“Spanking the muse”

More busy days with my day-job, so I’m sorry these blog posts are coming slowly. But not it’s Friday night, work is over for the week, laundry is folded — almost — and I’m sitting in front of Becoming Jane, laptop on my lap and glass of wine by my side. Ahhh

Here’s number two of my posts from the North Texas SCBWI conference last weekend. Illustrator David Diaz, who won the Caldecott Medal (and he told us it is an actual medal, that’s quite heavy) for the picture book Smoky Night, talked about writer’s block and what he called, “spanking the muse.”

David’s amusing talk gave some interesting insight in the ways in which writers and illustrators deal with those times when they have trouble creating. Prior to the conference, he did a (non)scientific study on Facebook and found that many creative types use many things to bring on the muse, with alcohol rated quite high.

But from David’s advice from the study, here are a few tips:

• Focus – on what you’re trying to achieve
• Change your medium – write with pen and paper if you’re used to a computer
• Slow down or speed up – too much technique can kill creativity; let it flow
• Move your butt – go for a walk or something to change your environment
• Feed your head – nurture your inner creative person by providing creative things (David said he spends much time combing magazines for inspiration)
• Embrace your inner dinker – allow yourself the freedom to dinker (David’s word for procrastinate) as long it opens you up to let the muse come in

David showed a number of quotes about the muse, and here are my two favorites:

“One reason I don’t suffer writer’s block is that I don’t wait for the muse. I summon her at need.” — Piers Anthony

“I have a wonderful muse called alimony.” — Dick Shaap

🙂

I love both of these, and I think they both have the same message: Make your own muse.

I’m going off David’s talk now, but I’m a believer making your own muse. I used to write whenever I had the time, and I got writer’s block often. But since I made the commitment to write every day, writer’s block hasn’t been as much of a problem, and my muse mostly stays close by. To me, the muse will give to you whatever you give to her (him or it). Inspiration comes when you’re living your story, writing every day and keeping the characters in your head as much as often when you’re not actively writing. Do that, and you’ll always have somewhere to go in the story, because your characters will always be taking you somewhere.

Robert McKee, author of Story, said the key to overcoming writer’s block is research. For me, whether you’re actually researching some aspect of your story or simply thinking about your story and actively writing, it’s one and the same. Both keep your muse at your side.

One of the best talks I’ve seen on creativity (as well as David’s, of course) is from Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Love, Pray. I’ve linked to it before, but I think it’s worth mentioning again. And this time I found the code so I could actually embed the video. It’s about 20 minutes, but it’s worth watching; you won’t be disappointed.

How’s your muse treating you?

Write On!

First lines, first impressions

I’m behind on my blogging about the North Texas SCBWI conference from this past Saturday. But I have lots of good stuff to tell you about.

Today, I’m starting with first lines. Editor Lisa Yoskowitz, with Penguin’s Dutton Children’s Books imprint, began her presentation by showing a number of first lines from classic books. These first lines introduce the reader to the book and — hopefully — pull them in. The lines Lisa showed were brilliant, and they made me realize something: This is what I’m striving for in my writing.

Here are two of my favorites from Lisa’s presentation:

“Where is Papa going with that ax,” Charlotte asked her mother as they set the table for breakfast. — Charlotte’s Web

“There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it.” — Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

Both of these are brilliant in different ways, but they both pique interest enough to keep a reader reading.

Here’s what I found so amazing about these two:

Charlotte’s Web:

• With the ax comment, a reader is immediately interested in what’s going on.
• Introduces three characters right off the bat and their relationships.
• Brings the reader smack back into the middle of the action of the story; no need to introduce Charlotte and say she lives on a farm, etc. Just straight to the ax.

Voyage of the Dawn Treader:

• Introduces the main character and the type of boy he is swiftly and effectively.
• Intrigues the reader because we want to know why Eustace deserves his name.

With a book, there are lots of first impressions that encourage a reader to spend their money and take the story home: the cover art, the jacket copy, the authors name. But if readers are like me — and I suspect there are a good many out there who do this — no matter how interesting the front picture and jacket description are, they won’t buy the book unless that first page, sometimes first couple of pages, draw them into the story.

That first page begins with that first line, and it should make a great first impression.

These kind of first lines are what we should be striving for in our own work. And then, of course, the rest of the book should live up to that.

What’s your favorite first line of a book?

Write On!

