Writing Tip Wednesday

Autumn is coming with a strong calling card this week. Brrr...The last of the summer flowers are withering from the frigid chill and the fierce winds blow the vibrantly colored leaves from their branches. 

     Now our thoughts start to turn to warm apple cider, soups and writing. 

     What? Really. 

     Yes. If you're stuck in the house, use the time to write. 

      What better way to spend a long, dark evening then sipping on tea and writing. 

     (Spending time with loved ones is vital too. So don't neglect them. Try some new things, like play chess, read a book aloud, or cook new recipes together.) 

    But back to writing...Remember WATT. Easy to say, much harder to accomplish.

     (Quick recap, WATT stands for Write All The Time). 

     A lovely way to practice your writing without worrying about spelling, grammar or expectations is to write in a diary or journal. 

     But instead of boring and drab entries about your morning oatmeal, unless of course something exciting happened while you were eating it, try a technique I call 'tidbits.' 

     Write small slices of your life as if it's a novel in a book. Describe your feelings, use all of your senses. Don't tell---Show it. 

     Even if it's only two or three lines of something funny or cute your child said. Or simply describing how the autumn walk through crunchy leaves with your own hero hottie was magical. 

     Your tidbit journal is a chance to have fun, strengthen your writing and maybe even record your life. 

     I'll share an example, but remember develop your own style. I usually write in the first person but you don't have to limit yourself to only one POV. Sometimes I'll write it from the person's point of view who was experiencing it. 

    Example: 'It had to be one of those days. You know, long and tiring and destined to be unforgettable, but not in a good way. I had only left the kitchen for a few minutes while I was making dinner when suddenly I smelled the awful odor of something burning. Oh, no, what had my fatigued brain done, I thought as I rushed back into the kitchen. 

       I expected burnt food, but to my horror I realized I had turned on the wrong burner. And instead of food cooking, it was my glass baking dish that was heating up. 

      Just as I moved closer to the stove, I heard the ominous sound of cracking glass. 

     Right before it exploded...'

     I could have wrote, 'I had a bad day. Put the glass baking dish on the burner and caused it to explode. Glass flew everywhere. Luckily, no one was hurt.' But that's not as colorful as the first entry. 

    Just remember, have fun with your tidbits. Happy writing and keep warm.

Monday Musings...

Moments...


      Precious minutes. Fragments of breath. Heartbeats filled with joy, awe, grief...

      These are the notes that compose our songs of life. Our entire personal script can be written with a tangled mess of moments that tell our stories. What moments changed the road you were traveling down? One brief tick in time and everything changes. When we tell people stories of our lives, we share the moments that stick out in our memories. The things that mattered to us. Usually because that second in time shaped us in some way. Every little thought changes us, sometimes by such a small degree we don't even realize it until enough tiny thoughts have added up and shifted the ground beneath our feet. And some moments are so intense, burning as bright as the sun, that we nearly don't recognize ourselves the next time we peer in the mirror.

     Sometimes the things we remember are not what we expect to. I don't instantly recall every birthday or Christmas present I ever opened. But I do remember all the details in vivid color, when hero hottie proposed to me, among a gray, cloudy morning and a horde of biting mosquitoes. Who can forget huge welts on their calf when they're in love? :)

     But seriously, that moment changed every other moment after that because obviously I said yes. I don't remember the day after, I was floating on cloud nine and I don't, fortunately, recall all the tedious details of planning the wedding, yet that memory is so alive it could have happened a few weeks ago.

    Giving birth, finding our wonderful Buddy at the pound, hiking too many miles, listening to music together and watching Christmas lights, they're all moments in my life. There's so many I couldn't even possibly write them all down. I would bore you too, because although the time hero hottie and I made bagel sandwiches and French fries for dinner while we were dating was important. It was one of the first times we cooked together, it's not a thrilling story. :)

     Moments are vital. They shape us, they change us, they keep us sane.

