The Writer's Alphabet - Y is for Young Adult

This is a timely post since I was just conversing on facebook with someone on this very topic.  I started my writing and publishing career with the young adult genre, so it is close to my heart. Over two years ago, I wrote a post on writing YA and I want to share it here today.  If I have missed anything, I'd love you to let me know.  Thanks and enjoy!

1. Remember at all times that writing for teens doesn't mean write as though they are stupid. They aren't. In most cases, they are highly intelligent kids, learning about themselves and the world around them, and feeling their way through some of the most enlightening period of their lives.  Respect that.
2. Don't trivialize what they are going through.  If your think the scene you wrote sounds like a bad after-school special, it probably is.  Treat your characters with dignity, no matter what you have them going through.
3. Don't think the lingo and terminology from YOUR youth will still play today.  It won't.  At the risk of aging me, the Valley-girl crap is O.U.T.  Your readers will realize it almost on the first page if you try and fake it.  If you intend to write for a specific age group, you have to spend time with them.  Join a library group and read to them, volunteer at a school, or just go hang out at the beach.  But do it A LOT.  One hour at the mall won't do it.  Teens have a whole different language and it will take time and dedication to master it.  There is no Rosetta Stone for teenspeak.
4. Understand a teen's attention span is about the same to us as our life is to the life of the common housefly.  SHORT.  You have to capture it on the first page or they toss the book/ipad/kindle aside and grab a DS/Wii/PSP instead.  There is no world-building/character-study/working-up-to-it-ness allowed in a middle-grade or young, young-adult book.  You have to slam them into the action IMMEDIATELY and keep them there for the whole first chapter.  They have to be asking questions at the end of the first paragraph and wanting answers or you already lost them.
5. Covers are EVERYTHING.  Splashy, gaudy, dripping with color, or with a teen just like them on the cover and they will buy it every time.  Think of every Sarah Dessen book you ever saw.  What's on the cover?  Something that relates to a teen-aged girl, right?  Look at her latest one....back view of low-rise jeans, bottoms covering the feet, hands stuffed in the back pocket in the classic "What-EVER." pose.  That cover SOLD that book.  Plus her name of course....synonymous with teen angst and empathy.
6. Here's the plus side:  If you get all that right, teens practically DEMAND books they love get
   
   made into movies.  They buy and buy and buy until agents and movie producers sit up and take notice and before you know it Mandy Moore and KStew and Emma Stone are lining up to play your angsty teenaged heroine in a movie based on your book!  (So I dream.  We all do.  Whatever.  Move on.)   
7. All I'm saying is everyone thinks it's so easy to write YA and I just want you to know, it's not.  Just remember, as complicated as you were when you were a young adult, consider putting all THAT done on paper.  Right?  I rest my case.

The Writer's Alphabet - X is for Exit

Okay, I know I am cheating with this letter, but the topic is perfect for the end of the alphabet.  I want to talk about the end of your story.  The exit.  From my own experience, I am all too excited to get to the end of the book I am writing.  So excited, in fact, that I have to stop myself from steamrolling down to the last word.  I have OFTEN rewritten the ending the next day or next week that in my overwhelming joy I pounded out the day or week before.  With unbridled restraint.

Possibly you are thinking this might go against the advice I always give that the first draft ought to be written all the way through without stopping.  I'm not.  I still write my novels without editing along the way, still with wild abandon.  But, the fact remains and must be said: I stop and consider thoughtfully the ending.  Of a novel, a novella, a short story.  I have to.  Because as far as I am concerned, it's the most important part.  You know, next to the start and the middle.  :-)

Since I don't write series, as a general rule, I have this unhealthy need to wrap all loose ends up at the end of a tale. So much so that I often retrace my literal steps to make sure no stone goes unturned.  And here again, lies the rub.  You, of course, know I have written a series.  I swear it was quite by accident and I pride myself with the knowledge that even though the books (SPELLBOUND and EVERSPELL) are in a series, they can be read and enjoyed as stand-alones. But, I still need to tidy everything up and wrap it in a great big bow.

And that is why X is for exit.  As a writer, we have a dual intention. We want to write an exit befitting the genre and the characters.  And even if it ends, we want there to be just the tiniest hint we might revisit their worlds.  If the readers like them enough, they will practically demand it.

The Writer's Alphabet - T is for Tense

No, I don't mean how your shoulders get when the words won't come and your characters keep misbehaving.  No, this is different.  Tense refers to the time your story takes place, past, present, or future.

Determining tense is a decision you need to make even before you write the story.  It has nothing to do with if you are writing a time-travel novel, so don't freak out!  Mostly, you will need to decide if your character is experiencing the actions at the moment, or the story relates them as they happened.

