Emotion Workshop Video References

These various videos are resources for a workshop I'll be teaching at Pikes Peak Writer's Conference on Friday morning, April 20th, at 10:00 a.m. So I'm letting attendees know they can access them this way instead of me having to pass out, or email, a list of complicated youtube.com links. And I figure anyone interested in seeing real examples of emotions could benefit from these as well.

Facial expressions associated with emotions



Over-the-top angry reaction.



This is my all time favorite display of irrational anger.



Extreme grief that borders on hysteria.



This man confronts his fear of dogs.



Man frightened by video image.



This is my favorite jealousy/rage example. It's Japanese so there are subtitles.



Jealousy: An excellent example of how different people react to the same situation.



Frustration to the point of losing it.

Research Pros and Cons

I mostly love doing research for a new book. The more material I find on the subject I'm researching, the more ideas I get for enriching the plot, subplots, and characters. It's great fun.

However...

There are drawbacks. The first and most obvious one is that it takes time away from actually writing. It's easy to get sucked in by research, especially if it's a topic with lots of information, and more so if that information comes in conflicting forms because so much of it is based on hypothesis. And opinion. Everybody has one. As a writer you have to make the hypothetical information you choose to work with right for your book.

At the end of the day you end up with mountains of data, reports, statistics, etc. It can be overwhelming.

This is on my mind right now as I research solar storms for my next story. There's so much speculation that it boggles the mind. And some of this stuff is downright scary! Did you know UV radiation can alter human DNA? Did you know space weather has an effect on the position of Earth's magnetic poles? Did you know our solar system has an equator of it's own that's moving and we're right in its path? This stuff boggles the mind. And did I mention that it's scary?

Of course I don't have to use all the science I find, but I need facts to support my plot. What are the dangers of a solar storm? Far more than one would think. The potential danger of a really big one could destroy the planet in less literal ways than, say, a nuclear war. It's fascinating. And awe-inspiring.

This is how I spent most of last week, and my research isn't finished yet. I'm really excited about what I discovered. This book is going to be super fun to write.

Why I like Judging Writing Contests

I truly enjoy judging writing contests. I'd love to do more of them, but I tend to spend exorbitant amounts of time making comments and suggestions on each entry. Therefore, I must limit the number of contests and entries I judge.

One thing that strikes me in a positive way about contest entries is that a writer had the courage to put him or herself out there, warts and all, for the benefit of their own work. At least I believe most of them do. I imagine a rare few could be looking for praise, which is well-deserved to some degree (see above comment about courage), but everyone must take the sweet with the sour. That's the only way to improve your craft.

The subject of contests is fresh in my mind because I just finished judging one and I'll soon receive entries from the Sandy. Next up will be the Colorado Gold Contest, so I'm sharpening my pencil... uhm, well, I used to use a pencil. I guess now I'm priming my keyboard. :)

Sometimes I see a pattern in a wave of entries that share similar weaknesses. The last contest, however, showed a myriad array of strengths and things that made me go "hm..." I'd have to say the hm factor was probably the biggest issue.

So for the benefit of those considering entering a writing contest in the future, especially the Colorado Gold (because it opens April 1, 2012), there are a few things you want to look out for before clicking the send button.

1. Backstory and character ruminations - Many new writers, and even some veterans, feel it's necessary to relay information about events leading up to where the story begins. If those points are important to understanding what's going on, spread them out and weave them into the action or dialogue. If readers don't know who they're reading about, they're not going to care what happened to them in the past.

2. Solid action without reaction - Oh, dear. A tumble of intense action verbs fill the first few pages and the characters doing them appear rather flat without insight into how they're feeling. Of course you want to keep things moving, but this method of action on top of action actually slows things down because readers don't know what's happening inside the characters' heads. This could be the result of watching too many action movies. I think the writer knows how the characters are feeling, but he or she just forgets to put it on the page.

3. Open ended scenes - A really helpful guideline for writing an effective scene is to give the viewpoint character a goal, and then an obstacle that either prevents him from reaching that goal or changes the outcome. I find a lot of contest entries entertain a slice of life scenario, where the writer indulges in portraying the character in a situation that doesn't really lead anywhere. I think these scenarios can be valuable to the writer as a way to understand the character, but it's not something you share with readers unless it affects the direction of the plot, or a decision the character must make before moving on to the next scene. Make it count.

