MONDAY MUSINGS: IT DON'T COME EASY

Writing a story is capturing the vision and sounds in our minds and putting them into words.

                                                                                                                                                

My husband has been editing the first of several books of a detective series he's written. Hub's has had two skilled writer/editors look at the first manuscript. One loved the smart-ass character and his corny jokes as well as the premise of story, except for a few things which take up a couple of pages. The other wasn't as enamored of the politically incorrect, smart ass character, but also gave several pages of story fix-its. 

Dan has been groaning. A lot. 

Writing is a love/hate relationship. As Ringo Starr once sang, "You know it don't come easy..."

The writer that tells you that the words always flow and the stories are easy is either lying or living in an alternate universe. We all hit spots that required discipline and yes, work. Even when we get the essence of the scene down, the editing of the word choices, the phrasing and descriptions, and the action and emotion, is work. Hard work. You strive for painting each scene as clearly as you can and giving it the most impact so it flows seamlessly into the next. That may take several revisions.

Revisions and editing are not easy. Or at least they aren't in my world.

Some writers tend to write the initial draft of their work in bare bones scenes. I’d compare it to an animator who does the preliminary pencil sketches. They capture the essence of the scene with dialog and action and leave the fill in work for the first pass. Others write fairly detailed scenes of the vision see in their mind and then go back and cut out the superfluous details to bring into focus the core of the story.

My husband has also been researching query letters. This morning he asked me, "Do you know how many conflicting ideas there are out there on writing a good query letter?"

Yes, dear, I know. I know.

• Do you have a style of writing your first draft or does it vary with the story?

.

WRITERS—TURN WEAKNESSES INTO STRENGTHS

Today, I'm featuring some words of wisdom from a friend of mine, Beth Hill. You've read other contributions from Beth both on craft and some of her short stories. 

Beth is a fiction editor and an excellent story content editor. I've benefited from her knowledge and I've always appreciated her easy to understand advice. In today's topic she reminds us of the importance of not only identifying one's weaknesses, as a writer, our strengths. Be sure to check out other timely articles on craft at The Editor's Blog  

Writers have personal strengths and weaknesses. What one writer nails every time, another might struggle with again and again.

Writers have two options for producing better works based on their knowledge of strengths and weaknesses. They can either play to their strengths, featuring the skills they do well as they craft entertaining stories. Or they can turn their weaknesses to strengths by working on those weaknesses, whittling away at them until each time they write, they nail that issue that used to give them fits.

Perfecting a skill may take a while. It may take a long while. And it may not be fun, that repetition and practice and boring effort. But the focus on eliminating a weakness and making it not only a neutral element—something that won’t work against the writer—but a strength—something that actually works for the writer—will serve those writers for years. Why limit yourself to a few skills you’re comfortable with and know you manipulate well when you can also learn new skills and better position yourself to meet new writing challenges?

Identifying your weaknesses

Don’t know your weaknesses? Pay attention to critiques, especially when several readers comment on the same element.

If your dialogue doesn't work, you’ll hear about it if you’re letting others read your work.

If failure to plot tightly is your weakness, spend time learning how to plot.

Learn more than the basics. Stretch yourself.

Learn the importance of character arcs. Learn how to weed out clichés. Learn how to make use of setting, how it affects characters and tone and pacing. Face up to your limitations rather than hiding them.

Learn and practice and overcome your personal weaknesses one by one.

Any combination of writer strengths and weaknesses can be worked and finessed to produce an entertaining book, but weaknesses can overburden a story. And they can tax a writer so much that he doesn't develop a story the way he should. Most of us don’t want to spend time on difficult tasks that promise little pleasure or minimal reward for the effort.

A writer doesn't start out as an expert in every skill.

A partial list of elements a writer can be weak in or excel at—

plotting
characterization
chapter-ending hooks
dialogue
description
conflict
word choices
pacing
sentence construction
resolution
foreshadowing

Can you say that you’re an expert at each? What about the skills I didn't mention? Are you as equally skilled at every task required for writers to produce entertaining and engaging stories?

