Joy E. Rancatore's Blog, page 11

Embrace the Seasons of Writing

“It’s just that season of life.”

Man, if I had a nickel for every time I’ve said or heard that phrase! As a mom, this is often a conversation starter.

Each age of our children brings a new season for moms—the infant season, the terrible twos … and threes … and …, school battles, friend issues.

Work brings other seasons—starting a business, searching for clients, too many clients to handle.

And then there are the seasons of life in general: sick parents, moves, natural disasters, tragedies, illnesses.

As humans, we’ve got no choice but to accept the season we’re in and press on through.

[I mean, there is chocolate and whisky and a dark corner somewhere, but apparently escaping for an extended period of time is frowned upon.]

Writers face seasons as well. There’s:

Brainstorming
Drafting
Revising
Editing
Researching
Querying
Polishing
Submitting
Publishing
Marketing

Not to mention:

Head-banging
Over-caffeinating
Screen staring

and my favorite …

Chocolate consuming

And, because none of us only deals with one type of season at a time, we face the added task of handling a sick kid/huge work project/revision deadline season. [Can I get a #writermomlife?]

It’s enough to make a person want to run away, screaming!

Now, this post isn’t about juggling everything in our lives. It is about embracing the seasons of writing.

So, how do we do that?

Well, I suggest we start with a little PEP!

Prioritize and Plan

Of course, I do have to mention it because it’s reality. We all juggle multiple responsibilities in various seasons. If you’ve followed me for a while, you know this topic pops up from time to time, so just hang on to those two commands and prioritize your tasks and plan your time accordingly to block off the time you need for each.

Evaluate

Often, the best first step when we’re feeling overwhelmed or facing a new season is to step back, pause and evaluate what’s going on.

When it came time for my fourth round of revisions, I wanted to plunge right in and get it done. The problem with that was, I hadn’t evaluated all the feedback I’d received or the further research I’d done.

So, when I tried to “hop right in,” I sank like an anvil. When I stepped back and evaluated the task, I was able to do three invaluable things:

Absorb the feedback I received and process what it meant for me and my novel overall. I got to see the forest and determine which trees may need to go and which spots were a little bare.
Identify steps to accomplish my goal. I made a plan to take it a tree at a time.
Breathe in the beauty around me as I hiked through my forest of words.

Process the Purpose

Finally, with each season of life, parenthood or writing, we have to process the purpose.

No matter how dark and stormy the season we’re in, it has a purpose. Instead of bemoaning the hardship, we need to ask ourselves what the purpose of this season may be.

Writers have it a little easier in their seasons of writing than we do in regular life seasons, I think. We don’t always know the purpose in losing a loved one or battling a giant illness.

We do, however, know exactly why we’re bleeding red on the pages of a novel—to make it better for our readers. We can go even deeper with our purposes, especially with revisions.

For me, Round 1 was, “Is it a good story?”

Round 2 was pulling up all the weeds I noticed in my first read through.

Round 3 was correcting a few errors in my research.

Round 4 was taking the outstanding critique of my great writer friend, Mea Smith, and digging deeper into my characters and plot and theme.

And, now, Round 5 is about correcting any more errors in facts that I can and trimming off the unnecessary fat as I zero in on the most important motivations and the best scenes that get us from beginning to end.

It also helps me to look back and see how far I’ve come.

“Now I know why Jack responds to this situation this way!”

“Now I understand why this character is invaluable and this one’s expendable!”

And, tiny glimpses forward help me process why each round is important. “My expert readers shouldn’t have to slog through 20,000 words that I know now need to go.” And, “My medical expert reader doesn’t need to read it now because I’ll have more corrections from my military expert readers that could affect the medical issues.”

While the purposes in our seasons of writing are generally easier to understand than life seasons, we have some tricky ones as well.

A scathing review that makes us question our ability and worth as a creator.
The five hundredth rejection.
The life issues—financial or time wise—that delay publication for yet another year.

For these instances, I’ve got two responses to aid in processing the purpose.

We will get negative reactions and rejections. Instead of allowing them to define us, we have to embrace the parts that can make us better and ignore the bits that may not fit us and our overall purpose—or that may have come from jealousy or ignorance.
Timing is everything. That’s a pretty common saying, but one that may be less common is one that’s far more important. God’s timing is perfect. I may not understand entirely why I let doubt and fear keep me from pursuing authorship seven years ago, and I may mourn how much further along I could be in this process of establishing myself; however, I know God knew I wasn’t ready yet. It wasn’t his time then. And, I may not understand why financial hardships have delayed my publication now by at least a year, but God does. And, his timing is perfect. My books will launch “for such a time as this”—exactly when He’s already planned them to for some purpose I may never know.

So, with our PEP in embracing all the seasons of writing, we’ve got to also have faith.

 

What season are you in right now—in life, in family, in work, in writing? Are you enjoying the blossoming springtime or slogging through the dull gray of winter? Have all these seasons spun together to create a “perfect storm” in your life?

To read more about my planning, evaluating and processing in writing, subscribe to my weekly newsletter!

The post Embrace the Seasons of Writing appeared first on Joy E. Rancatore.

Grotto in the Gulf

The following is a story from a series of short fiction exploring some of the Faerie Shepherds and Shepherdesses within my fantasy world. Read below the story for further explanation and head over to my first tale in this series if you’d like to read more!

Marin’s tongue raked the sea’s tangy kiss from her lips. The Gulf’s warming winds tap-danced along the waves before swinging a quadrille through her wavy locks. She’d stood on this rock countless times before. Each time the view struck her as familiar as it was ever-changing. Water and sky stretched as far as her sight could reach.

Perhaps that’s what she loved about it—the never-ending newness. Every tide breathed its first and last upon this rock. Each drowning and breaching sun would never cast the exact hues again. Even she found herself on each visit a remade version of the Marin she knew deep down.

Since early childhood, sleep would transport her to this spot. She would stay to swim and play with the creatures of the sea for far longer than a single human night. Always, when she grew tired, she would lay upon a bed of starfish as seahorses and dolphins harmonized to give her a sea song for slumber.

As she grew older, her visits to the rock grew longer. The sea creatures began to rely on her presence. Her appearances became legend amongst the peoples of the ocean’s depths and even the Undines—the very spirits of the water—enveloped her into their councils.

