Ch-ch-changes! Facing my own Ebook 

I'll admit it. I'm old fashioned. I like using maps that fold and reading books made out of paper. I even have a stupid phone (pre-smart phone.) 

With writing, my dream was always to get accepted by a publishing house who would do my marketing while I could simply write and do some fun signings and author presentations.

As I attempted to pursue this dream, other responsibilities have gotten in the way. After a few years of teaching high schoolers and relocating due to job changes, I've finally got some time on my hands so I can get back to it. 

Only while I've been away, somehow the world has changed. Okay, so maybe it changed earlier, and I simply didn't accept it. Either way, I can't ignore it anymore. EBOOKS are the future of writing.

It's true!!! 

How did I figure this out, you may ask?

1. My first clue was Heather Moore's website. Although she's had great success with her historical fiction, I knew she was trying to break into the national market and had a few unpublished books. By self publishing and being extremely clever, she's gotten on the USA Today bestseller list. 

2. Janette Rallison, another author I admire, writes YA for a national audience with one of the big 5, but her interests in writing extend far beyond YA. By independently publishing her other books, she's able to have the best of both worlds.

3. I am part of a wonderful writer's group every Thursday and one of my writing buddies, Liz Adair, is having great success also. It amazing how she's extending her reach and getting some serious downloads.

4. The final kicker was this article from authors earnings. In it, the author pointed out that with traditional publishing the writer only gets a small portion of the profits of the book. My first published novels sold for close to fifteen dollars,and I got less than two. I believe that's typical. Electronic publishing allows me to keep up to 70% of my earnings. In short, my publisher would have to sell over twenty times more books in order for me to make the same amount. AND with paper sales, there is no ability to re-approach those readers. Electronic sales allow hyperlinks in the back of books and more author/reader interaction.

Okay. I'm sold, but now comes the scary part. Actually doing it.

Finding the Right Injury

You think it wouldn't be that hard but finding the right injury for the tutor in my book has been VERY challenging. Originally, I wanted him to hide his chest which had been scratched up and infected from being dragged by a rope. The only problem is that it would be his armpits not chest that would be rope burned- not working.

If he got dragged by his feet, then his back or face would be affected. Can you imagine his back? He'd have to lay on his stomach for recovery, ending all facial expressions and eye contact. Urgh. So I read about gut wounds and found that if he was struck by an arrow in the gut and it didn't puncture his intestines or stomach that it wouldn't even bleed that much. Look at this kitten! They pulled out the arrow and it recovered without any other problem.

PERFECT!! Only problem is that I already wrote five chapters with the other injury. So I'm rolling up my sleeves and rewriting today.

Word Count: 91,210

Will I finish anytime soon? Probably 30,000 more words to go.

Tax Hell and Still Writing

So this week we were audited and I spent 5 hours on the phone to speak to the IRS only to freeze when I finally got in front of the person that had changed our refund amount. I heard her reasoning, which seemed sound, then as soon as I hung up, I was like- hey! we did spend that much on education. So I've got to get back on the horn and work it out today. Cross fingers. Yesterday was a fabulous writing day. Herod got attacked by robbers and is going to Strato Tower, which will be the future location of his great city of white. Cool kajool! So Greg, my hubby, thinks I should pitch it where it is to CFI and see if they are interested, giving them time to do marketing BEFORE the edit. Then I'll know before its done whether to shop around. I think he's write. Anyway, my word count is 78315 and I still need to go back to Emmaus, down to Ashkelon by the sea, back to Marisa (herod's in time out), up to Damascus, back to Emmaus, Aristobulus's escape into Jerusalem, the seige during which we flip down to Ashkelon on last time, and then the final scene in Petra. Okay, this book has got to be at least 120,000. And with my chapter turns, its going to be SOMETHING. AND six more after that? Really? Maybe it won't sell.

Am I Ready For a Critique Group?

This is from the presentation I did at Silver Lake retreat in the beginning of October. I've had the flu and have not accomplished much except staying in bed the last few weeks.

Unlike writers groups that focus on improving literary technique, critique groups are primarily single purpose activities where writers get specific feedback on their work. They can have from 4-10 members but must stay small so that everyone has a chance to share. Writing is usually confined to a single chapter or children’s book per session per member.


Starting A Critique Group-

How to begin- If you belong to a local writers group, you may be able to find the beginning of a group there. Also put notices on bookstores, libraries, local paper. People interested may be given a trial period first to see if they are a “fit.”

Choose a convenient place and time- Coffee houses serve slushies! They can be a good place to meet. Small bookstores are also often willing to host. You may switch homes or if it is more convenient meet in a single home, but if it is too much work for one person, it probably won’t last. Set a good foundation.

Sharing Selections- Some groups email their selections to each other and read them before hand, bringing a prepared critique. This can allow for a deeper analysis. We read our work and then critique immediately following. I’ve heard of others who pass their work to another who reads it.

Use a Timer- Depending on the number of members divide up your time and use a timer to keep people within limit. Set a reading time and a critique time separately. Trust me.


Random Other Suggestions
1. Say something positive about each piece. It is easy to forget to emphasize the good as well as find what needs improvement. When a description is really bright or a plot twist totally surprises you don’t let it go without saying something.
Critique the writing, not the writer. Instead of saying, "You aren't very good at conclusions," say, "This conclusion didn't really work for me."

2. Be specific. Instead of just saying, "The characterization needs work," try to figure out where and how the writer can improve on the story’s character. (PET PEEVE!)

3. Tailor your comments to the writer and his/her needs. What are they using the piece for and what are their goals? Do they want to publish or distribute to friends and family?

