Researching In Reverse

I seem to be developing a pattern. In my first book, And the Truth Will Set You Free, I relocated my character, Kate, to Connecticut. Last October, I traveled to New England and through Connecticut to see how closely my research for the story fit with reality.

In one of my recent completed manuscripts, Shooting Into the Sun, I send my characters to Mackinac Island, Michigan. I've never been there, but always wanted to visit. Well, I'm leaving tomorrow and, after a brief stop over in Pittsburgh, PA for a book signing at the Sto-Rox Public Library, I'm heading to Mackinac Island.

As with many things in my life, I'm once again working in reverse. I research a place, write about, then visit to see how close I came to fact. It seems to fit with what my high school driving instructor said: "I actually think you drive better in reverse." Well, there you have it.

In any case, I'll be back (no pun intended) after Labor Day. Until then, go and write something.

Linda

The Curse of the Sagging Middle

Okay, so this can have different meanings, depending upon your perspective. As I prepare to skid sideways into another birthday and wonder what the hell happened to my once-girlish figure, I ponder ‘the sagging middle.’

As writers, we are cautioned about the sagging middle--the point in our story where it droops and loses tension. How much like life is that? As I tugged at the waistband of my favorite jeans the other day, I noticed my sagging middle, and wondered how it got there.

Well, I know how I got my sagging middle--too many hours in the recliner under the laptop, a can of soda and a bag of chips at the ready, (and just a little chocolate). Okay, okay. A lot of chocolate. My sagging middle came from putting all the wrong junk into my body and limiting its activity.

And there it is--how we get a sagging middle in our stories. We fill it with junk--unnecessary details, the little wanderings we go into when we stray from the story, characters that don’t serve a real purpose, lines that don't move the story forward. And we lose the tension and the action. That fantastic beginning that grabbed our reader by the throat and held her there suddenly becomes jello that’s sat in the sun too long. We manage to get back on track and tighten up our ending, but it’s an uphill climb.

Here’s a test I’ve discovered to determine if you have a sagging middle. (No, don’t look down at your navel. I’m talking about writing again.) Highlight a section that you might use as an excerpt. Paste it into a new document, then read it. Does it stand alone? Does it represent the story or give a glimpse of one of your characters? Would it make you want to read the entire book?

If you answer ‘no’ to any of those questions, your story needs liposuction and a good workout. (Or maybe I’m talking about my waistline now?)

Breaking your story into random excerpts will tell you if it’s filled with junk, or (cliche alert) fit as a fiddle.

Now, go, and give a chapter a workout.

Linda

Writing In A Flash

I don't believe in writer's block. I've said that many times. However, I'm not naive, and I know that we sometimes come to a screeching halt with whatever story we're writing. The question is, what do we do?

I've discovered a few things that keep me writing, keep me moving forward. When I get to chapter nine and find I'm not sure how to begin chapter ten, I think about those scenes that have played out in my head, but fit further along in the story. Then I write them. Sure, there's a gap between where I stopped the story and the scene that may or may not appear in chapter fifteen. But--I'm writing. I'm creating. I'm not sitting and staring at a blank computer screen.

Some of my colleagues write flash fiction, short stories and poetry. I've written short stories, and I have a flash fiction piece recently accepted for publication next year. Flash fiction is particularly a great exercise to hone our skills for being concise and using an economy of words to describe our characters and their situations. It's a story of less than 1,000 words that has a beginning, a middle, an end and, ususally, an unexpected twist. There is an art to this form of writing. And it can be fun.

A third tactic for keeping my story alive and moving forward is brainstorming--talking the story out with another writer or critique partner. This opens your mind to new possibilities in your story. And it's not always what the other person suggests, but what you hear yourself say aloud about your story as you talk it through that energizes you to continue.

We all stall out at times, uncertain about the next line, the next scene, or how to get from where we are to the story's end. The most important thing is to not remain stuck. Write something, anything. Keep the creative juices flowing, even if you have to write a short essay about the frustration of being stuck.

Trust me. The next word will come to you -- in a flash.

Now, go. Write something.

Linda

My Muse Has Attention Deficit Disorder

I don't know about you, but I can't seem to work on only one book at a time. But I just took inventory of my flash drive and realize I have five--FIVE--books in process. In all fairness, the first draft of one is complete, but needs to be trimmed by about 3,000 words. The others are anywhere from two to seven chapters in length, so far.

Coming up with ideas is not my problem. Keeping those ideas straight and on track is becoming an issue. It's like trying to walk five leashed, and poorly trained, puppies at one time.

When faced with multiple story ideas, how do you decide which one to run with first? And, once you do, how do you set those other tempting little nuggets aside for the future?

It's been my practice to work on two books at the same time. I find that it keeps my imagination flowing and staves off writer's block. But five works in progress seem to be a bit much. It can lead to a different type of writer's block, when you become so immersed in several stories that you can't focus on any one of them.

So, what do you do when your muse develops ADD and drags you in five directions at once?

Linda (who is covering her ears and singing, "la, la, la, la" while she works on ONE book.) :)

Lose Your Mind!

