Elizabeth Spann Craig's Blog, page 220

Twitterific

Here are writing links that I've posted to Twitter for the past week.

There are fewer this week because I went on tweetcation for the Thanksgiving holiday. :)

If you're looking for a particular topic, just plug in your keyword into the search box at the top left-hand corner of the blog (on the black header right above my blog name…next to the Blogger symbol…the small search window is next to the magnifying glass) and the roundup with your subject will come up. To narrow your search down on the page, do a CTRL+F, type your subject, and hit enter.

How to Build a Real Network (Not a List of Strangers): http://dld.bz/7R6J

Finding the theme of your book: http://dld.bz/7HVq

How to Get Unstuck: Mind Shifts for the Freelance Writer: http://dld.bz/7HUV

Formatting for E-Readers: http://dld.bz/7HUN

A crime writer's top 10 crime locations (Guardian): http://dld.bz/7HTS

Agent pitching technique: http://dld.bz/7HTu

Subtexting in Dialogue: http://dld.bz/7HTj

Why so many people want a Kindle for Christmas (Telegraph): http://dld.bz/7HST

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Some Cranberries—for Drinking! http://bit.ly/eelF3U

How to Nurture Your Creativity as a blogger: http://dld.bz/7HS5

The Most Dangerous Moment for an Author: http://dld.bz/7HSe

Christian Fiction and the Awkward Bookstore Dance: http://dld.bz/7HRN

Motivation to Write – How Writers Get and Stay Motivated: http://dld.bz/7FQe

Tips for writers to stay focused on writing while not abandoning other responsibilities: http://dld.bz/7FPn @swkehoe

NaNoWriMo Week 4 – Beginning of the End: http://dld.bz/7FNF

What Can Trade Book Publishers Learn from Comic Books about Branding? http://dld.bz/7FN5

The Knotty Problem of Quantum Gravity: http://dld.bz/7FMZ

7 Common Causes and Proven Cures for Procrastination: http://dld.bz/7FMJ

Letting Action Define Your Characters: http://dld.bz/7FMv

4 Types of Tweets: Don't Yell Into the Wind-- http://dld.bz/7FMs

Becoming An Indie Author: Is Success Based On Luck? http://dld.bz/7F62

Practical Tips For The Nighttime Novelist: http://dld.bz/7CNx

List of dialogue tags: http://dld.bz/7CNu

7 Tips for Editing Your Way to the Best Story on the Planet: http://dld.bz/7CNs

Call me Ishmael… When to reveal your MC's name if writing in first person: http://dld.bz/7CNc

10 Tips for Attending Writers Conferences: http://dld.bz/7CMW

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Sweet Potato Casserole with Brown Sugar and Pecans from Cleo Coyle http://bit.ly/fVSllG @CleoCoyle

The Making of a Novel: What Support Means to a Writer (Huff Post) : http://dld.bz/7BCu

A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Published-Author Life: http://dld.bz/7BAF

How to write when you've got nothing to say: http://dld.bz/7BA5

Use Facebook and Twitter to Drive Crowds to Your Blog: http://dld.bz/7BA3

4 Reasons Why Best Sellers Get to Suck & You Don't: http://dld.bz/7BAx

Writers--do you have impostor syndrome? http://dld.bz/7BDP @rebeccabehrens

How to build a character: http://dld.bz/7BAe

An agent on what *not* to do during the query process: http://dld.bz/7xUm @RedSofaLiterary

6 Ways to Cope With Writing Fears: http://dld.bz/7xVS

Acceptance and rejection--balance in the creative life: http://dld.bz/7xVJ

Author Intrusion: How To Stay Invisible: http://dld.bz/7xV6

Your Query Submission Checklist: http://dld.bz/7xTU @RedSofaLiterary

3 ways to get the distance you need for rewriting: http://dld.bz/7xTC

Revising A Manuscript That's Already Making the Rounds: http://dld.bz/7xTv

At the Core: The Premise and How it Ties it all Together: http://dld.bz/7xTa

Writing 'high concept': http://dld.bz/7xST

23 Websites that Make Your Writing Stronger: http://dld.bz/7xSy

Six Tips for Getting the Most Out of Conferences: http://dld.bz/7xSt

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: RAGGEDY ANNE COOKIES http://bit.ly/cTTzjA @CleoCoyle

