P.M. Dooling's Blog, page 2

Writing That Perfect First Line – How Important Is It?

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The first line of a story. Many writers agonize over it, spending hours, days, sometimes month trying to come up with the perfect first sentence. But how important is it really? Some authors believe its perfection is essential. Some believe it matters, but not as much as a lot of writers believe. And some believe it’s inconsequential in relation to the quality of the rest of your story,

I tend to fall into the second camp. I believe your fist line matters. You want to at least try to grab the readers attention. But I don’t feel it holds as much weight as some think. Most people, like myself aren’t going to make a decision to read or discard a novel based on the opening line.

Let’s look at some opening line examples (not including the prologue) and you can decide for yourself how “perfect” they truly are. These are all from bestselling YA novels –

Caraval by Stephanie Garber – “It took seven years to get the letter right.”
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas – “I shouldn’t have come to this party.”
The Hazel Wood: A Novel by Melissa Albert – “My mother was raised on fairy tales, but I was raised on highways.”
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black – “In Faerie, there are no fish sticks, no ketchup, no television.”
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi – “Pick me.”
Divergent by Veronica Roth – “There is one mirror in my house.”
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins – “When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold.”
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo – “Joost had two problems: the moon and his mustache.”
A Court of Thorns and Roses   by Sarah J. Maas – “The forest had become a labyrinth of snow and ice.”
Scythe by Neal Shusterman – “The scythe arrived late on a cold November afternoon.”
Heartless by Marissa Meyer – “Three luscious lemon tarts glistened up at Catherine.”
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater – “It was freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrived.”
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard – “I hate First Friday.”
Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare – “It’s just not working out,” Emma said.”
An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir – “My big brother reaches home in the dark hours before dawn, when even ghosts take their rest.”
Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh – “In the beginning, there were two suns and two moons.”
Simon Vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli – “It’s a weirdly subtle conversation.”
This is Where it Ends by Marieke Nijkamp – “The starter gun shatters the silence, releasing the runners from their blocks.”
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher – “Sir?” she repeats.”
Everything, Everything By Nicola Yoon – “I’ve read many more books than you.”
Before I fall by Lauren Oliver – “Beep, beep,” Lindsay calls out.”
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell – “There was a boy in her room.”

There you have it. All of these books are best sellers. A lot of them have really good opening lines. And a lot just have an average, okay opening line, leading the way to a fantastic book. So don’t beat yourself up over your fist sentence. Give it your best effort, but don’t drag it out and torture yourself. Sometimes a first line is just a forgettable ‘hello’ into the world you’ve created.

However, if you are torturing yourself over that first sentence and you just can’t move on without getting it right, here are some resources that might help –

7 Keys to Write the Perfect First Line

How to Start a Novel – First Sentence

7 Ways to Create a Killer Opening Line

Now, in finishing up, I thought it would be fun to include the opening lines from my own books. This was not an easy task. I hate reading my own stuff. All I see is everything I would change – and there is A LOT I would change. But I’m putting that aside and laying my first lines bare –

The Protectors: Book 1 – “The long cold steps seemed endless as she rushed towards the screams of her friends.”
Dark Fate: Book 2 – “Sitting on top of Phantom in the pre-dawn darkness, Avery scratched the scabs forming over the wounds on her neck from the Serpentine attack the night before, which had already started to heal.”
Beginning’s End: Book 3 – “As Avery opened her eyes to the pale sunlight, she was thankful for the extra hour of sleep she had demanded from Gumptin the night before, but at the same time wanted to kick herself for not telling Gumptin that training would start two hours later.”
Demon’s Gate: Book 4 – “The troll’s club slammed into Avery’s stomach, sending her soaring backwards and crashing into a large Oak tree.”
Dragon’s Blade: Book 5 – “The smell of burnt flesh and blood filled the air around Avery, seeping into her nostrils.”
Becoming Eden – “You are such an idiot!” Eden cursed aloud to herself, watching her breath mix with the chilly night air and create a puff of steam in front of her face.”

Tolkien’s Writing Tips

Most of you may not know, because I’ve never mentioned it before, but Tolkien is one of my all time favorite writers. Lord of the Rings is one of my ‘inspiration’ books. One of the books I read as a kid (I say kid, but I was really like 18) that made me want to be a writer.

