I Like Weird People

by Samantha Wilde

Here I am. Riding a bike.

When I pick up a book in the bookstore or the library and look it over, deciding if I want to read it, I hope for an interesting character. In fact, I prefer a novel filled with eccentric folk, and by that I mean creative, interesting unusual, complex (not simply a a character who has more sex or happens upon more dead bodies than I do).

One of the masters of creating this kind of character is the incomparable Elinor Lipman. The only problem with her is that she doesn't write fast enough for my book a week habit.

And really what is the difference between a character who is experiencing an interesting or unique challenge and an interesting character? For me, it's the difference between buying a book and leaving it on the shelf-- because a unique, richly complicated character holds my attention even when she's doing the laundry, but an ordinary character requires an elaborate plot to prop her up and give her substance.

My book is SO interesting, cats read it.

Unfortunately, most readers don't want unique characters. One of the readers of my second novel, I'll Take What She Has, wrote about the book and gave me one of the most confusing compliments I've ever gotten. She wrote: "I loved the book and didn't like a single one of the characters." Apparently, my characters were too life-like.  I can still remember my editor looking at an early draft of the novel and erasing a number of scenes in their totality. The trouble with the scenes? They were too close to the truth. I think she wrote something in her notes along the lines of, "no one wants it to feel like their real life."

Most real people are weird in one way or another. Life is mixed-up and crooked in a beautiful, unpredictable way. The stories I've been writing since I was a child come from a desire to understand people in all their infinite, imperfect variety.

This past weekend my family and I went camping. We had many neighbors--and quite close--at this particular campground. I got to engage in some harmless people watching (it was unavoidable). What intrigued me the most? Not the people whose stories I could guess at, but the campers next to us whose story I just could not figure out. It appeared to be a woman camping by herself with her dog. She didn't make any noise. Her dog didn't bark. She spent a lot of time in her camper. I couldn't figure out why she was there. Who would go camping if they didn't like being outside? Her behavior was so curious to me that when I woke in the middle of the night and couldn't sleep, I speculated on her circumstances and then I gave her an imaginary life I invented. That day at the campground with her could open a novel. Would she be running from something? Going towards something? Challenging herself with the trip? Escaping a situation?

Of course, this is my failure as a novelist. I don't get a plot then write a book. I get a character and then hang our with her. When my agent sent out my first novel to a series of editors, she forwarded me a few of the rejections (before I ultimately landed an editor and a two-book deal). I still remember one of the rejection emails she passed along to me. It read: "This is good writing looking for a plot."

Hmmm.

I guess I'll take that criticism. It sure beats, "a plot looking for good writing." Although I know that plot sells commercial novels. And weird people don't. Which is too bad, since most of us are pretty weird.

It begs a question: do we read/love the books that showcase the characters we are, or do we only read the books with characters who reflect what we wish we were (or imagine ourselves to be? In other words, pretty, successful, in love, rich, living an exciting, action-packed life, etc.)?

What do you think?

Samantha Wilde is the author of I'll Take What She Has and This Little Mommy Stayed Home. She is an ordained minister, hosts a radio show called You Are Loved, has taught Kripalu yoga for 14 years, and authored a book of spiritual essays, Strange Gifts. But in her real-life, she is the stay-at-home mother to three young children with a fourth on the way. And yes, that does sound very ordinary. But she assures you that, despite the domesticity of her daily life, she is actually quite interesting. Find her and like her on Facebook.

Brainstorming: Good for Creative Writing, Not for 24/7 Cable News

by Wendy Tokunaga

Like most people I’ve been fascinated (and saddened) by the mystery of the Malaysian airliner that went missing on March 8. And I’ve also been intrigued by the speculation on exactly what might have happened. Because of the extraordinary situation and the fact that so much is unknown, 24/7 cable news outlets like CNN have been piling on the theories with little or no hard information to back them up. Suppositions and assumptions are the name of the game and ratings only increase as tantalizing new scenarios are pulled out of a hat.

Did the jet turn into a “ghost” or “zombie” plane? Was it struck by a meteor? Or what if it were sabotage by the pilot? After all, he had a flight simulator at home. Had he rehearsed this scenario weeks or months before? Was he in cahoots with terrorists who wanted to use the plane for nefarious purposes at a later time? Did he land the jet at a hidden airstrip in a top-secret location? What if the passengers were still alive but unable to contact loved ones?