If not, why not work on one of your weaknesses, actually follow a plan to improve your writing? Why not become skilled at just one writing element that gives you fits? (And after that, take on a second element that needs work. But I don’t want to overwhelm you. One skill at a time works just fine.)

Books and the Internet and writing groups are wonderful resources. Tap into them. Make use of available tools to perfect your skills. Turn weaknesses to strengths.

Don’t settle for being a writer; strive to be a better writer. Better than you were last year. Better than you imagined being. Better than just good enough.

                                                                                                                                               

Freelance fiction editor Beth Hill.

I love the written word, the ability we have to create worlds and emotions with well-chosen phrases. It’s my intention to share tips and insights and encouragement with writers at all levels, to help you craft stories that will entertain and satisfy your readers. That will help satisfy you as writer as well.

I am both writer and editor. My editing focus is on long fiction, primarily novels. I also mentor beginning writers. My editing service is A Novel Edit.

. 

MONDAY MUSINGS: WE INTERRUPT SPRING...

One of the things I love about living in southwesten part of Missouri is the fact that winters are usually short. Most of the snow we get starts late December through mid February. The week of Valentine's Day, in a normal year, we've been known to get a few substantial snowstorms. Mind you, I don't particularly like having to break ice for the animals or tote water, but I can live with it. 

Ask anyone and you'll hear that the weather has been caddywumpus the past few years. Last year we barely got any cold weather and not much more than a dusting of snow and my tulips and daffodils were budding by this time. This year, however, we've had many of the big storms (10 plus inches) passed us by—either tracking a bit north or south of us.  We've not escaped the snow and have gotten 3 or 4 inches, which is usually gone in 36 hours. Valentine Day came with a dusting. Whew!

Well, I breathed too soon. Two days later we got hit with thunder sleet. That's when the weather starts out warm with rain and temps drop dramatically and you end up with icy sleet. Thunder and lightning with, not rain, sleet pebbles. Very strange to hear thunder rumbling across the sky and snow and sleet falling. They closed down the Fort except for keen and essential personnel and the kid missed work too. Hubs has had 4 snow days in the past two weeks. Driving out here, on rarely plowed country roads, is hazardous. 

When it was all done we had probably 3 inches of white on the ground. Nothing fluffy about this white stuff. It promptly froze into solid sheets of ice. You know its ice, and not snow, when you see a 1200 lb horse gingerly walk across it without breaking through and UPS drives up your driveway and slides to your patio—without breaking through the stuff. You should have seen him trying to go out my drive. I thought for sure he was going to keep right on going and end up in the middle of the pasture across road.  I was envisioning either an over turned truck or one of those huge tow trucks having to pull him out of the field. He merely slid; nose first, into the bank. He got real cozy with the shrubs but managed to stay upright and with some careful maneuvering, to slip-sliding his way down the road. Yeah, I was hearing echoes of Paul Simon. It was a real Kodachrome moment. J

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday I watched fresh snow falling while I worked. The sheets of ice were almost gone but ended up with a few inches of wet snow on top. In the past two weeks we've had about 3 or 4 days without snowfall. It could be worse. Forty minutes north they got 19 inches of snow.

 

Cardinals watching  the cats below

The poor Robins, who arrived just recently, were confused. I don’t think they got the memo that spring has been delayed by snow. Feeders have had tons of birds and more than usual. Of course nothing starves at Sia’s house. I've had suet bars for all the feeders and my usual peanut butter bark for the woodpeckers. I buy cheap peanut butter and stir in sunflower seeds and smear it in the bark crevices of the huge oak tree out front. 

Blue Jays thru the window

The Blue Jays and Woodpeckers argue loudly over territory and the yummy peanut butter. The birds love the snacks and my cats love watching the show perched on the window sills within the warm house.

Today,  all the snow is gone (except for some ice piles), but we’re expecting more tonight. I think spring will be delayed a few more weeks with all this white stuff and the deep-freeze temps.

