Ouch, That Hurt

Finishing your book is awesome.  The feeling of euphoria when writing that last line? Ah! Just thinking about it makes me shiver.

And editing. Editing's pretty cool. Tweaking here, adjusting there. Pounding that lump of clay until it actually looks like a young adult twist on Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Or whatever your book happens to be about.

Then the beta readers swoop down with their red pens and opinions.

                                  

That dialog you thought was so clever?

Ah-ah. Sorry, it doesn't make sense or jive with the character's personality. 

The grammatical errors you thought you suffocated with spell check?

Sorry, again. "Passed" and "past" are not the same thing.

Okay, so your beta readers probably aren't so blunt and annoying. But their job is still the same: critique/tear into your manuscript. And it hurts. A LOT.

I've entered this stage of the writing process. Let me tell you: ouch! Last night I passed out my Draft 1 Version of Underland to my sisters. Minutes later they found a missing word. Then an hour later a grammatical error.

Yes, they're being incredibly helpful by telling me.

YES, IT MAKES ME WANT TO RIP MY HAIR OUT EVERY TIME THEY DO!!!! Internally, of course, because I like my hair. Instead I kind of just sit and glare.

                                  

Then  I snap out of it and realize what they're saying is much needed criticism. My problem is that I take it so personally. Even something as simple as a typo.

Which is why every time I receive a comment I don't like I do the following:

1. Take a deep breath
2. Take another deep breath
3. Let it all out
4. Smile and say "Thanks so much, please just write that down for me"

Honestly, it's easier said then done, but I'm working on it.

A writer has to be humble and willing to accept criticism if he wants to improve. So that's what I'm doing.

A. Little. At. A. Time.

                 

Rome wasn't built in a day, you know.

A Plot Curveball

When I woke up this morning, I assumed my day would follow a particular pattern. Breakfast, work, home, writing, running, and bed. Not that exciting, I know. But it's my life.

Only not all went according to plan. In fact, a big part of my usual routine is missing. Which is rather upsetting. Though people around me like to act like everything is totally normal and fine.

                                        

Though unexpected surprises pretty much stink in real life, they are gold in books.

Ever read a book where you can perfectly predict what will happen? In the YA craze of dysotopian books, I've found a formula that most of them fit. Prepare yourself, it's Earth-shattering.

Usually dysotopian books are a series, and this series makes up three books (aka a trilogy). Book one involves a girl who lives in a society run by a tyrannical government. She falls in love with Boy 1. In book two, the girl realizes that the government is corrupt, and it needs to be overthrown. Boy 2 is introduced as a potential romantic interest. Hello, love triangle! Finally, in book three, the government is taken over by the rebels and the girl must choose between Boy 1 or Boy 2. The end.

                                         

This formula has worked for a lot of popular series today. But sticking to the status quo? No, thanks. Reading a book where you can predict the ending is boring.

So add a dash of unexpected! Throw in a situation that will completely throw your reader. Have them get to the ending and be like "No way!" (A positive "no way," not the ending to Allegiant kind!).                                              

Which is a pretty good reaction to the end of a book, if I do say so myself.

Creative Death By Stupidity

I almost died Tuesday night.

Not literally, but creatively. Why, you ask? I almost lost my entire book. Entire book. All because of my stupidity.

Karma probably had something to do with it too. Spiteful thing.

I spent the majority of Tuesday working on my book... at work (shh!). My office's programs are all in the cloud. I didn't think this would be a problem, so I saved my book like normal to a USB I carry with me everywhere. 

Only when I got home, the document wouldn't open. In fact, this error message popped up.

After a fair amount of "Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh" and "I'm going to die," I tried to think rationally. Maybe logging onto my office's cloud would allow me to open it. Only I didn't have the link to the log in website. Time to text a coworker. After a fair amount of taunting, he gave me the information I needed.

Hopeful, I tried opening my book again.

Same error message. There may have been tears and hysterical screaming at this point.

                                         

Then my sister came up with a genius idea that ended up saving my life. I opened my book through Word Pad, then copied and pasted everything into Microsoft Word. IT WORKED! 

                                             

...Except all my formatting is now screwed up. But I have my precious words back.

And you know what I did after this? Backed my book up on every technological piece of equipment I could get my hands on.

Which is what I should've done in the first place. So, my advice to you, wonderful readers, back everything (EVERYTHING!) up. You never know what might happen. And when it comes to your precious book?

It's always best to be prepared.

Plotting in Pants

Plotter or pantser, that is the question...

Okay, well I suppose the first question really is: What are plotters and pantsers?

Plotters are the prepared people in our world. They know exactly where they want their book to go and start the process by creating an outline. This all takes place before they even start writing.

                                   

Pantsers are a free spirited bunch, jumping in front of computer and working magic with their fingers. They've really no idea where the story is going to take them, but that's the fun of it! No plans, no destinations, just words, words, words!

                                       

Any of this sound familiar to you? Are you a pantser or a plotter? Or maybe you fall in the grey area in-between. I like to call this location Plotting in Pants (PiP).

