My Writers Craze

What throws you off INSTANTLY about a book?

2012-01-21T05:54:00.000-08:00

Well, first and foremost, Happy New Years! 2012 has been a busy year already.

Look out for some great interviews coming up, and contests and tips!

So what throws you off about a book? Clearly not everyone judges books too much by covers, right? Well here is a list of some very common thing that we all should avoid so that your reader won't immediately shut your book and throw it at the wall. These things are quite personal, but hey, we all need a list to avoid.

Typos

This one is pretty self explanatory. I found typos in published novel and so have everyone I know living on planet earth. It happens, but to keep your book off the wall I suggest to try to remove as many as you (and your beta) can spot after like a million read overs.

Unlikable Characters

This was actually mentioned often. But it is a toughie. You can't make everyone like your character, can you? Is it really possible? probably not. But some characters which aren't described in a great sense and are very average tend to be disliked by the majority. Especially the perfect kinds.

Boring Set Up

Can differ from one to one. I don't suggest you start every single book with the twin towers being blown but hey, we do want some sort of suspense or an interest pull. Apparently a book always has to have conflict (cough)...

Repetition

It's good here and there. Sometimes. Sometimes. Here and there. Repetition is good. But too much repetition sometimes can make my head reel.

Infodumps

We all know this classic. I didn't at first. I was infodumping badly. No explanation necessary. Won't dump too much info.

So I hope this is a cool list to start off. Do you guys have any suggestions to add? I'm sure we all have more personal ideas. Some more personal annoyances for me tend to be characters that are super super tough and unlikable, characters which are emotionless, too emotional characters, slow starts and prose, and lets just say (I'm being honest) too much prose.

I actually have a couple agents interested in my novel now, and I'm revising so lots of stuff going on but how's it going? Ha, that was terrible. Basically, look out for my next post hopefully tomorrow about too many projects.

WINNERS!!!WINNERS!!!

2011-10-14T07:02:00.000-07:00

Ok so if you guys remember I made that giveaway contest a couple months back....Yep it was THAT long and yep time does pass like mad when you are trying to squeeze everything into a short or long time frame. The contest HAS been extended previously, but I've gotten all the prizes here so that I can give them away to you. Sweet, right? Ok. Cool. Lets get started!

I decided to randomize the entries as this is a very comfortable thing to do because I don't pick favourites...lol...Of course not. Whoever had more points got more entries into the randomizer and this was an online thing since I didn't have much paper to write on...Shrugs. Believe it or not, I actually wrote my whole first novel on paper. Lined school paper. The good kind. Is there a bad kind? I wrote during French Class all year. My teacher took it away from me allot. But I always got it back in the end. It sucked. But it was my first writing attempt and I'm glad I didn't stop. I sort of started in the first place because I was bored...Off topic!!!

Back to the winners. So I am opening the randomizer right now. Typing the names in. I've got all the points and things and all that stuff and click. This one goes for first place. Its Loading. Loading. Loading. Is my computer THAT slow?

First place goes to...

Evangeline a.k.a Vangie

Congratulations!!

Second Place goes to...

FantasyGirl2000

Third Place goes to...

Kayeleen Hamblin

If you see this than e-mail me at arielemerald at rocketmail.com to collect your stuffs...HEHE. If you don't, I will come down to your blog to let you know...soon. Promise!

Cheers

Battle & Action Scenes

2011-10-04T05:49:00.000-07:00

I thought that a post about action would be a great idea for today. Action is apparently, according to a couple agent critiques, the best part of my writing. I love action and I am speaking about the type of action that happens in battle and in war. Yes, truthfully speaking everything is action, even Jenny going to talk to Sally is an action. But today, I want to talk about battle. The epic kind.

1. Visualize. That is your #1 target. You really have to see every swift movement of the body, every slice of the blade and describe it in order to create a very realistic scene for your audience. The precision, the fear, the consequence. When writing battle scenes, I think that seeing the scene in your head is the best way to get better and better at them.

2. Research and analyze. I don't do this often but I suppose that watching movies with lots of battle scenes does act as visual research on some occasions. The only problem is...Battle scenes in movies are rarely realistic. Keep in mind that many of them I notice glitches and issues in. Still...Basically speaking, you cannot write about battle if you haven't seen any battles and most us that live in North America only get to see really high quality battles in movies. Thus, sometimes its better to speak to someone who has a knowledge of realistic battle. That is a perfect idea of how to learn to write about battles. But movies are still great tools. We don't need dry battle scenes. We are writing Fantasy here. Since visualization is the key to a great battle scene in a novel, watching epic battle scenes will really get you the idea of what you are aiming for and how it is done in entertainment. In case you are treading unfamiliar grounds, and have never had the thought of battle it IS a very good idea to pick up a novel that has scenes of war and read. It is costly to make errors when writing about battle. Especially errors that are unrealistic and long time Fantasy readers would immediately notice, not to mention agents.

3. Stay Tight. We want to know what senses your MC is feeling as he/she battles his/her way through the war field. We want to know the emotional aspect of life and death, but never focus too much on this as when people fight, they tend not to think too much. Over thinkers will die. Because if you think too much, you don't focus. But you have to keep your focus on the main action, don't describe the wind, or how the sky looks or whatnot. Eyes on the prize.

So with these three points in mind, go and get your buts in your chairs and keep writing those battle scenes, but before you do...Don't forget to scroll to older posts and enter my contest. It ends on October 13! Cheers!

Don't care. Write. Live.

2011-08-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

When I first started out on my writing journey I was fourteen years old. Now, a few years later, I am not published like I imagined I'd have been. In fact, when I look back at my fourteen year old self I can't help but giggle because I actually had sent out three queries and thought agents would be fighting for my novel and a quick F.Y.I to my fourteen year old self, the query sucked! Go throw that query out!

Here I am now, and I've been offered representation which I've declined because it wasn't the right fit. I'm looking at things totally differently. Writing a book is like walking a long damn road, super long, and littered with broken glass. All those ugly or may I say kinda interesting chunks of broken glass represent all those obstacles of getting published. But hey, I don't care anymore. I honestly don't care. Hell, I am enjoying writing and reworking my book so much that I'd rather wait longer to get it published and now that I look at it, I wouldn't have wanted my fourteen year old self to publish. Why? Because everything pretty much sucked. It was like the very start to a skeleton which I've built on, and if I would have published that skeleton, I would have never been able to take it back. Yikes. So basically I don't care about getting published as much as I used to and believe it or not, its brought me luck. I mean, I have a great agent waiting for a rewrite and a request from another large agency. We'll see how that goes. Just this time, I'm not dying from checking my e-mail every 5 minutes. What have you learnt from your writing journey?

Finding Mr/Mrs Right

2011-08-15T18:04:00.000-07:00

Finding an agent is like getting married. That's what they all say, and I am not even going into that topic because this post will be ubber long in that case. First thing first. We all start at that one level where we are freaking out when we just get one request. We squeal and scream and party. OK, maybe not all but some of us. Anyways, that's just the first step, getting noticed. Once you've polished your manuscript and have an awesome story to send out to the world you WILL get noticed and that is when YOU are the one hiring the agent.

When we are desperate, we do desperate things and sometimes go into a binding contract that leads to the wrong way. When you research an agent go into full depth because even though you are super excited and think that you are that close to publication you may not be. I've recently been in a situation like this and it IS quite upsetting but eventually you get over it. What about you? Still searching for Mr/Mrs right?

P.S. Don't forget to enter my giveaway! Its ending soon. I've extended it for now, though.

The WORST opener in the history of writing

2011-07-17T06:05:00.000-07:00

This is my entry for the Absolute Write blog chain for July. This month's prompt: the Mini Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest. The Mini Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest means trying to write the worst possible first line of a book or story in the spirit of Edward "It was a dark and stormy night..." Bulwer-Lytton. "Worst" in this case is subjective, but florid and ridiculous purple prose is probably closest to the spirit of the thing. Here is mine:

It was an unusually well told dark and extremely out of the ordinary stormy, because thunder groaned in the abyss like a mad man, night, and by night the vultures cried yelps of pleas for the melancholy in the air had built up and just wouldn't vaporize.

Please visit all the awesome participants...Cheers!

orion_mk3 - http://nonexistentbooks.wordpress.com

AuburnAssassin - http://clairegillian.com
dolores haze - http://dianedooley.wordpress.com/
Horseflye - http://thecozylittleplot.blogspot.com/
Proach - http://www.deannaproach.com/
BigWords - http://bigwords88.wordpress.com/
jkellerford - http://jennykellerford.wordpress.com/
Ralph Pines - http://ralfast.wordpress.com/
Euclid - http://euclid-thoughts.blogspot.com/
Diana Rajchel - http://blog.dianarajchel.com/
pezie - http://www.erinbrambilla.wordpress.com/
Guardian - http://daewrites.blogspot.com/
egoodlett - http://wordlarceny.blogspot.com/
Alpha Echo - http://writersramblings81.blogspot.com/

P.S. Don't forget to scroll down and enter my HUGE blog giveaway! Loads of prizes that range from brand new books, to Amazon gift cards, to critiques. Cheers!

HUGE Blog Contest!

2011-07-16T05:37:00.000-07:00

I miss blogging so much. Life has gotten sooo in the way, and of course so has writing. I've been waiting to do this blogging contest and I did plan to do it earlier...No excuses. My bad. But by now, I've definitely stocked up on more things to give away! Woot!

Let me start with your fave part, and mine too of course. The prizes!
Oh and did I forget to mention that this is my 100th post? From now on, I'm going to try to make blogging daily. I'm really behind.

First place:

- A brand new copy of Divergent by Veronica Roth, Graceling by Cashore, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo!!! That is not even all....Scroll down.

- You ALSO get a $50 Amazon Gift Certificate! Awesome!

- And a critique of your query and partial by yours truly, me. I have experience with these things and I was just recently offered representation which I'm putting on hold, but that is another post.

So that is that for the first place. I think I'd like to win that myself!

Second place:

- You still get a copy of Divergent, but you also get the chance to win my second $25 Amazon Gift Certificate.

Third Place: Last but not at all least! You get an e-book PDF version of Pathfinder by Orson Scott Card and a critique of your query and partial by me. Great book by the way, and the cover is sick!

The rules: There have to be rules, right?

To enter simply leave your name and e-mail in the comment sections.

To get extra points:

Add 5 points if you blog about this contest. You have to add a link and add up your points.

Add 1 point for tweeting about the contest. Once again, add the link please.

Add 5 points if you are an old follower or if you're new add 2(if you followed me before today).

Have fun!

Cheers!

***Contest ends October 13!!! so hurry!

June Blog Chain - Description

2011-07-06T05:19:00.000-07:00

This post is part of the June 2011 Blog Chain at Absolute Write. This month’s challenge is a simple descriptive setting.

Here is my piece of descriptive writing from a novel which is on submission.

Alexis hated how her father always picked the cards she was dealt. She hated the way the Moscow streets smelt, and the way she could barely say a word in Russian when all eyes were on her. Inhaling, she stepped forward and pressed her hands deeper into the pockets of her parka. The warmth comforted like her mother once had in the chill of the night.

The soil below her boots was moist, the kind of moist that seeped into small puddles and sogged into the leather, making her shiver. She looked up at the moon. It looked too much like the same moon that she saw from her balcony in California, it was the same moon, yet it felt as if she was in a different world. A world she didn’t belong in. A branch cracked and she spun around, darting behind a prickly rose bush for cover. If her father would see her out at night he would…She froze.

The figure that came into the garden stomped over the flower beds with his boots and retrieved a tiny carton, probably a cigarette pack. Alexis kept completely still as tiny vapors of the evening mist condensed on her brow.

Check out this month’s other bloggers, all of whom have posted or will post their own responses:

orion_mk3 - http://nonexistentbooks.wordpress.com

juniper - http://www.katjuniper.com/
LadyMage - http://www.katherinegilraine.com/
dolores haze - http://dianedooley.wordpress.com/
jkellerford - http://jennykellerford.wordpress.com/
Ralph Pines - http://ralfast.wordpress.com/
AuburnAssassin - http://clairegillian.com/
pezie - http://www.erinbrambilla.com/
Inkstrokes - http://drlong67.wordpress.com/
WildScribe - http://DionneObesoBlog.com/
Guardian - http://daewrites.blogspot.com/
Lyra Jean - http://lyratorres.wordpress.com/
egoodlett - http://wordlarceny.blogspot.com/
cwachob - http://www.corriewachob.blogspot.com/
Aheïla - http://thewriteaholicblog.wordpress.com/
faerydancer - http://digitalinkwell.wordpress.com
TheMindKiller - http://www.jabberwocky.ws/
Irissel - http://irissel.blogspot.com/

Contest post coming up tomorrow!!!

I give this award to...

2011-06-07T05:07:00.000-07:00

Ok. I admit it. My fault. I'm quite late, but I'm still going to award you. Isn't that sweet? So I got this award from Kayeleen's Creation. Sweetness all the way, eh?

There are rules for this award.They are as follows:

1. Thank and link to the person who nominated me.

Thank you!

2. Share seven random facts about myself.

Here goes...

1. I was told that my first written novel has potential to be best-selling if I work harder on it! WOOT! And that was by an agent.
2. I write songs.
3. The more I write, even the same novel, the more I love it, breathe it, live it.
4. I hate my ipod at the moment! First it got lost, then its lost its cable. GRRRR....I realize that that is my fault.
5. I don't like to admit my faults, but hey, I do, didn't you just see that above?
6. I don't believe in age. Its a number. I hate numbers. I am still in my teens, but I don't think we need to clasify everyone with age. That really pulls many people apart.
7. Coffee actually inspires me. Weird, I know.

3. Pass the award along to 5 new-found blogging buddies.

This was HARD....So many great bloggers and blogs, I'm lost. Ok, not anymore. Ive made up my mind. The award goes to: Wistfylly Linda, Flights Of Urban Fantasy, My Scientific Attempt, Ink Spells, AND Loren Chase!
4. Contact those buddies to congratulate them.

I am about to do that. Thus, its done! Its done in the future if that makes sense. The future me did it. Yep. CHEERS!
X

P.S....My contest is still coming and even better than I planned, so heads up!

May Blog Chain - How to show relationship dynamics?

2011-05-24T20:21:00.000-07:00

Describe them. The May Blog Chain with Absolute Write is in full swing and this month’s theme is relationships. Before me went Pezie and after me, Inkstrokes. The full chain is at the bottom of the post.
Instructions:

Show a character’s approach to relationships in a short scene. A harmless exchange between mother and daughter? A submissive character overwhelmed by a dominant partner? A passionate lover’s quarrel? A forlorn, unrequited letter?

Use your characters’ interaction to show the dynamics of their relationship, show how they’re growing together or growing apart, or just have silly fun. Character descriptions at the beginning are forbidden this time around–let them speak or act for themselves!

So, I'm going to go ahead and post a small part of my novel which is on submission and has received lots of full requests. Yay! Here goes...
I move the twigs aside so that I have a clear view of Lexa diving into the lake. Splash. I catch my breath as she surfaces, her skin shimmering like spider silk below the moonlight. She throws her head back and laughs. She is alone, and I am here. I take a step forward, miscalculating the results. Leaves crunch. “Shit,” I mumble and freeze. Lexa is already looking my way, her eyes wide, her hands hugging her bare chest.

“Who is there?” Her voice sounds forced, almost scared.

I stay still. What a coward. But what would she think me if I came out? Would she call me Dusty Cummins the stalker? She’s called me that before, a stalker.

“Who is there?” She looks back and forth, reminding me of a swan that has lost her way. Her hair whips against her shoulders.

God, she is so beautiful, so fragile, and when she said she hated me she didn’t mean it. I know she didn’t. She’s only afraid of the others, showing that she likes Dusty Cummins, the son of a poor beggar, the laugh of the school, the poet. She doesn’t just like me, she loves me, and I love her.

Lexa dips back into the lake so that only her head pops out and she shivers. Her shiver sends the hairs on my neck on end, and I want nothing more than to comfort her, to hold her close.

“Lexy, where are you?”

“I’m here, in the lake.”

That would be Lavelle, her boyfriend. He doesn’t deserve her. I turn to leave, but Lavelle isn’t there, and Lexa is still here. This in my only chance to be alone with her, to tell her what I feel. I tuck my hair behind my ears, straighten my suit, and emerge from the foliage.

Lexa’s mouth drops open.

I smile. She knows she’s happy to see me, I’m sure of it. She just isn’t showing it, yet. She’s just surprised, maybe even scared that Lavelle will see me with her.

“Dusty Cummins?” Her face scrunches and she frowns. “What in all hell are you doing here?”

Sand trickles in my shoes as I trudge through the beach and pick up her clothes. They’re warm to the touch from the summer breeze. A soft scent of flowers and fresh bread lingers with her petticoat. It’s the same scent her golden locks smell of from afar. It’s an indescribable scent.

“Put my clothes down,” she yells. Her hand comes out of the water holding a pebble, and she eyes me suspiciously. “I swear I will stone you if you won’t.”

She is just scared. That is all. As I stare into her widened eyes, the last poem I’ve written for her rings in my ears and I have to recite it to her. “I've written you a poem, Lexa. Like desperate souls, two vain beings stand. Forgiven of sin, forgotten of love. The darkness retreats, and she’s back in his arms. We call on a the sky with its billowing wisps, where seagulls will churn and fall to the depths—” Before I can finish the first verse, she throws the pebble.

Tell me what you think and visit the other awesome bloggers!!!

orion_mk3 - http://nonexistentbooks.wordpress.com

Proach - http://desstories.blogspot.com/
Yoghurtelf - http://thefarseas.blogspot.com/
AuburnAssassin - http://clairegillian.com/
aimeelaine - http://www.aimeelaine.com/blog
Della Odell - http://dellaodell.wordpress.com/
jkellerford - http://jennykellerford.wordpress.com/
LadyMage - http://www.katherinegilraine.com/
pezie - http://www.erinbrambilla.com/
xcomplex - ME!!!
Inkstrokes - http://drlong67.wordpress.com/
ElizaFaith13 - http://www.girlspwn.blogspot.com/
dolores haze - http://dianedooley.wordpress.com/
juniper - http://www.katjuniper.com/
Steam&Ink - http://steamandink.blogspot.com/

Gosh, my spacing is really messed up and I can't seem to fix it. Sorry! Also, I will be giving out an award and hosting a contest in the next couple of days!

I'am having a contest! Pick your Prize

2011-05-06T08:12:00.000-07:00

80 Followers! Yay! That's got to be a milestone. Thank you awesome people for following my blog. Because of this, I want to hold a contest to give away a YA novel. Also, I'm in a great mood. I am in for another rewrite, but I've gotten great feedback and am very excited because I know my novel will get there if I (work) *slave* on it hard enough.

To the contest...Because I know that's what you all want to hear about. So I was thinking which E-novel I should give away and some that came to mind were...Game of Thrones (Its on TV now!), Twilight, Blade Itself, or Pathfinder. Those were some of my thoughts, but I would like to hear would you guys would like to read! Now, the e-book will come in PDF and of course once you win the contest you can't give it away or distribute it or what not, because I purchased it. So please comment and tell me what you wish to read. I would prefer your choices to be YA and Fantasy or Sci-Fi, but if you like other genres and the novel is great than post it right in. So comment and spread the word, because I am hoping to have this contest on next week.

Speaking of contests...I just won an e-book and there is another great contest you can enter over at Loren Chase's blog! Go on and take a look because you can win a fabulous ARC copy of BEAUTY QUEENS by LIBBA BRAY and all you have to do is comment and spread the word.

CHEERS!!!

Do YOU really love to write?

2011-05-03T06:35:00.000-07:00

Writing is hard work. If you remember the day you first sat down to write, you probably just thought about the beauty and the whole greatness of your story. I look back now, and the first time I wrote a story was probably when I was under 10, but it wasn't a novel. It was a (I actually thought I would publish it!) picture book written with terrible grammar. Ha! Writing a novel is after all a great accomplishment, and one which we forget after we fail with query letters. Yes, everyone goes through it. At least the majority. Everyone gets rejected. Whether it is your first manuscript which was rejected or you are still getting rejected, we all do some time in our life. That's when I looked back and asked myself one question. Is this really worth my time?

