5 Writing Tips From the Finals Week Craze

 

It's that time of year - the final push to get everything turned in and every exam completed and all the junk out of your dorm room. 

Well, maybe this no longer applies to you, but well...it still does to me, so this is the post you're stuck with. You're welcome.

5 Writing Tips We Can Learn from the Finals Week Craze:

• Time is limited. Nothing makes this hit home like a week full of deadlines and a never-ending to-do list! I don't really follow this very well all most of the time, but you can really do a lot when you sit down and focus. The #1K1HR (1,000 words in 1 hour) self-imposed sessions can sometimes help! And I bet once you're a published author and you have deadlines thrust upon you, you relive those finals-week days! (Is this true, fellow BB authors??)

• Checklists are nice. It's so easy to forget all those little things you have to get done during the day. Make a checklist! It feels good to check things off. How does this fit with writing? Well, you can make a checklist for plot elements (etc.) you want to remember to include in your story, or you can make a weekly word-count checklist. Whatever you need it for! 

• Sleep is good. This is coming from the queen of night owls, so take this advice with a grain of salt. But really, when I actually follow through on this advice, I think it does help to work on papers, assignments, and writing of any kind in the morning (or whenever) after a good night's sleep. It sounds good, anyway!

• Perseverance is required. Don't give up! You can do it! Get those words on paper! (I think we can all use a little pep-talk, right? This week is going to go by too fast...!!!)

• Friends and family are valuable. While work (or writing) is a priority, for sure, I think it's still important to make the time to be with those you love. That way you won't resent your work/writing time for stealing you away from your loved ones (and resentment does not bode well for focus and overall attitude).

All of this has been said before, so I'm not going to pretend that I'm being original. We all know that time goes by too fast, sleep is a necessity, and all of that. These are the tips everyone gives when it comes to writing or any task that has to be done, really. But it can't hurt to be reminded every once-in-a-while, right?

So now I'm off to bed to get some sleep, which will hopefully give me a good start to the first official day of finals week. See ya'll on the other side of graduation (Saturday)!

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Where the Past Meets the Present: It's a Wonderful Life

It's that time of year - so let's take a part of Christmas past and apply it to Christmas present!

I recently watched It's a Wonderful Life with a few friends, and it really touched me. Here is the story of a man who sacrificed for his family and ended up staying at home his whole life, never even getting to go away to college or travel for his honeymoon or serve overseas in World War II. The movie shows parts of George Bailey's past leading up to the moment when everything seems to be falling apart, and then it turns the viewers' perceptions upside down - or is that right-side up?

What makes this movie so enchanting? It tells the tale of a simple hometown life, lacking in grand adventure and exceptional danger. And yet its authenticity and applicability make it a beautiful story.

• Authenticity: This story deals with real issues and feelings - anger, frustration, financial problems, low self-esteem, and familial discord. Seeing all the trials that George goes through creates sympathy for his character, helping the viewer to take a walk in his shoes and see what leads him to the lowest point in his life as well as the surprise that comes when George discovers just how important one life can be. When writing stories, we want readers to be able to relate to our characters, understand their difficulties, and become so involved in their lives that the readers experience emotions right alongside the characters. Stories that bring us to tears or cause us to verbally reprimand characters (or cheer them on) are ones that better stick with us than ones that don't demand any sort of response. And I think most writers want to write unforgettable stories!

• Applicability: It's a Wonderful Life has the message embedded in the title, for it's a story that shows viewers how precious the gift of life really is for a person and all the people that one person's life affects. Simple but profound. While we can't see what the world would be like if we were never born as George did, we can praise God for the glimpses we are given of His amazing weaving of lives and circumstances that ultimately brings Him glory. And as writers, may our stories show God's truth and offer readers a take-away message that can encourage, challenge, and inspire them. The goal isn't to "preach" at readers, but to show them through a well-told story the wonder of God's love.

It's a Wonderful Life is a great example of a story that incorporates authenticity and applicability in order to move and inspire viewers. But while we can learn from the movie regarding the craft of story-telling (whether through movies or books or some other means), we can also learn from the movie regarding the life of a writer (or whatever lifestyle God has called you to embrace).