As I've developed my writing, I've figured out the best method for me. In my first book (which I rarely mention to anyone out of sheer embarrassment), I was a hard core pantser. I wrote without a plan... And it was a disaster.

Albeit at this time I was learning how the whole writing thing worked. It was a dark period in my life where I thought adverbs were like salt on fries, to be used generously.

                                    

Not so much.

Because I know you're an understanding reader, I'll share the horrible first line of that book with you: "The bone-chilling water was absolutely excruciating." And what was my character doing? Jumping into a pool. An indoor pool. How cold could it seriously be? Not bone-chilling, for goodness' sake.

Ahem. Moving on.

So after that blunder, I thought I'd give plotting a go. For my next book, Bound, I plotted about half and then pants-ed (is that a word?) the rest. It went okay, but I wasn't entirely happy with the results.

Now for my third book, and current work in progress, I am making use of the my PiP method. I have outlined my entire book, only the outline isn't a prison, but more of a guide. I can't begin to tell you how helpful it's been when I've gotten stuck or forgotten where I want my story to go.

                                   

Which happens more often than I'd like to mention.

But, in the end, your writing process is entirely up to you. Different methods work for different people. As you grow and experience through creating your books, you'll find the right groove.

                                  

The important thing, as always, is to write.

Woops... I Forgot

While I was getting ready for work this morning, my sister, clad in PJs and sporting adorable bed head, whipped out her phone and declared, "You were talking in your sleep last night, and I wrote it down."

 
Apparently (though I will always deny it), I am a notorious sleep-talker. After sharing a room with me for seven months, my sister has finally caught on to this. And now, whenever I make the slightest mumble, she jots it down as a note in her iPhone.

Last night I said the following, "Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness! They really wrote on the basement walls, didn't they!?"

Cinderella sure got her song wrong. I don't want anyone writing on any walls. Especially not basement ones with who-knows-what. Yes, my mind immediately went to blood. I'm a pessimist with a dark imagination, so what?

                              

Dreams are crazy things. Scientists still aren't quite sure why or how we dream. But we do. And dreams hold excellent ideas for writing a book.

In fact, my current WIP? You know, the twist on "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland"?

It all started from a dream. Not that the dream necessarily had anything to do with Wonderland. But it did have to do with crossing worlds and a debonair young man. Vampires and soul-stealers were also involved. Thankfully the idea went through quite a metamorphosis during plotting!

This isn't the only dream I've had that I thought would make a good book. Only, with most dreams, I forgot what they were about. Or, while daydreaming, I've thought up a great dialog line. But then started doing actual thinking and lost it. Even after I swore I was going to remember it. Five minutes later? Nothing.

Ever happen to you?

There is one cure: a journal. Whether it be a physical journal or an app on a smart phone... INVEST! Keep it close to you at nighttime to write dreams down. Carry it in your purse (or guys... a pocket, maybe?) to pull out when inspiration strikes.

So invest the $1.99 (or if you're feeling fancy, a bit more). It's immeasurably worth it.

Getting The Right Paint

Writers know exactly how locations should appear in their books. There's a beautiful setting in their minds. Maybe castle, a forest, a bedroom. They just have to "paint the scene."

Easy, right?

                                                      

Where are you right now? Maybe you're in your car. The soft rumbling of the engine is your soundtrack as you read my blog. The heavy scent of bananas serve as a reminder that you really need to clean out your car. Air conditioning whisks out between the vents, slightly too cold. Hello, goosebumps. Through the window, cars of all makes and models are parked. The grocery store beckons, but you're not quite ready to brave the aisle yet. You pull out your gum, tired of the taste of stale mint, and put it in a napkin.

Not the best scene ever, but it shows my point. Now let me tell you (blog post on the lovely war between showing and telling to come).

We have five senses: sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. And they all need to be used in writing. Taste is tricky and isn't used as abundantly, but the other four are a must. No, you don't need to jam them all into one paragraph like I did above. Talk about a sensory overload!

They should be interspersed throughout your writing as you set a scene.

So, as you're picture that beautiful bedroom your character is given at her aunt's country estate, consciously think to yourself. What does it smell like? What does your character hear?

 My advice would be to wait to add the sensory bits until you're going back to edit. But do whatever is best for you and your writing.

...On a side note! THREE DAYS until Camp NaNoWriMo is over! I'll give you full update on Thursday and the pros/cons of sprinting it. But where things stand right now?

I'm pretty sure I'm gonna win.

                                      

You Can Use That

The air conditioning broke at my house yesterday. So, after work, I took refuge in my basement with food and a movie. Only no one told me the maintenance man had arrived. Otherwise I definitely would've rethought my Yay-Work's-Over clothes.

                                       

Thankfully my mom gave me enough of a warning before the guy came down the steps. I leaped off the floor and sprinted out the back door. Of course an insane thunderstorm was brewing. Wind, dark sky, the whole shebang. I found myself waiting outside for ten minutes until my sister sent me a "He's gone" text. And then a follow up that said "The AC guy looks like Toby from The Office."

                                      

Though I could've done without the heart attack and mad-dash last night, those moments are awesome for writers. Everything that happens to us is perfect ingredients for our books. Sure, maybe I won't use my almost encounter with the AC guy in my novel, but I'll definitely understand the pure panic associated with needing to hide.

