When it Sucks to Be a Writer

They don't get you. They don't believe in you. Your dreams are an inconvenience to them. They think you are wasting your time on this "hobby", and they make sure you know how foolish you are.

This is a situation every writer faces at some point. Some of us only encounter it when things aren't going according to plan. Some of us live with it for years without a break.

But no matter when or how you face it, you still face it. We all do. It's part of being a writer. And that's what I'm writing about today...

Because sometime being a writer sucks.

Writers are weird. We're different. We don't fit into society's mold. We're dreamers, visionaries, pioneers. Our lifestyles and life choices often don't make sense to non-writers. We spend hours pouring our hearts and souls into a work of art that won't bring in any money for years, maybe never. And we do it because we believe in it. Because it's a part of us. Because we can't NOT do it.

And other people - they just don't get it. And they say stupid things that hurt us. And they make us feel unintelligent and unworthy because we didn't choose a career path that "most" people view as "acceptable".

But you know what? That's okay. They don't have to get it. Someday they'll see what you were doing. The efforts will finally be rewarded. It will finally make sense to everyone. When that day comes, they may finally get you. They may not. But by that time, it won't matter anymore. Your dream will be a reality. You'll be doing what you were created to do, fulfilling a deeper purpose. And that is all you need.

So the next time you're feeling how inconvenient it is to be a writer, remember - every great dreamer faced doubts from their peers. It was how they chose to move forward that set them apart.

Why There Aren't Any Chapters in My First Draft

     This week I started writing the first draft of my newest project - a high fantasy that so far is estimated to be at least 100,000 words long. That's a lot of words! And it has to be sectioned off into chapters just right or it becomes a behemoth to read.

     Normally I'd be starting off with a chapter-by-chapter outline. It's supposed to simplify things. You write up your list of scenes. Then you divvy them up into chapter slots. Then you write your first draft chapter by chapter. I've had it recommended so many times. I always thought it was the sure-fire way to get it done.

     But last week, I did something crazy. Something foolish. Something every other plotter (and even every planter) out there is probably cringing at the thought of.

     ...I stopped using chapters in my outline.

     *gasp*

     I know, right? It seems like such a nutty idea. Now before you go freaking out, just think about it. One of a writer's biggest concerns can become how long each chapter needs to be. Where to start it. How to manage the pacing. How to end it just right so that the reader practically tears a page to get to the next one.

     When you're writing a first draft, you've got enough on your mind. Who wants all of that stress, too?

     That's why I went with a scene-by-scene outline instead. And it's amazing how freeing it feels already. I didn't have to stress during the outlining process. I just wrote up the scenes. I'm not panicking as I realize how many thousands of words are going into each chapter, or how I'm WAY under my word count and have to combine chapters (which would throw everything else off). I'm just plowing through the first draft till I get to the end.

     There's an even bigger plus to this idea than saving initial stresses, though.

     You know what's tight around the corner as soon as I finish drafting? REVISION. That wonderful time when you sit down, pull out the tissues and chocolate, and bemoan how crappy your first draft turned out. When you grab red pens, sharpies, anything with ink and color, and start crossing out, writing in, switching up. It's a mess.

     Believe it or not, THAT is the perfect time to put in the chapters. Once you've decided where everything that's been written needs to go chronologically, you can better determine where your chapter divisions need to be. And it can make the horrible revision process a little lighter, even (unbelievably) fun.

     If you're feeling overwhelmed in writing your first draft, stop and wonder if you're really stressing over your chapters. Step back and ask the question, "Are they helping me or hindering me right now?"

     It could be that using chapter divisions does help you. But if you're anything like me, throwing out chapter divisions will free up your drafting process like nothing but a good villain playlist.

     Sincerely,

          Yours Truly

It's About Time, Time Time...

So, somewhere along the line I convinced myself that writing is a short process. Or maybe I got that impression from how fast I saw myself writing. I'm not a patient person. End of story. (See?) 

I have unbelievable energy and inspiration when I first start a project. And this allows me to get way ahead of other people doing the same thing. 

For a while.

Then I get tired. My inspiration dwindles. I get overwhelmed with how big a project is, sometimes before I've really even started. I get lost in outlines and character profiles and word count goals and writer's block and filler material and Pinterest scrolling. And I lose heart. I give up the battle without fighting long enough to see any ground gained. 

Ever feel like that?

It's part of who I am. I am a highly energetic person. Which doesn't mean I have boundless energy. It means I have great big spurts of energy. And what happens when a spurt fizzles out? What's left afterward?

A great big sigh and an "I can't do really do this, I just thought I could".

Maybe that's why I've only finished less than a handful of manuscripts. Maybe that's why I have notebook after notebook of great story ideas collected over fifteen years of writing...and only one published novel in the same amount of time.

Today, I had a revelation. And it began as I read authoress Marissa Meyer's blog series "From Idea to Finished". I noticed how much time Meyers was suggesting putting into each step of the writing process. And how much time was devoted to the novel before it's rough draft stage.

I suddenly felt very sheepish. I do my share of character profiles. But once I write up a list of their physical features and personality quirks, I want to say "that's enough" and jump right into my rough draft. Sometimes I don't even get a basic outline done completely. And then I wonder why I have to go looking for filler material (like in my last blog post).

That blog series got me thinking. (As it will you - please read it; it will change how you view the writing process!) 

How much time does it really take to write a novel?

Maybe the better question is, how much time does it take to write a novel and how much time does it take to write a best-seller that an editor will actually take the time to read? Another good question: why do I rush into writing the rough draft so quickly and expect the writing, the revising and the polishing to end up like I want it to?

I have definitely been cheating myself out of accomplishing my best. I've been cheating my beta readers out of having finished manuscripts. And I've been cheating my future audience out of ever actually getting to read anything I've written.

Publishing is a scary business. From a writer's standpoint anyway. It takes a LOT of guts to send in a manuscript, knowing that you have worked for months to make it "perfect". It takes almost as much bravery just to think about sending in a manuscript. Especially to a big name company. (Seriously, just sitting here contemplating having a best-seller publishing house read MY manuscript makes me want to cling to it and hide in a closet!)

What if I could overcome that fear? What if instead of fearing I hadn't done my best I knew I had done my absolute best? What if I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I hadn't taken any shortcuts? That I hadn't cheated my novel out of the preparation and attention over time that it was due?

Would it make me braver when it came to sending that novel in to a publisher?

Would it make my novel worthy of being published?

The answer is a definite yes. Oh, there will still be PLENTY to fix come rewrite time. And my beta readers and editors will still have PLENTY to say about things I need to change. But the difference will be that when they see a manuscript of mine, they will see hard work, perseverance and patient, detailed everything. 

Not a second-rate rushed-onto-paper hash of cliches and I-put-this-here-cause-I-didn't-take-time-to-plan-it-out-better.

Not a narrative style that feels more like a bystander calmly observing a distant scene.

A vibrant piece of fiction! Dripping with drama, rich with characterization, satisfying with completed plot lines, engaging with detailed setting...A real, genuine page-turner.

