Distractions Getting You Down? What Are You Afraid Of?

Current Project: Revisions Blindsight
Status: 25% complete

I’ve come to the conclusion that distractions are in the eye, ear, mind, etc., of the beholder.

I’ve also come to the conclusion that insisting on a ‘perfect’ environment for writing is one way to not write. We often view obstacles as roadblocks when we are afraid. After we work through our fears, we view obstacles as problems to be solved. 

Then we find solutions.

So if you find yourself distracted to the point of non-progress, take a step back. What are you afraid of?

Although I can tune out visual distractions fairly easily (like a messy desk), I have a hard time tuning out auditory distractions when they reach a certain decibel level. Since my husband’s hearing is deteriorating, but he likes to watch TV and hates closed captioning, this has been problematic. I don’t like to isolate myself in my office when he’s home in the evenings, but that’s when I write blog posts, catch up on email, etc. 

All summer, while I felt overwhelmed by visiting grandchildren and by the revisions waiting to be done on two manuscripts, I kept asking my DH to turn down the volume, although I knew he wouldn’t be able to hear and would have to turn it up again. Then a few weeks ago I realized that if you keep doing what you’ve been doing, you’ll keep getting what you’ve got. 

Why was I stuck in a ridiculous rut? Why was writing a chore instead of a joy?

Fear. I was afraid that I’d never get the revisions done. I’d missed several deadlines already.

I gave myself permission to take ‘as long as necessary’ to polish my manuscripts. As an unpublished writer, I can do that. So what if I pitched my book at a conference and got a request before it was polished? At least I had a good premise and presented it well.

My sister and I partnered to help us both get our writing back on track. We meet online most mornings for a couple of hours and report our progress to each other. We’ve both made steady progress and our production has increased over time. I’m on track to finish one manuscript by the end of the year.

Writing is a joy again. I’m feeling happier than I have in months.

And, guess what? A few days ago, I bought noise-cancelling headphones to wear when I work at night in the living room. 

(Bonus: they’re great for webinars, too!  And my DH, God bless him, has made an appointment to see if hearing aids have progressed enough to help his unusual pattern of hearing loss. Ten years ago, they hadn’t. But technology has come a long ways in ten years.)

Hook Up with Tech Stars Like NiteCruzr

Current Project: Revising Blindsight
Status: Moving Forward

My most recent helpful tech discovery is a virtual hunk named NiteCruzr. I began stalking him after I spotted him several times on the Blogger Help Forum, where I’d gone in desperation when Blogger’s stock Help answers didn’t help. (Find the forum by clicking on ‘contact us’ in the new Blogger interface.) 

Anyhow, this technical giant of a man oozed answers (over 50,000 of them so far.) He is a Star contributor, someone who knows a heck of a lot about Blogger and helps the technically-challenged, apparently out of the goodness of his heart. He does this for fun, at (you guessed it) night.

When I got over my shyness and clicked on his name link, I learned he blogs. He blogs a lot.

• about Blogger at www.blogging.nitecruzr.net
• about Microsoft Windows networking, security, and support at www.networking.nitecruzr.net
• about blogging at http://groups.google.com/group/nitecruzr-dot-net-blogging/topics

He’s worth his weight in virtual gold to the technically-challenged. (On a side note, he blogs about cooking at www.recipes.nitecruzr.net A Renaissance man!) The good news is, you can (virtually) stalk him, too. And others like him. 

You’ll find them on forums associated with blog or web hosting services ( WordPress, GoDaddy ), software programs (DreamWeaver, Microsoft Office Forums), and on forums devoted to personal computer users (MacTalk. Bleeping Computer .) In a nutshell: you name the technology; it’s got a forum (probably more than one.) And those forums have Stars who can (and usually will) answer your questions.

So venture out, ask your most vexing questions, and hook up with tech stars. You’ll be glad you did.

Do-it-Yourself Angst Therapy for Writers

Current Project: Submissions
Status: Don't ask

The first thing you’ll need is a Reality Check Book documenting your writing kudos. This scrapbook or online document is a record you create for you own use.