Perhaps you won't always be able to see the way your work blesses others. Perhaps your work doesn't pay well, or God doesn't lead you in the way you always thought you would go. But no matter what God has in store for us, He is good - and it's a wonderful life!

(Movie cover image from IMDb.com.)

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Where the Past Meets the Present: Setting and The Hound of the Baskervilles

I've been on a bit of a Sherlock Holmes kick lately, and I recently finished The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle. What a story! Definitely thrilling and mysterious. In considering what makes this story so terrifying, the setting stands out almost as a character in its own right. It's a living force that swallows victims whole and cries in the night. It's just downright creepy!

Below is an image from the Crime Scraps Review blog to set the mood:

So what can we learn from this story that will help us master the setting?

• Force - The moor is a force to be reckoned with, especially the Grimpen Mire, where people and creatures can be sucked into the mud and never be seen again. (Oh, how I detest thoughts of quicksand and the like! *shudder*) Watson sees and hears a pony dying in the mire, and it certainly adds to the terror of the story - especially with characters on the hunt (or the run), and just one misstep can be very dangerous indeed... While some of us might not be writing mysteries or suspense, our settings in all our stories play a huge role. What challenges will the setting present to our characters? Think of Wild West stories and how the ruggedness of the land really creates a sense of adventure and/or hardship.
  

• Fear - The moor leads to an emotional reaction in most of the characters, namely fear. The howling of the hound on those dark nights, the thrashing of the trees in the wind by Baskerville Hall, the one pinpoint of light or the silhouette of a man signalling a presence in the wilds of the moor... No matter the setting, if it's a good one it will elicit some emotion. Contentment at a cozy resort. Awe at the grandeur of the Rocky Mountains. Sorrow at the cemetery. Happiness at the beach. You get the idea! And the more senses involved in the descriptions the better!

• Foundation - The moor gives the characters a place to hide, Sherlock a place to play ;) , and a stage for the mystery to unfold. While setting isn't everything, per se, it's important as it can either limit or expand the action of the story. Will your characters move during the course of the story? How does the contrast in settings fit in with the theme? Will your characters travel? Or does the setting serve as a trap for them?

Let's connect the past with the present! Where is your current WIP set? What can you learn from The Hound of the Baskervilles and the scary moor that might help you use setting to deepen your story?

And one last, very important question - anyone else excited to see this story in the second season of the PBS Masterpiece version of Sherlock coming in May 2012???

(Moor picture from Crime Scraps Review. Book picture from Penguin.com.)

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A Story Worth Fighting For

I first saw this video on the AuthorCulture blog. It's disturbingly and hilariously accurate, and if you're a writer I strongly recommend you watch it, if only for a well-deserved laugh:



The Horrors of Stage Five

Currently I'm in Stage Five for my first completed manuscript. It's quite a leap from Stage Four to Stage Five, as many of you writers out there know!

Thankfully many of our critique partners and those kind enough to actually read through our first drafts are not nearly as cruel as the ones who left big red X's all over the pages of this poor fellow's manuscript. ;) But it can still be a scary, horrifying, and depressing thing to see just how much work our stories need in order to be presentable.

Our stories seem such lovely things, shining in the sunlight of our triumph upon completion of the first draft. And so they are! (Well, at least I like to think so, after all the work put into them!) But they can still be polished and even re-molded a little to refine them into stories that will be even more beautiful. So I'm learning that Stage Five doesn't have to be all darkness and hopelessness...

Leave the Forest For A While

When you find yourself taking that step from Stage Four to Stage Five, it's easy to get lost in the sudden shadows of the forest of edits. You can run from page to page, struck by the shortcomings you, with your limited perspective, had never noticed before. And you can feel like an utter failure.

I was recently given some great advice on how to handle that initial shock: Step away from the story. Leave the marked pages in the forest for a while. Go play in the sunshine. Those pages will still be there when you get back.

Now, I'll be completely honest with you--I haven't yet gone back to the forest. It's been several weeks since I got the very kind and helpful comments and edits from a dear friend. (Believe me--if all critique partners were like her, the editing forest would be a lot less terrifying! My "shock" was buffered by encouragement and understanding, so thank you so, so much to the person who helped me, because you know who you are!)

Yet, someday (hopefully soon!), if it's God's will, I want to go back. I want to brave that forest.

Why?