And what about that mysterious phone call the pilot made right before the plane took off? He also had close ties with an opposition leader in Malaysia who had recently been arrested on a sodomy charge that could have been a frame-up by those currently in power. And what about the fact that his family moved out of their house the day before the incident? Did he have serious personal problems that led him to commit suicide and cause an intentional crash?

Or was he a hero? Did he divert that plane off course because of smoke or some other problem in the cockpit to get closer to where he could make an emergency landing? Did he fly at a lower altitude, not to avoid detection, but to try and save the lives of the passengers?

These theories and unanswered questions remind me of what I do when I’m brainstorming plot points, character motivations, conflicts and complications for a novel. I open up a document and write a series of “what if” and “why” questions. Then I’ll put it away and read it another day and add to the list. At this point nothing is too outlandish to delete; I just let my imagination run wild. Eventually I pare it down to something more focused and throw out what I don’t need. While it might not work for every writer, it’s what works for me.

I’m not so sure it works well for the news. And, of course, I’m dealing with fiction.

Girlfriends, do you use brainstorming techniques when you write your novels? Do you think there’s a place for theorizing on the news?

Find me at:

Twitter: @Wendy_Tokunaga

Facebook

My Website

Mobiles, Stabiles and Books by Melissa Clark

Happy 2014! 

The other night, I had the pleasure of seeing the Calder exhibit at LACMA with a friend. It is a beautifully curated show. We enjoyed reading about Calder's process and seeing the final products - the mobiles dancing in the air and the stabiles proudly standing their ground. At first glance, the mobiles look like simplistic childlike designs, but upon closer inspection the artistry really stands out. Geometric, colorful shapes are attached with delicate wire structures, allowing for balance and movement. The pieces are thoughtful, vibrant and even funny

Mobile

Stabile

The exhibit made me think of my own writing, or rather, writing in general. There is an illusion of simplicity and ease when reading a page-turner, when really the author most likely struggled with the same sense of balance, only with words instead of shapes.

I teach a class called "In Their Own Words: Artists Speak About Living a Creative Life" and in that class we talk a lot about process - the part of art that isn't really shown in museums, isn't necessarily talked about. To me, the process is the art - the art of discipline, of showing up every day to navigate some mysterious inner-compass, the art of failing, or missing your target, your vision not in line with what's coming out on the page or the canvas.

Book

As I aim to complete the upteenth draft of my fourth novel, years in the making, scenes written and then scrapped, characters born and then killed off, plot points determined and then eradicated, I'm counting on that ineffable feeling to let me know when it's 'done'. The final product - the mobile, the stabile, the book - well, that's just icing on the cake.

Melissa Clark is the author of Imperfect and Swimming Upstream, Slowly, and the creator of the animated television show, Braceface. She lives in Los Angeles and looks forward to 2014.

The Alphabet Soup of Perfect Timing

By Laura Spinella

The right words. I’ve been thinking about that a lot lately—113,724 of them to be exact. I’ve looked at them microscopically and fussed over each one like the bow on a baby’s hat. We are past the collective stage, the part where you consider words as a whole and the story they tell. Edits have come and gone and so has the window in which one can easily shift ideas, reroute action, or change a character’s motivation. The next time I see Perfect Timing it will be typeset with a giant note on it about how now is not the time to make extensive revisions. I’m down to wringing my hands over lone words—a curious irony of the trade.

            Perfect Timing is a book I wrote in stages. It was my in-between novel.  Something I worked on while Beautiful Disaster simmered and Valley Views from Abbotsford, PA, made its way in and out of my head, finally making its way to a permanent address in my desk drawer.  We’re talking years here, and during that time I never thought about Perfect Timing in terms of publication. Actually, I never thought of it as Perfect Timing.  Back then it went by a different title, the words adding up to a rather different story. This was my feel-good composition, my comfort food while struggling to find the right words in other books and fielding the real rejection attached to this dreamy endeavor. Nowadays it’s all email, but back then I read so many snail-mail rejections I developed envelopaphobia—a fear of mailboxes. I loved to tinker with that book, the same way Leo, who lives down the street, has tinkered with his’67 Corvair since we moved here.

