Danika Dinsmore's Blog, page 11

Writing Life: The Secret Project

Last week I wrote about going through SPLAT, but before I could face my own personal splat, I had a few questions for it. Like why were my procrastination and resistance so hard core around the rewriting of Book Three?

The answer came to me Sunday morning. Expectations. My own high expectations and the expectations of my publisher, my friends, my family, and my fans. Writing the next book in a series isn’t easier, at least not to me, and for some reason I thought it would be. It’s much harder. There’s an absence of freedom around it due not only to all the expectations, but also the pressure deadlines.

by Gizem Vural

I compared my lack of enthusiasm while writing Book Three to the complete joy I experienced working on my new book Intergalactic. No one, not even myself, had any expectation around Intergalactic. It was a complete experiment. A NaNo even. There were no deadlines but my own, no eyes waiting to tear into it, or tear it apart, it was a secret from the entire world.

I’m not a fan of working on more than one novel at a time, especially in this case. I know Intergalactic could easily steal my attention away from my Book Three rewrite. But I decided to try a little experiment. What if I worked on another kind of writing as a warm-up each day? A creative essay? A poem? A song? A short story? Write for the sheer joy and pleasure of writing, with no strings attached, to get me into my writing mode.

And you know what? It worked! Over the past three days I’ve dabbled in a “secret” creative project, worked on some songs, and drafted a creative essay and was so elated to be doing so that when I turned to my Book Three rewrite, I was in a much happier space.

From that space I knew I could tell this story. I was still creative. I did not forget how to write overnight.

Perhaps you, too, are procrastinating to the page because of your own expectations. Maybe you’re afraid of imperfection, maybe you have a lack of confidence. Whatever the reason, perhaps this little experiment will work for you as well. When you’re up against splat, try warming up by writing creatively in another form just for pleasure, to remember why you write in the first place.

The trick is not to use the “secret project” as an excuse not to work on your novel or to procrastinate even more. What I do is set my timer for 20-40 minutes to warm up with this new idea. If it’s a poem, I might be able to crank out a first draft. If it’s a song, I can jot notes, sing and record the melody on my computer. If it’s a short story or essay, I can make an outline or jump on in with a cannonball splash.

With no expectations, it’s been a great way to start each writing day.

How do you get yourself to the page when you’re up against your own SPLAT?

Middle Grade Mondays: Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert O’Brien

I was thinking back to the books I read as a child, remembering my all time favorites, and I realized I had never blogged about one that I must have read a dozen times.

MRS FRISBY AND THE RATS OF NIMH was released in 1971 and the author died two years later. Two subsequent books were published by his daughter to make it a trilogy, but those books never garnered the same interest (and I didn’t read them myself).

I hadn’t remembered that this was a Newbery Winner (and winner of many other awards), I simply remembered it as mysterious, suspenseful, and a bit ingenious.

from GoodReads:

Mrs. Frisby, a widowed mouse with four small children, must move her family to their summer quarters immediately, or face almost certain death. But her youngest son, Timothy, lies ill with pneumonia and must not be moved. Fortunately, she encounters the rats of NIMH, an extraordinary breed of highly intelligent creatures, who come up with a brilliant solution to her dilemma.

What is not mentioned here is that their winter home is located where the farmer will be doing his plowing, so yes, certain death if they don’t move. The mystery that follows uncovers the secret relationships, and a secret life, that Mrs. Frisby’s husband had with the NIMH lab rats.

I’ve always wondered about this author, where he got his inspiration and what his background was, and it turns out he was a noted journalist for National Geographic Magazine and didn’t start writing children’s literature until he was 45 years old. Just a side-note for those of us who began late in the field. Yay us.

In general, books featuring animal protagonists are geared for middle grade readers and below. Sure there are exceptions, like May Sarton’s Fur Person (or if you consider werewolves to be animals). The quintessential “talking animal” book, I think, is WATERSHIP DOWN, and there are some comparisons here, as well as a dash of Flowers for Algernon. RATS OF NIMH, however, can be enjoyed by a slightly younger audience, is less graphic than WD, and a much quicker read.