4. Contrivance - This is a tough one and not always apparent to the writer, who's so enmeshed with his story that he believes he's acting in the character's best interest. But what happens is that in order to force the character in a direction the writer wants him to take, it becomes obvious that the decision or behavior is not the character's; it's the writer's. And therefore, it is contrived. Always be true to your characters. Yes, you're the writer who creates the characters, but the story belongs to them.

5. Nonsensical Plot Resolutions - This comes through in the synopsis. It's true that most of us dislike writing the synopsis (I'm raising my hand), but it's a valuable tool that will show you what is and isn't working in your novel. If you have your character doing a job he has no business doing because there's nothing motivating him to do it, or if you have an ending where the murderer doesn't even make an appearance until the end of the book, or if you leave the story open with no ending at all, I'm afraid you've committed a major story fail. I've given high marks on manuscripts that had the potential to final until the writer committed a story faux pas with their synopsis. Learn to write a good synopsis. It's how you sell books.

I'll admit that I'm a tough judge when it comes to writing contests, but believe me, it's for your own good and the good of your manuscript. I really, really want you to do well. I want more great books to read! :) And I'm also one to recommend a writer to my agent if a contest entry impresses me.

Are you planning to enter a writing contest? What do you hope to gain if you do? What are your expectations?

Writing extreme emotions

I don't know about you, but I have not experienced first hand most of the tragedies I put my characters through. I haven't watched someone get murdered, or seen my life flash before my eyes, or been chased by demons and gargoyles. My life is a bit more subtle (aka boring). So then how does an author write about the emotions brought on by these experiences without having gone through them herself?

You could say you've watched similar things happen to actors on television or in movies and that's what inspires you. Or you could say a friend or family member had a similar experience and told you what it was like. Or maybe you read a nonfiction book or article from the point of view of someone who endured similar tragedies.

These are okay resources if they inspire you and get you to crank up your imagination. In fact, I have an awesome nonfiction book called LEAD POISONING that does a pretty darn good job of recounting the experiences of gunshot victims. I got it from Paladin Press, a terrific resource for this kind of information.

I'm sure you already know that exaggeration is key to writing believable fiction. I don't mean over-the-top plots and purple prose, but sometimes you have to push the envelope just to get the right information across to the reader, whether it be emotion, physical description or action. That being said, a little goes a long way, so everything you write must pack one hell of a punch.

I'm not pushing hyperbole, but I am emphasizing the importance of making your words count. In everything. I could go on for pages about this, and I'll add to this in future blog posts, but for now let's focus on the bugaboo writers tend to pull out their hair over. Emotions.

Think about anything, and I mean anything, that has had a powerful emotional impact on you and you can use it as a launching pad for any emotion you need your character to express.

Of course you'll have to embellish it for the purpose of your scene. For example, consider the most frightening experience you've ever had. Even if it was a call from the IRS telling you you're about to be audited. Such shocking news would likely send an icy ball of fear hurtling to the pit of your stomach. You don't have to face an evil sorcerer, ax murderer or a vampire to know fear. You just have to compound what you already know with intensity. The point is to use your personal storehouse of bona fide emotions as a building block to create authentic reactions for your characters.

But here's the thing. There are different levels of feelings we derive from our emotions. The IRS phone call elicits fear related to anxiety and dread. Fear for our lives is on a whole other level associated with horror, terror, panic, and hysteria. Escalating nervousness to terror is no easy task, so you will have to borrow from another emotional experience to balance the playing field.

Wait a minute. How can a different emotion be in the same ballpark as the one you're trying to convey? When it comes to visceral reactions, there are plenty of physical similarities to draw from.

Physical pain and emotional grief are heavy hitters. Most of us have experienced these to some degree. That intensity is what you need to carry through to your characters in a way that will create a tragic experience for the reader to share. You'll have to put your imagination into overdrive, and if you build on these base feelings, you may be surprised at how effective it can be.

Everyone feels. Whether the character is a six-year-old child or a fifty-year-old hardened criminal, these individuals are human beings. And for the benefit of the reader, the characters need to emotionally react to the events around them, even if the character only expresses it internally. A character who denies feeling anything is feeling it enough to think denial is the best way to handle it. That's a Catch 22, wouldn't you say?

Be prepared to venture into some dark places inside your head. If you want to create realism in your fiction, this is a sacrifice you need to make for your art. You can do it!

Feel free to share an intense emotional experience in a comment. It can be anything you think you could derive an emotional reaction from to enhance an experience for your character.