I adore his books – the adventure, the magic, the emotions, the scenery – EVERYTHING. He made me want to live in Middle Earth. And that gave me the desire to have people want to live in worlds that I create.

Since I admire the man so much, imagine my joy at finding his writing tips. I now give them to you…brought to all of us by the fabulous easymama.com –

P.S. – at the end of the post I included how I incorporate these tips into my own writing.

P.S.S. – I still want to live in Middle Earth.

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VANITY IS USELESS – This is something I really don’t have to worry about. I’m my own worst critic and never feel like my work is worth anything except lining for a litter box (I’m working on this issue).
KEEP A STIFF UPPER LIP – Much like Tolkien I have to balance a day job with my desire to write epic stories. And there are A LOT of life issues that get in the way of my writing. But I trudge on…slow as a sloth in mud, sometimes…but I trudge.
LISTEN TO CRITICS  – I think it’s very important, as a writer, to have a large and trusted group of critics around you (family, friends, peers from a writer’s group). Find people you trust and know will give you an honest opinion. Listen to what they have to say. Let them help you. I have a great group of critics in my life and they’ve helped drive my work.
LET YOUR INSTINCTS DRIVE YOUR WRITING  – This…this…this! Listen to your instincts. Believe in them. When I first wrote the Protectors Saga I had a few agents tell me the market was too saturated with fantasy, that the writing was good but the story wasn’t marketable. But I LOVED the story and I knew others would too. Magic/fantasy/other worlds/kick-ass female heroines – that’s what was in my heart. That’s what I was interested in. I wrote it, released it, and a lot of people liked it – and that did my heart good.
POETRY AS A ROAD TO PROSE  – I write poetry all the time. I love it. It helps get my writing wheels turning. I’ve even used some poetry in a few of my YA novels.
HAPPY ACCIDENTS  – Yeah, I got nothing for this. But boy oh boy, would it be marvelous for a happy accident to lead me to a giant publishing house!
DREAMS GIVE US INSPIRATION  – Yes they do! In fact, The Protectors Saga is based off of a dream I had while deathly ill, hopped up on Dayquil.
REAL PEOPLE MAKE GREAT CHARACTERS  – They sure do! Most of my characters are loosely based off of people in my real life. They make up the bare bones, and then my imagination is the muscle, sinew, fat and skin (what a lovely image that is!).
YOU MAY BE THE NEXT BEST SELLING AUTHOR  – Ummmmm…let’s hope. Hey, with hard work dreams can come true!
BOOKS YOU WRITE MAY SEEM TRITE  – I feel this way about EVERY book I’ve written. I love them, and they’re my babies, but I never really feel like they’re any good. I think that’s how most writers are…and that ain’t gonna change anytime soon.

Querying – Or Should We Call it Slow Torture?

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Querying (for me) is like a layer of hell. You’re taking a piece of your fragile soul, cutting it out of you and sending it off for others to judge. It’s painful!

Way way way back when I finished my first book in The Protectors Saga, I dipped my toe into trying to get it traditionally published. I sent out query letters to approximately fifteen or twenty agents, but the only thing to come from it was rejection. And rejection in any form is hard. But rejection of your writing, something you poured your heart, soul and grueling amount of time into – that’s like brass knuckles to the face hard.

So, I decided to self-publish. I feel it was the right thing for me to do at the time. And then when I finished Becoming Eden, I decided to self-publish that as well. I didn’t even bother trying to query Eden. It was a vampire book and most agents (even to this day) list ‘vampires, werewolves and paranormal romance’ in their list of do-not-wants. I have contention for that stance, particularly given the ongoing success of vampire and paranormal romance novels by some self-published authors – but I digress.

As I finish editing my latest novel, I’m once again contemplating querying. The rational side of my brain says, “Yes, just do it. What could it hurt? Something good may come of it.” But then the emotional side of my brain screams, “NO! Don’t do it! You’re not prepared! It’s just slow torture on a path to heartbreak.” I’m trying to push aside that emotional conflict and really give it a try.

