How long DO you follow your dream?

Imagine yourself in my shoes.  It's Saturday morning, the kids are either asleep or already out the door.  The house is quiet and the computer isn't being used.  (Rare, very rare) So I drag myself over to the computer, not really knowing why, but heck there's an empty chair in front of it, why not?
I hop onto my blogger account ready for some blog-stalking. (It's a habit I have no intention of breaking), anyway...I start with my close friends and read up on all the super fun Holiday stuff they've done and smile.  Then I move onto a newly published author that I've been following for about a year.  I read all about her glorious year of getting two books deals and writing sequels and my smile starts to give way to a jealously-fueled scowl.  Then I move onto a literary agent that has rejected me twice (Geez, twice! I know!  And I am stupid enough still follow her blog!) and low and behold I find a link to, honestly, The Best Advice I have ever read!!!  It was written by Jane Friedman for Writer's Digest, originally in 2011, and recently updated.

This was me reading it.
 
Article: Don’t you wish someone could tell you how close you are to getting traditionally published?
Me: "Yes! Yes! For the love all things literary!  YES!"

Article: Don’t you wish someone could say, “If you just keep at it for three more years, you’re certain to make it!”
Me: "Oh my Harry Potter, there's someone out there that can do that?"

Article: Or, even if it would be heartbreaking, wouldn’t it be nice to be told that you’re wasting your time, so that you can move on, try another tack (like self-publishing), or perhaps even change course entirely to produce some other creative work?
Me: "Seriously?  Someone finally understands me! Yes, please, just tell me!!!"

I was hooked. 

So I kept reading.  I was laughing and crying, shaking my head, agreeing with every word.  "Yes!  Yes!  I know what you're talking about!" Many first manuscript attempts are not publishable, even after revision, yet they are necessary and vital for a writer’s growth. A writer who’s just finished her first manuscript probably doesn’t realize this, and will likely take the rejection process very hard. Some writers can’t move past this rejection. You’ve probably heard experts advise that you should always start working on the next manuscript, rather than waiting to publish the first. That’s because you need to move on, and not get stuck on publishing your first attempt.
There is honestly so much great advice in this article that I will recommend it for anyone interested in being an author.  (anyone brave enough to read our blog ) 

And while the age old question of "How long DO you follow your dreams" wasn't technically answered, in a way it was.  The answer is inside each of us.  It is up to us to know and even more so, believe in our work enough to keep after our dreams. 

So dream on. 

Someday will come soon enough :) 

Goals - And not the kind you hang dirty laundry on

Admit it.  You've bought at least 1 piece of exercise equipment only to have it become an indoor laundry line.  We've all been there, some more recently than others.  There's no doubt that the upcoming months are known to both inspire and depress.  Goals flourish from the regret we have over not accomplishing something the previous year and we are determined to get it right in the upcoming year.  It's natural to want to finish something you started - but it's also important to realize why your goal was never attained.  Was the goal attainable?  Realistic? Meaningful?  All of these things can cause goals to wither away.



So how does one come up with good writing goals?  Here's a total unrelated way to remember how to set your goals; M.A.M.A. (yes I work for a company that suffers from Acronym-alitis - it's an awful, itchy, and rather annoying disease involving the inability to call things by their rightful names)

Make it a Measurable goal:  Say you want to lose weight, well great, good for you. But that's not really a goal.  Same with writing.  Do you want to be a good writer, a novelist, an editor, or NY Times Best Selling author (see I will always find a way to bombard you with my life's ambition!) You have to be specific with your goals; "I want to lose 30lbs by June 1st." or "I want to find a literary agent that loves my work as much as I do this year."  You aren't saying how you are going to do it (that comes later when assigning short-term goals) you are simply stating a measurable goal.

