Word Witch Wednesday - hooray for Story Genius

I'm starting off the year reading an incredible book on writing from Lisa Cron called Story Genius. I don't think I've ever been this excited about a book on the craft. While other ones have inspired me, Cron has opened my eyes and changed how I write for the better.

It's difficult to find a book on writing for pantsers. Most are for plotters, and many insist that pantsers will never be able to write good stories. This raises my hackles. Comments like that will make me put a book down and never pick it up again. One of my idols, Stephen King, is a pantser. A fact I delightfully discovered only recently.

When I write, I have the protagonist already forming in my mind. I know where the story starts and where I want it to go. How it gets there is always a surprise, but I love it. I write organically. The opening event happens, and it all flows from there. Action, reaction. Consequence, reaction. Action, reaction. Consequence, reaction. The story drives itself for me that way.

So how does Cron's book help me when I just let it flow like that? She bases her book on neuroscience. Of course that interested me in itself, but when she explained stories with science, it clicked with me. It's not beautiful prose or a clever plot that makes for a good story (though those things are the cherries on top), it's how the story connects to the readers emotionally. More particularly, how the protagonist connects to the readers emotionally.

There are no detailed character bios or elaborate plotting to be done in Cron's exercises. She helps bring you to the core of your story with the essential elements that make up your protagonist.

I did this with my current trilogy and totally blew myself away. I discovered what drives my story. It was the core of my story all along! No wonder my protagonist gives me trouble. She was fighting it and I was fighting it. But now I know how to write it so it's a specific internal conflict instead of something I knew was there, but couldn't properly get on the screen.

I want to rattle on and on, but you'll just have to read the book for yourself. I highly recommend it.

Have you read any of Cron's books? Is there a book on writing that has affected you this way?

P.S. I'm so excited that in February, Lisa Cron will be writing a short article for the IWSG newsletter. If you haven't signed up for the newsletter, click here. You don't want to miss it!

And don't forget that next week is the #IWSGPit. Polish up your manuscript pitches! It's a great opportunity and free for all writers. I'll see you then!

Word Witch Wednesday - writing and marketing potpourri

I'm so close to finishing the final book of the Totem series. I still do not know exactly how the final twist will work, though. The thrills of being a pantser! Next time, I'll have an end in mind before I start a series. (I've said this to myself every single time I write a series!)

Pantser tip: Don't let not knowing what happens next slow you down. Let the story take you there. It has never failed me yet. Some plots just take longer than others!

 

I've written a few short stories recently. A couple of them were horrible. I reworked a third one and hopefully it reads better now. I sent it into my local critique group for this month's meeting.

 

Writer tip: Not everything you write is going to be awesome. Sometimes when we write, it's just for practice. Any writing, brilliant or not, is important for improving your craft.

I've been busy critiquing for my local group and my critique partners. Such awesome stories! I love getting a sneak peek at these tales before anyone else does.

Critiquing tip: Make sure to add comments in about how parts made you feel. Say you laughed at this part or got angry or sad. The author wants to know what kind of emotions they're evoking.

I offered Dark Dawning (Totem #1) for free for the last five days. This time around, I didn't do any promoting apart from my newsletter, blog, and other social media. I had half as many downloads as when I used paid ads.

Freebie marketing tip: Freebooksy is a fantastic place to advertise. It's not the cheapest, but it is where I always go as a reader to look for free reads. Asking other authors and readers, most look to Freebooksy first as well.

RPGs & Writing - Imagination and Friends

I'm kicking off a series of posts about how playing role-playing games (RPGs) has affected my writing. This topic not only excited me, but other authors I know. I'm eager to have some of my writer friends share their experiences through guest posts too.

I've always loved writing stories. It can be a lonely venture, though. I used to play imagination games with my friends where we'd play out stories. Back then, I had never heard of RPGs. I didn't play my first Dungeons & Dragons game until I was in university. But I was already addicted to something else before then.

I loved playing PBeM RPGs. What are those, you ask? Play by email (or play-by-post) RPGs are games groups of people as their characters interact together in a predefined environment. Many groups have rules about not only the parameters of the world but also the conduct of the players and subject matter allowed.

I played in all sorts of groups. Most of them in Yahoo Groups. Fantasy, science-fiction, dystopian, and tons of Harry Potter groups. Yes, I do love playing in that world!

 

What I liked most about these RPGs was that I didn't know what the other players would come up with next. I loved the twists and turns, the weird surprises, and the amazing stories we created together. Since I'm a pantser, I reveled in it.

With all these different types of worlds, I was able to experiment with different writing styles and various characters. I discovered that I loved to write about relationships - be it romantic, friends, enemies, etc. It was the characters who attracted me and drove me to become the character focused writer I am today. (One of the most character driven groups I had been in was a dystopian called Descent Into Sin. Deep, dark stuff.)