Life is short and time is limited and in order to prevail (I am starting to speak like my characters) you have to use it wisely. When you are receiving dozens of rejection letters you slump. So many people I know have given up, thinking that giving up proves they are strong enough to admit the truth. So many writers I know actually stopped writing. Those that did didn't love their craft. They thought that they would send out a query letter and their dream agent would fall in love. Like that really happens...And the ones that did really love the craft came back years later only to shed tears over the fact that they are now late and they have less time to pursue their goal. I have had a share of rejections in my short life and I understand them more than anything. I didn't give up. I kept writing and rewriting and most of all I enjoyed it. Every bit of it. Now that my first novel is finished and I am nearing completion of perfection on my 13 other works I miss writing about those characters and those world and I have to keep writing. I just have to.

So I have passed that slump where I felt like giving up my dream of publication and realized that I don't write for publication. I write for myself, I write for my characters. Now, I've been struck with luck as one might call it. Or perhaps to be truthful, I've simply improved my writing a ton. The requests are piling up and I am at a very satisfactory rate of rejections. 46% positive responses. I couldn't ask for anything better and I can't wait to see what happens. Maybe I will have an agent before I am an adult! Amazing and exciting, not that age really counts. But mainly, I would have never seen those responses if I would have given up. So ask yourself this...Do I really love writing? Trust me, I know you won't stop.

Just for the fun of it, have you ever quit? Have you ever stopped writing for even a week just because you were in a slump?

Oh and another update...I have been reading up like mad in my genre...I guess reading is essential for writing, but I don't feel I've learned much yet I will be hosting some great contests to give away awesome best selling fantasy novels! YAY! Spread the word wonderful followers :D

Cheers!

Book Review: Incarceron

2011-04-20T06:25:00.000-07:00

I have been recently picking up books of alike genre to my own, and reading those great sellers. Today, I am reviewing INCARCERON by Fisher, and I actually read through this one quite quickly. Tell me what you think if you have read it! By the way, don't you like this font better? It seems more user friendly to me...hmmm :) Anyways...

My Rating: * * * * (4 stars/5)

In case you are wondering, this review does contain SPOILERS.

Incarceron is a New York Times best seller, and while I think it was a good book and has a great premise, I had some problems with it. It starts off with action. Yipee! The main character is introduced, his name is Finn and he lives in Incarceron which is sort of a living, breathing, prison that was created by the outsiders. Originally, it was meant to be a perfect world, but something went hugely wrong and it turned out far from perfect, especially that only criminals live there. Chapters go from Finn to Claudia, a girl that lives outside with the Warden, her father, and is getting married off to a very nasty earl because the previous guy, Giles, was killed. Claudia actually wanted to get married to Gilles. Now, the setting is great. Outside, we are supposed to believe that the kingdom froze time to keep it Victorian and follow protocol. I thought that was very interesting.

Now, the plot. Well, I loved the idea, and I thought I would see some huge twists and knots and exciting changes, but it didn't, really. The only twist that there is in the novel is that Finn finds out he is Gilles. Him and Claudia both want to escape and they both find a key which they communicate through. Finn and his oath brother and an old man, Gildas, along with a girl (Her name is Attia and I feel she is mostly there to create a love triangle in the future with Finn travel to escape the prison, and Claudia helps with her master Jared along the way., Claudia and her). Ok. One thing I had a problem with was also the parts with action. I felt that the writing was really loose and it sent me into major confusion over what in the world was going on. So toward the ending, they fight Incarceron and manage to escape. But Keiro, the oath brother, can't escape because he is half-man (made by the prison) and Gildas dies. Only those that hold the keys can leave. So, Claudia and Finn escape the prison at the very end and basically push out the evil queen which doesn't have that much reason to be evil. I liked the read. That's why I rated it 4/5. But, I felt that it was missing that something that would have made me love it. Perhaps it was the characters...

When reading Incarceron, I thought that Claudia and Finn were very mundane. I found that the secondary characters were much more developed. Keiro was quite unpredictable and I thought he was going to betray Finn and I found that Jared was an interesting more intelligent type. Claudia herself was selfish. The whole reason she takes Finn out is because she doesn't want to marry the earl. She doesn't care that his friends are stuck inside, she only cares that she's got what she wants (I forgot to mention, she finds out that her father isn't her father and she was born in the prison.). Finn could have been developed more and is a bit passive and "follow the plot" type of character. So that's what I think! Let me know if you read Incarceron and how you liked it :)

If you guys write YA...and you didn't enter this...ENTER :D

2011-04-20T05:53:00.001-07:00

YAtopia is holding a great contest for a chance to query Natlie who is really closed for submissions now. I won't explain too much. All the info is here.

April Chain - 2011

2011-04-16T17:40:00.000-07:00

I am a bit late, but none the less, things have been busy. This months AW blog chain is a great idea which I love. It has two parts: First, describe one of your characters in 50 words or less. Second, have that character interview you. (Thanks to Orion from nonexistent books).

Part 1: 1865 - Dusty Cummins is an everything but extraordinary teenager, living in Victorian England. He is shy, introverted, and a bit of an oddball. He is forced to live with a terrible secret. A secret which will change humanity (I won't give that away yet *wink*). He has shaggy black hair, light skin, a bit of a longer nose, and piercing green eyes.

Part 2:

Go ahead and imagine that it turns out your world isn't real and that there is a persona sitting at a type writer or what you seem to call a, what was it?
A computer, Dusty.
Right. Sitting at a computer and typing away your life. How would you feel about such a revelation?
I think that I would ask them to grant me my desires if I had a chance to speak to them.
Is that an offer?
Not particularly.
How come?
Because life is hard.
That's if you make it hard for me, right?
Basically. Can we return to the interview?
Sure thing.
Questions?
Yes. If that is really the case, and I don't exist, how did you come up with me? Why come up with a person like me? Why make my life miserable?
Let me just say that you were inspired by a sketch of mine.
Is that so?
Yes.
This is all very unsettling. I feel like I am on the verge of losing my mind. That's it, isn't it? I made all of this up to drown out reality. I made you up.
If that's what you'd like to think, feel free.
Thank you. I suppose that means I should try to stop talking to myself, in my mind, and try to forget you ever existed.
Goodbye, Dusty.
Hope you enjoyed meeting my oddball protagonist. He isn't much of a talker as you can tell. Don't forget to check out the other participants in the April Blog Chain:

Steam&Ink - http://steamandink.blogspot.com (link to this month's post)
orion_mk3 - http://nonexistentbooks.wordpress.com/
Yoghurtelf - http://thefarseas.blogspot.com/
COchick - http://joannchaney.blogspot.com/
xcomplex - http://www.arielemerald.blogspot.com/
pezie - http://www.erinbrambilla.com/
aimeelaine - http://www.aimeelaine.com/blog
auburnassassin - http://clairegillian.com/
Della Odell - http://dellaodell.wordpress.com/
Juniper - http://www.katjuniper.com/
Proach - http://desstories.blogspot.com/
allmyposts - http://becomingprince.blogspot.com/
LadyMage - http://katherinegilraine.com/
dolores haze - http://dianedooley.wordpress.com/

Listening to the RIGHT critique

2011-04-13T09:07:00.000-07:00

Critique

Critique is an art of intuition. An art, just like the prose itself. Critique. It is personal stuff that will sometimes lead you in the wrong direction. To be truthful, and to get to the point, I have been working on my query submission like crazy lately, and have actually gotten lucky. 7 requests for fulls and 21 rejections. Wonderful in my honest opinion. But why?

Especially on forums we writers go on and post and we wait and we shed tears over harsh critiques (maybe that is a little over exaggerated) and we change our writing. But when do we know if we really need to change?

Taking critiques is like critiquing yourself, because many critiques are purely opinionated. For one, I have proof with my own personal experience. My query was shed and shredded on a great writers forum (AW). I was sick to death of revising and changing, so I said thank you and went back to the original and sent off 21 queries. Requests! Ka-ching! Sweet, and everyone seemed to say that something in my query didn't make sense and the plot didn't show. But I did something right in order to get such great responses. So before accepting critique, even from your closest friends, think twice. Maybe think three times. Because writing is art and art is about expressing yourself in your own prose and your own style. Everybody thinks and perceives in a different manner, and that is what makes art beautiful.

So how do you know when to accept critique?

Covers that Rocked!!!

2011-02-21T10:46:00.000-08:00

I am all about the covers and I decided to dedicate today to the awesome covers that are out there in the YA section. Thses are the covers I picked up when I was buying books and I have to say that the artists did an amazing job!

So check out these great novels. Also an update...

If you don't already follow the YA Lit Six. Follow them. They are YA (like myself) that write YA. Their blog is great and they have great advice as well as a sweet contest that is now on. Don't we all love contests? I know I do. I actually won once from Freckle Head. Woot! So here is your chance to win some amazing prizes and even a copy of "Rain" signed by the author. The prizes are...

First prize: A signed copy of Rain by our very own Kieryn Nicolas, a custom header/button combo made by the lovely Katie from KD Designs (who made our gorgeous blog button) and a full manuscript critique from all of us.

Second and third prizes: A custom blog button from Katie (see how awesome she is?), and a critique of your first chapter by all of us.

Check them out and follow. Happy Writing.

Cheers!

Love Struck...

2011-02-14T14:02:00.000-08:00

February. The month of love. In that case, happy Valentine's day. So many great love stories come from great novels and scripts. Think about love struck Romeo and his love. Probably the greatest love story of all time. Yes, I have read the play. Nearly every single novel I read and every single movie I watched had "Love" in them. Perhaps it is because love it the one emotion that we all endure through life. Perhaps it is because people enjoy love, or perhaps it is because it is a feeling we all understand. Whether it be parental love or romantic love.

The main thing when weaving romantic tension between two characters is that it needs to be believable. I can't emphasize that enough. If it isn't believable the tension is simply not there and the reader won't care. Nearly every fantasy has a romance, whether it be a triangle or a classic weave, but it is the way that it is told in the back story that makes it "great." The way the characters interact and the way that descriptive words are used.

Another important aspect in weaving love into your novel is having like able characters. Both of them or three of them. Many stories are based highly on love despite having a different genre. So, who knows. Maybe your novel will be the next best love tale.

Cheers!

Absolute Write February Blog Chain

2011-02-13T17:48:00.000-08:00

I tend to heart blog chains when they come. I love to see the very different opinions on one subject and for this time we will be seeing different characters. Yay! Sweet. Oh, did I mention we are talking antagonists? Even better. I'm currently on the publishing road with my YA Fantasy novel, so I don't want to disclose too much now, but I will be discussing my antagonist for my new adult fantasy. So there is two parts to this chain and these are...

Part one: Describe the antagonist in your novel in 50 words or less.

"Escalanto is a dark man. Not even a man, more a ruler that is sinned to the point where he can no longer be trapped within the limits of a human body by the gods. When he rips away, he will take everything, along with the power that earth holds."

Part two: What would you say to your antagonist if you met him or her in real life? Post a scene in response to this question in 100 words or less.

Me: "Why did they ban you to human form?"

Escalanto: Glares at me and says in his raspy voice, "Give it a wild guess."

Me: Shrugs.

Escalanto: Laughs. "Why don't you let me show you."

He reaches his hand out to me. I feel the chill of his hand, the bitterness of his gaze and I take a step back.

Sweet! He is quite a dark fellow, yet he has a big story behind him and this novel is really an idea I am super excited about. Read all the other awesome entries on AW and comment :)

Proach: http://desstories.blogspot.com direct link to my post

Steam&Ink: http://steamandink.blogspot.com/ direct link to her post
AuburnAssassin: http://clairegillian.com/ direct link to her post
dolores haze: http://dianedooley.wordpress.com/
xcomplex: MEEEE
LadyMage: http://katherinegilraine.com/
aimeelain: http://www.aimeelaine.com/blog
jonbon.benjamin: http://jonbonbenjamin.blogspot.com/
CScottMorris: http://cscottmorrisbooks.com/
Ralph Pines: http://ralfast.wordpress.com/
GradyHendrix: http://www.gradyhendrix.com/
Orion mk3: http://nonexistentbooks.wordpress.com/
Forbidden Snowflake: http://www.silversnowflake.net/liv
knotane: http://knotane.wordpress.com/
JerseyGirl1962: http://writerlystuff.blogspot.com/
FranYoakumVeal: http://thejourneyofthewriter.blogspot.com/

E-books, Small Presses, Agents, Penguins, Oh My!

2011-02-10T09:26:00.000-08:00

There are so many ways to get published, despite the dam difficulty of getting an agent or an editor to take a peak at your work. You can self publish, you can query, you can search for an agent, but sometimes life leads you on a completely different path than you might imagine.

Fortunately and of course the horrid unfortunately there are many pros and cons to options that I have gathered and tried.

E Books:
Pros:

Cheaper for audience to purchase.
Kindles are popular now!
It's easier to get your novel in the attention of an e-publisher than it is to get an agent. Trust me.
You can self publish an e-book.
You can spread the word, for you don't have a marketing team.

Cons:

Didn't you always dream to see your book with a hard cover? Even a paper cover?
Low costs. If you self publish, you will be earning quite badly unless it goes viral.
No marketing. Even if you have a publisher for e-books the marketing vs. traditional publisher is not comparable.
Rights. You lose your rights for a limited amount of time. (This depends on the contract).

Small Press:
Pros:

Well, your book is published at the least. Small presses may be easier to target. Easier to communicate with.
Personal attention.
You never know when a press may grow. Hey, you could be targeting a future corporation.
Positive attitude. I noticed that the smaller presses I contacted were very friendly.

Cons:

Distribution.
Channels of sale.
Marketing Ability.
Design force (That's your cover).

Agent:
Pros:

Worldwide publishing connections.
Chance to bring attention to your novel with large publishers.
Knowledge.
Care. If you found a good agent, they will care about your work and perfect it by your side.

Cons:

They take a percentage of your advance etc. That doesn't bother me, but...if it bothers you...
Not all agents succeed.
Not all agents have the right connections.

So when you query, you make the choice. Many authors go with what flows, if you know what I' am saying. Whoever accepts you is not always the right way to go. Personally, I have had success with agents (yet I AM unagented) and I stopped querying after a larger press requested revisions. So when you query who do you target? Oh, and for the penguins...Penguin books were just recently accepting submissions. I am not sure if it is still up, but you can go and check that out.

Cheers!

VOICE - Getting the hang of it

2011-02-09T09:53:00.000-08:00

VOICE...

It was very recently, that I took a lot of note to voice. I even started paying attention to how I speak to others, how others speak, how they act, in order to bring out the best of my characters. The most real. But that's off topic. That's dialogue. Voice is a tricky subject. Every author has a voice, yet it is something that is developed over time. We each carry our own unique personalities. I can guarantee you that no one is the same as every one. No one has the same voice. In a novel, voice is the core, its the grip factor. Sometimes voice makes you pick up a novel and sometimes voice makes you put a novel down. The major issue with voice it that you have to find it. You have to release it.

Voice is the way your writing sounds upon paper, the way your writing sounds when you read it aloud. It makes your writing different, unique (make sure that's in a good way). When I read something by one of my favorite writers, I often have the feeling that no one else could have written it. In most good writing, the individuality of the writer comes through. When we sense this individuality, we’re picking up on the writer’s voice. Voice is the way your character experiences the plot of the story. It's the way he/she sees the setting and feels the emotion. My main advice, to find your writers voice is to write and write. When I started out I didn't know voice. Hell, I didn't know what a query was. Just a couple months ago, my writing suddenly shifted. I started writing and everything began coming our differently. I compared. I could SEE the difference. Of course, I hurried and began to rewrite my novel with voice for the publisher that's still awaiting. I had to. I got addicted to my new voice. I can't actually say new, because the later was more just simple telling. There was no spark to it, no sophistication. Voice may be something you can't really describe in a simple post, for it may takes years to find your hidden voice, but it is something you shall search for. It's worth finding your true voice in the end. Trust me.

Cheers!

So, what if an agent finds your blog?

2011-02-08T06:17:00.000-08:00

So, What if an AGENT locates your blogity blog???

This post is actually inspired by a question that was asked on absolute write.

Agents are people. I can say that a million times over, they are no different than us. Some authors have that strange thought of agents being query reading machines. They search and they represent what they personally enjoy. They are people, yet they are busy people who don't want to waste time searching each person who queries them. So if you've queried them and were rejected, they probably never searched you up. When an agent is interested, that's a different story. They may search up your name to try to better know you before they make the call. They just may land on your blog and they just may be reading the very words we write. But in what measure does that affect representation? Well, if your blog is written horribly and your grammar is terrible, I’m not so sure they would decline the offer. Maybe, they would talk to you and talk and wonder. Maybe they would reconsider.

In a way, I started my blog, knowing that its such a fun thing to do. Also, I wanted to be out there when I query, so the agent knows that I am here for the long run. Personally, I may have some grammar mistakes (hurried), but I feel that a blog is a great way to be a part of all the amazing writers out there and show the agent you query that you are really out there and that you are really committed. Of course, it has to be a working blog to show that. Claps to you all for keeping up such great blogs which I love to read! Keep it up and you never know, an agent just may find you accidentally. Speaking of that, did you know I actually connected with an agent through a forum and got a request?

Cheers!

Celebrity Authors

2011-02-07T06:20:00.000-08:00

This may be a off my usual posts, but this is something I wanted to talk about. Just recently, I was shopping for books online for my sister and I noticed that Hillary Duff released a novel. Nope, it wasn't non fiction like Justin Biebers biography (lol, him writing a biography at that age is pretty far fetched even if he is famous) it was an actual paranormal novel. Then, a couple day's later I see another celebrity "Snookie" that wrote a novel and its fiction. I didn't know who Snookie was, but still...She is a celebrity. I assume there are plenty more of famous people that wrote books, but I noticed there were some very angry writers on forums that felt this quite unfair. Me, personally, I don't know if I find it unfair. Publishers know that the audience already knows these people, so they will buy the books. The books will make money. This doesn't mean that publishers and agents still don't accept great manuscripts from unknown authors. In fact this are completely the opposite.

At the very same time, when I used the look inside feature for Snooki's book, I couldn't imagine how it got published. It's not horrible, but it is extremely shallow and cliché. When I looked at Duff's novel, she wasn't the only author. That made me wonder, if she wrote the book herself. No, don't get me wrong. If I was a celebrity I would still probably write my novel and want it published. So when you put yourself in their shoes it's more eye opening. This doesn't stop us from being published and certainly, nothing stops us from taking the spotlight in our own lives. Go for it!

Cheers!

Write that novel: The Flesh

2011-02-04T08:59:00.000-08:00

So yesterday I talked about the skeleton of a novel and today I figured it would be quite relevant to discuss the FLESH. So, once you have the skeleton of your novel complete, next comes the flesh. That's the juicy part. That is the characterization, the detail, the subplot, the setting and of course the theme.

Let's start with characterization...This is the method used to develop your character. The first thing I do is I come up with the characters motto, idea and setting. What are these characters for? What will they do? To me, coming up with characters comes naturally. The second thing is the name. This is an important part. When picking a name, your character has to match it. It has to resonate with him/ her in order to resonate with the readers. Of course you might also add a few quirks and want to make the character's name memorable and unique. When the name is developed, think of appearance. How do they look? In order to paint a great picture of your character for the reader, you firstly need to know exactly how they look. Then you go to the meat of the character. They have to have personality, values, their personal goals and hates. That's the fun part!

Detail is what makes a novel a novel when it comes to finishing touches. Think of tiny things that create characters, or tiny sub plots that twist and turn. Think of the way she bites her lip, or the way he gazes at her. These tiny details in you novel will spice it up. Just make sure to keep the spice at a minimum. Not too little, and not overdone.