Make it Attainable: Say you want to right a book this year.  Is it possible?  Yes.  But how do you go about it?  Do you have six hours a day, seven days a week to write?  No?  (Come on who doesn't have that much time????  Oh, wait - I don't either.)  So really, how much time do you have?  Break your goal up into something that is measurable - like "I want to write 2 chapters a month."  or "I want to finish my book by April 30th and finish all edits by October 1st."  If you start out saying "I want to be a published author by December 1st" you are setting yourself up for failure - I'm not being mean, I'm just being realistic - I'm fairly certain it takes at least a year and half with edits and printing.  Give yourself something worth fighting for - and in order for you to want to fight for it you have to know you stand a chance at winning.

Make it Meaningful:  Any goal worth having has to mean something to you, or you won't even try. Writing is no different.  What is it about writing that draws you to it?  The freedom of being your own boss, the adventure in creating characters and places others haven't, the excitement in knowing that you could one day be the reason kids want to read?  Whatever your motivation is, use it. Make every word, chapter, book count.

Make yourself Accountable: You can tell yourself you want to write a book anytime, anywhere (even on a random blog) BUT there's something about telling others what you're doing that takes your goal to a new level.  No one wants to fail and yet when you tell others that you are a pre-published author it makes you want to work that much harder - because SOMEDAY you will be able to take that word "pre-" and bury it forever!  So tell a friend, your spouse, your kids, your boss, your neighbors, or even the world :)

So here's to a year of worthwhile, attainable, non-laundry line writing goals!

What's in a character?

Characters are like recipes, you add a little too much of something and they fall flat.  Of course, it can go the other way as well.  If your character is too boring or mundane, no one will care.  What's worse, you won't care - and as an author you HAVE to care.  Characters are our children, we raise them from the pages we write, we nurture their faults and even their thoughts, hoping to make them someone everyone wants to love, hate, and more importantly, remember.

So what makes a character worth remembering?  Looks, thoughtfulness, sincerity, attitude, familiarity?

One of my new favorite series, Beautiful Creatures, is being turned into a movie that comes out in February.  And let me  tell you, if there's one thing they better get right is the characters.  Beautiful Creatures was so brilliantly written that it made you feel as if you lived in the south - no, that's not even right - it made you feel as if you were raised in the south.

 

But there's one character that I can't wait to see on the big screen - Amma.  Let me tell you, Amma is the kind of woman you'd expect from a book set in the south.  Everything about her, especially the way she interacts with the main character reminds not only him, but you the reader, that she is in charge - and if you were to forget that, well all she'd have to do is grab hold of "the menace", her wooden spoon and the menace would gladly remind you who was in charge.

It's the simplest of things that makes Amma a character that I, and other readers, learned to love. The way she cooked when she was upset, the way she looked at the main character when she was about to come unglued on him, everything about her made you think she was real.

This is what we, as authors, have to do.  We have to breath life into people that don't even exist.  We have to give them personalities, hobbies, annoyances, habits - we have to give them life.

And then....

We have to make sure their life story is worth telling.

 

Fools Rush In

Confessional time: I've been a fool.  No one knows this more than my poor sister-in-law (aka the luckless soul who has read every version of every book I've ever written)  Each and every time I finish a book, I give her some ridiculously short and unrealistic time frame to read it and tell me what she thinks.  Bless her sweet soul.  (Love your guts, Melissa) 

SO I am going to try something new!!!  (No she didn't threaten me, beat me over the head with a hammer, or burn every word I've ever written) I came up with this one all on my own!!  

I haven't had/made time to write lately, and while in my semi-induced writing lull I realized something - I ALWAYS rush into finishing my books.  I don't know what it is, the idea that I'm finally done or the notion that some agent is out there waiting to reject it.  Whoever or whatever is driving my delusional dream has got to learn to use the brakes.   

I have got to learn to use the brakes!

SO, rather than rush into my latest YA book (about a small town that is cursed) I am giving myself a year to finish it!  Yes!  I said a year.  Here's my thinking.  Great, amazing, (already published)  authors say it shouldn't take more than 3 months to write a book.  Cool.  Happy for you.  But I can't hold myself to the same standards.  I work full time, have a husband, three growing, active, and time-devouring boys, a house.... the list could go on, but I think you get the point.  If one day I am blessed enough to say my job is being an author, THEN I will think about holding myself to the 3 month concept, but for now, I need to slow down, let the ideas simmer, and write when I have time.  

