heard of some pretty scathing rejections.

Chalk this up to one more rite of passage I have to pass through on my quest to become a published author...

Revisions and Synopsis

2010-01-21T21:23:00.000-08:00

Work, work, work.

Feeling Better

2010-01-13T09:27:00.000-08:00

All right, my identity crisis is over-- at least for now. I met with my critique group last night and I just remembered how much I love the writing process, regardless of whether I ever get published. I love the contacts I've made through this process, I love learning to write, I love thinking of different story lines. I really have LOVED the whole thing.
So, I've turned back to finish my synopsis with renewed energy. Luckily, I have finally completed a first draft, so it's now just muddling through to make it tighter and more interested. I'm sure I'll want to throw my computer out the window again, but at least there's been progress.
There are also some writing conferences coming up that I am looking forward to. I am surprised at how many want-to-be writers out there don't go to conferences. As far as I can tell, it is hands down the best way to network and learn about the publishing business-- which is kind of important if you want to, you know, get published.

My Major Identity Crisis

2010-01-08T09:14:00.000-08:00

Ahh! So I like my story. I mean, I think it's good, compelling, exciting (at least I hope it's all of those things). What I'm really worried about, however, is that it may not be that original. There are so many stories about a girl who unwittingly steps into a magical and dangerous world and falls in love with the hero/bad boy/whatever. My hero is not and was never the bad guy, but other than that it plays exactly the same. And mine is years away from being published. How many more stories like that can come out-- will come out-- in the next couple years? How many before the market is saturated (which it seems like it is already) and there is no place for my story?
Hence, my identity crisis (did I just use the word "hence"?). Should I change my story? Rehash it? Make it different than what I envisioned when I wrote it? Should I still try to get it published? It's frightful to think of the hundreds of hours I have put into it being for nothing. No, I will still work to get it published, even if the experience is just that... experience. That alone will make it worth it.
I used to think I knew how to write (I do have a degree in English Lit. after all), but that I was never creative enough to come up with a story. Then, I thought of a story, and realized how little I really knew about writing. Now, to see that my story wasn't that creative to begin with.... ah, it hurts.
I know that I may be a little slow on the epiphanies. "Twilight" and it's knock-offs have been around for years. But I have only just started to get sick of the genre myself. I find myself losing interest in the stories that fervently held my attention a couple years ago (sigh).
I guess what I'm saying is, I'm feeling a little.... lost.

The Dreaded Synopsis

2010-01-05T16:08:00.001-08:00

All I can say is, I was warned. But after countless days of attempting to write a synopsis, I'm about ready to give up writing altogether. Either that, or throw my computer out the window.
Seriously, it feels nearly impossible to condense my 350 plus page manuscript into two pages, DOUBLE SPACED (don't think that little detail hasn't caused me major grief).
So that's where I'm at. Trying to figure out what details are crucial and which ones I can leave out (and if they aren't important, then what are they doing in my manuscript anyway?), and how to possibly introduce all my characters, my voice, my story, and any subplots in two pages.
If anybody out there has any suggestions, I'd love to here them! Maybe even a suggestion on a book about writing a synopsis-- as long as it is only two pages, double spaced, and includes all the pertinent information...

Sabbatical

2009-12-15T22:04:00.000-08:00

Did you know that a lot of agents take a sabbatical from about December 15th through January 15th? Neither did I. So, I guess I'm on a forced sabbatical too-- from submitting to agents, anyway. But the time won't be wasted! My new, revised, plan: have 10 agent submissions, plus my synopsis, ready by January 15th. We'll see how it goes. Too bad the rest of life can't just stop a while so that I have time to do all the writing I want to do...

Holy Crap, Somebody Found This Blog!

2009-12-13T21:02:00.000-08:00

I don't know who you are out there in California, and if you reached it by mistake or on purpose, but thank you. Nice to think that somebody is reading my rambling (or, at least, accidentally dropping in) besides me.
Onto other news... Okay, so I need a synopsis. My goal had been to send out my query to two agents a week, but I'm beginning to realize that it may take even longer than that. For one thing, they ask for different things. One agent wants a query and five pages of manuscript, another wants just a query, another wants a synopsis. I was hoping to get away without the synopsis-- which shows you just how truly inexperienced I really am. The other thing that is taking a while is that my query letter really can't be just the same for each agent. Not only do they want different things, but they seem to like different things (surprise, surprise). Some like a query that is personalized, others want to get straight down to business... I guess it all comes down to knowing as much about the agent as you can, and then trying to customize each letter to them.
So, I am busy writing a synopsis that hopefully I will be able to send out in the next couple weeks. I will probably read it to my writing group-- ANWA (American Night Writer Association, in case you want to know, which actually has chapters in a lot of different places). By the way, somehow I ended up being the "host" house for all of next year! I'm not sure how that happened... I've only been two times. For some reason I had convinced myself that cleaning my entire house so that others could meet here was somehow easier than getting in my car and driving somewhere else. Crazy...
Anyways, back to writing. My goal is to have two agent submissions by Christmas, and then the rest will have to wait until my synopsis is complete. It's all a waiting game, isn't it? Good thing I'm not counting on writing to make a living! But seriously, wouldn't that be awesome if I could?

