Today I dumped my heroine. She deserved it. She had the wrong name.
Daria. I love the name. It has a connection to the stars and was originally chosen to clash with the heroine's sister's name, Jewel. That was when the story was about the sisters, among other things. Long story short, I am rethinking how complicated books need to be and so have untangled that book and come away with two stories. This book proposal is for the story of the romance so Daria had to go. Maybe Jewel too. We'll see.
Oddly enough, the hero was once one name then a new name when I took the stories apart, now he's back, though with a new last name. That is major because his old last name said something about him that will no longer be true in this book - his ethnic background. The subtle shift of this story meant I needed to shift his appearance, because there isn't space or need to deal with ethnic differences in the romance. But by bringing back his first name I am happy to embrace the idea that under the skin, he's the same good guy.
The heroine's daughter gets to keep her first name. It was and always has been right no matter what the story. To me, that's the magic of getting a character spot on - you can take them anywhere. You may tell a different story or reveal something new about them, but the heart of who they are remains -- and that is first and best expressed with a name.
It may take time. It may mean living with the character's name a while before you realize that's the problem. But get it right. It matters.
I know. Today while was noodling this book over, I scribbled the names down on a piece of paper and immediately sighed. Yes, that's it. That's THEM. Let the story begin.
Any writers out there reading - care to share the perfect name of a character you created? I'd love to hear them.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Cooking up a Good Story
Writing... Cooking. The connection has been made before. My favorite is Roy Blount Jr's essay The Way Folks Were Meant To Eat - I read it from time to time to remind me of what I should aspire to, both by the advice and his lyrical, amazing writing.
My thinking on it is less lyrical and more pragmatic. I have been trying to piece out a proposal and have been looking over old projects to potentially cannibalize and instead found myself learning something. I am putting too much in. After giving them some time to simmer, I find I can't get the true flavor of these works. Sure, I see all the great ingredients, pathos, humor, action, relationships, romance, danger, regret, secrets, character, characters, characters -- but when they are all thrown together, it's a mess not a meal. Nothing to really sink my teeth into!
I guess I'm on this kick because my son is reorganizing our kitchen for me and throwing away tons of stuff. Suddenly I can find stuff! I can see how to use what I have in new ways, or in their best ways! Correlation to writing?
I think you get it.
This is not a smooth and clever essay on how writing relates to cooking. Give me a break, I'm posting in the space of time before I take my daughter to art class. I just didn't want to lose the thought - if your work in progress isn't getting there, maybe instead of throwing something else in there, you should go back and decide just what you're trying to serve your reader, then take a few things out, add the heat of a little hard work and see if you that doesn't deliver a delicious result.
Okay, now I'm hungry! Good eating... I mean good writing!
My thinking on it is less lyrical and more pragmatic. I have been trying to piece out a proposal and have been looking over old projects to potentially cannibalize and instead found myself learning something. I am putting too much in. After giving them some time to simmer, I find I can't get the true flavor of these works. Sure, I see all the great ingredients, pathos, humor, action, relationships, romance, danger, regret, secrets, character, characters, characters -- but when they are all thrown together, it's a mess not a meal. Nothing to really sink my teeth into!
I guess I'm on this kick because my son is reorganizing our kitchen for me and throwing away tons of stuff. Suddenly I can find stuff! I can see how to use what I have in new ways, or in their best ways! Correlation to writing?
I think you get it.
This is not a smooth and clever essay on how writing relates to cooking. Give me a break, I'm posting in the space of time before I take my daughter to art class. I just didn't want to lose the thought - if your work in progress isn't getting there, maybe instead of throwing something else in there, you should go back and decide just what you're trying to serve your reader, then take a few things out, add the heat of a little hard work and see if you that doesn't deliver a delicious result.
Okay, now I'm hungry! Good eating... I mean good writing!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Sometimes a Small Comfort
All is not joyous in Annie-land today. Nothing big. No bad tidings, no hopes dashed. Just a case of the everyday blues made worse when I learned via Facebook that my hubby's family had a big event that we were not invited to. Probably an oversight but that doesn't actually make it better, to be over sighted by people you love and think of often and want great things for all the time. It's an awful aloneness, to find out by accident they don't feel the same way, and then...
And then I write.
Wrote a heartfelt note to my own family, who would never do this, even by accident. Who would never turn me away, who would feed me (I allowed that cold cereal would be all right but it had to be from a box with a cartoon character on the front!). And this evening when the heaviness came over me again, I thought about tomorrow and the fact that I get to work on a book proposal for a book that I truly love. A book with a message of hope and the theme that so many of my books have - letting go. I get to spend my day with words, creating characters and dialog and a setting outside and apart from my hurt feelings, bad hair days, money troubles, whatever is going on.
Years ago a fellow writer told me she'd been reading one of my books in a little out of the way cafe when a waitress who looked like she'd never seen a day of easy work, noticed and said she'd read that book. She'd like it. A few minutes later the waitress came by again to say why she'd liked it - it had made her feel good after a bad day. The waitress found reasons to stop by my friend's table the whole time she was there to talk about my book. My friend wanted me to know that and to remind me of something that has become my writing motto: It is never a wasted effort to lift a weary heart.