It’s interesting that the protagonist is a widowed mouse, not something that would generally pique my interest, but this book is definitely a standout in the genre, and has plot enough to keep young readers interested. The more savvy reader (which I thought I was back when I was 10) will pick up on some of the clues early. Mrs. Frisby and her family can read? They can use medicine? These skills might not sound odd in a “talking animal” book, but the story is set up as more of a realistic one, with some grown-up concerns, as much as scientifically “smartened” rats who know about things like electricity can be considered “realistic.”

To this day I still shiver when I think of the scene where Mrs. Frisby must go inside the farmhouse to put sleeping powder in the cat bowl.

BTW – while I was looking up the age-level for this book, I came across a site called COMMON SENSE MEDIA where the site, parents, and kids rate the age-appropriate level for books, movies, games, etc. (Not surprising, the kids tend to rate the age-appropriateness a year or two younger than their parents. HUNGER GAMES, for instance, was rated appropriate for 13 by parents and 11 by kids).

RATS OF NIMH was rated appropriate for 9 year olds by parents and CSM and 8 year olds by the kids themselves.

For links to more of today’s MIDDLE GRADE MONDAY roundup, CLICK HERE.

Weekend Workout: The Fabulous What If?

I know, I know . . . I’ve mentioned my timed “what if” exercise before, but I’m too lazy to go back and see what I said about it. I bring this one back to you this weekend simply because I used it this morning while writing and found it useful.

There is something simple and wonderful about a good “what if” exercise. I always seem to find what I need from it. I use it with kids and adults and probably more so than any other “what do I do now” exercise when I’m stuck writing or editing.

click for source

There are a few ways I use my “what if.” Sometimes I already have an idea and just set the timer (10 to 15 minutes), and start with the line “What if … ,” writing spontaneously to work out the idea. Other times I make a list and write as many “what if” scenarios as possible, or I keep listing them until one suddenly pops out as “the answer.”

For example, I used this latter technique a few days ago when working with one of my young writers. She had to create a short story starting with the line “I looked out the classroom window and the playground was empty.”

“Cool,” I said, “let’s make a ‘what if’ list!”

She started writing her list:

-What if it was summertime?

-What if there had been a flu epidemic?

-What if it was the janitor looking out the window?

-What if school had been closed down for some reason?

-What if the school was about to be demolished?

We both looked at each other when she wrote that last one.

“I like it,” I said. “So do I,” said she.

“Okay, what else? Why is the narrator standing there? Start another ‘what if’ list.”

-What if the narrator was going to sabotage the demolition?

-What if he was a teacher who wanted to see it one last time?

-What if he used to go to that elementary school?

-What if he was the one demolishing the school and it was his old school?

Yeah! We knew she had it with that last one. What a great little vignette she could now write about a man who comes to revisit his past just before demolishing it.

She could have done a third “what if” with that last one. What if someone comes in and catches him crying? What if he refuses to cry? What if he remembers a painful moment in elementary school? What if that were the moment he shut himself off to love? And so on.

This is such a helpful brainstorming technique you can turn to, with no pressure, when you’re stuck (or not!). You can start brainstorming a story idea with a “what if” as in the example above, or you can use it to explore one particular idea in the middle of your story.

Today I needed Brigitta to have an encounter with something new and awesome and frightening. It dawned on my right away that she would meet the Eternal Dragon. But what would it do when it met her?

“What if she meets the Eternal Dragon and It . . .”

REMEMBER if you do the list to actually WRITE IT BY HAND and write the words “what if” each time to keep your thoughts moving. GREAT exercise for teachers for creative writing assignments.

If a 12-year-old can do this exercise successfully, so can you.

Have a great weekend.

Going through SPLAT

I’m in the middle of a rewrite for Book Three of the White Forest series. Last week I wrote a whiny note to a few of my author buddies that said right now I hate book three. okay, hate is a strong word. but it sucks, it sucks, it sucks. I’m stuck in the middle of my rewrite. it’s so different from my original vision that I can’t follow my outline any longer. i’m procrastinating working on it. i want to work on anything else. bleh.

My friend Sara wrote back and said You’re going through SPLAT!

I laughed and had to agree. “Splat” was a term used by one of our screenwriting instructors Stewart Stern when Sara and I were in the University of Washington screenwriting program together. He actually borrowed the idea from a B.C. Cartoon strip in which one of the characters had to go through a big SPLAT in one panel to get to the last panel of the cartoon.