I need to finish what I've started and re-visit it weeks later, I need to polish and buff my ideas until what I have left is truly remarkable.  

And more than anything I need to make sure I give my family and friends adequate time to read my books (before one day my sister-in-law writes an ironically realistic novel about an annoying family member who wrote too many books, who goes missing, and is found at the bottom of some deserted lake tied to a concrete covered laptop) 

Bruised rib cages, writing ideas, and a nap....

I can hear it now...the silent scrawling of my admittance form being filled out at the local looney farm.  In the mean time let me explain, no really, trust me bruised ribs, writing, and a nap all fit, harmoniously, in this scattered brain of mine.  

Late Saturday afternoon my twins were "horsing" around, and in an effort to keep this post about writing and not my crazy boys, I will just say that "horsing" around apparently involves Twister like moves and the notion that knees are harder than rib cages.  Needless to say it was an interesting night.  By Sunday morning it was obvious his ribs weren't cracked just well bruised.  

By Sunday afternoon he (the bruised twin) was tired (hard night and pain medicine) so I agreed to take a nap with him.  (Honestly, he didn't need to go and bruise his ribs if all he wanted to do was take a nap, but whatever.)  We decided to read and low and behold what was on my bookshelf? (ok,so there's about 30 books on my bookshelf and 20 more stacked, crawling up the wall, BUT that's besides the point) 

Harry Potter.  

Yep, I am a huge Harry Potter fan and I keep it on my bookshelf next to my bed.  (Nerd or no nerd, if I could help as many reluctant readers as Harry Potter my life's ambition would be fulfilled!) So I started reading to him.  We read all about that strange and mysterious day and the secret the Dursley's didn't want anyone to uncover and then......

Viola! 

An idea hit me!  Now this is not the first time Harry Potter has invoked an idea, but it was something that hadn't happened in awhile.  I smiled as I kept reading and, as most things go in my life, the idea started to dissolve into my hectic life.  My son wasn't tired anymore, lunch needed to be made, and there was laundry to do.  

And here's where the nap really comes into play.

Later I decided to go lay down anyway (after all the other fun stuff was done, of course) and as soon as I closed my eyes, the idea came back.  I know I was asleep for a little while, but mostly I just lay there letting the idea run its course.  

I've been asked several time where my ideas come from.  I suppose I don't really take notice when my ideas do come, so my answer is usually pretty lame.  Most of the time my answer is "Um.  I don't really know" or "I just thought of it".  So now you know, ideas come from life and the small, crazy moment in them, that's what makes books real.  And who knows, someday maybe you'll be reading one of my books and be able to tell people that the books's idea started on a strange and mysterious day in the Moxley household that involved a bruised rib cage, writing, and a nap!     

  

How to start a novel - just write it!

I like to think of this blog topic as my sidekick, my go-to girl when my mind is as blank as my computer screen.  I have to admit I am in a writing lull these days and I need this post as much as anyone else.  I have finished editing my latest YA and find myself deliriously indecisive. Do I go back and work on my first book, a MG fantasy; re-visit my second book, another YA, (which is bound to leave me abandoning writing all together) or start something new?

So what have I decided?  Nothing.  Absolutely nada!  So, in a lame attempt to divert my attention from my own writing debacle, I went in search of inspiration and found my last blog (that sounds a lot more vain than I intend) How to Start a Novel and How to Start a Novel; the then what?  and decided that this blog was exactly what I need.

I just need to write.  Period.  Not only is it the answer to "how to start a novel", it's the answer to my latest problem - I just need to write.  No excuses.  

Writing isn't about whipping out the perfect novel in a matter of weeks; immediately followed by a week long stint in the hospital after succumbing to a caffeine induced coma. A novel is a collection of words and sentences that stir emotions and deliver you to worlds you can't escape - don't want to escape.  That's why we write; we want to take people to our worlds, to have them fall in love with our characters.  Plain and simple, we want to inspire, even a single person to read - then, then we have accomplished something.

