Riley Adams's Blog, page 190

The Importance of Opening Lines

I usually don't get stuck with book beginnings (endings are more of a problem for me), because I have a similar approach each time. This may not give me an award for originality, but it does seem to work.

I like to open with dialogue and start the book in the middle of some sort of change for my protagonist. The point where a normal, everyday, boring day turns into something different.

Now endings? They're tougher for me. I usually write several of those and decide which one I like best. That would be easy to do with a beginning, too. It takes off some of the pressure when we realize we can change it.

If you get stuck at the beginning of your book, you could even skip it and write it last.

Opening lines I'm not crazy about

I'll admit to being a pretty picky reader. I think this is because I have such a long list of books to read that I just move to the next title on the list if a book doesn't grab me.

Although opening with setting is fine, I do want the setting to be an important part of the story if the book opens up with it.

Long descriptions on the first page usually make me start skimming.

Too many character names at the very beginning of a book can make me confused, too.

Book openings usually have several goals:

Introducing the protagonist…just getting them onstage so the reader knows whom the story is about.

Posing a question, introducing some conflict, or generally hinting the plot's direction.

Showing the writer's voice.

Interesting opening lines

Looking for some examples of some enticing opening lines? Check out this article from Stylist: "The best 100 opening lines from books."

As a reader, what kinds of book beginning get you hooked? As a writer, are opening lines tough for you?

Moving Quickly Through a Draft

I'd love to have the luxury of thoughtfully mulling over each word and getting wrapped up in the art of my writing—I just don't have the time.

Between publisher deadlines, working for more than one imprint and editor, and trying to do my own independent projects, writing quickly has become mandatory for me.

If you're in the same boat, or if you're thinking of participating in NaNoWriMo next month, I thought I'd share what works for me. (Your mileage may vary.) :)

Tips for speeding through a first draft:

Have at least an idea where you're heading with a story.

Write sequels and series—you'll have an already-established setting and a core group of characters to write several books around.

Don't worry about chapter breaks during a first draft. Or even a second draft.

Don't stop to research or find the perfect word choice. Type in **** and come back to it later.

Learn to write anywhere and with any noise level . The ability to adapt to any environment makes the writing go faster.

Don't obsess over the perfect character name. The name can easily be changed later after we've gotten to know the character better.

When you realize you're not happy with the direction your story is taking, flag the point where you're changing the plot line and just pick up with the new direction at that point.

Put random ideas and out of place scenes in a special Word file.

If you get stuck at some point in your book, consider writing a different part of the book until you're ready to tackle the part that stumped you.

Make a short list of what you want to accomplish with your writing for the next day and where you plan on picking up with your story.

What works for you? Do you experiment with your process? And…are you participating in NaNoWriMo?

All About NaNoWriMo

November 1st through 30th is National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo.

If you're not familiar with it, the goal of NaNoWriMo is to write a novel in a month. You can log your progress online, participate in forums for different genres, and receive motivation, support, and encouragement from other writers.

Unfortunately, I never seem able to participate because I'm in the middle of a manuscript (to technically follow the rules, you're supposed to start a new project), but I feed off of the creativity and excitement of the participants and lurk in the forums pretty frequently, too.

I thought I'd run this post a little earlier than I ordinarily would, because I think that sometimes to write a novel quickly, we need a little prep-work beforehand.

Interested in participating in NaNoWriMo next month? Here are some posts to help you get prepared (some posts from last year and some more recent ones):

Wondering whether you should participate?

5 Reasons You Should Do NaNoWriMo: National Novel Writing Month: http://dld.bz/zHnH

The Pros and Cons of NaNoWriMo: http://dld.bz/3UfK

Recent series on NaNoWriMo:

Larry Brooks on StoryFix is currently running a series, "Nail Your NaNoWriMo." Here are his first posts-- http://bit.ly/pvLOP0 , 2: http://bit.ly/pLADA8, 3: http://bit.ly/nrOeUD

Alexandra Sokoloff is also doing a series of posts on preparing for NaNoWriMo: http://bit.ly/qHH62A and http://bit.ly/mRWaNq are her first two.

