Sarah Allen's Blog, page 51

Oh what a juggling act

That's definitely what I feel like right now, the middle of a juggling act. Like I've got about a bajillion balls in the air waiting for just one to come down and pay off. Then I'll have to throw it back in the air, no doubt, but still. Lots of juggling and waiting.

The most important ball up in the air right now is definitely the novel, which is currently getting its last rounds of feedback before it's hopefully ready to start shipping out to agents.

Then there's also novel #2, which I am in the process of outlining.

Also all the fun online stuff like blogging and twittering and youtubing and pinning and obsessively-analyzing-my-google-analytics-page-ing. I can spend quite an obnoxious amount of time doing that, actually.

All the mini projects that won't let go, like the video poetry and short story collection (which is STILL coming, I promise. Just waiting on some responses from other places first. Still.) And wanting to experiment with songwriting and screenwriting and other awesomeness.

I can't forget the what-to-do-about-day-job freaking frustrating ball. That's the most unpleasantly stressful one for sure. The others are quite pleasantly stressful, actually. I've whined about this before, I'm sure (its what I do), but as much as I have absolutely LOVED working with the preschool kids, my hours aren't enough to live on and summers coming anyway, so I have to figure out something else or do I try and make this work because its so great or maybe the stress of trying to wait/figure the teaching thing out is too much and I just want the stability of a less awesome desk job that could potentially be pretty cool too and is much more likely to (and here's the key) buy me a roof and kettle corn so I can write and live at the same time. That ball.

And my sister got married. And I got cast in a play. (Yay!! More on that later. But I'll tell you this: it involves steampunk.)

Agent research and trying to find a new place to live but I have to catch the job ball first and its all crazy. Awesome, for the most part, but crazy.

So that's whats going on pour moi. What about you all? Is it more a climbing one huge mountain phase for you, or are you juggling as well? Or both?

Sarah Allen

Ever thought of doing videopoetry?

So its been long enough since I've posted a YouTube video, right? Because I had a lot of fun yesterday with my camera and iMovie.

I think I mentioned before that I wanted to try out videopoetry. The genre as far as I can tell is just what it sounds like, a video of a poem. A poetic video. I dunno. But anyway, I spent probably too much time watching some videopoetry and thinking this looks really cool I want to try. Because as fun as vlogging is, and I'm still gonna do it, I'm just awkward and inconsistently feel like doing it but I still want to use YouTube as a creative and networking resource and so the result, ladies and gentleman, is my videopoem, Soft Pedal:


If there's one thing I learned in high school creative writing, it's that sibling rivalry can most definitely be used as creative fodder. Ok, so I actually learned a ton in high school creative writing, and this poem is one of the things that came out of it.

So what do you all think? I would love your feedback and ideas on this, because I want to keep going with it and do lots more, everything from more straight up poetry vids like this one to vloggy/vignette poetry vids and see what comes of it.

Here's a playlist of some of the videopoems I was watching the other day, some of them are super weird but could maybe inspire some ideas. They all have very different styles, which I kind of want to play around with. I think its worth checking out.

Sarah Allen

3 social media sites I haven't quite figured out

[image error] I am a social media nut. I seriously love it all. People say it stresses them out, and I only sort of get it. To me its a game, and a fun one. How many new tweeps can I get today? Pinterest and Facebook fan page followers? What cool things can I do on YouTube?

The ultimate goal, I suppose, is to spread the word once I've got a book out. But really I'm having fun and loving the awesome new people I make connections with and the amazing things I find. I love it and want to do as much as I can.

However, with all that said, there are 3 social media sites that I would love to use, but haven't quite figured out yet. I guess I kind of need help. They are sites that could potentially have huge benefits, I just can't seem to figure out how to work them.

1. Goodreads: I know that, being a writer, its odd and not a good thing for me to say that I don't get how to use Goodreads. I know, and that's exactly why I'm coming to you all for help. Obviously it has huge potential, and hello, it's a site for people actively looking for their next read. The thing is, I'm having an awkward time trying to figure out how to communicate with people on the site in the same large-scale way you can on places like Twitter or blogging. Not that small scale isn't worthwhile, I guess on Goodreads it just seems very intimidating. Especially not having a book out, I'm just not sure how to go about it. Tips?

2. Tumblr: Another beneficial site that's only becoming more and more popular. I think on this one its the format that's complicating things for me. It's just really difficult to keep track of things on Tumblr. Again, I'm just not sure the best way to contact people, which makes it hard to know how to spread the word. How do you get your Tumblr in front of people? I mean, I know that the strategy I've used for this blog is to find other blogs and comment on them and do that a lot and that seems simple enough. Is that basically it on Tumblr as well? I mean, just posting regularly and liking and reposting and commenting on other people's stuff? It just seems intimidating to keep a handle on it all on Tumblr, but maybe that's just the nature of the beast.

