Elizabeth Spann Craig's Blog, page 223

Creatives Together?

My daughter and I went to a Halloween party on Saturday night. Well, it was both a Halloween party and a premiere…the dad of my daughter's friend had an official premiere of his band.

He's an interesting guy—he has a huge record collection (vinyls— in floor to ceiling shelves), and just lives for music.

During the day he has a day job selling chemicals. The music really keeps him going.

His wife is a middle school assistant principal and is very matter-of-fact and serious.

I walked up to his wife at the party and raved over their house. It was full of antique music players and old radios and stereos—and books! Books everywhere. He also had a music room for all the LPs and his huge collection of 60s and 70s kitsch and toys that were on a shelf that ran along the ceiling. There were collections of different objects in different rooms. I pulled out my phone and started taking pictures. I was very impressed.

His wife said, "I get so overwhelmed in that room! I'm there for a few minutes and it drives me a little crazy so I have to go to a quieter room." She paused for a few minutes and said, "Really, I'm kind of boring, compared to my husband."

I said, "But I think if there were two people who were that creative in the same place, then they'd end up wanting to kill each other. Opposites work better." I was thinking about my own daydreaminess and the way I'm easily distracted—and my husband who is nothing if not grounded. He's very set in the here-and-now and helps rein me in from some of my flights of fancy. It works out well.

On the other hand, I do personally know a couple of husband and wife writing teams. And they work together really, really well. Although—I think they still have personalities that are very different from each other. Maybe that's the aspect that makes it work.

I think back to all the creative unions in the past that didn't go so well—the Sylvia Plaths and Ted Hughes of the world, or the Liz Taylors and Richard Burtons. Now there were other problems at work in those relationships, too, of course.

So I thought I'd take a little informal poll among those who'd like to participate. How many of you creative types are married to fellow artists? And how is that working for you? Or are you married to a non-creative. If you are, do they "get" what you're doing? If they don't "get" it, do they at least respect your reasons for writing?

Publisher-Requested Edits and Revisions

My second book in the Memphis Barbeque series, Finger Lickin' Dead, will launch June 2011. Last week I got the copy edited version of the manuscript—with items for me to clarify and corrections for me to make.

I was very happy to see that there weren't really many edits or revisions to make. But I couldn't feel smug about it—because it's not like I always write clean copy. You'd think that it would be more of a linear thing—that the more books I write, the cleaner the copy gets. That's sometimes true…and sometimes not.

But, despite the light load, there were my usual problem-areas to address. Editors are worth their weight in gold.

There were a couple of mind-boggling mistakes on my part that made me grit my teeth and get completely irritated with myself…and wonder if I'd had a small stroke in between the problem sentences. The cook is grating cheese and then is abruptly chopping onions? In the same sentence, practically? Really, Elizabeth!

The way that Berkley works is that even when these really, really stupid errors come up, they ask what I'd like to do. So on track changes, there was a comment in the margin—a polite "Would you rather have this be cheese? Or onions?" They don't automatically pick one for you—you rewrite the problem area.

So, a few times where I guess the phone had rung when I was writing (or I temporarily lost my mind), and I made inconsistent statements, continuity errors, etc.

Now, of course, typos or style mistakes get automatically corrected. But not continuity or timeline errors.

A couple of the mistakes were much more subtle. There's a can of beans that plays a (small) role in the book. It started out as baked beans. Then fifty pages went by and I referred to them as pork and beans. Then another one hundred pages went by and they were baked beans again. Continuity errors—got to love them.

This happened because I was writing the book pretty much straight-through—and I'd thought I'd written pork and beans, as I was busily working on the scene. I'd gone off of memory instead of checking the reference earlier in the manuscript.

I didn't catch the error. My first reader didn't catch it and my agent didn't catch it. Thank goodness for the copyeditor. I went back and fixed all the references, thanking the editor in my head again.

Most of the errors were mistakes like that. They were easily fixed.

There were a couple of timeline errors that were also easily fixed—where I'd said that something was going to happen in a particular frame of time, but then—if you counted up all the days when I said "the next day" or "the next morning" or "two days later," then the event hadn't happened in that timeframe.

This is also a fairly common error of mine. It helps to keep a spreadsheet of the days. It can get complicated when lots of events happen during a novel.

Luckily for me, there was only one error where I went, "Oh hell."

It was a timeline error and it was a fairly big one. It was going to cause me some rewriting.

I did what I usually do when I face a bigger revision—I slept on it.

The next day I made a list of all the possibilities I could think of to write myself out of the hole. And found the solution to the problem in my list.

What kinds of revision problems and edits do you usually run into? And how do you resolve them?