Some help from last year:

6 Golden Rules of NaNoWriMo: http://dld.bz/3XH7

NaNoWriMo Workshop – Plot: http://dld.bz/3XHt

NaNoWriMo Boot Camp: Choosing the Right Idea: http://dld.bz/3876

Getting your NaNo on: http://dld.bz/386A

NaNoWriMo - Make a list: http://dld.bz/3cF3

Make Your NaNoWriMo Experience Count: http://dld.bz/2vp3

Countdown to NaNoWriMo: Outlining A Novel Worth Reading: http://dld.bz/2rkR

5 Resources To Help You Plan Your NaNoWriMo Novel: http://dld.bz/zyZQ

Anybody planning on participating in the challenge?

Changing Our Book's Game Plan

I've worked with several different editors for the series I've written/am writing.

Each editor has been very different. I've actually really appreciated the differences because I'm getting a different perspective each time I go through an edit.

My editor for the new series has kept me on my toes. I'm not good on the phone (actually, I hate phones), so I usually try not to talk on one. I'm also someone who makes books up as I go along…I don't outline.

This editor likes to talk on the phone and review outlines. :)

The process has probably been good for me. Although it's been challenging.

Our last conversation, though, showed my discomfort with both phones and outlines, all at once. My editor said, "Yes, the story you're planning sounds really good. But I was wondering if you could change the killer?"

Now, if I'd been emailing, I would have written something really polished back. I'd have said I was delighted to change the killer and here were three alternates. Did she have a preference?

Since I was on the phone, though, I said, "Uhhhhh…."

It wasn't that I was upset about making a change. Actually, I frequently change the killer while I'm writing my book…or even after I've written it. Easy enough, because all the suspects have motive, means, and opportunity. It doesn't really matter to me which one does it because I've set up up so any of them could have murdered the victim.

But the difference was that I hadn't written this book out yet…it was an outline. And I was on the phone. And I hadn't thought it through.

Once I'd recovered and told her I'd be happy to make the change and would email her the possibilities, I took a look at the outline. She'd blown my mind enough that I couldn't even remember who the other suspects were.

I found, though, that if I changed the killer, it actually was going to make the mystery a lot more interesting. As I started exploring the possibilities, more ideas came to me. Some of the ideas weren't going to work, but others were more interesting.

It really changed the entire book, since it was an outline. If I were just doing a revision of a finished book, it wouldn't have probably changed it that much…because I'd just have tweaked it in a few places and rewritten the last couple of chapters.

I'm still no fan of outlines (even though this particular instance worked out well), but it made me think about the other project that I'm starting right now..the one that I'm not outlining. I always have a big-picture idea of a book when I'm starting out, a general direction I'm heading in. In fact, I usually write the back cover copy for a book before I start writing the manuscript.

Maybe I could write several completely different big-picture ideas for the new book. Wildly different from each other. And see which one I like best.

Do you come up with different outcomes of a book when you're brainstorming? Or do you latch onto the first feasible idea you have (which is, ordinarily, what I do…although I frequently revise it later)?

Twitterific

Below are the writing-related links I tweeted last week.

The Writer's Knowledge Base search engine, designed by software engineer and writer Mike Fleming, makes all these links searchable. Sign up for the free monthly WKB newsletter for the web's best links and interviews: http://bit.ly/gx7hg1 .

Recent news: Progressive Dinner Deadly is a Myrtle Clover mystery, available for $2.99 on Kindle and Nook. The 3rd book in the Memphis Barbeque series will release November 1—Hickory Smoked Barbeque (available now for preorder).

Hope everyone has a great week! Good luck with your writing.

10 Tips Writers can Learn from Bad Movies: http://bit.ly/oYOxmd @LyndaRYoung

What makes a novel a page-turner? http://bit.ly/ql7atc @jamesscottbell

Weeding or editing: http://bit.ly/qvSF3L @nicolamorgan

Is your YA setting hitting the wrong nerve? http://bit.ly/oFWCvl @YAConfidential

Real Life Diagnostics: Dreaming of a Good Start: http://bit.ly/q51SDj

Creating Cover Art: Down & Dirty Tips: http://bit.ly/pnYzC1

How do you get fans without 1st having word-of-mouth? 1 at a time: http://bit.ly/qrpJM2

How to Self-Publish an Ebook with Smashwords: 32 Authors Share Their Tips and Tricks: http://bit.ly/p3jk5h