Authors, Social Media and the Allure of Magical Thinking: http://dld.bz/7xSd

Reference help--the reverse dictionary: http://dld.bz/7xRS

When Errors Are Found In Royalty Statements: http://dld.bz/7xPT

How high are the stakes? Building better conflict and dilemma into your book: http://dld.bz/7xRs

10 Ways to Find Inspiration for Your Next Post: http://dld.bz/7xPJ

Inspiration: Even When You Don't Want to Write: http://dld.bz/7umP

Top Five Mistakes Authors Make in Proposals: http://dld.bz/7umA

Preparing for hibernation--building a winter writing rhythm: http://dld.bz/7xQt

Handgun Tips for Writers: http://dld.bz/7um5

Tips for introverts at writing conferences: http://dld.bz/7umx

6 Ways to Shoot Yourself in the Foot: http://dld.bz/7umk @victoriamixon

Why Creative Writers Need To Reveal Themselves In Their Work: http://dld.bz/7umf

A plot twist too far – was Rick Deckard a replicant? http://dld.bz/7ukW

When Spell-check Fails: Proofreading and Your Manuscript: http://dld.bz/7ukT

Voice: Authenticity and Heart: http://dld.bz/7ukE

If you're serious about becoming a better writer--just sit down and write: http://dld.bz/7ujU

Facebook Messaging: Why Text and Email Aren't Equal (Wall St. Journal) : http://dld.bz/7uj7

How to write 'hot': http://dld.bz/7rp2

Best Articles This Week for Writers 11/19/2010: http://dld.bz/7u9t @4kidlit

Supporting characters--recipes for conflict: http://dld.bz/7rm6

For crime writers--handling lengthy investigations in our fiction: http://dld.bz/7usF @mkinberg

Support—It Comes in Different Forms

The writing life is a tough one for many reasons…and it doesn't help that friends and family don't completely get what we're doing.

But still, most of us get some support from the people around us.  We might have a first reader among our friends and family. 

We might have a spouse who gives us the time and space to stare out the window and write for a while.

And then, when our books come out, we have friends who are excited for us and rush out to buy our books.

Right?

Last week, I tweeted a post by mystery publisher Agatho (he's anonymous) entitled For God's Sake, Buy Your Friends' Books.  It was one of the most retweeted tweets that I made. 

I got many direct messages from writers on Twitter saying that all of their family and friends expected them to provide them with a free copy.

This is, actually, pretty shocking to me.  I usually have one person who might angle for a free copy, but everyone else I know is at the bookstore soon after release day—supporting me.  My latest release was $6.99 at full retail…but even if it had been a lot more, they'd be trying to help me out. 

Because we wrote a book.  It took us many hours of relative isolation, writing and rewriting, and work to get that book in a bookstore.

As Agatho put it:

Please tell me why you choose to ignore this remarkable accomplishment by a family member or someone you call a "friend."  This person has labored, most likely for years, not only in writing a manuscript, but also in jumping through an endless series of hoops to get an agent and/or publisher. S/he has then had to exercise the utmost patience in rewriting several times to please an editor. Then, of course, comes the proofreading, which is even more work.  At the end of the process, s/he holds an extremely affordable, compact, 300-page book that is the culmination of years of hard work and determination.  And you - who will spend $4 for a cup of coffee at Starbucks, drop $100 for dinner for two at a trendy restaurant, or waste your money on cheap plastic crap at Walmart - cannot find it in your heart to buy a copy of this book?

Truthfully, though, some of the responsibility for this problem goes to the writer—who is giving these friends or family members free copies of the book. 

I know it's tough because writers can be reticent and don't want to address the problem—it's easier to just hand out the freebies.

But honestly, this is the best response (and it's true…this is what we're supposed to be doing with our author copies): "I'm sorry, but all of my author copies are spoken for. My publisher specifically requested that I send them to book bloggers and other reviewers to drive up sales.  But I see that my book is available at ____________ for just  $_____.  I hope you'll pick up a copy because I really think you'll enjoy it."

We can't force them to buy our book…but we can educate them about the purpose of author copies.

Have you got good support on your book launch days?

Giving Thanks—for Writing

On this day after Thanksgiving, I thought I'd take a minute to celebrate some of the facets of writing that I'm really thankful for.  Lots of times my writing challenges get center stage as I wrangle with the craft side of writing…or I work through the promotional side of it all.