As Marin breathed in the briny breeze, she picked up a hint of something foreign. Her deep brown eyes scanned the horizon until she realized the colors were wrong—off, somehow. Too bright or not sharp enough? Too much of one tone and not enough of another—perhaps that was it. Like she was peering through a tinted filter at the view she loved the best.

Vibrations massaged her feet, heel to toe and back again. Growing stronger, they ran up her legs and throughout her body until her ears alerted her to more unusual activity. A grating, scraping, breaking crunch shook the sound waves behind her.

Her rock had come alive.

Marin bowed her head to the scene before her as she steadied herself for whatever discovery would come. Her turn came quicker only than her eyelids’ choice to rise. Before her—where once she’d found steady support from the rock against which she would rest to think and dream and wish—a wide, dark opening beckoned to her.

From its depths came the siren song of porpoises playing and splashing within a watery cave. Marin longed to join them, to frolic with them in the cooling waters tucked away within this ancient—yet newly birthed—grotto.

She could feel the memory of the smooth velvet of the porpoises’ sides brushing against her skin. She heard their teasing calls and smelled the sea billowing from the cleft. The intensity of the vibrations beneath her had increased and traveled until they filled the air around her and seemed to originate within her chest.

As she squinted into the opening, Marin caught a slight shimmer far inside the murkiness. Like a candlewick struggling to latch onto a match’s offering, the glint appeared here and there, disappearing again and again but reappearing slightly brighter than before.

The colors beckoned.

The calls of the impish creatures enticed.

But, it was the water that lured her toward the cave’s yawn. The lapping began softly, slowly; gradually joining in the chorus of all the other gifts to Marin’s senses. As it rose into a mighty rushing culmination of the sea’s symphony, she knew this was the end to the musical masterpiece she’d only heard in shortened movements.

Its melody filled her soul and overflowed from her mouth in words she’d always carried but could not understand. As she joined the performance, her feet led her inside the grotto. They felt her path down moss-covered stairs as her eyes never wavered from the glimmer ahead. It grew larger the deeper she trod as the song she sang rose in fullness and volume.

In unison with a rousing crescendo, the light burst forth as her toes reached lightly lapping waves and she sank slowly into the water with its glowing rainbow shimmer spreading out as far as Marin could see.

She became one with the water, the light, the chorus and the creatures teeming in the deep.

Sirena, queen of the Undines, greeted Marin with arms wide open, princesses of the Gulf fanning out from her as they sang in unison.

“Welcome, Marin—Chosen to lead. Come, take your place; assume your Calling. Shepherdess of the Seas.”

“Grotto in the Gulf” Copyright © 2018 by Joy E. Rancatore. All Rights Reserved.

 

I’d love to hear what you think about Marin and the water she loves! My hope is that you’re drawn to these characters from this tiny window into their world. My goal is to gift you a monthly story post as I slowly develop this fantasy world of mine and plan out a series of books surrounding the Shepherds and Shepherdesses of the Fae. Read my last story with more on Marin’s sister, Montana, in this post.

This month’s story flowed from the inspiration of a delightful monthly online writing prompt, #BlogBattle. As you will read on their site, “Blog Battle is a monthly writing prompt meant to inspire writers and entertain readers.” To read several outstanding stories inspired by October’s prompt, “Cave,” head on over to the BlogBattlers site! You may just find a new favorite author to follow!

For more detailed weekly updates on my writing process behind this short story as well as my other tales, please subscribe to my newsletter!

The post Grotto in the Gulf appeared first on Joy E. Rancatore.

What Camping Can Teach About Writing

This weekend, I got to do one of my favorite things. Camp. I got to thinking how similar camping and writing are, and what camping can teach about writing. My guess is, camping may just have some lessons for other endeavors you may pursue as well. Read on through and then let me know how you can apply these to whatever you’re working on.

Preparation

This one might be the most obvious. Proper preparation is essential for a successful camping trip and for a successful writing project. So, how do we prepare?

Planning

You’ve gotta have a plan.

Would you walk out your front door without supplies or a map or a destination in mind and declare yourself “going camping”?

I certainly hope not! Planning for this past weekend’s campout began back in the summer when I booked the location. Since my daughter and I were planning this event for her AHG Troop, we had a lot more planning to do than we would for a simple family trip. We’ve been gathering information—attendees, weather, activities and the supplies they would require. We determined what food we would have, how we would prepare it and what ingredients we would have to purchase. We prepared a schedule and a packing list for our friends. We requested supplies that we needed. We purchased the rest. We cooked what we could ahead of time. We loaded the car, unloaded it and set up.

Now, amongst writers, we have a mixture of planners, pantsers and in-betweeners. Every writer takes a different approach to the writing process. This is why there are so many how-to books on writing—and why so many of them should be read with a giant salt block. A committed writer will discover—usually by trial and error—what works best for him or her.

Since I’m me and no one else, I can only tell you what this step looks like for me. I have to know the start and the finish and at least a rough outline of how we’re getting there. I need to know some things about my characters—who they are, what they need or want, what has to happen to get them to their goal and some of the whys. I have to gather information, too, just like we did for our campout. Brainstorming the story and character info is part of that, of course.

I also have to research.

When I’m writing fantasy, my research time is spent reading folk tales, myths, legends, faerie tales and much more from different parts of the world. I also pour over languages and work on my own language constructions. And, of course, I dig around for interesting weaponry that might fit within my worlds.

For my literary fiction novel, I read or asked questions about or watched videos of everything from Marine Corps history to sniper terminology to detailed medical descriptions of what happens to human bodies in various types of horrible accidents to withdrawals from alcohol to gunshot wounds that can permanently limit one arm to within a very specific range of motion.

I couldn’t function as a pantser. It’s just not my nature, so it’s hard for me to imagine writing that way; but I guarantee you they have some sort of plan or method going in. It may not be written down or jotted out in outline form or anything, but it’s there. They have to do the research, too. Now, some writers prefer to do their research on the back end, but I think most of us end up with a combination of before, during and after.

I have hopped in somewhere in between, but it didn’t go so well for me. The experience was a good one, and I produced a so-so first draft; but I also learned the important lesson that I just have to plan with a fair amount of detail.

Packing

This is a step that I think requires a “Goldilocks” approach.