Interestingly, present tense is not a favorite for many.  There are readers who will refuse to read a story in present tense.  I am also aware of agents who will not accept one written in present tense, and publishers have been known to make it a guideline that they will not accept a manuscript not written in past tense.

Personally speaking, I find it difficult to impossible to write in present tense.  To me, the present tense sounds artificial and awkward.  However, it is a matter of intensely personal opinion.  If you do choose present tense, there are a couple of general rules for commercially accepted manuscripts.

1. Present tense = first person.  I honestly can't see it any other way, but nothing surprises me anymore.
2. Past tense = third person.  Even if you are writing as the first person, your character is still relating evens that have already happened, so it would still be past tense.
3. Present tense works better in short stories or flash fiction.  Writing in the present makes the action more immediate and you want that in a short story.  You have limited space to convey angst, emotion, etc., and writing in the present tense makes the action seem more, well, present.
4. Longer stories are better in past tense.  But, consider this: you could write in the present tense and still need to weave flashbacks in your story.  So, you are back to past tense anyway.
5. Present tense also sometimes strings together monologues, the inner thoughts of your character.  For a reader, that can sometimes be tedious.  Present tense can be as hard on the reader as the author!

The most important thing to remember is consistency.  Whatever tense you choose, keep it constant throughout.  The reader will absolutely NAIL you for it if you don't.  

The Writer's Alphabet - S is for Show, Don't Tell

There are several things I do wrong every time I write a novel, a short story, or, let's face it, a paragraph.  I use the word clearly uncomfortably often, I use way too many asterisks in the middle of the chapter, and I struggle with my letter for the day.  S is for show, don't tell.

It took me forever to realize what I was doing.  Longer to CHANGE what I was doing when prompted by my editor.  And I still have trouble every day RECOGNIZING what I am doing. (Again, a serious shout-out to my editor, who puts up with my crap and rubs my nose in it like a dog that crapped on the carpet.) The good news for you, is I can totally DESCRIBE it.

Show, don't tell means exactly what it says.  In your novel, you should not say someone got mad. No, you need to write them stomping across the floor and slamming the screen door behind them. See what I did there?  I SHOWED you anger instead of saying it.  Making the reader see what you are talking about gives them vision into your vision, and gives them a way to care about your character.  Easy, right.  Yeah, I still didn't get it.  Finally, I found a way to keep it in my head at all times.  The easiest way for me to remember it is this:  If it sounds like you are reporting the scene, as though on the news, you aren't showing.  The telling is all about who/what/when/where/how and showing is the emotional aspect of it.  Look, here are a couple of examples.

Tell:  Her face registered disapproval.
Show: She paused, her eyes narrowing, and pursed her lips in distaste.

Tell:  He quickly walked across the floor toward her.
Show:  Closing the distance between them, he strode purposefully, long legs pumping.

Tell:  She barely smiled.
Show:  The corners of her lips turned up, so slightly he wasn't sure if he had made her happy or not.

Some other tips:  your action words have to be lively to be showing, not telling.  Don't use the words "are", "is" "has" or "have".  Replace them with an action word that actually is a movement.
"Aged" "stretched" "resided" "argues".  These words all imply action, instead of being passive.

Also, use all your five senses in your descriptors.  Instead of REPORTING how she looked, tell us how she smelled, how soft her skin was, how her laughter was like chimes.

Use compelling adjectives.  Words like "pretty", "cool", "good" "bad" should be replaced with stunning, quirky, grand, or hateful.  See?  Way more interesting, thought-provoking, right?

Can you think of some more great examples?  Share them here, most of the readers of the bloggy enjoy the tips!

The Writer's Alphabet - R is for Reviews

Reviews is a sacred topic to an author.  To some it might be the difference between making the best-selling list or falling way below the quadruple digits on Amazon.  It might also be the thing that makes you a household name with the readers of your genre.  See?  They are serious things.  I don't give them for that reason.  I don't think I can be impartial enough.  Others are simply AMAZING reviewers and I have had the good fortune to be reviewed by several of the best, in all my genres.  But, the whole review issue has come to a head.  I wrote a blog topic on this earlier in the year and its a perfect theft for this blog.  I learned quite a few things and this is the perfect place to remind you of them.