            A bunch of years ago—I don’t remember how many, I found some courage, or maybe it was just a whim (courage is more dramatic, don’t you think?), and shipped that comfort manuscript off to one of the biggest agents in the business. Not long after, the agent called to say she’d been reading my words since she opened them that morning. I had this crisp vision of Laura Spinella alphabet soup spilling over her desk. Would she get my words as a collective whole? Well, she got about half of them. She loved the back portion of the storyline, gushing in fact. Unfortunately, (see how one word indicates this won’t turn out well) she merely dripped over the present-day portion. Still, she was lovely and encouraging, suggesting I rewrite and resubmit the book to her.

            Here’s the thing. I didn’t do it.

            There’s a left hand drawer in my desk and I put the book in there, not considering it again. Maybe because the timing wasn’t perfect. I also think it had something to do with preserving the book’s ability to be my go-to comfort writing. But I did tuck it away, satisfied with partial big-time validation and the inkling that its words had potential. Fast forward a couple of years. On another whim, I gave the same book to my current agent. She read it and replied with the bold notion that the time was perfect to expand upon and rewire those words. So I did.  It took the better part of a year. During those seasons of revisions, on occasion, I’d walk past Leo’s house.  He’d be there, in the throes of rebuilding his beloved Corvair. Car parts were strewn across his yard like dead soldiers, Leo standing hunched over his engine, up to his elbows in grease. That’s a fair picture for the mental work that went into the reinvention of this book—a relatable process, I’m sure, for every GBC member.

                So here I am with words—a bunch of them that are scheduled for a print run, slated for a spine, pretty cover, and a copyright. Below are a few of my favorite words from PERFECT TIMING.  They’re original words that survived the practice years and the storage years. Like my kids, I know them at glance, they are that attached to me, reminding me that old and new, all the words in this book are mine.   

“It wasn’t what people assumed.  Not that people assumed anything about Aidan and Isabel. Their relationship flew under the radar of Catswallow gossip, but it wasn’t the fare or affair the secluded setting of a dilapidated farmhouse might suggest.”—Chapter Two

“Aidan inched away, their faces but a breath apart. He’d never used this moment to convey anything so honest. In truth, he’d never used this moment to convey much of anything at all.”—Chapter Sixteen

“Her father returned to the sofa as Patrick sat in a chair where his frame pulled tight, his bearded face doubtful.  “Eric, did you not hear the part where the town’s most popular heterosexual boy, its very own Conrad Birdie, is being railroaded for the crime?”—Chapter Seventeen (maybe you have to read it in context, but those words still make me laugh)

“Seriously, Isabel, whatever’s happened between us, did you think that if you ever called I wouldn’t come?”  

  Her lips pursed tight, eyes welling.  “In a million years,” she said, arms wrapped in a straightjacket grip, “I never thought I’d call.” –Chapter Twenty-Six

Laura Spinella is the author of the award-winning novel, Beautiful Disaster and the upcoming novel, Perfect Timing. Visit her at lauraspinella.net

Housekeeping with Clarabel

By Laura Spinella

I come from the before-moms-went-to-work generation, so keeping house is what my mother did.  She was damn good at it, still is at 84. At my house, on any given day, you could eat a meal off the floor of your choosing. During the deep cleaning rituals of spring and fall, this perpetual state of spotlessness reached a new threshold. They are scrubbed clean slivers of time that I remember well. It’s also something I couldn’t imitate if you threatened to dunk my head in a bucket of bleach. On those two days of the year, we’d come through the front door to a nose full of Windex, every Electrolux attachment on duty, and Mother poised on a step ladder. She wasn’t wearing pearls, but she surely wouldn’t have stood in front of an open window without makeup on or her hair done. By the time we got home, she’d worked her way to the changing of the curtains—kind of like the changing of the guard, only more formal. Years removed, the memory of that gold-tweed fabric evokes the crisp scent of fall, the same way a blooming cherry tree makes me think of bright white sheers. We had beautiful curtains (Mother sewed them all) along with Sunday roast beef dinners and a no-nonsense, “Drink some orange juice, go to school, you’ll feel better,” approach to life. It wasn’t the touchy-feely, my kids are the center of universe, attitude we often see today, but it did manage to get my sisters and me to here.

Bayport, New York, circa 1965. Cherry tree, pre-blossom.