5 Steps to Adding Social Follow Buttons to Your Website: http://bit.ly/pYmBWp @bookmarketer

Book Cover Design Tips: http://bit.ly/nHBqEu @thecreativepenn

The Philosophy of Writing and Reading: http://bit.ly/qIYnQi @FantasyFaction

What Elements Make a "Good Book"? http://bit.ly/p6iYpx @KMWeiland

Self-publishing news & views on @jfbookman 's Carnival of the Indies: http://bit.ly/nviJMo

Fictional sleuths who disarm their suspects with charm: http://bit.ly/ptbdag @mkinberg

Handling both good and bad reviews: http://bit.ly/qZK8Kc

The danger of inspirational fiction: http://bit.ly/p2AFq9 @NovelRocket

Should Your Story Be Told by an Unreliable Narrator? http://bit.ly/pR8tz7 @LTWFblog

Thoughts on writing for kids: http://bit.ly/qf11f0 @spacejock

A writer's partnership with editors & the importance of revisions: http://bit.ly/o4MZcG

The similarities between self-publishing and blogging: http://bit.ly/mYpLWl @jfbookman

Why You Should Only Query 6-8 Agents at a Time: http://bit.ly/nM9Ssh

Where to Find Free Market Listings for Writers: http://bit.ly/olLWqX @JaneFriedman

Resources for writing SF/F: http://bit.ly/qM8fns

15 Terms for Forms and Types of Governance: http://bit.ly/pssYRv

A Good Editor – Don't Leave Home Without One: http://bit.ly/nNgOeH

Plot is linear, story doesn't have to be: http://bit.ly/rnZviq @dirtywhitecandy

Why are our heroes getting darker? http://bit.ly/oQExrV @FantasyFaction

A Checklist for Marketing Your Ebook: http://bit.ly/pXcoGb @JaneFriedman

Tips for writing action: http://bit.ly/qmjSv9 @jhansenwrites

Agents Who Want to Be Publishers: Get Author Consent in Writing: http://bit.ly/otia2n @PassiveVoiceBlg

Straddling Genres: http://bit.ly/n4Nvd4 @jemifraser

25 insights on becoming a better writer: http://bit.ly/ngWXRq @the99percent

Review: Kobo eReader Touch: http://bit.ly/qL6mzv #ebook

5 Android Apps For Writing: http://bit.ly/qs7z8c @ebooknewser

Write Yourself into Your Characters: http://bit.ly/qtpt4H @fuelyourwriting

10 Websites and Blogs of Punctuation Protectors: http://bit.ly/pUu1Ud

How to speak publisher - D is for day job: http://bit.ly/qWLH0t

Thoughts on putting an anthology together: http://bit.ly/pOGYFG

Bust-A-Myth #1: Don't Start Sentences With Because: http://bit.ly/p4X8Wv @Grammar_Diva

11 Habits of Highly Effective Interviewers: http://bit.ly/qZ1NHS @write_practice

Change of Seasons--Visioning Time for Your Book? http://bit.ly/nR2Ado

5 Ways to Keep Your Writing Engine Running: http://bit.ly/q717mh @writeitsideways

The Fear of Not Succeeding:http://bit.ly/pUpFzN @PBRWriter

Add layers to your first chapter: http://bit.ly/qqhNC8 @laurapauling

On daydreaming and word counts: http://bit.ly/nTtwMw

The Emotional Roller Coaster Ride of a Book Release: http://bit.ly/oFVk9J @jodyhedlund

7 steps for better blog design: http://bit.ly/owdx5O @jeffgoins

Become the Hero of Your Writing Life: http://bit.ly/phBHwd @katie_tallo

Artfully Editing Your Personal Essays: http://bit.ly/pcQ1S0

How The Amazon Tablet Will 1-Click Enable Your Life: http://bit.ly/oT11rf @PassiveVoiceBlg

