Slush Pile Lessons Pt. 2

For those of you who don't keep up with my non-stop 140-character fangirling statements and publishing muses on twitter, I had the wonderful opportunity to return as a slush reader for Brenda Drake's PITCH MADNESS contest this past weekend. We were Slush Zombies this time, trekking through the pile, splattering blood and guts everywhere as we searched for fabulous stories.

There were a LOT of fabulous stories. That's the hardest thing about a pitch contest like this, especially for the competing writer, because there are lots of writers to compete with. But it's also pretty dang cool because it shows how many talented writers there are in the world, and how many totally awesome books could end up on bookstore shelves someday.

(I'm looking at you and your book.)

Without further ado, I wanted to share some of the things I learned digging through the slush pile. A lot of it is similar to what I learned last time (which you can read about in detail in this post), but this time there was one big difference for me: I'm a contracted writer now, as well as a senior in college with a hefty work load, so I had a lot less time to devote to reading submissions. Which meant one very important thing: every pitch and first page I read really had to pop with brilliance on the first read-through, or I'd likely skip to the next one to keep searching for a "yes." (In case it's unclear, we Slush Zombies were the gatekeepers -- the ones deciding which pitches the team leaders would look at, and which they would never see.)

So, without further ado, here are some quick tips for those of you who find yourself on the other side of a Slush Zombie:

1. Stare at this beautiful man all day and be just like him:

2. Be specific in your pitch. If your novel is about a nine-hundred year old Time Lord who travels through time and space in a police box, fighting aliens who wield toilet plungers, make sure you say that instead of just: "It's a story about a time traveller." Specifics make a pitch much more interesting and go a long well in helping a story stand out.

3. Make the genre clear. When you submit to a contest like this or send a query letter to an agent, there's usually a spot where you mention what the genre is. But genre should also come across in the writing. A sci-fi should have some element in the first page that makes the reader go "oho! there may be cyborgs in this novel," or "this may be set on a spaceship," for example.

You don't want your reader uncertain whether your story is a contemporary set in NYC or a fantasy set in a Celtic-inspired world where animals talk, because such uncertainty takes away from your story. By the end of the first chapter, at the very least, the genre really should be clear.

(Bonus point: Come up with a title that sparks the genre!)

4. Double-check spelling. First impressions are really important. Yes, if your pitch is brilliant and your writing is stellar, spelling mistakes are easy to overlook, but why test fate? Triple-read your submission. Maybe even have someone else read it to double-check if you missed anything.

5. Double-check instructions. Always, always, always read the instructions for a pitch contest, or an agent's instructions about submitting a query letter. If someone asks to see your first page or first couple pages, make sure you send them! Sometimes stellar first pages can hook an agent who otherwise didn't see much of a spark in the pitch.

And, last but not least, remember to revise revise revise your pitch and first page. End the excerpt on a cliffhanger, maybe. Make the pitch and pages so brilliant, no one will have any choice but to keep reading out of curiosity.

That's all for now!

                   GO FORTH AND WRITE AND BE TOTALLY AWESOME.
                                                   KICK SOME QUERY BUTT LIKE UMBRIDGE.

---

**ADDENDUM (3/20 at 1:06pm PST): I just wanted to make sure readers understand that there are always, always, always exceptions to the tips I mentioned above. There are no rules when it comes to writing. These are suggestions based on my experience, but publishing is highly subjective. :)**

Living as a Writer

Happy Monday! I hope you all had an excellent weekend.

Today I want to talk about what it's like to live as a writer. But not exactly about the part of it that you're probably thinking of. When us writers talk about living as writers, we usually talk about:

1. the number of caffeinated drinks we consume per day
2. the number of minutes hours we spend on twitter
3. the number of meals we miss
4. the number of words we did or didn't write
5. the number of times we wanted to rip our hair out or haul our laptops at a window

And so on.

And that's an important part of being a writer. Whether we're stuck in the drafting cave or the revision cave, we're bound to have days where those five things make us either unwilling or relieved to get some sleep at night.

But there's another part to living as a writer. And it's something I don't see people mention a whole lot, which makes me worried. Because it's super important.

What part? you ask.

The part where you "x" out of twitter, close your laptop, go outside, and actually live and see the world.

I think as writers, we tend to think that words are the most important thing. That any day where we don't bust out 2k or tweet at least fifty things or outline two new novel ideas is a catastrophe for our human condition.

But I disagree. I think we're missing out. Not just on parties, dates, and other social events, but on stories. The very fodder we could use to write more books. And every story doesn't have to be a book--sometimes a story can simply be a story, one that we tell our kids about or document in photos, or cling to when the going gets rough.

There's a whole world outside, after all. There are adventures to be had, in the starlight and on the streets drenched in rays of sun. And, I promise you, many of these adventures are just as good if not better than the ones we write about and read about in books.

I know writing can be a great escape. I know it's a beautiful form of expression and it can make for the best kind of day, but I think we'll become better writers if we set aside other days for more worldly endeavors.

Go for a drive, hike a trail in the wilderness, hang out at a park, watch some meteors fall, laugh with your friends at a restaurant in the evening, have a movie night.

