Savannah Hendricks's Blog, page 7

Naming Your Characters

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I absolutely love and loathe naming characters. Think about all the time parents spending picking, arguing, voting, and vetoing names for their kids! It is not any different for writers. A name can help or hurt a manuscript.

The first part is trying to find a name that is familiar, so readers can relate. Yet, the name must also be unique to prevent readers from finding it “boring.”

The second part is matching the name to the characters’ lifestyle, age, and how readers might perceive the name. It’s like the devils on your shoulder, GOOD and BAD.

GOOD: Name her Alice, everyone loves an Alice.

BAD: Alice  sounds like she would be my grandma.

GOOD: But your Grandma Alice is the best.

BAD: Yes, but she is still my grandma. I don’t want to date my grandma.

Although part one and two look similar, they are different in their own right. You would not give a Greenlandic name to a Oklahoma man who has no family connections with Greenland. Another example could be Rose. Rose might be perceived one way by a large group of readers, which might hurt or help make your story. If the reader doesn’t believe that Rose is a 10-year-old skateboarding champion then you lose the connection with the reader.

I do a detailed amount of research on the names I use, making sure the origin, etc. would be a good match for my characters. My favorite tool to use for character names is

Critique-sitting? A Writer’s Babysitter

Please join me over on WOW! WOMEN ON WRITING, where I’m Friday’s Speak Out guest blogger and throw out some wild & crazy ideas for women writers.

When Your Story Loses its Oars

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I’ve been working on my revisions for a picture book, rather intensely, over the last month.

I reached out to new contacts and made more contacts, but kept falling short of the answers I needed.

To top it off, what I started to discover was that I had incorrect parts in my manuscript. But without the needed answers I couldn’t fix the mistakes. And, I could not resubmit the piece in the current state. I felt like a boat at sea who lost its oars.

There I was sitting in the boat, the water around me calm, the oars floating away. I struggled to make them out as they disappeared beyond the horizon. A storm was nowhere in sight, just my boat and I, stranded in the calmest of waters. We are not sure how long we will be there in the silence. The boat and I.

Sure, I could hand paddle back to a shore, somewhere out of view. I know it’s there, but I’m not about to waste my time if the oars come floating back. Yet, with my new knowledge, I only had two options. Wait for the oars or let the boat sink.

I decided to wait…..(flailed my arms a bit and ate too much chocolate)

And would you believe the oars came back and brought more oars with them?!

Readers, don’t give up on your stories. Seek out help, try new avenues. It’s worth it and you might even learn something new.

Picture Books for Cooling off

It’s National Swimming Pool Day!

Here are a few picture books for kids to enjoy today, or any day this summer.

 

Danny McGee Drinks the Sea by Andy Stanton w/ill by Neal Layton

Breathe by Scott Magoon

Beachy and Me by Bob Staake

MY FAVORITE!!!!!!!!! – Underwater Dogs kids edition by Seth Casteel

Sea Monkey & Bob by Aaron Reynolds w/ill by Debbie Ridpath Ohi

Picture Books for July 4th

Magnolia Table Cookbook Modification Venture – cashew cheese alfredo

First, I have absolutely no idea what I’m doing when seasoning tofu. I think it might be a year long process to figure out. And that is why mine failed for my latest plant based flip on Magnolia Table recipe.

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But it looks good, so that’s what matters.

On this lastest recipe swap I made cashew alfredo sauce over whole wheat linguine noodles and breaded tofu.

The alfredo portion was good, but the tofu was two thumbs down. Multiple cashew cheese recipes can be located on the internet. I used one from Bettter Homes and Garden’s latest issue.

Quick Rejections

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Let’s talk about those immediate rejections almost all writers face at some point in their career.

Do they not sting you to your core?

In my day job I sit on the other-side of the rejection table. I’m the one giving them. And I can tell you that when I call someone and inform them right away that they are not eligible, it shocks them. If I wait a few days it seems less….shocking.

Rejections are hard enough, but it’s the quick ones that really twist the knife. How can someone make such a snap judgment so quickly?! Did they even have time to read the query in its entirety? Was there a glaring typo? Were the guidelines not followed completely?

Alas, we will never know. So how do you move past? Well, I personally don’t want an agent or publisher who is not loving my work, and with such a quick response their answer is clear. You want the person representing you to be one hundred percent in your corner.

So yes, quick rejections stink and they make you question everything you have ever done in your writing career. But, they also quickly remind you who is not a good match. Now have some wine and feel better soon! (Unless you are reading this in the morning, then coffee)

Magnolia Table Cookbook Modification Venture – chocolate chip cookies

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I love all things Hearth and Hand & Magnolia. Having switched to a mostly planted based lifestyle about 8 months ago I was bummed to hear that Joanna Gaines had a cookbook coming out. After having flipped through it, I figured I could at least make a few recipes for cheat days. Then it dawned on me, why not see if I can modify the recipes to fit a more plant based diet?

Even at 8 months into plant based, I’m still learning and trying new recipes. Yet, there are not a great deal to pick from this far into the game. And let me be honest, some of them don’t even look good.

Alas, I decided that I should post about this grand baking adventure of modifying Magnolia Table’s recipes. I know there will be many fails, but that’s okay. I hope ya’ll enjoy this and future posts as I journey forward.

To start off I tried the Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. I didn’t modify the butter as I’m still working on learning that aspect with baking. I always use the butter in the picture above. I did swap out the 2 eggs for chia seeds. I have done this swap before in cakes and browines, but never cookies.

While cook time remained the same. I did have to add about 1/4 cup of water to the recipe. They came out very flat and didn’t look anything like the picture from Magnolia Table, but they were super soft and chewy. I thought they tasted great.

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Writer on Writing

It has been a busy week in my writing world!!

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First! You can find an interview about me here. Not just any interview, but a deep look into my writing life. Be sure to click around and find other great stories on the site.

Also, this week I had two articles come out in the 4th issue of Backlog Magazine.

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If you have yet to discover this gem, check it out. It’s only $2.99 an issue! (I can’t even buy myself my favorite iced coffee for that price!)

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Backlog Magazine

Finally, I’m looking forward to the long weekend so I can knock out more edits to my adult G rated romance manuscript. This is my second attempt at adult fiction. My first is still a mess and in need of major reconstruction. (Thankfully, I can swear it that manuscript!)

Perfect Books for the Summer (all ages)

Chasing Augusta by Kimberly Newton Fusco (middle grade)

Dead-End Job Mysteries book series by Elaine Viets (adult)

If You Ever Want to Bring a Piano to the Beach, Don’t by Elise Parsley (picture book)

The Inevitable and Only by Lisa Rosinsky (young adult)

Hideout by Watt Key (middle grade)

Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen by Susan Gregg Gilmore (adult)

Duck & Goose Go to the Beach by Tad Hills (picture book)