Tara McClendon

Fleshing Out Characters: Duality

2011-04-12T11:15:00.000-05:00

Writers have many different ways to flesh out characters.Some pretend to interview characters about things they like and dislike. Othersgive their characters birth dates and look up Zodiac signs and commoncharacteristics related to those signs.

I personally like to look at the duality of a person. Thisoccurs when a person has a core principal but engages in an action thatcontradicts the core principal. It works a little like Yin and Yang. Duality in and of itself isn't a negativething, but it can often lead to hypocrisy. Let's face it; most people havehypocritical moments every now and then — some of us more than others.

Here are a few examples of duality:

The vegetarian who has leather seats in the car or a leathercouch.
The lung doctor who smokes a pack a day.
The elementary school teacher who hates kids.
The dietitian who hasa fridge full of Coke.

As a writer, you can create any type of duality you want.You can pull from real life or look at a principal your character has andconsider the ways that he or she might break the principal without realizingit.

You can add duality in just five steps:

Pick a quality. Let's use brave.
Convert that quality into a principal. In our example,the brave character will protect any person he sees being attacked.
Think of the opposite quality. We'll use fear.
Turn the opposite quality into an action. Our bravecharacter is afraid of snakes.
Use it in your story. You could toss this characterinto a situation where he sees a little girl fall into a snake pit. How willyour character reconcile his principal with his duality?

By adding duality to your character, you can create instantconflict. How does a person normally act when someone spots a hypocriticalissue? Defensive? Angry? With humor? The way a person handles duality canactually say much about a character. Some will feel guilty over the duality andstrive to remove one side of the coin, so to speak. Others will accept theirflawed nature.

What methods do you use to flesh out characters? Have you tried adding duality? What do you think about it?

How Do You Make the Industry Work for You?

2011-03-06T21:01:00.000-06:00

At my last writing group, we had a chance to discuss thewriting industry and the different ways that writers are making the industrywork for them. I take advantage of the freelance route and focus predominantlyon non-fiction writing. Another member is utilizing e-publishing. She has over20 books published and is enjoying the process. A third member is nearing herrelease date with a traditional publisher and has her agent shopping anotheridea.

If you have listened to anyone in the business, you should knowthat the traditional publishing path often feels like you're trying to push aneedle through a triple stack of leather. No matter how hard you push, you maynot see the needle move.

Fortunately, writers don't all have to fit the same style or method. The industry has different paths, and they all have pros and cons. So, how are you making the industry work for you? Do you have any preference inthe route you take, or do you just want to see your name in print somewhere?

Three Tips for Beginnings

2011-02-13T16:20:00.000-06:00

I recently heard that you only have 10 to 30 seconds tocatch a person's attention. Agents, and others who read quickly, can read yourfirst page in that amount of time, and they will make a decision whether to continue reading or move on to another novel based on those seconds. Talk about pressure!

If you were to see the drafts Ihave of my novel, you would see that beginnings do not come easy for me. One version started with a prologue. The information in theprologue worked, but after hearing repeated warnings about this, I foundanother way to incorporate the information into the story. Another version started in the wrong spot — it took too longto get to the action.

I've learned some things that have helped me, and I thought I would pass along a few tips that might help you with your story'sopening.

Write out ten opening sentences. Don't think about it; justwrite. You may want to give yourself a time limit so you feel pressure. Thiscan help turn off the inner editor. Once you have ten sentences in place, readthem and evaluate which one strikes you as the strongest beginning. Try toanalyze why you like that one the best.

Consider the tone of the story. Writers often hear they needto invoke some type of emotional response from the reader. This can lead to allkinds of problems with your beginning. If you're going to go to the trouble ofsetting up a dramatic scene, the drama better lead somewhere good. If you startwith horror, readers are going to expect horror.

Make a list of the basic information you want the reader toknow. The reader should be able to identify the main character and his or herlocation. Starting medias res doesn't mean confusing your reader. I can't tell you how often I read first person stories and can't identify the main character's sex or name until halfway through the first chapter. One story I read didn't mention the character's name until page 21. Ouch.

Using these tips can't guarantee you'll come up with theperfect opening, but they can help start you in the right direction. For more on beginnings, you can also check out the adviceI gathered from agents Kristin Nelson and Kate Schafer Testerman and editor Kate Sullivan.

Doesanyone else have a tip for starting a story?

YA Cover Art: Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey

2011-01-20T08:34:00.000-06:00

I have the opportunity to participate in a local MG/YAwriters group, which has some truly talented individuals. One of the coolestthings I have gotten to experience so far is getting to hold Mary Lindsey'scover art copy. It rocks. Seriously. You can check it out at her website.

Book covers are actually a huge part of the reason why people buybooks. We all judge a book by its cover at some point in time. So, it'sexciting to see a cover that would actually grab my interest. I want to readthis book (right now!).

Not only is it exciting to get to see a small part of theprocess (yes, I'm living vicariously through my group), it's also exciting tothink that one day this might be me. If you like the cover (which you should),check out Mary's blog or find her on Query Tracker.

What about you? How do you live vicariously?

The Cons of a Freelance Career

2011-01-15T14:23:00.000-06:00

Every job has pros and cons. If you missed the pros, be sure to check out that post. This one will focus on the cons.

1. Unsteady Workload

When you work as a freelance writer or editor, you typically kiss a solid paycheck goodbye. A sick day doesn't come out of a benefit package. While the schedule is flexible, and you can take a day off here and there, you still have to complete work to earn income. Additionally, you may have difficulty finding enough work to make the income you want.

2. Kiss the Rights Goodbye

Depending on the type of freelance work you do, you may not have any rights to your articles. I work on spec for one client, which means the client owns the rights. Recently, the client sold one of my articles to a very well-respected publication. Great news! Sort of. The article was one that I had written for another campaign. I was only paid once to write the article, but the client was able to sell it twice.

3. No Bylines

This also depends on the type of work you do and the clients you find. About 66 percent of my work goes out with no byline. It is, in essence, ghostwritten. One client actually has a non-disclosure policy, so I can't mention some of the higher-end publications posting my work. The non-disclosure means that I can't include certain companies in my publishing credentials, even if it's for something like a query letter.

4. Challenging Work

This one doesn't really apply to me personally, because I find everything fascinating. But, many writers struggle to work on topics that do not interest them. If you hate kids but you need to knock out 20 guides on parenting, you may struggle to fulfill the contract. What if you get a topic that you feel goes against your own personal moral code? You have two choices: write the articles or try to find other work.

5. Self-Employment and Taxes

Did you know that some banks require three years of self-employment (proven by tax returns) to consider you for any type of loan? My husband just needs to pull out his last two paystubs. I need to cart around our entire IRS file. My taxes are also more complex to calculate each year. Since I don't have an employer paying my taxes from each paycheck, I have to ensure I have the funds to cover any income tax I might owe to the IRS.

Deductions are another area to consider. Sure, it's cool to be able to put a portion of the cost for my new laptop under business expenses. But, every deduction and every expense involved in running my business as a freelance writer subtracts from my net income each year. This is another area that might affect your standing with banks.

Think it Over

If anything on this list (or in the comments) gives you pause, you'll want to consider seriously whether freelance is really the direction you want to go. It is a job. It takes work. It is running your own business.

I love my work. I enjoy the pros, and they far outweigh the cons for me. But, this isn't something that is the best career choice for everyone.

What about you? What cons don't you like about freelance work? Do you have any questions about being a freelance writer?

Pros of Freelance Work

2011-01-10T16:14:00.000-06:00

I oftenhave people email me about starting a career as a freelance writer. Some wantadvice on where to look for work, and others want to know whether they canactually make money as a freelancer. Like all jobs, freelancing has ups anddowns. I thought I would start with some pros.

FlexibleScheduling

I amfree to schedule what days and hours I work. If one of the princes has a schoolactivity, I can plan to get work done early so I can attend the event. If myhusband has a day off in the middle of the week, I can take that day off, too. Mostof my clients have weekly or monthly deadlines. As long as I make the deadline,I can write and edit 20 articles one day or 10 articles each day.

AMobile Office

Withthe system I have in place, I really can work from anywhere (provided I haveInternet access). Our move from Colorado to Houston did not affect my clientbase. I have worked during trips to Las Vegas and while traveling to and from afriend's wedding. Sure, I can always take vacation time and not have to work,but sometimes I like being able to pick up and go without having to turn down aproject.

Ever-ExpandingKnowledge Base

I learnsome crazy things as a freelancer. My non-fiction work has covered almost everytopic possible. Things that I would never have learned on my own, I discoveredby researching articles for clients. Right now, I have a campaign focused onopen source software. I'm finding all sorts of fun programs! I've learned aboutvacation destinations, business topics, financial planning, religion, publishing,and more.

IndustryExperience

I am byno means an expert in the publishing world. However, I have had the pleasure towork with some truly amazing editors and clients. Most are more than happy tohelp me correct errors, because it makes their job easier in the future. I'vebeen able to step into a role as an editor because of their help, and I now getto help others working as freelance writers. Many of the clients I work withstay up-to-date on writing for the Internet and using specific style guides.This continues to help me advance my writing and editing skills.

Theseare the things I enjoy the most about being a freelance writer. What about you?What are the pros and cons of the work you do?

Characters Are Like…Water

2011-01-06T07:00:00.001-06:00

I often like to find ways to connect writing (and relatedtopics) to random ideas. I've been thinking about how characters are likewater.

Clear Water: Sam in The Lord of the Rings

These characters are the pure souls of the story. They don'thave any hidden motives. Maybe they come along at just the right moment to helpthe MC find an answer to a question. Sometimes they help the MC accomplish atask when everything seemed lost.

Mucky Water: Snape in Harry Potter

I grew up on a lake with a layer of muck at the bottom. Whenthe water was still, the lake looked clean. Until someone jumped in. As soon asmovement stirred up the muck, the water clouded. The muck no longer mimickeddark dirt. Instead, it carried the threat of hidden dangers: pike with jagged teeth,leeches, fish hooks. Mucky water has potential to help or to hinder. It hidesthe motives.

Icy Water: Professor Moriarty in Sherlock Holmes

Icy water has the potential to kill someone faster than anyother type of water. It is the villain lurking under the sheet of ice—waitingfor the curious child or the ignorant adult to step where the layer is too thin.Sure, some people willingly dive into it. However, the majority of people viewicy water with a wary eye.

Rushing Water: The MC

The main character has to move beyond any one type of water,just as a river may pass through different places. While the water changes fora moment, it will continue to move and evolve on its path. Outside conditions,such as cold weather, can try to influence the water, but the movement continuesunder the ice. Obstructions may try to stop the river's flow, but the MC findsa way around them.

What type of water do you think a character resembles?

Mommy Moment: New Year's

2011-01-03T07:00:00.001-06:00

A few years ago, my family started the New Year's Evetradition of setting fireworks off at midnight. The Knight and I had gotten theidea from some friends, and we happened to have some fireworks left fromthe 4^th of July. We were the only ones in the neighborhood settingthem off. The first few pops brought a couple of neighbors to their windows,and even though I expected someone to holler at us to stop, they all justwatched the show.

Fast forward to this year. The princes have come to love NewYear's Eve. I think they look forward to it more than Christmas Eve because theyactually get to stay up. I like to make them a basic punch (a bottle of Spritemixed with sherbet), and we have snack foods, like Chex Mix and popcorn. Thenwe head outside for fireworks.

The first firework was one of the shotgun ones. It actuallylaunched a dirt clod and smacked me right in the forehead. (At least we broughtin the New Year laughing.) We actually did our fireworks at 10 p.m. because thekiddos were getting sleepy.

At midnight, our neighbors lit up the sky! (I should pointout that we've moved to Texas, which is one of the states that allows you tobuy some awesome flamage!) We have two nearby parks and some families hadhosted parties there. Plus, a good deal of the neighbors contributed to theshow. It was firework chaos, and it was awesome. And, the boys were sleeping.

I tried to wake up the older prince with no luck. Next year,we'll have to encourage them a bit more to stay awake, especially since we havesuch a festive neighborhood. Overall, everyone had a great night. The princeshad fun doing our little fireworks, and I sat on the corner of my son's bedwatching the big fireworks while he cuddled nearby. Not a bad way to start theNew Year.

How about you? What are your New Year traditions? Did youhave a good New Year's?

A New Direction

2010-12-31T13:38:00.002-06:00

Happy New Year to you! The cool thing about this moment is that the entire year is unknown. If your life is anything like mine, every year has ups and downs. Some years the downs outweigh the ups. But for this moment, have hope.

One of the New Year traditions I have is making changes I've been putting off. This year, blogging tops the list. I started this blog with a limited vision. At the time, I worked for a particular company wanting to dip its toes into social networking, and I used my blog as a platform for that job. I had fun sharing tips and tricks I have learned as a freelance writer and editor.

However, life has a way of moving people beyond limited visions. If you started following my blog for writing advice, I'm thrilled. But, I am just one of many writers working to see my book in print. When it comes to the publishing world, you can find many experts offering current information. (I'll be posting lists on this soon!)

So, I'm moving the blog in a new direction. I still hope to offer entertaining posts on writing, but I'm expanding my vision. No topic is off limits. If I have a random thought, it may become a blog post. And it very well may have nothing to do with writing. It's a whole new journey, and I hope you'll join me on it.

I Said Yes

2010-12-23T11:54:00.000-06:00

(This isn't actually us.
I just liked the photo.)

The first year the Knight came home with me for Christmas,it was weird.

My mom, in her semi-joking matter, kept pointing out everyjewelry store we passed and asking him if he needed to go shopping. Awkward.

No one could figure out how to introduce him. Boyfriend?Partner? Friend? Confusing.

It seemed the entire family expected him to propose, but hedidn't really discuss any plans with them. Complicated.

He wanted to surprise me during a typical activity (goingfor a walk). I didn't want to go. Stubborn.

After much prodding, we bundled up. In the middle of a NewJersey street, with the wind so cold it cut through the ski jacket, the sweater,the long-sleeve t-shirt, and the thermal undershirt, I said, "Yes!"

As we get ready to celebrate our tenth Christmas together, Iam very thankful for that question and answer.

Merry Christmas to you all. May the New Year be better than last and may you find small smiles from God each and every day.

What about you? Do you have any special memories associated with the holiday season?

And the Winner is...

2010-12-15T18:09:00.000-06:00

Everyone! (At least for my portion of the contest.) If you left a comment on Tamara's book tour post, then you have won a 25-page critique from me. Congratulations go to Donna, Catherine K., Rachelle, and Arlee. You can contact me at tara@taramcclendon.com to set up the crit.

Also, Tamara will be picking her winners soon, so be sure to check out her blog to see if you won the Kindle or a signed copy of Perilous.

Personal Value vs. Success

2010-12-04T11:03:00.000-06:00

Well, NANO is over. Although I didn't hit 50,000 words, I did come up with several new ideas and some things that have me excited about writing. There were several pep talks during the event, and one comment stood out to me:

There are no bad novels—there are novels

still in need of revision and good novels.

I've been thinking about this, and how writers deal with rejection. If you ask anyone in the industry, writing and publishing can be disappointing. Every query letter, every proposal, every book goes out into the world with hope. And then, others start weighing in with their opinions on the work.

An agent rejects the query.
A publisher turns down a proposal.
Consumers fail to buy the book.

At each turn, the news can be devastating. Why is that? Forgive me for being philosophical, but I believe the reason is that writers begin to view their individual value by the success of their work. I know I am guilty of this. There are times when I feel like my value and success are married.

If we as writers are to triumph, we need to look at writing as a job, our work as a product. Too often, we pour our hearts and souls into our stories. While this is a great thing to do, it is also the reason why all writers tend to take criticism and reviews personally.

If I could just figure out how to look at writing as more of a job and less of a passion, this might be easier. Anyone figured that out yet? What do you think?

Don't forget to enter the contest for a Kindle giveaway and other fun prizes. You can enter by leaving a comment on this post.

Kindle Giveaway, Book Giveaway, Critique Giveaway, and Blog Tour!

2010-11-24T09:25:00.003-06:00

Click to see the book's trailer.

Did you catch the s on the end of contest? That's right. We're celebrating Tamara Hart Heiner's book release for Perilous with contests (one of which includes a Kindle, so keep reading).

Book Blurb:Jaci Rivera has plans for her sophomore year: Go to regionals with the track team, make the honor roll, and eat too much pizza with her best friends, Callie and Sara. Her biggest concern is Amanda, the pushy girl who moved in a few months ago.
What Jaci doesn't plan for is catching a robber red-handed or being kidnapped. The desperate thief drags the friends 2,000 miles away from home, across the Canadian border. Can this group of friends survive a harrowing international escape? And if they can, will home even be safe?

