Connecting to the Joy of Writing

I have just passed my first anniversary on ‘Taking the Call’ from my publisher telling me that they wanted to buy my book.

In my mind I am a complete newbie to this amazing and challenging world of creative fiction which other people will – hopefully – want to read.

Yesterday I came across a brilliant, poignant and oh -so -true article by Stephanie Rowe about the importance of not letting the world and life crush your joy and satisfaction in creating the fictional world. Many thanks to Sia McKye for linking to it.

FINDING THE JOY resonated quite deeply with me, since there are times when it is tough to get out of bed in the morning and head for your pc and expect your brain to create something magical.

This is human nature and certainly not unique to writers. Many people have jobs where they wonder why happened to the joy and satisfaction they once hard in their work – off-days happen to us all.

But other people tend to think that being a full time writer truly is ‘living the dream’ and they are right. And there are consequences of living that dream. No gain without pain.

Key Take Away for me?

FIND THE JOY. Then FIND THE JOY again. The keep on FINDING THE JOY – even if it means grinning madly to yourself each and every morning when you remember that you are not going to be living in a cube office in a room without windows for the next 8 hours.

Those of you who have met me in person know that sticking a big silly grin on my face does not come hard – but I also come from a business background and know that this is a serious business where you have to deliver, and keep on delivering the goods to your publisher who are there to make profit. Not a charity to cater to your needs. An international professional business who have wages to pay in a tough market. Books are luxuries to our readers.

The challenge is to Make the effort to Find the Joy in the creative Process which will carry you through the other 90% which surrounds the production of a book from the words you are typing.

Big smile. Find the Joy. Create some magic.

Go on. We both know you can do it.

Stephanie Rowe is a four time RITA finalist. Known for her high octane paranormal romances, her new romantic suspense, ICE, is her first foray into romantic suspense. Her chilling and sexy Alaska series hits the shelves this month, and has received high accolades from such publications as Publishers Weekly. For more info, see www.stephanierowe.com

Saturday afternoon

I had the very great pleasure of travelling to Waterstones in Reading, England last Saturday to help my pal Julie Cohen celebrate the launch of her splendid latest addition from Little Black Dress – ‘Girl from Mars’.

I chose my very best ‘Hero of the Galaxy’ T-shirt for the occasion – ‘Be there or be Zapped.’

The sun was shining and Julie was resplendent with magenta hair streaks and a fun rock girl T-shirt.

POW!! Who needs the new Dan Brown when you can have the author signing your book for you?

Can’t see Dan Brown wearing a fun T-shirt to sign books and mix with his fans. Can you?

And was it fun? You judge for yourself. Happy writing one and all.

Jennifer Crusie and Literary Agents

 

When I grow up I want to be Jenny Crusie.

Donna Alward recently linked to an essay by Jenny Crusie on the life of a professional writer, but I have been drawn back to an excellent and challenging article she wrote on the process of choosing the best Literary Agent – starting with defining who YOU are as a writer, what you want and what your career plan is.

Of course every single person is different. I have met lovely wonderful writers through the RNA who would be horrified at the idea of book tours and media interviews and supermarket stocking their work. They love writing at their own pace. No pressure from hard business economics/deadlines etc – and this is brilliant and fine for them.

Other writers cannot wait to be up there in Tesco and Wallmart/Asda, and giving James Patterson and Dan Brown a good run for their money in the bestseller charts. And that is equally brilliant and fine.

Unless you know what you want up front how can you communicate that to an agent who you will be paying to help work with you on building your career and sell and promote your work to people and publishers who are going to invest in YOU for the long term?

And as Jenny says:

‘A good agent will look at your work and love it for what it is and foster your vision by making suggestions that enhance the story you need to tell.

A bad agent will look at your work and make suggestions that fit the trends of the time. The only way you’ll know the difference is if you know what your story is.

But knowing your story, yourself as writer, is not enough because once you sell a story, you take on a second career, this one in publishing. Writing and publishing are two entirely separate things, and you need to know who you are in both.’

As a newbie in this game, I think this is a crucial point which is not often discussed and well worth time considering. Once you sell a story, you DO take on a second – or third etc career.

Fascinating.

On other matters, over the last week have caught up with the new Star Trek movie. which is excellent IMHO, and InkHeart, which has been out for a while but I did enjoy it.  All food for the girls in the basement LOL.

This just about describes where I am with my current WIP.

Loglines and Pitches

Loglines. Premise. The Story Idea. The Pitch.

For a newbie like myself, these can seem bewildering concepts which are only relevant to screenwriters and of no value to fiction writers.

Wrong.

