words that are speaking to me

"But, Erin," Gabe tapped his finger on his desk to the beat of his words. "If you are trying to make a writing career for yourself, you will get rejected again and again and again and again." Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. "you must keep going. You have to learn not to take no for an answer."

--- Jennifer Echols, Love Story

another (and another) blog find

Literary Rambles is packed full of great information. Be careful! The author interviews, agent highlights, tips, and general good stuff will pull you in and you'll lose track of time!

Mother. Write. (Repeat.) is worth your time if you are interested in queries (she has "An Agent's Inbox" contest going on right now). Although I've not spent a ton of time on this site (I just found it a few minutes ago), it looks like a place filled with great information and inspiration.

Also, I'm collecting this links under the tab Writing Love.

summer days (soLs)

"If you can spend a perfectly useless afternoon in a perfectly useless manner, you have learned how to live."

--- Lyn Yutang

This is one of my favorite quotes. Today I need to get it out and dust it off and remember perfectly useless afternoons are an important part of summer too. Our summer is buzzing. Between the five of us, someone is always doing something: golfing, swimming, softball, biking, dancing, video gaming, writing, reading, swinging, photographing, building train systems, cooking, giggling, performing plays, going here, coming from there. It is constant motion. Then last week we added another member to our family. We welcomed Karianne from Norway, an exchange student we are hosting for the upcoming school year. So now we are adding shopping and soccer and (more) late night conversations to the mix.

All of this is very very good. But so are useless afternoons, which is what we are planning for today (at least until we leave to pick up Stephanie from camp). So today we will make chocolate chip cookies and eat too many, watch too much tv, play too many board games, read too many books, and even curl up for naps. Living is more than doing, sometimes it's in the useless moments where the treasures lurk.

{discover.play.build.} character wants

Just like real people, fictional characters are driven by their wants. And just like real life, if I can figure out what people want, it's a lot easier to understand their actions and choices. In order for a story to unfold when I'm drafting, it helps to know what my characters want. It's even better when the wants of different characters conflict, because then there is tension.

Often in order to discover a character's wants, I put them in action via a scene. Here is a notebook entry from a few years ago where I'm trying to discover more about the character's wants. I put him in action in three different places to try to discover more about him.

I've noticed this shift in my notebooks. After I learn some of the "surface stuff" about a character, I tend to put him in scenes to see how he acts. One of the best ways for me to get to know my characters is to see them in action. As is often the case, this element of fiction mirrors real life. It is by watching people in action that we really get to know them.

{Discover. Play. Build.}
Write a scene showing your character's wants through thoughts, dialogue, or actions. Change the setting and see if you can discover different wants. If you don't want to play with a fictional character, try this with yourself. Choose three different settings from your life and write three different snippets showing what you want when you are in each place.

words that are speaking to me

"Every first draft is perfect, because all a first draft has to do is exist."

--- Jane Smiley

time to write

This sticker makes me laugh, yet it is
so true!

For three months I've been playing with some new characters. I've almost filled two notebooks with thoughts. Recently, I found this sticker that says, "The voices are getting louder...Must be time to write." I picked it up because it made me laugh, however, there is a lot of truth in this statement.

Last night I said to Andy, "I think it's about time to start drafting a new story." There's a tug inside of me, the characters are clearer and yet, at the same time, mysterious enough that I know I won't learn all I need to know about them until I begin writing the story. There are things I can only learn through writing...by following the characters as they lead me through the story.

This is both exciting and scary.

Exciting because I want to know the story. I want to understand the characters and their choices and their emotions. And scary because it takes a lot of time to write a novel. Not only that, but there is a huge emotional investment. The characters often make my heart hurt. I guess, though, in the end, it is scarier not to write the story than to write it.

This time I'm going to draft differently than last time. Last time I revised too early. I wanted it "right" and spent a lot of time trying to get it this way, only to realize as more of the story unfolded, the revisions I made early on didn't matter. In order to revise well (and get the story "right" -- if there is any such thing) I have to allow the entire story to unfold first. This is hard for me. Drafting is hard. I much prefer envisioning the story and imaging the characters in my notebook and then revising the story after it is drafted. This time I'm going to write the story, allowing it to unfold as quickly as possible and then revise. I think this will make me a more efficient writer (and I won't have to cut things I spent hours revising and perfecting but no longer "fit" the story).