So what is the proper amount of time and prep it takes to write a novel worthy of the New York Best Seller list? I'm not sure yet. But I now know that I can count on it taking a minimum of a year if need be. And you know what?

That's okay.

It's time I quit rushing into the rough draft. I need to slowly but surely sift through ideas and ask the important questions. It's time I eased off on the gas pedal during rewrites. I need to slowly but surely sift through each draft with specific goals in mind. It's time I quit getting discouraged by how long it's taking me to get finished. I need to take my time and enjoy the ride. Because once this manuscript is finished and sent to an editor, I need to know for sure and certain that it is my very best effort. 

This time, I know. This time, things will be different. And it will be a beautiful difference.

Sincerely,

Yours Truly

The Five-Point Stress-Eliminating Outline Guide

Tonight (or rather this morning; it happens to be 2:36am. Why is it that inspiration strikes at the most inconvenient times ever?!....Ahem, let me try this again…)

Tonight I am working on Part Two of a four-part-novel outline. Ever since I started working on this book – actually, since I’ve started writing fiction period – I have found myself trying to come up with brilliant “filler material” that somehow flows seamlessly with the rest of the novel. However, as you all are well aware, filler material tends to be just that. A random set of scenes stuck into the book to fill a gap in time between the two scenes that we actually feel inspiration for.

Needless to say, I keep coming up with bland narratives of boring events that are only made more pathetic with my attempts at clever, distracting dialogue and description. So I decided to take a step back from my attempts and look at the situation with a little more scrutiny. (After all, which is better – a novel thrown out there stuffed with whatever-I-could-find scenes, or a novel that will sit in a folder, quiet and content, until it is ready to be rewritten in a manner that is actually readable?)

It finally occurred to me that my search for 'filler material' was really my novel's desperate cry for some much needed attention. I wasn't trying to tell a story. I was trying to get a book finished. I realized that what I needed for each scene, each paragraph, each sentence, was a goal. A goal that went beyond the simplistic ‘word count’ we writers throw in there to make it seem like we have a goal. I needed to give myself an outline that included only things that would flow smoothly from Point A to Point B without the need for awkward “filler material”. And I needed a system that would work with any genre, narrative style or word-count.

That is how I came up with the system you will find in this blog post. I call it the Five-Point Stress-Eliminating Outline Guide. It is an outline guide that will make outlining a joy again, instead of a burden, and *gasp* will keep you from needing to find any “filler material”. As in, ever again! (Most likely. Unless you, like me, tend to slip back into bad habits.)

Are you ready folks? Here it is – the solution to a problem that has plagued generations of writers!

*dramatic drumroll*

1)      Main & Side Character Development

You may have to start back at square one for this. Oftentimes we writers get so caught up in the things that happen in our stories that we forget to tell what is happening inside our characters. Events change people. Growing up changes people. Meeting new people, new challenges, new victories and defeats – it all changes people. That is what every story is truly about. And it’s what makes a story click with the audience.

            If you haven’t already, a good place to start is to make a literal arch on a piece of paper – it looks like one of these ( turned clockwise – and write out where your character starts off, where your character ends, and all the twists and turns in between. (Not plot twists and turns; emotional/mental/spiritual twists and turns.)

            Now, take that written arch and look back over your outline. Your potential scenes. Your random piles of filler material. What is going to show off each bump, up or down, in your character’s arch to the best possible potential? Does this scene grow him as a person? Does this situation give us a chance to look into her soul? Do we see change? Do we see a stubborn persistence in behavior or attitude? To put it succinctly, is this scene important to him/her? It doesn't have to be huge and life-altering. It just needs to point us to that arch in some way, subtle or shocking.

            This doesn’t just apply to main characters, either. The best minor characters (whether villainous henchmen or hilarious side kicks) will only come to life if you give them a life to display.

2) Introductions (culture, crucial characters, questions that pique the audience’s curiosity)

Your main character walks into a new place that needs some element of explanation. A minor character needs to make their first appearance. An event makes your audience curious and makes them want to keep reading.

            If none of this is happening, you may need to rethink how you are telling this story. Major introductions should end after the first third of the novel. But you’re making an outline, so take the opportunity to go through the first third of it with a fine-tooth comb. (Trust me – it will be worth it!) Also, never forget that you need to keep bringing in additional questions throughout your novel to make your audience turn the pages. In fact, the last chapter is the only chapter where no new questions are allowed. (For a brushing up on good “hook” questions, check out my post on the subject!)

It is SO helpful and truly inspiring to the outline weary. When looking for “filler material” to get you from Point A to Point B, think of those three elements of introduction (culture, characters, questions). You’ll be surprised at how quickly your fillers become crucial turning points.

3)      Interpersonal Relationship Developments

Relationships are some of the most important points in our novels. Yet they tend to be neglected once the two lovers finally express their love, or two friends realize they are best friends, or two brothers who betrayed each other realize they will have to work with each other after all. The battle sequences, plot twists, and introductions are all important. But once two crucial characters are introduced and a relationship of any kind is begun, you don’t dare let it lag! That is the burial ground for realistic and interesting novels.

            One way to come up with a good filler scene, or to decide if an old scene needs to go, is to ask this simple question: have relationships between my main character and the other characters in the story been revealed, developed or destroyed lately? If the answer is NO, you can use this opportunity to invent a scene that will openly display the relationship between characters.

            NOTE: Again, it doesn’t have to be a jaw-dropping twist to the story. Often readers relate as well to simple glimpses into a good friendship or ongoing romance as they do to new information. And in an incredibly complicated, serious, heavy-material-type story, it can be a good breather.

4)      Subplot Developments

Speaking of minor characters…what about their lives? As I’ve mentioned before, one of my favorite examples of excellent subplot development is Charles Dickens’ work Little Dorrit. In it, he creates unforgettable side characters that further the main character’s journey…all while showing glimpses of complicated journeys of their own. True, it is a bit confusing. (When you watch the film version, you end up a bit dizzy.) But it’s still a good lesson to us modern writers in how important subplot development is.

            If you haven’t already, fix yourself a page separate from your main outline and write down all your important minor characters. Then, give them each a journey that they are going through that will tie in with the main plot or main character’s development. It doesn’t have to be the extremely important kind of subplot (not every character has to be the secret son of the main character’s mother). But it should affect the main plot in some way, even if all it does is give the main character a reason to step back and evaluate their own life. This makes filler material even easier – try and squeeze in at least three scenes throughout that specifically deal with a minor character’s life in a way that develops that character and the main character. Easy filler – and enjoyable read!

5)      Furthering of Main Plot (a.k.a. story continuity)

This one is obvious at first glance. But a second glance shows that Point 5, like the others, tends to be left in the dust very quickly. We hurry and scurry to make filler scenes – and then we wonder why they don’t seem to match the rest of the story. IT’S BECAUSE THEY DON’T! They weren’t created with the main plotline in mind, so they won’t further it. And this makes them awkward, unnecessary, and incredibly annoying. The easiest way to decide if a scene works with the rest of the novel is to look at it and see if it has any ties to the main plot.