So here, in now particular order are some of the things I love about writing:

The moment a character comes to life

When the beginning or end of the book falls into place

Feeling completely comfortable with the protagonist and knowing what she'd do in any situation

When the perfect chapter break happens

Writing on a rainy day

Writing outside on a pretty day

Seeing the book's cover for the first time

Author copies

Getting good feedback

Getting struck by a great idea and scrambling for paper

The support of the writing community

What are some of the things you love about writing?  What keeps you going through writing frustrations and challenges?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Best wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends. I'm going to be celebrating the day here at home with my family and parents.

I've lots to be thankful for today—and I'm adding my writing friends and the online writing community to my long list today. Thanks so much to all of you for your support and encouragement. :)

Getting Some Distance from Our Words

We're having some painting done inside our house.  Years of children with sticky hands have taken their toll on our walls.  :)

While the painters were here, the owner said to me, "Would you like us to do your front door and shutters, too?"

I frowned.  "Why?  Do you think they should be painted?"

He hesitated.  "Well, what color do you think they are?"

"I think the shutters and door are black."

"Could you step outside with me for a minute?" he asked.

As he pointed out, and as I was surprised to see, the shutters and door had faded quite a bit in the sun.  They used to be black—but now were varying shades of grayish-black.

He painted them yesterday and the house looks brand-new.  But I never would have noticed that they needed to be done because I drive up to my house every single day.  I don't even see it anymore.

You see this analogy coming. :)  It's true, though—we get just as close to our manuscript.  It can be really tough to see its problems when we've been reading the book every day.

First readers or an independent editor are obvious solutions to this problem.  They will read our work with fresh eyes and the problems will pop out at them easier.

Unfortunately, some of us may not have first readers to help us out.   I've had a couple of writers volunteer to read for me, but because I have more than one project going on at once, I tend to get right up on top of my deadline.  I just don't feel comfortable asking anyone to drop everything in their life to read 280 pages in a few days' time.  Oh—except I do ask it of my mother.  :)

So what's the solution if we need to get some distance from our work to thoroughly edit it?

Time:  You can put your manuscript down for as much time as possible, then return to it.  This method does work, although I don't have the time to do it anymore.  When you pick up your manuscript again, it's almost as if someone else wrote it.

Reading aloud: This is a method that I use and it does help.  There are only so many pages I can read without going hoarse, but the reading does put a bit of distance between us and the work.

Change of scenery: I really don't know why this works, but it does.  If I've written the majority of the book at home, then I'll go to the coffeehouse to edit it.  Different setting, different task at hand?  Whatever it is, it seems to work for me…I think my brain is easily tricked. :)

Different font: I've heard this trick before, but haven't used it.  Some swear by putting your manuscript in a completely different font for editing.

How do you get distance from your words? 

Watermelon and Seed

I was volunteering in my daughter's classroom on Friday for a Thanksgiving party for 4th grade. 

While I was in there (supposedly setting out snack supplies so the kids could make their own teepees out of ice cream cones, chocolate, and hard candy), I couldn't help but look at all the writing-related posters on the wall.

Fourth grade is a big writing year in elementary school.  There were posters covering punctuation mechanics, grammar rules, commonly misspelled words, etc.

There was one poster though, that was a little more interesting to me.  "Is your story idea a watermelon or a seed?"

Kids, naturally, sometimes come up with big ideas for stories—that don't really work for a short writing assignment.  "My Summer Vacation" instead of "The Worst Amusement Park Visit Ever!"  The teacher's point was that they needed to narrow their focus to get a better story.

But novelists are working with more pages to fill.  We can afford a bigger picture.

Sometimes, though,  that big picture doesn't always work.  I've definitely read books where I felt lost in the imaginary world the author had created.  What was the primary plot?  What character am I supposed to care about…and who is the protagonist?  These books felt unfocused and rambling.  What was the point?  Was it a murder mystery or a family saga or lit fic with an agenda? What was the seed?

With genre fiction, the seed is pretty easy to find.  The underlying thread of my books is a murder.  And I don't need to get too far away from it or else I'm off-target.

I've definitely edited down books before to get to the seed.  Maybe there's a subplot that's fun, but doesn't really tie in enough with the main story—maybe it's an idea that needs its own book instead of being squeezed into a subplot.  Or maybe there's a secondary character that's stealing the show and needs his own book.

Have you read books that don't have a sharp enough focus? How do you winnow your plot down to the seed when you write?

Why We Write

My 8th grade son has really enjoyed his Language Arts class (what the schools are calling English these days) the last couple of years. His teacher actually moved up from 7th grade to 8th grade and he's having her for a second year.

