The Sharp Angle: September 2011

Friday, September 30, 2011

We Will Always Need Blogs for Writers

Because there will always be writers out there looking for advice on the Web.

I can only speak for myself. I do not blog about writing as a way to sell my books. I bet a lot of you didn't even know I have books out there available to purchase. I do. But that's not what this blog is about.

This isn't my "author blog", this is my writing blog -- a blog for writers. It's about writing and reading and publishing and how all of those go hand in hand.

And just between you and me, it kind of annoys me when I see "buy my book" pimpage in my Google Reader. I'm not following those blogs because I want to buy the author's book. If I want to buy your book, I'll find your book on my own, I'm not stupid, I know how to click on a link in your sidebar and how to use an Amazon search box, I don't need you to throw it in my face every week, thank you very much. (And while we're on that subject, lay off Teh Twittuh Pimpage, too, please. If you want to pimp something so badly, pimp someone else's stuff -- it's less annoying and makes you look like a freaking Saint.)

If you read and purchase my work as a result of following this blog, then thank you thank you thank you. I sincerely appreciate it. Sometimes I will announce things here in relation to something of mine getting published, but I am not one to dwell on it.

Because this blog isn't about my writing. I may use my own work as an example to emphasize a certain point, and I may post an excerpt from time to time to share what I'm currently working on as a way of connecting with my fellow writers, but the main purpose of this blog is to help other writers on their career path, no matter where they happen to be.

And we will always need blogs for writers as long as there are new writers looking for a place to start, and as long as there are veteran writers looking for a fresh take on something, and as long as there is a venue for blogging.

The great thing about blogs for writers is that, being a blog and not a published book on the industry or craft, you can...

continually provide new content as you learn new things.
provide your own unique viewpoint on writing and publishing, which may change over time.
edit content in a timely manner (not everything about publishing is slow -- news can spread and changes can come about quicker than a wink); delete content if necessary.
easily share your content through a simple link; this comes in handy even in private communication, such as email and IM.

I've been writing fiction since I was a kid. When I decided to pursue fiction writing professionally as an adult, writing blogs were just starting to get popular. They were not saturating the Internet as they are now. This was also before Teh Twittuh Esplosion (and ebooks, for that matter). I followed a select few blogs in addition to reading books I checked out from the library and/or purchased.

I noticed the value of blogs early on. The posts are short, focused on a single topic, easy to read, points easily discerned, and therefore the content is highly digestible. When you're able to absorb what you're reading you are more likely to apply it, and more likely to return to the source of that help again and again.

This is why blogs work so well as "advice givers." Some writers have even devoted their entire blogs to just answering their readers' questions.

But now we have "too many writing blogs", according to some. I'm not sure that's really the case, though. No, not every writer can follow every blog for writers, but it's good to have choices. Especially in a field that is strongly based on differing opinions and viewpoints.

Find the blogs that work for you and follow them. I am still following Pub Rants -- the first blog about writing and publishing that I ever started following -- after... I don't know, almost 4 years? And I'm still learning from it. Just because more blogs with similar content have cropped up since its beginning (and it's been around for way longer than I've been following it) doesn't mean Pub Rants is any less helpful to me now, and it doesn't mean that blog has stopped gaining new followers, steadily.

Because we will always need blogs for writers.

New blogs fail because the blogger miscalculated their reason for blogging, how much time it would require to maintain, how much mental energy is expended in generating new content week in and week out, how difficult it is to build a loyal readership, etc, etc, etc...

NOT because there isn't a need for a writing blog. There IS a need. There will always be a need.

Happy blogging,
~Lydia

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Engaging the Reader

What is it that keeps you reading? That is one of the toughest questions to answer because everything about storytelling is highly subjective.

What engages me as a reader is not going to be the same as the next person. I've DNFed novels that others rave over, and vice versa. (DNF = did not finish, meaning, I made a conscious decision that it was no longer worth my time and effort to continue reading. DNF is not the same as wanting to read something -- whether it be a book I've started reading or that is still waiting to be cracked open -- but not getting to it for whatever reason)

Here are just a few examples of what I mean by "highly subjective":

Prose/Writing Style/Voice

For the most part, I enjoy clear, succinct prose. Not flowery or overworded. If you can say something in less words, do it. This is one of the main reasons why I enjoy reading authors like Hannah Moskowitz, Courtney Summers, and (a fairly recent discovery of awesomeness) Amy Reed. These authors are known for being crisp and lean in their wording.

But at the same time, if the story lends itself to being told in more fluid manner, and the author handles it effectively, then I'm all over it. This is why authors such as Lauren Oliver, Victoria Schwab, and Therese Walsh became instant favorites of mine after reading just one of their novels.

So the point here is, if it works for your story, then whatever style of prose you feel comfortable using is the one you should use. Just don't expect everyone to connect with it. Sometimes I DNF a novel because the author's writing style was SO not jiving with me personally, that it didn't matter how awesome the concept of the story was, I just couldn't go on. Conversely, however, I will stick around with a novel longer if the prose/writing style has a good feel to me, even if the plot seems to be going nowhere, predictable, etc.

Prose is like clothing, or shoes. It either fits you or it doesn't. And something that doesn't feel quite right to you could very well be perfect for someone else, and vice versa.

Voice is presented through style of prose and word choice. So all of the above applies to voice, too.

Cliffhangers vs Tension on Every Page

I may get hung by the neck until dead for saying this but... Good god, I hate chapter-ending cliffhangers. But some people swear by them, so.