The characters are ready for the story to be written...now I just have to get ready!

guest post: celebrating writers -- including YOU!

I wrote a guest blog post for the Stenhouse blog about celebrating writers. If you read and comment, you'll be entered for a giveaway of FIVE Stenhouse titles.

q & a

I like Q & A posts, so I'm thrilled that after a little over a month I have a handful of questions from the comments for fodder. Thanks for asking. Also, I updated Writing Love with quotes people have left saying something like, "This reminded me of you..."

How do you make the images or play with your pictures?
I use Photoshop Elements 9.0. Many years ago my parents gave me PSE 5.0 for my birthday. It quit working last year and they gave me the new version. I love this program. Although I use it for little things on my blog like frames around a photo or changing photos to black & white, as well as making toppers for my kids' school snack, I use it primarily for digital scrapbooking. I learned how to use the program by taking an online class offered by Jessica Sprague called Up and Running with Photoshop. I highly recommend this class to anyone new to Photoshop.

What are you working on?
I have a few answers to this question. First, I'm in the middle of a draft for a new professional book called Celebrating Writers that I'm writing with Christi Overman. We hope to have the manuscript complete before school starts on August 15.

I just sent queries to agents about my completed contemporary YA novel called Strength.

I'm beginning to get to know characters for another YA novel.

I have a goal to scrapbook at least one page/week about my family. I'm also creating an album for our babysitter who is a senior in high school. I'm making 4 pages/month for her.

 Is this character in the same YA work in progress as the character whose hand map you just did?

said Mrs. V on {discover.play.build.} bone map

Yes they are for the same project. I've been playing with characters since April and feel pretty confident these are going to be the two main characters.

Do you write in a journal or do you use the computer? Lately, I have been jotting down snippets of ideas for writing I want to do but I don't get to the writing part. I know I just need to get out my journal and write for 10 or 20 minutes but wondered about opening a word document and doing the same. Any thoughts? 

said Juliann in WA on {discover.play.build.} bone map

When I'm getting to know the characters, then most of my work is done in my writer's notebook. As I thought about your question, I realize I use the same rule of thumb that I teach students. When the work is for me, the writer, I use my notebook. I make maps and sketches, lists and webs, and I quick write snippets of scenes that help me get a sense of my characters and the setting. When the story becomes for the reader, I draft outside of my notebook. Typically I draft on my computer. As I was revising the ending to Strength, I drafted a lot in a notebook (not my writer's notebook, just a regular, spiral college ruled notebook) for some reason I "clammed up" when I opened my computer. However, this was the exception, not the norm.

For my professional work I do most of it on the computer. Even when I'm planning, I make the list in the word document. I think this is because most of my "notebook thinking" is via blog posts, so when I'm ready to draft, I usually just have to jot a few notes in order to get my ideas in order. Then I draft. It's a little faster process than the fiction work I do.

As far as your question, I'd say try them both and see which one is the most effective for you. I think it's good to have a few avenues to draft. This way when the mood strikes to type, you've got a place for it and when you don't have access to your computer, but you want to write, then you have have a place for it.

What is Sophia's favorite song? And, what does that say about who she is? Thanks for the mention above! I'm glad the idea roused a memory and furthered your character study...

said b on {discover.play.build.} "hands" list

I don't know Sophia's favorite song yet. However, I do know this is a driving force for me as a writer. Someday (soon I hope) I plan to post the play list for Strength.

I didn't know you took inspiration from rodents!

said Christi.Overman on {discover.play.build.} what's lurking in your email box?

I know this isn't a question, but I need to make it clear: I do not take inspiration from rodents. The inspiration was for fellow writing group member, Tam. Rodents and I are not on good terms. Ever.

Hi Ruth, Great post! Supports my idea that writing many things at once is a possibility. What is your new YA project?

said Brandi on when do you write?

It's still in that really fuzzy stage. I know bits about the characters, but not enough to be able to talk about it concisely. I do know it's going to be a story about learning to trust others enough to let them get to know you.

Forgot to tell you that I loved the peek into your notebook, & to ask how you did that. It';s intriguing.

said teacherdance on Summer is...(SOLS)

It's a gadget in Blogger. If you go into Layout and ADD A GADGET you'll see it labeled Slideshow. In Wordpress it's a widget. Just add the Slideshow widget.

i will push SEND (soLs)

Nearly one year ago I began writing a YA fiction story. Something I've learned about writing fiction is to avoid back story as much as possible. Right now, though, I'm going to record some of the back story to my writing adventure.

