Q: What is the first thing you would do if you woke up to find yourself in your favorite book?
KISS EDWARD!!! Like a real kiss, too.
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Imaginary Friend Bloghop
I had an imaginary friend when I was four years old. I don't remember much about him except that his name was Jo-jo. I think he looked like Rondald McDonald, and he got me in a lot of trouble, like the time he fed my little brother muddy "chocolate milk" in a bottle meant for a doll. :D
Did you have an imaginary friend?
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Evoke, Don’t Bludgeon, Or Show Don’t Tell
Special thanks to my friend Catherine Stine for dropping by to talk about "showing" today. Catherine is a writing instructor as well as a writer.
In my own writing, my students’ writing, and the literature I teach, from Collin’s fabulous Hunger Games to Kafka’s Hunger Artist, I’m always harping on the importance of “showing not telling.” When I was a newbie, if I heard that slogan once, I heard it a zillion times! Does it mean you always have to put the characters in dialog or in action, or that you can’t have exposition? No, and that’s where it gets complicated. So, let me start simply, by showing not telling.
Here are the opening lines from Collin’s Hunger Games: “When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold. My fingers stretch out, seeking Prim’s warmth but finding only the rough canvas cover of the mattress. She must’ve had bad dreams and climbed in with our mother. Of course she did. This is the day of the Reaping.”
It’s internal monologue, which is a form of exposition, yet it tells a lot without bludgeoning the reader on the head by being too direct. We infer that they are poor and cold by the rough canvas mattress cover and because they have only one bed that they all sleep in for warmth. We know that her little sister, Prim is about to be involved in a horrid event. And we know it’s called The Reaping.
Thus to show not tell is to infer and evoke these aspects rather than say them directly. A less talented writer would’ve written: “We are horribly poor and have no heat so we all sleep in one bed. My sister’s name got put in the kitty and might be picked today for a very deadly game.”
Here’s an example from Kafka’s story The Hunger Artist, about an extreme performance artist who fasts. He’s a mistrustful character, who stays holed up in his cage 24/7 and doesn’t relate to his audience. There’s no dialog until the end, when he’s on the point of death. And then there’s a long stretch of it, including, these lines spoken to the overseer: “I have to fast, I can’t help it,” said the hunger artist… “And why can’t you help it?” “Because,” said the hunger artist, lifting his head a little and speaking with his lips pursed, as if for a kiss, right into the overseer’s ear so that nothing would be missed, “because I couldn’t find the food I liked…”
What can we infer from this passage? A lot! First of all, this is the only dialog in the entire story, and there’s a big chunk of it. Take note when a story changes in style. Also, note that the hunger artist motivates this interaction. We infer, therefore, that he’s now desperate for human communication. Kafka has a gorgeous action line in here—the HA struggling up though he’s terribly weak, and pursing his lips as if for a kiss, grazing the overseer’s ear. This is Kafka’s way of evoking intimacy through an action and through a metaphor—the kiss.
A less savvy writer would’ve written: The hunger artist was about to die, and felt desperate for someone to talk to. He whispered stuff in the overseer’s ear.
Finally, a passage from my YA thriller, Fireseed One:
I catch myself sneaking peeks at Marisa’s blue boots, a smudge of seabed mud on one from where she scraped it against her suit. It will eat into the boot; I think of brushing it off.
“Don’t make me go downstairs,” she says softly. “Let me see your father’s system; I’m good at curing computer viruses. I can unfreeze the system. This way I can show you the files.”
Femme fatale. I’ve heard of those. Is she luring me in for the attack with her soft voice? “What’s to say you won’t totally kill it?”
“Well, some virus has already done that,” she reasons. “I’ll look for the Fireseed file. The best way to explain it is to show you the video of your father.” She leans in. “Maybe you’ll join our cause. It’s more worthy than any other Ocean Dominion charity.”
“Charity!” I burst out. “Fat chance. Your cause, your evil frying cause destroyed what my father spent his whole life working on.”
Dialog is one of the best ways to show not tell! We learn that Varik doesn’t trust Marisa, but that he needs her for information. We learn he’s beginning to see her as a person though he’s resisting that. We learn that maybe Marisa has reason to help him too, but the verdict is still out, which creates tension. All without stating this directly.
Do you have any favorite show don’t tell tips? Which ones do you rely on?