Step away from your computer and your words for a little while. Just live.

The words won't disappear.

Some of my favorite places I've visited out in the world:

Publishing is Different For Everyone

Psst. I have a secret. A good thing. Stay tuned. ;)

---------------

There's been a lot of talk on the internet lately about self-publishing vs. traditional publishing, good books vs. bad books, fast deals vs. deals years in the making, and so on. I figured it was about time I chime in with my view of things.

I don't know about you guys, but I've spent many, many hours googling author publication stories. Like, a LOT of hours. In fact, right before I wrote this blog post, I was stalking Beth Revis's website to see what her story was like, even though I'm pretty sure I've done that before. I was googling J.K. Rowling's story the other day. Mindy McGinnis (a.k.a BBC) has many wonderful stories about submission hell and successful authors over at Writer, Writer, Pants on Fire.

And you know what I've learned?

THE STORY IS DIFFERENT FOR EVERYONE.

There are many paths to success. And that's the way it should be.

Some people spend months and months and months on submission, and their book ends up selling in a major deal at auction. Others don't sell their first book, but their second is a crazy success. Others pick the self-publishing route and find readers that way.

It can take years to find success; it can take days.

That is OKAY.

This doesn't mean those whose success stories take longer are worse writers than those whose stories take less.

There are so many factors that play into publishing success. Talent is one, but others include perseverance and luck.

And yes, we all know what this means: it's possible to have limited talent but get lucky and land a publication deal, or still find a readership through a different venue.

But this also means that those with talent and perseverance can find success.

I believe you will find success, if you don't give up. 

The beauty of the publication industry is that this isn't a race. We are all searching for one thing: readers. People who love our stories. You might find them through a traditional deal or by self-publishing, but the important thing is that you find a way to get your work out there.

The way and the how are going to be different for all of us.

And that is OKAY.

It is okay if it takes you ten books to land an agent. It is okay if it takes you one.

It is okay if you receive one offer of rep. It is okay if you receive five.

It is okay if you want an agent. It is okay if you don't.

It is okay if you want to self-publish. It is okay if you don't.

If you want to put your stories out there, find a way. Find your own way - whatever way works best for you. Don't look at any one way as worse or better than another. There are good traditionally published books and there are bad ones. There are good self-published books and there are bad ones.

Make your book the best you can make it, and then pick one of the many routes to publishing. Pave your own success story. Find your readers.

And how should you respond to those who put down your path or your writing? Like THIS:

Be persistent, and you will find the readers who love your book. They are the ones who make everything worthwhile.

Repeat after David Tennant:

I believe in you.

Go forth and conquer.

The Lessons of Slush Pile Madness

For those of you who haven't heard (and if you haven't heard, where have you been?!), Brenda Drake is hosting a pitch contest called Pitch Madness.

The contest calls for a 35-word pitch and 150 words. Four judges will pick their top ten favorite pitches to post for the eyes of some fabulous agents. Two submission windows have already closed, but there's one more on Tuesday! (click here for all the deets)

I've had the opportunity to be one of the readers of the slush for this contest. A few other fabulous writers and I are work behind the scenes, reading all of the pitches that come in and sorting them into piles of "yes," "maybe," and "no." Then Brenda and the other three judges pick their top ten from the "yes" pile.

Let me tell you, it's hard. And scary.

I've been an entrant in contests like this before, so every time I read a pitch, I know what it feels like to be the writer. And I feel terrible when the pitch or first 150 words aren't quite strong enough or intriguing enough to earn a spot in the fated "yes" pile.

SO, I want to share some of what I've learned from the process--which is a lot. Some of these tips have already shown up on twitter. Hopefully, they'll help you guys. I don't feel terribly qualified for this. But I'll share my thoughts anyway, so even if your pitch isn't one of the finalists this time, you can fix it up so maybe it will be next time.

Here we go!

THE PITCH 

             THE INTRODUCTION - the first glimpse at what the novel is about

Your pitch should be riveting, like Robert Downey Jr.

(ladies, try not to let him distract you from finishing reading the post!)

Your pitch should show how your plot is unique.

Aim for specificity in the pitch -- 1 or 2 choice details are far better than stating something like "and then bad things happen."

The details you add enhance the voice of your pitch. A distinct voice is far more likely to stand out and capture a reader's attention.

Try to make the voice of your pitch match the voice of your novel. Remember, the pitch should show the reader what to expect. If the opening of the novel has a different feel to it, the reader may feel cheated.

Don't be too tell-y in the pitch and say things like "this is a suspenseful adventure story." Work on showing intriguing elements of the plot.

*The strongest pitches tend to not include question marks.*

Check spelling/know basic grammar. <-- It's really not that hard. Don't let something that's easy to fix weaken your pitch!

The best advice: Read through short movie descriptions or book blurbs and see what hooks you and what doesn't! Use what you learn to shape your pitch.

THE FIRST 150 WORDS

           THE NOVEL'S OPENING - the words that will make the reader want to
                                                                keep reading

The first 150 words should show some sense of genre.

