Writer's Retreat

I just had the best week ever!

Our small writing group has decided to try something completely new, a writer’s retreat. We escaped from real life, and was amazing. When I first told my husband that I would be going on a writing retreat for two days, he told me that I would get bored. Writing, writing and more writing? Wouldn’t I need a break at some point?

Yup.

And that’s why it’s so nice to have such a fantastic group. When I get tired, there’s someone to talk to. We can talk about life, or we can talk about writing. We can bounce ideas off one another, and we can cheer each other one. It’s not that we’re writing nonstop for 8+ hours a day. But we’re keeping at it, which is better than I can say some days.

Actually, I’ve finished more editing in two days than I’d done in over two weeks, so I say that it’s definitely a benefit.

Oh, and did I mention the best part?

No internet.

No distractions.

The left shows how much I got done over the past two weeks, and the right shows how much I did in two days.

Crazy right?

Have any of you been on a writing retreat? Run away from real life so that you could focus on the imaginary worlds in your head?

Old Project/New Project

For the past few weeks, I’ve been very unfocused. Not in a bad way, but I haven’t been able to concentrate on one project long enough to really do anything effective.

This last week, I decided to read through the Orphans of Jadox, just for fun. It’s been quite a whole since I’ve really focused on it, almost 2 years, to be exact. Since then I’ve rewritten King’s Councilor three times, and written the Stone Mason and Jen’s story (still unnamed).

As I read through it I had a giant realization. The Orphans of Jadox is written in 2 different points of view: Larzo and Aydra. Yet, as I read, I realized that there was no distinction between voice. I’ve been reading a lot of reviews on different books, and that always seems to be the biggest complaint. If there are two different people, then they should talk differently, think differently.

So two days ago, I separated their points of view. I printed them out separately so that as I can focus on one point of view before moving to the other.  Larzo is a shapeshifter, a cat. He needs to focus on tactile senses: smell, sight, sound. Each small detail is heightened by his senses. Aydra, on the other hand, as I later found out in in The Stone Mason, has mild empathy, which her son inherits. So she focuses on emotions, reactions, feelings of those around her.

Right now, I’m working on Larzo’s point of view. It’s odd, focusing so much on details, the smells, the sounds, but I’m loving it. I don’t think I’ve ever felt like I’m completely within someone else’s head. It’s quite fun, and now, when I go on my writer’s retreat next week, I have something definite and concrete to work on.

It’s also been quite a while since I’ve printed out my project, and working in a different medium has definitely got my creative juices flowing.

How about the rest of you? What are you working on right now?

What I Learned from a Bad Movie Trailer

As many of you know, in January, I hosted a query party for several writers to come together and critique one another’s queries before we send them out. 

There were several moments of realization during the party.  I probably got through two queries when that lightbulb flashed through my mind. 

I was able to pare down another person’s query into something that made sense.  It wasn’t a long-winded, distracted bundle of words, it was short, succinct, and it made sense.  It focused on the main character, who he was, what he wanted, what the stakes were. 

That’s it.

I tried doing the same to my query, and suddenly it was 50 words longer.  Over the past two weeks, I started working on my 35 word pitch for Pitch Madness.  (If you haven’t heard of it, head over to Brenda Drake’s website!  She hosts some awesome competitions.)  I had a critiquer go through it, and she told me that my pitch was muddled, confusing and vague.  It made sense to me, but to someone who didn’t know the story, apparently it wasn’t clear.

I had another AHA! moment last week.  I’m not sure how, but I came across this trailer for a movie that came out last month.  It’s called Strange Magic.

I think I’ve watched it seven or eight times already.  Even so… I’m still not sure what it’s talking about.  There’s so many characters introduced that I can’t keep track of them.  I think I know who the main character is, but she’s only in there probably about a fourth of the time.  I get that a sister is kidnapped, but I’m not sure why, or what the main character (or who I think is the main character) has to do with the bad guy’s ultimatum.  Why her?  Also, who are all those other people?  

