Should you be writing right now?

Too chatty or awkward silence?

How to create dialogue that flows?

Isn’t this a question all writers struggle with at some point in their career?  Are you worried that your protagonist sounds too wooden?  Me too.  I’ve been there, done that.

So how do we overcome those awkward moments?

My best advice is to write how you speak.  To heck with your auto correct.  Overlook all of those annoying green squiggly lines in your manuscript.  If you’re computer editor is happy then ya ain’t talkin’ right. 

Speak your sentence out loud once you’ve written it.  If you struggle to sound it out then so will your readers. 

Less is definitely more.  Get to the point without taking a dozen pitstops along the way.  Don’t word dribble. 

All dialogue needs to push your plot forward.  This is a hard one to recognize sometimes when you are writing.  That’s what re-writes and edits are for.  Cut out the fluff.

One tip that I’ve read, and I’m not sure that I entirely agree with, is to use “he/she said” instead of “he screamed” or “he laughed.”  Personally I prefer to not read “he said,” “he said,” “he said,” over and over again.  I say do both.  Add a smattering of each and see how it flows.

When you are writing your dialogue think about where your characters are.  Are they sitting in a rowdy bar?  Alone in a car?  Racing through traffic?  Lazing on the back deck with a cool lemonade in their hands?  Remember body language.  Where are they positioned?  What is their posture?  Are they doing anything or just sitting?  All of these things are key to creating the right tone for their dialogue.

If you are on the run with a sniper capturing you in his target then you’re probably gonna be pretty frantic in how you speak.  But you wouldn’t write the same way if you had a couple whispering in a library.  Be aware of the content you’ve already created.  Make it logical. 

Avoid adding dialects.  This can sometimes be confusing to your readers.  If you really must have one for the essence of your book then try to limit it’s content.

Hit the mall.  What better place to hear a WIDE variety of language than in a packed mall during the holiday season? 

Avoid crazy punctuations.  Have you ever been on Facebook and saw people write something like this:  “Went to see ….movie.  It was awesome!!!!!!!!”  Yep.  I’ve seen it to.  Or how about the ?!!!  Honestly, what does that mean? 

When you’re writing a novel, use action to portray an exclamation.  Don’t make our eyes go cross trying to count the !!!!!

If you still struggle to write dialogue that feels natural you might want to try using some sort of recording device.  Perhaps a program on your computer that interprets your spoken word into written word.  Or purchase a hand held recorder and carry it with you. 

Creating dialogue that flows doesn’t always come over night.  Practice, let your inner editor shut off and just chat to the mirror.  I know, it’s probably gonna feel weird, but it does help.

Happy writing!

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My non-resolutions

Every year millions of people join together to party, kiss at the stroke of midnight and inevitably make New Years resolutions that will more than likely be broken within the first week or so.  Using that new treadmill as a coat hanger?  Classic. Did that enormous piece of gooey chocolate cake hogtie you and force itself down your throat?  Bye-bye diet.

Why do we do such things year in and year out?  I’m sure in some way that could be used as a sign of insanity.  So what about this year?  Will you endeavor to make yet another resolution?

Several years ago I made the decision not to make personal resolutions…at any time of the year.  New Year’s Eve scrooge is what I am.  But I had to have some reason to get out of bed each day, right?

So I decided to make a list.  If you don’t already know me, this is not something abnormal.  I am a list gal.  Too scatterbrained to live without it!

On my list I write my goals for each year.  *BE REALISTIC*  If you don’t have time to spend 4 hours in the gym every day and enjoy eating less than a sparrow, then don’t tell yourself that you want to lose 150lbs in 2012.  That’s just asking for trouble!

I like to write personal goals, of which usually have to do with being more organized so my family life can run smoother.  Hit the gym a bit more, although the Zumba DVD’s that I got for Christmas are really begging to be opened.  And of course learn something new.  Knitting, baking, gardening, engine overhaul (yeah right!) or taking up a new sport.  Whatever my goal might be, I plan my success.

The same thing goes with my writing.  Although I am terrible about planning my books (goal #1) I am fantastic about planning what I want to accomplish.  Last year, in August, was my first real step into self publishing.  And oh my goodness did I have a lot to learn!  I’m still learning.  It’s a process.

I managed to publish book 1 of the Rising trilogy, and followed up with book 1 of the Arotas trilogy.  Throw in a short Christmas story in December and I’m feeling pretty awesome from my efforts.

Some might look at that and say “wow, that’s amazing.  You can sit back and wait for the money to roll in.”  Hardly!  I didn’t dream of writing ONE book or even three.  This is something I want for the rest of my life.  So if you love my books, get ready for a busy 2012.  If you don’t…yeah I can’t really help you with that one!

My goals for 2012:  (widely pliant due to a finicky muse)

·        Roseline’s Novella- her life between becoming an Immortal and her escape from Romania.