The best camping example of this would be backpackers. They have to be super prepared for whatever they might encounter on the trail. They must wear the appropriate clothing and footwear for both the terrain and the temperature. They must pack not only the right items and the right amount of those items, but they also have to pack them strategically. Each item needs to be in its own easy-to-access spot that also equally distributes the weight across the hikers’ shoulders.

Pack too little and you’re going to freeze or starve or not be able to treat that snake bite. Pack too much and you’ll soon find yourself limping under the burden. Pack incorrectly and you’ll topple over or not be able to find the rain gear quickly when that storm pops up. Dress incorrectly and you’ll deal with blisters or poison ivy or countless other discomforts.

Planning to write is similar.

Over-planning a story can actually stifle the creative process. It’s easy to get lost in developing deeply detailed outlines that map out every scene with each character’s thoughts and motivations and intentions and discoveries. While those sound great, it’s easy to get so dependent or committed to those time-consuming creations, that a writer turns a deaf ear to the whispers of his characters that a different order would be better or that their motivations have changed or that a secondary character may just need to die for the good of the protagonist.

Research is a tricky beast as well. Good writers do all they can to really know whatever it is they’re writing about; however, they also know that research can be a slippery slope with rabbit trails branching out all over the place. I have found myself stuck in a never-ending labyrinth of research. When that happens, the actual writing keeps getting pushed off longer and longer.

Pitching

Finally, we arrive at our campsite—or our blank document. It’s time to properly pitch our tent. It needs to be sturdy enough to withstand the duration of our stay as well as our surrounding environment.

I’ve written before about how deadlines are invaluable to me and how goal-setting can make you more likely to succeed. Also, unless you’re one of the lucky authors who get to do nothing but write for a living, you’re going to have to carefully schedule out time to write.

With NaNoWriMo just a few weeks away, writing blogs are full of answers to the question, Should you write a whole novel in a month or not? Honestly, the answer will be different for every person and often different for the same person at different times. If you’re pitching your writing tent for one month only, you better get ready to put some other things on the back burner and pack some extra fuel for the late nights around the campfire. If you’re spreading it out further, you may want to consider mini-deadlines to keep you motivated along the way.

Either way, you have to have a schedule. Now, some writers have the luxury—I call it that because I don’t have it and may be a little jealous—of having regularly scheduled blocks of time specifically for writing that remain mostly consistent. Susie Q may get to write from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every weekday while her kids are in school. Bobby X might get 10 p.m. to midnight every night of the week. Mary Z knows she’ll have 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. every day. John D has his hour lunch break on weekdays, Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 7 to 9 and Saturday mornings from 8 to 10.

Or, you could be like me. My family’s schedule always changes monthly, frequently changes weekly and, more often than you’d think, daily. So, to give you a current example, I am in the midst of further revisions on my novel. I want to put in two hours each day. I’d love to write in my planner Revisions: 1-3 p.m. for every day of every week this month. What I write instead is Revisions. I know I need two hours somewhere in that crowded list of things to accomplish. So, the night before or the morning of, I get a plan in my mind.

Okay, we’ve got to do school. I’ve learned by now that this year isn’t going to wrap up by lunch, no matter how hard I try. I’m aiming for 1 to be able to focus on something else. Now, let’s see, my hubby’s closing today which means I can work tonight after the kids go to bed; but he’s opening tomorrow and we have activities from 4 on. I have X, Y and Z that have to get done today for the blog and P, Q and J tomorrow for AHG. So, I’ll block off 4 to 6 this afternoon for revisions and 6 to 8 tomorrow morning right before school to fit it all in … I hope.

Regardless of the amount of mental gymnastics you have to do to come up with a schedule, you have to have one. Otherwise, the million distractions that pop up during the day will knock you off course and take away whatever isn’t firmly tied down. So, you’ll fulfill the commitments you made to all the dozen people vying for your attention and you’ll turn in the client’s work that you took on and you’ll attend all the events and meetings you checked “going” for. And, all those distractions that come—texts, emails, notifications, phone calls—will fill in the rest of your day until you come to the sudden realization that you don’t have another two hours left. (Or the energy to revise during them even if you did.)

So, pitch that tent firmly and securely and fill it with whatever you need to stick to your plan.

Process

After all the planning, we’re finally ready for the process.

For campers, this means enjoying the great outdoors with its slower pace, inspirational views and intentional time with either family or for personal reflection or both.

For writers, this means fingertips to keyboard or pen whipping across paper.

This is what we’ve looked forward to and dreamed about. Most of the time, it makes all the hard planning work totally worth it. But, we have to remember … it’s not without its bumps.

This past weekend definitely had its rough patches. When you’re juggling all the responsibilities and activities for, along with multiple preferences and desires of, several other people, the peace and quiet of nature gets easily lost. Writing falls right in line with this comparison because children get sick, friends have emergencies, work projects change and schedules get tossed like a garden salad.

So, do what I should have done many times this past weekend.

Stop. Breathe. Observe. Reflect. Appreciate.

And keep on going.

un-Packing

I’ll be honest, this is my least favorite part of any kind of trip. I hate to unpack. Packing is a blast. Finding ways to fit as much as I possibly can into the suitcase and still get it closed? That’s fun for me. But, unpacking? Blech!

The trip is over; all the fun has been had. It’s back to reality and the routine. What’s exciting about unpacking? If anything, it’s just the admission that the adventure is over.

Of course, we have to unpack. Otherwise, the clutter would take over our homes, the still-damp tent would mildew and the seeds we picked up on our pants legs while hiking would sprout a tree in our dirty clothes bag.

For the writer, unpacking comes when we begin to read what we’ve written, revise it, pick it apart, share it for others to pick apart, revise some more and some more and some more until we can begin to edit and edit and edit some more until we think we may see a nearly ready product somewhere in the distance.

I rather like the term “unpacking” for these steps because that’s really what we’re doing. We’re taking this package that we’ve carefully filled with all these special items and necessities and favorite things and unpacking this to leave at home and that to move over here in order to give room for something else we almost forgot and then shifting three more things around to make the whole thing fit together better.

So, as hard as revisions are, I sure do love the results that come from sticking to the unpacking process.

Polishing

Now, you’re probably scratching your head a bit at this one in relation to camping. I promise it makes sense!

After the trip is done and the sleeping bags are washed and put back up in the closet and the tents have been refolded and stored away again, all you’re left with are your memories of the camping trip. We’ve already established that no camping trip is without at least a few hiccups or rough patches, so when we hold these memories in our hand, it’s up to us to learn from the bad ones and hold on to the good ones. To polish them until they shine as a special gem we can pull out and look at on a gloomy day when we’re trapped indoors with a mile-long list of things to do.