A Story Worth Fighting For

Generally when any of my writing gets critiqued, I want to either:

1. Reject the criticism.

2. Give up.

Or...

3. Make the smallest amount of change necessary.

But this time it's different. This is a story I've had on my heart for a long time. It's a manuscript I've worked on off and on for years. To me, it's a story worth fighting for, and unless God lets me know otherwise, I want to fight for it.

Yes, I want to fight!

I want to my story to be the best that it should be. I won't settle for mediocrity! (Should this be the BB's new team cheer?)

Seriously, I'm kind of scared to post this. I don't want to be a hypocrite by writing all this down and then never getting around to fixing up my manuscript. If that does happen, please forgive me.

But by writing this post today, I hope that even one person might be encouraged to battle through Stage Five and find a grand, uncharted, thrilling Stage Six someday. Even if that one person turns out to be just me. ;)

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5 Tips for Finding Treasure in Unlikely Places

OK, the picture attracted you, right? I mean, who wants to find gold nuggets when you can have chocolate nuggets?!

Let's pretend that story inspirations are chocolate nuggets, because we really, really want them! (I know, I know, but we're writers--we have big imaginations!) So, where can we start digging for story inspirations? Where do we start looking for the next book idea? Here are 5 tips to help you start your hunt:

1. Read voraciously. I'm sure many of you already do this, but the more you read, the more you learn. If you read a lot of fiction, then you'll be surrounded by more creativity and perhaps be able to better recognize a story idea when you find one. And my roommate reminded me last night of the usefulness of history books for finding story ideas. There's so much literary "land" available for mining!

2. Study hard. As a college student, I'm taking so many interesting classes, especially the literature classes. For example, I've taken Irish Literature, 19th Century American Literature, Minority Authors, and Literature of Love; and I'm currently taking 19th-20th Century English Literature and Literature of the American West. Definitely a lot of story ideas within the backgrounds and inspiration to be found in such classes as these!

But even if you're not in high school or college at the moment, you can always take a couple of classes at the community college or just take some workshops at conferences, etc. In today's "information age," there are plenty of opportunities for learning!

3. Go fishing. Or something like that. Just go on vacation or a little day trip, and you'll be surprised by how much a change of scenery/pace will cause you to see different perspectives and perhaps think more creatively. And if you go to a place that could serve as a good setting for a book, so much the better! Just be sure to bring a little pocket notebook along in your purse or bag so that you can jot down ideas on the go.

4. Talk to people. There are so many amazing stories out there! And if you're in a place where you're doing research for your book, you can get so many ideas from the people who live there or work there. It's often the little tidbits/facts that make for an intriguing and unique story.

5. Be open to inspiration. I realize this is vague, but let me give you an example. I recently had to do an assignment for my Nature & Structure of the English Language class--a word study of 10 different words, including place names, phrases, etc. One of the place names I chose turned up some interesting information that has inspired me in my brainstorming of my second manuscript. (I don't really want to share specifics at this point, but you get the idea: even a homework assignment can yield some "treasure!")

So what are you waiting for? Pick up your shovels and start looking for those "chocolate nuggets"--they're not as rare as you might think! ;) Happy hunting!

(Picture is of a yummy candy shop in Nevada, near Carson City, I believe. Love the honeycomb chocolate!)

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Making Your Vacation Work For You

This week is spring break for me, and even though I'm enjoying some down-time at home, I think this would be a great time to talk about making vacations work for you as a writer.

I know, I know..."vacations" and "work" don't even belong in the same sentence, right?

You'd be surprised!

When I was in high school, I did the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, which gave me a year's worth of college credit at Corban University (so I'll be graduating a year early!). In order to complete the program, I had to write an "Extended Essay," which was a research paper on a topic of my choice.

I ended up choosing to write about an old mining town in Nevada, killing two birds with one stone, so to speak--because that town is one of the main settings of my first manuscript! So when we went to Nevada the summer before my senior year for some vacation time, I got to do some great research. And guess what? My family and I loved spending time there so much that we just had to return the past two summers!

While I enjoyed visiting the museums and doing "real" research, just being there--experiencing the town for myself, talking to the people who live there, and exploring the setting--helped me so much with my work-in-progress. In other words, just being a good tourist has had wonderful benefits! It's so much easier to write about a place you've been to, and the townspeople who have lived there for years often know a lot of great facts and stories.