So, here are the things I learned:

1. Reviewers read and review books because they love to read.  And they love the authors.  Of course, I knew this, or at least suspected it, but it was cool to read it from a certified source. Remember, this for the next thing I learned.
2. Reviewers would love to have your book.  And anything else you might offer. I used to be embarrassed about asking for reviews, but I have changed my opinion on that now.  I'll ask anyone, but I always offer a copy of my book in exchange for an honest review.  
3. If I am requesting a review on a book I have in print, I offer that book, signed, as well.  And I try to send reviewers signed book marks for their time.  Because they spend a truckload of time on reviews.  And while I do NOT believe it is ethical to pay for a review, I feel offering my book is the gift I give them for the gift of their review.
4. Reviewers want you to know that it KILLS them to not review your book favorably.  If they are reviewing for themselves, most will contact you and explain why they are not posting a review.  You should be grateful for that.  
5. If they are writing for a site, they have to post a review. If it is not the glowing 5-star you expect, DO NOT RESPOND NEGATIVELY TO THE REVIEW.  Swallow your pride and your disgust and use it as learning tool.  
6. Most reviewers tend to be stingy with the 5-stars.  Expect that.  I, personally, am happy with a 3-star and thrilled with a 4-star.  My head is not too big to realize there is a thing or two I have yet to learn, and each new book helps me learn it.  Think of one hit song wonders, like "My Sharona".  That was their 5-star review.  And where was their follow-up?  Non-existent.  My point exactly.
7. Reviewers don't want you to be afraid to ask for a review.  Most are elated that their opinion is important to you.  Most also would like to know where you want reviews posted.  Some authors are no longer requesting reviews be posted to Amazon, afraid of any measure of retribution.  But, contrary to popular opinion, they are NOT the only game in town.  Authors can have reviews posted on Barnes and Noble, Good reads, Pinterest, publisher's sites, as well as the reviewer and author's own pages.
8. Lastly, if you read and review as well, offer to return the favor.  Many reviewers are authors too, and your opinion of their work may be just as important to them as theirs to yours.  Give them the opportunity.  I am NOT a reviewer, so instead, I offer to host them on my personal bloggy, this actual bloggy, in fact. I've never been turned down.  :-)

The Writer's Alphabet - Q is for Query

Of course, Q is for query.  It has to be.  I know.  I know.  The word "query" is the single word that makes writers shake their fists, scream in fury and slam closed their laptops, tears streaming from their face.  Okay, maybe it's just me, but queries are freakin' HARD!  And if you review what there is on the internet on the subject, you'd still be reading a week from next Wednesday.  Let's just say there is a lot out there.  Every agent, editor and publisher have an opinion on what the best way to shape one is and if you try to adopt every suggestion, your query will be muddled, massive, and frantic.  The best way to create one is to study everything you can.....and then follow your own heart.

However, if that sounds crazy, its because it is. I think I have found a good way and I'll share it with you here.  It is by no means the only way, so take what you think might work for you and go from there.  Borrowing heavily from my seminar entitled Queries and Loglines and Blurbs, Oh My, this is my take on a query.

WHAT IS A QUERY?

A query is, very simply, a single page letter to an agent, an editor, a publisher, a magazine, etc., that introduces you and your book to the recipient.

There are many formulas that have worked: this is mine.


Break the query into four paragraphs:

• The Intro
• The Hook
• The Mini-Synopsis
• The Bio

In The Intro, you want to start with why you have chosen this particular agent/publisher/editor to query.  Is there a personal connection?  Same college?  Same town?  Have you read that he/she has asked for more middle grade/fantasy/techno-geek stories with animals and yours is exactly that?  Or have you met or heard them speak at a conference.  Make the first line as personal a connection as you can.

The Hook is harder.  You want to capture the agent's attention, not bore her to death with details.  Grab him from your first words by proving you are writing about something he has never seen before.  Some of the best hooks I have written and read are one simple line.  As an example, my most recent release is The Deadlies and this is the hook:  At Holly Hills Academy, being rich and pretty can be deadly. The Hook also very often becomes your logline, which also helps birth your pitch.  We'll go into both of those in an upcoming blog.

So, back to the mechanics of the query. With The Mini-Synopsis, you want to tell the main story arc of your novel about the main protagonist without giving away the farm.  Remember two key points here:  Agents love white space and brevity is key.  White space means don't have cluttered, crowded paragraphs.  And be as precise and tight as you can.  If you can say what you need in 20 words, you can do it in 10.  Focus on the journey of your main protag.  You may have an amazing subplot, but when it comes to the query, subplots need not apply.  Too many names, too many storylines, and you are too cluttered and clunky. Sleek and succinct is the name of the game.  Edit, edit, edit, and trim the fat.  Make that agent not be able to LIVE if they don't get their hands on your manuscript.  Force that full request because you teased so convincingly.