With writing, the final polishing comes after all the deep revisions and the many phases of edits. It comes in the finishing touches and it comes in the reflection on the entire process when we hold that bound book or that final story draft in our hands and say, “I planned this and made this and remade this and now I have this treasure to cherish forever and share with others.”

 

So, Dear Reader, what do you think? What can camping teach you about whatever process you’re currently working on? Writer Friend, do you see the similarities? Have you ever thought of this before?

Just for fun … do you like to camp? If so, tent or camper or cabin? Where’s your favorite spot to go? If you could camp anywhere, where would it be? If you’d like to see behind-the-scenes photos of my life as a writer, reader and occasional camper or read more about my writing process and works in progress, please subscribe to my weekly newsletter!

P

The post What Camping Can Teach About Writing appeared first on Joy E. Rancatore.

How to Embrace Revisions

I’m currently on Round 4 (I think) of revisions on my literary fiction novel. Let me tell you, friend, revisions are TOUGH! When I faced Round 3, I didn’t want to continue. I was tired and discouraged and overwhelmed and so many more feels. At that point my manuscript was this incredibly needy beast of a book with issues out the wazoo and no hope for an eventual final draft in my sight.

“I have to make this accident more medically accurate.”

“Now, this scene needs a few tweaks to make it Marine Corps right, but then I have to make sure people with no experience with the Corps understand it, too.”

“I still don’t totally understand WHY Jack is reacting like this! What is his deep-seated motivation behind this action? I should know this by now, right? I mean, I did create him.”

“I’m on page 1 of … 237!?!?!”

“And, these ten scenes need total rewrites. Where’s the coffee?”

Revisions are enough to make even the most seasoned writers want to curl up in the fetal position in a corner. But, we push past that. We rip apart and rewrite. We dig deeper for the reason behind every action and we cut anything that doesn’t move our characters and story along.

Writers lovingly, proudly create a first draft and then we slash it until the pages run red and our hands hang numb. And then we do it again. And again—as many times as it takes to turn that helpless baby into something that can stand on its own in the harsh book world.

We do this because we’re committed to our craft, to our readers and to our story. We do it because only the best will do when we bare our souls to the critics as they peel back that front cover.

Today I wanted to share with you a few things I’ve learned in the process. I hope this will give readers a glimpse at just how intense this part of the writing process is … and why it takes so long. And, just maybe, I will encourage a writer who’s standing at the foot of the revision mountain wondering—as I did—how on earth they can ever climb that high when they can’t even see the top. 

Understand the characteristics of a revision.

All revisions have two things in common: they are crazy hard and absolutely vital. If you can accept those two facts, you should be able to take those first few steps up your mountain.

It will be hard. So hard.

If it were easy, everyone would do it!

We’ve all heard that before, right? Well, it certainly fits here. Relatively speaking, writing a first draft is the easy part. The revision stage is where a writer determines just how committed they are.

After my first two rounds, my manuscript was decent, even fit for reading consumption, I’d say. I could have stopped there. But …

I knew it needed depth. I knew it could be better, but I needed some help. So, my critique partner stepped in (more on her below). She dissected it, pointed out the diseased parts and the ones that needed more surgery and handed it back on a sterile field to put back together.

I didn’t want to. I wanted to go pass out in an on-call room and let another surgeon handle it. (I agree. This has become a really weird analogy. Just roll with it!)

So, my book book lay there, open on the table, exposed and a mess of mush while I fretted and rung my hands and wondered which vital organ to work on first.

And then I had a discussion with myself. (I highly recommend doing that from time to time … it’s very beneficial.) I asked why the heck I was doing this to begin with. I reviewed all my reasons one by one until I was smiling and reaching for my red pen.

I was finally ready to make the next round of cuts and stitches.

Once I got to The End one more time, I caught a glimpse of the mountain peak ahead. I do believe that will be one gorgeous view, if I do say so myself.

But, to get there, I’ve got more rounds to make. The difference now lies within me. See, I’ve recognized that second characteristic of revisions …

It will be worth it. Infinitely worth it.

A few times in Round 3 when I slogged through a particularly rough scene where I either had to rewrite it or give it the depth and heart and purpose it hadn’t had before, I sat back and let the tears well because it had been totally, completely worth it. What lay before me showed me a story that was no longer just good. It was outstanding.

I thought of my family and friends … all those who have helped me with this book, encouraged me on the journey and believed in me. I knew that scene had now become worthy of their pride. And then I thought of my readers, and I knew I could now unreservedly slide this scene into their hands.

Be honest …

Honesty’s the best policy, right? (I’m just full of these little cliché one-liners today, aren’t I?) Well, you guessed it, that goes for life in general and revisions in particular. But, it’s more specific than that. I see two parts to it. You must first be honest …

… with yourself.

Many times while writing the first draft, I thought to myself, “Well, that kind of sucked, but I don’t want to think of a different way to say it. It’s good enough.” Or, “I am totally skirting the underlying motivation behind why he just did this ridiculous thing, but … maybe no one will notice. It’s just too hard to dig deep into something like this.”

I knew what my manuscript lacked and what it needed (for the most part), but I was not being honest with myself. And, I was being downright lazy. I had to remind myself of those first two things I mentioned above—hard, sure; but totally worth every drop of sweat. Because, you also have to be honest …

… for your reader.

I don’t care how great your story is. I don’t care how likable the characters or exciting the adventure or picturesque the setting, if you aren’t honest with yourself about what needs to be done and then commit to doing the hard work of making it better, your reader will know. They will weep for a great story that almost was. Or, if you were super dishonest and lazy and didn’t give more than a round before tossing it their way, they will gnash their teeth. (Ever read a Goodreads review? Gnashing.)

Get help.

While writing is a solitary profession, we do not have to trudge through the entire process alone—nor should we!

My critique partners challenge me. They question me. They make me far better than I could be on my own, and I wouldn’t trade them for all the books in Belle’s library. (In case you missed it, that’s a super huge compliment.)

Mea Smith was my book’s first reader. She confirmed much of what I knew and opened my eyes to so much more that my manuscript desperately needed. Those confirmations got me off the lazy couch. Her further critique helped me see the other issues because I was too close to the story. When something has lived inside of you for a year and a half, it’s a little hard to be objective. Without her, my book wouldn’t be where it is now.

