Beth Revis's Blog, page 4

On Writing Violence

Today, I have to write a battle scene.

It necessary to the plot of the book. It's a story about war, and a war cannot be fought without a battle. And this particular battle is a turning point for my character, which means that I have make it hurt. Sacrifices will be made. I cannot sugarcoat this scene. It wouldn't be fair to the reader or the characters.

But before writing this scene, I got online. And saw the links to the terrorism attacks in Brussels.

And...I paused. I'd been plotting this scene in my head all morning, I knew just how I wanted to show it, which characters wouldn't make it and which would. But faced with the very real tragedy of Brussels--which, of course, reminded me of the other tragedies of terrorism and war throughout the world.

And suddenly this scene I wanted to write--needed to write--felt...wrong. There is so much violence in the world, real violence that has nothing at all to do with characters made of ink and paper. Part of my hesitation was in the fact that I didn't want to add more violence to an already violent world. Part of it was in the truth that I had not experienced this level of violence personally, what right did I have to tell a (fictional) version of anything so tragic?

It made me think--does the world need a book with more violence? But of course, the answer is yes. Because while my book takes place during a war, it's not about war. It's not about the violence either.

It's about surviving the violence and war and tragedy. It's about seeing the evils of the world and fighting anyway, with nothing more than the hope of a better world. It's about believing that you can make a difference, and that the price to make that difference is worthwhile.

Violence in real life is senseless and tragic and evil. Violence in fiction doesn't always have to be. Because the story I'm telling isn't about the story of war. It's not even the story of a soldier. It's the story of a person. And if I can show through fiction how wrong violence is, and that it's people who live through it and die by it, not random, faceless numbers, but people, then I have done what I can do with words to change the way the world is.

So I'm off to write my scene. And I write it with the knowledge of what's happened in the world, and the hope that one day, terrorism will only exist in ink and paper.

Attention Book Bloggers! How to Get Free Review Copies

Hey guys! I've got two books that are currently available for free to book bloggers! If you review books (even just on GoodReads or Amazon), you're welcome to sign up and try to get a copy--it costs you nothing but a second of time.

A World Without You is my first contemporary novel...but you guys know me, and I promise you it's weird and awesome and there's kissing but also a lot of tragedy and not everyone makes it out alive and maybe super powers are real and maybe they aren't, you have to figure it out for yourself.

It's about a boy who thinks he can travel through time, and he needs this power to save his girlfriend, trapped in the past. It's about a girl who thinks her brother is having mental delusions and is getting help at a school for emotionally disturbed kids. It's about the two of them--brother and sister--and the way their family is broken but also the way it's tied together.

It's a strange little book, but it's one of the most important things I think I've ever written, and I hope you like it.

TO REQUEST A REVIEW COPY OF A WORLD WITHOUT YOU, CLICK HERE.

My Paper Hearts series has also been selected for a short run on NetGalley, a program designed for reviewers to read copies for reviews. The first book, Paper Hearts: Some Writing Advice is currently available for download!

My Paper Hearts series came about because so many of my readers also wanted to be writers. You guys probably know my (ridiculously long) journey toward publication. These are the books I wish I'd had before I was published, and they're the result of answering questions, posting articles, and joining discussions in the lit community for the past five plus years.

The first volume is all about the craft of writing, and it's less straight-instruction and more philosophy and advice. Nothing in writing is a simple answer--there is no right way to write--but there are methods that may be able to help, and standards to the business if you're seeking publication.

TO REQUEST A REVIEW COPY OF PAPER HEARTS, VOLUME 1: SOME WRITING ADVICE, CLICK HERE.

A Tyranny of Petticoats: Girls Kicking Butt in America!

It's March, which is Women's History month! It's also the month that A Tyranny of Petticoats  comes out! This awesome collection of short stories--edited by the amazing Jessica Spotswood--follows women in America throughout history in fifteen awesome short stories.

This is seriously a collection not to miss--the stories are simply fantastic. One thing that struck me was the way women have often been ignored throughout history, and yet they quietly (and sometimes not so quietly) get things done. My own story is about a teacher on the frontier in the Wild West, and there's no doubt that the women who took a similar role had an integral part in shaping the West and, indeed, all of America. We don't know their names, we only know their legacy.

One of my favorite quotes is by Virginia Woolf: "For most of history, Anonymous was a woman." Not every important person in history is remembered, and most of the ones who are forgotten are women.