The Joy of Writing

First off, I want to congratulate the winners of my Gargoyle Charm giveaway. The winners are:

Kathy Lane
Laurel N
Magola

The cats had fun picking the names and I had fun watching them! Thanks so much for playing! ☺

Now that KNIGHT'S CURSE is out and on store shelves, you'd think I could breathe a sigh of relief and move on to the next thing. The build up to this point has been arduous to say the least. It's been years of honing my craft, writing one manuscript after the other and collecting enough rejections to wallpaper an entire room (or two). So do I feel relaxed now? No.

This post is meant to be about the joy of writing, and it is, but there can't be joy without a little disappointment to highlight it properly. So bare with me.

I've been an apprentice novelist since 1995, when I wrote my first manuscript. It took a couple of years to write and it wasn't too horribly bad for a first effort. It even got me my first agent, but looking back I know it wasn't ready. It was a poorly written work of angsty women's fiction and it was just something I needed to get off my chest. I don't even know where it is now. Reduced to digital dust inside a discarded hard drive somewhere I imagine.

I went on to write five more books after that, two of which were published with small presses. It was good training ground. I made very little off those books, which is perfectly fine with me. It wasn't until the second one was published that I discovered how limiting small presses could be. So I decided that if I was to ever be published again, it would be through a large established publisher that could ensure good distribution through all the major and independent bookstores in the country.

All this time I never forgot the joy of writing. Once into a book and cavorting with my characters and their journey, all the gritty realities of the publishing world faded away. I was doing what I loved to do, what I knew was all I ever wanted to do. So the dream of being published took a back seat to just loving the challenge of writing a good book. Every word I wrote was pure joy.

That being said, my focus on writing competed with my other career, the one that brought me income. Even after I got my agent and she worked her butt off submitting my manuscript to publishers, then submitting my next manuscript, I was starting to feel the pressure. I had to make a choice. Yes, writing is all I want to do, but I also need an income. Would this book ever sell? Was it time to let it all go and just settle for being a hobby writer?

I hung on by my fingernails and gradually sunk into a state of depression. I wrote less so I could focus more on finding ways to make a living. I stopped blogging. The economy tanked and I lost 80% of my design clients. I quit all my writing groups because I could no longer afford to pay their meager dues and I had nothing to contribute to them anyway. I gained weight and I cried a lot. I was a mess.

And all this time my amazing agent never gave up on me. She gave me pep talks. She encouraged me. She believed in me. She saved me.

Then it finally happened. I got "the call" from my agent about Luna's offer for a two-book deal. Did I immediately bounce back to life? No. But I slowly crawled out of the pit I'd dug for myself. I had to. I had to write another book to fulfill my contract and I could hardly wait to get started. I felt reborn.

Now KNIGHT'S CURSE is out and everything is rainbows and sunshine, right? *cough* I wish. I wanted this, yes, but most importantly I want to keep this. My goal is for my writing to become a full time career. My primary design client unexpectedly and unceremoniously kicked me to the curb a couple of months ago so that she could hire a different designer. My writing is all I have now and I have no choice but to make it work.

I'm lucky to love writing as much as I do or I'd be in danger of getting that mysterious thing called "Writer's Block." I've never suffered from it, but I understand it's a miserable condition. I have so many more stories to tell and I especially love the stories I have lined up for Chalice in her Knight's Curse series.

So to wrap this up let me just say that getting published isn't the end of the dream. It's the joy of writing that gets you there, and it's the joy of writing that will keep you there. I'm in it for the long haul.

My Favorite Writerly Quotes

These are some of my favorite quotes related to writing. I'm sure you'll find some familiar ones among them, and possibly some you haven't seen before. They all resonate for me and I'm sure some will resonate for you as well.

By the way, I want to let everyone know that tomorrow I'll be posting an interview I did with Literary Agent Rebecca Strauss of McIntosh & Otis, a very successful literary agency in New York City, on the Chiseled in Rock blog. This agency is near and dear to my fuzzy little heart. :) You do NOT want to miss this exciting event. Rebecca will be available most of the day to answer your questions in comments. See you there!