If you’re like me and HATE querying, but are getting ready or are in the process of doing it, here are a few tips I learned after my first failed querying misadventure that will hopefully help both me and you –

 

Query your most desired agents first  – Have a list of all your “dream” agents. Query them first. Give it 3 week to a month and if you haven’t received any positive news, then move on to other agents.
It’s okay to query A LOT of agents  – As long as they’re reputable and looking for the genre you’re selling, send them your stuff. You hear stories all the time of authors getting rejected 50 times, but then one agent sees something they like in their story and the rest is history.
Do your research  – Don’t just query any old person who had ‘agent’ listed in their credentials. You worked hard on your book. You don’t want to send it to someone who either doesn’t know what they’re doing or are scamming you in one way or another. Two great sites for researching agents are AgentQuery and QueryTracker.
Try not to let rejection discourage you – Unless you’re that ridiculously lucky one in a million – YOU WILL GET REJECTIONS. It’s hard – believe me I know. You’ll want to binge emotionally draining Netflix shows for a week and down a tube of uncooked cookie dough just to try and get through the rejection depression. You can do that – I did. But don’t let that stop you from writing. Just remember, agents sometimes get hundreds of query letters a week. Just because yours wasn’t the right fit for them at the time does not mean it isn’t worth publishing.
Test the hell out of your query letter  – Seriously! Show it to everyone you know. Get advice from your friends and family. Join a writing group and beta test it on them. Post it on your twitter/facebook/website and ask for opinions. A great query letter can be the difference between a rejection or a request.
You have other options – As enticing and desired as traditional publishing is, it’s not the end of the line if you really want your novel out in the world.
Always remember – your work (that you put so much of your time and energy into) is worth having out there in the world. And someone out there will enjoy the story you told.

It’s Okay To Step Away

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Wouldn’t it be great if writing was like a normal 9 to 5. You go to work. You get done what needs to get done. And then you go home. But writing isn’t like that – it’s not like that at all. Writing (for me) is based on whim and emotions and environment and a hundred other tiny factors. It’s unpredictable. And no matter how hard I try to stick to a schedule – inevitably if I’m just not “feeling it”, it either won’t get done or the work will suffer.

This happened to me recently with my 6th book in The Protectors Saga. I wrote it and finished it, but there was something was off about it. My heart wasn’t in it. I pushed through because I felt I NEEDED to finish it. I felt obligated as a writer to put it out there. But then, in the editing process, I realized the story had suffered because of it. I had lost touch with the characters. I was missing the magic I had put into my other books. I couldn’t publish

So I walked away from it. I walked away from writing for a little bit. And it worked! I came back slowly, finishing up another book I had been working on for about a year. And I loved writing it. I loved writing again. And then I dove back into The Protectors (my baby that I love and adore and would never want to be anything but wonderful). I’ve begun re-writing parts and am back to feeling connected to my characters, immersed in the world, and excited about where the story is going.

I know as writers we can feel obligated to always have to be writing. But sometimes it’s okay to step away as well. Sometimes we put too much stress on ourselves. We put too many expectations on ourselves. It can hinder our work and block our creativity. If you need to stop for a time – stop. Don’t judge yourself. Try not to be too hard on yourself. You can always come back to it. I stepped away and came back strong. You will too!

 

Writing Help – 7 Places to Submit Your Flash Fiction Stories

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Flash fiction is basically a short story under 1,000 words. They can be incredibly frustrating to write (after all, I find it hard to keep a story description under 1000 words), but they can also be really fulfilling. They’re a great writing practice tool and a great way to keep your writing skills fresh if you’re between writing books or just hit a writer’s block in your story. Plus, it’s also a pretty great way to get your name out there – get your work seen – have something to put on future query letters!