4. When receiving critique, be quiet! (I stink at this but I should be better.) Sit back and take notes. Let the questions and comments fly. Take it all in. Answer questions at the end, if necessary. Don’t defend or throw heavy objects.

5. Beyond the very reasonable, don’t socialize too much during group time. It will eventually crumble the will of the group. Get to know each other in other ways.

6. Make an agreement with the whole group that you will not steal ideas, or talk about the work, except in general terms. Decide how you will deal with people coming in and out of the group and being late or unprepared. Be flexible.

One last thought (not my own but I liked it).

“Critique groups teach us not only how to write but also how to grow a thick skin. Notice I said a critique group, not a fan club. If your group consistently tells you how great your writing is, find a different group. You want one that will hurt your feelings by explaining (tactfully) how your characters are shallow, your dialogue forced, and your prlot predictable… You want a group that will force you to do better, because only then can you believe them when they say what you wrote was terrific.”
- “How I Got Published” by Ray White, Duane Lindsay

Christmas Stories in August

I participated in LDS Publisher's Christmas story contest. Many people voted for me but alas, I came in a not so close second. Still, if you're interested, here is my story. It is true and my husband even said that I didn't embellish that much.

A Time for Christmas

I shifted the screaming toddler in my arms and cast my eyes at the clock against the wall of the crowded terminal. There was still another two hours before our connecting flight would be here.

“It’s okay. We’re going to Grandma’s for Christmas.” I told him with a smile, but my eighteen month old was so tired that words had no meaning. He continued flailing much to the annoyance of the dozen people within five feet of me. What he needed was a nap, but there was no space on the floor and I feared that if I stood I’d lose my seat and be forced to stand the rest of time.

Beside me, my husband held our three year old who slept in his arms. The day before Brian had a slight fever but seemed fine that morning. He slept during most of the flight, and I envied him. As Marcus’s cries intensified, I reached into my large carryon and pulled out his last full bottle. He finally took it, but I knew the reprieve would be a short one.

It was my own fault. To save money I had purchased tickets with three layovers which meant we could afford to rent a car. But between the snow, fog and other delays it took us over twenty six hours before we finally arrived in Medford. Then we began the three hour drive to the ranch where my husband grew up with Marcus still crying, and Brian still sleeping, As we rolled past the vast snow-dusted pastures filled with fat cattle huddled together to stay warm, my only thoughts were of how much I couldn’t wait to flop in a soft bed and close my own eyes.

We pulled up to the door in the middle of the chilly December afternoon and were greeted by an exuberant crowd. Greg’s parents, brothers and sisters swarmed around us. Yolanda, his older sister, was perhaps the most excited. She had arrived the day before from Utah with her two sons who were just the same ages as my own. The boys had never met, and we were all looking forward to seeing the young cousins become friends. After exchanging hugs we entered the main room where the bedecked tree in the corner sat swaddled in hundreds of homemade ornaments, the result of many crafty family nights over the years. Underneath it laid a fan of brightly covered packages. One of Greg’s younger sisters ran out to the car and got the bag that added our offering to the mix. It looked to be the perfect Christmas.

I volunteered to go upstairs to try and get the children settled down for a nap, hoping I might be able to steal one at the same time. Greg deposited the sleeping Brian on the bed beside me and headed downstairs to his family. Poor Marcus, still hiccupping and blotchy from his hysterics, was covered in sweat. As I peeled off his wet clothes, there was no question the child needed a bath. I started the tub, left him on the bathroom floor playing with a bottle of soft soap and hurried back to the bedroom to wake Brian.

“Honey? Come on.”

With his eyes still half closed, he sat up, took my hand and shuffled to the bathroom where Marcus was lifting the toilet lid to play with the water inside. I yanked off his diaper and stuck him in the half-filled tub and then turned to his older brother. Brian stood before me swaying slightly.

“Hey, can you believe we are here? This is going to be so much fun.” I said, trying to get the child alert and excited. “Tomorrow we’re going to see Santa in town, and the very next day is Christmas!”

Brian let me pull his shirt over his head and begin to unbutton his trousers, when I looked in his eyes and stopped. “Brian?” I said taking him by the shoulders. “Look at me.”

I could tell he was trying to comply, but he could barely focus on my face. There were dark rings around his eyes and his lips were pale, almost white.

“Brian?” I said again.

He said nothing in reply.

An awful fear gripped me, and I screamed for my husband who rushed upstairs. “We need to take Brian to the hospital right now. Something’s wrong.”

“Are you sure? I mean,” Greg stammered.

“How many times have I ever said that? Listen, I know something is seriously wrong. Please, we need to go now.”

Clutching Brian in my arms, I grabbed a blanket and ran to the car. Greg was right behind me, pausing only to give his mother instructions on caring for Marcus. The entire twenty-minute ride I tried to get Brian to respond, but he seemed to be fading further and further away. When I lifted his arm, it fell with no resistance and his eyes looked is if they had sunken slightly back in his head. I felt as if he was struggling to cling to life and had no idea why.

With the hospital in view I was filled with relief and threw the door open while the car was still moving. Rushing through the emergency doors, I screamed, “Help, my son is dying!”

The doctor was standing right there and without triage rushed him into a room and began an IV while asking for details. Through my tears I told him of our arduous plane ride and that he hadn’t been feeling well before we left. The older physician looked in my son’s eyes with his pen light and gave a faint smile. “Little Brian here was severely dehydrated. Twelve percent of children under five who pass away do so from dehydration. Your gut was entirely accurate. Another half an hour and he might have not made it.”

“But he never said he was thirsty. I didn’t think about it.” Guilt washed over me.