Personally, I'd rather see tension on every page, which is one of those things about writing that is extremely difficult to explain (but I'll try). Tension is not the same thing as conflict, although the two do go hand-in-hand. Tension is heightened through the presentation of conflict, whether it be interior or exterior. But conflict does not always equal tension.

Wrap your head around that one.

Basically what this means is that, you can have your characters going through a lot of shit, but the reader still might not give a shit. Why? Because the conflict lacks proper tension. And this is why cliffhangers don't work for me. They feel gimmicky and shallow, read: not enough real tension to keep me engaged enough to care what happens next.

I may keep reading, but I will feel cheated. I will roll my eyes. And if the same type of gimmick happens over and over, I will eventually DNF.

But some readers get to a cliffhanger at the end of a chapter and go crazy out of their freaking minds, raving about how brilliant the author is for employing such an effective tactic. So there you go. Highly subjective. What does this mean for you? Again, just do what you feel comfortable doing.

Making the Reader Think vs Being Preachy

This is a very fine line. So fine, in fact, that it's nearly invisible. And without being able to see that line, you can unknowingly cross it with one reader and be a good distance away from it with another.

A story that is entertaining and also makes me think, meaning, it causes me to dwell on aspects of my own life in relation to what I'm reading about in the story, is pretty much guaranteed a five-star rating from me. Those are the best kind of novels. And it's no surprise, then, that many authors try to engage the reader through this kind of... philosophy lesson through their story.

But when it's off the mark, it can result in a DNF very quickly. The difficult thing about this, however, is that "off the mark" is different for every single reader. For example, a reader might be really into a book and then get sucker-punched with a single line of dialogue that shakes their faith in something they hold dear, such as religion, government, sexuality, etc.

All it takes is a single line, and the entire book can be ruined for that person. This, unfortunately, is not something you can avoid completely.

But more often the case is that something the author wants to prove is being repeated over and over again through different venues of the story (i.e. narrative introspection, dialogue, choices, etc). This can be tiring for a reader who maybe doesn't care one way or the other, but they just don't feel like being preached to.

So how do you make the reader think without annoying (or insulting) them? Simply don't try so hard, don't be so obvious. Subtext is your friend in this situation. If you effectively use subtext, some readers may pick up on it, and others may not. Since you're not overtly spelling anything out the reader is left to make their own deduction, and therefore more likely to be agreeable to your message.

I love finding subtext in a novel. It makes me feel all smart and stuff.

The above examples are just a few of the many things that can result in heated debates over whether or not a novel is "good." Bottom line? It's all just a matter of personal opinion. You like what you like and you hate what you hate and no one can tell you you're wrong for either of those opinions.

And if you, as a writer, want to engage your reader, all you have to do is find the right readers--the ones who like the same things in a story as you do. Ah. Now that's the real challenge, now, isn't it?

Happy writing,
~Lydia

Monday, September 26, 2011

Monday Music - "Wonderwall" by Oasis

Today I'm going to share some "behind the scenes" stuff from my YA novel Social Graces. This particular novel went through several major rewrites over the past 10 months, not the least of which included deleting large chunks of story (to either tighten the pacing or replace the deleted material with something better). So I'd like to share something that ended up on the cutting room floor.

Oy... if only you could see how much of this novel has piled up on the cutting room floor.

One of the things I love about writing a novel is that you, as the author, get very close to all the characters, whether they be major or minor in the story. Closer than anyone else who will ever read it. Rocklyn Geiger is the main character in Social Graces. Kurt Speck is one of the main supporting characters (a major-minor character, I guess you could say). When I first started writing him into scenes I had no idea what he would develop into, and just how important his role would be in Rocklyn's journey.

Speck is loosely based on a guy I knew in high school. I was not friends with this person (I had very few friends, actually), but for some reason he has stuck in my mind after all these years. In fact, I don't even remember this guy's name -- I just remember what he looked like, and his mannerisms, and that he was on the basketball team. So when it came time to "throw in" a new character, this guy's image popped in my head... and I just went with it. Some things remained the same as the guy behind the inspiration (mostly the physical aspects) and some things I took (large) creative liberties with.

While enduring months and months of headaches with this novel, I never stopped loving Kurt Speck. I never once had the notion to cut his character from the story. Rather, the opposite happened as time went on. His character's importance grew, his personality and backstory developed into what could have been a real person, and he is quite possibly the most likeable character in the entire cast of this novel.

He's just one of those guys you can't NOT love. See... I've even rambled on about him and that's not even really what the post is about.

Anyway.

There's a scene in which Rocklyn (Rocky) and Kurt (Speck) are studying in Rocky's basement, and when they stop for a break Speck plays a guitar he found propped in the corner. One of the songs I originally had him playing and singing in this scene was "Wonderwall" by Oasis.

Now. This novel takes place in late 1995/early 1996. At the time of this scene, the album that "Wonderwall" is on had just released less than a week before. (Yes, I had to look it up.)

This little factoid ended up working perfectly for the scene, though. It showed just how adept Speck was with music, that he could learn a song and play it from memory within days of initially hearing it. Again, this is one of the things that I love about writing a novel. You learn these intimate things about your characters that maybe no one else will ever see.

But alas, I had to remove it from the final draft. A moment of silence, perhaps, for the words I murdered?

...

...

That was lovely, thank you. Moving on...

