Friday, October 30, 2015

Author Questions- BONUS POST!!!

When I joined Goodreads, these questions were listed and I thought that it would be a good idea to answer them here. So without further ado...


Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?
The book trilogy I'm working on stemmed from my first trilogy. I didn't realize this world had more to tell until a surprise character in the third told me there was more. It all continued on from there, into the monster project it is now.


How do you get inspired to write?
Mostly I listen to music, and let my mind wander. Or watching a good movie or reading a well done book will also inspire me to work harder on my craft and stories. Going for walks and being outside also are wonderful for inspiration.


What are you currently working on?
Currently I am working on the fifth in my Ryder Chronicles series. And I recently got an idea for a Christian themed middle grade/young adult book that my fiancé and I are planning and will write in the next year or so.


What's your advice for aspiring writers?
Keep writing. (and) Don't stop!
Don't let anyone tell you that your writing isn't worth the time, that you can't achieve your dreams and goals. Do listen to constructive criticism and do find a good editing partner/beta reader or two, their input is invaluable!


What's the best things about being a writer?
Getting lost in your ideas, and the pure joy and natural high that comes from it. There really is nothing quite like it! You can feel all of your synapses firing, trying to come up with the next step in the story, or the perfect characters aspects. It makes it all so awesome.
Even better is when a reader tells you they truly enjoyed your work, and that they want more!


How do you deal with writers block?
*hissss*
The dreaded writers block.
Honestly, I don't really run into writers block that often. When I do it's usually because I was trying to do something in the story that doesn't fit. When you try to write something, and it doesn't fit right, its like pounding your head against a brick wall. I have found that backing away from the project, and either working on something else, or just getting up and doing something unrelated to writing helps immensely. Try to get some perspective and distance from what you're doing. Usually when you go back to the piece, you have fresh eyes and can solve the dilemma.

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

NaNo Survival Kit!- WuW

It's that time of year again!! Just a few days until the sound of furious keystrokes, and scribbles across paper will fill the air. I thought in honor of the challenge starting in just a few days, I would post what I have in my NaNoWriMo survival kit!

*Tea and assorted sweeteners of choice
*Selection of music to fit the type of story being written- Every year I splurge on one new soundtrack, and this year it was the track to the movie Pacific Rim
*Hoodies, Blankets, and Sweatshirts...Oh my! Basically anything comfy and warm.
*My inspiration Pinterest Board(s)

https://www.pinterest.com/Onadragonswing2/inspiration/
https://www.pinterest.com/Onadragonswing2/incalescent/

*SNACKS!-These vary from healthy to very unhealthy
*Rewards for mini goals (IE food, or going to a park once the words are done for the day...GASP the outside!)
*Timer for word sprints- I usually have 30 minute soundtracks as I've found that amount of time is the most productive for me
*Write In's! They really help create more motivation, and increase word counts! (Make some new friends too!)
*NaNo Forums. For inspiration and camaraderie
*Twitter Hashtags for commiseration (#NaNoWriMo, #amwriting, #nano2015 etc)
* Kristina Horner's NaNoWriMo music video and previous year's adventures in novelling.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78mvUeBw7MM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khkOmZG36Rk

*Last but not least- all the prep work I do before hand.


I'd love to hear what everyone else has in their survival kit, or if they have one!

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

NaNo Prep!


How does one prepare for the madness that is NaNoWriMo? (National Novel Writing Month - for those that don't know, is a challenge to write a 50K novel in 30 days. It amounts to 1667 words a day.) Should one even prepare ahead of time?
There are several thoughts on this, and my answer is pretty middle of the road.


I have been a "Pantser" before, and I've been a "Planner" in previous challenges. My answer to which is better, sounds like a cop out, but I do a combination of both!
For my Ryder Chronicles, where there is so much to keep track of, I tend to plan and plot, and do a lot more prep. On the flip side, when I wrote my romance set in Ireland last year, I only had a very rough outline and names of people and places.