     And moments are valuable in a book too. A story is composed of moments, carefully and artfully stitched together to make you feel with the characters, to watch their growth as every little moment changes them. And hopefully, if it's a good story, towards a better them. Writing a book is a lot like life...composed of moments that wring the heart the most, sprinkle a bad hair day or two in there and with the realization that we wouldn't be who we are without our fist full of moments to treasure. 

Writing Tip Wednesday...ahh, Friday

If you don't have a thesaurus buy one. That's my writing tip for this week. Simple and straight to the point. But why does every great writer needs a thesaurus? Did the classic authors have one? I don't know. Should you have one? Yes. It's an absolute must, maybe even before a dictionary.  

According to Marc McCutcheon, you can also use the following words to describe a thesaurus.

 "thesaurus n. lexicon, word treasury, synonym finder, word book"

     I would still call it a thesaurus, but right away you have four other words you could use to describe it if you had too. Just with a slight flick of the wrist. It's that easy.

     I like my thesaurus because I can locate the words I need to use to accurately describe the emotions in my stories. The book is wonderful, great, helpful, useful...and I could find a hundred more words within its paper walls to paint my pictures. 

     My favorite thesaurus is Roget's Super Thesaurus by Marc McCutcheon. I have the first printing edition from 1995. It's torn, the binding is falling apart, and I've put dozens of stickers on the cover. The book is well used, always next to my computer and even went to college with me a long time ago. I was even geeky enough to talk about my adoration of the thesaurus in a speech class. What a nerd. :) 

     When you buy one, then purchase the Roget's Super Thesaurus. It is so well written. Not only does it contain a comprehensive collection of synonyms but it has other, useful, information. It has mini lessons on nouns, such as farm. Not only will he tell you the synonyms; plantation, ranch, grange; but he tells you what the terms are related to farming. Not sure what a horse enclosure is called? It's called a corral. It saves so much time, especially when the mind is drawing a blank and your muse is on her coffee break. 

      There are sample sentences using the words and even quotes from famous people. At the end of the word entry are the antonyms, in case your muse is really enjoying her Double Chocolate Caramel latte with soy milk and you can't think of the word you need but you can think of something that is opposite of that. Trust me, it happens...

     You can purchase this book at amazon.com

      This is a great book and every writer needs a thesaurus at their fingertips. Words are our tools and we should have an easy list of them to access. So thank you Mr. McCutcheon for writing an awesome guide on what writers use most...words.  :)

      

Monday Musings...

The wait...It's agonizing. Every time I check my email I hold my breath, wondering and hoping, fingers crossed in anticipation. 

On October 7th, I sent out ten queries to ten different agents regarding my young adult fantasy novel, Keraynn Healer of Carvada. It took most of the day to accomplish this deceptively simple task. First, I had to research which agencies and which agents were looking for a story in fantasy. I hoped I picked the right ones. Then I crafted a catchy query letter trying to draw attention to my characters and to hook the agents into my story. I avoided the boring details about me or how much my sister enjoyed the book. I introduced myself and basically went right into the story. 

Once I had this completed and edited, I edited again. Always, always read something more than once. I will read something five times and still miss a grammar mistake. You want it to be as perfect as possible. Make sure your spelling is correct and grammar is accurate. 

This is followed by addressing it personally to the agent you're seeking to reach. And make sure their name is spelled correctly. Take the time to write a professional, catchy and short query letter. From rumors on the internet I hear it helps reel in the attention of agents. So far, I have noticed I do at least receive rejection emails back, so it must help generate some attention. Actually I have received personal rejection letters from agents that were at least thinking about taking on my writing. This is a much better feeling than the worse rejection letter I ever received. This one was a form letter, with both spelling and grammar mistakes. It must have been written by an intern, never even making it to someone that could make real decisions. That was a downer. 

Since my agent quest began I have already received two emails back, regrettably informing me that the material wasn't right for their office. Do I feel disappointed? A bit. Do I keep trying? Absolutely. 

In the mean time. I start on my next project because a writer has to write. And no query letter, rejection email, or agents that don't understand what they're missing are going to stop me. :)

Writing Tip Wednesday

Ahh, food...   

   This next tip may seem a bit odd because it has nothing to do with writing or reading yet it will improve your writing. 