If you write flash fiction or are thinking about writing flash fiction here are some literary magazines/journals looking for YOUR material to publish on their site –

FLASH FICTION ONLINE – They pay $60 per story (0r $.02 per word for reprints). They publish stories from 500 to 1000 words in length. And they like stories with a speculative slant (sci-fi, fantasy, etc.)
BREVITY – They pay a $45 honorarium for featured stories. They want pieces (750) words or less. They do charge a small submission fee.
LUNCH TICKET – Looking for Flash Fiction under 750 words. They also accept regular short stories up to 5,000 words. Not sure if there’s any monetary compensation or not.
EVERYDAY FICTION – They pay $3 per story (not a lot, but hey, at least you’re getting paid for your work!). They want stories under 1000 words.
NANOISM – They call themselves a twitterzine, which means stories that are NO MORE than 140 words. Super challenging, but also kind of a genius idea. They pay $1.50 per story or $5 for serials (again not a lot – but YOU’RE GETTING PAID – as writers we know how elusive getting money for our work can be!)
VESTAL REVIEW – They pay an honorarium of $25. They are looking for stories under 500 words. There is a small submission fee of $2.
DAILY SCIENCE FICTION – I’m partial to this little online magazine because I had one of my own pieces published by them. They want stories under 1500 words (the shorter the better). They pay $.08 per word. And they enjoy stories with a science fiction premise (although they’re not exclusive to that).

Good Luck and Good Writing!

Writing Help – Different Gods and Goddesses

Are you writing a book or story about gods and goddesses? I hope so because I would love a good book about ancient gods. There seems like there hasn’t been a really big one since Percy Jackson. If you can think of one let me know so that I can check it out…or maybe I just forgot about it.

I’ve been dabbling in my own YA fantasy about Greek gods for awhile now, but it’s a slow process that I’m hoping will pick up creative steam somewhere in the near future.

If you’re in the very early stages of said story – and I mean in the idea/conceptualizing phase, I wanted to include some lists that may help you. It’s by no means a totally comprehensive list, but hopefully enough to give you some good ideas.

Good Luck and Good Writing!

P.S. I do really hope this helps stir up some ideas because I would LOVE to read the book about any of these deities…

 

Protectors Saga Book 6 First Page!

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For any fans of The Protectors Saga, I know the 6th book has been a VERRRRRRRY long time coming. I had a goal of putting out one or two books a year, but the real world came along and kicked my butt. Deaths in the family, job changes and illness sidetracked my writing. But time has passed, my heads beginning to clear, I got a new job that isn’t sucking time away from me like a hungry tick. AND it is my intention (I say intention, but really it’s my hope) to get the 6th book – tentatively titled ‘Midnight Crown’ – out sometime this summer.

And to any fans that have waited and want something new, here is the first page of the upcoming book…

Chapter 1
Avery’s fist landed on the troll’s massive head with enough force to knock one of his rotting sharp teeth loose and send it flying across the small clearing and into the thick wall of forest trees.
“Where is it?!” She shouted at him. Raising her fist, dripping with thick blue troll blood, up as a warning of the punch that would follow if he failed once again to answer her question, “Where’s the blade?!”
The troll smiled, showing what was left of his mangled teeth, “You ain’t never gonna find it…” he pulled at the rope tying his wrists together around a sturdy tree trunk, “until it’s plunged deep in your ugly human heart!”
Taking a sickly sounding snort, he spat out a great glob of mucous filled blue blood towards Avery.
She dodged quickly, anticipating such a reaction, but the sound of the wet glob hitting something solid, followed by Skylar’s outcry of, ‘Ewwww, gross!’, let Avery know that the troll’s insult had unfortunately not been wasted.
Jade backhanded the troll across the face before he had the chance to spit anything else out at Avery.
“Answer her!” Jade yelled, backhanding him once again.

Writing Advice – Writer’s block tips that work for me

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Once again a Supernatural gif perfectly sums up my life. Writing is hard. It’s hella hard. There are days when I’ll literally be sitting at the computer for 5 hours straight and only a sentence will get written. Those days are terrible. They defeat you a little bit.

I’ve somehow managed to write six books in four years and I still feel like I could do better. That I could do more. That I SHOULD have done more. I imagine all writers feel that way, whether they’ve written six books or sixty.

There are some tips and tricks I’ve picked up along the way that have helped me keep going; to shake off the doubt and the ever looming writer’s block. Some I’ve discovered on my own. Some I’ve borrowed from other writers. Now I want to share them with you. Just because I know how difficult in can be to be stuck in your book. It feels like you’re pounding your head against a brick wall. So if some of what works for me can work for you…I am more than happy to share.