Subplot has a vast connection to the major plot/skeleton. These are the little twists and turns that add so much sparkle to the plot, to the skeleton. We could call it spice as well. After all, a lot of the flesh is in fact spice! Zing!

Setting means everything. I really cannot emphasize that enough. The setting determines the mood and the atmosphere and of course setting isn't something we want to over focus too much. I don't really want to know the way the snowflakes were shaped or how her lips were a mix of petal pink and mahogany. Don't over spice!

Theme. Extreme importance, despite its littleness. Theme will set your story. It will set that bubble of emotions that you want to prepare your readers for. Whether it be grief, love, joy or misery.

To top it off. Flesh is the spice we grow upon the skeleton to paint a beautiful picture.

Write that Novel: The Skeleton

2011-02-03T09:54:00.000-08:00

Every writer I know talks about establishing a great plot. A plot is what makes a book, but how do you establish a plot and how do you know you have a good plot? The plot is not the writing, nor is it the hook. It is the skeleton of your novel. Flesh comes later.

We all know this chart. Yes, its simple and yes we all know how to do this, but do we really? The Skeleton of your story refers to the bones that hold up the flesh. Literally speaking. This is your core. Sometimes the skeleton of the story makes most people fail to see the idea of the structure. Artists insist that there is no point in the structure, because it clogs off your creativity. It blocks those emotions. Truly, every single story spices and tingles your emotions because it is based on a basic structure. Flip through ANY book. They all have the same skeletal structure as shown above.

Even query writing depends on this. A query is the tale of the very key skeletal structure. The very main points. You don't tell back-story, you don't show unneeded information. You focus on the key points. This structure applies to all genres worldwide.

Exposition is the information needed to understand a story. (Don't confuse exposition for back-story).

Complication is the catalyst that begins the major conflict.

Climax is the turning point in the story that occurs when characters try to resolve the complication.

Resolution is the set of events that bring the story to a close.

Cheers!

Graceling: A Review

2011-02-02T08:16:00.000-08:00

I just finished reading Graceling last night by Kristin Cashore. I have seen lots of great reviews on it, so I picked it up and it also seemed like it was based on the more medevil sword figfhting era, which my novel is based in, so I wanted to see what the hype was. This book was admired by a lot of girls my age and after reading it I can say, I am really not so sure if it would be loved by boys (Forgive me if it is, lol) and I really don't understand why it is rated PG 14. If you have not read the novel, keep in mind that this review contains spoilers.

My Rating: * * * (3 stars/5)

So I will start with a short summary, and then get to the point of my review. If you are interested in having your novel reviewed by me, feel free to drop me a comment. Anyways, the summary...Basically Katsa is a girl who can kill people with the nail of her small finger. She has a grace of killing. Graces in the novel are more like specialty talents that are portrayed when somebody's eyes change color at a young age. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug. She never expects to fall in love with beautiful Prince Po. She never expects to learn the truth behind her Grace—or the terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.

My Review:

Love the idea. That's why I bought the book, but to me the execution and plot was dull. Katsa is somewhat an annoying character. I know Kristen Cashore tried to make her a very strong female lead, but I found her to be very Mary Sueish at times and angry for no reason. Anger management, dude. Seriously. Her grace is a bit confusing to me and I find that if I wrote this I wouldn't call it the grace of killing but maybe of like fighting or something along those lines? Maybe strength? Because everyone has the ability to kill, its just the way she does it...She does though find out later that her grace is not killing, but survival. The fights were very swift and to me I found they were described too shortly. Like she just hit men with her boot and bam! Ten men down. What confused me was that how in the world she overcame graced fighters so easily.

Now, there were great things in the novel but let me continue my ramble...She is king Randa’s slave and when she meets Po, he tells her that she shouldn't be his slave. Ok, thinks Katsa, I’m going to go kill him if he doesn't let me leave. Randa fears her, for she can dodge arrows, but I am sure if he wanted her dead than he could arrow her down with a thousand or so men. I am sure it’s impossible to dodge that many arrows. So with Po who is the grandson of the stolen Lienid grandfather, she leaves to search why in the world the grandfather was stolen in the first place. Po lets her beat him up every day and I am surprised he hadn't gotten a hematoma from her punches to the head. I mean I was in a car accident and I hit my head....2 months off, brain bleed. Eeek! I think Po is a well described character, I liked him, but he takes allot of things that I really don't know if a real guy would take from Katsa. Actually he is probably the only one she is really nice to and I liked how she slowly evolved into a more humane girl throughout the novel.

Another thing, the whole giant back-story description of the kingdoms was confusing. I skimmed. It was like Wester, Nender, Ender, Blender and I was like what??? And all of those kings and queens and yikes! I think it would have worked better if it was weaved into the narrative. So anyways, she and Po leave to find why the grandfather was stolen. Their travel lasts forever and through that travel they get to know each other until, more than halfway through the novel, they find that king Leck stole the king and he is playing with minds. Did I mention Po (whose real name is Greening) is a mind reader? Oh, and I felt their romance was somewhat off and undeveloped...So they find Bitterblue who is running away and is the daughter of Leck. I think this could have been done better because a scene or two later, when Po sacrifices himself, Katsa kills Leck with a dagger. Easily. and I don't feel the defeat and victory that I should feel when an antagonist is killed. Of course they travel with Bitterblue to get to Leck (there is allot of travel) and when they get to Po's castle, guess who's there...Just guess...Leck! She kills him and they find Po who went blind and live happily ever after with Bitterblue as the queen.

Overall thoughts...I loved the idea. I enjoyed the read, but I thought there was allot of back-story, telling and not enough action to amaze me and engage me. Graceling didn't exceed my expectations but it served as entertainment and I think that it was a fun read overall. Katsa was interesting...Po was a very beta male I will do anything kind of person. So overall you should read it if you haven't! Cheers!

Opening Paragraph Analysis

2011-01-25T09:47:00.000-08:00

OPA in short. Today I wanted to speak of openings. I worked long and hard to develop mine and...Nathan Bransford is holding a contest! Isn't that sweet? Check it out here. Prizes are great.

You are standing in a bookstore and a cover catches your eye. The cover is beautiful, shiny, attractive. You pick up the book and read the blurb. Interesting, very gripping. You flip open to the first page. The book only needs to pass one more test for you to buy it. It starts with a guy waking up and thinking. Boring. Perhaps the rest of the book might be boring and written in this passive and cliche way?

Very many readers go to the first page when buying books. In fact statistics show that the first page determines readership involvement by 80%. They love it or hate it. For me, I never really followed the first page analysis, let alone first paragraph. When I pick up a book and the blurb is interesting, I read it. It might start boring, it may lag and be slow, but I'll read it, because I figure that the story may develop. That was before I understood and learned the publishing world. I viewed books quite differently before I began trying to get published. So if the first page isn't vital to buyers, why is it so darn vital? It is the first thing agents/editors look at. It decides the faith of your novel.

Agents and editors don't have much time. You can see that if you start reading all the entries to Nathan's contest you begin to skim. Go through those comments and try to see what it would be like to be an agent (he actually recommended that himself). You don't have enough time to eat every paragraph. You can't read through that much. You have other things to do. So when the first sentence doesn't grab you, what do you find yourself doing? I find that I pass and move on.

So, with all this talk, get to the point. How do you analyse the grip factor of your paragraph?
Yes, don't get me wrong. I need to get to the point. Now, I am no expert and I won't pretend to be. I am a teen writer that loves imagination and wants to hold her novel in her hands in the next few years while still being a teen. But, I did have great responses from agents on my first pages and had nearly a dozen partial requests. As you might know, I am now revising for a publisher and they told me that my first paragraph pulls you right in, so I imagine I can give some suggestion.

"The Coming" First Paragraph Analysis:

The Coming is what I am devoted to, is what I am revising and is what I intend to sell. I go by the phrase "If you want it enough, you will push till the end". To analyze your first paragraph you have to take each word separately. A good suggestion is reading each sentence separately so that you can separate them and see how they flow. So here is my analysis of my first paragraph.

Someone was going to die today. The first sentence instantly places the reader in tension. Someone is going to die. It sets a dark mood. There was no other choice: it was kill or die. No I set the fact that the MC has no choice and that his life is in danger. Vitiosus stared at the tall, bulky warrior and took a deep breath. Now you can really imagine what is going on. He's fighting. There is a warrior and that sets the setting. You probably are not going to imagine they are in space or in a mall or whatnot. He stepped forward. Gravel crunched below his feet and wisps of wind swirled about his head as he calculated his chances. With one final glance toward his father on the throne, he walked to the middle of the arena. He was determined to make his father proud of him — just this once. That is the hook. Frome here you can see that he wants to make his father proud just one time. That tells us the backstory without telling backstory. His father clearly thinks the his son is a failure and here Vitiosusu wants to prove him wrong, just this once.

So there you go. My analysis. I highly recommend you to take your own paragraph and analyze it to death. It you are getting rejected there is a problem. Me, well, I have had people tell me that I shouldn't start with action, but the requests and the feedback speak for themselves. Cheers!

Main Character

2011-01-21T07:06:00.000-08:00

MC.

It's a big short word when condensed. Literally one of the main aspects of a novel. The driver of your story, the illustrator of your plot. A main character is a nucleus...A sun...

Everything that followes; plot, minor characters, setting revolves around that MC. That guy/girl is the attraction of the reader. They have to be well liked and well developed in order for the reader to want to know them They have to be cared for and they have to be exciting. So how do you know if your main character is exciting enough to read about? How do you compell an interesting person that lives with you will you read the novel?

To create a compelling MC

1. First and foremost create a sketch and get to know who they are. What does he/she like? What makes her/him angry? Are they neurotic? Are they stubborn?

2. Flaws. Everyone says that your character has to be flawed, not to be a Mary Sue or a Gary Sue. But when he/she is too flawed which everyone begins doing now that we are all trying to avoid having a Mary Sure character, THAT becomes cliché. Focus on your characters having their good and bad sides. But not too much of either. Think of yourself. I have flaws. I have my good sides. I am perfect in some things that involve creativity and athletics. I am also great at academics, but I have my flaws and so does everyone.

3. Think about this...Perfect is perfect in the eyes of the beholder. Just like beauty. For example; in the eyes of an evil king, imagine a perfect kingdom. To him it will be perfect, to others not. Thus there is no perfect that will be perfect to everyone and that makes me wander off to the topic of writing...The best writing will not be the best in everyone’s eyes.

4. Show their sympathy, their soft spots, their emotional core. We need to see what they lost, what plot surrounds them and how they will evolve through it. Bare them.

5. Last but not least, surround them with a very interesting situation. That is when I (reader) will really want to know what will happen to this interesting person in this interesting situation.

Test your current MC

So you have a main character? Most of us do, right? So ask yourself these questions and see if they can be improved.

1. The name of your MC, is it in sync with the story? For example if you are in future time, or in past times, does it work?

2. Does your character tend to whine about life allot?

3. Is your character so strong and swift that they never really get hurt much?

4. Does your character always get their way?

5. Does your character "change" at all throughout the course of your novel? When writing a novel it is very important to stick to your characters persona.

6. What is the PROBLEM your main character is facing?

7. What are their main traits?

8. Do they have fears?

9. How is the problem going to change your MC?

10. Do you connect with your MC when you write? Does it feel like you are writing about live flesh?

These are just some of the questions you can ask yourself, and your character. The main important thing is to keep on track and when creating a main character birth a person. Not someone that you thought was cool, but a real person that you will lead through the hardship of your story. Feel free to share your experience and how you create a compelling character. Whether you get inspiration from other people, or other stories.

Cheers!

P.S. Another great activity to help with Main Characters is analyzing MCs from your favourite novels.

The award for sytlish blog goes to...

2011-01-19T06:08:00.000-08:00

Hi writers! The great Alyson over at her blog has awarded me with a stylish blogger award. YAY! Thank Alyson. I am very happy that people out there seem to be enjoying my blog :) Sweet. According to the Rules of this award I must now bestow this award unto other worthy blogs, and...

1. Thank and link back to the person who awarded you this award - DONE

2. Share 7 things about yourself - DONE

3. Award 10 recently discovered great bloggers - DONE

4. Contact these bloggers and tell them about the award! - Doing

7 things about me:

Well, what have I not shared before. Let me think....Let's focus writing.

1. On the manuscript that I am working, I am revising for a literary agency and a publisher so I cannot wait to see what they'll say. Wish me luck!
2. I can't live without my every morning gym workout.
3. I write listening to music. Always. Only. Mostly music that matches the scenario i.e. battle scene - Epic War music :)
4. I tend to like antagonists sometimes.
5. My main character used to be the antagonist.
6. I love dark fiction, things and fantasy.
7. I don't read that much fiction. At all. I read books about writing, non-fiction and such, but I am not a bookworm.

The award goes to...Drum roll...

10 very stylish and great blogs!

Dark Angel's Fiction Writing

Freckle Head

Jaydee Morgan

Bronwyn's Writing Blog

The Alchemy of Writing

The QQQE

Happy Blogging!

AutoCrit, Editing and the RED Pen

2011-01-17T12:31:00.000-08:00

I read other blogs allot and quite recently I stumbled upon a great blog that recommended...

AutoCrit

An editing software. Now you can try it our free, but you can only paste a minimum amount of words. You can also purchase a package. So it is what it says it is. It is a critique software. I tried it and at first I liked it but when I looked into it, it can do nothing that I can't do myself with a red pen. So I sat down and looked through these specific redundancies, words and cliché phrases I should avoid and piled up a list for you guys to enjoy. I highlight each word in a different color and I find that it REALLY helps for the sentences to be smooth and not overdone. For example adverbs are needed. We should not take away all adverbs yet they should be used sparingly. So here is...

THE LIST

Convict Telling Words:

Search for past & present

Saw

Heard

Ate

Felt/feel

Thought

Smelled

Scared

Anger

Happy

Annoyed

Adverbs Period. (words ending with ly) such as...

Softly

Gently

Happily

Nicely

Perfectly

ING sentences. Turn them to the NOW. For example...

Staring at him, he grabbed at his head.

He stared at him and grabbed on to his head.

(Weird example but you get the idea)

AND

This and that and that and that. Stop with too many ands. Connect sentences with action instead.

Extra Pest Words to Avoid (not always!)

Could

Had

Have

It/There

Just/Then

Knew/Know

Look

Maybe

WAS (This is a big one)

Notice

I found from my own writing that these are the words that you should be most looking for and perfecting on your last edit (and the first). I placed my text into the AutoCrit and it said that my writing isn't overflowing with these words which was great to know, but I certainly got a lot of help from compiling this list and creating a diagram for every chapter on which words are overused and descriptions I should avoid. Happy Writing! Cheers.

Reading AND Writing

2011-01-14T07:32:00.000-08:00

I was just thinking that when we read novels and certain phrases may pop up in our novel. They may just pop up...I have a writer friend of mine who is a great fan of Twilight. Now, I am not a Twilight hater. But neither am I a fan. Every work of art is in fact a work of art and I feel that lots of haters are jealous of Stephanie's success (or author authors in other cases). This isn't the topic of today's post. So when reading his manuscript I stumbled upon a few small sentences and description that were from the Twilight book (I haven’t read it fully, but they were from certain parts I’ve skimmed). Yikes. How much do you read when you write and has your "mind" ever copied great sentences that you loved?

For me, I was never much of a reader and that may be surprising being that I began to write. I read, yes...But I read very little. Maybe just even a few books a year and those were the books that I got as gifts. I couldn't NOT read them. Sometimes I think that maybe my writing would have improved faster if I read more. Maybe. But at the same time, I began writing because I couldn’t find the novel I wanted. I couldn't find the story I was inclined to find, thus, why not write it down? Well, I did. Now that I have my story down, I find that I didn't plagiarize or steal because I simply didn't know much other works...

And this was the time to begin reading other works. To see what they did right and what I did wrong. To see what needs to be fixed. To understand the rules. I haven't read much novels yet in the fantasy genre, but I've picked up a couple of best sellers last year...See, I am a TOTAL bookworm. I read three books in 2010. WOW!!! I personally believe that it really depends on each and every individual, just like a critique. If you give the same writing to 5 people their critiques will be so different you will go hazy just looking at them. One person liked that part, the other said its terrible, remove. What I can say is that from my own experience you have to base your trust upon yourself, and knowledge. Yes, that is the key. Let me know what you think.

2011, a FRESH start...

2011-01-01T14:25:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year's everyone! I have to say that New Year's is one of my favorite holidays for so many reasons. I love a fresh start and though really we made up years for ourselves, I feel that this year starts out with a clean slate. So when we come to the New Year, we start thinking of our goals, and us writers, well...we think about writing goals. So asides from your amazing celebration what goals did you set for yourself this 2011?

I, for one, am not starting fresh in writing. I still am on a path of revising my novel to ultimate perfection in order to achieve publication. I am so passionate about this novel that I cannot give up on it and abandon and betray my characters and I know that I am just a string away from my goals. So this year, this 2011, I really want to get a contract. For me, I think this is a realistic goal, because I don't set unrealistic goals, I think those can ruin your self-esteem if you can't reach them. But, this 2011...What do you want to do in your writing life?

RE WRITES. Do Them. Period.

2010-12-06T05:16:00.000-08:00

My novel has officially been rewritten for the fifth time. Yes, fifth time's the charm, eh? So I began when I was turning fourteen and now a couple years on and I have a publisher interested to have a rewrite so here goes fifth time and wow...

First of all I feel that even the third time and the fourth may not be enough. It really depends on you personally and when you have reached that certain maturity with your writing you may not require as much rewriting but with a first novel...So I take a look back and forth and notice how much my writing has changed, It has improved drastically even in my own eyes and I am so excited to be finishing what I hope is my last rewrite. Not only did the writing improve, for I believe I've acquired my personal style instead of telling all the time, but I think the plot has improved drastically.

Now, what I can say is that I believe that rewriting is essential not only to get published but to get the BEST of your story out there. Hey, you may even be so great that your first draft is liked, who knows, right? But the thing is that your story can be better and once its out there, there is no going back. I know we all are desperate to have our words in print, in front of us, but those words can never be changed. They will forever be the words printed. So rewrite and think it over, rely on depth and emotion and oh, yes....I have a great tip. I have a new addiction and that is listening to battle music while writing. It helps, trust me. Especially if you are writing about battles, hehe. Anyways, what are your humble thoughts on rewriting and how many rewrites do you average?

Happy Holidays to you guys also!

The Agitating Wait

2010-09-27T18:40:00.000-07:00

Query Sent.

You bite your lip.

You check it over to make sure you got everything right.

What if you got the agent's name wrong?

Or what if you missed something?

Darn. But you didn't.

You check your e-mail.

Click. Click. Click.

You wait and click and refresh and read about the agent.

Weeks of clicking are over.

You no longer have fingernails to chew on, you ran out of coffee and red bull.

Should you open it?

It has to be a rejection.

Darn. You click again. They like it!

Manuscript request.

Toast yourself with champagne.

You send it off.

And now you have to wait...Again.

So how do you guys spend time waiting? I personally like to start to work on my next project and the other things I do in this funny thing called life. So, my next project happens to be book 2 of my trilogy. What about you?

Another GREAT Contest

2010-09-25T07:12:00.000-07:00

Gosh, I seem to be postng about contests WAY too muh, but there are so many great ones to enter that I can't help it! In fact I myself will also be hosting a contest once my blog reaches 100 followers, so help me get there!!! The new contest update is re Justine Dell's Contest over at her awesome blog! Go and enter!

http://justine-dell.blogspot.com/2010/09/jds-250th-follower-contest-come-enter.html

Writing Changes, So do Blogs

2010-09-24T12:14:00.000-07:00

Hello, fellow minions!

This whole summer I have been actively working on my novel and seeking an agent/publisher/person of interest and I can say that so far it has been fun. Fun, sad and exciting at the same time. If you have started to query your novel that you love so much you know what I mean. I have good stats, I think. Scratches head...

