WRITING BLUES

You know that feeling when you finish writing a piece and you think, 'Wow, that's good! Did I write that?' Well, I haven't felt that in a while. It has been a long time between short story sales for me. So today I've decided to hang up the pen and go for a walk. I need to shake out the old cobwebs and be inspired by the world around me. I have been writing .... starting stories and then hitting a brick wall - very frustrating. I have submitted lots of stories and am a firm believer that while one plays the waiting game one must keep writing. In this extremely competitive writing world of ours I think we have to create something that stands out from the rest - something special. So my plan today is to take a break and venture outdoors in the hope that the fresh air and exercise energises and inspires me.

Mmmmm I think it is going to be a long, long walk!

Keep writing.... but take a break too :-)

STAND ALONE AND SERIES

I've read many good stand alone books. I enjoy studying writers' talents; the way they show their versatility by creating new characters, settings and sometimes writing in different genres. Their creativity seems boundless.

There was a time when a series of books didn't appeal to me. Over the last year I became curious about how writers tackle creating a series of books, so between indulging in reading stand alone books, I ventured into reading authors who write a series of books. As a writer and reader I do become fond of particular characters. I am keen to travel more of there journies, to see what else life throws at them and how they tackle different situations.

I've enjoyed reading a variety of series in different genres:

James Patterson - Alex Cross and Michael Bennett. Dean Koontz - Odd Thomas and Frankenstein. Laurell K Hamilton - Anita Blake. Michael Koryta - Lincoln Perry. Patricia Brigg - Anna and Charles. Janet Evanovich - Stephanie Plum. Jennifer Lyon - Wing Slayer Hunters.

Are there any series of books that you have particularly enjoyed?

Keep writing... and reading...

PROCESS OF PLOT

There are many ways writers tackle the various stages of putting together a story. Here is a guideline to the process of plot:

- Introduce your character.

- The ‘incident’ which changes your character’s life as she knew it.
- First turning point where something happens which alters her thought patterns on solving her problem; perhaps forcing her to venture out of her comfort zone.
- Second turning point introducing more conflict, where for example her behaviour changes. She finds something inside of her she didn’t know she had. Bring out the hero inside of your character!
- Crisis point where your character has the choice to stand and fight for what she wants and believes in, or run for all she is worth.
- The climatic point where the truth is revealed, followed by the resolution that leaves your reader fulfilled by the outcome of the story.

Here is what David B Silva had to say about the successful novel writer Dean Koontz:

If you want it direct and succinct, here’s the way Koontz does it:

1. He gives us main characters that we will care about.

2. He places these characters in immediate and often desperate situations. They must overcome right away if they are to survive.

3. He never allows the readers to catch up with him. There are always new and unanticipated surprises just around the bend.

Keep writing....

SUSPENSE

Suspense - keeping the reader on the edge of their seat. Techniques for building suspense takes practice, loads of reading and is developed over time as the writer learns their craft.
The Dean Koontz Companion has some interesting points to make on suspense:

Suspense in fiction results primarily from the reader's identification with and concern about lead characters who are complex, convincing and appealing. Anticipation of violence is infinitely more suspenseful than the violence itself.
Style is as important as good characterization and anticipation. As the anticipation sequence builds towards the moment of violence or the dreaded encounter, the writer sometimes will employ more short sentences, simpler words, shorter clauses and phrases - all of which give the reader a sense of headlong, hellbent forward motion.
Suspense cannot be created in a vacuum. It is generated only as a by-product of good characterization, good pacing, an awareness of the value of anticipation as a prelude to action, strong stylistic control, and an ability - and willingness - to write complex characters and complex scenes that encourages the reader to suspend his disbelief and enter fully into the world of make-believe.

Authors who I believe have mastered the art of suspense and keep me on the edge of my seat are Dean Koontz and Stephen King.

Keep writing....

STEPHEN KING - FROM A BUICK 8

I've been wanting to read Stephen King's, From a Buick 8, for some time time now. It did not disappoint. As a writer, a particular paragraph grabbed my attention:-

"Tell me everything. But - this is important - tell me a story, one that has a beginning and a middle and an end where everything is explained. Because I deserve that. Don't shake the rattle of your ambiguity in my face. I deny its place. I repudiate its claim. I want a story."

Keep writing....

BOOKWORM

The Australian Pocket Oxford Dictionary defines 'bookworm' as 'consuming maggot, great reader'. I choose to apply the second definition to myself. Over the last few months I have read piles of books. The genres range from contemporary, thrillers, suspense, crime, paranormal, horrow, sci-fi to erotic fiction. At first guilt set in. Was all this reading a form of procrastination? Was I neglecting my writing? No. Absolutely not. I came to the conclusion that I was doing research - to become a better writer! I made a point of being aware of the various styles of writing used by the authors. The way they employed the use of their craft and what made their novels popular.

Settings - extraordinary worlds (supernatural, paranormal and sci-fi) were made real and believable by the successful use of conflict and resolution, descriptions, emotions, identifying in some way to the characters; their hardships, their hopes and their dreams. I was cheering for the good guys to defeat those darker elements.

Point of View - it was interesting for me to take note of how POV was used in the various novels:-

* One POV throughout the novel.
* One POV with some chapters past tense and some present tense.
* One main POV combined with other chapters focusing on   
   different POV's.
* Two POV's in same chapter. (Something I wouldn't consider
   doing but was pleasantly surprised how the author pulled it off.)

Balance - I found a good balance when reading the intense novels. The suspence and 'thriller' aspect was there, but the right ingredients of humour and sometimes even romance topped it off nicely for me.

I've been enjoying my role as a Bookworm. Reading as a writer. Researching what makes a publishable novel. Learning about various styles and how to piece together a successful plot. Being aware of the structure of a story.

Reading is a great way to relax and escape. Reading also helps us to become better writers!

Keep writing.... and reading.

IN MY WRITING WORLD

I remember as a kid standing in the library in awe. In that moment I knew what I wanted; to see my novel on those shelves. Now all these years later I'm in. Dream Keeper is on the library shelf. Mission accomplished! :-)

Novel marketing is not one of my favourite things; I'm more an introvert than an extrovert. I took a teaspoon of cement (to harden up) and approached That's Life magazine offering copies of Dream Keeper as prizes. They have kindly accepted my offer which will be happening as an online promotion in the near future.

I'm going well writing articles. The Fellowship of Australian Writers have accepted and published five in a row. The state president of FAW NSW also will be reviewing Dream Keeper in an upcoming issue. I'm hoping this helps with sales.

So far this year I've managed to accomplish another goal and broke into the overseas markets with short story sales in the UK and SA.

As we all know with writing it's not all good news. (We wish.)The rejections, lack of motivation, inspiration and procrastination at times can be very draining. TL mag here in Australia - my favourite mag who have published the bulk of my short stories in the past (my very first short story sale to them in 1994) - haven't bought a story from me in almost a year! This concerns me, big time, as over here it is the only paying short story mag market. Why? Why? Why? I don't know.

I've submitted a huge stack of short stories, both revamped and new to various publishers and now I play the game that none of us like to play - the waiting game.

My other two novel manuscripts sit in a publisher's email box waiting to be reviewed. Apparently if they do not contact me within three months of submission I am to assume that they have decided not to pursue my manuscripts. I have two months to go. Fingers and everything else crossed for me please.

I've read a couple of blogs on the topic of increased postage costs. I can't help but wonder why in this day and age of modern technology there still are mags/publishers who only accept submissions via post. Why is that? Can anyone enlighten me?

So, in my writing world I have concluded I am doing all I can, and while I wait and live in hope, I write.

Keep writing....