My Take

After reading the story I wanted more. And that's always a good thing. Thankfully, Tamara will be writing a sequel to the story, so I get exactly what I wanted. The most striking thing about Perilous is that actions have consequences. Too often, YA books take a scary situation and turn it into an event without major consequences. Sure, the characters change, but the plot is one big adventure that could almost seem a vacation. Tamara doesn't shy away from making consequences as ghastly as the situations leading up to them.

Book InformationThe book is out! Hooray.

Buy the e-book or the paperback from Amazon.

Shop at Tamara's website.

And Now for the Contests

Tamara is running two contests during her book tour. (Keep in mind these are hosted by the author, so you'll want to follow her blog.) Here are the details from Tamara.

Book giveaway: The winner of this contest will be randomly chosen. Every person who comments on any post during the blog tour will be entered into a random drawing for a book. Which I can autograph, if they want. The contest begins on Nov. 16 and ends on Dec. 15.

Kindle giveaway: This contest is point-based and begins Oct. 15 and ends Dec. 15. Whoever has the most points wins the Kindle. There will only be one Kindle given away. Here are the points:

1 point: blog comment (can comment on all the blogs, multiple times, onthe tour)

1 point: follow my blog (http://tamarahartheiner.blogspot.com)1 point: retweet

2 points: blog about the blog tour

5 points: purchase the book (ebook or paperback, must email me the confirmation email) if they actually buy the book in the store they can mail me a copy of the receipt.

Add up your points, as well as proof (links, etc) and email it to me at the end of the blog tour (tamara at tamarahartheiner dot com).

People can earn an infinite number of points!

But wait. There's more!
Remember how I told you the other day about the power of a crowd? Well here's your chance to experience the fun.

I'm giving away 25-page critiques. That's right. I've edited for e-publishers and national organizations. As a writer, my work has appeared at USAToday.com, LIVESTRONG, Work.com, and scores of other print and online sources. Here's how it's going to work: The more comments this post gets, the more critiques there will be. (Winners must be followers of my blog to win this contest.)

1 - 5 comments = 1 critique
5 - 7 comments = 2 critiques
7 - 9 comments = 3 critiques
9 - 11 comments = 4 critiques
And so on.

Legal Beagal Mo-mo Jumbo

I did get a free copy of Perilous. I am an endorser, not a reviewer. For more on that, see this post. Critique winners will have three months to redeem their critiques. My contest ends December 15. Winners may transfer their critiques, provided I am notified of the transfer. The three-month deadline begins the day this contest ends. All comments count, so if you want to ~~stalk me~~, enter more than once go ahead. For another chance to win, see my other blog The Book Endorser. All right. That's it. Now come on and post a comment and help us celebrate Tamara.

The Power of a Crowd

2010-11-15T18:24:00.000-06:00

This past weekend, the fam and I went to the localRenaissance festival. The event uses the same site every year, so you can walkamong buildings, such as cottages, churches, towers, and mills, inspired by anearlier generation. The jousting arena overlooks a small pond lined by trees,and the amphitheater's grapevine roof offers shade to those waiting to watchthe next act from groups like Fakespearean.

Several of the vendors hand out raffle tickets as a way tobring business back toward the end of the day. As luck would have it, wesnagged free tickets for a company selling Dragon puppets. The kids fell inlove with the puppets, so we headed back to the shop several minutes early.We were just in time for the pre-show. The workers (all dress in Ren gear, ofcourse) were encouraging the crowd to cheer on participants in an egg roll, agame of chance where you might turn $10 into a $30 dragon (or even a $150 one).

The workers had the crowd whooping huzzah before the raffle evenstarted. As the excitement built, so did the crowd. The vendor used thatenthusiasm to gain more attention and to increase business throughexposure. To keep up momentum, the shop offered to give away additional dragons aslong as the crowd "wowed" the workers with chants for "dragons"and, of course, screaming as loud as possible.

If you're wondering where your social networking is going,consider rousing the crowd with a huzzah. You don't always have to give away somethingexpensive. Here are a few ideas you can use:

~ Give away a book. (If you can link to the author's blog,even better.)

~ Offer a critique. (You might just find a new critpartner.)

~ Host a raffle for a gift card. (Even a $5 gift card toStarbucks can get some people's attention.)

Of course, don't forget to start with a pre-show. You wantyour blogging buddies to promote your contest starting a few days before the event.You can do this by using a point system that rewards bloggers for posting alink to your contest on forums or blogs.

And, if you get enough chanting, why not throw in a littleextra?

(As an added bonus, one of the kiddos won a free dragon, andit was worth every scream!)

So, in the spirit of RenFest, I'm thrilled to be a part of a blog tour for the release of Perilous by Tamara Hart Heiner. Look for the post on November 24th, when you'll have a chance to win something not yet determined.

Progress Widgets

2010-11-04T21:29:00.000-05:00

After my shocking realization that I haven't been as productive as I have needed to be this year, I decided to ~~waste more time~~ find ways to boost my productivity. I found this pretty funny widget from Writertopia.

You can change the mood of the widget with ease, which means additional ~~time wasted~~ more motivation. My favorite moods so far are Mood 1 (Ready to Shoot the Computer), Mood 3 (Sleeping), and Mood 4 (Watching TV).

In the name of productivity, I'm also doing NaNo this year. It's my first year to actually give it a gander, and I'm excited to see how far into the novel I get. It's a new ideas--no fairies, which is really different for me. I've actually set my alarm for an hour earlier so I can make the time to write. I suppose that's why I'm favoring Mood 3.

What about you? Anyone else doing NaNo?

A Writer's Wake-Up Call

2010-10-17T20:23:00.000-05:00

For those of you who have not been a part of the Muse conference, I highly recommend it. The volunteers go out of their way to be encouraging while instructing. It's a great place to get a pitch with an honest-to-goodness agent, and registration is now open for next year's conference.

In addition to juggling the conference this week, I was able to make it to my first meeting with a local group of writers. It was fun and informative—we talked about pitches, which I stink at. We practiced coming up with pitches for the contest on Query Tracker. (If you have a pitch ready, check it out.) I'll have to tweak mine some more to see whether I can pull out the magical words that will make my book actually sound interesting.

While I basked in the glow of the writing community, I couldn't help but think about my productivity this past year. It's been dismal. If I were going to give myself a grade, it would be a D-. Yes, just shy of failing. Oh, I've had ideas. I've thought about revisions. But the actual conversion of thought to paper (or screen) has yet to happen.

Like many of you, I have a list of excuses for this: family, work, life. However, I don't like failing. Heck, I don't even like getting a B. So, it's time to change. It's time to grab the proverbial pen and put words to page. If I could just convert the commitment to action, I may be able to pull off a passing grade by the end of the year.

Does anyone have any good ideas for tracking productivity?

Time for Muse

2010-10-10T21:58:00.000-05:00

When I started blogging, I hadno idea I would find such an amazing community of fellow writers online. Ididn't know what to expect as a blogger, I just knew it was somethingwriters "needed" to do. A few months into the venture, I startedseeing posts about the Muse Conference. After doing research, I discovered Ihad missed the deadline to participate. Major bummer.

That's when I firstdiscovered the power of blogging. I posted about my disappointment, and one of the friends following my blog emailed the conference host,the amazing Lea. Then I got an email saying I could still take part in theevent. WOW! I put up another post about this very generous offer (with permission, of course), and another blogging buddy was able to join. Not only that, she got a pitch with a publisher attending the conference and signed a book deal. Sweet!

A year later, it's conference time again. So, I'll see what juicytidbits I can find to share with you.

What about you? Are you musing? Have you experienced the power of blogging?

Dialogue on Trial

2010-10-04T20:40:00.000-05:00

The other day I got a note from someone who had decided toquit writing fiction. In his somewhat humorous rant, he puts formatting dialogue on trial.

He uses one of my articles fromSuite 101 as evidence, along with several other articles discussing the use of"said" versus creative dialogue tags.

To counter the evidence provided, the non-fiction fan putTwilight into the position of defense. And, of course, the author took the roleof judge and jury. The crux of the matter seemed to hinge on rules versusreality.

If you take everything you have learned about the craft ofwriting, pull a book off the shelf, and look for the "rules," you'rebound to see places where the published author doesn't follow them. Youmay even find yourself pointing at the page with a shaking finger andscreaming, "That's the third creative dialogue tag on the page!"

Maybe it's something completely unrelated to dialogue.Perhaps the person has used cardboard-cutouts for characters or filled the pagewith "was." Whatever the case, you will be hard-pressed to find abook that doesn't break a rule somewhere in the text.

Here's the thing: Writing isn't about following the rules.It's about telling the best story you can possibly tell. That doesn't mean youcan toss out the rules, but it does mean you can't tear yourself (or yourstory) apart trying to follow a predetermined set of rules—which we all knowchange from day to day and editor to editor.

Even if you decide you don't want to pursue publishing,don't let your frustration take away something you love to do. Write fictionfor the sake of writing fiction!

Book Reviewing Vs. Book Endorsing

2010-08-29T13:44:00.000-05:00

Like many of you, I love to read. Give me a cup of hot cocoa and a book, and I'll disappear for hours. If the book is good enough, I might even stay curled up in my chair long past the time when my legs have gone numb and my stomach has given its last attempt to gain attention by rumbling loud enough to compete with a trumpet.

Even though my internal-editor is always ticking off points of annoyance, I can find something to like in almost any book I read. In fact, one of my favorite books is one that I absolutely hate. The plot is horrific, and one of the characters may have the most disgusting mind I've ever stepped into. But I am in awe of a writer capable of making me feel such a strong degree of hate.

As a writer, I understand the work an author puts into a novel. Even if I don't want to read a book again or grant it a space on my all-too-little bookshelf, I still feel compelled to share the positive attributes of the story. That's why I'm not a book reviewer. I'm a book endorser. I write about books to help promote works--not to review them. There's a difference, and I never quite knew how to put it into words until I interviewed Mayra Calvani for Suite 101.

What about you? Are you a book reviewer or a book endorser?

Thoughts on WriteOnCon

2010-08-14T11:59:00.001-05:00

The past few days have been filled with live chats, posted articles, Twitter, and critiques. I'm talking about the epic kickoff to what I hope becomes an annual event: WriteOnCon. The group organizers have said it will be back in 2011, and I'm planning to make time to attend it again. The writers who put this conference together did a stellar job—even going so far as to answer personal emails when I couldn't access the site. Thanks, Jen.

If you don't know these ladies, you should go and follow their blogs now. Really. Stop reading my blog and go. It's worth it. You'll find them at the following places:

Elana Johnson

Lisa and Laura

Casey McCormick

Jamie Harrington

Shannon Messenger

WriteOnCon pulled together an amazingly generous faculty, and the agents and writers involved spoiled us. They extended chat times, followed up on Twitter, and gave honest feedback that really will help writers get to the next level. So what was the one thing I took away from the event? I suck at query letters. This wasn't the news I wanted to gain from the conference but at least I know an area of weakness (and I can improve weaknesses). I also have a game plan in place to improve my query writing ability. And I realized that I don't want to just get published. I want to do publish the best possible book that I can.

Did you attend WriteOnCon? What was your favorite part? What did you take away?

Letting the Paint Dry

2010-08-07T22:51:00.000-05:00

The last few days I’ve taken a break from creative writing to work on a project. I’ve been busy making a home for my books. The nomadic lifestyle my husband I have led for the past few years has meant several boxes of books taking up space with the contents not readily available. I’ve managed to survive by buying new books to add to the collection.

Now that we have space and the idealistic expectation we won’t be moving in the next six months, I’ve been busy prepping a few bookcases we’ve used for various purposes over the years—none of which included holding books. They started in bad shape, showing the stains of use. To freshen them up, I decided to paint them. After digging around in the garage, I found a rather sad paintbrush. It looked like someone had stuck it in an electric outlet and then let a cat use it for a toy. Still, I thought it would get the job done. The first coat went on, but the bookshelves didn’t have a polished look. I could see the brush strokes. In places the paint was too thin, showing the wood underneath. To complicate matters, I used a sponge brush on parts and the other tangled strands of synthetic hairs on others. It wasn’t pretty.

So, I went to the store and bought a proper roller and pan. I trimmed the edges like you should do for a higher quality look, and I rolled the paint over the surface, using techniques I’ve learned over the years to get a smoother look. As the paint was drying, I kept feeling like the trim was too noticeable. It was thin in spots. Did it need another coat? I finally called my sweet one in and asked for his opinion, which was: Let the paint dry. Let the paint dry? But I didn’t want to pack up the paint and have to pull it out all over again just to touch up the trim. Despite my hesitation, I took his advice. And this morning I found bookshelves with an even appearance. There are no unsightly trim lines. The surface is smooth. It looks polished.

So what’s the point with this? Writing can often follow a similar process. Your first draft is rarely going to get you a request from an agent. The second draft might look a little better, but it may be that you need to let the paint dry. When you come back to look at your story with fresh eyes, you may see some areas where you need to touch up the trim. But if you keep layering on paint without letting it dry, you’ll just wind up with uneven paint.

What about you? Have you ever left a manuscript to sit and then come back to it? Did you find it beneficial? How long do you think it takes before you can look at a manuscript with fresh eyes?

Want Free Publicity?

2010-07-31T12:36:00.000-05:00

The other day, fellow blogger Mayra Calvani contacted me about doing an interview. She has a new book out, and she's building her online presence for it. She wanted to know if I would like to interview her for Suite 101. I hadn't thought of offering interviews until I read her email. It took me about a second to realize this could be a great way for authors to expand their online presence to yet another website. So if anyone is interested, feel free to contact me about author interveiws at tara@taramcclendon.com. I'll post the link for writer interviews as I add them to the Suite 101 collection.

Happy Writing!

Responding to Comments

2010-07-24T11:00:00.002-05:00

As a blogger, one of the things I love about blogging is the sense of community a person can find. Having followers and getting comments is affirming. It's nice to know someone likes what you've written enough to follow your blog or to add a comment. I often feel your comments enrich my posts. Lately, I've noticed an increase in the number of e-mails I get and a decrease in the number of comments I get. I understand bloggers with large followings may not have the time to respond to each comment. (There are blogs I follow from which I have never gotten a follower or a comment. I like the blog, I read the blog, end of story.) For some, there may be a time when you reach a magical number and feel like you've arrived at your blogging goal. For me, I'm not there. While I enjoy the e-mails, I miss the comments. So I'd like to make a case for why it's worth the time to add a comment.

When I visit the blogs of people who leave comments, I get a better understanding of them.
Leaving a comment on a person's blog after receiving one from him or her fosters the feeling of community.
I know my comments are encouraging to the commenter.
And commenting on other people's blogs helps me build my own. Case in point, several of the people following my blog found me through comments I left on other blogs.

So, if you are trying to figure out the best way to respond when someone comments, please consider visiting the person's blog and leaving a comment in return.

Avoid being Stereotypical

2010-07-17T16:07:00.000-05:00

Writers often hear they need to avoid stereotypical characters, but the term usually doesn't involve racism. Instead, it relates to stock characters, like the absent-minded professor or the ditzy blonde. But many of the reasons a writer with a white mind comes across as racist is because of the use of stereotypes.

For example, Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote a novel that hit on a taboo topic. By showing the depiction of slaves prior to the Civil War, she introduced many wealthy socialites to the situation. President Lincoln even credited her as starting the war. But, many consider her to be one of the most racist writers in history. The number one reason for this accusation is her stereotypical use of the Mammy in Uncle Tom's Cabin. Aunt Chloe cared less about her own children than the white charges in her care. Stowe's description casts Aunt Chloe as having an asexual appearance with a roundness that hid any soft feminine features.

When you start to rely on "traditional" details to portray a specific race, you're entering into stereotypical territory. In the past this has included the following things:

Using names to depict race,
Relying on stock characters like the Mammy,
Incorporating surface-level or descriptive details to portray race,
And giving multi-cultural characters specific jobs as a way to portray race.

While these things may add authenticity to your character, you must balance these with true human emotions and valued characteristics. Are your multi-cultural characters skin deep? Or have you put as much time and consideration into crafting them as characters that can step off the page as you have with characters of your own race?

Embracing Your Culture: The White Mind Part II

2010-07-02T09:50:00.000-05:00

Thank you for those who dropped by and left comments on the last post. Like you, I feel like having a white mind is a part of my identity. My family and I have a cultural history that runs back to the middle ages of Europe. We have traditions we have developed over the years. My upbringing has shaped my point of view.

But I am not limited by this. My experiences continue to expand my view point. People of all ages, sizes, and cultural backgrounds have added to my thought process. I think the only real way to limit myself is to be stuck in my ways, to be closed to learning about others.