Mother and I are not kindred spirits, which is not a problem, just the way it is. We get along fine, but it isn’t the relationship I have with my daughters. Although, on the right day, my daughters would probably tell you that we don’t see eye-to-eye on everything either. Bill O’Reilly, Nicholas Sparks novels, tiny china teacups and pantyhose are just a few of the things that I can’t get my mind around. Mother, on the other hand, takes exception to my lackadaisical politics, supersize glasses of wine, and often crass sense of humor.  Here, however, is where we sync perfectly: when I think of the way Mother kept house, I think of the way I write. Cleaning was just a broad term for every minute task that went into the maintenance of her home. She would purge and polish, refresh and review with a relentless eye. Dinner was an event, complete with an ironed tablecloth, dessert included, served precisely at 5:30 p.m. on weeknights. On summer Tuesdays the wash hung outside and on Thursdays bathrooms were scrubbed clean—period. Mother did everything she could to make her space—our space—the absolute best it could be. Admittedly, the book writing process is not Mother’s forte, why it takes so long, or why I invest insane amounts of time writing, researching, editing and rewriting. I mean, seriously, isn’t the wash piling up somewhere? But I do have an answer when she questions my all-consuming nature, a dogged insistence on my optimal performance. I remind Mother, “I’m only doing exactly what you taught me.” 

Laura Spinella is the author of the award-winning novel, BEAUTIFUL DISASTER and the upcoming novel, PERFECT TIMING. Visit her at www.lauraspinella.net. 

5 Must Haves in Book Marketing

by Malena Lott

So this post is where my two worlds meet. I'm an author marketer. A marketing author. When I'm not writing fiction, I'm creating branded content for clients - everything from brand strategy like taglines and positioning to digital ads, web copy and traditional advertising campaigns. You can learn more about my company Athena Institute here. In 2011, I added publishing into the fold with the imprint Buzz Books USA. We've published 16 titles with 7 more coming this year, which means a whole lot of branding going on because each title or series needs a marketing plan.

Must haves?

1. 4 Ws and 1 H. If you don't know who you are, what you're doing, why you're doing it, where you're going to promote yourself and how you're going to get it done, you'll feel lost. A marketing plan can be as simple as that. Work it out and stay the course. 
2. Do something daily to promote yourself. It could be a guest blog or it could be simply having an ongoing campaign running to keep your name in front of your audience, but you do have to have action to make traction.
3. Invest in your brand. This means both time and money. It can be as little as a dollar a day spent reaching new folks on Facebook or a pay per click campaign. If you have enough money to try "lump sum" advertising, go for it and see what results. If you're confident about your 4 W and 1H, then you'll feel better about advertising.
4. Put yourself out there. Including in the real world. Digital is great and online will always be here, but it's actually noisier on here than it is in the traditional space. Reach is wonderful online, but effectiveness and return on investment can come a lot quicker with a speaking opportunity. I'm speaking to a group of young business leaders next Tuesday and I got my new business cards in. Or are they bookmarks? They are business card bookmarks. All business on the front and party on the back. And by "party," I mean my book covers. I'll offer those 60 attendees a card and if they email me, I'll give them an early review copy of my first branding book, The Little Brand That Could coming out in late spring. I'll also co-promote one of my author's books, PR Rock Star, which is the first Little Brand book. Always give them something in return for their time.
5. Persistence and patience. Don't give up. I tell my clients and my authors, just when you're getting tired of your campaign, everyone else is just starting to notice it. Marketing should be ongoing and good brands should never die. You have to keep breathing new life into them and also work on reach and frequency. If you are talking to a lot of people but don't have repetition, you're message will be forgotten. If you talk to too few people, but hit them with frequency, you'll get results but only by those few. It takes both. 

If you're a marketer, small business owner or an author, and would like to read an early copy of either PR Rock Star or The Little Brand That Could, leave a comment below and let me know which title you'd like and your email address. If you have a marketing question, hit me up. I'll answer. 

If you're on Facebook, I'm doing a year-long True-Do campaign on my Facebook author page with tips on living our true purpose with as much peace, prosperity and joy as we can muster. I'm also giving away weekly prizes. 