I've been impressed with the way the teacher has taught topics like mood and tone and the quality of the assignments she sends home for projects. I feel like he's getting a really solid background in a subject that's important to me.

He does have a new assignment, though, that's got me puzzled. To be fair, it hasn't actually come from the Language Arts teacher that he and I like so much—it's a school-wide, quarterly book project and is supposed to supplement his other curriculum.

For the assignment, he's to take the books he's reading for pleasure and do a comprehensive project on them. So, not the books that he's reading for class---books he's reading for fun.

Commercial fiction. Genre fiction. For him, this is Sci-fi, fantasy, dystopian literature, etc…and do a project.

Fine. But one of the questions on the assignment is "what was the author's purpose in writing this book?"

My immediate reaction was to snort. For commercial fiction? That purpose is personal to the author. It could be because they can't NOT write. It could be that they've studied the market and studied the craft and written a book that they thought could sell…to break into a difficult and crowded market. It could be for money. It could be that they dreamed up a character that demanded to have a story written around them.

But almost always? It's to entertain. It's probably not to inform or educate. It's to provide a reader a few hours of escape. It's been carefully thought-out and designed and revised and sweated over to seem seamless and to be riveting.

Why do you write?

Twitterific

Here are writing links that I've posted to Twitter for the past week.

If you're looking for a particular topic, just plug in your keyword into the search box at the top left-hand corner of the blog (on the black header right above my blog name…next to the Blogger symbol…the small search window is next to the magnifying glass) and the roundup with your subject will come up. To narrow your search down on the page, do a CTRL+F, type your subject, and hit enter.

For crime writers--handling lengthy investigations in our fiction: http://dld.bz/7usF @mkinberg

Why fairy tales are immortal (Globe and Mail) : http://dld.bz/7ugZ

Making Sense of a Rejection Letter: http://dld.bz/7rmj

5 Tips For Choosing The Perfect Book Interior Designer: http://dld.bz/7rmd @thecreativepenn

Understanding Advances And Royalties: http://dld.bz/7rk7

Things that have surprised me about the writing life: http://dld.bz/7tgH

Publishing -- The Synopsis: http://dld.bz/7rk5

Thanksgiving Mysteries: 2010 List: http://tinyurl.com/2g96waz @JanetRudolph

How to Make Your Website Mobile Friendly (And Keep Your Readers Happy): http://dld.bz/7rk2

Writing Cannot Be Strictly An Independent Activity: http://dld.bz/7rkb

A tale of a successful query: http://dld.bz/7rjS

For God's Sake, Buy Your Friends' Books: http://dld.bz/7rxY

When Writing Doesn't Pay (And It Feels Great): http://dld.bz/7rhb

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Hot Seafood Dip http://bit.ly/aFeFNI @CleoCoyle

Bloggers: How to Slash your Writing Time in Half: http://dld.bz/7gmx

3 Steps to Fan Page Awesomeness: http://dld.bz/7gkX

Tips on Writing Action Scenes: http://dld.bz/7gkU

Agent Donald Maass On: Your Tools for Character Building: http://dld.bz/7gdc

How to Use WordPress as an Online Notebook: http://dld.bz/7gcH

Keep the Passion to Write: http://dld.bz/7dnM

"Should I Quit My Job to Work as a Writer for Hire?" http://dld.bz/7dns

6 Tips for Writing for Young Adults: http://dld.bz/7dnd

13 Tips for Beginning Bloggers (Which One Blogger Learned the Hard Way): http://dld.bz/7dmP

Writing Should Be Treated as a Business: http://dld.bz/7dmJ

How to write a Q&A: http://dld.bz/7dmD

Get Past a Motivational Brick Wall: http://dld.bz/7dmh

Writing the synopsis before the book: http://dld.bz/7dkR

Should You Include Illustration Notes in Your Picture Book? http://dld.bz/7dkM

Writing Devices: Transitions: http://dld.bz/7dkB

Stop and Go Sentences: http://dld.bz/7dkx

Can An Online Presence Help Make a Best Seller? http://dld.bz/7dkf

Working as a Copywriter Abroad: http://dld.bz/7dkb

Six Ways to Trick Yourself into Working Harder: http://dld.bz/7fRJ

Nicolas Gary: France's Digital Man of Letters: http://dld.bz/7dj5

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Pumpkin Pie! http://bit.ly/d53M1Z @CleoCoyle