We learned that there is no getting around splat. Splat is where our characters have to go because only on the other side of it will they find redemption. Sure, they could turn around and walk away. You can try to make it easier for them. But the story will suffer for it (or you’ll have a tragedy on your hands if splat swallows your MC alive).

We humans live through our own splats, big and small. When we want to get that degree, start that career, repair that relationship, make that life change we have to go through splat to get there. We have to face our fears, doubts, and whatever else stands in our way that is uncomfortable, messy, painful, or scary.

When our characters come up against splat, and they are standing on the edge of choice, staring at IT, what do we have them do? Do we have them turn around and walk away? No, we want a more satisfying resolution.

Do you see that same satisfaction after propelling yourself through your own life’s splats? Some days I take splat head on, other days I can only dip in a toe. But I know, I know the other side is a much more interesting place.

 

(formerly The Accidental Novelist) Middle Grade Monday Sound Off

(Some subscribers might not recognize my new blog title when posts drop into their inboxes, so I may have to keep letting readers know it’s still me! I’m just feeling less accidental these days)

I do not have an MGM post today. Not due to Thanksgiving, but due to my husband’s 50th birthday. And I’m not so much recovering as pining for the beachfront view we just left in Gibsons, a lovely town on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast, where we spent 3 days staring at the water.

Also, I’ve been reading very little MG/YA fiction lately. I’ve switched over to poetry and more literary adult / speculative fiction for a while. I wanted to get back to my roots and also expand my insight, vocabulary, and creative toolbox. Maybe it’s a bit like being a mother who spends all her time with her young children and craves a little adult conversation. (Finished Cloud Atlas and right now I am with China Mieville’s Perdido Street Station – both of which will challenge you if that’s what you’re looking for. And increase your vocabulary.)

And in case you are looking for you Middle Grade fiction fix, here are those bloggers who did post today:

-Barbara Watson reviews KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES.  HERE

- Sue Heavenrich joins MMGM with a feature on DON’T FEED THE BOY. Click HERE.

- Dorine White on THE COLOR OF BONES. Click HERE to see what she thought.

- Brennan & Meyrick Murphy on THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET. Click HERE to see what these two middle grader’s thought.

- Andrea Mack on FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX. Click HERE to learn why she thinks its worth a read

- Flash, the Feline Extraordinaire, (and Professional Mews to Cindy Strandvold) recommends KATERINA’S WISH. Click HERE .

- Susan Olson has some LINKS ABOUT DYSLEXIA. Click HERE to see what that’s all about.

- Laurisa Reyes has an interview with  Hans Bauer and Catherine Masicola–plus a GIVEAWAY of FISHTALE! Click HERE for details.

- Click HERE to see The Mundie Moms newest recommendations.

- Shannon O’Donnell always has an MMGM ready. Click HERE to see what she’s featuring this week.

- Karen Yingling also has some MMGM recommend-ations for you. Click HERE to which ones she picked.

- Pam Torres is good for an MMGM post. Click HERE to see what she’s spotlighting this week.

-Click HERE to see what Michelle Isenhoff is talking about today.

- Joanne Fritz’s post can be found HERE.

Author Shannon Whitney Messenger hosts Middle Grade Monday’s every week.

If you would like to join in the MMGM fun, all you have to do is blog about a middle grade book you love (contests, author interviews and whatnot also count–but are most definitely not required) and email Shannon Whitney Messenger the title of the book you’re featuring and a link to your blog at SWMessenger (at) hotmail (dot) com. (Make sure you put MMGM or Marvelous Middle Grade Monday in the subject line)

DEADLINE to be listed on Shannon’s site on Monday morning is 11 pm EST on SUNDAY night. If you miss the deadline, you can always add your link in the comment section.

Weekend Workout: Too Much Information (in a good way)

This is a tardy Weekend Workout, but all my ‘Merican friends were probably digesting for the past two days and couldn’t write anyway.

I was planning to do a rerun this weekend, but ran across a note to myself about using TMI (too much information) to create conflict (big, small, serious, humorous). I was specifically thinking about it because of a real life example. Okay, my 74-year-old mom has discovered boys again. I think this is great, since my dad died 6 years ago. But there’s only so much I want to hear about my mom’s escapades. Can you imagine writing that scene into a comedy script?