What I love...

2009-12-09T17:27:00.000-08:00

that I use this blog mostly for the blog list on the side. Sad, sad, sad.

My First Submission

2009-11-28T20:49:00.000-08:00

In a time full of firsts, here's another one: I finally sent in my first submission! After touching up my manuscript (again-- is it ever really over?), I sent it in to Scholastic. They don't usually take unagented submissions, but because I recently went to a writing conference where an editor from Scholastic was speaking, she gave everybody in attendance 90 days to submit one. Of course, I couldn't turn down a chance like that-- even if the likelihood that she'll accept it is extremely unlikely. But, who knows? Maybe a year from now I'll be blogging about how I got published by the very first person I sent a submission to (we all can dream, right?).
So now, my goal is to find an agent. I have a growing list of options, and I've decided to try to send something out to two agents a week, until I run out of agents. Why not send to all of them on my list right now? Because each agent likes specific things and I need to revise my query for each of them. It takes a little bit of work.
I'm also starting on the second book. I know exactly how it's going to start-- and end. It's the whole middle part that's a little foggy. I've even got the third book worked out (beginning and end). I really need to get the second one written-- so I can then spend countless hours revising it. Hmm, maybe I'll wait until after Thanksgiving weekend to get started on that...

My First Critique Group

2009-11-11T13:30:00.000-08:00

Last night I went to my first critique group. There are about 15 women in the group, all who write various forms of literature and a good number that are published. I really enjoyed it.
We each had seven minutes to read the material that we brought, and then another three minutes of critique (time was kept on a timer). Everybody was positive with each other, but offered some very helpful things.
No, nobody jumped for joy or begged emphatically for more after my seven minutes was up (I'm still waiting for that reaction from somebody-- anybody. Sometimes I wonder, did the people who read the first chapter of Harry Potter or Twilight instantly know what a hit it would be some day? Not that I expect that sort of success ever, but I still wonder).
Overall, the meeting was very helpful and the ladies offered me some good suggestions that I will definitely take. The greatest part about it was just being able to interact with other people who enjoy the same things I do, and see their minds at work.
Can't wait for next time.

The "In Crowd"

2009-11-05T12:17:00.000-08:00

When I was in junior high, I distinctly remember sitting in the cafeteria, staring longingly at the "cool table." I watched the cheerleaders with their boyfriends in tow, their cute little skirts, the jelly bracelets stacked high on their wrists and their teased up in just the right way (yes, that's how old I am). I longed to be part of that table so much it hurt.
Then I grew up. I learned to like myself more, to be less worried about what other people think. In fact, my "cool table" envy disappeared entirely... or so I thought.
But it has returned with a vengeance. Every time I see an author's blog, read their success stories and how they got published, learn about the long lines at their book signings, the old feelings come back so strong I can feel it in my bones. I want to know these people, go where they go, do what they do. I want to write about my trip to New York to promote my book, give thanks to my countless fans, celebrate the UK edition coming out soon. I want to be in the "In Crowd."
Maybe someday... sigh...

My Last Edit... Almost

2009-10-08T08:39:00.000-07:00

I just finished re-editing my book for about the hundredth time. I'm hoping this is the almost final one before I begin sending it out to publishers and agents. I have one last group of people reviewing it, and once they've given their edits, I'm done!
I've been working on this manuscript now for about a year and a half. Right now, it's about 71,000 words (I know this, because that's one of the things they ask you to include in your query).
Some of the things that have changed over that time:
Every character's name except the main character
I wrote it in third person, changed it to first person, then back to third
The love interests of the main character
The ages of the love interests of the main character
The death or life of the villain at the end
The identity of the villain
POV-- multiple views narrowed down to one. (By the way, I actually found it very helpful to write from multiple views first, although at the time it was an accident. When I finally wrote it just from one character's view, the other POVs helped me know what all the other characters were thinking, and why they were acting the way they were-- even though it wasn't included in the manuscript).

Hopefully, my little crew of editors don't find any blaring mistakes in this last manuscript version. Every time I make a change I literally have to comb through the entire manuscript to make sure that I tie up all the loose ends. That gets quite time consuming when the manuscript is over 200 pages.
I've also found that whenever I make a change or edit something, I have to go back at least once and re-edit my edit. Usually, I can't do this in the same day or I'll miss the problems. I have to walk away from it for a day or two so I can look at it with a fresh mind.

It never ends...