The Most Sympathetic Villain Ever: http://dld.bz/7djx

Literary rejections on display: http://dld.bz/7aXg

The Dark Side Of Your Novel's Hero: http://dld.bz/7aWV

Negotiating your own contract: http://dld.bz/7dnS

How to Connect and Network With Writers – 5 Social Media Tips: http://dld.bz/7aWK

Steampunk Abstractions: The Inevitability of Imperialism: http://dld.bz/7aW5

4 Agent Pet Peeves: http://dld.bz/7aWr

The Cons of Procrastination: http://dld.bz/7aWk

Writing Through the Doubt: http://dld.bz/7aVF

Starting a Scene with Dialogue: http://dld.bz/7aVv

Should You Grant an Exclusive Read to an Agent? http://dld.bz/7aVj

7 tips for improving your writing (especially for bloggers and freelancers): http://dld.bz/69N8

Seven Tips to Start Your Travel Blogging Journey: http://dld.bz/69Nv

Novels – Sagging Middle Fixes: http://dld.bz/69MA

How to Gain Twitter Influence: http://dld.bz/69Mz

Lock up the darn writer: http://dld.bz/69K2

12 Dozen Places To Self-Educate Yourself Online: http://dld.bz/69Ky

Top 5 Query Mistakes Freelance Writers Make: http://dld.bz/69Kp

How to speak publisher - A is for Acquisitions: http://dld.bz/69Kc

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Thanksgiving Treats http://bit.ly/c4Q2Zb @CleoCoyle

How to Write for Translation: http://dld.bz/69JM

17 ways for writers to publish their content: http://dld.bz/69J7

The importance of first impressions: http://dld.bz/6SZR @joanswan

How to Write Safely in a Publishing Universe: http://dld.bz/69Jh

How to Salvage a Scene: http://dld.bz/69Hp

Thanks to the Writing Masquerade blog for interviewing me: http://dld.bz/6USZ ! I shared my recipe for corn pudding, too. :) @eveningfades

6 Articles for a Stronger, Faster, Better First Draft: http://dld.bz/6UCE @Writeitsideways

How To Write Three Blog Posts A Day: http://dld.bz/69Hg

9 tips for writing back cover copy: http://dld.bz/6UAT @TheCreativePenn

How to Unblock Your Writing and Create Effortless Words: http://dld.bz/69Hd

Building an Author Platform from Scratch: http://dld.bz/69GV @pubperspectives

This Is Your Brain on Metaphors (NY Times): http://dld.bz/69G4

Developing contacts to promote your book: http://dld.bz/6Tfg @spunkonastick

How to write a profile article: http://dld.bz/69F4

6 Vital Signs of A Healthy Plot: http://bit.ly/dgD3PK

The value of pre-publication blurbs: http://dld.bz/69Fr

iPhone Apps for NaNoWriMo: http://dld.bz/69Fd

Tips for having a blog tour: http://dld.bz/69Fa

Things one writer didn't expect about writing full-time: http://dld.bz/69EF

Book rejection bingo: http://dld.bz/69EB

Cultivating your Imagination: http://dld.bz/69Er @jammer0501

Five Steps to a Strong Main Character: http://dld.bz/69Ed

Checking for plot holes: http://dld.bz/69Ea

Inspiring the uninspired: http://dld.bz/69DR

3 blogging blunders: http://dld.bz/69DM

A reader asks:is Our Attention Span Getting Shorter? http://dld.bz/6z9M

Do You Even NEED an Agent?: http://dld.bz/69DB

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Thanksgiving With a Little South on the Side http://bit.ly/bEcpv9 @CleoCoyle

Using flow for writing productivity: http://dld.bz/69Dw

How to Make Down Days Work for You: http://dld.bz/6zAp

Is Our Attention Span Getting Shorter? http://dld.bz/6z9M

Anatomy of a Scene Cut: http://dld.bz/6z9D

A Hidden Market for Freelance Writers: http://dld.bz/6z93

Writers: Be Bold! http://dld.bz/6z9f

How to Set Up Your First Blog the Right Way the First Time: http://dld.bz/6z9d

For freelancers: Ten Good Reasons the Editor Said "No": http://dld.bz/6z8M

Want to Be a Professional Writer? Act Like One. http://dld.bz/6z8C

Why modern books are all too long (Guardian): http://dld.bz/6z85

Writing the flip side of our characters: http://dld.bz/6GHx

The 7 Rules Part III: Rejection: http://dld.bz/6z82

The 3 types of negative book reviews: http://dld.bz/6z8u

5 Steps for Crafting the Perfect Book Review Pitch: http://dld.bz/6z8m

The Writer's Bucket List: http://dld.bz/6z8f

How to Keep the Conversations on Your Blog Civil: http://dld.bz/6z8a

Researching believability: http://dld.bz/6z7Q

5 Tips for Writing Scenes: http://dld.bz/56B2

One easy way to improve your writing--be specific: http://dld.bz/6DgJ @Paize_Fiddler