They should include details of setting. Don't bog down the opening with too many details--just enough to place the character in the scene. Setting works especially well when intermingled with character action.

The action doesn't have to be radical--you don't need to open with a girl shooting her brother to capture the reader's attention. But something important should be happening to the character, or he/she should be doing something important, or you might be starting in the wrong place.

Try to write an opening that will make a reader ask a question. Then he/she is more likely to keep reading for the answer!

Don't spend all 150 words describing the character. Things like hair color, whiteness of teeth, occupation, or whether or not he/she is cool enough to wear a bowtie can wait.

The reader first needs a reason to care.

Give the reader a reason to care about the main character.

95% of the time, cutting the prologue makes the opening stronger.

If your pitch mentions two main characters, and then the first 150 introduce a different character who seems important, it can be very confusing.

If you're going to open with dialogue, make sure it's not bland. It should be eye-catching and intriguing, because the reader doesn't have any reason to care for the characters who are talking yet.

Again, check your spelling and know basic grammar!

If you ever read the first 150 words and say to yourself they're "good enough," you might want to try something different. It's easy to say words are "good enough," and it's also easy for a reader to close a book. Why not strive for the very best work you're capable of doing?

Trust your gut. Always. (Try not to ignore it.)

The best advice: Read the first page of your favorite novels, figure out why they work, and apply it to your own manuscript!

RANDOM EDITING TIPS

Look for phrases like "he saw" or "she noticed" in your manuscript and cut them. For example, "He saw Arya jump" can just be "Arya jumped." This deepens the POV.

To save words in a manuscript, remember you can replace "she sits down" with "she sits," or "we jump high up" with "we jump high."


............


That's all I've got, at least for now. I hope these tips help.

         NOW GO WRITE LIKE A BOSS.

How To Be Dauntless In Real Life

So, I was about to do a google search and try to find some sort of article titled:

HOW TO BE DAUNTLESS IN REAL LIFE

(BE AS BRAVE AS TRIS PRIOR IN 4 SIMPLE STEPS) 

...when I decided to pause for a moment and consider whether I could figure it out for myself. And I realized I could. These are my thoughts on the subject. Maybe someone will find them useful.

TO BEGIN WITH: I'm no expert on bravery. I've wimped out in way too many situations to count, from being too scared to jump off a cliff into a swimming hole, to being too nervous to tell a boy he's an idiot and should be kinder to me, even though I wanted to.

Sometimes I regret the decisions I make in these moments when the fear cripples me. Sometimes I don't. But ever since I was little, bravery's been important to me. It stems a lot from the books I've read with kick-ass heroines. Hermione Granger was the first. She was smart like me and a bit unusual like me, and she was the bravest girl I'd met yet on my excursions to literary lands.

There've been other heroines since Hermione, such as Lyra Belacqua and Katniss Everdeen, who've also been role models for bravery. But the one I met most recently has stuck with me more than those two for some reason: Beatrice Prior, the heroine of Veronica Roth's Divergent.

Tris is the optimal combination of intelligence and bravery, Yes, there are times when she does things that maybe aren't so smart, but I think it's because she's so determined to fight her fears. That's what I admire the most about her.

If you haven't read Divergent, it takes place in a futuristic, dystopian society, where 16-year-olds must pick which of five factions to devote their lives to. Each faction cultivates a particular trait in its members. Abnegation believes in selflessness; Candor believes in honesty; Amity believes in peace; Erudite believes in intelligence; and Dauntless believes in bravery.

Tris picks Dauntless, if you couldn't already guess.

I'd totally pick Dauntless if I lived in Tris's world. (Pottermore has named me a Gryffindor, by the way.) Not because of the death-defying situations they like putting themselves in (jumping off moving trains, anyone?) or how awesome their living compound seems, but because I want to learn to master my fears. I don't want them to drain me of my confidence. I don't want them to get in the way of actions that are important.

So how can I become Dauntless--how can we all strengthen our bravery? Here are four (somewhat) simple steps. I have a feeling I'll be referring to them a lot when my manuscript goes on submission to editors. (crawls into a corner and hyperventilates)

1. Recognize Our Fears. There have been times when my heart was pounding, and I knew was nervous, but I didn't know why. It always helps to take a moment and try to figure out what I'm afraid of in these situations. Am I scared of the spider sitting quietly in the corner? Am I scared of rejection (agently or editorly or otherwise)? Or of looking foolish?

2. Figure Out Why They Make Us Afraid. Once we identify our fears, it's important to understand why they exist in the first place. Are we scared of that spider in the corner crawling on us while we sleep? Are we scared of rejection because it makes us feel worthless, like we're never going to be wanted (by agents or editors or anyone)?

3. Come Up With Reasons Why The Fear is Irrational. Logic doesn't always make the fear go away, but it can make it much easier to reach that step of bravery, where we're afraid but do something anyway. Many fears are irrational when we take the time to think.

