Themes

Eureka! I finally nailed down the theme for my YA. You're probably thinking that it's about time, since I'm almost (oh so close) to finishing the first draft. Knowing my theme early on in the writing of my story probably would have given the first draft more focus.

Last year during the Desire pitch, Diana asked me what the theme for my book was. It was a classic deer in the headlights moment. Fingers poised over the keyboard, clock ticking down the precious seconds of my ten minute pitch, I had nothing.

So, what is my theme for the YA?

No one is exactly who they appear to be.

I went through a dozen ideas before this one popped into my head this morning. The last one I felt pretty good about was: Doing the right thing, versus doing the easy thing. That states the book's moral, but as a theme, it didn't completely resonate for me.

The story is about a girl who can tell when people are lying. Early on, I decided that her new ability lets her glimpse what's hidden behind everyone's public face. Her perceptions are turned on their head about her parents and her classmates. She's got a pretty simple view of the world in the beginning of the book. By the end, she sees that there's a lot more layers.

I'm not sure why it took me so long to determine what is now a pretty obvious theme. Maybe because I didn't have Blake Snyder's Save The Cat Goes To The Movies helping me out.

Today's goal: 500 words
Yesterday's achievement: Tossed entries into IGO and Golden Gateway
What I'm grateful for: When friends sell. It gives me hope that my time will come
Quote: I take the view, and always have, that if you cannot say what you are going to say in twenty minutes you ought to go away and write a book about it." -Lord Brabazon (1884 - 1964)

Judges comments

First, I received my final judges comments from the Fab Five. I'm completely blown away by how much feedback I got. The judge really took her time with my entry and wonder of wonders, I think she got my writing. After some of the final judges comments I've received, that's way out amazing. In fact, I'm going to print them out and laminate them to look at every time I get bummed out.

Second, I contacted the coordinator of the Spring Into Romance contest and my entries got lost by the US Postal Service. I got no comments, no scores, nothing. That's the last contest I'm entering by mail.

Third, I just got done judging 7 entries for 2 different contests. I hope I didn't crush anybody's drive to write. I didn't sugar coat any of my comments, but I wasn't nasty either. Just blunt. One thing you get from me when I judge is a whole lotta feedback. It might not all be gushy complimentary, but it's geared toward improving the entry. And after 30 contest finals with 8 books in 3 genres, I think I can speak to what works.

I avoid saying: I don't like your hero/heroine, although that is often my first impression. Instead, I try and say things like: you have not shown your hero's motivation so he's hard to root for.

I did--heaven help me--take one entry's plot and explain how I would have done it differently given the same premise. If someone had done that to me, I probably would have screamed bloody murder. It's my story and I'll tell it however I want to, however bad that might be. But the story intrigued me enough that I thought if I could show her how the events could be rearranged to make the plot more feasible... we'll see what happens.

When I judge, I do so with an eye towards making the entry ready for an editor/agent to look at it. A manuscript can't just have great imagery and good writing, it has to have conflict, tension, interesting twists to old plots.

You would not believe how much backstory I read. ARG!!! Doesn't everyone by now know not to do info dumps? POV seems to be a good indicator of whether the author is a big time newbie or someone who has been writing for a while.

Every single entry needed major help on the internal conflict. As in, there was none.

Another problem is the synopsis. When you've got a page limit, there's a play by play up front and a quick: everything gets resolved and they live happily ever after (no, I'm not kidding or exaggerating about this).

That's all I got for today.

Today's goal: Finish judging all my entries
Yesterday's achievement: 500 words on YA
What I'm grateful for: Uplifting feedback from final judges
Quote: "It pays to be obvious, especially if you have a reputation for subtlety." -Isaac Asimov (1920 - 1992)

Another 1st place finish

Adventures Of A Teenage Truthseer won the YA category of the 2009 Duel On the Delta contest. I got a call from the coordinator today. And she said there's a half a page of comments from the final judge. How cool is that?