My First Writers Conference

2009-09-27T21:38:00.000-07:00

I went to my first writers conference today and LOVED it. Before I left this morning, I stuck my leather bound writing journal in my purse thinking that most people are probably going to have notepads and think my journal is overdoing it a little. Then I get there and the woman I sit by pulls out a decorative journal and sets it on the table. Later, they gave out writing journals with the SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illistrators) logo on it. Ahhhh, these are my people!
Anyways, after a day full of classes that I found very helpful, I got to have an editor critique my first ten pages (for an additional cost). We sent in the submissions when we registered for the conference, so the editors had already read and made notes about our manuscripts. These were his comments about mine (his answers are in bold):
Manuscript (neat, professional, free of errors): Good!
Genre/Form (appropriate , best way to deliver the material): Yes
Story (compelling beginning, well-developed plot):Very Real Story
Characterization (skillfully developed, believable): Easy to identify with the characters right away
Dialogue (realistic, advances the plot):Well done
Point of View (clear):Good!
Writing (fresh, effective word shoice): Very Good Writing
Mood and/or tone (evokes proper response in reader): lots of emotion. Good!
Additional Comments: Good writing. Lots of promise.

Okay, can I just tell you I was so excited? Obviously, since I've been home ten minutes and already copied the whole critique onto my blog!
Alright, I've got to go help put the kids in bed. I just had to share my happy moment.

Not a First Anymore

2009-09-20T15:45:00.000-07:00

So there have been 39 times that this blog has been viewed. So far, it is still just me. But in my defense, I haven't actually checked my blog 39 times. Every time I switch from a new window, like right now as I am writing this post, it will be recorded as another time my blog has been viewed. Regardless, so far my writing hasn't had much of an impact on the world... at least this blog if for me anyway...
Some good news though. I found out two days ago that my book is going to be looked at by an editor at the writing conference. So there was a spot for me after all. Yipee! The only problem is that I have already changed my book since the version I sent in. Big changes. Like switching it from third to first person kind of changes. Oh well. I am confident his feedback will still be helpful, I just wish it was more updated. But there is never a time that I'm not working on my manuscript. It's always changing. Numerous times I have given a hard copy to somebody to edit or review for me, and by the time they actually get to it, it doesn't matter anymore because everything has changed.
I guess the secret to rewriting is to edit the story over and over again until you just can't stand to look at it any longer.

Writing On Sunday

2009-09-13T20:39:00.000-07:00

One of the things I've been pondering is whether I should work on my manuscript on Sunday. It seems like a pretty peace-invoking thing to do, but it can also be pretty distracting. If writing is something I plan to do for a long time, then I should probably reserve Sundays as a time to focus on more Spiritual things.
Either way, tonight I am too tired to do much more than write this post, so goodnight.

First

2009-09-10T11:35:00.000-07:00

Right now I am waiting to go to my FIRST writer's conference. I sent in my FIRST fifteen pages and paid extra to have an editor take a look at them and give me a critique. I got the confirmation that I'm going to the conference, unfortunately they said that there were a bunch of manuscript submissions, so they had to turn some away. They are notifying those whose manuscripts are accepted by email ("a notice will be sent shortly"-- two days ago, and I never got a notice) but the rejects (like me, probably) will find out when our sad little papers come limping home by return mail. My FIRST rejection.
This isn't really a big deal, but it's a FIRST, so I thought I'd record it.

Why This Blog?

2009-09-09T17:40:00.000-07:00

Basically, I am very selfish, and self-involved. One blog is simply not enough to contain the brilliance that is me. Also, and probably more to the point, my family and friends that follow my other blog would get totally bored of all the book talk I intend to do on this blog. So, I am simply writing it for the wide world to read, although I am fully aware that I may be the only one ever to see it...or be interested in it...or ever read this paragraph...
So I have written a book. It's a Young Adult Paranormal Romance. In other words, I have become a new resident of Stephanie Meyerville, just a short distance away from J.K.Rowling Town. And what have I discovered as a new resident? There are a TON of people here. I currently live in the unpublished part of town, where every house tries desperately to look different from its neighbors but ends up looking exactly the same and every yard is littered with discarded reject letters. I am proud to say I have yet to receive a reject letter, but that is only because I haven't sent my book out to agents yet.
Uptown are the published authors. They have the manicured lawns, the beautiful views, and every once and a while us downtowners drive by in hopes to glimpse their glory and stare enviously at their houses.
Okay, enough of the metaphor.
So I wrote a book. And now I have been studying exactly how you get it published. What I have learned so far is that it is a LONG journey. After slaving away for months and usually years to complete your novel, you then have to muster all the creative genius that you possess into writing a query letter that essentially condenses your book into one short paragraph. If this weren't difficult enough, it has to be brilliant enough to stand out in the ocean of query letters that the agents receive daily. On top of that, it somehow has to withstand the agent's bad days, deadlines, and all the other things that an agent deals with, and inspire said agent to stand up, shout for joy, and proclaim that they must have more!
Of course, it will still take a few months to find out if that was, indeed, their reaction because most agents use snail mail and request that writers do the same. Why do they do this? I'm not sure of all the reasons, but I can tell you that my manuscript somehow sounded completely different when read off a printed page as opposed to on my computer (reading it out loud was a whole other story all together).
But, I have discovered that I love writing. Love it. I would and will still do it even if I never get published. I have edited my manuscript to the point of exhaustion and I am ready to start the sequel.
Thanks to my husband, who has gathered the kids together the last few nights to tell stories, I even came up with another, more child-friendly story idea that will relocate me strait into J.K.Rowling Town. Hmmm, I sure hope the weather is nice there...