The Year I Lost My Mind will be released May 1 by Wings ePress, Inc. www.wings-press.com

Here is a brief excerpt:

My name is Beth Rutledge. Today is my birthday. I am fifty-one years old. I have a thriving interior decorating business, a son in college, a daughter who just made me a grandmother and a husband whom I love very much. My mother will tell you I have been having a midlife crisis. My best friend will tell you I am courageous. My husband will tell you that, on my last birthday and for just a little while, I lost my mind.

I will tell you this: Sometimes you have to lose something in order to reclaim it. Sometimes you have to trust the love that holds the seams of your life together and stretch it to a new limit. Sometimes you just have to lose your mind…and follow your heart.

~ * ~

Lose your mind, and follow your heart with me on May 1 at Wings ePress, Inc.

Thanks to those of you faithful readers who enjoyed And the Truth Will Set You Free and Pieces, also available from Wings ePress.

Happy reading!

Linda

Start Your Engines, and Write Your Way Home

When I was in high school and taking a driver's education class, the instructor looked at me one day and said, "You know, I think you drive better in reverse." It was the day we learned three-point turns, and I took his comment to be a compliment.

In writing, I've learned that some of the same principles apply as in driving a car. You have to start your engine (listen to your muse), have plenty of fuel (possess a command of language), and recognize the important signs that control traffic (know how to use punctuation).

You have to know when to turn up the heat and the time to cool things down. And you must be willing to take adventurous detours. But you also have to be able to make a neat three-point turn in narrow spaces.

I've often thought about my driving instructor's comment and considered how I apply that same skill to others areas of my life, writing included. Yes, I sometimes write in reverse. I often find that I have to justify my personal assertion that writer's block does not exist--or that it doesn't have to exist. So, if I hit a roadblock, reach one of those 'no thru traffic beyond this point' signs in my story, I must choose an alternative. I either have to find a detour, or I jump ahead in the story, then write my way back.

And I have to say it works. Every single time. I may not know where I'm going next, but I know where I want to end up. So, I jump a plane (so to speak) and get to the destination. Then I figure out my way back to where I left off.

Is this the ideal way to write a novel? Nope. Is it a way to write past the roadblocks? Absolutely.

You're skeptical, I can tell. Go ahead, give it a try.

Go, now, and write something.
-or
.gnihtemos etirw dna ,won ,oG.

Whichever way works best for you.

Linda

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

Reviews--either a writer's dream come true, or your worst nightmare. Some writers consider reviews a necessary evil of writing. Of course, your viewpoint depends upon whether the review is 'good' or 'bad'.

What constitutes a 'good' review? Most of us think a good review offers undending praise for our work, recommends it as a 'must read' and gives fifteen stars out of the ten available. Of course we love those reviews.

Then there are the 'bad' reviews--the ones that, while reading, you can see the reviewer sneer, shrug and make an 'oh, well' gesture. And, of course, you may encounter the nightmare review--the one that says, in essence, 'this book is a piece of meaningless garbage and not worth the time or money you'll spend standing in line at the cashier.' I don't personally believe this kind of review is necessary, no matter how poor the reviewer considers the manuscript to be.

Here is the challenge posed to us writers. When we request a review and it's less than positive, do we include the review in our promotional material, post it to our web site or post the link to the reviewer's site? Do we thank the reviewer for his/her time, even though we're not thrilled with the review?

What is the proper etiquette here?

In discussions among authors, I've heard opinions fall on both sides of the fence--gracefully accept the review, thank the reviewer and move on, or ignore the review and the reviewer (and make a note to never request a review from that person again). Some post a scathing retort to the reviewer.

Writing is a business, albeit a very personal business. Not all reviewers seem to keep that in mind, to remember that an author's words hold more than letters from the alphabet, set into a particular arrangement to tell a story. Our writing holds our hearts and souls, along with hours of blood, sweat and tears. It behooves reviewers, I believe, to be both honest and kind.

I don't post every review I receive on my web pages. After all common sense and good marketing practices would dictate otherwise if a review does not paint a positive picture of a book. It is, in the end, about attracting readers and selling books. Is this dishonest? No. I do, however, thank the reviewer for their time and for their honest review. They've done their job, even if we don't agree with the outcome.

I have read of authors who received scathing reviews that slammed their work and their skills. And they've taken the review site or the individual reviewer to task, gotten the review pulled from the web and received an apology.

Tact. Some people lack it. As writers and reviewers, we have to strike a balance between honesty and tact. I've reviewed work for several authors. Have I thoroughly enjoyed each and every book equally? No. Have I ever told an author they should hang it up and go back to their day job? No. Cruelty and personal affronts are not warranted.

If, as a reviewer, I encountered a book upon which I could find nothing positive to comment, I would return the manuscript to the author with a note about my reasons for declining the review.

For whom are reviews written? For the reader. Yep. Reviews are not intended to provide the author with marketing and PR material. Although they can serve as a barometer for our writing. They are intended to give the reader either an enticement or a warning. But--every review is one person's opinion. We need to remember this, both as writers and as readers. Some of the best movies I've seen were panned by the critics.

My advice?

Writers--employ good judgment about how you use reviews of your work. Respond professionally to your reviewers.
Readers--consider reviews, but trust your own instincts. Look at the book, read the blurb, visit the writer's web site and read an excerpt.
Reviewers--maintain professional integrity, but also remember that there's a person on the other end of that novel.

Linda