Kudos may include:

• positive comments from contest judges (nothing negative)
• positive comments in critiques of your work
• photos of you hanging out with writers
• requests for you to submit your work to an agent or editor
• positive comments on blog posts
• shorter works that were accepted for publication in print or online (newsletter articles, short stories, etc.) (whether or not money changed hands)
• recognition by your peers (PRO or PAN status, earning an award from your local writers group, a request for you to critique or mentor another writer, doing a speaking engagement or workshop, etc.)
• positive reviews
• positive sales numbers
• your book covers

In addition to your Reality Check Book, you’ll need the following:

• An uninterrupted half-hour
• A mug that makes you smile
• A beverage that makes you feel pampered
• Chocolate or other indulgence that you savor
• Your favorite scented hand cream or scented candle
• A pen or pencil and a notebook
• A comfy place to sit  

1. Whilst enjoying a little self-pampering, take a few minutes to write down the negative thoughts you’re having about writing. Be honest. No one will see this but you.
2. Take fifteen minutes or so to read your Reality Check Book. (Feel a little better?)
3. Now read your first negative thought, and then write down the reality that counters it.

 

Here are some examples:

I’m not really a writer.

I’m a writer. I write, study craft, get feedback, write. Writers continuously learn and get better at writing. No one is a perfect writer.

I’ll never be good enough to get published.

Someday I’ll get published. Usually, it takes years. Lots of people see merit in my writing. My Reality Check Book proves that. If I continue to study craft, learn about the industry, write, and submit my work, I will get published.

Do this for each of your writing fears. Put them in perspective. We tend to minimize our accomplishments and maximize our fears. Writing the truth helps quiet the negative thoughts that our subconscious minds produce when we take risks. 

We writers are famous for our angst (almost as famous as teenagers). There's a reason for this. Words are powerful, and writing is a dangerous business.

Writer, heal thyself.

It's Time to Break the Hero Mold!

Current Project: Proposals
Status: Making progress

Today I'm on my soapbox.

Two of My Heroes

Heroes; gotta love 'em! But riddle me this: How come it's okay to have a heroine who is (ahem) an armful (EX: Bet Me by Jenny Cruisie), but our heroes must be tall and buff?

Remember little David who slew Goliath using brains over brawn? There's proof that not all heroes have to be tall and buff. David's been admired for thousands of years.

My husband accuses us romance writers of writing heroes men can't easily relate to, because they're all too physically perfect.  I have to admit, I think he has a point. Character makes a true hero.

What do you think?

WRITING ANIMAL CHARACTERS

Current Project: Proposals
Status: Moving Along Again (at last)

Okay, I admit it; I’m a sucker for animals. Growing up in suburbia, we always had pets: dogs, cats, a cottontail rabbit, parakeets, guppies, horned toads, turtles, a duck, ground squirrels, coconut crabs, and for one glorious day, a turkey named Jim that my father won in a contest.

I was the kid who read all the books in the school library that were written from the animal’s point of view, the ones that described the life of a beaver or an owlet from birth to independence (and sometimes on to parenthood.) As a young teen, I wanted to be a wildlife biologist. And the first book I wrote was a non-fiction children’s book about osprey (fish hawks.)

Not surprisingly, animal characters appear in my stories. If you haven’t written an animal character who is more than a walk-on, give the idea some careful consideration. Statistically speaking, most readers own or have owned pets. Pets and their owners are easy for readers to relate to, care about and to root for.  

Writing animal characters is more than a gimmick. Remember the Lassie books? Or The Cat Who… mysteries? The books Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen and The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein have been on the bestseller lists for ages. In both books, animals are major characters. In the second book, Enzo is the narrator.

In my books, most animals are true secondary characters who serve important roles: mentor, foil, mirror, scene antagonist, catalyst, ally, family, window into hero/heroine/villain’s character. My animal characters’ actions affect the plot as well as the tone of a story (often providing comic relief.)

A word of caution: do your research, and remember that animal characters have instincts as well as GMCs. If your animal’s behavior is atypical for the species/breed, you’d better have a convincing explanation woven into your story. Do you write animal characters? Do you like to read about them?

FIELD RESEARCH

Current Project: Proposals
Status: Inching along

CIVIL WAR RE-ENACTMENT

Why do I love to do what I call field research for my stories? If you’re a writer, you can guess that part of the allure is getting out of the house and interacting with people in person rather than on the phone or online. I have to get out among people a couple of times a week to maintain my sanity and my social skills. One way to do that is to do some field research.