Finally, The Bio is about you and one fact: why YOU are the perfect person to have written your story.  You don't even have to have street cred or anything published at this point.  If you aren't yet published, tell the agent about how you are committed to your passion.  Attending conferences?  Belong to a writer's or critique group?  This is where that information can help.

Last but not least, for your closing, two rules are steadfast. ALWAYS thank the agent for their time, and ALWAYS mention that your completed manuscript is available on request.  This proves you have a fully-written book, and also that your Momma raised you right.  Both critically important to an agent and generally, in life.

The Writer's Alphabet - P is for Platform

Platform is a word most writers know, and like "edit" or "query" it strikes fear in the author's heart. Not for what it is, but more for what it isn't.  That is to say, platform is the thing most writer's don't have.  But don't fret.  You can make one so easy! I wrote a blog about this a couple months ago that more than covers the issue.  I hope you enjoy the reposting.

Friday, August 2, 2013

Platforms for Dummies

I hope the "For Dummies" people will forgive me for stealing their mojo, but I couldn't come up with a better title than this. As many of you may already know, I was a total, straight-up, greenie when I began my publishing adventure.  I call it that, publishing adventure, because I had been writing my whole life and never could have prepared myself for the jungle that this industry is.

I started my research the way I always do...with the internet.  I was immediately overwhelmed. There were a million sites telling me a million things to do and my mind was boggled.

There was, however, a theme. Thank God.

I noticed the word "platform" over and over.  How it was vital I had one and how all agents look for one. Platform?  What the hell was that? And where the hell can I get one?  I read on.

Turns out, a platform is not a tangible thing.  Who knew? The best description I can give is that platform is really about how someone can find you and learn about what you offer.  That may not be the best explanation, but it made sense to me.  Platform therefore, is your presence on the internet.  In the beginning, my platform was like, nothing.  Nada.  Zip.  Zilch.  So, I studied and read some more.  Now, a couple years and nine books later, this is my platform:

1. My facebook pages, both personal and my fan pages
2. My Twitter handle
3. My blog
4. Posts I have made guest-posting on other blogs
5. Reviews of my books
6. My LinkedIn account
7. My Pinterest pages
8. My Amazon Author Page
9. My Smashwords profile
10. Book trailers on YouTube

Of course, the best part of my platform is actually my body of work.  Each book is a new introduction to me as an author and each story gives me another way to reach new fans, followers, friends, and fellow authors.  Every time I get a new written review or I post a new blog, my platform increases.  And about the best thing I can figure, it never gets smaller.  Win-Win!

I may not know everything about building a platform, but I am here to help you, if I can.  Happy platform-building!

The Writer's Alphabet - O is for Outline

Today's letter is O.  There are some great literary terms that begin with this letter.  Observation, ode, oxymoron, even the lovely sounding onomatopoeia.  The one I have chosen, interestingly, is none of these.  Additionally, it is one I have very little familiarity with.  Outline.

I am a pantser.  That is to say, I write on a wing and a prayer, hoping against hope that each time I open the trusty laptop, the words will come.  Happily they have.  But I address this post to the more disciplined of my readers.  You know who you are. You alphabetize your grocery list, organize recipes according to meal, you even have the easiest time at tax time, since your receipts are all in order. And when you sit down to write your novel, you are more than prepared.

I take this information from my outliner friends.  There are serious things to be done actually, even before sitting down to write.  You meticulously research your topic.  Then you write an exhaustive outline, beginning with the characters and their motivations, then settling into the story arc itself and those motivations.  I have author friends who choose the celebrities who best represent their protags and antags, and even go so far as to choose a soundtrack that specifically relates to each scene. When all of this is done, then you sit down to write.

I remember making outlines in school and they were such tedious and detail-filled affairs, I often wondered why couldn't I just get a grade on the outline alone.  To me, the resulting paper was just a bunch of the outline ideas strung together with conjunctions.  But I cannot deny that most of the novels I have read where the author has outlined have never been any less than amazing.  I'm so impressed I have even tried doing it.  Epic fail.  Seriously.  The closest I can come is the notes I pound into my iphone on the notebook icon.  See, told you. Epic.

But, if you are one of the lucky few who attempt the outline, best of luck.  I know you'll do great! Share with me who you are and we can be friends. In spite of your obvious anal retentive character, I can still be on your side!

The Writer's Alphabet - N is for No

No.  No thank you.  Not a chance.  Nyet.  Nada.  Not in my lifetime. Not in yours.  As a writer, you will hear variations of No in every rejection letter you get.  And you will get them.  Even Twilight and Fifty Shades of Grey received rejection letters. Stephen King got them.  In his book On Writing, he relates that he received so many rejection letters for "Carrie", that he papered one slanted wall in an upstairs room in his home.  And we all know what happened with him.