5 MS Requests

3 Partials (My top agency is one of those!! YAY!")

6 rejections (3 of them personal, I think, I will post them at the end and you guys tell me...)

4 no replies.

So so far so good, but did I mention I got a rejection on my MS? That made me really flustered disappointed and when I read over my novel (for the umpteenth time) I realized that I know why. The writing isn't up to par with the opening and I have changed. I analyzed my first novel and analyzed the second which I recently started writing and understood my mistake, and the weird thing is that it looks like those two books were written by two different individuals. The first has way too much tell and the second in very show and exciting. So here I am going back to the drawing board and letting thos MS requesters know about this (They were actually nice about it and said they would wait!).

Basically what my post is about is the way we change and fluctuate. Like our characters and ourselves our writing goes through so many stages and I really didn't realize that until now. These changes can be minor or major, but you can still notice them and now I can really understand what those who say to hone your craft mean. I didn't think I could get better back then. Now my own previous thoughts sound silly to me. So how have you changed? How has it affected your novel?
And the rejections promised.....

***Drum Beat***

Dear Ariel,

Thank you for the interesting query. The concept has many worthwhile elements but it doesn't appeal to me. We are rarely able to add new authors to our roster.

Best of luck,

*****

and another:

Ariel,

Thank you for your query. I've read the sample chapters that you've sent, but we just can't represent your manuscript at this time. It's interesting and gripping and I'm sure you'll find the right agency for your story.

Best,

***
The Last one:

Ariel,

I really enjoyed reading through your material. You have great potential with this novel. Unfortunately, I cannot offer representation at this time due to the fact that I don't believe I have the knowledge to sell in the Fantasy market. Best of Luck.

*****

Have an awesome day!

Contest ALERT!

2010-09-17T15:44:00.000-07:00

Awesome contest over at the bookshelf muse! Check it out here:

http://thebookshelfmuse.blogspot.com/

You don't do much to enter.

Query Critique #1

2010-09-10T09:00:00.000-07:00

My friend Jon, who works at a publishing house as a slush reader promised to read some of your guys' queries. Here is the first. Leave your comments and suggestions, I am sure Kay will appreciate them.

I’m sending THE BAD LUCK MAGNET -- a middle grade fantasy set in 1921, complete at 44,000 words. It was very common to start with a small description of your story at the beginning of a query letter, but unless I am hooked by the idea I don’t care for the title or the word count. At the same time, those can lead to a rejection themselves. Personally, I recommend sending the agent directly into the story.

Thirteen-year-old EMMA KLOKEN just knows she’s the unluckiest girl in the world. Just knows? I would recommend something along the lines of… “is the unluckiest girl in the world.” She could know, but really is she? The hook is interesting. But you are setting yourself up for another question which I want to see answered. I want to know why. Every time she turns around, her grandmother locks her in the broom closet -- even before she thinks about doing something wrong. Ok, I believe it would be very strange is her grandmother locks her is a closet every single time that she turns around. Does she lock her in the closet every time she sees her? Does she punish her in that way, or is she trying to let loose her own angst by taking it out on Emma? Just some things to think over. Emma wishes she was able to tell the old bat to go jump in a lake, but she daren’t. So she hats her grandma, but the conflict isn’t set up straight up and right in this query. There has to be more to her hate if she wants her own grandma stone cold, if you know what I mean.

When her family moves to Hardscrabble in the California Gold Country, Emma’s bad luck holds. I didn’t really hear of any bad luck in the first paragraph, other than her grandma locking her in a closet and I wouldn’t call that bad luck. Bad luck is when everything seems to mess up for you. But a nasty grandma isn’t luck its your family, and family you cannot change. The first girls she meets [NANCY and GLENDA] hold a grudge against her because they think Emma’s father ‘stole’ Nancy’s mother’s promotion. Here you mention bad luck again, but you don’t explain it. Why would two girls that are strangers hold a grudge against her because of something her parents did to one another. It doesn’t really make sense to me. You need more explanation and detail. Not a longer query, I am still recommending short but concise. When Nancy and Glenda take Emma for a picnic in the foothills, they throw her new bike down an abandoned mine shaft and ditch her. I still don’t see why they would do that to her. Because of her parents? Trying to rescue her bike, Emma slides into the mine where she encounters GRIMM, a hobgoblin, who rescues her.

When Emma learns Grimm was punished for helping her, she decides to go to Faery to rescue him. What is Faery? This should be mentioned WAY earlier. This IS the importance of the book I imagine. Not the way she got there but the adventure she will have there. Only problem, Nancy insists on joining her because Glenda has disappeared into Faery too. How exactly did that happen? I though they both ditched her?

Overall, I think you have a nice premise, but the query needs work. Not too much, but some rearranging will really make a difference. I wish you the best of luck!

Jon.

Kay, thank you so much for sending in your query! I really like the premise as well and I am sorry I posted this so late. You can visit and FOLLOW Kay’s really awesome blog here: http://kaytheod.blogspot.com/ If anybody else would like their query critiqued by Jon, just e-mail me or comment and I will e-mail you and send it to him. :D

A toast to getting partials, manuscript requests and contracts for all of you guys!!!

Awesome, Sunny Days!

2010-08-15T19:14:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love summer? Hey, sometimes we complain but still summer is something that we all want to last forever. Maybe I am just talking for myself here, but that's me. Basically, summer is a great time to write and garner new ideas that will entice your lazy days and compel your imaginations forward. Nothing like the waves crashing against rocks by the seaside to relieve that writers block. :)

To get to the point, today's post is mostly an update. Mostly. Even more so I want to mention that the queries that were sent for critique on Tuesdays will be put up tomorrow. I sincerely and personally apologize for the delay and hopefully you haven't landed an agent yet so that the critique will be useful. Wait, what am I saying? Better off I hope you did but still critiques will come and if you have a query that you want to get critiqued let me know. Though my friend has been a bit busy lately he will get to your queries asap.

Apart from that I just came upon a pretty cool site that you might want to check out. Not kidding go and check it out if you haven't seen it already. There you can paste a paragraph of your writing and it will analyze the structure of your word usage and compare it to those of famous writers. Pretty cool, but really just for the fun of it. Might you guess who I got? Dan Brown. I was pretty surprised because I always thought myself less wordy than him. Hmm. Guess you never know. Anyways the url is: http://iwl.me/ Enjoy and have an awesome Monday!

I am not DEAD! I was just hibernating.

2010-07-09T20:32:00.000-07:00

Hibernating in the summer heat, right. Life has taken over a month of my writing and yes I have pulled away but I am back. I have been writing on and off but life had gotten busy and damn I was upset I didn't update my blog :( Well, just to let you guys know. I didn't fall of the CN tower or all of a sudden decide to learn how to fly off a mountain. I am still ALIVE! And from monday I am back to my bloggish blog thinger. Promis I will update with fun and exciting posts and comment too, so sorry if my blog semmed like a ghostly abandoned page for a while. Tootles and be back on monday!

AW June Blog Chain

2010-06-09T19:24:00.000-07:00

June’s Blog Chain is about presenting a scene that defines your main character’s attitude. I’ve selected a scene from my current MS, OVERCAST SHADOWS. He never knew what love was until around this scene...

Slowly they shuffled on the narrow, wooden pier, standing close to the middle so they wouldn’t fall into the deep, cold lake far below. The wooden structure ended after a few meters, at the spot where the executed bodies were thrown into the deep lake. The gusts of wind were cold and strong up on the pier, and Tiya grasped his hand tighter.

“We’ll have to jump and then swim to shore,” he told her.

“Is this the only way?” she asked as she looked up at his face, her eyes widened in fear. He looked down. The fall would be long and dark until they would hit the murky water.

“Yes, it is.” Vitiosus whispered. Tiya’s hair was tousling in the cool wind, her eyes shone in the dark and her lips were parted.

“I can’t,” she mumbled. They were standing so close to each other on the small walk bridge that Vitiosus could feel her warm breath against the skin of his cheek.

“Tiya, please…there is no other way.” Vitiosus took her shoulder gently and felt himself once again mesmerized by her honey brown eyes that were staring back at him.

“I ca—” Tiya whispered. She stopped when Vitiosus leaned in to kiss her. His heart was beating violently and his mind was swirling in confusion but it suddenly all felt right when their lips eagerly touched and his blood rushed through his body. It felt like the whole world was put on hold when Vitiosus put his arms around Tiya’s waist, hugging her more tightly as the wind blew around them. Tiya’s hands wrapped around him, and the wind surrounded them as one. After a long embrace, they reluctantly parted and gazed at each other in awe, each knowing that they had changed in some way. Vitiosus had never felt love before, and what he felt for Tiya was rushing through his blood in unstoppable waterfalls of emotions.

Tiya touched his cheek with her cold fingers, her eyes still glued to his and whispered, “If there is no other way, I will jump.”

Here is the list of participants to the June Blog Chain:

LadyMage: http://www.katherinegilraine.com/
FreshHell: http://freshhell.wordpress.com/
Collectonian: http://collectonian.livejournal.com/
Aimee Laine: http://www.aimeelaine.com/writing/blog
AuburnAssassin: http://clairegillian.wordpress.com/
Lyra Jean: http://lyratorres.wordpress.com/
Aheïla: http://thewriteaholicblog.wordpress.com/
ArcticFox: http://picaresqueblog.blogspot.com/
Fokker Aeroplanbau: http://rightfarright.blogspot.com/
Alpha Echo: http://writersramblings81.blogspot.com/
xcomplex: http://arielemerald.blogspot.com/ ME!!!
CScottMorris: http://cscottmorrisbooks.com/
egoodlett: http://wordlarceny.blogspot.com/
Lilain: http://abigailschmidt.blogspot.com/
defyalllogic: http://tavialewis.com/hyperbolicallyspeaking/
*RomanceWriter*: http://www.staceyespino.blogspot.com/
IrishAnnie: http://superpenpower.blogspot.com/
Anarchicq: http://anarchicq.com/
littlebear91: http://blog.littlebearz.com/
hillaryjacques: http://www.hillaryjacques.blogspot.com/
Proach: http://desstories.blogspot.com/

*If you didn't get a comment from me! I am reading all your posts now :)

World Building and Query Tuesdays!

2010-06-07T12:33:00.000-07:00

I write mainly Fantasy and Science Fiction and World Building is a very important part of that genre. If say in fantasy you are setting the story in your own world, it is critical to describe the scenery, the smells, the unusual creatures, without over doing it. This is the trick and this is what we gotta do.

Personally I hate when world building is over done but also I hate when I pick up a book and after reading 30 damn pages, I still don't know what the hell a mesonur is (I still didn't find out by the way.) Maybe its the authors way of keeping us engaged in the book and making it interesting enough for us to want to find out what the heckle that is.

For me its essential to weave in exotic smells, noises and feelings that are only felt in my world, but with paragraphs of description we all start to skim through. So what is the key to world building even in non fantasy literature?

- Dropping key clues. Readers love clues and they do like to do some of the thinking work but hey, don't make them figure out what a mesonur is...That just isn't going to happen.

- Providing some background Information. Again don't over do it.

- Describing senses. Noises, feelings, voices, scents. It all brings us into your world.

- Appearance. Hey if you have gotten and rubber zombie (Whatever that is) as your lead character i want to know how it looks!

- buildings, Technology and Shrubbery even...Describe this all short and clear and again don't start talking about a shrub for ten pages. Been there done that. JK. Anyways that is my take on my world building, what's yours and have you read any books that throw you in and totally confuse you until the ends?

Query Tuesdays (That's tomorrow!)

And a little update for today. I got into contact with that guy that works at Penguin and he offered to critique 1 query every week on Tuesday! Isn't that awesome? I just got my query critiqued by him and it really helped, yet now comes revision time.

We can dissect it on my blog and you can get comments on what everyone thinks! His comments will be in red and I will add bits of mine in blue. So the way Query Tuesdays will work will be like so...Firstly Tuesday is tomorrow so I am not sure you guys will volunteer just yet, so if I won't get a query I won't send it his way or make a post, but if I will, yay! First come first serve here, I thought that would be fair. So whoever first sends a query to my e-mail at arielemerald (at) rocketmail (dot) com can get one tommorow. If you don't sorry, next week is always there. Also there will be a contest for him to critique a full proposal (query + 1st chapter) once I get 100 followers, so keep following and a big THANK YOU for following!

Some call it slums some call it nice!

2010-05-28T06:33:00.000-07:00

Firstly I have been out from the blogosphere for nearly a week and I have an explanation! I was not just slacking. Last week and weekend I went on a great vacation to Calgary and as I rented a small cottage in a forest area I found that I had more inspiration than ever. If you didn't yet do a writing vacation out in nature it's worth the try!

Secondly, I have 37 followers! Thanks to all who are interested enough to read my blog. Once I reach 100 followers I have a friend who works in the publishing industry (To be specific Penguin). He isn't an editor or one of the major heads that can really get your book published but he knows enough about the business and has offered to critique three winning queries. So help me get there and the contest will be up!

Now to the topic. I was listening to a song called Welcome to Paradise by Green Day and while its not at all about writing some of the lyrics just struck me. Just like some area's of living (in the song) people opinioned on "Some call it slums some call it nice" I believe that goes to writing as well. Hell, sometimes rejections just might be because the editor/agent doesn't like the idea. I mean we are not all the same and that's what makes the world such a great variety. So tell me what you guys think and have a great weekend!

Project Intuition

2010-05-17T11:05:00.000-07:00

For today its all about intuition. For me, when I start a project I just know if its really 'the' project or not. Some projects are like little pieces of entertainment and some are the real deal. For me it is all about how I feel about the project. Though I am quite a newbie to writing (I have been writing for probably a year) I do have experience and have started countless projects but I do follow my intuition when it comes to loving a project. Though I don't think I can write as awesome a novel as my debut I have tried out countless ideas from romance to horror and realized that my genre is always fantasy. (Don't question that panther, lol)

Its that feeling you get when you start a project and you just know that you will have to finish it. Because you just can't not follow your character's journeys and you have to end it for their and your own curiosities sake. It doesn't happen for all the projects I work on. So what about you, how do you know when a project is 'the' project?

**Interview!!YAY!

2010-05-14T13:44:00.000-07:00

So the reason I started these interviews was to get to know the habits and journeys of other writers. Here is Lee Jacobus, who has published a book of short stories, and his newest novel Crown Island.
Firstly can you tell us a little bit about your novel ‘Crown Island' ?

Crown Island, the most beautiful of the Granite Islands ranging out from Quarrytown, a harbor community in Connecticut, is the magical world of Marie Wainwright and Peter Chello. Their love defies their differences in class, status, age, and culture. They are fated by the Gods to follow a challenging path. While married to others, they keep their love alive for thirty years. Marie, a famous writer who has always lived on Crown Island, brings a world of knowledge to Peter, while Peter brings the muse back to her after the loss of her family in a boating accident. Marie's novels become celebrated and Peter, an artistic stonemason and builder, discovers a richness in life that could never have been his had he not fallen in love with Marie. His path leads him to an understanding of how to share the gifts of love and life that he receives from his Idyll on Crown Island while staying true to his roots and his affection for Quarrytown. An adult story in an adult novel.
What is your writing background up until now?
I published quite a bit of poetry and many short stories when I was in my twenties and thirties, and in my forties I had several plays produced in showcase settings in NYC and NJ. I have published a number of scholarly books and university level textbooks with major publishers such as McGraw-Hill, St. Martins Press, Bedford Books, Oxford UP, and others.
What inspired your idea for your currently published novel?
Primarily an affection for the Connecticut harbor community that is the setting for my book. I lived in or next to it for more than 20 years. The Jamesian “germ” of the novel, though, was the vision of a woman standing on one of the islands looking out to sea one summer evening. From that everything else seemed to spring.
Do you have any specific daily writing routines you stick to?
Yes, it is essential to write every day. I set myself a minimum and maximum number of pages: never fewer than two; never more than five.
So now that you have published ‘Crown Island ’ are you planning a next novel we should be looking forward to?
Yes, “Crown Island” is the first of a series of Quarrytown Novels. Its subject is romantic love and the social context of Quarryton. The next, “An Alligator Ministry,” is essentially a comic novel whose basic theme is religion. A part-Seminole preacher comes into town and sets up his alligator ministry, which then polarizes Quarrytown. The third book is “Sins of the Fathers,” which examines a university professor’s painful relationship with his father, who felt he had made all the wrong choices in his life. Indirectly, one of the issues of the book is the significance of real estate and conducting a business, as opposed to choosing a life of the mind.
After you completed ‘Crown Island ' how difficult was it for you to land an agent?
Extremely difficult. I tried more than 50 agents and while some were interested, none felt that they could make any money with the book. It doesn’t have that commercial dazzle one needs in the first 10 pages. Only three agents asked to see the first three chapters.
The moment you got a positive reply with an offer for representation, what were your initial thoughts? I never got one from an agent. However, I had sent another book, “Volcanic Jesus: Hawaiian Tales,” to a major press and got a quick positive response. The Editor asked to see the novel I was working on, Crown Island, and helped me reshape some of the beginning of the novel and things looked great, but she left the house and no other editor there wanted the book. My original editor essentially disappeared.
How many rejections did it take for you to finally land that agent?
As I said, at least 50 and probably more.
Would you have any advice for aspiring writers?
First, write every day. Second, be sure to read constantly, especially the work of important writers. Read Publishers Weekly, Poets and Writers, but center yourself in the kind of writing you respect most. Then, before you query an agent, have your book professionally edited. After that, go online to an agency and see what the recommendations are for preparing a prospectus for your book.
Would you have done anything differently?
As it is, I along with three other published writers, formed an artists’ co-operative press, Hammonasset House Books, and then learned how to produce our books, get them up on Amazon and Barnes and Noble and other online sellers, and also with Ingram, the largest book wholesaler in the country. We learned more than most writers do about the business of publishing. Some very prominent well published writers are following this path because they have been rejected by their own publishers on the basis of slack sales. It’s tough out there. The basic point is that we now know we can get our books out to the public and that we have complete control over design and editorial issues. And our books will be in print as long as we wish. At this moment they are moving onto the Kindle, and we are learning how to market our books online.

Thanks so much for your interview! I agree, that the key is to keep writing and keep trying. You can visit Lee's website and blog, make sure to leave a comment and follow. Have an awesome day!!!

Writing Influences...YOU!

2010-05-12T17:59:00.000-07:00

I have already talked about influences of writing when it comes to noticing someone and placing them in your novel, or playing with previous ideas and adapting them into one, but for today it's a much different topic...

When I first started writing I started to think like a writer. Even more so as I continued. In fact I started to watch movies in different ways and read books in different ways. More so, I think I enjoyed books more before, because as a writer I start noticing all those nitpicky things writers notice and then the book sort of looses that awesomeness it had before for me...Like I might turn back to a book I used to love and realize its so damn cliché, what were they thinking? Movies, I start thinking about how I would write a story like that. How the writer would describe how the plot progresses and the certain action elements that happen. I start to wonder whether it would be as elaborate and whether it would be as persuasive as it is in the movie...hmmm....Which one would be better? So how about you? Did little things in your life change when you started to write?

Awesomesauce award :)

2010-05-06T08:50:00.000-07:00

Yay! I got an award over at CipherQueens blog and I thought I would share it with you guys, because she decided to make it a most linked award sort of thing. Even if the people you award it to don't take it and repost, let's link as many people as we know, alright? Ok so since those are the rules, I give this award to all the wonderful writers that follow my blog :) Feel free to hand this award out to all your followers guys and have an awesome saucy day!

Interview with Piero Rivolta Novelist/Poet

2010-05-05T11:18:00.000-07:00

Hello Guys! I am posting allot today but it's needed and I am not going to delay the interview with another great writer and poet...Piero Rivolta who's debut novel was originally written in Italien, wow. Firstly can you tell us a little bit about your novel ‘The Castaway’?

