R.L. LaFevers's Blog, page 18
July 6, 2010
Coming to Terms With Fear
I am not generally one to experience fear when I write. Normally, I am too immersed in the story to hear the Internal Perfectionist or Cranky Editor when they hurl insults or doubts my way. The fact that am working on series probably also helps with that, as the concepts and generalities of what I am writing have some proven acceptance.
But I do find myself struggling with Fear as I write this story, and it is not a comfortable feeling. It does probably mean I'm writing the story I need to be ...
But I do find myself struggling with Fear as I write this story, and it is not a comfortable feeling. It does probably mean I'm writing the story I need to be ...
July 5, 2010
Spackle
I am moving right along on this major rewrite/revision thing that I'm doing right now and one of the things I find I am using a LOT is the literary equivalent of spackle.
Spackle when writing is just what it sounds like: a flimsy lick and a promise to get back to a spot and create something better. Stronger. Heftier. When I am in the zone and the story is unfolding before me, if I take too long in trying to capture the words, they'll disappear before I can get them down. For me, always, the ra...
Spackle when writing is just what it sounds like: a flimsy lick and a promise to get back to a spot and create something better. Stronger. Heftier. When I am in the zone and the story is unfolding before me, if I take too long in trying to capture the words, they'll disappear before I can get them down. For me, always, the ra...
July 2, 2010
Some Recent Movies
I enjoyed The Young Victoria much more than I thought I would. I had no idea that the young Victoria had had such a restricted, suffocating childhood, nor been so browbeaten by her mother. That she broke out from under that so young shows a sturdy character.
I also hadn't realized Prince Albert had died so young. I had known that they had nine children and populated most of the royal houses of Europe. It fascinates me that that was a method for spreading influence, consolidating power, and ass...
I also hadn't realized Prince Albert had died so young. I had known that they had nine children and populated most of the royal houses of Europe. It fascinates me that that was a method for spreading influence, consolidating power, and ass...
July 1, 2010
Re-Decorating
Yes, I've been doing a bit of re-decorating around here. I was tired of all that yellow. And it was way too hot for the summer.
I like the clean, cool look of this current design but it is giving me fits because, on my computer at least, it scrolls in a very laggy way. Being the thorough person that I am, I exported everything to a test blog to see if it was the sheer number of posts or images or something like that, but the test blog that is set up EXACTLY like this one doesn't lag at all. ::...
I like the clean, cool look of this current design but it is giving me fits because, on my computer at least, it scrolls in a very laggy way. Being the thorough person that I am, I exported everything to a test blog to see if it was the sheer number of posts or images or something like that, but the test blog that is set up EXACTLY like this one doesn't lag at all. ::...
June 30, 2010
Revising
In his book, THE FIRE IN FICTION*, Donald Maass has this to say:
"Scenes that are written in the normal flow of accumulating pages may be fine but often will lack focus."
Truer words have never been spoken. Which is just one of the reasons I love revision. I think of the discovery draft as not only discovering what my story is about, but also about CREATING the material I will use in building the actual story. So the first/discovery draft is never (for me) the story; just the raw ingredients fo...
"Scenes that are written in the normal flow of accumulating pages may be fine but often will lack focus."
Truer words have never been spoken. Which is just one of the reasons I love revision. I think of the discovery draft as not only discovering what my story is about, but also about CREATING the material I will use in building the actual story. So the first/discovery draft is never (for me) the story; just the raw ingredients fo...
June 28, 2010
Where To Find Me Today
I am blogging over at The Enchanted Inkpot today on mythical beasts AND over at Shrinking Violets about branding, so I think two (lengthy!) posts for one day is about all I can manage.
See you over there!
See you over there!
June 24, 2010
Meet Me At Chaucer's
I almost forgot to mention that I'll be signing my newest books* at Chaucers Books in Santa Barbara this Sunday at 3:00 with my dear friend and fellow Violet, Mary Hershey. If you are in the area stop on by and say hello!
*Actually, I will be signing my older books, too. Hell, I'll sign your t-shirt if you want. I'm easy that way.
June 23, 2010
Drilling Down
Okay, maybe not the best title choice considering the current, ongoing BP fiasco...
I've been working on the manuscript and one of the things I'm trying to get a grip around is the all different levels this story is taking place on. The layers of the story, if you will. I know instinctively that they're there, but until I can clearly identify them in my mind, I can't be absolutely certain that I'm building those layers and getting them on the page.
After doing some noodling this morning, this i...
I've been working on the manuscript and one of the things I'm trying to get a grip around is the all different levels this story is taking place on. The layers of the story, if you will. I know instinctively that they're there, but until I can clearly identify them in my mind, I can't be absolutely certain that I'm building those layers and getting them on the page.
After doing some noodling this morning, this i...
June 20, 2010
Victory!
(Or should I say, Victoire!)
I have done it. I have wrestled a series of events during the winter of 1489 in France down to a series of specific actions taken by characters in my novel. W00t!
It is broken down by act, and thank God they make eight different colors of ink or I would never have gotten it all in there. The green and purple ink are two characters I totally made up for this story, while the rest represent actual historical people who were alive and involved in these events. I can't ...
I have done it. I have wrestled a series of events during the winter of 1489 in France down to a series of specific actions taken by characters in my novel. W00t!
It is broken down by act, and thank God they make eight different colors of ink or I would never have gotten it all in there. The green and purple ink are two characters I totally made up for this story, while the rest represent actual historical people who were alive and involved in these events. I can't ...
June 18, 2010
Oh Me Aching Head!
Okay, so I know I have to prevent historical events and personages from swamping my main characters, but the knowing is the easy part. It's the HOW that gets tricky.
Once again, I find I am cutting characters right and left and combining them wherever possible. (Keep in mind I've done this twice already.) I've eliminated two major secondary characters and about eight extras with speaking parts. And combined two antagonists into one, and taken a role filled by a secondary character and given it...
Once again, I find I am cutting characters right and left and combining them wherever possible. (Keep in mind I've done this twice already.) I've eliminated two major secondary characters and about eight extras with speaking parts. And combined two antagonists into one, and taken a role filled by a secondary character and given it...