For example, I used to be terrified of spiders because of a terrible, awful, no good, very bad spider bite I received in elementary school. For many years thereafter, I refused to go near them or touch them or let them live (I made my dad kill them). But in recent days, I've reasoned with myself that this fear is irrational, because most spiders won't bite me. Most won't even come near me. So just a few days ago, I allowed a spider to live in my room without destroying it, as long as it remained calmly in its corner.

Of course, not every fear is irrational. It makes sense to be afraid in situations where our lives are in danger, because that fear might keep us safe.

4. Embrace The Fear, And Then Ignore It. Being brave doesn't mean we have to stop being afraid; it means we reach a point where we decide the result of the action is worth more than our fear of the action itself. Sometimes it's because the action is important to others, too, like when we choose to stand up for someone who's different even though we're afraid people will laugh. Sometimes the action is important to ourselves, because we want to feel stronger. We want to feel like nothing can break us.

Bravery can save us. It can change our lives, and also the lives of others, if we choose to use our bravery to help them.

So be brave, my dear readers. <3 No matter what you're afraid of, know that you can overcome it.

I'll end with a quote from the Dauntless manifesto:

We believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage

that drives one person to stand up for another.

How to Start A Novel

[Shameless Advertising: A shorter story of how I got the Call is up on my friend Michelle4Laugh's blog. You can check out it and lots of other awesome Call stories here!]

--

I've recently been toying with ideas for WIPs, waiting for one of them to grab hold of me so I could put fingers to keyboard and start writing. When it finally happened, I opened a fresh word document and started typing.

Then stopped.

Then started.

Then stopped again.

I realized I needed to rethink my process.

Now, I'm no outliner or avid researcher. I'm not a pantster, either. Generally, when an idea hits, I let it churn in my brain a little, then jot down a short query synopsis (VERY flexible for change), then start at the beginning - a very good place to start. That's exactly what I did this time, only I realized that my lack of understanding of character, place, etc. was not going to get me anywhere. So, I did some thinking, scrapped most of what I'd written for the beginning, and started over fresh. I'm much more pleased with what I've written now.

For those of you also struggling with writing those first words of a fresh manuscript, here are some tips:

1. Love the query


Unless this is your first manuscript, all of you know how horrible it is to write a query letter a short, enticing introduction to your completed novel. Use this to your advantage. Before you've even written the first sentence of the novel, craft a query you love and build the plot details of the novel around it. Not only will it help you focus the plot and make it intriguing, but you'll also have query draft 1 complete!

2. Consider your characters


Some writers (like me) are eager to dive into a novel without outlining or even knowing much about the main characters. But if you take even a couple minutes to figure out what they're like, where they come from, and what incident will upset their world can lead to a clear beginning for the story.

3. Use pictures for inspiration


Pinterest, anyone? If you haven't checked out this site already, I encourage you to do so, as it's chalk-full of fantastic images that can serve as a major source of writing inspiration. You can create boards for your novels that allow you to collect images related to location, period, and characters. A great picture can be enough to spark an awesome story. (If you're curious, you can glimpse the world of Extraction here.)

4. Be open to mistakes


Sometimes, the best way to write a novel is to barrel through even when you're stuck. Remember that the fresh manuscript is a draft; it can be revised and polished. Maybe you'll have to write three or five or twenty openings before you find one you're happy with, but write all of them. You never know what they'll lead to.

I'll leave you all with an entirely unrelated but lovely advertisement, courtesy of Game of Thrones.

Happy drafting!

The Obnoxiously Long Story of How I Got An Offer

June 2, 2006. The day I sent my first query letter.

It was for an alternate history novel that took place in the Civil War era. That's all you'll ever hear about it.

Now, I was thirteen when I queried my first novel. I received a couple requests for it, which (not surprisingly) resulted in passes. But I also received encouragement from agents who knew my age and believed in a couple years my writing might be strong enough to sell. I will always be grateful for their words. Writing is what I've always loved to do, ever since I could write. The number of unfinished--and a couple finished--short stories in the journals in my closet is too high to count.

So, I set my first novel aside. I started some others and eventually settled on a fantasy for young adults. I have no idea how many revisions it went through over the couple years I worked on it. But in June of 2011 (yes, a long time later), I started querying.

From June to October, I sent out queries and landed a grand total of two requests. Beta readers had loved it--even the agents who read it admired the writing. So what was up with that?

Well, this is what I think:

A. It was a high fantasy, which few agents rep.
B. Angels and demons were involved--in a different way than in paranormal books, but their appearance in the query was probably a turn-off.

Whatever the reason, by October I decided to stop querying and set the book aside. I had simply spent too much time on it.

And a new idea was calling.

A moon.

A poisonous, giant moon looming in the sky. That's how Extraction began.

The idea came to me from a single line in a manuscript written by a dear friend of mine, the lovely Riley Redgate (who blogs over at In The Jungle). She mentioned a moon in the sky, and for some odd (but awesome) reason, I pictured it way bigger than it was actually supposed to be. And then wondered what the world would be like if the moon were poisonous.

In the summer of 2011, I wrote the first chapter for a book that involved this giant, poisonous moon. For a while, I set it aside, but in October, I was ready to dive in again. See, it was the week of my birthday (on October 7th). The idea had been developing in my head long enough that I knew I had something special, and I was determined to spit it out.