That being said, there are those who attempt to step outside of a white mind. Too often these individuals fall prey to stereotypes. Their characters lack definition because they are writing from the white mind. When this happens, society often points a finger at the writer, proclaiming him or her as racist. Did you know that many people consider Harriet Beecher Stowe as one of the most racist writers of all time? The woman who crafted Uncle Tom's Cabin and started a war over the treatment of slaves?

While it can be risky to include other cultures in your writing, there are a few things you can do to help avoid the common pitfalls of a white mind. I'll talk about that next time.

Have a wonderful 4th of July. Do you have any plans?

Is a "White Mind" Wrong?

2010-06-14T15:02:00.000-05:00

The past couple of weeks, my non-fiction writing has allowed me the opportunity to dive into the topic of racism. It's an ugly concept, and one that negatively affects the writing industry. (Think controversy over book covers.) In the next couple of posts, I plan to share some of the things I've discovered about prejudice and pose some questions about it.

To start this series, I want to ask whether or not you think having a "white mind" is wrong.

This term comes from the May/June 2010 SCBWI Bulletin. In the article by Anne Sibley O'Brien, an author and blogger, this term refers to white conditioning, a result of white-American socialization. O'Brien does say that this frame of mind is not conscious prejudice or a racist attitude, but it can permeate our writing. In her article, O'Brien points out the majority of children's writers are white. Because of this, some ethnic groups fail to have a proper representation in literature.

I'll post more on my thoughts, but I'd like to read what you have to say first.

On a completely random note, check out WriteOnCon.com. It's going to be Awesomesauce!

Sporadic Blogging

2010-06-04T10:05:00.000-05:00

It's the first day of summer vacation, and my kids are ready for some Phineas-and-Ferb action. I wish I could join them, but this just isn't the summer. God has blessed me with several new clients, and I have my hands full with juggling—again.

The last few months have been crazy. We moved to Houston, I took the LSAT, I applied to law school, and I got accepted to one of the schools here in Houston. And then the internal conflict set in. I had another career choice in front of me, one that would be better for my family. This second option wouldn't cost an additional $60,000 to $100,000 for education. It paid way less than I could make as a lawyer, but it would allow me to work with a subject I love.

So, I thanked the law school for accepting me and declined the offer. I'm currently working toward my teaching certification for high school English. I'll be eligible to teach in the fall, and I've already started applying with schools. Lord willing, next summer I will be able to spend more time with my sons.

Until then, I'm juggling. Some of the balls in the air would shatter if dropped. These precious ones (kids, husband, family, work) have to stay in their rotations. But others like blogging can drop. They'll bounce back just fine.

In lieu of this, my blogging theme for this summer is randomness. When I'm not posting on a schedule, you can assume my hands are full. I also want to post about some topics that keep coming up in my writing activities and in non-fiction work. The first debate: racism in writing. I hope you'll keep up with my sporadic blogging and chip in on the topics.

What about you? Any summer plans?

Colorful Perspective

2010-05-14T22:20:00.000-05:00

I wanted to follow up on the last post about color coding a manuscript. I'm sure there are several ways you could do this, but what I did was highlight each section of text with my cursor and then change the color with the highlighter in Word. It may have been about as time consuming as it would have been to change the font color, but I wanted to be able to see the color changes a bit better.

So what did I learn from the writing exercise? That all things are subjective! There were some sentences I thought fit into the narrative category, but they also could have been internal thoughts/feelings. So, instead of wrestling with which category a sentence would fall into, I just went with my first impression.

There were also times when I could have highlighted different parts of a sentence. For example, I had an action verb combined with an internal thought that moved the story forward. Rather than trying to highlight each little bit of the sentence, I just highlighted the whole thing based on my first impression.

In the end, I did have a colorful section of text to review. There were some areas where I decided to make changes in order to break up a heavy section of color. I think every little bit of improvement to a novel is good, but I have to say this may be a bit more time consuming than other exercises. I think it might be better to go with another route to improvement, like joining a critique group or finding beta readers.

Color Coding a Manuscript

2010-05-07T16:15:00.000-05:00

The other day, I saw an exercise on color coding a manuscript. The idea is to set a color for four of the main things you need to include in your novel as a writer. In this particular exercise, blue was set for dialogue, yellow for internal thoughts/feelings, green for narration, and red for action.

I thought it would be a fun exercise to try, and it also helped me to think about my writing from another perspective. I could look at the first chapter I'm revising and see sections of green I needed to break up with one of the other elements.

While I think four colors worked well for the initial exercise, I'm looking forward to adding a few other colors. I'm going to use purple for details about setting and orange for character description. I think this exercise would go well with the shrunken manuscript exercise, allowing you to see the distribution of elements across several scenes on a few pages.

Have you tried color coding a manuscript?

Rite of Passage

2010-04-29T17:03:00.000-05:00

My oldest son has been wiggling his tooth for the past month. He's approached the loss of his first one with a range of emotions from excitement to fear. Despite the anxiety he sometimes felt, he had a curiosity about the entire process. There were times when he wanted me to rip the tooth out, so he could be done with the whole thing. At other moments, he would call me mean just for looking at him. The tooth finally came out with the flip of his tongue, making the endeavor less threatening than if I'd gone at his mouth with a pair of pliers.

The entire experience brought to mind rites of passages. From loosing the first tooth to entering puberty, middle grade and young adult characters have a variety of transitions they must pass through. Each one acts as a milestone, which is why many authors use rites of passages in their stories.

If you plan to use one, see what you can do to approach it from a different angle. Throw Your Teeth on the Roof by Selby Beeler takes kids on a trip around the world and explores how different cultures handle this situation. My son isn't a huge tooth fairy believer (I know, what's wrong with the child?), so he might find it interesting to learn that in Botswana children toss their lost teeth on the roof tops.

What do you think? What rite of passage most interests you?

First Impressions

2010-04-21T09:18:00.001-05:00

The other day, I received an invitation for a conference. Glaring at me from the page were two typos. Both were easy enough to make, and they were ones spell check wouldn't have flagged. I've often made mistakes like these in manuscripts. That's one reason I advocate having critique partners and beta readers.

Being a writer, I feel like every blog post or article or story I write should be free of typos and errors. Of course I'm going to make mistakes. As a writer, I need an editor—I once created a resume with the word begging instead of beginning. It didn't exactly make the greatest first impression. And neither did the invitation.

It's much easier for a person to overlook an error when he or she understands your talent. You should do everything possible to make sure you show up with your best foot forward. For many writers, the query is the first step of introduction. Proofread, proofread, proofread. I even go to the extent of reading my query backward (though I'm not crazy enough to do this with a full-length novel). That way I can focus on each word and make sure it says what I think it says.

The point is not that we should be perfect. Rather it's that we should do everything possible to make sure we aren't walking into a room with our skirts tucked into our pantyhose or with our zipper down.

What do you think? Do people lose credibility when they send you something with a typo?

YA Mojo

2010-04-15T15:06:00.000-05:00

At the last conference I attended, I had the opportunity to ask a group of agents if they thought authors were getting more movie deals due to agents pursuing options as an additional source of income. It seems like every great new book is coming out with a movie deal, which I think is great. The answer surprised me a bit. Most of them said they felt it wasn't a matter of agents working the deals but of Hollywood paying attention to what teens want.

Even People magazine has jumped onboard the young adult train. Sure it only makes sense to include Twilight news—after all the saga has an amazing cross over audience. But news about Joe and Demi? Really? And a cover with Justin Bieber? When I was a teen, I would have had to pick up a copy of Teen or TigerBeat to see that type of news.

Whatever mojo seems to be in the air for YA, I'd like to see it stay around. How about you?

Conflict

2010-04-05T12:41:00.001-05:00

Conflict. It's a word that usually brings to mind some type of mental image. Maybe it's the crazy neighbor in an apartment complex who has claimed a 2 by 3 foot section of monkey grass outside her door as her "yard" and who insists on yelling at neighbors who allow their pets to conduct business in the area. Or perhaps it's an individual who is jealous of something you've accomplished.

In real life conflict is ugly. As civilized people, society expects us to deal with it in acceptable ways—be it talking with a property manager or trying to have a conversation to resolve an issue. For me, one great thing about reading is books don't have to conform to society norms.

I can take a crazy neighbor character and manipulate her with fun details. Maybe she has a high-pitched voice that seems to irritate dogs, causing a chorus of barks anytime she starts yelling. Perhaps her left eye twitches under stress, making it hard for the main character not to crack up during an argument.

At the heart of every great story is some type of conflict. Whether it's internal or external. Since we can't always have fun with conflict in real life, I encourage you to have some fun on paper! (Just make sure you don't throw it away where the neighbor can read it.)

Things to Look Forward To

2010-03-29T21:34:00.000-05:00

As a writer there are always things to look forward to. Whether it's the successful completion of a difficult scene or the discovery of a new story, writing should be an exiting journey. It should offer us escape into a new world, it should help us puzzle through the whirlwind of emotions we feel on a regular basis, and it should provide insight into the world we experience daily.

And if those weren't enough things, I have more. Like the following ones:

Finishing the revisions for my current WIP;
Developing the plot for a new story that has sprung to mind;
Finding an agent who not only "gets" my work but loves it;
Having my novel published.

I'm also looking forward to nifty little things. Like a countdown widget for the release date of my book. Aprilynne Pike has one on her blog for her second published novel, Spells. Check it out. As with the first book, Wings, the cover is simply beautiful.

So how about you? What are you looking forward to?

Down the Rabbit Hole

2010-03-22T08:26:00.000-05:00

Apparently there are quite a few people who think my name is Stacey and who think I engage in less than reputable activities. I wouldn't put it past a few individuals to have registered my e-mail at some places so I would get such spam. But for whatever reason, I get between 2 to 10 messages a day. I don't even bother to open these.

But the writer in me sometimes wonders what I would find if I did. Would I fall down the proverbial rabbit hole into a strange new world? And if I did, would I be able to find my way out? More likely than not, the e-mails would send a virus or some other crud to my computer—a result no doubt of ill reputed activities.

What about you? Does spam drive you crazy?

Maniacs in the Park

2010-03-13T18:48:00.000-06:00

There's something to be said about writing what you know. In my case it would look something like this:

"Control the bike! Oh, for crying out loud."

I shook my head as my almost seven-year-old son veered wildly and headed directly for the rock wall. Before he could flip head over heals, the woman who had been propped against the wall launched herself, landing between the careening bike and the rather sharp-looking corner.

"Quinn, you okay?"

"Ouch. My hand hurts."

"It's just a scrape. You'll be fine. Now go apologize to the woman you just ran over." My husband ushered him in the direction he needed to go.

"Um, thanks for stopping me. I'm sorry I ran into you."

"Oh..well. At least you didn't hit the wall."

And then she gave me the glare. The one that meant, "Have you ever thought about a helmet?" Helmets? Sure, I'd recommend one for people who planned to act as safety cushions. Or maybe I'd suggest shin guards. What's that? You want my phone number. Oh. Here's my card. It has all the information for your lawyer.

Or maybe it would look more like this:

"Rylee, you can't pee here. You're in the middle of the park. Oh for crying out loud. Pull your pants up. No the pants. HONEY!"

My two-year-old continued to wriggle out of his pants followed by his underwear. He made it to the corner of the playground before he leaned against the fence, ready to unleash. Just in time, my husband scooped up the indecent ball of flesh and made a fantastic sprint for the restroom, leaving a gaggle of giggling parents behind.

"Well, at least this isn't the airport."

"When a kid's gotta go, he's gotta go."

"Wish mine was potty trained."

Thank you, Rylee. Thank you very much. You've just become the comedic relief everyone needed—as well as the topic of conversation at everyone's dinner table. Way to go. Is it bedtime yet?

Mashed Up Expressions

2010-03-02T08:35:00.000-06:00

I'm notorious for mixing up expressions. Among my most popular slips: "Hindsight is 24/7," and "Half one does it as another." The second one should really be, "Six in one hand; half-dozen in the other."

I like to think of this in a similar fashion to Spoonerism (and not just because it's cool to say Spoonerism). William Archibald Spooner was a professor and clergyman in the 1900s, and his frequent slips of the tongue led to the development of the term. Unlike my mashed up expressions, Spooner usually mixed up the initial sounds for two words. For example, sons of toil would become tons of soil.

Twisting words and sounds occurs more often during talking than in writing. (In writing it most often results in a typo.) When I write, I focus on perfection not imperfection. I want to dot my i's and cross the line. But maybe that's not always the best thing—especially for dialogue.

Let's face it: How many people actually say the right thing 100% of the time? How many individuals never have a slip of the tongue? Dialogue isn't an exact replication of speech, but it shouldn't be too precise either. Maybe you need a character like William Spooner. Maybe you need to use contractions to avoid sounding too formal. Maybe you need to cut slang terms to make your character sound more educated.

What do you think?

Shh! It's a Secret.

2010-02-26T13:00:00.000-06:00

My sister is getting to come and visit us in Houston! Her roommate (and best friend) is sending her to see us as a surprise present for her 32nd birthday. Normally I hate surprises, but in this case I'm making an exception. (Mainly because it isn't my surprise.) We've managed to keep quiet about the trip, which hasn't been easy.

While trying to keep the secret, I've almost slipped sooo many times. I've been saved by the fact that my sister was planning a visit for the end of March, so I didn't exactly ruin it. I've almost let the kids know several times. Luckily the only one to really pick up on it is the younger one, and Quinn tunes out his brother's babbling on a regular basis.

Thank goodness the cat's out of the bag. And by now my sister is here with us. I think I would've burst otherwise. How are you at keeping secrets? What about your characters? Do you like surprises? Do they?

Strengths, Weaknesses, & Balance

2010-02-23T10:24:00.000-06:00

Thanks to Lynnette for the idea for today's post.

If you want to get better at anything in life, it requires the ability to analyze your strengths and weaknesses. When it comes to writing, this can be tough to do. Sometimes you can figure out your strengths by looking at what you like and don't like to write or read. If you gravitate toward the dialogue in a story and you pack your scenes with conversations, this could be a strength. Likewise, if you find yourself skipping exposition in books and you skip it in writing, it might be a weakness.

Another way to determine areas where you can improve is to work with a writing coach or mentor. Unless your mom is a professional editor who gives it to you without the sugar, opt for someone who actually has some understanding of the craft. I personally like online critique groups because it's easier for a person to tell me the truth when she knows she won't have to sit across the table or room from me for the next few months after giving an honest review.

Identifying your strengths and weaknesses will only get you so far. You have to be able to balance the two. If possible, bring your weaknesses up to become strengths. Also keep in mind you might need to tone down your strengths (but not enough to make them a weakness). You might have to cut some of your brilliant dialogue in order to give your story a better pace. You might need to rework some of your back story into a conversation.

What do you do to identify your strengths and weaknesses? How do you balance your writing?

Training to Avoid Injury

2010-02-19T08:48:00.000-06:00

I received an interesting comment on my last post. It compared the injuries of Olympian athletes to the injuries of writing. Rejection, negative reviews and a general lack of interest can hurt a writer's pride. For some people, it's enough to make them quit writing. Fortunately, we can take some steps to help us compete as safely as possible.

We need to understand the basic fundamentals. A snowboarder won't be able to get into the air (and land safely) without knowing the basics of using the board. Be familiar with plot, pacing, writing dialogue and other techniques.

Once we know the basics, we can add tricks. This includes making writing fresh, spinning an idea until you find a new angle. It can be discovering your voice, using cliffhangers or incorporating plot twists, among other things. Use your tools and techniques to put together your story.

Depending on your personality and other factors, you might want to take some added precautions like strapping on a helmet or wearing gloves. Have a support group in place. Make a pan of brownies.

And then start with the right level of "competition." Have you ever heard of an athlete whose very first competition was the Olympics? Our nation expects us to send our best possible athletes to represent it. And we expect them to prove it long before the games begin. (Now replace our nation with the word agents or publishers and athletes with writers.)

Put your work to the test. Join a critique group. Find beta readers. Seek criticism.

We all need cheerleaders, but we also need someone who will give us an honest opinion of our work. Again, seek the right level. If a person only rips your work apart, you'll risk injury.

Do you have any ways you prepare to reduce the chance of injury?

Training for Success

2010-02-16T14:28:00.000-06:00

With the 2010 Olympics airing on NBC, it's hard not to be in awe of the athletes—especially when you hear their personal stories. One of the things that blows my mind is the number of injuries many of these competitors experience during training and overcome to participate in the games. I can't imagine getting on the ice six months after slicing my leg open nearly to the artery or returning to competition after rupturing my Achilles' tendon.

Watching the games, it's a reminder of what focus and dedication can do. Many Olympiads train for hours each and every day. I'd like to think that if I'd had the training from a young age I might have had Olympic potential. But that isn't where I put my time. I spent hours reading and writing. And even now, I'm still in training. I'm still learning what's new in the industry. I'm still pushing myself to write tighter, to go farther.