“We’ll need to admit him and run some tests to see if this stress has affected his organs. If all goes well and he’s eating and alert, you’ll be home for Christmas.”

Greg left, and I stayed that night, cuddled beside my small son in the narrow hospital bed. Brian smiled at me now and then but said very little and would only take a sip or two of the bright red, yellow and blue liquids I offered. The next morning he opened his eyes but still looked so tired.

He drank a bit more but would only nibble at his food. In the afternoon the family arrived, hoping for the best only to have their Christmas Eve ruined by the news that Brian would be spending Christmas in the hospital.

I hugged Marcus and patted Greg on the shoulder. “Have a great day tomorrow, and don’t worry about us. We’ll be fine.” As I watched them leave, I wished things could have been different. I wondered why we couldn’t have a miracle of healing where Brian suddenly recovered and would be magically home on Christmas day. Instead, I looked down at my normally talkative three year old and sighed. He lay in bed without enough energy to even care that he was missing the day he had looked forward to the last four months. The evening hours inched by and somewhere in the night Christmas began, but not for us.

The day was lonely and uneventful. A few good Samaritans came caroling and delivered stale candy canes. Some people I never met before came by to tell me they knew Greg as a child and heard we were there, but that was usually followed by awkward silence before they left. Greg came alone and spent the afternoon reading Brian a story and bringing me a much needed change of clothes. When I bid Greg goodbye at the hospital entrance, I could tell we both felt more somber than the season should allow. Walking back into my son’s room, Brian looked at me and said, “Mom, is it really Christmas? It doesn’t feel like it.”

I smiled and brushed his blond hair from his forehead. “You know, sweetie, we can celebrate Christmas whenever we want. Christ was really born in the spring, but we remember the day in the winter to make us happy. We’ll have Christmas as soon as you get home. It will still be there waiting for you.”

He seemed comforted, but I wondered how he would feel when he saw that his brother and cousins had all opened their presents. I knew he’d miss the anticipation of being surrounded by family and the wonder of walking down the stairs to a room filled with plenty. There would be other Christmases, but in that hospital room with my arm around my frail son, I felt abandoned and alone- like Christmas had left us behind.

Still weak, Brian slept through the night again. I watched the clock on the wall tick away the last minutes of Christmas before falling asleep beside him. Any hope of my Christmas miracle ended at midnight.

The next morning I awoke to someone shaking my arm back and forth. Brian was kneeling up and smiling. “Am I going back to Grandpa’s now?”

Seeing his bright blue eyes sparkle, I nodded. “I think so.”

The doctor was impressed by his recovery and discharged him first thing that morning. By ten we were headed back to the ranch. Brian was talking away in his booster chair. “I can’t wait to see Grandpa. Justin’s my age, right? Where’s Marcus?” He looked at the empty car seat beside him.

“They are all home waiting for you.” Greg smiled over his shoulder as he turned into the driveway.

It looked like a repeat of three days earlier as the family congregated on the front porch and

greeted us with hugs and cheers. But when I stepped into the living room, I had to stop. It was like Déjà vu. Under the tree the bright presents sat still unopened. Suddenly from the kitchen the sound of sleigh bells jingled through the air.

“Uh oh,” said Grandpa. “I think Santa finally found our house. You boys better hurry upstairs and jump in your beds as fast as you can so he can come or he’ll have to make his way back to the North Pole.”

Brian’s mouth dropped open in surprise. “I knew we didn’t miss Christmas. I knew it.”

All four little boys hurried up the stairs, Marcus managing each step as best he could and hid under the covers of the big guestroom bed, giggling and wrestling in anticipation. Before long it was time to line up on the stairs with all the children, Greg, his sisters and parents. We descended the steps to a room filled with wonder and spent the day celebrating the best Christmas I’ve ever had. So in the end, we really did have a miracle. Despite illness, common sense and time itself, that year Christmas waited for us.

Beating Myself Up for Nothing

Two years ago I came up with an idea of writing the story of King Herod. There were so many things about him that I didn't know, and the flat evil stock character he had become just wasn't enough anymore. In fact, the more I found out about him the more of a tragic hero he became to me.

The problem was that everytime I set out to write the story, it grew. I couldn't simply start with the Christmas story because the fact that he sacrificed his own two sons to keep Jerusalem stable seemed key to understanding his perspective on the massacre of the innocents in Bethlehem. But to really comprehend his motives for killing his own sons you had to see what the two Hasmonean brothers did to Palestine, feuding for the kingdom until there was almost nothing left.

I believe Herod was loyal to the Jews, building their economy until it was stable and even robust. He was also a practicing Jew- not simply a Samaritan as some say. To understand that you have to be told about the short missionary phase of the Jewish population where his father was converted. So converted that he had a Jewish prophet come pray for his army before going to battle, a plan that backfired.

You also should understand that Herod's father was poisoned by treachery, his brother committed suicide rather than be mutilated and tortured in the Hasmoneon feud. Finally, Herod married the grandaughter of one of the brothers, thus uniting the kingdom. Oh, and it was Herod that brought the Romans in... one of the reasons his people hated him.

But he also brought the Olympic to Galillee, built palaces, courtyards and the TEMPLE.

As I studied, I realized that my original plan wasn't going to work and now I've got a six book series which may never see the light of day, but I'm ready to roll up my sleeves and get started.

I guess I'm glad I waited. Like bread dough the idea just need time to rise to its proper height. Wish me luck.

#2- Making Money and Building a Name for Yourself: Article Writing with Carolyn Campbell

Overview of LDS Storymakers Writer's Conference-

Carolyn Campbell is a woman of great success. Her stories have graced the cover of People Magazine. She has regular articles in Lady's Home Journal, Redbook, and nameless other smaller publications. She has had thousands of articles published and averages numerous projects every week.