After Stacey and I submitted our completed manuscript of Day by Day I felt this need to write. It was like I couldn't just stop. Stacey wasn't ready to jump into a new project and my editor kind of chuckled and said, "Let's finish Day by Day first." At the time I only envisioned writing professionally. The idea of writing fiction hadn't crossed my mind since middle school.

So I decided to read 100 YA books. It was kind of a whim. I didn't want to just read the books, but learn how they were made. I wanted to learn the inner workings of the genre in order to make me a better teacher at the middle and high school levels. So in mid-April of 2010, I started reading and developed a system to collect my noticings. After four months I was halfway to my goal and learning lots about the genre.

I still had no desire to write YA fiction myself. No desire.

But then, at the end of July, my friend Nate died unexpectedly. My husband and I gave the eulogy at his funeral. We came home completely exhausted at the end of the long day of the funeral, graveside service, and dinner at the church. I picked up a book to read, but couldn't.

I had to write.

What I found emerging was a YA fiction story. I wrote every single day from the day of Nate's funeral through December 1 trying to sort out the feelings that came with an unexpected death of a young friend. I wrote when it hurt. I wrote when it didn't make sense. I rewrote and rewrote and rewrote. And then I took a break through the month of December. In January I started writing again. I needed to finish it. I needed to finish it so I knew I could do it. I needed to finish it so I could figure out some of the emotions I was feeling. I needed to finish it so my character, Em, wouldn't be left in limbo.

I wrote it for me. I didn't intend to pursue publication. Fiction writing was a pipe dream left over from when I was a little girl. This story was about healing, not about chasing after a dream.

However, today I'm beginning my search for an agent. With the encouragement of Ruth (my friend + crit partner) and my writing group, as well as Andy (my biggest fan + husband) I've decided to see where this path will lead. I think I owe it to the story. I think Nate would smirk a little, revealing his smile that I miss, if he knew I wrote 66,566 words because of him.

So today I will push SEND on my query letters to potential agents and see where this path will lead.

{discover.play.build.} bone map

Getting to know a character by
making a bone map.

I like forcing myself to think about characters and their lives by making different kinds of lists and maps in my notebook. Often with students, I ask them to map their hearts. A few years ago, I added bone mapping as an option for students who didn't want a "sissy heart" in their notebooks. Good thing, because Krums (a character I'm dabbling with) refused to make a heart map. Since life as a fiction writer is much easier when the characters are talking to me, I decided to listen to him and make a bone map instead.

I was surprised to find his dog on the map. I didn't realize he had a dog, but it makes sense. All I know about the dog right now is he is a German Shepherd. I can't wait to find out his name. I also think it is quite telling that no people are on his map and Krums got a little snarky when pushed to think about the people who are close to his bones. Mountain biking filled the map, which didn't surprise me. Krums wanted me to make the words bigger because this is one of the most important things to him (and he wanted the map to fill up faster). I just realized school isn't on the bone, but I'll go back and add it. School is important to him, and being first in his class is even more important.

{discover.play.build.} "hands" list

I was reading b.'s blog, Live...Write...Teach..., and was reminded of making a hand list. I first saw this strategy in Penny Kittle & Don Grave's Inside Writing. I'm glad b. reminded us of it. Read her post and then make your own (or one for a character, which is what I did).

What do your character's hands touch?

ebb & flow

I've come to believe with all things creative there is an ebb and flow. I try to ride the tide when it is available and not worry so much when it ebbs. Sometimes, though, I wonder if I'm doing a good job balancing everything that I want to balance.

I like to do a lot of creative things. Things I want to do. Things I've deemed important. Sometimes when one flows, the others ebb and I wonder if I'm going to be sorry later in life. But life isn't meant to be lived wondering if you're going to be sorry later. Life is meant to be lived the very best you can at this moment in time.

Right now, I'm choosing to be thankful for the ebb and flow. Last year, while drafting my first YA novel, my scrapbooking ebbed. A lot.In 2009 I created over 200 layouts. In 2010 I created less than 15. It's important to me to continue documenting my family's life. In fact, this may be the most important writing that I do. I'm happy to say that this part of my creative life is picking up.