I’ve seen movie trailers where they give the whole story.  But this one, it makes me wonder if there is a story, somewhere beneath all of the odd characters and obvious attempts at jokes.

It also makes me wonder if that’s what my query looks like.  I went back to my pitch, and stated who my main character was, what he wanted, and what the conflict was.  That’s it.  35 words, and it makes sense.  It’s clear, and it sets up exactly what the reader should expect in the story.  No fluff, no other characters, or subplots.

Now it’s time to clean up the query.

Resolutions for 2014

Last day of 2014!

Earlier this year, I wrote out a list of writing goals that I wanted to accomplish by the end of this year.  Right now’s the time of reckoning. 

1.        Finish writing synopsis for Red WIP, revise query.

Done, done and done.  I believe I’ve revised both multiple times throughout the year.  The query has gone through some extreme changes, but I believe that they’re for the good.

2.       Send out first batch of queries by the end of January

This one was harder.  It’s not easy sending something out and hoping that it’s ready.  But I did do it.  (With a lot of encouragement from hubby.)  I sent out a few queries this year.  Not as many as I should have, but I’ve at least started on that journey.

3.       Rewrite Blue WIP.

I used Camp NaNoWriMo in April to do this.  One month and the entire novel rewritten.  Then, I posted it on Scribophile and had some great critique partners tear it apart.  I’m about 1/3 of the way through a second revision for this year.

4.       Revise Yellow WIP.

Yup.  I can’t remember exactly when I did that, I believe it was the months of May and June.  Once I revised, I posted it on Scribophile, and I am ready to do another revision next year!

This year’s goals I actually completed, which is a shock to me.  Maybe I didn’t set my bar very high? 

Here’s a few things that I accomplished even though I didn’t put it in my resolutions:

1.       Write a new novel in the month of November.  I’m just finishing it up, but I did get to 50,000 in the month of November, which was just as fun as it was last year!

2.       Get published.  In July, I published an article in Home Health Aide Digest on maintaining wellness in the mental health population.  It was a pretty exciting accomplishment, for my writing and for my nursing career!

3.       Become an ML for my region for NaNoWriMo.  This was probably one of my highlights of my 2014 writing accomplishments.  Participating in a live writer’s group, and being able to lead it was a dream come true. 

I’m still working on my writing resolutions for next year.  Hopefully I’ll be able to come up with some harder ones to push me even more.

What are some of your resolutions?  I’d love some ideas!

Looking Back on the Journey

This week, I finished the revisions to the Orphans of Jadox, which has been quite an experience.  This draft has been an adventure, and I’ve been trying to figure out what exactly it was that made it such an emotional adventure.  I think in a large part, it had to do with the fact that I’ve started to interact and meet with other writers.  Having a community is an amazing boost when I suddenly start to wonder if what I’m thinking or experiencing is normal.  I’ve loved getting to know all of you!

When I finally finished, I really just sat there, overwhelmed by the feeling of finishing.  It was very different from any other time that I’ve done it.  First off, I had butterflies in my stomach for days because of the excitement, trepidation and everything in between. Second off, I knew that it was the best I’d ever created.

My characters’ journey is over, at least for the time being.  But as they took their journey, I’ve taken one of my own, and I’ve spent the past few days looking at where I started. 

Writing has always been an important part of my life.  I wrote my first novel in high school.  (After a numerous amount of unfinished first chapters and half-novels).  At that point, I was convinced everything I’d written was gold.  I remember asking my dad to read something I’d written and getting offended when he offered suggestions on how to fix it.  Editing and revising were probably the furthest things from my mind.

But when I started college, I put it away.  I thought I had to grow up.  I went out and lived life to the fullest.  I studied in a foreign country for two years, learned a new language, made new friends, met a wonderful man and got married.  But that didn’t mean my life was perfect.  In fact, a few months after marriage, we ran into several difficulties that pulled me down.  I was depressed, stressed and having panic attacks at least once a week.  Goals that I’d always had – education, career, family – seemed almost impossible. 