So what's her secret?

I raised my hand, skeptical that everything she touches turns to gold and asked how many rejections she gets. She shrugged and said about half of what she sends out gets turned down, but since she submitted five queries a day- that is still a lot of copy that actually pays.

Wow.

AND at $500 to $1000 per article, she's making more in a few afternoons than I did over the six months it took me to put together my first book. Of course, her resume is impressive, but I'm ready to start trying. Carolyn outlined the way to start to make it all happen.


Choose Your Prime Time for Writing-

You need to face your writing seriously. She has a specific routine which she tries not to deviate from. Everyday she begins by sending out five queries. After an hour or so of doing that, she starts writing her current work in progress. She continues until two o'clock and takes a break. Then sometime in the afternoon she spends another hour on marketing and interviews. Just before bed, she plans what she'll accomplish the next day so that she stays on task.

According to Carolyn by:

- facing your writing like a business,
- keeping the pipeline full with new queries,
- holding yourself to time limits so you take breaks and
- varying your activities,

it allows you to stay productive without getting burnt out.


Sending Out Queries

Unlike writing fiction where you write first, sell later, this non-fiction venue is just the opposite. She must have told us at least four times DON'T WRITE YOUR STORY UNTIL IT IS SOLD! I think she had to repeat it so many times because we couldn't believe her. She also reminded us that seasonal stories must be queried six to eight months out. Get ready for Christmas!

So what's in a query? This is Carolyn's formula:

1. The Lead-
Begin with something that will surprise people and give them a visceral reaction. A girl got in a car wreck while text messenging. Carolyn found out the girl had 11,000 text messages that month. That was her lead. Another Calculus teacher was leaving high school to paint lines in parking lots. When the camera crew showed up to take his picture, they were so entertained one said "This is a huge loss to education." That was her lead. Start with what about your article will speak to people.

2. Why Should We Care?
The next paragraph should explain what impact this story has on what segment of the population. Use statistics, regional interest, news pegs, or the obscure.

3. Why Should You Be The One to Write it?
So if you've sold the article with the first two paragraphs, now is the time to sell yourself. If you've got past writing experience include it, but more than that, include how you are connected to the article. What experience do you have in the field or how do you know the person you are writing about.
If you don't have that, tell them you called the resources at the center of the story and they have already agreed to an interview. (If you say this, really have done it.) She also said they love photos, so if you have pictures or the ability to get pictures, that's a big plus.

4. Ending Phrase-
Carolyn said she ends all her queries almost identically. Her words are "If you will send me an approximate word length or deadline, I will begin on the article immediately." Now you might want to tweak it a little so it sounds like you, but in essence here is where you ask for the job.

That's it. She also said that after you develop a relationship with a publisher she sends out mini-queries. From what I could get the only difference between a full-blown query and a mini one was the third part of the query on selling yourself, because they already know you.


What Do You Write About?

Carolyn is always on the lookout for good stories. The kernel of an idea can begin any number of ways:

Proximity -
What's going on in your schools, in your town? What are your friends worried about or talking about? Read your local paper and magazines. Listen to what people around you care about because chances are that other people care about it too.

Personal Connections -
Do you have friends, relatives, church contacts with a friend of someone who might be newsworthy? Is there someone they have spoken of that seems fascinating. Don't be afraid to ask. (Carol is fearless when it comes to interviewing. She said that she had one person say they didn't want to comment so she got the article from getting information from all his friends and then called to see if he wanted to comment on their comments. He did.)

Personal Passions -
Is there something you are passionate about? If you care about it, that emotion will shine through your writing. Passions could include things like quilting, scrapbooking, geneology, organization, fitness, health issues you've dealt with, humanitarian aid. Anything you really feel strongly about could make a great story.

Follow Your Instincts -
If your ears are open, you'll read a word or two or hear someone say something and it might spark something in you. When that happens, trust that feeling and pursue it. She told of many stories that started with an idea that panned out. One time her sister called and told her there was a contest she was sure she could win in the paper. When she opened the paper, her face fell. It was a contest for the messiest house. Well, she entered and WON! With the before and after pictures, Carolyn wrote an article about herself and it did really well. She was able to spin it and sell it multiple times. All because she followed her instincts and moved forward.


Types of Articles-

I know I didn't catch all of these so if anyone went to this session, please add the ones I'm missing in the comments, but here are the five types of articles I did get:

Informational- This article answers a question. If you want to know more about something chances are other people do too. More about the swine flu, the truth about global warming, more about the effects of mold and where it grows... whatever.

How-to- Begin with your own experience but make sure you FIND AN EXPERT for this type of article. Her example was a story she did on "The Healtcare Jungle" that explained her experience trying to find insurance. If you've been given the run-around, write about how-to avoid your mistakes. She also spoke about "Take control of the clock" and talked to a number of time management experts. She loved it because it was something she wanted to do better. Nothing like free advice AND getting paid for it.

Profile- If you hear or read about someone who's done something remarkable, call them and ask for an interview. She spoke about a woman who was told she couldn't make a scrapbooking magazine but did anyway and just sold it off for $15 million. That's a story! She heard about another woman that was in counseling that was speaking about her adopted teenager. The counselor explained that she had given a baby up for adoption and they found out it happened to be the same child. Wow! The person doesn't need to be famous to be fascinating.

Personal Experience- If you have started a business, lost your wallet, entered a clutter contest. Do wild things so you can write about them- think travel magazines.