And to do that - we must write.

Do you feel like I just took you on a ride on a Ferris wheel? But Toni, we've been over this - we just need to write, we go it!! But how?  How do you sit down and write a book???

Really, I see two options: 1) force you in front of your computer and tie you to a chair, while yelling demeaning words that lack encouragement and class, or 2) list some advice I have tricked myself into believing and/or found on the internet (either way they MUST be true - my imagination is bound to be as trustworthy as the internet!)

So here we go with option #2:

* Find your place - is a cafe, a library, your room - it doesn't matter just find a place that inspires you to be creative.
*Clear your mind - if you have a million things on your "to-do" list your mind is more likely to wonder a millions different directions.
* Set a date with your novel - come up with a specific time to write and use it wisely - don't cheat on your novel by checking your emails or updating your facebook status - just write.
* Surround yourself with things that will seduce your creativity - for me it's scented candles, my ipod, jeans, a hooded sweatshirt, and fuzzy slippers - I am a creature of habit and comfort - and all about good smells, what can I say!)
* Write anything.  Ray Bradbury gave some advice in a keynote speech, one of which he said
"Just type any old thing that comes into your head. He recommends “word association” to break down any creative blockages, since “you don’t know what’s in you until you test it.”

*And finally:


Be surprised.  Write one page a day and see what happens....surprise yourself and surprise the world.

:)

Doubt: The creativity cannibal

Doubt is a darkness that can deteriorate years of work in a matter of seconds.  It creeps into our minds and, often times, starts breeding negativity that nibbles away at our creativity. This is a subject that I talk about a lot, simply because no one is immune to it, and honestly, I battle with it all the time.  But alas, it seems I am not alone!

Author Elana Johnson recently blogged about eliminating doubt.  I love Elana's blog and I love this post so much I wanted to share.  Elana was at a professional development seminar where a performance psychologist discussed doubt.  (I am not pasting the story here because I encourage everyone to click on the link and read Elana's take on it!!)

But I will say this - the advice Elana shared is one I think we can all use. Here's just a little bit of the story.  The performance psychologist Elana was listening to use to call a time out when a match wasn't going very well,  and would make the athletes say three things they were doing right - and if they started to complain he'd threaten to forfeit the match  unless they complied.

It made me think.

It's human nature to be competitive, no one wants to forfeit... at least I don't think they do, and yet that's what happens when we allow doubt to sneak into our heads.  We are forfeiting!  We are essentially throwing in the towel.

When I get done with a book and have read it for the upteen-millionth time, doubt invariably finds a home in my head.  I start to doubt my abilities, my book, my characters - everything.  But here's the fun part - now I have a way to fight back.    

I will not forfeit!

Try it some time - it doesn't even have to be with writing.  But when doubt starts encroaching on your life remind yourself of 3 three things you are doing right!

As long as you are breathing, forfeiting is not an option.

How to start a novel - The then what?

Like any true procrastinator, I went back over our previous blogs, not in search of inspiration, but in search of an excuse - I was in true PRO-CRAST-IN-NATING form.  It's actually kind of fun to look back at all that Erika and I have done.  In less than six months we have accomplished:

# of hits: +2300
# of posts: +70
# of rejections: +10 (and always counting....sort of)
# of parties: 1

And what I have learned from all this is.....

We need to have more parties!

Anyway.....so while I was PRO-CRAST-IN-NATING, I came across a blog I did on starting a novel.  It's something that comes up a lot.  Writing is daunting in itself and then when you actually sit down and get the first few scenes out of your head and on paper (or screen) - well that's when the real confusion starts.  Then what do you do?  Where does the story go?  How do you organize your thoughts?

Hence, How to Start a Novel - Part 2 - the then what?