I’m so ready for spring and flowers.

Last year's apple blossoms. 

HOT READS FOR A COLD WINTER'S NIGHT—FROM MY TBR TOWER

I've been getting around to my huge To Be Read pile. Actually, it resembles the leaning tower of Pisa. My husband is thrilled that many of those books are now on my Kindle rather than adding to the nice quad piles of books beside my nightstand (hey, I dust them off and keep them piled neatly—most of the time). He has spent a lifetime with my books and me. J Most of the time he’s a good sport when it comes to my books and of course, I don’t complain much with regard to his TV/Movie watching—other than threatening death if a Television finds it’s way into the bedroom. He threatens a bonfire if he stubs a toe on another book. We've worked out a compromise of sorts. 

Anyway, enough on domestic bliss and onto my TBR pile.

I met Alexandra Ivy when I first started promoting my blog. I saw one of her books and thought, “Oh, I like the sound of this story!” Typically, I came to the series (Guardians of Eternity) several books in and read Darkness Unleashed. Of course I had to go back and read some I missed and I've still not read them all. I did manage to read Devoured by Darkness—I loved Tane (a Charon sworn to hunt and kill rogue vampires) in the previous book and Laylah (half Jin) intrigued me. And then, I met Ariyal (a Sylvermyst allegedly evil cousins to the fey with a very unique sword)  and Jaelyn (an elite Vampire warrior) and had to read Bound by Darkness. Both are excellent and to tell the truth, I don’t think I've read any books in this series that haven't been good. Excellent characterization and depiction of ‘otherworld’ characters with a twist. I like the fact that all the stories deal with a clear arc of the beginning through the trials of the couple involved to the ending—where the two main characters are a unit although the world they're in isn't quite tidily solved. It's ever expanding. But that style gives satisfaction to me, as a reader.

If you enjoy a good paranormal a bit on the dark side (no pun intended) then you should check out Alexandra Ivy’s Guardians of Eternity series.

                                                                                                                                                            

I also enjoy reading a new to me author, Morgan Mandel. I picked up a copy of Forever Young for several reasons. It was contemporary, it had a touch of paranormal and healthy dose of suspense, plus, she’s a blogging buddy. I thoroughly enjoyed the story. Great premise, interesting cast of characters, and a probable story around and old theme of the search for the fountain of youth—only this time it’s a pill. Hmm, intriguing. It was a good story that kept me turning the pages. I think, aside from Dorrie, my favorite character was Roman. He’s a bad guy. Sorta. Well, he’s in the camp of the bad guy. What I liked was how Morgan gave me a villain that I could relate to. I could see how someone could get to where he was and make some of the choices he did and he had redeeming qualities. The main bad guy…well I understood how he got to where he was but didn't like him. His utter disregard for life wasn't attractive at all and it had festered to monstrous proportions. Without giving away spoilers, the ending was good but a little ambiguous for my taste. It obviously sets up the sequel, which I really want to read, and was realistic given the circumstances. You can’t argue over good triumphs over evil.

                                                                                                                     

Another that intrigues me, although I have yet read it (just the excerpt) is Suzanne Ferrel’s Hunted. I've always had a fascination for what makes religious fanatics tick and make the choices they do and all in the name of their god. Truly dangerous and creepy. 

I’m looking forward to reading this one and I'll let you know what I think of it when I do.

                                                                                               

• What about you? Have you read anything good lately?
• What does your TBR pile look like?

Monday Musings: My Greatest Blessing

I received one of my greatest blessings 18 years ago today.

It was an incomparable gift. It was also one I thought I'd never have. But, because I did receive that gift, I can tell you there are still miracles performed in our behalf. I don't often speak of my belief in God on my blog. It's not the focus of my blog although it is very much part of my life. I do firmly believe that there is a loving heavenly father that hears the groanings of our heart and is not unmoved by our joys, pain or sorrow.