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One idea does not make a story, you need a second idea to rub it against in order to make a fire. ~Twyla Tharp

The role of a writer is not to say what we all can say, but what we are unable to say. ~Anaïs Nin

Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia. ~E.L. Doctorow

If there's a book you really want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it. ~Toni Morrison

If there's a book you really want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it. ~Toni Morrison

The wastebasket is a writer's best friend. ~Isaac Bashevis Singer

Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass. ~Anton Chekhov

Easy reading is damn hard writing. ~Nathaniel Hawthorne

Ink and paper are sometimes passionate lovers, oftentimes brother and sister, and occasionally mortal enemies. ~Emme Woodhull-Bäche

The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug. ~Mark Twain

A writer is someone who can make a riddle out of an answer. ~Karl Kraus

Writing is easy: All you do is sit staring at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead. ~Gene Fowler

Being an author is like being in charge of your own personal insane asylum. ~Graycie Harmon

Every writer I know has trouble writing. ~Joseph Heller

A synonym is a word you use when you can't spell the other one. ~Baltasar Gracián

If I don't write to empty my mind, I go mad. ~Lord Byron

Pen names are masks that allow us to unmask ourselves. ~C. Astrid Weber

If I'm trying to sleep, the ideas won't stop. If I'm trying to write, there appears a barren nothingness. ~Carrie Latet

The coroner will find ink in my veins and blood on my typewriter keys. ~C. Astrid Weber

Write your first draft with your heart. Re-write with your head. ~From the movie Finding Forrester

An author in his book must be like God in the universe, present everywhere and visible nowhere. ~Gustave Flaubert

If I fall asleep with a pen in my hand, don't remove it - I might be writing in my dreams. ~Danzae Pace

No author dislikes to be edited as much as he dislikes not to be published. ~Russell Lynes

Loafing is the most productive part of a writer's life. ~James Norman Hall

A writer is somebody for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people. ~Thomas Mann, Essays of Three Decades, 1947

Sit down, and put down everything that comes into your head and then you're a writer. But an author is one who can judge his own stuff's worth, without pity, and destroy most of it. ~Colette, Casual Chance, 1964

Writing is a way of talking without being interrupted. ~Jules Renard, Journal, 10 April 1895

So you think you can write...

One of my favorite TV shows is So You Think You Can Dance. I watch the episodes streamed on Hulu.com because I’m never able to catch them at the time they’re televised.

While watching the show the other night, I noticed some similarities between dance as an art form, and writing. Dance is an art, as is theater, music, the visual arts, and of course the various literary arts. Each art can be performed with varying levels of creativity.

One of the points made by guest judge Lil' C was how each dancer, as an artist, interprets dance differently. They may each execute the same steps, but it’s how the dance is performed that makes the difference. Some dancers are superb technicians with impeccable timing, posture, extensions, and all the other myriad moves that are choreographed into a performance. But if their heart and style and individuality is left out, they won’t rise above the ordinary. Dancers who give it their all and let themselves feel the joy of dance, who pay less attention to their steps and more to how dance lifts their souls, are the ones who become extraordinary artists.

So I got to thinking about how writing is much the same way. I should change the title of this post to So You Think Can Write a Novel because writing, like dance, is interpreted different ways. There are superb technicians who are competent wordsmiths. Journalists and technical writers might fit in that camp. If you can write an excellent software manual, can you write an equally excellent novel?

Maybe.

Good skill in one area does not guarantee excellence in another even if it’s the same art. Aside from the X factor no one can quite put their finger on, when it comes to writing fiction, there’s so much more to it than good grammar and a knack for stringing sentences together. A great poet may be a poor storyteller, a fabulous storyteller may suck at journalism. I think it’s rare for a writer to be especially good at writing everything, but I’m sure there are exceptions.

By the way, I finally have excerpts from KNIGHT’S CURSE on my website for anyone who would like to check it out. And I hope you’ll come back to visit the blog tomorrow because I’ll be having a contest and one lucky winner will get a signed copy of KNIGHT’S CURSE. The book won’t officially be available for sale until August 23, but I haz books! Mmmhm. ☺

So tell me, writers, are you a good writer? Or are you a good storyteller? Do you think there’s a difference?

When Intrusions Affect your Writing

I’ll be going great guns on a scene, really be into my characters and have total focus on what’s happening in my story. Then suddenly the phone rings and it’s my sister having a melt down. Or it’s the bank informing me of some crisis with one of my accounts. Or a pipe bursts inside the wall and it sounds like a flood is about to carry me and my computer away. Events like this can put a serious dent in “the moment.”

Those aren’t the best examples, but my point is that sometimes everyday life intrudes on the writing life and can seriously affect creativity. When sudden events pass, you can climb back on that horse again and hopefully pick up where you left off. But if you’re suffering from a more long term interruption, such as a death in the family, loss of work, illness, or a big move, it’s not so easy to get your groove back.

Such setbacks are part and parcel of the writing life. Depending on the level of devastation, it could take time to get yourself back on track. It’s up to you to decide when. Sometimes you have no choice but to get back to it because of a deadline.