I set a goal for myself: I had until December 1st to write the first draft. I finished about seven days early.

People always say it's a good idea to step away from a manuscript before revising it, but I ignored them. I flew straight into revisions, found myself some beta readers, and had a query out January 9th.

Thereafter, I started getting rejections.

Oh my, I thought. The query had been polished and given the stamp of approval by many writer friends. What was going on?

I won a full request through a pitch contest online, so I had a feeling it was the query, not the premise or manuscript that was getting me rejections. I revised the query again. I tried a couple different versions. Still, nothing.

One day, I came across a query by a published author that inspired me to try something brand-new. I whipped up a new query and sent it out on February 13.

Reward: Partial Requests! Full Requests!

Sure, I was still getting rejections, but the requests were enough to get me excited. Finally, agents were reading my manuscript!

February 23, I got a call from an agent who had requested my full. No, this was not "the call." It was a wonderful agent who took the time to let me know he had started reading and stopped after a certain point. He explained why. He told me what was wrong with my novel and offered suggestions to fix it. And I am so glad he did. I owe a lot to him.

That evening, I started revisions. They took me a good month, as I rewrote half the manuscript.

I finished and started sending queries out again. On April 2, I received a request for revisions from another dear agent. These revisions took me about the same time, though they were of a different nature and, at least in my mind, not quite so major. Again, I was incredibly grateful for suggestions. It was clear to me by now that the manuscript I'd first queried was not anywhere near ready, but it was getting there.

Monday, May 1, the day before Insurgent's release, I deemed the manuscript ready to send out again. I resubmitted it to Dear Agent, and also to a number of others who had requested it right around that time.

me + Insurgent = happiness

The next Monday, I learned Dear Agent was passing. She had wonderful things to say, including interest in other manuscript ideas of mine, but her reason for passing (the current market) also made me realize something. Extraction was maybe not going to be the manuscript that would land me an agent.

But that was okay! I had another idea Dear Agent thought sounded intriguing, and I was eager to start writing it.

The next day, Tuesday, May 9, I was sitting in my acting class around 12:30pm PST when I noticed I had a new email. I opened it without really noticing who it was from.

I did a major double-take.

An agent--let's call her Agent 01--had finished Extraction, and not only had it made her cry, but she wanted to talk to me on the phone sometime in the next day or so. A phone call! dizhfghdgjdgl

Only, I'd had a phone call before. So, despite the fact that I audibly squealed, I didn't get my hopes up too much. I told myself it would be another call about revision suggestions.

The next day, I was actually driving when Agent 01 called. I pulled into the library parking lot as quickly as I could and answered before it went to voice mail.

Two minutes into the conversation, Agent 01 offered representation. And my world changed.

I texted my best friend right away. I drove home (I completely forgot to check the library for the book I had wanted) and let a couple others know. My parents came home, and I jumped up and down when I told them. I also sent out emails to the agents who were reading my manuscript or still had my query letter, letting them know I'd received an offer. About ten others were reading it, at the time. I gave them a week to get back to me.

The next day, I had an email from an agent who wanted to talk to me on the phone--only, it was going to be a call with her AND another agent from her agency. Intimidating, much?

I spoke to both of them the following morning. The first agent was the one I had queried, and she'd loved my manuscript, but she and the second agent (let's call her Agent 02) had decided the second had a better spot for me on her list. Agent 02 also loved my manuscript. Agent 02 offered representation.

I received two more offers before the week was up. Agents 03 and 04 were also enthusiastic. Every single one of them was professional and experienced, and all of them had small enough lists that I felt I'd receive the right amount of attention from each of them. Only one had revision ideas I wasn't quite sure about.

To put it lightly, it was a tough decision.

But in a way, it was also easy. The moment I began conversing with Agent 02, I was overwhelmed by her passion and drive. Not only did she adore Extraction, but she had her entire agency behind her. Her assistant had read it in a day. I had a built-in set of cheerleaders.

Even more than that, I felt like Agent 02 got my story more than the others, which was the most important thing. She compared parts of it to real-life events that I hadn't thought to compare it to before, but they fit. She had revision suggestions, but I agreed with them. And she wanted a sequel. I also wanted a sequel. ;)

From our first conversation, I felt Agent 02 really fought for the opportunity to represent me. I felt like she really wanted it. When it came time to decide, I went with her because she was the obvious choice for me.

Between the three manuscripts I've queried, I've sent out several hundred queries and received numerous rejections. I received twenty-six requests for my young adult sci-fi Extraction. Four offers. I accepted one of them.

I am delighted to have Alison Fargis of Stonesong as my agent. :)

The Origin of a Story

This past semester, I took a screenwriting class that taught me a lot about stories and what they involve--the three act structure and all that. But one of the biggest things it helped me realize was where my best ideas for stories usually come from.

Ideas come from a lot of places. Some, you get from watching people and listening to, or participating in, conversations. Some come from daydreaming or reading and asking the question, "What if?" Some fall out of the sky, out of nowhere, slamming into your head and causing a minor concussion.