First pages

Done today: Still on first five chapters

Revision remaining: 149 pages

Daily pages needed to be finished by end of November: 3.5

I feel as though I’m not getting anywhere with my revising when I look at my stats, but revising can sometimes be slower than writing. This is time when you’re considering so much more. With the first draft, you’re vomiting on the page, to use a lovely industry-used image, and vomiting is quick. But with revision, you’re thoughtfully picking and choosing the best part of that vomit, moving it around for the nicest picture, and that takes time — ok, enough with the vomit. 🙂

As I’ve mentioned, I’m going to the North Texas SCBWI conference tomorrow, and one of the features there is Dutton Children’s Books’ Lisa Yoskowitz critiquing attendee’s manuscript first pages. So, last night, I spent time going over mine.

I had already revised my first chapter and gotten great comments at my critique group (and I have a bunch of talented writers in my group), but as I looked it over, I remembered something I’ve read a lot lately: Don’t include backstory in the first chapter. Bring it in later.

I had some backstory in my first chapter, in fact, in my first page (well, technically, it was fore-story, my character thinking about his family and what was happening that day), but I thought, what’s wrong with that? It’s quick, interesting, and adds to the character and story. And, I’ve read books that have that … surely.

I pulled out some books, and, you know what, none of them had thoughts explaining things in the first page, even first chapter. And I understood them fine and was interested to keep reading.

I hadn’t really noticed this before. So, as an experiment, I went through my first chapter and took out everything that explained things. I wasn’t sure that it would work, but I figured, best to try than to not.

What I came up with surprised me. My new first chapter had the same essence and interest as the original. Plus, I found new voice in the character in joining up the parts that were left. And everything that was cut can be added in later.

It reminded me of the book I’m reading now, book four in Suzanne Collins’ Underland Chronicles. With three books’ worth of stories behind her, she weaved in the information that was needed when it was needed, and it wasn’t missed early.

This morning, I asked my husband to read my new first page, and after he did, he asked, “What did you change?” I guess my explanations weren’t missed either.

I’m looking at my revision under a bit of a different light now.

What are you working on?

Write On!

Wild Things

Done today: Still on first five chapters

Revision remaining: 149 pages

Daily pages needed to be finished by end of November: 3.5

I wasn’t sure if I was going to write about the new Where the Wild Things Are movie, which my husband and I saw last weekend, because I wasn’t sure what I wanted to say. Mostly, my feelings of the film go against all the critics who have praised it.

Maybe that’s because I went in looking for Where the Wild Things Are book, a delightful romp into a kid’s imagination when he’s sent to his room by himself. As an only child, I lived in my imagination for much of my childhood, creating new worlds, stories that I played a part in, and friends. I devoured books and imagined myself in those stories. And when I played with little action figures in our flower beds, I imagined myself that small looking up at the underside of the flowers.

That’s why I love Maurice Sendak‘s original Where the Wild Things Are picture book — a look at a fun adventure in a kid’s imagination.

In the movie, I felt that was lost. Instead, it’s an examination of a kid who’s feeling angry because his sister didn’t stand up for him — after he picked a snowball fight, I might add — and his mother, who’s shown in a very sympathetic way and as attentive if busy, told him she was too busy to play with him at that moment. In my mind, the kid isn’t painted in a very good light, and when he goes on the Wild Things adventure, it’s after he runs away, not an innocent romp while he’s having a time out.

The best review of the movie I’ve seen is The Horn Book‘s. Claire Gross says the best way to enjoy this movie is to view it as totally separate from the book, and I agree.

My wish, however, is that director Spike Jonze had come up with his own wild things and left Where the Wild Things Are for an adaptation that would more closely reflect the fun of the original book.

Have you seen it? What did you think?

Write On!

Contests and conferences

Done today: More on chapter 4

Revision remaining: 149 pages

Daily pages needed to be finished by end of November: 3.5

So, today I started the revisions I had thought of a couple days ago, and then came up with an even better solution to the problem! That’ll be tomorrow morning’s revision exercise, but I think it’ll be a keeper. It will improve flow, pacing and shorten these early chapters so we can get to the bulk of the adventure quicker. I’m excited.

I’m going to the North Texas SCBWI conference this Saturday, and I’m also very excited about that. I’ll be getting a critique, which is exciting, as well as hearing from Dutton Children’s Books’ Lisa Yoskowitz and Foundry Literary & Media agent Lisa Grubka, as well as others.

Last week, I sent in my registrations for the Austin SCBWI conference in January and the Houston SCBWI conference in February. Unfortunately, I was too late to get a critique from one of the great agents or editors who will be in Austin (word to the wise, register early because spots will fill up fast), but I am in time for an author critique at the Austin event and an agent critique at the Houston event, so that’s also something great to look forward to.