Does writing affect one's love of reading? http://bit.ly/opSTIv

The benefits of humor in suspense: http://bit.ly/rePTj4 @joanswan

BannedBooksWeek-- A look at Huckleberry Finn: bit.ly/q2KT37 @p2p_editor

#BannedBooksWeek--A look at "Catcher in the Rye": bit.ly/q2KT37 @p2p_editor

#BannedBooksWeek--A look at "Fahrenheit 451": http://bit.ly/nDjkMO @p2p_editor

How *not* to introduce a new character: http://bit.ly/pJvqWV @write_practice

Trouble at Aspen Mountain Press: http://bit.ly/oohxgf @VictoriaStrauss

Poetic Forms: Rispetto: http://bit.ly/nSkuBI

How To Check Out Kindle Library On The iPad: http://bit.ly/qhGbvo @ebooknewser

A writer's minimum viable product: http://bit.ly/nUDS7U @jfbookman

A look at what makes a story a story: http://bit.ly/pt3vs4 @JaneFriedman

3 Places To Get Off Your Grammar High Horse: http://bit.ly/mZeWBk @Grammar_Diva

4 skills fantasy writers need: http://bit.ly/pWWYHf

1st round edits--the editorial letter: http://bit.ly/qER3t9

Tips for beta readers: http://bit.ly/r1HiO3 @Sarafurlong

5 Essential Tips For Creating A Children's Book: http://bit.ly/qn0hqO @thecreativepenn

10 ways to increase story tension: http://bit.ly/qwmHSh @CherylRWrites

Differentiating between characters: http://bit.ly/oQ99g8

"Playwrights...stand in the back of the theatre & watch the audience, not the play." @LaurHarrington http://ow.ly/6GmbZ RT@Porter_Anderson

#BannedBooksWeek: A look at "Lolita": bit.ly/nvsljW @p2p_editor

10 Reasons It's Great to Be a Writer: http://bit.ly/rnCyLW @elspethwrites

Tips for finding a good pen name: http://bit.ly/o2642k @WriteAngleBlog

10 questions to ask your characters : http://bit.ly/paYEyE @jammer0501

10 tips for planning a blog tour: http://bit.ly/nzXXS1 @BryanThomasS

Tips for staying inspired to finish your book: http://bit.ly/nFj4Qs @NovelRocket

Conference flubs aren't fatal: http://bit.ly/ogNuKM

Why Seth Godin says we are all weird now + what this means for your blog: http://bit.ly/rs0PFx @justinemusk

The Parable of the Little Book of Stories: http://bit.ly/p3mBMR @jfbookman

5 Words and Their Nonantonymic Antonyms: http://bit.ly/qY3VK7

Are you writing the right medium? http://bit.ly/oUvLuS @jammer0501

6 tips for author readings: http://bit.ly/n6SyXP @RLLaFevers

Stiff competition makes self-editing essential: http://bit.ly/oI7z8j @bubblecow

Reading our old books is like an echo from the past: http://bit.ly/omAevM @barbaraoneal

Bad v. badly: http://bit.ly/r5jp3L

Writers--learn & manage the business side of : http://bit.ly/oxug17 @DeanWesleySmith

Enough with the 'Facebook is Free' Already: http://bit.ly/nbGMrF @catseyewriter

How many sample chapters should we sent agents or editors? http://bit.ly/qb8f2I @WritersDigest

10 Things You Can Do Now to Promote the Book You Haven't Even Sold Yet: http://bit.ly/pPWXdU @NovelRocket

Shortcut to scene: http://bit.ly/qdrtBe @Mommy_Authors

7 Ways to Perfect Your Writing "Tone": http://bit.ly/nAWsLC @WritersDigest

Tips for staying on task: http://bit.ly/qbG61x

Why nouns matter--objects and labels: http://bit.ly/n0wzCo @JulietteWade

5 Facebook Changes and What You Need to Know: http://bit.ly/ntzZST

The "Than" Versus "Then" Debacle: http://bit.ly/n3WqCW @write_practice

A few queries that didn't work: http://bit.ly/r4liL7

The Future Of Books: A Dystopian Timeline: http://tcrn.ch/oICGte #publishing

7 Tips to Improve Your Novel's Pacing: http://bit.ly/rdMr7m @janice_hardy

Do you have to write high-concept to have a successful novel? http://bit.ly/qApRrv @LauraPauling

Pre-Writing Preparation--or Not: http://bit.ly/q3ViaA @elspethwrites

How To Find Free eBooks for Your iPhone: http://bit.ly/q0rPFK @galleycat

4 years into the ebook revolution: things we know and things we don't know: http://bit.ly/ngFoq9 @PassiveVoiceBlg

Facebook attempts to be more like Twitter & Google+: http://bit.ly/nZkGuk @KristenLambTX

Catch up w/ industry news & views with this thoughtful digest by @Porter_Anderson for @JaneFriedman: http://bit.ly/oLZIZE

Words to consider cutting if your word count is too high: http://bit.ly/rbRRfe

When Writers Don't Agree With the Publisher/Publicist's Message: http://bit.ly/qffswR @BlurbIsAVerb