Ideas can come from wandering through random locations. For example, you're on a night-time adventure with your buddies and you come upon a haunted warehouse. Creaking floors, cobwebs, eerie noises. You think to yourself, "Hey! This would be a cool place for a story!"

For me, wherever the idea originates from, when I sit down to write the story, the plot tends to spring from an image.

Here are the images that led to my three completed novels:

1. a farmhouse in the rain

The actual farmhouse, minus the rain.

This image led to an alternate history novel about a family dealing with hardships during a rainy season in the Civil War era.

2. a flaming sword

"flaming sword" by Mike J Yocum

This image led to a fantasy novel about a sword forged by demons.

3. a poisonous moon

"Moon" by Maximilian Wolf

This image led to a science fiction novel about (go figure) a poisonous moon and a girl who lives on the planet it orbits.

I recently came up with another science fiction novel that stems directly from this image:

4. a wave that steals children

Wave by Jon Sullivan

So, what's the point of all this?

If you're struggling to come up with a new idea for a novel, try starting with an image. Something that makes you ooh and awe and ask "what if?" Something that you can create a story around.

Happy writing!


How do you come up with story ideas? Share your thoughts in the comments!

There's Always Money in the Banana Stand (i.e. What Arrested Development Can Teach Us About Storytelling) - Part 1

For those of you who have never seen an episode of the show Arrested Development - which aired on Fox from 2003 to 2006...you have been missing out.

It's clever, it's intriguing, and it is mind-blowingly hilarious.

It is quite possibly the best show in the history of television.

Why is that?

1. The Characters are each so different and so captivating. They all have their quirks.

2. The Dialogue is fresh, quick, and nothing like people say in real life. But also everything like real life, at the same time.

3. The Plot is simple enough that it's never too difficult to follow, yet also complex enough that numerous situations can arise out of it.

In the next segments of this series, I'll be going into more detail about how the show can help us writers create a fantastic story engine. For now, I'll leave you with this:

Writing Fantasy: Creating a World Step 4

This is the fourth and final post in my "Writing Fantasy: Creating a World" series. Each step may take some time, and will likely stretch out over the course of your world-building, as new ideas spring up and mesh together.They are intended to give you a starting point if you're unsure where to begin creating a world for a fantasy novel.

My previous post, which you can find here, focused on the political structure and recent history of your world--whether kings or nobles rule your land, and whether wars have happened in recent decades. After the first three steps, you should be well on your way to illustrating your world's geography and knowing something of your world's inhabitants and what their racial relations are like. Once you've grasped at least the beginnings of those steps, feel free to move onto the final step in this series:

Step Four: Culture

In this step, it's time to flesh out how the inhabitants of your world live and interact on a daily basis. Is there a common language in your land? Are religious beliefs far-spread, or different in every region? How does each race believe your world was created? Do the poorer people act the same as those who are wealthy?

You may also want to consider the types of clothing and residences that are common in each region. Do elves wear rich robes, or thin fabrics? Do dwarves live in manor houses, or in holes in the earth?

Also, touch on the topic of magic. Are there wizards and magicians in your world? Can anyone do magic, or is it something that must be learned? What are the dangers? If you use a magic system, make sure that it doesn't make everything easy, or the challenges your characters face will not feel like challenges.

Take time considering whether there are cultural festivals in your world, and what the months and days of each year are called. Grasping the culture and tradition of your world allows for a rich story setting when you sit down to write your fantasy masterpiece. Each of the steps I've gone over so far will continue to develop as you write your story, but it is helpful to have a strong foundation before you even begin. Fantasy worlds must be complex and realistic, so don't rush the process of creating one. Patience will do you well in the end.


Now it's your turn--have you made up any languages or magic systems for your novel? How did you go about creating them?

Writing Fantasy: Creating a World Step 3

This is the third post in my new "Writing Fantasy: Creating a World" series. Each step may take some time, and will likely stretch out over the course of your world-building, as new ideas spring up and mesh together.They are intended to give you a starting point if you're unsure where to begin creating a world for a fantasy novel.

My previous post, which you can find here, focused on the races of your world--the inhabitants of your planet and where they reside. After the first two steps, you should also have some idea of your world's geography, and a potential map for reference. If you've completed those steps or are struggling with the physical characteristics of your inhabitants, feel free to move on to:

"King Colin XIV" by Dave Smith

Step 3: Political Structure & Recent History

Who rules your fantasy world? A king and his court? A council of nobles? Have there been wars in recent decades? Or is the land peaceful and quiet, about to be stirred by an unfortunate event?


In this step, focus on the political spectrum of your fantasy world, and consider your world's recent history. While recent history is back-story in your novel, it's important to have some sort of grasp on where your world has been and how it will now change in the course of your novel. Without change and conflict, you have no story. Does your conflict derive from exterior forces, such as armies or treacherous rulers? This is the step to begin considering such things, by understanding the atmospheric setting of your story.

Now it's your turn--what kinds of political machines rule in your fantasy land? How do you develop your world's back-story?