It was at that time that I found my writing notebook.  And that inexplicable need to write was the only thing that kept me going.  I had to escape what I was experiencing, and writing was the portal. I could live vicariously through my characters’ lives and experience their triumphs with them.  For six months, I meticulously went through my novel.  After living so much more of life, I saw it through a different light.  I saw the errors, how flat my characters were.  I rewrote it, even changing it from 1^st to 3^rd person. 

Then, as if by chance, I met my first beta online.  I sent her my first chapter and she tore it apart and made me cry.  And that’s when the magic started to happen.  After a few weeks, I realized that I was a writer.  I had the chance to prove that what I was doing was worthwhile.  And the only way to do that is to accept criticism, build on it and learn where my weaknesses lie. 

Only after I realized what writing really was – hard work and dedication – did the burst of creativity happen.  I may take my time to put myself out there, but I’ve never regretted it.  Just like my characters, I needed to stumble and fail before I could rise to the challenge.  I needed something to fight for. 

Reading through my first draft of the Orphans of Jadox, I’m really struck by how much has changed in the past two years since I wrote it.  And I’m so grateful for those who’ve helped me in this journey.  For all of those who rooted for me, and even those who tried to put me down, I want to say thank you.  I couldn’t do this alone.  

In Behalf of the Plotters

I’ve been writing a long time.  Probably beginning with “The Adventures of Iggy Worm,” which my dad helped me write in kindergarten.  I caught the bug early and I always had a lot of ideas.  I loved the first few chapters: pen scribbling furiously, trying to get words down.  The only problem was… I never knew how to finish.  After 3 or 4 chapters, my ideas would sputter out and I’d get stuck.

And just about that time, I’d get a new idea and off I’d go again!

By 7^th grade, I was pretty frustrated.  I had notebooks of unfinished stories.  I attempted a new novel and this time, I finished about 60 pages. 

Progress, right?

As a sophomore and junior in high school, I got another idea for a novel, but I let it sit.  For 6 months, I didn’t write a single scene.  I doodled random creatures from my fantasy world, wrote back-stories for characters and contemplated the plot.

Six Months!

For me, that took a lot of discipline.  I had to keep myself from writing until I was ready – until I knew the ending.

Once I started, I had a detailed, 21 page outline and an entire notebook filled with notes.  I was ready.  And the amazing thing is that I finished!  It was my first full length complete novel.

Since then, my writing process hasn’t changed much.  My stories come in flashes – just a glimpse or a hint of what can be.  Then I have to give it time and space, doodle and draw, scribbling out random thoughts until they finally come together, forming a whole picture.

Of course, over time, I’ve learned to speed up the process.  For my Red WIP, the idea came to me and I spent about a month pondering it.  Once I knew where my story was going, I was able to write the 1^st draft – 50,000 words at that point – in 1 ½ weeks.

I’ve heard many argue that plotting (and especially extensive plotting) can ruin the creative journey.  What fun is the journey if there are no surprises on the way?

For me, the destination is just as important as the journey.  If I don’t know where I’m going, how do I know I’ve arrived?  Maybe it’s something I learned from my mom.  Plan in advance so that you don’t have to stress while you’re there.

What do you think?  Plotter or Pantser?

Now You See It

When I was younger, I read just about anything and everything.  I devoured books, and I drove my mom crazy by leaving them all over the house. 

We had a close friend of my parents that had similar tastes as me, and one day, I suggested that he read The Robe by Lloyd C Douglass.  (For those of you who haven’t read it, I highly suggest it!) 

My mom’s response forever changed how I looked at books and writing.

“Krista, he wouldn't like it.  He can’t see images described in books.”

What?  Books had images?  Sure, I knew that there were the boring descriptions throughout every story I’d read.  (And one of the reasons why I couldn't finish Lord of the Rings).  But I never understood why.  You see, I can’t see the images either.  When I read a book, I might hear the voices of the characters as they converse, I might feel the environment, but not once have I been able to ‘see’ what’s going on. 