Since this year I'll be writing the fifth in my Ryder Chronicles (The second in the next trilogy) I'm firmly in the "Planner" side of things.
So how do I do it? How do I plan to write a 50K plus word novel in 30 days?


Vewwy, Vewwy carefully. (Hah, made myself laugh :)


But really. I have what some writers refer to as a "book bible". I have a black, multi-functional binder full of character sketches, hand drawn maps, notes, world building information- anything that I may need to flesh out the world and story. I just call it my "binder o' magic". I also have two little notebooks for jotting down notes on the go, and plotting. One is larger and one is pocket sized. There is something about writing an outline by hand, drawing arrows, and crossing things out that a computer just doesn't have!


But it doesn't stop there! The one thing that I do that not many writers I know personally do, is I make what I call "scene" cards. These are little index cards that I take, and write out the POV I'm in, what number the scene is, and any action, dialogue, characters that are there, and information I need specific to that scene. Again, I take it one step further, and color code using paper clips for at a glance reference on who is getting "screen" time. Many people scoff when they see me pull them out at a write in, but they are the best ever! It's like I've envisioned the story already, and am just following what's already there. (There is of course wiggle room within these scenes, its just a more detailed "outline" if you will)


The last thing that I do to prepare, and it's mixed into the above, is I actively daydream. What do I mean by that?
I mean that I take the time to listen to some epic music, and zone out while directing my thoughts on the story and characters. This allows me to envision scenes, dialogue, and plot points that I need to happen. Often I "find" things that need to be added. I simply let my mind play out scenes from the outline (or maybe I haven't done one yet, and that's what this is for) like a movie. Every now and then I stop and make notes of something that needs to be added, or remembered when I come back to write. It's time to let my imagination roam through the story and work on whatever it happens to stumble across.


How do you prepare for a large project? Or just the NaNo challenge? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Nerdcon: Stories, Thoughts on Attending- WuW

This year I had the opportunity to attend the very first Nerdcon: Stories in Minneapolis, MN. A friend told me about it, and well, it is basically in my back yard! (If your definition of "back yard" is  an almost 6 hour drive) So I had to check it out. It was also an excuse for a mini vacation :)


On the website their "mission" statement reads:  NerdCon: Stories is here to honor that institution with a diverse gathering of story tellers. Podcasters, novelists, cartoonists, musicians, poets, and more will gather in Minneapolis for an exceptional celebration.
Now, I got super excited. I attended my very first writers conference this past year, which you can read about here: http://malindaandrews.blogspot.com/2015/03/bonus-post.html I loved the experience, and was hoping for a similar one.





Friday was good. I was able to get into the lecture/panel I wanted to, and was able to meet Patrick Rothfuss! I stayed for the opening speeches, as well as waited for Rothfuss in line, and we talked for almost 10 min. He was very nice and happy to talk with a fellow fantasy author!



The lecture/panel I attended was Honing Your Craft: Embettering Your Word-Doing, and it was phenomenal. I came away with some great ideas, and it was great to hear that traditionally published authors have the same struggles that I do!


Some takeaways I had were:
* Plans are great, but be flexible
* Not everything works for everyone all the time
* Try different writing strategies
    *block of time (4 hours was the example given)
    *sprints
    *word wars with writing buddies
    *designated writing time/spaces




 (And yes, that is Holly Black as the moderator, on the far left, I was able to meet her later and get an autograph, what a lovely woman!)


Sadly, I wasn't feeling well and headed back to my hotel room for a nap after that lecture/panel. It was great having a huge comfy king sized bed to sprawl out on!


Saturday was where I ran into trouble. It seemed that the attendance tripled overnight. I was not able to get into the two lectures/panels that I really wanted to attend due to just stupid long lines. It was very upsetting as I was there to learn and better my craft, and not just "be in the same room as famous authors". Yes I did actually hear someone say that was why they were there. That killed me. I couldn't believe that someone would take up a seat just to say they were there instead of letting someone who wanted to learn have that spot.