Konrath looks at his ebook predictions from 2009 & makes some new ones: http://bit.ly/oZplBc

Can You Really Force a Character To Do What You Want? http://bit.ly/mXf5c0 @lisagailgreen

Yes, you do have time to write: http://bit.ly/pJ6TvB

Free Alternatives To Microsoft Word: http://bit.ly/p0TCeW @bubblecow

Uncertainty: Turning Fear and Doubt Into Fuel for Brilliance: http://bit.ly/n0Wd4I @jfbookman

A Writer's Reading Diet And Why It Is Crucial To Stray: http://bit.ly/nRd9QW @BTMargins

1 writer says not to waste time and energy on bad books: http://bit.ly/oWWwD8

If you write a great script, Hollywood will find you: http://bit.ly/rbg7Ca #screenwriting

Nanowrimo Prep: Writing Your Best Idea: http://bit.ly/mRWaNq @AlexSokoloff

Bad Publishing Contract Clauses, Part 1: http://bit.ly/qr1R2e @VictoriaStrauss

6 Common Myths About Book Reviews: http://bit.ly/qupbjf @BookMarketer

Using Scriptwriting to Fix Problem Scenes: http://bit.ly/pcJMpw @Janice_Hardy

Queries: keeping records: http://bit.ly/oA3RFB @donnahosie

The waiting game for screenwriters: http://bit.ly/qL80C6 @scriptmag

How Should Publishers Respond to #eBook Errors? http://bit.ly/mZamn1 @galleycat

#BannedBooksWeek--Cat's Cradle: bit.ly/r74zRD @p2p_editor

6 Keys to Opening Up New Possibilities in Your Story: http://bit.ly/nSjfvv

Seat of the Pants Writers: Tips and Tricks to Overcoming Challenges: http://bit.ly/mRTAFE @jeanniecampbell

Best Articles This Week for Writers 9/30/11: http://bit.ly/pf3b4I @4kidlit

A Balance of Action and Information: http://bit.ly/phheSt

Fantasy Tropes: Freakishly Familiar Settings: http://bit.ly/nBKkVf @a_shostak

Elements of Superhero Stories That Might Be More Realistic Than You Realize: http://bit.ly/pFzurU

Embracing the embarrassing: http://bit.ly/ngIvyf @Mommy_Authors

A Tour of India Finds Publishers Focused on the Digital Future: http://bit.ly/qgliJr #publishing

Amazon Kindle Fire: Setting the Tablet World Ablaze? http://bit.ly/r9POVV @jfbookman

Tips for writing literary fiction: http://bit.ly/nHCOgR @dirtywhitecandy

Social Communities: Build Your Name & Brand Through Networking: http://bit.ly/odwzau @CuriosityQuills

10 tips for editing your own book: http://bit.ly/odLf7Y @bubblecow

What Advertising Can Teach a Children's Writer: http://bit.ly/oWfugf @JaneFriedman

A writer with 3 query tips: http://bit.ly/pOUCjF

7 Writing Tips from The Princess and the Pea: http://bit.ly/qGBGcl

What's Your (Story) Problem? http://bit.ly/qHpPzg @BookEmDonna

Gettin' Physical: The Dos and Don'ts of Character Description: http://bit.ly/q2MoNK @BTMargins

For literary inspiration follow @AdviceToWriters. Jon Winokur dispenses writerly wisdom of the ages.

Finding the perfect writing notebook & using it to finish your book: http://bit.ly/p5xwNC

Author Blogs–Solid Platform, Wrong Audience: http://bit.ly/nYUumW @KristenLambTX

An author under the influence: Why alcohol and ink don't mix (National Post): http://natpo.st/qbpVI0 @nationalpost

Breaking into screenwriting: writing between the lines: http://bit.ly/qntQjL @scriptmag

Quick Tips for ISBNs: http://bit.ly/o5KWHZ

An agent answers a question about multiple agents: http://bit.ly/r3bLqe @greyhausagency

Need to cut words from your manuscript? Tips to make it easier: http://bit.ly/qQOh1o

Where to find critique groups: http://bit.ly/mViVGB

Joe Konrath encourages writers not to wait to : http://bit.ly/oiCzBR

Writers Must Kill Self-Doubt Before Self-Doubt Kills Them: http://bit.ly/nVeNP8 @ChuckWendig

People with Tablets Buy More Online: http://bit.ly/nsAJU3 Wall St. Journal via @PassiveVoiceBlg

Genre Books=Accessible Literature

I was reading the paper yesterday morning and saw an article by Steven Brown at The Charlotte Observer. He usually reviews our local symphony and opera group, so I was a little surprised to see him reviewing a visual art exhibition.