January 15, 2013 by Melissa Clark

Holiday Break: A Tale in Diary Entries

Dec. 14, 2012

Woo Hoo! Grading complete, grades submitted, one whole month to shower attention on the WIP and read the pile of books by my bed! 

Dec. 15, 2012

Why do I have 3 holiday parties this weekend? After Sunday it's all about the WIP and digging through the pile of books by my bed!

December 21, 2012

Not sure where the week went. Why, when you go to acupuncture, do they make you come back so often? How am I supposed to get work done? A friend invited me skiing for the weekend in Big Bear. Woo hoo! Time to visit my WIP and bring a few of those books that are by my bed.

December 24, 2012

Xmas eve? How? When? Why? Skiing was amazing - days on the slopes, nights by the fire and bed by 10. Next week is gonna be a big writing week. Big.

January 2, 2013

When I bought the Yoga Groupon I didn't realize I'd use it almost every day - that made yoga classes about 3 dollars a pop. Score! I've seen so many good movies - Les Miz, Silver Linings Playbook, Zero Dark Thirty... someone actually wrote those. They put pen to paper and wrote them. Impressive! One day, before school starts, I'm going to write my book. Uh huh. Truly.

January 7, 2013

Downton Abbey is the best thing on television. I watched seasons 1 and 2 in the past few days. Brilliant acting, amazing directing, and the writing! THE WRITING!

January 11, 2013

Last weekend before school starts up again. From Friday to Sunday I'm going to hunker down - stay here in my home since there are no flu germs inside and the weather outside is frightful, and print out my WIP. I'm going to lay it out on the floor, reorganize scenes, revisit my outline, rewrite the ending... I'll write 20 page a day to make up for the month of lost time. Nights, I'll try to get through at least 2 of the 10 books on my bedside shelf and mornings I'll rise and do it all over again. This is going to be the most intense, productive weekend ever. Bring it!

January 14, 2013

First day of classes. Thank God I remembered to create the syllabus last weekend, and tweak the assignments, and prep for my tutoring gig, apply to those artist residencies, help my friend get a cat at a shelter, do karaoke, get a flu shot, watch the Golden Globes, chat on the phone, do yoga, clean house, go on a date and get the car washed. 

Melissa Clark is a sometimes-writer, sometimes-blogger and sometimes-skier. 

Holiday Temptation

By Laura Spinella

There’s no better time than the holidays to stop everything and blog about the lack of time during the holidays. I’m referring to writing time, as opposed to the general time we scramble for at the November/December juncture. Personally, it always manages to sneak up on me. One minute I’m scraping bottom for the last fun-size Snickers in the Halloween bowl, the next my kids are sending me buy links to Zumies (aka skateboard hell) and Victoria’s Secret. Zumies I pray will pass before the boy suffers a catastrophic head injury, VS compels me to send this reply to my daughters: “Girls! You realize this is despicable body image advertising at its worst, and that real women don’t look like this. Furthermore, I am at a loss to understand in what brothel-like circumstance you were reared—apparently, it’s one that would lead you to believe a lacy string up your butt suffices for underwear… Love, Santa.” 

            Apologies, I digress. My point is how writing time suffers during the holidays. I am, I think, like many writers, a creature of habit. I prefer the laptop in the sunroom to the desktop in the study. Ordinary tea becomes a potion that cues my brain to get in gear.  And so much the better if Trip, the ugly tiger cat, hangs over my shoulder while we coerce sentences into submission and cajole plot into paragraphs. I’m not a fan of noise, so if you’re home sick, find a television on a different floor. I know that sounds harsh, probably because it is. However, I also know the depth and span of the cavern one must cross to get from, “I have this idea for a story,” to “Penguin called. They bought your book.”  

             It’s a path that offers no holiday shortcut.

However, fighting for time and that coveted writing rhythm isn’t to say I’m not tempted. On the contrary, during the holidays I can be my own worst enemy. I am a sucker for quirky traditions, giddily abandoning a WIP for The Homecoming. Do you know it?  It’s the cavity inspired pilot for The Waltons’ television series, and it would not be the holidays here without it. It’s hokey and couldn’t be more out of sync with… well, the ideals put forth in a Victoria’s Secret catalog. But grounding twenty-plus years of tradition in hokey is what, in part, allows me to joke about the scantily clad. Holiday temptations and obligations start with the Waltons, continuing on to things we all whine about but would never forgo: the food, the shopping, the presents, the decorations… the time it all takes.  