Instead of my original lecture/panel, I was able to join my fiancĂ© -Josh- in the lecture he was attending, Once More With Feeling: Storytelling through Song. This was actually a great lecture/panel! It was fun, and much of what they discussed actually applies to novel/short story writing as well as song writing.


My key takeaways were:
*Collaboration:
    *feedback can be tough
    *go in with an open mind
*Writing Strategies:
    *give your back-brain time to roam-boring tasks keep your fore-brain busy while allowing your back-brain to process
*"Thanks for the crippling freedom!"- constraints can be your friend!


Once again, thanks to the same issue as above, I was unable to attend the final lecture/panel I wanted to. I chose to stay in the same auditorium and wait for But It's Just a Story: The Moral Responsibility of the Storyteller. Only after he walked in did I realize that Patrick Rothfuss was the moderator! (It was pretty awesome.)This turned out to be one of the best discussions I have ever been a part of or witnessed. Rothfuss kept the panel and audience on track, and made some excellent points on the responsibility (or possibly lack thereof) that authors have when writing images and scenes that could influence the reader. Both positively and negatively.


This lecture/panel actually got me thinking, in a good way, about my own work, and I will probably write a blog post, or two part-er, on it in the near future. :)

My key takeaways were:
*As a writer we are entertainers, and are concerned first and foremost with "write(ing) something that is engaging"- Patrick Rothfuss.
*The law of unintended consequences
*Writers should be "thinking as a reader and not just as a writer"- Nalo Hopkinson
*Reading is a process of recognition."- Lev Grossman
*Ethics demands hard answers, fiction does not



These lectures/panels were fantastic, and I am glad that I wound up in ones that I otherwise wouldn't have as they were valuable.


That said, I do have a few bones to pick. The "Con" did not live up to my expectations. I think part of it was I went into this with high expectations, as well as Nerdcon "issues". 


The first was mentioned above. I am sorry, but I found that extremely disrespectful of my time and money, as well as the panelists.


The second: there was absolutely no representation of the "indie" movements. Either in music or publishing (That I saw- please someone correct me if I am wrong, but moving on with the assumption that I am correct...)
Nerdcon was here to celebrate stories, in all the forms that they come it. Why didn't Indie's get a spotlight as well? Every author there was traditionally published. There wasn't even a mention of independent authors and self publishing. And yet, it is a HUGE movement in the book (and other forms of storytelling) community. I was really disappointed about this. I felt like this would have been the No. 1 place to have Indie information, and there was a whole lot of NOTHING. Not even a section where Indie's could bring their books to showcase.


The third: NaNoWriMo said that they were going to have a "presence" at the convention....that amounted to one person. Now, I guess that does count, and she did a fantastic job. I am not meaning this as a jab at her, or the organization (as I love the organization-I participate, and donate $ every year to it). Again, I felt let down. They even had a vendor room at the Con! I was hoping they would have a table filled with NaNo swag, helpful tips, and goodies for the attendees, but alas I was mistaken.


The fourth and final: While the lectures/panels were great, I felt there wasn't enough meat for someone like me. I was looking for something more. Maybe a workshop, or more lectures geared towards writers for their craft. Everything felt impersonal (on the whole-there were a few exceptions such as the last lecture/panel I attended) and generic to a "con".


Overall I would rate the experience a 6 out of 10. I think the Con itself didn't really know what it was, or quite where it is headed. My bottom line, the entire weekend cost (for two people-not including food/fuel) about $800. If I were to attend next year, there would have to be major changes regarding the above for me to consider it.  It felt more like a giant meet up for Green Brothers fans, YA readers, and not really a place for writers.  I am glad that I went, the experience was worthwhile. But next year? Probably not.