Just as we enjoy giving gifts to those we love or giving comfort those we love when they feel pain—they matter to us—so does our heavenly father.  We matter to him and he sees us as individuals—some of which he calls friend, all of which he has love and affection for. My gift is evidence of his love for me. While I have received many gifts and blessings from him, my son is the greatest personal gift he has given me.

Today was a day of reflection and yes, thanksgiving. I remember counting fingers and toes, the first night home and the realization that this little tiny human wasn't going home with anyone else. He was all mine. I have to tell you, there was a moment of panic when I realized that. The sense of responsibility that settled on my shoulders, coupled with the intense love I felt, and the plethora of what ifs that plagued me. But, it was only momentary because I got on with day-to-day living. 

For all the joy and satisfaction my gift has given me, I have to say that there is a measure of sadness today. My bundle of joy (sometimes my major pain in the butt) is now a young man of 18 and soon to go out on his own. It will leave a bit of a hole in my life. It's not a bad thing but I do miss the little boy he was and all the firsts that came with him. Time has flown by, as it is wont to do, and I'm remembering all the firsts. The pride I felt watching his first wobbling steps.

Soon I'll be watching his first steps away from home as he picks up his responsibilities in the Navy.

My son, when I look at you I realize that truly,

"Every good gift and every perfect present is from above, for it comes down from the Father..." James 1:17

  

Strong Secondary Characters Rock

Tawny Weber is my guest today. She tells fun stories with lots of little extras that make the story feel real. One of the things I enjoy in any book is good secondary characters. Tawny discusses her view of secondary characters and why they are important to a story.

Writing a new book always means getting to know a lot of characters.  Not only the hero and heroine, but all the rest of the cast that creates their world.  In my February Blaze, A SEAL’s Seduction, Blake and Alexia are clearly the stars.   They were two characters who came, fully formed, into my head.  Both with distinct emotional baggage, with strong personalities and even stronger opinions.  But oftentimes I think it’s the secondary characters who provide the most interesting contrasts for our stars.

Secondary characters are the means to which readers get to know our stars.  Through those friendships, family relationships, adversarial jousts, etc, the reader sees first hand who this person is and how they handle life.  Which is one reason I often include pets in my stories.  I think how a person reacts and interacts with animals, small children and the elderly shows more about their character than pages of introspection.

 

A SEAL’s Seduction is peppered with strong secondary characters.  Michael, Alexia’s brother is so fun. The only son of an Admiral, he’s the headliner of a gay burlesque show and male model.  And he’s a sweetie.  Cute and upbeat, he’s faced the similar emotional challenges as his sister, but he has a very different way of dealing with them.  He is a wonderful contrast for Alexia, and works really well to show her soft side and help the reader understand why she’d make the decisions she did growing up.

 And then there are the Admiral and Mrs. Pierce.  They were SO fun to write.  Uptight and rigid on the surface, with a deep love of their children that both the reader, and their children, don’t see at first.  As is often the case with parents, it’s their behavior, both past and present, which define the heroine’s beliefs.  Her rules, her fears and her standards come from the history she has with her parents.

 

But my absolute favorite of all the secondary characters in A SEAL’s Seduction is Lieutenant Commander Cade Sullivan, Call sign: Slick.  Cade’s hot.  He’s sexy and sweet, he’s a leader.  He’s the high school football quarterback, prom king, class president and sweetie who tutored young kids on the downlow.  Like most SEALs, he’s driven.  Powerful and strong, with a clear view of his purpose in life and a devotion to duty that’s unbeatable.  And did I mention that he’s hot?  Whew!  So hot.

 

Cade is technically Blake’s boss.  He, Blake and Phil were best friends since their BUDs training days, nicknamed the Three Amigos because they were always together.  They even ended up a part of the same SEAL team.   It was while Cade was leading a standard mission that Phil was killed.  Like Blake, the loss of his best friend hits Cade hard.  And like Blake, that loss becomes a major driving force in how Cade views his career, his life and his choices.