            Each scene should somehow reflect on the overall arch of the story itself. We should fill it with side stories, minor characters, character development, and interest-piquing questions. But throughout the entire story should be woven one master thread. Once a scene loses contact with that thread, it loses all importance to the story. Now it is officially “filler”. Congratulations. We just lost our audience!

            Look at EACH SCENE individually. Look for that main thread. It doesn’t have to be huge. It doesn’t have to be blatantly obvious. It just needs to be there, subtly drawing the reader into the novel, leading them through every page with a consistency that promises the wait is worth it. If you can’t see the point of a scene, trust me – they can’t either. On the flip side, when every scene reminds the reader that things are moving forward, when each event gives us a glimpse into our character’s soul, when no paragraph is there just to be there but rather prods the reader to keep reading…that’s what you call a Best Seller novel in the making.

           Whew!

           Okay, that took a LOT more words than I thought it would. But I’m glad I wrote it. Now I will have a better vision as I write down my outline goals. I hope you do, too. I hope this inspires you to go out there and get that outline done. Because, let’s face it – road trips are so much easier with a map to guide us.

            I remain, as always,

                                    Yours Truly (and dreadfully sleepy)

He Said, She Said...and Neither Needed To

     What is dialogue? The online version of the Merriam-Webster dictionary brought up the following definitions:

     1) The things that are said by the characters in a story, movie, play, etc.

     2) A discussion or series of discussions that two groups or countries have in order to end a disagreement.

     3) A conversation between two or more people.

     You'll notice that none of those three definitions included the phrase "used to describe scenery or actions in a book so that the author doesn't have to bore the audience with a sentence or two doing the exact same thing in the narrative". 

     And yet that is exactly how too many amateur authors and authoresses treat dialogue. Seriously, why is that so hard to avoid? There are a couple of semi-valid reasons that writers resort to this method of description. Fortunately (for me at least) they are also very easy to address.

     One reason an author may be tempted to insert description during dialogue is that it seems far more clever than the traditional route of using the narrative. And I have to agree - that is a VERY tempting proposition. Especially when you have reader friends who keep insisting that you stop "writing like Charles Dickens". (Trust me, I've had my full of that. It's called GOOD WRITING, people!...Ahem...) It sounds simple enough. Take all the boring descriptions; slip it into the dialogue. Nobody will notice, right? Um, wrong!

     Another reason is that the author is actually attempting to write in a classic style. Everyone looks up to "the classics". Even authors of what my mother calls 'fluff novels' can become famous for their flowery narrative. That's what people look for in good books, so why not include it in the dialogue and make it really flowery? Again, wrong!

     And then there's a third reason. (And please don't be offended by it.) But a very big problem with many amateur author's dialogue sections is plain ignorance. You hear some description in dialogue every day. 

     "Hey - who's that?" 

     "Who?" 

     "That blonde girl walking in with Prescott." 

     "Where?" 

     "Over by the entrance." 

     "Which one?" 

     "Seriously?! The one by the water fountain."

     You hear that and it sounds natural. So it's no surprise that many amateur authors try to fit that kind of dialogue into their stories. But they get carried away and don't realize that they're including too much description. Instead, it turns out like this:

     "Hey - who's that girl?"

     "What girl?"

     "The girl with the flowing blonde hair and the pretty, sharp green cocktail dress? She's walking in in those stunning bejeweled stilettos."

     "Where?"

     "Over there behind the vine-covered columns near the southwest entrance."

     "Which one is that?"

     "Seriously?! The southwest entrance by the blue trickling waterfall surrounded by sweet mermaids."

     (I kid you not - I have actually read a published book written by a friend that read like that!)

      See? Not nearly as natural. Way overdone. Almost annoying. And it will easily lose that author's audience.

     Now all thee of these reasons seem legitimate at the time. But you take a dialogue sequence like that, and - well, it's just not worth the effort you'll have to put in once it's time for the rewrite. 

     So, how to nip it in the bud? 

     Easy! When you start writing dialogue, STOP. Talk it out loud to yourself first (as all the parts). The ear is the best writer of all, so they say. (They are totally right, by the way! See my other article on the subject of talking to yourself - I mean, your characters!) Then, while it's still fresh in your mind, write it down as fast as you can. Then, read it out loud to yourself, acting it out so to speak. If it still sounds good, keep going. If not...take a very long break with a big plate of brownies followed by a long walk and a tall glass of water. And start all over again.

     Hope that this helps you! If not...my apologies. 

     Sincerely,

          Yours Truly

Confessions from Camp NaNo

     Six o'clock was much earlier than I was used to getting up. But I could already feel the morning person inside me gearing up for a writing frenzy. I got some breakfast and hot tea, sat down with my computer and notebooks, and started the journey we writers call National Novel Writing Month.

     November was a busy month for me - or at least, what I used to consider busy. I had dance classes twice a week, church and meetings weekly, and let's not forget one of America's biggest holidays (Thanksgiving) at the end of the month (which is always the hardest time for tired writers). But I was determined! The year before, my friend had beaten me to the 50,000 word count goal by a matter of hours. And this year I was going to beat her. No matter what it took.

    That was 2012. And that, friends, was the last NaNo of any kind in which I successfully completed my entire word count goal.

     Allow me to put this into perspective: during this last month (Camp NaNo), I had a word count goal of 15,000, an extremely modest goal given the 50,000+ I completed only three years before. And...I made it all the way up to 4,040 words. Total. Fantastic, right?

     You can imagine how it felt. I, a once-avid writer, had fallen so short of my own word count goals that I was almost embarrassed to admit it to anyone else. Some writer I've turned out to be. Life throws me a few curves and the first thing I give up is writing!

      .....And yet, on the flip side of that coin, I did write almost 5,000 words. And I did complete two of my smaller goals (completing two chapters I was struggling to make any headway with).

     So does it count as a failure or as a success?

     I guess it helps at this point to consider the value of what I gained versus the gravity of what I lost. Because honestly, I didn't lose anything (except a notch on my belt of writerly pride). I only gained. And five thousand words, as sorry as that sounds compared to fifty thousand, are still that many words written down. Not stored away in my brain for a rainy day. Not procrastinated over for months on end. Not sitting idly filling my head with writer's shame. They're on my computer waiting for some additions.

     And isn't that really the goal of writing? To get words onto paper? (Or in this digital age, onto the computer hard drive.)

     Maybe it's just me trying to sound noble after a failure of such epic proportions. But given the fact that the month of July was very unusually busy for me, I'm actually quite proud of myself for getting any writing done. At least now I have one foot in the door for completing what I started. And who knows? Maybe when National Novel Writing Month comes around, I'll be so geared up by Camp NaNo failure that I'll actually complete the much bigger (and more stressful) goal.
   
     We shall see.

      Until my next post, I remain,

                 Yours Truly

Patchwork Writing

     What part of a story do you start writing first? The answer seems simple. The beginning - duh! But is it really that simple? Chronological writing is only one way to write, and for many writers it is the hardest.

     And yet that part isn't too simple, either. You can't just start at the end, or even start in the middle, and end up with a plot line that's all connected and makes sense. However, there are alternatives to starting at the first sentence and writing clear through to the end, especially when you just can't seem to get that first sentence started.