What do you say when someone who is genuinely interested in you works asks the killer question ‘What’s the Story about?’ and 10 minutes later you are still giving him the backstory about the villian’s demonic mother in the Ukraine, and your potential agent/publisher/friend is desperately signalling to a colleague to find an excuse to get away from you.

Why?What do I need to know BEFORE I can create a compelling, and hopefully High Concept Compass Logline/Story Line for my latest bestseller?

Because you are boring, rambling, and worse, you have not answered the question.

Or, even worse, you are just getting into your stride on all of the research you completed on the causes of the Franco=Prussian War and – wait for it – there is no story because you are still looking for characters who can postulate your theory.
And in doing so you have just demonstrated that you are anything else EXCEPT a professional author.

AHHH! Career alert!

So. What is your Story About?

To me, I have to be able to give a simple answer like this -
My story is about someone [ your protagonist]….who strives for [goal]… and this stands in his way [ forces of opposition and antagonism].

WHO she is, WHAT she wants, and WHAT she is going to have to overcome to get it.

Examples?

For a short story it could be;

‘ Little Sarah, aged 4 and a half, is promised by her mother that she can have a chocolate ice cream, but first she has to eat her dinner vegetables. And they are ALL GREEN. Can she survive such horror?’
For a movie, how about;
‘Set in West Texas, a man on the run with a suitcase full of money is pursued by a number of individuals.’
Or ‘ When an attorney gets zapped by his son’s birthday wish, he learns that he can no longer tell a lie even when he tries, so he must now win the biggest case of his career by being honest.’

One sentence. A logline.

This is a SELLING TOOL for your work. The 30 second elevator pitch.

But what if you want a logline to keep YOU, the writer, on track during the writing and editing and re-writing. The paragraph you have taped to your PC monitor to remind you that this is what you are meant to be writing about?

For me, that is when the Logline becomes the Story Line. And it has to serve different functions.

Clearly states The Main Desire line for your hero which will drive the story from start to finish. This is the spine and passionate force in your story. Even for ice cream.
Sets up the Story Question. We know the tale is over when the Goal set out in the Desire line is achieved and the reader turns the last page.
Sets up the Character Arc for the protagonist.
The Unknown Screenwriter calls this his ‘COMPASS LOGLINE’ and provides this list of essential elements for an ‘High Concept’ Compass Logline:

• The Protagonist’s main character trait that begins his or her transformational arc.
• The Protagonist’s main function in the story.
• The main story conflict and the central question of the story.
• The Antagonist or forces of antagonism.
• The Protagonist’s goal and transformational arc.

 

I need to know who my Protagonist is.

What is she like? What are the character traits which make her unique and interesting. Her backstory and, most importantly, what motivates her to make the decisions she is taking in her ‘ordinary life’.

I need to know how my Protagonist will change by the end of the story- and why. I can then use this to focus on key aspects of my heroine’s character.

I need to know what the Inciting Incident is, and how this will create a compelling GOAL for my Protagonist which becomes the Story Question which will be answered by the end of the story.

What will she have to ENDURE on this journey?

Who or What is going to block my heroine from achieving her goal?

For me, I have to complete at least a first draft OUTLINE of my novel BEFORE I can answer these questions. The key turning points. A character bio for hero and her antagonist.
In some cases I have to write the first draft before I can answer these questions, since my ideas were still fluid at the Story Idea point.
I did not know HOW the character arc would be complete until my heroine took me there.
But I did have a basic Story Line from Day One.
I THEN use the extended logline to help during the revisions and editing.

PLUS I can use this one paragraph outline to create the perfect Back Cover Blurb for the book, and the extended selling material. Not a word wasted.

No one said this was easy…but, sheesh.

What am I listening to at this moment? Baroque Internet Radio

Download screenplays from ‘The Wire’

I LOVE crime series on TV where the writers do NOT insult the intelligence of their viewers. 

The Wire is fairly new to UK TV audiences, but here is the opportunity to Download several screenplays from old episodes for your education and delight.

Enjoy them here.

Happy writing.

Good news from the Salt Mine

My good news is that the editor ‘LOVES’ one of the story ideas that I pitched to them a few weeks back and thinks that it is a winner.

Ladies and Gentlemen.  I believe that I have a GO for a new book.

PHEWWW!! I am one relieved young lady, I can tell you. Details about the new contract are still to be agreed, but I am back in business and they are willing to take a risk on me. Again.

So – time to get back to work in earnest.

I have:

- the basic Story Plot Idea and broad outline synopsis/pitch – about 4 pages

- the setting and  a cunning plan to bring the hero and heroine together

- and crucially, I have my Hero and Heroine characters firmly in place, the backstory and visual images to work from.

So out come the BIG GUNS. And for me that means:

* Building up the character profiles. How do I SHOW the backstory through Reveals and demonstrations as opposed to introspection. Cue Key Reveal Scenes and Set Pieces.