An agent with some Twitter tips: http://dld.bz/6z7A

The power of perspective: http://dld.bz/6z7y

Take the Fantasy Novelist's Exam: http://dld.bz/6z6P

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: COMMENT TO WIN TODAY! What is Your Must-Have Thanksgiving Side Dish? http://bit.ly/9jR5pW @CleoCoyle

Character Traits vs Author Traits - Reaching for the Brass Ring: http://dld.bz/6z6B

Why are you writing this story? http://dld.bz/6z6c

Why good guys need to win in detective novels (Boston Globe): http://dld.bz/6z5Z

Biographers fear that publishers have lost their appetite for serious subjects (Guardian): http://dld.bz/6z5M

5 Ways To Tell Your WIP Is Progressing: http://dld.bz/6t47

9 Ways To Elevate Your Speaking To Black Belt Level: http://dld.bz/6t45

Don't Prejudge Editorial Taste When Submitting to Magazines: http://dld.bz/6t42

Best Tweets for Writers (week ending 11/12/10): http://dld.bz/69NK

Things that authors get wrong: http://dld.bz/6t4f

Modifiers to avoid: http://dld.bz/6t3Q

Pleasing Ourselves or Pleasing the Reader? http://dld.bz/6t3K

Avoid 5 Plotting Mistakes by Using Scenes: http://dld.bz/6t34

Multiple Points of View: http://dld.bz/6t2t

Bad Boy Heroes: Three Types: http://dld.bz/6t2q

Top Five Mistakes that New Freelance Writers Make: http://dld.bz/6tzT

An Agent on Addressing Your Query: http://dld.bz/6tzv

5 Reasons Writers Get Stuck with Tips How to Unstick: http://dld.bz/6tzn

Ethnicity in writing--should you worry about including it? http://dld.bz/6475

A look at ending our scenes: http://dld.bz/6tzg

Archetypes, not Stereotypes: http://dld.bz/6tyy

Finding the Writing Groove: http://dld.bz/6tyr

5 Causes and Solutions to Writer's Block: http://dld.bz/6tyd

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: First Murder Bourbon Pecan Pie http://bit.ly/bblVwk @CleoCoyle

Ten of the best angels in literature (Guardian): http://dld.bz/6txX

An editor on backstory: http://dld.bz/6txM

Character Emotional Development: http://dld.bz/6txE

Definitive list of cliched dialogue: http://dld.bz/6txB

An agent on whether a writer should resubmit a manuscript, even if only one chapter is changed: http://dld.bz/6tx6

The online graphical dictionary: http://dld.bz/6sTQ

Twitterific--the week in tweets: http://bit.ly/cwFKYM

Business Writing Jobs and Rates – How Much Do Writers Make? http://dld.bz/6sTH

Taking history: top writers select their photographs of the decade: http://dld.bz/6sT9

An agent answers whether it's all right to scream or squeal when you get 'the call': http://dld.bz/6s6F

The New Girls' Network: How a debut author got a little help (PW): http://dld.bz/6s64

Feed your writing soul: http://dld.bz/6s6x

Events not worthy of a full screen: http://dld.bz/6s6u

5 More Ways to Jump Start a Writing Career - Part 2: http://dld.bz/6s6k

Did all these fantasy stories really rip off Harry Potter? http://dld.bz/6s6j

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Welcome Guest Blogger, Barb Goffman! http://bit.ly/9DKDMd @CleoCoyle

One writer's 10 ground rules for writing about her kids online: http://dld.bz/6s6f

The Life of a Furtive Writer: http://dld.bz/6s5Q

15 Secrets For the Perfect Business Portrait (or Author Photo): http://dld.bz/6mbw

The debate on prologues: http://dld.bz/6mbm

An agent with a thoughtful post on the necessity of author platforms: http://dld.bz/6t2G @pubperspectives

How to Use StumbleUpon: Your Comprehensive Guide: http://dld.bz/6maZ

10 Guest Blogging Tips: http://dld.bz/6maU

The More We Write

There was an article that ran this week on the Genreality blog by urban fantasy author Carrie Vaughn entitled "Things I Didn't Expect About Writing Full-Time."

