What I do for love...

What I do for love…

What I do for the love of writing, that is.

It’s certainly not fame. Though, one day I do hope to be published. Not so much to be “famous” as to have others read my stories and live through my characters. One of my favorite questions to ask a stranger is: What is the best thing that could ever happen to you? The answer is so telling. Hands down, my response to my own question is to accidently stumble upon someone reading a book I’ve published on a plane or by the pool. Better yet, would be if they do NOT recognize I’m the author and we discuss the book. Even better, they like it.

So, what is that I do for the love of writing?

First, I’m in two writing critique circles. An online one with my former Houston Writers Club friends and a local one in Tallahassee, FL. The online group meets weekly via web conferencing and we email one another our ms at the beginning of each session.  While one individual is reading aloud their ms, the rest of us are critiquing it on the computer. Then, it is the next persons turn. The local group, and I use the term ‘local’ loosely since I travel two hours from Dothan, AL to attend, meets once a month.  In this group of five, the ms is emailed out the week before and at the meeting we discuss each person’s work.

Second, I read. Mainly, I read young adult novels and fantasy novels. And by reading, I should say studying because I underline, highlight, and take notes. Sometimes it seems to take me forever to get through a book because I’m so busy dissecting the way it was written. You might think that this takes away from my enjoyment of the novel….but you’d be wrong.

Third, I write and edit for about six hours every week day. It’s my job.

And maybe…. *I’m raising my diet coke to the air.* ….my dreams of being a published writer will come true. Maybe, even this year.

Stuck?

 Question: What happens when your storyline flows, but your prose doesn't?

Answer: I close my eyes and type.

If I get bogged down with word choice, it is easier to visualize the scene with my eyes closed. I picture my character and what he/she sees, put my fingers on the home keys, and type. This way the typos, word choice, and the way that the sentences look on the page do not get stop my train of thought. Or rather, my character's train of thought.

The world around us can distract us from our imagination, but our imagination will lead to better realization of the world around us.

In short, just write. None of it may be usuable in your manuscript, but then again, you may find yourself comparing the fostercare system to ungathered seed pods.

My Voice or His

Author George Lasher once told me that I’d be a successful writer when I finally found my voice. Obviously, he wasn’t referring to my volume- which could deafen penguins in Antarctica- or my opinions- which are definitive, endless, and always unsolicited. Not understanding what he meant, I carried on…writing and writing.

                Somewhere along the way, writing transformed from a hobby into something that I felt was achievable. I have explored picture books, chapter books, and comedy. And still, he was right, my dabbling missed something. I began to pray that I would be inspired and that I would improve. I finished writing an adult comedy (my first completed novel) and set out on my second. Eighty pages into that work my perspective changed on life. I stopped asking God for specific things that I wanted and needed. Instead, each day, I simply said, “Let me know your will.”

             As I sat down to write on my story- which I was very much attached to- I distinctly felt that I should cast it aside for this new world that began taking shape in my mind.  And, as my very first act of following His plan for me, I did. Ironically, that is the theme of the book: Having faith to follow God’s plan for you.  Five months later, I am completely finished. I read the final chapter to my writing group last night.

              I look back on what I’ve written. Desiree’s conflicting impulse to push people away and her desire for a forever family. Zach’s determinations to help Gretchen, even if it means defying a god. And, the principles my characters learned along the way, they were mine. As my characters learned eternal truths, so did I. Yes, I look back on this story and see my voice. That foster child who struggled for love but fought it at every turn. The one whose past could never stay buried. That teenager who was taught the truth, but refused to act on their knowledge. The one that took the long road to find the light. These are my stories embedded within the pages of a science-fiction, young adult novel. Within it is my voice. But, more importantly, there’s His voice, too.

             I’d ask you to wish me luck in finding an agent, but then I remember.