Inspirational- As the ecomony gets tougher, inspirational stories will sell well. Look for people that have triumphed and tell their story.


Some tips for how to find people or stories-
The Encyclopedia of Associations is a great resource for finding experts. It should be in the reference section of your library. Don't choose the best expert but the most interesting. One who speaks with visual terms.

Also, Infotrac or EBSCO can give you great articles to start with and you can go from there, expanding or going into more depth.

Find the editor's name to send it to. It may take some digging but you can do it. If all else fails and you have the name, look for the email format of the magazine and guess, based on the other emails.

Also, www.mediabistro.com is worth the $40 per year. When looking for names you can also look in www.writersmarket.com. Check under the advertising section or media kit if you can't find the name you're looking for.

If you've got a great story, make sure you spin it and try to sell it multiple times. Organizing your office can be with business magazines or at home. Time management can apply to any number of fields.

Story lengths have changed. A long article is 1000 words. A regular article is only 500 words.

So roll up your sleeves and go for it!

I'm Finished- Sort of

The writing process is an interesting one. It begins with an idea. Sometimes it's an experience from my childhood or a great piece of gossip. Sometimes it's a strange character that makes me laugh or something I've read the I don't agree with and want to change. With any luck that idea then expands into a story arc.

Once the concept of the story is solidified, I begin writing. The dishes pile up, the laundry barely gets done and I write. Necessities are still taken care of, children are hugged and fed but everything else must wait while the story emerges.

When the last word is written, there is a huge feeling of success. That happened this morning for me. I finished my manuscript "An Angel In the Family." I did my happy dance and emailed out the draft to six of my closest friends and now, I've just begun.

The truth is, I have finished very little. I've only begun the editting process. Then I have to try to sell it to a publisher, and it goes through another edit, and then I try to breath life into the market by begging for reviews, blogging about it and telling everyone that will listen what a great book it is.

But for today, I will pretend I've actually finished something. After all I wrote the words "The End"- Wa-Hoo!

A Snow Week, "Surface" and Seeding a Story

Who knew that a snow day would quickly turn into a snow week?

Again, Portland has no snow removal equipment so when the roads are icy and it stays below freezing, everything just shuts down. We've been out of school since Monday and it snowed another few inches today so I doubt anything is happening scholastically through the next weekend. My guess is they'll just take Christmas break early.

Ironically the roads are crowded with bored housewives and high schoolers without a clue of how to drive in the slightly difficult conditions. The truth is I'm more afraid of the other drivers than the snow and ice.

Yesterday was frittered away watching movies on Netflix. We watched "Father of the Bride" which was filmed in San Marino, the town I grew up in. According to the producers it is middle class which still has me dumb-founded. Then we watched "Top Hat" and "Singing in the Rain". At that point the kids said enough with the oldies and we watched the entire season of "Surface."

For those who haven't watched it, "Surface" is a teenage soap opera about a new species of electrical sea monster that affects a teenager, a marine biologist and a redneck. Their lives eventually intersect as they try to save the world but in the end are too late.

With the last episode the coastal cities are flooded and the sea monsters seem to be taking over, but the teenager has special abilities that connect him to the creatures, the marine biologist's best friend is one of the scientists that genetically engineered the creatures and the redneck is in the middle of a divorce (but the reality is no one cares about the redneck- he's just annoying.)

The point is that the writers did an incredible job of creating subplots to build another season on. They seeded the scripts with these little branches of story while staying true to the major plotline and completing it. They also did an admirable job of creating a viable cliffhanger at the end of each episode in the season. The sad thing is that the show got cancelled because "Deal or No Deal" was getting good ratings and cost much less to produce.

I think sometimes the same is true of books. A book can be fabulous, but may be rejected due to financial considerations. A book of poorer quality but a sure bet by a famous author will often supersede really good manuscripts, case in point- Glen Beck fiction. It's too bad because in a perfect world the best stuff would always win out.

Oh, well. My children said that we would just have to make up the ending ourselves and of course it all ends happily ever after. (Maybe the governments could set off nuclear devices above the atmosphere creating an electromagnetic pulse that would knock out all the electricity, killing the creatures in an instant. Oh, I think that was already used somewhere.)

Day Three and Confining Prose

Okay, here I am at day three of consistently blogging. Wa-hoo! The key is to start a routine. So I'm trying one step at a time.

Like I said yesterday, I've started working on "An Angel in the Family." It's the story of the baby I lost and how he has proven to still be an active participant in our lives. I've got my outline and have started writing but the struggle is confining what I share to what feeds the premise of the project.

Journals and sometimes blogs just ramble and soon become boring but a work like this has to be concise and each chapter has to feed the point. I find I keep on taking tangents which I think are interesting but totally are sidetracking from the heart of what I'm trying to say.

In this way writing a concise memior is much more difficult than I ever imagined because so much more DID happen. Still, no one wants to read every moment. Man, this is hard! Well, the only way I know to do hard things is to stop whining and roll up your sleeves, so I better just get back to work.

If anyone has suggestions... they'd be appreciated.

A New Direction

So I promised myself I'd blog every day this week and if I don't get another goal accomplished (I've blown my diet and am still four loads behind on laundry) at least I'll get my blogging done.

While we were in the temple last week, my husband turned to me and asked, "Are you doing what the Lord wants you to?"

What a question???

I turned to him and shrugged. I know I could do better in every area of my life, but I think I've got the biggest rocks in place. I doing okay with cubscouts, the kids are thriving and a felt really guided to writing- so I guess the answer is yes.

But questions like that sometimes linger and this one did.