There are times that just switching your focus to another creative project can jolt you back to the path you were on before you got derailed. I think most artists have more than one creative outlet, so embarking on a new artistic project may jar your muse back into action.

A change of scenery often helps, too, so a quiet walk through the park or a gentle hike in the wilderness with Mother Nature may return peace to your soul.

It’s like clearing out the bad mojo and brushing away whatever dark clouds descended during your trauma. Best of all, getting back to your creative work is often healing all by itself.

Do you have methods that work for you when the unexpected comes along to disrupt your writing flow?

Down Time

The down time between books leaves me with mixed emotions. I just finished writing my second book in my new series for Harlequin Luna, and though I'm relieved to be done, I miss my daily routine and I miss learning new things about the characters I'd fallen in love with. In a way, I'm grieving.

That's just the emotional side of it. Intellectually I know I'm not totally finished with that book yet, but what comes next isn't the thrill of discovery. It's the revisions and edits that will be requested by my editor after she reads it. I admit that on top of the grief, I'm angsting over what my editor will think about this new book. Will she love at as much as the first? When we talked the other day, she'd said she was looking forward to my next proposal, so fingers crossed I'll get to write the third book that continues this series.

My agent and I plan to brainstorm this week about book three, so I think once I'm in the mindset of continuing Chalice's story, I'll get over myself. Ha! There's just that weird lull that hangs over me when I'm between books. It's kind of like waking up from a dream that still lingers.

I have a lot of continuing plot ideas that hit me as I wrote DARKEST KNIGHT, Chalice's second book. So I'm comforted with knowing her story isn't over. Plus I'm also thinking on ideas for other series as well. There's no end to that constant exploration of new stories. I love that, but at the same time I'm eager to get back into the swing of having a book in progress.

My design career is in limbo at the moment, so now's the perfect time to jump feet first into a new book. However, that being said, I'm stressing over the lack of income and need to pound the pavement in search of new design work. So I'm kind of in a weird place right now.

If you're a writer, how do you feel after completing a book? Do you need a break, or do you want to immediately launch into the next one?

What's Up Wednesday

4. Being abducted from earth to a different world.

Today I'm continuing my argument about fantasy clichés based on the article at Urban Fantasy Writers. A space alien abduction might be cliché, but there are plenty of other ways a character can be transported from one world to the next, and for a variety of reasons. This is a story element, folks, not a cliché. Calling this plot point a cliché is practically like saying that making villains evil is cliché. Not every story has one, and those that do don't have to be the same.

What are the different reasons a character might find him or herself in a different world?

Quest: This could involve traveling to an alien world or alternate dimension. Lots of fantasy stories feature a quest of some kind, like finding the magic amulet or rescuing the princess. However, I've heard many agents say they'll reject a story with this kind of quest story line, but I suppose if it's different enough, it could pass. It's all about the writing.

Amnesia: Here's an interesting idea, having the MC suddenly find himself in a place he doesn't recognize and has no idea how he got there, or even who he is. The story is spent trying to solve the mystery. There was a television show like that a few years ago, but it didn't make it past the first or second season, so the mystery of the guy's identity was never solved. I've always wondered about that...

Accident: An incantation goes awry and the character doesn't arrive in the destination he'd intended. Time travel stories are good for this, like H.G. Wells' Time Machine. Great conflict potential. I also remember an episode on the Angel TV series where Cordelia is accidentally transported to the demon dimension of Pyleia after reciting an incantation from a book. Turns out it wasn't really an accident because the Powers That Be sent her there on purpose. Great episode (I have all 5 seasons on DVD).

Adventure: A curious character intentionally travels to another dimension, planet, or place in time just to see what it's like, and encounters all kinds of fascinating surprises. Maybe he finds love. Maybe he finds the true purpose to his life. Maybe he realizes adventure isn't what it's cracked up to be. Great theme opportunities here, and some interesting character arcs to explore.

I think the appeal of the alien world or alternate dimension is the sense of awe we enjoy when encountering the unknown. Speculative fiction is all about the unknown, and whether we choose to fear or embrace it. It's one of the most exciting aspects about the genre. Avoiding it because it's misconstrued as cliché would be like giving the entire genre that distinction. If that happened, what would I have to read?

Freestyle Friday

3. The parting from everything you ever knew.
Vogler would call this phase of a story "Accepting the call to adventure." So again we have a structural element at work, not a cliché. It's the way this is done that can make it cliché.

A call to adventure that involves a main character gathering up a group to travel together on a quest for a powerful object that will save the world is cliché. Most agents and editors use this specific scenario as one of their reasons to automatically reject a submission.