What do you do to train for your writing dreams?

In the Mood for Love?

2010-02-12T08:12:00.000-06:00

In honor of Valentine's Day, I'm taking a poll.

Do you think every book should have some element of love?

Happy National Singles Awareness Day.

So Much for that Idea

2010-02-10T09:43:00.000-06:00

I thought things were getting back into a routine. We're getting boxes unloaded, Quinn's back in school, and I started writing articles again and editing on Monday. And then I realized it's Wednesday, which means I missed yesterday's post.

Despite the realization that I'm not as organized as I thought, I have an added reason to smile. Cher Green of Footsteps of a Writer passed me the Happy Award. In honor of it, I present ten things that make me happy. (Okay, that's really part of the rules.)

John.

My sons. More specifically hearing them say they love me and the sounds of their laughter.

Sunshine and warm days, preferably over 70 degrees with no wind unless the temp reaches triple digits at which point a gentle breeze works.

Hugs from people approved to be inside my five-foot circle of personal space.

Good music.

Reading one of my favorite books, which should probably be higher on the list.

A new idea for a story or meeting a new character.

Internet access.

Getting comments from my blogging friends. (Side note, I saw the term "blends" the other day. Apparently it's a combination of blogger friends. I'm not sure I'm ready to put that in my vocabulary on a regular basis.)

SCBWI—it rocks.

Because I think everyone should have a little extra happiness, I'm not going to pick one or two bloggers. I'm going to let anyone following my blog claim the award. So what makes you happy?

Stressing Out Our MCs

2010-02-05T08:50:00.000-06:00

So we made it to Houston. While the trip wasn’t as stressful as I thought it would be (thanks in part to my oldest son riding in the moving truck with his dad), there were times when I felt like a character in a story. The author seemed to be playing a what-if game. What would happen if the truck had to be back by Tuesday and the roads closed for a day due to ice? What would happen if someone recommended a different route and it added three hours to the trip?

As authors we do this all the time. We call it adding conflict. How successful of a challenge it is for our characters to overcome depends on our hero or heroine. A slacker might not stress out over a three-hour detour, but try to put him in a suit and tie for a social event.

The other thing I noticed because of this move is the timing for stress. When does your character stress out? Some agonize over a decision. The majority of the conflict is an internal battle over which direction to go. Others are more impulsive. They leap and then freak out.

So what do you think? Have you stressed out your MC?

Unplugged

2010-01-29T11:00:00.001-06:00

Literally. Right about now I'm probably tired of driving and ready to shove my ear buds as far as they'll go into my ears so I don't have to hear, "Are we there yet," one more time. We're in the process of moving from Colorado to Texas. Houston to be exact.

It's one of the major changes we've been debating. It's the start of an adventure, and if all goes well, I'll be back online by Tuesday. I'm such an addict that I'm already dreading the four to seven days I'll be without Internet.

Of course, I'll probably take advantage of the WiFi on my laptop. Because you know a 17-hour drive will do anyone in—even one not suffering from withdrawal symptoms. So if you don't hear from me by next Friday, send a search party. No seriously.

Always Wear Lining

2010-01-26T10:55:00.000-06:00

The other day my sister treated my family to a day at an indoor pool. It had a kiddie section with two slides, water hoses and fountains and a big play area with two water slides, a current pool, and other fun activities.

As I chased after my two rugrats turned fish, I couldn't help but notice how many women and men had swimsuits without lining. Um, yeah. Unlined, wet, flimsy material doesn't exactly equal modesty. (At least not according to my mama's rules.)

Now I know that the majority of people running around at the pool probably didn't even notice this. And if they did, they probably didn't have the same reaction as me. But it did give me some food for thought.

How do we line our stories? I think the answer is editing. Our first draft is the cheap swimsuit. Sure it works, but it sometimes exposes things that really shouldn't be seen in public. Sometimes second and third drafts improve the design, but even these may not get us to lined category—it depends on the quality of writing and other factors.

Through editing, we can eventually get to a point where we've found the cut and the style that works best. We've invested in the manuscript and lined it. The result is the reader sees what we want them to see.

What do you think? Have you lined your work in progress?

Agent Advice from Kristin Nelson and Kate Schafer Testerman

2010-01-22T10:59:00.000-06:00

Wednesday night I had the opportunity to be a fly on the wall in an agent's office. Well two agents to be more exact. Kristin and Kate hosted a workshop for the SCBWI in which they listened to the first two pages of manuscripts and shared where they would stop reading and why.

The agents didn't get a chance to hear my opening, but I learned from the evening and I'm happy to share some of the things they pointed out. First, don't get sucked into the myth that a novel must use extreme tension to hook the reader. Can this technique work? Yes. But writers often do it wrong.

An example of this is putting emphasis on the wrong thing in an attempt to hook the reader. Sometimes this happens because the writer is trying to show and not tell. Through the use of too many descriptive words, a detail takes the focal point. This happened with a hat. Even though the description of it flying away was beautiful, it just wasn't the best place to draw attention.

It's also important to start in the right place. A scary graveyard may factor into the story, but it may not be the best place to begin. The reader may need time to develop a fear or curiosity of the place rather than being dumped into it on page one.

Another thing is to avoid cliché beginnings. Two that came up were beginning with a dream and the "if only" opening. Both agents were immediately on notice and would have passed on the manuscripts.

Of course, there are always exceptions to these tidbits of advice, but the story opening has to be the best of the best, different in some enormous way, to work.

Have you thought about these things in your own story?

Imagination Movers

2010-01-19T12:04:00.000-06:00

"What would happen if the Beastie Boys collaborated with Mr. Rogers?" The answer is the Imagination Movers. My youngest son loves to dance to the music on this Disney show and often requests that I join in on the fun.

I have to admit I like the show (being what it is). One of my favorite characters is Knick Knocks. As a secondary character, he's the perfect foil to the movers who are fun, spontaneous, loud and funny. Knick Knocks wants everything to be boring. His favorite color is beige, his favorite book is the phone book, and he makes boring music featuring one note.

Writing should rarely have such an obvious contrast in characters, but you can add depth and dimension to your main character by taking advantage of the technique. By definition, the foil character needs to be the opposite of your protagonist. You can do this in subtle ways. For example, maybe one character is straight-laced and the other likes to push boundaries. Or maybe one character is a Christian and the other is of the world.

I personally like it when I can switch the roles of the characters—have them walk a minute or two in the other person's shoes. What happens when the movers decide to throw Knick Knocks a birthday party? They have to try to decide what elements would make a party boring. What happens to your main character when she suddenly realizes she isn't the perfect saint she thought she was?

Do you use a foil character in your writing?

Having a Cheer File

2010-01-15T09:55:00.000-06:00

From what I've read on many of the blogs I follow, it's natural for writers to have moments of doubt. There are times when our inner critics become especially brutal. There are times when a critique hits use harder. How do we get past these moments of insecurity?

Something that helps me is my cheer file. It's a collection of notes from fellow writers, family and friends. Some express what the person likes about a particular scene I've written. Other notes mention how my writing or editing has helped someone on his or her journey to becoming a published author. A few are inspirational quotes from interviews with successful authors.

When I'm having a case of the blahs, I open the folder on my computer and I read through the positive encouragement. I find in the words of my friends the boost I need to get my confidence back into place.

Where can you find positive reinforcement?

Your blog comments,

Your critique partners or group,

Your writing loops,

Friends and family who support you.

What are your thoughts on a cheer file? Who inspires you to overcome your blahs?

Entering Contests

2010-01-12T11:31:00.001-06:00

I've been thinking about where I want my writing career to go this year. So far, I've focused most of my time on writing non-fiction guides and articles as a way to make money from writing. But I'd really like to devote more time to my fiction. So, I've decided to look into some of the writing contests available through fellow bloggers.

I'm planning to enter the Kidlit contest hosted by Mary Kole of Kidlit.com. She's offering a professional critique for the beginning of a novel as the grand prize. Since beginnings are essential to hooking readers and agents, I thought it would be worth the entry. (If you're deadline driven, the deadline for entry is January 31, 2010.)

Is it ironic that in order to win my beginning has to have enough potential to hook the judge?

What about you? Have you found any good contests to enter?

Deadlines for Writers

2010-01-08T15:36:00.000-06:00

I’m the kind of person motivated by deadlines. The time crunch makes it easier to focus, my energy increases, and my productivity hikes. If I don’t have enough stress in my life, I usually start looking for things I can add to up the stakes. Sometimes the same is true for characters.

In fiction writing, a deadline is a great way to add tension. Even if the reader doesn’t know the reason for the countdown, it still adds a sense of urgency to the plot. As examples, we can look at the movie Speed or the TV show 24. (I know I should look for a book as an example, but I’m working on a deadline here.) Not only do these two examples use a clock as a deadline, but they also pack a ton of action into a very small window of time.

As a writer, you can also use self-imposed deadlines to help you park your seat in your chair and write. Of course, this only works if you’re motivated by deadlines. But for many writers, deadlines can increase productivity. Take a look at the success of NaNo. I know many authors who bust out a nearly complete (and in some cases complete) novel in 30 days.

What about you? Do you like working with deadlines?

I thought it would be fun to use deadlines as a writing prompt. So here goes:

Write a scene in which a person only has five minutes left to complete something.

Here are a couple of questions you can ask to help you out:

How does that person feel?

What is he or she trying to complete?

How important is the assignment or task?

Want more of a challenge? Write the entire scene in five minutes or less.

A New Chapter

2010-01-05T11:35:00.000-06:00

I've given up on making New Year's resolutions. It's not that I don't see the value in setting goals. It's more that I've come to anticipate life taking its own course despite my planning. Plus, I know myself well enough to know if something wasn't a priority before the New Year, it won't be one longer than a few days. So, I've decided to save myself the guilt trip.

Right now it's like I've taken all the elements of my life and tossed them into the air. The confetti of choices hovers over head, and until it settles, I'm not sure which direction my plot will go. Some pieces are coming closer to landing—the percentage of probability is getting closer to reality. Others are still swirling around me, just out reach.

Amidst the uncertainty, I'm looking at this year as a new chapter. Some unexpected characters will probably join my story. Some secondary characters will fade into the background. I expect the main characters will continue to be a part of my life regardless of what the year brings.

As for plot, I'm sure I'll come across twists. One choice will settle into place only to have another tossed back into the air. But that's part of life. At least for me.

What about you? Do you expect this year to be a grand adventure or stay steady on the course? Did you set resolutions?

What's in a Name?

2009-12-22T13:25:00.000-06:00

Words often invoke a mental image. When we talk or read about this, it usually relates to verbs. We often hear we should pick stronger verbs. Dashed is a stronger verb than walked. Almost any verb is stronger than "was." The same concept applies to names.

The other day I read that Scarlett O'Hara from Gone With the Wind was originally named Pantsy.* I don’t know about you, but Pantsy doesn't really conjure up an image of a strong, manipulative female. It would actually be a great choice for a character who's a wall flower or who has a meek personality. Scarlett might not get the exact impression just in the name alone, but it does call to mind words like vivid or bold. *I didn't research this to find out whether or not this is true, but I think it works well as an example all the same.

As I started thinking about the image my MC's name might bring up, I realized I needed to change it. While I had picked a name I love, it doesn't conjure up the right image. I think I've found a new name, but I'm still trying it out. It's hard to start imagining a person by a different name. But I think, in the end, it will make a better book, which is after all my ultimate goal.

While I'm on the topic of names, I also thought I would answer a question someone asked me the other day. Why did I name my blog Eye Feathers?

When I thought about a blog title, I considered using Tara McClendon. But I wanted to be creative, and I wanted to tip my hat to the first YA novel I completed. So I turned to descriptions from my story to find an answer. Here's an example of one:

"The hairline-thin gold and silver feathers framing his eyes condensed into an elongated line."

By replacing traditional eyelashes with feathers, I was able to expand the list of facial descriptions I could use in writing this story. It pulled in a fantastical detail for an elite group of warriors. And, I felt it worked well as a creative representation.

What about your names? Do you pick names for specific reasons, or do your characters seem to name themselves?

And now for some blogging maintenance: If you're following my blog, and I haven't signed up to follow yours, please leave a comment with a link to the blog you prefer for me to follow. Sometimes I can't find the links to your blogs (or I can't tell which one is your primary blog).

I'm also going to be taking this Friday and next off from blogging due to holiday celebrations. I'm hoping to be able to keep up with commenting on blogs, but the past couple of weeks have been a bit hectic. I'm expecting this week and next to follow the very busy, crazy trend. So, even though I may not be able to comment on everyone's blogs, I'll be looking forward to catching up in the new year.

Have a wonderful holiday season.

2009 Celebrations

2009-12-18T09:10:00.001-06:00

As 2009 nears an end, I thought it would be fun to recap some highlights from the year.

I've continued to find work as a freelance writer and editor.

I started my blog, which has allowed me the opportunity to get to know many, many wonderful bloggers. I've been encouraged as a writer by the online community.

I finished the first draft of my YA novel, and I've started the revision process.

I joined the SCBWI and enjoyed participating in local events from monthly meetings to my first writing conference.

My local critique partner has continued to encourage me and to work with me on my story.

So, there are several things to be thankful for as far as writing goes. I'd also like to offer congratulations to the following bloggers who signed contracts or sold their books:

Katie Ganshert signed a contract for representation with Rachelle Gardner of WordServe Literary.

Elana Johnson signed a contract for representation with Michelle Andelman.
Lisa and Laura Roecker signed a contract for representation with Catherine Drayton who sold their book to Sourcebooks.

Terry Lynn Johnson sold her novel to 4RV Publishing.

Congratulations on your success, and happy writing to everyone.

Pay it Forward Tuesday

2009-12-15T11:56:00.000-06:00

The creative Elizabeth Spann Craig developed a new blogging award designed for writers, and I have the honor of passing it along.

The rules are great:

You can post this image to your blog…or not.

You may share this award with others…if you like.

You may adapt or alter this image in any way.

Even though Elizabeth didn't add this one, I'm going to ask you to:

Include a link to Elizabeth's blog or website if you post about the award.

After all, she did take the time to create the award and get it started. So please consider adding the link as a simple way of recognition.

Some of the people I would give this award to are included on Elizabeth's list, so I'm going to focus on those who weren't on it.

Terry Lynn Johnson

The Character Therapist

The WriteRunner

The Bookshelf Muse - Angela Ackerman

On Friday, I'm going to put up a post of congratulations to all my blogging friends who either got "the call," had a book come out in 2009 or will have a book published in 2010. If you'd like to be included, please leave a comment with your good news and the title of the book. For comments about the call, feel free to include the name of your agent. (You do need to be following my blog in order to be included.)

Plot Twists and Foreshadowing

2009-12-11T10:30:00.000-06:00

The other day my grandparents brought us a beautiful box of chocolate cupcakes. A frilly wrap surrounded a moist cake, swirls of icing covered the top and snowflake sprinkles provided a touch of seasonal decoration.

I opened the box and bit into one. That's when it hit—the cupcakes weren't chocolate. As gingerbread spices assaulted my tongue, I realized I'd missed an important clue. I wasn't prepared for the twist, leaving me disappointed.

Writing can be the same way. A plot twist can enhance your story, but you can expect disappointed readers if it comes completely out of the blue. So how do you provide clues without giving away the twist? The answer is foreshadowing.

With foreshadowing, you sprinkle details throughout your story. Even if the reader misses these clues at first, once the twist hits, he or she will more than likely recall the hints. In the case of the cupcake, I realized I'd missed the smell of the spices.

Sometimes, foreshadowing can work in multiple ways, adding to the twist. I'll give an example of one of my favorite uses of this writing technique, but be warned: This is a spoiler for anyone who hasn't read Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

In the end of this story, Dumbledore dies. When I first read the book, this moment had the intended emotional impact, but I was also prepared. J.K. Rowling had placed some clues throughout the story to help me know something ominous was hiding on the horizon.

First, she used Dumbledore's blackened hand. He's injured, and it's nasty. (The description in the book allows you to see the severity of the injury much better than the movie.) In a sense, death already had a grip on him.

Second, Rowling created a separation between Dumbledore and Harry. According to a psychiatrist I know, death is easier to handle if there has been an emotional or physical separation. While Dumbledore had a reason for the separation, it also acted as a clue and as a buffer for the impending death.

On there own these details didn't necessarily have to equate to Dumbledore dying. The blackened hand could have indicated an illness slowly weakening the professor. The separation could've been valid for other reasons. But once Rowling committed to the death, it defined these clues for their intended purposes.

Do you have a plot twist? If so, have you given clues along the way?