     This alternative is what I like to call "patchwork writing". Because that's really all it is - taking scraps of written scenes and piecing them together once you've finished them.

     Allow me to demonstrate.

     Let's say that I'm working on a scene with combined dialogue and description. The description is really important because it will give my readers a feel for the whole situation and a glimpse into the setting. But let's say that I'm having problems because my dialogue is coming out all wrong. It's stilted and unrealistic and sounds like a bad lip reading of Shakespeare. So what do I do?

     What I always do in such a crisis - I take the dog for a walk and talk the scene out between my characters. Then, once I've got the sequencing right, I write down just that dialogue. I even skip the actions until I've got the part down that I know sounds good.

     Now I've got a workable written portion. What's next? The part that was hard becomes easy. I take my writerly thimble, needle and thread and start connecting the dialogue with the rest of the portions I've written. This would be the description and actions that make up the rest of the scene and all the in-between parts.

     And that trick, believe it or not, solves 50% of my chronological-writing problems. It's my #1 piece of advice to give to writers struggling with chronological writing (especially when it comes to NaNoWriMo). It also keeps me interested in my own writing long enough to finish a project, which, as you may have noticed, is not always an easy thing for me to do.

     So take this trick (if you haven't already done it yourself) and share it with your writer friends. Or just use it yourself and get to that writing project you've been putting off because of this very issue!

     Sincerely,

          Yours Truly

I'm Not Talking to Myself - My Characters are Talking

     How many of you have had that conversation lately? Neighbors, family and coworkers don't quite know what to think of us when we writers talk out our dialogues in a low (or not-so-low) voice with no one else around. I actually have a friend who had a security guard ask her manager if she was all right. Talk about busted!

     The truth of the matter is that (no matter how embarrassing it can be to have someone laugh at you for "talking to yourself") we writers have to talk out our dialogue. There's just no way around it.

     Why, a non-writer might ask? It makes perfect sense if you consider what goes into writing.

     When a writer sits down to a blank screen, there is an automatic "FREEZE!" moment. They suddenly can't think of a thing to write. So they think and plot and plan a little, then come back and sit down again. With first sentences, this is pretty easy. With dialogue, not so much. Why? Because narrative is easy to write. It's like writing in a journal, or blogging, or Twittering. It's basically typing out your thoughts. No editing is really needed as you go to make it sound natural (most of the time). Dialogue, on the other hand, isn't something you can always write naturally because all conversations with more than one person (you and yourself don't count) happen out loud, not inside our heads.

     This means that when you're writing dialogue, you can't just depend on what you hear inside your head. You have to hear it out loud to know whether or not it sounds right. You have to hear it to know if people would really say things like that. "The ear is the best writer" is the saying - and it is completely right when it comes to dialogue!

     Think of it this way:

     You love fudge; you've eaten lots of fudge; you've made lots of fudge. But you've never tried Lemon Bar Fudge. Now, you can read the recipe all you want. You can think about how delicious it's going to be. You can even pin pictures of it onto your favorite Pinterest board. But you will never know what it tastes like unless you actually put a bite into your mouth.

     The same is true of dialogue. You can read it. You can plan it. You can even write it down. But until you hear it spoken out loud, you will never know if it SOUNDS right.

     So for those of you who are hiding behind bedroom doors, cowering in the basement study, covering up your conversations with the noise of a hot shower, I would say this - rehearsing dialogue is nothing to be ashamed of. A little unusual for non-writers to see, but not at all unusual for a writer to do. The next time somebody gives you that look and asks, "Who are you talking to?" just give them a lecture on the subject of how to properly test dialogue. And I guarantee you, they may think you're crazy, but they won't ask about it again.

     Sincerely,

          Yours Truly

LIFE: What Having a Child Will Do For Your Writing

      A lot of people make a big deal about how having children will change your life. "You'll never get to go anywhere fun!" "You'll never be able to afford it!" "You'll ruin your figure, not to mention your life!" Oh, and my personal favorite - "Just forget about romance after this!" People make a big deal about almost any major event in your life (and theirs). As if the world is coming to an end just because you have to plan your life more carefully or work out more diligently. But what they tend to forget is that you can turn almost anything to your advantage as a writer. And major life experiences are no exception.

     No, this is not a blog post on how having my daughter has been one of the best things that has ever happened to me. Nor it is a blog post on the many ways she actually has changed my life. (For the record - the romance only leaves if you let it. Just sayin'.) This post is going to be about how life-changing events, like having a child, can actually improve your writing on a level nothing else can.

     How? Here are three important ways.

     1) It makes you think about priorities. This may sound daunting and undoubtedly cliched, but any change in your life that starts to cause inconveniences (from missing Mom's old coffee maker to waking up at 3:30 a.m. to a baby's cries) will make you rethink what's important in your life. Our lives only have so much room despite our efforts to cram everything in. Which means that we have to decide what is important enough to make time to do and what isn't. As harsh as it sounds, if the one thing you don't have time or energy or inspiration for is writing, then it's time to let it go temporarily. If you find yourself spiraling downward without it, it means you're still a writer at heart. If you find your life is simply that much better without it - it means you're not really a writer at heart and you need to focus on those passions you were created for.

     2) It gives you fuel for your stories. The more experiences you are exposed to, the more you will have to write about. I haven't had that much happen to me throughout my life compared to most people, certainly not many big life changes. (Either that, or I just didn't realize that they were big life changes at the time.) So for years I have struggled with the phrase "write what you know". If I was supposed to write about only my life experiences, then my book was going to be awfully boring! (More on that phrase in a later post...) Now that I've had more happen to me (marriage, moving away from family, having a baby), I not only feel like I have actually had something happen in my life - I have SO much more to write about! I now have a huge increase in story material from my own life that I can write about expertly because (duh!) it happened to me. And that leads to the most important way a life changing event helps a writer...

   3) It allows a writer to sympathize with the characters. Most of my stories growing up were about people older than me, in different circumstances than me, dealing with a lot of things I could only imagine I knew about. And it made for pretty unconvincing story lines, not because I hadn't done my research, but because I had no source for emotional connection with my characters. I had never been separated from a loved one, so I couldn't properly relate how a girl would feel if the love of her life got sent off to war. I had never had a child, so I couldn't properly relate how a parent would feel about watching a child have to go through something difficult. I had never been through surgery, so I couldn't properly relate how a person would feel having to deal with rehab. Now that I have experienced all these major life events, I can write as though I understand what a character is going through even if their particular life experiences are slightly different than mine. Why? Because I have been through similar situations, if not identical ones (I'm pretty sure no one has ever carried around a magic ring and had to dump it in a volcanic mountain before). And while before the reactions I came up with were noble and brave and idealistic, I can now write reactions that are more realistic. People are people. They don't always react like they should. And having been through some "stuff" myself, I can now understand why they don't. It makes for better plot lines, more lifelike characters, and reactions people can believe.

     Does all this mean that writing is made any easier having a child around? Or living in a new area where you don't know anyone? Or dealing with a physical condition that takes up a lot of your time? Absolutely not! But easier isn't always better. Just ask my post-pregnancy-work-out-sore abs - sometimes you have to endure pain to build muscle. So don't complain about the inconvenience of life experiences. Start using them!