So, the word NO is important to you as a writer.  I have been asked in the talks I give for aspiring writers how I react to rejection letters.  I'm sure they expect me to say I handle them well, and I use every one as a jump start to a wonderful new novel, but that's not what I tell them.  I tell the the truth.  I am personally offended every time I get one.  And I am FURIOUS.  I vent and steam and rant and rage and then spent, I sit back down at the computer.  Sometimes for revenge's sake alone, I write an seriously good story.  A damn good, get-me-a-contract-quick novel.  As much as I hate to admit it (truly, i feel physical pain to admit this), that NO I received is the exact thing I have to thank for my great new story. (Ouch).

Each time you get a rejection letter, don't wax philosophic about how amazing the damn thing is.  Shred it up, throw it in the air and write your epic opus!  Or better yet, pin them to a wall in your room.  You just never know......*wink*

The Writer's Alphabet - M is for Middle Grade

When writing for young adults, one of the single most important things to identify, is your audience and their age.  It can be difficult to separate young adult from middle grade from new adult, and you can see from these definitions I found online that there are a lot of opinions about it.

The author of the true, classic middle grade novel does not worry about vocabulary choices or simple sentence structure; once children are ready for these books they are good readers. Middle grade novels are characterized by the type of conflict encountered by the main character. Children in the primary grades are still focused inward, and the conflicts in their books reflect that. While themes range from friendship to school situations to relationships with siblings and peers, characters are learning how they operate within their own world. They are solidifying their own identity, experiencing the physical and psychological changes of puberty, taking on new responsibilities all within the boundaries of their family, friends and neighborhood. Yes, your character needs to grow and change during the course of the book, but these changes are on the inside. Middle grade readers are beginning to learn who they are, what they think. Their books need to mirror their personal experience. (from write4kids.com)

From Joe Monti, literary agent with the Barry Goldblatt Literary Agency (on my A-list):
“The publishing guidelines are traditionally for readers from ages 8-12 for middle grade and 12 & up for YA. My experience, particularly as a retailer cautions that these are soft and it’s closer to 7-11 and 11-17. But adult readership of young adult fiction can be as high as 40% for the most popular titles, but generally makes up 20%-25%.”

From Amanda Rutter, editor at Strange Chemistry, the YA imprint of UK-based Angry Robot Books: “Middle grade is very much about the external, in my opinion. The protagonist reacts to external situations and events, which leads to adventurous stories, and there is little time spent in the characters’ heads. Think books like Percy Jackson and Skulduggery Pleasant. On the other hand, YA is often much more introspective, and the protagonist exerts their influence on the events in the novel. Think first person perspective and lots of use of the word ‘I’. Of course, there are always exceptions to every rule!”

And Michael Stearns, agent and founder of Upstart Crow Literary offers these tips:
* “Middle grade novels tend to be shorter.”
* “Middle grade novels tend to have main characters who are the age of—or slightly older than—the target reader.”
* “Middle grade novels tend to be more outwardly focused: Their plot of events, of things happening to the character, is more important over the course of the book than what happens within the character.”
* “Middle grade novels tend to have a simpler vocabulary and a simpler sentence structure.”
* “Middle grade novels tend to have a single inciting element—the thing that sets the comfortable, given world a-kilter.”

Here is my own definition:
MIDDLE GRADE
Between 20,000-45.000 words.  If it's longer and geared to a slightly older audience, but not yet falling under the YA category (think "pre-teen" or "tweener"), you should really refer to the work as upper Middle Grade.  Incidentally, several people in the industry that I consider to be In-The-Know have predicted the Middle Grade genre to be The Next Big Thing.  The same peeps also now project time travel to be a huge theme.  Hmmm.  I think I'm writing one now. *giggle*

Incidentally, I have tackled the middle grade genre with a book called The Detention Demon.  If you get a chance to check it out, let me know how I did.  Thanks!
http://www.amazon.com/The-Detention-Demon-ebook/dp/B0077DTQHG

The Writer's Alphabet - L is for logline

Again, a post I have written previously turns out to be the best definition of today's letter.  Enjoy.

The first time I went to a writer's conference, my head literally swum with all the buzz words being bandied about.  At the time, my first book, Spellbound, was a much-handled manuscript, and two others were as well.  It wasn't even a series book yet, a single standalone title.  (See how much I didn't know back then?).