Thanks, Beth for letting me guest post today!
Where to find Fireseed One: Amazon illustrated paperback, Kindle, B&N
Where to find Catherine: her Idea City blog, website, twitter, Goodreads Author page
Here are the opening lines from Collin’s Hunger Games: “When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold. My fingers stretch out, seeking Prim’s warmth but finding only the rough canvas cover of the mattress. She must’ve had bad dreams and climbed in with our mother. Of course she did. This is the day of the Reaping.”
It’s internal monologue, which is a form of exposition, yet it tells a lot without bludgeoning the reader on the head by being too direct. We infer that they are poor and cold by the rough canvas mattress cover and because they have only one bed that they all sleep in for warmth. We know that her little sister, Prim is about to be involved in a horrid event. And we know it’s called The Reaping.
Thus to show not tell is to infer and evoke these aspects rather than say them directly. A less talented writer would’ve written: “We are horribly poor and have no heat so we all sleep in one bed. My sister’s name got put in the kitty and might be picked today for a very deadly game.”
Here’s an example from Kafka’s story The Hunger Artist, about an extreme performance artist who fasts. He’s a mistrustful character, who stays holed up in his cage 24/7 and doesn’t relate to his audience. There’s no dialog until the end, when he’s on the point of death. And then there’s a long stretch of it, including, these lines spoken to the overseer: “I have to fast, I can’t help it,” said the hunger artist… “And why can’t you help it?” “Because,” said the hunger artist, lifting his head a little and speaking with his lips pursed, as if for a kiss, right into the overseer’s ear so that nothing would be missed, “because I couldn’t find the food I liked…”
What can we infer from this passage? A lot! First of all, this is the only dialog in the entire story, and there’s a big chunk of it. Take note when a story changes in style. Also, note that the hunger artist motivates this interaction. We infer, therefore, that he’s now desperate for human communication. Kafka has a gorgeous action line in here—the HA struggling up though he’s terribly weak, and pursing his lips as if for a kiss, grazing the overseer’s ear. This is Kafka’s way of evoking intimacy through an action and through a metaphor—the kiss.
A less savvy writer would’ve written: The hunger artist was about to die, and felt desperate for someone to talk to. He whispered stuff in the overseer’s ear.
Finally, a passage from my YA thriller, Fireseed One:
I catch myself sneaking peeks at Marisa’s blue boots, a smudge of seabed mud on one from where she scraped it against her suit. It will eat into the boot; I think of brushing it off.
“Don’t make me go downstairs,” she says softly. “Let me see your father’s system; I’m good at curing computer viruses. I can unfreeze the system. This way I can show you the files.”
Femme fatale. I’ve heard of those. Is she luring me in for the attack with her soft voice? “What’s to say you won’t totally kill it?”
“Well, some virus has already done that,” she reasons. “I’ll look for the Fireseed file. The best way to explain it is to show you the video of your father.” She leans in. “Maybe you’ll join our cause. It’s more worthy than any other Ocean Dominion charity.”
“Charity!” I burst out. “Fat chance. Your cause, your evil frying cause destroyed what my father spent his whole life working on.”
Dialog is one of the best ways to show not tell! We learn that Varik doesn’t trust Marisa, but that he needs her for information. We learn he’s beginning to see her as a person though he’s resisting that. We learn that maybe Marisa has reason to help him too, but the verdict is still out, which creates tension. All without stating this directly.
Do you have any favorite show don’t tell tips? Which ones do you rely on?
Thanks, Beth for letting me guest post today!
Where to find Fireseed One: Amazon illustrated paperback, Kindle, B&N
Where to find Catherine: her Idea City blog, website, twitter, Goodreads Author page
Goals Motivation, Conflict: The Building Blocks of Good Fiction Book Recommendation #2
"This modern how-to classic by National bestselling and award-winning author Debra Dixon has become a must-have for beginning and experienced writers. The author helps you know if your idea will work, plan a road map to keep your story on track, discover why you scenes aren't working and what to do about it, create characters that editors and readers will care about, and write a dynamite query letter to an editor. Complete with charts and examples from well-known books and movies.