     Sincerely,

            Yours Truly

Guess Who's Back? (And Bringing Company)

     Wow. Having a kid in your life will do all kinds of crazy things to your writing! But not necessarily bad things. Later this weekend, I'll be publishing a post about how all of this "non-writing time" has affected my writing and what I've drawn from it - and, hopefully, some other, fun posts, too!

      For now, let me share with you some food for thought: a vlog (video blog) by Nosco Says in which my big brother discusses weak, underdeveloped villains - and when you can afford to get away with using them. Although drawn from films, this vlog certainly applies to writers. I myself was convicted of falling prey to the kind of cheap writing Nosco points out.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vs. Big Hero 6

     Please enjoy and share with your writer friends!

     Sincerely,

           Yours Truly
   

Fiction 101 - the Art of Plot Line Q & A

     Recently, I started watching the TV show Terra Nova on Netflix. It follows a futuristic family (22nd century) who are among many to travel back in time and establish a colony in the 'prehistoric' past. The show, though only one season long, has so far proven to be full of suspense, plot twists and dazzling eye candy shots of a beautiful world - and lots of dinosaurs (which is where it really gets fun).
   

   
     Now, this post isn't about the show or its actors or even the fact that I haven't noticed any plot holes thus far (a great discovery in this era of action-only-ditch-the-good-plot-part movies). It's about the main frustration I've felt in watching this show, one that I've noticed I also tend to feel in a lot of novels for teens and kids. And that frustration is simple: faulty plot line Q & A.

     What is Plot Line Q & A, you may ask? That, my friend, is the element of a novel that makes the reader HAVE to turn the next page, HAVE to read the next chapter, HAVE to finish the book tonight. It's not that difficult to incorporate, either. In fact, as most stories invent themselves in a writer's head (for those of you who aren't writers, stories have a tendency to do that) they develop their own system of Plot Line Q & A.

     This is because all good stories are based not on action but on a question - how is the main character going to fight this/survive/win the girl/figure this out/etc. The subsequent development of both character and plot are meant to advance that question to a definite and satisfying answer. How a writer develops the SUB questions, however (the questions that underlie the big, easy-to-see-one), is what will make the reader continue reading.

     In Terra Nova, the writers did an excellent job of asking lots of questions. How is the dad going to travel back with them? What is this Commander Taylor guy really doing here? Where did these strange markings come from? Who are the Sixers?

     The trouble was with answering them - or rather, with not answering them. The point to asking somebody a question and then giving a dramatic pause is to make them REALLY want to know what the answer is. Usually they start guessing; then they start to get antsy. Finally, they get impatient - and that's when you know you've waited too long. In Terra Nova, the writers didn't give the audience a chance to get to the antsy stage. In fact, I myself barely got to the guessing stage. They asked the questions in one episode and then answered them at the end or in the next episode. And it was really, REALLY disappointing not to get to guess the answers myself or be made to HAVE to watch the next episode so I could find out.

     Again, the questions were good ones, and they were asked subtly enough. To add to that, the action and drama surrounding the questions were such a good distraction that the audience could have gone on for several episodes being asked new questions without getting to the impatient stage about the first ones. But the writers didn't do that. They went ahead and answered them - through some rather cheesy plot exposition dialogue, too, I might add. And that's what spoiled it for me.

     So how do you get the Plot Line Q & A right without either disappointing your audience (answering too quickly) or driving them nuts (making them wade through 25 episodes of junk to find the answers)?

     That part just takes practice. And a little keen observation as you read books and watch TV. (Yes, believe it or not, TV and movies are an EXCELLENT way to learn how to and how not to develop plot line, characters, etc.)

     One good way to gauge how well you're doing with Q & A is to sit next to somebody while they read your manuscript and have them give you their honest opinion about it. (You can just have them read it and report back to you, but it's much funnier when you're sitting next to them.) When my sister-in-law was reading through my most recent manuscript for critiquing purposes, she did this part really well. Once every chapter at least, she'd look at me and say, "Wait - why is such and such happening?" Then (without fail) two or three sentences later, she'd go "Oooohhhh, I get it." At the end, she told me that she had noticed I had done a good job of asking a question and making the audience wait just the right amount of time before answering it - all while adding new questions to the pile.

     No, in case you're wondering, this is not another plug for my book or my own personal writing skills. It's simply that I thought of that incident as I was watching this TV show because I realized just how important it is to ask and answer the right questions at the right moments for the ultimate experience of suspense and intrigue.

     My litmus test for good Plot Line Q & A? Look at your manuscript and ask yourself the following questions. (The answers should be written down somewhere for you to look over as your edit.)

     1) Am I immediately answering all questions as I get to them, or am I leaving a few answers at least until later?

     2) Am I asking my questions directly (as in through dialogue or narrative) or am I just sort of leaving a situation unexplained, in which case the audience is asking the questions? (A good combination of both makes the audience feel like they're not being taken advantage of or having all the work done for them.)

     3) How many times have I asked this question, and do I need to take out a few references to it so the audience doesn't get tired of being asked and shut the book?

     4) Contrarily, has the audience been so distracted by subplots that they've already forgotten I asked this question, in which case do I need to a) ask it again or b) take out some distraction?

     5) Am I rushing to explain situations by having other characters talk about them early on (plot exposition dumps are REALLY annoying to a reader), or am I letting the situations explain themselves as the pieces of the puzzle start to come together?

     In the end, how you ask and answer questions is something only you have control over. But remember always - an audience appreciates good suspense, and Plot Line Q & A (done right) is how you get that. My challenge to you is to look over whatever you're writing now (seriously, take a break from the internet and look over that huge document sitting in the Microsoft Word file) and ask the questions listed. Then keep those questions in mind as you continue writing and see how it turns out. Have fun! And good luck.

     Sincerely,

          Yours Truly

Author's Bio 101

     Today I had to write an author's bio for the back of my book. I also had to take a picture to be sent in, which isn't an easy thing to do given that I am currently four months pregnant and starting to really look it. I'm all in the groove for writing at the moment, and decided that while in this groove I might as well write a blog post. And this is what I have to write about.
      Most people think an author's bio would be the least of their worries when it comes time to publish. Au contraire, mom ami! An author's bio is what they will live up to for the rest of their known life! It is that small glimpse into our world people all over the globe may read. And if it doesn't sound just right, it doesn't sound professional. Too long? Unprofessional. Too short? Why did you put it in there?! Too trite? You sound like a fourth-grader writing up an "all about me" paper for school.
     See? Not so simple after all.
     The best tip I can give is this: READ AUTHOR BIOS FROM NEW YORK BEST SELLERS! The answer to most questions of professional quality is simply to see how the professionals do it. And this is exactly what I did. The results were comforting. I can add in some personal, non-writing-related interests; and I don't have to put down the name of the city that I live in given that it might be changing soon. All in all, a very gratifying tour of the professional world, and one that makes me feel incredibly professional myself.
     How did it turn out? Well, buy the book when it comes out and you'll see!...Okay, maybe I just wrote this post to promote my book. Can you blame me?
     As always, I remain sincerely,
                                           Yours Truly

How to Get Your Audience Back in 5 Easy Steps

     My first novella is finished (as in actually, literally finished; no more writing on it allowed!) so I have naturally moved on to the next project. And this one will be considerably more involved than the last. Mainly because the original 'finished' version was well over 100,000 words instead of a mere 25,000. But it is also because there are a lot of important characters, complex backgrounds and interwoven subplots that are vital to the story. So this novel is, as I said, more involved. It will also, however, be more exciting as I begin the process of making it an interesting novel instead of just a mediocre novel, as it is now.
     I'm going to relay to you some of the fascinating things that I discovered as I reread the material and began outlining the changes I wanted to make in this new version. And these are things that I believe every writer should look at as they prepare to do any kind of rewrite.