I FINALLY hit 40,000 on my YA

This milestone feels as if it's years in coming instead of months. I can't believe how hard this book is to write. I'm feeling resistance at every turn. My words are hitting the screen one excruciating syllable at a time. If I didn't know better I would swear I've been hexed.

And none of it's brilliant. It's mediocre at best. But it's also a first draft. I know I can edit, polish, flesh out, and improve in the next go around. When I hit 50,000 words, the sound of corks hitting the wall will be heard around the world.

Today's goal: 1000 words
Yesterday's achievement: 1000 words
What I'm grateful for: Hitting 40k at long last
Quote: "Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race." -Calvin Coolidge (1872 - 1933)

I can see clearly now

I'm done with my outline, all 10 pages of it. I'm sure it will continue to expand as I start the writing of the 2nd half of the book. Word count wise, I'm almost 75% done with the first draft. But everyone knows that getting the first draft finished is barely starting anything.

I will say, however, that writing an outline (something I don't ever do) has really helped me understand my plot. Using Blake Snyder's Save The Cat, James N. Frey's How To Write A Damned Good Mystery and taking Susan Meier's Can This Manuscript Be Saved class have worked their combined magic to help me see my book to the conclusion.




I'm sure I'm not done with discoveries, but the characterization and plot feel like they're on firmer ground.


Today's goal: 1000 words
Yesterday's achievement: One very workable outline
What I'm grateful for: A nice weekend for sailing
Quote: "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something." -Plato (427 BC - 347 BC)

Memorable writing

Why is it that the more success I have, the less confident I feel about my writing?

Think about that for a second and tell me if you've had any similar issues.

Winning contests, interesting agents/editors in your book should put you on cloud nine. But does it?

I received an offer to submit 3 chapters and a synopsis from the conference this weekend. Now, as much as I know they're polished and ready to go, I keep thinking they're not as good as they could be.

The story doesn't take chances the way it should. My characters aren't as interesting, quirky, well-developed as they need to be to sell the book. My writing isn't drop dead fabulous.

This is the sort of negative self-talk that I think a lot of authors indulge in. I usually defeat it by working harder. But as I tuck back into my first draft, I can't help but worry that it's not going to be enough.

And I don't want to rush to submit something. At the same time, I don't want to wait too long dithering.

So, what made a book memorable for you? A cool character? Great scene? Something funny? Heartbreaking? What made it a standout?

Today's goal: finish outline
Yesterday's goal: Made it half way through the outline.
What I'm grateful for: After being sick for a week, I'm finally feeling alive once more.
Quote: "The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts." -Bertrand Russell (1872 - 1970)

This is why I don't clean my house

Lost: 1 copy of How To Write A Damned Good Mystery Novel by James N. Frey.

Last night I went home, determined to pick up my writing reference books and get this first draft rolling again. I'm stuck in the 2nd part of the book. Where the mystery stuff should start to come together and reveal who the bad guy is. Instead, I've got lots of bits of scenes and I'm struggling with grasping the big picture. So, I figured it was time to get back to basics. I have a great book for that, How To Write A Damned Good Mystery Novel by James N. Frey. Unfortunately, I couldn't find it. I'd cleaned house last week while my daughter was sick and now the book has vanished. Along with a notebook filled with backstory, a library book, and a Netflicks DVD. ARG!

So, out to Amazon I went and bought another copy. I expedited the delivery and hopefully I'll have it in less than a week.

In the meantime, I've embarked on a little technique that he used where he writes what's going on behind the scenes, then alternates that with what the reader sees. It's helping me get a handle on the whole story and not just what's on the written page.

My villian's motivation and backstory make a lot more sense to me now.

Today's goal: get as much story summary written as possible and send off entry for Get Your Stiletto In The Door contest
Yesterday's achievement: 1000 words
What I'm grateful for: Amazon and expedited delivery
Quote: "One of the keys to happiness is a bad memory." -Rita Mae Brown