goal, motivation, conflict, sagging middles, writing, fiction, plot, query letter, scene"
I rarely read craft books. Don't get me wrong, I buy them all the time. I just rarely actually finish them. This is the second craft book I've read cover to cover. The other is "On Writing" and I find this one more helpful. I bought this book at a workshop hosted by Debra Dixon, the author. She explained GMC thoroughly that day, but I find the book more helpful. Partly because you can do it at your own pace, but also because each step is explained in detail. GMC is primarily a plotting tool, but the book explains how you can use it for characterization too. I strongly recommend this book. For a new writer, it's about the same length and as easy to read as "On Writing" which people tend to recommend when you start your writing career. But it offers more actual writing advice. On Writing is more motivational than anything. GMC explains how a plot should work, how conflict should work, and the character's story goal. I do think there are things an experienced writer can gain from GMC as well. While I still prefer the three act structure for plotting, and I've never had to work at characterization, I liked that GMC gave me another way to look at things. Also, I think it's helpful to know because many publishing professionals use GMC. I do think that by thinking about my MC's goal up front I can add a layer to my stories. However, I think this book sales for about $125. That's a lot considering how little writers make, so I recommend buying it from a workshop (RWA cons often sell it for $25) or getting it from a library.
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Follow Friday
Q: What is the last book that kept you up late into the night just to finish it?
Slammed & Point of Retreat. I know that's technically two, but they're a series and I read them both in the same weekend.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
The Broken Path Blurb & Excerpt
Reminder: I'm in my writing cave. Hope to be around commenting soon.
Last week, I met an awesome writer, Cami who has a few books out, all clean romance. So today, she's given me an excerpt of her book which I'd like to share.
Last week, I met an awesome writer, Cami who has a few books out, all clean romance. So today, she's given me an excerpt of her book which I'd like to share.
Blurb:
Injured in a debilitating accident at age six, Ethan Searle believes women eye him with a mixture of pity and disdain. He’s tried love before. He won’t again. He meets his match in a precocious two-year old who loves him despite his disability, even while her mother seems bothered by everything about Ethan.
Autumn Reader escaped her abusive marriage with her beautiful daughter and a stack of fear. She can’t make the mistake of trusting a man again. Autumn’s daughter becomes enraptured by Ethan. Despite Autumn’s best intentions, she finds herself following her daughter’s example. When her ex-husband reappears, threatening everyone she loves if she won’t submit to his demands, Autumn has to learn to trust or lose her chance at real love.
“Characters to fall in love with, action to keep you turning pages, and the most adorable little girl ever, The Broken Path is a compelling tale of strength and trust, courage and heart. I truly enjoyed this book.” – Maria Hoagland, Author of Family Size
"The Broken Path is sweet romance with heart, suspense, and plenty of story twists that kept me turning pages. Add in a romantic hero with a cane, a struggling single mom, and an adorable little girl and this book has it all!" --Heather Justesen, author of The Switch
Autumn Reader escaped her abusive marriage with her beautiful daughter and a stack of fear. She can’t make the mistake of trusting a man again. Autumn’s daughter becomes enraptured by Ethan. Despite Autumn’s best intentions, she finds herself following her daughter’s example. When her ex-husband reappears, threatening everyone she loves if she won’t submit to his demands, Autumn has to learn to trust or lose her chance at real love.
“Characters to fall in love with, action to keep you turning pages, and the most adorable little girl ever, The Broken Path is a compelling tale of strength and trust, courage and heart. I truly enjoyed this book.” – Maria Hoagland, Author of Family Size
"The Broken Path is sweet romance with heart, suspense, and plenty of story twists that kept me turning pages. Add in a romantic hero with a cane, a struggling single mom, and an adorable little girl and this book has it all!" --Heather Justesen, author of The Switch
Excerpt:
The door swung open. Her heart’s palpitations ceased. Ethan’s attire was simple, Levis and a white V-necked shirt. He’d never looked better.
“Autumn,” his deep voice warmed her more than the summer sun. “You look beautiful.”
She tugged at the hem of her shorts, glad her long legs were tan from playing outside with Brittan.
“You...you...”Autumn stuttered, trying to find the right words to express how he looked.“...look beautiful, too,” she said. She barely caught her hand from smacking her head. What kind of an idiot tells a man he looks beautiful?
He chuckled.
Heat crept up her face. “I mean, thank you, um, you look nice, too.”
He opened the door wider, a grin splitting his face. “Thanks. Why don’t you come through this way to the garage?”
“Sure.”