Publisher-Requested Revisions

My second book in the Memphis Barbeque series, Finger Lickin' Dead, will launch June 2011. Last week I got the copy edited version of the manuscript—with items for me to clarify and corrections for me to make.

I was very happy to see that there weren't really many revisions to make. But I couldn't feel smug about it—because it's not like I always write clean copy. You'd think that it would be more of a linear thing—that the more books I write, the cleaner the copy gets. That's sometimes true…and sometimes not.

But, despite the light load, there were my usual problem-areas to address. Editors are worth their weight in gold.

There were a couple of mind-boggling mistakes on my part that made me grit my teeth and get completely irritated with myself…and wonder if I'd had a small stroke in between the problem sentences. The cook is grating cheese and then is abruptly chopping onions? In the same sentence, practically? Really, Elizabeth!

The way that Berkley works is that even when these really, really stupid errors come up, they ask what I'd like to do. So on track changes, there was a comment in the margin—a polite "Would you rather have this be cheese? Or onions?" They don't automatically pick one for you—you rewrite the problem area.

So, a few times where I guess the phone had rung when I was writing (or I temporarily lost my mind), and I made inconsistent statements, continuity errors, etc.

Now, of course, typos or style mistakes get automatically corrected. But not continuity or timeline errors.

A couple of the mistakes were much more subtle. There's a can of beans that plays a (small) role in the book. It started out as baked beans. Then fifty pages went by and I referred to them as pork and beans. Then another one hundred pages went by and they were baked beans again. Continuity errors—got to love them.

This happened because I was writing the book pretty much straight-through—and I'd thought I'd written pork and beans, as I was busily working on the scene. I'd gone off of memory instead of checking the reference earlier in the manuscript.

I didn't catch the error. My first reader didn't catch it and my agent didn't catch it. Thank goodness for the copyeditor. I went back and fixed all the references, thanking the editor in my head again.

Most of the errors were mistakes like that. They were easily fixed.

There were a couple of timeline errors that were also easily fixed—where I'd said that something was going to happen in a particular frame of time, but then—if you counted up all the days when I said "the next day" or "the next morning" or "two days later," then the event hadn't happened in that timeframe.

This is also a fairly common error of mine. It helps to keep a spreadsheet of the days. It can get complicated when lots of events happen during a novel.

Luckily for me, there was only one error where I went, "Oh hell."

It was a timeline error and it was a fairly big one. It was going to cause me some rewriting.

I did what I usually do when I face a bigger revision—I slept on it.

The next day I made a list of all the possibilities I could think of to write myself out of the hole. And found the solution to the problem in my list.

What kinds of revision problems do you usually run into? And how do you resolve them?

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.

Finding—and Losing—Memories in Fiction: http://dld.bz/2Sqw

Telling others that you're a writer--is it time to own up to the fact? http://dld.bz/2SpY

20 heroic librarians who save the world: http://dld.bz/2Mwp

AgentFail: http://dld.bz/2Jqt

Not Starting with the Action: http://dld.bz/2Jpd

Branding Leads to Landing...the All-Important Second Contract: http://dld.bz/2JnW

What if an agent doesn't like the revision I've done just for her? http://dld.bz/2JnN

The Truth About How Long it Takes to Get a Book Published: http://dld.bz/2JnF

Writing pitfalls to avoid: http://dld.bz/2Jn8

Backstory blunders: http://dld.bz/2Jn6

Writing full time--a user's guide for the newly agented: http://dld.bz/2Jng

How to Publish Your Book in the iBookstore: http://dld.bz/2JkT

When characters surprise you: http://dld.bz/2Jk6

Skirts on Camels: Early Women Travel Writers (Huff Post): http://dld.bz/2Jkx

Things Every Author Should Know about Promotion: http://dld.bz/2Jkr

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Apple Butter Spice Cake http://bit.ly/aLHdp6 @CleoCoyle

E-Books Finally Impact Bestseller Market: http://dld.bz/2Jke

10 steps to a better story: http://dld.bz/2JjU

Bob the Builder's advice to writers: http://dld.bz/2JjM

Storytelling Voice: http://dld.bz/2Jj4

Spicing up the sagging middle of your manuscript--some tips: http://dld.bz/2M9U @juliemusil

iTunes and your writing: http://dld.bz/2M85

Are You A Slave to Your Email? http://dld.bz/2Jjt

Outline? Not if you don't want to. Do what works for *you*: http://dld.bz/2MtF

6 Ways to Optimize Your Blog for Search Engines: http://dld.bz/2Jjb

Flashback into Character Development: http://dld.bz/2Jhp

Best Articles This Week for Writers 10/22/10: http://dld.bz/2Jrj @4KidLit

Series writing for crime fiction writers--keeping it fresh and knowing when and how to end a series: http://dld.bz/2DTs @mkinberg