1. Cut to the Chase
     The first chapter of the original version took my character from Scene 1 to Scene 2 in about 2,000+ words - the amount of words I now use to cover an entire first chapter, and it wasn't anywhere near done yet. It used up 1,000 of those words just to get around to introducing another character and including actual dialogue. And all of those 1,000 words were used to explain the situation the character found herself in.
     In the new version, my character broods for a grand 520 words (literally half that of the original) and spends less time explaining so that the audience, instead of being bored, has their curiosity aroused. Contrarily, I added over 100 words to the dialogue sequence - a part of the narrative that the audience actually would find interesting. My goal in this destroy-and-add-words binge? To skip all the gobblety-gook (as my grandmother would put it) and just tell the story.

2. Cut to the Important Characters
     Let's talk reality here. In real life, we meet up with dozens (even hundreds) of people that we'll never meet more than once or twice. We might politely exchange names; we might chat about school, work, the weather, even politics; we might say "see y'all soon". But we'll never actually see those people again. It's just how life works. So it makes sense to assume that to make a novel reflect real life, we have to have our main characters intermingle with at least a few nonessential characters here and there. The more, the merrier, right?
     Eh, WRONG! While unnamed nonessential characters do add a sense of reality to the novel (something important in a fantasy), they can become "those characters" that annoy the reader because we read about them once and never read about them again - especially if you already have two dozen essential characters floating around. The audience will never know whom they're supposed to keep track of. (And a well-laid-out glossary does NOT help in these instances!)
     The first step in this second step (pardon the repetition) is simple. Replace all nonessential personnel (particularly the named ones) with the minor characters your story is filled with. And voila! Your audience is instantly introduced to people they actually do have to keep track of, and they will inherently care more about what is going on in the story. If and when a nonessential could help you out a little (such as a random villager yelling "fire" or a bank teller being obnoxious), simply remember to keep them unnamed and their part in the story brief.

3. Cut the Narrative
     While briefly telling the audience what happened is important so we don't spend the whole six years in the dungeons, it can equally be frustrating if that's all the audience ever reads. For example, the first half of the original version of my novel spent well over 80% telling the audience what happened rather than letting them find out as the characters experienced it. It seemed important at the time; after all, nothing of significance was happening. Then I thought of something - if nothing of significance was happening, why am I boring my audience with this section?
     Easy way out - tell the audience. Challenging way - SHOW the audience. In this instance, it seems best if I try the challenging way so that my audience will actually want to get past the boring section of story to where the adventure REALLY begins. And that leads to Number Four...

4. Cut the In Between
     So the guy has to spend four years in college to get him to that final road trip across Europe. So what? Everybody has a dry spell in their life wherein nothing of importance happens. If we have to live through those spells, what makes us think we'd want to read about those spells? A writer's first instinct is often to "shorten" the boring sections by narrating what happens briefly. But if the time that elapses is long in any way, shape or form, the audience is going to fall asleep by paragraph two. We aren't being paid by the word like Charles Dickens, people! We can afford to - gasp - skip over the boring parts and launch right into the important stuff.
     "But what happens in the middle is what sets up the character for that road trip! It's essential to the story." Our whole lives are about us being set up for what takes place next. If we used that excuse every time, we never would get around to the actual ending, would we? The way to find a balance between not telling enough and telling way too much is to focus on the main conflict and its resolution. Not EVERYTHING that happened to this guy set him up for that road trip.
     Pick out the biggest, most memorable things that happened (even if he doesn't get how they all connect yet; let the audience figure that one out and they'll love you for the intrigue). Let the character experience them through dialogue and action rather than narrative. And go through it as briefly as possible.

5. Cut the Insights
     Speaking of the things that will happen to our characters...Our audience will know from the moment they pick up the book that something is going to happen to this character. So why bother them the whole way through by giving those "insights" that something is going to happen? They came for a surprise, not a teaser trailer!
     Sentences like "Little did she know what was inside" or "If he could only have known what was about to happen next" or (heaven help us) "this was going to change his life forever" have their place. Used sparsely (read: ONCE) they can add a hint of intrigue. It's when you use them at the end of every chapter (read: more than once) that the audience tires of them.
     Instead, make the audience ask the questions themselves throughout. And that will build up their curiosity. Answering those questions in a timely fashion will serve you much better than FINALLY telling the audience whatever it was that the character (duh!) didn't know.

     Well, that's it, folks - my five-steps-to-getting-your-audience-back lecture. I'll be using it a LOT as I write a new version of this old story. I hope you do, too, as you go through your own rewrites. Remember, your audience is a lot smarter than we authors give them credit for. Don't push them away by being boring and trite. Give them something that will make them share it with their friends (and pay good money to read the next one).

     Sincerely,
          Yours Truly

My Writing Process Blog Tour

   
Today, I opened my Facebook account and found my name tagged in a post by a fellow writer and blogger. Her challenge? To join her in the writing process blog tour. At first, I didn't know what on earth it was. Then I read another person's blog entry on the same topic and found myself very much liking the idea of following suit. So, here I go. For those of you who know me personally, please enjoy the glimpse into my writer's mind. For those of you who don't - if you're a writer, you should consider writing this out for yourself, even if you don't have a blog, just for the fun of it. And to get a clear view of what you're doing, how you're doing, and (most importantly) why you're doing it.

What am I working on?

     This week, I finally picked up the pages of my printed manuscript and began editing yet again for the third rewrite of what I hope will be my first published work. The book is a novella (short novel). Genre: fantasy - or more specifically fairy tale. It takes the Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale Little Golden Hood (a variation of the well-known Little Red Riding Hood) and expounds on it, adding life to the characters and depth to the story. I'm about halfway through the manuscript right now. And after I finish this rewrite, I will begin the final editing stage.

How does my work differ from others in its genre?

     The first thing that is different about my novella is that, while all modern fairy tale retellings alter the story, characters or themes in some way, this one doesn't. Like, at all. I literally took the original story and just elongated it. I like to call it the extended edition. Do I add to it? Of course! The original story, while fascinating, did what all fairy tales do - left out the details so as to get the main story across. I merely fill in the details to help tie all the loose ends together. 

     For instance, why does Little Golden Hood not get freaked out when the wolf talks? For that matter, how can the wolf talk? And why would he go all the way to grandmother's house to eat her first when he could have eaten Little Golden Hood right then and there and saved himself the trouble? I also add names so that I don't have to overuse the pronoun system. And I add subplots to a) explain the unexplained and b) make the story more interesting to audiences that expect that sort of thing.