On Sunday morning I was lazing in bed late (we have eleven o'clock church) when I suddenly felt I should go a different direction. The last few weeks I have spent hours researching everything Herod in preparation for my next project, but this impression was so clear I didn't dare ignore it.

Three years ago I lost a baby and then four days later my father died. I had so many personal spiritual experiences and nothing short of miracles happen at that time that I wanted to write it out and share it, but stopped after getting about forty pages into it.

Well, out of nowhere I knew I needed to finish that project first.

Monday morning (yesterday) I started looking for my old file, but I've been through two computers since then. Greg gave me a backup disk, but it wasn't there either. I was ready to give up when he brought out a portable hard drive and sure enough it was there. So I started again.

I think my problem last time is that I tried to edit out the worst parts and so it wasn't really true. Who knows if I'll be brave enough to actually share it with anyone, but for some reason I'm writing.

Finally Done!

So last night at 3am I finished my final edit of Lipstick Wars: Another Visiting Teaching Adventure and emailed it to my publisher. It was such a relief to have it out and it felt good to reach my goal but all day I sort of wandered. Maybe that was because I was running on only three hours sleep- do you think?

When you're writing a story sometimes you get so caught up in it that you miss it when it's gone. I asked on LDS Storymakers what people do when they finish a manuscript- or any large project for that matter. Many go right into the next one but others take a break and clean up the projects they have let go while their whole heart and soul have been lost in their book. I haven't quite decided what I'm doing but I don't have to quite yet.

This weekend I'm going to San Fransisco to play tourist with my husband. I better be careful though with all the anti-mormon riots. I haven't been since I was a little girl and can't wait to ride a trolley and eat Ghiredeli chocolates. I'm not sure how to spell it and both Greg and I fight about how to pronounce it but it should still be fun. See ya.

It's A Wonderful Day and Novel Idea

Last night I was up until 2 a.m. finishing my initial edits on "Artemus and the Knights of Light." It's a cute story that's got a lot of good going for it but like many first novels (mine included) it has POV and story arc issues.

After my initial reading, I struggled with how to get my arms around the project. Sunday afternoon I was thinking about the writing process in general and did a quick search on how to write a bestseller. An article came up that I doubt I could find again but in it, the author suggested using a table or speadsheet to map out the scenes of your book.

One thing I've learned about writing is that its different for everyone. I could never do this before I started writing. I'm an organic author. I start with a basic premise and then sort of live through my stories and see how they grow from the seat of my pants. BUT for editing and revisions, what a fabulous tool.

With this story that was the perfect answer. As soon as I could see it simplified in front of me, I could figure out how to intensify and streamline the plot to add suspense and interest.

Now I'm going to do it on the final edit of my own manuscript.

Hooray for good ideas!!!

Critique Group, Attack! or What Should A First Chapter Contain

I don't know how many of you have ever been to a writing critique group but it's a fun experience. I love seeing people rip apart what I've written and excited to discuss my motivation and clarify if I really have a plot point or simply like this scene so much I'm misleading and boring my audience (which I do far too often.)

In response and perhaps because of this fact, I attack my fellow group members with the same gusto and in the end we find what is best in what we have written. Invariably I have left feeling that my work is better and hope I've helped those writer's around me. It's great!

So last Tuesday we had a new friend come to critique group. She is in her early twenties, just out of college and was a little hesitant to read. We did our pieces first and then she began. Jackie's work was wonderful! It is about a family of elves whose mother dies of a strange disease. Elves hardly ever get sick and the calamity forces these elves to go to the land of humans to find a cure. Great premise!

The only issue was that the conflict wasn't introduced until twenty pages into the story and you weren't sure who the main character was, his weakness or his obstacle. Maybe I'm going through the growing pains of a new writer but the more I read and write, the more formulaic I'm becoming, believe it or not. I hope Jackie comes back because we sort of drowned her in suggestions like simply dropping the first chapter and starting with the second but I hope she does because she is a great writer.

BUT I also wanted to clarify what a first chapter should contain:

1. Grab the Reader- Everyone agrees that the most important thing the first sentences of you book must do is to grab the reader. In the first 13 lines there should be enough action, unanswered questions or pathos with your main character to suck the reader in.

2. Introduce the Main Character- Books are about being given the privilege of living on someone else's shoulder for a while and vicariously experiencing their most challenging, thrilling or scary moment and watching how they overcome it through change. If I don't like the main character, sorry, I don't want to go for the ride. And if I don't know who the main character is, I'm done.

3. Introduce the Main Conflict or Hint at it- In romance the main conflict is will these two people fall in love despite some great flaw. Almost without exception the hero/love interest is either introduced or mentioned by one of the main character's friends ("Did you hear about the new CIO? He used to be a male model.) In other types of fiction where the conflict may be the destruction of a world or simply overcoming shyness, the conflict either needs to be thrown in the readers face through the first humilating scene or hinted at subtly as your character participates in something truly attention grabbing. By the end of the first chapter I've got to have an idea what the book will be about.

4. Plan on It Changing- I doubt that many writers ever keep their first chapter close to the same by the time a book goes to print and most first time writers' books don't really begin until the third chapter. That's okay but expect that your first chapter is going to be chopped up, revved up and slimmed down. It's the first chapter that sells your book and it should go through the most stringent editting. Have lots of people read it. Change it. Try new first scenes. Make it shine.

5. Don't Make it Too Long- I hadn't thought of this but it's true. That first chapter should suck people in. When they end it, it is the first feeling of satisfaction the book gives them and you want them to feel that as soon as possible. If there is information you can put into back story, take it out of that first chapter. Start in the middle, I'm not reading a diary of this person's whole life so you don't have to tell me everything up front. Give me the action, introduce your main character and conflict and leave me with a cliffhanger.