There is a line in "Wonderwall" that really stood out to me, and this line was the main reason I'd chosen this particular song for this particular scene. It served two specific purposes:

1) foreshadowing part of Speck's character that is revealed later

2) foreshadowing events involving Rocky that pertain to the main plot

That line is...

...all the roads we have to walk are winding
and all the lights that lead us there are blinding...
there are many things that I would like to say to you
but I don't know how...

Every time I hear that song now, and especially when I hear that line, I think of Speck playing guitar in Rocky's basement during a study break.

Every. Time. He's not even a real person and the scene I see in my mind never actually happened, but it feels like a memory to me -- that's how ingrained this novel is inside me.

And no, there wasn't a real point to this post other than to share an experience I had while writing this novel that, even if it gets published, no one would ever know about if I hadn't said anything here.

So...

Happy Monday. Enjoy the song.

~Lydia

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

The Crying Game

Crying is one of those things that can get me to hate on a character that I otherwise loved. Too much crying, I should say. It seems to be either written well or written poorly -- no in between. And it's no surprise that the writers who often do crying wrong are still relatively new to storytelling and fiction writing in general. Debut authors are the worst offenders. (sorry, guys, but you are) Or, worse, the author may be seasoned but somehow doesn't notice or care that they've fallen into this rut.

For some reason, during a first draft, we tend to use crying as a default action for certain emotions. As long as you reevaluate this during revisions, it's perfectly okay to fall back on it while in first draft mode. If you recognize you have a tendency to do this, highlight every point in your ms where your MC clearly shows tears (all characters, really, but your MC/ viewpoint character's actions are the most noticeable and memorable to the reader).

You might be surprised how often it happens, especially in the second half. But don't think you can take the easy way out and slip in a sentence like, "I don't know what's wrong with me, I swear I don't usually cry this much!" or, "It seems like all I do is cry lately." Because that is just as annoying as the crying itself, and quite honestly, when I see that (as a reader) it makes me think the author was too lazy to fix it "for real." They recognized a problem and changed nothing.

So how can you fix it? Here are a few tips:

Less is more. Anything overdone will have less impact, sometimes to the point of having the opposite of the intended effect on the reader. If a character cries all the time, it becomes a distraction and the entire scene falls flat.

Analyze every instance of crying and label that scene with a specific emotion. If the strongest emotion you're trying to convey through that scene isn't something worth crying over, simply remove it. Yes, it can be that easy.

Think about how often you cry in real life. Think about what the extenuating circumstances are. Without getting terribly personal, in my own experiences I rarely allow myself to cry unless it's (a) something that has been building up over time and finally explodes, (b) something so monumentally devastating that I can't control my reaction, (c) a time when I'm hormonal, (d) any extremely bad or extremely happy thing that involves my son.

That's about it, really.

So the point is, you have to know your characters intimately enough that you can determine exactly what circumstances will make them crack, and under what circumstances they will be able to hold back the flood, even if they are upset.

Remember that emotion is not always shown through direct action. If this is the viewpoint character, a good deal of emotion can be conveyed through their thought process and dialogue. In this way, crying can be implied, which is much less annoying to a reader than outright stating there are tears involved every time a character gets worked up over something.

Emotions run high in the final chapters of any good novel. Sometimes tears are warranted, but more often, they are better off implied -- save your words for what really matters.

Also, crying is not the only option for emotions such as sadness. Just as it is not the only option for someone to clench their jaw in anger or widen their eyes in shock, when a writer makes their characters cry every time they are sad, the action itself becomes cliche' no matter how artfully they think they've worded it. As you would with anything else you write, lay out all your options and select the one that fits best from all angles.

How often do you ever feel a single emotion in any given situation? Sadness and compassion are often linked. So are anger and frustration. And a person who smiles through their tears is likely more focused on the reason they are smiling-despite-the-pain than the fact that they have wet cheeks. So the point here is, your words need to direct the reader toward the real focus of the character.

This is also where close point-of-view comes into play. If you have too much narrative distance, it will be even more obvious at times of heightened emotion. The narrative will feel overly dry, disconnected, too external for the situation at hand. If you've practiced really putting yourself in your characters' shoes, it will show in how you convey their emotions.

When writers default to overuse of crying it makes me wonder if they just watch too much TV and too many movies and use those are their primary "textbooks" for storytelling. Crying is an external action brought on by internal processes. It works well for the visual arts, but simply stating that someone is crying in a story is not enough to truly engage a reader.

And as for the characters who recognize they're crying too much and feel they can cancel it out by just saying so... well... sorry, that doesn't fly, either.

Someone who doesn't like that they're crying can realistically be focused on trying not to cry, but at the same time they are also battling the real/ bigger issue -- the person, event, knowledge, etc. that brought on the tears. The latter makes for much more interesting reading. So again, analyze the focus of the scene. Direct your reader to the important things. Tears are not always so important that you need to waste words on them.

If you're going to play the crying game, remember these simple "rules":

* less is more

* make it realistic under the given circumstances

* know your characters, how they react to people & things

* keep the scene focused on a specific, intended emotion

* crying is not the only option, and is rarely the best option

* bring the reader into the point-of-view character as closely as possible

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some tears to shed (from my WIP).

Happy writing,
~Lydia

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Voice Is Not Everything (but it is vitally important)

Discussion of the ever-elusive "voice" in writing and publishing circles is enough to make any new writer go mad. But it seems that agents and editors (and writers who read read read as much as they can) have an agreement -- voice is key.