Organization is a huge part of writing.  Remember back in the day when your English teachers turned into ruler-smacking, red ink totting Nazi's?  Opening paragraph, three supporting paragraphs, and a conclusion.  Well writing a book is kinda like that - without the ruler or the red ink.  The freedom comes from being an adult, trying, failing, and trying again, and finally - understanding what works best for you.

Here are 3 ideas on how to get organized.  (I've tried them all and suggest trying them on different projects to see what works best - or perhaps there's something else that works better for you - who knows!)

Note - Cards: I've seen this suggested a lot, most recently at WriteOnCon with Author Katy Longshore.  When I tried this, my note cards weren't as detailed as Ms. Longshore suggests, yet still helpful.  I have a lot of flashback woven into my story and having different colored note cards helped me know where I had too many flashbacks and where I was lacking.  Noting characters and places, etc. like Ms. Longshore suggests could help you see where you use a supporting character too much/ not enough, etc.

Outline: Think back to High School and you'll know what to use for an outline.  I feel like these are self explanatory, so I won't say too much about them.  They can be anywhere from 1 page to several and can be as detailed as you want them to be.  An outline could be done for the book as a whole, or even specific characters, scenes - anything.

Synopsis:  (The "S" word of the literary world) Ask most pre-published authors for a synopsis and watch the squirm in their seat, let out a heavy sigh, and then act as if they're invisible. As much as I fought the whole synopsis thing, I have found that they are actually quite helpful.  A synopsis is a lot like a glorified outline, query letter, note cards, and jacket cover all rolled into one. The most helpful thing, for me any way, when writing a synopsis is to remember you are pitching your book.  The whole point of a book jacket is to get the potential reader intrigued enough to buy your book - the same can be said for a synopsis.

There are literally hundreds of resources out there for us - websites and books - use them.

Here's few, in case you don't know where to start:

Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King

Literary Rambles Blog (If you aren't already following this blog, you should!  Especially when you are ready to query agents!!)

Well, hopefully something helps/makes sense!

Best of luck!

Toni

Don't short change yourself

A friend of mine, one who has wanted to write a book for awhile, recently caught the "writing bug" (despite the negative connotation of "writing bug", deep down inside my creative self is somewhere between jumping for joy and writhing her hands while letting out a deceitful little "Mwwhahaha" - another literary victim!! Um....I mean welcome to the club ;)



While my friend and I were talking she brought up something and I couldn't help but think "this is perfect for a blog".  It's something that really bothered me, mostly because I have done it.  She, without really knowing it, short changed herself, her talent, and her self confidence.  (My inner creative self is glaring and pointing a very stern, warning finger at my friend - tsk.tsk.tsk.)

My friend was explaining how she had started planning her book yesterday and how she had spent a good amount of time doing this while her sweet husband took their kids out for a few hours.  When her husband got home the simple question was asked, "So what'd you do all day?"

I am sure you can guess how this conversation went.  Now, this is what my friend told me, in so many words, however, as a writer, I can't help but...embellish - again, because I've been there.

Husband: Exhausted from hauling three kids around all day, he looks expectantly at his wife, "So, what'd you do all day?"

Friend: "Um..." Silence overwhelms her as she debates the lie pushing toward her tongue.  "I wrote."  Her face flushes with guilt.

Husband: Silence.  He's awestruck, dumbfounded, and slightly confused.  "That's it?"  He looked around the house, duly noting the list of things she could have done; the vacuuming, dishes, laundry, etc.

For those of you that don't know me, take this is to consideration - this would have been my answer.

"Yes!  It was great, I finished three chapters.  My antagonist thrashed through the pages, bringing the ending together.  Oh you won't believe the twists I came up, no one is going to see the protagonists' mother as the evil alien enchantress. Thank you so much for taking the kids, it really helped having the house quiet.  You know, I think I might set up regular "writing times" like this in effort to really focus on my creativity."