Writer's GUILT: http://dld.bz/2AUj

Authors Behaving Badly: What NOT to Do at Your Bookstore Event: http://dld.bz/2AUf

Writing Tip: Trim the Fat: http://dld.bz/2ATQ

Find the RIGHT agent, not just "an" agent: http://dld.bz/2ATt

5 Things Every Writer Should Know About Rights: http://dld.bz/2AS9

8 Great Mind Mapping Tools For Effective Brainstorming: http://dld.bz/2ASw

Insights about the current state of the ebook market: http://dld.bz/2ASv

Developing contacts to promote your book: http://dld.bz/2DQN

The Writer as Apprentice: http://dld.bz/2ASt

Eliminating unnecessary words: http://dld.bz/2ASn

Author acknowledgments: http://dld.bz/29TT

Mary Stewart—An Appreciation: http://dld.bz/2zBv

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Cleo Coyle's Chocolate Fudge Pumpkin Cookies with Easy Pumpkin Glaze and Two Instant... http://bit.ly/abLh2n @CleoCoyle

"Why I love Peanuts" (Guardian): http://dld.bz/2zBa

A picture book author/illustrator stands up for her protagonist after letter by concerned parent: http://dld.bz/2zA6

Dropbox for backup: http://dld.bz/2z9U

Spending cuts put libraries at risk, authors warn (Guardian): http://dld.bz/2z9S

Using old technology to buy & sell used books: http://dld.bz/2z9E

The "Strong Female Character": http://dld.bz/2z96

How to Write One Page Per Day: http://dld.bz/2z9w

An agent on some opening page tactics that fail: http://dld.bz/29TF

5 tough truths about the writing life: http://dld.bz/2z9t

Literary Terms--A Writer's Choice: http://dld.bz/29TB

How to Write a Nonfiction Book Proposal: http://dld.bz/2z9c

The Great Steampunk Timeline: http://dld.bz/2z8W

What Not To Do At A Conference: http://dld.bz/2z6t

Richard Ford's 10 rules for writers (National Post): http://dld.bz/2z6k

Are you using protection? Free speech, libel, and risky writing: http://dld.bz/2z4W

5 ways to tap your unconscious creativity: http://dld.bz/244f

The Making of a Novel: 8 Enduring Truths About Publishing (Huff Post): http://dld.bz/2z4d

On the way to the Final Draft – Self Editing #5: http://dld.bz/2z2v

The Edward Cullen Guide to Metaphor Posts: http://dld.bz/2zzY

How To Create Believable Characters: http://dld.bz/2zzn

Seven Ways Electronic Books Will Make Us Better Readers (Huff Post): http://dld.bz/2zzf

Keep Unlikable Characters From Alienating Readers: http://dld.bz/2zzc

Writing Devices : If the Glove Doesn't Fit, Introduce a Rooster. And Raison d'etre: http://dld.bz/2zyY

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Halloween in a Hurry—Spooky, Yummy Ghosts http://bit.ly/cgUZbW @CleoCoyle

Novel Writing Strategies and Links: http://dld.bz/2vqR

Copy-Editing the Culture: The Rise and Fall of Woody Allen, as Experienced Through His Punctuation: http://dld.bz/2vqG

Manuscript Request Etiquette: http://dld.bz/2zy6 @HeatherMcCorkle

The Secret to Social Media Success–Slow & Steady Wins the Race: http://dld.bz/2zyt

I Don't Like You! - Creating Sympathetic Characters: http://dld.bz/2zya

Ways to Generate More Traffic to Our Blogs: http://dld.bz/2zrM

Mark Twain on bestseller lists with release of memoir (Globe and Mail): http://dld.bz/2zB9

5 Ways to Make Your Novel Inescapable: http://dld.bz/2zrF @VictoriaMixon

The importance of test readers: http://dld.bz/2zyH

Finding free images for your blog: http://dld.bz/2vpE

How to kill your story before you write it – in 7 easy steps: http://dld.bz/2vpA

Make Your NaNoWriMo Experience Count (4 Posts): http://dld.bz/2vp3

How to handle agent questions when you tell them you've found representation: http://dld.bz/2vpc

Countdown to NaNoWriMo Part 3: Outlining A Novel Worth Reading: http://dld.bz/2rkR

Cold Iron: David Boyer, Plagiarist: http://dld.bz/2rkK

Reading fees – a money spinner? http://dld.bz/2rkv

How to speak publisher - A is for Agent: http://dld.bz/2rkq

Block That Adjective! (Wall St. Journal) http://dld.bz/2rhG

Originality in Genre Fiction – An Oxymoron? http://dld.bz/2rkh

3 Simple Ways to Rapidly Create Custom Facebook Landing Tabs: http://dld.bz/2rjE

Twitter 101--Who Can See My Tweets? : http://dld.bz/2rkB

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Coconut-berry granola goodness! http://bit.ly/cAkr25 @CleoCoyle