The art is unusual, as you can see. It's a traveling exhibit and is making its way through American cities.

Steven Brown stated in his article for the paper:

"Here's what I see most every day. People stop. They look....They step inside "La Cabeza" and peer out through its teeth."

He makes the point that some more traditional-looking sculptures around Charlotte are passed by, unnoticed by people walking by.

And…I agree with him. When I took my children to uptown Charlotte to have lunch with my sister, they went inside the skull—checking it out from all angles. Even my teenager. They were positively drawn to it. And…it's art. It's not art that everyone might like, but it's art that's getting their interest and attention. It's accessible.

In a way, I think genre fiction fills that need in the book world. Genre fiction writers are bringing books to the people—books that are usually easily-understood, accessible, interesting, and fun. If someone doesn't think of himself as a reader, maybe a genre book in a subject interesting to him, can put him on a path of reading that can also branch into more literary-reads.

Frequently, print reviewers pick literary fiction as more of the focus. And it gets a lot of praise…well-deserved, of course. But in sheer numbers, genre fiction is responsible for a majority of book sales.

Here are some interesting posts on genre that I've been reading lately:

13 Ways to Add Depth to Your Genre Novel—Victoria Mixon's look at giving your book some depth.

When literary authors slum in genre—Tor points out that genre writers are starting to get more respect.

The Two Worlds of Literature: What Serious Writers Can Learn from Genre Comrades in Arms—I love this article on e-reads about where genre writers excel.

I think there's an important place in our society for high art—in reading, music, and art. But I think it's also important to provide art that's accessible to everyone.

Are you a genre reader or writer?

Finding Critique Groups

Many writers are looking for someone to make a read-through of their manuscript and offer feedback or constructive criticism.

The problem is, usually, finding someone to do it. Family and friends are frequently not the best choices…either they're not big readers, don't read the genre we're trying to sell, or else they're not wanting to hurt our feelings and offer genuine feedback.

Fortunately, the online writing community has blossomed. It's now possible to find writers online to trade critiques with—you read their work, they read yours.

I've posted on critique groups before, but I've recently had a few writers ask how to find them, so I thought I'd run a post again. It's been a long time since I've been in a crit group, but I do pay attention when they're mentioned online.

Finding a Group

Clarissa Draper has been particularly good about keeping up with critique groups that are available online for writers. This post mentions quite a few of them. She also helps connect writers with critique partners, personally. Here is a post that explains how and here is where you sign up.

If you're looking for an in-person group, it's worth the few minutes to pop over to Meetup.com and type in 'critique group' and your location to see if there are groups in your area.

How Groups Usually Work

Usually, with online critique groups, you're paired with one person or a small group of people who write the same genre. You email each other the work you want critiqued. Each group should operate with its own set of rules, covering how often each member can send in material to be critiqued by the others (it's no good if one person sends a chapter every day and the others are too busy reading the one person's work to write), when your critiques of other the other writers' work is due, etc.

Other Thoughts on Making a Critique Group Work Well

I found, in the groups I belonged to in the past, that everything worked a little better if I was paired with another mystery writer, or someone who read mysteries.

It's also good if you're roughly at the same level of ability (otherwise it's like playing tennis when you're poorly matched. You either get killed each time or you're killing the other person. Not as much fun.)

I've found that it's nice to tell beta readers or crit partners exactly what you're looking for. Are they supposed to be just looking for typos and grammar problems? Are you looking for global revision suggestions (character problems, plot issues)?

Also, it's good to be positive. If the person's book really needs work, there should at least be something there to comment positively on—the concept of the book, an interesting character, a cool setting, etc.

I think it might also be important to know what we're looking for, ourselves. Are we really ready to hear that our book needs work?

Have you ever used a critique group? Was it online or in-person? How did it work for you?

Reading, as a Writer

I read an interesting post the other day and shared it on Twitter.

The article was by Candy Gourlay on the Notes from the Slushpile blog. The post was titled "Does writing affect one's love of reading?"