Writing Fantasy: Creating a World Step 2

This is the second post in my new "Writing Fantasy: Creating a World" series. Each step may take some time, and will likely stretch out over the course of your world-building, as new ideas spring up and mesh together.They are intended to give you a starting point if you're unsure where to begin creating a world for a fantasy novel.

My first post, which you can find here, focused on the geography of your world--the physical characteristics of the planet. But after the first step, you should have some idea of your world's geography, and also a potential map for reference. If you're struggling with the physical characteristics, feel free to move on to:

"Winged Man" by John E Gawyrs

Step Two: Peoples of the World (Races)

In this step, you should focus on who will populate your fantasy world. Are there only humans? Elves? Dwarves? Goblins? A completely new race of beings that you want to make up?

You don't need to develop the names and cultures of all of your races yet, but it's a good idea to start considering which major ones will live in your world. Whichever races you choose, it's important to figure out which parts of your world they will inhabit, and also what they look like. The climate in a particular region affects the physical characteristics of those who live there. For example, a human who lives in a snowy mountain region where there is little sun will likely have paler skin than one who resides in the desert.

You can also begin thinking about the evolution and history of your races, as this plays a part in where certain types of beings live in a particular world. Have certain races mingled with others and inter-married, creating half-breeds? You don't have to answer all of these questions now, but having an idea of what races inhabit your country will help you on your way to fully creating a fantasy world.

Now it's your turn--what types of races live in your made-up world? In what regions do they reside?

Writing Fantasy: Creating a World Step 1

Writing YA fantasy has been a favorite of mine since I could write. So, I decided it would be fun (and hopefully engaging) to focus more of my blog posts on the fantasy genre. Today will mark the first post in my new series, which I have coined "Writing Fantasy: Creating a World." Highly original, I know :P

When I first sit down with the intention of creating my own world from scratch, there are a series of steps that I go through, often somewhat unconsciously. I'll be going over each step, for the next several blog posts. Each step may take some time, and will likely stretch out over the course of your world-building, as new ideas spring up and mesh together.They are intended to give those of you who are interested a starting point, if you're unsure where to begin creating a world for a fantasy novel.

Step One: Geographical Features

If you have a knack for drawing, this step might be a favorite. The very first thing I do is determine what kind of fantasy world I want to write about. A vast earth-like world similar to Tolkien's Middle Earth? A far-off volcano planet? A world covered in water save for a tiny island in the center? Pick a setting that inspires you, because you're gonna be stuck with it for an entire novel, or maybe even a trilogy/series. You don't have to develop every single geographical feature right away (after all, geography and plot need to weave together in a novel, and that often develops through the writing process). But having a starting point is essential.

Here are some examples of geographical features you might want to include in your fantasy world:
-mountains
-rivers
-oceans
-deserts
-bayous/marshes
-volcanic activity
-plains
-ice lands

Variety is good when it comes to creating the geography of a world. Also, pay attention to what types of ecosystems lie next to one another in real life, as a sense of reality is important even in fantasy. Once you have an idea of how the world looks in your head, it's often helpful to sketch it out in the form of a map. Feel free to google search or look at published fantasy books for ideas about drawing your map. Develop something that you feel comfortable using, and remember that it doesn't have to look perfect. It's just a reference that will help you when you sit down to write your story.

Now it's your turn to speak--have you ever created a map for your story? What's the first step you take when creating a fantasy world?

Three-Act Structure

This past semester, I took a college course entitled Broadcast Writing and Production. Although its focus was on writing for news, television, and the screen, many of the topics touched upon are relevant to creative writing and, in particular, the writing of novels.

Every novel has structure. Whether this is pre-planned in outline form by the author or arisen out of revision work and "pantsing" the story, the structure is there. Being aware of a three-act structure beforehand can make writing a whole lot easier. The following structure is derived from a movie's three-act structure, but can (and should) be used as a guideline in novels, as well:


ACT ONE
1. Establishing scene: the first scene of a story is pivotal. It needs to include a--
2. Narrative hook: something that draws the reader in right away, whether it be dialogue, action, or interesting details.
3. Introduction of protagonist: the reader should meet the main character(s) ASAP, as he/she/they should drive the story.
4. Introduction of antagonist: who or what is the protagonist up against? This should arise ASAP, too.
5. Introduction of problem: if a story has no conflict, then it is not a story. A conflict should exist from the beginning, though the protagonist may not be immediately aware of it.
6. Complication leads protagonist to confront problem and take on antagonist

ACT TWO
1. Aftermath of complication: The protag may defeat the antag, but it is not a complete victory.
2. Back-story for action: This is when it is best to bring character histories into play, through the action and complications that arise in the story.
3. B-storyline(s) developed: Romantic and other sub-plots of the story come into play.
4. Antagonist developed: The reader learns more about the antagonist's back-story. Evil plotting may ensue.
5. Another complication overcomes protagonist who seems defeated by problem and antagonist

ACT THREE
1. Preparation for climax: The protag begins to realize the weaknesses of the antag, heading towards a way of defeating the antag and the problem.
2. Resolution of sub-plots: Tie-up all loose ends!
3. Climax: Make it epic.
4. Epilogue


Happy Sunday!
Stephanie

The Dilemma of POV

One of the first things most authors decide on before beginning a novel, short story, or poem is the point-of-view the work will be written in. However, I have come across a couple people who never heard the specific names of the various POVs, or knew why some might be considered "easier" than others.