Paris' Seine-side Bookselling bouquinistes Tout Trinkets, but City Hall Cries "Non": http://dld.bz/2rkz

Why Simply Knowing Your Book's Genre Isn't Enough To Get Published: http://dld.bz/2mWT

3 Things To Help You Make The Most Of Every Day: http://dld.bz/2mWS

10 ways to find material to blog about: http://dld.bz/2mUS

An Agent on The Value of Professional Organizations: http://dld.bz/2mUJ

Finished your novel? Start writing the next one: http://dld.bz/2mUD

Mind-mapping: http://dld.bz/2mUt

The 10 Psychological Stages of Public Speaking: http://dld.bz/2mUs

View to A Kill: Finding the Best Point-of-View: http://dld.bz/2mW2

Making a Book Stand Out: What Helps the Most? http://dld.bz/2mTQ

Debut series writing: http://dld.bz/2mSS

How to revise your novel without getting stale – take a tip from Michael Caine: http://dld.bz/2mSk @dirtywhitecandy

Nanowrimo Prep: Elements of Act One: http://dld.bz/2jKG

The writing advice you need but don't want: http://dld.bz/2jKq @jammer0501

6 Things To Do Before Submission Day: http://dld.bz/2mWu

How to reject an agent and let other agents know you have an offer: http://dld.bz/2jKp

Moving past checklists and writing rules--it's all about the story: http://dld.bz/2mVU

"Stop Beating Me Over the Head With Your Book": http://dld.bz/2jKf

An Agent Answers General Questions on Proposals: http://dld.bz/2jJU

Do It All, Or Die Trying: The Way Of The Renaissance Writer: http://dld.bz/2jJu

Why give critiques? http://dld.bz/2jJf @clarissadraper

Those unsolicited guest post offers: http://dld.bz/2jHJ

Peter Jackson to begin filming The Hobbit in 2011: http://dld.bz/2mVb

The Seven Stages of Editing Grief: http://dld.bz/2jH9

Best Tweets for Writers (week ending 10/15/10--Jane Friedman, Writer's Digest: http://dld.bz/2jHv

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Bloody Shirley http://bit.ly/aMDTSR @CleoCoyle

New Agent Alert: Elena Mechlin of Pippin Properties: http://dld.bz/2jHn

Dramatic Tension: http://dld.bz/zWpy

Writing Articles to Build a Solid Online Business: Four Tips: http://dld.bz/zWpu

Ten of the best taxis in literature(Guardian): http://dld.bz/zWph

Plotting--should we be keeping it simple? http://dld.bz/2jgw

Five great e-reader apps for your iPad: http://dld.bz/zWpb

Make sure it's your character's voice speaking, even when they're not talking: http://dld.bz/2jgg @authorterryo

Kurt Vonnegut, e.e. cummings & Shel Silverstein Are Most Popular Literary Tattoo Inspirations: http://dld.bz/zWnR

5 common Facebook faux pas: http://dld.bz/zWne

The Art Of Writing And Selling Memoirs (NPR): http://dld.bz/zWmX

Don't mention blogging in your query...unless you *really* blog: http://dld.bz/zWmV

Silhouette Fades as Harlequin Rebrands: http://dld.bz/zWmP

Horror fiction--10 cliches to avoid: http://dld.bz/zWmE

5 Famous Writers That Lived in Exile: http://dld.bz/zWmv

Our libraries must branch out into a world of tweets and blogs (Telegraph): http://dld.bz/zWmt

Remember to write like Strunk and White: http://dld.bz/zWmh

10 Steps to Successful Video Blogging: http://dld.bz/zWmc

4 Factors for Choosing an MFA Program: http://dld.bz/zWma

How to Show Up and Write: http://dld.bz/zWkY

The Rule of 5 for Book Promotion (Huff Post): http://dld.bz/zWjM:

6 Ways To Cure Blogger Writer's Block: http://dld.bz/zWkn

Listen to yourself--why writers should interview themselves: http://dld.bz/zTwz

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Trick or Treat! Say Cheese!! http://bit.ly/dBhO8c @CleoCoyle

Ten Things About You To Make You An Identity Theft Victim (some can be found by our carelessness online): http://dld.bz/zTwy

Agents Talk Trends, Platform, eBooks and More at Wrangling With Writing: http://dld.bz/zTwu

On parallel construction of your sentences: http://dld.bz/zTwn

How to break in to non-fiction and fiction... a primer: http://dld.bz/zTwa

Themes in crime fiction--"the one that got away": http://dld.bz/zTnq @mkinberg

RT When novelists sober up http://bit.ly/m0R1i (via @WillLangdale, @AdviceToWriters)