     This novella also doesn't seek to impose post modern fairy tale tropes on the audience or follow the most recent character stereotypes. Little Golden Hood isn't a rebellious teenager or a curious college kid. The wolf isn't really a human in disguise and he has no romantic interest in the main character. And the main villain isn't a parent or (who'd a thunk?) a religious leader. Furthermore, the main character isn't seeking desperately to alter her own future (or if we're going Disney, to 'follow her heart' and 'find her destiny').  Nor is she the only one who can change the course of events because of something that's just different about her. 

     Overall, this novella will be pretty by-the-book (literally) and will be very classical in its telling. (Note to anyone interested: classical does not mean boring; just ask my sister-in-law who couldn't put this book down:)

Why do I write what I write?

     This question is really too complex to answer in a short blog post, but I'll do the best I can. The first thing I have to clarify is WHAT I write. That is - well, everything. While fantasy is my favorite genre, I also indulge in a good deal of historical fiction, the occasional modern fiction, and even come up with some half-decent science fiction once in a while. Recently, I dove into the very popular dystopian/apocalyptic genre and had a lot of fun. So to answer the question? I write all of these genres and the stories in those genres because God gave me an overactive imagination that simply can't help itself when it comes to inventing stories. 

     I write fantasy first and foremost because it is the closest we will ever come to the spiritual world outside of the Bible. (The Pilgrim's Progress IS the most widely-read book among Christians after the Bible, you know.) Fantasy gives us a glimpse of the supernatural, heightens our sense of moral conflict, and illuminates the ultimate battle between good and evil that will one day culminate in the victory of Christ over Satan. Add to that the fact that when it comes to fantasy, you're options are quite literally limitless - why wouldn't I want to write fantasy?

     It is something that has become a part of my soul, and, I believe, has drawn me closer to God. In writing fantasy, I encounter myself in a setting where the petty problems of a materialistic world are outweighed by the great moral peril. Allegories abound, even when it is unintentional. Spiritual truths unfold as we never see them in other genres. And we can feel the magnitude, catch a sense, of the true war - the spiritual war of which we are a part, we mere mortals.

     Okay, so maybe I get a little carried away when I talk about fantasy. But when it comes to writing, fantasy is my first love. So let's move on to other genres.

     I write historical fiction because I love history. I love reading about other times and places, events that really took place, heroes and villains who really lived. I like to look at something and imagine myself there - and historical fiction does that. It gives us a chance to wear the shoes of people from a world that has passed us by and is now only memory. (Sorry for the sappy sentiment; I get a little romantic sometimes.)

     Other genres I love for the same reason - imagining myself in other places, other situations, other people groups. It's something that not only stimulates the imagination but leaves me feeling deep respect for people who actually live those lives. 

     And all of it I write for the glory of God - because He's the one who gave me the imagination, the inspiration and the ability to write in the first place.

How does my writing process work?

     The writing process is different for many people. Some are able to set a time each day to write a small amount and then just walk away when they're finished. Not so with me! I write when inspiration hits me - and that in itself is an extremely unpredictable occurrence. Sometimes it happens when I read an article; usually with historical fiction it happens as I read through history textbooks or come across interesting documentaries and movies about a specific time frame. Often I am struck by a theme, a character, or a plot line in a film (most likely a poorly written screenplay that just begs me to write something better). And sometimes I just see something or someone in real life that inspires me to ask the question "what if". 

     Once the idea has formed, it's like a disease (in the best possible sense) that takes over my mind. I think on it; stew over it; play out different scenarios in my head. Then eventually (as soon as possible really), I sit down and write out a summary, a character list, and a title. The next part of the process is filing those papers away while waiting to decide if I really want to focus my efforts on that story or one of the other six dozen all waiting for me to pull them out and write them. Usually I stick with a story that I've been working on for a few years and write it up around NaNo time. 

     Depending on what's going on in my life, I may or may not get it finished; I may or may not get around to the revision, the rewrites and the editing. But once I do, the book will finally be completed and I'll send it off to CreateSpace.com and have it printed! (This last part has only happened twice, and both times it was just for me or for a friend. We'll see how it goes this time!)

     

     Well, there you have it, folks. And there I put it! It's good to be reminded on occasion of all of those things, see myself go off on tangents, etc. I think all writers should do it at some point every year (or even every season). If you are a writer, you know how important it is to always keep inspired, always keep on writing. Well, this little challenge - this tour - has helped me to do that. I suggest you try it, too. And if you have a blog? Post it! Nothing like knowing other people will read what you write to make you double check why you're writing it. This is a great way to do that.

     Until next post, I remain,

              Yours Truly

Announcing a Book Giveaway! (And trying desperately to win it...)

     Well, this week I'm not going to write a profound post about things only a writer would get. I'm going to be a rat fink and use my blog to get a chance at winning my friend's amazing book giveaway! No judging people, please. When finances are tight, we all do crazy things. Besides, this not only gives me a chance to win but exposes my friend's blog to more people - and I'm all about sharing her blog. Elaine Dalton's poetry is melodic and inspiring; and it often drifts away from the oh so boring every-other-line-rhymes type poetry that we all tend to write when trying our hand at poetry. I haven't read the completed compilation yet, but I'm going to do everything in my power to get that book. If you don't beat me to it...
     Sincerely,
          Yours Truly

The Dark Side of Writing - Villains, Villainesses and My Obsession With Everything Evil

     Earlier today, I saw a preview of the film Maleficent and shared it on Facebook. I was so excited; it literally chilled me to think about seeing my favorite villainess of all time brought to life on the big screen (not to mention Angelina Jolie's timeless beauty matched the old cartoon version perfectly, and the voice, and the total awesome evilness...I could go on, but I digress). Lately, I haven't had too much writing inspiration myself. But something about that preview sparked something inside of me, a spark that led to me sharing that video with great enthusiasm.

     Then I sat back and wondered about what I had just done. I was promoting a film based on the story of a Disney bad guy - and that's the part that I was promoting, the fact that it was about that bad guy (girl). And it suddenly dawned on me...What must people think?! When they see a conservative, Christian, homeschooled, housewife type like me sharing all over Facebook how awesome I think this movie is gonna be (a movie all about this evil character), what must go through their minds? They have to think I'm some kind of nut! Who wouldn't? 

     That's when I decided to write this post. I think it's high time I addressed a subject that I have for some time been very passionate about, and that subject is fictional villains and my obsession with them. Part of it is explanatory; but part of it is defense, too. I don't want people to think I'm a nut or that I'm some sort of 'dark arts' fanatic who's going over the deep end. I want them to understand that I am genuinely fascinated by villains in literature, why I find them fascinating, and why I would defend myself for it.

     Let me start with the explanation - defining my obsession and giving some history on it. (If you are already totally bored, go ahead and skip a few paragraphs; if you want someone to sympathize with in your own villainy-obsession, read, read, read!) I say obsession quite liberally and by no means with its real definition in mind. When I say obsession, I really mean passion. I'm not the sort of person who spends all their time studying villains (not even literary villains). But when it comes to writing my own stories or reading someone else's, the main villain and their evil plot to destroy the hero is what I find the most interesting.