After this round, I have more selfless critique partners ready and willing to give me their feedback and suggestions; plus, a duo of expert readers who have not only supported me from day one but also believed that I could do honor to the United States Marine Corps through this story. That’s a trust I will not break.

Help comes for writers at every stage. Brainstorming during the plotting of a story seed, tossing out synonyms when you just can’t think of another word for looked, ripping a story to shreds to make it the best it can be and shouting to the masses praise for the book they watched their friend sweat and bleed to create and perfect.

So, writer friends, sip your coffee, settle in again to that chair with the permanent indentation of your rump, dig deeper, remember why you’re doing this, be honest, get help and …

 

EMBRACE THOSE REVISIONS!

 

Readers, what do you think about the revision process? Have you ever considered how many rounds your favorite books may have gone through? If you have any questions about the process, ask away!

Writers, where are you in the process—across a valley from the mountain, at the foot of the mountain or sitting happily on the peak? How do you motivate yourself when it comes to revisions? Do you find writing or revising harder … or something else?

For more behind-the-scenes details of my process, please subscribe to my weekly newsletter. You’ll receive a few freebies for signing up; plus, you get to see more pictures of my pets, like the one above of my little editor, Tolkien Cat!

The post How to Embrace Revisions appeared first on Joy E. Rancatore.

Blazing the Mountain

The following is a story from a series of short fiction exploring some of the Faerie Shepherds and Shepherdesses within my fantasy world. Read below the story for further explanation and head over to my first tale in this series if you’d like to read more!

Montana breathed deeply. Autumn’s air filled her lungs with spice and satisfaction as she surveyed the valley below and mountain range beyond. The peaks before her glistened in the sun’s caressing descent. In all the lands of all the realms through all the times, this view couldn’t possibly be topped—at least in Montana’s mind. Ask another Faerie Shepherd, and they’ll likely describe a different scene to match that description.

But this mountain’s peak was her spot. It was as much a part of her as the powers churning within her. This was where she first came when she accepted her fate as shepherdess to the Mountain Faeries. Whenever she had deep thinking to accomplish—or needed peace from feuding faerie families—Montana returned to lean against her favorite tree and bask in the view before her.

Today brought yet another showdown over who held the greatest ownership of the mountain. The Craobheinn, treetop Fae, reasoned that since the mountains’ height was its most important feature, their own dwelling height qualified them as the elite. Each ground-dwelling Faerie vehemently declared their preeminence as those who existed upon the mountains’ very curves, ridges and peaks. But the A’bheinn rumbled low and strong with their chant, citing the name of their dwelling as proof enough that they reigned supreme—Cridhe na Beinne, “Heart of the Mountain.” Their city existed within the depths of the mountain itself.

Montana sighed. Of the three families, she would be most closely persuaded to agree with the A’bheinn. However, the Nûñnë’hï had joined her to squelch the squabble by reminding the families that their unison on the Council—under their guidance, of course—ensured the protection and care of this very mountain created and sustained by Dhae. With that return of focus, the twittering, chittering and grumbling dissipated—much like the fall leaves spiraling around Montana now.

Another flash of red whizzed past her as an orange slash followed overhead.

These were no leaves.

Montana’s temper—faster than the beings darting in and out amongst the trees behind her—flared as she leapt to her feet.

“Not on my mountain.” Her words held great power, even through tightly clenched teeth. The bright red runes on her arm glowed against the darkness of the cloud-shrouded expanse above.

The Fire Faeries hissed their laughter as they fluttered in a kaleidoscopic cyclone around her. A rotten stench assaulted her nose, and she knew the Drakes lurked nearby, waiting to unleash all the destruction in their power.

“You have no place here. This mountain rests under the protection of the Nûñnë’hï and of me, Montana Naidheachd. Away to your own realm of mischief!”

The laughter intensified to a crackle that filled the mountaintop and echoed from the peak across the valley.

“Don’t s’pose they’ll be a-listenin’ to ya, lass.”

The voice showered over her, melting the evening’s chill upon her skin while filling her with both a soothing calm and a buzzing energy.

She turned to discover a young man with ancient deep brown eyes leaning mere inches from her own face. He casually rested a forearm against the tree she had recently employed as her own support.

The brightness of her arm and the soaring Fire Faeries around them illuminated this unbidden visitor, and Montana’s breath hitched as she saw the burns covering most of his bare skin—arms, chest and face. His hair stood up straight at varying heights, matching a fire’s flames in both color and arrangement.

“And who do you think you are?”

“Well, I’m fairly certain I’m Mac Teàrlach, though who I am shouldnae be that much of a mystery to one as gifted as you, oh mighty mountain shepherdess.”

He bowed to her as an impish grin spread across his cinnamon-colored, freckle-kissed face. He tossed in a wink for good measure.

“You’re the legendary Shepherd of the Fire Faeries,” Montana breathed the words on the mixed winds of awe, revolt, disbelief and reverie.

“As charged!” He spread his arms wide and side-stepped around her, his boots clicking in time to the tune they composed. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a long night blazing before me.”

Ripples of mirth crackled around them as all the fiery creatures rejoiced in their Shepherd’s choice of words.

Montana discovered herself in a near trance at the sound, feel, sight and words of the odd man before her. She recovered and sank her nails into his arm. “Not on … “

” … yer mountain. Yes, yes, I heard.” He rolled his eyes and clicked his tongue before adding, “Didn’t mean I listened.”

Montana dashed after him into the trees. “It’s not just me. You must confer with the Nûñnë’hï. They present final judgement on anything affecting this mountain range, and you do not want to cross their power and authority. We can head to them now; you should receive an audience in the morning.”

Eyes narrowed in apparent consideration, Mac ended his brief delay with another grin. “Nah. Too long.”

Montana’s glowing arm deepened to a more menacing shade of red as she opened her mouth to protest further. Before she could utter another sound, Mac whirled around to silence her. “You’re still rather new, so I tip my hat to your fire—misplaced though it may be. Immortal or not, the Nûñnë’hï hold no authority over me. Their approval’s not needed when their mountain is centuries past time for a Cleanse.”

The zipping rainbow streaks grew increasingly frantic as they circled around the shepherds and wove through the trees and the brush.