            A wiser writer might retreat during this period, using the downtime to recharge and read, enjoy the festivities and start anew along with the year. The publishing industry seems to operate via that mindset, all but shutting down during December. I wish I could follow suit. But my compulsion to write doesn’t recognize holidays or vacations. I don’t know how to shut it off, or even hit the snooze button. So what I’m wondering is if, during the holidays, you happily pack up your laptop and say, “See you next year!” Or do you adjust for the climate, writing through the graveyard shift while no one is stirring, not even a mouse? I’d be curious to hear. I’d welcome the advice. It would be interesting to know if I’m certifiably odd or assuredly in the company of others who find writing an inescapable master.          

Laura Spinella is the author of the award-winning novel, BEAUTIFUL DISASTER (which makes a groovy holiday gift) and ISABEL'S RHAPSODY, coming November 2013. Visit her at www.lauraspinella.net.    

                   

Keep on Keeping On!

By Jacqueline Luckett

For years I’d heard about a group of writers who each completed an entire novel in thirty days. The idea seemed magical. I wanted to know those writers. Was there a place they gathered? If I scoured local coffee shops, would I find them madly pecking away at their laptops, surrounded by stale pastries and triple lattes ? Were these writers geniuses, cult-members, or crazies?

Then, one day, a fellow writer mentioned NaNoWriMo, the nationwide challenge to write a 50,000 word novel during the month of November. She loved it! She’d won—twice!

Scary, was the first word that popped into my mind.

Then Sharisse, my competitive alter-ego, raised her lovely head. You can beat your friend, she goaded. You can write more than 50,000 words! You could win NaNoWriMo!  Her timing was perfect.

Last year, I had an idea for my third novel that just wouldn’t take form. I knew the characters, the story, and a few plot twists. Yet, I couldn’t commit the story to paper (or computer). NaNoWriMo!  30 days of writing—piece of cake. 1,666.67 words per day—easy. Little did I know.

October 31^st

I made a chart:

Column 1 DATES, November 1-30

Column 2 CUMULATIVE WORD COUNT goal (added 1,666.67 to each day)

Column 3 (like any good to-do list) COMPLETED a checkmark or a gold star to mark my progress.

November 1^st

I started.

November 2-29

The Distraction Devil dropped by. Like an unexpected, amusing in-law, he stayed for 29 days. I recalculated word counts, switched charts from Word to Excel and back again. I searched the NaNoWriMo site for interesting trivia, read updates from writers I didn't know. I surveyed the countries, states, cities where people were writing at the same time, with the same goal. I looked for  meet-up groups (there were a lot of them). I considered NaNoWriMo in Paris and researched flights.

November 30^th

I finished. That is to say, I had a document with a 50,000 word count.

I’d love to tell you that the chart motivated me, that my characters took over and wrote their story, that the words flowed like Beverly Hillbillies’ crude oil. I’d like to report that I ended the month with the framework of a ragged, but promising, first draft. Sadly, it didn't happen.

I found the pressure overwhelming, and I’m a writer who loves the thrill of rushing to meet a deadline. Yes, I finished. I got the poster, the decal, and the congratulatory email. It just didn't work. I hated nearly every chapter, paragraph, and sentence I wrote.

I don’t plan (notice I didn't say “will never”) to participate in NaNoWriMo again. Yet, I don't feel I wasted my time. I don't regret those thirty days because the process forced me to produce. I’m still not sure why the writing was so hard for me, but I learned a few lessons in the month-long write-fest. Hopefully, they’ll help you, on this day thirteen, as you move forward.

1.     Plan your work and work your plan. It doesn’t have to be formal—stay loose (that’s where the creativity happens). I’m not suggesting that you outline, especially if that’s not your process. Having a notes on where your story is going and what your characters want will keep you focused and writing.

2.     Don’t get behind. Stick as close to your daily goal as possible. It’s hard to make up those missed words, especially if the ideas and words aren’t flowing. If you get behind, enjoy the mad dash.

3.     Gag your internal editor. Don’t worry if the grammar is incorrect, or the sentence isn't as magical as you want it to be, or that your story has taken an unexpected. Tell that I.E., "MYOB," and let the words roll.