Book Censorship

2009-12-08T10:29:00.001-06:00

Let me start with my thanks to those of you who offered encouragement on my last post. Your comments helped me to know that I'm not the only person who struggles with change, because it can be both a loss and an opportunity. At the same time, many of you, like me, try to find the positive aspects in a situation. So thank you for taking the time to comment. And now on to today's post.

In the Nov./Dec. 2009 Bulletin for SCBWI, Sarah S. Brannen sounds off on book censorship. She explains a little bit about the American Library Association's (ALA) Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF), which keeps records on "challenged" books. And she provides advice for what to do if you receive a challenge.

"If people care enough to protest your book, you've written something that made someone think. Wade into the fray, and be proud!"

The above quote is from the article, and it started me thinking about this topic. We've all heard the adage, "There's no such thing as bad publicity." And if you look at sales for challenged books, often the complaints will attract media attention and promotion. The more hubbub raised, the more a person starts to feel like he or she needs to pick a side.

And yet, the majority of banned-book authors I've read about didn't start off writing a book to cause controversy. They wrote a book based on an idea they had that they wanted to share. (I do know of some people who use their writing for an agenda, but I believe most authors just want to be true to the idea and the characters.)

As an author, I want people to love my stories. I want them to befriend my characters. And for the most part, I can't see any reason why someone would request censorship on my book. But I do wonder: Should we think about censorship as we write? Should we change our stories or characters to make them more socially acceptable? Or does that put us into the same category as everyone else trying to get published?

Change: Opportunity or Loss?

2009-12-04T14:30:00.000-06:00

I've been thinking about change lately. My family is in the middle of several decisions, all of which could change the current status quo. In general I handle change with an optimistic attitude. Many of the best things in my life came with big changes: Meeting my husband, having my first child and daring to have a second child. But in each case, the change provided something wonderful.

Aside from the major changes in my life, little changes have had an impact as well. I'm sure you're familiar with the pebble effect. You toss a stone into still water, and the effect is the ripples emanating from the point where the pebble hit. If you look at the cause of the ripples, it's the change that starts everything—the moment when the water moves from being still to being disturbed.

While I look at change as an opportunity, I'm also aware that it can bring loss. In many cases, it challenges me to step outside the comfort zone I strive so hard to create. When this happens, I have to adapt or find a way to rebuild the comfort zone. Change isn't always easy, and it doesn't always turn out the way I wish it would've have ended.

Part of any essential novel is character growth, or change. I think it's easier to plan change in my character's life than in my own. It's fun to see how she reacts. How does your character react when life changes? Does she curl up in a ball and hide out until she can process the new situation? Or does he kick a hole through the wall of his comfort zone and say, "Bring it on!"

What's your vote? Is change an opportunity or a loss?

Creating Magic

2009-12-01T09:27:00.000-06:00

Now that Thanksgiving's come and gone, my thoughts turn to the Christmas season. Growing up my family had a limited budget, so Christmas morning never failed to be magical.

On Christmas Eve my parents would kiss us goodnight at our regular bedtime hour and send us to bed. I'd kick my legs under the blanket to help me stay awake as I strained my ears for the jingling of bells. Every little sound warranted a, "Santa's here! He's here! He's here," shout as I would jump out of bed and race down the hall to catch him in the act of making dreams come true.

And each time, my parents would chuckle and send me back to bed with a warning that Santa wouldn't come until I'd fallen asleep. Exhaustion would inevitably win, and I'd succumb to sleep only to wake up in the wee hours of the morning. I'd tiptoe out of bed and down the hall to our living room.

Soft twinkling lights provided just enough light to see the presents spilling out from under the tree. Silver and gold ribbons decorated lumpy packages covered in a kaleidoscope of holiday wrapping papers. Our stockings bulged with goodies. Stuffed animals beckoned me to come and play.

As I stood there, I knew. Magic is real.

That's why I work to create holiday magic for my friends and for my family, especially my sons. It's why I write fantasy novels for young adults. And it's the reason I give thanks for Francis Pharcellus Church who was smart enough to write such a wonderful response to a little girl named Virginia.

Have you had a magical experience that affected who you are as a person or a writer? What Christmas memories do you have?

Black Friday: Editing Sale

2009-11-27T09:56:00.000-06:00

In honor of Black Friday and the kick off to the holiday season, I'm offering a 50% sale on my editing services.

Suggested Retail Price: 3¢ per word.

My regular rates: 2¢ per word.

Today's rate: 1¢ per word.

Give yourself the gift you've been wanting. Contact me at Tara@TaraMcClendon.com by November 30, 2009 to reserve your spot.

Do you want to support your friend or family member as he or she pursues writing? Have you been looking for gifts for writers? Reserve a spot now, and I'll email you a gift certificate, which writers can redeem by contacting me.

Testimonial:

Tara has been a great help to me as a new writer. She has a fantastic understanding of writing. My background is mostly scientific, so fiction is a departure from my regular genre. Tara is very savvy about helping me learn the craft involved in creating a novel. She pinpoints the things I should change in order to make the story better. Whether those things are technical or content-related, her suggestions have really made a difference and have helped me to grow as a writer. ~ L.J.D., Colorado

I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving holiday. Happy shopping.

Non-Traditional Traditions

2009-11-24T08:52:00.000-06:00

First, a huge thank you to my followers and friends. You make blogging so much fun, and I'm thrilled to be sharing your journeys with you. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.

Growing up, my family incorporated some holiday traditions, which I loved and adored. We had a standard Thanksgiving menu: Turkey, green bean casserole, rolls, stuffing, yams, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, giblet gravy, pumpkin pie and pecan pie.

And then I met my husband. He's not a fan of any of the above. The fact that our Christmas menu mirrors the Thanksgiving menu drives him nuts! My sister-in-law won't touch liver in any form but loves gravy. And then there's the whole Hellmann's vs. Miracle Whip debate and battle.

As we've added to our family through marriages and children, we've tweaked the menu.
We've added apple and pear pie to the list of desserts. And if my dear husband is cooking, he might just toss in a surprise. One year he made mashed potatoes using purple potatoes. By the time he added in the heavy whipping cream and butter, we had pink potatoes. They tasted great but sure got some funny looks.

Other traditions surround the day like starting with the Macy's Day Parade and ending with a football game. Dear hubby isn't a fan of either. So what is he a fan of? Turning off the TV and playing a card or board game, chatting with relatives and friends, playing an impromptu game of football out in the yard or sledding if we have snow.

To apply this to writing, have you looked at what your character does out of habit or tradition? Have you thought about how he or she would react to someone who doesn't get or like the habit or tradition?

My family and I have learned to adjust to each other and to make new traditions. I've learned it's okay to try something new. And you know what? Sometimes a new tradition makes things that much better. What about you? Do you have any non-traditional traditions?

Scene Breaks and Transitions

2009-11-20T11:16:00.000-06:00

This past week I've been working on an edit for a client. One of the things that kept coming up was the need for transitions. When the author first sent the manuscript, she had line breaks for changes in point of view and for scene transitions. It was difficult to tell the reason for the break until several paragraphs into the new section. Then I'd be able to determine the reason for the line break.

In several places, the author needed to use a transition instead of a line break. I've made up the following example to be able to show you the problem.

By the end of the second paragraph, I know that I'm still in Jack's POV, which means the break is intended to elapse time. Instead of using the break, I could (and should) use a transition. This can also serve as a great time to work in the setting for the story.

Keep in mind this is a quick example to illustrate my point. By adding the transition, the writer is able to get rid of the misleading scene break. It also shows the restaurant setting. As a transition, it doesn't have to take up pages of text, but it transports the reader to the next scene.

Do you use transitions in your writing? Do you have any good tips or tricks for elapsing time without a line break?

Marketing for Writers

2009-11-17T10:14:00.000-06:00

The other night my husband and I were watching TV, and a commercial for a hair-loss solution aired during the break. The spokesperson for the company had some major balding issues. The way it looked, the person advertising the product had failed to take advantage of the services offered.

Had this spokesperson been completely bald and the hair new growth, this would've worked as strategic marketing. People could've looked at the spokesperson as an example of measurable results. Unfortunately, the commercial fell short of the goal.

Marketing is an essential part of writing. Even before the marketing begins to sell your book to consumers, you have to figure out how to market your book to agents and editors through your query letter.

So how do you showcase your book, your voice and your writing ability in just a few short paragraphs?

First, research the advice given by others.

Second, get a critique.

Ask your critique partners.

Submit to Query Shark.

Third, sprinkle your letter with fairy dust.

No seriously. A little bit of luck goes a long way. If you don't want to borrow my fairy dust, then take this, "Good luck."

Got any tips for query letters? Feel free to share.

Query Statistics

2009-11-13T10:12:00.000-06:00

As a writer, it can be daunting to hear statistics from agents and publishers. Things like, "We ask for two partials out of every 300 queries," can make the task of finding an agent sound impossible. I've heard of 1% acceptance rates, meaning 99% get rejected.

What do you do with these statistics?

I've known many individuals who succumb to the fear of failure. They've talked themselves into believing that if they hold on to their work—if they don't submit it—then they aren't failing. When I hear this, I can only hope they view writing as a hobby.

My own view of failing takes a different approach. I feel the only way to fail is to not try. Have you heard the saying, "The only sure rejection is the query you don't send?" Think about it. If you don't put your work out there, you have 0% chance to get published. Compared to that, 1% suddenly seems a bit better.

So what do I do with the "scary" statistics? I look at them in a different manner. Let's take away the competition. Your query letter is in the inbox of an agent. When the agent opens it, you're going to get one of two answers. Yes or no. That gives you a 50% chance!

I'm not writing this post to say that one out of two agents will ask for a partial; my hope is you'll see the 50% as an opportunity. Agents and publishers want to say yes. They're in the business of selling books, which means they need to find books. Give them a reason to say yes.

What are you doing to help an agent say yes?

A Game of What If

2009-11-10T08:41:00.000-06:00

Following up from Friday's post, I thought I'd continue to share what I do when I get a critique. Even if you aren't in a critique group, this process is actually a great way to evaluate your writing.

First, I have to admit most critiques irritate me. I strive to turn in perfection, but my crit partners always find something to say. Don't take me wrong, this is a great attribute to my writing group—it forces me to be a better writer. But it's still frustrating to see my writing marked up. So, I set the critiques aside for a few days. When I can look at them objectively instead of personally, I open them back up and go comment by comment, edit by edit through the story.

And then the what-if game begins.
What if I cut this character? Does the story change?
What if I cut this description? Does the visualization of the character improve?
What if I move this scene to another place? Does it make the pacing better?

When I can answer yes to the what-if questions, I make changes. I rewrite, I re-envision the story. When the answer is no, I dig deeper. If a critique partner suggests cutting a scene or restructuring the story, I look for the reasons behind the suggestion. (A good critique group should point out examples and give explanations for their comments to help you pinpoint target areas for analysis.)

For example, you might know a character will come into play again in the climax of the story, making the character essential. But if your partners suggest cutting it, it could be you haven't given the character a reason to be in scenes. Maybe you need to weave the character throughout the story to make his or her impact more important.

Use the comments and feedback you get to ask yourself questions to help you determine the ways you can change your book. Even if you disagree with the suggestions, you can still dig deeper, which brings me to the final point.

Whether you agree with someone or not, you should always be grateful for the time and thoughts he or she put into your story. I've taken the time to give critiques and been told, "If so and so agrees, I'll change it," or "If three people tell me the same thing, I'll change it." My immediate thought is the person doesn't need my opinion; I've wasted my time. If even one person raises a question or provides a comment, isn't it worth it to at least take a minute or two to evaluate it? I believe it is. And I believe I'm a better writer for it.

How do you use a critique? What questions do you ask?

Are You Ready for a Critique Group?

2009-11-06T10:32:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I received an email asking for some writng advice. The person wanted me to explain the process I use for revising my manuscript based on critique comments. As I thought about what to tell her, I couldn't help but think about the difficulty of belonging to a critique group.

Your writing group should help you to improve your manuscript, which means your partners are going to point out flaws. Sometimes this will seem harsh—like you've put your manuscript in front of the firing squad and they pulled the trigger. Sometimes you'll take it personally. If you manage to avoid major issues with your work in progress, then the group should focus on the minor flaws, which at times can feel like nit-picking. If you do have major flaws, you should expect your group to tell you. Even with nice comments sprinkled through it, constructive criticism can be hard to swallow.

That's why I think it's important to understand where you are as a writer. Sometimes critiques can make you feel like your writing isn't worth the touch of an agent's fingers as she dumps it in the trash. Self-doubt is something many authors struggle with on a regular basis, and if you don't have the ability to put aside those feelings and keep at it, you aren't ready for a critique group. You need a cheerleading group—and that's okay. My advice to you would be to find people who can encourage you as you write, who can love your story as much as you do, who can motivate you to pursue your dreams. Sometimes you'll find this in a critique group, but the goal of the group should be improvement and not cheerleading.

Along with thick skin and broad shoulders, you need to know your voice and your writing style. Critique partners have the best of intentions, but the advice they give you is still based on opinion, most of it's subjective. You have to have the ability to discern between which comments improve your story and which ones impede on your voice and style. If you fail to know this information, it's possible to lose the fabric of your story.

So are you ready for a critique group?

Mountains of Genres

2009-11-03T13:40:00.000-06:00

On our vacation, we drove from Denver to Las Vegas to Albuquerque before coming home. Over the course of the trip, we took in the sights of the gray mountains of Colorado, the red mountains and arches of Utah, the black mountains of southern Arizona, the crumbling shale mountains in western Arizona and the striated layers of the Grand Canyon.

As we drove through the varied terrain, I couldn't help but notice the differences in each of the mountain ranges. From the color to the texture to the height, each area had distinct characteristics, yet they were all mountains.

Writing is the same way. Each genre has specific characteristics defining it, but there are threads of commonality across all genres. Regardless of the type of book you pick up, you'll find plot, dialogue, and an author's voice. Once the essentials are in place, then you start to see the specific elements.

Additionally, you can look at the height of mountains. A land mass doesn't have to be a certain altitude to be considered a mountain; it just has to be significantly higher than the surrounding areas. The foothills—while at a lower altitude than 14'ers—still qualify as mountains.

It doesn't matter whether you only spend five minutes writing a blog or you've spent years writing novels. If you write, you're a writer. You may be in the foothills of your career just starting out, or you may be the highest mountain in the area with a solid history of publication. The point is that we're all still mountains.

So, connect with other writers from other genres. You may pick up something from a mystery blog that can help you with your Christian romance. If you haven't found your mountain range yet, take a look at the characteristics. Maybe your struggle as a writer has more to do with trying to fit into the Rocky Mountains when your style better suits the bold arches of Utah.

Have you found your mountain range yet?

Home Sweet Home

2009-10-30T19:42:00.000-05:00

I love vacation stories, so I’ll share two of our happy experiences.

We took our sons to see the Tournament of the Kings, a medieval-themed dinner show. Our seats placed us in the cheering section for the Dragon, who turned out to be the villain. My older son had difficulty cheering for the bad guy. (I encouraged him to cheer for France, which was the section next to ours.) Rylee had no problem at all chanting for the Dragon. In fact, he cheered. He raised his little arm as high he could and hollered, “Huzzah!” He was still cheering when we got back to the hotel. We had to tell him the Dragon went to sleep in order to get him to go to bed. I’m pretty sure he fell asleep cheering the Dragon.

Another great memory was getting to spend a full day at the Adventuredome (an indoor amusement park) with Quinn, who was tall enough to go on ALL the rides. He dragged me from loop to twirl to drop to loop until my head swam. I’m pretty sure I’m still suffering vertigo. While I screamed, he laughed. There wasn’t a bit of fear in him as the rollercoaster pulled us to the top. He loved it, and seeing his ear-to-ear grin was well worth the seven hours of motion.

After spending 20 hours over the course of two days in a car with a toddler and a first grader, home is a wonderful place to be. For their ages, my sons did an amazing job on the trip. They suffered through that big white wall (the Hoover Dam) and that big hole in the ground (the Grand Canyon) and still managed to say cheese for the pictures.

After being cooped up in the car, I was grateful to reach home. The added space (i.e. the living room) where the kids could walk around suddenly felt enormous. My two-year-old son filling his water cup and getting his own drink was liberating. And being able to turn on my laptop and check my email: Exhilarating. (Yes, I’m addicted.)

I loved getting to read the comments left on the last post, and I’m ready to catch up on what went on in the blogosphere while I was ~~trapped~~ enjoying the scenic route home. Now that the trip is over, I’m going to attempt to get our lives back on schedule!

Next post: Mountains. It’ll be fun. I promise. Come back on Tuesday!

How about you? Do you have any good vacation stories to share?