Best Articles This Week for Writers 10/15/2010: http://dld.bz/zWp8

E-reading--pros and cons: http://dld.bz/zTvZ

Authors--is your book missing from your local bookstore? Don't be afraid to ask about it: http://dld.bz/zTvR

10 things writers should never forget: http://dld.bz/zTuM @ZiggyKinsella

Amish Romance: More Faith And No Sex In This Slice Of Christian Fiction (NPR): http://dld.bz/zTuJ

Using Dropbox with your Kindle device: http://dld.bz/zTrF

How to pick the right POV for your novel: http://dld.bz/zTrz and http://dld.bz/zTr2

Why writers *must* write: http://dld.bz/zTh6 @camillelaguire

An independent editor with tips on creating unique characters: http://dld.bz/zTec

Why authors should love all their characters: http://dld.bz/zTfH

Confused about writing synopses? Take a look at Wikipedia: http://dld.bz/zTf8

The book tour: is it worth it? (Huff Post): http://dld.bz/zTfz

The author bio--6 important components: http://dld.bz/zTfq

James Ross and The Agony of the One-Hit Wonder: http://dld.bz/zHp3

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Welcome Guest Blogger Kathleen Ernst! http://bit.ly/bzQAL1 @CleoCoyle

Do You Try Your Agent's Patience? http://dld.bz/zHpz

8 Lessons To Learn from Screwing Up Your Manuscript: http://dld.bz/zHnN @victoriamixon

Thoughts From An Aspiring Picture Book Author: http://dld.bz/zHnJ

5 Reasons You Should Do NaNoWriMo: National Novel Writing Month: http://dld.bz/zHnH @thecreativepenn

4 Tips for Researching a Novel: http://dld.bz/zHkV

Time Saving Tips for Freelance Writers: http://dld.bz/zHkP

10 classic SF books that were originally considered failures: http://dld.bz/zHkG

The Making of a Novel: A Simple Solution for Overusing Certain Words (Huff Post): http://dld.bz/zHk7

5 Articles on Perseverance: http://dld.bz/zHkz

How to fire your agent: http://dld.bz/zHku

How to speak publisher - A is for Advance: http://dld.bz/zHkp

"My Story Isn't What You Represent But You Should Still Sign Me": http://dld.bz/zHkg

Should you mention your competitor in your marketing message? http://dld.bz/zAnR

The Top 5 Free eBooks for Fiction Writers: http://dld.bz/zAnN

Countdown to NaNoWriMo Part 2: Why Outlining Your Novel Is Essential: http://dld.bz/zAnB

"I'm a Writer."

Longtime readers of this blog will know that for a couple of years I've been really reluctant to admitting to be a writer.  Especially in casual conversation with a new acquaintance.

That's because, in my experience, whenever you mention being a writer, the focus of the conversation shifts to you.  Many writers are introverts and aren't especially excited about being in a conversation with someone they don't know anyway, much less being the focus of it.

For me, though, it got to the point where it was ridiculous not to mention it.  I found that if I didn't mention my writing, then people didn't understand why I couldn't volunteer every day at the school (I still volunteer a lot there), or why I couldn't talk on the phone for long periods of time during the mornings.  Or why I'd disappear into my house around deadlines and not be seen out.

Writing and promotion became such a huge time-taking part of my life that it was impossible NOT to say something about it.

But I'm not a salesperson.  Or, at least, I'm a really rotten one.  So I tend to say, "I'm a writer" in the same tone of voice that someone would use for "I'm an accountant."  It's very matter-of-fact.  If they ask a lot of questions, I hand them my business card (especially since I have a pen name.  New acquaintances have a hard enough time remembering my real name, without having to learn a pen name, too.)

Then I get the heck out of the conversation as fast as possible.

I've decided that there is no typical response when you say you're a writer.  I've gotten:

"Should I know who you are?"  (No.)
"Are your books at the library?" (Yes.)
"I have an idea for you! I've always wanted to write about…"

There are, also, questions I always get:

"What types of books do you write?"
"Are you published?"
"Do you write under your own name?"
"How many books have you written?" (7, but there are only 2 on the shelf right now—and one on backlist, 1 in production, and 1 that's due in a month that I'm editing. And one that will be finished in a few months.)

This past week I had two times where I needed to mention what I do.   And they were probably the worst reactions that I get. So for those of you who are worried about mentioning your writing?  These are the worst-case scenarios…and it's really not that bad. 

The first time was on Monday.  I was on a field trip and had been asked by the school to pick up another chaperone and carpool with her for the 45 minutes to the field trip destination.