Even if your vacations take you to places you're not currently writing about, not only can you learn a lot about life in general by visiting new places, but you never know if someday you'll eventually want to write about your vacation destinations!

For example, when I was 15-years-old I was blessed with an amazing opportunity to go to Israel for two weeks. Now, I haven't attempted to write a story set in Israel, but maybe someday... ;) But even if I never write about it, learning about Israel's history and seeing the country for myself broadened my perspectives and made the history and settings of the Bible much more vivid and personal for me.

And even small field trips/class trips can be so rewarding!

I recently had the pleasure of visiting the McLoughlin House (in Oregon City, Oregon) and Fort Vancouver for my Literature of the American West class. At Fort Vancouver there were people acting out various roles, including women in the kitchen, blacksmiths, and a carpenter. They had so much knowledge of the history of the Fort to share with us, and I loved being able to "step back in time" and experience the candlelit kitchen, the sounds, the smells, and the whole atmosphere of the early/mid 19th century. Just standing in that kitchen with the warmth of the fire, the dim lighting, and the pleasant smells of freshly cooked food made me think I might want to file the experience away as a possible story setting!

So yes, vacations are fun and can be very relaxing, but there's no harm in making them work for you! ;) Soak up the sights, sounds, and smells, and don't forget to carry a little notebook in your purse for those unexpected moments of inspiration and those delightful opportunities to get setting/history details that will make your stories real and engaging!

Are you going on a vacation soon that might lend itself to research for a current and/or future manuscript? Have any good vacation-research stories to share?

(These pictures are from the trips I mentioned--a stage coach ride in Nevada, a 1st century experience in Nazareth Village in Israel, and the sign at Fort Vancouver. I'm the middle person in the top two pictures, and the only one in the bottom picture.)

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Do You Write What You Read?

It's a common tip for writers: "Read, read, read!" If you want to write a book that sells and gets readers' interest, it makes sense to read voraciously and know the market inside and out.

The Classics

I have a confession to make: I don't tend to read classics for fun. I may be an English major, but in spite of this (or perhaps--in part--because of this) I generally only read classics under compulsion. My first love is Christian fiction, and that's what I prefer to read. And yet, I've been finding recently that some classics really aren't that bad. (Maybe I just needed to grow up a little!)

There's a reason certain books become classics--they have a lasting appeal that extends beyond the time in which they were written. Right now I'm reading Dracula by Bram Stoker (1897) for my 19th-20th Century English Literature class. And even though it was written over a century ago, I actually am enjoying it. ;)

As I've discussed with my grandpa (who's been talking to me about Dracula and/or Frankenstein for years), Dracula is a very descriptive book, starting out with a beautiful, haunting, vivid setting. And the characters! Dracula is both an intriguing and almost comical (in a creepy sort of way) character, and Jonathan Harker's intelligence endears him to the reader even as the reader sympathizes with his entrapment and doom.

(If you've read the whole book already, please don't tell me what happens! I've only read a few chapters so far...)

Christian Fiction

As I mentioned above, my first love when it comes to reading is Christian fiction. (My favorite specific book, though, is the Bible.) I just can't seem to get enough of it! Plus, it's what I want to work with as my career.

So what is it that we love so much about Christian fiction? (I'm assuming at this point that most of you who are reading this post also enjoy Christian fiction.) ;)

Let's look at a specific example. The book I'm reading right now is Surrender the Night by MaryLu Tyndall, and I am loving it! Tyndall is a fabulous author. One of the best things about her work, and about Christian fiction in general for the most part, is that each book is meant to glorify God and encourage the readers' faith. Each book is hopeful while still being real, showing the evil that is now in the world but also the hope that believers have in Christ.

But as far as Tyndall's work and Christian romance goes, there's also another element to the reading experience. For us ladies, we just love to read about a strong, heroic man protecting his woman and cherishing her. We love those scenes where the hero gently caresses the heroine's cheek, holds her close and kisses her. (Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong in this assumption. I should also add that in Christian fiction these scenes are tactfully written and clean!)

Also, we want those happy endings, don't we? (I haven't finished Surrender the Night, but I'm guessing the ending is happy!)