3. StumbleUpon: This is the one where I'm really, really lost. I've at least spent a little time fiddling around on the other sites trying to figure things out, but not so much on this one. But I still want to use it, because I've heard it has huge referral potential, and that's its growing in popularity as well. So I don't want to miss out on what it could do for me. I suppose I'll just have to play around more on this one too and see what I can see, but anyone a user of StumbleUpon who can give tips on how to use it the most successfully?

Anyway, I could really use some tips if you have experience on these sites. Or even if you don't, it might be worth checking these ones out because, like I said, huge benefit potential, and we can learn together. But yeah, any ideas?

Sarah Allen

Why your best characters are just you

Going through the beta reader/editing phase of my novel has already taught me a ton about my own writing. I have a real issue with comma splices and a tendency towards too much dialog with not enough breaks.

One of the most interesting things I've learned is about character. Even though my main character is a forty-year old man, I didn't think too much about finding his character "voice" or "type". I did that on purpose, and instead basically wrote him in my own voice, as natural as I could be. So yeah, I basically wrote myself as a forty-year old man. Sort of. Anyway.

I did, however, think through the "voice" and "type" of many of the secondary characters. I based them off a very character-y image I had in my mind. Crazy lady type, clumsy soldier type, slimy skinny villain type. Some of them paid off, and were fun to write. However, the consensus from the feedback so far is that my MC is much more developed and round as a character than the others. Not just that (I mean, he needs to be more developed obviously, since he's the MC) but some of the others are falling a bit flat. That's not so okay, and we're working on fixing it.

Maybe this should be obvious, but its a revelation to me. I mean, nobody is more developed and rounded than a real person, and we don't know anyone better than we know ourselves, so characters where we go the natural route and basically put ourselves on the page are clearly going to be more human than when we don't. The dilemma, though, is how to make round and developed characters out of the ones who are nothing like us. Yeah, I'm not a forty year old man but I might be able to relate to one, whereas I really don't know what to do with the slimy, sleezy, malicious villain type. So what do I do if I want a slimy, sleezy villain?

I think the problem starts with thinking of characters as "types". We need to think of each character as an individual, and if this guy happens to be slimy, sleezy, and malicious then that's what he is. But he's also geeky and desperate and lonely and ambitious and just trying to get where he wants to go, and that I can definitely relate to. When we try and write "types" then the characters end up turning out like bad versions of characters people have seen many times before. And we don't want that.

So just be yourself. Be your shy, quirky, girly self for one character and your snarky, bitter, witty self for another. Every character comes from you. They turn out better when you let them.

Anyone else experienced this before? What characters are easiest for you, and which are the hardest?


Sarah Allen[image error]

Marriage, Indianapolis, and Writing Makes Everything Worth It

This week is...well, is there a redder color than red? Because if there is, this week would be it. The reddest red letter week at the Casa de Allen. And so I apologize for being more personal lately; we'll get back to more businessy writing type stuff next week.

I've mentioned this before, but my little sister #2 is getting married on SATURDAY HOLY CRAP!!! and my little sister #1 is going on a mission for the LDS church.

She totally got her mission call to Indianapolis, Indiana and she is totally going to meet John Green!!!!!! Maybe. But yeah!!!!!!!!

Guys, my sisters (and all of my siblings) are so freaking awesome. They are so smart and beautiful and talented and wonderful. My little brother #2 and little sister #3 were in their school play Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat the last couple nights and they are so hilarious and fabulous.

So guys, I have this really bad habit. I've talked about this before, but the thoughts that naturally come to my head are me thinking I'm lame and feeling like I need to apologize for myself. Very bad and unhappiness causing habit, which isn't good especially because I'm a naturally very happy and optimistic person. Then I went to college I made some really awesome friends who thought I was awesome and for the first time in my life I got in the habit of believing in my own awesomeness and that I was at least sort of on par with my awesome siblings. The joke was still that I had no spine, but at least I was growing one. For one reason or another, I feel like lately I've gotten back in the habit of letting those self-deprecating and degrading thoughts stick around. That's going to stop.

Because guys, my sisters and brothers are so amazing. They are so talented and are doing such awesome things. And I am amazing too, and do amazing things like writing novels. And you are all amazing for being you and doing the things you do. And life is amazing and good and wonderful. And really? Writing is amazing because its all about learning and experiencing new things and even when they're hard you can write about them. And that way you connect with more and more people.