She said, "So, tell me what you do.  Because I haven't yet met any housewives here in Matthews."  (She was new to the area.  There are plenty of homemakers and stay-at-home moms.)

"I'm a writer."

"You write books!?""

"Yes."

She looked at me disbelievingly and changed the subject.  Lovely ride for another 40 minutes or so in the car.

The next time was last week with a new physician I'm seeing.  He's intended to cure me of my lifetime sleep problems (good luck with that.)  He asked me what I did for a living.

"I'm a writer."

"You write books.  They're on the shelf."  (These were not questions.)

"Yes."

"I could go over to the store and get them."

"Yes."

He looked at me very seriously for a minute.  He apparently has one of those really dour personalities.  "That's very interesting," he said, in a completely deadpan voice.

I burst out laughing because his expression and his tone totally belied his words.  He really didn't find it very interesting, but thought he should say that he did.

Now there are writers out there who really don't want to (and shouldn't) reveal they're writers.  Being put in the spotlight might affect their creative process too much.

But for those of you out there who would actually make life easier by admitting to being a writer (because people would leave you alone more during your free time)—I'm here to tell you that it can be done.  And you can become immune to people's reactions (I think I have now), find them interesting enough to make the people into characters if they have a unique reaction to your revelation (that doctor may have to fit in to a WiP somewhere)—or possibly even sell a couple of books.

If I can do it, so can you!

Are you still in the closet, in regards to your writing?  Or have you come out to the world about it?

Doing Things Our Own Way

I had a conversation with my agent a couple of days ago that reminded me of something that happened at the pool this past summer. Y'all know by now that I spent most of my sweltering summer at the swimming pool with my kids.

This particular day, I was there with my daughter and her best friend. Since we were at the pool between noon and 3, I'd packed a lunch so that we didn't have to buy the expensive pool snack-bar lunch.

I'd stuffed a motley assortment in the cooler—1 peanut butter, 1 ham, a couple of apples, some chips, some cookies, some water, some lemonade. The kids came out of the pool, plopped down at the table, took things out of the cooler, ate off the table, dropped things on the cement, called the "five second rule" and ate everything I'd brought.

I was writing my book for a few minutes while they laughed and talked with each other. Then I put my notebook down and I talked to them while they ate about people I noticed at the pool—I wondered about people and what they were doing and where they came from and made up little scenarios about them for fun. They both came up with some of their own ideas about their fellow pool-goers. They stuffed the food down their throats and hopped back into the pool. I started writing Memphis BBQ 3 again, and looked up from time to time to make sure no one was drowning (and that the lifeguards looked like they're on top of things.)

Suddenly this other mom sat down at the table next to me and I felt like a complete Mommy Failure. "Wait! Don't touch! Don't touch!" she said to her kids. She took out wipes and proceeded to wipe down the table and chairs. Then she spread the red towel you see in the picture down as a tablecloth (yes, I'm afraid I take pictures with my phone of anything I find interesting. :) I scare people sometimes…)as the two cute preschool children looked on.

She unpacked a HOT lunch from her cooler (which, I guess, makes it really a "heater"). Then, while the children ate lunch, she talked to them about how to tell time…pointing out the analog clock and quizzing each of the kids. She was completely engaged, though, instead of being distracted and vague like I was. At the end of it, she talked about simple addition and subtraction as she put things in and out of the cooler.

Then she talked to them about general pool safety.

But… the kids I brought to the pool just ate a (fairly) healthy lunch. They were happy. I did visit with them, but I didn't strain their brain or anything. They were having a good time.

I'd done it all differently from the other mom. But, I think, we came up with the same results. Except that my kids didn't learn anything too academic from our exchange. Maybe they were more creative during it, though.

She was a good mom. I think I am, too. But we parent differently—although hopefully both of us end up with children who've been well-raised.

Writing is like this. There must be at least a hundred different ways to complete a manuscript. Who cares as long as we all make it to the finish line? And, yes, hearing someone else's success story about using a particular method may make me rethink mine…but after all, shouldn't we just go with what works for us?

I talked to my agent a couple of days ago. I've got something new that I'm going to start working on in the next month. Of course, I'm also putting the finishing touches on the third Memphis barbeque book.

"Good thing you can keep these storylines straight!" she said with a laugh. "That's why outlining and thinking it all out in advance comes in, right?" She'd talked to this other author who did a lot of outlining.

I paused. "Actually, Ellen, I…don't outline."

"Oh. Oh! Okay." She thought about this for a minute. "But mysteries are really kind of complicated, though. An outline wouldn't help?" she asked.

"I think outlining kind of messes me up, actually. I just make everything up as I go along. My first drafts are awful, but the mysteries end up making sense after the revisions."