I was always humbled to think my writing did that for others. I am encouraged and comforted to know writing can also do this for me, just by sitting down and putting my hands on the keyboard...
Writing helps.
And then I write.
Wrote a heartfelt note to my own family, who would never do this, even by accident. Who would never turn me away, who would feed me (I allowed that cold cereal would be all right but it had to be from a box with a cartoon character on the front!). And this evening when the heaviness came over me again, I thought about tomorrow and the fact that I get to work on a book proposal for a book that I truly love. A book with a message of hope and the theme that so many of my books have - letting go. I get to spend my day with words, creating characters and dialog and a setting outside and apart from my hurt feelings, bad hair days, money troubles, whatever is going on.
Years ago a fellow writer told me she'd been reading one of my books in a little out of the way cafe when a waitress who looked like she'd never seen a day of easy work, noticed and said she'd read that book. She'd like it. A few minutes later the waitress came by again to say why she'd liked it - it had made her feel good after a bad day. The waitress found reasons to stop by my friend's table the whole time she was there to talk about my book. My friend wanted me to know that and to remind me of something that has become my writing motto: It is never a wasted effort to lift a weary heart.
I was always humbled to think my writing did that for others. I am encouraged and comforted to know writing can also do this for me, just by sitting down and putting my hands on the keyboard...
Writing helps.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Stop at the Happy Place!
Writers are not always happy people, especially when we are mulling over our works in progress or even our finished works. Tell me you haven't had that moment of finding/remember/realizing a huge typo or plot hole or grammar goof moments AFTER you hit send or put a manuscript in the mail box and wanted to crawl in after it and fix it.
When my first book came out I'd say "While other people are having labels printed that say "local author" or "autographed copy!" I want my roll of little gold stickers to promise: "My next book will be better!".
I think I lived up that promise and tried to make each book better in some way. The thing is that that process of trying to improve constantly butts up again always fearing it isn't good enough. It becomes a cycle that would leave any author's head spinning. It keeps a lot of us from finishing projects and others of us from ever feeling ready to submit what we do finish.
We all have them. Those unpolished gems and ideas that we go back to again and again but never quite get right. Well, yesterday I finished a proposal on the mother of all my works in progress that never seemed to actually make progress! It's rough. I need to redo the synopsis but there are four chapters that are better than anything I've done so far of a book I have wanted to get around to for years but never thought I could do justice.
Last night I went to sleep content (well, as content as a person muddling through a bout of sinusitis CAN be) and woke up with the realization that my main character had... well, I can't tell you what she did but I can tell you that it was the perfect place to end the proposal. It left the reader hanging AND it gave me the perfect place to pick up and begin again. THIS, I think, is the writer's Happy Place.
I am so glad I got there and hope you get there soon too. For you it may be writing THE END or organizing the outline or getting the poem just so but one thing I'd like to leave you with is that you will NEVER, EVER, EVER reach that much sought after spot unless you get out that project that is intimidating you, taunting you, tempting you and WRITE. If it hasn't let go of you, don't let go of it.
Even if nothing comes of it right away, who knows? It might be the project you were thinking of when you thought - next time I'll do better. Welcome to your Happy Place.
When my first book came out I'd say "While other people are having labels printed that say "local author" or "autographed copy!" I want my roll of little gold stickers to promise: "My next book will be better!".
I think I lived up that promise and tried to make each book better in some way. The thing is that that process of trying to improve constantly butts up again always fearing it isn't good enough. It becomes a cycle that would leave any author's head spinning. It keeps a lot of us from finishing projects and others of us from ever feeling ready to submit what we do finish.
We all have them. Those unpolished gems and ideas that we go back to again and again but never quite get right. Well, yesterday I finished a proposal on the mother of all my works in progress that never seemed to actually make progress! It's rough. I need to redo the synopsis but there are four chapters that are better than anything I've done so far of a book I have wanted to get around to for years but never thought I could do justice.
Last night I went to sleep content (well, as content as a person muddling through a bout of sinusitis CAN be) and woke up with the realization that my main character had... well, I can't tell you what she did but I can tell you that it was the perfect place to end the proposal. It left the reader hanging AND it gave me the perfect place to pick up and begin again. THIS, I think, is the writer's Happy Place.
I am so glad I got there and hope you get there soon too. For you it may be writing THE END or organizing the outline or getting the poem just so but one thing I'd like to leave you with is that you will NEVER, EVER, EVER reach that much sought after spot unless you get out that project that is intimidating you, taunting you, tempting you and WRITE. If it hasn't let go of you, don't let go of it.