These are all conferences around where I live, and I feel blessed to have so many good ones within a drive or cheap flight.

I don’t think conferences are necessary to success in publishing. I’m sure there are plenty of people who write a book, send out queries and get published without ever going to a conference.

But, whenever possible, I like going to conferences for a number of reasons:

• Motivation – It’s always great to hear people talking about the work. Makes you want to run home and start writing immediately.
• Inspiration – Every conference I’ve been to has had a healthy dose of encouragement. Book writers tend to be a helpful bunch.
• Meeting new people – I reiterate: Book writers tend to be a helpful bunch, and it’s always nice to meet others who are going through the same things you are.

Even though I go to conferences as much as possible, I don’t do much in the way of contests, mainly because by the time I hear about them, the deadline has passed. I’m so on top of things!

But contests can be a great way to a) get a read on where you are as a writer, and b) get your name out there as a writer.

Even if you don’t win, your writing can be noticed. A query contest I entered earlier this year got an agent interested in my first book.

This is why I’m entering the KidLit.com query contest run by Andrea Brown Literary agent Mary Kole. Contests provide an opportunity, and opportunities should never be passed up. The deadline is Dec. 31. Wanna join me?

What are you looking forward to?

Write On!

When in doubt, try

Done today: Chapter 4

Revision remaining: 149 pages

Daily pages needed to be finished by end of November: 3.5

Got some more revision done this weekend and figured out some things that had been bothering me, which was great. I’m going to change one chapter into two chapters with more stuff added in, so I might just do that in the computer rather than paper tomorrow morning.

I know, weird to be putting stuff IN, when I should be trimming, but I’m also trimming other areas, and I think the change will make the flow better.

Either way, it’s worth it to try. The new version might not work, which is why I’m already working with a 2 version of my book’s Word doc. But, it’s always best to try something and it not work than to not try and lose the opportunity for finding something that might have worked really well.

If you rewrite a scene five, six, more ways, and it takes longer, better that and you find the best version of the scene, than writing it one way and it being only mediocre.

That old saying, writing is rewriting, is so true. Take the time to rewrite as much as you need to try new things … to explore the story. It’ll be worth it.

How many times have you re-written the same scene?

Write On!

Trying new things

Done today: More of Chapter 2

Revision remaining: 162 pages

Daily pages needed to be finished by end of November: 3.6

I had a mini break-through this morning when I was working on my revision.

Yesterday, I had started editing chapter two, but got stuck on one paragraph that I liked but knew it didn’t fit where it was. I questioned whether I should keep the paragraph or take it out.

This morning, however, I looked at the scene a different way and realized the paragraph wasn’t the problem. The beginning of the chapter led up to the action, then I broke and skipped in time to right after the action. Because of that, I was skirting over the main action and excitement, denying it to the reader.

So, this morning, I wrote out a new middle section for the scene, detailing all the action that I had skimmed, and that paragraph I had been questioning before fit perfectly in the new parts.

Revisions are for trying new things and spending time thinking about how to really tell the story in the best way possible.

What are you trying today?

Write On!

It’s Blog Action Day!

Done today: First half of Chapter 2 (two pages)

Revision remaining: 163 pages

Daily pages needed to be finished by end of November: 3.5

Today I’m blogging as part of Blog Action Day, along with more than 5,000 bloggers around the world. How fun! The topic is climate change.

Now, I’m no scientist, and there are plenty of studies floating around that say the world’s climate is changing because of our negligence and plenty of others that say the climate change we’re seeing is just part of the ups and downs that have brought ice ages to the planet long before we got here. So, what to believe? Are our smoggy cars, polluting factories, etc., slowly destroying our planet?

Well, here’s the way I see it: Does it make a difference? Climates are changing, but whether it’s from pollution or not, there is something we know for sure that pollution gives us — lung problems. Too much bad stuff in the air causes more asthma and other diseases, and we don’t need any more of that — especially with the cost of health care. 🙂

Now, this is a writing blog, so here’s the writing part. In most books, the nice parts of stories take place in areas with lots of trees, green grass, clean air and the people are happy and smiling. (Look at all those allergy commercials.) Horror stories happen in drab, rundown factories or buildings with rain pouring outside. Ok, this is a generalization, but I hope you’re getting my point. Nice = green and clean, bad = polluted and rundown.

That’s not to say I think we should all sells our cars and not use electricity. My husband’s a Mustang fan, and I don’t think they’ll be selling them as hybrids any time soon. But that’s ok. The important thing is that we do what we can to reduce our impact. And, I think it’s very important for corporations to do EVERYTHING they can. Per capita, they have a lot more of an impact then us individuals.