       I know, you're thinking, 'what the heck?' Or maybe you're hoping that I have some magic secret that will transform you into a New York Times Bestseller author without having to do a thing. I wish. :)

      No, this is actually easier and harder than that. If you want to be a better writer than you need to eat better. Seriously. A healthy body is a healthy brain and what organ do you need to write? 

     And when I'm talking healthy, I'm talking really healthy. Throw out everything you know about the food pyramid and elementary school nutrition classes and actually learn some real nutrition. 

     Here are five tips just to get you started. 

     1. Stop eating food from a box, a can or from the microwave. Most of these items have been processed to the point they need a million milligrams of salt just to make them palpable. (Not seriously a million, that's sarcasm. But it's a lot.) They also contain chemicals, flavorings, MSG's, and other things that nature didn't grow. 

     2. Eat more raw fruits and veggies. In fact, eat as many as you want. Before your meal, eat an apple, munch on some sweet orange carrots, or go bold...eat broccoli spears. Fruits and veggies are loaded with nutrition and fiber. And they taste good. If at first your taste buds don't believe me, just keep trying. It might take a few weeks to grow fond of them. And buy organic if you can. 

     3. No more soda. Of any kind. It's not good for you. There is nothing nutritional acceptable about soda pop. Just Google 'health problems and soda pop'. It will astound you. Drink water. Even juice. 

     4. Avoid the drive through. I know you're busy and the thought of cooking is enough to make you yank out your hair and leave the room screaming. But the benefits in the long run are so worth it. Do you think refined flour buns with cheap meat and a side of fried potatoes are good for you? Healthy for your kids? And the calorie content? OMG!

     5. Start your day right. Not food company 'right'. Eat a healthy breakfast. No more cereal with four different kinds of sugars in it, or refined waffles with fake maple syrup, eat something healthy. Have some fruit, some eggs, even some multi grain bread with natural nut butter on it. But avoid the foods made just from sugar, refined starches and artificial flavorings. 

     And now you're demanding to know how this will help your writing? I know, I can hear you loud and clear. But it will. Your body needs fuel to function and just like an engine when it has the proper fuel it can perform better and longer. When you eat crappy foods, you're going to feel awful. When you eat foods that are good for you, you're going to feel more energetic. And then you're thoughts are clearer, you're more focused and you can accomplish more things.

      A great website to start learning about better nutrition is naturalnews.com 

     So give good nutrition a spin, you might just like what it does for your writing. :)

Monday Musings...

Balance...

       How much do we allow our lives to be unbalanced? How much control do we even have? There are many wise and wonderful people who speak of balance and finding that state. Just Google 'finding balance and quotes.' You will be given almost 300,000 answers to choose your favorite quote from. So with the internet at your fingertips I won't spend the entire blog entry giving you quotes except for one. 

          John Mellencamp's song, 'Between a Laugh and a Tear,' I know there's a Balance, I see it when I swing past.

          Seriously, when I'm stressed and overwhelmed, I hear this lyric in my head and I have this image of me hugging a huge pendulum, swinging back and forth in the vastness of a blue sky. Sometimes I'm quite stressed in the image, squeezing the gold pendulum with all my might and other times I'm shouting into the empty, trying to find my sanity. 

          We are all busy people. Mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, friends, lovers...people. Our lives move so quickly, darting away from us before we can catch up to the moment. We struggle to make a living, feed the children, walk the dog, clean the house, send a birthday card, make a phone call. Our thoughts are whirlwinds, like hurricanes in our head of past memories, lost loves, and future hopes. Yet, we forget to balance. We forget to stay in the moment. 

          Balance. It's finding your breath in the stillness and wonder of your child's first step, their toothy grins, and giggles over new crushes. It's forcing the worries and stresses from our minds for just an hour so we focus completely on being with the one we chose to go through this crazy life together. 

       It's choosing to write either a blog entry or teach your child something special. 

       Balance isn't easy to find. It's elusive, slipping through our fingers with each tick of the clock. We lose it under the pile of bills and the loads of laundry. But it's important. 