Digging a Little Deeper

2009-10-27T11:27:00.000-05:00

This week my family and I are on vacation! Hooray. Of course, I have to have my laptop with me. It goes everywhere I go—unless my husband holds it hostage, which he’s been known to do from time to time.

I’ve grown accustom to being able to turn on my laptop and connect to the hotel’s WiFi. Most of the places I stay offer it for free. Needless to say, it was quite a shock to find out the hotel expected me to pay $12.95 per day for WiFi access. WHAT?!!? It hadn’t even crossed my mind to find out whether or not the hotel would charge for this.

Being a budget-conscious vacationer, I just couldn’t stomach paying that much for something I normally get for free. Still, it was an option. So I logged on to my computer and looked to find out what networks were available. Traveler’s WiFi looked promising. I clicked on it: $6.99 per hour. A much better deal IF I could limit myself to an hour.

Could I do better? Could I dig deeper? It turns out I could. Enter McDonalds. FREE WiFi!!!! For the cost of a cheeseburger, which my son inhaled, I am sending today’s blog.

Creating a story works in much the same way. You start with a rough draft. It might not be what you wanted, but it’s a starting point. Then you send it to a critique group or wait and read it with fresh eyes. It’s a little better. Dig deeper, and eventually you strike gold.

So how deep have you dug? Is it time to dig deeper?

Finding the Right Beat

2009-10-23T10:26:00.000-05:00

In Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King, the authors cover dialogue beats. I haven’t been able to pinpoint who coined the use of the word beat in this context, but it means a description that replaces or accompanies an attribution (said, asked).

When you use a beat without an attribution, write it as a complete sentence. This means you’ll use a period (not a comma) to separate the dialogue from the beat.

“Mama, kiss.” Rylee puckered his chocolate-covered lips and reached for her.

When you combine a beat with an attribution, the beat is a continuation of the sentence. It looks like this:

“Mama, kiss,” Rylee said as he reached for her with chocolate-smeared hands.

My online critique group knows that I like to use beats. Even though the word said is an “invisible” word, I prefer not to use it. Beats are part of my style. The problem is that some of my critique partners find the beats distracting.

So here’s where revising kicks in. I need to evaluate my use of beats and determine the following things:

Does the beat add anything new to the story?

Is it a general beat that could apply to any character or does it illuminate a specific one?

Does the beat interrupt the flow of dialogue?

Have I repeated a beat?

Unfortunately, this is going to take some time. But in the end, it will make a better book, which is my goal.

How are your revisions going? Do you have a specific issue you’re dealing with?

An Online Village

2009-10-20T14:32:00.000-05:00

It’s often said that writing is a solitary endeavor, and for a long time, I believed it. But once I started to pursue writing as a career, I discovered another perspective: Writing is a team activity.

When you look at the amount of talented people pulled together to work on one book, I think you can agree. While the setup varies from team to team, you’re likely to see an agent, an acquisitions editor, a copy editor, a cover artist, a publisher, and marketing personnel. (Self published authors usually incorporate outside help, but when they don’t, they wear all these hats.)

Even before these individuals come on board, writing requires support. It requires people who believe you have it in you to write something worth reading. If you haven’t thought of it lately, take a minute to think about who supports you.

Here’s a quick (and in no way all-inclusive) list of my supporters:

My husband,

My sister,

My mother,

My local critique partner,

My online critique group,

My blog followers,

The people who leave (nice) comments,

And SCBWI members.

For each of you following my blog, I’d like to say thank you. I appreciate the fact you actually clicked the follow button. It motivates me to continue to write this blog. Your comments help me to get to know you better, allowing me to be a better cheerleader for you.

So who’s on the top of your list of supporters? If you’re feeling especially grateful for the support you get, feel free to include a quick list like mine.

A Reluctant Reader

2009-10-16T10:37:00.000-05:00

My son had his first grade conference last night, and the teacher informed us that he’s a reluctant reader. I’ve known for some time that he doesn’t like to read—he likes to do things quickly, and reading takes time.

As an avid reader, I wonder exactly what genetic cocktail my son got. But as a mother I see other things.

He’s so enthralled with the world around him he doesn’t need to escape into a new one. He’s still busy exploring his own.

His creativity manifests in other ways. He likes discovering new flavor profiles. For example, he likes to mix apple juice with milk. Another of his favorite combos is adding cinnamon and sugar to a bagel with strawberry cream cheese.

And he shows interest in what I write. Even though my story is young adult, he enjoys drawing pictures of my fairies.

So, I’m not worried about having a reluctant reader, but I am motivated by it. At some point, I want him to help me write a book he’ll want to read. For all I know, it might be the first cookbook I ever write.

Right now, I’m content to sit with him and to read to him and with him. We’ll move through the part where reading takes work: We’ll help him learn his sight words, we’ll listen as he sounds out letters, and we’ll encourage him to read whatever he wants to read.

And one day, he may be an avid reader.

As a writer, how do you feel about the classification for reluctant readers? Do you have any tips for encouraging a reluctant reader? If so, please share them.

Character Growth

2009-10-13T11:50:00.000-05:00

“Joey, get off that driveway.” The girl scowled at her brother.

“No.” His glare challenged her. “You’re not my frickin’ boss.”

“That’s not the bus stop. You get off it.” Her body shifted toward him in a threat.

“Shut up!” Joey shuffled off the driveway and put one foot off the sidewalk’s curb.

“Get out of the street.”

“I’m not in the street.”

This argument greeted my son and me at the bus stop today. Quinn noticed several “sandbox” words, but I recalled many similar arguments between one of my siblings and me. Usually, I was the bossy one.

As I listened, I began to think about character growth. If the girl was my protagonist, I might take a character arc allowing the child to discover it really isn’t a big deal if a person stands in a driveway or with one foot off the sidewalk. She might get to learn that she isn’t in control of other people’s actions.

If I used the boy as the main character, I might use character development that taught him to control his anger. What good does it do to yell and shout? Maybe he would remain where he stood and point out in a regular tone of voice that his standing in the driveway wasn’t a big deal and that if the owner asked him to move, he’d happily do so. In this situation, he’d take control of his actions and accept responsibility for himself in the event that the owner didn’t want him to stand in the driveway.

As I recalled similar instances in my own life, it made me thankful that I’m not the same person I was in elementary school or high school or college. I won’t go into details, but there have been times in my life when I thought I had a clear path, when I thought I had things figured out. Then life threw me a curve ball. Those times have helped define the person I am today. The trials I go through today will help define who I become in the future. As an individual, I’m still in my character arc. I hope to look back at a very old age and appreciate where my arc ends.

Individuals have different perspectives on character growth and arcs. What arc would you consider taking for the above situation?

On another note, I can no longer in good conscious recommend Inspiration for Writers (incorporated to be Inspiration for Writers, Inc.) as an editing firm. This isn’t to say the editors employed by the company aren’t good editors. Like me, most of them take clients on an individual basis, so if you’re looking for a good editor, feel free to contact me. I can provide you with a free sample edit and a quote, as well as recommending other editors who may be a better match for your genre and style.

Author Tribute: E.B. White

2009-10-09T12:08:00.000-05:00

My favorite book by E.B. White is The Trumpet of the Swan. I love being in nature, and I could relate to the beautiful descriptions in this story. I also love the ingenuity of the Louis. And, of course, the wonderful Stuart Little brought yet another animal to life.

I think the story most children remember by this author is Charlotte’s Web. As far as my memory goes (at least for today), this is the first book I recall reading that elicited an emotional response. The first sentence scared me. I didn’t know whether I had it in me to find out where Papa was going with the axe. At the same time I had to find out. And the end of the story is the first ending that ever made me cry.

It took me a while to want to reread Charlotte’s Web. For the most part I like the happily-ever-after or the happy-for-now endings. But the richness of the story pulled me in, and I eventually wore out my first copy of the book.

So what about you? Do you remember the first book to make you cry?

On another note, Lynnette of Chatterbox Chit Chat awarded me with the Honest Scrap award. The rules: post ten truth things about you and pass the award. (Include links to the person who gave it to you and to the people you are giving the award to.) I’m actually more excited to pay the award forward, but I wouldn’t want you to feel cheated. So, without further ado, here are my ten things:

I’m a P.K., which has highly impacted the direction of my life and my spiritual walk.

I’m a member of TwilightMoms, which you might have figured out from the link in the sidebar. I love visiting the site, though I don’t get there as often as I’d like. (And for those of you groaning, there are many forums relating to subjects not Twilight related, i.e. general life issues, parenting, cooking.)

I have left yogurt in my toddler’s hair longer than I should because I like the mini-Edward look.

I think that children should get to experience a variety of activities, but I think they should also have a choice. My oldest son plays soccer and baseball and attends a drama class. His next project: karate.

I played seven instruments throughout junior high and high school.

I was a cheerleader—‘nough said.

I collected clowns until I was about seventeen. I had friends who refused to come into my room.

I like trying to find the biggest pumpkin in the pumpkin patch. I’m worse than the boys.

My husband was the first person I officially dated for longer than a day.

I would love to live in an area with gigantic trees, but I don’t like extended periods of rain or snow.

Who gets the award?

Heather Sunseri

LeSan

CocoaStomp

Enna Isilee

Elizabeth Spann Craig

What do you think? Do we have anything in common?

Recharging Your Characters (and Yourself)

2009-10-06T13:36:00.000-05:00

This past weekend I had the opportunity to escape to Vail, Colorado with my best friend from high school. She’s one of the few people who could successfully blackmail me, but then she could say the same about me.

As we strolled through Vail Village and enjoyed the crisp autumn air, we recharged. We ignored the alarm clocks and just enjoyed a weekend away with no agenda. We didn’t have to worry about our jobs, our children, our husbands, the dishes, or any of the other hundred things vying for our attention on a daily basis. Our biggest decision centered on which restaurant to choose for our next meal.

Coming back home, I felt renewed. I loved my children flinging themselves into my arms. I could deal with the hundred emails waiting in my inbox. I could tackle the revisions waiting to be made on my work in progress. And I realized something my husband had already figured out—I had forgotten about pacing.

As an author I know better. Even though I want my book to be one people can’t put down, the plot has to have ups and downs. It has to have periods of tension followed by periods of recharging. The same can be said about life.

If we fail to pace a novel correctly, we exhaust our main character and the reader. Have you ever read a book you couldn’t put down? Even though you might feel like you raced through the story, I bet you could go back and find moments where the author allowed the main character to recharge.

Maybe the author didn’t schedule a full weekend away at a ski resort, but perhaps the main character paused to have a cup of coffee with girl friends (James Patterson).Or maybe the protagonist turned to research on the computer instead of being told her love interest was a vampire (Stephenie Meyer).

Slowing the pace down doesn’t mean letting the main character lie in bed for 48 hours. There can still be a significant amount of activity going on in the scene. But it does mean allowing the character to recharge so he or she will be ready for the next big moment.

So what are you doing to recharge? Have you allowed your main character the chance to rest, or is there so much tension a normal person would have a heart attack?

A Writer’s Crazy Week

2009-10-02T15:43:00.000-05:00

This week if it could happen it did. My husband had inventory at work, which meant longer hours; my grandpa had a stroke, which meant coordinating phones calls and visits to the ER; my son missed his bus, which meant a crazy dash to get him to school; work is crazy with deadlines, which means I'm stressed; my best friend came to town, which means I haven't been able to spend enough time with her; and the toddler hasn’t been feeling very well, which means we are all cranky. While I normally live my life on crazy, this week has pushed the limits of my sanity.

So, while I have a hundred blogs I want to read and leave comments on, I haven’t had a spare second to catch my breath. Life has taken me another direction, but this started me thinking about outlines for writing.

When I do take the time to outline a novel, something unexpected usually happens. My characters take on a life of their own—they make decisions I don’t want them to make; they go places I didn’t expect them to go; and, in some cases, a new character waltzes right on in as if he owns the story. At times like these, I toss my outline into the wind and allow my creative ingenuity to take over.

So that’s what I’m doing today. Even thought I planned to catch up on blogging, I can’t. So know that I will miss reading your blogs today, but that I will catch up sometime next week, when life slows back down.

How about you? Has your week or your story gone the way you thought it would? I’d love to hear from you.

Allyn Johnston and Marla Frazee: A Working Relationship

2009-09-29T19:49:00.000-05:00

Of all the sessions at the writing conference, I most enjoyed the keynote address with Allyn and Marla. Allyn is the VP and Publisher of Beach Lane Books, and Marla is the author-illustrator of A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever, which received a Caldecott Honor.

These two ladies walked us through the editing process for several of the books they have done together, and it was a treat. I think they probably have the type of editor/illustrator relationship that people dream about. Not only were they funny, I could tell they really enjoyed working together. With them, a story is more of a process.

The main point of the session—aside from making us all jealous—focused on the necessity of having a great ending for your book. While the beginning will hook the readers, it is the ending that will determine whether or not a person will pick up the second or the third book you write.

Like most things in life, a writer probably won’t get a second chance if the ending doesn’t satisfy the reader in some way. If your ending fails, then you can probably expect the reader won’t be joining your fan base. Adding to the difficulty, people who write for children must satisfy two people—the parent reading the story and the child.

My takeaway from this session was to ask myself how great of an ending I have. I examined what I wanted my reader to feel when they reached the ending, and I had to consider whether or not it would be a satisfying end to the story. Did my character show enough of an arc? Was it believable? Would it make the reader want to read more books by me?

So, how is your ending? Is it where it needs to be? Or do you kill the plot by leading up to an anti-climatic end?

Writing Conference Overview: Children’s Publishing 101

2009-09-25T14:18:00.000-05:00

Foul Matter: The marked up or edited copy of a manuscript, usually superseded by a revised copy. Also called dead matter.

The first session I attended for the writing conference was Children’s Publishing 101, taught by Denise Vega. The class gave an overview of the different types of children’s books available on the market.

Aside from giving us some definitions for words beginning writers may not know (like foul matter), Denise also covered manuscript formatting and some recent changes to the industry. Here’s a breakdown of the categories in children’s writing:

Concept books feature things like numbers, letters, colors, shapes and counting.

Board books come with a hard cover designed for abuse by toddlers.

Picture books begin to show a journey, but don’t always have a main character. Currently picture books should be 800 words or less.

Emergent readers offer simple, repetitive text and should be designed for kids learning to read on their own.

Early readers, sometimes known as Step into Reading, offer controlled vocabulary based on the reading level of the child.

Chapter books should help children feel like they are reading “big-kid” stories. These have fewer pictures than other types of children’s book and usually have a linear plot line.

Middle Grade (MG) books target children 8 to 12 years in age. They are the first level where publishers expect to see a character arc in the plot.

Young Adult books cover a basic age range of 13 to 21. The classification doesn’t always depend on the age of the character. For example, a book dealing with more mature content like sexual abuse would fit into this category, even if the main character is 10 years old.

If you write stories similar to mine, you might wonder where the tween category is on the list. While it’s gaining popularity, this category isn’t a standard one for many of the houses. I’d say keep an eye on the industry, because I suspect we'll start seeing houses looking to develop this particular area of reading.

My take away from the class was the fact that writers need to determine what they are writing before they begin. In some cases, an author may need to research a specific house, as well. Why? Because guidelines vary from house to house.

The other thing writers should keep in mind is that a publisher may decide to reclassify the book. You should still pitch your story for the basic category you feel it fits into, but be willing to accept suggestions from your agent or publisher.

Got any good/humorous writing definitions to share? Please leave a comment.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: A Critique with Kate Sullivan

2009-09-22T12:41:00.000-05:00

I know that many of you are curious as to how the conference went, and so I thought I’d start with the critique. First, let me say that the following is my take on the critique and should not be attributed as any type of quote or endorsement from Kate.

Prior to the critique, my novel began with a prologue. I liked it, but something about it bothered me. The fact that some agents and editors don’t like prologues also made me nervous about beginning my story with one.

Finally, I realized the problem: the prologue could not be in my main character’s point of view, so the reader didn’t experience my main character’s voice until six pages into the manuscript. Realizing this, I cut the prologue, but not until after I’d already submitted the story for the critique. While I was a little disappointed (in myself) for not cutting it sooner, I thought it would be useful to have Kate’s opinion on the original version.

The Ugly: Ditch the prologue or find a way to use a teen’s point of view.

So Kate’s critique confirmed my gut feeling on the prologue, and it gave me another reason for cutting it (the adult POV). All in all, it was easy to swallow the ugly.

The Bad: Confusing prose—needs more description.

Because I’m writing a YA fantasy, I need to make sure that any reader can pick up the book and visualize my characters. While Kate thought my world was interesting and rich, she couldn’t visualize some of my characters.

My plan of action for this is to go back in and add description. But this is going to take some work. If I add too much, it’s going to slow the pace down, which might make it difficult to pull the reader into the story.