Anyway, I sat in on different workshops and found myself writing down all these words and catch phrases to look up later.  Two I heard often, after I'd figured out "Query", was loglines and taglines.  Elevator pitch came up as well.  I nodded sagely every time I heard one, then rushed to a corner to google the damn thing.  Even then, I thought the two were interchangeable, called something different maybe by different areas, like an East Coast-West Coast thing.  So not the case.

So, in Part Four of this series, I want to dispel the rumors and misinformation.  They are not the same.  I know.  I was shocked too.  Then, embarrassed when I realized how many times I had misused the terms.  Here are the proper Webster definitions:

Tagline:   

Web definitions

A tagline is a variant of a branding slogan typically used in marketing materials and advertising.

Logline:

Web definitions

The story in one active sentence, focusing on the concept, main character and main conflict. Ideally in 25 words or less..

My Take: Tagline:  You know how Amazon used to ask you to choose specific words to describe your books?  Well, your publisher will still do this.  These are the "tags" or words that will call up your book every time someone puts them in an internet search.  Words such as YA, paranormal, witch, first love, and supernatural are all tag words that describe my first novel, Spellbound.  And here's a HUGE tip: those tag words should appear in the description of your book in your query. See how everything is annoyingly related?  The good news is if you master one concept, you can master all. The tag words integrate into the logline, which becomes part of your query from which you develop your blurb. If you are new to the publishing industry, you will hastily learn that these processes are almost the only way a new novel from a new novelist, gets published for the first time.  If you have been in the industry for awhile, you now know that these things are a necessary evil.  Either way, you have to get your head around them. Practice explaining your book to yourself in the mirror.  What words are you punching?  What words are you missing?  Oftentimes, a compelling logline will actually appear on the very cover of your book.  That was the case with my latest, The Deadlies.  My logline:                   At Holly Hills Academy, being rich and pretty can be deadly. My publisher printed it right on the cover!  Man, I better love it and be passionate about it.  Happily, I am!  And the first line of my query AND blurb just expanded on the idea:                   When Calliope Flood catches the unwanted attention of the prettiest and most privileged girls at her new school, she learns they are possessed of more than just good ole’ Southern charm; they are also possessed by the demons of the Seven Deadly Sins.  From the tagline "rich and pretty" is echoed in the blurb with "prettiest and most privileged", and the deadly part is expanded upon with the idea of being possessed by the seven deadly sins. So, here are my steadfast rules for Loglines: Give the main character an epithet: vengeful divorcee, struggling aspiring writer, etc. Identify your main character's mission and what he stands to lose if he fails Brainstorm words and phrases that conjure up your personal idea of your book Pick 25-30 that sound the most compelling and right NOW, pick 5-8 of those that sound even better Fashion a tight, 25-word pitch.  THAT is your logline. Okay!  Now get loggin'!

The Writer's Alphabet - K is for Kill Your Darlings

I wrote a blog post about this topic before and am sharing it in it's entirety. As always, I love to hear your opinion and experiences.  Enjoy.

If you are a writer, author, or simply aspiring to be published, I am sure you have read Stephen King's not-to-be-missed tome "On Writing".  A brilliant how-to/personal journey from the master of all scary things, it is the single reason I decided that my little stories could be more than little stories.  I decided that a year and a half ago and now I have six published works.

There are so many lessons I took from that book, it's hard to point them out in one post.  But there is one tip that I have never forgotten: Kill Your Darlings.  Mr. King invites us to write until our pages overflow on the first draft, intending to please only ourselves.  Then, put on your critical hat, take out your bloodiest red pen, and prepare to leave wreckage.

Kill your darlings means to be able to hit the delete key.  And not just for a couple of words.  I mean, highlight HUGE chunks and blast them into the stratosphere.  It's not easy.  After all, you lovingly created those words, gave birth to them, nurtured them. They are your darlings.  And you have to kill them.  Sadly, they must go.

This hasn't happened to me in a while, but it did last week.  I went on an absolute tear, writing for a hours.  I thought I had this amazing concept for a story and literally SPILLED words onto the laptop.  They couldn't get out of me fast enough and I barely stopped to breathe during the immersion.  Then, exhausted, spent, I collapsed into bed.

I woke up the next morning and my first thought was this: the premise didn't work.  I crawled out of bed and regarded the laptop hesitantly.  The failed story was in there.  If I opened it, I had to fix it.  I couldn't face it.  So i let other things take my attention the remainder of the day and busied my brain away from the story.
And then night came, everyone else went to bed and it was just me and Laptop.  Musina was there too and she kept nudging me. She poked and prodded until I flipped open the laptop and knew I had to do it.  I had to let my story go.  I had to kill my darling.