A variation of this is the fish out of water story, which is an acceptable story element. It shows the contrast of who the character is against a backdrop of foreign surroundings. It's more common than the traditional quest, but more acceptable and not considered cliché because there are so many ways to go about it. I think Neil Gaimon's NEVERWHERE is a perfect example of the fish out of water story as main character Richard Mayhew is suddenly transported to London's secret fantasy underground. The characters are fabulous! There's Dorothy in Oz, of course, and in non-fantasy you have any story that takes a character out of his ordinary world and gives him a challenge to reach a goal. The very definition of story itself.

Does the character in your story answer a call to adventure? Does he or she leave the ordinary world to accomplish a goal? Do you consider this cliché?

Thursday Thoughts

Continuing my counterpoints to a list of fantasy clichés in an article published on the Urban Fantasy Writers' blog, the next one is:

2. Learning to fight.

He calls it the "Galahad" gambit. Gambit means ploy or scheme, so that's the first thing to raise my eyebrows. He calls all these clichés gambits, by the way. I don't know that I've ever read an urban fantasy with a scene showing the main character learning how to fight. The article says the character receives "secret" training and beats his seasoned opponent in a first fight. This sounds like epic fantasy to me. Maybe 25 years ago I remember reading something like this in Terry Brooks' first Shannara book. I have noticed this "gambit" (such an odd choice of words) in some old B movies from the 70s and 80s.

So if this was done a lot in the past, is it cliché? Probably, but as the blog that published the article is called Urban Fantasy Writers, I'm not sure how it relates to the modern urban tale. I read a lot of UF and haven't seen this once, not to say that it's not in the books I haven't read. I will say that the young hero who's never held a sword suddenly hurling the blade with practiced ease would be unbelievable, but that's more a sign of bad writing than a cliché.

Maybe the real cliché here is the hero who's an excellent fighter. I could buy that. The learning to fight thing doesn't work for me because I think it's old-fashioned and rare in modern fiction. But the hero who's the best at everything is definitely cliché. It's refreshing when the MC fails, and then makes up for it with an unexpected skill. Cliché's are predictable.

In Knight's Curse, Chalice is an expert Visayan knife fighter, but I never show her learning the craft. It's backstory. But her knives are more weapons of security than killing tools. She's not a fighter. She's a defender.

Do you know of any modern urban fantasies that feature the young MC learning how to fight? Is it really a cliché?

What's Up Wednesday

What's up? Well, I'm always up for talking about books, writing them and reading them. I happened across an interesting blog called Urban Fantasy Writers via a post on Urban Fantasy Fans. The author of an article about "fantasy clichés" really got my writer's mind whirling, and not in a good way. A lot of what he calls cliche are basic story elements you'll find in a variety of genres, not just fantasy, and when handled with imagination and originality they can make a good story even better.

He mentions six "clichés" so I thought I'd give my take on each one through a series of blog posts over the next few days.

1. Receiving tutoring from the old wise man.
This is the first cliché he covers, which is actually not a cliché but a common trope for most stories where the main character looks to a mentor character for advice and guidance. Does this mentor always have to be a bearded old man? Of course not. But the fact that he or she is old is a distinction because it indicates this individual has been around the block a few times and is in a position to offer sage words of advice.

Choosing the form the mentor will take is immaterial. Who gave guidance to Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz? The lovely good witch Glenda. Let's move up a few years to something modern and in my genre, and we can look at Jim Butcher's Dresden Files. Who gives advice to Harry Dresden? Bob the skull. Now let's move away from fantasy altogether and look at the classic movie The Karate Kid. Mr. Miyagi was an old wise dude sans beard, but he knew what was what and showed the kid how to Karate chop his way to a trophe.

The point is not the image of the mentor, but that there is one. Does there always have to be one? No, but the mentor is a classic character and adds wonderful layering to a complex plot. Whether it's an old man, an oracle, or a group (i.e. The Dark Crystal), that wise and mysterious figure will council the MC with advice that's often cryptic as it helps him or her learn the lessons necessary to complete his or her character arc.

I actually have two mentor characters in Knight's Curse, neither of whom is a bearded old man, but their wisdom and knowledge helps guide Chalice toward her goal. No one teaches her to fight or makes her decisions for her, but she uses the knowledge from her mentors as a tool to reach her goal.

Do you have a venerable, white-bearded wise man in your story? Do you consider the mentor a cliché character?

