Joyce Yarrow's Blog, page 5

What I Learned from The Novel: Live

This past week I participated as a managing editor at a remarkable event - The Novel: Live. Thirty-six prolific Northwest authors took turns on-camera at Hugo House, in two-hour writing stints, to contribute chapters to what is now a completed (but not yet edited) book that exceeds 70,000 words!

The writers worked from a bare-bones, but extremely well-structured outline that contained information on the protagonist and some of the main characters (whose names were sold at a fun, pre-event auction).

It was fascinating to see each author at work - bonding with a particular character, writing in a new voice, moving the plot forward in unexpected ways, while doing their best to maintain story continuity. Some writers focussed on moving the storyline forward, others dug deep into a particular character's history and motivations. They took occasional suggestions from the audience in the Hugo House Cafe or from the online chat that went on for six days. I found the whole experience to be inspiring and would love to see it happen again next year.

As a writer, participating in this event reinforced my belief that a strong story structure gives us the freedom we have to stretch its boundaries and take the reader into new territory.  I also learned that many writers love to "perform" their writing - that writing in public seems to heighten creativity (the pressure of writing a chapter in two hours definitely contributed some adrenalin too).

This event benefited the Writers in the Schools program and was organized by Seattle7Writers who did a great job recuriting volunteers and involving the Seattle writing community. You can go to the Novel Live web site to learn more (and even make a donation!) - at http://www.thenovellive.org/

Day 4 of The Novel: Live

Deb Coletti is writing away. The novel is really coming together here at Hugo House - lots of great characters, conflict and action.

You can read individual chapters by these amazing authors at http://www.thenovellive.org/novel/

As a managing editor, I've had lots of fun passing suggestions to writers from the audience and occasionally researching on the web at an author's request as they write "under the gun" for a steady two hours each.

I'll add some pix later. Tune in and enjoy.

The Novel:Live - Day one

I'm here live, at The Novel:Live event and Jennie Shortridge, the first "writer up" is making great headway on the first chapter of the book! She is writing from an outline, but suggestions are also funneled through the managing editor (in this case, me) and are posted on butcher-block paper in the Green Room here at Hugo House.

The event is streaming live from http://www.thenovellive.org/novel/live/

When Jennie has put in her two hours, the next "author up" is Teri Hein. Later today I'll add a synopsis of what's been written so far. This is fun!

The Novel:Live

I've signed up to volunteer as a managing editor for The Novel:Live, a wildly creative event here in Seattle. 36 writers will collaborate on writing a book on one week's time - each contributing 2 hours of writing time starting tomorrow - Monday, Oct. 11th. I plan to share my experiences here - will take some photos and post them.

The event wil be streamed live and you can follow it from http://www.thenovellive.org/

More as it happend!!

Characters Who Reflect Their Settings

Sometimes a writer has a chance to draw a direct parallel between a character and his or her environment – Kate Atkinson does this brilliantly in One Good Turn, clueing us in to Louise's character and the nature of the city of Edinburgh simultaneously:

Louise was running. Louise hated running but it was marginally preferable to going to the gym. The gym involved regular commitment, and outwith her job, she as crap at regular commitments. Go ask Archie. So, all in all, it was easier to grit her teeth and throw on her sweats, than jog sedately around the estate to warm up before heading off over the fields and, if she was feeling virtuous, or guilty (the other side of the coin), then up the hill and back again. The one good thing about running was that it gave you the space to think. That was the downside as well, of course. Dualism, the Edinburgh disease, Jekyll and Hyde, dark and light, hill and valley, New Town, Old Town. Catholics and Protestants. A game of two halves.

Kate Atkinson, One Good Turn

Can you think of some settings you have used in a similar way? Please share!

Writers Framed by Place and Places Framed by Writers

I've been asked to present a workshop on The Place of Place in Mystery Writing at the Write on the Sound Conference ( October 2nd and 3rd – Edmonds, WA). Since I'm in the midst of researching material and creating writing exercises to expand the workshop into a series of classes, this seems like a good opportunity to share ideas and invite feedback – so here goes!


Raymond Chandler is so strongly identified with the settings he choose for his stories that these places are now defined by him. Chandler's books are synonymous with Los Angles and a mini-industry has sprung up in L.A., taking mystery fans tours of places that he used as settings or as haunting images to plant in the reader's mind:

Mars flicked the Luger out again and pointed it at my chest. "Open the door."


The knob rattled and a voice called out. I didn't move. The muzzle of the Luger looked like the mouth of the Second Street tunnel, but I didn't move. Not being bullet proof is an idea I had had to get used to.

From The Big Sleep

Chandler made the Bryson Tower Apartments famous too:

He drove down to Wilshire and we turned east again.


Twenty-five minutes brought us to the Bryson Tower, a white stucco palace with fretted lanterns in the forecourt and tall date palms. The entrance was in an L, up marble steps, through a Moorish archway, and over a lobby that was too big and a carpet that was too blue. Blue Ali Baba oil jars were dotted around, big enough to keep tigers in. There was a desk and a night clerk with one of those mustaches that get stuck under your fingernail.

From Trouble is My Business
Try it!

Describe the setting of your short story or book as if it were a person. Describe her…How does she walk and talk? Dress? Interact with people? Is she transparent or does she hold secrets? You get the idea…

Eye on the Starting Gate

A month ago you started browsing several branches of the local library by day and exploring the recesses of your fevered brain by night, in search of a seminal idea for your new book or short story. You find it's impossible to guess, let alone decide, what to write about, although you do have ideas about what you should do—that high concept thriller that might bring in some cash, that paranormal high school tennis club that could make you a fortune. Still, something is holding you back.

You find yourself discarding each logical choice in turn and then, if you're lucky, something unexpected happens. A seemingly random connection—let's say between a salsa dancer and an Eskimo—scores a direct hit, demolishing the competition and leaving no choice but to tell this particular story, set in that particular place.

Has this happened to you?


If so, please share. If not, please share your own "starting gate" process.

Flash Forward

I can't believe that 4 years have passed since my son Ian and I traveled to Moscow and stayed with Lena in her 3 bedroom apartment that was once occupied by three families!

In November, the book I hoped to write after my research trip to Russia will actually be published - title: "The Last Matryoshka" / Publisher: Five Star/Cengage.

In the coming weeks I will continue this blog by discussing how many of the places we visited in Russia worked their way into The Last Matryoshka. I'll also be exploring how writers I admire, such as Walter Moseley and Michael Chabon, use telling geographical and cultural details to reveal personality traits and create atmosphere.

Touring Vladimir Central Prison

We were the first Americans to tour Vladimir Central, a prison located about 2 hours by train from Moscow. My son Ian and I were welcomed warmly, if quizzically. I explained to the staff of the museum located inside the prison, that the purpose of my visit was to conduct research for a book. We were shown many exhibits - including this one featuring Francis Gary Powers - the U2 pilot shot down and then exchanged for a Soviet spy during the cold war.

Researching our trip to Russia

Today is the first day of my new blog - "Traveling with the Muse." I'm going to get started by posting some of the wonderful material about Russia I have found on the web while preparing for the upcoming trip.

My son, Ian, and I will be traveling to Moscow, St. Petersburg and several other locations in Russia, as I look for settings for my second mystery novel, working title: "The Last Matryoshka." Here's a link to my first book, Ask the Dead, if you're curious.

We'll also be interviewing writers and artists about what their lives are like now in Russia and how they feel about the past.