“Their lust rages to burn. If I didn’t guide them, they wouldnae cleanse. They would kill.”

Open-mouthed, Montana watched as Mac’s simple brown eyes ignited with fire. His entire body pulsed with vibrations passed through the earth between them, into her feet and throughout her being. In a flame-colored flash, he flew away from her. The Fire Faeries followed his wake, tossing balls of flame on every side.

“My creatures!” Montana’s heart dropped a beat as she pictured the thousands of creatures who called the mountain their home and her their friend … and protector. Before she reached her second realization—that she was trapped at the top of a mountainous inferno—the voice returned, this time cooling her feverish thoughts.

“All safe and sound,” he whispered in her ear. When she turned to query him, he explained, “Your creatures, of course. I cleared the mountain.”

Montana blinked, but couldn’t quite retrieve the words she sought. His laugh thundered deeply as he observed her perplexity. “I’m a wee bit quick.” His expression grew solemn, and he placed his hands on the shepherdess’ shoulders. “Montana Naidheachd, I am a Shepherd. A protector. This fire lives only within my control and permission.”

She felt herself meld into his gaze as he spoke. His touch drew her into his very being, stealing her breathing and leaving her confident, though shaky. The twinkle returned to his face as he continued, “And, it is a magnificent creation. One I do not care to miss any longer. Let’s go.”

With one sweeping motion, he lifted Montana into his arms as the flames in his eyes warned her what was about to occur. The vibrations rattled even her heart as they flew through the fires, round and round, down they soared. The flames’ roar rushed through her ears as its scalding touch softened her skin. Its reflection flickered on his face, and she saw his joy and purpose as he surveyed the element’s power around them.

The fire made his unusual appearance the most handsome she’d ever seen. As she contemplated whether this new revelation was a trap or simple fact, Montana felt the full effects of the fire’s heat on her left arm dangling from Mac’s shoulder. His carefree, exultant gaze shifted to concern as he locked with her eyes.

“Tuck in your arm to me … now!” His order strengthened her to obey. As she hauled her flaming limb onto his shoulder and against his neck, she heard his skin sizzle even as the searing pain in her arm diminished.

In less time than an eye blink, Montana thought the fire in his eyes dimmed and his speed decreased. Whether they did or not, she couldn’t be sure; for his laugh ran free with the flames around them as he proclaimed, “I run ahead of the wind!”

Montana glanced back at the blaze fanning wildly behind them and resolved to remain uncertain about the untamed man beneath her … for the safety of her own heart.

Exhaustion and fatigue from the heat claimed her, and she rested her head against her recently healed arm. Before she sank into deepest slumber, Montana appreciatively inhaled an intoxicating blend of allspice, clove, pine and ash.

“Blazing the Mountain” Copyright © 2018 by Joy E. Rancatore. All Rights Reserved.

 

I’d love to hear what you think about Montana and Mac Teàrlach! My hope is that you’re drawn to these characters from this tiny window into their world. I plan to share more of their story “out in the wild,” so to speak, here on my blog. My goal is to gift you a monthly story post … despite illnesses and life, if I can. Read the last one with more on Montana and her sister, Marin, in this post.

This month’s story flowed from the inspiration of a delightful monthly online writing prompt, #BlogBattle; though I am not “officially” participating again since illness kept me from completing the story in the right month. As you will read on their site, “Blog Battle is a monthly writing prompt meant to inspire writers and entertain readers.” To read many outstanding stories inspired by September’s prompt, “Blaze,” head on over to the BlogBattlers site! You may just find a new favorite author to follow! I’m already working on an October story, thanks to the prompt “Cave.”

For more detailed weekly updates on my writing process behind this short story as well as my other tales, please subscribe to my newsletter!

The post Blazing the Mountain appeared first on Joy E. Rancatore.

My Literary Dream

I recently had the opportunity to focus in on my literary dream and purpose and sum them up in less than two minutes. Today I decided to share that with you!

Chip and Joanna Gaines, co-hosts of Fixer Upper, have become far more to me than TV celebrities. They have been both my inspiration and example as I’ve set out to build my literary business. Three things about them have always stood out to me, and they have gifted me a couple of things even though we’ve never met.

They are who they are.

This couple is funny and cheesy, and they own it! Seriously, I want to hang out with them! They appear to be humble and down-to-earth and kind and the kind of neighbors we’d all love to have. They’re also committed to their clients, to quality workmanship, to family and—above all—to God.

They do not compromise.

They never compromised those commitments throughout their time in the primetime spotlight. No matter how busy the couple gets or how late Joanna stays at a house to make it a perfect home for a waiting family, they find ways to spend quality time with their children.

They bring their children into their business.

And, they find ways to make their kids part of their business. Taking them on shopping trips, letting them help with the decorating or having them toss the dirt on a newly planted magnolia tree—these are the memories their little ones will grow up with as they simultaneously learn the value of hard work.

They’ve given me an inspirational example.

The Gaines’ example has encouraged me to find ways to include my children in my business, whether they are helping me build storyboards, going with me to have a manuscript bound, reading and reviewing books for me or helping me film a video.

Another thing I love and admire about Chip and Joanna is how they now use their influence and reach for service to others. Service to community is a large part of my family’s life and something I want to keep at the forefront in my business and marketing plans because I do want to be successful—perhaps not exactly as you immediately think. From a financial standpoint, I desire to be profitable enough to remain afloat (pay all the bills that go along with a business), provide the basics for my family and have some left over in order to give back. From an audience standpoint, I do want my number of readers and followers to grow. The more readers and followers I reach, the more people I can influence to give back in their communities.

They’ve opened a door to leap for my dreams.

Because I know my literary dream extends to far more than simply seeing my name on the cover of a book or two, I decided to make a submission to Chip’s dream-giving program, Chipstarter. Whether I’m chosen or not, this contest gave me the opportunity to fine-tune my goals and to realize that it is more than okay—in fact, it’s a must—for me to declare that I deeply believe in my dreams.

If I am chosen as a finalist, I’ll get to meet Chip and Joanna!! How cool would that be?!?! And, if I win, I will be able to launch Logos & Mythos Press in a far better way than I ever could on my own; and I will definitely be able to launch it in 2019.

Due to some setbacks in my freelance business, I’m not sure I will have the funds to launch by next year like I had hoped. But, I do believe in all of this, and I will make it happen. Whether it happens in 2019 or 2025, it will come to be and it will be wonderful when it does!