Freestyle Friday

I love reading series novels. It's so fun getting caught up in a fictional world and getting to know characters you'll be visiting again in future books. The anticipation that comes with a series is intoxicating. You watch for news about that author to find out when the next book releases so that you can be first in line to buy it hot off the shelf.

So it's no wonder I like to write these kinds of books. I had a paranormal mystery series started a few years ago, and when book one was finished, I immediately launched into writing book two. I was so sure it would sell. I'd been working with an agent for several months on revisions, so I thought that once we were done, she'd agree to represent me. But she didn't. And I couldn't drum up any more interest from other agents. I was a hundred pages into the second book, and I lost steam once I accepted the fact that book one was going nowhere.

I wrote a stand alone book after that, a romantic suspense novel that was tons of fun to write. Of course I had an idea for a second book set in the same story world, same characters, but with a new relationship between two secondaries, the brother and the woman ex-cultist who had unwittingly betrayed the hero and heroine. But with that book, I got no farther than a small press and I didn't have the motivation I needed to pursue my idea for book two in that series. Maybe someday in the future, after I get my rights back.

I learned two lessons: 1) Don't start writing book two until book one sells; 2) Write book one as if there will never be another book to follow it.

Then I write the book that got me my agent. Knight's Curse is an urban fantasy novel that's ripe for several sequels. But I haven't started writing book two. I learned my lesson, right? Wait until book one sells. Though ideas for books two and three are burning my brain, I've forced myself to ignore them. Instead, I've begun a new book for a new series--Mystic Taxi-- and it gives me butterflies just to think about it. So wouldn't you know that my agent sends me an email asking if I've started writing book two in my Knights series. *head desk*

Speaking of series novels, there was a fabulous article in the last RWR called "The New Romance." It's about series romance novels that don't always get the traditional happy ending. It's become a trend for a series to be about one main character's story continued over several books, and the reaction from readers has been very positive. I'm ecstatic about this! My novel isn't a romance, but it has a relationship with romantic tension being the strongest glue, and a promise of more to come in future books. Will they or won't they? Something tragic happens to the hero and he and my heroine are forced apart at the end, thus no happy ending. But that's okay! It's obvious their relationship is far from over.

With my interest in writing series fiction, I trolled the Internet for more information. Slim pickin's, let me tell you. But I did find an author's blog with a mini workshop that's perfect for any writer thinking about writing a series. The author's name is Kaye Dacus.

Kaye lays out the three different types of series books. First is the Spinoff, which reminds me of the continuity series of category fiction from Harlequin and Sillhouette. Same world, different stories and characters. Then there's the Serial novel that features one main character who has separate adventures in each book, like the alphabet mysteries by Sue Grafton. Last, we have the Sequel novel, which is the same principal as the trilogy, though the main story line can last across more than just three books. Epic fantasy novels are famous for this because the stories are so broad in scope, but other genres are fitting neatly into this sequel category as well.

I'm still gun-shy over starting book two in my Knights series, afraid I'll jinx myself. I'm going to play it cool until that contract happens. I have a strong feeling that this time it will. Even so, I'm sticking to my plan of getting a new series going before continuing on with the other one. Who says I can't write two series at once? *gulp*

What are your thoughts about series fiction? Is it a trend with a short fuse, or is it destined to blow up to be the next big thing? Are you writing one, and if so, which of the three types does your series fit into?

What's Up Wednesday

Original Graphic by Karen Duvall ©2008

How about online workshops through blogs? I've seen a few crop up over the past few months. Some are constant, like the Crapometer, or Evil Editor, and others pop up as the blogger's mood strikes, like Nathan Bransford's occasional challenges. And let's not forget the one going on right now over at Miss Snark's First Victim. Don't forget, people, that the deadline for submitting your first page to Authoress's Are You Hooked contest is tomorrow by 9 a.m.

I came across a great discussion over at Paperback Writer yesterday regarding online workshops hosted by blogs during the week of the RWA National Conference July 28 through August 1. Author blogger Lynn Viehl doesn't attend Nationals (nor do I), so she thought it would be fun to host workshops for all the writers Left Behind who couldn't attend the conference for whatever reason, or they just wanted to avoid rubber chicken dinners, crowded elevators, and over-priced hotel rooms. Lynn has been hosting these workshops for the past two years.

So a bunch of writers, some published and some not, will be helping to host FREE workshops on their blogs during the week of the RWA National Conference and this casual online "conference" has been tagged Left Behind. There will be links to all the workshops on Paperback Writer, and I will post the links on my blog, too. Because of course I'm going to host a workshop as well. Hey, I don't want to be left out on all the fun!