Writing What You Read

So where am I going with all of this? Well, I think the more we read the more we realize (even if we don't ever exactly voice it) what it is we want to read. We want stories with heart--stories with characters that are real and understandable. We want stories with soul--stories that speak to us and convey truth and something we can apply to our lives. We want stories that are beautifully written and excitingly told (which I think both Dracula and Surrender the Night are).

And yet how easy it is to forget our readers when we're writing! Perhaps we don't forget them totally, but I think sometimes it might be beneficial to consider a couple of things as we're writing:

1. What do my readers need?
   
2. What do my readers want?

If it is God's will for us to write, then He has some purpose in us sharing our stories. We're not just writing to entertain. But at the same time, people won't want to read stories that aren't satisfying. Reading should be fun!

Don't get caught in either extreme. We should strive to write both meaningful and enjoyable stories to engage and encourage our readers.

When you write, do you occasionally consider what you as a reader would want to see in the story? What kinds of books do you most enjoy reading, and how can you incorporate the elements that make reading powerful to you into your own writing?

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CSG Part Three: A Goal to Keep You Going

There are different ways of getting to a destination. Some ways take longer but are worth the time because of the scenery and experiences you get along the way. But sometimes you just need to find a fast way to get from where you are to where you need to be.

Today I'm going to be talking about both ways (although I'll focus more on the latter) for the final installation of a three-part series on writing tips for completing your manuscript--a series I've entitled CSG.

If you missed the first two parts in the series or would like to re-read them, here are the links:

1. CSG Part One: A Companion for the Journey
2. CSG Part Two: Devotion on a Schedule

And now for the G of the CSG plan: Goal.

As I mentioned in my first post for this series, my writing life was rather sporadic until 2011. I was taking the longer way, so to speak, for trying to finish my manuscript. Like riding in a glider (which I've done twice--and loved!), I was just meandering along through the clear blue sky, waiting for those "lifts" of inspiration that would make the trip worthwhile and exciting.

However, unlike the short glider rides I've been on that only last for 20 minutes or so, my writing life had no exact time frame. Everything was vague--I knew where the landing strip was and where I wanted to eventually go, but I didn't know exactly when I was going to get there or how.

And yet, as unproductive as that sounds, I think I needed that excursion. I needed those years of ruminating, of research, and of relaxed writing. I gathered information and ideas, and I grew up a little from that time years ago when the story first grabbed hold of my heart. It was OK for my writing to take a glider ride, waiting for those updrafts and cruising along, carefree.

But when 2011 came around, I realized that if I wanted to ever land and get to my destination--finishing my manuscript and publishing my story--then I needed to have a goal. The end needed to be in sight and the tracks needed to be laid to help get me to that end.

Now, I'm speaking from where I am chugging down the tracks. I haven't reached my goal yet, but I can tell you that it has helped me to have one.

When I told my writing companion about my goal, she encouraged me to keep it in sight, even if I didn't get all the way there this time. And why is that? Because having a sense of direction, having a deadline, helps get work done!

What is my goal? Well, my goal is to finish my manuscript by May 31, 2011. And then after that, my goal is to edit, polish, get endorsements, write a proposal, and make my way to the 2011 Oregon Christian Writers Conference in August.

Will all of that happen? Only God knows, but having this goal in mind--this time frame (the tracks) and this hope (the destination)--has helped me finally stick to a writing schedule, so I can actually sit down and get words on the pages!

As I think about my goal, I'm reminded of my Teaching the Bible class at Corban University. In that class we are encouraged to teach applications during out Bible studies--applications which are supposed to be specific, possible, and measurable.

I believe our writing goals should also be the same if we expect them to be practical and applicable. They should be specific, so that we don't end up wandering aimlessly. They should be possible, so that we don't give up too quickly or become discouraged. And they should be measurable, so that we can know where we stand and how close we are to the final destination.

Have you benefited from having goals in the past? If you need some direction, what specific goals can you make this year to help encourage you to keep on writing?

(That first picture is of me and my dad on our glider ride this past summer, along with the very fun pilot from Sunriver Soaring! The other pictures are photos I think my dad took on a train ride during our trip to Virginia City, Nevada, also last summer.)