The Bad Continued: The opening is a bit too complex.

I struggled to find the perfect opening for this story. I wanted to make sure that it had a hook. And it does. In fact, it has too many—I think Kate identified four or five things. Her suggestion was to move a few of the items to other chapters. This will space out the information and allow the reader to transition into my story.

All in all, I can correct these issues, and make the story stronger.

And now my favorite part: The Good:

I have a strong character voice. Kate got a good sense of my main character from the dialogue and attitude.

My story has epic potential. I asked her whether this was a good thing or not. I could see an agent or an editor shying away from something that felt epic. Her response was that teens love epic. So I’m taking this as a good thing.

My world is rich and has clear rules.

My synopsis is really good. It needs just a bit of tweaking, but it’s strong.

All in all, I have a good start to my novel. Now I just need to make it better. I appreciate Kate taking the time to give me her opinion, and I think her critique will help me to do what needs to be done.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Also, feel free to share your experience with a critique. Did it make your story stronger? Or did you disagree with the evaluation? (If you leave a comment about a disagreement, please do not include the name of the person who critiqued your manuscript.)

Web Conference for Writers

2009-09-18T10:12:00.000-05:00

Many of us bloggers are in the middle of a conference event or about to start one this weekend, which is a great and exciting opportunity. I’m as prepared as I’m going to be, which isn’t as much as I’d like to be. I have my pitch ready, copies of the things I want to take, my expectations set, business cards in hand, and directions to the hotel where the RMC-SCBWI is hosting the conference.

But I keep seeing comments and posts from people who won’t be able to make it to a writers conference this year. I understand. I’ve been there myself. The economy is down. Maybe you’re just not ready for face-to-face conversations with editors or agents. Or maybe it’s a matter of not having an event close to where you live.

Guess what? You can go to a conference this year. The price is right, and the location is idea. I wish I’d had an opportunity like the one posted at Lynnette’s Chatterbox Chit Chat. I think an online conference is an awesome idea, and I’d like to say a huge thank you to the people who are putting together the Muse Online Writers Conference.

Whether you’ve been wanting to get to a Christian writers conference or you’ve been dying to pitch your story to an editor or agent, you now have the opportunity. Best yet, this event is currently listed as being FREE! So, no more excuses. Go! Register! And by all means, be prepared to blog about your experience.

What do you think? Is this a wonderful opportunity or are you a bit leery?

Per Terry Lynn's comment, this year's registration is closed for the Muse Conference (major bummer), but the registration for its 2010 conference will open in November 2009. So, be sure to bookmark the site if this is an option you like. And please continue to sound off on your thoughts about online conferences.

Agatha Christie: The Queen of Mysteries

2009-09-15T15:09:00.000-05:00

First, a huge thank you for your comments on my last blog post. It looks like many of us won’t forget 9/11. But I do believe we all look forward to the future. You can see some specific ways to use national events in your writing by visiting the blog for Inspiration for Writers. And, if you could use some tips on how to research for your novel, you might want to visit Casey McCormick’s blog, Literary Rambles. She posts tips on Tuesdays, and today’s post features a tip from none other than me.

And now for Agatha Christie.

Okay, I’ll admit it. I’m guilty! As a child, I dreamed of being a brilliant detective like Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot. In case you didn’t know, this week is Agatha Christie Week. The Festival, which is held on the English Rivera, hosts performances of plays based on Christie’s works, as well as a number of other events in honor of her talent.

I would love to attend the event. But since I can’t, I thought I’d share with you my favorite Agatha Christie books:

Murder on the Orient Express

Murder With Mirrors

And Then There Were None
I’m not a huge fan of mysteries—mainly because I never figure it out. But I do enjoy Agatha Christie’s characters. I even love the movies. While I enjoy Margaret Rutherford as Miss Marple, my favorite actress for the role was Helen Hayes, who played the role in the TV versions of Murder with Mirrors, A Caribbean Mystery, and Murder is Easy.

And let’s not forget Hercule Poirot. I envision him looking much like David Suchet, who has played the TV role for 19 years. In my opinion, Christie gave him some of the best lines a detective could have.

It’s a long-standing debate between Christie fans as to which one of these detectives is the best. On one hand, I love Poirot’s tiny mustache—though I hate facial hair in real life. He’s witty and egotistical and fun. And then there is Miss Marple. Not formally trained as a detective, she just has the ability to put mysteries together. So, which one is my favorite? Miss Marple.

Now for your question of the day. Who is your favorite: Marple or Poirot? (Don’t forget to tell me why!) Not an Agatha Christie fan? You can still play by telling me who your favorite sleuth is.

Sept 11th: History and Writing

2009-09-11T10:43:00.000-05:00

Even though I always know the date is nearing, it’s still a shock to see 9-11. Just seeing the official date on the calendar or writing it jolts me. Remembering Sept. 11th is something that I will probably do the rest of my life—much in the same way my parents and grandparents remember the assassination of JFK.

I know that I am not alone in feeling the impact of the date. The phrase 9-11 appeared in the majority of the top 100 searches for today. As a nation, we will never forget the event. Over time, the scars will fade. Future generations won’t have the personal connection so many of us have to the event. (If you doubt this could happen, take a look at December 7th on your calendars.)

As I recall the day of the attack on the Twin Towers, I remember the range of emotions I experienced all within a few short moments: shock, denial, fear, grief, determination, patriotism.

At the time, I was attending ACU, so I also had the experience of joining thousands of students in prayer for our nation. In the days following, it seemed like America had had a spiritual awakening. People who never thought about a higher authority considered whether there might be a God. In this time of tragedy, President George W. Bush turned the nation to God.

“We mourn with those who have suffered great and disastrous loss. All our hearts have been seared by the sudden and sense-less taking of innocent lives. We pray for healing and for the strength to serve and encourage one another in hope and faith.

Scripture says: “Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted.” I call on every American family and the family of America to observe a National Day of Prayer and Remembrance, honoring the memory of the thousands of victims of these brutal attacks and comforting those who lost loved ones. We will persevere through this national tragedy and personal loss. In time, we will find healing and recovery; and, in the face of all this evil, we remain strong and united, “one Nation under God.” ~ From George W. Bush’s 9-11 Remembrance Speech.

So let me connect this to writing. Events like 9-11 impact an entire nation. Whether it’s a Christian revival, a renewal of patriotism or the decision to cower in fear, violence tends to alter the current way of life. Consider the impact 9-11 had on you? What impact might this have on your characters? If you write historical fiction, consider what events occurred in the era that might impact your characters.

Even in fantasy or sci-fi, writers can use their real-life experiences. America responded to the threat by raising flags and praying. But what might a nation do in a fantasy novel? What impact might a civil war leave on the characters?

If you haven’t done so, I encourage you to write out your thoughts on 9-11. Try to put the range of emotions you experienced into words.

What was the first emotion you remember feeling on 9-11? Mine was shock/denial. I thought the plane crash was a special effect.

Preparing for a Writers Conference: Paperwork

2009-09-08T20:45:00.000-05:00

In my last post, I talked about my expectations for the conference, so if you missed it, you might want to check it out. From your comments, it looks like I’ve set reasonable and attainable expectations, which should make the conference a wonderful experience. But that brings me to the next part of preparation: the paperwork I need to take.

My business cards arrived in the mail today! I think they look great (much better than the doctored one below). For the conference, I opted to order my business cards from Vistaprint. I had planned to custom design my cards, but I actually found a template that I liked. So, I saved myself some time and took advantage of it—although I did use the custom editing tools to make some changes.

While this company offers free business cards, I recommend upgrading the service. Most of the free cards put the printing company’s logo and contact information on the back of the card. While this can be a cost-effective way to order business cards, I think it’s important for writers to begin branding themselves, not printing companies. Plus, I’m a fan of using every inch of the business card to promote me.

With the cards in hand, that leaves a one-sheet. If you haven’t created a one-sheet, you can see an example of Kaye Dacus’s at Seekerville, which hosts an article by Kaye explaining the purpose of these pitch sheets. I’ll probably make mine in Microsoft Publisher, but I may use Adobe Photoshop. It depends on the mood I’m in when I actually sit down to create it.

Other than that, I plan to look over the first fifty pages of my manuscript and eradicate any typos or errors. After that, I’ll go over my synopsis and edit it. Once I’ve gotten these as perfect as possible (for the moment anyway), I’ll print one copy of the beginning to take with me to the critique and a few copies of the synopsis—just because I’ve set reasonable goals doesn’t mean I want to be caught without oil for my lamp.

What paperwork do you plan to take your conference?

Preparing for a Writers Conference: Expectations

2009-09-04T10:36:00.000-05:00

Both the ACFW conference and the RMC-SCBWI conference are coming up in a few weeks, and since I’ll be attending one, I thought I’d share with you what I plan to do to prepare.

I’ve been researching some of the things that fellow authors recommend in order to get ready for a conference, and I’ve made a checklist of things to do. One of the things I’m working on is setting my expectations.

Many aspiring authors have high hopes for conferences. There are agents and editors open to pitches, and if a writer can convince them that his or her book is the next great idea, it might lead to the fulfillment of all his or her writing dreams.

I can understand this expectation. I would love to sit down for my critique and have the editor ask for a full. That would be amazing! It would rock my world. And, it is an unrealistic expectation.

Do things like this happen at a conference? On occasion, yes. Is it the normal experience of an author getting a critique? No. So how can I use this information to prepare?

Instead of going into the critique with this unrealistic expectation, I can set one that is realistic: I’m getting feedback from a professional in the industry. The critique is a gift of her time. I can use whatever she says to evaluate whether or not I can improve my book. If I prepare to hear criticism, I can decide to use it as a constructive tool. The editor is not out to destroy my spirit as a writer. Anything she says is really meant to help me in my career.

Having this one realistic expectation should help me to feel like I received something valuable, but I can still set some other realistic expectations. Here’s what I hope to get from the conference:

Learn more about the industry.
The publishing industry is a business, which means it changes to become more efficient to cut costs while offering valuable products. The conference will give me the opportunity to learn about some of these changes. No matter how old I get or how many things I learn, I believe there is always room for improvement.

Find inspiration and encouragement.
Despite the economy, I can keep in mind that agents and editors want to find new talent. They want to help us improve, so we, in turn, can provide a better product. There's also encouragment in knowing that many of the faculty members have been where I am now.

Network with other writers, agents, and editors.
It is out of my comfort zone to interact with strangers. I know that the conference is a great opportunity to meet people who love writing as much as I do. So, I’m setting the goal of meeting at least ten people. This number may sound low, and that’s okay. I can hand out all the business cards I take, but if I can’t recall ten people’s names and at least one thing about each, then I haven’t really networked.

What are your expectations? Have you considered whether they are realistic or not?

And the Winner Is...

2009-09-01T13:36:00.000-05:00

I put all of the names into my favorite hat—it has the Dr Pepper logo on it—and then my husband mixed them up. He held it over my head, and I rumpled through the slips. Then I picked. . .Heather Sunseri! Congratulations.

But there’s more. I want to thank everyone who entered the contest, and so I have something for you, too. Email me at Tara@InspirationForWriters.com with your physical address, and I’ll mail you a goody bag. Really, thanks for the support of the contest. I appreciate each and every one of you.

And now for today’s post. Beth Dunn wondered why I don’t post longer excerpts, and so I thought I would answer that question in depth. The main thing it boils down to is my personal preference, but I have some reasons for why that is my preference.

First, let’s take a look at copyright law. Even without registration, U.S. copyright law protects creative works at the moment they are created in tangible form, i.e. paintings, sculptures, and written stories. But, the protection of a copyright doesn’t cover everything. For example, people can use expressions from Twilight to create T-shirts. In some cases, a person can create their own version of the idea without violating copyright law. So, while my written idea might be protected, certain things aren’t.

Why is this an issue? As a writer, I spend time trying to create specific catchphrases and expressions for my characters. I strive to put a fresh spin on any idea in my story. While I believe most writers work on an honor system, it would be extremely easy for an author to pick up a certain catchphrase and use it. Legally, a novelist could do this without violating my copyright. While I could take out the catchphrases, this actually impedes my character’s voice.

Second, let’s take a look at publishing. As soon as you put your writing in a medium that allows others to read your story, you have in essence published that portion of your story. I haven’t checked into the facts surrounding this, but some published authors I know have said that their publishers frown upon seeing an extended portion of a novel in print prior to publication with the publishing house.

Why is this an issue? Well first, the definition of "extended" tends to be subjective. Some publishers might consider one chapter too much. But let’s not take this farther than it should go—obviously publishers buy books published in other formats. What I’m saying is in lieu of this, I’d rather not push my luck. It isn’t likely that I’m going to attract an agent or an editor from my excerpt—that comes from the hard work of researching agents, querying, etc.

Now with all of that said, things change a bit once you have a published novel. If your publisher thinks an excerpt of the first chapter of your story would be a good marketing tool, go ahead and post it.

Keep in mind that it’s also entirely possible that I’m just one paranoid author. For me, I feel like what I’ve posted is adequate. The rest people can read when my book is published!

What do you think? I'd love for some concrete information to add to this—it's always nice to know that I'm not paranoid.

Editing and Writing Contests

2009-08-31T09:31:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone is having a great Monday. It's the last day of August, which means today is the last day you can enter to Win a 10,000 Word Edit! Did August fly by for anyone else besides me?

Good luck with the contests. I'm looking forward to working with one of you!

Friday Celebrations: Agents, Editors, Free Books

2009-08-28T10:58:00.001-05:00

On most Fridays, Katie Ganshert posts her 3 C’s: Cares, Concerns, and Celebrations. I like to pop over and add my own to the comments, but today I had two exciting things I wanted to share.

First, I submitted my synopsis and the beginning of my story for a chance to have it critiqued at the RMC-SCBWI conference by one of the industry experts attending the event. The possibilities included:

A published author;

Michael Stern, Agent with and Co-Founder of Upstart Crow Literary;

Allyn Johnston, VP & Publisher of Beach Lane Books, a small imprint of Simon & Schuster;

Kate Sullivan, Assistant Editor with Little, Brown Books for Young Readers;

Christy Webster, Assistant Editor with Random House.*

I received my assignment and I’m thrilled! I get to have it critiqued by one of the editors (Johnston, Sullivan or Webster). I know which one, but I won’t say yet. I’m not sure whether that’s taboo—but after the conference I will post on the good, the bad, and the ugly. I’m hoping for more good than anything else. The awesome thing is that I get scheduled face time with an editor.

Second, I won a copy of the Children’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s Market (CWIM) 2010 from CocoaStomp. I was looking forward to getting this book, and now it’s in the mail on its way to me! Also included is a super cute print from CocoStomp’s Etsy shop.

I’d love to hear from you. Do you have any celebrations or thoughts you would like to add?

Excerpts

2009-08-25T14:01:00.000-05:00

I've had a request to post an excerpt from my story. I'm not the type of author who will post the synopsis or who will post an entire chapter, but that being said, I do think excerpts and teasers play a role in generating interest.

My story is a young adult, high fantasy novel following a group of teenage fairies caught in the middle of a war. I've tried to keep the book G-rated, but it's possible a Hollywood version would get a rating of PG or PG-13, depending on how certain parts of the story transfer onto film. (Can you tell I have big dreams?) If you liked Twilight or Wings, I think you'd like my book.

Without further ado, here are two excerpts I felt I could share. The name has been shortened to protect the identity of the character. She's not ready for stalkers or paparazzi yet, but fans are appreciated.

***
As they made their way across the clearing, Q's skin prickled. She knew there wasn't anyone behind her, but she sensed danger. She paused, ignoring the concerned looks from her friends. She stretched out her senses and gasped. They were surrounded. She could feel the small pinpricks of magic from the fairies. Alarms screamed in her head, and she panicked.

"Sala'er." She couldn't draw the runes to go with it. The magic had started, she needed to release it. The spell raged in her. Q cleared her mind and pulled magic to her through her hands. An image of where she wanted to go filled her head. The world tilted and then sucked in on itself. Snow, trees, and Warriors seemed to be pulled into a black hole with her at its center.

With a sound like thunder, the world exploded out.

***
So this was it. There was something worse than Reapers killing her—death by her own kind. Let it be quick! Her world went black as spells slashed at her wings. Stabs of pain radiated from her heart, pulsing into her veins. Her screams shattered her eardrums.

With a jolt Q snapped awake. Her body shook, and she set off several defensive spells before she realized she no longer dreamt. She gulped in air.

The screams continued, but they were no longer hers.

***
Only 7 days left to enter the contest to win a 10,000 word edit!

Did I Do It?

2009-08-22T13:02:00.000-05:00

I'm happy to report that I was successful yesterday. I FINISHED MY WIP! Of course, I need to go through and edit/revise, but the first draft is done. Complete. Whew! At 262 pages (in Times New Romans for my fellow geeks) and at 69,327 words, I'm thrilled!