While these RPGs helped to mold me into the writer I am today, there was something else I loved about them: the friends I made. These friends encouraged me to write more of my own original work and gave me the strength to submit it to various venues. I had my first short story published because of their support. And even to this day, over fifteen years after I started in my first PBeM group, I'm still in contact with some of these amazing people. Not all of them write or play anymore, but they have never ceased to be fantastic cheerleaders and super friends.

Have you ever play in a PBeM RPG? A tabletop RPG like Dungeons & Dragons? What were your experiences like?

* * * * *

I would like to extend an invitation to any writers who have played RPGs. I'd love for you to guest post on my blog about your experiences. If you're interested, please leave your email in the comments below, or email me at christinerains.writer@gmail.com.

Wicked Wednesday - writing yourself into a corner

You're writing a fantastic story. The characters are complex, the setting unique, and the plot intense. You have that incredible feeling of creating something amazing.

Finally comes the big climax. There's a huge battle. Your heroes have been surrounded by a crafty villain and her minions with no way out. You're on the edge of your seat. And it is at this point you realize you have no idea how your heroes are going to get out of this.

Oh crap.

You might want to bash your head on the keyboard or cry that you'll have to start all over. There isn't enough chocolate in the world for that.

But wait! This is the best thing that can happen to you.

I know it's hard to believe, but writing yourself into a corner will bring out the creative best in you. You must think outside the box to help your heroes save themselves. But, you ask, if you have no ideas, how do you do this?

This happened to me just recently, and it has happened to me before. Every time, I have a moment of panic. Yet do you know what saves me? The story itself.

I go back and read it from the beginning. The answer to save the heroes is always there. The story knows even if the author doesn't right away. Yes, it's as simple as that. At least for this pantser!

Have you ever written yourself into a corner? How do you get out of it?

Clues and Red Herrings - Guest Post by Carol Kilgore

I'm very excited to have the marvelous Carol Kilgore on my blog today. I love her books, and I'm doing a happy dance that she's going to talk about how she writes such brilliant mysteries. Take it away, Carol!

Thanks so much for hosting me!

When I asked Christine what she’d like for me to write, she gave me a short list of possibilities but indicated she would most like to see a post about how I write the mystery aspect of my novels, especially whether I plot every detail or if I go back and add clues and red herrings.

What I do is the process that works best with the way my brain functions. I’ve tried to be a total pantser, and I’ve tried to plot all the details. What happens is I get stuck, or something different happens from what I’ve planned.

So what I do is a mishmash. Before I ever begin to write, I learn as much as possible about the beginning, the major plot points, and the ending. I also find out as much as possible about my characters without actually putting them together and writing their story.

When I write, I use what I know and let their story develop around the framework. The deeper I get into the story, the more I learn about the characters, and the more they learn about each other.

The more I know about the characters and the story, the better I can mislead the reader.

So on each successive pass, I add more details. As an example, in SOLOMON’S COMPASS, one of the characters wears a bracelet. Never takes it off. It’s just about the only positive means to identify him. The bracelet was an extremely late addition.

When I leave an obvious clue, I try to bury it so it doesn’t stand out. Many of my clues are subtle--too subtle sometimes, according to my editor. But together we fix that. I hope! One of my favorite movies is “The Sixth Sense.” All the clues are there, but most viewers don’t put them together until near the end of the movie.

That’s my goal when I write--have the clues come together and make sense near the end of the book.

===

By the end of a long evening working as a special set of eyes for the presidential security detail, all Kat Marengo wants is to kick off her shoes and stash two not-really-stolen rings in a secure spot. Plus, maybe sleep with Dave Krizak. No, make that definitely sleep with Dave Krizak. The next morning, she wishes her new top priorities were so simple.

As an operative for a covert agency buried in the depths of the Department of Homeland Security, Kat is asked to participate in a matter of life or death—locate a kidnapped girl believed to be held in Corpus Christi, Texas. Since the person doing the asking is the wife of the president and the girl is the daughter of her dearest friend, it’s hard to say no.

Kat and Dave quickly learn the real stakes are higher than they or the first lady believed and will require more than any of them bargained for.

The kicker? They have twenty-four hours to find the girl—or the matter of life or death will become more than a possibility.

===

Although Carol has deep Texas roots, she’s lived up and down the eastern seaboard and in other locations across the U.S. as a Coast Guard wife. She sees mystery and subterfuge everywhere. And she’s a sucker for a good love story—especially one with humor and mystery. Crime Fiction with a Kiss gives her the latitude to mix and match throughout the broad mystery and romance genres. Having flexibility makes her heart happy. 

You can connect with Carol here:

Under the Tiki Hut blog: http://www.underthetikihut.blogspot.com

Website with Monthly Contest: http://www.carolkilgore.net

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/carol.kilgore1

Twitter: http://twitter.com/carol_kilgore

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6094110.Carol_Kilgore

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Carol-Kilgore/e/B008FRCXQY

Happy writing week

It took a little longer this month to start on my revisions, but I had a good week with two awesome pantser moments.