                                     

Writers should use their experiences. Their heartbreaks, challenges, accomplishments, silly moments, characteristics, everything. 

And even if you don't mean to, it sneaks in anyway.

Virginia Woolf puts it best...

"Every secret of a writer's soul, every experience of his life, every quality of his mind is written large in his works."

When You Hate Writing

I love being a writer.

Making up characters, worlds, and plots. Having a blog, Facebook, and Twitter where I can connect with other authors. Reading book after book and not getting tired of it. But, sometimes?

Sometimes I really hate writing.

                                                

It's exhausting. The words won't come out right. I'm not sure where the plot goes next.

The above sentences sum up my Saturday and Sunday. The words wouldn't come, and I didn't feel like forcing them. But I had to write. I had a word count goal to meet! So I developed a plan of attack to combat my slump. I did the following:

    1.  A form of physical activity. I'm lucky enough to have a pool so I went swimming. Or more like almost-drowning. Terrible swimmer over here.

                                 

    2.  Fueled up. I ate an awesome, healthy snack. No grabbing the chips and chocolate. Resist!

    3.  Went somewhere new. Usually I'll write in my room or on my front porch, but this weekend I sat on my back porch in a lounge chair overlooking the pool.

    4.  Writing sprints! I put myself on a timer. 15 minute writing sprint and then a 30 minute break. And of course I'd announce the sprints on Twitter. Had to hold myself accountable via the World Wide Web.

By the end of all this, I found myself writing for enjoyment. The 15 minute sprint became 20 minutes, then 25, then 30. My imagination swept me away and immersed me in the world of my WIP. It just took some...encouragement... to get there.

All For Naught

I'm behind on my CampNaNoWriMo word count. That's what happens when you take a three day break.

Woops.

I planned to do some serious catching up last night to the tune of 2k. Did I write that much? Totally. Does it sound good? For a rough draft, yeah. Am I going to keep it? No.

The direction I was trying to take the plot in made no sense. I had my characters trying to get off a train without being seen. They decided to wait until it was moving to crawl out an escape hatch. I got them on top of the train (after a heart-pounding almost fall, of course). Then what? They were stuck! I literally wrote myself into a corner.

                                   

Hello, delete button. Cue throwing self on floor, chucking laptop at wall, and stuffing chocolate in my face. Okay, not really. I wouldn't have minded the chocolate though.

Deleting those 2,000 words wouldn't have been a big deal during a normal month. But July isn't a normal month. It's Camp NaNoWriMo. I have to earn my t-shirt!

At first I wanted to do this:

                                    

But then I realized writing my characters on top of that train had some positives.

  1. I learned where I did not want the plot to go.
  2. I leaned action movies that have characters leaping off moving trains made no sense. (When did they ever?)
  3. Finally, I learned the best direction to take the plot. No daring stunt acts involved.

Sometimes writing in the wrong direction is exactly the thing writers need to get themselves going in the right one. Even if it's totally aggravating and sucks up three hours of your life.

                                  

Trust me.

So worth it.

On a super exciting side-note, my gift card giveaway ended today. The lucky winner is Michelle. Michelle, keep an eye on your email. You'll be getting the gift card shortly.

A HUGE thank you to everyone who participated. Consider connecting with me on other social media. I'll be having more contests in the upcoming months!

NaNo Nightmares

I've gone camping!

--Figuratively, of course. I'm not one for actual camping. Bugs, behind-that-bush bathrooms, and lack of showers don't have much appeal. For me at least.

This month, I'm cyber roughing it at Camp NaNoWriMo. What is Camp NaNoWriMo, you ask? For those of you too lazy to click the link, it's "An idyllic writers retreat, smack-dab in the middle of your crazy life". You pick your word count and strive to meet it in a month. Camp NaNoWriMo has an awesome cabin system where you're matched with other writers.

My goal for July is to reach 40,000 words, which will finish my current WIP. I've tried to participate in the last three NaNo's: two Camps and one November. I failed each time. Why?

I wasn't dedicated enough!

This time around, I've really gotten involved. I've made use of the cabin chat feature and connected with other writers. I've forced (seriously, forced) myself to at least get 1,000 words written per day. And those cool emails the folks at NaNo send that I used to ignore? Yeah, I actually read those now. I also bought a camp shirt. So a monetary investment and personal guilt trip certainly help matters.

And so far I'm on track, even slightly ahead. Which is an awesome feeling.

Actually, I think I'm a little too obsessed with CampNaNo. In fact, I had a nightmare about it. Apparently this t-rex-like monster would stalk and eventually eat me unless I was able to say a sentence with a certain word count.

                                   

Weird and creepy? Definitely.

What is the point of this post other than bragging and letting you act as a dream psychologist?

To show the importance of apply butt-to-chair and fingers-to-keyboard! I procrastinate sooo much when it comes to writing. CampNaNo is a world-wide writing frenzy that forces me to get on the computer to write. So, whether it be a NaNo activity, a friend keeping you accountable, or giving yourself a personal goal. Write!

Seriously.

                                

Like now.