Suite101.com and the Race to the End

2009-08-21T09:56:00.000-05:00

I’ve been accepted as a writer for Suite101.com, and I’m thrilled to be writing for its reading and literature, writing, and editing categories. I guess this means that I’ll have to read the latest books—bummer.

With Suite101.com, I get to keep the copyright on my articles, which means I can submit them to magazines or other publications. The company does require an exclusive of the content for a one-year time period, but after that I can re-post it on my blog or use it for content on other websites.

I’m actually excited about the opportunity. I started my posts with overviews of each book in the Mortal Instrument series by Cassandra Clare. Even though I don’t like everything Clare has in her books, Jace captivated my attention. His sarcasm cracked me up. And so I went from reading a free version of City of Bones (which Simon and Schuster hosted for about a month) to buying the books.

If you’d like to read the overviews, feel free to visit:

City of Bones

City of Ashes

City of Glass

On the writing front, I have three chapters left to finish my novel! *Doing a happy dance!* I feel like I’m racing to the end now, and it’s wonderful. I’ve set most of today aside to write, and I’m daring to hope that I might be able to finish it. I’ll keep you posted. For now, I’m enjoying the giddy almost-done feeling.

How about you? What are you excited about today?

A Career in Freelance Writing

2009-08-18T14:08:00.000-05:00

I get some interesting responses when people find out what I do for a living. Some want to know what books I’ve published. Others want to know how much money I make. Some want to know how I got started. I’ve even had other writers say they could never do what I do. Recently, I got a comment from Tashi (at Taste Life Twice) who is interested in the world of freelance writing, and so I thought I’d share a bit of my journey.

How did I get started?

First, I love writing and reading. I’m passionate about both.

Second, I got an education based on these. My BA in English covered every type of literature from classic works to Native American literature to contemporary fiction. I studied writing techniques and philosophies, including reader response theories. In addition, I took upper-level grammar classes.

Third, I didn’t just hang up a sign that said “Freelance Writer for Hire.” I found mentors. Most agents and editors with publishing houses put in their time doing the un-paid internships or working the slush pile. While I didn't go this route, I did begin as a writer for a company and then move into copyediting for them. Each position is based on my ability to perform the tasks while maintaining (or, I hope, exceeding) company standards. Again, when I wanted to move into content editing, I found a reputable company to work with.

Fourth, I apply every possible aspect from any situation into my career. Prior to taking the leap into freelance writing, I had jobs in marketing and sales. I use this to help me as a writer. I learned about SEO writing from one of the companies I work for—I use what I learned.

You don’t have to take a great leap of faith to become a freelance writer. I do suggest putting in the time to learn the industry, but even people who just want to make a little extra now and then can do so with freelance writing. Here are three quick ways you can consider, if you want to make money as a freelancer:

Monetize a blog. I don’t recommend this for bloggers striving to attract professional attention (just my preference), but if you have a hobby and you’re going to be blogging anyway, why not set up a Google AdSense account?

Find websites looking for writers. Demand Studios, Suite101.com, and eHow have opportunities for freelance writers.

Write and submit articles to the magazines you read. Being familiar with the market can increase your chance at breaking into it.

Got any other great tips for people wanting to be freelance writers? I’d love for you to share. And please feel free to leave comments—I love hearing your thoughts.

Joining the Water Cooler

2009-08-14T16:16:00.000-05:00

In real life, I’ve never been one to hang at the water cooler. If I’m working, I’m working. But as a writer who works from home, I find that I need to take breaks—I can only handle so much solitary before I need some social interaction. So, I’ve been digging around on the awesome number of writing Web sites, and I’ve decided to join Absolute Write’s Water Cooler.

So far, I’ve been enjoying the section dedicated to blogging. I found out that I’m doing some things right, which as a new blogger can be encouraging. I’ve also discovered other writing blogs, and I’m taking some time to visit them. I even took advantage of the blog review forum, so I should find out if I’m making any major mistakes.

And of course, the Web site offers a variety of topics. Sometimes it’s good to browse through a topic and get a quick refresher course on things I should keep in mind as I write. Other forums answer frequently asked questions or provide encouragement to writers who just really need a break from stringing together sentences.

All in all, the first impression is that I’m going to like the Water Cooler. If you’re already hanging there, feel free to say hi. And if not, and you need a break, consider heading over. (Just be sure you bring your own glass of water.)

Contest Reminder
Well, it’s nearly the middle of the month, which means it’s contest reminder time. If you haven’t already signed up to Win a 10,000 Word Edit, now’s your chance. And remember, you can get a second entry if you pass the news along.

Author Tribute: Judy Blume

2009-08-11T15:24:00.001-05:00

As most of us know, it takes work to write and publish a book. While you may be like me and wish you had a magic pen from which the perfect story flowed the first time, chances are your story, like mine, will take work.

So why is it worth taking the time to craft a novel, to be a writer? This question varies depending on who you ask. Some want to leave a legacy for family, others want to change the world, and some write because they enjoy the process. I share my reason with Judy Blume, who says, “You don't write because you want to, but because you have to.” I’m compelled to write, and I think much of this desire stems from the friends I made as a kid.

To that end, I’ve decided to host an author tribute at least once a month. In these posts, I’ll share with you some of my favorite authors in the hopes of thanking them for the wonderful stories I’ve enjoyed. So without further ado, let’s get started.

I discovered Judy Blume (and let’s make a note that it isn’t Judy Bloom as some people think) as a first or second grader. The Fudge Books provide ample reading material for the bus ride to and from school. I mainly loved three of her books:

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing,

Superfudge,

And Otherwise Known as Shelia the Great.

Even though I’m the youngest of three, Judy somehow made me feel like I was an older sibling. I loved Fudge, though I totally understood how he annoyed Peter. I really wanted my parents to have another baby, so I could have a Fudge. (My parents for some reason refused to have another child, and they also refused to buy my sister the pet turtle she wanted as a result of reading the stories.) As for Sheila, she could’ve been my best friend. She was for at least two or three grades. I even picked some her activities to do (with disastrous results).

So in my first author tribute, I say thanks to Judy Blume for creating vivid characters who allowed me to experience an entirely new place in the role of family.

Who would you give the author tribute to?

Critique Groups

2009-08-07T13:06:00.000-05:00

Critiquing can be a difficult balance for writers. As a critique partner, you want to encourage your fellow writers—pump them up to write a difficult scene, appreciate their choice of certain phrases. But, that isn’t always the best thing. There is a balance that critique partners have to have, and that’s the ability to encourage while providing constructive criticism.

So how do you find that balance? First, remember that it can take ten compliments to overcome one negative comment. This doesn’t mean you have to point out ten good things, but keeping it in mind can help you to remember to include praise. Also, spread your good comments around the negative one. If you start with a positive comment, then give five negative ones, and end with one more positive one, you probably didn’t give a balanced critique. But if you sprinkle in positive comments between the negative ones, you’ll make it easier for your fellow writers to swallow the critique.

Another thing a good critique partner should do includes avoiding the phrase, “I liked it.” Just as you do when you write, you want to show your critique partner the thoughts behind the phrase. It’s great that you liked it, but explain why. Could you visualize the setting or the character the writer described? Did you laugh out loud at a place that was supposed to be funny? Likewise, explain why you feel something didn’t work. Did the pace slow down? Did a scene move too quickly? By providing more than a simple comment, you can give your critique partner valuable information that will make his or her writing better.

If you don’t feel comfortable giving constructive criticism and your usual response is “I like it,” you may want to consider whether or not you’re really benefiting your partners. It can be tough to admit that you don’t like something. Most writers, though, would rather have the information from a critique partner than from an agent or an editor.

Do you have any critique rules you focus on? What do you find the most helpful in a critique?

201 Pages & 55, 016 Words

2009-08-04T17:44:00.000-05:00

I would love to have moments like this on a daily basis. The kind that make you want to celebrate. When I first started my WIP, I wondered whether I had it in me to write for tweens. Prior to this book, most of my work fell into the picture book category, topping around ten pages per story. So, to take on a young adult novel seemed adventurous (to put it nicely).

Even though I never thought I’d write for this audience, I had an idea in my mind that intrigued me. It kept popping into my mind, asking its questions, while I was trying to work on other projects. And so, I decided to find out whether or not I could complete a young adult book. The word count seemed incredibly high—60,000 to 80,000 words—oh, my. Could I stretch my character development across that many pages? Could I keep the reader’s interest for that long? I wasn’t sure.

As I started writing, I felt like I was forcing my characters, but I tried to press on. About five chapters in, I knew I didn’t have the right voice. I didn’t like where the story was heading, and I felt I had too many things I needed to fix. So I scrapped the whole thing! The idea still worked, but I needed to tap into my characters. And then it happened. I heard my character react to another person—and was it ever a reaction. It exploded into my mind, and I started again.

Over the past few months, there have been struggles with it, but I set mini goals. My first one was to get to page 50. I thought that if I could get that far, I’d have a nice start on my novel. Today I know that I’m over 2/3 of the way finished. I’m now looking at my story and wondering whether I can wrap it up in 25,000 words. Regardless of word count, I know that I’m going to finish this story this month. Of course, I’ll have revisions to do, but the amazing thing for me is that the end is in sight.

I know where my story is going, I know how to get there, and I’m excited!!!! Do you have a great moment to share? If so, let me know.

Win a 10,000 Word Edit

2009-07-31T13:33:00.000-05:00

I know that many of the people following this blog are fellow writers, and I’m excited to be a part of this online community. So, I’m going to offer my first contest. That’s right. I’m giving away a 10,000 word edit, which equates to a $300 value. I’m going to host this for an entire month, so I’ll draw a winner on September 1, 2009.

Here’s how you enter:

You must sign up to follow my blog. (If you’re already signed up—a huge thankful for finding me interesting, and consider this step done.)

Leave a comment on this blog stating that you’d like to be entered.

This will get you one entry into a drawing to win a 10,000 word edit.

Want a second entry?
Post about this contest on your blog, and I’ll enter you a second time. If you don’t have a blog, but can post this on a forum, leave me a comment, and I’ll include you for a second entry. (And yes, I’m working on the honor system, so don’t disappoint.)

Rules and Qualifications:

The 10,000 word edit applies to one work in progress. (A WIP less than 10,000 words can qualify, but the edit will be for the word count of the work.)

Please no poetry. (I love to read it, but it isn’t my forte as an editor.)

I have the right to refuse the edit based on content. If a replacement work isn’t available, I’ll draw another name. Examples of work that would fall into this category include Satanism and erotica.

For those of you who don't know, here's my bio:

Tara McClendon is a Colorado-based freelance writer and editor with a degree in English from Abilene Christian University. She currently works as an independent contractor for Writers Research Group. McClendon writes and provides copy editing for search engine optimized (SEO) Internet guides and articles and uses both AP and Chicago styles.

You can see her work with bylines at Work.com and LIVESTRONG.com. Her specialties include SEO web content, children's books, young adult novels, and fanatasy/sci-fi. McClendon is also a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI).

Better than a Writing Contest

2009-07-27T20:31:00.000-05:00

My stress level today was higher than Mt. Evans—I registered for my first SCBWI conference. I filled out the check boxes indicating which sessions I want to attend, and I’ve already received my confirmation email. Barring any family emergencies, I’ll be actively networking on September 19th and 20th. Despite the nerves, I’m super excited.

I also mailed my entry for the manuscript critique, which means I may have the opportunity to sit down with an agent or editor at the conference. I triple-checked the paper work, made my lovely husband read over it (again), and with shaking hands tried to slide the paperwork into the envelope. It took a couple of calming breaths before the papers finally stayed firm enough to get into the envelope. Oh my!

Here’s a list of the agents and editors who will be featured speakers:

Allyn Johnston – VP & Publisher of Beach Lane Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing

Michael Sterns – agent with Upstart Crow

Kate Sullivan – Assistant Editor at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Christy Webster – Assistant Editor at Random House

I’m also interested in a session offered by Terri Clark. It’s going to cover my genre. Sweet.

The good news is that the entire experience should be better than any writing contest. I’m sure I’ll have to give myself a pep talk on the way to the conference, but I know once I get in there and start meeting people that it will be a blast. FYI, you can come to the conference even if you aren’t a member of SCBWI. For more information, visit the Rocky Mountain Chapter website.

So what about you? Going to any good events or writing conferences?

Welcome Fairies

2009-07-21T20:05:00.000-05:00

Even though I write about human-sized fairies, I rather enjoy miniature things. So, when I came across a website for Urban Fairies and discovered fairy doors, the idea intrigued me. It turns out that there's a whole market for fairy fans. From fairy houses like the ones at Fairy Woodland to the fairy doors created by Enchanted Gardens, there's an accessory out there for just about any type of fairy lover. Who knew?

I love the idea of inviting pixies in to play (and don't think I haven't thought of a story about it). Just imagine if these doorways really let these creatures of fantasy enter our world. It would almost be like having a way to entice the muse to inspire me.

More than that though, I'm excited about the fact that this market exists. Why? Because these are people who just might be interested in my book! As far as a market goes, I'm lucky. Disney continues to prove that people love fairies. Just think about Tinker Bell and her clan. Plus, these products show that adults hang on to their love for fairies. So, it sets up the market nicely for a YA novel featuring pixies. That's good news for writers like me.

So here's to inspiration and a market to target: Hurrah! Now the real question is, can I get my dear hubby to buy me a fairy door, or will he want to make me one? I already have the perfect spot picked out—the wall right next to my computer. Where would you put a fairy door?

Divine Intervention or Caffeine

2009-07-17T12:57:00.001-05:00

There are often nights when I fall asleep wishing to have a dream with a best-selling plot. It worked for Stephenie Meyer and Aprilynn Pike, so why not me? Usually, I fall into a coma-like sleep, and I’m lucky to wake up remembering anything.

So imagine my surprise when I awoke at 4 a.m. with the first two opening paragraphs for my query letter. For some reason, I can help writers create an amazing query letter, but finding the words to describe my own work causes a panic attack.

Well, I grabbed my pen and my writing journal and scrawled out the lines in the pale glow of the light coming from the baby monitor. I wasn’t even sure whether I was writing straight, but I needed to put the thoughts down. I’ve learned that thinking it will stay with me until the morning rarely works.

There are very few times when I have these middle-of-the-night revelations. Usually, I get one good brainstorm and then I fall back into a blissful sleep. As I sank into my pillow, my brain wouldn’t shut off. The words kept pouring out.

Of course, it was about halfway through this creative spell that I realized I’d broken one of my necessary rules. From the time I finished college, I’ve tried very hard to limit my caffeine intake. Usually, I don’t drink caffeinated beverages after 3 p.m. (yes, I’m practicing for the nursing home), but last night we went to see Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,so I indulged in a Pibb.

This made me wonder whether it would be beneficial to slip on my rule in the hopes of other great writing ideas. Was it divine intervention that gave me the words, or was it caffeine supercharging my brain? I can’t say that I know that difference, but I’m thankful for the opening to my query letter.

Do you keep a pen and paper by the bed, and if so, have you had any recent revelations in the middle of the night?

Nim's Island and Inkheart

2009-07-14T10:28:00.000-05:00

There are many movies inspired by books, but I love the ones inspired about writing books. I don't know whether this is because there are things in them that only authors really understand or because I just love writing. Most recently, I've enjoyed Nim's Island and Inkheart. So I did a little research to find out the story behind these stories.

Wendy Orr is the author of 24 books, mostly aimed at children and young adults, including Nim's Island. Scholastic published her first book, Amanda's Dinosaur, in 1988. It's now out of print, but you can find it on Amazon. For those of you who like the find out the story behind the story, Wendy offers a website. You can also find information on upcoming movies based on Wendy's books at her blog, as well as journal entries on her life as a writer.

My favorite part about Nim's Island has to be the way the character (played by Gerard Butler) enables the author to grow in real life. I think sometimes our characters help us work through things we face in our lives.

Cornelia Funke, the author of the Inkheart trilogy (that's right—it's a trilogy), saw her book come to life in the movie version starring Brendan Fraser, Paul Bettany, and Helen Mirren. I've actually read several of Cornelia Funke's books; however, I hadn't associated her with the movie until I watched it. I rather enjoyed the story, and I'm looking forward to continuing the adventure by reading the trilogy. Some of her other books that I enjoy include Dragon Rider and the series Ghosthunters. Visit her website for more information on her writing.

As for my favorite part in this movie, I love when one of the characters decides the author is not his god. Brilliant line!

I know we could compile a lengthy list of movies based on books we love, but I wonder what your favorite movies are that relate to writing. Feel free to stop by and let me know which ones you enjoy.