Some people describe it like watching a movie.  They see everything they read, the characters have faces, expressions.  The setting isn't just a landscape, it’s an actual place. 

I've tried to practice imagining as I read, and there are moments when it feels like exercising my brain.  I've gotten to the point where I can occasionally glimpse shadows.  I can see snatches of colors.  But that’s as far as I get.

Picture taken by me!

I know what you’re asking.  I write stories.  How can I write a description if I can’t ‘see’ it?  One of the more amusing responses from a beta after reading my White WIP was that there was too much noise.  It’s distracting when there’s so many noises going on in the background, and she can’t concentrate on what’s going on. 

In my Red WIP, I have a large number of scenes where a character is listening in to a conversation, but can’t see the people as they converse.  I think this is based almost directly on the fact that I can’t visualize it, but I can hear the conversations as clearly as if I was listening in too.  In fact, sound is probably the most dominant sense that I use when writing.  Interestingly enough, one of my recent betas has asked me to add smells into every scene.  

I don’t know what my characters look like, at least, for the most part.  I have to keep a list to make sure that I don’t say one character is blonde in one chapter and brunette in another.  It’s been a struggle for me to balance all 5 senses – hearing, sight, taste, touch and smell.  But I think it’s something I’m improving on.

What about you?  What do you ‘see’ when you read?  Is it like a movie?  Or an audiobook?  What sense most appeals to you?  And do you have any advice on adding description?

Who cares about the details?

Over this past week, I’ve been revising a few chapters of my Red WIP.  Now that I’ve finished writing the Blue WIP, I’ve switched gears.

 

Writing a first draft can be a rush – pen frantically scribbling, trying to keep up with the inner muse.  It’s probably one of the most exhilarating experiences I’ve ever had.  Each day, I can’t wait to find out what happens and to watch the characters leap from the page.

But for me, the slow, methodical process of editing and revising is even more rewarding.  It’s like practicing the piano.  After hours of practicing, hitting all the wrong notes, playing hands alone, at an excruciatingly slow page, and wondering if the song will get any easier.  (Trust me.  I have experience with this, just ask my piano teacher.)  There’s nothing like finally being able to sit on the bench, open the music and feel my fingers moving automatically.

And that’s exactly how I feel about editing.  It’s the moment to roll up my sleeves and put in the work that can be enjoyed at a later point in time.

It’s all about the details.  Watch passive tense, show don’t tell, create believable dialogue, making sure character’s personalities and motivations are consistent, watching POV, no head hopping, delete unnecessary adverbs, limit dialogue tags, vary sentence length… really, this list could keep going for quite a while.

And to be honest, I feel that I’ve mastered several of the above.

However, there is still one area that still eludes me.  And that’s the details.

I’m never quite sure when the reader wants to know more.  It’s only when my wonderful betas tell me that a scene is lacking.  

I’ve never been a particularly observant person.  In fact, one of my coworkers told me (repeatedly) that I have an appalling lack of curiosity.  I don’t need a detailed explanation for everything.  In fact, most of the time I don’t even need an explanation.  That’s how my brain’s been wired and often, I don’t notice when I leave the details out because I don’t think they’re necessary.

So after forcing myself to expand on the miniscule, I noticed an improvement.  Here’s a before and after:

BEFORE

A small giggle sounded and Aydra whirled around to stare at Rose, whose face held the first smile they had seen since her arrival.  Temar also stared at Rose before looking up at Aydra with bright eyes.  Aydra wanted to laugh and cry and cheer, at the sight of Rose’s smile and it somehow gave her the strength to stand up to her aunt.

“He will only be here a few weeks,” Aydra reminded Sasma.  “We need his help.”