6. Yup, End with a Cliffhanger- NOT at the end of the book but definitely at the end of the first chapter. Does the last sentence leave me starving to read the next paragraph. What vital question have you left unanswered? Leave me wanting more.



Lastly, I have to admit that I think I did none of these for my first book. In my second I did a better job but I can see why this is important and as I reviewed my favorite authors I found that most did this perfectly. Wow.

Will Call for Readers

I finally finished the rough draft of my next visiting teaching adventure. It has been a long hard process. I've heard that a second novel is one of the hardest things to produce.

There are many reason for this.
1. You want it to be better than your first.
2. The first is done out of passion for the plot or subject. This second is done out of a sense of obligation so writing becomes work.
3. There is a little bit of fear of failure which induces writer's blockage.
4. It was a more complex plot so I was swimming in brand new territory.

So enough of the excuses. Here it is.

Lipstick Wars: A Visiting Teaching Adventure
Lindsay is a young mother with a toddler who keeps escaping. One day he runs to the home of a reclusive artist who changes their family forever. Meanwhile a vindictive neighbor across the street is doing everything in her power to get rid of Lindsay and her family. The state gets involved but so does the entire ward.

If you'd like to give it a read, leave a comment or email me and I'll forward you the file. Thanks.

A Weekend Women's Writing Retreat

This weekend was seriously heavenly! I spent it at Silver Lake with about twenty other brilliant ladies who all had one thing in common- the love of the written word. It was a wonderful experience and almost more than one blog can hold so I think I'll piece meal it, touching on a point each time.

Today I'll just give a taste of the experience and a brief overview of all that I learned. Then I'll get into the nitty gritty later.

Arrival-
After six hours of driving with Julia(goofyj) and Donna and her daughter Mandy, the four of us arrived at a gorgeous cabin right on a picturesque little lake surrounded by mountains and evergreens. You felt like you were living on a postcard.

Right away we met Liz Adair who organized the entire ANWA event. It is so interesting to finally meet someone that you only have an internet relationship with. Her sky blue eyes and sparkling personality were a joy. How grateful I was to be included and considered her friend.

We were one of the first to arrive. I assumed that everyone would know each other but me, yet the truth was many of the people had not met before but something amazing happened. It only took one question, "Tell me about you work in progress" and an automatic connection was made. I heard brillant stories, plot ideas and personal ambitions, most being balanced with motherhood and other responsibilities.

It was invigorating to be around so many women of creation and vitality. I laughed so much that my sides ached and I talked so much I became hoarse. Each night I got to bed far later than I should have not wanting to sleep and miss a single word of the lives, thoughts and future dreams of these fabulous ladies.

There were a number of lessons and writing exercises which I'll review later but I'll end with two great things I learned.

1. UNITY IS BORN OF WOMEN WITH A COMMON CAUSE-
When I left the retreat, I was on a high because the entire weekend was overflowing with such unity, love, sisterhood and support. I mourned a little because in our ward I don't always feel that same connection and I wondered why. Then it hit me. At the retreat we all had a common dream that was important enough for each of us to sacrifice to be there. That dream or goal connected us from the moment we met.

In the church if we could remember our common goal with more clarity, I believe that same unity would fill our hearts and encourage us to naturally reach out more than we do. I am so guilty because I have been very withdrawn since moving into my new ward and I plan on repenting of that immediately.

2. I'M NOT SO WEIRD AFTER ALL
The truth is I worry alot that I am weird. I love to come to new plateaus of understanding, I love expressing complex ideas, I often open my mouth and look around to see people blankly staring at me not understanding a word I said. I also HATE my body. My thyroid went out a number of years ago and the weight gain is my nemesis.

This weeked I suddenly was in my element. Like the eagle among chickens that can't understand why he craves more, I was able to finally soar to the highest mountain crags and rub shoulders with others of my kind- writers alike.

On the way home my two friends and I (and Mandy) went to the outlet Mall and went shopping together at Dress Barn for Women. It was incredible. Because I wasn't going with my size 7 daughter, I felt totally comfortable as we all tried on the same outfits and laughed at our flaws and complimented our strengths. Going home, I felt comfortable in my own skin for the first time in a long time.

What a gift this weekend was of friendship, learning and joy. Life is good--- and I haven't even told you about the writing stuff yet.

Thank you again Liz!!!

In the Spirit Zone

This has to be short but it's wonderful. At the RS Broadcast another point that was brought out was that if we have the Spirit, we will have the power to be more creative. In order to have the Spirit I've found I have to earn it by doing first things first. I have to get my kitchen under control, read my scriptures, work on my personal goals and reach for charity. With what is left, I'm free to fly.

So I decided Monday to put the Lord to the test. I worked all day doing the things I had put off for weeks and ended up with NO time to write. I went to bed in tears feeling cheated somehow but in the night I had a dream. In my dream my husband was suppose to come home at a certain time but something came up that was really important. When he didn't come home at the time I planned, I was furious. He explained the delay and I told him I wasn't mad because he was late, but because it wasn't what I had expected. He promised that tomorrow he'd come home early and we'd play all afternoon.

When I woke up, I had great hope. The house was in great order. We read scriptures as a family at the breakfast table and when the kids left it only took me an hour to pull things together, unpack two boxes and get to writing. And the words just flowed!

That night I had a scout committee meeting, a critique group and practice for the kids; the next day I had to make birdhouse kits for scouts and was going with a friend to a doctor's appointment in the afternoon and had cubs after school. I was so bummed because there was no way I'd even get in a word edge-wise. But as luck would have it, the first place I went to look for the wood had birdhouse kits and they sold them to me at a discount because it was for cubs. I spent the rest of the morning writing and had a small miracle happen at the doctor's office. Good stuff.