Now I would have said this for 2 reasons.  A) Honesty.  It IS amazing when you can bust out chapters, use it to your advantage.  Writing isn't a guilty pleasure - it's a creative pleasure - let it be your escape.  And be PROUD of your writing.  Tell your spouse about your writings/books/poems, include them in your dreams - no one likes to be left out!  B) Payback.  How many times has your husband sat on the couch in a zombie-like fashion watching some sporting event only to re-hash every touchdown, interception, rebound with the same fervor?  My husband.....all.  the.  time.  So I keep him updated on my characters and their relationships/ who's killed who/ new ideas all the time....it's actually entertaining to watch someone's eyes gloss over.  (It's also the perfect time to mention things like shopping trips and dented car doors!)

Bottom line: My dear friend(s), don't feel guilty for doing what you love.  Love what you do and someday everyone else will too!

How to start a novel - part 1

It dawned on me the other day that, in all of our bloggness (new word!  I just made it up and love it!) we usually discuss why and how to keep going when a literary agent or publisher has rejected you (us).  But what about those who haven't even started?  Are we scaring them into quitting before they even start? I hope not!

I hope that if you've ever thought about writing a book, a story, a poem that you will.  There is something magical about writing; you fall in love with characters, you believe in them, you root for them, and finally, you can't wait to hear how their story ends (because yes, the characters write the story, not you.)

I was in my oldest sons class talking to the kids about writing (and the dreaded "E" word - editing) and one of the kids asked me how I started writing.

(**Imagine me staring off into the distance, while that soothing, flashback music plays in the distance**)



It was the summer before my oldest son went into 3rd grade and all three of my boys were going to their grandpa's for a week (or two, I can't remember!) My father-in-law lives in a tiny town, nestled in the mountains of Eastern Oregon. (Where they can ride 4-wheeler's around century-old barns, and man-made ponds and yet never leave grandpa's property!)

So when Kole said he couldn't find anything interesting to read I offered to write him a book.  (I was very naive and thought it wasn't THAT hard!) So, while they were gone, I wrote a story about three boys who went to visit their grandpa in a tiny town in Eastern Oregon who discover a forest full of secrets.  Along their journey they uncover a power to turn into animals.  Of course I've done a few (a lot) of edits since then so the story has taken on a new life (and new worlds) of its own, but the point is, write what you know!

I know my father-in-law, the town he lives in, the things that happen in a small town - and I especially know my boys and what they are like.  So pick something you love to do, or even something you'd like to know more about and research the heck out of it - and then write about it.

And the most important step of all:

READ!  You may think that your idea is the best - ever!  And yes I am sure that a Vampire-Alien lovechild heading off to wizard's school will make you a bazillionaire, BUT unless you read, read, and read some more, you'll have no idea who to sell your wonderful idea to, or if anyone would be interested in reading it!

Good luck!  And remember, never give up on your dreams!  And when you've had 1 too many rejections, know that we will be here, with our annoying little stories and imaginary pom-poms, cheering you on!

-Toni

Keeping your marbles

Some times life is so CRA-ZZZ-AZY! If you are like most of us, we are being pulled in so many directions due to our demanding schedules. It's exhilarating yet exhausting at the same time. AND most of us love it! That's right we love it! We fill our schedules with fun and important things such as work, volunteer work, caring for those we love, making memories and fun activities with our kids, causes we are passionate about and making the world better in our own little way. All important things that make our lives worth living and we do it because we love it! I would rather be super crazy busy than bored out of my mind.

In all this super, crazy busy stuff, sometimes it's really hard to find the time for writing. I love to write but it's more a "fun thing I get to do at the end of the day if I get everything else done" type of thing. So it's no surprise that I often feel frustrated for not meeting my writing goals. Grrrr!

Today I found this great post on Writer Unboxed about great advice to writers. Keep Moving Forward was the theme of the post and I found it very inspiring! In our crazy world, there is so much that is out of our control. Work on the things that you can control like:  finding a time to write, making writing a priority, writing the very best that you can and most importantly....keeping your marbles during all of this! All things we've heard so many times but hearing again and again brings hope and renewed vigor. It's a great post and just what I needed to read today. I would recommend checking it out!

So let yourself be crazy busy! Just remember to schedule time for what's really important in your life!