* Huge amount of brainstorming around how to build even more layers into the deeply emotional scenario my poor heroine has to fight her way through – and then, the big one

* The Emotional Story Structure.  How to frame the emotional journey these two people are going to take into the most effective story possible in a few number of pages. Create a spine and plan the action/response plan etc. as they fall in love.

I have a new craft book to help me. I mentioned this in an earlier post, but I have found it a brilliant way of spinning my brain into Lateral Thinking and playing the ‘What If’ game.

EMOTIONAL STRUCTURE -Creating the Story Beneath the Plot – by Peter Dunne.

This is a dense book, packed with brilliant insights, written in an open format. Go here to read an extract using the new Google Browse system.

Yes, I know, I know, but when it comes to craft books and articles, I am very little will power.

But this. Is a fabulous book. Forget the fact that it was written for Screenwriters.

Screenwriters have about 100 pages to create their entire 2 hour film. And most of those pages have to be both plot and emotion driven, so this is where craft is crucial.

At the moment I am working my way throught it chapter by chapter, and have already added pages of new ideas and layers to my storyline. I already know that I will have a stronger story with much more emotional power by the end.

AND it has shown me that I already know a lot more about my characters than I had orginally thought.

So all I have to do is mentally process all of this info, digest it, then create a wonderful story. GULP.

But for now, I will leave you with a spic of my new Hero: FINN. Please excuse the drool.

 

OnLine Workshops on Romance Fiction

I never cease to be amazed by the generosity of romance authors and the romance community as a whole.

Over the years I have been enormously grateful to the many authors who have added Writing Tips on their websites or through their blogs, but there are many, many resources out there.

For example:

*Romance Divas have a wonderful library of workshops from experts in all parts of the business – try their Blog for more, although you need to register.

 *All about Romance series of Masterclass articles on just about anything you could ask about,

* Romantic Times Resource Articles,

and the expert articles on E-Harlequin.

All free, gratis and for nothing but love of the genre.

Brilliant! And I try and study and learn a new aspect every single week.

So I was delighted that Trish Wylie is running a Workshop through her Blog. Trish has some EXCELLENT notes for Category Romance on her Website which I have found to be very useful indeed.  Not to be missed.

The only problem? I am supposed to be revising, and the more I read all of this great stuff, then look at my revisions…. I think that I had better get back to it.

Happy New Year

January. From the word for the god Janus. One body. Two heads looking both backwards and forwards. How apt.

I cannot actually believe that time has passed so quickly! What happened to the end of last year?

January 2009.  The traditional time to set goals and targets for the next 12 months and longer.

I am totally jazzed about 2009 – even on day one.

Why? My goals and objectives kicked off in Sept 08 when I got the call from HMB – everything else drops out on a project time line from then until July when the first book – ‘Always the Bridesmaid’ is launched.

My very first published book. How exciting is that?

Over the next few days I am working on the revisions for my second book, then looking hard at the goals and objectives I set myself a few months ago for various parts of my life and writing.

In the interim – here is a link to a very interesting post from ‘The Art of NonConformity’ about how ‘Fear of Failure’ impacts creative people. And I am no exception.

http://chrisguillebeau.com/3×5/breaking-through-the-fear-of-failure/

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Product Life Cycle for a New Book

 

 

 

 

I am looking at my Goals for next year, and came across some notes from last year re the Stages I need to plan for each book – taken straight from Management Book 101, Product Life Cycle – A very basic plan  people use whether they are making cars or widgets or jam.

PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE – the Fiction Book Equivalent

1. WHO IS YOUR CUSTOMER?  Define who your customer truly is. For a new writer, this is going to be ‘The Gatekeeper’ who could be Literary Agent or Editor or Specific Publisher. **

2. WHAT ARE THE CUSTOMER REQUIREMENTS? What does this Editor need? What are they looking for? Are there specific Guidelines for the type of book you want to write [ length, genre, sub-genre etc]

3. INITIATE THE MODEL. Brainstorm story ideas/premise

4. DESIGN THE CONTENT. Expand on the premise and build the storyline

5. CONSTRUCT THE MODEL. Write the story – at least the first 3 chapters and an Outline

6. TEST THE MODEL. Send your first 3 chapters and outline to the Literary Agent/ critique friend/ Editor and get the feedback you need to re-define the model if you have to.

7.COMPLETE CONSTRUCTION. Finish the rest of the book, incorporating any feedback.