It’s a journey of two characters, one a Jesuit priest with a complicated love life behind him and a former Wall Street businessman now living in Sarasota, Florida, whose story of true love was impacted by the tragic events of September 11th. Both trapped in time find redemption in a new land – the Yucatan – and a new sense of what earthly existence is all about in their admiration for the same woman. Though this shared sentiment, they not only renew their taste for life, but achieve oneness with God and his grace.
What is your writing background up until now?
I have been a writer and poet all my life, despite a business career that has included making luxury sport cars in Italy, raising race horses, building shopping centers, condos and residential communities, and manufacturing custom-designed yachts and motorboats
What inspired your idea for your currently published novel?
I believe that we must reintroduce poetry into everyday life, follow our intuition, court simplicity and counter the overemphasis on reason and complexity favored by our government, corporations and media.
Do you have any specific daily writing routines you stick to?
No, I go in spurts, depending on my schedule and other commitments.
So now that you have published ‘The Castaway’ are you planning a next novel we should be looking forward to?
I am working on two books of poetry.
After you completed ‘The Castaway’ how difficult was it for you to land an
agent?I don’t have one because I never found one beneficial for me. These days you have to paddle your own canoe.
The moment you got a positive reply with an offer for representation, what
were your initial thoughts?
I hope this person can do the job.
Would you have any advice for aspiring writers?
Enjoy yourself when you write. If you write form the heart with simplicity, you will find somebody that understands your message.
Would you have done anything differently?
Work less, think more for myself, write more, and not be disappointed by the superficiality of the government, media and financial institutions whose shortsightedness extends only to the next day or day after.
Wow, thanks Piero! From doing these interviews I have learned that every writer has an EXTREMELY different and unique journey and so do we all. Some land agents, some don't need to, can't or don't want to. But what I learned firstly and foremost is that there is always a way out there for your book. So guys I am really looking for guest Posters, if you are interested let me know. Tootles for now!

AW May musical blogchain

2010-05-05T05:30:00.000-07:00

I posted a post on music before and I love music. I love listening to it when I write, and I love playing the music I listen to :)

When I write, I suppose my music changes. I do have a certain playlist that I like to listen to and that reminds me of my characters, but it highly depends on the scene for me. Let me break it down here...For example during a love scene or something of that sort I would listen to Still Loving you by the Scorpions. When my MC is down or upset I go for something like...wake me up when September ends or boulevard of broken dreams by Green Day. Yet during a war scene I may listen to something like Your Betrayal or Poison by Bullet for My Valentine.

I think music is a great way to stimulate writing and to get you in the mood. If you are a person that is easily distracted by lyrics I would suggest listening to instrumental records (I don't mean classical necessarily by that). When I turn on my awesome I Pod which I carry everywhere probably my fingers start typing. It helps me concentrate and music portrays those vital emotions which you need while writing that scene, that will make a whole difference in the novel.

Vitiosus
Personally my MC if I compare him to music really reminds me of a song called What I've done, in a way. At the same time he is a fighter, so you can mix up that with Your Betrayal and you get him. These two songs really portray what is happening in his life. He is looking back at what he has done, all the pain he has caused and how the ones closest to him betrayed and played with his trust, leaving him a lone warrior.

Tiya
She is very kind, generous and naive. I would have to have her share her character with the song called Viva la Gloria by Green day, because at the same time she does have a darker stronger world which she tends to hide from others. Still she isn't manipulative and is rather straight forward. Go Tiya!

Gabriel
Out of the blue good guy. His whole focus is figuring out the greater good and serving his nation. He is set upon his morals and won't change them for the world. A bit stubborn at times, yet fearless, I have to associate him with the song called Still Loving You, because he is extremely devoted to his loved ones and goes through allot of hassle to keep it that way.

Overall I think music has great influences of listeners and of course writers. What about you?

Here is a list of some bands you should listen to...

- Bullet for My Valentine
- Scorpions
- Slipknot
- Hinder
- Green Day
- Finger 11
- Linkin Park
- All American Rejects
- Metallica

This was my post for the AW May blog chain. Here are the rest of the awesome participants and bloggers, and sorry I am late guys. Make sure to go by their blogs and check em out. Have an awesome day!

The AW May Musical Blog Chain's Fantabulous Links Are:

Aheïla: http://thewriteaholicblog.wordpress.com/
Stefanie Gaither: http://stefanie-gaither.blogspot.com/
AuburnAssassin: http://clairegillian.wordpress.com/
xcomplex: http://arielemerald.blogspot.com/ <<<<>>>
Proach: http://everythinghistorical.wordpress.com/
circlexranch: http://www.whyifearclowns.com/
8thSamurai: http://digitalisdreaming.blogspot.com/
vfury: http://helencorcoran.wordpress.com/
CScottMorris: http://cscottmorrisbooks.com/
RavenCorinnCarluk: ravencorinncarluk.blogspot.com
Hayley E. Lavik: http://hayleyelavik.blogspot.com/
FreshHell: http://freshhell.wordpress.com/
LadyMage: http://www.katherinegilraine.com/
DavidZahir: http://zahirblue.blogspot.com/
Aimée Laine: http://www.aimeelaine.com/writing/blog/
egoodlett: http://wordlarceny.blogspot.com/
Semmie: http://semmie.wordpress.com/
Sbclark: http://sonyaclark.blogspot.com/
Razibahmed: http://write-translate.blogspot.com/
ArcticFox: http://picaresqueblog.blogspot.com/
Lilain: http://abigailschmidt.blogspot.com/
Truelyana: http://expressiveworld.com/

Tick Tock...Goes the Clock...

2010-05-05T05:14:00.000-07:00

Time is a gift, yet at the same time an evil thing that haunts all of our lives. It ticks, it tocks and passes, rises and falls and makes us want to turn it back. Yes, Time (sigh) goes by way too fast and though said so many times, it leaves me pondering on the subject of how much more I could do if I had more time. Hey, Leonardo Davinci only slept for 15 minutes every 2 hours or so, but unfortunately I live in the city, I work and I can't sleep every two hours and lurk in the night, which I do too often already (working that is, I am no vampire *snickers*). Seriously here though, one day I plan to do everything and I can't fit writing. Well, because writing was the last on the list in that everything. I am finished my last MS, and working on a new one, but when I worked on my fantasy novel allot of the time I just wrote...Apart from work that is. I sat down and wrote and let myself fall into the story, ignoring all those other things I had to do. I blame that on time. There simply isn't enough of it. Don't you agree? Have you ever felt like the damn ticks were going too fast?

Anyways, yay I have 31 followers, thank you guys for following my blog! If I haven't yet followed you back give me a jingle, no don't call me lol, send me a message. Also I will be having an awesome contest when I reach 100 followers so keep on following :) and I will try to keep on commenting on your blogs. And one more thing...Look out for another interview today.

Want to take a stab at my query?

2010-04-30T12:24:00.000-07:00

Well, I posted my query over critique forums and got pretty good feedback but I thought it wouldn't hurt to see what you guys think. Is it at all gripping? Does it suck? Do you hate the idea? Be honest, I won't block you lol. I will appreciate the honesty because in the long run its help :)

Dear Agent,

Raised by his father to hate humans, Vitiosus is a dark Lassertian warrior feared by all. He secretly rescues humans from torture being inflicted upon them by his father’s army, only to see them murdered. His search for peace halts when he learns of his human mother, and that his impure blood could cost him his ambitions, his life, and the hopes of his nation.

Being the prince won’t help Vitiosus when he falls in love with Tiya, an imprisoned human girl. A group of rebels who threaten to attack the Lassertian kingdom see Vitiosus’ love for Tiya and take her hostage. Now Vitiosus has no way out except to surrender to the rebels, but on his way he meets with his long time adversary, Gabriel, a warrior on a mission to bring the Lassertian Prince to his queen dead or alive. During the ensuing battle, he discovers that Gabriel is his human brother. Now he must decide… to trust Gabriel and create a connection between their warring people to save Tiya and the kingdom, or to trust his own kind, that has been helping him all along. Battling for the rights of his people and humans, Vitiosus finds himself venturing a journey that leads him to discover the truth about himself, his people and his kingdom. He only has to keep his life, despite the fact that skulls appear everywhere he goes, warning him of the worst, his death.

OVERCAST SHADOW’S is a fast paced 89,000 word YA fantasy novel. I believe you’d be a great fit to represent my book because you work with fantasy, science fiction and YA and enjoy an action packed and intriguing narrative. Thank you for your consideration and time.

Sincerely,

Me!

So what did you think?

Another Contest!! DUH!!

2010-04-29T09:47:00.000-07:00

Here is another one of those chances to win a query critique by the awesome sensei and free chocolate! Head on over to http://steenaholmes.blogspot.com/ and enter before time runs out!

E-Publishing. E-Books and thoughts.

2010-04-29T09:32:00.000-07:00

When I think of E-publishing my novel I literally just want to scream. For some reason it seems worse off to me than not publishing at all. Maybe its because I think that no body will really get to read it or maybe its because it can't ever be a paperback again. My poor book. In some ways E-publishing is freedom for many writers. Some novels have such specific genres that writers know they won't be fit for the market. E-publishing is much easier than vanity. Its faster and you have better chances in finding a fit pressm but is it nearly as satisfactory? I don't know to be honest...Some authors I know decided to just go the E route because of fear of rejections and some because they realized their book wasn't fit for publishing. What about you? What is your take on E-Publishing? Would you consider to Epublish your book or would you rather get published by a small press?

Personally I favor reading real books over E-books. I don't have a kindle so E-books I can only read over the monitor and the brightness just sort of distracts me from the story. I like the feel of real pages, covers and even the scent of holding an actual book in my hands. And hey, maybe one day it will be my book I will be holding. So pick one..E-book or hard cover? Which would you rather read?

Interview with the author of the Mobius Striptease

2010-04-28T10:06:00.000-07:00

Woopie! Another interview! I love hearing other's success stories and today we have Carolyn Haley on the blog who decided to publish her book as an E-book. Also my next topic on this blog.
Firstly can you tell us a little bit about your novel?

The Mobius Striptease is a cross-genre story centering on psychic power. It weaves science fiction and romantic suspense around a metaphysical mystery involving star-crossed lovers, whose relationships cause an outbreak of supernatural forces that will unbalance the world if unchecked.

The heroine, who finds herself the centerpiece of the affair, is skeptical about paranormal phenomena. So first she must overcome her disbelief, then figure out how to harness extrasensory powers and restore cosmic balance before the situation explodes. Although the forces manifest through people, creating a good-versus-evil drama, the underlying story is about positive and negative energies and their long-term, rippling effects.
What is your writing background up until now?
I’ve been writing since I could hold a pen. In early life, I wrote diaries and journals and did a lot of art. These morphed into novella-length teenage fantasies. I was on course for a career in illustration and graphic novels, but the combination of college, working lousy office jobs, and shared living arrangements took away the time, privacy, and will needed to sustain my art. So I channeled my energies into writing, aided by the arrival of computers. Since that turning, I’ve become a professional writer and editor -- and hope to stay on that path.
What inspired your idea for your current novel?
Two unanswerable questions bothered me: Do supernatural phenomena truly exist? and, What would I do if something supernatural actually happened to me?
Do you have any specific daily writing routines you stick to?
No routines, because I work as a freelancer, so every day is different. But I do write daily, mainly correspondence and mini-essays via forums and e-mail. Every second or third week, I compose an entry for my blog. All my commercial writing is driven by client schedules, and all personal projects are worked on when opportunity allows.
However, plots and concepts are always evolving in my head, and I consider that writing. I try to do creative work in the mornings when fresh, or the evenings when too tired to analyze. Regardless of timing, I first do a bad rough draft, then step away for a while, then return as often as necessary to revise and polish.
Why did you choose the E-book route rather than traditional publishing?
I took a hard took at reality and concluded that my novel doesn’t meet today’s publishing criteria. If you self-publish or vanity-publish, you can put out anything; but if you wish to be published by a commercial entity, then your book must have the potential to earn money. In general this means either something with mass appeal (ideally, a blockbuster) or genre appeal, so that an established audience will snap it up, talk about it, then stand in line for the next one.
The Mobius Striptease, as a hybrid, appeals to a small number of readers across several genres, so it can’t be vertically marketed. It’s also too esoteric to be a best-seller. I don’t have enough stories in me to pump out fast enough to build a genre audience. My choice, then, was to consign the book to the dustbin or find another means of reaching an eclectic audience.
My ego couldn’t accept vanity-publishing, and my pocketbook couldn’t handle self-publishing. That left e-publishing -- which, by the time I faced facts, was building up steam and opening new doors.
I had to be careful, though, because e-publishing is still so young that it lacks many of the quality controls that define traditional publishing. As yet, no brand-name, big-respect e-leader has emerged. Contracts, unusually unagented, are full of pitfalls. So I spent hours on the Internet, learning the players and the rules.
I compiled a list of e-publishers, then cross-referenced it to “writer beware” websites and any reviews or interviews I could find. That produced a (very) short list of candidates, at the top of which was Club Lighthouse Publishing in Toronto. This company publishes all the genres my book covers; lists its titles through major e-book outlets; offers a competitive royalty rate; and takes electronic rights only, for a limited number of years, leaving me free to pursue a print option. I also liked the editor's art portfolio, which offered the prospect of a good cover.All that homework paid off. Club Lighthouse accepted my manuscript and released it in December 2009 -- with a nice, zorchy cover!
How different do you think is the process in getting an E-book published vs. a hard back novel?The process is the same: study the market, compose a good query package, and keep submitting until somebody accepts. The difference lies in how easily the process goes, and how long it might take.
E-publishing has fewer gatekeepers, sometimes lower standards, and quicker response time. You can usually submit directly to the publisher, and often send the whole book on first contact. This combination is rare with print publishers, for which you usually need an agent. The query/response cycle can take weeks, months, even years and often requires installment submissions of query, synopsis, sample chapters, partial manuscript, full manuscript, in varying combinations.
The publishing industry is understaffed yet overwhelmed with submissions; meanwhile, the print marketplace is tightening. So the chances of publishing a first novel in hardback are akin to winning the lottery, unless you’ve got one of those blockbusters or genre-fitters mentioned above.
For your non fiction novel how many rejections did it take for you to finally land that agent?
Neither of my books required an agent, so I don’t have one. My attempts to land an agent for the novel, prior to switching to e-publishing, accrued dozens of rejections over 20-plus years.
Would you have any advice for aspiring writers?
It’s a two-sided equation. Nothing can happen without a finished manuscript, so you must (1) park butt in chair and write; and (2) understand your publishing options and their requirements. This is also twofold: You can (a) decide where you have the best chance of success, and write the sort of book that will take you there; or (b) write your book from the heart, then do the legwork needed to find its proper home. In either case, the name of the game is CRAFT. Learn to write well and appropriately for your market.
Would you have done anything differently?
Oh, yes! I wrote my novel backwards, glomming together a bunch of ideas then figuring out how to construct a story. Honing it to commercial standards took decades! Part of that came from not studying craft and market early. I learned everything the hard way and wasted a lot of time. Happily, I now have a better idea how to go about things, so the next book should come together a lot more quickly and easily.

Thanks so much Carolyn for doing this interview and I can't wait to get my hands on your novel! Though I personally have not had any experience with reading e-books...
For now, interested readers can learn about The Mobius Striptease through her page at Author’s Den or you can go ahead and read an additional story excerpt is available through the publisher’s website.

Don't we all LOVE updates?

2010-04-28T09:55:00.000-07:00

Happy wednesday awesome people a.k.a writers! If you are wondering why that picture my answer is because i liked it. Apart from that here are some updates about what's happening with me, my blogs and the agents that rejected me. Firstly I want to say that I had another blog for a while. It's called Fantastic Fiction. I posted one post on it and then bam, I forgot about it. So now that CipherQueen reminded me I had that blog by telling me I won a makeover contest I decided to make use of it. Fantastic Fiction from now on will serve as a blog specifically for my personal stats, rejection posts and query critiques. Yes, I am going to offer to put up other's queries for ctitique, because I know the more opinions the more chance you have. So if you follow this blog follow fantasticfiction.

Secondly I just finished my second novel. Yay! It's a Paranormal Romance and yes it is YA. Actually its called the Drifter and its about Pip who is a drifter and has a special very cool supernatural ability. So what's going on with you guys?

Interview with Sheila Lowe

2010-04-21T16:09:00.000-07:00

Today we have an interview with a great author, Sheila Lowe who has 4 mystery novels out there. Firstly can you tell us a little bit about your very first published novel POISON PEN?[SL:] Poison Pen was my first novel, which took seven years to get published. I finished writing it in 2000, entered it in a competition (Southwest Writers), won third place out of 97 entries in mystery, and figured I was on my way! Not. I kept getting rejection letters that were complimentary, except they said, “it’s just not strong enough.” Unfortunately, they failed to tell me what that meant and it was a long time and many drafts later before I understood. Now, I’m happy to say, Last Writes, the fourth book in my Forensic Handwriting Mystery series, will be released July 6. There are sample chapters from each book at www.claudiaroseseries.com
What is your writing background up until now?
[SL:] My first published book was non-fiction: The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Handwriting Analysis came out in 1999. Until then I’d written a lot of technical monographs and articles about handwriting analysis (my avocation since 1967 and later career). A year after the CIG I was contacted by a publisher to write Handwriting of the Famous & Infamous, which is a collection of 75 handwriting samples of well-known people from Galileo to Hillary Clinton, John Lennon, Ted Bundy, etc., etc., and my short analysis of each one.
What inspired your idea for your first (Poison Pen) published novel?
[SL:] I had always wanted to write fiction, but got busy raising 3 kids on my own and making a living, so the desire simmered for a long time on the back burner. Finally, around 1998 I got an idea for the book that became Poison Pen and started writing it. My first two books were best-sellers, but what I didn’t realize was, writing fiction is a whole different story (I know, groaner). I had to learn a whole new craft. What inspired the story was the sudden death of a woman I knew—the type of person you love to hate. She could stab you in the back and smile sweetly while she twisted the knife. Her death was ruled suicide, but nobody who knew her believed it. There were interesting things I knew about her background that lent themselves to a mystery plot. So I borrowed them and twisted them into a story that worked for me, and I began to write.
Why did you decide to expand into a series?
[SL:] I don’t think I deliberately decided to write a series. It was taking so long to get Poison Pen sold that I just started writing another story featuring Claudia Rose, my handwriting expert protagonist. When those two were sold, it seemed to follow that I would write more.
Do you have any specific daily writing routines you stick to?
[SL:] Yeah: email, email, email, all day long. Other than that, when I’m under a deadline I make sure I write a thousand new words a day after editing the work from the day before. It sounds like a lot, but it really isn’t, and being able to look at the word count helps push me forward.
So now that you have published are you planning any more novels that we should be looking forward to?
[SL:] I’m now working on a standalone mystery thriller, but Claudia will have a cameo role. Then I hope to write more Claudia stories.
After you completed your first novel that you published how difficult was it for you to land an agent?
[SL:] I didn’t have an agent to publish Poison Pen. After being unable to get it published after all those years (during which I paid a couple of independent editors to critique it and formed a critique group myself), I had an opportunity to show it to a small startup press. They liked it and had me send it to their editor. Finally, I learned what it meant for the writing to be “weak.” The editor, Ellen Larson, showed me where Claudia could be a stronger protagonist, and—very important—I learned to cut out most adverbs (“ly” words). Choosing a few strong verbs makes for better storytelling. When Poison Pen came out with Capital Crime Press, it got a starred review in Publisher’s Weekly, which was really, really cool, and led to Penguin making an offer for a two book deal. Then I got an agent. After that, I got another two book deal.
The moment you got a positive reply with an offer for representation, what were your initial thoughts?
[SL:] As I’ve said, I sold my first several books without an agent, but let me backtrack. During the time I was being rejected, I went through four different agents, none with well-known names and for good reason. When I finally got represented by an agent with a good reputation, I was very excited and hopeful. Sadly, that didn’t turn out as well as I’d hope, as it turned out that we had a different vision for the next couple of books that I plan to write.
How many rejections did it take for you to finally land that agent?
[SL:] I don’t even know. Maybe 20? And again—it wasn’t an agent who sold the first book.
Would you have any advice for aspiring writers?
[SL:] Yes, even though you want to be published by a big house, give some of the small presses a chance. And understand that getting published is only the beginning of the process. Even if you have a major publisher you will be expected to do most of your own PR and pay for it. No one will tell you that you have to do this or that, but if you don’t promote your own books, they aren’t going to sell, and then it’s a downward spiral. There’s tons of competition, so being aware of that from the beginning, and knowing that you will need some financial resources, even if you get an advance, can help you prepare. And, by the way, most authors these days get very small advances, if any. And one surprise I got when I signed with the big publisher was, the advance doesn’t come in a lump sum. You’ll get some of it on signing the contract, some more when you’ve delivered the manuscript and the publisher accepts it, and the final payment after the book is on the market. Sounds discouraging as I write this, but really, it’s better to be realistic.
Are you still with the same agent that you first landed?
[SL:] See above. Right now I’m talking with a very good agency and hope we go forward together. Everyone, wish me well!
Would you have done anything differently?
[SL:] I don’t know what I could have done differently. It just took me a long time to learn some of the lessons I evidently needed to learn. And really, it’s a process that continues over your career. What I’ve found is, from time to time I suddenly realize that my writing has reached a new level. And it’s still happening. Those moments feel really great.
Good writing!