Today, I will go over the three most common POVs used by writers, provide examples from published works, and mention some pros and cons of each.

First Person
In this POV, the narrator of the story is one of the characters involved in the plot, whether minor or major. Words like "I" and "me" are used to describe to describe the narrator's viewpoint. This is the most limiting POV, because it restricts all narration, thought, and bias to one character. However, it can also strengthen the bond between reader and character, because the reader will get to know the narrator so well. Here's an example from The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins:

As we walk, I glance over my shoulder at Gale's face,
still smoldering underneath his stony expression.
His rages seem pointless to me, although I never say so.

Third Person, Limited
In this POV, the narrator only reveals the emotions and interior thoughts of one character, while relaying only external behaviors of the others. This makes it more similar to First Person, but allows for more freedom because aspects of the story not related to the main character can still be illustrated.
Words like "he," "she," and "they" are used to describe the action in the story. Here's an example from Fall of a Kingdom by Hilari Bell:

Jiaan wondered uneasily which of the commander's enemies
had bribed the priests to say it. And why.
No, he didn't envy his half sister.
Even if she was a silly, spoiled she-bitch.

Third Person, Omniscient

In this POV, the narrator is considered "all-knowing." This means that the narrator already knows how the story will end, what conflicts will happen along the way, and also what every character is feeling. Therefore, multiple viewpoints are available to the reader, and the author has the most freedom concerning how he or she wants to explain an event. The downside is that the author runs the risk of distancing the reader from the characters too much.
Words like "he," "she," and "they" are used to describe the action in the story. An example from a specific moment in the story would look very much like Third Person, Limited, while on overview would illustrate how multiple viewpoints are touched upon.


It's important to note that POVs can always be tampered with. There are many books where, for example, 3rd person limited is used, but each chapter is devoted to a different character's perspective. As long as it's not confusing for the reader, choosing a POV is just a guideline.

Happy writing,
Stephanie

Pressing "Delete" on Back-story

It's been said before, but I'll say it again. Revisions are crazy hard.

Not so much the grammatical stuff--that just takes patience.

Not even the editing of plot--thinking through the arc of your story and realizing parts of it are crap or could really be a whole lot better. Maybe it takes a while, but in the end it's easy. Because we know what's crap and what's pristine and glorious. Even if we push it to the back of our brains for awhile and convince ourselves otherwise, we always know when something isn't working. Eventually.

So, no, it's not that. The hardest part is sitting down in front of your computer or a printed manuscript, setting your hands on the keyboard or firmly clasped around a pen, and pressing "delete" when you still love what you've done. Scratching out half the words. Looking at your work and realizing that though it isn't bad (maybe it's even really good!), it doesn't fit within the context of the story. That it's not really necessary to the complications and resolution; it's just back-story.

I had to do this, recently. My love for the back-story had me ignoring how unnecessary it was to the actual plot, until a wonderful beta partner snapped me out of it. All 70 pages, gone. Vanished.

But I've realized that it's better this way. It wasn't that the back-story was bad--really, it was pretty well-written. It was just wasn't necessary. That doesn't mean parts of it never happened, because all characters have back-story. It just means a reader won't get to see it.

But that's okay. I would be happy sharing only pieces of this world in my head with readers. My novel, minus those 70-odd pages, is enough.

On Naming Characters

When developing an idea for a novel, one of the first things that comes to mind is the main character(s). Boy or girl? Fearless or hesitant? Smart or dim-witted? Thrust into a heroic position, or steps into it willingly? Such attributes will drive the story, for the characters make decisions based on their characteristics.

Once the attributes are figured it (or maybe even before), a big question becomes: what should I name these characters?

You have your standard names, of course: Tom, Nancy, Jennifer, and so on. You also have your make-believe names which often reside in fantasy novels. But most names begin somewhere. Most have an origin, and most have a meaning. Therefore, this meaning is something author's can consider when naming characters, to add a layer of depth to personality and purpose within the novel.

An example that instantly comes to mind is Suzanne Collin's The Hunger Games. Peeta Mellark, the Boy with the Bread, is named after peeta bread. Cato, the District 2 tribute, is named for a Roman politician and general who wrote the first history of Rome. Every single character name has a meaning or association that fits its character and adds a level of interest.

Characters in our novels have history, but so do their names. Whether it be a specific meaning or a relation to another person or object, choosing the right name is essential for a piece of fiction. And looking up etymology (name meanings) can be really fun for the readers, too!

So even if there's a name you want to use just because it sounds cool or seems to fit a character, considering researching the name's meaning and history. Make sure the etymology fits with your view of the character, and it will add an extra dimension to your characters and story!

Have a great weekend everyone,
Stephanie