I re-read it one more time and knew it's time was over.  Quickly, before I could lose my nerve, I highlighted the lot, and jammed the delete key.  Angrily.  It HURTS to kill them.  But, I did.  And then the most amazing thing happened.....a new idea spattered across my mind.  I wrote again, long and obsessed, but this time it was different.  I knew I was playing the right notes on my literary piano.  I finished a new short story I am proudly calling The Serial Killer's Wife.  Spooky, right?

So, like Stephen King says, you have to kill your darlings.  If you don't absolutely love every word you've written, your reader won't either. They will know, as surely as you do.  Only when the mediocrity is removed, is there room for excellence.

The Writer's Alphabet - J is for 'just breathe"

Writing is a tension-filled sport.  Angsty, really.  As writers, we are always freaking out about something.  We worry the words won't come.  Or that when they do, they'll suck.  We spaz out that we will NEVER be "discovered", we will NEVER finish this chapter, there is NO WAY we can edit all these pages, and SERIOUSLY DOUBT we can meet that deadline.  Our lives are filled with dates, words, and the delete key.  The goddamned, ass hat of a delete key.

In times like this, when I am running my hands through my hair and chasing the family out of the living room, I am so lucky to have the mum I have.  Her words flood me just as surely as the Beatles' Mother Mary coming to me, speaking words of wisdom and calming me the hell down.

Two mantras.  Just eight words for one and two only for the other.   But, each one makes me slow down, rethink my position, consider my surroundings, and get centered with myself.
"Just do the next thing on the list" and "just breathe".  The first makes me think rationally about the things I need to accomplish.  I don't make a giant goal, like "Finish my novel". The next thing on my list is a doable goal, like "Finish this chapter" or "Figure out who should die".  Making the goals surmountable makes me feel great when I reach them.  And through it all, I remember to "just breathe".

Medical journals all say the same thing as my brilliant and insightful mum: taking a deep breath and forcing air into your lungs awakens your brain and stimulates your creative center.  So for me, "just breathe" means just that: take a deep breath and close your eyes.  Let the breath out slowly. Then grab that laptop and let the creative forces sweep you away.  This happens for me every time.  I hope it always does.

Also, I have recently added a new mantra to my list and I think it fits perfectly with the others.
What do you think?

The Writer's Alphabet - I is for Indie Houses

Okay, picture this: the time period was three years ago.  The setting was a struggling writer's work computer.  The event was my emails.  All three dozen of them.  All rejections.  Two requests for partials, then one exciting request for a full from a HUGE house (Harlequin Teen).  Then the rejection from even them.  Struggling Writer is trying to "stay in the moment" and "do the next thing on the list" (Mummy's words), and is failing. Then Struggling Writer types "independent publishers" into her search engine....and the sun comes out.

I submitted my first manuscript, SPELLBOUND, to a small house named Astraea Press.  The email I received back was encouraging, insistent, and life-changing, as it turns out.  Not only did they like my work, they were offering me a contract.  I would be published, both digitally and in print!  Thus began my love affair with Indie Houses.

Since then, I have published six books with four different indies, (try them yourself, below!) and even tried the self-publishing thing.  But, I am going back to my roots, and my tenth novel will be published this month with Eskape Press.  I'm thrilled, still and always, that the indie houses have loved me, embraced me actually, and claimed me as one of them.  And I am.  I may possibly publish with a more traditional house in my lifetime, but I will always come home to my indie roots.

If you are considering a contract with one of these amazing houses, let me encourage you to go for it!  The benefits are endless and unequaled in the traditional world.  Your work comes out in a few months, as opposed to a few years.  You retain much of your own creative control.  I have new author friends, colleagues who know my pain and share my joy.  I am represented by talented artists and dedicated editors who make creating a perfect final product as important as I do.  And I am loved by publishing houses that think I am the shit.  And that helps me think I am the shit.  And as a result, I think I write novels that are the shit.

I owe it all to the indie houses.  If you want to be part of a supportive, encouraging group, come on over.  It may be time for you to get your Indie on, too!

http://www.astraeapress.com/submissions.html
http://ftp.eskapepress.com/Submissions.html
http://store.secretcravingspublishing.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=4
http://musapublishing.blogspot.com/p/submissions.html

The Writer's Alphabet - H is for HEA

H is for HEA.  Or, HFN, depending on your story arc and if your work is part of a series.  LOL, don't freak out.  I can explain it all.

HEA is short for Happily Ever After.  If you write for some publishers, such as Harlequin, Avon Romance, or Harper Collins, the HEA is a compulsory component.  If your character doesn't get the girl or man of his or her dreams, you either cannot publish with them or you need to rewrite the ending.