But the last time I rode the query-go-round, the more I saw this comment being made (not always in those exact words), the more frustrated I became. Not because I don't have voice in my writing... but because I do. And I'm not the one who is making that claim.

Just about every agent who read my work last year made a comment in some form or another about what an excellent voice it has. In fact, that is usually what gets their attention after their initial interest in the query pitch.

So why did they later pass on my work? Because voice is not everything.

But it is vitally important.

Voice is just one of the many elements that work together in presenting the story as a whole. When I'm reading, voice is the first thing I notice. And it is usually the only thing I consider when deciding whether or not to turn that first page and continue reading...

In the beginning of a story, the reader knows very little (about the characters, the setting, the circumstances, etc). One of the few solid things a reader can grab hold of is the narrative voice. The opening pages of any story are like a handshake between the viewpoint character and the reader. So if the handshake (aka introduction) is agreeable, the reader will stick around to see what happens.

If something about the voice just isn't jiving with the reader, they won't keep reading. They might not even know why they stopped reading. They might say something like, "I don't know, it just didn't interest me."

That same comment of disinterest can come later in the reading, even if the reader does connect with the voice in the beginning. Which is why voice is important, but it is not everything.

Speaking from experience, a good voice will get me to read farther along in a story I'm not particularly liking, plot-wise, but that will only get me so far. At some point, the story has to live up to the voice.

You cannot have a good voice with no story, just as you cannot have a good story with no voice.

Voice comes naturally to some writers, but they struggle with their plot and story elements. While plot and surprise twists and epic conflict come naturally to other writers, but they have trouble writing in a distinct voice.

Whatever your strength, you no doubt have a weakness somewhere else. I have yet to meet any writer who is naturally strong in ALL areas of storytelling. This doesn't mean one type of writer is better than the other, it just means they have varying frustrations. In any case, you have to master all areas before you are ready for publication.

Because even if you get an agent or editor's attention with your voice, if your story doesn't hold up, then no offers. Those who are better at plot will likely have a tougher time getting requests in their early attempts. They may get comments like, "interesting concept, but the writing is too dry."

So it's frustrating either way. Either you get requests that result in nothing, or you don't get requests at all. Both of those scenarios are difficult to deal with.

Just hang in there. In either case, it simply means you aren't ready yet. But it doesn't mean that you'll never be ready. Keep working on strengthening your weaknesses, and eventually, when coupled with your natural strengths, they will help you get requests and offers.

Here are a few quick tips to get you pointed in the right direction.

If you struggle with voice:

* get to know your viewpoint characters more intimately. More often than not, a lack of voice stems from a lack of overall character. If you can get the reader interested in who is telling the story, you're half-way home.

* try writing a scene or two in a different point-of-view (first or third person), tense (past or present), and/or style (flowy, choppy, etc). A lack of voice is sometimes due to narrative distance. Switching from third person to first, for example, can help shorten the gap between reader and viewpoint character. Also, your writing style should fit the story type or it will feel "off."

Please note: the above suggestion is not a solution in every case. But it might be. You won't know until you try.

* post your opening pages on a writers' forum that has members who are published authors, such as Absolute Write. If your writing has voice, people will usually say so whether they like what happens in the story or not. If you don't get any comments to the tune of "love the voice in this", then ask for suggestions on how to spice it up.

* read this book: The Fire In Fiction by Donald Maass. It will help you deepen your characters. Personality = voice.

If you struggle with plot:

* read these books: Save the Cat! by Blake Snyder and Plot & Structure by James Scott Bell. Take notes. Apply them to your specific work.

* read as many novels as you possibly can in your area of writing interest. Study those novels and take notes. Study the jacket blurbs. Highlight where you find the turning points -- you should notice a basic structure in every novel you read. Apply what you've learned to your specific work.

* watch movies that are similar to your area of writing interest. Pinpoint the major plot elements, and where the major turning points occur. Study the plot focus and pacing -- there is no room for extraneous anything in a movie, it is always moving forward. Take notes. Apply them to your specific work.

* read and study all the breakout prompts by Donald Maass. They will help you create appropriate conflict and confrontation between characters that will drive your plot.

Happy writing,
~Lydia

Monday, September 12, 2011

Monday Music - "Rise Above This" by Seether

This song is about suicide, and the message in the video is vitally important -- a person who commits suicide is not the only person who dies from it. Everyone who knew that person, and especially those who were close to that person... part of them dies, too.

When I was querying my YA novel, Summer Hoax, last year, an agent who read the ms made a comment about how my main character didn't seem to have any friends. And while I knew this, of course, I didn't realize the wrong impression it gave until the agent brought it to my attention. I was a very shy, reserved girl in high school, but I still had friends (few as they were). For someone to not have at least one person they can talk to when things get rough, is unrealistic (unless that person is a hermit). This is true for anyone, any age.

And I never forgot that advice. Which is why I made sure the MC in my next novel, Social Graces, had such a person in her life. She also acted as a support for her friend whenever he needed it.

How does that relate to this song? You'll see in tomorrow's Teaser Tuesday.

For now, just enjoy the song and take its message to heart. If you know someone who is (or might be) suicidal, you can help them rise above it. Just by being a friend.

~Lydia

Friday, September 9, 2011

Your Public Persona - Proudly Wearing the Author Badge

Are you serious about getting published? Then you're gonna have to go public, or no one will know who you are or why they should care what you write. And it's never too early to start. Here are a few simple ways to freshen up your public persona from "hobby writer" to "professional author", whether you are published or not.