AFTER

At the sound of a small giggle, Aydra whirled around, almost unable to believe it wasn’t a trick of the wind. For the first time since she’d arrived, Rose’s lips quirked upward, the beginning of a smile evident on her face. Temar stared down at the young girl before pulling her in close and kissing the top of her head. Aydra wanted to laugh, cry and cheer at the sight. It made all of the early mornings, the sleepless nights and confrontations with her uncle worth it.

She glanced back toward the kitchen, surprised to see her aunt leaning against the door’s frame. In the shadows of the dusky light, the wrinkles around her eyes deepened. For just a moment, Aydra’s mind tugged on memories best forgotten. The curve of her aunt’s cheeks, as well as the high cheekbones reminded her of her mother, and a longing rose in her chest.

“He’ll only be here a few weeks,” Aydra reminded her aunt. “We need his help.”

What do you think?  Better?  Worse?  How do you add details?

Sequels

Recently, I’ve had 2 betas going through two different WIP’s.  One is starting on the white one and the other just finished the Red one. 

As my beta finished my Red WIP, he made an interesting comment.  He said that the way that I set up the ending made it perfect to follow up with a sequel. 

I’ve never been fond of sequels, especially in my own writing.  I always thought that if their story is over, then why would you come back later to invade on their privacy again?  I like to think that once my story is over and my characters get a satisfying ending, I don’t want to imagine that they have any more conflict.  Yet, that’s not true in real life.  Even when we get everything we want, a degree, a house, marriage, etc, then we always think that everything is going to be perfect.

But once I finished the Red WIP, I still felt like there was more of the story to tell.  Not for my Main Characters, but for some of the minor ones who hadn't gotten enough time in the sun.  And perhaps that’s why the story ended like it did.  A part of me knew that something more would happen.  In fact, when I finished the story, I had to add an epilogue, just because it didn't feel finished yet.  That's when I understood.

Now, I’m more willing to give sequels a second chance, because I understand why an author might be inclined to write one.  And there have been several sequels that I’ve read that ended up improving the story.

I know this post is a little short, but it's because I want to hear your thoughts.  Do characters deserve their privacy after the story’s told?  Do sequels give them a second chance?  How do you feel about sequels? 

Using Life as Inspiration

There’s an old writing rule that probably most of us have heard.

WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW

What exactly does that mean?  And is it true?

I can honestly say that I use real life knowledge and experiences in my writing all the time.  I have those moments when life just stops for a second when the writer in me just screams, “Write this down!”

When I was younger, I had a writing journal that I took with me everywhere.  I’d write down everything that I thought might help me later.  Descriptions of scary looking trees, cool looking buildings, even conversations I overheard (until my siblings learned to make sure I didn’t have a pen and paper when they were talking.  Love you guys!)

How does that carry over into my writing?

Two years ago, I was having trouble with a scene where I had a character who needed a trying personal trail while locked in a room.  I couldn’t figure out how to make that room more challenging, until I went to live with my grandparents for a summer.  While there, I had a mouse jump in my bed.  Not once, but twice.  After throwing the darn thing out, it jumped right back in! 

After the initial shock (of rodent sleeping partners), I realized that this was exactly what I was looking for.  I had a few rats jump into her bed and voila! 

“The sound of scratching sounded from overhead and Kanya froze. The scraping increased in pitch before the creatures above her scurried across the ceiling toward the wall. Kanya trembled. The sound intensified into a frenzy and the animals squeaked as though preparing for the kill. When a creature appeared from the corner of the room, Kanya jerked back and gasped as pain caused lights to dance before her eyes.  Once again, she lost consciousness, but only for a few seconds. When she awoke, she couldn’t hear anything.

Kanya took a deep breath. She would live through this. A strange sensation hit her face, like a tiny gust of wind blowing from narrow nostrils. Bright, beady eyes stared back at her and she screamed and scrambled backwards, throwing herself from the bed onto the floor.