The author of the first novel in the world was a womanThe first computer programmer was a womanThe first orphanage in America was established by a womanWomen fought in the American Revolution and the Civil WarWomen played an integral role in abolishing lynching and establishing civil rightsWithout a woman, Lewis & Clark would totally have died, let's be realThe most badass pirate ever was a womanA woman could struck out Babe Ruth and Lou GehrigA woman revolutionized IndiaA woman used her skills as a runner to advocate for tribal peaceA woman started a campaign to plant trees throughout Africa, affecting global environmentalismA woman's bravery changed the face of education for girls world-wide--despite the point-blank range bullet shot in her head by the Taliban in a failed effort to stop her A woman helped shape Burmese history and democracy How many of these women did you know? I have to admit--I learned a lot just by looking for more names to add to my ever-growing list of women to admire. And most of these women--despite changing the world--are forgotten. 
That's what I love so much about A Tyranny of Petticoats. While there are real-life women portrayed, it also shows the stories of women throughout history that are forgotten, nameless, but there. 
A Tyranny of Petticoats  comes out March 8th, and if you pre-order from One More Page bookstore, you'll get a very limited edition print by Simini Blocker (which you can see to the left here). It's beautiful--don't miss out on this! 

Five Things I Love About Hamilton

I resisted for as long as I could.

As a writer, most of my friends are in the arts. And most of them (as do I) like many different forms of arts--theater, visual arts, music. But when my artsy friends started telling me about Hamilton, I sort of scoffed. I had been burned--many times--by artsy friends recommending theater or musicals to me. I tend to like movies where things blow up, and while I have a deep love for certain plays (which also tend to be very popular ones: Wicked, Phantom, etc.), these are the same friends who recommended me to a few of the most excruciating hours I'd had in a theater seat.

I shouldn't have doubted.

Hamilton is everything I love about musicals, plus a bunch of other stuff I didn't even realize I wanted. It is, to put it simply, the best musical that I've ever had the pleasure to listen to and I haven't even had the chance to see it yet. The entire album is available at various plays online for free, including NPR, YouTube, Amazon Prime, and Spotify.

And that's the first thing I respect about this play--the writer (and star), Lin-Manuel Miranda, wanted to make it accessible. He made sure the music was available online for free, and he made sure the play was entirely sung--you can understand everything just by the audio, without having seen the play.

Lin-Manuel Miranda is, to put it simply, one of the greatest composers and musicians of our age. Hamilton is genius. And speaking of genius, I keep getting lost in the Rap Genius annotations of Hamilton--you guys know I love a good Easter egg or hidden detail in a work, and Hamilton is full of them!

And that leads me to the second thing I love about Hamilton: All the new things I've learned. 

Did you know that Aaron Burr was Vice President of America when he shot Hamilton? Or that Hamilton was killed (spoiler alert from like 200 years ago) in the same spot as his son had, when he was fighting a duel two years prior?

Did you know that Hamilton tried the first murder case in America after it became a country? Or that he was the subject of the first big sex scandal in the new America?

Did you know that as a child, Hamilton almost died--and watched his mother die--and became an orphan in the West Indies? That he wrote his way out--his poetry about a hurricane that devastated the island he was on caught the attention of learned men, who sponsored his trip to America and his education?

That's the third thing: the power of the word. A major theme running throughout the play is how powerful words are, something that I, as a writer, would obviously love. Words brought Hamilton out of poverty and out of the West Indies. Words gave him power as he rose the ranks during the American Revolution, they gave America power as he wrote in defense of the Constitution. Words gave Hamilton love as he wooed Eliza Schuyler, and they destroyed that love as he met Maria Reynolds.

And words killed him.

It was Hamilton's words--so influential--that cost Aaron Burr the presidency, that sent him on a mission of redeemed honor.

History comes alive in Hamilton--and it's about the people. That's such a cliche thing to say, but it's true. I can read the facts of history, I can know who's on the front of the ten dollar bill, but I don't understand. I don't know about motivations and desires and regrets and fears.

This is, ultimately, the power of all fiction. To make us not simply know facts, but to know truths that are indelible to all humanity. The American Revolution isn't a list of dates and battles--it's real blood, real loss, real triumph. Elections aren't the counting of ballots, it's understanding how one person can shape the history of a nation, of the world, it's faith that the majority can keep the path of government clear, it's raising your voice and hoping it joins a chorus.