Houston Writer's Conference

     Since I am paid in "family moments"--- you know those magical fiveseconds of a day where your kids tell you your the best mom ever because you picked green beans out from the garden together or you've agreed to let them help make pancakes---two-hundred and fifty dollars for a writing conference is a lot of money. But, wow, was this conference worth it!
   Honestly, I'm expecting to be bored senseless with alot of lectures, like I was back in college. (Not talking about your class Sissy.) It turned out to be quiet the opposite.
  The energy level of the presenters at the conference was amazing. I took the young adult track, for the most part. All of my speakers were practically doing song and dance numbers like they were from Gypsy. I kept picturing them breaking out into song and singing, "Let me, entertain you. Let me, make you smile!" I kid you not when I tell you one of the presenters put on fairy wings!
   One of my favorite quotes from the conference was from Elaine Scott, an author published 40 times over. She said, "Write as if they will confiscate your computer on Friday." I love that. I was really bummed the email address she gave me didn't work. If anyone knows her email address, I wanted to shoot her a note about how I loved her lecture.
  Besides talented, experienced writers giving us advice on what to do and not to do, there were many agents there.  I was able to interview with four of them. I was surprised by how friendly, nurturing, and helpful the agents I spoke with were.  Granted, during the first interview I was crazy nervous...but as the energy of the conference rubbed off on me...I was on a roll. The best feeling happened in one of my interviews. When the agent was listening to my pitch, I could really tell they were really appreciating the uniqueness and humor of the story and characters. It felt great to have an agent appear to take a genuine interest in my story.  Crossing my fingers  the agent I felt a connection to works out!

Houston Writers Guild

       Writing -for me- is like having an endless cheesecake with blueberry topping sitting inside my head.  Constantly craving  it, but as you eat, the cheesecake doesn't disappear (or add pounds) ...it just creates this salivation for more cheesecake.
       Just when I thought I couldn't crave the cheesecake anymore...I joined a critique group...and now I just may end up in an AA meeting for cheesecake someday!

(left to right: George, "Book," Jolene, Jeremiah, Araceli, Enos)

         The picture shows only a handful of people that attend one of the three critique groups.  Over 60 people regularly attend these critique groups... and the guild itself has ALOT more members.

         A little about my buddies in the picture who have made me feel so welcomed:

* George- "I call him "the voice"- his commercial tone and storytelling skills make the phone book sound like an interesting story-- why most people choose him to read their material!

* "Book"- most opinionated and doesn't sugar-coat it: which is hard to take when you are hearing it, but you really appreciate it later

* Jeremiah- Good-natured, quirky Science Fiction Writer; the gentle critic- highlights the good points of writing and then surprises me with a very specific suggestion for the piece.

* Araceli- Quiet and reserved, whose comments are generally verbal; she writes young adult

* Enos- his grumpy act isn't fooling me- I'll grow on you eventually!  Focuses on the big concepts in your work that are missing

Our president, Rodger Paulding, the quiet observer who edits your complex sentences for better read-ability.

Preparing for my next novel.

Now that I have 57 character sketches, 86 pages of character dialogue (18, 544 words), and a map of my imaginary world... I guess I am ready to start my next novel now.

What's this next novel about, you want to know...It's a teen novel that will be a mix between literary and modern fiction.  .Setting= Houston Suburbs/ Middle School.  I could talk for hours about this book, but unless your my friend or future agent... you'll just have to wait until it's finished.  I have no doubt this book will be taught in schools one day because of the message that will be in it. 

It is sad that I can't share a clip of the dialogue or idea without feeling that it might get stolen.  Sad, sad world we live in.

Best place to get dialogue.

As if you needed a reason to get out and meet your neighbors or actually go to church....but if you are a writer... you just might...because I have gotten the BEST dialogue and speech patterns from talking to neighbors or listening to people give lessons in church.  After all, no loud music or noisy crowds like the mall.

For example: Nigerian man speaking English during a Sunday school lesson.  I noticed for the most part he sounded like an American.  But on longer words with more than two syllables, he was VERY articulate/ over articulate for someone living in Texas.  Also, every o after the first consant was pronounced as an ah sound.  So, correct became cahrrect and work became wahrk.  He was educated, too, so his vocabulary was more extensive than some other people.  He also said, "Any other thoughts?" when he wanted someone else to volunteer to talk.  The last thing I noticed was that the short i sound was pronounced with a long e sound.  If became eef, interesting became een-trist-ing.