Tip 1 – Join a Creative Writing Group

Seriously, I held off joining one for a long time. I had a terrible experience with Creative Writing classes in college. They just weren’t for me. I took every little criticism to heart. It ended up changing my writing style so much that I felt like I didn’t even know who I was as a writer anymore. But I had a lot of writer friends who swore by Creative Writing groups. So I decided to go on to Meetup. I’m sure most of you know what it is, but if you don’t it’s a site where people of similar interests in your area can form groups and then meet up in person. I joined Meetup and found a Creative Writing group that actually seemed pretty cool. And wouldn’t you know it, my friends were right. It’s a group of people you can discuss ideas with, bounce storylines off of, see if something is working-or if maybe you really should scrap it (a thought no writer really wants to ponder). Most importantly, I’ve found that people in these Creative Writing groups give each other support. They know the troubles and hardships of being a writer. They know how passionately you feel about your work. They’re going to encourage you to keep going even when you’re beating your skull against that proverbial brick wall.

Tip 2 – Have Your Own Writing Space

Have a space that’s designated as just yours and just for writing. A place where your comfortable and relaxed. A space where your brain can be free to simply focus on your work. Years ago I started writing The Protectors Saga in my parents house, in a little nook with a desk, a light and bookshelf where I could tuck myself away and tap on my computer. I made it mine. Decorated it and added things to make me comfortable. To this day, that is the spot where I go back to in order to write my Protectors Saga. I’m there so much that my parents decided to keep my bedroom as it was instead of turning it into the mini gym my mother had longed for once I moved out. I’ve also been blessed with a quaint apartment and an understanding boyfriend who let me turn our small walk-in closet into my own personal tiny writing space. He only threatened to move all his kicks back in there on the few occasions he walked in and caught me watching Netflix instead of working on my books. The closet is small, but that’s all I really need. I can shut the door to my tiny hideaway and let my mind and imagination wander to the places I need it to. Carve out a place of your own. Even if it’s no bigger than a closet, it’s yours.

Tip 3 – Create a Playlist

One of the things that works best for me – my constant fallback – is music. I’ve created dozens of playlists or all sorts of moods. In fact, each character has their own playlist. Each important place has its own playlist. Each couple has their own playlist. When I’m having trouble finding the right mood I need to be in, I pop in my headphones and reach for my tunes. Try it. It works wonders for me. I don’t know how I’d ever make it through one of my battle scenes without the right beat pumping in my eardrums.

Tip 4 – Netflix

As crazy as this might seem (considering Netflix is a time sucking void that often steals precious hours away from writing), it can be used as a super helpful chisel against writer’s block. For me, movies and tv can be a HUGE motivator. Watch something in the same genre as the story you’re writing. Something you know love. Something that can and will inspire you. Romance, Fantasy, Western, Horror, Sci-fi – there’s something to get any genre juices pumped.

Tip 5 – Allow Yourself Time Away From Writing

 Sometimes you just have to get away. Get up. Step away from the computer or the notebook and just…take a breather. Go for a walk. Call up some friends and go to the movies. Play with your pet. Go out to dinner. Do something! And you may have to do a lot of somethings for a lot of days, but eventually the itch to write will come back to you. There was one time I hit the writing block wall HARD. Couldn’t get past that sucker…it was made of titanium. So I gave up. I gave up and lived my life. And wouldn’t you know it, after about a month I started to get that twitch we writer’s get. The twitch to write something down. And so I did. I sat down at the computer again and was able to finish my novel. I know a month seems like a long time – and it was – SOOOOO long. But I needed it. The creative part of me just needed a break. Don’t beat yourself up if you need to step away. Sometimes it’s the best thing you can do for your writing!

 

 

Good luck and Good Writing!

 

 

 

 

Book Review: Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

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Back of the book summary –

Simon Snow is the worst Chosen One who’s ever been chosen.

That’s what his roommate, Baz, says. And Baz might be evil and a vampire and a complete git, but he’s probably right.