Last night little sister #3 said, "Sarah, will you never let me forget that life is good?"

Never, little sister #3. Never.


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What do YOU look for in a blog?

Sometimes the chemistry just works. Sometimes they give you the right answers, refer to all the right fandoms, have solutions to your specific problem and sympathize in all the right places.

That is when you know the blog is a match.

So I'm asking you. As we move forward in our relationship together, what do YOU look for in a blog? What kind of posts draw your attention? Publishing news? Professional advice? Tips on the craft? Do you like the personal?

What are you looking for when you read a blog?

Also, I would love a list of your current relationships. Not to gauge my competition or anything, but really. Or, you know, to add to my list of awesome people to learn from. So yeah, who are your favorite bloggers? How about a top three. Which blogs do you make it a point to check? Why?

I really want to hear from a lot of you, even if its just some quicky thoughts or a recommendation of one absolute favorite blog. Please if at all possible spare a few minutes to let me know what you think; I want to learn and grow and absorb other people's awesomeness :)

Sarah Allen

Why beta readers are angels who renew my faith in life

I forgot how disconcerting it is to write your first blog post after the A-Z challenge. I'm brushing my teeth thinking, okay, so tomorrow I'll blog about...oh, anything. It feels a bit like going to college after a high school that required uniforms. Wait, you mean I can wear things besides plaid skirts and navy blue cardigans?

Anyway, I wanted to talk about something that has kept me sane lately. The thing is, I'm not very good at asking people for help. I was raised with a very 'by-your-own-bootstraps' philosophy, meaning we worked for our allowance and whatever else we wanted. In a family of eight children it kind of has to be that way. If you don't fight for attention and what you want you don't get it.

There are many fabulous things about this philosophy. In 99.9% of cases it really does take sheer determination and work to get to where you want to be, and I'm very accustomed to that idea and ready for it. However, I focus so much on the 'There is SO MUCH one person can do' that I get pretty de-winded when I come up against 'There is only so much one person can do.'

I'm not backing out on my bootstrap philosophy here, I really do believe that its the determined hard workers who make it. But what that philosophy needs to remember is that a person can make it so much faster and further if they have help.

I thought you were going to talk about beta readers, Sarah.

I am. I've started to get some beta reader feedback lately. Quite varied, actually. Very intense, very helpful, very kind. But I have this thing where as soon as I put something I created in front of someone else I start feeling like I have to apologize for it, like it's stupid, and I think "Gah! This sucks and I suck and I'll always suck and I'll never make it as a writer."

That is me (and you, maybe?) being ridiculous and forgetting that I'm not doing this by myself. Once I get the feedback from betas, the intense, the helpful, the kind, and start incorporating it, I see the project with new eyes. I see how it's awesome, where it is terribly flawed but also how to fix those flaws. Then the ball gets rolling and I think of new people to send it to once I put in all the current edits that can give me more edits that will make it even better and maybe this project has the promise of awesome I thought it had in the beginning.

And now I'm going to pause for a moment of self-congratulation and post a text conversation I had with an angel beta reader/bff last night.

Moi: I got hazel wood unicorn core, ten inches :)

Oh, wait, wrong one...

Angel beta reader/bff: Your novel is brilliant. I read 35 pages today.
Moi: Seriously you have no idea how good that makes me feel. Seriously, like i said I always think its crap and its so nice to hear it might not be, especially from you.
ABRBFF: Um trust me, it might be the best thing I've read this year. It's making me hate you a little bit while aso feeling incredibly giddy and proud of you.
Moi: Ah! That makes me feel so good. I really need that. I've been editing it so I hope its getting better.
ABRBFF: I promise to lavish praise on you. Don't think my feedback will be wussy though ;) I intend to be honest on all points--as usual.

Yeah, that's why I'm loving beta readers right now. Also I say seriously a lot in texts, apparently.

Don't forget you're not doing this alone, even though writing itself can be a very solitary process. Get help where you can, it makes things so much nicer.

And guys, I'm talking about all you all. Every comment, every new person stopping by, reminds me why I love this. So thank you.

Sarah Allen[image error]

Z is for Zucchini Bread

Z is kind of a hard one, isn't it? But anyway, everyone who's finishing the challenge or stuck around here this long, it's time to give yourself a treat. And this is one of the best treats there is. The recipe is from AllRecipes.com Hope you enjoy! (p.s. Today is the last FREE day for XO: From Turner Syndrome and Me , so if you haven't picked up your copy, swing on over. Blog reviews and Amazon ratings are good too *hint hint). Anyway, pick up your free book and make some yummy bread and enjoy your Monday.