That’s a minor conflict, but there are other ways TMI can create serious internal and external conflicts, like if your character learns something she doesn’t want to know or shouldn’t know. TMI can put your character’s marriage, job, or life at risk. Maybe she knows her sister is having an affair, maybe she knows her boss is bribing the mafia, maybe she knows (as in one of the Cloud Atlas stories) that a report about an unsafe energy source is being hidden from public eye.

You get the point.

I put this brand spanking new exercise together based on this idea. If you try it, let me know how you think it worked.

your workout

Set your timer for 5 minutes.

Start at the top of the page with the following startline:

1) My protagonist is in EXTERNAL conflict when she learns . . .

Write, don’t stop, don’t edit, don’t cross out.

When the timer stops, Set your timer for 7 more minutes.

Start with the following line: 

1) My protagonist is in INTERNAL conflict when she learns . . .

Write, don’t stop, don’t edit, don’t cross out.

When the timer stops, Set your timer for 10 more minutes.

Start with the following line: 

3) Too Much Information for my protagonist means that she must . . .

Write, don’t stop, don’t edit, don’t cross out.

Read your exercises, make notes, highlight what makes sense.

Happy (Thanksgiving) Weekend!

 

 

The Accidental Novelist relaunches as “writing to support my teaching habit”

Accidental: occurring unexpectedly or by chance

I didn’t expect to become a novelist, and by chance I was inspired and encouraged in that direction. It was a very “happy accident,” because when I landed in this new world, it was as if all my experiences had organically brought me to this point. I took a circuitous route, but everything along the way has served me well.

It wasn’t just by chance, however. I got where I am now by perseverance, passion, focus, commitment, appreciation, and joy. By choosing better habits. Those were conscious decisions (Yes, even the joy. I believe living in joy is a choice.), not accidents.

So, I decided it was time to shed the “accidental” identity and make a few changes around here, because I intend to stay for a while. It’s not so much a renovation as a paint job and some new curtains.

Welcome to “writing to support my teaching habit!”

So, did you get where you are on a straight and narrow path, knowing what you were going to do by the age of 12? Or did you take the circuitous route, like me? Flitting from one creative passion to the next until you found your way? Or are you still looking?

Next Stop: Kepler’s Books

In a matter of days I’m off on a grand adventure with the continuation of The Ruins of Noe book tour.

Seven elementary school visits, two book festival workshops, two conference workshops, a book party, and one keynote. Wahoo!

Sorry to say, there will not be many public events, that’s just the way it turned out. But, if you are in the San Francisco Bay Area, perhaps you can find a way to the:

Ruins of Noe No. Cal. Reading and Book Party

THE RUINS OF NOE

(Book Two in the Faerie Tales from the White Forest series)
[image error]
Friday, Oct 26

7pm @

Kepler’s Books

1010 El Camino Real

Menlo Park, CA

www.keplers.com
Reading, book signing, celebration,

activities for kids, drinks, snacks, and

door prizes!

Can I tell you how in love I am with the staff of Kepler’s? They are communicative, kind, generous, enthusiastic, professional, and I haven’t met them yet, but they sound like fun.

Kids galore for Rick Riordan (click for source)

Brigitta is off to Faerieworlds!

Every summer in the Pacific Northwest, thousands of fans of Faerie from around the globe gather in the wooded meadows of Mount Pisgah in Eugene, Oregon to celebrate in the realm and experience the unique magic that is Faerieworlds.

This weekend, July 27-29, I will be there with my publisher doing readings and selling books. We’ll also be selling artwork by our cover artist Julie Fain Art and our map artist Alison Woodward Eats Ink and kids faerie jewelry from Turtle Tyme Treasures.

 

 

FREE ebook Friday, July 6 and Saturday, July 7

The Ruins of Noe ebook will be free for TWO DAYS on Amazon.

Starting 12:00 AM PST Friday, July 6 (approximately)

and running through 11:59 PM Saturday, July 7

You can download your free ebook version from Amazon HERE.

Don’t have a kindle you say? Neither do I. You can still read download and the book. There are several free kindle apps you can use for iphone, ipad, android, blackberry, internet browser, windows, mac. I’ve read books off my iphone, in the cloud, and on my computer.

Spread the word on twitter and FB and anywhere else if you can spare the time.