I'm sure this sounds like a really disorganized way of writing a book…especially to someone who isn't a writer.

And there are writers who have great careers that I know of that have a totally different process than I do. But we both sell our books.

Whenever I start questioning myself and the way I write a book, I just remind myself that it doesn't matter how we do it—it's just important that we write. We all have different processes---but then, we all end up with different books.

Do you have a writing process that works for you?

Tapping Unconscious Creativity—by K.M. Weiland

Studies have proven that most people are noticeably stronger in one hemisphere of the brain or the other, mostly due to their tendency to exercise one side more often. Neither side of the brain is better than the other. But, as writers, we can't discount the value of figuring out which side we live in most—and then stretching ourselves to explore the uncharted territories on the other side.

Our work (and our lives) would be pretty useless without the logical sides of our brains. Our writing would be a frenetic wash of color and emotion, which would probably end up being indistinguishable to anyone but ourselves. We need that logical side of our brains to help us organize our thoughts into coherency. But the power of art is almost always the result of the right side of our brains—the unconscious side. So how do we keep our conscious brain out of the way long enough to tap into our unconscious creativity?

1. Make time to dream. In my recently released CD Conquering Writer's Block and Summoning Inspiration (http://www.kmweiland.com/books_CWBASI.php), I talk about the importance of daydreaming. Quietude can be difficult to find in the midst of our hectic lives, but even just a few minutes of daydreaming every day can reap significant results.

2. Don't censure yourself. Creativity is a delicate and temperamental creature, and it often wilts away under the weight of "the rules" or the carping of our infernal internal editors. Not everything that bubbles up from the depths of your unconscious creativity will have worth, but give yourself time to get it on paper and let it rest for a while before judging it.

3. Tell your left brain to zip it. Your left brain can be a pushy character. When he's telling you he thinks he knows best how to write this story, tell him to stow it for a bit, so his chatter doesn't distract you from the offerings of your right brain. Your left brain will get his chance later.

4. Focus on the senses. Our subconscious works on a level deeper than words. It feeds our brains with images, sounds, smells, tastes, and feelings, which our conscious brains then translate into words. Nothing wrong with those words (they're the tools of our trade, after all!), but give a try to focusing on the raw sensations. Close your eyes and visualize the scene you're writing. What colors stand out? What can you smell? What does your body feel like? This is the best way I know to find those all-important "telling" details that bring a scene to life.

5. Listen to your gut instinct. Ever get that itching feeling that something is wrong with a story? You're zipping right along, having a good ol' time with your characters… but something just doesn't feel right. I've learned to trust my gut instinct. I can't think of an instance in which it has ever failed me. We just have to learn to interpret what it's telling us.

Most authors would be the first to admit that the best of their writing is beyond even them. It comes from someplace outside the conscious realm. Once we recognize and accept that fact, we are then able to take advantage of the tremendous opportunity of harnessing our unconscious minds. The two sides of our creativity—the conscious and the unconscious—working in harmony, the one pulsing and pounding ahead, the other slowing and refining, are capable of producing some pretty fantastic things.

K.M. Weiland writes historical and speculative fiction from her home in the sandhills of western Nebraska. She enjoys mentoring other authors through her writing tips , editing services, workshops, and her recently released instructional CD Conquering Writer's Block and Summoning Inspiration.

Importance of Test Readers—by Alex Cavanaugh

Elizabeth invited me to share with you today something about writing. Since this was an important part of my process, I decided to focus on test readers.

Why would you need test readers? Bluntly put, it's another set of eyeballs on your work. Test readers will see things you've overlooked – stilted dialogue, plot contrivances, continuity errors, lack of information, confusing transitions, and so forth.
We are so close to our work that we often miss these things.

Test readers need to be objective in order to be effective. A spouse or close friend might feel reluctant to hurt your feelings. (Then again, that might be your toughest critic!)

Test readers should be familiar with your genre and know what to look for in a good book. I also believe a mixture of readers and writers is best.

Allow your test readers the opportunity to read through the entire scene or manuscript. When they return your work, read every suggestion and consider changes. If at all possible, sit down with your test readers (or get with them online or on the phone) and discuss each page. Sometimes comments are vague and you need clarification. If there's an issue with a scene, you need to know exactly why it doesn't work. This opens up discussions and you can bounce ideas off each other.

It's easy to grow defensive, but resist the urge. Consider the validity of each suggestion. If your test people had a problem with a scene, then so will other readers. Be open to changes that will improve the flow of your story and strength of your dialogue. Once you've made alterations, let them read it again to be sure all issues were addressed.

My test readers for CassaStar identified several mistakes. They pointed out scenes where more description was required to clarify the situation. They really assisted with my dialogue, suggesting cuts and changes where necessary. We even read through several scenes to achieve a smooth flow of dialogue. Without their help, my manuscript would still be a jumbled mess!