Update your headshot. What, you don't have a headshot? Get one. Photos of you with your pets or children are admittedly cute. But they are not an appropriate accompaniment to your professional bio. If you want to post non-headshot photos of yourself on your website, create a gallery page. People love that sort of personalization, but it has its place.

Everyone in the entertainment industry should have a headshot, and that includes authors. Avatars are less strict -- you don't necessarily have to use your face -- but people are drawn to a smiling face more than anything else. They want to know you're real and approachable. Also, you want people to recognize you (see below).

Attractive people get more attention. Yes, I know "attractive" is highly subjective. But I'm not referring to the specific physical details of one person versus another. What I'm saying is that if you want people to take you seriously, you should have a profile shot that proves it. If you can afford a professional headshot, more power to you.

But professional photography isn't necessary before you're published -- you just need to look good. If you have a decent digital camera (or know someone who will let you borrow one), take twenty or more headshots and select the one that best fits whatever your public persona happens to be -- fun, intellectual, sexy, etc. Then use it wherever you are on the Web.

Yes, use the same picture everywhere. A public persona is all about getting people to recognize you and feel like they "know" you. If you look like a different person every time someone sees you, you're not familiar. People will have a hard time connecting. If you change your headshot, make sure you update every place you're using it online. Once a person has seen your headshot in one place, they will easily recognize it wherever they go, and they will know who it is. YOU.

Smile, dammit. People who smile are instantly more attractive, and attractive people get more attention (see above). There have actually been studies done on this, I'm not just talking out my ass because I happen to like smiling. Unless your public persona is "grade A jerkwad" (which works for some, but not most), then please use a headshot in which you are SMILING, or at the very least semi-smiling. It makes you seem more approachable, and hence, likable.You don't have to show your teeth if that makes you self-conscious.

Just... whatever you do, don't scowl or do anything else that makes you look like you're about to strangle the photographer. And get an outside opinion on your face before you put it on public display. Sometimes you look stand-offish/ disgusted/ tweeked out when you're not.

Smile often in real life, too (see below).

Act like a celebrity wherever you go. No, I don't mean act like a douche who thinks he can get away with anything (I'm looking at you, Charlie Sheen). What I mean is, act like you're always on public display, whenever you're actually in public -- both physically and online. Act like the paparazzi is following you.

Why? Because it keeps your behavior in check. You don't have to be perky positive 100% of the time. That isn't realistic (and people will see right through you). Just don't do or say anything that befits the front page of The National Enquirer, mmkay?

Regarding publicity in person, you can start building a good reputation as an author before you're published by being a good public citizen. Then once you do have a book to offer, people will remember that they like you. Non-writers always think it's amazing to know someone who has a book published. Instant "local celebrity" status.

You never know who might recognize you at the grocery store once your face is on the inside jacket or back cover of a novel. People are more likely to remember one thing you did wrong than a hundred things you did right -- this could lead to people not recommending your book without you even knowing it. So start building that good reputation now and avoid bad public behavior.

Let your community know you're an author. Do you write YA? Support your local high school (there are oh-so-many ways you can volunteer -- lead a monthly book club discussion after school, work with the English dept to mentor teens who write fiction, or set up an "author/publshing" station at the next Career Day, to name just a few). They'll remember this when you go to ask them about doing an author visit to promote your book.

And ANY writer can support their local library. Remember: libraries have to BUY books in order to shelve them. I don't know about other areas, but my local library network holds book discussions (some for adults and some for teens), and "local writer" Q&A sit-ins, and truckloads of other activities that an author can be involved in. Put yourself where your readers are. They'll remember your face, your words, your actions, and hopefully, your name.

Don't quit your day job. Aside from the need to pay your bills, the people you work with can be your biggest supporters. Such has been the case for me since the day I started writing my first novel, stealing away every opportunity I had to sketch in a few more words during breaks. I never hid what I was doing and I never gave the impression that I was ashamed of it or that it was just a hobby. Some of my co-workers still joke about how I wrote that novel in the breakroom. And they still want to see that sucker in print (even though I've made it clear the poor thing has been trunked).

Since then, many of them have purchased anthologies just because one of my stories was published in them. And the coolest thing about that was, I got to sign the books! Just about everyone I work with (in a place with over 100 employees) knows that when I'm not there, I'm writing at home. And there isn't a single day that I go into work and NOT have at least one person ask me what story I'm working on or how things are going with my writing in general. They are sincerely interested, and I wouldn't have that much-needed in-person support if I'd been quiet about my work.

Like I mentioned above, non-writers think it's amazing to know someone who has written and/or published a novel. Take advantage of this.

Don't be afraid to put yourself out there. People are scary, I know. But if you want them to buy your book (either now or in the future), you can't be a writing hermit. Those glory days are over.

Publicizing your author status is not limited to online activity and it's certainly not limited to writing/publishing circles (i.e. book expos, conferences, etc). Find publicity that works for you and flaunt it. You're a writer. It's not just what you do, it's who you are. Wear your badge with pride.

~Lydia

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Make Your Ending as Big as Possible

One of the main reasons I will give a novel 4 stars instead of 5 (or 3 instead of 4, etc) is because of an ending that doesn't feel BIG enough. Even if the rest of the book was superb, I feel that many published novels I read, especially contemporary pieces, don't have the knockout ending I was hoping for, the ending it felt like the story was leading up to, but then... it's almost like the author took the easy way out, sent their MC down the path of least resistance.