·        Arotas- sequel to Forbidden (rough draft is nearing completion)

·        Collide- new teen thriller (in re-write stage)

·        Relinquish- sequel to Defiance Rising (dependent on my sister-in-laws schedule once she had two little ones running around her house)

·        New book idea- had a dream which turned into a homework assignment for my writers group and it has massive potential.  (brainstorming and loving it!)

·        And of course write the third installment for the Arotas Trilogy.  Don’t ask me anything about it.  I don’t know yet!

So these are some huge goals but I know I’m capable of it.  6 books in 12 months?  Is that doable?  Certainly.  The best part is most of them are all in various stages of being written so I’m already ahead of the game.  And of course I will be entering Forbidden in this years Amazon competition.  Super excited to see how it does.

What are your goals for reaching your dreams in 2012? 

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Your opinion matters

As a soon to be published author I'm excited and terrified of the reviews my book will receive.  I'm sure this is normal with all writers.  A book is like your baby.  You labor over it, help it walk on unsteady feet and then let go and hope it takes off running.  But what if it crashes and burns?  Oh the fears and doubts we writers experience.

My new book, Defiance Rising, is my baby.  I've spent the past 2 years writing and re-writing.  Cutting, pasting and hacking at my chapters.  My book has changed more times that I care to think about...but each time it's gotten a little better.  The ups soar higher.  The downs are more dramatic.  My characters are more well rounded...I hope!

But after 2 years of laboring over my book...is it enough? Will people love my characters as much as I do?  Will they reach the ending and beg for more? 

My Defiance Rising book is the first of three.  I'm 3/4 through the second book and I've begun writing the 3rd.  It's so exciting for me as a writer to see the progression of my characters.  To see them stumble and fall, to get back up and press on.  I've fallen in love with them and I so desperately want my readers to feel the same way.

Reader reviews are the lifeblood of writers.  Their opinions are the only ones that count because they're the ones keeping you going.  I told my husband the other night that if only one person, that I don't know, says they enjoyed my book then it will all be worth it.  Soon I'll get to see if I was right.

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Why I write

Have you ever stopped to think about what drives a writer?  To push beyond the normal limits and create new characters or worlds that have never existed before?  I have.

Why do I write?  I want the people that read my books to feel something.  To fall in love with the hero who deals with their inner struggles.  To root for the underdog.  To want to be swept off their feet just like the lucky heroine.  To feel a longing when the last page turns. 

There is nothing better than a page turner that keeps you racing for the end, only to make you beg for more.  The agonizing months waiting for the sequel to hit the shelves just so you can find out what happens to your favorite characters.  That's what make a book good.  Some characters stick with you.  Those are the ones that I want to create.

I don't want my characters to be card board cuts outs of the latest best sellers.  I want quirks and faults.  I want real failures and real triumphs.  Real characters with real problems. 

What do you think?  Are you tired of cliches?

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Driven

Every writer I have ever met could be considered quirky.  I say that with love of course since I happily add myself to that category.  We're different...set apart from the mundane world that many people are simply happy gliding through.  But not us.  We're driven to be something different...to make the world a better place through words.

For a painter: It's the longing to see brilliant colors splashed across a blank canvas.  For a musician: It's the skillfully mastered piece that makes even the angels in heaven smile.  For the chef among us: It's the wafting smells that entice our stomachs to take a tiny bite of perfection.  For writers: It's the opportunity to sweep your reader into a fantasy world where reality doesn't have to be quite so brutally black and white.  We live for that next life changing novel that so beautifully enraptures us that it's painful to say goodbye to your beloved characters.

We writers are unique.  We are passionate.  We are talented but more than that we have a voice that we are driven to share with the world.  Sure most of us will never become a household name...but that's ok.  We don't write just for recognition.  We write because we must.  Because we will burst if we can't pour out our souls onto the page.  We have something to say...and that gives us purpose in life.

So what drives you?


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Bite off more than you can chew?

Thousands of people across the country share the same dream...taking that leap from writer to author.  It's a grand goal...but not one that can simply be achieved through a pretty smile or directionless purpose.  To become the author that you long to be you have to set goals, milestones that you can mark along the way.

I look at the journey of a writer much like an overweight person that is desperate to shed those unsightly pounds.  They strive so hard for their main goal that they completely overlook the journey.  Or they get so overwhelmed by the 100lbs that they need to lose that they forget to celebrate the 2lbs they lost this week.

It's all about perspective.  Are you looking at the big picture or are you dissecting it into small, attainable goals?  Either way you can reach the prize but taking the small baby steps will make the journey much more relaxed and enjoyable!

So you have had an epiphany and you're sure that you've got the next best selling idea.  What next?  Well logic tells you that you can't simply sit down and write the book.  It takes planning, detail and a lot of blood, sweat and tears before you complete your manuscript.  For some that might mean only a couple months invested...others a lifetime. 