8. DELIVERY OF MODEL. Submit your book.

9. FINAL MODIFICATIONS. Revisions and polishing.

10. FINAL TEST MODEL. Submit revised finished book for final approval.

11. SALES. Sign contract following acceptance and receive adance from publisher.

12. MARKETING. Generate marketing material in conjunction with the publisher and prepare for publication.

13. MASS PRODUCTION. Final book covers and publication schedule complete. Book Launched.

14. MAINTAIN SALES. More Formats and more markets.

 

**Note: – as far as the planning goes, for me, the customer at this point is the ‘Gatekeeper’ who will determine whether an end point reader will actually hold your book in her hands. This is the person I have to convince to take a risk with my work in an increasingly harsh economic environment in the publishing world.

 For my crime writing – this is going to be a literary agent or a specific editor who I have met before.

 For my HMB writing  – this is going to be a specific editor who I have been working with, and I already know the guidelines for that publishing line.

 

Okay. I confess. I am a nerdie geek woman. Scientist and proud. 

So – Of course I have created a simple spreadsheet with these 14 points for each book = I do not know if I will use it effectively but I think it does give me some idea of  the steps I have to work through and I can put target dates against each step, allowing for time for feedback .

It also allows me to have metrics to measure what I have completed, and how long it ACTUALLY took which I can use for future planning.  Should be interesting. And it also means that I don’t stress myself by missing a step and not alloctating sufficient time to complete a quality job.

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Phew – well that should keep me busy for the rest of the week!

Good news.

One goal for 2009 has alread been initiated. My present from Mr Ray-Anne is gym membership for a gymn I can walk to, and yesterday I signed up, paid, sorted. Done for the  next 8 months.   They run great dance classes as well as gymn and a spa. Tick against Health and Fitness.

Not so good news.

My sister in law slipped on an icey pavement last Friday, totally panicked, and broke BOTH her wrists. She has had surgery and is now at home.

I don’t think her family appreciate what the impact of having  a mum with TWO broken wrists in plaster and metal plates is going to mean to their daily lives.

Apparently she is feeling a bit sorry for herself. Really?

Luckily she has family in the town who can help her- but most of the burden will fall on her mother.

I can only imagine how incredibly frustrating and difficult my life would be with two broken wrists for the next few months. No work, no cooking, no dressing yourself, no lifting – no driving. Probably no feeding yourself. It would be the nearest I could come to being disabled.

So today I am counting my blessings and painting walls while thinking up grandiose schemes. LOL.

The Writer as CEO of her Own Company

 

I have put ‘Book Two’ to one side for a while to gain some objectivity before final revisions and polishing. Second Book angst. Apparently this is normal. Gulp.

 So. Time to consider some different aspects of the writing life – ‘The Biz’ in Showbiz.

 Once upon a time in a land far away, I was in the business world, and most of the concepts about running a commercial business are familiar to me – except of course I was working for a major international company at the time with headquarters in the US.

 Now I am working for a company with headquarters in the back bedroom where I am sitting right now.

 So last week I took myself off to a Free Seminar on Becoming Self-employed, run by the local BusinessLink team, with free one to one sessions with HSRC and business advisers, and jolly interesting it was too.

 The key speaker was someone who was a well-established local businessman, with many years of experience, and gave an excellent presentation about the harsh reality of creating your own business. 

He certainly did not shy away from the long hours [ forget the 37 hr week for example], the risk, the stress on yourself and others around you, and the harsh economic climate. Working from home with small children in the house … well, you already know about that one.

 When he asked how many people in the large group were in a redundancy situation, or close to it, I was horrified by the number of hands that went up.

And Basingstoke is one of the centres of HIGH employment in the south.

There are still signs in shop windows in the town centre- including Waterstones etc – looking for workers, and they are building office space for big name companies who are running recruitment drives for skilled workers.

 One of the key slides was an organisation chart for a retail business -something like this:

  

Chief Executive
Product development	Sales
A. Project Manager	Marketing
B. Project Manager	Finance and Accounts
C. Project Manager	Human Resources
Operational and Technical Support	Legal

  The presenter asked us to challenge ourselves as to how the sole trader/small company intended to carry out each of these functions. His example was how at one point he was so busy making sales and running production that he actually forgot to collect the money that month.

If you making electrical components, or running a contract printing unit, like the chaps I was sitting next to, then perhaps you can outsource a project, or hire a credit controller to chase customers.

Not so easy if you are a fiction writer.

But of course we can hire accountants, tax advisers, perhaps a literary agent to handle the legal aspects of contracts, as well as computer experts and web designers. They are all part of the ‘the team’ which makes up the business. We do not have to do everything ourselves.

 One thing I did take away – the two ladies from TAx Office were so nice and extremely helpful, that next month I am off to free half day course run by the Revenue.

 And they both read Mills and Boon novels. Future Customers!!

 Next step. Setting up my goals for the next 12 months – so I know precisely what the scope of the business is going to be.

 And for that I will need some invigorating music. Like this, for example.