HEA is a staple of your writing diet if you are a romance author, a historical fiction writer, or a writer of any genre where the romance is the compelling factor.  Now, I write several different genres and in all of them, romance has a part.  But, the compelling part of my stories is not necessarily the lovey-dovey. In my paranormals, the magic is the kicker.  The horrors, well, the horror is the best part.  But, there is always a little romance in there.  In most cases, my character's unexplainable and sometimes annoying desire for someone is the one thing that makes them human, that fleshes out their stories and brings them to life for the reader.  Longing, desire, coveting...these are all uniquely human traits.  Animals don't do that.  We do.

So, what then, is HFN.  Easy. Happy for Now.  This is great for a series where you plan to maybe kill off the character, or have your heroine land in the arms of the decidedly roguish man and not the steadfast one who seemed so perfect for her in the beginning. But, will he remain faithful?  Ah, that is the question for an HFN novel.

As a horror writer, I prefer a little-known acronym: HNE. Happily never after.  *giggles evilly*

The Writer's Alphabet - G is for genre

G is for genre. Genre is not so much what your book is, but more about who is the audience. When you write a story, you need to be aware who you are writing for.  Oh, I know it's apropos to say of course, we are writing for ourselves, but that/s not entirely true, is it?  No.  We write for one real reason: to entertain the reader.  And to do that, we have to target who the reader is.

Knowing your audience dictates everything about your work.  The genre defines the demographic of your targeted reader.  For instance, because I write in different genres, I have had to adapt different voices.  When I am writing Young Adult, my voice has to be genuine, or I will be called out as a fraud.  The genre dictates that my work be realistic, a bit angsty, and interesting enough to hold a shorter attention span.  When I write adult horror, the genre defines my characters as less introverted, shallow in some instances as adults can tend to be, and less restricted, as Young Adult tends to require.  Are you seeing it now?

As a writer, you also need to be able to define your genre readily.  Agents and editors or publishers will have no interest in your work if you are unable to identify your audience.  But what about genres that overlap, I can hear you asking.  Same rule applies.  You must be able to nestle it securely in one of the named genres.  Sometimes nothing seems to fit perfectly.  You are sure you have just invented the newest genre: Time-traveling historical figures with a dash of paranormal romance! Um, not so much.

Determining your genre is actually easier than it sounds.  Answer one question: What is the driving force of your work?  Is it the romance, or the paranormal element? Which one can exist without the other?  Most would agree Twilight is very much a romance, right?  But, what makes it INTERESTING?  The paranormal element.  A-HA!

Once you can define your genre, you are well on your way to submitting your work for publication.

The Writer's Alphabet - F is for Feedback

F is for feedback.  This, to me, is almost the most essential part of the novel process.  It's the reason we have beta readers, critique groups, and recording devices of us reading our own words. It's also part of another F-word for writers: finesse and finalize.

The story I write may be the most amazing thing I have ever personally read, but that won't mean anything if no one else gets it.  And the only way to see if they do get it, is to let my friends, my beta readers, my family members and/or my critique partner read it. And not just once, either. After every revision, every editing session, every time you tearfully strike an entire chapter that was beautiful and melodious but just didn't fit into the story, you need to get your reader's feedback.

Personally speaking, my books go through at least three people before I consider it ready for either my publisher or my editor.  I won't lie; it's not easy.  But, it isn't always like that.  The more I pay attention to feedback, the more likely I am to discover my own "writer issues."  I will be even more honest here and tell you a few of mine.

1. I have an unnnatural attraction to the word "clearly".  Seriously, I do.  If you have ever edited yourself with the "find" button (another great F-word for editing), I can admit that I use the word clearly more than I use the word looked.  Really.
2. I have had to TRAIN myself to not describe the shit out of everything.  I have been told by editors who are buckets smarter than I, that the readers want to discover things for themselves, and when I don't give them that chance, I cheat them, then lose them.
3. Lastly, I have had to watch myself with the Golden Rule of Writing: Show, Don't Tell.  I suppose that's mainly due to my penchant to try and describe everything to within an inch of its life. I'll follow up with the concept more in my letter "S" post.

Feedback, by the way, is only valuable if it is constructive.  And only by someone who has read your whole book. And you know who will do that. As easily as a manufactured review can be sniffed out for its vague praise and lack of detail, half-hearted feedback will scream at you.  The best feedback is honest, insightful, and thoughtful.  I always ask the same people to read and provide feedback not because they five-star me every time, but because they don't.  I feel it is vital to a writer to have a group of these readers.  I am eternally grateful to mine.  Without them, I'd still be writing my first book.