INGREDIENTS:3 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoon baking powder3 teaspoons ground cinnamon3 eggs1 cup vegetable oil2 1/4 cups white sugar3 teaspoons vanilla extract2 cups grated zucchini1 cup chopped walnutsDIRECTIONS:1.Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).2.Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.3.Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.4.Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool.ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2012 Allrecipes.com[image error]

A Boy Called Duct Tape by Christopher Cloud

I'm always excited to highlight awesome books or new writers or learn about different writing processes, and today we get all three! Here's some awesomeness from Christopher Cloud and his book A Boy Called Duct Tape.
About A Boy Called Duct Tape
 Pablo Perez is a 12-year-old kid without much going for him. His classmates have dubbed him “Duct Tape” because his tattered discount-store sneakers are held together with…you guessed it, duct tape. He can’t escape the bullying.
Pablo’s luck changes after he finds a $20 gold coin while swimming with his sister in a river near their home. Pablo later buys a $1 treasure map at the county fair. The map shows the route to the “lost treasure” of the notorious outlaw Jesse James. Pablo can’t help but wonder: Is there a link between the map and the gold coin?
He is determined to find out, and he, his 9-year-old sister, Pia, and 13-year-old cousin, Kiki, hire an ill-mannered cave guide, and begin a treacherous underground adventure in search of treasure. Their treasure hunt becomes more perilous because the evil Blood brothers, who want the treasure for themselves, are following them. The Blood brothers will stop at nothing to claim the treasure as their own.
Purchase A Boy Called Duct Tape at www.ChristophereCloud.com
Q:  What is a typical writing day for you?  Tell us about a day in the life of you the writer, what’s your writing day like. Do you balance family and writing, or writing and a job outside the house, or writing, a job and family? What was it like for you to write this book along with your busy life?A:  I typically write four or five hours a day, six days a week. I am retired, which means simply that I can devote more time to writing than if I held a fulltime job. I admire writers who can hold down a 40-hour-week job and still find time to write…and share their time with a family. That’s a tall order. I’ve often said that if I had to write a novel on a manual typewriter—I worked in newsrooms years ago when manual typewriters were standard fare—that I probably wouldn’t write. That’s a bit of an exaggeration, but PCs have certainly made writing easier. Also, I find myself conducting research for every novel I write. The wealth of knowledge found on the Internet makes life so much easier for writers like me who research their stories. I can’t imagine spending hours a day in a library conducting research.  It’s a brave new world of technology, and I love it.      
About Christopher CloudChristopher Cloud began writing fiction full time after a long career in journalism and public relations. Cloud graduated from the University of Missouri in 1967 with a degree in journalism. He has worked as a reporter, editor, and columnist at newspapers in Texas, California, and Missouri. Employed by a major oil company as a public relations executive, he later operated his own public relations agency. Chris lives in Joplin, Missouri, and enjoys golf and hiking.[image error]

Y is for YouTube

Okay, okay, I'm sorry! I know I just blogged about vlogging and I know I said I was going to back off the videos for a while, and I will, but I guess I'm on a YouTube kick or something and seriously I think about all the stuff YouTube makes possible and it makes me want to make ALL the videos RIGHT NOW. There is so much (SO MUCH) awesomeness already out there, and the possibility of creating things yourself and reaching a broader audience than you can through basically any other site. So I hope you'll forgive me while I talk about YouTube and vlogging just a little bit more. Weekends are for watching stuff anyway, right?

So as I've been trying to make decisions and figure out this vlogging thing, I've been stuck between this intense desire to be part of it and do what I can and take advantage of it and all that on the one hand, and the stress of doing it "right" and being a total dork and extremely camera awkward and all that on the other hand.

Then a couple nights ago there was this INCREDIBLE rainstorm and I picked up my little camera and went out and just had fun, and was my dorky awkward self, and it felt so so good. In other words I think I'm going to go with the first hand. More casual, fun, easy, and I feel like I can manage more frequent videos that way. Dear Muse I see as more of a special feature type thing. Anyway, check out the new video and let me know what you think. Besides the fact that I'm pretty much queen of dork.


Everyone who commented last time and said they were too awkward or camera shy or didn't have time or anything like that, if I can do it, so can you. Of course you may simply have no interest in this kind of thing, but if you do have an interest, don't let any of those fears stop you.

And to make up for my awkward amateurishness I'll leave you with an example of what true amazingness can be created through the medium of video:


Enjoy :) Thanks for indulging me on the vlogging thing one more time. I really will back off now, but if you're a video-liking person definitely stop by my channel. Because who wouldn't want to subscribe to that? (Ha ha.)

Sarah Allen[image error]