Well, thank you so much to Sheila for doing this interview and good luck to her with finding the perfect agent! You can check out er site here: http://www.claudiaroseseries.com/

Happy Blogging!

Stretchy Minds

2010-04-20T17:25:00.000-07:00

We writers are all about imaginations. About combining different puzzle pieces to create a whole. A different world, a unique person that readers adore and crazy circumstances to place our characters in. Technically what we do is all about creative thinking and of course the imagination centre of the brain. Ok to the actual topic...

As I keep on writing I keep generating weirder and yes you said it, weirder ideas. I mean no regular person would think of something like that, or would they? Writing has even stretched my imagination so far that I start thinking in a different way when I do regular things. For example, I am walking in the park at night (I am no freak I don't stalk people at night :D) and I start brainstorming ideas of what I would do if a pack of blood thirsty werewolves that walk on hind legs come out of the bushes. I know its not going to happen, (yep real life is boring) but I start making up scenes and what would happen and hey, I have an idea. (Yawn, another?). So my question for today is, how much has your imagination stretched since you first started writing?

What rocks YOUR socks?

2010-04-18T18:14:00.000-07:00

Personally I love to listen to music when I write. It helps me write so much. I mean I can't really write without it, well I can but I would rather not. I know this is rather different for many, but for me I love music. So here is my playlist.

Still Loving you - Scorpions
Boulavard of Broken Dreams, American Idiot, Know your enemy - Green Day
Better than me, Lips of an angel - Hinder
Wait and Bleed - Slipknot
In the End, What I've done, Bleed it out - Linkin Park
Pain, Break - Three Days Grace
Lithium - Evanessence
Devil on my shoulder - Billy Talent
Fade to Black - Metallica
Say Goodnight - Bullet for my valentine

So its interesting to know what music you listen to when you write or when you don't write! Comment guys, and of course rock on! :D

One more Contest!

2010-04-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

I thought it was really nice of Rachele over at Freckle head to host this contest and to critique others query letters. She has an agent and her novel is on subbmission so she has experience with those nasties. Check it out over here on her blog: http://freckle-head.blogspot.com/

My first rejection... :(

2010-04-15T11:27:00.000-07:00

I just got my first rejection 30 minutes after I sent off my query. It was a form rejection. Blah! No dear author even and no name or personalization. Rejections are tough but for some reason this just made me laugh. Yes, I can be random like that. For one I sent out 5 query letters and got 1 rejection. I guess there is something wrong with my query if I don't get a partial request after 10 rejections or no replies right? But I didn't send out 10 query letters yet. I guess I am planning to. The only thing I want to know is if I will need to bo going back to the drawing board with my query...I hope not lol. Truthfully though I am not sad or unhappy or even mad because this is just the beginning of my query journey. So how did your first rejection feel?

Interview with Janice Hardy - The Shifter

2010-04-14T19:21:00.000-07:00

Today I am posting an interview with Janice Hardy. She is the author of THE SHIFTER which is a very cool supernatural novel which has a sequel that will be out soon. Today she will tell us a little bit about her novel which you can purchase here and her journey to publication. Firstly can you tell us a little bit about THE SHIFTER?

THE SHIFTER is an adventure fantasy about Nya, a war orphan with the unique ability to heal by shifting pain from person to person. When her younger sister disappears, this ability turns out to be the only weapon she has to save her. She risks exposing her secret to the enemy forces occupying her city, because if they catch her, they'll use her as a weapon against her own people.
That sounds very intriguing! What is your writing background up until now?

I've always written, though I've never really published anything before the book. A couple of short stories in magazines no one ever heard of, but that's all.

What inspired your idea for THE SHIFTER? Years ago I was playing with common fantasy ideas, turning them on their heads to see if I could find a new angle on them. I started thinking about healing, and how healing rarely has consequences. That got me thinking about the darker side of healing, and how you might take something usually good, and make it evil. That led to the idea of buying and selling pain, and I began world building just to understand this world and these people. The story developed from there.
Why did you decide to expand into a series?
Originally it was a stand alone book, but as the story developed I saw that Nya's sister's disappearance was only a smart part of what was really going on, and there was a much bigger story lurking there. I made notes about the other books, but didn't write them since I had no idea if I'd sell the first book. My agent asked for synopses of books two and three when she was submitting, so I worked out some general plots based on my notes. I guess the real decision to expand it was when my editor said she'd buy all three (grin).
Do you have any specific daily writing routines you stick to?
When I'm on deadline I usually write every morning, since my most creative hours are between 7am and noon. But ideally, I like to write a few days in a row, then take a few days off so I don't get burnt out. When I have to write every day for a few weeks in a row, I don't want to be anywhere near a keyboard.
So now that you have published THE SHIFTER are you planning any more novels that we should be looking forward to?
Book two, BLUE FIRE comes out October 5, 2010. The third and last book of the series comes out October 2011. After that, I have five ideas fighting to be next, but the winner is most likely going to be a YA supernatural thriller I had 60% written when THE SHIFTER sold. It got set aside so I could write the next two books in the trilogy.
After you completed your first novel that you published how difficult was it for you to land an agent?
Remarkably easy. I sent out seven queries, and had one in-person pitch appointment (I attended a conference the same time I sent out the queries). I received four manuscript requests and three offers of representation. I went from pitch to signing with my agent in ten days. Had I not had three other books I couldn't sell, I'd have thought this whole writing thing was easy, but I knew better. It took a lot of work to finally get to this point.
You must have had a stellar query to get such great results! The moment you got a positive reply with an offer for representation, what were your initial thoughts?
Holy $%#@! over and over. Then I had to remind myself to breathe. Once I got myself under control, I remembered all the advice about contacting other agents who had your work, thinking over which you'd like to sign with, asking questions and all the things you're supposed to do. All three offers were from great agents, so I was lucky, but it was a hard choice. Maybe harder because they were all so good.
How many rejections did it take for you to finally land that agent?
For THE SHIFTER? Three. (one form reject, one "not for me but I'm sure you'll sell this," and one no repose). Oh wait, four, because one agent who asked for the full passed. But before this, about 60 on other books. Up until THE SHIFTER, I'd never even gotten a full request before, and had very few partial requests. In fact, my eventual agent turned me down before this book. Twice.
Would you have any advice for aspiring writers?
Write a lot, read a lot, and learn what makes both a great story and a great book. Don't rush, and take the time to sharper your skills, because you'll need them to make it. And don't give up. It's common for your third or fourth book to be the one that sells, so if one book doesn't land anywhere, write another and try again.
Are you still with the same agent that you first landed?
Yeppers. Agent Kristin Nelson. She's fantastic.
Would you have done anything differently?
I don't think so. I made my mistakes on the first three books, so by the time I had the "right" book I was ready.

Well Janice, thank you so much for your time and your interview. I wish you luck with the next installments and will get around to read your novel which sounds really cool!
Check out and follow Janice's blog here (she shares lots of great advice for writers here) and visit her site here.

ANOTHER great contest

2010-04-14T12:42:00.000-07:00

I had to post this for you guys to let you know because this is an awesome chance to get a manuscript or query critique and its generated randomly. Here is the link to the contest:http://sarahwithachance.blogspot.com/2010_04_01_archive.html

Here is some pasted info about the contest and what you can win. Yippie :)

1 Lucky Winner will receive a critique of their first 30-40 pages by the fabulous Suzie Townsend + a pack of Twizzlers + a copy of Hex Hall

3 Lucky Winners will receive a query letter critique by one of these three agent extraordinaires: Kathleen Ortiz, Joanna Stampfel-Volpe, or Colleen Lindsay (One agent will be randomly assigned to each winner.)

1 Winner will receive a writer's survival guide consisting of Twizzlers, a copy of Silver Phoenix and When You Reach Me, and a cute notebook and pen so you're never tempted to do this:

1 Lucky winner will score a lunch date with THE Janet Reid and THE Suzie Townsend. Um, yeah, that's not a typo. (I'm tempted to enter myself. Would it be so wrong?) Unfortunately, this is not a free trip to NYC. BUT if you live in the NYC area, or whenever you're visiting NYC? You. Janet. Suzie. LUNCH.

So Good Luck if you enter!

Writing Rebels

2010-04-14T12:38:00.000-07:00

We writers, we have rules that we are told to follow and abide. Just like traffic, drinking and crime. Most people follow rules but some of us are rebels. Big question is: Is that a bad thing? The answer is beyond me. I have read many first time authors break the rules in their first books successfully and by rules I am talking of rules like first person present, too much adverbs etc. Keep in mind grammar can't be broken too much. As in you can't spell regular words wrong everywhere and you can't not know how to punctuate. So yes I am speaking of plot rules, character rules, and even basic length rules. So what rules do you rebel against and why?

April 2010 Chain: Meeting V

2010-04-11T12:55:00.000-07:00

Early in the morning, rays of sun shine through the canopies of leaves above me. I take slow steps as I listen to sounds of nature that surround me. My heart thumps. Wasn't I just at my computer writing my latest novel? The sky high trees that surround me are covered in lichens and moss, damp and fresh. Ferns release a woody scent that drifts to my nose. I hear a twig crack nearly a meter away from me and I jump. I know what lurks in these forests, but should I fear it? It is all after all a part of what I created. Behind the thick foliage I see an eye. Light grey and inhuman. That’s when I know it’s him. Vitiosus. We stare at each other for long until he slowly emerges from the bushes. He is tall. Almost a head taller than me, yet he is just like I imagine him.

He is dressed in black clothing, his dark, straight hair hanging right above his shoulders. His sword hangs loosely off his hip. He is so close that I can smell the scent of the forest that is part of him. I see his dagger attached to his lower leg, glinting in the sunlight. A long scar runs all across the left side of his pale face and I feel a stab of guilt for inflicting him pain. He seems so real now and I reach out my hand to touch him. What if he is just an illusion? Maybe this is just a dream. But I stop when he starts to speak.

"What are you doing in these forests?" He asks softly, looking me over. He stares at my jeans and black coat in confusion. As if I have come from a different planet all together. I don't belong. His voice is sulky and mysterious. In fact everything about him sparks my curiosity. How could I know so little of the guy I wrote? My mind itches to warn him off what will happen but I can’t utter a word. I am rooted to the spot mesmerized by his image, by his strange eyes. We stare at each other both in curiosity and doubt. He kneels down to the ground and picks up a small colorful pebble from the ground. He wipes off the dirt and holds it out to me. The pebble has a purple glow to it.

"Take this, you have to leave now." He says to me nodding. I want to say more to him but I know he understands everything I meant to say without words. I look into his eyes one last time and I take the pebble from his cool hand. The minute I touch it, I am back at my computer desk, the pebble still in my hand. The scent of the forest is still tickling my senses. I smile. Could this really have happened?

This is my entry in the Absolute Write Water Cooler Blog Chain April 2010. This month's theme is "What would it be like to meet your novel characters?" I have always wanted to meet my new MC Vitiosus who went from an antagonist to a protagonist. I looked around the net to find any actors that resemble him (He is 18), but I found non that fit my imagination. What would it be like to meet your characters?

Participants:

Proach: http://desstories.blogspot.com/
RavenCorinnCarluk: http://ravencorinncarluk.blogspot.com/
uburnAssassin: http://clairegillian.wordpress.com/
DavidZahir: http://zahirblue.blogspot.com/
xcomplex: http://arielemerald.blogspot.com/ (ME)<<<
>>>>Frodo: http://annvevera.blogspot.com/ (NEXT)
FreshHell: http://freshhell.wordpress.com/
leahzero: http://words.leahraeder.com/
Aimeelaine: http://www.aimeelaine.com/writing/blog/
Anarchicq: http://www.anarchicq.com/
Breddings: http://breddings.blogspot.com/
*RomanceWriter*: http://staceyespino.blogspot.com/
Forbidden Snowflake: http://www.alleslinks.com/
razibahmed: http://www.southasiablog.com/
CScottMorris: http://cscottmorrisbooks.com/
Aheila: http://thewriteaholicblog.wordpress.com/
LadyMage: http://www.katherinegilraine.com/

Enjoy all of these great blogs!

Chopping away at the dictionary-heavy manuscripts

2010-04-08T11:06:00.000-07:00

After reading lots of blogs, critiquing lots of queries and struggling with this in my last novel I found many ways how you can chop at your manuscript without completely chopping off all the meat and only leaving the bones. Many writers I know have a tendency to over write. Let’s just say some novels run up to 200,000 and over and that is way too long unless you are a known author. For me this current revision of Overcast Shadows I planned everything out chapter by chapter and ended a little fewer than 88,000 which was perfect, but how did I keep it so low, considering the amount of story I have packed up in like 350 pages. Here are my tips and I hope they can help you if you are running into this problem.

• Focus on the action and what is happening. Do spend time on describing the setting, emotions and the way your character thinks but don't spend ten pages describing the velvet cloth that covered the mahogany brown bed. Over description can dull the story down and will make you word count higher than needed.

• Some scenes are unnecessary. Keep scenes that are crucial for the story to move on. Also make sure that every scene keeps the story progressing because if it doesn't it simply shouldn't be there.

• Don't write things like: James noticed that or James saw this. Believe me once I took all that out and rewrote it with real prose it cut nearly 1,000 words which was quite surprising. Instead switch that with describing what James saw to the reader.

• Take out unneeded words. You have to be very clear and concise when writing so its easy for any level reader to follow the story. Some words which shouldn't be there way too many times. Search and find them and you will see how many you can really take out. Here is a list I came up wit from many different sources and from my personal experience. (In no particular order):

• Very

• And Also

• Extremely

• Basically

• Considered to be

• Kind of

• Literally

• The reason why is because

• On account of

• Strangely

• Unadvisable

• Thus

• Thusly

• Really

• of

• Regardless

• Quite

• Fairly

• Sometimes

• Often

• However

• Many

• Interesting

• Amazing

• Super

• Suddenly

• Hopefully

• Slightly

• Avoid Fragmented sentences

• And last but not least keep a very rough outline or synopsis that you can follow so that you won't go off course. So how about you? How do you keep your word count from exploding?

Interview with Stuart Nachbar, Author of Defending College Heights

2010-04-07T17:23:00.000-07:00

So today we have Stuart here to interview and he has written a few novels published through iUniverse instead of through vanity publishing. He also talks about why he chose that route. Leave a comment and your opinions if you have read the novel!
Firstly can you tell us a little bit about your novel Defending College Heights?

Defending College Heights is a story of an investigation into the murder of a U.S. Army recruiter on a college campus, Hudson Technical University in New York State. Anti-war activists are first suspected to be involved, but as the story unravels the truth about the murder and the future of the college are closely linked together.
What is your writing background up until now?
Defending College Heights is my second novel. My first, The Sex Ed Chronicles, is the story of a young reporter who comes to the aid of a teacher who is accused of teaching sex education and blacklisted by a conservative parent's group. That story takes place in 1980 New Jersey as the state board of education considers sex ed while politics are shifting to the right.
What inspired your idea for your currently published novel?
I worked for ten years in software marketing and college career counselors were clients. I learned a lot about on-campus recruiting as well as military recruiting through my work. I also followed education politics quite closely. I was curious to learn what might happen if a recruiter were actually murdered--such an event has never happened--and to compare Vietnam-era anti-war activism with anti-war activism today.
Do you have any specific daily writing routines you stick to?
I blog most mornings on education-related topics on my own site at www.EducatedQuest.com and reserve the remainder of the day for writing and research for the novels.
So now that you have published Defending College Heights and a few other novels are you planning a next novel we should be looking forward to?
I am finishing the manuscript for a new novel, Tip Offs, about a young bank executive who reluctantly becomes a girl's high school basketball coach.
Very interesting. We will look out for that one. After you completed Defending College Heights or your very first novel how difficult was it for you to land an agent?
For The Sex Ed Chronicles, my goal was to complete and write a compelling story. I did not give consideration to seeking an agent. I felt that I had worked so hard on the story that I wanted to see it published. So, I went the print-on-demand route through iUniverse. My relationship with iUniverse was successful. Chronicles earned Publisher's Choice, their highest writing and design award, and the story got into Barnes and Noble and Borders stores close to home. For Defending I tried to get an agent. I went to a Writer's Digest "pitch-slam" that was a part of Book Expo America. I spoke to five agents, got five requests for chapters, but all rejections.
The same thing happened when I contacted agents I had researched though Predators and Editors, an excellent reference site. So, I went the print-on-demand route again. The story also won an iUniverse award as well as a presence in bookstores. Defending has reviewed very well, so I'm convinced that the next time will be the charmer. I have gotten considerable advice and criticism for Tip Offs that has helped make it a better story. I will go the traditional route for this book and work with an agent.
Would you have any advice for aspiring writers?
Write about what you know. I worked with schools for several years, so I had a good understanding of their issues and politics. I had contacts who could help fill in the blanks in my knowledge. I want people to believe that I have added something new to help them understand some very complex issues. Find serious readers, writers and instructors. After my experiences with writing Chronicles, I invested in workshops conducted at Colgate University, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and by Writer's Digest Online. I needed to know the basics about how stories must be told so that they hold the reader's attention. I received the best direction from instructors who are also professional writers. Develop a Web presence and learn as much as possible about marketing online. I had been in an Internet business before I started writing but I knew little to nothing about search engine optimization and search engine marketing, among other things. I discovered these were musts. The most cost effective way to sell and promote is online; the 'Net takes you to the largest possible audience. I'm now enrolled in a certificate program in digital media marketing at New York University, and so far that education has been worth every penny.
Would you have done anything differently?
Possibly. I might have been better served to take the digital media courses earlier, but the technology available to writers four-five years ago was not close to what it is today. I might have blogged earlier, too.
After doing Defending through print-on-demand, I worked with a very good editor to shape up the story. Had I worked with an editor prior to submitting the manuscript and remained persistent, I believe that I would have earned representation. Defending became that good a story.

Thanks so much for your time Stuart and I hope you guys enjoy!

What keeps you writing?

2010-04-07T11:55:00.000-07:00

From the first day you start writing you being for yourself. Clearly for the love of well...writing. But as you read all these blogs and as you discover how to get your novel published that’s what your goal is. The simple joy of writing is well...gone. Admit it.

You still enjoy to write and it is still your passion but would you write that novel if you knew it would never be published? If only a few family and friends praised it and then you were forced to stash it in the drawer? As I think more and more of this, most of us do write to be published.