You're goal may be to have your newly published book in your hands, the smooth glossy cover sliding like silk under your fingertips as you lovingly caress your masterpiece...but there are many steps between an idea and a finished product.

So...words for the wise (and it's only because I've been there too!) set a small goal for tomorrow.  Maybe it's sketch out one scene or create a full 3-D view of one character that goes beyond the general hair and eye color.  Create mannerisms that will endear your character to your readers. 

Or perhaps you need to work towards finishing three paragraphs by the end of the day.  If you're adventuresome try for an entire chapter.  Whatever your goal might be, make sure it is realistic.  Plan out your day, set aside "me time" to write and work towards that goal.

If we writers don't schedule in our writing time it's easy for it to simply disappear like vapor in the wind.  Set your mind to it and do it.  Be your own champion.  Believe that no matter how many doubts might be tumbling around in that brain of yours that you are worth taking the time to invest in yourself!

My personal goal for tomorrow: return to a manuscript that I began a couple weeks ago and write another two chapters. 

What's your goal?


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Blurry eyed and yawning my head off...

Do you ever stay up too late to write?  You stare blankly at the vivid white screen and think for the millionth time that you should be in bed.  Sometimes it's easy to blow past your bedtime.  For me, the wee hours of the night are my best opportunities to write.  The house is quiet, the tv is finally off and I can focus all of my attention on the blank page in front of me.  But when your eye lids begin to droop and your concentration plummets into the depths of sleep deprivation then it's time to call it quits.

Sometimes the best thing you can do is simply call it a night.  Forcing yourself to stay awake will only accomplish the obvious...typos, forced creativity and probably a whopping headache to boot!  It's just not worth it!  Write down your final thoughts for the night and get some rest.  You'll feel refreshed and ready to make a new start tomorrow.

Best tip of the day: if you want to be a great writer then get some sleep.  without a rejuvenated mind how can you possibly hope to perform at your peak?

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Perspective

This is an area that I greatly struggle with.  Some people that I speak to enjoy writing and do so as a once in a while hobby.  But for me it's a need, an addiction akin to the likes of some of the best drugs on the market.  I've always been like that...whether reading or writing.  I live to create a new world in my mind.  But reality tells us that life must go on.

So how do we gain perspective in our lives?  How do we set goals that enable us to achieve everything necessary to keep our lives in order?  Set mini goals.

For me, as a housewife and stay at home mom, my "job" is to take care of the house and be with my son.  I can't do that too well when I'm focused on a computer screen all day long.  So how do I manage to make it all work?  Well, to be perfectly honest, some days are worse than others.  I do have a tendency to push aside necessary chores in order to get that last bit of inspiration typed out.  It's a flaw...sigh...but something I am working on.

My goal for each day is to try to have my house at least look respectable in case visitors were to drop in unannounced.  No it's not always to my husbands standards, which I know is an area that I need work on, but I do my best.  So I set aside strict times in which I can write.  When my son's at school or in the evenings when my family has gone to bed.  I set aside "me" time for writing.  That way my life can proceed as planned and everyone wins.

So how about you?  How do you fit it all in to your busy day?


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Ready, Set, GO!

How many times have you sat behind a blank computer screen, staring into the depths of the white page and felt like the blinking cursor was mocking you?  Yeah, I've been there a time or two.  So how do you come up with that gripping idea that will send thousands of great ideas swirling around in that little brain of yours?

I've read that anything in life can be used as inspiration.  A dew kissed flower on a spring morning, a doe standing in a rolling meadow, a high speed chase through your town or a silly joke your child told you as they bounced on your bed.  Whatever sparks your interest can be used, but maybe it won't fit into your current story.  So my advice, start a file.  I know, I know...some of us are not that organized, but even a disorganized file can be a life saver later in your writing career.

Write down the dreams that inspire you.  Most people forget their dreams by the time they wake up, but occasionally one will linger in the recesses of your consciousness.  Those can be prefect starting points.  Keep a notebook next to your bed.  When those early morning dreams wake you, sneak into the bathroom, turn on the light and write every detail you can remember.  The story will come later, but if you get the essence of the dream down on paper then you can always pull those images up again later.

Once you have your idea, do what your English teacher made you do in school, brainstorm!  See, and you thought you would never need anything you learned in school!  Brainstorming is a writer's best friend.  Once I started writing my own stories I found this to be exciting instead of mind numbingly boring.

So you've got your ideas...now what?  Write!  And then write some more!

I'm a passionate writer.  When an idea hits I am consumed with it until it's all written down.  Sometimes that might only take 10 minutes, but other times it can be a 3 day project.  I grab 5 minutes here and 5 minutes there throughout my busy day to jot down my ideas.  Keeping a notebook nearby at all times is a must.  I've found my most creative time is late at night.  If I don't write it down, it's lost!