Even if nothing comes of it right away, who knows? It might be the project you were thinking of when you thought - next time I'll do better. Welcome to your Happy Place.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Donut Jones watches the Dog Show
One of my dogs, Donut, watches TV. Not just anything on TV. No, this little Golden/Dachshund/Basset mix is a very discriminating viewer. He likes to watch other dogs. Dogs 101 and It's Me Or The Dog are big favs, as are certain commercials for doggie products (puppies peddling potty paper are not a priority for this pooch, btw) but his most favorite are dog shows. The Eukanuba Dog Show on Animal Planet was a big hit last night, though I don't know that he'd have made the same choices for Best in Show. In fact, if it was left up to Donut he'd have thought he would have made a pretty good choice. And further more, he'd have picked his best buddy on the planet, Bacon (our Carin Terrier/Dachshund mix) as best sporting dog because he's always a good sport and up for anything, and his next best pal, Moxie Miss Tee, a tabby cat, as best working breed because of all the mice she catches. Yeah, Moxie is not a dog, but that wouldn't matter to Donut, to him she's the best.
Sometimes when I go into a bookstore or read articles about what's hot in publishing I come to the conclusion that I understand publishing about as much as Donut understands the dog show. I love it. Love to gawk at it and dream about it. I would love to play a bigger role in it but when I see what makes the lists, gets the praise for being the best example or gets the big endorsements, I don't always get it. Really? That's what makes a bestseller? That's what makes the literati swoon?
Donut just likes it when the dogs run toward the camera. I just like it when the story sweeps me up and runs away with me. I appreciate the beauty and athleticism and symmetry when a good writer gets it right but I also love it when things mix it up and make me care when I really didn't want to - the way my dogs always have.
I guess that makes me a lit-mutt. A happy accident both in my writing and my reading. I may never make best in breed.
Donut doesn't care that he's not in the big show. He's happy. He's loved by a select few, and is found annoying by a few more. I don't know what the point is other than us mutts need love too! So maybe next time you are in a bookstore to buy a new book, think about adopting an author/book that doesn't come preapproved by all the high falutin' judges and if you have some writing that fits in that category, I hope someone adopts your work too!
woof!
Sometimes when I go into a bookstore or read articles about what's hot in publishing I come to the conclusion that I understand publishing about as much as Donut understands the dog show. I love it. Love to gawk at it and dream about it. I would love to play a bigger role in it but when I see what makes the lists, gets the praise for being the best example or gets the big endorsements, I don't always get it. Really? That's what makes a bestseller? That's what makes the literati swoon?
Donut just likes it when the dogs run toward the camera. I just like it when the story sweeps me up and runs away with me. I appreciate the beauty and athleticism and symmetry when a good writer gets it right but I also love it when things mix it up and make me care when I really didn't want to - the way my dogs always have.
I guess that makes me a lit-mutt. A happy accident both in my writing and my reading. I may never make best in breed.
Donut doesn't care that he's not in the big show. He's happy. He's loved by a select few, and is found annoying by a few more. I don't know what the point is other than us mutts need love too! So maybe next time you are in a bookstore to buy a new book, think about adopting an author/book that doesn't come preapproved by all the high falutin' judges and if you have some writing that fits in that category, I hope someone adopts your work too!
woof!
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Writing Hard. Make Head Hurt.
Those words used to send my family scattering as I emerged from my home office after long day at the keyboard. Those days the writing, and often REwriting, leave me bleary eyed, cranky, sometimes hungry or dehydrated, and frustrated at my shortcomings.
Funny thing, I haven't felt that way for a while. Just as I hadn't been feeling the joy in writing for a time, which inspired me to blog about trying to get it back, keep it up.
Connection? I think so.
For me joy comes from feeling productive, from learning new things, from feeling that no matter what happens after that moment, I gave it my best. You can't do all that for long without meeting frustration and distraction and putting in a little hard work. I think of people who work at thankless jobs that make my world better. I think of teachers and nurses and stay at home moms and so many more. Their work is harder than mine, and their work headaches are often also work heartaches but oh when they have those moments of joy...
It all goes together. Hard work. Big joy.
I don't have a huge career but I have books I am proud of. In fact, there are passages in books I've written that make me happy just to remember them.
So, in the long run, I'd rather have these headaches and angst punctuated by moments of joy and a sense of accomplishment than to simply plod along settling for good enough.
So, without sounding preachy the lesson of the day is: Writing hard, Make head hurt. Totally worth it. (Even if it doesn't result in a big publishing deal, massive sales numbers, legions of fans). Totally.
Funny thing, I haven't felt that way for a while. Just as I hadn't been feeling the joy in writing for a time, which inspired me to blog about trying to get it back, keep it up.
Connection? I think so.
For me joy comes from feeling productive, from learning new things, from feeling that no matter what happens after that moment, I gave it my best. You can't do all that for long without meeting frustration and distraction and putting in a little hard work. I think of people who work at thankless jobs that make my world better. I think of teachers and nurses and stay at home moms and so many more. Their work is harder than mine, and their work headaches are often also work heartaches but oh when they have those moments of joy...
It all goes together. Hard work. Big joy.
I don't have a huge career but I have books I am proud of. In fact, there are passages in books I've written that make me happy just to remember them.
So, in the long run, I'd rather have these headaches and angst punctuated by moments of joy and a sense of accomplishment than to simply plod along settling for good enough.
So, without sounding preachy the lesson of the day is: Writing hard, Make head hurt. Totally worth it. (Even if it doesn't result in a big publishing deal, massive sales numbers, legions of fans). Totally.
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