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CSG Part Two: Devotion on a Schedule

It's Valentine's Day, and today we're talking about devotion! In this case, we're going with the second and third definitions given by Dictionary.com for this word: "earnest attachment to a cause, person, etc." and "an assignment or appropriation to any purpose, cause, etc."

We must ask ourselves:

1. Am I devoted to my manuscript/story?
2. Am I willing to devote time to my manuscript/story?

If you answered "yes" to both of these questions, then you're right on track with part two of the game plan I started outlining last week for finishing your manuscript! (Click HERE to read Part One: A Companion for the Journey.)

Again, I want to add that I am not yet a published author, and I'm currently working on my first manuscript. So these tips I'm sharing with you are just things I've been learning along the way!

And now for the S in the CSG plan: Schedule.

One of my New Year's resolutions for 2011 is to finish my manuscript by May 31st. But I know that this year will be no different from any other previous year in fulfilling this dream if I don't actually sit down and write. Thinking about the story, planning the plot, and doing research are all wonderful and necessary activities, but if I'm ever going to have something to hand to an editor or agent, all those thoughts, plans, and historical tidbits are going to have to make their way from my mind to my computer!

Now, a writing schedule can look different for each person. For example, a full-time published author (ie: an author who writes for a living) would most likely want to schedule in hours of writing almost every day. But for those who are working full-time at another job or are full-time students, writing every day is not only a daunting and frightening idea, but it's also impractical.

So what are those of us in the second category supposed to do? To be honest, it depends. Sometimes we have to wait, because writing can't be a top priority then. God, family, and work must come first. But sometimes we actually do have the time, but until now we've chosen to fill it with other activities that are definitely not priorities.

This semester, the opportunity has presented itself to me, and so I've made a schedule. Every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday morning, I sit down in front of my laptop and type. My goal is usually at least 700 words, but sometimes I write a little less or a little more. The point is that the goal is practical, and I'm getting something onto that blank page. I think it's important to celebrate those small victories!

Since I had already written a good "chunk" of my story before beginning this new year, I think this schedule will help me meet my goal of finishing my manuscript before June. (After that--editing, polishing, and writing a proposal!)

Sometimes the words don't really flow well. I have to sit for a while and write bit by bit. A walk can be inspiring, and, of course, spending devotional time with God beforehand.

The point is, no matter how much I write or how much time I can set aside, I need to write. Pray, and then just do it! I think you'll be surprised by the results. On days when I think that a scene isn't going to turn out very well because I started out with only a vague idea in my mind, I am often excited by what ends up on the page.

And why is that? First of all, God is in control, and if He wants this story to be told then I just need to tell it and trust Him to work all the details out to His glory. And second, I personally feel devotion for this story.

If you love your characters and the story they're a part of, then you'll be drawn into their world and your love will show through your words. Your devotion will keep you going and help you stick to your schedule. So don't be afraid to keep your devotion on a schedule!

Do you have a writing schedule, whether you're published or unpublished? Does it work well for you? If you don't have a schedule, can you think of certain days of the week when you can set aside time just for writing?

(If you can't already tell from the pictures I included, I'm a fan of certain PBS Masterpiece programs/movies! These are characters a person can fall in love with for sure! The images are from the PBS Masterpiece website.)

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CSG Part One: A Companion for the Journey

Up until 2011, my writing life was sporadic at best. There were times when I would get a burst of energy and inspiration, like last summer when I was on vacation in Oregon and then again in Nevada. But the dream of finishing my novel seemed illusive and undefined. It was a very real hope, but it wasn't easy to put that hope into action.

It still isn't necessarily easy, but in this new year I've discovered a game plan that's been working well so far. Now, before I delve deeper into this topic and share my ideas with you, I want to make a couple of notes:

1. God's timing is not our timing.
2. I'm not yet published.
   

The first note is just a reminder that as much as I'm glad to be on a faster track now (which I also wished for when I was younger), I'm just as glad that I had the time before to just ruminate on ideas, grow up a little, and gain new experiences before diving in to finish my manuscript. Some things can't be rushed! The second note is a reminder that the tips I'm about to share are the tips of an aspiring author--not a published author looking back on success. So, I'm learning along with all of you!

And finally--to the point. ;) I'm going to do a three post series about this game plan I'm implementing. You can just think of it as CSG. Nope, it's not "Constructive Solid Geometry," as Dictionary.com might tell you. This CSG stands for:

Companion
Schedule
Goal

Today we'll talk about the C: Companion.