I thought it was really interesting because I have noticed things that surprised me about spending my day as a writer.  But I hadn't actually sat down to articulate them.

Carrie Vaughn mentions things like the number of emails she gets, and the endless waiting for different things on the publisher's end to happen.

Those things wouldn't have made my list, but I've definitely noticed other things that have surprised me about being a writer. One thing that is that I spend most of my day writing.  It's not just work on my novel, of course—it's also answering emails, writing blog posts, creating short tweets, writing status updates, commenting on blogs…I'm actually writing most of the day.

I'm writing to people who also spend most of their day writing.  Other writers, my agent, my editors. 

These people all have excellent communication skills.  Way above average communication skills.

So lately—I've also noticed that I've had some frustration (well-hidden.  I hope…) with regular people who aren't writers and don't write clearly.    That's something I never would have expected as a byproduct of spending my day writing.

I'm not picking out typos or being picky about grammar or anything like that—I'm just trying to figure out the point of the school-related email or the Scout-related email or the church-related email.  Because the emails frequently ramble and aren't clear.   And I'm always in such a hurry to get to the crux of the missive.

And I'm used to corresponding with writers.

Which is ridiculous, of course.  These non-writers aren't practicing their writing skills like we are.  I'm just learning to reread emails a few times to figure out what some of them are trying to say.  And saving the emails and using my highlighting feature. :)

My husband has wonderful writing skills for a non-writer. But it  takes him a long time to write an email.  He wants to get the word choice exactly right. 

So that's what's surprised me the most—the fact that I apparently think everyone writes well, or that writing is just a basic skill like reading is,  because of the amount of time I spend interacting and corresponding with writers.  :)

What surprises you, as you spend more time writing?

Setting the Mood

After so many years of setting the clock back, you'd think I'd expect the changes.

But each fall I'm surprised how dark it is in the late afternoon. Every morning I'm surprised how light it is so early.

The darkness puts our whole family in a different mood. We light candles at suppertime. We feel sleepier at bedtime. And when I take my daughter to her scout meeting at 6 p.m., she gets the delicious sensation that she's up really late at night and out on the town.

I've noticed lately, though, an aggressive attempt by stores to put me in a very particular mood.

The Christmas shopping mood.

It was November 3 and I walked into a store that was playing Christmas music. Whoa! There's no way I'm ready for that stuff yet, y'all. I picked up some things for the kids last summer and that is it. The Christmas season starts after Thanksgiving. It does! But I kept running into stores that were selling the season awfully early.

These stores' determination to put me in a money-spending mood was a slap in the face. It was not subtle. It felt very pushy to me.

I've read some books where I felt the writer abruptly and clumsily tried to force me into a mood: a tense mood, a frightened mood, a maudlin mood. It jumped off the page at me and I don't think it's because I'm a writer.

It's like watching a poorly-done horror movie. You know the bad guy is going to leap out at you because of the scary music, heavy on strings, that's loudly playing.

Subtle ways to create a mood:

Skillful (and, to my liking, brief) description of the scene's setting: an abandoned, deteriorating house (unease). A crowded train with body to body people (stress).

Setting tone through dialogue. Obviously this would be two or more characters sharing more than just chit-chat with each other. There could be an urgent tone set, a joyful tone, somber tone…

Syntax: We convey our feelings about a person via word choice—choosing words with negative connotations instead of positive ones. Someone's face has pity, not sympathy. Someone is smug, not content. A person is cloying, not sweet. The character contributes toward establishment of the mood—the reader feels suffocated by the closeness of the cloying character, e.g.

Weather: I've seen this overdone. But it can be used very effectively in unusual ways. We all remember what a beautiful day it was in New York city on 9-11. It just illuminated the horror that played out.

Light: The daylight savings time shifts play havoc with my moods. You could do the same with blackouts, houses with uncertain electrical wiring, uncovered ceiling lightbulbs creating sinister shadows, etc.

I appreciate subtlety in creating moods instead of having a writer lay it on too thick. Are you the same way? As a writer, how do you invoke mood?