Hamilton is the story of a man. A man who helped shape America in astounding ways and yet is often forgotten, but it's the story of a man. A man who had a past and a future and love and loss. And when we forget about the numbers and look at the people, that's when history becomes real.

But most of all, I love Hamilton for the music. It is--much like Hamilton himself--revolutionary. Musicals have a certain "style"...not Hamilton. Musicals have a common theme...not Hamilton. Hamilton stands on its own. It has a few songs with the typical "show tune" style, but mostly it's hip-hop and rap. It plays with words, it weaves them around and through, it creates sounds that have existed for decades but at the same time creates a totally new sound.

Check out this opening number, and wait for it, wait for the music to hit you:



I love what Hamilton says when he sings. The desperation to "write like you're running out of time" speaks to me, but I found myself most identifying with Aaron Burr's song, "Wait for It."



Publishing is a lot about waiting--waiting to be good enough for publication, waiting to get an agent, to sign a deal, for a book to come out, for a book to find its audience, for the next book to be written, waiting, waiting, waiting.

And there is a time when you wonder if the waiting is worth it. And you're working and striving and trying...but you're also still waiting.

This song is an anthem to wanting. Wanting more--more life, more chances, more love, more. Just more. If you're not satisfied, this is the song for you.

Digital Writing Workshop & Handouts

The other day, I had the very great pleasure of giving a workshop at Malaprops about writing to celebrate the release of all three Paper Hearts books. The turn out was amazing--especially considering the roads were closed for a Mardi Gras parade and the Superbowl was on!

A photo posted by Beth Revis (@bethrevis) on Feb 8, 2016 at 3:30am PST

I've been working on the workshop for several weeks now (shout out to my friend, Laura, who let me test it on her students first!). And I think I finally have it the way I want it to be.

The workshop is about how to take a base idea and turn it into a novel. It covers inspiration, publishing paths, writing craft, and concludes with a timeline of my latest book, A World Without You, and how long it took to go from initial idea to published book on the shelves.

The workshop is interactive and comes with a handout and two places to stop and try out activities before continuing. With a question and answer session at the end, the entire program is between an hour and an hour and a half long.

While I love speaking to people in person and really getting hands on with people who want to learn--I'm still a teacher in my heart!--I also want to make sure that this information is available to everyone, and to give people who attend the workshops a chance to go back over what they learned. To that end, I'm putting the entire presentation, as well as all the handouts, online. Just click here for them all.  This link also shows you some of the other downloadables and resources I have accompanying the Paper Hearts series.

If you find these helpful, please feel free to share them with other writerly sorts!

Don't Forget:

You can purchase any of the Paper Hearts books signed and personalized from my local indie bookstore, Malaprops. Just click here!The books are also available from all major retailers--more info hereIf you'd like to hire me to come give this workshop--or any other speech--please contact me!  More information about my rates and availability can be found here.To make sure you don't miss future workshops and events, sign up for my newsletter here.

Workshop in Asheville to be Rescheduled

Hey guys!

As you may have noticed, we got a little snow ;) So the workshop previously scheduled for tomorrow is being postponed. I'll update here when we have finalized a new date.

Meanwhile, go play in the snow! 

Winner Announced

Thank you all so much for helping me celebrate five years of Across the Universe! It was so much fun to see all your shelf pictures and hear your stories--and so motivating and touching.
Here's a sample of what that awesome looked like (and if you don't see yourself there, don't worry--your entry was still counted!)




WINNER ANNOUNCED:So I compiled all the entries this morning, and there were 133! Thank you all so much for sharing with me! 
Random.org picked the winner...



And the winner is...
RHIANNON!Thank again, everyone, for participating! I am so lucky to have you as my readers

GIVEAWAY + 5 Cheers for 5 Years: Across the Universe turns 5 today!

Five years ago today, my life changed forever.

Five years ago today, my first book, Across the Universe was published.

Five years ago today, I was, for the first time, "a real author."

Five years ago today, my dreams came true.

I've changed a lot in five years. My writing has continued to grow--in July, I'll have five novels and three nonfiction books published! My life has continued to grow--my family has added a baby, my career has added new dimensions, my friendships have shifted and evolved, my worldview has expanded with more travel and opportunities, my ideas of my future have been enhanced.