If you are a beginner then start small.  Focus on writing something each day.  It could be a poem, a short story or maybe just a couple paragraphs.  Writing is like any other job, you have to perfect your skill before you can join the big leagues. 

Think about joining a writer's group, to not only get support but also constructive criticism.  In my writer's group we are given homework each month.  I know what you're thinking....is there a test at the end?  Nope!  This is an exercise to get your brain working, nothing more. 

You can do it at home.  Think of a name of a person and a place....then create a short story from that.  You decide the date, the life story of your character, the trials they must face and create a real or fantastical world for them to live in.  There is no right or wrong answer.  Just give it a try and see what happens.  Who knows, you might have just found the basis for a new book!

Words of wisdom for the day: never give up on an idea just because it seems stupid.  Some of the greatest ideas have been formed, not from a brilliant idea, but from hard work and creativity!  Write down anything that pops into your  mind and see where it takes you.  

Happy Writing!


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Writer or Dabbler?

For years I had found solace in the firm grip of a ball point pen.  Then once I was old enough to learn to type I morphed into an avid writer.  It's it amazing how much faster you can get your thoughts down on the page when you're not trying to make all of those perfect loops on paper?  My hands no longer cramp...although I do have a sneaking suspicion that someday I will have to deal with the reality of wrist problems...BUT that's a long way off. 

So, that being said, I want to put forth a question to ponder.  Are you are writer or a dabbler?  Do you enjoy spilling out your thoughts onto paper?  Do you feel your pulse race as a new idea swirls around in your mind, forming an enticing image of what could be?  Do you hide out in libraries, scouring for that next great book that might help to unlock the dreaded writer's block that has formed a steel cage barrier around your mind?

Or...do you just enjoy the occasional jotting down of random thoughts?  Perhaps dabbling with a rhyme that might someday become a poem, with a bit of help.  Or maybe you read a compelling book and think to yourself "someday I would like that to be me," but you never follow through?

Whether you are a writer or a dabbler we all share a common love of words.  Some say that a good book is worth more than it's weight in gold...and I wholeheartedly agree with that!  A good book can whisk you away to a life that you may have dreamed about but never quite felt confident enough to pursue.  So many people are held back by fears...but writers can step out of those limitations and become their character, to live vicariously through them.

Nothing gives me greater joy, apart from my family of course, than to sit for hours lounging on my couch with my laptop propped on my lap and my fingers flying across the keys.  Creativity flows through your veins like a drug.  When inspiration hits, you just have to write...even if it's on the back of a restaurant napkin.  I've got a few of those floating around here somewhere!

So if you're one of those people who have dreamed about pursuing the dream of writing I encourage you to do it.  What do you have to lose?  Take that leap, stop dabbling and become the writer you were born to be.  Yep,  I said it.  If writing is in your blood then you gotta do it!  Even if you're the only person that ever lays eyes on your work...do it for you.


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A source of inspiration

Dreams!  They're fun right?  Sure but they only linger for a short while.  Most of us can barely remember our dreams come morning.  My mother was one of those people that dreamed in abstract.  Nothing was ever as it seemed.  It wasn't uncommon for her to tell me about dreams of purple skies, pink elephants and blue strawberries.  Weird huh? 

For me, that has never been an issue.  My dreams are as real as they come...which makes it fun since most of the time I know that I am dreaming.  Can you change your dreams?  Many people say you can not.  I guess I'm lucky in that aspect...perhaps that's the writer in me.  My greatest inspiration for my books come directly from my dreams.  It's like a movie unfolding right before my eyes.  It really makes writing effortless and oh so enjoyable when you're not banging your head against a brick wall for an idea!

I see every detail from many angles.  I see the story line laid out before me...and if I don't like the way it's going I simply change it.  Now of course that doesn't happen every time.  I'm just like everyone else.  When I'm trapped in a nightmare and my legs feel like jelly when I try to run away to safety, my mind switches off and allows me to simply feel the fear.

BUT...other dreams, my creative dreams are like a blank canvas to an artist.  I can paint any scene that I want, change the plot midstream and after I awake I can finish writing the conclusion.  Many nights I have spent lying awake, staring blankly up at the ceiling as I finished out the final details of my newest creation.  What's my next step?

I race to the bathroom, huddle under the light and scribble down every detail as fast as my cramping fingers will allow.  These details will later be stored as book ideas.  Remember that file system i mentioned in a previous blog?  Yep...mine is extensive. 

When I find myself stumped on one book I flip to the next until my inspiration returns.  As a writer, writer's block is a fact of life...but that doesn't mean you simply stop writing.  You push through, switch up genres or simply write for the fun of it. 

So where do you get your inspiration from?


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