And what's the point of that?

Granted, not every story can end with something akin to World War III between the protagonist and the antagonist. But every ending should have a big showdown of some sort between them.

This showdown cannot just be an argument or a little fight or a small revelation. It must be the biggest conflict of the entire story thus far. It must be the most difficult hurdle for the protagonist to overcome, physically or emotionally or both (depending on the story). And when it's over, it must have solved the main story problem.

Must. Because if any one of those is lacking, the ending will not satisfy.

Many times a dissatisfying ending is not simply a lack of bigness in the final pages, but also a lack of appropriate setup through everything presented in the novel before that ending.

For example, lets look at the Wizard of Oz (the movie, not the book, because the book is very different in terms of story structure and main conflict). The climax of that movie is when Dorothy defeats the Wicked Witch of the West.

Why is the witch the biggest threat? To answer that you must first know the main story problem. In this story, the main problem is simple -- Dorothy needs to get back home to Kansas. In order to do so, she must overcome various hurdles along her journey, each of them building upon the other, making it seem like she will NOT achieve her goal in the end.

The conflict against her is continually made more difficult by constant threats from the Wicked Witch of the West, despite all of the other trials (getting lost, the Wizard is a douche, etc).

For example, just before Dorothy and her entourage get to the Emerald City, which they believe is where the Wizard lives whom they believe will help them, the Wicked Witch drugs them to sleep with poppies. This is just one of many interferences from her, which makes her the main thing stopping Dorothy from reaching her goal.

During the setup, each of these threats from the Wicked Witch must be worse than the one before it, until it all comes to a head at their showdown in the end. And in doing this, the audience understands what is at stake. If Dorothy doesn't defeat the Wicked Witch, then she doesn't go home. Period.

So what would you think of the ending if Dorothy didn't defeat the Witch? What if the Scarecrow and the Lion and the Tin Man rescued her and they somehow escaped without that final confrontation, and then just sent her on her way?

It wouldn't satisfy. The audience would have that nagging feeling of "she's still out there and can stop Dorothy if she wants to." The happiness of everyone at the final balloon launch back to Kansas would feel awkward at best. How can they be so cheerful when the threat hasn't been squelched? All they did was run away... which they'd done before and it didn't solve anything. So how is it any different now?

Also noteworthy is that the final confrontation is tense, big, without being over the top. The bigness of the ending must fit the story. It seems as if they are trapped, but then Dorothy tosses the bucket of water on the Witch and she melts. Witch gone. Problem solved. Now Dorothy can return the Witch's broom to the Wizard and he can send her home. Notice there are no atomic explosions or a previously unknown army of wizards or whatever thrown in just at that moment to make the ending seem bigger.

It won't feel big. It will feel hokey, forced, and ridiculous. Amateur.

(Aside: The ending is not the time to present wholly new story elements. That time has past. That is what your setup is for. By the time the MC gets to the ending, he/she should know all the possibilities and be aware of everything he/she has at his/her disposal to conquer the threat. They may not realize they can use a certain object or person or inner bravery until that very moment, but it is NOT something that hasn't already been hinted at prior. Even so-called twist endings should have an element of "ohhh... now I get it" when the audience/reader thinks back on it.)

The climactic tension is at its peak because big endings also have a sense of chaos at some point. Preferably just before the resolution. This is the case in the Wizard of Oz, too. Just before the group is trapped, they are running from place to place, trying to find an escape route. There isn't one. And all the chaos of running around in desperation stops abruptly in the confrontation with the Wicked Witch. Dorothy is then forced to resolve everything right then and there. No narrow escapes or help from Glinda this time, as had been the case with previous confrontations.

Put simply, this is what makes an ending BIG, regardless of genre or story type:

the main threat increases throughout the entire story; each successive threat is in some way worse than the one before it
there is no physical escape from the final confrontation until after it has been resolved (if your protagonist can choose to walk away from it, you need to change something)
it seems as if the protagonist will NOT succeed
death threat, death threat, death threat
there is utter chaos just before the resolution
the protagonist is the one who solves the story problem, either by himself/herself or by leading the action of a group

Examples of novels that have big, satisfying endings:

The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab
The Last Will of Moira Leahy by Therese Walsh
Every book in the Iron Fey series
Every book in the Healing Wars series

Examples of movies that have big, satisfying endings:

Legend of the Guardians
How to Train Your Dragon
The Matrix
Sherlock Holmes

Not a complete list (obvs), but a good place to start. Study those and see why they work.

In a contemporary story, the challenge to make the ending feel big is somewhat greater, but it can still be done. Remember the advice of James Scott Bell, that some kind of death (not always physical) needs to hang over the MC from the beginning. If the MC ultimately confronts and defeats the source of that death threat at the climax, that's half of your "bigness" right there. The rest of the "satisfaction through resolution" comes through how well you've set it up in the preceding chapters.

Often times, the ending you think of first for your story will NOT be the biggest one possible. Write out your options (just a brief paragraph for each) and select the best one, the one that has the biggest scope, the biggest impact, the biggest confrontation, the highest tension, the highest stakes. Personally, I went through about ten different story endings for my most recent novel, Social Graces, before deciding on the one I used. And not surprisingly, the one I ended up using was NOT my original idea. And even so, I'm still in the process of tweaking it to make it feel even bigger.