I'm learning balance isn't always about a particular day or week or even year. Sometimes when I learn something new (like writing YA), it is going to take more of my time than it will later. I simply have strive for balance over the course of life. And trust that will be good enough.

Through Sam's Eyes (sols)

Tonight Sam grabbed the camera and spent some time "documenting my night without the girls." He said that. I'm not joking. The girls are at camp this week, so the little medium guy is living it up by being the only child left in the house. (We even put on a play...directed by Sam and starring Duckie: The Fire Fighting Duck.) Tonight's Slice is what he captured.

{discover.play.build.} what's lurking in your email box?

Tam, a friend and fellow writing group, member sent our writing group an email last weekend that said:

Here is Neville's friend.

She is getting to know her characters and in a forwarded message about the "Legend of the Porcupine," she found the inspiration she's been looking for in a new character. Here is the photo that inspired her character:

It makes me wonder what inspiration is lurking in my email inbox that maybe I've missed. This week I'm going to look through my messages with this new lens. How about you? What inspiration is in your email?

{discover.play.build.} long-term relationships

I've been thinking about what I know about Andy now that I didn't know when we got married twelve years ago.

1. He has more compassion for the underdog than I ever believed was possible.
2. He is fiercely loyal to his family.
3. He works hard because he cares about a job well done.
4. A fifteen minute nap + a shower wipes away all stress, frustration, and grouchiness. It is magic.
5. He likes to make people feel good about themselves.

It makes me realize there's a rhythm to relationships when we've been in them for awhile. This isn't just true for married people, but for friends, siblings, and parents.When we know someone for many years, the relationship feels differently than when we only know someone for a few weeks or months. And this different can be good or not.

{discover.play.build.}

Consider the relationships in your character's life. Who are the people that have been around for awhile? Who is new to her life? How can we tell the difference?

• How do people act when they've known each other for awhile?
• What are ways to tell when people are comfortable or uncomfortable with another person?
• What makes a long-term relationship special?
• What makes a long-term relationship difficult?

12 wedding anniversaries (soLs)

On July 3, Andy & I celebrated 
our 12th wedding anniversary.

Several years ago I thought it would be fun to document how we celebrated each anniversary. I've fallen embarrassingly behind. So in an attempt to catch up with this cool little album, I'm making a list of each celebration.

2000 -- A weekend in Indy.
2001 -- Late night snack at Applebees.
2002 -- Movie Matinee: Mr. Deeds with Adam Sandler.
2003 -- Movie Matinee: Incredible Hulk.
2004 -- 5 years! An afternoon of shopping.
2005 -- Adoption paperwork + lasagna at home.
2006 -- Carry out from a local bar that has the very best steaks -- grilled over charcoal.
2007 -- Andy served on a mission team building an orphanage in Peru, South America.
2008 -- Colorado for a cousin's wedding.
2009 -- 10 years! Went to the Dunes with our kids + our friends' kids because they were in Ethiopia helping missionaries and adopting two children. We also put in a new door to the deck, and painted our bedroom, bathroom, hallways, and kids' bathroom.
2010 --Andy returned to Peru, South America with a mission team.
2011 -- Helped Andy's mom since she had surgery this week.

As I made this list, I realized the way we spend our time defines us. The most memorable anniversaries were the ones we helped others. This is how I want to spend more of our time: doing things that help others know they are loved.

{discover.play.build.} holidays

Happy 4th! (photo: 2006)

Last night I was sitting on the balcony off my bedroom watching fireworks with my family. The kids heard the booms from their beds and got up to investigate. Sam tip-toed downstairs and peeked out the front window: "Fireworks! Yes! We can see them!" and then, a whisper, "I gotta tell the girls!" Back upstairs he hurried and we heard the door open to the girls' bedroom.

What other choice did we have than to sit outside and watch local fireworks? From our vantage point we caught three shows. We were far enough away that the booms, blasts, and sizzles lagged behind the colorful, glittery pops. And I found myself thinking about some characters I've been discovering.

{discover. play. build.} Naturally you can play in your notebook with your own experiences or use this idea to get to know your characters better or springboard into a poem or...the possibilities are endless!

• What is your character's favorite holiday? Why is this holiday a favorite? 
• Make a list of words associated with this holiday. 
• What are the traditions surrounding this holiday? 
• Who else celebrates this holiday with the character? 
• Try writing a scene showing the character enjoying a favorite part of the holiday.

when do you write?