They made their way through the large great room toward the garage entry, his braces rhythmically slapping the wood floor.
“I thought we’d drive to Pocatello,” Ethan said. “Is that all right with you?”
“It’s great.” Anything’s all right, as long as you keep smiling like that.
“I told Nancy I’d come pick you up,” Ethan said, “but she insisted you’d come here.”
“It wasn’t a problem to come here.” Autumn looked up at his profile. It wasn’t a problem at all. She’d go anywhere just to look at him.
“Your mom acted really odd about the whole thing.”
“Odd is a nice way of putting it.” Autumn shook her head, grinning. “She was outright rude to me.”
Ethan laughed again. “I thought she’d be happy you asked me out.”
“Happy? I asked you?” Autumn stopped and stared at him. “What are you talking about? Youasked me out.”
“What?” He stopped as well, making a quarter turn with his braces to face her. “Nancy called me and said you were too busy with work so you couldn’t call. She said you wanted to take me to dinner for watching Brit.”
Autumn’s jaw dropped. “Why, that conniving, little...”
Ethan elevated one eyebrow. “I guess you didn’t ask me out?”
“No. I sure didn’t. I can’t believe my mother would...” Autumn’s voice faltered. Ethan’s shoulders drooped; his eyes filled with pain. “Not that I wouldn’t have asked you out, and I do owe you for watching Brit, it’s just I didn’t think you would want—”
“You don’t owe me anything,” Ethan interrupted her, his voice soft. “I’m sorry for the misunderstanding. Let me walk you to the door.”
Read more or buy The Broken Path on Amazon
Cami is a part-time author, part-time exercise consultant, part-time housekeeper, full-time wife, and overtime mother of four adorable boys. Sleep and relaxation are fond memories. She's never been happier.
A portion of the proceeds from Cami's books will be donated to The Child & Family Support Center. For more information on this worthy cause, please go to www.cachecfsc.org
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Goal Setting
First of all, I may not be around for a while because I have to finish the novella I'm working on. As you're reading this I have missed my self imposed deadline.
Today, I want to talk about goal setting. Most writers use a word count goal--words/day, words/week, words/project. I think that this is a good goal. To meet a word count goal, you have to write. Having to write is a good thing since you can be a writer no other way. You can also improve you're writing no other way. But I think word count goals may be better for new writers than the experienced writer trying to push her way into a career.
Why?
Word count goals are good to get words on paper. Yes, it's a must for all writers, but it's more of a must for new writers. They need that experience. When you've been writing for a few years, and you're pushing toward publication things change. Having a word count goal is still a good way to make sure you're writing every day. Even if it's a very low word count goal. But I think for someone whose goal is to get published, production goals may be more meaningful and that's something we seldom talk about in the writing world. The truth is whether you want to self publish or get an agent, you can only do so with a finished product. A well written, polished, finish project. So now getting words on paper is still important, but getting the right words on paper is just as important. Production goals are more meaningful for the career writer, because it's the number of finished projects you produce in a year that you can sell, not the number of words. My production goal this year is 4 projects, two short stories and two novels (although the shorts are turning out to be novellas) written, critiqued, revised, edited (by someone else) completed. What's your production goal this year?
Today, I want to talk about goal setting. Most writers use a word count goal--words/day, words/week, words/project. I think that this is a good goal. To meet a word count goal, you have to write. Having to write is a good thing since you can be a writer no other way. You can also improve you're writing no other way. But I think word count goals may be better for new writers than the experienced writer trying to push her way into a career.
Why?
Word count goals are good to get words on paper. Yes, it's a must for all writers, but it's more of a must for new writers. They need that experience. When you've been writing for a few years, and you're pushing toward publication things change. Having a word count goal is still a good way to make sure you're writing every day. Even if it's a very low word count goal. But I think for someone whose goal is to get published, production goals may be more meaningful and that's something we seldom talk about in the writing world. The truth is whether you want to self publish or get an agent, you can only do so with a finished product. A well written, polished, finish project. So now getting words on paper is still important, but getting the right words on paper is just as important. Production goals are more meaningful for the career writer, because it's the number of finished projects you produce in a year that you can sell, not the number of words. My production goal this year is 4 projects, two short stories and two novels (although the shorts are turning out to be novellas) written, critiqued, revised, edited (by someone else) completed. What's your production goal this year?
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