4.     Keep on keeping on. Something good will come from these thirty days. It might be a fabulous sentence or two, a fascinating character, or a great title. You may learn something new about your writing, your story, how you operate under pressure or what it takes to finish.

Now . . .  go back to writing! Only 28,333.33 words left.

Good luck!

Jacqueline

I’m the author of PASSING LOVE and SEARCHING FOR TINA TURNER. I did not toss out the pages I worked on during NaNoWriMo. As a matter of fact, I found a few good chapters that have turned into the beginnings of my third novel. Go NaNoWriMo!

Five Tips for Surviving a First Draft

by Malena Lott

I love the idea of NaNoWriMo. Writers around the world pecking away at a keyboard, putting the stories in their minds on paper, many for the first time. And then there are writers like me who have attempted "NanoNovember" for seven years and only "won" two, which means I hit 50,000 word count. For a professional writer, writing 1900 words a day isn't a big stretch. But doing it every day to get to 50K can be a big challenge, even for the high-stamina daily writers among us. No matter how long that first draft takes us, it's tough. I'm trying to finish the last 50k of my first mystery/suspense story, so you can be sure I'm in the speed boat with you, writers. The pic to the right is me last week at Starbucks with my handy iPad (I use omm or iWriter) and fold up bluetooth keyboard. Here are my five tips for surviving the first draft. 

1.  Auto program the coffee pot so you can plug that caffeine drip in as soon as you wake. No Facebookin' or tweeting before you get your word count in. Trust me on this. I have to have the pot of dark roast made before I get up at 6 a.m. I can't write more than this: hieooafhewnfanvzjod without a strong cup of java. 
2. Have a plan of attack. You wouldn't go on a trip without deciding where you're going and how you're going to get there, right? And rearranging your schedule to make the trip possible? Same goes for your first draft. Know what you're story is about before you get started - at least the goal, motivation, big conflict and main characters - is key, and then invite your characters into your convertible with the top down and enjoy the ride! (And do not allow the naysayers in the backseat. They will try to get you to pull over and go back, and that's not conducive to First Draft Finish Line.)
3. Go into hiding. You'll only survive your first draft by cozying up to your story. For me, that means to write in my studio in the garage where it's quiet and I can't hear the kids and hubby getting ready for school. Depending on your circumstances, it may mean keeping your novel-writing affair quiet. I mean, you and your first draft are intimate. You don't have to spill the beans of every base you get to. Besides, no one is going to understand why you are so infatuated with your story but you. You going ALL THE WAY is totally your business. They'll understand why you were so infatuated when it's all done and you get the book deal. 
4. Be gentle on yourself. Be tough on yourself. So here's where the yin-yangy business comes into writing your first draft. You have to go easy on yourself in regards to not judging your writing at this leg of the journey and you have to be tough on yourself to see your story through to the end. You get to keep your butt on the seat even when you don't feel "in the mood" and honor that time with your story. If you're like me, the ahas may come when you are not in front of your computer, but you still need sit and write every day.
5. Make writing a top priority. The first draft can't become a second or third or final draft until it's completed, which means you have to make writing an "inked" to-do, not a penciled in, if I get around to it. I'm living, breathing proof that you can still hold down a job and be a good mom while writing a novel. Just be selective of how you spend your time. For me, no (or a little) TV and working from home (owning my own business) helps keep fiction-writing a top priority, but I'm still a dance mom, den mom, homework helper and so on. What I'm NOT is a good cook, great housekeeper or social butterfly. I would choose work and writing over grocery shopping any day. But I know plenty of writers that keep the dust bunnies at bay. Just choose what works for you. Or who, if you can hire a maid and a cook. *I wish*

I also achieve word count by hopping around in the story if I need to. I try to keep things pretty linear, so often it's more about going back and filling in a scene because of a new plot point or twist or sub-plot versus skipping ahead. The truth is, you'll never know unless you try. Give yourself permission to experiment. You can always cut stuff later. 

Happy reading and writing, friends. 

GIVEAWAY:
Today I'm giving away a digital copy of any one of my ebooks gifted to your Kindle or Nook to one lucky commenter. Books to choose from: 
Novels: Fixer Upper, The Stork Reality or my new novel, Something New
Novellas: Life's a Beach or The Last Resort

I'm also running a November promo. If you buy Something New in the Kindle store, I'll gift you one of my short stories. Either "Snowflakes and Stones," or "The Pool Boy." Just email me your receipt to malenalott (at) me (dot) com before month's end.