So, without further adieu, here is the video I submitted for Chipstarter. You can also find it, with a brief explanation, on the Chipstarter website.

 

What are your dreams? Tell me all about them, so I can dream with you! Have you ever had someone unexpected believe in your dreams? Let us know in the comments below or shoot me an email anytime. Please subscribe for my weekly newsletter to learn more about my progress toward achieving these dreams.

The post My Literary Dream appeared first on Joy E. Rancatore.

Creating Through Exhaustion

Let’s face it. We live in a BUSY world. Some would proclaim it too busy (and I’m likely to agree). With all this busyness swirling around us, we often find ourselves worn out. Is it possible to continue creating through exhaustion?

It is possible—with discipline and resolve—and, it’s totally worth it!

3 Benefits of Creating Through Exhaustion

1. A SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT

If you’ve followed me for a while, you know I’m a huge fan of setting big goals and meeting them by checking off a whole slew of mini-goals on the way to their completion. I like “to do” lists and—even more—love crossing each item off said lists.

So, when life’s responsibilities jam up together on the freeway of life and it’s taking ten times longer to reach each exit (AKA checkmark), allowing yourself time to create—and complete—something brings a much-needed sense of accomplishment to the gloom of traffic.

Though it may seem counter-productive to steal an hour or two from an already tight schedule, taking that time to see a project through from start to finish is totally worth it.

2. A BOOST OF CREATIVE ENERGY

See, what happens when we complete a task is our brains are flooded with a boost of happily dancing creative energy. (I’m sure there are scientific terms to back me up, but I’ll leave those for the science-y folks.)

As a result, we can then turn back to the next task on our daunting list with more energy and complete it more quickly.

Consider it your shot of Creative Coffee!

3. A REMINDER OF THE CORE OF OUR PASSIONS

Anyone who chooses to pursue a creative passion with the goal of making it financially beneficial knows that it is HARD—not impossible, but nowhere close to easy.

So, as we manage all the must-dos surrounding our want-to-dos, it’s easy to lose focus on the passion that launched us out in the first place. 

In the pursuit of our goals, we can’t let ourselves lose sight of our purpose.

A Personal Example

Personal anecdotes can easily morph into a downer or soapbox tirade or online pity party; however, we know real life isn’t Pinterest-perfect, happy-happy all the time, right? So, in the interest of being real and reminding you that I don’t have it all together—or even close to together—I’ll keep this brief and rather vague while still being real.

This has been a very challenging summer for me in many ways. I haven’t met some of my goals, and my work hasn’t always been up to my standards or been completed in my desired timeline.

I’ve been overwhelmed, exhausted and depressed more than I’d like to admit.

But … I’ve continued to put one foot in front of the other—even if they’re baby steps when I’d rather take giant ones.

Last week, I pushed myself to create a short story as the starting point of a series. That turned out to be a great decision for all the reasons above … and so many more.

Whatever your creative outlet, I challenge you to create something this week, regardless of what’s going on around you or how exhausted you are.

 

Did this post encourage you to get creative? If so, tell me all about it! I want to rejoice with you! How do you push or challenge yourself creatively when the “real world” has got you feeling overwhelmed?

The post Creating Through Exhaustion appeared first on Joy E. Rancatore.

Beneath the Green Corn Moon

I present to you the first of a series of short fiction following some of the Faerie Shepherds and Shepherdesses within my fantasy world. Read below the story for further explanation.

Ripples rumpled the moon’s brilliant reflection in the center of Lystan Lake. Two young women drank deeply of nature’s beauty as a mist crept toward them. No ordinary women, these sisters carried secrets and guarded powers no one who knew them suspected.

The one with dark, curly brown hair leaned back against a large fallen log. The book in her hand rested idly on her fingertips. A smile played around her pink lips as she watched the water in front of them. Memories of its depths whispered around the edges of Marin’s mind.

The other lay, legs tented to match the mountains beyond—her mountains. She stared wide-eyed at the moon bathing her in its beams. Her book rested open on her chest as her mind climbed the highest peaks far, far away. The last time Montana stood at the top of her favorite ridge, she hadn’t been alone … nor had it ended well.

Marin drew her eyes away from the water’s circles to survey her sister. She sighed.

“Time will heal your heart, baby sister.” She scooted over to grip the hand of the sister-friend she’d prayed for when she first learned the word lonely. “The water could help heal your soul if you’d join me for a moonlight dip.”

Montana’s laughter overflowed, unexpectedly lyrical despite her melancholy aura. “I’m not falling for that one again. Last time you convinced me to skinny dip, we had our clothes snatched by Caipharnia and his band of mischievous faeries.”

“But I did manage to make you smile and laugh for a moment.” Marin tousled the long, thick hair fanning out in an unruly headdress on the ground around her sister’s round, pale face.

Montana sat up and shook out her locks with another music box laugh. “You always do.” Rising to survey the mirky expanse before them, she frowned at the mist, still crawling down from the towering mountains and around the water’s edge.

“What does your heart tell you?” Marin peered up at the seemingly fearless girl before her, knowing she carried more fears hidden within than most.

“My head tells me Mac Tearlach is a shepherd of far deeper magic than I.” A resolved exhale confirmed she had heard the question correctly. “My heart cries out for him. It always will. For now, though, what evil floats in this drifting miasma?”

The fog had reached the moon’s reflection and sped up. It now barreled toward the sisters as it blanketed the water between them. Its appearance no longer opaque, the greenish tinge roiled and churned even as it released a hissing, rattling moan. Its evil raced ahead and gripped the hearts of the girls as they fumbled to retrieve their books.

In a series of uniform movements, they opened the books wide on their opened palms, breathing deeply from their depths before singing a duet powerful enough to carry far across the lake and up the heights beyond.

Unisomuntia; unisomuntia, Dhae. Gun ta ti potesta ê twon sumti … neun!

The books blazed as they shrunk and stretched and swirled into a mass of glowing runes, spiraling about until they wrapped around each sister’s right arm. The tattoos’ gleams pulsed as arms raised against the attacking force. The brume had risen high, stacking into a widening funnel directly in front of them, yet rooted in the lake’s edge.

The radiant glare intensified—Marin’s iridescent pink; Montana’s glaring red—as they repeated their proclamation, singing against the malignity before them. Louder and louder rose the sisters’ song as the twisted mass of horror diminished … slowly at first. As the sisters reached their crescendo, the hostile cloud dissipated.