       Without balance you lose time with your children or your friends. You don't have time to accomplish your dreams. You eat way too much ice cream. 

       Next time your balance is swinging like a taunt in front of you, close your eyes, breathe slowly through the nose and out through the mouth, and then reach out and grab the ornery thing. 

       Balance is up to you. So breathe.

Writing Tip Wednesday

     I'm going to assume that most writers already follow this writing tip without much prompting. But in case you don't, then the writing tip for today is to read. 

     

     Read a lot. Read often. And read different things. 

     

     Your library card should be your best friend. (Not literally, real friends are good, but I couldn't get along very well without my library card.) 

     Reading is so-oo important. You're immersing yourself in words, surrounding your brain with rhythms and cadences. Structure and form. It's a superfood for your mind. 

     Read books of the genre you enjoy. Read books of New York Times Bestseller authors. Read books, not just cliff notes, from classic authors. 

     And don't just stay in the creative world of make believe and pretend. Venture into the world of information and facts. Find a subject, such as dancing, and read a book about it. There's no quiz after the book, I assure you so don't stress about all the facts and terminology. 

     Just enjoy and who knows maybe one of your characters will benefit from your 'dance lessons'. 

     Read. Pick your favorite author. Right now, for historical romance, I'm partial to Hannah Howell. I love to slowly read the lines she wrote. Just to enjoy her skill and obvious love of telling the story. 

    I study when she pauses in a scene to build up tension, the way she uses tense or funny dialogue to both move the scene and make you fall in love with the characters. I really enjoy her stories. 

     Now, pick some books to read and make yourself a cup of tea. (Of course, being a busy parent I understand if finding time to read is difficult. Heck, finding time to write is nearly impossible but I find time to read if I turn off the television. Just an idea.)  :) 

     And just a side note- as a writer we want children to appreciate reading but with a constant onslaught of media it can hard to encourage their love of books. So help them. If you have children buy them books from the time they're born. As they get older take them to the library and the bookstore. 

     For Christmas buy them a gift card to a bookstore and then let them browse and pick their own selections. 

     If you don't have kids, contact an elementary school and see if you can donate books. Teachers and schools love books as much as writers do.

In conclusion, 'Happy Reading.'

Monday Musings...

Oh, how sweet is Puppy Love...

I'm not talking about teenage angst. Middle school agony. Diaries filled with mindless obsessions for the cute boy in the front row. (I'm not talking from personal experience.)

I'm speaking of real, undying puppy love. Sloppy smooches. Unrelenting passion. Unwavering devotion.

Endless hours of licking each other's ears.

What?

Yeah, undying puppy love includes the loving attention of cleaning your partner's ears when you're a dog.         

    Panther is a little Jack Russell Terrier with a sense of love and loyalty that only is portrayed by the best romance heroes ever; such as the legendary Romeo. 

     Panther, his little white and tan body eager to see his love, sits outside Jezzy's door, day or night, his devotion clear to see in his little brown eyes, innocent and loving.

     "Oh, Jezzy, Jezzy. Where are thou my sweet Jezzy?" (Not exact quotes, dogs in love care more about licking their darling's ears than repeating the lines of Shakespeare to the word.)

     Jezzy scratches the inside of the door, knowing her true love is outside howling for her, barking for her release from the cruel confines of the house.

    "Oh, Jezzy. I perish without you by my side." Panther waits outside in the shade under the hot sun for his love. He waits patiently outside her door in the darkness, huddled and shivering, hoping for her loving body to warm him. 

     He brings her toys and treats, little tokens of his passion for her. And when she's finally released to be with her love, she lavishes him with attention.        Licking his ears, nipping at his ankles, rolling with him in the grass. And when they don't think the humans are looking, he chews right through the leash that keeps her close to the house so they can run away together. 

     They have it all planned. He will chew her leash until she has her freedom and one day they will leave on the open road.
      But the humans are smarter than they think and she isn't allowed to escape with her true love so he waits for their stolen moments together instead. 
     Ahh, puppy love. Sweet and loyal. Sexy and daring.
     Now, that's the perfect romance hero. :)