Last night we went to a dinner and a local playhouse with some of our best friends. Andy (my husband) and Kurt planned a date night for Heidi and me since our birthdays are just a few days apart. At one point in the conversation, they asked: So when do you write?

And I began telling them. I realized writing is truly squeezed in around the other (more important) parts of my life. I'm a wife, mom, friend, artist, laundry fairy, house cleaner, reader, doll fashion adviser, train track constructor, softball fan, and on and on and on.

This week I wrote: 8 blog posts, 1 guest post for Stenhouse, 4 chapters for Celebrating Writers, edits for 100 + pages of my YA novel, 9 writer's notebook entries for a new YA project, and journaling for 2 scrapbook pages. I also wrote a fairy tale with my seven year old, a nonfiction picture book about home runs with my five year old, and six thank you notes.

So when do I write? In the mornings, up early before everyone else. At night, after the kids are in bed and Andy has settled in to watch a baseball game. Saturday mornings. Sometimes it's only 15 minutes a day. Sometimes it's hours. Sometimes it gets pushed until later and I never quite get to it. Sometimes it's first on the agenda.

For me, it's not so much about finding time, but finding time that doesn't interfere with all the other good stuff happening in life. It's about figuring out what I can give up that doesn't effect the other members of my family. And it's about saying things are good enough, blog posts, emails, and writer's notebook entries, even if I want to spend more time.

{discover.play.build.} idiosyncrasies

id·i·o·syn·cra·sy

 noun \ˌi-dē-ə-ˈsiŋ-krə-sē\

plural id·i·o·syn·cra·sies

Definition of IDIOSYNCRASY

1

a : a peculiarity of constitution or temperament : an individualizing characteristic or qualityb : individual hypersensitiveness (as to a drug or food)

2

: characteristic peculiarity (as of temperament); broadly :eccentricity

from: Merriam-Webster Online

Keeping a writer's notebook has helped me to notice the details surrounding me. I like capturing tiny details that become significant in crafting the story or building the character. In order to do this, I must be aware of the world around me.

Just now, as I was waiting for water to boil for my tea, I looked out the kitchen window and noticed the sky. I thought: Wow, that's a crazy color for the sky. This kind of thought passes through our heads everyday. The difference between writers and everyone else is writers pause and notice. I lingered at the window and asked myself: How would I describe this sky in my notebook? What words would I use? How would a character feel if surrounded by this sky? Before writing this blog post, I took a few minutes to jot a list in my notebook: steel; thick; vast; grey; confused --- blue and pink and bright sunrise on one side, grey and dark and omniscient on the other; melancholy; lonely; small in a big world.

I watch  people too. And not just for entertainment, but for their idiosyncrasies. I watching for the actions that define them. I looking for the way their words and actions work together to tell me something about the person. I'm paying attention to the clues they give me that lead me to inferring their emotions.

Last night I was watching a little league game. Going into the fourth inning, the team on the field was ahead 9 to 0. The first three batters got on base, the fourth came up and hit a grand slam. I watched the catcher stomp his foot, throw his mitt, and whine to the team. The next batter up hit a triple. Now the third baseman, short stop, and left fielder join the catcher in the charade of foot stomping, mitt throwing, and whining. I was surprised at their behavior.

So I started paying closer attention. The next batter hit a home run. As the score sat at 9 - 6, the entire team on the field showed their disgust. Everyone. No kidding. Before writing, I used to let these things pass by, thinking, Hmmm, that was interesting. Now I replay it in my mind and hold on to it until I can get to my writer's notebook. I jot down the interesting parts. I write about the different ways a baseball player can show disgust on the field. I work my way to an understanding of how the catcher influences the team. And I write about the hitting team and how their emotions shifted -- suddenly they were in the game; suddenly they had a chance to win. The energy was electric.

{discover. play. build.}
Finding defining traits in characters and places ins't magic. Instead, it is about slowing down a little to notice the world unfolding all around us. It's about smelling something and saying to the people around you: how would you describe that smell? (And if you're really lucky, a child under the age of six will be with you, because they always have a great way of looking at the world.) Today look for the idiosyncrasies around you and find the time to jot them in your notebook. I can't wait to see what you {discover.play.build.} with your words.