High on the power flowing within them, the sisters poured forth their mirth in echoes around the lake. Their joyful song bounced off rocks and trees and set leaves and grass blades to dancing along with them. Throwing caution to the wind—Trickster Fae be ignored—they shed the flowing folds of their autumn gowns before sinking into the lake’s depths to celebrate with the mer-Fae and the many creatures they cared for and commanded.

As the sun stretched up from her bedclothes to replace her meeker sky sister, Marin and Montana emerged from their night of watery frenzy. Their smiles showed the state of their hearts. As she always did after deep dives under the water, Marin glowed. Her dark skin shone in the day’s infant light. Even Montana’s face looked lighter, less strained than usual.

Between their discarded clothes on the log sat a tall, dark-skinned young man. His black braids brushed his waist, and the feathers tucked into each revealed his bond with winged creatures. Deep brown rune tattoos covered his bare chest and showed striking similarities to the ones on the girls’ arms. Elsu considered the women before him with a stoic expression. Their laughter faded under his stern demeanor.

But, when his sparkling white teeth parted to release a blast of merriment, the women joined him.

“You’re welcome, by the way.” He tossed each one her clothes, and they unsteadily slid into them. In response to the unspoken questions in their eyes, he explained, “Caipharnia hopped at this chance you offered him, but I stopped him before he and his friends could call the Gan Ceanach to steal your affections. He’s raising his mischief to a dangerous level lately. All the semi-wretched creatures are.”

“Did you see the spreading murk?” Marin asked.

“I felt the evil infesting our nature and struck out for the vile source. When I heard your song, I took wing and arrived soon after your celebratory dive.”

“Do I understand the meaning of this disturbance across the nature realms?” Montana pinned Elsu with a seeking gaze.

He nodded to confirm her suspicions. “Elspeth has reached the Temple. Her training has begun.”

“May Dhae guide her,” Marin breathed as she clutched her sister’s hand.

“Beneath the Green Corn Moon” Copyright © 2018 by Joy E. Rancatore. All Rights Reserved.

 

I’d love to hear what you think about Marin and Montana and Elsu! My hope is that you’re drawn to these characters from this tiny window into their world. I plan to share more of their story “out in the wild,” so to speak, here on my blog. My goal is to gift you a monthly story post. We’ll see how that goes! Thank you for reading!

This month’s story flowed from the inspiration of a delightful monthly online writing prompt, #BlogBattle; though I am not “officially” participating this month since I procrastinated a great deal. As you will read on their site, “Blog Battle is a monthly writing prompt meant to inspire writers and entertain readers.” To read many outstanding stories inspired by the month’s prompt, “Moon,” head on over to the BlogBattlers site! You may just find a new favorite author to follow!

For more detailed weekly updates on my writing process behind this short story as well as my other tales, please subscribe to my newsletter!

The post Beneath the Green Corn Moon appeared first on Joy E. Rancatore.

Short Story Contest Winner Interview

Most recently my writing has focused on literary fiction, but that’s not all I’ve written this year! I also participated in a short story contest earlier.

Backstory

You may remember that for the past couple of years, I’ve had an entire fantasy series slowly building its world in my head. The evolution of an epic tale fascinates me, and I’m enjoying my own journey immensely.

While I was supposed to be focusing on a narrative nonfiction book last year, faeries kept flitting around my head and perching on my shoulder. They whispered names and prophecies and creatures in my ear. They told me the once upon a time of a young girl named Elspeth. And then, they confided in me her story’s end. 

In December I decided to turn my full attention to this world and spent an incredible writer’s weekend getaway brainstorming and world-building and prophecy-writing. Once the new year sank in, so did the realization that something as massive as creating mythologies, languages, geographies, histories and so much more would take me many years. That’s when I switched over to focus on literary fiction for most of 2018, with the plan to continue frequent brainstorming sessions for the fantasy series as well.

And then, the faeries sent me a message in the form of a short story contest—the Adventure Sci-Fi & Fantasy Short Story Contest, to be exact. Rachael Ritchey, author of the Chronicles of the Twelve Realms trilogy, dreamed up this exciting venture of creating an anthology of short stories with all proceeds going to Compassion International, and I sure am glad she did!

The Process

Back in February, I read and reread and reread again the rules and details of the competition. I sent the details over to my writer friend, Mea Smith, with the subject line “I might do a thing” to which she replied, “DO IT! It sounds just like you!”

So, I took her wise advice.

I wanted to write a part of Elspeth’s story. And, with that focus, I let Rachael’s lovely anthology cover loosely inspire my setting for Elspeth’s initial training. I gave myself a rather last-minute deadline and had a blast writing this story!

Thanks to four incredible critique partners—shoutouts to Tony Rancatore, Kelsey Atkins, Devon Harry and Lizzy Murphy—who agreed to give me feedback with very little time, I was able to quickly edit the story multiple times before the contest’s deadline. When I hit send on “Ealiverel Awakened,” I was honestly more excited than nervous. 

The Results

When I got the email that I’d earned a spot in the anthology and made it into the TOP TEN, I was ecstatic!

When I got the word that I’d won SECOND PLACE … I cried.

What really affected me about the process was that four people had read it before polishing and deemed it great, then three judges read it and declared it worthy and now it will be read by many, many more.

It was during this process that I discovered just how much I long for readers with whom to share my stories.

Since then, I have gotten to work with Rachael on further edits and now I’m getting to know my fellow writers who will be featured in the anthology. As part of our prizes for winning her short story contest, Rachael is posting interviews with the first, second and third place winners. Being interviewed was one more new experience I’ve enjoyed thanks to this contest. I have interviewed others for two decades now, so finding myself on the other side was strange … in a delightful way!

I cannot wait to share even more about this project with you all as well as more about the evolution of my epic. Until then, please hop on over to Rachael’s blog to read her interview with me!

ASF #shortstory 2nd Place Winner Interview!

 

What did you think of Rachael’s interview? Do you have any questions about short stories and anthologies or my writing process or anything else? I’ll do my best to answer, and—as usual—I’d love to hear from you! Please subscribe to my weekly newsletter as well to get even more behind-writing-the-scenes details of my life!

The post Short Story Contest Winner Interview appeared first on Joy E. Rancatore.