The creatures danced up and down on the bed, only pausing to sniff the blood-covered sheets. Kanya curled up in the corner, pulled her knees up against her chin and leaned against the wall, ignoring the sting of the cold and the throbbing in her back. One by one the rats joined her, cuddling up to her body, feeding off of her warmth.”

For me, anything I experience or see is fair game.  Is there an exception to the rule? 

YES.  

A very resounding YES.

I am very careful when it comes to using people as inspiration.  Why?  First off, there is a chance that whoever inspires me may read whatever I write later.  They may or may not appreciate the way that I portray them, and I don’t want to offend anyone.

Also, I am a nurse.  I have very strict HIPAA regulations, stating that I am under federal law to protect the privacy of my patients.  So putting them in a story would not be appropriate.  However, I have used experiences when it’s universal, something that any nurse might experience, or understand.  One such instance: feeding. 

Any nurse (or care provider) will understand the concern and desperation that might occur when a patient doesn’t do what they’re supposed to.  It’s especially heartbreaking when they don’t eat, wasting away into nothing.  That’s not based off of a particular resident, it’s based off of the nursing experience.  It’s a fine line, I know, but one that I believe needs distinction.

Here’s a few snippets from a WIP based on that feeling:

“In the opposite corner, Temar held Rose in her arms and rocked her back and forth. Just the sight made Aydra want to cry. Rose was only a few years younger than Cassie, but she reminded Aydra of an infant. Her skin hung loosely on her body and her eyes sunk in their sockets. They’d watched this girl wither away since Temar brought her to them. Temar met Aydra’s gaze and shook her head. It’d been another long day.”

"Temar held the thin girl in her lap, and through the noise of the children, Larzo focused on her pleas.

“Open your mouth, Rose.” Temar held a spoonful to the girl’s mouth. “Just a bite.” Rose held her lips together tightly and shook her head. The soup slid off of the spoon and down Rose’s chin. Larzo glanced over at Aydra, who watched Temar and Rose as well.

Does she ever eat?

Aydra gave a slight jump in her chair before staring over at Larzo. She paused before giving the faintest shake of her head.”

Sometimes I think that writers have the opportunity to live their experiences twice.  Once in person, and again when recording it.

What about you?  What experiences have given you inspiration for your stories?

What am I working on now?

Right now, I am in the process of getting my Red WIP critiqued and edited by some great betas that I’ve found over on scribophile.com.  If you haven’t used that website before, I highly recommend it.

While I let that one sit and simmer, I’ve been working on the first draft of my Blue WIP.  I’ve found that each WIP is different, challenging me as a writer.  This WIP is based on a challenge that I’ve created for myself. 

I’m a plotter, not a pantser.  I have to know what’s going on and how my characters are going to behave before I write a single word.  But I was starting to wonder if that was restricting me.  So this WIP, I decided to start writing and see where it took me.  I began about a year ago, back before things got a little crazy.  I felt that of all my WIP’s, I’d be able to do that with this one.  It’s a sequel, based off of the Red WIP currently being critiqued.  I already knew my characters, as well as their motivations, so it was much easier for me to run with it.  (So to speak!)

I pulled this draft out (about 20,000 words) and reread it, taking notes on post-its as I went.   Then I organized my notes into sections.  Here’s what I ended up with.

What amazed me more than the fact that I could write 20,000 words without an outline, was how well that random details weaved in together.  Though I still have a basic idea, I still haven’t written an outline. 

What is my Blue WIP about?

Cassie's seen injustice all her life, and she's ready to make a stand.  When King Brednon creates the school for future leaders, she enrolls, intent on becoming one of the king's councilors.  But becoming a councilor isn't all she thought it would be.  The other councilors treat her with distrust and prejudice, just because she's a woman. 

When a neighboring kingdom attacks at the borders, Cassie sees this as her chance to prove herself.  She convinces King Brednon to let her go to Mocra and speak with their king.  When she arrives, she learns that there's more happening than a border conflict.

There are days that I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I’m finding that very exciting!

How do all of you write?  Are you pantsers or plotters?  What are you working on?