Half the time, Simon can’t even make his wand work, and the other half, he starts something on fire. His mentor’s avoiding him, his girlfriend broke up with him, and there’s a magic-eating monster running around, wearing Simon’s face. Baz would be having a field day with all this, if he were here — it’s their last year at the Watford School of Magicks, and Simon’s infuriating nemesis didn’t even bother to show up.

Carry On – The Rise and Fall of Simon Snow is a ghost story, a love story and a mystery. It has just as much kissing and talking as you’d expect from a Rainbow Rowell story – but far, far more monsters.

 

Now down to the review-

Let’s get down to the basics – I LOVED this book. LOVED it. And that’s saying something since I wasn’t the biggest fan of ‘Fangirl’. I had a lot of friends that were and I wanted to love it, but something was just lacking for me. Hey, not every book is made for every person – and that’s a good thing. So going into Carry On, I was a bit skeptical. Turns out, I had no reason to be. The book was fantastic, and let me tell you why –

The characters –

Baz is a miraculous character. Everything someone wants in a MC or a love interest (and he’s both). He’s sarcastic, tortured, funny, passionate, disinterested, and the most perfect example of a boy in love. And he is beautiful at being in love.
Simon, I suppose, could be called the MC. Although, I feel he really shares that distinction with Baz. But he is a fantastic character. He’s kind. He always tries to do the right thing – even if it doesn’t always end with the best consequences.
Penelope is the best friend/best sidekick – and boy was she ever! She was fiercely loyal, smart enough to give Hermione a run for her money, and not afraid to give her opinion freely. I’d love a best friend like her (although I wouldn’t trade my best friend for the world).

There are many parts that are incredibly reminiscent of Harry Potter (and I believe this was on purpose). It is, after all based on the fanfiction the MC in Rainbow Rowell’s ‘Fangirl’ used to write. And her fanfiction was based off of a loose interpretation of Harry Potter. That being said, Carry On is entirely original in its own way. It’s more of a love story with magic thrown in.

And that brings me to another thing I adored – the love story. I get excited for any story that features an lgbtq+ romance, and this one did not disappoint. It’s important to note, that although I do feel stories of the sometimes very difficult process of coming out, coming to terms with your sexuality, dealing with the unfair and unfortunate negative ramifications of coming out can have on a person’s life – stories like this are important too. A gay romance where the fact that they’re the same sex factors into very little. Baz is gay -very gay- as he describes himself. He likes what he likes and he’s totally cool with it. Simon is…just Simon. He had a girlfriend who he cared about and was attracted to, and now he’s in love with Baz, who he’s attracted to. I can’t tell you how much I love this. Bisexuality/pansexuality/just are who you are no-label sexuality is something rarely seen portrayed in books/film/media. Simon Snow was a breath of fresh air. They entire relationship was sweet, passionate, funny, with a hint of tension and totally believable.

The only critique I had was with the story’s antagonist. I’m not going to give it away and say who it was, but it was predictable…and underwhelming. Most likely because it was only one book (not a series) and we didn’t have time to really get into the meat of the antagonist. We were told their motivations and given the why – I just found myself not really caring. But that’s just a very minor problem I had with the book.

Overall I LOVED it. Probably my favorite fiction book of 2016…and I read a lot of good ones (it just barely nudged out A Court of Mist and Fury). If you haven’t read this book – do it! It’s got magic, great characters, wizards, vampires and a killer love story. Well done, Rainbow Rowell, very well done.

5/5 Stars
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What’s in a name…for a writer – A LOT

Writer’s can obsess over their character’s names – I know I do. In my book series, The Protectors Saga, there’s about six “main” characters. I must have spent a good few weeks researching names, playing around with the sound of them being read aloud, then going back and changing the names multiple times before I decided on the final – absolutely final names for my characters. It was exhausting. It was exhilarating.

Names mean a lot to writers (even if the actual meaning of their name never comes into play). Below are a few lists I found to *hopefully* help give you some ideas for character names – or even give you a direction to go in.

Good luck and good writing!

BTW – in case you’re interested, those names I spent weeks of my life coming up with ended up being – Avery Kimball, Jade Kai, Sasha Seraphina, Skylar Bavol, Bunny Claiborne and Draven Night.

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