So this morning I've got to run. My kitchen is a shameful mess and the dog pooped in the apartment again. I've got loads of wash, still have boxes to unpack and I've got to read my scriptures but if I boogie and earn it, I believe my writing will be sharper than ever 'cuz I'll be in the zone- the Spirit Zone.

Where Do Stories Come From

This week I read a book by Thomas Tryon called "The Wings of Morning." It looked like an intellegent historical romance set at the turn of the century but it was actually a bizzare tale about the horrible destroying effects of true love and how most people that survive this life are lucky because they never experience it, settling for something far less.

Later I looked at a biography of the author's life. He was an disenchanted Hollywood actor who specialized in horror and mystery. He never married and preferred men. Suddenly I totally understood the truth he was attempting to portray because he really believed it, but I didn't. For me love was not what I expected but something a million times more deep, complex and satisfying than simple attraction, which this writer mistook for "true love." So I sat down and outlined a modern story to rebutt his well written but totally inaccurate novel. I can't wait until I finish my next two projects because I actually think its going to be pretty good.

After I sat in front of my six page outline, I thought that it was interesting that this book would inspire me to organize a story. Which got me wondering where writers come up with the basis for their books. Looking around I found an article from Dan Brown (not THE Dan Brown.) He is a columnist for the Free London Press and he said that writer's need to be sponges. If you are running out of ideas you have to read, watch TV or live a little. He also said that in a pinch you can find what other writers are writing and take an opposite view.

So I suppose the foundation of my story is not that original then. But he also said that is only the seed or kernel that gets you started and then you find yourself evolving from there. Hah, so it is original.

Stephen King has apparently written a book "On Writing" that tells his experience, which again often came from events in his life, albeit shifted, expanded or totally twisted. When I was a teenager his books creeped me out but they were compelling.

Jodi Picoult, one of my favorite writers, says that her stories usually begin with a what if scenario. What if a boy left standing after a botched suicide pact was accused of murder? What if a little girl developed an imaginary friend who turned out to be God? What if an attorney didn't think that the legal system was quite good enough for her own child? Then she begins researching and it morphs from there.

Stephanie Meyers said the origins of "Twilight" began as a dream. It is also interesting that JK Rowlings said that Hermione was actually alot like herself as a child- a know-it-all who was afraid of failure. Well, if she had a crystal ball she never would have had to worry about that.

I imagine on some level all writers insert a part of themselves into their books that's what makes them compelled to write them. But what makes them worth reading is a whole different matter. Okay, so I'm easily hooked into a story if you have left me hanging with a character that I like and I want to know what's going to become of them but 95% of the books I read end with me feeling empty or disappointed. For me the test of a really good book is when the truth at the center of the story is honest and enlightening. Those are the books that stay with me and make me want to read them again. And, I guess, that is what I'm trying to create.

LDStorymakers Writer's Conference

Today I'm going to the airport twice in one day. Just after twelve noon I'm headed out to the airport to pick up my sister's dog, "Patches." She called and told me that he was not working out in their family. He found out he could get out of the backyard and he is too jumpy for their small children. Since we lost our dog, and none of my children are small or shy I think we'll be OK. She is flying the dog out and my children are so excited.

Then at 3pm I pick up Rachel, my good friend from Minnesota. She'll come home for one evening and then at 4am the next morning we take off in the new convertible for UT and the writer's conference. I'm so excited to meet everyone!!! On Thursday Night we are meeting at Jim's restaurant and I'll be introduced to the authors then on Friday Night, I think we are still going to have an ANWA table at dinner (need to double check) and Saturday is the Whitney Awards- still have NOTHING to wear. It is going to be really fun.

I've got all my writing examples for bootcamp and am ready to rock and roll. I even did a huge shopping job so the Easter stuff is here and all the food for the weekend is set. It is sad I'm missing Easter but my husband's parents are coming so I think it will be alright.

Can't wait to tell you all I've learned when I get back.

Sometimes You Just Need to Start Writing

I've been doing a lot of reading about plotting a book, laying out characters, creating a calendar of events and prep work that helps a story to be more solid and consistent. So I decided to try it. I had a rough idea of where I wanted my next novel to go but wasn't clear on conflicts or details and set aside an afternoon to diagram it out. Well, it was one of the worst afternoons of my life. Nothing. I couldn't envision my characters, I was constantly side-tracked and ended up wondering if I should abandon the story completely.

Then yesterday my cleaning lady came. I've never had a cleaning lady before but with my writing finally being published, my husband agreed and I LOVE her. She only comes once a week and when she gets here the house usually looks like a tornado hit it. We work in tandem. I do laundry and pick up the kids clothes and other junk, while she does the floors, bathrooms and windows. When she leaves, I love my house again and dance around feeling free! So after she left, I was in a great mood and pulled out the computer, wanting to create something fabulous. Without knowing where I was going, I just started writing. By the time the kids came home from school I had written eight pages of really good stuff. My setting was clarified as was my conflict. It was a fabulous day!

I guess what I need to learn from the experience is that different techniques work for different people. I do think when the first draft is finished, calendaring would be wonderful, but for me I'm not ready to go there until the story is written because I like the story to take form on its own. To unfold like a flower, rather than to be forced into a preconceived form. I hope that way the story is more believable, opens the readers eyes to a new perspective and touches their heart, encouraging them to action.

So today I'm on to chapter two. I don't quite know where it's going to go, but that is the fun of it.