What exactly is field research? It’s learning through personal experience, observation, interviews, experimentation, and so on. I’ve met lots of interesting people in the field. This type of research is fun, challenging and often yields surprising results that lend authenticity to a story.

Obtaining permission to spend a day in Starbucks observing and asking questions prevented the baristas in my potential audience from throwing my book against the wall because the barista-characters in my story coffee shop (the setting for multiple scenes) don’t know barista jargon or the rules about hand-washing. Doing the same in a tattoo shop revealed that freedom to choose what music to play is a major perk among tattoo artists, that memorial tats are a major revenue stream in the industry (surprise), that many shops operate on a cash-only basis, and that custom tattooing is one of the only ways to make a good living as an artist.

EXPLORING LAVA CASTS

Without spending some time crawling through lava cast forest tubes on Mount Saint Helens, I couldn’t have imagined or described what it would be like to hide in one. What’s the temperature? Is there dirt inside? Bugs? Leaves, twigs, pebbles? Is the rock smooth, grooved, bumpy, rough, full of holes? What sounds do you hear? What scents do you smell? Are there damp spots? Are the tubes level, or angled? How long are they? How big around? How much light is there inside?

My ride-along with a Clackamas County, Oregon, Deputy Sheriff taught me that an officer in a cruiser has to be able to divide his or her attention between keen observation of the surrounding area, skilled driving, looking up information on the on-board laptop computer, and police radio traffic (at a minimum). I saw how quickly officers responded en masse when someone entered the station and became belligerent. And I learned that some devil-worshippers cover their faces with grotesque black tattoos (surprise).

I heard writer Minette Meador describe her ride-along with a Portland Police Officer. When she mentioned the book she was working on was a paranormal romantic suspense, the officer recounted his own experiences with paranormal activity around the city. She didn’t ask; he volunteered this information. (Bonus!)

What have you researched in the field lately? Any surprises?

Targeted Research Equals Productivity Gold

Current Project: Requested Proposals
Status: Inching Along

I’ve learned many things the hard way about writing, including this little gem of wisdom: targeted research is worth its weight in productivity gold when done in the pre-writing stage. Don’t make assumptions about anything that is pivotal to plot or character, because laziness in this regard will come back to bite you in the metaphorical ass.

The hero of my first novel is the new police chief in a very small Iowa town. The heroine is a girl he grew up with who has been framed for murder. I originally had a scene where the hero catches the heroine breaking and entering, but he’s already fallen for her and he doesn’t arrest her. After all, he’s a small town police chief. He has more discretion than a big city police chief, right?

Wrong. Before revising my first draft, one of the things I did was to read Deb Dixon’s book, When You’re the Only Cop in Town. I also read the brilliant and detailed police procedurals Eleven Days and Known Suspects by ex-Iowa-small-town deputy sheriff Donald Harstad. I learned that small town cops, at least the ones in charge, may exercise discretion more often than their big city counterparts. However, no honest police chief will stretch the law for his own benefit, which is pretty much what my character did in Draft 1.

End result? Much revising and rewriting that could have been avoided.

What about you? Has there been a time when targeted research before your first draft would have saved you a lot of time and effort? 

OT: Puttering with POV Characters

Current Project: Proposals for two MS
Status:  Inching along
Since this is my third post of the month, I decided to post off-topic.

Today I got to thinking about how point-of-view (POV) character choice affects scenes. Everything that takes place in that scene is filtered through the POV character’s senses and interpreted through their mind and emotions. It makes sense, then, that sometimes a POV switch can totally alter the reader’s experience of a scene—while at other times, not so much.

I decided to rewrite the opening paragraph of my Steampunk Romance work-in-progress in different POVs to see how perspective shapes a reader’s initial impression. 

Sojie

Hot spring sunlight made an oven of the black widow’s weeds Sojie had donned to hide her identity while she and her two companions escaped from Portland. A breeze off the Columbia River failed to penetrate the dense veil that hung from her hat like a shroud.  She ignored the unladylike odor of the sweat that pasted her wool bodice to her torso like a potter’s glaze. Sojie had learned to ignore pain and sweat while turning dull clay into rainbow works of art over her scientist-mother’s objections. She smiled. Mother would be most displeased to learn her prodigal daughter had defied her to search for her missing father and brother in Boise.