Most of us want to be those 1 in a million people that become famous with writing, even if we know its practically impossible. But when critiques come in and say that there is no chance how do you take it? If you really love writing you won't give up. Instead you will keep going and improving, using those critiques to improve but if you are writing to be published you might as well trash your novel now.

What about you? What keeps you writing when you are feeling rejected by agents?

Contest Alert!

2010-04-05T11:14:00.000-07:00

''Dear Lucky Agent'' Contest: Middle Grade and Young Adult (with agent Regina Brooks). *This contest is being held by guidetoliteraryagents.com/blog not me. Check out their site for more information. I pasted the main things you need to enter below:

HOW TO SUBMIT

E-mail entries to fourthagentcontest@gmail.com. Please paste everything. No attachments.

WHAT TO SUBMIT

first 150-200 words of your unpublished, book-length work of middle grade or young adult fiction. You must include a contact e-mail address with your entry and use your real name. Also, submit the title of the work and a logline (one-sentence description of the work) with your entry.

Please note: To be eligible to submit, I ask that you do one of two things: 1) Mention and link to this contest twice through your social media—blogs, Twitter, Facebook; or 2) just mention this contest once and also add Guide to Literary Agents Blog (www.guidetoliteraryagents.com/blog) to your blogroll. Please provide link(s) so I can verify eligibility!

CONTEST DETAILS

1. This contest will be live for approximately fourteen days—from March 31 through the end of Wednesday, April 14, EST. Winners notified by e-mail within 14 days of end of contest. Winners announced on the blog thereafter.

2. To enter, submit the first 150-200 words of your book. Shorter or longer entries will not be considered. Keep it within word count range please.

3. This contest is solely for completed book-length works of middle grade and young adult fiction (kids novels).

4. You can submit as many times as you wish. You can submit even if you submitted to other contests in the past, but please note that past winners cannot win again.

5. The contest is open to everyone of all ages, save those employees, officers and directors of GLA's publisher, F+W Media.

6. By e-mailing your entry, you are submitting an entry for consideration in this contest and thereby agreeing to the terms written here as well as any terms added by me in the "Comments" section of this blog post. (If you have questions or concerns, write me personally at literaryagent@fwmedia.com.)

PRIZES!!!

Top 3 winners all get: 1) A critique of 10 pages of your work, by your agent judge. 2) A free one-year subscription to WritersMarket.com.

Exclusive Query letters

2010-04-05T09:48:00.000-07:00

We all want the greatest chance of getting an agent. Do exclusive queries really make agents pay more attention to us? In one way they are worse because we have to wait. But at the same time patience is everything in the publishing world. The other way if this is a reputable agency that you really want to land then maybe its worth the wait...Personally I sent out one exclusive query letter and am still waiting for a reply. The only reason I took that step was because the agent is surely reputable and because they are looking for a novel just like mine. How about you, what is your take on exclusive query letters?

The Query doomed to EPIC failure

2010-04-03T07:27:00.000-07:00

This is how to NOT write a query. It's horrible and yes I am brave enough to share it with you guys because I admit to not having developed my skills when I wrote this and I certainly hope that my current query will not be dissected in such a manner for its epic fail. Also I will be posting the rejections I got for it which was 2 rejections out of a whole pool of 11 no replies. My manuscript is completely different now and I am practically querying a new novel but I though some hopeful writers can learn something from my experience...And now the awaited epic failure query...

Dear (Insert Agent name),
I am seeking representation for my fantasy adventure novel “The Coming”, complete at 90,000 words. I am enclosing a synopsis and a sample chapter. The sequel, “The Return”, is nearing completion and the third book in the trilogy “The Sacrifice” featuring the same characters, is in outline form. “The Coming” can stand as a stand alone novel, though can also be extended to a trilogy.

Like I usually say to everyone else. No reason to mention anything about trilogies or what not. First get your first book agented then you can talk.

Earth - A planet which is divided in two outstandingly different worlds…

Cliché Alert!!!

Millions of years ago the very first settlements of civilized humanity included one man which invented something brilliant, yet destructive and unwanted.

That sounds ridiculous since the nuclear bomb wasn't invented a million years ago. Back then I thought it sounded cool... Ha!

A nuclear bomb. The mechanism brought nothing but doom, resulting in a complete collapse of the opposite dimension and destroying all living beings and plants into the simplest of all particles - dust.

Dust isn't even the simplest of particles. I should have learned my basic science before writing this!

As thousands of years passed, the opposite dimension evolved into what humans are today, at the colossal year of 2024.

That isn't a colossal year and this becomes Very confusing. There is no hook and the main Character hasn't been mentioned. Rejection if I were an agent. I am not surprised I got so many no replies.

Not many know of the other dimension which lays right below our finger tips, except for the many scientists which had spent their lives work on research. Mutated humans and animals roam the opposite dimension, some created by scientists of the other dimension and some modified by radiation. The dust had long gone, but a completely different atmosphere evolved, leaving the isolated human settlements fighting for life, and simple survival.

This is all confusing back-story and the query doesn't even speak of the MC. Practically already a failure on EPIC proportions. This is probably what someone could come up with if they were competing in the worst query contests.

16 year old Fidencio finds himself in a military base.

And? Here is another cliché I know I have committed. The dude waked up with no memory and no thoughts making him COMPLETLEY and ANNOYINGLY clueless through the rest of the novel. When I revised the only thing that keeps me from not calling it a completely new novel was the fact that I used my antagonist for my new MC. Other than that this has nothing to do with my new story line.

His memories, and thoughts erased.

Cliché Alert!!!

As he plans for escape, he finds himself lost in the outskirts of the other dimension. With romance and suspense, he finds himself tangled in a war of wits, power and strength. Races of changed humans collide against one another, conquering the battlefield with blood thirsty swords. The adventure novel entangles a web of complex characters in a want for justice, freedom and love.

I am not even going to critique that. You know what I mean to say. Epic fail.

“The Coming” is my very first novel. I'd be glad to send you my complete manuscript for your review. Thank you for your time and consideration, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

I sound like the amateur that I was.

All the Best,

So what do you think? How horrible is it really?

For me the verdict… The worst query you can EVER dig up.

Types of Rejections

2010-04-03T07:00:00.000-07:00

Good Saturday morning and happy Easter weekend. I realize I just posted up my organization post and I have missed two days of blogging, but I do have an excuse guys. I was in Guam running far and wide from the CIA who believes I have started spreading a nuclear conspiracy far and wide to literary agents. All right, that's just a joke. Truthfully I simply didn't have much in mind to review on Thursday and no query stats for Friday. Other than a little update on my query which I will post at the end here. So today I wanted to talk about rejection letters, for I am afraid I am going to be getting some...There are quite a few of these babies that you may hope or not to get after you have sent your query. Here goes a list I have created.

Personalized Rejection: This probably means that the agent really liked your work. So good news so far. The only problem is that it most likely isn't right for them. Resend to someone else and hope for the best.

The Idea rejection: In this type of letter the agent will most likely ask if you have any other novels up your sleeve because they like the way you write but your idea either really compares to an already published one or simply your project is far from original. This is also good news for you as a writer but bad news for the manuscript you have been slaving off of.

The Revision Rejection: This is probably in my opinion worse than the personalized rejection but its still fairly good news. They like it. They only have a problem with the opening, ending, middle, climax, MC, plot holes, whatever. There is so much I can list, but either way all you have to do is revise like crazy and return to the agent hoping that they will accept, but keep this in mind. Some agent's revision suggestions are very personal and may not apply to others so don't accept what your gut tells you not to.

Last but not least...The dreaded form rejection: Ok, fine. The form rejection isn't so dreaded because at times the project isn't right for the agent. Still this is probably the worst rejection you can get, particularly if you got it from 10 or more agents. That’s a hint for you to stop querying, and take a look at your query. There are countless things in an idea or a query that can make agents reject. This is what I have come up with...

• They just don't like it and it’s boring. I hate to admit it but some *winning* queries I have read are great but the idea doesn't appeal to me. It sounds like a boring read. Just like us agents have personal opinions so respect them because if they don't like your novel better they don't represent you. Let me rephrase that... They will just hit the big red rejection button.

• You messed up with the guidelines. That seems just careless to the agent. No salutation, spelling issues, wrong formatting and so on.

• Your word count is too long. 120,000 is the highest word count for a first time author, unless you want to pile up on rejections just for your count. If your story is stellar and you have a higher word count you may have a chance but still I personally wouldn't risk it.

• You didn't mention the story in your query. Don't talk about how amazing it is and how epic oh and how amazing you are. If the story really is that amazing it will talk for itself.

• don't mass submit. That has been said so many time I don't even know why I am repeating it.

Anyways. There you go. So how do you react to rejections and what make you keep going when it looks like there is no hope. (I hope that you aren't in that situation. lol.)

My Query Stat: Ok so I have sent off one query and I may be too hopeful but I sent it off to one agent. Yes, its exclusive and I did mention it. I just want to see a first reaction because I feared blowing my chances with 10 great agents. The agent has preference and likes that exactly fit to my novel so I hope that goes well. According to people on AW they reply quite quickly so I will be looking forward to a reply and will update you guys. Again, I am not too hopeful and don't start thinking that I expect myself to be represented after sending only one query. I wish. Happy Easter!

Interview with Margay Justice Author of Nora's Soul

2010-03-31T09:32:00.000-07:00

So the first interview on my blog will be with Margay an author published with a small press that has a novel out called 'Nora's soul'.
Firstly Margay, can you tell us a little bit about your novel ‘Nora's Soul’?
Sure, here is the blurb from the book:
When angels of light and dark collide on earth…
Once he held a favored position in the heavens. But one moment of weakness casts Dante out and now he is cursed to walk the earth, collecting the souls of vulnerable women to buy his way into hell.
All hell breaks loose…
But standing in his way is Peter, an angel of light. Peter is everything Dante is not. Pure, above reproach. And determined to prevent Dante from achieving his goals. Peter will stop at nothing to protect the souls in his charge, even if it means achieving the impossible – leading Dante back onto the right path. And no one is safe from the fall-out. Nora Kendall believed in angels. Once. But then she lost her brother to cancer despite all of her prayers – and she lost her faith in all things angelic. Now, she is a lost soul who wanders through life like a sleepwalker, playing it safe and leaving the risk-taking to others. Kyle Cameron is one of those risks. Burned by a bad marriage, his only concern now is providing a stable life for his children, who are left motherless by the unexpected death of his wife. This means working overtime to grow his architectural firm into a viable business – and leaving the care of his children to the care of someone he trusts. Despite his past connection with Nora, Kyle isn’t certain that she’s the right person for the job. He also doesn’t want to reconnect with her and repeat history. But fate – and the machinations of two angels – has other ideas.
That sounds very interesting, what is your writing background up until now?
I have always pursued my writing dream, even as I worked through corporate America and have won some local contests for my writing along the way. Just before the publication of Nora's Soul, I entered the blogosphere with my own blog and have since expanded to writing for a few more, including Moonlight, Lace and Mayhem and Pop Syndicate. You can visit Margays blog here.
What inspired your idea for your currently published novel?
It actually came from two dreams I had in one night. The first was of this woman who was dancing the night away with a gorgeous man who, when she turned away to go to the bar for a drink, became quite...devilish. The second dream was of the same women, dressed in a more prim and proper way, moving into a garage apartment as she prepared to take on the duties of being nanny to a widower's twins. Separately, these dreams wouldn't have caused such a stir in me, but because they happened in the same night and with the same woman in them, I knew I had to explore them further. Who was she? And why did she present two such different sides to me? The result, of course, was Nora's Soul.
Do you have any specific daily writing routines you stick to?
I wish I could say that I did, but I don't. I write whenever I can. No set time, no set word limit. Just whatever comes before the body says it's time to quit for the night.
So now that you have published ‘Nora’s Soul’ are you planning a next novel we should be looking forward to?
I have so many books in the works and/or in various stages of the submission process! There is one with an editor now that I am waiting to hear about, cross my fingers!
After you completed ‘Nora’s Soul’ how difficult was it for you to land an agent?
I actually am still on the hunt for an agent. This is challenging because it takes time and perseverance to find an agent that likes your work and wants to represent you. I was actually published by a small press.
The moment you got a positive reply with an offer for representation, what were your initial thoughts?
Since I haven't got an agent yet, I can't answer that, but I can tell you that it was thrilling to get that email from the small press publisher telling me that he wanted to publish my book. I think my first thought was, "Finally!" I had been trying, with varying degrees of success, for many years to get published/find an agent, so this was just thrilling for me to know that I'd finally see my words in print.
How many rejections did it take for you to finally land that agent?
I am still getting rejections! I never counted, but it's safe to say that they are pushing the double digits.
Would you have any advice for aspiring writers?
Never stop honing your craft. Even when you think you know what you're doing, someone will come along and criticize your use of grammar, syntax, etc. So take those classes, rewrite those manuscripts, and get someone you trust to read them and give their input. And write.
Would you have done anything differently?
I think the one thing I would have done differently is to keep on going the first time I received a rejection, rather than not sending the book out to someone else. I let those first rejections get to me too much; I let them shake my confidence in my ability to write and it took awhile before I was brave enough to try again.

Thanks so much to Margay for doing this intreviw and sharing about her novel with us! You can check out her site at: http://margayleahjustice.com/ and if you would like to know more about her and Noar's soul click here.

Spring Cleaning!!!

2010-03-31T09:22:00.000-07:00

Time for a clean up on my blog and no more random blurby posting! Ok so I saw a couple blogs organizing I think one of them was Justine’s (go check it out) and I thought it was a great idea! So here goes my lovely new organized stuff. Mondays: Will be publishing day. So any types of tips re queries, synopsis' landing an agent and such. Tuesdays: I will leave blank for now because I am not starting a military regimen here people! Wednesdays: Will be interview day! Awesome right? Agents, authors and just us writers! I have lots of authors already interested and agents and interns and editors are on their way. If you are interested to be interviewed let me know or leave a comment. Thursdays: will be review days when I can make a review on a book on an agency that replied quickly or on whatever I please. Fridays: Well I am about to let loose my queries so when I do fridays will be my stat days with updated about how many rejections I got and with rejection letters posted for you guys to laugh at.. JK Saturdays and Sundays: I will give keep those freebie days to myself for now! so there you go and today I will be posting an intreview with an author of the novel called 'Nora's Soul' .

Book Review: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

2010-03-30T12:51:00.000-07:00

Ok Guys I am not one to buy a book because of the "buzz" on it, but my sister was reading this book so I decided to give it a shot. First thing I noticed was that it is written in first person present, which was very unusual for me since I am not a great fan of present perspectives in novels. Eventually as I read the book I got more used to it but I still couldn't help thinking that I could have perceived it better if it were in third. Speaking of perspectives, that are for another blog post. Anyways despite that fact it made me start experimenting with present in my own writing though I still prefer past tense. Anyways back to the book and the plot. I thought the idea was interesting and well executed, but it really reminded me of this one old movie with Arnold S. in it called 'running men' or something like that. It was different of course but the film was about a group of people in the future that were sent to a reality TV show (an arena) where bidders bid on them and these men came in to try to kill them. It just linked to that in my mind. I wasn't a fan of the movie but those two just clicked together. So I did like the story of the Hunger Games except it was very predictable. I didn't see many twists. I liked Katniss as a main character for I think that she is strong-willed. Other than that I think the book was a great fast read. It was fun but it was a very quick read and I am reading the second one now "Catching Fire" So look out for the review on that one. After I will do a review on "The Mirador" Which I have been meaning to read. Anyways if you've read it, drop a comment and let everyone know if you like it or not! For me my ratings go as follows.

Writing Style:

Plot:

Execution:

Overall Rating:

Family Friends and your novel

2010-03-30T11:26:00.000-07:00

We all need critique, but when we have no body else to look at our work who do we turn to and who do we share with? Friends and Family! Of course friends are great, they adore you as a friend. But they don't care for your book. Most likely because they have no idea about the publishing or the literary world. Maybe because they are a bit envious that you wrote a novel and they didn't. When I told my friend I am trying to publish a novel she just said "Gosh you are going to be so rich." Of course my answer was "No I won't be! I will consider myself lucky if I even get an agent." So she was off the list. The problem is that they simply don't understand the hardship and the competitive world of writing. so then it comes to family...

you see them often and lots of you even live with them so why not let them read your novel? To be honest I saw too much advice to never let your family critique your work, particularly your loving mother but from personal experience it really depends. For me, my mother helped me tons with my novel. I guess this is an exception though because she is in science (Bio-physics and brain research) and she has the most logical mind ever. If she reads something and it doesn't make logical sense she tells me, because she knows I want to be published and she knows you have to be tough on the manuscript for that. So what about you guys, do you let your family read your novel? How about friends? What do you think are the pros and cons?

6 Random things about me...

2010-03-29T08:27:00.000-07:00

This has been going around blogs and though I haven't officially been tagged I am going to do it. So whoever is my follower and is reading this, I tag you!

• I prefer sour over salty and sweet.

• I have a big white polar-dog, 1 snapping turtle, a painted turtle, (I found both of them) a frog, crabs and a skink. (That's not a snake by the way :)

• I Never read Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings or Twilight.

• I hate Wal-mart and I haven't been to it for nearly half a year.

• I play an acoustic guitar that is more than 20 years old. It plays very well though!

• I am Eco-Friendly. I use natural Skincare, Organic Food and I recycle.

Your turn! Leave me a comment.

The 10 Sins of Query Writing

2010-03-29T07:58:00.000-07:00

As many, I have been working on my query letter for my YA Fantasy novel and I must admit that I am quite happy with it. I have tweaks and little changes that I need to make but it is almost there. From my old query which I was actually brave enough to send to 13 agents I love my new one. Since I was foolish with my first novel I rewrote it and it turned out completely different so thankfully I get to require those agents with my new query since the last time I queried was last summer. Anyways back to the topic of queries. They practically decide the faith of your manuscript, yes, and the one you have been slaving over for months or even years for some. So why send off a query that isn't as great as the manuscript only to come back to rejections?

When I was reading the 'Guide to Query letters' I discovered quite a bit of useful information. Now, there is nothing you won't find on the internet but it is all sort of condensed into one book so you don't have to search different sources. So here are the 10 Sins of Query writing...

1. Addressing the wrong agent. (You may think this is so hard to do but when you are sending off a lot of queries, you are tired, it's nearly 12 and you happen to mess up.)

2. Soliciting a manuscript idea that has been done to death or one that has already been covered. (Dear Agent, my novel is about a young wizard named Garry Blotter. Apparently this happens. Beats me how though, particularly with best sellers.)

3. Ignoring submission guidelines.

4. Spelling or Grammatical Errors.

5. Talking about how your friends and your mom loved your novel to death and told you that it is going to be a best seller.

6. Discussing money, contracts, TV and movie deals.

7. Threatening to take your book elsewhere.

8. Not enough info about your book.

9. The manuscript is incomplete but I though you would want to see...no.

10. My novel is better in quality than Lord of the Rings combined with Shakespeare. (That was random because that would be a very weird combination)

So there you go...The 10 Sins of Querying. If you have committed any of them or have more to add, comment! If not comment anyways!

Some Q&A about me & my writing

2010-03-25T17:36:00.000-07:00

I saw this survey on a few other blogs and I decided to do it! If you are reading this you are tagged to do it as well. comment and link to yours and I will comment and follow if I am not following you already!

1) What’s the last thing you wrote? What’s the first thing you wrote that you still have?
The last thing I wrote was my chapter 27 for my awesome fantasy novel. The first thing I have ever written that I still have would be a picture book about some sort of prince and princess.

2) Write poetry?
Sometimes but not often enough. I should start writing it more often.

3) Angsty poetry?
Not really. Unless you consider the meaning of life angst.

4) Favorite genre of writing?
Fantasy. Period.

5) Most annoying character you’ve ever created?
It was a guy named Fidencio an don't ask about the unusual name.... He was simply very clueless and annoying and I ended up liking my villain more than him. So that was it for Fidencio.