My Left Behind workshop will be on writing effective description. As a visual artist, it's one of my stronger writing skills, and I'll share a few of my tips. Because Chalice, the main character in Knight's Curse, has supernatural senses, I will post an exercise each day of the week for writing description using each of the five senses. Sound like fun? Those who want to play can post their writing samples in the comments section, which will be open for discussion.

Here's the bonus: There will be a prize drawing! What's the prize, you ask? Well, it's not one of my books, I promise. I have tons of writing how-to books collecting dust on my bookshelves and I'd love to give some away. So at the end of the week, I'll randomly draw a winner from among the commentors who participated in the workshop. If you want to be eligible for the prize, signing on as Anonymous just won't do. I'll need to know who you are and how to contact you. Don't worry, I don't do email blasts of self-promo crap, so your personal information is safe with me.

The prizes will be: WRITING THE NOVEL FROM PLOT TO PRINT by Lawrence Block, HOW TO WRITE KILLER FICTION by Carolyn Wheat, and PLOTTING AND WRITING SUSPENSE FICTION by Patricia Highsmith.

Mark your calendars for July 28 through August 1 and start honing your descriptive writing skills. Questions?

Writerly Wednesday

I'm making a few more revisions to Knight's Curse that my agent requested, and one of them involves adding a scene that strengthens the connection between Chalice and her mentor (and love interest), Aydin.

This happens at a part in the story where Chalice comes dangerously close to changing into a gargoyle. The experience is terrifying, and in the aftermath, she gains understanding and support from Aydin. They're alone together, and I need to make better use of their time than just planning a course of action to serve the plot. Because of how their relationship develops in later chapters, now's the perfect time to deepen the connection between them.

Some might say I should get them in the sack for a bit of slap and tickle, let physical closeness attach them in an intimate way, but an action like that would be a betrayal to who they are. Chalice is vulnerable and Aydin isn't the type to take advantage of that. Though sexual tension has been growing between them since their first meeting, they haven't known each other very long and their relationship is new. It started out as teacher and student, and slowly graduates to friendship.

Chalice has never seen her mother, who died just after she was born, so in this new scene I'm having Aydin give her a photograph of her mother that he found years ago. He saved it for her because he knew they would meet some day and it's a touching gesture that endears him to her. Rather than just throw meaningful words on the page, I need to feel this scene for myself before I can write it. I need to experience Chalice's emotions. My own mother passed away a couple of years ago and I have her photograph on my bookshelf. Holding it in my hands helps me connect to what Chalice feels, so now I'm more in tune with the scene. I can write it from my heart.

I'm off to go write it all down now and hope the scene works to accomplish what I want it to.

Thursday Thoughts

No post yesterday, which I dubbed Working Wednesday. I'm hard at work wrapping up a direct mail campaign for a Seattle, Washington publisher. Want to see what I do when I'm not writing? Here you go.

I'm very excited about the new book, Mystic Taxi, which is still in the story development phase. I'm casting the characters now and have a great protagonist in Henry Paine, and his spunky young partner-to-be, Wanda Snow. As part of their character development, I like to interview them to learn what makes them tick. They surprise me sometimes. But their answers are necessary for laying out the main story line and subplots.

I asked Wanda what's in her purse. She said she doesn't carry one. So what does she carry? Pockets. Lots of them. Why? Because it makes stuff harder to steal. So what's in her pockets? A small pocket knife, pack of chewing gum, cash, tube of lipstick, several squares of aluminum foil, headache powders (not pills? Wanda: What's a pill?), a shaker of salt, and an old locket containing a photograph of her great, great, great grandmother. Alrighty then.

How about Henry? He doesn't carry a purse, either. In fact, the joke itself makes his eyes glow red. Pardon me. What's in his pockets? Cash, hack license for the State of New York, a handful of pumpkin seeds, a comb, a small harmonica, and a lot of lint. Seriously. His pants are due for a good washing and there's a rip down the seam below his knee. What's that all about? He doesn't want to talk about it.

What does this tell me about my characters? A lot I didn't know before checking their pockets. Now they're becoming real for me. I've started hearing their voices as they talk and I now have a clue about their personalities. We're making progress. Some of the tougher questions, though, have yet to be answered.

But Henry and Wanda must sit on the side lines a while longer as I work through another set of revisions (more like additions) to Knight's Curse. It's not unusual for a writer to work on more than one book at a time, but these are two totally separate series and I can't mix them up in my head right now. I'm afraid it might put me in a coma.