Wednesday, October 7, 2015

What's up Wednesday- Opinion Piece

I cringe as I type this, not sure how people will react to what I have to say on a topic many people have a strong opinion on. And it could get nasty...
No I'm not talking politics, or religion. I'm talking about FanFiction.
And not only am I talking about FanFiction, but I am talking about and explaining why I am not a supporter of it. (Now I'm definitely cringing away from the keyboard)

Okay, first things first. Let's define what FanFiction is before I go too much further.
FanFiction is fiction writing that is based off of another already created fictional world. Two great and popular examples are Harry Potter and the Marvel Universe. I have known many people who love the Harry Potter universe so much, that they take the characters already created (world, magic, animals etc) and write new story lines with them. The same thing happens with the Marvel Universe. Another thing that usually happens when people take and use these characters and worlds for their own writing is that romances and relationships get rewritten, often with a sexual twist. After saying that, this post is not about that, but rather the practice of using other author's creative products, so I will leave that alone for now. Now that we've defined what FanFiction (FF for short from here on out) is, we can actually discuss and talk about it.

I have been a reader my entire life. I love movies and TV shows. Not once did I feel the need to take another person (or person's) creative product and insist that I put my own spin on it. The characters, plot, world etc are not mine to play with, they are the creator's. If the creator of a book wanted characters 2 and 4 to fall in love, they would have written it that way instead of characters 1 and 2. If they had wanted the story to continue on, or to have more emphasis on a side character, they would have written more. To me it is somewhat presumptuous to alter or change someone's creative works. To think that you know what is better for the story than the creator.

Being an author myself could also have something to do with how I feel. I don't think I would like it very much if someone took an aspect of my creative works and changed something essential about it. Even if it was just something to show their friends or for their own amusement.

Even George RR Martin has been quoted as saying "Don't write in my universe, or Tolkien's or the Star Trek universe, or any other background. Every writer needs to learn to create his own characters, worlds, and settings. Using someone else's world is the lazy way out. If you don't exercise those literary muscles, you'll never develop them."

This is exactly how I feel about FF writing. It is a great way to start writing, it helps with facing a blank page and a blinking courser. But eventually if that person is serious about their writing, they need to branch out and exercise their "literary muscles" as Martin said.
Writing your own ideas instead of FF is kind of like a toddler learning to walk. At first it's a bit wobbly, and disorienting, but eventually by using those muscles, it gets easier and easier to stand on your own. Soon you're not only standing, but running around the yard, gleefully cheering at your ability. After the initial worries and questions, the unbridled joy in what you are creating takes over. As one NaNo slogan goes, You can go "Whooping through the valleys of your imagination".

Bottom line:
Do I look down on those that write FF? No.
Do I think people should exclusively write it? No.
I think FF is a good way for many people to get into writing, but I don't think they should stay writing FF forever. Branch out, challenge yourself. Create something that is completely and uniquely yours. You may just surprise yourself with what you find.


Sunday, October 4, 2015

Sunday Funday Post- Winning the Lottery

A lot of people like to imagine what it would be like if they won the lottery, clearly I am no exception. Never mind that I don't play the odds, it still is fun to think about. So without further ado, this is what I would do if I ever won!


If I were to win only a couple hundred to a few thousand, I would firstly pay off debt and save the rest for a future trip with my husband. I know it's just so exciting. I'd like to say that I'd just whisk us away on a trip, but the practical side of me would probably take over, and I'd end up being responsible with it first. I know it's also not original, but hey, it's probable that would happen.


Now, if I ever won a substantial amount, then my response would probably change. I'd like to think a little bit.
I would still be responsible, but after? I would use it to make my dream of being a stay at home wife/full time writer come true. for a long time now my goal has been to be a full time writer. I can routinely turn out a draft in 30 days while working 40 hours a week, so imagine how much I could accomplish with a full work week of time! Oh the possibilities! Plus travel time!!


Would I ever win? Nope, hard to win when you don't ever play!


But what would you do? Would it vary by amount won? Would you follow a lifelong dream? Or maybe just go to Vegas?