Do you employ test readers?

Alex J. Cavanaugh
http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/
CassaStar by Alex J. Cavanaugh
October 19, 2010 Science fiction/adventure/space opera
ISBN 9780981621067 Dancing Lemur Press LLC

To pilot the fleet's finest ship…

Few options remain for Byron. A talented but stubborn young man with a troubled past and rebellious attitude, his cockpit skills are his only hope. Slated to train as a Cosbolt fighter pilot, Byron is determined to prove his worth and begin a new life as he sets off for the moon base of Guaard.

Much to Byron's chagrin, the toughest instructor in the fleet takes notice of the young pilot. Haunted by a past tragedy, Bassa eventually sees through Byron's tough exterior and insolence. When a secret talent is revealed during training, Bassa feels compelled to help Byron achieve his full potential.

As war brews on the edge of space, time is running short. Byron requires a navigator of exceptional quality to survive, and Bassa must make a decision that could well decide the fate of both men. Will their skills be enough as they embark on a mission that may stretch their abilities to the limit?

"…calls to mind the youthful focus of Robert Heinlein's early military sf, as well as the excitement of space opera epitomized by the many Star Wars novels. Fast-paced military action and a youthful protagonist make this a good choice for both young adult and adult fans of space wars." - Library Journal

Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67YBjQve00U

Links to purchase:

AMAZON -
BARNES & NOBLE -
BAM

Also available in eBook format for Kindle, iPad, Nook, and others

Bio:
Alex J. Cavanaugh has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and works in web design and graphics. He's experienced in technical editing and worked with an adult literacy program for several years. A fan of all things science fiction, his interests range from books and movies to music and games. Currently he lives in the Carolinas with his wife.

The Big Picture

My 8th grade son is working on a social studies project that's due tomorrow.

He's carefully portioned out the work over the space of a week. He's researched, cited sources, found images, organized data, and decided on a format.

His teacher gave a grading rubric and he's meticulously followed it, ticking off each thing as he's worked.

I decided to look over the assignment before he handed it in. The research and mechanics and presentation? Wonderful.

The problem? "Sweetie," I said, "this is supposed to be an advertisement. Your brochure needs to convince people to move from overcrowded 1735 Britain to the New World to settle in Massachusetts. The facts are right. But it has to be persuasive."

That was the whole point of the project. Not, however, listed on the rubric. :) He rewrote the material.

I think lots of writers do the same sort of thing. I know I did when I was new to writing— I followed a mental checklist. What was my hook? Did my first sentence grab the reader? Did I use too many adverbs? Show instead of tell? Write too much description…or not enough?

But, really, I was missing the whole point, which should have been: had I written a good story? Had I entertained the reader? Because most of us are writing to entertain.

Instead I should have been asking:

Did my characters come to life on the page? Were there moments of excitement? Humor? Characters for readers to relate to—and characters for them to hate? Was there something at stake for my protagonist?

Would the reader keep turning the pages… for the character depictions, the quality of the writing, or the exciting plot?

The other stuff can be fixed in revisions. Everything, ultimately, just boils down to the story.

It can be hard to get rid of the rubric in our heads—the checklist of the writing rules. How do you return the focus onto your story?

Hope you'll join me tomorrow in welcoming Alex Cavanaugh to Mystery Writing is Murder. He'll be talking about the importance of test readers.

Keeping it Simple

Recently, I heard a couple of different people talk about simplicity in writing.

The first time, I heard two authors at an event I was attending, talk about another author's books. The books are very successful. "But—they're so simple!" said one author. "The plots aren't complex at all—the stories are just so basic!"

The other author agreed. They'd both worked hard on complicated plotlines with twists and turns and surprises and were amazed that a very simple plot was working so well for readers.

Then, last week, a local movie reviewer came on a radio show to talk about good horror movies to rent for Halloween. His pick wasn't some of the bigger budget horror films, but a movie called "Frozen," which had had a limited theatrical release when it had come out earlier this year, but has apparently started to gain a following.

The movie's plot, said the critic, is very simple. It involves snowboarders who get stuck on a ski lift—and, no one knows they're up there or will know because the resort closes during the week.

And there's a snowstorm, frostbite, extreme cold, scary heights—and wolves.

Very simple. But effective…maybe because it's believable?

My plots aren't really that simple—there are plenty of red herrings alongside clues, suspects tell lies (and tell the truth and it's hard to tell which is which), and there are multiple possibilities for the mystery's solution.

But at the same time, I try not to make it too complicated—after all, this is supposed to be fun.

I think my question is this: why does simplicity work with some plots and are there times when it doesn't work as well as others? How complex or simple are your own plots?