One of my favorite quotes from the Harry Potter series is when Ginny tells Harry that "Nothing is impossible if you've got enough nerve."

There is something about having all your dreams come true that makes you believe in the impossible.

Growing up, I wanted nothing more than to be a writer. I wanted it all: I wanted to spin words into stories, I wanted people to read them, I wanted to know that my words made a difference. And this dream of mine was both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because I have seen people without a driving dream to center their lives upon, and I live in fear of that hollowness. A curse because nothing hurts more than the uncertainty of a dream unlived.

My road to publication--to this life--was really hard and so long. Ten years of writing with nothing--not an agent, not a book deal, not a glimmer of hope that I'd ever be good enough. Ten books that never sold. Thousands of dollars in conferences, workshops, and retreats that I couldn't afford. One experience that almost turned into a book deal but tripped at the finish line. One professional who told me to never bother writing again.

I have talked a lot about the long part of the journey, because I feel it's important for aspiring writers and other dreamers to know that becoming a professional writer isn't about "being touched by a muse." You don't wake up with glitter in your eyes and tap out a perfect story in your ivory tower. It's work, and sometimes it's heartbreaking, and it's important to know that there's no such thing as an overnight success.

But I haven't talked much about the night I finished writing Across the Universe.

I was scared.

I was terrified.

I had studied the market. I knew that there wasn't much sci fi out there. Orson Scott Card, Hunger Games, and Stephanie Meyer's The Host were the only sci fi books my local bookstore offered in the YA section. And, frankly, they were among the only sci fi I'd ever read. I felt supremely unqualified to write science fiction. I didn't write science fiction--I wrote Amy and Elder's story, and it happened to be science fiction.

But I wasn't sure if it was good enough.

I only knew it was the best I could do. I never felt that way about a book before. Sure, I loved what I wrote. I believed in what I wrote. But I never had this weight inside of my chest, pressing down on my stomach, telling me that this was the best I could do.

Because it was.

I knew, when I finished writing the last chapters in a flurry of clacking computer keys, I knew that was the best I had ever done. Possibly the best I could ever do.

Which meant that if that book didn't succeed, I should give up. Because I couldn't do better than that, and if my best wasn't good enough, I wasn't good enough.

I knew, when I typed "The End" on Across the Universe that if I couldn't get that book published, I should quit.

"Nothing is impossible if you've got enough nerve." It wasn't nerve that made me submit Across the Universe to agents. It was desperation. It was fear.

It was one last, final, desperate shot.

And now, five years later, I can say with absolute certainty and joy: It was absolutely worth it!

People ask me if I could go back in time and tell myself about how everything would change, would I? Would I give hope to five-years-ago-me and reassure myself that it will all work out--far better than I ever dared to dream?
No. 
The fear was good. The trying-anyway was good. The doubt was good. 
Because it has made me believe in the impossible. 
______
Help me celebrate five years of Across the Universe! Post a picture of any of my books on social media, and tag it with #5YearsofATU. At the end of the week, I'll select one winner to receive a signed copy of all my fiction--that's a signed copy of Across the Universe, A Million Suns, Shades of Earth, The Body Electric AND A World Without You! 
This is the FIRST time I'm holding a giveaway for A World Without You...and will be the only chance you have to win it for months. Giveaways for this book won't start until April...except now. 

Extra details:The post must contain a picture of any of my books plus the hashtag #5YearsOfATUEbooks totally countPost must be public so I can see it and count it as an entryI will compile entries from Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, and Instagram. All posts count.If you post on another social media platform, post the link in the comments here so I'm sure to count it.Winner will be announced Sunday, January 17. I'll stop counting entries at midnight.This is international.

Start Your New Year Creatively with This Writer's Prize Pack!

Maybe it’s your New Year’s Resolution to write a book. Maybe it’s your lifelong ambition. Either way, I’ve been working on two things that I wish I had had when I was first starting out, and I want to make sure that all the writers know about them.. And make sure to read all the way to the bottom for an EPIC writer’s prize that you’re going to love!