The first was with the short story I did for Auntie Tara's short story prompt. I wanted to do something Greek and something with pirates. I think I spent too much time reading about ancient Greek pirates than I should have, but research has always been one of my favorite things. I had no idea where I was headed with the story until near the end. I love when my stories surprise me. It means it's likely to have the same effect on my readers.

My second great moment was with the new first chapter I wrote for one of my WIPs. I needed a first chapter with action rather than the conversation that originally started it. I had a vague idea of how to begin it, but after about 400 words, it all became clear. Dramatic magical attack in public and the frantic scramble to defend without letting the public see. A cool introduction to the protagonist and her sidekick, and a way to let the reader see how magic works in that world. It's a rough chapter, but it has the essentials I need. The rest of the novel has been plotted. So it should be a good steady pace from here on to the end.

To top that off, I have my idea for the A to Z Challenge. I'm really excited about it!

It's almost February. I need to think of another short story idea for next month. I would really love for it to be a shorter short this time around so I have more time to revise my novel. We've an extra writing day next month with it being a Leap Year!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Venturing into plotter territory

I finished my first short story of the year and submitted it. It shines... as much as a supernatural story with a gory crime scene can shine. I'm happy to be on track with one thing this month.

With that out of the way, I'm concentrating on starting the revisions for Witch's First Rule (WFR). I've been re-reading it and I don't like the way it's written. Once upon a time, I thought it was genius. Oh, how naive was I. It's amazing to think that just in a matter of a few years, my writing style and standards have changed so much. It's going to take a lot of rewriting, but I have faith in the story itself.

To clear out all the clutter, I made a plot points list. Yes, you read correctly. I made a list. I actually made a couple of lists. I'm not saying I'm abandoning my pantser nature, but this plotter technique is helping me see the story in a different light. I can organize the plot, making sure there's enough action to keep the reader on the edge of their seat.

I'm a pantser with first drafts, but I've grown into a plotter when it comes to revisions. Perhaps I've found my true writer's path. It's only taken *mumblemumble* years.

In other news, my son is doing better. His mood is good and his cough is going away. Hooray! Yet we had to go into the clinic this morning for me. I have strep throat. I'm a good sick person, though. I will be spending the weekend reading and playing Dragon Warrior 3 on the DS. Hope you have a good weekend!

NaNoWriMo 2011 - day 20

Word count: 47015

So close to the word count goal. Not very close to the end yet. One more big thing has to happen and I'm not sure what it is yet. Oh, the fun of being a pantser!

I'm going to push myself tomorrow and write the next 3000 words... IF I can come up with that next big thing.

NaNoWriMo 2011 - day 2

Word count: 4566

Day two was yesterday, but I didn't have time to do up a quick post. I managed to get the jump on my inner editor and gag her. Oh, she was flailing about with all the dialogue I was writing, but I ignored her. I can edit later.

I'm happy with my word count and with where the story is going. I've already abandoned my tentative outline. My pantser tendencies have won out again.

Keep writing!

Reminder: today is the last day to enter The Cherie Reich Giveaway for a chance to win a copy of her e-book, Once Upon A December Nightmare. The winners will be announced tomorrow.

Revising, planning and deciding

This week I'll be doing some more revisions on my latest WIP. Hopefully I'll get the majority of it done before November. I might send out my first query for it on the weekend. The cover letter and synopsis have been worked over about ten times now. Are they perfect? No. I don't think I'll ever get a cover letter and synopsis perfect, but they're good. Much better than what I started with.

I did some planning for my NaNo novel. I usually don't plan ahead and I'm finding it difficult to do so. I gathered a list of names and monsters from the net. This will keep me from searching for something online when I should be writing. I have all the main characters named, described and generally settled into the plot. That really means I know who the good guys and bad guys are. I know the general overall plot. I know how it will start and how it will end. The middle, well, I have no idea. I tried to plan out each event, but after the first five, my muse smacked me with a stop sign. I'm not allowed to know until I get there. That's how it usually goes with my writing. I know it might drive some people bonkers, but I like the surprise. I like just writing and seeing where it takes me. Do my stories make sense that way? Yes, they do. Somehow I'm able to keep everything together. Sometimes I'm jealous of the plotters, because it seems it would be much easier in the long run. Yet I'm happy to be a pantser. (I really wish there was a different word for that!)

I still haven't decided on a Halloween costume yet. I went out this weekend, but there wasn't anything that caught my eye that I could afford. I thought about just going in a silly outfit as a character from someecards with a little poster board around my neck with the sarcastic saying. Ah, those ecards make me laugh!

 

 My other idea was making a big poster with a hole cut out for my head and design it as a MySpace page for a zombie. When I don't get enough sleep, I look like the dead!

Finally, please come by on Halloween when I'll have a special treat for you.