Do what is best for the story and you will do what is best for your audience. Go BIG or go home. (sorry, I couldn't resist)

Happy writing,
~Lydia

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Winner of The Doctor's Lady!!!

Of the 18 comments posted, 15 were entered in the drawing for a free, author-signed copy of The Doctor's Lady by Jody Hedlund. The number generated by random.org was 13. (ha! lucky 13)

Eligible comment number 13 is...

DEBBIE

Congratulations! Please email your shipping address to lydiasharp4sff (at) yahoo (dot) com. If I don't hear from you by Wednesday, September 7, I will draw a new winner.

Thanks to everyone who entered!

If you didn't win this time, please follow Jody's blog tour for more opportunities. Also, I will be hosting another giveaway soon, either through this blog or on GoodReads. Add The Doctor's Lady to your to-read shelf (if you haven't already) and stay tuned!

Happy reading,
~Lydia

Friday, September 2, 2011

Interview with Jody Hedlund (Plus Giveaway of The Doctor's Lady! And a Contest!)

***BOOK GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED TO NEW ENTRIES***

(Contest details at bottom of post.)
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Please give a warm welcome to historical romance author Jody Hedlund!

I first met Jody through her blog (an amazing resource for writers of any type of fiction) just over a year ago, right before the release of her debut novel, The Preacher's Bride. That novel ended up being one my favorite reads of the year! So of course I jumped at the opportunity to help promote Jody's newest release, The Doctor's Lady, another adventurous historical romance.
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Priscilla White bears the painful knowledge that she’ll never be able to be a mother. Having felt God’s call to missionary work, she determines to remain single, put her pain behind her, and answer God’s call.

Dr. Eli Ernest wants to start a medical clinic and mission in unsettled Oregon Country. He’s not interested in taking a wife because of the dangers of life in the west and the fact that no white woman has ever attempted the overland crossing.

But then Priscilla and Eli both receive news from the mission board: No longer will they send unmarried men and women into the field. Left scrambling for options, the two realize the other might be the answer to their needs.

Priscilla and Eli agree to a partnership, a marriage in name only that will allow them to follow God’s leading into the mission field. But as they journey west, this decision will be tested by the hardships of the trip and by the unexpected turnings of their hearts.
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What was the inspiration behind The Doctor’s Lady?

This book is inspired by the true life story of Narcissa Whitman, the first white woman to brave the dangers of overland trail and travel west. In 1836, she married Dr. Whitman, and then the next day left her childhood home and would never return, for the purpose of starting a mission among the Nez Perce natives.

It was my hope in this story to bring Narcissa Whitman to life. This heroic woman has often been ignored and at times even disparaged. In reality, she exuded incredible courage to attempt a trip many proclaimed foolishly dangerous. It was called an “unheard-of-journey for females.” Because of her willingness to brave the unknown, she led the way for the many women who would follow in her footsteps in what would later become known as the Oregon Trail.

What percentage of The Doctor’s Lady is true? And how much did you add?

As with any story of historical fiction, the large majority of what I’ve written was truly from the depths of my imagination, all of my creative meanderings of “what could have happened.”

However, in my research of the Whitmans, I drew from numerous biographies. While I wasn’t able to stick to every historical detail in complete accuracy, most of the story outline is taken directly from Narcissa’s diary.
I tried to follow the trail they took west as closely as possible. While I was unable to include every stop and incident of their travel for the sake of brevity, I did try to capture the essence of their journey. I included their travel first by sleigh, then steamboat, and lastly by wagon and horse.

(Make sure you read the Author’s Note at the end of the book where I explain in more detail which specific incidents came from the pages of her diary and what I made up for the sake of the story.)

What message do you hope readers take away from Priscilla and Eli's story?

I hope readers are inspired to try new things and brave dangerous prospects in the pursuit of their dreams. When we go after the things that matter, we’ll have to take risks and we’ll experience setbacks and obstacles. But if we persevere, we can reach our destination and do great things along the way.

What’s one thing about you that might surprise readers?

I have most of the songs of Sound of Music memorized (due to watching it every year as a child). Now, whenever I watch the movie, I belt out the songs at the top of my lungs, much to the listening pleasure of my children. *Grin*

Me too! This one was always my favorite (I wanted to be Liesl and dance in the rain).

What is the fabulous Jody Hedlund planning for her readers next?

In 2012, my next historical romance releases. I’m really excited about this story because it’s set in my home state of Michigan. It takes place during the 1880’s at a time in history when the lumber era was at its height. Although the story isn’t inspired by a true person the way my first two books have been, I do include several real people, particularly a real villain by the name of James Carr who was notorious in central Michigan for his violence and for introducing white slavery into the state.

The heroine of the story is a young woman, Lily Young, who is looking for her sister who’s caught up into the degradation of lumber camp life. While Lily searches for her missing sister, she fights against the evil that runs rampant around her, and she fights not to lose her heart to the lumber baron who turns a blind eye to the lawlessness of the lumber business.

Sounds amazing, can't wait. Thanks so much for joining us, Jody!
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Jody Hedlund is an award-winning historical romance novelist and author of the best-selling book, The Preacher's Bride. She received a bachelor’s degree from Taylor University and a master’s from the University of Wisconsin, both in Social Work. Currently she makes her home in Michigan with her husband and five busy children. Her second book, The Doctor’s Lady released on September 1, 2011.

Website
Twitter
Facebook
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Would you like a free, author-signed copy of The Doctor's Lady?