Jett
Jett pretended to be mesmerized by the dirigibles that bobbed in their berths like flying leviathans, mentally cursing his lack of meteorological foresight. From beneath the brim of his hat, he kept surreptitious watch over a young woman shrouded in black who perched on the edge of her cafe chair in the blistering sunshine. When he’d insisted Sojie disguise herself as a widow traveling with her older brother, he should have considered the possibility of unseasonable heat.  Why couldn't he remember that other people couldn’t tolerate extreme temperatures the way he could? She’d wanted to cut off her hair and pass as a boy, but surely no man would have mistaken her sweet, earthy scent for a male’s. Even at this distance, his jaw ached with the effort of tamping down his primal response to her body’s perfume. 

Zack

Zack’s attention shot back and forth between the stiff back of the girl in widow’s weeds who sat at a nearby outdoor café table in the hot sun and the line of parched miners and cowboys who waited in front of him for a turn to purchase a cool drink. He eyed the looming airships moored nearby and then spat a stream of tobacco juice into one of the large brass spittoons the City of Portland provided for airship passengers. How could those leviathans possibly stay afloat? He hoped he wouldn’t regret accepting this job. Jett had offered him a genereous sum to keep Dr. Hemming’s runaway daughter safe on this crazy journey to Boise.

When you read Sojie’s POV, what were your impressions? Did you feel grounded in time and place? Were you hooked?

Now consider Jett’s POV. What changed for you?

Zack is an important secondary character, not the hero. Would using his POV at the beginning of the book confuse you as a reader?

Which opening paragraph did you prefer? 

ADVICE FOR ALL YOU PITCH VIRGINS

You’ve most likely read more than one article about deciding which editors and agents might be interested in your story; crafting an impressive short pitch, long pitch and (the all-important) elevator pitch; what to wear, what to say, and what not to say; how to relax, how to take notes, and the importance of practice—and more.

I decided to share something new: Lessons Learned from my ‘disastrous’ First Pitch. Ever. 


I attended the 2008 RWA National Conference with my sister, who is also a romance writer. We were both Pitch Virgins. We ended up assigned to pitch to an agent we’d never heard of because…okay, I forget why. Stuff happens at conferences.

Anyway, we looked up our pitch target, Nathan Bransford. Turned out he worked for Curtis Brown, a reputable agency that’s been around forever. And he’d been writing one heck-of-a-funny industry blog for a couple of years. He was looking for all types of romance. We both relaxed a little after getting familiar with him through his blog.

When the time came for me to pitch, a Writer Who Will Not Be Named came unraveled all over the Conference Volunteer because somehow we’d both been slated for the same time slot with Mr. Bransford. I suspected  WWWNBN would see blood on the floor before she'd give up her spot.

I figured that mistakes happen, and no single pitch appointment is going to make or break my career, because I won't let it.  The mistake wasn’t the poor volunteer’s fault. So I smiled and told her to give WWWNBN my spot. After thanking me profusely, the volunteer promised to make sure I got a chance to pitch to...someone.

I waited with my sister for her pitch appointment. A few minutes later, the WWWNBN exited the Pitch Room with tears streaming down her face. Apparently the appointment she’d wanted so badly hadn’t gone well.

The volunteer who’d dealt with WWWNBN's tantrum approached me with a smile on her face. She was so grateful that I’d defused the situation that she’d spoken to Mr. Bransford, who graciously volunteered to give up part of his lunch break to hear my pitch.

I thanked her for her kindness, then bought Agent Bransford a roll of Lifesavers candy from the hotel gift shop (in case he was starved for lunch) as a token of my appreciation.

When the time came, we laughed together over my choice of candy. I pitched my not-yet-finished book to him and he asked me to query him when the book was complete. He told me to jog his memory in my query letter that I was the writer who brought him Lifesavers when he was starving, because he’d never forget that.

He forgave me for pitching an unfinished book; he learned I’m no diva; and he remembers me in a good way!  Who could ask for more from a first pitch?

So relax! Stuff happens.
Could be good news, could be bad news. You never know!