PS: Do you live near Asheville, NC? Come to my writer's workshop for a free session on writing and publishing! January 24 at 5pm--more details here.
Wordsmith Writers Workshop Retreat I was lucky when I was first starting out to meet some wonderful people who helped guide me to be more professional. I threw myself into the community, and I'll never forget just how important a small word of advice or encouragement can be. Writing can be a lonely venture, but there are people out there who want to help you succeed. 
One of the best programs is the Wordsmith Writers Workshop Retreats--and I say that not just because I'm going to be one of the guest lecturers this spring. Developed by author Cristin Terrill, Wordsmiths takes the relaxing inspiration from a writer's retreat and adds it to the invaluable instruction from a workshop. This spring's retreat will be just outside of Washington, DC, and will have classes by Cristin, myself, and the amazingly talented Jen Armentrout. There are only a few spots left, so make sure you sign up as soon as you can if you want to take part in such an awesome opportunity! Wordsmith Retreats are designed to be the perfect venture for aspiring writers: you get to network with fellow writers in a beautiful old farm house, all your meals are catered by a private chef, you get critiques from both Cristin and myself on your work and private, one-on-one sessions with us, and you get workshop opportunities designed to help you turn pro. Seriously--check it out.
The Complete Paper Heart SeriesI wrote the Paper Hearts series specifically with the principle of wanting to write the books that I wish I had when I was starting out in this career. 
   
Each book is currently available in both print and ebook form, and the volumes are designed to be maximized at each stage of your writing career. Volume 1 discusses everything from grammar to deep revisions and rewriting strategies that are tried and true. Volume 2 covers every aspect of both traditional and self publishing, peeling back the curtain on what it's really like to publish a book, but also including helpful tips on writing a query, where to find good resources, and more. And Volume 3 is all about what to do after you get a book deal, how to set up social media, how to respond to reviews, and how to become a career author. 
I wrote these books after years of answering questions online and off, and I tried to think of every scenario and question that a new or aspiring writer may have.  To celebrate writing and writers, especially the new voices, I'm hosting a giveaway. I hope you'll join in and help spread the word about it! And then--go write!Prizes and GiveawayFor this giveaway, I'm going to give one lucky winner:
A signed copy of all three of the Paper Hearts booksA signed copy of Elizabeth Gilbert's Big Magic for inspirationA novel gift set by Icey Designs, featuring a planner, a journal, and writer pencilsA critique of the winner's query letter and first five pages of the manuscriptI'm sorry, but this prize can be mailed to a US address only; the next big giveaway I have will be open internationally.

For extra entries, you can tag friends in the Instagram and Facebook post about the content, and reblog the Tumblr post.

To enter, please complete the Rafflecopter below:

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Sci Fi vs. Fantasy: Vote and Win!

So, it's time for me to clear out my giveaway stack of books, and I realized--I'm pretty evenly split between sci fi and fantasy. I've always loved fantasy novels, but sci fi has been growing and growing on my shelves. Not only is my giveaway stack divided, but so are my bookshelves...and my heart (awwww).


But the holidays aren't the holidays without gifts...and without a hint of Hunger Games! So this year, I'm giving away two sets of books. Each set has eight books, each has a mix of finished copies and ARCs (ARCs have been gently read previously). But one set is science fiction, and one set is fantasy.

And you can only enter to win one. 

Let me repeat that: YOU CAN ONLY ENTER TO WIN ONE SET OF BOOKS. 

Your entry is a vote--which do you like more, sci fi or fantasy? Make your choice--because you only get to enter for one!

Here's the prizes!

SCI FI PRIZESIlluminae ARC by Amie Kaufman and Jay KristoffThe Cage ARC by Megan ShepherdThe Walled City ARC by Ryan Graudin--signed!Soothe the Savage Beast anthology with a story by me, signed!Shards & Ashes ARC anthology with a story by me, signed!Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano--signed!While You Were Gone ARC by Amy NicholsThe Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy by Sam Maggs

FANTASY PRIZES
The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh--signed!Kiss of Deception by Mary Pearson--signed!Shards & Ashes ARC anthology with a story by me, signed!Brazen by Christina Farley, signed!Gilded by Christina Farley, signed!The Young Elites by Marie LuThe Witch Hunter by Virgina BoeckerAmong the Shadows anthology with a story by me, signed!
REMEMBER: YOU CAN ONLY PICK ONE PRIZE SET TO ENTER FOR! Anyone who enters for both prizes will be disqualified.
To enter--and to vote for your favorite genre--just enter ONE of the Rafflecopters below.

Got it? And I'm sorry, but this contest is US only--I'm shipping by prepaid box, and it can only go to the US.

ENTER and VOTE FOR FANTASY!

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ENTER and VOTE FOR SCIENCE FICTION!

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