A few months after I started my personal blog (Seasons of Humility) I met an amazing friend through a comment she left on one of my posts. Ever since then (last summer) she has been a huge encouragement to me--someone who prays for me and my family, sets an inspirational and humble example for me, and someone who is a joy just to talk to through the Internet and letters.

Eventually I asked her if she wouldn't mind reading what I had written for my manuscript and sharing her thoughts with me. She said yes! And then several weeks ago when I came back to school, I started e-mailing her three times a week with new scenes. Her support, feedback, and encouragement have been invaluable to me!

In the past (and even now, to some extent), the idea of a "critique partner" held little appeal. I didn't want someone to read the pages of the story of my heart and tell me all the things that were wrong with them. To be honest, if I chose to share my work with anyone, I wanted them to tell me all the good things about it and leave out the negative aspects.

But having a companion is different than having a critique partner, in my opinion (perhaps in name only, but "companion" does sound much nicer, doesn't it?). I trust my companion. I value her opinion, and I enjoy discussing things with her. She gently points out the errors and shares her thoughts on what she, as a reader, is thinking as the story unfolds.

I'm not at the editing/polishing stage. I'm not ready for line edits or nit-picking. I know that day will come, and perhaps that stage will be more appealing then. ;) But for now, I just need to finish the manuscript. And having a companion such as I have, with patience and a heart of gold, is a gift I'm overwhelmingly grateful for. She is such a wonderful friend!

I highly recommend having a companion to journey with you as you finish your manuscript. But note that the companion you choose must be trustworthy, honest, kind, and internally motivated to be a part of the journey. If you're going to be sharing your work on a regular basis with this person, that person will need to have a heart for the story, as well.

It's a tall order, for sure. But if you can find a companion or two to keep you company, even if only by reading your work on occasion and sharing their thoughts when they can, I think your motivation for writing will be much improved. The more your companion is invested in the story, the more you become invested, as well. Enthusiasm is definitely catching!

Do you have a companion now who is encouraging you as you work on your current manuscript, whether you're published or unpublished? Have you been a companion for someone else? Do you have some inspirational companion stories you can share with us?

(Pictures are from the Pixar website.)

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Too Many Interview Requests, Not Enough Time?

You're published. Now what? You market, of course. And marketing means interviews. As in requests for interviews.

Bittersweet.

Sweet because it marks the culmination of all your hard work to get published. Sweet because you can share your excitement and encouragement to others who aren’t quite as far down the path. But after the first few, they can become yet another thing to juggle as you work on edits for your contracted manuscript and write toward the deadline for your newest novel. Add in family and friends, social engagements and soccer practice, and you’ve got a problem. A big problem. So it’s easy to feel justified in serving up pat answers to the questions you’ve been asked to answer.

Don’t do it.

Interviews are important. They are a way to connect to your intended audience and gain new readers. To the question, “How long did it take for you to get published?” go ahead and answer, “Six years.” I dare you. Six years.

How profound. How inspiring. How. . .absolutely dull.

After reading the first question of an interview submitted for posting here at The Borrowed Book, I can tell whether the author has really put their heart into the answers or if the interview was approached as a necessary evil. Really good interviews will reward the time and effort you put forth in answering the questions with thought and feeling.

Here are some suggestions to make your interview more memorable.

Target your audience.

Put personality into your answers.

Use a conversational tone.

Good questions = good interviews. If a question doesn’t intrigue you skip to the next one. (Like the time someone asked me if I were an inanimate object, what would I be--huh?)

Check your spelling and punctuation. Nothing screams, “I’m an amateur” like poor grammar skills, and it is not the interviewers job to edit.

Just as in your writing, use strong verbs, colorful similes and metaphors.

If the problem is time, pace yourself. Choose the toughest question and answer it the first day. Edit that answer the next day, then answer another question and repeat the process until the interview is finished. Procrastination is your worst enemy. When you’ve completed all the questions, shoot them to your critique group and ask them to let you know if anything falls flat, doesn’t make sense, or needs to be expanded upon.

You want people to click with you on that first question and stay with you through the entire interview. By then, hopefully, you’ll have won over a new fan. Or two. Or ten.

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