Just leave a comment to this post by Sunday, September 4 and you will be automatically entered into a drawing (continental US residents only - please specify if your comment is ineligible). Winner will be selected using random.org and will be announced here on the blog on Sunday.

Thanks to Bethany House Publishers for providing a beautiful finished copy to give away, and thanks to Jody for signing it!

But wait there's more...

Click HERE for contest details and entry info.

Thanks to everyone for stopping by today! If you are hosting a slot on Jody's blog tour please let me know in the comments and I'll be sure to visit on your day.

Happy reading!
~Lydia

Thursday, September 1, 2011

It's That Time of Year Again - September Goals

Another extra post this week because September 1 happens to fall on an off day.

September is one of my three favorite months of the year (Sept/Oct/Nov), but also the busiest. It is my rejuvenating period. My starting over period. My let's-figure-out-what-the-heck-I'm-doing-with-my-life period.

This is not just because my birthday happens to be this month, starting a literal new year of my life. For some reason, I'm backwards from the rest of the world. I don't like to do spring cleaning in the spring. I do my "spring cleaning" in the fall, starting this month.

Probably because I can't stand the thought of being stuck in a dirty dusty apartment through the winter. I need a fresh start right before then.

September also means this:

I've worked in a major department store chain for the past ten years, and it still excites me to merchandise new product, my most favorite of which has always been and always will be fall fashion. I actually get a little crazy-happy when the first set of coats come in and we get to push the swimsuits back in a corner with a discount sign.

Bring on the crisp, cool air. Bring on the sweaters. Bring on the boots.

Aside from all that cleaning and accessorizing, September is when I look back on the previous year's goals and make a new resolution. Not January. September.

For those of you who have been following this blog for more than a year (and to those people I need to say THANK YOU for sticking around) you might remember this post from last September.

Some of those goals of mine were achieved. Some, sadly, were not. But the great thing about goals is that as long as you keep trying, reaching for them, you never truly fail.

So here are the writing-related things I accomplished in the past year, and how these will affect my career goals for the coming year:

Sold two short stories!

I sold "Spread Your Wings and Die" (fantasy) to Pill Hill Press in October 2010; it was published in the SHADOWS & LIGHT: VOLUME II anthology in January 2011.

I sold "Chasing Dreams" (science fiction) to FaePublishing in June 2011; currently going through revisions with the editor; publication date has not been determined yet.

I think two short story sales per year is a good, achievable goal for me while working on novels at the same time. At some point in the future I will likely push myself to do more, but for now, it's enough.

For the coming year, I already have a finished short story out on submission and a few ideas simmering. I just need to pick one and work on it. That makes two.

(Details on all of my short fiction--past, present, and future--is here.)

Wrote a new novel!

In August (just in the nick of time) I finished the novel I had started in December 2010. You all know that novel as SOCIAL GRACES. And even though I haven't started querying it yet, this novel has already received a request from an agent, based on the sample pages I posted at WriteOnCon last month. If you'd like to read the opening, click here.

One novel per year is also a good, achievable goal for me. And as you all saw on Tuesday, I've already started writing my next one. I'll only be chipping at it until SOCIAL GRACES has officially flown from the nest, but once that happens, I'll dive in headfirst. And I really can't see it taking me longer than a year to complete. I've got the entire story in my head already, I just have to write it.

This story has actually been simmering on the back burner since the beginning of the year. It's ready to boil now.

Book reviews:

This one is a bit of a tricky goal. My number of reviews has gone down, even though my goal was to increase them.

But I don't really see this as a failure because my circumstances changed. I'm reading way more books per month than I was before--I can't possibly write reviews for all of them. This is why I've been using goodreads as a backup. Oftentimes I will write a 3-sentence review on goodreads because I feel the book deserves it and I don't have time to write an official review for The Book Book.

Also, I did not anticipate that I would get an offer to contribute to another book blog! I'll be writing spotlights for the YA Contemps once per month now, so again... it's not really a failure, just a change.

A good change.

In the coming year I've decided to cut back on my reviews for The Book Book, limiting them to about one per month, more if I have time. And those reviews will be of (a) free books for review that I get from Harper Perennial, or from authors that I'm not able spotlight at the YA Contemps, and/or (b) books in my personal reading pile that I really really LOVE and want to help promote.

Signing with an agent:

Well. This has been a goal of mine for a while now, and has still not been achieved. But I'm not upset about that. Honest. And I don't look at this as a failure.

I view it as growth.

The very first novel I ever queried received absolutely zero interest from agents.

The next novel I queried, SUMMER HOAX (in 2010) received quite a few requests from agents, many of them saying "almost but not quite" and offering specific feedback on how to improve. But no offers of representation.

So now it's nearly time for me to jump on the query-go-round again, and I feel that all my previous experience has been beneficial, not a failure. Stepping stones.

I feel much more confident in my query writing skills and my agent-researching skills now than I did even just a year ago. I also feel I've gotten to "know" some of the agents on my to-query list a lot better than I did a year ago, and I've learned SO MUCH about the publishing industry in general.

And, probably the best part of my experience with SUMMER HOAX last year, is that a lot of the agents who passed also said they would like to see either a revision of that novel or a new project, once it's available. So I have a decent list of agents to query who won't feel like a "cold query" when I contact them again.

This is a good thing. And I'll take it. I just hope they remember me because a full year has passed...

Anyway.

That's my new September. What's yours?

~Lydia

The Sharp Angle

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