 

There was such a wonderful contrast between these two heroes, yet they are so much alike.  Both are emotionally wounded from their childhood, both are gorgeous and sexy and both are SEALs.  Powerful, strong and determined.
            
So while I really did love so many of the other secondary characters in A SEAL’s Seduction, Cade is definitely my favorite.  Which comes in handy, as I wrote him his very own love story as soon as I finished A SEAL’s Seduction.  Titled A SEAL’s Surrender, is out in just about a week (March, 2013). 

           

• How often do you read a story and fall for one of the secondary characters?  Are there some that you just HAVE to read their story?

#####

A SEAL'S SEDUCTION

Tawny Weber  

Subject: Navy SEAL Lieutenant Blake Landon

Current Status: Two weeks of enforced leave

Mission: Distract himself in any way possible

Obstacle: A woman who tempts him to break the rules…

including his own! 

Navy SEAL Blake Landon (a.k.a. “Boy Scout”) knows the rulebook inside and out. Checked. Rechecked. But when a mission ends badly, his entire team is ordered on leave. And that’s when Blake sees the tall redhead whose dark eyes suggest that the rules— especially those in bed—are made to be broken. 

Scientist Alexia Lane has sex on the brain—partly for work, but mostly because she needs a man who makes her girly parts do the happy dance. Her only no-no? No military dudes. But Blake’s rockin’ bod promises delicious pleasures, and Alexia is halfway to sexual Nirvana before she can find out he’s actually a Navy SEAL. 

And where one rule is broken, more are sure to follow…. Excerpt 

                                                                                                            
Tawny Weber has been writing sassy, sexy romances since her first Harlequin Blaze hit the shelves in 2007.  A fan of Johnny Depp, cupcakes and color coordination, she spends a lot of her time shopping for cute shoes, scrapbooking, and hanging out on Facebook.
 

Readers can check out Tawny’s books at her website or join her Red Hot Readers Club for goodies like free reads, first chapter excerpts, recipes, insider story info and much more.  And for a limited time, she has a few open spots on her Street Team!  

MONDAY MUSINGS: RENEWAL

Family is different things to different people. Some are close to their families and others not. For me, my family is my primal pool of being and identity. It’s a base from which I learned the rules, decided where my boundaries were, and grew the courage to face not only myself, but to define and tackled the mountains of the world.

My family, good, bad, and ugly (and we can be parts of all three), gave me my first friends and playmates. They were my high adventure buddies and the ones I shared hopes and dreams with, held talkfests where we solved the world’s problems—or at least our problems in our small corner.

None of us have remained static because life isn't  It’s an ever-changing process of growth and change. Still, when we get together, the love and security remains bedrock. I can just be me without artifice. I love the freedom of that.

I haven’t been able to visit my family as much as I would like, for various reasons, this winter. It’s not that I’m a huge distance away—my family all live about fifty miles from me. Still, I've missed the warmth and laughter. And yes, the gossip. J

There’s something special about going home and visiting my mom. Sitting in the kitchen during the ritual of making the coffee and setting up the tray with my favorite cookies (my mom feeds everything cookies from critters, kids, and adults) or snacks. We talk about everything under the sun. As we settle into comfortable chairs in the living room I love the feeling of dropping my role of wife and mother and pull on the comfortable role of just being a daughter. We talk about books and since my mother is a woman of strong faith, we easily slide into discussions on biblical passages, culture, history we've read. There is an easy flow of conversation. We don’t miss out on sharing tidbits of family, kids, our animals, and our mates.

Afterward, I headed over to visit with my sister and we sat around telling jokes and sharing fun and goofiness. It was a long day but so much fun and very relaxing. Between the two visits, I left refreshed and relaxed. I enjoyed the state of being sister and daughter and putting everything else out of my mind. I was now ready to pick up the mantle of wife, mother, and job for another week.

• So, how was your weekend. What do you do to relax and renew yourself to face day to day life?