Praise for Something New

“Something New is something wonderful! Malena Lott understands love…and knows that it’s ageless. This book is a treasure.”—Ellen Meister, author of The Other Life

“I am completely smitten with Something New: it’s endearing, romantic, and utterly satisfying, with characters so well-developed they feel like old friends. Highly recommended for mothers, daughters, granddaughters, and sisters.”

—Jess Riley, author of Driving Sideways

“Utterly charming, romantic, and beautifully written, Something New is the story of three generations of mothers and daughters struggling to define their relationships and to ultimately find their own place in the world. I absolutely loved it!” —Maria Geraci, author of A Girl Like You 

“Three generations of women in Malena Lott’s Something New discover that it’s never too late to rediscover and redefine some things old, like love and family. The Apples are witty, passionate women with just enough angst to remind us of people we know…like ourselves.”- Christa Allan, author of Love Finds You in New Orleans

NaNoWriMo: Seven Tips to Keep You Motivated by Wendy Nelson Tokunaga

It’s November 1 and that means one thing to writers: the first day of National Novel Writing Month(NaNoWriMo). For those of you who’ve been living in an underground bunker for the past few years, this is where thousands of writers get down to business to try and write a novel in a month (or at least 50,000 words of one!). In 2011, 256,618 writers participated and 36,843 crossed the 50K finish line.

I’ve never participated—I suppose every month is NaNoWriMo for me—but I think it’s an excellent idea. Don’t so many wannabe writers complain that their dream is to write a novel but they just don’t have the time? With NaNoWriMo you know that thousands of people are hunkering down, cranking out their daily 2000 word count and that’s a great motivator to finally get that novel started.

But what about staying motivated during NaNoWriMo? Or what about staying motivated whenever you’re writing a novel? Sometimes it’s just not easy to keep up the pace, no matter how much writing experience you have and no matter what the deadline. Writing is hard work and it can be daunting—there’s no doubt about that. So here are a few tips that might help you keep going:

1. Set at timer for 10 minutes, 25, 45 or whatever, turn off all distractions and just write. You’ll be surprised at what you can come up with under self-imposed deadlines.

2. Try writing at a different time of the day or even a different location. Changes like this can sometimes kick-start new creative impulses.

3. Read the opening chapter of a novel in a different genre from what you’re writing. Or read the first chapter of a “competing” novel. It’s so easy now to find excerpts of books online and you might discover a new writer you can learn from or realize that your story is better than what’s out there!

4. Take a day off from writing. Lots of people say to write every day, but a break can do wonders for your creativity. Just don’t take off a whole month!

5. Go to a favorite café and do some people watching. Listen to conversations, observe behavior. Bring your laptop and/or notebook, look lost in thought and no one will realize you’re eavesdropping.

6. Watch a movie and notice its structure and character development. Does it hook you immediately in to the story? Are the characters three-dimensional or caricatures? If you think it’s a bore, why? Watch actively instead of passively and take notes. Apply what you learn to your own novel. You just might make some important discoveries.

7. Read your favorite magazine or blogs about writing. Get inspired by a fellow writer, or even a little envious, and you might find yourself back at your desk in no time, ready to type your brains out!

Girlfriends, what keeps you motivated?

Wendy Nelson Tokunaga is the author of the novels, "Midori by Moonlight" and "Love in Translation" (both published by St. Martin's Press), and the e-book novels, "FallingUphill" and "His Wife and Daughters," and e-book short story, “The Girl in the Tapestry.” She's also the author of the nonfiction e-book, "Marriage in Translation: Foreign Wife, Japanese Husband." Her short story "Love Right on the Yesterday" appears in the anthology "Tomo," published by Stone Bridge Press, and her essay "Burning Up" is included in "Madonna and Me: Women Writers on the Queen ofPop." Wendy holds an MFA in Creative Writing from University of San Francisco and teaches for Stanford University's Online Writer's Studio. She also does private manuscript consulting for novels and memoirs. Follow her on Twitter at @Wendy_Tokunaga and visit her website at: www.WendyTokunaga.com