Candy states that, yes, writing will change your reading. She adds, though:

But you've got to make the time to restore your wonder. How can you hope to inspire your readers if you yourself have lost the joy?

Besides, writing books is not just about writing books, it's about living a creative, writing life. And if the best thing about living a writing life is the writing, the next best thing is the reading.

The writers on Twitter who responded (and quite a few did) said that writing hadn't slowed down their reading, but it had affected it. As one writer put it: "We spend our days looking for problems and holes in our own work. It's hard to turn it off."

When I was a kid, I could get completely engulfed by a book—to the point it wouldn't hear my teacher or mother calling me.

Now, it's harder not to analyze a book. Particularly a mystery. If I'm reading a mystery now, it's almost unconscious…there's a tape running in the back of my head saying, "When will he reveal the body? How many suspects does he have? What's the means of the murder?…"

If I like a book or dislike it, I'll figure out why. If anyone I know likes or dislikes a book, I want to know why.

I've found that I'm not quite as bad analyzing books when I use my Kindle or a library book (maybe because I'm not using florescent highlighters on them…even though I've used Kindle's highlighting feature before. It's just not the same.)

I've made peace with the fact that I'm going to keep trying to figure out what makes a good book tick and a bad book lousy. I'm not going to stop.

I'm still enjoying books…I'm just enjoying them differently. Same with films and plays and any type of entertainment. I'm more critical…but I'm still enjoying my experience (usually.)

Has reading changes for you since you started writing?

Banned Book Week

Just a quick mention that September 24—October 1 is the American Library Association's Banned Books Week.

I've read most of the books on the frequently challenged list. Actually, I read most of them in school (English major.) It boggles my mind to think of anyone trying to ban them. I can imagine people not wanting to read the books themselves. I can imagine parents possibly having concerns about their own child reading some of them (apparently, most of the challenges were from parents.) But I can't imagine someone deciding that no one needs to read or study those books. The rest of us might feel just as strongly that our child *needs* to read them.

There are so many worse influences out there than books.

Here are twenty of the list of banned and challenged classics:

1. The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald
2. The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger
3. The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck
4. To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
5. The Color Purple, by Alice Walker
6. Ulysses, by James Joyce
7. Beloved, by Toni Morrison
8. The Lord of the Flies, by William Golding
9. 1984, by George Orwell
11. Lolita, by Vladmir Nabokov
12. Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck
15. Catch-22, by Joseph Heller
16. Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
17. Animal Farm, by George Orwell
18. The Sun Also Rises, by Ernest Hemingway
19. As I Lay Dying, by William Faulkner
20. A Farewell to Arms, by Ernest Hemingway

Here are the top 10 most challenged books for 2010:

Differentiating Characters

My 10 year old daughter met a tough challenge successfully yesterday and I told her she could choose a reward to celebrate.

She chose a Happy Meal from McDonalds. :) I got off very cheaply, and—since she's the only member of our family who likes McDonalds —she got something she wanted, too (since who knows when she'll get that fast food fix again?)

Her Happy Meal box was covered with gobs of marketing stuff, of course. The theme of this meal was a tie-in to a show that she watches on the Nickelodeon channel. One of the games on the box featured a list of sentences for children to connect to different characters on the show. Not catch-phrases, not quotations, but just likely things for the characters to have said.

I'm driving the car and she's immediately assigning each character to a sentence. Right off the bat. Then she looked at the bottom of the box. "I got them all right!"

And I have to say I was very impressed…well, after wondering whether she was watching too much TV. :) The show has obviously done a bang-up job differentiating their characters.

Could I do the same thing for my own characters? It probably depends on the character. It would be easy for major or recurring characters. Secondary/supporting characters? I'd like to think so. But maybe it would take longer than the 10 seconds my daughter spent on her answers.

Apparently, on this show, one character is very vain, one has an overbearing mother, one has had a long-time crush on another character, etc. Not too far off from the kinds of things we're doing with our books. We're just doing our showing with words…we get a strong impression of a character who opens his car door and an avalanche of papers and food wrappers occurs, for instance.

We're giving our characters personalities by showing how they interact with other characters (they're supercilious, stubborn, cheerful, touchy) how they react to difficult situations (they get frustrated, they become leaders, they run off and hide), and—like the Happy Meal—showing character clues through dialogue (their choice of words, speech patterns, vocabulary, etc.).

How do you help readers differentiate between your characters?