Anyway, I for one, will be looking forward to more blue skies and clean air in books and real life.

Write On!

Winnie the Pooh on Nintendo DS

Done today: Chapter 1 (four pages)

Revision remaining: 165 pages

Daily pages needed to be finished by end of November: 3.5

Finally got down to some good revision this morning. Phew! Does it feel good to be working with the book again.

We’ve read that children’s books have been doing better than some other segments in this recession. Borders even took floorspace from CDs and DVDs to expand children’s books. However, in today’s culture, kids have so many more things calling out for their attention, and the most popular is videogames.

That’s why I LOVE what Egmont is doing. Britain’s Telegraph reported that Danish publisher Egmont (which has a U.S. division, Egmont USA) has signed a deal with EA Games to put children’s books on Nintendo’s DS handheld videogame console. The Telegraph reports that Penguin is involved in the deal too.

The ebooks will be known as Flips and will include Enid Blyton books (a favorite of mine was I was a tyke) and boys’ book Too Ghoul For School.

Egmont owns the rights to Winnie the Pooh (still a favorite of mine), the Mr. Men series (I love Mr. Tickle!!), Thomas the Tank Engine, Wallace & Gromit and Rupert the Bear, so I’d guess it’s only a matter of time before these are on the DS too.

Ereaders and ebooks have been gaining in popularity. The blogosphere and Twitter have been all, well, atwitter with discussions about them. Are they the future? Who knows. I personally don’t think paper books will ever go away completely, but maybe that’s my nostalgia talking.

But the interesting thing about ebooks is the opportunity to attract kids. Kids lock onto gadgets and new technologies faster than anyone, and what better place is there for a book than a handheld videogame console kids carry around all the time?

The key is making the ebooks as fun as the videogames, which could be a challenge with so much less interaction in a book. In the Telegraph article, Egmont’s Rob McMenemy said ebooks won’t be popular with kids until they have color and moving imagery. The Flips will have an interactive element.

I think he’s right. And my hope, is that kids who gain a love for these moving, interactive ebooks will grow up to enjoy the paper kind — or at least regular old digital kind — of stories only books can deliver.

What do you think? What’s the future?

Write On!

Families and writing

Done today: preparing

Revision remaining: 169 pages (entire book)

Daily pages needed to be finished by end of November: 3.4

My revision is still getting off to a slow start, but I finished the preparation Holly Lisle suggests in her One-Pass Manuscript Revision, so tomorrow I should begin going through pages. I’ll let you know how it comes along.

Today I’m participating in a mass blogging! WOW Women On Writing has gathered a group of blogging buddies to write about family relationships. Why family relationships? We’re celebrating the release of Therese Walsh‘s debut novel today. The Last Will of Moira Leahy (Random House, October 13, 2009) is about a mysterious journey that helps a woman learn more about herself and her twin, whom she lost when they were teenagers. Visit The Muffin to read what Therese has to say about family relationships and view the list of all my blogging buddies. And make sure you visit Therese’s website to find out more about the author.

So, in celebration of this book launch, I’m writing about families and writing.

Having support from family and friends as a writer is priceless. Writing is wonderful, uplifting, inspiring and brings lots of joy. But it also can be solitary, frustrating and lead to lots of self-doubt. Unless we’re writing with a partner — something I’ve never done — we’re often the only ones creating the story, deciding on the words, developing the characters and plot. If we don’t have anyone else to talk to about the book, any problems that arise have to be solved by us as we’re the only ones who know all the ins and outs that are necessary. And if we can’t figure out all these things by ourselves, and make them into a product that’s publishable, we face frustration and can easily doubt our abilities.

Those are the times when we need supportive voices around us, voices that confirm that we’re not wasting our time, encourage us to keep going, help us wade through all the story ideas and figure out the best versions of the plot.

I’m very blessed to have a husband who does just that. When I was struggling to finish my first novel, he encouraged to stick with it. When I typed The End, he insisted we go out to dinner to celebrate. When I’d finished the revision, he spent an afternoon reading it and giving me feedback. (Thankfully, he loved it. 🙂 ) And now, as I go through the agent submission process with my first novel and revise my second novel, my husband continues to support me, and I’m very grateful.

Another great source of support is critique groups, where we find writer just like us. If you aren’t participating in a critique group right now, go and find one. I highly recommend it.

Who’s your biggest writing supporter?

And, check back on Nov. 13 for an interview with Therese Walsh.

Write On!