     As a kid, my younger siblings and I played out stories together a lot. And my two favorite characters from fiction to play in those stories were the White Witch from C. S. Lewis' The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and the Wicked Witch of the West from L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Classic villains from some of the best in children's fantasy. My mother worried about my preference to playing the villain every time, but she never mentioned it to me until years later. At the time, she just let me enjoy my "obsession". I grew to love finding the best villains in other books, as well, even though I hardly knew why. And I focused much of my early writing on simply the hero and the villain. I wanted to have the best villains in my stories, the kind the audience loves to hate.

     Now that I'm all grown up and starting to write real books, I've found that this fascination is something that many other writers enjoy, as well. There's just something about having a good villain (if the term can be allowed). Without them, why bother having a hero? And that's where the defense comes in - why should such focus on villainy be acceptable, let alone something to promote?

     I once knew a girl who was taking a writing class. And when the teacher asked the students to "step into the shoes of the villain" so as to better write that part, this girl went nuts. She thought that such an endeavor was downright Satanic, and she wasn't afraid to say so. I'm afraid that many parents have taken a similar stance. Evil is evil; it's not something we should promote. Why should we allow it in our children's writing? Why should we watch movies where the main character is a villain?

     Simple: without a villain, there would be no hero. I mean, think about it - if there hadn't been a Goliath, who would David have fought? And if he couldn't fight someone, how would he have proved himself to a nation that needed a warrior for its leader? Without the Dark Lord Sauron, how would the brave and noble Frodo have ever shown his true character? How would Faramir have proven himself to his father and his nation? How would Samwise the brave have ever had a chance to be brave?

     There was a time once, back before the Fall of Man and the Curse, when the world was perfect, mankind was perfect, and there was neither hero nor villain, nor a need for either. But we don't live in a perfect world anymore. We live in a world that is falling apart, filled with villainous characters. The Bible never shied away from that fact; history hasn't shied away from that fact. Why should literature? After all, isn't literature supposed to be a reflection and illumination on real life?

     Our world is dying for a hero. But without a proper villain for our hero to face, how would our hero ever grow strong enough to fight for what is right? Who would challenge that hero and cause him to make those tough choices? A "good villain" forces not only conflict and decision but also the building of character. As humans, we tend to just let go of things, to be content with what we have and ignore the deeper problems of life thinking they'll just take care of themselves. Villains force us to make decisions, take sides, know what we believe and either stand or fall for it.

     If Hitler had never risen to power, a good many people would've gone on thinking that there was no reason to worry about the people of Europe. Germany was in a state of extreme despair and desperation. Hitler merely brought that to light. He also brought out the other villains that were already doing despicable things in the dark. Because Hitler went to war with Britain, because the Japanese joined in and attacked America - we were forced to destroy an evil that we might well have ignored until it was too late.

     My final defense? God Himself has written out for us in His Word the greatest example of hero versus villain, and He by no means lightens up the villain or skirts the issue. Jesus Christ, our savior, has an arch enemy - Satan, the devil. Do we ignore that? No! So why should we ignore literary villains? Without our even meaning to, our stories reflect what we believe about good and evil, and the world and about God. Thus it naturally follows that our stories should reflect that ultimate conflict between Christ and Satan. If we don't provide a worthy opponent for our heroes, why should our heroes bother fighting?

     Well, maybe I haven't convinced you that it's okay to let your kids write elaborately about their villains. And maybe you still think I'm a nut. But I've made my case. Whether or not it's worthy of consideration is entirely up to you. Just remember one thing about villains - it's okay to get excited about them when you realize that the main point of having a villain in the first place is to challenge the hero. The harder the challenge, the deeper the hero will become. (And in the second place, the bigger the villain, the greater the relief when he/she falls.)

     So, I'm going to go see Maleficent when it comes out. I might not like it. But I'll go in good conscience knowing that my obsession with this master of villainess-ery is totally fine. What can I say? It's a Writer's Thing.

     Sincerely,

          Yours Truly

Original Musical Score - Or Not So Original

     I don't know about you, but I find that I do my best writerly thinking with music playing. Can't think of an idea? I flip open my lap top or plug in my mp3 player (yes, I still haven't upgraded to an iPod yet) and start going through my favorite inspirational pieces. Music has always been an art that moves us emotionally, that stirs us up somehow (though we hardly know how) and inspires us. When it comes to writing, it's no different. Writers need a good musical score to write to, and that's a fact.


     The wonderful thing about writers, though, is that unlike a lot of other people we don't tire of music very quickly. For instance, I usually buy one or two songs at a time and then proceed to listen to them over and over and over again. I will literally put a song on repeat so that I can spend the next ten to fifteen to twenty minutes (sometimes even up to an hour) listening to the same piece with no variation. If my husband had to do that, he'd most likely go insane by the fifth time it had played.


     Another oddity that many writers enjoy is listening strictly to movie soundtracks. Neither my mother nor my husband get that. But to the writer, a soundtrack is like the background music of our own creations. In fact, many friends of mine who are writers do the same thing I do - create playlists from many different soundtracks with songs selected and arranged to mirror their own stories; like making a soundtrack for your book. (Note: this is not illegal provided it is solely for you to listen to and you don't try to pass it off as your own. Just putting that out there.)


     Now, maybe I'm a little different than other writers, but something tells me I'm not. You know that one song that just fits that particular character or even a particular scene so perfectly? Maybe it's a hard rock piece or a Celtic ballad. Maybe it's a soundtrack selection or a piece from a hit musical. Maybe it's even classical, from Mozart or Vivaldi or Beethoven (I created a playlist specifically for when I'm writing historical fiction that is made up entirely of classical pieces and soundtracks that sound classical). There's just something about certain pieces of music that are so fitting to our worlds, our stories and our characters. And nothing else can quite compare to the thrill of music when it comes to writing.


     Why is that? Why is it that, whether with words or without words, and regardless of genre, music is so essential to the work of a writer? Victor Hugo, author of Les Miserables, put it this way (and I totally agree with him): "Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent." What else can we say about it? Music describes the soul of the writer in a way that no amount of writing can. Our musical selections help us see our worlds as we create them, define our characters and their personal challenges, set scenes and describe action sequences in ways that make it possible for us to see them clear enough to write them.


     This post is basically just an excuse to get to talk about what inspires me most as a writer (which is really what this whole blog is about:). But I hope it gives you something to think about, too. My favorite of the week (and new obsession) is by Lindsey Stirling and Lzzy Hale - "Shatter Me". Reason for the obsession - it is a hauntingly beautiful melody filled with both the delicate art of strings and the heart-pounding thrill of dubstep beat. Besides this, the words are chilling, the concept brilliant, and the balance of all elements impeccable. (Seriously - I think I wrote this whole post just to get to share this song:) So get out there, find your musical inspiration, and start writing!


     What songs inspire you? Leave a note in the comments! And remember - "After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music." (Aldous Huxley)


     Sincerely,
          Yours Truly