6) Best plot you’ve ever created?
The plot for my current novel. I have had great comments on it and I think it's the best out of all my other ideas. It's very intense and there is no chapter that is bland. Though it ended up a bit shorter than 90,00 I would rather have it condensed and intense than long and blah.

7) Coolest plot twist you’ve ever created?
My novel right now is very twisted. I am not sure I can say one of them is the best one though. It really depends on different opinions.

8 ) How often do you get writer’s block?
What is writers block? As soon as I turn on my music my fingers are flying.

9) Write fan fiction?
I actually never even tried.

10) Do you type or write by hand?

One novel which I was only 12,000 words into I wrote by hand. But that was when I didn't have access to a computer because I wrote it in class. Otherwise I don't write by hand. It's a pain.

11) Do you save everything you write?
I save every bit. You never know when it will come in handy.

12) Do you ever go back to an idea after you’ve abandoned it?
I plan to link a few abandoned ideas for my next novel.

13) What’s your favorite thing you’ve ever written?

My current WIP. Title is still being worked out though.

14) What’s everyone else’s favorite story you’ve written?
Gosh here is another question which I don't have much of an answer to. It's the current book I am revising. I have had great comments on it from betas and friends.

15) Ever written romance or angsty teen drama?
I have pretty intense romance in my novel but it's not only romance. Maybe some day I will give it another shot!

17) How many writing projects are you working on right now?
I have one started but I am really focusing on finishing my YA Fantasy.

18) Have you ever won an award for your writing?

No I never submitted it to any contests.

19) What are your five favorite words?

Anemone, technology, piranha, cryptology, tendrils

20) What character have you created that is most like yourself?

Hard to say. I created my MC by my personal liking. But I can't say we are that alike. Maybe I could say his adversary or Tiya, but I personally try to focus on creating characters that I would like and not all of them are my clones. In fact none of them.

21) Where do you get your ideas for your characters?
Everywhere. In fact I have written up a post on this topic so check that out but to answer the question I take little pieces from unknown sources that I have encountered in my life and I link them together to create someone extraordinary.

22) Do you ever write based on your dreams?

I was told that I should but I haven't given that a shot yet.

23) Do you favor happy endings?
Yes I do! But I don't like cheesy endings. I like resolution in endings for sure.

24) Are you concerned with spelling and grammar as you write?

No I don't pay any attention to it, though I usually can tell if there is a red underline under a misspelled word.

25) Does music help you write?

YES! It helps me concentrate. I have an awesome playlist which I play to write. Once the music is on my fingers are typing until I am done. I love music and I love instruments.

26) Quote something you’ve written. Whatever pops in your head.
This is from a new novel I just started...
“Hello” I answered the phone for the umpteenth time only to hear silence. I dropped the receiver in frustration, slinging my black bag over my shoulder. I walked towards the door ready to leave when the shrill ring of the phone froze me in my steps. Cold shivers ran up my spine as I slowly walked back to pick up the phone. The lights in my apartment were turned off making the scenery even more bloodcurdling.

Can't wait to see you guys do this!

The End

2010-03-25T10:17:00.000-07:00

Lot's of us are anxious to get to the end, yet lots of us aren’t. I love to write about my characters so I guess I am neither anxious nor do I fear the end. Especially that I decided to make my book a trilogy. But anyways I came to so many posts about a great beginning but not too many on endings. Of course it really depends. I have read books that leave the ending...hmm....let’s just say not really an ending. There is no end. The strings are still loose and it makes me a bit frustrated because I spent time to read the novel and the end sucks. Many books I have come upon had a bad ending. There was this one book for example that had a great beginning. Intriguing, gripping and interesting but when I got to the end it turned so weird that I didn't even want to read it. Let's just say the whole beginning and middle of the book was very realistic and then at the end all of a sudden there are some kind of evil demons and angels.

Now, it really depends on whether you are writing a stand alone novel or a trilogy/saga etc. But still since you would be querying one novel you have to query as a stand alone so the difficulty for me was to tie the ends yet keep my options open for the next novel. Since my very first novel I have learnt allot about ending, beginnings, rules etc. Many of theses things from other people's informative blogs and many from books. I have also learnt that you can't have one of your major characters die at the end. Because that sucks!

So endings are very different but how do you reach yours? Are there any specific types of endings you enjoy or hate?

Giving your characters a life of their own

2010-03-24T12:22:00.000-07:00

Pretty much the topic header sums up what this post is about today, but what I am really looking into talking about is whether you control your characters at all. Funny thing is lots of writers that are my friends like to just make up a character and stick them into an uncomfortable situation. From then on the character sort of controls the story, depending on their traits and who they are as a person etc. For me this does not work fully. Of course I let my character have his personality and I have him make the choices that he would but I actually just recently started working on outline and it made my life so much easier. My very first novel that I finished writing last year, sucked. I let the characters lead the way and the plot got very messed up. My main character was clueless about everything and the ending is for a different post completely. I am not saying that writing by pure instinct is at all bad by the way, it may work great for your guys and many other writers but for me it’s a no no I guess.

So when I decided to rewrite the book to make it perfect I ended up taking my lovely antagonist, placing him as the main character, removing most of the rest and outlining. I outlined every chapter in detail until the ending, even estimating the word count of every chapter and calculating it so that it would fit below 90,000 with a good ending. Because a bad ending will make agents scowl. Any ways this worked like magic for me. It made my life so much easier and I managed to follow the storyline perfectly (well I have 2 chapters to go to the end still…). Don’t get me wrong though, I add, I take away and it doesn’t turn out exactly like the outline, but the outline gave me a path to follow so that I don’t get lost. How about you? Do you like to give your characters the lead or take the lead yourself and plan their path out?

@#$#@ in novels

2010-03-21T11:25:00.000-07:00

We all swear at times right? But let's admit it. Most of us here don't cuss every other word otherwise I would be swearing now right? So how do we all take in swearing in novels? Would you like it if your kids, siblings (in my case) that are younger read books with tons of swearing in it? My personal opinion is that swearing is absolutely fine. Like I said we all swear at times. Whether some of us swear at each other and others simply swear when something goes wrong. I think that if it is used swearing sparingly and at the right times it sort of just blends in with the scene. But if a character or characters swear completely for no reason it sort of slows the story down. At least for me. But swearing is completely a different case in fantasy novels. Particularly if you are writing an older made up world. For me personally I haven't yet used swearing other than damn and bastard. But to me those aren't really swearwords. What is your opinion on swearing and how often do you tend to use it or see it in your novels?

The Damn hardship of writing.....

2010-03-16T10:18:00.000-07:00

Ok. I am frustrated. Officially. Well at least I was yesterday, and I am thinking to myself "What are you frustrated about it's sunny and there is no snow?" but just as so many of us, I can't get my plot to shine through my query. I am literally four chapters of revisions away from the end and I can't write a proper query. So I do many query critiques and I can really see where the query is weak and where it can be improved but staring at my own query is like staring at a whiteboard. I can't notice any issues because I know what my story is about! But I am not giving up hope. What I am trying to do is simply to erase all my thoughts and ask myself the three questions that are supposed to help...

Who is your MC?

What is his (in my case it's a guy) goal?

and how will he achieve his goal?

As of today I am still struggling with the perfect query particularly because I have so much sub-plot and twists. I have no problems with the manuscript..I have betas that love it and love the story and are rooting for me but...The dreaded Query. Oh and did I mention that I still haven't started the synopsis and that I planned of sending out queries back in January. Was I that crazy? I guess the new year was keaping my mind very fuzzy lol. So how do you write the perfect query? What strategy do you use?

Killing off characters...

2010-03-15T12:20:00.000-07:00

If you follow my blog you probably know that I am in the process of finishing my revision. A complete rewrite of my original novel which changed so much that it really turned out to be a different novel. Well the real topic of today's post is killing of our characters! Yes we writers are murderers. Some faiths that we create for our characters are pure evil... (snickers and laughs evilly) Some are just necessary for the story to go on. for example I had my main character almost drink out of a goblet of juice when a knock was heard on the door and he out of the kindness of his heart gave the juice to a guard. The guard drank the juice and died a horrid and gruesome death after the poison slowly dissolved his internal organs and capillaries! I mean it was just a guard right? I had to do that so that my character doesn't die and so that he discovers that somebody is secretly trying to kill him, I mean poison. For this character I admit not to even care killing him off. I didn't even give him a name.

But what about characters that are there with your MC from the very start? The characters that you named and made up a past for. Sacrifices have to be made. That's probably the conclusion I came to. But hey in my very first novel the MC died at the end. That's how amateur I was back then. In fact it also had a cliché beginning! Thank god that I started reading these blogs and learning. lol. I guess it's true that first novels really do suck! And even if you disagree there are writers that wrote a first novel without experience but believe me they revised countless times before getting it to where they wanted it so technically it's not the first anymore. So what is your opinion on killing characters off? Is it easy for you? Hard perhaps? Perhaps impossible because you are such a kind person or perhaps you make up the most treacherous deaths for them to face? Leave a comment!

ONE MILLION Words

2010-03-10T09:25:00.000-08:00

I forget who it was that said that to really be a writer you need to write 1 million words. This just now popped into my mind and I thought it would be a great topic for a little debate. I personally have to say that I disagree completely. You could bang off 1 million words and they could suck. So does this mean that after you did you can really write? I know I am far from off writing 1 million words. In fact in my whole very short life of writing I probably only have written 250,000 words, which for some of you is a full novel. Let's just say that I started a novel two years ago and didn't get past the first fifty pages. Scrap.

Then I started and ended a novel last year and now I am 20,000 words away from rewriting it. Though the story completely changed it it turned out a new novel by itself. So I am very new to writing, but that does not mean that someone who has written one million words could produce something better. To me it really depends. For example if I compare my first writing to my writing now you could think that the manuscripts were written by two different pieces. There is so much valuable information out there on blogs, forums and sites that you don't have to write 1 million words to learn. It is all a matter of how fast you catch on and how fast you improve. What is your take on the 1 million word theory and if you agree with it have you hit 1 million yet?

Show and tell

2010-02-26T21:25:00.000-08:00

When I was well, younger at school we had this thing called show and tell. With novel writing showing is always better than telling. I know many don't really have the grasp of what this means. Myself I had trouble with the concept, but once you get it will stick. Trust me. So the reason I brought up the show and tell was because novel writing reminded me of it. You show off an object and you talk about it. Just like in novel writing you have something to show and you have to show it to your readers visually instead of just telling them. So here is an example of show vs. tell.

Tell: Maya kissed Gabriel.

Gosh, that’s boring, eh?

Show: Maya's leaned forward her lips tenderly connecting with Gabriel's.

Not the best example, but simple... So how do you guys keep the tell out of your novels? Doesn't it jump in at least a few times? Do you think that it's a bad idea to tell at all, or do you think sometimes show just doesn't work?

Coming up with a great name for your main character

2010-02-26T18:43:00.000-08:00

Second post for today but I have skipped quite a bit so I thought I could make it up now. Naming a character is important. Not so important that you would get rejected for having a weird name but very important. Sometimes though you have to push away the weirdness factor because you love your characters name and it isn't weird to you at all. So particularly in fantasy many names tend to be weird but then you get used to them. Especially names that I can read through but then when I say them they are tongue twisters. So what is your characters name, why did you pick it and how stuck are you to it?

The overdone characters...

2010-02-26T18:34:00.000-08:00

My blog readers, I am not even speaking for Mary Sue. I am speaking about any type of characters that have been so overdone in fiction that you hate them coming up in your novel. But what if you have characters like these in your novel already? I personally try to spark it up. I mean I write fantasy and I will speak about overused fantasy roles but the only way out is creating a person who is there with you. A person that you have thought out so well that you actually feel they are there with you when you write. Us writers, we really are strange. I have made up a list of overdone characters in all types of genres. Leave a comment and add to it because I don't think that I have gotten everything or everyone.

The first one that I can think of is the Blonde Bimbo. Those characters drive me nuts, or should I say those girls? They whine about breaking a nail and worry about the stupidest things in life when there are people dying of poverty. Not a great example but you probably see where I am going. I mean why read about a girl who I can read without reading about her?

Second... Let me think... I got it! The nerd. Nerds always have giant glasses and sleazy hair and are super smart. Right. You don't have to be a nerd to have intellect.

Third...The cool bad boy who isn't really bad at all. I like bad at times, I like dark, and I like mystery but when they try too hard it just doesn't flow. Gosh, am I talking about characters as if they were real? lol.

Fourth...Ok this is something I have seen many times and I hate it quite a bit. The kid who rescues humanity. Darn right. This kid is simply amazing. Did I mention that adults would never listen to kids and that kids would not be hired as spies? This is OK for MG but high YA or Adult is a no no.

Fifth...What about the main character that is so great and oh amazing, but then...they need someone to save them! They have been practicing and practicing and working but then when the time comes they turn to cowardice. I am not saying that the main character has to be amazing, but man, have some guts!

Sixth...The oh so knowledgeable master of the universe and of life. Do you know one? I don’t. No body knows everything. I know I don't at least and some tell me I am a know it all. Not really to be honest.

Seventh...The dark vampire that is attractive to live humans yet evil. It has been done. In fact vampires have been overdone. Of course originality is what many of us are born with, so if you have a vampire story with a super weird twist then let me know.

Ok. I am done here for now. Do you guys have any more to add to the list?

Unreal vs. Real

2010-02-21T13:12:00.000-08:00

Even in Fantasy you HAVE to keep in mind that you have to keep things real. This is probably what bothers me the most in books and movies and tell me if I am wrong but I think this aspect can bother every one. Firstly don't you hate when there is a main character which is SUPER, I mean really super? No, let me make myself clear. I mean something like, you he/she can't be bruised they don't get hurt and they always win. This is a common mistake that every body makes in Fantasy and it's not like readers don't notice. What fun it is to read of a character that is immortal awesome, and simply unbeatable? No fun at all. We look for characters that we can relate to, and characters that we can sympathize and root for. But we can't root for someone that doesn't die or get hurt. This is just one of my examples, but there are many aspects that are like that is Fantasy. I mean the times when stories get FAR too unrealistic. I am talking about some sort of SUPER unrealistic. So weird that it isn't even interesting anymore.

So how do you keep it real? Well I am certainly not saying to not make cool creatures or to not make amazing MC's. All I am trying to say through this post is to keep it possible. Keep it as real as you would imagine is possible. I mean every time I sit down to write, I engross myself in my world. In the mountain ranges of my nation and in the city walls and castles of where they live. In imagination, I live there myself, making it more and more real as I go on. Making my world more and more descriptive. What do you guys do to keep it real in Fantasy?

A great start...

2010-02-18T07:42:00.000-08:00

When you just start a book and stare at the blank white page with the little flashing black line you blank out. Sometimes at least. Even if your beginning came out great at the beginning and you loved how it started and how it flowed, as you are finishing your novel you look back to it and it sucks. As most writers know a beginning is very important in order to hook the reader, and AGENT. Yes that is right. Since agents first look at the beginning you need a great, solid hook. Now I am not trying to give advice here because I am having my own troubles with the bginning now, but the opinions tend to be very divers. Is it better to start amidst action/battle? Or is it better to develop your character through description before diving in. what do you prefer?

Great Contest to check out!

2010-01-31T07:35:00.000-08:00

Mary from the Andrea Brown agency is running a great contest here:
http://kidlit.com/kidlit-contest/comment-page-1/#comment-2929
hurry to enter because the deadline is today!

What if I can't write now? :(

2010-01-25T08:31:00.001-08:00

Sometimes I am about to go to sleep and sudden inspiration comes to mind. I feel as if I could write out thousands of quality words and be proud of them. The scenes are running in my mind as if I am watching a movie, but darn I can’t write now. It’s so late, and I have to go somewhere important at 6 am tomorrow. So I don’t. Sometimes life gets in the way of our writing and for me it interrupts me at the best times. When I come up with the best ideas, and have the best mood. But we all have priorities. Most of us don’t just write, and I have to say that I am thankful for that but that is another story and another blog post. So as I thought of this post I was thinking of ways that we could stimulate our inspirations at the right time, to get everything that we want done and over. When you sit down at a planned time of day and put your fingers over the keyboard ready to write and completely free, nothing comes to mind. It’s the wrong time. Here is a list of whast I do to stimulate my imagination when I am not really in the mood:

• Listen to music. Preferably music that is accustomed to the scene. Music that will bring out emotions in you.

• Shut off your internet! This should probably be number one. I tend to go on the internet when I am writing and that tends to waste valuable time that could have been productive time. I sound organized don’t I? I am not.

• Just type. Try to imagine the scene rolling by in your mind and type what you see as you watch it, what you sense, and what your characters feel. This really helps me when I want to type out a lot, and it works well because when I visually imagine it and describe it the scene feels more real to the readers.

• Think about how much you love your characters! I mean come on, you can’t keep them waiting. You have to start to torture them through your story, and bring them to endure your authorly evil imagination. But you know that in the end they will turn out just fine, at least you enjoyed the process! JK

• And last but not least nothing! I hope that you guys can add to this list and tell me what you do!

The Pains of a rewrite...

2010-01-18T11:57:00.000-08:00

I am finished! Finally! YES!!!! No, not really. That’s when the sadness comes, or the excitement for some people like me. It's either time for edit like crazy or better yet just rewrite. You might be reading this and being like, rewrite, you kidding? but no I am not, not really i mean. I edited and edited away like crazy until I went crazy but a rewrite was still in order. Why? Because when I started to rewrite I managed correcting so much plot holes, so many fragments and so many errors that I would not have noticed as I edited. Yes I know it might be painful to need to completely start over and rewrite your story, but believe me it is well worth it. Since my first novel I rewrote it to a completely different novel that I am so proud of. The first draft had so many holes, errors and unwanted characters that I simply took away. Yes, be gone you Mary-sue characters. I even decided that making my old antagonist my new protagonist would bring extreme internal conflict to the story. So basically speaking for me, I just rewrote everything practically turning my old project into a completely new novel. I kept a few aspects like one character, but everything else changed. Tell me what you guys think of the pains of a rewrite and whether you choose to do them or not?

Fantasy vs. Reality

2010-01-16T09:01:00.001-08:00

No matter how hard we writers try to withstand it, our characters live with us. We write them on paper in ink or on the white computer spread sheet, but they are our pure imaginations, the figments of fantasy in our minds. This topic really made me curious, how do we come up with characters? Do we perhaps spin known images in our mind to come up with the perfect fit? What if my lead character has my sister’s nose or an actor’s face or perhaps just a stranger’s? Recent studies I looked at say that our characters are spun from all those images that our mind process every single day of our lives. It’s just like writing music. The melodies come to you from universal channels, from songs that you have heard, and from notes that that musician just played. That is simply how our brains work. We use everything we have; we combine it, to create something new and something completely unique. Something of our own, yet it’s simply a puzzle that is laid out from many pieces that have already been known, and that have been laid out by others.

As I think of it more and more. It is the same writing a novel. People say that nothing can be completely unique, and I never agreed until just recently. Why? Maybe just because I believed in my idea so much that I thought that I had created something amazing and I still do. But as I think of it more and more I realize that my novel is simply a puzzle laid out from so many pieces that I have already experienced. Whether those pieces are figments of my own life, strangers, movies, the media or even other books. As I wander off to this topic, I ask myself a question. A question that haunts my mind like an unwanted guest. Is that all there is to our imagination? Is that how our brain works? Combining what we already know to create something new? We create our fantasy worlds to believe in, yes. Some authors create something that they wish that they themselves could experience. Some wish that they could pick up a sword and have the skills of their main character, and some believe in their characters as if they were real. The reason for my points is simple and related to my title. Isn’t Fantasy basically reality? We make it up from what we see, what we sense, touch and feel. And sometimes we even get so lost in our own created worlds that our characters seem real to us, and we just cannot abandon this novel that we are writing because this character really means something to us. Tell me what you guys think.

A.E

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